The Characters:
Leo: A cynical, "seen-it-all" night security guard who just wants to finish his crossword puzzles.
Maya: An aspiring paranormal investigator who scares easily but won't admit it.
Bernie: The ghost of a 1980s stand-up comedian who is stuck in the basement because his jokes are "dead on arrival."
Begin--
The fog over Laughter Lake was thick enough to chew on. Leo sat in the guard shack, staring at 14-Across: A word for impending doom (4 letters).
"Help?" he muttered, clicking his pen.
"Try 'Fate,'" a voice chirped. Leo jumped, nearly swallowing his pen. Standing there was Maya, lugging a backpack covered in "I Believe" patches and holding a thermal imaging camera.
"I'm the new recruit," she said, beaming. "Ready to bust some spirits?"
Leo sighed, looking at the rusted gates of the camp. "Kid, the only thing we're busting here is our shins on the uneven pavement. This place hasn't seen a ghost since the disco era died."
Just then, a loud, distorted "BA-DUM-TSS!" echoed from the woods. It wasn't a drum kit; it sounded like the forest itself was mocking them.
Maya gripped her camera. "Was that a rimshot?"
"Probably just a tree branch," Leo lied, his hands shaking. "A very... rhythmic tree branch."
.