The Villisca Axe Murder House
THE VILLISCA AXE MURDER HOUSE
Fear has different effects on people causing them to either “fight or fly”. Not many people like the feeling of being afraid, but I find it exhilarating. I was raised to keep an open mind about life after death. I believe in the paranormal, spirits, and possession. These things terrify me, so I am naturally drawn to them.
Over one hundred years ago two adults and six children were violently bludgeoned to death by an axe murderer in the mid-western town of Villisca, Iowa. The walls still protect the murderer’s identity, and the house even now entices people’s curiosity. The Villisca Axe Murder House was purchased in 1994, returned to its original condition at the time of the murders, and is now open for tours. Villisca is believed to be one of the most haunted places in North America. My father surprised my best friend and me by purchasing an overnight stay in the real life haunted house. The hour and a half drive to Villisca from my home in Nebraska was filled with farms, corn, and little else. We turned down the quiet residential street that our destination was on, and compared to its neighbors the Axe Murder House looked like it was from a different time. It stood two stories tall and desperately needed another coat of white paint. The windows and doors were all firmly covered as if the contents of the house were a secret. The caretaker gave us the key, and we were now only waiting for the August sun to set.
On the Friday night that we were there, the town of Villisca was deserted. The stadium lights in the distance lured us to them. The whole population of just over one thousand was at their high school football game. When my Father, Alex, and I sat down, the looks we received made it obvious that we did not belong. It was getting pretty dark, which was the last excuse we needed to leave the game and return to the house. The Villisca Axe Murder House was spookier then ever in the absence of light. I took
Fear has different effects on people causing them to either “fight or fly”. Not many people like the feeling of being afraid, but I find it exhilarating. I was raised to keep an open mind about life after death. I believe in the paranormal, spirits, and possession. These things terrify me, so I am naturally drawn to them.
Over one hundred years ago two adults and six children were violently bludgeoned to death by an axe murderer in the mid-western town of Villisca, Iowa. The walls still protect the murderer’s identity, and the house even now entices people’s curiosity. The Villisca Axe Murder House was purchased in 1994, returned to its original condition at the time of the murders, and is now open for tours. Villisca is believed to be one of the most haunted places in North America. My father surprised my best friend and me by purchasing an overnight stay in the real life haunted house. The hour and a half drive to Villisca from my home in Nebraska was filled with farms, corn, and little else. We turned down the quiet residential street that our destination was on, and compared to its neighbors the Axe Murder House looked like it was from a different time. It stood two stories tall and desperately needed another coat of white paint. The windows and doors were all firmly covered as if the contents of the house were a secret. The caretaker gave us the key, and we were now only waiting for the August sun to set.
On the Friday night that we were there, the town of Villisca was deserted. The stadium lights in the distance lured us to them. The whole population of just over one thousand was at their high school football game. When my Father, Alex, and I sat down, the looks we received made it obvious that we did not belong. It was getting pretty dark, which was the last excuse we needed to leave the game and return to the house. The Villisca Axe Murder House was spookier then ever in the absence of light. I took