A Real Scare

     Last night was one for the books. My wife and I turned in for the night at roughly mid-night. Once you pass your 60th birthday you tend to have to get up sometime during the night for comfort. Anyway the upstairs bath is on the opposite side of the house from the master bedroom and at the end of a long hall. Also just off the bathroom is the rear stairway. I admit I was half asleep on my way to the bathroom and I probably wasn't fully awake when I started the return trip to the bedroom. But I assure you, I was wide awake as soon as I heard the rear stairs creaking, like something coming upstairs. This house is old and the stairs creak, especially the rear stairs. The creaks were definitely progressing up the stairs. Perhaps it was a dumb thing to do, but I immediately switched on the light to the stairs. There was absolutely nothing on the stairs and the creaking stopped. At this point I was wide awake. The grandfather Clock in the hall showed 3:15. Going back to bed and going to sleep took some doing. Maybe there is something to that 3am witching hour. Is there a natural explaination? Probably, but I don't know what it is or why the creaking stopped when I switched on the light. My wife and our dogs slept through it, but then again I was the only one close to the source of the sound. If nothing else, owning an old house can be interesting.