All hell broke loose the moment Thomas and Sienna uploaded a photo to social media to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary. What was supposed to be a sweet memory quickly turned into something terrifying.
A creepy face appeared in the image—one that neither of them had noticed when the photo was taken. That single detail set off a chain of events that dragged the happy couple straight into a horrifying truth they never saw coming.
That night had started out perfect.
Thomas set the camera on the shelf across from the fireplace and rushed back to Sienna’s side, wrapping an arm around her waist. With a soft smile, he said, “Ten years.”
Sienna leaned into him and replied warmly, “Ten years of us.”
The camera timer began to count down. As the seconds ticked away, Sienna suddenly thought she heard a faint sound coming from the hallway behind her. It was soft—almost like a shuffle or a breath.
Her attention flickered for just a moment. She glanced over her shoulder, but the hallway was dark and empty.
It’s nothing, she told herself.
She refocused on the camera, smiling. This was just another photo to add to the many memories lining their walls. Their home was full of pictures—vacations, birthdays, random happy days—every wall telling the story of their life together.
Thomas let out a quiet sigh, suddenly nostalgic. “I remember when we first moved in here,” he said. “We spent two nights sleeping on the floor.” Tiny wrinkles formed at the corners of his eyes as he smiled.
Sienna laughed softly. “And now every nook and cranny holds a piece of our story,” she said. “And we get to share those pieces with everyone… on social media.”
She chuckled, tapped her phone a few times to upload the photo, then set it aside so they could enjoy the rest of the evening together.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the bedroom window and pulled Sienna out of sleep. But it wasn’t just the light that woke her—it was a constant pinging sound.
“Check that, hon,” Thomas muttered, his voice thick with sleep. “It’s been going off for a while now.”
Sienna reached for her phone on the nightstand, squinting at the screen. Notifications flooded her display—likes, comments, messages, missed calls. Confused, she sat up a little.
“People are saying there’s something weird in our photo,” she said slowly. “And I have several missed calls.”
Thomas rolled closer to see. “Weird? Like what?”
She scrolled through the comments, her brow creasing. “They say there’s a strange face in the background. But that’s impossible… right?”
Thomas took the phone and studied the photo. “It’s probably just shadows or bad lighting,” he said, handing it back. “Don’t let it get to you.” He shook his head and got out of bed to start the day.
But Sienna couldn’t stop reading.
One comment stood out. Someone had zoomed in and circled a pale, childlike face hovering near her shoulder in the photo. Her breath caught.
“Thomas…” she whispered. “What the hell is that?”
He returned from the bathroom, toothbrush still in hand, and leaned over her shoulder. “It’s gotta be a prank,” he said, though his voice wasn’t as confident as before.
Sienna’s heart raced. She remembered the sound she had heard right before the photo was taken. With trembling fingers, she opened her gallery and pulled up the original image.
“This isn’t a glitch,” she insisted. “It’s too clear. Too real. Look at its expression.”
Thomas frowned, unsettled now. Still, he tried to dismiss it. But Sienna wasn’t done. She scrolled through older photos.
“Look,” she said, pointing. “In every photo, there’s something there. A shadow. A blur. A presence. I think… I think it could be a ghost. Maybe our house is haunted.”
“We’ve lived here for ten years,” Thomas scoffed, though his voice cracked slightly. “We would’ve noticed.”
She could tell he was shaken, even if he wouldn’t admit it.
Trying to find logic, Sienna returned to the spot where the camera had been placed and started taking test photos. Suddenly, hands grabbed her shoulders.
She screamed.
“Relax, love. It’s just me,” Thomas laughed. “Forget the photo. We’ve got lunch reservations, remember?”
She nodded, trying to calm herself, but unease followed her as she got ready. Even as they walked to the car, she kept scanning the house.
Then she saw it.
The same pale face appeared in the window.
“Stop the car!” she yelled, pointing.
Thomas squinted at the house. “I don’t see anything.”
The face vanished—but Sienna knew what she had seen.
That night, she jolted awake to the sound of sobbing and footsteps echoing through the house.
“Darling, wake up,” she whispered urgently. “Do you hear that?”
Thomas sat up, listening. He grabbed his phone.
“We can’t call 911 for a ghost!” Sienna protested.
“I’m calling anyway,” he said firmly. After the call, he grabbed his gun.
“I’m going with you,” Sienna said, refusing to stay behind.
They moved carefully through the house. Footsteps echoed downstairs. Strange words drifted from the kitchen—another language.
When they reached the source, Sienna gasped.
It wasn’t a ghost.
A malnourished boy stood there—the same one from the photo. His pale, bony face was streaked with tears and snot.
“Freeze!” Thomas shouted, then lowered the gun when the boy collapsed into sobs.
“Hey, it’s okay,” Thomas said gently. “We won’t hurt you.”
The boy looked up. “Help?” he whispered.
Sienna’s fear melted into compassion. “You’re hungry, aren’t you?”
“Hungry, yes,” he nodded.
“What’s your name?”
“Nikolai.”
As Sienna made him a sandwich, they learned he had run from a bad place.
“Where’s your mother?” Sienna asked.
His eyes filled again. “You help Mama?”
“Of course,” she promised. “We’ll help.”
He sniffed. “I see bear on wall and flowers in garden… flowers like sky. Wire wall. Big dog. I run. Mama alone.”
A knock came at the door—the police. Nikolai panicked and bolted out a window, disappearing into the night.
The next day, Thomas and Sienna searched for him, sharing his photo. Their neighbor Nancy recognized the “ghost” and joined in.
Finally, Sienna reached a neglected Victorian house. A barking dog. A wire fence. Chicory flowers.
“Wire wall,” she whispered.
She heard a woman crying inside and called the police.
They rescued Nikolai’s mother, Asya.
“He monster,” she cried. “He keep me prisoner.”
Nikolai was found in the basement and reunited with her.
“Thank you,” he said. “Mama and Nikolai safe now.”
Back home, Thomas held up the framed photo.
“This one deserves a place on the mantle,” he said.
Sienna smiled. “It’s the best one.”
And for the first time since uploading it, the photo no longer scared them.