In 1968, I was enrolled in a large college in central Florida when they first opened (Unfortunately I can't say which open due to legal issues). There I studied electrical mechanics. If I wasn't in the provided "state of the art" labs of the time, I was in the library reviewing new scholarly publications and scientific theories. I was dedicated to discover something great.
During my time the library caught on fire which shook my world. I had to find elsewhere to study. After about two months the library reopened just before finals. It was at this time I did what I said I was going to do. I discovered something great but it wasn't exactly what I intended to find.
It all happened one night only a few weeks before graduation when I was finishing my defense for my thesis that I encountered something unworldly. I was sitting in my usual space on the third floor when I felt someone watching me from the bookshelves. Each time I would look up but find no one in the direction I thought. After a while I said enough was enough and went into one of the private study rooms to make sure I had silence.
There I locked the door and even closed the blinds to be undisturbed. But that was not the case. At first I would hear knocking on the walls. I just ignored them because I thought they were some first years getting restless with finals. Then the lights in the room turned off. This wouldn't be a big deal since Florida has a lot of severe storms and many a times the electricity would go out. The only difference this time is that I could see that the rest of the library was well lit. I stood up to notify a librarian but I felt like someone pushed me down back into my chair. I sat there frightened and then heard a faint whisper say "Leave." You can imagine I was out of there faster than I would be to come to the library.
I must admit I didn't really believe any of this, being a scientific guy, but it wasn't until I found a article in our school's archive that I was drove to being a believer.
The article read:
March 31, 1971. A few months before the first 3 year program graduating class would walk across the stage a chain of fires broke out around campuses. The fires were speculated to originate around the green spaces of the campus but quickly engulfed nearby buildings. One of these buildings was the campus's first building, the library. Scarring the pitch black skies with the untamable brilliance of the fire, the entire campus stood in amazement wondering what could have occurred.
It wasn't until a few hours later, when the smoke was cleared, that the investigators found any evidence of foul play. There near the fountain amongst the rumble was a body. At first the investigators suspected it to only be an unlucky passerby that was struck by the collapsing structure but further evidence proved that the individual was indeed at the site of the fire as well with several burns on their body to the point that they were unrecognizable any longer. Due to the inconclusive nature of the incident, the case of the mysterious library jumper has been left unexplained. Though some students and faculty believe that the Jumper's ghost haunts the library.
It was good that I was graduating because I never stepped foot in the library again. But ever since that day I must admit that I have been interested in the supernatural. If anyone else has any further stories about the same ghost please let me know.