Chapters five and six

Chapter Five

All around me, all around my feet were head stones. Old, old headstones with names dating back 150, no 200 years. I can see how young these people were when they died, and how they died. There are a lot of children. Why cant I see this from the other side of the gate. No matter where I turn there are headstones. Now I realize, I cant see the gate. I want to call Jackson, to cry for help to get me out of here, but I have no cell phone on me. I find myself crying out loud, as loud as I can, screaming Jackson’s name. Where is my cell phone, I never leave the house without it. It should be in my purse. Oh My God, where is my purse. It was on my shoulder. Where did it go?

What is wrong? What happened to me. I am going to have to find the gate. I have to find it. If I just keep looking, I have to find it. I haven’t been in here that long. I just wanted to see why these strange things were happening every day. Walk, June! Walk forward! Don’t look back. The old tilting headstones are everywhere. I am trying to step aside of the actual grave, but they are so close. Keep walking, keep walking.

I can see a path where is looks like footprints. If I follow those back the other way, maybe I can find the gate. Follow the path, breath, relax. I cant get out of here if I panic. I am going to follow the grass that has been knocked down. It really looks like someone has walked here. Why cant I see the gate. I haven’t been in here that long.

I remember looking through the gates from the sidewalk, all I could see was tall dried grass. It looked like a large field of dried weeds and grass. I had seen it a lot, and it never looked like this. I am starting to feel tired. I feel like I have been stepping over these headstones for hours. I am so tired. I have to sit down and rest for a minute, I cant keep going like this. I’m just going to close my eyes for a minute.

When I woke up, I was sitting at the gate, with my purse and my cell phone in my hand. It was late at night, and dark. I could still feel the wind blowing on me, and the sound of the braches blowing from the tree. I checked the time on my phone, it was 11:45P.M. on Thursday. When I left work, it was Wednesday. I was scared, how did I get to this spot and why don’t I remember anything. I have been inside this gate for over 24 hours and I don’t remember anything but walking around headstones. Now I look around, and all I see is the tall dried grass and weeds. Not one headstone, not one grave.

I stood to walk and almost fell again. My legs were weak and now I could hear my stomach growling, I was hungry. What else could go wrong. I just stood there, gaining my balance and trying to walk. I stepped down and stepped on a piece of rusted metal. It was the little sign that had fallen off so many years ago. Where were my shoes? I had my shoes on when I walked in here. Now I am standing here, with a cut from a rusted sign, no shoes and I don’t remember a thing from the last 24 hours.

June, compose yourself, stand up and walk/limp home. Your not that far. I’m not going to go back into this field and try to find my shoes. I don’t care now what may have happened to them, I just want to go home. One more time I turn and try to leave the field behind this gate. As I opened the gate and looked around to see if anyone was walking the street at this late hour, I saw my shoes sitting there on the sidewalk. How did my shoes get here, why would I leave my shoes and walk into this field.

I am so confused. All I want right now is to go home, clean my foot and get to bed. I will call Jackson in the morning. I don’t know if he has tried to call me, if he is wondering why I haven’t returned his call, I don’t know anything right now. Just walk June. Walk home and get to bed. I will call in to work tomorrow, take some time off, and try to figure out what is going on with me.

Chapter Six

I limped home with my shoes, purse and cell phone in my hand. I didn’t want to let go of my cell phone, I was afraid I would not be able to grab it if I needed it on my way home. I don’t trust anything any more. I don’t even know if what I am doing right now is real. I will just get home as fast as I can and lock myself behind my door. I feel safe there.

As I am walking home, I keep getting the feeling that I am being followed, or watched. I keep turning around to see if there is anyone there, but I know the streets are empty at this time. I am alone. Keep walking. One more turn and half a block and your home. Oh why don’t I just drive to work. I think I may have to change the way I commute. This will be the end of me. When I get home, I am going to call Jackson and then Laura, my best friend. I know they are asleep, but I need to talk. I need to now I am ok. I may even just go over to Laura’s and spend the night there. I wish my mind would just stop thinking for a while. I want to sleep with no dreams. I want…………..

I turned the corner at this time. There were police, ambulance, and people all over. They were in front of my little condo. Did something happen to the Andersons? Are they OK? Yes, I see them standing there. Why are all these people in front of my building? As I get closer, I see Jackson’s car parked across the street. This is so strange. There is Laura. Why is she there. I called out to both of them, and that is when it happened.

They turned. Every one of them. And it was silent. Jackson and Laura came at me in a sort of run. I was stopped. I just stood there while Jackson and Laura ran up to me. They were both saying something as they ran, I could hear Laura sobbing. Why was she crying like that. Laura never cries. Not even when her Grandparents were killed. Why is she crying? And what is that Jackson is saying. I can hear the sounds of their voices, but I really don’t know what they are saying.

Are they talking to me, or about me. Are they even here right now? I am going to keep walking to my apartment. They will have to go with me, I am so tired. All I can think of getting to bed. Take a shower and get to bed. I just know if I sleep, I will be able to understand what is happening to me right now. I think Jackson and Laura are walking with me. Its not that many more steps to my apartment. I feel someone take my hand and lay me down. I hear a siren speeding by. Is this my bed? I haven’t taken a shower yet. I want to take a shower. Why cant I talk. I am just so tired.