Internet is left stunned by what this urban explorer found at an abandoned party

Abandoned locations often possess an overlooked beauty and allure. Ben James, a 30-year-old photographer from Cambridgeshire, UK, known on Instagram as @places_forgotten, has made it his mission to explore and document these forgotten spaces within our urban landscapes. Through his captivating videos and photographs of abandoned sites, James has cultivated a following of curious enthusiasts. Recently, one of his explorations led to a particularly intriguing discovery that has sparked widespread interest among his audience.

James stumbled upon a small house packed to the brim with an astonishing collection of soft toys. The sheer volume of plush animals, stacked from floor to ceiling, created an eerie atmosphere that became even more chilling once the story behind them was revealed. In an interview with Newsweek, James described his unsettling experience: "It was just filled with thousands upon thousands upon thousands of soft toys," he told the outlet. "It was one of the most surreal abandoned places I've seen because they were stacked floor to ceiling. They're falling on your head when you're walking through. You're stepping on some. They're making noises and songs. So. it was very surreal, it was like something out of a horror film."

True to his craft, James captured the scene in a series of photographs, which he then shared on Instagram as a carousel post. Among the nine images, one showcased the exterior of the small house, its windows obscured by piles of toys and partially drawn curtains. The interior shots revealed massive plastic bags scattered among the soft toys, and notably, a calendar from December 1986 featuring an Alfa Romeo car, hinting at how long the house had been abandoned.

He also mentioned to the outlet that the spooky house has been left untouched for two to three years. James also shared one of the snaps from the house with the Reddit community on his u/places_forgotten page and gained a lot of interest from the crowd with over 54,000 likes. "Abandoned house I found filled with thousands of soft toys. The lady was a hoarder who died in 2021 with no family. Insane place, literally falling on your head walking through. Every room was stacked," he added in the caption. Fellow Reddit users also came ahead to share their reactions after taking a look at the picture and most of them felt the lady who lived there had a sentimental bond with the plushies.

u/HaikuCrew_84 mentioned, "For real. My heart breaks just glancing at it. Look at how they're arranged too. Each one looks as if it was placed deliberately and with care, facing outward so she can see their eyes and faces. Presumably, she can connect with them emotionally. The fact that this exists and the size of it, to me it's like a corporeal manifestation of the depth of her loneliness and a testament to the possibility that she might have spent her entire life feeling forgotten and unseen. Sad as hell." u/Pomodorosan wrote, "The way they're all so neatly placed is the first thing I noticed. Love plushies."

u/Artamisgordan commented, "Found it sad too. It reminds me of when I was a kid and would play with my stuffed animals. Like giving them names, pretending they talked back or just playing and acting like they were playing. I don't have any now, but I couldn't imagine what this individual was doing with them clearly. I'm sure she had a bond with them." u/WonderfulShelter added, "Yeah, where do the lost people go, you know? The ones who don't have families or anyone? I feel like there used to be forums and stuff on the internet they'd find their way into, but now the internet is so toxic I feel like there is no space for them. It's so crazy when you think about whoever this was. They saw themselves as the center of the universe just as we each do."