Chapter Three: Small Town Witch:

The little girl didn’t answer me with words. The little rabbit hopped over to her feet. She reached out and touched my throat.

I have been expecting you, she said in my head. My eyes stayed on that child.

“Are you Megan?” I asked again. The girl nodded at me. I sat back in shock. Her fingers stayed on my throat.

You don’t have long to stay here, she told me.

“So, how do I get out?” I asked. “I’m supposed to hear your story and bring you home. How am I supposed to do that?”

You have to get out of here first, Megan told me. I’ll show you out. Take my hand! I began reaching forward to that tiny powdered white hand. Megan grabbed onto my hand in response and began running out of the maze. I could only run to keep up h with her.

We came to a sea of blank gray. I gasped aloud at the sudden change in pressure around my lungs.

“It hurts,” I murmured.

“You’ll be fine in a few moments,” Megan spoke to me in words. I looked up at the sound of her voice.

“How come you can talk now?” I asked.

“The space in the maze locked my voice,” the little girl told me.

“I see,” I replied. “So, what were you doing in that maze?”

“I am imprisoned between the living and the dead,” she said. I looked at her.

“So… you’re a ghost?” I asked. Megan nodded at me once.

“That’s right,” she replied. I looked at her, now intrigued.

“So, how did you die?” I asked.

“I’m trying to figure out that myself,” Megan replied.

“What?” I asked.

“I can’t remember much before my soul was ripped out of my body all of those years ago,” the child told me. “All I remember was waking up in this space with the only place that I could go was that maze.” I remembered what I was to do.

“Hey,” I said. “I could help you out.” Megan looked at me with big eyes.

“You would?” she asked. I nodded at her.

“Just tell me what I need to do,” I said. The little girl still looked at me with surprise all over her face.

“You promise?” she asked. I nodded at her.

“I will give it my best,” I told her. I held out my hand for her to shake it on my word. Megan slowly reached out at first to response. She paused, but then shook my hand.

I will help you out of here, she said in my mind. A shimmering, cold light flooded from her hand into my body at those words.

-Outside-

Big Mama and Hanako made it to the hospital before the morning was over. Big Mama raced up to the front desk.

“Miss!” she said breathlessly at the lady at the front desk. “Excuse me, miss!” The receptionist held up her hands to try and quiet her down.

“Miss,” she said. “Please don’t yell.” Big mama took a moment to catch her breath.

“I’m here for the patient that got hit by that car last night,” she said. The other lady looked at the chart of all of the patients there were admitted this morning. She didn’t even glance up.

“Cassandra Campbell?” the receptionist asked.

“Yes!” Hanako yelped. “Can we please see her?!?” The receptionist shushed the girl.

“She’s still in surgery right now,” she replied.

“When can we see here?” Big Mama asked.

“Are you family?” the other woman asked.

“Yes!” Hanako yelled. The receptionist shushed the girl again.

“Please take a seat and wait,” she said. Big Mama and Hanako took a seat in the living room. The receptionist picked up the phone when it rang.

“Hello?” she asked. Hanako looked over at Big Mama.

“How long do we have to wait?” she asked. The old lady patted her on the head.

“I can’t say,” she replied. The young girl turned to the clock on the wall.

“Cassie-san…” she murmured. Big Mama gently held the child hand to comfort her.