All Hallows Eve

It was All Hallows Eve, on the stroke of midnight. In a black velvet
sky, not a star was in sight. On the top of the hill was a church with
no bell, and it started to ring, to show all was not well!
In a time long ago, before we were all born, a young woman was
murdered, her kin left to mourn. They sought out the culprit, this they
knew they could handle, and the Priest drove her out, using bell, book
and candle.
They tried her. Condemned her and said she should burn, and she vowed
if she did, then a lesson they'd learn. She would wreak her revenge and
would cast them a spell, and one All Hallows Eve, she would come back
from Hell.
Well they laughed in her face, as she hissed her intend. They said God
would provide, that her power would be spent, and they'd burn up her
body, spread her ashes out wide, and that any more like her should go
home and hide.
She warned them that when she returned they would know.....some day in
the future, she would bring their kin low. She would reach out and get
them from out of the grave, and in that one moment, not a one would she
save. But they built up the fire and tied her to a stake, and they
brushed off the curses she started to make. As they lit up the pyre,
the church bell rang out clear. It told all of the people, "we burn
witches here!"
As the life left her body, the bell shattered wide, and she whispered
these words to those close to her side. "On an All Hallows Eve, you
will here this church bell, it will ring out to tell you that all is
not well".
Thus the church was left silent, the bell not replaced, and the land
all aroung it was left to be waste.
The years passed on by and the legend grew cold, and the folk all
forgot what the story fortold.
Then the centuries passed, and a new age was born, and throughout all
the village, on a crisp autumn dawn, there were children a plenty and
such sights to be seen. They all scampered about, for it was halloween.
There were witches and goblind with huge pumking lights, they'd go
tricking and treating on this night of all nights.
In a deserted churchyard, on the top of the hill a curse stirred, the
place had a malevolent chill. Down below all the thoughts were on
mulled wine with spice, apple bobbing and candy and anything nice. Warm
fires roasting chestnuts, it all had such charm. You would never once
guess ther could be any har.
Dark shadows flew over the pale autumn moon, and the very earth
trembled at what would come soon. The cock int eh farmyard, it died,
and crowed thrice, and the ground at the churchyard was covered in ice.
As the villagers gathered, the witching hour night. A flash of bright
lightening lit up the dark sky. The air it was thick with a sulphurous
stench, and the ground opened up to a bottomless trench. At The church
on the hill side, the one with no bell, it began to ring loud to show
all was not well.
And out of a cavernous hole in the ground camea clamouring, ear
splitting babble of sound..and a voice came from thence, it was hollow
and clear, "on the morrow, they'll find not a trace of you here. You
were warned long ago that I'd come back one day, and that when that day
came, I'd make all of you pay. For the day your forefathers called me a
black bitch, and they took me and burned me. Yes, I was a witch. And
now you will find the extent of my power. Enjoy your last night. You
have got one more hour!"
Well the party went on for the hour that she gave, and then every last
one followed her to the grave. In the light of the morning, the village
was bare, and a travellor passing would find nothing there.
There was only a church on a hill, with no bell. Would it ring now, to
tell them that all was not well?