Lurking Shadows

“They’re coming!” The words echoed in my head, each time grew louder than the former, till it all became a ringing panic. I knew it was far too late for me, but I still had to try. Lungs gulped in fear as my hands stumbled blindly over the strange texture of the peeling walls. The musty stale air clung to my lungs as my feet faltered over the decaying beams that once held the ceiling. Everything before my eyes was inky-black, leaving me nothing but the touch of my hand and the blood curdling screams of agony behind me to guide me out of this mad house. Hysterical laughter bubbled up not too far in front of myself as if they were aware of my presence, laughing at my attempted salvation. It was soft at first, high-pitched almost like a hyena. Although, it also seemed like it was directed away for me, almost like they were going the same direction as I.

I halted in my escape and wavered if I should turn back and try another route or ease my way around the lunatic. A trumble sprouted in my hand that inched to go forward. Sealing my fate in some undeniable key to my escape. That twitch flooded my system as it forced my entire body in the direction of the laughter. I hugged, desperately, to the peeling wallpaper that reeked of decaying feces.

SLAM!

“... See the way he looked at me! He is soooooo has a crush on me…”

The room blurred before my eyes as everything turned white. Dark lines etching into the rickety hallway. Pale creatures ambled about the dim place, legs drifted through the piles of lumber that laid roting. Not one looked at the other, hardly even took notice that they had others that existed. Far too lost in their own despair of their death. A few beams of light flashed just beyond the never ending hallway. Voices just beyond grew further away as they laughed merrily with others. A warm faint yellow glow etched around a shadow as it crossed across the doorway, shortly followed by six or seven more. Life just seemed to pour out of their existence, it was intoxicating to see after all the looming souls that loitered around me for so long. Each of us experiences the moments before our own deaths, over and over again.

I found myself pulled to them to the point I rushed after their fleeting auras that disappeared around the bend. My hope and fear clung to the sound of their ephemeral laughter. Many of those around me hardly even noticed as I pushed and shoved my way around them. Most of them had their eyes a pure ash color, their irises faded from existence. It took a couple of times of seeing it to realize that they had given up all hope that their souls would be exempted from this wretched place. I haven’t met any others like me… At least not until that point.

By the time I had caught up to the group I had quickly realized that they were nothing like me. I could not see through them, there was more of a green aura that radiated from their flesh. Scantily clothed in what I could see as really tight blue drawers and blouses ripped in half. The males on the other hand, wore their trousers low on their waist and shirts without their sleeves. Electric torches in their hands and a bag on one of their shoulders. In all, there were five of them. Three of them were females, each naturally more beautiful than the last. The males seem strong, yet so slim as pasta noodles.

The smallest of the group swung around so promptly that I had to take a few moments to process the fact that she was staring directly at me.

“Guys… Did you hear that?”

“Allison, stop. We honestly are not scared of this place. There are no such things as ghosts, goblins and ghouls. So cut it out.” The biggest of the group chidded her. Arms crossed over his chest with a gruff in his breath.

The tallest of the girls seemed to only giggle softly at their apprehension. “Seriously Allie, you didn’t have to come. Why don’t you just go home and worry about the rest of your pathetic life?”

Blue eyes shifted around the spot I resided in, as if she debated the reality of my presence. “You are right, it was nothing. It probably was a rat or something… Or a crazy axe murder getting ready to kill us all.”

“Well, if he is cute, I wouldn’t mind him swinging his ax at me.” One of the males with the most colors gushed with the most flamboyant voice I have ever heard. A wink from his hazel eyes as he jabbed at the girl’s side.

“Well, what better way to tell for sure than the ouija board that Lucas brought?” The bright, doe eyed girl of the bunch bounced around to behind the smaller of the males. Arms already buried into his bag of strings, until she pulled out a long, slender, brown box. The rest of them rolled their eyes at her child-like antics.

Then there was me, curious as to what this board was about. How was is supposively going to help them figure out that there is an axe murder after them? I could not help but find myself at their side.

Electric torches flickered the second I even started to get close to the doe eyed girl as she clutched the board to her chest. Desperately, they all scrutinized their surroundings as if they each were envisioning monsters, human or not, sprouting from the rotten wood work. Each stepped closer to each other, tightening their little circle while they cut me off that ended the light show.

Curiosity peaked within my mind as I reached out to try and touch the one closest to me. My hand barely hovered over the glass as it began to dim darker the closer I got.

“Ack!” The girl they had called, Allison, belted out. Jumping up and down as she dropped her electric torch away from me and onto the ground. Successfully, she knocked the light from it casting a slim shadow over them. “Whoever just touched me is going to get hurt!”

“It wasn’t me, I am holding the board.”

“Shut the fuck up Jacklyn! I know you didn’t do it!”

“Allie, calm down. It's probably just a chill. I got one two. We were all on edge when the flashlights flickered.”

"Mia is right. Besides, maybe they need new batteries.”

Allison closed her eyes and drew a long breath into her lungs, ever so slowly letting it loose while she stretched out her fingers.

“I’m so-”

BANG!

The box fell to the ground, the board practically jumped out along with it. A plain of glass skirted around, darting out to each individual letter. S.O.R.R.Y.

They each froze like statues, not one looked away from the board as if they could not believe their eyes. Buzzing filled my senses as I stared along with them. A soft gleam pulled at the corner of my lips as I knelt down to the piece of wood and glass.

“That is so cool!” I shouted as I reached out to it, the plain of glass darted to each letter of the words I spoke, faster than it had before.

“Is this the time I can say that I FUCKING told all of you?” Allison barely muttered under her breath.

“I do not know who is doing this… But they need to stop. This isn’t funny.” The Female with ink black hair, I believed they refer to her as Mia, scolds the group.

“What is this thing? Why does it spell out what I am saying?” I could help ask them, going to reach for the board once more. Making the plane of glass dart faster than ever before, making it difficult even for myself to understand what it spelt out.

“Okay… okay… Seriously stop! I can’t take this” Allison screamed.

“Alli-cat, cool it. Obviously, someone is just playing a very elaborate joke.” The short male tries to reason.

“Lucas, shut up. Can’t you see that this is real?”

“Alright, guys. Either way, how about we all just calm down and figure out what's going on? I am sure there is a reasonable explanation.”

“Don’t flip your wig… If I am freaking you out I’ll scram.” I tried to speak again, this time getting back up to my feet. Taking a few steps back, with it the speed of the glass slowing down. “Well cook with gas! Every time I get closer… The faster it gets. The further the slower…”

The group just stood there with their jaws slacked for a moment. Only, Allison looked as if she was going to barf. Jackyln was looking around wildly as if they were desperately looking for something, possibly me. The rest… Well they all started to cling to each other.

“Maybe I could make this easier on all of you and book it.” I try again, taking a few more steps back.

“Wait!” Jacklyn cries, reaching out to hold Allison’s hand. Trying to give her an encouraging smile. “It’s okay… We can talk for a bit. Who are you?”

Their eyes all fixate on the board as I hover just behind Lucas and Jake.

“Hi, I am Mildred. I am just behind the gentleman here. Please don’t book it… I have been here for who knows how long and all these pale dull faces are really dull.”

For the longest time they all stared at me, or atleast the space around me.

“O-Okay…” Mia was the one to start this time. “How old are you? Or at least when you… Died?”

“Mia!”

“That is rude!”

I couldn’t help giggling, making the plane of glass shake uncontrollably on the board. Startling the daylights out of them all.

“Oh! I am sorry dears! I was just laughing…” I quickly blurt out, sending a way of calm over them. “... I think I was about 18-19 years old. See I was emitted here when I was about 15 years old, I was here for about three to four years. Time gets blurry towards the end.”

Lucas sat down, pulling Jake down with him. Gesturing for Mia and the others to sit down as well. Oddly enough Allison sits down in Jacklyn’s lap. Yet, it made me so happy to see it.

“So you were emitted into a mental hospital… Why? You don’t seem so crazy to me.” Mia goes next.

“Well, I do not know what it is like in your time, but if your parents catch you kissing a girl… Well you ended up here. A sinner in need of healing.” I blurt out, not really caring how they took it. After spending countless years in a tiny white room in isolation getting my chops busted for how I felt, you really learn real quick how other’s opinions do not matter.

“Hold up… hold on! You are a lesbian! That’s hot. But not really a reason to be hospitalized in a mental institution. Damn, people were freaks back then.” Jake bursts out laughing, shaking his head before washing his hands over his face.

“So, is it okay in your time?”

“Hell yes!” They all scream out before Allison planted a fat one on Jaclyn before Mia scooted over to the boys and they all shared a kiss. To say that I was buzzed would be an understatement of the century.

“What year is it?” I asked once they had all finished up.

“Oh! Easy, it is 2019.” Mia said as she pulled out a mirror to fix up her lip gloss, catching me in the corner of it. Well the mist of where I was.

“Ack!” She belted out, jumping to face me. “Y-You! Are you really here… Not some sort of joke.. Guys! This chick is right here!”

“Woah! That is so cool. So… What does she look like Mia?” Jacklyn grins as she presses her face into Allison’s neck. Giving the sweet looking girl kisses along her neck.

“I don’t know… All I see is this white puffy mist in the mirror…” She says as she passes it around for them all to see.

“Wow.” Jack and Lucas said at the same time.

“Wicked” Allison was next before at last it was handed to Jacklyn who just stared at the space I was in.

“So… What does Mildred look like? Truly?”

I could not help but giggle again, so hard I shook the board this time.

“Well I think there might me a picture in the archiv-”

WHAM! The board flew across the room, startling us all. All of the electric torches started flickering out of control. The group stumbles about as they rush to get up, racing to the board.

“Mildred! What happened? Did we upset you?” Allison tries to ask.

The dark orb slowly starts to leach its way out of the hall I once came from.

“RUN!” I try to scream, this time I think they didn’t even need to board to know what I said. Quickly I start to pull on Lucas’ hand.

“Hurry! Follow me!” I screamed once more before he could yank his hand away.

“Guys… I think Mildred is trying to take us somewhere safe.”

“Or she is trying to kill us!”

“Yeah! Like Jake said! People have died here in the last few years!”

“Mia, I highly doubt that she will kill us. I agree with Lucas. Whatever caused this must have scared Mildred and she is dead. I think we need to leave, now.”

“I am with Alli, but we need to go…” Jackyln was the last to speak as I tried to yank Lucas' hand again.

“RUN! NOW!” I screech, shoving them all towards the back door entrance.