The Ghost of Carla

She was bruised. Her heart from giving all her love to the man and finding out he betrayed her. Her body from the fight the ensued and the fists that struck her. In pain and in tears, she ran from the home that she shared with her husband of 15 years. Flight was her only thought as she started the Subaru and pulled from the driveway.

  As she drove recklessly down the dark highway, all her dreams were draining from her heart, all the good times in her memory were turning sour. Flashes of her life were flashing in her head. She thought she was happy. It turned out she wasn't. Tears blinded her. She didn't see the tree that took her life.

  Reports claimed it was an accident. Friends and family were not quite so sure.

  Dave was a close friend of Carla. They grew up together and continued to associate after they were both married. He took Carla's death very hard, and was angry with her husband for the pain that he caused her. One night, Dave was stirred from his sleep. He wasn't sure why his wife was pulling at his feet but when he opened his eyes to question her, he say his departed friend Carla standing at the foot of his bed. She smiled and faded away. Dave was shocked and not a little scared. He rolled over to wake up his wife, but decided against it. She would just think him crazy. He decided to get up and watch television for the rest of the night.

  For a couple of days, Dave was bothered by the apparition that he saw. He finally decided to tell Laura about it. She looked at him funny and he thought, "Here it comes. She is going to laugh and threaten to lock me in the loony bin". Instead she said, "Dave, something sat at the foot of the bed  the other day while I was taking a nap. It must have been Carla. I think she is trying to tell us she is ok now".

  Carla has not been back to visit. Dave and Laura had found out, though, that other friends had visits from Carla. She seemed to have been making her rounds, assuring everyone that she was happy now.