Statement of Gen Connoway, regarding a…stalker. Original statement given October 30, 2021. Audio recording by the Archivist of the Magnus Institute, London.
Statement Begins.
So, I’m not sure how to start this. I’m not really sure how long I have left. That thing could be there when I get back. But I suppose I’ll start with some background information. I’m a private investigator. It’s my job to stalk people. You know… legally. I’ve done a lot of sleuthing for big names—I’ve even gotten caught a couple of times. But I’m good at my job.
I’d gotten a job to investigate a husband suspected of cheating—a pretty common job. It’s one I’ve done probably a hundred times. I’m still not sure what made this one different. I think it was the client. He originally called me, asking if I did investigative work on spouses. I said yes, and he asked me to investigate his husband, and that was that. He sent me the info on his husband, and I said I’d get started the next day. The exchange was normal up until I actually met the guy for the first informational meeting.
Every month, I meet up with my clients to share what I’d found. But when my client walked into my little home office, I just felt like something was wrong. Like when you do something embarrassing and you can just feel people staring at you. His name was Elias Buschard. Apparently he’d been married to his husband for years, on and off. Which was one of the things that made it so weird to investigate his husband. If they’d been married for years, why would he start cheating now? I think this Elias guy just wanted an excuse to get a divorce.
I told Elias what I’d found on his husband, which was pretty much nothing. He was basically just a rich hermit. He barely went out, and when he did, it was just to meet with other businessmen. Elias seemed less than ecstatic about this information. He was very brisk and stiff when he left my tiny office. The feeling of someone watching me left with him. I wasn’t too worried about it, since I’d had some other clients to meet with that day.
It was dark out when I finally left the office. It was around 9:00, so it made sense. I started walking to my studio flat, since it was only about 6 blocks from the office and on a well-lit road. At this thought, I’d noticed that the lights weren’t actually on. I remember brushing this concern off at the time, thinking, “maybe they’re just working on some of the lights”. Stupid.
After about a block of walking, I felt something. It was the same shiver of heebie jeebies I’d felt when Elias was in my office. Like someone was watching me. I looked around, but it was so dark. Something in the distance—on the corner of the street, three blocks behind me—caught my eye, though, and when I got closer, it looked like a figure, but… wrong. Distorted, maybe? Maybe not, now that I think about it. I’m actually not sure what it looked like. I’ve seen it so many times, but every time I think about it, I can’t put together a clear picture. Like when you try to think about a dream, but the contents get farther and farther away from you.
I don’t think…no, I know I never saw it move. But it always stayed three blocks behind me, staring at me. Following me. You’re probably thinking, “Why didn’t you just call for help?” or “You could’ve just dipped into a shop!” But that’s the thing. There wasn’t anyone on the street. No one driving by, no one walking on the sidewalk, not even any lights on in the flats above me. I tried the doors to shops as I got more desperate, but they were always locked. Just me and that f*cking…thing staring at me.
I was sobbing and running by the time I reached my flat. I struggled with my keys for an embarrassing amount of time before I yanked the door open and slammed it behind me. I went to bed shaking and crying that night.
I thought it was just a one-time happenstance, or maybe even a horrid prank by some teenagers. But when I went back to the office two days later, it was there. It was across the street, outside my window. It was tormenting me. It followed me home again that night, but I ignored it.
This continued for maybe three or four weeks. I’d leave my office, and it’d be there—almost like it was walking me home. It always stayed three blocks away, just staring. I’d gotten used to the distance. Of course I’d gotten used to it. I was stupid to get comfortable again.
Last night, I was walking home from another meeting. I’d met with Elias again, told him what I’d found—nothing—and then he left. The uneasy feeling of someone watching me didn’t leave with him this time. I’d left with no more than a quick glance in the… thing’s direction. I started walking in the dark. It wasn’t until I turned the corner that I noticed something about the figure. It was standing on the crosswalk instead of the corner. Just barely, but it was noticeable. I kept walking.
Less than a minute later, when I looked back again, it was still on the crosswalk, but it was now two blocks away, instead of the usual three. This was when I started walking faster.
I don’t know how many times I looked back to see that it was coming closer. I was running so hard—everything was a blur, and I’m pretty sure I missed some of my turns. I don’t know how long I ran. It felt like forever. All I know is that thing kept getting closer and closer to me until—
Until it disappeared. I whirled around, looking for it, trying to find the figure, but it wasn’t there. I kept running, even though I couldn’t see it. I spotted my flat, and I almost started sobbing with relief. I reached for my keys but that’s when I spotted it.
It was there. In my home. Staring at me. I looked around, trying to find someone to call for help. But there was no one. When I peeked back into the window of my flat, it was gone. I didn’t go in.
I ended up spending the night walking the streets until a friend of mine found me. He asked me what happened, but when I didn’t respond, he just invited me to stay at his. I came here as soon as this place opened. I haven’t been back to my flat. I don’t know if it’s still there. I have to go back, though. All my files, all my information, everything’s there. Even though I’m scared sh*tless.
I guess it’s kind of ironic. The stalker becoming the stalked. The hunter becoming the hunted. The watcher becoming the watched.
