The Ghost Sitter

"The Ghost Sitter" was the fifth story featured in the book More & More Tales to Give You Goosebumps.

Plot
Ray and Mike's parents love buying and renovating old houses. The one they've just bought, however, is planned to be their new, permanent home. At school, the siblings begin hearing rumors of a haunted house in the neighborhood. And as it turns out, the house is on the exact same street as they are. It doesn't take long to figure out which one they're referring to: the seemingly deserted house next door with a lawn of overgrown weeds. Arriving back at home, the siblings are told they have to do chores in that exact house on Saturday, where seemingly a couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Hodge live.

When Saturday comes around, the boys do their required tasks, but soon discover strange things, such as a stuffed animal torn to shreds. Soon, they hard a loud crash followed by a groan. The noise causes Ray and Mike to flee the house in terror. The next time the two enter, they find the house completely trashed. While they initially want to tell their parents of what they've seen, they decide not to.

Before going to bed, Mike realizes he left the Hodges's key in the kitchen and forgot to lock their door. He urges the reluctant Mike back to the house, where they find the Hodges home early. They explain that the noise and the mess was not a ghost, but actually their pet pig, Walter. They all share a laugh about the day's events, and the two brothers return to school and explain to their classmates the truth behind the ghost rumor.

However, they don't get the response as expected. One student says everyone knows about the Hodges and their pig, their house isn't haunted. The real haunted house is actually the one they're living in, and according to another, nobody ever survives in that house.

Trivia

 * Hodge House is the 3rd famous haunted house in the Goosebumps series with an "H" name, after Hill House and Hedge House from My Best Friend Is Invisible.