2001 Ghost Story Contest Winner

2001 HistoryWalker Ghost Story Contest Winner

The Stone by Regan

He was waiting.

He had been waiting for a very, very long time. Longer than he could remember. It was cold, very cold up here on the heath. There was no shelter from the wind. Or rain. The day was drawing to a close and the first fingers of the long dark night were creeping over the heath. He waited. Not long now.

She knew he would be there. He had said that he would be there. She waited till it was completely dark, till she knew that everyone would be asleep. She packed a few things in a bag; she wouldn't need much, some money, some food, and the necklace. The one he had given her. When he had made the promise. When he had said where he would be waiting for her. She smiled as she remembered. Wait by the stone he had said. We will start a new life, together, away from the knowing looks, away from the wagging tongues. She shouldered her bag, took one last look around the cottage, and slipped out. Into the night.

He was still. Waiting. It would be soon now. He could feel it. How many times had he waited? How many long days and nights had it been since... Too many, it felt like forever, perhaps it was. It was dark now. The wind howled around the heath and the rain lashed against his sides. He remembered, he remembered all that time ago, when he had come up here, onto the heath. It had been a night just like this one, he had been waiting then... But no he must not think of that. Soon the waiting would be over. Soon he would be free.

The force of the wind and rain hit her as she left the cottage. How fitting she thought, how fitting that she should be leaving on a night like this. She looked back at the cottage, her resolve weakening for just a moment. What if he didn't come? What if he left her to stand alone by the stone? But no, he would come. He had said that he would hadn't he? She turned from the cottage and began the long trudge through the wind and the rain to the heath.

The time was drawing closer, he could feel it in the air. The wind howled and the rain fell unceasingly. But he knew it would be soon. Knew that this time he would be free. Oh hurry, before it is too late, before the time passes. A watery moon peeked briefly out from behind the stormy clouds. He caught a brief glimpse of a small figure moving towards the heath. Oh yes he thought. This time it would be fine, this time it would really be OK.

She was soaked in moments. Her long dark hair plastered to her head. She was shivering with the cold. Her feet squelched through the muddy grass as she began the ascent to the heath. The darkness closed in around her pressing in on her. She began to feel afraid. The moon suddenly peeped out from behind the stormy clouds and she looked up towards the heath. She saw... no it was just her imagination, but for a moment she thought... the stone, it was different somehow, was that a... No surely not. She strained her eyes but the brief glimpse of light disappeared as the moon slunk back behind the clouds again. If only she had seen him, waiting for her, then she would have known that everything was alright... She shouldered her bag and once more began to walk towards the top of the heath, and the stone. But more slowly now. Straining her ears for his call. He had to be there.

He watched, unmoving, as the small figure moved slowly closer. The wind suddenly died and there was no sound except for the rain drumming incessantly in the cold dark night. Soon now, very soon. He watched. And waited.

It was a relief when the wind died down. She looked up at the stone again, it was closer now, she could see its dark brooding bulk outlined against the heath. Just one single stone amongst the heather. Had it always been there she wondered. How had it come to be in such a desolate place? She remembered the times when they had sneaked up to the heath to snatch a few moments together. Hiding behind the stone, safe from the prying eyes. It was their special place, where they could be alone. Somehow it didn't look so safe and comforting now. Was he there or not? Wait, was that something moving just behind the stone? Could that be him? She crept up the last few steps. Placed her bag on the cold ground. Walked eagerly into the shelter of that dark brooding shape.

The waiting was over. He smiled.

She was cold, wet, tired. It had been a long walk through the cold and rain. The stone felt curiously warm to the touch. She leaned against it gratefully. The moon struggled out to make a second appearance, shinning its watery face upon the surface of the stone. She looked up. There was a face, a face in the stone. She tried to scream but no sound came out. The huge structure started to vibrate. She couldn't move. The stone seemed to be swallowing her. She was drowning, drowning in the stone. No help. She looked down, briefly saw a figure running. Oh hurry please. Then...

He was late. It had been difficult to escape the house. He had had to wait for the servants to close up the house. They had been so slow. She would be waiting. Would she think that he had changed his mind? What if she hadn't waited? He increased his pace and started to walk across the heath. He looked up. The stone was briefly illuminated by the moon and he saw. A figure? Her? The stone seemed to grow before his eyes. It seamed to have a... Panic. He started to run towards the stone. Something was wrong. There was another figure. It began to run away across the heath. Wait. Oh please wait. He tripped. Fell. Tumbled down the heath. Blackness. And the light faded as the moon was enveloped by another cloud.

The wind picked up again and began to howl around the silent, dark heath. The stone was still.

She was waiting....