THE TRAGEDY OF TASHA DAVIS

I was on my way back from the movie theater with my cousin, Lamont. We'd just watched a new independent horror film, "Tale of the Leaves." It was okay, I guess, but it didn't quite live up to the hype. I didn't mind, though. I love going to the movies, so anytime I get to go, I always end up having a pretty great time.
"So, did you think of a topic for your project yet?" Lamont asks me while scarfing down a chicken sandwich. I always hate when he eats in my car. Always leave crumbs on my seats, and the spilled condiments make my car smell terrible.
"I did, actually," I replied. "I'm gonna do it on Tasha Davis."
He shoots me a confused look. "The woman killed a couple of years back?"
I nodded my head. "Yup, I've been thinking about it for the last few days. My mind's made up."
Lamont looked ahead, squinted his eyes, and looked back over at me from the passenger seat. "You're a dumbass, nigga, you know that?"
I laughed hysterically while pulling into Lamont's driveway. He got out, shaking his head. "It's a great idea, bro, just watch—"
"Yeah, I'ma watch alright. I'ma watch you flunk right out of community college." I laughed again. "Alright, homie, stay safe," I say while Lamont walks toward his house.
"You too, bro," he yelled back.

It's now Monday, and I'm back in class, ready to approach my teacher to ask for her permission to do my project on Tasha Davis. Ms. Miles comes into the classroom and immediately addresses me.
"So, Anthony, I hear you want to do your research paper on Tasha Davis. Is that correct?"
My eyes grow wide. I look over at Lamont, and he's grinning from ear to ear. I'm seething, wanting to walk over and beat his ass so bad.
"Yes, ma'am," I reply. Half of the students are looking at Ms. Miles, and the other half are staring at me. "I just think the rumors about her being a vengeful spirit deserve to be investigated. People have been speculating about it for some time now." The class becomes filled with sighs, lip smacks, and giggles.
Ms. Miles frowns. "So you don't want to write your paper about the tragedy itself. You want to instead write about a rumor of Tasha being a vengeful spirit?"
I sit up at my desk, nodding my head. "Yes, ma'am."
"You know what?" Ms. Miles said with a grin. "Do it. Go right ahead."
I didn't know if she was being sarcastic or serious. "Really?" I say nervously.
"Yes," Ms. Miles says as she jots something down in her notebook. "And it better be phenomenal, or else I'm gonna fail you so hard your children are gonna need summer school."
The entire classroom erupts with laughter. I smile. "Yes, ma'am."

I got home and immediately came up with a game plan for how I was going to pull this off. Ms. Miles might've seemed like she was joking about failing me, but I knew she was dead serious. I went to Uncle T's Slammin' Barbecue to get something to eat before I headed to the local library. There's something about Uncle T's Slammin' Barbecue that gets my brain flowing. The food's great, the atmosphere is fun, and the owner — Uncle T, as everyone calls him — is just the best. Whenever I visit, I know I'm gonna leave satisfied and motivated.

After wolfing down my fall-off-the-bone ribs, I headed to the library. Now, I know I could've used my home Wi-Fi instead, but there's a special feeling I get when I'm surrounded by books. It makes me feel like I'm doing some serious investigating, as if I'm Sherlock Holmes or something. It also helps that the librarian is fine as fuck.
I started off by reading articles and books about spirits and hauntings, eager to expand my knowledge in this realm. I discovered fascinating information about different types of entities, such as poltergeists, ghosts, and spirits. However, what intrigued me the most were vengeful spirits.
The rumors surrounding Tasha Davis suggests she's a vengeful spirit, driven by a relentless desire to harm innocent people. Tasha was tragically murdered by someone widely believed to be a serial killer who remains at large. In the two years since Tasha's death, there have been a dozen killings which people have attributed to her influence. One of the most notable cases is that of Chris Washington, a young man whose body was found brutally mutilated, with his entrails laid bare. According to an alleged witness, Chris was seen levitating off the ground while his life slipped away, uttering the name "Tasha Davis" before his untimely demise. This account is what sparked the rumors and speculation about Tasha's vengeful nature.
Leaving the library, I embarked throughout the city, interviewing individuals who claimed to have encountered or at least heard stories about Tasha Davis. My focus was on identifying patterns in the killings that resembled Chris Washington's murder. Even if the rumors proved to be unfounded, I needed to understand why these stories had proliferated so rapidly and why the city had become so captivated by them.
A few days ago, I joined an online forum, inviting people to share their experiences and encounters with the spirit of Tasha. To my surprise, I received an influx of messages from people who claimed to have witnessed something supernatural, and a few who claimed they had been haunted by Tasha herself. Among the messages, one stood out, sent by an anonymous user who claimed to possess genuine information about Tasha. However, they insisted on sharing it only in person.
Aware of the obvious risks associated with meeting strangers, I carefully weighed my options. Still, my determination to create an impressive research paper (and spare any future kids unjust punishment) pushed me to agree to the meeting at a mural dedicated to Tasha Davis. It was a stunning piece of artwork that mysteriously appeared months ago, the artist's identity still unknown.