Arianna
"What!"
The stress is playing tricks on me, there is no way the number just deleted by itself.
Nodding my head, I stand up from where I was crouching, my legs jelly like unused vegetables.
It's just stress. Once I go to the police, I will show them the messages. It's the only option for me.
Confused and terrified, I quickly walk to the nearest police station, clutching my phone with shaking hands.
The officers listen to my story with concern, but when I hand over my phone, their expressions turn grim.
"There's nothing there, miss. Are you sure someone texted you?" The officer Kingsley was the first who asks.
"What do you mean there's nothing? He texted me and even sent me photos. He knows where I live. I even took a screenshot of our conversation, Look." As I go to my gallery for the photo, there's nothing there. The last pic I took is my cat Millie in her kitty bed by my own bed in the bedroom.
"Oh god, no...."
The officers exchange a look, seeming to come to a silent agreement. The other one speaks up, the officer Darren, his voice gentle but firm," Miss, it's possible that you imagined the entire thing. Stress can play tricks on the mind. Why don't we have you sit down and calm down for a bit?"
"No! It can't be right. I will look in the deleted photo folder, maybe I have another one from iCloud," my fingers shake and I don't seem to press the right things to open the damn folders but trying to find the screenshot, there's absolutely nothing on my phone to prove the signs of my stalker messaging me.
Am I losing my mind?
I desperately look up to them and find them looking at me in pity," You need to help me please, send a car to my apartment to check. He maybe planted cameras or something."
The officers hesitate, clearly unsure of how to handle the situation. After a moment, officer Kingsley sighs and picks up the phone," Fine, we'll send someone over to your apartment, but miss, I need you to understand that there's likely nothing there."
"Just please, do something," retrieving my keys from the bag, I hold them out for them to take for inspection.
The officers nod and leave the room, promising to return as soon as they can.
As I sit alone, my mind races with thoughts and fears. I try to shake off the feeling of being watched, but it's impossible. The seconds tick by like hours, until finally, the officers return. I look up at them approaching me.
The officers return, their expressions serious. Officer Darren steps forward and speaks," Miss, we checked your apartment and found no evidence of any intruders or cameras. Everything was clear and no signs of breaking in."
"What? How can this be? There has to be something! How can he track me if there's nothing?"
The officers exchange another look, this time filled with a hint of unease.
"Miss, we're starting to think that you may be experiencing some sort of delusion or paranoia. Perhaps it would be best if we had a mental health professional evaluate you..."
"No, no, No. I'm fine, please excuse me," feeling like throwing up, I stand up to flee from the police station before I can lose it. Luckily they allow me to do so when I step outside of the building.
As I step outside, the fresh air hits me, but it does little to calm my racing mind. I look around, half-expecting to see him watching me from the shadows behind the trees. That's when I notice a black car parked a few blocks away, its tinted windows reflecting the sunlight.
Determined, I start running to the car to catch the culprit but once I bang my fist against the window, it slides down revealing a startled woman.
The woman stares at me in surprise, clearly not expecting to be confronted by a frantic individual. Yeah, I felt like a lunatic.
She looks around nervously, as if checking to see if anyone is watching, before turning her attention back to me," Can I help you?"
I am shocked and also disappointed that it's not the stalker and I just assumed that the owner of the car must be him because it looked too ominous so I awkwardly pull away with a shaky smile.
"I'm really sorry, I thought this is my ex-boyfriend's car. We had a fight and he run off, thought he is following me or something. Sorry for troubling you," slowly I step away from the car.
The woman watches me suspiciously for a moment before nodding slowly. She seems to understand the situation, and she doesn't seem inclined to press the matter any further. As I step away, she rolls up her window and drives off, leaving me standing alone on the sidewalk by the parking lot.
What is happening? Did I really imagined it all?
As I stand there, trying to make sense of everything, my phone vibrates again.
Oh no. Not again.
With shaking hands, I pull out my phone and check the message. It's another photo – this time, it's a picture of myself standing on the sidewalk, looking lost and confused.
I'm closer than you think.
I snap my head up and look around again. To left and right, I still don't see anyone. My breathing picks up and I think that I will pass out. The light summer breeze swayed the nearby tree brunches and in the distance the traffic sounds were heard as I tried to listen for something.
With calming prayer, I still focus to see anything out of ordinary when I type back.
What do you want from me?
There's a long pause, and I start to wonder if I've made a mistake by responding. Just as I'm about to put my phone away, another message comes through.
To be near you. To watch over you. To protect you from those who would do you harm.
I scoff before I think about my reaction.
It is you who is harming me by stalking me. How do you made cops believe that there's no trace of you?
I have my ways. But don't worry, my love.
Soon, you won't need their protection anymore. You'll only need mine. ❤️
You're sick.
And you're mine. Remember that, no matter what happens.
And one more thing...
The next message is a video. With a heavy heart, I press play. It shows my apartment, my bedroom, my bed. Filmed inside my apartment this time.
I know everything about you, my love. Every fear, every dream, every secret.
I bite my lip till it bleeds when I taste the metal savory taste on my tongue. No way I can go home now.
He has been inside my apartment, inside.
The video continues, showing my personal belongings, my clothes, my books. Even my precious art...he's seen everything. The last shot is of my journal, open to a page with my deepest secrets written inside where I have written my darkest thoughts relating my favorite author. Oh god.
The parking lot was empty in the afternoon when I watched the sun slowly skipping across the sky and I shivered, knowing I'm not safe anymore. If I go to the police, he will just make everything disappear again. I didn't have any options left.
Do I go to the hotel? Or risk my safety and go back home? What do I do? I send him a message.
Who are you?
The response is slow in coming.
I am the one who loves you, my love.
The one who has been watching over you from afar.
Your guardian angel, in a way.
I shudder at his words.
That's obsession, not love.
Love is just something people say to each other when they care. For us it's something stronger than love.
But for you, darling, I would burn the world down.
I swallow hard, the gravity of the situation finally sinking in. This person, this stranger, is obsessed with me. And he knows everything about me.
Tell me your name.
I'm not sure you're not ready for me yet.
Not until you trust me.
What do you mean?
You're not ready to know my name.
Not yet. But soon, love.
Soon, you will call out my name in your sleep, and you will beg me to hold you in my arms.
I feel a chill run down my spine, his words sending shivers through my body.
I didn't know what to do. How can I go home, knowing he will watch me while I sleep?
As if reading my mind, he sends another message.
Don't worry, love. I won't come into your room. Not yet.
But I will be watching. Always.
You're scaring me even more. You just want to hurt me.
No, love. I would never hurt you. I only want to protect you.
To keep you safe from the dangers of the world.
To watch over you, always. And maybe, just maybe, to earn your love in return.
How can I love a stranger without a face or your name who is stalking me? I don't know anything about you!
Now as I think about it, I never asked this person his real gender identity, maybe someone is still playing me, to trick me when he/she first mentioned the manhood in the first message. I just don't know what to believe anymore.
Are you male or female?
Baby, ask me later when I've jerked myself with your panties around my cock ;)
My fucking panties?
My anger boils when I read that. He was definitely male then and he thought he is that funny to make a joke like that? This person was out of his mind, completely obsessed with me to the point where he knows everything about me.
You have no right!
Bastard.
How do you know me? Do I know you in person or you just saw me somewhere and decided to stalk me?
We've never met in person but in a way it feels like we have.
I feel like I know you better than anyone else. I've watched you from afar for some time.
I know your routines, your habits, your favorite places to eat and shop.
Then tell me about something you know.
He sends a message that makes my heart skip a beat.
I know that you have a small tattoo under your left breast, a tiny butterfly. And that you touch yourself while reading erotic romance novels. Your virgin pussy weeps for me secretly even though you don't know that yourself but I will make sure you do.
I can go on and on.
I sit frozen, wondering how he knows these intimate details. He completely has destroyed my own privacy. And how does he know that I'm still a virgin? I've never admitted that to anyone except for my best friend Nicole who is currently on a trip to Hawaii with her parents but she is my ride or die BFF, she would never betray me to leak this information somewhere.
What else?
I know your favorite book currently is "Tempting shadows" which is ironic because it's a dark romance and that you always read it before bed.
I know you have a habit of biting your lower lip when you're thinking. And I know your favorite color is lavender.
Also...you always paint after reading certain person's work.
Fuck, baby, I fucking love everything about you and I'm dying to feel you but well...I'm a patient man ;)
I gasp and almost trip over my feet. I don't know how long I'm standing in the parking lot when I decide to move so he doesn't get an idea to stalk me in the middle of the parking lot where I'm most vulnerable and alone because people always avoided this part of the town where police station was. They didn't want to get in trouble for something.
I feel like a zombie when I head back home, knowing I'm not safe anywhere. No one even will believe me anyway.
That's a big invasion of privacy.
As soon as I enter my apartment, he messages me again.
I'm sorry, love. But a man in love does desperate things.
I look around my apartment, feeling violated. He knows so much about me.
Too much.
I ignore the message to check for the hidden cameras in my home. Obviously police didn't check clearly enough because there has to be something.
He messages me again while I'm searching.
You will not find anything. There's nothing.
Yeah, right. I will keep searching.
I will not give up until I see something that looks suspicious or out of place but weirdly there was nothing that could give an idea that someone broke in. He sends me a picture of myself sitting on my couch, searching for hidden cameras.
How's the search going, sweetheart?
Finding anything interesting?
I love watching you be completely clueless, it makes me want to just grab you and fuck that gorgeous hole you're hiding from me...mmm.
I look at the picture and my blood runs cold. How did he even...?
When I see you, I will kill you.
Not that I was strong enough to do any harm but I will keep fighting until my strength gives out.
😄 Feisty, I like it.
I would love to see you try.
Once you meet me, you'll forget all about wanting to hurt me.
I clench my fists, anger boiling inside me. He is really cocky son of a bitch.
How are you are so sure?
Because you're mine.
I'm not a monster baby, but if someone would harm you, I would eliminate the threat immediately.
I will kill anyone who touches you.
What the fuck? Did he just really said that he will murder someone for me?
Have you killed anyone before?
There's is a long pause.
Since I'm feeling generous today...yes I have.
Oh no.
Oh no.
Oh no.
My stalker is also a murderer?