[Music] I've always enjoyed late night walks there's something about the Stillness that makes everything feel simpler I'm a welder by trade been doing it for over 40 years now I live alone on a big farm just me and my dog Bosley the house is too large for one person but I never had the heart to downsize after my wife Maria passed away my kids moved out years ago and ever since cancer took her it's just been me and Bosley one night after a long day in the shop I decided to go for a walk my property is pretty big so just a single Loop is usually enough to satisfy my craving the air was cool and Bosley trotted along beside me sometimes I think he likes me more than I like him I've walked that Loop hundreds of times but as I was heading back toward the house something caught my eye I glanced up at the Second Story window the one that looks out from the bedroom Maria and I used to share for a split second I thought I saw something move I stopped dead in my tracks staring up at that window there was no reason anyone should be in there I hadn't been in that room in years couldn't bring myself to I felt my blood start to boil at the thought of some stranger breaking into my house I wasn't going to stand for that I rushed inside my heart racing and ran upstairs the room was empty just like I'd left it no sign of anything out of place I looked everywhere imaginable but found nothing yes I was pretty freaked out but I was more Angry than anything I didn't take this kind of thing lightly I figured I had just seen something that wasn't there I stood there for a while feeling foolish but I couldn't shake the feeling that something had been there the next night I woke up to Bosley growling he's a good dog never barks unless there's something to bark at I sat up in my bed listening that's when I heard creaking coming from upstairs it could have just been the sounds of my old house but my mind went directly to footsteps which were coming from right above me I'm sure you could guess which room is directly above mine I debated grabbing my hunting rifle from downstairs but didn't want to go that far if it came down to it I was fully confident that I could take whatever was up there hand to hand I grabbed my flashlight and went to check again nothing the room was exactly the same untouched my anger was definitely starting to turn into anxiety at this point something didn't feel right in the house the following night I came downstairs to find the kitchen lights on I know I turned them off before bed I don't leave lights on there was no question anymore someone was in my house I started to panic I called the police and told them I thought someone might be sneaking around they came out searched the house from top to bottom but found found nothing they were nice about it told me to call again if I needed them but I could tell they didn't believe me the next night was the worst by far I couldn't sleep so I decided to go upstairs and check the bedroom again I don't know why maybe I thought it would settle my mind but when I opened the door I froze there were clothes scattered all over the floor Maria's clothes I had packed them away after she died now they were everywhere something like this doesn't just happen randomly and then I saw her there was a woman standing in the doorway just staring at me I couldn't see her face clearly but I could tell she wasn't Maria she was too short I don't know who she was but she didn't belong there I had never been so afraid in my life without thinking I ran at her she turned and bolted down the stairs and out the front door by the time I got outside she was gone I searched the property with B but there was no trace of her I didn't sleep that night for months after that I couldn't sleep I was constantly on edge convinced I heard footsteps upstairs at night every little noise set me off I slept with my rifle next to my bed terrified that I'd have to use it one night every little noise set me off I debated calling my brother to come stay with me but I wasn't going to do that I was raised to always handle my own so that's what I did the nightmare didn't end though one night I was sitting in the living room when I noticed a figure standing in the yard looking straight at me through the window it was her again my heart felt like it stopped I grabbed my hunting rifle and ran outside Bosley close behind she was still there just a silhouette in the Moonlight watching me I fired a few warning shots into the air hoping to scare her off that was enough to get her to turn and run into the darkness but it's not like that made me feel any better I was literally being tormented by some random woman who was probably homeless I couldn't even imagine why this was happening to me I stood there for a long time waiting to see if she'd come back she never did I haven't seen her since but I know it's only a matter of time I'm fully prepared to defend myself but I don't think Living In Perpetual anxiety like this is sustainable thank God for Bosley I have no idea what I do without him I'll send an update if anything happens [Music] I work for a catering service which means I'm on the road a lot usually late at night I spend most of my time lugging stuff from place to place in this massive truck the company makes me drive it's not the worst job in the world but the hours suck and it's not at all what I thought I'd be doing with my life by the time I get home I'm either so Wired from caffeine that I can't sleep or I pass out the second I hit the bed and stay that way for 12 hours I was driving back home one night at like 2: a. m. it was nice to be driving my own car again as I was approaching my house I realized I had probably had one too many red bulls and there was no way I'd be able to sleep on top of that I hadn't eaten in hours and I was starving there's a McDonald's right off the highway about 10 minutes from my house it's usually My First Choice when it comes to late night snacks since it's just so convenient I'm not even one to Gorge myself on fast food I just occasionally get this weird craving that only a handful of fries can satisfy it's obviously 24/7 and I figured some comfort food would be the perfect thing to help me wind down I don't remember exactly what time it was but it was definitely after 2 by the time I pulled into the drive-thru there were a few cars ahead of me which I was actually kind of surprised by it's not like this McDonald's was a busy spot at 2: a.
m. on a Tuesday as I was sitting there impatiently I found myself staring off into space wondering what was taking so long that's when I noticed something strange there was an old beat up Volkswagen with its windows tinted backed into a spot in the very corner of the lot the McDonald's itself was only accepting drive-through orders at this hour so it didn't make sense why there'd be a car in the lot there were reserved spots on the other side for employees so it couldn't have been one of them I figured it was maybe just someone eating in their car which it probably was I myself did that from time to time so I guess I couldn't judge it was just an odd sight to be completely honest I got my food and started driving away I didn't want to go home just yet but I also didn't want to just sit there idling my car I began racking my brain trying to think of a good place to scarf down the food I live in a pretty Lush area so there's honestly a lot of options but I didn't want to beat around the bush too much considering how late it was there's a massive Nature Preserve literally down the street from my house it's situated on a mountain and is essentially just an enormous Forest the kicker is that there's a Scenic Lookout Point at the peak with a view of the city there's a road that loops around the perimeter of The Preserve and will take you right to the peak which is nice during the day after The Preserve closes though the road is inaccessible to cars but still a convenient path to get to the peak without having to walk through any woods I used to go there with my friends from high school all the time it was kind of a default spot when we wanted to be outside we'd hang out talk smoke or just appreciate the view I actually hadn't been there in a while because I was just so busy working all the time so I figured going there would deliver a much needed Nostalgia Rush when I got to The Preserve parking area it was completely empty I say parking area because it wasn't a traditional parking lot with spaces for cars but rather a big patch of gravel that veered off from one of the roads that ran past the preserve's Border like I said the actual preserve was closed meaning I'd have to walk all the way up to the lookout spot from outside before I could even turn off the engine I saw headlights pulling into the lot that was unsettling enough on its own who else would be here at 2: a. m.
