B e c a r e f u l i n t h e c a ro l i n a s ! You just may run into (walk through?) a ghost.

Do you hear music, whispers, screams, moans, banging, footsteps, tapping, or thumping? Have the lights been turning off and on? Is there a flashing or floating light? Has the door opened and closed by itself? Are objects mysteriously moving? Do you suddenly feel cold?

• What do ghosts look like?

• What do we know about ghosts?

• How do you get rid of a ghost?

• When is the best time to have a ghostly encounter (if you want to have one . . .)?

Read about strange creatures that may be found near your home, including Lizard Man, Monkey Dog, and the Lake Murray Monster. Learn what happened when the author spent the night inside a haunted house. Discover scary pirate specters and read about haunted schools across the Carolinas. Is your school one of them?

• What does the Gray Man warn people about?

• Who is the Little Red Man?

• How many ghosts haunt Chester Theatre?

• What ghost leaves pennies for the homeowners?

Have fun with the ghosts that haunt North and South Carolina.

Pineapple Press, Inc.Sarasota, Florida

Cover art by Michael Swing

Cover design by Shé Hicks

$9.95

Ghosts of the

carolinas

for Kids

Terrance Zepke

Ghosts of the C

arolinas for Kids

Terran

ce Zep

ke

Ghosts of the Carolinas for Kids

Terrance Zepke

Pineapple Press, Inc.Sarasota, Florida

Copyright © 2011 by Terrance Zepke

Manufactured July 2011

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or

mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without

permission in writing from the publisher.

Inquiries should be addressed to:

Pineapple Press, Inc.

P.O. Box 3889

Sarasota, Florida 34230

www.pineapplepress.com

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Zepke, Terrance, 1966-

Ghosts of the Carolinas for kids / Terrance Zepke.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-56164-501-5 (pbk. : alk. paper)

1. Ghosts--North Carolina. 2. Ghosts--South Carolina. 3. Haunted houses--North Carolina. 4. Haunted

houses--South Carolina. I. Title.

BF1472.U6Z463 2011

133.109756--dc23

2011016920

First Edition

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Design by Shé Hicks

Printed and bound in China

Ages 8–12

ContentsALL ABOUT GHOSTS What Are Ghosts? 5

Ghost Talk 7

How to Find Ghosts 8

GHOST STORIES Lake Murray Monster 10

Spirit at the State Capitol 15

Lizard Man 19

Korner’s Folly 23

Pirate Ghosts 27

The Pirate Phantom 27

Teach’s Light 29

Pirate Specter 30

Spooky Light 31

The Ghost Who Gives Pennies 34

Hitchhiking Ghost 36

The Ghost of Mordecai House 39

Beware of the Gray Man Ghost 42

The Ghost of Guilford College 44

Boo from Airport High School 47

The Little Red Man 51

Ghost at Cap’n Charlie’s Station 54

Hauntings at Little Chester Theatre 58

Ghost Train 60

MORE GHOST STUFF Haunted Houses 64

Scariest Man-made Haunted Houses in America 65

Most Haunted Cities and Places in America 65

Ghost Quiz 66

Index 67

4

A l l Ab o u t Gh o s t s

5

What Are Ghosts?

Scary! But we don’t know much more than that. A ghost is a human (or animal) whose physical form is no longer here but whose spirit still makes itself known. Many believe that ghosts are people who have died, but they are somehow “stuck” here. The ghosts do not understand what has happened to them. They do not even know that they are ghosts!

A place is haunted if a ghost has been seen or heard there. But actually seeing a ghost is not as common as seeing or hearing strange sights or sounds. These sights and sounds can’t be explained. Footsteps may be heard, but there is no one else at home. A ghost may let you know he or she is there in many ways:

music

whispers

screams

moans

banging

footsteps

tapping

thumping

The lights may turn on or off. Or there may be a flashing or floating light. You may see a door open or close as if someone you can’t see is coming in or leaving a room. You may feel someone touch you, but no one is there! The touch may be gentle or it could be a shove or slap. Objects may mysteriously move. You may suddenly feel cold or have the hair on your arms stand on end. There may be a smell, such as pipe smoke or perfume. When is the best chance to see a ghost? Ghosts have been seen during the day and at night. Most sightings have been reported in the late afternoon. There have also been a high number of sightings at night. So there is always a good chance to see a ghost! Most sightings last for just a few seconds.

How do you get rid of a ghost?Good question! Experts say that it is best to ask the ghost, very

nicely, to please leave. Many people believe they live in haunted houses. Some people move out when they

find out the place is haunted. Others learn to live with the ghost. Some

even say they like it!