Haunted Read Online Free

  With every ounce of strength I had, I tried to put my hand on his shoulder and shake him.   My body refused to obey the mind’s commands.    The darkness retreated slowly, and once again the shadow above the fan was the size and shape it should have been.   Tears streamed down my face, and not wanting to wake the children, I choked back sobs.
    My husband finally woke and rolled over to face me.   “What’s wrong,” he asked.
    I couldn’t speak.   All I could do was curl up in his arms and cry, and that’s what I did.  
    The next morning, I told him what had happened and that we had to move.   He, of course, told me I was crazy.   “It must have been a dream.   Maybe a night terror or something.   I saw a show about how in different levels of REM sleep you can think you’re awake, and paralyzed, but really you’re sleeping.   It has to be something like that!”
    But it wasn’t something like that.   I knew it wasn’t anything like that!   I’d made my mind up, and regardless of whether he was willing or not, I was moving.   There was no way I would keep my children in that house for any longer than necessary.
    He went on to work that morning as if nothing ever happened.   I went apartment hunting.   There were 3 complexes in town running move in deals.   No deposit, first month’s rent free.   I hit all of them, signed a lease with one, and came home to start packing.   It didn’t take me long.   I still had boxed stuff in closets from the move.  
    As soon as I had a truck load, I filled up my old orange ford and took it to the new place.   Unloaded and went back for more.   The last load I could do alone had about 12 boxes.   The couch, coffee table, and love seat were covered with them.   Each box was full, but the tape gun we’d used when we’d moved last was missing.   Killing the proverbial 2 birds, I called my husband.    I hadn’t told him about the new apartment, or moving, no matter what he’d said--I knew he’d go wherever we were.
    (Now I know you’re going to think I’m crazy, but I SWEAR this is true)
    He answered on the third or fourth ring.   “Yeah, babe.   What’s up?”
    “We’re moving.   I’ve already rented an apartment and have almost everything moved in.   All you’ll have to move is the furniture.   Do you think you can get Rod, or Dave to help?”
    “Have you lost your mind?   We can’t afford to move again!” he exclaimed.
    “It didn’t cost anything and it’s a very nice complex.   It’ll be closer to your job too.”
    He let out an exasperated breath and didn’t say another word.
    “Look hun.   I can’t live here.   Something’s very wrong with this place.   It’s not safe for the kids!   If it can do what it did to me last night, what can it do to them?”
    Surprisingly, he answered with a chuckle.   “Well it’s not like I can do anything about it now, right?”
    Relief settled over me.   I’d been somewhat afraid we’d fight, but it was one I’d been willing to have if needed.   “Hey, where’s that tape gun?   I only have a few boxes left and I don’t want to just fold the tops in.”
    “Should be in the pantry on the shelf.   That’s where I put it.”
    “Okay, great!   I love you, and I’ll be at the new place when you get off work.   Meet me there.”
    “Love you too.”
    I hung up the phone and walked into the living room.   The tape gun was sitting dead center on the coffee table.   All of the boxes were stacked by the door.   No one had come in, and there’s no way my 3 year-old could have done it.   That was all the pushing I needed.   I grabbed up my kids and purse, put them in the truck, and went to the new house.   I NEVER stepped foot in that house again.   That night, my husband moved the rest of our things with a friend.   He said when he got there; every box in the room was stacked in two columns, one on top of the other, all the way to the ceiling.
    After everything I’d