In the winter of 1970 our old farmhouse burnt down which made me happy because I thought the old house was haunted. A mobile home was sat on the property for us to live in while our new house was being built.

One weekend night Mum and my stepfather went out dancing with some friends. My mothers youngest sibling Pearl, who is two years younger than I am was left to babysit us.

We had popcorn and played games and then we watched t.v. As we were watching t.v. I thought I heard something outside. I said, "Turn down the t.v. and listen." someone turned the volume down on the t.v. We all sat and listened. Sure enough, I heard it again and so did everyone else. "What is it?" someone asked in a scared voice. I answered back, "It is a moaning sound coming from under the house. Everyone was really scared now.

Again we heard the maon. Now, I don't know what everyone else was thinking but I was thinking I wish I had listened to Mum and not watched scary movies because I saw what happened to those poor people who lived in the country whenever they were attacked and it wasn't good.

The moaning went on and on. What ever it was sounded like it was under the house and it would probably come up through the floor. I was so scared and being the big baby I was I let everyone know how afraid I was. I told them eactly what I thought it was and what I thought it would do to us when it got in.

I had a plan. Each of us older kids had to grab either a little brother or sister and make a mad dash for our neighbor house. Each of us who was big enough picked up someone that was to small to run but light enough for us to carry.

I said someone open the door and on the count of three we'll all run out the dorr and run to Mr. and Mrs. youngs' house as fast as we can.Pearl opened the door and I started counting. There was that horrible long drawn out moan again. We all screamed and Pearl slammed the door shut. We waited a few minutes and then tried again. Again, we heard the moan and again we were in the house with the door shut and we were all screaming. Pearl opened the door again and we all ran out screaming as loud as we could. I knew better than look back In the movies if you look back you fall and then you're done for.

We all started screaming like mad men when we heard the moan again and it sounded like it was coming up the road behind us.We could not see where we were going because it was so dark outside but we kneww that if we slowed down to find our way that what ever it was that was moaning and chasing us up the road would get us.

Finally our screaming caught our neighbors attention and they turned on the outside light. We were all screaming, not sure if the Youngs' could hear us telling them something was after us or not. We finally made it to the Youngs'. We ran right past Mrs Young who was holding the door opened for us. We ran into the house all out of breath. We were still screaming about the moaning under the house and how it chased us up the street. Mr. and Mrs. young took us all into the livingroom to calm us down.Finally we were calmed down enough to tell them the story.

As I was telling my story to the Youngs' again I looked at my little brother Bobby who was sitting beside me on the new sofa that I had seen being delivered to the Youngs' house earlier in the day. I stopped in mid sentence and looked at Bobbys' crotch. I wondered why he was getting a big spot in the front. Pearl saw me looking at Bobby and and gasped,"Bobby, what are you doing." Bobby said in a pathetic voice, "I had to pee." Mr. and Mrs. Young told Bobby that it was o.k. they could dry up the pee.

There was a knock on the door. Mrs Young went to see who it was. I heard my mothers voice say, "Hi Mrs. Young, have you seen my kids?" Mrs Young answered, "Yes they are all here, they hear something and got scared."

Mum called for us and we all got up and followed her out the door. My stepfather was in the driveway waiting for us. Mum asked what happened and we told her. As we were walking down the street towards our house I heard that awful moan again. I said, "SHHHH." Everyone stopped. Again there was the drawn out moan. Mum started laughing, "George is that what you heard under the house?" I answered, "Yes." Mum said, "George you dumb bunny, that is the cow." Again I heard the moaning and this time I listened closely. Sure enough it was only the cow.

-- george nh (rcoopwalpole@aol.com), January 21, 2002

Answers

George, I love how you capture that childish panic of being scared out of your wits! It is so true! Thanks...

-- Sandie in Maine (peqbear@maine.rr.com), January 21, 2002.

correction, my mothers sister is two-years older than me. I don't want you all to think I was that bad that my mother trusted someone younger to babysit more than she trusted me.

Sandie, There is so much more to this story but to long to post here. george

-- george nh (rcoopwalpole@aol.com), January 21, 2002.

George, I love your stories!! You have a delightful way. Please keep posting them. I look forward to them. P.S. I relly like the bear one.

-- tracy (murfette@stargate.net), January 21, 2002.

What a great story!

Russ

-- (imashortguy@hotmail.com), January 21, 2002.

Your brother is right, you should write these down.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), January 22, 2002.

george, what a great story. keep writing. thanks for putting a chuckle in my day.

-- cody (urbusted@alltel.net), January 23, 2002.