| “ | Now we're even. | „ |
| ~ Jake Skinner |
Jake Skinner is a ghost that appeared in "The Dead Body" and its sequel, "Dead Bodies," in R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour.
He was portrayed by Matt Angel.
Biography[]
Jake Skinner was once a lonely and strange kid. He was bullied by other students, particularly jocks. Jake chose to play a prank on the jocks as retaliation. In April 1961, on the night of the school dance, the jocks exacted their revenge on Jake. They encased Jake in a cage and set fire to the gym. Everyone survived, expect Jake. After his death, a portrait in his memory was made and displayed next to the school's trophies.
First Appearance[]
After 50 years, Jake would return, but this time with malicious intentions. Will Johnston, a victim of bullying, falls in love with Anna, a popular student in his grade. Jake decides to help Will with his bullying problem after noticing that Will is being bullied. Will is initially hesitant, but after being embarrassed in front of his crush, Jake returns and persuades him to make a deal.
During a class trip, he pretended to be a dead body in front of Travis and another bully named Chang. They fled when Jake sat up screaming. Jake intensify things when Will permits him to kick it up a notch. Jake follows Travis and terrifies him by pushing and pulling him around preternaturally. The bullies ultimately experienced panic attacks because of Jake.
At the school, Will is approached by an enigmatic janitor, who informs him that Jake passed away in 1961. When Will looks at the school's memorial section, he realizes that Jake is indeed dead. Jake approaches Will from behind and tells him he can't back out because of a favor he owes him.
Will is sent back in time by Jake to the day of his demise, where he witnesses Jake being thrown in a cage by the jocks. Jake cries out for help, and Will emerges to help him. Jake smiles at Will when Will successfully frees him from the cage. A burning bookcase falls on Will as he tries to exit the cage, killing him. Will awakens back in the present. When Jake introduces himself to Anna, she can now see him. Anna walks right through Will as he tries to stop her from dancing with Jake. Will realizes that he is now a ghost. Jake smiles at Will and tells him they are now even.
"Dead Bodies"[]
| “ | Will: You tricked me, Jake! Jake Skinner: No we made a deal. I helped you, you helped me. We're even... Will: We're not even close to even. You took my life, I want it back. Jake Skinner: So what? So you can go back to getting picked on by bullies? So you can be too much of a wuss to get the girl? No... Face it, Will. I am living your life better than you ever did. |
„ |
| ~ Jake talking with ghost Will. |
After Will's death, Jake Skinner is now a living being who has achieved the life he had always wanted. At his car garage, the grim reaper appears behind him and digs its claws into Jake's forearm and causing his flesh to slowly deteriorate.
Realizing he has little time left, Jake makes his way to Anna's house. He leads Anna to the peak of a mountain, where he starts to talk with her. While he claims to be willing to risk his life to save her, in truth, he is simply manipulating her to try and save his own life. As his face dreadfully decomposes, he tries to get his girlfriend Anna to shake his hand in an effort to rescue himself. At first, Anna is hesitant to shake Jake's hand, but when she tries to, Will steps in the way, so she shakes Will's hand instead. Will engages in a fist fight with Jake.
Jake gains the upper hand and attempts to choke Will, but Anna strikes him with a large log. The grim reaper grabs Jake's head, causing Jake's face and body to entirely decompose. Will's life is brought back as the grim reaper takes Jake to the underworld.
Gallery[]
