My Grandmother's House
By : Emily O’Sullivan
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In the year 2018, my parents told Zoe, my sister, and I that we were going to stay over at my grandmother's house for one week. But not the house that we knew. My grandma moved to another house, but they didn't tell us why.
I think the reason we were staying with my grandmother was that my mother was pregnant with my brother at the time, and she needed to go to the hospital. My dad had to go to work everyday. So there was nobody to watch over my four year old sister and me, a nine year old girl.
I said that I was old enough to watch over my sister. But my parents just laughed, and rejected my offer. I felt offended, but they did have a point. Who would heat up the frozen eggo waffles? Who would bring us to the park? Who would cook us craft mac and cheese? Who will tuck us in at night? Definitely not an irresponsible 9 year old.
My parents gave me a bag to put my clothes in. I grabbed all my clothes and stuffed it in, not even folding them neatly. Grabbed my brown stuffed animal horse, named Cinnamon. And asked if we could go now. I was so excited, I loved new houses. The smell, the comfy feel of carpets.
“I'M READY!” I told my mom.
“Did you pack your Toothbrush? Toothpaste? What about your hair brush?” My mom frantically yelled. Before she could say another word, I grabbed my teeth cleaners, and my beautiful bright blue brush. I stuffed it in my bag, zipped it up, and threw it over my shoulders. I grasped Cinnamon's hand, and stood at the top of the stairs. I could see my father rushing back and forth. I heard my mom call my name. My dad grabbed Zoe’s bag, and then grabbed her. And then headed out the door.
They rushed to my grandmother’s house, got me and my sister through the door, and talked to my grandma about what time we have to go to bed. Then they left.
When I thought about what the new house would look like, it didn't look like this house. The house looked old, with pattern wallpaper, floral carpets, and furniture that looked like it belonged in a castle. I had a weird feeling about it.
I was holding on to my sister’s hand, and looked up at my grandma. It's not the first time we stayed with her, it's just that we only stayed with her for a couple days. But we were staying for a week. And in a new home, it's a little scary. But my she finally broke the silence,
“Hello honey buns, I just made some soft chocolate M&M cookies. Would you like some?” My grandma smiled, she knew we loved her M&M cookies. Her smile made me comfortable, and her cookies made Zoe run. She ran straight to the kitchen, pulled out a light wood chair, and sat right on the red velvet cushion. My grandma walked in front of me, to pull the cookies out of the oven, where she was keeping them so they would still be warm.
I know she was my grandma, and she was old. But I wouldn't think she would have this kind of furniture. In her old house, she had a comfy white stained couch, light wood floor, solid color walls, and fluffy carpets. But now, it’s like I'm walking back in time, to the midevil times..
“Emily, come get some cookies before your sister eats them all!” My grandma squeaked. I placed my bag right next to Zoe’s in the front room. And walked over to the kitchen. I sat down on the fluffy cushion. And chomped on cookies.
After I ate my third cookie, I went to the front room to grab Zoe’s and my bag. When I walked into the room, I heard a light knock at the door. I guess I was the only one that heard it, because my grandma didn't go answer it. I know I'm not allowed to open doors for strangers. But I felt like I needed to open it. I walked to the door, the floor creaking below me. I turned the bolt lock, and pushed down on the door handle. I pulled the door towards me. To my surprise, no one was there. But I managed to see teenagers running away from the house.
“Stupid DingDong ditchers…” I whispered under my breath. I quickly closed the door, then locked it. I grabbed the bags, and headed to the room. The third door on the left, I remember my grandma saying. I got to the white faded door, with an elegant gold handle.
I pushed the door with my foot. I turned the light on, to see a dark wood bed, with sage green sheets, an old white vanity, and a weird metal blue bird cage, with fake birds in it, hanging on the ceiling. I dropped the bags on the ground, and plopped down on the bed.
I don’t know if it was from the weird decor, but the room felt really heavy, and humid. I brushed it off, and opened a window. I unpacked our clothes into drawers, when my sister walked in. Apparently she took a bath, because she had a towel around her.
“G-ma said it your turn” Zoe chriped in her little girl voice.
“Ok, your PJ’s are in the bottom drawer” I pointed to the tall dresser. She picked out a bubble guppy set. With the purple mermaid on the shirt, and purple fluffy pants. I help her put her shirt on, and pull up her pants.
“Okie, go ask grandma to turn on the TV for you.” I told her. She skipped out the room and then down the hall.
I took my clothes, and a towel, and headed to the bathroom. I locked the door, and plopped the towels on the ground. I turned on the hot knob, and watched the water shoot out of the shower head.
I cleaned myself up, then turned off the shower. I dried my body, and ruffled my hair, with the towel. I put my penguin comfy pants , and a black t-shirt on. I go to unlock the door, when I see the door cracked open. I could have sworn that I locked the door. How could the door be open?
I walked down the long hallway. I was only 9, and I wasn't allowed to watch scary movies. But if I ever did, this hallway would be in it. It was dark and narrow. With a bunch of old pictures staring when you walk by.
“GRANDMA!” I shouted from the top of the stairs. I heard footsteps approach behind me, I went to turn around, “Oh g-ma, did you open-”. But when I turned around there was no one there. Then I heard footsteps again coming up from the stairs. I was too scared to turn around, too scared to see that no one would be there.
“Emily? What is the matter?” My grandma said, as she put a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see my grandma was the one walking up the stairs. I turned around, relieved but also confused.
“Where is Zoe? I think I heard her up here.” I question my grandma.
“Nope, she's down stairs watching DocMcstufins.” She stated. “Are you ok Emily?” She said with a concerned face.
“Oh, yeah, yeah, I'm fine.” I say sarcastically.
“Maybe you might be hungry, I was about to scoop Zoe some ice-cream. Want some?”
“Of course I do!” I smile. My grandma walked down the stairs, I followed. I had a feeling like I was being watched. But then again, the photos on the walls stare. Right?
It was dark out, the owls were hooting, the crickets were chirping, and the house was creaking. It was finally time to go to sleep. I walked up the creaky stairs, then down the hall, to the left. I opened the door which was open, with the lights on.
“I thought I turned them off, or maybe I didn't, I don’t know.” The room felt different this time, it was cold, but comfy. Much different from what it felt like before. I sat on the white elegant stool, right in front of the vanity. I picked up my brush, brushed my golden blonde hair, and put it back down. I stood up, and headed to the bed, when I heard a familiar sound hit the floor. I turned around to see my brush on the ground, and my sister in the doorway. Zoe’s eyes were wide open, staring directly at the blue brush on the ground.
“Zoe, what was the point of dropping my brush on the ground!”
“I-I didn’t touch your brush” Zoe mumbled.
“Then how is it on the ground?” I gave her a glance.
“I saw it faw on the ground, all by itself”
“Zoe, stop joking around. It's not nice to lie”
“I'M NOT LYING!” She yelled, then stormed off to the bed. Stepping right over my brush. I picked up the bush, glanced at it, then at Zoe. I rolled my eyes and set it on the table.
A little while into sleeping, I kept feeling I was being looked at. But, there were no creepy photos to blame. It felt like it was in a corner, peering at me and my sister as we slept.
And I can’t be certain, maybe I was just being paranoid. A kid's mind creeping itself out. But I thought I heard “Hello” or “Prety” being whispered into the air.
The next morning, I smelled waffles with sweet maple syrup, very crispy bacon, and fresh orange juice. I looked at my sister, who was also being raised from the smell. I helped her out of the bed, fixed my hair, and ran down the stairs.
“Hello my dears, I made breakfast for you. How did you guys sleep” My grandma grin stretched out.
“It was ok…” I looked at the ground, fidgeting with my hands. Zoe didn't say anything, she looked creeped out from the “Brush Incident”. I grabbed her hand, and led her to the kitchen table. We shoveled down, light and fluffy waffles, and jugged the O.J..
“Why don’t you girls go get dressed while I clean this mess up?” My grandma said, as she grabbed the dirty dishes from the table. While walking up the stairs, Zoe asked to talk. She is only 4, and still acts pretty mature. We walked to the room, and sat on the bed. Zoe started talking in her little girl voice.
“Emy, I know you probably don’t believe me. But I tell the truth. You brush fell on the ground, I saw with my eyes. And you are probably gonna think I more crazy, but. I heard weird whispers, when I tried to go to bed.” I froze, weird whispers, the same weird whispers I heard the other night.
“What were the whispers saying” Putting a hand on her shoulder.
“It sounds like, helwo, coote, and , pity” Witch in little gurl language means, “Hello, Cute, Pretty”. Some of the exact words I heard.
“You prob do not believe-”
“I do.” I interrupted. “I heard someone whisper Hello, and Pretty. I also felt like I was being watched.”
“Emy, I don’t like this. It scawy.” Zoe hugged me. I helped put her clothes on, then I put my clothes on. Zoe and I agreed to confront grandma about it.
“Oh my, it’s happening to you as well.” Her smile faded.
“WAIT, you hear them too?!” I exclaimed.
“I thought it was just because of my old age, but apparently it is not…” My grandma started to look paranoid.
“G-ma, why does the house have old decorations? Your old house had newer and nicer stuff.” I glanced at my grandma, who was now looking at me.
“This was my mothers house, your great-grandmother's house. She died a couple months ago. So I took over the house, I don't want all the memories to be sold to a stranger.”
“So tis house is haunted!!” Zoe yelled
“I don't know about haunted, but something is happening.” My grandma said.
Later grandma looked online, with my help, to find someone that can answer all our questions. There was this person we found, she was called a “medium”. Medium are humans that can contact the after world, or even demons. They can sometimes sense paranormal presents, or even see apparitions/ghosts. The woman we found was named Ligatha Costello. I still don’t know how to pronounce that name, but I remember the name, plane as day.
Ligatha had an opening tomorrow, straight at 8:00 a.m. We booked the appointment, and went on with our day.
We went to the park instead of staying in that house. We were too scared to stay in it, especially if there was some dark demon haunting the halls. Ok, g-ma did say it's probably not that serious, but for a nine and four year old, we thought of the worst.
It was finally the next day, 7:24 a.m. We were up and ready for the Ligatha women. Grandma made some more cookies, and Zoe was running around in the living room. And I was sitting on the guest bed. The same thing happened last night, the feeling of someone staring at me, from afar. And words being whispered into the air.
*DING, DONG, DING, DONG… DING, DONG, DING, DONG.*
The loud doorbell rang, and I flew down the stairs. The woman was young, with beautiful thick blonde hair. Pale light skin, eyes that sparkle like diamonds. She wasn't what I expected. I thought of an old woman, with green skin, a pointy black hat, and a toad on the shoulder. But instead an elegant young woman stood in front of the door.
“Oh, what a wonderful house you have!” The lady smiled.
“Oh, well thank you, please, do come in.” My grandmother opened the door wider, and jesterd her arms down the hallway. The woman said not to tell her anything, to let her get in her zone. She walked up the old creaky stairs, stopped at the top of them, and looked at me. I froze, as chills went down my spine, could she know what I had heard the other day? The women kept walking down the long hallway, the creepy pictures hiding away for what's to come.
She stopped right in front of the room me and Zoe were staying in, and walked straight in.
“Something happened in this room…” She said, peering around, looking at the antics.
“Well…my mother…passed away in this room” Grandma whispered, staring at the ground.
The women perceded to lay on the bed,
“Children, you feel like you are being watched”
“Yes. Wow, you're really good at this.” I exclaimed.
The lady got off the bed, peered around the room again. And sat at the white vanity stool.
“I don't think this entity is bad. I sense an older woman, with nice blonde curly hair, and the lightest blue eyes. “’
“You're describing my mother” G-ma glanced at the lady. Zoe and I looked at each other wide eyed.
“She was surprised to see little ones, since she hasn't seen them for a bit. She stares at you girls, to make sure you are safe at night. And those whispers, are her trying to talk to you. She’s not trying to hurt you.” The lady smiled, and got off the stool.
Grandma walked to her room to grab her wallet, and took two, 20 dollar bills. Then walked back to the room, and handed it to the lady.
We walked the lady to the front door, and as we were about to close the door. The lady quickly shouted,
“BY THE WAY…” she ran back to the door,
“She wanted to tell you guys that she loves you…”
REFLECTION
Overall, my grandma, my sister, and I, took the women's words to heart. Every time something paranormal happened, we acted like a human being were doing those things. We learned not to be afraid of the ghost, and instead we treated her with respect. When our parents picked us up later that week, with our little brother in the car seat. We had a big story to tell them. After that day we got home, to a normal house, no paranormal activity.