Standard disclaimer: I don't own the Hardy Boys. I'm just borrowing them for awhile. I would say that they belong to Franklin W. Dixon, except that I know that there is no such person. However, there is no need to go into the history of the Stratemeyer Syndicate here.
Explanation: This is a very short piece. I got to thinking about whether or not the Hardy boys ever had trouble getting to sleep in some of the creepy places they've been, and this was the result. I like it because I've experienced situations when my friends and I have provided each other with reassurance, only realizing later that we were all about equally nervous/ confused/ discouraged but not willing to admit it. I could easily see Frank and Joe being the same way. Reviews are welcome, but this is my attempt at fanfiction, so please be kind. :)
Bedtime in the Haunted Castle
Joe lay in bed with his eyes closed, desperately hoping that he would fall asleep soon. He and Frank had just settled in for their first night as guests of Duke William of Blaine Castle, and he was beginning to get the feeling that it was going to be a long night. They had come to investigate the theft of the famous portrait of the Duke's ancestor, Robert, from the castle's library. On their tour of the castle, though, Duke William insisted upon relating the history of his family to them, including the stories about the castle being haunted by Robert's ghost and some of the local legends of monsters and witchcraft. After dinner, Joe had spent some time playing with the duke's children, Becky and Tommy, in order to work off some of his nervous energy, but he was still finding it hard to sleep. It didn't help that there was a full moon tonight, which only made him think of werewolves. He didn't see any point in talking to Frank about it, either. He knew that Frank would just tell him that he was being too superstitious and that nobody over the age of 12 believed in any of these things.
Joe rolled over and glanced at his brother in the next bed. In the moonlight that came in through their bedroom window, Joe could see Frank lying there with his eyes closed, looking peaceful. Joe smiled. The sight of his calm, sensible, older brother made him feel a little better. He felt that as long as Frank was there, nothing really bad could happen. If Frank could lay there calmly and sleep, everything must be all right. Joe closed his eyes again and got comfortable. In the silence of their room, he could hear Frank breathing. It made him think of the room they shared back in Bayport. Within a few minutes, Joe drifted off to sleep.
About 15 minutes later:
Frank lay in the unfamiliar bed with his eyes closed, trying to sleep. It had been a long day, and he was tired. He and Joe had been on a long train ride before they had reached Blaine Castle. After they had arrived, Duke William, who was an old friend of their father's since their college days, had explained to them the circumstances under which a valuable painting of one of his ancestors had disappeared. He then gave them a tour of his castle, telling them stories about his ancestors and some local legends and superstitions. Frank had never believed in things like witches, ghosts and monsters, but he had to admit that the duke's stories had set him on edge. The story that had really bothered him was the one that the duke told him while Joe was busy playing with the duke's children. Duke William said that Robert, the ancestor whose portrait had been stolen, was murdered on a night with a full moon, along with his youngest brother. He had mentioned Robert's ghost to them before, but now he added that Robert was often seen on nights with full moons (like tonight), supposedly seeking their killer. People also sometimes reported hearing the cries of the brothers being murdered, begging for each other's life to be spared. That was the part of the story that disturbed Frank the most.
"Robert's probably not very happy now that his portrait is gone," the duke had joked. "The sooner we find the painting, the better."
Frank had laughed in reply, but now, in their dark room with the light of the full moon coming in through the window, he was finding it hard to sleep. However, he couldn't admit it to Joe. Frank was the elder brother, and he was supposed to be the calm and sensible one.
He opened his eyes and looked over at Joe. Joe was usually the more superstitious one, but it didn't look like the duke's stories were bothering him tonight. In the moonlight, Frank could see that Joe's eyes were closed, and he appeared to be relaxed and content. Frank smiled. Joe must have fallen asleep pretty quickly. He was probably really tired after their long trip and the time he spent playing with the duke's young children. He had raced them across the front lawn and carried them around on his back. Seeing Joe fast asleep made him feel better. As long as his brother was there, safe and sound, there was nothing to worry about. Frank settled back and closed his eyes. If Joe could sleep peacefully in this place, everything was all right. Soon, he was fast asleep himself.