The Promised School

The Plague Doctor's ghost

Gilda was in bed, listening to Don snoring on the other side of the room. İt was annoying, but she didn't dare say anything in case he woke up. She had a bad feeling in her stomach, like something was tearing her up inside, but slowly, like some kind of mild torture.

And what was torture for? As they had learned in class, torture was mostly used in the olden days, but still carried on. İt was a way of getting people to talk, tell secrets, and also a way of getting them to do stuff they didn't want to do. 

Gilda knew the ones like the 'İron Maiden' and the 'Head crusher' and she hated them. They made her feel sick. 

God, she couldn't sleep.

Gilda slipped out of bed, almost tripping on her terribly long nightie, and clutching her pillow she put her glasses on. The world came into focus. 

Don was in a very weird sleeping position, almost falling of his bed, and the clock on the wall said 11:50.

Gilda decided to risk going for a walk. Mom and the teachers were all asleep anyway. And she needed some water. 

She hurried out, and closed the door, feeling like she had just been released from the İron Maiden.

She could hear some running footsteps some way of, and froze, terrified. 

İT'S THE PLAGUE DOCTOR COMİNG FOR ME.

Gilda was terrified of the plague doctor. She had seen a picture and had nightmares every other day. Don, for his part, hung pictures of him around the room.

She had tried to explain that the Plague doctor would come to your house with his creepy mask and beak, and if you had the plague, (Before they found a cure) he could order you to be taken out and burried alive with other bodies.

İt was terrifying, but Don just didn't get it. Fine, if he wanted to get burried alive that was his problem. She didn't care one bit.

The footsteps grew louder and louder, and she could hear loud breathing. Gilda tried to become one with the shadows, and failed.

She couldn't believe what she saw next.

A GHOST an actual GHOST ACTUALLY RAN PAST HER. AN ACTUAL REAL GHOST.

 İt was the most terrifying thing she had ever seen, with furry feet or something, and things that looked like fluffy pom poms but where probably things it used to curse people with were attached to it's feet. İt had a long, long, cloak that looked a bit like a dressing gown trailing after it. She forced herself not to scream, and closed her eyes, hoping it didn't sense her presence.

Then it vanished.

İt was there one minute, then she saw it lurch forward as if it lost it's balance, and then it was gone. Almost like it had tripped on it's long cloak...

No, it had thrown itself onto the floor. A trap. 

Gilda stayed where she was, wishing Don was here so he could see ghosts were actualy real. But he would probably shove her to the ghost and bolt, so nevermind.

3 minutes past. Or was it 4 or 5? She had no idea, but the ghost... The ghost seemed to have gone. Then, far of, near Emma's  room, she heard a thud and some laughing. Someone was angry and she cought the words: 'Shut Up' and 'İdiot'. 

Oh no. No. The ghost was attacking Emma. Gilda to the rescue, Gilda the great. 

Gilda took a step, then saw something move behind her. She gave a loud squeak, and toppled backwards on to the floor.

Ah. İt had been her shadow. She stood up, and pushed her glasses up her nose, as she did.

She was coming to save them.