03x12 - The House On The Lake

[bunniefuu]

During the summer months, the Robin...

He's going...

Oh, man...

Aquatic insects form the...

There's something going on here that's not normal.

Now we do have something here. Other tenants are seeing this.

You're still in denial.

You don't want to admit that anything like this could ever happen to you.

[Panting]

[Loud bang]

People just don't understand.

There's some stuff in this world that's just so...

[Gasps]

So bad.

[Clattering]

[Screams]

[Solemn piano music]

Saranac Lake is a beautiful spot in New York.

They refer to it as the greener side of The Big Apple.

There's a lot of fresh air.

It's a great place to live.

And what you begin to see is these beautiful homes.

That just appear out of nowhere.

What I had actually decided to do is start a business... property development.

There was one old home that caught my eye that sat up on a hill.

I looked at it, and I'm like, wow. This is just incredible.

It was bigger than big.

What particularly attracted me was the fact that it needed some work.

It was a diamond in the rough.

I made some inquiries, and I purchased the property.

[Clanking]

The very day that I closed the deal, I already had my tools in my car.

I wasn't gonna waste any time.

The building was already divided into apartments.

What I was gonna do is remodel each apartment one by one, move new people in.

[Door creaks]

[Faucet squeaks]

The property was in a terrible state.

A lot of these homes were built in the 1900s.

There was a lot that needed to be done.

[Keys jingling]

Right on the first floor immediately, there were five apartments.

Then you go up the staircase, and there's three more up there.

On the third floor was another apartment.

It was all locked up, which I thought was a little odd.

That third floor was full of junk.

That was the breath-taker.

That was gonna be a big job.

That'd be the one that would k*ll you.

So I figured I'd save that one till last.

[Door creaks]

[Lock latches]

[Tense string music]

[Eerie string flourish]

The only way I was gonna be able to afford to do this project.

And cut my expenses was to live in one of my apartments.

So that's why I chose to live in apartment G.

That night, I started work.

[Drill whirring]

I had sunk all my money into it.

I was gonna work every night, every weekend, every month... [saw buzzing]

Until I got whatever it is that I needed to get done done.

[Drill whirring]

I put my drill on the floor.

My drill's missing.

That drill was just within hand's reach.

[Faint electrical buzzing]

The bathroom light was on.

I hadn't been in the bathroom.

[Electrical zapping]

[Door squeaks]

My drill is right there on the floor, standing upright.

Well, that's odd.

Hey, you know, maybe I'm tired.

So I started working again.

[Saw buzzing]

[Distant tapping]

The sound that I was hearing was like a thump-thump... [faint thudding]

Like a heavy footstep, like, on wood.

[Footstep padding slowly]

The footsteps were coming from the hallway outside, coming towards my door.

[Footsteps padding]

Hello?

Nobody answered.

I left my door open because I figured, well, if somebody's out there, if somebody's playing games...

Then I would definitely see them coming.

I was just about ready to turn my saw back on again.

[Rapid thudding]

Six times.

That's weird.

I didn't believe in ghosts.

So I just kind of, like, brushed it off.

Figured, well, maybe I need a break.

[Saw clanks]

[Birds chirping]

[Slug squelching]

[Eerie ambient music]

A few days later, I needed to do a load of laundry.

The washing machine and the dryer were right next to the staircase.

[Door creaking]

[Coins clinking]

I saw legs run really quick right around the banister.

I ran up that staircase.

I chased it...

[Loud bang]

Into a closet.

And I stood there; I'm like, do I open the closet door or not?

[Sighs] I'm like, all right.

So now I'm gonna open this door.

Now I got to face my fears.

[Tense string music]

[Music]

[Loud bang]

I'm scared because now I am gonna take the next step to see what's behind this door.

[Clattering]

All this stuff just comes out.

Scared the crap out of me.

There's nobody there.

But I had seen somebody go in there.

Weeks went by.

I've got one apartment done now.

And now I'm beginning to see progress. We're moving forward.

I had one person call me who was very interested.

Her name was Cynthia.

She was exactly the kind of tenant that I was looking for.

She was a professional. She was in real estate.

Wow.

Seeing the apartment for the first time, it was amazing.

You know, it's so rare to find properties like this even available for rent at all.

You know, for someone that really loves architecture, it was just phenomenal.

It was completely private and wooded and just really exquisite.

It's great.

Yeah.

Is there anything else that I should know?

In the beginning, I never told anybody about what was going on.

I wasn't sure what I was seeing.

You know, and until I found out, why say anything to anybody else until I have a logical explanation?

No, I don't think so.

All right, can I show you the greenhouse?

Yeah.

Come on.

I took the apartment straightaway.

I really liked Mike. I loved the architecture.

And I loved the location.

[Water drips]

[Ominous piano flourish]

[Light fixture zapping]

There was a common laundry area, and every time I went there, my dog, Buddy, would come with me.

[Door creaking]

But there was one weird thing.

All of a sudden, I would see my dog sh**t upstairs.

Voom.

[Dog panting]

Buddy?

So I followed him up to the third floor.

Buddy?

The main hallway was a little creepier to me.

[Electrical zapping]

It felt colder.

It felt a little angrier, actually.

[Dog snuffling]

It wasn't his normal character.

He was attracted to something.

Weeks went by.

I finally managed to get a few of the apartments ready for rental.

Ashton, honey, not too far, okay?

Okay, Mom.

I was living with my son's father at the time, and things weren't really working out.

So I decided to find a place on my own for myself and Ashton.

It had a big yard.

Behind the house was woods. I know my son likes to play in the woods.

It seemed like a safe, quiet place.

Can I hear about soccer practice? Was Matthew there? Is he back?

Yeah.

Is he feeling better now?

Yeah.

Good.

Four months later, Ashton and I were sitting in the kitchen.

All of a sudden, it gets, like, this chill in the room for a moment.

[Wheezing noises]

[Wheezing noises]

He turns to me, and he has this look on his face.

And I said, Ashton, what's wrong?

Ashton?

What's the matter?

[Whispering] There's someone breathing on my neck.

I didn't really think at the time that it could have been anything.

There's no one here.

Maybe he just felt a breeze of air on the back of his neck.

[Crickets chirping]

[Dog panting]

[Door creaking]

This particular time Buddy ran up to the third floor.

You know, it was pretty routine by now.

I'd let him stay up there, I'd get my laundry done, and at the end, I'd go and get my dog.

[Washer door slams]

[Coins clinking]

I felt as if there was something behind me.

[Soft gasping]

My hair was standing on end, literally standing up.

You could almost break the air.

[Gasps]

[Shouts]

I ran. I ran fast.

[Panting]

I just remember thinking, oh, my God. I have to go get my dog.

[Panting]

[Dog whimpers]

[Panting]

[Gasping]

I got the feeling I was being looked at.

[Dog barks]

I saw two children.

[Music]

[Panting]

[Dog barks]

I saw two children...

[Dog barks]

A taller boy and a smaller little girl.

[Dog barking]

There was something very unusual about them.

[Dog barks]

I got the sensation the little girl was frightened to death.

[Girl gasping]

[Dog barks]

[Frantic knocking]

Hey.

Cynthia... are you okay?

I talked to Mike about it, and I told him what I saw.

Everything... [sobs]

She had a very concerned look on her face.

There's no one on the third floor, right?

And I said, well, no.

There's no one up there.

Mike...

She said, there's two kids up there.

He was quite surprised.

That... that's impossible.

And I was, like, really kind of taken by that because the door to the third floor was locked.

I knew what I saw.

There's something up there, you know?

[Clattering]

Okay, now we do have something here. Other people are seeing this.

I feel like this thing is messing with me, so I'm gonna chase this.

[Door rattling]

I'm gonna get down to the root of this problem, I'm gonna figure it out.

[Keys jingling]

[Door creaking]

I stood up there for a minute just to kind of get my bearings, and for my eyes to adjust.

To, like, the darkness up there.

[Wood creaking]

It was very cold.

My heart's pounding a mile a minute.

[Wood creaking]

I stopped, and I thought I heard something.

[Faint breathing]

[Whooshing]

I see something go... whew!

[Creaking]

[Wood creaking]

[Faint breathing]

[Discordant string flourish]

[Jar shattering]

[Chairs clattering]

And I knew 100% sure at that point in time the place was haunted.

I couldn't ignore the problem anymore.

I was raised Catholic.

I had put some crosses up.

[Hammer tapping]

By doing this, I was hoping to achieve a peacefulness...

Throughout the house.

I figured something up in the house is better than not having it up at all.

I was worried about new tenants moving in and seeing things.

[Sighs]

Oh, it's beautiful.

[Chuckles]

Wow.

When I walked into the apartment, I just fell in love with it.

I wanted to show you one thing about the kitchen.

Jodi was really impressed with the size of the kitchen, the size of the living room.

Just in this pantry here is where the breaker box is.

And I've got everything listed on the left-hand...

I was talking with Michael, the landlord.

If anything goes off, you just kind of switch it one way and switch it back on.

I could feel my body tensing up.

[Wind whooshing]

I felt something on my leg.

As if somebody was grabbing my leg and hugging me, almost like a child.

I looked down, and there was nothing there.

You okay?

I didn't say anything to the landlord.

Yep.

Great.

I just pushed it aside, like maybe I was just imagining things.

Well, here's the keys.

[Chair skidding]

What you doing, buddy?

Making my fort.

Making a fort?

Yes.

I began to notice a bit of a change in Ashton.

[Kn*fe chopping]

[Wood creaking]

He would cling to me.

What's up?

He became very frightened of being alone in the apartment.

I need to go to the bathroom.

Okay.

Go.

As a Mom, I was starting to think that there was something going on and my child was scared.

[Light switch clicks]

He was the only one in there.

[Toilet flushing]

Wash your hands.

[Faucet squeaks]

[Water running]

[Ragged breathing]

[Kn*fe chopping]

[Ragged breathing]

[Kn*fe chopping]

[Water running]

[Rough gasping]

[Music]

[Faucet squeaks]

[Ragged breathing]

[Rough gasping]

Mom! Mom! Mom!

What's the matter? What's the matter?

It just looked like a frantic look on his face, like he was in shock, like something had happened, and he didn't know what it was.

What's the matter?

There's someone in the bathroom.

[Water running]

[Creaking]

[Water running]

I didn't really have an explanation for it.

There's no one there.

[Door creaking]

All of a sudden, this big rubber ball...

Rolls from the kitchen into the hallway.

And it stops at the top of the stairs.

[Floor creaking]

And then it goes down the stairs.

Boom.

[Ball thuds]

Boom.

Boom, boom, boom.

[Ball thudding]

What could that possibly be?

It frightened me to think that there is something really here.

[Crickets chirping]

It was the dead of night.

And I'd been working all day. I was tired.

And I was still kind of freaked out by the things that had been happening over the last few weeks.

[Watch ticking]

[Ominous string music]

[Footstep clops]

[Footsteps padding]

I heard the footsteps come right up behind me.

[Footsteps padding]

I didn't want to move because I was thinking maybe if I moved, it would know that I was there.

[Footsteps thudding]

[Footstep clops]

[Watch ticking]

[Ticking stops]

[Loud bang]

A girl appeared on the other side of my glass doors.

[Door rattling]

[Gasps]

At that point in time, it's like, what do you do?

[Shuddering]

You don't really know what it's like until you're in that... in that position.

[Gasping softly]

You know, to see something like that happen is just unreal.

[Gasping]

I tried to push it away. I tried to forget about it.

You know, I tried to say, no, there's no such thing, just like a lot of people would.

But I knew.

[Thunder rumbling]

[Rain splashing]

It was hard for me to admit, because I was in denial the whole time.

[Thunder rumbling]

You have to get up every morning and look at yourself in the mirror.

And you ask yourself, am I the person I was a year ago?

All this stuff that had happened is exciting to people.

Because you're hearing a story, but to live it...

Is completely different.

[Sniffs]

He's going all the way. Touchdown!

[Engines whirring]

Seven laps to go. Lance getting out in front.

During the summer months, the Robin keeps close to the river.

Food is plentiful.

Each month that I'm living here, it's becoming creepier.

Aquatic insects form the bulk of their diet...

It didn't feel good at all.

I was starting to become more afraid of living there.

Soon females arrive, and the breeding season begins.

[Heavy breathing]

I felt as if somebody went... [exhales forcefully] on my neck.

To encourage females to come close, he sings the most... [static zapping]

Song he can... [static zapping]

[Static crackles]

- Male Robin... sing for hours...

[Static zapping]

[Static droning]

I was in shock.

I saw something, almost six feet tall, slowly moving across the room.

I watched it go into the kitchen right into my pantry.

[Door creaking]

[Panting]

[Discordant string music]

[Music intensifies]

[Music]

[Door creaks]

There was nothing there.

[Gasps]

And that's when I decided, I have to move out.

I had enough. I'm done.

I have to get out of here.

There were a few tenants that didn't know what to think about what was going on, so the only alternative they had was to leave.

[Engine turns over]

I felt bad that Jodi had had an experience like that that just devastated her.

[Cell phone rings]

All the major renovations were just about done when I met Nicolle.

[Cell phone ringing]

[Phone beeps]

Hi.

It was a big relief because I had somebody that I was able to share my experiences with, things that were going on around the property.

Are we still on for tonight?

I'll pick you up at 7:00.

Bye.

[Phone beeps]

That was a great show.

It was so good.

It was hilarious.

This one particular night, we went to a show in Lake Placid.

We left at intermission, and we decided to stop at the apartment because he had tenants that had left.

And we wanted to see what kind of condition they left it in.

[Ominous music]

It was about 10:00 at night.

The apartment lights were completely off.

[Light switch clicks]

That's weird.

[Wood creaking]

This is the first time that I've ever been in that apartment.

[Electricity buzzing]

There was crosses over every single door.

Crosses on the walls.

Crucifixes everywhere.

Four or five on each of the door casings.

It was scary.

It was like they were trying to keep things out.

There was, like, a coldness in the air that makes you feel like you don't want to be there.

I looked over at Nicolle.

She seemed very scared.

[Gasping]

All of a sudden, I had this excruciating pain.

[Grunts]

Are you okay?

[Gasps]

It was something that I have never felt before.

[Coughing and gasping]

Nicolle's getting more and more sick.

[Coughing and gasping]

I didn't have control of my body.

[Grunts]

Something had att*cked me.

[Gasping]

Your nose is bleeding.

[Gasping]

[Gasps]

She completely disappears and runs outside.

[Tense orchestral music]

I just wanted to get the heck out of there.

[Tires skidding]

[Engine roaring]

All of a sudden, I see something in the road.

We saw this figure.

It was, like, darker than dark.

Mike.

It came faster at the car.

[Tires skidding]

[Screams]

Woo!

[Tires screech]

[Screams]

It just disappeared, into midair.

[Gasping]

You're still in denial.

You don't want to admit that anything like this could ever happen to you.

Before this had happened with the road, all the experiences that I have had...

And other people have had was right at the property.

Now, all of a sudden, whatever it was was angry, and it followed us a mile from the house.

I had had enough.

It was attacking me. That's one thing.

But when it's attacking my girlfriend, I needed to take action.

[Engine revving]

[Birds chirping]

There was one person that I thought would actually be able to help...

A good friend, Cheryl.

Cheryl's a very deep, spiritual type of person.

For me to confide in Cheryl and for her to listen to me, it was a big relief.

I got all the things that you asked for.

She proposed to do a blessing of the house.

I felt really good about that because nobody had recommended that to me.

[Match strikes]

She set out white candles for peace to let whatever it was there know that we weren't there to harm anybody or do anything bad.

She goes, "you've got something here".

She had her book with her, her Bible.

And she opened it, and she looked at me, and, um...

[Voice breaking] She says, we're gonna take care of this.

And I just looked at her, and I just didn't know what to think, because I knew.

I knew there was something there.

When I am afraid, I will... [voice distorting] Trust in you.

She started praying and stuff.

In God, whose word I praise.

[Distorted] God, whose word I praise.

She started hearing sounds, whispering sounds.

[Indistinct whispering]

And she's like, Mike, this isn't good.

[Distorted] I shall not be afraid.

[Whooshing]

So do not fear.

For I am with you.

[Whispering] For I am with you.

I will uphold you...

[Whispering] I will uphold you...

With my righteous right hand.

[Whispering] Hand...

Behold... [discordant music hit]

And then she got att*cked.

[Ominous ambient music]

All of a sudden, she started feeling sick.

Cheryl. Cheryl, are you okay?

She just puked.

[Retching]

[Indistinct whispering]

To see something bad happen to somebody that you've known for a long time...

Cheryl, what's wrong?

To see them get att*cked by something that you can't explain is crazy.

[Retching]

[Music]

So do not fear...

Cheryl. Cheryl, are you okay?

[Retching]

Cheryl!

People just don't understand.

Cheryl, what's wrong?

[Retching]

There's some stuff in this world that's just so, so bad.

[Coughing]

I grabbed the holy water and went on her back with a cross.

[Gasping]

All of a sudden, I did that, and, like, everything stopped.

Everything was fine.

[Serene music]

After that, everything was just good.

Everything seemed peaceful.

But there's... something's been bothering me.

I wanted to know about the building's past.

I needed to get more answers.

What I had decided to do is head to the town records, and see what I can actually find out about the property.

Back in the 1900s, a lot of people from the cities came to Saranac Lake, for the fresh air to cure Tuberculosis.

Doctors and nurses bought these big mansions.

And turned them into a cure cottage.

These homes had huge porches.

They'd wheel them out onto the porch.

They'd put them out there for, like, fresh air treatment, with the hope that they could cure themselves of Tuberculosis.

And they could go back home to their families.

Hundreds were cured.

Thousands d*ed from the disease.

There were records of people being admitted for T.B.

In my house.

My house was referred to as the Williams Cottage.

There were names of men, women, children.

It was actually all starting to come together.

There was a lot of people that had come through the Williams Cottage...

That had passed away.

They didn't want the role of the house to be forgotten.

This is why they were angry, and doing what they were doing during the renovations.

They didn't want me to change the building away from what it was.

They wanted to have it stay that way.

We decided to keep a part of the house unchanged, up on the third floor.

Just one little piece of the house...

That they have, that nobody will ever touch.

It was going to be like my "peace offering" to them.

[Door closes]

Since I've dedicated that spot, things have calmed down a lot.

I don't feel that the spirits are evil, anymore.

And I realize that this is what they wanted everybody to know.

[Door creaking]