Hospital about a day or so ago. The girl had developed a nasty case of pneumonia that had gone under the guise of a really nasty common cold for several days, slowly withering away her heat till at last her mother had enough. The woman taking the bull by the horns, barged into Jane's room, and quickly bundled her up in a cocoon of colorful, woolen blankets. She then tossed her into the back of one of the many SUV's that belonged to the house. Once Jane was safely locked away, she then climbed into the drivers side of the SUV and made a light night, bat straight out of hell and ran to St. Philomena's Children Hospital. The last thing Jane remembered was wondering why most of the children and teens in the house always happen to go to the hospital at night and why it always seemed so early in the morning then they finally landed a room. That had been the last clear thought to enter into her head as she passed under the bright neon “A & E Ward'' sign that glowed out front under the double doors and into the bright, almost blinding fluorescent, white light hallways.
But that had been a day or so ago, she was feeling much better now, the color was even starting to return to her cheeks, and she could feel her strength slowly starting to return to her. But despite her improvement the doctors and the nurses still wanted to keep her a few extra days. Just to make sure she was really out of the woods and there was little to no chance she might have a sudden relapse. This of course meant she'll be stuck in the hospital for the duration of the local Obon Festival the local Shinto Shrine was putting on. And that of course sucked, because she had been looking forward to sitting around a darkened room with her sisters telling ghost stories and playing a scaled down version of a 'A gathering of one hundred tales of the Supernatural' a classic parlor game that started in Edo Japan.
Today was Sunday and that meant that the lunch for today was roast beef. Or in Jane's case a four slices of thickly sliced chuck tender roast, smothered in a watery thin gravy, the meat was paired with a small portion of green beans and roasted garlic potatoes. And to wash it all down, unsweetened tea with a little bits of ice cubes floating around in the plastic cup, the staff had provided enough ice to just cool the drink a little. And also since it was Sunday, the families of the patients were allowed to visit the charges. And the normally strict rules of visitations were relaxed a little/ As such Jane had spent the day being visited by her various brothers and sisters from the foster home she lived in. A very informal family, but still a very close knit family one. It had been a fun filled afternoon. One that had been filled with laughter, joking and of course the exchanging of stories. Most of the stories exchanged had been ghost stories. But now the sun was setting and the visiting hours were about to come to an end.
“So have you seen her yet?” A brunette girl around Jane's age said as she leaned over. “I mean, Dawn said she almost spotted her when she was sick last year. And I think, I might have encountered her a few months ago too when I was sick.” She said, smirking a little. “So tell me little sister, have you seen her?”
“I have no idea what you're talking about.” Jane said blushing a little. “Anyway you need to get going. Visiting hours are almost over. And the head nurse around here is a bit of a prick.” Jane said shifting her baby blue eyes toward the door. Fully expecting the head nurse to appear at any time.
“Head nurse?” The brunette girl said tilting her head to the side. “I don't remember there being a head nurse being around here when I was here. I only remember there being a doctor, a kind of cute doctor too, kind of tall, kind of strong and he smelled good too.” The girl then paused, she was blushing hard now as memories of the tall, handsome doctor came flooding back to her. “Anyway, getting back on topic. Have you seen her yet?” The girl asked again.
“Who?” Jane asked as she peered toward the brunette girl. “Come on Susan, just spit it out. And stop dancing around it.”
Susan blinked and blinked again. She then leaned in and in a soft, tone of voice she whispered into Jane's ear. “You know the phantom nurse. There a old urban legend floating around town that the children's hospital is haunted by the ghost of a nurse who was killed here one Hallow night.” Susan said in a hushed tone of voice. “That was way back in nineteen ninety five. Since the, she supposed to roam the hallways of the hospital. Looking for misbehaving brats, and bring comfort to the dying. You know, something like a patron saint.”
“Right.” Jane said shifting her focus away from Susan toward the window and the setting sun. “That's it? Her ghost just roams around the hospital and scolds you if you're bad?” Jane had known Susan for years, they were close as sisters. There was only a gap of three months in there age too. Also she and her had both arrived at the Foster home around the same time, around the Christmas season. Both too had been adopted around the same time as well. Susan had been the first one to be adopted by one of the caretakers, a middle aged woman with shoulder length raven, black hair and sparkling blue eyes. And Jane a few weeks later by a young woman in her late twenties who also happen to be the history teacher at the local Jr. High School.
Susan blinked and blinked again and for a minute she was at a loss for words. Then a little smirk formed upon her face as she leaned back and peered toward the doorway. She was just about to come back with a sassy retort when in the doorway there appeared a woman with blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes, she was dressed in blue hospital scrubs. She cleared her throat and peered toward Susan then she switched her gaze toward Jane.
“Aright you two. Visiting hours are over now I'm afraid. Young lady, your mother and the rest of your family is waiting for you down in the lobby. Jane, hurry up and finish your dinner. Its almost lights out and you still need to get your teeth brushed, you still need to be given a bath or a shower, and we need to change out your gown. I mean really girl, you've been wearing the same gown for almost two whole days, Its past time for a change.” The nurse said in a clear, commanding, authoritative tone of voice. One that left little to no room for debate or maneuver.
Susan blinked and blinked again as she stood up and reached over and took hold of her purse. “Yes ma'am.” She said as she folded her hands in the center and offered the nurse a little bow.
The nurse nodded her head and stepped aside giving Susan just enough room to squeeze by on. As Susan was leaving the room though, she turned her head to the side and smiled toward Jane who returned picking on her food.
“Aright brat, be good for the nurses, eat all your food and get better. I'll come back to visit as soon as possible.” And with that Susan left the room, leaving Jane along with the head nurse.
“Mrs. Grinson?” Jane said after taking a few more bites of her roast beef, it had gone cold now and the gravy it was smothered in tasted funny. Most of the ice had melted in her cup and the water was quite warm, almost room temperature. She had finished her roasted garlic potatoes first and was now picking around her green beans. She hated green beans. She hated green beans the most to be fair though.
“Yes Jane?” The nurse said turning upon her heel to walk back into the hallway.
“Is there a really a ghost nurse?” Jane asked as she shoved a fork full of green beans into her mouth. She then forced herself to swallow, despite their bland taste. They could really do with some salt or pepper. She quickly shoved another fork full into her mouth and this time she swallowed without chewing. The food to her lacked soul, she had grown fond of the tasty dishes her mother fixed at home. Fried chicken, fried golden brown with a seasoned crust, Pecan pie, collard and mustard greens cooked long and slow and seasoned with salted pieces of pork and fried fish, normally fillets of cod that were fried golden brown and served with home cute french fries. And her famous homemade hamburgers, made with only fresh ground chuck with patties as big as the plate. And who could forget yellow cake with chocolate icing, and her favorite, fried pork chops and sometimes grilled chops. Her mother believed in cooking at home and boy did she cook.
“Oh that just a silly urban legend that the nurses use to scare misbehaving children into obeying.” The nurse said, giving a little sigh. “But, If I was you, I would still eat all my vegetables, stay in bed, and of course, I would not give the staff any trouble whatsoever. I heard the phantom nurse only visits the children and teens who cause trouble anyway, and those in need of comforting.” She then looked over her shoulders. “And only naughty children are supposed to encounter her, like children who don't eat all their veggies and who don't finish their meal trays, and give the staff sass. And lets not forget those who roam the hallways after hours.” And with that being said a wicked little smile formed upon the bow of her lip.
She then turned her head again and started walking toward the hallway.
“But if you're good, and you eat all your vegetables, stay in bed when you're supposed to, and obey the staff and don't cause any trouble. I doubt the ghost nurse will be paying you a late night visit, or as is sometimes the case an early morning visit.” She paused, “Now go ahead and finish eating. Its getting late, and you've had a long fun filled day visiting with your family, But now its time for all good girls to finish there supper and get ready for bed.” And with that the nurse left. Leaving a pouting Jane in her wake.
“Its just a dumb old urban legend away!” Jane said with a pout that was about a mile long and and half a mile wide as she started to once more spear her few remaining veggies and once more she started to shovel them into her mouth, one fork full at a time till at last she had finished them all and then she tried to finish the few remaining pieces of roast beef, but the beef was tough, chewy and the more she chewed the bigger it seemed to grow and finally she gave up on it. Roast was suppose to be tender, this roast tasted like some old shoe leather. Or how she figured old shoe leather would taste if she was ever stranded on a tropical island by herself with only the bare basic, including shoe leather.
Finally thirty minutes later one of the helpers arrived to collect the tray. Once the tray had been collected, Jane was guided off the bed and into the bathroom. The helper happens to be a blonde hair, blue eyed woman named Sunflower, Sunflower who also happens to be one of the foster children taken to volunteering at the hospital. Right now the eighteen year old was clad in the traditional red-and-white striped pinafores that all the female volunteers wore. Despite Sunflower and Jane being sisters, as all the girls at the foster home claimed the other female children and teens as their sisters and all the male children and teens as their brothers the girl was not gentle, in fact one could say she was quite firm and soon she had little Jane bathed and changed. Once sunflower was sure Jane had been given a good warm bath.
She then reached over and picked up a wooden handle brush with thick yellow bristles, she then started to thoroughly brush the girls hair out. Once her hair had been brushed out, she divided it down the middle and styled it back in two cute pigtails. With a cord of pastel, pink ribbon tied around each bundle of hair to keep it in place. Just for an added touch of cuteness and color she figured. Then it was time for bed and despite the girl's protest that she was not ready for bed, she was soon fast asleep, once her head hit the pillow.
It was a few minutes passed midnight when Jane was awakened by a faint light hovering in front of her door. A sudden, overpowering feeling of curiosity overcame her and she quickly tossed aside her blanket and sheet and jumped down onto the cold tile floor of her room. Then dressed only in her paper thin hospital gown she started to move toward the door. Just as her hand was about to reach up and turn the copper plated door handle, she stopped, took a deep breath and looked over her. Her bed, dark as it was, seemed almost inviting now. She quickly shook her head and started to gather up her courage. If she stopped now, she was sure she'll never hear the end of Susan ragging her about it.
The minute Jane stepped into the hallway was the minute she noticed her, standing in the hallway was a woman, the woman seemed to be dressed in an old nurses uniform. A white smock worn over a pink dress that had a white collar. She had blonde hair and blue eyes and her skin seemed an almost greenish color. Dancing on both sides of her shoulder were two bright orbs of light that glowed like tiny balls of fire. The woman seemed lost, like she was in some kind of trance too as floated down the hallway. Time from time she would pause and with care she would reach up and pull down the chart that was hung from the door of the room. She would then flip through the charts. Jane noticed that sometimes she would not head and return the chart to its holding place and move on to the next room. Other times she would frown and step through the door. It took Jane a good minute to notice that she seemed to move straight through the doors.
“What the fuck?” Jane said as she noticed the nurse float through the door. She wanted to run, she really did but it seemed like she was glued to the floor. And despite what she was telling her feet, her feet seemed to refuse to move. Then she heard it, the sound of a hand smacking a bottom. For ten solid minutes she heard the unmistakable sound of a hand, smacking into a bottom. And then finally, what seemed like a billion years and a day the strange nurse appeared again in the hallway. This time the nurse seemed to be aware of Jane, for she quickly turned around and peered toward Jane with her frosty blue eyes.
“I'm screwed.” Jane whispered to herself as she noticed the strange nurse was looking straight at her.
“Children.” She said in a slow, steady tone of voice. “Should be in bed.” She then started to move toward Jane. The blueish balls of fire that danced around her shoulders seemed to glow brighter and brighter with each passing moment. “Only naughty children wander the hospital hallways at night.”
“I... I was just going to get something to drink from the pop machine.” Jane said quickly as she watched the strange woman slowly move closer and closer to her. “Honestly! I just wanted to get something to drink. You know something beside tea, juice or water.” She said slowly starting to back peddle a little. Right now, she just wanted to get back to her room and dive under those covers and hide. That right hide away, buried under three or four thin hospital blankets and wait till the morning rays of sunshine chased away this strange dream.
“Children who have pneumonia, don't need soda I'm afraid, they need juice, water or tea.” She paused. “If you're tired of those three, then Gatorade would help, in fact it would be better than pop.” She said moving ever closer to Jane.
“Right,” Jane said as she bumped into the metal door. She was honest at a total loss for words now. “Okay then, I'll just pop down to one of the vending machines and get me some then. And you can go about your normal, ghostly business.” She started to sweat a little as she watched the ghost float closer and closer to her.
“I'm afraid it's not that simple.” She said, shaking her head. “You and I need to have a little. Hospitals have rules, and those rules must be followed. And if you break a rule, you must be punished.” The ghost nurse said in a stern tone of voice and with that she reached down and wrapped her ghostly fingers around Jane. She then pushed open the door that led to Jane's hospital room and dragged the girl in as well.
“Can't we talk about this?” Jane said blushing as she was dragged back into her room.
“I'm afraid we have nothing to talk about.” The nurse said, taking a deep breath as she used her ghostly powers to close the door behind her.
Jane was still at a last for words when the ghost nurse dragged her into the room and dragged her up to her hospital bed. Still lost for words she watched the ghost nurse sit down at the edge of her hospital bed. Then without missing a beat, the ghost reached down and pulled Jane across her lap. For a brief, split second, Jane thought she must be having a nightmare, or at least a really weird fever dream. A very vivid fever dream no doubt brought on by her medications. Closing her eyes she tried to think, she was sure the minute she opened them, she would wake up in her hospital bed. It would be morning, the first bright rays of sunshine would be pouring through the window. Breakfast, maybe sauce, scrambled eggs and some pancakes would be brought to her with a cup of orange juice and of course water, plenty of water. Then she felt the edge of her hospital gown being raised up. She felt the coolness of the night air touching her bottom.
Then she felt the ghostly hand of the ghost nurse come slapping into her bottom. Sending a wave of sting and burn rolling into her bottom. The first smack of her bottom took her breath away. It was soon followed by another stinging smack, and then another and another one. Time then seemed to slow down, the seconds seemed to quickly become minutes and minutes quickly became hours. And the nurses hand seemed to keep peppering her bottom. Starting with her left butt cheek, and then moving on to her right and after a few minutes of dropping, peppery, stinging swats her palm would switch over again.
For five solid minutes this cycle of peppering one cheek and then the other continued. With each passing second another stone was removed from the massive stone wall that guarded Jane's emotions. And soon, before she could really catch herself. Jane felt tears starting to roll down her cheeks. Her bottom was now on fire, and the ghost nurse showed no signs of stopping or even getting tired. Then again, how could she, she was a ghost after all And much to Jane's horror she felt the strokes were getting harder and harder with each passing second. The ghost nurse's hand was moving in an arching pattern, first she would raise her hand high above her head, then she would bring It down, the open palm would gain speed and momentum as it came hurtling toward the bottom. Then half a second later the open palm would come driving into Jane's quickly redding bottom. Sending another wave of sting and burn flooding into her body and flatting her round bottom cheeks.
Then after what seemed like forever and a day it was over. Jane lay limp over the nurses lap. Her bottom glowing like the sun. Her face was red and puffy and tear stained. Her breathing was hard and ragged. And all of her energy was spent, the spanking had sapped her emotionally and physically. Taking a deep breath, Jane slowly looked over her shoulders to notice the ghost nurse peering toward her with an unblinking, amused expression.
“I hope you've learned your lesson young lady.” She said in a ghostly tone of voice. “Because you've me way behind, now, I'm going to leave you. But I'm warning you straight to bed with you. And not a word to anyone about what you saw tonight. And for the record, you're now on my list. Children who get put on my list have already broken one of the hospital rules and have already received a warning spanking. And if you break another one, I might not be so gentle. The ghost nurse then reached down and removed Jane from her lap.” And trust me young lady. I have my ways of keeping taps on people. Just trust me, you don't want to see what strike two gets you or even a strike three.” She said in a stern warning tone of voice. And with that she melted into the night.
And here the ghostly adventures of Jane came to an end.
