| SCARLETT | 

I felt a chill run down my spine as I read the note from my stalker. The words were like a punch to the gut, leaving me breathless and scared. I stumbled backward, my eyes fixed on the note as if it might disappear if I looked away. My mind was racing, trying to process what I was reading. The words were like a twisted love letter, but they were laced with an undercurrent of menace and fear . The writer claimed to be my stalker, and the way they described me, it was like he knew me intimately. I felt a wave of nausea wash over me, and I stumbled towards my bathroom, my hand covering my mouth. I barely made it to the toilet before I vomited, the contents of my stomach spilling out onto the porcelain sink . As I sat there, my head spinning and I realized that I had to do something. I couldn't just sit around and wait for this person to strike again. I needed to take action, to protect myself. I slowly got to my feet, my legs were  shaking beneath me as I tried to walk . I rinsed my mouth out with water and then splashed some on my face, trying to calm myself down. I knew I had to call the police, but I was scared. What if they didn't believe me? What if they thought I was just being paranoid? I took a deep breath and tried to push those thoughts aside. I had to try, no matter how scared I was. I walked over to my phone and dialed the police department's number. As I waited for someone to answer, I couldn't help but feel like I was being watched. I glanced around the room, but I was alone.

"Hello?" a voice said on the other end of the line.

"Hi," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I need to report a stalker."

The officer on the other end of the line asked me a series of questions, and I did my best to answer them. I told him about the note, about the feeling of being watched, about the way my things had been moved around. After  I talked, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. Maybe, just maybe, I could get some help. Maybe I could catch this person and make them stop But as I finished up my conversation with the officer, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was in grave danger. That this person was still out there, watching me, waiting for their next move.

I hung up the phone and tried to calm myself down. I told myself that I had done the right thing, that I had taken the first step in protecting myself But as I looked around my room, I couldn't help but feel like I was trapped. Like I was living in a nightmare that I couldn't wake up from and  then, I saw it. A small, almost imperceptible movement out of the corner of my eye. I spun around, my heart racing, but there was no one there.

I was alone.

Or so I thought.

I tried to shake off the feeling of unease, telling myself that I was just being paranoid. But as I looked around my room, I couldn't help but feel like I was being watched and  then, I heard it. A faint scratching sound, like fingernails on a chalkboard. It was soft at first, but it grew louder, more insistent. I spun around, trying to locate the source of the sound, but there was nothing. No one and  then, the scratching stopped.

The silence was deafening.

I stood there, frozen, my heart pounding in my chest. I knew that I had to get out of there, to get away from the house and the feeling of being watched. I grabbed my purse and keys and ran out of the house, not stopping until I was safely inside my car. As I drove away from the house, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being followed. That the person who had been watching me was still out there, and me stupidly waiting for their next move. I drove to the nearest coffee shop and sat down at a table, trying to calm myself down. I ordered a caramel iced macchiato and sat there, sipping it, trying to process everything that had happened. As I sat there, I couldn't help but feel like I was living in a nightmare. That this person was going to keep watching me, keep stalking me, until they finally made their move.

 I have  no idea what to do.

I sat there for a long time, trying to come up with a plan. But every idea I had seemed to have a flaw, seemed to leave me vulnerable to this person's attacks. As the sun began to set, I realized that I couldn't stay at the coffee shop forever. I had to go home eventually but  the thought of going back to my house, of being alone in that big, empty space, was terrifying.

I didn't know what to do.

And then, I remembered something. A movie night that my friends and I had planned weeks ago. We were going to watch a series of horror movies at Katerina’s  house, and I had completely forgotten about it.

I quickly pulled out my phone and sent Katerina  a text. "Hey, is the movie night still on for tonight?"

She responded almost immediately. "Yeah, it's still on! We're starting at 7. You can come over anytime after 6."

I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I didn't have to go home tonight. I could stay at Katerina’s house and try to forget about the creepy note and the feeling of being watched . I arrived at Katerina’s house around 6:30, carrying a bag of popcorn and a few bottles of soda. Katerina answered the door, a big smile on her face.

"Hey, girl! I'm so glad you could make it. We've got a great lineup of movies tonight."

I smiled back at her, feeling a sense of relief rush through me. "Thanks, Katerina . I really needed this tonight."

We spent the next few hours watching movies and laughing together. It was exactly what I needed - a distraction from the creepy feelings that had been plaguing me but as the night wore on, I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me. I kept looking over my shoulder, expecting to see someone lurking in the shadows. I knew it was just my imagination, but I couldn't help it. The note had really freaked me out, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. As the last movie ended, Katerina  turned to me and said, "Hey, do you want to stay over tonight? We can set up the couch in the living room for you." I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. But then I thought about going home to my empty house, and I knew I couldn't do it.

"Yeah, that would be great," I said, smiling at Katerina . "Thanks for offering."

As we settled in for the night, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. I was safe here, surrounded by my friends and  for the first time in days, I felt like I could finally relax but  as I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was constantly being watched and  I knew that I wouldn't be able to escape the feeling of being stalked for much longer. 

The next morning, I woke up feeling a little more refreshed. Katerina and I had a quiet breakfast together, and then I headed home. As I walked into my house, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The note was still sitting on my nightstand, and I knew I had to do something about it so I decided to start by examining the note more closely. I put on a pair of gloves and carefully picked up the note, studying it for any clues. As I looked at the note, I realized that it was written in a very distinctive handwriting. It was messy and uneven, with a lot of loops and flourishes. I wondered if I might be able to match the handwriting to someone I knew. I decided to start by asking my friends and family if they recognized the handwriting. I spent the rest of the day showing the note to everyone I knew, but no one recognized the handwriting. It was frustrating, but I wasn't giving up. I decided to take the note to the police station and see if they could help me identify the handwriting. As I walked into the station, I felt a sense of determination. I was going to find out who was stalking me, and I was going to make them stop. I  approached the front desk and showed the note to the officer on duty. "I need your help," I said. "I think someone is stalking me, and I found this note in my house. Can you help me identify the handwriting?"

The officer looked at the note carefully and then nodded. "We can definitely try to help you," he said. "But first, can you tell me more about what's been going on? When did you start feeling like you were being stalked?" I  took a deep breath and launched into the story of the past few days. I told him about the feeling of being watched, about the note, and about the way my things had been moved around.

The officer listened attentively, his expression growing more and more serious. When I finished, he nodded thoughtfully.

"I think we can help you," he said. "But I have to warn you, it's not going to be easy. We'll need to investigate and gather evidence, and it could take some time."

I nodded, feeling a sense of determination. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes," I said. "I just want to feel safe again."

The officer smiled sympathetically. "We'll do everything we can to help you," he said. "But in the meantime, I want you to be careful. If you feel like you're being watched or if you notice anything suspicious, don't hesitate to contact us” he ended.