Entry # 18

This Old House

By

Paul Freeman

The old house looked the same, all crumbling mortar and rotten timbers, even the overgrown ivy appeared no different. He allowed himself a self-satisfied smile, who would have guessed, he thought to himself, that he would come back after all these years and buy the old heap. His eye was automatically drawn to an upstairs window, a dark gaping hole in the off-white wall.

Somebody had boarded up the front door and downstairs windows, they needn’t have bothered, nobody from around here would set foot inside the place. He remembered growing up in the area, none of the kids would come near this place, even the bravest of them were petrified of the old house. It was still considered ‘the old house’ back then, he smiled as he remembered.

The place was haunted, they said. ‘Don’t go down there or the White Lady will get ye.’ Some swore they had seen her, looking out from that top window, dressed in white. There were countless sightings and rumours, ‘walk three times around the house at midnight, on the night of a full moon and she’ll appear,’ they said. ‘Old Mick saw an English man do it back in the fifties. The man was never seen again.’

All nonsense of course, superstitious rubbish. He believed it as a kid though. He even thought he had seen her himself. He had accepted a dare to go into the house, he didn’t want to but he was thirteen and there was a girl to impress, he could not turn down the challenge. He got as far as the front door when he heard a creak, he imagined a rope swinging from the rafters, when he looked up there she was. Her white gown floating in the breeze. She was staring at him, two black pits for eyes, that look turned his insides to ice. He ran and ran, to hell with impressing girls. He cried all the way home. He could laugh now.

They even had a name for the ghost, Mary McGuire, maid, married and widowed all in one day. The story goes; it was during the Irish civil war, the Irish rebels had fought the British army to a standstill and a ceasefire was declared. The Irish sent a contingent to London to negotiate a peace treaty, that treaty resulted in the island being divided, twenty six counties were set free, six remained under the control of the British. This sparked a civil war between pro-treaty and anti-treaty factions. Setting brother against brother, father against son. Ironically the pro-treaty side who formed a government used British guns against their former comrades.

The story doesn’t say which side Mary McGuire’s new husband fought for, only that on the evening of her wedding he was called away, there was an ambush and he was shot dead. So, a widow on her wedding night. They say she was distraught upon hearing the news and was found hanging from the ceiling of the bridal chamber the next morning. Every night since she comes down off the rope and comes to the window searching for her lost love.

He shivered at the memory of the old ghost story. She’s going to have to find somewhere new to live, he thought to himself, his construction firm had big plans for this place and there was no room for ghosts in the new development.

He kicked in the door and stepped inside into the darkness. It smelled of decay and neglect, the staircase in the hallway was rotten away, even the ceilings had gaping holes, he could see right through them. It’s about time this place was demolished, he thought.

He heard a creaking noise, a shiver ran down his spine. He felt a breeze on his face, he swung around his eyes opening wide in shock. He couldn’t breathe, his chest felt as if someone had stabbed him in the heart with an icicle.

Falling…falling…blackness.

*****

The old house looked the same. The estate agent felt an odd, unpleasant sensation every time he came out to the place.

“So what happened to the previous owner?” A voice interrupted his thoughts

“It’s a strange story, he was a local lad, made it big up in Dublin with his own construction company. He came back here a few years ago with big plans to develop this site into a shopping centre. Then he just disappeared,” the estate agent answered the young couple.

“How very odd,” the woman said.

“Hasn’t been sight nor sound of him in years. The company just want to get rid of the place now,” the estate agent shrugged.

“Well that’s to our gain so, we really like this village and plan to start our family right here,” the man said, smiling at his wife.

“Well, she’s all yours, come by the office later and we’ll sort the paperwork.” They shook hands and the estate agent left the couple to wander around their new property.

As he walked from the overgrown garden he glanced back. What was that in the window? He knew all the old stories about the house, every local did. He wondered should he have said something to the new owners… and have them laugh at him for spouting such superstitious nonsense? He shook his head at his own foolishness and with a wave left them to it.

  

Entry # 3

Fates Warning

Excerpt from The Mystic Diaries book 3 - The Unseen Heart

By:

Lilibeth Muscato

The section on where our room was located was the best. The college students over did themselves on special occasions. Homecoming they celebrated as if it were going out of style. Halloween was coming up and you would think we were all ten years old again. The decorations, the gags, there was never a dull moment. The section was throwing a big Halloween party. 

“Wow! Look at that detail! It looks like an authentic suit that they would have worn back in the early 1800’s,” he gasped, at the detail.

The suit top coat was dark beige with a white shirt. The coat’s collar was trimmed in black with black buttons. The outfit included a white box tie and dark brown trousers with a hideous vest. No wonder why my angel outfit looked a little outdated. I was starting to put two and two together.

Gabriel another varsity player was knocking right outside the door. “Alexandra? Someone dropped these off for you.” 

He gave me a dozen red roses. I took a sniff and smiled. They smelled so sweet. The vase was a beautiful clear glass covered with delicate art work. “Thanks,” I smiled.

“Who are those from?” Jen asked.

“I don’t know,” I looked for the card. It was stuck down in the middle of the roses.

“These are to remind you that we are here,” The card read. “It is not a game that we are playing. From: The Baseball Varsity Team.”

She hissed with annoyance, “They are never going to give up.”

“It’s not like I asked for this,” I shot back.

“Three hours!” Connor shouted, from the hallway. Cheers followed and Halloween music started to play. 

“Lexi?” Erik asked from the doorway.

“Yes?” I asked, worried by his tone.

“Next time you invite someone, can you please let us know,” he nicely informed me.

“Wanna come?” I asked Jen. 

I had completely forgotten to sign him in since he was unsure if could make it. Then I remembered that Erik was there when I told varsity that he was coming. Oh well, he must have forgotten. 

“Sure,” she said, taking off right behind me. 

Jen and I were head to head with racing down the stairs. We were on the fourth floor. Most days it sucked if we forgot a book for class or just heading to class in general. It seemed to take forever to get down the four flights of stairs. Decorations all over the place. We were running to fast I think our wind knocked some over. I didn’t care. I rounded the last corner to find him waiting patiently.

“Alexandra my love!” He called, rushing to me as soon as he saw me.

“I missed you so much!” I said wrapping my arms around him. We embraced in a passionate kiss. I had completely forgotten about Jen standing there until I heard her clear her throat. “Oh, sorry,” I said smiling. “Justin, this is my roommate Jen. Jen this is Justin.”

“Nice to finally meet you,” she said, taking his hand.

“It is a pleasure to meet you as well,” he replied with a smile. “So I see that you speak a lot about me.”

“Of course,” I giggled, because he knew when I did. 

We started heading back to our room. Justin and I were getting a lot of looks and of course ‘he is real’ remarks. That didn’t bother me. Jen and I could never understand why everyone doubted me and not her. She didn’t have any pictures up of Stephen and I had a lot of Justin. Maybe she should she would play hard to get. Who knows? We walked arm and arm up the stairs. 

“Did the package arrive?” He asked.

“Yes it did,” I playfully glowered at him. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was not for sure if the plans that had been made would work out as planned. I did not want to give your hopes up for if they had fallen through,” he smiled, spinning me around.

“A little warning next time,” I teased. “We have one stop to make along the way to the room.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” 

I knocked on the Timothy’s door. I heard a bunch of chuckling coming from inside.

“I’m coming in,” I announced slowly opening the door.

“Alexandra!” Connor stood up with excitement.

“Everyone,” I said taking a step inside. Justin was right outside the door to where they couldn’t see him just yet. “This is my fiancé Justin.”

“Hi Justin,” they said in unison. Their tone sounded like a bunch of little school boys meeting someone they didn’t like for the first time.

“It is a pleasure to meet you all,” he said, giving a slight bow of his head.

“You look familiar,” Bart said analyzing him. “Have you been here before?”

“I had stopped for an interview some time ago. Perhaps that is where you have seen me.”

Connor was doubtful, “Possibly.” 

I rolled my eyes and we headed back to our room. This was great. Even before we made it into the room Connor was at it now.

“One hour people!” Connor yelled, running down the hallway.

“We should perhaps get ready,” he winked at me.

“Of course,” I answered, with a smile. “Go ahead and get changed in the bathroom, I’ll get changed out here.”

Jen went to close and lock the door. I handed Justin his outfit and he proceeded in the bathroom to get ready.

“He’s cute,” she whispered. “He doesn’t talk like us.”

“He’s old school,” I whispered back. “Maybe Stephen will surprise you tonight?”

“I don’t think so,” she said with such sadness, it looked as if she was going to cry at any moment. “Things are complicated between us.”

I deeply sighed looking at the bathroom door. “I know the feeling.” 

“I really don’t think you do,” she said, not believing me. 

If she only knew the truth. Not that I didn’t trust her enough, it’s that I didn’t trust her all the way to let her in on our secret. The white angel’s costume was trimmed in light blue. It was long gown that flowed and shimmered in the light. She even got the accessories for it. It looked sort of like mid Victorian Southern Belle Gown but she made the angel wings for the back and the halo that sat perfectly on my head. Jen had a black cat costume. Justin finally emerged from the bathroom. He looked absolutely genteel.

He held his breath. “My love, you truly look like an angel that has fallen upon this earth.”

“You look noble as well my love.” I held my arm out. “Ready?”

“Ready,” he grinned. 

“Let me get pictures first,” she said grabbing her camera and I threw mine at her. We must have taken about rolls worth of film. 

“PARTY TIME!” Bart screamed, as he flew down the hall in his cereal box shirt to resemble a serial killer. 

The music grew louder as other students had set up tables with food and drinks along one end and created a make shift dance floor on the other end. 

We turned back around and headed to the dance floor. Connor was still there with his mouth hanging open. I knew that because Gabriel started to make fun of him. We were the first ones on the make shift dance floor. A slow song began as soon as our feet touched the dance floor. I looked at him knowing he had something to do with it as he just winked at me. 

We flowed as we always did when we danced to the slow songs. The students stood there in amazement as they watched us take the floor. Our eyes never leaving one another, I was in bliss. When the song stopped everyone applauded. I was taken back because I had completely forgotten about everyone else. 

You could see where the different sets of varsity teams were huddled discussing amongst themselves. The football you knew by their built and the basketball because of their height. 

He whispered in my ear, “I need to have a word with you in private.” 

I motioned him off the floor and led him to my room. Our room was in the middle of the party but no one should really notice.

“What’s wrong?” I asked when we entered my room.

“Fate warned me that there is a spirit in lust with a mortal at your school,” he said.

“Really?” I said, really not shocked.

He looked a bit confused. “You know?” 

“Well I’m not for sure,” I admitted, looking at the empty pictures Jen stares at on the wall.

“Destiny was right. As large as this world is, sometimes it is way too small,” he said, with incredulity.