Monday, October 27, 2008

Ghost Story #1

All Halloween All Week


It wasn't a dark and stormy night. I wasn't all alone. It happened on a night not unlike any other night in my house when I was growing up.


I was about 10 years old. I had begrudgingly gotten ready for bed, brushed my teeth, gotten into my pajamas, and headed back downstairs to say goodnight to my parents one more time. Okay, if I'm being honest, I really went down there to stall. My 16 year old sister, and roommate, didn't have to go to bed until much later and I really pushed it every night trying to get my folks to let me stay up later and later. No such luck this night. They gave me kisses and the standard, "Goodnight. God bless you. I love you."s were exchanged and defeatedly I went upstairs to my bedroom.


I crawled into my twin sized bed and pulled the cream comforter with pink flowers up around me. I turned on the old fashioned clock radio for some sweet, soothing music to help lull me to sleep. I turned the knob on the side of the clock and watched as the needled slid back and forth on the faceplate with the orange backlight glowing. Jackpot! I found one of my favorite songs. I reached for the light on the bedside table and snapped it off, turned over to face the wall, and snuggled down in my bed thinking about my grade school crush as Huey Lewis sang "Happy to be Stuck With You".


Just as my crush was about to ask me to dance the music on the radio got fuzzy. Great! Way to ruin my fantasy! Stupid static! Stupid radio!


I turned back over to face the clock radio hoping to adjust the station a bit, and I froze. From the orangey glow of the clock I saw the needle moving back and forth on the faceplate and the knob on the side was slowly turning. I couldn't move. I couldn't look away. I just watched as the needle went back and forth, back and forth, up and down the faceplate, all the while going in and out of static and music. Finally it came to a stop.


I jumped out of bed and ran down the hallway, flew down the stairs, and jumped onto the couch where my mom and sister were watching TV. They immediately new something was wrong just from the sheer speed at which I burst into the room. Never mind the look on my face.


I whimpered as I retold my story to my mom, dad, and sister. My mom tried to think of things to calm me. Perhaps I had just fallen asleep and dreamt it. Dad thought that maybe my eyes (and ears?) were playing tricks on me. For once my sister backed me up. Maybe it was the look in my eyes, or maybe it was the fact that she knew I hadn't even been in my room long enough to fall asleep when it happened. Either way, they believed me enough to let me stay up later that night. At least until my sister was ready for bed.

When my sister and I finally went to bed later that night we put the clock radio down on the floor so that we couldn't see it, and we didn't listen to music to help us fall asleep. And for the first time in a long time I asked, "Anne? Can I sleep in your bed tonight?"


(On a side note: I had only fuzzy memories of this up until a few years ago. Todd and I were watching some kind of television show about hauntings. On it they had almost the same scenario play out with a clock radio that looked JUST LIKE MINE growing up, but it had a green backlight instead of orange. When I saw the needle moving on that clock radio on the television I immediately teared up. The tears just started rolling down my face. I wasn't sad or even that scared. I almost felt like I was reliving it again. So bizarre!
So anyway. That is Ghost Story Number 1. But trust me. They get scarier. Stay tuned tomorrow for another freaky ghost story!)

31 comments:

Beck said...

Spooooooky!
And we have the same idea for this week's posts - I can't wait to read all of your ghost stories!

Rebecca Ramsey said...

Oooh. Weird!
Ghost stories are so much fun!

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

Shuddering... I had a vision once of a dead marathon runner racing alongside my car. I nearly crashed because of it...

David Ebright said...

Ghost Stories - One of my favorite things, 'specially since I live in a very haunted city. Your story was very well told - I'll stop by & check out your follow ups. By the way - your upper midwest weather is killin' me. How do ya stand this cold? And it ain't even cold yet!!! (I'm in Chicago 'til sometime in December). You have a very cool blog. Keep up the good work.

Anglophile Football Fanatic said...

I totally love this idea. I think people woudl never believe mine - but there is one I'll email to you b/c it is actually a feel good one. And, do you think living by the cemetery has anything to do with your activity?

Anonymous said...

VERY freaky. Love your new blog look, BTW

Anonymous said...

Great but creepy story. I wish I had some good stories, then again -- maybe not!

Anonymous said...

That was a spooky story! Nothing like that has ever happened to me. I'm looking forward to your week of stories.

Kat said...

Tracey- WHAT? I think I would have crashed my car for sure. Freaky!!!
AFF- Post it too! I'm sure everyone would love to hear it. People like a good ghost story. :)

Scrappy said...

Crazy! I don't think I could have slept in that room for a long time.

Cyndi said...

That would be really scary! Can't wait for the rest of the stories...keep em comin!

Sass n Scrap Designs said...

Do you have a little girl you'd like to give the onesie to or would you like us to choose another winner? Whatever you decide to do is fine. :) Great blog by the way. :)

david mcmahon said...

We feel your fear, Kathryn. There is a brief ghost encounter in my forthcoming novel, too!

Robyn said...

freaky. I don't think I've ever had a ghost experience.

ewe are here said...

Very creepy... and a great halloween story!

Kellan said...

How creepy - eeeek! Fun to hear your ghost stories, though!

Take care - Kellan

Dani said...

Very cute idea to tell ghost stories the week of Halloween!!! I think we all have a scary story or two to share!!! I wish I was that creative!!! Can't wait to see what you will have for tomorrow!!!

Anonymous said...

Wow that is definitely spooky!I love a good ghost story!!!

Mc Allen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mc Allen said...

DaNg anD tHat MUSiC, made me feel like somthing was about to happen!!!! ....eakkkkkk. I loved it,Yer goood!! Leah

Rachel said...

Oooooo -- I don't know if I can handle scarier than this!

Molly's Mom said...

Cuh-reepy! I got chills just reading that!!

Momisodes said...

Whoa.

I would have pee'd. my. pants.

You poor thing. I would have cried!

p.s. Reading this while watching Paranormal State.

Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional said...

Oh, I love it! I'll be glued to your blog all week. Love the background too!

CissaLynn said...

OMG!!! That is soooooo freaky!!!! Your story reminded me of my childhood 'cause I, too, shared a room w/my sister! Lots of good, funny, memories!!! :))
Looking forward to ghost story #2.
Oh, and I love your template! It looks great!!! :)

Anonymous said...

Over from David's with intrigue. I just wrote a little ghost story too, but of course, it's in the air. Hey, and I recognize some people here hanging around in this room!

Jill said...

Wow... you are a great story teller!! That's definitely spooky!

Hilary said...

Very well told.. I think.. no, I know I'm going to like these stories.

Anonymous said...

I love it! Typical source of energy.

CJ xx

Stephanie said...

Okay, that seriously gave me chills! I get scared very easily. And then when I was almost done, your music on the blog started playing Exorcist and freaked me out! Eeeek!

Chris said...

We had a clock -- not digital -- that would mysteriously jump an hour ahead, and then two, (we would never fix it because we're just lazy -- and by "we" I mean "me"). Then it would suddenly be an hour behind, and then one day it would be right again. We were living in a 100 year old house at the time. I'm not sure if it was anything or not.

Words To Live By

Be grateful for each new day.
A new day that you have never lived before.
Twenty-four new, fresh, unexplored hours to use usefully and profitably.
We can squander, neglect, or use them.
Life will be richer or poorer by the way we use today.
Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could;
some blunders and absurdities crept in;
forget them as soon as you can.
Tomorrow is a new day.
You shall begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be
encumbered with your old nonsense.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson