The smell of the old houses always got to him. There was something about the aroma of the wood, stagnant water, and old paint that brought him further in. He knew it was foolish to be sneaking around this particular abandoned house. His curiosity was going to get him hurt one day. He was sure of it.    

    Looking around at the broken staircase, collapsing built in bookshelves, and the caved in ceiling to the far left, he knew he was in for something special. He was certain it was a ripe spot when he saw it earlier in the day. The house just appeared out of nowhere. He couldn't find it on any map of the area or any documents in his internet search. It was as if the sky opened and placed the house right where he would find it.

    With careful steps, he made his way further into the house. It came as a surprise how comfortable he felt. Usually, in the old, abandoned, dilapidated houses there was a standing feeling of anxiety. It was as though his body knew the house could come down at any moment, with any single, wrong step.

"Hello?" He called out. It was a long shot that he would hear anything other than water dripping, or the natural creaking of the floorboards as he stepped on them. "Is anyone here?" He asked. It was still near silent, like the world outside the house was on mute. Then, without any warning, the soft sound of a woman humming echoed through the house. "Hello? He called again, hoping there was an answer. The humming stopped as quickly as it began. He glanced around the house, trying to find the safest path through. "Anyone home?" He spoke loudly, his voice almost teasing. It was more than obvious the house had been abandoned for at least fifty years.

    Trying his hardest not to fall through the floorboards, he moved quickly to the staircase a few feet in front of him. The humming sounded as though it came from upstairs. He placed a foot on the bottom stair, testing its durability. The creak echoed through the silent house. Chills finally appeared on his skin. He shook it off and regained his courage. Every step he took, he tested the stair first. There was no way he was falling through them, not today, not while he was alone.

    He heard a creak in the floor that wasn't caused by his own body weight. He quickly pulled his phone from his pocket. Within moments, his camera was recording. He needed proof for his friends the house was a place to go together.

"Hello?" He called out again. "Is someone up there?" The house grew eerily quiet once more. Almost like whoever or whatever was inside was afraid, hiding from him. Though, he couldn't place any blame. He did just waltz into the house without invitation or permission.

"I'm not going to harm anyone. I'm friendly." He announced, trying to soothe anyone in the home. The silence continued. "This house is beautiful, even in disarray. I bet it was gorgeous when it was taken care of." He stated, hoping to have a conversation with the souls he couldn't see. He knew they were there. He could feel it. His hair stood on end, chills covered his skin, and the tension in his spine wouldn't subside. He could feel eyes on him as he reached the top of the stairs. 

    The further onto the landing he stepped, the more it felt like someone was standing just inside any one of the doors. The feeling became more prominent as he approached the two rooms on the right side of the landing. Along with the feeling of not being alone, there was that tingle in his spine telling him to be on edge. Not because of the state of the house. It was the inkling that there was something more dangerous than a rotted floor lurking nearby.

"Is it okay if I go in this room?" He called out to whomever was living in the house. He made steps closer to the room at the end of the hall. Not a sound could be heard, not even the water drops like before. He took it as a sign in the affirmative.

    With careful footing, he entered the room at the end of the hall. He glanced around, dressing the room in his mind. Wondering the shade of sheet that would've been placed on the bed sitting in the far corner. He noticed the large window at the other side of the room. The window he saw while walking up to the house. It was strange how looking into the room from inside the house was different than looking into it from outside. Inside the room it felt like any other room he'd ever been in, comfortable and almost boring. Seeing the room from the outside made his spine tense.

"That's weird." He murmured to himself of the sentiment. He stepped carefully, heading for the window. The closer he got to the window the more his spine started to tingle like it had in the yard. "Is it okay that I'm in here?" He asked the empty room. The heaviness of the room made him more adamant there was someone lurking he couldn't see. "I don't think I like this room." He stated after a few moments. The weight of the air was gaining in heaviness. He began taking small steps out of the room. He didn't want to show fear to the negative that could be hiding in the room.

    In exiting the room at the end of the hall, the weight lifted off his chest and shoulders. He exhaled deeply, feeling the relief in an instant. He turned to the other room, noticing that it didn't feel as oppressive. He entered slowly, like he did with the other.

"Hi. I'm not here to hurt anyone. Just looking around." He announced to the empty room. It was interesting to him that the current room felt so different. It had a comforting feeling to it, as though whatever was in the house was trying to calm him down. He headed for the far side of the room, wanting to see if the same heaviness would happen again.

When he ducked down to look out the window, his phone rang. It startled him, forcing his head into the trim around the window. He groaned and placed his hand over the bump. In that moment, he swore he heard a laugh.

"I'm glad you think it's funny." He grunted. He answered his phone in the next moment. "Hello?"

"Hey man, you're late." The voice on the other line informed him. He pulled the phone back from his ear and sighed.

"Alright. I'll be there soon. Don't start without me." He hung up without waiting for any other conformation. He quickly exited the room, still keeping an eye on his surroundings. There was something in the house. He was sure of it. "Thank you for letting me hang out for a little while." He spoke to the visually empty home. "Maybe I'll come back soon, and we can have a talk." He suggested with hope. A single knock from the upstairs bedroom made him smile. He knew it. Someone had been watching all along. "Bye now!" He waved before walking out the front door. He now had every intention of coming back to see who was occupying the house.