Haunted House Tales

by Riley Amitrani

  “So you do know about this place and its…how shall I put this…unfortunate past?” Marilyn asked.

  “Hard to not know, Marilyn…” Jack added. “Anyone who has lived in Suffolk any amount of time is well aware of Harmony House and its history. It’s one of those things kids get told when young by older kids trying to freak them out.”

  Marilyn just nodded working hard to keep her smile plastered on her face. One the one hand she just wanted to get rid of this property. She had let her ego take over when she had taken on the listing sure she could do what no one else had done…but the reality of Harmony House had set in over time and she had gotten a cold dose of why it had been empty for so long. On the other hand, she was feeling that having very motivated clients in Arianne and Jack, who knew all about the place, apparently, might dig into her profit of a sale. She had put a lot of time and energy and money into getting Harmony House presentable again. Perhaps, she thought to herself it might be better to just not worry about her financial investment on the place and just be rid of the property once and for all.

  “Shall we go in then?” Marilyn asked as she motioned them to the front door.

  Jack and Arianne nodded eagerly and followed Marilyn to the small porch that led to the front door as the realtor disengaged the lockbox and let them all inside. Despite its reputation as a haunted house, Jack and Arianne were impressed as they walked in. The entrance was small but well-cared for as they peered around. The wood floors shone with a gleam from an apparent recent refinishing and polish. They moved further inside as Marilyn closed the door behind them and she remained quiet as she allowed them to take in all the work she had done to bring the place back from the brink she had found it in when she had taken on the listing. Marilyn had found over the years that all the yammering and talk from most realtors as they tried to promote properties once on site with clients was unproductive…sometimes even would kill a deal.

  She had developed this style of letting clients just be when showing houses, being available to answer questions, but mostly just letting them look around on their own without tagging along as they went from room to room. To Marilyn, she tried to put herself in the clients’ shoes and for sure she knew she would find the standard realtor tactic annoying. She stood back in the foyer and waited to gauge Jack and Arianne’s initial impressions. She had gotten good at picking up on clients’ vibes in her career and immediately she could see they were loving what they saw.

  “Tell you what…” Marilyn said, “I’ve got some calls to return. Go ahead and look around and I’ll catch up with you. If you have questions I’ll be right over there.”

  She motioned to a small side room just off to the right from the foyer. Jack and Arianne nodded and began to explore as Marilyn moved away. The design of the lower floor was as simple as the exterior had been, with two side rooms on either side of twin corridors that moved from the foyer past a short, but wide staircase. Overall, the house seemed solid, but as the marketing material on the house had shown, it needed a lot of TLC. Marilyn had been very upfront with them about what needed to yet be done to make the place really homey. Some of that included things they could not readily see, but as to the aesthetic and surface improvement needed, these were things Jack and Arianne knew they could take care of themselves. Jack’s father knew electricians and plumbers who could take on the remaining hidden issues, that Marilyn had neglected to attend to, he was sure.

  The twin corridors met again just behind the staircase and flowed into a large kitchen at the rear of the house. It was basic, but at least functional. The appliances, though dated, would be fine for them for now. Arianne, though, pictured in her mind how they could upgrade this room once their business flourished. The large window over the sink gave a magnificent view of the river and the small backyard was framed nicely with mature oak and maple trees. They returned to find Marilyn still bent over her phone in apparent conversation as they ascended the stairs to explore the upper level. Marilyn relaxed and smiled as she watched them go upstairs and set her phone aside, no longer having to pretend she was working on other deals.

  As they reached the upper level, Arianne turned to Jack and whispered, so Marilyn would not hear her:

  “Can you feel that?”

  “Feel what?” Jack whispered back.

  “It’s like this palpable energy. And not so nice, if you get my drift…”

  Jack stood still and concentrated with all his might, but he was not sure what Arianne was talking about. His overall sense of the place was just an old house that had been vacant for some time. It was perhaps a bit cold and maybe even giving him the creeps a little…reminding him of all the stories of Harmony House that he had heard when he was just a little kid. But whatever this negative energy was that Arianne was referring to was beyond his grasp.

  “Sorry, Ari…I’m just not feeling it…”

  She nodded, knowing this was more of a thing she was keyed into than Jack. She had not really expected him to sense it, but it was so strong to her that it was like an actual physical pressure everywhere she walked in the house, pushing in on her skin. And as they had come upstairs, the sensations and feeling she was picking up had gotten even stronger. This place had not disappointed Arianne at all. Everything that she had read and all the stories she had heard of Harmony House were feeling real as she stood in the hallway with Jack. There was no doubt in her mind that this was going to be an ideal place for them to launch their ghost hunting business.

  Though she did not need to see any more of the house, Arianne toured the rest of the upper level with Jack trailing behind her as they stuck their heads into the several bedrooms and the lone bath at the end of the hallway, merely as an obligatory concession to Marilyn. The more they explored, the greater the negative energy that Arianne was feeling grew. She was going to just give all the rooms a quick look, but something about the bathroom made her linger. There were two bedrooms on the left side of the hall, connected by an inner door, and a single bedroom off to the right. The bath was just beyond them and Arianne eased open the door which creaked on hinges that needed oil. At first glance, it was just a simple bath, a sink on the left near the rear with a magnificent old clawfoot tub to the right. The tiling and walls would need work, but otherwise, it was unremarkable.

  However, just as Arianne turned to leave, a cold draft moved through the bathroom making her shiver. This was odd, as the single window next to the sink was closed, and besides, it was a warm and balmy day outside. Arianne wrapped her arms about her chest and shoulders and did a double-take as she looked into the mirror. It was fleeting, but she was sure she had seen the image of an old man in tattered clothes from a bygone era leering back at her in the mirror over the sink. When she looked again, it was gone and the temperature of the bathroom suddenly returned to the warm and stuffy one it had had when she had initially entered.

  Arianne stood still and stared into the mirror, but all she saw was her own reflection. Jack came up behind her to see what was so interesting and Arianne jumped with surprise and shock as Jack’s face was in the mirror as well. She uttered a small gasp.

  “Sorry, Ari…” Jack whispered. “Did not mean to startle you. What’s so intriguing?”

  Arianne thought for a few seconds about whether or not to fill Jack in on what she had seen but decided to just let it go. There was nothing here now, and quite frankly she was not sure if what she had seen had been real or if her imagination had gotten the best of her based on the old house’s legacy.

  “Nothing…just wanted to take a closer look that’s all…”

  Jack turned and went back to the hall. Arianne took one more look into the mirror, but it was just her own face and nothing more. She shook her head and joined Jack at the top of the stairs.

  “What do you think, Ari?” Jack whispered as they began their descent.

  “I think we have hit gold here, Jack. Let’s go see Marilyn…”

  Harmony House: The Waiting Game

  Suffolk, Virgini
a

  June 25, 1998, 2 PM

  After taking to Marilyn after their tour of the house, Jack and Arianne found out they had been the first to really show a serious interest in the place in many years. After what she had picked up on and that possible vision in the bathroom, Arianne was not surprised at all. If it had not been for their ultimate goal of looking for a truly haunted house in which to lay a foundation for their new business idea, Arianne was sure the old Harmony House would have spooked her as well making her as hesitant to take up residence there as the rest of Suffolk and the surrounding towns. Just to cement their position, though, Jack and Arianne grilled Marilyn so they could at least justify to her that they had a strong bargaining position.

  Marilyn looked up from her spot on the sofa in the room where she had gone as Jack and Arianne appeared in the doorway.

  “Any questions?” she asked as she motioned for them to take seats in the chairs nearby.

  “A few…” Jack replied.

  “Shoot…” Marilyn said with trepidation.

  “After looking around, we can tell the place needs an overall facelift. But we knew that from you before we got here. It’s nothing we can’t take care of.”

  Marilyn felt better hearing that. The combination of work the place needed plus its’ past was what had put off many inquiries. In fact, the two put together had prevented even one other superficial inquiry from anyone wanting to even take a first-hand look. She smiled, but it was forced at best.

  “You also indicated that some more wiring and some plumbing would be needed, right?” Arianne asked.

  Marilyn nodded.

  “Absolutely. It is an old place and unfortunately, some of the outdated infrastructure was not kept up to date. I can recommend some good people for that.”

  “Not necessary…” Jack replied. “You know my Dad over at Minson Auto Repair?”

  Marilyn nodded again.

  “We already spoke with him and he has arranged for a couple guys in this area to help us out of we decide on buying. He’s doing a trade with them for a couple of their service trucks that need mechanical work.”

  “Fair enough…” she said, as her smile waned knowing she had lost referral fees to her contractors.

  “Marilyn…” Arianne interjected, “We are interested, but one last question.”

  “Sure…”

  “How much serious interest has there been in the house?”

  Marilyn felt her heart sink yet again, but she knew at this point that there was no use in trying to sugar-coat the situation or to try and create a scenario that did not exist. These two, despite their youth and what she had incorrectly assumed as being too green to have a grasp on buying real estate, had evidently done their homework. She would never lie to a client, but she had, she had to admit to herself, from time to time, spun a tale or two to promote a less than desirable property. In this case, she knew this would be wasted energy.

  “You two seem very informed about Harmony House, Arianne. You know the somewhat sordid past and it does not seem to be a problem. As well, you know it needs a lot of work moving forward. And my guess is you know how long it has been on the market and why. I won’t try and blow any sunshine up your skirt.”

  Arianne furrowed her brow.

  “Huh?”

  “Sorry, it’s an old expression from my generation. Anyway…there has been little serious interest in Harmony House since I took the listing. This may sound odd coming from a realtor willing to admit such a thing, but if I told you otherwise I would not be really happy with myself. And besides, I am sure you could look into that as well and find out the truth. You and Jack are the first couple to actually want to come out and take a live look.”

  “Thanks, Marilyn. We appreciate your honesty.”

  Arianne and Jack knew they would put in an offer soon, but she had been curious to see what Marilyn’s actual character was all about. If she had tried to whitewash the situation, it would definitely have colored their offer down the road. Also, knowing what she had already suspected about the lack of interest from others would make their position stronger.

  “We need to talk this over…” Jack added. “Thanks for letting us take a look around. We will think this over and get back to you soon, Marilyn.”

  They could see the realtor’s demeanor sink as she plodded back to her car and drive off. It was obvious that she had anticipated an immediate offer.

  “Wasn’t that a bit cruel, Jack?”

  He shrugged.

  “A little trick I picked up from my folks when they used to go looking at houses. Never make a quick decision. Let her sweat a bit. And besides…it’s not like the rest of Suffolk is beating down her door to buy the place. Just makes out position firmer…”

  Arianne smiled at her fiancée, appreciating his insight. It boded well for his new role as director of marketing and sales for the ghost hunting business.

  “You’re sure about what you picked up inside? This place is truly inhabited with ghosts?” he asked.

  “No doubt about it,” Arianne replied. That place is seriously infested.”

  As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Arianne reflected back on the face in the mirror in the upstairs bathroom. More than you can imagine, sweetheart…she thought to herself.

  “OK. How about we shoot over to Luann’s, grab a coffee and look over our finances so we can make an offer to Marilyn that one, we can really afford, and two, she will jump at. I do not want to cheat us or her, but I am pretty sure she will take whatever we offer.” Jack said.

  ……….

  June 26, 1998, 11 AM

  After looking at the numbers and talking it over for a few hours, they came up with a number they felt they could afford as well as being as fair to Marilyn as possible based on the strength of their position and the weakness of hers. They came up with a range and finally agreed to split the difference picking the median price as an initial offer. With that, Jack put in a call to Marilyn’s office and left all the information that the realtor had said they would need to provide if they wanted to make an offer. He left the details with her administrative assistant and hung up the phone.

  “Done?” Arianne asked as Jack came out onto the porch of her folks’ house where she was waiting for him with a cold drink.

  “Done. I left all the details with Sally, her admin. Now we just wait, I guess.”

  “And if she says no, or wants more money?”

  “Let’s jump off that bridge when we get to it, Ari. I would be shocked if she does not take this offer and jump for joy that she has finally unloaded a property I am sure her colleagues have been assuring her was a lost cause.”

  They clinked glasses and relaxed on the deck chairs before Jack finally drained his glass and set it aside announcing he had to take off for his shift at the bar. He kissed Arianne goodbye.

  “Won’t be long now, Ari. I’ll see you as soon as I get off work and we can get busy fixing the place up and getting our new business up and running.”

  “You seem pretty sure of yourself, Mr. Smarty Pants…”

  He shrugged.

  “Like your insight into the paranormal, Ari, this is something I can sense. Marilyn looked utterly defeated when she left after the showing. Trust me. She’ll take our offer. Just a matter of time now. This is the game. She won’t call back right away, though. She’ll want to make it look as though she is struggling with the decision. No more crappy minimum wage jobs, Ari. Start planning our move…”

  Arianne smiled and laughed as Jack waved back over her shoulder and headed down the street to work. She was not sure what sort of “monster” she had created in Jack Sawyer by proposing this idea, but she did like his attitude and mindset…even if he might not be right. She sat back and closed her eyes against the sun as it was descending from the sky over toward the high branches of the trees to the west in the neighborhood, dreaming of their new life together and the ghost hunting business. Who was to say they could not possibly parley this into someth
ing really big? Maybe even though she had discarded the idea of a TV show, that was not out of the realm of possibilities either?

  Arianne woke from an unexpected nap as the sun slipped behind the trees and the temperature outside slipped from warm and balmy to chilly, a stiff breeze rising up as clouds had moved in and thunder was rumbling to the east. She gathered up the empty glasses from the table and headed inside just as fat, heavy drops of icy rain began to fall and pepper the deck. Just as she was heading into the kitchen a near-deafening clap of thunder broke through the former silence of the day, startling Arianne, and almost making her drop the glasses. Within seconds, jagged, uneven streaks of lightning crisscrossed the now black sky throwing the yard and surrounding houses into vivid flashes of brilliant light. The thunder picked up as well, coming wave after wave and the rain was now falling in torrents making it hard to see even a few feet beyond a window or doorway to the outside.

  As she put the glasses into the sink, Arianne noticed a note from her mother saying they would be out for the evening at a dinner party at the Fergusons over on Claremont Avenue. Arianne smiled as it was rare for her to have any real time to herself these days, but with the storm raging outside and Jack at work, she suddenly felt very alone. Something she had not really experienced since she had been a very little girl. Sure that it was just a combination of the electrical storm and thoughts filling her head about the new house and what might or might not be living with them when they moved in, Arianne shook it off and headed to her father’s den. When she had been growing up here, the warm atmosphere plus the comforting smells of the leather furniture and her father’s lingering cigars made her feel safe.

  And sure enough, as soon as she went into the den and inhaled deeply, she got the same sense of reassurance and soothing emotion as an adult as she remembered as a child. She was soon to be heading out on her own…getting married…beginning a new business…she wanted to relish this fragment of her childhood as long as she could. Arianne sank into the rich leather of the sofa that sat just across from the dark mahogany desk where her father had spent many hours. As she sat and thought back over her childhood in the house, that image of the old man in the bathroom mirror returned to her. She had no idea why that had come to her again at this moment, but instead of fighting off the vision, she let it flow over her without trying to understand it. The experience took her back to summers on her grandfather’s place up in Lewisetta where the Potomac River fed into the Chesapeake Bay.