When I was five years old my parents rented a house in Seattle. For some reason there was a large pile of sawdust under the basement window. I would go into the basement in the daytime but i would not go down there at night. I had seen the movie 'Invaders from Mars' and became concerned that Martians were lurking in the sawdust and that they came out at night. I understand your fears although they seem to be more concerned with something supernatural.