The Haunted Traveler December 2017 Edition

Nancy thought for a moment then answered, “Yes, I guess.”
“When are you coming back to work? I’ve been worried about you.
Nancy’s eyes focused on the shadow draped wall covered with family photographs.
They settled on Cliff ’s smiling face, so similar to her own. Yearning to feel his gentle
caress, she answered, “I’m not sure.”
“It’s been two weeks. Come back Monday, please.”
“I can’t, not yet. I’m not ready.”
Joan sounded concerned, “You can’t sit home mourning the rest of your life. Look,
it’s Friday, I’ll come over after five and stay the weekend. That way I can help you get
ready for work.”
When Joan arrived after work she found Nancy a whimpering ruin. “Nancy! What’s
wrong?” she asked sitting next to her and putting her arms around her.
N..N..Nothing,” Nancy answered, her voice catching in sobs.
“Oh Nance, saying that I know how you feel is a stupid thing, but I do empathize.
I’ve lost everyone too,” Joan said as she got up and turned on a light. She studied Nancy
and frowned at her wild hair, wrinkled and dirty nightgown, and eyes almost swollen
shut from crying. Fatigue made Nancy look middle-aged even though she was only in
her early thirties. “Come on, I brought dinner. You need a good meal.”
Nancy followed Joan into the kitchen like an obedient puppy. She sat on a hard
wooden chair and watched as Joan cleaned the mess that had accumulated over the past
two weeks. When Joan put dinner in front of her, she ate without tasting it, continually
staring at the now quiet telephone.
When they finished the strained, silent meal, Joan led Nancy upstairs. She went into
the bathroom and scrubbed out the tub, which hadn’t been cleaned very well after the
suicide. She filled it with hot water, undressed Nancy like a child, and said, “Come on,
Honey. Take a nice bath and relax. I’ll be downstairs cleaning up.”
Nancy climbed into the old claw foot tub and slowly started to think again. She
shuddered at the thought of what had happened in this room and wondered how she
could have spent the last couple of weeks alone in this house. I bet Cliff won’t call with
Joan here. He’ll leave me alone now, she thought and felt calmer. Her older brother had been
the most important person in her life. She was angry at him for running away even if
she had forced the issue. Now she felt like half a person without him. “Oh Cliff,” she
whispered. “I want to see you again but you scare me.”
She relaxed and closed her eyes in the tiny steam filled room. Suddenly, she sensed
that she wasn’t alone. She sat up and opened her eyes, trying to see through the vapor.
She could barely make out a shape by the closed door. “Joan, what is it?” she asked in a
quivering voice. The figure stood silent and still. She felt chilled, and asked in a louder
voice, “Joan, is that you?”
There was a knock on the door and the steam-masked silhouette faded away. She
heard Joan outside the bathroom door, “Nancy, did you call me?”
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