Thursday 19 May 2016

Ghost Stores & Urban Legends: Jump Jack

The dull sound of buzzing from electricity from the over head neon lights echoed in the long corridor with its grey limo floor and white tiled walls, clinical and cold. The far end light flickering on and off with a click, an invisible switch in its darkness making the corridor seen longer and endless.
The right hand wall of doors all closed on, making the narrow walkway feel claustrophobic. A sudden sharp bang making her jump in her skin, breathless and heart racing, looking behind her, it was the door slamming behind her friends the three of them stood there loping in to the uncertain night.
The rain on the small window behind them sounding like scratching finger nails down pebble destroyed glass.
“Its a load of bull”
“Whys that?”
“Just because it is the 13th stall dose not mean that it is haunted.”
“By the Jumping Jack!”
She looked at her friends standing the right of her.
“I can’t believe that you dragged us back down here after all these years, just to take part in a Junior school Urban Legend trial”
“There going to be tearing the place down next week, so whats the harm, Its just a bit of fun. And like you said It just an urban legend.” pulling her camera out of her bag ready to film.
“And it’ll make a good  footage for my sight.”
The three of them began to walk down to the end of the room. The squeaking of their shoes on the lino floor, parts ripped up exposing the dusty concert floor beneath. 
The three of them stood looking at the closed door of the 13th stool The faint writing of ‘Do Not Enter” in a childish hand could just be seen on grimy once white door. 
The cold damp air of five years of neglect could be felt in the air. with every breath they could taste the stale, damp, dust, filled air, the metallic smell of mild sat on every surface.
“So how does this legend go again?”
“You go in the stall and you turn around 3 times and say ‘Jump Jake Jump’ there times.”
Looking back down the row of cubicles she tried to remember her time in the school, all she could remember were the childhood charts, games and pranks. and torment of younger students of the Jumping jack.
“Well here we go.” smiling and waving at the camera as she entered and stall. closing the door behind her, the lock broken off years before.
With a deep breath she began the ritual, on each turn she repeated “Jump Jack Jump”. On the third completed turn she stood silent, waiting. 
the light over head flickered faster the sound grew load, high pitched and painful. Then suddenly… silence. The light goes off for its final time. The Lights from further down the corridor struggling to reach the end.
she felt her heart racing with every quick breath she took.
“Dan? You OK?” the camera fixed on the door.
“Yeah, I’m good” 
Suddenly the air got cold like as thought some one had opened a freeze door beside them. cold enough to tune their breath to vapour, and send a uneasy shiver though the girls bodes.
Dannielle stood in in silence in the dark. As she reached to open the door a thin icy layer grew rapidly over the door, the fame and the wall. Her friends watched as the Ice crystals grow, charting its icy map over the door and wall.
Unable to mover Dannielle stood frozen to the spot, not wanting to look at anything but the back of the door. The warm breath of something beside her brushed her cheek, making her shudder. 
Before she could look Its long arms wrapped around her, its hand covering her mouth preventing her from screaming as it lifted her from the ground.
Kick out her feet fit the door,  pushing it open, Her friends screamed as they watched her been dragged through the wall, Unbroken.

© sarah jane patel