I 23, rented out an old building next to my university. As for context I am a history enthusiast and I love old things, I found this old timey mansion for very cheap and I said to myself
“fuck it why not?“ at first glance the pictures were very dark but I could make out a few old objects, the house looked straight out of the 18th century it was just perfect, I always wished to live in those old timey house and I clicked on the “contact seller“ button without a second taught.
We chatted over the phone and we met in front of the house, the previous owner was an old man and I assumed he is going to a retirement home or something since his frail hands looked like he wouldn’t be able to take care of the house anymore. He handed me the keys and saw his face slightly grin like I have taken a burden off his back.
I already had my bags with me so I just went inside the house ignoring the weird encounter and started unpacking. As night fell I noticed that there were no lights only a few candles, chandeliers in some rooms and very few gas lamps. I taught this was odd but I rented this for so cheap, it could have been worse. I just ordered some food and while putting my clothes inside the drawers and hangers
I noticed a night gown and it had a tag on it that said “good luck“
it really rubbed me the wrong way but I took the night gown and put it on, at my university we luckly had enough power to charge my powerbank.
I just watched some videos and went to bed, something felt really off but I just ignored it and went to sleep. I had a horrid night, I kept waking up to runny faucets around the house and seeing things in the corners of my eyes. I was lucky if I slept one full hour without anything disturbing me, I also am a heavy sleeper so simple things would not wake me up like for example all my life I slept with my gandfather clock in my room without silencing it.
After arriving at home again I felt very uneasy just entering the house, today I brought my cat in the house because I’d left him at the vet for a checkup.
He kept seeing things in the corners of the room and hissing at nothing, good thing the past owner left me some books, they were all dusty and the pages felt lost in time.
I started to read the roman while just ignoring the sharp screaming in the basement. I’m just imagining it and plus this is the best deal I’m going to get. I light up a candle and make use of the leftover meat, the screams have stopped. I try to text my best friend, no signal.
As the first snowflakes of this winter drop on the window I just hope this stay gets better, I signed a contract for a year. I’m an atheist but I started praying for myself and put salt around my bed for protection. I ate the steak I made and went to bed, as I was stepping on the creaky hardwood floor I arrived to my bedroom.
My cat was crawled underneath the drawer and I went in bed, I have to wake up early tomorrow. I wake up at 5 am as usual and while trying to open the door it just wouldn’t budge, the snow was door high but the weather app told me it was just cloudy with a chance of rain.
I swear I heard someone whisper in my ear “this is not your house.“ I ran back upstairs and glancing at my book it wrote in big letters “GET OUT“ I am taking refugee in my bed while the thing downstairs keeps getting closer mimicking a human, the words “get out“ echoing trough the halls, I glance at the door, holding my cat tightly. May God forgive me.