This week, the writers of Tuesday Tales are writing to the word prompt sticky. I am still sharing my ghost story.
Check out the other tales here.
Lu tried to shake her head, but it hurt too much. And now that she could focus just a little more she realized her left arm was hurting. She reached over to investigate and touched something sticky.
“Don’t mess with it. You have a gash in your arm where it scraped when you fell. There’s an ambulance on the way,” Amanda said.
“No ambulance. I’m fine. Fine.” But Lu knew possible traumatic brain injury was the real issue. Her arm could be stitched, but her time in the Army Nursing Corp working with battle injured soldiers told her something was truly wrong. Why would I be seeing Thomas Jefferson if I’m all right? And all those nonsolid people flitting about?
Hope soared in her chest as she had a thought. “Re-enactors?”
“I should say not. I’m Andrew Jackson.” The man in the hat sneered. “Really. Just because I can move from Plaza Ferdinand where my statue sits is not a reason to think I am some person in fancy dress. I was the first governor of this territory and you should show me some respect.”
“There are no re-enactors here, Miss.” A man in a festival T-shirt placed a hand on her uninjured arm as she struggled to sit up. “Please stay down. We don’t know what injuries you sustained. It’s best to wait for the ambulance.”
Amanda patted her hand again. “Be still. The ambulance will be here soon.”
The last thing Lula Mae wanted to do was go to a hospital. She loved nursing but she hated being a patient. “I’ll be fine. I merely knocked the wind out of myself.”
“Even if that’s all it is, you still need stitches in that arm.” Amanda sat back on her heels. “And I know what you’re going to say. No, you can’t suture them yourself.”
“But you know I actually can.”
Jillian Chantal 
Love the last line. Spoken like a tough nurse. My sister is one and would probably say that. Enjoying this.
By: Susanne Matthews on January 11, 2022
at 8:27 am
Thanks Susanne. I know some nurses like that. My main character in this story is named after my great-grandmother’s baby sister who I adored. She was a nurse in WWII and Korea. She was the youngest of that generation of my family and 22 years younger than my G-grandmother (sadly, they died within a year of each other, but I was old enough- 26-27- to know them both well). She was an awesome lady and she fascinated me.
By: Author on January 11, 2022
at 2:45 pm
This is such an interesting story, and her personality is well drawn. Tough, admirable cookie with the suture line! Thomas Jefferson is such super here.
By: Flossie Benton Rogers on January 12, 2022
at 9:36 pm
Thanks Flossie. I based her on my great grandmother’s baby sister who was a nurse and served in the army in WWII and Korea. The real Lula Mae was a pistol. Feisty and so cool to this kid who admired the heck out of her and her stories she always told. It was easy to flesh out my fictional Lula Mae with personality features of my great great aunt who I was lucky enough to know well. I didn’t make her a smoker like the real lady, but as I kid, I sure thought she was glamorous with her red hair and smoking her cigarette and being all svelte and raspy voiced. I absolutely adored her. She died when I was in my 20s
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By: Author on January 12, 2022
at 9:53 pm
Ouch! The thought o stitching myself up gives me the willies. Yes, I would be freaking out a bit, too, if I saw dead people dancing about. Mr. Jackson was a bit abrupt, I’d say. What a cool idea! I love thist story!
By: Jean C. Joachim on January 15, 2022
at 7:50 am
Yeah me too on the stitching self. Shudder. Thanks for the nice words about my story.
By: Author on January 16, 2022
at 11:07 am
Great scene! But I wanted to keep reading. I didn’t want to stop with just this little snippet. I love stories where the characters are from both sides of the veil. Very interesting! I’m loving this tale!
By: trishafaye on January 16, 2022
at 1:45 pm