Show notes
In today’s episode we will recount the troubling story of The Open House, where our narrator comes into contact with a violent, panicked energy in the bedroom of a nearby house which is listed for sale. Be sure to stay tuned at the end of the episode for an original song by Cannelle inspired by this story.Music: Nightbridge and Foreign Emotion by Cannelle (www.cannellemusic.com)Find The Skylark Bell online: www.theyskylarkbell.comInstagram: @theskylarkbellTwitter: @melissaoliveriPatreon: www.patreon.com/melissaoliveriTRANSCRIPT:Things with Wings Productions, with the support of Whimsical Productions and Collected Sounds presents: The Skylark Bell, Fantome Friday. I am your host Melissa Oliveri. On the last Friday of each month, we pause our reading of Meadow Lane and the Skylark Bell, and instead cover a real-life supernatural, or at the very least, unusal and unexplained, experience.In today’s episode we will recount the troubling story of The Open House. Be sure to stay tuned at the end of the episode for an original song by Cannelle inspired by this story.So get settled in, grab a blanket, a warm drink, and let’s get started…We had never met the neighbours in the house across the street. They seemed to keep to themselves, and a couple of years after we moved into our house they put their house up for sale. They were already moved out by the time it went up for sale, and my husband – who had only recently become a Realtor – suggested we go take a look and connect with the agent selling the house. My parents were in town visting from Canada and offered to watch our baby while we went across the street to view the home.The very quaint, modest house was painted a bright yellow and was surrounded by tasteful landescaping. We entered through the front door which had some stained glass in it that created a rainbow on the hardwood floor of the entryway. A cheerful woman greeted us as we walked in. We introduced ourselves and started our tour. Because there were already people viewing the second floor we decided to start with the basement. It was an unfinished basement, typical for the area with nothing notable about it. We moved on the the main floor which featured beautiful original wood trim and staging furniture to make it feel warm and cozy.By this time the family who had been looking at the second floor was coming down the stairs and wrapping up their tour. We smiled as we passed them and headed up the creaky wood staircase. The second floor was also very typical for a century-old house, with a short landing that opened up to 3 bedrooms which were empty of any furniture. The first bedroom was at the back of the house and had beautiful wood floors. As I walked into the bedroom that faced the front of the house I was hit with an immediate oppresive, panicked feeling. In trying to explain it to my husband later on, I described it as a change in atmosphere similar to stepping from an air-conditioned store into oppresive humid summer heat and humidity. The change in the air was that palpable. I could sense the energy of a woman spinning around the perimetre of the room at a high rate of speed, sobbing, screaming, fearful, irrational, completely panicked… I instantly began to feel unwell - dizzy, and nauseous… The emotions were so overwhelming I immediately stepped out of the room back into the hallway and sat down on a small antique wooden chair that had thankfully been left there. I explained to my husband what had just happened and took a moment to get my bearings. I felt still felt unwell, and very emotional… not with my own emotions, but someone else’s… someone who wasn’t there, at least physically. We decided we should leave, and started walking back down the stairs to the main floor. The staircase was directly aligned with the front door and I could see the sunny day outside as we were coming down – in my mind the thought kept repeating “I need to get out, let me out, let me out, let me out…”. Of course once we got back to the main floor the real-estate agent started to chat with us… the two minutes we spent making small talk were quite possibly the longest 2 minutes of my life.We eventually made it back to our house, but every time I looked out our front windows all I could do was stare at the second story bedroom window of the yellow house across the street where the woman was stuck in an endless loop of terror.A few weeks later, in chatting with one of the neighbours, my husband learned that many years prior the house had belonged to people who had a volatile relationship. Whether that has any connection to my experience in the home I’ll never know. The house sold shortly after that incident and was transformed in such a way that I barely remember how it looked at the time. We have become friends with the new homeowners, they are a lovely family… but I have not, and will not, set foot in that house ever again.Thank you so much for listening. Join me next week as we resume our adventures in Meadow Lane and the Skylark Bell. In last week’s episode, Magpie had a terrible dream that involved Scarlett, Farfalla, and Meadow Lane. Next week we read chapter 12 – Cold Pancakes – Where Magpie visits Lucas and sees a photograph at that stops her in her tracks. Don’t forget to subscribe, you don’t want miss a thing! And now, an original song by Cannelle inspired by today’s story – here is Foreign Emotion.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/theskylarkbell/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy