Not too long ago, I embarked on a memorable journey to my parents' house in the countryside, accompanied by my three spirited daughters. At the time, they were merely six, four, and two years old, brimming with boundless energy and curiosity. Our arrival brought an air of excitement and joy to my childhood home.
My daughters reveled in the freedom of the countryside, running and playing with uninhibited glee. Their laughter echoed through the house and while I didn't mind their exuberance, my mother's voice echoed in my ears, reprimanding me about the noise. She held steadfastly to the superstitious beliefs of her generation, warning me about unseen beings from another dimension, whom she called "encanto."
Nevertheless, I dismissed her warnings as mere folklore, confident that nothing more than childhood tales could come of it. Little did I know that a haunting encounter awaited us on a summer night.
When bedtime arrived, we gathered in the upstairs bedroom, nestled together in a single bed. The warm breeze drifted through the open window, offering respite from the summer heat. Moonlight filtered into the room, casting ethereal shadows on the walls.
As I lay there, on the cusp of sleep, I noticed my youngest daughter tossing and turning restlessly. Her sleep was troubled, and her gentle whimpers stirred my emotions. "Shhh, go back to sleep" I whispered, hoping to calm her troubled dreams.
To my surprise, she whimpered back, her voice filled with fear, "Let her go away!" Confusion flooded my mind, and I gently asked, "Who?" Her small voice quivered as she replied, "That one standing by the window!"
In that instant, a chilling sensation shot through my body, immobilizing me in fear. The thought of facing a mysterious presence sent shivers down my spine. I dared not open my eyes, fearing what I might see in the darkness. Instead, I squeezed my eyes shut, longing for the dawn to arrive and dissolve the haunting darkness.
With cautious anticipation, I gently unveiled my eyes as the first rays of dawn tenderly embraced the room, comforting my soul with their soft illumination. My youngest daughter, now peacefully asleep, gave no indication of the frightful encounter she had endured. With a mix of relief and curiosity, I mustered the courage to investigate the window, where the spectral visitor had been sighted.
With measured steps, I approached the window, half-expecting an otherworldly figure to emerge from the darkness. Yet, to my astonishment, there was nothing but the tranquil scenery of the countryside, untouched by the supernatural. The realization that my daughter's words might have been a product of a vivid dream or an innocent imagination slowly settled in.
However, the memory of that night lingered, a gentle reminder of the superstitions and beliefs woven into my family's history. Though skepticism prevailed, a cautious part of me couldn't fully disregard the possibility of the existence of "encanto" and their presence in the other dimension.
Since that fateful night, I ensured that my daughters slept soundly, their windows securely closed against the unknown. The mysteries of the night were kept at bay, shielding them from any potential harm. And while we eventually laughed off the incident as a childhood fantasy, a faint uneasiness remained in the back of my mind, forever etching that haunting night when my youngest daughter whispered about a presence standing by the window, leaving us frozen in fear until the first light of day emerged.
