18. Black Aggie

“Welcome Pledge, to Alpha Phi Sigma’s 32^nd annual hell week challenge!” Graham started as he paced the area in front of the cemetery gates. “When General Felix Agnus put up the life-sized shrouded statue of a grieving angel in the Agnus family plot in Druid Ridge Cemetery, he had no idea about the horror that awaited any unlucky soul daring enough to face it under a full moon.”

“The statue is an eerily ghostly figure by day, frozen in a moment of torment and terrible pain. At night, it becomes unbelievably creepy with the shroud over its head obscuring its face until you’re close enough to see it. There’s a living air about the grieving angel. It’s as if its arms could really reach out and grab you if you weren’t careful. And that brings us to tonight’s contest! Every pledge will be instructed by their sponsor to visit the statue in the cemetery and the pledge that stays the shortest will be cut!”

Upon its unveiling ceremony rumors of the statue had quickly swept through the town about its origins. They said that the statue, nicknamed Black Aggie, was haunted by the spirit of an abused wife who sat upon her feet nightly begging for strength. Ignored by her friends, her family and the local police, the wife vowed that if anything were to happen to her that she be allowed to exact her revenge on those that had done her wrong.

The statue’s eyes were rumored to glow red at the stroke of midnight. Any living person who returned its gaze would instantly be struck blind, pregnant women who passed through her shadow would miscarry and if you stood upon her pedestal, she would come to life and crush you to death in her dark embrace. And speaking Black Aggie’s name three times at midnight in front of a mirror would cause the evil angel to appear and drag you down to hell. 

It was also rumored that spirits of the dead would rise from their graves on full moon nights to gather around the statue before heading off for slaughter. People began visiting the cemetery just to see her and it was then that Alpha Phi Sigma decided to make the statue of grief part of their initiation rites. Candidates had to spend the night crouched beneath the statue with their backs to the grave of General Agnus in order to gain membership.

The night was dark as the pledge entered the cemetery. Accompanied by two Alpha Phi Sigma fraternity brothers Graham and William, they moved closer towards the center of the large resting place until the statue came into view. The brothers stopped just at the entrance as the new hopeful took his place beneath the creepy statue. 

Grey clouds obscured the moon from sight making the surrounding area of the statue appear darker and foreboding. The fog covering the ground filled the graveyard with an ominous feeling and added a sense of anger and malice to Black Aggie. It looked as though a storm was brewing in just that part of the cemetery. Much to the dismay of the brothers, they noticed that dark shadows seemed to be clustering around the body of the frightened pledge as he crouched in front of the statue.

What had started out as a funny and harmless initiation rite had suddenly took on an air of danger. Graham stepped forward in panic to call out to the pledge and as he did, the statue above them stirred threateningly. The two fraternity brothers froze in shock as the shrouded head turned towards the pledge. They saw the flicker of glowing red eyes beneath the concealing hood as the statue’s arms reached out towards the cowering boy angrily.

With shouts of fright, the brothers rushed forward to rescue the initiate but it was too late. The pledge gave horrified yells before his body disappeared into the stony embrace of the dark angel. The fraternity brothers skidded to a halt as the statue callously rested its glowing eyes upon them. With gasps of terror, the boys fled from the cemetery before the statue could grab them too.

Hearing the screams, a night watchman hurried to the Agnus plot and discovered the body of the young man lying at the foot of the statue; apparently dead of fright.

Continue---->