by Jake Uniacke
“So, what is the point of investigating it? You left a weapon in her room, she used it to kill herself. That’s everything we need to know!” Mick yelled.
“The hospital, the coroner, and the police will need to investigate. I have already given the police my statement about the terrible, terrible mistake I made,” Doctor Michaels explained. “I have already written up my letter of resignation and will be handing it to my boss as soon as this meeting is over. I made a fatal mistake, and for that I am truly, terribly sorry, Mister Winter.”
Mick couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He was fully aware of all the rules that are in place in a psychiatric unit, and Doctor Michaels had broken every single one. Mick glared at the doctor, knowing he should never have put Georgia at risk in the first place. He knew Georgia’s meetings shouldn’t have been taking place in her room. He began to wonder what else Doctor Michaels could have done. The room remained quiet for a few moments before Mick snapped. His anger couldn’t stay inside anymore.
“You killed my wife!” Mick roared. “You killed my wife!”
Mick stood up and lunged over the table to attack the doctor. Lily grabbed Mick and pulled him away from Doctor Michaels. But Mick was too strong for her and she was knocked to the ground, smacking her head on a chair. The room fell silent. Mick couldn’t believe what he had just done. He offered his hand to help Lily up from the floor. She rejected his offer and got herself up, sitting down on the chair and holding her head in pain. Security rushed in and restrained Mick. But Mick couldn’t care less. As far as he was concerned, this incompetent doctor was responsible for his wife’s death.
He turned to Lily. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine,” replied Lily. “I was here as a counsellor and was going to offer my services to you and your family in case you needed me at all. But that is probably inappropriate now.”
“I’m really sorry,” said Mick. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Lily forced a smile onto her face. The security guards escorted Mick from the room and out of the hospital. Georgia would hate to see him like this. He needed to control his behaviour. Not for his sake, but for the sake of his children and for the sake of Georgia’s memory. He made his way over to his car and sped off.
***
The house was eerily quiet. With Alex at school and Connie at Dorothy’s, Mick felt more alone than ever before. He had no one. Fury fired up within him. He knew something wasn’t right about Georgia’s death. She was in that hospital for a reason, and that reason kept popping up even when she was there. Although Doctor Michaels was irresponsible and negligent, Mick had a funny feeling that only one person was responsible for Georgia’s death.
Emma.
Mick grabbed his mobile and put it back together. The screen was cracked, but that didn’t matter. He had an important phone call to make.
“Hello, it’s Mick Winter here,” said Mick. “I need your services sooner than Saturday. Something serious has happened, and I need things sorted ASAP. This is an emergency.”
Chapter 16
That same evening, Mick had an unsurprising knock at the door. As he opened the door, a smile crept onto his face. Finally, he would get justice for all that had happened.
“Please do come in,” said Mick.
He invited the paranormal investigators into the house, and he gently closed the door after they had entered. They stood in the hallway and discussed what they were going to do. Mick already knew the details about what would happen, but he didn’t want to seem rude. He invited them through to the kitchen where he offered them a cup of tea, and they began setting up their equipment.
“We’re going to place a camera in between these two jars on the counter,” said Gary, one of the investigators. “So, you’ll need to remember that it is there and not cover it up with anything by accident.”
Mick nodded as he picked up the boiling kettle and poured the contents into three mugs. The investigators secured the camera in place and set up a microphone not too far from it. They took a cup of tea each and took a quick sip before heading to the living room, where they followed the same process—set up the camera and microphone in a secure place, hidden from view.
“Now due to the fact you have children under the age of sixteen, we will need written permission to have a camera in their rooms,” said Gary.
“They won’t be staying here while the investigation is going on,” Mick informed them. “They’re staying with their grandmother.”
“Unfortunately, we will still need your permission, just for our insurance.”
Gary handed Mick a form and pointed to where he needed to sign. The investigators headed upstairs and put a camera and microphone in each room except the bathroom. Mick followed them around the house, ensuring they’re legitimate and aren’t going to steal anything.
“For the next few days, we will be living in your house,” explained Yvonne, the other investigator. “Our computers will need to be set up in their own room so we can keep an eye on things twenty-four hours a day.”
“You can set them up in the dining room,” said Mick. “I won’t be using it for the time being so you can use that room.”
“Many thanks!”
Gary and Yvonne headed back downstairs and entered the dining room. Mick helped them move the table against the wall and left them to set their equipment up. He was a bag of nerves. What if Emma doesn’t show up at all now? What if the investigators get angry with him for wasting their time? It had taken him a while to believe his wife and daughter, and it had taken him even longer to come to terms with the fact that his dead daughter was haunting his family. Now was his moment to make it up to them and to put an end to all of this for good. He couldn’t let them down. The living room lit up as the sun emerged from behind the clouds and shone through the window. Mick sat on the sofa and rubbed his forehead. The stress was becoming too much; he feared living in his own home. He had to make sure the paranormal investigators captured everything he needed to get rid of Emma. He started as the living room door creaked open and Yvonne poked her head through. Mick smiled and invited her in to join him.
“We are thankful that you’re allowing us to stay in your house, Mister Winter,” said Yvonne. “We have tried many times before to control everything from our home office, but the connection just never works.”
“You’ve no need to thank me,” Mick sighed. “You’re helping me out. I should be thanking you.”
Yvonne smiled at him. “Everything will be okay. We will get to the bottom of this.”
Mick nodded and went upstairs. He wanted to check every room, just to make sure nothing too drastic has been done to change things. Each room was exactly how it was before. It was almost like there were no cameras.
They’ve done a good job hiding these cameras. Even I can’t see where they are.
Mick grinned. He couldn’t wait for Emma to be caught on camera. He couldn’t wait for her to have an exorcism performed on her, and to put an end to her once and for all. Georgia would be proud of him. Mick knew that she would be happy he is finally saving his family. Tonight, was the night he would catch his daughter in the act.
***
“How was school?” Mick asked.
“Boring,” said Alex. “We had a supply teacher today because Miss Bell was sick. The teacher was horrible and miserable.”
“Oh dear.”
Mick and Alex fell silent for a while. Car journeys were never loud for them, as they never had anything to chat about. Mick didn’t want to scare his daughter with all the details about the paranormal investigators, so he thought it was best to keep quiet about them from now on.
“You’re going to stay with Grandma Dorothy today,” said Mick. “You’ll be with her for at least a week.”
“Why?” Alex asked. “Have the investigators come?”
Mick sighed. He didn’t want to tell her any more than he already had. So, he just nodded. “Yeah.”
“Are they going to get rid of Emma?�
��
“They’re going to try their very best,” Mick said. Damn it.
Mick stopped the car in Dorothy’s driveway, and he and Alex headed to the front door. Alex held her bag tightly and waited for her grandmother to open the door.
“Hello, sweetheart!” Dorothy cooed. She lifted Alex and gave her a hug.
Mick smiled. “Hi, Mum.”
“Do you want to come in for a quick cup of tea? You must be thirsty.”
Mick looked at the ground. He wanted to tell her about Georgia. But he couldn’t find the words. And he didn’t want to tell Alex just yet either.
“Um, no, I’m okay thank you,” Mick said. “I’ve er...I’ve got to go and see Georgia.”
Balls. Why am I lying?
“Okay, love,” said Dorothy. “Give her a hug from me, won’t you?”
“Of course.”
Mick kissed Alex on the cheek and then got back into his car. He waved as he drove off. Then he got a sudden urge to scream. He wanted to scream from the rooftops. He wanted to tell the entire world what had happened. But the words would never come out. Instead, he started to cry quietly. He missed his wife. Emma was responsible, and he was about to make her pay.
***
The house was quiet, except for the tapping of keyboards coming from the dining room. Mick didn’t dare go in there while Gary and Yvonne were in there working. Not only did he find it disrespectful, but he also felt awkward about it—especially since he had no real reason to go in there. Instead, he headed straight for the kitchen where he made himself a cup of tea before heading upstairs to his study. He often spent some time in there to get some work done or if he just wanted some time to be on his own. It was probably his favourite room in the house.
He placed his mug on the coaster and then switched his computer on. Once the screen had loaded, Mick opened the photos folder and browsed through his family photos. There was an entire individual folder dedicated to just Emma and Alex. He scrolled through them, tears rolling down his face. He could remember those days like they were yesterday.
How has my family become so broken in so little time?
Mick stopped on one photo. Emma was hugging Alex tightly. A smile crept onto his face as he reminisced on the good times he and his family had had. Nothing could replace them. He closed the folder and opened his wedding photos folder. He couldn’t stop staring at Georgia. Her beauty was something he couldn’t quite believe, and he felt as though he never deserved her. She was too good for him.
Mick froze. The gentle creaking of the floorboards came from behind the door. A shadow crept around, reflecting through the gap at the bottom of the door. Mick slowly turned his chair around and watched as the shadow moved around, pacing up and down, not leaving that area.
That is it!
Mick shot up from his chair and grabbed the doorknob. But fear took over and he couldn’t just swing the door open. He was paralysed. Slowly, Mick turned the doorknob and gently pulled the door open. But then, he couldn’t bear it anymore. He thrusted the door open the rest of the way. The hallway was empty. Nothing was there. Nobody was there. Mick let out a huff and headed to his bedroom. He threw himself onto his bed and screamed into the pillow, hoping the investigators downstairs wouldn’t hear him.
Tears streamed from his eyes and travelled down his cheeks before hitting the pillow. His heart was completely shattered. Losing his daughter and his wife in less than three months apart had hit him hard. It began to grow darker outside as the day turned to night. The moon sat in the centre of the sky glaring into the room. Mick turned his head to look out the window, feeling like the moon was staring at him. Everything was getting to him. He had high hope that Emma would soon be destroyed forever.
Because he wasn’t sure how much more he could take…
Chapter 17
Plates rattled against each other as Mick placed them on the draining board, bubbles dripping down them. It was 9pm, and Mick was finishing his chores before heading to bed. Gary and Yvonne were taking it in turns to do the night shift. Tonight, it was Yvonne’s turn, so Gary was sleeping on a camp bed in the dining room. Mick gently knocked on the door and entered.
“I just want to say that what you’re doing is great,” said Mick. “And I cannot thank you enough.”
“It’s our pleasure,” Yvonne replied. “We want to help you find peace.”
Mick smiled and shut the door as he exited the room. Yes, he wanted peace. But he didn’t want his daughter’s memory destroyed forever. Although, that would be a sacrifice he might just have to make if he wants to save his family from anymore torture.
***
Living with her grandmother felt strange for Alex. She had never spent more than one night with Grandma Dorothy before, so knowing she would be spending six nights with her was a strange feeling. Alex sat up on her bed and opened her book. Grandma Dorothy had promised Alex she could stay up until half-past nine, but with no screen time. Alex read her fairy book, remembering all the voices her mother used to do as she read it aloud to her.
There was a gentle knock on the door, and Dorothy entered the room. Alex looked up from her book and smiled.
“Five more minutes sweetie,” said Dorothy. “Then you’ve got to go to sleep.”
“Okay,” replied Alex. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course, you can.”
“When will I get to go home?”
Dorothy sat at the end of the bed. “I’m not sure. It depends on when your father is ready to have you back. He is struggling with your mummy being in hospital, so he just needs some time alone.”
Alex sulked. “But I want my own bed. It’s not fair that we have to stay here just because ghost hunters are at the house.”
“Ghost hunters?”
“Didn’t Daddy tell you?”
“No. Why is he having ghost hunters at the house?”
Alex sighed. She knew she shouldn’t have said anything. “Um...it doesn’t matter. Forget I said it.”
“No,” snapped Dorothy. “You need to tell me what is happening. I need to know your father is safe.”
Alex didn’t say anything. Instead, she continued to read her book and pretended her grandmother wasn’t in the room. But that proved difficult when Dorothy snatched the book from her hands and threw it on the floor.
“Alexandra Florence Winter!” yelled Dorothy. “Tell me what you mean by ghost hunters and why is your father employing them?”
“Fine,” said Alex. “These past few months, we’ve been getting haunted by Emma. She made Mummy sick, and she attacked me.”
Dorothy laughed. “Are you joking? Are you actually telling me that you’ve been experiencing some kind of paranormal realm, and Emma is the one behind it?”
“Yes! That is exactly what I’m saying!”
“You’ve seen too many films. I understand that you miss Emma, I miss her too. But she is in Heaven with the angels. She isn’t here.”
Alex scowled. “I’m being honest, I wouldn’t lie about this. She attacked me a few weeks ago. She is the reason Mummy is in hospital.”
“Alex, lying is very serious and I won’t have it in my house. Stop this immediately. You need to get some sleep.”
Dorothy got up from the bed and left Alex’s room. Alex thumped her head against her pillow and huffed. Why didn’t anyone believe her? First her father, then her friends, then her teacher, and now her grandmother. She needed to prove to everyone that Emma was haunting the family. And she just hoped that the paranormal investigators would get all the proof she needed.
***
Mick double checked all the doors and windows were locked, before switching off the lights and headed upstairs. He did his usual night routine—washed his face, brushed his teeth—and then went into his bedroom. Tonight, was the first night he would sleep knowing that when he woke up, his wife would simply be a memory. He wished that the doctors had been more responsible. Tomorrow, he would have visited Georgia and given her an update on the children.
Alex had been doing very well in her art lessons recently, and he was so excited to tell Georgia all about it. He stared at the ceiling, imagining it was the night sky with the stars sparkling. He remembered Georgia would do that every night to help her fall asleep. One year, he got her glow in the dark stars and moons to stick to the ceiling, but she eventually got fed up with them and told him to put them in Emma’s room instead.
Eventually, Mick nodded off to sleep, and he slept like a baby. That was until midnight. He jolted awake, woken by the sound of creaky floorboards and distant singing. At first, Mick thought it was just Yvonne using the toilet and singing badly. But the tone was strange. It was eerie. Just like how Georgia had described it all those weeks ago. He slowly rose from his bed and walked across the room to the door. Gently, he turned the doorknob and pulled the door open. He crept along the landing and stood outside the bathroom.
Ring around the roses.
Mick breathed heavily, his chest rising and falling profusely as his heart was beating rapidly.
A pocket full of posies.
Mick wrapped his hand around the door handle. He gripped it tightly, telling himself to open the door.
Ashes, ashes.
Fear and anger rolled together and bubbled within him. He couldn’t handle the terror anymore.
We all fall down.
Mick burst into the bathroom and switched the light on. The bathroom was empty, no one was there. He stared into the mirror, looking at his face. His skin was pale, and beads of sweat were running down his face. He couldn’t believe how scared he was getting. Only a few weeks ago, he had no worries and didn’t believe his wife. And now, he was the one crapping his pants over it. He switched the light off and closed the door as he left the bathroom. As Mick turned around and headed in the direction of his bedroom, he jumped as someone blocked his way.