Here is one of the winners of the 2013 Scary Story Contest organized by Coquitlam and Port Moody public libraries and sponsored by The Tri-City News.
1ST PLACE 11-14 YEARS
Scream
By Elle McCleave, 14, Coquitlam
Thump, thump, thump, the sound of my sneakers striking on the pavement thundered in my ears. The cold autumn air nipped at my nose and I shivered, burrowing my hands in my pockets. It was late and way past my curfew, but I couldn't move any faster.
Up ahead, I noticed the large iron gates of the cemetery, looming tall under the light of the full moon. As I approached the graveyard, my feet slowed to a stop. I grasped two of the iron bars in my hands and peered through at the sepulchral monuments.
If I cut through here I could make it back home in half the time, I thought to myself, my eyes adjusting in the dim lighting. I slowly moved the gate forward, expecting it to rattle loudly as the chain lock prevented me from pushing it open further, but the only sound was the breath of the wind and the quiet squeaking of the rusty old gate scraping over the pavement.
The wind picked up, sending chills down my spine. The atmosphere of the cemetery had always been unnerving, but in the dark of night the feeling was even more off-putting. Fear began to crawl up my spine as I shuffled forward, my feet barely leaving the ground as I moved. I kept my eyes down, the tombstones passing quickly by on my left and right side. A crow squawked nearby, causing me to jump in my own skin and freeze.
As I stood still, I noticed a shadow in the moonlight before me. A beautiful humming slipped into my mind like a lullaby. Lulled in by the melody, I felt my eyes growing tired as I raised my head to meet the eyes of my new companion. My gaze trailed over their bare feet and legs; pale and delicate, glowing in the moonlight like a clean sheet of paper. Whoever stood before me wore a white nightgown that danced just above their skinny ankles. Their arms were outstretched towards me, their long, slender fingers reaching for me, grasping the air as though I stood in its place. I stared at their throat, a lump forming in mine as I hesitated to look further. As though being forced to, my gaze locked with their fathomless black eyes. An eerie smile played on her lips and her long blonde, almost white hair flowed in the wind with an astonishing beauty. Her song's volume increased sharply once our eyes met and her smile widened to reveal sharp teeth; the teeth of a vicious beast.
Suddenly her face contorted and a shrill scream filled my head. She flung herself at me, hands closing around my neck and fangs sinking into the flesh of my cheek. Within seconds everything went black and the shrieking died away as I lay on the ground, the life draining from my limp body.
