A Chilling Encounter: My Terrifying Stalker Experience

The Beginning of the Nightmare

It started as an ordinary Thursday afternoon in late October. I was sitting in my usual spot at the university library, surrounded by law textbooks, when I first noticed him. A gaunt-faced man in his late 20s, wearing an ill-fitting navy sweater, had taken the seat diagonally across from me. What struck me immediately were his eyes - dark, unblinking, and fixed on me with unsettling intensity.

At first, I tried to brush it off. People stare sometimes, right? But over the next hour, his gaze never wavered. Not when he pretended to read his book. Not when I deliberately coughed to break his concentration. Not even when I made direct eye contact with a questioning look.

The First Interaction

As I packed up to leave, he suddenly appeared beside me. "You're studying criminal law," he stated flatly. It wasn't a question.

My throat tightened. "How did you—"

"The books," he interrupted, tapping the cover of my Criminal Procedure textbook. "I know a lot about crime. More than these books teach." His breath smelled faintly of stale coffee and something metallic.

I forced a polite smile and hurried away, his laughter - a dry, humorless sound - following me down the staircase.

The Escalation

What followed were weeks of increasingly disturbing encounters:

Monday: Found him sitting in "my" library spot when I arrived

Wednesday: Saw him outside my morning lecture hall

Friday: Spotted him at my regular coffee shop three miles off campus

The most terrifying moment came when I was home alone one evening. Through my apartment's peephole, I saw him standing motionless outside my door, holding what looked like a small notebook. He stayed there for 27 minutes (I timed it) before finally leaving.

The Psychological Torment

His harassment took a more insidious turn when the notes began appearing:

In my backpack: "You look pretty when you're concentrating."

Taped to my car windshield: "Your route home is dangerous. Let me walk with you."

The worst one, slipped under my apartment door: "I know what you're afraid of."

I started having panic attacks. My grades slipped. I stopped going out after dark. The police said they couldn't do anything without "concrete threats," but what did they call this?

The Breaking Point

The incident that finally forced action happened during finals week. Exhausted after an all-night study session, I fell asleep in a library carrel. I woke to find:

My water bottle had been moved

A lock of my hair was missing

Written in the margin of my notes: "Sweet dreams. I watched you sleep."

Campus security footage showed him standing over me for nearly 20 minutes, occasionally reaching out as if to touch me before pulling back.

The Aftermath

With this evidence, the university finally took action. He was banned from campus, but the damage was done. I:

Developed severe insomnia

Started therapy for PTSD

Transferred schools the following semester

Months later, I learned he'd been arrested for breaking into another student's apartment. Police found a shrine in his basement with photos of me and six other women, our personal items arranged like museum exhibits.

What I Learned

Document everything—dates, times, witnesses.

Trust your instincts—if someone feels "off," they probably are

Be persistent with authorities—don't accept "we can't help" as an answer.

This experience changed how I move through the world. I'm more cautious now, but also more resilient. To anyone going through something similar: You're not overreacting. Your fear is valid. Keep fighting until someone listens.

Have you ever encountered someone who made you feel unsafe? Share your story below - you never know who might need to hear they're not alone.