In Ohia, a small family lived like any other family. Having nothing strange about them made them unprepared for what was happening inside their home. While they were asleep at night, strange and disturbing sounds were heard. Their curiosity was piqued until something odd happened to them.
Although she denied it, Darren believed that his girlfriend was playing a practical joke on him. Finally, the couple decided to install a camera. But they weren't ready for the upsetting video.
What Was Going On?
In order to ensure the safety of his daughter, Darren installed a camera in her bedroom. Natalie's legs had been covered with marks, and he had no clue what was causing them. Pam, his girlfriend, also didn't know what was going on.
His intention was to gather evidence by letting the camera record. It was now time for him to examine the situation more closely. His mouth dropped open at what he saw.
Something Wasn’t Right
Over the past year, the family of three has been living in the guesthouse maintained by Darren's mother. Their discovery, however, would make them want to leave as soon as possible.
Natalie's symptoms began to appear when Darren noticed bruises on her legs when she came down for breakfast. It didn't seem like a big deal to him at first. There are always bumps and bruises on kids' bodies. He knew there was a big problem when new bruises appeared where the previous ones had healed.
Nothing But The Best
Any parent would tell you that worrying about your kids is only normal. Darren loved his daughter dearly and simply desired what was best for her welfare.
It had always been difficult for Natalie to deal with her parent's separation. It was always a source of guilt for Darren to witness how it affected her development. After starting a serious relationship with Pam, Darren wasn't about to ignore his daughter.
Growing Pains
In part, due to Darren's attention to his daughter's needs, they developed a very close relationship. When Pam moved in with Darren and Natalie, Natalie began to change.
In his relationship with Natalie, Darren was always open and told her she was free to reveal anything to him. The past year, however, had seen her become increasingly quiet. She was getting into her teenage years, and Darren assumed that was the reason. However, the situation only escalated.
A Sudden Change
The longer Pam lived with them, the more Darren noticed his daughter becoming more depressed. He was puzzled as to why, and he was concerned that she might have been spending too much time alone in her room.
Darren was concerned that she might become enmeshed in social media. He was familiar with such things from tales. He had no idea that her social media profiles were the least of his concerns, though.
Alarm Bells
Darren chose to question Natalie about her shift in demeanor. She confided in him that she didn't enjoy the atmosphere of the other rooms in the house.
Darren was certain that she would let him know if there were any issues and didn't want to overly meddle with her life. But he would come to regret that choice. Then he spotted something that made alarm bells go off in his head.
Bruises
Now that Natalie was on summer vacation, she started dressing in clothing that exposed her legs when the temperature rose far beyond 90 degrees.
The moment Darren saw the bruises on her legs, he questioned her about them. She merely stated that she had woken up with them as she gazed down at her feet. An unpleasant feeling persisted in Darren's body.
Everything Was Perfect
Anyone observing the family from the outside would likely think everything was ideal. Darren and Pam were content, and he had Natalie, a wonderful daughter.
But one day, everything abruptly changed. Unsettling noises startled Darren awoke in the middle of the night. The proof that would ultimately put this mystery to rest is Natalie herself.
Concerns
When Natalie's legs started to develop marks, Darren asked his girlfriend whether she was the one who had been in her room at night and if she was responsible for them.
Pam was shocked to learn that Darren was asking her such a serious question. Darren was aware of his obligations despite her denial of everything. His choice would lead to a revelation that would rock his world.
A Mystery
This was not the life Darren signed up for when he chose to be with Pam. He knew that she and her step-daughter had never really seen eye-to-eye… but why wasn’t she as concerned as he was? Or was he just being paranoid?
Natalie was a model student and never went out to party like the other kids her age. She wasn’t interested in sports and preferred to curl up with a book and read her summer vacations away. And, she wasn’t dating. So, where did the bruises keep coming from?
Confrontation
As the weeks went by, every morning, Darren would see more bruises appear on Natalie’s legs. What was she doing in the night to receive these marks? And Natalie kept denying that she knew how she’d gotten them.
What exactly was happening to his little girl? The worried dad had hundreds of questions running through his mind. But one thing was for sure: Darren knew something just wasn’t right.
Unpredictable
And the marks weren’t the only odd thing about Natalie: now, she never seemed to get enough sleep. She’d go to bed at 8 PM, exhausted, and only reemerge from her bedroom at lunchtime the following day.
She would pick at her food and hardly eat anything at dinnertime and snap at Darren’s most innocent questions when he showed concern. It was like Natalie was a different person.
Finding The Cause
Darren was beginning to worry about Natalie’s health. Perhaps she had some sort of medical condition? Now Pam, who just shrugged everything off, also began to appear concerned.
Armed with determination and driven by worry, Darren took Natalie to the doctor in hopes of finding out the truth. But what the doctor told him only left him with more questions.
A Check-Up
You see, Natalie didn’t appear to have anything wrong with her. There was nothing strange or worrying about her results. The doctor checked her blood levels but couldn’t find any deficiencies.
Although Darren was relieved to hear that his daughter was healthy, this news meant that the cause of his daughter’s bruises could be something far more sinister. And just when he was reaching his wits’ end, there was a knock on the door.