3 Terrifying TRUE Horror Stories — Transcript

Full transcript

1. 0:13I bought my first house when I was 32 in
2. 0:16a quiet part of Ohio about 20 minutes
3. 0:18outside the town where I worked.
4. 0:20It was an older two-story place with a
5. 0:22detached garage and just under two
6. 0:24acres.
7. 0:26The houses along that road were spread
8. 0:27apart enough that you could see your
9. 0:29neighbors without hearing much from
10. 0:31them.
11. 0:32After living above a family with three
12. 0:34kids, that was a major selling point.
13. 0:37My brother helped me move in on a
14. 0:38Saturday.
15. 0:40The following afternoon, while I was
16. 0:42putting shelf paper in the kitchen
17. 0:43cabinets, somebody knocked.
18. 0:47A woman stood on the porch holding an
19. 0:48envelope.
20. 0:50She looked to be in her late 50s.
21. 0:52She looked like a nice lady from first
22. 0:54glance. She had short brown hair and she
23. 0:56wore glasses hanging from a cord around
24. 0:58her neck.
25. 1:00She introduced herself as Kathy and
26. 1:02pointed toward the white house beyond
27. 1:03the trees on my left.
28. 1:05The envelope was something addressed to
29. 1:07the previous owner that had ended up in
30. 1:08her mailbox.
31. 1:10We talked for a few minutes. She asked
32. 1:12what I did for work and whether I had
33. 1:14family nearby.
34. 1:16Basic questions that didn't seem
35. 1:18unusual.
36. 1:19Before leaving, she told me to knock if
37. 1:21I needed anything.
38. 1:23Over the next month or so, I saw her
39. 1:25fairly often.
40. 1:27Sometimes she was watering plants
41. 1:28[music] by her driveway when I got home.
42. 1:30Other times we talked while getting our
43. 1:32mail.
44. 1:33She lived alone and she mentioned an
45. 1:35adult daughter who lived a few hours
46. 1:37away.
47. 1:38She was friendly, although conversations
48. 1:40occasionally went on longer than I
49. 1:42wanted.
50. 1:43I had a feeling she was lonely.
51. 1:46We exchanged numbers after a branch came
52. 1:48down near the road and she offered to
53. 1:49text me the number of someone who could
54. 1:51remove it cheaply.
55. 1:53About 6 [music] weeks after I moved in,
56. 1:55Kathy mentioned she would be visiting
57. 1:57her daughter the following weekend.
58. 1:59She asked if I would mind keeping a
59. 2:00spare key in case a pipe burst [music]
60. 2:02or something happened while she was
61. 2:03away.
62. 2:04I said, "Sure."
63. 2:06She brought it over Thursday evening.
64. 2:09It was a small brass key attached to a
65. 2:11plastic bag.
66. 2:13While I was putting it in the kitchen
67. 2:14drawer,
68. 2:15she actually suggested that we should
69. 2:17swap keys,
70. 2:18noting that she and the couple before me
71. 2:20always kept keys for each other.
72. 2:23I had a spare in that same drawer.
73. 2:25Handing it over felt like accepting the
74. 2:27kind of arrangement people had in places
75. 2:28like that.
76. 2:30She put it in her jacket pocket and told
77. 2:32me she would be back on Sunday night.
78. 2:35Friday passed normally.
79. 2:36On Saturday, I spent most of the day
80. 2:38assembling furniture, ordering dinner,
81. 2:41and going to bed around 11:00.
82. 2:43I always locked my bedroom door.
83. 2:46My brother thought that was strange, but
84. 2:47it was a habit from sharing apartments.
85. 2:50Sometime after 2:00, I woke up to a
86. 2:53noise downstairs.
87. 2:55I thought something had fallen, so I
88. 2:57stayed still, but I listened.
89. 3:00Then, I heard the kitchen drawer close.
90. 3:03There was a short pause followed by a
91. 3:05hard little tap, like somebody had
92. 3:07placed a glass on the counter.
93. 3:09My phone was charging beside me, but I
94. 3:11didn't reach for it immediately.
95. 3:13I was listening so closely that I barely
96. 3:15moved.
97. 3:17There were no televisions on. There were
98. 3:19no appliances running.
99. 3:20There was nothing that could explain the
100. 3:22sounds.
101. 3:24I got out of bed and crossed the room
102. 3:25slowly.
103. 3:27I turned the lock, holding the knob so
104. 3:28it wouldn't rattle,
105. 3:30and I opened it just an inch.
106. 3:33Footsteps suddenly crossed the floor
107. 3:34below me.
108. 3:36Fast, heavy steps followed by the front
109. 3:38door opening and shutting.
110. 3:40I stood there gripping the knob.
111. 3:43Whoever had been inside surely heard me.
112. 3:46It took me a minute to make myself go
113. 3:47downstairs.
114. 3:49I switched on the hall light, then the
115. 3:51living room light, keeping my back
116. 3:52against the wall as much as I could.
117. 3:55The front door was closed, but unlocked.
118. 3:58I turned the deadbolt and stood looking
119. 4:00toward the dark opening into the
120. 4:01kitchen, afraid somebody else was still
121. 4:03in there.
122. 4:04I knew I'd locked that door before bed.
123. 4:07I checked the back door, too.
124. 4:09Then, I remembered my spare key.
125. 4:12I called Kathy.
126. 4:14It rang until voicemail.
127. 4:16So, I called again with the same result.
128. 4:19As I stood there, my fear started
129. 4:21turning into anger.
130. 4:23Either she'd entered my house, or
131. 4:25somebody had gotten my key from her.
132. 4:27I put on shoes, took the key she'd given
133. 4:29me, and went next door.
134. 4:32I should have called the police first. I
135. 4:34know that.
136. 4:35At the time, I wanted an explanation
137. 4:37badly enough that I wasn't thinking
138. 4:38beyond getting to her porch.
139. 4:41Her driveway was empty, and all the
140. 4:42windows were dark.
141. 4:44I knocked several times.
142. 4:46When she didn't answer, I tried her key.
143. 4:49It wouldn't go into the lock.
144. 4:52I turned it over and tried again,
145. 4:54pushing it until I realized I was making
146. 4:55enough noise for anyone inside to hear
147. 4:57me.
148. 4:58It was the wrong key.
149. 5:00Standing there in my sweatpants, I
150. 5:02suddenly felt very exposed.
151. 5:05I walked around the side of the house,
152. 5:06telling myself it might be for the back
153. 5:08door.
154. 5:09As I came around the corner, I saw her
155. 5:11car.
156. 5:13It was parked on the grass behind the
157. 5:14house, close to the rear wall.
158. 5:17From the road or my house, you wouldn't
159. 5:19have seen it.
160. 5:20I tried the back door with my shaking
161. 5:22hand.
162. 5:23The key didn't fit in that lock, either.
163. 5:26I went straight home, and now I called
164. 5:28911.
165. 5:29Two deputies arrived. One stayed with me
166. 5:32while the other checked the downstairs
167. 5:33rooms, the basement, and the garage.
168. 5:36Nothing was obviously missing.
169. 5:38There were no damaged windows or marks
170. 5:40around either door.
171. 5:42I told them about Kathy, the keys, and
172. 5:44her car.
173. 5:46We all went next door and knocked, with
174. 5:48the cops identifying themselves loudly
175. 5:50enough that anyone inside would have
176. 5:51heard them.
177. 5:53She never answered.
178. 5:55One deputy explained afterward that her
179. 5:57car being there didn't mean she hadn't
180. 5:59gone away with somebody else.
181. 6:01She could have accidentally handed me an
182. 6:03old key.
183. 6:04He wasn't dismissive, but I could tell
184. 6:06how little they had to work with.
185. 6:08I hadn't technically seen the person
186. 6:10inside my house.
187. 6:12They took my information, gave me a
188. 6:14report number, and told me to call
189. 6:15immediately if I heard anything else.
190. 6:18I spent the rest of that night sitting
191. 6:20on my bed with the lights on.
192. 6:22At 7:00, I drove to a hardware store the
193. 6:24second they opened.
194. 6:26By late morning, I had replaced both
195. 6:28exterior deadbolts and the lock on the
196. 6:29door connecting the kitchen to the side
197. 6:31porch.
198. 6:33I was finishing the front door when
199. 6:34Cathy came walking up the driveway.
200. 6:37She was wearing gardening gloves.
201. 6:40"You could have just called me, Rick."
202. 6:41She said.
203. 6:43Those words are still vivid in my mind.
204. 6:46I asked where she'd been, and she said
205. 6:48her daughter had picked her up Friday
206. 6:49and brought her home early that morning.
207. 6:52When I asked about the key, she looked
208. 6:54at it and said she probably grabbed an
209. 6:55old one from before she changed her
210. 6:57locks.
211. 6:58She apologized without seeming
212. 7:00particularly concerned.
213. 7:02Then, I asked her directly if she'd been
214. 7:04inside my house.
215. 7:06She said, "Of course not."
216. 7:08She looked offended, and for a few
217. 7:09seconds, I felt embarrassed.
218. 7:12There was a reasonable explanation for
219. 7:13the car, so there could have been a
220. 7:15reasonable explanation for the key.
221. 7:17But, somebody had been downstairs, and
222. 7:19my own key was still in her possession.
223. 7:22I asked for it back.
224. 7:24She said she'd bring it over when she
225. 7:25found it.
226. 7:26But then, I just told her not to bother.
227. 7:29She watched me struggle to line up a
228. 7:30screw, then walked away.
229. 7:33After that, I stopped going outside when
230. 7:35I saw her.
231. 7:36I checked every lock several times
232. 7:38before bed.
233. 7:40Small noises kept waking me at night,
234. 7:42and I started sleeping with a fan
235. 7:43running.
236. 7:44Then, I stopped because I was afraid it
237. 7:46would cover sounds downstairs.
238. 7:49My brother told me I needed cameras.
239. 7:51I agreed, but I kept putting it off,
240. 7:53partly because buying them felt like
241. 7:55accepting that this is how living here
242. 7:56would be.
243. 7:58Over 10 days after the first incident, I
244. 8:01woke up to a sharp noise behind the
245. 8:03house.
246. 8:04My bedroom faced the backyard.
247. 8:06So, I got up and went to the window
248. 8:08without switching on a light.
249. 8:10There was a full moon and the grass was
250. 8:12pale enough that I could see almost to
251. 8:13the trees.
252. 8:15Kathy was walking away from my house.
253. 8:18She was already 20 ft out into the
254. 8:19backyard, moving toward the gap between
255. 8:22our back properties.
256. 8:24I recognized her hair and the light
257. 8:25colored jacket I'd seen her wear before.
258. 8:28What bothered me was the way she moved.
259. 8:31Her back was completely straight, almost
260. 8:33exaggerated. Her arms were held close
261. 8:36against her sides and she was taking
262. 8:38these quick, short steps across the
263. 8:40grass.
264. 8:41She was moving fast enough that she
265. 8:42should have been swinging her arms.
266. 8:45Instead, her upper body barely moved.
267. 8:48It looked like she was trying to hurry
268. 8:49without breaking into a run.
269. 8:52I pushed the window up and yelled,
270. 8:53"Kathy, I'm calling the cops again."
271. 8:56She didn't stop.
272. 8:57She didn't even turn her head.
273. 8:59I watched her pass behind the trees
274. 9:01until I couldn't see her anymore.
275. 9:03That was the last time I saw her.
276. 9:06The deputies came back and checked
277. 9:08around my house and knocked at hers
278. 9:09again.
279. 9:11Once again, she didn't answer.
280. 9:13One recommended cameras covering both
281. 9:15doors and the yard.
282. 9:17I asked for another report number.
283. 9:19The next afternoon, I packed clothes and
284. 9:22my work computer and drove to my
285. 9:23brother's apartment.
286. 9:25He thought I meant to stay a few nights.
287. 9:28I ended up sleeping at his place for
288. 9:29months.
289. 9:31I kept paying the mortgage and listed
290. 9:32the house myself because I couldn't
291. 9:34stomach losing another chunk of money to
292. 9:36a commission.
293. 9:38Between the closing costs and accepting
294. 9:40a lower offer, I still lost several
295. 9:42thousand dollars.
296. 9:44I only went back during daylight,
297. 9:46usually with my brother, to clear the
298. 9:47remaining furniture.
299. 9:49I never found anything missing.
300. 9:51That bothered me more than it probably
301. 9:53should have.
302. 9:54I could have understood someone coming
303. 9:56inside to steal.
304. 9:58I still don't know what she was doing in
305. 9:59my kitchen that night or what brought
306. 10:01her back after the locks were changed.
307. 10:03But when I think about the last time I
308. 10:05saw her,
309. 10:06I don't picture her crossing the yard.
310. 10:09I picture the part I slept through
311. 10:11before whatever noise woke me when she
312. 10:13was still close enough to the house that
313. 10:15I couldn't have seen her from the
314. 10:16window.
315. 10:17I'm just grateful I got out of there.
316. 10:30My friend Matt and I were 26 when we
317. 10:33heard from our friend Daniel again.
318. 10:35We'd been close in high school, but
319. 10:37after he moved about an hour away,
320. 10:39seeing him became something we talked
321. 10:40about without actually arranging.
322. 10:43We still sent each other things
323. 10:44occasionally.
324. 10:46Then one Thursday, he called and invited
325. 10:48us to a party that Saturday.
326. 10:50He said it was at a farmhouse belonging
327. 10:52to some friends he'd been spending time
328. 10:54with.
329. 10:55There would be a fire outside with
330. 10:56drinks and enough people that we
331. 10:58wouldn't feel awkward showing up.
332. 11:00Matt was immediately interested.
333. 11:03I offered to drive, partly because I had
334. 11:05work Sunday afternoon and wanted an
335. 11:07excuse to leave at a reasonable time.
336. 11:09We picked Daniel up at his apartment
337. 11:11around 8:00. Seeing him again was easy.
338. 11:14Within 10 minutes, we were laughing
339. 11:16about people we hadn't thought about in
340. 11:17years.
341. 11:19He directed me out of town and onto
342. 11:21roads with no street lights, eventually
343. 11:23telling me to turn onto a long gravel
344. 11:24driveway.
345. 11:26The house stood behind a row of trees
346. 11:28with a detached garage and a field
347. 11:30stretching away beyond it.
348. 11:32Seven or eight cars were parked on the
349. 11:33grass.
350. 11:34Dan told me to leave mine near the
351. 11:36driveway entrance so we wouldn't get
352. 11:37blocked in.
353. 11:39Music was coming through an open window
354. 11:41and a few people stood smoking on the
355. 11:42porch.
356. 11:44Nobody greeted Dan until he said
357. 11:46something first.
358. 11:48A broader guy looked at us and asked Dan
359. 11:50if these are his buddies.
360. 11:52Daniel then introduced us.
361. 11:54The man said his name was Wayne, moved
362. 11:56aside to let us in.
363. 11:58There were maybe 15 people, mostly
364. 12:00around our age or a little older.
365. 12:03We were honestly expecting a lot more
366. 12:05than 15 people.
367. 12:07The living room had a couch, two folding
368. 12:09chairs, and a speaker sitting on the
369. 12:11floor.
370. 12:12People were friendly enough, although
371. 12:13conversations seemed to continue around
372. 12:15us rather than include us.
373. 12:18In the kitchen, Dan asked Wayne whether
374. 12:20we could take beers from the fridge.
375. 12:23Wayne nodded without looking up from his
376. 12:24phone.
377. 12:25Dan then later asked whether we could
378. 12:27move a chair outside.
379. 12:29He described the place like somewhere he
380. 12:30spent every weekend, but he seemed
381. 12:32hesitant about touching anything.
382. 12:35Matt ended up talking to a guy about
383. 12:36motorcycles.
384. 12:38I stayed with Dan near the kitchen
385. 12:40catching up.
386. 12:41Whenever Wayne walked through, Dan
387. 12:43seemed to lose track of what he was
388. 12:45saying.
389. 12:46After about 40 minutes, I asked whose
390. 12:48house it was.
391. 12:50He pointed vaguely toward the living
392. 12:51room and said he thinks it's Wayne's
393. 12:53family.
394. 12:54A woman at the counter heard him and
395. 12:56said Wayne didn't live here.
396. 12:58Daniel kind of laughed and made a joke
397. 13:00of it claiming he could never keep it
398. 13:01straight.
399. 13:03I thought it was whatever. People were
400. 13:04drinking and I barely knew anyone's
401. 13:06names.
402. 13:07Later, I asked a guy outside if he knew
403. 13:09the homeowner, mostly to make
404. 13:11conversation.
405. 13:12He said he thought the owner was
406. 13:13upstairs.
407. 13:15When I walked back in, I asked Wayne
408. 13:17where the bathroom was.
409. 13:19He was trying to hear someone over the
410. 13:20music and pointed toward the hallway.
411. 13:23There were two closed doors and a
412. 13:24staircase.
413. 13:26I tried one door, found a closet, and
414. 13:28assumed he'd meant upstairs.
415. 13:30The second floor was much quieter.
416. 13:33There was light coming from an open
417. 13:34bedroom and I could hear a TV from
418. 13:36inside.
419. 13:37I glanced in as I passed.
420. 13:40There was an unmade bed and a pair of
421. 13:41slippers on the floor.
422. 13:43But more notably, there were several
423. 13:45prescription bottles beside a glass of
424. 13:46water on the dresser.
425. 13:48There were framed photographs covering
426. 13:50part of the wall.
427. 13:51An older couple appeared to be in most
428. 13:53of them, sometimes with children or
429. 13:55grandchildren.
430. 13:56It looked like someone had gotten up to
431. 13:58use the bathroom and would be back in a
432. 14:00minute.
433. 14:01I heard a door shut further down the
434. 14:02hall.
435. 14:04Before I could call out, Wayne shouted
436. 14:06from below asking what I was doing.
437. 14:09I leaned over the railing and said I was
438. 14:11looking for the bathroom.
439. 14:13He He me it was downstairs off the
440. 14:14kitchen.
441. 14:16He stayed at the bottom of the stairs
442. 14:17until I came down.
443. 14:19I apologized for misunderstanding him,
444. 14:21but he didn't say anything.
445. 14:23The bathroom turned out to be through a
446. 14:25small laundry room.
447. 14:27When I came out, a woman was standing
448. 14:28beside the washing machine.
449. 14:30I noticed her earlier sitting on the arm
450. 14:32of a couch.
451. 14:34She asked if the blue car near the road
452. 14:35was mine,
453. 14:37to which I said yes.
454. 14:38Then she asked which way I was heading
455. 14:40when I leave.
456. 14:42I told her the town where I lived, and
457. 14:43she said that was close enough, and then
458. 14:45asked me if we had room for another
459. 14:47person.
460. 14:48I said probably, although we weren't
461. 14:50leaving immediately.
462. 14:52She then said, "When you leave, tell me
463. 14:54without telling anybody."
464. 14:56I must have looked confused because she
465. 14:58added, "I just don't want to hold
466. 15:00discussion about it."
467. 15:01I said, "Sure, okay."
468. 15:04She then told me her name was Erin.
469. 15:06So, I shook her hand before she went
470. 15:07back into the kitchen.
471. 15:09I found Matt outside and mentioned that
472. 15:11we might be taking someone home.
473. 15:14He made some joke about me having a
474. 15:15productive evening.
475. 15:17I told him it wasn't like that.
476. 15:19Something about her asking privately
477. 15:21made me a bit uncomfortable, although I
478. 15:23couldn't explain what I thought was
479. 15:25happening.
480. 15:26Through the window, I could see Dan
481. 15:28standing beside Wayne nodding while
482. 15:30Wayne talked.
483. 15:32I waved Dan outside.
484. 15:34We walked a few steps from the porch,
485. 15:35and I asked how long he'd known these
486. 15:37people.
487. 15:38He said a while.
488. 15:40When I asked how long a while meant, he
489. 15:42got annoyed and wanted to know why I was
490. 15:43interrogating him.
491. 15:45I told him I'd been upstairs and felt
492. 15:47like I walked into somebody's
493. 15:48grandparents' bedroom.
494. 15:50Then I asked him whose house it actually
495. 15:52was.
496. 15:53He said he didn't know.
497. 15:55He'd met Wayne through a guy from work
498. 15:57about 3 weeks earlier.
499. 15:59This was only his second time there.
500. 16:01He'd made it sound different because he
501. 16:03didn't want us thinking he had nothing
502. 16:04going on.
503. 16:06I remember feeling embarrassed for him
504. 16:08before I felt anything else.
505. 16:10I told him he didn't need to invent a
506. 16:12social life to get us to hang out.
507. 16:14He said he knew.
508. 16:16Behind us, the front door opened, and we
509. 16:18looked over.
510. 16:19Someone came out with a cigarette.
511. 16:22Dan lowered his voice and asked whether
512. 16:23we were thinking about leaving and I
513. 16:25said yes.
514. 16:27He immediately said he was ready
515. 16:28whenever we were.
516. 16:30Back inside, I found Matt finishing his
517. 16:32drink.
518. 16:33I told him I wanted to go and he agreed
519. 16:35without arguing.
520. 16:37While he went to the bathroom, I looked
521. 16:38for Erin.
522. 16:40She was in the kitchen beside a man
523. 16:41sitting at the table.
524. 16:43A brown coat was hanging over the back
525. 16:45of his chair.
526. 16:46She asked him to move so she could get
527. 16:48it.
528. 16:49He leaned back and asked why she needed
529. 16:50it.
530. 16:51She said she was cold.
531. 16:53He told her to put a sweatshirt on and
532. 16:55she gave a short laugh and reached for
533. 16:57the coat.
534. 16:58But he turned in the chair blocking her.
535. 17:01It was subtle enough that I wondered
536. 17:03whether I was misreading it.
537. 17:05Then she dropped her hand and stepped
538. 17:06away.
539. 17:08I caught her eye and nodded toward the
540. 17:10front door.
541. 17:11She put her cup down.
542. 17:13Matt returned, Dan followed us and I
543. 17:15said we were heading out.
544. 17:17A couple of people said goodbye.
545. 17:20We were already on the porch when
546. 17:21somebody called Erin's name.
547. 17:23She kept walking.
548. 17:25Dan looked back and said, "We're just
549. 17:26giving her a ride."
550. 17:28I wish he hadn't said anything.
551. 17:31Wayne came outside and told Erin to come
552. 17:33back for a minute. She said she needed
553. 17:35to get home.
554. 17:36He started walking down the steps.
555. 17:38I unlocked the car and she opened the
556. 17:40rear passenger door and got in.
557. 17:42Matt was climbing into the front seat
558. 17:44when Wayne caught up.
559. 17:45He grabbed Erin's door before she could
560. 17:47close it and he said, "Get out. I need
561. 17:49to talk to you."
562. 17:51His voice was calm but stern which made
563. 17:53it worse.
564. 17:55Erin pulled at the door but he held it
565. 17:57easily.
566. 17:58I was standing beside my open driver's
567. 18:00door.
568. 18:01I told him she'd asked for a ride and we
569. 18:03were leaving.
570. 18:04He looked over the roof at me and said
571. 18:06it had nothing to do with me.
572. 18:08Dan was beside him saying we could all
573. 18:10calm down and work it out.
574. 18:12Erin leaned against the back seat and
575. 18:14looked directly at Dan.
576. 18:16"Please shut the door."
577. 18:18She sounded completely sober.
578. 18:20Daniel stopped talking. Then he took
579. 18:22hold of the door and told Wayne to let
580. 18:24go.
581. 18:25For a second, neither of them moved.
582. 18:28Wayne looked at him and said, "Fuck
583. 18:30you."
584. 18:31Then he released the door.
585. 18:33Daniel shut the door and hurried around
586. 18:34to the other side.
587. 18:36I got behind the wheel and started the
588. 18:38engine.
589. 18:39Wayne slapped the back window hard
590. 18:40enough that Matt flinched.
591. 18:42We pulled onto the driveway and kept
592. 18:44expecting headlights to appear behind
593. 18:46us.
594. 18:47Nobody spoke until we reached the main
595. 18:48road.
596. 18:50Aaron asked if she could borrow a phone
597. 18:51and Matt handed her his.
598. 18:54She called her sister and said she
599. 18:55needed picking up from a gas station.
600. 18:58While we drove there, she told us that
601. 19:00she'd come with a woman who left hours
602. 19:01ago.
603. 19:02When she tried ordering a ride, Wayne
604. 19:04took her phone.
605. 19:06He said she was too drunk and kept
606. 19:07giving the driver the wrong address.
607. 19:10She'd asked for it back several times.
608. 19:12Eventually, he started pretending he
609. 19:14didn't have it.
610. 19:15The man sitting in front of her coat had
611. 19:17her bag under his chair, too.
612. 19:19I asked whether she knew either of them
613. 19:21well and she shook her head no.
614. 19:24Dan just looked out his window.
615. 19:26I asked Aaron whose house we'd been in.
616. 19:29She said she thought Wayne was looking
617. 19:30after it for somebody, but she wasn't
618. 19:32sure.
619. 19:34We waited with her under the gas station
620. 19:35lights until her sister arrived.
621. 19:38Before she left, I offered to go with
622. 19:40her to the police.
623. 19:42She said she'd talk to her sister first.
624. 19:45I gave her my number, but I never heard
625. 19:46from her.
626. 19:48Daniel apologized repeatedly on the
627. 19:50drive home.
628. 19:51Matt eventually told him to stop.
629. 19:53I don't know what became of that group
630. 19:55and I never went back for answers.
631. 19:57What I remember most clearly is standing
632. 19:59in the upstairs hallway looking at those
633. 20:01family photographs.
634. 20:03Downstairs, everyone had been drinking
635. 20:05and talking like they belonged there.
636. 20:07I still wonder whose door I heard
637. 20:09closing and whether they were waiting
638. 20:11for the party to end and if they owned
639. 20:13that place.
640. 20:15Either way, I don't think anything good
641. 20:16was going on in that house.
642. 20:28>> I went to Killington by myself because
643. 20:30my friend backed out 4 days before we
644. 20:32were supposed to leave.
645. 20:34I had already requested the time off and
646. 20:36paid for the Airbnb, so I figured I
647. 20:38might as well go.
648. 20:40I'd snowboarded alone before.
649. 20:42The only part I wasn't looking forward
650. 20:44to was spending the evenings by myself,
651. 20:47but I brought my laptop and I figured
652. 20:49I'd be tired enough after riding that it
653. 20:51wouldn't matter.
654. 20:52The rental was a small house about 15
655. 20:54minutes from the mountain.
656. 20:56It sat above the road at the end of a
657. 20:58sloping driveway with woods on three
658. 21:00sides and one neighboring roof visible
659. 21:02through the bare trees.
660. 21:04The driveway had been plowed, although
661. 21:06there was still enough packed snow that
662. 21:08I took it slowly.
663. 21:10I arrived around 4:00 on a Thursday.
664. 21:11[music]
665. 21:12The host, a woman named Ellen, had given
666. 21:15me a code for a lockbox beside the door.
667. 21:18Inside was a single key.
668. 21:20The house looked like the listing. It
669. 21:22had older furniture, a wood stove that I
670. 21:25wasn't supposed to use, and a living
671. 21:27room with a large window overlooking the
672. 21:28front yard.
673. 21:30A hallway beside the kitchen led to the
674. 21:32bathroom and two bedrooms.
675. 21:34I carried everything in, put some
676. 21:36groceries away, and chose the bedroom
677. 21:37closest [music] to the bathroom.
678. 21:40There wasn't anything obviously wrong
679. 21:41with the place.
680. 21:43I remember checking the second bedroom
681. 21:44anyway, then feeling stupid about it.
682. 21:47It had that uncomfortable feeling that
683. 21:49some unfamiliar houses have where you
684. 21:51keep expecting someone to come around a
685. 21:53corner.
686. 21:54I went out for dinner and picked up
687. 21:56breakfast stuff afterward.
688. 21:58When I returned, I left my boots on the
689. 22:00mat beside the front door and hung up my
690. 22:02jacket over a chair.
691. 22:04By then, the window in the living room
692. 22:06was almost entirely black.
693. 22:08With the lamps on, I could see more of
694. 22:10the room reflected in it than the yard
695. 22:12outside.
696. 22:14I watched my show for a while, then went
697. 22:16to bed early.
698. 22:17Twice that night I woke up thinking I'd
699. 22:19heard something in the hallway.
700. 22:21Both times I lay listening and
701. 22:23eventually heard the heating system
702. 22:25click on.
703. 22:26That was enough explanation for me.
704. 22:29I spent most of Friday snowboarding.
705. 22:31By the time I got back, my legs were
706. 22:33sore and I had no intention of going
707. 22:35anywhere again.
708. 22:37I showered, heated up a frozen pizza,
709. 22:39and called my friend while I ate.
710. 22:41I complained that he'd missed a good
711. 22:43day.
712. 22:44I didn't mention feeling uncomfortable
713. 22:46in the house because there was [music]
714. 22:47nothing to tell him.
715. 22:49Around 9:00, I settled onto the couch
716. 22:51with a Corona and put a movie on.
717. 22:53One lamp was on near the TV and I'd left
718. 22:55the hallway light on after my shower.
719. 22:58Every so often, I caught myself
720. 23:00listening to something other than the
721. 23:02show.
722. 23:03I muted it because I thought I heard a
723. 23:05shoe scrape against the floor.
724. 23:07There was nothing afterward.
725. 23:09I turned the volume back up.
726. 23:11Sometime later, I looked toward the
727. 23:13window.
728. 23:14I couldn't tell you what made me look.
729. 23:16Maybe my peripheral vision picked up on
730. 23:19something subconsciously.
731. 23:21At first, I thought there was a person
732. 23:22standing outside, just beyond the glass
733. 23:24on the right side.
734. 23:26I could make out a head and shoulders
735. 23:28and something gray across their chest.
736. 23:30Given how secluded of a place I was
737. 23:32staying in, the sight made my heart drop
738. 23:34out of my ass.
739. 23:36Then, I noticed the hallway light above
740. 23:38the figure.
741. 23:39I could see its reflection clearly,
742. 23:41along with the bathroom doorway beside
743. 23:43them.
744. 23:44The person was standing inside the
745. 23:46house, down the hall behind me.
746. 23:49I pulled backward against the couch and
747. 23:50lowered my head, almost without deciding
748. 23:52to.
749. 23:54From that angle, I couldn't see them
750. 23:55anymore.
751. 23:56I was like a little kid choosing to just
752. 23:58hide the scary sight.
753. 24:00I stayed there with my shoulders pressed
754. 24:02into the cushions.
755. 24:04Thank god the TV was still on, so there
756. 24:05wasn't dead silence.
757. 24:07I was afraid that if I turned [music]
758. 24:08around, they'd know I'd seen them.
759. 24:11My phone was on my thigh.
760. 24:13I opened Airbnb and found the
761. 24:15conversation with Ellen.
762. 24:17I typed, "Are you currently inside the
763. 24:18house?"
764. 24:20She answered thankfully quickly, saying,
765. 24:22"No, why? Is everything okay?"
766. 24:25Seeing that reply made my hand start
767. 24:27shaking even more.
768. 24:29I that I thought someone was in the
769. 24:30hallway and asked whether anyone was
770. 24:32supposed to be there.
771. 24:34While I waited,
772. 24:35>> [music]
773. 24:35>> I listened for any sort of movement.
774. 24:37I couldn't hear any, but I also couldn't
775. 24:39hear much over the show, either.
776. 24:41I didn't dare mute it again.
777. 24:44Ellen replied, "Absolutely not. Are you
778. 24:47there alone?
779. 24:48If you're sure someone's inside, please
780. 24:50call 911."
781. 24:52The front door was maybe 10 ft from the
782. 24:54couch. I could reach it without going
783. 24:56near the hallway.
784. 24:58My keys were in my jacket pocket.
785. 25:00I looked at the TV, waited a few seconds
786. 25:02[music] for no reason I can explain,
787. 25:04then stood up.
788. 25:06I kept my eyes on the floor as I went to
789. 25:08my boots.
790. 25:09I shoved my feet into them without tying
791. 25:11them,
792. 25:12then I grabbed my jacket and opened the
793. 25:14door.
794. 25:15I half expected someone to say something
795. 25:17behind me.
796. 25:18Once I was outside, I ran.
797. 25:20I was dialing 911 before I even reached
798. 25:22my car.
799. 25:24I got inside, and of course, first thing
800. 25:26I did was lock the doors and start the
801. 25:27engine.
802. 25:29Not only to be ready to escape, but also
803. 25:31because it was damn cold out there.
804. 25:34The dispatcher asked for the address,
805. 25:35and I had to open the reservation
806. 25:37because I couldn't remember it.
807. 25:39I told her somebody was inside my
808. 25:40rental.
809. 25:42As she was asking for more details, the
810. 25:44front door opened.
811. 25:46A man stepped onto the porch.
812. 25:48He looked straight at my car.
813. 25:51My headlights were on, so he definitely
814. 25:53knew I was in the car.
815. 25:54And while it felt like I made direct eye
816. 25:56contact with him, I don't entirely know
817. 25:58if he saw me.
818. 26:00I told the dispatcher he was outside.
819. 26:03He came down the steps, then walked past
820. 26:05the front of my car toward the driveway.
821. 26:07I stopped talking to him while he
822. 26:08passed.
823. 26:10He followed the driveway downhill until
824. 26:11the trees and the slope hid him.
825. 26:14The operator told me not to follow him
826. 26:16and to stay in the locked car.
827. 26:18One officer arrived roughly 15 minutes
828. 26:21later.
829. 26:22He searched the house before letting me
830. 26:23inside.
831. 26:25I showed him the window and where the
832. 26:26man had been standing.
833. 26:28The back door was locked, and the
834. 26:29officer and I didn't notice any broken
835. 26:31windows.
836. 26:33I gave the man's description, and he
837. 26:35checked around outside.
838. 26:37I asked how he could have gotten in, and
839. 26:39the officer said he couldn't tell me.
840. 26:41Before leaving, he said he would drive
841. 26:43through the surrounding roads and look
842. 26:45for him.
843. 26:46Ellen called me afterward and said
844. 26:48nobody else had a key.
845. 26:50She asked whether I might have left the
846. 26:51door unlocked while unloading.
847. 26:53I didn't think I had, but by then I
848. 26:55couldn't confidently remember.
849. 26:58She said I could lock both doors and use
850. 27:00the deadbolt, and offered to refund the
851. 27:02unused night if I wanted to leave.
852. 27:05I told her I was leaving tonight.
853. 27:07Packing took maybe 10 minutes.
854. 27:09I carried everything out in two trips,
855. 27:11watching the woods each time.
856. 27:14The porch light barely reached my car.
857. 27:16Beyond it, there were dozens of places
858. 27:18someone could stand without being
859. 27:20visible, and to be honest, it was
860. 27:22horrifyingly tense.
861. 27:24I kept picturing him [music] down there,
862. 27:26watching me go back inside for the rest
863. 27:27of my things.
864. 27:29I drove to a brightly lit hotel parking
865. 27:31lot and tried to sleep in my car until I
866. 27:34realized how quickly it got cold after I
867. 27:35turned the car off.
868. 27:37So, I stayed at the hotel.
869. 27:39I barely slept.
870. 27:41The next morning, I drove 2 hours to a
871. 27:43friend's place.
872. 27:45I didn't end up snowboarding again that
873. 27:47weekend just because [music] it was too
874. 27:48far to do the drive twice in one day,
875. 27:50and I really wasn't feeling it anymore.
876. 27:53The weekend was a bust, an expensive
877. 27:56bust,
878. 27:57but at least the worst that happened was
879. 27:59that the guy simply walked out of the
880. 28:00rental.