Previously: “The Bubble Brothers’ Happy-Happy Funhouse.”
(CW: Missing children.)
There’s something about a good epistolary story, isn’t there? Something about the form of a letter that’s so enticing — something about the way a spooky tale unspools within this sort of structure that’s so deliciously chilling, pulling you along as each new detail drops in, almost casually, but with terrifying clarity. That’s what makes the creepypasta “Letter To The Editor, June 2004” so effective; as the letter, presumably meant for publication in the editorial section of a local newspaper, rolls gently on, the picture it paints becomes clearer and clearer — and all the more horrifying as it goes.
Originally published to the Creepypasta Wikia in 2017, “Letter To The Editor” is the work of HopelessNight0wl, who you might remember from previous Creepypasta Of The Week entries “Three Friends Diner” and “Lost Episodes Can Be Found Again.” This one is a bit shorter than both of those other stories — but there’s an economy in the storytelling here that works beautifully, telling us just what we need, no more, no less.
[Like what you read? Check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available from Chronicle Books now!]
Everyone has secrets. In small towns, though, they’re often darker than you’d expect them to be.
Much, much darker.
To The Editor:
I disagree with the school board’s decision to demolish the Baumer Auditorium. The auditorium is still a perfectly functional venue and, unfortunately, one of the only real assets we have to attract families to this district.
The board claims the decision stems from the damage sustained in last year’s fire as well as budget overruns and the age of the structure. But why tear it down entirely? Why was the proposal for a bond issue to fix the damage immediately shot down? The fire only damaged a small portion of the complex, and it was determined that the safety of the building will not have been compromised if the damage is simply fixed. And in my opinion, the budget problems are only an issue due to the principles of capacity and opportunity cost: we simply haven’t been using the auditorium enough to justify its expenditures in the eyes of the board. Rather than tear the place down, we should just repair the existing damage and make a push to use the auditorium to its full potential.
I have talked to many folks who agree with me, including several teachers, but not many seem willing to fight the board’s decision, and I think I know why. I get it, the disappearances, the memories. The board claims that the missing kids have nothing to do with their decision to close the auditorium, but I think the community knows better.
***
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[Photo via Pezibear/Pixabay]
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