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| I'M BACK... http://horrorworld.org/msgboards/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=12168 |
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| Author: | Edward Lee [ Thu Jul 19, 2012 12:00 am ] |
| Post subject: | I'M BACK... |
I’ve been back for a few days; took me till today to catch my breath. I’m finding out the hard way that I don’t hav the energy I once had–no duh! Anyway, I was in MD for 12 days I think, and for an older guy with no assistence I think I did a decent job getting the rest of the house cleaned out, packing up and shipping the last boxes of the stuff I need to keep, cut off the phone, got the remainder of my retainer back from the lawyer, cut off the cable tv–which much regret!–and turned in the cable box to a very rude comcast clerk, bought a new fridge and dryer (for MUCH less than I expected: 314 for the fridge and 360 for the dryer), maintained the bills in MD and FL, and finally exvacuated my childhood home and then turned it over to some very happy strangers who are now completey redoing the interior (very happy, I mean, becuase of the NINE GRAND check I gave them). They should be done in a few days, whereupon I return to appraise the work and then turn the joint over to the realtor. Right now I feel exhausted but also that I’ve accomplished something to legitimize the fact that it’s been AGES since I’ve been able to write anything. I’m confident, though, that’ I’ll finally get to dive in to Header 3 very soon. My mother’s status, I’m happy to say, has vastly improved since the new psych chief tweaked her meds. Where she’s previously been miserable, agitated, hostile, and paranoid, she’s now calm, docile, content and happy. Seriously, it’s the first time in probably 10 years that I’ve seen her happy, even long before the dementia started. So, knock on wood, tomorrow I’m meeting with the medical director and I’m hoping she’ll say that my mother can stay in this facility without 24 hrs per day of convalescent “sitters” which cost and arm an a leg and would wear out my mother’s money twice as fast and leaving her at the mercy of medicaid. If this is the case, then I’ll be a happy camper and my mother will get to spend her final days in a nice facility. We’ll see what happens tomorrow. Ghosts: The house seemed creepier this time (does it somehow KNOW that I’m getting ready to sell it? Ha ha!) even though–I think I mentioned in my last post that-- the bothersome sighing sounds and stomach rumblings I’m fairly sure I heard multiple times from my bedroom closet did not persist. But I’m enthused or perhaps NOT enthused to relate that shortly after midnight on July 13–I’m pretty sure it was this date–I was lying in bed tired as hell but for some reason unable to sleep, when I heard from a closet single forceful sigh which struck me a male and, yes, a few of the familiar stomach “rumblings.” I suppose the ghost is hungry! But of course I’m more inclined to dismiss this as a combination of extreme fatigue, unconscious stress, and a horror-writer’s over active imagination. I was probably just Falling asleep and a dream snippet caused the hallucination. Later that same night, at about 3am and still unable to sleep, I got up, turned on the light, sat at my desk to smoke a cigarette, when, very distinctly, I heard a sound as of an enthused dog scampering up the stairs, a sound I’ve heard countless times in years past cuz we’d always had dogs. The sound was so realistic I felt CERTAIN a dog was in the house and that I mustve left the the downstairs sliding door open. A stray happened to find its way inside. And as you have already guessed, I searched the entire house and found no dog, no nothing. This, though, in spite of the clarity of the sound, I’m inclined to dismiss to fatigue, hallucination, etc. But what happened a few days earlier I’m not so quick to dismiss. I’ve mentioned in the past that for quite a while I and others have noticed sounds like footsteps coming from the bedroom above the kitchen, and for years, upon hearing this sound–usually when I was washing dishes at the kitchen sink–I’d run upstairs like an ass, convinced that someone was in the room, and no one ever was. In fact, when my mother was still living in the house and her dementia was increasing, she’d often tell me about the “children” who lived upstairs. Often, when checking the room after my mother was in the nursing home, I was half excited and half terrified that one time I’d open that door and there’d be several kids there, more than likely kids grinning through decomposed faces! Anyway by the time of my most previous visit, whenever I heard the “footsteps” I wouldn’t even bother checking in spite of the clarity of the sounds. One day, though, I was in this room checking the carpet for any jewelry my mother may have inadvertantly dropped –something she did ALL the time; she once lost a very pricey antique diamond ring in, of all places, a friggin’ Safeway grocery store!–and I took down the curtains and opened the shutters, thus allowingd copious sunlight into the room for the first time in years, perhaps decades. The previous owners had put decorative interior shutters in this room and my parents never endeavored to remove them even though I thought they looked lousy. Anyway, curtains down, inside shutters opened, I searched the carpet and under the bed (it’s a 100 year old bed, btw) where I did indeed find a cheap ring but two chains that I think are gold. Then I left the room and began working in another room. No big deal. However, that night, as was my habit now, I turned out the back porch lights and sat outside on the patio to saturate myself in the wonderful nighted atmsphere: owls hooting, crickets and cicadas sounding off, the moon, the fireflies, and several curiously large rabbits that hop around the yard at night like they own the place. Sometimes a possum waddles around. So anyway I’m sitting there in the dark, watching all this stuff and smoking a cigarette, when I hear or think I hear a sound like a finger tapping several times on a window pane. The sound came from above me so I naturally looked up . Only then did I notice that the lights were on in the bedroom over the kitchen. Conclusion: I must’ve forggotten to turn the lights off earlier. No big deal. But the sound? Fine, it SOUNDED like a finger tapping the window but it had to be just another “house” sound so common to older houses. Again, I thought nothing of it but for some reason I can’t well describe I was touched by the impulse to keep looking at the window. All of the aforementioned interior shutters remained open save for one, the shutter at the extreme left of the left window as I was looking up. This shutter was closed half way roughly. What I witnessed next in that mental drone kind of thing is impossible to describe w/o sounding ludicrous, but I’ll give it a shot. As I stared up at the window, something that seemed to be a finigertip appeared to curl around the edge of the shutter and pull it open, and then–I’m serious!–a shape like a head in black silouette or, more accurately, more like a dark brown silhouette, edged past the edge of the window and looked down at me. I was shit-scared but I believe I maintianed my gaze for more than a few moments and the shape didn’t move. At this point I wasn’t thinking ghosts, I was thinking Burglar, and if I’d had my cell phone on me I might’ve called 911. I’ll freely admit that my nerves of made of far less than steel, and I was so alarmed I’m surprised I didn’t pee my pants; that said, I summoned inexplicable morsel of courage and re-entered the house and marched upstairs preposterously armed with a scratch awl that I’d bought to make some screwholes in a busted cabinet. I wasn’t sure what I expected to find and am certain I would’ve dropped a #2 in my jeans if there HAD been a bad guy up there. But, lo, I don’t need to tell you that there was no one there and nothing amiss. Nor do I need to tell you that it took me a LONG TIME to dare to go to bed. I know it sounds like I’m either bullshitting, nutty in the head, or abnormally given to the power of suggestions, but I SWEAR that’s what I experienced. I’ve always like the house but now...I’m gettin’ sick of it, and I’m more than ready to sell it. As I said, I’m returning on Sunday, probably for the last time, and this time I will definitely take someone’s suggestion and try a couple “EVP”s like on the ghost hunter shows. Could be interesting. In fact, in a few minutes I’m gonna order one or two of those little digital recorders (are they expensive?) Someone also suggested I take some pictures inside the house to see if anything showed up; I kind of did that already: I walked around the entire interior with a cheap video camera to have a video record of all the furniture I gave to charity in case it turns out to be beneficial to my mother’s finances on next year’s taxes. I haven’t watched it yet–no time–but I will soon. Gotta run now; I’ll try to get back on the board before I leave Sunday. As always, my friends, I can’t thank you enough for your continued support and interest in my work and moreover for your good wishes. Please know you all have my best wishes as well. Good night! Edward Lee PS: some movies I half-watched while cleaning the house: Wrath of the Titans (wherein Pericles or Hercules or whoever he was, looks up, sees a monster, and says “You gotta be kidding me!” Oh, well. At least the FX were great; Eric Roberts/Charles Band flik called The Dead Want Women, a fine low budget t and a horror flick with some outstanding low budget makeup FX by Carl Beuchler (I know I spelled his name wrong but you know who I mean); Bikini Girls on Ice, all I can say is any movie with THAT title yet doesn’t have ANY nudity has no right to exist!; Bloody Mary starring–oh no!–Ron Jeremy. Skip it. Oh, and someone here recommended Darkness with Lena Olin and it’s GREAT. Will be watching Last Exorcism soon. |
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| Author: | Jack Staynes [ Thu Jul 19, 2012 2:23 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: I'M BACK... |
Hi Ed, wow, sounds like you are getting things sorted, but that haunted house shit is a blast to read. It's funny I can read anything and don't get scared but what you wrote there... now that gave me the creeps. I hope all continues to go well with your mom, and I look forward to seeing you again at Killercon. All the best Jack |
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| Author: | flahorrorwriter [ Thu Jul 19, 2012 8:15 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: I'M BACK... |
Lee, thanks for the update and I really enjoyed reading your account of the weirdness going on at your childhood home...perhaps one day this could be a future Ed Lee novel? Or not, but still, makes for fascinating reading and thanks for sharing. SO glad to hear your Mom seems to be doing better...more than anything, that's the best news! Hope the rest of this goes smoothly and quickly for you...take care! Chris |
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| Author: | JPOKELA [ Thu Jul 19, 2012 9:02 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: I'M BACK... |
A stark, vivid meeting with matters unfinished. As Tom Piccirilli is fond of stating, the past is never past. We can live, we can die. We can ignore, we can overlook. What is, remains..... |
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| Author: | squeakytherat [ Thu Jul 19, 2012 10:16 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: I'M BACK... |
Glad to see you back! I'm very intrigued by your spooky encounter. Unlike you, I think I would have gone ahead and shat myself! Remember one of my first posts on here? When I stated that I'd drag my tits across half a mile of broken glass just to read the skidmarks in your undies? Well, if your next ghostly experience ends up with a less-than-favourable trouser-outcome, you'll know where to send them.....hehehe 
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| Author: | KK Jones [ Thu Jul 19, 2012 1:21 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: I'M BACK... |
You sure have accomplished a lot!! You are doing an awesome job, especially by yourself!! Give yourself a big pat on the back! And I'm glad your mom is so happy now! Good decision on the move to Florida! Can you videotape on your cell phone? I sure wish you would've had your phone with you when the silhouette was looking down at you!! What a great cover to a haunted house book that picture would be! Thanks for the update and I hope you can get some rest before you leave again. Take care, Konnie |
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| Author: | bigheadsballsack [ Fri Jul 20, 2012 4:32 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: I'M BACK... |
That's great news, one that you're back, you were missed and two that your mum is doing better on new meds. Gary |
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| Author: | peteboiler [ Sun Jul 22, 2012 10:54 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: I'M BACK... |
Thanks for the in-depth news, Lee! Hope things keep on a truckin' your way. If you need anything, I am here. Bob |
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| Author: | Edward Lee [ Wed Jul 25, 2012 6:07 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: I'M BACK... |
Thanks very much, all. This are smoothing out finally; my onlyu big problem now is sheer exhaustion sometimes. My ass is TOO OLD to be doing all this house stuff. Konnie, I believe my phone does do video but at the time I was so creeped out it wouldn't have occurred to me: I actually thought a corporeal bad guy was in the house. Chris, finny youp should mention it, but since I found my mothers scrapbook, her wallet and 1947 DC driver's license, and some old photo negatives in the same wallet, it gave me some ideas which I started jotting down. By now, though, the outline is getting extensive and will essentially follow a similar trail as I've been on with my mother's dementia, putting her in a nursing home, having to sort through everything in the house, hiring a refurb crew, ect, and now I'm SURE it'll be a novel that I will likely replace my James pastiche The Cellars of Wroxton Wood with. Got some other books to write first, though, and I better get cracking before people forget about! As for the house, it has been completely emptied (including the 100 year old bed), repainted, new time, new carpet, everything. Inside looks like a brand new house, noit a 50 year old one. I've been here since Sunday, sleeping on a Walmart airmattress, and thus far ABSOLUTELY NOTHING has popped up in the way of previous phenomena. Nary even a single footstep in the "footstep Room". This latter observation surprised me because I've heard those noises for a LONG time when in the kitchen and many other's have too. Nothing now, though. If there really were any ethereal entities in this house, I guess they were connected to the things in it (and most of those things are now in the dump!) I ordered a digital recorder from Amazon, which arrived yesterday, with which I planned to do some "EVP's" but the--and pardon my language--the FUCKIN THING IS SO COMPLICATED you need a degree in electrical engineering to make the fucker work! It's a Sony. I'm giving the son of a bitch away and buying a good old fashioned cassette recorder tomorrow, you know, one that has a button on it that says PLAY, and RECORD, and STOP, like that. Jeez, the instructions for that sony were WAY over my wee head. At any rate, that's my news for now--things are pretty good. And thanks, all of you, for your kindness and interest. I'll be back on the board soon. Best, Edward Lee |
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| Author: | DaFratH0 [ Wed Jul 25, 2012 9:42 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: I'M BACK... |
I'd like add something witty, or even of value, but .... I don't have it in me lately. Take care Ed, you're doing good work, and taking care of family - well, that's more important than anything else. As for the creepy things in your life.... no offense, but I kind of like them happening to you. It makes me think we'll have some extra special reading in the future. 
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| Author: | Edward Lee [ Thu Jul 26, 2012 8:34 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: I'M BACK... |
I like them happening to me too...kind of! Today I definitely get a regular cassette recorder just for kicks. This Sony digital recorder's instructions look like the operator's manual for the space shuttle. Tonight I'll fool around with the regular cassette. If I'm never seen or heard of again, well...you'll know why! Edward Lee |
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| Author: | flahorrorwriter [ Thu Jul 26, 2012 9:48 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: I'M BACK... |
Lee, I LOLed at your comment about the Sony digital recorder's complicated workings...hell, my fiancee and I purchased our first ever MP3 player to use for our upcoming wedding this October (to save the $500+ bucks in paying a DJ) and took a while to get used to it, but think we've got the hang of it. But I can relate! Super cool, too, about writing down some stuff about the house weirdness to possibly use in a future Lee novel. Hope you're getting plenty of R&R and getting back to a normal routine...and yeah, writing...good to have you back! Chris |
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| Author: | DaFratH0 [ Thu Jul 26, 2012 11:54 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: I'M BACK... |
| Author: | Edward Lee [ Sun Jul 29, 2012 8:38 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: I'M BACK... |
This just in: a few nights ago I was lying on my inflatable bed watching the uncut version of Evil Aliens (wonderful movie!) on my laptop. Then I read a bit of "Martin's Close" by MR James until I got tired. I turned off the light, prepared to endeavor to sleep when I heard, or thought I heard, the "stomach rumbling" noise. In the past it seemed to originate in the closet, but this time the closet was closed. After a few moments of contemplation, I dismissed it as imagination, then went to sleep. Now, since I take a diuretic for blood pressure, I'm plague by having to get up several times during the night to answer the obvious medication-induced call of nature. As I was groggily rolling out of my friggin' raft-for-a-bed, I heard the "rumbling" again, from the open doorway. Paused. Got up, Peed. Went back to sleep, dismissing it as more imagination and/or hypnapompia (or is it hypnagogia? Never can remember.) Woke up yet again aroudn 4am to void my nusiance bladder once more and this time actually awoke to the stomach rumbling sound, ehich appeared to me much closer this time, and near my head. Was it my own stomach rumbling, you ponder? Could be, but I don't think so. At any rate when I returned to the raft this time, I first closed and locked the door. And noticed nothing untoward for the remainder of the night. Who knows? As for the cassette recorder, yes, I did find one, at WalMart (for 24 bucks! Ouch!) Never heard o f the brand: ONN. Used it last night or night before and let it record in the "footstep" room but the playback revealed nothing. The machine did a fine job, however, of recording its own motor noise. It pays to buy the best! I still have the preposterous Sony digital recorder (an ICD B600). I'm still offended by how complicated the instructionns are, bastards! I'll bring it to Vegas, first person to buy me a diet coke gets it! Tonight I think I'll run the cassette recorder in my room in hope of preserving the rumbling or, at the very least, my snoring! Heading back to FL Tuesday; each time I think I can leave, something else breaks. Had to get a new washer ($349) new garage door motor ($400) yard trimmed and house tweaked (another friggin GRAND) and today I noticed the valve from the waterline to my BRAND NEW washer leaking, so I gotta get a plumber to fix it tomorrow, and I gotta order two custom storm window frames ($111 each!) For pity's sake! Talk to ya soon! Edward Lee n's Close" |
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| Author: | Jack Staynes [ Thu Aug 02, 2012 9:21 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: I'M BACK... |
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