Another Short Story

The street light is out up there, it’s so dark…this is scary movie material right here. I thought as I continued down the street. The wind picked up almost on que as I got to the edge of the darkness. I pulled my jacket tighter around me, the wind was biting at my cheeks and nose but I didn’t want to put my hood up. Can’t see what’s coming at you with the hood up. The small voice in the back of my head whispered. I shook my head trying not to scare myself more than I already was. Oh it’s too late for that. I thought miserably, cursing the fact that my car was broken and that I’d taken so long feeding my friends dogs.

The road ahead was pitch black, huge trees lined the road and hid a very small graveyard that was in the middle of the nothingness to my right. My skin crawled and I tried not to think about the graveyard. Grabbing my coat again I took my first few steps into the long stretch of shadows. It felt as though I had stepped into another world. My ears were straining for the faintest of sounds, and of course when you are listening you hear them. Maybe I should walk faster, I debated, no then I’ll get to the graveyard faster. Fear won and I slowed just a little, not wanting to make that gap between me and the resting souls smaller. I could cross the street…no there is water over there, great, which is worse getting killed by the ghoul hiding in the graveyard or swamp thing in the water? Maybe I could out run swamp thing…I shook my head again. This is ridiculous, what am I so scared of? There is nothing out here, and I’ve walked this way a hundred times. But never with the street light out. My mind seemed determined to fight against me. Every small comfort that I could try to lie to myself, my logical mind stepped on it, crushed it into little pieces and threw it out.

I was walking down the middle of the road to afraid to commit to one side or the other when I heard it. Faint foot falls behind me. I spun around but there was nothing there. My heart was in my throat thudding loudly in my ears. See you scared yourself now you’re hearing things. There is nothing there…nothing. I tried to slow my breathing, turned back around and stopped dead in my tracks. There ahead of me I could have sworn I saw a shadowy figured dart into the graveyard. Oh this is too much. I have to get out of here, do I go back or keep going? What was that? It must have been loose pieces of my hair. There is nothing out here! My mind was now trying to save me, but it was too late for that, fear was starting to take over. I looked behind me, I was half way from either end of the darkness. It made more sense to run towards home. There was light not to far up ahead. Scary things don’t get you in the light…yeah right, just run, run until you can’t any more. But what if it’s faster then me? Well then at least I tried. Don’t fall like the stupid horror movie girls, you’ll die for sure then. My feet seems to start moving without my conscious effort. I was walking quickly, not running not yet but walking very quickly.

I’m not quite sure if it was the movement or the noise that scared me into running, I didn’t really have time to think about it. A black figure zipped by out of the corner of my right eye, and the clear crunch crunch crunch of feet moving quickly over dead leaves was all it took. Run! Run now! And I did. I tore of down the street running full speed with no intention of stopping for anything. I didn’t dare look behind me. That’s when you fall. My brain offered helpfully. I pushed myself harder. The light was just ahead of me. If I can just make it to the light I’ll be ok…I’ll be ok. My lungs burned, and my teeth hurt from the cold air. Tears leaked from the corners of my eyes as the wind slapped me in the face like a cold brick wall. Almost there, almost there…

The figure stepped out in my path. It seemed like my blood froze and then some part of my brain that remembered everything from basketball kicked in. I pivoted to each side in a shuffle then darted to the right twirling around out of arms reach. My path was clear again and I bolted for the light. Not even bothering with the last few steps I launched myself onto the lighted pavement. I stumbled just a bit but caught myself and ran a few paces further. And that’s when I turned to look. What the hell? There was nothing there, and suddenly the street light flickered on casting an eerie glow on the old graveyard. I shook my head. I was terrified for that? But there was something there…wasn’t there? I turned and headed farther into the light. A faint chuckle caught my ear, and I spun around, but there was nothing there, at least nothing I could see. I turned slowly and jamming my hands into my coat pockets and I started heading towards my house which I could see coming up in the distance. I took a deep breath. Your ok, see, there is nothing, you just scared yourself and started imagining things. A faint smile started to spread on my lips, but died midway as the street light in front of me cut out. Again the chuckle reached my ears, only this time from in front of me. Oh no…not again. I pulled in a deep breath and got ready to run again. I am going to get home. I thought stubbornly. As if in reply to my thoughts I heard the chuckle again and the street light cut back on. I paused and then something inside told me to go. I walked quickly towards my house which was now only steps away, the lights in the window lit the yard. I breathed and sigh of relief as I stepped off the road into my yard. I was almost to my door when I heard it faintly on the wind, a whisper. You get a free pass…this time…