Peter-Pan ........... when the dead refuse to leave.

A Story by bobby bansal

Story about an abandoned lover who seeks revenge for the betrayal.....after his death!

CHAPTER ONE

'Oh Jesus, I know I committed a sin but let the past not haunt my present', cried Maryam.

'What happened my child, you must tell me without any hesitation, only then will Jesus absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, confess my child', said the priest behind the screen.

'Yes father…I was in love with a man named Peter before marriage, he was also madly in love with me, but I left him just to marry a wealthy businessman. He begged me to return, even threatened to kill himself, but I ignored his suffering and got married. I moved to this city soon after with my husband and we went to live in the old mansion by the lake. But a year later, I started receiving calls from Peter. He would cry, abuse and threaten to kill my husband, my new born child and me, for my acts. This went on for almost two years, I could not tell my husband about it so I finally decided to confront Peter myself and went to my village to see him’, her voice started to waver.

'Go on child, God is with you, what happened next?', heartened the priest.

'Father… I went to Peter's house but it was in ruins, and I met an old lady around. She said....she said...Peter hanged himself there two years ago and his badly decomposed body was discovered months later after neighbours complained of the stench'

Suddenly the confession room was enveloped in darkness, lightning had struck the power line of the church.

'There’s no need to fear my child, you are in the house of God, so do you mean to say...' before the priest could continue, Maryam interrupted, ‘Yes father, it was Peter's ghost who had been calling, exactly the same voice, so much alive but from the dead'.

She continued, 'The calling stopped since I visited his home Father, it stopped completely'. Unable to hold her tears back, she broke down.

'Now that’s good my child, you confronted the situation with courage. faith in God, and the evil stopped haunting you'

'Yes father…but last night I saw Peter; in the mirror of my room'

CHAPTER TWO

His body trembled frantically, desperately trying to suck air that wouldn't come, an asthma attack, but the pills were within reach.

‘Father are you all right?....Father?', cried Maryam.

'Yes...yes...I am...I am child...Don't worry', replied the priest still gasping for air.

Father Gerard Gomes chose the path of God when he was only 17. His 50 years of experience taught him among many other things that evil exists only in one’s mind. His belief now changed. Never had he encountered or heard of anything of this sort before, but the priest had to save Maryam, save her family, it was his duty he believed.

Equipped with Holy water and a cross, the priest decided to confront the evil soul by himself. His fragile body was still trembling, gasping for air, his legs felt weak, every step, as heavy as logs of wood but nothing would stop him tonight, not even the fear of death.

'Father please let me come with you, I cannot let you go alone', pleaded Maryam

'No you must not, you must stay here with your daughter, there's no other place safer than the home of God. Please understand. It is only 11 pm. Hopefully the task will be completed in time and you can return tomorrow. Anyway I am not alone, God is with me, besides, you said that there's a gatekeeper at the mansion. I have a plan, so please stay here and look after yourself and the child'

The car reached the desolated mansion at 15 minutes past mid-night, . A tyre puncture and the continuous rain had made the journey longer. The old looking house was not only located away from the city, but also there was no sign of any other human life for miles, the forest and the strange sounds coming from it made it look more frightening, the priest wondered how the lady could live here. He parked the car outside the gate. He then pushed open the huge old and rusted iron gate, squeaky sounds, piercing through his ears The moon was full bright and the isolation in front of his eyes made his stomach convulse.

'Hello!!! Is anyone around...Hello!!!..hello!!!.', the priest called into the gatekeepers cabin, but there was no answer. Suddenly, a hand from behind held him firmly by his shoulders, his body froze.

'Yes sir, who are you?' demanded the man.

'Oh sorry, you’re the gatekeeper, aren’t you? My apologies.....but you really scared me'

'Scared you, did I? There's nothing here to be scared about’, the gatekeeper jokingly replied, ‘I've been working here for 8 years. Anyway, what brings you here?'

'Maybe there is. Well, I am the head priest of the city church and Maryam came to me seeking help, that is why I am here'

'Help! What kind of help Father?'

'Yes, help. And now I need your help, you look young, strong and fearless. Would you mind holding this bag and accompanying me to the mansion, your concerns I will address later’

'Sure, no problem' came an instant reply.

The villa was as grand from the inside as it looked from the outside and more, exhibiting huge French windows and expensive classic furniture. The thundering outside continued and suddenly the lights went out.

‘Oh my God!.....What happened?….It’s so dark, I can’t see anything’ shrieked the priest.

‘No need to worry Father, the power failure is no new thing to happen here, it happens all the time, but I have candles’

Both held candles in hand, lightning up the house, casting large shadows stretching up to the high ceiling. The sight of it made the priest tremble and also, the hunted animal heads mounted on the walls seemed to have come to life, appearing to look in their direction, smiling.

'Please take me to Maryam's room quickly’

'It is the last room on the first floor. Come this way Father'

'Sorry I forgot to ask your name, and how about the owner of this house, Mayam's husband I mean'

‘That’s okay, Maryam’s husband is mostly away on business trips. Well, here’s her room'

'So this is Maryam's room….hmm…..Now can you please remove this mirror carefully and cover it with the black cloth in my bag….Please be quick'

'As you wish, but I still don't know what you are up to, I believe you have been granted permission'

'Sure, don't worry about that, I cannot discuss issues at the moment, There’s no time for that, just do as I say. I will give you answers but later if you insist, but not now'

'No problem Father, it doesn't matter to me anyway, just that we are doing some crazy mirror wrapping thing in the middle of the night and that kinda makes me wonder'

'Now I want you to help me load it into my van and direct me to any pond that is at least a few miles away from this place'

'Yes, there is a pond a few miles from here….I have been there recently. It is pretty deep and secluded too'

They drove into the dark night further inside the forest; the lighting appeared frightening, as if nature was painting sparkling ghostly pictures in the sky. They finally arrived to the pond. It seemed to be deep and wide enough to swallow the mirror. The priest found the location to be ideal.

'Now help me unload the mirror and slide it into the pond. Make sure you do not break it, also give me the bag'

'Sure father, don’t worry'

He slowly slid the mirror into the pond and it disappeared in a few moments. The priest continued reciting prayers and then emptied the Holy water in a final act into the pond.

The worst was not over yet. Without warning, bubbles burst out of the pond, as if someone was breathing heavily under the water. The priest choked again. Fear caught him by the neck and his trembling body fell to the ground. Suddenly a human corpse floated to the top of the water. Its sight was horrifying. It appeared to be partly eaten; by fish? or an animal? The priest retched and coughed incessantly. He gathered courage and said to himself, ‘It is over now, I must regain control, it’s not moving, and its dead…..thank God it’s over’.

‘Son there’s no need to panic…God has done the needful…I need my medication, can you please help me with my pills, they are on the dashboard…and then I can explain to you the entire episode’, said the priest, heavily swallowing air.

'Well sure father…here they are….anyway, I think I have seen this dead person before’

'Really? Have you?'

'Yes father, I am sure about it'

'But where in the name of God?'

‘I think he was the gatekeeper

'The Gatekeeper…then what about you?'

He smiled!!!!

Final Chapter

The priest trembled in disbelief, fear triggered an asthma attack and he violently shuddered like an animal bitten by a snake on the ground. The body was that of the gatekeeper, the soul inside wasn’t, Peter’s ghost had taken its place. In the last few seconds before his transition from life to death, Father Gomes tried reaching for the Holy Cross in his pocket but he wasn’t allowed. His hands were wrapped behind his back and his head completely turned around by the evil soul that operated just by the gestures of hands from a distance, Maryam’s saviour was dead.

3.15 a.m

Maryam sat in a corner of the main hall holding her daughter firmly, surrounded by candles to keep away the darkness caused by the power failure. The rain and the storm outside continued its onslaught, relentlessly rattling the large glass windows, making clattering noises that echoed in the vast premises like intolerable screams. In this moment of fear and chaos, came a sound of a different kind, slowly amplifying. It was that of a car, it was the sound of hope, she thought. Maryam peeped out of the window, but the rain and mist distorted the vision. The car wasn't the same one that father Gomes had taken. Her heart thumped. A tall figure stepped out of the vehicle and called out to Maryam in loud and angry voice. She recognized it. It was Alan's, her husband.

‘Alan!’ she cried, running towards the church gate.

‘What are you doing here at this time?’ he demanded.

‘Let me explain everything to you, but you must come inside, I am waiting for the priest to return’

‘I don’t understand a single word you are talking about, I have been to the mansion and the gatekeeper told me that you had left for the church in the night. What’s going on Maryam?’

‘What else did the gatekeeper tell you? Did he not tell you anything about the priest? Anything? Alan, you were suppose to return next week, then how come you came early, and at this hour too?’

‘Well, the gatekeeper told me nothing and I returned because my meeting was cancelled and when I called home to speak to you there was no answer, I tried a thousand times. What the hell am I suppose to do? Just sit back? came an agitated reply.

‘Listen Alan, we must go home now, I’ll explain everything on the way, there’s too much to tell, and too much even for me to understand. Please trust me’.

Her mind started spinning and it turned into a mess of innumerable questions. Where had the priest gone? If indeed Father Gomes had made it to the house, why did not the gatekeeper tell Alan about it? What happened there? Did Peter still exist in her mansion, her room…in the mirror…maybe outside now? In her mansion, in her room… maybe everywhere.

Maryam picked up her daughter and, with her husband, embarked on the frightening journey to home. The rain and thunder continued, the road ahead visible only up to the beam of the car headlights, beyond which was only darkness and ghosts she felt.

Tensed with the recent events, Maryam decided to tell Alan about her past, ‘I have to tell you something very important, I tried to hide it for too long, but now I can’t, not anymore. I am sorry my darling I let you down but I hope you will forgive me’

‘What are you talking about honey, well, you have been a nice wife to me and a nice mother to our child, go on tell me what’s this whole thing about’

Maryam narrated the recent events. She told Alan everything about her past relationship with Peter, his death and re-appearance.

‘That’s unbelievable’ exclaimed Alan.

‘Alan, I am so sorry my darling, I never mean to hurt you. But trust me Alan, I only loved you truly and nobody else. My past was my mistake and I really wish it never happened’

‘So you firmly believe it was a mistake…that pig-head was a mistake’

‘Yes I do and I am so sorry about it'

Suddenly he roared like an animal gone mad in excruciating in pain. ‘So he was a big mistake huh? You love only your present husband truly? The past was a waste of time and you really wish it never happened?’ The stinging words came in Peter’s voice.

Maryam choked, ‘Alan…..Peter….I am sorry Peter…please don’t kill me…I want to live…..I only loved you. To marry Alan was the biggest mistake of my life. I always wanted to be with you only’, her statements reversed, she pleaded for her life, tears rolling down her cheeks in fear.

‘Well baby, that is what I am here for; to take you and your daughter away with me so we can be together forever’. He laughed like a wolf, his features suddenly changing to that of an animal. The blue eyes were no longer blue but completely white and the colour of his pale skin.

While the ghost was manoeuvring the car towards a hill-top, only to plunge it to the death of her past love, without warning Maryam stabbed the Holy Cross that she had taken from the church right into his neck, multiple times. The ghost body trembled in pain, a vomit like substance erupted from his nose and mouth, his body shuddering as if in trance, swearing at Maryam, trying to reach her, to kill her. The car finally came to a halt, it collided into a tree.

One month later at Wilson Hospital

Maryam opened her eyes in the hospital bed. The doctors had given up hope that she would ever come out of her coma. But it was a day to celebrate for the hospital staff, a vegetable had come to life after 30 days of dormancy.

‘Relax my dear, don’t try to get up or speak. You need rest’ said the nurse.

‘Where is my child?’, demanded Maryam.

‘Well you need not worry my dear, your child is with your parents, safe at home. You’ve been asleep for over 30 days now’

‘And what about my husband…..he was also in the car?’ she asked hesitantly.

‘Hmm…I do not know how to put it, but your husband was found dead and half-burnt, his face beyond recognition, I must not tell you such things. I am sorry Maryam…you must now live for your child's future’

The grand-parents had taken custody of their grand-daughter. The three year old brought new joy to their lives, 32 years back it was Maryam whose laughter filled the house. The news came to them that Maryam had woken and tomorrow they could see her. The old couple thanked God over the evening supper. Also the full moon marked the return of their daughter back to life, exactly after 30 days of long sleep.

As the couple feasted on roast chicken and French wine, the child’s nanny came running downstairs, her eyes wide in disbelief of something she had seen but was unable to comprehend.

‘What is it?…What happened?’ asked Mr. Converse

‘Sir, I do not know how to explain but you must go upstairs and see it for yourself, I advise that Mrs. Converse stays behind’ said the nanny with genuine concern in her eyes.

What he saw was unbelievable, the scene was horrific, the floor of the child’s room was running with blood and the house cats lay in a weird pattern. The animals were killed, skinned and placed in a ‘666’ formation. It did not make any sense to Mr. Converse. The child sat in the corner with blood all over her clothes, crying profusely and afraid of what she witnessed.

‘Don’t cry my baby, it’s nothing…..we’ll take you to mamma tomorrow…..Don’t cry my little sweetie…Come, let me take you to your nanny, she’ll give you a bath and dress you up in a beautiful pink frock'. He tried to distract the baby, knowing that he himself had lost his head. What in the name of God is this mess, he wondered.

As soon as he lifted the baby, the child who could barely speak only elementarily uttered words in a coarse voice while biting into Mr. Converse’s neck with her sharp teeth, ‘You old b*****d, take me to that b***h of yours, now! She has to be put back to sleep forever’. Mr. Converse collapsed.