9 Scary January Nights Horror Stories Vol 2 | True Disturbing Horror Stories

dice please like And subscribe and share this video with your friends and family also please tell me from where you're watching thanks the snow had started falling that morning and hadn't stopped I was curled up on the couch wrapped in my favorite old blanket the one I'd had for years and refused to part with no matter how tattered it got in my hands was a mug of tea the steam swirling up and disappearing into the dim light of the living room an old black and white movie played Softly on the TV not because I was

particularly interested but because the sound of voices and music made the house feel less empty that night was supposed to be my night to unwind to finally relax after weeks of feeling unsettled when I moved into the little yellow house on Cedar Lane I thought I'd found a dream spot it wasn't perfect the floors creaked the kitchen was drafty and the paint was peeling in places but it had charm plus the rent was affordable and the neighbor neighborhood seemed peaceful Looking Back Now I realized that kind of quiet isn't always a good thing the day

I moved in Beth introduced herself she came right up to my door before I had even finished unloading the U-Haul carrying a loaf of banana bread wrapped in foil her energy was magnetic almost overwhelming she was all smiles her words tumbling out in a rapid fire stream of questions and comments about how excited she was to have me next door we don't get get a lot of new people around here she'd said with a laugh you're going to love it at first I did love it Beth was always around offering to help with small things

shoveling my driveway after a snowstorm bringing over casseroles she'd made too much of or just stopping by to chat she made me feel welcome in a way I hadn't expected I thought of her as a friend though I quickly realized she had a habit of popping by unannounced it was a little much but I chocked it up to her being overly friendly but then little things started to bother me Beth always seemed to know when I was home if I turned off my car in the driveway she'd appear within minutes once she mentioned something about

the light in my living room saying it made my place look so warm and cozy at night that comment stuck with me because I'd never told her when I left that light on that night as the credits rolled on the movie I was just starting to think about heading to bed when I heard it a knock at the door it wasn't loud but in the Stillness of the house it sounded like thunder my breath hitched I wasn't expecting anyone and when I glanced at the clock I felt a small jolt of unease it was 11:42

p.m. I stayed frozen on the couch for a moment the sound of my heartbeat suddenly louder than anything else in the room then slowly I stood and wrapped the blanket tighter around myself each step toward the door felt deliberate the floorboards creaking under my weight when I reached the door I hesitated leaning forward to peer through the peephole Beth was standing there she was bundled up in her thick winter coat her scarf pulled up high on her neck and her breath hung in the cold air like tiny clouds her face was lit by the soft

glow of the porch light and she was smiling though something about the way her lips curved made me feel uneasy her smile didn't look real it was too wide too fit I opened the door just to crack the cold air rushed in biting at my cheeks and hands Beth it's late is everything okay her smile stayed frozen in place but her eyes looked tired I was worried about you she said her voice sweet and almost sing song you didn't answer your phone that made me pause I hadn't heard my phone ring I glanced toward the

table where it sat silent and unmoving I didn't hear it I said my voice wary is something wrong Beth's eyes darted to the street behind her then back to me can I come in just for a minute every Instinct I had screamed at me to say no something about the way she stood there her body tense despite her calm demeanor made my stomach knot but it was freezing outside and Beth had always been kind to me I couldn't just leave her out there sure I said reluctantly stepping aside Beth walked in her boot squeaking softly

against the wood floor as she shook off the snow she looked around the room slowly her gaze lingering on every little detail the throw pillows on the couch the stack of books on the coffee table the photo of my family on the mantle your place is so cozy she said her voice soft it feels like you've lived here forever I forced a smile thanks do you want some tea she didn't answer instead she walked straight to the mantle and picked up the photo she stared at it her fingers brushing over the glass frame you're really

lucky she said quietly to have people who care about you something about the way she said it sent a shiver down my spine Beth I said trying to keep my voice steady what's going on she turned to face me and for a moment we just stared at each other then she reached into her coat pocket and pulled out something small my heart dropped when I saw what it was my hairbrush the one that had vanished weeks ago I found this she said holding it out to me with that same unsettling smile you must have dropped

it my hands trembled as I took it from her where where did you find it her smile widened and it didn't reach her eyes oh just around I took a step back clutching the hairbrush tightly the room suddenly felt colder like all the warmth had been sucked out of the air Beth I think it's time for you to go I said my voice firmer now her smile faltered just for a moment but she didn't argue she nodded pulling her coat tighter around herself okay but I'll see you tomorrow right good night Beth I said my

voice clipped as I opened the door I watched her walk out into the snow her figure disappearing into the dark and locked the door behind her my hands were shaking so badly it took me two tries to turn the deadbolt I spent the rest of the night sitting on the couch every Creek of the house making me jump the next morning I called my landlord to ask about changing the locks that's when I learned about the previous tenant Beth's sister she'd left suddenly he said and wouldn't say why my stomach twisted and I couldn't shake

the feeling that I was only seeing the tip of some larger darker story a week later the final straw came I came home one night to find a small ceramic bird a knickknack I hadn't seen in weeks placed neatly on my kitchen encounter it was clean polished and sitting exactly where it used to be Beth's house was dark a forent sign now staked in the front yard she was gone just like that even now years later I think about her about the things she took the way she always seemed to know when I was home

every January when the nights grow long and the snow falls heavy I find myself checking the locks twice listening for footsteps on the porch and I still wonder what would have happened if I hadn't told her to leave I remember pulling into the parking lot of the Pine View Motel windshield wipers scraping against the frost that refused to budge the place was as miserable as the weather a dim rundown building with a flickering green vacancy sign that buzzed faintly in the silence I hesitated before getting out sitting there for a moment with the heater blasting

and my hands wrapped around the steering wheel part of me wondered if I should just keep driving but the thought of braving those icy roads for another hour went out so I grabbed my bag braced myself and stepped into the biting wind the office was warmer than I expected stuffy actually with the faint smell of burnt coffee hanging in the air the clerk was slouched behind the counter eyes glued to a tiny flickering TV that looked like it hadn't been updated since the '90s he didn't even look look up when I walked in hey I

started my voice coming out shaky from the cold I need a room for the night without a word he shoved a key across the counter his gloved hand startling me who wears gloves inside I wanted to ask but decided against it his face was pale waxy almost like someone who hadn't seen sunlight in months he muttered something that sounded like 7c before turning his attention back to the screen I didn't bother asking for directions the place wasn't exactly sprawling outside the cold hit me again like a slap and I trudged toward the stairs leading to

the second floor my boots crunching against the thin layer of snow on the pavement that's when I saw them mannequins they were scattered around the edges of the parking lot their painted faces catching the glow of the flickering sign at first I thought they were just decorations some kind of weird artsy Motel gimmick but the more I looked the less sense they made their faces were painted in garish colors like clowns Frozen mid laugh one had a crimson grin stretched so wide it nearly reached its ears while another's eyes were painted in Eerie glossy white

like they were blind I didn't Linger The Room wasn't much better the moment I opened the door to 7c a musty sour smell hit me mildew mixed with the sharp Tang of cheap disinfectant the heater in the corner sputtered weakly barely managing to take the edge off the cold the bed sagged in the middle and the furniture looked like it had been cobbled together from a yard sail but it was a roof over my head and at that moment that was all I cared about I tossed my bag onto the lumpy mattress and started unpacking

my hands were still shaking from the cold when I heard it a knock sharp sudden and loud enough to to make me jump I froze it was late too late for anyone to be knocking for a second I thought about ignoring it but curiosity got the better of me I crept toward the door and peered through the peephole no one just the empty hallway dimly lit by flickering fluorescent lights as I stepped back I noticed something on the floor a note folded neatly and slipped under the door my heart was racing as I picked it

up and unfolded it new let me know if you need any Lucas saan the handwriting was sharp and bold almost aggressive in its Precision I stared at it for a moment unsure what to make of it friendly maybe but something about it felt off I locked the deadbolt twice before crawling into bed the heater rattled on struggling against the Chill but sleep didn't come easily my mind kept drifting back to that note to the mannequins outside to the pale-faced clerk with his gloved hands the next morning I found another note careful at night things get

strange here this time I didn't even bother unfolding it all the way before crumpling it and tossing it in the trash maybe Lucas was just a harmless Oddball but I wasn't in the mood to play along I spent most of the day avoiding the motel entirely wandering the nearby gas station nursing a lukewarm coffee and scrolling through my phone the cold was unrelenting and by the time I got back to into the room I was so drained I could barely keep my eyes open that night though I didn't have the luxury of sleep the knocking

came back louder this time sharp and deliberate my eyes flew open heart pounding as I gripped the thin Motel blanket three knocks then silence I sat there paralyzed before grabbing the lamp from the bedside table and creeping toward the door I checked the peephole again still no one but this time something caught my eye the door to room 7A it was cracked open just a sliver and I could see a pale face staring back at me everything okay Lucas's voice was calm almost too calm like he'd been expecting me I stammered something about hearing noises

but he just smiled a slow unsettling grin that didn't quite reach his eyes it's just the wind he said happens all the time here he shut the door before I could respond I didn't sleep much after that around midnight I heard something else footsteps slow deliberate and coming from outside my window my room was on the second floor there was no balcony no fire escape then came the tapping soft at first almost hesitant tap tap tap I told myself it was just the wind just like Lucas said but when I finally worked up the nerve

to pull back the curtain my heart stopped a mannequin its painted face was pressed against the glass its hand smeared across the frost covered pane I stumbled back tripping over the bed when I looked again it was gone I packed my bag in record time shoving everything I owned into a single duffel I didn't care about the freezing night or the fact that I'd already paid for the room I just needed to leave but as I opened the door Lucas was standing there going somewhere he asked his voice calm but edged with something darker yeah

I managed trying to Edge past him just decided this isn't the place for me his smile widened you can't leave not yet I ran down the stairs past the mannequins their painted faces seeming to follow me my boots crunched against the snow as I sprinted to the gas station my breath coming in frantic bursts the cashier barely looked up as I begged him to call the police when I told him about the mannequin he just Shrugged they're always around he said nothing to worry about it wasn't until I made it to a diner 2 miles

down the road that I finally felt safe the warmth hit me like a slap and I collapsed into a booth shaking uncontrollably later I learned the truth or enough of it to never want to know more the mannequins weren't decorations they were warnings or trophies Lucas wasn't just some weird neighbor he had a history and and the missing guests well they never found them even now years later I can't look at a mannequin without feeling that tightness in my chest every January when the nights are especially cold I think about that face at the window

and the tapping that still haunts my dreams and every time I hear the wind I can't help but wonder if it's just the wind at all after college I found myself in that between stage where Everything feels uncertain no big job offers no Grand Adventures waiting on the horizon just me a stack of student loans and a nagging sense that I needed to figure things out that's how I ended up at Gracie's Diner it wasn't glamorous but it was steady and there was something comforting about the place Gracie sat at the edge of Main Street

with a flickering neon sign that buzzed faintly in the quiet of the evening inside the air always smelled like a mix of fresh coffee sizzling bacon and a faint hint of lemon cleaner the booths were worn from years of customers sliding in and out and the Jukebox in the corner played songs that somehow made everyone nostalgic even if they'd never heard them before for the town Gracie's wasn't just a diner it was a second home truckers came through on their long Halls looking for a warm meal and a kind word regulars had their favorite booths

their go-to orders and stories they'd retell until you could practice practically recite them yourself even the occasional Drifter could find a place there at least for a little while it felt safe like the world couldn't touch you as long as you were inside I'd been working there for 6 months just long enough to know who tipped well and who liked their coffee black when Donna showed up she was Gracie's niece fresh from the city and she carried herself like someone who'd been forced to slum it in our little town Donna had this polished look tailored

black houses Perfect Nails a hairstyle that probably required more effort than I'd put into my entire week at first glance you might have thought she was some kind of model but her sharp tongue made it clear she wasn't here to win any popularity contests from the moment she walked in it was like she'd decided the rest of us weren't worth her time she'd glance around the diner like she was judging every corner every coffee stain every mismatched chair and the way she talked talk about the place calling it quaint or charming with this smug little

smirk made it obvious she didn't mean it as a compliment at first I figured she'd just need some time to settle in moving to a small town from the city couldn't be easy but it didn't take long to realize that Donna wasn't trying to adjust Donna was trying to remind everyone she was better than us she'd make these little comments things that seemed innocent at first but hit like a slap once you thought thought about them some people are just content with the bare minimum she'd say her eyes lingering on my worn out sneakers or

it's nice that people here can find joy in the small things like it was a Bad Thing by January I'd learned to bite my tongue work was work and I couldn't afford to let her get to me the diner had become my anchor and I wasn't about to let her ruin that still those winter nights were brutal the wind felt like it had claws scraped at your skin no matter how many layers you wore and the snow piled up so fast it felt like the whole town might just disappear under it business slowed down after

dark so Gracie started cutting back on the late night staff that meant just two people on the overnight shift me and Donna every night felt like a test of patience trying to work alongside her without losing my cool the way she watched me like she was waiting for me to screw up made the air feel heavy I catch her rolling her eyes when I refilled someone's coffee or muttering under her breath when I took too long wiping down a table but the night it all came to a head that one's burned into my memory it

started snowing early that evening fat lazy flakes that stuck to everything they touched by the time I got to the diner the roads were slick with ice and the parking lot looked like a skating rink I pushed through the door shaking the snow off my coat and there she was Donna leaning against the counter with her phone in one hand and an expression that screamed you're wasting my time you're late she said without even looking up I wasn't in fact I was 5 minutes early but I just Shrugged it off and tied on my apron

too tired to argue the heater hummed faintly in the background barely keeping the cold at Bay and the diner was quiet except for the occasional gust of wind rattling the windows around 10 a couple of truckers came in their faces red from the cold and their boots leaving wet patches on the floor they were grateful for the warmth the coffee and the company I took their orders made some small talk and even got a chuckle out of one of them when I told a lame joke about the weather when I brought their plates to the

table one of them smiled at me best coffee I've had in weeks he said raising his mug like he was toasting me it was a small thing but it felt good a reminder that I wasn't invisible Donna didn't see it that way as soon as the truckers left she turned on me you think you're so Charming don't you she said her voice sharp enough to cut through the quiet what I said genuinely caught off guard and you heard me she snapped stepping closer you act like this sweet little angel but we both know you're just

lazy pathetic really you don't belong here or anywhere her words hit like a punch to the gut but I forced myself to stay calm if you've got a problem with me maybe you should talk talk to Gracie instead of taking it out on me I said trying to keep my voice steady she laughed but it wasn't the kind of laugh that put you at ease Gracie she sneered she's just as clueless as you and then before I could process what was happening she grabbed a tray from the counter and threw it at me it all

happened so fast the sound of the tray cutting through the air the crash as it hit the floor the way the diner suddenly felt too quiet I stared at her my heart pounding what is wrong with you I said taking a step back she didn't answer she just grabbed her coat and stormed out into the snowy night slamming the door behind her for a moment I stood there Frozen in place the wind howled outside and the diner felt emptier than it had ever been when Gracie came in about an hour later I told her everything

every insult every glare and finally the flying tray Gracie listened quietly her face calm but her eyes betraying a flicker of anger the next day Donna was gone Gracie didn't say much just that she wouldn't tolerate Behavior like that family or not life moved on as it always does Donna went back to the city and I kept working at the diner sometimes I think about her about the anger in her eyes and the bitterness in her words maybe she was dealing with her own struggles or maybe she just hated me I guess I'll never know

but I do know this this I'm still here pouring coffee making small talk and finding moments of joy in the hum of everyday life it's not perfect but it's mine and for now that feels like enough you know how sometimes a random comment can pull a memory from the back of your mind something you thought you'd buried for good that happened to me the other day at work so someone was talking about staying late in the office and just like that I was back in January years ago now when I just started my first job

it feels like another lifetime but that month I remember it too well it was right after New Years that sluggish time of year when the holiday cheer has worn off and everything feels cold gray and a little too quiet I just started at this marketing firm downtown my first real job after college you know the feeling eager to make a good impression terrified of making a bad one and constantly second guessing everything from your email tone to your lunch choices and so that was me trying my best to look like I had it all together

the office was a Sleek open plan kind of place lots of glass walls and minimalist Furniture it felt modern and intimidating like I didn't quite belong yet the company had this internal app an all-in-one communication tool think slack but somehow clunkier people used it to message each other share updates and post things like who was bringing cupcakes for a birthday my manager suggested I set up a profile saying it was a great way to get to know people so I did I uploaded a picture of myself wrote a short bio enlisted a few interests trying

to sound interesting without trying too hard I remember pausing over the hobby section wondering if listing reading made me seem boring or relatable in hindsight that app feels like the start of Everything But at the time it was just another checkbox on my onboarding to-do list the first week was uneventful the way first weeks often are I spent most of it trying to figure out how to navigate office life where was the good coffee which desk creaked loud enough to draw attention when you shifted your chair who were the people you needed to know the

app sat quietly in the background of all this one more thing I barely paid attention to then one afternoon I got a message it was from someone with the username winter Blues their profile didn't have a picture just the default gray silhouette but their message was friendly enough hey welcome to the team how's your first week going I felt a little spark of relief starting a new job can be lonely and this seemed like a nice gesture I wrote back thanking them and saying I was still settling in but but enjoying it so far we

exchanged a few messages over the next couple of days at first it was light and harmless office gossip lunch spots nearby the quirks of our floor's ancient printer I didn't think twice about it they seemed friendly if a little chatty but then their questions started to get personal where did I grow up what were my hobbies outside of work was I dating anyone at first I tried to laugh it off keeping my responses polite but vague I didn't want to be rude after all this could be someone I'd eventually bump into in the breakroom but

the more they messaged the more uncomfortable I felt the real kicker came when they started mentioning things about me that they shouldn't have known what I wore that day who I sat with at lunch even the exact time I left the building it was unsettling but I tried to rationalize it maybe they were just observant maybe this was their awkward way of trying to make a connection I didn't want to seem paranoid so I decided to ignore it then came the sticky note I walked into work one morning sat down at my desk and saw

it sitting there like it had been waiting for me it was short scrolled in neat handwriting you're even prettier in person my heart sank someone had been there at my desk watching me I glanced around the office but everyone seemed wrapped up in their own world no one looks suspicious but that almost made it worse it could have been anyone I blocked winter Blues on the app and reported Ed the messages to HR I remember sitting in the beige overly sterile HR office explaining everything and watching their expression shift between concern and skepticism without solid

proof they said there wasn't much they could do let us know if anything else happens they told me like it was some minor inconvenience instead of the gut-wrenching fear I was carrying around for a few days I managed to convince myself it was over but then late one night I stayed at the office to finish a report the place was practically deserted normally the office buzzes with activity phones ringing printers humming people chatting but that night the silence felt heavy broken only by the occasional groan of the HVAC system as I walked down the hallway

to leave I heard footsteps slow deliberate and just far enough behind me to make my skin crawl I stopped my breath hitching and listened the the footsteps stopped too I glanced over my shoulder but the hallway was empty my heart was pounding as I hurried to the elevator jabbing the button over and over until the doors finally opened I didn't even feel safe when I got home that night I sat in bed staring at my laptop too wired to sleep that's when I saw the email it was from a new account the message was short

but chilling why' you leave so fast I just wanted to talk the next day there was another sticky note this one wasn't flattering it was a threat what would you do if I didn't let you leave next time that was the moment it stopped feeling surreal and became very very real I went back to HR practically begging them to take it seriously they promised to look into it but gave me the same vague assurances as before I felt trapped helpless and utterly alone that Friday everything came to a head a snowstorm had rolled in and

most people left early to avoid getting stuck I stayed behind trying to catch up on work around 700 p.m. the lights went out the entire office was plunged Into Darkness the kind where you can barely see your hand in front of your face at first I thought it was the storm but then I heard it again those slow deliberate footsteps this time they were above me panic set in I grabbed my phone and ducked under my desk whispering to the 911 operator the footsteps moved down the stairs closer and closer then I Heard a Voice

Low calm and Bone chilling I know you're still here you can't ignore me forever I bolted I don't even remember deciding to run one second I was crouched under the desk and the next I was sprinting for the emergency exit I burst outside into the freezing night air just as two police cruisers pulled up they went inside and a few minutes later they came out with someone in handcuffs it was one of the it guys someone who'd helped me set up my computer on my first day later the police told me he'd been stalking me

for weeks he'd hacked into the app to track my messages watched me through the building security cameras and even tampered with the power that night to trap me they found sticky notes in his bag and a map of my neighborhood I quit the job the following Monday even now I can't stay late in an office without feeling that creeping paranoia and every January when the nights are long and cold I remember that voice you can't ignore me forever it was one of those bitter January nights when the cold seems to stretch its fingers into every

corner of the world even bundled in my thickest coat scarf and gloves I could feel the chill biting at me as I fumbled with the bookstore's lock the shop had been my second home since I'd started working working there part-time while finishing school it wasn't glamorous but it was cozy shelves overflowing with books The Faint smell of paper and coffee and the comforting sound of customers browsing but that night the comfort of the store felt a million miles away as I turned the key and pulled the door shut behind me I noticed him he was

standing across the street leaning against the lamp post like he had all the time in the world his hands were buried deep in his coat pockets and a a faint cloud of breath Rose around his face in the icy Air at first I thought he was just some random guy waiting for a bus or trying to warm up before heading home but then I noticed his posture still rigid and unnervingly deliberate and his gaze he was looking right at me I met Aaron 2 weeks earlier at a New Year's Eve party hosted by a friend

of a friend it wasn't a wild party more of a low-key gathering with mismatched couches and snacks and plas bowls I hadn't been in the mood to go out but forced myself figuring it would be good to start the year by being social instead of curling up with Netflix Aaron had approached me halfway through the night holding two plastic cups of champagne like it was some Grand romantic gesture he introduced himself with an easy smile and a deep voice that somehow managed to be both smooth and conversational I couldn't let you stand here without a

drink he said handing me a cup his charm wasn't overbearing just confident enough to be intriguing he told me he was a graphic designer the kind of guy who lived for great stories which struck me as a little corny but endearing we talked for a while about art books and movies safe topics for strangers but there was something about the way he watched me as I spoke it wasn't aggressive but it felt intense when he asked for my number before I left I hesitated for a moment then Shrugged and gave it to him after all

it was was New Year's a fresh start right our first date happened a few days later he took me to a little diner tucked away on a quiet street one of those places where the staff knows everyone by name and the coffee comes in mismatched mugs he asked thoughtful questions about my favorite books and childhood dreams listening with what seemed like genuine interest it was nice nice enough that I didn't regret saying yes to the date but not quite enough to make me certain I wanted a second at the end of the night as we

stood outside the diner he leaned in for a kiss I panicked a little stepping back with an awkward smile sorry I said I'm not ready for that yet he smiled but his expression flickered just for a moment his jaw tightened his smile not quite reaching his eyes I brushed it off chalking it up to disappointment or embarrassment but that flicker stayed with me nagging at the edges of my mind at first his texts were sweet compliments about how much fun he had asking when we could meet again I kept my replies polite but non-committal Unsure

how I felt that hesitation seemed to frustrate him his messages became more frequent then more demanding why aren't you responding did I do something wrong why give me your number if you weren't serious I tried to be patient explaining that I was busy and needed time to think but the more I pulled back the more he pushed by the end of that week he was texting me several times a day even calling repeatedly when I didn't answer right away one night the calls wouldn't stop I was in my tiny studio apartment trying to focus on

a paper for class when my phone lit up for the 12th time in a row his name glowed on the screen like a warning in between the calls his texts kept coming I know you're there pick up don't make me come over I turned off my phone and sat Frozen at the edge of my bed staring at the frost creeping across the window every Creek in the old building made my heart jump I didn't sleep much that night and when morning came I sent him one last message you're scaring me please stop his reply came

almost instantly I'm sorry if I came on too strong I just care about you so much please don't throw this away I blocked his number hoping that would be the end of it but it wasn't a week later he found me on social media at first it was subtle liking Old Post leaving generic compliments but then the comments started getting more personal you looked amazing in that dress last night wish I could have been there that post was months old the implication was clear and it sent a shiver down my spine I tightened every privacy

setting I could find blocked him again and tried to forget about it but it was like trying to ignore a shadow that wouldn't leave BS and then there was that night at the bookstore it had been a quiet shift barely any customers the kind of night where I had too much time to think I closed up alone the darkness outside making the shop feel smaller as I stepped outside and locked the door I saw him under the lamp post he didn't say a word or move toward me he just stood there his breath visible in

the icy air watching my hands trembled as I fumbled for my phone and dialed my manager go back inside she said immediately her voice lock the door I'm calling the police I didn't need to be told twice I bolted back inside flipping the lock and pulling down the blinds my heart was pounding so loudly I thought it might drown out the sound of my breathing peeking through the window I watched him stand there motionless until the police car arrived after a brief conversation with the officers he finally turned and walked away shoulders hunched against the

cold for weeks I jumped at every unexpected sound every knock at the door sent my stomach into knots but gradually life returned to normal or at least something resembling normal then one night I met Leah at a local pub we started chatting swapping dating horror stories over drinks when she began describing a guy who wouldn't leave her alone I felt a cold knot form in my chest was his name Aaron I asked her eyes widened you know him we spent hours piecing together our experiences realiz realizing how disturbingly similar they were I encouraged her to

document everything and go to the police just as I had that shared experience bonded us in a way I wouldn't have imagined and we became unlikely friends connected by a nightmare neither of us had signed up for it's been over a year now and I haven't seen Aaron since that January night Leah and I still keep in touch checking in on each other from time to time together we've learned to trust our instincts to rec recognize that unease for what it is not paranoia but self-preservation that winter left me with a lesson I'll never forget

the coldest thing you'll ever feel isn't the January wind it's the way someone looks at you when they believe they have the right to own you the footstep started in January I'll never forget that winter it was brutal the kind of cold that makes you feel like it will never be warm again you'd step outside and the air would sting your face cutting through every layer you had on I just moved into an old Brick House on the edge of town a place I'd found after what felt like months of looking for something affordable the

landlord had mentioned it had been empty for a while which didn't exactly fill me with confidence but at the price they were asking I couldn't say no I remembered how the house looked the first time I saw it it wasn't fancy but it had this charm about it like it had been waiting for someone to come along and bring it back to life two small bedrooms creaky hardwood floors that protested every step and these drafty windows that felt like they belonged in a different Century it was old sure but I like that about it the

kind of place that seems to hold memories like the walls have soaked up Decades of stories that first night I kept it simple I didn't bother unpacking much just the basics a kettle for tea my laptop a couple of blankets the dining room became my temporary Command Center the laptop perched on the scratched wooden table as I tried to settle into my new home outside the wind howled like it had a personal Vendetta making the windows rattle in their frames the old heater in the corner let out these groans and clicks that felt like it

was working way harder than it should have been the silence inside the house was Heavy almost oppressive but I brushed it off I was used to noise roommates Street Sounds the constant hum of life this was just different unfamiliar I turned in around 11: that night I double checked the locks on the front and back doors a habit I've always had maybe because I've watched too many crime shows then I climbed into bed cocooned myself in every blanket I could find and tried to ignore the chill that seemed to seep out of the very walls

sleep came slowly but eventually I drifted off end of lesson two and sweet dreams I'll leave it there for now and then I heard it footsteps they weren't faint or subtle they were deliberate each step falling with a weight that made my breath catch they started in the hallway just outside my bedroom door One Step then another slow measured like whoever or whatever was out there wasn't in a hurry the sound moved toward the kitchen the hardwood floors amplifying every Creek and groan and then nothing dead silence I didn't move at first my body felt

like it was frozen but not from the cold this time my heart was pounding so loudly I could hear it in my ears and my brain was screaming at me to do something anything but I just lay there paralyzed when I finally worked up the nerve to move I grabbed the flashlight I'd left on the nightstand I gripped it so tightly my Knuckles achd like it was some kind of Shield against whatever might be waiting for me I stepped into the hallway every muscle in my body tense the house felt different somehow like it was

holding its breath the air was colder and the silence was so thick it pressed against my ears I checked the kitchen the doors the windows everything was locked just as I'd left it but the sound of those footsteps I wasn't imagining it they'd been too solid too real for the next few days I tried to convince myself it was nothing house is settle right especially old ones like this but as much as I tried to rationalize it the memory of those footsteps clung to me like a shadow and then the little things started happening the

doorbell rang one night around midnight I jumped out of bed heart pounding and rushed to the door only to find no one the street was empty the porch light casting a faint glow on the snow covered steps another time I woke up to find the back door slightly ajar I remember standing there staring at it my breath fogging in the freezing air I knew I'd locked it before bed I knew it but there it was open just a crack like an invitation and then there was the footprint it was in the kitchen right in front

of the sink a single wet footprint Barefoot larger than mine I just stood there staring at it my stomach twisting itself into knots I grabbed a towel and wiped it away as fast as I could like erasing it would make it less real but that image it's burned into my memory by the time the end of January rolled around I was running on fumes work was stressful sleep was hard to come by and every little noise the house made set my heart racing then came the night I saw it I was up late working on

some contracts at the dining table the wind outside was relentless slamming into the house like it was trying to tear it apart I got up to make another cup of tea rubbing my eyes and telling myself I just needed to power through but as I stepped into the hallway I froze at the far end of the hall near the back door stood a figure it was tall unnaturally tall its head nearly brushed the ceiling and it seemed to shift ever so slightly like it was swaying in an invisible Breeze there were no details no features

just the outline a shadow that felt like it was made of something heavier than darkness my mouth went dry and I backed up slowly my legs shaking so badly I thought they'd give out I blinked and it was gone so that was the first night I didn't sleep at all I sat on the couch every light in the house blazing clutching my phone like it was a Lifeline I kept telling myself I'd imagined it that it was just my exhaustion playing tricks on me but I didn't believe it not really the last incident was the

one that broke me I'd fallen asleep on the couch the TV playing softly in the background sometime in the early hours of the morning I woke up at first I thought the sound of the TV had pulled me out of sleep but then I heard it a voice it was low and grally barely more than a whisper but it was unmistakably close right next to my ear it said one word Elizabeth I shot upright my heart pounding so hard it hurt the room was empty the TV was still on playing some info mercial with a

volume barely audible but that voice it wasn't from the TV it was right there I didn't know anyone named Elizabeth I still don't but that name stayed with me echoing in my mind long after the sound itself had Faded by the end of the month I was gone I packed up left the keys on the counter and didn't even bother explaining to the landlord what could I say that the house was haunted that I'd heard voices and seen things I couldn't explain they'd think I was crazy it's been years and I've moved on but that

house those memories they still creep into my thoughts sometimes late at night when the house is quiet and the world feels still I'll hear a creek or catch a shadow out of the corner of my eye and that familiar Chill Will crawl up my spine and I'll wonder who was Elizabeth and why did she seem to know me when I landed my first real job at 22 it felt like stepping into a world I'd only seen in TV shows you know the type polished offices people bustling around in business casual and a breakroom that always

had some mysterious leftovers no one dared to claim the company wasn't a household name but to me it might as well have been Google or Apple it was my big break the kind of job that made me feel like I was finally properly an adult the office was massive almost intimidating rows of desks stretched out under fluorescent lights each one cluttered with monitors coffee mugs and random sticky notes scrawled with reminders there was this constant hum of keyboards clacking phones ringing and co-workers murmuring about projects it was overwhelming at first like trying to jump into

a river that was already rushing past I spent my first few weeks trying to stay invisible nodding along in meetings and pretending I understood all the acur being thrown around then I met Clara Clara was one of the marketing leads and she was everything I wasn't confident outgoing and completely at ease in her role she had this knack for making people laugh even during the most boring meetings and when she spoke everyone listened I noticed her long before she noticed me which felt inevitable she was magnetic the kind of person you couldn't help but watch

I never thought she'd even know my name let alone strike up a conversation with me it started small a casual comment during a break a shared laugh over the ancient coffee machine that only worked half the time then one day she invited me to join her for lunch come on she said with a grin you've been hiding at your desk long enough it felt like being chosen for a team in school like she'd pluck me out of obscurity lunches became a regular thing and soon we were staying late after work talking about everything from Office

politics to favorite childhood movies Clara had this way of making you feel like the only person in the room and I soaked it up like a sponge when we started dating I couldn't believe my luck I was the guy who'd landed the office star and for a while it felt like I was living in some kind of dream but dreams as it turns out don't last forever about 6 months into the relationship things started to shift Clara wasn't as warm as present as she used to be at first I chocked it up dist stress she

was juggling multiple projects after all but then came the night that changed everything we were out for drinks with some co-workers unwinding after a long week when Clara turned to me with a look I couldn't quite read you're a bit much sometimes you know she said swirling her wine glass I blinked caught completely off guard what do you mean I asked trying to keep my voice steady she Shrugged as if it were the most obvious thing in the world you're always around always asking me how I'm doing what I'm thinking it's a lot her words

stung but what really stayed with me was her laugh the kind of light dismissive laugh that made it clear she didn't see the problem you ever hear of playing hard to get she added with a smirk as if she were giving me some kind of relationship advice I didn't know what to say I just sat there trying to make sense of what I was hearing the relationship ended not long after after that and the way she did it quick casual like it was no big deal left me Reeling I spent weeks avoiding her at work

ducking into side hallways and taking my lunch breaks at odd hours just to avoid the awkwardness eventually it became too much I handed in my resignation packed up my desk and walked away I swore off office relationships after that I told myself it wasn't worth the risk not when the Fallout could be so messy for a while I stuck to the plan I threw myself into freelance work kept my head down and tried to rebuild my confidence then about a year later I landed a new job at a midsize firm in the city it was

smaller quieter and the kind of place where people actually respected boundaries they even had a strict no dating policy which felt like exactly what I needed and that's where I met Lauren Lauren was the receptionist and from the moment I met her she felt like a breath of fresh air she wasn't like Clara there was no sharp edge to her charm no sense that she was performing for an audience Lauren was warm and approachable the kind of person who remembered everyone's name and made you feel seen we started chatting during coffee breaks and it didn't

take long for her to open up about her life she told me about her struggles how chronic health issues had made it hard for her to hold down a full-time job how this role felt like a fresh start I've never had anything this steady before she admitted one day her voice tinged with both hope and vulnerability I admired her resilience the way she kept pushing forward even when things got tough our friendship turned into something more before I even realized it we started spending weekends together walking through the park or watching bad movies on her

couch she'd leave little things at my apartment a scarf a book she thought I'd like her favorite mug and each one felt like a small comforting promise of stability for a while it felt like we were building something solid something real but then January came around it started with little things Lauren skipping the office New Year's party insisting that we didn't need to spend time with co-workers or even my family we should focus on us she'd say her tone sweet but firm at first I thought she just wanted to feel closer to me but then

it started to feel suffocating she began questioning everything I did everyone I talked to especially women fights that started over small misunderstandings would spiral into hours long arguments leaving me emotionally drained one night after a particularly heated fight Lauren locked herself in the guest room I crashed on the couch exhausted and unsure of how to fix things around midnight I woke up to a sharp searing pain in my hand Lauren was standing over for me clutching a broken piece of her favorite mug Lauren I thought you were dead he growled and then rolled over on

his side screaming I didn't mean to she cried dropping The Shard onto the floor blood dripped from my hand as I stumbled to my feet trying to process what had just happened she backed away locking herself in the guest room again while I stood there stunned at the hospital the doctor told me I'd lose some mobility in my fingers a permanent reminder of that night Lauren was arrested and later convicted of assault I never saw her again after that but the scars she left behind both physical and emotional haven't faded looking back I've wondered if

I ignored the signs because I wanted so badly for things to work maybe I thought I could fix it or maybe I just didn't want to be alone either way I've learned the hard way that love can be as dangerous as it is intoxicating for now I'm focusing ing on myself trying to rebuild the confidence I lost maybe one day I'll Trust again maybe one day love won't feel so dangerous it was one of those brutally cold January nights where you wonder why anyone let alone yourself would leave the comfort of a warm house my

friend Ben had been bugging me all day about checking out this abandoned Factory on the edge of town he'd stumbled across cross it on one of his solo drives and decided it was the perfect spot for an adventure it's got this crazy haunted Vibe he texted creepy as hell you'll love it now for the record I didn't love it I'm not a fan of wandering through dark freezing places just for the thrill of it but Ben he lives for this kind of thing and he has this way of wearing you down of making his enthusiasm

feel contagious I couldn't help but get curious even if my gut was screaming that this was a terrible idea by 9:00 p.m. I found myself reluctantly piling into Ben's ancient Honda which rattled with every bump in the road the heater was cranked up to its Max setting but it still struggled to chase away the cold that clung to us the drive out to the factory was quiet except for the occasional hum of a text notification from Ben's phone and the sound of the tires crunching over patches of ice the further we drove the darker it

got street lights became sparse and the RADS were lying with shadowy skeletal trees if someone had wanted to set up the perfect horror movie scene this was it when we finally pulled up the factory loomed ahead like some kind of Forgotten Beast it was massive sprawling across a good chunk of the block with Jagged walls that looked like they were caving in under their own weight the windows were shattered their edges catching the Moonlight and sharp glint and the whole place was draped in a thin veil of fog that seemed to cling to to it

like a second skin snow covered the ground in uneven patches its dull glow adding an eerie light to the scene I stared at it trying to convince myself this wasn't a mistake you seriously think this is a good idea I asked watching my breath fog up the windshield Ben just grinned that kind of mischievous grin that tells you he's fully committed to whatever Madness he's about to drag you into it's an abandoned building not the gates of hell don't be such a wuss didn't respond just pulled my jacket tighter around me as we stepped out

of the car the cold hit me like a wall stealing the breath from my lungs Ben was already heading toward the rusted fence surrounding the factory flashlight in hand I followed reluctantly the snow crunching under my boots we found a gap in the fence where the metal had curled back like the jaws of a trap as I ducked through the jagged edges snagged at my sleeve and I couldn't help but feel like it was a bad Omen inside the fence the air was even colder if that was possible the wind whistled through the broken windows

carrying with it a low mournful sound that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end every step we took echoed in the silence a reminder of just how empty the place was or at least how empty it was supposed to be we've been poking around for about 20 minutes mostly just peering into rooms filled with rusted machinery and piles of debris when we stumbled across the camper it was tucked into a corner of the factory half hidden behind stacks of old crates and Twisted Metal at first I thought it was just

more junk but as we got closer it became clear that this was something else entirely the camper looked ancient like it had been sitting there for decades it's once white paint was now streak with Grime and rust and the windows were covered with heavy burlap that had been stapled into place the door hung slightly a jar swaying ever so slightly in the breeze I stopped dead in my tracks uh Ben why is there a camper here he turned to me his eyes lighting up with that same Reckless excitement that always made me nervous this is

amazing he said as if we just found buried treasure no it's not it's weird I shot back pulling my jacket tighter around me it doesn't belong here exactly he said already moving toward it that's what makes it cool Ben wait wait but he wasn't listening he never listened he'd show me three or four packages from different brands and each would tell me something different and I just the closer we got the worse the camper looked the door creaked as Ben pushed it open and the smell hit us like a slap in the face a metallic

sour stench that made my stomach churn I gagged pulling my scarf up over my nose while Ben just shown his flashlight inside like he was completely unfaced the interior was a mess there were piles of old clothes scattered across the floor stained and torn the walls were covered in drawings dozens of them all done in some kind of black scratchy ink each one depicted a face Twisted grotesque faces with Hollow eyes and mouths stretched into silent screams around them were strange symbols circles and lines that overlapped in chaotic patterns it felt like the walls were

closing in on us okay this is seriously messed up I said my voice shaking we need to leave relax Ben said though his voice didn't sound nearly as confident as it had earlier it's just someone's weird art project or something but then I heard it a low hum so faint it was more of a vibration than a sound it seemed to come from the walls themselves pulsing in time with my racing heartbeat do you hear that I whispered B didn't respond his flashlight had landed on a pile of clothes in the corner clothes that were

covered in dark stains I didn't want to think about what those stains might be Ben we have to go now I said grabbing his arm and that's when we heard the crunch of snow outside we both froze for a moment it was like the whole world held its breath then slowly a figure stepped into the doorway he was tall and thin his face hidden behind a tangle of wild hair and a scraggly beard his clothes hung off him in layers filthy and torn and his eyes his eyes were the worst part wide unblinking and locked

on us like we were prey Ben tried to speak his voice cracking uh sorry man we didn't mean to the man took a step forward slow and deliberate the way he moved made my stomach twist like he was savoring the moment I grabbed Ben's arm and yanked him toward the door run I hissed and we did we bolted past the man stumbling over each other as we sprinted through the freezing night the sound of his footsteps followed us crunching in the snow closer and closer my lungs burned from the cold and my legs felt like

they were going to give out but I didn't dare stop somehow we made it back to the fence scrambling through the Gap and tearing our clothes in the process when we finally reached the car we threw ourselves inside and locked the doors for a moment we just sat there gasping for air the silence broken only by the sound of our heaving breaths and the heater humming to life what the hell just happened Ben finally managed to say I couldn't answer I couldn't even think a few days later I drove past the factory just to see

if it was still there the camper was gone no sign of it no tire tracks nothing it was like it had never existed even now I can't explain what happened that night I tell myself it was just some Drifter trying to scare us or maybe we just let our imaginations get the better of us but sometimes when the wind howls late at night I swear I can still hear that faint low hum the sound of something I never should have found it was a bitterly cold January night when it all started one of those evenings

where the darkness seems to swallow the city whole you know the kind when even the street lights feel dimmer and every shadow seems to stretch just a little too far looking back it's strange how something so lifechanging began so casually I guess that's how it usually happens when I first met Alex he was the kind of guy you couldn't help but like you know the type Charming funny always at the center of things but never in an obnoxious way he had this knack for making you feel like you were the only person in the room

when he talked to you like you mattered at work he was practically magnetic The Golden Boy everyone wanted to be around honestly I thought he was great I even admired him a little I should have been more cautious Alex joined the team about a year after I started at the firm by the time he came in I was already comfortable there familiar with the rhythms of the place it didn't take him long to win everyone over though he was the guy who volunteered for the extra projects stayed late to help others and somehow managed to

crack jokes that even the most uptight people laughed at I thought he was just being a good teammate turns out I was naive one night after a brutal campaign deadline Alex suggested we grab a drink to unwind it wasn't a big deal team drinks were a regular thing after stressful weeks but that night it ended up just being the two of us everyone else bailed citing early mornings or dinner plans I wasn't in the mood to go home to an empty apartment so I figured why not Alex was easy to talk to and I could

use the distraction we went to this tiny bar a few blocks from the office it had this cozy Vibe the kind of place with dim lighting and a bartender who remembers your drink after one visit over the next couple of hours Alex opened up or at least that's what I thought he told me about his strict upbringing the constant pressure to succeed and how much he'd sacrificed to get where he was at the time I thought it was refreshing like I was seeing a more vulnerable side of him I didn't realize how carefully he was

crafting that image things started to shift after that night slowly at first he'd swing by my desk more often asking for advice on projects he wasn't even assigned to at first I didn't think much much of it just him being friendly then came the sticky notes little jokes compliments sometimes just a doodle stuck to my monitor when I wasn't looking harmless right at least that's what I told myself he never made a big deal and never wasn't worth living one of those people that I love to hate it wasn't until I stayed late one evening

that I noticed something strange I went to shut down my computer and my desktop wallpaper had changed nothing nothing weird just a picture of a beach but it wasn't my background I always used the company default I brushed it off as an IT glitch and went home but the whole thing felt off a week later it got weirder I found a print out of an email I'd sent to a client sitting on my chair it wasn't a sensitive email but I hadn't printed it and no one should have access to my account I joked about

it to Alex the next day and he just gave me this easy smile and said maybe you're getting forget his tone was light but the way he looked at me it was like he knew something I didn't the night of the holiday party was when everything really escalated the office was decked out in Tacky Tinsel and fairy lights and the atmosphere was relaxed for once I wasn't planning to stay long but Alex caught me just as I was grabbing my coat you're not leaving already are you he asked handing me a glass of wine there

was something in his tone something I couldn't quite place I hesitated ated then set my coat back down we ended up in a quiet Corner away from the noise he kept steering the conversation back to me my career my personal life my frustrations at first it felt flattering like he genuinely cared but as the night went on his questions started to feel invasive when I tried to change the subject he'd bring it right back always smiling but his eyes they weren't smiling by the time I left it was late the office parking garage was nearly

empty and the silence felt heavier than usual I was unlocking my car when I heard footsteps behind me I turned and there he was holding my scarf H forgot this he said stepping closer than he needed to I reached for the scarf but he didn't let go you've got this way about you he said quietly like you got it all figured out it's fascinating I mumbled something about needing to go but he didn't move his voice dropped lower you don't have to keep pretending I see you my stomach twisted and I forced a laugh Alex

it's late I'm tired good night he finally let go but as I drove away I couldn't shake the feeling of his eyes on me a week later my apartment was broken into the cops called it a random burglary until I found the envelope on my bed inside were photos of me walking to work at the gym even sitting in my living room each photo was dated and the last one had a note scrolled across it see you soon Alex disappeared after that the company said he'd taken leave but no one knew where he went I

changed my locks got cameras even started sleeping with a bat by my bed slowly life returned to something resembling normal then last week I got a package in the mail no return address just a single sticky note inside forgetful aren't you now every shadow feels like him every Creek every Whisper of wind I don't think I'll ever really feel safe again