part three of Tracy’s Trilogy
By the weekend, most neighbors on Caddis and Gosling Courts had heard Reed and Ann Louise’s stories about The Lost Lady of Enka Lake. The younger kids had all the more fun playing Ghost in the Graveyard, thinking a real spirit might be in their midst.
Especially fun in the dark, the object of Ghost in the Graveyard is to find the ‘ghost’–the player who is hiding. Players close their eyes and count “1 o’clock, 2 o’clock…” ….midnight!!!” while the ghost hides. Each then strikes off separately to search. The player who finds the ghost’s hiding spot yells “Ghost in the graveyard!” and all run away from the ghost and return to home base. If the ghost catches someone, they become the ghost. If no player is tagged, then the last player home becomes the new ghost.
The kids set boundaries that included yards, porches and decks of the players’ houses, as well as common areas such as nearby meadow and woods — plenty of places to hide and hunt. Jack, Parker and Finn may have been fast runners, but Addison, Abby and Tucker found the best hiding places.
Though no longer full, the moon was bright the weekend after teens’ graveyard visit. The kids began their game with Jack as ghost. After counting to the call of “midnight!!!” the gang broke for their ghost hunt.
The moon cast mottled shadows on the sidewalk at the end of Gosling Court, where Finn began his search for his brother, Jack, as the ghost. He heard a twig break in the woods and knew he’d soon find his quarry.
He peered into the woods and thought he heard a soft voice whisper, “Young man?” Finn wasn’t sure if it was his imagination or Jack playing a trick. Finn listened and watched closely for a sound or sign of movement. A full minute passed before he heard the soft voice again… “Can you help me?” from his left… silence for several long seconds, then “I’m all alone” from his right.
Finn admitted to himself that Jack had him spooked, and that he was unable to find Jack’s hiding spot. Finn said to his brother, “OK, you got me good!” and called “Olly, Olly oxen free!” to beckon all the players back to home base.
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