What Once Was

Tap tap tap tap tap.

What were once shiny white tap shoes, now slightly stained with dirt, hurried down the dark wooden floors, the tapping of the shoes frantically picking up pace, trying to get away from something. The echoes bounced off the once paper adorning walls, now peeling away, colors fading and mixing with the darkness of the school halls.

A little girl pattered, her breath growing heavy as she struggled to keep her sanity. She didn't know if they remembered, but her name was Nessa. And what she meant by they, was in fact regarding her teachers. Their names, just like their deaths, sent shivers down Nessa's spine.

Ms. Lily and Ms. Rosie were the perfect teachers, she just wished that...maybe the kids at her school would've been nicer to the new teachers. Shadows, or at least what seemed like shadows danced in the corners, taunting her to come closer, dragging her slowly into their blackened fingers. Her stomach twisted as she ran, desperate to evade her two former teachers. How poorly they were treated, how short of a life, a tormented life, that they'd lived. And now they definitely came back for revenge.

But Nessa had done nothing to them. But of course, they didn't care. And now she had to get out of this abandoned building....fast. Nessa could still see the chilling flashbacks behind her eyelids, every time that she blinked.

Blink.

After months of being bullied, that fateful day, the ear-piercing scream that sent birds squawking and into the air. The horrid image of razor sharp shears, Ms. Rosie's dead glassy eyes, hand over stomach as she fell backwards in the outdoor garden space, never to stand again.

Blink. 

Just a few moments later, another scream filled the air. The entire school had rushed to the library, eyes locked on the school librarian sprawled on the ground, eyes looking up at what was tied to the chandelier, Ms. Lily with closed eyes, never to open them again.

Blink.

Nessa leaned a shoulder against the wall, trying to catch her breath. She recalled it clear as day, the chaos that followed, the abandonment of her dear school. The talk of resentful spirits, the midnight dares, the unfortunate news in the newspaper the next morning, the discoveries of people behind closed classroom doors, their breath and soul stolen away. Nessa looked up at the multiple doors that led to classrooms that were once filled with idle chatter, now bleak and empty, just the remains of what once was. 

Little girl, where are you? 

Nessa froze as she heard the teasing whisper of Ms. Lily’s sugary voice. It ringed down the halls, somewhat distant. She gulped, bile rising up her throat. They knew she was here, and she needed to get out of the abandoned building at all costs.

Nessa ran down the halls of her school, grateful for the various windows allowing natural light inside. She turned and bumped into a glass door. Absent-mindedly, she went through the door, surprised as a soft breeze tickled her cheeks. She looked up in shock as the pale moonlight washed over her, bathing her in its pure white brilliance. Nessa felt her heart drumming loudly against her ribcage as she stumbled backwards. Ms. Rosie was buried here, and Ms Lily right outside of the school, next to the library. In fact, she was very well standing on the same dirt on which Ms. Rosie had fallen and passed away. A strong gust of wind blew strongly towards her, carrying the calm of a voice with it.

Little girl, I sense you. 

Nessa fisted her hands, chilled to the core as the words swirled and settled in her mind. It was almost as if Ms. Rosie was standing right next to her, whispering in her ear, it felt so close. Nessa felt her breath hitch as she fled from the outdoor gardening space in the opposite direction, far away from Ms. Rosie’s burial ground.  

Ms. Rosie had loved gardening, and Ms. Lily had adored her books. Both a science teacher and a language teacher, gone, just in a matter of mere moments. 

Nessa ran and silently wept when she looked up to see big double doors. The library. She couldn’t believe it. Her betraying feet had led her straight to the library and inside…she could hear something. Crying? Things being thrown. Boiling rage. 

Nessa whipped around on her heels and dashed off into the halls. She heard the fury in the shrill voice that pierced through her ears.

Little girl, I will find you. 

Nessa shivered at Ms. Lily’s sinister vow. Here she was, at late night, or who even knows, early morning, playing a desperate game of hide and seek for her life. She was dumb, and she’d made a mistake. And based on her former teachers, she was going to pay. 

She finally reached one of the longer corridors of the school. As soon as she turned, she groaned, her mind signaling her fuzzy brain and sore limbs that something wasn’t right here. Nessa scanned the corridor and noticed that it too had windows, except some had thin curtains covering the reassuring light, leaving it to be a tad darker than any other part of the building she’d been to. She let out a few ragged breaths, exhausted.

Ignoring the sense danger that was currently electrocuting her, Nessa slowly jogged across the corridor. She was afraid that even if she paused for a second too long, her legs would collapse with fatigue and she wouldn’t be able to get up.  So no matter how much her legs burned, she couldn’t. She wouldn’t.

As she reached the end of the hallway, Nessa threw her body on the wall, slumping against it for support. Her heart beat wildly as she granted herself a tiny break. It felt as if her entire body was lit up in a persistent fire as she swallowed and licked her chapped lips, craving for the taste of water. Sweat dripped down her forehead like fresh water droplets after a shower. 

Little girl….

Ms. Rosie’s voice hid a little smile in it. Nessa waited to hear her voice again as she readied herself to start her sprint, but was instead met with Ms. Lily’s excited one.

We’ve found you. 

Time seemed to stop like a frozen bird as the reality of the simple words dawned on her. Her blood turned to ice as her heart constricted. Panic was written well across her face as she ever, so, slowly looked around…and there they were.

Ms. Rosie and Ms. Lily stood on the other end of the corridor, holding hands, heads bent slightly down so that their hair fell over their faces. They both were wearing white dresses that pooled on the floor. The moonlight shone on them but they stayed the same, seemingly unfazed. Nessa let out a shudder to see her teachers. Her mind shut down as she stared, trembling, unmoving. All the fight left in her fragile bones renounced her, leaving Nessa as a defenseless heap of mush. They looked the same, just like when they were alive.

Ms. Rosie had her long, straight, dark brown hair cascading down her face like a murky waterfall. She usually would tuck it into a ponytail in her teaching days. It felt wrong to see it falling over the science’s teacher’s face so carelessly. Nessa tried to make a noise, and ended up making something that sounded like a strangled goat.

Ms. Lily was graced with ashy brown waves that tumbled down her face, covering it from sight. She loved to braid her hair and stick it into a cute messy bun. She never let her hair down. 

They were the same, but there was something….different, or say off about them. Ms. Rosie had something stuck in her stomach, and Nessa knew just as well what it was. Ms. Lily seemed alright, except her head was positioned just slightly off. Nessa’s skin started tingling as she steadily held up her shaking hands in front of her, begging.

“ Please. “ 

But Nessa already knew the two letter answer that she imagined snaking out in their voice. It was, after all, the same answer that got smacked in their faces every, single, living day by neglecting students. Just two letters that sealed her fate. Her vision began to cloud and get blurry as the room seemed to warp. The room swirled around, the moon beams dimming, the ominous figures standing a corridor away, waiting, watching. 

Blink.

They moved closer.

Blink.

They were in the middle of the corridor.

Blink.

They took a small step.

Blink.

Nessa’s clammy fingers dug into the wall as she realized that she was holding her breath. The chest tightened, her throat agonizing with the blaze and sting, she couldn’t hold in much longer, her head spun with dizziness, she couldn’t afford to lose consciousness, she had to….

Nessa exhaled loudly and took a breath, joyful as fresh, beloved air happily invaded her lungs. That joy quickly turned into pure fear. The music stopped.

The women paused for a second….and then lunged. Nessa let out a high pitched scream as Ms. Lily’s and Ms. Rosie’s hair flew up,  revealing black sockets where their eyes were carved out, pale cracked skin, black and red veins bulging out, nails extended, black goo dripping out of their mouths, wicked smiles that stretched too far….

A chorus of ear-splitting screams rattled the theater room like an earthquake as extremely high violin tremolo blared from the screen. The theater lights started flickering, resulting in an orchestra of screams to sound once more. People were shrieking, jumping up and down, and some even hopelessly running to the exit with the clatter of all the sounds and lights. Many were convinced that the lights were ghosts. Amidst the chaos, an elderly woman popped up from her seat, terrified as she accidentally tipped her Dr. Pepper, drenching the black hoodie of the woman in front of her.

The screen switched to white words against a black screen, stating something even more disturbing than the movie itself.

“ This Story Was Based On True Events “ 

The end credits started to roll as the lights decided that they were going to stay on, the safety in yellow lights and seeing people around comforted the room. People started laughing off their fear, talking about how real the movie felt, especially the horror that Nessa felt and the two ghost women. The elderly lady gasped out an apology before she wobbled over to the exit like most other people.

The black hooded woman said nothing, just clenched her teeth through her black cloak as she could feel the unpleasantness of the wetness of her dear hoodie. A few people lingered about, chatting, taking pictures or even videos, recommending the movie for the real thrill seekers. 

It seemed that everyone was just relieved that the horror movie was over. The black hooded woman touched her head to make sure the hood was still covering her head and face. She turned to her best friend who was accompanying her to the movies. The woman’s best friend had long dark brown hair that streamed down her shoulders and slightly covered her face. Her best friend pulled her jacket securely around her dress and if anyone looked close enough, they would notice a little lump. 

The black hooded woman sighed with content as she licked her black lips.

“ I didn’t see that one coming. “ 

She whispered, her voice a sugary sweet. She turned to her best friend, staring into her black sockets.

“ Did you, Ms. Rosie? “ 

The woman’s best friend stood up abruptly, head down as a big smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. She replied with a certain calmness that one would describe so calm it was unnerving.

“ Oh, I definitely did not, Ms. Lily. “