Things that go bump in the... early evening
Many moons ago, my great aunt and uncle lived in an old rectory, next to a graveyard in rural Dorset.

We would go down to see an unrelated aunt and uncle in Swanage, Dorset every summer (cheap holiday, y'see) and so would go and see the great-relatives at least once while we were down there.

The first time we saw them in this old rectory, they were giving us the grand tour (the place had 20+ bedrooms, it was a fecking mansion, really) and they happened to mention that the place was haunted.

Even at my tender age of 8 or 9, I saw through this lie and even said "there's no such thing as ghosts!"

My great uncle just smiled a sly smile and said "you wait until just after 5, then you might change your mind"

So they day progressed as normal, all the old people chatted about boring stuff and me and my brother played army amongst the garvestones.

At about 5, my great uncle appeared at the gate and called us in for tea. As we ran past him, he said "you'll hear the ghost soon"

About 20 minutes later, my great uncle said "I can feel the ghost coming, everyone be quiet!" and, lo and behold, the window shutters rattled as we sat with baited breath. Nothing big, just like someone had given them a gentle shove. And my great uncle said "Welcome, stranger"

My brother and I looked at each other with wide eyes, then legged it round the house, desperate to find any other signs of this haunting.

It was only because we wouldn't shut up about it in the car back to Swanage that my dad let the cat out of the bag - the "ghost" was caused by the sonic boom of Concorde over the channel. Disapointing.
(ScousersPet, Mon 17 Sep 2012, 13:45, Reply)