True Scary Stories Told to the Sound of Rain | Relax and Fall Asleep Quickly Vol. 21 l Black Screen

hello everyone I am the Storyteller and I am here to help you today I know you use this video to fall asleep so before that like the video and subscribe to the channel also where are you from and what time are you watching now get comfortable and relax the first call came at 11:42 p.m. I remember because I just glanced at the clock wondering if I should go to bed or watch one more episode of the crime drama I'd been binging the shrill ring of my phone made me jump scattering popcorn across my lap unknown

number I hesitated then answered hello my voice sounded small in the quiet of my apartment silence then a low raspy breath hello I repeated irritation creeping into my tone who is this the line went dead I stared at my phone Shrugged and tossed it aside probably a wrong number or a call I settled back into my show pushing the odd call Out of My Mind 15 minutes later my phone rang again same unknown number this time I let it go to voicemail a minute passed and my phone buzzed with a notification one new voicemail I

pressed play holding the phone to my ear that same raspy breathing filled the line for a few seconds then a whisper I can see you a chill ran down my spine I deleted the message and blocked the number my hands shaking slightly just a creep I told myself nothing to worry about I got up to make some tea hoping it would calm my nerves as I waited for the kettle to boil I found myself peeking out the window scanning the dark Street below nothing but parked cars and empty sidewalks back on the couch clutching my

mug of chamomile I tried to focus on my show but my mind kept wandering replaying that whispered message I can see you my phone buzzed a text from another unknown number nice pajamas I looked down at my faded Star Wars pajama pants and felt my stomach drop how could they know I jumped up and ran to each window yanking the curtains closed my heart was pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat I dialed 911 with trembling fingers 911 what's your emergency I took a deep breath I'm getting threatening calls and messages from

someone who says they can see me I think think I'm being watched the dispatcher's voice was calm and professional are you in immediate danger do you see anyone around your property no I don't think so I mean I don't see anyone but ma'am while this is certainly unsettling we can't send officers unless there's an immediate threat have you blocked the number yes but they're using different numbers now I understand keep your doors and windows locked and if you see anyone suspicious or feel you're in danger call us back immediately I I hung up feeling frustrated

and scared they weren't going to help me my phone rang again another unknown number against my better judgment I answered stop calling me I said trying to sound firm and unafraid a low chuckle but we're just getting started Sarah my blood ran cold they knew my name who is this what do you want I demanded I want you to look out your window Sarah I have a surprise for you the line went went dead every Instinct screamed at me not to do it but I found myself moving towards the window my hand shook as I

reached for the curtain I took a deep breath and pulled it back just an inch at first I saw nothing then a movement caught my eye a figure stood on the sidewalk across the street partially hidden by a tree they were looking right at my window I let the curtain fall back and stumbled away from the window my heart racing this couldn't be happening it had to be a coincidence right just some random person standing standing on the street my phone buzzed with a new text I told you I could see you panic gripped me

I ran to my bedroom slamming and locking the door behind me I pushed my dresser in front of it for good measure the wood scraping loudly against the floor huddled on my bed I called 911 again there's someone outside my apartment I said my voice shaking they've been calling and texting me and now they're outside please I need help we'll send a patrol car to check it out stay inside and keep your doors locked I hung up and waited every muscle in my body tense the minutes crawled by like hours every small sound made me

Flinch the hum of the refrigerator the ticking of my bedside clock the rustle of leaves outside my window my window I hadn't closed the bedroom curtains I looked up slowly dreading what I might see the glass reflected my pale terrified face back at me beyond that the dark night Sky a few visible stars the Silhouettes of trees and a face pressed against the glass grinning I screamed scrambling backwards off the bed I hit the floor hard Tangled in my blanket the face disappeared from the window sobbing I crawled to the corner of the room as

far from the window as I could get I could hear my phone ringing in the living room but there was no way I was leaving this room a sharp knock on my bedroom door made me Yelp Sarah this is Officer Martinez with the police department are you all right relief washed over me yes yes I'm here I called out my voice horse I shoved the dresser away from the door with shaking arms and unlocked it two police officers stood in my hallway looking concerned are you hurt ma'am officer Martinez asked I shook my head no

but there was someone at my window right there I pointed but the window showed nothing but Darkness now the officers did a thorough check of of my apartment and the surrounding area they found no signs of an intruder no Footprints beneath my window your fire escape is secure and there's no way someone could have climbed up to this window without equipment officer Chen said are you sure you saw someone I nodded vigorously I'm sure he was right there looking in at me and the calls the texts look I showed them my phone but the messages

from the unknown numbers were gone deleted somehow the officers exchanged a look I couldn't quite read Miss Carter is there someone who could stay with you tonight a friend or family member officer Martinez asked gently I shook my head my family's out of state and my friends all live across town all right we'll have a car patrol the area for the rest of the night try to get some rest and don't hesitate to call if anything else happens after they left I double checked every lock every window I turned on all the lights and played

loud music to drown out any sounds that might freak me out there was no way I was sleeping tonight I paced my living room jumping at every car that drove by every gust of wind that rattled the windows my phone remained silent as the first light of dawn began to creep through the curtains I finally started to relax I'd made it through the night maybe it had all been some vivid stressinduced hallucination maybe my phone buzzed new text message with trembling fingers I opened it it good morning Sarah did you miss me don't worry I'll

see you again soon sweet dreams attached was a photo of me a sleep on my couch clearly taken from inside my apartment I dropped the phone like it had burned me this wasn't possible the police had checked everything I'd been awake all night but as the terror Rose in my throat threatening to choke me my eyes landed on the TV remote next to me the Blu-ray player was on the menu screen of my show playing on a loop slowly the realization dawned on me I hadn't been binging a new show last night I'd been watching

my own life recorded and played back to me how long had they been watching how did they get in and most terrifying of all were they still here as if in answer I heard a Creak from inside my walls a sound I'd always dismissed as old pipes or settling foundations now I knew better my phone buzzed again trembling I looked at the screen ready for the next episode the headlights barely cut through the torrential downpour as I navigated the winding Country Road it was well past midnight and I was exhausted from hours of driving that's

when I saw him a lone figure on the roadside thumb outstretched drenched to the Bone against my better judgment I slowed down little did I know this decision would plunge me into a nightmare I couldn't have imagined I pulled over the wipers struggling to keep up with the Relentless rain the man jogged to my passenger side and I leaned over to unlock the door he slid in bringing with him the smell of wet clothes and something else I couldn't quite place thanks mate he said pushing back his soaked Hood thought I'd be out here all

night I nodded pulling back onto the road no problem where you headed next town over if that's all right he replied his voice oddly calm for someone who'd been stranded in such awful weather I glanced at him he was younger than i' had initially thought maybe mid 20s with sharp features and eyes that seemed to reflect the dim light of the dashboard I'm Jake I offered hoping some conversation would keep me alert for the drive Matt he replied simply we drove in silence for a few minutes the rhythm of the rain and the swish of

the wipers the only sounds I tried to focus on the road but my eyes kept darting to my unexpected passenger there was something off about him but I couldn't put my finger on what so what brings you out on a night like this I asked trying to break the uncomfortable silence Matt Shrugged sometimes you just need to get away you know I nodded though I didn't really understand who chooses to hitchhike in the middle of a storm what about you he asked long drive yeah coming back from a business trip should have gotten a hotel

for the night but I wanted to get home Matt hummed in response his eyes fixed on the road ahead the rain seemed to be getting heavier if that was even possible I leaned forward squinting through the windshield crazy weather huh I said more to fill the silence than anything else no response I glanced over at Matt and my heart nearly stopped the passenger seat was empty I slammed on the brakes the car fishtailing slightly on the wet Road I looked around wildly half expecting to see Matt somehow in the back seat but the car was

empty except for me my mind raced had I imagined him was I so tired that I'd hallucinated an entire conversation but no the seat was wet where he'd been sitting the musty smell of his damp clothes still lingered in the air with shaking hands I put the car in park and turned on the interior lights I searched the car looking under the seats even popping the trunk though I knew it was impossible for him to have gotten there nothing no trace of mat I got back in the car my clothes now soaked from the rain

and sat there trying to make sense of what had just happened there was no way he could have jumped out we'd been going at least 50 mph and I would have noticed the door opening I took a deep breath trying to calm my racing heart maybe I had dozed off for a second and dreamed the whole thing sleep deprivation could do strange things to a person's mind right but as I went to put the car back in Drive something caught my eye there on the dashboard was a small puddle of water and next to it

unmistakable AK ably was a muddy fingerprint a chill ran down my spine this was real Matt had been here and now he was gone I put the car in drive and pressed the gas pedal to the floor desperate to put as much distance between me and the stretch of road as possible my mind Whirled with possibilities each more terrifying than the last as I drove I couldn't shake the feeling that I wasn't alone every shadow seemed to move every reflection in the rearview mirror made me jump I found myself checking the back seat obsessively half

expecting to see Matt's face grinning back at me after what felt like hours but was probably only minutes I saw lights ahead a gas station I pulled in the bright fluorescent lights of stark contrast to the dark wet night I sat there for a moment engine idling trying to decide what to do should I call the police would they even believe me finally I worked up the courage to go inside the Bell above the door jingled as I entered making me jump the clerk an older man with a scraggly beard looked up from his magazine

nasty night to be out he commented I nodded trying to appear calm yeah it's pretty bad out there hey uh this might sound crazy but have you seen anyone else come through here tonight a young guy maybe mid 20s the clerk furrowed his brow can't say that I have you're the first customer I've had in hours everything okay I hesitated should I tell him would he think I was crazy I I picked up a hitchhiker a few miles back I started the words tumbling out and then he just disappeared from inside my moving car I

expected the clerk to laugh to tell me I must be tired in seeing things instead his face paled you picked him up on Blackwood Road he asked his voice barely above a whisper I nodded a sense of dread growing in the pit of my stomach the clerk sighed rubbing his face with his hands you're not the first you know it's been happening for years always on rainy nights always on that stretch of road what what are you talking about I asked though part of me didn't want to know the answer there was an accident about

10 years back the clerk said his eyes distant young guy hitchhiking in a storm driver didn't see him until it was too late hit him head on they say they say he died instantly I felt the blood drain from my face but but I talked to him he was in my car the clerk nodded solemnly they all say that sometimes he talks sometimes he doesn't but he always disappears I stumbled back gripping the counter for support this couldn't be real ghosts weren't real I was tired that's all I was seeing things look son the clerk

said his voice gentle why don't you sit down for a bit I've got some coffee in the back you look like you could use it I nodded numbly following following him to a small break room he poured me a cup of coffee the aroma helping to ground me somewhat what what do I do now I asked my voice shaking the clerk Shrugged not much you can do he's never hurt anyone far as I know just gives them a good scare my advice get some rest and try to put it behind you but as I sat

there sipping the too hot coffee I knew I'd never be able to forget the image of Matt his eyes reflecting the Dashboard Lights was burned into my memory after a while I thanked the clerk and headed back to my car the rain had finally let up and a full moon peaked through the breaking clouds I took a deep breath trying to steal myself for the rest of the drive home as I reached for the door handle I froze there in the back seat was a shape a human shape my heart pounded as I leaned in

for a closer look it was my jacket the jacket I could have sworn I'd left at home I laughed the sound bordered on hysterical my imagination was really getting the best of me I got in the car shaking my head at my own foolishness as I went to start the engine my eyes caught something in the rearview mirror for just a second I could have sworn I saw Matt's face his eyes meeting mine in the reflection but when I whipped around to look the back seat was empty I peeled out of the gas station my

tires squealing on the wet pavement as I drove I couldn't shake the feeling that I wasn't alone every shadow on the road Road looked like a person every reflection in my mirrors made me Flinch I made it home in record time my hands shaking as I unlocked my front door I left the lights off not wanting to see if anything or anyone had followed me home as I lay in bed that night unable to sleep I couldn't stop thinking about Matt was he out there now thumb outstretched on that lonely stretch of road how many

other unsuspecting drivers would pick him up only to be left shaken and questioning their sanity one thing was certain I'd never pick up another hitchhiker again and on rainy nights I'd be sure to avoid Blackwood road because now I knew the truth sometimes the ghosts of the past don't stay in the past sometimes they hitch a ride into the present leaving us to Grapple with a reality we're not prepared to face the moment I answered that call I knew this night shift would be different her voice trembling and desperate shattered the monotonous Silence of the

empty office building please she whispered you have to help me I'm trapped somewhere inside little did I know those words would plunge me into a nightmare that would make me question everything I thought I knew about this place I'd guarded for years I've been a night security guard at Oakwood tower for the better part of a decade 12 floors of polished corporate emptiness my domain From Dusk Till Dawn I know every creaky floorboard every flickering light every shadow that stretches across the silent hallways or at least I thought I did that night started like any

other I arrived at 10 p.m. relieved the dayshift guy and settled into my usual routine a quick patrol of the building then back to the security desk to watch the cameras and catch up on some reading the place was dead quiet as always just the hum of the air conditioning and the occasional ping of the elevator to keep me company it was around midnight when the call came in I was halfway through a doged paperback when the phone on my desk rang startling me out of my book induced trance probably a false alarm I thought

or maybe one of the cleaning staff had forgotten their access card again I picked up the receiver Oakwood Tower security this is Mike at first there was nothing but static then a woman's voice so faint I had to press the phone hard against my ear to hear her please she said her words barely above a whisper you have to help me I'm trapped somewhere inside I sat up straighter my heart rate picking up ma'am where are you exactly what floor I I don't know she replied Panic evident in her voice it's dark I can't see

anything please you have to find me okay stay calm I said trying to keep my own voice steady I'm going to come look for you can you tell me anything about where you are any sounds or smells it's cold she said and and I think I I hear water dripping please hurry the line went dead I stood up my mind racing this had to be some kind of prank right the building was empty when I did my initial sweep all the doors were locked all the alarms set there was no way someone could be trapped

inside but what if they were I grabbed my flashlight and radio and headed for the elevator as the door slid shut I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the polished metal my face looked pale my eyes wide get it together Mike I told myself you've dealt with weird stuff before this is probably nothing I decided to start at the top and work my way down the 12th floor was Executive offices All Glass Walls and modern furniture my footsteps echoed loudly as I walked the perimeter shining my flashlight into every corner nothing the 11th floor

was much the same and the 10th and the ninth with each empty floor I felt a mix of relief and growing unease where was this woman how had she gotten in as I stepped off the elevator onto the eighth floor something felt different the air was cooler here almost damp I Shone my flashlight down the hallway and the beam caught something that made my blood run cold Footprints wet footprints on the carpet leading away from the elevator I followed them slowly my heart pounding in my chest they led to a door at the end of

the hall a Supply Closet if I remembered correctly I put my hand on the door knob took a deep breath breath and turned it the door creaked open revealing nothing but cleaning supplies in a mop bucket no woman no sign of anyone I let out a shaky breath half relieved and half frustrated what was going on here that's when I heard it footsteps coming from somewhere behind me I Whirled around my flashlight beam cutting through the darkness hello I called out is someone there no response just more footsteps fading away now I ran after the

sound turning a corner just in time to see a shadow disappear into the stairwell hey I shouted sprinting to the door I yanked it open and looked down the stairs but there was nothing no sound no movement just the echo of my own heavy breathing I keyed my radio control this is Mike I've got a possible Intruder in the building requesting backup static was my only reply a chill ran down my spine as I realized I was truly alone here whatever was happening I had to handle it myself I made my way way back to

the elevator my nerves on high alert as the door slid shut I caught movement in my peripheral vision I turned just in time to see a figure Dart past the closing Gap a woman her long dark hair obscuring her face my heart leapt into my throat the doors were already closed I jabbed the button for the seventh floor willing the elevator to move faster when it finally opened I burst out looking wildly in both directions hello I called out I'm here to help where are you a soft SOB echoed from somewhere down the hall I

ran towards the sound my flashlight beam bouncing erratically off the walls I rounded a corner and skitted to a stop there she was a woman in a white dress her back to me her long dark hair hanging limply down her back she was facing the wall her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs ma'am I said softly not wanting to startle her are you all right I'm here to help you she didn't respond didn't even seem to hear me I took a step closer Miss can you hear me slowly so slowly she began to turn around I

felt my chest tighten a sense of dread washing over me something was wrong very wrong as she fully faced me I stumbled backward a scream caught in my throat where her face should have been there was nothing but a swirling black void I ran faster than I've ever run in my life I could hear her behind me her footsteps unnaturally fast a high-pitched whale filling the air I slammed into the stairwell door practically falling down the stairs in my haste to get away I burst out onto the ground floor gasping for air the lobby was

dark the street lights outside casting Long Shadows across the marble floor I ran for the front doors fumbling with my keys just as I got the door open a cold hand gripped my shoulder I spun around coming face to face with the void where her features should be help me she whispered her voice now a horrible rasping sound you have to help me I wrenched myself free and stumbled out into the street not stopping until I was several blocks away I stood there bent over and panting my mind struggling to process what had just happened

when I finally worked up the courage to return to Oakwood Tower everything was as I had left it no Footprints no woman no sign that anything out of the ordinary had occurred I sat at my desk shaken to my core until the morning shift arrived I didn't tell them what had happened how could I they'd think I was crazy but as I left that morning I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched I glanced up at the building its Windows reflecting the Rising Sun and there in a seventh floor window I saw her

just for a moment a pale face long dark hair and eyes that seemed to bore into my very soul I quit my job that day found a new gig across town but I still dream about her sometimes the woman in the white dress the voice on the phone and I wonder is she still there still trapped still waiting for someone to answer her call I don't know if I'll ever have the answers but one thing's for sure I'll never set foot in Oakwood Tower again some Mysteries are better left unsolved some calls better left unanswered

because sometimes when you go looking for someone who's trapped you might just end up trapped yourself the first set of footprints appeared on a Tuesday Morning muddy and distinct they LED straight up to my cabin door as if their owner had materialized out of thin air I dismissed it as a late night hiker perhaps someone who'd lost their way little did I know those innocent looking tracks were the beginning of a nightmare that would push me to the very edge of Sanity I'd rented the cabin for a month-long writing Retreat desperate to finish my novel

away from from the distractions of City Life nestled in the woods of Vermont it seemed perfect quaint isolated and blissfully quiet the owner a Gruff old man named Earl had handed me the keys with a grunt and a warning to keep the doors locked at night Bears he'd said by way of explanation I'd nodded thinking nothing of it that first week was productive I'd wake early make a pot of coffee and right until the sun dipped below the tree line the words flowed easily inspired by the tranqu surroundings but as the days wore on I

couldn't shake the feeling that something was off it started small a book left on the coffee table when I was sure I'd put it back on the Shelf the creaking of floorboards in the middle of the night when I was certain I was alone I chocked it up to an overactive imagination fueled by too much caffeine and not enough sleep but then came the footprints I stared at them that Tuesday morning coffee mug in hand trying to make sense of what I was seeing they started about 10 ft from the door as if someone had

dropped from the sky no other tracks led to or from them I shook my head closed the door and tried to focus on my writing but the image of those muddy prints kept creeping into my mind derailing my concentration that night I double- checked all the locks before bed sleep came fitfully punctuated by strange dreams of shadowy figures lurking just out of sight I woke to the sound of rain pattering against the roof feeling groggy and unsettled as I stumbled to the kitchen to start the coffee something caught my eye there on the worn wooden

floor was a trail of wet Footprints my heart leapt into my throat they LED from the front door to the middle of the living room then vanished I ran to the door my hands shaking as I checked the locks they were still secure deadbolt in place how is this possible I searched every inch of the cabin looking for signs of forced entry but found nothing unnerved I called Earl has anyone else got a key to this place I asked trying to keep my voice steady just me and you he replied gruffly why something wrong I

hesitated then told him about the footprints there was a long pause on the other end of the line probably just some animal tracks you're seeing he finally said but there was an edge to his voice that made me uneasy don't worry about it but I did worry I worried all all day unable to concentrate on my writing as night fell I found myself jumping at every Creek and groan of the old cabin the words just some animal tracks that kept repeating in my head but I knew that was a lie those prints were unmistakably human

I barely slept that night lying awake and listening intently for any sound out of place around 3:00 a.m. I heard it soft deliberate footsteps circling the cabin my blood ran cold I wanted to get up to look out the window but fear kept me paralyzed in bed the footsteps continued for what felt like hours occasionally punctuated by a soft scraping sound against the outer walls when my alarm finally went off at 700 sunlight streaming through the curtains I felt a wave of relief wash over me I'd made it through the night but as I walked

into the living room that relief evaporated instantly there scratched into the wooden floor was a single word soon I ran out of the cabin not even bothering to change out of my pajamas I needed to get to town to talk to Earl face to face this was beyond animal tracks or overactive imagination something was terribly wrong Earl's shop was at the edge of town a rundown General Store that had seen better days the Bell jingled as I burst in startling the old man behind the counter wo there Earl said eyeing my disheveled appearance what's got

you in such a state words tumbled out of me in a rush the footprints the noises the scratched message Earl's face grew more grave with each detail when I finished he sighed heavily I was hoping it wouldn't come to this he muttered more to himself than to me thought maybe it had moved on what had moved on I demanded what's going on Earl he looked at me for a long moment then gestured for me to follow him into the back room he poured two glasses of whiskey handed me one and settled into a worn armchair

that cabin he began his voice low it ain't just a cabin it's well it's got a history he told me a story that chilled me to the Bone decades ago a man had lived in that cabin a recluse odd but harmless until the day they found the bodies three hikers brutally murdered the man vanished never to be seen again some say he died out there in the woods Earl continued others say well they say he's still out there waiting I downed my whiskey in one gulp my mind reeling why didn't you tell me this before

I asked anger rising in my voice Earl Shrugged didn't think you'd believe me and it's been quiet for years now thought maybe it was over I left Earl's shop in a days unsure of what to do part of me wanted to pack up and leave immediately but another part the writer in me perhaps was morbidly curious what if this was real what if I could uncover the truth I returned to the cabin my senses on high alert the scratched message was still there mocking me I spent the day researching The Murders finding old newspaper articles

that corroborated Earl's story as night fell I found myself both dreading and anticipating what might come I didn't have to wait long just after midnight the footsteps started again this time instead of hiding I crept to the window what I saw nearly stopped my heart a figure stood at the edge of the clearing barely visible in the Moonlight tall and gaunt with clothes hanging in tatters it swayed slightly as if in a breeze I couldn't feel as I watched Frozen in Terror it turned its head towards the cabin towards me I stumbled back from the

window my breath coming in ragged gasps this couldn't be real it had to be a nightmare a hallucination anything but reality a soft scratching at the door jolted me back to my senses I looked around wildly for a weapon finally grabbing a heavy table lamp the scratching continued growing more insistent then silence I stood there lamp raised for what felt like hours slowly I approached the door my hand shook as I reached for the knob I don't know what compelled me to open it morbid curiosity a desire to prove to myself that this was all

in my head whatever the reason I turned the knob and pulled the door open nothing the porch was empty the woods Beyond still and silent I let out a a shaky breath feeling foolish maybe Earl's story had gotten to me more than I thought that's when I saw it a new message scratched into the wooden porch floor welcome home I didn't stop to pack didn't stop to call Earl I just ran ran to my car fumbling with the keys tires squealing as I peeled out of the driveway in my rearview mirror I caught a glimpse

of a figure emerging from the tree line watching me go I drove straight through the night not stopping until I was back in the safety of my City Apartment I tried to tell myself it was all a bad dream a product of isolation and an overactive imagination but deep down I knew the truth something was in those woods something that had been waiting for how long I couldn't say and as I sat in my apartment jumping at every sound I couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't finished with me that somehow someday it would find

me again after all it had said welcome home and home as they say is where the the heart is even if that heart has long since stopped beating the moment I saw his eyes in the rearview mirror I knew I'd made a terrible mistake what had started as an act of kindness on a rainy night was quickly turning into a nightmare as we drove deeper into the unknown one thought kept repeating in my mind I had to get out of this car no matter what it took it was past midnight and I'd been driving for

hours the rain had started as a light drizzle but had turned into a Relentless downpour making it nearly impossible to see more than a few feet ahead my windshield wipers were working over time and I was considering pulling over to wait out the storm when I saw him he was standing on the side of the road thumb out completely drenched in the Split Second it took me to decide I thought about all the times I'd been stranded and wished someone would stop before I could second guess myself I pulled over as he jogged to the

passenger side I unlocked the door he slid in bringing with him the smell of rain and something else I couldn't quite place thanks man he said pushing his wet hair out of his eyes I thought I'd be out here all night no problem I replied pulling back onto the road where you headed just the next town over if that's all right he said his voice oddly calmed for someone who'd been standing in the pouring rain I nodded trying to focus on the road ahead the rain wasn't letting up and I had to squint to make

out the yellow lines I'm Mark I offered hoping some conversation would help keep me alert John he replied simply we drove in silence for a few minutes the rhythmic swish of the wipers the only sound I kept sneaking glances at Jon something about him setting me on edge he was staring Straight Ahead his face partially hidden in Shadow so what brings you out on a night like this I asked trying to to break the uncomfortable silence John Shrugged sometimes you got to do what you got to do you know I nodded though I didn't really

understand who chooses to hitchhike in the middle of a storm what about you he asked long drive yeah coming back from visiting family should have gotten a hotel for the night but I wanted to get home John hummed in response his eyes still fixed on the road ahead the rain seemed to be getting heavier if that was even possible I leaned forward squinting through the windshield crazy weather huh I said more to fill the silence than anything else yeah John replied his voice low perfect night for a drive though no one else on the road

something in his tone made my skin crawl I gripped the steering wheel tighter suddenly very aware of how isolated we were so where exactly is this next town I asked trying to keep my voice casual Jon shifted in his seat oh not too far now just keep driving straight I frowned we'd been on this road for a while now and I hadn't seen any signs for upcoming towns in fact I was starting to think we'd missed a turn somewhere are you sure I asked I don't remember the next town being this far JN turned to

look at me then and in the dim light of the dashboard I saw something in his eyes that made my blood run cold there was a hardness there a glint of something dangerous I said keep driving he said all pretense of friendliness gone from his voice my heart started racing I gripped the steering wheel so tight my Knuckles turned white look I think there's been a misunderstanding maybe I should just let you out here before I could finish I felt something press against my side I glanced down and saw the glint of a knife blade

keep driving JN said each word punctuated with Menace my mouth went dry I pressed down on the gas pedal my mind racing how had I gotten myself into this situation what did he want we drove intense silence for what felt like hours but was probably only minutes the rain continued to pour down isolating us in a bubble of fear and uncertainty turn right up here John Suddenly commanded I looked ahead and saw a small dirt road leading off into darkness my stomach dropped there was no way this led to a town please I said hating

how my voice shook just take my wallet my phone whatever you want you don't have to do this John laughed a harsh sound that sent chills down my spine oh but I do now turn with shaking hands I turned onto the dirt road the car bounced and slid in the mud the headlights barely cutting through the darkness ahead my mind raced trying to think of a way out could I crash the car jump out but with the knife at my side any sudden movement could be fatal stop here John said after we'd gone about a

mile down the road I brought the car to a stop the engine idling we were surrounded by dense Forest on both sides no signs of civilization in sight get out he ordered please I tried one last time you don't have to do this the pressure of the knife increased I said get out slowly I opened the door and stepped out into the rain it was coming down in sheets now soaking me to the bone in seconds JN got out on the other side the knife still pointed at me walk he said gesturing towards the woods

as I took my first step a plan started to form in my mind it was risky possibly suicidal but it was all I had we walked for what felt like miles the mud sucking at my shoes branches whipping at my face John stayed a few Paces behind me occasionally prodding me with the knife to keep moving finally we came to a small clearing John told me to stop turn around he said this was it my one chance as I turned I intended to slip in the mud I fell backwards my arms flailing in the Split

Second of confusion I kicked out hard catching Jon in the knee he yelled in pain and surprise the knife falling from his hand I scrambled to my feet and ran I ran like I'd never run before crashing through the underbrush branches tearing at my clothes and skin I could hear Jon behind me cursing and stumbling I had no idea where I was going just that I had to get away the rain made it hard to see hard to breathe but I didn't stop after what felt like hours but was probably only minutes I burst out

of the woods and onto a road by some miracle a car was approaching I waved my arms frantically probably looking like a madman the car slowed and I saw the concerned face of an elderly woman peering out at me please I gasped help me she must have seen the terror in my eyes because she unlocked the doors without hesitation I climbed in my hand shaking so badly I could barely close the door Drive I said please please just drive as we sped away I looked back at the woods for a moment I thought I saw

a figure standing at the edge of the tree line watching us go but then we turned a corner and it was gone the woman blesser drove me straight to the police station I gave my statement still shaking still soaked to the bone they never found John the woods were searched but there was no trace of him sometimes I wonder if he was ever real or if he was some manifestation of my worst fears brought to life by that dark stormy night but then I remember the cold press of the knife against my side the glint

in his eyes and I know it was all too real I don't drive at night anymore if I can help it and I never ever pick up hitchhikers some acts of kindness aren't worth the risk because sometimes the real monsters aren't hiding in the woods or under our beds sometimes they're sitting right next to us waiting for their moment to strike the first time I noticed something was off it was my favorite coffee mug I could have sworn I'd left it in the sink but there it was sitting on the kitchen counter clean and dry

I brushed it off as forgetfulness a side effect of my long hours at work but as the days went by more things started to feel wrong little did I know this was just the beginning of a nightmare that would turn my own home into a prison of fear and paranoia I'd been living in this apartment for about 6 months it was nothing fancy just a small one-bedroom in a quiet part of town the rent was cheap and the landlord Mr Keegan seemed nice enough he was an older guy probably in his 60s with thinning gray

hair and a Perpetual look of exhaustion on his face at first everything was normal I'd come home from work make dinner maybe watch some TV and go to bed but then things started to change it was subtle at first a book out of place here a chair moved slightly there I told myself I would was just being absent-minded too stressed from my job to remember where I put things but then I started noticing bigger things one day I came home to find my laptop open on the coffee table I always shut it down and put

it away before leaving for work another time I found wet Footprints leading from the bathroom to the front door footprints that were too big to be mine I started to feel uneasy in my own home I'd walk into a room and get the distinct feeling that someone had just been there the air would feel different somehow Disturbed I catch whiffs of unfamiliar cologne or hear the faintest echo of footsteps when I knew I was alone I considered talking to Mr Keegan about it but what would I say that I thought someone was sneaking into my

apartment to move my things around he' think I was crazy so I kept quiet and tried to convince myself that I was just being paranoid but then came the night that changed everything I woke up Suddenly my heart pounding something had pulled me from sleep but I couldn't didn't pinpoint what the digital clock on my nightstand read 3:17 a.m. as I lay there trying to calm my racing pulse I heard it the soft Creek of a floorboard in the living room I froze barely daring to breathe there it was again closer this time someone was

in my apartment Panic gripped me I reached for my phone ready to call 911 but my fingers froze over the keypad what if they heard me what if they came in here the footsteps stopped right outside my bedroom door I could see the shadow of feet in the Gap beneath it my whole body tensed waiting for the handle to turn but it didn't after what felt like an eternity the shadow moved away I heard more Creeks then the soft click of the front door closing I didn't move for hours too terrified to even check if

they were really gone when the first light of dawn started to creep through my curtains I Finally Found the courage to get up the apartment looked normal nothing was missing nothing was out of place if it weren't for the lingering scent of that unfamiliar cologne I might have convinced myself it was all a bad dream I called in sick to work that day I couldn't bear the thought of leaving my apartment unattended instead I went to the hardware store and bought new locks for my doors and windows I installed them all myself my hands shaking

the entire time that night I barely slept every little noise made made me jump I kept imagining I heard footsteps kept seeing shadows move out of the corner of my eye the next day exhausted and on edge I decided I needed proof I went out and bought a small security camera the kind you can hide easily I set it up in my living room angled to capture most of the apartment for days nothing happened the camera recorded hours of empty rooms and me going about my daily routine I started to think that maybe I had

imagined the whole thing that stress and lack of sleep had made me paranoid and then a week after I installed the camera it happened I was at work when I got the notification on my phone that the camera had detected movement with shaking hands I opened the app and watched the live feed there was someone in my apartment a man moving around my living room like he owned the place as he turned towards the camera I felt my blood run cold it was Mr Keegan I watched in horror as he casually walked through my home

picking things up and examining them he went into my bedroom staying there for far too long when he came out he was carrying one of my sweaters he held it to his face and inhaled deeply before putting it back I felt sick this couldn't be happening how long had this been going on how many times had he been in my home while I was away while I was sleeping I left work early my mind Reeling I didn't know what to do should I confront him call the police move out immediately when I got home everything

looked normal just like always but now I knew the truth I could almost see the ghost of Mr Keegan moving through my rooms touching my things invading my privacy I couldn't stay there I packed a bag and went to stay with a friend showing her the video footage and explaining everything she insisted we go to the police the officers took my statement and watched the video they seemed concerned but warned me that since Mr Keegan was the landlord and technically had the right to enter for maintenance it might be hard to prove Criminal Intent still

they agreed to investigate they interviewed Mr Keegan who apparently broke down and confessed almost immediately he'd been doing this for years he said to multiple tenants the police found evidence in his own apartment photographs stolen items detailed journals of his intrusions I never went back to that apartment I couldn't bear the thought of being in that space knowing what had happened there even after moving to a new place it took months before I could relax in my own home again sometimes I still wake up in the middle of the night certain I hear footsteps outside

my door I have to remind myself that it's over that I'm safe now but a part of me wonders if I'll ever truly feel secure again the experience taught me a harsh lesson about trust and privacy we like to think of our homes as sanctuaries as the one place where we can truly be ourselves but the truth is we're vulnerable Even in our most private spaces the locks on our doors can't always keep out the monsters especially when the monster has a key now I always check my security cameras before I go to bed I

have sensors on all my doors and windows some might call it paranoia but I call it self-preservation because I know firsthand that sometimes the greatest threats aren't strangers lurking in dark alleys sometimes they're The Familiar Faces we see every day hiding Sinister Secrets behind Friendly Smiles Mr Keegan is in prison now but I often wonder about his other victims how many lives did he invade how many people are out there feeling uneasy in their own homes not knowing why and how many other Mr keegans are out there holding keys to Apartments hiding behind the facade

of helpful landlords I don't have answers to these questions all I know is that I'll never take my privacy for granted again because once it's violated you realize just how precious and fragile it really is and no lock in the world can fully restore that sense of security once it's been shattered the moment I opened that suitcase I knew my life would never be the same stacks of crisp bills stared back at me more money than I'd ever seen in my life but as the pounding on my motel room door grew louder I realized that

finding a fortune might just cost me everything it had been a long day of driving I was on my way to start a new job in a new city leaving behind a failed relationship and a mountain of debt the cheap motel on the outskirts of town wasn't much but it was all I could afford for the night I remember thinking how quiet the place was as I pulled into the parking lot just a few cars scattered here and there their owners probably tucked away in their rooms for the night the neon vacancy sign flickered weakly

casting an eerie red glow over the cracked asphalt the night clerk barely looked up from his magazine as I checked in he slid a key across the counter an actual Metal Key not one of those electronic cards it felt heavy in my hand like it carried the weight of all the stories these walls had seen room 13 of course I lugged my duffel bag up the creaky stairs the smell of stale cigarettes and cheap air freshener assaulting my nose the key stuck in the lock and for a moment I thought I might be spending the

night in the hallway but with a final jiggle and a hard turn the door swung open the room was about what I expected faded wallpaper a sagging bed and a TV that looked like it had been around since the '90s but it was clean enough and at that point all I wanted was a shower and some sleep that's when I saw it a suitcase sitting innocuously by the window for a second I thought maybe I'd walked into the wrong room but no this was definitely 13 I approached it cautiously half expecting someone to jump out

and yelled that this was all some elaborate prank the suitcase was old scuffed black leather with tarnished assass fittings it looked like something out of a Noir film I should have called the front desk right then should have reported the mysterious luggage and asked for a different room but curiosity got the better of me I mean how often do you find a strange suitcase in your motel room the latches opened with a soft click I held my breath as I lifted the lid money Stacks and stacks of $100 bills neatly bound and filling the suitcase

to the brim my hands shook as I picked up one of the B bundles it felt real it smelled real this had to be millions of dollars my mind raced where had this come from was it some kind of mistake a drug deal gone wrong I should close it I thought close it and pretend I never saw it call the police maybe but then I thought about my maxed out credit cards the student loans hanging over my head the crappy apartment waiting for me in the city all I could afford on my new entry level

salary just as I was contemplating what this money could mean for my life I noticed something else a small envelope tucked into the lining of the suitcase with trembling fingers I opened it and pulled out a single sheet of paper the message was brief and chilling delivered a 1029 Cypress Avenue you have until 2: a.m. do not contact anyone we're watching I glanced at the clock on the nightstand 11:47 p.m. just over 2 hours my heart pounded in my chest this was insane I should call the cops right now but something stopped me fear sure

but also opportunity I looked at the money again my mind already calculating how much I could take without it being noticed just a little I thought just enough to pay off my debts they'd never know I was so lost in my thoughts that I almost missed the sound a soft knock at first then louder someone was at the door I froze the stolen bills still in my hand the knocking came again more insistent this time housekeeping a muffled voice called housekeeping at midnight no thank you I called back my voice cracking the knocking stopped but

I could sense someone still out there I tiptoed to the door and peered through the peephole a man stood in the hallway dressed in a motel uniform that seemed a size too small he was looking directly at the peephole a slight smirk on his face as I watched he reached into his pocket ET and pulled out something that made my blood run cold a gun I stumbled back from the door my mind reeling this was real this was happening I had to get out of here but how the only exit was the door and there

was an armed man on the other side the window I was on the second floor but maybe the decision was made for me as the door knob began to turn I hadn't even heard him picking the lock in a panic I grabbed the suitcase and ran to the window it was old and swollen with humidity but adrenaline gave me strength it flew open with a screech just as I heard the door behind me slam open I didn't think I just jumped the fall was both longer and shorter than I expected I hit the ground hard

the suitcase tumbling from my grasp pain shot through my ankle but I ignored it I could hear shouts from above the sound of running feet I scooped up the suitcase and ran my car was just a few spaces away if I could just make it a gunshot rang out the bullet pinging off the pavement near my feet I yeled and ran faster my injured ankle screaming in protest I reached my car fumbling with the keys another shot this one shattering my rear window I dove inside jammed the key into the ignition and peeled out of

the parking lot in my rearview mirror I could see two men running after me but they quickly fell behind I drove aimlessly taking random turns my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst from my chest after about about 20 minutes when I was sure I wasn't being followed I pulled into an empty parking lot my hands were shaking so badly I could barely turn off the engine what had I done what had I gotten myself into I looked at the suitcase sitting on the passenger seat In the Heat of the Moment I'd grabbed

it without thinking now I was stuck with it and whatever trouble came with it I checked my phone 12:43 a.m. a little over an hour until the deadline I had a choice to make I could go to the police tell them everything maybe they could protect me from whoever was after this money or I could make the delivery H that whoever was behind this would let me walk away or I looked at the suitcase again I could run take the money and disappear start a new life somewhere far away each option seemed impossible fraught with

danger but I had to decide the Clock Was ticking and I knew that somewhere out there someone was watching waiting with a deep breath I started the car whatever I decided I couldn't stay here as I pulled back onto the road the weight of the suitcase seemed to grow heavier i' wanted a fresh start a new beginning well I thought grimly be careful what you wish for the night stretched out before me full of possibilities and dangers and somewhere in the city was 10:29 Cypress Avenue a simple address that now held the key to my

fate I gripped the steering wheel Tighter and pressed down on the gas whatever happened next there was no going back now the quiet life I'd known was over all because of one night one room one mysterious suitcase and as the city lights blurred past my windows I couldn't help but wonder when this night was over would I be rich beyond my wildest dreams in jail or Worse only time would tell and time I knew all too well was quickly running out the first crack of thunder made me jump but it was the second sound a

low guttural moan that seemed to come from the very walls of the old barn that turned my blood to ice I'd sought Shelter From The Storm but as the Shadows around me began to move in ways Shadow shouldn't I realized I'd walked straight into a nightmare it had started as a simple camping trip a chance to clear my head after a messy breakup and the stress of losing my job just me my tent and The Great Outdoors I'd chosen a remote spot in the woods miles from the nearest town the perfect place to reconnect with

nature and forget about my problems for a while the first two days were exactly what I needed the fresh air the quiet the simple routine of gathering firewood and cooking over an open flame I felt more relaxed than I had in months but on the third day everything changed I woke to dark clouds rolling in the air heavy with the promise of rain I should have packed up then headed back to civilization but I convinced myself it was just a passing shower I could wait it out by midafternoon I knew I'd made a mistake the

wind picked up whipping through the trees with a fury that bent branches and sent leaves swirling the first drops of rain were fat and heavy quickly turning into a deluge that had me scrambling to secure my tent it was a losing battle within minutes my campsite was a soggy mess I needed to find better shelter and fast that's when I remembered the old barn I'd passed on my hike the day before it was about a mile away but it was my best option I grabbed my backpack stuffed in what Essentials I could and set off

through the worsening storm by the time I reached the barn I was soaked to the bone and shivering the structure loomed before me a dark silhouette against the gray sky it was larger than I remembered and in the Gloom of the storm it looked far more ominous than it had in the sunshine I hesitated at the entrance suddenly unsure there was something off about the place a Stillness that seemed unnatural even with the raging Storm around it another crack of thunder made the decision for me I ducked inside grateful for the reprieve from the rain

the interior was dim lit only by the occasional flash of lightning through the gaps in the wooden walls the air was thick with the smell of damp hay and something else something musty and unpleasant that I couldn't quite place I moved deeper into the barn my eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness Old Farm Equipment cast strange shadows and I could hear the scurrying of small animals in the corners but overall it seemed dry and secure a good place to wait out the storm I found a relatively clean patch of hay and sat down rumaging in

my backpack for a dry shirt that's when I heard it a sound so faint I thought I'd imagined it at first a whisper like someone exhaling a long slow breath I froze my hand still in my backpack hello I called out my voice sounding unnaturally loud in the empty Barn is someone there no response just the howling of the wind outside and the steady drumming of rain on the roof I shook my head laughing nervously at my own jumpiness of course no one was here it was just an old empty Barn in the middle of

nowhere I changed into my dry clothes and tried to get comfortable the storm showed no signs of letting up and I resigned myself to spending the night here it wasn't IDE deal but it was better than being out in that downpour as night fell the darkness in the barn became absolute my flashlight cast a weak beam that seemed to be swallowed up by the Shadows I kept it on a small circle of light that did little to dispel the growing sense of unease that was settling over me that's when the noises started at first it

was just creeks and groans old wood settling I told myself but then came sounds I couldn't explain away so easily scratching noises from the walls soft thuds from the hoft above and worst of all that whispering sound again closer now like someone was standing just beyond the reach of my flashlight I pulled my knees to my chest my eyes darting around wildly this wasn't right I shouldn't be here every Instinct was screaming at me to run storm or no storm but where would I go I was miles from anywhere in the middle of a forest

I barely knew in Pitch darkness and pouring rain a particularly a loud thud from above made me Yelp I swung my flashlight toward the sound and for a split second I thought I saw something move in the ha Loft a dark shape too big to be an animal ducking out of sight who's there I shouted my voice cracking with fear this isn't funny that's when the whispering started again but this time I could make out words join us it seemed to say the sound coming from everywhere and nowhere at once St with us I scrambled

to my feet my heart pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat this couldn't be happening I had to be dreaming or hallucinating or a hand touched my shoulder I screamed spinning around and Swinging my flashlight like a weapon the beam caught something a face pale and gaunt with eyes that reflected the light like an animals it grinned at me revealing teeth that were far too sharp to be human I ran I didn't think didn't plan just ran blindly toward where I thought the door was I could hear movement All Around Me Now

the rustling of hay and the creaking of floorboards as unseen things gave Chase I slammed into the barn door with enough Force to knock the wind out of me fumbling with the latch in panic it wouldn't budge I was trapped hands grabbed at me from behind Cold and strong I thrashed and kicked somehow Breaking Free in desperation I threw myself at one of the walls where I'd seen gaps in the planks the old wood gave way with a splintering crack and suddenly I was outside rain lashing at my face I didn't stop to see if

I was being followed I just ran stumbling Through The Dark Forest branches whipping at my face and arms I ran until my lungs burned and my legs felt like jelly when I finally stopped gasping for breath I realized I had no idea where I was the Storm still raged around me but it was preferable to what I'd left behind in that Barn as the adrenaline faded the reality of my situation sank in I was lost in the woods in the middle of a storm with no supplies and no idea which way to go but even

that seemed better than going back I started walking picking a direction at random and hoping it would lead me to a road a house anything as I trudged through the rain my mind kept replaying what I'd seen in the barn it couldn't have been real maybe I'd eaten some bad berries or hit my head or a distant sound made me stop in my tracks was that a car engine hope surged through me I changed Direction moving as fast as I could toward the sound after what felt like hours but was probably only minutes I burst

out of the tree line onto a road headlights appeared in the distance I waved my arms frantically praying they'd see me the car slowed then stopped an older couple peered out at me concern evident on their faces are you all right son the man asked as I approached I opened my mouth to explain but how could I how could I tell them about the horrors in the barn without sounding completely insane I I got lost I managed to say can you help me get to town they were kind enough to give me a ride as

we drove away I kept looking back half expecting to see pale faces and sharp toothed grins in the rearview mirror but there was nothing but darkness and rain I never went camping again after that night sometimes when the wind howls just right I can still hear those Whispers join us they say stay with us and I know with a certainty that chills me to my core that's somewhere out there in a forest I'll never visit again there's an Old Barn waiting waiting for the next unsuspecting soul to seek Shelter From The Storm the moment I

realized Sarah was gone I felt like I'd been plunged into an icy lake one second she was there sitting next to me in the passenger seat and the next nothing just an empty space where a person should have been it was as if the Rainy Night had reached into my car and swallowed her ho leaving me alone with a mystery that would haunt me for years to come it had been a long day at the office the kind where the fluorescent light seemed to drain your soul and the clock on the wall mocks you with

its slow ticking I was the last one out as usual locking up just as the storm clouds rolled in that's when I saw Sarah huddled under the building's awning clutching her jacket tight around her I knew her vaguely she worked in accounting two floors below me we'd exchanged pleasantries in the elevator a few times but that was about it need a ride I called out already feeling raindrops on my face she looked relieved are you sure I don't want to impose I waved off her concern it's no trouble where do you live as it turned

out her apartment was on my way home we dashed to my car the rain already coming down in sheets once inside I turned up the heat noticing how she shivered slightly in her damp clothes thanks again she said offering a small smile I usually take the bus but with this weather no problem I replied pulling out of the parking lot I'm Tom by the way I don't think we've ever properly introduced ourselves Sarah she said though I already knew her name nice to finally meet you Tom we fell into easy conversation as I navigated the

rain slicked Street streets Sarah was funny and quick witted and I found myself enjoying her company more than I expected we talked about work our weekend plans the latest office gossip it felt nice normal the rain was getting heavier making it hard to see more than a few feet ahead I leaned forward squinting through the windshield wipers working overtime this is crazy I muttered I can barely see the road maybe we should pull over Sarah suggested a note of concern in her voice I shook my head we're almost to your place just a few more

minutes I glanced over at her offering what I hoped was a reassuring smile she smiled back but there was tension around her eyes that was the last time I saw her I turned my attention back to the road focusing on not hydroplaning in the Deep puddles that were forming the rhythmic swish of the wipers and the drumming of rain on the roof filled the car so any big plans this weekend I asked trying to lighten the mood no response Sarah I turned to look at her again and my heart nearly stopped the passenger seat was

empty I slammed on the brakes the car fishtailing slightly before coming to a stop for a long moment I just sat there staring at the vacant seat trying to process what I was seeing or rather what I wasn't seeing Sarah I called out again louder this time maybe she'd somehow slipped into the back seat but no that was empty too I got out of the car rain immediately soaking through my clothes Sarah I yelled my voice barely audible over the storm there was no sign of her anywhere my mind raced had she jumped out of

the car but why and how hadn't I noticed the door hadn't opened I would have felt the rush of wind and rain and we'd been going at least 40 mph if she'd somehow fallen out she'd be seriously injured I walked up and down the street calling her name peering into the darkness but there was nothing just empty sidewalks in the Relentless rain after what felt like hours but was probably only minutes I got back in the car shaking from both cold and shock I sat there water dripping from my hair trying to make sense of

what had happened had I imagined her no that was impossible we'd had a whole conversation I could still smell her perfume in the car I drove home in a days my mind replaying every moment of the drive by the time I reached my apartment I'd convinced myself that I must have dropped her off and somehow forgotten about it stress and fatigue can do strange things to a person's memory right but when I checked my phone there were no messages from Sarah thanking me for the ride and when I got to work on Monday ready to

apologize for my apparent lapse in memory I was met with confused looks Sarah from accounting the receptionist said frowning we don't have anyone by that name working here I felt like I was losing my mind I described Sarah her dark hair her green eyes the little scar on her left hand but no one seemed to know who I was talking about I went down to the accounting department thinking maybe there had been some misunderstanding but as I walked through the office I realized I didn't recognize anyone there faces I thought I knew suddenly seemed unfamiliar

can I help you a woman asked noticing my confused wandering I'm looking for Sarah I said my voice sounding strange to my own ears she works here in account the woman shook her head I'm sorry there's no Sarah in this department are you sure you have the right floor I mumbled an apology and left my head spinning back at my desk I tried to focus on work but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong during my lunch break I decided to do some digging I searched the company directory social media even local

news articles there was no trace of Sarah anywhere as the days turned into weeks I became obsessed with finding her I retraced our drive that night countless times always in the rain hoping to recreate the conditions I put up Flyers with her description much to the concern of my co-workers who were starting to worry about my mental state I even went to the police but without a last name or any proof that Sarah had ever existed they couldn't do much the detective listened to my story with a mixture of skepticism and pity look Mr Thompson

he said gently sometimes our minds play tricks on us especially in stressful situations are you sure you didn't just imagine this woman but I knew I hadn't imagined her the memory of our conversation was too Vivid too real the way she laughed at my lame jokes the slight crinkle around her eyes when she smiled these weren't things you could invent months passed and slowly life began to return to normal or at least a new kind of normal I still thought about Sarah every day but the intensity of my search faded I had to accept that

I might never know what happened that rainy night and then exactly one year later it happened again I was driving home from work another late night another rainstorm as I stopped at a red light I glanced over at the passenger seat out of habit my heart nearly stopped Sarah was sitting there looking exactly as she had that night a year ago she turned to me a sad smile on her face hello Tom she said Softly I'm sorry I disappeared on you like that I couldn't speak couldn't move I just stared at her afraid that if

I blinked she'd vanish again I know you have questions she continued but I can't answer them I'm not even sure I understand it myself all I know is that sometimes on rainy nights like this I exist and sometimes I don't the light turned green but I didn't move cars behind me started honking you have to let me go Tom Sarah said her form already starting to fade for both our sakes just remember not everything in this world can be explained some Mysteries are meant to remain unsolved and with that she was gone again I sat

there oblivious to the angry horns behind me tears mixing with the rain on my face part of me wanted to start searching again to prove to myself and everyone else that I wasn't crazy but a larger part knew that Sarah was right some things can't be explained can't be solved as I finally drove home I felt a weight lift from my shoulders the mystery of Sarah would always be a part of me a reminder that the world is stranger and more wonderful than we can imagine and on rainy nights I'd always keep an eye on

my passenger seat just in case because you never know when someone might appear or disappear right before your eyes the moment I realized I wasn't alone in that Park every horror movie I'd ever watched flashed through my mind the rhythmic sound of my feet hitting the pavement was joined by another set of footsteps perfectly in sync with mine but always just out of sight as the Shadows grew longer and my heart raced faster I knew this late night run was about to turn into a nightmare I might not Escape it had started as a normal

Tuesday work was stressful as usual and by the time I got home I was a bundle of nerves and pent up energy a run always helped clear my head so I laced up my shoes and headed to Oakwood Park just a few blocks from my apartment the park was different at night The Familiar playground and picnic areas took on an eerie quality in the dim glow of the scattered street lights but I'd run here countless times before and the Solitude was part of the appeal just me the sound of my breathing and the gentle rustle

of leaves in the evening Breeze I started my usual route a winding path that looped around the parks perimeter the first lap was uneventful I focused on my breathing feeling the day's tension start to melt away with each step by the second lap I had fallen into a comfortable Rhythm that's when I first noticed it a sound just on the edge of my hearing almost imperceptible at first I thought it was just an echo of my own footsteps bouncing off the trees but as I rounded a Bend I realized it was something else another set

of footfalls perfectly matching my pace I glanced over my shoulder expecting to see another late night Runner but the path behind me was empty a chill ran down my spine despite the warmth of the evening I picked up my Pace slightly telling myself I was being ridiculous it was probably just an animal in the underbrush or maybe my imagination playing tricks on me but the sound persisted always behind me always in perfect sync with my own steps I tried varying my speed even stopping a abruptly at one point each time the Phantom footsteps adjusted maintaining

that Eerie synchronization my heart was pounding now and not just from the exertion I felt exposed vulnerable the park that had always been my refuge suddenly felt like a trap the trees that lined the path seemed to loom over me their branches reaching out like gnarled fingers I decided to cut my run short and head back to the park entrance as I turned onto the main path I caught a flicker of movement in my peripheral vision a dark shape just ducking behind a tree hello I called out my voice sounding unnaturally loud in the quiet

Park is someone there no response just the distant hum of traffic and the soft rustling of leaves I started walking briskly towards the exit fighting the urge to break into a Sprint running would make me look like prey I thought better to stay calm and alert the footsteps behind me quickened to match my new pace they sounded closer now no longer trying to hide their presence I could hear the crunch of gravel the soft thud of feet on grass I couldn't help it I ran I sprinted down the path my breath coming in ragged gasps

the footsteps behind me broke into a run as well growing louder closer I chanced another look over my shoulder and saw a figure emerging from the Shadows tall unnaturally thin moving with a fluid Grace that seemed almost inhuman I pushed harder my legs burning with the effort the park entrance was just ahead the street lights of the main road a beacon of safety just a little further something caught my foot and I went sprawling onto the path pain shot through my hands and knees as they scraped against the gravel I scrambled to get up certain

that at any moment I would feel hands grabbing me pulling me back into the darkness but when I turned around there was nothing there no shadowy figure no sound of footsteps just the empty path stretching back into the dimly lit Park I didn't wait to see if my pursuer would reappear I limped as fast as I could to the park entrance not stopping until I was under the bright lights of the Main Street only then did I pause to catch my breath my hands on my knees as I gulped in air a couple walking their

dog gave me a concerned look as they passed I must have been quite a sight sweaty wide-eyed with bloody palms and torn running clothes are you okay the woman asked asked taking a step towards me I nodded not trusting my voice just yet they lingered for a moment clearly unsure whether to believe me before continuing on their way as my breathing slowed and the adrenaline began to fade I started to doubt myself had there really been someone following me or had I let my imagination run wild turning normal nighttime Park sounds into something sinister I

looked back at the park entrance everything seemed peaceful now no shadowy figures no Phantom footsteps just a quiet empty park at night shaking my head I turned to walk home I'd barely gone a block when I heard it again footsteps matching my Pace exactly coming from just behind me I Whirled around ready to confront whoever or whatever had been stalking me but the sidewalk was empty the sound stopped the moment I did a car drove by its headlights sweeping across the street for just a split second I saw something that made my blood run cold

a shadow cast on the sidewalk beside me a shadow that didn't match my own I ran all the way home not daring to look back again I slammed my apartment door shut behind me locking it with shaking hands only when I was safely inside did I allow myself to break down sliding to the floor as sobs racked my body what had happened in that Park who or what had been following me the rational part of my brain tried to come up with explanations stress induced hallucinations an overactive imagination fueled by too many late night horror

movies maybe even some prankster getting their kicks by scaring Runners but deep down I knew none of those explanations fit what I had experienced was something else something that didn't belong in the World As I understood it I didn't sleep that night every Creek of the floorboards every rustle of the curtains in the breeze made me jump I kept expecting to hear those footsteps outside my door to see that impossibly tall thin figure looming in my bedroom doorway morning came and with it a semblance of normaly in the harsh light of day my experience in

the park seemed almost laughable I went to work trying to push the memories of the previous night to the back of my mind but as evening approached I felt that familiar dread creeping back in the thought of going home of being alone in my apartment as Darkness fell was unbearable I stayed late at the the office long after everyone else had gone home when I finally left I took a taxi instead of walking even though my apartment was only a few blocks away as we drove past Oakwood Park I found myself staring out the window

scanning the Shadows between the trees for a moment I thought I saw something a flash of movement a figure standing unnaturally still among the bushes the taxi driver must have noticed my unease everything okay back there he asked meeting my eyes in the rearview mirror I tore my gaze away from the Park yeah I said trying to sound more confident than I felt everything's fine but I knew it wasn't because as we drove away I could have sworn I saw that figure step out onto the path and even though we were moving even though it

was impossible I heard it footsteps perfectly in sync with the motion of the car following me home I haven't been back to Oakwood Park since that night I've changed my running route sticking to well-lit streets and populated areas but sometimes when I'm walking home late or lying awake in the dark I hear it that soft steady rhythm of footsteps always just out of sight and I wonder are they getting closer the scratching at the window was so faint at first I thought it was just the wind but as the sound grew more insistent a chill

ran down my spine I was miles from civilization alone in a cabin I'd rented for a peaceful getaway yet something was out there in the darkness trying to get in and as I would soon discover this was only the beginning of a nightmare that would push me to the brink of Sanity i' booked the cabin on a whim desperate for an escape from the chaos of city life and the pressure of my high stress job the listing had promised seclusion and Tranquility nestled deep in the woods with no neighbors for miles it sounded perfect the

drive up had been beautiful winding through dense forests and alongside Crystal Clear streams as I pulled up to the cabin I felt a weight lift from my shoulders the place was Charming if a bit rustic a small two-story log structure with a wide porch and large Windows overlooking the surrounding Wilderness the first day was everything I'd hoped for I hiked the nearby Trails breathed in the crisp Mountain a and spent the evening curled up by the fireplace with a good book The Silence was profound broken only by the occasional call of a distant bird or

the rustle of leaves in the breeze it wasn't until the second night that things started to feel off I'd gone to bed early lulled by the peace and quiet but sometime in the dead of night I jolted awake my heart pounding for a moment I couldn't pinpoint what had Disturbed me then I heard it footsteps slow and deliberate circling the cabin I lay there barely breathing straining my ears the footsteps completed a circuit around the house then paused a long moment of silence followed broken Suddenly by a sharp tap on my bedroom window I nearly

leapt out of my skin the rational part of my brain tried to come up with explanations it was probably just a branch blown by the wind or maybe some nocturnal animal but as I listened I heard it again tap tap tap too rhythmic too intentional to be anything but a person hello I called out my voice embarrassingly shaky is someone there no response just more tapping growing more insistent I reached for my phone ready to call for help only to remember with a sinking feeling that there was no cell service out here the cabin had

a landline for emergencies but it was downstairs in the living room Gathering my courage I slipped out of bed and crept to the window with trembling hands I pulled back the curtain just to crack at first I saw nothing but Darkness then a movement caught caught my eye a figure standing at the edge of the woods barely visible in the dim Moonlight as I watched it raised a hand and waved slowly as if it knew I was looking I let the curtain fall back into place my mind reeling this couldn't be happening I was alone

out here miles from the nearest town how could someone else be here the tapping started again this time at the living room window downstairs I had to get to that phone taking a deep breath I crept out of the bedroom and down the stairs wincing at every Creek of the old wooden floorboards the living room was dark lit only by slivers of moonlight peeking through the curtains I made it to the phone and picked up the receiver nearly sobbing with relief when I heard a dial tone my fingers shook as I dialed 9911 911 what's

your emergency there's someone outside my cabin I whispered afraid the Intruder might hear me they're trying to get in I need help okay stay calm what's your location I froze in my Panic I'd forgotten the exact address of the rental cabin I I don't know the exact address it's a rental out in the woods maybe 20 mi north of pine grve there was a pause on the other end of the line sir we're going to need more information than that to send help are you in immediate danger before I could answer a loud thud came

from the front door like someone had thrown their whole body against it I dropped the phone Terror coursing through me the thuing continued the old wooden door groaning under the assault I looked around wildly for a weapon anything to defend myself my eyes landed on the fireplace poker just as I grabbed it the door burst open with a sickening crack and there silhouetted in the doorway was the figure I'd seen in the woods it was tall impossibly tall its limbs too long and thin to be human as it duck to enter the cabin I caught

a glimpse of its face in the Moonlight my blood ran cold where there should have than eyes there were only dark empty sockets I scrambled backwards the poker held out in front of me like a sword stay back I yelled my voice cracking with fear the creature tilted its head regarding me with those empty eye sockets then to my horror it spoke its voice was like dry leaves rustling barely above a whisper we've been waiting for you it said for so long we I managed to choke out as if in answer more figures appeared in

the doorway behind the first three four five of them all with the same elongated Limbs and Eyeless faces they began to advance into the room moving with an unnatural Grace I swung the poker wildly but it passed right through the nearest creature as if it were made of smoke in that moment I realized that whatever these things were they weren't physical beings they were something else something not of this world I ran up the the stairs into the bedroom slamming the door behind me I pushed the heavy Oak dresser in front of it knowing even

as I did so that it was feudal these things didn't need doors sure enough they began to seep into the room passing through the walls as if they were no more substantial than Mist they surrounded me their eyeless gazes boring into me what do you want I cried pressing myself against the wall to show you the first one said to open your eyes it reached out a long spindly hand towards my face I tried to pull away but I was frozen in place unable to move as its cold fingers touched my forehead the world around

me began to shift and warp the walls of the cabin melted away replaced by swirling Cosmic Vistas I saw impossible geometries heard sounds that no human ear was meant to hear in that moment I understood these beings weren't evil weren't here to harm me they were Messengers guardians of some greater truth that lay just beyond the veil of our reality they showed me wonders and Horrors Beyond imagination the birth and death of universes the grand Cosmic dance of creation and destruction I saw my own life my own death played out across the tapestry of time

when I came back to myself I was lying on the floor of the bedroom sunlight was streaming Through the Windows and birds were chirping outside the creatures were gone leaving no trace of their presence I staggered to my feet my mind reeling from what I'd experienced had it all been a dream a hallucination brought on by stress and isolation but as I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror I knew it had been real my hair had turned stark white and in my eyes I could see The Echoes of the cosmic vastness I'd witnessed

I left the cabin that day driving back to the city in a days I tried to tell others what had happened but the words always fell short how could I describe the indescribable in the years since I've never been able to shake the memory of that night sometimes when I'm alone in the dark I hear those footsteps again circling and part of me God help me longs to see those eyeless faces once more to peer again Beyond the Veil of our limited reality because once you've glimpsed the true nature of the universe how can you

ever be content with the mundane again I know that there's still out there waiting and someday I think I might just go back to that Cabin in the Woods to see what other truths they have to show me the first time I heard the Footsteps in the attic I dismissed them as the house settling but when I found the half-eaten sandwich on the dusty floor I knew with chilling certainty that I wasn't alone someone or something was living above my head and I was about to uncover a secret that would turn my quiet housesitting gig

into a waking nightmare it was supposed to be an easy job my parents Friends The Millers were going on a month-long european vacation and they needed someone to watch their sprawling Victorian home as a broke college student home for the summer I jumped at the chance a whole month in a beautiful house with nothing to do but water the plants and collect the mail it seemed too good to be true the first week was uneventful I spent my days lounging by the pool binge watching shows on their massive TV and relishing the solitude the house

was old but well-maintained full of antique furniture and curious knickknacks I found myself wandering from room to room Imagining the stories behind each object it was during one of these Explorations that I first noticed the attic door it was tucked away at the end of a second floor hallway almost hidden behind a large armoire I tried the handle but it was locked I made a mental note to ask the Millers about it when they returned assuming it was just storage space that night I woke to a strange sound a soft thud followed by what sounded

like footsteps directly above my bedroom I lay there heart pounding straining my ears the footsteps moved across the ceiling then stopped silence fell broken only by the ticking of the antique clock in the hallway I told myself it was just the old house creaking or maybe a raccoon had found its way into the attic but a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach told me it was something else the next day I searched the house for the key to the the attic door I told myself I was just being thorough checking all areas of

the house as a responsible hous sitter should but deep down I knew I was looking for answers to the mysterious sounds I found the key in Mr Miller's desk drawer a large old-fashion thing that looked like it belonged in a Gothic novel with shaking hands I returned to the attic door the key slid in smoothly and with a turn the lock clicked open the door creaked as I pushed it open revealing a narrow staircase leading up into Into Darkness I flicked the light switch but nothing happened of course I thought why would it be that

easy using my phone as a flashlight I began to climb the stairs each step groaned under my weight and I winced at the noise irrationally afraid of alerting something the attic was a large open space filled with the usual clutter of Forgotten belongings and dust covered Furniture Moonlight filtered through a small round window casting Long Shadows across the floor I swept my phones light around heart racing as I searched for any sign of an intruder that's when I saw it a makeshift bed tucked into a corner made from old blankets and what looked like seat

cushions from a long discarded couch beside it was a pile of food wrappers and empty water bottles and there on a rickety side table was a half-eaten sandwich I stumbled backward nearly falling down the stairs in my haste to get out I slammed the attic door shut fumbling with the key to lock it again my mind was reeling someone one was living in the Attic how long had they been there did the Millers know I ran to my room grabbed my phone and dialed the Millers emergency contact number with trembling fingers it went straight to

voicemail of course they were probably on a plane or in some remote part of Europe with no reception I paced the room debating what to do call the police but what if I was overreacting what if it was just a homeless person who had found a safe place to sleep I didn't want to cause trouble if it wasn't necessary I decided to wait until morning I'd go up to the attic again in daylight maybe leave a note explaining that I knew someone was there and asking them to leave it wasn't the bravest plan but it

felt safer than confronting them directly sleep was impossible that night every Creek every gust of wind against the windows had me sitting bolt upright in bed I kept imagining someone creeping down the attic stairs making their way to my room when Dawn finally broke I was exhausted but determined I wrote an note explaining that I was housesitting that I knew someone was in the attic and asking them to please leave I promised not to call the police if they went quietly armed with the note and a kitchen knife just in case I made my way

back to the attic the Morning Light made it less intimidating but my heart was still racing as I climbed the stairs the attic looked different in daylight dust Moes danced in the Sunbeam streaming through the small window the makeshift bed was still there but something felt off it took me a moment to realize what it was everything was neat too neat the bed was made the trash was gone and there was no sign of the half-eaten sandwich had they left already or were they just very tidy squatters I placed the note on the bed and

turned to leave that's when I heard it a soft shuffling sound coming from behind a large wardrobe in the corner I froze the knife clutched tightly in my sweating Palm hello I called out my voice embarrassingly shaky I know know you're there please I don't want any trouble just come out and we can talk about this silence then slowly the Wardrobe door began to open I raised the knife prepared to defend myself but what emerged from the Wardrobe wasn't a person at all it was I don't even know how to describe it a creature about

the size of a large dog but with too many legs its skin was a pale sickly color and where its face should have been there was just a mass of writhing tentacles I screamed I couldn't help it the creature made a high-pitched Keening noise in response and scuttled towards me with alarming speed I turned and ran taking the attic stairs two at a time not caring about the thunderous noise I was making I burst out of the attic and slammed the door shut fumbling with the key I could hear the creature on the other side

its many legs scrabbling against the wood the lock finally turned and I backed away still clutching the knife my mind was spinning what was that thing how long had it been up there and most importantly how was I going to get rid of it I spent the rest of the day in a panic alternating between pacing the house and sitting in terrified silence straining to hear any sound from the attic I tried calling the Millers again and again got no answer I thought about calling the police but what would I tell them that there was

a tentacle monster in the Attic they'd think I was insane or on drugs as night fell the noises from the attic grew louder thumps and scratches and that awful Keening sound I huddled in the living room every light in the house blazing the TV on loud to drown out the sounds from above around midnight the noises stopped abruptly the sudden silence was almost worse than the sounds had been I sat there hardly daring to breathe waiting for what would happen next then I heard it the unmistakable sound of the attic door opening I gripped the

knife tighter my eyes fixed on the hallway leading to the stairs slow dragging footsteps made their way down the steps a shadow appeared on the wall grotesquely elongated and misshapen and then it was there in the doorway of the living room in the bright light it looked even more horrifying than it had in the Attic its pale skin glistened wetly and its tentacles wried ceaselessly but the most terrifying thing was its eyes dozens of them spread across its body all fixed on me with an unsettling int intelligence we stared at each other for what felt

like an eternity then to my utter shock it spoke not with words but directly into my mind thank you it said its mental voice surprisingly gentle for not calling others for giving me a chance to explain I couldn't respond I was too terrified too confused I mean you no harm it continued I am lost far from home I found safety here in this quiet place but now I must go others will come looking soon before I could process what was happening the creature turned and moved with surprising Grace towards the front door it opened the

door with one of its many Limbs and paused on the threshold forget it said turning its many eyes towards me one last time for your own peace forget what you've seen and then it was gone melting into the darkness outside I'd like to say I did forget that I went on with my life as if nothing had happened but how do you forget something like that how do you go back to normal after you've seen proof that the world is so much stranger so much more terrifying and wondrous than you ever imagined I never told

the Millers what happened never told anyone until now but sometimes on quiet nights I find myself looking up at the stars and wondering are they out there those strange tled beings and will they ever return to the quiet attic where for a brief time one of them found found Refuge I don't know the answers but I do know one thing I'll never look at an attic the same way again the first time I noticed the car I thought nothing of it just another vehicle in the parking lot unremarkable in every way but as the nights

wore on and it remained there always in the same spot always occupied a chill began to creep up my spine little did I know that seemingly innocuous car was about to turn my quiet night shift into a terrifying game of cat and mouse I've been working the graveyard shift at Meadow Brook Office Park for about 6 months it wasn't a glamorous job but it paid the bills and gave me plenty of time to work on my writing the massive complex was eerily quiet at night just the hum of fluorescent lights and the occasional wor of

the cleaning crews equipment to keep me company my routine was simple clock in at 11:00 p.m. make my rounds every hour and spend the time in between at the security desk alternating between watching the cameras and pecking away at my laptop it was mind numbingly boring most nights but I preferred it that way excitement in this line of work usually meant trouble the car first appeared on a Tuesday a non-descript sedan dark blue or maybe black it was hard to tell under the orange glow of the parking lot lights I noticed it on my 2

a.m. round parked in the far corner of the lot the windows were tinted but I could make out the silhouette of someone sitting in the driver's seat I made a note of it in my log but didn't think much more about it probably just someone taking a break on a long drive or maybe a couple looking for some privacy as long as they weren't causing trouble it wasn't my problem but the next night it was there again same spot same silhouette behind the wheel I frowned as I noted it in the log for the second

night in a row coincidence I told myself nothing to worry about by the fifth night I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off the car was always there always occupied always still I never saw it arrive or leave it was as if it materialized out of thin air each night bringing its mysterious occupant with it I debated calling the police but what would I tell them that I was spooked by a parked car they'd laugh me off the phone besides technically the vehicle wasn't doing anything wrong public parking lot no signs prohibiting overnight stays

on the seventh night things changed I was at my desk engrossed in a particularly tricky scene in my novel when movement on one of the security monitors caught my eye the car was moving slowly cruising through the parking lot it made a complete circuit before returning to its usual spot my heart was pounding as I watched the figure in the driver's seat for the first time they moved turning their head to look directly at the camera a chill ran down my spine there was no way they could know where the cameras were unless they'd been

studying the lot studying us I picked up the phone my hand hovering over the keypad but before I could dial the figure in the car raised their hand and waved not a friendly wave but a slow deliberate movement a message they knew I was watching I slammed the phone down and stood up so fast my chair toppled over this was too much I needed to confront this person find out what they wanted armed with nothing but my flashlight and a tenuous grasp on my courage I headed for the parking lot the night air was cool

on my face as I stepped outside a stark contrast to the sweat beating on my forehead the parking lot stretched out before me a sea of Shadows and reflected Moonlight and there in its usual spot sat the car I approached slowly my footsteps sounding unnaturally loud in the quiet night as I got closer I could see the figure more clearly a man I thought though it was hard to be sure he sat perfectly still facing forward showing no reaction to my Approach when I was about 10 ft away I stopped excuse me I called out

my voice shakier than I'd like this is private property I'm going to have to ask you to leave no response no movement it was as if I was talking to a statue I took another step forward my flashlight beam landing on the driver's side window sir can you hear me you need to the engine roared to life so suddenly I nearly jumped out of my skin the car's headlights flicked on on momentarily blinding me by the time my vision cleared the vehicle was already moving peeling out of the parking spot with a screech of tires

I watched dumbfounded As It sped towards the exit just before it turned onto the main road the car slowed the driver's window rolled down and for a brief moment I caught a glimpse of the man inside he turned to look at me and even from a distance I could see the wide unsettling grin on his face then he was gone the tail lights disappearing into the night I stood there for a long time my heart racing trying to process what had just happened when I finally went back inside I filled out an incident report with

shaking hands I knew how it would sound paranoid security guard spooked by a parked car but I had to document it something about that grin that deliberate wave at the camera told me this wasn't over I was right the next night the car wasn't there I felt a mix of relief and unease as I made my round rounds had he finally moved on or was this just the Calm before the storm I got my answer at 3:00 a.m. I was checking the cameras when I saw it the now familiar sedan pulling into the lot but

this time it didn't stop at its usual spot it kept driving circling the building slowly round and round it went like a shark circling its prey I watched transfixed as it completed its third Loop then without warning it turned heading straight for the main entrance of the building my building where I sat alone and increasingly terrified I scrambled to lock down the building my fingers fumbling with the security system controls just as I hit the final button I heard it the squeal of tires on pavement followed by the sickening crunch of metal on metal he

had rammed the front doors alarms blared as I grabbed my phone finally making the call I should have made days ago 911 what's your emergency there's someone trying to break into Meadowbrook Office Park I shouted over the noise he's rammed his car into the building please send someone quickly I could hear the car's engine revving the sound of the man trying to dislodge his vehicle from the mangled doors any second now he'd break through sir stay calm officers are on their way are you in a safe location safe was anywhere safe from this madman I'm

in the security office I said but I don't think another crash cut me off he was through the doors he's inside I whispered into the phone oh God he's inside the building I could hear footsteps now slow and deliberate echoing through the empty Halls the power had cut out when he hit the building and the emergency lights cast long shifting Shadows every corner every doorway could be hiding my stalker sir sir are you there the 911 operator's voice sounded tinny and far away I ended the call and turned off my phone I needed to hide

to be as quiet as possible the footsteps were getting closer there was a storage closet behind my desk I slipped inside closing the door as Softly As I could the space was tight filled with cleaning supplies and spare computer parts I crouched down trying to make myself as small as possible the footsteps entered the security office I held my breath afraid that even the sound of my breathing might give me away through a crack in the door I could see a sliver of the room a shadow passed by pausing at my desk oh security guard

a sing song voice called out where are you hiding I pressed my hand against my mouth stifling a whimper the voice was filled with a horrible Glee like this was all some Twisted game come out come out wherever you are he continued don't you want to know why I've been watching you all this time I didn't move didn't breathe the shadow moved again and I caught a glimpse of the man for the first time in full light he was ordinary looking which somehow made him even more terrifying this wasn't some movie monster this was just

a man a man with a wide manic grin and eyes that gleamed with malice he was standing right in front of the closet now surely he could hear my heart pounding it seemed to Echo in the small space a drum beating out my Terror his hand reached for the doorknob in the distance I heard heard sirens the Cavalry was coming but would they be in time the doorknob began to turn I closed my eyes waiting for the inevitable but then the sirens grew louder much louder the man paused well he said his voice now tight

with anger looks like our game will have to wait for another night the shadow moved away I heard rapid footsteps then the Screech of tires by the time the police burst into the office the man was long gone they found me still crouched in that closet shaking and unable to speak it took hours of questioning before I could tell them everything about the car the nightly vigils the chase they promised to investigate to find the man who had terrorized me but they never did the car was found abandoned a few miles away wiped clean of

prints the man had vanished into the night I quit my job the next day found a new apartment in a new city but no matter where I go I can't shake the feeling that someday I'll look out my window and see that car car waiting watching ready to resume our Twisted game of cat and mouse every night I check my locks every night I peer out into the darkness and every night I wonder is this the night he comes back for me the moment I saw his thumb jutting out from the side of the desolate

highway I knew I should have kept driving but something in his stance the defeated slump of his shoulders made me slow down little did I know that simple act of kindness would spiral into a nightmare that would haunt me for years to come I'd been on the road for hours making my way across the sunbaked landscape of the American southwest the unchanging scenery of scrub brush and distant maces had lulled me into a sort of Trance my mind wandering as the miles ticked by on my odometer The Hitchhiker appeared like a mirage shimmering in the

heat Haze on the horizon as I got closer he came into Focus a man in his mid-30s I guessed with sun weathered skin and clothes that had seen better days he looked harmless enough just another traveler down on his luck I slowed to a stop rolling down my passenger side window the blast of hot air that rushed in made me wince where you headed I called out he jogged over a grateful smile spreading across his face Anywhere But Here friend just trying to get to the next town I hesitated for a moment you years of

warnings about the dangers of picking up strangers flashing through my mind but the oppressive heat made the decision for me I couldn't leave him out here to bake in the sun hop in I said reaching over to unlock the door he tossed a beat up backpack into the back seat and slid into the passenger seat with a sigh of relief thanks man you're a lifesaver I'm Mike he said extending a hand I shook it noting the roughness of his palm Tom nice to meet you as we pulled back onto the empty highway I stole another

glance at my new companion up close I could see the weariness etched into the lines around his eyes the way his gaze darted nervously around the car so what brings you out to the middle of nowhere I asked trying to break the awkward silence Mike chuckled but there was no humor in it long story friend let's just say I'm trying to make a fresh start I nodded not wanting to pry we all had our secrets after all for the next hour we made small talk Mike was surprisingly well spoken for someone who looked like he'd

been living rough he asked about my job my family where I was headed I found myself opening up more than I usually would to a stranger something about his easy manner putting me at ease as the sun began to dip towards the horizon painting the sky in brilliant oranges and pinks I noticed Mike growing more agitated his responses became shorter his gaze fixed on the rearview mirror more often than the road ahead everything okay I asked concern creeping into my voice he started as if he'd forgotten I was there yeah yeah just keeping an eye

out you know I didn't know but I nodded anyway the unease that had been slowly building in my gut suddenly spiked something was off about this whole situation but I couldn't put my finger on what look Mike said abruptly I need you to take the next exit I frowned the next exit but that's not towards the the town it's just a service road that just do it he snapped his previously friendly demeanor evaporating in an instant my hands tightened on the steering wheel I think maybe it's time you got out Mike I can drop you

off at the next rest stop but I didn't finish the sentence in a Flash Mike had pulled a knife from somewhere the blade glinting wickedly in the fading sunlight take the exit he growled pressing the tip of the knife against my ribs my mouth went dry heart hammering in my chest I nodded not trusting myself to speak I took the exit the car bumping along the poorly maintained Service Road my mind raced trying to figure a way out of the situation I could try to grab the knife but at these speeds that could end in

a crash that would kill us both keep driving Mike instructed his voice tight with tension and don't try anything stupid we drove intense silence for what felt like hours but was probably only minutes the service road wound through increasingly rugged terrain the scrub land giving way to Rocky outcroppings finally Mike spoke again pull over here I did as I was told bringing the car to a stop in a small clearing surrounded by large Boulders the engine ticked as it cooled in the rapidly chilling Desert Air get out Mike ordered gesturing with the knife on shaky

legs I exited the car Mike followed keeping the knife trained on me walk he said nodding towards a narrow path leading between two towering rocks as we walked the reality of my situation began to sink in we were miles from anywhere no one knew where I was and I was at the mercy of a man with a knife and God knows what intentions listen Mike I said trying to keep my voice steady whatever's going on we can figure this out you don't have to shut up he hissed jabbing the knife towards me just keep walking

we emerged into another clearing this one dominated by the rusted out shell of an old trailer Mike marched me towards it kicking open the creaky door inside he ordered the interior of the trailer was a mess of old furniture and debris the musty smell of long abandonment filled my nostrils sit Mike said pointing to a rickety chair as I sat he began to Pace running his free hand through his hair he looked like a man on the edge his eyes wild and unfocused I'm sorry he muttered more to himself than to me I didn't want

it to be like this but they left me no choice who Mike I asked cautiously who left you no choice he Whirled on me the knife flashing in the dim light filtering through the grimy Windows you don't understand they're after me they've been chasing me for days I thought I thought I'd lost them but then I saw that black SUV on the highway and I knew I knew they'd found me again my mind reeled had I seen a black SUV I couldn't remember the highway had been so empty for so long Mike I said trying

to keep my voice calm and reasonable I didn't see any SUV I think maybe you're confused maybe dehydrated from being out in the heat why don't we go back to my car get some water and no a he shouted making me Flinch we can't go back they'll be waiting they're always waiting he resumed his pacing muttering to himself I watched him my fear slowly being replaced by pity this man wasn't a hard Ed criminal he was scared possibly delusional who are they Mike I asked softly he stopped fixing me with a haunted stare the ones

who want what I found the ones who do anything to keep it secret what did you find Mike hesitated then reached into his pocket he pulled out a small object clenched tightly in his fist slowly he opened his hand in his palm sat a small metallic Cube no bigger than a Dy its surface was covered in in swirling patterns that seemed to shift and move as I looked at them I found it out in the desert Mike whispered at first I thought it was just some weird rock but then then it showed me things terrible

wonderful things the truth about everything I stared at the cube mesmerized the patterns did seem to be moving forming and reforming into impossible shapes Mike I said tearing my gaze away from the object I think that thing might be dangerous maybe we should a sudden noise outside cut me off the crunch of tires on gravel Mike's eyes went wide with Terror they're here he breathed before I could react he shoved the cube into my hand take it he hissed run don't let them get it then he was gone bolting out the back of the trailer

I sat there stunned the cube feeling impossibly heavy in my palm outside I could hear car doors slamming voices shouting in that moment I had to make a choice run as Mike had told me to or stay and try to explain this insane situation to whoever was out there but as I looked down at the cube watching the patterns swirl and dance I realized there was no choice at all something deep inside me some Primal Instinct screamed that this object could not fall into the wrong hands I stood pocketing the cube there had to be

another way out of this trailer another path through the rocks as the voices outside grew closer I began to search my heart pounding in my ears whatever Mike had gotten himself into I was now a part of it and somehow I knew my life would never be the same as I found a small rear window and squeezed through dropping quietly to the ground outside one thought echoed in my mind I should have kept driving when I saw that thumb on the side of the road but it was too late for regrets now the chase was

on and I was running from Shadows I couldn't even begin to understand the first whisper caught me off guard barely audible over the hum of the ancient computer I dismissed it as my imagination a trick of the late hour in the empty building but when the footsteps started echoing through the Halls growing louder with each passing moment I realized with chilling certainty that I was no longer alone in the University's deserted computer lab it was supposed to be a typical all nighter the kind every college student pulls at least once a semester my thesis was

due in less than 48 hours and I was woefully behind the quiet Solitude of the computer science building at 2: a.m. seemed like the perfect place to hunker down and crank out the remaining Pages I'd been there countless times before always alone always undisturbed the night janitor Bob usually did his Rounds Around Midnight but other than a friendly nod he never bothered me tonight though the building felt different the Shadows seemed deeper the silence more oppressive I tried to focus on my work the gentle clacking of the keyboard the only sound breaking the Stillness but

as the night wore on I couldn't shake the feeling that someone or something was watching me it started with little things a flicker of movement in my peripheral vision gone when I turned to look the sensation of breath on the back of my neck even though I was alone in the room I chocked it up to exhaustion and too much caffeine forcing myself to keep typing then came the a whisper it was so faint at first I thought it was just the wind outside but there it was again a little louder this time words I

couldn't quite make out spoken in a voice that sent shivers down my spine I spun around in my chair heart pounding hello I called out my voice sounding unnaturally loud in the quiet lab is someone there no response just the soft hum of computers and the distant Buzz of fluorescent lights I turned back to my screen trying to calm my racing heart get it together I told myself you're letting your imagination run wild but then I heard it footsteps slow and deliberate coming from the hallway outside they weren't The Familiar Shuffle of Bob's worn out

sneakers these were different a sharp rhythmic click clack that echoed off the lenium floors I froze my fingers hovering over the keyboard the footsteps grew closer pausing just outside the lab door I held my breath waiting the door handle turned slowly the ancient hinges creaking as it opened I spun around expecting to see a security guard or maybe a fellow student but there was no one there the doorway gaped open revealing only the darkened hallway Beyond hello I called again my voice shaking slightly this isn't funny who's there The Whisper started again this time from

multiple directions they seemed to be coming from the walls themselves a coffen of unintelligible murmurs that made my skin crawl I stood up my legs trembling this was insane I needed to get out of here thesis be damned I grabbed my backpack and headed for the door only to stop short as The Whispers suddenly ceased the silence that followed was deafening then from somewhere deep within the building came a scream it was unlike anything I'd ever heard before a sound of pure Terror and Agony that echoed through the empty halls I ran out of the

lab down the hallway my footsteps thundering in the silence that followed the scream I reached the stairwell and took the steps two at a time my breath coming in ragged gasps as I reached the ground floor I heard the click clack of those footsteps again this time from the floor above they were moving fast too fast racing down the stairs behind me I burst through the exit door expecting to feel the cool night air on my face instead I found myself in another hallway identical to the one I just left conf confusion and panic wed

within me this was impossible I knew this building like the back of my hand the exit should have led outside the footsteps were getting closer I picked a direction at random and ran passing door after door all of them locked the hallway seemed to stretch on forever the fluorescent lights above flickering ominously finally I saw a door marked exit at the end of the hall relief flooded through me as I sprinted towards it I grabbed the handle turned it and nothing it was locked no no no I muttered yanking on the handle desperately this couldn't

be happening The Click Clack of footsteps stopped right behind me I squeezed my eyes shut not wanting to turn around not wanting to see what had been chasing me open your eyes Michael a voice said soft and melodious it was somehow familiar though I knew I'd never heard it before slowly reluctantly I turned and opened my eyes the figure before me was impossible it shifted and changed as I looked at it never settling on a single form one moment it was tall and spindly with too many limbs the next it was short and squat its

skin Rippling like water its face if you could call it that was a swirling mass of features eyes and mouths appearing and disappearing in a dizzying dance what are you I stammered pressing myself against the locked door the being's current mouth curved into a smile we are the Watchers it said its voice now A Chorus of Whispers we have always been here in the spaces between watching waiting waiting for what I asked though I wasn't sure I wanted to know the answer for someone to see us it replied for someone to believe as it spoke

the hallway around us began to shift and warp the walls melted away revealing a vast star-filled void I felt myself starting to float un tethered from reality you've spent so many nights here Michael the being continued so close to the threshold we've been trying to reach you to show you the truth memories flashed through my mind all those nights I'd spent alone in the lab the odd Sensations I dismissed the fleeting glimpses of something just beyond my perception what truth I asked my voice barely a whisper the being's form settled briefly into something Almost Human

that your world is just one layer of many that there are wonders and Terrors Beyond Your Wildest imagination just waiting to be discovered as it spoke Visions flooded my mind I saw impossible cities built in the spaces between Stars creatures that defied description roaming through Dimensions I couldn't comprehend I saw the history of the universe unfold in an instant and glimpsed Futures that left me breathless with awe and Terror why me I managed to ask my mind reeling from the onslaught of information because you were open to it the being replied because you spent so

many nights straddling the boundary between your world and ours the veil between realities is thin in places like this where human Minds push themselves to their limits I thought about all those late nights in the lab the way my perception would shift after hours of staring at code the strange ideas that would come to me in the early hours of the morning what happens now I asked surprising myself with how calm I felt the being's form rippled again its multitude of eyes fixing on me that's up to you Michael you can forget this return to

your world and your limited perception or or I prompted or you can come with us learn the secrets of the universe become more than you ever dreamed possible I hesitated part of me was screaming to run to forget all of this and return to the safety of my normal life but a larger part the part that had always pushed me to learn more to question everything was thrilled at the prospect will I be able to come back I asked the being's laugh was like the tinkling of Distant Bells Oh Michael once you've seen Beyond the

Veil There's No Going Back not really you'll always know what's out there always feel the pull of the infinite I took a deep breath looking around at the star-filled void that had replaced the familiar hallways of the computer science building in in that moment I knew my life would never be the same okay I said surprised by the steadiness of my voice I'm Ready the being's form shifted One Last Time extending What Might Have Been a hand towards me as I reached out to take it I felt the last tethers of my old reality slip

away in that instant as I stepped Across the Threshold into a universe of infinite possibilities one final thought flashed through my mind I really should should have just gone home when the first whisper caught my attention but then again where would the fun in that be and with that Michael Thompson graduate student and soon to be master of computer science disappeared from the world he knew embarking on an adventure Beyond imagination the computer lab fell silent once more The Unfinished thesis still glowing on the screen waiting for a student who would never return to complete

it the moment the lights flickered out plunging the house Into Darkness I knew this wasn't going to be an ordinary babysitting gig the sudden silence that followed broken only by the pounding of rain against the windows made my skin crawl but it was the soft thud from upstairs where the children were supposed to be sleeping that sent a chill down my spine little did I know this was just the beginning of a night that would push me to the brink of Terror I'd been babysitting for the Thompsons for about 6 months they were good people

always paid on time and their kids 8-year-old Lily and 6-year-old Max were sweet and well behaved it was an easy gig usually just involving dinner some TV and then tucking the kids into bed before I spent the rest of the night doing homework or watching Netflix this particular Friday night had started like any other Mr and Mrs Thompson left for their date night around 7:00 p.m. leaving me with instructions to have the kids in bed by 9:00 we had pizza for dinner played a few board games and and then I hered them upstairs for their

baths and bedtime stories by 9:30 both kids were tucked in and I thought fast asleep I settled onto the living room couch with my laptop ready to catch up on some essays I had du that's when the storm hit it came out of nowhere the sky opening up with a fury that made the windows rattle lightning flashed followed almost immediately by a deafening crack of thunder the lights flickered once twice and then went out completely I sat there in the sudden dark my heart pounding power outages weren't uncommon during storms but something about this felt

different the air seemed charged heavy with a tension I couldn't explain that's when I heard it a soft thud from upstairs followed by what sounded like footsteps my first thought was that the Thunder had woken one of the kids I grabbed my phone using its flashlight to navigate through the dark house Lily Max I called out as I climbed the stairs it's okay guys it's just a storm no response the upstairs hallway was Pitch Black my phone's light barely cutting through the Gloom I approached Lily's room first pushing open the door slowly Lily I whispered

shining the light towards her bed my blood ran cold the bed was empty the covers thrown back as if she'd left in a hurry trying to quell the rising panic in my chest I turned to Max's room please be there I thought desperately please just be hiding from the storm but Max's bed was empty too both children gone Lily Max I called out my voice echoing through the empty hallway this isn't funny come out now silence just the Relentless pounding of the rain and the occasional Rumble of Thunder I searched every room upstairs growing more

frantic with each empty space I found they weren't in the bathroom not in their parents' room not in any of the closets it was as if they had had vanished Into Thin Air as I stood in the hallway trying to decide what to do next I heard another sound a giggle high-pitched and childlike coming from downstairs relief flooded through me they must have snuck down while I was searching the rooms I hurried back down the stairs calling out guys you really scared me come on out now the giggle came again this time from the kitchen

I rounded the corner my phone's light bouncing off the stainless steel appliances Lily Max the kitchen was empty but there on the floor was a small puddle of water and leading away from it a trail of wet Footprints child-sized Footprints my relief quickly turned to confusion then to fear something wasn't right the footprints led to the basement door which stood slightly ajar I'd only been down to the basement once when Mrs Thompson asked me to grab some extra paper towels it was unfinished all concrete floors and exposed pipes with boxes of holiday decoration ation and

old toys piled in Corners not a place the kids were allowed to play my hand shook as I reached for the doorknob every Instinct was screaming at me to run to get out of the house and call the police but I couldn't leave the children whatever was happening I had to find them the basement stairs creaked under my feet as I descended my phone's light casting long shifting Shadows the air grew colder with each step and I could smell The Damp musty odor of the underground space Lily Max I called out again my voice sounding

small and frightened even to my own ears please come out you're not in trouble I promise a rustling sound came from behind a stack of boxes I moved towards it slowly my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst from my chest guys I whispered peering around the boxes what I saw made me stumble back a scream caught in my throat it looked like Lily and Max but wrong there's skin was pale almost translucent their eyes too large and dark in their small faces they stood unnaturally still water dripping from their soaked pajamas what's

going on I managed to stammer what happened to you they smiled in unison an eerie two wide grin that sent shivers down my spine when they spoke it was with one voice a sound that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once we went for a swim they said won't you join us I shook my head backing away slowly this couldn't be real I must have fallen asleep on the couch this was just some bizarre nightmare the children or whatever they were took a step forward don't you want to play with us Sarah they

asked their voices taking on a sing song quality the water's so nice and cool stay back I warned though my voice shook with fear what have you done with the real Lily and Max they tilted their heads in perfect synchronization those two large eyes blinking slowly we are Lily and Max they said we're just more now and we want you to be more too I turned to run but found my path blocked standing at the bottom of the stairs was a figure tall and thin its features hidden in Shadow Water dripped from its long spindly

limbs forming a puddle on the concrete floor who are you I asked my voice barely above a whisper what do you want the figure said said nothing but I heard its voice in my head a sound like Rushing Water and grinding Stones we are the beneath it said we have always been here in the Dark Places the wet places waiting waiting for what I asked though I feared I already knew the answer for someone to invite us in the children said from behind me and now we're here and were so very hungry I looked frantically

around the basement searching for any means of Escape my eyes landed on a small window set high in the wall it would be a tight squeeze but it might be my only chance I fainted to the left then sprinted right aiming for a stack of boxes beneath the window behind me I heard the patter of small feet and the heavier tread of the tall figure I scrambled up the boxes my fingers scrabbling at the window latch just as I felt Long Cold fingers grip my ankle the window popped open I pulled myself through feeling my

shirt tear on the rough edge of the window frame I tumbled onto the wet grass outside the rain still coming down in sheets I ran across the backyard through the gate down the street I didn't stop until I reached the police station soaked to the bone and gasping for breath the police of course didn't believe me they found the house exactly as it should be two children sleeping peacefully in their beds no sign of any disturbance Mr and Mrs Thompson were understandably upset thinking I had abandoned their children to run out into the storm I

lost my babysitting job and my reputation in the neighborhood was ruined but I knew what I had seen what I had experienced and I knew that something dark and hungry had found its way into our world sometimes on rainy nights I think I can hear children giggling outside my window and in my dreams I still see those two large eyes and hear that watery voice inviting me to join them in the cool dark depths I never babysat again after that night and I always always check under my bed before I go to sleep sleep because

now I know that the monsters aren't just the stuff of childhood nightmares they're real they're hungry and they're waiting for an invitation to come in the first time I noticed my neighbor's odd behavior I brushed it off as simple eccentricity but as the days passed and more residents of our apartment building began acting strangely a chilling realization crept over me something sinister was lurking beneath the surface of our seemingly ordinary lives and I was the only one who seemed to notice I'd moved into the Oakwood Apartments just 3 months ago drawn by the affordable rent

and convenient location it was an older building a bit worn around the edges but it had character the residents were a mix of young professionals small families and retirees a typical cross-section of urban life at first everything seemed normal I'd exchange pleasantries with my neighbors in the hallway chat with Mrs Rodriguez from 3B while collecting my mail and occasionally run into Tom from 2A in the laundry room it was all wonderfully boringly ordinary then about a month ago things started to change it began with Mrs Rodriguez one morning as I was heading out to work

I saw her standing in the hallway staring blankly at the wall when I said good morning she didn't respond she just kept staring unblinking at a spot just above my head Mrs Rodriguez I said a little louder this time are are you okay she blinked slowly then turned to look at me for a moment her eyes seemed wrong too dark too empty but then she smiled and everything seemed normal again oh good morning dear she said her voice a bit too cheery I must have been daydreaming have a wonderful day I chocked it up to

her getting older maybe having a senior moment but over the next few days I noticed more odd behavior from other residents Tom from 2A usually so meticulous about separating his whites and colors was shoving all his laundry into one machine including what looked like muddy shoes when I pointed it out he just smiled vacantly and said it's all the same in the end isn't it the young couple in 4C who I'd often he arguing through the thin walls fell silent completely silent I never heard a peep from their apartment anymore not even footsteps or the

sound of their TV and Mr Jenkins the grumpy old man from 1A who used to complain about everything started greeting everyone with an unnaturally wide smile and a cheery isn't it a beautiful day each incident on its own might not have been caused for alarm but taken together they painted a picture that made my skin crawl it was as if someone had replaced my neighbors with pod people from an old sci-fi movie I tried to rationalize it maybe there was a gas leak making everyone act weird or perhaps some sort of mass hysteria had taken

hold of the building but deep down I knew it was something more Sinister my suspicions were confirmed late one night when I couldn't sleep I heard a strange rhythmic thumping coming from the hallway curiosity overcoming my fear I crept to my door and peered through the peephole what I saw made my blood run cold all of my neighbors were in the hallway moving in unison they were doing some sort of dance their movements jerky and unnatural and they were all smiling those two wide Smiles their eyes dark and empty I stumbled back from the door

my heart pounding this couldn't be real it had to be some sort of nightmare but the thumping continued growing louder and then I heard something else a low humming chant that seemed to vibrate through the walls I spent the rest of the night huddled in my bedroom lights off trying to convince myself that what I'd seen wasn't real but when morning came and I cautiously ventured out I knew it had been no dream the hallway carpet was scuffed and dirty as if dozens of feet had been shuffling across it all night and my neighbors they

all looked exhausted with dark circles under their eyes but they were still smiling those unnatural Smiles good morning Mrs Rodriguez chirped as I passed her in the hall isn't it a wonderful day to be alive I mumbled a response and hurried past her my skin crawling I had to figure out what was going on over the next few days I became a detective in my own home I started keeping a log of my neighbors behaviors noting every Oddity every outof character action I even went so far as to set up a small camera pointed at

my door hoping to catch another midnight Gathering but the more I observed the more terrified I became it wasn't just their behavior that was off physical changes were happening too Mr Jenkins who had always stooped with age now stood unnaturally straight the young woman from 4C seemed to have grown several inches taller overnight and Tom's eyes I could have sworn they had changed color I knew I should leave find somewhere else to live but a morbid curiosity kept me there I had to know what was happening one night about a week after I'd witnessed the

hallway dance I heard a knock at my door it was past midnight and I hadn't been sleeping well too keyed up from constant vigilance I approached the door cautiously my heart pounding through the peephole I saw Mrs Rodriguez standing there still smiling that two wide smile hello dear she called through the door door we've noticed you haven't been joining us for our nightly Gatherings won't you come out and play I backed away from the door my mouth dry with fear I'm not feeling well I called back maybe another time oh but we insist came another

voice Tom's voice but not quite right too deep too resonant it's time for you to join us to become one of us the door handle began to Rattle they were trying to get in I ran to my bedroom slamming and locking the door behind me the main door of my apartment crashed open and I could hear them filing in their footsteps were oddly in sync a rhythmic thumping that matched the pounding of my heart come out come out they called in unison it's time to shed your old self time to evolve I looked around frantically

for an Escape Route the window was my only option I was on the third floor but there was a fire escape if I could just reach it I could hear them outside my bedroom door now the wood began to Splinter as they pounded on it with shaking hands I pushed open the window and climbed out onto the fire escape the cool night air hit me and for a moment I felt a surge of hope I could get away I could be free but as I looked down my hope turned to ashes the courtyard below was

filled with people not just from our building but from the surrounding neighborhood too all of them looking up at me with those dark empty eyes all of them smiling those terrible Smiles join us they called up to me become one with us behind me I heard my bedroom door finally give way I turned to see my former neighbors crowding onto the fire escape their bodies twisting and changing in ways that defied explanation in that moment I knew I had a choice to make I could give in become one of them lose myself to whatever Madness

had taken hold of this place or I could jump and take my chances with the crowd below I chose to jump as I fell through the the air time seemed to slow I saw my neighbors faces watched as they morphed and changed becoming something inhuman I saw the crowd below their arms outstretched to catch me to absorb me into their mass and then Darkness I woke up in a hospital bed my body battered but alive the doctors told me I was lucky that a tree had broken my fall they said I'd been babbling about monsters

and Body Snatchers when I was brought in no one believed my story of course they chocked it up to a mental break down said the stress of City Life had gotten to me the Oakwood Apartments they assured me was just a normal building filled with normal people but I know the truth I saw what I saw and sometimes late at night I can still hear that rhythmic thumping still see those dark empty eyes and two wide Smiles I never returned to the Oakwood Apartments I moved far away to a small town where I thought I'd

be safe but every so often I'll see someone on the street whose smile is just a little too wide whose eyes are just a little too dark and I wonder how far has it spread and how long before there's nowhere left to run the moment I saw those desperate eyes peering out from the back window of the van I knew my quick pit stop was about to turn into a nightmare what I didn't realize was that by the end of the night I'd be running for my life questioning everything I thought I knew about the

quiet highways of Middle America it had been a long day of driving I was on my way to my sister's wedding in Colorado opting for a road trip instead of a flight to save some cash the monotony of the highway had lulled me into a kind of Trance the yellow lines blurring together as I pushed on through the night when I saw the sign for a rest stop coming up I decided to pull in my gas tank was running low and my bladder wasn't far behind plus I figured some caffeine wouldn't hurt to keep me

alert for the last leg of the journey the rest stop was like any other I'd seen across the country a small building housing restrooms and vending machines a couple of picnic tables and a dimly lit parking lot at this late hour it was nearly deserted just a couple of semis in the far Corner their drivers presumably catching some sleep and a dark van parked near the building I pulled up to the gas pump stretching as I got out of my car the night air was cool on my face a welcome change from the stuffy interior

of my vehicle as I started to fill up my tank movement caught my eye the Vans back window was dirty and tinted but I could swear I saw a face pressed against it a woman's face her eyes wide with what looked like fear she seemed to be mouthing something but I couldn't make it out I blinked and the face was gone had I imagined it the long hours on the road must be getting to me I thought I shook my head and finished filling up my tank as I walked towards the building to use the

restroom I passed by the van it was an older model Rusty around the edges with no windows except for the ones in front and back something about it made me uneasy but I couldn't put my finger on why inside the rest stop building I used the facilities and then made my way to the vending machines as I was deciding between a Coke and a coffee the door burst open a man walked in his eyes darting around nervously he was tall and wiry with a scraggly beard and clothes that had seen better days our eyes met

and for a moment I saw something in his gaze that made my blood run cold it was a look of desperation of barely contained violence then he blinked and it was gone replaced by a forced smile evening he said his voice Gruff nice night for a drive huh I nodded not trusting myself to speak he walked past me to the restroom and I let out of breath I didn't realize I'd been holding something was very wrong here I quickly grabbed my coffee and headed back to my car as I passed the van again I heard

it a soft thumping sound coming from inside I paused straining my ears there it was again followed by what sounded like a muffled cry my heart started racing the face in the window the strange man the sounds from the van it all added up to something sinister I knew I should just get in my car and drive away pretend I hadn't seen or heard anything but I couldn't if someone was in trouble I couldn't just leave them I approached the van cautiously my phone in my hand 911 already already dialed and ready to call as

I got closer the thumping got louder I reached out my hand shaking and knocked on the side of the van hello I called out softly is someone in there do you need help the thumping stopped abruptly for a moment there was silence then so quietly I almost missed it a woman's voice please help us my blood ran cold us there was more than one person in there before I could respond I heard the rest stop door slam open the man was back and he did not look happy hey he shouted starting to run towards me

what the hell do you think you're doing I didn't think I just acted I ran to my car fumbling with the keys as I heard the man's footsteps getting closer I managed to get the door open and threw myself inside locking it just as the man reached me he slammed his hands on my window his face contorted with rage mind your own business he snarled you don't know what you're messing with I started the engine my hands shaking so badly I could barely grip the steering wheel the man stepped back as I put the car

in Reverse but his eyes never left mine as I peeled out of the parking lot I could see him in my rearview mirror running back to the van my mind was racing as I sped down the highway what did I just stumbled Upon A kidnapping human trafficking whatever it was I knew I had to do something I couldn't just drive away and leave those people in that van I dialed 911 my voice shaking as I tried to expl explain what I'd seen to the dispatcher they told me to keep driving that they were sending patrol

cars to the rest stop but as I hung up I saw headlights in my rearview mirror headlights that were getting closer at an alarming speed it was the van my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest I pressed down harder on the gas pedal pushing my old car to speeds it was never designed for but the van was faster slowly but surely gaining on me I weaved through the sparse traffic ignoring the angry honks from the other drivers the van stayed right on my tail so close I couldn't even see

its headlights in my mirrors anymore suddenly I saw a sign for an upcoming exit without thinking I swerved across two lanes of traffic and took the exit ramp at a speed that had my tires squealing in my rearview mirror I saw the van overshoot the exit I bought myself some time but I knew it wouldn't be long before they figured out where I'd gone the exit led to a small town its streets deserted at this late hour I turned randomly taking rights and lefts without any real plan just trying to put as much distance between

me and the van as possible after a few minutes of this I found myself on a dark residential street I pulled over killing the lights and engine my hands were shaking as I tried to figure out what to do next should I keep driving try to find a police station go back to the highway and hope to run into the patrol cars the dispatcher had sent as I sat there paralyzed with indecision I saw headlight approaching my breath caught in my throat as I recognized the outline of the van it was driving slowly down the

street as if searching for something searching for me I slouched down in my seat praying they wouldn't notice my car the van crawled past so close I could have reached out and touched it I held my breath not daring to move a muscle until the red tail lights had disappeared around a corner once I was sure they were gone I started my car again this time with a plan I needed to get back to the highway way to find those patrol cars it was the only way to help the people trapped in that van as

I navigated back through the town my mind kept replaying the events of the night the face in the window the sounds from the van the man's rage when he caught me snooping what kind of monster was he and how many others like him were out there prowling the highways praying on the vulnerable I made it back to the highway my eyes constantly checking my mirrors for any sign of the van as I merged onto the road I saw the most beautiful sight flashing blue and red lights up ahead the patrol cars had found me I

pulled over waving frantically at the officers as they approached the story Spilled Out of me in a rush all the details I could remember about the van the man the sounds I'd heard the officers took my statement their faces Grim they told me I'd done the right thing by calling it in that they put out an APB on the van but as I sat there watching more patrol cars speed passed lights flashing I couldn't shake the feeling that it was too late that van could be anywhere by now as Dawn broke casting a pale light

over the highway I couldn't help but think about the people in the van were they still alive would they be found and how many other Vans were out there hiding Dark Secrets behind their tinted windows I never made it to my sister's wedding somehow after what I'd been through it didn't seem important anymore instead I found myself telling my story to anyone who would listen the police the FBI the media I wanted the world to know what was happening on our highways in our rest stops right under our noses some nights I still wake up

in a cold sweat the image of those desperate eyes peering out from the van's window burned into my memory and every time I see a van on the road I can't help but wonder who's inside and are they crying out for help that will never come the first note appeared on a Tuesday slipped under the front door like a whisper of Danger get out while you can it read in Jagged urgent letters I laughed it off as a prank but as the week wore on and the messages grew increasingly Sinister I realized that my simple

housesitting job had turned into a waking nightmare it was supposed to be an easy gig my college roommate Sarah asked if I could watch her place for a month while she was on a work assignment overseas her house house was a Charming little Victorian in a quiet neighborhood complete with a white picket fence and a garden that would make any green thumb jealous I jumped at the chance a whole month away from my cramped studio apartment sounded like heaven the first few days were uneventful I watered the plants collected the mail and spent my evenings

curled up on Sarah's comfortable couch binge watching shows on her massive TV it was peaceful almost too quiet after the constant noise of my apartment building then came that first note I found it when I came back from grocery shopping a small piece of paper lying innocently on the welcome mat the message was short but chilling I turned it over in my hands looking for any clue about its origin but there was nothing just those five words scrolled in what looked like black marker I shook my head crumpling the paper and tossing it in the

trash probably just some kids in the neighborhood playing a prank I pushed it out of my mind and went about my day the second note came 2 Days Later later this time slipped under the door sometime during the night I found it when I came downstairs for my morning coffee this one was longer the walls Have Eyes they know you're here leave now a chill ran down my spine as I read it the handwriting was the same as the first note but there was something more urgent about this message I found myself glancing at the

walls half expecting to see eyes staring back at me don't be ridiculous I told myself it's just another stupid prank but I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled over me I started double-checking the locks before bed drawing the curtains tight against the night the third note appeared the very next day stuck to the bathroom mirror when I got out of the shower my heart nearly stopped when I saw it dripping water onto the tile floor as I stood Frozen in shock how had someone gotten into the house this message was the most disturbing

yet they're coming for you I can't hold them back much longer run I called the police my hands shaking as I dialed the number they came and took a report but there were no signs of forced entry no fingerprints on the notes they suggested it might be kids in the neighborhood and promised to increase Patrols in the area I called Sarah next wondering if she had any enemies anyone who might want to scare her or me out of the house but she was as baffled as I was insisting that she had good relationships with all

her neighbors that night I barely slept every Creek of the old house every gust of wind outside had me sitting bolt upright in bed my heart pounding I kept the bedroom door locked a chair propped under the handle for good measure the fourth note was waiting for me in the morning slipped under my bedroom door despite my precautions two words written larger than the others filling the entire page too late I ran I didn't even pack a bag just grabbed my phone and my keys and bolted out the front door in my pajamas I drove

drove aimlessly for hours my mind racing who was leaving these notes what did they mean and why me it was dark by the time I worked up the courage to go back to the house I sat in my car for a long time staring at the darkened Windows half expecting to see a shadowy figure watching me finally taking a deep breath I went inside the house was quiet exactly as I'd left it in my panicked flight I did a thorough search checking every room every closet even under the beds nothing seemed out of place no

new notes I collapsed onto the couch exhausted and Confused maybe I was overreacting maybe this really was just an elaborate prank that had gone too far that's when I heard it a soft scratching sound coming from inside the walls I froze straining my ears there it was again like something was moving within the very structure of the house it seemed to be coming from everywhere and nowhere at once hello I called out my voice shaky is someone there the scratching stopped abruptly the silence that followed was somehow worse than the noise had been then a

whisper so faint I almost missed it help us I scrambled off the couch my heart pounding who's there I demanded trying to sound braver than I felt show yourself more Whispers joined the first A Chorus of barely audible voices pleading for help they seemed to be coming from the walls themselves growing louder with each passing second I ran to the front door yanking it open ready to flee again but I stopped short at the threshold the street outside was wrong the houses across the way were twisted their shapes elongated and warped as if seen through

fun housee mirrors the sky above was a swirling mass of unnatural colors and I could see things moving in it things that defied description I slammed the door shut my breath coming in ragged gasps this couldn't be real I had to be dreaming The Whispers were all around me now accompanied by that awful scratching sound the walls seemed to pulse the wallpaper Rippling like waves on water a new note appeared materializing out of thin air to flutter to the ground at my feet with trembling hands I picked it up we tried to warn you it

read now you're one of us as I read those words I felt a strange sensation as if the very substance of my being was changing I looked down at my hands and watched in horror as they began to fade becoming translucent I tried to scream but no sound came out I was becoming part of the house my Consciousness merging with the others trapped within its walls in my last moments of individuality I understood the truth this house was a trap a living entity that lured in victims and absorbed them Sarah my friends my family they

had never existed they were Fabrications false memories implanted by the the house to draw me in how many others had fallen for this trick how many Souls were trapped here their Essences used to feed this monstrous dwelling as my physical form dissolved completely my awareness spread throughout the structure I could feel the others now countless Minds all linked together in a vast horrifying Network and I knew that soon another unsuspecting victim would come a new house sitter perhaps or a curious buyer attracted by the quaint Victorian on the quiet Street I wanted to warn them

to tell them to run while they still could but all I could do was whisper my voice joining the chorus of the Damned trapped forever in this house of horrors as my Consciousness faded into the collective one last thought echoed through what remained of my mind I should have heeded the warnings I should have gotten out while I still could but now like all the others I was part of the house and the house was always hungry for more the moment I realized the car behind me wasn't just coincidentally going my way but deliberately following

my every move I felt a chill that had nothing to do with the late night air conditioning what started as a routine drive home was about to become a terrifying game of cat and mouse through the darkened streets of a town I thought I knew it had been a long day at work one of those shifts that seemed to stretch on Forever by the time I clocked out it was well past midnight the parking lot was nearly empty just a few cars belonging to the other night owls of the office I remember yawning as I

got into my car thinking about nothing more than the leftover pizza waiting for me in the fridge and the soft Embrace of my bed the streets were quiet the kind of Stillness that only exists in the small hours of the morning I was about halfway home when I first noticed the car it was a dark sedan nondescript in every way I couldn't make out the driver just a silhouette behind tinted windows at first I didn't think much of it after all there were only so many routes through town at this hour but as I made

turn after turn the car stayed with me always three or four lengths back never getting closer but never falling behind either a tendril of unease began to curl in my stomach I decided to test my suspicion instead of taking my usual left towards home I made a right the car followed I took another random turn again it was right behind me my heart started to rise this couldn't be a coincidence someone was following me but why my mind raced through possibilities a robbery some kind of sick game or something even worse I tried to stay

calm to think rationally maybe if I just drove to a well-lit public place they'd give up and leave I turned towards the 24-hour Supermarket on Main Street as I pulled into the parking lot I glanced in my rearview mirror the car had stopped at the entrance idling I could see the driver now a man in a dark hoodie his face obscured by the Shadows I parked near the front of the store under the bright lights my hands were shaking as I cut the engine I sat there for a moment trying to steady my breathing when

I looked up my blood ran cold the car was gone for a split second I felt relief maybe I had imagined the whole thing maybe it was just paranoia born from too many late nights and too much True Crime TV then I saw him the man from the car walking purposefully across the parking lot towards me panic surged through me I fumbled with my keys trying to start the car again but in my haste I dropped them by the time I retrieved them from under the seat the man was at my window he wrapped on

the glass with something metallic in the harsh fluorescent light of the parking lot I saw it was a gun open the door he mouthed gesturing with the weapon my mind went blank with Terror this couldn't be happening not to me not here in this quiet town where nothing ever happened with trembling hands I locked the doors instead the man's face contorted with anger he raised the gun aiming it at the window I didn't think I just acted I jammed the key into the ignition and turned the engine roared to life I slammed the car into

reverse not even checking if anyone was behind me the man leapt back as I peeled out of the parking space I heard a sharp crack a gunshot my rear window exploded in a shower of glass I screamed ducking instinct ively even as I floored the accelerator the car fishtailed as I made a wild turn onto the street tires squealing in protest in my rear view mirror I saw the man running back to his car I had a head start but his car was newer faster I knew he'd catch up soon if I didn't do something

I took a hard right then another trying to lose him in the Maze of residential streets my mind was racing faster than my car where could I go the police station was on the other side of town my house wasn't safe he'd seen which way I usually drove I made a split-second decision and headed for the highway at this time of night it would be nearly empty but it was my best chance to outrun him as I merged onto the on-ramp I saw headlights in my mirror he had found me the sedan was gaining ground

eating up the distance between us I pushed my old car to its limits the engine whining in protest as the speedometer crept past 90 then 100 but it wasn't enough the sedan was still coming suddenly an idea struck me it was risky possibly suicidal but it was all I had about a mile ahead was a sharp turn the kind that required slowing down even in good conditions Beyond it was a steep embankment leading down to the river I took a deep breath tightening my grip on the steering wheel I could do this I had to

do this as I approached the turn I didn't slow down if anything I sped up in my mirror I saw the sedan getting closer just a few more seconds at the last possible moment I slammed on the brakes and wrenched the wheel to the right my car skitted the tires screaming as they fought for traction for a heart stopping moment I thought I'd miscalculated that I was going to go over the edge but then the car straightened out fish tailing wildly but staying on the road I didn't look back I didn't need to I heard

the crash the Screech of metal on metal the shattering of glass when I finally dared to check my mirror the sedan was gone in its place was a gaping hole in the guardrail my hands were shaking so badly I could barely keep the wheel straight but I didn't stop I couldn't stop I drove and drove putting as much distance between me and that turn as possible it wasn't until I saw the welcome to Pennsylvania sign that I finally pulled over I was miles from home running on fumes and coming down from the biggest Adrenaline Rush

of my life as the sun began to rise painting the sky in shades of pink and gold I sat on the hood of my car and tried to process what had happened who was that man why had he targeted me and had I just killed him I knew I should call the police report what had happened but a part of me was afraid afraid they wouldn't believe me afraid that somehow I'd end up being the one in trouble so I did the only thing I could think of I drove to the nearest diner ordered a

coffee and started planning I couldn't go home not yet maybe not ever whoever that man was he might have friends and they they might come looking for me as I sat there watching the early morning crowd trickle in I realized my life had changed irrevocably I was no longer just another office worker in a small town I was a Survivor a fugitive a killer I didn't have answers but I knew one thing for certain I could never let my guard down again because out there on some dark and lonely road there might be another car

another pursuer another fight for survival and next time I might not not be so lucky with hands that still trembled slightly I pulled out a map it was time to disappear time to become someone new someone who had never been chased down a midnight Highway by a stranger with a gun as I plotted my new course I couldn't help but glance over my shoulder checking the parking lot for any cars that didn't belong old habits die hard I suppose and some lessons once learned are impossible to forget the waitress came by to refill my coffee

long night she asked ing my disheveled appearance I managed a weak smile you have no idea The Moment I Saw The Empty sleeping bag where Jake should have been I knew our camping trip had taken a terrifying turn the Early Morning Mist hung heavy in the air obscuring the edges of our campsite but there was no mistaking the fact that one of us was missing and as I stood there heart pounding I couldn't shake the feeling that the strange lights we'd seen in the Sky last night had something to do with it it was supposed

to be a fun adventure just four friends looking for a thrill in the wilderness we'd heard the stories about this area of course whispered Tales of UFO sightings mysterious lights in the sky and campers who swore they'd lost time but we didn't really believe it or at least I didn't it was all just part of the excitement wasn't it now as I stared at Jake's abandoned sleeping bag I wasn't so sure anymore guys wake up I hissed nudging Sarah and Mike awake Jake's gone Sarah bolted upright her eyes wide with panic what do you mean

gone Mike was slower to wake grumbling as he unzipped his sleeping bag he probably just went to take a leak chill out but as we called out for Jake our voices echoing through the Misty Forest an eerie silence was our only answer no birds chirping no rustling of leaves just an oppressive unnat Natural Quiet that sent shivers down my spine we searched the immediate area around our campsite but there was no sign of Jake no Footprints leading away no discarded clothing nothing it was as if he'd simply vanished Into Thin Air this isn't funny Jake

Sarah shouted her voice cracking with fear come out now but deep down we all knew this wasn't some elaborate prank something was very very wrong as the sun climbed higher in the sky burning away the Morning Mist we expanded our search we combed through the surrounding Forest calling Jake's name until our voices were horse but with each passing hour Our Hope dwindled it was midafternoon when things started to get weird I was pushing through a dense patch of underbrush when suddenly the world seemed to flicker for a split second everything around me changed the trees

were taller older the ground was covered in a strange iridescent moss and the sky the sky was a deep unnatural purple I blinked and everything was back to normal but the image was seared into my mind leaving me dizzy and disoriented did did you guys see that I asked my voice shaking Sarah and Mike looked at me confusion etched on their faces see wasn't Mike asked I tried to explain but the words sounded crazy even to my own ears they exchanged worried glances clearly thinking I was losing it but I knew what I'd seen and

I had a sinking feeling that it was somehow connected to Jake's disappearance as the day wore on similar incidents began to plague All of Us Sarah swore she saw strange symbols carved into tree trunks only for them to vanish when she looked again Mike kept hearing whispers in a language he couldn't understand always just on the edge of his hearing and me I kept experiencing those flashes those moments where reality seemed to shift each time the alternate world I glimpsed became clearer more Vivid and each time I felt a pull as if something was trying

to draw me in night fell and we were no closer to finding Jake exhausted and terrified we made our way back to the campsite none of us wanted to admit it but we were lost the forest around us seemed different unfamiliar had we wandered farther than we thought or was something else at Play We huddled around the campfire jumping at every snapping twig and rustling Leaf the sky above was clear the Stars impossibly bright but as we watched the star began to move slowly at first then faster swirling in impossible patterns this can't be happening

Sarah whispered clutching my arm so tight it hurt what's going on before I could answer a blinding light flooded our campsite it was so bright so all-encompassing that for a moment I thought I'd gone blind I could hear Sarah and Mike screaming but their voices sounded distant muffled and then as suddenly as it had appeared the light was gone but we weren't in our campsite anymore we were somewhere else the air was thick and heavy filled with a strange sweet scent that made my head spin the ground beneath our feet pulsed with an otherworldly energy

and all around us tall spindly figures moved in the shadows their movements fluid and unnatural welcome a voice echoed in my mind bypassing my ears entirely we've been waiting for you one of the figures stepped forward and I felt my heart stop it was Jake but not Jake his eyes were too large his skin pale and translucent when he smiled his teeth were sharp and numerous Don't Be Afraid not Jake said his voice unsettling mix of familiar and alien you're home now I wanted to run to scream to wake up from this nightmare but I

couldn't move my body felt heavy unresponsive and as I stood there paralyzed I realized with growing horror that this was real we hadn't just stumbled upon a UFO Hotpot we'd walked right into a trap the creatures for I couldn't think of them as anything else moved closer their long fingers reaching out to touch us each touch sent jolts of electricity through my body and with each jolt I felt myself changing my perception shifted my thoughts became clouded I could see the same thing happening to Sarah and Mike their features were subtly altering becoming more like

Jake's more like the creatur around us and the worst part a small growing part of me was beginning to think that this was right that we belonged here time lost all meaning it could have been hours or days or years that we stood there being remade by these alien touches memories of our old lives began to fade replaced by new ones memories of a world with purple skies and pulsing ground of ships that sailed between the stars but just as I was about to lose myself completely a small part of my mind rebelled the this

wasn't right this wasn't our world we didn't belong here with every ounce of willpower I had left I fought against the alien influence I clung to memories of home of my family of who I really was and slowly painfully I began to break free no I shouted my voice sounding strange and distorted this isn't real Sarah Mike Jake we have to get out of here my words seemed to break whatever spell had been cast Over Us Sarah and Mike's eyes cleared confusion and fear replacing the Placid acceptance that had been there moments before even Jake

seemed to falter a flicker of recognition passing over his alien features the creatures hissed their form shifting and writhing in Anger the world around us began to destabilize reality bending and warping like a fun house mirror I grabbed Sarah and Mike's hands reaching out to Jake with my free hand come on I yelled we're going home for a moment Jake hesitated then with a look of desperate hope he grabbed my hand the moment our fingers touched there was a flash of blinding light a sensation of falling and then we were back in our campsite the

normal Earth campsite the sun was just beginning to rise birds were chirping and a gentle breeze rustled through the trees it was as if nothing had happened but we knew better the memories of our ordeal were already beginning to fade like a dream upon waking but the fear the sense of wrongness that lingered and as we looked at at each other seeing the haunted look in each other's eyes we knew that none of us would ever be the same we packed up camp in silence eager to put as much distance between us and this place

as possible as we hiked back to our car I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched that somewhere just beyond the veil of our reality those creatures were waiting waiting for another chance to bring us home we never spoke about what happened that night how could we who would believe us but sometimes when I look up at the night sky I swear I can see the stars moving in those impossible patterns and I wonder with a mixture of fear and a strange unsettling longing if they'll ever come back for us because the truth

is a small part of me a part I try to ignore is hoping they will is hoping the moment I saw the doll's eyes move I knew I had inherited more than just an antique dollhouse a chill ran down my spine as I watched the tiny porcelain figure turn its head its glass eyes fixing on me with an unsettling intensity in that instant I realized the stories my grandmother had told me weren't just fairy tales they were warnings I'd always been fascinated by the ornate Victorian dollhouse that sat in my grandmother's attic as a child

I'd spend hours playing with it Imagining the lives of the little dolls that inhabited its miniature rooms grandma would watch me with a mix of affection and con concern often muttering about how the house had a mind of its own when she passed away last month I was surprised to find that she'd left the dollhouse to me and her will along with it came a cryptic note be careful Emily some toys aren't meant to be played with I'd laughed it off at the time chalking it up to my grandmother's flare for the dramatic but now

as I stood in my living room watching a doll move on its own that warning didn't seem so silly anymore the dollhouse had seen better days years in the Attic had left it Dusty and Faded its once vibrant wallpapers peeling at the edges I decided to restore it both as a way to honor my grandmother's memory and to distract myself from the grief of losing her for weeks I'd worked on it every evening after coming home from my job at the local library I'd carefully replaced torn wallpaper fixed tiny pieces of broken furniture and even

made new curtains for the windows it was painstaking work but I found it oddly soothing until tonight I'd been putting the finishing touches on the Parlor when I noticed one of the Dolls a lady in a blue dress was out of place I could have sworn I'd left her in the bedroom upstairs shrugging it off I reached in to move her back that's when she turned and looked at me I stumbled backward knocking over my chair in my haste to get away from the dollhouse my heart was pounding so hard I could feel it in

my throat this couldn't be happening dolls didn't move they didn't look at you with eyes that seemed far too alive Al and yet as I watched from across the room the lady in the blue dress stood up she walked actually walked across the tiny parlor to the window there she raised one miniature hand and beckoned to me against my better judgment I found myself moving closer as I approached I could hear a faint sound coming from the dollhouse it sounded like Whispering I leaned in straining to hear The Whispers grew louder becoming a cacophony of

tiny Voices All speaking at once I couldn't make out individual words but the tone was urgent pleading suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my finger I jerked my hand back to find a small cut a bead of blood welling up in my Fascination I'd accidentally caught my finger on a sharp edge of the dollhouse as I watched a drop of blood fell landing on the miniature Carpet Of The Parlor the moment it touched the fabric The Whispers stopped an eerie silence fell over the room then slowly impossibly the dollhouse began to grow or was

I shrinking the room spun around me the furniture growing to enormous proportions I felt a sensation of falling and suddenly I was standing in the Parlor of the dollhouse looking up at my own shocked face peering in through the window Panic seized me I ran to the window pounding on the glass screaming for help but my voice came out as nothing more than a whisper lost in the vastness of the now giant room Beyond welcome home Emily a voice said behind me I turned to see the lady in the blue dress now my size smiling

at me but it wasn't a kind smile it was predatory triumphant what's happening I gasped what is this place the lady's smile widened showing too many teeth this is where we all end up eventually all the women in your family your grandmother resisted for years but in the end even she succumbed a chill ran through me as the implications of her words sank in my grandmother she's here the lady nodded gesturing to a door behind her would you like to see her before I could answer the door swung open there sitting in a rocking chair

was my grandmother but not as I remembered her this version of her was young perhaps in her 20s dressed in clothes from another era Grandma I whispered she looked up her eyes widening in recognition and then Horror oh Emily no not you two I ran to her wrapping my arms around her in a desperate hug she felt real solid this was no dream or hallucination what's going on Grandma how do we get out of here she pulled back her eyes sad we don't dearer this house it's been in our family for Generations it takes us

one by one I had hoped I had hoped by giving it to you by warning you you might break the cycle but why I asked my mind real feeling Why Us why our family the lady in the blue dress laughed a sound like breaking glass because your ancestor made a deal silly girl a deal for wealth for power and this house this is where she pays the price where you all pay the price I looked around the room really seeing it for the first time there were other dolls no other women watching us some looked

resigned others angry but all had the same haunted look in their eyes there has to be a way out I said desperation creeping into my voice we can't just be trapped here forever my grandmother shook her head many have tried Emily all have failed but as she spoke I noticed something on the mantelpiece above the fireplace there was a tiny dollhouse an exact replica of the one I'd inherited and inside that dollhouse I could see Tiny figures moving an idea began to form in my mind if I could shrink to enter this dollhouse could I

shrink again could I go deeper find the source of this curse I broke away from my grandmother running to the mantlepiece behind me I could hear the lady in the blue dress shouting could feel the other women trying to grab me but I was faster I reached the tiny dollhouse and without hesitation pricked my finger on its sharp roof a drop of blood fell landing on its miniature lawn the world spun again I felt that sickening sensation of falling of shrinking when it stopped I found myself standing in front of an even smaller dollhouse I

was getting closer I could feel it again and again I repeated the process each time the dollhouse grew smaller the details becoming more intricate more impossible and each time I could feel a growing sense of wrongness of evil finally after what felt like an eternity of shrinking I reached a dollhouse so small it was barely visible to the naked eye but I knew somehow that this was it the source of the curse with a deep breath I pricked my finger one last time the world exploded into light and sound I was falling faster than ever

before tumbling through space and time I saw flashes of my ancestors of the woman who had made the original deal I saw the entity she had bargained with a thing of Shadow and Malice and then suddenly I was back in my living room full-sized and gasping for air the dollhouse sat before me innocent looking and still but now I knew it's secret with shaking hands I reached for my phone and dialed the number my grandmother had left me the one I was only supposed to use in emergencies a Gruff voice answered on the first ring

Emily is it time it I swallowed hard my eyes never leaving the dollhouse yes I said it's time bring the sage the salt and the iron we're ending this tonight as I hung up I I could have sworn I heard a tiny Scream Of Rage coming from the dollhouse but I wasn't afraid anymore I knew the truth now and knowledge was power tonight I would free my family from this curse and tomorrow tomorrow I would burn every dollhouse I could find because now I knew some toys really aren't meant to be played with and some

inheritances are better left unclaimed