This is Unnerving…
We all have a story about something that’s unnerving, and I’m here to share those stories. So, without further ado, let’s get into it.
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My brother and his wife went to visit her parents and asked me if I could watch the house while they were gone. I was studying for finals (I’m a psych major), so I gladly agreed. They live in a nice house next to the river in Portland, so the silence would be a welcome change of scenery. I got to their house, they gave me the keys, and left. I carried my stuff inside, settled in, and started studying. When my stomach rumbled, I realised it was time for lunch. I got to the kitchen and noticed something strange. Every single knife in the kitchen was missing. There weren’t even butter knives. I ended up using the back of a spoon to butter my bread. I ate, got some coffee, and went back to studying.
I only realised it was getting dark when I started struggling to read. I got up to switch on the lights, and noticed something strange. The light switch was taped down with duct tape. This made me a little uneasy. I gently peeled off the tape, switched on the light, and walked back to the sofa. But when I got there, all my books were gone. I looked around and saw all the windows were open. I walked over, closed all of them, and drew the curtains. Then I walked to the front door to go put the sliding lock on, and noticed something strange. My books were in front of the door in a neat pile, and the sliding lock was already in place. This gave me goosebumps. Was I going insane? I heard a kitchen drawer opening up and a plate smashing on the floor, so I ran into the kitchen.
Every single drawer and cupboard door was open, and all the plates were stacked in a single towering pile. Movement outside the window caught my eye, and I saw a man passing by. Then all the lights went off, and the plates crashed to the floor. I ran to grab my phone, but it was gone. I decided to make a run for the neighbour’s house, but when I got to the front door, it was wide open. I saw the man standing on the front lawn. I slammed the door shut, locked it, and ran upstairs. I locked myself in the bathroom.
I heard a faint rattling sound and turned around to see the doorknob slowly turning. I held my breath, trying to not make a sound. The doorknob stopped turning, and there were three soft knocks on the door. A male voice spoke gently.
“Beth? Can you unlock the door, honey?”
That’s strange. That sounded like my brother’s voice, and he never calls me Beth. He says it makes me sound like an old lady. The doorknob turned again, followed by another three knocks.
“Beth, honey? Please unlock the door.”
I mustered up all of my courage and screamed back.
“You’re not my brother, and my name isn’t Beth!”
Something slammed into the door, making it splinter slightly at the hinges. Then all the lights in the house came on, I heard the front door open and slam shut, and everything was quiet. After a while I unlocked the door and peered out. Nothing seemed out of place. I went to the kitchen to clean up the mess, but everything was closed and there were no broken plates on the floor. I went to the living room, and my books and phone was right where I left it. I checked the light switch, and there was no tape in sight. I felt like I was being gaslit!
Then my phone buzzed, and I saw it was a message from my brother.
“Hey, Bee. Sorry for not calling with this news, but my voice is gone. Dad was killed in a home invasion. We’re on our way back.”
**
That’s all for today. May the sun warm your face, and the moon light your way. If you would like to share your story with me, send it to unnerving13@gmail.com. Please remember to like, share, subscribe, and follow for more.
