Daisy Madigan's Paradise

by Suzy Turner

'Oh yeah, I've seen them here before. I always keep my distance.'

  'That's wise... I watched what they did to Jack. It wasn't pleasant.'

  'Wh...what did they do to him?'

  'I dunno, it was weird. She kind of put her hand right into him. I could see he was really uncomfortable. She said something about his memory being lost and she made him tell her about me. I think they want to, well, I think they want to k...k...kill me.'

  Charlotte gasped.

  'How can they do that to a ghost?' she asked, afraid.

  'I wish I knew. But I do know that they're evil and they're different. Two of them are...are.... were...'

  'What, Daisy what?'

  She gulped loudly before continuing, 'Werewolves. Two of them are werewolves, Charlotte. I saw one of them change. It was terrifying.'

  'What are you going to do?'

  'Me?' replied Daisy, 'I... don't know.'

  'Maybe you should get out of Abney Park. Maybe you should run away, go somewhere safe,' she suggested as she floated around the catacombs.

  'But I feel safe here. This is my home.'

  'It is? But... but you must have a proper home somewhere?'

  Daisy sighed and sat up straight.

  'I did but not any more. This is my home now.'

  'I miss my home and I miss my Mum and Dad. If I had the chance to go back, I would take it like a shot.'

  'How long have you... have you...'

  'What? Been dead?' Charlotte interrupted and Daisy nodded.

  'A while, I guess. You lose all track of time when you're like this. I dunno. What year is it?'

  '2012.'

  'Really?' she said, shocked. 'I died in 1994.'

  'How?' whispered Daisy.

  Charlotte turned from her and floated away for a moment. Then she stopped and turned back and before Daisy knew it, the girl was sitting beside her.

  'Liver failure caused by bulimia... I was stupid. I was so desperate to be thin that I couldn't see myself the way I really was. I made myself so sick day after day after day. In the end my body just couldn't take it any more and I died in the hospital. I can't bear... the....p...p...pain I caused my family. I hate myself for that,' she said trying to punch herself in the stomach.

  'I'm so sorry,' whispered Daisy.

  'Don't be. It was my fault. Completely and utterly my fault.'

  'But why are you still here? Why didn't you, you know, cross over?'

  Charlotte shrugged, her knees up to her chin. 'I just wasn't ready to, I guess. Felt too guilty to leave my parents. I dunno,' she shrugged again.

  'Why don't you cross over now?'

  'I haven't seen the light for a long time. I wouldn't know how,' she said sadly.

  'You mean you're stuck here?'

  Charlotte nodded, 'I guess.'

  'Is there anything I can do to help?'

  The smile almost lit up Charlotte's gaunt face, 'I wish you could but I just don't know how.'

  'Have you been to see your parents since, you know?'

  'Since I died, you mean?'

  Daisy nodded.

  'I tried to but I couldn't seem to leave the park.'

  'That's weird. Have you tried to leave since?'

  Charlotte shook her head.

  'Come on, let's try now.'

  'Really?'

  'Yeah, come on,' yelled Daisy who was already at the secret entrance to the catacombs.

  Peering out to make sure nobody was around, she rushed out and then covered up the entrance with twigs, branches and leaves. By the time she'd reached the old chapel, Charlotte was floating alongside her.

  Daisy smiled when they reached the gate.

  'Are you ready?' she whispered.

  Charlotte looked terrified but she nodded.

  Walking through, Daisy turned around on the other side and waited for her new friend to try and make it through. The second she tried to float through, it was like she'd had an electric shock and she was dragged backwards, as if sucked into a vacuum, pulling her further back into the park.

  'Daisy!' she yelled.

  Dashing back into Abney Park, Daisy followed the young ghost until they both came to a halt outside the old chapel.

  'Are you... are you... okay?' asked Daisy in shock.

  'I... I... think so,' she replied in horror.

  'That was horrible. Did it hurt?'

  But Charlotte shook her head, 'no, it just felt really, really horrible. It was scary.'

  'I wonder what's causing it. I mean, surely you weren't buried here were you? Is your grave in the cemetery?'

  Charlotte shook her head, 'no, but I did ask my parents to scatter my ashes here though.'

  'Really? Well, maybe that's got something to do with it. Maybe you're trapped here because of that. Do you know if any of the other... spirits... are trapped too?'

  Charlotte nodded, 'some of them are, yes.'

  Daisy paced up and down the pathway, thinking about the ghosts.

  'Maybe you have some unfinished business... and maybe you can't leave here until it's been sorted out?' she suggested.

  'But don't you think that's kind of a cliché?'

  Daisy smiled, 'definitely but what if it works? It could free you, Charlotte. It could help you to cross over.'

  Charlotte's face slowly blossomed and she beamed at Daisy who grinned back.

  'I'll help you... I'll help you cross over.'

  The terror of the day before was soon put to the back of Daisy's mind and she began to feel really good again. A feeling she hadn't had for such a long time. It was an emotion that felt totally right, an emotion that made her realise this was what she was meant to do. She was meant to help these ghosts.

  CHAPTER 14

  Stretching and yawning loudly, Daisy sat beside one of the headless angels with a piece of paper and pencil in her hand. Charlotte had given her as much information as she could remember. Her old address, her mum and dad's names, basically anything she thought might help Daisy to get to the truth about why she hadn't crossed over.

  'Have you ever been touched by that woman, Charlotte?' she asked all of a sudden.

  'Huh?' Charlotte responded with a confused look on her face.

  'You know... the woman with the short brown hair, her from that scary gang.'

  'Oh her, um, I don't think so. Why?'

  'I was just wondering, making sure you haven't lost any important memories that's all.'

  'I don't think so, but then would I remember if I had?'

  Daisy shrugged, 'I guess you have a point. Look, I'm going to try and find your old house and see if I can talk to your parents. God knows what I'm going to say to them though. They'll probably think I'm some kind of psycho or something,' she laughed nervously.

  Charlotte smiled sadly, 'I wish I could go with you.'

  'I know.'

  'Right, I may as well go now,' she said as she stood up and brushed the loose dirt from her jeans.

  'Daisy?'

  'Yeah?'

  'When you talk to them... if they don't believe you... mention Brunhilda Van Horn. I think that might convince them that you're for real.'

  'Brunhilda Van Horn? Who is that?'

  Charlotte looked embarrassed as she faded away without another word.

  'Okay then... I'll just go then... on my own. Bye,' she said more to herself than to anyone else.

  She scribbled the name down on the piece of paper before folding it carefully and putting it in her back pocket. The pencil she placed in the front pocket of her coat and headed out of the park, remembering Charlotte's directions to the house she lived in before she died.

  As she walked slowly along the road she felt like she was being watched so she stopped and turned around. Alone, except for a man walking his dog on the other side of the road, Daisy turned back and continued. But the sensation continued with her and so she sped up a little. Rounding a corner, she came to a standstill, waited for a second before leaning round to have another look. Although she could see no-one, a familiar feel
ing overcame her and she smiled.

  'Hi Jack,' she said quietly.

  Sure enough, Jack's ghost materialised in front of her.

  'How did you know I was here?' he asked seriously.

  She just shrugged and carried on walking.

  'You seem annoyed,' he quite rightly deducted.

  She said nothing.

  'Have I done something to make you angry?'

  She turned abruptly and he stopped. Pointing her finger at him she was about to speak when a jogger ran past looking at her oddly.

  Daisy stopped, turned around and continued walking.

  'Daisy, what's wrong?' Jack asked again.

  Whispering out of the corner of her mouth, she said, 'You... you... told that vicious creepy gang about me, Jack. And now, I'm pretty sure they want to hurt me... or worse.'

  Confusion filled his face, 'What gang? What are you talking about?'

  'That gang with those... those... werewolves.'

  Jack shook his head and started to laugh.

  'You're such a joker, Daisy,' but when he saw her face he stopped. 'You're n...n...not joking?'

  She shook her head as they stopped at the traffic lights.

  Sighing heavily, Daisy suddenly realised that he probably couldn't remember because she's screwed with his memory. He probably couldn't even remember their falling out either.

  'Are you still insisting that you're not dead?' she asked.

  Jack's expression answered her question and she shook her head looking up at the grey sky.

  'Oh boy,' she whispered. 'Look, Jack, I've got something really important to do just now. Let's talk about this later.'

  'Can't I come with you?'

  Looking at him as they crossed the road, 'whatever,' she said.

  As they approached St. Elmo's Street, Daisy took her notes from her pocket, checked the house number and pushed it back in.

  'Number 21,' she whispered under her breath.

  'It's just here,' pointed out Jack as she stood outside the grandest house on the street.

  Taking a deep breath, Daisy pushed open the gate and walked down the pathway until she reached the front door. She hoped they were in, as she noticed there was no car in the driveway.

  Knocking, she waited a few moments. She could hear someone walking inside.

  After a moment, the door was gingerly opened and Daisy stood looking at a frail woman in her 60s with long white hair tied up in a bun.

  'Yes?' she asked.

  'Mrs Freiling?'

  'Yes.'

  'I'm... I'm... a friend of Charlotte's.'

  Mrs Freiling took a steep back and with an intake of breath her expression changed completely. 'I'm afraid that's not possible. You weren't even born when Charlotte.... when Charlotte... well, you weren't even born...'

  Daisy gulped. She knew this wasn't going to be easy.

  'Um, I know Mrs Freiling. I, um, I've seen Charlotte recently.'

  The woman closed her eyes and shook her head angrily.

  'What are you playing at? My daughter died nearly 20 years ago,' and with that she closed the door before Daisy had the chance to say another word.

  'Great,' she mumbled, 'now what?'

  'Speak to her through the letter box,' suggested Jack.

  Realising it was probably the only way, Daisy took out her notes once again and pushed open the letterbox.

  'Mrs Freiling, please will you talk to me?'

  The woman said nothing.

  'Charlotte told me to mention Brunhilda Van Horn, Mrs Freiling...'

  She heard the woman sob and rush away from the front door.

  'Great, that didn't even work,' she whispered to herself before holding the letterbox open once more, 'Mrs Freiling, you can find me at Abney Park cemetery. I'm there every day. Please just think about it. I really need to talk to you.'

  She waited for fifteen minutes, sitting quietly on the doorstep but when there was no movement from inside, Daisy gave up.

  'Come on, Jack. Let's go.'

  CHAPTER 15

  'She wouldn't talk to me,' Daisy said as they arrived back at the park. Charlotte had been sitting patiently at the entrance. The moment she spotted Daisy and Jack, she jumped up eagerly awaiting news.

  'No,' she sulked. 'Why not... did you mention Brunhilda?'

  Daisy nodded sadly as the three of them began walking back through the trees, all with their heads hanging down.

  Suddenly a whole host of ghosts appeared in front of them, making Daisy jump in surprise. Some she recognised, some she didn't.

  'Well?' said a middle-aged lady with spiky red hair.

  But Charlotte merely shook her head as all the ghosts sighed.

  'I told you so... I told you some teenage girl wouldn't be able to help us.'

  'Wh... what?' Daisy cried out, 'What do you mean?'

  Charlotte turned to her new friend and answered for them. 'I told them about you, Daisy. I told them how you were going to help me cross over. They were hoping you could help them too.'

  Daisy noticed the 'were'.

  'Hang on a minute... give me a chance. Charlotte's mother wouldn't speak to me, that doesn't mean this won't work...'

  Before she could say another word, they'd all vanished.

  Throwing her hands up in the air, Daisy cursed under her breath. But a voice behind her startled her.

  'Hello?'

  Turning rapidly on the spot, Daisy could barely believe her eyes. It was Charlotte's mother.

  'Mrs Freiling, you came.'

  The woman was wrapped up in a warm winter coat, scarf, gloves and hat but she still shivered.

  'Shall we walk?' asked Daisy, thinking perhaps they could take shelter from the wind in the old chapel.

  Mrs Freiling nodded and the two began to walk slowly along the well worn pathway.

  'How did you know about... about Brunhilda Van Horn?'

  'Charlotte told me.'

  The woman held her face upwards towards the sky, closed her eyes for a moment and pursed her lips.

  'Nobody knew about Brunhilda except for me and Charlotte. I've never told a soul,' she whispered.

  Feeling someone else walking next to her, Daisy turned to see Charlotte smiling, looking across at her mother.

  'She looks old,' she said, 'and sad... and so frail.'

  Mrs Freiling stopped, turning to face Daisy, 'how do I know you're not just a scam artist? Tell me, truly... how did you hear that name?'

  Daisy's face screamed honesty as she simply said, 'Like I said before, Charlotte told me.'

  'Tell her it's the name we gave to my special friend,' said Charlotte.

  'Charlotte's telling me to tell you that Brunhilda Van Horn is the name you gave to her special friend.'

  The woman's hands covered her mouth, 'she's here?'

  Daisy nodded.

  'Special friend?' whispered Daisy to Charlotte who looked away embarrassed before whispering, 'she was my childhood imaginary friend.'

  Daisy smiled, 'she's telling me she was her imaginary friend when she was a child.'

  'Oh My God, Charlotte... can you hear me, my princess?'

  Charlotte stood in front of her mother with such a wide smile. 'It's been a long time since I heard her call me her princess.'

  'She can hear you. She's standing in front of you. She said it's been a long time since she was called that.'

  Tears flowed freely down the woman's face.

  'Mrs Freiling, Charlotte has been trapped here all these years. I'm trying to help her cross over but something is stopping her from doing so. We hoped that you might be able to help her?'

  'She's been trapped here? Oh My Goodness. My poor Princess. If only I'd known. Charlotte I'm so sorry.'

  'Can you ask her about daddy?'

  Daisy nodded, 'She wants to knew about her dad.'

  Mrs Freiling looked up in surprise, 'Jim? She doesn't know? Jim died last year of a heart attack,' she sobbed, 'I'd hoped the two of you would be together by now.'

  Charlo
tte looked like she'd been kicked in the stomach. 'Daddy’s' dead?' she cried, 'Oh no... Daddy.'

  'We scattered his ashes here too, in the hope that you'd be together forever.'

  'I'm so sorry, Mrs Freiling,' said Daisy as she watched mother and daughter sobbing together but so far apart.

  'What about Daphne?' asked Charlotte.

  'Your daughter wants to know about Daphne.'

  Mrs Freiling's tears slowly dried up as she smiled, 'Daphne is doing so well. She got a degree in food and nutrition. She married a doctor. They have two daughters, Charlotte and Angelica.'

  Charlotte's eyes widened in amazement, 'My little sister!' she exclaimed.

  'She's really happy,' Daisy whispered as she placed her hand on Mrs Freiling's arm.

  As Charlotte smiled at the wonderful news, her face began to change - the gauntness and palidity disappeared altogether. She looked healthy for the first time in 20 years.

  'Charlotte,' said Daisy, 'you look so different. You look really healthy.'

  'I feel good too... oh,' she said.

  'What? What is it?' asked Daisy.

  'What's happening? asked Mrs Freiling who wished she could see her daughter for the last time.

  Charlotte smiled, 'there's this light. It's getting brighter. Its pink and blue and sparkly. I have such a overwhelming sense of peace, Daisy. Oh,' she suddenly sobbed, 'Daddy!'

  'I think she's ready to go, Mrs Freiling. She sees your husband.'

  The woman shook her head in disbelief as tears of joy and sadness poured from her eyes.

  'Goodbye my princess. It won't be long until I'm with you,' she whispered as Charlotte began to walk away. But just before she disappeared she turned back with a beautiful smile, 'tell Mum I love her so much and thank you, Daisy. Thank you so very much. I'll never forget you,' and then she was gone.

  'She's gone,' whispered Daisy, 'She wanted you to know how much she loves you.'

  Mrs Freiling nodded, 'I know... I know,' she said as she dabbed at her cheeks with a handkerchief. 'I don't even know your name?'

  'It's Daisy.'

  'Thank you so much, Daisy. I guess Charlotte just needed to know what had happened to us all and she would never have been able to find out were it not for you. So thank you, thank you so very much,' she said as she turned and walked away, past the sleeping lion and the headless angels.

  Daisy stood watching her go, a feeling of peace enveloping her as a few happy tears slowly rolled down her face.

  CHAPTER 16

  One night while the moon was especially bright, the sounds of howling chilled Daisy to the core. As it had been such a lovely night, Daisy had decided to sit near the large headless statue with her sketch book. It had been such a long time since she'd done any drawings and there was just something about the unusually large moon sitting behind the statue that made her want to remember it and the best way to do that was to sketch it.