The Haunting of the Last Milestone

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a long, eerie shadow over the winding road that snaked through the mountains. Sarah and Mark had been driving for hours, the monotony of the journey broken only by the occasional glimpse of the road ahead. They were nearing the end of their road trip, excited to reach their destination and finally put the stresses of their lives behind them.

Mark glanced at the odometer, his eyes widening in relief. "Just a few more miles," he said, turning to Sarah with a smile. She returned the smile, but her heart was elsewhere. She had heard the rumors about the Haunted Highway, a stretch of road that locals whispered was cursed. But she had dismissed them as mere folklore, a cautionary tale to deter the faint of heart.

The road twisted and turned, the scenery growing more rugged and desolate with each mile. Suddenly, a figure appeared in the headlights, a shadowy outline at the side of the road. Sarah's hand instinctively shot to the door handle, but Mark's grip was firm.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice steady despite the palpable tension.

"It's just... someone walking on the shoulder," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

The figure stepped into the beam of the headlights, and Sarah's breath caught in her throat. It was an elderly woman, her face etched with lines of sorrow and pain. She wore a simple, faded dress and her hair was pulled back in a severe bun. There was something haunting about her, as if she had been pulled from a bygone era.

"Please," the woman whispered, her voice barely audible. "Help me."

Sarah and Mark exchanged a look of confusion and concern. They pulled over to the side of the road, the car's engine idling as they approached the woman. She seemed to be looking directly at Sarah, her eyes filled with a mix of hope and despair.

"Who are you?" Mark asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.

The woman looked at him, then at Sarah, and her eyes filled with tears. "I am your grandmother," she said, her voice breaking. "I've been waiting for you."

Sarah's eyes widened in shock. She had never met her grandmother; her mother had never spoken of her. "My grandmother?" she stammered.

The woman nodded, her eyes never leaving Sarah's. "I was killed on this road," she said, her voice trembling. "And I've been waiting for someone to help me find peace."

Sarah's mind raced with questions. How could she help someone she had never known? But the woman's eyes held a desperate plea, and Sarah felt an inexplicable connection to her.

"Tell me what happened," Sarah urged, her voice steady despite the fear that was now gripping her.

The woman's story was a harrowing one. She had been traveling on the Haunted Highway with her family, on their way to a family reunion. A sudden accident had left her husband and children dead, and she had been the sole survivor. Since then, she had been trapped on the road, her spirit unable to rest.

Sarah listened, her heart aching for the woman's loss. When the woman finished her tale, Sarah felt a surge of determination. "I'll help you," she said, her voice filled with resolve.

The woman's eyes lit up with hope. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper. "You must go to the last milestone. There, you will find what you need to set me free."

Sarah and Mark exchanged a look of concern. The last milestone was a place they had heard of but never visited. It was a desolate stretch of road, where the ghosts of the highway seemed to gather.

"We'll do it," Mark said, his voice filled with determination. "For her."

As they drove to the last milestone, the road grew more treacherous, the scenery more haunting. They could feel the spirits of the highway surrounding them, their presence a constant reminder of the woman's tragic fate.

Finally, they reached the milestone, a simple stone marker in the middle of the road. Sarah got out of the car and approached the marker, her heart pounding with fear and anticipation. She placed her hands on the stone, feeling a strange warmth emanate from it.

Suddenly, the woman appeared before her, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you," she said, her voice a whisper. "You have freed me."

Sarah felt a wave of relief wash over her. "I'm glad I could help," she said, her voice trembling.

The woman nodded, her eyes closing as her spirit left her body. Sarah watched, her heart heavy with emotion. She had helped a spirit find peace, but at what cost?

As the woman faded away, Sarah turned to Mark, her eyes filled with tears. "We did it," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Mark nodded, his eyes reflecting the same mixture of relief and sorrow. "We did," he replied.

They got back into the car and continued their journey, the Haunted Highway behind them. But the experience had left a lasting impression on them, a reminder that some spirits are never truly at rest until their stories are told and their fates are resolved.

As they drove on, the sun began to rise, casting a new light over the road. They were free from the haunting, but the memory of the woman's story would stay with them forever.