The House Down the Road
I grew up in the rural area of the Southern Tier of NYS. We lived in the boonies, on a hill with neighbors a good ways away. Our property was surrounded with farm land - growing potatoes and corn, mostly. We used to play hide & go seek in the corn field across from out house. Spooky at night.
About a mile up the road from our house was an abandoned farm house. Our parents always told us NOT to go in there, because it was falling down, so of course we went in there. Two of my four brothers used to dare me to go in, so trembling I went in. It was dark in the bright summer sun filled day, but light enough to see. My brothers leaned in the doorway and told me to go to the kitchen because they did before. The floors were rotted so I had to be careful where I put my feet. I was in the main room and looked around and saw two doorways. One led to a massive farm kitchen. The old style stove was still there (the kind you would put wood in to cook). No fridge or icebox, but the sink was a massive old farm sink. Deep & there were plates sitting in it. I saw rodent droppings on the counters and I shuddered. It was cold in there even though the outdoor temp was at least 85. I looked out the window over the sink to see the farm fields at the back of the house. The corn waving in the breeze.
I moved from the kitchen into a little "mud room" that led to the back porch. More rodent droppings and a snake slithered past. ~Shiver~ I went back through the kitchen and my brothers were still in the doorway. They said "go upstairs - we did". Bear in mind that my brothers were 6 and 3 years older than I was, but I refused to be called a chicken.
I turned towards the stairs . In the other room (second doorway on the first floor) I thought I saw a shadow move, so I headed over there. I looked in the room and there was nothing in there. I walked in to look out the windows to see if a tree or something caused the shadow, but I don't think so. My brothers called ot me to go upstairs. I turned to head out the door and I heard a thud behind me. I turned quickly, but there was nothing there to cause a thud. I hurried out of the room and headed to the stairs.
I gingerly put my foot onto the bottom stair and made sure it was sound. Then the second. My brothers taunts were ringing in my ears as I climbed slowly. All of a sudden from at the top of the stairs a laugh rang out - one of those maniacal laughs that you hear in horror movies. I froze and I heard my brother ask "what was that?" The laugh came again and I spun around to head down the few stairs I had climbed to see my brothers running up the long driveway away from the house leaving me to fend for myself. I ran. I heard the thud of feet coming down the stairs after me and I ran faster than I have ever run. Out the door and up the driveway I flew. I turned back halfway up the driveway to see if anyone was behind me and I saw the front door slam shut.
I ran all the way home and went straight to my room to write the incident down in my "story" book. A chronicle of experiences that I have had. My brothers were so scared I was going to squeal on them. I didn't and after a couple of days of them laying low things returned to normal. I never went back to the house, but whenever I would pass by in a car or on the bus I always look down towards it. And sometimes I would see or think I see a figure in an upper window.
RULES:
No politics
No judgments (no calling someone's story hogwash)
If you don't believe - don't join
All in the name of fun
RULES:
No politics
No judgments (no calling someone's story hogwash)
If you don't believe - don't join
All in the name of fun
Yes, that WAS a fun read.
She should have blackmailed her brothers after they left her to her own devices.
Looking back on it I think to myself I should have, but I was so naive as a youngster it never occurred to me.
You missed a wonderful opportunity, Veronica.
I realize that now. I cringe when I think about missed opportunities.
I thought maybe your brothers were messing with you but when they went high tailing up the road....
bunch of scaredy cats! You should have teased them about that
I would have, but they used to hit me A LOT.
Nice brothers!
Hehe - can we say dysfunctional family... my one brother is someone you do not want around young girls (if you get my meaning).
Great story !
Thank you.
I was an only child until my parents separated and divorced and then both got remarried. I was 7 when they separated. I was that weird kid that would've probably gone up those stairs and start yelling profanities at the entities. Of course, that would've been stupid of me, but at 6, 7, 8 years old, we're pretty stupid sometimes. I was pretty fearless. I suppose I still am pretty fearless... within reason.
I was never that brave.