A hurried scribble on a delivery bag sent me racing to my backyard, leading to a disturbing discovery that might have saved my family from something terrifying. The cryptic note from Ravi, our regular delivery guy, hinted at a danger that was still looming, a threat I couldn’t ignore.
As a single mom, I often rely on food delivery when I’m too exhausted to cook for my kids. Over time, Ravi became more than just a familiar face; he was a friend who shared high-fives with my children, Kai and Isla, before heading off. But last Tuesday, something felt off. Ravi arrived looking unusually tense. He handed me our food without a word and hurried back to his car, leaving me puzzled.
“What’s wrong with Ravi?” Kai asked, peering out the window.
“I don’t know, buddy. Maybe he’s in a rush,” I replied, watching his car disappear down the street.
As I set the food on the kitchen counter, still wondering about Ravi’s strange behavior, I noticed something scribbled on the back of the delivery bag. The shaky handwriting caught my attention immediately, and when I read the message, dinner was the last thing on my mind.
“CHECK YOUR TRASH CAN.”
My heart raced as I tried to remain calm for my kids. “Why don’t you two wash up while I get everything ready?” I suggested, sending them out of the kitchen. Once they were gone, I dashed to the backyard, Ravi’s message echoing in my mind. I approached the trash cans, my hands trembling as I lifted the lid of the first one. Nothing out of the ordinary, just our usual garbage. But when I opened the second can, I froze. Inside, wrapped in an old blanket, was a collection of gloves, a few small tools, and an unlabeled bottle filled with a mysterious liquid. Panic surged through me.
“Mom? Are you okay?” Isla’s voice startled me. I quickly shut the lid and turned to her with a forced smile.
“I’m fine, sweetie. Just checking something. Go on inside, I’ll be right there.”
As soon as Isla was out of sight, I called the sheriff’s office.
Sheriff’s Department, this is Leona speaking.”
“Leona, it’s Nora. I need you to come over immediately. I found something disturbing in my trash.”
Leona’s voice turned serious as I described the contents of the can. “Don’t touch anything. I’m on my way. Stay inside with the kids until I get there.”
After hanging up, I couldn’t shake the fear. Our neighborhood had recently experienced a series of break-ins with eerily similar methods—chemicals to weaken locks and meticulous clean-up of evidence. A chilling thought crossed my mind: my house was next on the list.
“Mom, what’s going on?” Kai asked, noticing my unease.
“Everything’s fine,” I reassured him, though my smile felt forced. “Let’s have dinner.”
Just as we started eating, there was a knock on the door. I tensed, but relief washed over me when I saw Leona through the peephole.
“Kids, stay here and finish dinner,” I said before stepping outside to speak with her. I explained everything to Leona—Ravi’s note, his strange behavior, and what I found in the trash. She listened carefully, her eyes scanning the street.
“You did the right thing by calling me,” she said. “I’ll take a look at what you found and get it analyzed. In the meantime, I strongly recommend you increase your security. We’ll patrol the area all night.”
That night, sleep was impossible. I spent hours researching security systems, jumping at every little sound. By morning, I was jittery from lack of sleep and too much caffeine. At 8 a.m. sharp, I called a security company.
“I need cameras installed around my house. Today.”
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