Hello everyone and welcome back to the horor Hut now I know a lot of you use these videos to sleep so before you drift off I thought it would be a fun idea if everyone can leave a comment to let me know where you are listening from in the world also like And subscribe if you are enjoying the episodes right let's get comfy and relaxed and let's Begin it started small at first I didn't even notice I live in a little apartment just me and my cat on the third floor of a building with thin
walls and a lot of noise you hear everything arguments kids running around someone's music too loud at 2 a.m. it's annoying but you get used to it after a while tear zakai across the hall middle-aged thinning hair always polite when we ran into each other we'd Say hi now and then in passing he never seemed odd or anything anything just another neighbor a few months ago I started feeling watched it's hard to explain because nothing was actually wrong at first it's like that feeling when someone's staring at you in a crowded room and you just
know even though you can't see them it felt like that in my own Apartment sometimes I'd glance out the window or check the people but there was never anything there then little things started going missing a pair of socks a hairbrush a necklace I liked stupid stuff right I thought I was just being forgetful but one day I noticed my toothbrush was what even though I hadn't used it yet that really freaked me out I tried convincing myself I'd Forgotten but it stuck in my head around that time the guy across the hall mark he
introduced himself once started talking to me more always just when I'd leave for work or come back he'd say things like late night or busy day at work stuff that didn't seem weird until I realized I hadn't told him anything about my job or schedule I thought maybe he overheard me on the phone through the walls it's not like I talk Quietly I stopped feeling comfortable at home I keep my blinds closed all the time I started locking my bedroom door when I slept I even put a chair under the door knob sometimes which felt
stupid but it helped me relax enough to fall asleep one night around midnight I heard a noise outside my door it wasn't loud but it was the kind of sound you notice when everything else is quiet a faint scrape like metal on metal my heart was Pounding so hard I couldn't think straight I cracked my phone and tiptoed to the peephole there was no one there the next day Mark asked me if I'd been okay the night before said he thought he heard something outside my door that's when I started putting things together how would
he know unless he was the one out there I didn't say anything to him I just nodded and went Inside I called my mom that evening trying to calm down she told me to install cameras so I bought a couple cheap ones online and set them up in my living room and kitchen I didn't think I'd catch anything I just wanted peace of mind the first night nothing happened the second night though the living room camera caught movement at 3:14 a.m. my heart dropped when I watched the Footage someone was in my apartment it was
Mark he had a kee I saw him walking like he belonged there he didn't even hesitate he went straight to the kitchen opened the fridge and drank from a bottle of orange juice I just bought then he wandered into the living room and stared at my couch for a while like he was thinking about something after a few minutes he Left I didn't sleep that night the next morning I went straight to the building manager I showed WR him the footage and demanded to know why Mark had a te to my place the manager looked
embarrassed and said Mark used to be the maintenance guy years ago he must have kept the keys they changed the locks immediately I thought that was the end of it but it wasn't that same evening I came home to find my door Unlocked the new lock I was terrified but I forced myself to go inside every everything looked normal until I checked my bedroom my closet door was open and I'd always keep it shut inside I found a small camera hidden on a shelf pointing at my bed I couldn't breathe my hands were shaking so
bad I dropped the camera I called the police right Away they came and took a report but they said without proof Mark put the camera there they couldn't do much I showed them the footage of him entering my apartment but they said it wasn't enough to prove intent I felt sick that night I packed a bag and went to stay at a friend's place I didn't care about anything else in my apartment I just needed to get out the Next morning my friend convinced me to check the footage from my cameras again just in case
I found more Clips Mark had been in my apartment multiple times the footage showed him moving things around my hairbrush my toothbrush even my clothes he'd sit on my couch and look around like he was imagining living there the worst clip was from the night before I left he'd been in my bedroom Standing over my bed while I slept I don't know how long he was there but at one point he reached out like he was going to touch my face and then stopped I showed the police everything and I finally got them to act
they arrested Mark the next day they found more cameras and a notebook in his apartment with detailed notes about me what I wore when I left what I did at home he'd been watching me for months planning Something they wouldn't tell me what I moved out of that building the same week I still feel like someone's watching me sometimes but at least I know I'm safe now Mark's in jail I I don't know for how long but I hope it's enough I don't think I'll ever feel completely okay again but at least I got out
I wasn't even supposed to be out there the trail I planed to take was Closed because of some storm damage and instead of just turning back I thought I'd try another path I saw on the map it looked like it looped back around to the main one eventually and I figured what's the harm it was early and I had plenty of daylight at first it was fine the trail was narrow but clear enough to follow it wasn't marked like the main one but I could still tell where it went the woods were quiet almost too
quiet but I Figured it was just because it wasn't a pop route I didn't see anyone else out there all morning that should have been my first clue to turn around after about an hour the trail started to fade I kept thinking it would pick up again but it didn't I ended up bushwhacking through the undergrowth trying to find my way Back to something familiar my GPS wasn't working probably because of the trees or the hills I still don't know all all I knew was that I was lost I told myself not to panic I
had my backpack with supplies water snacks a flashlight a knife I'd spent plenty of time Outdoors before I figured I just keep walking and eventually hit a road or a stream or something I could follow back to Civilization but as the hours passed I started to get this feeling like something wasn't right I can't explain it it wasn't just the usual fear of being lost it was like I wasn't alone out there I kept stopping to listen but the woods were silent except for the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind no birds no animals
just quiet then I saw the first trap it was Crude but effective a pit covered with sticks and leaves deep enough to break a leg if you fell in it was old with moss growing on the edges but it looked deliberate not like something nature would do I stepped around it carefully suddenly hyperware where I was putting my feet a little further on I found another trap this one was more recent a snare made of wire hidden under a patch of Ferns it was fresh that's when I started to get really scared this wasn't someone
haunting deer or Rapids these trap were the kind of thing you'd use for something bigger something humanized I should have turned around right then but I didn't know which way to go I kept moving trying to stay calm but My heart was pounding so loud I could barely think that's when I found the camp it was in a clearing hidden by thick trees and brush there were three tents a fire pit and a wooden Post in the center with chains bolted to it the CR ground was trampled and there were old stains around the post
that made my stomach turn I don't know how long I stood there staring at it then I heard voices they were faint at first coming From somewhere in the woods behind me I ducked down behind a fallen log heart racing and tried to stay as still as possible the voices got louder clearer two men talking casually like they were out for a stroll I couldn't make out everything they said but I caught enough to know they were looking for someone did you see where they went one of them said not far tracks were fresh the
other answered I didn't have to guess what They were talking about my boots had left prince in the mud I cursed myself for not being more careful they were close now maybe 20 ft away I could see them through the trees both of them and camouflage carrying rifles they looked like Hunters but not the kind you see in magazines these guys were rough dirty like they'd been out there for days I stayed as still as I could barely breathing one of them stopped and Scanned the area his eyes passing right over the log I was
behind let's Circle back he said they can't be far they moved off in the other direction and I wait waed until I couldn't hear them anymore before I moved my hands were shaking as I pulled my knife out of my bag it felt useless against their rifles but it was all I had I knew I had to get out of there before they came back I kept low moving As quietly as I could every step felt like it took forever I didn't know where I was going just away from the camp and the men I
kept expecting to hear them behind me but the wood stayed silent after what felt like hours I found a creek the water was shallow and clear and I knew it would eventually lead to something a road a town something I started following it staying in the water to hide my Tracks my feet were freezing but I didn't te it was better than leaving a trail I don't know how long I followed that Creek the sun was starting to set and I was getting desperate it then I heard the sound of an engine faint but steady
somewhere in the distance I climbed out of the creek and pushed through the trees following the noise until I stumbled onto a dirt road there was an old pickup truck parked on The side and a man loading W into the back I almost cried when I saw him I must have looked like a mess muddy scratched up shaking but he didn't ask any questions he just handed me me a bottle of water and drove me to the nearest town I told the police everything I don't know if they ever found the camp or the men
I haven't been back to that area and I don't plan to I still hear those voices sometimes in my Dreams I got the babysitting job through a friend of my mom's the mom Lisa needed someone to watch her two kids Sam and Ellie for a few hours a couple nights a week while she worked late shifts the kids were great Sam was nine and loved drawing and Ellie was six and full of energy Lisa was always nice too but I could tell she was Stressed she worked a lot and I think she was going through
a divorce or something she never said much about it one night a little after 8 I had just put Ellie to bed Sam was still awake sitting at the kitchen table working on one of his drawings I was cleaning up when the doorbell rang it made me jump because no one ever came by this late I looked through the peephole and saw a man standing there he looked about Lisa's age with short dark hair and a beard he wasn't dressed like a delivery fre eyy or anything just jeans and a jacket I didn't open the
door something about him felt off instead I called through the door can I help you I'm their dad he said his voice calm but low Lisa told me to come pick up the kids that made me freeze Lisa had never mentioned their dad I didn't even know he was in the Picture I texted her right away but she didn't respond I didn't know what to do so I just said I'll have to call Lisa to confirm his tone changed instantly she knows I'm here he said sharply open the door I told him again that I
needed to check with her but I was already backing away my stomach was in knots Sam was still at the table watching me he looked confused but not Scared yet the man banged on the door hard making Sam Flinch open the door he shouted I have a right to see my kids that's when I grabbed Sam and told him to go upstairs to his room I didn't want him near the door I locked it and grabbed my phone to call Lisa but it went straight to voicemail I tried calling 911 but the man must have
heard me because he Shouted don't you dare call the cops he started pounding on the door AR and I could hear the handle rattling I was shaking so bad I could barely hold my phone I didn't know if the door would hold then everything went quiet I thought maybe he'd left but I was too scared to check I told Sam and Ellie to stay in their rooms and lock myself in Lisa's bedroom I stood there trying to breathe And then I heard a noise outside the window it was faint like something scraping against the side
of the house I looked out and saw him he was climbing up the side of the house toward the second floor windows I panicked and ran to the kids' rooms Allie was half asleep but Sam was wide awake sitting on his bed clutching his Sketchbook like it could protect him I told them to stay quiet and follow me We went into the bathroom and locked the door it was the only room with no windows I whispered to Sam to keep Ellie calm while I tried calling the police again this time the call went through I
told them everything my voice shaking so bad I could barely get the words out the dispatcher said they were sending someone but it might take a while since we were in a quiet suburban area the whole time I could hear footsteps Upstairs he was inside I didn't know how he got in maybe one of the windows was unlocked or maybe he broke one all I knew was that he was in the house I could hear him moving around opening doors calling out Sam Ally Daddy's here the way he said it made my skin crawl he
didn't sound like a dad trying to see his kids he sounded like someone who was Enjoying this I whispered to the kids to stay quiet but Ellie started to cry I covered her mouth gently trying to calm her down Sam was holding her hand his face pale I had no idea what to do then the footsteps stopped I held my breath straining to hear for a moment there was nothing then the bathroom doorknob rattled I thought I was going to throw up he knew we were in there open the Door he said his voice muffled
but Cal again I just wanted to talk to them I didn't answer I just held on to the kids and prayed the lock would hold he started pounding on the door harder and harder yelling open it open the door now I CRA the only thing I could find a metal Tower rack and held it like a bat I knew it wouldn't do much but I had to try then I heard the sirens they were faint at first but they Were getting closer he must have heard them too because he stopped pounding I heard him run
down the stairs and then the front door slammed I stayed in the bathroom with the kids until the police arrived when they came in I could barely talk I just pointed them upstairs they didn't find him Lisa came home a few minutes later fr IC she hugged the kids and kept apologizing but I was still too shaken to process everything later she told me the full story the man was her ex-husband he'd been abusive and she had a restraining order against him he wasn't supposed to come near her or the kids but he'd been trying
to find them for months I never went back to that house Lisa said she was moving somewhere safer but I didn't want to know the details I just hope they'd be Okay I was driving through the middle of nowhere trying to make it to my cousin's house before midnight it was one of those stretches of Highway where the only lights come from your own car and the Road feels like it goes on forever I was running low on gas which was stupid because I should have filled up before leaving the last town but I figured
I'd be fine there's always a gas station somewhere right I finally saw One after what felt like ours it was old the kind of place that probably hadn't been updated since the80s one pump a small building with a flickering neon sign and not a single other car in sight I pulled in and parked relieved the pump looked ancient but I didn't care as long as it worked the station was empty no one inside no clerk at the counter just a bell on the door that Jingled when I went in there were rows of Dusty snacks
a few drinks in a cooler and a faint smell of something sour I called out hello but no one answered I stood there for a second feeling weirdly exposed under the the fluorescent lights then decided I'd just pay at the pump I went back outside and that's when I noticed the car it wasn't there when I pulled in but now it was parked near the side of the building almost hidden in the Shadows the windows were tinted and I couldn't see inside I told myself it was probably just someone who worked there or another traveler
like me but it felt off I started pumping gas keeping why on the car my heart was racing for no reason and I kept telling myself to calm down it's just a car nothing's wrong then I heard footsteps I turned and a man was walking toward me he looked rough dirty clothes Unshaven and his eyes were wild he had a gun in his hand pointed low but unmistakable my stomach dropped don't move he said I froze my hand was still on the pump but I didn't dare finish filling the tank I couldn't even breathe right
he came closer and I could see he was sweating his face was pale and his hands were shaking but the KH didn't waver keys he said motioning M thean Give me your keys I hesitated and he stepped closer now He barked I fumbled in my pocket and pulled them out holding them up like they might bite me he snatched them and shoved them into his own pocket then cracked my arm and yanked me toward the gas station building I stumbled nearly tripping over my own feet but he didn't let go inside he pushed me to
the ground behind the counter stay there he said don't try Anything his voice was tight like he was barely keeping it together I stayed down my heart pounding so hard I thought I might pass out I could hear him pacing back and forth muttering to himself stupid stupid he kept saying should have kept going should have just kept driving I realized he wasn't just some random guy he was running from something maybe the police maybe worse And now he was stuck here with me after a few minutes he stopped pacing and crouched down in front
of me he was too close his face inches from mine I could see every bead of sweat on his forehead every crack in his dry lips he looked desperate anyone know you're here he asked I shook my head no I lied your phone he said where is it it in my car I said which was true I'd left it in the cup holder his Eyes flick toward the door and I could see him thinking I didn't want him to go out there and find it if he looked hard enough he'd see my bag my ID
everything stay here he said again and then he was gone I heard the Bell on the door jingle as he went outside I didn't move at first I was too scared but then I realized this was my chance I crawled to the end of the Counter staying low and peaked out he was by my car looking inside his back was to me I looked around the gas station trying to find something anything I could use there was a metal trash can a Brom and a heavy fire extinguisher mounted on the wall I crabbed the extinguisher
my hand shaking so bad I almost dropped it he was still outside but I knew he'd be back any second I crept to the door and waited my heart pounding when the bell jingled Again and he stepped inside I swung the extinguisher as hard as I could it hit him in the side of the head and he stumbled dropping the gun I didn't think I just crapped it and pointed it at him my whole body shaking he looked up at me blood trickling down his face and for a second I thought he might lunge at
me stay back I shouted my voice cracked but I didn't care he froze staring at the gun and Then he raised his hand slowly don't do anything stupid he said but I could hear the fear in his voice now I crapped a phone from behind the counter and dialed 911 keeping the gun pointed at him the whole time my hands were slick with sweat and I was terrified I'd drop it or accidentally pull the trigger the dispatcher stayed on the line with me until the police arrived it felt like hours but it was Probably only
minutes when the flashing lights finally appeared I collapsed to the floor shaking and crying the officers came in guns drawn and took him away they told me later he was a fugitive wanted for armed robbery and assault he'd been on the run for days and I was just unlucky enough to cross his path I still think about it every time I stop for gas I was traveling Al taking a Longdistance train route through a string of small towns to visit my sister it was one of those trips where you have to switch trains at several
stations and it takes forever but I didn't mind I had my book some snacks and a few hours to kill it felt peaceful at first just the sound of the Train the occasional announcement and the rhythmic sway of the car as it moved along the tracks it was during my second train that I first noticed him he was sitting Diagonally across from me not close enough to feel intrusive but just enough that I could see him clearly he was dressed in dark clothes a hoodie pulled low over his face and he had this Stillness about
him like he was trying not to draw attention that's what made him noticeable in a way how deliberate it seemed at first I didn't think much of it a lot of people keep to themselves on trains especially on long trips but when I glanced up from my book I realized he was watching me not glancing not zoning out in my direction but watching his head was turned just slightly his eyes fixed on me I told myself I was being paranoid maybe he was staring into space or maybe it was just a coincidence I turned back
to my book and tried to focus I could feel his eyes on me the whole time when we reach the next station I decided to switch Cars it was crowded enough that I could blend in and I figured I'd just lose him in the shuffle I got up grabbed my bag and walked down the platform to another car I settled into a new seat and felt a wave of relief the train started moving again and for a while I thought that was the end of it but when I glanced toward the other end of the
car he was there standing near the door holding onto the Rail his hoodie was still up and he wasn't looking at me directly but I knew it was him that's when I started to feel the Panic creeping in I told myself there had to be a logical explanation maybe he just happened to pick the same car maybe I was reading too much into it but I couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't random when we stopped at the next station I decided to switch trains entirely it wasn't part of my plan but I Couldn't shake
the feeling that I needed to get away from him I cracked my stuff and got off walking quickly toward the connecting platform I didn't look back I boarded the next train and chose a seat in the middle surrounded by other passengers I felt safer with people around me the train pulled out of the station and I kept an eye on the door waiting to see if he'd followed he got on at the last Second I froze when I saw him he didn't sit down this time time he stood by the door again holding the rail
his eyes scanning the car until they landed on me he didn't smile didn't wave didn't do anything he just stared my heart was pounding so hard I could barely think I wanted to tell someone but what would I even say a Guai looked at me weird it wasn't like he'd done anything yet yet at the next station I decided to Test something I waited until the last possible moment then got up and stepped off the train I walked quickly weaving through the crowd and boarded a different train heading in the same direction when the train
started moving I felt a flicker of relief maybe I'd lost him maybe it was all in my head then I saw him again he was sitting farther down the car this Time not looking at me directly but angled just enough that I knew he was aware of me that's when I knew it wasn't a coincidence he was following me I felt trapped I was in the middle of nowhere on a train with nowhere to go and this man was stalking me I thought about getting off at the next stop and trying to find help but
what if he followed me what if no one was there I decided to Stay put for now to see what he'd do I kept my phone in my hand ready to call for help if I needed to the train ride felt endless every time I looked up he was there watching the other passengers were oblivious lost in their own worlds when we reached another station I made my move I got off and went straight to the station attendant I told her what was happening My voice shaking she looked skeptical at first but when I pointed
him out her expression changed he's been hanging around the station all day she said quietly I'll call security I waited near her desk trying to stay calm I could see him on the platform pacing now looking around like he was trying to decide what to Do security arrived a few minutes later two men in uniforms they approached him and I saw the way he tined up he didn't run but he didn't stay either he walked away out of the station and into the night the security guard stayed with me until my next train arrived I
didn't see him again after that but I couldn't relax until I reached my sister's house even then I kept looking over my Shoulder half expecting him to appear I don't know what he wanted and I don't want to know I had been working on a story about a string of missing person's cases in a small suburban Town it wasn't the kind of thing I usually covered mostly I wrote local interest pieces but there was something about these cases that stuck with me it wasn't just the number of people who had vanished but the way they
had no signs of struggle no Evidence no Witnesses just gone the police weren't talking much but I'd managed to get a few names from public records most of the missing were young adults people in their late teens or early 20s I started reaching out to families and one mother mentioned something that caught my attention my daughter was always on her phone she told me the last time I saw Her she said she was meeting someone about a job she wouldn't tell me where that stuck with me a job it sounded Innocent but there was something
about the way she'd said it like it didn't feel right even to her I started digging searching online job boards and local postings it took a while but I found a pattern several of the missing people I've responded to fake ads for part-time work no company names just a phone Number and a promise of good pay I called one of the numbers pretending to be interested A man answered his voice calm and professional he asked a few questions about my schedule said they needed someone discreet and then asked if I could come by for an
interview he gave me an address in a quiet residential neighborhood I decided to Go I didn't tell anyone where I was going which was stupid but I wasn't thinking clearly ly I just wanted to see for myself the house was ordinary the kind you'd walk past without a Second Glance white siding a small porch a well-kept lawn there were no cars in the driveway but the front door was slightly open I knocked and A man answered he looked normal average height neatly dressed Nothing about him stood out you're here about the job he asked smiling
I nodded and he stepped aside to let me in the living room was sparse just a couch and a coffee table there was no sign of anyone else have a seat he said gesturing to the couch I sat my neres starting to build he sat across from me studying me like he was sizing me up do you live alone he asked Suddenly the question caught me off guard no I lied I live with my fiance he nodded like that was the answer he expected do you have a car why does that matter I asked trying
to keep my voice steady he smiled again but it didn't reach his eyes just standard questions we like to know who we're Working with something about the way he said working with made my stomach tighten I stood up trying to act casual you know I think I might have the wrong place thanks for your time but I should go he stood too blocking my path to the door you're not leaving yet he said quietly my heart started racing I glanced around looking for something I could use to defend myself But the room was empty I'm
not here alone I said trying to sound confident people know where I am he didn't answer instead he reached into his pocket and pulled out a phone he tapped the screen a few times and then I heard a door Creak open somewhere behind me I turned and another man stepped into the room he was taller broader and his expression was blank like he didn't care What was happening take her downstairs the first man said before I could react the second man grabbed my arm his was like a vice and I couldn't break free he dragged
me toward a door at the back of the house and I started screaming hoping someone would hear me he pulled me down a flight of stairs into a basement it was cold dimly lit and I saw things that made my blood run cold Chains bolted to the walls a table covered in tools that didn't look like they were for fixing anything s sit he said shoving me into a chair I thought I was going to die my mind was racing trying to figure out what to do then I remembered the recorder in my bag I'd
brought it for interviews but now it felt like my lifeline while the man's back was turned I reached into my bag and hit record I didn't know if it would help But I had to do something the first man came down the stairs his calm demeanor gone he looked angry but more than that he looked annoyed like I was an inconvenience you shouldn't have come here he said I didn't say anything I was too scared he crouched in front of me his eyes cold you're going to sit here quietly until we figure out what to
do with you I nodded pretending to comply but my mind was Racing I needed a way out then I hearded footsteps above us heavy purposeful footsteps someone was in the house the men froze their eyes stting toward the stairs the first man motioned for the second to stay put then went upstairs I don't know what made me do it but as soon as he was gone I grabbed the chair and swung it as hard as I could at the second man it caught him off guard and he stumbled back giving me just enough time to
run run I bolted up the Stairs and into the living room the front door was open and two police officers were standing there guns drawn get down one of them shouted and I dropped to the floor the first man tried to run but they caught him the second man didn't make it up the stairs it turns out a neighbor had called the police after hearing me scream they'd arrived just in time later I learned the house was part of a trafficking ring they'd been luring People in with fake job ads then transporting them to other
locations I still can't believe how close I came to disappearing like the others it started with little things a of bread went missing from the kitchen counter and I thought maybe one of the kids had taken it to their room a few cans of soup disappeared from the pantry but I figured I must have miscounted during grocery shopping then there were the noises soft Creeks and shuffles late at night my husband said it was the house settling but it didn't feel right the kids would come into our room some nights saying they heard someone walking
in the hallway my youngest Emily Ean swore she saw a shadow in her doorway we pushed it off as nightmares maybe too much TV before bed but it stayed in the back of my mind one night I stayed up late finishing some work at the dining Table th was quiet everyone else was asleep I got up to grab a glass of water and froze when I heard a noise overhead it wasn't the usual Creek of the attic beings it was a distinct sound like someone moving carefully trying not to be hurt I stared at the
ceiling holding my breath waiting to hear it again when it came it was quieter like whoever or whatever it was had Stopped I convinced myself it was a raccoon or some other animal we had Squirrels In The Attic once and I told myself this was the same thing the next morning I asked my husband to check the attic he climbed up there with a flashlight and a broom banging around around for a while before coming down and shruggy nothing up there he said probably just the wind I wanted to believe him but Something about the
way he avoided my eyes made me think he hadn't looked very closely the Turning Point came a week later it was around 2: in the morning and I was woken up by a loud thought from upstairs my heart was racing before I even opened my eyes I sat up in bed straining to hear but the house was silent again my husband was snoring beside me and I didn't want to wake him so I got up to Check on the kids Emily's room was closest to the attic hatch and as I passed by her door I
felt a cold draft I glanced up and froze the attic hatch was open the panel slightly a jar I stood there staring up at it my stomach in knots I told myself it could have shifted on its own that maybe we closed it wrong last time but deep down I knew that wasn't True I checked on Emily and my older son Jake both were fast asleep I wanted to shut the hatch and go back to bed but I couldn't bring myself to get close to it instead I locked the bedroom doors and stayed awake until
morning the next day I brought it up again to my husband he brushed it off said it was just the latch coming loose but I insisted we check the attic together we went up and at first everything seemed Normal boxes of old clothes holiday decorations and the usual dust and cobwebs but then I noticed something out of place a blanket rolled up in the far corner with a pile of wrappers and empty water bottles beside it my stomach dropped what is that I asked my voice shaking he didn't answer we both just stared at it
the realization sinking in someone had been living in our attic we climbed down Quickly locking the hatch behind us my husband wanted to call the police right away but I insisted we check the house first make sure the person wasn't still there we went room to room checking every closet every corner nothing the police arrived within half an hour they searched the attic and found more signs of someone staying their old clothes a small flashlight even a Notebook filled with Scruples they said it looked like whoever it was had been there for weeks maybe months
what scared me the most was what they found near the blanket a small box with a few of our things in it one of Emily's toys a photo of our family and my missing wedding ring that night we stayed at my parents' house I couldn't bear to stay in that house knowing someone had been watching Us living above us the police never caught whoever it was they said the person probably slipped out when we weren't home one day and didn't come back we moved out a few months later even now I can't walk into a
house without checking the attic first I was traveling alone something I've done a lot since I started working remotely staying in rentals was usually cheaper and quieter than hotels and most Of the hosts were friendly or kept their distance which I preferred this time I booked a small Guest House attached to someone's property it was clean affordable and the host a man named David had good reviews when I arrived David met me at the gate he was in his late 40s maybe older and he seemed polite enough he handed me the keys and walked me
through the guest house showing me the kitchenet the Bathroom and the little sitting area he said if I needed anything his house was just on the other side of the fence the place was cozy and I was tired from the drive so so I didn't pay much attention to the details at first I unpacked made a quick dinner and spent the evening catching up on work I didn't think much about David after that the first strange thing happened the next morning I was in the bathroom getting Ready brushing my hair in front of the mirror
while I noticed something OD the mirror was hanging slightly crooked just enough that it caught my eye when I tried to straighten it it felt stuck like like it wasn't hanging on a nail but bolted in place I leaned in closer and realized the edge of the frame didn't sit flush against the wall it looked like there was a small Gap my stomach Twisted but I told myself it was just old Hardware or Bad carpentry still I couldn't shake the feeling something was off later that day while I was out hiking I kept thinking about
the mirror it wasn't just the way it hung it was the way the bathroom felt I'd had this strange s the night before like I wasn't really alone but i' Shrugged it off as being in a new place now it didn't feel so harmless when I got back to the guest House I decided to check I waited until after dark when I figured David wouldn't come by I took a screwdriver from my car and went into the bathroom I stood there for a long time staring at the mirror trying to talk myself myself out of
it maybe I was being paranoid maybe it was nothing but then I started unscrewing the frame behind the mirror was a small hole in the wall just Big enough for a camera lens I stared at it feeling cold all over there was no mistaking what it was I stepped back my mind racing I thought about calling the police but then I thought about David he was right next door what if he came over before they arrived what if he saw me calling I decided to confront him maybe it wasn't the smartest idea but I was
angry and I wanted him to know I'd found It I crapped the mirror and the camera ripped it out of the wall and marched across the yard to his house the lights were on and I could see him through the window sitting at a table I banged on the door and he opened it looking surprised what's going on he asked glancing at the mirror in my hands I held it up dare to explain this his expression didn't change at first but then he sighed like I caught him in A minor mistake it's not what you
think he said the guest house used to be part of the main house and I installed it years ago for security I forgot it was even there security I said my voice Rising it's pointing at the bathroom he didn't have an answer for that instead he stepped closer his tone shifting you need to calm down he said let's talk about this Inside I backed away no I'm calling the police he crapped my arm before I could turn his was firm and his friendly demeanor was gone you don't want to do that he said quietly I
yanked my arm free and ran back to the guest house locking the door behind me my hands were shaking as I dialed 911 while I was on the phone with the dispatcher I heard footsteps Outside they were slow deliberate circling the house the dispatcher told me to stay on the line and stay calm but my heart was pounding so hard I could barely hear for her then David started knocking on the door let's talk about this he said his voice come in like he hadn't just grabbed me I didn't answer I stayed in the corner
holding my phone like it was a weapon the knocking stopped but I could still hear him moving Outside he tried the door knob rattling it gently then he tried the windows testing each one to see if it would open don't make this harder than it has to be he said the dispatcher said the police were on their way but it felt like they were taking forever I heard a crash from the back of the house he'd broken one of the small windows I screamed and the dispatcher told me to get somewhere safe and lock The
door I ran into the bathroom and locked myself in holding my phone in a heavy glass jar I grabbed from the counter I could hear him moving through the house his footsteps getting close closer come on out he said we can work this out I didn't answer I pressed myself against the wall gripping the jar so tightly my hands hurt then I heard Sirens they were faint at first but they got louder quickly David must have heard them too because the footsteps stopped a few seconds later I heard him running the police found him hiding
in the bushes near his house they arrested him and when they searched the property they found more cameras some in the guest house some in his main house and some in places I don't even want to think about they said I was Lucky I don't feel luy I don't think I'll ever stay in a rental again I wasn't supposed to be at the parking garage that night I'd been working late at the office and my boss had asked me to stay and finish up some paperwork by the time I got to my car it was
already dark and the place was mostly empty just a few cars scattered around and the usual hum of fluorescent lights Overhead it wasn't anything unusual just a typical end to a long day I walked past a few Park cars pulling out my keys then out of the corner of my eye I saw something it was quick just a flash of movement but it made me stop there was a man standing near one of the cars talking to another person who was sitting in the driver's seat the way they were talking it didn't look friendly there
was no shouting or Anything but something felt off I turned to keep walking thinking I should just ignore it but then I heard a noise a loud thud m c tightened and I turned back just in time to see the man in the parking lot pull something from his jacket a knife I think and drive it into the other person's chest it all happened so fast one moment the guy in the car was just sitting there and the next he was slumped over the wheel blood dripping Down his shirt I froze I couldn't move I
don't even know why I stayed hidden behind the pillar watching him finish whatever he was doing I should have run called the cops but I couldn't I couldn't take my eyes off him the man looked up and I swear for a split second he looked right at me I held my breath praying he didn't see me He didn't though he turned and walked away without looking back I waited until I heard his footsteps fade my heart pounding the adrenaline started ticking in I didn't know what to do I couldn't just leave the body there I
couldn't just ignore what I'd seen but at the same time I was terrified I stood there for what felt like forever just staring at the car wondering if I should go to the police what if I was wrong what if I Didn't see what I thought I saw I made a decision I pulled out my phone and called 911 I tried to stay calm as I gave them the location described the man I'd seen but my hands were shaking so bad it was hard to talk clearly they told me to stay on the line but
I couldn't I couldn't stay there any longer I had to Leave I ran to my car and the whole time I felt like someone was watching me I kept looking over my shoulder but there was no one there I drove out of the garage but I couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right I kept hearing that thud in my mind the sound of the knife hitting the guy and I couldn't get it out of my head when I got home I called him sick for the next day I couldn't sleep couldn't stop thinking about
it the whole thing Was a blur the face of the man the blood on the steering wheel the the way he just left I kept telling myself I was overreacting that maybe I didn't see what I thought I did but I knew I had the next day I was trying to shake it off and I got a strange message it was a text from an unknown number I know you saw me my heart dropped I stared at the message for a long time I didn't know what to Do I wanted to call the police police
but what could I tell them hey I saw a guy murder someone last night and now he's texting me it sounded insane I tried to ignore it tried to go on with my day but it kept eating at me the next few days were hell I didn't want to leave my house I didn't want to go back to work every time I left I kept seeing that man's face in my mind and the way he looked at me me like he knew I was there Watching him then it got worse I was at the grocery
store when I felt someone behind me I turned and there he was the man from the parking garage he was standing just a few feet away looking at me I swear my art stopped I froze I couldn't even speak he didn't say anything at first he just stared and then he smiled a cold empty smile you should have stayed quiet he Said I didn't know what to do I couldn't move he just stood there like he was waiting for something and I felt like I was going to suffocate then without another word he walked away
disappearing down another aisle I didn't stay in the store much longer I ran out of there almost tripping over myself and drove home as fast as I could I didn't know who to call the police Again I had no evidence they couldn't do anything that night I made sure all the doors were locked the Windows shut tight but even with all that I couldn't shape the feeling of being watched I kept hearing sounds outside the footsteps of someone walking around my car my house I kept checking the locks even though I knew I had double
checked them before the next day I went to work but My mind wasn't there I couldn't focus I was constantly looking over my shoulder half expecting him to show up at my desk my boss noticed asked me if I was all right but I lied and said I wasn't feeling well when I went out for lunch I saw him again this time I saw him through the window of a coffee shop he was sitting at a table watching me I was sure of it he didn't even try to hide it I couldn't stay there any
Longer I cracked my food and left in a hurry but I knew knew for sure that he was following me I didn't know how much longer I could keep this up every moment I was awake I felt like I was being hunted it was like he was always one step ahead always watching I didn't know what to do I couldn't just leave town he would find me anywhere but then it finally clicked I went to the police station the Next morning and I told them everything about the murder the texts the way he followed me
and this time they listened they took me seriously they set up a plan to catch him it wasn't easy but eventually they got him the police said he had a long history of violence and that he'd been watching me for days maybe longer I didn't know how he found me or how he got so close but they told me I Was lucky I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't gone to the police what I do know is that I don't feel safe anymore not anywhere the fear of knowing he was so close
always just a step behind me is something I'll never never forget I was working the night shift at the hospital like I always did it was one of those long uneventful shifts where everything seems calm at first but You can never quite shake the feeling that something's going to go wrong the kind of night where you're just waiting for for the phone to ring or for someone to show up in the ER with a serious injury I had been busy all night moving from room to room making sure the patients were all taken care of
checking Vital Signs and dealing with the usual routine nothing unusual nothing out of the ordinary then around 2:00 a.m. something Caught my attention I was walking past the rooms heading toward the Supply Closet when I noticed one of the rooms was empty if wasn't a huge deal at first Sometimes patients get moved to different warts or transferred to a different unit but this one felt strange I double checked the chart on the door the patient in that room had been a man named Robert Daniels he'd been in for a routine Procedure something minor and had
been under observation for a couple of days I checked the board at the nurse's station no updates nothing indicating a transfer so where was he I called his room no answer I walked into the hallway checking the floor but I didn't see him anywhere it wasn't until I asked the night shift nurses if they'd seen him that I started to feel uneasy no one had seen him Leave that's when I started looking more closely at the details Robert's bed was still made the sheets neatly tucked in as if he hadn't been in it at all
the four line was still attached to the pole but the trip was off and the equipment had been unplugged his personal belongings his phone his jacket were all gone nothing had been left behind nothing indicating that he'd left on his own something was Wrong I didn't want to believe it but I had to check I went to the security desk and asked them to pull the footage from the cameras that covered the hallways they didn't seem too con concerned but I could tell the guard wasn't thrilled with the request after a few minutes they handed
me a thumb drive with the footage and said it would take some time to go through it I went back to the nurse's Station sat down and started reviewing the footage at first everything seemed normal I saw Robert's room on camera and then there was a shift change at 11 p.m. it was right after that around midnight that I saw something Robert was invisible at first but I caught a glimpse of someone standing at his door it was a figure in a hospital C but it wasn't Robert it was a Nurse I paused the footage
my heart racing the person was dressed exactly like the staff blue scrubs hair tucked under a cap a surgical mask covering their face but as I looked closer I realized it wasn't any of the nurses on shift the figure moved quickly too quickly into Robert's room the camera angle didn't capture what happened next I could hear the sound of someone struggling it didn't make Sense why would one of the nurses be in Robert's room at that hour especially when he wasn't supposed to be discharged I rewind the footage to see if I could catch more
but I didn't have to the figure moved from Robert's room and disappeared from the cameras as if they knew exactly what the blind spots were I didn't know what to do I knew something was wrong but I didn't want to believe it I tried to think of any possible explanation but None made sense why would a nurse sneak into a patient's room in the middle of the night I couldn't imagine any scenario where I was justified I thought about waking up my supervisor but something told me that if I did I might never find out
what really happened so I decided to investigate further I checked the other rooms near Roberts I wasn't sure what I was looking for but I had to do Something that's when I found it the door to the utility closet the one with the equipment used for emergency procedures was cracked open I pushed it gently and inside I found a bag it was large black and zipped up tightly I opened it inside was Robert's jacket his phone his wallet and something else something that made my stomach twist a set of Scrubs identical to the ones worn
by the staff but these were Blood Stained I didn't know whose blood it was but I didn't need to know the feeling of tread sank deeper into my chest I couldn't stay in that closet any longer I rushed back to the nurse's station my heart pounding I told the head nurse that something was off that I'd found Robert's belongings in the utility closet she looked at me but there was no urgency in her eyes no Concern she just nodded and said she'd look into it I couldn't wait I couldn't trust anyone there I crapped the
thumb drive in the bag and ran out of the station heading straight for the security office I showed the guard the footage and told him what I'd found he seemed reluctant but after I insisted he agreed to contact the police by then I could feel my hand shaking I didn't want to think about it But I knew I couldn't ignore it anymore it wasn't long before the police arrived they reviewed the footage and the more they looked at it the more they realized something wasn't right they asked me if I knew who had been on
shift that night and I told them the names of everyone I could remember they started pulling up more footage from the cameras that's when they found the figure again this time leaving the Hospital at the rear exit it was one of the nurses I had worked with for years a nurse I had trusted the police arrested her later that night it turned out she had been working with an accomplice another member of the staff someone who had access to the hospital to abduct patients Robert wasn't the first and he wouldn't be the last if no
one had stepped in the whole thing left me shaken I had been so sure that I was Just imagining things that it was all some horrible misunderstanding but I wasn't wrong I'd seen what no one else had and I had been the one to put the pieces together I'll never forget the feeling of realizing that someone I had trusted was capable of such Horrors the hospital went under investigation and the nurse was charged with kidnapping among other crime I don't know how many other patients Were involved but I'll never forget that night I didn't think
I would ever see something like that but now that I have I'll never be able to forget it I had never thought much about sleep studies before I always had trouble sleeping and when I saw an ad in the local paper offering a study with a nice sum of money it seemed like a no-brainer they were looking for volunteers to stay in a research Facility overnight monitor your sleep and basically just make sure you didn't have any issues I figured it would be a good way to make a bit of extra cash especially since they
promised it would be over in a few days and all I had to do was sleep the facility looked like any other Clinic building when I showed up for the first night the walls were sterile white and there was a small waiting area with a receptionist who gave me a brief Rundown of what to expect there were about five other people there that first night all of us filling out paperwork and signing forms I didn't think much of it at the time they told us that the study would be mostly routined nothing invasive just monitoring
our sleep patterns the first night went by without much event they hooked me up to some wires nothing unusual just a few electrodes on my Scalp and a couple on my chest they monitored my heart rate breathing and brain waves there was a camera in the corner of the room but that was standard procedure they said so they could ensure everything went smoothly while I slept by the second night I was getting used to the routine the researchers were polite mostly young staff one woman named Linda who checked in on me every couple of Hours
and another man Craig who operated the equipment they seemed nice enough Linda was always kind and explained things in detail when I had questions and Craig was quiet but he did his job without any issues it was on the third night when I started to notice something odd I woke up in the middle of the night well not exactly woke up but I became aware of the room around me the light from the hallway was just enough to make out the Shapes of the room I noticed Linda standing by the door not really doing anything
she was just standing there staring at me like she was waiting for something I thought I had just woken up from a deep sleep so I tried to shake it off but it felt wrong it felt like she was watching me too closely the next day I asked her about it she brushed it off saying that sometimes people have odd dreams in the In the middle of the night I didn't press further because honestly it sounded like something I would have imagined but it didn't sit well with me by the fourth night the experience took
a darker turn I woke up again but this time I felt a sharp pain in my arm I wasn't sure what had caused it and when I looked down I saw that there was a needle sticking out of my arm one of those long thick needles used for injections I felt felt a surge of panic I yanked it out but there was no one in the room no staff members no Linda no Craig just me and the wirar still attached to me I immediately started looking around trying to figure out what had happened I checked
my phone and it was dead of course the clock on the wall showed it was around 2: a.m. I tried to call out but no one came I sat there for a while listening to The Faint hum of the Equipment something didn't feel right the next morning I went to the front desk and asked to speak with the director of the study the receptionist looked a little uncomfortable like she wasn't sure if she should let me speak with anyone after some hesitation she told me I'd have to wait until later in the day because the
staff was in meetings I felt a rising sense of unease they were just acting too was Strange I didn't want to jump to conclusions but the situation was beginning to feel off the other participants who had been there the same amount of time as I had didn't seem to notice anything wrong they all seemed fine they were all going through the motions like it was just another study like they didn't care about what was happening in the background that night I decided to stay awake I needed answers and I couldn't Let it go any longer
ER I turned off the lights made sure I wasn't hooked up to anything more than the basic monitors and just waited I must have knotted off at some point because I woke up to the sound of footsteps I could barely make out the figure of a person standing near the bed it was Linda I didn't say anything I didn't want to draw attention but I kept my eyes open she Stood there for several long minutes just watching me this time she didn't even try to hide it it was like she wanted me to see her
suddenly she walked out of the room and I could hear murmers in the hallway I couldn't make out what they were saying but I could tell it was more than just casual conversation it sounded like instructions like they were talking about me I felt Trapped my stomach churned as I realized that this wasn't just some normal sleep stuff study I had no idea what was going on but I was sure it wasn't good the next morning I went to the front desk again the receptionist wasn't there but the director was a man in his late
50s with thick glasses and a two calm demeanor I asked him about the injection I had found in my arm the previous night his face didn't change but he didn't seem Surprised he just nodded and said sometimes we need to collect some extra data it's part of the process I tried to explain that I didn't want to participate anymore that I needed to leave but he wouldn't let me he told me it was too late to back out now that I had already signed the agreement and leaving now could result in serious consequences it didn't
make sense but the way he said it like it was a threat Made me freeze up that's when I knew something was very wrong I had to get out I knew I couldn't trust them I started looking for any way out I checked the windows the back doors but everything was locked tight my heart pounded in my chest as I realized they were keeping me there on purpose the others my fellow participants were gone I hadn't seen them in hours maybe Even days but I couldn't be sure I couldn't trust the time I spent the
next few hours trying to figure out what to do and I finally managed to slip out of the building through a service door I ran as fast as I could I didn't stop to look back I'm still not sure what was really going on in that place I don't know what they were trying to do with us I don't know if it was Illegal drugs or experiments or something worse but the whole thing fell long from the start it wasn't until I saw the medical files I managed to crap on my way out that I
realized just how deep it went there were more names more data more patients than I could count and the conditions were all listed in a way that didn't match up with a normal study I left town I don't know if they're still operating or if anyone else is still Trapped in that place but I couldn't risk finding out it's the kind of thing I can't forget but I try to move past it I hope no one else ends up in that situation but sometimes I wonder if I'm the only one who got out I didn't
want to take the job it seemed like a simple enough call but I had a bad feeling when I saw the address an old farmhouse way out in the middle of nowhere it wasn't even on the crit Properly I'd been a plumber for a while and I'd seen my fair Sheriff weird stuff but something about this place set me off the call came in early in the morning and I was already finishing of my first job when I got the details the homeowner said there was a gas leak and it sounded urgent so I agreed
to go I grabbed my tools and hit the road it was a long drive maybe an hour and a half but the further I went the more Isolated it became there weren't any other houses for Miles just dir roads and Fields that stretched out far beyond what I could see it was quiet too quiet when I finally turned down the long winding driveway I saw the house it looked like something out of an old horror movie a big creaky Farmhouse with overgrown weeds in the yard and windows that were covered in Grime the paint on
the house was chipped and there was something Eerie about it but I told Myself to stop being paranoid I had a job to do I parked in front of the house and walked up to the door before I could even knock it opened and a man greeted me he looked like someone who'd been living in that house for years to shovel clothes craying hair and a weathered face he introduced himself as Ben and told told me he had called because of the gas leak thanks for coming out so quickly he said Leading me inside his
voice was calm too calm but I tried to shake it off I was there to do a job not get caught up in whatever weird energy the house was giving off the inside was just as run down as the outside the floors creaked underfoot and everything smelled musty it felt old like no one had lived there in years but there were signs that someone had been recently using the Space dirty dishes in the sink blankets thrown carelessly on the couch Ben led me to the basement door and told me that's where the leak was coming
from I noticed he had an odd look in his eyes but I didn't think much of it at the time I went downstairs with my tools but I hadn't even taken a step before I heard a sound a soft noise like someone was crying it came from the far corner of the basement just behind a pile of old furniture I froze it was muffled but unmistakable it was the sound of someone in distress I thought maybe I was just imagining it but then I heard it again I didn't want to make a scene so I
tried to focus on the job I turned the gas valve off and started inspecting the pipes but the noise kept Nanking at me it was getting harder to ignore I couldn't help myself I walked over to the corner of the basement and moved a few old chairs and boxes that's when I saw them there were three people huddled in the corner two adults and a young girl maybe seven or eight Their Eyes Were wi with fear and they looked like they hadn't seen daylight in days they were tied up with ropes their mouths covered with
cloth the sight of them sent a chill down my Spine I immediately backed away and the man's voice voice came from behind me you shouldn't have seen that Ben was standing in the doorway blocking the stairs his eyes were cold no longer friendly he had a knife in his hand you've seen too much he said almost as if he were talking to himself I wasn't expecting anyone to come out here today I couldn't move the words didn't make Sense my mind was racing what the hell was going on why were these people tied up in
the basement of This Old House the man took a few steps toward me and I instinctively stepped back my hand fumbling for my phone I needed to call the cops but there was no signal out here I cursed under my breath I had no way out no way to call for help you're not going anywhere Ben Said you're not going to ruin everything he started walking toward me slowly his hand gripping the knife tighter I had to think fast my heart was pounding in my chest I had no idea what he intended to do but
I knew it wouldn't be good I dropped my toolbox on the floor hoping the noise would distract him just enough it did as soon as I heard him Flinch I bolted past him knocking him off balance For just a second I made it to the stairs but he was right behind me his feet heavy on the floorboards I didn't stop running until I reached the kitchen slamming the door behind me my mind was running through every possible Escape but I had no plan I needed to get out of the house before he got his hands
on me I looked around trying to think of a way to escape and that's when I saw it an old phone in the corner of the kitchen it was one of Those corded landline phones that barely worked anymore but I wasn't going to let that stop me I picked it up and prayed for a dial tone after a moment it clicked and I heard the faint Buzz I dialed 911 as quickly as I could trying to stay quiet the operator picked up and I whispered as quickly as I could explaining the situation stay on the
line Sir help is on the way she said her voice calm but urgent I didn't wait for her to finish the call Ben was already in the kitchen his knife gleaming under the overhead light he was only a few feet away and I knew I couldn't outrun him I crapped a pan from the stove and swung it at him hitting him hard across the face it wasn't much but it stunned him just enough for me to slip past him again I ran through the back door not Caring where it led just needing to get away
the fresh air hid me like a wave of relief but I couldn't stop running until I reached the road I didn't stop until I saw a car pass by and flaged it down the driver helped me get to the nearest town and I gave the cops everything I knew they went back to The Farmhouse right away but by the time they arrived Ben was gone they found the family alive but traumatized and I gave a statement but I never saw Ben again the police told me That Ben wasn't the homeowner they found out that he
had been posing as the owner of the house using it to hold people captive apparently he had been doing this for years luring People Into The Farmhouse under false pretenses the family who I've been missing for days was lucky to be alive I've never gone back to that place and I'll never forget those I staring at me from the corner of the Basement I don't know where Ben is now and part of me doesn't want want to know but I'll never forget the terror I felt in that moment being trapped in a house with a
man who had no intention of letting me leave it started as just another job I've been doing handyman work for years so when I got a call about a remote location need some repairs I didn't think much of it the guy who hired me didn't sound strange or Off his name was Edward said he had an old bunker on his property that needed a bit of fixing up he mentioned it was part of an old survivalist setup but that nothing too crazy was going on just some routine maintenance sounded easy enough so I agreed to
the job the drive out there was longer than expected the place was far out in the middle of nowhere tucked between some wooded areas and Farmland as I pulled up the long gravel driveway I noticed the house was run down like it hadn't been taken care of in a long time it was an old two-story place with peeling paint and broken shutters I wasn't sure if Edward lived alone but there was no sign of anyone else I figured he was just one of those people who like their privacy maybe a little eccentric but that wasn't
anything new in my line of work work he greeted me at the door Looking exactly how I'd imagined a guy in his mid-40s disheveled hair worn clothes but with a Stern face that made it hard to read him he wasn't unfriendly but there was something about him that seemed guarded not the type of person who' just come over for a chat I'm glad you made it the place is a bit of a mess but it'll be worth it once you're done he said letting me in he let leave through the house it was dim Inside
with heavy curtains drawn across every window the air had that stale musty feeling like it hadn't been aired out in ages he told me the bunker was in the basement which I thought was strange at first because most people with bunkers would keep them more secluded not under their house but I didn't think much of it as we descended into the basement I could feel the temperature drop and the air turned thicker like like it was Holding on to something the room was small cluttered with crates old furniture and piles of papers the bunker door
itself was metal reinforced and there was a heavy padlock on it I tried not to stare but the way the place was set up felt a little off Edward noticed my hesitation and chuckled the place is old doesn't look like much now but it'll be a stronghold when the time comes we'll need to keep it Secure secure for what I asked half joking he didn't laugh instead he looked at me with that dead serious look for when everything falls apart the way he said it it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand
up but I Shrugged it off people had their odd beliefs I was there to fix a door not to get into his personal life He showed me the damage the metal door was bent and warped probably from years of use or neglect there was a gap in the seal letting in drafts and a few of the locks were rusted through I could tell this was more than just a little fixer up her job Edward told me he wanted to reinforce it make sure it was impenetrable and I agreed it was going to take a few
days but I had the tools to get it done after I started working things got weird the first thing that stood out was that Edward never left me alone I thought maybe he'd go out or do something while I worked but he stayed in the house just pacing around I couldn't help but notice he was always watching me as if he was waiting for something at first I chocked it up to his anxiety maybe he was just nervous about the work then came the little comments you know when the collap Collapse happens people will be
desperate they'll do anything to survive or you're lucky you know you get to be here when everything goes down you'll be safe each time I just nodded unsure what to say but it was becoming clear he wasn't just preparing for a natural disaster or something like that he was preparing for the end of the world at night while I was trying to sleep I hear him moving around Upstairs I hear the sound of locks clicking like he was securing things or sometimes I hear muffled voices I couldn't tell if he was talking to someone or
just talking to himself either way it was starting to mess with my head then on the third day everything changed I was down in the basement working on the door when I heard a faint click I spun around expecting to see Edward coming down to check on me but There was no one there I Shrugged it off and went back to the door but then I noticed it one of the walls in the back corner was slightly different it wasn't just a concrete wall there was a slight scene and I could make out the edge
of a small metal door almost hidden by the Clutter curious I walked over to it and tried to open it it didn't budge it was locked I tried a few more times but the door didn't Give that's when I heard Edward's voice from behind me don't touch that I froze I didn't turn around but I could hear the tension in his voice there was something dangerous in it like I had crossed some invisible line I slowly stood up and faced him what is it I asked keeping my voice calm even though my heart was racing
he stepped forward a little too quickly it's part of the bunker it's it's Personal you don't need to know I could see the panic in his eyes now the way his hands were shaking something was off way off I suddenly realized he wasn't just preparing for the apocalypse he was expecting it and whatever was behind the door wasn't meant for anyone else to see Edward I started I've been working here for days I've seen what you've got going on It's not just a bunker is it he didn't answer instead he walked up to me and
placed a hand on my shoulder it felt wrong I could feel his fingers tightening you don't understand you're part of this now there's no going back I tried to pull away but he he was too strong in that moment I realized what was happening he wasn't just preparing for the end of the world he was preparing to keep me here when it Happened to trap me let go of me Edward I said trying to stay calm but my voice was shaky he didn't listen instead he pushed me toward the metal door his firm on my
arm you'll see once everything goes down you'll be glad you stayed it'll be the safest place I struggled to get away but I was cornered he was much stronger than I expected you're not going anywhere he Hissed I knew I had to get out and I had to do it now with everything I had I shoved him back and for a split second he lost his I ran toward the basement stairs hearing him yell behind me I didn't stop I didn't even think I ran straight out of the house through the yard and to my
truck I didn't look back I drove as fast as I could barely able to te my hands on The wheel I knew he was probably watching from the windows but I didn't care I had to get away I never went back to that place and I never spoke to Edward again I've heard heard nothing about him since but I have a feeling I won't be hearing anything good I still think about what was behind that door but I don't think I want to know I just know I got out and that's all that matters
