Hart Road Bridge

"So where are we going?" asked Michelle as the 67 Mustang roared down Harts Bridge Road in the middle of the night.

"We're going ghost hunting at the famous Harts Bridge," answered Roy

"You know, I’ve heard many stories about this area," she said. "They say many people have gone missing all around the area near the bridge."

She stared out the window as the full moon's light glistened through the trees as they rushed by. "We shouldn't be out here this late at night, you never know what might be watching us. Maybe we should just turn around and go home.”

"We'll be fine," replied Roy. "I have my rifle with me in the back seat, I don't know many ghost that will stand up to that," as he let out a sarcastic laugh.

"Well I really need to pee," she said as she crossed her legs a little more.

"We'll be at the bridge in a couple of minutes can you wait till then?" he replied. They pulled up on the bridge and the car rolled to a stop.

"I'll be right back," Michelle said as she grabbed some tissue from the glove box and ran off into the woods.

Roy grabbed his gun and stood at the back of the car waiting for her to return. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching him from the woods ever since they got out of the car. At that moment something bumped the front of his car with a loud thud and moved the card ever so slight to the left.

Roy ran around the side to see what it was but nothing was there except the bushes off the side of the bridge were moving and swaying as if something ran through. “I’ll be right back, Michelle, I think I found the ghost,” he yelled out as he ran off in that direction.

Roy kept seeing bushes moving ahead of him and he stayed right on whatever was in front of him, but it remained out of sight to see what it was exactly. He still couldn’t shake the feeling however that he was being watched as well. Was he tracking something or was something tracking him at this point?

He came to a little old water spring and happened to notice a dollar laying on the ground. As he was bending over to pick up the dollar he also saw a tennis shoe print. He laughed and thought, “Ghost, huh, ghosts wear shoes and carry money, probably just some kids messing around.” He decided to turn around and head back to the car when he caught what he thought was the glow of, no it couldn’t be, yellow eyes staring at him from one of the bushes?

Roy decided it was time to head back to the car, get Michelle, and get out of here when he noticed a large dog paw print, maybe a wolf print? There are no wolves in this area though, probably just a big dog but it looked strange somehow. The hair stood up on the back of his neck as he had the feeling he was still being watched from a distance. He would  swear up and down he even heard a snort.

Roy took off running toward the car and got a little disoriented in which way to go as he gripped his rifle tighter and yelled out to Michelle in hopes she would find him and maybe even provide some security as he pushed into the bushes further.

He heard the soft yet somehow painful voice of Michelle answer him as she said “I asked you to turn around and not to come here. I really did like you, Roy, and didn't want to see you harmed. Please just go.”

He moved toward the sound of her voice and pushed through the bushes where it opened up into a small clearing. Before him were more bushes past the clearing and a large rock in the center. His eyes widened in fear as he looked upon three huge wolves staring back at him and he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Before him was Michelle, on her hands and knees, yet her ears were pointed, her fangs sharp and glistening in the moonlight. Her eyes a burning yellow that stared into his soul as she began to transform from human into a wolf. “What are you!” Roy asked in a frightened and elevated voice.

“You know what we are and this is our woods. We hunt the wandering fools who travel down this road at night and are foolish enough to come looking for the legend of the Hart Bridge ghost,” she answered.

“You're werewolves, how can this be?” he yelled in a shaky very frightened voice.

“Werewolves, Lycanthropes, whatever you want to call us you are correct and I warned you not to come here. So here is how it is going to go. I am going to give you a head start to run back to your car before my kindred come after you. If you can make it to your car before we get you, you're safe as long as you never speak of this again to anyone. If you don't make it back to your car in time, well, just know that I am sorry and I have enjoyed getting to know you.”

Roy took off running as fast as he could, running with all he had in him. Never looking back but he could feel their hot breath on his back as he made it to the car and slammed the door shut.

For whatever reason they didn't try to kill him that night, and he never spoke of it again to any one. Breathing hard he started the car as fast as he could and peeled off leaving behind eight yellow eyes staring at him from the darkness of the forest along Hart Bridge road.

This story was inspired by my dad when he was in his early 20's and explored a haunted bridge in Tennessee called Hart Road Bridge. Word count: 996