Chapter 5 Episode 5

My heart sank as I read the message. The stranger was relentless, and it seemed like he could reach me anywhere.

Sarah's eyes widened as she saw the look on my face. "What is it?" she asked, her voice trembling.

I showed her the message, and her expression turned grim. "We'll get through this, Emily," she said firmly. "We'll make sure you're safe."

But as we tried to come up with a plan, I couldn't shake the feeling that the stranger was always one step ahead. He seemed to know my every move, and I was starting to feel like a pawn in his twisted game.

Suddenly, Sarah's phone rang. She answered it, listened for a moment, and then handed it to me. "It's Detective James," she said.

I took the phone, my heart racing. "Detective James?"

"Emily, we've analyzed the package," she said. "It was sent from a public mailbox downtown. No surveillance cameras nearby. But there's something else."

"What is it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"The package contained a small note with a message. It said, 'I'm closer than you think.My blood ran cold as I heard the words. "I'm closer than you think." The stranger was taunting me, playing on my fears.

Detective James's voice was firm. "We'll increase the patrols around your friend's house, Emily. We'll do everything we can to keep you safe."

But I knew it wasn't just about physical safety. The stranger was invading my mind, making me question my own sanity. I felt like I was living in a nightmare, and I didn't know how to wake up.

As I handed the phone back to Sarah, I saw the fear in her eyes. She knew that the stranger was getting closer, and she was scared.

We tried to distract ourselves by watching TV, but my mind kept wandering back to the stranger. What did he want from me? Why was he doing this?

Suddenly, Sarah's phone rang again. She looked at the screen and frowned. "It's an unknown number," she said.

My heart skipped a beat. "Don't answer it," I whispered.

But it was too late. Sarah had already answered the call. And as she listened, her expression changed from curiosity to horror.

"What is it?" I mouthed, my heart racing.

Sarah's eyes locked onto mine, and she mouthed back, "He's outside.My blood ran cold as I heard the detective's words. "I'm closer than you think." The stranger was taunting me, playing on my fears.

I felt a chill run down my spine as I looked around Sarah's house. Was he watching me right now? Was he hiding in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike?

Detective James's voice brought me back to reality. "Emily, I want you to stay with Sarah for now. We'll increase patrols around the house and keep a close eye on things. But I also want you to think about anyone who might be doing this. Anyone who's been acting suspiciously or has a grudge against you."

I nodded, even though she couldn't see me. I would do anything to catch this person and put an end to the terror.

As I hung up the phone, Sarah looked at me with concern. "What did she say?"

I took a deep breath and told her about the note. Her expression turned pale, and she wrapped her arms around me tightly.

"We'll get through this, Emily," she whispered. "We'll keep you safe."

But as we hugged, I couldn't shake the feeling that the stranger was getting closer, and it was only a matter of time before he made his next move.Sarah's eyes were wide with fear as she whispered, "He's outside." She listened to the phone for another moment, then hung up. "He didn't say anything," she said, her voice trembling. "Just breathing. Heavy breathing."

I felt a wave of terror wash over me. The stranger was outside, watching us. I looked around the room, feeling like I was trapped in a nightmare.

Sarah grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the back room. "Let's get away from the windows," she whispered.

We huddled together, listening for any sound that might indicate the stranger's presence. But there was nothing. Just silence.

Suddenly, Sarah's phone buzzed again. Another text from the same unknown number. "Let me in."

My heart racing, I looked at Sarah. "What do we do?"

Sarah's face was pale. "We don't answer it," she said firmly. "We call the police."

But as we dialed 911, I heard a knock at the door. A soft, deliberate knock. The stranger was here.My heart stopped as I heard the knock. Sarah's eyes met mine, and we both froze. The 911 operator's voice came through the phone, asking for our location and what was happening.

Sarah's voice was shaking as she whispered, "There's someone at the door. We think it's him."

The operator's voice remained calm and reassuring. "Help is on the way. Stay on the line and don't open the door."

I nodded, even though she couldn't see me. Sarah and I exchanged a terrified glance. The knocking started again, this time more insistent.

"Emily," a low voice called out. "I know you're in there."

My blood ran cold. The stranger knew my name. He knew I was hiding.

The knocking grew louder, more aggressive. Sarah and I backed away from the door, our hearts racing. The operator's voice continued to reassure us that help was coming, but I wasn't sure if it would arrive in time.

And then, the knocking stopped. The silence was even more terrifying. What was he waiting for? What was he planning?The silence was oppressive, like a physical weight pressing down on us. Sarah and I huddled together, our ears straining to hear any sound.

And then, a faint scratching noise came from the door. It was soft at first, but grew louder and more insistent. The stranger was writing something on the door.

Sarah's eyes met mine, filled with fear. "What is he doing?" she whispered.

I shook my head, my heart racing. The scratching stopped, and a moment later, I saw the words scrawled on the door in bold letters: "Let me in, Emily".

The operator's voice came through the phone again, her tone urgent. "Emily, help is almost there. Just hold on."

But as I stared at the words on the door, I felt a creeping sense of dread. The stranger was getting more and more desperate. What would he do when he got in?

Suddenly, I heard the sound of sirens in the distance. The stranger's head jerked up, and I saw a shadowy figure moving away from the door.

The police had arrived. But would they be too late?The sirens grew louder, and the flashing lights illuminated the windows. The stranger's figure disappeared into the darkness as the police cars screeched to a halt outside.

Sarah and I breathed a sigh of relief as the police officers rushed to the door. One of them, a tall, imposing figure, knocked on the door and called out, "Police! We're here to help!"

I nodded, still shaking, and Sarah opened the door to let them in. The officers swept into the house, securing the area and checking for any signs of the stranger.

One of the officers, a kind-faced woman, approached us and asked if we were okay. I nodded, still trying to process what had just happened.

The officer's expression was sympathetic. "We'll take you to a safe place," she said. "But first, we need to get a statement from you."

As we sat down to give our statement, I couldn't shake the feeling that the stranger was still out there, watching and waiting. And I knew that this was far from over.

The officer's voice was gentle as she asked me questions about the stranger and his behavior. I answered as best I could, trying to provide any details that might help catch him.

But as I looked around the room, I saw something that made my blood run cold. A small piece of paper on the floor, with a message scrawled on it: "This isn't over.The sirens grew louder, and the flashing lights illuminated the windows. The stranger's shadowy figure disappeared from view, and I let out a breath of relief.

Sarah and I huddled together, waiting for the police to enter the house. The 911 operator's voice came through the phone again, reassuring us that the officers were outside.

The door burst open, and uniformed officers rushed in, guns drawn. "Police! Clear!"

One of the officers approached us, holstering his gun. "Ma'am, are you okay?" he asked Sarah.

Sarah nodded, still shaken. "Y-yes, we're okay."

The officer turned to me. "Emily, can you tell us what happened?"

I took a deep breath, trying to process the events of the night. "He was outside," I said, my voice shaking. "He knew my name. He...he wrote on the door."

The officer's expression turned grim. "We'll take a statement from you, but first, let's make sure the area is secure."

As the officers began to search the perimeter, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. The police were here, and they would protect us.

But as I looked around the room, I couldn't shake the feeling that the stranger was still out there, watching and waiting. And I knew that this was far from over.