The Curse of the House on Harper's Hill

"Run, Shelly! We're almost there. Don't look back. Hurry!"

My best friend, Daniel, was a faster runner. I tripped over a branch and fell, tumbling several feet down the hill. "Danny!" I called out, but he kept running.

It started months ago in Harper, Wisconsin. Harper is quintessential small-town America. Everyone knows everyone. Everyone knows every piece of gossip. We all know that old man Calum beats his kids for the slightest infraction, or after any amount of drinking. We all know that Mrs. Killinger goes to church every Sunday and steals from the collection plate to put food on her table. We all know that the old house on Harper's Hill is cursed.

Legend has it that the town founder, Samuel Harper, who had come from big money, built the huge home while courting the mayor's daughter, Fanny, from the rival town to the west. Fanny was 10 years younger than Samuel. Mayor Staggs wanted his daughter to marry a local fellow closer to her age, despite the fact that she did, indeed, love Samuel Harper. One summer, the couple secretly rode their horses to Milwaukee and eloped. Mayor Staggs was furious. He disowned her and supposedly hired a witch to curse the house and anyone who entered it.

Fanny and Samuel Harper were happy for a while. Then, she had three miscarriages. When she finally had a child, she died giving birth. Samuel was despondent. He gave his son up for adoption and reportedly hanged himself in the basement, forever haunting the house on Harper's Hill.

There have been brave souls who tried to discover the truth. One boy who tried fell and broke his leg. One girl got very sick soon after and nearly died. One young boy was said to have disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again.

As kids, we all feared the house on Harper's Hill. As seniors in high school, Daniel and I decided it was high time to debunk what we were certain was nothing more than a phony myth.

We decided we would climb the hill and enter the house the last Saturday before graduation. We would tell no one, but we would document our journey to try to earn some college money by posting everything online. We hoped to go viral. After all, who doesn't like a good ghost story?

We brought backpacks containing water bottles, snacks, flashlights, pocketknives, and some rope.

We were in good spirits as we went up the hill. We took turns recording each other. The plan was to edit it all at my place, releasing a video per day and drawing it out as long as we could.

The early morning sun was casting eerie shadows from the trees around the old building. I was recording Daniel, who said, "Here we are at the old, haunted Harper's house. Shelly and I are going to see if there are any ghosts or skeletons here once and for all." He pushed on the old door, which immediately fell inward, kicking up a cloud of dust. He coughed and said, "Here we go!" He stepped on the door, which crackled.

Daniel pulled out his phone and signaled me to follow. I pocketed my phone and also stepped in, narrating, "This appears to have been the living room. There's still old furniture here, but everything smells musty, and there's so much dust." I waited while Daniel scanned, taking in the grand staircase leading up. Then I said, "Let's go this way, Daniel." I pointed to my right where there was an open doorway. "Okay, this was the kitchen. Not much to see here. Just an old table and chairs. Let's go back." I took out my phone.

Daniel took over, "I saw some stairs going down to the left of the front door. Let's see if Samuel Harper's skeleton is really down there. Watch your step. These are old boards."

We slowly made our way down. I scanned around. No skeletons. There were some shelves with really old books. We peeked into the only visible doorway. Some rusty cans adorned some pantry shelves. "Not much down here," Daniel said with obvious disappointment.

"I wouldn't mind checking out those books, but that can wait. Let's go back upstairs."

We made our way back up the creaky staircase, sure that one of us would fall through. I took out my phone and Daniel started heading for the grand staircase, when a door slammed from somewhere at the back of the house. A figure moved towards us, backlit by light through a large window.

"Who are you?" a voice boomed.

I screamed and started running. Daniel passed me just as I got through the door. "Let's get out of here," he shrieked.

By the time I fell, he was out of sight. The sunlight was suddenly blocked. It was a young man, probably 10 years older than me. He said, "I didn't mean to frighten you. Can I give you a hand?"

Daniel came running back, "Don't touch her!" he yelled.

"Daniel, it's okay. He seems nice." I dusted myself off and said, "I'm Shelly."

He said, "I'm Steve Harper."

Daniel and I both gasped.

Steve explained, "My grandfather told me on his deathbed that he was born in this house. He and his father moved away after his mom passed giving birth to him."

"Wait," I said, "Your great-grandfather was alive? He raised his son?"

"Yes, they moved to Milwaukee. That's where I'm from. I came to see the old house before I have it torn down. Those were his dying wishes. I'll keep the land until I'm ready to build something else. What are you doing here?"

I looked down and then back up at him. "Um, just a podcast about ghosts. There were stories..." I bit my lip and asked, "Would you mind if I kept the books in the basement?"

"No, you guys keep anything you find."

Our online videos went nowhere, but selling antique books and trinkets helped Daniel and I pay for tuition.

We were proud for our part in discovering the truth about the house on Harper Hill.