The House on West Shore Road

Trigger warning: mention of death and suicide. Violence and grief.

We drove passed it at least once a month. It was in serious need of TLC. The house on West Shore Road had remained empty for a decade. I remember trying to understand why a house that could be in such an amazing neighborhood plus a house that was once beautiful and charming could remain empty for so long. One night just after I loaded the dishes into the dishwasher, my husband rushed into the room and he looked like he was about to burst with excitement.

"Ok, tell me why you have that stupid grin on your face." He started to laugh and the more he laughed the more I wanted him to stop. "Will you just tell me already?" He pulls me in for an embrace. "You are not going to believe what I did." I start to back away. "This better be the best news ever." "It is. I bought the house on West Shore Road." I start to shake my head. "No you didn't. I know your lying. And for your information its not very funny." "Patty, I swear I'm not lying. I bought us that house."

"You did? Really you did?" He starts grinning and now I'm grinning and then he lifts me up into the air and we spin together in the center of our kitchen. "Its ours sweetie. I wanted to buy it for all of us and now its ours." When he puts me down I just look into his eyes and then I plant a giant kiss on his lips. "Thank you. I just cant believe it! I love you." He grins.

****

Six weeks later, we move into the house on West Shore Road. And to say it wasn't the house of my dreams would be an understatement. No it was a true fixer upper. My husband promised that once we put our touch on it than we could love it again. Yes at first glance in the car it took my breath away but inside was a totally different story. I often thought (most days) that we had made the biggest mistake of our lives. And nothing Michael said could change my mind.

Yet I wanted to believe him for his new found confidence in this house. I'm up early (as usual) having my coffee at the small table in the back sun porch. Which just happens to be my favorite room. I have another mouthful of my coffee and I try to get awake. For the last three nights strange noises have woken me up. I don't know where they are coming from or what they could be but so far, I'm the only one whose heard them. I hear footsteps in the hall leading into the enormous kitchen and I assume its Michael.

I look up to see my daughter Kaylee standing there. She is still in her hello kitty pajamas and she yawns. "Hey, your up early." I say. She shrugs her shoulders. "I couldn't sleep. Your up early too." I motion for her to join me in the empty chair beside mine. Kaylee makes her way over smiles at me and then takes a seat. "Mom, I had another bad dream." "Oh yeah, was it about this place again?" Kaylee nods. "I'm sorry. I wish I could do something to help you. Do you want to talk about it?" She shakes her head. "I wish we could go back home." "Come on, you told us you were gonna give this house a chance. I know how it looks now but someday in the near future it could be beautiful." "I don't know about that. To me it just screams ghosts and chains rattling." "Stop it. There isn't anything scary about this house."

"I disagree. My dreams started when we moved in and you've been hearing noises right?" "Yeah but those could be any number of things. We lived in the city so we think if its not traffic or sirens it must be the undead. It could be farm equipment or animals in the woods out here." "It doesn't feel like we are that far out Mom. I just get a funny feeling here. If we fix it up and I still hate it, can we sell it?" I look shocked. "No, Kaylee we aren't going to sell it. Your Dad will be devastated. I want you to give this place a shot for me. It'll grow on you, I really believe that."

***

That weekend our son comes to visit us. I make his favorite meal chicken parmesan with spaghetti and we stay up late talking. On Sunday morning, I notice my son from the kitchen window. He is walking through the backyard by himself and he appears worried. I step into my running shoes and head outside to speak with him. "Hi honey, everything alright?" TJ faces me. "No not really. I had trouble sleeping. There was so much noise. It was coming from out here but I just cant figure out what it was." I get concerned. "I finally slept good. Are you sure it was from the yard?" "Yeah Mom, it was either the yard or the basement. It was loud. It sounded like someone was banging or pounding on a drum." "I didn't hear anything sweetie. I'm sorry it disturbed you. Lets go inside and I'll make us breakfast."

At the kitchen table TJ speaks about his job as I start the eggs. We eat together before Michael and Kaylee enter the room. "Dad,why did you buy this house?" TJ asks once Michael joins us. "Because it was dirt cheap, your Mom loved it and I thought we could finally have land. This place is getting there, soon you two will agree with us about moving here." TJ makes a face. "Whatever you say Dad. I'm gonna take a ride into town. Kaylee wanna come with me?" TJ stands from the table, kisses the side of my face and looks at his sister. "Thanks for breakfast. Are you coming kiddo?" "Ok sure. I'll go throw something on."

When the kids leave the room I look at my husband. "He hates it here. He said he was up most of the night, he thinks we got in over our heads." Michael laughs. "Come on Patty, he is twenty three of course he thinks that. This house is great. Yeah it needs floors, windows and tiles and paint but its not done yet. He pays rent and won't own a home for many years. How did you sleep?" I rise from my chair and head to the sink. "I slept like a rock. First time too. Its weird you know all the noises I used to hear, Kaylee's dreams and now TJ." Michael comes to stand at my side. "Don't tell me you agree with him? Nothing bad is happening. Kaylee had a little anxiety. That's all that was and you probably had trouble getting used to the quiet. I mean you were born in Brooklyn. This house is great. We have nothing to worry about."

"I hope your right about everything. But just in case would you go down into the basement today. TJ thinks its most likely coming from down there." "Sure after I eat and get dressed." I smile.

***

I mange to get most of the wallpaper down in Kaylee's bedroom before the kids return from town. Michael has been down in the basement for the better part of the day. Most likely he has found nothing or I believe he would have found me. I decide to take a break. I jog down the grand staircase and head into the den. TJ and Kaylee are going through bags plus discussing our house. I enter the den and they get quiet. "Ok, what's up?"

Kaylee says nothing and TJ shakes his head. "Please I heard you two on the stairs. You can tell me you know I don't judge." I fold my arms. "We met one of our new neighbors. He said this place is bad news. It freaked me out." I get closer to my daughter. "And you believe everything you hear? From a complete stranger? I'm really surprised with both of you." TJ rolls his eyes. "Ok, out with it. I know you want to add something."

"I didn't say anything. But I want you to Google this house. Just find out if anything ever happen here. Please Mom.' "Ok, I will because you asked nicely but I'm going to find nothing. Kaylee help me find my laptop. TJ go find your Dad, I haven't seen him all day." We have to search through several boxes before my laptop is located. I take it into the sunporch and Kaylee follows me.

TJ enters the musty basement and yells out to his Dad. There is no answer. He continues through the space until he hears the same banging from the night before. TJ notices a door in the far corner. He walks towards it realizing the sounds are now amplified. "Hello? Dad, are you down here?" At the door he stops. He is about to knock but decides to open it instead. The room is pitch black. The noise has suddenly stopped. TJ squints but isn't able to make out anything in the space. He feels a hand on his shoulder. He remains rooted to the floor.

He looks slowly over his shoulder. Michael is standing there. "You scared me to death Dad. What are you doing in here?" "I don't know. One minute I was out there and the next I was inside this room. My head hurts real bad." "Well lets get you out of here. Go upstairs and find Mom." TJ leads Michael back toward the stairs.

I'm still in the sunporch reading on my laptop. Kaylee is looking over my arm at the screen. The house was built in 1910 by a man named Herbert Spaulding. He lived in the house with his wife Mary and five children until the house was sold in 1957. Mary along with three of their children are buried here on the property. The house sat vacant until 1963. Alan Spaulding moved in. He was the only nephew of Herbert and Mary. Alan had three children with his wife Beth. Alan died mysteriously the following spring. In 1967 Beth remarried and gave birth to her only daughter Wendy who died in her sleep. Wendy was only twenty seven days old.

I put my hand over my mouth. The death count rises and I'm just as scared as Kaylee. Beth was severely depressed after the loss of her baby and committed suicide in the basement. I shut the laptop. "What Mom? Is this place cursed? Tell me?" "I honestly don't know. But I need to get some air." On my way outside I notice Michael. He is pale and looks visibly shaken. "Honey, what happened to you?" He says nothing.

I motion for TJ to follow me outside. In the yard I fill him in on the history of the property. 'What are you going to do?" "Leave here immediately. Today if your Dad agrees." "I'll help you pack. Lets get a move on." "I don't even wanna pack. We can get our things another time. As long as the four of us leave here right now." A blood curdling scream pierces the air. Its Kaylee. We take off running full speed at the house. When we reach the kitchen its empty. "Kaylee! Kaylee answer me!"

Then we hear her cries for help. TJ runs ahead of me. When I catch up we both stop at the staircase. Kaylee is screaming and crying. Michael is lying on the hardwood floor. He looks like he has turned blue. I drop to my kneels beside him. I hold his hand in mine and beg him to come back to me. TJ feels for a pulse. Then he shakes his head at me. "No!! Michael I need you! Please wake up! Please!" "Mom, Mom, we need to get help! Kaylee call 911." But Kaylee is shaking violently so TJ tries to calm her down.

I continue to cry. I hear my son talking to someone on his phone but it sounds far away and I feel as if I'm locked in a nightmare. I manage to get to my feet with the help of my son. "Their on their way. We can wait outside if you want." I shake my head. "This cant be real. None of this is real. Wake me up TJ.'" I fall into my sons arms. And he tries his best to comfort me. We walk together to the front door. It won't open no matter what we try. We hear the windows in the front room slamming shut. Kaylee runs to me. "Its trying to keep us here!" "Calm down, I'll get us out of here." I run into the living room then try to open a window. It too seems stuck or glued shut. TJ lifts an armchair and rushes to the picture window. "Get back!" He tells us.

I move Kaylee and cover her with my arms. TJ throws the chair as hard as he can. Glass shatters everywhere. He manages to kick most of it onto the floor. "Mom, Kaylee I want both of you to go now!" I wipe Kaylee's tears away. "You first baby. I'll be right behind you." Outside together we wait for the ambulance. As the sirens approach I face my children. "I'm so sorry I put you both through this hell." "You didn't know. None of this is your fault. You didn't know Mom."

Michael is loaded into the ambulance as we watch. I am examined by an EMT and they think I am in shock. "It would be wise of you to come with us to the hospital." I shake my head. "Please no, I've been through enough. I just need my children." " I think your making a mistake." He says. "I'll make sure she rests. I promise." The ambulance drives away. "Now what?" I say to my children. "Well its not something we can figure out today. My place isn't big but I'll take the couch so you two can share my room." I squeeze his hand.