Antique Shops

(Submitted by Russell)

Here is something really scary. This is a truestory, or at least my perception of the events.

One Saturday afternoon my wife and I were in Brunswick, Maryland, walking around andvisiting various antique shops. It was summer the temperature was somewhere in the90s.Walking along just browsing, we noticed an old buildingnext to the railroad tracks. It appeared to be open so we meandered in.

Uponentering and surveying the contents and the proprietor, we noticed a chill in thestore. Most of the stuff appeared to have been there for some time; it was covered withdust. The shopkeeper appeared to look at least 80. She was mean-looking, with dark,foreboding eyes that had a glare that would make the hair on the back of yourneck stand up. I'm sure some of you remember women like these from when you werechildren. The eerie voice, dark dress and cold stare.

We looked around and thenlook at each other like something's not right with this place. Then the bone chillingvoice says to us, "There might be something in the basement thatwould surprise you." She pointed towards an old door. We walked over to the door kindof like, uh, I don't know.

Opening the door, we got a cold chill, not just a coldchill, but a shiver and a blast of that musty, damp, dead rat smell. We bothlooked at each other, my wife and I, then made a beeline for the front door.Upon leaving, I looked back at the old wench, and the look on her face shotright through me. This was the one instant where the expression if looks could kill really hit home.

When we got outside, we noticed that there where no longer anypeople on the street, and this was the main street. We went right to the car and left thatlittle burg, and scarcely went back to that town in the years that followed.

I will never forget that feeling of dread, nor that old woman's glaring look.When we got in the car and drove off my wife said to me, "Did that just happen?" Isaid, "Well, if it didn't, we really need to have our water tested."

That wasthe only time in my life I ever felt like that --like all the sensors in my bodywere saying: time to go, get out of here, leave now, situation negative, badthing. This story is true, at least inmy perception -- and definitely otherworldly in the bad way.

(Editor'snote: I frequently use Brunswick, Maryland as a starting point for bicycletrips along the C&O Canal and forays into nearby Harper's Ferry, WestVirginia. The scariest thing I've ever encountered is being on the wrong side ofthe railroad tracks one hot afternoon,after a very long bike ride with my two sons. Just as we were remarking that itsure would feel good to 1) find a bathroom, and 2) get a cold drink with ice,the longest freight train I have ever seen started through town. Abouthalf way through its crossing, the train malfunctioned, trapping all of us onthe wrong side of the tracks. We waited an hour and a half in the parkinglot before the train moved on. No porta-potties, no drinking water, andforbidden by emergency workers to cross the train tracks. Come to think ofit -- it was more painful than scary! But I still like the little town.)

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