Emily Hoffman was ecstatic to move into her new house – but her excitement soon turned to pure terror.
Hoffman, who had just signed the lease on her new home, looked outside her window during a rainstorm and saw something too gruesome to be true. In her backyard, she saw two skulls popping out from the ground. The view from her window left her panic-stricken, and she started to doubt her decision to move into the new property.
A Frightening Sight to Behold
Unsure of what to do next, Hoffman opted to document her scary experience on TikTok. In the video, she gives a brief tour of her new place that still has cardboard boxes piled up because she hadn’t even unpacked yet.
Hoffman is perplexed when she peeks through a back window and sees two skulls that appear to be human poking out of the ground, staring back at her. In utter disbelief, Hoffman bravely goes to investigate the scene to determine what is actually buried in her backyard.
Confirmation of What She Thought She Saw
Hoffman was pretty sure the things coming up from the ground are skulls, but she was unsure if they are real human remains.
When she got a little closer, she became even more confident of what she saw. Hoffman then takes a stroll through the muddy yard and determines that the skulls are made out of stone. The mystery was solved…or was it?
Just the Tip of the Iceberg
Hoffman’s investigation led her to find a whole plethora of skulls buried in her backyard. Dozens of human-like skulls could be seen poking out from the mud, making for an extremely strange sight.
Everywhere she turned, Hoffman saw more skulls peering out from the ground. The skulls went all the way from her doorstep to the very back of her yard. None of it made any sense to her.
Trying to Explain the Landscaping
Now Hoffman had to figure out the answer to her next probing question: why were stone skulls buried in her backyard? Was someone trying to play a prank on her? Or, was there a more nefarious motive?
She tried to think of potential reasons, but she was stumped. With no further clues to go on, Hoffman realized she may never know the meaning behind the man-made skulls protruding from her lawn.
Something Incredible Happens via Social Media
In an astonishing twist of fate, TikTok’s algorithm directed the previous homeowner right to Hoffman’s video.
The video appeared on the previous owner’s “for you” page, where TikTok promotes videos that would specifically appeal to the user watching. The former owner was stunned to see her old house on TikTok, and she was even more surprised to see the two skulls emerging from the backyard.
The Previous Owner Chimes In
The previous owner had to say something since she was the only one who could provide some sort of explanation. She decided to post a video response to Hoffman’s video that explained everything. Finally, Hoffman would have all the answers she needed about the pair of skulls.
The previous owner revealed that her husband used the skulls as stepping stones because the backyard would often get flooded and muddy after heavy rainfall. She found the entire situation hilarious, and was seen laughing at the ridiculousness of it all.
Former Owner Always Wanted to Prank the New Buyer
“I apologize, we forgot that we put those there…” the previous owner said as she chuckled.
She also thought the skull discovery was pretty great, and admitted that she always wanted to plan a spooky surprise for the next person who purchased her home, but she never had time. Amazingly, the skeletons weren’t planned as a prank but they ended up being on.
The Women Serendipitously Found Each Other Because of the Skulls
“I have always always wanted to add a creepy surprise like this into a house that I move out of,” said the previous owner before adding, “Then I literally [fell] face first into this one and didn’t even know it until it was all over.”
Viewers of the women’s TikTok videos were obsessed with everything about the situation. Many commenters were hoping that the two could bond over the Halloween props and become fast friends. Either way, the fact that they found each other via TikTok is incredible on its own.
The Videos Go Viral
The video of the previous owner’s response tallied two million views, while Hoffman’s videos were also rising in the viewership ranks. In the comment section, Hoffman acknowledged that she saw the woman’s response.
“I saw the prior owner’s stitch!” she wrote. “Bless TikTok for solving all of life’s mysteries. We love the skulls, thank you.” In fact, Hoffman grew so fond of the skulls that she joked about naming them all.
The Skeletons Begin to Deteriorate
The story of the backyard skulls became so popular that Hoffman was asked to be interviewed by Newsweek.
During her interview, she revealed that some of the skeletons were in rough shape due to the weather and other wear and tear. But she became so attached to the skulls that she even bought a new mold in hopes of recreating the creepy backyard treasures.
Becoming a Permanent Fixture
Hoffman plans on having the backyard skulls in her possession for many years to come. In fact, if she ever decides to move, she will even leave the surprise skulls there for the next owner.
She enjoyed her fifteen minutes of TikTok fame and plans on giving each skull a name. “We’re definitely naming at least one of them Yorick, and one Scully, but we’re still working out the rest,” she said.
