Editor's Note: This is a ghost story. I wrote it several years ago, maybe... 2003? I was living in Taos, New Mexico. I had come home to an empty house on a Monday night. This is kind of longer than your average blog. But I thought I would throw it out there for Halloween! And yes, it's based on a true story! I lived it! :)

I worked late, got home around 7:30. I arrived to a dark house, as Jim (god bless his soul), forgot to pay the electric bill. He had moved in with a girl, and was supposed to be paying utilities at my place at the time. Needless to say, I wasn't happy. Called jim, he apologized, and invited me to come over there to spend the nite.

I was too frustrated and tired. I lit candles in the living room, and was sporting two flashlites in my office. It had been a long day, and I was missing monday nite football. I sat in the dark, smoked a cigarette and drank a beer. The smoke layered in the flashlights' rays. It had been a while since I was truly alone with my thoughts, and I bored myself. By 8, getting cold and out of options, I decided to go to bed. Get a real good nite's sleep.

I took the flashlights into the living room, adjacent to my bedroom, blew the candles out and headed to slumber, flashing my little mag lights against the stark walls. I recalled my enthusiasm as a child, flashlights in the dark were like a mini-fireworks display. They guided me to my slumber and I clicked them off, opening up a new world of sensory perception.

Lying in bed, I couldn't believe how pitch black it was. I held my hands in front of my face, trying to make them out. I couldn't. I normally leave a kitchen lite on, so I can make my way to the toilet if I wake up with a big bladder. This was different. No sight, no sound.

I shuffled the covers till it adequately fought off the cold, kicking till the edges of the blanket covered my toes. I wished I had kept my socks on, or had someone to snuggle with. Overall it was a fascinating emptiness. But I dozed off in about ten minutes, despite my night owl tendencies.

I awoke in the middle of the nite, and the first thing I noticed was light. There was a soft glow coming from the living room. I knew that wasn't right. I grabbed one of my flashlites and headed into the living room. On the dining room table, one of the three candles was lit. I was very disoriented. I flashed the light on the clock on the wall, it was about ten till one. I looked down at the flickering candle and blew it out.

I quickly concluded that Jim had come over to check on how I was doing, He must have lit the candle and forgotten to blow it out. My trusty light saber guided me back to bed.

Lying there, I knew my logic was flawed. What were the odds of him driving twenty miles, seeing me asleep, then leaving with one candle lit?

BAM! BAM! It was at that moment it hit me. Monday was October 30th, and now it was officially Halloween.

Loud banging noises started going off, once every few minutes. Sounded like cupboard drawers opening and closing, doors and books slamming shut. All over the house, the sounds were both close and far away. I lay there trying to decide whether to investigate, remain lying in bed, or flee. I decided I didn't want to go out there with just my flashlite. It was real cold, and this happened too suddenly; it wasn't natural. A little voice said 'don't go there.'

And I wasn't going to flee. I don't flee. I might get scared, but I don't flee.

Note: I couldn't post the whole story in one blog, so I'll try to finish it up Halloween night. Sorry, don't now why. I tried, but wouldn't let me post the whole thing!

TG