The Green Girl
Like many of you growing up, I grew up in a haunted house, with each family member having our own special ghost as well as a main house ghost. Other spirits, like poltergeists, flipped over the dining room table, shattering all of the canning jars we owned; shadows appeared as people and lights only illuminated certain parts of those shadows; and voices were always heard but barely understandable, talking about various family members in our home. But one of the most interesting things to happen to me in that house was when I met the green girl.
When I was small, though I couldn’t say exactly how old I was, I remember having one of those autumn-colored couches with the big brown, yellow and orange flowers, velvety smooth to the touch. As kids, my brothers and I would always play behind it in the living room. We would pull it away from the wall and lie on the cool linoleum-tiled floor on hot days when we wanted a bit of privacy and relief from the heat.
To us, behind that couch could be anywhere; a “rabbit’s hole” was our favorite play place. So one hot summer day I pulled out the couch and decided to take a nap there to escape the heat and the rest of my family.
Well before my decided and self appointed nap time, I started to play a game, something much like house. I met a little girl with leaf-green skin. She looked smooth and almost shiny, like a slick green mud. She was beautiful! Her eyes were striking, though the exact color escapes me, either a light green, an icy blue or a white – and they were solid, with no pupil and no iris.
She was sweet and seemed kind of lonely. I gave her my name and asked for hers. But because this was over twenty years ago, I don’t recall it now. We talked about many things; some seemed so serious and focused, and others just seemed like silly giggly little girl things. I felt so close to her. I remember feeling like I needed to help her. And I think I remember telling her that I would help her.
Eventually she said that she must go. Before she left, she gave me something: a beautiful, big and clunky broach with big gemstones. It looked like costume jewelry.
The next thing I knew, I woke up to my parents calling my name. It turned out they had been looking for me for a while and could not find me. When I told them I was just behind the couch, they didn’t know what to think. They had already looked behind the couch.
I told my parents about the little green girl I had met and about the things we’d talked about and done. Then I showed them the piece of jewelry she’d given me; it was still in my warm hand, so there is no way it could have been just a dream. I told them about what she said and the connection the piece of jewelry gave me to her.
They didn’t like that one bit. They looked worried. My mom told me she was probably a demon and that it was Satan trying to get hold of me.
But I knew better. I have been feeling and seeing otherworldly things since before I can remember. The green girl may have had some design on me, but was it was not ill-intended.
I kept that piece of jewelry for a long time, but one day it just went missing. I looked for it diligently for many years, and then randomly as I remembered it to this day. I am certain my mom tossed it, fearing for my soul and safety.
I thought about the green girl many times. I even tried to recreate what had brought her about. But she never came back.
I still have questions for her. There is so much I want to know. But I believe I will never hear from her again.
