The Cemetery

Chapter 3

Paige wasn’t concentrating on her biology lesson. She felt all alone like she was feeling for all those eleven years since she and her grandma moved to Miami. She didn’t even know the reason behind moving and she never asked too. She was used to the cold and rain in Seattle and hated Miami for the heat even though there was beach and trending nightclubs where most teenagers loved to visit.

               Paige didn’t remember much about Seattle. But she always dreamt of going there. Every night, she had nightmares of a lady who was calling her to come home and a woman giving birth to a child. Sometimes it was a large two storey house which had cold stone walls. She didn’t understand any of them and now she was used to those nightmares. She didn’t bother to tell her grandma about her nightmares. Because she knew her grandma had more important things to take care of. So she just let them go.

Paige woke up from her thoughts when the bell started to ring announcing the end of the biology period. Her ears filled with the noise of cheerful teenagers and chairs brushing the floor roughly. Paige gathered her books hurriedly and get into the crowd waking outside.

      Paige was walking to the cafeteria of Jackson high school checking messages on her phone.

‘I’ll be late today. Can you grab something to eat from outside?’ it was from her grandma. She was going to type a reply when she bumped into someone. Her books and the phone scattered on the floor and she said sorry to the person and was busy gathering her things. She didn’t even bother to look who she bumped into and hurried to the cafeteria.

         Her friend Alyssa waved her from a desk at the corner. She nodded and walked there after grabbing a cheese burger and a bottle of juice.

    “You are late.” Alyssa complained as she was sitting at the table.

“Sorry, I bumped into someone when I was checking texts on my phone.” Paige said looking at her burger hungrily.

“Hey girls! Didn’t you miss me?” they suddenly heard a guy’s voice.

“Omg Bruce! You are back.” Alyssa’s eyes glittered with the joy of seeing their best friend again.
Paige turned to see him and she was happy to see him too. He sat beside Alyssa and put his back pack on the table.

“By the way, how was the weekend with your father?” Paige asked.

“Oh! Don’t ask me. It was as boring as always. He was busy with meetings so I had to stay alone at house because there was no one to communicate with except for my always complaining grandma.” Bruce said.

“Think I should correct you. There was no one for you to communicate to talk about programming, networking and so many geeky stuff.” Alyssa joked.

“Oh! Shut up. Will you?” Bruce said acting angry.

“She’s got a point Bruce. You should stop only caring about computers or else you will have to marry a computer one day.” Paige chuckled.

“Okay. You won. So can we start eating now?” Bruce said laughing.

Paige took a bite from her burger and tasted the cheese melting in her mouth.

“Why didn’t you tell us that you are back?” Paige asked Bruce.
Both Alyssa and Bruce looked at her surprisingly.

“Why? Did I say something wrong?” Paige asked.

“No. but didn’t you see my text? I texted both of you in the morning and haven’t had a chance to talk with you because I was late.” Bruce said.

“Oh! I didn’t see. Let me check my phone.” She took another bite from her burger and went through all her stuff to find her phone.

“What’s wrong?” Alyssa asked looking worryingly.

“I can’t find my phone. I think I’ve lost it when I bumped into someone on my way here.” Paige said

“So what are you gonna do now?” Bruce asked.

“I think I should check the corridor first before the next class.” Paige said finishing her juice.

“Wait. We’ll come with you.” Alyssa said as eating her chips fast.

“no. no. you guys eat. Let’s meet in the next class.” Paige said leaving her friends.

      Paige was searching through the corridors for her phone. There was no one in the hallways because everyone was having lunch. She felt strange to be alone in that silence. She searched everywhere but she couldn’t find her phone. She turned back to leave but suddenly stopped because she heard a buzzing sound behind her.

         She felt the coldness of the air and was surprised because the weather report that say the temperature will be around thirty Celsius. She saw a white smoke spread through the atmosphere and heard someone’s footsteps. 

“Who’s there?” she asked loudly.
No one answered. Instead she heard someone giggling.

“Who are you?” Paige asked again being afraid to turn back.
“Don’t you remember me Rose?” a woman’s voice asked.

“I’m not Rose. You’ve got the wrong person.” She said.
But the woman laughed again. Her laugh echoed through the hallways and Paige closed her eyes to stop hearing it.

“Look at me Rose. You have to come to me child.” The woman said.

“I have no idea who you are. But you’ve got the wrong person.” Paige said. Her heart was beating fast.

“Look at me.” The woman said fiercely.

“I don’t want to.” Paige said still trying to cover her ears.

“I said LOOK AT ME!” the woman screamed and it sounded like mourn.

Paige felt like someone took the control over her body. She didn’t want to turn but her body betrayed her. She turned automatically as if someone’s controlling her.

Then she saw her. It was a woman in a black lace dress. Her face was as white as a paper and she smiled wickedly at her. Her thin lips and smile looked familiar as if it was something related to her.

        Paige wanted to run away. But she couldn’t move. She felt like she was on someone’s spell. The woman was getting closer. Paige nervously touched the necklace hanging from her neck which her grandmother gave her and told her to wear always.

           Suddenly the woman’s face changed. It seemed like confused and it was then Paige felt alive again and found strength to run.

She turned and run away from the woman. Her footsteps echoed through the silence of the empty corridor. She was beginning to breathe heavily and hyperventilate when she bumped into someone for the second time of the day.

Sorry guys. The cast members are in next chapter. There's another person I want to introduce. So let's meet them in next chapter. Btw, don't forget to vote and comment. It helps me a lot.

Love,
Shermi MK. 💛