Mrs. McKnight

“Come on Cheryl stop being a baby.”

“I’m not. I just think we shouldn’t be in here.”

“Why not?”

“Karlie, we just broke into someone’s house.”

“No, we didn’t. we broke into Mrs. McKnight’s house. You know I hate her, she failed me.”

“You deserved it.”

“Are you coming or not?”

“No. we should go! I whispered but Karlie wasn’t having any of it. she shoved me back towards the fence and motioned with her head. I stumble a few feet and stood in the flowers of Mrs. McKnight’s small garden. Karlie rolled her eyes before she hoisted herself half way through the opening in the window.

“Just go, I’m going in.”

“Karlie don’t.”

Cheryl watched as Karlie climbed through the window. As she was halfway through, she heard Karlie gasp before being pulled quickly inside the window.

“Karlie, Karlie.”

Cheryl but her lip before she ran to the window. She couldn’t see within as the room was covered in darkness. All she heard as her brown eyes tried to adjust to the darkness of the room was something being dragged across the floor. The window slammed shut before her. Blocking anything from her view. Before Cheryl could beat her fist against the glass. A hand pressed itself against the glass. Backing away her horror filled eyes watched as the hand slid down the glass. Shaking her head, she backed away before she turned and ran. Cheryl ran through the quiet town street. She was searching for some help. She had to save Karlie, she just hoped that there was someone up that could help her. The town of Charleston shut down early on a Wednesday night.

Frantically her eyes search the various closed doors hoping for any signs of life. Finding none she ran further. Not paying attention she had run in a complete circle. Cheryl stopped to catch her breath and ran her hand across her forehead. Her ragged breathes puffed out in the cool night as she gulped down air. “Who?” she whispered, who could she go to? It made no sense to go to the closed building as she decided the best thing was to run to the sheriff office. Cheryl took a few more deep breathes and took off again. Her medium brown legs pumped as fast she they could carry her. She was almost to the building, when she felt as if someone was following her. Looking over her shoulder she tripped and fell face first to the ground.

Laying there for several seconds, she let out an ear-piercing scream. The touch from the hand on her arm caused her response.

“Are you alright miss?”

“Yes, yes I just tripped.”

Cheryl took the extended hand as she rose from the ground. she hadn’t paid attention to the person helping her. Her breath caught in her throat when she raised her eyes to see that it was Mrs. McKnight that had helped her. Cheryl gasped as a white powdery substance was blown n her face.

Cheryl slowly opened her eyes and looked around the room she was in. blurred figures sat quietly before her. As her eyes came into focus, she recognized the familiar face. Karlie stared blankly at her as well as several of her classmates.

“Karlie?”

“She won’t be able to answer you.”

Cheryl head swung around at the sound of her voice. Mrs. McKnight stood a few feet away holding a cup out to her. You fell out dear.

“They… are they?”

“No dear, but they will be.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Since you didn’t break into here I will tell you. They deserved it. They all wanted to prey on me. You see I failed all of them including you. But you were the only one that didn’t harbor any ill will against me. I heard you telling Karlie that what she was doing was wrong.”

“I… yes.”

“I failed you because you guys didn’t do the work. And now they won’t have to. They will remain her with me, until set them free.”

“What are you.”

“Let me show you.”

Cheryl eyes widened as she screamed as Mrs. McKnight skin peeled away from her face. Blood and skeletal bone remained. Just like the other she fell to the floor frozen in fright.