I’m left home alone a lot, but this time was different. I felt as if someone was watching my every move. While I was making myself some dinner, I could have sworn that I’d seen a shadow outside the window. “It’s just my imagination. Don’t freak out.” I told myself. As I ate dinner on the couch and watched a movie, I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching me. About half way through the movie I thought I heard someone breathing heavily and when I turned around to look, I saw the bushes rustling outside. That’s when I started to freak out. I considered calling my parents and asking them to come home, but that would just freak them out. I tried to watch the movie, to not freak out, but I couldn’t focus. I concluded that my mind was probably just playing tricks on me because I was tired. So I got comfy on the couch and fell asleep to the sound of my movie.

When I woke up there was a man standing over me. His hair was going every direction and he had a crazed look in his eyes. “Hello.” He told me in his deep voice. “I won’t hurt you.” I sat up and tried to climb over the back of the couch. The man grabbed me and sat me back down.
“Who are you!” I asked, trying to sound brave. When he didn’t answer, I screamed. He clamped a sweaty hand over my mouth.
“Don’t. Do. That.” He sounded out every letter. He lifted his hand. It was balled into a fist, “Except for right now.” I let out a terrified screamed and blacked out.

My mind was foggy when I woke up. I tried to put the puzzle pieces together. My head hurt like crazy. I managed to lift and eyes, and suddenly all the pieces snapped together. While I had been unconscious the man had tied me up. I tired to call for help but he had taken the time to gag me as well. I tasted blood in my mouth. No, no, no, no, no, no. This cant be happening. I thought. I looked around and saw that my house had been ransacked. Furniture was upside down and everything worth anything that my family owned was in the middle of the room. The man was across the room, pilfering through the china cabinet. He looked up and saw that I was awake. A smile spread across his face. “Sleeping Beauty awakens!” he crossed the room and stood over me, “And you are a beauty.” He said stroking my face. I flinched but the man didn’t seem to notice. “When do you think your family will be home?” He asked me. I turned and looked away from him. There was no way I was going to help this man. “Hey! I asked you a question!” He grabbed my face and made me look at him. I gave him my best No-way-in-hell-am-I-helping-you-eyes. He let a disgusted sigh out and walked over to the TV. He turned it on and the local news flashed across the screen. The big story of the night was that an inmate had escaped from the local prison. A murderer. They flashed a mug shot of the murderer and asked you to call the number on the screen if you saw him. I did a double take and my heart stopped. No, no, no, please tell me this isn’t happening. Tell me this is a dream. The mug shot was of the man who broke into my house, the man who had knocked me out, the man standing 10 feet away from me. He was the escaped inmate. He was the murderer
“Does it look like me?” the man asked me. I gave him a confused look. He pointed at the TV, “My mug shot. I don’t think it really compliments my features.”
I rolled my eyes. Yes. It looks exactly like you. I thought. And if I make it out of this alive I’ll tell you.
“I never thought it was a good photo of me. I asked the police if I could retake the photo but they just ignored me.” The man pulled a gun out of the back of his jeans, “I think you’ve seen enough for today, sweetie.” He said and pointed the gun at me. “Any last words?” Panic filled me, this couldn’t be happening. I shook my head frantically and made muffled pleas for him to put the gun down. Then a lot of different things happened at once. He shot the gun, my house was full of people, light flooding the room, and there was yelling. A lot of it.
“ON YOUR KNEES! DROP YOUR WEAPON! ON YOUR KNEES!” The police shouted.
Finally I thought. An officer ran over to me and pulled the gag out of my mouth, “It’s ok sweetie, You’re safe now. I’m Officer Lewis. I’m here to help you.” He said as he started to untie me.
“Why are you here?” I asked, wondering how the police knew I needed help.
“You’re neighbor heard some screaming and saw what was going on and called us. Are you hurt?” He asked me, he was very nice. He was gentle while he untied me.
“Um, I don’t think so, he knocked me out but other than that-“ Officer Lewis cut me off.
“She’s been shot! Get a medic!” He yelled.
“WHAT! No I haven’t-” But then I saw he was right. There was a growing red spot on my left shoulder. Officer Lewis torn my shirt open a little to get a better look at my wound. Concern plastered his face. He looked around and found a nearby towel and held it against my shoulder.
“Ow!” I said as he started to apply pressure.
“Sorry. We need to stop the bleeding. Looks like it isn’t too bad though. Can you walk?” I nodded. “What’s your name?” Officer Lewis asked me.
“Tessa.” I said as I stood up.
“Well Tessa, we’re going to get you to a hospital and get you fixed up.” He said with a smile. He led me to an ambulance outside. As the medics strapped me to a gurney Officer Lewis started asking me questions, but I wasn’t paying attention him. A couple of officers were walking the murderer to a squad car parked near by and were reading him his rights. When the murderer saw me he stopped walking, looked me right in the eye and said, “Bye Tessa. See you soon.”