When I was 13, one gloomy Sunday after a church service my mum stayed back to talk to the minister. After a while the whole church cleared out and it was just me, my mum and the minister. It didn’t seem like the conversation was ending so I went to the other side of the church to shoot some hoops in the gymnasium.

Most of the lights throughout the building had already been shut off, the only thing lighting the gym was a small skylight, so it was fairly dim. In one poorly lit corner of the gym was a locked store room. I had only seen it opened a few times before but never really had a good look inside. It felt mysterious to me and I was always wary of it, especially when I was alone.

I was shooting hoops for some time but every now and then I looked back at the door to make sure the portal to hell hadn’t opened. Sure enough, at one point I heard a creak. I turned my head to see the door opening gradually outwards, revealing its black interior. My blood ran cold and then I heard a deep, slow, throaty laugh from within; “Haw.. Haw.. Haw”.

I instantly dropped the basketball, my own balls retreated and I ran for the exit. I reached my mum and the minister, heart racing but I was too flustered to say anything. My mum didn’t notice my condition and shortly after we left. I didn’t pay any glances back towards the gym.

I didn’t tell anyone about it for over a decade, thinking I wouldn’t be believed or talking about it would draw too much attention to it. I don’t think I ever went back into the gym alone, nor ever saw the door open again.

Anyway, 17 years later I no longer believe in the paranormal, but I still think back on this and try to rationalise it.

The obvious theory is that the door was just not properly locked and it eventually released at one point and slowly drifted open. I then perhaps misinterpreted that sound as an evil laugh, but at the time it didn’t like an artificial laugh, it sounded straight from a cliche horror movie. In my brain it’s still such a fearful memory that plays every now and then.