WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.800 --> 00:00:04.200 I don't know how many of you will believe this story, 2 00:00:04.719 --> 00:00:07.280 but till today, when I think about it, I feel 3 00:00:07.320 --> 00:00:09.800 a cold shiver rushing down my spine. 4 00:00:09.880 --> 00:00:12.199 I was about ten or eleven years old. Back then. 5 00:00:12.759 --> 00:00:15.279 The winter holidays were about to begin, and I was 6 00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:18.480 getting excited about the yearly family trip that I always 7 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:22.120 took with my parents. But unfortunately, my dad got an 8 00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:24.600 urgent order from his company. He had to go to 9 00:00:24.679 --> 00:00:28.320 Chicago for some serious business meeting. I got very upset 10 00:00:28.359 --> 00:00:32.000 as our winter tour got postponed. Seeing me make an 11 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:34.840 owl face, my mom came up with the idea of 12 00:00:34.920 --> 00:00:37.759 visiting my granny and uncle, living in a small town 13 00:00:37.799 --> 00:00:41.280 in Oregon. My uncle was a fun loving bachelor who 14 00:00:41.320 --> 00:00:44.399 never believed in the idea of marriage. No matter how 15 00:00:44.439 --> 00:00:46.640 many people in our neighborhood mocked him for staying with 16 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:49.600 his old mother in his forties, he never seemed too 17 00:00:49.640 --> 00:00:52.920 bothered by them. He always answered back, as he is 18 00:00:52.960 --> 00:00:55.359 happy to take ahead of the family business of fish 19 00:00:55.439 --> 00:00:58.920 selling while taking care of his old mother. I spend 20 00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:01.679 hours with him doing all kinds of adventures whenever I 21 00:01:01.799 --> 00:01:05.560 visited Grannie, so going to their place sounded more lucrative 22 00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:08.239 to me. Than staying home and doing nothing the entire 23 00:01:08.280 --> 00:01:11.319 winter holiday. My mom and I boarded onto the flight 24 00:01:11.719 --> 00:01:15.120 right after the day Dad left for Chicago. When we 25 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:18.159 arrived there, I got extremely happy to see my Grannie's 26 00:01:18.200 --> 00:01:21.159 beautiful house. I got out of the car and my 27 00:01:21.359 --> 00:01:26.480 uncle opened the door, shouting, here comes Bud. Happy Buzzo 28 00:01:26.560 --> 00:01:30.280 came running towards me while barking loudly in joy. Buzzo 29 00:01:30.359 --> 00:01:32.359 is a Golden Retriever who has been living with my 30 00:01:32.480 --> 00:01:34.120 uncle for the last three years. 31 00:01:34.120 --> 00:01:34.359 Now. 32 00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:37.840 In a few words, he is my uncle's best friend. 33 00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:41.079 Grannie came out and we all greeted each other and 34 00:01:41.120 --> 00:01:44.599 went inside the house. Being the spoiled kid already, my 35 00:01:44.680 --> 00:01:47.879 Grannie and uncle started to pamper me even more. The 36 00:01:47.959 --> 00:01:50.640 dining table got filled with all my favorite dishes and 37 00:01:50.760 --> 00:01:55.359 also my most favorite of them all apple pie. Uncle 38 00:01:55.400 --> 00:01:58.159 served me a huge piece of pie and said, eat 39 00:01:58.159 --> 00:02:00.799 as much as you want, Bud. I'm so happy to 40 00:02:00.840 --> 00:02:04.239 see you. I smiled and hugged him, saying I miss 41 00:02:04.319 --> 00:02:08.120 you all too. After dinner, we played uno, laughed and 42 00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:10.639 joked about my mom's and uncle's childhood incidents. 43 00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:13.599 Then she tucked me in bed, and that night I 44 00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:15.280 got three good night kisses. 45 00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:18.439 I was happy, thinking my winter holiday is going to 46 00:02:18.479 --> 00:02:22.479 be even more fun this year, but things didn't go 47 00:02:22.520 --> 00:02:24.520 as per my expectations. 48 00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:26.159 My uncle used to. 49 00:02:26.199 --> 00:02:29.319 Leave for work early in the morning, naturally, he was 50 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:32.400 the one who always woke up first. One winter morning, 51 00:02:32.639 --> 00:02:36.039 a heavy storm took place. My granny requested my uncle 52 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:37.159 do go. 53 00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:41.319 To work today and snowing heavily outside, but. 54 00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:43.680 My uncle was a headstrong person when it came to 55 00:02:43.719 --> 00:02:47.240 his work. He ignored her as usual and left for work. 56 00:02:47.080 --> 00:02:47.960 In his small truck. 57 00:02:48.840 --> 00:02:51.719 The storm grew wilder and heavier after he left, and 58 00:02:51.800 --> 00:02:54.240 my granny started to become worried sick about him. 59 00:02:54.719 --> 00:02:57.520 She kept on calling him, but my uncle didn't pick up. 60 00:02:58.120 --> 00:03:00.800 When after six hours he didn't come back, we all 61 00:03:00.840 --> 00:03:03.439 got worried and decided to call the cops to go. 62 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:04.719 And look for him. 63 00:03:04.960 --> 00:03:07.759 The cops searched the entire town looking for him, and 64 00:03:07.879 --> 00:03:10.719 around five a m. The next morning, they found my 65 00:03:10.800 --> 00:03:14.599 uncle's upside down pickup truck crashed under a tree. 66 00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:16.479 He was found in the driver's seat dead. 67 00:03:17.159 --> 00:03:19.680 There was a big bruise on his forehead with clotted 68 00:03:19.719 --> 00:03:23.360 blood underneath. All my memories of him started to flash 69 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:25.840 in front of my eyes, and I couldn't hold myself 70 00:03:25.879 --> 00:03:28.439 any more. As a matter of fact, that in the 71 00:03:28.520 --> 00:03:30.680 last hours of his life he didn't get to see 72 00:03:30.680 --> 00:03:33.400 his loved ones was way worse than all of our 73 00:03:33.400 --> 00:03:37.479 accumulated suffering. A holiday turned into an abyss of sorrow 74 00:03:37.639 --> 00:03:41.879 after this shocking incident. The next day, we arranged his 75 00:03:41.960 --> 00:03:44.439 funeral and my dad arrived to support all of us. 76 00:03:44.919 --> 00:03:47.319 One by one, the town people walked up to his 77 00:03:47.400 --> 00:03:51.000 open casket and put flowers on the stand near him. 78 00:03:51.240 --> 00:03:52.199 My grandma was. 79 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:54.319 The last one to go, as she could barely face 80 00:03:54.439 --> 00:03:57.360 this harsh truth. My mom and I held her hand 81 00:03:57.560 --> 00:04:00.560 and we walked to his lying, pale, dead body. As 82 00:04:00.599 --> 00:04:02.919 my grandma stretched out her hand to touch his cheek 83 00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:06.439 for one last time, something terribly crazy took. 84 00:04:06.280 --> 00:04:08.960 Place, scaring the hell out of all of us. 85 00:04:09.400 --> 00:04:12.080 My uncle sat up in his coffin and started to 86 00:04:12.120 --> 00:04:15.800 stare at everyone's face who came for his funeral. My 87 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:19.639 mom fainted screaming, and my grandma yelled in joy. 88 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:25.079 Oh my son, you came back. You're alive. God heard 89 00:04:25.199 --> 00:04:28.519 my prayer. God gave me my son bag. 90 00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:31.279 This was truly a miracle to all of us and 91 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:35.199 accepted that sometimes this does happen. We thought maybe his 92 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:39.079 heart stopped somehow and then started again. Labeling this under 93 00:04:39.079 --> 00:04:43.399 fate and luck. We happily brought him back home. But 94 00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:47.600 after coming home from this absurd situation, my uncle changed 95 00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:48.720 into a different person. 96 00:04:49.279 --> 00:04:51.680 He kept to himself and barely talked to anyone. 97 00:04:52.199 --> 00:04:55.040 He would have just sit in his room, turning off 98 00:04:55.079 --> 00:04:58.759 the lights and stare outside the window for hours. Not 99 00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:03.199 just that, Butz's behavior towards him changed the tea. The dog, 100 00:05:03.240 --> 00:05:06.120 who was ready to die for his master, suddenly feared 101 00:05:06.160 --> 00:05:09.439 to go near him, even for a second. Whenever Uncle 102 00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:12.079 came near him, Buzzo would bark and growl like he 103 00:05:12.199 --> 00:05:15.079 was some kind of stranger to him. What surprised me 104 00:05:15.120 --> 00:05:18.480 even more was that my uncle also started disliking Buzzo 105 00:05:18.879 --> 00:05:22.199 and often avoided him. The bruise on his forehead also 106 00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:26.079 stayed the same, like a birthmark. One evening, I was 107 00:05:26.120 --> 00:05:29.199 sitting in the living room and watching TV. Mom and 108 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:31.839 Dad went out and Grandma was asleep in her room. 109 00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:35.399 My uncle came to me and said, hey, can you 110 00:05:35.480 --> 00:05:38.839 make me a cup of coffee? It's on an important level. 111 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:43.160 Why don't you make it? No, no, no, I am 112 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:47.360 scared to go light up the stove. What why I 113 00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:49.839 can't go near fire? 114 00:05:50.560 --> 00:05:51.720 I'm scared of fire. 115 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:55.519 For the first time I heard the word scared for 116 00:05:55.639 --> 00:05:59.920 my uncle, who never feared anything in this world. That night, 117 00:06:00.360 --> 00:06:02.519 I woke up around one thirty am to go to 118 00:06:02.560 --> 00:06:05.639 the bathroom. The bathroom is downstairs at the end of 119 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:08.399 the corridor, located at the back side of the house. 120 00:06:08.839 --> 00:06:11.040 I was doing my business when I heard a low 121 00:06:11.079 --> 00:06:15.439 moaning sound that dogs make when they get scared. Turning around, 122 00:06:15.759 --> 00:06:19.199 I saw Buzzo standing near the bathroom door and staring 123 00:06:19.240 --> 00:06:23.639 at me with wide, fearful eyes. What what is it, boy, 124 00:06:24.279 --> 00:06:27.160 he moaned once again in a very low voice. I 125 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:29.680 could feel he was trying to tell me something, so 126 00:06:29.800 --> 00:06:32.879 I started following him. Buzzo took me to my uncle's 127 00:06:32.959 --> 00:06:36.600 room and then ran away. I have never seen him 128 00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:39.800 behave this way, so I got a bit startled. The 129 00:06:39.839 --> 00:06:42.920 door of my uncle's room was slightly open, A dim 130 00:06:43.079 --> 00:06:45.399 yellow light was coming from that gap, and I could 131 00:06:45.399 --> 00:06:48.560 hear a weird sound. There's no way I can describe 132 00:06:48.600 --> 00:06:51.120 it till today. But as I peeked in to take 133 00:06:51.160 --> 00:06:54.160 a look inside. In my uncle's bedroom, the blood in 134 00:06:54.199 --> 00:06:55.480 my veins turned cold. 135 00:06:56.079 --> 00:06:57.399 My uncle was standing. 136 00:06:57.120 --> 00:06:59.879 Near the window. He is an average height guy, but 137 00:07:00.120 --> 00:07:03.920 that night he seemed very tall. He was standing there 138 00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:06.800 with a small cutter knife in his hand. What he 139 00:07:06.839 --> 00:07:10.560 did next still gives me nightmares. He made a small 140 00:07:10.600 --> 00:07:13.519 cut on his own wrist and started to suck. 141 00:07:13.279 --> 00:07:14.120 His own blood. 142 00:07:14.759 --> 00:07:18.319 His eyes widened in excitement as his tongue felt the 143 00:07:18.360 --> 00:07:22.920 taste of blood. At that moment, I realized, whoever came 144 00:07:22.959 --> 00:07:26.480 back that day of the funeral is not my uncle anymore. 145 00:07:27.160 --> 00:07:29.839 I wanted to scream, but I also wanted others to 146 00:07:29.879 --> 00:07:31.600 see exactly what I was seeing. 147 00:07:32.360 --> 00:07:35.000 I tiptoed to my parents' room and woke them up. 148 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:38.839 I then brought them downstairs and showed them the same 149 00:07:38.920 --> 00:07:41.560 monstrosity that I witnessed a few moments back. 150 00:07:42.360 --> 00:07:44.879 My uncle's face was all red with blood and his 151 00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:46.560 eyeballs were red. 152 00:07:46.360 --> 00:07:50.000 To I couldn't take this sight anymore and screamed when 153 00:07:50.040 --> 00:07:52.279 my uncle looked back at us and let out a 154 00:07:52.360 --> 00:07:53.319 demonic round. 155 00:07:54.079 --> 00:07:57.240 He then shattered his glass window and escaped, like. 156 00:07:57.199 --> 00:08:01.439 A creature from a different dimention. That was the last 157 00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:10.480 time I saw my uncle. Last winter, I took a 158 00:08:10.519 --> 00:08:13.240 trip to the Alps in Switzerland. I have a huge 159 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:15.959 neck for traveling, so whenever I happened to save time 160 00:08:15.959 --> 00:08:18.399 and money from work, I set out on the roads. 161 00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:22.240 Being an American, I had zero knowledge of German or French, 162 00:08:22.519 --> 00:08:26.199 which are officially spoken in Switzerland. Luckily, I managed to 163 00:08:26.199 --> 00:08:28.680 find a B and B that belonged to an Indian guy, 164 00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:32.279 hence I had no trouble communicating. The house I rented 165 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:35.240 was a small wooden bungalow, perfect for a solo traveler. 166 00:08:35.759 --> 00:08:38.600 The owner told me his watchman lives nearby, so I 167 00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:41.759 won't be having any issue staying there. I was very 168 00:08:41.799 --> 00:08:45.399 excited about this trip, and going to Switzerland had always. 169 00:08:45.039 --> 00:08:46.320 Been my dream. 170 00:08:46.639 --> 00:08:48.840 After a long drive, when I finally made it to 171 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:52.840 the location, my heart and mind started to dance in joy. 172 00:08:52.879 --> 00:08:56.159 The place was beautiful. There was a house in the 173 00:08:56.200 --> 00:08:58.840 distance on the foothills of the mountain. In front of 174 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:01.639 the snow covered wooden bung stood a lake that was 175 00:09:01.639 --> 00:09:02.840 frozen like an iceberg. 176 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:05.799 There was another house bigger than mine. 177 00:09:05.480 --> 00:09:07.799 That sat on the opposite side of me, so the 178 00:09:07.799 --> 00:09:10.759 frozen lake was like a division between these two houses. 179 00:09:11.559 --> 00:09:14.639 Hearing the sound of the cab a short slightly overweighted 180 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:16.720 man came out of the house with a big smile 181 00:09:16.759 --> 00:09:20.519 on his face. I understood he is the watchman. He 182 00:09:20.559 --> 00:09:23.960 introduced himself to me and we exchanged greetings. He then 183 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:26.879 picked up my luggage and went inside the house. I 184 00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:29.279 was about to follow him when I noticed the window 185 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:31.000 of the house on the other side of the lake. 186 00:09:31.639 --> 00:09:33.919 It happened in a fraction of a second, but I 187 00:09:34.000 --> 00:09:37.360 surely felt someone move away from the window, drawing the curtains, 188 00:09:37.879 --> 00:09:40.759 so I was being watched from the moment I stepped 189 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:44.639 down from the cab, I uttered to myself, Welcome to 190 00:09:44.679 --> 00:09:49.240 the neighborhood. Even though the bungalow seemed simple from the outside, 191 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:52.600 it was like a charm from the inside. The living 192 00:09:52.639 --> 00:09:55.639 room had a fireplace with antique designs carved on its mantle. 193 00:09:56.240 --> 00:10:00.159 A revolving wooden staircase led to the bedrooms upstairs. It 194 00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:02.600 seemed like a pile of cotton, and I immediately wanted 195 00:10:02.600 --> 00:10:05.360 to jump in for a long needed nap. A small 196 00:10:05.399 --> 00:10:08.080 balcony was also attached to the bedroom to enjoy the 197 00:10:08.159 --> 00:10:10.279 view outside with a hot cup of coffee in the 198 00:10:10.320 --> 00:10:13.759 winter morning. In a few words, I was in love 199 00:10:13.799 --> 00:10:17.759 with the place. The moment I entered, the watchman was helpful. 200 00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:20.440 He started the fireplace and took me to the storage 201 00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:22.679 to show me the amount of food and groceries stocked 202 00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:26.000 for my stay. I always loved cookie my food, and 203 00:10:26.080 --> 00:10:28.799 that's why I preferred be and be'es to hotel. He 204 00:10:28.840 --> 00:10:30.919 made me some hot chocolate and handed me over the 205 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:34.320 keys to leave for home. Out of curiosity, I asked 206 00:10:34.360 --> 00:10:37.320 him who lives in the house opposite me, to which 207 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:40.440 he replied an old man in his late fifties. It 208 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:42.679 took me by a little surprise that an old man 209 00:10:42.759 --> 00:10:45.639 lives alone in that big house, but then I thought 210 00:10:46.120 --> 00:10:47.639 it's none of my business. 211 00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:50.279 So I better let it be. The watchman had bit 212 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:51.919 me good night, and I locked the door. 213 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:54.679 Once he left, I took a hot shower that washed 214 00:10:54.679 --> 00:10:56.799 off my stress, and then came down to the living 215 00:10:56.879 --> 00:10:59.559 room with my laptop and a pack of cigarettes. I 216 00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:01.720 poured him myself a glass of whiskey and set on 217 00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:03.919 a big arm chair near the fireplace to work on 218 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:07.000 my article. I worked for an hour or so, and 219 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:09.799 then had dinner and went to bed early. I was 220 00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:12.519 really tired, so once my head hit the soft pillow, 221 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:16.879 sleep fell into my eyes like a sweet dream. Around 222 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:20.120 two in the morning, I woke up hearing noises outside. 223 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:22.759 In my drowsy state of mind, it took me some 224 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:25.759 time to figure out these noises, but after paying attention, 225 00:11:26.200 --> 00:11:29.519 it sounded like a little girl's laughter and a dog barking. 226 00:11:30.120 --> 00:11:32.360 I got up and walked to the window to look outside, 227 00:11:32.840 --> 00:11:35.440 but I didn't see anyone. I thought maybe it was 228 00:11:35.480 --> 00:11:38.080 a drunken dream, so I came back to bed and 229 00:11:38.159 --> 00:11:41.519 went to sleep again. The next morning, when I woke up, 230 00:11:41.879 --> 00:11:45.360 the valley looked even snowier. It seemed like there had 231 00:11:45.399 --> 00:11:49.080 been heavy snowfall last night. I made myself a brewing 232 00:11:49.159 --> 00:11:51.320 cup of coffee and came out to the balcony to 233 00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:54.080 enjoy it like it supposed to. I must have taken 234 00:11:54.080 --> 00:11:56.440 two or three steps when I saw two tiny figures 235 00:11:56.440 --> 00:11:59.879 approaching behind a snow covered pine tree. Their cackles could 236 00:11:59.879 --> 00:12:02.879 be heard even from quite a distance. A little girl 237 00:12:03.039 --> 00:12:05.279 dressed in winter clothes came running near the frozen lake 238 00:12:05.320 --> 00:12:08.039 with her dog. The dog was so fluffy that it 239 00:12:08.120 --> 00:12:09.799 almost tumbled down the snow trying to. 240 00:12:09.720 --> 00:12:12.279 Make its way. The little girl laughed like a ray 241 00:12:12.279 --> 00:12:14.679 of sunshine watching her dog. Is so funny. 242 00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:18.039 A smile came to my face as well as witnessing 243 00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:20.759 these two playing in the snow. The dog was chasing 244 00:12:20.759 --> 00:12:23.360 the girl, barking loudly as she was dodging him. 245 00:12:23.360 --> 00:12:24.799 Laughing like a pretty Barbie doll. 246 00:12:25.639 --> 00:12:27.679 I was thinking to join them when my eyes went 247 00:12:27.720 --> 00:12:29.919 to the window of the neighboring house and I saw 248 00:12:29.960 --> 00:12:32.480 a weird looking old man sitting on his balcony with 249 00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:36.240 binoculars and staring at that kid. I mean, she was 250 00:12:36.240 --> 00:12:39.279 completely visible with naked eyes, so I didn't see any 251 00:12:39.320 --> 00:12:41.600 reason why this old man would be using binoculars like 252 00:12:41.679 --> 00:12:44.200 a creep. It could have been an issue of his eyesight, 253 00:12:44.320 --> 00:12:47.360 but the look on his face and the anxiety in his. 254 00:12:47.440 --> 00:12:49.120 Movement disturbed me a bit. 255 00:12:49.720 --> 00:12:52.639 He suddenly looked at me and immediately rushed inside in 256 00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:55.159 a hurry, as I caught him red handed in a crime. 257 00:12:56.039 --> 00:12:58.720 His behavior gave me the creep, so I decided to 258 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:01.000 watch over this kid and her dog until her parents 259 00:13:01.080 --> 00:13:04.679 come for her. I yelled from my balcony, Hey, what's 260 00:13:04.679 --> 00:13:07.639 your name, kiddo, But she was so busy playing that 261 00:13:07.720 --> 00:13:11.000 she didn't look at me once. I came downstairs, thinking 262 00:13:11.000 --> 00:13:12.919 to join them, but as soon as I came out, 263 00:13:13.480 --> 00:13:16.360 they were gone. I felt bad disrupting them in the 264 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:19.320 middle of their fun time and came back inside. But 265 00:13:19.399 --> 00:13:22.159 I couldn't stop thinking about this freaky old man next door. 266 00:13:23.000 --> 00:13:25.320 For the next few days, I watched the girl and 267 00:13:25.360 --> 00:13:26.360 her dog come here and. 268 00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:27.360 Play on the frozen lake. 269 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:30.039 I never saw any adult with him, and this old 270 00:13:30.120 --> 00:13:32.720 man always eyed them with his binoculars. 271 00:13:33.480 --> 00:13:35.080 A week went by and I was on the. 272 00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:37.320 Verse to speak up against the creepy behavior of the 273 00:13:37.320 --> 00:13:40.919 neighbor next door when something terrible happened to change my 274 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:44.200 life forever. It was the coldest winter night and heavy 275 00:13:44.200 --> 00:13:48.080 snowfall was going outside. I was feeling a bit bored. Also, 276 00:13:48.399 --> 00:13:50.360 I didn't see that cute girl and her dog the 277 00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:53.200 entire day. I thought maybe her parents didn't let her 278 00:13:53.200 --> 00:13:56.080 out of the house today. Honestly, it did worry me 279 00:13:56.120 --> 00:13:58.480 a bit whenever they played on that lake. I mean, 280 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:01.639 the ice surfaces are not that thick on every spot. 281 00:14:02.279 --> 00:14:04.559 This is also a firm reason why I kept deny 282 00:14:04.679 --> 00:14:07.159 on them whenever they came to play. I couldn't feel 283 00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:12.000 more angry thinking about how irresponsible her parents are. Anyways, 284 00:14:12.360 --> 00:14:14.480 I was heavily drunk that night and dozed off on 285 00:14:14.519 --> 00:14:17.879 the living room couch. Around two thirty in the morning, 286 00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:20.399 I heard the little girl's laughter and the barking of 287 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:23.320 the dog. I got up, thinking, what the hell are 288 00:14:23.320 --> 00:14:26.200 they doing here so late? As I peeked outside the window, 289 00:14:26.600 --> 00:14:28.840 I saw the girl scanting on the frozen lake amidst 290 00:14:28.840 --> 00:14:32.000 the heavy snowfall, and her dog playfully jumping around her. 291 00:14:32.480 --> 00:14:35.799 I screamed, opening the window. You shouldn't be out here 292 00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:38.399 at this time. Did your parents know that you guys 293 00:14:38.480 --> 00:14:41.440 left the house in such weather? But as usual, she 294 00:14:41.480 --> 00:14:43.600 didn't look at me or pay any attention to what 295 00:14:43.679 --> 00:14:46.879 I said. Suddenly my eyes went to the house on 296 00:14:46.919 --> 00:14:48.919 the other side of the lake, and I saw that 297 00:14:49.000 --> 00:14:51.120 old man coming out with a flashlight in his hand, 298 00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:55.039 walking to the girl at full speed. Oh my god, 299 00:14:55.320 --> 00:14:57.840 he is trying to abduct her, taking advantage of this 300 00:14:57.879 --> 00:15:01.799 stormy night. I couldn't stop myself anymore and came out barefooted, 301 00:15:01.960 --> 00:15:05.480 that too, in my pajamas, and started to run towards him. 302 00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:07.000 No sooner did I reach the lake. 303 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:10.159 The little girl jumped one last time on the icy surface, 304 00:15:10.480 --> 00:15:13.519 and a loud cracking sound to place, followed by a 305 00:15:13.559 --> 00:15:17.600 splash and a faded scream, The little dog bark two, 306 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:20.600 and soon the dog and the girl both drowned in 307 00:15:20.679 --> 00:15:22.200 the icy cold water of the lake. 308 00:15:22.840 --> 00:15:25.440 The old man screamed in a sobbing tone. 309 00:15:26.159 --> 00:15:30.799 Stop stop coming back and reminding me of my mistake, Kathy, 310 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:34.639 stop doing this to your papa, and he crouched on 311 00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:37.960 the ground, covering his face and started to cry. 312 00:15:38.120 --> 00:15:41.840 I shouted, saying, we need to help them. Holy shit, 313 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:44.679 they are drowning. I was about to jump in the 314 00:15:44.679 --> 00:15:47.120 freezing water when the old man screamed. 315 00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:50.799 Back, No, you can't shave them. What do you mean 316 00:15:50.840 --> 00:15:51.279 I can't. 317 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:55.759 They have been dead for the lash the twenty five years. 318 00:15:56.519 --> 00:15:58.399 I was about to scream at him for pulling this 319 00:15:58.519 --> 00:16:02.080 upsurd prank, when a sound of giggle came to my ears. 320 00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:05.360 I looked at the lake again and I saw that 321 00:16:05.399 --> 00:16:08.720 little girl and her dog playing on it, just like before. 322 00:16:09.399 --> 00:16:12.639 Their body seemed transparent and I could see through them. 323 00:16:12.919 --> 00:16:15.000 The girl then picked up her dog, and for. 324 00:16:14.919 --> 00:16:17.320 The first time she walked into my eyes. 325 00:16:17.960 --> 00:16:21.120 There were no eyeballs in them except dark hollows. 326 00:16:21.799 --> 00:16:23.840 It was the same with her little dog as well. 327 00:16:24.480 --> 00:16:27.559 She then giggled for one last time and vanished into 328 00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:30.840 the air. I don't remember what happened next, because I 329 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:34.080 had probably fainted on the spot. When I woke up 330 00:16:34.080 --> 00:16:37.080 in the morning, I felt pain piercing my entire body, 331 00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:39.320 and the old man sitting right next to my bed 332 00:16:39.480 --> 00:16:44.120 with the watchman. Who who was she? What happened last night? 333 00:16:45.080 --> 00:16:47.159 The old man wiped his tears and said. 334 00:16:47.720 --> 00:16:51.039 That was my daughter, Catherine. I used to call her Kathy. 335 00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:53.080 She was five years old then. 336 00:16:53.720 --> 00:16:55.840 Every winter she used to come out of the house 337 00:16:56.080 --> 00:16:58.559 and play in the snow with her little dog, Casper. 338 00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:01.519 I remember how she laughed in enjoy seeing the white 339 00:17:01.559 --> 00:17:06.000 snow everywhere. One night, my wife and I were asleep 340 00:17:06.039 --> 00:17:09.079 in our room. I got drunk and forgot to lock 341 00:17:09.119 --> 00:17:12.440 the main door. That night, Kathy must have woken up, 342 00:17:12.759 --> 00:17:16.440 seen the snowfall and secretly went out to play, taking 343 00:17:16.440 --> 00:17:18.960 her dog with her. They were playing on the lake 344 00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:21.759 when the ice cracked and they fell into the icy 345 00:17:21.839 --> 00:17:26.599 cold water. I came running, hearing their scream and immediately 346 00:17:26.680 --> 00:17:29.680 dove in looking for them, but her little body get 347 00:17:29.720 --> 00:17:33.559 lost in that evil lake. My wife went mad after 348 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:37.200 her death and committed suicide after not being able to 349 00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:42.160 take this pain. But Kathy comes back often whenever a 350 00:17:42.200 --> 00:17:45.799 heavy snowfall takes place, she comes back to remind me 351 00:17:45.880 --> 00:17:49.119 of how it was my mistake, how it was my 352 00:17:49.400 --> 00:17:53.799 irresponsible deed that led to her death. I didn't know 353 00:17:53.799 --> 00:17:56.240 what to say after hearing this story, and I just 354 00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:59.680 sat there with a pale face. Is it even possible? 355 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:04.599 Can people come back again and again? Is there still 356 00:18:04.680 --> 00:18:06.640 life even after death? 357 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:17.359 Sponge? 358 00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:19.400 I used to work as a living butler at a 359 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:22.559 manor in the countryside for a very old and very 360 00:18:22.599 --> 00:18:26.680 wealthy man. His name was mister Benson, and while he 361 00:18:26.759 --> 00:18:29.440 was a little distant in crushety as old rich men 362 00:18:29.559 --> 00:18:32.759 tended to be. He always treated his staff with respect, 363 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:35.000 and I felt like I was valued. 364 00:18:34.759 --> 00:18:35.640 Working under him. 365 00:18:36.119 --> 00:18:38.720 I'm sure that the other household servants, from the aids 366 00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:42.359 to his personal chef, also felt the same way. Most 367 00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:45.000 of us have been serving him for a decade or more, 368 00:18:45.680 --> 00:18:48.519 even if he was just our employer. You can't work 369 00:18:48.559 --> 00:18:51.279 for someone for that long without getting a little attached. 370 00:18:52.200 --> 00:18:54.799 We all knew that mister Benson didn't have much longer 371 00:18:54.839 --> 00:18:57.319 to live at his age, but we were determined to 372 00:18:57.359 --> 00:19:00.680 make his final years as comfortable as possible as thanks 373 00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:04.839 for keeping us employed for so long. Each Christmas, mister 374 00:19:04.839 --> 00:19:06.920 Benson would leave the Manor to spend time with his 375 00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:07.880 family in the city. 376 00:19:08.519 --> 00:19:09.400 Nine times out. 377 00:19:09.240 --> 00:19:11.680 Of ten he would return to his ryal manner on 378 00:19:11.799 --> 00:19:15.279 Boxing Day the following morning looking pissed off. If I 379 00:19:15.319 --> 00:19:17.960 had to guess, it was probably because his family kept 380 00:19:17.960 --> 00:19:21.240 insisting that he put himself in a retirement home. Though 381 00:19:21.559 --> 00:19:24.119 I never pried him on him, I was still just 382 00:19:24.160 --> 00:19:28.119 his butler after all. On Boxing Day, the staff were 383 00:19:28.119 --> 00:19:31.000 pleasantly surprised when he came back from his Christmas trip 384 00:19:31.319 --> 00:19:32.200 with gifts for. 385 00:19:32.279 --> 00:19:32.839 All of us. 386 00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:36.279 Boxing Day in the UK was originally a holiday where 387 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:39.160 masters would give their servants the day off alongside a 388 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:42.799 boxed gift. While the practice has died down since not 389 00:19:42.839 --> 00:19:46.480 everyone had servants, mister Benson still gave us Boxing Day 390 00:19:46.519 --> 00:19:51.440 off as per tradition. However, his gifts were usually envelopes 391 00:19:51.480 --> 00:19:54.279 of cash rather than neatly wrapped presents. He gave us 392 00:19:54.359 --> 00:19:58.319 that day at his insistence, we all unwrapped the presents 393 00:19:58.359 --> 00:20:00.720 in front of him. Some of them let out a 394 00:20:00.759 --> 00:20:03.200 stifled squeeze when they realized what it was. 395 00:20:03.799 --> 00:20:04.599 Each servant of. 396 00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:07.759 The Manor get their very own golden box of luxury chocolates, 397 00:20:08.039 --> 00:20:12.559 myself included. Everyone thanked the old man for his thoughtful gift. 398 00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:17.759 Apparently it's true that everybody likes chocolate. I thanked mister 399 00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:20.240 Benson as well, though I knew I would never get 400 00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:23.200 to taste the chocolate he gave me. I was deathly 401 00:20:23.240 --> 00:20:25.799