Lace

Tara heard the footsteps pounding close behind her. Who was following her? And why? She knew she shouldn’t have been out alone at night on Shadow Road. Especially past the cemetery, but, being her usually fearless, tomboy-self, she had foolishly accepted the dare. She knew all about the stories told about Shadow Road. The mysterious disappearances, the strange murders, the tales of ghostly figures. But she had never believed any of them. Sure, a few strange things happened every now and then on Shadow Road, but that was it.
But tonight, Tara wasn’t so sure. Someone was chasing her right now. She’d been running for at least fifteen minutes, and her legs were screaming in pain. She knew she couldn’t last much longer. Shouldn’t the end of the street be coming up soon? Suddenly, she felt herself falling, hurtling downwards toward the pavement. This is it, she thought. They’ve finally caught me.
“Tara! Are you okay?” she heard a familiar voice.
“David?”
David nodded, breathing heavily. “I’ve been trying to catch up with you. I didn’t think you should’ve been out here alone. You shouldn’t have accepted that dare. I was going to walk you home,” he reached his arm out for her to take hold of and pulled her to her feet.
“I know. Kinda dumb, huh?” She gazed passionately at her six foot, ten inch boyfriend. His wavy brown hair hung shaggily across his sea-green eyes. His broad shoulders contrasted greatly to his boyish grin that almost always seemed to play across his face. He was strongly built, and tan. The cowboy hat he always wore looked ridiculous with his Armore High football t-shirt.
She smiled sheepishly, “I thought you were some wacko trying to hunt me down and kill me. That’s pretty dumb, too. I guess those stories finally got to me. This place is really creepy at night, isn’t it?” She shivered.
“Let’s get outta here,” he quickly agreed.

Tara and David stood on her front porch, both thankful to be away from Shadow Road. David wrapped his arms around Tara, and slowly brought his lips to meet hers. As his lips met hers she melted into his kiss. For a moment, the events of that night didn’t haunt her thoughts. The world seemed to be stretched out before her. As the kiss ended she sighed, I love you. She’d said those three words a million times inside her head, but she just couldn’t say them out loud.
As if reading her mind David smiled, “I love you, Tara.”
But all she could do was smile, and to David that seemed enough. “My little sister is probably watching us right now. I figure she’s already went and told Dad.” She rolled her eyes, “She’s always trying to get me in trouble.”
“Aww, your sister’s not that bad. Besides, I think she’s kinda cute,” the boyish grin played across his face.
She shoved him playfully, but he barely moved an inch, “You always take her side!” She laughed.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, but I’ll talk to you tonight. Call you when I get home.”
She nodded, “Bye!”
“Bye,” he said as he walked toward his truck and drove away.

Tara and David walked into Zach’s living room, and greeted those sitting around the fireplace. No dares this time. She wouldn’t let them trick her into anything ever again. Laney giggled, “I can’t believe you really did it.”
“Yeah, well, what I did last week, I’ll never do it again. That was so creepy! I’m almost certain I saw something coming up from the tombstones.”
James laughed nervously, “You’re not saying you saw a ghost?”
“I don’t know, but I did see something, and I’m not walking home that way ever again.”
“But hey, we gotta give ya credit for actually doing it. I wouldn’t have,” Zach smiled at her.
“Thanks. It’s nice to be recognized. So, what’s on the agenda for tonight? Not truth or dare I hope.”
David laughed, “Definitely not truth or dare. We don’t want anybody else to see ghosts.”
Tara didn’t laugh, “I’m serious guys, I really do think I saw a ghost. It looked like a woman. She was wearing what looked like a wedding dress. It was so creepy. It was almost like she was calling to me.”
“Ooo! You should think about writing horror stories, Tara,” Zach laughed.
“Fine! I don’t care whether ya’ll believe me or not. I’ve had enough! I’m going home!” Tara stomped out the door leaving them all yelling at her to come back.

Tara looked around. Where was she? Then, she saw the cemetery. Oh no! I took a wrong turn. I’m on Shadow Road! She couldn’t go back, so she decided to keep moving. She kept her eyes on the ground, walking as fast as she could without actually running. She felt something cold brush across her neck and turned. There was nothing there. Keep your cool. You’re letting your imagination run away with you. She took a ragged breath and started walking again. Again, something cold brushed across her neck, but this time she felt a hand on her shoulder.
Tara turned and felt the cold steel pierce her chest. She felt hot and cold all at the same time. She looked down at the sticky liquid that seeped out the gaping hole in her sweatshirt. Then, the cold darkness closed in and took her away.

David drew in a ragged breath, holding back the flood of tears that threatened to spill over the rim of his eyelids. Tara’s mother stood crying in the background. The man in the blue suit held up a piece of material. “This was all we found at the crime scene.” David thought it looked like a piece of lace that would be on a wedding dress.