BROWN STREET GHOST STORY The events in this story took place in No. 2 Brown St.

, ri ht in the centre o! town. That place was always "#sy what with seven o! #s livin there "#t when the Easter holi$ays ca%e alon an$ everyone else went ho%e & $eci$e$ to stay on, likin %y own co%pany an$ a "it o! peace an$ '#iet. & sho#l$ tell yo# now that it was a three(storey terrace$ ho#se, an$ that No. ) was $erelict. The la$s tol$ %e a"o#t a st#$ent who*$ h#n hi%sel! in that ho#se an$ that the ra!ters were still visi"le where he*$ torn away the plaster to e+pose the "ea%s. One $ay we %ana e$ to et in over the wall an$ thro# h a win$ow an$ s#re eno# h, in one o! the roo%s on the secon$ !loor there was a section o! ceilin a"o#t a !oot s'#are where the "ea%s were e+pose$. &t was o$$ tho# h, that there were no stairs to "e !o#n$ to the thir$ !loor an$ %y atte%pt to o #p there is another story alto ether. ,nyway, the !irst ni ht & was in the ho#se "y %ysel! in %y roo% on the thir$ !loor & was listenin to %#sic an$ & "e an to hear th#%pin so#n$s. & wasn*t s#re what was ca#sin the% so & went "ack $ownstairs, t#rnin on all the li hts as & went "eca#se & tho# ht it %#st "e one or %ore o! the la$s co%e "ack - ho%e havin $one their hea$ or hea$s in. No. Nothin . Not thinkin %#ch o! it & strolle$ "ack #p the stairs to %y roo%. ,s soon as & ot settle$ on the "e$ with %y "ook & co#l$ hear it a ain. Only this ti%e the th#%pin see%e$ a little %ore re #lar - it so#n$e$ like so%eone on the stairs. & co#l$n*t tell whether they were oin #p or $own. ,n$ & knew there was no one in No. ), which was where %y roo% "acke$ onto. & ot #p a ain, only this ti%e & $i$n*t o $ownstairs. /#st hollere$ the na%es o! %y ho#se%ates !ro% the lan$in on the top !loor. No one answere$. & $eci$e$ as it was late eno# h & was oin to sleep0 it %#st /#st "e an ol$ ho#se creakin in its "ones or so%ethin was oin on so%ewhere o! which & was #naware. 1ayli ht ca%e an$ the ho#se was /#st as it always was when everyone was there, only '#iet, no stereos or sho#ts !ro% one !loor to another a"o#t what was oin on that ni ht or $o yo# have %y No 2eans No tape or will yo# pick #s #p a !la on o! 1evil*s Bit3 & ha$n*t starte$ writin yet tho# h %y roo%%ate Ro""ie wrote - "#t & was a voracio#s rea$er an$ was only $eli hte$ to et the chance to rea$ novels at one sittin , or lyin $own & sho#l$ say, it was %#ch %ore co%!orta"le. Ni ht ca%e a ain an$ so $i$ the noises. This ti%e they were %ore $istinct - it was so%eone oin #p an$ $own the stairs, $oors were openin an$ closin at the han$ o! so%eone who sho#l$n*t "e there. Now & was scare$, it was eno# h that & co#l$ hear the !ootsteps r#nnin closer to %e "#t with the $oors oin as well & $i$n*t know when %y "e$roo% $oor wo#l$ !ly open. So & ra""e$ the !lashli ht &*$ pil!ere$ !ro% %y trip ne+t $oor an$ %a$e %y way to 4ohn*s roo% where & knew there was a 4apanese short swor$. &*$ watche$ eno# h cri%e $ra%as at

that sta e to know how to hol$ a !lashli ht an$ weapon pointe$ !orwar$, sweepin every roo% on each !loor o! the ho#se - workin %y way $own, lookin !or tro#"le. ,n$ !o#n$ nothin . & "ro# ht the swor$ to "e$ with %e that ni ht. Ne+t $ay & %ove$ whatever !oo$ & ha$ in the ho#se #p to %y roo%, alon with the %ilk an$ kettle. &*$ ha$ the piss taken o#t o! %e "y 1ave !or "#yin pow$ere$ %ilk 5with all the cows in the co#ntry36 "#t & was la$ & $i$. There was no way & was oin $ownstairs a ain later that ni ht. & %a$e s#re, as & always $i$, that the !ront an$ "ack $oor were locke$ an$ every win$ow was close$. Every internal $oor was close$ too. &t was worse than "e!ore, $oors $i$n*t /#st open an$ close - they sla%%e$. 7ootsteps on the stairs were at a r#nnin pace, th#%pin heavy on every "oar$, an$ there was & with the !lashli ht "esi$e %e, savin the "atteries, ettin #p occasionally to !ace the $oor with the swor$ in %y han$. ,!ter a co#ple o! ho#rs o! that & co#l$n*t take any%ore so & hoppe$ #p an$ ran to the lan$in an$ & know it*s a clich8 "#t the air t#rne$ "l#e !or the ne+t ten %in#tes or so. & c#rse$ whatever was %akin those noises, swore that & $i$n*t care i! it was in hell or p#r atory or so%ewhere else "#t that & wasn*t "#$ in an$ that i! it ha$n*t "een to hell then it co#l$ o there !or all & care$. &n !act, & was wishin it there "eca#se & was not leavin . ,n$ it stoppe$. Ne+t $ay, 1ave $roppe$ in, not e+pectin anyone to "e there 5the ho#se was not one where there were ro#p $isc#ssions o! %in#tiae s#ch as where everyone was oin at all ti%es - %#ch easier than that6. He hear$ the stereo !ro% $ownstairs an$ won$ere$ who was in the ho#se. There was &, lookin ro# h, eyes #ttere$ an$ !ace pale, startle$ "y the $oor openin "y a han$ other than %ine. & was s#rprise$ - then a little e%"arrasse$ as &*$ helpe$ %ysel! to a whole loa$ o! his tapes witho#t askin !irst. He $i$n*t see% to %in$, a $ecent sort tho# h & $on*t have a cl#e what he*s #p to now, %ore concerne$ a"o#t the state he*$ !o#n$ %e in, an$ s#re & co#l$*ve one to his place !or the holi$ays i! &*$ nowhere else to o. That wasn*t it - & aske$ hi% i! he ha$ any hash !or &*$ never !elt the nee$ !or that partic#lar $#llin o! conscio#sness as %#ch as & $i$ then. & wasn*t tro#"le$ in that ho#se ever a ain "y anythin like what &*$ e+perience$ over those !ew ni hts "#t that wasn*t the en$ o! it - the last occ#rre$ on a "ri ht $ay in 2ay, near the en$ o! that 9aca$e%ic* year. & was seate$ on the win$owsill "y the thir$ !loor lan$in , s%okin a rollie an$ soakin #p the s#n, leanin o#t o! the win$ow to catch the li ht an$ & notice$ so%eone walkin !ro% one roo% to the other. Now, when & say so%eone, & %ean that & saw the lowest part o! so%eone - a pair o! "lack 1oc "oots an$ !a$e$(to( rey /eans - walk into Stevo an$ 4a%es*s roo%. That*s all & saw. No one co#l$ have ot past %e, !or i! yo# take the lan$in as a narrow cr#ci!or%, the win$ow was to the le!t, the stairs to

"ehin$ %e, the la$s* roo% to the ri ht an$ %ysel! an$ Ro""ie*s roo% to the top - there was no other e+it past %e. & knew Ro""ie was away an$ calle$ o#t the others* na%es. No response. & p#she$ their $oor open, looke$ in an$ saw no one. & know there*s so%e wo#l$ say &*% an aw!#l liar, /#st "eca#se &*% a writer an$ can 9%ake a story cre$i"le*. To the% & say, &*% a poet, not a novelist or short story writer an$ pre!er !act to !iction. B#t & tell yo# this, &*% la$ we*re in a new ho#se in a new estate an$ the secon$ "a"y 5"y now6 isn*t lookin at so%ethin that & can*t see "#t can !eel, /#st "y the hairs pricklin %y ar% or the te%perat#re !allin "esi$e %e.