Blood Stains
The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, as I slowly walked around the gravestones. My flashlight might as well have been a lit match, for it only gave off enough light to see a yard ahead. But it comforted me, none the less. A twig snapped behind me, and I spun around, hoping to spot the intruder, before he disappeared once again. A streak of dripping, scarlet cloth, glowed in my peripheral vision, but when the beam of my flashlight found it, it melted into the night. I never believed in ghosts; I still don't. No ghost would make any noise as it walked. And whatever it was following me was just as loud as I was... I turned my back to the sound, and walked on, trying to ignore the blood-chilling sense of being watched. A sudden burst of desperation gave me courage, and I flicked off my flashlight. The darkness closed in around me, and with it came a menacing ripple of laughter echoing through the night. I quickly made a wide u-turn, and prayed that I wouldn't fall into a grave. When a tree limb caught onto my shirt, I yelped and I faintly heard something snicker behind me. I switched my flashlight on and simultaneously turned to face my stalker. When I saw it, I screamed, but only the dead was close enough to save me...
*** *** ***
Light poured into my room, through the half-open slits of my blinds. My gaze drifted to my sister's empty bed, and the panic that had materialized the night before, returned. I heard her sneak out around midnight, muttering something about meeting her boyfriend, Devin, in the cemetery... It hadn't made any sense to me. Jessica has been scared of dead bodies ever sense she was a little girl. So why would she meet Devin there, of all places?... "I have a bad feeling about this..." Whether it was the nightmare that was still fresh in my mind, or my twin intuition that led me to our bathroom, I didn't know. I grimaced when I saw the mess that she left behind. Her pajama's laid on the tile floor, along with the discarded contents of her large make-up bag. A phone vibrated by the sink, and I nearly slipped on a puddle of shampoo that had oozed out of a fallen bottle and onto the floor. I steadied myself, and shakily picked up my twins phone. Seven text messages and three missed calls. All from Devin. They consisted of everything from "Where are you?" and "You coming?" to "I'm getting worried." and "Are you ok?" I swallowed the lump growing in my throat, and walked back to my room, phone in hand. If she wasn't here, and she wasn't with her boyfriend, then where was she? My body drained of all color when my phone beeped on the dresser. All warmth leaked out of my feet as I reluctantly walked across the room. All I could think was "No. This can't be happening. It was just a nightmare... Wasn't it?" I knew what the text would say before my shaking hands wrapped around my cell. I thought about clicking "Ignore", but I had to be sure. I, dreadfully, clicked "View", and read "She's gone. And your next. See you soon, Jackie." My vision got blurry when I saw that it was sent from Jessica's phone, seconds before. Numbly, I walked to where I left the phone, on my bedside table. "Am i going crazy?" I thought to myself, then shook my head. "No. Their has to be a logical explanation." A knock sounded on my door, and my mom peaked into my room.
"Jacklyn. Sweetie? Someone's here for you." I instantly began to panic. She never called me Jacklyn unless something was wrong. A tall man in uniform entered my room, followed by a co-worker carrying a stretcher.
"W-Whats going on?" I stuttered. The first man grabbed both of my arms in just one of his hands, and held me down. I felt a needle slide into my skin.
"Don't worry sweetie. Everything will be fine." The last thing I remember before I blacked out, was the sly smile on my mother's face, and a horrifying cackle, echoing in my mind...
*** *** ***
My eyes fluttered open. Where was I? I saw a light. But that's all I saw. I heard my heart pounding in my chest. That's all I heard. I felt as though I were under water. My senses didn't seem to be functioning properly. Everything was blurry, as if I were wearing the wrong prescription of glasses. My head hurt. I felt like drifting back into the dreamless sleep that I just emerged from. But I knew I couldn't. I needed to think. But thinking sent, what felt like, jagged blades sliding into my skull. I wished I could move. My body was heavy, like it was still asleep. I focused all my strength on turning my head. The movement sent stabs of pain through my spine, but I could finally see my surroundings. I was in a small, empty room. The only piece of furniture occupying the space was the bed I was laying on, and the lamp that was placed above my head, just out of reach. It was then, the memories flooded back...
"You're awake, aren't you." It wasn't a question, but an irritated accusation. My eyes found the half opened door, where my mother stood. "I thought so." She walked in, closing the door behind her. "My poor dear. It's so sad what happened to my sweet children. One killed the other in the cemetery last night, and she eventually lost her mind, after the guilt ate away at her."
"W-what are you talking about?" My voice was a pained whisper. She smiled and pressed a finger to my lips.
"Why, don't you remember? You stabbed your twin eight times before she died." She pulled a blood-stained kitchen knife from her purse with a gloved hand. "And you felt so guilty that, you took your own life in the mental hospital you were sent to. With the same knife." There wasn't time to react. I couldn't move. Couldn't even scream. And after a brief flash of pain in my chest, it was all over. I happily gave up the fight, and followed in my sister's footsteps. I walked up to the golden gates, and with God's help, into the paradise promised to all His believers.
*** *** ***
Light poured into my room, through the half-open slits of my blinds. My gaze drifted to my sister's empty bed, and the panic that had materialized the night before, returned. I heard her sneak out around midnight, muttering something about meeting her boyfriend, Devin, in the cemetery... It hadn't made any sense to me. Jessica has been scared of dead bodies ever sense she was a little girl. So why would she meet Devin there, of all places?... "I have a bad feeling about this..." Whether it was the nightmare that was still fresh in my mind, or my twin intuition that led me to our bathroom, I didn't know. I grimaced when I saw the mess that she left behind. Her pajama's laid on the tile floor, along with the discarded contents of her large make-up bag. A phone vibrated by the sink, and I nearly slipped on a puddle of shampoo that had oozed out of a fallen bottle and onto the floor. I steadied myself, and shakily picked up my twins phone. Seven text messages and three missed calls. All from Devin. They consisted of everything from "Where are you?" and "You coming?" to "I'm getting worried." and "Are you ok?" I swallowed the lump growing in my throat, and walked back to my room, phone in hand. If she wasn't here, and she wasn't with her boyfriend, then where was she? My body drained of all color when my phone beeped on the dresser. All warmth leaked out of my feet as I reluctantly walked across the room. All I could think was "No. This can't be happening. It was just a nightmare... Wasn't it?" I knew what the text would say before my shaking hands wrapped around my cell. I thought about clicking "Ignore", but I had to be sure. I, dreadfully, clicked "View", and read "She's gone. And your next. See you soon, Jackie." My vision got blurry when I saw that it was sent from Jessica's phone, seconds before. Numbly, I walked to where I left the phone, on my bedside table. "Am i going crazy?" I thought to myself, then shook my head. "No. Their has to be a logical explanation." A knock sounded on my door, and my mom peaked into my room.
"Jacklyn. Sweetie? Someone's here for you." I instantly began to panic. She never called me Jacklyn unless something was wrong. A tall man in uniform entered my room, followed by a co-worker carrying a stretcher.
"W-Whats going on?" I stuttered. The first man grabbed both of my arms in just one of his hands, and held me down. I felt a needle slide into my skin.
"Don't worry sweetie. Everything will be fine." The last thing I remember before I blacked out, was the sly smile on my mother's face, and a horrifying cackle, echoing in my mind...
*** *** ***
My eyes fluttered open. Where was I? I saw a light. But that's all I saw. I heard my heart pounding in my chest. That's all I heard. I felt as though I were under water. My senses didn't seem to be functioning properly. Everything was blurry, as if I were wearing the wrong prescription of glasses. My head hurt. I felt like drifting back into the dreamless sleep that I just emerged from. But I knew I couldn't. I needed to think. But thinking sent, what felt like, jagged blades sliding into my skull. I wished I could move. My body was heavy, like it was still asleep. I focused all my strength on turning my head. The movement sent stabs of pain through my spine, but I could finally see my surroundings. I was in a small, empty room. The only piece of furniture occupying the space was the bed I was laying on, and the lamp that was placed above my head, just out of reach. It was then, the memories flooded back...
"You're awake, aren't you." It wasn't a question, but an irritated accusation. My eyes found the half opened door, where my mother stood. "I thought so." She walked in, closing the door behind her. "My poor dear. It's so sad what happened to my sweet children. One killed the other in the cemetery last night, and she eventually lost her mind, after the guilt ate away at her."
"W-what are you talking about?" My voice was a pained whisper. She smiled and pressed a finger to my lips.
"Why, don't you remember? You stabbed your twin eight times before she died." She pulled a blood-stained kitchen knife from her purse with a gloved hand. "And you felt so guilty that, you took your own life in the mental hospital you were sent to. With the same knife." There wasn't time to react. I couldn't move. Couldn't even scream. And after a brief flash of pain in my chest, it was all over. I happily gave up the fight, and followed in my sister's footsteps. I walked up to the golden gates, and with God's help, into the paradise promised to all His believers.