The Shadow Lady

                 Cassie ran through the woods calling her children’s names. “GRACE! MICHAEL!” She shouted. Her husband had recently… passed away. They were at his burial, when Cassie looked over and realized her children were not next to her. Cassie looked over and saw the ribbon Grace was wearing in her hair lying on the ground next to the forest. Cassie immediately ran after them.

                 She ran through the woods as fast as she called their names. “GRACE! MICHAEL!” Tears ran down her cheeks. Cassie stopped in her tracks. She couldn’t run any further. The lake was blocking her way. She knew they couldn’t swim across.

                 They must have gone another direction. She thought to herself. Then, she saw it. One of Michael’s shoes was floating in the middle of the lake. Cassie dived into the lake. She swam as fast as she possibly could have. She had already lost her husband… she can’t lose her children as well. She swam to the middle of the lake and grabbed Michael’s shoe. At that point something grabbed her leg. She screamed as she was pulled to the bottom of the lake. She kicked, she punched, she thrashed around. She tried to swim to the top. Then all of a sudden… all movement stopped.









                 Leo wandered through the woods, feeling lost and hopeless. He needed to find his way back home in time for dinner. It seemed as if he were wandering around in a circle. He passes the same tree… the same puddle… over and over again. He wandered around for what seemed hours. The sun was beginning to set. He stopped… he heard something… it sounded like… crying. He went deeper and deeper into the woods and the crying got louder and louder. The crying got very loud. He found a lake. There was a woman sitting at the edge of the lake, crying loudly. She was unbelievably pale. Her black, curly hair cascaded down her back. She was dressed as if she had just been to a funeral. Leo walked over to the moment and put his hand on her shoulder. She was cold to the touch.

                 “Excuse me, ma’am,” He said. “But is there something I can help you with?” The woman slowly turned around. She had blood red eyes.

                 “Michael? I’ve found you.” She put her arms around the boy. The woman picked him up. “Come on. Let’s go home.”

                 Leo tried to explain to her that she must have mistaken him for someone else. She didn’t listen, and began carrying him towards the lake. He tried to escape her grip, but she wouldn’t let go. He tried to scream as they got deeper into the water.



                 A few weeks later the body of Leo Thomas was found at the bottom of the lake, along with the bodies of 6 other boys and 9 girls.