MY 16-YEAR-OLD SON WENT TO STAY WITH HIS GRANDMOTHER FOR THE SUMMER—ONE DAY, I GOT A CALL FROM HER SAYING, “PLEASE, SAVE ME FROM HIM!”

So, for the first time ever, my son asked to spend the summer with my mom—all alone!

This was a huge surprise, given that he’s usually not interested in going to her place or spending time in her small town.

My mom is disabled, and I pay for a caregiver to help her every day. She refuses to live with us or move into a senior home.

My son even offered to take care of her, saying I could give the caregiver a break. “Maybe he’s finally becoming responsible?” I thought.

The first week went fine, and he was sweet on the phone, but I noticed that anytime I asked to speak with my mom, he’d say she was busy or asleep.

Then came the scary part. I got a call from my son’s number—but it was my mom’s voice whispering,
“Please, save me from him!” before the call was abruptly cut.

I tried calling back, but no answer.
I immediately rushed to her town.
When I pulled up to her house, it looked more rundown than ever, with no lights on.
I opened the door and felt my heart drop.
“WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!” I shouted.

“WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!” I shouted, stepping inside. The air was thick—stuffy, musty, and oddly quiet for a home that usually smelled like fresh lavender and had the sound of old sitcoms playing on loop.

“Mom?” I called out.

Silence.

I moved quickly through the hallway, past the kitchen—which looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in days. Dishes piled high in the sink. Crumbs and wrappers on the floor. This wasn’t my mom’s style at all.

“Jason?” I yelled.

Still nothing.

Finally, I found them. In the living room.

My mom sat on the couch, wide-eyed, wrapped in a blanket… and next to her, my son, Jason, wearing VR goggles, completely immersed in whatever world he was currently battling in.

“Jason!” I barked. He yelped, ripped off the goggles, and looked at me like I was the crazy one.

“Jeez, Mom! You scared me! What are you doing here?”

I didn’t answer right away. I turned to my mother. She looked exhausted—like she hadn’t slept in days.

“She whispered into your phone, asking me to save her!” I snapped. “What is going on?!”

Jason blinked, confused. “Wait—that’s what this is about? Grandma was just being dramatic! She asked me to help her ‘feel alive again.’ So I taught her how to play my zombie survival VR game. She freaked out during the tutorial and grabbed the phone like it was a walkie-talkie!”

My mom nodded, slowly. “I… may have overreacted. That headset is terrifying. I thought the zombies were in the house. I was yelling for help and Jason thought it was hilarious.”

I stared at them both. Speechless.

“…You mean I drove three hours because you made Grandma play a zombie shooter game?!”

Jason grinned sheepishly. “She wanted excitement.”

Mom muttered, “I wanted bingo.”

I sighed and dropped onto the couch between them.

Next summer? They’re both coming to my house.