What astonished me more was not just the house itself; no it was more the grounds it sat in. Positioned on the very edge of the White Mountain National Park, we were surrounded by deep forest and everywhere you looked were oceans of green, in fact I think every shade of green on the spectrum. The landscape was an endless flow of mountains overflowing with enormous trees that wound around the house like a barrier, encasing it in living, breathing safety. It was only when I followed them one by one did I notice a clearing to one side.
It drew me closer like a magnet as I walked forward to discover its treasure. There, in front of me, stood the most fantastic view I think I have ever seen in all my years on this beautiful planet. The view exploded into a sea of even more mountains made from a lush green carpet of thousands of trees, hell it looked like millions! The beauty before my eyes held me captive like a rabbit in headlights taking my breath away. If I could cry, which I didn’t do much these days after tears long run dry, I would have now. I wanted to show my pleasure in what I was seeing, but once again I was rendered speechless.
“It was inherited from Frank’s uncle,” Libby’s voice brought me back and I turned around to see that she had followed me to the clearing.
“How old is it?” I asked, hoping for a background story on the place.
It looked like the type to have a few horrors in its past. It wouldn’t have looked out of place in one of Stephan King’s novels or even the family home in the movie Psycho.
“Not really sure, everyone in Frank’s family we have asked can’t really give us a date. But it’s been in his family for generations.” She made a strange face as she said this, which made me think there was more to the story.
“What is it?” I asked, as light heartedly as I could but from her face I knew this was it, any minute now she would spill the house's deepest, darkest secrets and then I would never sleep again. But I didn’t care. I still wanted to know, no matter how horrible it was.
“It’s nothing really, just a bit creepy that’s all.” She lent around me to get a good view of where Frank was. When she was happy enough that he was out of earshot, she continued.
“Well you know I told you Frank inherited the place from his uncle?” She said whispering in my ear.
“Yeah, so what happened to him?”
“Well.... he committed suicide.” She waited for my response with that usual sad look in her eye whenever she said something that might “set me off.”
“Where?” was all I managed, praying it wasn’t in what was to be my new room.
“Oh no, no....not in the house, don’t worry.” I think she understood my mortified look of dread.
“Oh... well that makes me feel better at least, I was about to think I was going to have share my room.”
“Share your room?” She looked confused about my answer as we made our way back to the house.
“Yeah, rather with a ghost or with you and Frank, ‘cause I think I’d be too terrified to sleep on my own!” We both laughed at the thought.
“Nah, don’t worry, if that ever happened I’d make Frank sleep in your room with his uncle. They would have something to talk about at least... being family and all.” This just made us giggle some more like daft teenagers. It took me back to our naughty days when we used stay up late and we would tell scary stories under our blankets with a torch held under our chins for added affect.
“So where did he do it then?” I asked getting back to the morbid story.
“Oh...well that doesn’t matter,” was all she said and quickened her pace towards the house. This clearly wasn’t the end of the story so I knew I would have to get it out of her later, when Frank was out.
Getting settled in wasn’t hard, as my sister had already kitted my room out with everything. From family pictures by the sea, art I liked, to bedding in my favourite colour. It was the most perfect room for me, being both cosy and void of all memories.
My new bedroom was at the very top of the house on the