So, there’s this thing-I feel like I need to say something about it now, since it’s happened more than once now. At first I just chocked it up to my imagination–a couple long, stressful, or particularly tiring nights at work. But for four nights now, I’ve seen it.

The first time, I was angry. Still thinking about the rough day, and the news of where I was going to be moved too, I was really annoyed. I was listening to my music like I always do in the car, I’m sure it was either some P!nk song or Kelly Clarkson or something. The song doesn’t matter. I was listening but not singing along like I usually do, because I was upset and distracted. But for some reason, I looked over as I pulled off the main road into Slick Rock. See, there’s this big bottom to the right as you pull in slick rock, just small trees and brambles and bushes. I rarely glance over there at night, nothing to see, really. 

But this time I saw something. It was just a glance because I was driving and distracted by my anger, but it was there. A dark form, distinct from the rest of the night shadows. It was faintly illuminated by a nightlight across the road. I drove by without thinking at first, but then my mind wandered back to it. “Huh,” I’d thought. It was on my mind when I pulled in my driveway a minute later. I sat in my car after I turned it off, letting the song finish. “Huh”, I thought again. My mind was just playing tricks on me. Probably. 

And like every other night I forgot about what I was thinking when I came in the house and knew I’d get to look in on my Sunshine. Later that night I just went to bed and never spared it another thought. 

The next night I worked (I was off the night before) was my first night in my new department. It was ROUGH. I had the migraine and was an hour late getting off work because I was trying to get as much done as I could because I was afraid of getting in trouble. I was tired and sore and emotional. I was driving home, about to pull in Slick Rock, and I remembered. The reminder made me glance into the bottom, and there it was. Now, I’ll admit, I was crying at the time because my head was aching like no other so my eyes were blurry and I was a little dizzy from the pain, but I saw it again. And since I’d slowed, I got a better look. 

It was very obvious a human shape. 

Surprised and honestly a little freaked out, I drove on speeding up a little. I glanced in my review mirror, but saw nothing in the red-glow of my tail lights. 

I continued on to pull in my driveway, shaking my head-as much as I could with a migraine still brewing-and there in my way lay our cat, Oliver. Lazy thing has a habit of blocking my entrance. I whipped out my phone and snapped a picture of the goofball and sent it to Chris with the caption “he’s your cat when he does this”. I grinned and thought jokingly one day I’m gonna be so tired I’ll just run him over. 

Id momentarily forgotten about the thing when I went in the house. I ate, took some ibuprofen for my migraine, crawled in bed and was moments from dozing off when a flash of what I’d seen slapped it’s way into my still aching mind. I tossed and turned for what felt like hours before Serenity woke up for a bottle. My sunshine distracted me and I fed her and we cuddled until she was asleep and I was dozing off in the chair. 

The next morning I woke up to Serenity’s babbling through the monitor, and caught myself thinking of the dark figure in the night. “I was stressed and tired and sick and emotional both times. It was just my overactive distressed mind playing tricks on me.” I thought. 

Work that day was okay. Better than I’d expected. I’d expected another awful day. But even though I was moved twice, I had a decent day, even in spite of rushing there at the last. 

On my way home I rocked out to my iPod, embarrassingly so, as usual, and was thinking of nothing but cuddles with Serenity. I passed the bottom and glanced toward it with no thought in my head but my baby girl, and there it stood. I could make out a head and shoulder shape. And it was tall. And closer than before. I

 hit the gas a little harder than I should have and sped down slick rock faster than was safe. I got to the house, hoped out of the car and ran quickly to the door. 

I got inside the house and breathed a sigh of relief. Hubby happened to be sitting in the couch, because baby girl was fighting sleep a bit, and he looked at me funny. “Just glad to be home,” I said, kind of breathlessly. “Hi pretty baby!” I said cheerily to sunshine. She grinned a big sleepy grin and I pushed the figure to the back of my mind. 

And tonight. 

Tonight was the worst of all. 

Tonight I came off the hill, intentionally keeping eyes forward, singing along to Creed’s “Higher” focusing in the distant driveway. I successfully passed the bottom and whatever it entailed. But I made a mistake. 

I looked in my rear view mirror. 

In the eerie red glow of my tail lights there it stood. Massively tall and still dark, with only shining orbs where eyes should be glowing a brighter red than my tail lights could muster. 
THE END.