روح همسایه فصل 26

The Ghost Next Door - Chapter 26

Danny’s mother leaned over him, pulling the light blanket up to his chest. “How are you feeling?” she asked softly.

It was two hours later. Danny had been treated by the paramedics who arrived shortly after the firefighters. They told his worried mother that he was suffering from smoke inhalation and had a few minor burns.

After treating the burns, they drove Danny and Mrs. Anderson home in an ambulance.

Now Danny lay in bed, staring up at her, still feeling groggy and dazed. Mrs. Quilty stood anxiously in the corner, her arms clasped tensely in front of her, looking on in silence. She had hurried over to see what the commotion was.

“I—I’m okay, I guess,” Danny said, pulling himself up a bit on the pillow. “I’m just a little tired.” His mother pushed a lock of blond hair off her forehead as she stared down at him, reading his lips. “How did you ever get out? How did you get out of the house?” “It was Hannah,” Danny told her. “Hannah pulled me out.”

“Who?” Mrs. Anderson knotted her face in confusion. “Who is Hannah?”

“You know,” Danny replied impatiently. “The girl next door.”

“There’s no girl next door,” his mother said. “Is there, Molly?” She turned to read Mrs. Quilty’s lips.

Mrs. Quilty shook her head. “The house is empty.”

Danny sat up straight. “Her name is Hannah Fairchild. She saved my life, Mom.”

Mrs. Quilty tsk-tsked sympathetically. “Hannah Fairchild is the girl who died five years ago,” she said quietly. “Poor Danny is a bit delirious, I’m afraid.” “Just lie back,” Danny’s mother said, gently pushing him back onto the pillow. “Get some rest. You’ll be fine.” “But where is Hannah? Hannah is my friend!” Danny insisted.

Hannah watched the scene from the doorway.

The three people in the room couldn’t see her, she realized.

She had saved Danny’s life, and now the room and the people in it were growing faint, fading to gray.

Maybe that’s why my family and I came back after five years, Hannah thought. Maybe we came back to save Danny from dying in a fire as we did.

“Hannah… Hannah…” A voice called to her. A sweet, familiar voice from far away.

“Is that you, Mom?” Hannah called.

“Time to come back,” Mrs. Fairchild whispered. “You must leave now, Hannah. It’s time to come back.” “Okay, Mom.”

She gazed into the bedroom at Danny, lying peacefully on his pillow. He was fading away now, fading to gray.

Hannah squinted into the solid grayness. The house, she knew, was fading. The earth was fading from her sight.

“Come back, Hannah,” her mother whispered. “Come back to us now.”

Hannah could feel herself floating now. And as she floated, she gazed down—her last look at earth.

“I can see him, Mom,” she said excitedly, brushing the tears off her cheeks. “I can see Danny. In his room. But the light is getting faint. So faint.” “Hannah, come back. Come back to us,” her mother whispered, calling her home.

“Danny—remember me!” Hannah cried, as Danny’s face appeared clearly in the misty gray. Could he hear her? Could he hear her calling to him? She hoped so.