Mandy's Home - 2

Note to all please read Mandy's home before reading this.

I became a regular visitor to Mandy's home that summer and dot liked to chat for hours so getting out was hard and to be honest Michael was a pain in the neck. He would not leave me alone which was my own fault I would by him sweets.

Dot loved to talk about "Fred" her friendly spirit that liked her blue and white china animal figures she kept on the mantel above the fire. "He will move them if I ignore him for a few days but always puts them back when I tell him" dot told me she enjoyed my visits. Some days I thought she was telling tales but would indulge her, I liked them all and enjoyed my visits.

I went away to the seaside one weekend and found a blue and white china cow figure with a bell round its neck that rang if the cow was lifted or moved, instantly I thought of dot and brought it for her. She loved her gift when I got back and put it with the rest on the mantel then we went outside into the garden she had asked me to help with a bit of weeding. After an hour or so I went back into the kitchen to get a cold drink when I heard the bell on the cow ring thinking it was Michael playing with it (he was only 8 at the time) I shouted through from the kitchen "Michael put that down before you break it" the back door opened and Michael came in from outside "break what?" he asked. He had been in the shed playing out of the way!

I walked into the living room no one was there, I checked the "best" room again empty I went back into the living room looked out the back window, and dot and Mandy was outside so the house was empty. I ran outside to dot and told her what I had heard "it's Fred I told him off this morning for moving my figures he's in a mood" she said. Just then we heard a bell ring turning around we saw the cow sat on the grass it had been in the living room "put that back Fred" dot said and carried on with the weeding (I put it back myself stop it getting broken.

About an hour later myself and Michael were going up to Mandy's room to play some games, Mandy was up there already (I was first with Michael behind) as I got to the top of the stairs I felt the now usual chill from the loft but as I went to take the last step I felt a hand slap into my chest pushing me down the stairs taking Michael with me, shocked and hurting I jumped up and looked up the stairs even though I knew no one was there, Mandy came running out of her room and dot came to help Michael up, " I must have slipped" I said to them and making my excuses left and went home.

That night getting ready for bed I was tender all over from falling down the stairs and expecting bruises I did not expect what I did find, a perfect hand print on my chest where I had felt the slap. I did not know for sure but I thought that maybe "Fred" was annoyed at me for dot's gift but I swore to myself there and then never to enter that house again.

It was a promise I kept for only 7 years.

Part 3 soon.