Trying to sleep

Trying to sleep

The girl was sat at the kitchen table with her mother when I came down that night. I’d only just checked in to the hostel and had come through to check some of my things into the lockers. The sight of the little girls face, pale and wide eyed as a china doll caught my eye. Her mothers arm around her shoulder utterly failed to console her.

As I swung a locker open, I made eye contact with the mother.

“Her first time huh?”

“Yeah..it’s easier from an early age, I suppose.”

“I didn’t know there were any here. It was a promise on the ad for the place, actually...”

The mother sighed, her silvery blonde hair shimmering past her shoulders: “I spoke with reception, it seems that this one just followed us in. We’ll move on and get a refund.”

“Well good luck then.” I offered, dumping the last of my things in the locker. “They keep popping up these days.”

“True..” she turned to face the little girl, whose features had finally softened to meet the refined angles of her mothers, and a little peace had returned to her grey eyes. “ wait here honey, mommy’s going to get you a glass of water..”

As the mother moved into the kitchen, I slinked away through the kitchen and back to reception. The child locked eyes with mine, gentle trembling eyes.

“She’s still here. It’s here..” she whispered.

I sighed, kissing my teeth, as I made my way to the front desk. The man at reception was a scrawny older guy. He looked tired.

“Excuse me.” I caught his attention “I’ve just had a chat with the mother and daughter in the kitchen and...”

He looked flustered “Yes, sir, please rest assured that we have contacted someone to deal with the problem presently. If you like you are welcome to some complementary refreshments..”

“Nah I’m just gonna go to bed to be honest. Knackered.“

 

I made my way upstairs and into my room. Performing only the briefest of checks in the closet, en suite, and around the bed for anything unusual, I quickly disrobed and climbed into bed, trying to relax.

It was already 1am at this stage. The little sounds comprising day to day life had since abated, leaving only the thick, total stillness and darkness preceding an average night’s sleep. My thoughts drifted back to the girl...I began instinctively to imagine foreboding, and to unwillingly concentrate on the silence. Damnit, I was just trying to sleep.

My eyes closed. Dreams began to creep in...a slight hiss. Creak. I opened my eyes. Nothing.

More time passed. Dreams began to creep in...a presence...felt. I lay still. Just be still, you’re imagining it surely...

Silence. A whisper! A hiss. I tense up. My eyes, slowly opening. The figure of a little girl, shimmering and ghastly. No, this isn’t the one from downstairs, I thought. Her hand coldly passed through mine.

For Gods sake.

It spoke, in a tortured little voice, a ghostly squeak: “Come play with me, play with me.”

I sat up fully, and clicked the lights on.

“No I won’t f*****g play with you!!” I shouted back “It’s...” checking my phone on the end-table “...two in the f*****g morning! Why do you little ghostly s***s think it’s fine to keep bothering me?! Why the f**k is it fine to...”

“Please, help me!”

“PISS OFF! Give a f**k if you’re haunting, I’m trying to sleep!”

A knock on the door. Suddenly, the ghost vanished, as per usual. I swung up and answered it to an irate fellow guest.  Within a  second of seeing my face, he understood and started to relax.

“Oh no, a spooky ghost right?” He jibbed sarcastically.

“Yeah, I’m so spooked!” I chimed back.

It was fortunate to have found another soul who’d dealt with the same experiences. It turned out he’d been on a few business trips with similar experiences too, so he understood. With brief pleasantries exchanged, we each went to bed for some attempt at sleep.