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The House

 

I have had experiences with the paranormal since I was five. Now, I am a mother of two adult daughters, and I am almost forty years old (not counting the months). I have had experiences with the paranormal since I was five. It is a favorite pastime for my children to have me share my experiences with them and their friends. After reading a continuing post on Your Ghost Stories, I have decided to write about mine in the same fashion. I will start with my most vivid memory rather than the earliest, which is the first incident of many in one of the houses that I lived in as an adolescent.

When I was thirteen my mother remarried, and we all three moved into a large three story home in Columbus, Ohio. We were all excited to be moving in to start our new family. Built in the early 1900's it had 2400 hundred square feet of living space, not including the full basement. The style had the influence of the larger Victorian homes not far from this West side area, which was most noticeable in the porch with decorative hand carved wooden slats of the banister wrapping around a quarter of the house. It was built of wood, covered in white slats of wood siding. On the side of this porch which wrapped around there were two entrances. The first went into the living room, and four feet down was the other entrance to the foyer. Once inside a person could enter the largest room of the house from either room; the huge kitchen. From the kitchen a person could fine a backdoor leading to a double lot sized backyard, and then on the opposite side of that door was the door leading to the cold damp stone basement. The living room presented the narrow rickety stairway upstairs to the bedrooms. The first door to the left of the small 48 by 48 landing was my parent's room. Once in their room was yet another door leading up to the full attic.

This is where I had a scary visit, on the very first day that we moved in. All of the furnishings were moved in, and the beds were set up to sleep in. My step dad went to pick up pizza, and I was helping my mom unpack boxes in her room. When I got to a stack of three boxes near the attic door, she told me not to unpack them, but instead told me I could carry them upstairs into the attic.

With the typical reluctance of a teenager I headed up the stairs carrying the smallest box about 24" by 24". I remember thinking that the stairs were smaller and had less depth than any other stairs I had climbed. The instant that I stepped onto the floor landing, I felt a presence. I am not sure how to explain it, but it felt eerie, and was accompanied by the chills or goose pimples. Setting the box down, I felt more fear as the sense of the presence became stronger. Although I was scared and part of me wanted to run, it was more than that. I also felt an urge to leave, but it was in external push only I it felt internally. It was more than just an instinct and my reaction to fear. Something or someone was wishing me away, imploring me. Bewildered, I quickly headed back down the steps.

I told my mom something weird was up there, but she thought I was trying to get out of working. She told me to take the other boxes up, and then she would listen to me. With even more reluctance I heaved the second larger box up the stairs, but this time as fast as I could move, so I could get it done as fast as I could. On the way up I heard my mother order me to set the box back away from the steps, to leave a walk way for more things to put up there.

Reaching the landing once again, I felt those chills again, this time to the bone, and the presence of the entity was still there. I could feel it urging me away, warning me like an invisible force field. I felt like I was invading, but I assured myself, that nothing was there, and to just set the box down, and go get the last one. I took two steps into the attic room. Setting the second box down, and pushing it back a bit, I heard a loud swoop. In an instant I felt an apparition breeze pass by me. Reactively, I closed my eyes and raised my arms to cover my head. Opening my eyes I frantically scanned the room. In the far corner, I spotted the entity. Appearing like a shadow, but with form, it began swooping phantomlike here and there, in two swoops from one end of the attic to the other. Of course, I swooped too, in one leap to the bottom of the stairs, screaming, "MOM!" I slammed the door to the attic shut.

Immediately, she asked me what was wrong, and I told my mom what had happened, and she said it was probably just a bird. I told her there was no rustling of feathers, and that I saw a shadow like thing. She said it was more likely a bat. I could see that she was concerned. However, she told me, that I was letting my mind play tricks on me. I completely refused to go back up there, no matter how long I was grounded. She stated to go up, but I begged her not to. I told her it looked a little like the boogie man I saw when I was little. She stopped in her tracks as I saw the look of recollection of that event on her face. She said she would have dad go up there when he got back. We lived there for two years, but I never went up there again. There were other events that happened in that house, but I will leave those events and the boogie man visit to another time.

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

ChrisB (6 stories) (1515 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-06-11)
Hi free spirit. This was a very interesting story and can't wait to read the next ones. I hope to hear from you soon and take care
Ohiowatha (11 stories) (415 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-06-06)
Freespirit, I know "the bottoms" well. My brothers went to Grandview and often played basketball against teams from that area. My mom still goes to an episcopalian church down there. Cool!

You can reach me at ohiowatha [at] gmail.com if you like.

GO BUCKS!
FreeSpirit (2 stories) (11 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-05-25)
Ohiowatha, Guess I could not e-mail you. If there is a way, please let me know. Your story gave me inspiration. I thought we had similarities, and I posted a comment to you before. I too plan to write about the other experiences I have had.

To answer your questions. The house was on the "bottoms" on Sullivant Avenue near the freeway. My house then, was not Vicorian, only influenced by it. I believe it was the working man's version of those not far away.

It was suggested to me that I find out the history of the house. Do you know how I would go about finding out more? I know that it burned down at least five years after we moved. Which has made me wonder if the entity had anything to do with the fire or if there was some connection.

Thanks again for the inspiration. I read all of your stories about Cambridge and I hope you read my future stories, and to hear from you again.
FreeSpirit (2 stories) (11 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-05-25)
rhodes68, thanks for the encouragement as well as the "impressive" comment about my skills.

Leanne, missydee & missy, I plan to start writing more about The House tonight

KimSouthO, yes others experienced things, but not to the extent that I did. I will share those soon.

The unknown, personally I would never use a board like that, but thanks for the heads up.

FanDMG, thank goodness I do not live there anymore, and yes it was more than freaky! Although it definately was not the scariest parnormal experience that I ever had.

Ohiowatha, It was your story that gave me the inspiration to post mine. I posted on yours before I wrote it. Thanks again. I will e-mail you to answer your questions.
FreeSpirit (2 stories) (11 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-05-25)
Thanks for posting my story. I have had problems with my server. Today was the first chance to get onlilne, so I just read it, along with the comments. Thanks to everyone who read it. I also appreciate all of the comments. Most of all it is appreciated to get encouragement on the experience as well as the writing. 😁
fan_DMG (4 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-05-25)
it must have been really hard for you to live there. You must have been totally freaked out. 😁
TheUnknown (1 stories) (192 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-05-24)
Hmm,this story makes sense. The 'feeling' maybe a spirit angry about some new people when they enter a land like your family. This spirit thinks that he/she is still alive, so it is selfish. Try talking to it for a chance, if you can get that chance. But whatever you do,don't use the Ouaji Board alone...
KimSouthO (27 stories) (1960 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-05-21)
Freespirit,

As you can see by reading on the site, many of us have had repeat occurances of the paranormal nature, so you are in good company.

I enjoyed your story greatly adn can't wait to hear nore. Did others have experiences in this house as well?

Also can't wait to hear about the booie man!

God Bless!
Ohiowatha (11 stories) (415 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-05-20)
Freespirit, your story sounds eerily similar to one of my own. If you don't mind me asking, could you please explain in further detail where this house was located in Columbus? I grew up on the west side in a haunted Victorian, as well and I'd be keenly intersted in learning as much about your house as possible. Maybe you lived in that house before I did?

Can't wait to hear back from you.

Thanks!
Missy (2 stories) (23 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-05-20)
What is the story about the boogie man?
Are is that a story you will tell later.
missydee (guest)
 
16 years ago (2008-05-20)
HI FreeSpirit,
Thanks for sharing your story. I can't wait to read more of your stories!

Dee❀😁
LeanneScott999 (3 stories) (9 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-05-20)
Hi FreeSpirit, thanks for sharing I can't wait to hear the other stories you have 😊

Leanne
rhodes68 (14 stories) (1596 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-05-20)
FreeSpirit hi and thank you for sharing a very interesting story with us.

I'd say there's a long list of encounters coming up as I'd definitely like to hear more of what happened in that house.

By the way, your descriptive narrative skills are impressive.

I look forward to reading more from you.

Tammy

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