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Outside the barrow door, a ghostly figure paced in the early morning mist. It drifted to and fro, as if debating whether or not to enter the barrow and join the cheery gathering within. At last, she - it was indeed a she - gathered her courage, and tugging at her unruly chestnut curls, stepped over the barrow threshold.
A hush fell over the gathering as the figure entered, for none of the assembled guests could recall seeing her before. In the sudden silence, she glanced about the room and called, "Greetings! Though I am an unexpected guest, I hope that I shall be welcome, for I have lurked on the Downs for many years, waiting for the right time to make my introductions."
A voice called from the back of the barrow, "Why have you not joined before?"
"Ah, that is a long tale," she replied. "Let it suffice to say that the time demands of life as a soon-to-be third-year medical student are, well...demanding, and I have very few minutes left to post. Indeed, I have come today only to wish the Downs a most happy birthday, and then I must go back to studying for my final exams. Yet I hope to return to the Downs soon, for I have greatly enjoyed reading the wonderful posts here."
With that, the ghostly form drifted to a table and scribbled the name "Nichole" on a nametag. She then opened the large black case she had been carrying on her shoulder, took out a viola and joined in with the music coming from the grand piano.
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