It took a couple of minutes for us to settle down - we were all sorta freaked, but once we got over the initial shock, what we had seen so far was pretty cool. Shane managed a grin. "It's not like we got hurt or anything. Maybe it's just scare tactics."
Patrick frowned, but nodded. "I saw a movie where they used holograms and other special effects shit to scare people. Maybe someone wants to keep people out of this place."
If I hadn't had my buds with me I would have already beat feat out the door, but I realized they were both right. Nothing we'd seen so far couldn't be explained by some kind of special effects. But where would the effects come from, and who would go to the trouble? Then we all jumped as noises came from upstairs again. It sounded like kid's voices, and a ball being bounced on the floor. Then it faded out, like someone had turned the volume down on a TV.
Patrick looked at us, then grinned. "So, this is an orphanage, for kids, right? So if there are any ghosts they would be kid's ghosts. I'm not gonna get chased away by the spirit of some snot-nosed 6 year-old!" As he said that, we all heard laughter of a child drifting down from upstairs.
"I think the six year-old thinks you are funny!" Shane grinned, but we were all still nervous. If someone was trying to scare intruders away, they were making a good job of it. But I was too stubborn to quit now. It seemed the same for Shane and Patrick, because we heard footsteps, more laughter, faint voices, and doors opening and shutting.
The longer we stood there, the more it sounded like we were in a place populated by kids, like standing in a school. Even weirder, the faded wallpaper and paint on the walls looked brighter, less damaged, and I could almost see furniture. Did furniture have ghosts? That didn't make any sense. But when I asked Patrick and Shane, they both said they saw the same thing. Patrick actually walked over to a chair that was only a dim shadow, and tried to touch it.
Shane peered up the stairs. "Sounds like all the fun stuff is up there. You guys ready to explore? Or are we gonna let some weird sounds scare us away?"
I was still scared, but also really curious. Still, the voices and noises were really unnerving. "Maybe we should check out downstairs first. It seems quieter."
Patrick got a determined look in his eyes and headed up the stairs. "You guys can screw around down here if you want. "I'm gonna check things out!"
Shane and I had to decide if we wanted to follow Patrick up into spook central, or wait and see what he discovered.