Sleepy Hollow Lake Road in southern Orange County. Woods surrounding the Eickelberger home. Paoli, IN

by S. Jones
(Paoli, IN)

The following account is true. I know it to be true because I have seen it and heard it with my own eyes, and ears. On the evening of Oct. 15th, 1991 a young boy named Dexter Eickelberger was brutally bludgeoned to death. This was also his 12th birthday. Dexter had gone to visit his neighbor, a mentally deficient 15 year old by the name of Lemuel Hickman. The younger Dexter befriended and cared about "Lemmy". After an afternnon of video games, Dexter was leaving to return to his home thru the woods seperating the boys' homes. Lemuel, who was deeply depressed due to incessant ridicule at school from most of his peers,had childishy devised a plan to do something very very bad and the end result would be his death in the electric chair. He admittedly was too chicken to commit suicide. He asked to accompany Dexter to his home to continue with the birthday celebration at the Eickelberger home. Dexter complied whole heartedly! Not more than 5 minutes later, the back of Dexter's head was crushed with a club pre-selected for this very act by Hickman. Subsequently, the missing boys family alerted law enforcement and in short time the body was found. Lemuel admitted to the crime and plead guilty to first degree murder and was promptly behind bars.

Now, this is where the story takes a turn right into paranormal. Fall turned to winter, and the bereaved family moved to a different part of Paoli. Leaves gew back on trees and time passed by as it always has. Slowly, but surely Dexter slipped from the memories of those of that were schoolmates of Dex. Even the area of this heinous act was forgotten as to what it's past held.
18 years had gone by, and as I was scouting a place in the dense woods of southern Orange Co, just south of Paoli to put my deer stand for the approaching season I found the perfect tree. As I was about to scale the tree I distinctly heard the loud sudden cries of a young boy "Why"? "What did I do"? I thought I should go in the direction of the cries cause there was a distinct desperation in the voice, and it was obvious the situation was of danger and fear. All sounds of nature had ceased also, and to an outdoorsman, this invokes a sense of awareness and foreboding.When nature takes heed to danger, man should follow suit. In just a few running strides I could see through the mid October trees and falling orange and amber leaves, a boy of about 12 fall to his knees but he was not pursued by anyone. Also, I was approaching his right flank side so no face was visible to me yet as I was still easily 50-75 yds. away from the poor little guy. I hollered and said "You ok buddy"? No response. Chills set in up my spine at this point. I noticed as I got very close that legs were on the ground sticking out from behind a large tree and I knew the boy had fallen on his stomach and face . I came around the front side of the tree and just as the boy should have been visible to me for there was definitely not enough time to get up and run off, I looked up into the face of my long dead buddy Dexter... I surely gasped for my loss of ability to breathe was sudden, and absolute. He was right there standing in front of me looking me in my eyes and said "Cmon, my birthday dinner is gonna be cold"! He turned to lead the way up the hill, and as he turned and faced away from me, I noticed the back of his head was massively caved in....... He crested the hill and when my legs were able to move in about 5 secs from then I knew I surely had seen a ghost. I crested the hill in quick pursuit and found myself chasing absolutely nothing....... I only saw the home at which Dexter lived long ago 20 yds in front of me. He was gone. Again. My memory of my childhood friend flooded back but will be forever marred by this very real new memory of his poor little ghost.