A Sincere Warning About the Entity in Your Home
by Jason Arnopp
Blurb:
"Dear friend,This is no chain letter, hoax or prank.It is a sincere warning about your home and the entity which dwells within.Your home has been haunted for quite some time.I am sorry that I could not personally deliver this document. I did not even post it myself. The postmark on the envelope will not help you, should you ever attempt to locate me.When this letter is complete, I shall entrust a friend in another country with repackaging and sending it on my behalf. This letter also may or may not have been translated from its original language.You do not know me. You must never know me.Neither do I know you, beyond your name, address and appearance. I have seen you in person but you have not seen me.Think back to the day that you moved into your home. I contrived to casually pass by as you stood outside. I saw your face, but you did not so much as glance my way. I did not stop walking. I simply committed your face to memory and moved on before you became aware of my presence.Why did I want to see you?I suppose my conscience drove me to it. Just as it compels me to finally write this letter.I wanted to see exactly who I was passing the entity on to."
My Reaction:
Depending on your perspective, this is either a long short story or a short novella. I saw it recommended somewhere as a good creepy tale and was intrigued by the premise. The idea is that you've received a large envelope in the mail, with no way to trace it back to its source. Inside is a letter from the previous occupant of the home into which you've just moved—but instead of wishing you happiness in their much-loved former home, or letting you know that there's a trick to one of the window latches, or even asking to come around and revisit the house they grew up in—though that alone would be worthy of a shudder—they're warning you about a dangerous entity attached to the house—one that they're certain you will encounter soon, if you haven't already.
It's a great idea for a story! I didn't personally find it quite as creepy as some readers have. If I'd read it alone at night, in an empty house, it might have felt a bit more disturbing. However, I did read part of it in the wee hours after waking and being unable to get back to sleep, and even then I don't think I felt many chills. (I've lived in this house for over 20 years, and we had it built ourselves, so maybe that has something to do with it.)
Still, it's an interesting premise, so I'll give some points for that!
