# Between the Lights explained — Ghost Stories > Chapter companion for Ghost Stories by E. F. Benson. ## What happens On a snowy Christmas Eve, the narrator and a group of friends gather in a dimly lit room for hide-and-seek. Everard Chandler recounts a terrifying experience from the previous year: while sitting on the croquet lawn, he had a vision of the lawn shrinking and walls closing in, which later came true when he stumbled into a circular stone enclosure with a small, foul-smelling figure. He describes the lingering horror and despair that haunted him for months, leading him to seek help from his wife and doctor, and eventually to a stalk in the Scottish Highlands where the vision was fulfilled. ## Themes in this chapter ### Fear and Terror The chapter explores the psychological terror of Everard's vision and the lingering dread that consumes him. ### Psychology of Dreams and Perception Everard's experience blurs the line between dream, hallucination, and reality, and he questions his own sanity. ### Folklore and Superstition The story touches on second sight and the legend of Gavon's Eve, linking the vision to local folklore. ## Character check-ins ### Everard Tells the central ghost story about his vision and its fulfillment. ### Unknown Narrator The first-person narrator who listens to Everard's story and reflects on the atmosphere. ### Mrs. Chandler Everard's wife, who laughs at his fears and is present during the storytelling. ## Key lines > I saw something which had no relation to you and her⁠—at least I hope not. Everard implies that his vision was unrelated to the croquet players, suggesting a supernatural origin. _Highlights the disconnection between the mundane scene and the horrific vision._ > The whole of my nine months’ terror came back to me, for I saw that the vision in the garden was fulfilled. Everard realizes that the terrifying scene he envisioned on the lawn has now become real. _Climactic moment where the dream is fulfilled in reality._ > It was no good my telling myself that I was disquieting myself in vain, for it was as if something had actually entered into my very soul, as if some seed of horror had been planted there. Everard cannot rationalize away the horror; it feels like an invasive force within him. _Illustrates the psychological depth of the fear theme._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/ghost_stories_se/chapters/between-the-lights - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/ghost_stories_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/ghost_stories_se/chapters