The Haunting Of Hastings House

Chapter 3

By : Brynn Morgan

Copyright © 2023 by – Brynn Morgan – All Rights Reserved.It is not legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited

Chapter 3

For Emily, it took about 30 minutes to arrive at Hastings. The mansion was in the Low Country of South Carolina.

When she arrived at the massive gates, she looked up in awe. She slowly drove through them and up the curving driveway until the gray facade of the mansion came into view.

She pulled up to the old mansion, surrounded by tall Weeping Willow trees that swayed slowly with the summer wind.

"Oh my God!" she said in shock. She took a deep breath where she parked her car and turned off her engine.

Emily sighed heavily and released her seatbelt. She stepped out of the vehicle and, standing in the light rain, she smiled up at the sizeable looming structure of Hastings House, and Emily felt that sense of dread again.

She grabbed her bags and suitcase and slowly made her way up the pavers to the door. The house's exterior walls were old and faded grey brick adorned in climbing green ivy and the windows were shrouded in thin spider webs.

She took the large brass key and clutched it tightly.

Emily had to brace herself as she opened the large double oak doors and stumbled into the darkened hall of Hastings House. The cold welcome chilled her to the bone, and she half expected a ghost or two to try and scare her off, but nothing happened.

"You don't believe in ghosts, Ems." she reminded herself.

The air was cold and damp, and the smell of age wafted.

Emily felt uneasy as if someone were watching her. She took a deep breath and steeled herself as she stepped further into the massive foyer. Emily looked up in wonder at the crystal chandelier above her. She thought that if it were to fall, she would be dead.

Emily stepped deeper inside the first floor and looked around the grand living room with large, draped windows and an intricate rug that looked like it belonged in a palace. The second floor was bright, with light from the large windows shining down on the marble floor. Emily could see a grand piano to her left and a hallway with doors lined up leading somewhere.

As she ventured further into the dimly lit rooms, she got an overwhelming sense of presence, as if someone were walking with her. Emily dismissed it. She picked up her suitcase and took a few steps further into the room on the left. A gust of chilly wind blew through the open hallway, making her shiver. She quickly shut the door, and the breeze dissipated. Emily laughed nervously. She gasped and looked around at the tall ceilings and the intricate moldings on the walls.

Emily was surprised by the beauty and elegance of the room she was standing in. Although time had taken its toll, the room still had a sense of grandeur. This feeling of not being alone heightened as she stumbled into an extensive library and saw a figure standing in the far corner dressed in white, facing the wall.

Emily screamed in fear and fright as she saw the figure move towards her, walking backward, and she scrambled back.

Emily dropped her bag, and her heart pounded quickly. Emily placed her hand over her heart to slow it down. The figure spoke, and Emily felt relief when she heard a familiar voice. Amori, the real estate agent, stepped out from the shadows.

"I see you have arrived," Amori said with a small smile.

Emily cried out. "Amori! You scared the shit out of me!" she yelled, but her face was relieved.