Into the Light

114

My headlights were barely permeating the darkness. "I don't know, but what else could it have been. I feel fine now." "Doesn't matter. We're past it. Now, let's find this funeral. What are we looking for?" Sam asked. "A cabin," I replied, remembering what Ash had told me. "And we should see a fire." "A fire?" Katrina asked, cocking her eyebrow. I caught her eye in the mirror and nodded. "Very witchy," Sam murmured, staring out the windshield at the dark road. "The GPS just went out," Anna said. I glanced at my phone and, yep, it was out. "We lost signal," I groaned. "We should almost be there though, right? How much longer did we have to go before we got there?" Sam asked. I shrugged. "I don't know. I wasn't looking at the minutes, Sam." "WATCH OUT!" Anna screamed from the backseat. It sounded like she was right next to my ear, so much so, that my ear started ringing from the stress of it. I slammed on the breaks, causing everyone's seatbelt to lock up. "What the FUCK, Anna?!" Kat yelled, rubbing her hand over where the seat belt had bruised her. Anna looked at her, confused. "What do you mean? Right there! Colby almost hit that woman!" She pointed through the windshield. I looked out the window, staring hard into the darkness. "Anna, I don't see anyone," I replied, keeping my voice low. She groaned loudly. "Uuughh, she's RIGHT there!" she exclaimed, pointing forcefully to the front of the car. "How do you not see her? She's wearing a bright red jacket for God's sake!" I exchanged a glance with Sam, as I finally understood what was happening. "Anna, there's no one there," Katrina said, almost whimpering, as she peered over Sam's shoulder. "Yes, there is!" Anna exclaimed, shaking her head and leaning forwards, in between the seats. "Oh...wait..I see," she said, lowering her voice. "We have to walk from here." "Huh?" Sam asked in surprise, turning to look at her. "That's what she's telling me. We have to park in the that little area right there, then walk until we get to the others," she replied. Kat's eyes turned to her, wide with fear. "What are you talking about, Anna? I told you, there isn't anyone there! Are you okay? Guys, is she okay? What do we do?" She was starting to freak out. "It's okay," I sighed. "Anna can see ghosts now. We don't know why. It just is. That's what this is, isn't it?" I caught her eye in the mirror and she nodded. "Right then," I said, then turned my car towards the grassy knoll that she had pointed out. I parked and we got out of the car in silence. I hit the locks and turned to help Anna out of the car, but she was already standing next to it. I held my hand out to her and she sent me a quick smile, before staring off into the night again. She started walking, leading us to where we needed to go. "I'm sorry, did he say that you can see ghosts now? Or did I imagine that?" Katrina asked. Her voice was shaking just a bit. "How is that possible?" I started to answer for Anna, but she took care of it herself. "That's what he said. I can, but I don't know how. How was I a ghost, but I wasn't really dead? How have I not aged a day since the I was put into a coma? How did you guys see me, when I was a ghost? I have no idea, and I'm not sure that I'm okay with it, but I don't have a choice in the matter." Katrina didn't say anything in return so, we just kept walking. The path that we were on, wasn't really much of a path. It was overgrown, with brambles and low hanging trees. I felt like I managed to get swatted in the face with every step. "Hold on," I said, stopping and pulling out my phone. I turned on the flashlight, just in time to hear Sam. "Ouch! Shit," Sam exclaimed. I looked back and saw him wiping blood from his arm. "You good?" I asked. He nodded. "Yeah, stupid fucking thorn bushes got me. It's fine." It felt like we walked forever, stepping over stumps of old trees, while we ducked and dodged around everything else. "How much further?" I asked, breathing a little harder than normally. I hadn't been hiking in a while and it was really starting to show. "Just a little further," Anna replied, after a minute. "It's through those trees right there." She pointed up ahead and my eyes followed her finger. Amidst the close knit trees, leaves, and bushes, sat an opening with only two large trees inside of it. It was like they were sitting in the middle of a circle. I noticed that the circle of grass was flat, with no other life, besides those two trees, within it. It almost looked like the grass itself had been charred. "Weird," I muttered. "Hold on," I said, when a bad thought hit me. I stopped suddenly, accidently yanking Anna back with me. "Oof," she breathed out, when she slammed into my chest. "I'm sorry," I said, as I made sure she had her footing. "Are you okay?" She stood straight and shoved her hair back from her face. "I'm fine, but why did you stop?" Sam and Kat stopped right behind us. "Well, um," I stammered, looking over to where I thought the ghost woman might have been. "What if this is a trap?" "It's not," she replied, instantly. "How do you know that?" I asked, really wanting to understand how she could be so damn sure. She looked over her shoulder and smiled, then shook her head. "Anna?" I said impatiently, drawing her attention back to me. "Sorry," she replied, bashfully. "I know it's not because Ash sent her. I dragged a hand through my hair, messing it up, and sighed. "But, HOW do you know that?" I asked, again. She raised one eyebrow and held my gaze. "Can you see her?" she asked. "Can any of you see her?" I shook my head and looked back at Sam and Kat. They both shook their heads. "Because, she isn't powerful enough to make you see her. She's a new spirit. She doesn't know how to do it yet. She also called me by 'Dream Walker.' The Darkness doesn't know that about me."