Stalk You Later

by Amanda Lawrence Auverigne

  And their father attached arms and legs to the mannequins.

  As soon as the toys were mended, they went to their hiding places in the attic.

  Time passed and soon all of the toys were fixed.

  The attic became quiet.

  The old teddy bear hopped across the room and its stopped in front of Sally. It was still holding the glue gun. It jumped onto Sally's shoulder. It hugged her.

  "Thank you," the bear said. It gave Sally the glue gun and hopped off. It hopped onto Darren's' shoulder and hugged him. And after it left Darren. It hopped to their father.

  "Hello Winston," Edward said.

  "Hello Edward," the bear said. It hopped onto Edward's shoulder." Thank you." It hugged him.

  "That's fine," Edward said.

  The bear jumped to the floor. It hopped across the attic and jumped inside its trunk.

  Edward got up and he walked to the trunk. He closed the lid. He locked the truck and attached a silver padlock onto it. He moved away from the trunk. He walked over to his children.

  "Time to go," Edward said.

  Sally and Darren walked to the steps. They went down the flight.

  Their mother was waiting for them.

  "How did it go?" Millie asked.

  Sally and Darren were quiet.

  Edward climbed down the stairs and he stopped in the middle. He turned around and reached up. He slid the stairs upward and closed the attic.

  He looked at his wife. "It went fine Millie." He looked at his children.

  "No more trips into the attic. Great Grandmother's toys are not to be disturbed. It's that understood?" Edward asked.

  Sally and Darren spoke in unison.

  "Yes Father," Sally and Darren said.

  "Good," Edward said.

  "Well how about some ice cream sundaes!" Millie said.

  "That sounds fine," Edward said.

  Edward went to his wife. He kissed her and they walked away.

  "Children let's go," Edward said.

  Sally and Darren looked up at the attic. They looked at each other before they both turned around and ran from the hall.

  The Creep Across the Street

  Thunder boomed overhead and a torrent of heavy rain poured from the sky and drenched the ground.

  Carrie stood in front of her opened locker and she zipped up her coat before reaching inside of the metal compartment and grabbing a small red umbrella. She kneeled down and snatched her bag off of the floor and placed its strap on her right shoulder as she stood erect. She checked the contents of her locker before she slammed it shut. She turned from her locker and walked away from the crowded area.

  Carrie moved slowly through the hall.

  The corridor was filled with laughing students who were preparing for their trip home.

  The sound of their voices bounced off of the walls and filled the area with a loud cacophony of noise.

  Carrie moved in the direction of the doors that lead outside. She stopped in front of the closed barriers and pulled out her iPod. She thrust her lime green ear buds inside of her ears before she turned the device on and tapped it.

  Music filled her ears.

  Carrie shoved the iPod inside of her pocket and she held her umbrella out in front of her as she moved closer to the doors. She pushed one of the doors open and stood in the archway and looked outside.

  The sky was dark and heavy rain pelted the area.

  Carrie opened her umbrella and she stepped outside before raising it above her head. She left the school property and walked along a quiet residential street.

  Carrie kept her gaze on the area in front of her and she hummed to the sound of the music that played on her iPod.

  After a few moments she slowed her stride. She looked around. She turned and stared across the street.

  A tall man dressed in a long black coat was walking across the street. His face was pale. His eyes were a shiny black. His long hair was black and hung halfway down his spine. He carried no umbrella. Rain pelted his form as he walked forward slowly.

  The man stopped walking. He turned and looked at Carrie.

  Carrie stared at the man for a few moments. She turned away quickly and rushed forward. She looked at the street in front of her as she walked. After a few minutes, she turned and looked across the street.

  The tall man was walking too.

  His pace matched hers.

  His head was turned in her direction. His dark eyes were fixed on her as he walked forward.

  Carrie stopped walking.

  The man stopped too.

  Carrie pulled her ear buds from her ears and she allowed the discs to rest on her chest as she looked at the man.

  The man looked at Carrie. He did not move.

  Thunder crashed overhead and lightning flashed in the area.

  Carrie jumped at the sound of the loud thunder and she continued staring at the man.

  The man was still.

  Carrie turned from the man and she walked forward.

  The man walked forward and his movements matched Carrie's pace.

  Carrie looked at the man. When she saw him walking she turned away from him. She walked faster.

  Her shoes and socks were soaked and she kept her sight on the street in front of her.

  The sidewalk was deserted.

  She and the strange man were the only people walking in the rain.

  Carrie turned and she looked at the man.

  The man was still walking on the sidewalk directly across from her. His head was still turned in her direction and he looked at her without expression as he walked forward with impressive speed.

  Carrie turned from the man. She clutched her umbrella tightly and started running. She looked at the man.

  The man was running too.

  Carrie screamed. She turned from the man and sprinted forward. She ran swiftly and moved towards the end of the block.

  Carrie turned and looked at the man.

  The man was running too.

  Carrie turned from the man and she ran faster. She moved towards the curb and she tripped from the elevated stone. She staggered forward clumsily several paces. She lost her balance and she fell landing in the middle of the street.

  She had dropped her umbrella during her fall.

  It lay on the ground near her.

  Carrie reached for the umbrella.

  The sound of a blaring horn filled the space.

  Carrie looked up and she turned to the noise. She screamed when she saw a large Hummer speeding towards her.

  The huge truck skidded across the slippery street and it struck Carrie's prostate form with a sickening thud.

  The truck's wheels rolled over Carrie and her form was hopelessly crushed beneath the weight of the speeding vehicle.

  The Hummer continued its sliding journey forward and it stopped a few yards away from Carrie.

  Carrie lay bleeding and broken in the middle of the road.

  She could not move. And her entire body was cold.

  She fought to regain consciousness.

  A dark shadow suddenly loomed over her.

  Carrie looked up.

  The tall man was standing over her.

  He had no lips. But the gash that served as his mouth opened to reveal a set of sharp teeth. He laughed.

  He turned around and fled.

  The sound of loud sirens echoed in the area just before the sound of approaching footsteps filled Carrie's ears.

  Two young men moved to Carrie.

  "Oh no! What have I done?" One of the young men said. "I didn't see her! She just ran out in front of me!"

  "I called the ambulance," the other young man said. "It will be alright."

  Carrie looked up at the sky. And the pain that had once assaulted her faded.

  Everything went dark.

  Never Leave Me Again

  I was home alone one night when I heard it.

  I was in my bedroom lying on my bed with my iPad when there was this weird dragging noise r
ang out over my head.

  I sat up and put the iPad on my bed. I looked up at the ceiling.

  The dragging noise started up again and it moved from the ceiling above my head before it stopped in front of my bedroom door.

  And then it stopped.

  And then I waited.

  And I heard nothing.

  The house was quiet.

  I stared at the ceiling for a few minutes before I got bored and said, “Screw it. I guess I’m just imagining things.”

  I grabbed my iPad and lay down on my bed. I put my buds in her ear and shoved the metal prong thing into my iPad.

  And before I could open Pandora, I heard three loud bangs over my head.

  I pulled my buds from my ears and tossed the iPad on the bed again. I stared at the ceiling and wondered what the noise was.

  The attic was directly above me and I really didn’t want to go up there to investigate but I knew that I should.

  That noise could be anything.

  Rats, a raccoon or even a damned squirrel.

  Dad had found a squirrel running around the attic last week.

  I had heard it too.

  Its feet made this weird pitter patter sound as it ran around up there in the dark.

  As I thought about the squirrel, the banging started up again.

  It stopped and then there was this weird dragging sound. It moved around the room twice before it stopped right above me.

  Then it was quiet.

  I waited a few minutes and then I got up.

  “Screw it,” I said as I walked to my desk. I grabbed a large flashlight and left my room. I walked into the hall.

  There’s a small stairway at the end of the hallway that leads to the attic.

  I walked towards the stairs.

  Very very slowly.

  I climbed the steps and stopped at the top. I opened the attic door and a blast of cold wind hit me.

  I peered into the attic and saw nothing but dark. I turned on the flashlight and moved the light around.

  The attic was filled with old furniture covered with dusty sheets, old trunks, creepy dusty mannequins and other junk that had been handed down from my family over the generations that my parents can’t seem to get rid of.

  I lowered the light and took a few steps forward. I stopped at a wall and reached for the light switch. I flicked it.

  A single light bulb that hung from the ceiling near me came on.

  The light was weak and most of the attic was still dark.

  I walked further into the attic and I moved the light around and was careful not to bump into anything.

  I heard a loud bang.

  The noise came from the middle of the attic.

  The dark part of the attic.

  When I heard the noise I totally freaked. I jumped three feet high and tripped over my own feet.

  I didn’t fall. I stumbled for a few seconds before I was able to stand up.

  I was a wreck.

  I was scared.

  I was breathing heavily and looking around.

  After a few minutes I calmed down a little. My fear had turned to anger and I stomped across the attic. I feeling brave and I decided to shout.

  “Whose there!”

  I said this knowing that I was the only one in the house.

  I heard a dragging noise in front of me and my bravery was gone.

  I got scared.

  I stopped moving.

  The flashlight started flickering so I hit it with my fist.

  It shone steady again.

  I moved the light in front of me and I screamed little girl after I heard another bang come from the dark.

  The attic was suddenly quiet.

  My heart was pounding and I decided that I had to do something. I was determined to find out what was making the noise.

  I kept the light high and I walked to the middle of the attic.

  I walked very slowly.

  I freaked out when I walked through a spider web.

  The web was all over my face and neck.

  I stopped walking and slapped the web from my face. I also scratched at a tickling at my neck that I hoped wasn’t a spider.

  I stopped when I heard another loud bang.

  It came from a dark corner of the attic.

  “Who’s up here?”

  There was no answer.

  The attic was quiet.

  I kept moving despite the fear that I felt.

  I was breathing heavy and I wasn’t moving as quickly as I had when I had entered the attic a few minutes before.

  I bumped into a creepy mannequin and the dusty thing hit the floor with a loud crash.

  I shined the light on the mannequin.

  The mannequin’s dusty face was cracked. There was no hair on its head. It had glass eyes that were shiny when I flashed my light on its face.

  I almost dropped the flashlight when I heard a loud gasp.

  The sound came from the dark in front of me.

  I moved the flashlight in front of me.

  All I could see was a lot of old furniture blocking my path.

  “Hello? Who’s up here?”

  I heard two loud bangs and the dragging noise from the dark.

  I started walking. I decided to follow the noises to see what was making them.

  Despite the fear that I felt I decided to keep moving.

  I walked to the center of the attic.

  I passed more furniture, a couple of old stoves, three headless dressmaking dummies and piles of books that were stacked almost to the ceiling. I moved around a tall stack of old medical journals and I barely missed slamming into four tall stacks of steamer trunks. When I eased around the trunks I bumped into a large black baby carriage.

  The carriage rolled across the floor before it stopped in front of me.

  I heard the word, “Mama,” come from the black thing just before it stopped.

  “What in the?” I asked.

  I moved to the carriage slowly and I stopped in front of the thing. I shined the light inside of the carriage.

  I took a deep breath.

  A dusty old porcelain baby doll was lying inside of the carriage.

  One of its eyes was closed. Its dusty arms were raised up and its mouth was open and filled with spiders’ webs.

  I stared at the doll and wondered how any child could have wanted to play with this thing.

  It was ugly. And horrible and scary.

  The doll shook and it said, “Mama.”

  “I am so out of here.” I said.

  I heard three more bangs in front of me.

  I jumped back and moved the light in front of me.

  All I could see was furniture and junk.

  The attic was quiet.

  I was angry again. I walked towards the sound.

  “Who’s up here? I can hear you and I will hurt you!” I shouted.

  I continued walking forward and I stopped when I finally got to the middle of the attic.

  It was dark, dusty and filled with junk.

  It was really cold.

  It was colder here than in the other parts of the attic.

  And it was also very quiet.

  I wasn’t satisfied with my findings so I decided to check out the entire attic. I started walking again. I walked to the front of the attic. I eased by a row of old wooden crates that were filled with ancient glass bottles of soda. I stopped walking and looked inside of one of the crates.

  The bottles were all covered with thick layers of dust and spiders webs. I reached into one of the crates. I pulled out one of the bottles.

  The bottle was really small and curvy shaped. I rubbed the dust and webs from the sides of the bottle. It was filled with soda.

  There was still soda in the old bottles.

  I couldn’t believe it. I turned the bottle over in my hands. I looked at the label and I recognized the brand.

  I had hit the jackpot!

  It was an old bottle of cola. From the fifties maybe. I stared a
t the bottle and I couldn’t help but smile.

  “Dude,” I said. “I can totally like try to drink one of these on my YouTube channel.”

  Three loud bangs came from the front of the attic.

  I jumped and I almost dropped the bottle. I tossed it into the crate and it hit the others with a loud clink. I turned to the noise and stomped towards it.

  “I’m going to beat you up!” I shouted as I made my way through the rows of junk.

  Spider webs clung to my face as I walked forward.

  I tried not to whimper as I slapped at a lot of itching tickling that passed across my face, ears and neck.

  After a few minutes, I finally reached the front of the attic and then I stopped.

  The attic was quiet.

  I shined the flashlight in front of me and I can’t breathe.

  I stood there completely still and I was trying to process what I was seeing.

  I couldn’t believe it.

  The front part of the attic wasn’t really the front at all.

  The space was big.

  Ten dusty mannequins were standing around in a circle and there was an old leather trunk in the center of them.

  All of the mannequins had those weird glass eyes.

  I looked at the mannequins and moved towards the trunk. When I stopped in front of it I passed the light over it.

  The only sound in the attic was my breathing.

  I bent down and reached for the metal latch on the trunk.

  The latch was closed.

  I opened the latch and then I lifted the lid of the trunk.

  The trunk’s lid opened with a loud creak.

  I let the lid go and it fell to the side of the trunk with a loud thud.

  I looked inside of the trunk.

  I jumped up off of the floor and took a few steps backwards. It was hard for me to breathe when I stared into that trunk.

  I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

  The body of a dead woman was curled inside of the trunk.

  The skin on her face was dry and it had hardened onto her skull. She had no eyes. Her nose was also gone. Her face looked like a leathery skull.

  The woman was wearing a lacy white wedding dress that was faded. The dress was covered with lots of big crawling black spiders.

  The woman had long blonde hair. A lace veil was covering half of her mummy face.

  The dead woman shook and she sat up in the trunk. She pulled the veil from her face and turned to me. Her jaw fell open with a loud click and then I heard her voice.