Ghost of the past

When I moved here, everything seemed to be perfect. A beautiful scenery, big garden in a quite good shape and of course, the home. I've fallen in love with it from the very first time I've seen it. A small wooden building right next to the lake, a place taken out of my dreams.

When I finally unpacked my belongings, it was already getting late, so I decided to call it a day and went to the bedroom, nearly immediately falling asleep on the bed. After a short while, some weird noises from the other room had woken me up. Still sleepy I stood up to check it out in case something wrong happened. I left the bedroom and looked around. Nothing seemed to be out of its order, more to that, those sounds from before were gone. Thinking that they were just in my dream, I went back to the bed...

Same thing happened also next day and day after, but third night was unexpectedly quiet. I was kind of hoping that it would stay that way. Then I heard a voice of a little girl, calling my name...

I knew that what I was about to do was very stupid, but I couldn't stop myself from answering the call. With heart beating in a crazy rhythm I headed in a direction from the voice was coming. In my whole life, I hadn't been as scared as in that moment.

Once I made it outside, the voice, which so far was constant suddenly stopped. Silence was even more terrifying. I was standing there barefoot and freezing to the bone. Then, the voice returned. This time I could tell it without any doubt that it was coming from behind my back, more to that, from a very small distance.

I tried to turn around, but I miserably failed and fell on the ground hitting my head really hard.

My vision became blurry and it took me some time to find out who was calling me. In front of me there was a small girl standing and looking at me with cold dead eyes. Her skin was pale, nearly white and in many places visibly burned. Most of her hair was consumed by fire as well, leaving only small fragments giving even more ominous aura around her.

It wasn't the first time we have met and I knew it wouldn't be the last. I was trying to escape so desperately, but my past found me even here.

The girl was staring at me without blinking. Her hand slowly moved up in my direction. It seemed like she had no hostile intentions, but I knew I shouldn't trust those who were supposed to be already dead. I gathered a courage for what was needed to be done once again.

I charged forward, grabbing remains of her hair and dragged her to the lake. No matter how many times she would come back from the grave, I had to send that undead brat back to the hell.

I didn't even notice that the girl wasn't opposing me at all. For sure she was easily able to do whatever she wanted to me, however it looked like she had given up to her fate. I forced her head underwater.

Not sure if drowning would do the trick on someone who was already dead I kept her like that. To my surprise, I've noticed small bubbles of air coming up from the water. After a while they were gone.

Breathing heavily, I backed off to see what I have done, but there wasn't anything to look on. She vanished like she had never been here. Tired I laid on the ground. I wanted to die, but death didn't come to me. Only memories...

Around 7 years ago I spent a night in the pub with my friends. I drank too much and when I woke up I still haven't sobered up, but I had to somehow come back home. It was really early and there wasn't much traffic. Just outside the city I haven't noticed a kid walking through the crossing and hit her with the full speed. Car dragged the girl until it hit the tree and went into flames. She died instantly and her body nearly completely burned...

Since that day, she was making sure I wouldn't forget about her for the rest of my life.