Chapter 1

“I swear, Simone, it happens every night at 2 am! It’s really starting to scare me. Should i call the police?”
“Ainsley, it’s a new house it’s going to take some getting used to. You’ve never lived alone, just give it some time.”
“I think I know the sound of someone tapping on a window. That is not an old house settling.”
“I have to go, my mom’s calling on the other line. We can talk about this later.”
“Alright, Simone, see you at work tomorrow.”
Not ready for what’s ahead of her tonight, Ainsley hangs up the phone and pulls the covers on top of her. An uneasy feeling blankets her as she drifts into a restless sleep.
*tap, tap, tap* … *tap tap tap*
“Where is that coming from, Baxtor?” Ainsley asked her cat.
She opens the bedside table and grabs the pocket knife and pepper spray her dad insisted she have. Ainsley slowly walks down the stairs following the tapping.
*tap, tap, tap*
The tapping gets louder and her heart starts racing. Trying not to make a noise she creeps over to the kitchen window. As she slowly reaches out to open the blinds *tap, tap, tap*
Ainsley screams and runs back up to her bedroom, slams and locks the door behind her. She grabs the phone in a panic and dials 911.
“911, what’s your emergency?”
“A man. He was at my window. I heard him. He’s here every night.”
“Ma’am I’m going to need you to slow down. Start from the beginning.”
“Okay, okay. My name is Ainsley Harrison, I rent the house at 1203 Bluebird Circle. I moved in here just about a month and a half ago. I’m new to this town and I don’t know many people. Just about a week after I moved in I started hearing rustling in the bushes while I was watching T.V. At first I didn’t really think anything of it. I just thought it might be the wind, you know? Then I started getting this really uneasy feeling. Like someone was always watching me. I would get it at the grocery store, at the gas station, when I was walking to my car after work, but I never see anyone. About two weeks ago the tapping started. It happens every night at two in the morning, just like this, tap tap tap then there is a pause for a few seconds then it happens again tap tap tap. It’s never in the same room, though. It’s been a different room every night this week.”
“Ma’am when was the last time  you heard this tapping?”
“NOW! Thats why im calling. He was here.”
“Alright, ma’am, I’m dispatching a unit now. Stay on the phone with me and I will let you know when it is safe to open the door to the police officer.”

Chapter 2

“Simone, it happened again last night and I called the police. They couldn’t find anything. I don’t think I can do this another night. Would you mind if i crashed on your couch tonight? I am scared to go back to my house...”
“Yeah, you can borrow some clothes. Just come home with me after work. We can order chinese and watch funny movie and take your mind off things.”
“That sounds great. Thank you so much. I could really use some rest.”

The movie ended and Simone gets up to go to bed. “Thanks for this, Simone, I was really starting to wonder if I was going crazy.”
“What are friends for? Just get some rest, Ainsley, you’ll feel better in the morning and we can talk then.“
Simone turns off the T.V. and lights as Ainsley gets snuggled into the couch. Feeling better, Ainsley closes her eyes and falls into a sweet slumber.
She jolts awake by a now angry knocking on the window above her head.
“What in the world was that?!” Simone yells as she runs into the living room.
“It’s him, isn’t it? how did he find me?” Ainsley shreaked
“ What do we do? Do we call the police?”
Ainsley walks to pick up her phone and right as she does there’s a knock at the door. Simone goes to the door and looks out the peep hole. She recognizes the man at the door and opens it.
“Hey, Jerry, what are you doing here so late.”
“ I heard from my brother at the police department that Ainsley was being watched. I just wanted to check in with her to make sure she's okay, and when she wasn't at her house I figured she might be here.”
“Yeah, she’s right here. Hey, A, it’s just Jerry from work.”
“ Hey. I’m fine just wanted to get out the house for the night you know?”
“Yeah, i understand. But, hey, if you ever need help you have me.” offered Jerry.
“Thank you, that really means a lot.”
“Here i'll give you my phone number. Ready?”
“Yeah”
“719-555-1212, and if you would like i can check around outside. See if i see anything?”
“Yes please. That would make me feel a lot better.”
“Alright. I’ll see you guys at work Monday.” Jerry says stepping off the front porch walking into the yard.

“Isn’t it weird that Jerry just happened to show up right after the knocking to “check in on you”. Quite a late hour to be checking in on someone, don’t you think?” Simone questioned.
“Hmmmm that is kinda suspicious… Do you think it’s Jerry?”
Simone heads to bed and Ainsley sits down on the couch. Ainsley stays up the whole night trying to figure out who her stalker is.
“Its gotta be someone that I know.” She thinks to herself.

Chapter 3

Simone wakes up the next morning to find Ainsley sitting at the kitchen table with a stack of papers that have names, dates, and explanations on them. Simone looks at Ainsley and says
“What are you doing, A? This seems a little over the top don’t you think?”
“NO! I don't think that. I think that I am being terrorized and that I need to find out who is doing this to me I can’t live this way! Are you going to help me or what?”
“Fine Fine i’ll help you.” sighs Simone.
“Okay, so this is a list of every date, time, and location of each incident. It started in the kitchen and next it was in the living room, then the bathroom, then the back room to the left, then the back room to the right. So I have a plan. We are going to go to the hardware store and we are going to buy five flood lights.”
“And what are we going to do with those?” Simone snaps.
“We are going to call your brother and have him help us install those above each window. We need to get started early so we can have this done by tonight. You’re spending the weekend with me and we are going to catch this crazy stalker in the act.”
“And what are we going to do when we catch him…?” Simone asks.
“Well I haven’t quite thought of that yet, but at least if we see his face we will know who he is.”

Chapter 4

“Ainsley, how do we know he’s even going to show up tonight? It’s already getting late. Plus if he saw us installing the lights today, would he even come? We’ve gotta assume that he’s smarter than that”
“Then that means that he won’t show up ever. Right? But I doubt he’s going to give up that easy. We don’t even know if he saw us putting the lights up.” Ainsley replied

“When we hear the tapping on my count of three you turn on the flood lights and I’ll open the drapes our timing has to be perfect.” Ainsley explains to Simone.
“Then what? Do I get to rip off his mask? Sounds like we are in some cheesy Scooby-Doo cartoon.”
“NO COME ON SIMONE I’M BEING SERIOUS! We find out who he is tonight.”
“Okay, Okay I know the plan.” sighs Simone.

Ainsley and Simone prepare for the long night ahead. Ainsley turns out the lights and simone grabs the remote and jokingly asks
“Hey, A, what do you wanna watch? Scooby-doo?”
“HA HA. Real funny.” Ainsley says sarcastically
They turn the volume down low and wait patiently as the hours tick by. Three hours later Ainsley and Simone finally start to fall asleep to the hum of the television.

*tap……. tap……..tap…..*
Ainsley jumps up and her heart is racing. She shakes Simone’s arm and whispers
“He’s here. Come on, it’s time.”
They slowly tiptoe toward the sound of the tapping coming from the picture window in the dining room. Ainsley's hands are shaking as she reaches for the drapes, looking at Simone whose hand is on the flood light switch and whispers,
“on my count, 3,2,1”
Ainsley rips open the drapes as Simone flips on the flood light. There stands in a black hoodie a familiar face, but Ainsley only sees him for a second before he takes off into the night.
“WHO WAS IT?!” Simone yells
“Oh my god, was that really who i think it was…?”
“Who, Ainsley, WHO?” Yells simone
“That was my landlord. I know his face because I just signed the lease with him a little over a month ago. Oh my God I’m being terrorized by my own landlord.”
“You’re moving out of here tonight.” Simone declared.

Chapter 5

“I’ll have an extra carmel, carmel frap.” Ainsley says to the cafe waitress
“I’m so relieved, Simone, this ordeal is finally over. The police told me that they caught Mr. Knight hiding out in the woods behind the rental house. Apparently he’s been camping out back there watching me. They also told me that I’m not the only one he’s done this to. There has been three other cases with him in Colorado, Nebraska, and North Dakota watching and terrorizing young females.”
“You’re so lucky. who knows what could have happened. Just to think he had keys to your place. He could have gone in there.” Simone says.
“I don’t even want to think about that. I’m so glad that this is over. Thank you so much for everything. You truly are a great friend Simone.”