My 30 Days of Spooky Tales competition

Prompt 29 - Tell Me A Scary Story

~~~ Write a 300 word story using the following words: spine-chilling, ominous, grim, nightmarish, and phantasmal.~~~

In the Retirement home I work at, dementia residents must live confined to a building behind security locked doors until they die. Some don't have family who care to visit them. To be alone is horrific, but to lose freedom would be nightmarish.

Hearing ominous voices, strange behaviors, and numerous cold air clouds were experienced by everyone who worked here. Some had seen apparitions that were spine-chilling. There is one room in the building that bothered everyone. The meanest resident that occupied it died only two days before. Wilma had no family, no friends, and didn't trust anyone to get close to her. I had to get the room ready for a new resident expected the next day. The room was colder than the thermostat read, I could see my breath. Even when I turned the lights on, the lightbulbs didn't seem to glow like they should.

I stared at the bed where Wilma had expelled her last breath, sad that her life had been grim and lonely. Suddenly I saw a butt imprint on the edge of the bed. I stepped towards the door, but it slammed shut. Fear shivered through my body. Not wanting to, I forced myself to look around and sitting on the bed was Wilma. She wasn't smiling but stared straight at me.

"Wilma." I breathed. "You have passed on, Dear. Let me help you."

Terrified I hesitantly lifted my hands towards her. I watched her manipulated phantasmal body get up and walk towards me. I started to pray out loud. Wilma didn't disappear, but for some reason instinct made me open my arms to receive her as she wrapped her cold embrace around me. Only then did she leave. I was just happy to give her the affection she needed to move on.