Hello there, R. L. Stein Story Club members. I'm Ivy, your ghostly host and keeper of those strange and spooky tales from the hidden vault of R.L. Stein. Today is another chilling tale. This eerie tale story club members might put you off watermelon for a while. It's one

I call nightmare. We shouldn't do that, Mel. Are you kidding? It'll be fun. Katie Higgins wasn't sure

about her friend Melanie Walter's idea of fun. Stealing watermelons in the dead of night? Come on, really?

Katie had invited Mel over for a sleepover. Since it was late July with warm nights, they pitched a tent in the backyard and put

sleeping bags in it with plenty of snacks. They even had a fire pit to roast marshmallows and make

some mores with. It was like domestic camping. Neither one of them was tired, and after they were done talking about everyone in school and playing with their phones,

Mel wanted to do something more daring.

She'd seen a U. Pickham sign in the field next to Katie's house as her mom was driving up.

Seriously, let's go nab some watermelons. They are my favorite.

But that would be stealing from mr danvers

technically yes but he has a whole field of the darn things i doubt he'd missed too but what about that

legend katie said nervously what legend well i guess it was about a hundred years ago

there was this big old plow horse named hilda she was one of huge collidesdale's pulling that big red wagon you sometimes see in those TV beer commercials.

She worked the land for Mr. Danvers' great-great-grandfather.

The mayor was devoted to the entire family, working through rain, sleet, and shine, day and night. Then, this one time, Hilda stomped on a couple of rattlesnakes

before they bit the farmer as he was walking up to them. This was when the mare was pretty old.

She killed the snakes, but unfortunately the old girl got bit herself and passed away from the venom.

Since then, her ghost has been seen roaming the fields. There have been stories of trespassers being almost scared to death by a huge black horse with fiery eyes materializing from the mist and trying to run them down.

Other people have heard a horse neighing or snorting when there's no other horses around.

They've even smelled phantom horse droppings, and there isn't any livestock around for miles.

Many have called her the nightmare. Mel laughed. phantom horse droppings, and there isn't any livestock around for miles.

Many have called her the nightmare.

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