Bastille Imagines

Guardian Ghost Pt. II

The fragile papers between your fingers are nearly withered away by the abrasion due to the relentless nature of time. The old journal resting in your hands contains all of the secrets to Dan's past life. Everything he ever was, and all he came to be. Not only does the fact that you hold Dan's childhood journal overwhelm you, but that it dates back to the 19th century, during the reign of Queen Victoria. Thinking about it, it saddens you, mustering up nothing but pity for the lonely ghost wandering around for over 100 years. After pondering the existence of Dan and pestering him about his past, he finally trusts you to look into his life story. You almost want to it to remain undisclosed, but curiosity gets the better of you.

"Are you sure?" You speak out, talking to thin air. He's still in the room; you can feel him. Waiting for him to respond, he finally places a resting hand on your shoulder giving an indication of his approval. Within the first second your flip over the first page which emits a cloud of dust in your face, causing a tickle in your nose. You disregard it and look over the delicate pages covered in scribbles and writing. It's barely legible but you can just make it out.

July 14th, 1895.

So it's my birthday today. Haven't had a visit from mother or father. I guess I'll just have to spend it on my own with Fran, but even then, she has friends she would want to spend her time with rather than her brother. The other kids aren't even aware, but even if they were, they'd still be nasty to me. I wish I had a friend but...the only friend I have is my journal. I am all alone in this orphanage.

Sounds like someone you know. You and Dan seem to have so much in common regarding your loneliness within the orphanage. Maybe that's why Dan seems to be so protective over you; you remind him of his childhood and you replicate his memories. Dan's hand still lays upon your shoulder, he must be reading along with you so you continue on reading.

I don't know how long I'm going to be here for, Mary says it's just until someone is able to look after me but I'm frightened I'll be staying here for the rest of my life. That's what William says. He says I sleep in The Cursed Room. It goes; whoever sleeps in The Cursed Room will remain within the walls of this orphanage forever. It can't be true...right?

Your eyes grow wide and you immediately stop reading. Dan's hand on your shoulder gradually intensifies, his grip hardening and the air around you becomes cold and suffocating. The room you live in must've been Dan's room when he was little. 'The Cursed Room'. You've vaguely heard the rumour yourself but dismissed it as being a prank by the others just to scare you, never would you have thought it being true.

Dan relieves his hand from your shoulder and walks away. The sound of ice crackling comes to your attention, and immediately you focus your eyes to your window, now decorated in frost and ice. He always is one for spontaneous and creative ways of communicating to you. There's a dusting of frost on your wooden floor as he scrapes his message into the ice.

'I didn't believe it back then'

And neither did you. But then...does this mean that it will happen to you? Before you even have a moment to realise you possible threat, Dan rips the book from your hands and flips a few pages and skips towards the end and reluctantly hands it back to you. Your eyes skim through each word, expanding even more on Dan's past.

25th July

Every night I can feel my mind becoming distant from my body. I've been struggling to wake up for the past fortnight now. The matron deems me as being ill, but all of the other kids tell me that I'm cursed. And I'm beginning to believe them. The day before last, I moved something purely with my mind. I focussed on it really hard until it moved. I don't know what it means, but I'm growing ever more worrisome. What do I do?