How A Late-night Call At The Call Center Changed My Life Forever
We’ve all been there before. Working till late at night at work and coming in early the next day. I hate those days. Well, at least the staying late part. This night was no different; at least in the beginning.
You see, I’m an insurance agent. The most glorious job in the world said no one ever. The office closes at 10 pm and because my life totally sucks; I get a phone call right at 9:58 pm. I pray this phone call is a quick one. You know the kind, answer the questions, provide a nice tone, and off the line they go; none the wiser that they were just rushed off. I was hoping that it be the kind of quote where I could just enter default information and spit something out really quick and be on my way home.
Not my luck though. As I answer with the company greeting, I watch with sad eyes everyone around me shut their computers down and walk towards freedom. It will be just me in here soon if I don’t hurry this call-up. I ask the customer on the line what kind of Auto coverage they’d like, the voice on the line went low.
“State minimums are fine.”
I didn’t argue, I just wanted this over as fast as possible. He then asked me, “Are you alone in the office?” Startled I said, “Uh no. It’s a nice evening through tonight.”
He chuckled and said, “Seems odd that they would have you stay tonight past 10."
Getting a tad creeped out, I went on and changed the subject back to the quote. “And what state did you say you were in?”
“Why the same as you.”
Um, what? I thought. Is this guy toying with me? Some joke? Who does crap like that? “Ok….,” I said, trying not to sound afraid. “And what is your current city and address?” When I heard him say the address, my blood ran cold. He. Said. My. Exact. Address. Like, my own apartment address in which I stay with my boyfriend.
He exhaled deeply. “You’ve never noticed me before. I’ve been waiting for you to notice me.”
My mind begins to race. Who is this sick a**h***? “Who are you?” I asked firmly, only for it to come out as some squeak of a voice.
He said, “You should come home and see.”
Now I’m freaking out. I took my phone out and texted my boyfriend. I told him quickly that I thought someone was in my apartment. He texted back “get off the phone; come home and I’ll meet you there. Call the cops.”
By now the creepy voice was breathing extremely loud. I heard myself say, “Look, I apologize but I am not able to continue with this quote or call any further. Have a good evening.”
The heavy breathing stopped. And I heard his booming voice say, “It will be great once you get home. Until you get here though, I’ll keep your boyfriend occupied.”
My breath caught. Does he know my boyfriend? Knows he’s there? Or coming? Oh God, I have to get out of here now! I hung up the call, signed out, and ran for my car. I unlocked the door and as I climbed in, I glanced all-around making sure I was alone. I took my phone and called my boyfriend.
“Come on, pick up,” I squealed out of the parking lot. His voicemail picked up, and I screamed on the phone “Derrick! Don’t go inside! Wait for me, wait for the police first!” I called 911 next. The operator had to have thought I was crazy. I didn’t care, I just knew I wasn’t going in that apartment alone, and neither was Derrick.
I reached home just as a patrol car pulled in beside me. I jumped out screaming for Derrick, looking around for him near his car. I could see he wasn’t there and I start to panic even more. I realized that he had to have gone inside the apartment. The officer asked me to stay back, but by that time I had to see for myself that Derrick was safe.
I followed the officer to the door. It was ajar. He reached for the light switch; nothing. The officer took out his flashlight and scanned the room when he stopped in the dining area. On the table staring unblinkingly at the ceiling was Derrick. He wasn’t blinking because he was DEAD. I don’t remember much after that. The officer said I screamed and ran to Derrick.
Later I found out they sedated me and woke up at the hospital. My family asked to the investigators tell me how Derrick died. I pleaded with them to tell me. I had to know. I needed to know. It was after all my text that sent him there that night. I knew it was supposed to be me laying there, not him. Eventually, they told me.
Derrick had been found on a table in the dining area, with the table covered in blood. The blood was draining off into buckets on the floor. But, it was what was on the wall that they didn’t want me to know the most about. Written in black paint above Derrick’s body was “WHY HAVEN’T YOU NOTICED ME, COLLEEN?”
Opinions and Perspectives
This kind of stalking case happens more often than people realize.
It's scary to think how vulnerable we are when following our daily routines.
The way everything escalated so quickly is what makes this truly terrifying.
I appreciate how this story shows the importance of not dismissing creepy behavior as just paranoia.
The detail about the black paint message is what will haunt my dreams tonight.
This is exactly why companies need better security protocols for late-night workers.
I find myself wondering about all the little signs she might have missed leading up to this.
Stories like this are why I always trust my gut when something feels off.
The boyfriend's final text shows he really cared about her safety. Such a tragic end.
What's truly terrifying is how ordinary everything seemed until it wasn't.
This story perfectly captures why women are always so aware of their surroundings.
The psychological impact of such an event would be devastating.
I'm curious about what happened afterward. Did they ever catch the killer?
Something similar happened at our local call center. Now they have strict security measures.
The writing really puts you in her shoes. I felt my own heart racing as I read it.
I can't stop thinking about how many times the stalker must have watched her before making his move.
This story should be required reading for anyone working late shifts.
Anyone else think the boyfriend might have recognized the killer when he entered?
The killer must have been planning this for months. That level of detail is frightening.
I'm surprised the call center didn't have a buddy system for late-night shifts.
Reading this made me realize how vulnerable we all are when working late hours.
I wonder if there were any previous incidents that she missed? Like strange occurrences that didn't seem important at the time?
The scariest stories are always the ones that could actually happen in real life.
The fact that he knew her name at the end when she never gave it is what really got me.
I've had similar late-night calls at work but nothing this sinister. Usually just pranks.
The way the story builds tension is masterful. From creepy to terrifying in just a few minutes.
This reminds me of those urban legends about calls coming from inside the house, except this is way more terrifying.
I actually think this story highlights the importance of having proper security protocols in workplace settings.
My heart breaks for Colleen. The guilt she must feel about that text message would be unbearable.
The boyfriend should have waited for her or the police instead of going in alone.
The detail about the blood draining into buckets is particularly disturbing. Seems like this was meticulously planned.
I disagree with previous comments about red flags. Sometimes these situations just can't be prevented.
The police response time seems unusually quick in this story. In my experience, they take much longer to arrive.
The whole time I was reading this I kept thinking about all the late nights I've spent at the office alone.
As someone who lives alone, this story really hit home. I'm getting extra locks installed tomorrow.
I feel like there were so many red flags earlier that could have prevented this tragedy.
What strikes me is how the killer must have been watching her for so long without being noticed. Really makes you think about your daily routines.
Working late shifts can be really dangerous. I always make sure someone walks me to my car now.
The ending with the message on the wall was absolutely bone-chilling. I had to sleep with the lights on after reading this.
Not sure I believe this story. How would the killer know exactly when she'd get that last-minute call?
I've read hundreds of horror stories but this one really got to me. Maybe because it feels so real and possible.
The scariest part for me was when the caller mentioned keeping her boyfriend occupied. That moment gave me goosebumps.
Am I the only one wondering why there weren't any security cameras in the call center? That seems like a major oversight.
Poor Derrick. He was just trying to protect her and paid the ultimate price.
I actually worked in a call center and we had strict protocols about staying alone after hours for exactly these kinds of safety concerns.
The way the caller knew her address is absolutely haunting. Makes me wonder if someone had been stalking her for a long time.
This story sent chills down my spine. I can't imagine how terrifying it must have been getting that call at work.