Don't Come Back

Chapter 1

The grass brushes my back and the warm sun caresses my face as I lie down in the grass next to my best friend, Meredith, in the park. Relishing the moment, I close my eyes.

The next moment Meredith jerks my arm and asks urgently, "Britney...What's that over there?"

Annoyed, I immediately open my eyes and mouth fully prepared to verbally kick her ass for ruining the peace when I notice her staring into the distance with a terrified expression. Looking in the same direction, I see these...things encased by a wispy, black cloud gliding-yeah, it was gliding-gracefully toward us. It drifted closer, and I finally understand Meredith's fear. They aren't human (at least not anymore). They're human skeletons with glowing red orbs for eyes. Finally noticing the sudden drop in temperature, I shiver. Everybody else in the park had also noticed the thingamagiggers and had started to whisper quietly. Still looking on in curiously fascinated terror, I watch as the "bodies" drifted closer. They were forming from the smoke! Suddenly, a creepily beautiful shriek filled the air, and I hear a loud, silky voice recite:

"In the shadows we have waited,

Appearing only in the dreams you hated.

But now, you see, we are quite real,

Come to take your world for our meal.

So, run and scream in terror,

For we have come to stay forever."

There's a hushed silence, until screams surround us. It seems as if everybody's running. Confused, Meredith and I join the crowd. That's when I notice that some people lying on the ground-completely still. A closer look explains everything... all the people have wickedly-pointed knives in their backs. Looking behind me, I see the shadow/smoke things throwing knives. I realize with a jolt that they're women-all of them. What the hell? Meredith, I suspected, had already noticed this. I turn toward her to voice my thoughts when she stumbles away from me, one of the knives embedded in her chest.

I run to her side. "AreyouokayofcourseyourenotwhatamIthinkinghowcanIhelp?" tumbles out of my mouth.

Meredith tries to laugh. Blood gushes out of her mouth. "You-should-leave-me-here. I'll-be-fine."

I laugh coldly. "Fine, right? Of course you'll be fine if I just leave you here to bleed to death. Don't be ridiculous. I'm taking you with me. Here, hold my shoulder. I'll help you up."

Meredith struggles to her feet leaning on me heavily. We quickly stumble forward. Not even a minute later, she stumbles away from me again gasping. Dread consumes me...another knife is in her chest. I whip around. A shadow lady (I guess you could say) is gliding toward us-fast, two more knives clutched in her hands. I turn back around. Shit. I scrambled frantically toward Meredith again, "Let's go! We have to move now!"

"I-fucking-told-you-to-leave-me already! Get-out-of here!" Meredith chokes out furiously. Blood is pouring from her mouth like a waterfall now. I try to drag her with me, but she's too heavy. Another glance behind me shows that my time's almost up; the shadow lady's almost on us. I make my decision. I run leaving Meredith behind. I glance back and see the shadow lady leaning over Meredith a cloud of smoke coming out of her mouth. Turning back around, I run even faster. I don't turn around this time; I just run.

I don't think about Meredith. I just keep running. I'm such a bitch. I'm running home-abandoning my best friend. My legs are moving of their own accord now. Turning down my familiar street, I immediately notice the eerie silence. I stop. My house's front door is gaping open; Something's wrong. We never leave the door open. My chest fills with dread again and I step through the door. An insane shriek surrounds me. Blood is everywhere: the floor, the walls, and the fridge. Looking around, I actually take in the gruesome sight. Mom is lying on her precious carpet facing the ceiling dark blood pooling under her petite figure. I turn around and release another blood-curdling screech. Dad is hanging off the dining room table, a knife embedded in his chest. The floor is splattered with blood. The room spins faster and faster. It's closing in on me. "Why?!" I shriek. "Why?!" I fall to the floor in a heap clunking my head on the edge of the coffee table. The world turns black.