The delivery guy’s strange note sent me racing toward the backyard trash cans, where I stumbled upon something that made my blood run cold. That cryptic message might have saved my family from a terrible fate, but the danger wasn’t over yet.
I often order food when I’m too exhausted to cook for my kids. Over time, we grew close to Ravi, the delivery guy. He’d always greet Kai and Isla with high-fives, joking around before leaving. But last Tuesday night felt different.
When Ravi pulled up, his usual cheer was replaced with nervous energy. He fumbled with the bag of food, practically shoved it into my hands, and dashed back to his car without saying a word.
“What’s up with Ravi?” Kai asked, peeking out the window.
I shrugged, trying to play it cool, but something felt off. “No idea, buddy. Maybe he’s just in a hurry.”
I brought the food inside, but the strange vibe lingered. As I was about to unpack, I noticed something scrawled on the back of the food bag. In shaky handwriting, the note read: “CHECK YOUR TRASH CAN.”
My heart skipped a beat. I set the bag down and turned to my kids. “Hey, why don’t you two go wash up? I’ll get everything ready for dinner.”
Once they were out of sight, I dashed out to the backyard, my mind racing. What was Ravi trying to tell me? The words kept replaying in my head. As I neared the trash cans, my hands trembled. I lifted the lid of the first one, expecting nothing out of the ordinary. Just regular garbage.
But when I moved to the second can, a wave of dread washed over me. I flung open the lid, and there, wrapped in an old, dirty blanket, was a pile of gloves and a few small tools. At the bottom sat a bottle—no label, filled with some kind of liquid.
“Mom? Are you okay?” Isla’s voice startled me.
I slammed the lid shut, spinning around with a forced smile. “Yeah, sweetie. Just… checking something. Go on inside, I’ll be right there.”
Once she was gone, I grabbed my phone and dialed the sheriff’s office.
“Sheriff’s Department, this is Leona speaking,” came the calm voice on the other end.
“Leona, it’s Nora. I need you to come over right away. I found something concerning in my trash.”
“Slow down, Nora. What exactly did you find?”
I described the contents of the trash can, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Don’t touch anything,” Leona said firmly. “I’m on my way. Stay inside with your kids until I get here.”
I hung up and went back inside, my mind spinning. Our neighborhood had seen a string of break-ins recently, all carried out in the same strange way. Chemicals used to weaken locks. Everything cleaned up so thoroughly you wouldn’t know anything had happened.
It hit me: they were setting up to break into my house.
“Mom, what’s going on?” Kai asked, his voice laced with concern as I entered the kitchen. “You look scared.”
I plastered on a smile, though it felt shaky. “Everything’s fine, honey. Let’s eat, okay?”
We’d barely started when there was a knock at the door. My heart leapt into my throat. I rushed to the door and, through the peephole, saw Leona.
“Kids, stay here and finish your dinner,” I said as I stepped outside to talk to her.
Leona listened closely as I explained everything—finding the items in the trash, Ravi’s weird behavior.
“You did the right thing by calling me,” she said, her eyes scanning the street. “I’ll get these items to the lab. Meanwhile, you should beef up your security. We’ll patrol your house all night. If they try anything, we’ll catch them.”
“I’ll call a security company first thing in the morning,” I said, already making plans. Leona placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.
“Try to get some rest, Nora. We’ll figure this out.”
But sleep was the last thing I could do that night. I spent hours researching security systems, my nerves on edge, jumping at every creak of the house. By morning, I was jittery and exhausted from caffeine and worry.
As soon as it hit 8 a.m., I called the first security company I found. “Hi, I need cameras installed around my house. Today, if possible.”
“Ma’am, our earliest available slot is next week—”
“You don’t understand,” I cut in, my voice cracking with fear. “I think someone’s planning to break into my home. I need those cameras now.”
The receptionist’s tone softened. “Let me see what I can do. Can you hold for a moment?”
After what felt like forever, she came back on the line. “We’ve had a cancellation. Our team can be there in two hours. Will that work?”
“YES! Thank you so much!” I nearly cried with relief.
The next few hours were a blur. I called in sick to work, kept the kids home from school, and paced the house until the security team arrived. As they worked, explaining the system and installing cameras, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched. Every car that passed by, every person walking a dog, all seemed suspicious now.
Just as the security team finished, Leona’s patrol car pulled up. She stepped out, her face grim.
“Nora, can we talk inside?” she asked.
My stomach churned as I led her inside. “Kids, why don’t you go play in your rooms for a bit?” Once they were out of earshot, Leona spoke.
“The lab results came back on those items we found. The liquid in the bottle? It’s a powerful corrosive, often used to weaken locks.”
I sank onto the couch, my legs giving out beneath me. “So it’s true. They were planning to break in.”
Leona nodded. “It looks that way. But you’ve done everything right. You’ve got cameras now, you know the threat, and we’re increasing patrols.”
“What about Ravi?” I asked. “Should I talk to him?”
“If you see him, yes. But be careful. We don’t know if he’s involved or just a witness.”
As if on cue, I spotted Ravi pulling up to my neighbor’s house.
“He’s here now,” I said, moving to the window. “What should I do?”
Leona stepped closer. “Go talk to him. I’ll watch from here.”
I stepped outside, heart pounding. Ravi was just getting back on his bike when he saw me.
“Hey,” I called out, trying to sound calm. “Got a minute?”
He hesitated, then nodded. As he approached, I could see the tension in his shoulders.
“Look,” he started, “I’m sorry about yesterday. I should’ve said something, but I was scared.”
“Scared of what?” I asked, though I already had a feeling.
Ravi glanced around, clearly nervous. “After I parked, I saw these guys messing with your trash. They didn’t look good. I wanted to warn you, but I was afraid they might still be around.”
Relief flooded me. “That’s why you left the note?”
“Yeah. I didn’t know what else to do. I’m sorry if I scared you.”
“Ravi,” I said, my voice thick with emotion. “You might have saved my family. Thank you.”
He visibly relaxed. “Really? You’re not mad?”
I shook my head. “Not at all. I owe you big time.”
As Ravi rode off, I felt a wave of gratitude. The threat wasn’t gone, but at least I knew we weren’t alone in facing it.
Back inside, Leona was on her phone, speaking in hushed tones. She hung up as I approached.
“We’ve got leads based on the description Ravi gave us,” she said. “We’ll catch these guys, Nora. Just stay vigilant.”
That night, after tucking Kai and Isla into bed, I sat in front of the security monitors. The cameras showed empty streets and quiet yards, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that somewhere, someone was watching, waiting for their chance. I thought about Ravi’s quick thinking, Leona’s dedication, and my own newfound strength. Whatever happened next, we would face it together.
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