Headlights

I stood on the sidewalk in the darkness, the only lights coming from the flickering streetlamps and the flashing police lights. This suicide was the 3rd this month. People would just be on the bridge at one moment and the next they would be at the bottom of the ocean. I thought it was pretty strange for three people to die the exact same way, but no one else seemed to think anything of it. My mother called me over to the car and I started over to her. I put my hands in my jacket and sat down in the backseat as she drove away to our house.

It was a quiet car ride as I stared out into the dark. Something was up with the car crashes, I could feel it. My mother pulled up into the driveway and I hopped out of the car with her and we walked inside.

I walked up the stairs and into the hallway to my room. I stopped at my door, looking at the one next to it. No one had gone in that room for months. It used to belong to my twelve year old sister, Caroline. She committed suicide only three months ago. I quickly opened my door, walking away from memories.

Sitting down on my bed and checking the time, it was about time for me to go to sleep. I changed quickly, lying down on my bed and closing my eyes.

I opened my eyes again, but I was not confronted by the warmth of my bed. I was standing on the side of the bridge, staring down at the raging waters below. Wind blew my hair from my face as I squinted into the darkness to see something standing there. It was a girl.

She had long black hair and was in a white night gown. She resembled my sister with her dark hair. She stood on the edge, staring out into the sky. She looked over at me and I stood in shock as she jumped off the bridge and into the water.

I ran over to the side, looking down at the water which was no longer a dark blue, but a crimson red. I backed up into the street, my mouth hanging open. Turning my head to the side, I saw the head lights of a car come my way. Before I could move, the car struck my side, sending me into darkness.

I shot up out of bed, sweat running down my forehead. I looked down at my bed. I had an orange coat in my arms. Confused, I sat up and put the jacket down on my desk. I walked into the hall, again stopping at my sisters door. I put my hand on the knob and walked inside. My eyes went wide and I fell dizzy as I looked at the wooden floor. Bloody handprints ran from the bed to the window. I put my hand to my mouth and managed to choke out words.

"M-Mom!" I yelled, tears running down my face. My mother came to the room, stopping at the door.

"Isabella? What's wrong?" She asked me, staring out into the bedroom.

"Look.." I say, falling to my knees.

"I don't see anything." She helped me up from the floor.

"It's there.." I said, fighting back oncoming tears.

"What is? What's there?" She looked at me, a worried look on her face.

"Caroline's blood.. It's all over the floor." I said, swallowing.

She felt my forehead.

"I think you need to go back to bed."

I screamed out, tears running down my cheeks. I frantically tried to get to the room again. My mother dragged me back into my room, setting me down on the bed.

"Isabella, Bella." She said. "Look at me." I looked into her brown eyes.

"W-What..?"

"I know her death was hard on you. But I think it's been too hard. Please, Bella." She told me to stay in the room. I sat in the corner as she left the room. My eyes wandered around the room, coming to a rest on the orange coat.

It had blood stains covering it. I crawled over the the jacket, holding it in my arms. It was covered in crimson. I heard my mother walking down the hall, as I panicked and hid the jacket under my bed.

"Bella, Come with me, Okay?" My mother grabbed my hand and pulled me downstairs and into the car.

My mother took me to therapy. I repeated to myself as I sat on a chair in my room. It was about two in the morning, and I needed sleep. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't close my eyes for longer than a minute.

After a while, I did fall asleep. Right back into the dreaded dream.

She was standing there, on the bridge. Her long black hair being blown from all the wind. Looking down, I had the orange coat in my hands. She again, looked over at me. I cringed as she did. Her stare seemed to look into my soul. She looked back at the water, and jumped down.

I knew not again to back into the streets. I merely stayed where I was. I didn't look at the water, I didn't do anything but stand still. I felt my legs get numb and I hit the ground, coughing. I gasped for air as I choked. I was coughing up blood. I felt dizzy before falling over, back awake.

Sitting up, I took a deep breath in. I peeked under my bed. The coat was still there, and so were the blood stains. I was about to leave the room before I felt something under my foot. Looking down, It was a small picture of a girl on a bridge. She was in an orange coat, with a white gown on.

This girl was in my dreams.

I looked at the time, which shocked me entirely. It was only 5. Meaning I had to sleep again.

It took me awhile before I could drift off into the horrors.

I had her orange coat and the old photo graph in my hands. She looked at me again. I walked closer to her until I was about five feet away. She stared at me for a while.

I held out my hand to her, to tell her she didn't need to jump. Her eyes went white and her mouth opened, spilling water onto the pavement. I backed up, the water continuously flowing from her mouth. I was utterly terrified. Dropping the coat and the picture, I ran from her. I ran until my lungs burned and my legs ached. Looking down, I was again in the road. I quickly turned around before the car struck me, sending me awake.

I opened my eyes to the sound of dripping. I stood up, my foot a puddle of water. Looking down, was the orange coat. Covered in blood and sopping wet. On the side, was the photo.

That's when it all came to me. The girl in my dreams. I knew her. Caroline.

It was her orange coat. Her white nightgown. She committed suicide on that bridge. And for some reason she wanted to take me with her.

I ran out into the hallway, past my sisters room and over to my mothers. I knocked on the door.

"Mom! Mom!" I called.

I swung the door open, finding she wasn't inside. I ran down the stairs, calling out her name.

She wasn't home. Which meant I was alone.

I completely panicked. Running outside, I screamed out for help. I was terrified to be alone with her.

She was in my mind. She was torturing me. She was taking me over. And I couldn't take it anymore.

I didn't see the car coming. All I saw were the headlights.