Scary Stories to Chill Your Bones

Country Girl

Catherine Beverly, a twenty-two year-old who had just graduated college, would definitely define herself as a country girl. She had grown up in downtown Houston, and had absolutely hated the big city. It was too bright and noisy, and there were way too many people crammed into such a small space. That's why she was so happy to have graduated college and have a big, roomy country house in Huntsville all to herself and her two dogs.

Catherine breathed in a breath of the clean, crisp air. The air in the city had always reeked of car exhaust and liquor. It was a warm, sunny day. Catherine loved the feeling of the sun on her back as she walked around her yard. Summer was upon her, and she couldn't be happier.

"Woof, woof!" Catherine's border collie, Russell, barked at her in the middle of the night, jolting her out of bed. Catherine shrieked, and was glad that no one was around to hear her.

Several months had passed since Catherine had moved into her house, and though the days were still warm, the night air was cooler. As the temperatures dropped, Catherine couldn't help but feel like something was watching her. As she was cooking the day before, she could have sworn she heard someone knock on the door, but no one was there. She told herself it was the wind, but she wasn't sure. "What is it, Russell?" Catherine asked her dog, slowly standing up.

Russell just barked, jumping up and down repeatedly. "Okay, okay," Catherine said. "I'll follow you."

Russell ran out of Catherine's room to the front door, barking loudly. Catherine unlocked the door, and Russell raced out into the cool, night air. Catherine followed, still half asleep.

Russell ran to the edge of the woods lining Catherine's property and stopped, looking at her eagerly. She ran to catch up with him, her thick, brown curls bouncing against her back.

"Russell, what do you-" she started to say, but stopped when she saw what Russell had led her to.

Catherine gasped. Hanging from one of the trees was a note that. Heart pounding, she took the note off of the tree and read it. It said: I've been here since before you came. In fact, I'm right behind you.

Her heart in her throat, Catherine slowly turned around, and saw a tall man dressed all in black. He smiled and said, "Well, hello there, sweetie."

Catherine slowly backed up until her back was against the tree. She heard blood rushing in her ears and felt her pulse quickening. Without any warning, she bolted into the woods, sprinting faster than she ever had before. Another set of pounding footsteps told her that the man was following her. "Come back here!" He shouted. "I want to give you a present!"

Catherine didn't think about anything else, she just ran and ran until her lungs were burning and she couldn't breathe. Her pace was slowed, but still the man pursued her.

After what seemed like a lifetime of running, Catherine found a cave, and slipped into it. She sprinted along the cave floor until it was too dark to see, and then kept running. Her feet met the ground so hard and fast that her toes burned, but she kept running, kept sprinting, for her life.

Suddenly, Catherine felt herself step off a ledge, and was falling into emptiness. Her screams filled the cave, but she still heard the man cackle into the night.

"Help!" Catherine screamed, her shrill voice echoing off the ground, before it was upon her.