The Ghost of Christmas Last by Sean Hayden

Author:Sean Hayden
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: horror, holiday, christmas, ghost, spirit, scary, touching, sean hayden
Publisher: Untold Press

* * *

Drew gasped as he woke in the brightly lit hospital room. There was no confusion as to where he was, the nurse taking his blood pressure was what woke him up.

"What happened?" He tried three times before he could manage the strength to ask the young nurse.

"You had a heart attack at church last night, Mr. Middleton. The angioscope showed a little blockage, but not enough to warrant surgery. Have you been under a lot of stress lately?"

"You have no idea. Am I going to be okay?" He asked with more enthusiasm than he felt. If he was going to be dead in three weeks anyway, he failed to see the importance.

"You'll be just fine. Just take it easy for the next few weeks," she said with a smile.

He laughed. It started low and half-enthusiastic, but as the irony and ridiculousness of her request sank in, it grew and grew until he was holding his stomach laughing. The nurse backed away a few paces ready to hit the help button.

"I'm sorry," he said and gave her a little smile to calm her nerves. He could see she was about two seconds away from sedating him and sending him to a mental ward. That was definitely not a place he wanted to spend his last remaining time on earth.

"What was so funny?"

"I will be doing just that. I picked today to close my business. I'm starting my retirement today. It just struck me as funny that you said that," he lied.

She smiled and nodded. "Congratulations! That's wonderful. I hope you enjoy your retirement!"

This time he managed not to laugh at her. "Thank you."

"The doctor will be in shortly to sign your discharge papers. Then you'll be free to go. Your clothes are in the cabinet on the wall. Remember, relax and enjoy yourself."

He nodded and she left. True to her word, the doctor came in a few minutes later and gave him a puzzled clean bill of health. An hour later, Drew was standing on the street in front of the hospital in his own clothes. He looked up at the sky for the first time in a long time and smiled at the dark blue. The sidewalk had snow, the road had slush, but the day was beautiful. He raised his arm to hail a cab, but put it down. Walking didn't sound like a bad idea. He was only about five miles from his apartment and he wasn't in a rush to get anywhere.

He always hated New York, but it was all he knew. He never appreciated the myriad of sights and sounds that could be seen or heard at any given point of the day. Halfway home, the sky darkened, the stars came out, and New York came alive. As the streetlights flickered to life, so did the Christmas lights. The twinkling things that used to make him scowl made him smile. He hated what they represented for the simple fact he hated the memories they invoked.

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