Weeping Willows

Boo, Boo, BOO

Chapter 49

Elizabeth put Lauren off for as long as she could but a couple hours after sunset her friend was practically vibrating with excitement. Elizabeth rolled her eyes at her. Honestly another run in with the willows at night was not high on her bucket list. She refused to send Lauren out there alone though so against her better judgement she reluctantly grabbed a couple of flashlights and led Lauren out the door. Handing one of the lights to Lauren she led the way down to the willow grove. Fortunately, Elizabeth didn't hear the wails of crying that usually accompanied the woman that ran through the trees.

Lauren shown her light up into the canopy probably looking for the droplets of salty moisture that would drip from the leaves. Tonight, there seemed to be no sight of either thing Lauren was hoping for much to Elizabeth's relief. They ended up slowly walking all the way through to the other side of the grove without seeing anything. By the time they came out on the other side Lauren's excitement had turned into utter disappointment. Elizabeth tried not to smile at this turn of event but when Lauren wasn't looking her face would slip showing a momentary glimpse of glee.

"Are you sure your place is haunted?" Lauren asked looking dubiously at Elizabeth who was rather annoyed by the question.

"You're the one who wanted to see ghosts. I never claimed to have any. In fact, since I've moved here all I've been telling everyone is that my house isn't haunted. Do you believe me now?" Lauren looked very disappointed to have to admit that maybe Elizabeth was right all along.

"Fine, I give up for now. Let's go back to the house."

"Finally." Smiling in triumph Elizabeth began leading Lauren back through the grove in the direction of her house. They had gotten a few minutes into the walk back when Elizabeth heard it. She looked over at Lauren to see if she heard the faint cry on the wind too but there was no change in her expression. Shaking her head, she was ready to chalk it up to her hearing things when the sound came again only louder this time. Lauren stopped shining her light around the trees trying to find the source.

"Did you hear that?" She asked Elizabeth causing her to sigh in defeat. Damn ghost just couldn't take one night off could it? Elizabeth growled in her head thoroughly annoyed that now she was going to have to stay out there longer to appease Lauren's curiosity. They walked along cautiously shining their lights back and forth through the low bows of the willow trees. Even though they could hear the woman clearer now they still couldn't see her. They had gotten nearly back to the other side of the grove where they started when Elizabeth felt water droplets hit her hand. She stopped underneath the first willow tree shining her light onto the leaves. Lauren came up along side her investigating the phenomenon from all angles. The droplets were falling at the rate of a slow leaking faucet which wouldn't have been possible if it was due to humidity. Lauren touched it then tasted the liquid making Elizabeth roll her eyes. She would have chastised her about sticking unknown substances in her mouth if she too, hadn't done the very same thing the first time, she encountered the water.

Glancing down the drive to the inviting glow of her house Elizabeth was ready to call it a night. When she turned back to Lauren, Elizabeth found her attention was off in the distance. Following where Lauren was looking, she caught a momentary glimpse of someone moving. A shudder ran down her spine as she knew what was up ahead. It was the one thing Elizabeth had been dreading finding out there especially after Jan's warning after her first encounter. She had taken her friends words to heart and had actively been avoiding meeting up with the wailing woman again. She could hear her at night though crying on the property as the shrill sound was carried on the wind. Elizabeth had done her best to ignore the woman not wanting a replay of the first time she had encountered her. Yet, here she was out in the grove at night again and all because her friend wanted to go ghost hunting. She was such a pushover sometimes.