48 Comments
User's avatar
Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

This is one of my favorites of the Small and Scary event. Ni-bo!

Expand full comment
Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

Thanks, Sean! That means a lot to me.

Expand full comment
Pages After Dark's avatar

The story alone was already really creepy but your writing made reading it even better!

Expand full comment
Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

Thank you for reading! It's a scary idea. They have their own wiki page, fer petesakes!

Expand full comment
Jean Marie Bauhaus's avatar

Ah, the melonheads. I love that legend. So creepy.

But this here is horrifying. Well done.

Expand full comment
Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

Thanks, Jean Marie!

Expand full comment
Hanna Delaney's avatar

Ugh, I've tried to comment on this like 4 times. I remembered melon heads either from Macabre Monday or Patricia Josephine! Cool story. Creepy.

Expand full comment
Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

Thanks, Hanna—I came across it because someone tried to make a horror film about them. It’s what you might expect.

Expand full comment
Hanna Delaney's avatar

You're such a nice lady. It's always the nice ones who write the creepiest stuff 😂

Expand full comment
Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

Haaa….thank you! Shhhh...don't tell.

Expand full comment
Andy Futuro's avatar

Gruesome.

Ni-bo!

Expand full comment
Stephen Duffy's avatar

Great story, Lyndsey! Creepy as hell 💀

Expand full comment
Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

Thanks, Stephen!

Expand full comment
Jared Lambert's avatar

Ha. Good story! I didn’t see that twist coming 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

And I really liked the idea of him dying satisfied because of a desire for fame - no matter the context

Expand full comment
Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

Thank you, Jared! We all want to be special. :)

Expand full comment
Wendy Cockcroft's avatar

If anyone ever tells me, "I'll ni-bo you in a minute, there will be a Wendy-shaped hole in the wall!

Expand full comment
Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

I hear you!

Expand full comment
Liz Zimmers's avatar

This is absolutely horrifying, everything from Garsted’s accident and entrapment to…what comes afterward. Brilliantly done and with such a light touch that the sad shines through, and the remembered beauty. Loved it!

Expand full comment
Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

Thank you, Liz! I’m…relieved. It is horrible, and I wondered how his mind would work when he realized what would happen. I hoped he would find something to hold onto.

Expand full comment
Liz Zimmers's avatar

It was masterfully done. And that first paragraph sucked me right in!

Expand full comment
A. C. Sanders's avatar

I lived in Ohio for 18 months and never heard of such creatures, but having been in those woods at night…I can believe this to be true!

Excellent work it kept me guessing till the very end!!! 😱

Expand full comment
Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

Thanks, A.C.! I hadn’t heard of them, either, until I saw an article about them. Luckily, they live far to the North.

Expand full comment
EJ Trask's avatar

Lyndsey every sentence of this is so good. I love it so much.

Expand full comment
Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

I’m so happy you liked it! It had a feel to it I enjoyed when I wrote, but it’s always hard for me to tell what will work. It was a fun story, so I let it go where it wanted.

Expand full comment
EJ Trask's avatar

it’s funny how we can never tell with our own stuff. but this one really shines!

Expand full comment
Ashley T.K.'s avatar

I've never before read a story that so perfectly captured the feeling of being sat by a campfire, hearing folklore from an aunt and expecting something to grab your shoulder. This was phenomenal

Expand full comment
Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.

Expand full comment
Nick Winney's avatar

wow this is great. so freakish... and like the tornado baby seems so random compared to the ending. love the small scary Ni Bos

.... terrifying creation. really well done!

Expand full comment
Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

Thank you, Nick! I’m glad you liked it. It was a fun write.

Expand full comment
Edward.Marlo.Ruiz's avatar

Haha this had me pretty terrified and on my toes the entire time. What a ride, but the end made me smile in some weird way. Even through the brutal shock and awe. Ni Bo indeed

Expand full comment
Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

That’s the best reaction I could hope for. Thank you.

Expand full comment
Garen Marie's avatar

Scary and strange! Never heard of a melon head but I'm sure I won't forget about them now. Great story!

Expand full comment
Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

Thanks, Garen! The things we never thought we'd find out about keeps growing.

Expand full comment
Garen Marie's avatar

Ha! So true!

Expand full comment
Ken Flyingheart's avatar

Awesome, Lyndsey! Ni-bo. Inspired. Perfect nightmare all the way down!

Expand full comment
Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

Thanks, Ken! It came together in an unexpected way. I started it one way and it went another. Some stuff came out of....I have no idea.

Expand full comment
Ken Flyingheart's avatar

Those are the best stories, imo. Everything about this worked, from the title to that insane last thought. Brilliant piece.

Expand full comment
Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

Thank you. Lol..I like to think Garsted was an optimist.

Expand full comment
Ken Flyingheart's avatar

He’d have to be…

Expand full comment