The Stranger at the Door

It was a typical Monday evening when the doorbell rang. Sarah, a young single woman, was at home watching TV. She had no plans for the evening, so she was happy to answer the door. However, when she opened the door, she was met with a stranger. The stranger was a man in his forties, dressed in a suit, with a briefcase in his hand. He introduced himself as Mr. Smith, an insurance agent, and asked if he could come in for a moment.

Sarah was hesitant at first but eventually allowed him to enter. Mr. Smith was friendly and polite, but Sarah couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. As they sat down in the living room, Mr. Smith began to ask her questions about her life, her job, and her apartment. Sarah found some of the questions to be intrusive but tried to answer them as best as she could.

After a few minutes of small talk, Mr. Smith got up and said that he needed to get going. Sarah breathed a sigh of relief and walked him to the door. However, before he left, he turned to her and said, "I'll be in touch, Sarah. We have a lot to discuss." Then he walked out the door and disappeared into the night.

Sarah couldn't stop thinking about the strange encounter with Mr. Smith. She felt uneasy and began to wonder why an insurance agent would ask so many personal questions. As the days passed, she received a letter from Mr. Smith, inviting her to a meeting at his office. Sarah was hesitant, but curiosity got the better of her, and she decided to go.

When Sarah arrived at the office, she was surprised to find that it was located in a rundown part of town. The building was old and dilapidated, and there were no other businesses nearby. She walked up to the front door, which was slightly ajar, and pushed it open.

Inside, the office was dark and musty. There was no one at the reception desk, so Sarah walked around until she found Mr. Smith's office. The door was open, and she could hear voices coming from inside. As she approached the door, she could hear Mr. Smith talking to someone, but she couldn't make out what they were saying.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and Sarah found herself face to face with Mr. Smith and another man. The man was tall and muscular, with a shaved head and a scar above his left eyebrow. Sarah felt a shiver run down her spine as she looked at him.

Mr. Smith introduced the man as his associate and invited Sarah to take a seat. He then proceeded to tell her that he had been doing some research on her and had found out some interesting things. He knew that she was in debt and struggling to make ends meet. He also knew that she had a valuable piece of jewelry that had been in her family for generations.

Sarah was shocked that Mr. Smith had been digging into her personal life. She felt violated and exposed. She demanded to know why he was telling her all this.

Mr. Smith smiled and said, "I have a proposition for you, Sarah. I can make all your problems go away. I can pay off your debt and give you a generous sum of money for your jewelry. All you have to do is sign over the rights to your apartment to me."

Sarah was taken aback by the offer. She couldn't believe that this was happening. She refused the offer and got up to leave. However, the man with the scar grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back down into the chair. Sarah's heart raced as she struggled to break free, but the man's grip was too strong.

Mr. Smith leaned in close to Sarah and whispered, "I suggest you reconsider, Sarah. You don't want to make an enemy out of me. I can make your life a living hell."

Sarah's mind raced as she tried to figure out a way out of the situation. She knew that she had to get out of there and call the police. She pretended to agree to Mr. Smith's offer, hoping to buy some time.

Mr. Smith handed her a piece of paper and a pen, instructing her to sign it. As she took the pen, she grabbed it tightly and lunged at the man with the scar. She stabbed him in the neck with the pen, causing him to scream in pain and release his grip on her.

Sarah ran out of the office and into the street, trying to put as much distance between her and Mr. Smith as possible. She called the police, who arrived on the scene within minutes.

The police arrested Mr. Smith and his associate, who were later charged with attempted kidnapping and extortion. Sarah was relieved that the ordeal was over, but she couldn't shake off the feeling that she was being watched.

Days turned into weeks, and Sarah began to notice strange occurrences around her apartment. She would find objects moved from their usual place or hear strange noises in the middle of the night. She became increasingly paranoid and began to fear for her life.

One night, as she was getting ready for bed, she heard a knock at the door. She hesitated, unsure of who could be at the door. When she opened it, she found Mr. Smith standing on her doorstep.

He smiled and said, "Hello, Sarah. I hope you haven't forgotten about me."

Sarah's heart raced as she tried to slam the door shut, but Mr. Smith was too strong. He pushed his way into the apartment and lunged at her. Sarah screamed for help, but no one came.

The last thing she saw was Mr. Smith's face, twisted in a maniacal grin, before everything went dark.

The police arrived on the scene the next morning to find Sarah's lifeless body on the floor. They searched for Mr. Smith but found no trace of him. He had disappeared without a trace, leaving behind a trail of terror and death.

The story of Sarah's tragic end spread quickly, and the city was gripped by fear. People began to lock their doors at night and watch their backs. No one knew when Mr. Smith would strike again, and the city lived in a state of constant terror.

The stranger at the door had brought with him a darkness that the city had never known, and it would take years to recover from the trauma he had caused.