At precisely 2 p.m., a moving truck arrived in front of 3345 Oakwood Lane. Katelen had submitted an offer for the house a week prior, notably being the sole bidder. She had not questioned why the house was priced lower than her offer. Assisting her with the move were her brothers, Owen, Billy, and Ty, along with her sisters, Peggy-Ann and Rosie. Her dogs, Beau, a Black Labrador, and Grizz, an Australian Kelpie, joyfully explored the new environment. Following a painful breakup with her boyfriend of four years, Kade, who she discovered was unfaithful with her friend Chrissy, Katelen decided to leave New Orleans. She returned to her hometown of Baton Rouge, eager to embark on this new chapter by purchasing her first house at the age of 24. Situated in the sub-rural outskirts of town, the house featured neighboring residences approximately six feet apart. By 7 p.m., the house was fully organized. After enjoying a meal at a Chinese buffet with her siblings, Katelen returned home, planning a grocery shopping trip for the following day. She fed Beau and Grizz before retiring to bed. The next morning, she fed the dogs and had a granola bar before heading out. As Katelen drove to the store, she reflected on her gratitude for her career as a remote investigative journalist and her podcast, "Mysteries and Horror Stories With Katelen," which afforded her the financial means to purchase a home. Her job entailed selecting intriguing stories from a list provided by her boss. Her podcast featured discussions about perplexing mysteries and real-life horror stories, as well as creepypastas she authored.Upon arriving at the store, a wave of nostalgic memories washed over her. Inside, she was warmly greeted by Mr. Ronald, the door greeter who had known her since she was four years old. "Katelen, it's been a long time," he exclaimed. "Hello, Mr. Ronald, how are you?" she responded, and they briefly caught up before she began her shopping. In the produce section, a familiar voice called out, "Katelen?" She turned to see her best friend, Travis, whom she had known since kindergarten. "Travis! It's been forever," she exclaimed as they embraced. Noticing significant changes in his physical appearance, she remarked, "You look very good." Travis reciprocated, noting, "You look good yourself; you have definitely matured in your chest area," alluding to her enlarged breasts. Katelen blushed at the comment. Although they had harbored feelings for each other since the eighth grade, neither had ever confessed. After helping Katelen load her groceries into her car, Travis promised, "I'll stop by sometime soon to see your new place." They shared another hug, and as Travis walked to his car, Katelen noticed his well-developed physique from behind, causing her to blush once more. Upon her return home, she backed her car into the driveway and began unloading her groceries. She was puzzled to find the kitchen light on, as she was certain she had turned it off. Shrugging off the inconsistency, she proceeded to put away her groceries.
That evening, Katelen was seated on the couch with Beau and Grizz, engaged in watching a documentary about Ted Bundy while savoring a bowl of taco salad. Suddenly, both Beau and Grizz lifted their heads, darted towards the front door, and began to growl in low tones. Concerned, Katelen rose from her seat and peered through the peephole but observed neither anything nor anyone. She even ventured outside to ascertain if there was any presence nearby, yet she found nothing amiss. Consequently, she presumed that Beau and Grizz must have heard an animal outside, albeit she could not shake off an eerie feeling about the situation. After securing the door, she turned around and noticed that her bowl was perched precariously at the edge of the coffee table instead of in the middle where she distinctly remembered placing it. Attributing this to her fatigue, she assumed she had mistakenly placed the bowl off-center. She then turned off the television, stored her leftover dinner in the refrigerator, and ascended the stairs to retire for the night, with Beau and Grizz trailing behind her. As she lay in bed, attempting to drift into sleep, she perceived what resembled footsteps in the hallway. Beau and Grizz lifted their heads and growled once more. Reassuring herself with the thought, "It's an old house; old houses make noises," she nonetheless considered that the sound distinctly resembled footsteps. She managed to calm her dogs, closed her bedroom door, and soon fell asleep with ease, unaware that this was merely the onset of her impending nightmare.