Haunted

Chapter Three

Anna stood on the porch, as she watched the van drive away into the sunset. She was waving, although she was sure Cam and Scott could not see her any longer. She was sad to see them go, for she really was fond of them, and was grateful that they had helped her settle in her new home.

'I can't get over how beautiful this place is.' Anna whispered. She stood for a while, listening to the lingering sounds around her as day prepared to say goodbye to night. Soon, the sky would be sprinkled with stars, the neighborhood quiet. Not at all like Alrightion, the city in which Anna had lived in before.

Although she had causally told Cam and Scott it would be a nice change after living so many years in Alrightion, (She was in her late forties), but there was more to it. She had moved to the idyllic country town to escape the escalating violence on the streets, most of which occurred at night and around night-clubs. It seemed like every day their had been another attack, but no arrest, due to the dud justice legal system. Anna knew she couldn't stay in a city so fuelled with violence and crime, even though her family and friends lived there. But she had to do what was best for her. Her

Anna went inside, closing the door. She walked absent-mindedly to the kitchen, grabbing a apple and turning on the radio to listen to the news broadcast.

'Good Evening, and welcome to News of America. I'm your host, Matthew Spencer. Tonight, shocking evidence has been unearthed to learn that the daughter of a millionaire businessman-….'

The man's cheesy voice floated away, as Anna stared into the distance lost in her own thoughts.

Some part of her felt guilty, moving away. It was because of her 23 year old daughter, Jade. Even though Jade had supported her move. Jade had been the product of the relationship between Anna, and an old boyfriend. When he found out she was pregnant, he left her, refusing to help her. If it hadn't been the support and love of her family, Anna and Jade might not be where they were today. Anna had been a event planner, (for weddings and such), and was enjoying early retirement. Jade was in Uni and was studying music, a career she wanted to pursue. Anna was so proud of her daughter, and was sad that her father hadn't wanted to know her.

Flash Back:

Anna and Jade were having lunch in a café one sunny afternoon. Anna's normally happy features were sad.

'What's wrong, mom?' asked Jade, running her fingers through the long dark hair she had inherited from her grandmother.

Anna didn't know what to say. She didn't understand why these feelings were being rigged up again.

'Well,' she sighed, playing with her bread. 'I'm just thinking how sad it is that your father never wanted to know you. I don't even know where he is these days.'

Jade shrugged. She felt no longing for her father, since she had been showered with love from her mother and family, and since had made her father's rejection easier. If anything, it was his loss, not hers.

'Who cares?' she said, speaking her mind as always. 'We're better off without him.'

Jade was right. They were better without him.

She sighed and closed her eyes, feeling exhausted after the long day.

Leslie…..

She couldn't get over what she had seen. Why on earth did she have a so-called 'vision' of a family she had never heard of before? She had never gotten one before, and was puzzled. She wasn't frightened, just curious to know what it meant.

'Maybe it just means nothing.' An inner voice told her. It was sharp and serious.

Anna decided to agree with it. It could have been nothing more then a silly day dream. Maybe the family did live there, once upon a time. She wondered if she was real, what Leslie would be doing. Even though the dances she had did in the living room was comical, Anna could see she had talent. Maybe she would've been a dancer.

'Stop thinking about her as though she's real.' Said the voice again.

How very wrong it was.

Because you see, Leslie Burke did exist, and her memory still lingers. But Anna wasn't to know that.

Later that Night….

'NO!'

Anna sat up straight in bed. She was gasping and her face was sweating. She had horrible nightmare, where she had been slowly drowning in a creek. She could still the cold sensation of the waters, her hound pounding painfully, her lungs screaming for air, her soul slipping away into the 'Other Side', the faint whisper of a girl laughing…..

'Oh, my god…' she spluttered, trying to catch her breath from the intensity of the dream. She reached out a shaking hand to reach for a wet cloth on her beside cabinet, and dabbed her forehead with it. She was still shaking furiously.

For the first time in a long time, Anna felt like crying. And before she knew it, tears were rolling down her cheeks.

'Who's there?!' Abby yelled her pulse racing. She had just woken up, and had a voice. She scanned the darkened room, but could see nothing.

'I won't hurt you. Even though I've been hurt.' Said the voice again, it was sweet and melodic. The six year old's nerves soothed. It was a comfort to listen to this kind, disembodied voice. It wouldn't hurt like the demons that haunted her nightmares.

'How did you get hurt?' she asked, wondering where this new dream would take her.

This made it angry.

As soon as the words slipped out, there was a flash of lightening outside the window, and the room was flooded with slivery light.

And there Abby could see the ghost of a 12 year old girl, the person who the sweet voice had belonged to. She was the picture of HELL. Her clothes were torn and drenched, her once golden hair now matted with dirt and blood. A large scar trailed from her forehead to behind her left ear.

Abby's screams echoed…..

'It's OK, Sweetie! It's OK!'

Abby awoke to see she was being shaken gently by her father, Jesse Aarons.

'Daddy!' Abby mourned, clutching her father's night-shirt. Her face was streaked with tears. 'I had a horrible dream! It was so real!!!'

Jesse's heart broke to see his darling daughter in such stress.

'It's OK, shush; everything's going to be all right, Abby.' He soothed, bringing the sobbing six year old into his lap. He p her damp tangle of honey-brown curls.

'Can you tell me what happened in your dream?'

Abby gasped and tried to speak. 'It, um, I well, it's but, oh…' she struggled to string together a few simple sentences.

'I'm sorry, Daddy. It's just too scary!'

'That's OK. Don't tell me about it. Sometimes dreams are just too scary to talk about.'

Anna nodded.

A/N: I hope you liked that chapter, and were not bored. I am not very good at writing SCARY stories but I will see where I go with this one. Comments, good or bad, are welcome.

PS: I'll be posting chapter 16 of FFL, very soon. : )

Stephy