THE CROOKED ONE
Short Stories Hal Hefner Short Stories Hal Hefner

THE CROOKED ONE

(HE WHO HAUNTS THE TOWPATH - as told in German Flatts, New York – circa late 1850s)

​In the late 1850s, the towpath connecting Ilion and Mohawk, New York, was a vital link along the Erie Canal, bustling with activity. Running parallel to the Mohawk River, it was not only a hub of commerce but also a place of whispered legends among the locals.

One such tale was that of The Crooked One.

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THE DIRT WITCH
Short Stories Hal Hefner Short Stories Hal Hefner

THE DIRT WITCH

My best friend stole a cursed crystal. Now she’s gone, and someone—or something else has her face.

We were just two art students crafting costumes for Comic Con—until my best friend stole a strange red crystal to cosplay the Dirt Witch, a local legend known for vengeance and blood. Now she’s missing… and something wearing her face won’t stop staring at me.

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PREACHERMAN
Short Stories Hal Hefner Short Stories Hal Hefner

PREACHERMAN

I visited my girlfriend’s hometown in the Mohawk Valley to film a doc on local legends. The forest near Columbia Center is supposedly haunted by something they call “Preacherman.”  They say if you hear a sermon in the woods at night…don’t respond.

I didn’t listen. And now I can’t.

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