Kisses from the Grave - Chapter Two (standard:Ghost stories, 1938 words) [2/8] show all parts
Author: kissofthehungry	Added: Jan 16 2005	Views/Reads: 2905/2186	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Mark is about to find that there are wonders in the world that can provide healing to the hurt soul, though the house still harbors its' secrets.

Mark's first glance of the house made his breath catch in his throat. 
His parents had not prepared him for the grandeur of the sprawling 
mansion with it's stunning architecture.  It was old and in desperate 
need of some tender love and care but it did nothing to hide how 
beautiful the house had once been.  To get there, they had driven up a 
tree lined avenue into a clearing of grass.  The trees had provided a 
nice wall on three sides of the house.  On the fourth side was a marshy 
area that harbored wild fowl and other creatures.  In front of that 
stood a tree with a tire swing hanging from it's huge branches. 

"Wow," he whistled in astonishment, "How in the hell did you guys manage
to afford something like that?" 

His mom looked tickled pink at his question and gushed, "It wasn't as
much as it looks.  It's been on the market for a while and the family 
who owns it is really desperate to get it off their hands." 

"How long is long?" he asked, absolutely blown away by the magnificant
two story house.  That was to be his home for a while?  That would take 
some serious getting used to. 

"Well, actually not too long.  Only a coule of weeks, but in the real
estate world, with that nice of a house. . . well, it's a long time," 
she explained, smiling at him as they approached the door. 

"Um, that's not that long.  So then, how desperate is the family?" he
wanted to know.  There was no reason to sell such a place for cheap 
unless there was something wrong, be it with the house or the family. 

"Well, aparently very.  The realator didn't know much, but she told me
that the family had experienced some sort of tragedy and were trying to 
cut their ties.  Sort of like us," pain flared up red hot in him at her 
comment but she continued, "I assume they're starting a new life 
somewhere else and don't want to be slowed down by old parts.  So, I 
think it's that kind of desperation."  Her explanation made sense to a 
degree, though he wanted to know what the family tragedy had been, but 
there was another question nagging at him. 

"Why did this house stay on the market so long?  It's awesome from the
outside, unless there's something terribly wrong with the inside.  I 
don't see why it wasn't snatched up in a second's notice if it were 
that cheap," it didn't make sense to him and he knew from his mother's 
expression, that she had wondered the same thing. 

"I don't know, neither did Miss Easton, though she had a theory that it
was just unknown about or that the locals didn't want it because they 
might know of the family tragedy.  Either way, it kept the house 
available for us," another broad smile and they were in the entry way. 
His father had not said a word but he figured this was better than the 
nasty words he'd heard from him lately.  Sometimes, silence was 
preferable. 

The entryway was another surprise, the house was still furnished and in
exact condition as owned by the previous masters.  He looked at his 
parents, but neither were surprised by the furniture or condition.  If 
anything, his mother seemed to be fond of the old fashioned decor.  
However, he was bothered deeply by it.  What would make a family pick 
up and leave all of their furniture and sell their home for dirt cheap? 
 What kind of tragedy had they experienced?  There was no way he was 
going to let that sleeping dog lay. 

Three hours later, bored and irritated from unpacking, his mom sent him
outside to explore the property.  More or less to get him out of her 
hair for a bit.  Casually, he strode out the front door and stopped to 
take in the whole picture. 

It really was a beautiful yard, the grass dark green and kept fairly
trimmed.  There were blooming rose bushes agaisnt the house, casting 
their heavy perfume upon the gentle breeze.  The trees were large, 
reaching for the sky and casting their interlocking branches about so 
that much of the yard was shaded.  All except for the side with the 
marshy area and tall grass that stood over his head. 

Enjoying the cool but not cold temperature of the area, he walked over
to the tire swing, it's rope looking sunned but still in good 


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