They Were Ordinary
They lived in Marietta, Ohio, and were an average family. They lived in a small house similar to any other in the neighborhood. The fact that they were nothing special only made the event even more bizarre.
Strange sounds at night had disturbed their sleeping habits. In the beginning, they didn't think much of them, but then something unexplainable happened.
His Theories
They were unprepared for what was happening in their home. According to Chris, his girlfriend was pulling a prank on him. However, she denied it with all her heart, swearing in the name of her late mother.
After setting up a camera behind him, Chris decided to move forward. In spite of his preparations, he was not prepared for the disturbing footage that followed.
Losing His Mind
His frustration and mystery had driven Chris to the brink of madness before he decided to install the camera in his daughter's room.
No one knew where or why the girl's legs were covered in strange, sickening marks every morning. However, they would never have imagined the truth would be as terrifying as it was.
She Was Innocent
Neema, his girlfriend, claimed she wasn't involved. As disturbed and confused as she was by what was happening, she tried to make sense of what was happening. In a hurry, Chris returned with a night vision camera from the store.
After reviewing the night-long video, Chris took a closer look at what was hurting his sweet little girl. Despite this, he couldn't find the right words to describe what he saw.
Starting Fresh
After living in his mom's guest house just outside town for a year, Chris and his family moved into the house owned by his aunt. As bad luck followed bad luck, Chris found himself with no other options.
With the support of his daughter, Bianca, and girlfriend, Neema, he wanted to start anew. His family of three would be horrified at what they would find and they would immediately want to leave.
A Disturbing Sight
At thirteen years old, Bianca began experiencing disturbing symptoms while eating breakfast. Seeing her bruises against her skin, her dad became concerned.
Neema, however, had convinced him that children bump and fall all the time. Bianca was given an ointment, which she assured her would be fine. There was no way Chris could have known that things were about to spiral out of control.
Another Discovery
Initially, the dad was not concerned with the bruises. However, new bruises appeared a day after Neema had helped Bianca apply the ointment.
However, they were much worse than before. Bianca's legs were covered with fleshy, pink marks, as though a rabid animal had gored her. Chris's breath caught when he saw the scene.
His Only Daughter
A terrible mistake had been made, and Chris knew it. There was more to his care for Bianca than that. In the end, she was his only daughter. For him, Bianca was the only reason he was still striving to make ends meet.
It was because of her that he wanted to become a better person, and he would do anything to protect and provide for her. The marks he saw made him determined not to rest until he found out what was going on.
A Big Change
His daughter was his top priority. Chris wanted what was best for her. Despite his attempts to separate from her mom, Bianca had long struggled with it.
Her loss of home had always made him feel guilty for putting her through the pain of leaving. Things got serious after Chris met Neema. However, Chris had promised himself that he would never leave his daughter behind.
A Close Connection
A close bond had always existed between Chris and Bianca. Her grief and heartache had seemingly been forgotten after the separation, as Bianca chose to focus her attention on her father instead. Chris had been broken for a long time.
Drinking and everything in between had become a way for him to numb the pain. Despite being a child, his daughter contributed significantly to saving his life. A monumental event happened just as she did.
Meeting Neema
Bianca took on the role of caregiver as young as she was. She cleaned and helped Chris cook, and after a while, he snapped out of his misery.
But just as he did, he met Neema, who had been working in the same building he attended his weekly recovery group meetings. He didn't know what she would do to him and Bianca.
Strengthening Their Bond
Chris had been doing everything to make up for not being there for his daughter. He looked after Bianca's needs very closely and, because of it, strengthened the bond they'd once shared.
But Bianca started changing the moment Neema came into the picture. Her behavior seemed to take a different turn when Chris told her Neema would be moving in with them.
No Secrets
Before Neema came into the picture, Bianca had always told Chris everything happening in her life. Chris had loved this about her, seeing as she kept no secrets from him. But as the year started, Bianca became quiet.
Her behavior worsened as the year progressed, making Chris wonder what was happening. He thought it was because his daughter was nearing puberty, unaware that it was something else entirely.
Something’s Wrong
Things kept escalating, and Chris found himself wondering if he should approach Bianca about the matter. As the months passed, with Neema living with them, Chris noticed that his once radiant and jovial daughter was always sulking and keeping to herself.
She was constantly in her room, choosing to stay away from the rest of the family. Whenever Chris went to talk to her, she'd appear withdrawn and lost in thought.
Is It Social Media
Chris's mind started racing as he frantically tried piecing things together. He'd heard about the dangers of social media and wondered if his daughter was being sucked into the myriad of dangerous social platforms out there.
He thought about tracking her online footprints, feeling he couldn't do anything else. But little did he know her social media pages were the least of his worries.
Talk To Her
Feeling lost and confused, the dad went to his own mom for advice. "Have you tried talking to her?" his mom asked, equally worried about Bianca's welfare.
"I have not," Chris answered sheepishly. Perhaps the answer was right before him, only waiting for him to ask. With that thought in mind, he went to his daughter's room.
What Is It?
Chris gently knocked on his daughter's door and asked about her change in behavior when she invited him in. Was she getting bullied in school or by her friends at home?
Was she feeling neglected because of Neema's presence? Was she under the weather with something sensitive that wasn't meant for her dad's ear? "What is it?" Chris asked.
Her Reason
Bianca held her dad's gaze as he barraged her with question after question. Chris could see the worry in her eyes and hated putting her in this situation. But he'd had enough of her behavior and wanted to understand what was happening.
"I just don't like how the other rooms feel," Bianca answered. "I like this room. That's why I stay here." Chris took a step back. He wondered if his daughter was telling him the truth.
Trust Her
Chris had never been one to interfere with his daughter's life. When she gave him her answer, he took a step back, hoping she'd see that he was willing to trust her.
"I am always here if you need anything," he said and meant it. "Even if it's just to talk," he added, and the ends of Bianca's lips curled. Chris was choosing to trust his daughter. But he'd soon regret that decision.
Is It Because She’s Nearing Puberty?
Chris was confident that his daughter would come to him if something were wrong. Perhaps her change in behavior was because she was growing.
Although he didn't like how withdrawn she'd become and constantly worried over her wellbeing, he knew he couldn't rush her. Then he noticed something that had sirens blaring in his mind.
The Signs Are Here
Bianca, now on summer break, was spending more time at home. Although she had friends who lived close, she was never interested in leaving the house to spend time with them.
Since the temperature was well beyond the eighties, she'd taken to wearing clothes that revealed her legs and arms. That's when Chris saw it.
Ask Her
Chris immediately noticed the marks on his daughter's legs. He thought she'd fallen at first and decided to let it go. But the next day, she came down for breakfast with more marks on her knees.
She couldn't have fallen twice and hurt the same body parts. Chris decided to ask her about the marks, hoping nothing terrible was happening. A bad feeling had settled in his stomach.
Her Only Answer
Bianca looked at Chris for a long minute before her gaze fell down to her legs. Chris could see her mind work, trying to find the words to explain what was happening.
She bit her bottom lip in frustration before giving her answer. "I woke up with them," she said. But that answer only raised more questions.
Ointment
Chris internalized the words, wondering if his daughter was lying to him. But she'd never been one to lie and always said things without fear or favor.
"I have an ointment for bruises and the like," Neema intoned from the side, hurrying to her feet and stretching an arm out for Bianca. But no amount of ointment would fix what was happening here.
The Dead Of Night
The girl looked at Neema's hand for a few seconds before taking it, and together, they disappeared into Chris's bedroom to fetch the ointment.
Things were supposed to go back to normal, and for the next two days, they did. But as the third night came, something odd happened. Chris woke up in the dead of night to weird sounds coming from outside his bedroom.
The Sounds
The worried dad shot upright, searching the dark room. Neema wasn't lying next to him, which had his brows furrowing. Slowly and quietly, he got out of bed and headed out of the room.
The house was dunked in darkness, and the eerie sounds were coming from Bianca's room. Chris's heart started pounding as a dark realization dawned on him.
Cold Door Handle
He stalked to Bianca's door, taking a deep breath before placing his hand on the cold door handle. He counted from one to three, wondering if breaching his daughter's privacy was the best thing to do here.
But just as he was about to twist the handle, Neema appeared behind him. "You are awake," she observed in a low tone. "You heard it too?"
Open The Door
Chris nodded. He could see the fear in his girlfriend's eyes. That same fear was threatening to overpower him. But he wouldn't let it.
Neema had a baseball bat in hand, which she handed to Chris. He didn't need to ask her why she carried it, he was just glad she'd fetched it when she heard the noises. In one swoop, he threw Bianca's door open.
Awake
Bianca shrieked when Chris and Neema jumped into the room. They had startled her, wrenching her from a deep sleep. She stared around wildly, confused.
Broad-eyed, armed with a bat and his chest moving up and down, Chris looked around the room. He couldn't see anything. But then, a trembling Neema pointed at the window.
Go To The Window
Chris rushed to the window, which was open. He stuck his head outside, and his gaze met nothing but a stretch of darkness and twinkling town lights.
He closed the window and turned around, explaining to Bianca that he'd heard sounds coming from her room. But Bianca insisted that everything was fine. As she talked, her eyes kept glancing at Neema. What was going on?