• The Tall Woman •

Sabo is a 10 year old boy from the Boa Kingdom. Every summer he would go play with his friends Rufi and Trace, two boys around his age who live in a small house located in Mt. Bolubo, a mountain that's near the Boa Kingdom.

The trio would spend their summer days, playing in the backyard or adventuring through the mountains' forest. Sabo would even sleep over at their house, which Sabo's parents didn't mind, as long as Rufi and Trace's parents, Ryuu and Kārī Dadon, took great care in him.

But little did Sabo know that this summer will be the last time he will visit Rufi and Trace for 12 years. But why you might ask? Well, its answer is hidden in this following scary story.

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One summer day, Sabo, Rufi, and Trace were playing outside in the forest. Eventually both Rufi and Trace had use the bathroom, they told Sabo to wait in the backyard. Sabo was playing by himself outside in the backyard. It was a sunny and warm day, Sabo relax himself underneath a shady tree. While he waited for Rufi and Trace, Sabo heard a strange humming sound. It felt like a person was making it.

"Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm…"

Sabo looked around the area and saw a woman slowly walking past him in the shadowy forest just a few feet away from him.

That's when Sabo realized who was making that humming noise.

"Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm…"

The woman both stopped humming and walking. She then turns her head towards Sabo and stared at him for moment with a creepy looking smile, which cause Sabo to freak out a bit.

The woman was tall with a curvaceous figure. She has green hair, and big sea green eyes. She was sticking her tongue out which was long and forked like that of a snake's tongue. The woman was wearing a light green high impact sports bra and fern green gym shorts. And she was wearing a white cape on her back.

Both Sabo and the woman stood there for a while, staring at each other.

Then the woman began to moved again, but this time she walked the opposite direction from Sabo, she walked deeper into the forest until she disappeared from Sabo's sight. Despite the fact she was out of sight, Sabo could still hear the strange humming noise from the woman from afar.

"Hm… Hm… Hm…"

After a few minutes, Sabo could no longer hear the humming, which indicates that she has left the area completely.

Sabo wonder who was that strange woman.

"Who was she ? Was she some wondering tramp trying to pull a creepy prank ?", thought Sabo.

Sabo continued to think about what he saw. But eventually Rufi and Trace came back outside from the bathroom. Sabo decide to put his thoughts on the woman on hold. At first Sabo wanted to explain to Rufi and Trace what he just saw while they were inside, but decided to tell them that later. The trio continued playing in the backyard.

That night Sabo, Rufi, and Trace were having dinner before bed. While Rufi and Trace were munching on their food, Sabo took his time eating his, this is because Sabo couldn't stop thinking about what happen earlier with that woman he saw, especially the way she stared at him with that creepy smile, which was so ingrained into Sabo's mind to the point that Sabo wish he could get rid of that terrifying image from his head.

Kārī Dadon, Rufi and Trace's mother, who was the other person sitting on the table besides Rufi and Trace since their father was still finishing work at his job, notice Sabo's behavior, and ask if he was alright.

"You okay Sabo ? You don't seem to be munching on your food that much. Is something wrong ?", said Kārī Dadon.

"Oh um you see, earlier today me, Rufi, and Trace were playing outside. When Rufi and Trace went to the bathroom, I waited outside for them. While I was waiting I saw this tall green haired lady who had a snake like tongue sticking out of her mouth. She was making a weird humming noise. She was walking by and stop and stared at me for a moment, and give me this terrifying creepy smile then she walked away. After that I couldn't stop thinking about what happened", said Sabo.

Kārī Dadon, as well as Rufi and Trace, eyes grew wide. Kārī Dadon then covered her mouth with her hand for a moment. Then she got out of her seat and walked over towards Sabo. Her face became very serious, he grabbed him by the arm. She spoke to him in a serious tone.

"Sabo was this woman... Was she also wearing a green outfit and was wearing a white cape on her back ?", said Kārī Dadon.

"Y-y-yes", said Sabo who started to became very worried.

Kārī Dadon suddenly rushed to the phone in the living room, and called her husband, a few minutes later Kārī Dadon finished her phonecall then came back into the kitchen and she told Sabo that'll she have to stay in the guest room.

What's going on, Mrs. Dadon ?"cried Sabo. She looked at Sabo with a sad expression in her eyes

"You've been liked by Sandersonia."

Sabo then cautiously asked, "Who's Sandersonia?"

Trace then lays his hand on Sabo's shoulder and explain who Sandersonia is.

"She is the ghost of a tall woman, who died in a sea train accident long ago. Her ghost hunts the entire Boa Kingdom and the area around it. She wonders through the cities, villages, and forest. She preys on unlucky children, because they are always dependant on their parents and family members. She sometimes lure kids out of their home by either calling out their name in a familiar voice, or sometimes crying for help, other times she tries to "befriend" them but in reality it was some false sense of security tactic that she's pulling off to lure children to her. She makes her presence known by humming. A few years ago Sabo, Sandersonia's ghost was captured by monks in a nearby village and they managed to confine Sandersonia in a ruined building on the outskirts of their village. They trapped Sandersonia using 4 small Jizos statues that they placed at the North, South, East and West of the ruined building. Sandersonia wasn't supposed to be able to move from that building, but somehow she managed to escape. The last time Sandersonia appeared was 2 years ago", said Trace.

After Trace finish his explanation, Rufi then spoke to Sabo.

"Whomever Sandersonia sees will die in a few days", said Rufi.

It all sounded so crazy to Sabo, but he wasn't sure what to believe.

After that, Rufi and Trace's father, and as well as Kārī Dadon's husband, Ryuu, came back home with a middle age woman. She introduced herself as Chikin and handed Sabo a small crumpled piece of parchment, saying, "Take this and make you hold on to it." Then, she and Ryuu went to one of the rooms to do something. Sabo waited in the kitchen with Rufi, Trace, and Kārī Dadon. Sabo was beginning to get really frightened by was going on.

After a few minutes have past, Ryuu and Chikin took Sabo and brought him into a guest room. The entire the room including the windows were covered in newspaper and lots of ancient runes had been written on them, which seemed to be seals of some kind. There were small bowls of salt in every corners of the room. There was also a blue bucket in case Sabo's had to go to the bathroom.

Then, Chikin sat Sabo down on the bed and said, "Listen here little Sabo, soon the sun will be setting, so you better listen carefully. You must stay in this guest room until tomorrow morning. You must not come out under any circumstances until 7 o'clock tomorrow morning. Your friends, and Mr. Ryuu and Mrs. Dadon will not speak to you or call you until the next day. Remember Sabo, do not leave this room for any reason. Mr. Ryuu will let your parents know what is going on."

She spoke in such a very serious grave tone that all Sabo could do was quietly nod his head.

Then Kārī Dadon came into the room and left food for Sabo. She told Sabo to make sure to follow every instructions that Chikin told him. After that she and Chikin walked out into the hallway, Sabo then closed the bedroom door and locked it. For a while Sabo was sitting in the middle of the room doing nothing, until he finally fell asleep.

Sabo woke up in the middle of the night, he looked at a clock in the guest room, and notices that it was just after 3 AM. All of a sudden, Sabo realized that someone was tapping on the window.

"Tap, Tap, Tap, Tap, Tap…"

Sabo began to shiver very violently and sweat was dripping all over his face. He desperately tried to calm himself down, telling himself it was just the wind blowing or maybe one of the branches of a tree was scratching the window.

Sabo drank a cup of water to further calm himself down. Eventually, the tapping noise stop. Sabo then heard both Rufi and Trace's voice.

"Hey Sabo are you OK in there?" Trace asked."If you're scared you don't have to stay in that guest room all alone", said Rufi. Me and Rufi, can come in there and keep you company, and protect you from Sandersonia", said Trace. Sabo smiled and ran over to the door, but then, Sabo stopped in his tracks. Sabo notice that one of the salt in the bowls was slowly turning black. Sabo glanced to his left and a chill went down his spine. He had goosebumps all over his body. It sounded like Rufi and Trace's voice, but somehow, it was different. Sabo couldn't tell what was, but he just knew…

"What are you waiting for Sabo ?", asked Trace."Open the door Sabo", said Rufi

Sabo backed away from the door. His whole body was trembling with fear. Sabo fell to his knees and held the piece of parchment tightly in his hand, and then he started praying for help.

Sabo then heard humming outside the door, the same humming he heard earlier in the day.

"Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm…"

A few moments later Sabo then heard tapping on the window once again again. Then he heard something else that almost give him a heart attack.

"Hey Sabo... I didn't mean to scary you. And I'm sorry about earlier."

Sabo couldn't believe his ears. Sandersonia is talking to him through the closed window.

"I have a feeling that your friends have told you about me. What they say about me is not true. I'm not some terrifying ghost that preys on children. I'm just a lonely spectre walking this earth looking for friends. You see I died being friendless. I never had friends to play with and interact with since I was little. I was so bother by this that my spirit won't lay to rest until I befriend someone."

Sabo then quietly responded to her on the other side of the locked window, despite him still being fearful of her.

"Then why children ? Why do you BEFRIEND children then ?", said Sabo who isn't buying everything in what she saying, remembering that Trace told him earlier that one of Sandersonia's methods of luring children is "befriending" them.

"Because to me children are easy to befriend than adults", said Sandersonia.

"Oh really ?", said Sabo. "Then how come you take away children then ? From what I'm told you lure and take away children away from their love ones, and they are never seen again", said Sabo.

Sandersonia then reply to Sabo in a sad tone.

"Oh Sabo, that's very upsetting for me to hear. I never take children away from their love ones. I befriend them and then go somewhere to play, and then I return them to their love ones afterward", said Sandersonia who sounded like she was in tears. "That's something that people made up, but in reality it isn't true."

Sabo still wasn't buying anything that she is saying, despite her being in tears and him feeling a bit sympathetic to her.

"Oh yeah ?", said Sabo. "Then why did you mimic Rufi and Trace's voice ?"

Sandersonia then responded both sadly and softly.

"I only did that so you can let me, so I can finally befriend you and also apologize for my earlier encounter with you. I'm aware that I scared you deeply during the day. I didn't mean to. I was just walking by and saw you and smiled to myself, thinking that I finally found someone to befriend. But I decided to wait until the time is right. I wanted to come you during the night, when I did it, I notice that your friends look like that they were keeping an eye out for someone. I had a feeling that you told them about me. I never had any harmful intentions towards you, I wanted to befriend you that's all. And if I really did shouldn't I have already did to you earlier today ? But I didn't... that's solid proof there Sabo", said Sandersonia who started to cry. "PLEASE LET ME IN AND BE MY FRIEND SABO. BECOME MY FRIEND AND LET MY SPIRIT BE IN PEACE... PLEASE SABO ! I'M BEGGING YOU !

Sandersonia continue to non-stop tap the window.

Sabo wasn't still convinced by her words, knowing that this was a trap. Eventually Sabo stop responding to her. Sandersonia started to call out to Sabo.

"SABO PLEASE ! SABO COME ON ! PLEASE BE MY FRIEND SABO ! I TOLD YOU I DIDN'T MEAN TO SCARE YOU ! I'M SORRY ! I'M REALLY SORRY ! I'M SO SORRY SABO !"

Sabo was overcome by fear, he laid in bed and crawled up in a ball form. Sabo started to cry and pray for the rest of the night, as Sandersonia continued to call for him and at the same time tapping the window.

Sabo felt like the long night would never end with Sandersonia keep shouting for him, but eventually it was morning, and Sabo could no longer hear Sandersonia shouting out his name. The time displayed in the clock was indeed 7:13 AM. Sabo looked at the 4 bowls of salts placed on every corners of room, they were all discoloured to pitch black. Sabo walked towards the room door and cautiously opened it. Kārī Dadon, Chikin, and even Sabo's mother Diditto were standing outside waiting for him with worried faces.

When Sabo's mother Diditto saw Sabo, she burst into tears and give him a hug.

"Sabo !!! I'm so glad you're still alive ! I heard what happen me and your father were so worried about you !," she said. Sabo walked through the hallway and went into the kitchen where his father, Autorukku, was along with Rufi and Trace.

Autorukku explain to Sabo that the only way he can escape from Sandersonia's gasps is to leave and never visit the Boa Kingdom ever again. He then told Sabo that there is a boat ready for him in the Boa Kingdom's port, and that he's going to live with his uncle Doragon in Baltigo. Sadly Sabo have to say goodbye to his friends Rufi and Trace. Sabo, Rufi, and Trace, became emotional and were holding back tears, that Sabo have to leave the Boa Kingdom completely, but at the same time they are very understandable, since it will be the only way for Sabo to be saved from Sandersonia's ghost.

Rufi and Trace promised Sabo that they'll keep in touch and write each other letters from time to time.

Then Rufi and Trace's father, Ryuu, came inside the house and said, "Hurry Sabo! You got to get going."

Sabo went to the front door and there was a large carriage pulled by to brown stallions waiting in front of the house. The driver of the carriage is Rufi and Trace's Grandfather, Gāpu.

"Sabo, looks like you've gotten yourself in quite the spot of trouble. I know you're probably worried. Just get in the carriage and keep your head down and your eyes shut. We can't see Sandersonia, only you can. So whatever you do, don't open your eyes until we've gotten you safely out of the Boa Kingdom."

Sabo's father, Autorukku, sat right next to Gāpu in front of the carriage, while Sabo and his mother, along with Ryuu and Chikin sat inside the carriage. When everyone was ready, their carriage started moving.

After a while, Chikin spoke to Sabo and said, "Okay Sabo, this is where it gets hard, remember to keep your head down and your eyes shut just like Mr. Gāpu said", she then started muttering a prayer under her breath.

That was when Sabo heard the voice.

"Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm…"

Sabo clutched the parchment Chikin had given him tightly in his hand. Sabo kept his head down, but Sabo out of curiosity peeked through the carriage window. He saw a tall woman wearing a white cape which was fluttering in the breeze. She was moving along with the carriage. It was Sandersonia. She was outside the window, but she was keeping pace with the carriage. Then, suddenly she bent down and peered through the carriage's window.

"No !" Sabo gasped. Ryuu, who was sitting across from Sabo in the carriage, then shouted to him "KEEP YOUR EYES CLOSE SABO !"

Sabo immediately shut his eyes as hard as he could and tightly held the piece of parchment in his hand. Sandersonia began to speak to Sabo begging him not to go.

"Sabo... Please... don't leave me... Please... I beg you Sabo..."

Replied Sandersonia in a sad and softly tone just like last night. Sabo ignored Sandersonia while still keeping his eyes shut and his head down.

"Please don't go Sabo I just want to be your friend I never had any harmful intentions toward you. Please stay and be my friend Sabo. I'm begging you."

Sabo then hears Sandersonia crying and replied to him once again, but this time in a very upsetting tone of voice.

"Sabo... Please... Please !"

Sabo continue to to ignore Sandersonia no matter what even if she's crying. But still, Sabo can't help but feel sympathy towards her, even if it's just a trap to lure him towards her.

Sabo very quietly murmured "I'm sorry", to Sandersonia, while bits of tears are coming out of his eyes.

Sandersonia began to tap every windows outside the carriage.

Tap, Tap, Tap, Tap, Tap.

Sandersonia continued to tap on every windows of the carriage. Everyone in the carriage were deeply startled and on edge. They couldn't see Sandersonia and they couldn't hear her voice, but they could hear her tapping on the carriage windows. Chikin started praying louder and louder to the point it look like she was shouting. The tension inside the carriage was unbearable at first, then after a while the tapping stopped and Sabo could no longer hear Sandersonia's voice calling out to him.

Chikin looked around the carriage and then peak her head outside the carriage for a moment, and said, "I think we're safe now." Ryuu, Diditto, even Gāpu and Autorukku who both overheard all let out a sigh of relief. The carriage stops in front of a harbor. Sabo and everyone else got out of the carriage. The group walked around the harbor for a bit until Autorukku spotted the ship that Sabo must go on. Diditto, held Sabo close and tears were running down her cheeks. Autorukku bowed and shook hands with Gāpu and Ryuu for safely getting Sabo to the harbor. Chikin walked up to Sabo and asked him to show her the piece of parchment that she had given to him. Sabo takes it out of his pocket, and notice that it had fully turn black.

"I think you will be OK now Sabo," she said. "But just to make sure, hold on to this for awhile." Chikin handed Sabo a new piece of parchment.

After that Chikin, Ryuu, and Gāpu went on their way after giving Sabo their goodbyes. Before Sabo hopped onboard the ship, Autorukku told Sabo that he had heard about Sandersonia the spectre that haunts the Boa Kingdom before. Years ago, his friend, Bluejam had been liked by her. Sandersonia took him away and was never seen again. Autorukku said that there were other people who had been liked by her and lived to tell about it to this day. They all left the Boa Kingdom and settle down on other countries. They never return to the Boa Kingdom even if they have friends and family still living there.

Sabo give his parents a tearful goodbye, then hopped on board the ship, taking him to his uncle, Doragon, in the Kingdom of Baltigo.

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All of this happened 12 years ago. Sabo haven't seen his parents and friends since then. Still to this day Sabo has not set foot in the Boa Kingdom. Sabo would call and send letters to his friends and family every once in a while. Over the years, Sabo tried to convince himself that it was just an urban legend, that everything that happened was just some prank by some female tramp. But sometimes, he is not sure. Trace join the Marines when he turned 18 several years ago. Sadly he died in the battle against the Pirate Admiral Shiro and his Pirate Crew in Marineford which happen two years ago. In his will that Trace wrote after he recently joined the Marines, it stated that if something were to happen to him he doesn't want Sabo to attend his funeral, knowing that Sandersonia is still after him if he ever reenters the Boa Kingdom.

One day Sabo received a call from Chikin, the woman that helped him escape from Sandersonia. She stated that Sandersonia's ghost has vanished, and was never seen ever since she tried to get Sabo. She told Sabo that it was safe to visit or live in the Boa Kingdom, and that he can finally see his friends and family again in person.

"You sure, Ms. Chikin ?", Sabo cautiously asked. "Is it really safe to go back to the Boa Kingdom ?"

"It's been 12 years since people have last seen Sandersonia", said Chikin. "All of that happened a long time ago. Sandersonia gone now."

"Okay let's cut to the chase", said Sabo in a deep serious tone.

"Who is this ?! If you don't know Ms. Chikin passed away a few months ago, there's no way that your her", said Sabo.

For a moment, there was silence on the other end of the Den Den Mushi. Then, Sabo heard a humming voice that goes:

"Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm… Hmm…"

Which is followed by a familiar voice.

"It's been a while hasn't it ? Dear Sabo."