Ichigo's internal brainstorm time! Do we *need* anything here? Do you think we could turn back and look for another exit, at the other end of the winding hallway? I don't know what's happening here, but if they can physically interact and read the books, they can see and physically interact with us, which means we probably won't be able to sneak past them just by being silent.
Our critter is an excellent judge of character, and it says this is dangerous and we shouldn't go here.
Is there another doorway or hall we could go down instead?
You consider what options you have aside from exploring this library. You’d
like to just go another way, but the only exit aside from the stairs seems to be the one you just came through, and there weren’t any side passages in the hallway; the only alternative would be to return to the prison area, and travel away in the direction the quiet monster had gone. That doesn’t seem like a better option--the ghosts are scary, but not as scary as whatever that thing was. You think.
…You pause for a few seconds, watching and listening to the library ghosts. One of them, to the right in front of a bookcase, is pacing as it walks. It doesn’t make any sound as it does so. Okay, yeah, the monster isn’t one of these ghosts, they’re
totally silent. That’s… not as comforting as you wish it were. You nervously check behind yourself to make sure there isn’t one behind you.
(Must. Resist. Shouting. "Booo!"..)
[...]
(Seriously, though, I give it about 16.6% chance that a good, willpower-filled "Booo!" might magically drive them away. And 83.4% that it'll turn everyone's attention to us, immediately skipping the doomed sneaking attempt! )
+1
The concept of "BOOO!!!" And how that would be rendered is seriously tickling my warped sense of humor.
Hehehe… That would be pretty funny, if the ghosts
did get scared and run away. Ghosts are supposed to be the ones scaring people and saying boo, not getting scared. But… yeah, it’s not a good idea. They probably wouldn’t get scared. The best you could hope for would be
no reaction, really. And maybe the reaction would be suddenly dogpiling yourself before ripping your soul out. Ugh, yeah, you have to take this seriously…
Allison squeezes your hand, and you turn back to look at her. Them. Whatever.
“Are you okay, Miss Kitty?” The right head, the shy one, quietly asks. They both look up at you worriedly.
Put a finger to our mouth and indicate to Allison that we have to be entirely quiet. Hold her hand firmly and reassuringly as we go.
Silently and unobtrusively cross the room to the exit up the stairway, never coming close to or standing in the path of a ghostly figure.
5. +1 to getting the hell out of here (and doing so in such a way as to avoid being detected).
You
immediately shush them, and whisper that they have to be
entirely quiet. And then you add, slightly quieter, that they shouldn’t even whisper. The two turn towards each other, sharing a look that you can’t divine the meaning of, then they nod obediently. You stare at them for a few more seconds, trying to decide if you need to say more, or if that would just be even stupider after you told them not to say anything.
dash across as quick as you can. We shouldn't stay in this room any longer than we absolutely have to.
Tired of being paranoid-persona, lemmie do something different...
Courage! Just get across as quickly as possible without contact, and up the steps.
…Bah! They’re fine! You start walking towards the stairs, gritting your teeth as you listen to Allison’s quiet footsteps right behind you. They’re very quiet, almost as quiet as your own, but in the silence of this place they’re as crisp and clear as a bell. You are
very aware of how much you stick out here, and just try to not think about it as you walk past the ghost. And keep an eye on the nearest ghost, just in case it tries something.
It seems lost in thought, just standing there and thinking. It’s not still, it’s restlessly shifting back and forth, but it doesn’t seem to notice you. You creep past, keeping your eyes on it, until… it turns, looking back up at you. You freeze, your mind suddenly overrun with a feeling of impending doom, knowing this terrible monster is about to rip your soul out of your eyes. It raises its hand towards you and--
…Just gives you a friendly wave. You blink a couple times, confused, and not sure what to do. Suddenly it occurs to you that it might be interacting with
another ghost behind you, and you turn around to look!
Aaaand see nothing. Just Allison, raising her free hand to wave back. You quickly look back at the waving ghost, but it’s not coming closer, or doing anything threatening at all. Just giving a friendly wave.