The Patchwork House Read Online Free PDF Page A

in the house since I’d seen them last.
    I spun around, listening for any sound. Nothing. Who was in the room with me? Did I imagine it or did I just have an encounter with Percy’s grandfather? My skin tingled in fear and excitement. I tried to recall every detail of what had just happened before the memory faded. I didn’t know whether to be terrified or exhilarated. I had hoped to encounter something while staying here, but in all honesty I had fully expected the night to pass with no incident whatsoever. The prospect of there being a real ghost to hunt, not just rumour or a groundskeeper’s stories, but a real entity in this building…
    I had to tell Derek. Even if he was pissed at me or being shy or whatever the hell was wrong with him, he would love to hear about this.
    I hurried down the stairs and across the hallway, opening the front door just in time to see Beth, Chloe and Derek standing there.
    “You look very pale,” Beth said as she stepped in. She gave me a brief kiss. “Are you okay?”
    “Oh my God, you have to listen to what happened to me,” I said eagerly as they all assembled in the hall. I recounted my experience in as much detail as I could. Beth and Derek seemed unconvinced despite my excitement. Only Chloe seemed to hang on my every word.
    “First of all, lame prank, mister,” Beth scolded me. “Second of all, I think you just heard creaky floorboards.”
    “What if it wasn’t just creaking?” Chloe said, intrigued.
    “What do you think, Derek?” I asked.
    “I don’t know. I’d have to hear it for myself.”
    What was up with him? I brushed it aside for now.
    “So listen, it’s kind of cold upstairs. Not drafty, there’s just a chill up there. Anyway, I suggest we make camp down here. The warmest room seems to be the one just next to the front door. We could even start a fire if we can find some wood.”
    “And if the chimney’s not blocked,” Beth said.
    “Why don’t you take Chloe into the village to get food and she can call home.”
    Beth took the car keys from me. “While you boys can get reacquainted.”
    “Don’t get lost!” I called as the girls headed out the front door. “Oh and remember we drive on the left here. Wait, I need to get the stuff out the car first. Give me a hand please, Derek.”
    We followed them outside. While Beth was adjusting her seat and the mirrors, I opened the trunk and pulled out one of two large canvas bags. Derek grabbed the other and while the girls drove off, we hefted the weighty bags into the house.
    We took them into the drawing room and placed them carefully in the corner.
    “Right,” I said, “let’s see what we’ve got.”
    I unzipped the first bag and pulled out a digital SLR with tripod and a case full of lenses. Next was a video camera with night vision lens, a laptop, cables and a huge battery pack. It was fully charged so I plugged my smartphone in right away. The other bag contained two double ultra-thin sleeping bags, neatly rolled up, and two gas lanterns and a mini camping stove.
    “Do you mind taking these to the kitchen?”
    Derek nodded and left the room. I booted up the laptop and wondered again what was wrong with my old friend. He was so quiet. As a teenager, when we used to hang out all the time, he would have been fascinated and utterly convinced by my possible encounter with a ghost. I wondered if perhaps Chloe had been haranguing him the whole ride and he was simply feeling cowed. Still, with her gone, he should have lightened up a little. Perhaps parenthood had just drained him so much he could only function on the most basic of levels.
    I started up the video camera and took a panning shot of the room.
    “Hey, Dad,” I narrated, “it’s me, Jim. This is the drawing room and it smells of pipe smoke and the wallpaper is peeling. The rest of the house is in great shape, but this one room will need some work. I have some other suggestions too, but first let me show you the hallway.”
    I picked up