Alicia
A Montana Ghost Story from Kalispell
retold by S.E. Schlosser
It was the sound of laughter and children’s voices that caught my attention. Curious, I materialized in my old bedroom and went out into the hallway to peer over the railing by the grand staircase. The voices had come from the Great Hall, where the house tours gathered. Yes, there were two children scampering about, to the distraction of their parents. An older boy and a tousled haired little toddler who reminded me of my own daughter at that age.“No, no Alicia. Don’t touch,” her mother agonized at the little girl flung herself onto a rocker by the fireplace.
Alicia. No wonder I had felt compelled to return. There was an Alicia in this house again. How appropriate. There had been an Alicia in every generation of our family from the 1600s to the present. We’d called my little Alicia “Timmie”, I reminisced.
The tour began, and I followed them eagerly, floating down the stairs and hovering in the grandmother’s hallway. Little Alicia was swung up into her father’s arms as the group moved into the library next door. Looking over his shoulder, the tousle-haired youngster saw me. She lifted her hand to me. “Hi!” she piped.
“Hi back,” I returned solemnly. Her father glanced vaguely around, but did not see who his child was addressing. I grinned conspiratorally at the little toddler and winked. She tried to wink back, blinking her blue eyes several times in rapid succession, her face crinkling with the effort. I chuckled softly and followed the group into the dining room.
I swished passed Alicia’s mother and went through the butler’s pantry into the kitchen. Behind me, Alicia’s mother shivered and asked: “Is there a draft in here?” I looked at the picture of my little Timmie on the back of the stove. Yes, this little Alicia resembled her. I perched myself on a table in the corner of the room and listened as the tour guide discussed Father’s obsession with southern biscuits and showed everyone the huge bin of coffee. Alicia waved a hand at me from her father’s shoulder. “Lady,” she said very clearly to her mother, pointing at me. Her mother looked straight at me, seeing nothing but the table. Alicia’s brother turned my way and squinted very hard, as if he might be able to make out my outline if he stared hard enough. I smiled at him.
I floated up and up through the ceiling then and settled myself in the little toy room on the upper landing, waiting for Alicia to come upstairs. I heard her little voice insisting that her father put her “down”. Then the sound of little feet chugging mightily as she climbed the steps. With a smile, the woman looking into the toy room moved aside so Alicia and her brother could take a look. I couldn’t resist. “Peek-a-boo!” I called, appearing suddenly around the doorway. Alicia laughed in delight. “Peek-boo!” she giggled, hiding her eyes behind her hands. Obediently, her big brother did the same. He obviously loved this tiny moppet.
“Come on Peek-a-Boo,” Alicia’s father said indulgently, picking her up again and taking her with him up to the second floor hallway. I went to stand by the grand staircase again, watching the tourists move in and out of the guest rooms. Alicia waved to me as they entered my room, then around to my parents bedroom and out past the bath to the game room. Father had loved playing billiards with his guests, I mused with a smile, touching one of the balls with the tip of my finger. Beside me, the tour guide was telling the visitors about our buffalo herd. Father had been very worried about the bison. So many of them were being killed. So he bought a herd and they roamed the roads and byways around Kalispell freely all their lives. After the head male died of old age, Father had his head stuffed by my uncle, and his head still hung in the game room.
I floated up to the third floor and sat in one of the wicker chairs as the guide took the guests around to the sewing room, father’s private hideaway, the laundry room, our game room. Alicia ran all around, laughing and stomping her little feet in her cunning sneakers. She flung herself into my lap and we stared happily at one another, giggling together, until her mother came running. “No, no Alicia. Mustn’t touch.”
The tour was nearly over. The group gathered in the back hallway – the Grandmothers hallway – for one last bit of history. The guide showed them the ‘secret’ hiding places in the wall and showed them a note I’d written to my grandmother many years ago. Then they were saying goodbye, and Alicia waved her little hand to me as her parents exited through the door of the gift shop.
“Goodbye Alicia,” I called as her brother walked right through me. That felt strange to me, but worse for him I think. He turned pale and shivered. Then made a bolt for the door.
“Bye-bye,” Alicia called back to me as her brother pushed his father aside and fled out the screen door and down the steps to the drive.
“That place is creepy,” he told his mother as they walked together into the garden. ‘I think it’s haunted!”
Haunted, I thought, amused. By happy memories, certainly. And perhaps occasionally by something else! I leaned out the window and waved once more to little Alicia, though the toddler didn’t see me. Then I vanished.
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Comments
i got bored
Posted by: Anonymous | April 11, 2009 01:04 PM
Wow! That Was So Cool!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Emalae | April 12, 2009 12:05 PM
its waz really boring
Posted by: victoria | May 6, 2009 09:28 PM
Hi guys. A sympathetic Scot summed it all up very neatly in the remark, "You should make a point of trying every experience once, excepting incest and folk dancing."
I am from Chile and also now am reading in English, please tell me right I wrote the following sentence: "Roxanne orgill in her war shout, murder, differ!"
With love :-D, Sheldon.
Posted by: Sheldon | September 6, 2009 09:58 AM
way to boring and not a good ghost story.
Posted by: anonymous | October 30, 2009 09:08 PM
An awfully nice ghost... but for me a pleasant reminiscence of a house museum I had actually visited. I wonder if the ghosts of those bison still roam the streets of Kalispell?
Posted by: Mary | December 31, 2009 08:31 AM
that wasn't scary at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Q
Posted by: taco shmaco | January 11, 2010 05:23 PM
aww! touching. but not a very good ghost story.
Posted by: delilah_fox | January 21, 2010 10:57 PM
it is stupid and boring
Posted by: yamileth | January 22, 2010 05:24 PM
i liked how the ghost was the narrator here. that was very refreshing. i didn't think it was boring at all
Posted by: frany | March 1, 2010 12:20 AM
i didnt really understand that but i thought it was good
Posted by: iwonttellol | March 20, 2010 03:27 PM
BORING!!!!
Posted by: Anonymous | April 24, 2010 05:25 PM
I liked this though it was a little slow. Having the ghost as the narrator and the little girl "Alicia" with the ability to see the ghost were both good things in the story.
Posted by: C.J. | May 13, 2010 11:01 PM
I thought it was heart warming
Posted by: Anonymous | May 29, 2010 08:06 AM
that was cool not boring! because of the "Ghostly"
point of veiw.
Posted by: ash | May 30, 2010 08:53 AM
I like it cause the ghost was the narrator.But,are these realy a ghost story?Or a funny story?
Posted by: dea | June 30, 2010 03:42 AM
i don't get it
Posted by: Anonymous | July 9, 2010 09:13 PM
it is little boring, like a child story with nice atmosphere
Posted by: celiawang | July 14, 2010 09:33 PM
i liked it but not a true scary ghost story
Posted by: fin | July 21, 2010 11:30 AM
man this is a rip off
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2010 11:09 PM
That was a nice story. Heart warming. Not boring at all.
Posted by: Scarlet Knight | July 22, 2010 10:21 PM
people why do you say it is stupid there is nothing wrong it is just a different story because of the point of veiw
Posted by: Gabi | July 24, 2010 11:34 PM
booooorrriinnnggg
Posted by: lola | July 25, 2010 07:10 PM
AWW I THINK IT WAS A GOOD STORY
Posted by: ShyANNE | August 9, 2010 04:18 PM
WOW!!!!! i LOVED THE WAY YOU HAD THE GHOST TELLiNG THE STORY! iT WAS TOTALLY AWSOME!!!!!! YOU NEED TO MAKE MORE LiKE THiS!!! iTS SO COOL TO BE ABLE TO SEE iT THROUGH A GHOSTS EYES!!! i LOVED iT ALL
Posted by: MUSiC BOP | August 12, 2010 09:08 PM
I thought it was very touching and very cute!! I thoguht it could've been a bit longer though. :) :)
Posted by: Nora | August 17, 2010 06:24 PM
this was a little boring she had a daughter named Alicia so that's why she talked to the little girl i did get bored my favorite one is pink
Posted by: Jaime York | August 18, 2010 04:13 PM
okayish
Posted by: Matse girl | August 20, 2010 05:46 PM
I liked the different point of view on this story. Where it's from the ghost's eyes instead of third person. Found it sad though D:>
But none the less, I would love to read the book <3
Posted by: Gaby | August 23, 2010 10:21 PM
I loved that story. Also, to all the people who said this wasn't a "good ghost story", 1)The story was good 2)It was about a ghost 3)It was a story. Not all ghost stories have to be scary the point was to read a ghost story, which you did.
Posted by: alexis | September 1, 2010 05:19 PM
This was amazing i told this at a bon fire to all my friends when i got bored and started looking through my phone for ghost stories! everyone loved it!
Posted by: mary | September 3, 2010 10:48 PM
This was really boring and not even scary
Posted by: Anonymous | September 18, 2010 03:42 PM
IT WASN'T SCARY AND IT WAS MORE FUNNY THAN SCARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Anonymous | September 20, 2010 02:14 PM
well its a good one but it aint scary but still its good :D and to haters,your just making it famous..
Posted by: Sya Sya | September 30, 2010 10:57 AM
Whats wrong with you people? Just because its a ghost story doesnt mean it has to be scary. I thought it was heartwarming and sweet.
Posted by: nin | October 2, 2010 02:00 PM
OH MY GOSH, I THINK I'VE GOTTEN INLOVE WITH THIS STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVED IT!!!!!!!
Posted by: kaitlyn | October 3, 2010 10:52 PM
very touching not scary but nice lovely ghost
Posted by: amanda | October 4, 2010 03:48 AM
That was a great story, but not scary.
Posted by: casey | October 4, 2010 05:29 PM
Cool tht was very warming
Posted by: Victoria | October 7, 2010 09:36 AM
kool at first but then got boring
Posted by: cici kemp | October 7, 2010 03:43 PM
warm n fun but not scarry
Posted by: anony | October 10, 2010 06:48 PM
Loved it. Gonna be a great model for my middle schoolers who are learning about the narrative perspective and the narrator's voice.
Posted by: jodi | October 10, 2010 07:46 PM
loved it!!!!
Posted by: anna | October 13, 2010 11:18 AM
that was wered but cool
Posted by: Anonymous | October 14, 2010 02:07 PM
strange...
Posted by: Anonymous | October 17, 2010 02:33 PM
Considering the fact that this is advertised as a ghost story and not a scary story I don't know why people are bothering to complain about the lack of excitement. It was a neat perspective with the ghost telling the story. I like the fact that this story was so character driven. The ghost recalling her own family history and developing a bond with the little girl were very nice touches.
Posted by: KC | October 19, 2010 06:22 AM
this is so sweet. I loved it!!!
Posted by: Anonymous | October 21, 2010 02:40 PM
It was sort of boring. I liked how the ghost was the narrator, though.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 21, 2010 04:15 PM
WHY ARE YOU PEOPLE SAYING ITS BORING AND IT IS NOT IT IS SWEET YOU PEOPLE ARE RUDE
Posted by: Desire | October 24, 2010 04:52 PM
boring and cute at the same time
Posted by: none | October 30, 2010 11:31 AM
alicia is my name :)
Posted by: Anonymous | October 30, 2010 04:10 PM
dude that was awsme was it true
Posted by: briana santana | October 30, 2010 06:34 PM
This is very cute. It doesn't seem to be a real ghost story.
Posted by: ano | November 2, 2010 07:27 PM
PEOPLE STOP CALLING IT STUPID HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOU WROTE THAT STORY AND EVERY ONE THAT READ IT CALLED IT STUPID DUMC AND BORING AND NOT SCARY AT ALL SO IF YOUR GOING TO SAY SOMTHING LIKE THAT THEN THINK TO YOUR SELF SO WE DON'T HALF TO HEAR IT
Posted by: Lacey | November 6, 2010 05:20 PM
its kinda sad, to me (my name happeneds to be Alicia also, not lying.) but cool story
Posted by: Anonymous | November 15, 2010 03:04 PM
Loved it
Posted by: jamie | December 27, 2010 02:47 PM
having a ghost as the narrator was a clever idea. however, it made me want to read a ghost narrating the story of how he haunted/killed something or someone, come on, you know that'd be way cool!
Posted by: Anonymous | December 27, 2010 07:47 PM
I liked it. Though it wasnt very scary, and ghost stories are supposed to be scary and mysterious
Posted by: Anabel | December 28, 2010 03:09 PM
well written,though the point of ghost stories ,at least to me, are to scare you,and written from the ghosts perspective,it didnt manage to do that.
Posted by: ailish | January 1, 2011 05:04 PM
Hi this is a good story but i don't think it was scary.
Posted by: Lanell | January 9, 2011 12:39 PM
I thought it was very nice. Made me think of how much fun it could be to be a ghost :)
Posted by: Cyndi | January 10, 2011 09:27 AM
I think it is AWESOME and sweet and funny
Posted by: Anonymous | January 13, 2011 04:54 PM
this is a good story, i liked it, and it shows that not all ghost are devils, and that ghost stories don't need to be scary
Posted by: Josh | January 16, 2011 11:39 AM
it was really good i like it. and for the people who thought it was boring maybe you just have a boring life. but then again you do have a right to your own opinion
Posted by: uhmm.... | January 19, 2011 08:44 AM
that was creepppyyy
Posted by: sydnie | January 20, 2011 11:52 AM
Boring but i guess it was ok
Posted by: Anonymous | January 21, 2011 02:07 PM
its a little boring
Posted by: Anonymous | January 23, 2011 03:42 PM
This was a wonderful story.I found it very refreshing and sweet.Well done.
Posted by: debbie | January 25, 2011 01:04 AM
it was a well written story but my eyes hurt from all that reading and i was hoping for something scary
Posted by: Taylor | February 1, 2011 11:47 PM
omg this story wuz so cute!! I loved it!
Posted by: haha no tell | February 23, 2011 01:27 PM
it was pretty good it could been better
Posted by: Anonymous | February 27, 2011 02:52 PM
That was a touching story. I liked the way the ghost was the narrator. Never read a story like that before, very nice. Keep it up.
Posted by: Darkness | March 3, 2011 04:37 PM
i liked it
Posted by: Anonymous | March 6, 2011 11:47 PM
I liked it (: My name is Alicia too !! (:
Posted by: Alicia | March 12, 2011 10:12 PM
I love this but its kinda depressing.why couldn't they stay together??? *sniffle/cry*
Posted by: gio | March 16, 2011 04:58 PM
I loved that story! It was amazing. Simply enchanting...
Posted by: Lily | March 17, 2011 12:21 AM
well it was okay i geuss.
Posted by: Anonymous | March 22, 2011 07:37 PM
i thought it was very touching and cute. this is a great story:)
Posted by: emily | March 24, 2011 09:51 PM
your a ghost!?!
Posted by: sissy | April 2, 2011 08:48 PM
i liked it. it was a good story
Posted by: bill | May 18, 2011 11:06 AM
Not boring at all!!! very nice ghost!
Posted by: Jewell | May 25, 2011 10:16 AM
it was so touching and emotional
Posted by: ashi | May 27, 2011 03:33 AM
i love it .xxx
Posted by: chole | June 30, 2011 08:07 AM
that was so cute! and it was from a ghost's perspective! I love it! I mean IDK many ghost stories from the ghost's POV.
Posted by: adri | June 30, 2011 08:24 PM
OMG WE KNOW AN ALICIA!! LOL
SHE WOULD LOVE THIS STORY! :D
Posted by: rachel and ashley | July 6, 2011 09:53 PM
that was a really good story,,not scary, but good
Posted by: Anonymous | July 7, 2011 10:45 AM
Very pleasent! My 3 year old son liked it and it was perfect because he didnt want one that was too scary.(:
Posted by: Kelley | July 14, 2011 12:08 AM
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww it was touching i loved that story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(=
Posted by: Anonymous | August 1, 2011 10:33 PM
That was a nice ironic twist, useually stories are just the opposite. Useually you here the persons side of the story, in this story you here the chosts side of the story, a nice ghost!!
Posted by: Kirsten | August 7, 2011 01:56 PM
mabey creepy if you were there but sweet. only little ones can see ghosts.
Posted by: Taylor | August 16, 2011 03:35 PM
It's touching and a okay ghost story but I got bored. Some suggestions would to be to make something move or the ghost touch one of the parents that would have been awesome.
Posted by: savanah | October 1, 2012 07:42 PM