Haunted -- Part Three

Cassie rubbed her eyes looked at the clock. It read 3:09. Exactly three minutes more than what it had said the last time she looked. She resisted the urge to sigh heavily.

She glanced across the room at the desk, where Kameko was reading a book under the dim light of a desk lamp. She looked remarkably calm, Cassie reflected, for someone that was waiting for a ghost to appear.

But then, maybe she doesn't expect it to appear.
Is having me here a comfort, then?
That's nice.

Cassie had long since abandoned her own pretence at reading. It was a book on ghosts and hauntings she'd found at the library, but it really wasn't very helpful. It was very old, all about forerunners and throwing pins in boiling water when witches were after you. Probably interesting from a historical perspective, but useless to her own case.

Cassie was debating going back to her own place to at least get some sleep, but she hadn't yet decided to tell Kameko she was giving up for the night. Besides, though she felt tired, she had a sneaking suspicion that the minute she lay down she would find herself wide awake.

Might as well be awake here as there.

She stretched her legs and shifted as quietly as she could, not wanting to disturb Kameko. The bed was woefully uncomfortable, especially when you were sitting on it, rather than laying down.

It was a shame, really, that she hadn't thought to ask Kameko exactly how often she had seen the apparitions before saying she'd help. Or have her do up a journal to figure out if they only came out on full moon nights, or something. Certainly, after five hours of sitting on a dorm room bed, Cassie was losing her patience with the whole project. You can't fight a ghost that won't appear, and she wasn't up for doing this every night for a week, or a month, or however long it took to see something.

If we see something, that is.
Who's to say there's really anything here?

She looked hopefully at the bottom of Kameko's door for lights. Not the regular hallway light, but something more like the glow of a candle. They'd heard people coming and going several times, but they had all been students from the residence or their guests.

"It really is usually on Friday nights that they come," Kameko said, apologetically from the desk. Cassie looked up. Kameko had put her book down and was following Cassie's stare.

Cassie tried to flash a smile that said 'I'm-not-worried' but she had a feeling it looked rather flat and tired, much like she felt. "And you usually hear the banging noises about half an hour before they show up," she said, glancing at the clock.

"Right. That's why I'm always awake. Although," she glanced at the door. "I suppose they could wander up and down the hallway all night long without making any noise and I wouldn't know if they didn't wake me."

There was a distant thumping noise. Cassie glanced around, then raised an eyebrow at Kameko.

"No," said Kameko. "I know what that is." She and Cassie snickered and tried to make conversation to cover the noise until it stopped. Eventually they lapsed back into silence, and both went back to their books.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Cassie looked up at Kameko, whose eyes had widened. They stared at one another for a few seconds until the noise came again.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Cassie was surprised to find her heart pounding faster than usual. Three slow taps were supposed to signal a death, at least, according to her book.

Those were hardly taps, though.
It's just a banging noise.
It's just a stupid noise. Caused by...
Well, it could be caused by anything.
Shutters flapping or something.

But it did sound pretty unearthly. Hollow and loud, but like it was coming from a long distance away.

"This is what you usually hear?" She asked Kameko, who nodded. "And they don't hear it in any of the other rooms?"

Kameko shook her head. "No one that I've asked about it has even heard it." Her voice was a shaky whisper.

She looks terrified.
She looks like she wants me to do something about it.
What the hell can I do?
That's what you're here for, isn't it?
What the hell are you so scared of?
It's just a noise.

"All right then. Let's see what this is about." Cassie hopped up off the bed and grabbed the door handle. Kameko made an oddly halted gesture as if she was going to stop her, but then thought better of it. Cassie gave a reassuring grin that she didn't really feel. "Don't worry. Like you say, we have half an hour before they show up. Are you going to come with me or not?"

Kameko stared at her for a minute before nodding. Cassie noticed that she had reflexively raised her hand to her neck, as if to grab a necklace, though she wasn't wearing one. She pulled the door open.

The hallway was dimly lit and empty. Cassie felt absurdly relieved.

Well, that's what you were expecting, wasn't it?

Kameko's room had the distinction of being at the corner of the top floor of the building. The main hall ran to her door and past it, on to the back wing of the building. On one side of her room was another bedroom. On the other, there was a utility closet, then the main common room for the floor. Cassie headed for the common room first. She could see the light of the television flickering.

At least, I hope that's the light of the television.

She almost laughed out loud at the thought. Probably some student up late at night deciding that everyone else should be awake too.

I will be less than impressed if this is all some kind of stupid prank.
Wait. That makes no sense.
I'm pretty sure this is all some kind of stupid prank.
Aren't I?

The television was on in the common room, but the volume was turned down and there was no one there. Sensing that it might help Kameko, Cassie turned all of the lights in the room on, and checked the sofas a second time. Nobody hiding in dark corners. She tried to smile reassuringly.

"Nobody here, at least. Let's check that closet."

It was hard not to pause dramatically before opening the door. Kameko was close behind her, arms held awkwardly and defensively in front of her. She looked like she expected someone to jump out of it at any moment. Cassie took a deep breath. Angry at herself for her hesitation, she yanked the at the door.

For a split second, it occurred to her that the door might be locked, before it gave way and flew open. A bucket fell out, clunking onto the floor. Cassie jumped, then laughed nervously.

There was nothing in the closet except a mop and broom, and a shelving unit with some cleansers. The only lighting was a bare bulb. Cassie switched it on.

"Nothing here, then." She stepped into the closet and looked around. There was what looked like a cubby opening in the ceiling, but it was hard to tell in the dark.

Somebody crawling up there to knock on people's ceilings maybe?

Cassie looked around for a foothold, but there were none to be found. She balanced herself on one of the shelves, hoping the whole thing didn't topple over on her, and climbed up a few inches. The tops of the shelves were dusty. It didn't look like anyone had been climbing around in here recently.

So much for that idea.

"Well," she said, lowering herself back to the ground, "it doesn't look like anyone's been in here in months. Who's your neighbour on the other side?"

"Kaylee. But she's probably at her boyfriend's place tonight. She usually is on weekends."

"Well, let's knock anyway and see."

"At this time of night?"

"I'll apologize if she's asleep. Besides, someone's got to be hearing that banging aside from you."

There was no answer when they knocked on the door, though, and they couldn't hear anyone inside.

"Those...things will be here soon, I think. " Kameko whispered. Her voice was trembling and she was glancing nervously around the hallways.

"Okay, let's go back to your room then." Cassie followed her back in, looking curiously up and down the hallway as she went.

It's odd, she thought as she settled herself back on the bed in a good position to watch the door, but I haven't seen any ghosts since I've been in this dormitory. Maybe I've been overestimating how many stick around.

The minutes that followed did not pass quickly. Cassie tried to read, but couldn't. She was afraid she'd miss anything happening in the hallway. Kameko moved from chair to bed in a state of nervous agitation. They both stared at the clock, then at the door, waiting for something to happen.

After about ten minutes, they heard a clomping noise in the hallway, but it turned out to be drunken students stumbling home after an evening out. From the sounds of it, they were barely able to keep themselves on their feet. Cassie winked at Kameko, who smiled.

God. Was I ever that bad in undergrad?
Yeah. I really was.
It's a wonder I got out of it alive.

Which made her remember that she almost hadn't. She directed her attention back to the door and waited.

The minutes dragged. Cassie had managed to convince herself that the banging noises earlier had to be something completely unrelated and easily explainable when she noticed the light flickering in the door.

"That's it," Kameko whispered.

Cassie got up. "Stay here," she told Kameko, and opened the door.

What was outside was absolutely nothing like she had imagined.

"Holy Shit."

***

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