Single mother gambled her final $900 on a deserted house. The discovery inside transforms her life forever…

What kind of history, Maya asked, suddenly concerned. The clerk seemed to catch herself. Oh, just old stories.

Nothing to worry about. It’s been empty a long time, that’s all. As Maya left the courthouse, key in hand, she felt a strange mixture of elation and terror.

She had just spent every penny she had on a house she had never even seen up close. A house with quite a history, whatever that meant. She sat in her old car for a long moment, then pulled out her phone and called Ethan’s school.

This is Maya Coleman. I need to pick up my son early today. A pause.

Yes, it’s a family emergency. A good one, actually. 20 minutes later, Ethan climbed into the passenger seat, his face worried.

Mom? What’s going on? Are you okay? Maya turned to him, hardly believing what she was about to say. Ethan, we have a home. A real home that belongs to us.

No one can ever make us leave again. His eyes widened. You bought a house? How? With what money? With all our money, she admitted.

I took a huge chance. Do you want to see it? Ethan nodded, excitement building on his face. Maya hadn’t seen him look this happy in months.

As they drove through the countryside, Maya tried to prepare him. It needs a lot of work, honey. It’s been empty for years, but it’s on three acres of land, and it’s all ours.

Does it have a yard? Can we get a dog now? Ethan asked, his mind racing with possibilities. It has more than a yard. It has land.

And maybe someday, we can get a dog. But first, we need to make it livable. The GPS directed them down increasingly rural roads until they turned onto a long, overgrown driveway nearly hidden from the main road.

As they rounded a bend, the house came into view. Maya’s heart sank. It looked even worse than in the photos.

The white paint had peeled away to reveal graying wood underneath. Several windows were broken or boarded up. The front porch sagged dangerously on one side.

The yard was completely overgrown with weeds and brush that reached nearly to the first floor windows in some places. She glanced at Ethan, whose excited expression had morphed into shock. Mom, we’re going to live here? His voice was small.

Maya forced a smile. It needs work, but it’s ours. No rent.

No landlord. Just us. They sat in the car for a long moment, staring at their new home.

Finally, Maya took a deep breath. Let’s check out the inside. The front door creaked ominously as Maya turned the key.

It stuck at first, then suddenly gave way. The musty smell of abandonment hit them immediately. Dust, mold, and the faint odor of animals that had made the house their home over the years.

They stepped cautiously into a large front room. Without electricity, the only light came from the dirty windows and the open door behind them. Maya used the flashlight on her phone to look around.

The interior was a mess of fallen plaster, animal droppings, and debris. Water stains marked the ceiling where the roof had leaked. Old furniture covered in dust remained in some rooms.

A sagging couch, a wooden rocking chair, bookshelves with a few moldy books still in place. They moved carefully from room to room on the first floor. A large living room, a dining room, a kitchen with ancient appliances, and a small bathroom with a clawfoot tub.

Despite the mess, Maya could see that the house had once been beautiful, with hardwoods underneath the grime and detailed woodwork around the doorways. Can we go upstairs? Ethan asked, his voice echoing in the empty house. Let me check if it’s safe first, Maya said, placing her foot tentatively on the first step.

The stairs creaked but felt solid enough. Upstairs they found four bedrooms and another bathroom. In one room, faded flower wallpaper peeled from the walls.

In another, what looked like a child’s drawings could still be seen on one wall. Ethan had been quiet throughout their exploration, but suddenly he began to cough, deep, wheezing coughs that Maya recognized immediately as an asthma attack triggered by the dust and mold. Let’s get out of here, she said urgently, guiding him back toward the stairs.

We need to get you to fresh air. Outside she retrieved his inhaler from the car, and gradually his breathing returned to normal. Maya surveyed the property with a sinking feeling.

What had she done? How could they possibly live here, especially with Ethan’s asthma? As the sun began to set, reality set in. They couldn’t stay in the house tonight, it wasn’t safe or healthy, but they had nowhere else to go, and no money for a hotel. We’ll sleep in the car tonight, Maya decided.

Tomorrow we’ll figure things out. They reclined the seats as far as they would go, and used the emergency blanket Maya kept in the trunk. As Ethan drifted off to sleep, Maya stared out the window at the dark silhouette of their house…