The car went silent.
Dead silent.
My father and I stared at the phone screen like it was lying to us.
But it wasn’t.
It couldn’t be.
The video was clear.
Too clear.
The gate opened…
My mother stood there…
Smiling.
Laughing.
Touching…
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Yet—
We had seen them.
Seventeen men.
Tall.
Muscular.
Real.
“Play it again,” Dad said, his voice low.
I did.
Same thing.
No men.
Just Mom… alone.
Acting like she was welcoming invisible guests.
A chill crawled up my spine.
“Daddy…” I whispered, “we’re not crazy, right?”
He didn’t answer immediately.
His eyes were still glued to the screen.
Then slowly… he shook his head.
“No… we both saw them.”
His voice cracked slightly.
“That means…”
He didn’t finish.
But I understood.
Those men…
Were not normal.
We sat there for a few more seconds, trying to breathe.
Trying to think.
Then Dad suddenly started the car.
“We’re going back,” he said.
My heart jumped.
“Back? But—”
“I need to see it again,” he cut in. “With my own eyes. Not through a phone.”
Fear gripped me.
But I nodded.
We drove back slowly.
This time… no hiding.
No sneaking.
We walked straight to the gate.
It was closed.
Everything looked normal.
Too normal.
Dad pushed it open.
Creaaak…
We stepped inside.
The compound was quiet.
No laughter.
No voices.
No sign of seventeen men.
Just silence.
“Jane!” Dad called out.
No response.
We walked toward the house.
The door was slightly open.
