Truth or lies? Harrington Estate Haunting

Everyone loves a good ghost story. The problem is, it's hard to tell if the story is true, or if someone is just pulling your leg. 

Many stories about ghosts and hauntings are stories passed on by family members or even friends. Some become local legends shared throughout a community. Others are simply just made up stories meant to give you a good scare. The following story could be just that. A fictional tale created for the purpose of entertainment; or...it could be completely true. I'll let you be the judge. Enjoy.

The Harrington Estate was an old farm house located in southern Ohio. It wasn't easy to find and even harder to get to. The house had been abandoned in the late 1970's and has sat empty ever since.  Most people hardly remembered it, or even knew that it was still there. It was set apart from the rest of the town, having been built on a large stretch of land near the end of Greaves road, an area that was over run by large trees, weeds, and shrubs.

The location and isolation of the Estate made it the perfect place for exploration and vandalism, though remarkable, it still remained in fairly decent condition. Obviously it wasn't ready for a new family to move into, it had been untouched for so long that dust had accumulated in almost every corner and a community of spiders had taken up residence along with other woodland creatures that were looking for a warm, dry, home out of the elements.
Besides the creepy crawlies and dust bunnies that ran rampant throughout the home, it was also rumored to be haunted. This was what initially got the attention of Amber Jacobs and her crew of wanna be ghost hunters.

With the popularity of found footage movies, and ghost hunting videos that swarmed the internet, Amber decided to take advantage of the public's interest in the paranormal and unexplainable, and maybe cash in on some of the action.
She'd never made a video before. Well, nothing other than family videos of graduations, birthdays, and holidays. She'd never gone to school for photography and didn't really have the greatest equipment with which to start her little venture but none of that seemed to deter her from her mission.

She loved exploring haunted locations and she wasn't one to be easily scared away by local stories or warnings. The more dangerous the place, the more she wanted to go. Callie, Amber's best friend, wasn't as adventurous. She preferred the safety of her own house or a well lit library. She was an excellent researcher though and so made a very valuable member of Amber's team. Along with Amber and Callie was Jesse Barker, a self-proclaimed sensitive and psychic, and Heather Kern, a wiccan with a real love for the supernatural.
When Amber mentioned going to Harrington Estate and filming it, the others were skeptical. None of them had ever heard about the place before. Amber had heard about it while looking up abandoned houses on the internet. She came across a picture of the house and immediately was drawn to it, almost as if something wanted her to go. She told Callie first and Callie went right to work researching the property.

It was privately owned by a woman named Alice Carver. Alice was in her late sixties and lived alone in town. Callie contacted her and asked about the house. Alice was more than happy to answer all of her questions. She seemed like a really good natured woman, maybe a bit lonely, but otherwise very friendly. She explained to Callie that her parents had owned the house and she had grown up there as a child. She moved out when she was eighteen though, leaving her parents and three younger siblings alone in the house. When Callie asked if there was a specific reason that she moved out at such a young age Alice just shrugged and said that she felt it was time to be out on her own.
Alice's parents had stayed in the house until they were too old to keep up with all the repairs. Her mother had back issues and wasn't able to keep house very well. Eventually they stopped using the upstairs all together and so the children got together and decided it was time to move them into town where they would be closer to their kids in case of an emergency.
Alice had attempted to rent the place out, just to bring in a little extra money for her parents, but none of the families that rented the place would stay more than a couple of months. That's when Alice decided it wasn't worth it anymore and left the house sit empty.

"Why didn't you try to sell it?" Callie asked her.

"Oh, I could never do that." Alice replied. "That house has been in my family for generations."

"Why do you think no one else would stay there?"

Alice shrugged. "Old superstitions, rumors from town. I never put much stock in the stories but I guess a lot of people that knew about the house did. It scared a  lot of potential renters away."

"What are some of the things that  people have reported in the house?"

"Noises, foot steps. Doors opening and closing on their own. It's an old house. It's had a pretty colorful history. I think people see things because they want to see them. They go in thinking a place is haunted and their minds create things to back up those beliefs."

"Do you, personally, believe it's haunted?"

Alice paused for a moment, thinking over the question carefully. "I believe, the house has seen a lot. Things affect a place like they affect a person. Houses have memories. I think some of those memories have left an impression."

"Would you be opposed to us doing an investigation of the property?"

"What would be the purpose of this investigation?"

"Well, we would go in and see if there is any real truth to the stories about the place being haunted. At least you would know for sure and that could give you some piece of mind."

Alice pursed her lips as she thought it over. "I guess I don't see any harm in it.  As long as you kids are careful. Like I said, it's an old house. There hasn't been any upkeep on that house in years. Some parts of it could be a little dangerous."

"Oh don't worry, we're professionals." Callie lied, "We do this kind of thing all the time."

 Alice agreed to meet Amber and her crew the following Saturday and let them into the house. They planned to stay overnight as Amber believed the best time to investigate a haunting was at night. Alice didn't intend to stay with them but said she'd return Sunday morning to let them out. For  the duration of their stay though, they would be locked inside, with only the front door as any way in or out as the rest of the house was boarded up to keep out potential intruders.

Amber was excited about the mission ahead of her. She even drove out to the house during the day to take some still shots of the place from the outside. It was a large house with two main floors, an attic and a full cellar. The area around the house was mostly bare. There were remains of an old barn that had burned down several years before. Behind the house was a densely wooded area. Even at mid day the house looked dark and foreboding. This thrilled Amber even more. She was certain that they were going to  get some good, ghostly activity once inside. She just couldn't wait to get started.

Everyone met at Amber's house around four PM that Saturday. They packed Amber's parents mini van full of their sleeping bags, snacks, drinks, and what equipment they had which seemed somewhat lacking for documenting a haunting. Amber didn't really have any professional ghost hunting gadgets, like EMF meters, or even a ghost box.  She didn't own any specialized type of camera equipment either. Armed with her cell phone, a digital video camera, some candles, and a Ouija board, she was as ready as she was going to be.

They piled into the car and headed out for the house. Alice said that she would meet them there at five PM and urged them not to be late as she didn't want to be caught there after dark. "There's no lighting." She explained. "I don't see as well as I used to and it's harder for me to drive at night."
Amber wondered if that was really the case or perhaps Alice knew something that she wasn't quite as forthcoming with.

The closer they got to the house, the darker it seemed to get. With the trees hanging over them and the long, narrow, winding road they had to travel down to reach the house, Amber could definitely see how the place got the reputation of being haunted. The entire area seemed sinister somehow, especially when going there later in the evening. With the sun only just beginning to set, and night not upon them quite yet, Amber could only imagine just how eerie the property would seem when the black blanket of night fell upon them.

The dirt road they were on curved to the left and then disappeared. There were remnants of a drive that once paved the way up to the farm house but years of neglect and bad weather had all but worn the path away. Winter loomed over them and the nights had gotten colder. This wasn't such a bad thing though because the cold, dry weather ensured that the ground was firm enough to drive over without fear of being caught in the mud.

As the house came into view Amber looked around for any sign of another car but didn't see one. They were a bit early though so she assumed that Alice just had not shown up yet.
Undeterred, Amber pulled up in front of the house and cut the engine off. She reminded everyone that there was no electricity in the house, so each of them would need to keep their flashlights close. There was also no running water so Amber had filled some milk jugs with water and put them in the back of the van before the others had arrived. She'd also brought along some drinking water, in case anyone wanted something more than just soda's. She got out of the van and took a quick inventory to make sure they'd not forgotten anything, not that she was prepared to go back. It was already getting dark and Amber didn't really want to leave in the middle of an investigation, not unless it was absolutely necessary. If they had forgotten to bring anything, they would just have to make due.

As luck would have it, everything seemed to be there. Between what Amber had packed and what Jesse had brought along, they had enough food to feed a small army.

"Let's get this show on the road!" Jesse clapped his hands together eagerly as he looked up at the house.  The look in his eyes told Amber that he too was excited about the investigation. Jesse was always looking for a real ghost encounter, something that would totally knock his socks off. His entire life he'd had feelings, heard whispers, and at times would catch glimpses of things from the past, but he'd never actually seen a spirit. He wanted a real "Amityville" experience. As he put it, he wanted a ghost to reach out and say boo!

 "What time is it?" Amber asked.

Jesse looked at his watch. "It's almost five." He said.

Amber smiled. "Good, Alice should be here any minute."

"Let's get this stuff unpacked then." Jesse started pulling bags out of the back of the van. Amber nodded and grabbed a bag too.

"Just set the stuff on the porch." She told the others.

Callie and Heather came around and took out their sleeping bags and back packs. Amber carried her stuff to the old porch and set everything down beside an old, wicker, rocking chair. "Creepy." She whispered as she looked at the chair. A gust of wind caused it to rock back and forth, giving the illusion that someone was actually sitting in it.

Jesse came up behind her and smiled. "Hey, dude, haunting rocking chair!"

Amber smirked. "Just the wind, buddy." She laughed. "The real freaky stuff will be inside."

"Can't wait." Jesse grinned wide, showing his excitement.

Heather came up behind them and plopped her bag down beside Amber's stuff. "So, when is this woman supposed to get here?" She seemed a bit annoyed that they were having to wait for her.

"She said five." Amber told her. "Give her a few more minutes."

"I hope she hurries." Heather hugged herself tight. "It's freezing out here."

Jesse turned on his flash light and shone it on Heather's face. "Where's your sense of adventure?" He asked her.

Heather frowned. "At home with my electric blanket."

Callie was hanging back, looking up at the house, as the others finished unloading the van. She had a slightly disturbed look on her face.

"What's up Cal?" Jesse asked her.

"I thought I saw something or someone move past one of the down stairs windows."

"Like a ghost?" Jesse's eyes brightened. "Coolness! Which window did you see it in?"

Callie pointed to the one on the porch, next to the rocking chair.

Jesse took off, running up the steps and over to the window that Callie had pointed out. He peered inside, his face pressed against the glass and his hands on either side of his face. "I don't see anything." He reported. "Just some furniture and an old fire place."

"I don't know what it was, but I did something move in there." Callie looked around, almost as if she expected to see Alice's car parked someplace that they had over looked, but it wasn't there.

"Hey Jesse," Amber called up to him. "Check the front door, see if its unlocked."

Jesse nodded and walked to the door. He reached out for the knob but before he could even touch it, the knob turned and the door slowly opened. Jesse moved backwards, caught off guard. "What the..."

The door opened all the way to reveal a young man, about nineteen or twenty standing in the door way.  He was good looking, with a thick head of dark brown hair, and large blue eyes. He was dressed in a pair of blue jeans, and a grey sweater.  He smiled at the group and greeted them. He seemed friendly enough but the group was still a bit concerned. They had no idea who this guy was or why he was there.

"You must be the group that Alice told me about." He said. "I'm Joseph." He extended his hand to Jesse who took it reluctantly.

"Nice to meet you." Jesse said as he shook his hand. "I'm Jesse, this Amber, Callie, and Heather."

Joseph nodded to the girls. "Welcome to Harrington Estate." He said. "I bet you're all pretty excited to get started. This place is pretty well known for it's paranormal activity."

Amber stepped up to the porch. "I'm sorry, but who exactly are you? Alice never mentioned that anyone else would be here."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Joseph laughed. "I should have told you up front. Alice is my aunt.  She had a little car trouble so she asked me to meet you guys here instead. Probably for the best anyway, Alice doesn't like coming out here much. I think it scares her too much. I'd rather have someone here with you all in case of an emergency. This house isn't exactly in the greatest shape. The floors are weak and some areas aren't that safe to walk on. Besides that, I know all the best stories and the history of the place, and I'm much more forthcoming than aunt Alice." He winked at Amber and smiled. "She doesn't want to admit there's any truth to the stories but I have first hand knowledge."

"Really?" Jesse perked up at Joseph's confession. "Can you tell us some of the stories?"

"Absolutely." Joseph seemed just as excited to spill the good stuff as the others were to hear it.

Amber figured that he was more like them then his aunt was.  He seemed really excited to have them there and more excited to talk about the ghosts of Harrington Estate. Amber was actually glad that Alice had sent him in her stead. He was eager to help them and closer to their ages which made him easier to talk to.

 "Come on in." Joseph stepped aside to let them enter the house. "You can set your stuff up in the living then once you get settled in I'll tell you the history of the house."

"So, you're planning to stay here with us the entire night?" Heather looked Joseph over suspiciously as she walked into the house.

Joseph shrugged. "If that's alright with you guys. Honestly, I think it would be for the best."

Heather looked to Amber for advice. "I don't." Heather said. "I think we can handle things on our own."

"It would be nice to have someone here that knows the history though." Amber told her.

"Yeah, " Jesse agreed, "Plus I want to hear some real ghost stories."

Callie shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me." She said.

Heather sighed. "I guess it's okay then." She wasn't convinced but she'd been out voted. When it came down to it, Amber was leading this expedition and Heather knew that Amber almost always got her way. If she wanted Joseph to stay, he was going to stay, and there was nothing that Heather could do about it.

As they entered the first room of the house the girls groaned and complained. While the structure of the building seemed firm enough, the interior left much to be desired. There were a few chairs and a sofa located in the sitting room, but there was also a lot of trash and debris scattered around. Mostly leaves, old papers, and a few soda cans. The furniture wasn't in the greatest of shape either. Most of it was weathered and dirty looking. Cob webs hung from the ceiling and door frames, the windows were covered with dirt and dust. The entire place needed a good cleaning but the mess wasn't the worst part. The house had an old, musty smell to it. Years of water damage caused by the rain had left mildew like stains on the walls, and a thick stench of rotted wood pervaded the air.

"You have got to be kidding me." Heather dropped her bag on the ground and sighed.  "There's no way we can stay over night in this place, it's a total dump."

"Did you expect the four seasons?" Amber frowned. "This place has been abandoned for over twenty years.  It's not like the owners just moved out yesterday."

"It's not that bad." Joseph laughed. "The bedrooms aren't nearly as messy, and a couple of them still have beds, though I don't know that I would sleep in them. Their really old and well, who knows what kids of animals might have left some little gifts behind."

"Oh gross." Heather wrinkled up her nose.

"Good thing we brought sleeping bags." Amber giggled. "So, is there a clean place we can put our stuff?"

"Yep." Joseph smiled and motioned for everyone to follow him. "I took the liberty of sweeping out one side of the living room.  There's a couple folding chairs that you can use if you want, and a small tale that I wiped down, and it's pretty close to the fire place."

"Any chance the fire place can be used?" Jesse asked.

"I don't see why not." Joseph told him.  "There's actually some wood out back you can use, and matches on the mantel."

"Wow that's awesome." Jesse sat his bag down. "How do I get out back?"

Joseph point him in the direction of a small door off the living room. "Through there, you'll find the kitchen. There's a back door and the wood is piled up right outside the door, under the awning."

"I thought everything was supposed to be boarded up." Callie raised an eyebrow as she looked at Joseph, questioningly.

"Some parts still are." He answered her. "But over the years kids have come around and broke in.  Plus, I don't think the ghosts like the windows being boarded up." He winked at her.

"Why would they care?" Heather asked him.

Joseph shrugged. "Would you want to be trapped in a place for all eternity with no way to look outside?"

Jesse left the group only briefly to get the wood for the fire. He returned with an arm full of thick fire wood that looked like it had been recently cut. He dropped them down in front of the fire place then brushed his arms off. "That should be good to get us started." He told the group. "There's more out there if we need it."

"Where did all the wood come from?"Amber asked.

"Alice's son, John, cut it up." Joseph told her. "A tree pretty close to the house was leaning far over and Alice was afraid that the next big ice storm would cause it to fall on the house so she told John to come over and cut it down. I helped him pile it all up beside the house."

"Oh that's cool." Amber smiled. "So, I guess not everyone is scared of this place."

"Oh he didn't come inside." Joseph said. "In fact, I don't think he's ever been inside the house. He just does some yard work here and there. Not as much as he used to though. He used to keep the grass cut, at least up near the house, but something spooked him pretty bad this one time and he left.  Didn't even bother to take the mower with him. I think the next time he came back was to cut down the tree. He hasn't been back since."

"How come you're not scared to be here?" Jesse asked him. "Haven't you ever seen anything to freak you out?"

"Oh, I've seen a lot." Joseph told him. "I just don't think there's anything here that can hurt me."

"So the ghosts here are friendly?" Amber asked.

"Most of them I would say are pretty friendly. If not friendly more or less just benign. There is one though that likes to play tricks.  He doesn't really do anything dangerous unless you piss him off. I think more than anything he just wants people to know that he's here."

"So would you say that this ghost is the most active one here?"

Joseph nodded. "Compared to the others, yeah he's the most active."

"What's his name?" Heather asked.

"Elliot." Joseph told her.

"Do you know anything about him?" Amber asked."Like who he was or how he died? Did he die here?"

"Yeah, I know quite a bit about him. Let's get the fire going then you can all sit around and I'll tell you about him. I'll tell you the whole history of the house. I really think you're going to be intrigued. There's a lot that I'm sure my aunt Alice never told you. Some real juicy family secrets. I hope you're ready to be scared."
The others laughed, growing more excited. It was turning out to be a pretty interesting night.

The group sat in a semi circle in front of the fire place. Joseph had also furnished some candles and placed them around the mantelpiece above the fire place and one on the floor.  He seemed as eager for this little exploration as the rest of them, he certainly had come prepared. Amber liked the idea of having their own personal tour guide though. He knew the history of the house and he could show them all the hot spots for paranormal activity. It was more than she could have hoped for when first planning the trip.
Jesse broke out the soda's and passed them around. He offered one to Joseph but he declined.
With the candles sat around, everyone seated on the floor, and the darkness encompassing them, it set the stage for the perfect ghostly tales and everyone, Callie and Heather included, were on the edge of their proverbial seats.

The group readied themselves, all focus on Joseph as he began. "As I'm sure my aunt told you, this house has been in our family for generations. It's called Harrington Estate due to the large number of Harrington descendants that had lived, and died here. No one really knows the exact number of people who have died on the property but we estimate that there were maybe ten deaths in the time since the house was first built. There could be more but we know of at least ten. In 1915 a woman named Maureen had hung herself after finding her infant daughter dead in her bassinet. I little later a young man died as a result from injuries he sustained during a farming accident. There are two children I know of that are said to haunt the property, both boys. One was about ten years old and the other was around seven. I think one of them died from pneumonia and the other, I'm not too sure, but I think he got lost in the woods over winter and froze. Both boys are said to have been seen around the woods and playing in the fields.
Most of the deaths here were from illness or injury. Tragic, but not necessarily unheard of for the time. Children especially were lost from injuries and sickness because they just didn't have the medical care that they have today. It's sad, but it was part of life back then.
The most shocking death though I think would be the case of Molly Rose.  She was sixteen when she and her mother moved here from up state. Her mother was a widow and the two were struggling financially.  When Molly's mother had met Burt Harrington, she thought all of her troubles were over. He was a widower himself, his wife had died in child birth and he was left with a baby to raise on his own.  When he met Molly's mother, Edna, it seemed like a match made in heaven. He needed a wife to help with the baby and marrying a man with a house of his own and a steady income would definitely help her and Molly.  After a short courtship they decided to marry.
Edna and Molly packed up their belongings and moved to Harrington Estate, ready to start a new life.
At first everything seemed perfect. They both fit in well and assimilated to life in the country with ease. Molly attended the local high school where she made new friends, even caught the eye of a local boy named Teddy. Teddy asked Molly to the fall dance that was held in town each year. All the young kids went to it and so Edna had no problem letting Molly go. It was a mistake that she would forever regret though.
Molly's friends had all stated that Molly was in good spirits throughout the night. She and Teddy danced, enjoyed the refreshments, and mingled with friends. It was close to midnight though when things took an ugly turn. A couple of the girls in Molly's class said that she and Teddy had gotten into an argument. Molly was  visibly upset and she demanded that he take her home. Teddy was angry but he reluctantly agreed and so they left the dance. That was the last time anyone would see Molly alive.
When Molly didn't return home that night, Burt and Edna contacted the police. They found Teddy at his home and he claimed that he had dropped Molly off just outside the front doors of her house after leaving the dance. He denied that they had had an argument and said that Molly was just tired and wanted to go home. The sheriff questioned each of the kids at the dance but the last anyone saw her was when she'd left with Teddy. Her disappearance sparked a search led by the sheriff and Burt.
It was around sunup the next morning when they finally found her body. She had been assaulted, but the cause of death appeared to be from a wound on her head.  She was found face down in a creek along the road that led back to the house, her blond hair a matted, bloody mess.
For months after her death, locals would leave flowers near the creek where she was found. The entire town mourned the loss.  People speculated that Teddy had done the deed but there was never enough evidence to convict so her killer was never brought to justice.  Maybe that's why her soul has never been at rest. People to this day say that on the anniversary of her death, you can hear her cries and see the phantom figure of a young girl with bloody hair, walking along the road near the creek, forever searching for her killer."

Amber had tears in her eyes as she listened to the story. An eerie hush had fallen over the room.

"Man, that's brutal." Jesse finally broke the silence.

"Yeah." Heather said. "That poor girl."

"Have you ever seen her?" Amber asked Joseph.

He nodded. "Once. It was a long time ago but I was out looking for my dog. My dad had come out here to check on the house and I was waiting in the truck. Max jumped out and took off towards the road so I went after him. It was getting dark and I had a real uneasy feeling. I wanted to get back to the truck as soon as possible, but I also wanted to find my dog. He'd ran back down the road and was sitting beside the creek whimpering. I wasn't sure what was wrong at first but then I saw her. There was a girl standing on the side of the road, she was crying. I ran back and told my dad about her and he got real quiet.  The next thing I knew he had grabbed me and practically pushed me into the truck. I asked what was wrong and all he said was that we had to get out of there. I didn't know then that I had seen a ghost but I found out later that that's what she was. I'll never forget that day, and the way she looked. Sad, broken. I don't think she would have hurt me, but my dad was terrified of her. I just felt sorry for her."

"Me too." Callie said as she looked down at the floor sadly. "I can't even imagine what it must have been like for her. Or what it's like now, wandering around, no family or friends, always mourning your own murder."

"It's a sad and lonely existence I imagine." Joseph said. "Maybe, that's why spirits haunt people. Not to cause harm or to scare them but just because they want recognition. It can't be easy to see a family living each day, happy, doing all the things that only the living can do.  After a while I would think it would either make that spirit very angry or cause them to sink into despair. Either way, you end up with one very resentful apparition."

"What about the other spirits?" Amber decided to change the topic to something less depressing.  "I want to hear about Elliot."

"Okay." Joseph smiled. "But to tell you about Elliot we're going to have to go up stairs."

"What's upstairs?" Jesse asked.

"You'll see." Joseph grinned as he stood. The others followed as he led them out of the living room

and up the steps to the second level. The upstairs was as dirty and cluttered as the downstairs was. More old, and worn out furniture littered the hallway. Dust covered everything, dirt, leaves, and trash were scattered about. Despite the poor condition of the house, the stairs and banister seemed sturdy, though the floors did creak a bit when they walked on them.
Amber expected him to take them to one of the bedrooms on the second floor but he didn't. Passing each room he finally stopped at a door located at the far end of the hall. He opened the door and allowed the others to shine their flash lights into the darkness. The could see another set of steps leading up to what looked like an attic. "This way." Joseph said as he ascended the stairs.

Eager to learn more, the others formed a single file line behind him.  When they reached the attic landing Joseph led them to a small room in the back. It was darker in that tiny room than anywhere else in the house. The small windows only provided limited lighting. Amber imagined that it would be brighter during the day but not by much. Joseph lit a candle that was sitting atop an old dresser and then turned to look at the others. "This was his room." Joseph told them.

The group surveyed the room. Like the rest of the house it was dusty, dingy, and seemed uninhabitable. Besides the dresser, there was a desk and a chair, and a small twin bed that sat against the wall.

"He actually lived up here?" Amber looked to Joseph, questioningly. She almost couldn't believe that someone could actually have slept in that room.

"Well, sort of." He told her. "It was in the early 80's.  Elliot had been rebellious through most of his teen years and by the time he was nineteen his parents just couldn't deal with him anymore. They told him that if he wasn't going to go to college that it was time for him to just move out.  They loved him and cared about him but they felt that they were enabling him by allowing him to live at home. Their hopes were that he'd get a job, find a nice apartment, and maybe grow up a little.  He tried to make it on his own. He just couldn't hold down a job. He was more interested in partying than working and supporting himself. He ended up losing his apartment, had no money, and was so overwhelmed with everything that he begged his parents to let him come home. They refused though. I'm sure it was hard for them to turn him away but they figured he would never learn if they just kept bailing him out every time he found himself in hot water. Well, things went from bad to worse. He was became withdrawn, very depressed, and just felt like there was no hope.  It was getting colder out and he still hadn't found any place to stay so in desperation he came here, knowing that no one was living in this old house. No one really knows why he chose to move into this tiny attic bedroom, but I speculate that it was just his way of escaping the rest of the world. He probably felt safe up here. Isolated from everything and everyone. If anyone came looking for him they'd never think to check the attic and so he knew he'd never be discovered. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened.
He locked himself away in here, downed a bottle of sleeping pills then laid down on the bed and went to sleep."

"So he just killed himself?" Heather was shocked. "How could he do that?"

Joseph shrugged. "I guess he felt like he was out of options. When someone is that depressed, sometimes death feels like the only way out."

"Well apparently someone found him, right?" Jesse asked. "I mean there's no body here and obviously you know the story so someone must have found him."

"They did." Joseph nodded. "But that's not really something I can go into details about. He was up here for a long time so when they did find the body, it wasn't pretty."

Amber grimaced. "Yeah, gross."

"Do you think he's still here?" Heather asked. "I mean his spirit?"

"Oh yeah, he's here." Joseph told her. "He's always here."

"Do you think we'd be able to contact him?" Amber asked.

Joseph raised an eye brow and grinned. "Oh, I think that's a definite possibility."

The group looked around the room for a while longer then Heather said she felt uncomfortable up there and wanted to leave. Jesse agreed. He felt the sadness in the room that Elliot must have felt. The feeling of dread and hopelessness that seemed to cling to the air.
With Amber leading the way, the group headed back down the stairs, Joseph following close behind. Once they reached the main floor, Amber was surprised to see Alice standing in the living room. She smiled when she saw them.

"Hello." She waved. "I was just starting to get worried about you all. I saw your van out front but when I didn't see anyone I came up on the porch and noticed the light from the fire through the window."

"We're all fine." Amber assured her as she led the others back into the main room. "We were actually upstairs exploring."

"Oh, goodness." Alice laughed a bit uneasily as she looked around the room. "How exciting." Amber could tell that she wasn't comfortable being inside the house. That was apparent by the way that she lingered close to the door, ready to bolt at any given moment. Amber suspected that the only reason Alice had risked entering the supposed haunted house was because she was worried about the group, or perhaps the light from the fire had alarmed her. Whatever the case, Amber found her apprehension to be a bit humorous. In the short time that she and the others had been in the house none of them had seen or felt anything that was necessarily alarming.

"It was very exciting." Amber told her. "This old house is amazing. We haven't had an opportunity to explore all of it yet but I am definitely looking forward to it."

Alice smiled somberly. "Well, I just hope that you know what you're getting yourself into. This house has many secrets and not all of them good ones.  By the way, may I ask, how did you get inside? I was sure that the doors were locked and boarded up."

"Oh, Joseph let us in." Amber told her.  "He told us how you were having car troubles and wasn't able to meet us here yourself. He's been a very gracious host. He's told us a lot about the history of this place."

"Joseph?" Alice narrowed her eyes, confused.

"Yes, your nephew."

Alice smiled nervously. "My dear, I don't have a nephew. I did once, but he passed away some time ago.  In this very house actually. He never went by Joseph though, we always called him Eli."

Amber took a step back. "Eli...was...was Eli short for something?"

Alice nodded. "It was short for Elliot. His name was Joseph Elliot but he never liked Joseph.  He was named after his father and they rarely got along so he refused to use his name."

Amber turned and looked at the others who seemed as shocked and confused as she. "Did your nephew by chance die in the attic bedroom?" Amber asked.

Alice nodded. "It was tragic. So young, but also very troubled.  He took his own life. His parents were devastated. How did you know that he passed away in that room? It was never documented that I'm aware of."

Amber shrugged. "It was just a rumor that we heard." She said sadly.

Amber scanned the room for any sign of their host but just as she suspected, he was no where to be found. Still, Amber remembered the haunting words that he had spoke in the attic room, "He's here, He's always here..."

( I hope you enjoyed this story.  As I stated above, this could be a complete work of fiction or it could be based off of true events. The images that are shown here are images that I found online and not actual images of the house or grounds. Also, I am not claiming ownership of any image here.  If you see an image that is yours please contact me and I will give you credit for your image. Thanks, C. McGinnis.)