There can be nothing better than reconnecting with nature by taking a walk, jog or run through it as many people already do. Just getting away from the hustle and bustle of life, even for a half hour can help clear your mind. It is fun to keep your head up on these little excursions, mainly because you get to see everyone around you, and see how much fun they are having as well. You never know who or what you might run into while out on a path in a wooded area, but you can be sure that you will find something that you will never forget.
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While on a run through a wooded area, the young man is clearing his head like everyone that he comes across. Moving to the side for a biker coming up behind him, giving a wink and smile to a fellow female runner and nodding to a woman with her child in a stroller, the day seems to be perfect. As the day slowly comes to an end and the sun starts to set, something strange seems to be taking over the man’s vision, as he does not seem to be seeing things right. As the darkness starts to overcome the path, the man sees the three people he previously encountered, but there seems to be something different about them, as they are all staring straight at him. 

Not being able to shake the feeling that something is not right, the man makes it to the end of the path, only to find a dark figure waiting for him. Not wanting to cause a situation, the man heads back on the path, only to find that the three people he passed previously have a more ghostly look to them.  Thinking that this is all in his mind, the man reaches the other end of the path, only to find the dark stranger waiting for him again. Knowing that there is something strange going on, the man retreats once again, but this time he sees a light off in the distance that will surely be his savior. But when making it to the lighted area, he finds the group of his fellow runners huddled around someone on the ground and that someone is not who the man expected to see at all.

Pretty cool little horror short that does not pull any punches when it comes down to what is happening around the Jogger. With the vision change as night starts to set in, it is easy to tell that things will be taking a turn for the worst for the man. I liked how his fellow runners changed every time the man passed by, becoming a little more sinister each time. With some creepy looks, a malfunctioning watch, some regular folks looking a little worse for wear, and a dark stranger that knows exactly what the man has done, this is a nice creepy horror short that will keep you wondering who you might encounter when you reach the other side. Stay Scared.

See ‘The Jogger’ on Amazon Prime Video.

As things quiet down from traumatic experiences, it is very important to get your bearings on what is real and what is not. For those who have been brought back from beyond, it gets harder and harder to gauge how far they can push themselves before causing themselves or others harm, especially when others make it back and only want to feel pain and don't care if it is being inflicted on themselves or others. When it comes to different people and the life changing events they have encountered, it is hard to know how they will return, but having just a piece of the original person left is all that one can ask for. 

The Lambert family has moved in with Josh’s mother Lorraine, after everything that has just happened to their family. Josh was able to navigate the Further and save his son Dalton from a fate worse than death, but now he is trapped, and his body is being possessed by someone else. Trying to act as nothing is wrong, the one who is infesting Josh’s body goes along with the day to day activities as he/she seems fit, but Renai knows that there is something wrong with her husband and the house they are living in.

With the death of their leader still fresh in their minds, Tucker and Specs research Elise’s past with the Lambert family, especially Josh. Finding a tape that Elise made with Josh in his youth, they see that the older Josh that they have met is in the video. Not knowing what this means, the two ghost hunters turn to one of Elise’s trusted friends, Carl, to connect with the spirits once again. As Carl gets his readings from his dice, he believes that the spirit of Elise is leading him to answers but finds out that it is the mother of the specter that is controlling Josh’s body and leading him and the group into harm’s way.

As Renai deals with another haunting of her loved ones, she has come to depend on her mother-in-law Lorraine for any guidance she can deliver. When Specs and Tucker find out about the Lambert’s past however, they discover that the haunting has followed Lorraine and need to pinpoint the evil spirit from her past that has taken her son. As the ghost that is keeping Josh’s body under his/her control finds out what is happening and that their time with the living may be limited, the specter is told that the only way to survive is to kill every member of the Lambert family. Not wanting to return to the Further, the spirit plots a way to get Josh’s family back into the house so it can send them into the next realm. 

Insidious: Chapter 2 follows the Lambert family as they think that all is well after getting their son Dalton back from the Further but find out that now Josh is possessed by a powerful spirit. As Renai looks into her husband’s eyes, she knows that he is not the man she married years ago and starts to see and hear the ghosts around the house once again. Specs and Tucker try to come to the rescue of the family and with the help of Carl, they find that there is much more to the story than previously known. As they confront the spirit that is controlling Josh’s body, they find that it is someone much more powerful from his mother’s life. Lorraine’s past comes back to haunt her as she deals with a powerful spirit that is willing to do anything to continue to feel alive in the land of the living.

A strong follow up to Insidious, Insidious: Chapter 2 dives back into the previous story and explains what was really happening with the hauntings. The plot is strong once again, which is saying a lot for a sequel movie, but the film does fall back to the fast thrills formula with quick camera turns and first person filming that adds the shock value, but not the true scares. With everything that the first film delivered, I really wish they did not mess with the formula that worked. It is still a good movie to watch on those nights you need a thrill and if you are dying to know what happens in the afterlife, your questions will be answered. Stay Scared.

When you live in the same place for a while, you start to know without even looking, exactly what sounds the house is currently making. The creaks, the bumps, the groans and everything else that the home has to offer is familiar and welcome to you, but what if there is something else in the house with you? After getting accustomed to hosting a haunting or something else that might be different than most homes, you can find a way to help keep the spirits at bay. With this kind of knowledge, you might be willing to do things that are out of the ordinary and most of the time it works without fail, yet, sometimes you are forced to take a much more drastic route than you are accustomed to. 
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Scrolling through a feed on his phone, the man is not noticing anything out of the ordinary on this night, but then he hears something off in the distance. Looking over at a door that has opened on its own, the man is then forced to look at a decorative carved duck piece over by the fireplace that seems innocent enough. Looking back at his phone, the man hears some strange quacking from behind the couch and puts his phone down to investigate. Not seeing anything behind the couch, the man sits back down to find that the duck is sitting right next to him. Knowing what must be done, the man makes a quick call to a friend to keep himself and the house, happy.

After his friend arrives, the man asks him if he can get something out of the attic for him. With a bum knee, the man is not able to use the ladder that he has set up and his friend is more than happy to help him out. Climbing up the ladder and opening the hatch to the attic, the friend is not able to find what the man is looking for, so he goes up another step to try and find it. Pulling down a tabletop football game, the friend thinks he is done, yet the man asks him to stay up there for a few more seconds to take a look around. Not seeing anything, the friend hears a strange quacking in the distance and while his curiosity is peaked, the friend has no idea that the duck is looking to feed on more than table scraps.

Not really your common haunted house horror short, as you have a carved wooden duck in booties that is the sign of bad things to come. While you have some of the basic elements of a haunting, it appears to be something much worse, for when the man sees that the duck has moved, he must do something much more drastic to keep it from bothering him. Making an easy call to get a friend to come over and become a sacrifice to the house, I am really curious as to how many people the man has fed to the house, because he is not shaken at all when he watches it feed on yet another victim. With a cell phone, a carved duck in booties, some demonic quacking, a table top football game, a friend that does not know what he is getting into and a need to feed, this horror short may have you questioning what your friends are really wanting from you when they invite you over for a very menial task. Stay Scared.

See ‘The Hungry Poltergeist’ on Amazon Prime Video.