The Faceless

[00:00:00] Welcome to Scary Story Podcast. Strange stories dealing with lost memories and the fears that our mobile devices can cause. Do you have a true scary story you would like to share? A new podcast that will be sharing true tales directly from those with creepy encounters,

[00:00:18] but I need your help. If you go to scarypod.com forward slash true right now on your phone, you can find all the links to direct message me your scary story. Of course, you can also

[00:00:30] send me an email with it. This is going to be scary. scarypod.com forward slash true. Stay tuned for updates. My name is Edwin. Here's a scary story. I was in second grade and my older sister was in seventh

[00:00:54] grade. One more year and my sister would have moved on to the next school. I remember that. It would also be moving to a new house. But our parents held back and postponed the move.

[00:01:07] At the time, I remember not wanting to leave to go to another school and not have the same friends over there. But my parents' reasoning made more sense. They wanted us to change to a new

[00:01:18] school district once my sister was ready to enter high school. That was only one of the two main reasons why we stayed there for so long. At least the one they told me. And the other reason? Well, that's the story I'm about to share.

[00:01:33] Mom was calling for my dad one night. I could hear her voice coming from the living room and a loud whisper. I'm sure if that could even be called a whisper anymore. Asking him to hurry.

[00:01:44] Mom says that she didn't ask for him to grab the gun but I swear that's what I heard. Dad ran up to the living room and straight to the front door to peek out the glass panels

[00:01:53] that were on both sides of it. Mom took a few steps back until her hands met the wall behind her and she cleansed her own hands, almost as if she was praying. I had gotten used to seeing

[00:02:04] her in that position that I even remember doing the same thing a few times. Whenever something bad happened, I would bow my head down and grab both hands together in front of my mouth. I wasn't sure if it did anything but it made me feel better at times.

[00:02:18] I bumped into the table that mom had in the hallway and I startled her. She jumped forward and looked back toward me immediately changing her facial expression and then saying, John, notting toward

[00:02:31] me. Dad hit the gun, I think, and then asked me why I was awake so late. Sleeping problems were common for me and they made me miss days and days from school because I could not concentrate in my classes and had headaches. There were many meetings with teachers

[00:02:48] and doctors for a while and when I get asked about it even now, I just tell people that the times were confusing for me. There were lots of things that I don't remember about being six and seven

[00:02:58] years old. Mom had sleeping problems too and just like that night she would spend the evening staring out the window. Dad was a little different. I mean he stopped wanting to go out and play

[00:03:12] with me and stopped taking us to the movies and things like that but he still seemed like himself. Things changed after my sister went to her trip for school and everything was so sudden so she wasn't around to talk with about how strange her parents were acting now

[00:03:27] but I was sure she would make things better just by being there. She will be back soon, mom would say, but then she would stay quiet. I remember telling myself to not ask mom about her anymore. Mom and dad used to argue about it also

[00:03:43] about my sister coming back but why had they let her go on such a long trip anyway? I remember thinking. Mom grabbed my hand and led me back to the room telling me that things were all right and to

[00:03:56] simply go back to sleep but I couldn't go back to sleep. Not even with that medicine that they used to make me take. It would give me nightmares. I used to tell both mom and dad

[00:04:08] still they said that Dr. Gomez knew what he was doing and that I should just take it just this last time but I knew full well what the medicine did. It tasted like rotten pine

[00:04:19] apples and it would tire me out and it would give me the worst nightmares that still haunt me to this day. There was one recurring dream that I still remember that I might have about once a

[00:04:30] year even now. I'm standing in a dark room with lots of hanging drapes around me. I can't see them but I feel their scratchy textures all around me. My sister's voice appears from part of the darkness.

[00:04:46] She tells me to be quiet, shushing me with a faintest voice you can imagine. I had to stop breathing simply to hear her. There were footsteps all around us

[00:04:58] but I don't know where the door is in this room in order to escape. I feel my sister's hand on my knee. Be quiet she says. That's when I realize over and over in my dreams that she is actually sitting

[00:05:13] right next to me and every time it catches me off guard. Things hitting the floor, men speaking outside, glass breaking. I hear everything more and more clearly now. The voices outside argue. They talk and then they come to an agreement of sorts.

[00:05:33] They used to come to my mind as aliens or ghosts that flew all around us like some sort of winged creatures like the ones on the covers of the books in the library. The ones that they wouldn't

[00:05:44] let me check out on my own. Then they open the door and I can see their dark shapes. Long arms and twisted legs holding up together ahead with no face. The entire section of the area blending in with the nose and eyes and eyebrows.

[00:06:03] A mush of hair and wrinkled skin, a swollen chin area. It turns around as the hair of the darkest shade fills the thing's identity. I scream as I feel my sister's hand reach out toward my face to cover my mouth.

[00:06:21] That's when another shape crawls up next to the first one. Same faceless head. The place where the eyes should be showing only scarred skin burned or sewn together coming closer to me. Its long arms stretch out toward us. We feel the cold grip around

[00:06:41] our arms and shoulders and my sister gets dragged out of the room. I used to wake up cold and wet from the chest gasping for air trying desperately to sit up on my bed and praying that my eyes had just quickly to the dim lights of the room.

[00:06:58] The tiny seashell nightlight mom plugged into our room seemed to be helping. I looked over to the empty bed next to me and it never helped me to think that my sister was still not back and sharing the room with me. There was no use in explaining it

[00:07:14] to my parents or the grownups from our meetings that asked me questions and would let me play with a collection of desk toys that they had. What do you dream about? Come on, tell us.

[00:07:27] Mom would begin acting strange and stop talking to me if I ever brought up that my sister was in my dreams. I used to think that she missed her a lot obviously and that dad somehow convinced

[00:07:37] her that my sister going away on her school trip was the best option. That mom didn't like the idea. That's why he seemed okay most of the time while mom was just with the off switch as soon

[00:07:49] as anything reminded her of my sister. One time it took comfort her. I asked her why we just didn't call her on the phone but I just made things worse. But anyway mom took out a spoon

[00:08:03] and begged me to take the rotten pineapple liquid from the medicine bottle and soon I started feeling my arms and legs tingle. I closed my eyes and that was gone. The dark silhouettes approached me. Their haunting empty faces coming closer as their grip

[00:08:21] tightened around my left shoulder. Then there's a sight of those headlights. Thank goodness for the headlights. Part of me knew in that dream that those headlights meant the end of it. The silhouettes released their grip and they hurry off into the darkness like rats.

[00:08:42] I wake up once more my heart beating against my neck. I'm afraid to open my eyes and get out from under the covers this time. I'm not sure if that was the last nightmare I had of the faceless

[00:08:55] but I know it was around the time when things really started to change for me. I know mom was against it but both dad and dr. Gomez convinced her that it was the right

[00:09:05] choice and that afternoon at the medical center they told me that my sister was not coming back. Detectives and investigators used to knock on the door. Of course I used to think that they were simply dad's friends visiting but they always had yellow envelopes with them.

[00:09:27] They always sat around the kitchen table to speak with my parents and mom would always cry. As I grew older things started becoming obvious. At family gatherings people would look at me and avoid talking about my sister. Soon my cousins mentioned that my sister wouldn't take long and

[00:09:48] that they would find her. Mom despite her best efforts to keep it together could not grasp the idea of moving out of that house in case my sister ever came back. She kept her bed made,

[00:10:01] her things just where she had left them. And it took even longer for me to start piecing everything together. I remembered my sister begging my parents to let us stay and finish watching the movie while they went to the store. The same night when we heard a knock

[00:10:19] on the window and ran to hide in the walk-in closet. The robbers breaking into our house, the way they were about to leave until I screamed. The way my sister kicked and yelled as they pulled

[00:10:35] her away and ran out the kitchen door, the sounds of the car speeding away. I started remembering the questions I asked and the questions the grown-ups asked me. Where? How? What was she wearing? What did they look like? Please try harder.

[00:10:55] What did they look like? Does this drawing match their eyebrows? Come on honey, you can do it. What about beards or mustaches? But my mind blended everything together. To me, they were only shadows. To me, they never said normal words.

[00:11:20] To me, they were faceless. The phone call. I was staring out the window thinking about the call I had just had with my dad. He had been feeling sick for a couple days and even

[00:11:55] though he was getting better, I was still worried. It is just typical stomach problems mom told me. She reminded me of how much dad loved to eat and that it was catching up to him.

[00:12:08] This time it had been those spicy wings from the restaurant that opened up in the corner. He had them for three nights straight, mom said. That sounded alright or at least was trying to but still the call stayed on my mind.

[00:12:23] That's just how I am I think. I don't know where I get it from neither dad nor mom worry about everything like I do but I tend to overthink things. My phone rang once more and it

[00:12:36] made me jump out of my bed. I looked at the screen. Maribel. My best friend from college and the only person who understands how I am so she tends to be a relaxing person to hang out with.

[00:12:50] Hey weirdo whatcha doing? She asked. I told her I was just lounging around the house but she couldn't wait for me to finish telling her so that she could tell me what she wanted to

[00:12:59] say so I simply stopped telling her about my worries and how anxious I was feeling and waited for her to speak. Are you done? She asked. I could imagine that smile she always gave me.

[00:13:12] Yes what? I asked. Marcee and her sister meeting up with us at 10 tonight at Spires Bar want me to pick you up? I had been to that bar in so long and it was nice to see Marcee and her

[00:13:25] sister they were funny and always had stories to share. I wanted to go this time I told Maribel I really did but I had to work that night. Well when are you out? She asked me.

[00:13:37] I was out right at 10 p.m. that night. One of my co-workers and annoying girl that nobody liked had called out that night and I was asked by my manager to take over her four hour shift.

[00:13:49] After mixing up my words and not finding a proper excuse to say no I ended up agreeing to go. My manager said thanks and hung up. For a Friday night I guess it wasn't that bad

[00:14:03] but still my mind started racing with how that shift would be. Serving people on a Friday night was a new thing for me and I was always a little nervous about driving at night.

[00:14:14] My eye doctor had given me glasses for night driving and another pair for day driving. I think I was a good customer of places like that because they always needed things. Always expressing some type of fear or complaint about something.

[00:14:30] Unsurprisingly they always had a solution for me and the solutions were always on sale or offered at a discounted price. I know they were just words to get me to buy but still

[00:14:41] I bought them. That evening I got in the car and knowing that the sun would be setting soon I made sure to set the day glasses and my night glasses next to each other on the little compartment

[00:14:52] hole under the car stereo. I looked behind me some cars were too close to me. Something felt off that night and it probably wasn't that so I was just trying to find out what it was

[00:15:04] but at the same time I knew that I was becoming even more paranoid. Someone was watching me or was I about to be late? I checked my watch. Nope, I was early.

[00:15:17] I found a parking spot close to the restaurant where I worked and I felt an easy taking of potential customers parking spot so close to the front door. I started the car ready to

[00:15:27] move a little farther away but I ended up changing my mind and stayed there. The shift went alright. It was the usual boring stuff of serving food, taking money and faking smiles.

[00:15:39] I walked up to my old car with the faded blue paint and noticed that I had left the driver's side door unlocked. I knew something was up. I should have checked that. Triple checked it. Something always

[00:15:52] goes wrong. When I got to the bar and found my friends things changed though. They waved at me and had even ordered my usual, the glass sitting ready for me on the table next to

[00:16:04] Maribel. We laughed, danced in our chairs and even sang some of our favorite songs out loud We ordered way too many appetizers and made friends with a couple of people on the table next to us.

[00:16:16] Something always goes wrong. When I got back from the restroom I noticed that my cell phone wasn't in my jacket pocket. I searched my purse, my other pockets and it simply wasn't there. Great, I thought to myself. I must have left at work.

[00:16:32] What's wrong Maribel asked me. You alright? I asked her for her cell phone to call mine just in case someone at work answered but it stopped ringing after a little bit. I tried to listen closely but the bar was just too noisy.

[00:16:50] I told Maribel that I was going to step outside for a minute, her cell phone in my hand when it started ringing. Sandra's cell, that's me. I stared at it for a few seconds before I tapped

[00:17:04] the green phone icon. I held it up to my ear. A deep raspy laughter met me on the other end. Hello? I asked. No reply. Then they hung up. I called again but there was no answer.

[00:17:25] That was it. A perfect night had been ruined. I didn't get along that well with the workers from the night shift so they wouldn't have a reason to play a joke on me. Someone had found my phone

[00:17:38] and now I was going to have to get a new one. I told Maribel and the others about it when I got back and they tried to cheer me up but it had been enough for the night. I was going home.

[00:17:49] They tried to convince me not to go but there was no way I was going to risk ruining the mood even more by staying there so we said our goodbyes. I paid my bill and stepped

[00:17:59] outside to the parking lot. I rushed to the car. I had locked it this time. Yep, I had. I got in and shut the door that my body went cold right in the middle of the seats.

[00:18:16] The compartment under the car stereo was my cell phone. The following story is also about mobile devices and it is called text messages. The story is ready and will play right after this.

[00:18:46] It was raining and I hated that bus stop more than ever. Two of my friends had already gotten on the bus that came right before mine but this time mine was taking longer than usual.

[00:18:58] I took out my phone and started scrolling through Instagram when I got an iMessage notification. It was from an unknown number. Hey, I dismissed the notification and went back to the

[00:19:13] app to replay the audio and the stories of some meme of a guy opening cans of tomato soup when I got another text message. I see you. I looked up to the other side of the street,

[00:19:26] clear from passing cars now looking to my left and right without making it seem like I was looking for someone. There was nobody there. I opened up the text conversation and replied with

[00:19:40] oh okay hoping that I would get another message back right away while at the same time letting them know that I didn't care and then I did not feel like playing their dumb little game today.

[00:19:51] My bus was late and it was cold. All I wanted to do was get home from school. Still, I kept the phone gripped tightly in my hands in case I felt it vibrate once again. My bus arrived. I climbed on and took a seat near the back.

[00:20:08] I looked around freely now behind the bus stop bench. I looked up to the trees and then to the ones across the street. The bus was moving too fast and the sky was too dark to let me see

[00:20:18] anything clearly. I put my hands into the pockets of the hoodie that I was wearing as the bus rolled away. My right hand is still gripping the phone. I tried not to close my eyes during

[00:20:31] that ride otherwise I'd simply fall asleep and miss my bus stop. It happened once before and I had to walk back three stops. It was either that or wait another 50 minutes for the bus going the opposite

[00:20:44] way to come by. It had been a strange few days at school and I think we all had been affected on some level so my mind was all jumbled up and thinking about everything. Honestly, at the time

[00:20:56] the weird text message was the least of my worries. When I stood up to pull the cable so that the bus driver would drop me off at the next stop, I checked for my things making sure I had everything

[00:21:07] and walked up to the door. The bus hissed away just as my left foot lifted away from the bus. Before I knew it, it was dead quiet. There's something about cloudy days when the rain stops

[00:21:21] falling that makes everything more quiet than usual. The phone vibrated. I took my hand out of my pocket. I see you. I looked around the empty streets. The trees were moving from the wind, a few leaves

[00:21:38] falling from the bigger ones across the street but nobody in sight. Remember Greg? It read, my heart sank with a creeping chill that ran down my back slowly. Was this some type of sick joke? Was it the same Greg?

[00:21:59] I held back the mix of anger and confusion I was feeling and simply gripped the phone even tighter in one hand telling myself that this was someone playing a joke on me and that soon

[00:22:08] I would be able to tell them off properly. Don't joke about that, especially so soon. I thought of people who would know my number and would be careless enough to send such a

[00:22:19] message. My phone vibrated once more, twice and then a third time. I wanted to resist the urge to check it but I ended up doing it. I see you, it read. I see you said the other one. I see you.

[00:22:41] I looked around me one more time and there was no way anyone could be hiding or following me through those empty streets. It was nowhere to hide except inside the houses. I could see the street

[00:22:52] go on forever on both ends and I had passed the only intersection a while back. Still, sweat began to cover the palms of my hands as I sped up. I thought about Greg, the many posters with his

[00:23:06] photos around the school, the songs and candles for the vigil that we had for him. Everybody saying I'm so sorry to me and my friends. Just the thought of us seeing the bench that was

[00:23:19] unofficially reserved for us during lunchtime and seeing the place where he would always sit with the Nintendo DS that he wasn't allowed to have with him but still managed to play with his hands stuck inside his backpack. It made me sad, the phone vibrated again.

[00:23:38] I ran as I thought of Greg telling us through tears the first time we had ever seen him like that and his fear of going home that evening. He showed us the messages on his phone,

[00:23:48] a number that had not been saved yet. Text messages. For days someone had been sending him photos of him getting out of his dad's car, him dropping off his books and his locker at the main school

[00:24:01] hallway. Hey, the message said. His complaints were not taken seriously by the school principal. Someone's playing a joke on you, she told him. I nearly gagged at the thought of her giving her little speech at Greg's vigil. That they protect their students, yeah, right. My house was just

[00:24:23] up ahead when I felt the phone vibrate once more. I took the phone out of my pocket but as I did, the thing fell flat against a sidewalk behind me. I stopped to pick it up as fast as I could

[00:24:35] when I spotted someone coming up behind me in the same direction as I was. I managed to grab the phone and run as fast as I could. I was catching my breath when I got inside and locked

[00:24:46] the door of my house. I couldn't even gather the courage to look out the window and I simply ran to my room, shut the door and sat on the floor. I looked at my phone now through the

[00:24:57] cracked screen protector. Goodbye, it read. And that was that. I don't know who it was and messages failed to deliver to that number now. I told my friends about it a few days after

[00:25:11] that and they all found the text in bad taste. Secretly though, I thought that one of them was a prankster but no longer wanted to admit it. In Stacey, the person I suspected from most made a few comments that made me doubt that she was completely innocent.

[00:25:28] Still, I decided to ignore it. But my doubts were all cleared up the following week when, out of the blue, her phone vibrated during lunchtime. She picked it up and dropped it on

[00:25:40] the table immediately. Nobody could get a word out of her as she stared out into space. I reached for her phone and saw a message from a number she hadn't saved. Remember, Greg? Question mark. I gripped the phone in fear and looked back at Stacey.

[00:26:04] They vibrated once more. I looked at the screen. I see you. Scary Story Podcast is written and produced by me, Edwin Covarrouyes. To send me your scary story, visit scarypod.com forward slash true for a chance to be featured on an upcoming podcast.

[00:26:37] Don't forget to click follow right now on your app to stay updated with this and other shows, or sign up for the newsletter at scarystorypodcast.com to get an email whenever new story comes out. Until next time, thank you very much for listening.