A Grave Matter

A Grave Matter

Robbing for Research goes awry.

"If these future surgeons are ever going to learn how to do surgery on people, we've got to get them more bodies to cut on."

"Well, Doc, - there's no more indigents in the morgue, so we can't steal 'em from there."

"I don't understand - this is 1930 - there's a Depression on -You'd think more people would be dying." the Doctor, complained bitterly.

"What would you have us do, Doc - go out to North Union Cemetery and dig up the people who have died and been buried there recently?"

"Sure...Why not. How about your no-good cousins, Jeb and Wilbur, they're a couple of down-and-outers - always looking to make a buck. We could pay them - Oh, maybe $5.00 dollars a body."

"Of course, if we even considered that, it would have to be done in the dead of night - and I know my cousins. Jeb and Wilbur are both deathly afraid of graveyards, and worst than that, they believe ghosts walk around in the graveyard at night. They don't like to go by that graveyard even in the daylight."

"Yeah, but didn't you say they own one of those big old black Buggies with the little wagon bed behind. Be perfect for hauling dead bodies in."

Jeb and Wilbur find employment

"Hey, Jim...what brings you out this way," Wilbur asked, as his cousin got out of his Model A Ford.

"The Doctor I work for has some work for you and Jeb if you're interested."

When Jeb and Wilbur heard what that work was they were both scared stiff - but they needed money for food and whiskey - so they finally with great reluctance accepted the job.

Midnight in the Graveyard.

Trying to drive slowly holding the horse reins loosely they fearfully approached the graveyard gate. Jeb hopped down from the buggy and quietly swung the creaky gate open.

A moment later, they were inside the pitch-black cemetery. Tying their horse to the fence, they quickly made their way through the sinister black night to the freshly dug grave of Tyrell Babcock. When alive he had been one of the meanest men in the county. Both Jeb and Wilbur had made it a point to stay out of Babcock's way.

"Yeah, let's dig up ol' Tyrell tonight for our first one," Jeb laughed, adding,

"Maybe I'll take him out of that fancy coffin and kick him in the ass a couple times."

Wilbur looking around, scared stiff - wanted none of that.

"Darn it, Jeb," Let's just dig the bastard up. "He's going to get his - Boy, I'd really like to be there when they cut him up. "

"Okay," Jeb agreed, "Let's just dig him up and get out of here - this place gives me the willies," he said, his teeth chattering from the superstitious fear he felt at being in a place that he was sure was haunted.

Someone's watching

Using their spades and shovels, they quickly dug up the late Mr. Babcock's coffin and hoisted it out of the hole. Feeling a little less frightened, Wilbur leaned against a nearby tombstone.

"Hey, Jeb lets take a little walk and grab a smoke before we take off."

"That sounds like a good idea," Jeb agreed, glad to step out of the graveyard even for a moment.

While Jeb and Wilbur were making their way outside the graveyard to smoke though, a solitary figure had been watching them.

Lester Higgins the town drunk was finally sober and needed a ride back to town. So, he quickly broke the lock on the coffin, and threw the late Mr. Babcock back down into his dark hole from which they had just lifted him. The body landed with a dull thud, falling back into the grave almost silently.

Climbing into the fancy coffin, Lester lay down in all that plush interior and quietly pulled the coffin lid down.

Ah - this is nice, Lester thought, as he lay there in the darkness, I wouldn't mind having this to sleep in every night.

Meanwhile Jeb and Wilbur had finished their smoke and were ready to get the hell out of there.

Grabbing hold of each end of the coffin, they quickly carried it over and shoved it onto the bed of their waiting buggy.

The night was black as ink. Just wanting to get as far away from there as possible, Jeb whipped up the horse. Soon they were cantering down the pitch-black dusty road as fast as their horse could run.

"Damn... Wilbur, digging him up near scared me to death," Jeb shivered. "I'm not diggin' up no more bodies. I'd rather starve."

"Yeah," Wilbur agreed, "That sure gave me a fright. I'm not doing it anymore either."

"Just knowing Babcock is lying back there in that damned coffin behind us gives me the shivers." Jeb shuddered, his hands trembling on the horse's reins.

Yeah," Wilbur agreed, adding, "What if he tries to rise up and get out of there."

"Yeah, can't this horse go any faster?" Jeb complained.

Just then, Lester woke up. He could feel the coffin bouncing around. He pushed the lid up slightly. It creaked ominously.

"God, Jeb...Did you hear that!" Wilbur said, terrified.

"Yeah," Jeb said, frightened out of his wits, "Damn...like we said - he's probably back there trying to get out of that coffin."

"Oh, Damn - Damn - Damn!" Wilbur screeched, his voice cracking with such a fright.

"Do you know what night this is - - It's Halloween!"

Just then, the coffin lid began creaking open, ever so slowly. Finally, a black figure rose up out of the coffin - leaned up toward a terrified Jeb and Wilbur, and grabbed at the horse's reins.

"Okay, Boys...Here - Let me drive a while," a voice said.

First Jeb - then Wilbur - fainted dead away. Jeb fell out of the left side of that buggy.

Wilbur fell out on the right side.

The horse and buggy, with no one driving, careened wildly on down the road in the pitch-black night.

From the buggy traveling at breakneck speed, Lester Higgin's drunken maniacal laughter could be heard well over a half mile away.

The End

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