Midnight has passed, and in the stillness of these hours, the hauntings are never silent.

This is Real Ghost Stories Online.

After midnight.

It's the kind of night where the road seems to hum under your feet, and the stars feel too far away to care. The only sound is the

low wind pushing through dry grass and somewhere in the distance the groan of a highway

truck taking a bend. I was standing alone on the shoulder of a rural two-lane road,

arms wrapped around myself against the November chill waiting for my ride. The darkness out there

isn't like city darkness. It isn't perforated by street lamps or neon signs. It's the kind that

settles in the hollows of the land and makes every sound feel too close. Sarah was late again.

I kept checking my watch as if that would make her appear. The more I stared at

the little glowing dial, the more I resented it for keeping such honest time. Sarah was the agency's

driver. He 22, all big eyes, and an easy smile. The agency hired her because she looked like

someone you'd trust in a commercial, not because

she had any business behind a wheel. I'd always said if a car could sprout wings, Sarah would

have been the one to try and coax it into the sky. She loved speed for speed's sake. With Sarah,

there was never any cautious tap and release of the gas pedal, just the hard push of her foot all the way down.

I used to joke that riding with her made my heart rate match the RPMS,

but the truth was my palms sweated every time we hit the on-ramp.

She thought it was funny when I told her she'd scare herself into an early grave. She'd laugh,

call me an old lady, and keep her foot down. Tonight was supposed to be routine. Finish the location

shoot, pack the last of the equipment, catch a ride back to the city. Most of the crew had already

gone. I stayed behind to help with the gear and wait for the driver.

...