My parents have told me a million times to never walk at night even if someone is with you, I never listened and I should have. I regret not listening to them I really do, and let me tell you why.
It was around late September and I had just turned 18 a few months before, so I got a bit more leeway than I used to. I had to run to town because my best friend, Alice, needed my help. At the time, I couldn’t drive so of course I had to walk. So, after I finished dinner, around 8 or so, I headed out. As I walked up there I felt a little uncomfortable, like something was going to go wrong, it was the same way I had felt after I woke up from my nightmare the night before.
I ignored the gut feeling I had that was telling me to just go home. I kept walking and the feeling just kept getting worse. It was freaking me out so I just gave it and ran the rest of the way to where I was meeting Alice. I finally got there and turned around and in the spot I had just run from was a man just staring at me it looked like he was wearing a strange outfit. I had shook my head thinking that it was a trick of the mind, and when I had looked back again and he wasn’t there, so I continued walking over to the bench.
“Are you ok you look a bit pale?” I answered that I was fine and had just watched a scary movie before I came up. She believed my lie but I felt bad I never liked lying to her, but I didn’t want her to freak out. So, we talked about what had brought me up there in the first place, her mother.
As it turns, out she had kicked her out after finding out she was pregnant and that the baby’s father had left her for his previous girlfriend. She was so upset so I had her call my mom whom has taken her in before, Alice is like another daughter to her so I was sure she would let her. After that, we decided to walk back to her house to grab her stuff so she could move in with my mom. Luckily her mother decided to let us in, it might’ve been because she knew I would chew her out. We hurried to her room to gather all her essentials and whatever she might have wanted to take with her. Meanwhile her mother was in there mumbling something that sounded like “Pregnant at 19 absurd not my daughter.” I couldn’t quite tell. After we were done packing her stuff my mom called and said that she would be there soon so I asked Alice if she would be fine on her own until mom got there, she replied with a yes. I had finally left her house after I reassured her many times that I would be ok on my own I always am, I had forgot all about that man until I had made it a couple blocks away. I shrugged it off after all it was only a pigment of my imagination. But as I rounded the corner I ran into something “It’s a bit late for pretty girls like you to be out” said a creepy voice. “I’m-” I cut myself off as I had looked at the person I had run into. I froze, it was that man the same man I had thought I seen earlier. Although I had been right with the clothes now that I had gotten a good look at him I realized he really was dressed in strange clothes. I shook in my spot because I was terrified of clowns and there had been a killer clown rage going on which spiked my fear even more. “Are you going home Olyvia? I could give you a ride if you want. Or perhaps…” He trailed off. And at that moment all the cells in my body screamed at me to run, to get away, how did this guy know my name? Then I ran and he lunged for me, being a larger girl I didn’t make it far before he caught up with me. He grabbed me and started to drag me away “Let’s go to the dark carnival!” he screamed as I was screaming at him to let me go. I don’t know how I didn’t wake anyone up, or if I did why they didn’t intervene I guess they didn’t care.
As he dragged me around the corner I noticed something, it was a giant rock. He was still screaming about going to the dark carnival he really wasn’t screaming any more though, it’s like he was chanting just over and over. So, while he was distracted I yanked free and picked up the rock and bashed him in the head with it. He fell to the ground groaning and that’s when I took my chance and ran. I pulled out my phone and tried to call my boyfriend, my dad, the cops I didn’t care if it got me out of there but the battery screen started blinking. I had forgot to charge it before I left the house, realizing my mistakes I started to cry. I didn’t know if I would make it home alive or if I would ever see any of my loved ones again and it hurt so bad. The thought, it was unbearable, I live for my family I would do anything to protect them and I still wanted to live for my family, to be there when my little sisters get their heart broken or when they walk down the aisle. To be there when my brother does finally enter the armed forced to be an engineer like he’s always dreamed of. I had to get out of there I wanted to see them so bad to hold them, and not get killed by a psychotic clown just because I was stupid for walking alone at night. I picked up the pace and looked back. He was getting up and he looked mad “I'm coming for you!~” I quickly turned the corner and hightailed it to the nearest McDonalds. I mean yes, I could have run into one of the few houses in that area, but why? Why take the possibility of getting them and their families killed or kidnapped? I wasn’t going to do that. I heard footsteps, and I knew he was coming after me. After what felt like forever I finally seen the famous golden arch come into view and I was getting a bit of hope but I was also out of breath and my lungs burned, I couldn’t go on much longer, but I pushed myself I was almost there my safe haven was in sight and I wasn’t going to let anything stop me from getting there. I finally made it to the doors and looked back he was just standing there at the end of the street, he knew he had lost. After I realized he wasn’t going to chase me anymore I took the chance and caught my breath before heading inside. I walked up to the counter and asked them if they had a phone I could use. I guess I didn’t look very pleasant because they had asked me if I was ok so I responded “no I just had a fucking mad man chasing me for blocks and I almost didn’t make it so please can I use your phone I would like to go home now.” After that I had called my dad and had him come get me, when he got there he asked why I was all the way across town and not at my normal pick up spot. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him so I lied, I don’t remember what I said that day but he bought it and took me home.
It was later that night when I finally calmed down enough to finally go to sleep. I woke up the next afternoon thinking it was all a dream but that thought didn’t prepare me in the least for what was to come. “Lyv, you have a guest they say they know you.” my dad had called. So, I went downstairs and there in the living room was a man, he looked young but not that young. Apparently young enough to fool my dad though. “Are you ready to go?” he asked. “What? Go where?”
“You going somewhere Lyv?”
“Not that I know of. Go where?” I asked the man. He was silent for a moment then he smiled and said “To the dark carnival of course!” like we were going on vacation and he was the excited child. He lunged and I screamed and screamed and finally my dad got the hint to call the cops. They arrived shortly and apprehended him all while he was saying things along the line of “I was just joking” and “I didn’t mean any harm.” “I just wanted to scare her!” The officer had then asked me what had happened so I told him everything that happened even what had happened the night before. My dad was shocked and hurt that I didn’t tell him but he understood I guess. After that was all over I thought to myself
“He knew where I lived he could have come at any point in the middle of the night and killed or taken me and yet he took the time to follow and chase me all over town. It was a game to him he was a cat and I was the mouse and he was just playing with his food before he ate.” The thought sent shivers down my spine thank God that he’s going to be locked up for a long time.
That ends this story here my stalker did get time in prison so I’m not worried anymore I mean if he ever gets out I won’t be living in this town anymore and I have learned how to protect myself. That’s what’d I’d like to say at least but that’s far from the truth.
