Late Request - Writer's Cramp - 8-1-24

         
         

Late Request

         "I don't see any lights. Are you sure this is the place?" As Jill drove closer, she noticed other alarming features. "Peg, there aren't any cars here. Look at all the overgrown weeds and grass. We can't be in the right place. How did you hear about this inn?"

         As they walked through knee-high grass and weeds, Jill noticed no sounds.

         "Do you hear that?"

         "What? I'm sorry; my mind is somewhere else right now. I was thinking about later. I don't hear anything. For what am I listening?"

         "That's it, Peg, there is nothing. No sounds. No wind, no bugs, nothing."

         "Relax and trust me. There is nothing in the inn that is going to hurt you."

         "Fine." Keeping her eyes on the door, Jill led the way. Once she arrived, using the antiquated door knocker, she slowly knocked three times."

         After the echo of the third knock died down, the massive door opened silently into a dark interior.

         "Well, that is creepy. Did you make it open like that?" Asked Jill.

         "No. I don't think the door was closed; it moved because you knocked it open." Walking in without waiting for Jill, Peg looks around and spots an old staircase going up. "That looks awesome. I have to go up and see what is up there. I'll be back down in a couple of minutes."

         A cold feeling came over her while waiting for Peg to come back down the staircase. Jill looked around the room to see where the breeze might be coming from. When looking toward a locked door, a slight lavender scent wafted over her, being gone before she could fixate on it.

         A young girl stood before the locked door where no one had previously stood. Making eye contact with Jill, she beckoned Jill to come closer.

         Walking half the distance, Jill stopped and asked, "Do you need help?"

         One moment, the girl is by the doorway; the next, she is standing directly in front of Jill. Before Jill can react, the girl grabs Jill's hands. The ghost gives Jill a very specific message, a request, and then goes. The ghost is gone before Jill can ask anything, leaving Jill to wonder if she was ever there.

         "There you are. I was looking for you. Did you find anything while I was upstairs?" Peg asked, looking distracted as she walked down the staircase.

         Remembering the message from the ghost, Jill responds, "Uh, no. It's pretty boring. Did you find anything upstairs?" Wondering if the ghost was real. "I found a locked door over there." Looking into her hands, she sees the key the ghostly girl gave her. "I think this is the key to open it."

         Peg's face expressed shock that quickly turned to curiosity. Jill knew her friend was concealing something.

         "A key, how wonderful. It may be a promising idea to look into the room and see what we can find. You never know what is behind locked doors."

         "Since I found the key, I will unlock the door. Because coming here was your idea, you can enter first."

         As Jill places the key in the lock, she again smells the scent of lavender, this time much stronger. When the lock clicks, Jill steps aside to allow Peg access to the door. Using her flashlight, Peg shines the light in the room as if looking for something. After a sweep of the room is complete, she enters and turns to face the door.

         "All clear. You can come in now."

         Taking the opportunity, Jill swipes her hand down Peg's flashlight, knocking it to the floor. When Peg reacts and reaches for her light, Jill shuts the door and hurriedly locks it.

         "Funny, Jill. Now open up. You broke my light, and it isn't working. I know you are still there. I can see your flashlight shining in through under the door. It's not funny, Jill. Open the stupid door."

         The scent of lavender was quite strong, and when Jill exhaled, she could see her breath due to the cold within the room.

         "Peg, do you know Tracy Sirrah? She lived here at this inn. She thought you and she were friends. Good friends. Until you killed her because you were jealous of the attention she got from your grandparents. You killed your cousin, didn't you, Peg?"

         The quiet was interrupted by something heavy hitting against the locked door. "Who told you this? No one knows this. No one will believe you." There was more silence, then another loud bang against the door. "Let me out, Jill. I am only joking. I don't know anything about what you are saying. Come on, please. We have worked together for a long time."

         "Peg, Tracy told me you killed her. It would be best if you atoned for what you did. She gave me a message. She told me of all the horrible things you did before she died. Before you killed her. Please, Peg. Ask her for forgiveness."

         Instead of hearing what Jill hoped for, she heard Peg laughing. "You are such a fool. She deserved to suffer and die because of what she took from me. I was to be loved and adored by everyone. She stole it from me. Even after I killed her, they had the nerve to miss her and forget about me." Peg begins laughing, a scary type of laugh. "Then my boss hired you. Miss-Goodie-Too-Shoes. I told you I was the go-to person at work. I told you people liked me. You still took it all away from me, just like Tracey."

         Jill let that sink in. Peg was going to murder her like she did with Tracey.

         Jill continues with what the ghost has stated. "Peg, Tracey requested I get you into that room. I can only imagine what she has planned for you. I would say something like may there be mercy on your soul. But that would be a lie. Goodbye, Peg."


Contest: The Writer's Cramp
Due: August 2, 2024
Prompt: Upon entering a haunted inn, the main character is greeted by a ghost. The ghost gives the character a very specific message along with a request.
Genre: Supernatural
Word Count: 999 Words