WEBVTT

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<v Speaker 1>I was ten years old when it happened, and it's

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<v Speaker 1>a night i'll never forget. My parents had rushed to

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<v Speaker 1>the hospital around midnight.

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<v Speaker 2>My mom was in labor and it was.

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<v Speaker 1>Time for my little sister to be born. I remember

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<v Speaker 1>the excitement and nervousness in the air as they scrambled

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<v Speaker 1>together everything they needed.

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<v Speaker 2>My mom was calm, but.

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<v Speaker 1>I could see the tension in my dad's face as

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<v Speaker 1>he tried to keep things under control. Before they left,

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<v Speaker 1>my dad knelt down to my level, placing his hands

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<v Speaker 1>on my shoulders. You're going to be fine, buddy, he said,

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<v Speaker 1>his voice steady, but with a hint of urgency. We'll

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<v Speaker 1>be back as soon as we can. Just stay inside,

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<v Speaker 1>lock the doors, and don't answer the phone unless it's us.

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<v Speaker 1>You're in charge, okay, I nodded, trying to mirror his calmness.

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<v Speaker 1>I wasn't scared, at least that's what I told myself.

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<v Speaker 1>I was excited.

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<v Speaker 2>Actually.

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<v Speaker 1>It was the first time i'd be home alone at night,

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<v Speaker 1>and I felt grown up, ready to prove that I

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<v Speaker 1>could handle it. As they drove off, I stood by

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<v Speaker 1>the window, watching the tail the lights of their car

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<v Speaker 1>fade into the darkness. The house felt different without them there, bigger, emptier,

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<v Speaker 1>but I wasn't afraid. I had my favorite movie queued up,

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<v Speaker 1>a bag of chips, and a can of soda. It

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<v Speaker 1>was going to be a fun night, or so I thought.

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<v Speaker 1>It was around one am when I started to feel uneasy.

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<v Speaker 1>The movie had just ended and the house was dead, silent.

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<v Speaker 1>I remember thinking how strange it was that a house

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<v Speaker 1>could feel so empty, so still, as if it was

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<v Speaker 1>holding its breath. I got up to turn off the TV,

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<v Speaker 1>the remote heavy in my hand. As I crossed the

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<v Speaker 1>living room, I caught a glimpse of something out of

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<v Speaker 1>the corner of my eye, movement just outside the front door.

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<v Speaker 2>I froze, my heart, skipping a beat.

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<v Speaker 1>I told myself it was probably nothing, maybe a car

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<v Speaker 1>driving by the headlights casting shadows on the porch. But

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<v Speaker 1>when I looked closer, I realized the shadow wasn't from

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<v Speaker 1>a car. It was a person. I couldn't see them clearly,

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<v Speaker 1>just the faint outline of a figure standing outside, barely

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<v Speaker 1>visible through the frosted.

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<v Speaker 2>Glass of the front door.

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<v Speaker 1>They were tall, their shoulders hunched as if they were

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<v Speaker 1>trying to stay out of sight. I stood there for

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<v Speaker 1>what felt like an eternity, my mind racing who could

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<v Speaker 1>it be? My parents weren't supposed to be back yet,

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<v Speaker 1>and they had the only other key. No one else

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<v Speaker 1>knew I was home alone, at least no one who

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<v Speaker 1>should have known. Then slowly the door knob began to turn.

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<v Speaker 1>My breath caught in my throat as I watched the

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<v Speaker 1>handle twist back and forth, the faint rattle of metal

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<v Speaker 1>against metal filling the silence. Whoever it was they were

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<v Speaker 1>trying to get in. Panic surged through me, and I

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<v Speaker 1>bolted for the hallway, my bare feet slapping against the

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<v Speaker 1>hardwood floor. I knew I had to hide, but where

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<v Speaker 1>my room felt too obvious, too easy to find.

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<v Speaker 2>The closets were too small, too cramped.

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<v Speaker 1>But there was one place I knew they wouldn't think

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<v Speaker 1>to check, the hall closet. The hall closet was narrow,

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<v Speaker 1>just wide enough for coats and shoes, with a small

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<v Speaker 1>shelf above for storage. I had hidden there during hide

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<v Speaker 1>and seek games with my friends before, and no one

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<v Speaker 1>had ever found me. It was cramped and the smell

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<v Speaker 1>of old leather and mothballs filled the air, but it

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<v Speaker 1>was my best option. I squeezed myself inside pulling the

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<v Speaker 1>door shut as quietly as I could. My heart was

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<v Speaker 1>pounding in my chest, so loud that I was sure

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<v Speaker 1>whoever was outside could hear it. I pressed myself against

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<v Speaker 1>the wall, trying to make myself as small as possible,

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<v Speaker 1>my eyes fixed on the sliver of light that seeped

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<v Speaker 1>through the crack in the door. I waited, every muscle

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<v Speaker 1>in my body tense, my ears straining for any sound.

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<v Speaker 1>For a moment, there was nothing, just silence, thick and oppressive,

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<v Speaker 1>like the whole world had stopped moving. I started to

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<v Speaker 1>hope that maybe the person had left, that they had

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<v Speaker 1>given up and walked away. But then I heard the

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<v Speaker 1>creak of the front door opening. I bit down on

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<v Speaker 1>my lip to keep from gasping, my body trembling with

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<v Speaker 1>fear the intruder was inside the house. The sound of

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<v Speaker 1>footsteps followed, slow, deliberate, as if they were taking their time.

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<v Speaker 1>The footsteps echoed through the hallway, growing louder as they

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<v Speaker 1>approached the living room. I could hear the soft thud

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<v Speaker 1>of something heavy being set down, followed by the faint

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<v Speaker 1>rustle of fabric. Whoever it was, they weren't alone. I

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<v Speaker 1>could hear low voices speaking in hushed tones. Though I

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<v Speaker 1>couldn't make out what they were saying, my mind raced

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<v Speaker 1>with possibilities burglars, kidnappers, worse. I squeezed my eyes shut,

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<v Speaker 1>trying to block out the terror.

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<v Speaker 2>That was threatening to overwhelm me.

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't dare move, didn't dare breathe too loudly, afraid

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<v Speaker 1>that even the slightest noise would give me away. And

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<v Speaker 1>then the voices stopped. I opened my eyes, my breath

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<v Speaker 1>hitching in my throat as I listened. The footsteps were

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<v Speaker 1>moving again, this time heading down the hallway toward me.

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<v Speaker 1>The sound of footsteps grew closer, each step sending a

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<v Speaker 1>jolt of fear through my body. I could see the

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<v Speaker 1>shadow of someone moving just outside the closet door, outline

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<v Speaker 1>barely visible through the crack. I held my breath, praying

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<v Speaker 1>they wouldn't find me. But then the closet door began

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<v Speaker 1>to open. I bit down on my lips so hard

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<v Speaker 1>that I tasted blood, my heart hammering in my chest.

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<v Speaker 1>As the door creaked open inch by inch, I tried

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<v Speaker 1>to make myself as small as possible, pressing myself against

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<v Speaker 1>the back wall, hoping that the darkness would hide me.

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<v Speaker 1>The door stopped halfway open, and for a moment, nothing happened.

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<v Speaker 1>I could hear the intruders breathing, slow and steady, just

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<v Speaker 1>inches away from me. My mind raced with possibilities. What

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<v Speaker 1>would they do if they found me? Would they hurt

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<v Speaker 1>me worse? But then the door suddenly slammed shut. I

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<v Speaker 1>nearly jumped out of my skin, my heart pounding so

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<v Speaker 1>hard I thought it might burst. I could hear the

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<v Speaker 1>intruder moving away. Their footsteps were treating down the hallway.

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<v Speaker 1>I stayed hidden, too scared to move, listening as the

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<v Speaker 1>footsteps grew fainter and fainter, until finally.

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<v Speaker 2>They were gone. But I knew better than to come out.

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<v Speaker 1>The intruders were still in the house, and I couldn't

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<v Speaker 1>risk being seen.

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<v Speaker 2>I could hear them moving around.

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<v Speaker 1>Opening drawers, rifling through cabinets, their voices low and tense.

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<v Speaker 1>They were looking for something, money, valuables, anything they could take.

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<v Speaker 1>I heard one of them curse under their breath, frustrated

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<v Speaker 1>at not finding what they were looking for. The minutes

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<v Speaker 1>dragged on, each one, feeling like an eternity. I wanted

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<v Speaker 1>to cry, to scream, but I knew I had to

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<v Speaker 1>stay quiet. I was alone, and no one was coming

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<v Speaker 1>to help me. Finally, after what felt like hours, I

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<v Speaker 1>heard the front door creak open again. The intruders were leaving.

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<v Speaker 1>I stayed in the closet, my body trembling, waiting until I.

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<v Speaker 2>Was sure they were gone.

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't dare move until I heard the sound of

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<v Speaker 1>a car engine starting outside, followed by the screech of

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<v Speaker 1>tires on the pavement, and then silence. I didn't come

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<v Speaker 1>out of the closet right away. I was too scared,

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<v Speaker 1>too shaken by what had just happened. I kept expecting

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<v Speaker 1>the intruders tours to come back, to realize they had

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<v Speaker 1>missed something and returned to finish what they had started.

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<v Speaker 2>But they didn't.

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<v Speaker 1>When I finally gathered the courage to leave my hiding place,

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<v Speaker 1>the house was eerily quiet. The living room was a mess,

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<v Speaker 1>Cushions thrown off the couch, drawers pulled out and emptied

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<v Speaker 1>onto the floor, papers scattered everywhere. They had taken anything

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<v Speaker 1>valuable they could find, jewelry, electronics, even the cash my

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<v Speaker 1>parents kept in the kitchen drawer. I wandered through the

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<v Speaker 1>house in a daze, the fear still gripping me, but

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<v Speaker 1>a new emotion, creeping in anger. They had invaded my home,

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<v Speaker 1>my safe place, and there was nothing I could do

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<v Speaker 1>about it. I found the phone on the floor where

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<v Speaker 1>they had tossed it after cutting the line. My hands

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<v Speaker 1>were shaking as I dialed nine to one to one,

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<v Speaker 1>my voice barely steady as I told the operator what

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<v Speaker 1>had happened. The police arrived quickly, their flashing lights casting

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<v Speaker 1>an eerie glow on the walls as they searched the

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<v Speaker 1>house and took my statement. I told them everything I

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<v Speaker 1>could remember, the shadows, the voices, the way they had

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<v Speaker 1>searched the house, like they knew exactly what they were

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<v Speaker 1>looking for. But when it was all over and the

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<v Speaker 1>police had left, I was alone again. The house felt different,

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<v Speaker 1>now no longer a place of safety, but a place

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<v Speaker 1>where bad things could happen, a place where strangers could walk.

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<v Speaker 2>Right in and take whatever they wanted. My parents came

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<v Speaker 2>home the.

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<v Speaker 1>Next morning, exhausted but ecstatic after the birth of my sister,

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<v Speaker 1>but their joy turned to horror when they saw the

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<v Speaker 1>state of the house and heard what had happened. My

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<v Speaker 1>dad held me tightly, his hands trembling as he apologized

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<v Speaker 1>over and over.

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<v Speaker 2>For leaving me alone.

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<v Speaker 1>My mom cried, her tears falling onto my hair as

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<v Speaker 1>she hugged me. But the damage was done. The intruders

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<v Speaker 1>were gone, and they had taken more than just our valuables.

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<v Speaker 1>They had taken my sense of safety, my belief that

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<v Speaker 1>my home was a place where nothing bad could happen.

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<v Speaker 1>For weeks after, I couldn't sleep. Every noise made me jump,

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<v Speaker 1>every shadow made me shiver with fear. I kept expecting

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<v Speaker 1>the intruders to come back to finish what they had started,

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<v Speaker 1>but they never did. It's a reminder that no place

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<v Speaker 1>is truly safe. It was supposed to be a chill night.

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<v Speaker 1>My parents had gone out for a dinner party, leaving

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<v Speaker 1>me home alone for the first time in what felt

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<v Speaker 1>like forever. I was a teenager, finally trusted enough to

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<v Speaker 1>hold down the fort by myself, and I was looking

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<v Speaker 1>forward to it. No siblings to bother me, no parents

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<v Speaker 1>telling me to turn off the TV or do my homework,

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<v Speaker 1>just me, a bowl of popcorn and hours of uninterrupted

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<v Speaker 1>video games. The house was quiet, the kind of quiet

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<v Speaker 1>that only comes when everyone else is gone. It was

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<v Speaker 1>comforting at first, a peaceful kind of silence that made

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<v Speaker 1>the whole place feel like it was truly mine. I

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<v Speaker 1>settled into my favor spot on the couch, the game

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<v Speaker 1>controller in hand, and lost myself in the pixelated world

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<v Speaker 1>on the screen.

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<v Speaker 2>But as the hours ticked by, that silence started to

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<v Speaker 2>feel different.

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<v Speaker 1>The clock on the wall ticked louder, the hum of

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<v Speaker 1>the refrigerator in the kitchen became more pronounced, and every

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<v Speaker 1>little noise of the house made me pause, my heart

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<v Speaker 1>skipping a beat. I told myself it was nothing. Old

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<v Speaker 1>houses make noise, and I was just being paranoid. Besides,

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<v Speaker 1>I was having fun and I wasn't about to let

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<v Speaker 1>a few creaky floorboards ruin my night. But then, just

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<v Speaker 1>as I was about to finish a particularly tough level,

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<v Speaker 1>something caught my eye movement outside the window. At first,

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<v Speaker 1>I thought it was just the reflection of the game

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<v Speaker 1>on the glass, a trick of the light that made

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<v Speaker 1>it look like something.

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<v Speaker 2>Was moving outside.

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<v Speaker 1>But when I glanced over, I saw it clearly a

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<v Speaker 1>figure sitting on the deck. My heart skipped a beat,

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<v Speaker 1>and I felt a cold sweat break out on the

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<v Speaker 1>back of my neck. The deck was right outside the

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<v Speaker 1>living room window, visible from where I was sitting, but

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<v Speaker 1>the figure was positioned so that I couldn't see their face,

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<v Speaker 1>just the outline of their body, hunched over, almost as

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<v Speaker 1>if they were waiting for something. I paused the game,

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<v Speaker 1>my hands suddenly clammy around the controller. I squinted, trying

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<v Speaker 1>to make out who it was. Maybe it was one

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<v Speaker 1>of my friends playing a prank on me, or a

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<v Speaker 1>neighbor who had wandered over. But then as I watched,

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<v Speaker 1>the figure turned slightly and I caught a glimpse of

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<v Speaker 1>their face. It wasn't anyone I knew. I froze, my

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<v Speaker 1>mind racing as I tried to process what I was seeing.

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<v Speaker 1>The figure was a man older than me, probably in

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<v Speaker 1>his late thirties or early forties. He had short, dark

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<v Speaker 1>hair and was wearing a plane hoodie. The hood pulled

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<v Speaker 1>up to obscure most of his face, but what I

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<v Speaker 1>could see was enough to send a chill down my spine.

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<v Speaker 1>He was smiling, not a friendly smile, but a wide,

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<v Speaker 1>unsettling grin that stretched across his face, as if he

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<v Speaker 1>found something incredibly amusing. His eyes were fixed on the house,

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<v Speaker 1>but they didn't seem to focus on anything in particular,

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<v Speaker 1>just staring unblinking. I swallowed hard. My pulse quickening. This

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<v Speaker 1>wasn't normal. Whoever this guy was, he wasn't supposed to

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<v Speaker 1>be here. I considered going outside, confronting him, but something

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<v Speaker 1>held me back. There was something about the way he

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<v Speaker 1>was sitting there, so still, so silent, that made me

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<v Speaker 1>feel like I shouldn't get any closer. Instead, I stood up, slowly,

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<v Speaker 1>trying not to make any noise, and move to the

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<v Speaker 1>window for a better look. The man didn't react, didn't

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<v Speaker 1>even seem to notice me. He just kept staring ahead,

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<v Speaker 1>that eerie grin, never leaving his face. And then he

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<v Speaker 1>started to laugh. It was a strange laugh, barely audible

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<v Speaker 1>through the glass, but I could see his shoulders shaking,

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<v Speaker 1>his chest rising and falling with silent chuckles. There was

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<v Speaker 1>no sound, just the movement, like he was laughing at

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<v Speaker 1>a joke only he could hear. I felt a wave

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<v Speaker 1>of nausea roll over me. This wasn't just some random guy.

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<v Speaker 1>It was someone who clearly wasn't right in the head,

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<v Speaker 1>and he was sitting on my deck laughing to himself.

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<v Speaker 1>I took a step back, my mind racing with what

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<v Speaker 1>to do next. My parents weren't going to be home

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<v Speaker 1>for hours, and I didn't want to call them and

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<v Speaker 1>freak them out unless it was absolutely necessary.

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<v Speaker 2>But I couldn't just ignore this either.

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<v Speaker 1>I decided to lock the doors, at least, that way,

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<v Speaker 1>if he tried to come inside.

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<v Speaker 2>He wouldn't be able to get in.

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<v Speaker 1>I moved quickly, trying to stay as quiet as possible.

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<v Speaker 1>I locked the front door, then the back door, making

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<v Speaker 1>sure every window was securely shut. The whole time, I

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<v Speaker 1>could feel the man's presence on the deck, that silent

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<v Speaker 1>laughter echoing in my mind. But when I returned to

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<v Speaker 1>the living room to check the sliding glass door that

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<v Speaker 1>led to the deck, my heart nearly stopped. The man

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<v Speaker 1>was standing right up against the glass, his face inches

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<v Speaker 1>from the door. I stumbled back, nearly tripping over the

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<v Speaker 1>coffee table. As I scrambled away from the door, the

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00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:04.559
<v Speaker 1>man was still grinning, his hands pressed flat against the glass,

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<v Speaker 1>his breath fogging up the window. I could see him

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<v Speaker 1>more clearly now, the pale, sickly tone of his skin,

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<v Speaker 1>the dark circles under his eyes, and that grin. It

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00:14:14.879 --> 00:14:17.480
<v Speaker 1>was like he was enjoying this, like he knew exactly

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<v Speaker 1>how terrified I was and was relishing every second of it.

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<v Speaker 1>I wanted to scream to call for help, but my

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00:14:23.759 --> 00:14:27.440
<v Speaker 1>voice caught in my throat. Instead. I backed away, my

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<v Speaker 1>heart pounding in my chest, trying to put as much

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<v Speaker 1>distance between myself and that door as possible.

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<v Speaker 2>The man didn't move.

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<v Speaker 1>He just stood there, watching me, his eyes tracking my

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<v Speaker 1>every step, and then, without warning, he reached for the

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<v Speaker 1>door handle. My breath hitched as I realized what he

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<v Speaker 1>was trying to do. He was going to come inside.

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<v Speaker 1>I bolted for the door, reaching it just as the

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<v Speaker 1>handle started to turn. I yanked it back, locking it

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<v Speaker 1>with trembling hands, just as the man pulled on the

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<v Speaker 1>handle from the other side.

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<v Speaker 2>For a moment, we were.

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<v Speaker 1>Face to face, separate only by the thin pane of glass.

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<v Speaker 1>I could see the amusement in his eyes, the twisted

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00:15:05.200 --> 00:15:08.519
<v Speaker 1>pleasure he was getting out of this. He tugged on

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00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:11.759
<v Speaker 1>the door again, harder this time, but it held firm.

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00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:14.759
<v Speaker 1>I stepped back, my mind racing what was he going

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<v Speaker 1>to do next? Would he try to break the glass?

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<v Speaker 1>Was he armed? I didn't know, and the uncertainty was

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00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:24.480
<v Speaker 1>almost worse than anything else. But then, to my surprise,

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00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:27.279
<v Speaker 1>the man let go of the handle. He stepped back,

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00:15:27.320 --> 00:15:30.279
<v Speaker 1>his grin widening as he tapped the glass with his finger,

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<v Speaker 1>like he was playing some kind of game, and then

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<v Speaker 1>he laughed again, a soundless, eerie laugh that made my

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<v Speaker 1>skin crawl.

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<v Speaker 2>I couldn't take it anymore.

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<v Speaker 1>I ran to my room, slamming the door behind me

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00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:45.720
<v Speaker 1>and locking it, my heart pounding in my chest. I

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00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:48.600
<v Speaker 1>grabbed my phone, my hands shaking as I dialed nine

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00:15:48.639 --> 00:15:51.679
<v Speaker 1>to one one. The operator's calm voice was a stark

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00:15:51.720 --> 00:15:54.919
<v Speaker 1>contrast to the panic I felt. I tried to explain

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00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:57.200
<v Speaker 1>what was happening, but my words came out in a rush,

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00:15:57.279 --> 00:16:01.679
<v Speaker 1>almost incoherent. There's a man on my deck trying to

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00:16:01.679 --> 00:16:05.759
<v Speaker 1>get inside. He's just standing there, laughing. The operator assured

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<v Speaker 1>me that the police were on their way, but it

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00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:08.919
<v Speaker 1>felt like an eternity.

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00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:11.159
<v Speaker 2>Before I heard the distant wail of sirens.

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00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:14.360
<v Speaker 1>I stayed on the phone, my eyes glued to the

314
00:16:14.360 --> 00:16:19.039
<v Speaker 1>crack under the door, half expecting to see shadows moving outside.

315
00:16:19.080 --> 00:16:22.519
<v Speaker 1>My mind raced with worst case scenarios. What if the

316
00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:25.720
<v Speaker 1>man broke in before the police arrived, What if he

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00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:28.320
<v Speaker 1>wasn't alone. But then, just as I was about to

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00:16:28.360 --> 00:16:31.519
<v Speaker 1>lose hope, I heard the sound of heavy footsteps outside,

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00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:35.000
<v Speaker 1>followed by loud knocks on the front door. Police open up.

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00:16:35.639 --> 00:16:38.519
<v Speaker 1>I almost cried with relief. I unlocked my bedroom door

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00:16:38.519 --> 00:16:41.240
<v Speaker 1>and ran to the front door, throwing it open. Two

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00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:44.840
<v Speaker 1>officers stood there, their faces serious, but the sight of

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00:16:44.879 --> 00:16:47.320
<v Speaker 1>them made me feel like I could finally breathe again.

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<v Speaker 1>Are you okay, one of them asked, his voice calm

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00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:57.000
<v Speaker 1>but urgent. I nodded, still shaken. He was on the

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00:16:57.039 --> 00:17:00.879
<v Speaker 1>deck trying to get inside. The officers changed a glance,

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<v Speaker 1>then one of them motioned for me to stay inside

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00:17:03.399 --> 00:17:06.359
<v Speaker 1>while they checked the perimeter. I watched from the doorway

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00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:09.200
<v Speaker 1>as they moved around the house, their flashlights cutting through

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00:17:09.240 --> 00:17:13.200
<v Speaker 1>the darkness. But when they returned, their expressions were grim.

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<v Speaker 1>We didn't find anyone. One of them said, are you

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00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:19.079
<v Speaker 1>sure he was out there? I nodded, feeling a fresh

333
00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:22.079
<v Speaker 1>wave of fear. He was right there at the door.

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00:17:22.920 --> 00:17:25.960
<v Speaker 1>The officer side, glancing at his partner. Will file a

335
00:17:25.960 --> 00:17:28.119
<v Speaker 1>report and have someone keep an eye on the area tonight.

336
00:17:28.519 --> 00:17:30.960
<v Speaker 1>But if you see anything else, anything at all, call

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00:17:31.079 --> 00:17:35.240
<v Speaker 1>us immediately. I nodded, numbly, the reality of what had

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00:17:35.240 --> 00:17:38.920
<v Speaker 1>happened finally sinking in. The man was gone, but the

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00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:42.279
<v Speaker 1>fear remained, gnawing at the edges of my mind. The

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00:17:42.319 --> 00:17:45.039
<v Speaker 1>police stayed for a while, making sure the house was

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00:17:45.079 --> 00:17:48.759
<v Speaker 1>secure and taking down my statement. They tried to reassure me,

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00:17:48.960 --> 00:17:51.920
<v Speaker 1>telling me it was probably just a vagrant or someone

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00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:54.880
<v Speaker 1>playing a prank, but I could see the concern in

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00:17:54.920 --> 00:17:58.240
<v Speaker 1>their eyes. When they finally left, I was alone again,

345
00:17:58.440 --> 00:18:01.359
<v Speaker 1>the silence of the house now a p I couldn't

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00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:03.319
<v Speaker 1>bring myself to go back to the living room to

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00:18:03.400 --> 00:18:07.359
<v Speaker 1>face the sliding glass door where the man had been standing. Instead,

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00:18:07.559 --> 00:18:11.519
<v Speaker 1>I stayed in my room, every little noise making me jump.

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00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:15.920
<v Speaker 1>I didn't sleep that night. Every time I closed my eyes,

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00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:19.400
<v Speaker 1>I saw that grin those dark, soulless eyes staring.

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00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:19.480
<v Speaker 2>Back at me.

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00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:22.680
<v Speaker 1>I kept imagining him coming back, finding a way inside,

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00:18:22.759 --> 00:18:24.039
<v Speaker 1>and what would happen if he did.

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00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:26.640
<v Speaker 2>When my parents finally.

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00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:28.519
<v Speaker 1>Came home in the early hours of the morning, I

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00:18:28.599 --> 00:18:31.359
<v Speaker 1>practically ran to them, blurting out everything that had happened.

357
00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:34.920
<v Speaker 1>They were horrified, of course, but by then it was

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00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:37.960
<v Speaker 1>too late. The man was gone and there was nothing

359
00:18:37.960 --> 00:18:41.000
<v Speaker 1>they could do. We called the police again, but they

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00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:45.359
<v Speaker 1>found no trace of him, no footprints, no fingerprints, nothing.

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00:18:46.119 --> 00:18:48.240
<v Speaker 1>It was like he had never been there at all.

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00:18:49.480 --> 00:18:52.039
<v Speaker 1>For weeks after that night, I couldn't shake the feeling

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00:18:52.119 --> 00:18:55.440
<v Speaker 1>of being watched. Every time I walked past the living room,

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00:18:55.640 --> 00:18:57.880
<v Speaker 1>I felt the urge to look out at the deck

365
00:18:58.279 --> 00:19:01.400
<v Speaker 1>to make sure it was empty. I double checked the

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00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:04.119
<v Speaker 1>locks on every door and window, never leaving anything to chance.

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00:19:04.279 --> 00:19:07.000
<v Speaker 1>But no matter what I did, I couldn't get that

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00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:11.240
<v Speaker 1>man's face out of my mind, that twisted grin.

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00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:12.160
<v Speaker 2>Those silent laughs.

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<v Speaker 1>It was like he had etched himself into my memory,

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00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:18.079
<v Speaker 1>a reminder that no matter how safe I thought I was,

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00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:21.240
<v Speaker 1>there was always something out there waiting to find a

373
00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:25.119
<v Speaker 1>way in. Even now, years later, I still get chills

374
00:19:25.160 --> 00:19:27.960
<v Speaker 1>when I think about that night. I've moved on, tried

375
00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:30.960
<v Speaker 1>to forget, but the fear lingers a dark shadow that

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00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:34.240
<v Speaker 1>follows me wherever I go. I've already moved out of

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00:19:34.279 --> 00:19:37.079
<v Speaker 1>my parents' house, but sometimes late at night, when I'm

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00:19:37.079 --> 00:19:39.599
<v Speaker 1>home alone and the house is silent, I can still

379
00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:45.160
<v Speaker 1>feel him there, standing just outside the window, watching, waiting, laughing,