The Bellman

1

          "Just go in!" Reggie Mantle (age 14) yelled at Chris Cooper (age 10) before pushing him through the gates of Fox Forest in the dead of night. The people of Riverdale managed to convince the mayor to install gate entrances to Fox Forest. Some parents say that the reason is that kids get lost throughout the spooky trees, while others speak of a completely different reason: The Bellman.

          The Bellman is a dark entity best known by people who've stayed in Riverdale long enough. They said that he appears at night in the woods of Fox Forest, waiting for a victim's head to claim. For the past five years, The Bellman has been murdering many teens, adults, and kids. No one had dared to enter Fox Forest without supervision. Mayor McCoy had banned children of ages 12 or lower from entering on their own.

          "See, I told you. It's not so scary, chicken! Just walk in there for a few minutes and come back. The Bellman is just a hoax." Reggie said to Chris, who was terrified of the Bellman. Alice and Betty (age 14) kept warning Chris never to cross those gates no matter what, and Chris trusted his mom and sister. Especially Betty.

          Betty meant the world to Chris; he always looked up to her and still saw the right side of her. Whenever Alice and Hal argued, it would ever bother Chris to the point where he didn't want to live with them anymore. Yet, he never left because of Betty. She would always come into Chris's room those nights and comfort him and make him feel happy by hanging out with him. Whenever Chris felt tired after a while with Betty, she would read him a bedtime story until his eyes closed and he dozed off to his sweet dreams. Then Betty would always fall asleep with him throughout the night until dawn to make sure nothing ever happens to him. Whenever he had nightmares and screamed in terror, Betty would always be there to hug him and tell him, "It's okay. Shh. I'm here. Don't worry, Chris. It was just a bad dream. I'm here. It's going to be okay..." It would always calm Chris down, and they would both cuddle to help him fall asleep and feel safer. Chris loved Betty with everything in his heart. No one could ever replace his wonderful sister.

          "Go further, you cat!" Reggie yelled at Chris, who wasn't impressed with the Bellman, not showing up. All he wanted was proof that the Bellman was real. And what better way to use bait than Chris Cooper, the kid Reggie always bothered until now. Every day after school, he would catch Chris with his younger brother, Mark Mantle (Age 12), and they would both hang out and talk a lot instead of Mark practicing for football. Chris never had many friends; he always had Mark ever since they met when Chris was in the third grade and Mark in the 5th. And he was still there to protect Chris when he couldn't stand up for himself. Mark was there that night to witness the terrible moment that would take place at the entrance of Fox Forest in June of 2018, "See Mark? Don't ever listen to dad! The Bellman isn't real! He's not even killing Chris because he doesn't exist!" Reggie yelled at his brother, who was being held by Moose and a high school jock older than them. Mark wasn't enjoying the scene. All he wanted was to go home and forget this ever happened, making sure that Chris was safe and sound.

          "Let me go, Moose! Guys, just stop it and leave Chris alone!" Moose and the other jock gripped their hands tighter against Mark since he was getting annoying in their ears, while Reggie was still waiting for the Bellman to arrive.

          Chris was looking very scared and was hoping for Betty to arrive since she said she would always be there for him no matter what. He looked at Reggie and then at the trees, "you guys are very mean. Why are you doing this? I-I don't want to be here!" He cried loudly, feeling nothing but extreme fear and isolation.

          "You'll leave when I see that the Bellman is real! Otherwise, we'll be here until dawn!" Reggie yelled at the poor kid.

          Moose groaned a bit, feeling annoyed at the fact that they might be here for a while. "Reggie, come on, man. It's late, and my parents are going to freak out over me."