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In the lore of times past it is told that there are seven gateways to hell. Is the infamous Stull Cemetery, located on Emanuelle Hill in Stull Kansas, one such portal? The stories are many; yet locals claim they have no knowledge of them and their validity, while others are down right upset over them. Yet the fact remains that the grounds are guarded a bit too well. Originally named Deer Creek Community in the 1800�s, it is said that the eighteen founders referred to it as Skull in reflection of their practicing of black magic. In time the name was changed to Stull; after the first post master, Sylvester Stull, whose name is curiously so close to the former. Perhaps a way to retain a link with the past under a fa�ade of repentance. In this deemed repentance they built their first church in 1867, converting a barn where some ten odd years earlier a resident was brutally stabbed to death by a stable hand. This ruthless act being the catalyst which created the portal. In the 1900�s various incidents arose from a child being burnt to death in a grass fire set to a missing man later found hung on the limb of the tree the settlers planted at the time they built the church. This tree a favored spot of ritual to Witches later became their gallows. The violent deaths tainting the ground, drawing forth more darkness. Peaking with the tree roots splitting the tombstone of an area couple. The obvious main dark spot tends to be the old church. Even in its ruined state, it is still a point of intrigue. For though it is roofless it stays free of the elements, rain will not enter. As well a stairway leading down into the church has left some missing time, whereas they felt they had been there only moments hours had passed. Two bottles held in the sign of the cross break easily against the wall where those held as an inverted cross will not break at all. As well, somewhere, within is where the portal exists. Each Spring equinox and Halloween the devil and the souls of those who died violent deaths come forth to dance in the midnight hour. Let us not forget his wife and child. You see the devil is supposed to have taken a wife, a witch whom bore him a child. The child lived for a very short time being rather deformed and wolf like. Many claim to have seen his ghost hiding amongst the trees. Though his grave isn�t visible; his mother�s is near the old church, her headstone reading �Wittich�. Where the lines of lore and of reality cross is anyone�s guess. Do you dare to find out; maybe dance with the devil at midnight? |
| Dark Spiral By Lisa Ulibarri Nothing gives us a chill like the lore and legends with their air of possibility. And let us not forget the mysteries and hauntings that abound. No one knows what may happen when the spiral of horror begins to take form. Anything is possibly when the mystress of the darkened realms begins to weave a tale. Stull Cemetery A gateway to hell |
| This is the first issue of my column for Black Petals magazine I have a new column on the bp site |