How Long Was He Watching Me?

I used to live in a townhouse (duplex) by myself with my dog and two cats near a train station. There were often commuters who park outside my place and pass by through the day and night. Occasionally I had cigarettes or stuff stolen from my front veranda. I even had my next door neighbours ex-boyfriend come to my door telling me he had a hitman after him and he had a gun. But none of this scared me like the night I was watched.

My dog lives indoors and I would take him out for a last wee before bed. My backyard light was broken and was up too high to change the bulb so I always took him out the front. That night, it was around 11pm and I took him out the front. It was a hot summer night and I was mindlessly standing on the footpath when I saw movement across the road from me. Out of nowhere a man had appeared and was walking diagonally across the street away from me. I thought it was odd because I hadn't seen him come from the other direction. I continued to think about it. Where he came from was from outside a house that was being renovated. I knew the owners weren't living there and thought maybe he was going to try steal stuff.

So I kept looking down the road to where he had gone. He had turned the corner down the next street. I kept watching and then I suddenly I see his head pop around the corner to see if I'm still outside. This gives me the absolute creeps so I grab my dog and go inside.

I turn off all my lights and go upstairs to my bedroom which is at the front of the townhouse and faces the street. I thought I would keep watch of my neighbour's house and call the police if he came back. I peer through my blinds which cover sliding doors coming off a small balcony. And like clockwork, I see a dark figure walk down from the corner and down my street. He's moving towards the house across the road and then I suddenly lose sight of him. A tree in front of my townhouse obscures my view for a moment. And then he is there. He's not just there, he has stopped at the top of my drive way. Standing there like fucking Jason Voorhees. I kid you not, his arms were out by his sides and legs apart in an unnatural stance. Like he was preparing for something. Like he wanted to come kill me.

My heart is racing so hard I can barely hear. And I'm standing there slack jawed looking at this would be assailant when one of my cats comes to see what's happening. My cat slides his body between the blinds and window further opening it and I see this person, this man looking up towards me. I'm thinking surely he sees me. If he does, this doesn't stop him. He starts walking down my driveway undeterred and fixated. I lose sight of him under the balcony and awning.

By this time, my eyes are watering in fear and tears are streaming down my face. I don't know what to do. I go sit on my bed. I pick up my mobile and dial my dad who lives a suburb away. He answers. I whisper to him what was happening and he said he will be there as soon as he can. I lie down in my bed and lie as still as I can. Tears rolling down my cheeks. Pure fear. Not knowing what this man was doing downstairs and if he could get in. What if I hadn't locked the doors?

And then it dawned on me, why I am lying here in the dark crying. Turn a light on. So I did. What seemed like a lifetime but was probably just a couple minutes later my dad arrived. He had an umbrella with him (I live in Australia so no guns but he could have at least brought a knife). I stayed on the phone with dad while he searched outside for the man. The man was gone. Maybe me turning on the light scared him off. I called the Police who said I should have called sooner. Of course I should have, I don't know why I didn't. They came out with a sniffer dog and didn't find him either.

Shady guy that was watching me for god knows how long, let's not meet again