Long Lost

1

It felt good to be home, back in Haddonfield, but it was more bitter than sweet. The air of the town felt the same, the old streets were newly paved, houses were built where they have not been and new shops and restaurants were around. It was like a nostalgic and new feeling. The air was cold and crisp, leaves were falling and as fragile as glass. My house wasn't far away from my college, it was off campus and right in the middle of almost everything. The public library, the park, and the college were all pretty close and convenient for me. My house was big enough to have two stories, it was just me, my cat, coco, and my dog, daisy.

But tonight was just like any other: sitting at home on my laptop, working on school papers letting the tv keep me company as the shows played in the background. I suddenly got a shiver, I looked around, paranoid as always and obviously saw nothing, but had a strange feeling I was being stared at. I covered myself up more with a blanket, "Stupid paranoia," I muttered, "just the cat hiding and watching me or something."

I continued my work but the feeling stayed there. I suddenly heard a knock at my door, I sighed taking my glasses off and setting my papers and laptop on my coffee table and walked to the door. It was a police officer. "Oh, uhm..good evening officer." I checked my phone quickly to see it was only eight at night, "What can I help you with?" I asked confused. "He tipped his hat and greeted me, "Sorry to bother you at this time of night ma'am. We were just going door to door seeing if you've seen anyone..er..suspicious." I shook my head and looked more confused, "No..no not as far as I've seen. Why?" I asked, but he quickly dismissed my question and said goodnight, I smiled and shut my door locking it and returned to what I was doing. Eventually I finished what I could and put my lap top on my desk in my room and put my phone beside it to charge. I made sure my windows and all my doors were locked, and finally went to bed, not being able to shake that feeling of being watched.

••••

The next morning felt..different, the feeling was gone, which was good, but something felt wrong. I turned on my side and faced a picture with a silver frame, the glass was a bit cracked but nothing major. It was a picture of me and my best friend, Michael Myers, when we were little. I frowned a little and gently turned the picture face down and got up doing my morning routine getting ready for my morning classes. I finally filled my pets food and water bowls, grabbed my laptop, textbooks and my phone grabbing my keys and locked my front door going to my car and setting my things inside going to my favorite coffee shop on campus.

"There she is, my favorite customer." My friend, Paulie greeted from behind the cash register as I walked in. I smiled waved, getting my usual coffee and a cinnamon bun paying what I always do and head out. I look across the street and see a very tall person, he wore a mask and a full dark blue jumpsuit. It was like he was looking at me, but I couldn't tell because of the mask, I brushed it off as some creep just trying to scare people seeing as it's so close to Halloween. I walked to my classes and continued with me class days as usual: get to class, do work, grab a bite to eat, and head home. I sat in my class, took notes as the professor lectured about the history of psychological studies and what not, and suddenly got that feeling I was being watched again. I looked out the window and saw the same man, and this time I knew he was looking directly at me. Surely the security guards would see him and escort him out, I didn't feel threatened or in danger, but there were definitely red flags about this situation. I continued my notes the best I could, answering the questions the professor asked, eventually after a while I looked back out the window and he was gone.

The professor dismisses us but he called me over to his desk for a moment. He was young, especially for working at a college, but he taught us well. "Em-er..Ms.Parker, I was looking over your paper and I never expected you to go into such detail about the topic you chose to write about." He said and I smiled, "Well, Professor Schneider, how else could I tell you about the topic if I didn't go into detail, it helps you to better understand my topic, don't you think?" I asked raising my eyebrown, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Well I would like to discuss more about your paper over dinner, if you're available." He smirked and I covered my mouth to hide my smile.
"Professor Schneider, you know it's unprofessional for a college student to date her professor." His cheeks flushed red and he stuttered, "W..Well..er..technically it's not a date more like..a closer discussion on your marvelous work." He said and I laughed. "Whatever you say." I smiled and walked off as he smiled more, "So that's a yes?" He called out and I rolled my eyes, "Should have thought about that before you assigned us all this homework!" I yelled and he cursed under his breath as I continued to the rest of my classes.

He's always hitting on college students of his, he's an idiot if he thinks I'm going anywhere with him.

•••

After all my classes I was relieved to be able to go home, but not before I grabbed something to eat, my stomach was growling and it wouldn't stop. I stopped by a fast food place and ordered some food to go, and headed home, my couch was calling my name.

I parked my car in my driveway, grabbing what I needed out of my car, locked it and unlocked my door heading inside, but when I went to put my key in to unlock it, I saw it was open slightly, my blood ran cold and I froze. My mind immediately made me think of the man that was stalking me. He couldn't have done this, could he? He didn't even know where I lived unless he was the reason I got the feeling of being watched last night. I grabbed my mase slowly opening my door as quietly as I could. I quietly set my things down and walked around my house trying to find whoever broke in. I heard whimpering and constant meows from my pets upstairs, I cautiously but quickly made my way upstairs and found them in the guest bedroom locked in from the outside, I unlocked the door and they quickly got out, my dog jumped up and down excitedly trying to lick me and my cat rubbed against my legs, I calmed them down and heard the creaking of a door or the wooden floorboards. I held my mase tightly and walked towards the sound, even if I knew this never ended well in horror movies. I heard more creaking, it was coming from my bedroom. I slowly opened the door and looked around my room, ready to spray whatever or whoever was in here. My window was wide open, I checked every possible hiding space in my bedroom and throughout the rest of my house.

I shut my window, locking it and going around checking all the windows and my doors.

That was when I noticed it, my picture that was in my bedroom now sat up right in the living room on my coffee table facing my couch. I grabbed it taking it back to it's rightful place. I immediately called the police and explained what happened, they said that I should just make sure everything is locked and if anything else were to happen I could call again and they'd send a car to sit outside my house. I called my friend Paulie later on at night talking to her about what happened, she stayed here when I moved, but we've kept in touch and been close ever since even after I moved after...everything happened.

"Paulie, I'm telling you, there was a man watching me, like he was following me. And it just so happens that someone breaks into my house the exact same day? You can't tell me something isn't weird about it." I said, hesitated to talk.

"Look, Em, I can clearly see why you're so scared, but it's obviously just kids trying to scare you and some weirdo just trying to scare the living daylights out of you. Kids know how to pick locks now, and it's Halloween tomorrow. They're gonna be aggressive with pranks and shit." She mused as we spoke on the phone.

"Paulie I know what I saw..and how do you explain the picture of me and Michael getting downstairs after I clearly remember leaving it upstairs when I left?" I asked.

"I-", she paused, hesitation in her voice, " Emily, do I need to come over for the night?" She asked and I sighed.

"No, I have my mase, and my gun in my bedroom." I quickly stated and hung up, frustrated that she found it amusing at how paranoid and obviously scared I was.

The homework assigned wasn't that bad, so I finished it pretty easily, I did my night routine: putting my things up, taking a shower, and getting into some comfy pajamas. I went around my house twice checking everything was locked, my pets were asleep and I was getting close to falling asleep too. After I checked everything was in place I turned off all my lights, and quickly fell asleep, my mind still wandered to that man watching me.