Ever walked past a house that just gives you a bad feeling? Theodor Storm's 'Bulemann's House' is the story of that house and the man who lets it rot from the inside out.

The Story

Herr Bulemann is a miser who cares for nothing but his money. He lives alone in his grand house, ignoring its decay and evicting anyone who can't pay. But when even the rats flee the crumbling building, a new, silent kind of tenant takes their place. Bulemann barely notices. He's too busy counting coins, becoming a pale shadow of a man while his unwanted roommates grow bolder. The town watches, whispers, and wonders what's really happening behind those boarded-up windows.

Why You Should Read It

This isn't a flashy horror story. Storm builds a thick atmosphere of neglect that's almost its own character. The real chill comes from watching Bulemann's moral decay mirror the physical decay of his house. He's not possessed by demons; he's hollowed out by greed. The 'haunting' feels like a natural consequence, a creepy justice for a life lived without a shred of warmth. It makes you think about the things we choose to ignore and the price of closing yourself off from the world.

Final Verdict

Perfect for readers who love classic, atmospheric tales that get under your skin. If you enjoy the quiet dread of authors like M.R. James or the moral weight of a Nathaniel Hawthorne story, you'll find a lot to love here. It's a quick, potent read that proves sometimes the scariest thing isn't a monster, but a man who has already given up his own humanity.