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.

the Forgotten Never Forget

I’m watching you tonight with a soundless, shattered heart. I watch you longingly as you type a text on your phone, chuckling at a comedian on television. It’s been four years since you graduated and came home from college. When you, Peter, left town, you were the eighteen-year-old boy with alluring eyes and smile who I met that summer and promised to be my best friend forever. I, Marie, was the young, pony tailed girl who idolized everything you did and always wanted to be near you. All that hot summer, we were attached to the hip, racing up and down the street, jumping in the lake, and dancing underneath the bright moonlight with a Jason Aldean song softly playing on the radio in your truck. Everything was perfect until August. I even knew back then that you would forget about me. I already saw the distance in your eyes and it hurt inside but I had to let you go and I vowed to myself to wait for you anyway. As time went by and I waited for the letters that were never written, I faded away from your memory. Now you have a brand new life, never noticing that I’m still waiting.

I cry, I scream, standing right in front of you but you don’t see me. You feel the coldness of my despair but you just cover yourself up with a sheet. I furiously throw a newspaper across the room and pages fly everywhere. You just pick them up but what you read stops you in your tracks. It’s the obituaries. When you see my picture and name, all of the color leaves your face. I’ve died last week, having drank some poison one night. They found my body with Jason Aldean gently singing on my CD player in my car underneath the moonlight. Where were you? I was all alone!

“Oh Marie…,” you said with a quiver in your voice, looking sorrowfully at my picture. Tears are building up in your eyes. As you glance up into the mirror in front of you, you finally see me in the reflection. You drop the paper at your feet. My pale, lifeless, tragic face stares at you with blood tears rolling down my cheeks. You can’t talk, barely breathing. You put a hand on the mirror. Then, you can finally hear my voice.

I tenderly whisper, “Remember me Peter?” You just nod your head, weeping too hard now to speak.

“I just want you to know,” I continue, “that even though you forgot all about me, I never forgot you. I waited everyday for my best friend! I might have never had said this to you before but I truly love you Peter and never stopped when you left. When I realized that you even forgot that I existed, I lost something inside. I think that I was already dead before the poison. I love you and always will!”

All that you can do is cry as I finish my last sentence. With passion and slight rage, I then punch the glass of the mirror, smashing it and I disappear. You fall onto your knees, feeling ashamed, lost, and heartbroken. You try and try to get me to come back but I don’t. I can still hear your voice though. You are whimpering nonstop, “I love you too, I love you too Marie, I’m so sorry.”


(c)Lena Holdman, all rights reserved 2011

*COMPLETELY FICTIONAL* I was thinking about stuff one late Friday night and this story just popped in my head. I was also inspired by the song above: "Miss Invisible" by Marie Digby.

NKOTBSB Concert and Harry Potter Movie

Last week, I went to the New Kids On The Block and Backstreet Boys concert and last Sunday, I saw the last Harry Potter movie. The concert was awesome! I went with my sister Amanda. Our seats were high but the stage was still so close to us, which was amazing. One of the opening acts were Matthew Morrison from Glee. He was very good. He really could sing and he was funny. Both New Kids and Backstreet Boys were great! They sang all of our favorites. Amanda and I were screaming, singing, and dancing. It was also exciting to see Nick Carter and Joey McIntyre live.  They were still dreamy. ;-) 
On Sunday, Mom and I saw Harry Potter. I loved it! They made the movie like the book as much as they could. It was bittersweet to see it all end.

Just Thoughts Of Wisdom

Crying isn’t a sign of weakness, relaying on loved ones isn’t a sign of helplessness. Opening up to people doesn’t make you pathetic. When life turns unfair and dark, you shouldn’t just quit. Showing emotions makes you human. Just remember that God is always with you.



(c)Lena Holdman, all rights reserved 2011

Perfect World

Love the lyrics to this song!

My Awesome Family

My family is awesome! We've always been tight. No matter what life throws at us, we face it together. Nobody's perfect but we're always there for each other. I love my family so much! I thank God for them every single day!

The Happy Single Queen

Some women my age are so blindly involved in dating. They’re desperately searching for Mr. Perfect, kissing every “frog” no matter how slimy they are but I’m different. Yes, once upon a time, I was that girl who thought that finding a man was key to happiness but after several cheaters and after the demented, torture-fascinated guy who I’m pretty sure was the Jack the Ripper of 2011, that belief soon changed. I’m not saying that I completely gave up on romance. I still have the sweetest fantasies about romance but I’m just not that helpless princess who was waiting longingly up in her tower for knight in shining armor to save her anymore. I’m the single and extremely happy queen who is enjoying life on her own. I’m very open minded and I still daydream. If romance wants to make a comeback and if there’s a guy out there who will prove that he’s my king, I’m all for it. He just have to be worthy enough to be with me and impress me in a major way.


(c)Lena Holdman, all rights reserved 2011

Dear Max

Dear Max,
If you ever read this,
I just want you to know how important you are to me.
You’re my best friend, my safe haven, my fantasy, my light.
When I’m around you,
everything feels so right.
My heart feels joyful and protected.
We do the silliest things,
Like running up and down the street,
like spinning around and around till we’re dizzy.
I can do nothing but smile when you’re near,
You sing to me and the world disappears.
I don’t care about the words,
The beauty is in your voice.
I know that I can never be your girl
that my dream of us can’t ever come true
but I needed to say at lease on paper that my feelings are real.
I truly love you.
You might think that you’re just an ordinary guy
but to me, you’re more special than the moon in the sky.


(c)Lena Holdman, all rights reserved 2011

Max is made up! ;-)