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"Let's make one thing clear," the Doctor said. "I don't believe in ghosts."
His voice echoed down the dark hallway, boots creaking on the ancient wooden boards. Apart from his echo there was not a sound in reply, but he knew something was listening.
"It's not for lack of desire, mind you."
He produced the sonic glasses from his coat, putting them on and swiveling in a full circle in place. The glasses told him nothing he didn't already know. The hallway was empty, but something was watching.
"Ghosts are a wonderful idea. It's why every species comes up with them. Why not take our fear of death and our longing for our loved ones and merge them into one beautiful, saddening, terrifying creature? Besides, something has to be making those bumps in the night."
He felt in the air with one hand. He felt nothing... but something at the same time. There was a coldness here that was quite distinct from the chill of the storm outside.
"Sadly, like any good myth, mystery, or religion, it's simply too good to be true."
He made as though to open one of the side doors of the hallway, but suddenly turned around to face the creature that sought to seize this opportunity to sneak up behind him.
The spectral face of a little girl greeted him. It smiled warmly. Every tooth showed.
The Doctor smiled back. More teeth showed. "I don't believe in ghosts, because I'm a realist. I know that the things that go bump in the night are so much worse."
The phantom lunged forward with its jaws unhinged. A crack of lightning shook the house from the outside, and a ghastly shriek echoed from every corridor.
The Doctor started running. There was no such thing as ghosts, but an exorcism could be performed by anyone with the right know-how.
And he was that someone.