This happened when I was an early teen, and although I’m now in my mid-20’s, I can still remember this occurrence like it was yesterday.
My dad, sister, stepmom and I had just moved into a new house. It wasn’t super ritzy or anything, but it also wasn’t in the worst part of town. The house was very old, but up to date, and I was excited to turn my new room into a sanctuary. When we first moved in, I spent a lot of time in that bedroom. My family has always been a bit more social than I, so they spent a good amount of time getting to know the neighbors. Based on my family’s interactions, everyone around seemed to have a good head on their shoulders. I wouldn’t have guessed that anything was “off” about our new place, or assumed that any strangers would give us a reason to worry… Until a few weeks in.
As it turns out, you never know who could be watching you.
One afternoon, my dad and stepmom were at work and my sister was at a friend’s house (we had a holiday, so school was out). I spent my day listening to music and putting some finishing touches on the walls of my bedroom. I had the windows open to let in the soft sunlight that was just breaking through a sky of gray clouds, and the backyard view was beautiful: We had a very nice sprawl of tall green grass, and a gate that led from the end of the driveway into the yard, itself. As my music played loudly, I made out a separate sound… It sounded like a loud popping noise coming from the backyard. Naturally, I glanced out the window, and didn’t see anything. I shrugged it off and carried on with what I was doing, until a few minutes later… When I heard the noise again. This time, it was louder, and it sounded a lot like someone had thrown a rock or something at my window (I was on the second floor level).
That was exactly what was going on.
Suddenly, as I had started to move towards the window, a rock went flying towards my window with a loud thunk. It hit the glass and I screamed, rushing over to see what the hell was going on. I looked down at the ground, and made out what looked like the top of a man’s head.
He moved, facing up towards me, and I noticed that he was completely naked.
My heart sank to my stomach. I mean it when I say I was completely frozen. The man started smiling as he noticed me standing there (I know; what I should’ve done was take off running towards the phone to immediately call the police, but when you’re in a spot like this, sometimes you just shut down), and he bent over to pick up his rock. His face formed into anger, and he raised his arm and threw the rock again, this time even more forcefully than before. My heart was racing, and adrenaline finally kicked in. Right as I took off running for my phone, I heard the man yelling something… I couldn’t make out all of what he said, but I did hear phrases like, “YOU FUCKING SLUT! BRENDA, YOU HAVE NO FUCKING IDEA WHAT’S COMING TO YOU! HE WILL HAVE YOU!” (For reference, my name is not Brenda.)
I scrambled downstairs, 911 punched into the phone, and ran towards the back door to make sure it was locked. It was, but right as I’d run towards it, I caught a glimpse of the man right outside of it (the door has a window, of course) and his wild, crazy eyes. I yelped, running back towards the living room, and hid behind the couch. I don’t even remember what I said to the 911 operator, but before I knew it, I heard sirens approaching.
They wound up catching the man, and bringing him into custody. My parents got off of work to come home, obviously freaked out. I was okay, but incredibly shaken, and nobody would let me (or any of us) stay home alone for a long, long time.
What really gives me the chills?
They had found the man hiding in our backyard shed, and in the shed, which was formerly empty; they found a fucking shrine. There was a school photo of mine from when I was about ten or eleven (??), red candles, a goblet, and a dead cat. I knew I had never seen this man in my life until our encounter, and believe me when I tell you that I never want to see him, or anyone who resembles him, again. He also wasn’t a local to the neighborhood (everyone was notified of his presence and nobody knew him.)
When they were leading the man towards the cop car, wrists cuffed, I watched from behind the curtains in the living room. He turned his head, and I swear he caught my eye, because he mouthed the words “you’re mine.”
I haven’t heard any updates on the man, and I still have anxiety about whether or not he’s free. I’m moved out of that house now, but I still fear his lurking. Sometimes, he visits me in my nightmares… And I often wonder if the slight tapping on my window at nighttime is just a manifestation of my fears.