The car engine ceased its rumbling as the key was pulled out of the ignition.

Steam rose
from the bonnet and the breathing from the car occupants fogged the windows. The house
that stood in front of them was worn, most of the windows either broken or boarded up. This
was not what was listed on the travel website, this was a scene out of a horror movie. The
two women and three men climbed out the car wearily, and eyed the house. A heated
discussion broke out between the driver, Jess, and her boyfriend Chris. “We can’t stay here,
this isn’t what we booked”, she yelled, “We must have the wrong address”. Chris tried to
reason with her “Look, Jess, it’s late and this is the right address. There must have been a
mix up on the website, we can sort it all out tomorrow”. Jess took out her phone angrily and
dialled the number for the travel website. She slammed her phone back in her pocket. “No
reception” she muttered and walked off. The rest of the group, Scott, Dave and Anna had
made their way towards the house, peering through windows and waiting on the porch. Jess
angrily stalked off to the letter box in which she pulled out an ancient looking key and
headed up to the porch. She placed the key into the keyhole and turned it slowly, the door
flung open and the air seemed to chill.

Anna looked around, eyes as wide as the moon. “I am not going in there, I’m sleeping in the
car!” She declared. Dave poked her playfully in the ribs. “What’s the matter, scared?” Then
his tone softened “If you sleep in the car, you’ll be alone”. This seemed to change her mind
and with the rest of the group she made her way inside, dragging her suitcase along with
her. The musty smell of the house crept up the noses of the visitors, it smelt as if the house
hadn’t been opened up in a long time. The wooden floor creaked with every step as the
visitors headed to the kitchen. Scott flicked on the light switch as they entered and looked
awfully surprised when a dull light actually flooded the room. A note had been left on the
kitchen bench that simply said “enjoy your stay”. Everybody looked uncomfortable and rather
tired as they dragged their bags up the giant spiral staircase and into the bedrooms. Nobody
said much, nobody really wanted to say what was on their mind. They allocated themselves
rooms, dumped their bags on the floor and lay in bed, staring at the cobwebs on the ceiling.

Nobody slept, every bump and screech kept everyone awake. Everyone felt uneasy,
although nobody dared to say it. Eventually it was Chris who got up. “I’m going to go get a
glass of water, does anyone else want anything?” he asked. Nobody responded so he made
his way to the kitchen, occasionally bumping into furniture as he went.
His hand rubbed against the wall looking for the light switch and as he flicked it he realised
someone else was in the room with him. The light flickered twice, the shape of a young
woman in the corner of the room was the first thing he saw. Before the light was even on
Chris had bolted from the room, the image of the woman imprinted in his brain. He ran into
the bedroom and slammed the door behind him waking the group up and tripping over Dave,
who was sleeping on the floor, in the process. Jess looked terrified even before Chris
explained what he had seen. He was trembling while the words spilled from his mouth. Scott
and Anna came in from their room next door just in time to hear his story and didn’t seem to
look like they would be returning to their room anytime soon. After the deafening silence it
was finally Dave who spoke up. “Well we better go have a look then, I guess. I won’t go to
sleep otherwise.”

It was Anna, Scott and Dave who braved it up and decided to go have a look. Chris had
used the excuse of looking after Jess to stay behind. They crept down the hallway that lead
to the kitchen. The long hallway was filled with old furniture, creepy looking paintings and
cobwebs. As they covered the last few meters everyone’s heart was racing. It was Dave that
turned on the light, it flickered once and then flooded the room with a dull yellow light. What
they saw next terrified them. The lady no longer cowered in the corner but was now standing
in the centre of the room, starring at them. Her black hair hung from her head and her eyes
seemed empty. Her skin a pale white, almost matching the rugged cloth that hung from her
body that was once a dress. The trio backed up then turned and sped down the hallway.
Their yelling and screaming seemed to alert Chis and Jess who were already waiting for
them.

The car ride was silent, nobody spoke about what they saw. Chris drove, his hands
clenching the wheel, knuckles white. They drove and drove, putting distance between the
house and its contents. Chris pulled over and stopped the car after what seemed like an
eternity, they had put enough distance between them and the house. They eventually all
slept, exhausted. In the morning nobody spoke of the scene they had witnessed that night.
The holiday was cancelled and they all returned home, nobody wanted to speak of the
paranormal encounter.