by Suzy Turner
So she decided to take a walk away from the park. As she ambled through the large open gates that led away from the vast forested green space, her heart began to race and she felt nervous. But she held her head up high and carried on walking along the road as cars sped by beside her.
Crossing at the traffic lights, she spotted a small corner shop with fruit and veg on a stall outside. Her mouth watered as she remembered the flavours of those juicy apples. She could even smell them as she moved closer and closer until she stood directly in front of the stall. Sweet and tangy, the memory filled her mouth as it began to water. Before she'd even given it a single thought, Daisy swiped an apple and took a long hard bite, the juices dripping down her chin.
'Oy, you better be planning on paying for that,' shouted an angry looking Indian man who'd appeared from nowhere.
Daisy, startled, swallowed it and turned to run. Her heartbeat increased and before she knew what she'd done, she was back at the cemetery... in a matter of seconds.
Confused at the speed in which she'd run home, Daisy checked to make sure she wasn't being followed and rushed back through the gates, looking for a hidden spot where she could sit and try to make sense of what had just happened.
As she settled down onto the moss-covered ground in a corner hidden from view, Daisy looked at the bitten apple in her hand guiltily.
I stole it, she thought. I've never stolen a single thing. Mum would be so mad.
Soon, the tears she'd been trying to keep at bay flooded through her tear ducts as she sobbed her heart out. 'I'm not a thief,' she whispered, shaking her head.
An out-stretched hand patted her gently on her shoulder. Daisy didn't even look up as Jack took a seat by her side. She knew it was him. Since they'd become friends, she always knew when he was near, she could somehow feel his presence.
'I stole it, Jack,' she sobbed, as he carefully put his arm across her, pulling her into him. She dropped her head onto his shoulder and they sat quietly as Daisy sobbed until there were no more tears to cry.
'I'm sorry about earlier,' she eventually whispered.
Jack simply hugged her tighter and she knew he didn't mind.
'Come on,' he said a bit later as he stood and held out his hand to help her up.
'Where to?' she asked.
'My parents are out for the day... I thought you might like to take a shower.'
Daisy's face lit up, 'Really?'
He laughed and nodded.
CHAPTER 8
Daisy returned to the corner shop a week later to apologise to the old man. She handed him her last few coins but, just as he was about to take it, he looked at her face for a moment. Then he curled her fingers over the coins and smiled.
'What is your name, child?'
'D..D..aisy.'
'Daisy, you have a good heart,' and with that he turned and walked back into the shop.
She was stumped. She looked left, then right and walked in behind him, swallowing hard.
'Daisy, I can see you have fallen on hard times and that is not easy when you are so young. I have a proposition for you...'
With her eyes wide open, she smiled shyly, 'Erm... yes?'
'If you come here every Sunday to help me out in the shop, I will pay you in food.'
Her eyes lit up with the possibility of earning some food and she grinned like a little child. 'Yes please,' she exclaimed. 'I would love to do that! Thank you, thank you so much.'
'You can start today. But first, come and meet my wife.'
Daisy followed him through the back of the store and up some stairs until she stood in a cosy apartment filled with the delicious smells of Indian spices. Her stomach rumbled and she blushed.
'Balvinder, there is someone here I'd like you to meet,' said the old man.
A tiny elderly lady walked into the living room with a kind face and smile.
'Hello,' she said brightly, holding out her hand.
Daisy moved forward and shook her hand, 'I'm Daisy,' she whispered shyly.
'Who?' she answered loudly.
'You'll have to speak up, Daisy. Balvinder doesn't hear as well as she used to.'
'I'm Daisy,' she repeated, loudly.
'Crazy?'
Daisy giggled, 'No, Daisy.'
'Maisie?'
Daisy repressed a laugh, 'Daisy.'
'Ah... Daisy. Nice to meet you, Daisy,' she smiled before turning to her husband expectantly.
'Daisy is going to help out downstairs every Sunday... in return for some food.'
Balvinder's eyebrows knitted together and she shrugged, turning back to Daisy. 'Okay,' she smiled, then she sniffed and grimaced, moving closer to her.
'You need to bathe?' she asked.
Daisy blushed from head to toe and nodded sheepishly.
'Okay, you bathe here every week before you go to work. Otherwise... no work!' said Balvinder as she helped the teenager out of her coat. 'Follow me,' she said, leaving her husband to return downstairs.
Daisy did as she was told, giving her clothes to the old lady. 'I'll wash these,' she said as she held them at arms length.
Later that day Daisy felt better than she had done in ages. Those wonderful people had befriended her and offered her everything that she needed. Food, bathing facilities once a week and a little work. At the end of the day, Balvinder had even given her a home cooked meal to take with her. Her husband, Shariq had handed her a plastic bag full of food that would last her until next Sunday. Daisy hugged them both and waved goodbye as she ran back to Abney Park. She couldn't wait to tell Jack what had happened but it would probably have to wait until tomorrow.
That night as Daisy slept in the old chapel, she awoke with a start. A terrible feeling engulfed her and she hugged her knees to her chest tightly. She didn't know why but tears began to slowly fall down her cheeks. Something had happened, something really bad.
'Jack,' she whispered. She could feel his presence again. 'What are you doing here? Its the middle of the night,' she asked as she sat upright and searched for him in the darkness.
'Where are you?' she asked. 'Jack? I know you're here.'
But Jack didn't show himself. Confusion filled her head as she climbed out of the sleeping bag. It was Jack, something had happened to Jack. She just knew it. She quickly fumbled with her bag and threw it on to her back before rushing out of the chapel and running as fast as she could out of the park towards his house. She remembered the way from two weeks ago.
As she got closer and closer, the smell of smoke filled her nostrils and Daisy's sense of foreboding became stronger and stronger.
'Jack!' she yelped as she turned the street corner to find a scene of utter devastation. Several fire engines stood parked right outside Jack's house, now a burning building. She could hear cries and shrieks as neighbours gathered on the pavement on the opposite side of the road. People sobbed as an ambulance screeched away from the curb and down the road.
'Jack?' Daisy sobbed. She knew he was in that ambulance so she raced down the road and followed it all the way to the hospital, running as fast as she could, without even losing her breath.
When she arrived, she watched as the ambulance door was flung open and the stretcher pulled out. She rushed forward as the team from the hospital took over, taking him inside, into the A&E.
As Daisy stepped forward into the emergency room, she suddenly couldn't breathe. A memory she'd pushed so back into her mind had re-surfaced and she suddenly remembered that day she'd arrived at the same hospital to find her mother at death's door.
Intense pain like it was yesterday clutched at her chest, but she broke through, made herself breathe again. For Jack. She needed to see Jack.
'No, sorry. You can't go in there,' said a friendly face.
'But... but he's my best friend. I need to make sure he's okay. I need to see him. Please... please let me see him.'
The nurse smiled sadly and shook her head, 'I'm sorry, you need to let the doctors help him right now. Why don't you sit down ove
r there and I'll keep you updated on his condition. Perhaps later, okay?' she smiled.
Daisy clutched at her chest, the pain was intolerable, but she did as she was told.
Nodding, she turned away from the nurse and walked towards the waiting room, the same waiting room where her mother had said goodbye. She couldn't say goodbye to Jack too. She just couldn't.
'He's going to be fine, he's going to be fine,' she muttered to herself over and over as she took a seat and pulled her knees close to her chest.
She'd lost her mother, lost her father and now maybe she would lose her best friend too. What had she done to deserve this?
As she lifted her eyes from the floor, she looked around. There were loads of people wandering around the corridors, some looked totally lost and sad. But there were also a few nurses who looked really odd. Daisy watched them as they stood chatting to each other, occasionally walking into another room. But it was their manner of dress that wasn't quite right. In fact, it was downright weird. They looked like were from another time.
Long white dresses with starched white collars and frilly caps. Had they come from a fancy dress party? And then, just when she thought it couldn't get any more bizarre, a man appeared wearing blue tights, an ornate red coat that cinched in at the waist, a frilly white shirt beneath it and a large hat. Daisy rubbed her eyes and looked back at him in amazement. The man turned to look at her, nodded his head and carried on walking... right through the wall.
Daisy lost her breathe again. She sat bolt upright then put her fingers to her lips, about to gnaw on her nails when the friendly nurse appeared again.
'I'm sorry but it doesn't look too good. If you come with me, I can smuggle you in but just for a moment, okay?'
Daisy forgot all about the odd characters wandering around the hospital and stood up, quickly following behind the sweet nurse. As she walked into the cubicle, an involuntary sob burst from her lips.
'Jack,' she muttered as she stepped forward to see him. He was deathly pale. It was then than she knew she was going to lose him.
'I don't understand.'
The nurse stepped forward, 'there was just too much smoke inhalation, I'm afraid. We don't think he'll make it through it night. I'm so sorry. Perhaps you should say your goodbye now.'
Daisy's bottom lip quivered, 'No, I won't say goodbye. I can't.'
The nurse looked on sadly, 'I'll give you a couple of minutes.'
'Wait... what happened to his family. His mum and dad?'
The nurse shook her head, 'he was the only one to make it out alive. I'm so sorry.'
Daisy gingerly sat on the bed and placed her hand over Jack's.
'Please don't die, Jack. Please don't leave me. I can't lose you as well.'
She sat with her eyes closed and her head on his bed for ten minutes.
'Daisy?' said a familiar voice.
Sitting bolt upright, Daisy let out a deep sigh. 'I knew you wouldn't die. I knew you'd make it,' she smiled with utter relief.
But Jack looked the same. His eyes were closed, he looked peaceful.
'Jack?' she asked.
'Daisy? I'm here,' said the voice.
Daisy slowly turned her head until she saw him standing at the foot of the bed. He stood looking over at his own body sadly.
'No,' she whispered, 'Not you too. Jack no, it's not fair. Don't go... don't leave me. Please... please.... no,' she cried, sobbing loudly until the nurse appeared once again. She approached the bed and checked his vital signs but he'd gone.
'I'm sorry, my love, but he's died. Come on, it's better that you go now,' she said as she carefully placed the sheet over his face.
Daisy looked around the room but there was no sign of Jack.
She sobbed and ran out of the room, out of the hospital, running flat out until she arrived at the cemetery. She could barely see for the tears blurred her vision. But she kept on running until she arrived at the old chapel and threw herself on to the floor, gasping for air and sobbing loudly.
'Shhhh Daisy, don't cry.'
'Jack? You're still here?' she asked, looking around in confusion.
'I'm here, Daisy, I'm here,' and her friend walked towards her from the darkened corner of the nave.
She stood up and rushed towards him, wanting to hold him tight, but she walked right through him, stumbling and falling to the ground, banging her knee as she did so.
'I'm sorry Daisy. I wish I could hold you, but I can't... I'm... I'm... dead.'
The tears began again as she sobbed loudly and shook her head. Her whole body trembled.
'Daisy, I won't leave you, I promise I won't leave you.'
Turning to look at his ghost, Daisy's tears began to dry a little.
'You won't?'
Jack shook his head.
'Now take out your sleeping bag and get inside. Get warm, it will make you feel better, I promise.'
Daisy did as he asked and curled up inside her sleeping bag. She felt the warmth creep up her body until, eventually, the trembling stopped.
'There,' he said, 'that's better isn't it?'
She nodded as he lay down beside her, so they were facing each other.
'I'm sorry, Jack. I'm sorry about your parents.'
Jack smiled sadly, 'I guess it was our time to go.'
'What happened?'
'I don't know. I don't remember it. I just remember my parents coming to me in the hospital after you'd gone. They looked so peaceful and happy. I never saw them look like that before. They walked into the light.'
'But, why didn't you go with them?'
'I told them I would meet them over there. I told them I couldn't leave you... not yet.'
Daisy lifted her head, 'thank you,' she sniffed and he smiled.
They lay like that until her breathing slowed and Jack was sure she was asleep. And then he disappeared.
CHAPTER 9
For the next month, Jack never left her side. He called himself her 'guardian angel', or 'guardian ghost'. Although he had died that night in the house fire, Daisy never felt like she had truly lost him. He made sure of that.
He even went with her to Balvinder and Shariq's corner shop every Sunday. But it wasn't easy being around other people because they couldn't see Jack. Daisy was the only person who could.
She'd told him about her experiences in the hospital, about her mum who had appeared to her shortly after her death, and about the strange looking nurses and the man who was dressed like someone from centuries ago. Jack had returned to the hospital and found that, sure enough, those nurses and several oddly-dressed men frequently floated through the building. He had tried to talk to them but they said they were too busy.
So Daisy could see ghosts, it was as simple as that.
'But why did I only see them in the hospital? And why you?' she asked one day while they were wandering about the cemetery reading people's headstones from many years ago. 'Why can't I see ghosts around here? I mean, this is a cemetery... there must be loads around here?'
Jack shrugged, 'I've seen them drifting in and out of the trees.'
'You have?' she asked, surprised. 'I don't get it?'
'Maybe you have to be in a special state of mind. You know, in the hospital, you were pretty upset. Maybe that's what brought it on,' he suggested.
'Maybe.'
'Why are you so worried about it? Do you want to see more ghosts?'
'Yes,' she laughed.
'Really?' he asked, his face askew.
She nodded, 'Mum told me I was special. She said something big was going to happen to me... and I think maybe it's got something to do with ghosts.'
'Don't you think it's got something to do with your tattoo? And the fact that you can run really, really fast?'
'I can?' she asked, not realising it herself.
'You didn't realise?'
'Not really,' she said, shaking her head.
Jack threw his head backwards and let out a deep laugh, 'Oh Daisy... you make me laugh. You can run faster than an
yone I've ever seen in my entire, short, life. You can sing like... like, well, like an angel and you have this weird tattoo that just appeared on your back. Clearly you ARE special in more ways than one. Did you never realise any of this?'
Daisy tried to make sense of what he was saying.
'You really think I can sing? And run fast?' she asked and he laughed again.
'Yes... seriously! And, you're not going to like what I'm going to say, but... your dad is the one person who can tell you the truth.'
'Bah,' she said turning to look away from him as she crouched down and rubbed the dirt from a headless angel statue. 'Let's not talk about my dad.'
Jack raised his eyebrows, 'You might not want to talk about him but he's the only one who can answer your questions, Daisy.'
She sighed, 'I know, Jack, I know.'
'Okay so you're not ready to go and find him yet. But you will be... at some point.'
She turned and stuck out her tongue before smiling, 'yeah, I know.'
'Come on, let's sit and sing something,' he suggested holding out his hand as if she could hold it. She responded by holding out her own and they pretended to hold each others with a smile as he led her to the sleeping lion where they sat beneath it. There they opened their mouths and began to sing the Coldplay song that suited Daisy, the song she had been singing the first time he had ever heard that exquisite voice of hers...
'Para-para-paradise, Para-para-paradise, Para-para-paradise...'
Daisy was so captivated by the moment that she didn't even notice several dog walkers had stopped to listen. A middle aged man, and two young women all stood, entranced by the girl's beautiful voice. They didn't hear Jack's, of course. All they saw was a teenage girl with a mass of red hair, sitting beneath a lion singing a song. But it was almost as if they were in a trance, brought on by her voice. When the song finally came to an end, the three of them just stood watching her. Soon snapping out of it, they all clapped loudly, making Daisy open her eyes suddenly and jump upwards in shock.
'Wow, that was absolutely amazing,' said one of the two girls as she turned to go.
'You really ought to sign up for the X factor,' said the other, 'You'd surely win with a voice like that,' she smiled before walking away.
The man just smiled at her, tipped his hat and walked on. All three dogs glad to finally be able to continue their morning walks.
CHAPTER 10
It was Christmas day, it was snowing and yet, bizarrely, Daisy didn't feel the cold.