People say the old house is haunted, but I know the truth. I also know why no one will dare to go in there alone at night.
Let’s go back a few days, to Saturday night, before I had any knowledge of this house:
“Hey Sam, I bet you’re a chicken!”

“I am not! And I’ll prove it too!”

“Okay. I bet you twenty bucks that you can’t stay by yourself in this haunted house across town that everyone has been talking about.”

“Alright, what’s a couple of hours anyways?” I said, shaking.

“You’re funny kid. I’m talking about all. night. long”

Well, because I’m not a chicken, and I’ll take just about any dare you give me, we started our drive to the house about fifteen minutes later. I figured I should grab some things for the night, which is why I took so long. I made sure to grab a flashlight (or maybe even two) and plenty of extra batteries, since I would be there all night long.

Because I was scared, I was very hesitant to open the front door of the house. “You know, James, I’ve heard rumors about kids dying in haunted houses.” I said as I tried to talk my way out of it. “But those kids were chickens, and you’re not one, remember?” he taunted. “Fine, bro, but if I die tonight, it’s on you.” “Have fun, chicken.” He smirked and walked away.

Long story short, because I was so scared, I was jumpy. I saw a ghost and I ran like my life depended on it, because, well, it kind of did. Because I ran so hard, I had to stop half a mile down the road to catch my breath. Seeing that ghost scared the daylights out of me! Well, I decided to go back to the house and camp out in the backyard for the rest of the night. I decided that if I at least pretended I was there all night, he would still pay up. When morning came, I walked through the back door and out the front door to go see if James was still waiting for me. As I walked up to the car, I saw James lying in the backseat sleeping. “What a lame-o,” I thought, as I pulled back the blanket to wake him up.

What I saw next will scar me for the rest of my life. I saw James lying on his stomach, insides hanging down into the floorboard, and his head was facing up! Looking back on it, I guess whatever was chasing me last night couldn’t catch up and started looking for an easier target. I ran as fast as I could down the street screaming “SOMEONE, HELP! CALL 911! HELP! MY FRIEND HAS BEEN KILLED!” When I finally reached the nearest house, I knocked on the door, and when no one answered, I peered in the window carefully, as I did not want to appear creepy. I wish I had never looked into that house, because I saw two people lying on the couch, DEAD! After this, I just ran, I ran until I couldn’t run anymore. After a while of running, you can’t even feel that your lungs are gasping for air, that your legs are tired, and you especially get used to the sweat. As I ran, I saw people in white uniforms walking around this big building. I guess they were going to work. When I saw them, I ran faster, hoping to catch at least one of them.

“Hey! Hey! Wait! I need your help! Please, my friend… he’s…” I couldn’t make myself say the word. It was too soon. “Hey, kid, what’s wrong? Can we help you?” the worker said. She was a woman who looked young, maybe 19, maybe early 20s. Since she was so young, I felt that I could trust her with what happened. She took me inside to get me some cold Gatorade.

While I waited for her to come back, I looked around the place. She worked in a fancy building. I mean, it had to be fancy, right? Everything was white and sterile. I mean, it even smelled like bleach. These people were very clean. I wonder….

The thought ran to the back of my head as she came back carrying the bright red Gatorade. I couldn’t think of anything else except for what happened and that Gatorade.

“Okay, so slow down and tell me what happened.” She said gently.

I then proceeded in telling her my story, starting from when I woke up on Saturday morning. As she listened, her eyes grew wide in terror, and she quickly pulled out a cell phone- I think maybe it was the iPhone 5, I’m not really too sure- from her back pocket and dialed 911. As she spoke to the operator, desperately asking for the police to come, her face had a slight quizzical look. “Thank you, sir,” she spoke to the person on the other side of the phone.

“Where exactly did you say that the house was located?”

“1543 Chestnut Drive.” I replied carefully.

“Sam, right? The operator told me that there is no house there. I’m not quite sure if this is a game or a dare or what, but it isn’t funny. You don’t play with these kinds of things.”

“Ma’am, I’m not playing, you have to help me, my friend, please. Please,” I pleaded.

“Look, let’s get you cleaned up, and when you get all nice and neat, we can go talk to my boss and see what he can do for you.”

“Yes ma’am.”

She took me through this hall and we went into the fifth door down on the right. I remember this so clearly because this was the moment that would change my life forever. When we stepped in, I realized exactly what kind of place this was. IT WAS A PSYCH WARD! I started freaking out, and said, “look, I’m not crazy, it happened! I swear, I swear, I swear! Look, call my mom; ask her where I went last night. Call James’ mom, call anyone! I’m not insane!”
We walked back to the foyer where we entered, since she had no signal on her phone in the room full of the crazy people supplies.
“Okay, what is your mother’s number?”
“(469) 345- 2186”
She dialed the number, and about two seconds afterwards, she hung up.
“What, did her phone go straight to voicemail? She never charges that thing. I swear. Oh my goodness.”
“Sam, sweetie, the operator said to me that your mother’s phone has been disconnected due to the fact that your mother died in a tragic car accident three years ago today.”
“That can’t be right, I just spoke with her last night before James and I left for the haunted house.”
“Wait, did you just say haunted house?”
“Yes ma’am, why?”
“And the address is 1543 Chestnut Drive?”
“Yes ma’am, why?”
She murmured something about my mother dying three years prior, and then turned to the door behind us. “Jack, come here a second please.”
“What’s going on here, guys?”
They shushed me and turned away to talk in private. The only things I could hear were, shocked gasps and “really?” over and over. When they finally turned to me, I had some kind of clue what was happening. I then began questioning myself, “am I crazy? is this real? I have to be dreaming. Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!”
The next thing I knew, two males dressed in all white entered the room, and pulled me down the hallway as I kicked and screamed.
“I’m not crazy! I swear! IT ALL HAPPENED!!!! James is dead!! Please, you have to help me!”
Now that I have had a couple of months to work through this, I truly think that the lady in white was correct, and I may be a little loony. I think we’re all a little crazy, don’t you? Maybe I’m right, maybe I’m wrong. Who knows these days? I surely don’t. I mean, look at me, I’m telling you this story from a padded cell in shady living psych ward. I just have one piece of advice, don’t go in that house alone.”