"The Stranger"

I woke up to these words: “Who are you? Who ARE you?” The next thing I hear, “Marie! Anthony!” I jumped out of bed blinded in the darkness and I ran out. My aunt who was sleeping in the loft bed turned on the light because she thought my mom was dreaming, but what happens next is very real. I came out into the living room, and saw this six foot man standing on the foot of my mother’s bed, his hands outstretched waving them up and down saying: “Relax, relax…”

Seconds, just seconds pass…a million thoughts were running through my mind. One dominant thought rang clear that this man clearly does not belong here. What is he doing in our apartment? Does he have weapons? What did he come here to do? I was speechless, numb. I could hear my aunt frantic but no one moved. I glanced to the side and saw Anthony coming out; he woke up from the commotion. I now walked towards this man, I charged towards him determined to do one thing, to GET HIM OUT. Anthony did not realize there was a man in the house, and when he saw him he threatened calling the police. As we both walked towards him, he backed away and went to the door, and as he was leaving, he paused by the door and said “I said…okay.” I ran after the door, closed it and peeked through the peephole and saw him casually go down the stairs. I fumbled with the locks, I couldn’t even lock the door, I was so freaked.

We called the police and they came like 30 minutes later. We told them the story, and they were so quick to assume the guy was a drunk who thought he lived there. This guy was not drunk; he was very calm in an eerie, controlling way. And he didn't stumble around. There was no sign of forced entry, so we think someone may have left the door unlocked. But that still does not warrant the entry of a stranger. We gave the police our description of the creepy bearded six foot man wearing a backpack. We made the police look on the roof, down and around, but we didn’t hear back from them. So this incident remains a mystery. I am certain that his intent was to rape, rob or murder. He didn’t realize there were 4 people in the apartment that night. I am just so grateful that this man did not whip out a weapon and kill us all. Now we sleep with the door barricaded.