My own private haunted houseOctober 31st, 2006 @ 7:01 am
My parents moved into their house the summer between my freshman and sophomore year of college. They moved only two towns away, but in farm country that’s pretty far. The house isn’t anything fancy or special. It’s just a typical ranch house. My parents didn’t buy the house because they liked it or needed the 6 bedrooms or 2 kitchens it offered. They bought it because they liked what was outside the house. Namely the horse stalls, hay barn, acres for grazing, 52 fruit trees, private drive, and the buried trampoline.
My parents bought the house from a neighbor family that had moved out years previous. They had been renting it to a nice family who had eventually decided to buy their own house. The previous owners had kids relatively close to the age of the kids in my family, so there was a bedroom for all of us kids, with rooms to spare.
Since my sister was the youngest, she got the all pink bedroom; pink carpet, pink flowered wallpaper, pink curtains. It even had an extra large closet that was big enough to fit her dresser in it.
We were a little confused as to why this house had such a girly room. Since we knew the family who had built the house we knew they only had boys. After asking another neighbor about this we learned the original owners had a daughter but she had died a few years back from cancer. She had been 14 years old.
Understandably this freaked my little sister out a bit. Especially since she was about the same age of this girl. This dead girl who she had never met.
I choose the bedroom underneath my sister’s bedroom. Since I was college, I was only home on the weekends. I probably only stayed there a few weekends before I changed bedrooms again. The room seemed extra cold and dark. Not to mention it was dreary and moist feeling. I couldn’t put my finger on why I didn’t want to stay in the room. I just didn’t.
When I moved back home for the summer I decided I didn’t like living in the basement and moved my stuff upstairs to the bedroom next to my sister’s pink room. It just felt better to be upstairs. Plus, I felt so anti social being hidden in the basement. And that room was just…moist.
It was at this time that my sister admitted that she knew the girl who had previously lived in her bedroom. When I questioned her about this she said that the girl now lived in the bedroom below her. The bedroom that I hated because of its moisture content and all-around creepiness. Feelings that I hadn’t ever shared with any members of my family.
My sister wasn’t telling me this because she was frightened. She wasn’t telling me this to scare me. She was just matter of factly telling me that we had a ghost in our house. The ghost of a 14 year old girl. This wasn’t your typical ghost, this was a nice ghost.
My sister was so convincing that I believed her. She didn’t have anything to gain from telling me this. She was just doing that, telling me. I passed the information on to my Mom who told me she already knew this. Heck, she even believed it. For her own reasons.
My Mom proceeded to tell me of the experiences she had had in the creepy basement bedroom. The basement bedroom which had now become the storage room. She told me about the times she had been in there getting some wrapping paper or a game out and the door had slammed on its own. Or about the times she had been in the basement watching TV and had heard very distinct wailing coming from the room. Or even the time she had turned off the light when she left the room, only to have it turn back on. On its own.
This was not good.
But again, my Mom wasn’t really scared of this. She said she never got a bad feeling when she was in the room. Just a cold feeling. That could have been because, like all the other spare rooms in the house, that room wasn’t heated. Or it could be because there is a ghost in their house.
Slowly the rest of my family was told about the ghost. Basically we all believed it. We had no reason to doubt it. That is of course, my Dad. He didn’t believe. Any time we would talk of the ghost, my Dad would roll his eyes and tell us we were being over dramatic. We were smart enough to not tell our friends about it, and were repectful to not tell the original owners of the house either. I mean we weren’t 100% sure it was their daughter that was haunting the house. They hadn’t lived in the house when she passed away, so I guess it could have been someone else. We just assumed it was her. Actually, my little sister was pretty sure it was her.
(I can’t even type this without being thoroughly creeped out.)
None of us wanted to use the haunted bedroom so it became a storage room. It quickly became stuffed with our boxes full of high school reports and college memorabilia as well as all of my Mom’s Christmas decorations. The ghost didn’t like this. My Mom was always hearing banging around in the room, as if boxes were being moved. Then when she would go in there to find something, it wouldn’t be where she left it.
Again, my Dad never believed any of this. That is until one day when he was home alone in the basement. For some reason the ghost wasn’t happy that day. Maybe it was the cold weather, maybe she was mad at my Mom for going in the room earlier that day to get gift wrap. Whatever it was, the ghost was making a lot of noise. When my Mom finally got home that afternoon my Dad met her at the door. His eyes were huge and he promised to never doubt the existence of their ghost again.
I haven’t lived at my parent’s house for years. All of us kids have long since moved away. I don’t ever think of the ghost. But as soon as I’m there visiting and I walk in the room to get something, I’m immediately reminded. My stomach starts to turn and my nostrils flare.
And I get out of there as soon as possible.
I know my family can’t be the only ones to live with a ghost. So tell me, any of you ever lived in a haunted house?
They're just my family · Back in the day
Brittany
said,
October 31, 2006 at 4:01 pm
Cody’s parents live in a creepy house. It is really old and was originally underground, then someone built a second and third floor above the original house. When they bought the house, the owner told them that there are two pioneer children buried underneath the tree in the backyard, and sometimes they like to go in the house and play in the sink. He said, “if they turn the water on, just remind them to turn it off when they’re done.” Cody’s mom had several experiences with “the children,” and then about 7 years ago, she had a premature baby who died, and his spirit lingered at her house for a few months after his death. When his spirit finally left, the children left with him. Cody’s mom thinks they were waiting for him-but in the peaceful way, not the scary way.
Jessie
said,
October 31, 2006 at 4:12 pm
Dude! That’s freaky!
I haven’t ever experienced anything in any houses where I’ve lived, but Aaron always tells me about weird stuff that happened after we’ve moved out.
He used to live with his grandmother and her house is supposedly haunted. Once he went into the basement to do laundry. He was the only one home at the time. He turned on the stairway light, went down the stairs, turned on the light for the first room, walked through that room, and then turned on the light for the laundry room and started his load of laundry. He turned around to leave and the lights for the first room and the stairs had been turned off!
He also once heard someone calling his name when he was in the shower, and, thinking it was his grandmother needing something, he finished quickly, got out, and went to see what she needed - and she wasn’t home. She had been at the grocery store when he heard someone calling him.
Those are the closest experiences I’ve had, thank goodness!
Erika
said,
October 31, 2006 at 4:22 pm
No, but is it weird sometimes when Evan seems to be laughing at nothing in particular, I think it is one of his late great-grandparents entertaining him?
Jill
said,
October 31, 2006 at 4:27 pm
My father-in-law died almost two years ago and he comes around my house. He LOVED my hair and was always playing with it. Sometimes I can feel my hair moving around for no reason. Also, my youngest son was only 6 months old when he died and he knows exactly who Grandpa Bob is. He will point him out in pictures, point to a corner or the ceiling and say “bompa”. I find it comforting that he is still around since we all miss him so much. I wanted to tell you that I found lost video of my wedding and hardly recognized you. You were with all the Crest girls but you hair was a really light brown. I had to do a double take to figure out who the hell it was!
Durga
said,
October 31, 2006 at 4:30 pm
Happy Halloween!
In Aus we don’t celebrate it so there wasn’t anything special on TV or at t heshops or any decorations or anything. Sadly, the Christmas decorations are already up at the department stores.
OMGoosh that story scared me a bit.
You write so well!
It’s sad but my mum keeps telling me that my dad (who passed away 4 years ago)visited her at night a few times and that she felt him hug her real tight and woke her up. I just listen to her tell me details of teh “visit” and walk away…can’t get myself to say anything to her…I wish I could ask her if he comes wearing white clothes or coloured clothes. But, I don’t think I will be asking her that though…
In other news…I’m so sick of late nights and assignments for school…my last exam is on the 30th of Nov. I can’t wait till it’s done.
Audrey
said,
October 31, 2006 at 4:34 pm
I’ve never had any “haunted” experiences, but I know my sister-in-law would be cringing at your description of that basement room. Not so much because of the ghost thing; more because she really, really hates the word “moist.” I think she’s okay with things that are moist; she just doesn’t like the word itself. Isn’t it funny how people can hate actual words?
Anyway, I was laughing through the first half of this post every time you said the room was moist, because I knew how much my sister-in-law would be freaking out over that. But even without all the “moist” descriptions, that is a seriously creepy story.
Rachel
said,
October 31, 2006 at 5:52 pm
That’s an awesome story! I’ve never lived in a haunted house or experienced anything like it, but the whole subject really really interests me. I love watching shows about hauntings and haunted hotels and things like that.
Frema
said,
October 31, 2006 at 5:55 pm
When my parents bought the apartment building we grew up in, we were told that one of the occupants hanged himself in the closet downstairs. Good times.
Contrary
said,
October 31, 2006 at 6:25 pm
Between your story and my daughter making me watch GhostHunters Live this eveing, I have a feeling I won’t sleep very well this evening. Thanks! (mutter, mutter)
Jennifer
said,
October 31, 2006 at 7:09 pm
Thankfully I have never lived in a real haunted house, because I have to turn off Ghosthunters mid-episode every time I watch. Too scary.
Your story is incredible though. I also just finished reading The Lovely Bones, so I will be on the lookout for spirits and ghosts all over.
alyndabear
said,
October 31, 2006 at 7:32 pm
Wow Isabel. What exactly did your dad see? I’m so curious.. and slightly spooked!
Carrisa
said,
October 31, 2006 at 7:55 pm
Maybe you could invite Jennifer Love Hewitt over and she could help your parents get to the bottom of it all.
Of course Jennifer Love Hewitt is as scary if not scarier than most ghosts.
kerrianne
said,
October 31, 2006 at 8:19 pm
Aaaah! I have never, but Chris’ house back in Alabama was surely haunted. And, well, still is, as his brother still owns it and lives there. The creepiest! things would happen. Unexplainable noises, and once, his brother felt someone standing over him while he slept, and felt touched by someone that, he at the time thought was their dog, but as it turned out, the dog wasn’t even in the room. CREEPY.
Ok, this officially freaked me out. I’m such a WIMP when it comes to The Scary. * goes to hide under covers. *
Bunny
said,
October 31, 2006 at 8:25 pm
Gah! So creepy!
Judy
said,
October 31, 2006 at 8:37 pm
ewwww…..creepy! i wouldn’t have been able to live in that house; i am too freaked out about that stuff!
SJ
said,
October 31, 2006 at 9:58 pm
I think that the first house my husband and I bought had a ghost presence – there were times when we’d unexplainably get locked out of the house. Like we’d go out back to our patio and the sliding glass door would be locked when we’d try to go back inside. Had to climb through multiple windows at that house, just to get in!
Then when my husband and I sold that house are were house hunting, the house that we fell in love with and almost bought – luckily before things were a done deal, we learned that a murder had taken place in the garage – the husband killed the wife – we bailed out of the agreement and quickly resumed house hunting. I could only imagine how angry the wife was and how she’d make it be known if we were living there. Just couldn’t do it.
I’ve had several experiences with ghosts / spirits. I think that I have a lot of electric energy that attracts them. Lucky me!!!
Jennifer
said,
October 31, 2006 at 10:42 pm
I’ve always loved these stories, though I’ve always said I could never whole-heartedly believe any of them unless they actually happened to ME–even if a trusted loved one was doing the telling. Still, I’ve never wanted anything supernatural to happen to me and even told my older sister, who was very sick with cancer at the time, to please not haunt me if she died. Being an older sister, she of course snickered and said she would ABSOLUTELY haunt me if she could. Now that she’s gone, I’m always waiting for her to scare the sh*t out of me, but so far it hasn’t happened. Which is simultaneously good and very, very sad. Oh well, there’s plenty of time for her to prove me wrong!
Courtney
said,
October 31, 2006 at 10:55 pm
Growing up I’m pretty sure I had a poltergeist. I named him Repsac (Casper spelled backwards). He didn’t so much haunt as annoy. CONSTANTLY I would put something down and turn away for a second and I’d turn back and it’d be gone. And I’d be like woah!!!! And then I’d convince myself that I must have put it somewhere else and I’d look and look and look and look for it. Until FINALLY I would go nuts and scream and yell and cry and make a complete idiot of myself. And then, every time, I would go back to the original spot where I thought I left the item and viola! there is was. I hated Repsac. He followed me to college and would do the same thing to my roommates. (they were NOT fond of him either). And then one day it just sorta stopped happening. Was weird. I don’t know if I was just a total spazzy scatterbrain (entirely possible) and I just sorta cleaned up my act one day… or if I actually had some annoying little *thing* following me around, making my life difficult, and getting a kick out of watching me freak out, who one day got bored and left.
Rachael
said,
November 1, 2006 at 3:22 am
That’s so scary! Last night we had a security officer tell us all abou the different haunting on our school’s campus. It made walking back to my room a little creepy.
Lisa B
said,
November 1, 2006 at 5:59 am
My hubby and I moved a year ago from a 100-year-old house farm house. And sometimes I’d be home alone watching tv and have this overwhelming feeling that someone was in the room with me. It used to creep me out at first. But after awhile, I’d just say, ‘I know you’re in here.” And the feeling would leave. (Does that sound crazy?)
There were many times I’d put someone on the table, only to not be able to find it. Later, I’d find it upstairs or in the bathroom. After awhile, when this would happen, I’d scream, “I know you took my keys (or brush or whatever), STOP it RIGHT NOW! I’m going to get the mail, when I get back they’d better be on that table.” And there they’d be.
And at night, while in bed especially when I’d be alone, I’d often hear sweeping or I’d hear the broom fall off its hook.
So yes, I totally believe your story. Its a great one too!
MK
said,
November 1, 2006 at 5:56 pm
I have never had experiences, but your story gave me the goosebumps!
meritt
said,
November 1, 2006 at 11:00 pm
Yep - I’ve lived in 3 places that were haunted. One was our house growing up and later 2 different apartments that my husband I had. My parents home they recently moved from was haunted (I never lived there) - and it was that house that FINALLY convinced my Dad (much like your story).
We had a few things happen in our current home when we first moved in - but after about a year they seemed to have stopped. Maybe whomever it was finally accepted that a family was going to live here and ’stay’ here.
Lindsey
said,
November 2, 2006 at 1:34 am
I have never lived in a haunted house, as far as I know, but I used to work in a restaurant that also was a hotel. It was a really old building, one of those historic landmarks. Some of the staff who had worked there for a long time told me about hauntings, strange shadows and things of that nature. Sometimes I would use the bathroom on the main floor and if I was alone I would hear someone come in and it would sound like a door shutting to the stall next to me, but I never actually saw the door move. It would feel like someone else was in there but there was never anyone. It was kind of creepy. I tried to convince myself it was just my imagination or maybe it was the heater, but I am pretty sure it was a ghost. I completely believe in that stuff. Another thing…my grandfather recently moved to a new house, but the house he moved out of he lived in for years and that is where my grandmother died years ago. My mom was adopted so she is not blood related to me, but she was born on 10/16/18 and I was born 10/16/81. Even though she died when I was in 2nd grade, I have always felt a connection with her. She has never haunted me, but whenever I was in that house I swear I could feel her presence. Maybe I just wanted to feel her presence, but even when I was younger I always just had this weird feeling when I was there.
Your story creeped me out, but at the same time, I love that stuff. It makes me believe that something really does happen when we die…
angela
said,
November 2, 2006 at 4:24 am
I’ve never been haunted and now I’m beginning to wonder why the ghosts don’t like me. Is it my hair? Did I say something wrong? Do I have something in my teeth?
LaLa
said,
November 2, 2006 at 8:54 am
Yep, that is creepy. I really like the way your Mum and your sister noth KNEW about the ghost and didn’t mention it to you while you were staying in there….
velocibadgergirl
said,
November 3, 2006 at 6:26 am
GAH!! Goosebumps all over!! This story was even creepier than watching “Ghost Hunters,” which I love even though it makes me hide under the covers like a wimp after MB has fallen asleep and I’m still all scared.
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