It was a hot day in 1987, and I didn’t know that later in the day a ghost would save my life. My name is Betty and I am 16. I was walking out of the theater after seeing “Dirty Dancing” with my friend, Mac. The movie was awesome  and I was humming a song from the movie called “Hungry Eyes.” Mac noticed me humming and giggled a little because I don’t really sing. I quickly stopped singing because I was embarrassed and kept walking home with my friend. My house was only two miles away and my friend’s house was only one mile away. It was starting to turn dark. Along the way, we were talking about the movie and how nervous we were that there was a hard test science tomorrow. “Hey,” spoke Mac, “I see my house.”

His house was at the front of the creepy forest that leads to my house. Mac was stepping into his house’s garden and was about to go in. “ Ok, Mac,” I said, “ I will see you tomorrow in school.”  

As Mac was walking into his house he said “Bye.” I  waved bye and turned around. What laid ahead of me was a thick forest with huge trees. I had taken this path many times but I still felt scared of it. I heard in the early ’70s there was a violent murder. They never found the guy who did it. I heard many theories about who the murderer was. I even heard the rumor that the murderer was an alien from another planet. I wish I was kidding but I am serious. I swallowed my fears and walked down the path.

There was a pond on the left side of me that had a fish in it swimming around. I stopped and looked at the fish. They were a nice dark purple color with some yellow specks. I wished I had a camera with me to take a picture of it. I wanted to be a photographer when I grew up because I love taking pictures.

I kept walking on the trail until I heard a rustle behind me. It sounded like someone running through a brush. I was kind of scared like any normal human being so I stopped to see if I could hear that sound again. I heard that sound again but it was lounder and felt closer. I froze like a fish in a frozen lake. I slowly turned around and saw a creepy old man standing behind me. He looked like he hadn’t shaved in days and was probably in his late 50s. His hair was wet, frizzy and long. He was wearing a business suit but it looked like he hadn’t changed his clothes for a week. I gasped when I saw he had what looked like dried old blood on his shoes. He had the weirdest odor ever. He smelled like spoiled milk and Pepsi. I really wanted to get away fast but I didn’t want to act suspicious or he might try to chase me or something like that. “Can I help you with something?” I said and I tried to sound normal but I was really scared. Normally I don’t get scared but this was a life or death situation.

“Yeah,” spoke the questionable man in a gruff voice “I got lost. Where is the nearest street?” My hand was shaking a little but I lifted it up and pointed behind the man which lead back to the streets. The man kept staring at me with a weird look. It looked like he wanted to kill me and he seemed excited to do a horrible deed. I looked away quickly because I did not want to make eye contact with this creepy man. 

“Thanks, little girl,” the man said creepily like he asked a little girl if he wanted some candy but she had to go to his big white van to get it. “What’s your name?” spoke the creepy guy. My mother taught me to never give your information to creepy strangers. 

“My name is Veronica,” I lied. The man had a little creepy grin.

“Thanks for your help, Veronica,” and he paused for a little and said, “My name is Creed by the way.” He held out his hand for me to shake it. His hands were covered with dirt. I noticed he had something up his sleeve. It was a knife! I almost screamed but I had to keep my cool or he could murder me right away.

I didn’t raise my hand and I quickly said: “I have to go now.” I kept walking down the path towards my house and walked a little faster hoping to run once he was out of sight. Creed seemed to walk away towards the street near my friend’s house. I kept walking down the path while looking behind my shoulder waiting for the creepy guy to be out of sight. 

Then as soon as he was out of my sight I jumped into a big bush. It was big, bushy and a light green color which was very pretty. Then there was a big breeze and I saw a white figure. I never have seen a ghost before so I was both scared and excited at the same time. She looked so human-like. She was the most beautiful spirit I have ever seen. She was wearing a long flowy blue dress that looks straight out of the ’70s. She looked like a hippie and the dress had flowers on it. She had no shoes but it looked like her feet were very bruised. I think she might have died a sad death.  Her hair was long, blond, and it was very straight. Her face looks likes she been hurt badly but still pleasant at the same time.  

“Hi, Betty,” whispered the blue lady in the softest voice ever. She was floating about one foot above the grassy patch which was close to a big tree. 

“How do you know my name?” I stuttered. Her arms started to reach out to me but she didn’t try to hold my hands.

“I am a spirit I know everything,” she paused for a minute and looked behind me, ”He came back for more.” “Run home and follow me,” the blue lady said nervously. Her facial expression turned scared and her face was not pleasant anymore. She floated towards my house but it was deeper into the forest. I never went deep into the forest because I didn’t want to get lost.

“Can I trust you?” I blurted out while following her. The grass was very high and was up to my knees. There were tons of trees close to each other. Then she turned around and told me her shocking story.

“In 1971, I was murdered by the guy you were talking to and he will try to murder you,” the woman said sadly, “ I made a promise to myself to stop him. He has killed many times after me but not here.” She turned around and kept floating towards my house deeper in the woods. I stopped and looked at her and cried a little because she died too young.  The blue lady looked at me and told me we had to run or I would die. I decided to trust her because she didn’t seem like she was lying. Then I heard a voice shout at me. It sounded like Creed. I ran faster and tried to keep up with her. 

I saw my house and the blue lady went inside. My house small but there were a lot of locks on the house because my family is a little suspicious that the murderer could still be out there. The blue lady told me to hide and said she would call 911. I ran to the bathroom and I jumped in the bathtub. I covered myself with towels to hide. I listened for sounds to see if anything was going to happen. Then I heard a loud sound. The blue lady locked all of the windows, doors, and closed the shades. I heard a loud pounding sound from the doors. Creed was screaming to let him in and that he had candy. He sounded like a crazy person who broke out from a mental institution. It went like that for a whole minute. Then I heard the window in the kitchen is being broken into. I started crying because I was scared he would find me and kill me. Creed was screaming like a maniac and saying he was coming for me and stuff like that.

Then I heard the blue lady speak in a loud voice “Get out now or I will have to kick you out myself!” I couldn’t hear Creed but I think he tried to murder her again event hough she was already dead. Then I heard Creed screaming in pain. That was the last thing I ever heard from the blue lady. I wished I could have thanked her but she was gone. I think her soul finally rested in peace. Then I heard sirens coming.  Then I heard a policeman breaking down the door. I heard someone tackling Creed to the ground. Then I heard someone asking if there was anyone in the house.

I yelled, “Help, I am in the bathroom!” It all happened so fast. I ran to the door to unlock it and the police officer told me to follow him. I followed him outside and they asked me for my parent's work number and they called my parents. I saw someone throwing Creed into the car. Creed had a huge bruise on his head. He looked like he was going to pass out but then he gave me the creepiest smile ever. I gasped and threw up in my mouth. He had the guts to wave bye. I ignored him and my anger got the best of me so I yelled: “You are a monster!” It all happened so fast and it felt like a second had passed. 

Soon my family came and hugged me until I stopped crying. My mom asked me if I was okay and hugged me the whole time. My dad talked to the police to see what happened and asked if I needed to go seek medical help. I told my parents that a ghost saved me and they didn’t believe me at first but now they do. My friend was very shocked and wished he would have walked me home. A month after this whole incident happened, the policeman showed me a report of who Creed really was.

In 1971 he murdered his first victim. Her name was Delilah Simmons and she was 24 and was a mother. I realized that she was the blue lady and I cried. I didn’t realize she was a mother. I asked the police if they can show me what her daughter looks like and her age. She looked like a carbon copy of her and she was only three when her mother was murdered. I asked if she was still alive. They told me she got into a bad car accident a month ago and passed away. 

 Delilah used to live in my house before she got murdered. She was heading home from a friend’s house. When she noticed that someone was following her, she started running home but he caught up with her and murdered her. His full name is Creed Mickey. He murdered other girls in other towns and his victims sadly added up to 12 people. It is sickening what he did and I could have been number 13 but Delilah saved me. He obviously got the death penalty for his unspeakable crimes. 

 The cemetery is a few blocks from my new house. My parents moved because they couldn’t stay in that house anymore. I got severe nightmares in that house after the whole thing happened. I visit the grave of the blue lady once a week so I can show thanks for saving my life. The gravestone reads “Delilah Simmons, a beautiful daughter, and the best mother ever.”  Her gravestone is small but I always clean it when I come by and give her a blue flower in her honor. I wish she didn’t suffer and I wished that she could have grown up to be an old lady. I am forever thankful that she saved my life and that her spirit can finally be put to rest.