Edward walked briskly along the avenue leading to the old farmhouse. With his new proton pack strapped to his back, he was on a mission to find a ghost.

Fearless and alone, he climbed the worn steps. The screendoor hung by one hinge. The words “Keep Out” were emblazoned on the shuttered windows.

Checking his ghost-fighting weapons, Edward turned the doorknob, brushing cobwebs aside as he stepped inside. According to legend, the owner’s wife roamed the farmhouse, searching for her murdered family.

The floorboards groaned under his footsteps. The wind whistled through a broken window pane. Eerie banging sent a chill down his spine. Yellowed sheets covering furniture loomed like spirits.

Edward’s resolve to “go it alone” was dissipating. His sister, Emma, had begged to come along, but he’d steadfastly refused. 

He inhaled sharply, coughing on the dust particles. Shadows and strange shapes toyed with his mind. Refusing to retreat, he climbed the steep staircase, one slow step at a time.

Reaching the landing, he hesitated and listened. With his weapon at the ready, he entered the first bedroom. A closet door was ajar. It creaked as he opened it, staring into the darkness.

A female voice screamed. 

A skeleton collapsed to the floor.

Edward scrambled backward, landing unceremoniously in a heap. Jumping to his feet, he raced down the stairs, afraid to look back. Fear gripped him.

A squeal of high-pitched laughter chased him. 

Emma retrieved her skeleton and chuckled,  “Hmmmph! That’ll teach Eddie to leave me behind.”