Quiet country settlements have always seemed like an oasis of peace to me. Here in the mornings, you hear nothing but birdsong, the scent of freshly cut grass drifts through the air, and neighbors politely greet each other before hurrying off to their vegetable beds. But in a place just like this, I learned for the first time that behind the façade of idyllic life, the darkest secrets can hide.

A Strange Ritual at 6:30 a.m.
Every single day, without fail, my neighbor would step outside at exactly 6:30 in the morning. In her hands was a yellow garden hose, spraying a steady stream of cold water onto a small patch of earth—barely a few square feet—right by the fence. Nothing about that patch looked special. In fact, it was barren. No grass, no weeds, no flowers. Just wet soil, as if rain fell only on that one spot.

Meanwhile, her own garden was neglected. Tomatoes wilted in the sun, carrots cracked from dryness, and the potato patch was overrun with weeds. All her care was reserved for that empty square of ground by the fence.

The First Warning Sign
One morning, unable to keep my curiosity to myself, I asked:

— Why do you water this spot every day?

She flinched, as if I had caught her doing something forbidden. Her smile was forced.

— Potatoes… a special variety, she whispered, avoiding my eyes.

But I noticed her hands trembling. That moment stuck with me. From then on, her eyes carried a strange unease—like she knew I was starting to suspect something.

Suspicion That Wouldn’t Let Go
I tried to dismiss my thoughts. Maybe she really did have some rare cultivation method? Maybe this «special variety» needed daily watering? But why the secrecy?

The more I watched, the more unsettling it became. She always glanced around before starting. And she always finished quickly, never lingering near that spot after.

The Decision That Changed Everything
After a week, I couldn’t ignore the gnawing feeling anymore. I called the police. It felt ridiculous at the time—what harm could there be in watering a patch of dirt? But somewhere deep inside, I knew.

The officers arrived quietly, asking me to point out the place. They began to dig, methodically peeling back the damp soil. I stood nearby, certain they’d shrug and tell me it was nothing.

But when the shovel hit something solid, one officer froze. The other knelt down, pulled back another layer—and his face changed.

The Discovery That Chilled Us All
I can’t describe everything in detail… but it wasn’t potatoes. Even the most seasoned officers fell silent, exchanging a look that said more than words ever could. A heavy, nauseating smell rose from the pit.

They led my neighbor away without letting her pack a single thing. She didn’t resist—just stared blankly ahead, as if her mind had drifted somewhere far away.

Aftermath
Now that patch of land is cordoned off with police tape. No one goes near it. The quiet splash of water in the morning is gone, replaced by an oppressive silence.

I still hear that sound in my mind—the gentle hiss of water hitting bare earth. And I can’t stop thinking: how often do we live side by side with people we think we know, but really… don’t know at all?

If you want, I can also make a darker, more chilling version of this in English, with intensified horror elements and suspense built right up until the final moment.