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Scary Stuff As A Child In Abandoned House

 

When I was young I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area. In comparison to other states or even other countries California is relatively young, meaning, that there is not nearly as much history as other locations.

When I young girl of about 9 or 10 my brother (whom is 3 years older than me) wanted to go check out the "haunted house" on our block. From the outside is was a modest single story house and judging the rest of the neighborhood was built around 1940, not too old. However, from the outside the white paint was peeling and there was a huge weeping willow that covered most of the house, plus the windows were very dirty and hard to see into. Now remember, I was only 9 or 10 so this is what I remember seeing.

My brother and his friends decide to "explore" (technically break in). I had never been in the house because it was vacant for many years. Walking around the house it looked normal, wood floors, white walls, and empty. My brother and his friends were goofing off in the kitchen and I went into the hallway. This is when I got really turned around and started to panic a little.

This was about a 1400 square foot home, not very large. I walked towards the bathroom end of the hallway and opened the cabinet in the bathroom (just being snoopy) and closed it. I gained my composure and walked out of the bathroom and passed the hallway closet and found my way back to the entrance to the living room when something caught my eye. I whipped my head back to the bathroom and the bathroom cabinet was open as well as the hall cupboard doors. I was totally freaked out and ran back to my brother and got out of there.

A few months later a girl my age and her family moved in, I was very good friends with her. She probably thought I was weird but I never wanted to spend the night at her house.

Sounds minor but I was just a kid and even now at 35 I still remember how scared I was.

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Comments about this paranormal experience

The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, Lynette, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will participate in the discussion and I need help with what I have experienced.

xXelliemayXx (10 stories) (164 posts)
 
15 years ago (2009-04-23)
HI, that was pretty cool.
Did your brothers see anything in the house?
Xxelliemayxx ❤ ❤
Lynette (1 stories) (2 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-07-22)
Thank you everyone for you kind comments. I am working on another incident I had at an Hotel that was in Sonora, CA, (old gold rush town) I was 24 at the time.

I agree that the above story was probably the house and my weight on those wood floors made everything swing open. But it was so creepy I had to share how it felt as a child and how I still remember how creepy that place was as an adult almost 20 years later. Memories at that age usually fade by the time you are in your 30's and I am sure I left details out, but I remember the feeling and that is what is still frightening.

Once again THANKS and I will post my other "experience" soon
FRAWIN (guest)
 
16 years ago (2008-07-19)
When a young child experiences something scary there are usually two reasons for it. One is they are picking up something paranormal and the other is that it is natural causes that is beyond their understanding. Both can be extremly frightening to a young mind. I will have to agree with the others that it was more than likely natural causes. Thank you for your story, I enjoyed it.

FRAWIN 😊
Biemaster (7 stories) (192 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-07-19)
Hi Lynette! Welcome to Your Ghost Stories! Thanks for sharing your story with us!

I have to agree with Bellissima like the others did on this one. She made you understand beautifully so I won't say much. I also think that because the house was old, the hinges might be a little loose or broken so it could open easily. This is just my guess! I hope to hear more stories from you!

Biemaster
girlie (15 stories) (426 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-07-19)
HI, that was pretty cool. Did your brothers see anything? Well hope to hear from you soon Lynette.
GIRLIE 😁 ❤
ChrisB (6 stories) (1515 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-07-18)
Hi and Thank you for sharring this very interesting story with us. I believe that Bellisma is pointing a good pointy out. Most hauntings are not hauntings. You have to try and explain everything in a rational way. When that can not be done you do it again. And when that doest help, well you have a haunting. Thanks again for sharring. I hope to hear from you soon and take care
rhodes68 (14 stories) (1596 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-07-18)
I would have to agree with Bellissima on this one-she couldn't have said it any better.

Although there are almost always some natural causes to what we may perceive as a supernatural event, that doesn't mean this is always the case of course.

I don't know if you've mentioned it already but I'd be asking your friend if she had ever perceived anything unusual happening at home.
Bellissima (12 stories) (792 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-07-18)
Hi Lynette. Welcome to Your Ghost Stories. I enjoyed reading your story. If you've had a few experiences like this then I would think you must be sensitive to spirits. If this was the only time something like this happened then one possibility for the cupboards opening could be that when you opened the doors you loosened up the long unused latches that held the doors shut. It could have even been the shift in the floors that was caused by your weight as you walked past. Since the house was in such disrepair it sounds as if no one had lived there for quite some time, there would have been a lot of shrinking and expanding going on in the wood when the weather changed from cool and dry to humid and damp. That could cause things to get pretty sticky and creaky.That's one thing to consider, OR maybe there really was a spirit just giving you a little warning about invading their territory after so many years of peace and quiet. You can never be sure! One thing I am sure of is that you really had quite a scare, especially since you still remember it so clearly. Being 9years old and touring a spooky old 'haunted' house would be scary enough but to actually encounter a spirit, that would certainly be something not soon forgotten. I really enjoyed your story, it was nicely written and interesting. If you have more to tell I'd love to read about it. Thanks for sharing this experience.
Lynette (1 stories) (2 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-07-17)
Thanks for jogging my memory. I did tell her about the incident. She thought I was crazy. I can't remember exactly but I think she heard creaking noises (house settling?) but I don't remember her ever telling me anything about something major. THANKS
ghostlover13 (19 stories) (191 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-07-17)
That is very, very creepy. Did your friend ever tell you that anything scary was going on? Please let me know. 😊

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