Late one evening, 5-year-old Mia called emergency services in a trembling whisper:“Please come… there’s someone under my bed. I’m really scared.” (2 of 2)

I slowly reached for my phone, using its flashlight to illuminate the dark corners of my bedroom.

With a deep breath, I leaned over the edge of my bed and peered into the abyss.

To my relief, there was nothing there—just a few dust bunnies and an old sock I’d long since forgotten about.

But the experience left me with a lingering sense of unease. I couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, there really was someone under my bed.