The Ghost of the Pendleton House
In a quiet, isolated corner of Vernonville stood the Pendleton House, an imposing structure with timeless charm, surrounded by large shady trees and overgrown bushes. Many tales fluttered around about the ghost of the old Pendleton House, stories passed down from generation to generation, laced with fear and curiosity. Today, I bring you closer to this mysterious tale, stretching back nearly a hundred years.
In the early 1900s, Vernonville was a small, bustling town. Its heart was the Pendleton House, owned by the town's prominent family, the Pendletons. Jeremiah Pendleton, the head of the household, his wife, Grace, and their beautiful child, Hope, were much loved and respected by the townsfolk. Jeremiah was known for his business acumen and philanthropy, while Grace was admired for her kindness and charm. Their life was filled with happiness until tragedy struck them one spring evening in 1918.
That fateful night, as a terrible storm lashed over Vernonville, Hope, at the tender age of nine, had gone missing from the house. Search parties braved the downpour, yet failed to trace her. The next morning, Hope was found, lifeless, washed up on the banks of the nearby river, casting a shroud of despair over the Pendleton family.
Distraught by the heart-wrenching loss, Jeremiah and Grace locked the house and left town, never to return or speak of the tragedy again. Over time, the once vibrant Pendleton House turned into a shadow, falling into disrepair, whispering tales of eerie occurrences to those who dared to venture close.
Years passed, yet the town forever echoed with the painful memories of the Pendleton House. Tales of a soft, faint giggle resembling Hope's, and floating apparitions near the river turned night-time a chilling experience. The house, a looming silhouette against the moonlit sky, became a source of fear and fascination. Whispering winds through the empty halls seemed to narrate untold tales, contributing to the legend of the Ghost of the Pendleton House.
Almost fifty years later, in the summer of 1968, the house was bought by the Wilson family - Mike, his wife Sarah, and their two young children, Abigail and Jonathan. Unfazed by the rumours, they saw potential in ageing edifice and set to refurbish it into their dream abode. The town watched anxiously, their curiosity piqued.
As the Wilsons began to settle in, strange things began to happen - strange giggles echoed in the house, books flew off shelves, and eerie shadows flickered. The Wilsons too started noticing these odd occurrences, yet they decided to turn a deaf ear to the escalating fears of the townsfolk, attributing these events to the old house's quirks.
One stormy night, Abigail, peering from her window, saw a small, watery figure by the riverside. Convinced it was Hope's spirit, she mustered courage, rushing out to the river. There, she arrived to find nothing but chilling winds and raging waters. As she turned back, a faint sheen caught her eye - a tiny, tarnished locket half-buried in wet sand. Opening the locket revealed a monogram, 'HP.' Gently wrapping it in her hands, Abigail heard a soft giggle resonating around her. Startled, she turned to see a fading silhouette of a girl, identical to the portrait of Hope she had seen in the house. The air suddenly grew warm, and the locket glowed, as if infused with life.
Returning home, shyly she shared her encounter with her family. Surprised, the Wilsons decided to delve into the history of the house and the tragic tale of Hope Pendleton. They reached out to Grace Pendleton, by then a frail nonagenarian living in seclusion. When shown the locket, Grace's eyes filled with tears. It was Hope's favourite locket, lost on the night of the tragedy.
Touched by the story, the Wilsons decided to honour Hope's memory. They restored her room, placing the locket by her portrait. That night, as the moon shone bright over the Pendleton House, the strange occurrences ceased, as if the house heaved a sigh of relief.
From then on, the Pendleton House was once again filled with laughter, joy and endless chatter. And as for the ghost of Hope, she was, at long last, at peace. The once dreadful tale of the Pendleton House transformed into a heartwarming story of love, loss, courage, and the power of acceptance. For the Wilsons and the townsfolk, she was no longer a ghost, but a guardian angel, watching over them all with a kind heart and a love that traversed the realms of life and death.