The House, Part one

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Bassim

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I wrote this short story as an exercise, in one go. Would you please correct my mistakes?

From the moment he had moved to his newly bought house, Paul felt uneasy, as if he were being watched. When he went to the cellar to use a washing machine, he broke out in goose pimples. He felt anxiety as never before in his life, and couldn't explain it.

The house stood alone, isolated from the neighbourhood, with no streetlights and surrounded by the old, derelict farm buildings, which had not been used for decades. He didn't even look inside them but through the broken windows saw the dark, rotten beams covered with spider webs. In one of the buildings, an old grain scale patiently awaited a newly harvested crop, which unfortunately would never grow again because where in the past lay lush fields, now cars were speeding up and down the motorway, and an ugly mall was spreading out like an octopus. His bedroom had a view on a stable, whose windows and the door hung aslant on their hinges and creaked in the wind.

Paul had always dreamed about his own house and, when he saw that this one was on sale, he didn't hesitate for a second. It was old but newly refurbished, and with the new white goods. It was cheaper than other houses, and he could afford it without burdening himself with large debt.

The first night, he slept for just two hours, listening to the sounds from the upper floor and the cellar, but nothing could be heard, except the ominous creaking of a weather vane.
The second night, horrible nightmares jolted him awake as soon as he went to sleep. Ugly, evil men and women chased him through the woods while he was running out of breath. When they caught him, they started to strangle him with their spidery fingers, and Paul screamed himself awake. After he calmed himself, he went to sleep, but again the same nightmare returned and the monsters didn't want to leave him in peace but chased him like a wild animal until they clutched their ugly fingers around his neck, crushing his bones and windpipe.

TO BE CONTINUED
 
Try:

From the moment he moved into his newly bought house ....

You seem to prefer past perfect even when there is no indication that it is needed. I suggest that you use the simple tenses (simple present, simple past) as your default tenses.
 
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You're right, Tarheel.

I often use the past perfect when I should use the simple past, because I wrongly believe that the action in the first part of a sentence happened before the one in the second part. I have to use my brain better and also logic in the future and avoid those mistakes.
 
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He felt anxiety as never before in his life, and couldn't explain it.

I suggest that you put he after and or drop the comma.
 
Next paragraph. The words isolated and surrounded clash. Perhaps:

The house stood alone. There were other buildings nearby, but they were old, derelict farm buildings that had not been occupied for decades.

When you say there are no streetlights nearby it makes me think he doesn't have electricity going to his house.

Say:

His bedroom had a view of a stable.

I do like the descriptive phrases. They bring the scene to life for the reader.
:up:
 
I used "with no streetlights" to emphasise that the house lies in darkness, but that does not imply that there is no electricity in the house. What is important is the atmosphere of a horror movie that feels around as soon as the darkness comes.
 
Paul had always dreamed about having his own house and, when he saw that this one was for sale, he didn't hesitate for a second. It was old but newly refurbished, and with [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] new white goods. It was cheaper than other houses, and he could afford it without burdening himself with large debt.

The first night, he slept for just two hours, listening to the sounds from the upper floor and the cellar, but nothing could be heard, except the ominous creaking of a weather vane.
The second night, horrible nightmares jolted him awake as soon as he went to sleep. Ugly, evil men and women chased him through the woods while he was running out of breath. When they caught him, they choked him with their spidery fingers, and Paul screamed himself awake. After he calmed himself, he went to sleep, but again the same nightmare returned and the monsters didn't want to leave him in peace but chased him like a wild animal until they clutched their ugly fingers around his neck, crushing his bones and windpipe.

TO BE CONTINUED

My suggestions.
 
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