Week 2 Story: The Ghost of Felgar Hall, Janitor, and Robber
Once upon a time, as Felgar Hall was first being built, a terrible accident happened in the basement. A concrete pillar came crashing down and a foreman was crushed. In the coming months, the construction team decided to continue on with the building process, paving over the foreman's crushed body. His body became entombed in Room 114, buried deep within the basement of Felgar Hall.
One night, as a janitor was mopping the dirty floors, he heard mumbling emanating from the door of Room 114. As he came up to the window in the door, he saw the ghost of the foreman from all those years ago. The ghost begged to be let out of his tomb that is Room 114. The Room had never been opened ever since it was sealed back all those years ago. He craved to be set free of his prison. The janitor, weary of what would happen if he set the ghost free, hesitated to open the door. The ghost assured him that no harm would befall upon him.
The janitor, still hesitant, fumbled at the doorknob and opened the door to Room 114. The ghost of the foreman emerged from his prison and seized the janitor. The ghost explained that he needed a vessel to survive in this world. The janitor pleaded to be spared as he had set the ghost free of his tomb. The ghost implored him to find pity and empathy from three other beings and would spare him if he did.
The janitor called one of the professors that he had been friends with for several years. The professor belittled him for opening the door and told the janitor he had to accept the consequences.
Slightly annoyed, the janitor phoned the director of the department, only to be met with accusations of slacking on the job and warnings to be terminated from the university.
Down to his last hope, the janitor called the dean of the college. The dean was empathic at least, but he still was of no help. He accused the janitor of opening the door without his discretion so it was not his problem.
Frustrated that he was about to be possessed by a ghost that he had been tricked by, the janitor started stumbling back towards Room 114. Out of nowhere, he heard glass shatter and footsteps coming closer. Down the stairs, the footsteps came closer and closer. Eventually, the janitor looked down the hallway and found the source of the mysterious footsteps. What appeared to be a robber looked back at him with no expression.
The robber approached him with little concern. As the robber saw the janitor's solemn face, he asked what was wrong. The janitor explained his predicament to the robber, yet the robber was still quite puzzled. The robber asked if he could tell the story again from where it had happened.
Together, the janitor and robber walked down the hall towards Room 114. The ghost of the foreman was waiting outside the door and smirked at the janitor. He asked who the robber was, to which the janitor replied that he wanted to know the story behind what had occurred only minutes before.
As the janitor was explaining the story once more, the robber was still puzzled as to who was where.
"So are you the ghost? You were in the room? Or is he the janitor?"
Frustrated with the robber's seemingly lack of intuition, the ghost of the foreman floated back into the room, explaining that he was the ghost, and he was about to possess the janitor's body to exist in this world.
With a smirk on his face, the robber shut the door to Room 114, entombing the ghost of the foreman once more. The janitor gave the robber his gratifications and went along his merry way. The robber then made his way down to Room 115...
Author's Note: When I first read this old story, I liked how the characters interacted with each other. I was fascinated with the way the plot was developed, and the suspense in the story kept me reading. I wanted to incorporate the story into something that I was more familiar with. No, I have not had encounters with a ghost yet, and I'm hoping it stays that way. However, I wanted to bring the story to life with regards to how I think it could have happened if it took place here on OU's campus. I tried to keep some the same basic plot that was already established but also adapted the story to fit my imposed setting of Felgar Hall.
Bibliography: "Tricksters: Tiger, Brahman, and Jackal" from Indian Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs with illustrations by John D. Batten (1912)
One night, as a janitor was mopping the dirty floors, he heard mumbling emanating from the door of Room 114. As he came up to the window in the door, he saw the ghost of the foreman from all those years ago. The ghost begged to be let out of his tomb that is Room 114. The Room had never been opened ever since it was sealed back all those years ago. He craved to be set free of his prison. The janitor, weary of what would happen if he set the ghost free, hesitated to open the door. The ghost assured him that no harm would befall upon him.
The janitor, still hesitant, fumbled at the doorknob and opened the door to Room 114. The ghost of the foreman emerged from his prison and seized the janitor. The ghost explained that he needed a vessel to survive in this world. The janitor pleaded to be spared as he had set the ghost free of his tomb. The ghost implored him to find pity and empathy from three other beings and would spare him if he did.
The janitor called one of the professors that he had been friends with for several years. The professor belittled him for opening the door and told the janitor he had to accept the consequences.
Slightly annoyed, the janitor phoned the director of the department, only to be met with accusations of slacking on the job and warnings to be terminated from the university.
Down to his last hope, the janitor called the dean of the college. The dean was empathic at least, but he still was of no help. He accused the janitor of opening the door without his discretion so it was not his problem.
Frustrated that he was about to be possessed by a ghost that he had been tricked by, the janitor started stumbling back towards Room 114. Out of nowhere, he heard glass shatter and footsteps coming closer. Down the stairs, the footsteps came closer and closer. Eventually, the janitor looked down the hallway and found the source of the mysterious footsteps. What appeared to be a robber looked back at him with no expression.
The robber approached him with little concern. As the robber saw the janitor's solemn face, he asked what was wrong. The janitor explained his predicament to the robber, yet the robber was still quite puzzled. The robber asked if he could tell the story again from where it had happened.
Together, the janitor and robber walked down the hall towards Room 114. The ghost of the foreman was waiting outside the door and smirked at the janitor. He asked who the robber was, to which the janitor replied that he wanted to know the story behind what had occurred only minutes before.
As the janitor was explaining the story once more, the robber was still puzzled as to who was where.
"So are you the ghost? You were in the room? Or is he the janitor?"
Frustrated with the robber's seemingly lack of intuition, the ghost of the foreman floated back into the room, explaining that he was the ghost, and he was about to possess the janitor's body to exist in this world.
With a smirk on his face, the robber shut the door to Room 114, entombing the ghost of the foreman once more. The janitor gave the robber his gratifications and went along his merry way. The robber then made his way down to Room 115...
Depiction of a Ghost - Courtesy of Newsweek
Author's Note: When I first read this old story, I liked how the characters interacted with each other. I was fascinated with the way the plot was developed, and the suspense in the story kept me reading. I wanted to incorporate the story into something that I was more familiar with. No, I have not had encounters with a ghost yet, and I'm hoping it stays that way. However, I wanted to bring the story to life with regards to how I think it could have happened if it took place here on OU's campus. I tried to keep some the same basic plot that was already established but also adapted the story to fit my imposed setting of Felgar Hall.
Bibliography: "Tricksters: Tiger, Brahman, and Jackal" from Indian Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs with illustrations by John D. Batten (1912)
Hi Jackie!
ReplyDeleteI really like this retelling because of the campus connection. I have heard a lot of ghost stories about different buildings on OU's campus from friends, and apparently we even have an "OU Ghost Tour" event during the freshmen welcome weekend every year. I heard that Ellison Hall was the most haunted; I hadn't heard about Felgar before. Have you ever been to the basement in Felgar? Is the story of the foreman true?
I sure hope not! I only chose Felgar Hall since I was always there as an engineering major. It also helped that it's one of the oldest buildings on campus so a ghost story was apt to fit well.
DeleteHi Jackie!
ReplyDeleteI love the suspense at the end! What shall commence when the robber makes his way into Room 115?!?! I really enjoyed this whole story and thought it was a fantastic way to bring the traditional story and OU's campus together. I have never been on the "OU Ghost Tour" but was literally just talking to someone about it yesterday. Maybe I'll have to check it out and see if there really is a ghost in Felgar Hall - Room 114...
Hi Jackie! This is great! I love that the trickster (the Robber) doesn't appear until the end of the story. You also do a really good job of building empathy for the Janitor through the actions of all of the people who either blow him off or blame him for his predicament. Setting the story on OU's campus was a fun element. I must admit though that I have never been in Felgar Hall (at least that I know of). Will I find anything awful in room 114? What about 115?
ReplyDelete