0:03

When I was 10 years old, I heard a man

0:06

die and did nothing to help. It's

0:08

not something I'm proud of, but I

0:10

was just a scared kid at the time. My

0:13

parents often left me alone at home when I

0:15

was a child. I won't say they

0:17

didn't love me or anything so dramatic, but

0:20

they had priorities.

0:22

Oftentimes I was not especially

0:24

high on that list.

0:26

Still, I enjoyed the solitude. I

0:29

had run of the house and could pretty much get

0:31

away with whatever I wanted while they were gone.

0:34

Well, as long as I made sure to clean

0:36

up after myself. What they didn't

0:38

know couldn't hurt me after all.

0:41

It was early February when it happened,

0:43

while my folks were out on a part Valentine's,

0:46

part anniversary date.

0:47

They had married around that time of year about

0:50

a decade and a half prior to that date, so

0:53

they would make a big deal about it annually. It

0:55

was snowy outside, and I wanted

0:58

to go play in it while they were gone, but

1:00

I had the biggest fear about inadvertently

1:02

getting myself locked out of the house and freezing

1:05

to death before anyone could arrive in time

1:07

to save me.

1:08

It was nearly 10 o'clock when my mom called

1:11

and told me they wouldn't be home until morning. This

1:14

would be neither my first nor last

1:16

time alone in the house, so I

1:18

assured her that I would keep the doors locked and

1:20

get to bed at a reasonable hour.

1:23

Of course, what I considered reasonable

1:25

and what she did were quite different.

1:27

Were I being responsible, I would

1:29

have likely already been in my bedroom, but

1:32

I was happily in the middle of binging horror movies

1:34

downstairs when she called. I

1:37

won't say they never gave me nightmares, as

1:39

my mother warned, but I still loved them.

1:42

We had a great assortment of channels on our unlocked

1:44

cable box, so it wasn't hard to track

1:46

down movies to suit my late-night tastes.

1:49

It was getting closer to midnight by the time

1:52

I felt my body begin to crave my bed

1:54

when the commotion began outside.

1:57

As I peeked through the living room window to

1:59

see a man's screaming while running across

2:01

the street, my imagination combined

2:03

with the movie I was watching to create a

2:05

whole manner of curiosities as to what

2:08

could be going on.

2:09

He was screaming out for anyone to help him.

2:12

The poor guy sounded both horrified and

2:14

desperate while he ran to some of the neighboring

2:16

houses pounding on the doors.

2:21

He cried out in the night as he slammed his

2:23

fists against the doors and walls. Most

2:26

houses just turned their lights off when all this

2:28

began, but I couldn't look away.

2:31

What could have gotten this guy so worked up?

2:34

I wondered to myself.

2:35

I was an overly imaginative child

2:38

as it was, so this apparently terrified

2:40

stranger inspired an array of wild

2:43

theories to pan across the forefront of my

2:45

mind. Everything from some

2:47

sort of bloodthirsty serial killer to

2:49

the devil himself pursuing from a distance

2:52

flashed across my subconscious while he begged

2:54

for help. It was a typical suburban

2:56

street I lived on as a kid,

2:58

not indifferent from thousands across the country.

3:01

Little to nothing ever happened here, aside

3:04

from the occasional car pulled over for one

3:06

reason or another,

3:07

perhaps one disgruntled neighbor yelling

3:10

at another for something completely pointless,

3:13

but nothing especially exciting or noteworthy.

3:16

Finally, the man arrived at my door.

3:19

He beat his hands against the wood while shouting

3:21

at the top of his lungs, begging me to help.

3:24

I was just a kid. What

3:26

the hell was I supposed to do? Please,

3:28

help me, they're coming. He yelled out

3:30

from the other side of the door. Let me in,

3:33

for God's sake help me.

3:35

My curiosity getting the better of me, I

3:37

dragged a chair up to the door, climbing

3:39

up on it to look through the peephole. The

3:42

man looked young. He was maybe in

3:44

his early twenties, though to my perception

3:46

at the time, he may as well have been in his fifties.

3:49

He had dark beard stubble, wore

3:51

a thick blue hoodie, a knit cap,

3:53

and gloves. It was really cold outside,

3:56

so I knew he had to be freezing.

3:58

Please, just let me in. Let me in!"

4:01

He whimpered softly. His voice quivered

4:03

in a manner that would suggest he was possibly

4:05

fighting to hold back tears. "-

4:07

Just help me. Please, I'm

4:09

begging you." I felt bad for the

4:12

guy, but I couldn't invite a stranger

4:14

into the house, even if I did believe he

4:16

was truly scared.

4:17

I wasn't so much as allowed to have friends over

4:20

while my folks were gone, let alone some adult

4:22

I had never laid eyes on before. "-

4:24

I can't help you, mister!"

4:26

I called out to him.

4:28

I hoped he would just move on to the next house

4:30

after hearing that I was only a child, but

4:32

it just made him beg harder. "- Please,

4:35

kid. I swear to Christ, I won't hurt you.

4:37

I just need to get off the street." My

4:40

dad says I can't have people over. I'm

4:42

really sorry, but just let

4:45

me in, please." "-

4:46

I'm sorry, mister. I just can't. My

4:49

folks would kill me." Suddenly, the

4:51

man whipped his body around, pressing his

4:53

back to the door with his head right up against

4:55

the people. I had absolutely no

4:57

idea what was going on. "- Oh, God."

5:00

He almost whispered from the other side of the

5:02

door.

5:03

I jumped down from the chair to run to

5:05

the living room window again. By the time

5:07

I made it to the glass, the man had started screaming

5:10

out again, wailing words

5:12

that no longer sounded intelligible in any

5:14

way. He was frantically pounding on

5:16

the door even harder than before. I

5:18

heard the knob jiggle as he attempted to force his

5:20

way in, but I had it locked and

5:22

dead bolted, just as my mother told me.

5:25

"- Jesus Christ, just let me in for Christ's

5:27

sake, please." As I glared out the

5:29

window, I saw three dark shapes

5:31

speeding across the road in front of my eyes.

5:34

They were almost blurry, as though I

5:36

were viewing them through an unfocused camera

5:38

lens. I couldn't even make out

5:40

what they were, but they darted off the road

5:43

and towards my house so quickly that my

5:45

eyes could barely register it. Whatever

5:48

they were, I was absolutely terrified

5:50

the second they sped in the direction of my home.

5:53

I whipped the curtains close before planting

5:55

myself on the floor beneath the window with my

5:58

back pressed to the drywall.

5:59

My whole body was shivering almost

6:02

uncontrollably, as I just knew

6:04

they would break right through the simple wooden door.

6:07

Suddenly, the man's yells changed

6:09

again. This time, to blood-curdling

6:12

squeals that caused the hair on the back

6:14

of my neck to spring up while making

6:16

my stomach churn to the point I thought I

6:18

might spew what remained of the reheated

6:21

pizza I had for dinner across the carpet

6:23

I sat upon. I heard

6:25

more violent pounding against the door as

6:27

well as the walls of the house, accompanied

6:29

by the sound that reminded me of when my

6:31

dad would cut the turkey at Thanksgiving. The

6:34

yells turned to gargles and wines, followed

6:37

by something wet spraying across the ground

6:40

and the siding of my home. I

6:42

heard snapping, cracking, and crunching,

6:44

along with something like fabric being torn. There

6:48

was another sound as well, one that

6:50

I wouldn't allow my youthful ears to accept

6:52

at the time. I tried to force

6:54

the sounds of the large jaws chewing

6:56

on meat and bone into the back of my mind

6:58

at the time, but they

6:59

still lingered on the edge of my subconscious.

7:03

After the man's moist and bubbling screams

7:05

faded, there was a chorus of shrill

7:07

squeals that did not resemble anything

7:09

I'd ever heard

7:10

before. Those sounds

7:12

alone almost forced me to lose

7:14

control of my bladder while I felt

7:16

my head grow dizzy from the blood draining

7:18

down to where my guts churned.

7:21

After some time, everything fell silent

7:23

again,

7:24

but I would not pick myself up from the

7:26

floor until some time later.

7:28

When I finally did emerge from my safe spot

7:30

under the window, I ran up the stairs to

7:33

my bedroom, locked the door, and hid

7:35

under my blanket until I eventually passed

7:37

out.

7:38

Of course, even sleep wouldn't free

7:40

my mind from what I had heard.

7:42

It only amplified those events in my disturbing

7:44

dreams, exaggerating every rip

7:47

and tear my young ears had heard that night.

7:50

I was awakened the next morning by the sound

7:52

of police sirens out front accompanied

7:54

by a series of loud knocks on the front door.

7:57

I hesitantly peeked through my bedroom window

7:59

to see

7:59

several police cars and a black SUV

8:02

parked on the road in front of my house.

8:04

I was too scared to answer the door since

8:06

my folks had not arrived home yet. Not

8:09

only was I not prepared to face whatever

8:11

remained of the stranger, but I was

8:13

almost worried the authorities would somehow hold

8:15

me responsible for what happened.

8:18

I just stayed up in my room, doing my best

8:20

to remain silent, attempting to ignore

8:22

the hammering on the front door.

8:24

After a while, the knocking stopped,

8:27

but the police stayed out there until my parents

8:29

drove up an hour or so later. I

8:32

heard the muffled voices of my mom and dad

8:34

frantically talking back and forth with the police

8:37

before my mom came bursting through the front

8:39

door and up the stairs. She

8:41

tried to get in, but my door was still locked.

8:44

She just pounded on the wood while yelling for me

8:46

to let her in.

8:47

Her words, along with the knocking,

8:50

sent a shiver up my spine after the previous

8:52

night's events.

8:54

I pulled myself from under the safety of my blanket

8:56

to grant her entry, but as

8:58

soon as our eyes met, she wrapped her arms

9:01

around me and pulled me close. After

9:03

a few minutes of just holding me in place, she

9:06

started grabbing at my arms, running her hands

9:08

across my face, seemingly checking

9:10

me for injuries. Once she was

9:12

certain I was alright, she asked me if

9:14

I knew what happened or if I had heard anything

9:17

during the night. I'm not entirely

9:19

sure why I lied to her, claiming

9:21

that I was asleep and didn't hear anything. Maybe

9:24

I felt guilty about what I assumed had happened

9:26

to the terrified man who begged for help.

9:29

It could have been as simple as I didn't want my

9:31

folks to know I stayed up so late.

9:34

Either way, I played dumb

9:36

and would continue to tell the same story

9:38

to everyone who asked over the following weeks.

9:41

Sometime later, my father came

9:43

inside after the swarm of vehicles in

9:45

our street thinned out.

9:47

One of the police cars and the black SUV

9:50

stayed out front for a bit,

9:51

while two officers, accompanied by

9:53

some guys in suits, walked the neighbourhood. They

9:56

went to each house, presumably seeking

9:59

out anyone who may have

9:59

witnessed this seemingly gruesome attack.

10:02

It had been a bizarre and unsettling

10:05

night and day, but I paid it no

10:07

mind after a few weeks passed. Sure,

10:10

kids at school spun many a rumour about the

10:12

murder that had apparently occurred in my street,

10:15

though a body was never found, only

10:17

a wide puddle of blood that spread across

10:19

the front lawn and driveway, as well

10:22

as the splatter on the wall and door.

10:24

Some would theorise that it was way more

10:26

than the human body was capable of holding,

10:29

but there was a lot of exaggerated tales

10:31

over the first few weeks.

10:33

For several months after the man begged

10:35

to be allowed entry into my home, my parents

10:37

refused to leave me alone in the house.

10:40

It was actually quite nice, if I'm being honest,

10:43

though I missed having the run of the place a

10:45

bit, my folks were more tentative than

10:47

they'd ever been.

10:48

Yes, I would have to accompany them on plenty

10:51

of errands that were not to my liking, but

10:53

I could often twist their arm to buy me something

10:55

while we were out.

10:57

As I said before, I would never accuse

10:59

them of being particularly neglectful, they

11:02

just never saw the danger in leaving the house

11:04

with me as the only occupant until then.

11:07

Of course, their new outlook didn't last for

11:09

long.

11:10

As time passed, they grew more comfortable

11:12

that there was indeed nothing to fear.

11:15

That what had happened was a one-time thing, perhaps

11:17

some freak accident that only occurred once

11:19

in a lifetime.

11:21

It was mid-December before I would be left alone

11:23

again.

11:24

My parents had a Christmas party to attend with

11:26

some friends, so they asked if I would be okay

11:29

on my own. Given the fact

11:31

I had no desire to be left alone with some babysitter

11:34

who was likely only a few years older than me,

11:36

I said I would be fine.

11:38

Honestly, though I did enjoy them

11:40

being more attentive over those months, I

11:42

did miss my solitude. As

11:45

was usually the case, my mom checked

11:47

in around 10ish, to which I informed her

11:49

all was well.

11:51

She told me they would likely be home around 1, and

11:53

recommended that I get to bed soon.

11:55

Of course, I had no intention of hitting the

11:57

sack until I saw the lights of my parents' haunts.

11:59

to rolling into the driveway, but

12:02

she didn't need to know that.

12:04

After successfully riding my makeshift

12:06

Captain America shield down the stairs several

12:08

times in a row, I decided to just hunt

12:10

for a good R-rated movie to bide my time

12:13

until I would have to head up to my bedroom.

12:15

It was creeping up on midnight when the knocking

12:17

on the front door pulled my attention away from the

12:20

movie. The

12:23

voice called from outside. I

12:26

was stunned. My whole body instantly

12:28

tensing up as my mind revisited the

12:30

stranger who was left as nothing more

12:32

than a bloody pool across the front lawn. My

12:35

father had ended up having to repaint the front

12:37

of the house as the stains would not wash

12:40

off.

12:41

Even the concrete driveway still wore

12:43

a few marks that would not clean up. I

12:48

turned the volume up on the movie in an attempt

12:50

to block out the voice.

12:56

The voice called out, growing louder by the

12:58

second. It wasn't as though he was

13:00

shouting, more like his vocal tones

13:02

elevated in the same way I had to turn

13:05

up the sound on the TV.

13:07

Hesitantly, I crept over to

13:09

the window to peer outside. I

13:11

saw no evidence of anyone or anything.

13:14

The whole neighborhood appeared to be at rest, but

13:17

I still heard the man behind the door.

13:19

Just let me in. I won't hurt

13:21

you.

13:22

I promise. I quietly

13:24

carried the same chair over to gaze through the

13:26

peephole.

13:27

I froze in place after I accidentally

13:29

bumped wood to wood while attempting to position

13:32

my prop.

13:33

I know you're in there, kid. Let

13:35

me in. Please? Once

13:38

more, I climbed up to glance through the small,

13:40

circular hole to see nobody there.

13:43

Only the deserted lawn had lightly crimson

13:46

stained driveway. Come on kid.

13:49

You can save me.

13:50

You know that, right?

13:52

I could see not the slightest sign of anyone

13:54

or anything.

13:56

I even attempted to look downward through the tiny,

13:58

circular spyglass.

13:59

theorizing someone may be crouched

14:02

down, though the voice sounded as

14:04

though it was coming from just beyond where I stood.

14:07

I tried to convince myself that I had simply eaten

14:09

way too much candy or had possibly

14:12

knocked myself senseless while sliding down

14:14

the steps.

14:15

After a few more minutes of the invisible stranger

14:18

muttering from behind the door, I decided

14:20

to just turn off the TV and head to bed. Even

14:23

after I turned on the box fan I used to

14:25

provide ambient sound to help me sleep, I

14:28

still heard the voice, which now sounded

14:30

like it was coming from directly behind my second

14:33

floor window.

14:34

I sandwiched my head between two pillows, but

14:37

it made little difference in the volume of the cries

14:39

for help. Don't go to sleep and leave

14:41

me out here kid, all you have to

14:43

do is just let me in.

14:45

It wasn't until I saw the light traces

14:47

across the far wall of my bedroom, signifying

14:50

my parents' arrival that the voice fell

14:52

silent.

14:53

For years it carried on like that,

14:56

always around midnight and only when

14:58

I was alone.

14:59

I got to the point of practically begging my

15:01

folks not to leave when they would inevitably

15:03

head out for the night,

15:05

and even requested a babysitter when they would.

15:08

They agreed to my request for someone to watch

15:10

over me while they were gone,

15:12

but that ended just a little after I turned

15:14

twelve.

15:15

Sometimes I was able to arrange a sleepover

15:17

with a friend, but there would still be those times

15:20

I could not weasel my way out of being alone

15:22

as the hour approached. Regardless

15:25

of how often the voice would return, I

15:27

was never able to just ignore it or push it

15:29

to the recesses of my mind while I focused

15:32

on other things. When my parents would

15:34

be gone at night, the voice wouldn't stop

15:36

until I finally drifted off to sleep, which

15:39

always required quite the struggle to achieve.

15:42

As the years progressed, and my school days

15:44

ended, I went off to college where I

15:46

would have a roommate for the first time. Though

15:49

I would involve myself in any activity

15:51

that would keep me from being alone in my dorm

15:53

room after hours, there were still those

15:55

times I would once again be at the mercy of

15:57

the voice behind my door.

16:00

No matter where I went in life, the stranger

16:02

would follow, though there would

16:04

never be evidence of his presence aside

16:06

from the desperate plea and knocks on the door.

16:09

After college, I still maintained a roommate

16:12

to avoid as many late-night visits as I

16:14

could, though it would not keep them away

16:16

entirely. I couldn't exactly

16:18

forbid my housemate from having a life after

16:21

all. For some years, I would

16:23

only have to worry about the cries for help around

16:25

the weekends, as we had similar work

16:27

schedules. Unfortunately, when

16:30

my roommate decided to move in with his girlfriend,

16:32

I was out of luck. Sure,

16:35

I attempted to get another roomie, but my

16:37

erratic and desperate behavior freaked

16:39

out most interested parties. So,

16:42

every single night after my housemate moved

16:44

out, the knocking and screaming came.

16:47

No matter how hard I tried to ignore it, the

16:49

volume would crank up higher and higher every

16:52

damn time. I even tried

16:54

checking into a busy motel for a night, hoping

16:56

that the crowded hallways would keep it away, but

16:59

no.

17:00

As long as I was alone in my room, the

17:02

pounding would begin again around midnight

17:04

without fail. For months,

17:07

I fought against my slipping sanity, but

17:09

I could never block it out. Earplugs?

17:12

Nope. Headphones with blaring music?

17:15

Nope. Nothing would keep the man's

17:17

begs for help from reaching my ears. I

17:19

would just scream myself out sometimes, perhaps

17:22

from the burgeoning madness of it all, or

17:24

just the hopelessness of being unable to escape

17:26

it. Finally, after

17:29

far too many sleepless nights to count, I

17:31

couldn't tolerate it anymore.

17:33

As many times before, I gazed through

17:35

the peephole to see nobody there, though

17:38

the calls and knocks still echoed through.

17:41

With a heavy sigh, and a racing

17:43

heart that felt as though it would crack through my

17:45

sternum, I wrapped my trembling fingers

17:47

around the door knob and pulled it open. My

17:51

jaw practically fell onto my chest when my eyes met

17:53

the shredded figure before me.

17:55

Half of his face had been torn away, leaving

17:58

a reddened skull with strips of

18:00

meaty tissue where skin once lay.

18:03

His left arm had been ripped from the shoulder,

18:05

and it was hard to differentiate the bloodied muscle

18:08

and bone from the clumped threads of the shirt

18:10

and hoodie that remained. His

18:12

gut was splayed open, with oozing

18:14

intestines hanging to the ground in a scarlet

18:16

pool, and both of his legs were a

18:19

gruesome combination of moist ground

18:21

beef and bone, with little holding

18:23

them together.

18:24

Somehow, his right arm was the

18:27

only part of him free of any manner of

18:29

injury, which he still held outstretched

18:31

in front of him, with his fingers balled

18:33

into a fist in preparation to knock once

18:36

more. Thanks, man, he

18:38

said, trying to smile with the one

18:40

side of his face that still had the ability to

18:42

do so.

18:43

You're a lifesaver. We just

18:45

stared at one another for a moment, before

18:47

he just dropped to the ground before me. With

18:50

a series of snapping and squishing sounds,

18:53

his body twisted and compressed, curling

18:55

and folding while it smoked, bubbled and

18:57

pocked, shrinking down and dissolving

18:59

into the fuzzy welcome mat and concrete

19:02

pavement surrounding it. Within

19:04

seconds, all that remained of the stranger,

19:06

who was only visible through the open door, was

19:09

no more than a charred, crimson stain

19:11

on the ground.

19:12

I kicked at the damp mat that still wore

19:15

the marks of many dirty feet, combined

19:17

with the new red and burnt black, to

19:19

find nothing more than stains hidden beneath

19:22

it. Though my mind was reeling and

19:24

my mouth still hung agape, I strolled

19:26

across the pathway that led away from my house,

19:29

nudging the mat towards the garbage can that

19:31

stood at the end of the driveway.

19:33

I picked up the carpeted sheet, which

19:36

was no longer embosed with a welcoming greeting

19:38

to those who may approach, only segments

19:40

of what was once lettering in between the

19:43

gruesome blotches.

19:44

I held it by the lone, unblemished

19:47

corner, studying it with my upper

19:49

lip upturned in disgust before dropping

19:51

it into my trash bucket.

19:53

I stood outside,

19:55

staring back at my house with my head in a

19:57

daze.

19:58

Could that really be all I had to do?

19:59

to put an end to this madness?

20:02

Would my nightly visits finally be over?

20:05

I began to cackle like a crazy person,

20:07

the pure insanity of what had tortured me for

20:09

years almost causing my fragile mind

20:12

to fracture.

20:13

I paced back up to my open door, feeling

20:16

as though my remaining marbles may indeed

20:18

be rolling out of the confines of my noggin

20:20

for good.

20:21

Before I could reach the entry to my home, I

20:24

heard the sound of frantic movement from behind

20:26

me. I whipped around to see

20:28

three shadowy figures approaching me from

20:30

across the street, the same creatures I

20:32

had seen that night. I

20:35

screamed at the top of my lungs, hauling ass

20:37

back through my doorway, slamming it shut behind

20:39

me. I quickly flipped the deadbolt

20:41

latch and pressed my back to the door, while

20:44

the creatures rammed into it on the other side. The

20:47

violent collision with the meager slab of wood

20:49

almost knocked me to the carpet. I could

20:51

feel my

20:51

chest heaving while my pulse throbbed

20:53

beneath my skin. The inch of

20:56

my trembling goose-flesh felt as though it was

20:58

lined with cold sweat as I gasped for

21:00

air. Horrible, wailing howls

21:03

blended with something that resembled the

21:05

sound a wood chipper might make if someone were

21:07

to toss fifty pounds of frozen food into

21:09

it squalled from outside. For

21:12

one reason or another, they did not attack the

21:14

actual door again after the initial slam

21:16

from the quickly ceased high-speed pursuit.

21:19

I had no doubt, were they to attempt to

21:21

force

21:21

their way in, my simple locks

21:24

would not keep them at bay for long. I

21:26

glanced through the peephole again to see the trio

21:28

just pacing back and forth, their figures

21:31

dark voids in the night. Each

21:33

of them were quite large, easily twice

21:36

or three times the size of a normal person.

21:38

The only thing I could make out in the shadows

21:41

that were their bodies were the three pairs

21:43

of enlarged eyes glowing a vibrant

21:45

orange. Once I finally managed

21:48

to somehow gather my bearings while realizing

21:50

that yet another sleepless night was ahead of

21:52

me. I drew my largest kitchen

21:55

knife from the rack beside my stove, sat

21:57

on the couch, and just stared at my front door.

22:00

Still trembling from head to toe, of

22:02

course, I had no idea if the paltry

22:05

blade used for preparing meat would provide

22:07

any defense at all, but it was better than

22:09

nothing.

22:10

I just held my fingers tightly around the hilt

22:12

like a safety blanket while praying that they would

22:15

not attempt to force their way inside.

22:17

At some point, I must have fallen asleep.

22:20

I awoke to find myself slumped across

22:22

the couch, with the blade having slipped from

22:24

my fingers, lying on the floor next

22:26

to where I slept.

22:28

I was still groggy and somewhat achy

22:30

from my uncomfortable sleeping posture,

22:32

but I was instantly aware that there were no

22:34

sounds coming from outside.

22:36

I could only hope that the creatures had moved on,

22:39

though I was quite reluctant to investigate.

22:42

I hesitantly pulled my door open, to

22:44

reveal nothing but the stained concrete behind

22:46

it.

22:47

I still felt on edge for the rest of the day, but

22:50

nothing else appeared out of place while I went on

22:52

about my daily grind.

22:54

Sure, I would practically jump out of my skin

22:56

any time I heard an unexpected sound, but

22:59

I hoped things had returned to normal.

23:01

Well, normal for my life, anyway. It

23:04

wasn't until I was on my way home, after

23:06

dining with some friends after work, that I understood

23:09

the new troubling situation I would be forced

23:11

to endure.

23:13

The sun began to set while I drove back to

23:15

my house, something that never made me

23:17

nervous before.

23:18

Not until midday, anyway.

23:21

By the time I arrived on my street, the world

23:23

was illuminated by the subtle glow of the moon,

23:26

as well as the street lamps lining my neighbourhood.

23:29

It was then that I started to hear the howls

23:31

again. I darted my eyes to the rearview

23:33

mirror to see the trio of shadows speeding

23:35

at me from behind. I slammed my foot

23:37

to the floor, causing my Nissan to speed

23:40

faster across the road to my house than I

23:42

ever would have dared before.

23:44

I was terrified at the idea of kids playing

23:46

on the street, or absent-minded drivers

23:48

drifting into my lane, but I had to

23:50

outrun those things and reach the safety of my

23:52

home.

23:53

I skidded into my driveway, feeling

23:56

my right tires lift from the ground as

23:58

the left one spun to a halt. tearing

24:00

into the grass and dirt of my front lawn. My

24:03

heart was hammering against my chest again. While

24:05

I sprinted to the front door, I could

24:07

practically feel the foul breath of the demonic

24:09

creatures on the back of my neck as I fumbled

24:11

my key against the knob in an attempt to gain

24:13

entry. I dared not look

24:16

behind me until I finally achieved access,

24:18

stumbling across the threshold and falling to the

24:20

floor. I just skidded back across

24:22

the carpet and thrust my foot against the door, slamming

24:25

it shut.

24:26

I quickly rolled over, reaching my shivering

24:28

hand up to latch my lock, just

24:31

as I heard and felt the hard slam

24:33

of the monstrous creatures beginning another

24:35

night of their atrocious whales calling from

24:37

outside.

24:41

This is how I live now.

24:43

I never stay out after dark, no matter

24:45

what.

24:46

I feel a panic attack building up whenever

24:48

I see the sun begin to recede for the night.

24:51

Whether I'm safely behind walls or not.

24:54

I don't date, I don't socialize. Those

24:57

things only lead to the possibility of being

24:59

unable to put a door between me and my stalkers

25:02

when night falls.

25:04

I can't say mine is a happy existence,

25:06

but I'm alive.

25:08

I wonder sometimes if I had allowed

25:10

the stranger entry the first time he begged

25:12

for it.

25:13

Would I be where I am now,

25:15

or would he have transferred this curse to me

25:17

sooner?

25:18

Somehow I doubt I'll ever have

25:20

answers,

25:21

but there has to be a way out of this, right?

25:24

If you take nothing else from this tale, just

25:27

remember this.

25:28

Yes, you don't know me.

25:30

I have neither described myself nor have

25:32

I shared much about who I really am.

25:35

You may not exactly know it's me, but

25:37

should I ever come knocking on your door after

25:39

dark, no matter how hard I beg,

25:42

no matter how much I cry, do not

25:44

even acknowledge me.

25:45

But for God's sake, don't

25:48

let me in.

26:46

My name is Nicholas

26:48

DeRoso. I'm looking for my

26:50

sister, Sadie, who disappeared

26:53

a long time ago. This is Solomon

26:55

Crockett recording. It's been six

26:57

hours since Nick crossed over, and

26:59

he still hasn't called. If he doesn't

27:01

come back alive, I'll kill him. In

27:04

this 16-part investigative podcast,

27:07

we'll be searching for her and

27:09

for others.

27:10

You don't understand. There's

27:13

honest-to-God monsters out there.

27:16

There is no coming back.

27:17

You see, I think we found

27:20

where she went. It's a place

27:22

beyond the veil. A suburb

27:24

of sorts. Called Shelterwood. Things

27:27

work differently here than they do on your side. Our

27:30

ways are not your ways. You

27:33

may not believe in Shelterwood yet. In

27:35

the good of Shelterwood. But

27:37

trust that I do. Shelterwood,

27:40

a suburban gothic, is crowdfunding now.

27:43

Go to bit.ly slash ShelterwoodPod

27:45

for more

27:46

details.