One man has shared a mysterious thing about his home that has left him, and social-media users, with nothing but questions.
Duncan Gates lives in London, England, and has been in his apartment since May 2023. It was on his first viewing of the property that he noticed the element that has sparked wild theories. In the ceiling of the apartment is a mysteriously sealed and bolted-up door. After sharing a picture of it on Reddit, Gates has ended up with more questions than answers.
Gates told Newsweek: "I discovered it when I first visited the flat for a viewing. Since moving in, I have climbed up on a chair and unslid the bolts, and it was then that I realized there was an additional layer of sealant around the edges of the door, which I'd have to cut in order to open it."
Because the apartment is rented, Gates hasn't been able to investigate any further. "I haven't done this in case I get into trouble with the landlord—let alone with whatever could conceivably be inside," he said.
Of course, Gates is far from the first person to make a strange discovery in his home. Earlier this month, a man made an unsettling discovery while clearing out his backyard, while another made an unusual discovery in a 170-year-old house.
Gates also isn't alone in being a little concerned about what could be lurking in his property. A survey by home repair company Groundworks asked 2,000 homeowners in the U.S. which parts of theirs they found the scariest.
For 46 percent surveyed, it was the basement. The next home space that worried Americans the most was the attic, with 32 percent saying it was the scariest room in their property.
"I felt it would be of passing interest and amusement amongst those who share a similar mentality," said Gates. "I'm a fan of weird and creepy fiction, and write a lot of my own, so I often find inspiration in such unusual and faintly sinister things and it'd be cool if it inspired anyone else similarly."
Gates shared the tale, and a picture of the mystery door, on Reddit's r/Weird subreddit, where it has sparked plenty of interest with users.
"Seen movies that started out like that. Go ahead and open it just make sure it's on cam," wrote TankApprehensive3053.
User thepottsy commented: "My curiosity would have gotten the better of me within about 5 minutes."
"Obviously it's the torture room of the serial killer who used to rent the place," was another sinister suggestion by user Cellarzombie.
Meanwhile, WalkingstickMountain had an idea for what the poster should do if he did open it: "When you are done opening it, there is only one appropriate way to reseal it. It's Halloween season. Get a sweet clackity skeleton. Balance it on the door as you close it. Bolt it. Seal it. Use a nail or screwdriver to make four scratch marks on the wood that end at the edge by the big bolt."
"It's always nice to see folks having fun with stuff you think is interesting," said Gates, who remained certain that he would not be opening the mysterious door.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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