The Hauntch Shop

 

The Hauntch Store

 

     When I first walked in, it reminded me of an old haunted house. It was dark, and shadows covered everything. The small amount of sunlight came through the boarded up window. The beams of light showed a layer of dust flying in the air from my arrival. Though this place was filled with objects as far as the eye could see. Nothing caught my eye faster than the stairway leading up.
     It had an old red center carpet, worn from people walking up and down. But what was up there? I reached for the railing to walk up the stairs, and it began to wobble. “I guess I wont be sliding down this anytime soon.”, I started to walk up the creaking stairs. Then I heard someone whispering towards the back of the downstairs’ room.
     “What was that?” I yelled more for myself than anything that might not be in there. I went back around and look to see if there was anything. There was nothing, so I contined my journey upstairs. The minute I reached the top of the stairs my breath escaped me.
     I stood in the center of a beautiful, well lit open space. The room itself was an octagon shape. The walls were windows that reached ceiling to floor. The floor and window frames were made of light pine wood. The drapes that were pulled back were a sheer white material. Satin white ribbons held the curtains into place in between window frames. The ceiling was a porcelain blue. It was decorated with angels, fairies, fauns, elves, and water sprites in various positions with smiles on their faces. And from the center hung an aquamarine and crystal antique candle chandelier.
     For a split second as I reached the top, I swore, I saw a see through woman on an old treadle sewing machine. To her left was a sewing bust that contained a gorgeous wedding dress. A smell of fresh fabric had filled the air.
     Now I could see there was nothing. Only a feeling of peace and happiness. It was a beautiful room, and it would be perfect for making wedding dresses.
     I walked back down the stairs, and heard gigging at the rear of the building. Fortunately enough there was a pathway clear of stuff to get back there. I paused at the door listening to them whisper, “She’ll run away, it wont be long now.”
     “Yeah,” the second voice agreed. “She looked like one of them.”
     “Do you believe in ghosts?” The third voice sounded as if it came more from behind me than the other side of the door.
     I reached for the door handle and pulled it open. There I saw four very scruffy looking boys.
     They seemed to be around seven to ten years old. All four all had uniform short hair cuts. Wearing apparent hand me down clothes, that this was probably their fifth hand down. They would be lucky to get much more. They stared at me in silent shock before scampering like roaches in opposite directions.
     I walked out the back door. It lead to an alleyway between building rows. I turned around and locked the door. Actually the first key I tried, worked.