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Originally submitted by LFN member Nocturnos

When I was young, I had a friend who lived in a haunted house. The family was sizeable – mother, father and six boys. Nothing bad ever happened as it seemed the resident spirit was more of a friendly ghost who liked to help or who thought it did. Often things in the house would inexplicably be moved such as decorative items. Wherever the knickknacks were left, their new locations which seemed to work out better either by convenience or ‘look.’

 The family used to say the ghost liked to read and they would often find open books propped up somewhere. The chosen books were of a wide variety and there seemed not to be a particular favored topic.

This was all fine until the family started to notice that the pages where the book was left opened started to leave ‘messages’ and that the passages were directly related to future events in their lives. For example, the day before one of the sons fell down a flight of stairs and required medical treatment, an old home mechanics book opened to a page about staircase repair was found on the floor at the foot of the staircase. Another time, a book that was anthology of romance stories, was left opened on the eldest son’s bed referencing passages from a story about a wedding. The day the book was no longer found propped open on his bed he came home announcing that he had bought a ring and was intending to ask his sweetheart to marry him that same evening. At least one ‘literary’ message a week was found. This was all considered good fun until one disconcerting message was left that was quite eventful.

About one week before Halloween in 1994, a book of various true American ghost stories was found left open sitting in the middle of a prominent kitchen counter. It focused on different pages about a resident haunting as if to try and offer an explanation of why it was there. The ghost in the story was also a jokester and helper. One of the sons who was still living at home decided to keep a record of what happened. He jotted down the page number and then, after each incident, would go back to see if what the family was experiencing matched anything on the recorded page. He was not disappointed.

October 25 - The family was awakened at 3:13 AM by the smell of freshly baked bread where there was none. – Reference to story about an overnight stagecoach stop where “rib sticking meals” were offered.                                                            

October 26 – Around 11:30 PM, we were startled by the sound of what seemed to be the kitchen door opening and closing and heavy footfalls on the oak floor while we were watching TV. Upon inspection, the kitchen door was closed and locked. Reference to story relating how doors were opening and closing and footsteps.

October 27 – 3:03 AM. Family awakened by the sound of a baby crying. Reference to story about family being awakened by baby cries, in a room that was formerly a birthing room, when there was no baby in the house.

October 28 – 3:11 AM. Voices of what seemed to be a group of people in the dining room. Reference to story about disembodied voices breaking the stillness of the night.

October 29 – 6:52 PM. Dad notices his car keys are missing. After an extensive search by himself and my brother David, the keys are found under the master bedroom bed. Reference to story about sports cards found tucked under a mattress.

October 30 – 7:28 AM. Mom notices her navy sneakers are missing from the shoe rack in the mudroom off the kitchen. There were found in a vacant bedroom 2 hours later. Reference to story about a pair of women’s blue shoes that went missing and were found in a guestroom.

October 31 – 4:44 PM – Mom’s friend (who is also a psychic) comes to visit for an overnight stay. She immediately tunes into a female ghost that is attached to the property and is still ‘fussing’ over it. It was noted that the woman loved children especially boys. She tells Mom she can ask the ghost to leave but Mom declines. At 8:18 PM it is noticed that Mom’s favorite set of figurines have been rearranged on the fireplace mantle. Reference to story about mixed up Shaker boxes on a mantel and a guest who sees an old fashioned lady walking by the window.

Over the ensuing years, the ghostly incidents diminished and then retired couple moved to a smaller place. To date the new owners (a childless couple) have experienced no incidents.