Active but Harmless
Aug. 14th, 2024 07:56 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
smokingbootThe place we rented for the festival was clearly owned by a devout Christian, discernible by the Bible by the bed, a bookmark within created from a leaflet reassuring us of God's love, and blessings and quotes on windowsills around the house. It had no strange atmosphere and was tiny. A ghost would not be able to keep its mystery for very long in such a place.
Nonetheless, a couple of strange things happened. One morning R and I had made breakfast and were in the front room getting ready to go to the festival when we heard an odd noise. The washing machine was in cycle. We hadn't put any washing on. The kitchen was small and our only explanation was that maybe one of us unthinkingly leaned against the buttons when reaching up to get bowls out of the wall units, but this was something like 20 minutes later.
At another point, R was having a shower (the toilet and bathroom were downstairs near the kitchen) when I heard two loud banging sounds and went to the front door. There was no-one there, no-one in the street. I walked up the stairs, and one of the treads made exactly the same banging sound when I stepped hard on it. I took my foot off and tried again, it banged again. The other stairs were quiet. This made a difference because my first thought was that a very real other person was in the house and had trodden hard on those stairs, one-two, maybe running to get away before being detected. I checked the front door, it was still locked. Had the owner sent someone to quietly check on us? The place is so small I could go through it at speed. Short of there being a secret room, it was obvious no-one was there. The stair did not bang again though used regularly.
I was marginally freaked, but only marginally, because nothing felt weird at all. There was never a point of feeling unsafe or afraid to sleep. Our final morning I went to the other bedroom which only got used when I wanted to do my make up (best light for it in the house) and noticed something I hadn't seen before; on one of the beds there was an indentation, as of someone having sat there. These beds had all been made up smooth before we arrived, I noted this when we did our first check of the place.
And yet there was none of that by-the-pricking-of-my-thumbs feeling. There are definitely places where one gets a vibe, though these are often built from instincts, perceptions, stories. Last time I really felt something was in the Hanoi Hilton, but then, given all that happened there, the surprise would be if I didn't. Imagination plays its part.
No imagination about this place, nothing when we got there, nothing when we left. It is only now I look back and think that if we do return to Northern Kin, we should rent out someplace else.
Nonetheless, a couple of strange things happened. One morning R and I had made breakfast and were in the front room getting ready to go to the festival when we heard an odd noise. The washing machine was in cycle. We hadn't put any washing on. The kitchen was small and our only explanation was that maybe one of us unthinkingly leaned against the buttons when reaching up to get bowls out of the wall units, but this was something like 20 minutes later.
At another point, R was having a shower (the toilet and bathroom were downstairs near the kitchen) when I heard two loud banging sounds and went to the front door. There was no-one there, no-one in the street. I walked up the stairs, and one of the treads made exactly the same banging sound when I stepped hard on it. I took my foot off and tried again, it banged again. The other stairs were quiet. This made a difference because my first thought was that a very real other person was in the house and had trodden hard on those stairs, one-two, maybe running to get away before being detected. I checked the front door, it was still locked. Had the owner sent someone to quietly check on us? The place is so small I could go through it at speed. Short of there being a secret room, it was obvious no-one was there. The stair did not bang again though used regularly.
I was marginally freaked, but only marginally, because nothing felt weird at all. There was never a point of feeling unsafe or afraid to sleep. Our final morning I went to the other bedroom which only got used when I wanted to do my make up (best light for it in the house) and noticed something I hadn't seen before; on one of the beds there was an indentation, as of someone having sat there. These beds had all been made up smooth before we arrived, I noted this when we did our first check of the place.
And yet there was none of that by-the-pricking-of-my-thumbs feeling. There are definitely places where one gets a vibe, though these are often built from instincts, perceptions, stories. Last time I really felt something was in the Hanoi Hilton, but then, given all that happened there, the surprise would be if I didn't. Imagination plays its part.
No imagination about this place, nothing when we got there, nothing when we left. It is only now I look back and think that if we do return to Northern Kin, we should rent out someplace else.
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Date: 2024-08-14 12:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-08-15 07:21 am (UTC)One nice bit of potential M.R James type spookery is that an 8th century runic ring was discovered nearby which is now kept in the British Museum. Now all I need is for its inscription to be deciphered as a fearful curse dooming some Viking wraith to wander the local cottages forever switching on all the kitchen appliances. Alas, the runes just say '[h]ring ic hatt[æ' meaning 'I am called Ring,' in case sight of the ring isn't enough for a would-be wearer.
I hadn't even considered the possibility of the Christianity being defensive re wee howlies, but I like it! 😀