"'Look Up There!'" by H. R. Wakefield
Summary
Mr. Packard, a civil servant recovering from overwork in Brienne, becomes obsessed with a peculiar couple: a silent giant and a small man who constantly stares upward. The small man recounts a traumatic experience at Gauntry Hall, where he witnessed a supernatural event involving a storm and screaming guests during a forbidden New Year's Eve gathering. As he finishes his tale, the small man is seized by a violent episode, screaming "Look up there!" while the giant restrains him, leaving Mr. Packard terrified and fleeing into the rain.
Topics discussed
Introduction: Mr. Packard and the staring stranger
Mr. Packard's background and reason for visiting Brienne
Packard's obsession with the couple and his recovery
Packard's longing for work and the evening stroll
Meeting the stranger and the conversation about God
The legend of Gauntry Hall and Jack Gauntry
The New Year's Eve ritual and the white banner
The Gauntleys' death and the arrival of the Ralphs
Accepting the invitation to the haunted house party
Arriving at Gauntry Hall on a stormy night
The tense dinner and the onset of hysteria
The lights go out and the stranger's breakdown
The yokel intervenes and Packard flees
Conclusion and sign-off
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