CEMETERY chapter 1 TRAILS Jared’s Journal December 8 Did you ever hear the story about a guy who gives a ride to a hitchhiker outside a cemetery The rider says her name is Julie and mumbles her address When he gets to her house the girl has vanished 6
An old woman answers the driver’s knock She says Julie was her daughter Julie drowned years ago and is buried in that cemetery My story is like that one But it’s scarier because it’s really happening Jared sat on a stone wall waiting for his mom She’d talked him into trying indoor soccer at the rec center He was glad it was over The other players were too serious No fun Headlights cut down the street Mom pulled up How did it go 7
Jared shrugged Okay I guess Mom backed up the car She pulled around the church next to the center Where are you going Jared asked It’ll be quicker to drive through the cemetery Mom replied It’s closed at night Is it Mom turned off the headlights She drove across a corner of the lawn Hilltop Cemetery is heavily forested A narrow road connects it to Woodland Cemetery Jared lives on the other side of Woodland 8
Mom put the parking lights on She slowly rolled down the hill braking hard every few feet The moon was up and it provided a bit of light Why not use the full headlights Jared asked What’s the harm of driving through the cemetery after dark Who would care Mom ignored his questions Did learn anything she asked you About soccer Some I guess he said The gym is really small so we couldn’t kick very hard 9
