Old Junker
Just down the road there was a junk yard. Run by an old man living in a trailer tucked under the hill at the bottom of piles of equipment. We were not allowed to talk to this man. He had a reputation of not being good with children that people didn't want to get into. I believe he manly dealt with his other two neighbors, a diesel mechanic, and a long hall trucker, and made enough to cover his expenses by selling parts to them.
It was only once my father needed something and took me along to see the neaghbor. He wasn't at the trailer but all the cars were there so dad told me to look around, but stay where he could see me. I think he saw me first because I heard a "HAY KID" yell out from the woods near the edge of the yard near the woods. Being a rather timid boy I stood frozen, but dad was over to me in a heartbeat. They talked a bit and I remember dad saying we would be over tomorrow to get something.
Tomorrow came and went and we did not return. After a few days I finally asked dad if we were going back. He looked at me and said we were not going back and something had happened. I should stay away. I was already told to stay away though only dad had brought me over. I knew what I was doing now and with it being so close all I needed was a quick woods walk.
From the edge of the woods looking into the junk yard there was a string of yellow tape just like the crime scenes on TV. Not something to risk getting to close to but to get a better look I stepped into a spot I could have been seen. I hear the same "HAY". I wasn't supposed to be there so I stepped away again disappeared into the woods to make my way home.
I checked with the other kids in the neighborhood and then some adults. I was able to slowly find out shortly after my dad and I left something had happened with a large saw and the man had come to a very messy end almost instantly. The details like the man were always kept fairly far away from the ears of children, though this time likely for a different reason.
Years later the tape was gone but the trailer and the junk still remained and I was playing near there with some other kids. Never there though. Both they and I had been warned enough about staying away that even years later we kept our distance. We got a little close that day though. Once again from the woods at the edge of the junk I hear "HAY". We all turn but see nothing. We went someplace else.
Add a few more years to that and the trailer was scrapped along with most of the junk. A big project for a new fancy home was put into work and the old junk area was to be bulldozed and landscaped. It's important for a kid to remember history or at least it is to the kid. Again I took a trip though the woods to the area at night so no one would know I was there. I was able to get close to area this time. I saw the location of the trailer and there was even a piece of police tape still tied to a tree. Nothing much to see at this point except to satisfy my mind. I got to the same place I was the fist time. "HAY". I didn't run. I didn't freeze. I looked I searched. There wasn't a lot still left there but for sure there were no people around. I yelled hay back but nothing answered. After a while I had to accept I was not going to find anything. I stepped into the woods and went home.
There is no sign there was even a place to put a trailer now. The hill was pushed over and back filled. The new house built there was beautiful and has been through several owners without any incident that I have known of. I may never know what happened but I know the old man was not trusted alive and I really never trusted him after either.