Ghostly Plea

Ashlyn

Walking down the familiar corridor of my home always puts my anxieties at ease. And those corridors are usually where you would find me. But this evening I find myself sitting on a bench looking out upon the maze. It's probably one of my favorite things about my home, the maze. It's an endless puzzle, just waiting to be put together and be solved. And if you truly know me, you know that I love a good puzzle to solve.

"Miss Harper there you are! Your mother wants you to go inside and wash up for dinner." Geoffrey, the groundskeeper, walks over to me, knowing he'll have to practically drag me to go inside.

"But it's the perfect time of day for an adventure Geoffrey, please just a few more minutes," I plead.

"Your mother seems ill at ease; I don't think it would be wise to keep her waiting."

I stand up fully aware of what he is saying about my mother. She's been acting very peculiar of late, and it's quite worrisome.

"Well, let's be off then."

***

Heart pounding and ears ringing I awake disoriented. For a while I lay still, eyes closed, hoping the pain would ease, and let me think straight. My body is shaking and covered in a wet sweat. That only ever happens to me when I've had a nightmare. Thinking about my dreams last night I don't really remember anything, just that I was walking around Eleanor Manor with a man. I was very fond of him in the dream. None of that should have upset me enough to wake up in this state though. But sleeping on the hard floor might.

I finally open my eyes, ready to start the day and get the H away from this place. Shocked, I look around me. I'm no longer in the little boy's room. I clench my fists hoping to clutch blankets. Maybe this is all a dream. But instead of blankets, my hands pull up a fistful of dewy green grass. How did I end up here? White roses grow around me, and an orange early morning sky greets me. This is not a dream.

Disoriented, I try to stand, but the buzzing in my head makes me trip, causing me to fall by a rusted bench. The same bench that cursed Whintle with the seizures. I stand up, wanting to be as far away from this place as possible. How did I end up here in the middle of the night? My mind screams at me. It doesn't make sense. Unless someone brought me here, but who? My gaze drifts to the dark corner where I saw the shadow from earlier. Nothing. I release a sigh of relief, and accidently bump into the bench. Like a magnet, the bench pulls me toward it. I try to yell, but I'm too late.

My vision turns red. The ringing in my ears intensifies. My mouth is open in a scream, but nothing comes out. Whispers of ghostly pleas echo through my mind. Help us! They beg, It's all her fault! They scream. Minutes, hours pass by with spirits of the past begging for help. All I can do is stay paralyzed, my vision swimming with crimson.

"Ashlyn, Ashlyn..." Someone whispers. My mind searches for the voice again. It's like a siren's call. "You are the only one..." The melody calls. "...who can save us all..." I try to shake my head "no'' but I'm held in place.

Please! I plead in my mind, anything, I'll do anything! Just make it stop!

A giggle rings throughout my mind until it blends in harmony with a voice. "Promise! You need to promise to save me..." A little girl's voice says.

The ringing becomes quieter. My senses start to come back. A promise? I can't do that. I must save myself and my friends. No, I can't promise anything. Just as I think that the ringing grows into a high-pitched screech. A dozen whispers echo through my ears, promise.

"Promise..." the girl says, "...promise..."

Stop! Please! I think.

"PROMISE!" The girl's voice is gone, replaced by a demon. The rigging becomes louder and louder, until I'm sure my ears are bleeding.