The Fallen Chronicles by Michael Kleen

[rashore]

This is a fictional series written about real reputed haunts done up as investigations and a whole lot more, principally set in the Chicagoland and other closer reaches of the area. There's around 50 or so episodes in the entire series if folks are interested in reading more on their own.. I'm going to set up these first episodes with two quote boxes- the opening paragraphs and the closing lines of the episode. I've read the entire series before- when it originally came out. It's a fun series.

Episode #1: Bachelor's Grove, Midlothian Illinois

Opening paragraphs:

Quote

In a far southwest suburban forest preserve outside Chicago, Illinois, a stout man in a black trench coat stealthily led four other explorers down the broken cement road under a canopy of barren oak trees. His piercing, gray eyes scanned the tree line as he swept the lens of his VHS-C video recorder from trunk to moldy trunk.

Emmet, the tallest and leanest of the group, spoke first. “What are we looking for?” he asked in a dry, probing tone.

“Evidence of a house,” Mike, the trench coat-clad man leading the group, replied. He stopped walking and zoomed in on the depths of the woods. “People keep seeing a phantom house out there. If there was a house, we should find some physical evidence of it.”

“But all the books mentioning Bachelor’s Grove say there’s no evidence a house ever existed,” Davin, the youngest of the five, interjected through chattering teeth. “Why would they lie to us?”

Closing lines:

Quote

“Whatever,” Mike muttered. “Did they follow us here?”

https://mysteriousheartland.com/2016/01/08/the-fallen-chronicles-episode-1/

 

Episode #2: Greenwood Cemetery, Decatur Illinois

Opening paragraphs:

Quote

Deep in Decatur, Illinois, The Fallen’s 1991 dark blue Toyota Corolla puttered through the white, metal gates of Greenwood Cemetery with Mike, Greg, Aurelia, and Emmet inside. Its rusted muffler hung inches from the road. “Does anyone else notice this city smells like rotten eggs?” Emmet asked over a remix of calliope music that blared from the car speakers.

“I don’t know what was worse,” Greg interrupted, “Mike screaming at anyone who wasn’t going over sixty-five miles per hour, or listening to Insane Clown Posse all the way down here.”

“Alright, just calm down,” Mike ordered as he steered the car down a side trail that ran through a cluster of mausoleums.

Greg ignored him. “Where is Davin?”

Closing lines

Quote

“Maybe next time when we’re better equipped for subterranean exploration. For now, let’s just see if anything comes up on the audio recorder.” He snatched the recorder from the top of the headstone and walked back to the car.

https://mysteriousheartland.com/2016/01/15/the-fallen-chronicles-episode-2/

 

Episode #3: Devil's Gate, Libertyville, Illinois

Opening paragraphs

Quote

Mike, Greg, and Emmet stood in front of the spiked iron gates, dusted by cold, misty rain that trickled from the thick, gloomy clouds. Evergreen trees swayed against the Medieval-looking stone wall, and water collected in horseshoe prints on the trail.

Mike pulled his trench coat tightly closed as Greg adjusted his knit cap. Emmet, who towered over the other two, looked unconvinced as Mike explained why they were there.

“There isn’t much information on this haunting,” he said. “But the general story is that a guy went crazy and kidnapped and killed some girls at a private school here. He supposedly hung their heads from these gates. That’s why folks call it ‘Devil’s Gate‘. If there was a school, there’s got to be physical evidence. Just like that house at Bachelor’s Grove.”

“Why are you so concerned with finding physical evidence of a ghost story?” Greg asked. “Even if we proved a school existed here, that still wouldn’t prove it’s haunted.”

Closing lines

Quote

His thoughts lingered on the group’s discoveries that day. He knew one day the Fallen would uncover the truth.

https://mysteriousheartland.com/2016/01/22/the-fallen-chronicles-episode-3/

 

I've posted this under paranormal books, authors, and publications rather than writers corner because Michael Kleen is a published author of a few books. And I did make sure to contact Mr. Kleen and get his permission to share these snippets and links here on UM prior to posting this topic.