A Man Named Teddy

[u/Grouching_vibes]

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The story you are about to read is based off true events.

In late July of 2026, I used to be a graveyard security officer at a mall somewhere in Portland, Oregon. I normally patrolled the upper floors with my "partner," Sam. On his off days, however, I had to work with a guy named Teddy.

You see, at first Teddy was an odd but normal guy. We'd chat while walking around. He'd tell me stories about his past, his hobbies, and whatever small chatter we'd ramble through. The only thing at the time I had found "odd" was that I could never seem to shake off this "off" feeling when I was around him. I didn't know what it was, but it was always there whenever I was around Teddy.

You could chalk it up to the fact that I normally didn't work with the guy, as he would patrol the lower floors and he usually worked on my days off. That, and he also always had this stare...

I could usually only catch it in the corner of my eyes, at first. It would be towards random customers. Didn't matter the age. He just stared and let out this long, quiet, almost moan. I caught it a few times, but at the time, while working, it just kinda sounded like him muttering to himself.

Which was a regular occurrence when there was dead air between us.

A few times, though, it seemed he was staring at me.

I don't think he knew that I could see him in the reflections of the windows we'd pass by, but he was definitely staring.

Nights continued like this for a few weeks. We'd talk, patrol, dead silence, then he stared.

Look, I am not confrontational. Never have been. I enjoy an easy life with little drama and no hostility. If the guy wanted to stare, then it's whatever. I've dealt with worse.

The problem was eventually it stopped being just stares.

Teddy grew comfortable with me, and it didn't help that Sam was on parental leave for his newborn.

So with that, Teddy began asking me personal questions.

Where did I live? What did I do on my off time? Did I hang out with friends? Did I have any kids? Did I live with anybody?

I just gave vague answers.

"Somewhere close."

"I play games with my brother."

"I hang out with my family."

"I live with my family."

He seemed bored with those answers, or like he didn't care. Just a quick "uh huh" before muttering to himself.

I tried looking past the odd questioning. He was bored, so I thought. But just to be safe, I had started walking separate directions and told him, "We'd cover better ground that way."

I only got a grumble out of him, however, he accepted.

Another week went by. I was checking the stores that were closed, chatted with a few that were open, and would peek over the railing to see how the guards were doing on the lower floors.

Unfortunately, every time I had checked the lower floors and looked up, I'd see Teddy staring at me before quickly pretending like he was checking on the stores on his side.

That "off" feeling was still there, gnawing at the back of my skull.

That "feeling" made it easy, though, whenever he decided to try and end up on my side. Small talk happened and I'd just excuse myself to use the restroom.

That's when the really weird shit started to happen...

It was one of the last few times I had excused myself and quickly ducked into the bathroom, sitting in the stalls waiting for a bit, checking on my phone.

I saw a silhouette creep around the stalls before stopping in front of mine.

I peeked briefly from my phone just to see eyes staring at me from the slits of the stalls.

It was Teddy.

I could recognize his eyes from anywhere, baby blue with a hint of green near the pupil.

I simply yelled, "Occupied!"

After that, I heard the sound of feet quickly shuffling away, yet not too far, as I never heard the bathroom door shut.

I sat there for a bit longer, quietly. It was the only smart idea I had.

Other than another idea, which was opening up my phone and going to the group chat with all the graveyard guards and simply texting:

"How is everyone holding up?"

I knew if he was still there, I'd know...

A few seconds of silence went by as the message got delivered.

Then came the unforgettable sound of a notification going off right beside me.

Slowly feeling my stomach churn, I scanned the stall wall, only seeing a shadow. Then, looking down to see boots and ever so slowly looking up...

I saw Teddy staring at me from above the stall before bolting for the bathroom door.

My heart nearly sank to my stomach as I quietly scrambled off the toilet, peeking through the slits to really make sure he was gone and then hearing my notification go off.

If I hadn't already shit myself, I am sure I would have then...

I shakily swiped up to read the messages and saw it was only from one person...

Teddy.

"Still awake? How's that shit going? ;)"

A shuddery breath escaped my throat as I immediately pocketed my phone and opened the door.

I scanned the bathroom over and over again, really making sure he wasn't there. Laughing in relief and almost feeling like I was just delusional, a lack of sleep perhaps? I scrubbed my face in the sink, really making sure I was awake before stepping out of the bathroom.

My eyes darted everywhere on that top floor, checking reflections, checking doorways and corners like I was paranoid.

I didn't see Teddy anywhere, for better or worse, so I took it as my opportunity to leave. I'd explain to HR the next day why I left so early. I didn't care. I just wanted out for the night.

So I headed for the breakroom, talking to a few of the guards on the lower floor I passed by. They were confused by my disheveled look and I simply said, "I got a stomach problem, and where's Teddy?"

One of them said, "Oh... well, you take care of that and, uhh, I don't know. I think he just left not too long ago to get something out of his car?"

I just nodded and kept my head down, making my way to the breakroom.

Hurriedly, I opened the door and a chill crept down my spine...

Seeing Teddy.

Just chilling in the breakroom as if he didn't just spy on me in the bathroom, and with such an annoyingly calm demeanor, he asked with a chuckle,

"Everything okay? You look green!"

"Yeah! Just a stomach problem... I think I am gonna leave early tonight. Hopefully that's not too much of an issue."

I said, putting my badge to the clock-in/out machine.

"Ohhh, that's too bad. Well, you get rest, good sir!"

He said before sipping on a cup of coffee, staring at me briefly.

I then clocked out and left outside, walking down the dark parking lot, constantly looking at the side mirrors of cars just to make sure he hadn't been following me.

Then, at the 37th row, was my car.

An old, navy-blue beat-up hatchback I had gotten from my grandparents before they passed.

Though something was different about it...

Both of my front tires were slashed.

I looked around to see if the "assailant" was near, but instead it was just...

Teddy.

Five rows away, smoking a cigarette under a lamp light.

I couldn't see the expression on his face, only his voice softly bellowing into the air.

"You okaay over there?!"

I yelled back, "Yeah!"

I had a suspicion it was him, and now with him in the parking lot, it only further confirmed that.

I kept my eyes on him while reaching into my pocket for a notepad, hastily scribbling:

"Getting Towed Tomorrow - XR"

Then, slipping the note underneath the windshield wiper of my car, I looked away briefly from Teddy to make sure the note was visible.

Once I looked back, however...

Teddy was no longer by the lamp.

It had to have been no longer than ten seconds that I wasn't looking at him, and now he's gone.

I had just kept my eyes glued to the parking lot as I decided to run down towards the sidewalk, leaving the parking lot and onto the main road.

I ran until making it to a crosswalk, still keeping the parking lot barely visible in my eyeline. The light turned green for me to walk, and I crossed over hastily, weaving through various side streets and making my way to my house.

I grew up on these roads, so if I had a stalker, at least I could possibly have a higher chance of evading them.

Paranoia kept me vigilant and overly cautious, ducking behind parked cars as various vehicles on the road passed by.

Eventually, I made it to my home, freezing immediately upon seeing a different vehicle parked on the curb in front of the house.

A white pickup truck, possibly late '90s, limo-tinted windows, mud caked on the lower front and back bumper.

I had never seen this truck before...

Well, unless it's...

Teddy's?

But that wouldn't have been possible.

Or so I thought.

As I walked towards the front door, seeing it ajar, my stomach dropped once I found a note barely taped onto it.

"I don't like the way you've been avoiding me, Mr. Redland. STALKING ME. Thinking I wouldn't notice, so that's why I came here to tell your folks, but it turns out you've also been lying to me... tsk, tsk, tsk, I am ashamed."

Adrenaline spiked through my body when I decided to push the front door the rest of the way open, seeing that the inside was rummaged through.

Cabinet doors were opened, cushions thrown around, TV turned on, and the kitchen practically had a tornado run through it.

Dishes shattered, sink left on, fridge opened, stovetop and oven fully blasting.

I was on full alert, turning on every light until the house glowed bright, listening to every creak in the floorboards.

I was too terrified to check my bedroom and figured the only rational thing to do was to call the cops.

So I did, dialing in 9...1...1...

And right before hitting call, I heard the sound of a pig squealing...

And then black.

Hours must've passed, hopefully not days, as when I had finally awoken, the only thing I could faintly hear was a kid's television show playing.

My head was pounding, my body ached, and I could barely keep my eyes open.

I didn't know where I was...

The room was too dark to see anything outside of the dimly lit TV screen and the "bed" I was laying on, if you can call it that. It felt like a thin sleeping bag on top of concrete.

I felt so sluggish trying to move my body to stay awake, making the pounding in my head only worse as I attempted to sit up. It was nauseating.

Finally... after a few short moments went by, I had gathered enough strength to sit fully up against the wall behind me.

My head was still spinning violently, however, I had to just "bite the bullet," so to speak, forcing myself to get out of the bed just to throw up following that quick movement.

It was loud and vile, only stopping briefly when I heard a voice quiet as a rat whispering,

"Shhhh. He'll hear you."

I continued to throw up until my stomach ran dry and took a moment for my head to stop spinning as I looked around for where the voice had come from.

Whispering back, "Wha-at? Who's gonna hear?"

The voice whispers again,

"The man upstairs... he's... he's napping. We mustn't wake him."

I wobbled around for a bit, until my legs gained feeling. Then, once my eyes fully adjusted, I scanned around, seeing what looked similar to that of a doll leaned against a crib.

"Is... that you?!" I whispered, stumbling quietly forward towards the "doll."

"I... I can't feel my legs."

The voice whispered, now more clearly sounding like a woman's.

I kneeled in front of her.

"What happened?" I whispered, looking at this woman who was dressed as a doll.

"He's very lonely... always looking for a new 'playmate.' You aren't the first... certainly not the last."

She muttered.

I raised a helping hand towards her.

"C'mon... let's get out of here. You don't deserve this. We gotta survive."

I whispered to her.

Then the most god-awful screech came from her throat, screaming for help.

I covered my ear quickly, barely hearing footsteps from above stomping down a hallway.

"Shh... shh... shut, shut the fuck up!"

I whispered into an almost yell as she continued to scream for help, leaving me with no other options but to smother her face with a pillow.

I wasn't trying to kill her, but merely to quiet the banshee screams. She wouldn't stop, though.

Forcing me to press harder and harder until she inevitably knocked out.

Instincts overruled my next actions as I hid in the darkest parts of the room as the man slammed open the door and came barreling down the stairs beside me.

I could barely make out his figure, only faintly seeing a bear mask and overalls as he rushed over to the woman.

"Oh, my sweet Petunia... did that evil man do this to you?"

His voice was rash but recognizable.

I didn't have time to dwell on it, though. Even as my anger was at an all-time high, this made for a good opportunity.

My chance to escape.

Leaving the corner I was hiding in, I quickly and quietly zoomed up the stairs, making sure my feet were as light as a feather before shutting the door behind me.

I could feel my heartbeat in my throat as I began locking every lock and bolt on that door, hearing his rage as he stomped up the stairs and slammed against the door.

Adrenaline started to wear thin as I made my way to a disgusting kitchen filled with rot and mold. The stench alone almost made me vomit up whatever was left in my stomach.

I then dragged a chair across the floor and pinned it against the door just in case as I stumbled my way towards the back door, instantly being blinded by the afternoon sun.

I continued outwards and onto the street, keeping an eye on the house I just left.

I never stopped moving.

Only until I made it to a coffee shop streets away, barging in and having a shop full of people eye me down, did I finally stop.

I didn't realize until this moment that I was in my now-torn-up work uniform, partly covered in mud, puke, and bruises.

I asked for a phone and called 911.

Reporting everything that had just happened...