My then boyfriend (now husband) and I were boarding in an old semi-detached house on the outskirts of the seaside town of Brighton. It resembled a flagship tudor-style British home and seemed charming enough from the outside, but masked an ugly secret. The inside was undoubtedly dull, grey and cold. Quite cold at times. Our bedroom was no exception. I often felt an odd presence... as if though someone was always watching us. Of course, we had no proof - and no reason to worry - until one eery night in October.
This house had only one bath in a small, dingy upstairs washroom. Every night, we took turns soaking in the tub before retiring to bed.
One night, my husband's bath was abruptly cut short.
I was surprised to see him rush back into our room with only a towel around his waist. He wore a very pale and fearful expression on his face as he confessed, "I'm absolutely freaked out!"
He insisted, "I was washing my hair and face when I suddenly felt something scratch my side. I thought that maybe a hair brush fell into the tub and knicked me... until it happened again. The second time, I felt another scratch on my lower back".
When he rinsed the soap off his face, he was perturbed to realize that there was no brush - or anything bristly - in the tub with him.
I frantically inspected his back and ribs to find very fresh scratch marks. There were five, clear finger-width red marks in two distinct locations. It reminded me of the bloody hand scratches often depicted in 1980s horror flicks. Obviously someone or something wanted him out of 'their' bath.
We were reluctant to tell the young couple that we were boarding with about our experience. Nonetheless, it later came out that when they purchased the house from their relative, they were warned that it was indeed haunted. Now, we all had proof.
Who was this mystery bather?
Why did they scratch my husband?
Was it a warning or a greeting?
If anyone has any insight or experience with this type of event please speak up! It's a 10 year old mystery that has yet to be solved.
Ok my hair on the back of my neck is standing up!!!!! How old was the house? Were you able to find out the history of it?
ReplyDeleteAngela
No, I left the country before I got to research the history of the house! I believe that it was roughly 70 to 80 years old.
ReplyDeleteThere was definitely a presence there. I sensed it was a woman.
No experience with this. Nevertheless, I am freaking out. Really, freaking out. I'll tell you this, if that'a happened to me, it would have been a really good thing that I was in a tub, because I would have lost all control of my fluids!
ReplyDeleteYou know, my brave husband never confessed to losing all bodily control in that frightful moment... but you may have just confirmed my hunch!
ReplyDeleteJust reading this now... I have no experience with this type of thing, but I have heard that Britain has ALOT of ghosts! While we were in Midsomer Norton (near Bath/Bristol) right before Christmas my mother in law told me that they had once lived in a house that was haunted. They would come home and find all sorts of things out of place. Duvet covers on the ground, things misplaced... They never found out about the history either.
ReplyDeleteYou've just reminded me of another reason not to move to England - lots of scary ghosts! I think you know what the other reason is Kate! ;-)