Free Daisy Madigan's Paradise by Suzy Turner Page A

since she'd last seen
him. The alcohol abuse had clearly taken its toll on his looks and
his health. His once attractive clear green eyes were replaced by
dull, blood shot ones with heavy lids and deep bags beneath them.
His skin looked pale and grey and his newly grown beard and long
straggly hair were full of greying hairs.
    'I need a
drink,' he whispered, half smiling.
    Daisy shook
her head, 'No Dad... that's enough. It's been long enough. It's
time you pulled yourself together.'
    'You don't
understand, Daisy... I need it.'
    Daisy stood
her ground, 'You don't need it, Dad. It's making you ill.'
    He rushed
towards her and fell to his knees, 'I need it. I'm sorry but I do,
I need it... I need it.'
    She watched as
he begged her, his whole body shivering - not from the cold but
from his need for alcohol. Seeing him like that terrified her. She
knew he needed medical help but how could she offer him that?
    'Okay,' she
whispered. 'I'll help you but will you go back to the warmth and
try to sleep. I'll see what I can do.'
    After
agreeing, she took him back to the catacombs where she made him
curl up in her sleeping bag. It didn't take long until his eyes
were closed and he was snoring again.
    Content that
he could be left alone for a while, Daisy decided to go for a walk
through the park to clear her head, but before long she realised
she wasn't alone. A ghost had appeared. One she hadn't seen
before.
    'Hello?' she
asked the young man in the strange blue velvet jacket and
trousers.
    'Erm...
hello?' he whispered nervously back.
    'I'm
Daisy.'
    'Hello Daisy,'
he answered shyly.
    'Do you have a
name?'
    The man looked
away from her and fiddled with the buttons on his jacket. 'I, erm.
I don't know.'
    'What do you
mean, you don't know?'
    'I...I...
don't remember?'
    Oh, not again,
thought Daisy. That horrible woman had gotten to him too. As she
looked at him, she realised he looked scared, alone and incredibly
lost.
    'That's okay.
You're safe here with me. I have a really good hiding place where
you could stay for a while, if you like. At least until you feel
better, until you remember who you are?'
    The ghost
looked around, as if he was totally spooked and nodded.
    She smiled and
suggested he follow her.
    'My Dad is
sleeping down there at the moment but don't worry, you're
completely safe with him. Everything is going to be okay, alright?
I'll make sure of that,' she said warmly.
    The ghost
visibly relaxed as she showed him the way to the catacombs.
    'Its really
well hidden,' she pointed. 'You're welcome to stay there as long as
you need to, okay?'
    He nodded and
disappeared inside.
     
    oOo
    'Jack? You
there?' she asked a little later as she sat beneath the sleeping
lion wondering what to do.
    Jack appeared
instantly with a smile.
    'I take it
you've been there the whole time?'
    He nodded.
    'What should I
do? I don't know what to do?'
    Jack
approached her and placed his arm across her shoulders making her
smile.
    'I wish I
could feel that, Jack.'
    'Me too.'
    She looked at
him and asked him again, 'What am I going to do? He looks so
ill.'
    'Can you take
him to a hospital?'
    'I don't
know... will they even help him? Will they turn us away?'
    'No... they
wouldn't do that. I'm sure they'll do everything they can to help.
I'll come with you, if you like?'
    Daisy smiled
but shook her head, 'Jack,' she said, 'You made me a promise,
remember?'
    But he turned
away from her with a sigh, 'but... but... you need me more now than
ever before. You need me to help you with your dad.'
    'No Jack. Now
I'm with my dad again, its me and him. I have to help him on my
own. He's my family and it's time for you to be with yours. They're
waiting for you.'
    She thought
she saw him wipe away a tear. Can ghosts cry?
    'You know I'm
right, Jack. You have to move on, just like me. I'll be happier
knowing you are where you belong. You promised me, Jack.'
    'I know,' he
replied.
    'Are you
ready?'
    Slowly, he
looked deep into her eyes and nodded.
    'I'm ready,'
he