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House Sitting 2

 

This seems to be an annual event now, or maybe even bi-annual, as I found myself house sitting once more. Nicky, our eldest daughter, had accompanied her long-time friend to a seaside resort on our sub-tropical East Coast. Both were celebrating their birthdays, both are Sagittarians.

The first four days were uneventful. I saw my granddaughter, Shenay, off to school in the mornings and was there to welcome her when she got home. I was having a uninteresting, tranquil time. No butterflies or bizarre light episodes this time. (If you read a previous submission of mine, "House Sitting", you will get the whole picture.)

The morning of Thursday, 23 November - Nicky's 50th birthday - dawned dazzling and sun-drenched; another pleasant Summer's day here in the Southern Hemisphere. I tried to phone Nicky to wish her, but her phone went to voice-mail; I would try again later. I switched on the radio in the lounge as I passed, taking my coffee and book to my usual spot at the patio table. I sat for a moment, enjoying the breeze as it whispered through the hibiscus trees at my back. I heard twittering and turned to watch as a yellow, male weaver bird fluttered from flower to flower to drink the nectar from the scarlet blooms.

At something past nine, I registered that the radio was no longer playing in the background. My first thought was that the station had gone off the air for a minute or two. This sometimes happens at home, so I wasn't perturbed. I was so deeply immersed in my Stephen King novel that it was more than an hour later before I realised that the radio had not come on again. I got up to investigate. The radio was switched off, the remote control still in its usual place on the coffee table.

That night at about 8:30, I went outside to the patio table to have my last smoke before retiring. Shenay was in bed already, the fur kids were both cuddled in their respective beds in the lounge, all was deathly hushed after the thunderstorm we had earlier. Abruptly, the motion-sensor light in front of the garage flashed on. This happens often if a car passes on the complex road in front, or someone walks down the short, paved strip towards the townhouse. The dogs always rush out, barking their heads off if this happens. (It can get really annoying.) This time, there was no car passing, absolutely no footsteps, and the dogs never moved from their beds. Incidentally, insects are too small to set off the motion sensor.

The next morning, at exactly 10:25, the radio switched off again. (I took note of the time on this occasion.) Was 'someone' trying to let me know they were there? It certainly seemed like it, though I didn't detect any change in atmosphere, or chills of any kind. In all the weeks I had house-sat previously, this had never happened before.

On Saturday we awoke to a grey, wet and rather chilly morning. Shenay had finished writing her year-end exams, (no more studying) so opted to spend the day cuddled in a fluffy blanket in front of the TV. I was still making habitual trips to the patio to smoke.

The rain had tapered off to a light drizzle, and the dogs had quietly wandered off to the patio. I stepped out of the sliding glass front door about a minute or so behind them. They were standing like statues, ears cocked, side by side, staring at the open front gate. OPEN? OMG, how did that happen? The front gate is always kept shut by a sliding bolt, usually locked. I knew I had unlocked the gate earlier, but the lock had still been through the 'eye'. The dogs hadn't barked, as they would have if someone had been at the gate. This was the height of eerie for me. I rushed to shut, and lock the gate, before the dogs decided to wander off. Shenay poked her head around the glass door to ask what the flurry was about.

So ended my not-so-boring week of house sitting. Not scary, but interesting to say the least.

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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, Fergie, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

Fergie (40 stories) (1159 posts)
 
6 years ago (2018-01-23)
Hi Jubeele,
As far as the book is concerned, your best bet may be to try a second-hand book store. I doubt if it is still in print.

Good thought on the hi-jinks at Nicky's home. 😉 Yes, it was the last weird occurrence. Maybe the spirit was showing off - maybe it was letting itself out? LOL. I wonder if that was what the dog's were watching so intently - the spirit's departure.

Ray is the only one of our little family that hasn't experienced something at Nicky's home. He has never been there for more than a few hours at a time (6 at the most).

BTW, I am due to do another week of house sitting next month. I suppose it would be expecting too much to have more experiences there, this time. LOL. 😜
Jubeele (25 stories) (882 posts)
 
6 years ago (2018-01-23)
Hi Fergie, I haven't been able to track down the book from my usual online source. I might ask if my local bookstore can order it in for me.

Just had a thought about the gate and the sliding bolt. Was that the last of the antics for that time? If so, then maybe it "exhausted" its stored-up energy just for that display. I got the distinct impression of something "showing-off" for your benefit. Like it was trying to say: "Look how clever/smart/strong I am!" 😁

Did Ray experience anything at Nicky's too?
Fergie (40 stories) (1159 posts)
 
6 years ago (2018-01-23)
Katelyn,
I am honoured that have fave'd one of my milder accounts.

Thank you for reading, and your comment. 😁
Fergie (40 stories) (1159 posts)
 
6 years ago (2018-01-23)
Jubeele,
Did you ever manage to get hold of that book, "Celestial Chess" for Rex-T? I am sure you would both love it, if not for the story, for the prose alone. 😊 ❤
KatelynC (12 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-01-22)
You are now on my fav list

Good job

THank you for sharing <33333333

KatelynC ❤
Jubeele (25 stories) (882 posts)
 
6 years ago (2017-12-24)
Oh no, Fergie - I can't give you a point either. Haha - too funny! But here's a smile + 😊 kiss + 😘 plus lots of love + ❤.

I will look up "Celestial Chess". A reviewer has described Thomas Bontly as similar to Dan Brown ("Da Vinci Code") but with better prose. Rex-T might like it too - he likes chess.
Fergie (40 stories) (1159 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2017-12-24)
Dear Jubeele, yes, no messy bits to sort out this time, and not one single butterfly to be seen. Just a calm, "Hello, I'm here," from the house spirits.

I think the most unnerving incident was with the gate. That bolt going into the wall is at least 20cm long, I'm sure you know the type I am talking about. It must have taken some energy to slide that out, so I am guessing it is quite a powerful spirit.
I would still like to see the apparition walking down the stairs though.

The Stephen King novel I was reading was, "Revival". I have read "Thinner" and a collection of his short stories. I have just rediscovered a book in my library, entitled "Celestial Chess" by Thomas Bontly. He was an (American) English professor. I just love the descriptive way he wrote - paints word pictures, like you.

Thank you for reading, and your comment.

Our family sends warm wishes right back to you, Rex T and your family of bears ❤
Sorry, the system won't let me give you a karma point any more.
Jubeele (25 stories) (882 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2017-12-23)
Dear Fergie, non-scary experiences are just the way I like them. I've gone and revisited your earlier submission "House Sitting" before reading Part 2. Very interesting.

I think the other occupants in the house were saying: "Welcome back - yay, someone who pays attention to us!" Good thing there wasn't any broken glass to clean up this time. It would have been really annoying to go through all that again.

Which Stephen King novel were you reading at the time? Another of my favourites from him is "Four Past Midnight." I found the most frightening story in it was "The Longoliers".

Sending our warmest thoughts to you, Ray, Nicky, Sheney and the whole family. ❤
Fergie (40 stories) (1159 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2017-12-23)
Melda - you had me laughing so hard I nearly wet myself. 😜

Shenay is very 'cool' about happenings at her home. For instance, when the gate incident took place, it was like, "Oh! Okay!" Things like that, at her home, don't seem to upset her at all. It is only when something strange happens at *my* home, that she gets all excited - strange kid! 😲

Thanks for reading, and your hilarious comment. ❤
Melda (10 stories) (1363 posts)
+2
6 years ago (2017-12-23)
Fergie - When are you ever going to learn that these "beings" see you coming?

You've mentioned before that Nicky just ignores the guy that walks down the stairs. What's a ghost supposed to do? If ignored by one, make sure you draw the attention of the other 😁

Has Shenay mentioned anything about strange happenings in the house?

If nothing else it cuts out the loneliness factor - on both sides 😆

Regards, Melda

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