The Garden

He couldn’t have been more excited. It was his first big purchase and it was all his own. John had seen the house listed in the paper and for the price he couldn’t pass up on the opportunity.

John's parents had passed away suddenly while he was finishing school leaving him all alone. He struggled with the loss but deep down he had always felt lost and alone. He had used the little inheritance he received to purchase his first house.

He thought he had won the lottery when his offer on the old foreclosed farm house was accepted. He loved the idea of being out in the middle of nowhere with no neighbors for miles and having a home to call his own.

Once he got the keys he quickly went to work moving in. He figured he'd fix it up and clean as the days would pass. He was just happy to be building a future he thought.

As he began exploring the house he couldn’t help but to wonder what happened to the previous owners. The house seemed to have an eerie feel to it as he explored the old rooms with the creaky floors and faded paint.

He felt a draft of the cool autumn air coming in from the old windows and thought to himself that’d be the first project to get fixed. He didn’t want to freeze in the winter.

As he began to explore the outside he was aghast by the ocean of trees that surrounded his back yard.

As he walked around he noticed a garden that appeared to be well kept. As he approached he couldn’t help but admire the corn stocks and pumpkins growing.

He was shocked to see there wasn’t a weed in sight in the garden. He thought to himself that the garden seemed better kept than the house.

This puzzled him due to the house being empty for years according to the deed. He didn’t waste too much time thinking about it and quickly returned inside.

As he settled in the days passed. One day while he was sitting on the front porch the postal carrier came pulling up. They handed him a letter and were on their way.

John was confused. He didn’t have any family left and no one that he was close to that would send him a letter.

As he examined it he noticed there was no return label nor was it addressed to him. It simply had the house address and it appeared to be hand written by someone older.

He opened the letter and began reading, “Enjoy your new home. But please whatever you do don’t touch the garden. Signed Abigail".

John was immensely confused now. Who was Abigail and why would she care if he touched his own garden?

Was this a prank from the neighbors he wondered but quickly dismissed. He balled up the letter tossing it into the trash.

He couldn’t help his curiosity though. As he walked back to the garden he looked at the growing pumpkins and thought it's close to Halloween I could put them on my porch.

As John reached down to grab the pumpkin he instantly felt a chill and the hair on his arms stood up. He laughed thinking it was just a breeze as he ripped the pumpkin from the vine.

That night he settled into bed and fell into a deep sleep. He was awoken by a rush of freezing cold air.

As he sat up rubbing his eyes he stared ahead in shock. At the foot of his bed was a little boy no older then eight.

John immediately thought the boy was lost and somehow stumbled into his home.

The boy just stared at him with dark eyes. John began to ask him if he was alright but realized he couldn’t speak. As hard as he tried the words wouldn’t come out.

As the boy opened his mouth a rush of air blew past him, “STAY OUT OF THE GARDEN" the boy screamed in an almost manly tone.

John still could not speak but before he knew it the boy was gone.

He immediately called the police and after two hours they arrived. He explained to them the ghostly figure of a boy and as he did he realized how crazy he sounded.

The younger of the two officers laughed it off frustrating John. The older officer paused looking like he was contemplating a puzzle.

The older officer asked for the boys description again. As John described the boy the older officer appeared more puzzled.

After John finished describing the boy the older officer paused long and hard. Finally letting out a sigh.

“what do you know about the previous owners?” asked the officer.

“Nothing" John replied.

“A man, his wife Abigail, and their eight year old son lived here. About five years ago they all vanished without a trace. The boy you described almost matches their son to the tee”.

“Did you say Abigail?” John asked as his voice trembled.

“That’s right, all three vanished without a trace. There was always speculation of foul play but never any evidence".

As John listened he though to himself what are the chances of that.

As the officers checked around and left John laughed it off. He figured he had just had a bad dream. Between the letter and the dream it was all one big coincidence he told himself.

The next day he decided he was done with the garden. He wanted it gone. He went out and began digging out all the plants.

As he dug, the boys voice echoed in his head, “STAY OUT OF THE GARDEN".

All of a sudden he hit something in the dirt. As he wiped away the dirt his jaw dropped at what lay before him.

There lay the body of a woman and in her arms the little boy he had seen the night before.

Before he could react their eyes shot open as they reached out grabbing him. He tried to fight back but couldn’t.

They didn’t speak but he could hear their voices in his head “WE WARNED YOU! NOW YOU BECOME THE GARDEN WITH US!".

John was frozen unable to move as they dragged him into the ground never to be heard from again.

A few days had passed when the older officer returned to check on John. He found the house wide open but no sign of John.

As he walked around the house he stopped to admire the beautiful garden. As he walked over to get a better look at it, an old weathered piece of paper blew towards him.

As he picked it up to read it his hair stood up “STAY OUT OF THE GARDEN! I’ve found my forever home. Signed John".