The house had been on the market for a long time. The locals stay away from it, due to its history. The owners had been absentee for as long as anyone could remember. Finally, the For Sale Sign, which had become so weathered and faded by the elements that it was unreadable, was replaced by a For Rent sign. Apparently somebody new was taking over the account and had convinced the owner to lease the place. After all, with the college expanding in the town next door, rents were up all over, and the students from out-of-town wouldn't know the history of the house. Clever move, thought the locals.

But they shuddered to think about what had happened in that house, and who might be foolish enough to stay there for more than one night. It had once been a game for the local teens to dare one another to enter the house and remain there for only an hour...and that game was no longer played--not after the most recent incident. Not even teenagers were that stupid.

But ignorance is bliss, as they say, and the rent sign was soon removed, in preparation for a new tenant. But who could this ill-fated student be, thought the locals, sure that only someone young, ignorant, and from away could possibly have signed the lease.