Every Thursday morning, I get a letter from no one. (Pt. 1)

I always wanted to live in a small town. Or somewhere near mountains or a riverside. This was my dream since I was a child and it came true when I moved to Warkworth. The neighbourhood was amazing. When I moved in, the people from my block welcomed me and gave me household things. The family who lives beside me even said I’m welcome in their house for anything.

Since I was a bachelorette, the family invited me over for lunch and dinner several times. They took me to their family parties and trips. I guess they all are so loving towards me because they had a daughter. She ended her life 3 years ago. She was the same as my age. I know little about it, and I didn’t ask much. Everything was perfect and happy until that thing started and happened every Thursday.

On October 24th, I woke up and did everything as per my daily routine. When I was ready to go out for jogging, I saw a small letter on my doorstep. I said small because it was something like someone made the envelope by folding it. It had no stamps and no address. The only thing written on the front was, ‘To you, Julia’. The colour of the letter was pink. I’m telling you about the colour because it was like someone painted it with that colour. I was late for a jog, so I didn’t think too much and put the letter on the shoe-shelf inside the house.

After returning from jogging and taking a shower, I was ready to go for work. I realized about the letter. I started looking for it and realized I put it on the shoe-shelf. I threw the letter in the bag and left for work.

During the break, I grabbed the letter out of my bag and looked at it. I had several questions on my mind. ‘Who sent it to me?’. ‘How they knew my name?’. Seeing so many questions coming in my mind, I took a sip from my coffee mug and opened the letter. It had a page inside it and something was written on it…

“Let me guess, you like to watch Netflix? Name five shows you’re watching. And don’t worry about replying. Leave your reply in your mailbox. You’ll receive my reply/letter on next Thursday. J”

I giggled after reading it. I thought it was cute. I again started thinking about who it can be. Maybe some guy from my neighbourhood likes too many movies. Or is it that guy from the pizza shop!? I always caught him looking at me and smiling. I smiled over my thoughts, grabbed a pen & paper and wrote…

“Guess what!? You’re right!! Um, I’m watching… Unbelievable, Chilling adventures of Sabrina, Season fourth of Patriot Act, Season fourth of Better Call Saul, Dead to me. And I guess you also like to watch Netflix!? Tell me about the five shows you’re watching. I’ll wait for your reply! Have a great week ahead. Julia”

I threw both letters in my bag. But something I found not right. Everything written in the letter was in my handwriting, but rough or not perfect. It was like someone tried to write in my handwriting. Or someone knew my handwriting but couldn’t write it perfectly. I looked at my watch and the break time was over. I immediately grabbed my bag and ran. At evening, before entering my home, I put the letter in the mailbox. The family who lives beside me had invited me over for dinner. So I took a quick shower and went for dinner.

Next day was all same and calm. My letter was still lying in the mailbox. I thought someone was playing a troll or something. I ordered my food and watched some episodes on Netflix. And then I went to sleep.

Next morning, when I was leaving for jogging, I gave a peek in the mailbox. The letter was not there. I was a little happy to see that. I went on my way to jog. Saturday went normal and happy.

On Thursday, I received another letter. Same small and in same ‘pink’ colour. I put the letter on the shoe-shelf and went to jog.

As soon as I returned from the run, I entered my house and grabbed the letter. I opened it so quickly with full of joy like a girl opens a letter knowing it is from her lover who lives in abroad.

“Ah, I’m glad I guessed right! The shows I’m watching are… The road that never ends, Seashores, Might’ve lived inside the cave, A blank beauty, Not that kind of couple. Do you play video games or something? You also have a great week ahead! J”

I was confused because I never heard about those shows. I thought he might have forgotten, and these shows are from HBO or some other streaming services. I searched them on Google and nothing came up. It confirmed to me that someone was doing a troll. I threw the letter in the garbage can and got busy with my work. I wrote nothing back to him that week.

Next Thursday, I saw the letter as I was on my way to jog. I remember I was angry. I took the letter with me and threw it in a gutter on my way to the ground.

When I returned, I saw another letter on my doorstep. It scared me. I ambled towards the letter. This time it was a big letter but in the same ‘pink’ colour. Big because it wasn’t folded like the previous ones. It was like the one we get from tax services or something like that. I don’t know what came in me. I opened it instead of throwing it away.

“Julia, it was fun to know that you searched those shows on Google. How would you find a show that hasn’t been released yet!? You didn’t reply to me! It was not very nice of you. And yeah, throwing my letter in a gutter won’t stop them from coming. J”

I dropped the letter and ran outside the boundary to see if anyone was there. I looked at all sides. No one was there. I then ran inside my house to my kitchen and started looking. There was only one thought circling around in my mind, ‘It was fun to know that you searched those shows on Google’. I thought whoever he is, broke into my house and put a camera in the kitchen. He might have put in other rooms, but my first thought was to check the kitchen.

I thought about calling the police or tell my neighbour. But I didn’t have enough evidence to show them. They may say it’s someone playing a troll and might laugh it off. So I thought about installing a few cameras and collect enough evidence and then call or show them.

I was scared and didn’t know what to do. Later that day at work, I searched about security cameras and how to install them. I didn’t want to call the technician or personnel to install them because the ‘guy’ would know about it if he’s stalking me. I was too afraid to do anything in the day time. On my way back home, I bought 2 cameras and then waited for the night.

The shower I took in the evening was the hardest. I still remember the crying and failing to stop thinking about it. I cried, sitting in the shower. I never thought someone would do something like this to me.

Later that day, I had lunch and waited for the night in the hall. I couldn’t trust the kitchen and my bedroom. I checked everywhere in my house and didn’t find any hidden camera. I didn’t know how he knew about me searching those episodes on Google. Around 2, I installed the cameras and connected them to a computer in my bedroom. When done, I checked the cameras. I installed one outside the main door and another in the kitchen.

That entire week was stressing. I checked the kitchen camera every night before going to sleep. And I found nothing. It confused me. I didn’t know what to feel. Should I be happy for not finding someone breaking into my house? Or should I be worried about not finding anyone? I was so stressed and losing my sleep. All I was waiting for Thursday to receive the next letter.

I know some of you’ll think why I didn’t write back. I thought about that, but it scared me. I didn’t know what to write. What would I write? Who is this? Why are you doing this? How do you know so many things about me? How do you know I searched the shows on Google? Were you hiding in the kitchen? Did you put a camera in my kitchen? I had so many questions. And also, I didn’t want him to mock me with something he knew about me. That would mess with my brain.

Thursday came. That day I did nothing. I didn’t sleep. I didn’t get ready for jogging. I took leave from the work. That morning time stopped for me. I just waited for the time I used to go out for a jog. My mind was telling me to go out and hide and catch that stalker. But I was scared, and somehow I stopped myself from doing that.

I looked at the wall clock, and it was the time for jog. I opened the door and saw the ‘letter’ lying on my doorstep. I closed the door and ran to my bedroom, leaving the letter on the doorstep to check the camera. I started looking and after hours of watching, I found that no one came. But I noticed something. At 5:41:40, there was no letter. But at 5:41:43, the letter was there. I replayed the recording and watched it like 100 times. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was like it just appeared from nowhere.

I’m still in the hall, writing this story. I locked every door and window from inside. It’s 04:16 PM on the table clock in the hall. I’m scared to go out. I don’t want to open my door and look at the letter. I’m scared to tell anyone. I don’t know whom I should tell, but I know, I must read the letter.