urban legends ✓

skinned tom ☹

According to this popular Tennessee legend, there once lived a man named Tom who was handsome and popular. After many flings with the ladies he eventually met a special girl in the neighboring town. Not knowing she was married, Tom started dating her.

At some point the girl's husband realized his doting wife was cheating on him. Enraged, he formulated a plan of revenge. He calmly told his wife that he had to go on a business trip and would be away for the entire weekend. He then skulked into the woods close to their home and waited. It wasn't long before Tom showed up to take the girl out.

The husband followed and watched from a distance as Tom and his wife made out in his car. When he couldn't take it anymore he stabbed his wife in the stomach and dragged Tom out of the vehicle. Tom pleaded for his life, screaming that he didn't know the girl was married. The husband didn't want to hear it and proceeded to skin Tom. Leaving both Tom and his unfaithful wife for dead, the husband drove back to town and gave himself over to the police. Officers rushed to the scene to find the girl alive and Tom missing.

It's said that Skinned Tom still hangs around Lovers' Lane, appearing to couples who park there. He's described as a skeleton dripping with blood and dressed in 1920s clothing. He carries the knife used on him, just waiting to dish out a lesson about adultery.