The Facebook Stalker

The Facebook Stalker -- Chapter 19

Kate wasn’t sure if ‘Pete’s’ text was supposed to frighten her, but it didn’t. Maybe if Kate hadn’t found the cameras, it still would have. She was growing sick and tired of his games, and just wanted it to all be over with. Whatever that meant. 

A soft knock came on the door. Walking to the door and peering through the eyehole, Kate saw Amanda standing out in the hallway. Opening the door for her, Kate said, “Oh, hey Amanda.”

“Hi, Kate. Do you mind if I come in?” 

“Sure. The place is kind of messy, though,” Kate told her, laughing a little. 

“I’m sure you don’t have anything on my room,” Amanda replied, joining in Kate’s laughter. “Look, I just wanted to come over and apologize,” she added.

“What for?” Kate asked, sitting next to her friend on the bed.

“Well, for acting like such a royal bitch, really. I mean, after I really thought it over, you weren’t being too outrageous for thinking it could’ve been me texting you. I mean, we had just gotten into a fight of sorts, and when I left, I was kind of ticked off at you. If I did have my phone with me, I promise that I would’ve shown you. But it really was in my room the whole time.”

After Amanda’s apology, Kate looked at her friend and said, “You shouldn’t be apologizing. I should be. I was acting like a crazed person. The thought of you texting me that crazy stuff shouldn’t have even crossed my mind. You’ve been nothing but kind to me.”

Sighing, Amanda said, “Well? Friends?”

Smiling, Kate said, “Friends.”

After a quick hug, Amanda asked, “Um, Kate?”

“Yeah?”

“Uh-um, well-- what are these wires hanging everywhere?” 

“Oh, you’re never gonna believe it. This creep ‘Pete’ fellow somehow installed these tiny cameras all over my room, and one in the bathroom, and has been watching my every move since I don’t know when.”

“For real?!” Amanda asked, incredulously.

“Yeah, for real.”

“Well, what’s that mess over there on your carpet? Is that your phone?” Amanda asked, pointed at the shattered plastic Kate had forgotten to clean up.

“Oh, yeah. I got a little mad and launched my phone at the wall,” Kate informed her, with a small chuckle. “Oops.”

“Geez, with a pitch like that, the Chicago Cubs would love to have you on their team!” Amanda exclaimed, laughing.

“Yeah, maybe so,” Kate said, staring at the pieces of her phone. “But do you know what? ‘Pete’ was ever so kind to send me a new one,” Kate added, pointing to the flip phone on her nightstand.

Picking it up, Amanda said, “Well, that was uh…. Nice of him.”

“I guess,” Kate muttered.

“So, he’s been--watching you?” Amanda asked.

“Yeah,” Kate confirmed.

“Wow.” Amanda sounded almost breathless. 

“And that’s not all. He’s cut off my contact with everyone. Before I busted my phone, I could only receive calls and texts from him, not call out or send anything out. He hacked into my online accounts -- email, Facebook, everything, and deleted it all and somehow made it to where I couldn’t make any new ones.”

“Oh, man, Kate! This is serious!”

“I know. The worst part is, though, that I can’t even inform the cops about what’s going on. He knows all about my life back home. Megan, my parents, even my dog, Freckles. He said he’s hate for something terrible to happen to them if I decided to alert any authorities, in so many words.”