I Was Told to Stay Away from the Old Lady on the Third Floor Until I Discovered She Knew a Secret About My Past — Story of the Day
When I moved into the old apartment building, the tenants were quick to warn me about Mrs. Lillian, the elderly woman who lived on the third floor. “Stay away from her,” they’d say, “she’s strange and keeps to herself.” No one explained why, but the warning stuck with me.
Curiosity got the better of me one rainy afternoon when I found myself in the elevator alone with Mrs. Lillian. Her frail figure hunched over a cane, but there was something sharp in her eyes. “It’s a lovely day for a walk,” she remarked with a smile, her voice raspy yet inviting.
Before I could respond, she looked directly at me. “You’re wondering why people tell you to stay away from me, aren’t you?”
I froze. How did she know that? I nodded cautiously.
“I know you,” she continued, her eyes glinting with a knowledge that unsettled me. “I know what you did… and what you tried to forget.”
A chill ran down my spine. My past was something I had buried deeply—something no one in this new city could possibly know about. I had left behind a life full of mistakes, trying to start fresh. But somehow, Mrs. Lillian knew everything.
She smiled, a knowing look in her eyes. “Your secret is safe with me. But you’ll want to know what happened to the others who tried to outrun their pasts.”
I was speechless, too stunned to ask any questions. Mrs. Lillian then turned and disappeared down the hall, leaving me with more questions than answers. That encounter marked the beginning of a strange and unexpected friendship, one that led to revelations I wasn’t prepared for about both my past and hers.
