Stories to Tell in the Dark

The Night it Rained

It was a late night.

I was driving past the cemetery when I saw a boy standing in the rain. "Do you want a ride home?" I asked. "Yes please" mumbled the boy, slowly nodding his head. He got in the car then said "I live on Front street, next to the school." I looked over to him and gave him my old sweater. "It's cold tonight. And you are wet." I said. "You had better put this on."

After that, we did not talk. When we stopped at his house, I told him "Keep the sweater. I will get it tomorrow. What is your name?" "Jim." he said as he got out of the car and closed the door. Giving a nod, he said "Thanks for the ride."

The next day, I stopped by his house to get my sweater. When I knocked, a woman came to the door. "Is Jim at home?" I asked, removing my hat. "I have come to pick up my sweater." The woman gave me the strangest look and said "...It must have been another boy." after a pause she took a breath and said "Jim is our son. But he has been dead for a whole year. He's buried in the cemetery a few streets over." Noticing the tears in her eyes, I told her how sorry I was and hen left.

I didn't know what to think.

The next morning, I went to the cemetery to see his grave. And lying across his grave

Was my sweater.