Moving to a new town and into a new home is always an exciting experience. At least, that’s what Kevin Burns thought when he moved to California. He expected to head to the Sunshine State and enjoy the waves, as well as new friends and neighbors. However, after moving, the young man learned a hard truth of life: even the most beautiful communities have secrets they hide.
Soon after moving to his new neighborhood, Burns discovered the older woman who owned the house across from him lived in her car! Of course, he could not stop wondering why the woman did not sleep in her home, which sat just a few feet away. Soon enough, the young man would solve the mystery and expose a lot more…
Never Met His Neighbor
When Kevin Burns moved to California, he believed the house across the street was simply abandoned. However, after about a year, Burns realized that an elderly woman lived in the car parked in front of the house! Despite living right across the street, he had never introduced himself or even started a conversation with the woman. To Burns, it seems that she wanted to be left alone.
Still, Burns could not help but wonder about the woman. Other neighbors said that the woman, named Ruth, owned the house she slept in front of, but would never step foot in it. As the weeks passed, Burns began to suspect something wasn’t right, so he decided to approach her to see if she needed anything. Little did he know not only would he become her friend, but also her hero…
What’s Happening?
One morning, after an unusually cold night, Burns decided to check on Ruth as he passed by her car. When he did, Ruth was not only awake but felt up to starting a brief conversation with her young neighbor. And that’s how a wonderful little friendship began. Each day that week, Burns stopped by the car and enjoyed a small conversation with Ruth, learning a little more about the peculiar woman.
As they talked, Ruth revealed her daily routine to Burns. Each morning, she awoke, went to a local gym, and used their shower. During the day, due to her situation, she would eat almost exclusively fast food. Then Ruth fell asleep in front of her house every night. While she would not say why she slept in a car, the woman obviously felt embarrassed by the situation. Something was clearly wrong…
There Has To Be A Reason
One morning, Burns decided to take a better look at Ruth’s house. What he saw shocked him. He found many broken windows, boards, and blinds, as well as signs of mold. The home looked entirely neglected, left in total ruin. That made Burns think: did Ruth simply need some help restoring her home?
However, after realizing that even the attic had broken windows, Burns realized this had been going on for a longer time than he had first assumed. What if wildlife had taken over the home, and Ruth couldn’t bear it any longer? Before long, Burns’ would have his questions answered. And Ruth’s story would break his heart…
Crying In Her Car
The day started like any other: Kevin Burns planned on stopping by Ruth’s car on his way to work for a short chat. However, when he arrived, he found his friend crying! Even worse, when Burns tried to ask her what was wrong, Ruth would not, or could not, answer. She simply continued frantically looking for something in the many plastic bags she stored in her car. Finally, after minutes of searching, Ruth told Burns that she had lost something of great importance to her.
As she explained, the day Ruth moved into her car, she gathered up everything important to her and brought it along in plastic bags. Now, though, it seemed she had left something inside the house. Still, Ruth had no intention of ever setting foot in that place again…
“In The House”
Burns tried to ask what Ruth had lost. But, heartbroken and scared, Ruth could only say “in the house” over and over again, while pointing at her neglected home. Occasionally she could get out, “I left it in the house!” but Burns still had no idea what she was crying about.
That’s when an idea popped into Ruth’s head. “Maybe you can go inside and get it!” she said. Despite not knowing what he was looking for, Burns agreed. After all, how difficult would it be to enter a house and retrieve an item, right? The young man had no idea the colossal disaster he was walking into…