Haunted Houses

 I suppose you just never know until you're in it, but:

What do you suppose it would take for you to leave the home you just bought once you had suspicion of it being haunted?

We have all read the books and seen the films; a family (two parents and at least one child... very typically a sacrificial dog) moves into a new town. They buy that vacant house. For what price, did you say? Holy cannoli, what a deal!! And so close to the school? Wow, how could they afford not to take it?

The kid gets excited to see his room, the parents stand side by side, arms around each other. Smiling at their child's precious antics as he calls the family dog to follow him upstairs. "C'mon, Roscoe! Last one there is a rotten egg!" (Bark, bark!) 

Aw. 

So regular. Until... 
Crrrreeeek... - "It's just the house settling. It's an old house, honey."
"Oh I thought I left the keys over there... Ugh, getting older is tough!"
BANGBANGBANG - "That's just the neighbor kid pulling a prank; what a big silly!"
"Huh. All the food is rotten."
"That's strange; I don't recall opening each and every cabinet. Probably our kid, for some reason."
"Mommy, Daddy; there's a MAN in my closet!!"
"There's BLOOD IN THE BATHTUB, JON!"
"I just haven't been feeling myself lately..."

Now. I understand the need to scream at the television at the family's short-sightedness upon the very first sign of trouble. Of course you know better. You didn't just finish setting up the living room (just the way you like it). Plus, you did see the title of this film: Something Wicked & Dangerous in the New House We Just Bought. I would hope you would have seen this coming. 

My question is: What would it take for you? I mean obviously there's the financial loss to take into consideration. But what's money worth if you're possessed the whole time you get to spend it? Would you even get the same thrill after leaving TJMaxx with a new planter at that point? It is, for sure, an enormous bummer; having to leave the giant money-eater you just spent your life savings on. But isn't it a little more cruel to think that your story would end there? 

"Such a shame. They spent their entire life saving for that house and it ate and killed them."

I am almost certain I would rather survive to tell the tale of how I escaped the house victorious and - against all odds - built my family and myself back up from the ashes like a phoenix. Surely at that point everything you have tastes so much sweeter by comparison. Then you really did it. Not everyone could survive a haunting, you know. I would wear that badge proudly on my chest until I became that old relative at family gatherings. 

"Ugh, Grandma's had too much sherry again."
"Yep, off she goes."
"I ReMeMbEr WhEn I sUrViVeD GHOSTS."

I know the name of the game is to consider your family in the decision-making; even if you don't feel like being there, Junior did always want a backyard to play in. And he's only losing a couple hours of sleep a week over this. No more than a regular child with a late-night pixie-stick habit, really.
But isn't that just it? Wouldn't you want to keep that kid away from harm? The world is already dangerous enough and you're going to roll the dice on demons inside of your home? Perhaps it is just that the parents do not want to believe their child. Which I get. I was afraid of everything when I was little (still am). If it had been up to me, my mother, father, sister and I would have been zipping from this house to that like traveling salesmen.

This one had bugs I didn't care for in the garden. 
This one's rooms were too dark.
These curtains gave me a start.
I saw an ant inside.
I just feel like there are goblins here.  

I'm honestly surprised I lived to tell that tale. With OR without hauntings. My poor mother.

I do hope that you are able to safely exit the house (safely and fully intact), should this scenario ever arise for you.

Anyway. Just thinking.