The Noises
Ariel Renee Riley, MO, USA
May 2010
I have always hated to be left at home alone. I don't like being alone for a couple hours, a day, a weekend, or a week. At least, not in my house. I always knew there was something weird about my house. From creaks and bumps to computer chairs spinning until they fall. My house is not like the others I have lived in.
My brother has witnessed a computer chair spinning when no one has touched it. My mom has heard footsteps. But neither of them have heard or seen the things I have.
About two and a half months ago, my parents and my brother had gone out of town. I had spent the day with my friends and decided that I was ready to go home and go to bed. The first thing I did when I got home was make sure that all the lights, computers, televisions, and stereos in the house were turned off. Then I put my dog's in their crates, (which are in the room right next to my living room.) locked the front and back door, and went to the living room to sleep on the couch.
When my back door closes, it makes a very distinct sound. It doesn't shut just by being pushed on lightly. It has to be slammed.
After lying down for an hour, I heard the back door slam shut (and I knew I had locked it and no one has a key to the back door). What made it strange to me at the time was the fact that the sound had come from my parents' room, right above the living room. I ignored it because I just wanted to sleep.
Shortly after the slamming from upstairs, I heard music playing. I thought it was coming from outside so I rolled over to get up to close the windows. Once I rolled over, I stopped moving. I could see the light from the computer screen in the next room. I knew I had turned it off. The music got louder and then shut off. I was terrified.
For the next couple hours it was quiet. No sounds were made. I had just started to fall back to sleep when the footsteps started. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. The steps were creaking with each thud. I had finally had enough and cried out "Leave me alone! Just let me sleep!"
The noises stopped that night, but I know they're still here. My mom hears them. So does my brother. He tries to wake me up to hear them early in the morning. My dad won't tell me if he's heard the noises. I'm sure he has.
I don't stay at my house alone anymore.