The Haunting of Annabelle

by Carl East

  Chapter 6

  They entered the room through the doors directly across from the kitchen. This could have been a private sitting room; it had patio doors opening to a terrace in the back of the house. Turning, she saw it also had doors that opened to the intersecting hallway. As they crossed the hallway to the next room, she realized that its counterpart was the dining room. This room however had different lighting and French pane doors leading out to a terrace on the side of the house. Perhaps this could be used as a breakfast room, she thought. It too had pocket doors and led to the room in front of the house. The library she thought, as she ran her hand across one of the empty shelves that lined the walls. The gleaming black marble fireplace in the center wall had a built-in box for wood. She could imagine sitting here in a comfortable chair, reading. Walking through the doors, they came full circle and were back at the entranceway, in front of the grand staircase. Edward then guided her down the staircase hallway and pointed out the powder room. He also advised her that there was another on the opposite side. They continued along the hallway and he showed her doors to closets that contained shelves for linens, cleaning equipment and supplies

  “Yes…we’ve ensured that the estate is ready for the next owner. The only thing you have to worry about is the interior decorating. As you can see, all of the walls are prepped ready for painting. Of course, any carpeting you want down here is for you to decide. The hardwood floors are in perfect condition,” said Edward. “Would you like to take a break or move on to the next three floors?”

  Annabelle looked from Edward to John and said, “If you don’t mind, can we continue?”

  With a wave of his hand, John replied, “You two go on ahead; I’ll wait here.”

  Chapter 7

  They turned and headed up the stairs, and when Annabelle glanced back, she saw John watching intently. I wonder what’s going on, she mused. She clutched the leather portfolio that she had been making notes in tightly to her chest. So far, she hadn’t seen anything to dissuade her from making the purchase. She felt slightly uneasy, wondering what the catch was, as they reached the first landing. A note to have a building contractor come out and inspect it was definitely a priority she thought as they stopped. Edward continued with the real estate pitch on the landing.

  “Now that we’ve reached the second floor, you will see that there are two bedrooms on either side of the house and two larger bedrooms here at the back of the house. Each bedroom has a full master bath, while the two larger bedrooms here at the back also contain sitting areas.”

  He patiently showed her each room and explained that the hallways down each side met in the front of the house to the next set of stairs. As they continued up to the next floor, she glanced over her shoulder to look out the large paned windows, which gave an amazing view of the front lawns. Side chairs with tables and lighting could be arranged there, she thought as they continued up the stairs and on with the tour.

  The third floor was slightly different as there was a master suite with an additional room, which ran the length of the back of the house. Each room opened to a covered terrace that allowed for an outside area. It appeared that the current owner had combined the two original rooms to allow for perhaps a study or office off the bedroom. The other rooms were similar to the floor below so they continued on to the fourth floor.

  When they arrived at the landing on the fourth floor, Annabelle felt a slight shiver go down her back and made a note to check for drafts as they continued. Edward went on to explain that this floor was exactly like the second. They went to each room and Annabelle was again amazed at their condition. It seemed as if the entire house was primed and ready to go for painting and decorating. The bedrooms and bathrooms were in excellent shape and every room had a fireplace that was a work of art. Annabelle could imagine the color palettes that matched or complemented the colors of the marble in each room. She made notes and jotted down impressions and ideas as fast as she could write. By the time they reached the stairs to head back down to the main floor, she’d already made up her mind to purchase the estate if the inspection came back clean.

  Chapter 8

  Walking down with the real estate agent, she could sense his excitement of a pending sale, and she was just as excited at the idea of acquiring the property. By the time they’d started down to the main floor, her hand was tapping the railing—so much for the businesswoman persona. Annabelle could see the current owner standing there waiting for them, when suddenly, on the next to last step, a cold breeze seemed to slide down her back and encompass her entire body. She froze and held on to the banister, wondering what was going on. She looked back up the staircase searching for the source of the draft.

  Annabelle felt her hair ruffle with the cold air and as she shivered, couldn’t help saying, “Oh my God, where is that draft coming from?”

  Edward had stopped behind her and seeing his face, sensed that he was holding his breath.

  She turned around as she heard John stride forward. Reaching for her hand he said, “Ah…now we come to the part I wasn’t looking forward to.”

  Annabelle searched his blue eyes, not sure what he was implying. He looked at her and said, “It’s my obligation to inform you that this house is supposedly haunted. That is the main reason why the asking price for the estate is below normal. Nothing has ever occurred to me personally, so I find this difficult to believe, but we’ve had several prospective clients come through these doors. They had a tour of the house, and like you, some have experienced things. One claimed he saw shadows on the staircase. Another felt something brush repeatedly against her. Still another claimed they actually felt a hand grasping their arm. After each episode, they all backed out. Nothing Edward or I said could persuade them to reconsider. I don’t believe in such nonsense. I do admit that I have felt the cold air on occasion, and heard noises when I was alone; but when you’re in a house of this size and age, it’s just something you expect. All houses have their own sounds and just because they do, that doesn’t mean that they’re haunted.”

  Annabelle stood there silently, assessing his words and trying to make sense of what she was hearing. She had her own beliefs about supernatural events, but had to admit that she’d never encountered one. Standing there considering what he said, she concluded that she and John seemed to be on the same page. Neither of them would believe it unless they had seen or experienced it personally. She wasn’t going to let an isolated episode dissuade her from her goal of acquiring this property.

  “I’ll take it,” said Annabelle.

  “I can see you’ve made your decision and know what an excellent opportunity this is,” Edward said. “I’ll have the preliminary paperwork drawn up.”

  She noted she would be signing a release form on what they had just discussed, and that a non-refundable deposit was required. Annabelle agreed to meet him the following day, and as they all walked to the front door, she gazed back one last time.

  John watched the fleeting expressions that crossed her face and felt compelled to question her further as they started down the front steps.

  “Do you have any questions concerning the supposed haunting?”

  “No,” she replied. “No conclusive evidence has ever proven that ghosts actually exist. I have to think that if they do, they can’t really do us any harm. If troubled spirits are present in this house because they never passed over, it’s not something I can control. This house is going to have a change in ownership, painting and decorating. Perhaps this will be the catalyst, which will move it on. I must admit that if something is present, helping it to move on does appeal to me.”

  Edward understood her reasoning but didn’t want this line of conversation to continue. He wanted her in his office the next day to sign the preliminary papers. So shaking hands and saying goodbye to John, he placed her in his car. By the time they arrived back at the hotel, the details of the property transfer had been ironed out and a meeting was set for the next day.

  ***

&
nbsp; A month later, she sat in her condominium recovering from the whirlwind that had taken place after her first walk-through of the estate. The building inspection passed with excellence. The deposit was accepted and papers had been signed. Not long after settlement took place, more papers were signed, money was exchanged and she found herself the proud owner of a bed-and-breakfast.

  Her portfolio of notes on room sizes, marble colors of the various fireplaces, and a million other details sat atop the desk. Multiple contractors were scheduled to paint her color selections for the walls, carpeting for guest rooms, and other details before the actual furnishings would follow. She had the keys in one hand and a picture of the estate in the other, when she felt a slight shiver go through her. Her imagination continued to touch on the supposed haunting, and she wondered if it would be a draw or a deterrent of her budding business venture. Only time would tell, as she once again started to make a new list of what she would need for the next several months. She would be staying on site to monitor the painting and landscaping she wanted to put in place. She was going to need more than an overnight case and she didn’t want to leave anything behind.

  ***

  The key turned slowly and she entered the estate’s front doors. Looking around, she smiled with pleasure — it felt good to be back. The drive from the city was tiring, but she’d wanted to bring her car so she would have access to the town and surrounding area. Taking her bags up to the master suite, she kept one ear open for the delivery truck that would be bringing her bedroom furniture. There was no way she’d be sleeping here without her own creature comforts. She’d be working hard and needed her rest.

  Chapter 9

  The shower felt wonderful. Warm water cascaded over her head and shoulders and behind her closed eyelids; she went over the day’s work. She had accomplished quite a lot as the first week ended. Mentally ticking off the finished rooms, she knew that the first floor painting and improvements were done. The contractors would be moving on to this floor to work on the bedrooms. Her suite would be the last finished. She wanted to get the rest of the house done first. As she reached for the shampoo, her fingers passed through coldness and she suddenly opened her eyes. Looking around, she had the strangest feeling that someone was watching her. Shaking her head, she put it down to imagination. She’d been here for a week now and nothing had occurred. Stepping out of the shower, she wrapped a short towel around her hair and grabbed another to dry the rest of her. The skin moisturizer was waiting on the vanity and as it was absently applied, her thoughts started to wander again to her plans. Yawning, she entered the bedroom and grabbed a pair of white cotton panties. She was just too tired to put on a pair of pajamas. Climbing under the sheets, she fluffed her pillows and turned off the light. Sleep claimed her in mere minutes.

  Time passed and everything was quiet. Deeply asleep, she didn’t see the door opening or the impression of footfalls on the carpet that crossed the room to the bed. For a moment, nothing else happened and then the sheet that covered Annabelle began to move down until it finally pooled onto the floor at the end of the bed.

  Annabelle mumbled in her sleep, and went from lying flat out on her stomach to flipping over onto her back, as she stretched across the bed. She settled back into a deep sleep with a sigh as her fingers flexed slightly. Suddenly, her nipples started to move on their own, and the impression of invisible fingers could be seen massaging and tugging at the hardening tips.

  “Mmm…” she muttered in her sleep, as the tip of her tongue ran over her dry bottom lip.

  Minutes passed, and silently Annabelle’s panties began to move down her hips. They continued sliding past her legs until they finally joined the sheet on the floor. It was then that her legs were slowly pulled apart, and her womanhood was slightly moved around by an unseen force.

  Annabelle’s eyes began rolling under the eyelids, undoubtedly a hint of a wonderful dream as the erotic assault continued.

  Annabelle’s erect clitoris was peeking out of the hood of her delicate folds of skin and could be seen moving back and forth, as it glistened in the moonlight. She was definitely aroused as the moisture began pooling between her thighs.

  “Mmm…mmm…oh yes,” she whispered in her sleep.

  Unconsciously, she opened her legs wider as if responding to the supposed dream she was experiencing. It was then that her womanhood parted wider as if something big was entering her. Her moans of pleasure were now becoming more pronounced, but as something began to lift her legs off the bed, she suddenly woke up.

  She felt the sensation of falling as her legs dropped to the bed. Meanwhile, the apparition left the room.

  Annabelle sprang up in bed believing that she’d just experienced a vivid dream and discovered that the bed beneath her hips was damp. For a moment, she didn’t even realize that her panties had been removed or that the sheet was on the floor. Then she felt the moistness trickling between her legs, and stood up to recover the sheet from the floor. It was then that she found her panties and looked around the room.

  Did something supernatural just happen to me? She thought.

  Shaking her head, she put it down to an overactive imagination. She must have pulled her panties down because of the intenseness of her dream. It was the only explanation which made any sense. After settling back in the bed, she soon returned to sleep, definitely unfulfilled but with no further incidence of anything reoccurring that night.

  Chapter 10

  The next morning Annabelle was kept busy giving directions to the contractors and making final adjustments for the next floor. She had all but forgotten her crazy dream. She decided to throw her energy into the work ahead. At midday, she took a break and decided to have her lunch down at the lake. With that in mind, she made a few sandwiches, packed a small flask of sweetened iced tea and left the building. As she walked down the driveway, she turned back to admire her new investment, and could swear she saw a man standing in front of the fourth floor window watching her. The contractors shouldn’t be up there yet, she thought, but continued on, thinking that perhaps the supervisor was checking out the work ahead.

  She heard a car coming around the turn, at the end of her driveway. She turned to see a neighbor coming up the road and forgot about the figure standing in the window.

  “Where are you off to, Annabelle?” said her neighbor after the car window slid down.

  “I’m just taking a walk down to the lake, I thought I’d have a bite to eat down there for my lunch break,” replied Annabelle.

  “Well hop in, I’m driving past there.”

  Annabelle never looked a gift horse in the mouth. She climbed in and they chatted, soon she was being dropped off near the lakeshore. Saying her thanks, she continued across the grass and on to the water, pleased to see benches strategically positioned all around the lake. She made a beeline to an empty bench shaded by oak trees. Sitting down and taking a sandwich out of her cold bag, she started to munch around the corners of the bread and admired the picturesque view. The peace wasn’t to last long though, for minutes later she heard a greeting called from behind, and found a couple of elderly strangers slowly approaching her spot.

  “Hello there, do you mind if we join you? My husband and I always come here a few days each week to feed the ducks and to enjoy the scenery,” said the woman.

  Annabelle estimated their age to be somewhere in the ninety range and was moved to see that they still held hands when walking.

  “I don’t mind at all, in fact if you’d like to have the seat, I could move on,” replied Annabelle.

  “Oh no my dear, that won’t be necessary, we’d enjoy your company.”

  Annabelle moved to the end of the bench giving them more than enough room to join her. The ducks on the lake apparently recognized the couple as a small group began swimming in their direction. Annabelle watched as they arrived, quaking their arrival. The elderly lady proceeded to baby-talk back as her husband gave her slices of bread to break into pieces and toss in their direction. He
r husband kept the food coming until the last slice was gone. He folded the empty bag and as the ducks appeared to quack a final approval as they headed back to the water.

  “So my dear…what brings you here, are you on vacation?” said the woman, as she brushed a bit of bread from her fingers.

  “No, I’ve purchased and am renovating the large house on top of the hill with a prospect of turning it into a bed-and-breakfast,” replied Annabelle.

  “Oh…do you mean the haunted manor?”

  “What makes you call it that?” said Annabelle, interested in what the old lady knew.

  “There was a murder there some seventy years ago. Apparently the wife poisoned her husband, the reason why was never discovered. Anyway, since then, the property has changed hands several times. The previous owners never stayed for more than a year before putting it up for sale again. It was vacant for about five years until the last owner, Mr. John Andrews, purchased it. It’s my understanding that he’s one of the remaining descendants of the original owners. I’d say he’s been here for about the last twenty years and word was that he was going to make improvements before putting it on the market.”

  Annabelle said, “He and his real estate agent, Edward Davis, gave me a tour of the estate. At the end of the tour, Mr. Andrews advised me that it may be haunted, but I never paid much heed. If there is something haunting the building, I’ve had little evidence of it. Now that you tell me the story, I can’t help wondering if it’s the original owner and he’s in need of help. Perhaps he can’t cross over or he has some unfinished business,” finished Annabelle.