This is going to freak out the housemates
Today is Columbus Day. The housemates have all gone back home to visit their families for the long weekend. It's just me and the cat in the house, which has been just fine for the most part. Lots of working on my part, and infinite kitten bonding time when I come home. Very nice indeed.
At about 3am last night I woke up to a crash. The cat was curled up beside me, so I knew she wasn't the culprit. I lazily assumed something had fallen off of a wall, and rolled over again. But I knew I should probably check things out anyway (in my sleepy brain, "to see if anything's broken.")
I put on my robe, turned all of the lights on and walked around the main floor for awhile. Couldn't find anything that would make a significant crash like the one I heard. Maybe that's what tipped me off that something wasn't right. I turned outside lights on, looked out the windows - no damage to the cars or anything. Also, no car of Shannon's, so she wasn't home making noise. I wasn't scared yet, just mildly confused. Decided to lock the doors at that point, anyway.
The transition between "it's nothing" and "it's something" is a little blurry. At some point, I returned to my room and became aware that something, or really more accurately someone, was moving in the house. I wanted to turn off my computer because the fan was obscuring what I wanted to listen to, but at the same time I was afraid of hearing more, and of someone hearing me.
It wasn't quite footsteps, but there was a shifting sound that indicated someone was around. I heard it and I knew it. I was listening to it as I hovered around my room, heart pounding. I wanted to call the police, and I should have. But I was paralyzed by fear. I locked my door behind me. Actively listened to this shifting sound for minutes, knowing someone had to be here. Prayed it was somehow Shannon. Called her phone, left a message, knew in my heart she wasn't (this was confirmed about 20 minutes ago.)
I couldn't bring myself to check the basement, or the upstairs. I feared how stupid I would look if the police came and there was nothing here (even though I knew what I had heard was real) I feared someone hearing me on the phone with the police. Most of all, I feared having to unlock my door and leave my room to answer the door when they arrived. I know how ridiculous that is. Feared the tugging notion that I should grab a knife from the kitchen when I did unlock my door. Feared having to defend myself.
After looking up the number for the NPPD, I shut down my computer, and waited motionlessly with my ear pressed against my door, listening for another noise, a final confirmation that something was definitely up, so that I could call the cops. I waited, and waited, and heard nothing. The weight of 3am was starting to pull at my eyelids; I was almost surprised that I could feel tired when I had just felt so frightened, but I was. I told myself I was imagining it all, that none of this had really happened. After all, there was no more noise at all. There must never have been, I was being crazy.
Bedroom door stayed locked. I went back to sleep with the light on. Sadie never stirred. Never before had I wanted her to be a dog so badly.
Slept pretty solidly for the rest of the night, believe it or not. I guess I was really exhausted. Woke up wondering if last night had really happened at all. Finally tip-toed down to the basement, half-expecting to find someone sleeping down there. I didn't. Went upstairs, looked around, saw that nothing seemed to have been stolen or anything. No strange people sleeping anywhere.
Checked the doors that I locked last night. The kitchen door was now unlocked.
Shit.
Guess we'll be locking the house up from now on.
At about 3am last night I woke up to a crash. The cat was curled up beside me, so I knew she wasn't the culprit. I lazily assumed something had fallen off of a wall, and rolled over again. But I knew I should probably check things out anyway (in my sleepy brain, "to see if anything's broken.")
I put on my robe, turned all of the lights on and walked around the main floor for awhile. Couldn't find anything that would make a significant crash like the one I heard. Maybe that's what tipped me off that something wasn't right. I turned outside lights on, looked out the windows - no damage to the cars or anything. Also, no car of Shannon's, so she wasn't home making noise. I wasn't scared yet, just mildly confused. Decided to lock the doors at that point, anyway.
The transition between "it's nothing" and "it's something" is a little blurry. At some point, I returned to my room and became aware that something, or really more accurately someone, was moving in the house. I wanted to turn off my computer because the fan was obscuring what I wanted to listen to, but at the same time I was afraid of hearing more, and of someone hearing me.
It wasn't quite footsteps, but there was a shifting sound that indicated someone was around. I heard it and I knew it. I was listening to it as I hovered around my room, heart pounding. I wanted to call the police, and I should have. But I was paralyzed by fear. I locked my door behind me. Actively listened to this shifting sound for minutes, knowing someone had to be here. Prayed it was somehow Shannon. Called her phone, left a message, knew in my heart she wasn't (this was confirmed about 20 minutes ago.)
I couldn't bring myself to check the basement, or the upstairs. I feared how stupid I would look if the police came and there was nothing here (even though I knew what I had heard was real) I feared someone hearing me on the phone with the police. Most of all, I feared having to unlock my door and leave my room to answer the door when they arrived. I know how ridiculous that is. Feared the tugging notion that I should grab a knife from the kitchen when I did unlock my door. Feared having to defend myself.
After looking up the number for the NPPD, I shut down my computer, and waited motionlessly with my ear pressed against my door, listening for another noise, a final confirmation that something was definitely up, so that I could call the cops. I waited, and waited, and heard nothing. The weight of 3am was starting to pull at my eyelids; I was almost surprised that I could feel tired when I had just felt so frightened, but I was. I told myself I was imagining it all, that none of this had really happened. After all, there was no more noise at all. There must never have been, I was being crazy.
Bedroom door stayed locked. I went back to sleep with the light on. Sadie never stirred. Never before had I wanted her to be a dog so badly.
Slept pretty solidly for the rest of the night, believe it or not. I guess I was really exhausted. Woke up wondering if last night had really happened at all. Finally tip-toed down to the basement, half-expecting to find someone sleeping down there. I didn't. Went upstairs, looked around, saw that nothing seemed to have been stolen or anything. No strange people sleeping anywhere.
Checked the doors that I locked last night. The kitchen door was now unlocked.
Shit.
Guess we'll be locking the house up from now on.