Short horror stories: Urban Legend edition

Mala Hora

"Just like that? I mean, I know we've been going through hard times right now but you can't just give up now." I pleaded with him but he only looked away, trying to avoid my genuine sadness.

"I can't. I'm really sorry Tia. We both know this will be good for both of us in the long run. You don't see that right now, but you will come to realize. It doesn't mean we can't be friends anymore." He replied and already began gathering his belongings which only included two suitcases and a luggage bag.
"So, you're already leaving?"

"I have another business trip, I was supposed to be there an hour ago. I'll still always check up on you and be there for you, you know that." He hugged me but not as warm and close as he used to, it felt more cold and distant. I wrapped an arm around his back, but quickly let go.

"O-okay.." I said quietly and he left the apartment that we shared ever since we had started dating. It was a Saturday night, what was I meant to do now? Him and I used to always spend the weekends together but now that we weren't a thing anymore, the weekend came to an abrupt stop. I guess it wasn't really abrupt though, was it? He'd been thinking about it for awhile now; I mean, so have I but I didn't want to be the one to do it because I still wanted to hold onto any hope we might've had left, I suppose that was all gone and so here I was sitting alone and silently in a empty apartment, not exactly how I wanted to spend my weekend. I picked my phone up to dial my best friend since middle school and just like always, She picked up her phone immediately.

"Hey girl, what're you up to?" She inquired over the phone cheerfully.

"Not much now that he broke up with me." I let out a shaky breath.

"Awh no, honey I am so sorry. How about you come over here and we can have a little slumber party? Just like old times. You don't need a man to make you happy." She offered up the suggestion.

I grinned slightly, "Sure. I'll be over in 10." I say my goodbyes to her, getting my things together and got into my car.

While driving to her house, I eventually found myself getting lost on the way there which has never once happened in all of my years of visiting her. Why tonight?  Perhaps I was just so out of it. I couldn't stop thinking about his expression before telling me the bad news tonight of our breakup. Like he had ate something that made him sick to his stomach. How he fidgeted with his hands before telling me. Before he even told me tonight, I knew what was to come. Because of my thoughts being so clustered, I must've missed at least seven turns. When I went to pull up my phone for the GPS, It had just went to a black screen. Way to go me for forgetting to charge your own phone, Tia. I decided to just keep driving straight, no more turns to confuse me. There had to be a gas station of some sort up ahead soon, but then again when I looked outside the windows of my car and took in the surroundings; There was nothing in sight. Not a house, not a sidewalk and not even other vehicles on the road with me. That's when I really noticed just how big of a mistake I'd made. My wheels slow to a stop and looking from left to right, I found myself at a crossroads. Surrounding the crossroads was just desert, no trees, no grass. Just open acres of dirt and sand to dry you out. I looked ahead and spotted a black orb of some sort, then it turned into a big white orb. Almost hypnotized, I couldn't stop myself from exiting my vehicle to see what it was. I tiptoed down the crossroads toward it and upon closer inspection, It turned out to be a woman with black unkempt hair and a black shroud to match that covered most of her face.

"Ma'am, do you-" I stopped speaking because once I started, my stomach dropped. It hit me that I most certainly shouldn't be trying to talk to this woman, let alone even having exited the vehicle. I backed up, stumbling over my own feet as I did so and rushed back into my driver's seat and hit the gas pedal. All the while, the woman walked slowly towards me like a shadow from the darkness. It didn't even look as if she was walking but rather levitating towards me. I sped off and attempted to find the right way back to my friend's house. In the rearview mirror, I see her still following the vehicle like she could honestly catch up to me. My eyes bounced back and forth between the road ahead and the mirror where eventually, I no longer seen her but the fear hadn't quite left me yet.

Finally, I arrived at my friend's house and told her everything that had happened to me on the way here. She sat on her couch in disbelief after the entire thing, but sighed.

"Honey, have you spoken to him since you left?" She suddenly asks me.

"I-No, why would I? I've been trying to get here for support and not to mention, safety."

"Here, use my phone to call him." She insisted while handing me her cellphone.

"But why?"

"What you saw on that crossroads wasn't your imagination or your mind playing with you, It was La Mala Hora. She only appears at crossroads to lone travelers when.." She hesitated, looking to me with a frown.

"When what, Maria?"

'When you or someone you know is about to die." She explained and I instantly began dialing him but he hadn't answered.

The next morning, I was told that when he arrived at his motel for the night; He'd seen a woman with black long hair and a black shroud come to him. In the middle of the night, they'd heard a scream come from his room and he was found dead. Yet, they had to use a key as for the door to his room was still locked.

So, I know now to never travel alone on crossroads or I fear I'll be having another meeting with the one and only, La Mala Hora.