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balkanradfem · 2 years

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Scary story about a river incident

This is going to be a scary and upsetting story, and talk about a male predator, so be warned if you’re not feeling up to these topics!

So the year is 2016, and I’ve just recently moved into the city, and discovered that if you walk very far into the fields outside, you will eventually reach a meeting place of two rivers, and witness gorgeous waterfalls. It took 40 minutes to walk there, so not a lot of people knew about this place or went there. Most of the times I would go, it was a private little field trip, and the water just before the waterfalls was incredibly deep and perfect for swimming.

I was there in the water one day in the late summer. It was getting late, but the sun was still reaching the last rays of light into the water, and I have found a neat little place on the other side of the river with sand, rocks and shells. I was having the time of my life diving under, finding pretty shells and rocks and stashing them for my treasured collection.

At some point, another person arrived to the river, from the same side as I did, but different access point. I wasn’t bothered by it, my things were hidden well, sometimes young people would come and play in the river, they usually never bothered me, so I disregarded this and kept playing with my shells.

I hadn’t realized it was a male person, and I haven’t realized that he took into the water and started swimming directly towards me, until he was already only a few feet away. He was old, but he was strong. He looked 60-ish, but his body was double my size. He was swimming fast. I was at that point, 26, but I looked younger. I had struggled to eat enough and I was underweight. I had nothing on this guy.

Before I could gather myself, he was reaching his arms around me; I was in a neat little corner with rocks behind me, and he was reaching one arm on the rock, and other around me, his goal was to trap me between the rocks and his body. I didn’t have more than a second to realize what’s going on, and guided by instinct, I dove underwater before he was able to trap me, and swam to the direction of my access point, at the other side of the river.

At that point I was practicing swimming, and I was fast, but he could probably outswim me. He hadn’t tried though. I think he was in a bit of a shock that I ran away so immediately, and he couldn’t see where I went because I kept underwater for as long as I could. When i was already halfway to the shore,my head visible, he yelled after me: “I WAS JUST TRYING TO ASK HOW THIS WATERFALL LOOKED BEFORE THE WAR!!!”

I was absolutely outraged he would, after sending me running with intense predatory behaviour, still try to play it off as ‘you’re rude for assuming, I was attempting to engage in polite conversation here’, so I screamed back: “I. WASN’T. ALIVE BACK THEN!”

That should make it clear I’m not falling for his blatant gaslighting and point out how insanely inappropriate he is, I thought. But the truth was, I was traumatized to the point where I didn’t feel safe ignoring someone yelling at me. I swam to my stuff, and at that point, he was still at the same place he attacked me, so I thought, okay, he knows now I don’t want him anywhere close and that he’s being inappropriate, he’s on the other side of the river, he can’t approach me fast, I should be safe. So I sat down. I was wrong. He saw me sit, and started swimming towards me.

I was, once again, appalled. But also scared. I grabbed my stuff and without pausing to dress, started running away. He again yelled after me in another attempt ‘MAYBE YOUR PARENTS KNOW’ and I shouted back running ‘THEN ASK THEM!!!’ as if it was not absolutely insane that I was being talked down to while running away from a predator.

It was then I realized how unsafe it was to be 40 minutes away from civilization, while alone with a predator, next to a river. I needed to get back to the city fast, where this guy wouldn’t be able to openly chase me without anyone seeing it. I ran thru a grassy field, feeling uncomfortable, but sure that this would completely save me, because he was still swimming, and I was sure I could run very fast, and there’s no way he would still try to go after me after I escaped him twice.

Then, the unthinkable happened. He got into his car and chased me with a vehicle.

I didn’t even notice he had a car on his access point. I had only realized it when the car lights appeared on the trail behind me. It was twilight, and the night was falling fast. I was uncomfortably visible on the grass field, and I ran as fast as I could, because, I knew after this field, there was a turn, and I’d be invisible for a bit, and the turn led around a corn field, and corn field was a place I could hide in.

I ran into the corn field absolutely terrified, made sure I was out of sight and hidden, crouched down so I would be completely invisible, and then stayed still. Waiting. His car lit the road, and I could see him going, he passed me, and he reached the middle of the field, and then, he stopped. He must have realized that he should have already ran into me, and since he didn’t, he knew I was behind him. I didn’t see if he got out of the car. I didn’t move. I knew if I made a sound, if he saw some corn move, I’d be located instantly. I crouched and waited.

I couldn’t tell you for how long that car was standing there. Probably 5-10 minutes. You can imagine it felt longer to a woman hiding in a corn field. But, I wasn’t found. And eventually, the car started moving again. It went away. I didn’t move. I stayed where I was, for I don’t remember how long. I needed to be sure. Once I peeked out to the road, I looked for any sign of light. It wasn’t there. I tentatively walked to the edge of the field, where I could see more of the road. Nothing. It was all empty. There was nobody there anymore. I was safe.

You’d imagine I went home that night feeling shaken, scared, anxious and upset, but you’d be wrong. I was beside myself with joy. This was my first time, ever, that I was chased by a violent man attempting to harm me, and got away! I was at that point, victimized by 20+ years of violence behind closed doors, and I would never, never manage to get away from it, regardless of running, because the predator was a family member, and convinced me that he had a claim on abusing me, but this? It was a predator in nature, and the nature was my turf, I knew how to get around there, and my instincts had served me so well, and I listened to them properly, and just because I was so quick to get away, the predator was stumped enough to not be able to catch me! I was then, sure that alone in the wild, I was untouchable, invincible, safe from any harm. Ah, to be young and fearless.

In retrospect, I’m now getting cold chills realizing how close I was form being a corpse in the river. The corn field was the only thing that saved me. if it had been any other time of the year, and the corn wasn’t as tall and as perfect of a hiding place, I’d have been painfully visible on those fields. I would have had to attempt to hide in the grass.

Of course, 26yo me came back to the waterfalls a week later, convinced it was a ‘one-time-predator-thing’ and luckily I never again ran into that guy, I did have another close call with another dude, but it was less scary, with less running involved. I still do visit the waterfalls but less often, as I found swimming places that are closer by. This was, by far, my most dangerous encounter with a predator, tho I had about 5 more happen thru my life, and successfully got away from them all. The danger of violence towards women in public is generally much more rare because m*n usually go for women they feel they have the claim to, and who can’t get away, like daughters, wives, cousins, sisters, mothers. That kind of abuse is almost certain to get them no consequences. If they go after a woman they don’t know, it is possible a male family member would come after them, for attacking what they believe is theirs, so it’s a bit more of a risky bet. Except, of course, if you’re 40 minutes away from a living soul and next to a river, then the rules change a bit.

My perspective was that because this was a stranger, I was free to run, where as in my family, running was sure to be punished with worse violence, and I was conditioned not to even attempt it. So even just running away, scary as it was, felt freeing for me. I didn’t have any pride left so jumping into ‘prey animal’ mode to protect myself from abuse was just, a situation that would come up sometimes. I didn’t yet think of it as a proof that I’m not living in a humane society, and that obviously I wasn’t equal to half of it, for they would always be a predatory threat to me.

It strikes me still how much this predator aimed at my socialization to stop me from running, trying to talk me out of my instincts, implying I was rude for assuming anything, trying to shame me for running, while he also blatantly chased me with his car. I hope this can serve as a sign to never try to be polite or allow innocent assumptions for a male whose actions make you uncomfortable or threatened. I’d have been better not to reply, as it only gave him incentive to try to talk more, but alas, one cannot be perfect.

If you’re all worried about me, just remember I will be okay with my nature adventures and everything else risky I do, once I live in separatist space, away and protected, wielding the nature barriers between me and the males, safe from all predatory harm.

#male violence #male predators #incident #story #storytime #let me know if you want to hear the other predator close call i had #its also about me using nature to protect myself lol #i still believe that nature is my turf #and that i'm so great at running away #because like to believe otherwise would not bring me joy #but i'm also scared shitless of my family so #i mean family is worse #definitely worse

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1920sladydectective · 10 months

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Scarborough - Late 1880s.

Hello Gang,

Here is a sad accident Aesop drabble - TW for violence and death and poor self view.

Let me know what you think, I haven't properly proof read this.

“It’s a fucking boat stuffed with shrunken heads, Richmond,” Sharp laughed quietly, boots squelching in the mud as the pair advanced forward quietly, “I’m not exactly expecting a note worthy battle,”

“Why in Merlin’s name would somebody smuggle these, anyway,” His partner, Arthur Richmond, murmured as his pale eyes scanned the murky sky, “Fat waste of time if you ask me,”

“It’s not ours to ask why, Arthur, just to apprehend,” Sharp mumbled sarcastically, eyes darting about as they approached the port where the ship rested.

“Apologies, Your Majesty,” Richmond mocked, as he dodged the whack to his shoulder, snorting at the older man.

Damp, rotting wooden planks lined the Port, the thick stench of fish, salt and blood consuming them as they covered themselves in a Disillusionment charm, not entirely necessary but a precaution all the same. The slight October chill rattled through their coats as they grit their teeth, listening intently for movement.

When nothing was detected, they slowly made their way onto the Boat, meeting no resistance whatsoever.

“Fuck me this lot are lazy,” Arthur said, “Perhaps we will be back in time for that drink after all,”

Sharp laughed at that, boot buckles jingling slightly as they navigated the dim, winding passages of the boat. They had already come across several boxes and documented them, muttering to each other about the ridiculousness of being sent on such a task with their level of experience.

Nearly twenty minutes of searching revealed nothing other than poorly packed cargo, the thrum of air outside growing more persistently the darker the night fell, as Aesop let out a grand rattling sigh and shoved his notes in his pocket.

“That’s that sorted the-” A green flicker rushed past his ear, as they both instinctively dropped to the ground, letting out a stream of curses.

“Bastards must have just got back,” Arthur grumbled, “Or they were here and under a potion or what have you,”

“Whatever it is, let’s arrest them and be done with it,” Aesop sounded more tired than worried, eyes clocking six men as he shot off a spell of his own.

The Diffindo sliced cleanly through the man’s arm, as the fight broke out, men dancing and jumping around each other. The first two men fell almost immediately, comically, as Arthur muttered a wise crack Sharp couldn’t quite catch, the sloshing water drowning his words as he dodged a Bombarda to the chest.

Four men remained, slightly more able, though Sharp managed to creatively bind one as he watched the man misjudge the sway of the boat, the water aiding his mission.

“Gentlemen, is this really necessary?” The adrenaline of the fight thrummed through his veins, as Sharp managed the tiniest smirk, body leaning this way and that to avoid vicious thrusts of magic.

Arthur let out a laugh, trapping another, as the playing field was evened to one man each.

“Watch your tongue,” The man to Aesop’s left spat, his dark eyes bearing into his soul. Sharp was not easily shaken, it was not in his nature to be intimidated by those he hunted, but something in the man’s eye spoke to a depravity and desperation Aesop had not accounted for.

Shaking himself out of the slight shock, he felt the light stab of a Glacius on his arm as he grunted in frustration, taking another to the leg as he was rendered temporarily immobile. Arthur was fighting admirably, but his opponent was matched skillswise and it was showing in his ever so slight fatigue, eyes darting worriedly over to Sharp.

When he was preoccupied, Sharp bound Arthur’s opponent in order to receive help from his partner with the only man who had spoken, inarguably the Leader. Instead, as the Incarcerus slipped from his tongue, another green flash danced past his eyes. Aesop braced for a pain that never came, as a sickly sweet calmness engulfed him almost making him fall over, as rather than the vicious sting of Crucio, the Imperius Curse enveloped his mind.

Though he had received training on how to cast the Unforgivables for extreme circumstances, and to withstand the effects of the two less permanent curses, his shock and sudden icy pain had allowed the snare to dig into his brain as a warm, dragging sensation made his mind go blank.

Arthur was shouting, that much he knew, loud and rough screams as he attempted to fight off attacks. Attacks which oddly enough, seemed to be coming from Aesop himself. Nothing was making sense, other than the quiet lullaby playing at the very back of his mind, his body moving in fluid, sharp motions as he did hardly any thinking at all. Though it may not have seemed like it, Sharp was attempting to fight the curse, mind fracturing in two with the force of it. He could feel what this vicious Bastard was trying to get him to do, and he would not allow it. Though a few of his spells had landed precise hits, his skill surpassing Arthur’s, Sharp had only injured the man.

The whispers to finish it, the murmurings of that spell were nearly deafening, and the fury at their presence in his mind almost gave Sharp the strength to break the spell’s concentration on his mind. As he felt his sense returning, inch by inch, an almighty scream ripped from his throat as a mind numbing flair of pain engulfed his leg, the shock sinking his mind back into the Imperius Curse as he felt its tension tugging on his head.

Still, Aesop couldn’t understand the words coming out of Arthur’s bloodied mouth, those words now the only ones rebounding in his mind, the only thought as his free will was burned through like gasoline soaked kindling. He saw the green flash, this time from him, and felt a crushing sorrow that took him a few seconds to connect to.

The man had dropped the Imperius Curse, on purpose, to let him see the consequences of his weakness.

Arthur Richmond had been murdered. An entire person, brimming with possibilities and life and humour had been snuffed out. His best friend and partner had died at his hands, due to his arrogance.

He hadn’t even been able to hear his last words.

Aesop’s shock was crippling him, the pain in his leg the only thing keeping him alert and conscious as he realised the limb was barely functional, his searing, tear soaked face turned to the snarling, triumphant man. With the only energy he had left, Sharp stunned him momentarily, as he forced himself to grab hold of Arthur’s body and apparate to St Mungo’s.

There, covered in ice fragments, the mangled combination of their blood and his own vomit, Aesop Sharp collapsed. His last thought was not a kind one.

Everything had gone so terribly, terribly wrong. Did he even want to survive this?

#aesop sharp #hogwarts legacy #professor sharp #aesop sharp x oc #aesop sharp x reader #incident

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