House No.13

It was a dark night and I was out in the street with the dry leaves crunching under my feet. I brushed away my tears, in the middle of the night as I walked down the street. I had no idea where I was going to spend the night after the awful row I got into with my parents. I know I should have apologized, said sorry or something, but I had just stormed out of the room, grabbed a duffle bag, packed a few things and left. I had just reached the end of the lane as snow began to fall. I had to take refuge somewhere quickly. I scanned my surroundings and then it came in view the old abandoned house of street 13, which was also called House Number 13. I quickly ran towards it with my hands clutching my duffle bag.

I reached it and quickly began removing the chain which held the main gate. The cold metal brushed against my skin giving me a frost bite. The old lock which had held the chain had been broken weeks ago when me and my friends had first explored the place. It had become our secret hide out since then. I opened the gate and slipped inside. Just ahead was a low archway with an old oak door with a knocker. I entered inside opening the door. The smell of moldy parchment greeted me as warmth flooded my body. I stepped inside the hall which led to a couple of sized rooms. I entered the first one which had been furnished by me and my friends. The old stove cum heater stood by the corner, near it lied a small but sturdy folding table. The room also had a small cupboard which had been discarded by my friend Emily’s family while they were renovating and we all had brought it here. I opened the cupboard and took out cushions and rugs to prepare a mattress for myself. I went outside and collected some heather to make it. It was a slow steady process as my mind was going through depressing events that had happened. Finally, I was able to complete the job. I pulled out some meat strips and cookies from my duffle bag to make a meal with since I hadn’t had any dinner. I took some snow in the pan to make myself some cocoa. As I switched on the stove I realized how cold I was. So, I started having my dinner without removing my jacket and then suddenly, I heard a sound.

My heart beat fastened as the loose floor board in the corridor creaked. It felt weird. I brushed the crumps off my jacket and went courageously to explore the place from where the sound had come. It was pitch dark and completely silent. Suddenly, a girl emerged from the shadows, I yelped and fell. “Sorry to scare you” she said in a melodious and soft voice and in the same breath asked, “But who are you and what are you doing here”? “I am Evelyn Salt”. I replied, “And I live in the house at the other end of the street. I am here to hide from the wrath of my parents”. She trudged forward as if in a trance and I had the proper look at her. She had breathtakingly beautiful eyes of startling blue color. She had blonde hair which hung around her shoulders. She had a small nose. “I am Mary May Marge, I also have similar reasons to come here”. She pursed her lips. “This took place when I was just 6 yrs old.This took place when I was just 6 yrs old."OH"! I said “You almost scared the hell out of me Mary”. I took her to the room I had come from and ushered her inside. She said, “I wondered who had furnished the room you know”. “OH, that just me and my friends”, I replied. “Mary May aren’t you getting creeps staying here, I don’t want to scare you, but my friends complained that at night, lights flash here and sounds of mourns come from here”. She laughed “That would be like getting scared of my shadow”. “I agree I also don’t believe in the same either” I said. I looked around at the dancing shadows flickering in the room in the light of the stove when I realized she did not have a shadow. I frowned. She noticed my expression and saw what I noticed. “Um……” I said as I tried to touch her. My hand passed through her body, I backed away from her as she looked at me sadly and said “Don’t you see” she paused to take a breath and stared at my scared expressions. “I am the Ghost your friends talk about”. I was dead scared and next moment I ran out of the room and fled down the corridor. My legs buckled as I frantically tried to open the door of the house, but my hands fumbled at the lock. The door finally jerked opened and I dashed back home not caring about my duffle bag and things inside it.

The next day, I told everyone, but no one believed me. But the incident of that day is always my worst nightmare and I end up screaming at night. But that sad expression of Mary May Marge remains fresh in my mind as she mouthed out the word “Please”.