I promise this story is completely true. I swear on my college degree. As you may have guessed, he didn’t kill me as I live to tell the tale. But it sure scared the shit out of me when it happened.
This wasn’t a stalker in the traditional sense. He didn’t know where I lived (I don’t think), he didn’t tap my phone, or watch me every day. He just had a nasty habit of following me.
Herbert
It was my first year of college (Holy cow that was four flipping years ago) and I met him in my first ever class. It was a social studies class called 20th Century Violence in Films. The films we watched were gruesome and hard to get through, but they were about very important times in history. For example, we watched The Pianist to start our lessons on the Holocaust. But I digress.
Now, I’m not claiming that that class drew in a certain demographic. But I ain’t gonna deny it!
I don’t remember my stalker’s name, and even if I did, I don’t think I’d say it, so I’ll name him Herbert.
Herbert liked to wear trench coats which, despite everything else, made him even creepier. He picked a seat right next to me on our first day and I soon realized that no matter what seat I was in, he’d end up right next to me. Odd but innocent, right?
Here’s where it gets good. I first noticed that he followed me one day when class let out a little early and the halls were clearer than usual.
I’m a pretty vigilant person. I like to be aware of my surroundings. So, as I headed into the parking ramp, I looked behind me and saw he was a little behind me. I didn’t think much of it. It was a parking ramp and he was obviously just heading to his car.
Oh contraire.
As I pulled out of the ramp, I saw him heading back the direction of our class. I thought it was again odd, but I still wasn’t all that weirded out yet. I gave Herbert the benefit of the doubt. That is until it happened again.
The next class, I made sure to notice if he followed me again. As I left the building, he was still behind me. I decided to go to the bathroom to test out my theory. I figured if he was really following me, he’d be waiting for me. I waited a few minutes and left the bathroom. He was nowhere in sight.
That is until I passed the hallway that lead outside. He was sitting in the cafe, and looked dodgy as I passed him. I made sure to look him in his face as I walked by. I like to think I’m intimidating. It was a look that said, “I dare you to follow me.” Dumb, I know. Don’t poke the bear, Julia.
Sure enough, as I pushed through the doors, I turned to see him get up and head towards the door I was at.
This is when it started to scare me. It was broad daylight and I was still afraid that something was going to happen. I took out my keys and grabbed on to my old lifeguard whistle that I keep on my keys as a rape whistle, and in between my fingers I stuck my keys through them like wolverine. Luckily nothing became of it. He again, followed me to the ramp and just watched me drive away.
I should have called campus security and asked for an escort or made a friend or even told my professor, but I didn’t. I was scared and felt silly. Like I was overreacting.
The Scariest Incident
To once and for all confirm that he indeed was following me, I decided to take him an a wild goose hunt. I walked through the quad, crossed streets, and walked through the school building connecting to the ramp. Well, he was still following me.
I did something so stupid. I spent so much time farting around campus, that almost no one was around by the time I finally decided to head to the ramp. Herbert was still trailing me and I was getting scared. At least every other time he followed me, there were some people around. This time it was like campus during a holiday. There wasn’t so much as a straggler.
I knew if something bad happened, no one would notice or even hear it happen. As I was walking through the deserted building, I began to pick up the pace, throwing glances behind me every once and a while. The scariest part about this was his face. He looked me right in the eyes and had no expression on his face. It was like this was a normal thing for him, which is a chilling thought.
At this, I began to pick up my pace even more, almost running at this point. Then I heard the swish of his trench coat pick up. I turned around and saw that he was running at me. I was actually being chased!
I slammed through the doors of the hallway connecting to the ramp and began to really run now. I looked back one last time and saw Herbert looked pissed now. My mind pictured the limited ways I know how to maim an attacker (Which, thanks to my police officer cousin, I know a few tricks).
Finally, I got in my car, slammed the door and floored it out of there. I drove past him and I couldn’t even look him in the face I was so scared.
The End
This saga ended with one last incident on the last day of classes.
We were released from classes and we all piled into the packed hallway. I knew Herbert was behind me, but I had a plan this day. We were surrounded by people who would be all the way to the ramp.
As we stepped out onto the sidewalk, I bent down and pretended to tie my shoe, not caring that I was clogging traffic because out of the corner of my eye I saw Herbert pacing next to me. Trying to wait for me to get up so he could continue to follow me, but he’d fallen into my carefully laid trap. Alas, I knew people would be pushing past us en masse. He had no choice after being swallowed up by students ready to go home, he had to move along with the flow of traffic.
As he walked away, I stood up and followed him for a change.
***
I hope you enjoyed this creepy anecdote. We’ve been having lovely chilly and rainy weather that just reminds me of Halloween and scary movies. What better time to share a spooky true story. I do still wonder what he wanted from me and why he literally chased me through campus.
If you want to read another chilling story of mine, check out the time I swear I saw George Harrison’s ghost.
Until next time,
Julia
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