Haunted House

• Chloe Young, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2016

When my husband, my 3 kids and I brought the house I assumed that the scratch marks on the inside of the basement door were from a dog, but the next door neighbours say that the previous owner didn’t have one. My kids were outside in the sand out front while my husband Jack, and I were on the front road unpacking the rest of our things, when I suddenly hear a soft thudding coming inside of the house I look around to see if my kids were in there making those noises but they were all still outside playing in the sand with their trucks and dolls. Quickly I rush inside and then all of the noises stop and the house were dead quiet again. Slowly I walk back outside and I could swear I heard giggles and whispering behind me I spin around quickly on my heels but nothing was there. Suddenly I feel cold all over, “mum” I hear Layla my oldest child call she was weeping and jogging over to me. “Mum” she sobs “someone grabbed my arm but there was no one there.” She was as pale as a ghost herself and shacking wildly in fear. I look up to see Luke and Bella hugging Jack’s legs shacking as hard and Layla. It’s getting dark I called to Jack, Luke and Bella. We better come in for tea. My voice was shaking as I spoke but I was still trying to stay calm. Soon it was pitch black outside and the only light was from the moon and a small dim street light. It was quiet as we sat and ate our dinner. Luke was the second eldest but the first one to finish eating. Luke placed his plate in the sink and ran up the stairs calling for Bella and Layla to hurry up and finish eating. Bella and Layla grabbed their plates and ran up the stairs catching up to Luke. They all ran into their room and started tiding up to get ready for bed. I finished the dishes and came up to their room. Layla was asleep like always and Luke was wide awake talking to Bella who was trying to get to sleep. Finally Jack got Luke to go to bed I turned their night light off and went into my room. That night I woke up at what must have been one in the morning. There was soft patting coming from the basement door and a sharp piercing noise like scratching also coming from inside of the basement door. I pushed the noises and managed to go back asleep. The next morning I went down to the basement. On the back of the door where the scratches were had multiplied… Now there was two times the amount of scratches on the door. I look around but there was nothing in there. I turned around to go outside the door but it swings shut with a loud BANG!