About 8 years ago some friends in Arizona hired me to renovate the electrical system of a 6000sq. ft. historical adobe home that sat on 40 acres with palm and citrus trees on an isolated piece of desert property on the outskirts of the city.
It was built in 1890 and once served as a bordello and tavern in the new city of Phoenix.
It suffered a fire in the basement at one point and two people had died in the fire.
During the hot summer the owners decided to go to California for vacation.
That worked out well for me because I could go from my job to the house and stay late into the night working as I would have several systems disconnected and shut down.
They left me all the keys to the property, gate, house and tack barn.
The first time I decided to stay late somehow when I unlocked the main gate at night to the property and looked at the dark house in the distance something just didnt feel right about that house. Just an erie feeling about being out there alone on this property and having to work down in the basement of that house.
This basement had a creepy feeling about it. It was one of those basements that was deep down under the house with a long stairwell. I would have most of the power shut down while working except for temporarily lighting.
Once down there, there was a ledge that ran around the perimeter of the 15x15 foot basement. The ledge was about 5 feet high. From that ledge you could shine a light under the entire house as it was supported by very large oak beams. There were scorpions to deal with so I wore a tyvek body suit, gloves and carried a flat stick.
So its 11:00 pm on a Friday night and I am far back under this house in the 3 foot crawl and I stop for a minute to relax on my back and Im right next to the iron drain pipe for the toilet thats on the first floor and I am looking up. I was shining my small mag light around when I heard something from above.
I shined my light straight up and noticed the oak boards flexing slightly and dust comming down from in between the cracks of the boards and illuminating in the beam of light.. Talk about heart attack.
I watched the boards flex and creek about 3 feet away and more dust falling down in my beam of light. Then it stopped and I just lay there motionless and quiet, waiting. Nothing happened. It just stopped.
I quietly crawled out of there and got to the main basement and over the ledge. I made my way slowly and quietly up the stairs, listening as I went up.
I had locked the door and the iron security door before I came in and had double checked it as it needed a key from both sides. Still locked.
I thought there must be an intruder in the house. I had all the phone lines disconnected as they were being replaced. I knew the owner kept a .45 semi auto in his closet on the shelf. That was the closest room. So I got the gun and put a pillow over it and quietly locked in a round.
I walked every room in that house with my flashlight and pointing a gun at the same time. I checked every single closet or anywhere a person could hide, including under the beds. I was so nervous that if I so much as heard one more thing I was going to turn walls into swiss cheese.
I was scared that I was going to have to use that gun that night. I double checked windows, doors everything and found nothing.
There was no one in that house but me. But there was no doubt about it that those oak boards were flexing from below and dust was coming down.
I temporarily reconnected power to lighting circuits and fully lit up the house and checked it again. Nothing. I walked into the bathroom and examined the floor and walked in the area next to the toilet. I noticed I could flex the boards with my body weight.
So I decide to leave and come back the next day.
The next day I come back after work at night and decide to work some more yet still a little nervous. I kept the lights up and running and this time I check the whole house, everything, every room, closet and under beds before going down into the basement. Nothing. Everything locked and security system set for windows and doors.
I get back down in the basement and crawl a good 20 feet back to where I left off the day before. I was working away for about a half hour then I heard the creek again.
I froze instantly.
I shined my light up on the floor boards again and they were slowly flexing and dust was comming down into my beam of light. I dont scare easily, but I was definently scared.
I took my hammer and decided to beat the floor one time right where the board flexxed, WHAM!, nothing, I waited. My head is right next to the iron waist pipe for the toilet again. 1 minute later the toilet flushes from above and the boards flex again.
Talk about haul ass!
I made a bee line out of that basement to the owners room and waisted no time loading a round into that gun. I searched the house all over again. Nothing. Security system for windows and doors was still on while I was working inside. I checked closets, under beds, everything.
I left and decided this time not to go back until the owners got back.
So they got back a couple days later and I told them everything that happened. The wife laughed, "I see you met our ghost".
She says this has been going on for a long time, they dont harm you but she says she doesnt like to stay in the house alone without her husband at night.
She says nothing ever happens in the day time though. She says "oh yes the toilet flushes now and then and the old door on the oven will open and slam shut, and the floor boards do creek, sometimes months will go by and nothing happens, then one night many things happen. Sometimes things can be heard out in the tack barn.
"Well thanks for telling me ahead of time. lol. because the last place I want to be is down in that basement alone on this property at night".
What an experience that was.
