What I’m about to tell you is a story that still haunts me to this day. A little information about me. My name is Katherine and this story takes place when I was in high school and only 16. Back then I was bullied a lot. It got so bad, that my family decided it was best to move and transfer schools.
The new school I transferred to didn’t go as well as I hoped for. I was easily lost in the sea of other students. I felt very alone and almost invisible.
Then one day two girls decided to befriend me. It felt so good to finally have people who wanted to talk to me. Who wanted to be my friend. Little did I know what I was about to get myself into.
At first, everything was great. They were nice to me. They invited me to hang out with them and I finally felt like I belonged.
However, little by little things started to get weird. They slowly tried to convince me to do stuff with them that I didn’t feel comfortable with. At first, it was little things, like smoke weed or go out in the middle of the night.
Over time the things started to get more and more out of hand. They wanted me to steal for them and they kept trying to get me to go out in the middle of the woods with them. I just thought it was strange.
I’ll just say that both of these girls seemed really normal at first. They weren’t popular by any means, but they weren’t super weird or anything. They seemed like really chill girls that didn’t take life too seriously. But slowly they started to show their true colors.
Slowly I started to feel a little left out. They had some secrets that they wouldn’t let me in on. They kept having private conversations without me and I felt like their conversations were about me. Especially with the way they’d look at me when they’d whisper amongst themselves.
I was beginning to think their intentions were not all that benevolent. It was during Halloween that things really started to take a turn to a truly disturbing level. They invited me out to some old abandoned house after school. They said it’d be really creepy and it’s supposedly haunted. I was like, okay whatever. I just assumed it was a quiet place to smoke pot without getting caught so I went along with it.
When I met up with them, they both had backpacks. They drove me out to the middle of nowhere in the woods. I started to suspect something seemed wrong. It looked like they were texting each other back and forth. They kept giving me odd glances. I just didn’t feel right about it.
It started to get dark as we walked out to the woods. Marlee dropped her phone without realizing it. I picked it up and it was unlocked. When I started reading their text messages, I felt an unsettling queasy feeling in my stomach. They read as follows.
She doesn’t suspect a thing.
I can’t believe we’re actually going through with this.
What if we get caught?
No one will know, she’s a nobody.
Did you bring the rope and the knife?
It became very clear that they were going to plan on murdering me. I was freaking out. My heart was beating so fast, I thought I was having a heart attack.
I stopped dead in my tracks as they continued to walk through the trails without noticing I wasn’t following. Before they realized I wasn’t with them, I took off running in the opposite way. They noticed almost immediately, but luckily I had a good 20 or 30 yards distance between me and them and I was easily faster than them. I outpaced them and as I lost them, I darted into the woods off the trail and decided to hide.
They continued to run past, not realizing I left the trail. When I realized they were far enough away, I immediately called the cops. I told them where I was and that these two girls had a knife and were planning on killing me. They told me to stay hidden and they were on their way.
I did exactly that. However, the girls eventually came back searching for me. They were yelling my name and trying to convince me to come out. At first, they tried to act as if they were my friends, saying they weren’t going to hurt me. They tried to play it off as an elaborate prank. But things took a twisted turn as their true intentions came to light. Luckily I was quick on my feet and recorded their conversation with my phone.
They shouted out how they were going to kill me and gut me like a pig. They went into detail about how they were going to tie me up and torture me. It sickened me. I felt nauseous and I thought I might puke.
The worst part was I could hear their footsteps and they were getting closer and closer. I was afraid they could hear my breathing. I practically clamped my mouth shut.
They were only a few feet away now. That’s when I heard the sound of sirens. I took off sprinting towards them as they took off running in the opposite direction. I got to the police and showed them everything. I gave them Marlee’s phone even though it was password protected, I knew they could get past that. However, it was my recording that gave them everything they needed. They found the two girls and arrested them. They both gave me death glares as they were taken away. I later had to testify against them. It was truly the most traumatic event in my entire life.
The End
You’re never safe in the dark.
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What I’m about to tell you is quite hard to believe. I barely believe it myself and I experienced it first hand.
Do you believe in ghosts? I was never a believer in the paranormal. Not until one night in August. It was the last night before I was supposed to head off to college and I remember it like it was yesterday.
It had only been a week since my grandmother’s funeral. Losing her has been really hard on me. Still is. We were very close. She babysat me my entire life. She taught me how to cook. She even taught me how to play poker. How many grandmothers do you know that’ll show their grandkids how to gamble? We had so many conversations over the years. She was always the one I went to with all my problems. It’s hard to believe she’s gone.
It’s the last night before I have to go off to college. My parents have never been more proud of me and yet, going to college is the last thing I wanted to do. I wanted to travel and see the world. I wanted to visit exotic places, meet unique people, and write all about it. My grandmother used to always tell me it’s my life and I need to decide how to live it and yet I felt like I was living the life my parents wanted for me.
After I spent the whole day packing for my flight the next morning, my friends pulled up. They’ve been trying to get me to go out with them all summer long and now that it was the last day before I left I felt like I had no choice. I let Chance, Ryan, and Joel, my three best friends pull me along to a party on the beach.
Everyone from my high school was there. There was a fire set up and Joel pulled out his guitar. Cassy greeted me as soon as I got there. We dated for a while before we ultimately decided we were better off being friends. She always had her hands in my dark black hair. I have to admit, I kind of miss that.
As everyone was having a great time for the last bash of the year, I slipped out and went for a walk along the shoreline. That’s when I met the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen and yet she looked familiar. Very familiar. She was about my age. She had the most exotic olive golden skin. She was wearing a flower dress as she walked barefoot in the sand. She had the kind of face that made even the darkest nights feel warm and cozy. Her eyes met mine and a lovely smile turned up on her lips. She waved me over.
“Hi,” she said.
“Hi, have we met before?” I asked.
“Perhaps,” she said, tossing her silky black hair to one side. “So, what brings you out here all alone?”
“I just needed to get some fresh air and space to think,” I said.
“Oh? And what thoughts did you want to ponder?” she asked. She had a way of speaking that I found very appealing. It reminded me of someone.
“Oh, tomorrow I head off to college. My parents want me to get a law degree. They tell me I’d be the first in our family to graduate college,” I said.
“But that’s not what you want, is it?” she asked.
“No. Not really,” I said.
“What do you want to do?” she asked.
“I want to travel around the world and write about it,” I said.
“That sounds fantastic. Why don’t you do that?” she asked.
“I tried to convince my parents that it’s what I want to do, however, they think it’s a terrible idea. They don’t want to see me throw my life away like that. At least that’s what they said,” I explained.
She stopped and looked at me with those eyes that seemed to be able to see deep into my soul. “It’s your life and you need to decide how to live it.”
Those words struck me right in the heart. “What did you say?”
“I was just saying, you shouldn’t let your parents dictate your life,” she said with a smile. “If you want to travel the world then do it. Life’s too short. Trust me. Don’t waste your life following choices made by someone else.”
“You know, you’re right,” I said. She gives me a smile. “What did you say your name was?”
“Yo, Leo!” I heard Chance yell, pulling my attention away from the pretty woman. I looked over to see him walking up. “Who are you talking to?”
“Oh, this is…” I turn around to find no one there. What the? “I swear I was just talking to the most beautiful girl ever. She was right here. I swear!”
“Okay… sure,” Chance said with an expression that told me he didn’t really believe me. I wouldn’t either. I was confused about what just happened. “Anyway, I’ve got a blunt rolled with your name on it.”
“Okay, sure,” I said following him back to the fire. I took one last lookout and in the far distance, I swear I saw what could be a silhouette of a woman, but it was too hard to tell.
—
“Honey, are you up? The plane leaves in a few hours. We need to get to the airport soon,” my mother said as she pounded on my door. She opened it up and turned the light on. I felt like shit. I must’ve drunk way too much that night. I didn’t remember most of the night. God, my head was pounding.
I forced myself up and got ready for the plane. Thank god I already packed my bags. We all scrambled to load the car and get to the airport. As I waited in line I had this strange feeling like I shouldn’t be there. I tried to remember what all happened the night before. I remembered meeting the most beautiful girl… What was her name?
I remembered walking on the shoreline with her. “Honey, if you forgot to pack anything, just let me know and we can mail it to you.”
“Okay,” I said. We got up to the ticket booth and got my boarding pass. Flight 7123. We made our way to the TSA check and my mother smothered me in a hug. I gave my dad a hug as well. “Call us once you’ve landed.”
“I will,” I said as I got in line for the security walkthrough. After I got myself scanned and grabbed my stuff, I waved goodbye to my parents and had a seat at my terminal. I got there just in time as they started boarding for the plane.
I was next in line to have my boarding pass checked. Suddenly I remembered. It’s your life and you need to decide how to live it. That’s what that girl said to me the night before. That’s what my grandmother used to tell me. I remembered her saying those words all the time. She’s right. I couldn’t go through with it. It’s not what I wanted.
“Excuse me, may I see your boarding pass,” the TSA woman asked.
“I’m sorry, I won’t be boarding for this flight,” I said, I grabbed my luggage and walked away. I felt so elated at that moment. I knew I was doing the right thing. I just hoped my parents would see it that way. I rushed out to find them still sitting. They were not pleased to see me.
“What are you doing here?” my father asked. “Did you miss your flight? We made it with plenty of time.”
“I’ve decided I’m not going,” I said.
“What do you mean you’re not going?” My mother asked.
“Going to college and getting a law degree is what you want. It’s not what I want,” I said.
“Oh don’t tell me you still want to travel the world,” my father said with a sigh.
“It’s my life and I will decide how to live it,” I said.
“God, you sound just like my mother,” my mom said sharply. “I know you miss her, but this is your future we’re talking about.”
“I’ve made up my mind, mom. I’m not going to college. I’m going to do what I want to do,” I said.
“Is there anything we can say to make you reconsider? You’re making a huge mistake,” my father said. I just shook my head no. They finally gave up and we all headed out to the car. It was a 2-hour drive back home and no one said a word the whole way back. I could just feel my parents’ anger seething off of them.
Once we arrived home, my dad slumped in his chair and turned on the tv. All of our jaws dropped at the news. Flight 7123 had crashed during its flight to Boston. No one survived. I searched through my shorts before I pulled out my boarding pass. Sure enough, I read Flight 7123 on it in black letters. I felt like I just dodged a bullet. I should’ve been on that plane, but I followed the girl’s advice. I listened to my heart.
Both of my parents were speechless. They’d just gaped at the tv. Before I realized what was happening, my mother had me wrapped in her arms, tears falling down her eyes. “If you want to travel and see the world, I’m not going to stop you.”
God, I felt so lucky to be alive right then and there. If it wasn’t for that mysterious woman, I probably would’ve still been on that plane. I wish I could’ve gotten her name.
—
A few weeks later, I had planned out my journey. I decided to visit most of the US before going abroad, which would definitely be less costly, seeing how I could drive most of it. My plans were to stay a few months in each state, get a job to pay for my costs, and work as I take time to see the sights in each state before moving on to the next one. I’d work on my travel blog all the while. But before I left, I decided to help my parents clean out my grandmother’s house. That’s the least I can do for the woman who taught me everything.
I was putting all of her books in boxes when I stumbled upon an old photo album. I opened it up to find something that made my breath catch in my throat. It couldn’t be…
I pulled out a photo and looked at it closely. It was the woman from the beach. She’s even wearing the same flower dress and if I’m not mistaken, it was the same beach in the photo. I turned it over to see my grandmother’s name written in it. She was only 18 when this picture was taken. This can’t be right. That woman on the beach… Was it my grandmother’s ghost? That… That’s absurd. Right? I didn’t have any other explanation for it.
Tears started to well up in my eyes. Even after she died, she’s still looking out for me. I love you grandma and I always will.
The End.
Remember, you’re never safe in the dark…
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“God, you wouldn’t believe it. That same creep was at the bar last night. He makes my skin crawl,” my girlfriend Gracie says as she fixes breakfast.
“Is it the same weirdo that orders the fuzzy navels?” I ask as I pack my suitcase.
“No, that’s Donny, he’s a sweetheart,” she says.
“This guy orders a bloody mary every time and he always just stares at me with this hungry stare. He says the creepiest shit too,” she says as she puts her long blonde hair in a ponytail before flipping the pancakes. “He asked me if I enjoyed pain once. Who does that?”
“Oh, I think I know the one you’re talking about. Yeah, he is a weirdo,” I say, trying to get my luggage zipped up. “Do you want me to come by once I get back and teach this asshole some manners?”
“No, Chelsea says that if he continues to harass me, she’ll sick Stewie on him,” she says, dishing up our plates. “I totally understand your mother is sick and I can empathize. I just wish you weren’t going to stay there for the next few nights. I really don’t want to be here all alone.”
“I’ll only be a little over an hour away,” I say.
“Still… I just feel so freaked out about this guy,” she says.
“I’m sure he’s just that way with every girl,” I say.
“You’re probably right,” she says.
She sets both our plates down and I pop a squat next to her. I take a bite of her special blueberry pancakes and my mouth has an orgasm. “Fuck, babe, these are so good.”
She blushes her normally warm honey skin blemishes into a rosy pink hue. “Aww, thanks, babe. They’re just how you like them.”
After we finish eating, I quickly help her clean up. I swat her on the butt, before wrapping my arms around her. She laughs. God, I love her laugh. It’s such a sweet melody. She turns to me as she leans back and I plant my lips on hers.
We finally had to break apart. She sticks out her bottom lip at me. “Please come home as soon as you can.”
“I promise I will,” I tell her as I grab my suitcase and head for the door. She gives me one last final kiss. I take one last look into those ocean blue eyes and savor the taste of her lips. “I’ll call you as soon as I get there.”
She blows me a kiss and I head out. The drive to my mother’s house is uneventful. Hopefully, I won’t have to stay there too long. My brother usually is the one to watch her, but he had to go with his wife down to her family, so I agreed to watch her for the next few days. She’s deathly ill with a rare form of cancer.
As I arrive at the house, I call my girlfriend telling her I made it before I walk in. My mother has her head wrapped in a scarf and looks very sickly. She has lost a lot of weight since I last saw her and her skin seems to cling to her bones. God, it’s so sad to see her like this. She used to be so vibrant and full of life. She pulls me into a hug as I walk in. “Oh Josh, I’m so happy to see you, dear.”
“You too mom,” I say.
“How is Gracie? It’s too bad she couldn’t get off work to come as well,” she says.
“She’s doing well. She’s very close to finishing up her degree,” I say.
“Well, the sooner she graduates and gets a good job, the sooner she can quit that terrible bartending job. I don’t like her working there. A lot of filth and scum go there to drink,” my mother says.
“I know, I don’t like her working there either,” I say. My brother walks over with his own luggage already packed.
“Hey Josh, I’m glad you’re here. I’ve got to get going,” Damon says as we hug. I follow him outside. “Her medications are already organized by day. You need to make sure she takes them. You have to stay here. She hasn’t been doing well and I’m afraid it’s not looking good. You constantly have to check up on here. I left the number of her nurse on the table. If you have any questions, just call me. Obviously, for emergencies, call 911. If you have to leave, Catherine, next door might be able to watch her. We are going to need to talk when you get back by the way. I think mom’s showing early signs of dementia.”
“Alright. I think I can handle it. We can talk about it. Maybe get her into a neurologist. Don’t take too long,” I say.
“Oh don’t worry, I’ll be back before you know it,” he says, giving me a salute before he gets in his car and takes off. I head back inside with my mother and she lays down for a nap as I clean up around the place. I took a look at her meds and she’s on quite a few. Having a background in biochem as my job is a biochemical researcher, I have a pretty good idea of how these drugs interact.
As the day turns into night, my girlfriend texts me.
You wouldn’t believe who showed up tonight! Her message read.
The same creep? I text back.
Yes! Josh, I think he’s been watching me. He asked where you went. I have never told him anything about my life. She replies.
Did you tell Chelsea? I ask.
No, she’s not here. She had to leave for a few days! I’ve got to go, it’s starting to get busy.
Our conversation left me a bit on edge.
“Where’s Damon?” my mother asks, nearly giving me a heart attack. I see her standing in the hallway naked. How did she sneak up on me like that? Why is she naked?
“Damon had to go see his in-laws. Don’t you remember? He left earlier,” I say, hurrying up to grab her robe and get it around her.
“He said he was going to play me some music. You know how good he is at that piano,” she says. Damon hasn’t played the piano in years. In fact, we sold the old piano we used to have here. Besides, nobody took care of it ever since dad died and it was constantly out of tune. Damon was right, she’s really slipping. We need to get her looked at. “Where’s Herald? He was going to tune that piano up for Damon.”
“Mom, dad died years ago,” I say.
“That can’t be, I was just talking to him,” she says. This night just keeps getting weirder and weirder. I help my mother eat her dinner and take her meds, before putting her to bed. Then I get a call from Gracie.
“Hey babe, what’s up?”
“He followed me home, Josh. His red pickup is parked out in the street. I don’t know what to do. I’m freaking out right now,” she says. She’s breathing hard. I can’t tell she’s flustered.
“Don’t panic. Did you make sure all the doors and windows are locked?” I ask.
“Yes, I double-checked them all,” she says.
“Call the police,” I tell her.
“Baby, can you please come home. I’m really scared right now,” she says.
“I can’t leave my mother alone. I think she’s got dementia. She said she had a conversation with my dad and he’s been dead for years,” I say.
“Babe. I’m freaking out right now. Oh my god. He’s standing in the yard looking into the house. He’s watching me,” she says. I can hear her start to panic. She sounds like she’s hyperventilating.
“Baby, I’m going to call the police. You need to barricade yourself. I’ll see if I can get my mom’s neighbor to watch her. Just hide somewhere,” I say.
“Okay. Just please call me right back,” she says.
“I will, I promise,” I say.
I quickly hang up the phone and call the police. I tell them exactly what’s going on.
“I will try and get someone out there, but currently all officers are busy,” the operator says.
“What do you mean all officers are busy?” I yell at her as I scramble to get my shoes and coat on. I rush out the door while I try to get any help from the operator. I finally give up and hang up the phone. My phone vibrates with a text message.
He’s in our house! He broke a window! Please hurry!
My heart starts to race as I bang on Catherine’s door and she finally opens it in her nightgown.
“Josh? Josh Bennett, it’s been a long time. How are you doing, dear?” she asks with a smile.
“Hi, Ms. Catherine. I have an emergence back home with my girlfriend and I need someone to look after my mother for the moment. Could you please help me?”
“Oh of course. What’s wrong?” she asks.
“My girlfriend is in trouble. I need to get there as fast as possible,” I say.
“Okay, I understand. You get going, I’ll head over and watch Sharon,” she says.
“Thank you so much,” I say before rushing over to my car. I get in and floor it out of there. I drive like a madman back home, going well over the speed limit. I try to call Gracie, but she doesn’t answer.
A minute later I get a text message. I’ve locked myself in the bathroom. He knows I’m here. I’m so scared.
I text back. I’m coming. I’m on my way!
My heart’s racing as fast as the car as I max it out. I try calling the police once more, but they’re no help. They say they’re sending someone as soon as they can. Fuck! I can’t lose her. She’s everything to me.
She calls me. I pick up immediately.
She’s crying hysterically. “He’s trying to break the door down! I don’t know what to do.”
“Is there anything you can use as a weapon?” I ask.
“I don’t know. I… I’m scared.” In the background, I can hear the banging on the door.
“You better open up, slut. If I have to break this damn door down, it won’t end well for you!” the man shouts in the background.
“Hold on. I’m coming.”
“Please hurry,” she whimpers. This can’t be happening.
I’ve got the pedal all the way down to the floorboard. “Baby, I love you!”
I hear a loud crash. She screams. “Don’t you dare hurt her!”
The line goes blank. My heart explodes in my chest. Fuck! Fuck. I’ve got to get there.
I race home and get there within the next 20 minutes. The cops are there, which gives me some relief. I rush over to them and try to explain who I am. A woman officer tries to get me to calm down. “Let me speak to my girlfriend.”
“I don’t know how to tell you this…” she looks at me with a stern cold stare. My heart sinks into my stomach. “We found no signs of her or her assailant.”
“What do you mean? He took her?” I say as the blood drains from my face. I feel sick.
“Don’t worry. We’ll find her. We’ve got our best officers on the job,” she says.
“Why couldn’t you come sooner? I called over a half-hour ago. If you would’ve come sooner, this wouldn’t have happened,” I shout out. A sudden nauseous feeling takes over.
“I understand how you feel. It’s been a really hectic night. We’re doing all we can to help find her,” she says. I start pacing back and forth. This can’t be happening. I fall down to my knees and as everything starts spinning and throw up on the ground. I need to find her. He couldn’t have taken her far.
“Is there anything you can tell us that will help with our investigation?” she asks.
I pull myself to my feet and look up into her eyes. “Yeah, she said he drove a red pickup. She said he’d always show up at the bar she works at. You have to find them. I can’t lose her.”
“We will. I promise,” she says. How can she make that kind of promise? She couldn’t even get here in time to prevent this from happening. As if I can talk. While she was being kidnapped, I was with my mother.
—
Weeks had gone by, but still no word on Gracie. Every day I go out searching for her. I put up signs all over town. I go door to door asking if anyone had seen her. I haven’t been sleeping.
One morning, I got a call from the police. They asked me to come down to the station. I feel a dreadful pit in my stomach as I head down there. Walking in there felt like I was walking through a funeral home. The police officers stared at me with concern. The same woman who was there that night greeted me with a grim expression.
“We think we’ve found her. I’m sorry to tell you this, but we found a body that matches your girlfriend’s, Gracie Wilson’s description dumped off in the woods off Highway 66. We still have no suspect and the evidence on the body leaves no trace as to who was behind it,” she says. Her face remains as still as a wall. I feel dizzy. My stomach clenches as if I ate something rotten. I follow her mindlessly down to the morgue.
There laying on a medical table was unmistakably Gracie. Her lifeless body is full of bruises and cuts. Her skin has a sickly blue color to it. I feel that nauseous, knife-wrenching feeling in my stomach. I quickly rush for the closest trash can and dry heave what little substance I have in my gut. I find I can’t fight the tears falling from my eyes. I feel the officer’s hand on my shoulder. That man… he’ll pay for the things he did to her. I swear it.
—
The tv blares in the background as I sit at the table of the old house I shared with my Gracie. It was the first house we bought together. The only house we bought together. The news anchor goes on about a man named Henry Losborne they found tortured to death. They said he had been tortured by some chemical compound. He was the son of a wealthy businessman. They had a video of him confessing all the horrific things he had done to so many women chained to his neck on a junk drive.
It had been 5 years since the brutal murder of my girlfriend. 5 long miserable years. My mother passed away not long after that terrible night. I take a long pole from the bottle of whiskey in my hand and slumb over the kitchen table. I had done so many terrible things to many horrible people over these 5 long years. I look at my reflection in the window and I don’t even recognize the man I’ve become. A beard has grown wild on my face. My eyes now carry bags under them and I’ve lost weight. Too much weight.
It took me 5 long years, but I finally found the bastard that took Gracie from this world. The things I did to him… Well, let’s just say my degree in chemistry really paid off.
I miss her very much. I don’t know what to do anymore. I feel like there’s only one thing I can do. Tears stream down my face as I grab the gun lying on the table. I close my eyes as I put it to my temple and…
The End
Remember. You’re never safe in the dark.
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I’m about to tell you something that happened to me that I will never be able to forget. It happened when I was only 15. My name is Alayna Caldwell and like all 15-year-old teenage girls, I was saving up for my first car so I didn’t have the luxury of turning down good-paying jobs and that’s where this all started. My neighbors were going out of town for the entire day and wouldn’t be home until tomorrow morning. They had just moved here not that long ago.
When they offered to pay me to watch their house and let their dog out at first I thought twice about it. You see, my neighbors, Tyler and Lacey Alston are rather strange. They’re most likely in their early 50s and give me bad vibes. Mr. Alston was a scrawny man with a scruffy face and dark eyes that were layered in bags. Mrs. Alston tried her best to stay young with her dirty blonde hair that was obviously dyed. She had a terrible smoking habit and she too developed bags under her eyes.
They constantly go on about how pretty I look and the way they stare at me makes my skin crawl. However, when they offered to pay me $100 to stay the night with their dog, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
They said they’d be gone until the next morning, but they’re still might be an opportunity they would return earlier. They made it clear not to go down in the basement and to stay out of the room on the second floor. Mr. Alston added that it’d be best if I just kept to the living room and the kitchen. They keep their dog, Jackie, a rottweiler, in the laundry room on the first floor. It wouldn’t stop barking all the while they were talking to me. It seemed rather angry. What was really odd was as soon as they left it seemed to calm down. It was very friendly with me.
It wasn’t long before I had the house to myself, besides Jackie. I took him out for a walk before resting in the living to watch some TV. The news talked about a missing girl about my age with dark black hair named Paula Edwards. She was very pretty. Thoughts ran through my mind of all the horrible possibilities of what could’ve happened to her. The distinct possibility that I could’ve been her ran through my thoughts. She too was a cheerleader and lived in the city next to ours. I pushed the thought from my mind as I quickly changed it to one of the reality shows I enjoyed watching.
As the day turned dark and it became late in the evening, I snuck out to smoke some pot and let the dog out. As we returned, the dog went straight for the door to the basement and started clawing at it. I thought that was odd. I could’ve sworn I heard noises coming from the basement. It sounded like muffled screams. I tried to chalk it up to my stoned paranoia. However, as the night carried on, the noises didn’t cease. I tried the door but it was locked. My curiosity got the best of me and I started to search the rest of the house. Now this was really strange. All of the other rooms were empty except for the room they said to stay out of which was also locked. There was no sign that anyone had been living here, let alone two people.
I got to the point where I couldn’t help it anymore, I had to know what was down there. The locked door had the kind of lock that you could easily shove a nail or something thin in and click it unlocked. I used to pull this trick on my older sister all the time when she took too long in the bathroom. As soon as the door opened, the dog rushed down the stairs. I grabbed my phone and turned the light on as I slowly climbed down the dark stairs. The noise was now unmistakable. It was a person. Their groans were being muffled out. I could hear the dog whimpering.
I could hardly make out anything in the dark as I crept forward with my little flashlight. However, as I crept down the basement, the things I saw in the light of my phone’s flashlight, started to terrify me. There were shackles, cages, and things I can’t begin to explain. My heart was thumping faster than ever as I continued to look through the basement. I heard the muffled sounds of a person along with the whimpering of the dog.
I cast my light over to where the sound came from and nearly shrieked. Chained to a pipe and gagged was a girl with black hair. She was dirty and it looked as if she’d been crying. Her eyes had dark spots around them. I quickly called the cops as I rushed over to her and took the gag out of her mouth. The dog was licking her face, and stayed by her side.
She immediately pleaded with her to help her. They kidnapped her and had been keeping her down here in their basement. The police arrived not long after. They identified her as the missing girl from the town over.
If things couldn’t get any worse, what they found in the room on the second floor was beyond creepy. They had pictures of me, rope, bindings, Chloroform, and other horrifying items. Apparently, they planned to come back later that night and kidnap me too. The rest of the house was empty and apparently, they only used the house to keep their victim.
The worst thing was that they still haven’t been caught. They’re out there somewhere, probably still kidnapping girls. I now live in constant fear, always looking over my shoulder. Afraid I could find them in my home waiting for me. On a side note, the dog happened to be the victim, Paula Edward’s dog. It certainly explains the odd behavior. Paula and I had become very close friends since then.
