7 True Dark Family Secret Horror Stories | True Scary Stories

good evening everyone I'm the Storyteller and I'm here to help you fall asleep with these horror stories about families so before we start be sure to subscribe to the channel and like the video I'd love to know where you're from and what time you're watching this so leave me a comment when you're ready make yourself comfortable and [Music] relax the night at Blackwater Lake had started like any other summer get away the moon was reflected in the water which Shone like a dark mirror and A Sky Full of Stars watched us as my girlfriend Amy

my cousins Mike and Aura and I of course enjoyed our first day of camping the atmosphere was perfect the air smelled of Pine and campfire but something was wrong the forest was too quiet somewhat unusual to be honest there was a heavy feeling in the air a strange uneasiness but nobody mentioned it as we laughed at Mike and Ora's bets I realized that my flashlight was not in my camping bag but I was sure I had packed it that made me a little nervous as we were in the middle of the Dark Forest and I

knew I might need it however I found it a while later lying a few meters from the tent But the lens was broken that was quite strange but I tried not to think too much about it and assumed that I had dropped it then in a strange moment of silence Mike noticed that not even the Birds were to be heard don't you think it's strange he muttered looking nervously around I laughed trying to take the seriousness out of the matter although the uneasiness was starting to become more and more palpable but we all tried to

relax and enjoy the moment as night fell we finally got into the tent to sleep we squeezed into that small space and started joking about looking like a can of sausages we tried to laugh and break the tension a little but it was a bad joke at some point we fell asleep but I woke up to the sound of something crunching just outside the tent at first I didn't pay attention thinking it was just an animal until the sound of footsteps arrived those definitely weren't animal footsteps they were heavy and slow and they were right

outside our tent that's when my calmness vanished what is that whispered Aura trembling as the footsteps Drew nearer and nearer it was at that moment that a deafening noise broke the silence as if something were scraping against metal and wood I froze unable to move while my mind raced at 1,000 M an hour what the hell was going on we were all scared now but before we could do anything the tent Shook and a dark shadow lunged at us fear gripped my body I don't know who screamed first but the sound intertwined with the Screech

of a knife cutting through the nylon Mike was the first to fall confusion and horror filled the tent as we watched the blade of a large knife sink into his side and blood flowed quickly creating a pool that spread across the floor and soaked us Mike I shouted but it was too late Ora was hysterical trying to reach the exit but suddenly the Shadow pounced on her and the knife went through her abdomen in a single movement her face went from confusion to Absolute Terror and for a moment I was paralyzed watching as the life

drained from her eyes with each stab unable to scream or move the killer was attacking us from outside the tent we could only see his arm wielding the knife as he stabbed my cousins mercilessly next to me Amy screams brought me out of my State of Shock and something ignited inside me an Impulse telling me that I had to get us out of there as soon as possible or we would be next but before I could do anything the killer grabbed Amy by the hair dragged her to the side of the tent and began stabbing

her too everything happened so fast that I could hardly react my body began to tremble and my heart broke into a thousand pieces as I watched her look of horror while that monster stabbed her mercilessly until he finally released her and her bloodied body fell at my feet it was then that I realized that he only had one more victim to collect and that was me suddenly the man took his arm out of the tent and I looked towards the slit he had made with the knife and that's when I came face to face with

dark red eyes that looked at me in a way that made me tremble it was the cold gaze of death at that moment Terror flooded my body I gritted my teeth and in a rush of adrenaline I managed to get out of the shop the man tried to stop me pulling at my shirt but I was faster and managed to break his grip I ran like I had never run before my heart pounding in my throat and the image of my cousins and my girlfriend being murdered fixed in my mind the forest seemed to come

alive around me I tripped over roots and Stones falling over and over again but I didn't stop the ground felt hard and icy under my bare feet and the taste of my sweat mixed with the blood of my friends filled my mouth when I finally managed to get out of the forest I saw a car in the distance and I threw myself at it making the driver stop suddenly seeing my state the man got out of the car and asked me what was wrong while I just screamed like a mad man to get me out

of there immediately as an assassin was coming after me my voice was a mess between Despair and panic but fortunately the man let me get into his car and took me to the police station the road to the station was a blur my mind was confused and caught in a loop of Terror and confusion it all felt surreal as if I were swimming in a dark dream the next memory was of blue lights and dull voices the police were asking question after question but I couldn't articulate anything I just babbled about the footsteps the knife

the Shadows where are your friends one of them asked in a deep voice but I couldn't answer I couldn't stop thinking about how everything had changed in a matter of minutes how the night that promised to be fun had turned into a horrible nightmare how I had found myself trapped in chaos and Horror in a matter of minutes finally I was able to calm down a little and tell the policeman what had happened that night a police commission went into the forest and there They Came Upon the dantesque scene I had described unfortunately due to

the lack of evidence and the little information I could provide about the attacker the man was never found and to this day I live with the anguish of thinking that I could one day cross paths with him again without having any idea who he is that he could be anyone around me this was the most terrifying experience of my life and the greatest tragedy my family has faced to this day Mike and Aura were the only children of my aunt and her husband and although this happened more than 20 years ago they continued to mourn

their children to this day I just hope that the monster who destroyed our lives that night will one day pay for what he did to us hi my name is Harry last summer I decided to stay at my parents house while the owner of my apartment was doing some repairs I could have stayed with my girlfriend Marilyn but I hadn't seen my family for a long long time and besides my younger brother Killian was coming home after his first year at University so I thought it would be a good opportunity to catch up and spend

some quality time together I arrived on Friday afternoon and started chatting with my parents we talked for a couple of hours and I was glad to see that they were well they asked me about Marilyn and my job and they were very happy that I was doing well with both of them I also asked them about their friends from church as they are both quite devout and everything seemed to be very good finally I asked them about Killian but it seems that they hadn't spoken to him much lately either since he started at University my

brother had distanced himself from everyone I thought his estrangement was only with me but I was surprised to learn that he had been avoiding my parents as well finally my mom went to the kitchen to make dinner and my dad and I sat down to watch a soccer game it was comforting to be back home and feel that warmth that only family can give you but the Tranquility was interrupted when Killian arrived when I saw him I noticed that he looked different he still had the same face but now he was wearing strange boots and

a trench coat that didn't suit him it wasn't his style at all and there was a strange shine in his eyes a kind of Darkness that made me feel a little uncomfortable Killian came up to me and hugged me asking me how I was but for some reason both his hug and his words felt cold however after a year without seeing each other I thought it was normal that things weren't as they used to be so I didn't think about it and I started to tell tell him about my work and my relationship with Marilyn

he seemed normal and congratulated me and everything went well at least at first but when I showed him a photo of Marilyn his expression changed drastically are you really dating her he asked with a tone loaded with something I didn't like I was a little surprised by his reaction and I told him yes that I saw no reason why we couldn't be together we're both pretty attractive don't you think I said half joking but I soon realized that his negative reaction was because Marilyn was a black girl and from then on the uneasiness between us

grew like a balloon about to burst even my dad who was usually in his own world noticed the tension during dinner mom suggested that Killian and I go out for a drink which I thought was a bit risky but he loved the idea he mentioned that he had found this cool bar where according to him I could learn more about myself I had no idea what he meant by that but after dinner I got into his car and we headed to a part of the city I didn't know about 10 minutes later Killian stopped at

a rundown bar with no sign on the door I noticed that we were the only ones with cars in the parking lot everyone else had arrived on motorbikes I wasn't at all convinced by the place and I told him so trust me this place is amazing he replied and I didn't want to make things tense between us again so I reluctantly followed him in however as soon as I entered I realized I had made a big mistake the bar was full of tough-looking guys most of them had shaved heads and were covered in tattoos the

atmosphere was thick and I didn't feel comfortable at all I was starting to wonder if I really should have let my brother's suggestion carry me away so there I was in that rundown bar with my brother introducing me to some giant guys who looked at me as if I had sneaked into their territory I didn't like the situation at all and I was feeling increasingly uncomfortable Killian insisted that I take out my phone and show them a photo of my girlfriend but of course I had no intention of doing so I didn't know these people

and I definitely didn't want them to know anything about my personal life however Killian didn't take it well in the blink of an eye he pushed me against the wall and stole my phone then he showed them the same image of Marilyn that I had shown him earlier and his friends were left speechless as if they had seen a ghost at that moment the conversation took a dark turn they started talking about things like Master race and Bloodlines and at one point I realized that I was trapped in the middle of a supremacist gang with

a twisted ideology that had contaminated my brother now it all made sense he had become one of them Killian kept me pressed against the wall with his hand on my chest forcing me to listen to that bunch of psychopaths but I just wanted to get out of there why did you bring me here I demanded trying to make some sense of it it's simple you have to break up with that girl and preserve our family name he said with a seriousness that made my blood run cold I shouted at him that Marilyn was the woman

I loved and I wasn't going to abandon her because of his delusions and that made him Furious he started spouting racist nonsense that he had learned during his time at University and when he ran out of arguments he took a knife out of his pocket and held it to my face if you don't keep our family line going you'll be in trouble I'm not going to let you ruin us he warned me in a cold voice I looked at the other kids around him they were just smiling enjoying the show in that moment moment I

knew he was serious and that he wasn't going to listen to reason my adrenaline shot through my body and the only thing I could think of was to get out of there so I did the first thing that came to mind I kicked him with all my might and that made him drop the knife and I was able to push him away from me although everyone else in the bar stared at me nobody did anything about it I guess it was some kind of code between them if they even had one all I knew was

that I couldn't stay there any longer so I seized the moment and ran as fast as I could straight to my parents house my adrenaline was so high that a walk that normally took me 30 minutes took me only 15 when I got home I went straight to the kitchen and told my parents everything and honestly I sounded like a madman as the words tumbled out of my mouth when I finished speaking they looked at each other and then burst out laughing what so funny I asked confused Killian threatened me he's a skin head my

mom seeing me distressed quickly came over and gave me a hug it's okay honey she said Killian already told us what happened at that moment I turned and saw Killian leaving the room apparently he had arrived home before me obviously he had come in the car it turned out that my brother had told them that I was drunk and flirting with a girl who rejected me which made me start crying and run away that's not true I shouted in frustration it's okay sweetheart mom repeated you don't have to make up a whole story it's normal

to be rejected sometimes and it can be difficult to accept but you have no reason to be ashamed and even less reason to lie to us at this stage of Our Lives we promise that no one will say anything to your girlfriend about any of this I tried to explain the truth to them but nobody believed me it seemed that the idea of them rejecting me was much more credible than thinking that my brother had become a racist monster in the end I gave up arguing and went to my room from there I called Marilyn

and told her everything that had happened she of course believed me that night I decided I wasn't going back to that house my parents called me a lot of times after that day asking if I was coming back but I made it clear to them that I wouldn't set foot there as long as Killian was around since then my brother went back to University and I have no idea what kind of crazy things he's learning over there I've seen my parents a few times but they still don't believe me and I have no idea how

to change their minds I didn't think much about it when my friend Alexandra whom we affectionately call Alex invited me to stay at her house that night it was supposed to be a typical sleepover a perfect escape from the stress of studying in my siblings her family was always welcoming her mom would prepare delicious dinners while her dad would laugh at school anecdotes and her sisters would tease the boys his house was always full of warmth and laughter but there was something strange about Alex that night he kept looking at his phone phone and his

fingers were trembling slightly as we went upstairs he suddenly blurted out chaos is coming Shawn is about to arrive his words hung in the air as if they carried a special weight I had met his brother a couple of times and there was always something unsettling about him why I asked he wants money my dad will say no I didn't press him but I remembered the rumors I had heard about Shawn that he wasn't right in the head and that he had a volatile temper as if he was always up to something dark shortly after

midnight we heard a car break at the entrance Alex tensed up immediately why is he here so late I asked because he always wants money it's never enough soon we heard the front door slam followed by Shaun's voice booming and full of anger I told you I need it then the voice of Michael Alex's father sounded calm but firm when he said not this time Shawn it was then that Shawn shouted angrily I'm part of this family I have a right at that moment Alex stood up trembling I need to see what happens she said

I tried to stop her but she walked quickly down the hall from the corner I leaned out and saw her parents trying to block Shaun's path he was still Furious shouting at her parents but suddenly a rifle appeared out of nowhere and I couldn't process what happened next a first shot echoed through the house like thunder and Michael Alex's father fell to the ground with a thud and blood began to accum accumulate around him at that moment screams erupted and I could see his wife Sandra running desperately towards him crying and screaming in anguish please

Shawn don't do it her voice cracked as she said but at that moment a second shot hit him in the chest sending her backwards against the stairs Sandra fell to the ground motionless mommy shouted Alex who looked horrified as did her sisters who kept crying and begging Shawn to stop at that moment Shawn's eyes turned in our Direction his expression Twisted with rage it was terrifying I felt adrenaline coursing through my body and I quickly retreated to a room slipping under the bed I heard his heavy boots climbing the stairs where are you Alex he

shouted in a voice that made my blood run cold meanwhile Alexandra's voice echoed in the hallway Shan please don't do this put down the gun we're your family she pleaded I tried to hold my breath my pulse racing as his bloody boots passed down the hall she was completely terrified and although part of me wanted to go out and help Alex fear told me not to leave where I was or I would be next do you think you're better than me Shawn growled I'm the one who should be in charge but you all underestimate me

I'm just the black sheep the good for nothing drug addicted brother that's why I don't care about you then Alex's scream made my skin crawl girls get away but his scream was cut short by the Roar of another shot my heart heart stopped no no no I whispered as my body trembled and tears began to roll down my face I couldn't believe he'd killed Alex as I struggled to remain silent while my emotions overflowed Shawn's heavy footsteps approached the door of Alex's room where Jenna one of Alex's sisters and I were hiding she in the

closet and I under the bed I heard the door open slowly and his heavy boots came in leaving Crimson marks all over the carpet where's my little sister Shawn shouted and I peered out carefully Jenna was huddled in a corner inside the closet Illuminating her face with the light from her phone help us she whispered between sobs to someone on her phone but before she could react Shawn opened the closet with a bang what the hell do you think you're doing he shouted when he saw that she was calling 911 then he snatched the phone

from Jenna smashing it against her face calling the police hey he sneered Shan please you don't have to do this she pleaded tears sliding down her cheeks her voice became a trembling whisper please don't don't tell me what to do he said angrily and suddenly he grabbed her by the hair and dragged her out of the closet Jenna struggled kicked screamed please Sean I'm your sister we're family then he paused for a moment bowing his head and letting out a throaty laugh that gave me goosebumps he raised his bloody Boot and in a gesture of

contempt placed it on Jenna's face forcing her back she choked and the terror in her eyes was palpable shut up he roared and his terrifying voice echoed off the walls then he pressed his boot down hard crushing Jenna's head against the floor as her screams were drowned out I stood there clenching my fists tears welling up in my eyes but unable to do anything finally he took a step back and raised the rifle pointing it at Jenna's head no please he begged but her screams were also silenced by the deafening Roar of a shot and

blood splattered on the wall right in front of me Jenna's body slumped over and her head fell at a strange angle and then Shawn leaned over her almost admiring his work I stood there Frozen unable to move the image of that bloodstained floor was etched in my mind forever after that Shawn simply turned around went downstairs and left however I was unable to get out from under the bed until about 20 minutes later when the paramedics pulled me out terrified and in shock I couldn't speak I couldn't cry I couldn't even say who I was

the evidence was enough to convict Shawn but every night his face appears in my nightmares I hear his voice and feel the weight of my horror again as if it were yesterday his laughter cold and endless never goes away that's the real nightmare Unity Grove was just what I needed my life was an endless nightmare I felt trapped in dying so when I heard about this community that promised peace and a new purpose I didn't think twice when I arrived I was greeted by a guy named Charles who had a smile so bright it seemed

rehearsed his eyes studied me intensely as if trying to solve a puzzle behind him his wife Leah hardly said a word it was as if they carried a weight on them something I couldn't ignore Leah welcomed me with such an effusive hug that it made me feel like I was an old friend but there was something strange about it all she said this is where you will find everything you have been looking for a home a family a purpose and a lot of peace I convinced myself that everything was fine it was just a question

of adapting at first the people were friendly although a little strange and silent and they treated Charles and Leah as if they were gods they had a series of very strict rules no telephones no contact with the outside world the truth is that it seemed a bit extreme to me but well I thought it was part of the retreat and I tried to adapt however Leah had a disturbing air about her and she was always glued to Charles as if her life depended on it if any other woman spoke to him her smile would freeze

once during dinner a girl called Mia laughed at something Charles said and immediately Leah's face turned to stone and the next day Mia disappeared when I asked where she was Leah looked at me with icy eyes and told me I wasn't loyal but she didn't explain what had happened to her at all and that made me uneasy Leah's Smiles seemed more and more false and staged as the days went by and sometimes she would look at me in a way that gave me goosebumps but the real Madness broke out a few weeks later one night

I was woken by the shrill scream of a girl it was an unhinged frantic shriek that made my hair stand on end so I crawled to the window of the cabin with my heart beating a mile a minute it was then that I saw Leah holding her little girl Ava by the arms the little girl was crying waving her hands desperately as Leah violently pulled her down we have to do this the ultimate sacrifice is necessary Leah shouted and I saw Charles standing there motionless not saying a word Leah dragged Ava toward the fire and

her face was illuminated by the Flames this is what we need she said in a suddenly calm and almost Serene voice raising a knife that reflected the light of the fire seeing that made me want to scream but I couldn't do it my voice got stuck in my throat Ava's dream turned into a choked sob and when the knife came down I saw her lifeless body fall into the fire like a broken doll I was paralyzed completely immobilized and unable to process what I had just seen for an instant I wished I were having a

nightmare but unfortunately it wasn't suddenly Leah knelt down looking at her work her hands were stained with blood and she was smiling whispering to herself and wiping the knife on her dress now it's just the two of us Charles said to her in a low voice staining her cheek with his daughter's blood he was present throughout the ritual but he didn't lift a finger to save his daughter these people were monsters it was a horror I never thought I would see or experience at that moment I took a step back and went back inside closing

the door and trembling with fear the next morning Leah stood in front of the group beaming and talking about the ultimate sacrifices and purification I was terrified but the others seemed calm and nobody showed a shred of remorse and I'm sure I wasn't the only one who saw it then it dawned on me that I was dealing with a sect of dangerous Madmen I knew I had to get out of there but the forest seemed endless and panic was consuming me however I plucked up courage from I don't know where gathered a few things and

ran towards the forest without looking back as I went deeper into the darkness every little sound made me jump suddenly I heard a familiar voice it was Leah I saw her among the trees holding the still bloody knife you're not going going anywhere she whispered as she approached you're part of us now at that moment I ran as fast as my feet would carry me the branches tore into my skin while my lungs screamed for air as I ran I heard Leah's screams and the sound of her footsteps getting closer but when I thought I

couldn't go on any longer I collapsed right in front of a car I remember the driver being horrified to see me as he stopped but then I remember nothing else until I woke up I spent 2 Days in hospital and 2 Days Later Leah and Charles were arrested when the police investigated they uncovered a veritable hell bodies in Shallow Graves full of Twisted rituals and lists of names Mia's name was on one of those lists even though they are now in prison I have this strange feeling that they are not finished with me some nights

in the absolute calm I could swear I hear that voice saying you're not going [Music] anywhere hello my name is Eva and I grew up in Kansas I have always loved my adoptive parents very much but since I was little I knew that they were not my biological parents when I asked about my real family they avoided the subject and told me that it was better not to know about my past but when I turned 19 I decided it was time to find out where I came from so I decided to go to the orphanage

where I was adopted I asked for my adoption records and with a small bribe in a matter of minutes the employee handed me the document I wanted so badly the record said that my biological mother's name was Martha but there was nothing about my father I returned home super eager to know more and sat down in front of my computer not telling my parents what I was doing after searching the internet for a while I managed to find an address for my birthmother Martha I felt both excited and scared at the same time I wanted

to call her taking advantage of the fact that it was summer and I had just graduated from high school but I was afraid what would I say to her what if she didn't want to hear from me I decided it would be best to go in person so I waited a couple of days put on my best outfit and went out with a knot in my chest I went downstairs and told my parents that I was going to spend the day at a friend's house they didn't suspect anything and my mom insisted I eat something

before leaving she made me a sandwich and reminded me to wear sunscreen but when I left a Pang of guilt settled in my stomach they are my real parents they had raised me and loved me maybe I didn't care about biology but I still need answers I drove around the city to the address I had found it was an old trailer in a neighborhood I didn't know and honestly I felt uncomfortable I knocked on the door and as I waited I wondered what it would be like to meet martha according to my records she should

only be 39 but when the door opened she looked much older life had treated her badly but when she looked at me I saw my own eyes in her face Martha is that you I asked she immediately became suspicious whatever you're selling I'm not interested she said starting to close the door wait I shouted I'm Eva I'm your daughter at that moment her expression changed a big smile lit up her face even though she was missing some teeth she lunged towards me and gave me a big hug Eva please come in she said and pulled

me inside the inside of the trailer was even more of a mess than the outside there was a chemical smell in the air and I began to wonder if Martha was involved in something dangerous we sat down on a sofa covered in dust and broken pieces and I noticed that she had sent a message from her phone which was a bit suspicious and then she started to ask me about my life I told her about all the sports I played that I was planning to go to Kansas State on a volleyball scholarship I told her

about my boyfriend and my favorite movies spilling out whatever anecdotes came to mind Martha seemed really impressed you've grown into a beautiful young woman she said sincerely and you could tell she was happy for me but suddenly her expression turned sad as she asked about My adoptive parents I didn't feel comfortable telling her too much about them so I decided to focus only on us I asked her about her life her work and if she had any other family Martha then told me that she lived alone and had no other children and that she was

receiving welfare after being fired from Dairy Queen but that she was optimistic about finding a new job soon I appreciated her honesty and after a moment's hesitation decided to ask why did you leave me she couldn't look me in the eye I guess you knew she said I couldn't afford to have a daughter her answer left me feeling a little cold and a lump formed in my throat I wanted to understand but it also hurt what do you mean you couldn't I asked her and her tone changed instantly of course not she shouted and it

was the first time she sounded really angry if I had had a normal child I would have kept it but I am a religious woman I didn't understand what she was saying what does your religion have to do with this why did you think it wasn't normal I asked her trying to process her words then she took my wrist and we focused on the palm of my hand where I had a small Scar from when I was a child and when she saw it her expression turned to horror as if she had seen a ghost

oh God she exclaimed that changes everything she looked me in the eyes and blurted out you have no idea who you are do you I took a step back feeling that every word she said pushed me further away it was as if I was starting to think that I had made a big mistake in coming Eva he said trying to explain himself you were born with a birth mark on the palm of your hand in the shape of three sixes I gave you up for adoption because you are the Antichrist I didn't have the heart

to kill you but now that you've come back her words left me Frozen I couldn't believe what I was hearing my mind was in total chaos and I could only stammer are you kidding the Antichrist really I know it sounds crazy said Martha her voice trembling but in my community there were always rumors about you I never thought you could really come back into my life I thought I had left all that behind I could feel the air thicken after those words so I asked her so you only gave me up for adoption because you

thought I had an antichrist Mark trying to process what I had just heard at that moment I realized that two men were approaching the room and suddenly I knew what was happening they were the guys Martha had sent the message to just as I arrived and all that time while we were talking she was just trying to distract me so they would arrive but that wasn't all each one of them was holding a knife in his hand and what happened next was Madness I felt a wave of fear wash over me and the only thing

I remember is that Martha tried to hold me back but I punched her in the face so hard that she fell to the floor knocked out but then the men burst into the room anded tried to grab me but somehow I managed to get away from them I pushed them out of my way and ran to my car as if they were demons I didn't even look back so I didn't know if they were following me or not I assumed they were but I just jumped into my car turned on the engine with a click

and stepped on the accelerator and took off in a Flash I drove home my heart beating a mile a minute and when I arrived my parents were surprised to see how I looked I guess the Panic was written all over my face are you okay my mom asked and at that moment I burst into tears and ran to give them a hug when I finally calmed down I told them everything that had happened at Martha's house is it true that I'm the devil I asked them sobbing both Mom and Dad burst out laughing came over

and hugged me again which confused me a little oh sweetheart said my dad that Mark is from when you accidentally grabbed a hot coal from the barbecue when you were little your birth mother is completely crazy I felt a huge relief when I heard that and between laughter and tears I thanked God that it had all been the product of the imagination of a deranged woman but the more I thought about it the stranger everything seemed how did Martha know about the burn on my hand who were those guys who came for me the truth

is that I still have more questions than answers I ask myself am I really a normal girl or have My adoptive parents been lying to me all this time my parents laughter made me feel a little more normal but there was still a part of me that couldn't stop thinking about what had happened and what Martha had said maybe I needed to talk to a therapist or someone who could help me process all this but for now at least I had my parents by my side there was something strange about me and my husband Marcos

never fully understood but after so many years together he had learned to accept my strange habits and hobbies that was the reason our relationship had lasted apart from his enormous capacity for understanding one of the things I loved that he never understood was that I liked to go shopping it wasn't about buying weird clothes or luxury goods sometimes I just wanted to wander around the supermarket and fill a trolley with things even the most everyday things simple things like buying groceries at the best shop in town sometimes seemed like a dream world we lived in

a small town called Arbor Hill it was the kind of place that people often forgot God existed a town so quiet that it could be unsettling the beauty of Arbor Hill was its calm but that same calm could become terrifying as if you were inside a nightmare in fact I had had a strange dream that morning which was the reason behind my impulse purchases in my dream I woke up and realized that I was the only person in the world I was completely alone I couldn't find Marcos not even the lady who lived next door

and even the meowing of our cat had vanished I looked everywhere but there was no sign of life not even a squirrel and that was very scary I woke up trembling and drenched in sweat still scared by the nightmare I knew I wasn't going to sleep again after that so I decided to go out for a while so I grabbed the car keys and before leaving I kissed Marcos I'm going to do some shopping I told him he just nodded and went to work mentioning that he needed some things too so I ended up in

the shop and the Chill from my dream wouldn't leave me alone as I walked through the aisles I started to put a lot of random things in my cart almost as a form of therapy to distract myself shopping always made me feel a little better but suddenly I noticed that there were more people than usual that day it was weird because it seemed like more people were coming in but nobody was leaving in a kind of deja vu I saw a girl in a pink sweater trying to add cereal to her shopping cart but her

mother was taking it away the girl turned red with annoyance and in the end her mother gave in okay but just that nothing else she said while the girl smiled happily after seeing that I realized how simple happy moments could be even so I felt as if I were trapped in a constant loop I had to Blink several times trying to cling to reality people were still moving dragging their full carts and I felt like a ghost in the middle of them all I wondered am I still asleep I tried to pinch myself to feel

pain and I did feel it so I knew I was awake I walked through the aisles looking for something that would make me feel a little more normal I grabbed some boxes of pancakes and cookies but to my horror my muscles began to tremble every step I took became more complicated and time seemed to move in slow motion I tried to shake off this strange feeling but I couldn't I wanted to get out of there so I went to the ice cream a to find my favorite flavor I was supposed to go home snuggle up

with Marcos and forget how weird my day had been but when I got to the ice cream aisle I found two teenagers arguing about the best flavor vanilla is the best it's classic said one no it's the Oreo replied the other they went back to their ice creams and in the blink of an eye it all happened again as I tried to understand the madness I was experiencing I felt my heart racing was this a dream I couldn't escape honestly I was starting to believe that I was going crazy I tried to talk to those

girls but they didn't even look at me it was as if they didn't hear me at all I looked around looking for a familiar face or even a smile but everyone was in their own world I wanted to cry but the tears wouldn't come I felt the air grow heavy as I walked through the aisles so I abandoned my trolley in the middle of the store and ran towards the exit but my movements were slow unable to move forward and when I reached the door it vanished before me I looked around and all the people

who seemed to inhabit the place now began to disappear one by one as if they had never existed I was left alone in that huge store with a crushing feeling of isolation I couldn't shout or ask for help who would do it if I was the only one in the tent although I tried my voice wouldn't come out and it was as if a connection had been cut and a feeling of panic took hold of me I felt as if I was drowning in my own body the pain spread to every corner and suddenly the

tent began to fade around me too suddenly everything changed and I smelled something strong like anti septic and the constant ticking of a clock echoed in the room I closed my eyes tightly trying to wake up from this endless nightmare I just wanted to go home far away from all this so after a blink I opened my eyes wide and came face to face with a stranger the man was wearing a surgical mask and there were metal walls around me there was no familiar view I was scared and that was when I realized that I

was was tied to a chair and surrounded by strange objects everything terrified me and I didn't want to be there for another second but I felt trapped the man in front of me turned away and muttered something like the operation was a complete disaster the simulation only lasted 3 minutes my mind went blank as I tried to understand what was happening a simulation what was this I felt powerless as one of them handed his colleague a syringe containing a liquid that looked very threatening I'm going to inject her with a stronger serum I hope this

will keep her sleeping said the man while I felt my blood run cold the word Loop echoed in my head like a terrifying sound I tried to shake myself struggling against the straps that held me down but my arms and legs were like rubber unable to move I saw the syringe slowly approaching me and the world turned into a whirlwind of white the next thing I felt was was a breath of fresh air I opened my eyes and found myself back in the tent a wave of Happiness immediately washed over me I walked down the

aisles with a smile on my face looking for the groceries we needed for home everything seemed normal and the people around me went about their business as if nothing had happened despite the joy that came over me there was a strange feeling that something was not right I couldn't shake that uneasiness it was as if if deep down I knew I was trapped in a cycle from which I could not Escape why did I feel like I was part of something bigger something darker as I continued shopping the clock seemed to follow its own Compass

marking a time that could not be mine it all started with a flyer that said they were looking for Fresh Faces for a clothing brand and that they didn't need experience I was only 19 years old had a mountain of debt and a sick mother life felt suffocating so I decided that this could be the Salvation we so badly needed the interview was to be in a five-star hotel in Manhattan and when I arrived I almost backed out at the sight of the luxury marble floors golden chandeliers everything shown in a way that took my

breath away but then Tom the recruiter appeared he greeted me as if we were old friends with a smile so polished it seemed fake at his side was Diana his accomplice whose words were only words of encouragement this is your chance you must not miss it she smiled and asked me what I thought of a weekend on their private island and of course I replied that it sounded incredible the scene at the hotel was frenetic girls my age laughing and taking selfies it all seemed so over the top as if they were convincing themselves that

being part of the this wasn't a mistake finally we arrived at the island which turned out to be a true Paradise of Blue Waters and mansions that looked like something out of a dream but as night fell things began to change that night there was a party the music was blaring and alcohol was everywhere but I also noticed that the older men who were called the sponsors moved through the crowd like wolves among sheep suddenly a man came up and touched my shoulder and his hand stayed there too long she's new said Tom taking me

aside he warned me stick with me and I'll introduce you to the right people from a corner I saw another girl lying on a sofa her dress was torn and she looked lost and two guys were taking her away laughing saying she had had too much fun I didn't sleep that night the next morning I woke up without remembering how I had got to my room and I felt as if my body was out of control I looked in the mirror and saw bruises on my thighs and scratches on my arms I was also wearing

a giant shirt and my makeup was all smudged in the breakfast room the scene was just as horrible one girl couldn't hold her head up and another had bruises on her neck despite everything one of them said that this was normal that I shouldn't think too much about it they're just tired they said the days from then on became a mixture of constant Terror every night the same Cy of drugs alcohol and men for whom we were just toys in a game was repeated they forced us to drink and swallow pills saying it was to

relax us as if that justified it one day I saw a girl being dragged down the corridor her dress completely torn she could barely stand up and was calling out for help in a low voice her face full of Despair but the door slammed shut silencing her screams it was impossible to eat my stomach was in turmoil and every shadow made me tremble at night screams filtered through the corridors and the sound of heavy footsteps echoed along the floor I covered my ears praying that I wouldn't be next it was then that Tom appeared in

my room sat on the edge of my bed and said to me in his soft voice which almost seemed friendly you must stop resisting he said running a finger through my hair you know how many girls would kill for this opportunity just relax take care of yourself or you'll regret it Tom's hand lingered too long on my cheek and I felt like throwing up the situation was already unbearable so I decided I had to leave before Dawn at 4:00 a.m. just as the guards were changing shifts I left my room and threw myself into the

jungle the chilling sounds of the place surrounded me as I ran branches scraped my skin and my feet bled from the sharp rocks but I didn't care I just had my eyes fixed on the dock suddenly I heard voices behind me they found her I threw myself to the ground hiding in the undergrowth while a flashlight illuminated the darkness Diana's voice echoed furiously they'll find her she won't get off this island in that instant they grabbed me and dragged me backwards and I felt a slap that split my lip you're ruining everything she said her

nails digging into my arm that night they drugged me again I woke up in a state of horrible confusion and my limbs felt as if they were filled with lead I could hear the other girls sobbing but I couldn't move when the FBI finally raided the island that same afternoon at first I thought it was another trick but an agent came up to me wrapped me in a blanket and whispered you're safe now despite my relief I would wake up drenched in sweat with the girl scream still ringing in my head Tom was dead he

had resisted and had come to blows with the officers but Diana went to prison although I am now safe and a long way from all that hell it Shadow is still present from time to time I have nightmares in which I find myself still on the island desperate anguished and trying to escape but unable to do so I still remember the horrible feeling you wake up with after being drugged as well as the helplessness of feeling that you have no control over your own body and being at the mercy of other people if you are

reading this keep in mind that monsters like Tom and Diana are not always in the shadows sometimes they smile at you in elegant suits and promise you the world