Ghost Short Story – The Caretakers Journal
Photo credit: cohdra from morguefile.com
23rd July
I took a job as a school caretaker after returning home from the army, I had wanted a more settled life instead of moving from country to country, Barrack to Barrack. I had left the army with few savings and needed a job pretty quickly, I scoured the papers, windows and job centres with no great luck. The recession had hit home aggressively and jobs were few and far between, I had chanced upon this care taking vacancy through a friend whose children had gone to the school. The interview went well and I start tomorrow, wish me luck, will write to you soon. :)
24th July
All is well, my job entails: repairing; littler picking; opening early; locking up late and holidays at least the pay is good, but the hours are long being the only caretaker. Sometimes on an evening I hear bangs, thuds and footsteps, this would not sounds unusual, but it is only me here. The school itself is over many storeys with several corridors also numerous external buildings, each room has to be checked, all windows and doors shut and locked. :)
24th July
PS: note to self tomorrow fix the guttering. :)
26th July
Had a near miss yesterday came off a ladder, a piece of guttering broke away in my hand, luckily all is well. I don’t know what all the fuss was about, I’m perfectly fine no cuts no bruises no damage , you would think somebody died with all the commotion going on lol. Well back to work I suppose . :)
27th July
now holiday time is upon me there lays another lonely time ahead, as usual I began at 6am with a long list of repairs, my first task today was building scaffolding to reach the various strip lights in the main hall as each needed replacing, 20 minutes in my attention was distracted by the door at the top of the balcony banging all by itself, I watched as it swung open and banged several times, I climbed down from my scaffold and ventured up the steps past the seating platform to a small isle leading to the balcony, I entered the adjoining room to the old changing room that led towards the old gym. I had checked and found no windows open so no wind to cause this as well as no one else around, therefore no reason why the door was banging by itself. Upon returning to my scaffold I noticed several assembled chairs that had moved and stacked on top of each other in a different area of the room, more puzzled now at what I had seen, I thought that a member of staff must have come in. Now 2 pm and a lot more chores later I still had not seen a soul so I thought I would take a tour around the buildings to find the person responsible but to no avail, by 4pm darkness was drawing in and an eerie silence ascended upon the school even the bird song from outside had died away to nothing.
28th July
I was busy painting a small wall lime in the lower geography class room when a loud clashing metal sound rang out through the corridor and the sound of several male voices could be heard, I almost jumped out of my skin with shock and nearly dropped my roller on the new red carpet, immediately I made my way to the main corridor at speed through several swing doors to see to my utter shock and surprise a cylinder bin weighing around 3 to 4 kg laid crushed at the base of a free standing stairwell, I searched the adjacent fire exit, doors and windows in that vicinity but all were locked, worry and a little fear had begun to creep in to me , by 6 pm I was well and truly ready for home.
29th July
Again 6 am came I opened up this time more reluctant and cautious than before, 10:30 am saw me outside cleaning the external bins clearing leaves and rubbish from around the cookery block, all was well I had relaxed on down until for some reason I looked up at the second floor kitchen window to see what looked like a suited grey haired man looking sternly at me from the window, startled I looked away and back again but saw nothing, feeling disturbed ,I ignored my need to go look for and search him out, something told me this was not wise and after feeling my nerves slowly falling to pieces I made my way through the science department to the hatchery which needed dismantling and then to the far corridor walls that needed scrubbing pen free for the new term. 1;15 pm I was just finishing my last wall and 5th bucket of water, when I heard the sound of footsteps…multiple footsteps, they suddenly picked up pace to a run and within seconds they ran past me or through me I could not be quite sure for there was also the sound of female laughter approaching and passing too, I stood wet sponge and scourer in hand frozen to the spot for several long seconds not sure whether to run scream or pass out, slowly I dropped the contents of my hands, made my way unsteadily to the adjoining staircase then sat, placing both my hands on each side of my face a sign of sheer exhaustion escaped my lips and I sat analysing what I had just heard, I realised there was no credible earthly explanation for what I had seen and heard over these last few days and have come to the conclusion this school must have its own ghosts I suppose, so after this sobering thought I decided to be brave in light of my guests, but the eerie silence at times and lack of students and teachers become unbearable here, I feel like I am stuck here alone. :(
26th July
Had a near miss yesterday came off a ladder………
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