1st Person Account: The Smoldering Girl

In the summer of 1981 I moved my wife and three daughters to the small town of Blythe, California eager to begin my role as the publisher of the town’s newspaper.

We quickly settled in to a new home that was in a modern development on the edge of town.

Two months later the youngest of my daughters--Amanda was sitting at our dinning room table doing her homework when she began to cry. I was nearby watching the news on our television.

I got up to ask her what was the matter and found her hysterical. She told me that a little girl covered in soot with smoke surrounding her was watching her do her homework.

I reassured her that no one was there but she was noticeably shaken-up.

The next morning I got up early to prepare for work. As I stood in the bathroom shaving I saw a little girl streak by the door.

Wondering why one of my daughters was up so early I checked their bedrooms only to find all three still in bed asleep.

The following weekend as my wife and I walked down our new street we stopped to chat with a neighbor.

To our surprise he asked how we liked living in a haunted house. Taken aback we didn’t reply.

Blythe, Califronia

He then went on to explain that before the homes were constructed in the area that our lot was where the original farmhouse stood. It had burned down several years before.

Tragically, a little girl had died in this fire.

He told me that several of the neighbors just before we moved in had seen a little girl, covered in soot, with smoke around her peering out of the dinning room’s picture window.

A year later I was offered an editorial position closer to my wife’s family. I must admit my family and I were relieved to move out of our haunted house.

But we still think about the small girl spirit that lingers behind.