I really don’t know where to start with all of this. I feel like I’m going to wake up any minute now and all will be back to normal. Deep in my stomach, there’s a knot that reminds me that’s impossible.
All this over a trip I didn’t even want to make….
Let me explain before I continue to ramble off leaving you more confused.
I got the devastating phone call a couple weeks ago informing me that my great aunt, Leona, had passed away. She was older with many health issues, but it was still shocking and it hurt.
She was all I really had as a parental figure growing up. My mess of a family is another story but I’ll spare you those details.
I left to work at a prestigious law firm a few hours away a couple of years ago, and had honestly not visited her or kept in touch with her as I much as I wanted…. or should have.
I went back to my hometown for her funeral. It was then that I learned she had left me her home and the small plot of land it sat on. Aunt Leona had lived in an assisted living community the last few years, so it had been a long time since I, or anyone for that matter, had been there.
It’s a small two-story home out in the middle of nowhere. While she provided me with so much love in that house as I was growing up, it still gave me the creeps. I can remember waking up to knocking different times in the night. Hearing my name being whispered in my ear. I could have sworn I seen a tall old man glaring at me from the top of the stairs once.
I would mention these things to aunt Leona and she would just smile and tell me “Do not fear, they are here for us”.
As I got older, I realized my aunt was a little….. off, I guess people would say. Regardless, she was an amazing woman and I loved her dearly.
Back to the present and why I’m pouring my guts out to strangers on the internet. I didn’t want the house and planned to sell it. I knew it would need work before it could go on the market and that required me to go there and see just how much. I took additional time from work and finally forced myself to go to the house today.
As I pulled into the very overgrown yard, I immediately felt dread. I didn’t want to get out of the car, I wanted to go back to the city and just forget the house even existed. Another little part of me knew that’s not what my aunt would have wanted. She loved the house and I owed it to her to fix it up and let someone else care for it if I wouldn’t.
I was thankful for my jeans as I walked through the mess of weeds onto the old creaky porch. I pulled out the small set of keys I was given and went to unlock the door when a rough voice stopped me.
“That’s not something I would do if I were you!”
I nearly jumped out of my skin as I turned to see an old lady grinning at me. After a moment of pure terror, I recognized her as my aunt’s long time neighbor, Francis.
She, too, scared me as a child but my aunt always reassured me she meant no harm. She lived nearly a mile down the isolated road, but would regularly walk to our house to chat with my aunt on the porch. I never remembered her actually entering the house.
I was quite surprised she was still living and able to walk the distance to the house.
“Francis, it’s been a long time! Good to see you again!” I smiled at her, trying to hide how uncomfortable I was.
She continued to stare at me with an almost toothless grin. “Leona never would listen. She only lived as long as she did because she got out of the old curse.”
“She must be disturbed”, I thought to myself.
“Aunt Leona loved it here… hated to leave it.” Was all I could respond with. Just as I was about to ask what she was doing walking around here still, she turned to leave.
“Beware, girl!” She called as she started back towards the road, never looking back at me.
“Woman is delusional” I muttered to myself as I turned back to the door and heard the lock flick and felt the knob turn in my hand. I stepped into the small living room to see everything as I remembered it… just with a lot more dust.
The old rocking chair still sat in the right corner of the room, the old and worn out burgundy couch stretched along the wall beside of it. Old coffee mugs sat on the tiny wooden coffee table.
I was honestly stunned that no one had broken in after all the years it sat vacant. Or it didn’t appear that anyone had at least.
I went through the bottom floor, everything still in their rightful places. I looked at the old pictures on the walls. My heart ached when I saw a picture from my high school graduation. Aunt Leona’s arm was wrapped around me in my gold cap and gown. Both of us smiling; I recalled how proud she was.
I went up the old stairs, almost every step groaned beneath my feet and I worried I may fall through. A vision of the creepy tall old guy I really thought I had once seen flashed through my head and I felt the goosebumps instantly raise on my skin.
I couldn’t think like that. I had a job to do and I wasn’t a silly little girl anymore. I made it to the top floor with no issues. I entered my old room. My twin sized bed was still there, along with all my old stuffed animals. Posters were still taped to the walls. Though they too were dusty and faded.
Overall, the inside of the house was in better shape than I imagined. Other than needing a few repairs and a major deep cleaning, the most of my work would take place on the outside of the house.
I made my way back down to the bottom floor. I re-entered the living room when something caught my eye.
There was a newspaper on the coffee table I didn’t remember seeing when I first walked in. Curious, I walked over and noticed it really stuck out from everything else in the house.
This looked brand new, as if it had just been delivered recently. There wasn’t a spec of dust on the paper. Not only that, but the paper was opened, like someone had been reading it.
This is where I messed up. This is why I’m so angry with myself.
I picked the paper up, wanting to examine the contents. My eyes immediately landed on “Obituaries” in bold letters going across the top of the second page.
I felt my eyes drop lower on the large page, looking at the different pictures until my eyes froze and I felt my blood run ice cold.
There was my picture…. not just any picture, a very recent headshot that was professionally taken of me at my work. My full name was typed below my picture.
“What????” I whispered to myself as I stared at the lengthy description under my name and picture.
“Caline was a ray of sunshine taken too soon from this world on September 1st, 2023 in a tragic accident in her hometown of Appalachia, VA”
My heart stopped. Obviously, that date hasn’t happened yet. I felt my palms get sweaty as I started to shake. I couldn’t even finish reading as my vision went blurry. I dropped the newspaper on the floor as I darted to the front door.
At first, the door knob refused to budge. I frantically twisted and pulled at the old rusty metal piece, my ears began to ring as the panic fully took over me. I felt as if someone was after me, coming up behind me quickly and I was just cornered prey.
Just as I was about to start kicking furiously at the door, the knob gave way and the door flung open.
I ran faster than I’ve ever run to my vehicle, not even caring I left the door open. I jumped into the driver’s seat, thankful my car is a push-to-start and floored it back down the lonely road.
I’m now sitting in a hotel room in the main part of this dreadful town. I considered going back to my city, but I’m truly in no shape to drive.
I’ve thought of everything! Surely, it’s a dirty joke being played on me! I considered old lady Francis but I highly doubt she had the resources or skill to create such a perfect copy of a newspaper.
Maybe one of the cruel bullies from my childhood still lives around here and did this to mess with me, knowing I’d be coming here after the death of my aunt (word travels fast in small towns).
Regardless of all the logical reasons I’ve come up with, a part of me not only feels terrified but actually believes this stupid piece of paper!
I’ve decided I’m going back home in the morning and I will not return! Despite all the questions and all the feelings of me needing to go back for answers, I won’t.
I’m going back to my apartment and I will not leave my home for any reason on September 1st.
It can’t happen if I don’t come back here…. right?