[ RF ] You 've just been gifted a hot , new thermal camera . You pull into your parents ' driveway for the holidays and decide to test it out . No doubt , you see your beautiful family , but wait ... There 's someone else hiding in the house .

I sat frozen in my car. My hands trembled as they held up the thermal camera. `` What is that?'' I whispered. Through the camera lens, I could see my family sitting in the den: five red-and-orange distinctive human shapes. But beneath them, through the ground, I saw a *sixth* shape. At first glance, it looked like a human in the fetal position. But there was something very off about its head. I increased the resolution on the camera, and saw what appeared like... *antennas* sticking out of the head. 
 
 I looked back up and saw that two of my family members were walking toward the front door. I quickly stuffed my camera back into the travelling case. 
 
 My parents opened the front door, and my mother came running toward the car, a wide smile on her face. `` Oh honey!'' She started. `` I ca n't believe you're actually here!'' 
 
 My mind was still on the weird creature in the basement, but I decided not to bring it up. Not yet. I smiled back at my mom and stepped out of the car. `` Hey!'' I hugged her and then moved toward my dad. 
 
 `` Hey son,'' he said in his usual, unemotional voice. He shook my hand, which was his version of a loving embrace. 
 
 After all the greetings with my sister and her family, I took a seat in the living room chair and waited for a good time to go into the basement. I wanted to mention it to my family, but there was a pretty good chance that I misinterpreted what I saw; the *last* thing I needed was for my parents to think I had gone crazy again. So I sat patiently and put on my best act. I laughed at my sister's stories and told my parents about all that I was doing at work. I did n't mention the camera. 
 
 Finally, after an hour or so, my parents and sister moved into the kitchen to prepare the Christmas feast. It was just me and my sister's family. I hopped up out of my seat. `` I'm going to use the bathroom,'' I said. 
 
 *Finally. * I walked down the hall toward the basement door, looking behind me to make sure I was n't being watched. As carefully as possible, I opened the door and slowly stepped down the basement stairs. 
 
 I flicked on the lights. 
 
 Nothing. 
 
 *Camera! * I thought. I crept back up the stairs, out of the basement, and down the hall toward the front door. Once outside, I ran to my car to grab my camera. I opened it up and aimed it back into the basement. It was still there -- a weird alien-humanoid thing huddling in the basement. 
 
 I ran back into the house, keeping my camera aimed at the creature. I forgot my indiscretion. `` Honey?'' My mom called. `` What are you doing?'' 
 
 I ignored her. My heart raced as I got closer to the basement. I could see the creature more clearly, now. It was definitely not human, or any animal I had ever seen. I threw open the basement door and ran down the stairs. 
 
 Through my camera lens, I could see it huddled over in the corner. But when I removed the camera from my face, it disappeared. *What the hell? * 
 
 I put the camera back up to my face and walked toward the creature. When I was within inches of it, I removed the camera yet again. It was gone. With trembling hands, I reached down -- 
 
 I jumped back. I had felt... *skin. * I screamed. 
 
 A cold, high voice permeated through my head. `` Do n't tell them,'' it said. `` If you tell them, I'll kill them all.'' 
 
 In sheer terror, I threw my camera hard against the cement floor and scattered up the stairs. I ran straight into my mother's arms. 
 
 I looked up, and saw her crying. `` Oh, honey,'' she said. `` We thought you got better.'' 
 

