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The original was posted on /r/nosleep by /u/NoCardiologist1353 on 2026-05-23 02:50:40+00:00.

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June 18th was both the best and the worst day of my life.

Due to health concerns, my wife had been scheduled for a c-section. My heart filled with joy as the nurses gently handed me my newborn son as I sat in the recovery room. My eyes filled with tears as I stared into the tiny face of my now sleeping infant. I’d do anything for this child. Slowly I tore my eyes away from him, to look up to the nurse.

“When can we see his mom?” I asked

Her eyes widen slightly “they are finishing up as we speak, don’t worry someone will come and get you when she’s ready to see you.”

After walking me through using a bottle and explaining the call button, she left with a cheery

“don’t be afraid to call one of us if you need help.”

There I was, alone with my son. So many thoughts filled my mind, how I wished I had been a better man, how I longed to be a better father than mine, who had abandoned me at 12. As I stared into the angel-like face of my son I felt scared, proud, and motivated to be the best dad I could be. As the hours passed, my joy slowly became replaced with a new feeling; worry. Where was Jessica? What was taking so long? Was this normal? Later that evening a solemn doctor entered the room.

“it’s Grant, isn’t it?” he said

“Yessir that’s right, where’s my wife, what’s going on?” I said as I rose to my feet.

He swallowed hard before saying “I’m sorry Grant, there was a serious complication, a heavy bleed, and well, I’m sorry, but your wife has passed away.”

I couldn’t breathe. It felt like all the air had been forced out of my lungs. I fell back into my chair as a muffled scream finally exited my mouth, The tears soon followed. And almost as if he could sense my pain my son joined in. A moment I will never forget, through my own tears I reached out to comfort my crying son, I cradled him in my arms, whispering to him that everything was going to be ok, all the while my tears gently ran down my cheeks and dropped softly out his little head. Soon he calmed down, as he did I held him out to look him in the face, and for the first time, his little eyes opened to see the world around him. He had his mother’s eyes, I smiled, choking back more tears.

“Hello David” Jessica loved that name; it was her top choice.

“I love you son, and Mommy loves you too.”

I gazed into my son’s perfect face; in a way it was like staring at his mother. For a moment, hope and resolve filled my mind, my Jessica had given me a great gift. I loved David more fiercely than I’d ever loved anyone. I promised myself there and then to give David the world.

I noticed then something that didn’t bother me at the time:

David’s beautiful little eyes didn’t look back into mine instead, they stared off into the empty space just above my left shoulder.

That was five years ago. It hasn’t been easy being a single dad, several years ago I got the courage to ask my boss if I could do the majority of my work from home. Really all that’s required to work in accounting nowadays is a laptop and a good Wi-Fi connection. My boss was gracious enough to agree when he heard of my situation. Years as a corporate accountant have allowed me to afford a small home in the suburbs that is more than enough room for the two of us.

David has grown into a healthy and happy little boy. Next month he will be five. His light blonde hair, and deep blue eyes remind me so much of his mother. His smile and laughter light up any room, and my life is altogether better because of my boy. Yet something strange has been happening lately, I suppose that’s why I’m writing this, maybe someone out there will know what’s happening or what I should do.

Ever since his first day of life, I’ve noticed David staring at something behind me. When he was an infant they told me don’t worry about it, it takes time for baby’s eyes to focus and identify faces from random objects. In no time, I should notice him doing it less and less. When the doctor said this, I was relieved, but the only thing is, that’s not what happened. He never stopped. As a one-year-old he would look vaguely in my direction, but as I got closer it was clear he was looking behind me not at me. He would adjust when I talked to him. I’d say

“Hi David!”

His eyes would shift from looking over my shoulder to looking into my eyes

“Hi Dada!” he would say with a smile

But as I lost his attention, his gaze would move behind me. He would just stare at nothing. Every now and again he would smile at nothing, shake his head yes and yell

“Yeah!”

Or shake his head no and yell “no! no!”

This concerned me, as a first-time parent I had no idea what was normal toddler behavior and what wasn’t. I remember that at one point, out of pure uncertainty, I called my dead-beat mom. All her life, my mom was unable to turn away from the same vices that ruled her when I was a child. Though she was now nearly sixty, she was not very different from the alcoholic, drug addicted 25-year-old I remember from my childhood.

“What do you want?” her loud raspy smokers voice startled me

“Mom it’s me” I said back into my phone

“Oh Grant, it’s you baby, what do you want?” came the reply.

“I just wanted to ask you, is it normal for toddlers to stare off at nothing?”

After a moment she said “how should I know? what do you think I am? Some sort of child psychologist? I’m sure whatever is eating at you is fine. Kids are kids, who knows why the hell they do what they do. Look Grant I really have to go.” With that she hung up the phone.

Putting down the phone, I muttered to myself “Thanks a lot mom”.

Over David’s toddler years the doctors didn’t seem to be concerned either. I often heard

“Oh, that’s not really a concern”

“He’s probably just a little shy”

“Some kids take longer developing socially, not a big deal”

Shortly after David’s fourth birthday I finally convinced myself that it was not a big deal. David was such a sweet and caring little boy. He wasn’t antisocial, though it was difficult finding friends his age. Overall he was very smart for his age, so then why was I concerned? I needed to accept him for who he was and not try to change him. I decided then not to be bothered by it anymore.

The following months were good, work was going smoothly, I was finally starting to make some friends in the neighbor, and David would be starting kindergarten in the fall. Life was finally feeling normal. Up until last month, when suddenly in the middle of the night I heard quiet whispering coming from David’s room. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes I slowly walked the short hallway from my room to David’s. I cracked the door open as quietly as I could. Just in case I had misheard I didn’t want to wake him.

His dark room was gently lit by a little night lamp, which cast strange shadows on the walls. My body tensed up slightly as I saw David. He sat on the floor, back to me and the door, as he stared into an empty corner of the room. He wasn’t staring straight ahead into the corner, rather his head was looking slightly up as he stared off somewhere near the ceiling. He was whispering. I heard him say things like

“I’m glad you’re here”

“Can I come with you?”

“Do you want to play?”

I was creeped out, I felt certain he must be sleepwalking. Although that is creepy, nonetheless. I quietly opened the door farther, before saying,

“David? What are you doing? It’s past bedtime, we can play tomorrow.”

He went quiet and didn’t move, a moment later he whispered

“He says its bedtime, I have to go.” Before standing up and silently returning to his bed. He fell asleep instantly.

I didn’t sleep well that night.

The next day was a Saturday, I still felt pretty unnerved about last night, so as we sat at the breakfast table, and I watched David eat his bowl of fruit loops, I asked

“Hey buddy, do you remember when daddy came to your room last night?”

David didn’t even look up from his cereal, he just said “yeah”

“Who were you talking to last night?”

“My friend”

I was puzzled “your friend? Does he have a name?”

He nodded “his name is Billy”

I frowned “is Billy always in your room?”

He shook his head “no”

“Do you know where Billy is?”

He looked up, but not at me, past me “yeah he’s behind you”

At that moment I felt on the back of my neck the slightest movement of air, almost like someone directly behind you breathing on your neck. I don’t know why but I didn’t want to turn around, but I forced myself to turn my head and look behind me. Of course there was nothing there, just our empty kitchen.

That evening we had been invited to a cookout with the new family that moved into the house across the street. They had a young boy named Clay who was a little over a year older than David and the two had become fast friends. Shortly after lunch David asked to go over to Clay’s to play before the cookout, I had to catch up on some work projects, so I told him to go ahead and to have fun. After watching to be sure that he had crossed the street safely, I retreated to my office, put my earbuds in and got to work. After about an hour in I felt a light tap on my shoulder. Thinking David had come back home and needed something, I took out my earbuds and spun around in my chair ready to greet him. But David wasn’t there, in fact no one was, I was alone. Confused, I walked around the house, calling for David. As I passed by the front window, I peeked out and saw David and Clay playing joyfully on the lawn across the street.

Swallowing hard,...

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