Thursday, October 30, 2008

Ghost Story #3

All Halloween All Week

When Todd and I were first married we decided it would be best if I moved into his dingy little apartment that was 5 minutes from his work and 45 from mine. It was the upper unit of an old house that he had gotten word of thanks to a good friend whose great aunt lived downstairs. Sure I knew about the walls that would drip with moisture in the winter, the shower (that was really a former closet) that you had to stand in crunched over like a humpback so you didn't hit your head on the slanted roof, the one small closet for both of us to share, and the less than normal landlord, but I moved in anyway. Why? Because the great-aunt-less-than-normal landlord only charged $150 a month for rent. That's why! A short time there and we could save up for our first house. It was worth the sacrifice.

So even when the landlord started asking us to come downstairs and check out her house because there was a little man hiding behind her TV, or a father and daughter sitting on her bed, or a spaceship flying in the porch area, we still stayed put. We did start to get concerned when she called me at work and asked my co-worker if I could please come home and collect all of my snakes, dragons, and alligators and put them back in their cages because they were scaring her. Sure she freaked us out every once in a while but we knew she was a sweet lady who was most likely just hallucinating from not taking care of her diabetes as she should.

We put up with it all to save a few bucks and it was worth it. Until it wasn't.

Our first Christmas in the apartment I tried to decorate and make the place look as homey and cozy as possible. I put up all my snowmen and reindeer, and even put little white lights and red bows on our fern tree. One of my favorite decorations was a set of snowman candlesticks. There was a momma, a daddy, and a little kid snowman, and they all had long white candles in them. I displayed them prominently on top of the television.

Soon I discovered that just about every time I would come home from being gone for a few hours the momma snowman would be turned around facing the wall. At first I just chalked it up to big trucks driving by and vibrating the floor. Or maybe Todd had bumped it. Or maybe I just nudged it when I was watering the plants. But then after a while I would specifically put the momma in a spot where I knew she couldn't turn around and yet, sure enough, I would come home and there she was facing the wall.

Seeing as how I had told Todd all about this strange occurrence I started to wonder if he was messing around with me. Was he turning the momma around? Nope. He promised. Then there were times when Todd was with me every minute of the day and we would come home and she would be turned around so I knew he was telling the truth.

This went on for as long as I had the decorations up and I was happy to take them down a little earlier than usual that year. There were a few other strange things here and there, noises and such, but nothing that really made me want to give up that $150 in rent.

Until one night.

It started out the same as any night. We went to bed, Todd on the right hand side closest to our bedroom door and me on the left hand side closest to the windows. We gave each other a good night kiss and then rolled over both facing away from each other. We are SO not cuddly sleepers.
A few hours later I awoke to footsteps walking across the living room floor. I listened as they approached our bedroom. Being too tired to turn around and look I just assumed it was Todd coming back from the bathroom. The footsteps continued into the bedroom, to the bed, around to my side of the bed by the windows, and then stopped at the foot of the bed. That's when I felt someone sit down at the end of the bed right by my feet. My legs even fell slightly to the side toward the dip in the bed.

I was so confused. Why on earth was Todd sitting at the end of the bed? On my side? What was he doing?

"Uh, honey? What are you doing?" I asked him, annoyed that he woke me.

And from directly behind me in bed Todd said, "Huh?"

I jumped about a foot in the air nearly giving Todd a heart attack. Hearing his voice come from his side of the bed, instead of at my feet where I expected him to be, gave me the fright of my life. I grabbed onto Todd and looked at the foot of the bed and there was no one there. The sensation of someone sitting on the bed was gone just like that.

I retold Todd the story through my tears and when I was done he got up to explore our tiny apartment. Of course, no one was there. And that was it.

The next week we started looking for a new house.

(Todd was just reading this to make sure I hadn't missed anything and he said, "Oh yeah. I never really told you this but someone who had lived in that house had committed suicide in the garage in the backyard before we moved in. I guess I didn't want to freak you out." Yeah. Thanks, hon.)

31 comments:

Cassie said...

Oh my word that is freaky as hell! I can't believe he knew someone had committed suicide there and didn't tell you...I would have killed him! haha. That is really scary though. I would have started looking for a new place right away too!

Unknown said...

Oh crap that's scary!! I would have totally lost it!! And then I would have MOVED too! AHHH!!

Guess I need to go read your other stories from earlier in the week (still catching up from being gone...)

RiverPoet said...

Wow! I think I might have moved out that night.

Had something like that in the house where I spent part of my adolescence. The family who lived there before us had 2 mentally ill children (VERY ill). There's no telling what kind of bad juju was held in those walls.

Peace - D

Lee said...

This is very scary. I've met spirits but not ghosts. How very sad that someone was miserable enough to kill themselves and I'm so sorry that their spirit disturbed you. It does seem you had good motivation to move to a better place. :)

I came here after reading Ghost Story #2. Congratulations on making David's Post of the Day list.

Peace!
Lee

When I tried to submit this comment I got a weird error message. If this is a repeat I apologize.

Chris said...

HO - LY CRAP! I would have moved out that night.
You've had more than your share of the spookiness.

Mom24 said...

That's super creepy! I woke up one time in the middle of the night and could swear I saw someone floating in the air by our ceiling fan. Totally creeped me out. To this day I can't figure out what was read and what wasn't, but it sure seemed real!

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

Blegggadedgaahhh.... Don't like stories like those. They validate the creepy feelings I've had over the years...

Jessa said...

That's just creepy! I've never had a ghost sit on the end of my bed before. *shudders*

You should definitely check out the Twilight series!

Life in the Crazy Lane said...

Aack! I was chuckling to myself, imagining the crazy great-aunt wandering through your apartment. What a shocker when I read the end!

Anonymous said...

CREEPY!

Anonymous said...

That is super creepy! I would have moved out soon after too.

Kelly said...

Wow, what an awesome story! Part of me would like to have an experience like that and part of me is too chicken!!

Stephanie said...

You have way too many scary stories for one person. My goodness! This one by far freaks me out the most. Lord!! Chills again!

ewe are here said...

Ooooooh

Verrrry crreepy.

Anglophile Football Fanatic said...

I think I'd lose it if that happened. Ghosties and I do not mix well.

Anonymous said...

That is so scary! How did you ever go back to sleep?

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

Holy Crapeth! I am fairly certain I might have moved out that very night!

The Griper said...

As he comes eerily into the room he snickers as he sees all the people as they react to what he did to kat that blacken eve one night that seems just like late last night. he knows that none in here can see him. and that is the one regret that he has for what he did to himself that one day so many years past. it has made for a lonely life in this world that he made for himself.

he knows that tho he be but a spirit that just his presense can be enough to stir the air in the room. then, as he does every year at this time, his footsteps takes him to each lady, takes her hand into his and softly brushes the top of it with his cold damp lips. tis the one pleasure that be known to him. tis as if it be a reminder of all he gave up as he felt the rope tighten around his neck never to breathe of life no more.

Laura said...

HOLY CRAP!!!!!

tweetey30 said...

Yikes.. Do you mind if I add you to my blogroll?? Have happy and safe Halloween.. We dont do it because my husband wasnt brought up with it so we just ignore this small holiday...

Momisodes said...

Oh. MAH. GOODNESS!!!!
I would have peed my pants and ran to the nearest hotel! Seriously. My palms are all sweaty just reading this.

Cyndi said...

That is so creepy!

Dani said...

ooooooooooooooooo!!! Good one!!! I think I might have looked for house too!!!

Sandi McBride said...

Excellent! I mean, really excellent! You know that old thing about "build it and they'll come?" My mother used to say "believe in them and they'll visit"...from your first ghost story, I already knew you believed...I'm afraid I'm in that club, too.
Sandi
ps
thanks for the chill!

Molly's Mom said...

AAAACCCCK! I would have been packing my bags RIGHT THEN. Have you had experiences in your current house, or was that the last one?

Fire Hunt said...

$150 a month I would do it also.

Munchkins and Music said...

I think everyone at some point has lived in those apartments because of the price. I like the music on your blog! It fits the season perfect! :):)

Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional said...

OMG! So spooky. I've loved your ghost stories this week.

JEWELGIRL said...

Oooooh, totally creepy!!!!!!

scrappysue said...

what a spooky story! love, love, LOVE your blog design and the kids' photos! very seasonal and festive

Anonymous said...

I've been busy this week and had a few posts to catch up on. Wow Kat, that was CREEPY! Are you sure you want to move? Wah.

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