Editor’s note: For Halloween, we asked our readers to share the scariest things they’ve experienced in our area. Readers came through with shivery accounts of mysterious occurrences, including this one.
by Whitney Ponder
I purchased my first home in Asheville from a family friend whose mother had passed and they needed to sell her little bungalow. Dot’s cherished china cabinet and a few other belongings were left behind. Oddly, its door would occasionally open, seemingly guided by an unseen hand. Fear lingered until I acknowledged the inevitable: Dot’s spirit lingered within.
One evening, as the cabinet opened, I spoke into the stillness: “Hi, Dot. I’m honored to be the keeper of your memories.” The atmosphere softened, and the door gently closed. Over time, our ritual became routine, my reassurances soothing the ethereal presence.
One day, when the cabinet had remained shut for weeks and comfort had settled in, a subtle draft stirred the air and gave me a slight chill. Startled, I whispered, “Hey, Dot. Is that you?” In response, the china cabinet door slowly creaked open, assuring me that Dot’s spirit still found solace in my care of her beloved china cabinet. I’ve since moved, but Dot’s beloved china cabinet landed in the perfect spot in its forever home.
