Sarah Johnson stood staring at the entrance to the cemetery and from a distance she could see the streetlamp shining on the other side⎼its welcoming glow falling on the sidewalk that would lead her home. The night was cold with fierce winds that blew right through her knitted sweater leaving its marks in forms of small bumps that prickled on her arms and jean covered legs. She mentally kicked herself for not taking her mothers advice to bundle up more; knowing if she had she would have been able to endure the frosty weather enough to go the long way home.

Unfortunately for her bigheadedness, crossing the cemetery was the fastest and only other route she could take. Her eyes instinctively scanned for any movement, but the wintery darkness only revealed a light snow covered ground and the outlines of tombstones. She cringed when she opened the rusted iron gate, its loud creaking echoing through the night informing her arrival to the dead. Small clouds of steamy air puffed from her lips as she released the breath she didn’t know she was holding.

Her eyes locked onto the streetlamp ahead and with stiff legs Sarah reluctantly advanced further into the cemetery, each step sounding like glass crunching beneath her boots due to the crisp snow. The night's shadows enjoyed playing tricks on her eyes, though she knew they were just tree branches swaying from the brisk winds it didn’t stop her from glancing every which way.

The sudden crunch of snow from behind her had Sarah swerving her head over her shoulder, her eyes capturing nothing but tombstones and the faded outline of the cemetery's entrance gate. Figuring the source of the noise was nothing to concern herself with, she continued walking.

Then came another crunch, this time it was louder, closer.

Sarah’s whole body swung around, only to be met with nothing. Turning around quickly she increased her steps, she had no interest to know what was behind her. When the only sound she could hear was the sound of her own footsteps along with the frantic rhythm of her heart, Sarah stopped.

Her mouth quirked up in a goofy smirk. She was being ridiculous. Nobody was behind her, it was just her imagination running wild.

Sarah was getting closer to the streetlamp, it’s light growing brighter with each step she took. Relief washed over her, her heart slowly going back to a steady rhythm⎼no longer wanting to beat out of her ribcage. Yet, the feeling of security was short-lived as heavy footsteps pounded from behind her.

Her stomach clenched as terror thundered down on her, in the darkness her muscles tensed as terror captivated her as its prisoner. Focusing on the streetlamp ahead, she didn’t ignore her instincts any longer and bolted forward as a surge of adrenaline swept through her body as she pumped her legs, gaining momentum with each push. Her breaths came in short gasps as her eyes grew wide with panic at the echo of someone else's footsteps coming in close from behind.

Sarah didn’t dare stop, even when she reached the streetlamp, she was too afraid of what would happen to her if she did. Fear made her swing her head over her shoulder and what she saw made her blood run cold.

Standing just outside the cemetery was a large faceless shadow, so dark that she was still able to see it in the pitch black. Sarah nearly tripped over herself as she quickended her pace in a desperate attempt to get as far away from it as she could, her legs not stopping till she reached her house.