Sure, Thomas the Tank Engine might be our favorite childhood steam locomotive, but that doesn't change the fact that he can also be creepy as hell. This seems to be a rather widely acknowledged reality, as we've seen artists stumble upon hauntingly horrific Thomas the Tank Engine graves, and reconstruct the character as post-apocalyptic death machines and a face moving on its own. But even without any of the ominous transformations, the friendly engine can still make unsuspecting people jump out of their skin in bloodcurdling fear — especially when a shadow is dramatically cast upon his wide-eyed face.

Unfortunately for Japanese Twitter user @pocky_pocky, that's exactly what she found lurking in the corner of one of the rooms in her home. As she stepped inside to hang some laundry, her heart nearly stopped after getting an eyeful of this chilling view:

The toy was likely left harmlessly in the room by one of @pocky_pocky's kids, who probably wouldn't even have imagined their beloved Thomas the Tank Engine scaring the bejeezus out of their mother. Parents everywhere should be wary of this frightening toy, and we could all benefit from a warning label in the future.