There was once an elderly lady named Willow.

Willow lived all alone in a very old creaky shack on a hill.

One night, beneath a harvest moon, strange things began to happen that Willow couldn't explain.

The first strange thing that happened was a very eerie creaking noise coming from upstairs. Willow, being elderly, rarely climbed the stairs to the second floor.

Another strange thing that left Willow speechless was a snapping noise, like someone snapping their fingers. Willow hoped that these things would stop before her grandchildren came to spend the night with her.

Later that night, while in bed, Willow thought about how much fun she would have when her grandchildren arrived tomorrow. Tomorrow was Halloween, and, unfortunately, Willow thought, would probably be her last. She was getting up in years and wanted to treasure every single moment she had with her grandchildren.

Willow woke on Halloween day with a sore back. She knew that her lack of sleep was to blame. And on a very special day to, ugh.

Willow rose to her feet and looked about her bedroom. Everything was covered in dust and cobwebs. It was like nature was taking over her house.

Willow wished that she felt better so she could do a bit of cleaning around the house, but it just wasn't going to happen.

Next, she looked at her watch and felt a twinge of excitement that her two grandchildren would be arriving anytime.

What I can do, Willow thought, is go upstairs to where the children will be staying and make sure that there isn't a squirrel or some other animal occupying the space.

But then again, Willow thought, climbing all those stairs would only make her poor back hurt worse.

So, she decided to let her grandchildren be the first to go upstairs. Undoubtedly they would find it old, musty, but hopefully a satisfactory place to spend a few nights.

Willow then hobbled into the kitchen to make sure the mice hadn't gotten into the orange cake that she had made the day before.

Willow pulled the foil off the cake and breathed a sigh of relief. The mice hadn't found it. She was so concerned because she had had mice chew right through aluminum foil before.

Willow decided to sit down and rest a little while before her grandchildren arrived.

Knock, knock, knock. Willow woke to someone beating on her door. It had to be her grandchildren. She tried to get up from her chair as fast as she could.

Knock, knock. "Coming," said Willow to her impatient grandchildren.

She opened the door to see Frieda and Jon standing there with their suitcases.

Grandma Willow quickly pulled them both in to a tight hug. "It's been too long," said Willow.

Both Frieda and Jon agreed.

"Well come in," said Willow happily. And rarely did Willow have anything to be happy about. Old age just wasn't fun.

Frieda and Jon, close siblings, stepped into the house clutching tiny packages, along with their suitcases.

Willow noticed the tiny packages in their hands. "Oh, are those gifts for me," she asked excitedly.

Frieda and Jon nodded, and Willow politely took the gifts from them.

"Oh dear," Willow began, "I don't remember the last time I got presents. Oh," Willow said, "you two can carry your luggage upstairs. But I must warn you, strange things have been happening around the house lately. So if you hear a strange noise, try not to get too alarmed.

Frieda and Jon looked at each other with fearful faces. Willow saw this.

"But don't worry," Willow said. "I don't think there's anything in this house that would hurt you. Just a few mice and an occasional squirrel, but really nothing else.

Willow was happy to see the relief flood her grandchildren's faces.

Nevertheless, as they climbed the winding staircase, Frieda and Jon took each step with the thought that these creaky stairs could collapse beneath their weight. They were also concerned with sleeping upstairs, especially since that is where their grandpa died many years ago.

Now at the top of the stairs, they stood outside the guest room with a twinge of fear in their chests. As much as they loved their Grandma Willow, they hated her house, and especially this room.

Frieda waited for Jon to enter the room first, then she stepped in. They were instantly greeted by cobwebs and a musty smell that they recognized as their grandmother's house.

But other than that, the room looked just like it did the last time they stayed here. So that made them feel a bit better as neither of them liked change.

And their grandmother was right, there did appear to be some little animals living in the guest room. There were cracked nuts on the bed that looked like they'd been there for years.

After unpacking, they went downstairs to see what their grandmother was up to.

Stepping into the family room, they found their grandmother sitting in her chair and unwrapping their presents.

Willow wore a grand smile as she unwrapped her second gift. "Oh my," she exclaimed. "Just what I've been wanting, a new picture from each of you." She looked between Frieda and Jon. "Thank you both so much. And they're already framed. Oh my, I know just where to put them, on the mantle piece."

After sitting on the old couch in the family room and catching up for several hours, her grandmother finally mentioned bed. "But not before cake," she added. So, the three of them enjoyed a large slice of orange cake before bed.