The Ghost: Aftermath of a Steamy One Night Stand

It was 11:59 PM. The light in the hospital was low as I made my way down the hallway. It was a large and isolated hospital located deep in the woods in New York. Well, I couldn’t recall the name. But what irritated me more was that I was the only nurse on duty tonight. And the loneliness of the corridors was eerie. The mere thought of being alone tonight made me cringe. I remembered the rumors. Everyone said the woods outside were haunted. Old hospital buildings were always good for a few ghost stories. Well, maybe those stories were just to scare us. Maybe to subdue new employees into submission. However, tonight was weird. And the stories didn’t seem so far-fetched. “Anaaya!” I called out softly as I stepped into Ward 13. I was expecting to see the patient asleep. Yes, the young woman who had been admitted to the hospital earlier this morning. She was 28. And her legs had been completely damaged. She was in a very terrible car accident last week. And tonight, I was assigned to watch her. But the bed was empty. My mind raced. Where could she have gone? I started to panic as I swiftly looked around the room. Shifting my eyes from one corner to the other. The ward was tiny. Barely large enough to accommodate a hospital bed, a nightstand and a bathroom at the same time. I checked the bathroom and the closet. I checked under the bed. Anaaya was missing. Buttons of sweat gathered around my forehead. Did she wander off? Under normal circumstances, it was possible, I said to myself. But this time it wasn't normal. Her legs were already completely destroyed and had been hanging in a cast. How did she even leave bed? I got to the main entrance and attempted to open the doors. But they were jammed. Trapped. The word rang inside my head. I ignored it. "This was no time to panic, Nisha", I warned myself. Yet deep down, the fear was building. I am now locked in this building with a missing patient. Or is she really missing? A cold breeze blew through the hallway as I wandered in search of Anaaya. The silence was choking. I felt goosebumps at the back of my neck. And my heart was beating like a drum. I turned around. The flickering light cast shadows on the walls of the hospital's hallway. Creating some strange forms. Paranoia was now setting in. The old building creaked to the footsteps. It was as if someone was approaching me. “Who’s there?” I asked, feeling a strange presence around me. No answer. I could literally hear a pin drop. “Don’t be afraid, Nisha. It's me. I only wanted to have some fun. It's so boring here.” I turned around quickly to face the direction of the voice. I couldn't see anyone. My blood ran cold. How in God's name did she know my name? “Anaaya?” I called out again, softly, trying to hide my panic. I was already on edge! “Is that you? Where are you?” “Yes, I’m right here." Then, as the flickering lights blinked again, I saw her. She was sitting upright on a bench on the right side of the hallway. She was just a few feet away from me. I felt a chill run down my spine. Her face was the exact reflection of my own. How was that even possible! Fear overwhelmed me. Stunned, I fell back, my knees feeling like jelly. This can’t be happening. It had to be a nightmare. But the reality hit me hard. I was alone in this haunted hospital with something that looked exactly like my clone. “Why do you look like me?” I managed to speak, my voice hoarse. The smile on Anaaya face grew even wider. Her teeth were very white. “We’re connected, Nisha. I’ve been waiting for you. ” I shook my head to clear my mind. This was madness. I must be hallucinating. Anaaya (or whatever that thing was) stood up and faced me. “Nisha, don’t run, it will only get worse," she warned. I took to my heels. My knees wobbled as I ran with all my might. The hallway was endless. The darkness was smacking me from every side. Anaaya's laughter echoed through the empty hallways. The sound was evil. There was an empty room in the next ward on my right. I could hear the echoing of my footsteps in the silence as I disappeared into a dark corridor. Anaaya's laughter from the distance had stopped, and there was thick silence. The air was thick. I shifted cautiously, my senses on full alert. I quietly reached the end of the hallway and turned a corner. A door stood open at the end of the corridor. A beam of light spilling out into the darkness. Hope flared within me. Perhaps there was an exit. A way out of this nightmare. I took a deep breath and stepped into the light. The room was small. There was a single window overlooking the woods. And a large desk just in the corner, the top covered with numerous documents. I rushed to the window, peering out into the darkness. I was four floors from the ground. There was no sign of life down below, just the endless expanse of trees. I quickly turned back into the room. My heart sinking. "There's no way out. I should hide! I'll bide my time." So I hid behind the large desk. Anaaya's voice echoed in my mind, a chilling reminder of my fate. Despair washed over me. I sank to the floor in terror, my knees pulled up to my chest. Anaaya could appear at any moment. Whatever her intentions were, I wasn't sure. I closed my eyes, trying to block out the terrifying reality. I tried to control my breathing, trying to calm my racing heart. I had to stay quiet and strong if there was a chance to survive. A sound from the corridor made me melt with fear. I quietly peeped from under the table where I lay hidden, awaiting my fate. Anaaya stood in the doorway. Her eyes glowed in the semi-darkness as she looked around the room. She could sense my presence. A cold dread washed over me. This was the end. There was nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide. Just me and this thing. I watched her take two slow steps forward. Her movements, slow and deliberate. I could feel my heart beating in my ears. The world seemed to narrow down to just the two of us. I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the inevitable. But nothing happened. I opened my eyes cautiously, peering under the table again. I felt relieved. This was my chance. I'd rather jump down from this building and break my legs than let this thing get me. I slowly got up, careful not to make a sound. Perhaps if I made for the woods, I could find help. That's when I froze. There she was. Sitting down on the wooden rocking chair just beside the folded window blind. Her face partially obscured by the darkness. I could barely make out her figure in her white bloodied gown as she rocked her chair, obviously amused. I screamed with shock as I fell back to my spot behind the table, but no sound came out. I was now at a dead end.