Ghostly Characterizations

Submitted into Contest #221 in response to: Write a story about someone trying to raise the dead.... view prompt

14 comments

Fantasy

Raising the dead is not an easy job. Just ask Gretchen. She has been tasked with this tricky venture for years. How is it she got so lucky? Well, she sort of just stumbled into it. 

Gretchen is a 60-something, introverted, book loving, people loathing, crochet crafting librarian. Every day, she wakes up, drinks her tea, and sets out on foot to the local library where she rules the roost and rafters. She demands silence, respect, and book spines perfectly aligned on the shelves. Soldiers in the fight against screens, ignorance, and illiteracy. 

One day, as she stood at the end of a row eyeing the spines, she saw something (or someone?) move quickly past the other end. Her internal alarms sirened in her head at the disruption of peace in her sanctuary. She quickly moved to cut off the perpetrator, only to come face to face with the wide wondering eyes of a child. But, this child appeared to have drifted straight from the pages of a Laura Ingalls Wilder book in row L, third shelf down, in the Children’s Section. A small double braided head of hair turned around and tried to run away, only to stop abruptly in place at Gretchen’s authoritative scream-whispered “Halt!”

Gretchen slowly began to realize that she could see through the child’s small figure at the shelves of books behind her. Her floral dress and apron smock hung to her shins, with black buttoned boots on her see-through feet. 

What was this witchcraft? Was she the victim of someone’s optical-illusioned prank? The child could not be real. What was she doing in the library? How did she get here? 

“Yes ma’am?” the child said, and brought Gretchen’s attention back to her. 

“Who are you, child? How did you get here?” Gretchen whispered. 

“I’m Laura. Where am I?” the vaporous child asked. 

“You’re in the library, child. Where…where do you live?” 

“I live in Minnesota. Is this Minnesota?”

“No, child, this is Pennsylvania. But you’re safe. The library is a safe place,” Gretchen tried to reassure. 

“How can I get back home?” Laura asked. 

“Now that, I’m just not sure of. Yet…” Gretchen replied, trying to think of how it all could have happened. 

She thought back to the morning, and if anything unusual had occurred. She notices everything though, nothing could have slipped by her watchful eye. She arrived early and let herself in, locking the door behind her until the posted “Open” hour of 8am. She went to the circulation desk, deposited her purse in the bottom right door, then deposited her lunch of one peanut butter and apple jelly sandwich in the refrigerator. She placed her water bottle on the desk, and began to put away the books that had been returned the previous day. She put away a Grisham, a King, and two Hoovers. (She would not admit to anyone one was hers, but we know it was.) Then she remembered. She also had to put away a Wilder, making her way toward the Children’s Section and wondering if she had enough time to open the door by 8. She decided to hold onto the Wilder book, open the door, and then return it to the basement where the Children’s Section was located. But she never made it there. A man was waiting to enter, and immediately asked Gretchen to help him find some books on installing bathroom sinks. Home repair was hardly her forté, and of very little interest to her. She knew where the section was in the library, but rarely ventured there. She had set the Wilder book down somewhere as she escorted the man to the correct aisle. 

“Come, child. You are going to help me find a book,” she instructed the obedient apparition. 

“Yes, ma’am,” Laura replied, seemingly happy to have an adventure ahead. 

The unlikely pair scoured the library from top to bottom, looking everywhere for the book. It was as if the book entirely disappeared with the appearance of Laura. Could that be what happened? 

Having completely searched the library, Gretchen began to search her brain again. 

“I opened the door, talked to the man about sink repair, and set the book…wait! I know! Follow me, Laura!” Gretchen loudly whispered (it’s still a library, no shouting even when excited). 

The two went to the alcove area by the main entrance. Within the alcove, there were bulletin boards with yard sales posted, an empty umbrella holder (it had been unusually dry lately), and a small table pushed back against the wall. On the table, a beautiful clay dish had been newly added as the centerpiece. The dish was an earthen brown and dark green swirled throughout. It was glazed with a coating that made it very shiny, especially when the morning light came through the window and landed inside it. It was a donation to the library, left in a box at the door about a week prior. The note simply said “For the library, where characters come to life, and anything can happen within its walls.” There was no name included, and Gretchen had simply thrown away the note after reading it. The clay dish was exceptionally beautiful, and she knew she wanted it displayed right at the entrance. And that is where she left the Wilder book when she opened the door. She was absolutely certain of it. 

“It’s not here,” she whispered, staring at the glittery shine of the dish. 

“Are you sure that’s where you left it?” Laura asked. 

“Yes. Most sure. I left the book, then you appeared. Laura, let’s do a little experiment. Come with me to the Children’s Section. I have an idea.”

And the two set off again. Gretchen knew exactly where to go. Once in the basement, she led Laura to the Dahl collection. She squinted at the titles and ran her finger across the glossy edges of the books. She found the one she wanted, threw a smile at Laura, and pulled it from the shelf. 

“Got it. Let’s go back to the alcove. I have a theory, little one. And if I’m right, well, maybe I’ll cross that path when we get to it.” 

Gretchen and Laura made their way to the alcove, and back to the clay dish. Gretchen took the book she held in her hand, and gently placed it in the dish. 

“Now, child, we will leave that there, and get back to work. Come with me. I’ll show you the rest of the library. You can read, can’t you?” Gretchen asked, wondering if the little girl was ever taught. 

“No ma’am. Never learned yet. But my momma and sisters know how.”

“Well, looks like I have another job ahead of me.” 

“Really ma’am? You’ll teach me?” Laura asked with excitement. 

“Of course! If you’re going to be in a library, you’ll need to learn!” Gretchen replied, giddy with the thought of being able to open the door of reading to the child. 

Just then, a copy of Pride and Prejudice floated from behind them, dropping with a thud onto the circulation desk. Gretchen smiled. 

“Is that you, Matilda? Come out where we can see you!” 

And a mischievous mousy brown haired girl stepped out from the classics section, grinning from ear to ear. 

“Matilda, meet Laura. And I’m Gretchen. You two wait for me in the basement. I’m going to check out that man’s books on sink repair, then we have a lot to do together!” 

The girls linked ghostly hands, and skipped off toward the basement. Right through the man holding three home repair books, walking towards Gretchen. 

“Find what you need?”

“Yep! And if it all goes South, I’ll be back for some books on marriage counseling when my wife reminds me she wanted to call a professional!” 

Gretchen laughed as she handed over the books, wishing the handy-husband luck in his project. She could hear the sound of laughing from the basement as well. It had been quite awhile since she found herself laughing. It did not come easily for her, as it seemed to come naturally for children. 

Gretchen kept her discovery a secret. One by one, she brought to life her favorites, who then roamed the library with her and each other. She taught Anne Frank how to type on the computer, Alice (who always wondered) how to land a Google search, and Max to use Paintbrush to draw his favorite wild things. She came to see screens as something useful as she raised her ghosts, wanting them to experience more. She steered clear of bringing adults to life with the mysterious clay dish, preferring the interactions of knowledge eager urchins from her beloved tales. 

And so she continued, spending her days where indeed, anything can happen. 

October 26, 2023 20:09

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14 comments

Shirley Medhurst
00:57 Nov 01, 2023

I didn’t just LIKE the concept of this story, I absolutely LOVED it; you had me intrigued right from the start. & what a brilliant way to describe books: « Soldiers in the fight against screens, ignorance, and illiteracy. » BRAVO and thank you so much for sharing… 🥰 On another note, I do have a little question for you… When Matilda first appears, how does Gretchen know her name?

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Nina H
01:10 Nov 01, 2023

Thanks so much, Shirley!! Matilda was the experiment. She chose that book by Dahl, put it in the dish, and waited to see if Matilda would come to life. When the book was floating, she knew the experiment worked and Matilda was brought to “life” ☺️

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Shirley Medhurst
01:19 Nov 01, 2023

Ah right… (I had noticed the reference to Dahl, but I suppose I just got confused by Pride & Prejudice) Thanks for the prompt explanation 😁

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AnneMarie Miles
15:49 Oct 29, 2023

Oh the library girl in me is so happy!! Book characters coming to life, what a dream come true! From the beginning I felt like you were coming for me, Nina: "60-something, introverted, book loving, people loathing, crochet crafting librarian." Pretty sure that is how I identify 😂 I loved it. Right down to the crocheting! What a wonderful and whimsical story!

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Chris Miller
22:33 Oct 28, 2023

What a lovely ghost story. A very nice idea and so much potential, depending on which books find their way into the bowl!

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Nina H
23:29 Oct 28, 2023

Yes, there could be a sequel here, where more sinister characters are freed! 😱😈

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RJ Holmquist
14:33 Oct 28, 2023

I love this idea! So many characters I would want to meet in a library like this. What a fun read!

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Nina H
11:52 Oct 29, 2023

Thanks RJ! I agree. You could make quite a character party of interesting personalities if this could happen!

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Rebecca Miles
14:51 Oct 27, 2023

Ahh, you got me at Max painting his own wild things! And of course if you are going to have some other children book charcaters floating in a library then Matilda is a great choice given the librarian was more mother to her than her simpering tv-addict mother was! There is something so nostalgic and warm about all of this; it's a cuddle-blanket of a story where even the ghosts are sweet and eager, rushing (presumably while floating!) about to find other books, characters and even keeping their excitement to library-volume levels. I once read...

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Nina H
15:21 Oct 27, 2023

Aww that story sounds so sweet!! 🥰 Wouldn’t it just be great to bring to life our favorite characters and interact with them?? A “cuddle-blanket” story: love that!! And I like your idea of making this a book for kids! I can make all my students read it! Lol!!!

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Tom Skye
15:40 Oct 27, 2023

You can make all your students buy it 😜

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Nina H
16:14 Oct 27, 2023

Brilliant idea!!! I’ll have the school order enough copies for all students!! 😂

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Tom Skye
13:52 Oct 27, 2023

Lovely idea and brilliantly told. The ghosts sound nicer than that ghost at he start of Ghostbusters :) The concept opens the door for a lot of ideas I think. Like an intellectual 'Night at the museum'. Great story. Thanks for sharing

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Nina H
15:35 Oct 27, 2023

Lol!! Yes, just a BIT nicer!! 😝 I live under a pretty sizable rock, and never saw that movie! I’ll have to add it to my list of things I need to watch!! Thanks for reading, Tom, and the kind words!!

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