The township of Benton has three main water towers, one of which has been closed down and is no longer in operation. That one happens to also be the tallest of the tree, the structure looms over the skyline of the town like a sleeping giant made out of copper, iron and steel. The rails lining the catwalk that surrounds the dome have turned to orange rust and are crumbling and decaying. The once bright navy blue letters that once spelled out the word “Benton” have become chipped and turned to an off color of blue.
At the bottom is an old pumping station, a small shed, a small brick building with a black slate roof and a few windows. Most of the windows though have been smashed in by stones thrown by rambunctious teenage vandals. The wooden door hangs at a crooked angel, its brass hinges barely supporting its weight and by the wooden door, almost hidden by the tall grass, covered in vines is a small granite memorial cross.
Engraved upon the center of the cross is a name. “Sterling M. Richard “Born August 18, 1984” followed by “Died October 31, 2000” and finally at the bottom, just below the name, the date of birth and the date of death there can be found the inscription of “Requiescat in Pace”.
But she does not rest in peace, no because on moonlit nights, when the moon sits high in the sky. People often report seeing a young woman, one with pretty blonde hair and baby blue eyes. She often reported wearing a stunning, red satin gown. She often appears to be leaning over the ledge of the tower, she appears to be deep in thought, then in a blink of an eye, she climbs over the railing and then people report hearing a loud scream followed by a loud thumb.
The story of Sterling is one of betrayal, heartbreak and drama. All centering on events that took place at the homecoming dance of Benton Agricultural High School in the autumn of two thousand. Rebecca Joan Fowler was the self proclaimed “Queen” of the school. The girls bathroom was her court and there she summoned all who dared to rise above their stations. Victorian Alice Baker was her right hand girl and the powerful muscle that powered her operation and kept her on the throne. A beg below her was a girl called Amy Alice Allen, she commanded Rebecca's spy ring. Silent as the grave and broody as a poet, God had given her a mind for schoolyard politics that most would kill to have. She was the brains behind the operation and the head of a system of informants that kept Rebecca informed on everything and anything. It was even reported she had moles among the staff and at the main office.
It was this circle of spies, informants and turncoats that brought Sterling to Rebecca's attention. Sterling was one of those girls who would never become Homecoming Queen or a member of the Homecoming Court unless really major, like an earth shattering, mind numbing event shook up the established social order that's been in place since kindergarten. She was a shy girl, who for the most part stayed to herself and had only a small circle of friends to depend on. She was also sweet on the star quarterback of Benton Gators. His name had been forgotten and lost to the flow of time. But what is known and remembered is that he too returned her feelings and the two had been passing notes through various friends between classes and exchanging late night texts.
Now, Alice had been intercepting those letters and text through her spies, one of those spies happens to be the very sister of the football player in question. Who's statues as cheerleader brought her under the all seeing eyes of Rebecca. Her spies would hand copy each letter before passing it off. It was through this method that Rebecca could track the movements of both Sterling and the football player.
And as the date of the homecoming dance approached, the amount of letters increased ten fold. With a growing unease Rebecca read as the flames of love were kindled. Between Sterling and her football player. Deciding to bring things to a head, she summoned Sterling to the girls bathroom on the second floor There, the orders were laid out plain and simple. Sterling was to stop talking to the football player and take a vow before her trio of acolytes and God never to dare flirt with the boy again. Or any boy for that matter till she finished high school.
Sterling bravely laughed the threats off. Smirking Rebecca polity asked Victorian to take her into one of the stalls for a little “Chat”. Despite the girl's protest, the stronger and older girl hauled the younger girl into the bathroom and after a few minutes of repeatedly dunking her head into the privy finally made her point quite clear. She then tossed Sterling out of the bathroom and onto the dirty floor of the hallway, soon to follow were her textbooks and her school papers. Looking like a drowned rat, she started to seek the attention of her lover.
She did not find her lover, instead she found only scorn and ridicule from her peers because of her appearance. What happens next will forever go down as one of the darkest days of Benton AG. Sterling, in much turmoil, walked back to her house, a two story Victorian located in the influential “Town Creek” district. An area of town known for its fine Victorian and Edwardian houses that line the brick paved streets. Historically the towns Elite chose to settle and live within that district.
As she started to walk, she started to text her lover, but by fate, her love phone had been stolen by his sister who was keeping it in her possession. But her text fell on death ears, and with each block of town she put behind her, her text became more and more frantic till at last she was at the end of her rope. Finding herself along and emotionally shattered, she sneaked into her father's office and broke into the chestnut liquor drawer. She reached for the first thing that came into her sight. A large gallon bottle of Gentleman Jack.
Shot by shot she started to empty the bottle. Her text became more frantic, soon she found herself tripping over her own shoe laces. It was then, in this moment of drunken madness, she thought up a plan. Reeling from the day's events, hurt, confused and scared and above all feeling abounded. She walked up the stairs and waltzed into her bedroom, there she went into her closet and dressed herself in the gown she and her mom had picked out for her homecoming dance. Once the gown was one, she did her hair and make-up and put on her best pair of shoes and started to walk, she walked down the stairs and out the front door and onto the streets.
For what seemed like hours she walked the narrow, bricked streets of Benton, till at last she stood before the looming iron water tower. Dropping her phone on the ground she started to climb the iron rungs. Soon she was standing over the railing. Taking a deep breath she eased her grip and jumped. Thirty frantic beats of her heart and she was no more.
They found her body the next morning. She snapped her neck during the fall and the dew had soaked her gown. Only the family of Sterling and a few close friends grieved for the loss of the young girl. And since that day, on clear nights, when the moon is full and the wind is still, people often report seeing a woman climbing the tower, others hear a loud, ear piercing stream followed by a loud thump. And still others yet report passing Sterling as she makes that long trek toward the tower.
