To start with, I must admit that this is the most horrifying experience I’ve ever had. I was scouring Craigslist in search of a new television, and came across a 55-inch smart TV listed for $150. I contacted the seller, expressing my interest in the item, and he confirmed that it was still available. He invited me to come over and take a look at it, and provided his address.
Upon checking the location, I realized that it was about a half-hour drive from my place, which was a bit further than I had hoped. Nonetheless, I decided to go for it, and even brought a friend named Mason along to ensure my safety. When we arrived at the seller’s place, Mason stayed in the car while I went inside to check out the TV.
The seller greeted me with a smile, shook my hand, and invited me to come inside to have a look at the TV. Although I was eager to make the purchase, I couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy about the situation. Despite Mason being nearby, I knew that his presence alone wouldn’t be of much help if things took a turn for the worse.
He asked me if I had brought anyone with me, and I responded with a hesitant “no.” When he asked why, I quickly replied that I sometimes get worried about meeting up with people because of bad experiences in the past. He seemed to understand and let out a chuckle, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was a strange question to ask.
To make matters worse, I noticed some faint yelling in the background. When I asked about the noise, he brushed it off and said it was probably just his two boys playing around in their bedroom down the hall. However, the yelling didn’t sound like it was coming from where he pointed, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. I didn’t want to seem paranoid, so I dropped the subject and tried to make small talk instead.
Despite my attempts to act normal, he could tell that I was on edge. He asked if I was okay, and I forced myself to respond with a reassuring “yeah, I’m okay.” In reality, I was anything but okay.
He suggested that we go downstairs to check out the TV, explaining that it was set up in the guest bedroom so I could see that it worked properly. As he opened the basement door, he gestured for me to go first. Though I felt uneasy, I convinced myself that I was just being paranoid and began to descend the stairs.
Suddenly, he shoved me from behind, causing me to stumble and tumble down the stairs. I was relieved to find that I hadn’t broken any bones, but my head had taken a serious beating from hitting the wooden steps repeatedly. As I tried to gather myself and stand back up, I saw him standing over me with a crowbar, his expression dark and silent.
Without warning, he swung the crowbar at my head, but I managed to dodge it by instinct. In a moment of desperation, I kicked him in the stomach and grabbed the opposite end of the crowbar that he was holding. With all my might, I struck him in the head, causing him to collapse to the ground in a heap.
I wasted no time in making my escape, running up the stairs as quickly as I could while screaming for help and calling out Mason’s name. As I left the basement, I heard someone else screaming for help, but I was too terrified to investigate any further.
After the incident in the basement, I felt an urgent need to leave the house. I got into my car and drove off, all the while hyperventilating and trying to explain to Mason what had just happened. I mentioned to him that I suspected someone else might have been trapped down there, but I couldn’t muster the courage to go back and investigate. We immediately called the police, who arrived on the scene promptly. I relayed everything that had transpired to the authorities, and Mason insisted that we return to the house to talk to the police in person. Although I was hesitant, I knew he was right. We arrived back at the house in under ten minutes, and were greeted by three police cars. We waited by the end of the driveway for one of the officers to come out and take our statement. The assailant was still unconscious on the ground when the police arrived, and he was subsequently handcuffed and taken to the hospital. I am not certain of all the charges he faced, but I do know that he will likely be incarcerated for a significant period, perhaps even for life, given his extensive criminal history. The investigation into his case is still ongoing.
It was later discovered that the man had been keeping two other individuals locked in separate cages in the basement, which were no bigger than a typical dog’s. He had been subjecting them to torture and who knows what else. I think about this every hour, and although my therapist helps me a lot, I am still severely affected by it. It haunts me every single day of my life, and I have been prescribed Prozac for my anxiety. I just wish all these thoughts, nightmares, and trauma would go away. Right now, every day is a struggle for me, but I’m doing my best to remain optimistic. That’s all I can do.