{"id":1799,"date":"2025-05-14T08:25:11","date_gmt":"2025-05-14T07:25:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/time.amazingstory.blog\/?p=1799"},"modified":"2025-05-14T08:25:13","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T07:25:13","slug":"my-coworker-moved-into-the-house-next-door-her-reason-left-me-pale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/time.amazingstory.blog\/?p=1799","title":{"rendered":"My Coworker Moved into the House Next Door \u2013 Her Reason Left Me Pale"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When Alison sees that her neighbor\u2019s house has finally been sold, she is curious to find out who has bought it. Shocked, she discovers that her new neighbor is a colleague from work. Soon, things go from coincidental to creepy, and Alison is left trying to understand her paranoia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cFor Sale\u201d sign next door had been up for months, and I\u2019d almost stopped noticing it. Rebecca and Phil had moved to their little beach house months ago, and as far as I had heard, they were just waiting for a buyer for their house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A For Sale sign | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My neighborhood was quiet, with its neatly trimmed lawns and well-kept houses. There were hardly ever any issues, and everyone seemed happy to be here, just how I liked it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, one Friday afternoon, as I was pulling into my driveway after a long day of work, thinking of a huge bowl of ramen, I noticed a moving truck. Being the curious cat that I am, I glanced over, squinting to see through the setting sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My jaw dropped. There, directing the movers, was Emma, my colleague from work. I was shocked that I didn\u2019t know about her move to my neighborhood, let alone about her buying the house next to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A woman standing in her driveway with boxes | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf all the plot twists\u2026\u201d I muttered, watching Emma pick up a box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emma and I had always had a pretty casual relationship at work. She was the kind of coworker you\u2019d chat with about weekend plans or office gossip, but nothing more. She always watched my friend and colleague, Wren, and me closely but didn\u2019t try to spend more time with us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We weren\u2019t actually friends; we didn\u2019t know much about each other\u2019s lives, and certainly didn\u2019t hang out outside the office. So, seeing her moving into the house next to mine felt\u2026 odd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Women<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Women in an office | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What were the chances?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just then, she looked up as if she sensed me watching. A big grin spread across her face, and she waved, her hand high in the air like she\u2019d been expecting me to notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlison!\u201d she called out loudly. \u201cHi! Surprise!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"An<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

An excited woman | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I waved back a bit awkwardly, then hurried inside. I tried to tell myself that it was just a strange coincidence. But there was something about the whole thing that made my skin crawl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next day at work, Emma was unusually talkative. She hovered near my desk, asking about my weekend plans, my thoughts on the neighborhood, and what time I usually got home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShould we carpool?\u201d she asked enthusiastically, sipping her coffee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A woman holding a cup of coffee | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure,\u201d I said. \u201cI usually go to the gym or hang out with Wren after work before heading home. So, I don\u2019t think a carpool is going to work for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She nodded slowly and then went straight back into conversation, talking about the old couple that lived next to her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I tried to play it off, chalking it up to her wanting to be friendly now that we were neighbors. But there was this undercurrent to her questions, a probing curiosity that felt invasive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A woman sitting at her desk | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe\u2019s being weird,\u201d I told Wren when we went to get drinks after work. \u201cI don\u2019t know how she even knew where I lived.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wren gave me a sheepish smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat might have been me,\u201d she said. \u201cEmma asked if we were roommates because we always get to the office at the same time, and we leave together, too. So, I told her that we weren\u2019t and I just mentioned where we lived. Nothing specific. Just the neighborhoods.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Two<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Two women sitting at a bar | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That made me feel slightly better. At least Emma hadn\u2019t stalked me; Wren seemed to have nudged her in my direction. But still, something was weird about it all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay, I guess that\u2019s better than what I was thinking,\u201d I laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But over the next few weeks, things got stranger. Every time I left the house, there she was. Emma would either be gardening, fetching the mail, or sitting on the porch staring at me with an intense, almost unnerving expression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A woman gardening | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat the heck\u2026\u201d I said to myself as I entered the house and locked the door behind me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that wasn\u2019t all. The conversations, too, became weirder between us. Emma would bring up things that I hadn\u2019t told her, things that she would have only discovered if she was eavesdropping on my conversations with Wren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like how my brother was planning to visit in two weeks, or how I wanted to repaint my living room to look like the plant-mom vibe I had become.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A living room full of plants | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay, innocent enough. But why would she eavesdrop? Why not join the conversation and try to be part of our lives in a better way?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, something odd happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wren and I had gone out for dinner and drinks with her sisters, so when I got home, I was wobbling on my feet, my heels having given my ankles a workout. All I could think about was getting into a hot shower and soothing my muscles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A group of women sitting together | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I fumbled with my keys at the front door, I glanced up and saw her. Emma was standing at the window, the dim light behind her casting a long, eerie shadow. Her eyes were locked on mine as she sipped something from a mug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emma lifted her arm slowly and waved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, no,\u201d I said, slipping inside and locking the door behind me instantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A woman standing outside her home | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat is this girl doing, Alison?\u201d I asked myself out loud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next day, I decided to confront her. I could barely sleep the night before and had dreamt of waking up and seeing Emma standing in the corner of my bedroom. Whatever was going on, I knew that my subconscious didn\u2019t feel safe either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During lunch, I found Emma hunched over the bar fridge, trying to decide which flavor of yogurt she wanted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A close up of a concerned woman | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, Emma,\u201d I asked her, trying to get into the conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, Ali,\u201d she said, leaning against the counter with her chosen tub of yogurt. \u201cWhat\u2019s up?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow did you end up living next door to me?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure, I knew that Wren had mentioned it. But I needed a bit more information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A tub of yoghurt on a counter | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was ready to buy a home, Ali,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd when I searched online, your neighborhood popped up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was a perfectly suitable answer, except that she didn\u2019t mention anything about Wren. Immediately, I was on guard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That night, as I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, I couldn\u2019t help but feel paranoid. I thought about encounters with Emma and the things I had noticed in the past weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A paranoid woman lying in bed | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like how her car always faced my house, how she always seemed to just sit on her porch, and how she seemed to know my schedule perfectly. It wasn\u2019t just weird or even coincidental anymore. No, it was just creepy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But of course, that wasn\u2019t all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few days later, I found the note. It was stuck to my front door, typed out on a piece of white paper. Just three words:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m watching you.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A note stuck to a front door | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The blood in my veins turned icy. It had to be Emma. I mean, who else would do something like this? I felt violated, exposed, and scared. My own home didn\u2019t feel safe anymore. I had to confront her. I needed answers, and I needed them quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I stormed over to her house, note in hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat the hell is this, Emma? Are you stalking me?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She blinked, staring at the note, then back at me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A woman standing at her front door | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCome inside,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I hesitated. I had no idea what I was walking into. But there was something in her eyes that made me follow her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t want to tell you this,\u201d she said. \u201cBut you\u2019re not imagining things. I did move here because of you, I\u2019ll admit that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A frowning woman | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been dealing with something\u2026 someone. My ex-boyfriend, Ben. He\u2019s been stalking me for months. He knows where we work, so I couldn\u2019t escape him at work or my old apartment. I thought that if I moved, then maybe it would change something.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I felt for her. I\u2019ll give her that. I couldn\u2019t imagine having to deal with an ex-boyfriend who was so unhinged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat do I have to do with this?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"An<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

An angry man | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI overheard you telling Wren that you were doing self-defense classes at the gym. I started doing them too, but in the mornings before work. And when Wren told me where you lived, I had already been looking for a new place, please believe me. When I stumbled upon this house and saw the neighborhood was the same, it felt like a sign.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, you thought that I could protect you?\u201d I asked, finally understanding her thought process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes! I thought that if you saw or heard me struggling, that you would come over and help me. But the note\u2026 Ben is back. And clearly, he got confused about which house I was in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A woman at the gym | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It all made sense now. Emma wasn\u2019t watching me; she was trying to stay safe. And the note was from her stalker, who now knew where we both were.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet\u2019s call the police,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And we did. But when the police arrived, I could see their doubt when they exchanged glances as they took Emma\u2019s statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCan you show us photographs of him?\u201d an officer asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A policeman standing in a living room | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emma nodded and whipped out her phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHere,\u201d she said. \u201cI can print them out if you want.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The officer nodded, and Emma went ahead and printed the photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow long has this been going on for?\u201d the officer asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMonths,\u201d Emma said. \u201cCan you get an officer to stay here and watch these two homes?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A frowning woman | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, we can send over an officer in plain clothes,\u201d he said. \u201cIf this guy comes back, we\u2019ll catch him. Try not to worry too much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thankfully, they caught Ben three days later as he tried to make his way around my house at midnight. In the weeks that followed, Emma and I grew closer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We began looking out for each other in small ways: sharing dinners, carpooling on some days, and overall, just checking in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least Ben was also gone, and with him, the uneasiness, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Two<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Two women sitting and eating together | Source: Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What would you have done?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When Alison sees that her neighbor\u2019s house has finally been sold, she is curious to find out who has bought it. Shocked, she discovers that […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1800,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1799","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/time.amazingstory.blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1799","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/time.amazingstory.blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/time.amazingstory.blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/time.amazingstory.blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/time.amazingstory.blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1799"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/time.amazingstory.blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1799\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1801,"href":"https:\/\/time.amazingstory.blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1799\/revisions\/1801"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/time.amazingstory.blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1800"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/time.amazingstory.blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1799"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/time.amazingstory.blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1799"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/time.amazingstory.blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1799"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}