Looking for a particular ghost story with a repeated phrase.

March 24, 2022 4:48 PM

After betraying his co-conspirators and making off with the loot, a thief lays low at an abandoned mansion. He starts hearing a phrase - maybe 'peekaboo, I see you' or 'look behind you' or something like that - and goes to investigate. He searches the house and keeps hearing someone or something say it, then descends the basement stairs and it says 'peekaboo, I've got you!' The story had a victorian feel to it and was genuinely scary. Have you ever read this? I think I read it sometime in 2008, and I don't think it was a creepypasta thing. I wish I could remember the key repeated phrase, but it was something that seemed innocuous until the very last time when it was terrifying. Please help me find it again!
posted by Archibald Edmund Binns to Writing & Language (5 answers total)

Johnny I'm on the first step?


I am the viper, I am coming?

https://www.yourghoststories.com/real-ghost-story.php?story=4560 is right in 2008, but no repetition.
posted by adekllny at 4:57 PM on March 24, 2022

Best answer: The story “Peekaboo” in this collection by Bill Pronzini sounds right, even though it’s from the 80s, but I haven’t been able to track down a more detailed synopsis to verify.
posted by Night_owl at 5:08 PM on March 24, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Here is a summary of a 12-minute short film based on Bill Pronzini's Peekaboo. It sounds very similar to what you are describing. The repeated words are "I see you."
posted by flug at 5:59 PM on March 24, 2022

Response by poster: Peekaboo by Bill Pronzini is it! Thanks folks! It's just as scary as I remember.
posted by Archibald Edmund Binns at 7:21 PM on March 24, 2022

I found the short story! (Your post intrigued me so I went on a hunt.)

It is wonderfully creepy.
posted by Kitteh at 5:35 AM on March 25, 2022 [5 favorites]