In Another Life

121

We all just looked out the windows, and watched the random graves pop up out of the darkness. "Actually, this is fucking scary," Sam said, his voice hushed. "Yeah," Colby agreed, absentmindedly. "It'll be fun. Don't be wusses," I replied, trying to keep the tremor from my own voice. Denise was being super quiet, probably rethinking her decision on going with us. "I could be sitting in the room watching Grey's Anatomy or some other dramatic bullshit, but noooo. You fools have me out here in a fucking graveyard, in total darkness, waiting to be eaten by some ghoul or something!" Denise finally exclaimed as Sam pulled the car into a small grass parking area. "Ghouls eat dead bodies," I told her, keeping my voice quiet, but it somehow seemed to reverberate off the walls of the car in the silence that followed once Sam cut the engine. She huffed at me while giving me a "fuck off" look. "Well, I'm sure they won't have a problem with killing us first." I rolled my eyes at her and opened the car door. The rest followed suit and we all climbed out of the car. The trees were overhanging, thick moss trailing down from their limbs, like cloaks trying to hide the graves that they protected. "This is so fucking creepy brooo," Corey said, bouncing on the balls of his feet, standing next to Denise. "Looks cool though," Jake replied, taking his phone out and snapping a few pictures. I had to agree...with both of them. It was creepy as hell, but my hands itched to take the camera out of Colby's hand that he had just gotten out of the trunk and start snapping pictures. This was amazing. I took the flashlight that Colby offered me, and turned it on, shining the bright light around the place. There were a couple of white marbleized granite arches, with rose bushes winding around them Beautiful to look at, but painful to touch, with the thorns being almost invisible in the dark. Ferns were placed sporadically throughout the graves, barely brushing them like fingertips trying to caress the smooth surfaces. There was a concrete path leading through the graves, so we all started walking towards it, not speaking. I couldn't stop myself from sighing over how beautiful everything was. There was an air of sadness in the air, that pressed heavily on my chest, but a beautiful sadness. I felt like I had just finished a really good book or movie, that had made me cry uncontrollably, playing with my emotions, not ending the way I would have imagined, but still giving me a sense of closure with it. The wind wailed through the trees again, sending chills down my spine. Colby must have noticed me shivering, so he placed his hand on my arm to stop me from walking. "Here, hold this," he replied, handing me his camera. I took it, then watched him shrug his leather jacket off of his shoulders, then hold his hand back out for his camera. I handed him his camera, then took the jacket that he offered. "I'm not cold," I replied, trying to hold the jacket back out to him. "Just spooked out, I think." He shrugged and ignored my hand that was holding the jacket out. "Just put it on T. Ease my mind," he replied, giving me a half grin. I smiled back, and slipped my arms into the slighty too big jacket. I wasn't lying, I really wasn't cold. But the warmth of the jacket, and Colby's scent enveloping me was something that I was glad that I had accepted. It made me feel more comfortable. I inhaled deeply, as I put the jacket on, taking in the fresh scent mixed with the leather, that could only be described as Colby. "We better hurry and catch up. They left us," he replied, nodding towards the others. It was so dark that I could barely even seen them, just the light from Sam and Corey's flashlights shining in the distance. "Well that was nice of them," I said sarcastically. He laughed, and fixed his camera, getting it ready to film. We half jogged, catching up with everyone else, just as they reached a wrought iron overhanging that read "Bonaventure Cemetery." It was covered with the same moss as the trees, hanging down over it so that it was almost impossible to read what the welded iron said. Colby filmed a little while Sam told us some of the cemetery's history. "Savannah's Bonaventure Cemetery is one of the most beautiful cemeteries in North America and it was made famous when it was featured in the well-known murder mystery novel 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil'." My eyebrows shot up. "Actually?" I asked in surprise. "Shhh" Colby said, nudging me with his free arm, then motioning towards the camera that had the bright light shining on Sam's face. I covered my mouth. "Oops," I whispered. I forgot that Denise and I were supposed to not be here. "This isn't going to work," Sam stated, dropping his hands down by his side. Colby stopped filming and lowered the camera. "What isn't?" "This," Sam replied, motioning towards Denise and I. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to talk," I said defensively. "I was just surprised, because I've read that book. I didn't know this was the cemetery that they described. Makes sense now that I've seen it though." I glanced around, shining my light at the graves surrounding us. Was that a shadow...? No...well, yes, but it was probably just made from my light bouncing off of the different surfaces. It wasn't really some shadow person jumping behind a gravestone to hide. My imagination was starting to get to me. "No, that's fine," Sam said, shaking his head.