I SEE DEAD PEOPLE
It was a normal November midweek afternoon. My client and I were out looking at homes for sale in
Phoenix, AZ.
Being somewhat discouraged by the short sale and bank owned homes we had seen so far, we were looking forward to the next house.
The information in the MLS stated the price was low because the owners had moved to their new home and were ready to "get on with their lives".
We're thinking cool! No science experiments in the frig, no campfires in the middle of the living room carpet, the house will be clean and empty, the pool...
We arrive and find they've decided to "get on with their lives", minus some of their belongings. Lots of boxes of stuff, a vacuum, an aquarium, other odd and assorted items. Looking at the boxes and things left behind, there's evidence of teenage boys in the home.
We wander around checking out the inside and then head out to the back yard, passing a life size cardboard Indiana Jones. Oops, excuse us, we didn't know anyone was home.
Disappointed when we find the pool is full of murky green water, we check out the side yard and find more ‘left behind' stuff.
Passing by the pool on a piece of cool deck about two feet wide, my client disappears around the other side of the house.
I stay where I am, sure the slimy green stuff might suck itself up into a giant creature and pull me right in.
I waited a bit, but she didn't come back. I decided it was time to go in after her. I edged past the green expanse and made it around the corner.
There she was, bent over with her arms across her stomach, like she was sick. "Are you sick?" She shakes her head, but no sound. "What's wrong? Are you OK?" Yes, she nods, still bent over shaking like crazy. "Are you crying?" Another no. Still no sound, just hunched over and shaking.
I'm about to panic thinking something terrible is happening. "Are you sure you're OK?" More nodding.
I decide to ask, "Are you laughing?" Yes. She's hysterical! I look around, nothing even remotely humorous in sight. "What, where?"
She points to a door. Looks like a storage room. "Open it," she's barely able to speak.
That pool water is moving, I'm sure of it. "No, way!"
By now she's laughing so hard she is crying, she keeps telling me to open the door.
I don't know why, maybe it was the thick green sludge a few feet away, but I just can't bring myself to open that door. I want to finish looking at the house, mostly I want a wall or at least more distance between me and the creature from the black lagoon.
Telling me she was joking to herself, thinking ‘what if there's a dead body behind the door?' She steps over, opens the door to reveal
© Doreen McPherson 2008
Top photos courtesy of iCLIPART, bottom photo courtesy of my client.
Posted by 
It is always fun walking into houses. I had one where the spread over the bed started to move !!! Now I knew the owners cat liked to hide under the covers but the buyer jumped for olympic gold