Authors Note: This story is rated mature.
I pull my hair up into a ponytail then grab my keys and cell phone, putting them into my fanny pack around my waist. I pick my taser up looking at it. I sigh. I know a few good self defense moves but my friend Chris thought it was a good idea to carry one. Ever since.
A knock at my door makes me jump. Paranoia creeps into my mind and I turn the safety lock off of the taser in my hand. Gripping it I make my way to my front door. I peep through the peephole to see no one there. Still clutching the taser I swing the door open. No one. Sighing I put the safety lock back on the device in my hand. Putting it into my fanny pack.
As I zip the pack up I notice the vase of flowers. Green roses, lime green carnations and white Peruvian lilies. Accented with button poms and statice; green hypericum, eucalyptus and assorted greenery. Looking around I don't see anyone.
I bend down and pick up the vase, stepping back into my home shutting the door behind me. Walking over I sit the vase down on the table behind my sofa. I see a card sticking out from the middle. Plucking it out I open the folded card.
You look beautiful before your run. I love it when you wear them jogging leggings.
Lance
I drop the card on the floor with a gasp. Tears prick my eyes. It's been weeks since I've heard from Lance. I thought his obsession over me had run its course. Anger replaces shock. Picking the vase up, I storm outside to my trash can and throw the bouquet into it. Slamming the lid shut. I look around frantically for any sign of him. Nothing.
I quickly go back into the house, turn the alarm on then step back outside, locking the door. Hesitation fills me for a moment, afraid Lance could be around any corner. Should I go on my morning run? Maybe I should go back inside, lock the door and set the alarm.
No, I won't live in fear. I won't halt my life because Lance can't get a life of his own and leave me be. God I regret ever getting involved with him. It only lasted three months but when I broke it off he refused to believe we are over. Became obsessed with me. I took a restraining order out against him once he started to stalk me but he's good at it, never around once the cops show up. Careful to have his face covered near my security cameras.
I should have known that just because all the creepy notes, letters, the feeling of being watched and seeing him, stopped that meant he's given up. I should have known that it was just a matter of time before he started again.
I do my pre run stretches before setting off down the street to a new normal running routine, my old one well Lance knew that one. It only takes me maybe fifteen minutes into the run to feel like I am being watched. Looking around me I see no one.
Anxiety starts to creep up but I continue my run. Halfway though I notice a figure not far behind me. Dressed in sweats, a dark green hoodie and a baseball cap. I pick up my pace, desperate to lose the figure. Spotting a large tree, I look behind me to see the figure is quite the distance behind. I quickly jump behind the large tree and hide. Praying I am concealed enough.
I watch out of the corner of my eye, the figure continues his run away from me. Sighing I lean forward, bracing my hands on my knees and let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. I wait a few minutes to make sure the figure doesn't return before turning and running in the direction I came.
Once at home I make quick work of the door, running inside and shutting it behind me. Locking both the knob lock and deadbolt. I quickly disarm my alarm. Something on the door mate catches my attention. An vanilla envelope sits. Someone must have slipped it through the mail slot.
Walking over and with shaky hands I bend down and pick the envelope up. Opening it I pull out a set of polaroid pictures. I look through them to find various pictures of myself from this morning. Next are actual photographs. From all over my house and when I have gone out. There is one of me in my bathroom. I stand in my bra and panties. How in the hell did he get that? There's no windows and you can clearly see that this photo was taken inside the room.
