Jamie Lee was the girl James Dean in the county where I grew up. From the time she got out of grade school, she looked like a grown woman. Men folk were all over her all the time and she loved it. Boys never really had a chance.
It was fall of 1964 and the night of the bag dance Billy Rae Jenkins’ mama threw every year. Billy Rae was a looker herself but she couldn’t touch her mama. Like all the old men liked Jamie Lee, every young boy in the county was always sniffing up under Miss Norma.
Miss Norma had pretty black hair that hung way down, you know. She had so many curves that a feller never knew quite which way he was a turning to keep on lookin at er.
Miss Norma and Billy Rae didn’t like Jamie Lee too much. They called her white trash. I really thank they was both jealous cause when ever Jamie Lee came around where they wuz, well dey didn’t like it too much.
On the night of the big dance, ever body was surprised to see Jamie Lee show up. So many men folk were around her, Billy Rae told her mama first thang.
Miss Norma come up to em all and said, “Boys, we all having a party over here. Looks like ya’ll goin hunting. I see ye brought che dog with ye. Wha cha’ll gonna do take turns treein her?”
Mr. Jim spoke up and told Miss Norma that there wudn’t no call fer her to be actin like that. Jamie Lee had as much right to come to the party as anybody else. And besides, we all know that you’s the prettiest old woman in the county and well Jamie Lee is the prettiest young girl in the county.
“Is zat how you feel, Jim Crow? Well we’ll see about that. Looking at Billy Rae she said, come on suga, we got decent folks to show a good time.
The music got louder and louder as people got drunker and drunker. Sometime after midnight, two ole boys from across the Tennessee line come a riding up in they fancy car. All the girls run to em wanting a fass ride. Jamie Lee was at the head of the line.
I dunno why but Miss Norma kinda bobbed her head at em to take Jamie Lee. That would be the last time anybody every saw Jamie Lee as pretty as she was. Next morning, she was found floating face down in Indian Creek with no clothes on.
Men folk was all riled up. Dey got their guns and they pick up trucks headed across the Tennessee line lookin for dem ole boys that took Jamie Lee for a ride. They never found em.
Sheriff Leroy Tatum questioned ever body that had been at Miss Norma’s party. But no body really didn’t know nothin cept the prettiest girl in the county was dead.
At Jamie Lee’s funeral, her mama stood up and said, “I know some ya’ll here didn’t like my Jamie Lee. You goin regret that evertime you go across Indian Creek Bridge late at night cause she goin be lookin at che. She goin keep looking fer he killer til she find em.
Nobody seen nat comin. Jamie Lee’s ghost goin come up on Indian Creek bridge late at nite lookin for her killers. She goin look in ever body’s car and truck it goin nat way til she done found who killed her and threw in Indian Creek. I had to go see fer muh sef and I wouldna blieved it if I hadn seen er.
One nite real late, I took my daddy’s ole truck out there for a ride across the Indian Creek bridge real slow. Sure nough, there she was done cum up a lookin at me in in muh winder.
I asked who done this thing to er. As she faded away, all I could make out on her lips was the letter M. Ever time I go back it is the same thang, she tryin to say the letter M. I on know where she trying to say Miss Norma or not but believe Miss Norma done had sumpn do wit it.
So yins be careful ever time you cross the Indian Creek Bridge late at night cause you goin see Jamie Lee lookin at chi. She ain’t goin hurt you none. She just be a lookin at chi unless you her killers.
The audio is coming soon. Want more Halloween Ghost Story? Read Eleanor’s Story
