MY BOYFRIEND’S IPAD HISTORY SHOWED HE WAS SEARCHING FOR ABANDONED HOMES
My hand trembled as I scrolled, the blue light from the screen hurting my eyes in the dark room. The metal casing felt cold against my sweaty palm as the search results filled the screen – dozens of abandoned properties listed in states hours away. My stomach twisted with a sickening jolt seeing the same few sites bookmarked repeatedly.
This wasn’t just casual browsing; the timestamps showed he’d spent hours on this, late at night when he thought I was asleep. My heart hammered against my ribs. The air in the room felt thick, suddenly hard to breathe. What in God’s name was he looking at?
“What are these?” I whispered, my voice shaking, shoving the screen towards him when he walked in. His face went slack for a split second, then his jaw tightened. “You shouldn’t have touched that,” he said, his voice low and dangerous, the stale smell of coffee on his breath suddenly overwhelming. He wasn’t denying it.
He stepped closer, his shadow falling over me. This wasn’t real estate or urban exploring. The saved coordinates, the specific property notes – it was planning. Not *visiting* these places. Something else entirely, something secret and wrong. My blood ran cold realizing what kind of place he was *actually* looking for.
He stepped towards me, reaching for the iPad, but his eyes were looking at the door.
👇 *Full story continued in the comments…*”What are these?” I whispered, my voice shaking, shoving the screen towards him when he walked in. His face went slack for a split second, then his jaw tightened. “You shouldn’t have touched that,” he said, his voice low and dangerous, the stale smell of coffee on his breath suddenly overwhelming. He wasn’t denying it.
He stepped closer, his shadow falling over me. This wasn’t real estate or urban exploring. The saved coordinates, the specific property notes – it was planning. Not *visiting* these places. Something else entirely, something secret and wrong. My blood ran cold realizing what kind of place he was *actually* looking for.
He stepped towards me, reaching for the iPad, but his eyes were looking at the door.
My mind raced. Was he expecting someone? Was this connected to something bigger, something terrifying? “Tell me,” I demanded, my voice gaining strength. “Tell me what this is about, or I swear…”
He sighed, the tension visibly draining from his shoulders. “Okay, okay, just… let me explain.” He rubbed a hand over his face, looking defeated. “It’s… a long shot, and I probably shouldn’t have been doing it in secret, but it’s not what you think.”
He explained, with increasing nervousness, that his grandmother had recently passed away. In her belongings, he found a faded, almost illegible map tucked inside a dusty photo album. The map hinted at a hidden stash of old family jewelry, supposedly hidden somewhere in an abandoned farmhouse during the Great Depression. The coordinates and notes on the iPad were his attempt to decipher the map and locate the place.
“I know it sounds crazy,” he said, pleadingly. “And I was being stupidly secretive because I didn’t want to get your hopes up, or be ridiculed if it turned out to be nothing. I just… I felt close to my grandmother lately, and this felt like a way to honor her memory, maybe find something precious that belonged to her.”
Relief washed over me in a dizzying wave, almost knocking me off my feet. “So, it’s just…treasure hunting?” I asked, a shaky laugh escaping my lips.
He managed a weak smile. “Basically. I know it sounds ridiculous, but that’s it.”
I studied his face, searching for any hint of deception. His eyes, though tired and anxious, held only honesty. I knew him, knew his quirks, his passions. And his intense love for his grandmother.
“Why didn’t you just tell me?” I asked softly.
He shrugged, avoiding my gaze. “I was afraid you’d think I was crazy. And I didn’t want you to worry for no reason.”
I took his hand, the cold metal of the iPad forgotten on the nightstand. “Next time,” I said, “Just tell me. Even if it sounds crazy. We’re in this together, remember?”
He squeezed my hand, relief flooding his face. “I promise. And… maybe you can help me decipher this old map?” He asked.
I smiled. “Maybe I can. But first, we need some coffee.” And maybe, just maybe, a really good hug. The abandoned houses could wait.