Shivers and Shadows

Shivers and Shadows
'He gazed into her eyes.
"Marry me," he said simply.
"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear you say that,"
she replied. "Yes, oh yes!" He lowered his head. They kissed
and&;#8230;'

I turned the page, a delicious little shiver running up my spine. It's
always gratifying to know that you guessed the plot correctly. I looked
at the page I'd just turned to, eager to read on.
Black marker pen. That was all I could see. That little brat had done
it again. That little brat was going to pay!
"Meriel!" I yelled.
"Yeth?" she said, suddenly appearing in the doorway to my room. I
could tell without looking that mum was behind her. She always acted
like the cute sweetie-pie she wasn't whenever adults were around.
Sisters! Who needs 'em?
I held up the book. "Hmmm?"
"Why'd you draw on your book? That wath thilly!"
"Me! I never drew on my book. You did, you scheming
little&;#8230;"
"That's quite enough, Kelly. You know your sister is too young to
understand what she's doing. You shouldn't blame her for every mishap
that befalls you. Anyway, I don't see why you should be reading when
you haven't even started your homework. Hmmm?"
Hmmm? is a little thing me and mum share. I glanced around at the
undone homework scattered across my bed and considered my
options.
"I've, uh, forgotten my textbook," I said, crossing my fingers behind
my back. "I need to walk 'round to Heather's to borrow one. I'll be
back before nine." I added hopefully.
"Go on, but be quick. I know what you two are like."
"Mummy, why doeth she get to go to her friend'th houthe?" My
four-year-old sister lisped.
"Because she needs Heather to help do her homework, though that's a
contradiction in terms." Mum grumbled.
I could hear them talking as I made my way down the stairs and out of
the door. "What'th a contraception in germs?"
"Contradiction in terms, sweetie. Let me explain." I walked away from
the madhouse, wondering how I could even be related to those two
nutters. I wouldn't normally call my mum a nutter, you understand, in
the same way I don't normally read romance novels, but today was a
little different from most. A little crazier, to begin with, but also
very different.
Anyway, I went over to Heather's. Heather's my best friend, if you
hadn't already gathered. We chatted for a bit, actually did a bit of
homework, chatted a bit more, avoided doing homework, chatted a bit,
snacked, chatted a bit etc. I noticed it was getting dark and told her
I had to head home. We said goodbye and I left.
It was a good ten-minute walk, and not something I like doing in the
dark. The shadows scare me a little, because when I was little I was
watching the news and saw something about an attacker jumping out of
the shadows and attacking a girl. I know it's ridiculous, but I think
it affected me quite badly and I always avoid walking alone in the dark
if I can help it. I didn't have much choice though, as Heather's
parents had gone out for the evening.
Between Heather's house and mine is a graveyard. I like graveyards. I
don't find them spooky or anything like most people do. This graveyard
was a nice one, with neat rows of flowers and nice white granite
graves. My dad's buried there, actually, and I dropped a daisy I'd
plucked from the grass onto his grave as I passed. I felt a little
shiver run up my spine as ducked under the gnarled old yew tree. I
quite often use the graveyard as a short cut. Heather doesn't come over
to my house unless her parents drive her, because she thinks the
graveyard is haunted. She even went so far as to say she saw my ghost
there once!
I reached the road on the other side of the graveyard, and crossed
swiftly. Suddenly, out of nowhere a black sports car, without its
lights on, zoomed towards me. I jumped to one side, and it just caught
me on my side. I staggered to the other side of the road, clutching my
side. I stood in the shadows and examined my side. There was a bruise
already forming, but after a bit of tender prodding I came to the
conclusion I would survive. But if that was so, why did I feel like I'd
left something behind? I stared at the road, trying to see if I'd lost
anything, my purse maybe. It was too dark to see properly, and the
shadows of the trees on the opposite side of the road made it almost
impossible.
I gave up and headed for home, keeping my side well covered so mum
wouldn't guess what happened. When I got back I saw the two of them
watching a grisly news report about some poor girl who had been hit by
a car. I noticed it was near where I had been walking, in the shadowy
bit next to the graveyard, and I wondered if the same driver had hit
her that had hit me.
"So sad," I heard my mum say, "Poor girl wouldn't have known what hit
her. I'm glad Kelly's at Heather's."
I was tired, and went straight to bed, not even bothering to correct
her. I slept pretty soundly that night and didn't give the accident a
second thought.
The next morning I woke early and decided to run down to the graveyard
before school. Since my dad is buried there I try to visit at least
once a week. I dressed swiftly and ran down, not bothering to leave a
note. I assumed mum would have checked in on me the night before.
Suddenly I felt cold, and a little shiver ran up my spine. It was the
sort of thing people usually described as 'someone just walked over my
grave'. I'd never known it to feel so literal, though. That may sound
odd, but it's the closest thing I can come to describing it.
I glanced at my watch, to make sure I really would have time to get
down to the graveyard. The date on it was over a week later than it
should have been, but I wasn't too worried. It generally played up,
especially when I was in a hurry or in the middle of a vitally
important exam. To make certain I glanced at the ornate clock on the
church tower, which was mostly hidden in early morning shadows. Still
plenty of time, I reassured myself. Suddenly I got the 'someone walking
over my grave' feeling again.
I was playing with a lock of my hair when I heard crying. I hovered in
the shadows of the yew tree, not wanting to interrupt. I peered around
the trunk and realised it was Heather.
"Heth," I yelled, "what's wrong?" She ignored me. I walked over to
her, but when she looked up she gave a startled shriek and fled. I
didn't follow her, I was too puzzled. If Heather never came here, why
had she come here?
I had that cold shivery feeling again. This time I realised that I was
standing on someone's grave and stepped back. Then I saw the name.