Scary Stories

The Maid

January 23, 1922

Something  strange happened today. While I was dusting the windows, I noticed a commotion going on outside involving Mr. Richards and one of the farm hands. Gregor, I think his name is. They seemed to be in a rather heated argument. I believed I would do well to mind my own business, but when I saw the children watching from another window, I decided it might be best to interrupt before they were subjected to anymore undesirable behavior. I opened the door and walked over to them; they hadn't noticed me until I was upon them asking if everything was alright. Mr. Richards seemed surprised to see me, but Gregor had engaged me immediately. He told me i'd be crazy to stay here, and that I should leave the farm like the last maid. When Gregor mentioned this, Mr. Richards seemed rather annoyed. I didn't understand, so when I inquired about it, Mr. Richards was quick to try and shut down the subject, but Gregor caught on before he could do so and explained it to me. Apparently, the maid before me did not leave because of an ill relative like I was originally told, but rather because she feared the farm was haunted. I didn't know how to respond to to this information, but before I could say anything, Gregor grabbed my arm and brought me over to a certain area in snow. Mr. Richards protested, but did not physically intervene. Then, Greogor pointed to the snow and told me to look. What he showed me was indeed eerie. Footprints that came all the way from the edge of the woods into the farm. Gregor looked at me petrified, but I didn't completely understand his fear. He saw the puzzlement in my face and immediately, almost as if it should have been obvious, he explained his fears. "There are none leading back," he tells me. "I've looked, and there are none." 

I didn't know what to make of such information, but I didn't really have the chance to discuss it with him, either. He left the farm immediately after, and I don't expect he'll return. Mr. Richards, however, was honest with me. He explained why he had lied about the last maid. He didn't want to put off possible replacements because of her own paranoia. That was something I understood, as I doubt many women would be as happy to work here if they were under the impression that it was haunted. I'm not sure I would have even taken the job myself had I known that, but I can't say i'm a strong believer in such nonsense. 

A moment ago, I believe I heard footsteps in the attic. They were very brief and light, but noticeable. I can see now that i'm letting my own paranoia and imagination get the better of me. I think it's time for bed.

January 25, 1922

A couple of days have passed since I last wrote. Not much has occurred since then. Yesterday, Mr. and Mrs. Richards both sat me down and apologized to me personally for not being honest about their previous maid. I assured them I took no offense and that I understood their reasoning, but they still seemed rather ashamed of it. I think they were also ashamed of the notion that they have a haunted home, but I told them that idea was silly. I truthfully felt bad for them. I knew they were very caring people, and I made sure that they knew that. Still, I could not help but feel like they were feeling guilty about having mislead me, so I tried to cheer them up with a few good laughs. It lightened the mood a bit, and they appeared appreciative of my understanding and lightheartedness. Gregor, as I expected, did not return to the farm, but it to effect the efficiency of running the farm for Mr. Richards. The animals still get fed. The pens still get cleaned. The eggs still get collected. It's obvious that the farmstead can survive a spooked worker or two. As for the footprints in the snow, they've since faded with wind and more snow. No other farm hand seemed to care. They either didn't noticed, or thought the money was far more important than being worried of ghastly entities. Even so, Mr. Richards had some of his men scour the area as a precaution to be sure no one was lurking around the farm. He has mentioned to me that he has had trouble with stolen livestock in the past, but all such matters had always been resolved quickly. Despite being very closed off from the rest of the world, the people in this area are actually a part of a very tight knit community. If someone tries to sell a stolen animal to another farm, it's not hard to determine if that animal initially belonged to someone else close-by.