The Urban Legend of the Hook Man:
A young couple went for a ride in the car. They parked up on the top of hill at the edge of town, a well-known make-out spot. From there, they could see the lights up and down the valley. The boy turned on the radio and found some music. But an announcer broke in with a news bulletin. A murderer has escaped from the state prison. He is armed with a knife and is headed south on foot. His left hand is missing. In its place, he wore a hook.
"Let's roll up the windows and lock the doors," said the girl. The boy agreed. "That prison isn't too far away," said the girl, "Maybe we really should go home."
"But it's only ten o'clock," said the boy.
"I don't care what time it is," she said, "I want to go home."
"Look, he's not going to climb all the way up here. Why would he do that? Even if he did, all the doors are locked. How could he get in?"
"I'm scared and I want to go home." the girl reasoned.
As the boy started the car, the girl thought she heard someone, or something, scratching at her door. "Do you hear that?" she asked as they roared away. "Sounded like somebody's trying to get in."
"Oh, sure," said the boy.
As soon they got to her house, the boy walked around to the other side of the car to let her out. Hanging on the door handle was a hook.
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This is my personal favorite urban legend, and we had so much fun recreating it! It originated in the 1950's, but I heard it growing up in the book Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. I have a vivid memory of listening to this story around a campfire in girl scouts, and being terrified. Jesse and I learned though while recreating it that we are definitely not actors! Pretending to be scared was so hard!
