The Haunted Typewriter

The Haunted Typewriter

It's early Friday morning in the small southern town of Colbert Alabama. Annette Charles decided to go to the local flea market to purchase a vintage typewriter. She entered in the Nantucket Writers Competition that was held every year in town. The prize for the winner is five thousand dollars. Annette wanted to win the money to go on her class reunion cruise. She got dressed and fed her tabby cat Isis. On her way out of the door, she ran into her neighbor Rena.

“Good morning,” said Rena. “Are you going into town?”

“Yes,” said Annette. “I'm going to the flea market.”

“Can I hitch a ride?” asked Rena. “My car won't start.”

“Alright,” said Annette.

Isis jumped into the window sill watching as the ladies drove out of the yard. Annette was surprised to see the flea market so full of customers on a Friday. Usually their busiest days are on Saturday's. Annette finally found a parking spot after driving around for ten minutes.

“I'm going into Trudy's,” said Rena. “I need a cup of coffee.”

“Okay,” said Annette. “Just come over to the flea market when you're done.”

“Alright then,” said Rena.

Annette walked into the side of the flea market that read vintage items. There was an old woman with straw hat and floral moo moo dress standing at the counter.

“Can I help you dear?” asked the woman.

“I'm looking for a vintage typewriter,” said Annette.

The old woman pointed to a table far off in the back of the store. There on the table next to the lamps was the vintage typewriter inside black case. Annette opened up the case exposing a 1930 vintage royal typewriter. It still looked brand new. The price on the typewriter said fifty dollar. Annette was surprise because she thought that the price would be much higher. She walked back to the front of the counter where the old woman stood.

“Will that be all for you?” said the woman.

“Yes,” said Annette.

“That will be fifty dollars,” said the woman.

Annette handed the woman the money and she wrapped the typewriter into a large white plastic bag.

“Thank you,” said the woman.

As Annette walked out of the flea market, she saw Rena standing near her car drinking a cup of coffee.

“I bought you a coffee,” said Rena.

“Thank you,” said Annette.

Annette opened her back door and placed the typewriter inside. On their way back home, Rena thought she heard some ticking in the back seat of the car.

“What's that?” asked Rena.

“what did you hear?” asked Annette.

“It sounded like something ticking,” said Rena.

“I didn't hear anything,” said Annette.

Annette let Rena out in front of her driveway. Rena husband had come home and was looking underneath her car hood.

“Thanks for the ride,” said Rena.

“you're welcome,” said Annette.

Annette pulled into her driveway. Isis still sitting lazily at the window sills looking outside. Annette grabbed her typewriter from the car and headed inside the house. She placed onto her coffee table and went to the refrigerator to get a bottled water. Isis stood in front of the coffee table hissing at the typewriter.

“What is it girl?” asked Annette.

She had never seen Isis act like this before. Isis took of running into the bedroom and getting underneath the bed. Annette watched her cat and began laughing.

“You silly girl,” said Annette.

Annette pulled up the chair to the coffee table. She took the typewriter from the white plastic bag and laid it onto the the table. She opened up the case that held the typewriter. Annette got a piece of typing paper and place it into the typewriter and began to type. Just practicing Annette started to type it was a dark storming night. All of a sudden the sky appeared dark and rain began to beat down hard spraying against the windows. Annette looked in amazement at what happened after her typing the words. She looked down at the typewriter and slowly lifted her fingers off the keys.

“My God!” said Annette. “What just happened?”

Curious about what had happen when she typed dark storming night, she decided to type in a beautiful sunny day. Automatically the sky when from dark to clear blue sunny skies. Annette jumped up from the coffee table stumbling back. She thought what ha the woman put out at the flea market to buy. Could this typewriter be haunted?. As much as she was frightening by what had happened she was still intrigue about what other things could happened just by her typing. Annette sat down at the typewriter a third time and wrote: “it began to snow popcorn” Annette took her eyes from the typewriter and looked outside. It was snowing popcorn from the clear blue sky. Annette watched as the neighbors came out of their houses looking at the popcorn falling from the sky.

“Oh my God,” said Annette.

She ran back to the typewriter and typed clear blue sunny skies again and the snowing of popcorn stopped. Annette couldn't believe how every word that she typed on the typewriter came true right before her eyes. There was a knock on her front door. It was her neighbor Rena.

“Annette!” exclaimed Rena. “You have to see this!”

“What is it?” asked Annette.

Annette looked out her front door and seen the entire lawns in the neighborhood covered with popcorn snow. The children were all outside playing in the snow popcorn. Annette decided to not type anything else on the typewriter. She was going to take it back to the flea market to the old woman. Annette was fearful to think what else could happened if she typed on it again. What could happen if it came in the wrong hands of someone with evil intentions. That would truly be a catastrophe.

The next morning, Annette woke up early. Isis was up staring at he typewriter still opened on the coffee table.

“Don't worry girl,” said Annette. “I'm getting rid of our problem today.”

Isis purred and rubbed her tail against Annette legs. Annette closed the case that held the typewriter down. She got the large white plastic bag that the old lady had placed the typewriter inside. Annette put the typewriter back into the bag and left home for the flea market. When Annette got to the flea market the old lady was waiting at he front desk. Annette took the typewriter and placed it on to the counter.

“Didn't like your purchase dear?” asked the old woman.

“No, I didn't,” said Annette.

“My husband didn't care for it either,” said the old woman. “He thought it was haunted.”

“There's something wrong with it,” said Annette. “Do you do refunds?”

“Generally I don't.” said the old woman. “ I do it for you today.”

The old woman gave Annette her fifty dollars back. She took the typewriter and put it into a large brown box.

“I won't be selling this item anymore,” said the old woman.

“That's a good idea,' said Annette.

Annette decided to use her laptop to write her story instead. She couldn't think of what to write when she first entered the contest. After purchasing the odd type writer she came up with a title to her short story. The Case of the Haunted Typewriter.