SHORT HORROR STORIES

THE BEST FRIEND

Natalie hurry up," Susan called as she rummaged through her hand bag, just than her daughter walked down the stairs. "I m ready mom, let's go". Susan placed her handbag down and pulled Natalie's hand towards her. "Look honey I know it's the middle of the semester and you miss your friends but you will make new ones today, okay". She told her. Natalie nodded in agreement; Susan collected her house keys as they walked out of the house. In the evening Susan began to set the table for dinner, Natalie entered the kitchen and sat by the table. "So did you make any friends today, honey?" she asked her as she placed a plate in front of her. "Yes mom, her name is Cindy and she is very nice", Natalie answered happily. "Okay, maybe you can invite her home sometime". Two months later Susan goes to Natalie's school for parent's day meeting. "Your daughter is an excellent student, she is well behaved and never makes trouble" Mrs. Brown, Natalie's class teacher informed her as she handed her the report card. "Thank you, Mrs. Brown this is of course due to your hard work and Natalie also informed me that her classmate Cindy has been helping her a lot". Susan answered. "Classmate, there is no student by that name". Stated Mrs. Brown in confusion. In the evening Susan sat by the dinner table worried as Natalie ate her dinner. "If this Cindy is not her classmate, WHO is this stranger she has been meeting and why did she lie to me", she thought. "Natalie, honey please tell me who this Cindy is and how did you meet her". "I already told you I met her in school, mom". "No, Mrs. Brown has already informed me that there is no one by that name in your class, okay so tell me the truth".
I didn't say Cindy was in my class, I met her at the old library building, it has been closed for years, students are forbidden to go there. She was standing by the front door crying. So I talked to her, we started meeting every day. "What does she look like?"
"She is always wearing ragged clothes and her face is pale."
"And what is her age?"
"she is almost your age mom, aren't you Cindy?"
She looked at the chair in front of her as she asked the question. "I invited her to our house so you can meet her".
"YOU GO TO YOUR ROOM RIGHT NOW and I don't want to hear any more of this nonsense."
Natalie stares coldly at her mother as she gets up, "let's go Cindy" she says glancing at the empty chair. Suddenly it dragged backwards as if someone just got of it, and light footsteps followed Natalie upstairs.
Susan couldn't believe her eyes, she was beyond shocked, she ran upstairs and barged into her room. She found her lying on the bed, walking towards her she noticed that the right side of the bed was compressed as if someone was sitting there, the light in the room was dimly lit which casted her shadow on the wall. "Natalie, would you please come here?" Natalie got out of the bed and came and stood right under the light. "Can you tell Cindy to come here too?".
She stared back at the bed and signaled with her hand at the empty space, Susan concentrated on the two shadows on the wall, suddenly a third one appeared and a terrible screech escaped her mouth as she witnessed the hideous formation.