The Bedroom Window That Was Never There

A Normal Room
Lily’s bedroom was nothing special.

Bed, bookshelf, lamp shaped like a cloud, blue walls, one window that faced her backyard, and a desk where she never finished her homework. She lived with her mom, who worked night shifts at the hospital, so Lily was often home alone from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

No big deal—she was brave. Or at least, she used to be.

Until the night the second window showed up.

It happened around 1:13 a.m.

She had been drawing in her sketchbook, lying on her bed with headphones on, when she felt a breeze.

But… her window was closed.

She looked up.

And on the wall opposite her bed—where there had never been a window before—was now a square frame, slightly cracked open, with cool air seeping in.

She blinked.

Rubbed her eyes.

The window was still there.

Chapter 2: Outside the New Window
Lily got up and slowly walked toward it. The window looked old, with chipped black paint on the wooden frame, and four small panes of glass so dusty it was hard to see through.

But when she peeked?

She didn’t see her backyard.

She didn’t see anything from her house.

Instead, it was a long, foggy field. Gray grass. No trees. No buildings. Just endless mist and one thing in the middle:

A tall, crooked scarecrow.

It wasn’t facing her. It stood with its back turned, like it was looking off into the distance.

A chill ran through her.

She slammed the window shut and backed away.

But she couldn’t stop looking.

There had never been a window there before.

And that field? It wasn’t real.

Not in her world, anyway.

Chapter 3: It Moved
Lily told herself not to look again.

But when the wind came back the next night, she peeked.

This time, the scarecrow was closer.

Still turned away. But now she could see the stitches in its coat, and how its shoulders were crooked. Like one arm was longer than the other.

She slammed it shut again.

But before she turned away, she noticed something scratched into the wooden windowsill:

“DO NOT OPEN.”

She ran to her desk, grabbed a sticky note, and stuck it right below the window with her own message:

“GO AWAY.”

Chapter 4: 1:13 A.M.
Every night, the window opened at the same time—1:13 a.m.

It didn’t matter if she locked it. It didn’t matter if she taped it shut. It creaked open anyway.

And the scarecrow?

It kept getting closer.

By night four, it was right at the edge of the window.

Still not facing her.

But now she could see its hat was sewn from human skin.

That night, she slept in the hallway.

Chapter 5: The Note
The next morning, her sticky note was gone.

In its place was a scrap of old paper, folded three times.

She unfolded it slowly.

It read:

“Turn around.”

She dropped the paper like it was on fire.

She was alone in the room.

But she didn’t turn around.

She refused.

Chapter 6: Mom Doesn’t Believe Her
When her mom got home from work, Lily begged her to look at the window.

But when they entered the room—it was gone.

Just a blank wall.

Lily tried everything. Took pictures (they turned up blank). Drew it in her sketchbook. Described it over and over.

But her mom just said she was lonely, tired, maybe dreaming.

“I’m not dreaming,” Lily whispered.

Her mom patted her shoulder and left the room.

That night, at 1:13 a.m., the window returned.

So did the scarecrow.

Chapter 7: It Knocks
Lily tried wearing headphones. Tried hiding under her blanket. But that night, it wasn’t just wind.

It was knocking.

Soft at first.

Then louder.

Then a voice.

Scratchy. Croaky.

“Open the window, Lily.”

She froze.

How did it know her name?

“I’ve been waiting to come in.”

She couldn’t move.

Couldn’t scream.

Just pulled her blanket tighter and prayed it would be morning soon.

Chapter 8: Under the Bed
At 3 a.m., the knocking stopped.

She peeked out.

The window was shut.

She dared to stand.

And that’s when she heard it.

A whisper—not from the wall this time.

From under her bed.

She slowly bent down and lifted the edge of her blanket.

And in the darkness, she saw—

Two black hands.

Not grabbing.

Not moving.

Just… waiting.

She screamed.

Ran from the room.

Slept on the stairs that night.

Chapter 9: The Friend Who Believed Her
Lily finally told her best friend, Jules.

Jules didn’t laugh.

Instead, she came over with a flashlight, a journal, and a pack of salt.

“My grandma says spirits can’t cross salt,” Jules whispered. “We’re making a circle.”

They did.

They sat in the middle of the room, candles flickering, salt all around them.

And at 1:13?

The window opened.

The scarecrow stood in the opening.

But this time… it turned.

Lily gasped.

It had her face.

Jules screamed.

The scarecrow stepped forward.

But the salt held.

For now.

Chapter 10: The Final Night
That night, Lily had a dream.

She was inside the gray field. The scarecrow stood ahead.

But this time, it wasn’t wearing her face—it was wearing her.

Like she was trapped inside it.

She tried to scream but couldn’t.

The scarecrow turned its head—and whispered in her voice:

“Let me back in.”

She woke up, gasping.

The salt line had been broken.

The window was wide open.

Chapter 11: Gone
Jules came by the next morning.

But Lily wasn’t there.

Her mom said she left for school.

But she never arrived.

They searched the house.

The backyard.

The woods.

But she was gone.

In Lily’s room, the wall where the window used to be looked… different.

If you squinted, you could still see the outline of a frame.

And scratched into the wood:

“1:13”

Epilogue: Who’s Next?
They say the window sometimes shows up again.

Not in Lily’s house.

But in others.

Always at 1:13 a.m.

Always bringing a breeze.

Always with the same scarecrow, waiting patiently in the mist.

And if it turns to face you?

If it knows your name?

Don’t open it.

Because if you do… it might take your face next.