So, after I lost my job, my husband and I moved into my late grandma’s old house to save money. The place hadn’t been touched in ages, but oddly, it was pretty clean inside.

Everything seemed fine until I started hearing weird noises, like footsteps. My husband brushed it off as the house settling, but then I heard a door close at night. Intrigued, I checked it out and found the basement door locked from the inside.

The next day, some groceries mysteriously vanished from the fridge. That’s when I decided to take matters into my own hands. I grabbed my tools and broke into the basement. What I discovered shocked me: mattresses and clear signs someone was living there.

Determined to get to the bottom of it, I planned to sneak back down there at night. Who I saw there turned my world upside down.

I waited until my husband had fallen asleep and crept down to the basement, my heart pounding in my chest. As I opened the door, I saw a dim light flickering from a corner of the room. Stealthily, I approached and peeked around a stack of old boxes.

There, sitting on one of the mattresses, was a young woman, thin and disheveled. She looked up, her eyes wide with fear and surprise. In her hands was a worn photograph — a picture of my grandma.

“Who are you?” I asked, my voice trembling.

The woman hesitated, then whispered, “My name is Emma. I didn’t mean to scare you. I… I didn’t know where else to go.”

“Why are you here? How did you get in?” I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady.

Emma took a deep breath. “I knew your grandmother. She was kind to me when no one else was. When she passed away, I had nowhere to go, so I came here. I thought the house was abandoned.”

“How did you know her?” I asked, a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

Emma’s eyes filled with tears. “I met her at the shelter where she volunteered. I was struggling, and she helped me get back on my feet. She gave me hope when I had none.”

Her words hit me hard. My grandmother had always been generous and caring, but I had no idea she had made such an impact on this young woman.

“I’m sorry for sneaking around,” Emma continued. “I’ve been trying to stay out of your way. I only took food when I was desperate. I didn’t mean any harm.”