The Horror Of High Ridge

The Horror Of High Ridge is an episode of Joshua Mendoza - Occult Investigator. It was played from the 29th of October 2013 to the 4th of January 2014.

## Summary

Joshua and Kyle encounter ghosts whilst staying in High Ridge.

## Characters

### NPC Characters

* Kyle Mendoza
* Mr. Phillips
* Tony O'Flannery
* Mrs. Grundy
* Indian Chief

## Plot

### Previously...

During an investigation into cannabalistic attacks, Joshua discovered that people were being manipulated by the demon Blotsnitch. He fought and killed the beast, but before he finally wedged a knife into it's head, the demon delivered a painful bite to his left arm. On arriving home, he was told by his father that he would be staying at his great-uncle's cabin in High Ridge as a way to avoid the recent town violence…

### Date: Saturday the 3rd of November 2012

Time: 10pm
Place: Great-Uncle Jim's Cabin, High Ridge

Joshua had finally finished packing his things away into a chest of drawers. It had already been a very busy day.
Both Joshua and his brother, Kyle, had been welcomed whole-heartedly by many of the town's people.
Mrs Grundy, over at the Library had even given them the key to the building, which housed both the Library and the Museum, so they could pop in whenever they wished.
Joshua was standing at the window of his room, looking out onto the street. The waning moon shone quietly over High Ridge. It reflected on the frost beginning to form, giving each building of the small mountain town, a glowing outline.
Joshua turned and looked around the room. He saw the bed, a parlor chair, and a chest of drawers, on top of which was a copy of "High Ridge: An Oral History", and an old-fashioned flame-lit lamp.
It was getting late, but Joshua was not quite tired enough to fall asleep.

He picked up the copy of "High Ridge: An Oral History", opened it and began to read by the light from the lamp.

Skimming through the book Joshua came across something interesting…
A hundred years ago, and again fifty years ago, something happened in High Ridge so horrible that most people won't talk about it, and the accounts of those who do are very different.
The links between both incidents are horrible moans and the disappearances or ghastly deaths of town residents.
Just as Joshua felt a chill run down his spine, the unthinkable happened…
There was a moaning scarier than any sound he had ever heard.

Kyle ran into the room.
"What the hell was that?!"

Joshua: Sounded like a moaning scarier than any sound I've have ever heard before.  What makes it even weirder is.  I was just reading this book "High Ridge: An Oral History" and it mentioned something about some horrible incidents that happened in this town a hundred years and then again fifty years ago and both these incidents involved horrible moans and the disappearances or ghastly deaths of town residents.  Then suddenly I hear this scary moaning noise.

The moaning started again.

As hard as he tried, Joshua could not tell where it was coming from. It seemed to be being carried on the wind.

Kyle: What the hell is it?

One moan followed another. Kyle looked really disturbed by it.

Kyle: I'd go outside and look around but...I know it's silly, but what you said about the book...Maybe we should just stay here?

Joshua: I will go out and have a quick look around outside the cabin.  See if I can see anything. I won't go far.  Do you want to come?

Kyle: Uh...I don't know...are you sure that's a good idea?

Suddenly the lamp light went out, plunging the room into darkness.

Kyle: Let's go.

Joshua felt around on the bed for his rucksack and picked it up. He pulled out a torch a switched it on.

Kyle: So what do you think? Should we go out the front door or the back?

Joshua: Lets go out the front door.

Joshua had his mobile phone in his pocket and was carrying a torch. His bag contained a hunting knife, a kindle, a map of High Ridge, spare batteries, a Swiss army knife, and some Twix bars.

Joshua and Kyle both moved through quietly into the main room of the cabin, approaching the front door. Once again out of the blackness came the moaning sound. Joshua's chest felt cold. He could hear another noise mixed in with the moans. Someone was crying out for help.

Joshua opened the front door.

The night air was cold.

Kyle: What do we do now? We could try and help that poor person? But I don't know where they are. Maybe Mr Phillips could help?

Joshua: Lets go and speak to with Mr Phillips and see what he says.

Although it was not far to their destination, it seemed to take forever.
It was as if the whole town was holding its breath and watching them walk down the street.
As they got closer they spotted an old-fashioned red Indian looking into the window's of Mr. Phillips' house.

Joshua: Hello, are you a friend of Mr Phillips?

The red indian slowly turned it head to face Joshua. He could now see that it was carrying a tomahawk in it's right hand.
It screamed a war cry as it launched towards him, axe aloft.

Joshua:  I think we should run back inside.

Joshua ran as fast as he could back towards the cabin door.

The Native American threw his Tomahawk towards Joshua as he ran.
Joshua felt it as it thunked into his rucksack, spilling items everywhere.
It didn't quite embed itself in his back...but it certainly caused him a lot of pain, the momentum of which pushed him down into the dirt as he dropped his torch.

The Native American ran straight towards him. Kyle quickly grabbed the Tomahawk (still covered in Joshua's blood) as Joshua picked himself up off the ground.

The Native American threw a punch at Kyle, knocking him to the floor. Joshua used the moment to grab his hunting knife off the ground and thrust it at the Native American, who managed to dodge it. The Native attempted to kick the knife out of Joshua's hand but Joshua swung his arm just out of reach.
Suddenly Kyle, Axe still in hand, swung with all his might and powered down onto the Native's foot - severing it in half.

Native American: AIEEEE!!!!

Joshua: Let's try and get away.  Maybe we could ask the Grundy's for help.

Joshua tried to pick up the things that fell on the ground and put them back in his rucksack and make his way across the road to Mr Grundy's.

Kyle: Hey! I thought we were going to see Mr Phillips? And we can't go anywhere with him screaming his head off.

Kyle indicated the Native, who was writhing around in the dirt in agony. Then the Native slumped to the ground unconscious.

Kyle: Oh it's okay...

The Native vanished. The tomahawk that Kyle had been carrying also vanishes.

Kyle was a bit more startled than Joshua, being unversed in the world of the supernatural.

Kyle: G-G-G-G-GHOST!

Joshua: Maybe.  I don't really know for sure what it was yet.

Kyle: We could...we could just go. Get in the car and go.

Joshua: I think we should stick around for a bit.  Try and find out more about what just happened.

Kyle: okay. Let's check on Mr. Phillips then.

Joshua walked back to Mr. Phillips' door and knocked a few times.

Joshua and Kyle heard a man's slurring voice shout back at them.

Voice: Who ish it?

Joshua: Hello.  It's Josh and Kyle from next door.  Are you okay Mr. Philips?  Can we come in?

The door suddenly opened to reveal Mr. Phillips, carrying a half-empty bottle of whiskey and looking terrified.

Mr. Phillips: Get in, get in quick!

They quickly walked through the door into Mr. Philips' house.

Joshua: What's happened?  Are you okay Mr. Philips?

Mr. Phillips shut the door behind them.

Mr. Phillips: Not really kidsh, I seen some terrible terrible thingsh out there. Indians and old time prospectors running back and forth. Killing each other. Just like they said happened 50 years ago. I'd never believe it, but I saw it with my own damn eyesh.

Joshua: I read about that it also happened hundred years ago.  We were just attacked by a Red Indian guy, he almost killed us, he was there one minute then the next, he just disappeared.

Mr. Phillips: The way I sees it we've got a few choices. We can either get out of town, try and find anyone who may need our help, or we can find somewhere to hide cos I don't think staying here's safe. (hic)

Joshua: Were you in town 50 years ago when it happened.  Do you know anyone that was and might remember it?

Mr Phillips: Far as I know, anyone who lived here when it last happened fled as soon as it was over. Might be wrong, but can't think of anyone who'd've lived here back then.

Joshua:  Where do you think these Indians and old time prospectors are coming from and what do you think they are exactly? Could they be Ghosts?  Time travelers maybe?

Suddenly, with a shattering of glass, an arrow came crashing through the window!

Mr Phillips: Lets get out of here!

He ran to the back of the room and out the back door.

Joshua run behind him, following him out the back door.

Kyle followed swiftly behind Joshua and they both followed Mr Phillips towards the church.

The Church doors were unlocked. It seemed that in this quiet little mountain town, people just didn't expect to be burgled.

Mr Phillips ran inside.

Mr Phillips: Are you two coming then?

They followed Mr Phillips inside the church.

Mr Phillips closed the door behind them, and put a plank in place to lock it.

Kyle: Now what are we going to do?

Joshua: What are your plans Mr Phillips?

Mr Phillips seemed to have sobered up a bit with all the excitement.

Mr Phillips: I don't know kid. I guess this place might be safe. Plus we can go up the tower and look out over town if needed. Why, what were you thinking?

Joshua: How long do you think this thing will go on for, we can't hide in here forever.  What will we eat?  If this thing is going to go on a while we will need some supplies.  Plus there might be people out there that need our help?  We could try and get them here where they're safe?  We could try and find out why this thing keeps happening maybe put a stop to it and hopefully stop it from happening again in another 50 years.

Mr Phillips grabbed Joshua by the collar.

Mr Phillips: Get a hold of yourself, you're panicking. (He slapped Joshua across the face.) One thing at a time. (He let go.)

Joshua: Sorry, maybe I am getting a bit ahead of myself.  Maybe this Red Indian attack has got to me more than I thought.  Where do you think we should go from here?

Mr Phillips slumped down onto a seat looking exhausted.

Mr Phillips: Up to you.

Joshua: I'm going up the tower.

Joshua went up to the church tower to have a look over the town.

Mr Phillips: I'll stay here.

Kyle followed behind Joshua. They both climbed the stairs hurriedly to the top.

Looking out over the town they could see that, just beyond the Shaw house and the hill that followed it, there was a red glow directly over the park. Except for the glow everything seemed normal.

They heard footsteps coming up the tower stairs.
The tread was slow, but steady.

Joshua: I wonder what that strange glow is above the park?

Joshua went over to the stairs and shouted down them.

Joshua: Is that you Mr Philips?  Did you change your mind about coming up the tower?

The stair-climber came into view.
It was neither Mr Phillips nor a Native American!
It was just a young man.
But then Joshua noticed that the visitor was a little unusual.
For one thing, he was dressed in clothes that were about 50 years out of date; for another, he flickered, turning almost invisible at times.

Joshua: Hello. Who are you?

Man: Don't be alarmed, I won't hurt you. My name is Tony O'Flannery. I will try to help you as I tried to help others once before, but I don't suppose it will work now, either...I guess you'd like the whole story.

Joshua: Hello Tony it's a pleasure to meet you.  I wasn't scared, not sure about my brother though.  You look friendly enough to me.  A bit like Casper really.  We would really appreciate your help.  If anyone can get it to work I can.  Yes, I would like to here your story, if you don't mind.

Tony: Shortly after this town was founded, some of the founding prospectors came upon a group of Indians who were engaged in a religious ceremony. The prospectors were drunk and were frightened by the Indians. They attacked and slaughtered them, desecrated their ritual objects, and ruined their sacred site. The rest of the Indian community retaliated later.
Perhaps because the interrupted ceremony was a burial ritual, the victims of both sides became spirits that haunt this town.
Twice since then, the last time about fifty years ago, all the spirits reappeared and, compelled by some horrible force, killed one another - over and over again.
Over the spirits hangs a red glow. Whether the actions of the spirits cause the glow, or the glow directs the actions, I don't know.
As horrible as this grotesque and involuntary game is, there is something more horrible yet. When the spirits return to town, they are also compelled to kill people there.
A long time ago the Indian Chief appeared to me and asked for my help in ending the horror. I tried unsuccessfully.
Oh no…I can feel myself leaving…you must find the Indian Chief…or you will meet a similar fate to that of my own…

He faded away.

Joshua:  Don't you think it's a terrible what those prospectors did to those Native Americans?

Kyle: Um...yeah...so what do we do now?

Joshua: We need to find the spirit of this Native American Chief Tony mentioned.   He said that over the spirits hangs a red glow, there is a red glow over the park so maybe we will find him there.  But we may as well head to the library/museum on the way and see if we can find anything useful there.

Kyle: okay, let's go.

They both headed downstairs. As they approached the door, Mr Phillips jumped up and stood in front of them.

Mr Phillips: You're not seriously thinking of going out there are you? Whilst you were upstairs I came to the conclusion that we should just stay here. If you open those doors you'll end up letting them in.

Joshua: Whilst we were upstairs, I spoke to a ghost called Tony and he told us how this horror all began.  He said we need to go and speak to the ghost of an Indian Chief who will be able to tell us how to end this horror.

Mr Phillips: Are you kids on acid?!

Kyle: No, it's all true, Mr Phillips.

Mr Phillips: Look, whatever you kids say, we should wait here until it's all over. We're safe here. Once you open that door, they'll kill us all!

Joshua: If we stay here there's a chance we may be safe, but we don't know that for sure.  One thing we can be pretty sure about is if we stay here and do nothing, this thing will just keep happening over and over again killing more and more people each time.  If there's a chance we can end this thing, I think it should be worth the risk of going out there and giving it a try.

Mr Phillips: (sighed resignedly)...fine. You do what you want, but once I bolt this door it stays shut, no matter how much you plead.

Joshua:  That's a bit of a selfish attitude to take.

Mr Phillips: This isn't time for the moral high ground boy. This is about survival.

Kyle: Let's just go, Joshua. Leave him to his drink.

Joshua and Kyle left the Church.

He and Kyle ran to the library. Thankfully they met no ghosts on the way.

When they let themselves in the massive door, they were startled by Mrs. Grundy's voice.

Mrs. Grundy: "Who's there?"

Joshua: Hello Mrs. Grundy.  It's Josh and Kyle.  Are you okay?

Mrs. Grundy: Oh thank goodness it's you.

She stepped out from her hiding place behind the Library's front desk.

Mrs. Grundy: I've just been so terrified. I heard all that strange moaning and then…I saw…well it's not worth dwelling on but I just didn't feel safe at home with Mr. Grundy away, so I hid in the library. Now close the door behind you and lock it, we can't have them coming in here, and wipe your shoes, I don't want muddy footprints everywhere.

Joshua and Kyle wiped their shoes and then closed and locked the door.

Joshua: I'm glad you managed to get here to safety.  Do you know how the rest of the town is doing?

Mrs. Grundy: Not good. At first I thought it was just kids messing about, but those screams. I looked out the back window of my house...someone was being stabbed to death...and I just ran. This seemed like the safest place to go. I have no idea what on earth is going on out there, but they are all dressed up like Red Indians and prospectors. I ran past and them on the way here, they were all fighting each other...I don't know what to do. I just thank God that my husband is away and safe...but at the same time, I wish he was here...

Joshua: It's probably best you stay here where it is safe until it's all over.  Me and Kyle are looking for an Indian Chief who will hopefully be able to tell us how to put an end to all this.  Did you happen to come across an Indian Chiefs on your way over here?

Kyle: I should probably explain or you'll think my brother is crazy...The people running around killing people are ghosts. We met another ghost earlier on and he said that we need to speak to some Indian Chief guy.

Mrs. Grundy: I'm not sure I believe a word of what you're saying, but after what I saw tonight with my own eyes…If you need to speak to the Indian Chief…you could try the mysterious statue of the Indian Chief upstairs in the museum?

Joshua: Thanks.  We will go up and have a look.

Joshua and Kyle walked upstairs to the museum and looked around for the statue of the Indian Chief.

Mrs. Grundy: I'll show you.

She followed behind them. At the top of the stairs she leds them through to a room containing many artifacts.
Against the wall, in a glass case, was a full-scale statue of an Indian Chief holding a tomahawk. Attached to a piece of string around his neck was a plaque with writing on it.

Mrs. Grundy: One day, about a hundred years ago, this statue mysteriously appeared at the library - presumed to be an anonymous donation. The statue was moved up to the museum, installed in a glass case, and practically forgotten. That plaque hanging around it's neck is a poem, but no one really knows what it is supposed to mean.
Joshua read the plaque around the Chiefs neck.

The poem read: "Swing me twice when the glow arrives, you'll save yourself and other lives, swing me thrice as the horror goes, you'll bring peace between the foes."

Joshua:  I think maybe it means we need to take the plague to the park where we saw that glow and swing it around a couple of times and see what happens.

Joshua tried to open the glass cabinet but there didn't appear to be a door.

Joshua: Do you know how to get inside the cabinet, Mrs Grundy?

Mrs. Grundy: I guess you just have to smash the glass.

Joshua: Stand back I'm going to smash the glass.

Joshua used his crowbar to smash the front of the cabinet. Wham!

Joshua took the plaque around the Chief's neck.

Joshua and Kyle were surprised by a deep voice behind them.
"Don't you think that perhaps the Tomahawk is the more sensible option?"
It was the Indian Chief in true spiritual form!

Joshua put down the plaque and grab the tomahawk.

Joshua: Thanks.  Is there anything else you think I should know before I go outside?

Indian Chief: You need only follow the instructions given on the plaque.

Joshua: That's what I'll do then, thanks.  The sooner we get this over with the better.  Hopefully I'll have better luck than Tony did.

Joshua put the tomahawk and the plaque in his bag.

Joshua: (to Mrs. Grundy) We will come back when we have completed the task to let you know it's safe for you to go back home.

The Indian Chief slowly faded away but Joshua and Kyle heard his last words.

Indian Chief: Good luck...

Kyle followed Joshua downstairs, looking ever more dazed with the recent events.

They both left the library, closing the door behind them. They turned left and headed in the direction of the Sacred Site.

Joshua: We may as well have a look at the Sacred Site on the way, before heading to the Small Park, where we saw that strange glow coming from.(Speaking to Kyle)

As soon as they stepped outside they could hear the moaning again. Other than the moaning and the occasional screams there seemed to be no sign of anything supernatural. They arrived at the sacred site. It looked like nothing special, just a circle in the sand created out of rocks with a pattern. Joshua and Kyle stood and looked around, uncertain of what to do next.

Kyle: Look.

Kyle pointed over towards the park. A red glow continued to emanate from that area, growing thicker.

Kyle: It's like an evil northern lights.

Joshua: We can't put it off any longer.  It's time for us to go towards the red glow.  We have to go to the Park.

Joshua and Kyle made their way to the park where the red glow appeared to be emanating from.

They both approached the park.

Down among the cottonwoods a scene was unfolding that was hard for Joshua and Kyle to watch. A group of ragged Indians, wielding bows and tomahawks, were chasing an equally ragged bunch of prospectors. They seemed to flicker in the moonlight as they ran counterclockwise around the park. Occasionally one of the prospectors broke away and was felled by either an Indian's knife or an arrow. As he fell to the ground, he moaned - the horrible moans that Joshua and Kyle had heard before. But the scene became yet stranger and uglier. In time the dead prospector got up and ran to his group. Joshua and Kyle watched him get killed again - as horribly as before - while he ran around the park. Then, to his amazement, everybody ran in the reverse direction. Only this time the prospectors pursued and killed the Indians!

As Joshua lifted the tomahawk, one of the Indians spotted him, stopped what he was doing, and ran shrieking towards him, knife held aloft!

However, the moment Joshua started to swing it around his head, all of the ghosts stopped what they were doing; they fell silent. In clockwise circles above his head, he swung the tomahawk twice. The ghosts started to disappear.

He swung the tomahawk three more times. The ghosts disappeared completely.

There was a moment of calm and then a voice behind him said: "Give me the tomahawk".

Joshua and Kyle both turned to see that it was the Indian Chief.

Joshua gave him the tomahawk.

Indian Chief: You have done well. Walk in peace forever and continue to be brave of heart.
Then he's gone.

Joshua and Kyle were left standing in the darkness, relieved that it was finally over.

THE END