Just My Imagination

Amy had driven past this house on her way to work every day for the past 6 years. Admiring the white picket fence, cute cozy porch and welcoming windows. "If only I could have a place like this," she thought, "My whole life would be different."

Mid July, it happened. As she made her way to work, she noticed the newly staked sale sign, on the freshly mown lawn. Without hesitation, she pulled into the drive and dialed the number on the sign. Peeking through the windows as she talked. She giggled with excitement as the relator repeated, okay, miss Amy, I will see you this afternoon at 3.

She knew immediately as she stepped through the front door, that it was everything she'd imagined. From the wooden porch swing out front and the leaded glass windows, to the complete playset on the perfectly manicured lawn. It took her less than 15 minutes to announce to the realtor, she just had to have it.

Two short weeks later, she and her 7 year old son, Tate, began moving their belongings in. A few of the neighbors came over to welcome them into the neighborhood and to their surprise, the block was full of kids Tate's age. They had never before felt so at home.

They had been living in their home for nearly a year when Tate began to complain about having some recurring nightmares. He told Amy that he would wake to the sounds of a man calling him from under his bed. Amy was quick to check it out, and reassure Tate that everything was fine and that there was absolutely no one under his bed, or in anywhere in the house. A temporary calm washed over Tate, knowing his mom would never let anything happen to him.

Weeks went by with no mention of the dreams, until that night.

They'd been at a neighborhood barbeque all day and it was late in the evening when they stumbled back home and into their beds. Amy and Tate hollered happy goodnights down the hall and turned off the lights.

Only a sliver of light from the streetlight outside, crossed Tate's floor, as Amy hurried into his room. He had awakened her with screams for help, down the hall.

Amy crawled into his bed, trying to reassure him it was a bad dream. He explained how real the voice was and how close to him it sounded. He swore that someone had to be in the house. Amy pulled out her phone and opened her security app. Room after room she showed Tate that no one was in their home and they were safe.

As Tate fell asleep, Amy heard a noise, a male voice whispering her name from under the bed. She gently rolled onto the floor, using the flashlight of her phone to illuminate the space, she found herself face to face with a man smiling at her.

The police answered a 911 call to an empty house.