I used to listen to the tales from my grandfather back in the day. My grandfather was a wise man, who had seen many things during his life and had a way of making even the most mundane stories, fascinating. One day, I asked my grandfather about the legend of Moll Dyer, which I heard a lot about but never in such detail. My grandfather, a former gravedigger at the St Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, had a story to tell.

“I remember it like it was yesterday,” my grandfather began. “I was digging graves for an upcoming funeral. It was a dreary day, and I was the only one in the cemetery until a strange woman approached me. She asked me how my day was going, and I told her that it was going well. She introduced herself as Moll and I introduced myself. I, joking, asked if her last name wasn’t Dyer. That’s when things took a dark turn.”

My grandfather’s voice trailed off and he took a deep breath before continuing. “The atmosphere changed. It got cold and creepy, and the woman began speaking gibberish. I felt myself fading away and the next thing I knew, I was resting on the grave I was digging, until my coworkers arrived and were shaking me awake. I told them what happened, and everyone had a chuckle, they told me I must have fallen asleep and had a strange dream.”

“But I knew it wasn’t a dream,” my grandfather continued. “I knew it was Moll Dyer. They say she was a 17th-century colonist in Leonardtown who was accused of witchcraft and died a tragic death. Some say she still roams the area, seeking revenge on those who wronged her.”

I was freaked out and asked my grandfather if he was okay. “Yes, I was fine,” he said, “but I never went back to the cemetery again. I couldn’t shake the feeling that Moll was watching me, waiting to claim me as her next victim.”

My grandfather finished the tale with a chuckle. “But who knows, maybe it was all just a dream. A really strange, creepy dream.”

The legend of Moll Dyer had always been shrouded in mystery and suspense, and I was left wondering if the woman my grandfather encountered was truly the notorious witch or just a figment of his imagination. But one thing was certain, the St Mary’s Catholic Cemetery would never be the same for me too.