The Girl In Red

Chapter Two

I arrive at Lake Gregory at about eleven. It's pitch black, the moon invisible to the eye and stars not providing much light. It's beautiful, the deep blue water with twinkling lights rippling on the surface. So calm. Reminds me of our date. This was our favorite place to meet. As memories flood my mind I start to tear up. I hit the armrest to my right and covered my face in the steering wheel. "Come on Kathleen." I mutter to myself. "Pull yourself together." I sit up and wipe my eyes. I should get some sleep. I get out of the drivers seat and lay down in the back. Within minutes I fall asleep. "Good night world."

I awake to a blood curdling scream. I immediately sit up and look around. It's so dark, but I need to do something. I grab the gun from under the seat and head out. I circle the car twice and then start looking around the parking lot just in front of the lake. I find nothing. "Hello? Is anyone here?" My questions are followed by silence. Could I have imagined the scream? I don't know how I could have. I head back to the car and find the doors open. No sounds are coming from the inside though. I look inside, no one is in the driver or passenger seats. I look in the backseat and see... Is that, me? There is a figure lying down where I had just been sleeping. It's wearing the same clothes I am and looks the same. It's covered in blood and what's chilling is that there is a note embedded in a wound on her stomach. I pull it out and as I'm doing so it grabs my hand and sits up quickly.

In an eerie voice it says, "You've been warned Kathleen. The girl in red is displeased." I let out a scream and turn my face. Tears roll down my cheeks and I try to run away. It lets go of me and I run clear to the other end of the parking lot. I stop running and let myself cry. I'm shaking, I can't control myself anymore. I need to let myself cry, I haven't since... Since he passed. Just thinking about it makes me cry harder. I spend what feels like hours crying in the darkness. I hear sirens and someone rushes over to me.

"Ma'am, ma'am are you okay!?" I can't respond, I can't even look up. The man who called out to me puts his hand on my shoulder and I squeeze my legs, which I had been holding so I could bury my face in my knees. He calls over the radio, "We are going to need paramedics immediately and some females on duty ASAP." I continue to cry. The man whispers, "Don't worry ma'am. You're going to be okay." His voice comforts me. He sounds so familiar but I can't put my finger on who he is. After I calm down a bit I relax. I sit with knees still to my chest and arms around them but I look up and rest my chin on the tops of my knees. "Kathleen?" The man sounds surprised. I nod my head and stand up. I'm dizzy and sway as I do so. The man grabs my arm to steady me and helps me walk back to my car. My gun, it's still in my hand. I give it to him and he puts it in an empty holster. I circle around the car and look inside. There's nothing there.

"I... But... How?" I stutter. I look to my hand remembering the note. It's still there but the lady, she's gone?

"Kathleen the paramedics are going to check you out. Is that okay?" he says. I nod, my mind wanders elsewhere and I zone out. They have me sit down and check me out, they say I'm fine. I knew I was but I couldn't say anything. They ask me questions and I answer quickly and honestly. The note is still clutched in my hand.

They ask to see it, "I need to read it first." It's covered in blood but you can read what is written in the bold, black ink. It reads, 'Continue and you will be next.
Signed,
The Girl in Red.'

I'm horrified and I drop the note, my shaking hands cover my mouth and I feel tears stream down my face when I thought I had none left. I can't make a sound and I step backwards until I accidentally bump into a cop. I look at him fearfully and all I see is a twisted smile and glowing red eyes. I scream and run as fast as I can away from him into the road. Cops come running after me and I keep running until the road ends. I'm on Shenandoah. Dead end road, in Lake Arrowhead? The cliff, I could... "Stop it! Stop it now! I can't!" I scream at myself. I feel a pain in the side of my head and fall to the ground. I hear feet behind me and a deep voice.

"Welcome to the game."