I’ve been a 911 dispatcher for ten years. It’s interesting to describe the job because it helps save lives but it also is devastating when the call goes bad.
The kind of calls where someone’s elderly spouse passed in their sleep, someone found a friend that overdosed, a bad car wreck, a fire, a gun blast when someone said they were suicidal. But this kind of call is a different kind of hurt.
It was last and I only had a few hours left. I got up and poured myself another cup of coffee. I sat and pondered what calls would I receive, lately they were the calls from someone tweaked out or a bad fight breaking out at a bar. But of course it had to be this phone when my earmuff beeped.
“911, what is your emergency?”
“Please, please, I need help. I’m here on creeper man road.”
Fuck. I haven’t had one of these calls in a year.
The name of the road isn’t creeper man, it’s…well I’m not sharing the name of the road. I don’t want any looky loos to go looking.
They call it creeper man road because of our towns urban legend. The legend is that if you drive down that dirt road at night you might see him. He’s a tall, pasty man that wears a black suit. They say if you see him, you’re screwed.
Kids made some damn YouTube videos and TikTok’s of the road, some kids dress like him. Some people go down the road and make it out fine. But sometimes…sometimes I get the call
“Please, please you got to send help. He’s after me.”
“Okay, okay, who’s after you?”
I knew damn well. The rumor is if you see him your car will break down. He will count aloud to twenty and begin his hunt. If you escape the area, you will be okay. But if he finds you…they’ll never see evidence of you, even the car goes missing.
We have the entrance to the road gated. We even have officers drive by nightly. All it takes is some bolt cutters and some damn knuckleheads to do this.
“It’s the creeper man! He’s counting, I’m so scared.” She began quietly sobbing.
I had to remember my training. Following through was always the hard part.
“So someone’s after you guys? Quietly try to sneak out of the area. We’ll send a patrol unit to you immediately.”
They won’t go past the gate. An officer may not even be near the end of the gate. I’ll let an officer know but it’s their call, but they won’t go in until the morning. Officer Willard tried to play hero one night and try to rescue a couple. They don’t show many the body cam video. He was never found either, he had no family around to break the news too. Most think he just quit and disappeared.
One officer waited outside the gate once and someone almost made it out. He said a giant hand wrapped around the person and pulled back quickly. He don’t really talk about it anymore.
Chief always told them it’s better to leave the area alone and not risk whatever is in the area to come out of it, who knows what would happen if it ever did.
I told that young lady the best thing I could offer.
“Keep me on the line and don’t talk. I won’t either. Just focus on getting out of the area.”
She had about a mile worth of traveling I’d say. I lit a cigarette.
“Okay, I don’t know where my other friends are. We separated.”
“How many others are there?”
“Three.”
All the sudden I hear a giggly loud voice.
“Twennnnnty. Aha ha ha. Alrighty now.”
“Be quiet now and move slowly.”
I could hear shuffling as if her phone was going in her hoodie pocket.
I sat and listened as she tried not to breathe too hard and take careful steps. I heard a scream far out in the distance.
There went one.
I reached out to see if any officer felt brave enough to go near the gate and hope a kid makes it out.
Officer Benton agreed to it but said he is going to keep his eyes closed until I give him the approval and will park across the road in a gravel lot. I heard another scream.
There was two. Then I heard a big mistake. She bumped into her friend.
“Oh my, Stacy. We got to get out of here. They are supposed to send an officer somewhere up here. They told us we got to get past the gate.
“Which way do we go?”
Damnit, I told her to be quiet. I heard his voice again. It sent chills up my spine.
“I hear you ladies. I’m coming. Ha ha ha.” The other girl took off running.
“Stacy, don’t.” She whispered loudly.
“OH MY GOD!!! HES ON TOP OF HER!”
The noise I heard was ungodly. It sounded like someone slurping up spaghetti.
“Back up! Back up! I have pepper spray!”
“Ha ha ha. Naughty girl, you knew better than to come here.”
“I called for help!” She screamed “you’ll be stopped!”
“Go ahead and ask them.” He began chuckling. “They aren’t coming down this road tonight. Go ahead, I’ll wait.”
She picked up her phone. “Is no one coming?”
I paused. I didn’t even want to answer.
“Not that it would help. The last officer I ate was very…delicious.” He let out a cackle.
“Is someone coming? Please.” She was sobbing loudly.
“I’m…….I’m sorry.”
“Tell my parents that I love them.”
She let out a howling scream as I heard her get knocked down. I’ll never forget the sounds, I never do. His laughing was the worst taunt that keeps me up some nights. The line disconnected.
I reached back out to the officer. “You are clear to leave the area.”
He took a deep breath. “10-4.”
And now I wait for another call.