This was one of our favorite sleep-over stories and someone had to tell it whenever a new friend was in the sleep-over group.
A young couple, Mike and Jill, bought an old mansion even though they were warned that it was haunted and unusual noises were heard during the night. The young couple wanted to make it into a bed and breakfast and the price was right for them.
One evening it was dark and cloudy and the wind was moaning through the trees and suddenly the power went off. They would have been left in total darkness except for the cheery fire in the fireplace so they felt quite cozy. Jill found some candles, put them in holders and lit them for more light.
They were gazing dreamily into the fire when they both heard a very faint, “Wrap! Wrap! Wrap!”
“It's got to be the trees hitting the house in the wind,” said Mike.
As they sat there, they again heard, “Wrap! Wrap! Wrap!,” this time a bit louder.
Suddenly, there was a flash of lightning, rain poured down in torrents, tree branches scraped at the window like bony fingers and then a loud, KA-BOOM! of thunder rolled over the house. Again, they heard, “Wrap! Wrap! Wrap!” This time much louder.
“I'm going to find out what that is,” exclaimed Mike, as he picked up a candle in a holder.
“Don't you leave me here alone,” cried Jill as she tucked her arm into his. “I'm going with you.”
They tiptoed around the first floor, peering into rooms and closets, under things, everywhere, and the rapping got louder and louder. “Wrap! Wrap! Wrap!” “Wrap! Wrap! Wrap!”
Up the rickety, creaking stairs they slowly crept, Mike holding the sputtering candle aloft. “Wrap! Wrap! Wrap!” It pounded in their ears as they explored the second floor.
One more flight of stairs. The wavering candle light made moving shadows on the walls as they moved around the third floor. “Wrap! Wrap! Wrap!” “Wrap! Wrap! Wrap!” “Wrap! Wrap! Wrap!”
Now the noise was deafeningly loud. It sounded like it was coming from overhead. Peering up at the ceiling, they saw the pull for the attic stairs. It sounded like the noise was coming from the attic.
Gingerly, Mike pulled down the folding attic stairs and together Mike and Jill tremulously stepped up into the attic. Cobwebs hung down in dusty strands and intermittently behind blowing clouds a little moonlight shown through the dusty attic window.
“Wrap! Wrap! Wrap!” “Wrap! Wrap! Wrap!” “Wrap! Wrap! Wrap!” “Wrap! Wrap! Wrap!” “Wrap! Wrap! Wrap!” The noise was frantic and overwhelming.
Mike held up the guttering candle, the noise sounded like it was coming from a closet across the attic. Mike and Jill slowly crept to the closet and gingerly, Jill took hold of the handle on the closet door while holding tightly to Mike's free hand. Just as she started to pull open the door the candle went out. The only light they had was faint moonlight behind shreds of blowing dark clouds.
“WRAP! WRAP! WRAP!” “WRAP! WRAP! WRAP!” “WRAP! WRAP! WRAP!” “WRAP! WRAP! WRAP!” The noise was deafening.
Jill yanked open the door. Sudden silence surrounded them. A flash of lightning lightened the room. Then they could hear the TV. The power had come back on. A dangling light cord hit Jill in the face and she gave it a yank. Luckily the bulb was still good and it pierced the gloom in the attic.
They fearfully peered into the closet and to their great astonishment they saw
A huge roll of wrapping paper