5x13: Intuition

[00:00:00] This podcast contains adult language and content. The stories in this show can be disturbing and frightening for some. Listener discretion is advised. If you have a story to share, send it to letsnotmeetstories at gmail.com

[00:00:14] Enjoy the show. My name is Andrew Tate and this is season 5 episode 13 of Lets Not Meet, A True Horror Podcast.

[00:01:14] As a wild teenager, I had my fair share of lucky misses. This one in particular scared me to my core. I was 14 at the time and at a friend's house one evening when we were all getting stoned and drinking. You know, stupid teenage stuff.

[00:01:34] I was wearing a white mini skirt, a glittery halter top and knee high white heeled boots. Yes, I was that kind of girl. It was around midnight. I knew I had to be home, but there was no one sober enough to drive me.

[00:01:51] I asked my friend for a hoodie and some pants, then I decided to walk the 30 plus minutes to my house alone. I had done this many times, so it felt safe enough to do so, except I hadn't done it at midnight alone.

[00:02:08] Within the first 10 minutes, I passed the main intersection with no issues. And as I'm about to walk around the corner down the main road into my area, a large green van pulls up beside me. Me being stoned and paranoid, my fingers automatically dialed 111, New Zealand's police number.

[00:02:30] As I dialed the police, a young man jumped out of the passenger seat and yelled at me to get in the van. At this very moment, I had my phone to my ear and the operator picked up and asked, fire, ambulance or police? I replied, police, please.

[00:02:53] Upon hearing this, the young man jumped back into the van and sped off down the road. I continued to tell the operator a man just tried to get me into his van and that I was stoned and walking home.

[00:03:09] I ended the phone call because I needed to keep my battery from dying as I still had 20 plus minutes to go before reaching my house. At this point, I'm terrified and my stoner's paranoia is at an all time high. I mean, an all time high.

[00:03:28] This is a long straight road with only two bends in it. You can see most of the road from anywhere on the footpath. After the van incident, I started to jump into driveways and hide behind bushes whenever I saw headlights.

[00:03:44] After doing this consistently for about 15 minutes, I started noticing a white sedan had passed at least three times. Thinking I must be seeing things, I continue to hide whenever I see headlights and make my way closer and closer to my street.

[00:04:03] I finally reached the empty paddock opposite the primary school and saw headlights again. Thinking on my feet, I quickly jump over the six foot high fence into the open paddock. There was a massive tree in the middle of the paddock, so I ran and hid behind it.

[00:04:23] A minute or so later, the white Toyota sedan pulled over directly in front of the paddock fence and out jumped five full grown men. The first thing they said was, Where is she? Where is she?

[00:04:42] They started searching the street for me and were peering over the fence and into the paddock. Panicked and absolutely shitting myself, I dialed the police. Once I got the operator, I just kept repeating my name, address, and current location.

[00:04:58] The operator finally calmed me down enough to ask me what was happening. I told her that five men in a white sedan out on the street were searching for me and they wanted to kidnap me.

[00:05:12] I knew they were looking for me as I was the only person walking on the street at that time. She told me the police were on their way and to remain hidden.

[00:05:22] Finally, I hear the police sirens after what felt like an eternity, but was probably about five minutes. They drove straight past the men and they all scattered back into the car and fled.

[00:05:37] By this time, I'm pretty sure I nearly wet myself and bawled my eyes out to the operator saying they drove straight past. Suddenly, I hear a man saying, Hello? Excuse me, girl. Are you okay? I went silent. The man said, Were those men looking for you?

[00:06:02] I live across the street and I could hear you crying. I peered out from behind the tree and said, Yes, are they gone? He said, Yeah. When the police went by, they fled.

[00:06:14] He then offered to take me to his house and keep me safe until the police came. So I hung up on the operator and climbed the fence and went into this guy's garage. He was a lovely guy.

[00:06:27] He was just working on his car in the garage a few doors down from the paddock. He offered me a warm drink and a cigarette to calm my nerves. After about ten minutes, it became evident that the police were not coming. So he dropped me off at home.

[00:06:42] At that age, I was young, dumb, and I definitely would have gotten kidnapped if I wasn't a paranoid stoner with a true crime passion. So stay weird and be safe. I was a pizza delivery guy in my early 20s.

[00:07:11] And my duration, I had a lot of weird experiences. When I say weird, I mean creepy houses and even creepier people. Like anything else, though, you get used to it. One summer day, I went to work like normal. The day carried on per usual.

[00:07:31] I was working lunch shift, and it was pretty low-key, delivering to businesses and schools, things of that nature. Around one or so, I got a call to go to a residence not too far away. It was an unfamiliar house on an unfamiliar street.

[00:07:51] That was a common occurrence, though. I picked up the pizza and headed out to make the delivery. When I reached the house, I noticed it was average-looking, had an old basketball hoop in the driveway, grass was a little tall, and the like.

[00:08:09] However, I did notice there were no cars in the driveway. The delivery note said to come to the door in the carport. So I get out of the car and head towards the door as instructed.

[00:08:25] I knock on the door and stand there for a minute with no answer. I knock again and yell, Pizza! I then hear someone stumbling around in the house, and again all normal enough, an elderly man roughly 70 to 80 years old came to the screen door in the carport.

[00:08:49] He was very slender with a gaunt look to him. I noticed the decrepit man had wispy white hair and an oxygen tank attached to him. I said hello as he opens the door. He then proceeds to ask me if I would step inside for a minute

[00:09:08] while he gathers his funds. It was our policy to never go in someone's house, but I had to do it all the time. Sometimes a situation just called for it. Considering this man's sickly state, I said sure without hesitation and proceeded to follow him into the kitchen.

[00:09:26] His house was very dim, like he had all the windows boarded up or something with all the lights off. I stood there holding the pizza and he says in an unsettling and very creepy voice, give me a second and I'll go get your money.

[00:09:45] I stood there in the dark kitchen waiting. I began to realize that the place is a wreck and had an offensive odor. I noticed two other dark rooms towards the back of the house. Five minutes later, I start hearing a scratching sound

[00:10:09] coming from one of the other rooms. I was in the dark and I heard a voice. I was hoping it was my customer coming with the money. Then nothing. As I look around the house, it's obvious that the man lives there by himself.

[00:10:26] I soon hear more noise coming from that back room. A low, almost growling sound. I realize it's coming from the old man. I start to get very freaked out. I call out. Hey man, I got other deliveries to make. Are you almost done?

[00:10:51] The growling continues now with heavy breathing and the corner towards the back of the room. He was standing there in the dark, growling completely naked. He still had the oxygen tank attached, but he was completely naked. I was terrified beyond words. I was frozen.

[00:11:20] He then proceeds to walk towards me and screams at me. I was terrified. I dropped the pizza, tripped backwards onto the floor, into the kitchen. He's still coming towards me, walking slow with his oxygen tank rolling behind him, screaming.

[00:11:43] Every bit of adrenaline I had was surging through me. I jumped up and bolted to the door. I could still hear him screaming behind me as I made my way to the door. I ran out and got to my car as fast as possible.

[00:11:56] I look back into the carport at the screen door and I could see the old man in the doorway, standing, just staring at me. My blood ran cold. I was so scared and shaken by the ordeal. I didn't know what to think.

[00:12:12] I could hear him struggling to breathe and wheeze at the doorway, staring back at me. I sped out of there. I rushed back to work and told everyone about what had happened and why I didn't get paid. We put him on the do not deliver list

[00:12:28] and we never heard from him again. It was one of the most terrifying events to ever happen to me. Something I'll never forget. I still pass that street sometimes and get the willies. I wouldn't be surprised if the man was deceased at this point.

[00:12:45] With all that being said though, I hope we never meet again. I'm currently living in Australia. However, before coming here, I was traveling in New Zealand. I lived in Auckland for about a year. I had a great job. I was settling in, making friends

[00:13:21] and overall just having a great time. My friend who I'll call Carrie flew out from Australia to spend a long weekend with me in Auckland as we hadn't seen each other in a few months and I missed her company. She had also broken up with her long-time boyfriend

[00:13:37] about a month before and was in need of a fun girls trip to forget her sorrows. We arranged to go on a night out in Auckland and spend the night together. I was so excited. We arranged to go on a night out in Auckland,

[00:13:52] spent hours getting ready, drinking, listening to music and doing our makeup plus taking a million pictures of us all dressed up before heading out. We were going to bounce between a few well-known backpacker bars and eventually settle in my favorite bar. Kama and Eileen was always playing along

[00:14:12] with all the music from the 80s that you could dance and sing along to. It was so much fun. Now, two things to mention. One, Carrie was hoping to find a guy to hook up with that night. I don't mind. In fact, I enjoyed the challenge

[00:14:30] of being a wing woman. Second, I was not looking to hook up with anyone. This may be way too much information but not only was I not interested in meeting up with anyone after a string of horrid dates but I was also on my period

[00:14:47] and if I met the most attractive man in the world sex was completely and utterly off the table. Within the first 20 minutes of being at the bar, I'd found Carrie a lovely guy. Cute, funny and smart. They immediately hit it off and began delving into deep conversations.

[00:15:07] My job was done. Now I just needed to find a new group to join as I was beginning to look a bit like a third wheel. I met a group of girls and guys sitting on the table nearby. Here, I met this guy. We'll call him Dan.

[00:15:25] I actually don't remember his name. He was good looking but had that complete aura of I know I'm good looking going on. Not my type. Also, his hair was slicked back with gel and stiff as a board. Not my style either. Anyway, he was nice enough

[00:15:48] so we chatted. I got along with the girls and felt really comfortable in their company. He bought me a drink and we danced. I was steadily becoming more drunk at this point but was having fun. As we were dancing, he kissed me.

[00:16:06] To be honest, I didn't mind that much but when he pulled away I made my intentions very clear. It's not happening, buddy. I'm on my period and if that's what you're looking for tonight I don't mind if you want to find another girl. Side note,

[00:16:23] I studied psychology and criminology in university and wrote my thesis on victims of sexual assault and how much victim blaming results in a lack of convictions. She was drunk. She was flirting. She was dressed provocatively. So I've always been very conscious of making my intentions very clear

[00:16:42] if I'm not interested. He laughed off my comment and said he wasn't looking for that either. Was just having fun. By the time I was ready to go home, I ran into a couple of issues. One, Carrie had my purse and had left with said purse

[00:17:01] when she went home with her guy. Two, my phone was out of battery. No phone, no money, no luck. How was I going to get home? I asked Dan if I could borrow his phone to order myself an Uber and I would pay him back.

[00:17:23] He said that his phone had also run out of battery but that he had his wallet and he could get some cash out and that he was heading home in the same direction so would it be okay if we shared a cab? Fine, whatever. I'm going home.

[00:17:41] Again, I reminded him okay but nothing is happening, remember. He laughed it off again. We got into the cab. I gave the driver my address and sank down into the seat. Dan was actually quite sweet at this point and was stroking my hair

[00:17:59] as I laid my head down on the middle armrest. I actually started wondering if I had gotten lucky and just so happened to meet a guy who I could date. Finally, we arrived at my place. I thanked the driver and hopped out. Dan followed to say goodbye

[00:18:19] or so I thought. Instead, he paid the driver and waved him off. I was so pissed off. I said he couldn't stay and that nothing was happening multiple times, remember. He made some excuse about needing to charge his phone and the back of my mind

[00:18:40] I knew something felt off but being drunk, I was just so tired and knowing my housemate was home, I shrugged off the uneasy feeling and said okay but that he'd need to go as soon as it was charged as I wanted to sleep. We went into my bedroom.

[00:19:02] He sat on the bed plugging in his phone to charge. I left him there. I took my pajamas and I'd forgotten he was even there. Again, tired and drunk. I asked if his phone had charged and he said it hadn't turned on yet. He stared at me

[00:19:23] with this weird expression and then held out his hand to pull me to him. I really like you, he said although there was no emotion in his eyes. He then kissed me again but forcefully. I resisted and I was very pissed off but before I could pull away

[00:19:45] and this is the scary part he grabbed me by my throat and pinned me on my back to the bed. I was disoriented and shocked into silence for a moment and then bam he hit me across the face. Again, he hit me whilst the other hand

[00:20:08] was still around my throat squeezing. No more silence from me. What the fuck? What the fuck? I shouted. You hit my face! You hit my fucking face! What the fuck? At this point, I heard my roommate's door open and so did he. I don't think he realized

[00:20:33] anyone else was there. He backed off quickly holding up his hands. I would be into it. He said innocently. What? So me repeatedly saying I'm not interested in hooking up all night? He had somehow translated that to I like it when guys slap me.

[00:20:55] I mean who does that? Thought I would be into it. How? My roommate was standing in the door by this point sleepy and confused. Are you okay? I nodded and looked back at Dan. You need to leave now. I ordered. He began shaking his head.

[00:21:18] If you feel uncomfortable, I can go. I mean of course. That's literally what I just said. I told him yes, I'm uncomfortable. You fucking hit me in the face. Leave. Bizarrely, he then grabs a pillow from my bed and drops to the floor. Can I sleep here?

[00:21:38] I won't sleep in the bed with you. Can I just stay? Again, what the fuck? I grab his phone which is not even plugged in and still had no charge and told him to get out. He said he had no way to order a cab.

[00:21:55] So I grabbed my phone now charging and working and ordered him an Uber. He gave me an address which I looked up in the morning and it was a parking lot. I looked up in the morning and it was a parking lot of a shopping mall. Sketchy.

[00:22:11] I asked for money for the Uber. He threw a 50 at me and walked out the door. I followed and locked the door behind watching from my roommate's room to check if he was definitely going. Once he was gone, I went to bed. Honestly, I wasn't scared or upset.

[00:22:31] I was just very tired and drunk and wanted to sleep in that moment. I think my roommate was very freaked out though. It wasn't until the morning that I truly processed everything and the thing that frightened me was that even though I had made my intentions very clear,

[00:22:48] it ultimately didn't matter. He had his intentions and nothing I was saying would sway that. He intended on causing harm. So a few years had gone by and I was back in Sydney with my current partner. One day, my partner rang me from work and said,

[00:23:08] remember that story you told me about the guy in Auckland that tried to hurt you? Yes, I replied, confused. Well, have you seen the news story about the guy in Auckland that's been convicted of killing a backpacker? I looked up the story and felt my blood run cold.

[00:23:29] Like I was being shot. My blood ran cold. Like I mentioned, I don't remember this guy's name so I couldn't be 100% sure it was the same guy. But he was so familiar. Same age, build, same look and same slicked back, stiff, gelled hair. I'm sure it was him

[00:23:50] and I'm so sorry to the poor girl he murdered who was just trying to have an adventure. She was beautiful and ambitious and did not deserve to die in such a cruel and unforgiving manner. If it is him,

[00:24:04] I'm so glad he's going to spend the rest of his life in jail. If not, whoever that was, let's not meet. I was 16 and had just changed schools from a public one to a private one. A town over from mine.

[00:24:33] Every day I had to take the train to get to school and back home and was always alone during my commute. One day I was walking to the train station from school when a man called out to me. I never noticed him before.

[00:24:50] He was sitting in a parked car with the window rolled down. He was asking for directions and while I usually wouldn't have even stopped, at the time I was trying to be nicer to people, so I heard him out

[00:25:06] in case it was about a nearby area that I knew. He turned out to be asking for directions to a street I had never heard about and I told him that I didn't know since I wasn't from this town and was heading back home,

[00:25:22] so I had to go. His demeanor changed a bit and I didn't know why. But out of nowhere he asked me if he could offer me a ride home. I told him that he didn't even know where I was from and wasn't he going somewhere

[00:25:43] since he was asking for directions and all? He looked like I caught him in a lie. I said that my train would arrive soon, so I had to go. Then he became a bit more aggressive. He opened the car door and tried to approach me

[00:26:00] saying that it would be faster and easier if he gave me a ride. He started asking me to please get into the car. At that point I was already slowly backing away and the weird and sudden desperation in his tone made me mutter, sorry I have to go.

[00:26:23] Sorry I have to go. And start quickly walking away at which he began to raise his voice pleading, please come back and that he'd give me a ride. Luckily he never fully left the car and I got away and onto my train. I never contacted the police

[00:26:47] but to this day I wonder what his intentions were and can't help but feel a bit guilty for not doing so in case someone else fell for his ruse that I felt was quite obvious. I was about 13 at the time and had just started developing my own personality

[00:27:24] which resulted in numerous fights with my mom. Normally I ended each fight by storming out the door to seek refuge at my friend Katrina's house. Her mom would mostly leave us alone and didn't really bother us as long as we joined her for the occasional prayer meeting

[00:27:42] at the local congregation. I don't believe in God or any other higher power but it seemed like a good deal to me. Now this particular fight with my mom occurred rather late in the evening. I can't even remember what it was about,

[00:28:00] probably something stupid like what I was wearing or some band she didn't want me to listen to but I remember being more pissed off than usual. So despite the late hour and the very likely possibility that Katrina and her mom would be asleep

[00:28:18] I proceeded with my usual routine. I put on my shoes, marched outside and slammed the door behind me. It would only take me about 15 minutes to get to Katrina's house so I started walking angrily and rapidly in that direction. We lived about 2 kilometers outside a small town.

[00:28:42] It never felt far from civilization in any way except for there being no streetlights on the small roads between our houses. I have never been afraid of the dark or really anything else for that matter despite being a skinny girl with no muscle to speak of

[00:29:02] so it didn't bother me that the only light illuminating the path in front of me was the moon and some dim porch lights from other houses in the area. They were too far away to be of that much help. They worked sort of as landmarks though.

[00:29:19] They indicated I was on the right track. As I approached Katrina's house I saw that all the windows were dark. Fuck, I thought to myself they are asleep. This wasn't really surprising as it was a school night after all and it must have been getting close to 1am.

[00:29:40] I was however a bit puzzled that the porch light was off leaving the entire property in complete darkness except for the moonlight reflecting on the black windows. I figured since I had walked all the way there I could still check if Katrina was awake.

[00:30:02] I mean you don't fall asleep the second you turn the light off. I also thought that she wouldn't mind if I woke her up. One would always help a friend in need, right? So like a smitten boy in a teenage romance movie I stood beneath her window

[00:30:20] holding some stones that I had picked up from the ground in the driveway and proceeded to fling them one at a time at the glass. No response. I kept at it for a good ten minutes before giving up. I really didn't want to go home yet

[00:30:38] and I couldn't stand outside in the cold too much longer. In the rush to get out of the house and away from my mom before saying something I would regret I had forgotten to put on my jacket. It was mid-spring so during my hurried walk

[00:30:55] I felt warm enough but this was north of Europe so having stood still for several minutes I was starting to feel the cool night air on my skin. While I was standing there stroking my arms to try and keep them warm

[00:31:10] trying to figure out what to do next I heard something. It almost sounded like a whisper but I couldn't say for sure. I stood still for a minute listening intently. I heard another sound. This time I could tell it was some kind of rustling in the leaves

[00:31:32] of a big bush that stood some meters away from me close to the trees. There was quite a bit of forest in this area and I was used to encountering both small and big animals on my walks to and from Katrina so I didn't think much of it.

[00:31:50] I wasn't even alarmed by what sounded like footsteps approaching. I just figured it was a deer or some kind of big animal. I was just a little bit scared that it was a deer or some kind of big animal. There aren't really any dangerous animals in this country

[00:32:08] although it didn't sound quite right. I decided to check if the front door was unlocked to borrow a jacket for my continued nightly walk which I knew they wouldn't mind. Most people didn't lock their doors here. It was a quiet and safe community or so we thought.

[00:32:29] As expected, the door was unlocked. I stepped inside and started browsing through the jackets. That's when I heard something that made me freeze. My movements just stopped and my heart started racing. It was the sound of someone running towards the house. I see someone because it definitely

[00:32:51] did not sound like an animal. I stood there frozen, my hands still in the air about to grab a jacket for a whole minute while my heart was beating so hard in my chest that it hurt. When I was finally able to move again, I spun around

[00:33:11] and gazed out the open door. Nobody there. Just the pressing darkness slightly broken by the shimmer of the moon. I was dumbstruck. What the fuck was happening? Did I imagine it? I was shaking as I grabbed a jacket too aghast to notice which one I put on.

[00:33:37] I slowly stumbled out into the cold blackness of the night wearing a huge plastic raincoat. I didn't feel alert. There was no fight or flight kicking in. I just felt dazed and scared. I couldn't wrap my head around what had just happened.

[00:33:58] Could it have been some kind of auditory hallucination? My brain misinterpreting those animal sounds that I had heard earlier? I closed the door behind me and walked down the steps to the driveway. I wanted to keep walking but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly,

[00:34:16] terrifyingly wrong. I stopped and started scanning my surroundings. My body felt almost numb with fear as I looked up at the house then behind me and then to my sides. I turned around and then around again but I couldn't see anyone. I started to feel silly when suddenly

[00:34:42] the hairs on my arms and neck stood straight up and I heard a raspy voice whisper, leave now. We don't want you. Go. It felt like my heart stopped for a second and adrenaline spread through my entire body. I didn't know what else to do but abide.

[00:35:05] I started running. I ran like I've never ran before and I've never run since. I ran and ran until my lungs hurt and my muscles in my legs were burning. I didn't stop before I was back home. I flung the front door open, tripped on the doorframe

[00:35:25] and landed on my face. I managed to get back up on my feet to slam the door shut and lock it before crashing down onto the floor. My mom found me the next morning sitting with my back leaned against the door, blood all over my face.

[00:35:43] I had broken my nose in the fall and proceeded to pass out. I still punish myself for that to this day because if I hadn't passed out, if I had called the police, these things might have turned out very differently. I did however,

[00:35:59] get my mom to call them after she woke me up and ask them to check on Katrina and her mom. A couple of hours later, two officers came to talk to us. What they told us, it gave me nightmares for years.

[00:36:17] Katrina and her mom had both been dragged from their beds in the middle of the night and taken into the kitchen. It was there that they had been stabbed multiple times with a kitchen knife. I don't know why but this detail stuck with me.

[00:36:34] It was a very small kitchen knife. The police found the perpetrators about a week later. It turned out to be two members from the religious group Katrina and her mom were members of. The same group that I had attended with them several times.

[00:36:51] Maybe the killers didn't want me because I wasn't a member. I don't know. They never explained why they killed them or why they didn't kill me. I lost my only childhood friend that night and I can't help but feel I could have stopped it

[00:37:08] if it weren't for that stupid fall. It's been about 10 years now but I still wake up screaming some nights, picturing the gruesome acts that took place only minutes after. After I left their house. I never really talk about this but it feels good to write it down

[00:37:28] and get it out of my system in some way. Anyways, to the psycho-religious couple who killed my best friend, let's not meet. I'm sharing my story in hopes I might find healing in this traumatic event that has robbed me of my sense of safety

[00:37:57] and ability to sleep at night. It began about seven months ago. I went outside to put my work shoes on when I noticed they had disappeared from the shoe rack on our front porch. For some context, we live in a block of six units.

[00:38:13] Our unit is in the corner and is surrounded by homes on all sides. We also live in Australia where it is common to keep your shoes outside your home. You cannot see our shoe rack because there is a brick wall they sit behind.

[00:38:31] You also have to walk down a long driveway past the other units to get to our place in the corner. Now I don't live in the best neighborhood but we had been living here for three years prior without any incident and felt that our home

[00:38:49] was one of the safest ones despite its distance from the street and having a neighbor on every side. Anyways, my shoes went missing. Annoyed, I bought another pair and just didn't think much of it other than perhaps some asshole neighborhood kid had nothing better to do

[00:39:09] than steal some used shoes or even a stray dog might have taken them. Later, I go outside to put my work shoes on and they're missing again. My housemate also had a pair of Nikes taken. This again, annoying and my work shoes are comfy ones

[00:39:27] designed for long days on your feet so they cost about $120 per pair. So financially, this is costing me. I griped in frustration to my boyfriend who laughs at my suggestion of putting a camera on the front steps calling me paranoid and overreacting. I started keeping my shoes inside.

[00:39:52] Two months later, the shoe thief struck again. They stole my housemate's dirty work boots and my boyfriend's joggers. Getting fed up and also freaked out that someone could so brazenly come onto our doorstep I told my boyfriend enough was enough. We were getting a camera.

[00:40:14] We bought a $70 security camera that runs off our Wi-Fi. It records when it senses motion and has night vision as well. We kept one pair of bait boots on the doorstep to try and lure the person to the front steps in hopes of catching them on camera.

[00:40:34] I would check the camera footage obsessively every day for the first while but nothing unusual. On January 2nd, 2021 at 1130 in the morning I received a notification on my phone that the camera detected motion. I went back to the footage and saw a man creep into the frame.

[00:40:57] He stayed back from our steps but wandered around our yard careening his neck like he was trying to see if there were packages or something to steal on our steps. We know everyone who lives in our unit complex as well as their frequent visitors He looked suspicious

[00:41:17] and like he was trying to remain undetected. He stuck his head around the corner to see what was on the other side of our garage. He scurried away out the other side of the frame. When you are that far down the driveway and behaving like he did

[00:41:35] it was obvious that he was looking for something and that he did not belong. There is no reason for anyone to come down the driveway that far and live in our back units. I showed my boyfriend the footage and he agreed. This guy looked suspicious. I felt sick.

[00:41:54] Maybe it wasn't just shoes or packages he was after. Was he casing our house? Fast forward to this past week. It's Sunday night. My boyfriend and I were drinking wine in our living room and watching Jeopardy. I know we sound like a couple of old people

[00:42:14] but I love any kind of game show with trivia. It's about 10pm and we're finishing up our wine with the intention to shortly after head to bed. I hear the blinds in our bedroom rustle thinking it was just the wind and our window was open.

[00:42:33] I looked at my boyfriend and shrugged. We continued to watch Jeopardy. About 30 seconds later I hear the cans and bottles we have in the milk crates underneath our window for recycling begin to rattle. Something hit the metal door on our tiny utility shed.

[00:42:53] Thinking it was maybe a possum or a stray cat we both get up and my boyfriend heads to the back door. I hear a ping sound of something metal dropping to the ground as my boyfriend roars Get out of my yard you fuck!

[00:43:10] Get out of my yard you fucking junkie! and the clanging sound of someone going over our metal fence into the neighbor's yard. I rush outside as my boyfriend bends down to pick up what the intruder dropped. It was a knife. I yelled, Don't touch it! The prince!

[00:43:33] He used his t-shirt to pick it up. He puts it in the kitchen as mentally my head is swimming with adrenaline. I'm shaking. I go into our bedroom and that's when I see it. The screen to our window has a giant slit in it that wasn't there before.

[00:43:52] I feel sick to my stomach. Tears burn the surface of my eyes as I try to figure out what we should do. Call the cops, please! I say quietly. I'll speak to the neighbors. After speaking to the neighbors and the police, we sit around unable to sleep

[00:44:11] and continue to drink our wine to take the edge off. We figure the intruder saw our computers charging on the floor near the window and thought that they could grab it easily. The police said that they would send a patrol car around

[00:44:29] to keep an eye out for the man that my boyfriend described. It was quite vague as he was going over the fence. Forensics came by in the morning. Unfortunately, because we had windows open earlier in the evening in the living room, the blinds blocked our security camera

[00:44:50] and we didn't have any footage from the day. The man who dusted for prints let me watch the process. He showed me the knife where the person had gripped it and that they had been wearing gloves. There were further glove prints on the window frame

[00:45:07] and he showed me the man had likely tried to pry the screen out first before using the knife. He also told me our neighborhood had four other reported break-ins that night. He said another lady in a similar setup to ours was sleeping in her room when this gloved,

[00:45:28] knife-wielding creep sliced her window screen, crawled into her room and stole her handbag. She woke up to him standing next to her bed with her handbag. He then bolted out the open window. That made me feel ill. We also found out our neighbor's brand new car

[00:45:50] had been vandalized that same night scratched with a knife. Their dash cam caught minimal footage of the man who had been walking around and carved marks into their vehicle while lying on the ground. I sleep with a kitchen knife since the incident happened.

[00:46:14] I'm scared to be home alone and I'm sorry to say that I am behind on Let's Not Meet because I'm still so frightened by what happened and I'm worried other stories about other creeps will make my anxiety worse. I'm worried about the noise

[00:46:32] of someone trying to break in again. Clearly, whoever it was has no qualms about breaking in when people are obviously home and the lights are all on. It makes me feel like they wouldn't think twice about being violent with me to get what they wanted. By writing this,

[00:46:54] I hope to have some catharsis in relation to what happened by trying to own my own story and to have a window screen with a stronger one, gotten a security camera for the back and have security stickers on the windows. Under no circumstances is anyone allowed

[00:47:12] to leave the window open when no one is home and we keep wooden dowels in the window track to prevent anyone from coming in if we leave it open for fresh air. We locked all the windows we do not frequently use and I'm hoping that

[00:47:30] I can control my sense of security in my own home instead of my laptop. Let's Not Meet. If you find yourself wanting more episodes of Let's Not Meet a true horror podcast, look no further than our Patreon. Over there you're going to get exclusive half-hour bonus episodes

[00:48:18] of Let's Not Meet a true horror podcast every single week for a limited time. So head over to patreon.com forward slash Let's Not Meet podcast to support the show and get access today. Thank you for listening. This week you have heard Stoner's Intuition by Shaz Cross

[00:48:40] Like Something from a Horror Movie by listener Ty Intentions of a Future Convicted Murderer by listener Laura Failed Kidnapping by Adrian A Story by listener Nina And finally A Slicer by Kate All of the stories you've heard this week they were narrated and produced

[00:49:00] with the permission of their respective authors. Let's Not Meet a true horror podcast it's not associated with Reddit or any other message boards online. As always if you want to hear your story on the show send it over to letsnotmeetstories at gmail.com Thanks for listening everyone.

[00:49:18] I'll see you next week. Stay safe. Bye.