“Kia,” I whispered, peering through the dense fog as it danced around me. I knew better than to bring her out here this late. Her parents were going to kill me. My feet brushed against the gravel, sending stones and leaves rustling through the night air.
My head turned as a branch snapped in the distance. A part of me wanted to shout out for her, but fear’s hand wrapped around my throat, forcing a squeal to appear instead. I jumped as a squirrel ran past me. A chuckle escaped as I placed my hand over my heart and closed my eyes.
I took a few deep breaths before continuing, checking my watch to make sure we returned home before her parents arrived. Babysitting–I didn’t enjoy it, but if I was going to escape the clutches of this town, I needed money.
Making my way to the swing set, I spotted her blue jacket laying on a bed of leaves. I reached for it, bending over to pick it up as a figure moved to my left. My body straightened. My heart beat against my chest. I turned–nothing was there.
I picked up the jacket, clutching onto the fabric as my squinted eyes peered through the fog, hands feeling around for the swing chain. The cold coil chain brushed against my fingers as a breeze swept through. The swing creaked as the wind pushed it away from my hand. I waited for its return, but it never came.
My eyes widened as my head turned. There it stood. Big black eyes. Saliva running down its chin. It towered over me, opening its mouth as the fog wrapped around its ochre colored body.
Sweat poured down my forehead as my body stiffened. My fingers grasped onto the jacket as I took a step backward. My foot connected with a branch, sending me crashing to the ground.
The monster snarled as it moved closer, feet traipsing across the leaves as another breeze swept through. My body froze. Only a slight tremble remained. Back pressed against the ground. Fingers digging in the dirt. My mind screamed move, but my body refused.
It hovered over me, one leg on each side of my torso. The fog cleared as it leaned over, forcing its face toward mine. Screams bellowed through the darkness as its mouth widened. I raised my arms toward my face, attempting to block death’s shadow from devouring me.
“Nova, what are you doing down there?”
I removed my arms from my face. The fog cleared. The wind no longer blew. She stood over me, one leg on each side of my torso, leaning over, her face close to mine–Kia. A giggle escaped as she picked up her jacket and skipped around my body.
My eyes fixated on the night sky. The darkness receded as the clear blue sky returned. I forced myself off of the ground and watched as she twirled around the playground, dancing with the leaves as the creaking swing swayed back and forth.
I grabbed hold of her shoulders, forcing her to stand still. “Are you alright?”
“Of course.”
“I thought you were missing.”
She placed her hands over her mouth as she giggled. “Don’t be silly.” She darted past me, running up the street.
I followed behind her, turning the corner, crossing the road, and running through her front yard. She forced her way inside the house, darting up the stairs as I closed the door.
I paced around the living room, wringing my hands as the tires scrapped up against the gravel driveway. Their laughter penetrated through the window, traveling up the concrete steps and through the front door.
“Nova, how was everything?” Kia’s mom asked as she removed her jacket.
“Fine, just fine.”
“Good.”
“It’s foggy tonight,” Kia’s dad said, as his eyes darted in my direction. “You didn’t go out, did you?”
“Of course not.” I grabbed my jacket from the arm of the couch and walked toward the door.
“Will you be available next weekend?”
My heart beat against my chest as my feet stuck to the carpet. “I’ll have to look at my schedule.”
“Well, of course, dear. Let us know.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I hurried out the front door and down the steps. My soul screamed keep moving, but I didn’t. I turned. I had to see. My eyes darted toward Kia’s room. There she stood, in the window, smiling as my mind struggled to make sense of what happened.
© 2023 Rena Aliston. All rights reserved.