Peter Hoyne and his wife loved everything about their new house, except for the massive tree in their garden. It was too big and they decided to cut it down.
But they had no idea how their neighbors would react to their decision. A few days after they removed the tree, their daughter went missing...
Missing
It was an ordinary Sunday morning when Peter and his wife realized that their daughter wasn't in the house.
She wasn't in the yard or her room, either. They knew their daughter wasn't at her friend's house because they had just moved in, and she hadn't made any friends yet.
Strange Noises
They called the police, and the authorities began searching for the little girl. But then, something odd happened.
The couple started hearing creepy noises at night. They figured it was just the wind or their neighbors, but they were wrong...
Mouse Traps
Then, their food started to disappear from the fridge and shelves.
Thinking that they had vermin in their house, Peter and his wife set up mouse traps and continued searching for their daughter. But there was another big problem: they were running out of money.
Financial Difficulties
The couple soon ran out of money, and the police stopped looking for their daughter.
They decided to take out a loan to help them pay for a private investigator. Peter and his wife were ready to do anything to find their daughter. But then, they noticed something in her bedroom.
Dolls
All of their daughter's dolls were gone. They remembered seeing them in her room a few days ago.
The couple searched for them everywhere, but they were nowhere to be found. They were confused. Who had taken her dolls?
Garbage Bag
A few hours later, as Peter was about to do some garden work, he noticed a plastic bag in the yard.
What he would discover inside would make his hair stand on end.
The Roof
The plastic bag was sitting on top of the tree stump. Curious, Petter picked up the bag and opened it.
Under the garbage bag was a small roof with wooden shingles. It was attached to the tree stump. Peter took a closer look and noticed something interesting about it.
A Small House
Someone had completely remodeled the massive tree stump. It even had windows and doors!
Next to it was a small garden with flowers. But what was inside the tree stump was even more shocking.
His Daughter
Peter opened the small door and saw his missing daughter sitting inside. She was playing with her dolls, completely unaware that her parents had been searching for her.
His daughter had placed a lamp, a mini chair, table, and rug inside. Peter couldn't believe his eyes. He had been searching for her for over two weeks! What had happened?
A Woman
A few moments later, a woman appeared next to the stamp.
“Ah, you’re here! We meet at last. I’m sure your daughter has told you all about me”. Peter was confused. “No, what’s going on here?”
A Project
The woman explained that she was their neighbor and that she had been working with his daughter on this incredible project for over two weeks.
They wanted to turn this tree stump into a tiny home. But what did they need the garbage bag for?
Lies
They used the plastic bag to keep the new roof dry.
The woman explained to Peter that his daughter said she asked him for permission, and he said it was fine. But how did their neighbor not know the girl was reported missing?
Not Aware
The woman said she had no idea that the girl they were talking about was their daughter.
She thought their daughter was still going home after working on their project together.
Sneaking In
Peter later realized that his daughter used the cat flap to enter the house at night to sleep and eat.
This explained why they were hearing strange noises at night.