Hikers took a selfie after a night in the cabin, but what was behind froze them. Jason and Emily wanted a peaceful weekend away from city life. They found a small, cozy cabin deep in the forest. It had a fireplace, a wooden table, and one bed. That first night, they heard strange sounds outside, soft footsteps, knocks on the wall, and whispers.
Emily stayed awake, feeling like someone was watching them. The next morning, they tried to shake it off. Before hiking, Emily took a selfie of them standing in front of the cabin. But when she checked the photo, her hands began to shake. In the dark doorway behind them, a second flash appeared, like someone else had taken a photo at the same moment.
Jason rushed inside, thinking someone might be in the cabin, but what he saw inside was impossible to believe. Jason stood inside the cabin. His heart was beating fast. Everything looked normal, but something felt wrong. The air was cold, too cold. He called out, but no one answered. Emily stayed outside.
She held her phone tightly and stared at the dark doorway. Jason checked the bedroom. Then he walked into the bathroom. That’s when he saw something strange. The mirror was fogged up, like someone had just taken a hot shower, but they hadn’t used the bathroom at all. He wiped the glass and froze.
Words were written on the mirror with a finger. This is my cabin. You are not welcome, Jason ran outside. Emily, he said, someone’s been here. She looked shocked. Who wrote that? She asked. Jason shook his head. I don’t know. They searched the cabin again. Jason noticed a big cabinet near the kitchen. It looked like it had been moved before.
He pushed it aside and found a small door behind it. The door led outside, hidden by thick bushes. “Someone could have used this to come and go without being seen,” Jason said. Emily nodded. She looked pale. Then Jason saw something else. The washer and dryer in the corner looked strange, like they had been moved, too. Jason and Emily pushed them aside.
Underneath, they found a hidden trap door. Jason opened it. A bad smell came up from the hole. He pointed his flashlight inside. A dirty mattress lay on the floor. Around it were food wrappers and a half full water bottle. Someone had been living there, right under their feet. Emily stepped back. He was under us the whole time, she whispered.
Jason closed the hatch. We’re leaving, he said. Just as they stepped outside, they heard a branch snap. A man in a yellow jacket stood near the trees. He raised his hands. Please don’t be scared, he said. I just want to talk. Jason asked. Who are you? My name is Kevin, the man said. That cabin belonged to my mother. My father stole it from her in the divorce.
She died sad. He now rents it to strangers. I had nowhere to go, so I stayed under the cabin. I didn’t want anyone else living here. It’s all I have left of her. Jason said, “I’m a journalist. If you have proof, I can help. Kevin nodded and handed him a folder. This is everything. Weeks later, Jason’s article went viral.
Kevin’s father gave the cabin back. One day, Jason got a letter from Kevin. It said, “Thank you. I’m home.