Hello again, my little friend. You might think that I’m just a book to write your stories in, but I know that you know I’m the only one you can count on right now to keep your secrets safe. My stories of the many unfortunate things that happen before your sad little brown eyes.
Most people don’t believe in things like Ghosts, or the undead, or their stories. I know non of your family believed you. Your newest story in particular. Except for you brother- Ciro. But he’s insane, and we’ve both long lost faith that he’ll recover. But don’t worry…I believe you. And I can’t wait for the day we can talk…
It all happened the shortly after Carmen and her family moved to Monte Carlo, France in the early summer of her 9th year. It should have been a good move. The place is beautiful, with it’s gorgeous ocean, and mountain-esk hills, and grand architecture. But, that doesn’t quite make it up to moving away from all that she had known. So I wasn’t surprised that she would sneak out and wander the streets to figure out what to do with herself. Even after she had been living in this place for three months, her mother was still busy dealing with the house and her father was busy with his new work. Even Carmen’s brother, Ciro had found something- and/or, someone to spend his time with. A young woman named Dangy Bohr, who was vacationing from Denmark and seemed to be about as crazy as him. The only other person she could be around, was her sweet baby sister Lizzy. But her parents had hired a nanny to look after her, and the nanny didn’t seem to like Carmen around Lizzy when there was no one else around too, for some reason. So all that was left to do, was wander the streets and look for a friend.
How sad I felt for you Carmen…having such a hard time attracting friends in this strange place, but no matter where you were- you always attracted the strangest things. Things you shared with me, and no one else, because they wouldn’t believe you.
One late afternoon, Carmen had finally gotten to wandering to one of the higher areas of Monte Carlo. She came upon a little clearing that resided near a cliff, but was still surrounded by a small forest, where an old abandoned cemetery rested peacefully. The Hallowed Grounds of where the dead lay seemed over grown and under kept, but the little chapel where the funerals and burial preparations happened seems well kept and pristine. Apparently, this was a cemetery where the ones who were abandoned, unknown or unloved were buried in a last minute attempt at giving these poor souls a little peace.
For a while, Carmen wandered around the tombstones in a unfocused, spaced out sense. Picking little flowers and kicking little pebbles out of her way, when the soft- almost wispy -voice of a stranger caught her attention, and made her jump a little. "My dear. Please do not be doing that. The spirits prefer things stay as they are…" came from a woman sitting on a tombstone a couple yards ahead of Carmen, speaking to her in French. "I did not mean to alarm you…" she spoke again, her voice calm and cool, yet a little loving. “I- I sorry…" Carmen stammered. Dropping the flowers. “I…I don’t speak French." she sheepishly admitted. Instead of giving Carmen the scowl she thought she would get, the woman gave Carmen a chillingly warm smile, and gestured for her to sit on the tombstone in front of her. As she started to walk towards the strange woman, she tried to examine her, but Carmen couldn’t see the woman’s features that well. From what she could see, she had long beautiful hair, that was almost rosy-pink in this light. But her skin was pail, and almost fragile looking. Walking closer, Carmen tried to see her eyes, but they were hidden under her hair. “It’s alright that you can’t speak French" she told Carmen as she helped her sit on the stone. “I can understand you just fine." she smiled again as Carmen stared in disbelief. “You…You’re from America too?" she asked. The woman nodded. “Yes. My name is Emily. But you can call me Emmy. I was actually on vacation form America, to come and visit France. But I guess…spur of the moment, I ended up staying. I guess I’m not going back to…" she said, a small hint on sadness hidden under her words, but Carmen didn’t take much notice. “Huh…I have a diary I named ‘Emmy’." she said. Not meaning to be so informal, but Emmy just seemed so easy to talk to- she couldn’t help it. “Is that so? Well…it’s a nice name." she chuckled to herself. “Yeah…it just came to me in a dream one night. Which is kind of cool, I guess. Cause I don’t sleep a lot. What are you doing way up here?" she asked curiously. “I, am writing poetry." Emmy answered, a little proudly. “I’ve always been fond of writing. But I don’t think I should show you…it’s fairly dark." Emmy explained, holding her notebook close. “No, it’s okay. Dark things happen to me all the time…" Carmen said sadly. “Oh you poor dear…well, maybe I will let you read some not-so-dark things later. But for tonight, it is getting dark, so you should probably go back to your home. I will be happy to walk you back" Emmy said. Helping Carmen off her tombstone, and the two started walking from the cemetery before Carmen could protest. “It’s not safe to be out at night…"
Over the next few weeks, Carmen would set out from home and walk to the cemetery to visit Emmy. She would get there at dusk, and Emmy was always there. Welcoming her with her chillingly warm smile. Sometimes, Carmen got to read some of Emmy’s writings. And she was very good at it, but Emmy was right. They were dark writings, and she always wrote in a red ink that had a very funny smell. It reminded Carmen of her brother’s Blood Pen. But she didn’t mind it much, because for once in her life, Carmen was having fun, and had a friend she hated to part with once the sun set. Emmy was sweet, and friendly and always had time for Carmen, even when she was in the middle of writing when Carmen got to the cemetery.
Though at the same time, deep down, Emmy scared her a little. She seemed so familiar. Like she’d met Emmy in a dream, or she had known Emmy for the longest time, but couldn’t place her. Her poems that she got to read, somehow reminded Carmen what she has once wrote in her own little diary Emmy. Emmy was so trustworthy…but Carmen only knew very little about her, and when she tried to get Emmy to talk about her past, or why she didn’t want Carmen in the cemetery after the sun fully set, Emmy would just flip the subject to something else. What was also so odd, was that when ever Emmy would walk her home- which was every night -, but no one would seem to notice Emmy. And before Carmen would go inside, once they got to her house, she would turn to Emmy and try to wish her a good night. But when she tried- Emmy would be no where to be found. Like she’d just vanish…
As curious as Carmen was, and as much as it ate her up inside to not know Emmy’s mysterious secrets, she never seemed to have the heart enough to press any of her questions. Tonight, however, time had gotten away from the both of them and Emmy didn’t realize the sun was slipping away as fast as it was, as they laughed and talked. But as the sun got lower and lower beyond the horizon, Carmen noticed Emmy’s skin get paler and paler. Until it finally seemed translucent. And then her skin and hair seemed to shimmer and shine as the moon rose higher and higher into the sky. Soon, the icy cold feeling in the pit of her stomach became stronger and stronger as she soon began to realize Emmy’s secret.
Emmy too noticed that the sun was gone, and realized how she appeared soon after Carmen did. “Okay now…" Emmy started, her voice even cooler and wispier than normal. “I have decided, that I will tell you one thing about my past. Since you do deserve to know." she said, standing. Emmy then pointed to the far end of the cemetery. And behind that end of the cemetery stood a small part of the forest. “Beyond those trees is a cliff I had once walked to for inspiration on writing, shortly after I got here from America. I remember, on that particular day, back then, it was especially windy. Well, I’m afraid I got just too close to the edge, and a gust of wind blew me right over…" she explained. Carmen was shaking with fear. And she knew she shouldn’t, but she asked anyways- “H-h-how did y-you…survive?" she asked shaking, and Emmy’s answer sent the worst chills threw her spine. "…I didn’t…"
I’m so glad we had out little talk, Carmen…