The forest is always creepy after dark, especially in rural West Virginia. Many things wake up when the sun disappears, and while it is unlikely that I’ll ever meet them, I can’t help but be on edge… just in case it’s my lucky night. Alone here, staring into the woods outlined only by firelight, I can’t help but feel a chill run up my spine, a cold breeze wash over me. Hear noises and see shadows that don’t actually exist.

Reaching for my bag of marshmallows, I immediately knew something was wrong. The bag was paper-light, and this was a new pack of the Jumbo marshmallows. Trembling, I looked at the bag; a tear had been made into the plastic, and not a single, fluffy cube remained. I heard a wet smack and looked up. Sitting across from me was a corpse. Its skin was thin and dry, pulled tightly over its bones; its large, claw-like hands squished heaps of marshmallows, and its unsettling, thin lips were painted with bubbling saliva and melted mallow. It raised a hand to its mouth, cramming a dozen or more past rotten, broken teeth and tall, brown gums. It smiled at me as it walked backward, more treats held tight in its other fist. Staring at me with its eyeless, noseless grin, it disappeared into the forest’s shadows, where my firelight couldn’t reach.

Wetzel County, West Virginia

Anywhere after dark, he felt it, it followed. In and out of the house, though he could never see it, only sense it. Sometimes, though, he could hear it. A strange, hollow, tap-tapping of hard feet on the ground, right behind him. Always when he turned, nothing would be there, but, he knew it was. Whatever it was, it was a mystery to him, but it was one he didn’t wish to uncover or understand.

He and his family had lived in this house for several years. This occurrence was not exactly new to him or other men in the area. Something had settled among the people, who knows how long ago. Its settlement unsettled them, sending even the calmest, the most rational of folks on pins and needles. If pressed about what they saw or heard or had happen, they wouldn’t let slip. Some would laugh off the questions uneasily, a nervousness reaching their eyes; others would abruptly end conversation, overcome by a fit of rage. Yet, you could tell, whatever happened had frightened them more than anything they'd ever experienced. Some let the disturbance affect them so greatly that they disappeared overnight, without a word or reason, furniture and belongings forgotten or abandoned in their haste, taking their family elsewhere. While he had not had anything substantial happen to him, he feared he may run away too. But, would that stop whatever plagued them, or would it follow deserters, too?

The feeling had began about a year ago, getting louder, feeling stronger each passing day. While he pondered if it was all in his head, he knew that was wishful thinking. Every man in Arches (Arch-eez)  Fork felt it, heard it, maybe saw it too. That evening he decided. This place had become cursed, haunted; it would be better to leave in case, for his family.

Packing the wagon, ready for the morning light to depart, he felt not only exhausted but starved. Asking his wife if there was anything to eat before bed, she mentioned that she had left a pie in the kitchen - for a quick breakfast. Looking for the knife that was supposed to be on the table, he looked instead on the floor; no luck. Bending over, above his head, he heard metal sliding across wood. Looking up, a skeleton arm held the utensil, the rest of its body obscured in shadow. It cut a slice of pie, taking the knife and treat with it into the darkness. 

No one had quite fallen to sleep yet, but with his frenzied speech and wild eyes, they would have difficulty sleeping for several days. After missing Sunday services, his neighbors checked in. To their surprise, all that remained in the home was a butter knife and a partially eaten apple pie. 

the Hungry Ghosts

It was once thought that paranormal entities could not eat prepared food, only raw, living substances or their abstract products. Grumblers, however, are paranormal entities that steal food from other living beings. Not only do they feed on prey’s response to them, but their own, actual food, requiring both to sustain themselves. 

The Arches Fork Skeleton is one such entity, targeting only men and eating only pieces of food that are desired by the ones they are haunting. While this being can cause psychological distress, it is mostly harmless and the amount of food it eats is no greater than 4 ounces a week. Nonviolent, it must feed on a steady stream of nervousness and fear, in addition to a corporeal substance when hunger gnaws; it prefers sweets, but refuses to eat meat. 

It is estimated that this species of Voritorvita is rare; there may be more of its kind to be discovered and studied in this state, but they likely exist elsewhere with differing characteristics and tastes. Traveling and investigating this area left researchers pleasantly surprised, especially after a sort of friendship between the entity and themselves formed. While normal haunting occurred the first two weeks, offerings of food and decreasing levels of fear with sightings produced a strange reaction - the grumbler began appearing in full view, not suddenly, or partially to strike fear, but almost as if out of curiosity, observing the observers. Grimly formed, the Arches Fork Skeleton has bony arms and legs, and a gaunt, overly large, skull-ish head devoid of eyes, but it also has a plump, portly stomach. It never spoke legibly to the investigators, even when prompted; it did, however, make wet, gurgling sounds. Performing different comprehensive and linguistic tests, it is believed that this being does not understand any Prosaic languages, and may not be capable of speech entirely. 

If you find yourself in the area, and feel fear prickle your spine, calm yourself and know it is only the work of a Grumbler, there is nothing to fear, nor is it evil. Not all of the macabre are enemies. In fact, this paranormal entity is a boon to local wildlife. As it feeds on human activity, it has driven many families away from the area, providing more room and resources to other creatures. 

When visiting this section of Wetzel County, it is recommended to set and fill an extra plate of food for the Arches Fork Skeleton, to fill its belly so that it does not surprise and trouble another, less knowing traveler - and possibly, to make a new, strange friend in the area.

Sources

If you would like to read more about the Grumbler from Wetzel County, read “Telltale Lilac Bush and Other West Virginia Ghost Tales” by Ruth Ann Musick.

See also: the Voritorvita: Eaters of Life