I DON'T BELIEVE IN GHOSTS by Joe Whatever Rebecca Smith didn't believe in ghosts. And she didn't believe the refurbished building she had purchased for her consulting firm was haunted, no matter what the realtor said. She appreciated old buildings with history and character. This one had formerly been a reformatory, and she kept the oil painting of the stern-looking headmaster on the wall of her office. Of course she knew it had once been HIS office, and, from time to time, she felt as if the merciless, disapproving eyes in the painting were studying her... It was a good thing Rebecca didn't believe in ghosts. She had found the punishment log in a dusty closet, and had pored through it for hours: WORTH, SALLY 19 YEARS OLD OFFENSE: GUM CHEWING. PUNISHMENT: 6 STROKES OF CANE, UNDERPANTS DOWN Rebecca found the entries frightening...but fascinating. It was a good thing she didn't believe in ghosts. What better way to prove her utter contempt for ghost stories than by accepting her secretary's dare to spend Halloween night in the office? At first she felt uncomfortable, stretching out on the couch while the angry picture of the headmaster glowered down at her. But she soon fell into a deep slumber... "You're here for discipline, not a nap, you lazy, stupid girl!" Rebecca's eyes flew open. She was still in her office, and the painting was still in the appropriate spot. But the décor was now 19th century. And there was a large collection of paddles and canes hanging ominously on the wall... She looked up in stunned disbelief as the headmaster scowled down at her. "Into position, young lady!" he said, grabbing her by the ear. As she stumbled across the room, she realized that she was now wearing an agonizingly short school jumper that barely covered her white cotton panties. She tried to tug her short jumper down, but the headmaster slapped her hand. Rebecca gasped as the headmaster bent her over his desk, raised her jumper, and whisked her underpants down to her knees. ****************************** She refused to tell anyone what happened that night, but her shrewd secretary was pleased to note that her snotty boss seemed to have a great deal of trouble sitting down... Occasionally, when she was alone at night, Rebecca Smith would re-read the last entry in the dusty punishment log: SMITH, REBECCA 28 YEARS OLD OFFENSE: DISRESPECTFUL ATTITUDE, DISBELIEF IN GHOSTS PUNISHMENT: 6 STROKES OF CANE, 25 OF PADDLE, UNDERPANTS DOWN Rebecca felt her fanny tingle in anticipation as she took her sleeping bag out of the closet and prepared for another night at the office. Rebecca Smith definitely believed in ghosts. Edited by C. Lakewood © Copyright Summer, 2002