Happy Halloween... (Friday 31st Oct 2014)

Dear Sal,

November has finally arrived and the leaves have begun to turn orange and gold, littering the pavement and parks. The clouds roll in and the temperature beings its slow decent into winter. Autumn is here, which means its time for Halloween. I spent the weeks building up to thirty-first watching old horror films with Jason. Oh, and the new American Horror Story. Have you been watching it? I'm not sure how I feel about it yet, but I will give it time. After he left last week, I have been watching the films by myself. The Conjuring alone, wasn't the best idea. 

The last week of October saw our students take their level up test. A test that measure there English abilities and whether they should advance to the next level or stay where they are. The students hate it, but I don't. Two and half hours where they sit in silence, leaving me ample opportunity to finish my work, grade papers, prepare for future lessons or, plan my holiday. There is only one month to go and I can't wait. But wait I must.

After the last test of the week we had about thirty minuets until the end of the lesson. We where told to spend it doing a writing activity. But it was Halloween, and they just spent two and half hours doing a test, they deserved a break. So, I gave them chocolate and I asked them to tell me Korean ghost stories. Out of the few I was told I liked this one the most...

The Red Masked Woman 

(By Korean girl whose name I can't remember.)

You should tread carefully when walking home late at night this time of year. For if you find yourself alone in a dark ally, you may come face to face with the red masked women. 

She was said to have been a pretty girl once, but she was deeply unhappy with how she looked. So, like many Koreans, she had surgery to change her face. But she still wasn't happy. So, once again, she went under the knife, but she was still miserably. So she had more work done, and more, and more until she no longer resembled a woman at all, but a monster. 

Devastated by her ruined face, the women wore a red mask to hide her hideous appearance. She lived in misery, Terrifying anyone who laid eyes on her. No longer able to handle her life she killed herself, cutting her throat to match her butchered face. 

Since then, she will appear when you are alone In the middle of the night and ask you one simple question: "Do you think I look beautiful?"

If the answer is no, then she will kill you for being honest. But if the answer is yes, then she will remove her mask and present to you her face, before taking the same knife she used to kill herself with to make you look just like her.  

Whatever way you look at it you're screwed. But apparently, a friend of the girl who told the story older sister, knows someone whos older brothers friends cousin, actually bumped into the red masked women one fateful night. How did he lived to tell the tale? I asked. He tricked her, or confused her should I say. When asked the question he responded with "do you think you are beautiful?" Or "what is beauty?" Or some other stupid thing like that. And with that, she started to cry and just disappeared. BOO!

Sorry it's not the best ghost story, but it's the best one the told me. 

Love, hugs and sweet dreams.

Samuel James.