The clock struck 8.
"Alright guys, great job today. We're done for tonight"
Seven of them at Willowcorp automobile rose, exchanged handshakes, and began exiting the meeting room. Tommy didn't know which was more difficult. Being the personal assistant to the Director of a multimillion-dollar automobile company or attending a meeting where your input was not needed even when that was the solution needed at the time.
Source
He grabbed his backpack and hurried after Director Peterson. The young man was brushing his shoulder-length hair, obviously preparing to go somewhere else.
"Go home, Thomas. I have a date tonight" Tommy returned the knowing smile on the young man's face, bid him a goodnight, and headed for the garage.
"Tommy, hi"
He could not mistake her smooth, sweet voice for another. Turning around, his pair of dark eyes met with a blue pair making his heart skip a beat and then, race.
"Uh..Lyla, hi"
He thought she looked like a princess even when she was putting on a pair of pants and a matching blazer like tonight.
"It's been really stressful at work today, I was wondering if you would want to go downtown for some drinks?"
She was doing that adorable habit of hers again, blinking her eyes furiously while tucking nonexistent loose strands of her blonde hair behind her ears.
"Err…No. I…I gotta go home tonight" he replied awkwardly half running to mount his bicycle and pedal away. He was miles away from Lyla and a couple of streets away from home when he yelled in frustration.
"I gotta go home tonight? Really?" He ran his hand through his thick black hair and sighed. He couldn't understand why Lyla kept trying to get him to go out with her and why he kept messing up despite dreaming of her every other night.
When his dinner alarm for 9 p.m. went off, he frowned. Why wasn't he home yet? Then the realization hit him. He had been so engrossed in his thoughts about Lyla that he took the wrong route.
He sighed in frustration and cut into a narrow, tree-lined street. His lean frame sagged from exhaustion as he pedaled against cobblestone causing his bicycle tires to sing a soothing rhythm. He soon passed by a wrought iron fence cloaked in darkness the sign on it proudly reading FATHER TUT CEMETERY. The sight of a cemetery made him miss his mom, he could remember her reading him that scary bedtime story 'Lights in the Graveyard' just so he would request for Hansel and Gretel next time. A fond smile graced his lips as he recalled her dramatic voice…
"...as the old man crouched to drop the flowers, suddenly, a coin rolled up to him…"
Tommy thought he heard a clatter. A few places away, there was a tiny, shiny object. He slowed his pace and stopped just before it. It was a 50-cent coin. Trembling, he looked around but was greeted with the presence of dancing oak trees and malfunctioning street lights. When he looked again, the coin was gone. He rubbed his eyes tiredly and sighed, his mind was playing games with him out of exhaustion. He got back on his bike and began a slow descent down the sloppy road, he was barely halfway down when he remembered the latter part of the story.
"...consumed with fright, this old man rose to leave the graveyard as quickly as possible. He had made his way through the tombstones, the gate a few feet away when he heard a soft humming sound. Turning back, he saw the most fearful sight he had ever witnessed. There was an assembly of people, old and young, and right in the middle of the night, there were lights in the graveyard."
Tommy threw his head back and laughed. He recalled how scared he had always been after that night. His mother had to lie in bed with him for almost an entire month before he could get over the mental pictures imprinted in his mind after that. He had pedaled past the graveyard and was right in front of the gate when he thought he heard a slow, soft hum like the purr of one of the engines they were working on at the company.
There was no house in sight, just an empty catholic church and a few other religious buildings. He wondered why he hadn't arrived at the end of the cemetery yet, the end of the street was immediately after it and home was 2 minutes from there. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he checked the time. It was just 10 minutes past 9 pm. He sighed and rubbed his temples. The stress was really getting to him, he was seeing and hearing things.
He could see the bend that indicated the end of the street was just before him, releasing an excited sigh, he pedaled harder towards it. However, that soft hum came again. This time, from the direction of the cemetery.
He lifted his eyes to check if a car was somewhere around and didn't see that he would collide with the oak tree just before the bend because when he raised his eyes, there were lights in the graveyard. The alarm went off making him jump out of bed with a fearful scream. It was just a dream.
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You're on a quest for greatness @iskawrites, and we have no doubt that you'll reach your new target soon!
The themes of fear, exhaustion, nostalgia and the power of imagination all come through. The story explores how our minds can play tricks on us. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for reading
Amazing story. The mind can get us to where we never expect to reach and this one torments him by taking him all the way back to when he was and into the present moment.
True. Our mind is very powerful.
It is and you showed us one way it can manifest
Awwnn. Thank you. 🙏🏿
This was such a compelling story, @iskawrites. You built the suspense very nicely, and your main character was so intriguing. If only it didn't end as just a dream! We actually advise writers against ending stories this way, and even have an article about it. Check out Don't Use the "It Was Just a Dream" Escape Hatch.
Thank you for joining the "lights in the graveyard" prompt, and for reading and commenting on the work of other community members.
I had a feeling I did something wrong with this story but I couldn't lay my fingers on it. I apologize. And I take the correction. Thank you Inkwell.
I was eager to know what happened to Tommy at last, exhausted that it was all dream. I was beginning to think it was horror.
Hehehehe.... It was a dream even though I broke one of the Inkwell rules 💔
Greetings, @iskawrites !
Your story has been selected to be part of The Ink Well's 126rd Magazine. Thank you for your presence in the community.
https://peakd.com/@theinkwell/the-ink-well-highlights-magazine-126
Awwnn. Thank you so much 💃
Lovely story dear. Tommy's reaction to Lyla’s invite is common among shy guys which can pass for miscommunication.
Hehehehe... Yes! Shy guys always messing up an opportunity to do right by the girls they are crushing on... Lol
Word! Very painful 😖😅
I wonder why I still like them🙈
Lots of suspense and excitement in your story. I really liked how you narrated it and the thoughts of your protagonist.
The ending surprised me, I didn't imagine that everything would be a was a all a dream.
Saludos
I know. I'm sorry.. next time, I won't allow it to end this way 🥺
But it was good. Don't worry I've learned that too.
I wish you a happy day 😊
Exhaustion can be of great influence on one's mind. He felt a big relief after waking up.