by Jake Uniacke
Doctor Michaels noted down what Georgia was saying, scribbling quickly. Georgia watched him and stopped talking. What’s he writing?
He looked up at her and smiled. “It’s okay, you don’t need to stop. Continue.”
“It was just all very strange. The singing stopped and started. I didn’t know what it was.” A tear dribbled down Georgia’s face, before clinging onto her chin and eventually jumped off. “That’s when the blood burst from the sink and soaked me and the entire room. It was like a tsunami had struck the house.”
Doctor Michaels continued noting things down. “Was that the end of it on that night?”
“I think so, yeah. I can’t really remember much about it. It all happened so quick, and it has damaged my mind.”
The doctor nodded sympathetically and then moved onto his next question. “What about the first time you experienced something physical happening to you?”
Georgia didn’t even want to explain this one. This was the time she was sure she saw Emma walk out in front of her car before being run over. Ever since that particular incident, Georgia had tried to wipe it from her memory. The thought of running over her own daughter frightened her—even though Emma was in fact already dead at that point. She shook her head.
“Can we come back to that question?” she asked. “I’m not quite ready to talk about that.”
Doctor Michaels nodded with a soft smile on his face. “Yes, that is absolutely fine. There is no pressure to discuss anything you don’t want to. So, my next question is, how does all of this make you feel?”
“What kind of question is that?” barked Georgia. “I’m in a mental hospital for a reason - all of this has been getting on top of me!”
“Apologies,” said Doctor Michaels. “And please don’t use the term mental hospital.” He wrote some notes in his notebook. “So, am I right to assume that this has been making you feel...anxious?”
Georgia nodded aggressively. She was finding his questions extremely stupid, especially considering that she was in a psychiatric unit for a reason. How does this make you feel? Bloody idiot. Georgia watched as the doctor wrote in his notebook. Anxiety filled her, and she began to overthink every single one of his actions. She tried to look at what he was writing, but the notebook was at an angle so she couldn’t catch a sneak.
“What are you writing?” she asked.
Doctor Michaels looked up. “I’m just writing some notes from this session to help me figure out the best care for you.”
“You’re going to show this to other people, aren’t you? You’re all going to laugh at me.”
“Of course not. Everything discussed in this room is completely confidential.”
“Emma told me you’re going to tell everyone my secrets.”
Doctor Michaels shook his head. He closed his notebook and placed his pen on top of it before resting it on his legs.
“I promise you that everything you’ve said today will stay between us. The only person I’m allowed to share this information with is your GP,” said Doctor Michaels. “I’m not allowed to show you what I’ve written in my book because there are other patient details in there. But I can assure you what I’m saying is the truth.”
Georgia nodded. She wasn’t completely sure he was being honest, but she figured it was probably best to just agree with him and move on. He told her his questions were over for the day, but he would be back tomorrow to follow up, and to come back to the question Georgia avoided. As the doctor left the room, Georgia watched out the window. Everyone going about their daily business; seeing friends, walking their dogs, taking their kids to the park—Georgia wished she could be doing the same. But she was stuck in there. She felt like she was in prison.
***
The school bell rang, alerting the children to line up by their class designated star. One blue, one red, one green, and the others a whole range of different colours. Alex’s class had the yellow star. Alex always said it was golden, meaning they were the best class in the school. She had even managed to convince her classmates that was what the star meant. The children lined up perfectly and waited for their teachers to arrive. One by one, the teachers emerged from the school and approached their line of students.
Alex nervously twiddled her fingers, her anxiety clear on her face; but her teacher was somewhat oblivious to it. But not Nicole. She stared at Alex directly in the eyes.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“What?” Alex said, rather abruptly.
“I asked if you are okay.”
“Fine. Why?”
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost!” Nicole let out a gentle laugh.
Alex scowled. “I’ll tell you what, though. I have seen a ghost.”
Nicole stopped in her tracks and turned to face Alex. “Really?”
“Yeah. Well, a demon, really. You want to know who?”
“Yes! Tell me!”
A few of their other classmates joined them. Lucy, Adam, and Kaylee gathered around Alex and Nicole, patiently waiting for Alex to tell them whose ghost she had seen.
“I’ve been seeing my dead sister,” said Alex. “She’s been coming to the house every day and has been doing weird stuff. Last night, she came into my room and started slamming my window open and shut. Then she started playing my music box, before throwing my doll at me. And then, she grabbed my leg and pulled me from my bed.”
“You’re lying!” cried Kaylee as she raced off in tears.
Adam shivered. “Did that really happen?” Curiosity struck him.
“Yes, I’m telling the truth. My mum ended up in hospital because of Emma,” said Alex. “I’m not lying, I promise.”
Adam darted off, catching up with Kaylee. Nicole and Lucy gawped at Alex. They didn’t quite believe what she was saying, and yet at the same time, they did believe it. Alex smiled and strutted off to her classroom. She and her friends were a few minutes late because she was telling her story, but she didn’t care. She had finally managed to tell people about her experiences, and she thought deep down they believed her. Because her father certainly didn’t. Alex hooked her bag on her designated hook in the classroom and then sat on her assigned seat. It was at that moment Miss Bell came over to her.
“Alex,” said Miss Bell. “Please could I have a word outside the classroom?”
Alex stood up and followed Miss Bell out of the room and closed the door behind her. Miss Bell waited for Alex to sit down before she began talking.
“A few of your friends have told me that you’ve been trying to scare them,” Miss Bell said. “You’ve been telling them ghost stories, is that correct?”
“They're not my friends,” muttered Alex.
“That’s irrelevant. Can you just answer my question, please?”
Alex sighed. “It’s not a ghost story. It’s the truth. Emma has been haunting me!”
Miss Bell shook her head. “Alex, you cannot lie. Ghosts do not exist. You’ve got to remember your classmates are only eight and nine years old. You’ve frightened them. I’ve no option but to call your father.”
Alex’s lip trembled. “No, please. He doesn’t really believe me, either. But I promise I was telling the truth. Emma really has been haunting me.”
“That’s enough, Alex!” barked Miss Bell. “I will be calling your father into the school and the three of us will have a meeting at the end of the day.”
Alex sulked as she walked back into the classroom. As Miss Bell started the lesson, Alex glared at all her classmates. They were all looking at her with frightened looks on their faces. Nicole had a nasty grin on her face. I’ll prove to you that I was telling the truth. Then you’ll be sorry.
***
It was the end of the school day and as the children scurried out of the school and greeted their parents, one child was still indoors waiting for her father to come in. Alex flicked her pen around between her fingers anxiously as Miss Bell tapped away on her keyboard. Neither of them spoke to one another. There was a soft knock
on the door.
“Come in,” said Miss Bell.
She turned around and saw Mick standing in the doorway. “Ah, Mister Winter. Please take a seat.”
Mick sat down next to his daughter and Miss Bell wheeled her office chair over to the table where father and daughter were sitting. She placed her notebook on the table and opened it to a fresh page where she intended to write notes from this meeting.
“So, Mister Winter,” Miss Bell began. “I had a few complaints from some of Alex’s classmates this morning. They were saying that Alex had told them ghost stories and trying to scare them. Do you have any idea where this behaviour may have come from?”
Mick stared at his daughter angrily. “She and her mum are both as bad as each other. They’ve both said they’ve been haunted by Emma. It’s utterly ridiculous! I’ve no idea where she is coming up with these stories.”
Miss Bell took some notes before turning towards Alex. “And Alex, why did you feel it was appropriate to tell your friends these stories? What were you hoping to achieve?”
“I just wanted someone to believe me,” Alex whimpered. “Emma has been haunting me. She even attacked me in the middle of the night last night! But nobody believes me and I’m scared!”
“Alex, is this your way of trying to grieve for your sister? Are you pretending she’s a ghost or imagining her to help you with your grief?”
Alex glared at her teacher. “I’m telling the truth!” Her loud tone startled Miss Bell.
Mick and Miss Bell glanced at each other as Alex burst into tears, desperate to be believed. Miss Bell took some more notes before looking back at Alex’s father.
“I’m sorry, Mister Winter,” said Miss Bell. “But this behaviour cannot continue. It is disturbing the other children. If Alex continues with these ghastly and ridiculous stories, then I shall have no other option but to put her in isolation away from the other children.”
Mick nodded in agreement. “I understand. Come on, Alex, we need to get home. And you’re grounded for a month.”
Alex stood up and followed her father from the room. She glanced back at Miss Bell, who was making her way back to her desk. The desperation to be heard was growing. There had to be something she could do to prove Emma’s ghostly presence. She was not imagining it, and she certainly wasn’t making it up to help her grieve. Alex vowed to prove it, no matter what it took.
Chapter 12
Cars raced past, people walked by, and children laughed. Georgia watched out her window, her arms crossed and her hair a mess. An overwhelming feeling of depression washed through her. While everyone was getting on with their lives, seeing friends and family, making memories, and sharing laughs, she was stuck in this ward with no contact with the outside world except the odd visit from her husband every week.
Her time in the ward had been a learning experience for her. After everything that had happened, she had learnt that she needed to forgive Alex. That was the only way the family would be able to move forward and become happy again. Of course, they would all feel empty since Emma was no longer with them. But deep down, Georgia knew she had to move on and forgive Alex. The girl needed a mother, not an enemy. The door clicked open, and Georgia flinched. She spun around and smiled as she saw Doctor Michaels, and her husband a short distance behind him.
“Hello Georgia,” said Doctor Michaels. “You’ve got a visitor. Your husband is here to see you.”
Georgia tensed up a bit, worried about what Mick might say. As Mick came in, Doctor Michaels left to leave them alone for a while. Mick hugged his wife tightly and kissed her on the cheek. He had seen her very few times during her time here, as he had been so busy looking after the children. But with each visit, he made sure to make the most of it and to spend as much time with her as possible. He sat down next to her on the bed, and she rested her head on his chest, listening to his soothing heartbeat thump against her head.
“How are the kids?” Georgia asked.
“Good, yeah. Connie said ‘daddy’ the other day. It made me tear up.”
“And Alex?” Georgia looked up at her husband but didn’t remove her head from his chest.
“You were right. Something is in the house. Alex has been experiencing similar things. So, I’ve been thinking, and I am going to hire some paranormal investigators to come to the house.”
Georgia shot up and glared at her husband. “Are you for real? I’ve been in here this whole time thinking I was going mad!”
“I know, and I truly am sorry! I should have listened to you sooner. You have no idea how guilty I feel for allowing you to come here.”
Georgia shook her head as tears ran down her face. “You need to get me out of here!”
“I can’t do that. You still need help to manage your grief. The doctors don’t think you’re ready to come home just yet, and nor do I,” Mick explained.
Georgia was fed up with being here. Now she knew Alex had been going through the same as what she had been going through, she was even more determined to get out. She had to be there for her family.
“Tell me more about these paranormal investigators then,” said Georgia. “What do they do? How much do they charge? Are they legit?”
“They come to the house and set up cameras and microphones in every room, except the bathroom. This is to record any strange happenings that go on at any point in the day. Then they call in a priest to perform an exorcism,” Mick explained to Georgia. “They charge one hundred pounds per day, and yes, they are one hundred percent legit. I did my research.”
Georgia wasn’t too sure. She didn’t seem keen on the idea of complete strangers coming into the house and filming everything. All their belongings would be on camera. Her children were going to be filmed. It didn’t seem right. Mick stared at his wife as she sat in silence, thinking about the right thing to do.
“I don’t think it’s the best idea,” Georgia finally said. “It might scare the girls.”
“I’m going to send them to my mums for a few days while the investigators are at the house,” said Mick. “The girls won’t be in the house. It will just be me.”
For some reason, Georgia still wasn’t one hundred percent sure that hiring paranormal investigators was the right thing to do. She thought it was a bit extreme. But she knew Mick wouldn’t back down on the idea. He seemed pretty sure about it and after all, she wasn’t at the house, so she couldn’t do anything to stop him from bringing them in.
“Fine,” Georgia mumbled. “Go ahead. Hire the investigators. Hopefully, they will put an end to all of this crap.”
Mick smiled and kissed his wife on the forehead. He stayed with her for another half hour before finally leaving. Once he was gone, Georgia sat on her bed silently. Like always, she was alone. She watched out the window and saw Mick getting into his car. She waved, and he waved back. Watching Mick drive off, Georgia frowned, and a tear trickled down her cheek. She wanted him to stay with her. She didn’t want to be alone. The silence of the room was deafening. Normally, she would hear people screaming in the corridors or she would hear traffic driving past. But not now. Everything was quiet. Everything was too quiet.
She turned around to go back to her bed when she was greeted by an unwanted visitor. Her eyes widened with fear. Her breathing grew faster and heavier. The sound of her heartbeat thumped through her chest. The pale white face, the dark black eyes, the long, wet hair. Her white dress was torn, with stains all around the flounce. The appearance turned Georgia’s stomach, a horrifying sight. But she knew instantly who it was.
Emma.
Chapter 13
Mick picked up his mobile phone and dialled the number for the paranormal investigators. He was nervous about bringing them in as he feared what they would find in the house. But he knew it was what he needed to do. He had to protect himself, his wife, and his children. And maybe once Emma had been discovered, exorcised and eliminated from the house, Georgia would feel better and would finally be able to come home.
“Hello, is
that Just for Ghouls?” Mick asked. He allowed the person on the other end of the phone to speak. “I’m just wondering if it would be possible to hire your services. My house is being haunted by someone and it is scaring my children and has made my wife incredibly ill.”
As the person on the end of the phone spoke, Mick noted down all the details he needed to know before asking more questions.
“Saturday? Can’t you come any sooner?” Mick said. “My eldest daughter is frightened to death. We need your help sooner than Saturday!”
Mick allowed them to speak. But he wasn’t at all happy with their response. “Well, I guess Saturday will have to do then. Are you able to come round at half-past eight in the morning?”
Their conversation ended, and Mick put his phone down. He laid back on his bed and sighed, staring at the ceiling. Right now, he wished his wife were lying next to him. He needed her. He needed his family back together again.
The bedroom door opened, and Alex skipped in cheerfully. “Who were you on the phone to?”
Mick prompted his daughter to sit down next to him, and he would explain what was going on. Alex sat down next to him and gave him a hug. Mick wasn’t expecting it. But he appreciated it. A hug was all he needed.
“At the weekend, I’m going to have some visitors,” said Mick. “They’re going to do some work in the house. So, you and Connie will be staying with Grandma Dorothy for a few days, just until they’re gone.”
“What sort of work?” Alex quizzed.
“I can’t tell you, sweetie. It might frighten you.”
Alex shook her head. “After everything that has happened to me, nothing will frighten me more than Emma. Please tell me what’s going on.”