(Information collected by the Fourth Floor, Second Corridor dorm members and collated in this book by Esme Vill)
If you’d asked us a few months back if ghosts existed, most would have said no. Now, since being at Lakegrave School, we’ve seen too many to deny such a thing.
While we’re not experts, we’ve come to quickly understand how to “hunt” ghosts (though we do not like that term, we prefer simply “find” ghosts). Although every ghost is different, there are some things that can be considered for all of them. We’ve narrowed this down to five simple points.
1. Hunt in the dark
Ghosts mostly haunt in the dark. They say, and assume, this is because they are most seen at night. An almost invisible person barely reflects against sunlight. And to be seen, is to feel more alive. Even though most ghosts are well aware that they are dead, it is lovely for them to feel as if they’re not.
2. Search places where said ghost loved
They often linger somewhere nice, somewhere they perhaps even loved. This isn’t always their favourite place and it needs to be connected to where they died (for example, within the same house and sometimes, in special cases, within the same city of their death). We are not entirely sure why this is, but we can of course guess based on the obvious. Being in-between it all (between life and passing on) is not something fun or enjoyable at all in fact, so being somewhere comforting or where they last lived, is a small relief.
3. Noises aren’t always a factor
In books and tales, moaning and groaning is always mentioned when trying to find ghosts but we have found, however, that not every ghost talks. Or makes a single sound at all, in fact. We still do not know if this is because they can’t talk or simple do not want to, but silent ghosts are rather quite common. Most of the time, we’ve had to have loud ghosts point out the quiet ones. Hopefully, wherever you are, reading this, there is more than one ghost haunting the halls.
4. If they don’t want to interact with you, they won’t
As we already talked about, some ghosts don’t talk but even the ghosts that do, don’t always want to. This could be from trauma or simply just not having the desire to, whether that’s ever or just with you. You can try to get them to warm up to you and then they may talk, but please do understand that even then, they may not want to. And you should respect that.
5. Always be kind to ghosts
It’s important to remember a ghost is a person. Not was, is. So, they should be given the same rights and same attentiveness as someone living. The reason this is such an important point is, if you are not kind and considerate of them, they will simply shut down and ignore you. Perhaps even hide from you, never to be seen again. You hope they have passed on, but they have not. And you are only making their situation worse. Always, no matter what, start kind and keep it that way.
If you keep these five simple points in mind, you should have no trouble finding and communicating with the dead. But first ask yourself, why? Why do you want to seek ghosts? For what purpose? If it’s entirely selfish reasons, I would ask you not to. But if you want to try and help them, then I applaud and appreciate your efforts.
Signed, Esme Vill
1902
Find out more about Esme Vill and the rest of Fourth Floor, Second Corridor members in LAKEGRAVE SCHOOL FOR YOUNG WOMEN out on the 9th of September 2025.
Lakegrave School for Young Women Lauren Carter
Genre: Horror, Dark Academia, Historical Fiction
Date of Publication: 9th September 2025
ISBN: 9781739376444
ASIN: B0F74BRMC3
Number of pages: 237
Word Count: 54k words
Cover Artist: Grim Poppy Designs
Tagline: Lakegrave is unlike any other school
Book Description:
Here, we do not care where you are from or who you are. We care that you are women. And we care about your minds.
Lakegrave is unlike any other school. Hidden in the mountains of Scotland, it only accepts one bright woman per specialist subject. With no teachers and no curriculum, the self-taught establishment offers its students the tools to expand their skillsets to then go onto being masters in their fields.
When Raven and her cousin Rowan are accepted, they are excited to refine their crafts and converse with fellow classmates.
That is until students go missing.
Some come back but they are not as they once were. Something is off about them.
Something is misplaced.
So when fellow student Esme wants to investigate and invites Raven to join, they uncover that there’s much more to the school than they thought with chilling secrets kept tucked away in its history. But with ghosts stirring and the cohort decreasing, will any of them make it to graduation?
Excerpt:
There
isn’t much known about Lakegrave School for Young Women due to its remote
location and it being a new school, but it is the only school in the world
known for its unique education style—it’s completely self-taught. There are no
teachers, just one headmistress. The school only invites the best and brightest
women from across the globe to study there for one year before being scouted to
go on to their dream careers. This didn’t mean smart in absolutely everything
but a genius in our own field.
That
is the other unique thing—it also only invites one person per specialist
subject.
That’s
why Rowan and I were lucky enough to be accepted. Rowan is only just old enough
to attend at one and twenty years of age; I, on the other hand, have two years
on her. Luck was also on our side when we were encouraged to pursue different
hobbies instead of the same, otherwise we wouldn’t have been accepted
concurrently.
Leading
up to the school, I can only make out the tops of the building as the hedge has
overgrown so much. It’s as if the place has been neglected over the summer, if
not over the years. Such an odd notion for a new educational establishment but,
then again, it was something else before.
I
reach the main gate and see a crest at the top. In the middle, there is a sprig
of lavender and on each side of the shield are bees facing inward. This looks
like it’s been cleaned recently.
Couldn’t
say the same for the rest of the gate.
It
looks like it once was black, but it is brown now due to the rust. I don’t want
to touch it, so I nudge it open with my elbow and shut it again once I’m in.
It’s
called a school, but it would be better off compared to a castle, just like
every other boarding school that exists. The windows stretch tall and look like
they are modelled after a church. Although it is a fairly new build, its
appearance is like it has been designed as old-fashioned on purpose, fitting in
with something from the 1600s rather than the 1800s. And it almost looks like
it’s falling apart, the brickwork cracked and turning the walls into a darker
colour rather than its usual sand. It is preposterously big for a school that
doesn’t admit too many students. There is definitely some sort of beauty to the
building but for some reason, even in the daytime, it appears a little
ominous—as if the place is lifeless. It seems as though the garden has
overtaken everything as greenery and moss is growing alongside the building. To
the west of the school there are some greenhouses and to the east of the school
is a church.
The
ground crunches as I walk up to the building. There is a huge fountain which is
bordered by the driveway on either side but appears not to work, and a huge
statue coming out from the middle of it. I’m not that knowledgeable about Greek
gods but I know it’s Aphrodite.
It
seems fitting to have her standing guard over us.
I
pause by the front door, already hearing voices coming from within, so I grip
my violin case tighter and push the double doors inwards—letting them shut me
away for the next year.
About the Author: 
Lauren (she/they) is a library assistant by day and writer by night. She is the author of WHEN THE DEMONS TAKE HOLD and YOUR DARLING DEATH. She has published several short stories including: ALIVE, JUST with The Horror Tree, THE CHILDREN OF OWL WILDS with Haunted Words Press, and THE SACRIFICES WE MAKE with Rooster Republic Press.
No comments:
Post a Comment