As The Raven Dreams Podcast - ATRD Ep. 160 - Scary Winter And New Years Resolution Horror Stories

Episode Date: January 24, 2025

I wrote a novel! It is a psychological Thriller, titled "The Insomniac's Experiment", and I put a lot of time and creativity into it! It is available directly from me (autographed and with extras), and also on Amazon (digital or unsigned physical copies)! Signed Copies: https://ko-fi.com/s/bfdb8cb5f2 Unsigned or Digital: https://a.co/d/4voCEK1 Today, on the 160th episode of the As The Raven Dreams podcast, we have 7 True Chilling stories. These stories come from the shadowy corners of reality, where everyday life takes an eerie twist & ordinary people experience the extraordinary. Today we will be diving into some scary winter stories, as well as some horrifying New Years Resolution Stories. So, turn down the lights, tune in, and let the haunting tales of everyday people take you down that dark and creepy road. Remember, these aren't just stories... these are true experiences that remind us that our world can truly be scarier than fiction. Time Stamps 00:24 ➤ Story 1 13:24 ➤ Story 2 22:49 ➤ Story 3 37:26 ➤ Story 4 47:30 ➤ Story 5 1:01:24 ➤ Story 6 1:12:03 ➤ Story 7 Have a Story To Submit? ➤ https://www.astheravendreams.com Or Post to the Subreddit ➤ https://reddit.com/r/TheRavensDream Thank you to all of the authors that have stories in today's Video... Kjacklynn, JennyP, LPJules, Sydney91, BeatsBeatBeets, CarlJ, Lecretia As Well As Any Author That Has Requested Anonymity. 'As The Raven Dreams' is a community where we explore the darker parts of human existence through true and harrowing stories. From sinister encounters with strangers and stalkers, to terrifying experiences that defy explanation and unsettling mysteries that linger in the shadows, I am here to tell you the most haunting narratives ever whispered. Much Love, and Sleep Well... ----- #TrueScaryStories #AsTheRavenDreams #GlitchInTheMatrix #RedditStories ➤ Stories include a content warning for language and sensitive/disturbing content. Viewer discretion is always advised. ➤ ALL Audio of this Podcast are copyright of AS THE RAVEN DREAMS / RAVEN ADAMS and may not be duplicated, in any format, without explicit permission ➤ If you like any of the following stories, consider subscribing! - Dark Web horror stories, creepy lets not meet stories, stalker stories, Glitch In The Matrix Stories, Unexplained Horror stories, Paranormal stories, cryptid encounter stories, Crazy ex lover stories, creepy neighbor stories, quantum immortality, true scary stories from reddit, or any other True horror Stories! ➤ And Remember; You are loved, you are important, and you are valid. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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So, the story may be different from what I've heard you do before, but I thought you might still be interested in it. This doesn't have some creepy person in it, but more so it was about my best friend and roommate, and how she almost died because of her own actions. My friend Ashley and I had been friends since middle school. From then on, we made plans to do everything, together for the rest of our lives, and so far it has come true. After high school, we got our

first apartment together. I was going to school and working, and Ashley was just working, not sure what she wanted to major in yet. We were doing great, however. We both enjoyed our jobs and got along so well. But one thing Ashley wasn't happy with was her body. She was a little overweight, but she honestly wasn't unhealthy. I am smaller than her and always have been, but I didn't know why. I didn't really work out or watch what I ate. I guess I just have a faster metabolism. I have two siblings, one that was slimmer too and one that was a little heavier,

so I really didn't understand why or how I lucked out with that trait. But one thing I didn't like about Ashley was how. how she would compare her body to mine. She made comments all the time about wanting to lose weight and what she would do if she looked like me. I would always tell her how she was beautiful the way she was, and to make sure no matter what she chooses that it's what she wants. I also explained to her about self-acceptance and to love herself.

Sorry, if I seem to be making a bit of a speech. I was going to school for psychology, so I still catch myself. doing that at times. My point here is that I was trying to make sure Ashley was sure that she wanted whatever she did, and wasn't doing it because she felt like she had to do it for someone else. And no matter what, I would support her and help her. So back in 2017, when Ashley made a New Year's resolution to lose weight, I agreed to get into shape with her.

I could use a good muscle shape up and could do better about what I eat. which would also help Ashley. We went as far as cleaning out our fridge and pantry, getting rid of any junk. We bought some weights and bands to work out at home, and agreed to start a plan to go on walks and work out together. But, oh, how quickly that seemed to crumble. It started out fine, with our plans in mind. Ashley followed several wellness influencers on Instagram.

She would mention how they suggested, some simple workout routine or recipes, some recommended fasting once or twice a week. They seemed fine at first, but then it started getting more sketchy. Ashley told me about some dietary supplements they were promoting, that you were supposed to take alongside your workouts to help boost metabolism, or something like that. I tried asking about the ingredients or what was in it,

but she just told me that she'd already looked into it, and it was all natural ingredients. Stupidly, I trusted her. I trusted that she knew what she was doing. Ashley wasn't stupid either. I knew her enough to know that she wouldn't fall into scams or gimmicks. We made fun of those MLMs all the time because her sister fell into one of them,

so I didn't feel like I needed to push it any further. So, Ashley bought these supplements and started taking them. I would come home from class or work and ask her about walking or something, and she would decline, saying she already did her workout. I was doing this for her and with her, so if she didn't want to walk with me, I just didn't bother. I was just happy that she was sticking with it, and that she was becoming happier with herself, and that made me happy. But then it escalated.

She would tell me every few days about how she was losing weight. She lost two pounds, then five pounds. One day she told me she was down 20 pounds. I was happy to see her glowing with pride, but I also knew that that seemed to be a lot of weight in a short amount of time. I questioned her on what she was doing, and she became a little more vague. I'm just taking my supplements, eating better and exercising, is what she would tell me. But that wasn't really the complete truth,

and I didn't know what to do. I was watching her weight drop. I could physically see the difference in her. Where she started with that glow and was happy for losing weight, she was now looking pale and frail. She wasn't gaining muscle mass but was slowly looking smaller and smaller. Her clothes started to swallow her. I even tried talking to her about it saying we should get a real gym membership,

maybe trying to focus on workouts now instead of just weight loss. She refused, and even said that that would defeat the purpose. She wanted to be skinny. She didn't want to be beefy, as she put it. I tried to explain to her that muscle was just as important, so that she still had strength, but she wouldn't hear it. And while I know it had to be said, I feel like I mistakenly mentioned to her how she was losing weight too far.

fast, and that seemed to upset her. She even made the comment that I was just upset that she was going to be skinnier than me. I was disappointed. I never cared about my size or hers, but now I was concerned about her health, and she only looked at it as jealousy. We stopped talking about her weight loss for a while. I was worried if I said any more I would push her away. The only thing I had was no.

knowing that she was safe if she came home every night from work. I made dinner one night, salmon and rice. And she took a fork full of the fish, and that was it. I didn't know if she was even eating any more than that. One of the breaking points came one day as I came home from work, and she was sitting on the couch. She was wearing one of her favorite sweater dresses. I remember she liked it because it hid all of her insecurities,

while accentuating the parts that she liked. But when I saw her in it now, I thought she had her blanket on her. It looked so big on her. I also assumed that she hadn't showered because her hair was looking stringy and oily, but when I approached to sit next to her, I realized it wasn't dirty.

It was thin. She'd obviously lost a lot of hair. I knew this wasn't normal or healthy. I finally broke down. I told her that she may have been the size she wanted to be, but she did not look healthy. She looked scary. I told her how much I was worried about her, but she still didn't see it. She claimed that it was just her body adjusting to the supplements,

and once her body was used to it, then it would get better. I begged her to stop taking the supplements, to at least start there, but she refused. saying it was the only thing that helped her. And then she stormed off to her room. I didn't know what to do. One day when she wasn't home, I went to her room and looked for those supplements. I thought maybe if I could find out more about them, I could scare her into stopping. Thankfully, it wasn't hard.

She kept them on top of her dresser. I took pictures of them, and the ingredients list was exactly as I had expected. A few vitamins were listed and other things were very vague. I didn't trust it, so I went to the internet. I was terrified with what I found. Pages upon pages of complaints, scams, terrifying health stories, people died taking these things. Others had serious health issues, allergic reactions. Some were lucky and saw no results and just threw them away.

way. I looked up their websites and it looked incredibly unprofessional, before and after photos that were obviously and poorly edited, and testimonials that seemed fake. If you check the influencers who shared them, they had tons of comments about how it was a scam. It was like Ashley just completely ignored these and clearly did no research like she claimed. I made plans that night to confront her with all this and pretty much have an intervention. I was even ready to call her parents and tell them, but before she would even make it home, I got a call from an unknown number. It was her boss, telling me that Ashley had asked her to call me as she was being rushed to the hospital because she had collapsed at work.

I rushed to the hospital to find out what happened, knowing in the back of my mind that it had to be related to her diet. I found her room, and when I entered, she broke down crying. She told me how she'd been feeling sick and weak for the past few weeks, but that she refused to believe it was because of what she'd been doing. They also came in and gave her lab results with me in the room, with her permission. They started asking about the supplement she was taking because of her levels. Those supplements contained stimulants, and

and something similar to a drug and or chemical, which was banned by the FDA, mind you. I don't want to mention it and give anyone any ideas. That combination had sent Ashley into a cardiac arrhythmia. Her electrolytes were dangerously low for months of purging and restriction. I learned as she talked to the doctor that the fork full of fish that she had eaten that one day was the most that she had eaten in a while. She wasn't watching what she ate. She just wasn't eating at all.

She found that fasting was easier than she expected and just continued doing it, not thinking that she needed to eat. The supplements had damaged her heart, and her potassium levels were so low that they were surprised she hadn't had a heart attack sooner. She was only 26 at the time. Recovery was a long and hard road for her. after her time in the hospital she had to go through an eating disorder treatment

she told her parents needing all the support she could get but she did it and she looked so much better nowadays but for the longest time it was the hardest thing for her and for me seeing her like that

and knowing that I should have done more I should have pushed her harder about those supplements she was taking but I felt with how angry she was getting that she would just leave and then she would have no one at all around to help her. So while there was no creepy person here, I just wanted to share how terrifying this was for both of us. I stood by and watched my friend with her away, too afraid to lose her to do anything. While she almost lost her life, obsessing with her appearance.

Resolutions can be a great thing to have and it may motivate a lot of people, but make sure you're doing it for the right reasons. Make sure that you know what you are doing, what you are taking. Those supplements and diet stuff always prey on the week, and they're still out there. They may go by a different name, but it's all the same, and it's not worth it. Do your research before you take anything,

and if you see your friend or someone you care for, going down the same path, don't wait to intervene like I did. Put your foot down and tell them your thoughts and concerns. No matter how upset they may be, you could save their life. It's never too early to plan your summer story in Europe with WestJet, from rolling countryside to cobblestone streets. Begin your next chapter.

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We're running out of time and we still don't know the rules. Don't miss what the movie blog calls something you need to watch. Saving those children is how we all go home. From binge all episodes exclusively on Paramount Plus. This might be a little too creepy, or maybe gory for some, but it's still something I wanted to share from back when I was younger. My dad and grandfather, and probably further on down that line, all enjoyed ice fishing. It was something that has always just been a part of my dad's side of the family. My grandfather talked about how on particularly bad winters, it helped them get through it and gave him the chance.

to get away from all the kids. So, needless to say, my dad wanted to share that same experience with me, even if it was just more for leisure than survival. I definitely didn't hate it. In fact, the cold was never a problem for me, so we went ice fishing a lot. When I was 15, my dad took me out to the same lake that we went to for years.

It was one of my favorite places. It's a decent-sized lake about three miles across at its widest point, and it's known for perch and pike fishing. We got there around 5.30 a.m. We went pretty early, typically before sunrise. The temp was well below freezing, but I was prepared with my heavy-duty winter gear. We'd gone the week prior and we're having really good luck,

so we decided to go to the same area. The ice was at least 15 inches thick, probably more so, so we drove across to get to our spot. Once we found the approximate area where we wanted to be, we got out and started walking around to determine the best spot. But during our walk, I spotted something that was a bit odd at first. There was a dark trail along the top of the lake, and in some of the snow. It was a reddish-brown against the white snow which made it stand out. I pointed it out to my dad, thinking that it was a lot of blood, especially if it was a person. My dad suggested that it probably was just a deer or something similar than someone had caught.

He made a comment about how it was kind of lazy of them to just drag something like that along, but it happens. He also said that it was possible that it was an animal attack and that it could have just dragged its kill along as well. Either way, there was no one else around, so we had to assume they took their trophy with them and that was it. But to be honest, I'm not really big on hunting. I've always enjoyed fishing, but not hunting. And seeing such a straight, bloody drag mark or bloody trail, really made me uneasy.

It's something you don't really think about too deep until you're actually facing it. Anyways, we moved on and found the spot that we wanted. I helped my dad set up our pop-up shelter, watched over him as he drilled our holes, and settled in for what I was expecting to be a pretty peaceful day of fishing. My dad even let me drink coffee out there with him,

which made me feel like more of an adult. but he still wouldn't let me drill the holes. He said he wanted me to wait until I was older and able to hold up the machine by myself before he would let me. So we cast our lines in, settled into our seats, and waited. The fishing seemed to be a bit slow that morning, but that happens. I was mid-sentence talking to my dad when I noticed my line had twitched.

Finally, some action. I picked up my rod and made. began the slow process of reeling in my catch. But I noticed that it seemed pretty strong, or was at least putting up one hell of a fight. I told my dad and he said that I probably just got lucky and continued reeling in. As the line got closer to the surface, I saw something pale in the dark water.

Pale was not a color we normally saw under the ice. At first, I thought maybe. Maybe it was a piece of trash or something. Maybe something that was at the bottom of the lake that got snagged on my line. But when it breached the surface, I felt my breakfast coming back up. It was a human hand. It had been severed at the wrist. The skin was almost white and wrinkled from the ice-cold water,

and some of the fingers were mutilated. I dropped my pole and jumped backwards, screaming expletives that I've never said in front of my dad before. He jumped up and grabbed the pole, witnessing the same thing than I did. I watched as he carried the line over to his cooler and lowered the severed hand into it. I thought I was going to be sick, all the while my dad kept his poker face. How could that not affect him? Then I started thinking about that trail of blood that we had seen earlier.

Was that from the same person? Were they alive out here? trapped? What exactly happened? My dad suggested that we call someone to let them know, so we left our shelter and chairs where we were and headed back to the truck. This was some time ago, so we didn't have cell phones on us. We had to go back to the entrance of the lake and let a ranger know what we had found, and my dad showed him the hand and the cooler that he had brought along. The ranger looked just as surprised. We were just as surprised. We were a very much. We were waited for the police and the game warden to show up, and they followed us to our spots and

to the bloody trail. They said that they would investigate further, but they asked us to leave this area of the lake so that they could section it off, saying we could go to the other end of the lake. My dad agreed. We packed up and went to the other side to try and still get some fishing in. We didn't do as well at our second choice of locations. not as many bites, and to be honest, my head was not all there after that, and I think my dad could tell. We packed up early, and just went and got a hearty brunch nearby.

My dad tried to assure me that while it didn't look good, the person was probably okay since we didn't find them. If he wasn't lying in a snowdrift nearby or something, then he probably caught out of there. But my question is, how did they lose their hand? Where did they go? And was that much blood really from just his hand? My dad was the guy that knew everyone, or knew someone who knew everyone else. So thankfully, we did get some answers after everything was all said and done. It turns out, there was another man that had gone fishing in a nearby area.

He was using a gas-powered algorithm. to drill the holes when his thick winter glove got caught in the spinning auger a bit. Before he could hit the kill switch, the machine had pulled his hand in. He managed to walk across the lake, holding his arm, get to his truck and drive himself to the hospital. He didn't even stop to tell someone or get help. Afterwards, he had his buddy take him back out to the lake to get his stuff, which was surprisingly still there. Those augers aren't cheap, so I'm glad that no one stole it. But that's where the hand came from,

which had fallen into the water, and he was unable to get to it before it went under the ice. He knew he needed to get some help and stop the bleeding, so he just left. I'm still amazed by how he did it. I can't imagine that, if that had happened to me, I would be able to keep calm long enough to drive myself to the hospital.

Unfortunately, he wasn't able to get his hand reattached for obvious reasons, but at least, according to my dad, he was in good spirits. He ended up meeting the guy at a bar that they both went to, and since then, I never wanted to help my dad drill those holes either. I've actually used a manual one since then, but at least I have more control over it. But it still makes me nervous. Far less than a gas-powered one, though. I also understood why my dad wouldn't let me help when he did it,

and why he was always bare-handed and sleeves up when he did. So that was probably one of the most terrifying experiences that I've ever had when I was younger. And to anyone else that fishes, no matter the kind, I hope that you never catch something like that. This might be a little odd, but... It was still a bit creepy to me, so I wanted to share it. I grew up an only child to a single mother.

It was always me and her against the world, and she still remains one of the most important people in my life. I was apparently the result of a one-night stand, but my mom grew up really fast from it, too. She told my dad about it, but he wasn't interested in being a father at the time, so that was pretty much the last time they saw each other. Her parents helped her, even though they were disappointed that she did it. She raised me, she worked two jobs, and eventually got a place all her own.

She even got her GED while I was in high school. It was funny because there were some nights that we studied together. I spent the first 28 years of my life not knowing who my dad was beyond a first name. Closer to my 30s, thinking more about. my own life, I finally wanted to at least learn about my paternal side of my family. I didn't know any of them, not even potential grandparents, aunts, uncles, nobody. With my mom's blessing, I started tracking down my dad, and no kidding, the easiest way for me to find him of all options was Facebook.

My mom reached back in her memories and pictures, and once she got a last name, I was able to find him through his older sister, my aunt, who also had a Facebook. From there, I sent him a request and a message explaining who I was, and said that I just wanted to get to know him. I wasn't in it for past child support. To my surprise, he actually responded and said that he would love to. He said he was actually looking for me too. We talked a lot on Facebook, telling him about my life, growing up, what I did for a living, the normal catching up kind of questions. I even sent him some photos of myself and my little dog. We even went out for coffee one day and actually caught up, and it was just really nice.

It didn't even occur to me how much I would realize I missed out on until I actually got to talk to him. He did all the same things my mom did. He laughed when I talked about things I cared about. He even made eye contact and paid attention when I was venting. He even mentioned how proud he was of the things I've accomplished, such as graduating high school, going to college, and working in business. Even on Facebook he would comment on all my posts and photos about how proud he was, how beautiful I turned out, and I just felt good about having him.

in my life. There was no ill-will for him not being there. I thought it was very mature of them both, to be honest, with what they wanted, and I thank them both for that. But then, as I rang in the new year of 2018, I was pretty well over Facebook and the drama surrounding it. There were a few family members on my mom's side, cousins I grew up with, that were constantly causing fights, unnecessary drama. Then, there was some work stress that kept seeming to find its way to my page, even though I had kept a lot of people from work separate from my Facebook page. So, I made a final post at the end of December saying I was taking a break from all social media,

like a detox, if you will. It had become mostly stress and drama, so I made the decision to back out of it. I planned on staying off of them for at least three months, maybe even longer depending on what I saw or heard around me. In my post, I made it clear that I would have no access to them, as I was planning on deleting the apps too, and suggested that if anyone needed to get a hold of me, to call or text me. Those that didn't have my number were the ones I was avoiding anyways.

My dad was included in those that did have. my number though, so I wasn't worried about that. About two weeks into January, I got a text from an unknown number that said, why aren't you posting? Are you okay? Turns out, it was my father. He'd gotten a new number and I wasn't aware. I texted him Happy New Year and he never responded, but I just assumed that maybe that was him. His messages were typically pretty short and to the point, so I just assumed he wasn't going to respond to it. He told me that he had to get a new number right before the new year, and he hadn't told me so I didn't have his new number.

I then reminded him about my break from social media, so if he wanted to talk to me, he would have to call or text me. The only thing I got back was a thumbs-up emoji. That's what I meant, in text form. He was the man of few words. A few days later, I was getting gas. on my way to work. When I heard someone call my name.

I looked over and, to my surprise, it was my dad. He was living about 45 minutes away, so I would never have expected to run into him there. He asked what I was doing, and I said that I was heading in to work. I remember asking him the same thing, and he just kind of skirted around the question, just mentioning that he was in the area. I went in to grab a drink and a snack for my lunch, after telling him I was heading to work, but he followed me around the entire time.

I would look up at him, eyebrows raised, thinking he was going to say something, but he never did, just smiled and watched me pick out my items. When I approached the counter to pay, he put his hand over my purse and held out a card, offering to pay for my stuff.

He said that he went, wanted to pay for his girl's treats since he was never able to when I was a kid. It was kind of weird, but I brushed it off as him legitimately wanting to pay for something, I guess. We went back outside, and he followed me to my car until I hugged him and said that I needed to go. He wished me a good day, at work, and I got in to leave. The whole interaction just seemed really awkward to me. It was awkward running into someone you know,

is, but he just seemed to make it a bit more weird. But I did let it go. But here's the thing. I kept running into him around town. He was at the grocery store that I went to, another gas station, and even a fast food place. I rarely ate at this place, but I was craving something, so the odds of us both being there was even less. but every time I ran into him, he did the same thing.

He offered to pay for my stuff, refusing to let me, actually, and kept calling me his baby girl. I was never the type to like pet names. My mom called me by my nickname and pumpkin, but even she stopped when I told her I didn't like it. So being called that, it made me really uncomfortable. I even told him he didn't need to do that, but he insisted, saying he needed to make up for lost time. So again, I just let it go. Then, the last straw for me was when I went on a date.

Someone I worked with introduced me to a friend of theirs, and we had started talking and texting. We decided on a date and met at a nice restaurant. Kent was very sweet and funny, and I was kind of falling for him that night and having a great time. But out of nowhere, Kent was looking at me as I talked, and then I saw his face change to curiosity, and his eyes went over my shoulder.

I looked back and I was shocked to see my dad walking up behind me. He looked a little cleaner and put together than how he was normally dressed, but I also noticed that he was puffing out his chest and had a pretty serious look as he stared at Kent, like he was sizing him up. Now I was more annoyed than anything. I asked what he was doing there and he said that he came for dinner, waiting for him to point out a table he was sitting at,

but instead he pulled out the chair next to me and sat down. He shook Kent's hand and introduced himself. Then, he called me his, quote, precious baby girl again, and I cringed. I was so embarrassed as he seemed to interrogate poor Kent. Thankfully, he was nice about it and answered some of his questions, but I could tell that he was uncomfortable with the whole thing. We hadn't even placed our order yet. We just got our drinks. I started pulling cash out of my wallet, ready to get the hell out of there,

but as expected, my dad stopped me. I looked at Kent with wide eyes and made a comment that we would miss our movie and that we should leave. Thank God he caught on quickly and jumped up with me. He shook my dad's hand again and he looked at him and said to have me home by ten and no funny business.

I was mortified and angry. Why the hell was he there? Did he live close by now? And why did it seem like he was following me? I remember telling myself to call him when I was home to go off on him and to leave with Kent, hoping he didn't want to run away from me and never see me again. By the next morning, I had a text from my friend with screenshots of my Facebook. My dad had tagged me in multiple posts with those cheesy daughter stock photos with quotes.

He'd made multiple posts on my wall. Where's my baby girl? Why want you answer my messages? Are you mad at your daddy? Just want to make sure you're safe, baby. I miss my princess. Why was he being so creepy about all of this? He knew I wasn't on Facebook anymore.

And posting all of that was embarrassing, as everyone could see it. I unfortunately logged back into my Facebook and changed my setting so people couldn't post on my stuff or tag me without me approving it first. Then I saw that I had over 50 messages, and they were all from him. They started out normal. They went to similar things I saw on my wall, and then he sent me so many articles on child abductions. Kids found dead, child trafficking stories, statistics. It was all just disturbing.

Who sends that kind of stuff? To find that many articles and post them all the same day, you had to be seeking them out. So, I messaged him back, and it became pretty long, asking what the hell was wrong with him, telling him to stop because it was getting creepy and embarrassing. And his only response was about how, this is why father's worry, and this is what happened. happens when daughters don't stay in touch. I was a grown adult, almost in my 30s, and he was treating me like a child. I told him that he needed to stop, or I was done with him.

Apparently he took that as a challenge, and continued doing it. He even posted pictures on his page of my house with the text, My baby girl's home, hope everything's okay there, haven't heard from her, which made more people reach out to me asking what was wrong. After talking to my mom about it, I got the courage to finally cut ties. I called him, and I told him his behavior was scary and overwhelming.

I told him he was becoming the opposite of what I was wanting out of this relationship, so I was done. I even removed and blocked him from Facebook so he couldn't tag or message me anymore. A few days later, I found a letter in my mailbox that was handwritten and folded up. It wasn't mailed. It was dropped in my mailbox.

It was from my dad saying how ungrateful I was, and that I should be thankful to have a dad like him who cared so much, and how much of a terrible person my mother was. I just threw it in the trash, and that was the last time he made contact with me directly. But I heard he still made a lot of work. weird posts about me. Sometimes, I wonder if maybe it was my fault,

striking up a conversation on Facebook and then cutting off social media. But he still had a way to contact me. I even told him directly and made a post about it. And then I realized that he couldn't respect my basic boundaries and wishes. If he thought he was entitled to my attention 24-7, when he wanted nothing to do with me as a child, then he wasn't really trying to have a relationship with me. It felt more like he just wanted to possess me,

control my every move, and be that overbearing father. I really didn't want that. Turns out, that detox from social media did more for me than I expected, but at least I found out sooner rather than allowing it to drag out. Now, I understand that some things are just better left alone. This was something that happened to me back in the winter of 2017. I live alone in a small house in the Midwest. Actually, it's just myself and my German Shepherd major.

I've had him since he was a puppy, so we were both pretty attached to each other. However, like many of you dog owners will know, regardless of the weather, our dogs need their exercise. So even while it snowed, we went on our walks, around the block. I don't have much of a yard, back, or front, and it wasn't fenced in either, so walking was our go-to. Our routine was pretty simple.

We left around 7 p.m., walked through the neighborhood, looped around the local park, and then headed back home. The entire route usually took about 45 minutes. I was used to this kind of weather, so it didn't bother me to be out in it. So just like any other night, I pulled my boots and jacket on, and Major got excited as I grabbed his leash. By the time we headed out, the sun had already set and the temperature was probably in the high teens. It had just heavily snowed during the day, so everything was covered in a layer of white. If you're at all familiar with the snow, then you know that dead winter silence that comes with heavy snowfall.

Late at night or early in the mornings, where everything is just still and quiet. I love that. It makes those walks a bit more therapeutic. The walk that night was fine at first, but soon after I rounded the first corner, something began to feel off. I brushed it off at first thinking it was probably just me, with how silent it was, and me listening to too many spooky stories on YouTube. I was probably just getting myself worked up, but when Major would turn and look around with his tail sticking straight up, it didn't help my nerves. I just told myself that we were fine. Maybe there was an animal nearby throwing Major off.

We were about halfway through our walk when I started hearing the crunch of snow being pressed under shoes. The thing was, it was not from me. I would stop walking or change my pattern and the crunching continued. Every time Major stopped, I would turn around and look. The fact that he would stop and move his ears told me that something was up. Dogs always know. But I wasn't seeing anyone or anything when I looked. So what was it?

I just picked up my pace and was thankful that Major matched it with me. My suspicions were confirmed as we were leaving the park. We took the same path home, so when I looked down at our prints, I noticed a second pair of shoes in the snow. Sometimes they were next to mine, and sometimes they overlapped. And from the size of them, it had to be a guy or someone with really large feet. I was no longer comfortable with this situation. I patted Major telling him,

Hey buddy, we gotta go home. He knows when I'm distressed or upset, so he picked up his pace alongside me. I was constantly looking behind me, hoping to catch someone, but I never did. Whoever this person was, they were good at keeping their distance and staying out of view. That only made me feel worse. If I couldn't even catch them following me, how the hell would I be able to fight them off if they had any ill intention? I decided to do something that was kind of stupid. Instead of continuing down the street, on the left side, I crossed to the right side,

not in a crosswalk, just straight up jaywalking, thinking that if they weren't following me, they wouldn't do the same, right? They wouldn't need to do the same thing. Finally, I crossed the streets, and in the middle of the road, I looked back. to see a guy walking down the streets, looking over at me. There was definitely a man following me, but was he truly following me? He kept looking over at me, but continued on the opposite end of the street. This was finally enough to convince me to call someone.

I know it may have been stupid, but I had no confirmation that I was being followed. I'm also one of those people that felt like someone always had. had it worse, and I would have been wasting someone's time if I called 911, or something like that. But now, seeing this guy, I knew that I had to call. Better to be safe, right? I called and tried to stay quiet as I explained to the operator what was happening. As I continued, the guy ended up disappearing. The only place he could have gone is through someone's yard on the other side. Now, I was worried that he wasn't in my view, but also possibly made him someone else's problem. I finally made it to my house, but between looking for the guy and talking to the operator,

I wasn't paying attention to my front door. I looked over to see another guy, looking down at my doorknob and messing with it. Was he trying to break in? Before I could stop myself, I let out a startled yelp, causing the figure to turn around. He had a mask over his face and a hood over his head. I felt frozen in place, not knowing what to do. Major had started growling and barking like crazy, and I heard the operator call out for me.

When Major lunged at this guy, the jerk from his leash jolted me back, and I started screaming. I felt like I was trying to scare off a bear. I was waving my arms yelling, What the hell are you doing? Who even are you? you. I tried to keep my voice steady despite my racing heart and wanting to cry. I yelled at the poor operator that someone was trying to break into my house, and the more wound up I got, the more

aggressive Major started sounding. Finally, with his hands up, he jumped over the side of the porch, probably not wanting to walk past Major, and the last I saw him, he was running through my neighbor's yard. I unlocked my door as fast as I could. Demanded Major Inn and then locked it, all while trying to catch my breath and tell the operator what had just happened. While I was talking, I could hear the sirens getting closer. The operator informed me that they were outside, so I hung up and met the cops outside.

I told them what all happened. From the walk, seeing the footprints, the guy walking behind me, and then the and the guy at my door too. They took notes and looked around the property, and then two of them left to circle the neighborhood. They came back and said that they didn't catch them, but they did check with my neighbor who allowed them in their backyard. They followed them across the yard, over the fence, into the road,

where he must have been picked up because the footprints just stopped. But there were tire tracks in the road. One of the cops said they would circle the block for a few more hours, before they left, which made me feel a little bit better. That ended up being a really long and sleepless night. Every little sound had me on edge. I'm sure Major was feeling the same way. When I looked over at my door, he was already looking over there.

The cops had told me that they would reach out if they caught someone or had questions, but I never got a call from them, so I guess they were never caught. I read about people cazing houses, like trying to get their pattern down and then someone trying to break in while the owner was gone. It was reported on our local news and on the next door app, so it makes me think that that's what happened to me.

Part of me hopes that it was a joint effort and the other guy was just following me. Because the idea of being targeted by two unrelated guys makes me feel even worse. I ended up getting a camera that sits in my living room window, so I can at least capture them if they or someone else try something like that again. I was back to normal for the most part, but still had troubles late at night. I tried to vary my routes more, making them shorter or taking a different path to not be so predictable,

but it's harder than I thought. My work schedule was pretty well fixed, and I... couldn't change that much. Sometimes I would just stick to the backyard, but sometimes Major wanted to run, so we went to the park. I just try to be better at watching my surroundings, and you definitely won't catch me without an emergency plan.

So to the two guys that winter night, I hope we never meet again, because next time, I won't be holding Major back. After my relationship ended with the long-term boyfriend, I fell into a pretty dark place. I spent almost two years living off of delivery food and takeout, and I barely left my apartment except for work, or the rare occasion I went to a friend or family,

but that was rare. I had lost all confidence in myself and let myself go, no longer caring about myself. The breakup was, hard. It wasn't expected and it took a lot out of me. I was depressed and barely recognized myself in the mirror. By November of 2023, I was finally tired of my attitude and how I was treating myself. I wanted my life back. I wanted to get out more with my friends and have fun again, so I made myself a New Year's resolution to get back into shape. I planned out immediately.

meals and snacks in advance to stop myself from eating out. I joined a local gym that was 24 hours and fairly cheap. I was feeling pretty motivated with my plans. I went to the gym after work to give myself plenty of time. The first week or so was exactly what you would expect. Awkwardly fumbling with machines, trying to remember proper form from videos and feeling completely out of place. The gym was big on being judgment.

free and it showed. No one watched you or made fun of you. Or at least they didn't make it obvious. But as I struggled to figure out some of the machines, that's when I noticed him. He was taller, maybe mid-30s and definitely in better shape than myself. I kept catching him looking in my direction, and initially my insecurities kicked in hard. I thought he was definitely amused watching the fat girl struggle. and I was anticipating seeing him laugh or pointing me out to someone else.

But then he smiled and winked at me, and I felt this rush of validation that I hadn't experienced since my breakup. I smiled back, but left it at that. The negative voices were telling me it was just him being nice because I caught him staring and nothing more. But the next day that I went, he was there, and he approached me while I was trying to feel. figure out the cable machine. He walked in front of me, still keeping some distance, and asked if he could give me some tips on that machine.

He told me his name was James. He then showed me some techniques and how to hold the ropes. He even asked what my goals were and suggested some workout routines. We even joked when he swore he wasn't a fitness trainer, trying to solicit services. The entire time he made eye contact with me, kept his distance. and always had a warm and encouraging smile that made me feel like maybe I could actually do this. I even had what seemed to be a possible friend to cheer me on and help hold me accountable. Looking back, I should have noticed how he always seemed to be there,

no matter what time I went to the gym. Morning, afternoon, evening, somehow James was always around. But for some time, I enjoyed the attention that he showed me. He was a great-looking guy and could easily be hanging out with anyone, but he chose me. Eventually, the warm feelings he gave me did start to crumble. He started giving more unsolicited advice, but it wasn't like the helpful tips he used to give. Instead, he would come up behind me during my exercises, like one time I was doing squats. He then put his hands on my hips to, quote, adjust my position.

I froze in place. His hands lingered way too long, and I kind of felt sick to my stomach. I turned around really fast to get his hands off of me, and his once encouraging smile now looked creepy. All I could think to compare it to was a predator watching his prey. I felt more like a target than a friend or an acquaintance. That's when I really started going at different times. I went later at night knowing he,

usually left at the same time as me. But when I would get there and he was there, he would linger at machines and watch me. He was already covered in sweat telling me he had already been there for some time, but he was now staying longer, possibly

because of me. I stayed by the machines close to the front, and I only used the ones where I face outward so he couldn't come up behind me anymore, but that didn't stop him. He would still walk around me. Try to put his arm around the small of my back when I switched out the weights, etc.

I didn't know what to do, and I felt stupid. I welcomed his company at first, but now he was crossing boundaries, and in public for that matter. I watched movies and read books, and I always knew what I would do in those situations, but then when it actually happens to you and you freeze, you don't know what you should do. You question everything you do, and when you're in a relationship, relationship similar to what I was prior to this, you question your options even more. So I just decided to avoid him altogether and started going to a different gym. I went there a few times and was starting to feel better about it and my decision,

until my stomach dropped as I saw James walk into the gym. He scanned the area like he was looking for someone. I felt sick. I was on one of the elliptical machines that faced the front, so there was no way to pretend I didn't see him, and I definitely didn't want him touching me again, so I stopped. I immediately went to the locker room and waited a few minutes before I swiftly walked out and toward the exit.

That's when I heard my name. I didn't want to turn around, but I did, and sure enough, it was James. I was just walking towards my car, but I stopped and walked back towards the lit-up building, thinking I would at least be safer there than in the dark parking lot. I just made sure to keep my distance, and would take a step back every time he tried to move closer. He laughed and made a comment about, what are the odds that we would run into each other at a different gym?

I made a vague comment about how it was odd, which wasn't a lie. What was his reasoning to go to a different gym? Then his smile fell, and he just looked at me wide-eyed and said, You're not trying to avoid me, are you, Kaylee? I was spooked. I didn't know how to respond and how he would respond to whatever I said. I just remember giving a shaking, no,

and making some excuse about that one being a little easier to get to. Then he broke the creepy stare and started to laugh and said that he was just messing around with me and that he understood. I was freaking out internally. Whether it was just a joke, it seriously scared the hell out of me. He was being a creep as is with touching me. But that? That was just flat out scary.

He then wished me a good night, and I quickly walked away towards my car. I didn't look back. I rushed to my car, keys ready to unlock it, and then quickly got in and locked the doors again. and when I looked up to where we were standing, James was still there watching me. I still remember the chills I got watching him stare at me and smile. I stopped going to the gym altogether, not knowing what to do. At that point, I had only run into him at the gym,

and I felt like there wasn't anything I could do about it either. So, my solution was to avoid the gym and figure out another method of exercising, be at a different gym altogether or just working out at home. However, that wouldn't be the last time that I saw him. I was working at a bank at the time, and while I was with a customer in my office, one of my tellers came in and told me someone was here to see me. She had a big smile on her face, which just confused me more.

Who could possibly be here? I just assumed it was another customer that specifically asked for me, since I was a personal banker, and asked her to tell them to wait for me in the lobby. But she stopped me and said that it was my fitness trainer. I immediately felt sick. I certainly didn't have a fitness trainer, but I had a feeling I knew who it was.

I excused myself from my office, apologizing to my customer, and lo and behold, there's James, standing in my lobby, holding flowers. I never told him where I worked, so how the hell did he find out? As a few people stood by watching with smiles on their faces, I could only feel embarrassed. I finally mustered up the courage to stand my ground and asked him why he was there. He had that same smug grin and said that he missed seeing me at the gym

and wanted to make sure I was sticking to my goals and workout. I told him that he needed to leave immediately and to leave me. alone. I was loud enough to get the attention of the security guard who came over. I told him that he needed to go, and I watched James's face change from that friendly smile, to one that told me that I would regret what I just did. I saw the people around me now trying not to make eye contact. I was so embarrassed and terrified. He had the courage to show up at my work, and for what? It's not like he even said anything romantic or asked me on a date. That felt more intimidating almost,

like an I know where you work type of message. Worse yet, I still didn't know what I could do. I ended up talking to my brother about it because he was a cop, and he highly suggested that I file a report and try to get a protective order. He said since he had shown up at my work and was making me as uncomfortable as he was, there was plenty of reason to do so. So, I went with him to the police station and filed a report the next day.

I remember them asking questions about if he knew where I lived, or if he was ever at my place, or if he was on any of my social medias. I hadn't even thought about that, and frantically scrolled through friends and followers on what I had since I started going to the gym. I didn't find any profiles with the name James, nor did I see his picture on any of them. But what if he just didn't have a picture of himself? Or, what if his profile was named something different?

I didn't know what other choice I had, so I ended up deleting my Instagram and Snapchat, and did a huge cleanup on my Facebook. I was left with only family and close friends. I wasn't comfortable going back to the gyms, so I did what I could from home, buying a few weights and bands and did my best. I didn't see him after that, thankfully. However, I did get a friend request from someone by the name of Michael. I checked out the profile first because I couldn't think of anyone I knew with the name Michael,

but when I looked closer at his picture, it was definitely James. I don't know if he was using a different name, maybe his middle name, but he was wearing the same hat he always wore at the gym. I not only declined it, but I also blocked him. I had a message request too, because you can't even message me unless you are a friend, and I just deleted it, assuming it was probably him too. And that was the last time I had any sort of contact with him. It was such a surreal experience for me.

I thought I'd just found a possible friend, someone to help me on this new journey, but he went way over some boundaries, and that was not okay. He knew very little about me. He knew my first name and my fitness goals, I guess which consisted of saying I needed to lose weight. I didn't tell him anything about where I worked or lived, and certainly didn't give him enough information to find me on social media. So, when he showed up at my work, I was pretty creeped out. Maybe some people might think I overreacted, but to not give any indication of the reason for showing up, and the look on his face, it made the whole thing seem more malicious than good intent. I guess I'll just go back to keeping to myself, because even the seemingly nice guy who just wanted to help

appeared to have other creepy intentions. And as for James, let's just never meet again. I did something very stupid, and I would like to share it with you all in the hopes that you won't make the same mistake as me. I had spent three years of my life basically becoming one with my couch. Due to the pandemic, my job became full and permanently remote, and I got a little too comfortable not leaving.

leaving my house, and that's practically what I did between 2020 and 2023. My once active lifestyle became a distant memory as I navigated life between my bedroom and my home office, with occasional trips to the kitchen and bathroom. By the end of 2023, I was sick of those four walls. So, my New Year's resolution for 2024 was to get back to being in the same. active. I used to hike a lot. I had a lot of gear and even used to blog about it. So I told myself that I was going to get back into it. I wanted to start walking weekly and take as many hiking trips as I could. But before anyone questions this, I live far from the U.S.

I live where January is peak summer and the trails are beautiful, so January was my time to get back into it. I pulled out my gear to make sure it was all in good condition still, and determined what I needed to replace. I did some research, or so I thought, on some locations, and picked what was labeled as an intermediate trail about an hour out from where I lived. In my mind, I was still the same person who used to do 15-kilometer hikes every weekend. I ignored the fact that my only exercise for the past three years had been.

pretty much been going to the grocery store or the mailbox. I got to the trail around 9 a.m. And it was already hitting 35 degrees, about 95 Fahrenheit for you Americans. I had packed what I thought was enough water, two 750 milliliter bottles. I read that you should drink about 500 milliliters per hour of hiking. The trail was supposed to take about three hours, so the math seemed simple enough. I was also a pretty big water drinker, so I was confident that I would be okay. My first kilometer felt great.

I was proud of myself for actually getting out there and sticking to it. I had missed it. The tall trees provided patches of shade, and there was even a light breeze. I felt unstoppable, like I was finally taking my once active life back. The energy was coming back to me, and I was already thinking about my next hike and where I wanted to go. By the second kilometer, my shirt was soaked through with sweat, but I pushed on. I kept thinking about all the motivational things I got from my dad, from my sister, and even my friends that were encouraging me to do this.

Even as I started getting tired, I told myself that it was just because I was getting back to it, and I just had to push through the pain and exhaustion, and I would eventually get that second wind. Around the third kilometer, things started going wrong. I noticed my breaths were more like short gasps, and my legs felt super heavy. Even when I was hiking frequently, I would be tired afterwards, but not like that.

My legs felt like cement, and it became difficult to walk. more than a few steps without having to stop to catch my breath. I had already finished with one of the bottles of water and was halfway through the second. The trail was getting steeper with a lot of loose rocks that made it even harder to walk up. Part of me thought that I should just turn back. That way I could at least get rest under the shade of the trees, but then I also felt like doing that would be admitting defeat.

and there was no way that my ego would let me do that on my first day. I don't remember exactly when I thought I was in danger, but I remember starting to get disoriented. The trees were all looking the same. I couldn't recall if I'd passed unique boulders before or not. Was I going in circles? My vision was getting fuzzy around the edges, and my skin had stopped sweating. A bad sign I vaguely remember. from when I took first aid and read about when I got into hiking.

Then the last thing I remembered was trying to sit down and completely missing the rock that I was aiming for. I fell backwards and crumpled to the ground. I remember lying there. My heart was pounding so hard that I could feel it in my gums. I tried reaching for my bag, not knowing what I would do when I got to it anyways. I didn't really get service out there and I was out of water. I guess maybe it was a comfort at the time. Either way, I couldn't reach it because of how heavy my arms felt.

I don't know how long I was there lying on the ground in the middle of nowhere. I remember drifting in and out seeing the sun move. Because of this, I was no longer in the patch of shade that I'd collapsed in. At that moment, I was. was terrified. I thought I was going to fry there and that was it. Maybe someone would find me before I got too bad. But then I heard footsteps on the trail. I wanted to look for them to call out for help, but my body betrayed me. I could barely turn my head to look for them. I couldn't even keep my eyes open. Then I felt the cooling on my face like I was once again in the shade. I opened my

eyes and saw someone standing over me, some older man. He said something, but I either didn't understand it, or he said it quietly. I couldn't quite make it out. Then I felt my head being lifted and something hitting my lips. Finally, I could make out the voice. They kept saying, small sips, open up, and similar things. I was drinking something sweet, and it was the best thing I had to be. ever tasted at that moment.

Then I felt my head go back down, and I felt my body being dragged. All I could think about at that time was all those true crime podcasts. I couldn't move my body and now I was being dragged somewhere. That was how people disappeared, right? If not for the heat or dehydration, this was how I was going to die. My mind was in a weird place. and I was clearly thinking irrationally. I don't know how long I was in and out at that point,

but when I finally came to, I saw an older man sitting next to me eating something and reading a book. He looked over at me and explained that I had heat exhaustion and was probably close to a heat stroke. Not to mention, I was dehydrated. He gave me a pretty simple but stern talking to about not over-exerting yourself and bringing plenty of water. He then gave me the rest of the bottle of what he had me sipping on,

which had an electrolyte mix in it. He sat there with me a little while longer, and we got to talking about what happened. I explained my resolution and what I had done. He laughed, not in a mean way, but agreed that it was good of me to get back out there, but that I went about it the wrong way.

I knew he was right. I had pushed it. I should have started easier and I definitely should have overpacked on water. I messed up and it really could have cost me my life. I ended up walking the rest of the trail with that man and he gave me another bottle of water and something salty to snack on. He told me how that trail was one of his favorites and that he was out there nearly weekly since he had retired.

I was incredibly thankful that he was. too. No one else passed us, so I easily could have died on that trail. Once we were back at the entrance, he asked if I was okay to drive, and offered to take me to a nearby hospital to get checked out first, but I declined, not wanting to take up any more of his time. I did go to the hospital, and they made sure that I didn't have a heat stroke, and had plenty of fluids in me. They told me I was incredibly lucky that the man had found me too because they had a few people come in from heat-related conditions. It wasn't until then that it all really hit me. I had been out there on the trails for about six hours. That man took it slow with me. He even stopped to make sure

I was okay and could move again before we started walking. Hell, he could have left me or done worse, but he was too good for any of that. And for that, I will always be thankful. From there, I dialed it back a bit. I started on some easier trails and packed plenty of water, or went somewhere that had places to refill your water. Now I'm back to hiking as I normally do, but now I also have a better understanding of signs that could lead to something more serious. That way I can stop it before it happens, whether it's to myself or someone that I'm hiking with. So to anyone else out there starting on a similar journey or goal, go easy on yourself. If you're making even the smallest difference, it's still progress.

So don't immediately push yourself. Respect the fact that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is know your limit. and try again another day. This happened to me back in winter of 2021. I was looking for a way to make some extra money, and around this time, a lot of delivery places were hiring for obvious reasons. I got hired pretty quickly at one of these parcel delivery places,

and the job was pretty easy. I went through those hot packs pretty fast, but otherwise, it was straightforward, and simple enough. I had a later shift since my fiancé worked evenings too. That way I didn't lose any time with her, but on this night, I actually questioned my choices of going to a stranger's house late at nights by myself.

I was almost done with my route. I had three more stops to go, and then I was done for the night. The house I was heading to was in a rural area, right outside of a major city. I actually almost missed it. It was set back from the road quite a bit, with one of those long gravel driveways surrounded by trees. It was pretty typical for the area,

but the trees were a little too close to the mailbox, which is why I almost missed it. Once I stopped at the mailbox, I looked down the driveway that was not lit and immediately had this off feeling. It was about 7 p.m., and it was already done. dark. I could see a light on at the house, but the front and driveway was dark. To be honest, I almost skipped it. I wanted to call it in to say that it didn't seem safe, and that I would

deliver it first thing the next morning. But I chickened out of that, too. I just told myself to buck up and get it over with. So, I grabbed the two boxes from my truck and walked up the driveway. In case anyone asks, we were not allowed to pull into driveways, no matter how long it was, so yes, I had to walk the whole thing. As I got closer to the house, I spotted a van parked right off the side of the driveway. It was off, and with it being dark, I didn't see it initially. But with how big and nice the house was, the old beat-up van definitely stood out to me now. I continued walking past the van into the porch. I put the packages down by the door, and I pulled out my phone to take a picture.

As I opened the camera, I noticed movements in the side of my view, movements out there in the dark. I looked up, and that's when I noticed the figure of a very large person standing on the other edge of the porch. I inhaled so fast that I nearly choked on the cold air and spit. I know I said something along the lines of Oh, sorry, man, he nearly caught me. I was just dropping off some packages. For a second, he didn't respond and my heart rate wasn't dropping.

I should not be here, I thought to myself. They may have placed the orders, but I should have just waited until daylight. He stepped a little closer, and from there, I was able to tell that he was wearing a ski mask. I assumed he lived here and was just outside for some reason, but why would he be wearing a ski mask and not speaking? I still had my phone out with the light on and told myself the only option that I had was to run and hope to God that I made it back to my truck before he did.

Then he finally spoke. He asked if there were more packages, and if I needed help with them. He had a gravely voice, and he seemed. like he was trying to also be quiet. I told him no and that that was it. He stepped closer and asked what it was. I just shrugged and told him that I didn't know, which was true.

The most I could see was if it was fragile or hazardous, just things like that. But also, shouldn't he know? This was his home, right? But then I thought, what if it wasn't? What if he was wearing the mask and standing around in the dark because he didn't live there? Did I just interrupt a possible home invasion? I didn't know what to do. Do I try to be brave?

Knock on the door? Ask what they were doing? I decided my best option was to play dumb and hope that he didn't catch on. I looked at my phone like I was getting a call and made a comment about it being my dispatch. I put the phone to my ear and pretended like I was on a phone call and was saying things like, yeah, I just completed the order for a one, two, three address. Yeah, the owner was actually waiting on the porch, so I'm leaving now. I started walking back to my truck as fast as I could,

without looking scared or suspicious myself. I didn't hear anyone following, so I dropped my phone to my side and ran the rest of the way to my truck. Once inside, I shut and locked the doors. Then I got stupid and realized the people that lived there could be in danger. So instead of burning out, I called the police. To my surprise, the person that answered said they already had a unit on the way. Who called the police then?

They asked me to stay there if I could and if I was safe, and I agreed. I was at least in my locked truck, so I did have a little bit of protection. While on the phone, I spotted the van coming up the driveway, but they had their headlights off. I watched as it pulled out, and stopped right across from my truck and watched a guy get out of the passenger seat. If he got out of the passenger side, though, that means there was a driver, as in there were two people at least. I watched and quietly told the person on the phone what I was seeing. The man walked up to my window and banged on it, asking, Did you call the cops?

It sounded more like you better not have than just asking. I cracked my window just a sliver and yelled, No, and then held my phone out, saying, I'm on with dispatch. I mean, technically it wasn't a lie. That's when I heard the driver's shout out. It ain't worth it, man. on. The guy stared at me for an uncomfortable few seconds, and then ran back to the van and they sped off. I informed the dispatcher what had just happened, and they said the police were almost there.

Unfortunately, as I mentioned, we were kind of in a secluded place, so it took longer than I would have wanted for them to get there. When they finally arrived, the dispatcher told me to step out with my hands up, so they didn't think that I was the suspicious person. I did exactly that, but it was still nerve-wracking having a gun or taser, something that could take me down, pointed straight at me. Once I explained who I was, why I was there, and what I saw, they asked me to stay there while they went to the house. After some time, they came back out and explained to me that the owner, a little old lady, had spotted someone walking around her home. No way was she going to open the door to confront them, so she went and hid and called the cops. I just happened to show up and spot them face to face. I obviously interrupted them doing something.

Were they trying to break in or something worse? The cop said the owner asked to see me, and I nervously walked with the cop back to the house. The woman was standing on the porch with slippers and a robe on, and she hugged me and thanked me for the packages, because they were her Christmas gifts, and she apologized that I had to deal with those guys, too. I told her it was no problem at all. It definitely was.

I was scared to death, too, but, hey, if I had to choose them getting in there to her, or possibly beating me up, a younger guy, I guess I would rather be the punching bag. The police took my info for more, questions, and then I left, sang to heck with the last two orders. I called my actual dispatch and explained what had happened, and they agreed. I went home and told my fiancé what happened when she got home, too.

I never did hear anything back from the police, and I didn't see anything about it on the news, so I'm curious if they ever caught the guys. I worked there for most of 2022. until I quit due to getting a good promotion at my actual day job. Some days I do miss those nights to myself, but then I think about this experience, and I'm thankful that I don't have to go through all that again. Hey there, friends.

I hope that you enjoyed this collection of scary stories on this episode of the As the Raven Dreams podcast. If the platform you're on has the option to follow podcast and you enjoyed my work, please do consider doing so. Also, leaving ratings and reviews are super important for the algorithm to support the growth of the podcast. I'm just one guy doing this. I don't have a team. It's literally just me doing everything.

So any support like that is greatly appreciated. Never expected, though. So if you go above and beyond with that, I do appreciate it. Some platforms also allow you to leave comments, and if you feel inclined to do so, please do. I would appreciate that. I do have a Patreon in a merch store that you can also check out if you want to support a little further. The Patreon site of things get you early access to all of my content. It is formatted differently as it goes in line with what my YouTube channel is,

but it is the same stories, just different collections. There is also a website, astherravendreams.com, where you can check out pretty much everything about me, my social media platforms, fiction stories I've written if you want to read those, as well as submitting your own stories, which there's a big button on the front page, you click to do so. And those stories basically keep the podcast alive, to be honest with you.

So, yeah. All that said, friends, I do hope that I see you again here very soon. Until then, remember that you are loved, that you are valid, that you are important. You're the best you that you can be. Don't forget it. And until next time, much love and sleep well.