H is for Haunting

By Zachary West

This book follows a family that relocates from the West coast to the East coast in the mid 1980's. During the family's time in their new small town location, the daughter, Joey, uncovers the truth about the town's history and the deep dark secrets contained within

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dr. Zachary West
• Release date: Apr 18, 2024
• ISBN: 9798869354365

Book preview

1

The Move

The sun was barely out and the air was already hot and humid. The thick air laid quietly on the summer morning that began with a long drive. The soft, quiet road suddenly turned into a rough, gravel ridden back road almost surrounded by dense trees and brush concealing anything lurking behind them. The vehicle weaved through the forest with winding turns concealed by the density of the trees. Joey looked out the window trying to see the sky but the canopy was so thick and luscious, full of dark green leaves that nearly blocked out the early morning sun. The Alan family had been driving for almost an hour, but to Joey, it was torture. She felt as if she had already spent an entire day in the van. What a terrible way to waste a summer morning, awake, in a van, thousands of miles from my friends, to move to a place that no one has heard of. Joey scuffs as she stares out the window, wishing that the fog was her blanket and that this was just a dream. Now resting her head on the cool window, her eyes half closed, Joey gasped, and she jumped back towards the other side of the van, startled by a dark figure lurking amid the fog.

What was that?! Joey exclaimed. Both of her parents, Candice and Pete, were surprised by her actions, responding simultaneously, What! What was what? Joey frantically looked around outside the back window, now kneeling on the seat with her back to the front of the van and her forehead pressing against the back window, squinting her eyes, hoping to see something, anything. Unable to see anything past the heavy fog, the family van continues down the road. I thought, she pauses, I Thought I saw someone or something out in the woods Joey finally replies. Candice, riding in the passenger seat up front of their van, amusingly replies at the thought that Joey was trying to be funny, Must have been your imagination dear. Holding back a chuckle, We have been traveling a lot recently and you have barely slept since we left Washington.

The rest of the car ride to their new house in Piermont was relatively quiet. There isn’t much to see when traveling through old dirt roads, winding through the forest. Joey tried her best to close her eyes and fall asleep. But the only thing she could manage to do was thinking about her friends and how she is missing out on going into town with them. On a day like today, they would have gone for an ice cream or soda. They would have sat outside together in the shade enjoying their cold drink on a hot day. She missed her friends deeply. I didn’t ask for this, it’s not fair. I just want to be back home, our real home! The one that’s on the other side of the country! Now she’s alone, laying in the back of the van, with nothing to do, no one to talk to, bored and alone, completely isolated. A few hours of looking out the window, seeing the same tree after tree zip past the view of the window, until they finally arrive to where the Alan family will now call their new home.

The vehicle’s brakes screech as the family van finally comes to a rest in-front of the old, dilapidated, Victorian house. Vines had already begun to overtake the lattice walls and columns on the front porch. At first look, the house appears to have been vacant for a long, long time. The yard was overgrown. It no longer resembled a yard to a house, but more of a deserted field that was once a farm. Grass grew tall and thick through the cracks in the driveway. The mailbox was completely camouflaged and hidden from untamed bushes. The discolored white lead paint on the old wood plank siding was peeling off of the house and was now littered and scattered about the overgrown yard.

Walking up the stairs to the front door, with every step the floorboards beneath their feet cracked and cracked. Walking carefully, trying not to step in the holes of or into the missing planks of the porch. The front door was painted in a soft lavender color. The door seemed to be out of place with the rest of the house. It appeared to have been freshly painted, nearly unscathed by the unforgiving east coast sun. Pete reached for the front door and as soon as his hand was about to grab the doorknob, a small gust of wind blew and a small sound, similar to that of a light knock, was heard. Jumping back slightly with a gasp, Joey was reluctant to enter.

Candice comforts Joey by holding on to her by the shoulders as she stands behind her. It’s going to be alright sweetie. It’s just the wind. Pete grabs the doorknob to the house and pulls it the rest of the way open toward the family. The metal creaking sounds from the door’s rusted hinges echo through the porch. The door opens slowly towards the family before finally coming to a stop. Revealing an old dilapidated, dust infested ceramic deep blue patch of tile floor, tattered dark green wallpaper walls with deep purple window drapes with small holes lined the living room with slivers of light peeking them. The house was dark, eerie, and still, but the air felt unsettled. As soon as Joey stepped through the threshold of the house, she felt cold. The worse part, she could feel as if someone was watching her, someone they could not see.

Walking slowly throughout the house, Joey felt like someone was constantly behind her. She would walk a few steps and then turn around quickly expecting to see someone, but no one was there. Joey began to tiptoe, trying to not make a sound. For a moment, Joey thought she had heard footsteps behind her. She froze in fear, then she felt a hand grab and hold onto her arm. Joey jumped and screamed in terror until she heard her father’s voice, Relax, it’s just me. Winded, Joey responded, You scared the ever-living daylight out of me. It’s been a long day already, let’s take a break for some lunch. Pete started with a big grin while rubbing his belly, in an over-exaggerated motion signaling the emptiness inside.

Candice went back to the van to grab the picnic basket, blanket, and a few pillows from the trunk. She had prepared a special lunch for today to celebrate their family’s new beginning. As Candice had closed the trunk of the van and turned around, she noticed something dark standing behind the upstairs window. Pete called, Candice, do you need some help? Drawing Candice’s attention away from the upstairs window, she peered toward the front door, No thanks, I’ve got it. She looks back at the window, no longer seeing the figure, instead the headboard to the already furnished bed in Joey’s room. Dismissing the figure as a mirage of her fatigued mind and tired eyes, Candice shakes her head and tries to forget about what she thinks she saw in the window. She heads back inside, closing the door behind her, to have a picnic with her family in their new living room.

Candice spreads out the checked plaid red, black, and white blanket on top of the dirty, dust covered floor. She proceeds to take out the bologna and cheese sandwiches, potato chips, and a few sodas. Lunch is ready! Candice exclaims. Everyone sits down on a pillow and the family rests quietly together, soaking in their new surroundings. The lunch was basic and not fancy at all. But to Candice, it was special. After feeling a disconnect with her family from the move, this was the first meal the Alan family has had together, that was not in a restaurant, hotel, or the van while on the road. This was the first time that they were able to sit down together in what had felt like a very, very long time.

Joey could not shake the feeling of what felt like someone was always watching her. This house is kinda creepy. Joey said, sitting there looking around the living room. It feels like someone is constantly watching me. She confessed to her parents. No one else is here, sweetie. Candice looks around and is quick to dismiss Joey’s concerns and reminds her that, This is an old house and it’s new to us. It may feel strange at first, but there is nothing to be concerned with. It’s just your imagination getting the best of you. The house will grow on you, and you will feel more comfortable the longer we are here. You’re right, mother." Joey replied. After lunch, Joey was relaxing and taking it all in. The longer she was there, sitting in the living room. The more at ease she began to feel. Joey had only been in the living room and main hallway and entrance to the house. There was still a lot left to explore and Joey was quick to become more comfortable and even more curious about the house. What intrigued her the most was, when they arrived at the house, it was still completely furnished from the last tenants.

Walking around the house, Joey found the words ``GET OUT" painted in a deep crimson red, on the tattered shiplap wall in the dining room, revealed by the ripped off wallpaper that was surrounding the graffiti. Joey had noticed beads of paint were starting to run down the wall as if it was still fresh from earlier today, maybe even moments before the Alan family had arrived. Joey decided to touch the paint. Examining her fingers, Joey noticed that texture from the paint seemed off, this is not paint at all, but maybe it’s blood?

Joey ran to her mother and held her arm tightly. Ouch, what are you doing? Candice shrieked. Come with me, I have to show you something, replied Joey. Together they walked quickly to the dining room, Joey leading the way still gripping her mother’s arm tightly. As they got to the dining room, Joey showed her mother the wall. Candice looked at the tattered wall where Joey had taken her to. Confused, Joey shrilled, Here! Here on the wall, there were words written on it. They were a dark red and still dripping that read ‘GET OUT’, it was right here! Joey Exclaimed. Heart racing, Joey looks down at her fingers, no paint, no red stain, nothing. Honey, there’s nothing here, I really think that your imagination is getting the best of you today. Candice continues, This is just like what happened before in the car when you thought you had seen something in the woods, or even just a few moments ago when you thought that someone was watching you. Joey scuffs again at her remarks and mumbles under her breath, Yeah, I still do. Candice ignored Joey’s remarks, It has been a long day and it might be best for you to rest a little bit and adjust to our new home.

Joey, feeling frustrated for not being taken seriously by her mother. Joey was already upset with the fact that her friends are now 2,400 miles away from her in her new creepy house. She continues to walk around looking by herself and far away from her mother to see if there was anything interesting still in the house. Something that she could do to distract her from everything. Joey continued from room to room, it is all the same, the furniture draped in white sheets, the paintings, the old pictures of people that they didn’t even know, the decoration, all of it, it’s all old, ugly, and disgusting.Walking over a giant dirt covered rug that rested on top of the dark stained walnut hardwood floors, Joey had finally made it to the room that she would call hers. It was a traditional four-wall, square room with a luxurious queen-sized bed with intricate floral and vines carved into the tall wooden posts. In her room, there was a dresser, a vanity that was complete with an oval mirror encased with a tarnished, vintage decorated frame, and a nightstand complete with an old bank teller style lamp with a red glass shade atop of it. All of the furniture had the same matching designs that were on the bed posts.

In the room, there was only a single window behind her bed. The lone, oversize window that had consumed most of the wall, and was nestled behind two, floor to ceiling curtains. Two sets of curtains that nearly blocked out all of the sunlight until they were pulled open with what was once a thick, velvet, gold rope that was now worn, discolored, and frayed. The still soft velvet rope attached to a cerulean blue heavy velvet curtain with a yellow tinted white sheer lace draped behind it. She pulled the curtains open to see the backyard. The overgrown jungle of a backyard had a waist high white picket fence completely surrounding it. There was a small child’s playhouse that was completely overgrown in ivy. It had a Maple sapling that was growing through an empty space that was once a window.

There were grass and weeds growing tall enough for the perfect game of hide and seek. The most eye-catching of all to Joey was a sandbox. In the sandbox were a few blue-eyed dolls that had appeared to have been played with recently. The dolls’ clothes were dirty and laid in the sand like they were tanning on the beach. Joey stops and looks at the sandbox, the sand was mostly flat except for a small amount of sand that was near the dolls, appearing to look freshly disturbed with indents of where something, maybe children, could have been playing. What was most unusual, there were no overgrown plants or trees touching the sandbox. The grass hadn’t been moved out of the way or stepped on. In fact, the grass had grown perfectly straight and looked as if it had never been touched. Joey looked around the sandbox and couldn’t even see a path leading to the sandbox. It was just sitting in the middle of the backyard as if the sandbox had just fallen out of the sky.

Bored with the sights of the backyard, Joey continues on and keeps exploring her room. She opens up