Spook had become trapped as a ghost when he tripped, and fell from the sky, trying to get to the afterlife. He found an abandoned mansion, settled there and had been alone ever since.
However, his mansion was previously owned by the infinitely rich Cuthbert-Simon-Arthur Challing, and when he passed away, many precious artefacts were left abandoned. This drew many explorers and treasure hunters to the mansion. Explorers like Jane Hart.
Jane was an extremely intrepid explorer. Her first expedition was finding the Loch Ness monster. She was ten at the time.
Jane was at the mansion looking for clues to explain why other treasure hunters always ran away from the old place. She stood at the rotten front door. It creaked as she opened it and stepped into the dusty hallway.
Spook was disturbed from his book as the front door creaked. A tall figure stood in the doorway. Spook was instantly terrified. I have to scare her away before she gets me, he thought.
Books suddenly flew over the stair railings. They landed on and around Jane. She batted the books aside, pushing onward. Most people would think twice after just that, thought Jane as she sprinted through an open doorway leading to the drawing room.
Spook sank through the floor and saw Jane in the drawing room. He snuck up on her and shouted, “BOO!” in a spooky voice. Jane just stared at him. “Go away! Or I will make you… err… blue?” Spook said. He was not good at this scaring stuff. People usually just ran away when he did the book trick. I’ll just throw some pencils at her, decided Spook. He opened fire. Jane left the drawing room and headed for the library. I’ve found out what I came for, thought Jane, but I need to teach this ghost a lesson. And pick up the Peacock Emerald along the way. She searched the tables and bookshelves for the emerald, but couldn’t find it anywhere.
Spook had retreated upstairs and was watching Jane from one of the raised reading wings. I have to finish this, thought Spook. A plan began to form in his head.
Spook sank through the floor and knocked over a bookshelf. He scooped up the fallen books and began throwing them at Jane once again. In return, she started to rummage through her backpack. Eventually, Jane threw her bag on the floor, holding her water bottle in the air triumphantly. Spook zoomed away – a little known weakness in ghosts was water. It stunned them. Spook had been defeated once before, and it was by water. He weaved around the bookshelves, avoiding any splashes of the liquid. All of a sudden, Jane snuck up behind him. She threw the water all over him. The ghost squealed and fell to the ground. “First of all, who are you?” asked Jane.
“I was a human, like you,” gasped Spook, “but then I died and fell on my way to the afterlife. I found this mansion, and decided to call it home”.
“I asked you for your name, not your story, ghost,” scowled Jane.
“My name was John Cane, now it is Spook,” replied Spook. His energy was returning. Jane and Spook kept talking. The conversation gradually became friendlier and friendlier until Jane decided it was time to go home. “It’s been nice meeting you, Spook,” Jane began, “but I have to go home. The sun will set soon and this place is miles away from anywhere, and, by the looks of it, this mansion has no accommodation fit for a living human. Goodbye, Spook”. Jane got up and repacked her rucksack. “Goodbye, Jane,” Spook said sadly, “I suppose that you will take the Peacock Emerald with you”. Jane shook her head. “I’ve learnt something from this adventure; sometimes it’s best to leave things as they are,” Jane said softly. Her boots echoed on the hard floor as she walked away. Spook gazed out of the library window, seeing a better world form out there.
By Max
