Cerridwen and the Phantom Nurse
Chapter Two: A Fight from Peril

“Come now Cerridwen. We must keep your appointment with the Grim Reaper.” The nurse said smiling as she reached down and wrapped her fingers around my wrist. And with that she pulled me into the darkened hallway. I wanted to struggle, to break free, but she held me firmly in her grasp. And so I could only breathe a prayer as she pulled upon me.

The hallway was dark. And was filled with strange voices. Everything felt off. Normally you would expect any hallway of a hospital to be brightly lit. But not this area. Everything seemed to cast long shadows and the noises that filled the air made me shiver. I can not begin to describe those noises. They were simply inhuman.

“You are in my world now.” The nurse said. “I'm sure right now you're wondering who I might be? And yes, I've been quite rude. I don't think I properly introduced myself. My name is Nurse Spooky and I'm the keeper of all little lost souls in this hospital.” She said with a chuckle.

I felt my blood run cold as I tried to once more break free of her hold. I reached down and covered her hand with my hand as I tried to break the grip she held  me in. This only caused her to look on in amusement as she peered at me struggling to break free. After about thirty seconds I gave up and just stood there, huffing and puffing.

“The only thing you're doing is tiring yourself out. You're still sick. Very sick, and this little midnight adventure has set your treatment back a good day or two. If I was you, I would stop trying to fight and spend the few hours of breath you have left in your lungs praying.” Nurse Spooky said with a grin.

“Fuck you! I'm not going down without a fight!” I shouted back as I turned around and showed my teeth to the strange nurse. “I'm a witch after all! And I will fight you!” I yelled, my voice seemed to echo down the endless hallway. All it did was echo and soon the echo faded to nothingness.

Then a hard look came across Nurse Spooky's face. I can't read facial expressions all that well, but she went from being amused to being pissed and a few seconds later she raised her hand and slapped me right across the face. The force of the slap knocked me down to the ground. And for a moment, I saw nothing but stars that looked like they had been drawn by a six year old and lines that had been drawn by a three year old.

“You don't understand it. You are in my world now.” Nurse Spooky said in a harsh tone of voice. “I have power over everything that happens here.” She then hauled me up and brought me within an inch of her face. “Here I am God.” She muttered before she shoved me down to the ground.

The force of her shove pushed me down and I bounced off the dirty floor of the hallway. For a moment I forgot about my plight and only reached up to rub my cheek and rub the sting out of my bottom.

“That's it!” I cried in a shrill tone of voice. “I'm going to sue the ever loving hell out of this hospital! And I'll see your ass in court!” I bellowed at the top of my lungs.

“Foolish mortal.” Nurse Spooky said. “You can not sue the living dead.” She said as she leaned down and pushed her face into my face. “But the living dead can harm you.”

Now let me tell you guys something. I'm an old country girl and an old farm girl. And even if what this weird nurse was saying was true, that she was the fabled Spooky. I was not about to get pushed around by nobody, ghost or no ghost. And so I stood up, and balled my fist up and got into a fighting stance. Yes I was about to fisticuffs a ghost.

“I don't know who you are, but you just brought yourself a old fashion dusting.” I said as I peered toward the woman. Now to any onlooker this would have been a comical scene. Here is a this as a railroad trail transgirl, standing in a darkened hallway wearing only a pair of slippers and a one size to big pink hospital gown with her jet black hair tied in two braided pigtails and her fist raised into the air as if she ready to go ten rounds with Mike Tyson.

And on the other side, you have a nurse, who's hair was also black, but pulled back in a high ponytail. Who the best I could tell with the limited light in the hallway was wearing a old fashion nurses uniform, you know a starched white dress, only this time the dress was black, and was she wearing black lipstick too? Oh my Goddess she was, black lipstick, black nail polish, and enough black eyeliner to put any Hot Topic Girl to shame.

“Nurse Emo.” I added.

“I see you've yet to learn your lesson.” She said as she advanced toward me. Once more she swung, but this time I was ready. I ducked down and went under her swing and popped up in front of her. I would have loved to have had my camera on me at that moment because the look on her face was priceless. I smiled and grinned and a few seconds later I felt my balled up fist connecting with her jaw.

“You little bitch!” She cried as she stumbled forward a little. “I was going to let you die peacefully. But you just made me change my mind. I hope you're ready to see your maker!” She bellowed as she started to rush toward me.

I narrowed my eyes and started to take a few steps back. I kept my eyes glued on her though. I can't recall what I was thinking at the time. I guess I was too mad to think. But if this was the fable Nurse Spooky then I was going to pay her back for all the harm she had done. And if it was just some deranged nurse pretending to be her. Well I could always say I was acting in self defense.

“I'm going to enjoy watching you suffer!” She bellowed As she once more swung at me. I think she intended to knock me out. The moment she made that pass at me was the moment I stepped back and just as I'd hoped she stumbled forward allowing me to bring my ball up first right under her chin, I swear I heard her teeth shatter as I felt my fist connect with her chin.

“Oh!” She bellowed as she stumbled backwards. This time it was her time to land flat on her ass. Now, only a fool stays and fights a battle he or she can not win. And something told me that while I might have gained the upper hand for now, in the long run she could overpower me. And plus I was still sick.. so while she was stunned I turned upon my heels and ran back toward the elevator.

“You can't escape me!” I heard her bellowing.

“Go to Hell!” I cried over my shoulder.

“You're already in Hell!” She responded as she started to chase after me.

“Then it sucks, zero out of five stars!” I retorted as I dashed into the elevator. I don't know which button I pushed. I just pushed one button and I prayed as the steel door started to close. I knew I was trapped. Trapped in a death box. But then again an elevator is the perfect place to make a last stand am I right? I mean there was no way she could flank me. And if push came to shove, I could always try to shove her out and then make my great escape.

Anyway as the metal door started to close. I saw her hand enter the elevator. In the bright LED lighted box I saw just how twisted her hand had become. The flesh had turned a grayish color that reminded me of hamburger meat that had started to spoil. Her fingernails were yellow and long. I crossed myself and then I did the only thing I could think of. I bit her hand.

Yes I bit down upon her hand and I heard her bellow in pain. It had its drawbacks, I got a bit of her grayish color flesh in my mouth. I quickly spat it out and tossed what little dinner I had down on the floor. The nurse screamed and the door closed and the elevator started to move.

A few moments later the elevator stopped and the door opened.. This time no nurse walked in. Trust myself, I stepped out of the elevator. The sign above the door read 'First Floor. Coffee Shop, Food Service, Gift Shop, Bakery and Church.' Without thinking I started to rush toward the sound of people. I took a moment to pause and look at the large digital clock that seemed to be hanging above another sign. The time read two... two in the morning. I'd been gone for three hours.

“Oh my Goddess, mom is going to kill me!” I said as I sunk down to my knees. Maybe I should have stayed down in the basement with that crazy woman? Because the moment my mom found out that I'd crept out of my bed to look into an old urban legend well. First she'll tear into the nurse who was supposed to have been watching me. And by that I mean she would really dress her down, the next thing she'll do will be to scold me from her to Benton and back again and then ground me. Heck she might even ground me for the rest of the year.

“I'm so screwed..” I said, sighing. “If only I had only stayed in bed. Then none of this would have happened.” I said, taking a deep breath.

“Excuse me?” A voice called out from behind me.

I blinked and turned around to face the source of the voice. The voice seemed to belong to a woman who had blonde hair, blue eyes and also seemed to be a nurse. A brass name badge pinned just above her breast read “Amanda Fairchild RN”

“Yes ma'am?” My voice crocked a little as I peered into the blue eyes of the nurse.

“Would you happen to Cerridwen Circe Whitethorn?” She said as she walked up to me, she placed a loving hand upon my shivering shoulder. “If so, then I want you to know you have half the hospital looking for you right now young lady?” She told me in a concerned tone of voice.

“Sorry...” My voice trailed a little. “I wanted to get something to drink from one of the vending machines.. cause I was thirsty and I did not want to bother the nurse on duty.” I lied. Now, I'm not a Christian but many of my friends are. And well you can say, that by being around them, attending church with them, I've been exposed to enough of the teachings to learn about the faith through direct exposure. I think this process is called learning by proxy, or Osmosis. Anyway I knew telling a lie was bad.
But the simple truth was this. I did not want to owe up  to my own actions. I found it easier at that moment to lie about wanting a drink from one of the vending machines than telling a nurse I'd been foolish enough to leave the comfort, warmth and it seems safety of my hospital bed to explore the hospital's morgue. I just could not bring myself to confess that.

“I see.” The nurse's voice seemed to trail a little. “Did you get your drink?” She asked as she slowly lifted me off the floor. With a gentle hand she started to brush away the dust and dirt that had gathered at the sleeves and at the bottom of my gown.

“No ma'am.” I said, shifting my eyes toward a far corner of the room.

“I see.” The nurse said, smiling a little as she folded her arms across her chest. “And how did you end up here in the lobby of the hospital?” She asked as she leaned in a little.

“I forgot my coin purse and I thought about returning to my room to get it. But I did not want to get told off by the nurse on duty. So instead I went down to the lobby and I was going to fish for some spare change from the fountain in the center. Once I got enough change together I was going to get me something to drink and snack on from the vending machine and once I got my change purse I was going to repay what I 'Borrowed' from the fountain.” I said starting to play with one of my braided pigtails.

At that moment the nurse looked like somebody had lifted up an iron skillet and smacked her right across the face with it. She just peered at me as if struggling to form a sentence. Finally after what seemed like forever and a day she stuttered out something. I don't know what she said because it was more like a sound than a sentence.

“I think you and I need to have a little talk.” She said finally as she heaved a sigh. She then shifted her eyes toward the coffee stand. “And I guess I better get you something to drink too. Would Hot Chocolate do?” She asked as she offered me her hand.

“Hot Chocolate would be wonderful!” I said beaming.

Nurse Amanda only sighed and started to rub the back of her neck. At that moment I would have given all the tea in China to know what was going through her head. Maybe, it's best if that forever remains a mystery to me though.