It's been years since I thought about that night. For some reason, to be honest I don’t know why, it came flooding back. For years I haven’t been scared like I was then, but now I feel the same anxiety and fear as I did when it happened. I never shared the story with anyone outside the police, and my family. My family never could fully understand what I went through, nor could the police really; except that officer. I don’t really know how to tell it, but I guess just jumping into it is all I can do…

 I was waiting outside at a bus stop at the time when it started. It was around 6 p.m., raining of course. A bad storm was coming, so the sky was really dark from the storm clouds. Luckily the stop I was at had one of those enclosures and a bench. I stood there waiting checking down the street to see if there were any signs of the bus coming. No bus. I remember sitting down on the bench in the enclosed area. I was going to wait a bit before walking to another stop. At the time though, I couldn’t decide if that was what I wanted to do because of the rain and the coming storm. Ultimately I stayed where I was. 

The street was quiet except for the faint sounds of the rain hitting the ground. There were two cars parked near the intersection where I looked for the bus. I wasn’t surprised that no one was out since it was usually like this at this time. The only strange thing that I would say differed from any other day were the parked cars. Again, they weren’t important at the time and they were such a small detail from the experience, I cannot even recall what type or color they were. 

Aside from that, I checked the time and saw that fifteen minutes passed. I was annoyed about the wait, but of course I could have missed the previous one, or there was some delay of some sort. Delays were rare, but of course I tried making some sort of excuse so I didn’t have to walk in the rain that began to fall harder. Sitting there, I went between watching the rain fall and checking my phone. 

Moments came and went, but I remember the time when it began. It was 6:32 p.m. I checked down the street again, and saw someone walking in my direction. Because of the rain, everything was misty so I could only make out the shape of the person. The shape seemed to be the figure of a man, about average height, slim. Besides that I couldn’t make out anything else. 

Of course I looked away like anyone would, but out of the corner of my eye, I kept watching him. The figure kept walking on my side of the road before crossing over to the side where the parked cars were. Out of instinct I slightly turned my head where I could see him fully. From what I could see now, he wore jeans, a black sweatshirt, and dark shoes. Everything he wore was drenched from the rain. 

He kept his hood up, and his hands in the pockets of his sweatshirt. I didn't think too much of it. Just some guy caught out here. I would be in the same position, well except I have an umbrella with me. However, something seemed off. He was walking decently quick, up to the point when he was nearing the cars. He slowed down and looked in my direction. I quickly looked back down but kept him in the corner of my eye. He looked in my direction for about a second longer before walking to the other side of the cars.

When he did, I looked up and saw him crouch behind them. It was strange because the angle how he did it, I could see him clearly, and thinking back on it; he knew I did too. I didn't know what to think at the time. Of course, like anyone would; trying to think of the best case scenario was first on my mind. Maybe his shoes were untied? Would explain crouching down there instead of doing it in the middle of the street. 

Yeah, maybe…but it doesn't take that long to tie a shoe. Not too long after that thought, I caught a glimpse of the man peeking through one of the car windows before hiding again. Something was definitely going on. I think the guy is trying to break into the car. I was about to take out my phone to call the police but there was no need because of what happened next. 

As I reached for my phone, I saw something crawling out from underneath the car. At first I thought it was a cat or some animal going to run out, but the size of the form was too small and flat. Looking more carefully I could see more of it coming out. That's when it hit me. What I was looking at was a hand and then the arm. My stomach twisted as I saw another hand and arm creep out from beneath the car. I couldn't move even though I wanted to. I was frozen, watching this happen. Every second, more and more came out from under the vehicle. It was the man. 

I got up from the bench and started to make my way down the street in the opposite direction of him. Forget the bus, I'm not going to sit around and wait with him nearby. I didn't walk too far before turning my head to look back. The man crawled completely out from under his hiding place. He stood up and turned in my direction. He just stood there. I picked up speed, walking faster. 

I walked down a street or two before slowing down. Had to get away from there. I don't know what that guy's problem was. At the time I didn't care too much about the guy or what he might have been doing after I left the bus stop. I just wanted to get home. Of course you would think that everything went alright afterwards. If it were only that easy…

I kept walking, the rain hitting against my umbrella. Everything seemed alright. Still quiet. As I walked, I could hear my footprints against the sidewalk splashing the rain on the ground. The smell of rain filled my nose. It was near 7 p.m. now and it was much darker out. The storm is near, I could hear the thunder in the distance. It doesn't seem that this rain is going to end anytime soon. Everything seems to be alright.    

Finally I'm alone, minding my own business. Still have a distance away before I come anywhere close to something that reminds me that I'm close to home. It was 7:20 P.M. What? I slowed down then stopped walking. Hmmm, that was odd. I began walking once more before I stopped again. Something is not right. Walking slowly, I listened closely to the sound of my footsteps. The slight splashing seemed ok, but I knew something was up. I immediately stopped without hesitation. 

When I did, I heard a set of footsteps hit the ground before they too stopped. My heart slightly raced as I knew someone was following me. I was also agitated at the time so I of course went to confront the person following me. I turned and immediately my racing heart sunk to my stomach, making it twist by the sight.

It was him. The man I saw earlier. He stood there about twenty feet away looking more ragged than before. We stood there, well he did after a moment or two before he slowly waved at me with a slight grin. A chill went down my spine, but I didn’t plan on standing here any longer. I quickly turned around and walked just as quickly away from the creepy guy. I’m used to seeing strange individuals while I was here but never have they acted like this, let alone follow me as he was. More than ever I really wanted to get home. I was getting near the old church. 

Finally some progress. The rain started to come down harder. The rapid sound of falling raindrops hitting the earth almost masked the sound of running footsteps coming from behind. I turned my head looking back to only see the man running towards me. 

My heart was beating out of my chest. There was nothing for me to do but run. I ran, my heart beating quicker with each breath I was trying to catch. My fear was the only source to my energy letting me escape only a short distance away from the cause of my fear. The buildings that I passed were a blur. I could have stopped to find help or seek shelter in a place where other people were at. At the time my only thought was to run. Whatever I did, just don’t look back, just keep going. That’s what I did. Even though I ran, from the reflections cast off from the many windows from storefronts and other places, the guy was still right behind.  

This pursuit was beyond dreadful. No matter where I ran, he was not too far behind. The echo of his footsteps hitting the ground and splashing in the puddles of rainwater still echo even to this day. Some time went on, I don’t recall how long since everything became a blur and pure survival instinct. All I remember was turning a corner, bumping into a police officer. 

I could remember his face. He looked to be around his early thirties, brown eyes and fair skin. We were about the same height. Aside from this, I cannot remember too well the other physical details like the specifics of  his uniform or anything. Again, my mind was still in the fight or flight mindset. The police officer had a concerned but suspicious look. That changed though I assume because of possibly seeing how afraid and out of breath I was. He tried making a joke about bumping into him, but he knew it didn’t work. He followed up asking me what was wrong. 

After catching my breath and calming down for a moment, I told him while looking back behind me that I was being chased. To my gut-wrenching surprise, the man was gone. The officer asked me where I was heading, and of course, I told him that I was looking for a bus stop or something so I could get home. The officer nodded and told me that the police station was not too far from where we were and not too far from it was a bus station. He offered to walk with me to the bus station if I still didn’t feel safe to walk alone. I accepted his offer.

Things started to feel a bit better. For the first time in this whole situation, I felt calm. I remember that the officer tried talking to me the whole way, talking about random things. Of course he introduced himself as Officer Welk. I told him my name, and we continued to talk.

“Crazy how much it's been raining today.” he said jokingly.

“Yeah.” I responded. The conversation seemed to die down quickly, making our walk far more silent. The rain also started to die down, and the very dark storm clouds began to turn into a more light grey tone.

“The police and bus station is not too far now.” he said. That bit of news was music to my ears. Not much longer before I can leave this whole thing behind me.

A few moments passed before an eerie feeling came over me. 

“Something wrong?” the officer asked me.

“No, I think I’m still shaken up from earlier.” I responded.

“I understand.” he replied as we kept walking down one of the streets. I can’t shake this feeling though. I took a quick glance looking behind me before giving my attention to what was in front of me. Wait…

Quickly looking back again I could see the guy that was following and chasing me.

“Hey, you ok? Officer Welk asked. I turned my head forward to make it look like I didn’t notice the man before answering.

“The guy I was telling you about earlier is behind us.” I said. Officer Welk took a quick look like I did. 

“If he keeps following, I’ll say something. For now, let's see if he’ll just go on his own.” he told me. I accepted what he said and continued walking just hoping that the guy would just go away on his own. We made it down the street, turning a corner, and walked a partial way down the new one. Everything seemed ok before I was caught off guard by Officer Welk.

“Hey, it's time to move on!” He shouted behind us. My heart sank when I turned to see the man just standing there creepily, not responding to the officer’s warning. Instead, the only response was him slowly waving at us. What’s wrong with that guy? Officer Welk gave me a gentle nudge telling me that we should go. We did as such, but we did so hesitantly.

As we walked, I could hear three sets of footsteps splashing in the puddles on the sidewalk. I turned to see that he was still following, but he stopped each time that me or Officer Welk turned around. Officer Welk warned the man quite a few times before making the final threat that if he did not back off, he would be arrested. This last threat seemed to have worked since the guy stopped dead in his tracks and stood there as we walked away...

“We’re almost there.” Officer Welk said as he pointed to the police station which was only a short distance away. Other police officers were standing outside the station talking to each other. We were so close. Just a bit farther before I could make..

“GET DOWN!” one of the officers at the station yelled as they all pulled out and pointed their tasers in our direction. Both Officer Welk and I slightly turned to see the man running at us with a butcher knife. We ran to the side and dropped down, giving the officers a clear view of the man that was attempting to make his way at us. They tased the man, which stopped him for only a brief moment. They tried again, he still wouldn’t go down. At that point though, he turned his attention away from me and Officer Welk; and began running toward the other officers. 

They shouted telling him to stand down or they will shoot. The man stopped… He lowered the knife and just stood there. We all thought this was over, especially since the group of officers were going over to arrest the guy. 

“STOP!” yelled the officer. Gunshots echoed and the man collapsed to the ground only a few feet away from me. His head hit the ground near my feet. He tried to attack me…

I can’t remember exactly everything after that moment. I was told that the trauma of the whole 

situation could make lose focus of the overall aftermath of the man being shot down. I do remember that my parents were called and that two officers drove me home. My parents were terrified by the news, and myself, I was still shakened. It took me a while before I had the strength to go outside again.

As I said at the beginning, it's been years since this happened. Officer Welk and I still talk to this very day. Although the ending I guess was a good one, I see him still in my dreams, and out of the corner of my eye at times. 

Thoughts still flood my mind. At any time the man could have brought out that knife. Not even that, at any time he could have hurt me, and I probably would have never seen it coming. This goes for Officer Welk as well. If we weren’t near the station, one or both of us could have been killed or severely injured.

The scariest part of it all was that the man had was not on file for anything in the police database. It was assumed that he was just some ordinary guy, and that's what scares me. He was just someone.