Thursday, August 4, 2011

Infestations (A WIP Thursday...Sorry No Alliteration)


I'm obsessed with haunted houses.

No, not the Halloween theme spook houses, with genuine haunted houses (if such things exist). I've never been in one--as far as I know--but the idea fascinates me. Some of my favorite novels feature spooky houses--The Haunting of Hill House, Hell House, 'salem's Lot. Yes, I know the last one is about vampires, but the Marsten House certainly haunts the protag. The House of Leaves is an amazing book about--you guessed it--a bizarre house.

The House Eaters features a house--a semi/sort of haunted place. I've written stories about "places" with hauntings or "infestations". That's a good word for it, I suppose: infestation.

Here's the set up for my WIP:

Six people volunteer for a reality style show set in an old country house. The rules: they must stay inside for seven full days. No slipping out for a walk on the veranda or stroll through the garden. For their time, each will receive a minimum of $12K.

Four of them have been there before, but that time there were five. They sought shelter during a snowstorm (their van had landed in a ditch and there was no cell phone reception in the boonies).

The fifth member of their party disappeared in the house. The police, of course, theorized he wandered out into the snow to find help and never found any.

His body, of course, was never found.

But the four friends did find something else, upstairs in the house.

And I'm not telling what.

Yet.

7 comments:

Cindy Little said...

Cool premise! I have one suggestion--go visit a haunted house or at least stay in a haunted hotel. I'm a ghost hunter and have been in several haunted places. Nope, haven't seen any ghosts--yet. But the places themselves are usually very cool--lots of colorful history attached to them. Might give you some ideas for your setting.

James Everington said...

Love that picture - now THAT'S a haunted house!

They always seem to be elevated, so they're looking down on you don't they? A Hill House indeed...

Aaron Polson said...

Cindy - Great suggestion, thanks!

James - They always have such a sinister look in their... er, windows, too.

Barry Napier said...

I lovelovelove these kinds of stories. Sounds awesome.

I have another haunted house type story in the works (The Bleeding Room, is, of course, a haunted house story as well).

And if you have never been in one...for shame! I know there has to be some creepy stuff out in Kansas, right?

Aaron Polson said...

Barry - Atchison, KS(about 90 minutes north of here and home of Amelia Earhart) is supposed to be one of the more haunted towns in America. Go figure.

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Danielle Birch said...

Me too! Great picture, and great premise.