Katherine Marone
A Night To Run Away
"This is my story A Night To Run Away, this was a ghost story written for my English class."
The clock struck midnight, bells tolling in the distance.
Finally, it was time. I took a small breath, goodbye sleepy winter nights, goodbye boring farm work. But where was Charlie? My labored breath puffed out white in the cold air. I stepped back the long dead leaves crunching under my feet. I looked around the woods slowly, the barren trees providing little cover. I heard a soft rustle turning.
“I thought you weren’t coming.” was my bare whisper as the clouds slowly rolled back. The moonlight filtered down as startling blue eyes met my own hazel. I shook before I whispered. “You’re not Charlie.” A dangerous grin spread over the man’s face, pitch-black hair sticking to his forehead with sweat. He towered at least five inches over my own height.
“No, I’m not.” That was the last thing I heard as a sudden fire erupted in the back of my head and I slumped, the forest dissolving around me.
When I awoke, my vision was fuzzy. I started to move cringing as rough ropes dug into my arms and legs. A small whimper escaped my lips.
“Michele?” a young man’s voice called into the darkness.
“Charlie?” He was whispering a small thank you.
I heard his small groans and the sawing sound of a fraying rope. A few minutes later a pop sounded.
“Finally!” I heard ropes hitting the floor followed by his body’s weight hitting the floor on his toes. As he walked closer light streamed on about us slipping through the loose floorboards above us. I cringed at the suddenness looking around. My sight adjusted looking around what now appeared to be an old cellar. Dusty jars lined the walls. I looked up feeling the pressure removed from my wrists as Charlie finished untying me. I clung to him as we heard the creak of footsteps on the floor above. He pressed his finger against his lip slowly leading me towards the stairs.
As we drew closer the slow creek of the door sounded. Charlie stopped pulling me behind him staying in the shadows. I saw the man from before walk down.
“My little Maria… My Angel, you can’t leave me, my child.”
His strained and rough voice barked out. I heard Charlie whisper in my ear.
“Let’s go.” We snuck up the stairs hearing the man call suddenly.
“Maria?!” Charlie pulled me faster shutting the door to the cellar bracing it closed.
“Run, Michele!”
I heard the man’s voice again.
“Maria Laroe! Listen to your father!”
I turned as he now stood face twisted in anger.
“How?” I stumbled back pale faced.
“He’s a ghost! He thinks you are Maria!”
Charlie panted holding me to him protectively.
The man skulked closer.
“You… are not leaving me! You are not marrying him!”
Before I knew what was happening the man lunged. He and Charlie crashed to the ground the impact causing a chair to topple over into the fireplace. The wild flames licked up the dry wood eagerly, catching everything in its path. I watched as Charlie wrestled the man, each trying to gain the upper edge. Then suddenly Charlie was thrown to the ground. The man grabbed up the fire poker stabbing down barely catching the side of Charlie’s arm. He lifted it again, my eyes going wide as I realized its next destination was Charlie’s heart. So I did the only other thing I could do. “PAPA NO!” He stilled looking up turning and walking over towards me.
“Maria…” A sharp crack sounded as a rafter fell the woods ends glowing red with the flames. I looked down in shock as the beam was on the man’s legs. Why didn’t he phase like he had done with the door? Then I saw the poker stabbed through his stomach.
He struggled around it anchored in this world. I watched as the flames turned black around him, my face horror-struck watching this man, this ghost, burn alive.
“Michele!” I drug my eyes away as Charlie took my hand pulling me out of the burning house.
All the way out I heard the man’s pained screams. Begging his child to come back to him. We reached the lawn as the house collapsed, sparks burning against the night sky. We watched as the embers slowly died as the first rays of the sun crept over the horizon.
“Come with me, Michele.” Charlie whispered taking my hand.
I shook my head, tears in my eyes.
“I can’t, his daughter left him, and he was in so much pain. I can’t do that to my father, we can’t run away.”
“I know. I want to do this the right way, I want to ask your father for your hand.”
I looked up to his smiling face hugging him tightly.
“Grandma!” I looked down stopping.
“What is it, Claire?” She fidgeted looking up at me.
“Is this story true…?” I smiled gently down at her.
“Every word my dear, every word.”
28 comments
Nuria on 25 September, 2020
Great, love it!
Gracie on 23 August, 2020
AMAZING!! I got a bit confused at times and some things didn't make sense. Other than that, it was an absolutely brilliant story and you should keep writing!! Maybe you could write some more story's about Charlie and Michele, and make it into a trilogy or series?.
sophia on 21 August, 2020
such a good story! love it!!
The Curious Bookworm on 23 June, 2020
This was amazing. I hung onto every word. This could not be a better gohst story
Reihaneh on 30 May, 2020
I like it
Emily on 30 May, 2020
Such a great story, full of mystery and excitement. I’m eager to see more and find out if in the end Charlie and Michael really do get married xxx️
Kat Oakes on 13 April, 2020
That was amazing! I was a bit confused at times, but still really good.
Caitlin on 23 January, 2019
It was a bit confusing sometimes but other than that I thought that It was amazing!
Lily on 25 October, 2017
The plot moved a bit quickly but it was an excellent story!
Charlotte on 28 July, 2016
WOW! It was really scary but it was a bit hard to follow cause I wasn't really sure about some stuff eg. How old was Michele? Why did the man call her Maria? Who is Charlie? I still thought it was an AMAZING story line though!Livi on 29 May, 2016
Amazing........you too are one who I admire.#lolboy# on 22 May, 2016
Amazing storyJasmine on 18 May, 2016
awesome story!!! one of the best I've ever read, but a bit confusing at some times.Kitty Leung on 22 March, 2016
Cool! I love ghost stories, although this one was a bit hard to follow. You are really good!Miranda on 12 October, 2015
I like this story a lot. Some of the details you incorporated really brought it to life. I find horror quite hard to navigate but I like how you jumped right into the scares. Best wishes, MirandaDragon Lover on 20 April, 2015
LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ananya jain on 9 March, 2015
a very nice plot but a rather confusing tale.... but an amazing tryElla Rose on 6 November, 2014
Thats way better than I COULD EVER BE!!!!!!Pitbull on 26 September, 2014
Wonderful,Wonderful,Wonderful!!!!!!!!!Chloe on 3 July, 2014
Wow! I'm impressed... (And scared
Katie on 6 May, 2014
Great story, confusing at times.olol on 28 April, 2014
gooodtoinann on 25 April, 2014
this is coolMerry G. on 10 February, 2014
this story is really interesting and I will be happy to read it again and againNaomi on 10 December, 2013
This story was really good but I found it a bit confusing some of the time.Massie Blocks on 29 October, 2013
I was in a turmoil.......Miriam on 30 September, 2013
Hey! This is a very good story. But I was a bit confused. But it was really good. I liked it a lot!Alicia on 13 September, 2013
That is so good!