The Haunted Barn

The barn had been built back in the early forties when Josie's grandfather purchased twenty acres in Johnson County, Illinois, to farm. It was a grand barn for its day. Her grandpa painted it a bright, apple red with white trim. That barn was her grandfather's pride and joy.

Josie's grandpa raised corn, chickens and cows for over forty years before he retired. Many times, throughout those years, Josie would visit and stay with her grandparents for three months during the summer. She loved to visit and help her grandpa in the barn; she explored every inch, even the hay loft. Her favorite thing to do was invite her friends over and play King of the Mountain on the stack of hay. Her best friend, Frank, was by her side every day. He was there so much, he ate lunch and dinner every day, except Sunday, with Josie and her grandparents. Josie's grandpa joked that he had two grandchildren.

Josie's grandmother passed away when she was a teenager. Still, every summer Josie continued to visit her grandfather. She continued to help out in the barn. After her grandpa passed away, Josie moved to the farm.

“Don’t go near that barn!” Josie yelled.

“Why?” Frank asked. “It’s right by the path I need to take home.”

“You can’t,” Josie was visibly upset, “I don’t want you to go near it, Frank. Promise me you won’t go!”

“Okay,” Frank promised, “I won’t take the shortcut. I’ll take the long way, as usual.”

Josie hated that barn. It’s red paint was flaking off and it no longer housed animals. Her grandfather used to milk cows every morning in that barn. And, Mrs., the old Calico, used to birth her kittens every Spring inside the hay stack Gramps set up for her.

Josie used to follow her grandfather and pretend to be his farm hand. Grams helped her put on the overalls she had sewed from Gramps old jeans. Josie would put on her rubber muck boots and put a few handfuls of hay into the trough for the cows to eat while they were being milked.

“Ladies.” Thats what Gramps called his milking cows. He would stand at the barn door and call out to them. “Suuuuuuey, Ladies!” His voice would carry across the hill and pretty soon you’d hear the clanging of the Ladies’ bells as they lumbered their way to the barn. Josie loved those times in the barn with the cows. When Mrs. had kittens Josie would giggle as Gramps squeezed milk into a saucer and let the kittens lap it up.

Those were the good old days.

But now, now the barn was nothing but a shell of its former self. Mrs. was gone. The cows were gone. Gramps was gone. Something sinister replaced the memories of her younger years. Anytime Josie got too close to the barn she heard a woman screaming.

She never saw anyone, ever. Just the sound of a woman screaming at the top of her lungs. The scream was so loud it sent shivers through her body and sent her running.

“I’ll never go near that barn again!” Josie promised. “Mark my words. Never again!”

“Josie,” Frank said, “You know it’s probably just an animal and there’s nothing, really, to be afraid of.”

“That scream is not from any animal I’ve ever heard!” Josie retorted.

“Why don’t you come with me.” Frank poked Josie in the side. “Let’s investigate! I promise. If we see anything non-human we will never go near the barn again.”

Josie looked at Frank. Her face betraying her fear.

“I promise, Josie. Nothing will happen to you. I will protect you.” Frank crossed his heart with his hand.

“Okay,” Josie almost swallowed her answer. “But if an evil poltergeist possesses my body I will never forgive you!”

“I wouldn’t blame you.” Frank laughed.

Josie stayed behind Frank as he led the way to her Grandfathers old barn. They were halfway to the entrance when the screams began.

“Frank!” Josie grabbed onto his jacket and tried to pull him back. “I’m scared. I want to go back!”

“Come on,” said Frank. "Don't be a baby!"

"I'm not a baby!" Josie held tighter to Franks jacket as they continued forward. "I just don't like scary things."

Frank and Josie continued to make their way to the barn. The screams were so much louder now. The skin on Josie's arms and legs were prickled with goosebumps. She was frightened, but she wasn't going to give Frank the satisfaction of knowing he was right.

"What do you think it is?" Josie asked, her voice just above a whisper.

"I'm pretty sure I know what it is," Frank replied. "I think you're going to be surprised. And, you just might laugh, if I'm right."

"Why would I laugh?" Josie was so close behind Jack that she stepped on the back of his tennis shoe as he stepped foreward.

"Uh, you just made my shoe fall off." Frank bent over to put his shoe back on and Josie ran into him.

"I'm sorry." Josie giggled a little. "Okay. I'm just a little freaked out right now. You did say you would protect me."

Frank couldn't help but laugh. "You are going to feel silly when I show you what you are so afraid of."

"Don't even start with me!" Josie tried to given him a stern look. "You know I'm a big chicken!"

"You should really get yourself some chickens, like Gramps had." Frank began to move, again, and Josie grabbed the back of his jacket.

They made their way to the doorway of the barn. The screams were loud and constant. Josie plugged her ears in an attempt to limit the sound.

"What is that?" Josie felt like she was shouting. "I don't see anything. Are you sure its not a poltergiest?"

Frank threw his head back and laughed. "Not unless a poltergiest has feathers and eats mice."

"What are you talking about?" Josie was not amused. She still had a hold of Franks jacket, using him as a human shield.

Frank took the flashlight from his pocket and begin to shine the light inside the barn. As soon as he did, the screaming was right on top of them, and something swooped down and tried to grab the flashlight from his hand!

"Oh, my god, Frank! What was that?" Josie was already out the door and on her way back to the house.

"Josie!" Frank called in between laughs. "Come back! It's not going to hurt you."

"You know where you can go, Frank!" Josie shot back. "I am not coming anywhere close to that barn door, again! What the heck was that thing?"

"If you come back I'll show you." Frank was still laughing. "I promise, it's more afraid of you than you are afraid of it. Besides, it's protecting its home. It is afraid we are going to hurt it."

Josie made her way back to the opening of the barn door. "Okay, Frank. Show me this thing so I can go back home."

Frank shone the flashlight up into the rafters of the old, red barn. "There. In the corner. Do you see him?"

"Oh, my goodness!"Josie came out from behind Frank. "That's it? That screams like a girl?"

"Well, it screeches like a barn owl," Frank corrected her.

"I've been afraid of an owl? An owl that lives in a barn" Josie felt like her face was turning bright red. "I feel like an idiot."

"Don't," Frank said. "The first time I heard a barn owl, I thought it sounded like a woman screaming at the top of her lungs. I thought someone was in trouble."

"I've lived in the city for too long," Josie laughed. "My Gramps would be laughing at me, right now."

"I'm laughing for him!" Frank's laugh filled the barn, making the owl screech again. "I guess he'd like us to leave his hunting ground, now."

"You know," Josie started, "now that I know what is making that sound, maybe I'll get a cow, and a Calico cat, and breathe new life into this old barn. I can still feel Gramps here, inside the barn. I do have a lot of good memories here. Why don't you come over tomorrow and help me clear out some of the rubbish?"

"I'd be glad to, Jose," Frank replied. "I think your grandfather would be very proud of you."