Dancing Mary: A Tale of Jealousy, Ghosts, and the Unforgiving Wilderness
As I sit at my desk, the Winter wind pushing against the window, I find
myself deep in the world I’m creating—a world that blends the harsh cold of
British Columbia’s wilderness with the supernatural. I’m currently penning my
novel, Dancing Mary, for the Canadian Mystery Paranormal series, and
the story’s roots run deep into the foggy history of Vancouver Island.
It all began when I stumbled across an obscure account in the historical
papers of BC. The year was the mid-1800s, and the first European settlers had
just made their way to Comox, a place as harsh and unforgiving as it was
beautiful. These settlers arrived in a land that was foreign, cold, and wild.
Armed only with hand tools, they began to carve out their existence, using the
massive trees that surrounded them to build rudimentary camps against the
elements.
But as often happens in stories of the past, it's the people who shape the
course of history, and in this case, one particular settler, Lawrence Cummings,
would forever change the fate of those who called this land home.
Cummings, a man of ill repute with a notorious temper, crossed paths with a
beautiful Native girl who caught the attention of many of the settlers. Her
name was Mary, and her beauty was as captivating as it was dangerous, drawing
the gaze of men in a place where nothing came easily.
The settlers whispered, and the jealousy of Lawrence Cummings simmered
beneath the surface. It wasn’t long before his emotions boiled over in a fit of
rage. One fateful night, under the dim light of a flickering candle, Lawrence
took the life of the girl who had captivated so many hearts. In his jealousy,
he silenced her forever, but in doing so, he ignited something darker and far
more sinister than he could have ever anticipated.
Now, Dancing Mary isn’t just a story about tragic love. It’s a
journey into the eerie unknown, where the boundaries between the living and the
dead are paper-thin. Because, you see, some souls don’t rest easily. Mary’s
spirit, broken by the injustice of her untimely death, lingers in the cold,
dark corners of the forest where she once danced. The settlers who lived to
tell the tale spoke of her ghost—dancing in the moonlight, her presence as
haunting as the winds that whip through the trees.
As I write, I can feel the weight of the past pressing down. The rawness of
the land, the bitterness of betrayal, and the eerie whispers of a ghost whose
memory refuses to fade are all coming together to create something that will
leave readers with a sense of unease and fascination.
So, stay tuned. If you enjoy tales where the past and the supernatural
collide in a dance of mystery, you won’t want to miss Dancing Mary.
It's a story born from history, steeped in the paranormal, and wrapped in
suspense. I can’t wait to share this dark, chilling journey with you all.
😊 Jay
jaylang.ca
