Halloween Haunts: The Ghost with the Ruby, Ruby Lips by Naching T. Kassa
Halloween Haunts: The Ghost with the Ruby, Ruby Lips
by Naching T. Kassa
A few years ago, during Halloween Haunts, I shared one of my most favorite scary stories with you. It was, “The Ghost with One Bloody Finger.” https://horror.org/halloween-haunts-the-ghost-with-one-bloody-finger-by-naching-t-kassa/). In that post, I talked about my love of scary stories and how the kids in my small, rural elementary school loved it. I also mentioned two other stories. The first was an oldie but a goodie, “The Man with the Golden Arm,” and the other was today’s story, “The Ghost with the Ruby, Ruby Lips.”
I learned this story from my mother.
My mom was the sweetest person who ever lived. A truly kind person who cared about everyone and everything. She knew that my sister and I liked to be scared, but she never pushed it too far. Even when she was telling a ghost story.
I’m not sure where this story comes from. Maybe, she heard it from other children on the playground in Honolulu. Or maybe, at a sleepover. Being the person she was, I’m sure she put her own spin on it.
Anyway, please enjoy, “The Ghost with the Ruby, Ruby Lips.” It’s one of my favorites.
THE GHOST WITH THE RUBY, RUBY LIPS
Once upon a time, there was a family. A father, a mother, a big brother, a big sister and a baby.
The family had moved from one town to another, and the father had left his family at the new house while he went back to the old one for the rest of their belongings. After he left, the family discovered a horrible and terrible fact.
Their house was haunted.
The mother went in first. When she walked through the door, she heard a hollow voice emanating from the living room.
“I am the ghost with the ruby, ruby lips!”
The mother ran screaming from the house her hair standing on end. She raced by her children who stared after her in shock.
The big brother went in next. When he entered the house, the voice came again.
“I am the ghost with the ruby, ruby lips!”
The brother screamed and ran from the house, his face as white as a sheet. The sister and baby stared after him in shock.
Then the big sister went in the house. Once again the same voice uttered those terrifying words.
“I am the ghost with the ruby, ruby lips!”
The sister didn’t wait for the ghost to appear. She sprinted out of the house, moving so fast that she was just a blur and a gust of wind as she fled past the baby.
The baby looked around and found he was alone.
So he crawled into the house.
As he passed through the door, a horrible specter suddenly floated out of the living room and floated before him. The creature had a pale face and ruby lips. It hovered above the baby and cried:
“I AM THE GHOST WITH THE RUBY, RUBY LIPS!”
The baby withstood this verbal onslaught and then rose to his feet, his little fists clenched. Then in a small voice, he said:
“If you don’t shut up, my daddy will make you the ghost with the black and blue lips!”
My sister and I would laugh at this. As do the children to whom I’ve told it over the years.
Such were the silly little stories my mom told me.
And the nice thing about these ghost stories, is that you can adapt them to fit your family. I use five people, because there are five in mine. You can also switch out genders, family members, etc., as long as you keep the story.
My mom had grown up Catholic and, as a kid, wasn’t allowed to watch certain TV shows or read certain books. She couldn’t even read Casper or Hot Stuff comics. So, while hearing her tell this story wasn’t a big deal for me, it was a big deal for her. Something that seemed so sweet to the child me, could’ve meant big trouble for the child her.
I understand and appreciate that now.
And I’m grateful.
Naching T. Kassa is a wife, mother, horror writer and Talent Relations Manager at Crystal Lake Publishing. She is a proud member of the Horror Writers Association, Mystery Writers of America and The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association. Naching is also a 2022 HWA Diversity Grant recipient. You can find her work on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Naching-T-Kassa/e/B005ZGHTI0
