Poltergeists and house fires: Kelli’s perspective

I was terrified twice while growing up. My two brothers enjoyed my fear. Even if they weren't the direct cause of my fear, they found it hilarious when I walked in their room with my pillow and my Strawberry Shortcake sleeping bag, begging to sleep on their floor.

The first time I was terrified was not my brothers' fault but our parent’s alone. At a very young age, (younger than ten at least), they allowed us to watch the horror movie Poltergeist.

Not a good movie for a child.

I was so terrified that I begged Matt and Jeremy to let me sleep on their floor. After much pleading on my part and a little teasing on their part, they allowed it. Just as we were beginning to fall asleep, me with one eye opened, the closet door began opening slowly and light poured out into the room, just like in the movie. The three of us ran screaming towards the door only to discover that the closet light had been left on and our dog, Pac-Man, had fallen asleep in the closet. The door hadn’t been clicked shut, so when he awoke, he nudged the door open with this muzzle.

Even knowing that it hadn’t been a ghost, I slept on their floor for a week.

My second traumatic experience was cleverly and evilly planned by my brothers. Outside of Matt and Jeremy's bedroom window was the garage roof. In an emergency, they could escape the room with a very short jump onto the roof and then a short jump to the ground.

My bedroom, however, was a clear two story drop.

One night Matt brought this to my attention, and Jeremy agreed with his estimation. They then took the time to explain all the worst case scenarios to me.

Fire. Robbery. More fire.

That night I snuck in their room with the infamous sleeping bag after they were fast asleep. After a few nights of sneaking in I got caught. Matt asked why I was scared. I was too embarrassed to tell him why so I spelled the word “f-i-r-e.”

I thought I spelled it wrong because he didn’t respond.

I thought he didn’t understand  what I meant.

Now that I look back I think the reason for his silence was his guilt. My brothers loved to scare me, but after a week of me on their floor, Matt may have realized he had taken things a bit too far.