Fog

— And I have a cool idea! — exclaimed the young guy, looking about 25 years old, with brown hair and, surprisingly, green eyes. His voice echoed in complete darkness and rang out across the yard. The other two friends looked at him questioningly.
“Well, what did you think up there?” — answered the second. The young man is not older than the first, slightly stocky, with big eyes and a friendly smile.
— And let's go to the Rose Avenue? They say it is cool and very beautiful. Come on, come on! — began to beg for the first.
The third friend silently listened and smoked, mysteriously releasing puffs of smoke, then he turned to his friends and also mysteriously said:
“Do you know what legends go about this Alley?” No one in their right mind will go there. It is said that this avenue was planted by a widower who buried his wife in her heart. He planted every rose with his own hand.
— Well, what is it? — interrupted him first. — Just think, the unfortunate man planted flowers in honor of his late wife. But it’s beautiful there.
“Yes, wait a minute, let him finish, it’s probably not so simple there,” the second one answered.
The guy who looked the oldest, with his hair turning gray and a sad look, again released a club of smoke, the light of a cigarette flashed in his eyes and immediately went out.
“True, not everything is so simple with this story.” They say that this man killed his wife with his own hands and poured several drops of her blood under each rose. And they say that at night, these roses glow and you hear her dying scream. And those who stayed there longer than usual went crazy and did terrible things until a few days later he died a terrible death. — The guy looked around them waiting for a reaction.
Two friends silently, without saying a word, lit a cigarette digesting what they heard. Finally, the first spoke in a worried voice.
— I want to see it. And hear her if it's true. Do you believe in that? Personally, I will be upset if it is just a bike.
“You're crazy, but I agree with you.” I am for. You're going? The second asked, looking hopefully at the third.
“Why are you looking at me?” We’re going already, we have to catch the store before closing. I won’t go there without beer.
With these words, he first got up and resolutely followed in the direction of the store. The other two followed him.
  * * *
— Come on soon, why are you digging there? — the eldest hissed in a stifled whisper.
— Yes, I can’t get through, the jacket is stuck in this thorn, damn it! — the green-eyed answered in tone.
A few minutes later, three friends were already standing in the shade of the trees, glancing apprehensively around.
“Come on,” the elder called after him, taking a sip of beer.
— Hide the bottle, found time to drink! — Shicked at him first.
— I said that without beer, not a foot here. Muttered the third, taking another sip. — Let's go.This is the Rose Avenue.
Three friends, keeping in the shade of the trees, moved towards the Alley, Night sounds made hearts beat a little more often, piercing cold turned their bodies into crowded figures. They walked confidently, step by step, ever closer to the place where the stone stood under which the woman was buried. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind tore the remnants of leaves from a nearby tree and swirl them at the feet of uninvited visitors. The guys stopped listening to the silence of the night. There were no lanterns in the district and only the light of the moon gave at least some kind of lighting. One could see the carefully planted rose bushes stretching into the dark. But on the street it became noticeably lighter. Each rose lit up with a red flame, as if a fire engulfed all life, red light absorbed the darkness around. Friends cuddled up to the tree, but curiosity prevailed and they headed for the nearest rose to take a closer look at what was happening. The closer they came, the clearer the light was, and after a moment they noticed that it was not light, but the fog was coming from the Queen of Flowers. Scarlet fog that spreads on the ground enveloping every stone, every piece of land. So he touched the legs of the madmen that they ventured to come here at such a late hour. Friends looked at each other. The senior did not stop looking at the bottle and dried it to a drop. The other two nervously smoked and looked towards the exit. And the fog was getting closer to them. So he already wrapped them in his waist, and then completely absorbed them.

* * *
The green-eyed woke up in the middle of the fog, only he was around and nothing else. Friends disappeared, no voices or rustles were heard. He was left alone. Gradually, his eyes became accustomed to the scarlet light and he began to distinguish an obscure silhouette, which moved towards him with a smooth gait. This was a woman, a very beautiful woman, in a red dress, with long hair that curly curls fell below his shoulders. She held out her hand to him and at the same moment was next to him. Her cold fingers touched his cheeks, the guy winced in surprise, but a sense of fear and cold chained his movements.
— Come to me, take me! Sing me a forgotten song and take me with you! — the voice came from a woman. “Do you know what he did to me?” Do you think I don’t remember how I was dying? Do you think I don’t know how it feels when they bleed you still alive to water these terrible flowers? He poured my soul, chained me here and comes here to admire his creation! No one could stop him, and now, after so many years, he comes here every night and torments me! Save me! The ghost of a woman shouted demandingly.
Finally, the guy was able to squeeze out a few words:
— What can I do for you? How can I help you?
The woman smiled, glancing slyly at him with blue eyes.
“You have to fix it.” Come to me, I will tell you.
The ghost melted, enveloping the guy in red smoke and disappeared.
* * *
The guy woke up from a vision, his friends were still standing around, they looked somewhere at one point, and their eyes gradually filled with blood. The anger that wound them was tangible physically. One of them spoke not in his voice:
“You killed me!” You are guilty of all this! — He said with hatred looking at a stocky friend. His fists clenched to a crunch of knuckles and he rushed at the one who had been dear to him for so many years. An unsuspecting guy got a powerful blow to the jaw and stumbled into the flowerbed. The oldest pounded and kicked him, knocking blow after blow all his life. He beat him until he stopped breathing and his face turned into a bloody mess. The first friend watched with horror this massacre, but did not intervene, he saw a woman in red beating her husband and now she will finally be free. He remembers her voice whispering in his ear the words of a prayer for help, he remembers how she begged him to help and he agreed. Now he has witnessed justice being done. In the end, the gray-haired friend stopped beating his comrade, his eyes again became a natural color. He looked around, not understanding what was happening.Then his gaze fell on a dead friend, who was more like a chop, in horror he recoiled from the body and backed away.
— You asked me for help, but I agreed! So do it and then we will be together! You will become free. Take me! — Shouted first.
Immediately after these words, a whirlwind of scarlet fog enveloped him from head to toe, the ghost of a woman clearly stood between them. Smiling, she held out her hand to him and disappeared into his body. Obsessed with a ghost, the guy threw his hands in and spoke not in his voice:
— You killed me! You blew me still living blood! Come here and try to do it again!
Black smoke mixed with scarlet fog, it filled everything around, spun and took on the shape of a man. He was no longer a young man, with a wide-brimmed hat and a cane, a long black coat below his knees looked elegant and old-fashioned. A lit cigar complemented the appearance of a ghost.
— I loved you! But you were obsessed with killing. You killed our children, you killed my family, but I still loved you. Your cruelty knew no bounds, and then I turned to the spirits to help me tame you. And they told me that only death can stop you.
“Ha, I knew what you were cooking against me,” the woman interrupted, “so I made my contract.” Everyone who comes to the place of my death will be killed by me personally, and in return I will be here on Earth, and I will do what I love most — to kill. You're nothing, did you really think you could stop me? Over the years, I have absorbed so much power from those who have been deceived by me that now I am able to stop you and you will not come here again and taunt me.
The woman rushed to him with fury capable of comparing with the fury of the gods. The man’s ghost stirred for a moment and disappeared, but then appeared again.

“Not so fast, my dear.” — The woman said. “You will not run away now.”
She grabbed him by the throat and began to ruffle like a doll saying:
— Now i am free! Now I can not stop.
The ghost of a man exploded not a thousand fragments and fell to the ground, scattering in different directions. There was a booming laugh on the Rose Avenue.
Epilogue
The next morning, police found three bodies with no signs of life. In conclusion, it was said that they were drunk and did not share something. A fight ensued as a result of which all three died. Only one cause of death was cardiac arrest.
— Pass us, we are from the FBI, this is our part.
“Since when has the FBI been dealing with simple killings?” The sheriff asked.
— As the authorities decided, we are only following the order.
— Skip them.
Two young men in a formal suit stepped over the barrier tape and headed for the bodies.
— Well, what can you say? Our business?
“The ghost definitely worked here.” This is definitely our business! And I told you that something is wrong here. No wonder there are so many deaths in this place for 50 years.
— Okay, bore. Let’s look at the bodies, and I’ll interview the witnesses at the bar.
— Why are you at the bar?
— Because I'm older.
With these words, one of the agents turned on his heels and strode towards his car, throwing on the move:
— Meet me at the hotel, Sammy.