A Christmas Wish

Chapter Two - The Ghost Of The Past

Lorna awoke to someone lightly shaking her. She rolled over and saw Alex standing over her.

"Alex, what's wrong? Has something happened?" she panicked.

"Come with me. I want to show you something."

"Are you crazy? The COs will send us straight to the shu." Lorna whispered.

"They won't see us," replied Alex, her face stern.

"Of course they will," she argued.

"Take hold of my hand, and they won't." She didn't know why but Lorna decided to follow Alex's order and she took her hand. She shuddered as their hands touched, realizing how cold Alex's hand was.

"Your so cold. Are you feeling okay?" Alex didn't reply. Instead she began to walk to the exit of the dorm, gently dragging Lorna behind her. A CO that Lorna couldn't remember the name of looked directly at them.

"Oh my gosh Alex. He's seen us. We're done for."

"Relax. He cant see us," Alex said, chilled out. Sure enough even though the CO was looking directly at them, it seemed as if he was looking right through them. Almost as if they were ghosts.

"Where are you taking me Alex?" she asked once again.

"Nicky's."

"Nicky's? What do you mean?" Before anything else was said, they stepped through a cupboard door and as if by magic, they were stood in a unfamiliar kitchen.

It was large and looked incredibly clean. Almost too clean.

"Alex what the hell is happening. Am I dreaming. I must be dreaming right? I mean that's the only explanation." She rambled.

"Lorna stop. Your not dreaming."

"Then what is this Alex?" Lorna was raising her voice slightly.

"I want to show you the past."

"My past?" Lorna questioned. The kitchen that they were currently in was most certainly not form her past.   

"No. Nicky's past?"

"Why?" Lorna questioned. She was even more confused now.

"Because I want you to make the right decision."

"What decision?"

"You'll see. Now be quiet and watch." Lorna did as she was told and waited for something to happen.

Soon enough, in walked a woman who looked in her late thirties. Her heels were loud on the white tiled floor. Her black skirt was fitted and she wore a white blouse, with a black blazer over top. Her hair was blonde, a similar colour to Nicky's and reached her shoulders. She walked over to the fridge and opened it, pulling out a carton of orange juice. She then opened a nearby cupboard and pulled out a glass. She placed it out on the counter and poured the orange juice into it. She put the empty carton in the bin before leaning against the counter, sipping from the glass.

Lorna was watching intently.

"Who's that?" she asked. She was aware that she had been asking lots of questions, but she was curious as to what was going on.

"Keep watching."

Then, through the same door the woman had walked through, someone else entered. She looked younger and her skin was slightly darker. She was wearing an apron.

"Good morning Ms Nichols," she chirped. As soon as the woman had said that name, everything clicked for Lorna.

"Is that Nicky's Mother?" Lorna had only heard a few things from Nicky about Marka Nichols but she didn't like the sound of any of it.