It was kind of like fate that I entered into this supernatural mystery. It all started when I got busted for some weed. I was in my house, alone, not hurting anyone listening to Rollins a little too loud. Well some nosy do-gooder called the cops. Expecting it was my sorry boyfriend crawling back I opened the door with no caution. There it was me and johnny law on our way to the precinct. A half quarter of weed cost me one thousand dollars and 36 hours community service (which I will add you have to pay to do). Oh I was quite nervous. What will they give me to do. Will I have to detail police cars? It takes me months to clean my own! The community service lady was quite eccentric but impressed with my plethora of degrees and accomplishments. "We reserve special jobs for people like you" she said. "Like what, I asked (thinking a very facetious comment)." Well, according to what you have told me you have some experience with the elderly. Well, I had taken some mandatory gerontology classes in college and I once worked as an in-home caretaker for an elderly couple. There is a home, she said, Called "Peaceful Meadows" where certain community service workers fill their hours by distributing magazines and generally spending time with the participants of the program. I thought "Peaceful Meadows? Why do so many old peoples homes sound like names of cemetaries? No wonder most people don't want to go in to them it is one foot in the grave." Later I would realize just how right I was at least at this retirement center. I agreed, come on it was only 36 hours, which seems like a little bit, in theory. Not when you are not getting paid it seems like an eternity and almost turned out to be.
Day 1
I started on a Wednesday, I had to get my column finished before Thursday.
Upon entering the place it did not take me long to figure out it was far from Peaceful and there were no meadows to be seen. I actually kept thinking of "flushing meadows" where Homer is in New York on the Simpsons. It was quite humerous. The whole place was medicalized and smelled like urine. Most of the "participants" as the staff liked to call them seemed pretty miserable. I mean I've been in rest homes before and this was pretty bad. I figured the staff which was undoubltedly too few were pretty lousy. I mean they have law breakers come in for mandatory visits! What if they had a Bundy or Gacy come in here. Anyway my first visit was with an old woman named Ethel. She was unkempt, her hair unbrushed, clothes stained. I felt terrible for her. "Do you want a magazine, mam," I asked sheepishly. "Please," she cried desperately. Make him go away. "He is stronger now that he is out of human form, I beg of you." Uh oh, I thought my first one has demetia or something. Than she grasped my hand very tightly in her skeletal like fingers, "Get me a bible, and leave here soon he is coming." Well I was fresh out of Bibles but something in her eyes really freaked me out. "I will go find one," I said. Well there was a small chapel in the home, reminding me more of a hospital. I borrowed a bible from there and headed back to Ethel's room. As I was walking back I took the hardest fall. It was like someone had pushed me down. The bible flew out of my hands and landed at least 20 feet away from me. Gathering myself and checking for laughing onlookers I picked up the bible and headed again back to the room. When I arrived the door was shut. Maybe it was med time. I caught a passing nurse. "Is she allowed visitors, I was just with her," I asked. "She should, said the nurse, attempting to open the door. The door was blocked by something inside. We both pushed, it did not budge. She called for an orderly. At last we got inside. Somehow a relatively theraputic back chair had been pushed in front of the door. The room was cold. I noticed melting ice on the windows. When I saw Ethel I gasped. She was laying there with a look of unspeakable terror on her face. The rosary which I had not noticed she had was bound tightly around her wrists with the cross placed between her thumb and forefinger upside down. I was stunned. The nurse called for the doctor and I was ushered out of the room. Standing in the hall was an elderly man. Hes back, he said, and you will do well to change your community service, we are all doomed here. With that he saudered down the hall leaving me confused and frightened.
Stay tuned to see what happens or if you think it stinks let me know!
That murky air, a shape swam up to instill
Amazement in the firmest heart: a thing
Rising the way a man who dives to pull
Io

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