GHOST 👻 (A Paranormal Romance)

Under Attack

"Who do you think really killed Katherine? 
I'm exhausted but Dylan's full of questions as we leave Madam Regina's tea house. As we exit the psychic's quiet neighborhood, I draw my sweater tighter around my shoulders. It's a dark, moonless night. Involuntarily, I shudder as we follow Jerry's maroon jeep out of Quincy. As he heads towards the main highway, Dylan trails behind him by a few car lengths.

"I don't  know. I'm disappointed we didn't have time to ask Katherine more questions after we were attacked by those horrible demons."

He nods grimly, "Me too. Now I understand why the dead can't always communicate clearly with the living. They might be under attack by dark Spirits threatening them on the other side."

It's about a half hour drive back to Dresden.  As we merge onto the highway, I glimpse Jerry's vehicle in front of ours. Both cars pick up speed as we accelerate under the interim highway lights. With the smooth movement of the car, and Dylan's soothing voice, I catch myself nodding off to sleep on a dark stretch of road between two small towns. Suddenly, I feel Dylan stiffen. Grabbing me, he jostles my arm. "Lizzy! Wake up!"

"What's wrong?" Instantly alert, I watch as he leans forward to stare intently at the back of Jerry's jeep. For a moment, I think he sees something wrong with one of Jerry's tires. I've barely recovered from the adrenaline rush of the seance before the anxiety in his voice sets me on edge again.

"What's that?," he exclaims. "Something's in the back seat of Jerry's car!"

Squinting in the dark, I lean forward to catch a glimpse of whatever Dylan's seeing. At first, I only register a vacant, black car window, but as Jerry's maroon Jeep passes under the next set of lights, I see it! The flickering glare exposes a black, spectral form lurking in the back of Jerry's car. I can barely make out it's dark, liquid shape, but I immediately realize it means to harm Jerry. Whatever it is, it's monstrous.

"Oh my God!" Putting my hand over my mouth, I gasp when the black figure turns around to glare at us with red, glowing eyes. "What is that thing?"

"Lizzy, quick! Call Jerry! Warn him there's someone, or something in his backseat!

Fumbling with my phone, I manage to make the call, my hands shaking. We both hold our breath as we see Jerry look down when his phone starts ringing.

"Come on, Jerry! Answer, please!" I'm practically whimpering with fear for his safety.

Usually, Jerry won't answer his phone when he's driving, but I try sending him my thoughts. "Just answer the call!"

Dylan's frantic. "He's not answering! Try texting him!"

I quickly type a warning message, then hit send.

Jerry pull over-someone's in your car!

Just as I see Jerry's head start to turn towards the back seat, the thing lunges at him, throwing its long, sinewy arms around his neck. The monster starts choking Jerry.

That's when I realize Dylan's Mustang's been slowly accelerating. We're almost on top of Jerry's vehicle. The bumpers are inches apart.

"What are you doing, Dylan!" Bracing my arms on the dashboard, I can't help mentally trying to push the cars apart.

"I'm not doing anything! Something's taken control of the car!"

Just then, our car lurches forward as if someone's depressed the foot of Dylan's gas pedal to the floor. I feel a heavy jolt as the Mustang's bumper collides with the back of Jerry's jeep causing it to fish tail wildly.

"Oh my God! The Jeep's going off the road!" Screaming, I see Jerry's car plunge off the steep roadside, into a dark ravine. The red tail lights disappear in the night as if the dark woods have swallowed his vehicle.