The Cemetery

She walks out of work at midnight, every agonizing step being felt by her swollen feet, having survived one of the busiest nights at the diner. She daydreams of the "things to do" list that has to be tackled tomorrow and the hot bath waiting for her when she gets to her house. Suddenly, she is brought back to reality when she hears footsteps falling in behind her. She strains to hear their rhythm, trying to assure herself it's just someone out for an evening stroll, or perhaps just needing to buy something at the corner store. Desperately she tries to keep her heart from pounding so loud that the whole neighborhood isn't awakened.

She picks up her stride and turns the first corner towards home. Convinced her imagination is working overtime until she acutely notices the heavy falling footsteps turn the corner and quicken their pace. She turns sharply, ready to face the unseen stranger but all she views is an empty sidewalk. Though no one appears to be around, the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, warning her of impending danger. She looks around for anything that will offer her safety, when she sees the local cemetery groundskeeper tending to one of the graves. Quickly she reaches the cemetery's large cast iron gate and throws it open with a force that even surprises her. Running through the grounds, she is unaware that the footsteps have stopped short, refusing to enter this forbidden darkness of souls.

She stumbles on the first mound encountered and scrambles to get up. Finally, getting to her feet, she realizes something is preventing her from moving. Looking down, she sees dirt encrusted hands rising from the bowels of the grave and encircling her ankles. She lets out a blood curdling scream and fights desperately to get released, but the gnarled hands hang on with an unearthly strength. Kicking as hard as she can, she loses her balance, falls backwards and begins being pulled under the soft soil. Down into the eternal darkness...down into the terror that lies beneath........Her fingernails claw at empty air and she brings them down, where they settle on the handle of a shovel, left behind from work done earlier in the day. She lifts it in the air and comes down hard on the imprisoning hands. The grip loosens for a split second, time enough for her to break free and scramble from their reach. She quickly rises and looks for the groundskeeper, knowing he is her only chance to survive.

"Over here," she hears someone yell. "Come over here. I can protect you." The voice beckons her to a lake in the middle of the grounds. Searching the area with her tired eyes, she can't see who summoned her. Then, the waters start to stir and a man appears, rising from the water's ripples. She stares at the broken face. One eye, apparently injured in some long ago accident, is shut. The other taunting her with it's evilness. A large wart on his forehead is only overpowered by the scar stretching across his cheek. Out of the corner of her eye she spots the groundskeeper and tries to break away from the force she finds enveloping her mind. A force so engulfing that it pulls her to the waters edge. She sees the beauty of the rippling water and feels an almost overpowering urge to slip into it's unspoken promise of safety. As she is about to enter into the velvety softness of the lake, a cat streaks by behind her, scared by some unheard noise in the night, and breaks her from her trance. She gathers her wits quickly and races off towards the ground's keeper. "He's the only one here to help me," she thinks. Getting closer to him with every stride.

Begging for help as she runs toward him, she doesn't notice that he seems not to hear. She only knows that a few more steps and she can be safe again.... a few more steps to someone who will guide her out of this "garden of terror"... a few more steps and she's on her way home...... just a few more steps ....... As she reaches him she feels her burning lungs about to explode. Her air supply exhausted by the marathon gate she never knew she was capable of. Her hands grab at the cape that he wears for protection against the cold, night air. "Help me please," she stammers, "I need your help to get out of here." He slowly turns around and her body shudders uncontrollably as she stares into the face of death. The last thing she hears is the unmistakable voice offering his frightful greeting........WELCOME!!!!