College Unease

This story is fairly brief, as the incident was rather brief in itself. I am currently a 'mature' student at a college in Bedfordshire, studying Fine Art in a specialist art block. To make sure I get the best use of the studio, I often stay after normal hours to do extra work. Now the 'Art block' consists of two floors (not including the ground floor) and the studio I work in is on the top floor. Usually there is staff or a few students wandering about, but on this occasion it happened to be an open day and everyone was in the sports hall in the adjoining building. Seeing as I am classed as a mature student, the last member of staff handed me the keys to the studio, asking me to lock up the floor when I was finished.

Everything was normal for the first hour or so, I sat in the small studio with the partition wall to the large studio ajar. Concentrating on my work I put on the radio and began to sing along. Halfway through singing I heard the door to the large studio open, then footsteps walking up the side of the partition. Thinking it must be a member of staff or someone that was lost I paused my music and said 'hello'. The footsteps sounded as if they had come up to just behind the opening to the partition and stopped. So thinking I may have startled someone I popped my head round to look into the larger studio, but no one was there. Shrugging it off I put my music back on and continued with my work, but the same thing kept happening. The door would open, the footsteps would walk in my direction, then I would pop my head round and no one would be there.

It was early December at about 6pm so outside was almost pitch black and these noises were beginning to make me feel uneasy. So I decided to lock up the studio and go do some work on the large printer/photocopier at the end of the hallway. I was a little unnerved still from my experience in the studio and the floor I was on felt eerily quiet without my radio playing. So I made up my mind to photocopy just a couple more bits then go home and finish my work on Monday. But as I was photocopying my last page I heard the door at the other end of the corridor fly open and someone running up the corridor towards the double doors behind me. Nearly jumping out of my skin I spun round to see who it was, but just like in the studio no one was there.

My Grandmother always use to tell me that if a spirit is trying to scare you, you need to stand your ground, then they should stop. So fighting my urge to run I looked down the corridor and said out loud 'Can you please leave me alone, your not scaring me'. Then feeling a tad shaky I turned back to the printer, unfortunately my speaking out did not work. I suddenly heard running on the stairs, banging and the double doors behind me began to open and close a little too violently for my liking. So needless to say I grabbed my things and ran!

I have not been on that floor alone since, although my curiosity and urge to help others makes me want to return there alone to see if whatever is there needs help. I would like to know what your views are on this matter and if anyone has any advice as to whether it would be safe for me to go back there after dark and alone?

Thank you for reading.