The interior was, if possible, worse than the exterior. The entry hall’s hardwood floor was covered in years of accumulated dirt, leaves that had blown in through broken windows, and what looked like animal droppings. The wallpaper, once probably quite beautiful, hung in strips revealing water- stained plaster beneath. The ceiling showed brown circles where water had leaked through for years. The smell was overwhelming. Mold, decay, dampness, and something else Eleanor couldn’t quite identify, probably dead rodents in the walls.
She walked slowly through the first floor, her footsteps echoing in the empty rooms, the parlor, the dining room, what had been a kitchen, but was now just a shell with broken cabinets and a floor that felt dangerously soft in spots. Everywhere she looked, she saw destruction. Pipes that had burst and never been repaired, electrical wiring that hung exposed from holes in the walls, floors that sagged, ceilings that were definitely going to collapse if she didn’t do something about them.
The staircase to the second floor looked questionable at best. Several steps were cracked and the banister was missing entirely on one side. Elellanena climbed carefully, testing each step. On the second floor, she found four bedrooms and a bathroom that was so disgusting she couldn’t even bring herself to enter it. Every bedroom had the same story. Water damage, peeling paint, floors covered in debris, windows that let in almost as much air as if they were simply open. The third floor was an attic that had partially collapsed.
the roof damage having let in years of rain and snow. As Elellanena stood in what had once been the master bedroom, looking at the devastation around her, she heard laughter from outside. She went to the grimy window and saw a group of teenagers had gathered on the sidewalk. They were pointing at the house and laughing, taking photos with their phones. One of them yelled loud enough for Elellanena to hear, “Hey, lady, the haunted house tour is next month.
You’re early.” His friends erupted in laughter. Elellanena watched them for a moment, then turned away from the window. Let them laugh. Let everyone laugh. She knew something they didn’t. That evening, as the sun set and Elellanena sat on the one patch of porch that seemed solid enough to support her weight, her phone rang. “Richard?” she considered not answering, but curiosity won out. “Aunt Ellena?” His voice dripped with false concern. “I heard about your purchase. I wanted to call and make sure you’re okay.
