My parents saved my life.

It was the summer of 2017. I was 16 years old and my parents took me to the beach in a small coastal town. We were alone there, since it wasn’t high season yet. Our holiday house was a small wooden in a rather hidden part of the town, not more than a couple of meters away from the sea. We arrived in a Monday, for a week long vacation. So, that’s a week… 7 days… Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, until the next Monday rolled around. One week….<br><br>On the first night (Monday), while my parents were watching TV, I decided I needed a walk. I went to… well, I went to the beach. Right at the shore, I mindlessly wandered. I did nothing else than looking at the sea, listening to some music and… well, It was somewhere around three in the morning that I heard something:<br><br>“Is it true you’re napping here?”<br><br>Startled, I turned to see a man, right behind me. I jumped. Literally. Scared. Even though his tone wasn’t threatening, I had no idea what had just happened. Looking back, I’m not even sure he wanted anything. He seemed genuinely curious. I told him I was and he said he had been walking on the shore and saw someone there.<br><br>Things escalated so fast after that. I shouldn’t have even spoken in the first place.<br><br>“Oh, is your family staying in the timber house nearby?”<br><br>“Uh-huh.” I replied.<br><br>“Does it have a fence?”<br><br>“Uh-huh”<br><br>“Does it have a gate?”<br><br>“Yeah”<br><br>“Oh, really?”<br><br>“Yeah”<br><br>“And, uh, is it locked?”<br><br>“Yeah, it is.”<br><br>“Even now?”<br><br>“Yeah”<br><br>He then spoke in a lower voice. “We’re going to talk to your parents.”<br><br>He grabbed me and we walked towards the house. I was petrified. I had no idea what was going on. I couldn’t manage to say a word. We got to the gate. It was locked. He looked at it and muttered “good choice”.<br><br>He tried to open it. He pushed and pulled it, but, in the end, he jumped it. We entered the property and we walked towards the house. At this point, I was literally shaking. I couldn’t even manage to speak, nonetheless scream.<br><br>The man knocked on the door. At this point, I regained my capacity to speak and I begged him not too, but he did anyway. Luckily, nobody answered. We stood there for what seemed… well, I really have no idea how long it took, but, in the end, he said he would be leaving. He even said “good night” and jumped the gate again. When I saw him leave, I ran inside.<br><br>I ran into my parents’ room and woke them up. My mother said she had no idea of where I had gone. I told them everything. They told me to avoid speaking to strangers and that the man had no ill intentions. I told them I was afraid and they told me they would… well, they told me they wouldn’t let anything happen to me. And they didn’t.<br><br>They locked down the house and we all slept in the same bedroom, together. And from then on, they always walked with me. They sometimes even followed me. Even if it was just to the beach. Even if I was in plain sight. Whenever I left the house, they had to be with me.<br><br>I asked them what would have happened should that man have pushed the door open. They said they would have done anything. That they would have even fought for me. That they would have even… died for me. They looked into each other’s eyes when they said that and I knew they were telling the truth.<br><br>I don’t know what would have happened should my parents have not been there for me. I don’t even want to picture in my head what would have happened. One thing I’m sure of is that, no matter where I am, my parents will always protect me. No matter where I am, my parents will always be there. And whoever you are, dear stranger, I just wanted to let you know you… you will never be welcome in my family’s house. Thus, let’s not meet. Ever.