Episode #24 Taking Village Tour with the Ghost Alice?

Following along next to the young girl listening intensely, “Welcome to my tour, please listen to all rules and stories.” She doesn’t seem to notice a woman catching the corner of your eye, she disappears, reappearing right next to the young girl. But neither of them seems to notice the other, just you do.

“Excuse me?” states the woman continuing, “Have you seen my daughter, I know she is looking for me, but I can't find her. Can you help me?” Confused, “What's your name?” You turn back to the woman only to find her gone! Nowhere to be seen or heard.

“Hi, I’m Alice, come follow me,” excitement rises in her voice, “We have horses, pigs, cows and chickens. You have to feed and water them and gather eggs. They are behind the Church,” she points North East from where you are walking.

Alice continues, “This is the Dance Hall, my parents use to take me here every Friday evening. That was before they got sick, and my Dad died. Now my Mom lives in the sanatorium, I haven't seen her in over a month.”

The dance Hall stands tall, with fresh paint and clean windows, and you hear people laughing, singing and dancing to fiddle music. Next Alice points to a building still carrying the name ‘FIRE HALL’ explaining, “I use to have a lot of fun here before I was sick.

There was a fireman here that was friends with my Dad, he used to let me sit in the fire truck,” pointing at an old, rusted horse drawn fire truck, a hose drawn apparatus containing hose wagon, hose reels, ladder carrier and hand pumper hangs half attached. You try to imagine horses pulling this old fire truck and how much fun it would have been to ride in one.

“Next is the most important part of my Village, the Church!” Pointing to an old empty shell of a church, not even a door is left hanging. Alice explains, “When visiting the church always sweep the floors and wipe down the pews along with both the front and back entrances.”

There is no floors or pews, seeing directly through the church there is nothing more then rows of knee-high weeds. Alice continues, “Once the church is cleaned you are allowed in the Garden and Graveyard, two amazing places to visit. If you follow the rules of pulling weeds and watering the garden it will produce the most amazing reward!”

You think about the clue stating, 'You must work with nature to find the Golden Key.' Making a mental note you continue to follow Alice as she makes her way to the next dilapidated building.

“This is the school, isn’t it just beautiful? Every morning our teacher would pick wild flowers for her desk. They always smelled so fresh with almost a sweet taste to them. I wish I could still go there. But I’m too sick to be around other kids right now. That’s why they moved me to the Villa.”

You wonder to yourself why it is possible for her to give a tour but not be able to attend school. Alice continues, “You must make sure to clean the black board for the teacher or she can become very upset and make you stay after school to help clean before she leaves.”

You stand there in front of a frame of a building, not even a single wall remains. Only reason it might be referenced as a school may be a pile of old wooden school desks with chairs still attached to some, other chairs have been broken off and piled on top making a small hill in the center of the frame. In a corner leans an old painted black board all peeling and crumbling apart.

Alice continues, “Over here is like a little village within the Village. This is where my parents and I lived when we first came here about a year ago. I didn’t understand why we had to move out here at first, guess I was a bit too young to understand how sick my Dad really was.” Sadness begins to inch its way into your heart. “I’m so sorry Alice. What was he so sick with?”

“Tuberculosis of course silly, everybody who lives here has it. Some die much faster than others. My Dad died amazingly fast. We were living here just a few days when Dad was moved to the Villa, then the hospital where he would get a day pass to come and visit us. But when he was moved to the sanatorium, I never saw him again, not even at his funeral. He was buried in the Graveyard; Mom and I planted a special tree there for him.”

You continue walking listening and observing everything Alice says and does. “Isn’t it neat in here, how all these cabins are in a circle and they have a yard with a gate that connects with your neighbour or family? I used to have so much fun in that playground, in the center.”

Looking all you see is the remanence of an old hand well water pump, with some sand patches here and there. You make your way into one of the cabins, surprisingly this one is still standing and in amazingly good shape.

You push your way through a door hanging from only one hinge, the cabin is absurdly small. In one of two rooms is found, four army cots all lined up, side by side against one wall, footlockers located at the end of each one. Dirt, dust and spiders now live here, encasing everything with their webs and sacks of eggs.

An old rusted, wood burning potbelly stove sits between the back walls in a second room, with a window to the left of it and a tainted hand washing basin, with a water canter sitting on the counter attached to the wall on right side.

There is no sink and no bathroom, rather it is more like just a sleeping area with a possibility of cooking something on the wood burning stove. A small table leans against the wall, with one leg missing and two half broken wooden chairs lean against it in the centre of the room.

You imagine mom’s and dad’s with their children, sitting at tables eating supper, laughing and enjoying their day. How hard it must have been to move from a home to a place where everyone around you is sick and dying. Before long you come across a path leading to the lodge, taking you right back to where you started.

Behind you, Alice’s voice fills with excitement, “Remember to always pick weeds and water the garden in the evening before dark and pick vegetables in the early morning. When entering the church always sweep entrances and clean pews so you can get into the garden.

When entering the Graveyard always light a candle and place flowers for those who are no longer with us, like I do for my Dad. Plus, just a heads up, if you plan on stopping in at the Fire hall, be ready to feed and water some horses.”

Looking back at Alice wanting to thank her for such an informational tour of her Village you find her gone! Instead, you notice that same woman now hovering at the T-junction at end of the deck attached to the lodge.

What do you do now? Go check out the garden? Or maybe go and chat with the woman?

My, my a couple of different choices, what should you do? Both will add a little spice to your life. No judgement here, enjoy and have some fun! Good Luck!

WELL, WANT TO GO AND CHECK OUT THE GARDEN? IF SO HOP ON OVER TO EPISODE #30

IF YOU WOULD RATHER GO AND HAVE A CHAT WITH THAT WOMAN HOVERING AROUND THE T-JUNCTION RACE ON OVER TO EPISODE #32

Having yourself some fun reading my stories? If so can you do me a huge favor and smash that like button and share my stories so others may join in the fun! Thanks for Being You! Stay Safe and Smart! Tip jar goes directly to myself! Thanks a bunch!