New Beginnings and Spiritual Encounters

Bzzzt. Bzzzt.

The alarm buzzes, jolting Lilian awake. Normally she begrudges getting up early, but not today. Today is a special day. Today is the day she leaves for college and her new life on campus. Finally she will be moving out of her family home and living on her own for the first time. And she can. Not. Wait!

She jumps out of bed with a joyous exclamation and immediately starts getting ready. “Ah, you’re up,” her mother smiles as she nudges open her bedroom door. “How could I not be on a day like today,” Lilian grins back at her mum. “Well, breakfast will be ready in 10 minutes. Get yourself washed up and ready,” her mum informs her. Lilian rolls her eyes “yes mum” as if she didn’t know how to get ready in the morning without her mother reminding her. “I saw that. Don’t roll your eyes at me, a mother sees everything,” her mum reminds her. Lilian resists the urge to roll her eyes again “sure mum, be down in a minute.”

Breakfast goes by in a blur. One minute Lilian is eating scrambled eggs on toast, surrounded by her younger sister and brother, her dad and her mum. The next she’s helping her parents pack the last of her belongings into her mum’s car, which her dad is about to drive him, mum and Lilian to college in. “Have you got everything? Anything else you might need?” her dad asks her. “No, I think that’s everything. And anyway, I’ll only be a couple hours away, so I can always come back on the train if I have forgotten something,” Lilian replies.

Honestly, she can’t think or focus right now. She’s too excited to get going and see her new home for the next three years to wonder if she missed anything. Plus the car is so jam packed, she can’t imagine anything else fitting inside. “Okay, let’s go then,” her dad says, “I want to get going before the roads get too busy.” “And so he can get back in time for the game later,” her mother mumbles, but only for Lilian’s ears. She giggles and sighs. These little moments are what she’ll miss when she’s away. She shakes her head. Stop. No getting sentimental she chides herself, you’ll be building new memories and moments with new friends at college soon.

With that she jumps in the last empty space in the back of the car and her journey begins.

A couple of hours later they make it to Silverhaven, home to Rayth’s College for the Living and Recently Deceased, where Lilian will be studying Social Care Work with a minor in Linguistics. She never could make up her mind, but luckily she’s able to find a compromise to be able to study both subjects. Albeit with one as a minor.

Ever since being in middle school she wanted to come and learn at this college. Not least because of its reputation for teaching spirits alongside human students, but that was undoubtedly part of the appeal. It also has a good Social Care program (maybe because of its dual cohort).

Lilian’s dad drives up to the address of her new dormitory, after following his satnav to lead the way. As they get out of the car, grateful to be able to move and stretch after the long car journey, they are approached by what appears to be another student. “Hi, my name is Alice. Welcome to Raven House,” she informs them. “Hello Alice,” mum replies, “we’re here dropping Lilian off. Is it okay if we leave the car here while we carry her things in?” “It should be fine, as long as you don’t leave the car for more than 10 minutes,” Alice says. “Okay, let’s get moving then,” dad chimes in. Mum asks Alice “which room is going to be Lilians?” “Let me check. What is your full name?” Alice asks, turning to Lilian. “Lilian Wolfe,” she replies.

“Wolfe. Wolfe. Wolfe,” Alice mutters flipping to the end of her list, “ah here! You’re in room 36. Top floor, through the middle door. And here is your packet with your key to your bedroom and the fob to get in the front door.” “Thank you,” Lilian replies, taking the packet and tucking it into her bag. “You’ll also find some information about the area, places to eat and drink and some information about the campus and Fresher’s events in there,” Alice adds. “Oh cool, thanks” Lilian smiles gratefully.

“I’ll let you get moved in,” Alice says, “and if you need anything, I or one of the other student helpers will be here all day to support you.” Lilian thanks her again and turns to help her parents unpack the rest of her suitcases and bags and carry them up the stairs to her new dorm room.

Once they’re done unloading and carrying everything up to her room, Lilian and her parents walk over to the main campus together to get a lay of the land. After walking around and exploring the area for a bit, the trio stop by a little local restaurant to have lunch before her parents inevitably head home. “Okay, sweetheart” her mother starts “your father and I need to think about getting back on the road and driving home.” “I know” Lilian acknowledges “but time has gone by so fast and…” she peters out and I don’t know if I can do this alone she thinks to herself. Despite being exactly where she has always dreamed of being, to do exactly what she has always wanted to do, now that she’s here the thought of being on her own is scary. Her mum looks at her with such love and understanding and says “I know darling, but you’ll be fine. You’re stronger than you realise and you need to do this for yourself. We’re just a phone call away if you want to speak to us any time.” “I know, thank you mum” Lilian replies, throwing her arms around her mother in a tearful farewell. Her mother hugs her tenderly and strokes her hair “love you Lilian.” “Love you too mum.” Then Lilian turns to her dad and gives him just as big of a hug and he tells her “I’m proud of you my girl, you’ll do great.” “Thanks dad, I hope you get home safe and the drive goes okay” she replies. And with that her parents get back in the car and head for the motorway and home, while Lilian is left standing by herself in her new world.

To distract herself from not getting too sad or homesick, Lilian decides to start unpacking some of her things. She puts the kitchen items in her cupboard in the shared kitchen and starts sorting out and putting away her clothes in her wardrobe and toothbrush by her sink. After tidying for about an hour Lilian feels tired and decides it’s time for a break and some fresh air. So, she grabs her bag with her keys and paperwork for enrollment and heads back to the main campus to get signed in and matriculated.

Lilian steps into the grand entrance hall of the main building and is trying to work out which way she needs to go when she hears and sees a commotion over to the right, down one of the hallways leading off to the side. Curious by nature, Lilian walks over to see what on earth is going on and as she gets closer she notices the group of students standing around what appears to be two people at the center. But one is bearing down on the other with an arrogant and mean look on his face. “Hey, stop that, what are you doing?” Lilian immediately tries to step in. If there’s one thing she loathes more than anything else it’s bullying. The guy whips around, glaring at Lilian ferociously “none of your damn business” he growls “stay out of things that don’t concern you.” “It’s none of their business either,” Lilian retorts gesturing to the group around them who lean in even more eagerly to hear what she’s saying, “but you seem intent on making an awful spectacle of yourself” she glares back at him. “For that matter, what makes this person’s business any of your concern either?” Lilian continues motioning to the bully’s target who seems to be crouching on the floor with his hands over his ears. “You wouldn’t understand, newbie” the bully remarks, scowling at her with murder in his eyes. Then he huffs, waving to his cronies “come on, I’m bored, we’re done here anyway. I think spooks here has learned his lesson for the day.” With that he saunters down the hall away from the main entrance.

That’s when Lilian really notices the bully’s target, who is starting to pick himself up, for the first time and realizses he isn’t a living being, but one of the undead students that the college is known for accepting. Her heart beats quicker. She’s never met a ghost before and she’s not sure what to say. “A… Are you alright?” she stammers shyly. “Yeah, I’ll be alright,” the specter replies, “but you’ve just made a powerful enemy for yourself with that one.” “Why? Who even was he?” aside from a bully she thinks. “That’s Drystan, the mayor’s son” the ghost replies “he’s a second year and walks around like he rules the roost.” Aha, so that’s why he had an air of self-importance and seems to believe he can do whatever he wants Lilian thinks.

“I’m Spike by the way” the ghost says, pulling Lilian out of her thoughts “thanks for stopping him yelling. Sensitive hearing” he says gesturing to his spectral ears. “Happy to help” she replies smiling “I’m Lilian, I’ve just moved into Raven House and was just trying to find where I’m supposed to enroll and get my college ID.” “Well, you’re in the right place” Spike grins at her “it’s just down here, I’ll show you.”

Spike proceeds to show Lilian all around campus, including all his favourite haunts and the best spots for studying or reading. “And this is where I like to sit and chill and people watch sometimes” Spike finishes their tour by the canal that separates the campus from the long strip of green park on the other side. “It’s so beautiful here, definitely idyllic” remarks Lilian “I can see why you like coming here”.

After enrollment and Spike’s campus tour they walk around the Freshers’ Fair together, chatting and looking at all the new clubs and societies. Lilian wonders if she should join the book club or the martial arts society. “Why not both?” suggests Spike “they meet on different days, right? So, you can go to both of them.” “You’re right, I think I will” Lilian decides and writes her name down on both sign-up sheets. They continue walking around, collecting freebies. “Wow, there’s a lot here!” exclaims Lilian. “Yeah, it’s like they try and outdo themselves each year” Spike replies. “So, this isn’t your first year?” Lilian asks. “Nope, I’m in my second year of Literature studies” Spike answers. “Oh, cool!” Lilian’s eyes sparkled “I bet you can recommend some good classics then.” “Sure, what kinds of things do you like to read?” he asks. They chat more about books and interest when all of a sudden a familiar voice shouts from behind them “Ooh look, spooks has found himself a girlfriend!” “Ignore him” Spike whispers “he does this every so often. He seems to think ghosts shouldn’t be allowed to study, like it doesn’t matter ‘cause we’re undead.” “But that’s not fair. Everyone has the right to learn” Lilian replies. “Yeah, but it’s not worth trying to convince someone who’s already made up their mind about you” Spike sighs, guiding them towards the exit.

The semester starts and both Lilian and Spike get stuck into their respective modules. They have very different schedules, but often meet up in the library in the evenings to share thoughts and help each other study and write assignments. Every so often Drystan finds them, making snide comments at either or both, but they do their best to ignore him and focus on their coursework.

When he doesn’t seem to be getting the rise he hopes for, Drystan thinks he needs to try teasing them harder to provoke a response from them. But try as he might, Lilian and Spike don’t seem to see or hear him and it frustrates him to no end. If he were to be honest with himself, Drystan is jealous of the close friendship that has blossomed between the two. Especially compared to his cronies who only seem to be interested in him, because of his dad’s political status.

Reading week starts and marks the halfway point of their semester and assignments really start to intensify. Final coursework need to be finished and upcoming exams need to be revised for. Even Drystan seems to have paused his notorious quips and digs for the time being, which is a welcome outcome of the stress of looming finals.

“What are you going to do for the winter holidays?” Spike asks Lilian one day in the library. “I’m looking forward to going home and spending a few quiet days with my family” she replies “what about you?” “Oh, I’ll just be here, getting a head start on the reading for next semester” Spike answers. “What? No way! You’re not staying here when most are going home” she pauses a second thinking “why don’t you come home with me? My parents would love to meet you and my siblings have been begging me to bring you home.” “If you’re sure?” Spike hesitates. “Of course! It’s settled, you’re spending the winter holidays with us!” Lilian beams thinking of the fun they’ll have together in her childhood home.

After their final week of the semester it’s finally time for the holidays and the halls are bustling with students busily packing up the things they want to take home. Spikes hovers at the door as Lilian packs the last few presents for her siblings into her too-small suitcase. “Right, I think that’s everything” she says “red-faced from the exertion of trying to close her case. “Good timing” Spike comments “I think your parents just pulled up.” “Really?!” Lilian runs to the window, looking out and then dashes out of the block and down the stairs to greet her parents.

As everyone is busily packing cars and hugging loved ones, Lilian suddenly notices a figure standing by himself at the curb. It’s Drystan and he almost looks a tiny bit forlorn. Part of her wants to ignore him, but another part of her spurs her on to walk over to him. “Hello” she says, not sure what else to add. Drystan looks up, surprised to see the new girl he’s been teasing Spike with, what’s she doing here, he wonders. “Uh… hello” he says. “Are your folks running late or something?” she asks. “My parents?” he scoffs, “they never pick me up. It’ll be their driver that collects me for them. “Oh” Lilian says surprised “but you’re looking forward to the holidays?” “Not really” Drystan answers “it’ll be a couple of weeks of my dad in last minute meetings and my mum planning the end of year social bash. I’ll be lucky if they remember I’m there.” “Oh. That’s not fair” Lilian empathizes. “Maybe not, but that’s how it always goes, so why should this year be any different?” Drystan’s shoulders sag. “Well, that doesn’t have to be how it goes this year” Lilian pauses and then, hardly believing the next words that come out of her mouth she continues “you could come over and spend some time with us?.” “Really?” Drystan asks “isn’t that ghost friend of yours going with you?” “Well, yeah, but maybe you can actually get to know him, and his name’s Spike, not ‘spooks’.”

“Hmm, maybe I could,” he muses, and to her surprise Drystan’s mood seems to lighten slightly. Then his driver pulls up and each turns to their respective waiting cars and heads home.

Lilian and Spike didn’t end up seeing Drystan over the winter holidays that year, but after their return to college in the new year, there is a notable change in Drystan. He no longer seems out to get them and even starts engaging with them on occasion. Albeit only when his cronies aren’t around.

Things settle into a new semester and everything seems to go on pleasantly until the spring holidays. Lilian is spending it at college with Spike this time. They plan to knuckle down and focus on their assignments. But Drystan decides to spend the spring holidays on campus as well. One afternoon he happens to walk into the part of the library that Lilian and Spike have been using to work in. Their gazes meet and Drystan tentatively offers a miniscule smile and nods his head before turning and walking to find another quiet corner to study in.

By the time the first year is over, while there isn’t a strong friendship between the three of them, the animosity has at least dissolved and some semblance of camaraderie, or at least mutual respect, has formed between them. Of course, only time will tell what the next year will hold for the three students.