Haunting and Scares Collection

by Rosemary Cullen

  Pressing her ear to the door, she could hear the clanking, clinking noise coming up from the basement. Jennifer wanted to run out of the house as fast as she could, but she stayed. She almost couldn’t hear the noise now over the pounding of her heart in her ears. She made a fist and knocked on the door.

  “Hello?” she called through the keyhole. “Is anyone there?”

  Silence wafted though the keyhole and under the door for several long minutes before the metal rasp continued. A soft clink, then silence, another clink, then silence. The sound perpetuated in a gentle rhythm.

  Jennifer got up her nerve and knocked again. She was breathing like she’d just run a forty-yard dash and controlling her panting was a challenge. This knock got exactly the same response as the last one. Nothing.

  She stood staring at the door, not daring to move or do anything else. It felt colder than it had before, there was a cool breeze coming from under the door. Was there breathing or was she imagining it. She listened again. The entire house was quiet, waiting in anticipation.

  “Hello,” she whispered.

  She put her hand against the door and pressed her ear against it once more. She could feel a presence, she knew there was something else here. She was about to try the handle again when she felt the softest touch on her shoulder. She froze. The blood drained from her face and she couldn’t speak. The hand lifted from her shoulder and touched her cheek lightly, making it’s way around and over her mouth. The hand was ice cold.

  “Shh,” said a soft voice from behind her. Jennifer tried to speak, but couldn’t. Her voice had been taken away, too. “Shh,” came the voice again. Jennifer whimpered this time. Confusion, frustration, and fear had all taken her over at the same time.

  “What are you doing?” The ghostly voice sounded far away, but up close at the same time. “Jennifer?”

  She had to get away. She’d figure out this mystery some other time. She turned around and bumped right into her sister. She screamed and then clamped her hand over her mouth when she realized it was Sarah.

  “What’s the matter? Your face is white as a ghost.” Amused, Sarah was chuckling.

  “A g— um, a ghost?”

  “Well, it’s just a figure of speech. You actually do look like you thought you saw a ghost or something, though. Did you think I was a ghost?”

  Sarah was teasing, but the irony wasn’t lost on Jennifer.

  “Why are your hands so cold? When you touched my shoulder, I got a chill.”

  “I didn’t touch your shoulder. I just walked up.”

  “You didn’t? I would have sworn…”

  Another chill ran down Jennifer’s spine and reverberated through her whole body. She didn’t think she was imagining things, but there was nobody but her and Sarah in the house. Who else could have touched her. Something had touched her, she was sure of that. Almost, anyway.

  “Jennifer, what’s going on here? You’re acting really strange.”

  “There was noise coming from the basement, listen,” said Jennifer. Sarah pressed her ear to the door. Jennifer waited.

  “I don’t hear a thing. What did you hear?”

  “Nothing. I guess it was nothing. I must be paranoid or something, though I have no idea why.”

  “The basement door thing was annoying you. Did you text Mark?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I bet he won’t have a key, say its lost or something. I bet he’s hiding something down there, some gruesome family secret.” Sarah raised her eyebrows in mock horror.

  “Probably.”

  Jennifer wasn’t paying attention to what Sarah was saying and the jibe flew right past her. She was hoping for the sounds to come back, though that thought made a shiver go up her spine. Proving to her sister that something was going on in the basement would help her gain a partner in her worry and fear.

  The sisters decided to go into town and explore. Having coffee and some cake at a quaint little cafe on the main street, helped take Jennifer’s mind off the unsettling basement noises. Then the girls wandered into a few of the small boutiques on the town square.

  Sarah found some locally made jewelry and Jennifer came home with some homemade peach jam. All in all, it was a fun and productive afternoon.

  Mark had not replied to the text. The two women made supper together and sat talking as the sun began to set. They decided to sit out on the deck with a glass of wine as the sky put on an inspiring show. Yellows and golds turned to reds and oranges, culminating in a deep scarlet streak as the purple dusk took over when the sun disappeared and the stars begun to twinkle into existence.

  After staying up late the night before, Jennifer and Sarah decided to have an early night and get some rest. It made sense to have breakfast while it was still technically morning. Jennifer left her window open once more, hoping to hear the gentle sounds of birds tweeting when she woke up in the morning.

  Sleep didn’t come easy at first. She lay awake listening to the sounds of the house as it, too, rested for the night. Finally, Jennifer felt herself slipping away and welcomed the warm blanket of sleep. Dreaming of warm days and the gurgling brook that ran through their backyard at home, she drifted and slumbered.

  Suddenly, she was awake. Her eyes were wide staring into darkness. She was startled, but she didn’t know why.

  Then she realized Sarah was over her. A hand on her shoulder. Jennifer panicked. Something was wrong. Sarah was shaking her shoulder. She could just make out her face, but she looked scared. Frightened and frantic.

  “What? What is it?” She sat straight up in the bed.

  “The basement. There’s something down there.”

  Chapter 3

  “There’s something in the basement.” Sarah was whispering, but her voice was still shaky.

  “You heard it, too? What did it sound like?”

  “A clanking, sort of. Like chains being dragged over the stone down there. Maybe? I don’t know, but it’s creepy.”

  Jennifer reached over and turned the bedside lamp on and looked at Sarah’s anxious face. Her hands were trembling.

  Jennifer took Sarah’s hands to still them and to try to give her some comfort.

  “What do we do?” Sarah’s eyes were still wide, but she was starting to calm down enough to realize they had to figure out what was happening.

  “We have to find out what is down there,” said Jennifer.

  “Are you crazy!” shouted Sarah, before shushing herself and looking round the room. “We can’t go down there. Are you crazy?”

  “What do you think could be down there?” Jennifer waited for a response, hoping for a logical answer.

  “This place is haunted. That’s what’s down there. Haunted stuff.”

  “You’re the crazy one.” Jennifer laughed and then got serious. “It’ll be mice or something like that. When we figure it out we’re going to feel so silly for being this scared.”

  “I saw you listening at the door. You looked terrified.”

  “Whatever.” Jennifer scowled and waved her sister off. “I’m going down there, you can come if you like. Or stay up here. Your call.”

  “Please Jen,” said Sarah. “Stay up here with me. Maybe we should just call the police.”

  “We’re not calling the police. How embarrassing would that be?” Jennifer sighed and shook her head. “Okay. I can see you’re not coming with me. I’ll only be a minute.”

  She got up from her bed and left the room. She didn’t see Sarah following her. The house was engulfed in silence. Her mind was engulfed in silence. She turned lights on as she went creeping quietly down the hallway.

  She was midway down the stairs when the lights flickered. Or did they? She wasn’t sure either way. Everything was partially imagined at this point. The stairs didn’t creek as she walked down them, slowly, one at a time.

  She could see the basement door, it was definitely closed. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs to listen. The silence was deafening. Moonlight was streaming in through th
e windows and pooled on the floor.

  Jennifer stared at the door as she made her way across the foyer. The door got bigger and bigger as she approached, it loomed in front of her when she reached it. She touched her palm to the wood and felt the cold emanating from the basement, but now there were no noises. She heard nothing through the closed door.

  Slowly she turned her head and brought her ear to the wood. She jerked her head back as the clinking noise started. She got her nerve up to put her ear against the door again and could hear the scraping of metal against stone. Her whole body shivered as she tried to decide if she should run or find out what was going on.

  She was almost too frightened to move, so she stayed with her ear to the door and heard the noise intensify. The soft clinking became a shrill scratching and it seemed to get louder. Maybe closer, too. She couldn’t tell. Then a strike of metal against stone threw her into a deeper panic. She was rooted to the spot and though she wanted to run, she couldn’t.

  The metal clank reverberated loudly around in her head. A thud breaks through the other noise and it takes a second for her mind to process what is happening. A second thud makes Jennifer know exactly what is happening now. The thud was the sound of a boot on a wooden step. A third thud brought the noise nearer and nearer.

  She was in terror when a finger touched her shoulder and she clearly felt the pressure of that touch on her skin. An icy chill ran down her arm. It was the same eerie coldness she’d felt the night before. The same frightening cold that freaked her out. Jennifer shook her arm wildly, trying to get away from the freezing grip she felt.

  The hand clapped over her mouth so tightly that she couldn’t breathe. The coldness filled her body as icy chills ran through her veins. A blood curdling scream shrieked wildly in her head, but before it could leave her lips, her world turned to complete darkness.

  Jennifer floated through the darkness as it closed in to the point where there was nothingness all around her. She couldn’t move or call out. She felt like she was falling down into a dark pit. Gasping for air, she felt like she was suffocating as the walls wrap closer and closer. Falling faster and faster, the cold becomes pain and she was finally able to cry out.

  Jennifer sat up in bed and looked around, unsure of why she’d woken so suddenly. Then she realized that the ice-cold hands were gone and the darkness had been replaced by a pale moonlight. She’s confused, but her memory isn’t clear.

  She scrambled out of bed and rushed through to the bedroom next door. Sarah is fast asleep in her bed. Her sister is breathing deeply and snoring lightly. If she wasn’t so upset, she might get a kick out of the snoring.

  She thought about waking her, but decided to leave her sleeping soundly and returned to her own room. She sat on her bed and tried to remember what had happened. She yawned and stretched back out in bed, hoping she can relax and think. She was surprised to feel fatigued and achy. What could have caused that?

  What she really needed the most was sleep. Finally, her eyes closed. Dreams overtook her slumber again.

  ~~~~~

  Jennifer struggled to wake up even though the morning sun was streaming into her room. Her eyelids were heavy and she really wanted to go back to sleep. Mind foggy with sleep aside, she felt like something wasn’t normal. Something was different. Wrong, even.

  Then memories of a dream sneaked in. A bad dream. Chills went down her spine. The basement. This was a normal reaction lately and she was wary of everything.

  Uneasily, she got out of bed, looking around to make sure she was alone. She wasn’t sure about anything this morning. As she got dressed, she heard Sarah making noise in the room next door. Jennifer went to the window where the curtains were already opened and looked out at the sunny morning. Dew sparkled on the grass. It looked like a normal summer morning, ,but it didn’t feel like it.

  Sighing heavily, she went next door to see her sister.

  “What happened last night?” asked Jennifer.

  “I don’t know, but I’m out of here.” Sarah was putting clothes in her suitcase.

  “What?”

  “This house is haunted or something. I don’t really care what the issue is, but we’d be fools to stay here. Come on, pack up, we’re leaving.”

  “I can’t just leave. I’m obligated.” Jennifer put her hands on her hips. The worry on her face was evident, but she also looked determined.

  “What do you mean? We cannot stay in this house. There’s no argument here, Jennifer.”

  “I said I can’t leave. I need this job, I need the money. School books don’t buy themselves, you know.”

  “Mom and Dad will give you money. You’re the one who decided to pay for stuff yourself. Hell, I’ll give you the money if you’ll just get your stuff right now.” Sarah shook her head and went back to putting her things in the suitcase.

  “No, I’m not taking your money, or theirs. If I just up and leave, I’ll get crappy feedback and then I’ll never get another job during the holidays. I have to stay.”

  “Something is terribly wrong with this house, Jennifer. You have a way to rebut any bad feedback Mark what’s-his-name might leave you.”

  “We don’t know that for sure.” Jennifer walked to the window and looked out at the same view she’d already seen from her own window. “It’s probably nothing.”

  Sarah looked up at Jennifer and sighed. “I don’t know how else all this can be explained.”

  “You think there are ghosts here? Really?”

  “Maybe. You heard the noises.”

  “Well, I’m staying. You can’t talk me out of it.” Jennifer sat down on the bed and watched as Sarah packed. Though she really wanted to walk away, she was a little afraid to be alone right now. She couldn’t admit that, though, so she just kept her mouth shut.

  Chapter 4

  Sarah continued to pack up her clothes and belongings. Jennifer watched her and didn’t even try to convince her to stay. She knew her sister too well. Sarah was being slow and methodical, giving her a chance to change her mind. That wouldn’t happen, though. She’d made her mind up, too.

  She wanted to tell her sister about the dream she’d had last night, but she was unsure how much was real and how much was a dream. She stood in her room and had the uneasy feeling that something was behind her. Every time she turned around, there was nothing there.

  “I’m sorry.” Sarah zipped the suitcase closed and picked up the bag that held her makeup and hair products. “Please change your mind and come with me. I honestly think you shouldn’t stay here—especially alone.”

  “I’m staying, I told you that already. Look, I’ll be fine, okay. I’ll see you at Mom’s house soon. Don’t worry about me.” Jennifer hugged her sister and walked down the stairs with her. Sarah looked back once more as she closed the front door behind her.

  Jennifer stood alone in the silence. The basement door well within view. The symbol of her growing unease. As she looked at the door, she laughed almost bitterly at what it represented. In her mind, she’d called her feelings about that door “unease.” The truth was that this door terrified her.

  Walking to the kitchen for cereal or a Pop-Tart, she thought back to last night. The cold hand, it’s icy fingers when it had touched her shoulder was an experience she’d like to forget. Nothing even close to this had ever happened to her before. She didn’t even know how to describe it.

  How did I get back into bed? It must have been a dream. It had to be a dream.

  The house was old, over a hundred fifty years old. That’s what Mark had said, anyway. There were drafts everywhere in old houses, so it made since that there would be drafts. But it’s summer, not winter. She couldn’t rationalize the cold drafts no matter how hard she tried.

  She listened again, but there were no sounds coming from the basement. The house was silent. No creaking, no chains, no footsteps on the basement stairs.

  She berated herself for being so jumpy. She had waited in her bedroom earlier for a cold touch or a movement
from behind her. Of course, none had come. She was being silly. She berated herself silently for acting like a child. She was a strong, independent woman and too smart to be frightened of scary dreams that was fueling her overactive imagination.

  Yet, there was something here. She could sense it. Walking back to the foyer, she wanted to take another look. She stood still and stared at the basement door. Something drew her in. She felt mesmerized in a very odd way.

  The door had been changed from the original one, she was sure of that. It was still an old door, but not as old as the house. Mark had restored the house, so it made sense that the door wouldn’t be the same as the original. This one was thicker than the other doors, or looked thicker and sturdier, made from solid wood, maybe oak.

  The door was simple, but carved by a skilled craftsman. It was a deliberate choice, everything about it was deliberate, down to the brass doorknob and lock. There must be a key somewhere. Had it been open? Jennifer was beginning to make herself crazy with the obsession over this door. And what was hidden behind it.

  Yet, there had to be something more. She went to the small chest in the foyer and started pulling out drawers to look for the key. She was looking for any key. She’d try every one she found to see if she could get down there to see what was worth hiding.

  As she closed the last drawer, finding no keys at all, she was drawn to the door once more. She took a step toward it, and then another. She didn’t stop, she moved faster, maybe trying to outrun her fear. She touched the door and it felt as any door should feel. Smooth, sturdy, room temperature. Not icy cold.

  She tried the knob, even though she knew it would be futile. Locked. She pressed her ear against the wood and listened. Silence. She wasn’t sure how long she had her ear pressed against the door when there came a knock.

  She jumped back, blood rushing in her ears as her heart rate shot up. It came again, two solitary knocks.