A Ghost Story

In honor of Halloween, here is a spine tingling tale for your reading pleasure. This story is NOT for children.

The Drive

As he climbed into his car after pulling a 12 hour stretch, all Chase could think was how much he hated this shift. The clock in his car said 2:55 AM and Chase just wanted to go home and collapse into his bed. Ten more minutes and he would be able to do just that. Given the hour the roads were deserted which was just fine with Chase. Part of his route included a lonely quarter mile stretch with only empty fields and one abandoned house. Of course, there was a story about this house as there usually is. Chase didn't know the details having only lived in the area for six months. Rumors were that a gruesome murder had taken place inside, thus leaving the house haunted and uninhabitable. Chase thought it was a crap story invented to keep trespassers away from the crumbling structure. He was wrong.

As he approached the house, the clock tripped over to 3:00 AM. Chase rubbed the back of his neck and wished again for his warm bed. The temperature seemed to be falling and Chase shivered as he reached out to turn up the heat. A moment later he slammed on his brakes as a deer darted across the road. He sat for a moment, making sure the deer hadn't brought along any friends. A movement in the rear view mirror had him glancing up. At first his mind couldn't comprehend what he saw. But it only took a split second for his blood to freeze.

There was a girl sitting in his backseat. His mind registered the long brown hair, the big eyes, the pale skin, even the pink shirt. He saw it all, couldn't tear his eyes away, but even as he stared she changed. Her eyes darkened. Her skin, already impossibly pale became whiter until it almost seemed to glow. She lifted one pale hand, pressing it to her chest. As she pulled it away, red began to spread across the pink of her shirt. As Chase stared helplessly, unable to move or speak, she lifted the hand to her throat. Blood began pouring through her fingers. Her mouth gaped as more blood dribbled through her lips. Her other hand reached up, reached toward Chase's reflection in the mirror. Her fingers curled and the dashboard lights glinted on a silver ring on her thumb. Her eyes met Chase's for the briefest of seconds, then she was gone. Just gone.

Chase's heart pounded, his palms sweated. He was scared to turn around. He was more scared not to. Very slowly he shifted, turning carefully. He swallowed hard then made himself look. There was nothing there of course. No girl. No blood. Chase swiveled back to the wheel and stomped on the gas. He didn't know what he had just seen and he didn't want to wait around to find out. But he no longer doubted the rumors.