A woman has recounted the unsettling experience of discovering a stranger had been secretly living in her attic for six months. The incident occurred in 1995 when she was 20 years old and living in a rented apartment in Enumclaw, Washington, USA.
She first noticed strange occurrences on her first night, hearing footsteps above her bedroom. Over time, food and drink would go missing, and doors would be left open or closed differently than she had left them. Initially, she assumed her brother was responsible, as he had a key.
The situation escalated when she found her puppy in the bathroom sink after a flood, unable to explain how the tiny dog got there unless someone had placed her there to save her. Despite her concerns, the landlady dismissed the possibility of an intruder, suggesting it might be squirrels or raccoons.
The truth emerged one night when she called in sick and noticed the attic hatch was open while taking a bath. Realising someone must be living in the attic, she remained calm to avoid provoking the intruder, retrieved a hammer for protection, and called her sister-in-law. Police searched the attic but found no one, though they discovered a sleeping bag, food, and a book.
The woman moved out the next day and provided the police report to her landlady. The intruder was never caught, and she later moved to Illinois, where her current home has no attic. She expressed sympathy for the intruder, noting there was no malice, and described him as the best roommate she ever had—quiet and considerate.
