Nightmare in the Empty House

The north wind howled, biting cold, yet inside Michael Carter, his chest burned as if set aflame. He gripped tightly the worn backpack strapped to his chest, inside it, a fortune – 1 million USD in cash.

It was the sweat, tears, and even blood of a year spent “working” in the remote borderlands of the U.S., where deep forests, dangerous rivers, and deadly isolation loomed at every step. For an entire year, Michael had cut off all contact with his family. It wasn’t carelessness, but the nature of his work, and his desire to gamble one last time: return home with a massive fortune to change the lives of his wife and child, and to make his elderly mother proud in front of the neighbors. He wanted to make it up to Lisa, his young wife who had just given birth to their son three months ago when he left.

“Lisa, wait for me. This Christmas, our house will be the richest on the block,” Michael murmured, a bright smile breaking across his sun-darkened face. He imagined Lisa crying tears of joy at his return, his mother exclaiming at the thick stacks of cash, and their son, over a year old, toddling around the living room.

A Sense of Unease

Arriving at the gate, Michael froze. Unlike the bustling, colorful decorations of the neighbors’ houses, his home was shrouded in darkness and eerie silence. The iron gate hung slightly ajar, rusted. Moss covered the brick courtyard. The peach tree he had planted last year stood bare, its branches lifeless, no blossoms to herald the season.

A creeping sense of unease ran down his spine. Michael pushed open the gate and stepped in.

– “Mom! Lisa! I’m home!”

No answer. Only the sound of wind rattling against the window panes. Michael hurried up the steps; the front door wasn’t locked. He pushed it open… and froze.

The Horrifying Scene

Inside, Michael was met with a sight that made his heart stop: the floor was smeared with blood, furniture overturned. On the sofa, Lisa lay motionless, her body marked with wounds. Their baby boy cried inconsolably in his crib, soaked with tears and urine. Michael ran over, scooping up his son while screaming at his wife.

– “Lisa! Oh God, Lisa, are you okay?!”

Lisa opened her eyes, terrified and desperate. Her voice was hoarse:

– “Michael… you… you’re back… too soon… they… they…”

Before he could comprehend, unfamiliar footsteps echoed from the kitchen. A group of tall, imposing men, faces grim and cold, weapons in hand, stood waiting. A shiver ran down Michael’s spine.

During the year he was away, his house had become a target for a criminal gang involved in money and drug trafficking. They had aimed for Michael’s fortune, and Lisa and their son were hostages to force him to hand over the money.

A Life-or-Death Decision

Michael clutched his son tightly while searching for an opening. Memories of his physical training and survival skills in the borderlands flashed through his mind. He quickly grabbed a chair to block, one hand holding his son, the other gripping the backpack with the money.

– “No one harms my family!” Michael roared, eyes blazing.

The tense confrontation unfolded in seconds. Michael used every ounce of skill and strength to subdue the intruders. Lisa, despite her injuries, crawled out to help her husband. When the last threat was neutralized, Michael surveyed the scene, drenched in sweat, heart pounding.

– “We… we’re safe now, Lisa…” he said, voice trembling, yet smiling at his child who slept peacefully in his arms.

The Aftermath

The house fell silent again. Michael placed the 1 million USD on the table, his gaze distant. “This money… is nothing compared to the lives of my wife and child,” he thought. Lisa clung to him, tears streaming down her face. Their son slept peacefully, safe in the arms of his parents.

Michael realized that after this nightmare, he would do anything to protect his family, even if it meant sacrificing his own life. Wealth, money, or status were meaningless compared to the happiness and safety of those he loved.