Whenever Kevin passed by his neighbor’s car and saw her sleeping in the backseat, he couldn’t stop but wondering why the woman didn’t just live in her own house, which was just a few feet away. He had no idea that one day, he would finally solve this mystery and do a lot more than that. In the end, he had quite a shock when he got inside the house, and quickly called for help. This house had to be burned down to the ground as soon as possible!
He Didn’t Know His New Neighbor
Although Kevin Burns has been living for more than a couple of years across the road from the old woman, he didn’t exactly know her well enough to strike a conversation. However, he knew she was all alone and had retired a before he moved in that neighborhood. Soon enough though, he would become not just her friend, but also her hero…
She Wasn’t Living In Her House
Although Kevin’s neighbor Ruth had a house of her own, she didn’t live there. Instead, she chose to sleep in her car. It was odd, thought Kevin, who kept seeing that Ruth wasn’t even going into the house. Weeks passed and he knew something was off, so he decided to ask her if she was all right.
What Has Happening to His Neighbor?
Worried that something bad may have happened to Ruth, Kevin would regularly check on Ruth as he passed by her car. One day, she was awake and he was able to have a brief conversation with her. Days passed, and he began learning more about this peculiar woman. One thing was true, Kevin was saddened that this woman lived inside her car. Soon enough, he’d learn her reasons…
She Had to Have a Reason
Kevin thought that his neighbor had to have a good reason not to go back inside her own house. He could tell that Ruth was embarrassed by the situation as Kevin’s attention was drawn by all the stuff she had in the car. It looked like she completely moved her life in that vehicle. Kevin had believed that Ruth was having a good life, but looking at her now, he knew something was going on.
What Was Wrong With the House?
As he looked at the house, he saw that the windows were not exactly in a good condition. The blinds were closed and the house looked neglected. The grass already grew, everything was left in ruin. Did Ruth need a hand in renovating her house?
Years Had Passed
Just by looking at the broken window at the top of the house, Kevin noticed that this has been going on for a longer time than he had first assumed. What if animals had took over the house and Ruth couldn’t bear it anymore? Soon enough, the questions Kevin had would be answered, and his neighbor’s story broke his heart.
Ruth Was Crying
One day, as Kevin passed by her car, he heard the woman crying. He asked her what was going on and didn’t get an answer. She was frantically looking for something through the plastic bags she had in the car. Ruth then turned to Kevin and told him she couldn’t find something of great importance to her. This was the beginning of a challenging task, and Kevin wasn’t prepared at all for what’s about to happen!
Ruth’s Life
Since she moved into her car, Ruth had a daily routine. Every morning, she went to the closest gym and used the bathroom to get cleaned up. Then, she would go to a fast food place to grab something to eat. Afterwards, she would go back to the car and stay there until night fell and she went to sleep.
The Car Wasn’t Running Anymore
Right now, Ruth’s car was no longer running, so it was as broken down as her house. As she was looking around in her bags that day, she realized something was missing. Scared that she may have left it inside the house, she started searching again her bags. Then, she heard Kevin…
The Day She Left Her Home
The day when Ruth decided to move and live in her car, she gathered the most important and meaningful objects she had. The woman carried them in plastic bags, but it seemed an important object may have remained inside the house. However, she had no intention of ever entering that place.
“In the House”
Heartbroken, Ruth turned around and told Kevin “in the house,” pointing the finger toward the neglected building in front of them. She stopped fumbling and with tears in her eyes, she repeated “I left it in the house!” What was she talking about?
Afraid To Go Back
Seeing that his neighbor was so affected by the missing object and clearly afraid to enter her own house, Kevin thought he could help her. After all, how difficult would it be to enter a house and retrieve an object? “Maybe you can go inside and get it!” said Ruth. Kevin had no idea the mess he would get into…
Up For The Challenge?
The young man was definitely up for a challenge, and he was going to help his neighbor. Moreover, he would finally learn what made Ruth leave her house. It was going to be the final reveal of the mysterious house. As soon as he set foot in the house, he realized what was going on… But the mystery keeps getting deeper!
Venturing Into the House
Ready to get inside the house, Kevin walked towards the front door. As he was getting closer, he realized the house was in a much worse situation. Everything was broken, from the roof tiles to the front lawn and the walls. The roof have a huge hole in it as well! But nothing compared to what was inside!
Tasked With Finding a Photo
Ruth had been looking for a photo of her parents. She thought she had taken it with herself, but it remained inside the house in one of the rooms. Kevin thought this would be easy. How many photo albums can a person have, right? As he glimpsed through the window, he realized it wasn’t exactly an easy task. Actually, it was one of the most challenging and odd things he had ever experienced…
Piles of Things
Ruth decision to leave the house she had lived in for decades seemed odd, but as Kevin got closer to the main door, he realized that the woman had her reasons. The window next to the front door was cracked and it gave him a sneak peek into what was waiting for him on the other side. He’s not going to like it!
It Was Smelly
Not only was the hallway filled with piles of clothes and garbage, but a smell was also coming through the window. Kevin braced himself and opened the front door. He instantly jumped back to avoid all the trash coming out onto the front lawn… He began regretting his choice, but couldn’t back down now.
Not A Place You Could Live In
It was clear this house was unlivable. Perhaps it was only fit for rats and cockroaches, but it definitely wasn’t healthy to spend more than 10 minutes in this dump! Piles of trash lined the walls and covered the floor! It was getting even more difficult to breathe, and looking for that photo was quite a difficult task in those conditions.
He Went Out!
Not being able to spend more time inside the house, Kevin ran outside the house before retching. He told Ruth he’d be back in a few minutes and help her with the missing photo. The man headed home, looking for a pair of gloves and a mask that would at least filter the smell and help him with his search.
Back Inside The House
Any other person would have given up, but Kevin promised to help Ruth and he was also curious about the reason Ruth had left her house. One clear reason was the filth inside the house. She indeed had a hoarding problem, but he soon learns the truth behind her behavior…
Every Room Was Worse Than The Other
As he walked back into the house, Kevin took a bit more time to inspect each room before searching for the photo. Every room he stepped in was worse than the one he had entered. The kitchen was filled with trash, rotten food and dirty dishes. It must have been months since Ruth had set foot into her own house.
Looking For the Photo
With all the smell and filth around him, looking for a single photo seemed to be an effort not worth taking, thought Kevin as he headed towards the living room. Where could have Ruth put it? When he got into the living room, his worst nightmare came true!
Piles of Magazines and Books
Everywhere you looked, trash and miscellaneous items were stacked. Ruth had definitely led a better life in her car! As Kevin thought about it, he picked up a pile of papers, hoping the photo would be there. It would take him hours to go through all the papers and books.
She Must Have Hoarded These Items For Years
Ruth had definitely gathered all these useless items and trash over the past few years. After pushing through the piles of papers, magazines and files, he still couldn’t find that photo. Then, he spotted an old book and once he opened it, he found what he was searching for!
A Box Filled With Memorabilia
The book had been kept in a box filled with some sentimental objects. There was a diploma and a trophy inside that box. Opening the book, he found the missing photo. The faded and yellowed photo revealed Ruth’s parents when they were young. Kevin’s attention then got distracted when he saw an old bookcase to his right…
Shelves Hid a Door
Right behind the old bookcase, Kevin noticed a crack. Pulling the shelves aside, he realized that the gaping hole in the wall was actually a doorway to a hidden room! This was his only chance to learn about the secret room, so he pushed the shelves to get a better look. He didn’t expect to see this!
A Sealed Room?
It was clear that this room had been sealed, but why? Were there other hidden rooms in the house? Before checking for other similar places, Kevin turned on his phone flashlight and was stunned to see that this was a bedroom!
The Plot for a Horror Story
What was happening in this house before it nearly collapsed on its own due to neglect and abandonment? Had someone been a hostage locked in this room? Was it Ruth? Cobwebs blocked his sight, but he was able to see some old photos lining the walls. This was definitely similar to many horror movie plots…
An Abandoned Room
Although the state of the room wasn’t exactly great, it didn’t contain that much trash. However, it was clear that it had been abandoned for a much longer while, judging by the cobwebs and dust settled on everything. The smell was unbearable here, since the room had been sealed close and whatever was inside had stunk the whole place.
One Last Discovery
As he got out of the hidden room and looked around, Kevin spotted the ceiling in the hallway adjacent to the room he just discovered. On the ceiling, there was a thick layer of mold. It was so thick that the paint flaked and fell all around the floor. This was dangerous for his health, even though he was wearing a mask!
Time to Leave
Since he found the photo and a lot more than he wanted to discover, Kevin quickly got outside the horrifying house. He let Ruth know that her house was a hazard, and the mold was so bad that she couldn’t go back there at all! “I had no idea it had gotten so bad,” she said. But Kevin and Ruth’s story is far from being over…
A Health Hazard
Living in a house has to make you feel safe. Ruth’s house was going to make her sick if she decided to go back and live there. She gladly took the photo from Kevin and together had decided to call a specialist and clean the mold.
The Expert’s Opinion
Kevin didn’t mention to Ruth his discovery of the hidden room yet. He was going to wait for the right time, but when he was about to ask her about it, the expert that was at the house gave them the bad news…
The House Is A Danger To The Neighborhood!
Not only was Ruth’s house unlivable, but it was also hazardous to her neighbors! The problem was that the mold was so bad the entire house had to be demolished. Ruth’s house had to go down, but the demolishing process wasn’t exactly traditional in this case…
They’ve Never Seen Such a Thing
The crew that was supposed to clean the mold said that they have never seen such a dangerous environment and the mold wasn’t going to be cleaned no matter how much they tried to. They had to call the fire department, and this is where things get weird!
Demolishing The House
Ruth’s house had to be demolished in a rather untraditional way. Firefighters were called to help set the house on fire! That’s right, the best way to demolish the house without the mold to spread around was to set the whole house on fire.
Emptying the Whole House
Before setting Ruth’s house on fire, Kevin and a cleaning crew helped remove all the objects in the house that could catch fire and be hazardous. Everything had to go to the dump because it was all covered in mold.
Ruth’s Reaction Surprised Everyone
The fire department finally went inside the house to check it out for the last time and get ready for the demolishing phase. The whole crew at the firehouse came to help clear the area and everyone was ready to burn the house down. Meanwhile, Ruth’s reaction surprised everyone…
She Was Shaken
Although Ruth was shaken by the fact that her house would suddenly disappear by the next day, she was ready to move on. She had to shake off her hoarding habit that had made her life worse. The crew and the neighbors were there to console her.
Time to Say Goodbye
Breaking down in tears, Ruth was saying goodbye to her house and thanking everyone for helping her start her new life. The lawn was filled with all the trash she had collected over the years. Soon enough, she looked at Kevin and told him about the room.
The Secret Room
Right before the firefighters came from the house during the final check, Kevin wondered whether they took out the things from the secret room. On the front lawn, nothing from inside that hidden bedroom seemed to be taken out, though…
Too Late
It was too late to mention it as the fire department crew began burning down the house. Ruth already had all she needed in the car, including the photo Kevin had previously retrieved. Destroying the house would make it easier for Ruth to have a fresh start, thought Kevin.
The Flames Blared
As the fire engulfed the house, Ruth and Kevin were watching from a safe distance, each thinking of what they had experienced in the house. That’s when Ruth turned to Kevin and told him “That room was where my husband passed away.”
The Same Thoughts
As if sharing the same thoughts, Ruth had finally revealed what was with the secret room, putting Kevin’s mind at rest. “I didn’t have the heart to go in there after he was gone,” she said.
The Fire Raged On
The firefighters had to stay the whole night at the site to make sure the home didn’t reignite after they put down the fire. It was also essential the fire would be contained so that it didn’t spread to Ruth’s neighbors. But what was she going to do now?
Helping Ruth Lead a Normal Life
Depressed after her husband died, Ruth’s anxiety of separating from the man she had loved for decades was turned into hoarding. Now that she had decided to let go of that bad habit, Ruth had to find a way and start over…
A New Life
With her memories of a life spend in that house now burned to the ground, Ruth was too old to start a new life. Where would she end up? Again in the same old car?
Kevin Helped Ruth Once Again
With the help of Kevin and Ruth’s friends, the old woman was sent to a nearby community where senior citizens lived and were getting the care they needed. There, Ruth would find plenty of people of her age to talk to.
A Welcoming Community
The senior living community was happy to welcome Ruth among them. She was obviously still suffering after her husband’s death. The social aspect of the community would help her deal with her grief.
Making Friends
Ruth’s life got much better since she moved out from her car. She was getting more exercise, ate better food and made new friends. Kevin made sure to keep in touch with her and paid her regular visits.
Changing Someone’s Life
Kevin had no idea that his curiosity and one single small gesture of finding his Ruth's missing photo would lead to changing her life. It’s incredible to see how this strange story ended, and we think Kevin will never forget it!