A House in North London - Part 1
Jim and I had managed to find a nice little unfurnished flat, in a very nice part of London. We had by far, the best and most expensive flat in the large house. We were both on good salaries so the cost was not a problem. One problem we had was that we were continually being harassed by the landlord, to swap flats with a couple that lived right at the top of the house. Their flat was much smaller and we were happy where we were, so we told him so, each time he asked. Because of this, it was not a friendly house. Still, we were out most evenings so that was no real problem to us. The other, problem was that we had to share our bathroom and toilet with some other tenants. This was NOT good!
After about a year of sharing a bathroom, and the harassment from the landlord, we had had enough. With the help of my brother, we found another flat and moved out of our first home. As this story unfolds you will see how, such a small decision, can change the rest of our lives quiet drastically.
The story begins…..
We arrived at what would be our second home. It was a very large, rambling house in North London. The front garden was overgrown and un-cared for. It was obvious that nobody lived in this house! We went up the steps and turned the key in the lock. The door opened into a dim hallway with a flight of stairs on the left, leading to the first floor.
A business acquaintance of my brother owned the house. He was a property developer and was happy to leave this house empty. As a favour to my brother, he had let us rent it, as long as we didn’t pester him for things, and took it ‘as is’. “The first floor flat”, we were told. I have no idea why that was stipulated, as the whole house was empty, but we accepted the offer.
We made our way up the stairs to the first floor. At the top was a very large landing area where a huge chest of drawers stood. We opened the first door on the left. It was a large kitchen. In the centre of the room was a table and chairs. We glanced around the kitchen, it was as if whoever lived here had just popped out for a few minutes and would be back. They had left everything, including the washing up. There were cups and plates still on the table, spilled sugar where they had made their tea. Food scraps, packets, jars and tins of food. Everywhere you looked there were signs of the people who lived there, but when? Why did whoever they were, leave in such a strange hurry? It looked as if they had been sitting down eating their breakfast or tea, and suddenly got up and left the house.
In each room we entered it was the same. Clothing, belongings and furniture filled the rooms. It was all very old. The furnishings looked almost Victorian. The kitchen was the most up to date and I would say it looked like early 1950’s furniture.
We went back to the large chest of drawers. We opened the drawers one by one, and was surprised to find they were all full of belongings. I opened one of the drawers and laying right on top was a beautiful pair of white, leather gloves. As I picked one up to look closer I noticed the other glove was only half made and still had the needle and thread attached. They were beautifully stitched. Not something you would have seen worn since the 1930/40’s. Who would have been making these and not have finished them? Why would they be left behind? Again it looked like somebody had just laid them in the drawer to finish later. Why didn’t she? So many questions.
There was a beautiful. large back garden to be seen through the back window, but for now we had looked at what we came to see. The rest of this huge house we would investigate another time. After we had moved in.
What other strange things awaited us? What was in the downstairs part of the house, that appeared to be ‘out of bounds’?
Stumble it!
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Karen C.
| 15 November 2008 at 23:03
Incredibly cool start to a story - I can’t wait to read the rest!
Karen C.´s last blog post..Friday Fourteen
DrowseyMonkey
| 16 November 2008 at 0:08
Ohhhh….it’s like a cool movie. Can’t wait for the next installment
Lee
| 16 November 2008 at 0:18
After this beginning, I had to add your feed to my reader! This is a lot like the opening pages of a Dean Koontz novel! I can’t wait for the next installment.
Lee´s last blog post..Seeing For Miles
Eric and Flynn
| 16 November 2008 at 0:33
This is spooky but exciting.
Jackie (the mum)
Eric and Flynn´s last blog post..Award and meme.
Natural
| 16 November 2008 at 1:01
I find myself scared and intrigued at the same time. First glance at the photo above a wave of spook ran through me.
I’m scared but too nosy not to come back. I want to know the rest of the story.
Natural´s last blog post..Oh, Sense Less One
beetle
| 16 November 2008 at 1:07
Karen C: Thanks. There are two more parts to this one.
Drowsey: You won’t have to wait too long
Lee: Welcome to my blog
Glad you enjoyed it!
Eric & Flynn: Glad to see you here! Yes, this one is a spooky story.
beetle
| 16 November 2008 at 1:08
Natural: Ha ha! I hope I don’t scare you away!
Jaffer
| 16 November 2008 at 2:00
You must’ve felt really scared seeing all this eh ?
One time, we checked into a hotel room and when we opened the door, we found belongings of other people - suitcases, a mobile phone and even a passport. I was spooked at first but slowly to realized they’d given us the wrong room.
Oh and John Doe never had to know
Jaffer´s last blog post..Quatrains to Sugar Snap Peas
Babs - beetle
| 16 November 2008 at 3:17
Jaffer: The strange thing was, we thought it was weird but just took it in our stride. We were young and films like ‘The Exorcist’ weren’t around to scare us in those days.
Babs - beetle´s last blog post..A House in North London - Part 1
Maureen
| 16 November 2008 at 4:58
Wow, Babs, you certainly have me hooked… what a weird situation; can’t wait to get some answers!!!
Wonderful beginning!
Maureen´s last blog post..I Took A Day Off For This?
Shinade
| 16 November 2008 at 11:34
Ewwwwwww….this one sounds like it’s really going to be mysterious. I a so glad we are off on another journey. I can’t wait for the entry!!:-)
Shinade´s last blog post..Twitter Follow Meme
Jay
| 16 November 2008 at 11:36
*Deep suspicion*
You had a whole house in North London to yourselves? Hmm.. Something must not be quite right… and that’s without the Marie Celeste appearance!
Dead bodies in the downstairs rooms? Ghosts in the attics? Escaped boa constrictor living in the sewers? What?
Can’t wait!!
You tell it all so well - I can almost see those gloves!!
Liquid
| 16 November 2008 at 14:43
Please continue, as I feel I know where this story is heading! I live in Mississippi in an old antibellum home that has been passed down through several generations in my family…..some of my relatives refuse to leave this house though, even after their deaths. They’re for the most part friendly and whimsical……only one, L.J. has mood swings.
Just yesterday he found it funny to leave both my refridgerator door and freezer door wide open. Thank goodness I hadn’t been gone too long! Anyway…..this is very interesting to me. I’ll be back!
Make it a wonderful day!
Liquid´s last blog post..Birth Control…..
beetle
| 16 November 2008 at 15:50
Maureen: I’m afraid there are more questions to come yet
Shinade:
I’m so glad you are reading my stories, even though you don’t usually read story blogs
Jay:
Yes, a whole house! It looked a LOT like the one in the photo. The only difference was there were trees in the front garden and houses either side. I actually think there is a hotel there now, from the address I found online.
Liquid:
Having moved around a fair bit, and having lived in some old properties, we have experienced some of what you say too.
gemmak
| 16 November 2008 at 17:53
Oh no! You can’t stop there, not now!…What a cliffhanger, more, more!!!
gemmak´s last blog post..Out of the mouths of babes
Lidian
| 16 November 2008 at 18:59
More please!
I can’t wait for the next installment…
Lidian´s last blog post..The Prefect Voice
Sandie
| 16 November 2008 at 19:51
Anothert exciting story. Can’t wait for the next episode:0)
Sandie´s last blog post..A Littler Bit Of Art
beetle
| 16 November 2008 at 21:07
gemmak: Oh, but I love to tease - sorry
Lidian: I promise that you won’t have to wait long.
Sandie: I think you may be surprised by it, I don’t recall telling many people about it when it all happened.
Eric "Speedcat Hollydale"
| 16 November 2008 at 22:34
When is the next installment???
Eric “Speedcat Hollydale”´s last blog post..Get on with it … Let’s Break Dance & Boogie Ooogewooogee
Jeff
| 17 November 2008 at 0:45
Ooh… intriguing! Nothing that cool ever happens to me.
Jeff´s last blog post..nuhth-ing
beetle
| 17 November 2008 at 1:04
Speedy: I’ll post the next part in a couple of days
Jeff: When you read more, trust me, you will be glad it doesn’t happen to you!
Kathy
| 17 November 2008 at 1:45
Babs, you are such an amazing writer. I’m not very good at building suspense. You have such a gift for it. Do you realize that?
Kathy´s last blog post..A Weekend What’s That and Comment #23
granny grimble
| 17 November 2008 at 1:52
This is a great tale Babs, and so well written. Although I was one of the priviledged who knew it, there are still things I haven’t heard about, and I too am dying to read the next episode.
granny grimble´s last blog post..THE GREAT DAY ARRIVES
beetle
| 17 November 2008 at 2:11
Kathy: No, I have never thought of myself as a writer. I’ve never written anything until my blog.
granny grimble: Yes, there is probably quite a bit you don’t know. I was always a private sort of person
Comedy Plus
| 17 November 2008 at 3:30
Great story, and now I’m scared. Yikes.
Comedy Plus´s last blog post..Veteran’s Day
Omer
| 17 November 2008 at 17:33
Oh that is so exciting - I can’t wait to learn what happens next..you are very talented at writing and now you’ve got me hooked - I gotta subscribe to your blog!
beetle
| 17 November 2008 at 20:37
Comedy Plus: It was strange, but we weren’t scared by this, but….
Omer: Well, thank you for that - and for subscribing :O)
liza
| 17 November 2008 at 21:04
it sounds so spooky, like the others i can’t wait to hear the rest
liza´s last blog post..French Fries/Cancer link
beetle
| 17 November 2008 at 23:12
Liza: I’ll be posting the next one very soon
G@ttoGiallo
| 18 November 2008 at 7:55
Hey, your move to north London story smells like success !
Evie
| 18 November 2008 at 12:29
IT would have all seemed so surreal!! Oh this is so exciting sooo far.. Only because it was not me there, I would get so wound up in the mystery.. I must say one thing though it sounds so very beautiful!! I just love old things.. over grown, dust or whatever.. I just love the feel of them,, the history they hold.. how many people would have stood before you were you are standing now.. blah blah blah.. Ok I’ll shut up now, Can you see I am excited to find out! :))
beetle
| 18 November 2008 at 13:38
G@ttoGiallo: I think you need to read the rest to find out ;O)
Evie: Ha ha! That made me chuckle. You are excited aren’t you? I love very old places too, but not all!
nicole
| 18 November 2008 at 14:50
Great story. It draws you in, leaving you wanting more!
nicole´s last blog post..And the winner is….
JD at I Do Things
| 18 November 2008 at 14:59
Ooh, you’re such a good storyteller! Can’t wait for part 2!
JD at I Do Things´s last blog post..I’m TRYING to Sleep Late so you don’t have to
beetle
| 18 November 2008 at 15:01
Nicole: Well, there certainly is more!
JD: Thank you
Part two is coming later tonight.
Ivanhoe
| 18 November 2008 at 16:01
This is like a good mystery book :o) Cannot wait to hear more…
Babs - beetle
| 18 November 2008 at 17:36
Ivanhoe: Not long to wait. Hope you are feeling better.
Awake In Rochester
| 19 November 2008 at 0:56
Well, that’s spooky & a bit of a mystery.
Awake In Rochester´s last blog post..Sugar Snap Peas (Poem Meme)
beetle
| 19 November 2008 at 1:11
Awake in Rochester: Next part is going up now :O)
Max Coutinho
| 19 November 2008 at 20:33
Oh my God! This doesn’t sound good…
As I read the post; I too kept asking questions…I must go to part two now…
Cheers
Max Coutinho´s last blog post..The Rendez-vous…
beetle
| 19 November 2008 at 23:04
Max: We asked lots of questions at the time, but got no answers