Driven To Extremes
For days, the toddler had been bawling his eyes out, nonstop screaming as soon as his dad put him to bed. The dad was at his wit’s end.
He’d tried everything, from fluffy toys to lullabies. He’d taken the child to different pediatricians all over the city, hoping they could shed light on what was happening. Driven to extremes, he hid a camera in his son’s room.
What the footage would reveal would have him dashing for his weapon.
Enough Is Enough
Night after gruelling night, little Tommy Filmore cried for hours. His mom and grandma would insist it was normal. “You need to stop coddling him,” they’d tell the dad whenever he hurried to the toddler’s room.
But that night, Richard had had enough. He hurried to Tommy’s room, only to find the toddler seated up, staring at the closet door.
He knew the only way to solve this issue was to check the camera footage.
Richard Filmore
But Richard Filmore never thought he’d find himself in such a situation. He’d done everything by the book. By thirty-five, he had everything a man like him could ever want: a good job, a beautiful home, and, most importantly, a loving and equally supportive wife.
But life hadn’t always been kind to Richard. He’d married young, and he and his wife had been trying to get pregnant for the last decade.
They thought they’d never conceive until one day, it happened. But the journey there was nothing if not challenging.
The Beginning of Love
Richard had always been a hardworking man. With calloused hands from his job as the local plumber in a small town near Silverton, Massachusetts, he considered himself fortunate to find his soul mate, Camilla.
She was not only stunningly beautiful but also brilliant. Her culinary skills were a delightful bonus, and her caring, sweet nature captivated Richard’s heart.
However, Richard couldn’t ignore the disapproving glances from Camilla’s mother, who desired a son-in-law from a more prestigious profession.
Proposal Against All Odds
Despite the disapproval, Richard’s love for Camilla only deepened. He proposed, ignoring the scornful gaze of Camilla’s mom. The couple dreamed of a blissful life together.
Yet, their plans were shattered when Camilla’s mother, Henrietta, forbade them from marrying, threatening to curse their union.
Richard, a man of faith, dismissed the idea of curses, while Camilla, a superstitious soul, hesitated but chose love over fear. If only they knew the mistake they were about to make.
The Forbidden Union
Against Henrietta’s wishes, Richard and Camilla defied the supposed curse and exchanged vows. For a brief time, a seemingly endless marital bliss enveloped them.
However, joy turned to concern as months passed without the joyous news of a child. Richard was perplexed by their struggles, but Camilla, influenced by her mother’s warnings, feared the supernatural.
Despite their love, the absence of children cast a shadow over their once-perfect life.
A Desperate Plea
Nine years of fruitless attempts to conceive weighed heavily on Camilla’s heart. Desperation led her to plead with Richard to confront her mother about the supposed curse.
Skeptical but desperate to ease his wife’s suffering, Richard reluctantly agreed to visit Camilla’s mom.
The air in the room thickened with tension as they confronted the woman who had cursed their marriage.
A Ray of Hope
But two weeks after the visit, the unexpected happened – morning sickness. Camilla, against all odds, was pregnant!
The news brought elation, but Richard couldn’t shake off a newfound fear. What if Camilla’s mother’s curses were real? Doubt, like a rogue wave, fell over his mind.
He had no idea that unexplainable things were about to happen to his family.
A Joyous Arrival
The long-awaited day arrived, and in the delivery room, Richard held Camilla’s hand, a mix of anxiety and
excitement filling the air. The cries of their newborn son, Tommy, were like sweet music, drowning out their past struggles.
In the following months, the Filmore household was filled with the warmth of baby giggles and the pitter-patter of tiny feet.
The joyous arrival of Tommy seemed to dispel the dark clouds that had loomed over their marriage for years. But it would also be the start of a long nightmare.
The Unsettling Change
The blissful atmosphere shattered about six months and six days after Tommy’s birth. The once contented baby started crying inconsolably every night. The first few nights were manageable, but as time passed, the crying intensified.
Desperation set in, and Richard and Camilla’s exhaustion grew with each sleepless night. Their days became a blur of attempts to soothe their distressed son, seeking advice from experts and experimenting with remedies.
The weight of fatigue bore down on them, threatening to break their resolve.
A Grandmother’s Intuition
Camilla, desperate to put this to an end, suggested calling her mother despite all the woman had done to her and her husband. Henrietta arrived, bringing with her a sense of calm that temporarily silenced Tommy’s cries.
For a brief moment, peace settled over the household, and Richard and Camilla breathed sighs of relief.
However, a lingering unease nestled in Richard’s mind, a feeling that this was just a temporary respite.
The Ephemeral Peace
A week passed, and the cries returned, louder and more persistent than ever. Richard rushed to Tommy’s room, his heart pounding. His mother-in-law advised him to let the baby self-soothe, insisting that excessive attention was the problem. She’d then address Camilla in their native language.
Conflicted, Richard felt torn between comforting his distressed son and heeding the advice that echoed in his ears.
The strain on their relationship deepened as Camilla began aligning with her mother’s methods.
Whispers in the Night
Richard’s worry escalated when he noticed Tommy’s behavior.
Once filled with innocent curiosity, the toddler’s eyes now seemed haunted. He’d spend his days seemingly terrified.
During the night, he’d stare wide-eyed at unseen entities, his tiny hands reaching out as if to grasp something beyond the realm of Richard’s understanding. What was happening?
Sinister Henrietta
Richard had never been superstitious before. But he couldn’t brush off the signs after the decade he and Camilla had endured. Slowly but surely, he was beginning to fear his mother-in-law.
He’d noted how sinister Henrietta looked sometimes. How often had Richard caught her kneeling next to her bed, mumbling things in her room in the dead of night?
Something was terribly wrong here, and the dad needed to get to the bottom of it before it was too late.
Guard Him
Richard made the decision to stay in Tommy’s room. Yes, his wife and mother-in-law had insisted that he was coddling Tommy too much.
But Richard didn’t care. This was his flesh and blood, and he’d protect him from whatever entity had seemingly focused its gaze on him.
Richard almost laughed, thinking he now believed in entities and the like. What had his life turned into?
A Rabbit Hole
The dad fell into an endless rabbit hole when he started studying the supernatural. Every night, as he tried his best to quell Tommy’s distress, he’d listen to podcasts and audiobooks about the metaphysical. He’d picked out a few words from Henrietta and Camilla’s conversations and, after a quick Google search, had discovered some harrowing things.
“Demons…” he whispered as he opened another audiobook centered on Eastern European folklore and mythology. Once a man of cold logic, he felt this path necessary. He knew that whatever enemy he was standing against wouldn’t fall by conventional means.
He should have known that he was also being watched.
Something Wasn’t Right
One night, Richard sat in his home office, googling and researching, but he had no idea what he was truly searching for. He couldn’t help but feel like his mother-in-law was doing something to his son, something he couldn’t control.
Richard sat with his head in his hand until the early hours of the morning. That was when he heard the sound that sent shivers down his spine.
He had no idea that that night, he would stumble upon something truly mortifying.
Footsteps
He could hear the slow, faint footsteps walking down the hall. They passed his office and then continued toward the bedrooms. He checked the time. It was nearly 3 am. Who on earth could be creeping around their house at this hour?
He slowly rolled his seat out from under his desk, his breath shallow. But then, Richard heard the familiar squeak of his son’s bedroom door swinging open.
Someone was in his room. He had no idea what he was about to come across.
Sneaking Out
Richard silently snuck out of the office and into the hallway. When he looked toward his son’s bedroom, the door was cracked open. But then, he noticed something truly odd.
Inside the little boy’s bedroom, Richard could see a flicker of light. At first, he was confused by the strange light, but then he realized what it was.
Whoever was inside of the toddler’s bedroom was using a flashlight.
Outside The Room
The night air hung heavy with an unsettling stillness as Richard, a weary father, tiptoed through the dimly lit corridors of his spacious home.
His heart ached with concern for his restless toddler, Tommy, who had been struggling to find solace in the arms of slumber.
Richard’s brow furrowed as he entered the hushed realm of his son’s room, guided only by the faint glow of a nightlight.
A Tough Night
Richard was a devoted father to his toddler, Tommy, who had a peculiar habit of refusing to sleep through the night. It had become a nightly ritual for Richard to comfort his son until he could finally settle down.
This fateful night, however, things took an unexpected turn. Richard was roused from his slumber by an unfamiliar aroma wafting through the house.
Concerned, he followed the scent to Tommy’s room. What was causing the strong smell?
Something Isn’t Right
The night was heavy with a strange restlessness, and Richard found himself pacing the hallways of his mansion as his toddler, Tommy, wailed inconsolably in his room. The moon cast an eerie glow through the curtains, adding to the unsettling atmosphere.
As Richard tiptoed into Tommy’s room, he detected an unusual odor that lingered in the air—a scent that clawed at his senses, both sweet and acrid.
Determined to soothe his son, Richard followed the mysterious aroma to the nursery. But the door was already ajar.
What Is That
A peculiar scent wafted through the air, an aroma both foreign and unsettling. Richard followed the mysterious fragrance, a foreboding cloud that led him to the crib where Tommy lay tossing and turning.
The room flickered with an otherworldly haze, and there, in the glow, stood Henrietta, his mother-in-law.
She held an ornate platter aloft, tendrils of smoke curling into the air, casting eerie shadows on the walls.
Who Is There
As he pushed the door ajar, a surreal sight greeted him. There stood his mother-in-law, Henrietta, holding a mysterious platter emitting a strange smoke above Tommy’s crib.
Startled, Richard quickly scooped up his son, who had started crying, and Henrietta hastily retreated from the room, leaving Richard bewildered and curious about the odd occurrence.
Was she trying to hurt Tommy?
Holy Smokes
To his astonishment, the door creaked open to reveal his mother-in-law, Henrietta, shrouded in the dim light. In her hands, she held a peculiar platter from which wisps of smoke curled upward. She was burning something in the room.
Richard clutched Tommy protectively, the bizarre scene sending shivers down his spine.
Before he could question Henrietta, she hastily fled the room, leaving only a trail of bewilderment.
A Father’s Concern
Richard’s first instinct was to protect his son. Although he knew Henrietta personally and had spent a good amount of time with her. It was always on his terms.
He didn’t know that much about her past or childhood.
His eyes widened with disbelief; Richard clutched Tommy to his chest, the toddler’s cries muffled against his shoulder. “Henrietta, what are you doing?” he whispered urgently.
Looking Guilty
Without a word, Henrietta darted out of the room, leaving Richard bewildered and clutching his son close.
He watched as she vanished down the hall, the echoes of her footsteps fading into the silence.
Richard’s mind raced, but his priority was to soothe Tommy, who eventually settled into a restless slumber in the safety of his father’s embrace. But he was still in shock about seeing his mother-in-law there.
Standing Guard
An exhausted father fell asleep on the couch in his son’s room. He was adamant not to leave him alone that night.
Morning light crept into the room, casting its warmth on father and son. Camilla, Richard’s wife, gently shook him awake, her eyes reflecting concern.
Tommy stirred, his cries piercing the tranquility of the morning.
Through The Night
Richard was surprised to find himself in Tommy’s room. Camilla was busy tidying up and didn’t say much. She tried to coax Tommy into keeping quiet, he was screaming at the top of his lungs.
“What happened last night?” Richard asked, his voice edged with worry.
“I saw your mother with some strange platter and the smell… What was she burning?”
Avoiding Eye Contact
Camilla’s eyes darted away, a subtle unease in her gaze. “You must have been dreaming, Richard. My mother wouldn’t do anything strange.”
The secretive housewife continued to clean up and shush her baby at the same time. But Tommy was inconsolable; seeing his father there, he reached his tiny arms out for his father to carry him.
This only annoyed Camilla more.
An Upset Baby
The following morning, Richard was awakened by Tommy’s cries again. Startled and frustrated, he confronted his wife, Camilla, about the strange scene from the previous night.
To his surprise, she vehemently denied any knowledge of it. Richard’s sense of trust began to waver as he felt a growing suspicion that his family was keeping secrets from him.
He kept a close eye on Camilla, and he was scared to go to work.
Making Excuses
A seed of doubt planted itself in Richard’s mind, but before he could press further, Camilla diverted the conversation, claiming that her mother was unwell and locked in her room.
Thinking that he would have a few hours of work, Richard had no choice but to get ready for his job.
Duty called, and Richard had to head to the office, leaving the mysteries of the night unresolved.
Hiding From Him
Throughout the day, a nagging sense of unease clawed at Richard’s consciousness. He couldn’t shake the feeling that his family was keeping secrets.
He couldn’t focus on his sales targets and didn’t have an appetite all day. When he returned home, he found Henrietta’s door still locked, and his inquiries met with evasive responses.
What were they up to?
It Doesn’t Make Sense
Richard, a man of logic and reason, found himself caught in a web of uncertainty and suspicion that veiled the once-serene atmosphere of his household.
His wife, Camilla, and her mother, Henrietta, seemed to be harboring a secret, their actions and hushed conversations casting ominous shadows over the once-happy family.
The cause of Richard’s unease centered around their son, Tommy, a sweet and innocent child whose incessant crying had become a haunting melody in their home. He didn’t have any answers.
Normal Tears
At first, Richard dismissed the notion of anything amiss, attributing Tommy’s tears to typical infant behavior.
However, as the days stretched into nights and the wails persisted, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something more sinister was afoot.
His investigative instincts kicked in, and he began to discreetly observe Camilla and Henrietta, trying to decipher the cryptic exchanges and furtive glances they shared.
A Secret Between Them
One evening, Richard overheard a whispered conversation between the two women. Henrietta spoke of an ancient family curse, a malevolent spirit that had allegedly latched onto Tommy.
Camilla, normally rational and level-headed, seemed to be entranced by her mother’s words, nodding solemnly as if she believed every word.
Intrigued and alarmed, Richard delved into the family’s history, seeking clues to this mysterious curse that now gripped his son.
She Is In Hiding
Richard tried to talk to his mother-in-law, but she avoided him.
Henrietta spent the entire day locked in her room, claiming illness. Richard, torn between work and family, had no choice but to leave for the office, leaving the mystery unsolved.
With an unsettling feeling gnawing at him, he couldn’t shake the thought that perhaps Tommy might be safer in daycare than in the care of his own family.
No Time To Talk
Camilla had a part-time job as well, which is why she called her mother in to help with Tommy. But Henrietta confined herself to her room, claiming illness, and Richard, torn between duty and doubt, had no choice but to head to the office himself.
The uneasy feeling lingered, and he couldn’t shake the sense that something was amiss within the walls of his home.
Perhaps, he pondered, Tommy might be safer away from his own kin.
Tommy Cries Don’t Stop
As the days passed, the strange occurrences escalated. Richard grew convinced that his family was hiding something, and a chilling realization gripped his heart – perhaps Tommy was in danger under their roof.
Although a security camera was installed in his room, he couldn’t see what was happening when they took him out.
Unable to ignore the growing unease, he pondered whether the safety of a creche might be preferable for his son.
A Walk In The Past
Behind the scenes, Richard found out about his wife’s past in Mexico. Saying he had a work trip; he made a special trip to go and visit her childhood home.
As Richard dug deeper, he discovered a hidden chamber in their ancestral home, adorned with peculiar symbols and old artifacts.
The air inside was thick with otherworldly energy, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that this was the epicenter of the family’s troubles.
Camilla’s Childhood
Richard stood in the old, dilapidated house, wondering who he married. He always thought that Camilla was a staunch Christian woman, but her childhood home told a different story.
It seemed as though her mother had forced her into some occult arts.
Determined to protect his son, Richard began researching ancient rituals and protective charms, hoping to counteract whatever malevolence had taken residence in his home.
Who Is She
Richard stood in the shadowed hallway, torn between loyalty to his family and the instinct to protect his child. He had always been a strict Christian and went to church and mass every week. He felt that he was in over his head.
The air hung heavy with an unspoken tension.
How would Richard unravel the mystery and save his son from the shadows that lurked within his own home?
It’s Too Late Now
Richard returned home late, just in time for Tommy to be put down. He seemed to be normal, but the enigma persisted the same night when Tommy once again cried inconsolably.
As Richard rushed to his son’s room, he caught a glimpse of Henrietta’s nightdress disappearing behind a swiftly closed door.
Suspecting foul play, he confronted Camilla, only for Tommy to interject, declaring his mother unfit.
A Secret Mission
The next day, Camilla and Henrietta left the house without explanation. Richard, determined to unravel the mystery, dropped Tommy off at his mother’s house and surreptitiously trailed them.
They drove out into the countryside, far away from civilization.
To his astonishment, they visited a witch doctor who provided them with special herbs to burn, supposedly to ward off Tommy’s tears.
I’m Not Scared Of You
The angry father marched inside the witch doctor’s small dwelling.
Furious and desperate, Tommy confronted them, rejecting the mystical solution. “I don’t believe in all these spells and potions,” he declared, demanding they go to church instead.
Suspense hung in the air as Richard wondered how to lead his family away from the mysterious rituals and toward a path of faith. How could he bring them back to the light?
More Than We Thought
The battle between the supernatural and Richard’s yearning for a traditional, Christian family left the future uncertain, shrouded in an eerie suspense that clung to the air like an unbroken spell.
As they drove home, he insisted that they start attending church every Sunday.
“No excuses Camilla, your mother too!” But would the strange old lady do the right thing for her daughter?
Try To Understand
That night, Richard cradled Tommy, standing sentinel until dawn broke. He locked the door so nobody could come into the room.
It was just him and his son.
When morning arrived, Camilla, his wife, woke him, only to find Tommy crying once again.
Although his mother-in-law wasn’t able to come inside that night, Tommy was still disturbed by something.
Stop What You’re Doing
Struggling to comprehend the events of the night, Richard confronted Camilla, his eyes burning with determination.
“I know that you and your mother are doing something strange with the baby,” he accused her.
She denied any knowledge of Henrietta’s actions, leaving Richard with a gnawing suspicion that his family was harboring secrets. He needed proof.
Who Can I Trust
The following night mirrored the previous one, with Tommy’s cries echoing through the mansion. He was just in the bathroom and a few minutes too late.
Richard, rushing to his son’s aid, glimpsed Henrietta’s nightdress vanishing behind a closing door.
There was the faint smell of burning incense around the baby’s room. Had she done something to the child?
Fighting Spouses
Frustrated, he confronted Camilla, but Tommy intervened, denouncing his mother as an unfit guardian. The next day, Camilla and Henrietta disappeared, leaving Richard with the baby.
He was glad that they were gone. He took his son into the garden and started reading verses out of the bible, something his mother never did.
He was determined to teach his son the value of their religion.
Up To No Good
Richard knew that Camilla was up to no good. She conveniently made arrangements with her mother, saying that they were going to the doctor.
But the clever father knew that there was something else in the pipeline.
He would be ready for them the next time though. As soon as little Tommy was feeling better, he would start his plan of action.
Searching His Own House
The curious father took the opportunity to search inside the house. Henrietta’s room door was locked, but he knew how to pick them up.
After a few seconds with an old hairpin, he managed to open the door.
And when he stepped into his mother-in-law’s room, he was shocked. His eyes opened in awe at what he saw.
The Power Of Christ
Old Henrietta’s room was covered in crucifixes. She had wooden ones and metal ones of all shapes and sizes. She also had a few copies of the Holy Bible on her nightstand.
Richard browsed through them and was shocked to see that a few of them had pages torn out of them.
What was his strange mother-in-law up to?
Watching Them
When the ladies returned, Richard kept his findings to himself and acted normal. Determined to uncover the truth, Richard trailed them to a remote location, where a mysterious witch doctor provided them with a concoction of herbs.
Tommy, steadfast in his disbelief, demanded they attend church instead.
Reluctantly, Camilla and Henrietta agreed, but their compliance masked a sinister plan.
Other Forces At Play
In the dead of night, as the moon cast an eerie glow over the mansion, Richard confronted Camilla and Henrietta about his findings. “You don’t know what you’re messing with,” Henrietta said sharply.
The protective father demanded the truth. Their eyes widened with guilt, and they reluctantly confessed to a dark pact made by their ancestors to gain unimaginable wealth.
In exchange, a malevolent spirit had been bound to the family, wreaking havoc with each passing generation.
Take My Hand
Camilla requested that her husband join them in their spiritual fight. Richard, enraged and desperate, confronted the spirit in a daring ritual.
As incantations echoed through the hidden chamber, the air crackled with energy.
The spirit resisted, causing the mansion to tremble. But with determination burning in his eyes, Richard persevered, breaking the curse that had tormented his family for centuries.
Just This Once
That night, as the family burned the herbs, a supernatural occurrence unfolded. A cool breeze swept through the house, carrying away the negative energy that had plagued them.
Richard, sensing the ethereal change, watched as Tommy slept peacefully for the first time in weeks.
It was as if the house itself exhaled a sigh of relief.
A Changed Feeling
The following morning, Tommy awoke with newfound happiness, his troubles seemingly vanquished. Camilla shared a knowing glance with Richard, a subtle acknowledgment of a secret knowledge.
The herbal doctor’s ritual had worked its mystical wonders, leaving Richard in suspense, questioning the boundaries between the tangible and the supernatural.
For the first time, he believed that there were other working forces out there.
The Cleansed Home
In the aftermath, the mansion returned to tranquility, and Tommy’s cries ceased.
The weight that had burdened Richard’s heart lifted, and he embraced his wife and mother-in-law, grateful that love had triumphed over darkness.
The family learned that true wealth lay not in material possessions but in the bonds that held them together, strengthened by the trials they had overcome.
It Feels Different
As the first rays of dawn broke, Richard, Camilla, Henrietta, and Tommy stood together, united against the shadows of their past.
They looked forward to planning the baby’s birthday party.
The ancient curse had been broken, and a new chapter unfolded for the family—one marked by love, resilience, and the unwavering determination to protect the ones they held dear.