Television was still young. Most people relied on local channels to provide entertainment. It was a time when imagination and innovation was the rule and not the exception. The show, as I recall, was Kromwell’s Graveyard. It was a late night horror movie program run on an independent channel with a local flare and flavor. The host was Professor Morbius J Kromwell, your teacher and undertaker, and his sidekick, the ever silent Digger N. Graves. Professor Morbius told everyone that he had his horror movies hidden away in his Black Mausoleum. Each week, Morbius would pull out one of his favorite B-movies in order to “give us a lesson in horror” and many times he would have some new guest on and turn them into one of “Kromwell's Creatures.” Local people would get a kick on being on the show just to say they were “Killed by Kromwell.” He claimed he was going to take over the world…one person at a time. Meanwhile, Digger was always doing some crazy stuff in the background. Their humor was often offbeat, strange, and a little morbid, but fun.
Then it happened. The station that ran Kromwell’s Graveyard became part of a network and chose to remove most of its local programming. With no notice, Kromwell was told his show was over. They waited until his last taping was done before telling him the sad news and never gave him a chance to even say goodbye to his fans. The final show was never even aired. The station destroyed almost all of the tapes of the show even before they told him the news and the cheesy graveyard sets were soon to follow. Morbius asked the manager and the owner why they had not given him a chance to buy the tapes, the set, his costume, or even had a chance to say goodbye to his fans. They looked him in the face and told him,"It was an accident.” He and Digger were devastated. People began calling and writing to bring the show back the moment word was out. Less than two weeks later, Morbius was found dead in his apartment. Doctors claimed it was a heart attack but many said he died from a broken heart. Digger was filled with hate at the loss of his friend. His hatred consumed his sanity. He couldn’t believe that years of loyalty could be tossed aside with so little concern. At the graveside service of Morbius, he swore a silent vow for revenge. He would show them “an accident.” This story was far from over.
Local news told of how the station manager vanished just a few weeks later. Less than a week after that, the station’s owner also disappeared. On October 31st of that year, Kromwell’s grave had been dig up and was now empty except for 2 bloody fingers and a note written in blood. The fingers were identified as the right index fingers of the two missing men. The note had just 4 words written on it…It Was An Accident. Local authorities conducted a massive manhunt for both men, the body of Professor Kromwell, and for the actor who had once played Digger. None were ever found. Unknown to anyone, Digger purchased some woodland in Indiana. There, he spent most of his money having a real Black Mausoleum built for his friend. The graves of his enemies were close at hand. Kromwell now had his own graveyard. He also had stolen most of the movies once owned by the station and placed them there beside Morbius. Soon afterwards, Digger moved to the outskirts of New Orleans. There, he immersed himself into the study of the Black Arts in the psychotic hopes of one day bringing back his friend. Many years have passed since those events transpired. Many say that Digger was finally successful in his endeavor to resurrect his friend. Some say it cost him his soul and the sacrifice of his own tongue to accomplish the deed. Most people have forgotten about the whole incident. Most…but the time is drawing near when everyone will relearn of Professor Morbius J Kromwell and his ol’ pal Digger. People in the Wabash Valley are starting to learn…one person at a time.
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