She 'was' there

'But she was there.' 

By

Leanne Spencer

Halloween night itself, the build up and preparations got everyone spooked and jittery, more and more every year. This year was no different but there was a new kid on the block to join our gang of night street trawlers, gathering all the sweets on offer and running rampage in the neighbourhood, of course in a good natured, high spirits way...forgive the pun!

We hadn't officially met her yet but she looked like our sort of girl, although I had only seen her standing at her bedroom window. She lives straight facing my house, so I intended to go over as soon as her and her family had settled in.

It was Halloween eve and all the usual gang were together at the local shopping centre buying their costumes for the next night.  I thought I'd go for a ghostly fairy type of look, quite innocent. A few of the gang bought more sinister outfits like Freddie Kruger, Michael Myers, witches etc and then I remembered we had forgotten to ask our new neighbour  - our would be 13th member, to come along, so I corrected that once I got back home.

I dropped off my parcels and went across the road. She answered the door and was quite obviously not happy.  If I had to guess, I would  say she had just been crying, quite a lot, so I hesitated before asking if she was OK.

Quietly, she said she was fine and politely asked what I wanted.

"Hi, my name is Rowan and I, well me and friends, wondered if you would like to come trick or treating with us tomorrow night and get to know us too."

"Oh that's very kind of you. I am Janie and I would love to but I have plans already, well my parents do and I have to go along with them. But thanks for asking, maybe we can hang out here next weekend?" Asked Janie, looking a little sheepish.

So of course I backed off, a little embarrassed as I wondered if it was a fob-off but she did say she would want to hang out soon, at her house though which I thought was a little odd.

"Yeah, yeah, oh that would be great, no problem, you have fun tomorrow." I clumsily replied. 

"Thanks, bye Rowan, you too have fun with your friends." And with that Janie closed the door.

As I got back home I unwrapped my outfit and costume make up I had bought earlier. The excitement was building up, I loved Halloween above all the other holiday celebrations. It was just more thrilling and of course,  the one day not to feel guilty about over indulging on sweets.

Suddenly, the phone rang and there was no number on the display. I remembered that Dad always told me to be careful if that was the case. Be aware not to give too much away about myself or the house, in case it was a crank or an unwanted sales call. 

"Hello." I answered, gingerly.

"Hi, is that Rowan?" Came the quiet and nervous voice on the other end.

"Erm, yes, who's calling?" I asked.

"It's Janie, from across the road. I got your number from mum's book, I think your mum gave it to her when we first moved in." She replied. 

"Ah, ok, no problem, is everything alright Janie?" I enquired.

"Yes but I wondered if you could come over to help me pick out my outfit for the party mum and dad are having tomorrow night. I am no good at this sort of thing. I hate parties but I have no choice but to stay." Janie sounded agitated but I agreed to pop over and help.

I put away my things and went over to Janie's. She was waiting in the doorway for me. 

"Thanks for coming" said Janie, "I have no friends here so as you seem nice and excited about Halloween, I thought you'd be the perfect person to ask." 

"Great, glad you invited me over, so what sort of look are you going for?" I wondered.

Janie led me upstairs to her bedroom. It struck me that everything was neat and tidy, a place for everything. But there was something odd I couldn't quite put my finger on as to what or why.  There were quite a few retro items in the room, stuff from the 80s which was kind of cool but as Janie was around my own age, 17, I thought it strange that someone so young would love the 80s.

I thought no more of it and Janie opened her wardrobe. Again, I could swear it was all retro gear. There were ra-ra skirts and fluorescent coloured t-shirts, not at all anything up to date.  

Janie took out out a pink and baggy, pull up dress, the sort that looked like a t-shirt over a tight skirt when on, ideal to put with white canvas boots.  I had seen pictures of my mum in the 80s so I knew the look. 

The style was kind of in but with more sparkly and silky materials rather than just cotton, so I encouraged Janie to try it on, which she was only too happy to do.

She had big curly hair and a head band in, just to complete the look, so I had to ask, it was inevitable.

"I take it you're a big fan of the 80s then, are these your mum's clothes, is the party tomorrow, 80s themed?"

"Why would you think they're my mum's? No, they are mine. I love them and what's not to like about this decade? Great fashion and music." Janie replied with a surprise tone, as if astounded by my question. "Do you not like it?"

I reassured her that the dress looked great but checked the rest of her clothes just in case there was something else, more suitable for today and more importantly, for Halloween. After all, she wanted help for a Halloween party.

There was a black version of the same pink pull up dress, so suggested that one with some additional sparkle.

"Do you have any sparkly jewellery? Or something to give it some 'pop'? I asked whilst looking around.

"Not really, it's all brightly coloured bead necklaces and headbands." Came the disheartened reply.

"Well, not to worry, I will look through my things and bring some for you try tomorrow morning, I'll come back." And with that, she thanked me and I said goodnight. I let myself out and went back home.

Mum was back and I told her about Janie and how odd it was that she was stuck in a decade she had never even known, for someone so young.

But mum looked puzzled at what I was saying. "Sorry Rowan, who are you talking about?

"You know, the new neighbours across the road, their daughter, Janie. She called me to ask if I would help her pick out an outfit for a party at theirs tomorrow night. I had introduced myself earlier."

Mum's face dropped and went white immediately. 

With a very shakey voice and trembling hands, mum told me something, well quite frankly, more scary than anything that could happen on Halloween.

"Rowan, sit down, I am pretty sure you have just seen a ghost!" Mum gasped.

"What, I'm confused, what do you mean, ghost? Have you gone mad, why are you saying this?" I asked, trembling in anticipation of an explanation.

Mum went on to explain that when the Carlton's first moved in, she went over to speak to them and they mentioned they had moved to the neighbourhood for a fresh start as their son had moved to the USA with his new wife and the house they had been in for over 50 years, seemed too big and too many memories of their daughter who had died when young, Janie. So they decided it was time for a change.

 I looked at Mum and fell to my knees, all weak. No, she must be joking with me.

"Mum, pack it in, you're winding me up!!" I snapped.

"No, seriously, come with me. Barbara should be home, let's go and talk to her." said Mum.

I didn't want to go. You can't just go and knock on someone's door and ask about their dead daughter. But mum insisted, partly because I think she was so curious and wanted to check that neither of us was going crazy. 

So off we trotted to the Carlton's house. 

'Mum, see, Janie is there at the bedroom window!' I pointed upwards with excitement.

"No Rowan, she isn't.  I can't see anyone." Said mum.

I felt scared. My legs were like jelly.

Before mum could knock, the front door of the neighbours house opened and there was a friendly looking lady with a big smile on her face.

"Oh hi Cathy, how are you? And this must be your daughter, Rowan?" Mrs Carlton asked.

"Hello Barbara. Sorry to barge over but something has happened tonight, to Rowan and I need to talk to you." Mum stuttered.

So Barbara invited us in and we went in to the living room. We sat down but before mum could explain, I blundered in. "Can I go up and see Janie please? I was here earlier, she was asking me to help with picking an outfit for tomorrow night." I asked Mrs Carlton.

Her face was aghast. Total shock all over her ghostly white face.

Straight away, I knew Mum was right in what she had said about Janie.

Mrs Carlton just stared at me. Then some incoherent words bubbled out. 

"What? Er uh..wha... how, why, have you, where, when….what??" She got louder and more panicky towards the end of the questions.

My face must have been bright red, I didn't know what to do, what to say. I began to cry.  Mrs Carlton calmed down and got up to hug me. 

"It's ok, you're not the first to see her but it shocks me every time," she went on to explain, "my daughter, Janie died in 1989 at the age of 17. It was Halloween night and there had been a street party. Some trouble broke out and Janie was caught in the middle of the ruckus, fell over and banged her head. We got her inside and put her to bed to rest but when she didn't get up the following morning for breakfast, we knew something was wrong. She had tragically passed away in her sleep. Complications from the head injury." She explained.

I felt so sad and scared but then Mrs Carlton took my hand and we went to the room where I had seen Janie.  The room was empty, save for some boxes with all Janie's old things, clothes, toys, records and books.

Suddenly, I felt freaked, overwhelmed and ran downstairs to go home. When I got to our front door and before I went in, I looked back. Janie was there in her window, waving at me.

She was there.