The Ghost's Diary 👻 ✓

34. Gone

There's a purple bruise on my wrist.

I quickly jump out of my bed like I will be electrocuted if I lie there even for a few more seconds.

My feet touch the cold wooden floor and my knees shake slightly. I put my arms sideways to balance myself from falling and exhale loudly, only to find that my throat is parched.

There is a bottle of water on my side table which I gulp down in a few moments.

What the heck was that dream? Was it even a dream?

My hands automatically start rubbing my temples, desparately trying to ease myself.

At times like these, when I am out of breath or just stressed out, I would go to my bathroom and soak myself in the water.

Not that I've had loads of dreams where a psychopathic witch tries to woo me into not helping someone. The situations in which I used to bathe away my stress were much less dire.

I move from my current position near my bed towards the bathroom. My right hand slips a bit against the golden door knob as I try to open it.

I close the door behind myself and look at my surroundings. The bathroom is completely dark and quiet except for the little droplets coming out from the sink.

The bathroom is entirely illuminated as I turn on the lights.

The sink from which the droplets were falling from is exactly on my right side.

How is it possible that so little inanimated objects can cause such noise?

The sound of the water drop suddenly cease and I realize that my own hand just screwed the tap shut.

I hold my chin and look at the reflection staring right infront of me.
My forehead is sweaty and some oil making it shine in the bathroom light. My shirt is wet with the same wretched sweat.

My hands find the hem of my shirt as I pull it over my head.

I turn around from the mirror as I undress myself and turn on the tap of the water tub. It's just a habit that I never look at my own self while undressing. It feels weird to me.

A finger of mine swirls in the gathering water of the tub as I wait for it to fill me. There has never been a water pressure problem at Edenfield as long as I can remember. It is always there at any hour of the day.

"Lindsey, come on already," Kathleen says.

"But Kathy, what if Mummy and Daddy find out about this?" The seven year old me motions to my mud covered dress.

I went outside to play in the garden right after the rain and I couldn't resist jumping into a puddle of water and soaked earth. After playing with the mud to my heart's contents, did I realise that Mum and Dad woundn't like to see me like this.

Kathleen saw me through the window and took me inside through the back door.

"If Mum and Dad find out, I'll handle them. But now, we need to get you cleaned. They'll already be tired at this time."

"Okay..."
I say as I step into the warm water in my dress. Kathy stands next to me and helps me scrub off the dirt.

She helps me get out of the tub and wraps me in a great big fuzzy towel with a picture of a teddy like my own Mr Teddy.

"There you go." Kathy grins at me while I give her a toothy smile with thr centre tooth missing.

"Kathy, Lindsey....... where are you two?" We hear Mum's voice coming somewhere near the entrance of my room, otherwise we would not have been able to hear her.