Stalked
Chapter 1
When my alarm sounds I want to throw it out the window. Why did I volunteer to work today? It's 4:30am and I need to start work at 5:30. I didn't exactly get the best sleep last night. I thought I heard noises, someone outside in my garden. It's been two weeks since I've had a feeling that someone is outside my house, while I sleep. I called my cousin Ben over, because I was too scared to be in here on my own. As I climb out of bed I stub my toe on my bedside table.
"Ow!" I curse out loud, turning on my lamp. I rub my foot, wishing the pain away. When my attention is finally away from my sore throbbing toe, I look at my bedside table. It's not where it usually is. It's been moved a little. Maybe it moved when I hit it, I think. No, it has definitely moved.
"Ben!" I shout. I half jog and limp to the spare bedroom, shaking Ben to get out of bed.
"Wha...what...what is it??" He mutters into his pillow.
"I think someone's been in.." I say, panicked. Ben sits up immediately, and stumbles out of bed following me into my bedroom.
"Look, my bedside table! It's been moved.. I didn't move it! I did hit my foot off it though, but I didn't move it!"
He stands with his hands hanging by his side, his eyes half open and half closed, his hair a curly mess, sighing.
"Amy.. You probably moved it when you hit your foot off it.."
"No, I didn't. The reason I hit it, was because its been moved! I never do that.." I moan as I point to the table.
Ben shakes his head and turns around slowly.
"Goodnight, Amy!" He snaps.
"But I heard noises last night, that's why I called you!" I snap but he doesn't listen. He just heads back to bed.
I curse under my breath as I move the table back.
I change, grab my camera kit and rush out the door. It's dark, and my porch light doesn't seem to be working. Strange, I think. I only changed the bulb last week. I suddenly feel the chills. I could swear that someone is watching me. I can't shake off the feeling. I quickly try to look for evidence, anything that looks like footprints. It's too dark, so I grab my camera from my bag and start taking pictures all around the garden. The camera flash lights up the garden as I snap away. I don't have time to look at the pictures, I can develop them later on at work. As I climb into my car, I hear a noise. I look towards my house. Something, someone just moved. Maybe I'm just imagining it.. I drive away quickly.
As I arrive at work I decide to grab a quick coffee from the 24 hour coffee shop across the street. I sit down with my coffee, tapping on my cup, wondering if I did actually see someone at my house. I decide to give Ben a quick call. As I do, a man walks in and asks for a strong coffee. He walks over to the table beside me, noticing that I'm watching him he gives me a quick smile, and takes paperwork from his briefcase, throwing it onto the table and sighing. Someone is working early too. He takes off his coat revealing a badge on his shirt, a police badge. Or an FBI badge, god my eyesight is terrible this early in the morning. Ben answers, distracting me from the policeman.
"What is it?" Ben asks, groggily.
"Ben.. It's Amy." I say.
"Yeah I figured. Caller ID Amy. What's up?"
"Have you heard anything since I left this morning?" I ask, worried. I bite on my nails, waiting for his answer.
"The only thing I've heard is peace and quiet since you aren't here to annoy me!" He teases.
"Yeah, I'm being serious.. Anything?" I ask.
"No, why?"
"I know you think I'm crazy but I am certain that I saw someone.. In my garden. Someone is there, I know it. How do you explain my table being moved.. Maybe someone has broke in."
"Someone has broken in and moved your table? Come on, Amy!" He snaps.
"Ben I'm being serious!! It can't be my imagination. I think there's someone outside, for a few weeks now at night. What should I do?" I ask.
"I think you need to take your meds. Stop being so paranoid!"
I rub my forehead and sigh. Maybe he's right, but I don't think I'm imagining it.
"You know what, thanks a lot for your help. You can go home now!" I snap and hang up the phone. I throw it onto the table and run my fingers through my hair.
Minutes pass and then I hear a a voice.
"Excuse me, miss?" I look over at the policeman. He is no longer looking at his files. He has turned in his chair, facing me.
"I'm sorry I couldn't help but overhear. Are you alright?" He asks. It feels so good that someone has asked me that question, am I alright? I don't answer him right away. His black shirt shows off his tanned olive skin. The bright light shines off his shiny brown hair, and his brown eyes study me with worry.
"Yes, I'm fine." I say, forcing a smile. "Just.. Paranoid, apparently." I joke. I look down at my coffee. The man stands, grabbing his stuff and sitting it on my table. He sits across from me.
"Am I being questioned?" I ask, teasing.
He laughs and looks at his badge.
"Off duty. Until.." He looks at his watch. "4:15.."
"Working early too, huh?" I ask.
"Yeah I kind of have to. What about you?"
"I volunteered.. I can barely function at this time." He smiles, and holds out his hand for me to shake.
"I'm Theo." I shake his hand, his soft warm hand.
"Amy."
"Ow!" I curse out loud, turning on my lamp. I rub my foot, wishing the pain away. When my attention is finally away from my sore throbbing toe, I look at my bedside table. It's not where it usually is. It's been moved a little. Maybe it moved when I hit it, I think. No, it has definitely moved.
"Ben!" I shout. I half jog and limp to the spare bedroom, shaking Ben to get out of bed.
"Wha...what...what is it??" He mutters into his pillow.
"I think someone's been in.." I say, panicked. Ben sits up immediately, and stumbles out of bed following me into my bedroom.
"Look, my bedside table! It's been moved.. I didn't move it! I did hit my foot off it though, but I didn't move it!"
He stands with his hands hanging by his side, his eyes half open and half closed, his hair a curly mess, sighing.
"Amy.. You probably moved it when you hit your foot off it.."
"No, I didn't. The reason I hit it, was because its been moved! I never do that.." I moan as I point to the table.
Ben shakes his head and turns around slowly.
"Goodnight, Amy!" He snaps.
"But I heard noises last night, that's why I called you!" I snap but he doesn't listen. He just heads back to bed.
I curse under my breath as I move the table back.
I change, grab my camera kit and rush out the door. It's dark, and my porch light doesn't seem to be working. Strange, I think. I only changed the bulb last week. I suddenly feel the chills. I could swear that someone is watching me. I can't shake off the feeling. I quickly try to look for evidence, anything that looks like footprints. It's too dark, so I grab my camera from my bag and start taking pictures all around the garden. The camera flash lights up the garden as I snap away. I don't have time to look at the pictures, I can develop them later on at work. As I climb into my car, I hear a noise. I look towards my house. Something, someone just moved. Maybe I'm just imagining it.. I drive away quickly.
As I arrive at work I decide to grab a quick coffee from the 24 hour coffee shop across the street. I sit down with my coffee, tapping on my cup, wondering if I did actually see someone at my house. I decide to give Ben a quick call. As I do, a man walks in and asks for a strong coffee. He walks over to the table beside me, noticing that I'm watching him he gives me a quick smile, and takes paperwork from his briefcase, throwing it onto the table and sighing. Someone is working early too. He takes off his coat revealing a badge on his shirt, a police badge. Or an FBI badge, god my eyesight is terrible this early in the morning. Ben answers, distracting me from the policeman.
"What is it?" Ben asks, groggily.
"Ben.. It's Amy." I say.
"Yeah I figured. Caller ID Amy. What's up?"
"Have you heard anything since I left this morning?" I ask, worried. I bite on my nails, waiting for his answer.
"The only thing I've heard is peace and quiet since you aren't here to annoy me!" He teases.
"Yeah, I'm being serious.. Anything?" I ask.
"No, why?"
"I know you think I'm crazy but I am certain that I saw someone.. In my garden. Someone is there, I know it. How do you explain my table being moved.. Maybe someone has broke in."
"Someone has broken in and moved your table? Come on, Amy!" He snaps.
"Ben I'm being serious!! It can't be my imagination. I think there's someone outside, for a few weeks now at night. What should I do?" I ask.
"I think you need to take your meds. Stop being so paranoid!"
I rub my forehead and sigh. Maybe he's right, but I don't think I'm imagining it.
"You know what, thanks a lot for your help. You can go home now!" I snap and hang up the phone. I throw it onto the table and run my fingers through my hair.
Minutes pass and then I hear a a voice.
"Excuse me, miss?" I look over at the policeman. He is no longer looking at his files. He has turned in his chair, facing me.
"I'm sorry I couldn't help but overhear. Are you alright?" He asks. It feels so good that someone has asked me that question, am I alright? I don't answer him right away. His black shirt shows off his tanned olive skin. The bright light shines off his shiny brown hair, and his brown eyes study me with worry.
"Yes, I'm fine." I say, forcing a smile. "Just.. Paranoid, apparently." I joke. I look down at my coffee. The man stands, grabbing his stuff and sitting it on my table. He sits across from me.
"Am I being questioned?" I ask, teasing.
He laughs and looks at his badge.
"Off duty. Until.." He looks at his watch. "4:15.."
"Working early too, huh?" I ask.
"Yeah I kind of have to. What about you?"
"I volunteered.. I can barely function at this time." He smiles, and holds out his hand for me to shake.
"I'm Theo." I shake his hand, his soft warm hand.
"Amy."