[This trip to the abandoned and supposedly haunted shack located just up the
hill was all meant to be in good fun; they’d have a field day pretending to be
experienced “ghostbusters” that would capture a spirit or two, though the only
specters they encountered would be entirely imaginary. They’d made it a
game to “catch ghosts” in their spare time, even if they weren’t actually in a
haunted area – this time around, however, Stanley had a devious plan.]
[His idea this time around was to pretend that the place genuinely was haunted.
It might be considered a bit of a cruel joke, but he’d spread fabricated evidence
around the premises that would lead his brother to conclude that something
truly insidious had occurred in the area – and, with his brother being so
gullible, it’d be relatively simple to convince him of the presence of ghosts.]
[As they entered the home, the air surrounding them instantly felt chilly. Stan,
of course, found it to be nothing more than a draft, but he could already tell that
Ford might be developing suspicions about the area. A grin plastered itself on
Stanley’s face, stifling a snicker, though he couldn’t “break character” yet.]
C’mon, Ford! This way! Or are ya scared of the cold, too?
[ Every time that Ford and Lee played the pretend-game to hunt
for spirits and ghouls, there was always a question in the back of
Ford's mind about if it were truly real. About what would happen
if they were faced with a REAL SPIRIT. Of course, in their adventures,
there never really was a ghost. It was all just imaginary. ]
[ However - this house that Lee had led him to seemed especially
SINISTER, and Ford found himself stood stock still, his flashlight
in hand, examining the area. As if the surroundings weren't enough
to spike a sense of worried curiosity in the boy, a sudden bitterness
swept the air, and he quickly glanced over toward his brother. ]
PFFT ---- I'm not scared at all!
[ A blatant lie to cover up the worry he felt. He was never going to
admit that he was on-edge due to a game of make-believe - if he
did that, he knew that Lee would NEVER let it go. Still, that didn't
stop him from remaining in close proximity to his brother to ensure
he felt safe. Better to be safe than sorry, RIGHT? ]
