This is StoryQuest. Today's story is the ghostly friend.

Long ago, when the world seemed quieter and nights were let only by stars and candles,

there stood a great monastery called St Oddo's Abbey.

Its thick stone walls kept out the wind, its bells called the Monkester Prayer,

and its halls smelled of ink, wax, and freshly baked bread.

Among the brothers lived a young monk named Brother Anselm. He was kind and

diligent, though some of the older monks teased him for always asking questions. You'll never be

silent enough for a monk, they would chuckle. But Anselm couldn't help it. His mind was curious and his heart restless.

And to make matters worse, he loved the life of a monk. And to make matters worse, as much as he

loved the life of a monk, he couldn't help but feel a little lonely at times. But what could

you do? The life was a quiet one. Well, usually quiet. One autumn evening,

after Vespers, a terrible cry echoed through the abbey. The silver cross is gone! The brothers

hurried to the chapel. On the altar altar where the gleaming cross should have stood,

there was only a bare patch of wood. This cross was no ordinary treasure. It had been gifted to

the abbey by a queen long ago. Losing it was unthinkable. No one could enter or leave the monastery

except by enormous locked doors, and those doors remained

locked.

The abbot's face was grave.

Brothers, this is a dark day.

The cross must be found.

Until then, no one leaves the abbey.

The monks murmured anxiously who could have taken it brother anselm clenched his fists

...