The Disturbed

Ashleigh, the small girl with pale locks and staring brown eyes had made her way to the graveyard. The October wind lashed at her face, making her cheeks burn, and she quickened her pace. Ashleigh wanted to be away from the gaslights, the cars, the people. The very humans disturbed her - perturbed her.

So, Ashleigh thought that going to the graveyard on the last day of October would be rather fine. She believed in ghosts - truly did - and decided so as not to provoke them, to not touch any of the tombs or sit on any flowers. Instead, she made her way to a wooden bench, hidden under the thick oak-tree leaves.

Ashleigh's mother had given her a small maple basket where she put a bun and a few lollies, knowing that her ten-year-old was one for a treat.

But at one point, Ashleigh stood up and bravely made her way towards the tombs. Curiosity got the better of her, and as her long fingers ran over the words, she knelt down to sniff and explore. Near one tomb, which said "Alicia Caive", she sat down to toy with the weak flowers. Hyacinths - dead.

Ashleigh's little heart gave a jolt. She felt sorry for Alicia - truly did, because she thought that the woman must feel lonely when she comes at midnight to inspect her surroundings.
So, Ashleigh put the sweets by the tomb, and herself ate the cold bun.

Hours passed swiftly, like a crow in the night. But do crows fly swiftly?

Soon, it was midnight. Completely dark. Ashleigh waited, her heart beating hard against her chest. She had always wanted to see a ghost, and now that she finally had enough courage in her, she could! Moments after the clock struck twelve, a tyrannic cry echoed around the grave-yard, and soon a smoky pair of claws were seen. No - not smoky; silvery. The claws dug the dirt in an irritated manner, until soon there was a hole big enough for a head to come through.

Ashleigh wanted to run. But she knew she couldn't!

The face was a very curious one; sure, there were eyes, but they had no pupils, nor any irises - only black holes, so vivid and real and inviting. The nose was a sharp one, with a sort of bend at the bridge, giving in a peculiar look. But the mouth - oh! There was a twisted, half-mad smile upon it, full of a droll attempt to try and hide the glee.

"You have disturbed me, little girl," said the it in a raspy voice. Thick, greasy hair almost covered the eyes, but Ashleigh saw them flash.

"I... oh, A - A - Alicia! I have put candy on your tomb, hoping you'd be pleased..."

"You have disturbed me, little girl." now the voice was more firm. Thick. Hard.

"I'll g - g - g - go!" and Ashleigh sprang up, and turned on her heels to run. But a smooth hand held her ankle and she tripped face-down, onto the concrete.

What happened next, nobody knew - but every year, on the last day of October, a severe cry echoes in the graveyard, and swiftly a monster comes. Many have tried to "kill" it - but in the end, all ended up dead. For the magic force was a strong one - and when somebody is disturbed from their underworld, it's a deadly business to even hope that it shall go away!

The Cave

 I woke up, my eyes beginning to adjust to the plain darkness. I stood up, my veins pulsing loudly and blood boiling. I could feel the cold, somewhat queer stone on my feet; the odd, deafening silence and the agony that I felt in my left knee.

 “I have to get out... right now” I told myself, taking a couple shaky, fragile steps into the darkness. I could feel my knees buckling. “Lisa will be so worried if I don’t return home in time...”

 And I instantly remembered my beautiful, 14-year-old old sister, Lisa. Oh, how beautiful and ethereal she was, how dainty and graceful – so full of motion and happiness. Oh, she’s the only thing I’ve got. “I have to return home...”

 Suddenly, a gust of icy wind blew in my face, and I felt myself startle.

Instantly, a candle was lit, and I saw a broken, mahogany stool on which the candle stood. The golden, beckoning flames seemed to dance around me as though I was lost in furious, fire. But all I could do was take it and keep going, for it seemed like the only bit of light that was left in this dark place.

Now I could see that it was a kind-of cave; the grey stone-walls, the hard rock ground, water dripping from somewhere above - most likely the unfathomable, high ceiling.

 Then I heard it; a gasp, a moan. A shudder, a flick. A breath, a heart-beat. Then a smoky-white, ghostly figure shot right at me!

 As it came closer, closer, the thin hand reached out for my heart. As it’s cold, dreadful fingers seemed to close around my soul, close around my heart, I felt myself catching my breath and falling to the floor, with a particularly-vibrant crash. I tried gulping for air, but it seemed like the spirit seemed to create a choking, little box around me, so that light nor oxygen could pass right through it.                                                                                                                          

With a start, I felt my heartbeat slowing to a minimum, my lungs aching and squeezing really hard inside, my skin becoming pale and cold. So pale, that it seemed to gleam for seconds. I felt so out-of-control, so wild, as though something has just gone terribly wrong with my brain, and I have turned from a normal, healthy boy, to a mad zombie…                                                          

I looked around frantically, and suddenly I could see a silvery, maddened shape. Looking at the thing’s face made my head loll to one side, my eyes half-open. With my perhaps-last breaths, I held the gaze with the it. Before I cold do anything else, the translucent eyes-holes sank into me like knife-edged disks, and I closed my eyes.

 Hours, or maybe days later, I woke up, realizing that I could breathe normally again. Looking around, I suddenly saw someone gazing tenderly at me; the light-blue eyes stared at me with love, and the soft lips were suddenly shaped into a smile. “Max... I love you.” and that was Lisa.