Haunted House

 

            Ned couldn’t believe their luck. The one time he didn’t have an umbrella with him and it had started to rain. Josh insisted that they keep going since they were already halfway to Toby’s house and should still get there before it got too dark.

            The rain dripped down Ned’s back and he shifted his pack uneasily. “How much farther?” It was raining harder, and he was getting wetter and wetter. Puddles sloshed and soaked his socks as he trudged through them.

            “It’s probably at least another three miles,” Josh answered slowly. “We’ve got to get out of the rain, though, and wait this storm out.”

            Ned had thought that hiking ten miles to visit their cousin Toby had sounded fun when his brother Josh suggested it yesterday, but now he wasn’t so sure. They could stay for a day or two and go fishing together. Mom was all too happy to let them go. Both boys had made the trek several times before and there wasn’t much else for them to do since school was out. Ned thought longingly now of his cozy bed at home. He shivered as the rain soaked him through and the temperature started to drop. Even though it was still early, the day was growing dark as more clouds rolled in. He kept his eyes open for some kind of shelter where they could try to get dry. There wasn’t much out in these open grassy fields, but he saw something that made him sag in relief. “Josh! Do you see that light over there?”

            Josh looked to where Ned was pointing and saw the light shining from a window of a great, hulking house at the edge of the field. “Yeah, but isn’t that the old Morgan house? I didn’t think anyone lived there.”

            “It looks like someone moved in.” Ned shook his head to clear the rain from his eyes. “Let’s see if they’ll let us stay for a while.”

            Josh grinned at his brother. “Aren’t you worried about ghosts? Everyone says that the house is haunted.”

            A shiver went up Ned’s spine that had nothing to do with the rain. “I know what they say, but I’d rather face ghosts than die from the cold.”

            They crossed the field that was quickly becoming muddy and arrived at the doorstep of the old house a few minutes later. The relief of having a little shelter from the rain fought against Ned’s desire to run away as fast as he could from here. He was already thinking that this was a bad idea when Josh knocked and rang the doorbell.

            Deep chimes rang inside and the hair on Ned’s arms stood straight up as they waited for the owner to come to the door. After a few minutes, though, no one came and then the wind started. Being already wet and cold, the wind set both boys’ teeth chattering.

            “That’s it,” Josh said as he shivered violently. “Let’s go in. I can’t take it anymore out here.” He turned the doorknob and gently pushed the door open. It swung wide with a loud “creak,” and Ned followed his brother inside.

            “Hello!” Josh called out. “We got stuck out in the storm and we’re looking for shelter for a little while. Is anyone home?”

            The only answering sound was a steady “drip, drip, drip” as a puddle formed on the floor around Ned and Josh. A light shone from down the hall, and the boys headed toward it with Josh calling out, “Hello?” They reached a cozy sitting room where a roaring fire burned in the fireplace and filled the room with warmth. Nearly stumbling over each other to stand near the flames, Ned sighed as he felt the warmth seep into his bones.

He was just about to remove his pack when a flapping sound came from behind them. Spinning around, he noticed the large black bird standing on a perch on the other side of the room. It gave out a single “Caw!” that rang in Ned’s ears.

            “Cool!” Josh walked over to get a better look. “They have a pet crow.” He reached out to pet it, but the bird snapped at his hand and Josh jumped away. He eyed the bird with disgust. “They didn’t do a very good job of training this bird.”

            A second “Caw!” sounded out, and the boys turned to see another perch with three more black birds glaring at them. The light from the fire danced off their glossy feathers as they shuffled their wings. More caws sounded, and Ned was surprised to see that the room was now full of crows.

            “Where did they all come from?” For the first time, Ned heard the fear in Josh’s voice.

            “Let’s just get out of here!” Ned turned to go back the way they had come. Only… it wasn’t there anymore. He could no longer see any of the room around them as the crows flapped their wings and caws rang out. Ned’s voice came out a whisper as he said, “We’re trapped.”

            Josh stepped closer to his brother. “We’re just going to have to run through them to get out of here.”

            “Are you sure that’s a good idea? They keep multiplying!” The room swirled as black feathers occupied every space. Hundreds of crows stared at the two boys with what Ned was sure was malice.

            “No, but let’s go!” Josh covered his head with his arms and dove straight into the black birds. Ned quickly followed, afraid of being left behind. He kept his eyes on Josh’s pack straight ahead of him as he felt the birds come at them.

            After what seemed an eternity of wading through feathers, talons, and beaks, the boys finally found their way back to the front door and they crashed through it as they ran back toward the trail.

            With the sound of feathers and caws behind them, Ned dared to look back, and he was surprised to see that the field was completely empty. There weren’t any birds following them, and there was no house. “Hey, Josh, come here!”

            Josh’s voice answered right next to him. “What happened?” He looked over at Ned with blood on his face and hands where the crows had scratched and pecked at him. Ned knew that he couldn’t look much better.

            Without another word, the boys dashed along the trail, heedless of the rain that continued to pelt them and remind them of what they had just endured. They ran all the way to Toby’s house where their cousin was shocked at their appearance. Gasping, they told him about their experience at the old Morgan house.

            Toby’s shock turned to confusion. “But that house was destroyed by a lightning strike that burned it to the ground. It’s gone now.”

            Ned and Josh looked at each other with fear in their eyes. They knew what they had seen and been through. It seemed like that haunted house would remain haunted, even if the house no longer physically existed.

The Old Barn

 

            Laura believed in ghosts and was very superstitious. Her sister, Mary, didn’t. Mary was always trying to explain to Laura that ghosts weren’t real, but Laura didn’t believe her.

            Laura went out of her way to avoid things that she considered bad luck. Their neighbor had a black cat that freely roamed the neighborhood. Laura would always turn around and go the other way whenever she saw it. She was very careful not to step on any cracks on the sidewalk. Mary thought she was just wasting her time.

            In an effort to cure Laura of her superstitions, Mary decided that they would explore the Old Barn together. The Old Barn sat on the outskirts of town surrounded by wild, grassy fields. Most kids avoided it, because it was supposed to be haunted. Supposedly, the old owner had been murdered there and his spirit still haunted the building.

            Laura didn’t want anything to do with the Old Barn, but she agreed to come with Mary so that Mary would learn to respect the spirits of the dead. If she could get Mary to believe in ghosts, then she would stop bothering her.

            It was a cool September Saturday when they rode their bikes to the Old Barn. As they got closer, Laura spotted some crows flying above them. “Look,” she told Mary, pointing to the crows. “What better sign can you have to stay away?”

            Mary scoffed and said, “They’re just birds, Laura. Come on, let’s go check it out.” She threw her bike to the ground and ran toward the large open door.

            Laura carefully put the kickstand down and parked her bike. She walked over to join Mary.

            “Ready?” Mary asked eagerly, with a grin on her face.

            “If we must.” Laura flicked on her flashlight. The beam of light did little to dispel the darkness inside. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the dark interior. She immediately felt goosebumps erupt along her arms.

            Nothing seemed to be bothering Mary, though. With a big smile, she called out a soft, “Hello? Are there any ghosts here?”

            Laura nudged Mary and said, “Shhh!”

            Mary ignored her and said, “Come on! Let’s go check it out!” She darted around the old farm equipment scattered all over.

            Laura watched Mary’s light bob toward the other end of the barn. “Wait for me!” she cried shakily. She started to run to her sister but immediately tripped over an old coil of rope. Her flashlight skidded out of her hands and rolled away.

            “Hey, are you okay?” Mary called in concern. She walked back over to Laura and helped her up. “Be careful with all this junk in here.” She walked over to retrieve the flashlight.

            Laura was ready to leave. Even if they didn’t see any ghosts, she was already scared enough. She waited impatiently for Mary to come back with Laura’s flashlight. “What’s taking you so long? I think we should go now.” There was a distinct quaver in her voice.

            Mary finally came back and handed Laura her flashlight. “You have to come check this out!” she said excitedly. “There’s like a door to a secret room or something.” She walked back to where she had been before, expecting Laura to follow her.

            Laura huffed angrily. “I think we should just get out of here.”

            Mary didn’t seem to have heard Laura. “Come on! You have to come see this!”

            Walking carefully, Laura walked over to where Mary was. Mary shone her light on an old door handle set into the wall, but Laura couldn’t see the outline of the door because of all the dust. As she stared at it, Mary turned the door knob and pushed.

            Both girls eagerly looked inside at what appeared to be some kind of storage area. Slightly disappointed, Mary went in to check it out, and Laura reluctantly followed her. As soon as they were inside, the door slammed shut. Both girls screamed, but then Mary laughed, saying, “Good one, Laura. You scared me.”

            “I didn’t do it,” Laura whispered, her face as white as a sheet. “It must have been Farmer Johnson, the guy who was murdered here so long ago.”

            Mary rolled her eyes. “Of course it wasn’t. The wind just blew the door shut.” She reached for the handle to open the door again, but was surprised to discover that the door was locked. She rattled it hard. Some of her confidence vanished as she said, “It’s locked.” She kicked at the door, but it didn’t move.

            “We’ve disturbed Farmer Johnson’s home. Now he’s punishing us!” Laura wailed.

            “Don’t be ridiculous. This is a barn, not a house. Anyway, we just need to find another way out.” They searched the small room to find that there were no other windows or doors.

            Laura was done. She wanted out. She frantically searched the small room again. She didn’t find another door, but she did nearly trip over an axe that was leaning against the wall. “Let’s use this,” she said frantically.

            Mary raised her eyebrows but didn’t argue. “Okay, let me do it.” Laura handed her the axe and Mary started chopping at the door with all her might. The axe wasn’t sharp, and she didn’t make much progress.

            “Try a different place,” Laura suggested, feeling the panic inside that was struggling to overcome her. She pointed to a section of wall that seemed to be a darker kind of wood. “Try there,” she told her sister.

            Obediently, Mary started hacking at the section of wood that Laura pointed to. It became obvious that this part of the wall had been rotting. It immediately came apart under the blows of the axe. As soon as they had created a wide enough hole, the girls crawled through to the inside of the barn.

            Without having to consult each other, they walked back outside to their bikes and pedalled home. Because of this experience, each of the girls became firmer in her own opinion. Laura was convinced that they had somehow disturbed Farmer Johnson’s spirit and he had tried to take out his revenge on them. Mary, on the other hand, insisted that the door must have been locked the whole time. It wasn’t a ghost, just bad luck.

            Whatever had happened, both girls had come to an unspoken agreement to never talk about it again. They also never again tried to change each other’s minds about their superstitions, and they stayed far, far away from the Old Barn.

Cursed Wishes

 

            A clearing deep in the woods holds a powerful secret. It’s near a waterfall at the end of a popular hike. Hundreds of people walk by it every year without knowing why they suddenly feel chills run up and down their spine. Even animals avoid the area. It would be a perfect spot to sit and have a picnic if it wasn’t also devoid of any plant life. The stream gurgles merrily close by, but no one has stepped foot there since Elizabeth had changed everything.

            Elizabeth came 500 years ago to settle in the woods. She wasn’t what you would call normal. She preferred to live alone and practice her craft, which was magic. Having been run out of her previous home, she was looking for another. When she came to the clearing with the stream, she immediately decided to settle there. She set up a small campsite and went off to search for some food. She returned an hour later with a small rabbit which she cooked into a stew.

            She was feeling very hungry and contented with herself when she received an unwelcome visitor. A tall man stomped into the clearing, and Elizabeth nearly groaned aloud. “Hello, Albert,” she said in a guarded voice. “I thought I left everyone behind when I left. How long have you been following me?”

            Albert folded his arms as he stood just inside the clearing, studying her campsite. “I followed your trail. I have to warn anyone around here about your demon witchcraft.”

            Now Elizabeth was annoyed. “Why do you care what I do? I left your precious town, and I’m not planning on returning. Also, if you look around, there’s no one else here. Go away before I turn you into a toad.” She couldn’t actually turn him into a toad, but her statement had the desired effect.

            Albert immediately dropped his haughty posture and took a step back. “You wouldn’t!” he yelped, a definite note of fear in his voice.

            Elizabeth chuckled and said, “How would you know?” She stirred her rabbit stew and then said, “All I want is to be left alone. Why can’t you just leave me be?”

            Albert stood up straight and said, “I have to make sure that you won’t practice your evil ways.”

            Elizabeth rolled her eyes. How was she going to convince him to leave her alone? “Well, you can leave now, because it really isn’t any of your business. I left so I could be alone.” She glared pointedly at Albert. “Now it’s time for you to leave.”

            Albert glared back in defiance. “How do I know that you’ll stay here and not come back to our town?”

            Elizabeth tried to think of a way to appease the man. Suddenly, she had it. “I will make a promise that if I ever come back, I will grant you three wishes. I solemnly swear that I will never go back to live with the people who threw me out.”

            Albert looked skeptical, but the thought of having his wishes granted made him agree.

            Elizabeth immediately drew some strange symbols on the ground and muttered some magic words. She closed her eyes for a minute, and when she opened them, she said, “It is done.”

            Seemingly satisfied, Albert left and Elizabeth was left alone again. She finished her meal and got ready for sleep. She thought about how she would probably have to move her camp again tomorrow. She really didn’t want any more visitors.

            Just outside the glow of the fire’s dying light, Albert waited, crouched among a group of trees. The more he thought about Elizabeth’s promise, the more he realized that he actually wanted her to return with him. He said that magic was evil, but that didn’t stop him from wanting Elizabeth to grant his wishes. He waited silently until he heard Elizabeth’s snuffling snores. Then, he made his move.

            Albert pulled out his long neckerchief and a small length of rope that he carried in his pack. Stealthily, he crept closer to where Elizabeth lay. He held his breath, picturing exactly how he was going to do it, and then he pounced on Elizabeth. He quickly tied up her hands and feet with his rope, but before he could gag her with his neckerchief, she spat out a curse.

            “Everyone will know of your treachery!” Elizabeth hissed. “Even if you remove me from this place, there will be a curse that follows you and your family for the rest of your life!”

            Albert gagged her before she could say anything else. He might be slightly afraid of being cursed, but he still wanted to be able to make his wishes. For that to happen, he would have to take Elizabeth back to town with him. Not wanting to waste a moment, he dragged her through the trees until they came to where he had left his horse. He flung Elizabeth behind the saddle and then mounted himself.

            He rode the long miles through the darkness until he reached his home. Dismounting, Albert led the horse into the barn, and he threw Elizabeth down onto the hay. “Okay, you’re here now,” he said matter-of-factly. “I want my three wishes.”

            Elizabeth glared with hatred as she granted Albert’s wishes, which were all for wealth and prosperity. As soon as she had finished, she yelled, “Now you will also be cursed for what you’ve done to me!” With that, Elizabeth snapped her fingers, and Albert turned into a feeble, old man. She then saddled one of his many new, wished-for horses and sped off into the night.

            Elizabeth was so mad that her power flared up within her and spread outward like wildfire. When she reached her clearing, it no longer seemed like the place where she wanted to stay. She packed up all of her things back into her wagon. All the while, her hatred spread out all around her. It poisoned the foliage and made the entire area feel evil.

            Elizabeth left that night, and was never heard from or seen again. But the clearing near the stream is still barren to this day, filled with hate and darkness. Albert died soon after receiving his wishes, having only had a few months to enjoy his newfound wealth and prosperity. His family didn’t get to enjoy it either. They were shunned because of Albert’s involvement with the witch and lived out their lives in exile. To this day, none of Albert’s descendants have what you would call “good luck.” Although Elizabeth’s effects have lessened over the years, they have always shouldered the burden of a witch’s curse.