The Hang Man

Author’s note: Yes this is a remake of the story, I got some advice and I used the advice to make the story better and I focused more on Adam and The Hang Man. I'm happier with this version and I don't plan on remaking it again.
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It was a cold winter's night. I was returning from work at the middle of the night, and driving into the woods to find my cabin was not easy. The trees block the little amount of light the porch lights give off, and driving on icy roads at night like this is not the smartest idea. I finally found my driveway and I pulled in, being a little paranoid ever since I read about The Hang Man. I enjoy reading urban legends, and I stumbled upon the book the other day at the library.
The Hang Man is some supernatural being of a mass murderer that would hang his headless victims. The disturbing thing was, that he was said to live in a little cabin in the woods, where he hung himself in the bedroom. The small cabin sounded a lot like mine. I got out of my car after thinking about it some more, and I walked up to the porch steps. I walked up the steps, unlocking my door and taking my coat off.
I took off my boots and closed the door, locking it and closing the curtains. Walking over to the fire place, I noticed I was running low on wood.
"I'll cut some more wood in the morning." I said aloud to myself as I got a small fire going.
I suddenly heard some weird noises coming from outside, it sounded like cackling laughter and something being hung from a tree branch. I quickly made sure all my windows and doors were locked, thinking it could be a psychopath that escaped the mental hospital just down the road from my home. If it was, how would he have escaped? And how was he not captured yet?
I called the police to report the incident.
"911 what's your emergency?" A nice sounding man asked.
"Uh, yes I heard someone laughing just outside my home. And it sounds like they hung something, I don't know who it is but it would make me feel better if someone were to come check it out."
"Alright sir, where do you live?"
"I live on 2305 South Edgar Street. I'm the little cabin far back in the woods."
"Alright sir, we'll have someone sent out. They'll be there in 30 minutes or less."
"Alright, thank you. And have a good night." After that I hung up, feeling a little better since the police were on their way. The laughing continued for a few more minutes then stopped. Maybe the person had left or they were still out there. I shook off the thought, deciding to make some dinner and maybe a cup of coffee.
I had warmed up a hot pocket and was sitting at the table and eating my warmed up meal. I picked up my coffee that I had made, sipping at it. I heard a knock on the door, getting up and walking over. I hadn't heard any sirens or a car being parked in my driveway. So it couldn't have been the police.
"Hello? Who's there?" It was weird since I wasn't expecting any company besides the police. I moved the curtain, looking out the window. Since I didn't see anything I went back to the dining room to finish my dinner. But before I could reach the table I heard another knock. I didn't answer this time, thinking it must've been a few kids playing a prank. I sat back down at the table, finishing on eating my hot pocket.
The police finally arrived and I explained the situation to them. They went into the woods and looked around for a bit, just to find nothing. No tracks either, which was the weird part. They told me not to worry, and my mind was probably playing tricks on me since I had a long day at work. I shrugged it off, closing and locking my door after they left. Going back to the dining room, I picked up my unfinished cup of coffee and drank the rest. I took all the dishes into the kitchen, getting them washed and dried. Putting them in the cupboards, I heard more knocks at my door.
I didn't answer or say anything, I had gotten used to the knocking at this point. After cleaning up I went into the living room and sat on the sofa, turning the news on. I almost choked on my own spit. A woman had been found dead, hanging by her feet with her head missing.
"This morning Jane Woods was found by her husband hanging by her feet from the ceiling fan. Her head completely missing. Her husband believes it was the urban legend The Hang Man's spirit that did this to his wife. Police are investigating the case and looking for the murderer. Stay safe and keep your windows and doors locked."
I turned off the TV after that, shaking since that was EXACTLY how The Hang Man murdered his victims and left them. If it really was him, and not some hoax, I was going to sage the fuck out of my house. I was creeped out and wasn't going to take any chances, hopefully the sage would help. Suddenly the knocking got more aggressive, and I looked out the window through a small crack in the curtains. A small middle aged man was standing outside the door, he was wearing all black but something about him seemed off. His skin didn't look right, it looked rotten and falling off his hands.
I closed the curtain quickly, picking up the phone to call the police but the line was cut. I grabbed my shotgun, just in case this man was here to harm me. I looked out the window again, but he wasn't there. I relaxed a bit but stayed alert. When you live in the woods for 10 years like me, you will have a psychopath from time to time show up and try to break in. Not knowing if this man was real or a The Hang Man's ghost had me on edge. I looked out the window once again, but I jumped back quickly. The man was there, his face pressed against the window. He was grinning ear to ear.
His teeth were inhuman, they were sharp and crooked. He was scratching at the glass with his sharp nails. I closed the curtain, running to my bathroom and hiding in it. Look, I know this is how people in horror movies hide, but it was the closest room that I could run to. I waited for what seemed like an hour before I cautiously walked out, holding my shotgun tightly. I went to the window, looking outside, but the man was gone. I grabbed my laptop quickly, searching up what The Hang Man looked like. I froze once I saw the picture, it was him. I don't believe in ghosts, but this made me believe. I was moving out as soon as I got enough money. I heard a crash come from my kitchen and I cautiously walked to the kitchen.
He was standing there, grinning at me and I saw he had broken plates on the ground. I aimed the shotgun at him.
"Come any closer and I shoot!" I know what your thinking, how could a supernatural being be scared of a man in his 30s with a shotgun? How could the shotgun even harm him? I was desperate and trying to protect myself from a dead man that couldn't die. He started to walk towards me and I took the shot, blowing a hole in him and I watched as he fell backwards.
Not wasting any time to see if he would get up, I ran out to my truck, getting in and starting it up. I grumbled when it didn't, now was not the time for it to act up. I got out, deciding to go by foot. But The Hang Man was a few feet in front of me, the hole closing in his stomach. I backed up, turning quickly and running into the woods. I heard him running after me, cackling and breathing heavily. I ran faster, breathing heavily and coughing. My legs ached and my lungs burned. I hid behind a tree when I couldn't hear him anymore, and I took this time to catch my breath. I suddenly heard him, he was looking for me. He was calling out my name, looking behind the trees and in bushed.
"Oh Adam, I just wanna play Hang Man! So come out and play! I'm getting tired of Hide and Seek!"
I took off running once I caught my breath, I fell backwards when he appeared in front of me. He looked insane, salivating as he looked down at me.
"There you are!" He went to grab me but I kicked him away, getting up and running again. I was terrified and I wondered what he wanted to do to me. I ended up in the middle of the woods, seeing dead bodies hanging from their feet and their heads missing. I wondered how they got here and I looked for a way out, but the bodies blocked my vision and I couldn't see the trees anymore. Suddenly I felt a sharp pain go through my body, and I looked behind me. The Hang Man had stabbed a knife into my leg, I knew this was the end. I knew I was going to die here.
The Hang Man won, he won his twisted game of Hide and Seek. And now it was time to play Hang Man. He knocked me down, tying my legs together and hanging me from a branch. I watched him, but he never removed my head. He just stared at me, humming a tune.
"I might just keep you around as my living little partner. Would you like to hang with The Hang Man?"
I wondered what would happen if I would do it, how many lives I would take. He stood there, grinning still. If I said yes, I would live but also I would take the lives of others. But if I said no, I would die like the hanging bodies around me.
"So, will you help me? Will you help me cleanse the earth of the scum low lives? These people you see around you have wronged others and sinned. I need an assistant to cleanse the earth."
Could I help in The Hang Man's "mission" to "cleanse the earth"? Would I do it if it meant I kept my life?
I could.
Category:Beings
Category:Dismemberment