The Haunted Camera

ted Camera

  Drac Von Stoller

  Copyright 2012 by: Drac Von Stoller

  Delbert Gray was an amateur photographer with a hunger for fame. The camera Delbert used was a cheap Kodak instamatic. You can see why Delbert dreamed of owning a Nikon like his rich friend Michael. Michael would let his friend Delbert develop his pictures in his dark room while he was developing his own. Delbert really envied Michael's photographs and would often close his eyes and day dream about being a famous photographer some day. Delbert was only fifteen years old. He wasn't old enough to get a job like his friend Michael and bring in a big paycheck.

  As Michael was puffing on his cigarette in the dark room developing his film beside Delbert, Michael would often make remarks about Delbert's photographs and tell him if he wants to take pictures like him he needs to throw that cheap camera in the trash and buy one like his. Delbert replied with a lump in his throat "You know I don't have a job and my parents wouldn't even consider buying me a camera such as yours."

  Michael replied back saying, "You know something Delbert, either you get a good quality camera or I'm going to ask you to stop developing your photographs in my dark room. Your photographs are pathetic."

  Delbert answered back in a sad tone of voice, "That wasn't a very nice thing to say to your friend."

  "I know, but it’s the truth and sometimes the truth hurts," exclaimed Michael.

  "Well let me tell you something Michael, I'm going to own a camera like yours someday and when I do you'll be jealous of me," said Delbert in a stern voice.

  Delbert took his instamatic camera and photographs with him and told Michael he wouldn't be back to see him until he found that special camera. Michael just laughed and said to Delbert," Looks like I'll be in the old folks home when that happens."

  Delbert exited the dark room and slammed the door behind him, walked home and threw his instamatic camera at his bedroom wall. Delbert said, "What have I done, now I don't have a camera. What am I going to do now?"

  Delbert sat on his bed crying because he knew he had no way of replacing the instamatic camera he just broke. Delbert made up a story about how the camera broke, but his father just laughed and said," Are you out of your mind. You'll be able to get a job in about a year then you can buy yourself a new camera."

  Delbert's father turned away and told Delbert he didn't want to hear any whining about how I should buy you a new camera. Delbert yelled at his father saying," But Dad it was an accident." Delbert's father turned back around and kicked him in his rear end and slammed the door behind him. Delbert lied down on his bed and cried his eyes out the rest of the night.

  Morning came and Delbert wiped the remaining tears from his cheeks. Delbert took a deep breath and said a prayer. Delbert decided instead of lying in bed all day sulking about why his friend Michael would be saying I told you so. Delbert got dressed and grabbed an apple from the kitchen and a soda headed down the road on foot in search of that special camera. As Delbert was walking around the town square he came across an Antique shop that had an old bellows camera in the display window. Delbert said to himself, "If I could just have that camera I bet it would take better pictures than Michael's." Delbert slumped over with tears again flowing down his cheeks knowing in reality there was no way he could afford such a beautiful camera. Just as Delbert was walking past the Antique shop, an old man opened the door and came up to Delbert and said, "I noticed you were looking at that old camera in the window as if it belonged to you."

  Delbert answered, "Yes, Sir, I was only wishing. I knew in my heart I could not afford such a beautiful camera. Besides, I don't even have a job or any money to give you and my father told me the only way I could buy a new camera was to get a job next year. By that time your camera would be gone and I would be heartbroken once more. Well I better be on my way, because if I don't get home soon my dad is going to whoop me."

  "Not so fast!” the old man said in a tender voice. I've never had anyone come by my shop and want any of my antiques like you have. I tell you what if you really want the camera it’s yours to keep. Don't worry about the money your money is no good to me. There's only one condition. Bring me a copy of the photos you take. I have a scrap book that I would like to place them in. That's all I ask of you. What do you say?"

  Delbert answered back eagerly, "Yes, Sir, Delbert started crying because his prayer had been answered.

  The old man handed Delbert the camera and the old man said, "Don't forget to bring me a copy of your photos."

  "Don't worry I won't forget. Thank you so much," exclaimed Delbert.

  "One other thing Delbert, you have to use special film that I carry in my shop? The film is also free of charge," replied the old man.

  "Sounds good to me," said Delbert in an excited voice.

  Delbert loaded the camera and took off to his friend Michael's house to show off his new camera. As Delbert ran down the road to Michael's house, the antique camera swung back and forth around his neck. Delbert was so excited it felt like an eternity to reach Michael's house. Delbert finally made it to Michael's house. Just as Delbert reached the front door, he put his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath, after a couple minutes Delbert stood up straight and started knocking on Michael's door in hopes he was there. Michael opened the door and said, "What is it Delbert? I thought I told you not to come by my house unless you had a good quality camera like mine."

  “I promise you won't be disappointed," said Delbert excitedly.

  "Come on in dreamer, Make it quick, I haven't got all day," said Michael in a hateful voice.

  Delbert stepped inside Michael's house and took a picture of Michael developing his pictures in his dark room.

  "Well let me see the picture. It probably takes pictures as good as your instamatic camera did," laughed Michael hysterically.

  "Very funny," replied Delbert.

  "Come on with the photo Delbert. I'll give you one more minute and I'm going to ask you to leave. I don't know why I let you in anyway. The photograph will probably be blurry anyway," said Michael in an angry voice.

  "Ok! Here's what we've been waiting for," replied Delbert with excitement all over his face.

  Not only was the picture clearer than any of Michael's photographs from his expensive Nikon. But there was something both of them didn't expect. The photo showed a charred body in what looked liked Michael's dark room. Michael took the picture out of Delbert's hand and said "Is this some kind of joke to scare me. Well if it is, it’s not working. Get out of my house and don't come back. If you do, I won't answer the door.”

  Delbert picked the bent photograph off the floor in the dark room and quietly walked out of Michael's house. Michael should have taken the photograph more seriously. The next morning just as the photo shown Michael's charred body was found inside his dark room by the fire department. The cause of death was determined that a cigarette fell into a pan of chemicals that is used in developing photographs in his dark room. Delbert was unaware of what had happened to Michael because his closest relative was out of the country and wasn't notified about Michael's tragic death until about a week later.

  Delbert took the photo to the antique shop as he was told to do. Delbert asked the old man, "I think there is something wrong with this camera you gave me?"

  The old man replied, "Let me see the photo."

  Delbert handed over the photo to him and the old man said, "I see absolutely nothing wrong with this photo. Your friend is rather handsome."

  Delbert replied, "What do you mean he's handsome."

  "Look for yourself” laughed the old man.

  Delbert took the photo from his hand and had a bewildered look on his face and said, "I tell you there was a burnt body in a dark room and that was Michael’s
film hanging on the hooks to dry."

  "Delbert, I think all the excitement of having this beautiful camera, made you think you took a picture of a dead man. Maybe you need to go home and get some rest. When you wake up in the morning, go take some pictures of your father and see what appears in the photo," replied the old man.

  Delbert shook his head in disbelief at the photo and left the antique shop and headed for home.

  As Delbert was sitting at the dinner table he asked his father to say cheese.

  Delbert's father replied, "I'll show you cheese! Can't you see I'm trying to eat my dinner boy? Give me the camera right now or you’re grounded."

  Delbert answered, "No! It's my camera!

  Delbert snapped his father's picture. Delbert's father got out of his chair and said "If you don't hand over the camera, I'm going to give you a whooping."

  Delbert wasn't about to give up the camera he longed for. Delbert knew if he handed over the camera to his father it would be destroyed. Delbert ran upstairs to his room and locked his bedroom door before his father had a chance to put his hands on him. Delbert's father banged on his door shouting “Let me in.” Delbert had one other escape route and that was a tree next to his window. Delbert climbed out the window and grabbed a hold of the tree just as his father burst through his bedroom door swinging his belt in the air saying, "Delbert, you’re going to get a whipping you'll never forget." Delbert's father was beet red and out of control. Delbert barely got down the tree because his father started shaking the tree violently in hopes Delbert would fall. Delbert didn't have a choice but to jump from one of the branches that was ten feet off the ground. Delbert's heart was beating out of his chest and was scared for his life. Delbert just realized his father was drinking alcohol and when he drinks, the least little thing sends him into a rage that makes him want to fight. Delbert ran to his tree house for safety. He knew his father couldn't climb up the tree and get him. Delbert finally reached the tree house shouting for his son to come down and take his punishment like a man. After about fifteen minutes of yelling for Delbert to come down from the tree his father told his son he would just cut the tree down.

  Delbert thought he was just bluffing. All of a sudden Delbert could hear a chain saw. Delbert was crying and pleading with his father to not cut the tree down. Delbert was too high in the tree and the chainsaw was too noisy for him to hear his son's cries.

  As the chainsaw was cutting into the tree and being that his father was drunk was not a good combination. The chainsaw got stuck and when he tried to get it free he pulled back too hard and cut a main artery in his leg and bled to death. There was no way Delbert could save his father. Delbert just remembered about taking a photo of his father at the dinner table and decided to take the camera to his room and check out the photo.

  As he pulled out the photo from the camera he dropped to his knees crying profusely. Delbert could have saved his father's life if he would have seen what was on the picture that was taken. Delbert ran as fast as he could to the old man's antique shop to have him explain his way out of this photo.

  Delbert banged on the front door of the antique shop yelling," Let me in you murderer!!

  The old man opened the door and said, "What's wrong?"

  Delbert replied "You know darn well what's wrong."

  The old man said "Calm down!"

  Delbert handed the photo to the old man and he said, "I don't know what you're talking about."

  He handed the photo back to Delbert and Delbert looked at it again. It just showed Delbert's father at the dinner table with a mean look on his face. Delbert ran to the front door of the shop to escape, but it was too late.

  The old man was laughing hysterically and said, "You silly fool, nothings for free in this world." Delbert was shaking so bad and wetting on himself because of the evilness that was coming from the old man. The old man yanked the camera from Delbert's neck and snapped his picture. Then Delbert disappeared without a trace.

  The old man wasn't who he seemed. He was a Warlock full of evil in his heart. The Warlock started laughing hysterically and look inside the lens. There he was Delbert trapped inside the camera for all eternity. The Warlock needed someone to want the camera so bad they would give their own life for it and that's just what Delbert did. The haunted camera needed to have a poor soul like Delbert to keep it alive.

  The Warlock placed the camera back in the display window waiting for the next willing person to come along.