Northwood’s fabled theater ghost speaks out

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Victoria Ta

ALWAYS IN GOOD SPIRITS: Theater ghost Yugot Prankd happily prepares the theater for a special night of pranking before the unfortunate guests arrive for the concert.

Mihir Kulkarni, News Editor

Have you ever heard mysterious sounds coming from the upstairs bathrooms? Do you feel sudden shivers when walking by the oak? Do you slip on the stairs when they’re perfectly dry? You either haven’t gotten enough sleep or have likely been a victim of Yugot Prankd (aka Demitri), the ghost that has been haunting Northwood since its infancy. We sat down for an interview with him to catch up on how his life has changed with no students on campus.

The Howler: How has the absence of students affected your daily routine and activities?

Yugot Prankd: Well, I’ve had to find new ways to haunt students. Usually I have unfortunate summer campers to pick on, but this year I’ve been venturing off campus a bit more, and trying some new things. I cancelled SATs left and right, crashed a couple students’ online AP exams and managed to make the lines at the DMV even longer. I’ve had a difficult time reaching my quota of seven scares a day, but it’s doable with hard work.

TH: That is impressive. Tell us more about what you do at Northwood specifically.

YP: Back home, I live in the black box of the theater. You might hear some objects clanging around in the back sometimes, which is when I accidentally knock over something. My favorite place to haunt is the upstairs boys bathroom in the 1100 building. I randomly flush the toilet when nobody’s there, diligently empty all the soap dispensers, and always turn off the faucet right after someone starts it.

TH: Could you tell us about some of the Oak’s secrets?

YP: Ah yes, the Oak. It’s been here for longer than I can remember, and it’s always had some sinister powers. These days, all I see there are tables set up where students can buy this odd looking drink. There was this one time, however, where it shot out a beam of light into the sky. I could have swore I saw an alien ship, but it was gone in a flash.

TH: That’s slightly concerning. What are some of the favorite pranks that you like to pull on students?

YP: The first day of school is like Christmas for me. I usually shuffle schedules around and change the room numbers for classes. The chaos is beautiful. I also enjoy changing the names on roll lists to confuse teachers, especially substitute teachers.

TH: What are you going to do with everyone sitting at home?

YP: I can’t reveal all my plans yet, but I have been sharpening my computer skills. Don’t be surprised if your internet crashes or your Zoom background randomly starts changing on the first day of school.

TH: What advice do you have to give for any future ghosts?

YP: Make sure that you’re well-known among the phantom community. Assert your dominance and frighten them into complying with your desires. Otherwise the next time you ask for help with a prank, you might get ghosted.