Runaway Halloween

Chapter 12

Inside the pub, Melanie and Linda slowly walked to the bar. A lot of families flanked their journey as they chatted and smiled amongst themselves.

"What can I get you?" the barman asked.

Melanie choose a lemonade and Linda ordered a lager.

"On a school night," Melanie commented, smiling at Linda.

"I need it to help me get through the week," she joked back.

With the drinks, they walked deeper inside the pub, finding a seat opposite a family of four eating a meal.

The daughter of the family looked at Melanie, holding out her hand as she smiled.

It caught Melanie's attention causing her to smile back.

The girl rose from her seat, trying to push past her mother.

The mother prevented her by placing her leg onto the bar which ran the length of the table.

Determined, the girl climbed over her mother's leg, looked back at her mother and moved her hand back and forth in a gesture for her mother to see what she wanted.

Her mother moved her face near her as the daughter whispered something into her ear. The mother looked in Melanie's direction and smiled.

Melanie watched the girl walk past her table, staring at her. And the two gazes remained fixed on each other until she turned the corner towards the toilet.

Melanie rose from her seat to follow.

Linda held out her hand. "Where are you going?"

Melanie turned to her, "Must be the cold weather. I want to go to the toilet." Melanie felt Linda's gaze as she walked in the direction the girl had just taken.

Inside the toilet, Melanie went to the mirror, fluffing her hair and pouting her lips as she thought of excuses to remain until the girl came out. She wanted to hear why the girl looked at her the way she did when they sat near her.

One cubicle in use, Melanie continued to mess with her hair as her gaze remained on the reflection to see when the cubicle door opened.

As it did, Melanie stopped pretending and turned to lean the back of her body against the basin.

The girl went to the one next to her.

Melanie turned her head to see her wash her hands.

Melanie gulped, "Why were you staring at me the way you were as you passed me just now?"

The girl shrugged.

Melanie reached out her hand to touch her, "It's true what they say, ain't it?"

A shoulder shrug, before the girl moved herself from Melanie's touch. '

"You saw him, didn't you. I've often heard that children can see them, but I thought it was only very young children. How old are you?' she asked.

The girl looked at her, turning to walk to the door.

Melanie wanted her questions answered and pushed herself from the sink to prevent the girl's journey continuing.

As the girl reached the door, Melanie reached for her to pull her back.

The girl begun to cry.

"Did you see him?" Melanie asked. "Brian is with me, isn't he?"

As her crying increased in strength, Melanie pulled the girl towards her as she went into the same cubicle the girl had just exited and pushed the bolt across to prevent any access.

Wide eyed, the girl screamed for help.

Linda heard the shouts, looking in the direction they were coming from. Seeing the girl's mother do the same as her, Linda rose to investigate.

The mother did the same, but Linda was by the toilet first.

Opening the main door, she heard the girl continue to cry. Linda shouted, banging on the closed cubicle door, "Melanie, will you please let me in?"

The mother of the girl looked at Linda as she listened to her daughter cry. "Do you know who is in there with my daughter?"

Linda turned to look at her. "My friend went to the toilet just after your daughter. She has just lost her husband. I want to know what's happening as much as you do."

"John!" the woman shouted.

Before she knew what was happening, Linda felt herself being pulled from the door and out of the toilet by a man a lot taller than her.

Both women watched as he kicked the cubicle door open.

The three of them witnessed Melanie shake the girl by the shoulders. "You've got to.." Melanie began, turning her head to the noise of the door banging against the wall.

The father ran into the toilet, pulling Melanie from his daughter. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked.

Melanie watched as the girl cried and held her hands out in a pleading motion to her parents.

"I only wanted to know," she said, pushing past the intruders to run from the toilet.

Running after her, Linda pulled her coat from the back of the chair.

Outside the pub, Linda turned to see if anyone chased them, but saw the girl's father speak to one of the bar staff.

The smokers outside watched Linda run after Melanie, but none bothered to interfere.

When Linda caught up with Melanie, she placed her coat around her. "You may need this," she said, placing her arm around the back of her neck. "What happened in there?" Linda asked.

Melanie shrugged her shoulders, "I know. I know children can see spirits, but didn't realise they could be as old as that girl looked. I thought only the very young was able to see them. I know she saw Brian stand by the side of me. I could tell the way she looked as she passed our table. I followed her because I wanted to find out what she was able to see. I wanted to know he's alright. I wanted her to tell me if he was trying to communicate with me."

"What made you think that?" she asked.

"I could see it in here eyes. She could see something, and wasn't sure what it was. I wanted to tell her who he was. Tell her he would never hurt her. Tell her he would be trying to communicate with me, using her as a tool."

"Like I have already told you. Brian will always be with you, but you wouldn't be able to see him again," Linda said. "If he was able to see you now..." she finished.

"If he could see how I'm trying to communicate, he would be proud, knowing he hasn't got to face what he's probably facing, alone."

Linda gave a brief smile as she led Melanie from the vicinity, back to her home. "Come and stay with me for tonight," Linda said.

"Thanks for the offer, but I would rather go back to my own home. That way I would feel closer to him and be there if he wants to visit."

"I'll spend the night in your home then and I am not taking no for an answer."

Melanie placed her head on Linda's shoulder as they walked home.

© 2017 Tony Lawrence. All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer- The pictures are NOT mine