I booked an Airbnb in New York City for a short getaway with my wife we had both been working non-stop for months and needed some time to relax when I found the listing it seemed perfect the pictures showed a cozy cabin tucked away in a quiet corner of the city offering the peace we craved but still close enough to the city's attractions the reviews were glowing and the price was reasonable everything seemed right so I booked it without a second thought the first few days were peaceful the cabin was everything we hoped for comfortable and
quiet we spent our days walking around the city and enjoying the sights then coming back to the cabin to unwind it was exactly what we needed on the third night though everything changed it was late and I was in the kitchen making a cup of tea while my wife was in the bedroom reading the soft tum of the kettle boiling filled the room and I was about to pour the water when I heard her scream from the other room come quick she shouted my heart raced as I dropped everything and rushed to the bedroom when
I got there I found her standing in the corner her face pale pointing at the large mirror that hung on the wall opposite the bed look she whispered her voice trembling I approached the mirror confused and looked closely at first I didn't understand what she meant it was just a regular mirror or so I thought then as I moved my hand across the surface something clicked the glass wasn't reflecting right it was too clear too flat I leaned in closer and that's when I realized what it was it was a two-way mirror my wife stepped
closer and pointed to the side of the mirror her finger shaking I found a camera she whispered on the other side of the mirror barely noticeable was the faint outline of a hidden camera lens someone had been watching us the whole time I felt sick the thought of someone spying on us without our knowledge invading our privacy like that made my skin crawl my wife's eyes were wide with fear and I knew we needed to act fast we need to check the rest of the cabin I said my voice barely steady we tore through the
cabin searching every room every corner every piece of furniture in the bathroom we found another hidden camera tucked behind a vent pointed directly at the shower my stomach turned the idea that someone had been watching us in our most private moments filled me with Dread that's when my wife mentioned the locked room from the moment we arrived there had been one door in the cabin that we were not allowed to enter the owner's rules said it was off limits but now that we had found cameras that locked room felt more ominous I saw something moving
in there my wife said her voice shaky under the door my heart pounded as I knelt to look through the crack at the bottom of the door for a second I saw nothing but Darkness then something shifted a shadow a slight movement someone was in there without saying another word I grabbed my phone and called the police my hands were shaking as I explained what we had found the operator assured us that officers were on their way and told us to stay in a safe place until they arrived we locked ourselves in the living room
every noise from the cabin sending a jolt of fear through my body the minutes dragged by each one feeling like an hour until we finally heard the sound of sirens approaching the police arrived quickly two officers knocked on the door and I let them in explaining everything we had found they listened carefully their faces growing more serious as I told them about the two-way mirror the cameras and the locked room one of the officers nodded then motioned for us to stay back as they approached the locked door they knocked first called calling out to whoever
was inside but there was no response after a few moments they forced the door open inside the room hunched over a desk was the owner of the cabin he didn't even seem surprised when the police entered on the desk in front of him was a laptop and on the screen we could see live feeds from the hidden cameras scattered throughout the cabin he had been watching us the entire time he said nothing as they led him out of the cabin in handcuffs his face expressionless as though this was just another another day for him as
soon as he was gone one of the officers turned to us you did the right thing calling us he said we'll make sure he's charged for this but his words did little to comfort me the damage was already done the thought that we had been watched that our privacy had been violated so deeply was something I couldn't shake every time I closed my eyes I saw that mirror that camera that locked door we packed our things and left the cabin that same night neither neither of us could bear to stay there any longer not even
for a few more hours as we drove away the city lights flickering in the distance I couldn't help but glance over my shoulder half expecting to see someone following us the next morning we checked into a hotel but I couldn't sleep every noise made me jump every shadow made my heart race even now weeks later I still feel uneasy like someone's watching me just out of sight I'll never stay in an Airbnb again the experience left a mark on both of us one that won't fade anytime soon the world is full of hidden dangers and
sometimes they're lurking just behind the mirror my grandma lived on a quiet isolated Road in North Carolina her house was small old and creaky but it always felt like home every summer my mom my younger brother Sam and I would visit her for a week or two this year was no different we were excited to spend time with her eat home-cooked meals and enjoy the Peace of the countryside Sam was 18 and I was a few years older we both loved visiting Grandma though Sam mostly liked the freedom of running around in the woods and
I enjoyed the slower pace of things mom was happy to see Grandma and relax for a bit our days were simple we'd wake up early eat breakfast and then just do whatever we felt like reading hiking or helping grandma with her garden one morning after a peaceful night we were sitting around the table eating a breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast the Sun was shining and the birds outside were chirping it was just a typical day in the country we had no idea how quickly things were about to change as we ate we suddenly heard
the Deep Rumble of an engine outside it wasn't the kind of sound you expected on Grandma's road hardly anyone ever drove down that road except for the mailman or the occasional farmer mom stood up and went to the window her face showing a bit of concern there's a truck outside she said but no one's in it Sam and I exchanged confused looks the truck was still running just sitting there right in front of Grandma's house that wasn't normal not at all maybe someone got out and went into the woods I suggested though it didn't feel
like the right answer we waited staring at the truck the engine kept running but no one got out it sat there the hum of the engine feeling the Silence of the morning something about it made me uneasy then out of nowhere we heard a loud bang on the front door the kind of bang that makes your heart jump into your throat Sam being curious and a little braver than me stood up and walked to the door he looked through the peephole but then turned back to us with wide eyes there's no one out there he
whispered another bang followed louder this time shaking the door in its frame we all froze for a moment I could feel the tension in the air thick and uncomfortable grandma was still sitting at the table her face calm but her hands trembling slightly suddenly a knock came from the window not the front door this time but the window right next to where we were sitting slowly I turned my head and there standing just outside was a tall man his face was shadowed under a worn out baseball cap and his clothes were dirty like he'd been
walking through mud his eyes though were sharp and cold old my truck broke down he said in a slow grally voice mind if I come in and use the phone Mom stood up moving toward the window your truck's running just fine she said her voice firm but nervous the man didn't respond instead he stepped closer to the window his face pressing against the glass his expression was unsettling his eyes locked on Sam any young men in there who can help me out he asked his tone shifting something about the way he said it made my
skin crawl it wasn't a question it felt more like a demand we don't have a phone mom lied trying to keep him calm but his eyes stayed fixed on Sam and it was clear he wasn't going to just leave the air felt thick heavy with Dread then he started banging on the window harder this time just open the door he said his voice getting louder I need someone to help me out here we all stood Frozen unsure of what to do Sam though had had enough he wasn't the type to let someone threaten his family
he stepped away from the window disappearing down the hall for a moment when he came back he was holding Grandma's old shotgun the one she kept in the closet for emergencies go away Sam yelled holding the shotgun up the man didn't seem to care he kept knocking now banging harder more aggressively without a word Sam swung open the door just enough to fire a shot into the air near the man's truck the bang of the gun echoed through the quiet morning the man froze for a second his eyes widening with surprise then without saying anything
else he backed away from the window his face still cold and expressionless he turned walked to his truck and got in we watched as the truck pulled away the engine roaring As It sped down the dirt road Sam shut the door locking it behind him and we all stood there in Silence the shock of what had just happened sinking in mom called the police right away explaining everything when they arrived they searched the area but found no sign of the man or his truck it was as if he had just vanished no one had seen
a truck matching the description and no one else in the area had reported anything strange the police said they'd keep an eye out but we knew deep down that they wouldn't find him before we get into the next story if you come for the first time please make sure to subscribe to our Channel and press the Bell icon for upcoming scary stories we need your support please share these stories with your friends and family thanks in May 2020 I went on a cruise with my mom and some extended family it was meant to be a
fun getaway after months of lockdown and isolation the air felt fresh and the Sea stretched endlessly giving me a sense of freedom I hadn't felt in a long time the cruise ship was massive with everything from swimming pools to theaters and restaurants it was supposed to be a relaxing time just unwinding and enjoying the warm sun but things took a strange and unsettling turn from the very first morning it was around 8:00 a.m. when we all headed to breakfast the dining area was buffet style with tables spread across a large room with massive windows that
let in the sunlight giving a beautiful view of the ocean my mom and the others were chatting away still waking up but already excited about the day ahead I on the other hand was more focused on filling my plate with the scrambled eggs and pancakes laid out in front of me after piling up my food I walked over to an empty table near one of the large windows I liked the view and I thought I'd enjoy my breakfast while watching the waves the rest of my family was still in line getting their food so I
sat alone for a moment the hum of people talking the clinking of plates and the soft music playing over the speakers made it all feel peaceful then a man came and sat down at a table directly across from me at first I didn't think much of it the dining area was crowded and people were sitting wherever they could find a spot but something about him felt off he wasn't eating he didn't even have a plate he just sat there staring at me his eyes were wide unblinking almost too focused it was as if he was
studying me like I was some sort of strange creature he couldn't figure out I tried to ignore him at first thinking maybe he was just lost in thought or something but then he smiled not a friendly smile I looked away hoping that that if I just ignored him he would leave my heart started to race though I kept telling myself it was nothing that I was just being paranoid but when I glanced back he was still staring still smiling the rest of my family finally sat down at our table my mom was talking to my
aunt about what they wanted to do that day and I tried to focus on their conversation on my food on anything but that man but I could feel his eyes on me like a weight pressing down on my shoulders after a while I couldn't stand it anymore I glanced up again and he was gone his chair was empty as if he had never been there at all I felt a sense of relief wash over me but the uneasy feeling in my stomach didn't go away I wanted to mention it to my mom to tell someone
about the strange man but I didn't want to sound ridiculous after all people stare sometimes right maybe I was just overthinking it the day went by without any other incidents we lounged by the pool went to a show and enjoyed the ship's amenities by the evening I had almost forgotten about the man from breakfast but later as we were walking back to our cabin after dinner I spotted him again he was a few feet behind us walking at a slow pace he wasn't trying to hide the fact that he was following us he didn't even
look away when I caught him staring that same Eerie smile was plastered on his face like he knew something I didn't but I didn't say anything I didn't want to alarm my mom or the others maybe he was just some weird guy and it wasn't anything to worry about maybe we reached our cabin and I quickly stepped inside closing the door behind us I leaned against it for a moment listening half expecting to hear footsteps stop right outside but everything was quiet too quiet for the rest of the trip I kept seeing him he would
be at the edge of the crowd standing near the pool or sitting in the corner of the lounge always watching always smiling I tried to act like it didn't bother me like he wasn't getting under my skin but the truth was I felt F like I couldn't escape his eyes everywhere I went there he was lurking in the background making my skin crawl then on the last day of the cruise just as we were getting ready to disembark I saw him again this time though he didn't just stand at a distance he walked right up
to me my heart pounded in my chest and I felt Frozen unable to move he leaned in so close that I could feel his breath on my ear you're lucky I changed my mind he whispered you're safe now I stood there stunned tooo shocked to speak as he straightened up and walked away disappearing into the crowd his words echoed in my head sending a wave of nausea through me what did he mean what did he plan to do I never saw him again after that when we finally got off the ship I felt a huge
sense of relief but his words haunted me long after the trip was over to this day I wonder what he had in mind what could have happened if he hadn't changed his mind and why me I'll never know for sure but every time I think about it I can't shake the feeling that I have come far too close to something terrible something I was never supposed to understand I've been a night nurse in the ICU for 7 years now and it never gets less weird I've seen things that would make most people quit on the
spot you'd think the constant sound of alarms and the sight of gross liquid spilling everywhere would be enough to creep me out and don't even get me started on the patience people die here right in front of us and we're the ones who have to handle it one night something happened that I'll never forget and honestly I wish I could it was around 2: a.m. the dead of night when the whole world outside the hospital seemed to fall asleep but in the ICU the machines keep beeping patients keep moaning and the fluorescent lights flicker just
enough to make you wonder if your imag ining things I was on my usual round checking vitals and restocking supplies when I glanced down the main hallway leading to the entrance that's when I saw her a little girl no more than a year old was standing right in front of the ICU entrance door she was wearing a faded pink onesie with little ducks on it her hair was thin and wispy barely growing in she didn't make a sound didn't cry or fuss just stood there staring straight ahead with her big dark eyes I froze staring
back my brain tried to make sense of what I was seeing why is there a baby in the ICU no adults were around no nurses rushing after her nothing just this tiny silent child standing there like she had just wandered in on her own we don't allow kids in the ICU it's too dangerous the infections we deal with here can spread fast and a child's immune system can't handle it so naturally I started walking toward her thinking maybe her parents were just around the corner maybe someone had made a mistake and brought her in and
and I could get her out before anyone else noticed but as I got closer something didn't feel right the air felt heavy like the atmosphere had thickened all of a sudden the overhead lights buzzed flickering even more now I could hear my footsteps echoing down the hall too loud like everything had gone silent around me except for those damn footsteps I picked up my Pace but when I reached the entrance the girl was gone just gone I looked left then right up and down the hall but there was no sign of her no adults no
stroller no nothing it was like the ICU had swallowed her whole I stood there my heart pounding in my chest I felt stupid but also a little scared babies don't just disappear like that maybe she'd crawled into one of the rooms maybe I'd imagin the whole thing but I know I saw her I know she was real I turned around ready to go back and ask one of my colleagues if they'd seen her too when I heard it the softest sound barely a whisper like someone giggling a baby's giggle I spun around again my eyes
darting down the empty hallway there was nothing just the same lifeless Corridor stretching out before me that's when one of the other nurses Susan came walking toward me she looked tired her hair messy from hours of work but the moment she saw my face she stopped what's wrong she asked her voice low did did you see a kid I stammered like a little girl she was just here Susan frowned then shook her head slowly she was wearing a pink onesie I was going to get her out but when I got here she was gone Susan
stared at me for a second you you believe me she nodded Crossing her arms yeah you're not the first one to see her and you won't be the last that stopped me cold my mouth went dry and I swallowed hard what do you mean Susan glanced around then motioned for me to follow her we walked a little further down the hall out of earshot from the patients before she spoke again again people have been seeing that baby for years she said quietly it's always the same a little girl in a pink onesie standing near the
entrance she never says anything just stands there then vanishes the first time I saw her I thought I was losing my mind I didn't know what to say I had so many questions but none of them made sense in my head who who is she did someone lose a kid here Susan Shrugged no one knows but the rumor is years ago a baby came through the ER and didn't make it sepsis or something like that the parents never got to say goodbye ever since then nurses doctors even some patients have reported seeing her and no
one does anything about it Susan shook her head looking Grim what can we do there's no kid here at least not one we can help I don't know if it's a ghost or just our minds playing tricks but after a while you learn to ignore it it's creepy yeah but it's the least of our problems around here I didn't know what to think I wanted to believe it was just a hallucination maybe the lack of sleep catching up with me after that night I kept my head down focused on my work and tried not to
think about it but every time I passed that hallway I couldn't help but glance over at the entrance half expecting to see those dark eyes staring back at me my name is Henry and I will never forget the day I met Peter it was one of those experiences that made you question in the world around you leaving you with a cold feeling deep inside long after it's over it all happened during my return trip to the United States from Norway I had spent a few weeks there for work and was eager to get back home
what should have been a peaceful Journey quickly turned into something much darker I was sitting in the airport minding my own business as I waited for my flight I glanced around seeing the usual sights you'd expect people walking briskly announcements echoing over the intercom and the distant hum of conversations it was just like any other airport and at first I had no reason to feel anything but calm but that would soon change while I scrolled through my phone to pass the time a man around 30 years old sat down next to me at first I
didn't think much of it airports are busy and it's not unusual for strangers to sit nearby he was dressed neatly in a black jacket jeans and well-worn sneakers he had short dark hair and a thin beard that gave him a casual but somehow sharp look he introduced himself as Peter a name that would soon burn itself into my memory Peter smiled in a way that seemed friendly but there was something behind it something unsettling he started with small talk asking me where I was headed and what I had been doing in Norway I answered politely
just like I would with any stranger he mentioned he was traveling to the us as well though he didn't say why his questions seemed harmless enough at first first but soon they started getting personal too personal he asked me about my job where I lived and even how much money I made I laughed nervously trying to brush off his curiosity but he kept pressing he had a strange intensity about him like he was digging for something when he asked if I was rich I felt my stomach tighten why would a stranger need to know that
I didn't answer directly just said I made enough to get by hoping he would lose interest but Peter's questions didn't stop he asked about my family whether I traveled alone and if anyone was waiting for me back home each question felt like another layer of a Trap closing in around me I started to feel uneasy my heart pounding a little harder with every word he spoke his eyes locked onto mine in a way that made it hard to look away even though I wanted to eventually the boarding call for our flight rang out and I
was relieved to get up and leave the conversation behind I thought that was the end of it but as luck would would have it Peter's seat on the plane was not far from mine the flight itself was peaceful almost too peaceful after the strange encounter I kept thinking about Peter's questions the way he seemed to pry into my life as if searching for something specific I tried to shake the feeling off and closed my eyes hoping to sleep through the rest of the flight when we landed I gathered my belongings and hurried off the plane
eager to leave Peter and his uncomfortable questions behind I walked quickly through the terminal hoping to blend in with the crowd but just when I thought I had escaped him I felt a presence behind me I turned and there he was Peter grinning like he had a secret hey Henry he called out casually like we were old friends my skin prickled at the sound of his voice he walked up to me and held something out it was a small valuable looking piece of jewelry a gold watch intricately designed and worth a lot of money he
smiled wider but this time there was no warmth in his eyes I took this from a guy on the plane he said his voice low and almost playful he didn't even notice my heart dropped I stared at the watch realizing that Peter wasn't just a creepy guy asking personal questions he was a thief maybe worse my pulse quickened as his words sank in he had just admitted to stealing something and now he was showing it off like it was some sort of joke don't tell anyone he warned his smile fading his voice turned cold almost
threatening or you'll be the next one I froze my mind raced trying to process what he had just said the weight of his words settled heavily in the air between us he was warning me making sure I knew what would happen if I crossed him the playful tone from before was gone replaced by something darker something dangerous I nodded not trusting myself to speak my mouth was dry and all I could think about was getting away from this man as quickly as possible I turned and walked away my heart pounding in my chest my hands
trembling I didn't look back but I could feel his eyes on me watching as I Disappeared into the crowd for the rest of my journey home I couldn't shake the feeling of dread every time I closed my eyes I saw Peter's face and heard his voice warning me not to tell anyone I never saw him again after that day and I consider myself lucky I don't know what Peter was truly capable of but I knew enough to take his threat seriously it was July 2019 and I was only 9 years old I still remember that
day like it just happened yesterday the Sun was shining brightly outside casting long lazy Shadows through the curtains of our living room I was sitting on the floor playing with my toy cars everything seemed normal until my mom's phone rang I could hear her voice from the kitchen talking quietly but something felt different this time her tone wasn't the usual cheerful one she used used when she spoke to her friends after a few minutes she came into the living room her face pale honey she said kneeling in front of me your dad's had an accident
he's in the hospital and I need to go see him I felt a lump in my throat but I trusted mom she told me it wasn't too serious but she had to go right away since I was too young to go with her she decided to leave me with our neighbor Mrs Jenkins an old woman who lived next door I didn't know her well but Mom said she was very nice and would take care of me Mrs Jenkins greeted us with a warm smile when we knocked on her door she was an elderly woman probably
in her 70s with silver hair tied into a bun and glasses that always seemed to slide down her nose she wore long dresses the kind you'd see in old movies her house smelled of freshly baked cookies and cinnamon come in come in she said with a soft voice ushering us inside the house was cozy but a bit old-fashioned everything seemed to have a place like nothing had moved in years don't worry dear he'll be safe with me she reassured my mom as she left after mom was gone Mrs Jenkins offered me some cookies and candies
which I gladly took I sat in her living room nibbling on the treats the TV was on showing some black and white movie I didn't recognize the house was so quiet and the only noise was the ticking of an old clock on the wall as I sat there I couldn't help but notice a door just across the living room it was slightly a jar and and now and then Mrs Jenkins would disappear into that room staying in there for a few minutes before coming back out she didn't say anything about it and I didn't ask
at first but it struck me as strange because as far as I knew Mrs Jenkins lived alone curiosity started to creep into my mind why was she going in there so often and what was in that room my imagination began to run wild maybe she had a secret pet like a cat or a bird but I never heard any sounds No meowing no chirping silent eventually I couldn't hold back my curiosity anymore Mrs Jenkins I asked trying to sound casual is there someone in that room her face changed instantly the warmth in her eyes vanished
replaced by a cold hard look she stopped what she was doing and stared at me her expression turning almost angry there's no one in there she said firmly her voice low you stay out of that room I didn't ask any more questions Mrs Jenkins went back to baking or whatever she was doing but now the atmosphere felt different darker I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong later Mrs Jenkins told me she needed to go to the market to buy something don't move and don't touch anything she warned before leaving the moment she closed
the door behind her my heart started to race I was alone now and that door the one she kept going in and out of was just a few feet away I stood up my legs shaky and slowly made my way toward the door I wasn't thinking anymore I just needed needed to know what was inside my hand trembled as I reached for the doorknob slowly I turned it and the door creaked open the room was dark the curtains drawn tight my eyes took a moment to adjust to the dim light at first it seemed empty
but then I saw it a figure lying on the bed tightly bound with ropes my breath caught in my throat it was a boy probably around 15 years old his arms and legs were tied to the bed posts and there was a cloth over his mouth his eyes were wide with fear pleading for help I froze unable to comprehend what I was seeing who was he why was he tied up panic surged through me I didn't know what else to do so I ran out of the house as fast as I could I grabbed my
mom's phone from my pocket and dialed her number my hands shaking so badly I almost dropped it when she answered I could barely get the words out mom there's a boy tied up in Mrs Jenkins house I heard her gasp on the other end stay outside I'm calling the police Poli right now I stood there trembling waiting for my mom to arrive it felt like hours but it was probably only minutes before the police showed up they rushed into the house and moments later they came out with the boy he looked pale and scared but
he was safe now I found out later that the boy had been missing for a few weeks the police had been searching for him but no one had thought to check Mrs Jenkins house she was arrested that day but no one ever really found out why she had done done it she didn't have any family or history of strange Behavior the whole thing just didn't make sense a few years ago I stayed at a small old Motel while driving through a quiet Town it wasn't a place I planned to stay for long just one night
to rest before continuing my trip the next day the motel sat on the side of a lonely Highway with only a couple of cars in the parking lot the building looked worn down with peeling paint and dim lights flickering outside I walked into the lobby where an older man sat behind the desk his tired eyes glanced up at me as I asked for a room he handed me a key without saying much but before I turned to leave he paused room 13 He said slowly some say it's haunted if anything strange happens just ignore it
his words caught me off guard but I didn't take them seriously I laughed it off and thanked him thinking it was just an old Motel story to Spook tra Travers I found room 13 at the far end of the building away from the few other occupied rooms the key slipped into the lock with a soft click and I pushed open the door the room was small and simple a bed a table with a single chair and a small TV sitting on a dresser the wallpaper was faded and the air felt thick like the room hadn't
been aired out in a while it had an old musty smell that reminded me of basements I set my bag on the bed and took a look around there wasn't much to see a small window faced the back of the motel where trees stood tall and shadows stretched across the ground the bathroom was Tiny with cracked tiles and a rusty sink everything seemed normal just old and worn out but nothing unusual still the room had a strange heavy feeling that I couldn't shake I tried to relax but something about the room made me uneasy I
couldn't quite put my finger on it maybe it was the silence too quiet like the air itself was holding its breath I turned on the TV for some noise flipping through channels nothing good was on but I left it running in the background to break the Eerie quiet as the night grew darker I started feeling more tired I turned off the TV and climbed into bed pulling the thin scratchy blanket over me the mattress creaked under my weight and I settled in trying to fall asleep but as I lay there I felt like I wasn't
alone I stared at the ceiling listening to the silence then out of nowhere I heard a soft kn it was faint almost like it came from inside the room not outside I sat up scanning the room but there was nothing I figured it must be the pipes or something settling in the old building so I ignored it and tried to fall asleep again minutes passed and then I heard it again this time louder it came from the corner of the room where the small chair Sat by the table my heart began to beat faster I
told myself it was just the building making noise but something didn't feel right I stared at the chair for a long moment waiting for something to happen the room felt colder now and my body tensed suddenly the chair moved it wasn't much just a small shift like someone had nudged it but it was enough to make me jump out of bed I stood there staring at the chair feeling my heart race I wanted to leave but I kept telling myself it was just my imagination I walked over to the chair slowly and reached out to
touch it it was still nothing happened I breathed a little easier and went back to bed convincing myself that it was nothing but just as I lay down again the TV turned on by itself static filled the screen crackling loudly in the room I froze staring at it my mind racing I hadn't touched the remote my hand was nowhere near it that was enough for me I grabbed my bag and bolted out of the room I didn't even bother going back to the lobby I tossed the key onto the front desk and ran to my
car speeding away from the motel without looking back I worked the overnight shift at a drug rehabilitation center in London just off the main road where the buses still ran late into the night I had been on the job for about a month settling into the routine of keeping an eye on the clients during the quiet hours my shifts were uneventful for the most part just rounds every hour making sure everyone was asleep or at least in their rooms most of the time nothing ever happened happened but then there was room 307 when I started
the previous overnight staff mentioned that strange things happened in room 307 I didn't take it seriously at first they told me stories about clients seeing shadows hearing voices or feeling something touched them in the middle of the night one guy who worked before me swore he saw an apparition once a shadowy figure standing in the corner of the room but it disappeared when he blinked I thought it was all just stories to pass the time to keep things interesting in a boring job however things started getting weird after about 3 weeks there was one client
a guy named John who always complained about feeling trapped in his bed every morning he'd say he had sleep paralysis during the night he described waking up unable to move while something dark and heavy pressed down on his chest he'd wake up drenched in sweat wide-eyed and terrified like he'd been fighting to breathe the therapists brushed it off saying it was his withdrawal symptoms Playing Tricks on him maybe it was but that room had other issues every time I stepped into 307 it felt colder than the rest of the building that's not an exaggeration it
didn't matter if the heater was cranked up to full blast the moment I crossed the threshold into the room I'd feel this sharp drop in temperature I used to laugh it off thinking maybe the insulation was poor or the windows didn't close right letting in cold air from outside but no no matter how many times I checked the windows they were always sealed tight one night in December the heater was on full blast in the whole building everyone else's rooms were toasty warm except 307 it was freezing in there and it was the dead of
winter I Shrugged it off again because I didn't want to let a little chill get to me but the feeling stuck with me like the cold had a life of its own in that room seeping into your bones even when you left that night I was doing my usual rounds it was around 2:00 a.m. the time when things were the quietest most of the clients were asleep and the Halls were completely still except for the occasional hum of the heater I started at one end of the building walking from room to room making sure everyone
was in bed when I reached 307 I paused the door was slightly a jar but that wasn't unusual some clients like to keep their doors cracked just to feel less confined I knocked gently just to give a heads up before entering but as I reached for the knob to push the door open something strange happened the door knob started turning on its own at first I thought Jon was probably trying to open it from the inside it wasn't uncommon for clients to get up late at night if they couldn't sleep some like to have a
smoke or just talk for a bit to ease their minds so I stepped aside expecting to see John walk out I waited for the door to swing open fully but when it did there was no one there I I stood there staring into the dark room the bed was empty the sheets were perfectly in place no one had gotten up and there wasn't a single sound coming from inside I took a step into the room feeling that cold hit me again like a wall the room was as empty as it looked the air felt heavy
like it was pressing down on me and the silence was almost too loud I scanned the room trying to figure out if I had just imagined the door knob turning but there was no one else there no client hiding in the shadow Shadows no one under the bed nothing I even walked over to the window making sure it was closed it was of course the night outside was quiet and the streets were empty I looked back at the bed there was no way JN could have opened the door and crawled back into bed without me
seeing him the layout of the room didn't allow for any hiding places it was a straight shot from the door to the bed and I had been standing right there when the door opened I stood in the middle of that room for what felt like an eternity just listening my breath was coming out in little clouds like I was standing outside in the cold the heater was still running in the hallway but in 307 it didn't seem to make a difference the cold in there wasn't natural and the Stillness didn't feel right that was when
I became a Believer after that I couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right about room 307 I never told the clients about what I saw but other staff members had their own stories people said they felt watched heard voices when no one else was around and saw strange figures out of the corners of their eyes I continued working the night shift for a few more months after that but I always dreaded doing rounds past room 307 something about that room lingered with me like it had its energy its presence and while I couldn't explain
what happened that night with the door I knew one thing for sure whatever was in that room didn't want to be disturbed in 2018 I was 12 years old and one weekend my parents went out for the night leaving me home alone I had the house to myself which I didn't mind too much I spent most of the evening watching TV in the living room snacking on chips and playing games on my phone the house was quiet too quiet it wasn't usually like that but when you're home alone even the tiniest sounds seem louder than
normal the house we lived in wasn't very big just a two-story home with a basement that my parents used for storage I didn't go down there often it always felt a little strange dark cold and musty the light flickered sometimes and it just made me uncomfortable as the night grew later the quietness felt heavier I turned up the TV to drown it out but something strange happened the TV suddenly turned off at first I thought it was a power cut but the lights were still on confused I picked up the remote and tried turning it
back on but it wouldn't work then I heard a sound it was faint like a soft thumping noise almost like someone was knocking on a door from far away my heart started to beat faster I tried to ignore it thinking it was just the house settling or maybe something outside but the sound continued it was coming from downstairs I stood up slowly feeling uneasy the thumping grew louder and now it sounded like it was coming from the basement I hesitated but curiosity got the better of me grabbing my phone as a flashlight I made my
way toward the basement door I opened the door and stood at the top of the staircase shining my phone's light down into the darkness the basement was dimly lit by a single flickering bulb just as I remembered it the thumping had stopped but I couldn't shake the feeling that something or someone was down there taking a deep breath I walked down the stairs my footsteps echoing softly in the Stillness the basement smelled damp and the air was colder than the rest of the house I kept my eyes on the far corner where a pile of
old boxes was stacked as I reached the bottom I heard the sound again this time it was closer like it was right behind me I turned around quickly but there was nothing there just the dark empty basement my heart was pounding in my chest and I felt a chill run through the air I wanted to leave but something strange caught my attention near the corner of the room there was a shadow it looked like a man standing there still and silent I froze staring at the shadow it didn't move but it felt like it was
watching me I couldn't make out any details just the shape of a tall man my breath caught in my throat as I slowly backed away my phone shaking in my hand the shadow seemed to shift and for a moment I thought I saw the outline of a face pale and ghostly I tried to run but my legs felt heavy I stumbled backward and fell against the stairs my phone slipping from my grip and clattering to the floor the shadow didn't move toward me but I could feel its presence like it was waiting Panic set in
and I scrambled to my feet grabbing my phone and rushing up the stairs I slammed the basement door shut behind me and locked it my hands were shaking as I leaned against the door trying to catch my breath for a long time I just stood there listening the house was silent again but the basement felt alive with something I couldn't explain I didn't dare go back down there I stayed in the living room with all the lights on waiting for my parents to come home when they finally did I didn't say anything about what happened
I didn't know if they would believe me and I wasn't even sure if I believed it myself
