Love

'''Love.

'''

This is not meant to scare anyone.

Calling it creepy story would be kind of an insult, this is an expression of gratitude toward a friend, a friend that was there for me always, he watched over me when I was growing up and was the best friend any kid could have, even if I didn’t realize it at the time.

He was always there, even though I couldn’t see him, and he was always acting in my best interests, even if I couldn’t understand it. I’d like to take some time to share with you our story, because if you’re lucky, you might have a friend like this too.

I think I should let you read his letter first, I bought a new computer back in may 2010 and I took my old computer to the store to have everything backed up, when I took my new computer home I set everything up and began restoring my files from my portable hard drive and Installing programs, and I noticed that there was a file in the Misc folder the technician at the shop made for files that didn’t really belong anywhere, it was called HappyBirthdayBaby.txt.

Initially I thought it was a joke message my mom must have wrote for me that I never found, I opened it and this is what was inside.

You might find this one day... I’m not great at this computer stuff, I’ve watched you tinkering with this machine lately and I think I know how to save this so you’ll find it, but seeing as its time for me to go, I want to leave you this last little message.

I know you never met your father, to me he was Col. Marcus Andrew Stadtfleld, as I’m sure your mother told you, he was a good man, he had the pride of a lion, the strength of a bear and a heart of pure gold. Truth is I was almost like his son way before you were born, I was his second in command, I served with him for 3 years.

I watched as your mother wept when she heard the news, her belly swollen with your soon-to-be debut into this world, and I stayed with her every second of every day until the day you came into the world, then my focus shifted to you personally.

I watched as they cleaned you and handed you to your mother, she seemed to look right at me with a knowing eye as I stood over the both of you, almost as if she knew all along, and I’d be willing to bet my last penny she did at that time. I’ve watched you grow, I remember everything, even the things you don’t, you were such a happy baby, you had seemed to have inherited your fathers sense of humor as when you were getting to be 4 months old you would do just about everything to hinder your mothers attempts at changing you, laughing all the way, you were a wild one at heart just as you are today.

Just like Marcus.

When you were about 6 months old we used to play all the time... we had a game where I would grab your toes and tickle your belly and you would have a great time, when your mother came in ld have to stop and it always perplexed her as to why you’d start crying, she seemed to think you didn’t like her Which Is when I realised I had to back away some, but hey, I knew it was because you didn’t want the fun to end.

When you were one years old you seemed to develop a sixth sense for me and although you couldn’t really see me so much or so well anymore, you knew I was there, I couldn’t play with you so much because I knew it would only hurt you in the long run, but I always kept guard, I knew you remembered seeing me because you had a way of testing my presence, you’d throw toys into the corner where I stood and wait to see if I would play with them, now I know you won’t remember but once you threw a bear and a ragdoll at me and because your mother was busy in the kitchen making dinner I kept you entertained by putting on a little show, nothing special, just made them dance a little, you was laughing loud and your mom came to see what was so funny but when she saw what she did, she weren’t laughing, I bet you could mention the bear and ragdoll dance and the colour would run right out of her cheeks, but do me a favor and don’t, I think it would be kinder to ask if you ever threw the toys into the corner, that isn’t so much a bad memory for her than the dancing. Do you remember your first word? I do... “Love.” Hahah. your mother made damned well sure you knew just how much you were cherished by her, every moment of every day and she would always say Love you baby... I remember you tugging my heart strings something awful once, when your mother was changing you in the bathroom this one time you seemed to have caught my reflection in the mirror behind her, you pointed and said Love’ (well, more of a wuv, but your mother knew), your mother laughed and affirmed it, it was your only word for a time, but as I walked out of the reflection you started getting restless and I knew again that I had to be more stealthy, you were growing more and more every day now, I couldn’t afford to break my promise to your father, which is why again, I would have to step back further.

I broke the rules many times to protect you, that promise to your father was everything to me, I remember when you were 3 and had mastered walking, you were a regular little scout, hahah, you could never keep still, those little, legs opened up a whole nother world to you and you weren’t shy at all about exploring it, one day you were with your mother in the market and a lady with a shiny purse caught your eye, you went running after her, this other woman was running with her trolley in front of her coming the other way and didn’t spot you, and because you were running after the purse you didn’t spot her either, breaking the rules was not allowed but allowing you to get hurt wasn’t allowed either, when you noticed her it was too late and you fell on your ass before you could scamper out of her way, not having any other option I sent that trolley flying Into the side of a freezer and as it crashed that woman screamed blue murder, A-A-A MAN IN A UNIFORM! she screamed, you giggled as the crowd gathered and your mother came running, when she found you at that scene you were safe and sound, you pointed to the trolley that had smashed the window to the freezer and you know what you said to her? ‘Love mommy’, though I had to hide myself and was shamed for creating such a scene out in the open, I have to admit I was laughing too on the inside.

As you grew and became more aware so did I, I knew when I could and couldn’t intervene., doing too much would hurt the both of us so I picked my moments, you were a smart kid just like your father and most of the time knew how to handle any and every situation, if there was an option you took It, though I slipped up a few times while you were growing up I think I did well to keep an eye on you, just the little things to make your life a little easier, things you probably won’t remember, putting your piano music sheets in your bag at night, turning off your television when you fell asleep, pulling the sheets over you on the colder nights, sorting your draws, setting your alarm clock, closing your window and door... you caught me doing one or two of these things a few times and I want to take the time out to apologise for scaring you, this one time you were doing your homework and fell asleep at your desk so I filled In all the answers for your math quiz, you made such a fuss to your mother about how strict the teacher was about homework and I knew you knew them anyway, but you suspected more than ever when you woke up and found that whole half a sheet you left was done... you were older and had forgotten that we were friends, things you saw in the media about ghosts scared you and you had every right to be, I just want to say I’m sorry, I never meant to make you cry, If only I had taken a little extra care you’d never have known, I just wanted to keep you safe and happy.

As you matured you began to take form as a little lady and as such, you began to know the evil of men, though you had your wits about you, you were always taking stupid risks, watching over you became a little more of a worry for me and I had to expose myself more and more, Most notably that night when that no good boy you brought home started putting the moves on you when your mother went to work, he was only after one thing and although I knew it wasn’t my place to choose for you, you were still only a baby girl, just 15 years old... as he got on top of you and started undressing you, took his top off and began saying those sweet nothings, your face said it all, you were scared, and when you told him to stop and he wouldn’t, and when you tried to push him off and he got angry, struck you and tried to put his hand up your skirt, all the evil I kept inside of me come out at that moment and it was something I couldn’t control, my temper and rage boiled over as I began to growl, the lights flickering, the TV volume rising, the doors and windows bashing, the keys on your piano began to rattle and with your fathers roar I yelled “GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE BOY’!!!!, as he ran out of the room and you tried to follow. I slammed that door in your face and wouldn’t let the handle go until your mother pulled up in the drive way... I’m so sorry kid, that whole thing traumatised you for a while... you became more frightened of me than ever having such an experience and I knew from them on despite how much I loved you we could never be friends, not after what I’d done.

Some nights you used to sit awake at night watching for me, I’d have to sit in the darkest corner, just looking right back at you, unable to reassure you that I wasn’t here to cause you harm, you used to scream “I HATE YOU! GET OUT! LEAVE ME ALONE.”' and just as you used to do as a toddler, throw things into my corner, only instead of toys for me to play with, this time it was heavy books, cd cases, anything you could get your hands on to get me to move, you used to sit in your bed watching that corner... I always felt terrible about what I did, Id almost broken that promise. to your father but more importantly, I’d almost broken my personal promise ld made to you too...

It was like that until the night you tried to make peace with me, that night you sat up in your bed and said ‘If you’re here, I’m sorry, you were only trying to stop him...” I wanted to say something, but I couldn’t, even as you shuffled around nervously and said ‘You’re here right? could you show me a sign’ I wanted so badly to give you something, anything to show you I was there and I heard that, but fearing that you would lose it if I did, I kept silent and just nodded, in that dark corner where you couldn’t see me... you have to know I was never mad at you, you were just a girl and that little prick tipped me over the edge... promise me you’ll never do anything like that again wont you?

It’s your 18th Birthday today, which is why I’m writing this to you, I want to wish you a happy birthday. I’m sure your dads getting sick of keeping that bar stool open for me. Live a good life, and try not to forget about me, and know you turned out great, your father would be so proud of you. This letter is my present to you, don’t you worry about the spooky corner anymore, my last order is complete, I don’t know about you, but I think this trooper deserves a drink; you sure were a handful, hahah!

If you find this one day, try calling out to me. Take care, be safe and live a happy life.

Love, Lt. Ashley Gilchrist.

PS. If you call out my name, call out what you used to call me as a kid, that always got me to come running.

I was gobsmacked when I read this letter; everything made so much sense to me. All the things that happened when I was growing up, I always thought I was seeing things until that day when my boyfriend at the time almost raped me. I’ll be the first to admit I was scared of him, I didn’t understand what he was, why he was there or what he was after, but I got it all wrong.

A few days after reading it I asked my mom a few questions about the spooky things that happened when I was growing up, she was very nonchalant about it until I mentioned what happened in the market and she stopped cleaning, set down her cloth, turned to me and smiled at me, she said ‘You always had a guardian angel watching over you honey, I don’t know if it was your father or not, but who or whatever it was, it made sure nothing bad ever really happened to you”, as she turned around and began cleaning the dishes again she asked So I guess you met it then right? Your spirit friend”

“Not exactly, he left something for me,” I went upstairs, bought my laptop down and I showed her the letter on my computer, my mother was crying by the time she finished and she told me all about my dad’s friend...

“He was a kind boy... Marc bought him home once to meet me and he had a certain thing about him, he was as loyal as a dog to your father, he had a love and respect for him that even I was intimidated by at times... When he came to our home on leave Marcus had to practically order him to make himself at home, he even had to be asked to take his uniform off... he looked up to Marcus almost like a boy looks up to his father. I don’t really know his background but I remember your father telling me that he was a good drinking partner, a fine soldier, and an invaluable friend.”

She took a deep breath and choked back a few of her tears before telling me the next part. ‘They found that poor boy and Marcus all alone in a building that had been overrun by their enemy, they were out on recon and their team got separated when they came under fire, the rest of the boys in your fathers team survived but those two weren’t so lucky... the way they found them was peculiar”, as she choked back tears, she looked me right in the eye and said That boy was found on top of your father, riddled with bullets... he was shielding him right up until the moment he died, he could have gotten away but he refused to leave your injured fathers side”

With that we both burst into tears... Love. That’s exactly what he was, he was a guardian, I had no reason to be afraid of him, I’d have given anything just to tell him I was sorry and I loved him back. I had no right, all the terrible things I did to him at the end, I realised that he loved my father so much not even death could keep him from the promise he mentioned in the letter. When I asked what the promise was, my mother looked at me and with tears in her eyes she said “It was made in this very house while they were setting up your room, it was simply.

“No matter what happens, promise me you’ll watch over my daughter”