The Winter Ghost

Part 1

The subway rattled as it rushed through the dark underground new york tunnels, jostling you. You reached out for the beam next to you gaining your balance again. You hated taking the subway. Usually you would hail a cab on your way to the coffee shop but this morning you were running late.

All night you were kept awake with the same nightmare. The same nightmare that haunted you for almost a year now. As the lights flickered through the subway and you closed your eyes, you saw his face. The face you saw every night when you tried, desperately to sleep.

A tall man standing on the edge of a bridge. You began to approach him but he paid no mind, his back to you. Heart begins to race, and tears stung your eyes. "NO! Please, stop! Please don't! STOP!!" You would scream so violently you felt your throat begin to burn. That's when he turned to face you. Your breath caught in your throat as you finally saw him.

A few dark strands of hair fell from his messy bun. He had harsh features, like he was made from clay and the artist left without softening the edges. His eyes were dark and hollow. They seemed sad, broken maybe. As he turned back around you let out one more heart shattering scream as a loud gunshot rang through your ears, causing you to double over. Heaving as tears burned your face. And then you woke up...

Your eyes sprang open and you gasped for air. A few passengers next to you shot you dirty looks as you tried to calm yourself. A blaring headache throbbed in your temples, as tears threatened your eyes. I am calm. I am okay. Just breathe. You repeat the mantra a doctor once told you to use. Slowly your breathing steadied, but the headache remained. That was always a fun side effect when you thought about the nightmare.

As the robotic subway woman announced your stop you rubbed your temples stepping out of the doors. You were so preoccupied trying to bring relief to your brain that you didn't notice the two hooded figures that quickly followed you through the tunnels and out into the city.

Your coffee shop was only about a block away now. The streets of New York were flooded with people with scowls staring at their phones, pushing through the crowds. You had only been living in New York for two years now and still found it a little overwhelming. You moved into the city after the accident. Trying, and failing not to think about that horrific night you began to feel the blood pounding in your ears. No. I am calm. I am okay. Just breathe. You repeated, taking a deep, slow breath and yanking the old door to the coffee shop open. The rusty bells that hung on the frame made a pathetic squeaking/chime noise as you entered.

"Good morning Jannie!" A loud, high-pitched voice called to you which you recognised as Emily, you're overly eager coworker.

"Morning." You faked a smile as you walked into the back room. Surly Emily was going to talk your ear off again today like she did every day. She was one of those people that went out every night and giggled and said the work 'like' between every other word. You tried to remember a time when you were as outgoing but nothing came to mind. It wasn't that Emily was a bad person, she just didn't seem to notice you barely said, 'like' 6 words to her and she never really stopped spewing them. But strangely, you found her babbling helped keep your mind distracted. Even if you were never really listening.

"So, ohmigid! Janie, the craziest thing happened to me yesterday! Like, I mean insane. Okay so like, I was walking to the the club, you know the one..." Emily began to chime as she poured a woman's foam over her latte. You tried to listen, but slowly your mind wandered off. The lights flickered in the coffee shop. You held your breath, feeling your mind begin to spiral again. I am calm... I am okay... Just-

You opened your eyes and you were in a small damp cement room. The bright fluorescent lights sizzled down causing you to squint. They buzzed loudly causing your horrible headache to pound harder. Your mouth was dry and tasted like metallic. You were dizzy and your vision was distorted. Your brain finally caught up with your surroundings, realising you were secured to what felt like a hospital bed. Panic began to set in. This was different. You'd never seen this room before in your nightmares. "Welcome back, moy rebenok." The cool words brushed against the back of your neck causing you to shiver.

"Janie? Jane!? Hey, can you hear me? Ohmigod, like, are you okay?" Emily's panicked words shook you back to the dirty coffee shop floor you were now on. You didn't know how long you had been on the floor, curled into a fetal position, arms wrapped around your legs. You looked up at her, still in a bit of a daze.

"Janie, ohmigod, what the hell is going on? Do you like, need me to call someone for you?" She crouched down beside you, placing a comforting hand on your shoulder. Her touch was searing hot and made you flinch away.

"I'm fine. Thank you, Emily. Sorry I- I don't know what happened." You spoke so quiet you didn't know if Emily actually heard. She only nodded reassuringly. Slowly you rose to your feet, realising everyone in the coffee shop was peering over the counter with annoyance. Your eyes fell on a tall man and his redheaded girlfriend standing in the corner intensely staring at you. You felt nauseous as the reality of your current situation settled in. Thankfully, Emily was there. Now there was something you never thought you'd say.

"Alright, shows over! You'll get your coffee. Just form a line." She yelled, her jersey accent drawled whenever she raised her voice. She paused and looked at you, now brushing dust off your pants. "Why don't you take a 15 in the back, girl. Drink some water maybe?" You smiled weakly and did as she said. Before you headed to the back room you took one last look over your shoulder. The couple from the corner were still there, but the woman was now saying something to the man who only nodded as his eyes burned holes into your skull. Quickly you spun on your heels and headed to the back room, eager to get the hell out of sight and calm yourself for the long shift you had ahead of you.

You didn't know what had just happened, only that it never had before. Not like that. The doctors said, after the car crash that you could experience some PTSD but this... The cement room. The strange voice. The way you could still feel your body aching. You'd never experienced that. His words sent a shiver down your spine and echoed through your mind. moy rebenok.