It was a dark and stormy night. Steve had just came in from having tied down anything that could possibly blow away in the wind outside. Cold seaping into his bones, he decided to go sit by the fireplace to warm up. He closed the door to the large living room of the large house he had just purchased. His wife and daughter were back at the old home, gathering up some of the last items to be moved to their new home. Steve decided to stay the night by himself to get a feel for the house. The house was probably too large for such a small family, but Steve couldn't pass up the good buy he got on it. An old antique house, incredibly large, in a quiet, secluded area, for such a small price. Steve still couldn't believe how lucky he was.

The television was one of the items his wife was bringing the next day, so he decided to read a book to pass the time. He sipped at his hot coffee, while being warmed by the crackling fireplace. Steve couldn't help but to look forward to many more nights like this, all snug in front of the grand fireplace, on the cold winter nights that would eventually come. He had just started to get into his book when he heard a taping sound from the upper floor. Steve brushed it off quickly, old houses like this always make sounds like that in the movies, even though I'm sure it's had enough time to settle. He had to chuckle over his corny joke. He went back to his book, but the sound started again, it seemed to be moving across the room upstairs. Perhaps mice, thought Steve, I should really look into that tomorrow morning, the wife would not be pleased to find mice in their new home. Tomorrow though, no use chasing mice in the dark. Then Steve heard what sounded like a door opening upstairs. The big room was starting to feel a bit less cozy. He tried to pass it off as his imagination running wild, and tried to immerse himself in his book. It did no good, because this time, the sounds didn't go away. The tapping, footsteps...started to sound like they were coming down the stairs, down the stairs that led to the living room's door. Thump, thump, thump, louder and louder, as the went down. Steve had put the book down now, and was staring at the door with great intensity. What if it's a robber, he thought, or worse...no, he mustn't let his imagination go wild. He stared at the great door, and heard the footsteps keep thumping, finally coming off the stairs, and towards the door. Thump, thump, thump...He stared at the door, his fear increasing. Thump, thump, thump...the fireplace suddenly went out. The door handle started to turn, Steve was too frightened to get up to stop it, stuck in his place by fear. Slowly, it creaked open, until it was finally completely open to Steve. A great blinding light filled the room from the door, a blood curlding scream arose from Steve...

Linda pulled into the driveway in her truck. She was sure she finally had gotten every last thing and was ready to move into the new house. Her daughter bounced out of the car and ran towards the house. Linda thought, not for the first time, that the house was much too big for the three of them, but Steve was too much in love with it for her to change his mind. Steve, she had told him not to spend the night in the house alone, but he had insisted. She smiled to herself, the big goof was probably going to tell their daughter all kinds of ghost stories he made up last night, and she'll end up trying to soothe her to bed tonight. Her daughter bounded into the house, she followed closely behind. She called for Steve, no answer. Probably still asleep in that huge living room, or can't hear us through the door. He loved the room most about this house. She told her daughter to check the living room for her father. Her daughter went off to do that. Linda started unpacking some of the food they had brought in the kitchen, when she heard a scream from her daughter. She ran to the living room to see what was the matter. She looked in, and screamed herself. Steve was sitting, in his chair, book on the floor. His hair...his hair had turned stark white, his clothes were ripped, and it looked like he had tried to claw his eyes out with all the claw marks on his face. He was dead, with a look of stark terror etched forever on his face. Linda retched, and cried, what, what could possibly have done this to her husband, what??? Then, through her sobs, and her daughter's screaming, she thought she heard a thumping sound upstairs...