Have you ever thought about your death in a school bathroom? Well I never thought about it until 2012 in 5th grade. It was a regular school day. The sun was up and shining. The wind was blowing. It was a beautiful day. I was in class doing my work  until I heard my friend whisper to me from across that class.

“Hey! Psss! Elaine!!!” she whispered. I looked at her with confusion and pointed to me with a facial expression that read, “Me?” She nodded yes.

“What!?” I whispered back.

“Come see me at the ball wall at recess A.S.A.P.!” I put my hand up throwing an “Ok” sign to her.

At 9:15 the recess bell rang and the class rushed out the door. I made sure to be the last one out the door so I wouldn’t have to wait for my friend. Once I walked out the door I made my way to the ball wall and sighted my friend. I walked up to her and waved a friendly “Hi.” She gave me a friendly wave with a soft smile back. I made my way closer and asked,“What is it?”

“Want to do a challenge with me and the other girls?” She replied in a “I’m cool now” toned voice with a smirk on her face.

“What kind of challenge? Where?” I asked.

“Something … Just come see us in the girls bathroom at lunch.” She replied as she gave me a friendly smile and walked away.

In class I kept taking quick glances at her. I sort of lost focus in class while looking forward to what kind of challenge it was. I was nervous yet, excited for I did not know what was up for me.

During lunch I ate with my other friends. I slowly chewed the food that was given to me Mashed Potatoes, Fried Chicken, milk, and uneven slices of apple. I knew it wasn’t going to fulfill my hunger. I could hear my stomach growl of hunger and nervousness. It was a feeling of when you ride a roller coaster and immediately regret it.
“Hey Elaine!” my friend shouted as she tapped my shoulder. She was a talkative little 5th grader I remember.
“Hmm?” I mumbled looking up to her breaking my image of what might happen.

“Are you ok? You don’t seem to have an appetite today like you always do.”

“Oh no, I’m fine I was just wondering something.” I mumbled again replying to her question while chewing my food.

When lunch was over my table was dismissed and I rushed out the door to go find my friends. When I finally found them, I shouted from afar, “HEY!”

They all huddled up like a football team does when they have a plan. As I quickened my pace they all got up to look at me. When I reached them two of my friends grabbed me by the arm locking their grip as they forcefully dragged me to the girls bathroom.

“What are you guys doing!?” I yelled while fixing myself.

“You can’t back down on this challenge. You’re already here.” My friend said in a calm and convincing toned voice. I stood in fear and shock wondering what they had in mind. One of my friend grabbed my right wrist and another friend grabbed my left wrist. We all got connected to form a line in the girls bathroom. It felt totally all crammed up because it was just a small school bathroom with 7 girls forming a line with it.

“What the hell you guys!” I yelled as I tried to free my hands from the grip of the two girls by my side.

“I already said you can’t back down you’re already here now just stay calm and feel relaxed.” My friend said to me once again looking at me from the mirror. I stared back at her with an annoyed face and rolled my eyes to look at what was straight ahead of me, a mirror.

“Bloody Mary-” They all chanted the recipe to have the challenge start. I freaked out because they knew this was one of my fears and they still dragged me along! My mind went blank as I stood in shock feeling betrayed.
“Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary-” They kept repeating it all together as I was the only not saying the haunting recipe. You were suppose to repeat “The Woman's” name 13 times before she would be able to haunt your dreams. They all kept chanting and saying her name over and over again. Finally on the 12th time they were interrupted by the creaking noise from the second bathroom stall opening up. We all, not saying a word, stood in utter silence not trying the move a muscle.

“What the hell was that?” my friend asked trying to keep her voice still and strong.

“Shhh!” my other friend whispered.

“Who’s there!” my bigger friend shouted leaning back to see what was happening in the bathroom stall, no answer. We all once again stood in silence. The only filtered noise was the tether ball and the laughing of other kids from outside.

“Guys-” My friends couldn’t even finish her sentence before the bathroom door SLAMMED shut! As it slammed shut the chain of girls broke, they all ran out while I, frozen in fear, did not move a muscle. I realized it was too late to move a muscle, all of the girls were already out of the enchanted room and the door was already shut. I remembered that at that moment I just wanted to transport home and go back in time wishing I would have just ran out the door before they had even said “Her” name.

I stood in silence and fear not wanting to move a muscle I had wished so hard that I at least had a big blanket to cover my body so that the ghostly spirit could not touch me. After a while of standing in fear I felt a wisp of frozen breath blew behind my back but I knew that whatever was behind me wasn’t alive. It was her. I could see straight through the mirror no one was standing behind me. I felt the chills run through my body as I broke out into a cold sweat. The goosebumps ran through my whole body as I felt I was not alone. I freaked out backed away from the now haunted mirror and turned around and ran out of the bathroom which, to me, was now a portal to Hell.

When I got out of the door I ran as far as I could from the bathroom. I ran all the way to the playground which was all the way across the blacktop and away from the Girl’s Bathroom. As I tried to find my friends I heard a bell. It was the lunch bell. I walked to my class line and stayed in line patiently. When we got to class I realized all I wanted to do was go home and be in the arms of my mother, the only way I would feel safe.

After my traumatic experience I rarely went to the bathroom during class. I was horrified every time I went to the bathroom, even at my house! Every time I did go to the bathroom I would feel like someone was watching me through the mirror with bloodshot eyes, a pale white face of the dead, a white dress filled with bright red blood, and hair as dark as a night of a blackout. After 3 months, stuck in my mind of what happened that day I realized it was kind of dumb to still be afraid so I started to Man Up and go when I need to go. It doesn’t really affect me now anymore because I’ve matured up and not really be scared of that sort of stuff anymore I forgot all about it until I started writing this Auto-I but I am still ok. I learned to never ever do a challenge like that again. If someone forces you to do stuff you don’t want to do then just back away and say, “I’m good I don’t want to do it.” and then leave. Nowadays I’m still friends with some of the girls but we rarely ever bring up the situation.