After weeks of hearing odd noises emanating from an elderly man’s house, the neighbors broke down the door and entered the apartment, only to be appalled by what they discovered.
One old man in particular, Viktor, stood out on a peaceful street where everyone knew one another by name. Nobody truly knew what he did or how he made a living, and he seldom ever left his apartment or spoke to anyone.
Everyone was certain of one thing, though: his house was always making weird noises. Occasionally a low growl that sounds like someone scuffing the walls. Not nearly human, but occasionally a high-pitched screech that sounds like a scream. Wailing, tired barking, and echoing day after day made the nights particularly difficult. There were moments when it felt like a complete breakdown was happening within.
The neighbors tolerated it at first. Then they began knocking on his door and pleading with him to keep it down. Even a note was left by someone:
“Please find a solution to the noise issue. At night, none of us are sleeping.
However, there was no reply. Not every time did Viktor answer the door; when he did, he would nod, murmur something incomprehensible, and then go behind his door once more.
The concern increased over time. Some neighbors thought he was losing his mind. Others believed that he was covertly living with other individuals. Some even thought it might be unlawful. But the truth was unknown.
Everything changed one day.
The old man had not been seen for about a week. His windows were covered as usual, and his door was shut. However, the noises continued.
Conversely, they became much louder. At night, there were shouts of misery, gnashing teeth, and scraping and scratching on the floor. As though something or someone was frantically attempting to get away.
By the seventh day, the people were at their breaking point. A pair of men approached his floor and rapped on the door. Nobody responded. The police eventually smashed the lock and opened the door when they were contacted.
Everyone’s blood ran cold as soon as they entered. Within the unit, there was
Viktor was lifeless on the bed in the room, surrounded by a foul, musty stench. The investigator said he had been dead for almost a week. It wasn’t the worst part, though.
The flat was home to around twenty dogs, some of them barely alive and weak and malnourished. Some of them lay next to the body and wouldn’t leave it while they wandered about the rooms.
Claw scratches, feces, ripped furniture, and evidence of animal fights littered the floor.
The elderly man has apparently been housing stray dogs, concealing, feeding, and sleeping next to them. His only pals were they. Fearing that they would be taken away from him, he had kept it a secret.
The dogs had been stranded without food or water for seven days.
The neighbors’ voices trembled as they recounted the incident for a long time. Since then, the house has stood empty, seemingly unwilling to let go of its horrific secret.
