I was looking for a quiet place to retreat and focus on finishing my article when I came across a Charming house in Savannah Georgia on Airbnb I thought I'd hit the jackpot the photos were gorgeous sunlight streaming through tall Windows hardwood floors and a writing Nook overlooking a garden the reviews were glowing too guests praised the host's attentiveness called it a Hidden Gem I booked it immediately a week-long workation in a picturesque house sounded like exactly what I needed to finish my article little did I know the charm ended at the front door I arrived
on a scorching August afternoon my car packed with a suitcase laptop bag and a folder stuffed with notes as I turned down the street my excitement dimmed the neighborhood looked nothing like I'd imagined and instead of quaint homes and Treeline sidewalks I saw boarded up houses graffiti covered walls and a suspiciously High number of police cars patrolling the area maybe I took a wrong turn I said to myself double-checking the address but no this was it the house itself matched the photos clean bright and welcoming I convinced myself that the neighborhood was just Rough Around
the Edges after all I'd be spending most of my time inside working I unpacked set up my laptop at the writing Nook and tried to settle in even so I couldn't rid myself of the lingering feeling that something was off every time I looked out the window I saw people lingering on the sidewalks staring at the house once I even caught a man pacing back and forth across the street looking at my car one night I was startled awake by what sounded like muffled voices outside peering through the curtains I spotted two figures standing on
the sidewalk gesturing toward the house they didn't seem to notice me and after a few minutes they walked away I told myself they were just passing through but the following night the unease escalated around 11:00 p.m. while working late I heard something hit the side of the house it was a faint thud followed by silence when I looked outside nothing seemed out of place still the creeping suspicion that someone else was there wouldn't go away on the fifth night as I sat at my laptop the neighborhood was unusually quiet the kind of Silence that presses
on your ears making you hyper aware of every Creek and rustle that's when I heard a scratching sound at first I thought it was an animal but the sound was like someone testing the window frame I felt a knot form in my chest I crept toward the front window careful not to make a sound and Peak through the blinds a figure stood there hunched over the window their hands pressed against the glass I duck down my pulse pounding grabbing my phone I crawled to the corner of the room out of sight my fingers trembled as
I dialed 911 there's someone trying to get into my house I whispered to the dispatcher giving her the address stay on the line she said calmly officers are on their way those minutes felt impossibly long like they'd never end the scratching grew louder followed by a dull thud as if they were trying to force the window open I held my breath clutching a heavy book like it was a weapon then the noise stopped I peaked out again the figure was gone blue and red lights illuminated the street a few minutes later two officers knocked on
the door and I let them in still shaking they searched the property finding nothing but fresh scratch marks on the window frame and Footprints leading to The Back Fence looks like someone was trying to break in one of them said probably thought the house was empty but it's not I replied my voice cracking and this isn't the first time I felt watched the officers advised me to stay somewhere else for the night they offered to file a report and promised to patrol the area more frequently as they left one of them looked around the neighborhood
and muttered you're brave staying here alone the next morning I called the host he answered cheerfully but his tone shifted when I explained what had happened this this area has its quirks he said vaguely quirks I snapped someone tried to break in last night why didn't you mention the crime in your listing he paused for a moment before finally confessing it's happened before a few times but it's just part of the area's charm you know I hung up my blood boiling I packed my things and left that afternoon furious at the host's casual attitude toward
his guest safety I reported the incident to Airbnb attaching photos of the scratch marks and a copy of the police report they refunded my stay and said they'd investigate the host but the experience stayed with me every time I travel now I research not just the property but the neighborhood too that house may have looked like a dream in the photos but it turned into a nightmare I'll never forget when you're a photographer finding the right setting can make or break break a project and when I rented this house in Denver this past March I
was looking for a space where I could relax after hours of trekking around the city with my camera the Airbnb listing seemed perfect affordable and located in a quiet neighborhood the host's description mentioned that the house had two stories and a basement with the latter listed as unoccupied storage sounded ideal to me the house itself was Charming with wooden floors a retro kitchen and a soft couch that practically begged me to sink into it nothing out of the ordinary happened during the first two days I'd spend my mornings out on shoots evenings editing photos and
nights falling asleep to the sound of the radiator it was exactly what I needed until it wasn't on the third night I was working late on my laptop when I noticed a soft noise almost like someone moving beneath me at first I thought it was the radiator acting up but the sound wasn't mechanical it was irregular like someone dragging something heavy across the floor I paused listened and shook it off I figured it must have been the house settling or maybe a neighbor the listing had been clear the basement was unoccupied so I told myself
to Let It Go but the next night it happened again this time it was unmistakable I was in the kitchen heating up leftovers when I heard the distinct sound of wood Under Pressure my heart skipped I paused the microwave standing as still as possible to listen carefully the sound came again this time followed by what sounded like a muffled thump I tried to rationalize it maybe it was a branch hitting the side of the house or an animal trying to get in but the sound seemed to come directly below my feet I looked toward the
basement door at the end of the hall it was closed the padlock hanging Loosely from the latch why would the padlock be undone in the morning I texted theost HST mentioning the noises his reply was quick but dismissive old houses make all kinds of sounds nothing to worry about the way he spoke so casually rubbed me the wrong way but I didn't push it that evening I tried to focus on editing photos but the noises started again this time louder it wasn't just shuffling now I could hear movements like someone pacing I grabbed a broom
and approached the basement door my hand trembled as I turned the handle but the door wouldn't budge it was stuck I leaned closer trying to listen Through the Wood that's when I heard a low raspy cough I stumbled back someone was down there I spent the rest of the night barricaded in the bedroom the door locked the broom still by my side when morning came I called the host again this time demanding answers are you sure the basement is unoccupied I asked well he hesitated technically there's someone down there but he's harmless what my voice
Rose you said it was empty he's a long-term tenant the host admitted he's been there for years I don't include it in the listing because it scares people off but I promise he keeps to himself I couldn't believe what I was hearing I hung up Furious and terrified whoever was in the basement hadn't been keeping to himself he'd been moving around at night listening through the vents and possibly trying to get upstairs that night I couldn't take it anymore I packed my bags planning to leave first thing in the morning but as I was zipping
up my suitcase I heard the faint Creek of the basement door my blood ran cold slowly I crept down the hall peeking around the corner the door was slightly open I held my breath backing away the thought of confronting whoever was down there was too much instead I grabbed my phone and turned on the flashlight pointing it toward the door a shadow shifted just beyond the threshold get out I shouted my voice shaking I'm calling the police the shadow didn't move at first then slowly the door creaked shut I heard the sound of footsteps retreating
down the stairs followed by silence I didn't wait for morning I grabbed my bags jumped in the car and sped off into the night the next day I filed a report with Airbnb detailing everything that had happened they refunded my state and assured me they would investigate the host I didn't follow up after that so I don't know what happened to the host but to this day I can't stay in a house with a basement I worked some seriously long hours as a nurse and after what felt like the H hundredth exhausting shift in a
row I decided I needed a break not just a quick nap or a day off I wanted to get away recharge and remind myself that life existed Beyond Hospital walls that's how I ended up booking a cabin in Asheville North Carolina the listing promised Solitude stunning Mountain views and peace which was exactly what I needed the host Allan seemed friendly in his messages he welcomed me to the property said I'd fall in love with the cabin and let me know I could text him if I needed anything relax and enjoy he wrote signing off with
a smiley face he seemed so authentic that I didn't see a reason to doubt him the cabin sat on the edge of a hill surrounded by woods with floor to ceiling Windows it was perfect the air smelled like Pine and the quiet was almost deafening after the constant beeping and chatter of the hospital I spent the first evening curled up on the couch with a book listening to The Faint sounds of nature I could finally take a proper breath for the first time in weeks the next morning Allan texted to ask how I'd slept I
thought it was a nice gesture and replied great the bed's super comfy thanks for checking in he didn't respond and I went about my day I spent most of it hiking nearby Trails snapping photos and marveling at how alive the world felt compared to the sterile monotony of my job when I returned to the cabin in the late afternoon another message from Allan popped up hope you enjoyed the trails the view from the porch is incredible at sunset it felt a bit weird I hadn't mentioned hiking in our earlier messages and I hadn't told him
I planned to spend the day exploring maybe it was just a lucky guess I mean what else do people do around here I tried to forget about it and focused on making dinner distracting myself from overthinking by the third day Allen's messages started to feel intrusive they weren't overtly creepy but they had this strange specificity that made me pause did you get a chance to try out the rocking chairs on the porch yet they're my favorite spot for coffee in the morning one read another said the fireplace is great on chil nights bet it feels
cozy now I hadn't mentioned using the porch or lighting the fireplace in my updates the cabin was small so it wasn't exactly hard to figure out what I might be doing but something about his messages felt like he was narrating my actions as they happened it made me self-conscious like I was being watched that evening as I was settling in with a movie another text came through the couch looks comfortable doesn't it I stared at my phone feeling my stomach churn that wasn't a guess I was sitting on the couch right then a blanket draped
over me and a mug of tea in my hand I hadn't mentioned this to anyone let alone Allan I looked toward the large windows that wrapped around the cabin it was Pitch Black outside the glass reflect reflecting the Cozy interior like a mirror but somewhere beyond the darkness I imagined someone standing just out of sight watching I made an effort to let it go maybe Allan had a weird sense of humor or maybe he was just overly familiar with his own property and made a lucky guess still I decided to respond thanks for checking in
I typed everything's fine here really enjoying the stay after that it was difficult to relax I avoided looking at the windows afraid I might see someone outside when I finally crawled into bed my phone clutched in my hand like a comforting presence I woke up around 2 a.m. to a noise it sounded eerily similar to someone walking on loose gravel and I told myself it was just an animal raccoons deer maybe even a bear it was the woods after all I held my breath my heart thuing loudly as I tried to listen the sound stopped
and the silence that followed seemed to smother the room I didn't dare move I stayed frozen in bed gripping the blanket tightly and staring at the bedroom door expecting it to swing open minutes passed then an hour finally exhaustion W and I drifted off again in the morning I tried to convince myself it was just an animal but as I sipped my coffee on the porch I couldn't ignore the feeling that something was off I decided to check the area around the cabin hoping a logical explanation would calm my nerves that's when I noticed the
foot Footprints leading from the tree line to the windows on the side of the cabin my chest tightened as I followed them the prince stopped near the porch right beneath the window where I'd sat on the couch the night before whoever had made them had stood there just outside the glass while I was inside completely unaware I ran back inside locking the door behind me my hands shook as I picked up my phone to call Allan demanding an explanation but before I could dial another text came through I hope you're finding everything to your liking
let me know if there's anything I can do to make your stay more comfortable something inside me snapped this wasn't paranoia this wasn't a coincidence Allan had been here watching me and he wasn't even trying to hide it anymore I packed in a frenzy shoving clothes into my suitcase I didn't care if I left things behind I just needed to get out throwing my bag into the car I started the engine and sped down the narrow dirt road looking nervously at the rearview mirror the entire way when I reached a gas station with cell service
I called Airbnb and reported everything the texts the footprints the noises in the night they assured me they'd investigate and offered a full refund I drove straight home a week later a representative from Airbnb followed up they'd removed Allen's listing and banned him from the platform I learned through a friend in law enforcement that Allan had been reported before for similar Behavior behavior in another case a guest had caught him creeping around outside late at night I thought I was careful booking a highly rated property with glowing reviews but none of that mattered when the
host was the threat even now months later I can't book a rental without scrutinizing every detail I always check the reviews the locks the windows the thought of being watched of someone standing just out of sight has turned turned every vacation into a careful calculation of trust and risk you never really know who's on the other side of that friendly text I'd stayed in airbnbs before but I'd always gone for private rentals entire apartments or small houses to myself this time though I decided to save some money I'd be in Austin for just a few
days for a marketing seminar and I didn't think much about booking a shared Airbnb the listing described the host as friendly and respectful and mentioned that guests might share the space with others occasionally sounded fine to me the house itself was modest but it had a warm inviting feel a singl story home with a front porch a small garden and a welcoming yellow door when I arrived my roommate for the week greeted me at the door she introduced herself as Kelly she was tall and thin with long dark hair and a laid-back Vibe at first
look she seemed perfectly normal maybe a bit quirky her clothes were mismatched and she had a habit of looking at the ceiling as if she were lost in thought the host wasn't there but that didn't seem unusual Kelly explained that the host often rented out the house while traveling for work and trusted guests to come and go we made small talk for a bit before I retreated to my room to unpack that evening I set up my laptop in the dining area to catch up on emails Kelly sat on the floor in the living room
surrounded by candles she didn't have the TV on or any music playing just a row of small flickering flames and a notebook in her lap she caught me looking over oh don't mind me she said I'm just aligning my energy for the evening I wasn't quite sure what that meant but I thought it was okay cool she chuckled you probably think I'm weird it's okay I get that a lot I'm a witch a witch I asked raising an eyebrow yep not the broomstick kind though she said winking more like energy work rituals that sort of
thing it's harmless I promise I smiled awkwardly and went back to my laptop Unsure how to respond to each their own I figured as long as she wasn't sacrificing goats in the living room I could could handle a few candles over the next couple of days her peculiar quirks became more noticeable Kelly often hummed to herself a strange low Melody that didn't sound like any song I'd ever heard she'd spend hours in the backyard talking to herself in a language I couldn't understand while arranging rocks in odd patterns once I caught her sprinkling something that
looked like salt around the perimeter of the house protection she explained when she noticed me watching it keeps bad energy at out the strangest thing though was her suitcase she kept it in the living room instead of her room and never seemed to open it it was old and battered with peeling leather and a rusted clasp one evening I couldn't hold back my curiosity anymore and decided to ask oh that's just my tools she said everything I need for my practice her tone made it clear she didn't want to elaborate so I let it drop
on my last night I returned to the house after dinner to find it eerily quiet Kelly was usually in the living room by then surrounded by her candles or scribbling in her notebook but tonight she was gone her belongings her suitcase the candles even the rocks from the backyard were still there but there was no sign of her I checked the kitchen the bathroom even the backyard nothing her bedroom door was wide open revealing an empty unmade bed by this point I was more confused than concerned maybe she'd stepped out for a late night walk
or a last minute errand still it was strange that she hadn't taken her things I went to bed the house felt different without her presence heavier somehow the next morning Kelly still hadn't returned I decided to text the host to let them know to my surprise the response was immediate and unsettling I'm sorry but I don't know who you're talking about the host wrote there shouldn't be anyone else staying there what did they mean no one else Kelly had been here the whole time we' talked shared meals even joked about her rituals she wasn't imaginary
I stared at her suitcase it was the only thing left of her sitting in the middle of the living room like a silent accusation against my better judgment I unlatched the clasp and opened it the smell hit me first a mix of old leather Earth and something metallic inside there were no clothes or toiletries just a jumble of random objects a bundle of dried herbs a cracked mirror a small vial of reddish liquid and a stack of handwritten notes the notes were filled with symbols and phrases I didn't understand I slammed the suitcase shut and
backed away who was Kelly why had the host denied knowing her grabbing my phone I called the host their voice was calm but insistent I swear I haven't rented to anyone else you're the only guest I approved if someone else is there you need to leave immediately and call the police I didn't need to be told twice I packed my things my eyes darting to every shadow and Corner was Kelly still here hiding somewhere had she been playing some kind of Twisted game with me I spent the night in a hotel unable to shake the
unease that clung to me the next day I reported everything to Airbnb from the strange rituals to the host's denial of Kelly's exist distance they assured me they'd look into it but I never heard back to this day I don't know who Kelly really was or what her intentions might have been all I know is that I'll never stay in a shared Airbnb again the thought of someone like her slipping into my life even for a few days still gives me chills if these Airbnb nightmares made you rethink your next booking don't forget to hit
that like button and subscribe for more spine chilling stories have you ever had a bizarre or creepy travel experience share it in the comments I'd love to hear all the unsettling details send this video to a friend who swears by vacation rentals they might think twice next time and remember a high rating doesn't always mean a safe stay thanks for watching and I'll see you in the next nightmare
