Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
My name is Jamie, and I've always been cautious about
who I led into my life. But when I moved
to a new city for college, I had to find
a roommate quickly. That's when I met David, and my
life took a dark turn. I moved to the city
a week before the semester started, excited about the new
chapter in my life. The college dorms were full, so
(00:26):
I had to find an off campus apartment. After browsing
through various ads, I found one that seemed perfect. It
was a two bedroom apartment near campus, reasonably priced, and
the current tenant, David, was looking for a roommate. David
seemed normal enough during our first meeting. He was a
(00:47):
bit older, maybe in his late twenties, and work night
shifts at a local factory. He was clean, respectful, and
seemed eager to have someone share the rent. I moved
in a few days later, ready to start my college adventure.
At first, things were fine. David and I had different schedules,
(01:08):
so we didn't see each other much. He would come
home early in the morning and sleep while I was
at school, and by the time I got home in
the evening, he was getting ready for work. We had
polite conversations in passing, but that was the extent of
our interactions. One evening, about a month after I moved in,
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I noticed something strange. I came home to find David
sitting in the living room staring blankly at the TV,
which was turned off. He didn't seem to notice me
at first, and when he did, he gave me a
forced smile and went to his room without a word.
It was unsettling, but I chalked it up to him
(01:49):
being tired from work. Over the next few weeks, I
began to notice more odd behaviors. David started leaving his
door slightly ajar at night. I could hear him whispering
to himself. Sometimes I would catch him watching me, quickly
looking away. When I noticed, I started feeling uneasy in
(02:10):
my own home, but I tried to convince myself that
I was overreacting. One night, I woke up to the
sound of something rustling in my room. My heart pounded
as I strained to see in the darkness. I flicked
on the bedside lamp and saw David standing in the doorway,
his eyes wide and unblinking. David, what are you doing?
(02:34):
I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. He didn't answer. Instead,
he just stood there, staring at me for what felt
like an eternity, before turning and leaving without a word.
I locked my door that night and every night after.
The final straw came. A few nights later, I was
(02:54):
sitting in the living room studying for an upcoming exam
when David came home. He seemed agitated, pacing back and
forth in the kitchen. Suddenly he stopped and turned to me,
his eyes wild. Jamie, do you believe in fate? He asked,
his voice low and intense. I felt a chill run
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down my spine. I guess so, I replied cautiously. He
stepped closer, his expression darkening. I think it's fate that
brought us together. Don't you see we were meant to
be here in this moment. I stood up my instincts,
screaming at me to get out. David. I don't know
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what you're talking about, but you're scaring me. His face
twisted into a sinister smile. You don't need to be scared, Jamie.
I won't let anything happen to you. We're connected. I
grabbed my phone and backed towards my room. I'm going
to my room now, Please leave me alone. David's smile faded,
(04:03):
replaced by a look of anger. You don't understand, do you.
You can't leave. Were meant to be together. I bolted
to my room, locking the door behind me and dialing
nine one one. I explained the situation as calmly as
I could, but my hands were shaking. The operator assured
(04:25):
me that help was on the way. As I waited,
I could hear David outside my door, mumbling to himself
and occasionally pounding on the door. The minutes felt like
hours until I finally heard the sound of sirens. I
opened the window and shouted for help, and moments later
the police burst through the front door. David was taken
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into custody, and I was left to explain everything to
the officers. They found several notebooks in David's room, filled
with disturbing writings and drawings, all centered around me. It
turned out that David had a history of mental illness
and had stopped taking his medication. I moved out the
next day, staying with a friend until I could find
(05:09):
a new place. The experience left me shaken and paranoid.
Constantly looking over my shoulder in double checking wocks. I
continued my studies, but the fear lingered a constant reminder
of how quickly things can go wrong. Looking back, I
realize how important it is to trust your instincts and
(05:30):
take action when something feels wrong. Living with a dangerous
stranger was a nightmare, but it taught me valuable lessons
about personal safety and awareness. Now I always take extra
precautions when choosing roommates and never ignore the warning signs.
Sharing my story is my way of helping others avoid
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the same fate and stay safe in their own homes.
My name is Emily, and I used to think that
finding a roommate online was the best solution to splitting
rent costs. That was until I met Claire, the woman
who turned my life into a living nightmare. It all
(06:14):
started a year ago when I moved into a quaint
two bedroom apartment in a quiet neighborhood. Claire was my
new roommate, A seemingly kind and friendly woman in her
late twenties. She was neat, polite, and worked as a
graphic designer from home. We bonded over our shared love
for cooking and Netflix's binge watching sessions. The first few
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weeks were great, and I felt like I had found
the perfect roommate. However, things started to change subtly. Claire
began to show an unusual interest in my personal life.
She would ask detailed questions about my work, my friends,
and even my family. At first, I thought she was
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just trying to be friendly, but her questions became more
intrusive over time. She wanted to know where I was going,
who I was meeting, and what time I would be back.
It was as if she was trying to control my
every move. One evening, I came home later than usual
after meeting a friend for dinner. Claire was waiting for
(07:20):
me in the living room, her face a mask of concern.
Where were you? I was so worried, she said, her
voice trembling. I assured her I was fine, but her
reaction seemed over the top for someone I had known
for just a few weeks. Over the next few months,
Claire's behavior became increasingly possessive. She would text me constantly
(07:44):
while I was at work, asking when I would be
home and what I was doing. If I didn't respond immediately,
she would call repeatedly until I answered. It felt like
I was being smothered, and the apartment no longer felt
like a safe space. One weekend, I decided to visit
my parents, who lived out of town. I didn't tell
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Claire about my plans, hoping to avoid her barrage of questions. However,
as soon as I arrived at my parents' house, my
phone started buzzing with messages and calls from Claire. Where
are you? Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?
She demanded. I felt a chill run down my spine.
(08:26):
How did she know I had left? When I returned
home on Sunday evening, I found Claire sitting on the
couch staring blankly at the TV. We need to talk,
she said, without looking at me. She accused me of
being secretive and dishonest, and insisted that as roommates, we
should share everything with each other. Her intensity scared me,
(08:50):
and I realized I needed to find a way out
of this situation. The final straw came one night, when
I was lying in bed trying to fall asleep. I
heard Claire's footsteps outside my room, and then the sound
of my doorknob turning. I had locked my door a
precaution I had started taking recently. Claire jiggled the doorknob
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a few times, then knocked softly. Emily, are you awake,
she whispered. I pretended to be asleep, my heart pounding
in my chest. After a few minutes, she left, but
I couldn't shake the feeling of being trapped in my
own home. The next day, I decided to look through
Claire's room while she was out. I felt guilty for
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invading her privacy, but I needed answers. What I found
was terrifying. Claire had a notebook filled with details about
my life, my schedule, my friends, my habits. She had
even taken photos of me without my knowledge. I realized
then that I was living with someone who was obsessed
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with controlling me. I knew I had to live, but
I couldn't let Claire know my plans. I started packing
my things slowly, hiding boxes in my car when she
wasn't around. I found a new place to live and
arranged to move out on a day when Claire was
scheduled to be out all day. The morning of my move,
(10:17):
I left a note on the kitchen counter explaining that
I couldn't live with her. Anymore, and that I needed
my space. I didn't go into details, fearing her reaction
if she knew I had gone through her things. As
I drove away from the apartment for the last time,
I felt a mixture of relief and fear. Claire called
and texted me repeatedly over the next few days, but
(10:40):
I never responded. I changed my phone number and blocked
her on all social media. Even now, months later, I
still feel a lingering sense of unease. I learned a
valuable lesson about trusting my instincts and the importance of
being cautious when choosing a roommate. Claire's possessive nature left
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a lasting impact on me, a reminder that sometimes the
people we invite into our lives can become our worst nightmares.