Graveyard

“Eeep!” Eiyla’s toe clipped the corner of a headstone and she went flying.

Venus grabbed her arm at the last second, pulling her back. “I gotcha.” She grinned.

”I don’t like this, Venus.” Eiyla pouted. “This place creeps me out.”

”They’re just dead. They can’t hurt you. Now come on.” She lead her girlfriend deeper into the graveyard. The further they got from the path, the older and more decrepit the headstones became. Vines and weeds grew wild, covering the grave-markers and the mausoleums. They vases beside the headstones were devoid of flowers, but full of spiders’ webs. No one had been back here for a long time. Venus forged a path through the calf-high grass.

”Do you know where we’re going?” Eiyla asked.

”Of course.” Venus guided her past the remnants of an old archway. “This is my spot.”

Eiyla looked out at the view below. She could see the outlines of all the newer headstones and some house lights beyond those. The moon hung high above the scene. A few more days and it would be full. “I- Well I suppose the view is nice, but-“

Venus kissed her. “Damn right the view is nice.” She pushed Eiyla’s hair away from her face.

”You can hardly see me.”

”Oh, darling, your face is permanently etched in my memory. I can fill in the blanks. Don’t ruin our moment.”

Eiyla glanced at the fallen over headstones around them. “This isn’t what I would call a romantic destination.”

”We’ll just have to do something about that then.” Venus kissed her again and slipped her hands up Eiyla’s dress.

”H-here?! We can’t.”

“Why not?” Venus whispered.

”I don’t really like having a- having an audience.”

”An audience every now and again is nice, really.”

”I mean-“ Eiyla turned away. “Did you heard that?”

”There’s no one else here.” Venus said, trying to pull Eiyla back.

Eiyla spun around. ”No, that was definitely something.” She paused again and this time Venus heard the noise too.

”It’s probably a bird.” Venus said dismissively. “I’ll take your mind off it.”

A twig snapped and a large shadow flashed across the side of the nearest mausoleum. “I want to leave!” Eiyla cried.

Venus sighed. “I suppose-“ The grass swished as if something slinked through it. A big chunk of gravestone fell forward. Eiyla had had enough. She took off running down the hill. “Eiyla!” Venus called. She took off after her. The trip back down was perilous in the dark. Venus nearly tripped multiple times on unseen grave-markers and rubbish in the grass. She lost sight of Eiyla. “Eiyla love, where are you?” Venus stopped running to listen for her girlfriend. The cool wind blew her fins into her face. “Ugh, Eiyla.” Venus walked back to the side entrance where she and Eiyla had come in, but Eiyla wasn’t there. Venus waited impatiently for her. After several minutes, she started to worry. Thinking that perhaps Eiyla had gone to a different exit, Venus walked around the broken sidewalk that surrounded the graveyard.

”Eiyla!” She called out again. Venus checked her phone, but there was no reception outside the city. “Darling, where are you?” She paced back and forth between the entrances. She doubted Eiyla would try to walk home by herself, especially if she was already scared. “Eiyla, come here please!” Venus yelled.

Insects chirped loudly in the trees. The clouds shifted in the sky, obscuring the moon and Venus’ light. She waited by the side entrance for over fifteen minutes. Standing still was driving her crazy. Venus ventured back into the graveyard. She walked around calling Eiyla’s name. Off in the far corner of the new section, she noticed a particularly large headstone. Something drew her towards it and as she approached, she noticed the headstone was also pink. And trembling. “Eiyla!” Venus said.

”Aack!” Eiyla squealed. “Oh, it’s you! She leapt up and wrapped her arms around Venus.

”I waited outside for you. Why didn’t you come out?”

”I got lost.” Eiyla wiped her eyes. “There are things here... I just want to leave.”

”Okay.” Venus linked arms with her and lead her out. As they walked, Eiyla kept looking over her shoulder. “There’s nothing here but us and the bugs.” Venus reassured her.

Eiyla shook her head. “No. We’re not alone, I can feel her. She’s still watching.”

Venus didn’t want to argue, so she just hurried her girlfriend out of the graveyard. The closer they got to Venus’ house, the more Eiyla relaxed. By the time she unlocked the front door, Eiyla had stopped shaking. “There’s no ghosts here.” Venus said.

”Hopefully.”

Venus pulled her back in. “No ghosts, I promise. I had my team build this house for me, I’m the only one who’s ever lived here.” She kissed her. “Now let’s go to bed.”

”Alright.” Eiyla yawned. “Suddenly I’m very uh...I’m getting sleepy.”

”Okay, love.” Venus helped Eiyla into her nightgown and tucked her in. Then she went to leave.

Eiyla sat up. ”Where are you going?!”

”I was going to check some emails-“

”No!” Eiyla said panicked. “Please stay.”

”Alright.” Venus sighed. She kicked off her shoes and climbed into bed. Eiyla scooted closer. Venus kissed her head. “Next date night,” She whispered. “You pick the venue.”