Dani looks at you with tears in her eyes. @@.dani;"I'm going."@@ she says.\n\nThere is a moment of silence in which you can hear the engine drone of a far-away car. \n\n@@.sam;"Me too,"@@ says Sam, @@.sam;"Sorry Jess."@@\n\nShe turns to walk back into the forest, towards the path hidden by trees.\n\n[[Follow her.]]\n[[Hesitate.]]

"Black lady, black lady, I have stolen your baby."\n\nYour gran told you about them. The words that, said in the right place in Bradley Wood, would summon the Black Lady.\n\nYou didn't believe her.\n\nYou'd done similar before, saying the Candyman's name in front of a mirror, chanting Jack around a campfire. This feels more [[real|"Black lady, black lady, I've stolen your baby."]] somehow.

[["Black lady,]]

[["Black lady, black lady, I have stolen your baby."]]

It's Autumn and the clocks have just turned back. Each day it gets dark earlier and earlier, as night conquers day.\n\nAn hour ago you finished college and walked up Laceby Road to Bradley Wood. You've been here about half an hour. In that time the sun has slipped below trees, the last few beats of sunlight shining on foggy dusk.\n\nYour Vans trainers, bought for your birthday a month or so ago, are caked with mud and wet leaves in orange and red and brown. Your right leg is wet up to the shin, from a slip crossing a log-bridged beck.\n\nYou are not alone. You are with friends. \n\nWhen you first got here it was like you were children again. You ate chips on the swings and dueled with sticks between trees.\n\nThen you went into the [[Wood]].\n\n

You've only ever been here during the day. It's different at night. There were no cars parked in the car park, you noticed that.\n\nYou found a path that would take you deeper into the woods and followed that. The laughter from your games quietened quickly, then your voices became whispers.\n\nYou followed the path on it's circular loop, nestled between the edge of the Wood and farmer's fields. Barns and buildings were quiet, lights turned off. The only other living thing you saw was a solitary [[chestnut brown horse]].\n\nNow you are at the edge of the wood. A wall, low and made of rough stone, seperates trees from quiet road.\n\n[[Approach the wall]].

Voicemail. No answer.\n\nNot today, not ever.

"It'll be fine," you say though you can see the disagreement in Dani's eyes. You've never had to see that before.\n\n[[Say the words, one last time.]]

"Stop!" Dani interrupts.\n\n"Please," it's Sam. You glance back at your friends and they don't seem to be enjoying this, except Sam.\n\n"Don't be such wusses," that's her.\n\n[["It's fine"]]\n[[Say the last word, say "Baby."]]

You say the words for the third time.\n\nNothing.\n\nThe wind doesn't pick up, everything doesn't fall silent, a ghost doesn't appear.\n\nYou glance back at Jess.\n\nHer eyes widen.\n\nShe's staring over your shoulder.\n\n[[Turn around]].\n[["Stop fucking with me."]]

You don't call her, but spend all night wishing you had.\n\nYou don't see her at school the next day, or any day after that.

"I... I need to do this," you say, "I'm not scared."\n\n"What?" says Dani, "But you don't have to. I am scared, I just want to go back home with you."\n\n"Sorry."\n\n[[Say the words, one last time.]]

[[black lady,|black lady, 2]]

@@.dan;"No,"@@ Dani replies, @@.dan;"I want to go back."@@\n\n@@.jess;"What's with you all?"@@ says Jess as she runs trainer tip through leaves, @@.jess;"Well if you're all gonna run off I'll face the _scary_ black lady on my own."@@\n\n[[Call her bluff.]]\n[["Okay, I'll do it"]]

You walk forward, each step pulling feet from sticky earth.\n\nYour hand brushes against a tree, marking your glove with the green of moss. You can smell wood and damp.\n\nBehind your friends watch, eyes on your back. This is your dare, not theirs.\n\nYou use a coat sleeve to brush aside nettles that rise to your thigh. You are at the wall.\n\n[[Say the words]].

You say the last word, you've said the words three times now. Nothing happens.\n\nThe wind doesn't pick up, nothing gets any louder and silence doesn't fall. No ghost appears.\n\n"See, ghosts aren't real," says Jess.\n\nYou smile, "I guess.."\n\n"Don't know why you all got so scared," she replies with a smirk.\n\n"Piss off Jess," says Sam.\n\n"Can we go now," that's Dani.\n\n[["Sure."]]

A story your gran told you. The black lady is a ghost who haunts these woods. A ghost she swears she's seen.\n\nShe's meant to be a nun. Your gran told you she had lost her lover, and tries each night to find him.\n\nYou glance at Danielle and wonder if you'd do the same if you lost her.\n\n[["Please, don't"]]

Nothing happens. You don't expect it to. You need to say [[the words]] three times.\n\nYou hope your friends are still behind you.\n\n[[Glance around]].\n[["Black lady, black lady, I ha..."]]

[[I have stolen]]

"Yeah, I guess so," you say. For a second it looks like Jess might stop you, but Sam places a hand on her arm.\n\n@@.sam;"We should all go,"@@ says Sam, @@.sam;"This was a stupid idea anyway."@@\n\nYou walk back along the path towards the Wood's entrance. It seems shorter this time. The horse is still in its field, still watches you.\n\nSoon you are back in town, back home with Dani, watching a film together in warmth. Fuck ghosts and darkened woods, this is nice.

Only slightly, but...\n\nYou flex your hand in memory of how it felt and [[shudder|I extended a hand]].

Black Lady

@@.you;"Leave her alone Jess."@@ you say.\n\nJess laughs, @@.jess;"Always jumping in to protect her. She can talk for herself you know."@@\n\nDani stiffens.\n\n@@.sam;"Shut up Jess."@@ says Sam\n\n@@.jess;"You want to see a ghost, Dani?"@@ - Jess.\n\nDani turns and disappears behind trees covering the path you followed here.\n\n[[Follow her.]]\n[[Hesitate.]]

@@.dan;"Please, don't,"@@ it's Danielle and she has tears in her eyes. @@.dan;"Don't do this."@@\n\n[["Are you okay?"]]\n[["It'll be fine."]]

You head back into the woods hoping to catch the others up. Part of you wants to apologise, part of you to brag.\n\nAs you leave the wall your shoulderblades tighten but you shake it off. You focus on your wet-cold feet that squelch each time you step.\n\n@@.you;"I hope Dani will be okay."@@ you say.\n\nBehind you, a little further along the wall, a dark shape stands.\n\n

[[I have stolen your baby"]]

[[black lady,]]

[["Black lady, black lady, I've stolen your baby."]]\n\nYou say the words slowly. Cold mist forms with each syllable as warm breath hits cold air.

You turn and see nothing on the wall. It's empty, no ghost. \n\nYou hear Jess' laughter behind you. She always laughs hardest at her own jokes.\n\n"Come on. Let's get going."\n\nYou can't help shake the strain between your shoulderblades as you head back into the woods, towards the field with the chestnut brown horse.\n\nBehind you, further along the wall, a black shape climbs down and begins to follow.

[["Black lady,|"Black lady, 2]]

Jess looks pissed as you walk past her to follow Dani. You see her glance at the stone wall.\n\n@@.jess;"Fuck,"@@ says Jess, and then turns to follow.\n\nYou walk back through the woods, back to town, to home, to warmth.\n\nAway from the ghosts that live in woods.

[[your]]

Your voice breaks as a light flashes against the wall and your glasses.\n\n[[..ve?]]

Dani locks eyes, "No, it's really fucking not."\n\nShe turns and heads back into the woods, she flicks up her collar. Sam follows.\n\n"Just us two, I guess," says Jess.\n\n"Yeah, I guess."\n\n"Gwon."\n\n[[Say the words, a final time.]]

"Come on," you shouted in those too-sweet voices reserved for animals and children. "We don't wanna hurt you," you say trying to coax the horse back.\n\nIt's ears cocking forward is the only movement you get from it. It stood like a statue in the fields centre.\n\nEventually you let it be. It stared at you while you left.\n\nThat was a quarter of an hour or so ago. The sun has left and the wall is in front of you.\n\n[[Approach the wall]].

Twice, you've said the words twice.\n\nThey say she appears on the third.\n\n[[The black lady|Black Lady]]

Adam Dixon\n@adtidixon

The wind dies for a second and you find that, despite yourself, you hold your breath. \n\nNothing.\n\nNothing happens, nothing changes.\n\n@@.jess;"See I told you"@@\n\n[["Let's go"]]

A story your gran told you. The black lady is a ghost who haunts these woods. A ghost she swears she's seen.\n\nShe's meant to be a nun. Your gran told you she had lost her lover, and tries each night to find him.\n\n[[Say the words a third time|Say them a third time.]]

"Sure," you say pulling her close as you walk beside her.\n\nYou turn and walk back into the woods, towards the field with the chestnut brown horse.\n\nBehind you, further along the wall, a black shape climbs down and begins to follow.

"What's wrong?" you ask.\n\n@@.dan;"I'm scared."@@ replies Dani.\n\nYou lock eyes. Trees creak in wind.\n\n[["I need to do this."]]\n[["We can go if you want?"]]

[["Black lady, black lady, I ha..."]]

If you weren't in the middle of the woods, if it wasn't dark and cold, and the trees weren't creaking you would laugh at the words.\n\nThey felt funny when you said them over and over on your walk to the woods.\n\nThey seem heavier now. The words to call the [[Black Lady|Black Lady 2]].

@@.dani;"Please"@@ Dani barely says the word.\n\nJess looks between Dani and you, @@.Jess;"Really? You're chickening out?"@@\n\n[["Yeah."]]\n[["I..."|"I need to do this."]]

She bursts into a fit of stupid laughter. She always laughs hardest at her own jokes.\n\n"Let's go," you say heading back into the wood, towards the field with the chestnut brown horse.\n\nAll the way back you can still feel the itch at the back of your neck urging you to turn around. You resist.\n\nFurther along the wall a black shape climbs down and follows.

.jess {\n \n}\n\n.sam {\n \n \n}\n\n.dan {\n \n\n}\n\n\n.you {\n \n}

@@.you;"I dunno, maybe Sam's right,"@@ you say.\n\n@@.jess;"What? You dragged us out here,"@@ Jess, shelooks between you and Sam, then at Dani, @@.jess;"What about you?"@@ \n\n@@.dan;"I.."@@ says Dani.\n\n@@.jess;"You want to see a ghost?"@@\n\n[["Leave her alone Jess."]]\n[[Stay silent]]

You call her bluff. @@.you;"Let's go,"@@ you say to Dani and Sam.\n\nTurns out Jess wasn't bluffing. You walk back through the forest leaving Jess on her own. \n\nAll the way back you keep expecting her to catch up. She doesn't.\n\nYou get back into town, out of the forest and into warm home. \n\n[[She'll be fine.]]\n[[Try to call her.]]

Slowly you reached your hand forward. It watched.\n\nFingertips brushed against its coat. Shiny, smooth and [[clammy]].\n\nYour eyes met. Under hair you could feel its body faintly quaking.\n\nA shiver of muscle movement and it broke, running to the centre of the field.\n\n[[We let it be]].\n[[We tried to call it back]].

The horse stood alone in the corner of a muddy field. \n\nIt watched as we approached it.\n\nIt looked scared.\n\n[[I extended a hand]].\n[[We let it be|Wood]].

Low. Sad. Somber.\n\n[[Say the words again|"Black lady, black lady, I have stolen your baby"]]

You look at your friends, they are still there.\n\nJess, trying to look brave. Jacket wide open as if in defiance to the cold and the world.\n\nDanielle, wrapped up well with hat pulled down and collar up. She's stood furthest away in protest to this dare.\n\nAnd then Sam, slightly older and vastly cooler. Scared.\n\n@@.sam;"This is a fucking stupid idea..." that's Sam.@@\n\n@@.jess;"What is?" Jess replies.@@\n\n@@.sam;"Let's just go home"@@ Sam says.\n\n@@.jess;"Come on, you scared?"@@ - Jess\n\nSam huffs. \n\n@@.Jess;"No need to be mardy about it, it was your idea."@@ Jess again, being subtle.\n\n[["I dunno, maybe Sam is right..."]]\n[[Ignore them, say the words|"Black lady, black lady, I ha..."]]

A car. Black against black glides down the road. For a second the world is lit bright blue and then it is gone.\n\nA bird [[whistles]].\n\n[["Black lady, black lady, I have stolen your baby"]]

Dani leaves, Sam follows. You start to, but stop.\n\nYou want to finish what you started. Show that you're not afraid.\n\nYou glance at Jess, who smiles. @@.jess;"Just you and me then"@@\n\n[[Say the words again]]

The horse stared at you as you left, still stood in the centre of the field.\n\nThat was a quarter of an hour or so ago. The memory of the sun is in the not-quite-black sky and you stand before a stone wall.\n\n[[Approach the wall]].