The Graveyard

As Officer Tully walked away from his police cruiser, he turned on his flashlight, training the beam this way and that. It made little difference, though, because of the thick fog swirling around him. He could barely see the entrance to the cemetery, much less anything else, and couldn't help but think what a great setting for a horror movie this would make. Being Halloween night added to the vibe, but that didn't really matter right now, did it? It certainly didn't put things right.
      He wasn't thrilled to be here, especially since he was supposed to have the night off. A coworker had called in sick, though, ruining not only Tully's plans but his wife's. Tonight was supposed to be their long-overdue date night and she'd already made her displeasure more than clear. Knowing her, she wouldn't let him forget this anytime soon, even though he wasn't to blame for his captain's insistence he come in. Just thinking of the reception he'd get once he got home made his head hurt. No doubt he'd be getting to know the living room couch much better.
      An anonymous 9-1-1 report had come in about a man wandering around nearby. Tombstones in several burial sites had been vandalized over the past year, with the culprit or culprits not having been caught yet, but they hoped to get the louse.
      This cemetery was among the oldest in the area, lying in thick woods on the outskirts of town. No longer used, it had no caretaker, electricity or water source, and was mostly forgotten. The last time Tully had set foot within its boundaries, the place had been overrun by weeds and brambles, and he assumed it was much worse now.
      "Dangit," he muttered when his light flickered and went out. "I forgot the blasted batteries." He shook his flashlight, tapped it against his leg, and cursed when nothing happened. Then he stuck it in his pocket, deciding to use the light on his cell phone instead.
      Tully took a few cautious steps forward, but jumped when he bumped into something. He chuckled once he realized it was only a crypt the murkiness had concealed from him.
      He began walking again and ran straight into a person. "Can I see some ID?" he asked.
      The other man ignored Tully, heading in a different direction as if he hadn't spoken.
      "Stop!" he commanded.
      The stranger stopped moving and turned around. He didn't speak but his eyes bored into Tully's. With no warning, a chunk of his hair fell to his shoulders and onto the ground, followed by another. More followed.
      "Nice trick," Tully commented.
      Silence was his only answer. However, the stranger's head and face began melting, running in rivulets down his body. Soon not even his skull remained intact.
      Tully's eyes widened as the man's entire body dissolved into a yellow, gelatinous substance. It seeped into the soil, vanishing within seconds.
      "What the…?" Looking around, Tully saw nothing but fog, along with occasional, tantalizing glimpses of tombstone here and there.
      Kneeling where he'd seen the ooze disappear, he examined the earth but found no traces of yellow or anything unusual. He couldn't help but wonder who'd go to the trouble of staging such an elaborate prank and why. More suspicious than ever now, Tully tightened his lips, stood, and drew his sidearm.
      "Come out!" he yelled.
      Something moved by his right foot and he flinched. A hand had come out of the ground. As he stared open-mouthed, it grabbed his ankle. He tried to yank free but couldn't. He bent to pry open the fingers but the harder he pulled, the tighter they gripped. His foot began to tingle, and the skin started melting off.
      Tully panicked, yelling as he fought desperately to get loose. When his foot was almost gone, the fingers grasped his other ankle.
      Within seconds, another pool of liquid lay on the ground.
      The end.