Ben (A True Story)

I was with two of my friends Ben and Nick on holidays when it happened. We were in an isolated part of Greece, somewhere that doesn't appear on Google maps for whatever reason, travelling down a long stretch of road in our hire car in search of the next major city to party in. After initially planning on driving through the night, we accepted that we had lost our way and it was getting too dark to continue, so we pulled into a gas station for directions on where we could stay. The old man handed us an old brochure of a nearby village and insisted we go check it out. Since we had no idea where we were, we were left with no other option. Something different we thought. But just how different we could never have guessed, as we took the next left turn off the main road and ventured into the headlight lit darkness.

The only form of lodging out there was in remote cabins, separated far apart from each other for privacy we guessed. Or for discreetness... The self-contained cabin had a bathroom, kitchen, queen bed and single bed; all we needed for one night. Nick won the rock off for the single bed, so Ben and I would be sharing. Nick snores anyway, so I was cool with that.

One feature of the cabin that unnerved me however, was the large square curtainless window that occupied the entire area of the vacant wall. It bothered me especially now, since night had fallen and the light was on inside, it acted as a sort of two-way mirror. Anyone wearing black could easily look through without being noticed...

We had some drinks and made plans to go out that night to the village bar, drink some bourbon, tell some stories and see where the night takes us. We discussed that would leave the key under the rock by the front porch, and if we were to split up, whoever came home first would leave the door open for the others to get in.

"why don't you say it louder so everyone can hear where we hide it," Ben joked.

To which Nick found the pleasure in yelling it at the top of his lungs. Luckily we were isolated and there was no one close by, I thought, as we drove off...

It was a surprisingly fun night at the bar! Shots after shots, until we were informed by the bar staff we had dried out their 3 bottle stock of bourbon. It was cheap though, in Greece.

The next thing I knew, it was late, the bar was closing, and we had lost ben. He must've left without us, though I don't remember him telling us he was leaving I thought... Slightly concerned by him acting out of character. So we left without him, taking the car.

"I need to piss badly," I adjusted in my seat, as the car headlights momentarily lit up the cabin and we turned into the driveway to the sound of gravel crunching under the tyres. We checked under the rock for the key. It was gone. We tried the doorhandle. Locked. "what the fuck?" we both looked at each other. Ben must've come home before us, and he's locked us out!

"BEN! OPEN UP! We need to piss!"

"Hurry up Ben!"

We banged on the door. I heard a stumbling inside like someone literally crawling awkwardly on all fours out of bed. Damn he must be drunk!

"I cant hold this piss in anymore," I said, as Nick and I went to separate sides of the cabin to urinate as Ben finally opened the door. It felt good urinating, but that feeling was harshly interrupted by what caught my attention on the large window, sending a large shiver up my spine. There was this long thin set of handprints, only visible on the window from the mist outside. It looked longer than any humans hand, but much, much thinner. Holy fuck. But I quickly disposed my mind of the scary and irrational images it was creating, as it was certainly just a regular human hand that had been smeared, causing the illusion that its longer... right? Either way, it occurred to me that someone or 'something' might have been watching us...

I hurriedly finished my business and rushed inside. We are NOT turning the light on I thought, to prevent anything from looking in at us. As I locked the front door and we went straight to bed.

Nick fell asleep instantly, snoring before his head had even hit the pillow. And after a few minutes of tolerating Nick's inconsistent snore, my drooping eyes fell weary so I closed them. As soon as they shut, I couldn't help but get the burning feeling that Ben's eyes had opened suddenly and were staring straight at me...menacingly. My body rose in temperature and my heart beat quicker as I sensed this. As if Ben was holding his breath, vision fixated on me angrily through the darkness. Sorry if we hadnt gone home with him, Jeez... why would he be so angry? After a few minutes of calming myself from this irrational fear, I drifted off to sleep.

Knock Knock Knock "Open up, you said you wouldn't lock it!"

THUD THUD THUD! It grew louder. "Open the door its fucking cold out here!"

This was the single scariest moment of my entire life. And the most paralysing sensation swept over my entire body. It was Ben at the door.

Suddenly there was a movement in the sheets next to me... Something stirring.

I got up faster than I ever have in my life and ran to the door; Nick had awoken and come to the same horrific realisation as soon as me, right behind me in kicking the door open and fleeing outside to the car, not once did we look back. I started the car and beckoned Ben to follow. But he didnt know what had happened. Still facing into the room he turned on the light to see inside...

This was a true story. It really happened. You can ask Nick if you don't believe me. But I wouldn't ask Ben. He doesn't say much anymore after the incident. And whenever questioned about what he saw that night, his face turns pale and expressionless and he will immediately shut the nearest curtain.Write the text of your article here!