The Demon in the Graveyard

A chilly wind blew in the air and made Alice wrap her coat tightly around herself. She forced herself to keep walking even when she heard the sound of wolves ,howling at the full moon, coming from the direction where she had to go. Her lips moved in a quick prayer as she finally reached the graveyard. She reluctantly stepped inside and sliced her hand through the air on the other side of the gate, checking for an invisible wall that might trap her in this sinister place forever. “Foolish superstitious girl. Just like your mother.” She heard her father’s scornful voice in her head. She ignored the sharp pang of pain she felt when she thought about her mother. Ms. Smith had died 2 years ago and since then Alice could not bring herself to visit her tombstone. Today, she had felt ready and keeping her voice as steady as she could, she had told her father the same. Here she was now, feeling nauseous and wobbly. She forced herself to take her eyes off the cold hard ground and scan the names on the gravestones. Up in the sky, the milky white moon shone brightly. The impossibly long branches on the century old trees snaked out towards the sky as if wanting to wrap themselves around the moon and extinguish the only source of light in the graveyard. 

“You will be here all night if you don’t find that tombstone now” she told herself sternly. “ Jones…Williams…..Smith! Here it is!” 

She rushed towards it and felt uncontrollable tears spring from her eyes. She laid down the fresh flowers she had brought along with her. Lilies. Her mother’s favorite. 

As each new drop of tear fell from her eyes, I felt my hunger growing. I licked my lips slowly, waving my hands in grand gestures and collecting the tears before they could hit the ground. I didn’t really need to move my hands all that much, but it added a bit of a dramatic flair even if no one could see it. 

Way sooner than I would have liked, she got up and dusted her skirts, furiously wiping her tears. “ Shouldn’t she cry more? A lot more? “ I frowned to myself, disgruntled. I would have rolled my eyes if I had a pair. 

Then I saw why she had been so eager to leave. A black limousine could be seen pulling up in front of the gates and she did not want her father to see her cry. She needed to act as indifferent as her father always did, otherwise he would send her off to one of those schools for troubled children. She walked out to meet Mr. Smith, looking as prim and unaffected as she could. But I did not miss the longing look, mixed with fear, that she cast towards the graves. 

Oh she was the unsatisfied kind. They really were the best victims. She would come back tomorrow and then the next day and keep visiting regularly because she had felt a sense of comfort and attachment by sitting next to the useless piece of stone. 

Humans really were mindless. I had almost burst out laughing looking at her talking to a stone. If only she knew that I had already devoured the body and all that was left was a piece of rock. She returned the next day. Of course she did, I am never wrong but I will admit I did mess with her mind a bit to ensure her return. Let’s just leave it at me being correct and ignore the technicalities. 

I had an appetizing meal that day and could feel the delicious sadness lingering on my lips. This process just repeated day after day. That day I was rubbing my hands and finally getting ready to trap her in my inky ominous home forever, when she looked at me. My blood ran cold and I froze. I was invisible to the human eye. But as the girl slowly lifted her head and stared right at the spot I was perched on, I knew she could see me. I found myself unable to move. I tried to but I failed. What was happening to me ? What was this strange feeling? 

Then it dawned on me and I recoiled in disgust. I was afraid just like a powerless human. 

Suddenly, the girl burst into pure white light. It tore through the night’s darkness, lighting up the sky as if it were early morning. It seared my skin. I turned away and tried to take cover but those useless thin leaves did little to protect me. I could form one last comprehensible thought before I turned into ash; I had lured my arch-enemy right into my own home.