GUEST HOUSE GHOST

GUEST HOUSE GHOST
                 - Donna DiPietro

I have known ‘N’ for ten years. She is very logical and not one to imagine things. A few years ago, she and her long-time boyfriend moved into a guest house on an estate next to a vacant, partially furnished mansion. At the time, the estate was for sale and the couple felt fortunate to find such an attractive place to live. The property had a caretaker that lived elsewhere, so the owners were happy to have the guest house occupied, so as to have someone there at least part of the time. 

The property has many of the requirements that make it an inviting place for paranormal activity. It is near water, woods, a Native American burial ground, and a cemetery. The guest house has an open floor plan on the first floor and the many windows create an enjoyable sun filled environment. But on cloudy days and at night, there is a somber feeling that stirs within its walls. The first hint of something unusual happened the first week of moving in. 

One evening, the couple was entertaining guests in the living room when the sound of a pulley with chain was heard from the second floor. After that, the sound was heard every so often in the daytime and at night. They found out that the guest house was once a barn with a hayloft that used a pulley. As the weeks went by, the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs from the first to the second floor were sometimes heard at night. One night ‘N’ was awakened by the footsteps that not only came up the stairs but entered her room and walked over to the bed. The entity then sat on the edge of the bed making an indention of someone sitting down. It lingered a few minutes than arose from the bed, causing the indention to disappear. ‘N’ was more curious than frightened, as she thought of the ghost as a deceased person who needed help. She sensed he was male because of the heavy footsteps and wondered why he was still around the property. One evening she was downstairs and a ball of light came through the closed solid wood front door and traveled across the living room, as though searching for something. 

A few weeks later ‘N’ was waiting for her friend Rachel to stop by, as they were going to a concert. ‘N’ opened the door for Rachel, and Rachel stood in the doorway with a frightened look on her face. ‘N’ asked her to come inside and Rachel was afraid to go in, so ‘N’ came outside and the two of them went on their way to the concert. When they were inside the car, Rachel told ‘N’ that she did not want to scare her but that she saw a man standing behind her when she opened the door. The man had his arms around ‘N’, without touching her, as though he were reaching for the door and protecting her when she opened the door. ‘N’ then told Rachel what she and others had experienced since she moved in. 

A few months later, the estate was sold and ‘N’ and her boyfriend moved out. I visited the property on two occasions and it was a great opportunity to connect to its past. The people who live there over the years will change, but the property itself will remain the same and that is what makes it so wonderful.