Leave

A door slammed shut making the girl jump. She should have brought a torch when she ran away but that had been the last thing on her mind. This old house disturbed her more than anything but it was the only place she had to stay tonight. Tomorrow she would definitely move on. She couldn't stay in a place like this.

Bangs and creaks from upstairs rattled through the house with every step she took on the old grey floorboards that groaned with every footfall. There was no wind outside but she couldn't help but feel that this house was surrounded by a storm making the place groan under the strain the imaginary gale was putting upon it. She shouldn't have come here. Unfortunately, it was too late to turn back now. All she could do was hope that she could find some place to sleep and then she could leave this place along with the rest of her home town.

A hat stand fell down in front of her making her shriek much to her own embarassment. This was just getting too weird. She pushed on hoping that once she got to sleep then everything would be okay. Pushing open an ancient looking door that almost shrieked as it opened, she found a dust coated sitting room and a dilapidated couch. It wasn't particularly attractive but it was definitely better than the floor.

Flopping onto it, she was pleasantly surprised to find it wonderfully soft and comfortable. She snuggled into it, not bothering to take off her coat. It was keeping her warm despite the cold autumn night outside. Her breathing began to become more regular as sleep began to take her.

A massive thud from above jolted her back into full wakefulness. Her heart began to pound faster and her breaths came faster and faster. There was something in this place. That couldn't be the wind... especially since she knew there was no wind in the first place. Why had she thought there was wind here?

The girl turned over and closed her eyes again. Maybe she was just imagining things. If she just ignored it then it might go away. It took far longer this time to fall asleep but it did come, eventually.

Something thumping down the stairs snapped her out of sleep again. She dived behind the sofa dragging her bag over after her. The girl tried to keep the noise of her frantic breathing down as she cowered behind the sofa hoping that whatever was in this place would just go away and leave her in peace.

Leave...

The girl screamed and hid her head under her coat. Her body shaking uncontrollably. The voice seemed to be in her head but it didn't speak with any voice she recognised.

Go back where you came from...

"I can't go back," she wailed.

Liar!

A bit of the ceiling fell down right next to the girl making her shriek once again and dive over to a corner of the room. She sat there with her head under her arms gibbering for whatever tormented her to leave her in peace.

Leave.

"But I can't go back. You don't understand."

No coward can stay here.

"I'm not a coward!" she said defiantly, despite the quavering voice and shaking body.

You ran.

"I had no choice."

Liar.

"What else could I do?"

Fight.

"How?"

You already know.

"No I don't" she said feebly.

Liar.

"Why are you doing this?" asked the girl weeping in terror.

To help.

"Why?"

The voice did not answer. The girl got to her feet and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I'll go back," she said quietly.

Shouldering her pack, she resolutely walked out of the house leaving the old spirit to itself as it wished.

Be well...