A Strange Encounter

"You allowed after hours?" the guard asked; he had received no notification that any one would be in this room tonight.

The deep voice made her jump, it didn't sound like Tom, the regular guard's, but then she had been away for a few days.

"Of course I am. I told Doctor Thomas about it the other day. Now if there's nothing else, I have a lot of work to get through." She knew she sounded snappy, she was still upset about an incident that happened during the afternoon; in truth she was glad of the break.

"I take it you're not afraid of the local ghost?" He asked, more to get back at her for her attitude, than anything else.

She turned to face him, pushing a loose strand of blonde hair from her delicate features as she did so. "Aren't you a little old to believe in such things?"

"Hey, I didn't say I believed in them, I just asked if you knew any thing about it, that's all, the guy on shift before me swore this place was haunted." He shrugged his broad shoulders.

She glanced at the name badge. "Well Mister Williamson, I'm a scientist and a busy one at that, I haven't the time for such flights of fancy. However if I find myself in the presence of this ghost, I'll be sure to inform it of your interest." She was too tired to hide the sarcasm.

"You shouldn't mock what you don't know. They say it's the spirit of someone who worked here. Someone who was murdered by a colleague, fifty years ago, on a night much like this one. Beaten to death in this wing the spirit seeks out the killer whenever it rains."

"Isn't that how all these stories go? Was there a name, in case I meet it? I wouldn't want to be rude."

"His name was James but I don't know if that was his first or last name." He was pleased by the reaction on her pale face, not fear exactly but a confused look like she might have heard of him. Then he noticed her name badge Dr. James, as she turned away quickly as if to get on with her work.

"I'm sorry, did you know of him?"

"I doubt it, now please leave. I have a lot of work to do."

"What's the matter with you?” Dr. Thomas snapped as Williamson bumped into him.

"Sorry Sir, I think I may've upset the new doctor, Dr. James. She wasn't on my list but said she'd cleared it with you,. I was telling her about the ghost. I didn't know she hadn't been told. I didn't see her name until after. Do you think it could have been a relative?"

"Have you been drinking?" Dr. Thomas said angrily, "The murder of Dr. James is not something I wish to discuss. If you have nothing better to do than taunt old men, perhaps you'd be better off in other employment. Consider this an official warning."

After all, if he hadn't given her permission to work that night, she'd still be alive.

(Word count approx. 600)