Springtime in Atlanta was ushered in with the weekly rush of wind and rain.  This year also brought in the Family Reunion held every two years. Luckily, today was a perfect spring day.  Mother Nature’s natural perfume flowed through the air tantalizing the senses.

Lacey Stevens closed her eyes and inhaled deeply the honeysuckle blooming not far from where she sat eating potato salad and grilled chicken.  This was the best part of the year for her.  The only time that she could see most of her family because of her busy schedule.  Being a journalist in foreign countries didn’t afford her enough time to stay in touch.

She sat and watched as children ran through the park playing and laughing.  The sound like chimes in the spring wind.  A group of children were playing hide and seek, running through the trees trying to avoid being tagged.  She watched as a pretty little girl in a sunflower yellow dress zigzagged through the trees giggling.  Running behind a tree to hide, she poked her head out to see if the coast to home base was clear.

Just then, Lacey saw something red fluttering in the breeze behind the little girl.  Blinking her eyes, she looked at the tree again.  Something didn’t feel right.  Putting her plate on the calico blanket, Lacey stood and slowly moved towards the tree and the little girl. The little girl turned her head as if someone behind the tree had called to her.  She stepped behind the tree and all Lacey could see now was the fluttering red standing out in the sea of brown and green.

Quickening her pace, Lacey moved closer to the tree.  Praying silently that the little girl was just hiding, she rounded the tree and was greeted by empty space.  Glancing around, she saw the red flutter again, this time further in the distance.  Lacey turned back to the gathered family and called for help.  Several members, including her cousin Emily, who it turned out was the little girl’s mother, came running.

Lacey explained what she saw and several of the family went into the forest to find little Melissa.  Walking in the direction she had last seen the splash of red, Lacey stumbled over a tree root.  Reaching out for a tree to steady herself, she saw the flash of red again.  This time it was closer and Lacey could see that it was a scarf.  Standing up, she took off in a dead run. Calling out to Melissa, Lacey caught up to the scarf.  Reaching out she grabbed for it, but it flowed right through her hands as if it were smoke.  Looking up she saw the milky eyes of the woman who was wearing the red scarf.  Strangely, it seemed that the sunlight was shining right through her.

Lacey closed her eyes, shaking her head.  This couldn’t be happening.  She’d heard of the old ghost stories as a child about the woman with the red scarf, but had never believed them.  No one living in her family had ever seen this woman.  It was said, though, that she would come to the park to steal little girls to take with her because she was lonely.  Apparently her grandmother’s oldest sister had been taken from this very park eighty years ago.

When Lacey opened her eyes, her hand, still outstretched, held a piece of yellow fabric.  The soft fabric fluttered out of her trembling hand.  Turning in a circle, she tried to get another glimpse of the red scarf.  It was further now, heading toward the cliffs.

She didn’t remember screaming; only running.  Suddenly, other family members where running with her.  As they approached the cliff, she saw the woman standing a few feet ahead of her holding Melissa’s hand.

“Melissa. Melissa, can you hear me?” Lacey called out.

Melissa turned slowly, smiling brightly, and waved at Lacey.  Emily ran up and screamed as she saw her daughter standing perilously close to the edge of the cliff.

The woman in the scarf looked straight at Lacey, then turning away and still holding Melissa’s little hand, jumped.

Lacey screamed herself awake.  Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her. She looked down in her lap and saw the plate of half eaten potato salad and chicken bones. Inhaling a deep calming breathe, she realized that it had only been a dream.

Reaching under the plate, she grabbed her napkin and froze. Raising the yellow cloth, her hands shook. A breeze caught the fabric and sent it floating on the wind toward the woods.