13x24: I Moved In With My Stalker

[00:00:00] A while back, some of our dedicated listeners helped us fund and film a pilot for a potential

[00:00:05] Let's Not Meet TV series. With their help, we were able to team up with Good Dale Films

[00:00:10] to produce two short films as a proof of concept for the new potential TV show. We recently got

[00:00:17] the green light from the folks we've been working with on the official show to screen these short

[00:00:21] films. These are in no way connected to whatever future official show that may be in the works,

[00:00:26] in connection with the podcast. They are simply our own adaptations of two Let's Not Meet submissions

[00:00:32] that we filmed and produced on a shoestring budget with some very talented people. On Saturday, December

[00:00:38] 14th, we'll be streaming those short films on my Twitch channel at 6pm Pacific at twitch.tv

[00:00:44] slash crypticcounty for everyone to experience. After that, I'll be joined by the guys of Good Dale Films

[00:00:50] for a Q&A. You're not going to want to miss it. Again, that's December 14th, 6pm Pacific at twitch.tv

[00:00:56] slash crypticcounty. Now let's get on with the show. This podcast contains adult language and content.

[00:01:02] Listener discretion is advised. If you have a story to share, send it to letsnotmeetstories

[00:01:06] at gmail.com. Enjoy the show. I'm not proud of this story. I have a big family. We were super close.

[00:01:45] When I was in high school, my aunt was dating this guy who seemed wealthy, but nobody knew what he

[00:01:50] actually did. I think anyone could have guessed, though. I asked my aunt to introduce me to her

[00:01:57] boyfriend and we talked about how I could work for him. Without going into too much detail,

[00:02:03] I did start working for him. I sold what he had to some people that I knew. I went to high school

[00:02:10] in an area where there were a lot of drugs. I knew a few boys who claimed that they already used this

[00:02:15] stuff, so I offered to sell it to them. And surprisingly, they had big orders for me.

[00:02:22] I didn't ask any questions. I just went along with it. I was making about three grand a month from this.

[00:02:28] Not enough to retire or anything, but definitely more than most 17-year-olds make.

[00:02:34] Now, I never made a point of flaunting my money or talking about income, so I think I kept it well

[00:02:40] hidden. At least, I thought I did. What bothers me the most is that there's no way of knowing.

[00:02:47] One Saturday morning, I walked over to my friend's house for a birthday party.

[00:02:51] Not a wild one or anything, just a cute little breakfast get-together.

[00:02:56] On my way home, this guy I had never seen before pulled over and got out of the car.

[00:03:02] He was well-dressed and a bit older. Initially, when he got out of his car,

[00:03:07] I thought that he was a cop. I mean, he was acting like a cop. So, I was preparing to possibly

[00:03:14] surrender. But then he pulled out a switchblade and told me to give him my purse. He said something

[00:03:21] like, don't act dumb, girl. I know you have money. It's okay. I can make this easy if you just give me

[00:03:28] your purse. I don't know if you've ever been in that kind of situation, and I hope you haven't,

[00:03:34] but I just kind of froze up by being surprised like that. I wasn't really feeling fear. I think

[00:03:42] my body just didn't know how to react. Honestly, I think that it didn't let me get too scared.

[00:03:48] Because if it did, then I probably would have had a heart attack. It was like my body was saying,

[00:03:54] wait now, panic later. I finally managed to say, okay, can I just give you my cash? My purse has my

[00:04:02] phone, pictures, and other stuff. He agreed to that. So, I opened my purse and I took out all the

[00:04:08] cash. He watched me closely as I pulled it all out. It was about 200 bucks. He took the money and said,

[00:04:16] if you tell anyone, I'll find out. And then he left. After he pulled away, I continued my walk home

[00:04:24] and stayed calm. The next morning, it hit me that I had been mugged. That's when the panic set in and

[00:04:31] I started shaking and crying. Even as I'm sharing this story now, it still gives me chills. I had

[00:04:38] never seen that guy before. So, when he said, I know you have money, I didn't know that he meant he

[00:04:44] knew about my dealing or if this was just a general observation that he was using to try and scare me.

[00:04:52] Honestly, I'm really glad that this all happened because it made me get out of that business at the

[00:04:56] right time. Things were only going to get more dangerous from there. It's scary thinking about it,

[00:05:03] but that guy saved me without even realizing it. I told my aunt's boyfriend what happened and that I

[00:05:09] was too scared to keep doing this trade. So, he told me to send all my customers to him instead.

[00:05:15] I did and that was the end of it for me. It's been almost 10 years now and I haven't looked back since.

[00:05:41] This happened about 10 years ago while I was still in my last year of college.

[00:05:45] My friend and I were living in a two-bedroom apartment in a safe and slightly upscale part

[00:05:51] of town. To give you an idea of us, at the time I was about 210 pounds. At 5'7", I was fairly

[00:05:59] capable of handling myself as I had been an athlete for a large portion of my life before succumbing to

[00:06:05] food addiction. My roommate was 5'3", 1'15", and had never lifted weights in her life.

[00:06:13] One day, I was cooking up something for dinner and my roommate came in and went to her room.

[00:06:19] We weren't really lovey-dovey roommates, so it wasn't unusual for us to not make small talk every time

[00:06:26] that we saw each other. I continued with my cooking and about 5 minutes later, there was a knock at the

[00:06:32] door. I went around the island in the kitchen and opened the door, expecting to see a delivery person.

[00:06:39] Instead, I was gripped with this intense, visceral sense of unease. It wrapped around my body like a

[00:06:47] vice and every hair on my body stood up. There was a completely normal-looking guy standing there.

[00:06:53] He was medium height, with light skin and brown hair. He was wearing a ball cap, a casual sweater,

[00:07:00] and pants. To this day, I know I wouldn't have been able to identify him in a lineup. He looked

[00:07:08] totally unremarkable. However, I had never in my life felt such a sense of foreboding. My heart was

[00:07:16] beating out of my chest. I didn't even say a word. I just stared at him as I vaguely wondered

[00:07:22] if I should shut the door in his face. He stared at me for a few moments and then turned and walked

[00:07:29] away with his dog, following behind him. I had been so fixated on this guy that I hadn't even realized

[00:07:36] he had been holding a dog leash attached to a sweet-looking golden retriever. My anxiety abated

[00:07:42] and I decided that I must have been overreacting despite never having that particular feeling

[00:07:48] ever before. I had grown up as a tomboy and had mostly guy friends growing up. I was also working

[00:07:56] in a hugely male-dominated career field. My degree is in computer science, IT, and I played a male-dominated

[00:08:05] sport for most of my life. I was not and have never been, in the least, afraid of a man.

[00:08:13] About 30 minutes later, my roommate came out and asked me who was at the door. I told her,

[00:08:19] oh, just some random guy, wrong apartment apparently. She looked at me with a frown and asked,

[00:08:25] did he have a dog? I replied affirmatively that he did have a dog, to which she said that some guy

[00:08:33] with his dog was trying to chat her up at the mailboxes on the other side of the complex.

[00:08:38] She said that she ignored him, got back in her car, and came to the apartment. She said that she

[00:08:45] was positive he couldn't have seen her come into our apartment because she drove to the mailboxes in

[00:08:50] her car. He would have had to run at a very fast speed to catch up with her. Plus, our apartment

[00:08:58] building faces away from the area where the mailboxes are, and there are at least four buildings between

[00:09:05] our building and the mailboxes. So essentially, that means that this man scoured the parking lots

[00:09:11] within the complex, looking for her car. When he finally found her car parked in front of our

[00:09:16] building, he likely just started knocking on doors trying to find her. Our suspicions were

[00:09:22] confirmed the next day, when there was a phone number, but no name, written on a piece of paper

[00:09:28] tucked under one of her windshield wipers. I have no idea if she ever reported the incident,

[00:09:34] but I was on edge for a good month afterward because I was worried that he might be keeping

[00:09:39] an eye out for her. I don't know why he turned around and left after he opened the door. Maybe

[00:09:45] he thought that he had the wrong apartment, or maybe he assumed that she lived alone and didn't

[00:09:50] want to confront someone else. Maybe as much as my roommate's tiny size enticed him, my larger size

[00:09:58] made him think twice about trying to pull anything. To this day, I've only ever gotten that sensation

[00:10:05] one other time while I was out with my boyfriend at a bar about a year ago. A guy who wasn't even

[00:10:11] looking at me made me feel very uneasy, and the same type of tension wound through my body.

[00:10:17] That guy looked completely ordinary as well, but my instincts were lashing out and warning me about

[00:10:24] him. Considering the incident with the first guy, I knew I had to trust my instincts and suggested

[00:10:30] going to another bar. Maybe I have a sixth sense for sketchy people, but I decided I would never

[00:10:37] question that subconscious instinct again. I hope to never experience that sensation in the future.

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[00:12:17] This recently popped up in my memories on social media, and I thought that it would be worth sharing

[00:12:22] here. This was one of the scariest encounters I've ever had, and it taught me to trust my gut.

[00:12:28] A little over two years ago on September 4th, 2022, I was at home waiting for my boyfriend to return.

[00:12:36] It was getting late, and I was impatient, so I decided to go out to get some snacks from the gas

[00:12:41] station by myself. We live in a city that isn't really the best place for a 22-year-old woman to

[00:12:48] be out alone at night. It's normal to hear gunshots or see cars getting stolen, and there have been

[00:12:55] armed robberies at both gas stations by my house since I moved to the area. Nevertheless, I was hungry

[00:13:02] and wanted some snacks, so I went off into the night to get them. On my way to the gas station,

[00:13:08] my boyfriend passed me on his bike as he was heading home. I was nearly at the gas station,

[00:13:13] which is a detail that is crucial to how things would play out. It was sometime around 11pm when

[00:13:20] I pulled into 7-Eleven and parked by a pump. Before I even had a chance to take my keys out of the

[00:13:26] ignition, a woman seemingly materialized immediately and was standing at my passenger side door, trying to

[00:13:34] talk to me through it. Something I should mention before continuing is that before this event happened,

[00:13:41] my best friend and I had a couple attempt to carjack us in another city. Ever since then,

[00:13:47] I have always locked my doors the second I got into my car, and I did exactly that on this night.

[00:13:54] I stayed in the car and told her that I couldn't hear her, so she walked to my side of the car.

[00:14:00] She said something along the lines of her ride not being able to pick her up while holding up

[00:14:06] texts on her phone to show me. She said that her ride's car broke down and she was looking for a

[00:14:13] ride now. I said, I'm really sorry but I'm not comfortable with giving a stranger a ride,

[00:14:19] especially at night, and immediately drove away. I was annoyed that I didn't get my snacks,

[00:14:26] but I quickly rode it off and headed back home. On the route back to my house from the 7-Eleven,

[00:14:33] I have to take a left turn onto a curving road with a shopping center on the right.

[00:14:38] The first light on this road leads to my neighborhood, where I would make another left.

[00:14:44] When I took my first left and approached the curving road with the shopping center,

[00:14:49] a car swerved out in front of me and stayed in the center line the entire way to the light.

[00:14:56] I kept my distance and pulled in behind them into the turning lane going to my neighborhood.

[00:15:02] When we made the turn, they stopped next to the curb on the right side of the road.

[00:15:08] This put me on high alert, and I passed them quickly.

[00:15:12] When you pull into the neighborhood, there is a long, straight road that has a left-hand turn

[00:15:18] shortly after the entrance, and a right-hand turn further down.

[00:15:23] Both entrances connect to a loop that goes around the entire neighborhood,

[00:15:27] and then straight back to the main road that we were on.

[00:15:31] Essentially, the main road's purpose is to connect the loop.

[00:15:35] I passed the car that had turned and pulled over to the side of the main road,

[00:15:39] then drove to the second turn and headed to my house.

[00:15:42] When I passed him, they pulled back onto the road and started driving as well,

[00:15:47] following me at a distance.

[00:15:50] Other people pulled onto this road behind me all the time,

[00:15:53] but this just felt different.

[00:15:57] I passed by my parking spot but noted that my boyfriend was home

[00:16:01] as I made my way around the loop to get to the other entrance.

[00:16:04] For a split second there, I almost thought that I was overreacting.

[00:16:08] I almost turned around, but as I continued around the loop with them behind me,

[00:16:13] I knew I wasn't.

[00:16:16] As I drove slowly through the loop, over the speed bumps,

[00:16:20] I noticed that they kept getting closer and closer to me.

[00:16:24] When I went over the last few speed bumps,

[00:16:27] they were so close that I couldn't even see the front of their vehicle.

[00:16:31] After that last bump, there's an option to take a small turn to the dumpster

[00:16:36] or continue straight to the main road.

[00:16:38] When we reached this spot, I saw a man walking to the dumpster.

[00:16:43] The car that was on my tail saw him as well and backed off significantly.

[00:16:48] I took this as my chance and sped off to get away from them.

[00:16:52] From the main road, I turned back towards my house again

[00:16:56] while yelling at Siri to call my boyfriend.

[00:16:59] He picked up and I told him to come outside as I floored it,

[00:17:02] blaring my horn the whole way.

[00:17:05] The car gunned it after me as I prayed that my boyfriend would be outside in time.

[00:17:11] I quickly pulled into my spot, still honking,

[00:17:14] and the car skidded to a stop right behind my car at an angle so that I couldn't back out.

[00:17:20] Two grown men immediately jumped out of the car while I stayed in mine, horrified.

[00:17:26] They started to approach my doors until they saw that somebody was waiting for them.

[00:17:32] It was my boyfriend.

[00:17:34] He told them that they needed to get back in their car and leave.

[00:17:38] They then tried to argue and said that I was the one following them.

[00:17:43] They said some other nonsense as well,

[00:17:45] but I honestly couldn't understand over my sheer panic

[00:17:47] and the whole adrenaline rush of it all.

[00:17:50] My boyfriend was ready to stand his ground and do whatever he had to do to protect me,

[00:17:55] and he conveyed that very clearly.

[00:17:58] After the men eventually left,

[00:18:00] I took my time getting out of the car since I was still in complete shock.

[00:18:04] The police were called and showed up nearly two hours later,

[00:18:08] saying that they didn't see the car in the area,

[00:18:10] and they never looked any further into it.

[00:18:14] Needless to say,

[00:18:15] my boyfriend made sure that he was with me every night

[00:18:18] and would even meet me at the entrance of our neighborhood after work

[00:18:21] to ride home with me for quite some time.

[00:18:24] I often think back about those two men

[00:18:27] and what they would have done

[00:18:29] if I hadn't thought twice and pulled into my space to begin with.

[00:18:34] If my boyfriend wasn't home,

[00:18:35] my plan was to drive to the police station.

[00:18:38] So in that case,

[00:18:39] would they have followed me to the police station?

[00:18:42] Was the woman I initially encountered part of this whole thing?

[00:18:46] Thinking about it all makes me nauseous.

[00:18:49] The cherry on top is that I had a feeling

[00:18:52] for a couple of weeks before this happened

[00:18:54] that was telling me to keep an eye out on cars behind me

[00:18:58] and make sure that I wasn't being followed.

[00:19:01] That's especially crazy to look back at now.

[00:19:04] It's very scary to think about how things could have ended

[00:19:07] if I didn't have someone to scare those men off.

[00:19:11] To the women who approached my car,

[00:19:13] if you were setting me up,

[00:19:15] get wrecked.

[00:19:16] To the men who followed me home

[00:19:18] and intended to do God knows what to me,

[00:19:20] let's definitely never meet again.

[00:19:32] This happened quite a long time ago

[00:19:34] when I was just 20 years old.

[00:19:36] At the time,

[00:19:37] I was living alone in an apartment

[00:19:39] in a notorious building

[00:19:40] near the city center of my city.

[00:19:43] It was a Saturday night

[00:19:44] and I had gone out with my friends

[00:19:46] and my now partner.

[00:19:48] Since it was past 4 a.m.,

[00:19:50] he and his friend drove me

[00:19:52] and a close friend of mine

[00:19:53] back to the building.

[00:19:54] My friend that was dropped off with me

[00:19:56] lived nearby

[00:19:57] and from my place,

[00:19:59] she only had to walk a minute or so

[00:20:01] to get home.

[00:20:02] But it was difficult to get there by car.

[00:20:05] After we got out of the car,

[00:20:07] my friend and I

[00:20:07] said our goodbyes

[00:20:09] and she started walking towards her place

[00:20:11] while my partner's friend stayed in the car.

[00:20:14] My partner and I

[00:20:15] made out for a few minutes

[00:20:16] until some guys started hollering

[00:20:18] from one of the balconies

[00:20:20] of my building.

[00:20:21] I felt embarrassed

[00:20:22] being heckled like that in public

[00:20:24] so for me,

[00:20:25] that was my cue

[00:20:26] to say goodbye

[00:20:27] and go inside.

[00:20:28] I then walked to the entrance

[00:20:30] and as I entered the building,

[00:20:32] a guy was coming down the stairs.

[00:20:35] I didn't think anything of it

[00:20:36] as I approached the elevator

[00:20:38] and pressed the button to go up

[00:20:39] since I didn't feel like

[00:20:41] taking the stairs

[00:20:42] to the 6th floor where I lived.

[00:20:44] Then the man who appeared to be

[00:20:46] about a few years older than me

[00:20:48] asked if I had a cigarette.

[00:20:50] I told him no, sorry

[00:20:52] to keep it short and simple.

[00:20:55] He just nodded,

[00:20:56] kept staring at me

[00:20:57] and stood next to me

[00:20:59] waiting for the elevator.

[00:21:01] I was creeped out by this

[00:21:02] but decided to continue

[00:21:03] waiting for the elevator

[00:21:04] and just get to my apartment

[00:21:06] as fast as possible.

[00:21:08] I naively thought that maybe

[00:21:10] he would leave

[00:21:11] once the elevator arrived.

[00:21:13] However, he didn't.

[00:21:15] Once the elevator doors opened,

[00:21:17] he stepped in

[00:21:18] and waited for me.

[00:21:19] I noticed that he hadn't

[00:21:20] pressed the floor button

[00:21:22] as I entered the elevator.

[00:21:24] This gave me a weird gut feeling

[00:21:25] so I excused myself,

[00:21:28] stepped out of the elevator

[00:21:29] and told him

[00:21:29] I needed to call a friend.

[00:21:31] He then grabbed my arm

[00:21:33] and pulled me back

[00:21:34] inside the elevator

[00:21:35] saying,

[00:21:36] no, no, come here.

[00:21:38] I loudly replied,

[00:21:40] let go of me.

[00:21:40] I really need to make this call.

[00:21:43] And I pulled my arm away

[00:21:44] to free myself.

[00:21:45] I then ran outside

[00:21:47] but I didn't know where to go.

[00:21:49] I was afraid of going back inside

[00:21:50] but since it was so late,

[00:21:52] I didn't feel safe outside either.

[00:21:55] I started walking away

[00:21:56] from my complex

[00:21:57] and called my friend.

[00:21:59] She asked me where I was

[00:22:00] so that she could come to me

[00:22:02] but her phone died

[00:22:03] before I could answer.

[00:22:05] I didn't know my partner

[00:22:06] too well back then

[00:22:07] so I felt uncomfortable

[00:22:09] and almost embarrassed

[00:22:10] to reach out to him

[00:22:11] but I did anyway.

[00:22:13] The need to get somewhere safe

[00:22:15] was greater than my embarrassment

[00:22:17] and I didn't know anyone else

[00:22:19] who would still be up at this time.

[00:22:20] So I texted him

[00:22:22] and once he understood

[00:22:23] what was going on,

[00:22:24] he and his friend

[00:22:25] came racing towards me.

[00:22:27] They were there within five minutes

[00:22:29] and they parked the car

[00:22:30] and escorted me to my apartment.

[00:22:33] By the time we got into the building,

[00:22:34] the guy was nowhere to be found.

[00:22:36] Even though he was no longer

[00:22:38] in the lobby,

[00:22:38] they still escorted me

[00:22:40] back to my apartment

[00:22:40] and stayed with me for a while.

[00:22:42] They stayed until the sun came up

[00:22:44] which was when I finally felt

[00:22:46] comfortable enough

[00:22:47] to go to sleep.

[00:22:49] I had three locks on my doors

[00:22:50] so as soon as they left,

[00:22:52] I locked myself in

[00:22:54] with all three

[00:22:55] and I went to sleep.

[00:22:58] I reported this incident

[00:22:59] to my landlord

[00:23:00] but he couldn't help me

[00:23:01] since the security cameras

[00:23:02] often don't work

[00:23:03] and happened to be offline

[00:23:05] during that evening.

[00:23:07] I told him about the guys

[00:23:08] heckling me

[00:23:09] from one of the balconies

[00:23:10] above as well

[00:23:11] but I'm not sure

[00:23:12] if the guy I encountered

[00:23:14] was one of them

[00:23:15] or not.

[00:23:16] It's fair to assume

[00:23:17] that he probably was

[00:23:19] as he had the vantage point

[00:23:21] to see me going

[00:23:22] into the building alone.

[00:23:24] Looking back,

[00:23:25] I'm so grateful

[00:23:26] for trusting my gut instinct

[00:23:27] and getting the hell

[00:23:28] out of there.

[00:23:29] I don't know

[00:23:30] if that man

[00:23:30] would have done anything

[00:23:31] but it was a weird situation.

[00:23:34] It could have ended

[00:23:35] very badly.

[00:23:54] This happened in 2022.

[00:23:56] At the time,

[00:23:57] I was a business school student

[00:23:59] but my English skills

[00:24:00] left much to be desired.

[00:24:02] To improve,

[00:24:03] I decided to take a gap year

[00:24:05] and move to Toronto, Canada

[00:24:06] for some intense language courses.

[00:24:09] Since the cost was high,

[00:24:10] I found a shared apartment

[00:24:12] to live in

[00:24:12] with other students.

[00:24:13] It had three bedrooms

[00:24:14] and one was still empty,

[00:24:16] waiting for another student

[00:24:17] to move in.

[00:24:19] My roommate Sandro

[00:24:20] was a Swiss German.

[00:24:22] He was tall,

[00:24:23] about two meters

[00:24:24] and he was very friendly

[00:24:25] so we quickly became friends.

[00:24:28] A few weeks later,

[00:24:29] Sandro told me

[00:24:30] that he was going

[00:24:31] on a week-long road trip

[00:24:32] through Canada's national parks.

[00:24:34] He was set to leave

[00:24:35] on a Saturday morning

[00:24:36] and he informed me

[00:24:38] that the other student

[00:24:39] who would be living with us

[00:24:40] was going to arrive

[00:24:41] that same day

[00:24:42] at around 3 p.m.

[00:24:45] Sandro left the apartment

[00:24:46] at 10 a.m.,

[00:24:47] leaving me alone

[00:24:48] to wait for the new arrival.

[00:24:50] Hours went by.

[00:24:52] 3 o'clock,

[00:24:53] 5 o'clock,

[00:24:54] 8 o'clock,

[00:24:55] and then finally,

[00:24:56] 10.

[00:24:57] There was no one.

[00:24:59] I killed the time

[00:25:00] by grabbing a bite to eat

[00:25:01] and watching some shows

[00:25:03] on Netflix

[00:25:03] but eventually decided

[00:25:05] to head to bed.

[00:25:07] Around midnight,

[00:25:08] I was awakened

[00:25:09] by knocking

[00:25:09] on the apartment door.

[00:25:11] I then heard someone

[00:25:12] coming in.

[00:25:14] This must be a new student,

[00:25:15] I thought to myself

[00:25:16] before hearing

[00:25:17] an unfamiliar voice

[00:25:19] explaining the apartment's layout.

[00:25:21] I stayed in my room

[00:25:22] too tired to go out

[00:25:23] and tried to fall back to sleep.

[00:25:25] But a few minutes later,

[00:25:27] there were knocks at my door.

[00:25:28] I didn't get up,

[00:25:29] but then the knocking

[00:25:30] happened a second time,

[00:25:32] 10 minutes later.

[00:25:34] Thinking that there might be

[00:25:35] a problem,

[00:25:35] I got up,

[00:25:36] opened the door,

[00:25:37] and found myself

[00:25:37] face-to-face

[00:25:38] with a young Japanese woman

[00:25:39] who appeared to be

[00:25:40] around 25 years old.

[00:25:43] I quickly explained

[00:25:45] a few details

[00:25:45] about the apartment,

[00:25:46] we exchanged

[00:25:47] Instagram handles,

[00:25:49] and then each of us

[00:25:50] went back to our rooms

[00:25:51] for the night.

[00:25:52] In the following days,

[00:25:54] she often asked me

[00:25:54] to accompany her

[00:25:55] when taking the bus

[00:25:57] or subway.

[00:25:58] I gladly helped,

[00:25:59] showing her the stops

[00:26:01] and giving her tips

[00:26:02] for getting around

[00:26:03] before returning

[00:26:04] to my routine.

[00:26:05] But gradually,

[00:26:07] something strange began.

[00:26:09] Every evening

[00:26:10] when I came back

[00:26:11] to the apartment,

[00:26:12] she always talked to me,

[00:26:13] but the conversation

[00:26:15] became increasingly heavy.

[00:26:17] One evening,

[00:26:18] while lying on my bed,

[00:26:19] I noticed a figure

[00:26:20] standing right in front

[00:26:22] of my bedroom window

[00:26:23] on our shared balcony.

[00:26:25] It was the new roommate,

[00:26:27] and she was leaning

[00:26:28] against the railing,

[00:26:29] staring in at me.

[00:26:31] Her gaze was piercing

[00:26:33] and unsettling.

[00:26:34] When she realized

[00:26:35] I had seen her,

[00:26:36] she quickly turned away

[00:26:38] and went back to her room.

[00:26:40] I shuddered,

[00:26:41] but tried to convince myself

[00:26:42] it was merely a coincidence.

[00:26:44] Later that night,

[00:26:46] around midnight,

[00:26:47] as I turned the lights off

[00:26:48] to fall asleep,

[00:26:49] I glanced out the window.

[00:26:50] She was there again,

[00:26:52] just standing on the balcony,

[00:26:54] watching me.

[00:26:55] When our eyes met,

[00:26:57] she instantly scurried away.

[00:26:59] The same scene repeated itself

[00:27:01] the following nights.

[00:27:03] Every evening,

[00:27:04] I would catch her

[00:27:05] watching me from the balcony,

[00:27:06] always at the same time,

[00:27:08] always with a fixated gaze.

[00:27:10] Every time,

[00:27:11] she would disappear

[00:27:12] as soon as she realized

[00:27:13] I noticed her.

[00:27:15] One morning,

[00:27:16] I had to get up

[00:27:16] particularly early

[00:27:17] for an appointment.

[00:27:18] It was 5.30 a.m.

[00:27:20] when I walked out of my room.

[00:27:22] The entire apartment

[00:27:23] was shrouded in darkness,

[00:27:25] except for the faint light

[00:27:26] filtering under the bathroom door,

[00:27:28] where I was brushing my teeth.

[00:27:31] Suddenly,

[00:27:31] I heard a noise behind me.

[00:27:34] The young woman emerged

[00:27:35] from her room,

[00:27:36] silent,

[00:27:37] her footsteps

[00:27:38] softly creaking

[00:27:39] on the wooden floor.

[00:27:41] She knew that I was

[00:27:42] in the bathroom

[00:27:42] as she saw the light

[00:27:44] under the door.

[00:27:45] When the bathroom door opened,

[00:27:47] I froze

[00:27:48] and a chill ran down my spine.

[00:27:50] There I was,

[00:27:51] in my underwear,

[00:27:53] toothbrush in hand,

[00:27:54] wondering what she wanted.

[00:27:56] But instead of turning back,

[00:27:58] she walked into the bathroom

[00:27:59] and sat

[00:28:00] on the closed toilet,

[00:28:02] facing me.

[00:28:03] She didn't say a word.

[00:28:06] She just sat there motionless,

[00:28:08] her gaze locked onto me

[00:28:09] with an empty expression.

[00:28:12] The scene dragged on

[00:28:13] for long, icy seconds

[00:28:16] until the silence

[00:28:17] grew oppressive.

[00:28:19] Then slowly,

[00:28:20] I gathered myself

[00:28:21] and left the bathroom

[00:28:22] closing the door behind me.

[00:28:24] I returned to my room

[00:28:25] very slowly,

[00:28:26] trying to convey

[00:28:27] that I didn't understand

[00:28:28] what was going on

[00:28:29] since her English

[00:28:30] wasn't strong enough

[00:28:31] for us to have

[00:28:32] a proper conversation.

[00:28:34] In the days that followed,

[00:28:36] I became increasingly cautious,

[00:28:38] watching her every move

[00:28:39] as she continued

[00:28:40] to observe me

[00:28:41] every evening

[00:28:42] from the balcony,

[00:28:43] like a disturbing

[00:28:45] shadow figure

[00:28:46] in the night.

[00:28:47] And then,

[00:28:48] on the night

[00:28:49] before my departure,

[00:28:50] things took

[00:28:50] an even more

[00:28:52] terrifying turn.

[00:28:54] I was having dinner

[00:28:54] in my room

[00:28:55] when I saw her again

[00:28:56] through the window,

[00:28:57] staring inside intently.

[00:28:59] I looked away,

[00:29:00] hoping that she would leave,

[00:29:01] but then,

[00:29:02] later that night,

[00:29:03] at around three in the morning,

[00:29:04] I woke up suddenly

[00:29:05] from a nightmare.

[00:29:06] I turned my head

[00:29:07] and there she was,

[00:29:09] still on the balcony,

[00:29:11] eyes wide open,

[00:29:13] fixated on me.

[00:29:15] My blood ran cold,

[00:29:16] and this time

[00:29:17] she didn't look away.

[00:29:18] She remained motionless

[00:29:20] like a statue.

[00:29:22] Then,

[00:29:22] abruptly,

[00:29:23] she turned

[00:29:24] and ran inside

[00:29:25] the apartment.

[00:29:26] My heart pounded

[00:29:27] as I rushed back

[00:29:28] to lock the door.

[00:29:29] I then buried myself

[00:29:30] under the covers,

[00:29:31] hoping that it was all

[00:29:32] just a bad dream.

[00:29:35] A few seconds later,

[00:29:36] I heard footsteps

[00:29:37] on the other side

[00:29:37] of my door,

[00:29:38] followed by an attempt

[00:29:39] to open it,

[00:29:40] gently at first,

[00:29:42] but then more forcefully.

[00:29:44] She was pressing

[00:29:45] on the handle,

[00:29:46] trying hard

[00:29:47] to get into my room.

[00:29:49] Panicked,

[00:29:49] I remained still,

[00:29:51] holding my breath.

[00:29:52] Then,

[00:29:53] everything went silent again.

[00:29:55] I didn't hear anything.

[00:29:58] I assumed

[00:29:59] she just went back

[00:30:00] to her room after that,

[00:30:01] but that wasn't

[00:30:02] necessarily reassuring,

[00:30:04] and the night

[00:30:05] felt endless.

[00:30:07] When I headed

[00:30:08] to the airport

[00:30:09] to return to France

[00:30:10] the next day,

[00:30:10] I thought about

[00:30:11] her behavior

[00:30:12] and tried to justify it.

[00:30:14] I think she was

[00:30:15] fascinated

[00:30:16] to see a European.

[00:30:17] After all,

[00:30:18] I don't have

[00:30:19] a typical build.

[00:30:20] I can bench press

[00:30:21] over 150 kilos,

[00:30:24] but I'll never know

[00:30:25] for sure.

[00:30:26] Anyways,

[00:30:27] thank you for listening

[00:30:28] and be safe out there.

[00:30:42] This happened

[00:30:43] a few years ago,

[00:30:44] but it's stuck with me

[00:30:45] because of how weird

[00:30:46] and scary it was.

[00:30:48] For the past few years,

[00:30:50] my parents have gone

[00:30:50] on a week-long

[00:30:51] anniversary trip,

[00:30:53] leaving me home alone.

[00:30:55] I was 20

[00:30:56] when they started

[00:30:56] doing this,

[00:30:57] so I was well above

[00:30:58] the appropriate age

[00:30:59] for them to be

[00:30:59] leaving me alone.

[00:31:01] During their most

[00:31:02] recent anniversary trip,

[00:31:03] some weird things

[00:31:04] happened the first

[00:31:06] day they had left,

[00:31:07] and then an incident

[00:31:08] happened the night

[00:31:09] before they were

[00:31:10] supposed to come home.

[00:31:11] On the first day

[00:31:12] that they were gone,

[00:31:14] a guy came to the door

[00:31:15] to drop something off

[00:31:16] in the morning,

[00:31:17] but I didn't answer it

[00:31:19] as it was a stranger

[00:31:20] and I figured he'd

[00:31:21] just leave whatever

[00:31:22] it was at the door

[00:31:23] like usual.

[00:31:24] He ended up

[00:31:25] staying at the door

[00:31:26] for about five minutes

[00:31:27] before getting

[00:31:27] into his car.

[00:31:29] When I saw

[00:31:30] that he started

[00:31:30] to drive off,

[00:31:31] I went outside

[00:31:32] since I thought

[00:31:33] that he was leaving.

[00:31:35] This man then

[00:31:36] got out of his car,

[00:31:37] leaving it

[00:31:38] in the middle

[00:31:39] of the road

[00:31:39] just to give me

[00:31:40] my package

[00:31:41] that didn't need

[00:31:42] to be signed

[00:31:43] for at all.

[00:31:44] What made it

[00:31:45] extra strange

[00:31:46] was that he wasn't

[00:31:47] dressed like a

[00:31:47] delivery person,

[00:31:48] and he was in

[00:31:49] a beat-up

[00:31:50] old car.

[00:31:51] It was very weird.

[00:31:53] It made me

[00:31:54] uncomfortable.

[00:31:55] Now fast forward

[00:31:56] to the end of the week.

[00:31:57] I was just chilling

[00:31:58] out in the living room

[00:31:59] when suddenly

[00:32:00] at eleven at night

[00:32:01] I saw a rather

[00:32:02] large figure

[00:32:03] approach my front door.

[00:32:05] The front door

[00:32:06] has some glass paneling

[00:32:07] and the glass

[00:32:08] is dimpled,

[00:32:09] so I couldn't see

[00:32:09] any of this person's

[00:32:11] distinct features,

[00:32:12] but I did see

[00:32:13] the silhouette.

[00:32:14] Whoever it was

[00:32:15] started banging

[00:32:16] on the door

[00:32:17] and did so

[00:32:18] for about a minute

[00:32:19] straight.

[00:32:20] They then stood

[00:32:21] there and didn't

[00:32:23] leave for ten minutes.

[00:32:24] In that time,

[00:32:26] there were a few

[00:32:27] more beats

[00:32:27] on the door.

[00:32:29] Luckily,

[00:32:29] my sister and her

[00:32:30] family live

[00:32:31] less than a mile

[00:32:32] away,

[00:32:32] so I called them

[00:32:33] and her husband

[00:32:34] agreed to come

[00:32:35] by and get me.

[00:32:36] By this time,

[00:32:37] I was in full

[00:32:38] panic mode and I

[00:32:39] realized that my

[00:32:40] dogs were in

[00:32:40] the backyard.

[00:32:41] I was horrified

[00:32:42] that the person

[00:32:43] at the front door

[00:32:44] was trying to come

[00:32:45] through the back gate

[00:32:46] as my dogs were

[00:32:47] barking up a storm

[00:32:48] out there.

[00:32:50] My back door

[00:32:51] is about 90%

[00:32:52] made of glass,

[00:32:52] so it would have

[00:32:53] been easy for this

[00:32:54] person to break the

[00:32:55] door and get into

[00:32:56] the house.

[00:32:57] I then quickly got

[00:32:58] my dogs inside the

[00:32:59] house,

[00:33:00] and by the time

[00:33:00] my brother-in-law

[00:33:01] showed up,

[00:33:02] whoever was out

[00:33:03] there was gone.

[00:33:04] He took me to

[00:33:05] my sister's house,

[00:33:06] and we checked

[00:33:07] the front door

[00:33:08] cameras to see

[00:33:08] who was there.

[00:33:10] That's when I

[00:33:10] noticed that the

[00:33:11] cameras had been

[00:33:12] turned off the

[00:33:13] whole time this

[00:33:14] person was there.

[00:33:15] They had been

[00:33:16] off for about

[00:33:17] an hour before

[00:33:18] the person even

[00:33:20] started banging

[00:33:20] on my door.

[00:33:22] The cameras were

[00:33:23] on before that

[00:33:24] time period and

[00:33:25] resumed recording

[00:33:26] during the time

[00:33:27] we were looking

[00:33:27] at the footage.

[00:33:29] Whoever was out

[00:33:30] there somehow

[00:33:30] shut off the

[00:33:31] cameras for an

[00:33:32] hour and a

[00:33:32] half, which was

[00:33:34] odd since the

[00:33:35] cameras never

[00:33:36] messed up before

[00:33:37] then.

[00:33:38] To this day,

[00:33:39] I don't know who

[00:33:40] it was that showed

[00:33:41] up at my house,

[00:33:42] but between pounding

[00:33:43] on the door and

[00:33:44] lingering at 11

[00:33:45] p.m., their

[00:33:46] intentions could

[00:33:46] not have been

[00:33:47] good.

[00:33:48] I checked the

[00:33:49] local news to

[00:33:49] see if anything

[00:33:50] happened in the

[00:33:50] area, but nothing

[00:33:51] ever came of it.

[00:33:52] I don't know if

[00:33:53] this person was

[00:33:54] going to try and

[00:33:54] rob my house or

[00:33:55] if they had other

[00:33:56] plans, but I'll

[00:33:57] always wonder if

[00:33:58] it was the very

[00:33:59] unofficial-looking

[00:34:00] delivery guy.

[00:34:02] Maybe he was

[00:34:03] staking the place

[00:34:04] out earlier in the

[00:34:05] week and then

[00:34:05] returned.

[00:34:06] In any case,

[00:34:08] thinking about this

[00:34:09] still freaks me

[00:34:09] out, and I hate

[00:34:10] being alone at

[00:34:11] home at night.

[00:34:13] Because of it.

[00:34:30] Our final story

[00:34:31] contains some

[00:34:32] graphic content

[00:34:32] involving an

[00:34:33] animal.

[00:34:34] Listener discretion

[00:34:35] is advised.

[00:34:36] Several years ago,

[00:34:38] I moved abroad to

[00:34:39] begin a two-year

[00:34:40] study course.

[00:34:41] When I arrived at

[00:34:42] my apartment, I

[00:34:43] met three of my

[00:34:44] roommates.

[00:34:45] Sam was funny

[00:34:46] and sarcastic,

[00:34:47] while Bella and

[00:34:49] Poppy were both

[00:34:50] nice sorority-type

[00:34:51] girls.

[00:34:52] We decided to go

[00:34:53] out for dinner,

[00:34:54] and I suggested

[00:34:55] that we invite our

[00:34:56] fourth roommate,

[00:34:57] who occupied the

[00:34:58] room next to

[00:34:59] mine.

[00:34:59] The fourth

[00:35:00] roommate was

[00:35:01] also the one

[00:35:02] that I was

[00:35:02] going to be

[00:35:02] sharing a

[00:35:03] bathroom with.

[00:35:04] This is an

[00:35:05] important thing

[00:35:06] to note.

[00:35:07] Sam warned me

[00:35:09] not to invite her,

[00:35:10] saying that she

[00:35:11] was odd.

[00:35:12] Now, I was

[00:35:13] worried because I

[00:35:14] didn't want to

[00:35:14] live with a bunch

[00:35:15] of catty girls.

[00:35:17] How was an

[00:35:18] opinion like this

[00:35:18] formed in less

[00:35:19] than a day?

[00:35:21] I smiled and

[00:35:22] told Sam that

[00:35:23] maybe the other

[00:35:24] roommate just

[00:35:25] made a bad

[00:35:26] first impression,

[00:35:27] and I let her

[00:35:28] know that I

[00:35:29] would be inviting

[00:35:30] her so that we

[00:35:31] could get to

[00:35:31] know her better.

[00:35:33] Sam grumbled

[00:35:34] as I left the

[00:35:35] kitchen and

[00:35:35] approached the

[00:35:36] door next to

[00:35:36] mine.

[00:35:37] I knocked and

[00:35:38] the door opened.

[00:35:40] A short,

[00:35:41] petite girl with

[00:35:42] long brown hair

[00:35:43] and a childlike

[00:35:44] face stuck out

[00:35:46] her head.

[00:35:47] I introduced

[00:35:48] myself and

[00:35:48] invited her to

[00:35:49] dinner.

[00:35:50] The girl's face

[00:35:51] lit up at my

[00:35:52] invitation and she

[00:35:53] nodded in

[00:35:53] agreement.

[00:35:55] Our excitement

[00:35:56] for the new

[00:35:57] school year kept

[00:35:57] us lively as we

[00:35:58] arrived at the

[00:35:59] restaurant.

[00:36:00] I learned that

[00:36:01] my fourth roommate's

[00:36:02] name was Nellie.

[00:36:04] She and I were

[00:36:05] the same age,

[00:36:06] from the same

[00:36:06] state, and in

[00:36:08] the same program.

[00:36:09] I ordered a

[00:36:10] Jack and Coke and

[00:36:11] Nellie leaned into

[00:36:12] me and asked if I

[00:36:14] actually drank

[00:36:15] alcohol.

[00:36:16] I nodded,

[00:36:17] thinking that her

[00:36:18] question was odd.

[00:36:19] As we were both

[00:36:20] in our twenties,

[00:36:21] of course I was

[00:36:22] drinking alcohol.

[00:36:23] Nellie focused

[00:36:24] her attention on

[00:36:25] me as we

[00:36:26] ate.

[00:36:27] I got to know

[00:36:28] her, and I

[00:36:29] kind of felt bad

[00:36:29] for her.

[00:36:30] She said that she

[00:36:31] was born in

[00:36:32] Sri Lanka, but

[00:36:33] immigrated as a

[00:36:34] kid.

[00:36:35] She was so

[00:36:36] different from me,

[00:36:37] she was shy, and

[00:36:38] claimed to not have

[00:36:39] any hobbies or any

[00:36:41] friends.

[00:36:42] When she said this,

[00:36:43] I figured that I

[00:36:44] could be friends with

[00:36:45] her since we were

[00:36:46] in the same

[00:36:46] program.

[00:36:47] So, I asked if

[00:36:49] she wanted to sit

[00:36:50] with me in class,

[00:36:51] and she happily

[00:36:51] agreed.

[00:36:52] I felt content

[00:36:53] about this, and

[00:36:55] it even felt like

[00:36:56] I was doing a

[00:36:56] good deed.

[00:36:58] My first two

[00:36:59] weeks abroad in

[00:37:00] my new living

[00:37:01] situation and

[00:37:02] school program

[00:37:03] went smoothly.

[00:37:04] I got used to

[00:37:05] my surroundings,

[00:37:06] made friends,

[00:37:07] and got along

[00:37:08] with my roommates.

[00:37:10] Sam, Bella,

[00:37:11] Poppy, and I

[00:37:12] would often cook

[00:37:13] and eat dinner

[00:37:14] together while

[00:37:15] chatting about

[00:37:15] our days.

[00:37:16] Nellie and I

[00:37:17] got along as

[00:37:18] well, but she

[00:37:19] was socially

[00:37:20] awkward.

[00:37:21] I made it a

[00:37:22] goal to befriend

[00:37:23] her, which was

[00:37:24] easy because we

[00:37:25] sat together in

[00:37:26] lectures every

[00:37:27] day.

[00:37:28] It felt like we

[00:37:29] formed a routine

[00:37:30] fast.

[00:37:32] We even opened

[00:37:33] our bedroom doors

[00:37:34] in unison.

[00:37:34] Whenever I would

[00:37:35] open my door,

[00:37:36] Nellie would then

[00:37:37] open hers and ask

[00:37:38] me where I was

[00:37:39] going.

[00:37:40] One night, I

[00:37:41] opened my door to

[00:37:42] leave my room to go

[00:37:43] to the grocery

[00:37:44] store.

[00:37:45] Nellie opened the

[00:37:46] door soon after

[00:37:47] and asked to join

[00:37:49] me.

[00:37:49] I agreed and she

[00:37:51] hurriedly put her

[00:37:52] sandals on and

[00:37:53] grabbed her neon

[00:37:54] pink coat.

[00:37:56] As I walked

[00:37:57] through the aisles

[00:37:57] of the store,

[00:37:59] Nellie silently

[00:38:00] followed, closely

[00:38:01] behind me.

[00:38:03] Eventually, I

[00:38:04] found everything

[00:38:05] that I needed,

[00:38:06] but Nellie said

[00:38:07] that she wasn't

[00:38:08] buying anything.

[00:38:09] After I paid,

[00:38:10] the alarm bells

[00:38:12] went off as we

[00:38:12] began to exit the

[00:38:14] store.

[00:38:15] I stopped to show

[00:38:16] the security guard

[00:38:17] my receipt and

[00:38:18] he looked in my

[00:38:18] bags, confirming

[00:38:19] that I hadn't

[00:38:20] stolen anything.

[00:38:21] I didn't think

[00:38:22] anything of this

[00:38:23] incident, but as I

[00:38:24] stood at the front

[00:38:25] of the store with

[00:38:26] Nellie, having my

[00:38:27] bags searched by

[00:38:28] security, a thought

[00:38:29] crept into my mind.

[00:38:31] Alarms never went

[00:38:32] off like this when I

[00:38:33] was alone or with

[00:38:34] other friends.

[00:38:35] Shopping with

[00:38:36] Nellie was the

[00:38:37] first time I had

[00:38:38] heard alarms.

[00:38:40] I shook my head at

[00:38:41] my own thought.

[00:38:42] I figured that

[00:38:43] there was no way

[00:38:44] Nellie could be

[00:38:44] stealing.

[00:38:45] I was with her the

[00:38:46] whole time.

[00:38:47] She was perfectly

[00:38:48] nice, a normal

[00:38:49] girl, and I felt

[00:38:50] rude for even

[00:38:51] thinking anything

[00:38:52] on the contrary.

[00:38:54] The harmony in

[00:38:55] the apartment only

[00:38:56] lasted two weeks.

[00:38:57] One morning, I

[00:38:58] shuffled into the

[00:38:59] bathroom and saw

[00:39:00] that the toilet had

[00:39:01] been filled with

[00:39:02] two or three rolls

[00:39:03] of dry, unraveled

[00:39:05] toilet paper spilling

[00:39:07] onto the floor.

[00:39:09] However, what

[00:39:10] concerned me the

[00:39:11] most was the

[00:39:12] huge wad of

[00:39:13] hair that sat

[00:39:14] directly on top

[00:39:15] of the toilet

[00:39:15] paper.

[00:39:16] I knew that it

[00:39:17] was Nellie who

[00:39:18] had done this.

[00:39:19] She was the only

[00:39:20] other person with

[00:39:21] a key to our

[00:39:21] bathroom, and the

[00:39:23] color of the

[00:39:23] wad of hair matched

[00:39:25] the color of her

[00:39:26] hair.

[00:39:27] I tried to think

[00:39:28] of a legitimate

[00:39:28] reason as to why

[00:39:30] Nellie would want

[00:39:30] to do this.

[00:39:32] I thought maybe

[00:39:33] she clogged the

[00:39:33] toilet and then

[00:39:34] stuffed it with

[00:39:35] toilet paper to

[00:39:36] hide everything.

[00:39:37] But that didn't

[00:39:38] explain this wad of

[00:39:40] hair.

[00:39:40] I couldn't deal

[00:39:41] with this issue, so

[00:39:43] I made a

[00:39:44] maintenance request

[00:39:45] to have someone

[00:39:46] unclog the toilet, and

[00:39:47] by the time I came

[00:39:48] home from class it

[00:39:49] was unclogged.

[00:39:51] I studied for two

[00:39:52] hours before I

[00:39:53] needed a bathroom

[00:39:54] break.

[00:39:54] When I went in

[00:39:55] there, I was

[00:39:56] annoyed when I

[00:39:57] found the toilet

[00:39:58] clogged again.

[00:39:59] It was the same

[00:40:00] scenario as

[00:40:01] before.

[00:40:02] Toilet paper, hair,

[00:40:04] and all.

[00:40:05] That's when I

[00:40:06] realized this was

[00:40:08] intentional, and

[00:40:09] now we were out of

[00:40:10] toilet paper on

[00:40:11] top of everything.

[00:40:13] I knew I had to

[00:40:14] say something, but I

[00:40:16] didn't want to

[00:40:16] confront Nellie

[00:40:17] directly about such

[00:40:18] an awkward topic.

[00:40:20] So, I sent her a

[00:40:21] passive, non-aggressive

[00:40:23] text.

[00:40:23] It stated,

[00:40:24] Hey, if something

[00:40:25] goes wrong in the

[00:40:26] toilet, can you

[00:40:27] make a maintenance

[00:40:28] request right away,

[00:40:29] please?

[00:40:30] I sent the message,

[00:40:32] careful not to

[00:40:33] make it accusatory.

[00:40:34] I didn't want there

[00:40:35] to be tension with

[00:40:36] Nellie, especially

[00:40:37] since she sat with

[00:40:38] me in class.

[00:40:40] Nellie never

[00:40:41] acknowledged the

[00:40:42] situation, but she

[00:40:44] still opened her

[00:40:45] door every time I

[00:40:46] would open mine.

[00:40:47] She also continued

[00:40:48] hanging out with

[00:40:49] me and sitting with

[00:40:50] me in class.

[00:40:51] For the next two

[00:40:52] months, I just

[00:40:54] dealt with the

[00:40:54] constant toilet

[00:40:55] paper and torn

[00:40:56] out hair.

[00:40:58] I tried sending

[00:40:59] her more texts, but

[00:41:00] it didn't help.

[00:41:02] Nellie would clog

[00:41:03] the toilet, I'd

[00:41:04] make a maintenance

[00:41:05] request, a staff

[00:41:06] member would clean

[00:41:07] Nellie's mess, and

[00:41:09] then she would do

[00:41:10] it again.

[00:41:11] Eventually, after

[00:41:13] twelve clogs, I

[00:41:14] was so annoyed that

[00:41:16] I decided to

[00:41:17] confront Nellie.

[00:41:18] I pulled out my

[00:41:19] phone and I typed

[00:41:19] out another text.

[00:41:21] Nellie, I know

[00:41:22] that you're clogging

[00:41:23] the toilet.

[00:41:24] You need to stop.

[00:41:25] If you do it again,

[00:41:26] I'm going to report

[00:41:27] you.

[00:41:28] I pressed send as I

[00:41:30] walked to class.

[00:41:32] I decided that I

[00:41:33] wasn't going to sit

[00:41:34] with Nellie in class

[00:41:35] that day.

[00:41:35] I had different

[00:41:36] friends to sit with

[00:41:37] anyway, so I sat

[00:41:39] down with my

[00:41:39] friends Reagan and

[00:41:40] Charlotte.

[00:41:41] I felt bad seeing

[00:41:43] Nellie sitting alone

[00:41:44] across the lecture

[00:41:45] hall.

[00:41:46] So I then promised

[00:41:47] myself that I'd

[00:41:49] still be friends with

[00:41:50] her and that

[00:41:51] everything would

[00:41:52] just be fine.

[00:41:54] After that, I was

[00:41:55] happy about a few

[00:41:56] things.

[00:41:56] I was happy that the

[00:41:57] holiday break for

[00:41:58] school was coming up

[00:41:59] soon and I was

[00:42:00] happy that Nellie

[00:42:01] never addressed the

[00:42:02] fact that I didn't

[00:42:03] sit with her in class

[00:42:05] that day.

[00:42:06] Also, Nellie stopped

[00:42:07] clogging the toilet and

[00:42:08] we were still friends.

[00:42:10] It seemed my message

[00:42:11] had worked.

[00:42:12] But then I came home

[00:42:14] one day in early

[00:42:15] December and my nose

[00:42:16] immediately scrunched

[00:42:18] in disgust.

[00:42:19] There was a sickly

[00:42:21] sweet, rotten,

[00:42:22] yogurt-like smell

[00:42:23] coming from Nellie's

[00:42:24] room.

[00:42:25] I didn't want to

[00:42:26] confront Nellie about

[00:42:27] this so soon after

[00:42:28] messaging her about

[00:42:29] the toilet, so for

[00:42:30] the next two weeks,

[00:42:32] I avoided this

[00:42:33] problem.

[00:42:34] Two weeks later,

[00:42:36] I had to address the

[00:42:37] issue.

[00:42:38] I noticed that all

[00:42:39] of our food started

[00:42:40] to rot almost

[00:42:41] immediately after

[00:42:42] buying it.

[00:42:44] Bella, Sam, and

[00:42:45] Poppy were

[00:42:46] complaining about how

[00:42:47] maintenance hadn't

[00:42:49] found the source of

[00:42:49] what was causing our

[00:42:50] food to rot, so I

[00:42:52] brought up the

[00:42:53] horrible smell and

[00:42:54] the accompanying fly

[00:42:56] infestation.

[00:42:58] The girls were

[00:42:59] unaware of the smell

[00:43:00] that I was talking

[00:43:00] about, so they went

[00:43:02] to smell the hallway

[00:43:03] outside of Nellie's

[00:43:04] room and returned a

[00:43:05] minute later coughing

[00:43:06] and gagging.

[00:43:08] As we pondered what

[00:43:09] could be causing the

[00:43:10] smell, Sam mentioned

[00:43:12] seeing Nellie skipping

[00:43:14] through the woods at

[00:43:15] 2 a.m.

[00:43:17] Sam spotted her while

[00:43:18] heading home from the

[00:43:20] club.

[00:43:20] She said that Nellie

[00:43:21] was skipping around

[00:43:22] like a possessed

[00:43:23] doll.

[00:43:25] As we continued

[00:43:27] speaking, Nellie

[00:43:28] entered the kitchen

[00:43:29] and everyone felt

[00:43:30] quiet.

[00:43:31] Sam bluntly asked

[00:43:33] Nellie what the

[00:43:34] smell in her room

[00:43:35] was, and Nellie

[00:43:36] just silently shrugged

[00:43:37] her shoulders.

[00:43:39] Annoyed by this,

[00:43:41] Sam stood up,

[00:43:42] grabbed Nellie's

[00:43:43] arm, and guided her

[00:43:44] into the hallway.

[00:43:44] The rest of us

[00:43:46] followed, covering our

[00:43:47] noses with our

[00:43:48] sleeves.

[00:43:49] Nellie claimed that

[00:43:50] she couldn't smell

[00:43:51] anything, but her

[00:43:52] eyes were darting

[00:43:53] rapidly between the

[00:43:54] three of us.

[00:43:55] Sam made a sarcastic

[00:43:57] comment toward Nellie,

[00:43:58] and we returned to

[00:43:59] the kitchen without

[00:44:00] her.

[00:44:02] Sam was a bit harsh,

[00:44:03] and part of me felt

[00:44:04] bad for Nellie.

[00:44:05] I didn't know what

[00:44:06] to do or what to say,

[00:44:08] but at least Christmas

[00:44:09] was coming up, and I

[00:44:10] was ready for a

[00:44:11] relaxing Christmas.

[00:44:13] I spent the two

[00:44:15] weeks of Christmas

[00:44:16] break at a friend's

[00:44:17] house with her

[00:44:18] family.

[00:44:19] They were all

[00:44:20] welcoming, so I

[00:44:21] didn't miss home too

[00:44:22] much.

[00:44:23] The friend that I was

[00:44:24] visiting knew about

[00:44:25] Nellie, so she bought

[00:44:26] me scented candles for

[00:44:27] Christmas, and when I

[00:44:29] returned to the

[00:44:30] apartment, I felt

[00:44:31] rested and prepared to

[00:44:32] face the new year.

[00:44:34] My January exams were

[00:44:36] online, and they were

[00:44:37] pretty easy, so I was

[00:44:38] surprised when Nellie

[00:44:40] texted me asking if I

[00:44:41] would cheat with her

[00:44:42] on the final exam.

[00:44:44] I politely declined,

[00:44:45] and she asked if I

[00:44:47] would go to lunch with

[00:44:48] her the next day.

[00:44:49] I didn't have any

[00:44:50] plans, so I accepted

[00:44:52] her invitation.

[00:44:53] I spent a lot of time

[00:44:54] with her, but she

[00:44:56] didn't speak much, and

[00:44:57] despite everything, I

[00:44:59] wanted to get to know

[00:44:59] her better.

[00:45:01] Once we were at the

[00:45:02] restaurant, I racked my

[00:45:04] brain for things that I

[00:45:05] could talk about with

[00:45:06] Nellie.

[00:45:11] Nellie told me that

[00:45:12] she loved watching

[00:45:13] Sophia the First, which

[00:45:15] is a Disney show that

[00:45:16] came out when we were

[00:45:17] teens.

[00:45:18] I didn't know how to

[00:45:19] expand on her response,

[00:45:21] so I changed the

[00:45:22] subject and asked her

[00:45:23] what her favorite hobby

[00:45:25] was.

[00:45:26] Nellie giggled and

[00:45:27] then said,

[00:45:29] I do this a lot,

[00:45:30] actually.

[00:45:31] I listen to you

[00:45:32] through the walls.

[00:45:33] They're so thin that I

[00:45:35] barely even need to

[00:45:36] put my ear against

[00:45:37] them.

[00:45:37] I can hear you talk

[00:45:39] to your parents every

[00:45:39] day.

[00:45:42] I tried not to look

[00:45:43] horrified as I sat

[00:45:44] there confused and a

[00:45:46] little scared.

[00:45:48] Nellie started laughing

[00:45:49] and then smiled

[00:45:51] awkwardly, nodding.

[00:45:53] I had no clue how to

[00:45:55] respond.

[00:45:56] In a desperate attempt

[00:45:58] to change topics, I

[00:45:59] asked her about her

[00:46:00] childhood in Sri

[00:46:01] Lanka.

[00:46:03] Nellie then slammed

[00:46:04] her fists on the table,

[00:46:05] sending rice flying off

[00:46:07] of the plates.

[00:46:09] Nellie yelled that she

[00:46:11] was not from Sri

[00:46:11] Lanka and I

[00:46:12] apologized, even

[00:46:14] though she definitely

[00:46:15] told me that she

[00:46:16] was.

[00:46:18] Nellie then began to

[00:46:19] laugh again.

[00:46:20] I have plans for us

[00:46:21] tonight.

[00:46:22] We'll go to the

[00:46:23] graveyard and walk

[00:46:24] around.

[00:46:24] You'll be scared,

[00:46:25] but I'll have fun

[00:46:26] with you.

[00:46:28] As she said this,

[00:46:29] her eyes were opened

[00:46:31] incredibly wide and

[00:46:32] her mouth seemed to be

[00:46:34] more open than usual.

[00:46:37] She was scaring me.

[00:46:38] However, I didn't want

[00:46:40] to be rude, so I said

[00:46:41] that I would invite our

[00:46:42] other roommates as

[00:46:43] well.

[00:46:44] At that, Nellie let go

[00:46:46] of her fork, quickly

[00:46:48] moved her hand onto

[00:46:49] mine, and insisted that

[00:46:51] we had to go alone.

[00:46:53] I pulled my hand back,

[00:46:55] attempting to hide my

[00:46:56] grimace, and stuttered

[00:46:58] out a disingenuous,

[00:47:00] maybe.

[00:47:01] And to that, Nellie

[00:47:03] leaned back slowly,

[00:47:04] rolling her head from

[00:47:05] one side to the other,

[00:47:07] and mumbled about how

[00:47:08] fun it was going to be.

[00:47:11] We finished our lunch in

[00:47:12] silence and then went

[00:47:13] home.

[00:47:15] When we got back to the

[00:47:16] apartment, I said

[00:47:17] goodbye to her and went

[00:47:17] into my room.

[00:47:19] I didn't call my parents

[00:47:20] that night, and I went

[00:47:21] to bed early, hoping to

[00:47:23] quell my anxiety and get

[00:47:25] some much-needed rest.

[00:47:27] The next day, I got up,

[00:47:29] did some laundry, went

[00:47:30] shopping, and at around

[00:47:32] 2 p.m., I was meal

[00:47:33] prepping for the week.

[00:47:35] I jumped when Nellie

[00:47:37] suddenly appeared in the

[00:47:38] kitchen and asked me to

[00:47:39] go to the movies with

[00:47:40] her.

[00:47:41] I hadn't even heard her

[00:47:42] come into the kitchen,

[00:47:43] but there she stood.

[00:47:45] She had her head and

[00:47:47] chin down with her eyes

[00:47:48] turned up, staring at

[00:47:49] me.

[00:47:50] I declined her request,

[00:47:52] but she repeated her

[00:47:53] question.

[00:47:53] I declined for a second

[00:47:56] time, but did so politely,

[00:47:58] as I was trying to just

[00:47:59] offset her bizarre vibe.

[00:48:02] Nellie didn't respond and

[00:48:04] retreated to her room for

[00:48:05] a bit before leaving for

[00:48:07] the movies.

[00:48:08] An hour later, I went to

[00:48:10] the bathroom, and when I

[00:48:11] opened the door, I gagged

[00:48:12] immediately.

[00:48:13] The smell was bad, but the

[00:48:16] sight, it was worse.

[00:48:18] The walls, floors, door,

[00:48:21] sink, and toilet were

[00:48:22] covered in feces and

[00:48:24] blood.

[00:48:25] I was able to see

[00:48:26] distinct handprints

[00:48:28] through the smears.

[00:48:30] I closed the door,

[00:48:31] trying not to throw up.

[00:48:33] I was shocked that Nellie

[00:48:35] had done this, but my

[00:48:36] shock turned to anger as

[00:48:38] I messaged Nellie.

[00:48:40] What you did in the

[00:48:41] bathroom is weird and

[00:48:42] disgusting.

[00:48:43] You need to clean it.

[00:48:44] I'm going to report you.

[00:48:46] I pressed send.

[00:48:47] At that point, I no longer

[00:48:49] cared about being friends

[00:48:50] with Nellie.

[00:48:51] I felt gross, so I went

[00:48:52] to our shower next to the

[00:48:54] bathroom, but Nellie had

[00:48:56] ruined that too.

[00:48:57] There was toilet paper

[00:48:59] shoved in the shower

[00:49:00] drain, and there were

[00:49:01] wads of toilet paper

[00:49:02] crusted onto the walls.

[00:49:04] I was livid at this

[00:49:06] point, but I had to wait

[00:49:07] until Monday to report

[00:49:08] her, so I laid back down

[00:49:10] to take a nap.

[00:49:12] Two hours later, I was

[00:49:13] awoken by Nellie slamming

[00:49:15] the front door.

[00:49:16] I heard her footsteps

[00:49:17] stomping through the

[00:49:18] apartment until her feet

[00:49:19] were visible through the

[00:49:20] crack under my door.

[00:49:22] I expected her to knock,

[00:49:24] but she didn't.

[00:49:25] Instead, she began to

[00:49:27] chirp like a bird.

[00:49:29] Then I heard the twisting

[00:49:30] of my doorknob in unison

[00:49:33] with her chirps.

[00:49:34] I stood there and watched,

[00:49:36] unnerved, as she did this

[00:49:38] for five minutes.

[00:49:40] Nellie then began to

[00:49:42] rapidly knock on my door

[00:49:44] and call my phone.

[00:49:45] She called seven times.

[00:49:48] She would call, hang up,

[00:49:49] and then call again,

[00:49:50] all while continuing

[00:49:51] to knock rapidly.

[00:49:53] When I was unresponsive

[00:49:55] to this, she began to

[00:49:56] ram her entire body

[00:49:57] into my door.

[00:49:58] She did this over

[00:49:59] and over again.

[00:50:01] I was so shocked by this

[00:50:03] that I stumbled back

[00:50:04] onto my bed.

[00:50:05] I was too scared to

[00:50:06] call the cops since

[00:50:07] I was abroad and on a

[00:50:09] visa.

[00:50:09] If they didn't believe me,

[00:50:11] I could have been

[00:50:11] deported for making a

[00:50:13] false report.

[00:50:13] Then, as suddenly

[00:50:15] as it all started,

[00:50:16] it stopped.

[00:50:17] But her feet were still

[00:50:19] visible under the door.

[00:50:21] Nellie stood there

[00:50:22] for about an hour

[00:50:23] straight.

[00:50:25] She would occasionally

[00:50:26] push her fingers

[00:50:27] under the crack

[00:50:28] of the door.

[00:50:31] I texted Poppy and Bella,

[00:50:33] who had heard

[00:50:34] everything,

[00:50:34] and when Bella's

[00:50:35] boyfriend arrived,

[00:50:36] his presence

[00:50:37] scared Nellie away.

[00:50:40] Once Nellie was back

[00:50:41] in her room,

[00:50:41] I met up with them

[00:50:42] and we talked about

[00:50:43] what had happened

[00:50:44] before going to bed.

[00:50:45] But that night,

[00:50:46] I barely slept.

[00:50:48] I was far too scared.

[00:50:51] I woke up the next day

[00:50:52] still anxious about

[00:50:53] the previous night's

[00:50:54] events.

[00:50:55] I tried to convince

[00:50:56] myself that

[00:50:57] it wasn't that bad.

[00:50:59] However,

[00:51:00] after I peeked

[00:51:00] into the bathroom,

[00:51:01] its condition

[00:51:02] suggested otherwise.

[00:51:05] My friends

[00:51:05] Reagan and Charlotte

[00:51:07] skipped class that day,

[00:51:08] so I sat alone.

[00:51:09] I saw Nellie

[00:51:10] enter the room,

[00:51:11] bypass her regular seat,

[00:51:12] and weave through the aisles,

[00:51:14] inspecting each row

[00:51:16] as she passed.

[00:51:17] I sank into my chair

[00:51:19] as she got closer,

[00:51:20] horrified by the realization

[00:51:22] that she was searching

[00:51:23] for me.

[00:51:25] With last night's memories

[00:51:26] fresh in my mind,

[00:51:28] I was frozen in fear.

[00:51:31] When Nellie found me,

[00:51:33] she robotically bent down

[00:51:34] to meet my eyeline

[00:51:35] as she sat next to me

[00:51:37] with her mouth

[00:51:38] twisted up in this

[00:51:39] sinister smile.

[00:51:41] I did nothing

[00:51:42] as she sat there

[00:51:43] next to me.

[00:51:44] I was too scared

[00:51:45] to even move.

[00:51:46] I was worried

[00:51:47] that any tiny shift

[00:51:48] might set her off

[00:51:49] and cause her to attack.

[00:51:51] When the professor

[00:51:52] dismissed us,

[00:51:53] I shot up

[00:51:54] and frantically

[00:51:55] packed my things.

[00:51:56] Nellie asked

[00:51:57] where I was going

[00:51:58] and I lied to her,

[00:51:59] saying that I was

[00:52:00] going to the cafe.

[00:52:01] I didn't want her

[00:52:02] to know

[00:52:02] where I was actually going,

[00:52:04] so I went home

[00:52:05] for lunch,

[00:52:06] and as I was standing

[00:52:07] in my kitchen,

[00:52:08] the door opened.

[00:52:10] You weren't

[00:52:11] at the cafe,

[00:52:13] Nellie flatly said

[00:52:14] as her eyes

[00:52:15] darted up to me

[00:52:16] after she was looking

[00:52:17] at the knife

[00:52:18] on the table.

[00:52:20] I apologized

[00:52:21] and I told her

[00:52:22] my plans had changed.

[00:52:24] My heart raced

[00:52:25] as I asked her

[00:52:26] if she liked

[00:52:27] the lecture from class,

[00:52:28] but she didn't respond.

[00:52:31] She just stared

[00:52:32] at me with her head

[00:52:33] tilted

[00:52:33] and her mouth agape.

[00:52:35] I asked her again,

[00:52:37] but she still

[00:52:38] didn't answer.

[00:52:38] I made sure

[00:52:40] to always stay

[00:52:41] faced toward her

[00:52:42] as I was afraid

[00:52:43] that she would

[00:52:44] use the knife

[00:52:45] on me.

[00:52:46] She was glaring

[00:52:47] at me so intently

[00:52:48] that her veins

[00:52:49] were protruding.

[00:52:51] She stood there

[00:52:52] for about ten minutes

[00:52:53] before leaving.

[00:52:55] Later on,

[00:52:56] I walked to the library

[00:52:57] and froze

[00:52:58] when I caught

[00:52:59] a glimpse

[00:52:59] of Nellie's

[00:53:00] neon pink jacket

[00:53:01] out of my periphery.

[00:53:03] I turned

[00:53:04] to see Nellie

[00:53:05] walking behind me

[00:53:11] and then sat

[00:53:13] directly behind me.

[00:53:15] With our interaction

[00:53:16] in the kitchen

[00:53:17] still fresh in my mind,

[00:53:18] I moved to a different spot,

[00:53:20] but Nellie followed me.

[00:53:22] I moved once more

[00:53:23] and she followed again.

[00:53:25] I was scared

[00:53:26] to be isolated

[00:53:27] in a library with her,

[00:53:29] so I decided

[00:53:30] to leave.

[00:53:31] I quickly weaved

[00:53:32] through the bookshelves,

[00:53:33] desperately trying

[00:53:34] to reach the lobby,

[00:53:35] but Nellie

[00:53:36] matched my pace.

[00:53:38] I felt like

[00:53:39] I was nearing

[00:53:40] a heart attack

[00:53:40] when I ran

[00:53:41] into my guardian angel,

[00:53:43] Sam.

[00:53:44] Nellie is following me,

[00:53:46] I blurted out.

[00:53:48] Sam looked at Nellie,

[00:53:49] who had stopped

[00:53:50] five feet behind me.

[00:53:52] Sam nonchalantly

[00:53:54] told Nellie,

[00:53:55] fuck off,

[00:53:55] and I was surprised

[00:53:57] when Nellie

[00:53:58] did exactly that.

[00:53:59] After Sam

[00:54:00] and I spoke

[00:54:01] for a bit,

[00:54:02] my phone buzzed.

[00:54:03] It was Nellie

[00:54:05] inviting me

[00:54:05] to the graveyard

[00:54:06] that night.

[00:54:07] Sam told me

[00:54:08] that I'd be smart

[00:54:09] to move out,

[00:54:11] and she was right.

[00:54:12] I needed to report Nellie

[00:54:14] and get out of there.

[00:54:15] It wasn't safe

[00:54:16] for me to live

[00:54:17] in that apartment anymore.

[00:54:18] I needed to get away.

[00:54:20] I went to Reagan's apartment

[00:54:22] as she was

[00:54:22] the closest thing

[00:54:23] to family

[00:54:24] that I had

[00:54:24] while I was abroad.

[00:54:25] She gave me refuge

[00:54:27] while listening to me

[00:54:28] tell her about

[00:54:29] the last 48

[00:54:30] miserable hours

[00:54:31] of my life.

[00:54:32] She reassured me

[00:54:33] that I could stay

[00:54:34] with her,

[00:54:34] and as I held back tears,

[00:54:36] my phone buzzed.

[00:54:39] Sam texted

[00:54:40] that she needed help

[00:54:41] and to go to the apartment

[00:54:42] as soon as possible.

[00:54:44] I was hesitant

[00:54:45] to go back there,

[00:54:46] but I couldn't

[00:54:47] abandon Sam,

[00:54:48] so I grabbed my stuff

[00:54:50] and told Reagan

[00:54:50] I'd be back soon.

[00:54:52] When I made it

[00:54:53] to my apartment building,

[00:54:54] I stared up at it,

[00:54:55] feeling a lot like

[00:54:57] the priest

[00:54:57] in the movie

[00:54:58] The Exorcist.

[00:54:59] When I got to my door,

[00:55:01] I was immediately greeted

[00:55:02] by Sam,

[00:55:03] Bella,

[00:55:03] and Poppy's

[00:55:04] distraught faces.

[00:55:06] I followed them

[00:55:07] into the apartment

[00:55:08] and my eyes grew wide

[00:55:10] as Sam pushed

[00:55:11] the kitchen door open

[00:55:12] to reveal

[00:55:13] a truly demonic sight.

[00:55:16] Huge amounts

[00:55:17] of congealed

[00:55:18] red and orange liquid

[00:55:20] pulled across the floor

[00:55:22] leading beneath

[00:55:23] our table

[00:55:24] where a small bird

[00:55:26] lay dead

[00:55:27] with its wings

[00:55:28] outstretched.

[00:55:30] The bird was missing

[00:55:31] its head.

[00:55:32] I felt sick.

[00:55:34] The windows

[00:55:35] in our apartment

[00:55:36] didn't open,

[00:55:36] so the bird

[00:55:38] didn't get in there

[00:55:38] itself.

[00:55:40] Nellie had either

[00:55:41] found this bird

[00:55:41] and brought it back

[00:55:42] to the kitchen

[00:55:43] or she killed

[00:55:44] and decapitated

[00:55:45] the bird elsewhere

[00:55:46] and then put it

[00:55:48] in the kitchen herself.

[00:55:49] I didn't like

[00:55:50] either of those options

[00:55:52] and I assured

[00:55:52] my roommates

[00:55:53] that I would report

[00:55:54] Nellie that night.

[00:55:55] And that's exactly

[00:55:56] what I did.

[00:55:58] After I spoke

[00:55:59] to the school safety board,

[00:56:00] things moved fast.

[00:56:02] I discovered

[00:56:02] that Nellie had lied

[00:56:03] to us about her name

[00:56:04] and age.

[00:56:05] Officials wearing

[00:56:06] hazmat suits

[00:56:07] came into the apartment

[00:56:08] to clean the kitchen

[00:56:09] in Nellie's room.

[00:56:11] I quickly moved out

[00:56:12] but since Nellie

[00:56:13] avoided the other girls,

[00:56:15] they decided to stay.

[00:56:17] I declined

[00:56:18] to submit Nellie

[00:56:19] for expulsion

[00:56:20] because I felt bad

[00:56:21] for her

[00:56:22] and thought

[00:56:22] that everything

[00:56:23] would stop

[00:56:23] after I moved out.

[00:56:25] But

[00:56:26] I was incredibly

[00:56:27] misguided.

[00:56:28] I was happy

[00:56:29] that my new

[00:56:30] roommates were normal

[00:56:31] and no Nellie

[00:56:32] incidents occurred

[00:56:33] for the first

[00:56:34] two weeks

[00:56:34] after I moved out.

[00:56:36] I did have

[00:56:37] a large uptick

[00:56:38] in random

[00:56:38] Facebook and

[00:56:39] Instagram follower

[00:56:40] requests from

[00:56:41] blank profiles though.

[00:56:42] I knew

[00:56:43] who was behind this

[00:56:44] but I was avoiding

[00:56:45] any Nellie

[00:56:46] related thoughts

[00:56:47] especially since

[00:56:48] I was having

[00:56:48] night terrors

[00:56:49] and the more

[00:56:50] I thought about

[00:56:51] her

[00:56:51] the worse

[00:56:52] they got.

[00:56:53] Then

[00:56:54] one day at school

[00:56:55] I was blocking

[00:56:57] another user

[00:56:57] as I sat down

[00:56:59] with Reagan

[00:56:59] and Charlotte

[00:57:00] in an almost

[00:57:01] empty lecture hall.

[00:57:03] Charlotte nudged me

[00:57:04] as Nellie

[00:57:05] entered the room

[00:57:06] bypassing her

[00:57:07] usual seat.

[00:57:08] I felt myself

[00:57:09] freeze up

[00:57:10] as she entered

[00:57:10] our row

[00:57:11] and began

[00:57:11] walking toward me

[00:57:13] staring at me

[00:57:14] with those

[00:57:15] dead eyes.

[00:57:17] Don't fucking

[00:57:18] sit next to me

[00:57:19] I said

[00:57:20] shocked by

[00:57:21] my own

[00:57:21] bravery.

[00:57:23] Nellie responded

[00:57:24] by sitting

[00:57:24] ten seats

[00:57:25] down from me

[00:57:26] creepily

[00:57:27] not breaking

[00:57:27] eye contact.

[00:57:29] I considered

[00:57:30] that a win.

[00:57:32] After class

[00:57:32] I went home

[00:57:33] and I walked

[00:57:34] to the store.

[00:57:35] I forgot to grab

[00:57:36] a cart

[00:57:36] so I quickly

[00:57:37] turned around

[00:57:37] to fetch one

[00:57:38] and I ran

[00:57:39] into somebody

[00:57:40] standing directly

[00:57:40] behind me.

[00:57:42] Yes

[00:57:42] it was Nellie.

[00:57:44] This immediately

[00:57:45] made me wonder

[00:57:46] did she follow

[00:57:47] me from my

[00:57:48] apartment?

[00:57:49] Does she know

[00:57:50] where I live?

[00:57:52] My heart dropped

[00:57:53] as I backed

[00:57:53] into another aisle

[00:57:54] and Nellie

[00:57:55] followed.

[00:57:56] From there

[00:57:57] I walked

[00:57:58] to another aisle

[00:57:59] and Nellie

[00:58:00] continued following

[00:58:01] me

[00:58:01] matching my pace.

[00:58:03] I ran away

[00:58:04] terrified

[00:58:04] and Nellie

[00:58:05] then ran

[00:58:06] after me

[00:58:07] only stopping

[00:58:08] because I went

[00:58:08] to the security

[00:58:09] desk.

[00:58:10] Security

[00:58:11] offered to

[00:58:11] call the police

[00:58:12] but I declined

[00:58:12] and gave them

[00:58:13] my email address

[00:58:14] so that they

[00:58:15] could send

[00:58:15] me the footage

[00:58:16] of Nellie

[00:58:17] chasing me.

[00:58:18] I had to

[00:58:19] report this

[00:58:20] but since I

[00:58:20] still had

[00:58:21] class to go

[00:58:22] to I decided

[00:58:23] to report

[00:58:23] her the next

[00:58:24] day.

[00:58:25] Well

[00:58:25] two hours

[00:58:26] later

[00:58:26] as I

[00:58:27] waited for

[00:58:28] Reagan to

[00:58:28] walk with

[00:58:28] me to

[00:58:29] class I

[00:58:29] caught Nellie

[00:58:30] staring at

[00:58:31] me from

[00:58:31] across the

[00:58:31] street.

[00:58:32] She didn't

[00:58:33] approach

[00:58:33] me and

[00:58:34] walked with

[00:58:34] a crowd

[00:58:35] toward

[00:58:35] campus.

[00:58:37] Minutes

[00:58:37] later

[00:58:38] Reagan

[00:58:38] arrived

[00:58:39] and we

[00:58:39] headed to

[00:58:40] class

[00:58:43] the

[00:58:44] buildings

[00:58:44] and alleyways

[00:58:45] until a

[00:58:46] rock got

[00:58:47] stuck in

[00:58:47] my shoe.

[00:58:49] When I

[00:58:49] knelt down

[00:58:50] to fix

[00:58:50] it,

[00:58:51] a billboard

[00:58:52] caught

[00:58:52] Reagan's

[00:58:53] eye so

[00:58:53] she switched

[00:58:54] to walking

[00:58:55] on my

[00:58:55] right when

[00:58:56] she had

[00:58:56] been walking

[00:58:57] on my

[00:58:57] left.

[00:58:58] Once I

[00:58:59] removed the

[00:58:59] rock,

[00:59:00] we began

[00:59:00] walking

[00:59:01] again.

[00:59:02] I turned

[00:59:03] my head

[00:59:03] to say

[00:59:03] something to

[00:59:04] Reagan and

[00:59:04] that's

[00:59:05] when Nellie

[00:59:05] jumped out

[00:59:06] of an

[00:59:06] alleyway

[00:59:07] and on

[00:59:08] to

[00:59:08] Reagan.

[00:59:09] Her

[00:59:09] hands

[00:59:10] were

[00:59:10] outstretched

[00:59:10] and clasped

[00:59:11] behind

[00:59:12] Reagan's

[00:59:12] neck.

[00:59:13] Words

[00:59:14] can't

[00:59:14] explain

[00:59:15] how

[00:59:15] terrified

[00:59:16] I

[00:59:16] was.

[00:59:17] Nellie

[00:59:18] let go

[00:59:18] immediately

[00:59:19] and

[00:59:19] Reagan

[00:59:19] grabbed

[00:59:20] my arm

[00:59:20] and

[00:59:20] pulled

[00:59:21] me

[00:59:21] to

[00:59:21] continue

[00:59:22] walking

[00:59:22] forward.

[00:59:23] I

[00:59:23] tried

[00:59:23] to

[00:59:24] stay

[00:59:24] focused

[00:59:24] but

[00:59:24] it

[00:59:25] was

[00:59:25] hard

[00:59:25] since

[00:59:25] Nellie

[00:59:26] began

[00:59:26] walking

[00:59:26] shoulder

[00:59:27] to

[00:59:27] shoulder

[00:59:27] with

[00:59:27] me

[00:59:28] with

[00:59:28] her

[00:59:28] head

[00:59:29] turned

[00:59:29] sideways

[00:59:30] in

[00:59:30] this

[00:59:30] unnatural

[00:59:31] angle.

[00:59:32] When

[00:59:33] I

[00:59:33] turned

[00:59:33] and

[00:59:41] Nellie

[00:59:41] paused

[00:59:42] but

[00:59:42] walked

[00:59:42] away

[00:59:43] as

[00:59:43] the

[00:59:43] oncoming

[00:59:43] traffic

[00:59:44] stopped

[00:59:44] her

[00:59:44] from

[00:59:45] crossing.

[00:59:46] We

[00:59:46] stopped

[00:59:47] and

[00:59:47] Reagan

[00:59:47] leaned

[00:59:48] against

[00:59:48] the

[00:59:48] fence

[00:59:49] as

[00:59:49] I

[00:59:49] bent

[00:59:49] over

[00:59:49] and

[00:59:50] covered

[00:59:50] my

[00:59:50] mouth

[00:59:51] trying

[00:59:51] not

[00:59:51] to

[00:59:52] vomit.

[00:59:53] After

[00:59:53] a

[00:59:53] while

[00:59:54] we

[00:59:54] continued

[00:59:55] our

[01:00:10] Reagan

[01:00:11] nodded

[01:00:11] and

[01:00:11] we

[01:00:11] followed

[01:00:12] a

[01:00:12] large

[01:00:12] crowd

[01:00:13] after

[01:00:13] Nellie

[01:00:14] walked

[01:00:14] up

[01:00:14] the

[01:00:14] stairs

[01:00:15] only

[01:00:15] to

[01:00:16] find

[01:00:16] her

[01:00:16] holding

[01:00:16] the

[01:00:17] door

[01:00:17] open

[01:00:17] for

[01:00:17] everyone.

[01:00:19] Nellie

[01:00:19] was

[01:00:19] fixated

[01:00:20] on

[01:00:20] me

[01:00:20] staring

[01:00:21] at

[01:00:21] me

[01:00:21] through

[01:00:22] the

[01:00:22] crowd

[01:00:22] until

[01:00:22] everyone

[01:00:23] but

[01:00:23] Reagan

[01:00:23] and

[01:00:24] I

[01:00:24] passed

[01:00:24] through

[01:00:25] the

[01:00:25] door

[01:00:25] that

[01:00:25] she

[01:00:25] was

[01:00:25] holding

[01:00:26] open.

[01:00:27] It's

[01:00:28] okay

[01:00:28] you can

[01:00:28] go

[01:00:29] first

[01:00:29] Reagan

[01:00:30] told

[01:00:30] Nellie

[01:00:30] with

[01:00:31] a

[01:00:31] smile.

[01:00:32] I

[01:00:33] was

[01:00:33] shocked

[01:00:33] at

[01:00:34] how

[01:00:34] composed

[01:00:34] she

[01:00:35] was

[01:00:35] especially

[01:00:36] after

[01:00:36] Nellie

[01:00:37] just

[01:00:37] had

[01:00:37] her

[01:00:37] hands

[01:00:38] around

[01:00:38] her

[01:00:38] neck.

[01:00:39] I

[01:00:40] was

[01:00:40] even

[01:00:40] more

[01:00:41] shocked

[01:00:41] when

[01:00:41] Nellie

[01:00:41] actually

[01:00:42] listened

[01:00:42] to

[01:00:42] her.

[01:00:43] When

[01:00:44] we

[01:00:44] sat

[01:00:44] down

[01:00:44] in

[01:00:45] class

[01:00:45] Nellie

[01:00:46] tried

[01:00:46] to

[01:00:46] sit

[01:00:46] behind

[01:00:47] me

[01:00:47] but

[01:00:47] someone

[01:00:47] was

[01:00:48] saving

[01:00:48] that

[01:00:48] seat

[01:00:49] for

[01:00:49] his

[01:00:49] friend.

[01:00:50] So

[01:00:50] Nellie

[01:00:51] left.

[01:00:52] I

[01:00:52] wasn't

[01:00:53] able

[01:00:53] to pay

[01:00:53] attention

[01:00:53] to that

[01:00:54] lecture

[01:00:54] at

[01:00:54] all.

[01:00:55] I

[01:00:55] sat

[01:00:55] there

[01:00:56] shocked

[01:00:56] and

[01:00:56] terrified

[01:00:57] while

[01:00:57] Reagan

[01:00:58] hunched

[01:00:58] low

[01:00:58] in

[01:00:59] her

[01:00:59] seat

[01:00:59] rubbing

[01:01:00] her

[01:01:00] neck.

[01:01:01] I

[01:01:01] felt

[01:01:02] horrible

[01:01:02] for

[01:01:02] bringing

[01:01:03] Reagan

[01:01:03] into

[01:01:03] this

[01:01:03] whole

[01:01:04] Nellie

[01:01:04] situation.

[01:01:05] I

[01:01:05] knew

[01:01:06] that

[01:01:06] Nellie

[01:01:06] needed

[01:01:07] to be

[01:01:07] expelled

[01:01:07] no

[01:01:08] matter

[01:01:08] what.

[01:01:09] The

[01:01:10] next

[01:01:10] day

[01:01:10] I

[01:01:11] reported

[01:01:11] Nellie

[01:01:11] to

[01:01:12] the

[01:01:12] student

[01:01:12] safety

[01:01:12] board

[01:01:13] and

[01:01:13] they

[01:01:13] raised

[01:01:14] the

[01:01:14] issue

[01:01:14] to

[01:01:14] the

[01:01:15] disciplinary

[01:01:15] board.

[01:01:16] I

[01:01:17] submitted

[01:01:17] a lengthy

[01:01:18] report

[01:01:18] detailing

[01:01:19] everything

[01:01:19] that

[01:01:20] Nellie

[01:01:20] had

[01:01:20] done.

[01:01:21] I

[01:01:21] included

[01:01:21] Reagan,

[01:01:22] Bella,

[01:01:22] Poppy,

[01:01:23] and Sam

[01:01:23] as

[01:01:23] witnesses

[01:01:24] and

[01:01:24] provided

[01:01:24] photographic

[01:01:25] evidence

[01:01:25] of the

[01:01:26] calls

[01:01:26] and the

[01:01:27] smeared

[01:01:28] feces

[01:01:28] and blood

[01:01:29] as well

[01:01:29] as clogged

[01:01:30] showers

[01:01:30] and toilets

[01:01:31] and the

[01:01:32] stalking.

[01:01:33] The

[01:01:34] following

[01:01:34] week I

[01:01:35] met with

[01:01:35] the

[01:01:35] disciplinary

[01:01:36] board

[01:01:36] to go

[01:01:37] over

[01:01:37] their

[01:01:37] conclusions.

[01:01:38] They

[01:01:38] informed

[01:01:39] me that

[01:01:39] they

[01:01:39] had

[01:01:40] reviewed

[01:01:40] my

[01:01:40] report

[01:01:40] and

[01:01:41] met

[01:01:41] with

[01:01:41] Nellie

[01:01:41] to

[01:01:41] give

[01:01:42] her

[01:01:42] a

[01:01:42] copy.

[01:01:43] They

[01:01:43] discussed

[01:01:44] my

[01:01:44] accusations

[01:01:45] and

[01:01:45] had

[01:01:45] come

[01:01:46] to

[01:01:46] a

[01:01:46] conclusion.

[01:01:46] They

[01:01:47] acknowledged

[01:01:48] that

[01:01:48] everything

[01:01:48] I

[01:01:49] reported

[01:01:49] was

[01:01:49] factual

[01:01:50] but

[01:01:51] they

[01:01:51] didn't

[01:01:51] think

[01:01:51] that

[01:01:51] Nellie

[01:01:52] had

[01:01:52] any

[01:01:53] malicious

[01:01:53] intent

[01:01:54] so

[01:01:55] they

[01:01:55] resolved

[01:01:55] to

[01:01:56] grant

[01:01:56] a

[01:01:56] no

[01:01:56] contact

[01:01:57] order.

[01:01:58] However,

[01:01:59] Nellie

[01:01:59] wouldn't

[01:02:00] be

[01:02:00] expelled.

[01:02:02] I

[01:02:03] was

[01:02:03] completely

[01:02:03] perplexed

[01:02:04] by their

[01:02:04] conclusion.

[01:02:05] I

[01:02:06] asked

[01:02:06] them

[01:02:06] what

[01:02:06] Nellie

[01:02:07] had

[01:02:07] said

[01:02:07] about

[01:02:07] all

[01:02:07] of

[01:02:08] this

[01:02:08] and

[01:02:08] they

[01:02:08] refused

[01:02:09] to

[01:02:09] tell

[01:02:09] me

[01:02:09] anything.

[01:02:11] I

[01:02:11] was

[01:02:16] This

[01:02:17] meant

[01:02:17] that

[01:02:17] she

[01:02:18] knew

[01:02:18] everything

[01:02:18] that

[01:02:19] I

[01:02:19] had

[01:02:19] said

[01:02:20] and

[01:02:20] knew

[01:02:20] the

[01:02:20] names

[01:02:21] of

[01:02:21] all

[01:02:21] of

[01:02:21] the

[01:02:21] witnesses

[01:02:22] involved.

[01:02:23] After

[01:02:24] I

[01:02:24] was

[01:02:24] told

[01:02:24] this,

[01:02:25] I

[01:02:26] felt

[01:02:26] that

[01:02:26] the

[01:02:26] school

[01:02:26] put

[01:02:27] us

[01:02:27] all

[01:02:27] in

[01:02:28] danger

[01:02:28] and

[01:02:29] yet

[01:02:29] they

[01:02:29] wouldn't

[01:02:30] allow

[01:02:30] me

[01:02:30] to

[01:02:30] know

[01:02:31] if

[01:02:31] Nellie

[01:02:31] had

[01:02:32] even

[01:02:32] denied

[01:02:32] the

[01:02:33] actions

[01:02:33] detailed

[01:02:34] in

[01:02:34] the

[01:02:34] report.

[01:02:35] I

[01:02:36] was

[01:02:36] devastated.

[01:02:37] I

[01:02:37] felt

[01:02:37] my

[01:02:38] mind

[01:02:38] go

[01:02:38] numb.

[01:02:39] I

[01:02:39] knew

[01:02:40] at

[01:02:40] that

[01:02:40] moment

[01:02:40] that

[01:02:41] they

[01:02:41] didn't

[01:02:46] I

[01:02:47] agreed

[01:02:47] to

[01:02:48] the

[01:02:48] no

[01:02:48] contact

[01:02:48] order.

[01:02:49] A

[01:02:50] member

[01:02:50] of

[01:02:50] the

[01:02:50] disciplinary

[01:02:51] board

[01:02:51] tried

[01:02:52] to

[01:02:52] get

[01:02:52] me

[01:02:52] to

[01:02:52] sign

[01:02:53] a

[01:02:53] non

[01:02:53] disclosure

[01:02:53] agreement

[01:02:54] so

[01:02:54] that

[01:02:54] I

[01:02:55] wouldn't

[01:02:55] speak

[01:02:55] about

[01:02:55] what

[01:02:56] Nellie

[01:02:56] had

[01:02:56] done

[01:02:56] to

[01:02:57] me

[01:02:57] or

[01:02:58] how

[01:02:59] the

[01:02:59] school

[01:02:59] dealt

[01:03:00] with

[01:03:00] my

[01:03:00] case.

[01:03:01] But

[01:03:02] I

[01:03:02] refused

[01:03:02] to sign

[01:03:03] it.

[01:03:03] The

[01:03:04] next

[01:03:04] day

[01:03:04] I

[01:03:04] received

[01:03:05] an

[01:03:05] email

[01:03:05] confirming

[01:03:06] that

[01:03:06] Nellie

[01:03:06] had

[01:03:06] agreed

[01:03:07] to

[01:03:07] the

[01:03:16] no

[01:03:16] pattern

[01:03:17] of

[01:03:17] Nellie

[01:03:17] stalking

[01:03:18] me

[01:03:18] from

[01:03:18] place

[01:03:19] to

[01:03:19] place

[01:03:19] sitting

[01:03:20] next

[01:03:20] to

[01:03:21] me

[01:03:21] in

[01:03:21] class

[01:03:21] standing

[01:03:22] next

[01:03:22] to

[01:03:22] me

[01:03:23] in

[01:03:23] hallways

[01:03:23] and

[01:03:23] staring

[01:03:24] at

[01:03:24] me

[01:03:24] daily.

[01:03:25] Her

[01:03:25] actions

[01:03:26] were so

[01:03:26] unnerving

[01:03:27] and obvious

[01:03:27] that

[01:03:28] multiple

[01:03:28] strangers

[01:03:29] warned

[01:03:29] me

[01:03:30] about

[01:03:30] her.

[01:03:30] I

[01:03:31] reported

[01:03:31] these

[01:03:32] incidents

[01:03:32] every time

[01:03:33] they

[01:03:33] occurred

[01:03:33] and

[01:03:33] the

[01:03:34] school

[01:03:34] always

[01:03:34] responded

[01:03:35] by

[01:03:35] stating

[01:03:35] that

[01:03:36] they

[01:03:36] would

[01:03:36] remind

[01:03:37] Nellie

[01:03:37] of the

[01:03:37] no

[01:03:38] contact

[01:03:38] order.

[01:03:39] They

[01:03:40] never

[01:03:40] took

[01:03:40] any

[01:03:40] additional

[01:03:41] steps

[01:03:41] to

[01:03:41] help

[01:03:41] me

[01:03:42] either.

[01:03:43] That

[01:03:44] year

[01:03:44] Nellie

[01:03:45] found

[01:03:46] other

[01:03:46] roommates

[01:03:46] and

[01:03:49] she

[01:03:50] was

[01:03:50] evicted

[01:03:50] from

[01:03:51] an

[01:03:51] off

[01:03:51] campus

[01:03:52] apartment

[01:03:52] and

[01:03:53] her

[01:03:53] new

[01:03:53] roommates

[01:03:54] who

[01:03:54] once

[01:03:54] sat

[01:03:55] with

[01:03:55] her

[01:03:55] began

[01:03:55] to

[01:03:55] sit

[01:03:56] very

[01:03:56] far

[01:03:56] away

[01:03:56] from

[01:03:57] her.

[01:03:57] They

[01:03:58] looked

[01:03:58] terrified.

[01:03:59] They

[01:04:00] looked

[01:04:00] like

[01:04:00] me.

[01:04:02] Having

[01:04:03] incidents

[01:04:03] happen

[01:04:04] weekly

[01:04:04] and

[01:04:05] having

[01:04:05] to

[01:04:05] see

[01:04:05] Nellie

[01:04:06] daily

[01:04:06] made

[01:04:07] it

[01:04:07] impossible

[01:04:07] for

[01:04:08] me

[01:04:08] to

[01:04:08] move

[01:04:08] on.

[01:04:09] I

[01:04:09] was

[01:04:09] always

[01:04:10] in

[01:04:10] flight

[01:04:11] or

[01:04:11] freeze

[01:04:11] mode,,

[01:04:12] terrified

[01:04:13] of

[01:04:13] what Nellie

[01:04:14] had done and

[01:04:15] still might

[01:04:15] do to

[01:04:16] me.

[01:04:16] I

[01:04:17] became

[01:04:17] a

[01:04:17] sunken

[01:04:18] in

[01:04:18] miserable

[01:04:19] and

[01:04:19] defeated

[01:04:19] version

[01:04:20] of

[01:04:20] myself.

[01:04:21] I

[01:04:22] wanted

[01:04:22] revenge,

[01:04:23] which

[01:04:24] was a

[01:04:24] natural

[01:04:24] result

[01:04:25] of

[01:04:25] all

[01:04:26] the

[01:04:26] boiling

[01:04:26] rage

[01:04:27] that

[01:04:27] I

[01:04:47] was

[01:04:48] likely

[01:04:48] stalking

[01:04:49] me

[01:04:49] from

[01:04:49] the

[01:04:49] moment

[01:04:50] I

[01:04:50] met

[01:04:50] her.

[01:04:50] I

[01:04:51] just

[01:04:51] hadn't

[01:04:51] realized

[01:04:52] it

[01:04:52] early

[01:04:52] enough

[01:04:53] and

[01:04:53] that

[01:04:53] weighs

[01:04:54] heavily

[01:04:54] on

[01:04:54] me.

[01:04:55] Revenge

[01:04:55] came

[01:04:56] on

[01:04:56] graduation

[01:04:56] day

[01:04:57] when

[01:04:58] Nellie's

[01:04:58] name

[01:04:58] didn't

[01:04:59] appear

[01:04:59] in

[01:04:59] the

[01:04:59] book

[01:04:59] of

[01:05:00] graduates.

[01:05:01] She

[01:05:01] had

[01:05:01] failed

[01:05:02] the

[01:05:02] second

[01:05:02] year.

[01:05:03] But

[01:05:04] despite

[01:05:05] everything,

[01:05:05] I

[01:05:06] couldn't

[01:05:06] help

[01:05:07] but

[01:05:07] think

[01:05:07] that

[01:05:08] I

[01:05:08] was

[01:05:08] a

[01:05:08] bad

[01:05:09] person

[01:05:09] for

[01:05:09] being

[01:05:10] content

[01:05:10] with

[01:05:10] Nellie

[01:05:11] failing.

[01:05:12] Maybe

[01:05:13] I

[01:05:13] was

[01:05:13] just

[01:05:14] happy

[01:05:14] that

[01:05:14] I

[01:05:14] could

[01:05:14] finally