Restless Nightmares-Chapter One.

Julia was everywhere.

In my dreams-and my nightmares. Her voice was the background noise in my everyday life. I struggled to push the thoughts of her away, but they continued to haunt me, like a restless spirit on a quest to find peace. She was there when I woke up, and there when I went to sleep. I wanted to tell Clare, or my Dad. I wanted to tell someone, anyone, that I could still feel her. I was afraid. Afraid that Clare would think I wasn't over her. I couldn't explain why Julia was on my mind. I loved Clare, and losing her would be the death of me. It was a battle with myself that I fought constantly. Should I tell her and worry her? Or keep it to myself? I pushed all my restless thoughts away as I climbed into my hearse.

It was 11:00 am on a Saturday morning, and I had promised Clare we would drive out to the lake. As I pulled out of the driveway, a flash of jet-black hair caught my eye. I did a double-take and quickly put my eyes back on the road. It was just a cat, or maybe a fast kid, I told myself. I continued to pull out of my driveway and out onto the road. I popped my favorite Dead Hand CD into my player, and turned the music up to a medium level. I suddenly turned down the CD and listened intently. I couldn't be hearing this. "Eliiiiiiiiiiii…" It was soft at first, but then it seemed to grow louder.

"Eliiiii…." It became more urgent and I was possessed with the desire to find out where it was coming from. I pulled over onto the side of the road, and turned to look at the back seat. Nothing was there. But still, the whisper persisted.

"Eliiiiiiiiiii…." I turned back towards the road, intent on ignoring what had to be my overactive imagination. I finished the drive to Clare's house, and was relieved by the fact that I heard the voice no more.

I honked the horn and waited on Clare to come out. As the front door opened, and she ran down the steps, I smiled to myself. How did I get so lucky? Clare opened the door of the hearse and smiled her shy smile at me. Even after three months of dating, she still blushed at the slightest things.

As she sat down next to me, she placed her hand on my leg and softly said, "I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too." I said.

Our two week break had been a nightmare. We were only able to text and talk on messenger when she was at her Grandmother's. I didn't know how much longer I could go without hearing her voice. I spent a little time with Adam over the break, but wherever I went, and whatever I did, Julia continued to follow me. As we were driving in silence, I thought back to the last time Adam and I had spent time together.

"Eli! Eli! What are you doing?"

I heard Adam's voice, but it seemed distant, and far off, like he was yelling at me from the other side of a football stadium. I heard my name, called softly, and I began walking towards the sound. Her voice was like a siren song, calling me to my death. Adam's worried cries were far off in the distance. I was completely alone now. The forest enveloped me on all sides. The trees swayed softly in the slight October wind. As I followed the voice, I came across a small cemetery. It looked like it hadn't been mowed in years, and the headstones were beginning to fall apart. There, directly in front of me, was a girl. She was tall, with black hair that curled to her shoulders. She had on a white dress, with a small blood stain towards the top. She was beautiful. She opened her mouth, and that was when I realized it was her who had been calling my name.

"Eliiii…" she breathed. I looked down at the headstone near my feet and read the name engraved on the old stone.

Julia Anderson, Born: 1993, Died: 2010. I gasped and looked up again at the girl standing in front of me.

"Julia!" I called out. The girl did not answer. I reached out to her, but when I grabbed her hand, I grabbed nothing but air.

"Julia..." I whispered. By the time I had blinked again, she had vanished.

"I'm sorry…" I whispered, but my apology was carried away by the wind, and she was no longer standing in front of me.

Suddenly, Adam appeared before me. He was out of breath like had had just run a mile. I opened my mouth to explain, but as I looked down at the tombstone, I saw the name again. Only this time it didn't say Julia Anderson. It said Beth Oliver. I swore I had just seen Julia's name, clear as day across the stone. But it couldn't be! She was buried down the road from her home, at a Church Cemetery.

My flashback was interrupted by a concerned shake from Clare.

"Eli..Are you alright?" she asked softly.

I looked into her eyes, and suddenly my entire body began to shake. I screamed and jerked the hearse into the closest driveway. I wasn't looking into Clare's beautiful baby blue eyes, but the green emerald eyes of Julia's.