Haunted House Tales

by Riley Amitrani

  “Excuse me?” Amanda said.

  “Yes Dear?” The librarian looked at her, but didn't give her the same warm smile as when they first met.

  “You told me that you had every edition of the newspaper here.”

  “Yes, that’s correct.” She said.

  “But there are a few missing from 1959.”

  “No there can’t be, we have every copy on file.”

  “Are you sure?” Amanda asked. “Look, I really need some information on where I am staying, Prescott house is really strange.”

  “Perhaps some things are better left in the past.” The librarian said, voice raised. “And maybe Prescott House isn’t the best place for three young girls to be staying.”

  “What do you mean by that?” Amanda said, shocked at her sudden change of tone.

  “All I meant was-” The librarian smiled. “-Perhaps you girls should go find somewhere else to study, rather than a big lonely house.”

  Amanda realised that she wasn’t going to get anywhere. She said goodbye to the librarian and left. She headed back to her Mini and sat in the driver’s seat. She didn't start the car, but sat there instead, pondering what to do next. She thought back to the library and the missing newspapers. The librarian seemed adamant that there were no missing issues. Was she lying? It didn’t seem likely that the old woman would lie, what would be the point. Had someone taken them? But what would someone want with some old newspapers? Amanda sat there going through it in her mind. Then she thought back to the conversation she had with the librarian. She had told her that Prescott House wasn’t the place for three girls, but how had she known there were three of them? Amanda hadn’t specified how many friends she was with. Someone must have told the librarian about her. Amanda worked out where the missing papers could be. She got out of the car and headed back into the town.

  It didn’t take Amanda long to find Forest Town Estate Agents. She realised that she would have walked past the estate agency earlier on her way to the library. She marched up to the front door. Inside she could see Mr Beateman sitting at the desk closest to the window. He wasn't looking out of the window, he was deep in a phone conversation. She walked into the estate agency and sat down in front of his desk. He looked momentarily surprised when he saw her. Then he smiled.

  “Do you mind if I call you back?” He said into the phone. “Someone has just come in whom I need to speak to.” He hung up the phone, stood up and shook her hand. “Amanda, I’m surprised to see you. What can I help you with?” He sat down and gave her another big smile.

  “Oh, I’m just in town and thought I would stop by.” Amanda said. “I don't know anyone in town and wanted to say hello… oh and my father said that I needed to come in to collect some paperwork from you.”

  His brow furrowed. “Paperwork? That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

  “He was quite insistent that it needed to be done.”

  “Well, maybe I should just check.” He picked up the phone and called a number. He looked around a corner, the phone ringing in an adjoining office. He reluctantly hung up the phone. “Excuse me, I will just go and check.” He got up from the desk and quickly walked out back. Amanda nonchalantly picked up a sales brochure to flick through. When she was sure he had left the room, she jumped up. She headed around the side of his desk and pulled open the drawers. Then she flicked through the papers on his desk. She pulled the chair out from under the desk and found what she was looking for. On the floor was a plastic bag full of the missing newspapers. Amanda picked it up and headed to the door.

  “Where are you going?” Amanda was stopped by Mr Beateman’s voice as he came back into the room. Amanda turned around and looked at him. He looked afraid.

  “Why did you take these newspapers?” She asked.

  After a long pause he spoke. “I have an interest in local history.”

  “Rubbish. You’re trying to hide something from me.” Amanda said. “You couldn’t get out of the house fast enough the other day. You took these papers so I wouldn’t see them.”

  He started walking towards her. “Perhaps some things are better left unread. Please give me the papers.”

  “No chance.” Amanda swung open the door and went out onto the street. She started walking quickly back to her car. She looked behind her, he was standing outside the door, watching her but not following. Amanda got to the car and locked the door behind her. She looked around. Mr Beateman wasn’t in sight. Amanda poured the newspapers out onto the passenger seat and picked up the first one. Her hands trembled as she read the headline. 11th September 1959- Man Murders Wife Before Committing Suicide. She started to read the article, knowing what she would find. The bodies of Martin Prescott and Sally Prescott, his wife, were discovered yesterday morning. Their two daughters are yet to be found, but are presumed to be dead. A police investigation is ongoing, but evidence so far points to a murder suicide. Amanda stopped reading. This is what Mr Beateman was hiding from her. Amanda sat in the car, reading through all the papers detailing the murders. Martin Prescott had lost his job a couple of months before he killed himself, having lost his mother earlier the same year. The reporter suspected that was what drove him to the act. The people of the town regarded the Prescott’s as a normal family. They attended social functions and their girls did well at school. 18th September 1959 Children’s Bodies still Missing This time there was a picture of two little girls on the front cover. The black and white picture showed them dressed in their school uniform. Amanda turned the page. There was a picture of the killer. He was smiling and a smartly dressed in a suit and hat. The article said that the reporter had discovered more about the couple’s background. Martin Prescott was deep in debt from illegal gambling. Friends of his wife had said that they were going through marital difficulties. Amanda read through all the papers, astounded at what she had discovered. No matter how much the people of the town wanted to bury this house’s history, the house had other ideas.

  Incantations

  By the time Amanda returned to Prescott house, it was late afternoon. When she got in, Kim and Gemma were sitting at the desk, pouring over their books and notes.

  “Amanda? Where have you been?” Kim asked when she saw her. “We thought you had walked out on us.” Kim looked annoyed at her presence, and Gemma looked like she would rather be anywhere else than in this room.

  “I’m sorry.” Amanda responded. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”

  “Worry us? We were glad to get some revision done without any theatrics.” Kim said.

  “Theatrics?” Amanda was angry. “Do you think I made this all up? I have seen things. There is something not right about this house.”

  “No, Amanda, there is something not right with you.” Kim said.

  Amanda got the bag of newspapers and emptied them out onto the table.

  “What are these?” Gemma said, confused.

  “Proof that this isn’t all in my head. Something bad happened here. A family was murdered years ago. They must be haunting this place or something. That would explain why so many strange things keep happening.”

  “It doesn’t prove anything.” Kim said.

  “A family was murdered? How awful.” Gemma said. She looked at one of the papers. “The father murdered his own wife and children.” She went quiet. Kim’s eyes turned to the headline on the article 25th September 1959- More Details Released of Murders.

  Kim picked up the paper and glanced over the article. “This happened in this house?”

  Amanda nodded. “I was at the library all morning looking through old papers. When I returned from my lunch, Mr Beateman had taken these papers so I wouldn’t see them. I found them in a bag in his estate agency.”

  “Why would he take these papers?” Gemma wondered out loud, picking one up.

  Amanda sat down. “To keep this from us.” Amanda said. “Maybe he knows that the place is haunted and he wants to keep it a secret.”

  “This is a
ll sounding a bit far-fetched, Amanda.” Kim said. “But something bad did happen here. It explains why no one wants to buy the house.”

  “The current owners, they stayed here for one night and never returned.” Gemma said.

  “That’s right,” said Kim. “Isn’t that strange. Maybe they saw something, too.”

  “Do you believe me then?” Amanda said, relieved that she wasn’t still being mistaken for a mad woman.

  “Maybe I do believe you. In which case, we need to do something to discover who is haunting this place, and to stop it.”

  “Wait. We came here to study; this is getting too creepy now. Let’s just leave.” Gemma said.

  “No.” Said Kim. “I have an idea.” She smiled at Amanda, in a way that didn't reassure her, it made her feel quite uneasy.

  It was night time. They sat in a circle facing each other, illuminated by the light of numerous candles placed around the room. Amanda stifled a sneeze, her nose irritated by the strong smell of incense in the room. She felt uneasy, yet looking at Kim and Gemma they looked deadly serious. On a table between them was a Ouija board. Amanda hadn’t thought Kim would be the type to be into this sort of thing. But it had been her idea to try this. The Ouija board was made from a plank of wood from the garden. The figures drawn on with marker pens they had bought for making revision notes. The planchette was fashioned from a small piece of wood. Amanda sat at one side of the board, Kim and Gemma opposite. They each rested two fingers on the planchette, ready to see if they could communicate with a spirit.

  “I call thee, restless sprit in this house and ask you to come forward. Is there anybody there?” Kim incanted. Amanda looked at her. She was deadly serious in her intent. While she watched, she felt the wood beneath her hands begin to move.

  YES.

  Amanda gasped. Although it was she who first thought there was a presence in this house, she was frightened by one now communicating. Gemma and Kim looked at each other in mirrored shock.

  “Who are you?” Kim asked. The piece gradually started to move to the letters on the board.

  M A R T I N.

  “Martin- that’s the man’s name.” Amanda said. “I told you two that-”

  “Ssh!” Kim silenced Amanda.

  “Kim, I’m starting to think this isn’t such a good idea.” Gemma said, looking scared.

  “We can’t stop part way through. We need to finish this now that we have started.” Kim said. Gemma was quiet. “What happened to you and your family?” Kim continued.

  The wood started to move slowly across the board.

  T H E Y A R E A L L D E A D

  “Did you kill them?”

  Y E S

  “Why are you still here?”

  I C A N T R E S T

  “Can’t rest until what?”

  The spirit didn’t answer, instead the board launched itself against the wall. The girls all screamed. Amanda jumped up and turned the living room lights on.

  “What did you do that for? The spirit is probably loose in the house now because of you.” Kim said.

  “I didn’t do it.” Amanda said.

  “I’ve had enough Kim. I don’t think that was a good idea.” Gemma said.

  Amanda got up and started to blow out the candles. “I told you something was in this house, but you didn't listen.”

  “Be quiet!” Kim shouted. “Did anyone hear a noise?”

  “What noise?” Amanda said. She stood in silence.

  “There! I heard it too.” Gemma said.

  “Let’s see what it is.” Amanda said.

  Gemma shook her head. “You two go, I’m staying here.

  Amanda and Kim went out into the hallway, Amanda leading. “I think the sound came from the kitchen.” Kim whispered. They went into the kitchen. It was empty.

  “What noise did you hear?” Amanda asked Kim.

  “It was the sound of a woman crying.” Kim whispered. They went into the dining room next, it was empty. Finally, they tried the study. Amanda went in first. As she stepped in, a gust of wind slammed the door shut behind her. Kim was left outside.

  “Kim?” Amanda cried. She tried the door, it had locked shut behind her.

  “Amanda are you ok? I can't open the door.” Kim replied.

  Amanda tried the light switch but it didn't work. She was in total darkness. As she opened her mouth to speak to Kim, she heard the sound of a woman crying, coming from the corner of the room.

  “Hello?” Amanda said. The crying stopped and became manic laughter. Amanda ran to the window. But with the room lights off and the absence of any street lights outside in the forest, she struggled to see where she was going. She kept her hands outstretched as she went. She could hear heavy breathing and footsteps behind her. She reached the window and tried to open it. It was locked.

  “Help!” She screamed. “Help me!” She felt someone grab her from behind and pull her onto the floor. The door flew open and the light came on. Kim ran into the room, laughing. Amanda looked at who had grabbed her, it wasn’t a spirit, it was Gemma. She had let go of her and was sitting on the floor laughing so hard she couldn’t speak for a moment.

  “I can’t believe you fell for the séance and now for this.” Kim said. “When are you going to let this ghost rubbish go?”

  “Y-you did this?” Amanda said, still on the floor. “You tricked me with a fake séance?”

  Kim held her hands in the air as if she was evoking a spirit “Come to me oh dead man and kill us all.” She chanted in a deep voice, and started laughing again.

  “Oh come on, Amanda.” Gemma said, her usual meekness gone. “You are going all The Shining on us. Either that or you are really trying to sabotage our studies. And I will not fail because of you.”

  Amanda sat on the floor and started sobbing, clutching her legs into herself.

  “Oh give it a rest, Amanda. Stop playing the victim.” Kim said. “You’re the one who brought us here, now let us study in peace.”

  “I just can’t believe that you would trick me like that.” Amanda said.

  Amanda was looking forward to getting a good night’s sleep. It has been a long day. Discovering that the two girls who she considered friends, could be so mean had been a shock. She reached her room, turned on the light and shut the door behind her. When she turned around she fell against the door in shock. On the wall was a message written in blood, which dripped down the wall onto the floor and had soaked the white bed sheets through. The blood-scrawled message read You’re Next. Amanda fell to the floor in a heap. She tried to reach up to grab the door handle, but she felt too weak. She finally got the strength to stand; grabbed the door handle and got into the hallway, shutting the door behind her. She ran down the stairs to find Gemma and Kim sitting in the living room talking.

  “That’s it. I’ve had enough now. How many more pranks are you going to pull on me?” Amanda said, close to tears. “You ruined the bedroom wall as well. My father is going to be so mad.”

  “We didn't do anything to your bedroom.” Kim said.

  “There’s blood all over the wall.” Amanda wailed.

  “Rubbish. We were just upstairs and there is nothing.” Kim said. “It’s all in your head.”

  “Go look and see for yourselves!” Amanda shouted.

  They all went upstairs, Kim and Gemma entering the bedroom first. There was no blood. The bedroom was as Amanda had left it that morning, from the clean walls to the unmade bed. It wasn’t Kim and Gemma playing another prank, it was the house. Amanda composed herself. She turned around and smiled at them.

  “See, you're not the only ones who can play tricks?” Amanda said. “I had you there, didn’t I?” Amanda covered it up well, but inside she knew that there was still something bad within the house.

  Beyond the Echoes

  Amanda woke up with a start. She looked at the time on her clock. It was 12:35. Again. She had no idea why she kept waking up at this time, but she knew
she had to work out why. She got up, turned the light on and put on her clothes. She headed downstairs to the kitchen and made herself a cup of coffee. Then she headed to the study to have a better look around. Although the house had been renovated by the current owner, the books in the study looked old enough to have been left by the Prescott’s. Amanda went into the study. The large desk was set up for the studying, thanks to Kim and Gemma the previous day. She looked at the books on the table marked with colour-coded post it notes. On the desk in front of Gemma’s seat were pages of neatly written notes. Amanda looked through them. They were obviously the result of much hard work. Amanda felt a pang of jealously, the past few days Amanda had been putting so much effort into working out the mystery of this house that her revision had fallen by the wayside. She pushed those feelings aside and set to work. She started going through the bookcase book by book. She wasn’t sure what she was looking for, but felt sure she may find a clue to the hauntings and to the bodies of the missing girls. Looking through the bookcases, she found no clues; just book upon book of history, geography, politics. Martin must have been a clever man. Pieces of antique furniture decorated the room, which Amanda had previously overlooked. Amanda noticed what she assumed to be a drinks cabinet. She opened the doors to find empty glass bottles. It was as if no one had touched it in fifty years. There was also a brown wooden box. Amanda opened it, it was a cigar box which contained just two cigars. Amanda took one out and smelled it, it still had a faint tobacco smell. She put it back in the box, closed it and placed it back in the cabinet. As she placed it, she heard the noise of something metal jangling inside. She opened the cigar box again and noticed a small silver key hidden in the space under the cigars. She took it out. Amanda remembered the desk in the study having a locked drawer. She went to the desk and tried the key. It fitted. Amanda pulled open the drawer. Much to her disappointment it was empty, apart from a sheet of folded paper. Amanda pulled it out and looked at the back of the drawer.