*Oh hello there! This story is dedicated to my good friend MusicHigh18. :D
I can feel it.
I shiver under my many blankets. It's Midsummer's Eve and a hot balmy breeze swirls my curtains around. The stars blink mockingly at me through my window. My family sleeps blissfully unaware of what waits outside. I am terrified. There is no sound except for the breeze in the trees.
That's the worst part.
There is no noise.
No crickets.
No night birds.
And now, the breeze has stopped.
The silence is complete. I hate it.
I know that all the animals in the area have fled as far as they can. This is no place for anyone tonight.
Midsummer's Eve. In literature it is always described as a magical time. In Shakespeare's play it is a magical, mischevious time. Everywhere in literature Midsummer's Eve is a harmless night. But for me, its the most terrifying night of my life. Every year, I dread summer, and the night it brings.
It started five years ago. I was in seventh grade at the time. It was a great year. I befriended the most popular girl in my school. I embraced my new-found popularity. I left everything behind that didn't fit my new role as the school's new sweetheart. Sure I lost a friend, but he was a loser, as was I until I became popular. That friend that I left behind was Cody. We were best friends. He always looked after me, since I was pretty insecure about my nerdiness. I had big glasses and braces. Cody on the other hand was kind of cute I have to admit. He could have been popular but he wasn't about to give up his nerdy pursuits. He was so confident and didn't give a damn about what people thought of him. He was a good friend, but I couldn't let him keep me behind. My braces were taken out and I got contacts. I left Cody behind, but you have to pay a price to be popular, right?
I felt bad leaving Cody like that. He tried to convince me to drop the popularity and "be myself". This was me, just the new me. He kept trying though. You had to give it to him for trying. He kept it up even through the summer. As we had done every Midsummer's Eve he invited me to his house to pull the anual all nighter to watch movies and talk. I declined becuase I was going to a party the next afternoon, and couldn't be tired, and, well, because he was a nerd. That night I went to bed at home. I had trouble sleeping becuase it was so hot outside. I got up and stood by my window and tried to catch a breeze.It was a beautiful balmy night. I didn't notice it at first but the noise started to die away. When the breeze stopped I noticed the absolute silent and stillnes. It wasn't a peaceful stillness, it was the uneasy "something is wrong" stillness.
I felt a growing sense of dread. I was glued to the window. I wanted to turn away but something held me there. I stared out into the darkness. I nervously bit my lip. Suddenly I heard a rustling in the woods. I looked to where the sound was coming from. I saw the bushes move and rustle and the icy claw of fear gripped my heart. The bushes kept moving and then they suddenly... the stopped. A cat streaked out of the bush and ran away. I let out a big breath and wiped my brow. I was about to turn away and go back to bed when I gave the bush another glance.
Red eyes stared back at me.
I gasped and clutched the window sill, trying to steady myself. I looked at the bush again and the eyes were still there.
Every year the creature would appear, on Midsummer's Eve. Every year it would get a little bolder. It would move closer to the house. It would growl and scratch. It would do anyhting to terrify me. I rocked in my bed. I could hear it below my window. It grunted and sniffed around as tears slid down my face. I couldn't go to my parents. They would never believe me, and I'm pretty sure the beast would run if my parents came in. I couldn't wake my little brothers, they would be scared themselves. I looked at my phone and went through my contacts. I wanted someone, anyone to comfort me, to help me. All my friends would make fun of my though. Wait! I could call Cody. It would be slightly embarrassing to call him, in the middle of the night, but he is the only person who wouldn't laugh and blow me off. I shrugged and dialed his number and waited for him to pick up.
"Hello?" Cody't groggy voice answered.
"Um, hey. It's Kelsey."
"What do you want?" He sounded a little annoyed but mostly concerned.
"Would you believe me if I said there is something outside that wants to hurt me?" I ventured.
"Hey, do you want me to come over?" I desperately wanted him to come and comfort me, but I didn't want him encountering the monster. My want won out and I replied.
"Yes, please"
"I'll be over in 10 minutes, ok?"
"Ahuh, bye"
"Bye."
He hung up. I sighed in relief but then I shuddered when I remembered that the monster is still outside. I steeled my nerves and crawled out of bed. I peered out of the window and what I saw made my blood run cold.
The monster was stalking toward my house, but not toward my room. It was going toward my little brother's room. I couldn't believe it. Johnny was so innocent, he was just a little kid. The monster had gone too far. It wanted me, and I wasn't going to let him have my little brother. I wiped my eyes climbed out of bed. Quietly I padded downstairs, only to pause at Johnny's door. He was sleeping soundly, oblivious of the horror outside. I hurried to the door and pulled my shoes on and slowly opened it. I stepped out and close the door behind me.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes briefly, collecting myself. To save Johnny, I doubt I'd survive this creature. I started to walk around the house. I rounded the corner and saw that the monster was standing up on its hind legs and was leering into Johnny's window.
I started to run.
Everything seemed to be in slow motion.The monster turned away from the window and I beheld it for the first time. It was entirely black, like the darkest night. It was hard to distinguish becuase it blended into the night. On its hind legs it was tall, extremely so. It had fur or hair, but it was short and bristly and it covered its whole body. It had long smooth claws the curved cruely. It's eyes were small for its size, and an evil red. It opened its mouth and I gasped in horror. It's fangs jutted out of its mouth and were a yellow color. It already smelled horendous but when it opened its mouth the smell was overpowering. I cringed.
Vaguely I heard a car pull in and the car door open and shut.
The beast made a guttural growl and got back down on all its legs. I tried to scream but nothing came out. The only sound I made was a hoarse croak.
I heard Cody starting to walk around the house. If he came around the corned he would surley see the beast, and it would turn on him. I couldn't let that happen to him.
So I ran.
I dashed into the woods and only turned back to make sure the beast was following me. It immediately gave chase. I crashed through the woods, but the beast was completely silent. I could only hear it soft but heavy panting as it chased me. I heard Cody call out to me. I didn't dare stop or look back to Cody.
My breathing started to become ragged and I tripped and stumbled. The beast kept the same steady pase and was gradually gaining on me. I was now crying and praying.
I realized so many things in those few moments. I loved my family and at least they were safe. I loved Cody, I realized in that moment that I loved Cody. He was my best friend, who still came even when I probably had broken his heart. I had treated him like trash, and he still tried to talk to me, he still tried to be my friend. I realized how fake my "friends" were. How they would forget about if I made one slip up.
I chanced a look back at the monster, but mainly becuase somewhere behind me was Cody. I was still looking when I stumbled on a root. I was still looking when I felt my feel leave the ground. I was still looking as I fell from the cliff. I was still looking when I hit the ground.
Cody raced after Kelsey. He saw her dash into the woods as if the devil was chasing her. Cody shook his head and gave chase, calling out to her as he went. She didn't turn back and raced on. Cody kept going. They were nearing the cliff. They had played there as children, pretending to be gods on the high cliff. He was getting closer to her and he could make out her figure quite clearly.
She looked back.
Their eyes locked and he saw in her eyes everything. She pleaded for forgiveness. She was so sorry for everything. Most importantly her eyes told him that she loved him, and he was so happy she finally realized that after he had loved her for so many years.
Her eyes struggled to tell him everything, so she didn't see the edge of the cliff.
Cody saw her tumble off into the darkness and he screeched to a halt. He started running in the opposite direction, trying to get to the bottom of the cliff as fast as he could.
He finally reached Kelsey. He ran up to her and collapsed. He crawled to her side and cradled her head in his lap.
"Kelsey, Kels..."
"Cody." She said weakly. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry."
"Shhh..." he said. "Don't waste your breath." He looked at her and cried. Her legs were bent in grotesque angles and she was bleeding heavily at her side. A bloody branch lay near by.
"Cody, I--I--"
"Oh Kelsey, I know you do. Hush Kelsey, we're going to get you better, I promise." He sobbed.
"Cody," she whispered. "I love you."
Kelsey sighed. She looked up at Cody's face and smiled. Then she looked back to the top of the cliff. The monster had vanished. She was free.
Cody saw her look up a the cliff. He looked up and looked back down. Her eyes were glazed over. She was limp in his arms. He sobbed.
He sobbed as the sun creeped up the horizon. He sobbed as Kelsey's family called for her from the house.
A crow from a branch above watched all that unfolded below him with fascination. He could tell the girl was dead. Too bad that boy as holding her, or else he might have an early breakfast. Oh well, it thought and it flew off.
*A/N Well, this is my first short story and first horror story. Thank you for reading! I know this is bound to have SEC errors and such so feel free to correct me! If you are confused at any parts, tell me and I will be happy to explain! Vote? Comment?? Fan???