“My Name Is Piper…Can I Tell You The Rest Of My Story???
For days after my unfortunate near drowning, i was very weak, i had developed a mild case of pneumonia, this had postponed my going home from the hospital.
For some reasons unknown to myself, my supervisor had me moved to the room where the elderly lady i had been caring for died, this unnerved me…even more unnerving i would wake up, and in the corner, by the window, staring out, was the soldier from long ago, he would never look at me, just stare out the window…all he would say over and over and over was…”She Made Me Do It”…usually right after him speaking these words…my supervisor would enter the room…she would go and stand next to the soldier, and in very sharp tones she would speak to the soldier…and always a few seconds after this exchange, he would disappear through the corner wall, and each time my supervisor would point outside, then a evil laugh of mirth would escape…scaring me to the bone…then she would say…that young man still paces back and forth on the other side of the creek…he is still a coward…he will never cross that creek…he is still scared…then everytime before she would leave…you must know you will never leave this room…alive that is…sweet dreams…Piper.
For days now it had raining on and off, it was dreary everyday, Sugar Creek was staying within its banks, but still swollen…everyday no matter how weak i felt, i would limp over to the window…and each time, i would see the young man…pacing back and forth…and if sensing me watching him…he would stop and wave…then sheepishly smile at me…
Many times when my parents had visited me i had begged them to have me transferred to the hospital across town, but when asked why, i could never give a clear answer…so each time my parents dismissed this idea immediately.
One day a aging nurse came into my room, i had seen her around the hospital, but had never spoken with her…she seemed very kind, and was anxious to speak to someone…after a minute or so i asked her how long she been a nurse at the hospital???…the aging nurse smiled and pulled up a chair…she said let me count the years, 47 years she answered, after chatting a few minutes, i felt confident enough to ask her about the old legend of the soldier patrolling the creek…ah yes she smiled back at me…that legend still persists…that ghost soldier was still big news when i first started here in 1870, apparently Private Durant had been shot for desertion in 1863…he was from here, in fact he lived very close to Sugar Creek, it was said he sort of wicked in life, so many in town believe he got his just due…then i decided to ask her about my supervisor, when i did…her demeanor changed instantly…but finally after a tense minute of silence she answered…all i know about her is this…she showed up one day, many years ago with impeccable references and qualifications, the hospital was eager to hire someone with her abilities, personally i give her a wide berth, and you should too…finally i asked her about the young man by the creek, at this question her somber mood evaporated…oh yes this legend…Spero Avanti was a football player for Illinois Wesleyan University in the early 1890s, i remember when i worked Saturday during the day at that time, i would take my lunch break, and go watch the football games, if they were playing…Spero didn’t play much in the games, he kept the bench warm though, by all accounts everybody liked him, but one day, much like today, the football players had practiced this side of the creek, close to the hospital grounds, but a torrent of rain started, all the players and coaches raced across the rickety old bridge, except Spero and his best friend, since they were bench warmers, they had the duty of carrying the equipment, as they started across bridge, it started to sway, then a torrent of water slammed into the bridge, Spero was in the lead, he dropped his equipment, and quickly ran across the bridge, thinking his best friend was right him, as soon as he reached the creek bank, he heard a loud crashing sound, the bridge was crumbling, and too Spero’s horror he saw his best friend was in the middle of the bridge, apparently when Spero had dropped the equipment he was carrying, his friend had fallen over it, and when he did, he hit his head and was knocked unconscious…Spero had to make a split second decision…he might reach his friend, but he knew even if he did reach him, he wouldn’t have enough time to drag his friend to safety before the bridge collapsed into the water…he stayed on the creek bank and 10 seconds later the bridge collapsed…Spero watched in horror as his best friend was carried away in the swollen creek…his best friend was never found…for days after the accident Spero was in utter despair…and to make matters worse, people were calling him a coward…one day Spero left his dorm room, and was never seen again…after the aging nurse told me this i was very sad…that night in my dreams i finally remembered what happened to me, at the creek, it was the soldier who had thrown me into the creek…i woke up in a cold sweat, to my utter shock, my supervisor was standing above me holding a large pillow…i heard her say…Its your time to die Piper…before i could move to protect myself…out of the corner of my eye i saw movement…it was Spero…in a flash he was on the supervisor…she let out a loud piercing squeal…as Spero was struggling with the squealing supervisor, he looked at me and said go…go now…as i ran out of the hospital, into the cold rainy night…i looked up and heard a loud crashing sound, then i saw the supervisor thrown from the window of my room…after this i started running towards the bridge…as i stepped onto the bridge, i felt a sense dread…when i reached the middle of the bridge…i saw the soldier in front of me..his eyes were bright red…and he had a look of pure evil in his face…then i sensed movement behind me…without looking behind me, i looked at the soldier…he was snarling now…but he took a few steps back…then i heard Spero speak…Slowly Step By Step Walk Backwards Towards Me…Don’t Turn Around…Keep Staring At Him…He Wont Attack You…If You Keep Staring At Him…after what seemed like an eternity…i felt Spero slowly move in front of me…then he said Go Back Piper…Your Safe Now…before reaching the hospital…i saw the supervisor slowly getting up…snarling…the last thing i saw was Spero…the soldier…and the supervisor violently clash on the bridge…in a few seconds all three were in the swollen creek, still struggling…
I never went to France after i recovered, nobody would believe what happened to me that night, so i kept that story to myself…instead of going to France i started nursing school at Brokaw Hospital…everyday i would look the windows of the hospital towards the creek…and i would see Spero…pacing back and forth…he would stop and wave wave at me…he was waiting for me…two years The Spanish Flu was at the hospital doorstep…The End
In 2020 Casey a young nurse exhausted, retreated to a unused room in the oldest part of Bromenn Hospital, to catch a much needed nap, as she sit down on the bed, she noticed they had started renovations in this room…part of the wall had been torn out…but Casey saw a silver glint in the wall…after further investigation…she finally pulled a very old diary from inside the wall…on the side of the diary was a small silver plate with the engraving…Pipers Diary…
Casey quickly opened the diary
Inside the first page this was written
“Whoever Is Reading This…My Name Is Piper…I Will Die Very Soon…I Have The Spanish Flu…Don’t Be Sad At This Revelation…Please Read My Story…Then You Will Understand…After You Are Done Reading…Please Look Outside Towards The Creek…And Say My Name…Piper””
