Over My Dead Body
By Emily and Grace

BANG! BA-BANG! Anathema stared at the clock beside her bed. It was five o’ clock AM. Yawning, she pushed the pillow over her head and was just about to slip back into a deep sleep when she heard it. Another loud BANG! pierced the tranquil silence of the neighborhood. Immediately alert, Anathema stumbled down the stairs until she tripped and fell sprawled on the furry carpet at the foot of the staircase. Anathema’s sister scampered downstairs. “Ana! Are you all right? I heard-” Lilatia paused and stared at her younger sister. “We have to call the police!” “WHAT!?” Ana screamed. Lilatia took a breath and said, “Those sounded like gunshots.” Ana felt like she would faint dead. “Lila, go dial 911, and I’ll go check.” Ana peeked outside, and yelled to Lila, “MURDER! MURDER ON OUR STREET!”      

Five minutes later, the emergency responders arrived. A doctor examined the grisly corpulent corpse of the body. Ana identified the rather fat dead body quickly; it was Daniel, the grumpy old man who lived next door. Ana had always thought he was an idiot, but she knew he hadn’t deserved to be killed. Lila spoke up. “How was he killed?” “He wasn’t shot.” The doctor said. “He has claw marks. See?” Anathema was shocked. “But we live miles away from any bear. This place is coyote, bear, and wolf-free!” The doctor shook his head. “It’s larger than any animal I’ve seen. I don’t know what did it, but it’s got to be larger than any animal discovered.” Anathema looked around nervously.

Five minutes later, the emergency responders arrived. A doctor examined the grisly corpulent corpse of the body. Ana identified the rather fat dead body quickly; it was Daniel, the grumpy old man who lived next door. Ana had always thought he was an idiot, but she knew he hadn’t deserved to be killed. Lila spoke up. “How was he killed?” “He wasn’t shot.” The doctor said. “He has claw marks. See?” Anathema was shocked. “But we live miles away from any bear. This place is coyote, bear, and wolf-free!” The doctor shook his head. “It’s larger than any animal I’ve seen. I don’t know what did it, but it’s got to be larger than any animal discovered.” Anathema looked around nervously.

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 That night, when Ana was preparing herself for bed, she looked out the window. Everything was still dimly lit on the street as the house lights were all on. Then the saw something. Ana squinted her eyes- a pair of deep intense glowing eyes were staring back at her...burning through her soul.

 Months later, Lilatia presented Anathema with a surprise. “It’s a corsage!” she said proudly. Ana pinned the spray of flowers onto her wrist. “I like the big red carnation in the middle. It’s such a lovely flower, it’s hypnotizing!” Lila smiled broadly. “Why don’t you wear it to the Caedri Carnival tonight?” Anathema laughed. “You bet I will!”

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The Carnival was mesmerizing. Until… she talked to the man in all black with the blood red tie. “Sir, where’s the main tent?” “Over there,” he said, laughing insanely, “just watch out for his devices!” “Oh…sir, can you point me the way to the exit?” The man’s wide grin and wide eyes made him look like a twisted Cheshire Cat. “Take a turn right, then left, continue for five miles, turn left again, run as fast as you can in the direction you’re going. You’ll reach it in twenty minutes. Only built those things for emergencies.” Anathema just managed to catch everything he said. She decided she would just scale the fence. “Nice tie, sir.” He grinned even wider. “I just love the color! It reminds me of the carnage in wars.” Anathema stared at the man as she walked away. There was something very wrong here…

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The Carnival was mesmerizing. Until… she talked to the man in all black with the blood red tie. “Sir, where’s the main tent?” “Over there,” he said, laughing insanely, “just watch out for his devices!” “Oh…sir, can you point me the way to the exit?” The man’s wide grin and wide eyes made him look like a twisted Cheshire Cat. “Take a turn right, then left, continue for five miles, turn left again, run as fast as you can in the direction you’re going. You’ll reach it in twenty minutes. Only built those things for emergencies.” Anathema just managed to catch everything he said. She decided she would just scale the fence. “Nice tie, sir.” He grinned even wider. “I just love the color! It reminds me of the carnage in wars.” Anathema stared at the man as she walked away. There was something very wrong here…

 Anathema’s feet cast long, spindly shadows on the sidewalk. It was a moonless, cloudy night. A chill slithered up her spine. The trees seemed to whisper a warning. Beware…The eyes stared at her from the shadows. The red glowing eyes. Ana thought she could hear a hiss. They’re right. Watch your back, because you never know what’s behind you. All it takes...She could hear nothing else. She sprinted the rest of the way.

 Lilatia grinned at Anathema when she collapsed on the mat. “Wanna hear an urban legend?” Ana didn’t want her sister to think she was a scaredy cat, so she groaned, “Yes.” Lilatia grinned even wider.

“Okay. I’ll tell you about the story of the Umbrais Cemetery. Many decades ago, an young woman by the name of Sacria lived in a quaint little cottage in the old Tenebris Forest. Recently, her neighbors started reporting her strange behavior. Violent screams would echo from her home. Twelve weeks later, they found her dead in the Umbris Swamp. Many people had died in the swamp, some vanished as well. People nearby stayed away, for they thought it was cursed. People now say that they see glowing eyes, shadows, and growling around this area. Whenever a murder occurs, people blame it on Sacria’s ghost.” Lilatia laughed. “I got an idea! Why don’t we go ghost hunting?” Anathema smiled. “You’re on!

“Okay. I’ll tell you about the story of the Umbrais Cemetery. Many decades ago, an young woman by the name of Sacria lived in a quaint little cottage in the old Tenebris Forest. Recently, her neighbors started reporting her strange behavior. Violent screams would echo from her home. Twelve weeks later, they found her dead in the Umbris Swamp. Many people had died in the swamp, some vanished as well. People nearby stayed away, for they thought it was cursed. People now say that they see glowing eyes, shadows, and growling around this area. Whenever a murder occurs, people blame it on Sacria’s ghost.” Lilatia laughed. “I got an idea! Why don’t we go ghost hunting?” Anathema smiled. “You’re on!

The ghost hunt was to take place in three weeks. But that didn’t solve Anathema’s ghost problem. Meanwhile, she was prowling around old man Daniel’s house. Something had drawn her there, a morbid fascination. She realized the house was filled with odd objects. There was something labeled ‘Ghost Repeller-Only if you’re about to die.’ There was also a dust covered note. She peered at the scrawled letters

If you are reading this, Umbra, I will tell you that I’m not gone forever.
If this is Anathema, the best of luck to you. Watch for the messages I left you. Use what you want.
-Daniel
A cold breeze swept her long brown hair, and drew her gaze to the music box. A brown eye stared back at her. Daniel’s raspy voice whispered in her ear.
So you managed to find it.
Try and get me out of this accursed music box. The old witch trapped me in here. Just smash that thing. After that, go your sister and get Umbra to rest in peace.

The whisper faded to dead silence. “I guess I’ll have to find out who Umbra is.” Ana muttered. She took the music box and tossed it at Daniel’s marble statue. It shattered into a million pieces.
 
“So Daniel wasn’t such a twit after all.” Lilatia remarked after Anathema told her the story. Anathema carefully fingered the tools she had retrieved from old Daniel’s house. “I think I’ll go check in the old forest. I would have never thought that Daniel was a ghost hunter.” Lila scrambled up the stairs and returned with a backpack full of supplies. Ana grinned. “I’ll go pack the gear.”

The whisper faded to dead silence. “I guess I’ll have to find out who Umbra is.” Ana muttered. She took the music box and tossed it at Daniel’s marble statue. It shattered into a million pieces.
 
“So Daniel wasn’t such a twit after all.” Lilatia remarked after Anathema told her the story. Anathema carefully fingered the tools she had retrieved from old Daniel’s house. “I think I’ll go check in the old forest. I would have never thought that Daniel was a ghost hunter.” Lila scrambled up the stairs and returned with a backpack full of supplies. Ana grinned. “I’ll go pack the gear.”

The moment they entered Tenebris Forest, Anathema regretted it immediately. If life had boundaries, this seemed to be it. There wasn’t a single living thing, not even a lone ant. Even though it wasn’t dark yet, the forest was shady and seemed to be the end of their lives. The place was eerie and sent chills up Anathema’s spine. Once Anathema thought she saw a hand poking out from the shrubbery. Another time she saw a flash of black in the corner of her eye. She shrugged it off and forced herself to take one more step. “Look!” Lilatia was pointing at a rock. Massive claw marks stretched across the ancient stone. They were the same claw marks on the night that Daniel died. The trees whispered,Umbra...A bridge stood in front of them. It was old and well worn.
“I think we should go there and see what’s beyond this area.” Lila whispered.
Ana took a deep breath. “Okay, I guess.” she responded.

The two walked to the bridge, step by step, like soldiers. Except they didn’t feel that brave. Ana quietly counted the steps to her death. One..two..three.. They were now on the ground. They both paused to sit down. A violent rustling shook through the bushes near them. Both suddenly aware, they tensed. An inhuman braying, screeching, snorting, ear shattering like noise came out of nowhere.
“Ana?”
“Ana?” Lila got up suddenly.
A donkey like creature appeared in the bushes. It didn’t look corporeal, as it was translucent.
“Ana?” Lila said again.
“Oh. My. Gosh.” Ana said.
It stood up and was...half pig, half donkey and partially human? The donkey creature wove its way out of the bushes and now stood a few feet away from the two.
“LILA. GET UP AND-” Ana was interrupted as the animal reared back and let out a huge snort. It began giving chase.
“AND RUN!!!!” Lila finish the sentence for her and started running. They were almost out of earshot until when the creature bellowed in perfect english, “And stay out!”