My parents were extremely happy when I wanted to move in with my grandfather right after I was admitted. At home, besides me, there were three other children, so we were cramped, and my grandfather had recently been living alone in a small two-bedroom apartment. My brothers and sisters and I used to visit him a lot when I was a kid, but lately I had no time for visits – studies, friends, things to do.
My parents were happy for me and my desire for an independent life in the first place, and for my grandfather in the second place. He would not be alone, I would clean the house, help with the food, and make sure he didn’t forget to take his medicine.
Dad helped me move some of my things, my computer, clothes, and so on. At first my grandfather seemed very happy about my move – he prepared a festive dinner for me, and asked me all about my studies and so on.
I did not notice anything suspicious in his behavior. He seemed normal to me. Just like when I was a kid. The strangeness began later, when I started to leave for university, and when I returned I couldn’t find some of my things. At first I was convinced that I had thrown something in the laundry, and that I hadn’t really taken it out of the house, but it turned out that Grandpa had dragged my clothes to his room. He also wouldn’t let me cook anything, convincing me that Grandma never liked strangers in the kitchen and therefore I had no right to cook there. If I want something, I have to order it and he will cook it for me. He didn’t recognize food from cafes either. It got to the point that I had to sneak pizza or something else into my room so he didn’t know and didn’t throw it away.
But it really freaked me out one night three weeks after I moved in. I was sleeping in the walk-in room and Grandpa was in the far room. I knew he might pass by if he went to the kitchen or to the bathroom, but it was creepy to wake up in the middle of the night and inadvertently encounter his intense gaze. He was just standing over my bed and staring at me. It took him a long time to realize that I was awake and seeing him, too.
I still get goose bumps when I remember. I was already scared to sleep in his house. And at the same time, it was embarrassing to ask him to move back in with my parents. They’re already overcrowded, so where else could I go? Everyone just exhaled because of my move.
I wish I could think of something soon with a job or find a guy to rent something together with. Because I feel like I’m not gonna last long with Grandpa. He really scares me.
