Annie
One night, James Diamond was driving down a dark road, from work. He was humming along with the music of his radio. He looked up at the sky and saw that it was cloudy. It's going to rain tonight he thought. He drove down a deserted path, through a broken down neighborhood.
From the corner of his eye, he saw what was a young girl walking along the sidewalk. Odd. He slowed down a bit and watched her. She was hugging her body and shivering, then it started to rain. I have to help her, her thought. Pulling along the curb, he quickly jumped out and ran up to her.
"Hey, you need a ride?" he asked. She looked at him and shook her head.
"Well, you're going to get soaked out here." he reasoned. She looked to the floor and shivered. He took off his leather jacket and placed it over her shoulders. She looked up at him with a thankful smile.
"So, you still don't want a ride?" he asked again. She looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Thank you." she said and followed him to the passengers side where he opened the door for her. He hoped back into the drivers seat and roared up the engine.
"So…what's your name?" he asks, breaking the awkward silence.
…Annie." she says in a quiet tone.
"James." he says with a smile. She smiles at him.
"Nice to meet you James."
"No problem. So why were you walking alone down that neighborhood, if I may ask."
"My friend lives a few blocks away from there, and it was getting late, and unfortunately my dads car was in the shop, because he had crashed it. So I had no ride home."
She finishes.
"Oh…is you dad alright?"
"Yeah, he's fine." she said. But James saw an uncertainty and sadness flash her eyes.
"Do you wanna tell me where you live?"
"Oh, yeah, sorry. Um just go up this road and take a right on Palm Woods Ave." he shook his head and followed the directions she gave him. He pulled up to a nice house.
"Thank you so much James, I would have been soaking wet if I had walked all the way here." she smiles shyly at him.
"No problem."
She smiles again, they stare at each other, both smiling.
"I better go." she says, and unbuckles her seat belt. She steps out of the car.
"Goodnight James, and thanks again…for the ride."
"Yeah, goodnight." he watches her close the car door and walk up to the home. He starts up his car again and drives away…
The next day, James was at the cemetery visiting his mothers grave. She had died from cancer and today was her birthday.
"Hey mom, happy birthday." he says, placing flowers on the ground. He spent a while talking to her. Telling her about all the things that had been happening in his life. When it was getting dark he decided to leave. Saying his goodbye, he made way through the tombs. He felt a sudden cold rake through his body. He rubbed his arms, cursing silently when he remembered he had given his jacket to Annie.
He kept walking, then he stopped. Did someone say his name? he stood there for a few minutes. Nothing. He began walking again.
"Jamesss….
Someone whispered his name. James felt that coldness again. He shook his head and kept walking. Almost at the entrance of the cemetery, he felt for his phone. Damn. He left it at his mothers grave. Sighing, annoyed, he walks back. A few minutes later he's back at his mothers tomb stone. His phone was next to the flowers. He leans down to pick it up.
"Jamesss… someone whispers again. He looks around the field of tombs. Nothing. No one. He shakes his head and turns around to leave. He stops. In front of him was a white marbled tomb, with his black leather jacket hanging from it. He furrows his brows in confusion.
He walks to it, and grabs it. It's definitely his jacket. But what is it doing here? He suddenly felt goosebumps form on his arms. He looked down at the tomb. There on the tomb was:
Beloved daughter, Annie Ariel Ericsson .
April 17 - August 26
1983 - 2004
Engraved. No way. Annie is not…she is not dead? James just gave her a ride to her home last night... That night, James went on his computer and did some research. Annie Ariel Ericsson, died in a horrible car crash on Palm Woods Ave... the same street where he dropped her off…
This one was more sad than scary, and that's sort of what I was going for. Did you catch the little name references? ;) thank you for reading.