mhm I'm Liz Sauer and this is ghost in the burbs, a podcast of ghost stories from Wellesley massachusetts a warning adults who use adult language told me these frightening tales, these ghost stories aren't for kids. Hello again. I hope you're all faring well under these strange circumstances. Things here have been as odd as ever, I suppose nothing and everything has changed since we last met. Um, well we're moving again across town to a house surrounded by some serious woods.
I've downgraded to vegetarian from vegan because cheese. Um, what else? I've gotten really into shower bombs and oil of Olay face cream and if I were to choose a taste slash smell that encompasses this whole time of quarantine, it would be nutella and that's about how exciting and dramatic things here have been and I hope the same is true for you that cabin fever and boredom are the worst things you've been up against during core.
Well, barring another disaster or home school mental health breakdown, I plan to put out new stories every other week through the end of the year and just a note, I'm going to do my best with the sound quality, but there isn't a lot of quiet time in this house as of late. So you may hear the occasional scream of a child playing Luigi's mansion or the tippy tapping of one of the dogs toes.
I've tried recording at night, but the vocal fry reaches Kardashian levels as has always been the case with these stories I figure done is better than perfect. So right now, for example, the neighbor's landscapers are going away but I only have 1.5 hours with the kids out of the house so we'll just have to deal with the droning.
But please know that I'm trying hard and if you want nicely produced podcasts then I want to remind you there's a list of great spooky ones over at ghosts in the burbs dot com under the tab labeled distractions. I insist that we all do our part and simply bathe ourselves in spook to make this the creepiest high holy season yet. And as I mentioned in monday's little teaser episode, we're abandoning the timeline.
I've got a batch of stories for you this fall and we're going to hop all over the place. This next neighbor tail actually took place recently during the summer of our discontent. So all that said, here we are at ghost story number 54 not a fox. They told me we should walk around the side of the house to the back deck so we don't have to go inside. Did he explained her voice muffled behind a mask. Yeah, What are their names again? Sarah and no sally sally and frank oak. Got it.
We stepped off the driveway and onto the grass and walked alongside the cheery looking yellow house movement in the adjacent yard caught my attention. I think I just spotted their neighbor's dog. I wonder if it's okay that it went into the woods like that should we enough with the dogs Liz reel it in, but he huffed, not even sparing the adorable dog a glance. The couple greeted us and we climbed a quick set of steps up to a deck lined with overflowing pots of hydrangea and seagrass.
I handed out everyone's ice cream treats and after a round of introductions we settled in and an awkward silence fell. Your yard is beautiful, thank you. We haven't spent much time out here since everything. Mhm. That's boulder brook. Right. I chattered to fill a long silence, even though I knew that we were indeed sitting along the top edge of boulder brook park.
We all, I'd the woods as the couple nodded their heads so much privacy I rambled on, wondering why Betty wasn't chiming in to help me out. These were her friends after all. I continued my chit chat. We're actually moving in october across town to more woodsy area. The house sort of backs on the marshland. I actually saw a baby snake when we were there for the inspection. A baby snake, but he said skeptically. Yeah, it was tiny, stuck its little tongue out.
We've been here almost 20 years and I don't know that I've ever seen a snake in the yard sally offered. I've seen him a handful of times while mowing the grass. Her husband informed us an edge of, know it all in his voice and the resulting silence. I shoveled a spoonful of chocolate ice cream into my mouth. So I wouldn't start talking about how concerning it was that we hadn't had much rain as of late.
I suppose we should explain what's been happening here so you can frank, waved his plastic spoon in the air, Diagnose the problem. I'll do my best. I told Betty everything Sally said this time. It was her voice that held a distinct edge. My eyes slid to Betty who offered me a tight smile before suggesting it would be best for me to hear the story from the horse's mouth, so to speak. The couple exchanged their own unreadable glance. Well, I suppose the fox was the first thing to go Wonky.
Right, said frank. The fox. Sally confirmed Wonky. How frank considered. For one thing it wasn't afraid of us the first time I encountered it said Sally, I was shoveling the deck last winter and I looked up and saw it sitting at the edge of the yard over there, watching it did that a lot, and it wouldn't even flinch if he yelled at it frank, added all times of the day to weird, but maybe it was just used to people suggested that he, the entire edge of boulder brook is lined by houses. Right.
Sure. And we did guess that maybe someone had been leaving food out and it was waiting for us to do the same frank, conceded. Hmm, That's not good, I said before taking a rather large bite of my Butterfinger infused blizzard chocolate ice cream extra candy please. I volunteered to pick up dairy queen for everyone on the way over. Truth be told it was actually about 25 minutes out of the way, but it was the beginning of summer and I was feeling festive.
Besides, we're in the middle of a heat wave and if we were forced to sit outdoors as we listened to Betty's old bridge buddies creepy story, then I wanted ice cream sally scooped oreo cookie blizzard with vanilla ice cream from her own blue cup. The animal control officer suggested that if we simply ignored the fox, it would eventually get the idea to look for food elsewhere. We took a picture and posted it on WhatsApp Wellesley to see if anyone else had seen the fox in the neighborhood.
It wasn't just the way it was acting. The thing looked weird frank, placed the empty plastic bowl formally holding a banana split at his feet. I was impressed that he hadn't given himself an ice cream headache at the rate in which he'd taken it down. What was so weird about it that he asked a spoonful of, I kid you not cotton candy blizzard with added gummy bears hovered before her mouth. I told her I didn't think they had gummy bears at D. Q. And she assured me those sneaky bastards have them.
You just have to ask. It looked like it had mange and it was a really big fox the first time I saw it, I thought it was a coyote, mm. His wife agreed. Long tail, but not fluffy. When did all this start? The end of february. Just a couple of weeks before we went into quarantine. And you're still seeing this fox? Not exactly sally admitted it changed. We didn't know right away, that's what was happening.
But by the time that meter reader came, I put two and two together, though it took frank sometime to accept what was happening. Frank's jaw clenched, but he didn't say a word, meter reader. I prompted Betty's eyes slid to me and I saw the humor in them. The couple appeared frustrated, sally upset and frank agitated. Look, I get how weird it is to talk about this stuff. I offered, attempting to reassure them. But trust me, when I say I've heard just about everything.
Well, I've never heard of someone having a problem with the meter reader, but there's a first time for everything. Right? Sorry, Sally glanced at her husband before continuing, I know this has been a really hard time for everyone and we've been very lucky our Children are out of the house. One is in boston with his fiancee and the other in Vermont, all of them are healthy. Thank God we've both been able to remotely and I know that not everyone has that option.
So all things considered the quarantine hasn't been too bad for us. It's just that right. As the quarantine began, we're in the middle of frank shifted in his seat, sally spirit. Um a glance then went on, we were separating and had decided to put the house on the market. But then all of this started up and first the quarantine put the sale on hold and now we feel obligated to sort this other situation out before we move forward with the sale and divorce frank concluded for his wife. Oh man!
But he groaned. I'm so sorry you guys. I had no idea. Sally's mouth formed a tight smile. No one does, geez, that's rough. I said, thinking that I was having a hard enough time being stuck in quarantine with my own husband and Children and I generally liked them. Yes, well frank cleared his throat. There are plenty of people who have it worse off than we do right now. I wasn't comparing our situation to anyone else's frank.
I was simply trying to put things in perspective so they might understand why this has been so specifically stressful for us. Sally interrupted frank, squinted in his left eye, twitched as he controlled himself from responding. I can't remember where I saw it, but there was this movie Betty said as she dug around in her ice cream cup, obviously searching for gummy bears where a documentary filmmaker was in Alaska and he befriended a fox? It followed him around like a dog I snorted.
You mean the one where the guy and his girlfriend were eventually eaten by a bear? Oh right! That he exclaimed, sorry, bad example frank during a deep breath through his nose. This animal didn't act as if it had simply become accustomed to people. It was watching us, studying us. I was over in the side yard one evening smoking a cigar away from the house when I heard something moving in the woods, I turned on my cellphone flashlight and caught its eyes reflecting the light.
Who knows how long it had been there watching me? But the strangest thing was that its eyes reflected red. Some animals do though. Right frank shook his head. Some do. Yes, but not foxes. They should reflect green or yellow. It's cats that reflect red, spooky. How do you know that? Ask Betty, I do some hunting, Betty tisk her disapproval, which led to another awkward silence. So what's the story with the meter reader? I asked. Oh well that was the second visit sally clarified.
It was the first attempt that allowed her to come onto our property. That's what I think. Anyway, she sighed. This will sound nuts until you hear the whole thing. But all right, here goes. My first real interaction with the thing that is sometimes a fox and sometimes a person was when it took the form of a boy Scout creepy! I muttered, yes, I just happened to look out the window and saw him standing at the corner of our property. All done up in his uniform. He was staring at the house.
This was just before we went into quarantine. You know people were still going about their business but it was around that time when the stores began selling out of hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. What I mean is we were just beginning to be on high alert anyhow. I opened the front door and called out to the boy to ask if he needed anything. He smiled and asked if he could enter the property. That's just what he said, may I enter your property?
I waved him over to the house and said sure come on over then asked if he was selling something. He didn't respond. But as he walked towards me he never took his eyes off mine. How old do you think he was? But he asked Perhaps seven Maybe 8. Very young. He was about to walk up the front steps when I stopped him. Wait there. Okay. I told him we're being careful about the virus. What can I help you with? He told me he'd like to come in.
I said that was not possible but that I would be happy to place an order with his troop. He didn't like that. I'd like to come into your house. Let me in. Oh boy. But his side of course I didn't let him in sally insisted aside from the fact that I don't care for pushy Children. Same. I chimed in. Yes, he he was a very odd child, she continued. He held eye contact for far too long and didn't even try to hide the fact that he was angry with me for not allowing him inside.
I told him firmly that I was happy to speak with him on the front step without even responding to me. He simply turned and walked away. It was shocking. But I did wonder if perhaps he had some social challenges. You know. Anyhow I went back to making my tea and I'm sure this sounds like a strange and benign interaction, but the reason I tied it to the fox was that when I looked out the window over the kitchen sink, sally pointed to a window at the back of the house.
I saw the fox slinking across the lawn, but hesitated for a moment and looked right at me before darting back into the woods. At that point I suspected the two were connected, but it took frank sometime to believe me who could blame me. So we had a weird kids show up at the house. I couldn't see what that had to do with a fox, he grumbled, but then the meter reader showed up a few days later and by that time we were in quarantine, you remember how seriously everyone was taking it?
People weren't visiting with one another and no one was stopping by each other's houses. But even more certain was the fact that the local government had basically shut down operations. So this one afternoon the doorbell rang and it was a woman in a uniform. We have the nest system here. So I spoke to her through the camera at the front door. I asked what she was doing at the house and she just said I will come inside.
I pressed her for more information and now I realized that I was asking leading questions and she answered accordingly. I asked if she needed to take some sort of reading and she nodded and said that it had to be done indoors at the lowest level. I told her that was not possible. It was the first I was hearing of it for one thing and besides she would have to arrange for a safe visit. She wasn't wearing a mask, so I certainly wasn't going to just let her in the house like that.
She tried asking again. I think she said I will not be kept out or something like that. I was very clear that she would not be entering our home and that I intended to file a complaint with the town regarding her conduct. She just stood there. I told her to move along and eventually she turned and walked off without another word. I watched her go until she was out of sight and then sally yelled to me from the kitchen frank, turned to his wife.
The fox was back only this time it was sitting right here at the base of the deck steps too close to the house. I banged on the window and it barely flinched frank opened the door and shoot it away. But the thing was definitely reluctant to leave. Hmm Black eyed kids but he said, turning to me a question in her voice. I scrunched my nose. I doubt it. Same M. O. But more like some sort of a shapeshifter. Right, what the hell is a black eyed kid frank demanded um something really bad.
It's a kind of entity but no one really knows whether it's demonic or alien aliens. Sally's voice cracked. Yeah but I honestly don't think that's what you're dealing with here. I'm getting more of an elemental vibe. The couple of dumbfounded Benny cleared her throat, Keep going with your story frank. What happened after the meter reader? There was one more visit to the house but I should say that even before that there were too many strange things happening here. Like what?
Well we felt or feel watched all the time. It's unsettling even inside the house you get a sense that you're not alone. Have you actually seen or heard anything in the house that he asked heard? No but I have seen a missed. Maybe not a mist but it's like black tendrils of smoke around the windows in the basement inside or outside? I asked, trying to keep my tone even outside. Is that bad sally asked. Well it would be worse if you saw it inside.
But he assured her before placing your empty ice cream cup on the deck. I haven't seen the mist but I have heard things said frank. I've been sleeping in the guest bedroom on the first floor and every night I hear something outside the window. You never told me that, said Sally. I didn't want to worry you. I think it's a bit late for that frank. What exactly did you hear? I asked, picking like someone is picking at the edge of the window frame.
I'm ashamed to admit I haven't ventured out to check. I figured the alarm system would alert us if anything actually got inside. Okay. And there's been one more visit from this Fox boy Scout meter reader thing. Yes, and it was the most disturbing, Sally confirmed. It was one of our neighbors. An old neighbor from across the street actually frank said family moved rather abruptly. This past december.
I was watching television one evening when I heard tapping on the sliding glass door, startled the hell out of me. I was in the kitchen reading when I heard him yell sally added I want to see what was going on and frank was just standing there staring at the sliding glass doors. It was Bill, our old neighbor. He was on our deck. It was so strange that I almost opened the door. I thought maybe he was in trouble.
He just waved and then pointed to himself and then to me as if you're asking to come in. What are you doing out there? I called. We haven't seen hide nor hair of them since they moved. We're neighbors for over 15 years and then they just picked up and left. No explanation. Didn't even say goodbye. Bill frank held his hands up and made a quotes. I said I'd like to come in. Where's your mask?
I asked him the guy goes, I need to enter the lowest level of your dwelling now that raised small arm bells. No Bill. I said we aren't accepting any visitors with the virus. We're being careful inside. I knew that it wasn't him. His eyes weren't right, but I couldn't completely accept that. Get your phone. I told sally thinking we're going to have to call the police guy looked menacing. Then he puts both hands on the glass door. Just held him there for too long.
I told him to step away from the house or we would be forced to call the authorities. He pulled his hands back and slapped him hard against the glass. What's beneath? Doesn't belong to you? He yelled. I dialed the police sally said and told them a neighbor was threatening to break in. I yelled at him to get off our property frank went on, he banged against the glass again. It's a wonder he didn't smash that door. Then he stalked off across the yard and walked right into the woods. When was this?
But he asked last weekend, said Sally. That's why I texted you to ask for help. It's been aggressively trying to get in this house ever since we feel trapped. Sally's voice was tinged with hysteria. We feel like we can't trust anyone frank added the quarantine complicates everything. We have nowhere else to go. We're not going to stay in a hotel, not with the virus our age puts us in the higher risk group. Ah hmm. Oh are you getting a message from one of your guides Sally asked hopefully.
I looked up from my mostly melted blizzard. Ah Sorry. No, I just, all three of them were staring at me expectantly. I found a big chunk of Butterfinger in my ice cream. Biti pursed her lips but could not hide her smile. I could feel my face turning red. But the thing is claire my guide, as you called her. She isn't here. And that's telling how so frank asked. Well she's told me in the past that when she was trapped in what she calls the in between.
She saw creatures there horrible creatures I guess and I know they really frightened her so so you're saying there's a horrible creature on our property stalking us. Ah I looked down at the drags of my blizzard longingly then put the cup on the deck. Not exactly. But the thing is it is significant that there are no dead people here. I haven't seen a ghost since we parked out front. There should at least be somebody hanging around the block.
And I tend to attract their attention because of my abilities. I haven't seen a creature or anything but the lack of ghosts tells me that that's probably what we're dealing with. A creature frank said skeptically. Well, yeah, I suppose ghosts can change appearance somewhat demons too. But I would see those things or like sense them. But your house actually your whole property feels like it's in some sort of avoid.
Whatever is here is powerful enough to keep other entities away and that means it's probably pretty ancient. Betty shifted in her seat. Oof. I'm sorry. I don't understand sally said though. I suspected she knew exactly what I was saying. A shapeshifter, but he said matter of factly. You used a different word earlier though, frank pointed out, elemental. I offered. It's a sort of catch all term for earth based entities. I'm scared, sally whispered, eyeing the edge of her lawn.
Maybe we should go inside. Betty shook her head. I'm more worried about Covid. We don't have Covid frank insisted, said every person who's ever transmitted Covid, but he sparked. It's not here now. I'd be able to sense it, I reassured the couple. But you've actually interacted with it three times now. Right. That's all. Yes. Not counting it peeping on us through the porch door and every time it asked to come inside. Huh? Yes, frank, affirmed.
Kind of, sounds like a vampire, but he remarked vampires are real. Sally's voice was tinged with hysteria. Again I gave me a look. Well it is a shapeshifter and it obviously needs an invitation to get inside. I'm just saying I cut her off. The vampires aren't real, says who? I sighed and turned back to the couple. The type of creature who's stalking you exists under its own set of laws. Like a set way of moving through our reality. Then can we use those laws to keep it away from our house?
Sure there are ways to create boundaries around your actual house. But the only problem is that you eventually have to leave home. My guess is that it's probably been on this land for like ever Then, why did it start harassing us now? We've lived here for almost 20 years, sally nearly screeched Betty shifted uncomfortably. These things can be drawn to negativity and contention.
I'm guessing you guys didn't start outwardly expressing your frustration with one another until the kids were out of the house. Right? The couple looked guilty. So what do we do have the house blessed or dance around with crystals or something frank demanded. Sorry, I'm not explaining myself. Well, you probably would have a good shot at protecting the house if you did so weakly. But the thing is it's been here forever. You'll never get this thing off the land. What about an exorcism?
Sally asked in a small voice, elemental. Aren't governed by religion, but he said simply. But if we protect the house then aren't we safe? What happens when you're not in the house? But it hasn't approached us anywhere else? Sally insisted. Not that you know of if this thing can imitate animals and humans and it can be anyone that, he said, like your neighbor? I pointed out, frank began asking a question, but my attention was pulled to the lawn behind them.
A large animal had come into the yard and was slinking its way towards us. Oh, sh it! I breathe Betty frank and sally followed my gaze walking alongside the deck towards the stairs was the largest fox I've ever seen. It's for patchy and tight. The two long tail devoid of the typical foxes poof of for whipped back and forth in a sort of reptilian manner. It sat at the base of the stairs, staring right at me. I see what you mean. That thing is huge!
I stood slowly, never taking my eyes off the animal. What in the hell are you talking about frank? Demanded, sounding both livid and terrified at once. I quickly took in the concerned faces around me, then turned back to the fox whose front paws were now on the first stair. Its head was lowered ears back and its eyes. They didn't look right sally stood abruptly. I'd like to go inside. I think that's a good idea. But he agreed. Slow down! I said in a low voice. They froze. Go now, I insisted.
Just move slowly. They moved to the back door. I stood still and didn't take my eyes off the creature that was looking less and less like a fox by the second. It's burnt. Sienna body glistened like scales. The tales seem to have lengthened even further and its face sharpened Liz. Come on! But he urged. You are not allowed inside, I said to the creature, my voice shaking in the blink of an eye, it was on the deck right in front of me. I jumped back and made slow and careful steps to the house.
Betty grabbed my arm and pulled me inside just as frank, slammed the glass door shut. What did you see out there? That? He asked. I can still see it, I said Shaklee. It's right there. It was a big fox at first, but it's not anymore. It changed into what frank? Asked his eyes searching the yard as if he might catch a glimpse of the thing that was standing just feet from him. It almost looks like a little dragon. I told them frank huffed, Why can't we see it?
How do we know you aren't just making all this up? I looked away from the creature pacing back and forth on the other side of the sliding glass door. If you really think that, then why don't you go out on the deck? This is crazy! He spat sally backed away from the door. What does it want from us? I left my mask outside, but he exclaimed. I told you we don't have Covid frank, snapped. You can't know that for sure. Betty's voice was shrill.
Listen to me, I said quietly, using the old teacher trick of lowering my voice to get everyone to quiet down so they could hear me. That thing out there would like nothing more than to kill you so it could take possession of the land beneath our feet. It's wandered this area forever, and when it's around it causes I closed my eyes to concentrate, malice rolled off the creature and waves and with it information about its intentions discord.
I took a breath and looked to Biti, hoping she might back me up. She looked terrified of Covid or the creature. I couldn't be sure. I sighed. The long and short of it is that you guys need to move like. Now, that thing isn't going to stop trying to get in here and you definitely don't want it inside this house. The couple looked stricken frank rubbed a hand across his forehead in frustration. How can we in good faith sell this place to someone knowing what's out there?
It's focused on youtube, on your anger towards one another. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's been throwing fuel on that fire, sell this place to a young family. It'll lose interest and move on to another house in the neighborhood. That's what it does. I got to get out of here. But he muttered, you can't go, Sally exclaimed, it's not safe out there. I don't know if it's safe in here. Betty snapped back. We can leave. I told her it's fine. That thing isn't interested in us.
Sally slumped onto the couch. You can't just leave us here, okay? Yeah, I'd like to take a moment to thank my newest supporters on patreon dot com. Thank you. Genevieve Newness man Gardner. There's one of the dogs, Anastasia. Davies carry booth, Ariana, Alan Tory walker, Samantha, Shearson, Emily. L julie Logan, Jamie, helly Heidi Ullrich, Samantha, grimly. Erin Hunter.
Leah bolton, barrack, sarah, McCarthy, Katie, Ellison, claire fe trista Williams Lauren phillips, lisa hot gabriella Ruiz, Laney Kendrick. Leslie, Chastain, Katie, Young and Lindsay sharp. God bless you, walter from the bottom of my And now one of the dogs hacking okay from the bottom of my blackened and shriveled little heart. Thank you for the support. Head on over to ghosts in the burbs dot com. For all the links, including some new merch. Just in time for the high holy season.
This has been ghosts in the burbs. Good night. Sleep tight. And don't forget your nightlight dogs. Mm hmm. Yeah,