Jefferson County, MO's Urban Legends

A couple of weeks ago, I was reading ghost stories online and I started to wonder if there were any scary stories/legends in my town like Tennessee has the legend of the Bell Witch. I began to do some research. Here's what I found.  These stories make Jefferson County seem more interesting.


Arnold Cemetery: Even though there is very little history on this place, people claim that there is paranormal activity going here like shadowy figures and cold spots.

Wehrenberge Arnold 14 Cine: Ever since the theater was built, people have claimed that there is an evil presence there. During a movie, there was reportedly a bone-chilling wind hitting people out of nowhere. People also say that they can sometimes feel an unseen thing touching them all over. Clean-up workers at midnight claim as well that they've seen shadows and ghostly figures in the hallways, and reflections of bloody and disfigured people in the bathroom mirrors. (Remind me not to go into the bathrooms again).

Festus Middle School: During a performance of "Peter Pan" in the school's gym, a boy was accidentally hung and killed. Now it is said that his ghost haunts the gym. Students claimed that they went into the gym while it was dark and made contact with the boy. They also said that a shadow figure ran at and pushed a student against the wall and that there was tapping sound on the walls to the rhythm of a Peter Pan song. (Extremely creepy).   



Resources: 
http://theshadowlands.net/places/missouri.htm 


http://www.missouriscenicrivers.com/hauntedjeffco.html 


http://www.strangeusa.com/Viewlocation.aspx?id=5881

Drip, Drip

Drip, drip goes your blood off of my lip,
as I get a taste on my tongue and you scream in pain.
Drip, drip goes the rain out in the cold night,
as I tie you tightly up.
You beg me not to kill you,
but I have to,
You have to feel my hurt!

You’re a liar, a coward, a murderer!
You act like you have a tender heart with a passionate beat,
but your heart is painted black!
You plea with me to have some mercy,
Why should I?

I still remember that terrifying night like it’s yesterday.
You said that our love was meant to be,
that I was all you needed,
but it was a trick.
As I followed you into the dark alley,
you grabbed and drugged me,
dragging me to a palace of evilness.


When I woke up,
you were selling me to a vampire,
like I was some piece of meat, like some slave in need of a new master.
The vampire gave you the money and you were shaking his hand.
With my mind spinning in confusion,
All that I could do is scream.
Then the vampire with luscious, hellish red hair held me down in his big arms
and his fangs sank painfully into my neck,
sucking, sucking, sucking,
as I was hopelessly shrieking, praying, fighting, dying!
You were there watching him,
obviously regretful but doing nothing.
Why did you pick me to be his victim?

Now I’m this horrific vampiress, this lifeless monster!
Tonight it’s your turn to feel the agony and fear.
I could give you this curse and let you live,
but all that you’ll do is find another girl and deceive her;
So I straddle in your lap and push you back,
exposing your throat and neck.
With you screaming in horror,
I bite into your flesh,
going deeper and deeper,
tearing into you.
Slurp, slurp go my lips,
as you slowly swift towards death.
Drip, drip goes the rain out in the cold night,
as your body is tortured and drained.
Drip, drip, dip!


(c)Lena Holdman, all rights reserved 2011

 A vampire poem :)

2011 Walk Now For Autism Speaks

Please support my cousin Logan Holdman at the 2011 walk for Autism Speaks at Forest Park on October 15th. The walk raises money for Autism research and awareness. The event is for all of the family but you can't make it, please donate on his page. http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=463366&supid=298447087 . Thank you.

Wonderland Camp August 2011

 

Last week I went to Wonderland Camp and it was awesome! I saw my old friends: Kortney, JJ, Hope, Colleen, Dustin, Lois, Alena, Esther, Toby, Sam, and Tripp. I also made new friends: Ann, Tesha, Michelle, Nick, and Scott. It felt good to be at my second home and see friendly faces. On Sunday, we had karaoke night. Everyone was singing, dancing, and laughing. I sang “Right Here (Departed)” by Brandy. Then I hung out with Dustin and Tripp. It was a very good evening.

On Monday morning, we had Crafts, Music, and Rec. For Crafts, we tie-dyed our shirts. I was so excited because they had black dye for once. I dyed my shirt all black with spiral designs. For Music, we sang all of the camp songs. Esther then read aloud a couple of chapters from a “Babysitters Club” book to us.  For Rec, we played board games in the dinning hall. I played checkers with Tesha and I was sort of relearning the rules as we were playing. I lost but it was fun. In the afternoon, my cabin stayed in and watched a movie. We watched “Alice In Wonderland”, which I love. It was nice just to relax. Then, in the evening, we went swimming for a while. I swam with Nick. He was so silly. We bounced and twirled around the pool. After swimming, it was camp movie night and we watched “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”. It put me and the other counselors in a Christmas mood. I caught myself singing Christmas carols by the end of the night.

On Tuesday morning, we went to the waterfront and rode the boat. With the slow waves in the water and the warm sun on my face, the boat ride was so soothing that I fell asleep again. Then after waterfront, we took showers and watched the movie “the Phantom of the Opera”. We loved, loved, loved that movie. We played and sang the soundtrack for the rest of the week.  In the afternoon, we had Nature and game room. In Nature, we played bingo and it was fun. Apparently Esther was both Music and Nature director because Dustin became a cabin leader that week and Joe, as most know, is away at army boot camp right now. When Esther gave me my bingo card, I noticed that they were the same cards that Joe used when he was Nature director back in June. I saw his recognizable handwriting and slightly misspelled words and I have to admit, this made me smile. Then we went to the game room. I played on the jukebox and a computer game until lunchtime. In the evening, we went swimming again. I swam and hung out with Nick and Hope. They were funny together. It was a great day.

On Wednesday morning, we had Crafts, Music, and Rec. For Crafts, we got to color and decorate blank booklets. I decorated mine in a Peter Pan theme. I always get in touch with my inner child while at camp. It was very amusing. For Music, we practiced for the talent show and then read some more of “the Babysitters Club”. For Rec, we hung out on the playground and talked. After lunchtime, while my other cabin mates did nothing for three whole hours, I talked Kortney and JJ into sitting in the dark bathroom to tell ghost stories and to play the game, Bloody Mary. It’s a game where you have to spin in circles in front of a mirror and chant, “Bloody Mary” a hundred times to see if her ghostly face appears in the mirror. We were scaring each other and giggling into our hands. Then in late afternoon, we had the camp carnival. The games were cool, everyone got prizes no matter what, and we had snow cones.  I got a banana flavored one. In the evening, the talent show then started. For our group talent, my cabin did a skit. Tesha was the coach and we were football players. We had black lines on our faces and with the song “the Eye of the Tiger” playing, we ran through a paper banner as Tesha introduced us. We then huddled together and did a cheer. For my individual talent, I read a poem that I wrote called “Ghosts in the Woods”. I notice that I’m less nervous when I read aloud now. People liked it a lot. The talent show was entertaining with good songs and interesting talents. Kortney even sang Taylor Swift’s “Teardrops on my Guitar” by herself and I was so proud of her. It was a enjoyable evening.

On Thursday, Kortney, Ann, JJ, and I hung out in the game room all morning. Kortney and I were chasing Scott around the room. It was so hilarious. We had him against the wall for a moment and we were laughing so hard. In the afternoon, we had beauty shop in our cabin. Michelle did our make-up and hair and another counselor named Sarah did nails. After dinner, the dance began. I wore a white and black, spaghetti strapped top, my favorite skinny jeans, my black Chinese Mary Janes, my dangling, silver earrings, my big, purple ring that glowed in the dark, and my favorite black wristband. My hair was also spiked. The dinning hall with balloons and green, polka dot looking lights everywhere was quickly filled with people dancing. People were constantly taking pictures and singing at the top of their lungs as well. Loud music and dancing make me happy. I danced all night with friends and on my own at times. The night was absolutely amazing.

On Friday morning, we had awards. I got the Best Writer Award because I liked to write poetry and stories. We also got to watch the camp video and there were actually a lot of pictures of me with my eyes open for a change. After the awards, we basically just signed shirts and hung out until our rides got there. Even though I hated leaving my friends again, I know that I’ll be back soon. It’s not really goodbye. I’ll have even more friends and memories to remember and write about.