My wife and I had been searching for our dream home for almost a year, finally one warm April afternoon we found it. The house was located in a small town near Haddam Ct. Our dream home was miles away from anyone, a long drive down a private dirt road about a mile and a half long through the woods brought us there. There it stood in the clearing, the 11 room three story home was a grand sight. Although, after being vacant for a number of years it needed some attention, the grass was brown, a rusty old chrysler sat in the driveway and there was a murky old pond around the back.

The house had been occupied up until 3 years ago when the owner entered a nursing home, she had passed away a few months ago. We purchased the house from her niece who was heart broken to see it go after being in the family for over 60 years.

We moved in three weeks later. The first day quickly turned to night, it was quiet almost too quiet. My wife was in the kitchen cleaning up after dinner, it was almost 10:00 pm. I went out in the yard to have a cigarette, I heard something moving around in the woods, I thought it might be a possum or something, but for some reason it made me feel very uncomfortable, a feeling came over me that I can't explain, I felt as if I were being watched. I quickly returned to the house and a short while later decided to retire for the night.

I was awaken by a loud thud shortly after 2 am. I sat up in bed and listened, after a few minutes of silence, I heard what sounded like something being dragged across the floor above me. My wife was still asleep, I got out of bed and headed towards the stairs leading to the third floor, as I stood at the bottom of the stairs I could hear the floor boards above creaking. I slowly climbed the stairs, filled with fear my heart beat faster with ever step I took, my chest tightened and heaved with every breath. I was at the top of the stairs staring down the long hallway. The door to the room at the end of the hallway was partially open, I heard what sounded like whispering, paralyzed with fear I couldn't move, couldn't speak, I felt so cold. Suddenly the door flew open, still paralyzed, I found myself staring at a tall figure in a black hooded robe. I suffered a violent headache, my heart felt as if it were going to explode and then everything went black.

I awoke hours later in the hospital, suffering from a fractured skull, 2 broken ribs and a shattered knee. It seems that I passed out and fell down the stairs, all the noise woke my wife who found me at the bottom of the stairs. I told my wife what had transpired on the third floor, she seemed to look at me with a bit of disbelief. I pleaded with her not to go back, there was something very evil there. She blamed the whole ordeal on my habit of sleepwalking, which by the way I haven't done in several years.

After a short stay in the hospital it was time to go home. I reluctantly returned to the house and my wife had helped to convince me that I must have been sleepwalking during a nightmare.

All seemed peaceful, everything was unpacked and I settled on the sofa for some rest. My wife seemed content in the new house and she told me that she set up her sewing/reading room on the third floor and that nothing unusual happened up there, it was just a dream and I needed to get over it.

Over the next few weeks my wife seemed to change, she became very quick tempered and verbally abusive, she has even gone into some very violent tirades and broken things for little or no reason. I still hear noises and feel as if there is something around us, but when I mention this to her she becomes enraged. She spends most of her time in her sewing/reading room and most nights seems to sleep there. She has become quiet and withdrawn, rarely leaving the house and only for long walks in the woods when she does.

She has cut all contacts with family and friends and hasn't ventured off the property in months. The only joy she seems to get is when she feeds the stray dog that comes by every evening, that dog seems to be the only concern to her these days. Our marriage has become very strained and I don't come home very often, I spend most nights at a friends house. I have barely begun to tell most of my story and will be posting it in several chapters. But, my main hope is to convince my wife to leave this wretched house.

Amazing story....