Chapter 3
When the trio reached the door to the attic, they paused. Carter pushed the door open an inch and stole a glance inside. Duke and Gomer hovered over his shoulder. He straightened up and brushed them aside in annoyance.
"Will you back off?" he huffed. "Now listen, I'm going up there and you two dumbbells are coming with me. We're going to find whatever it is you saw so that I can prove to you that there's a logical explanation for everything and that there ain't no such thing as ghosts!"
With that, he yanked the door open and marched up the stairs. The two privates tiptoed at his heels. When they reached the attic floor, Carter glanced around at the piles of miscellaneous objects.
"What is all this junk?" he grumbled.
Gomer and Duke hardly heard him, as they kept their gazes fixed on the empty bookshelves. Carter noticed their wary faces.
"So that's where you saw it, huh? Come on, let's go take a look." "Are you sure, Sergeant?" Gomer squeaked.
"Yeah," said Duke, "you were right. There's nothing here. So, I guess we can go back to the base now."
Carter couldn't hold back a sneer.
"What are you guys, scared? You're Marines, not schoolboys. Move it!"
Before anyone could make a move, three loud, clear bangs echoed through the attic. Everyone froze.
"What was that, Sarge?" Duke gulped.
Carter glanced about the dark room.
"I don't know," he mumbled. "It probably came from downstairs."
Gomer shook his head and huddled closer to his sergeant.
"I knew it. I knew we shouldn't have come back here. I just knew it."
"Pipe down, Pyle," Carter growled.
He again headed for the bookshelves, though more cautious than before. They had barely gone two steps when the same deep, guttural laughter from before caused the room to tremble. Carter pushed Duke and Gomer backward, staring at the ceiling. A harsh clatter from behind sounded over the laughter. All three Marines whirled around. The pile of rakes, pickaxes, and shovels had been knocked over and scattered across the wood floor. The disembodied voice let out a whoop. All eyes turned to the bookshelves where a white-robed figure flittered among the rafters.
"You know what?" Carter squeaked, "I think we should get out of here!"
With that, he shoved Duke and Gomer aside and darted for the staircase. Gomer and Duke ran hot on his heels. Once again, when they reached the safety of the floor below, they slammed the door shut and leaned against the wall, huffing and puffing from adrenaline. Finally catching his breath, Carter barked,
"Don't go up there again, neither of you! Do whatever you want, but whatever it is, stay out of that room!" That being said, he stormed down the hall, leaving Gomer and Duke to shudder in their boots.