My Dad saved me from a potential kidnapper when I was 7

Hello, I’ve never shared this story anywhere before. <br><br>When I was growing up we lived in one of those neighborhoods that have a bunch of houses clumped together and everyone on the street knows each other. The neighbors would have these block parties every once in a while where everyone would come out into the street and mingle for hours. One of these block parties happened when I was seven.<br><br>I was a very shy girl (not so much anymore haha) so for a while I just sat in the grass at the end of the sidewalk that connected my house to the street. Eventually I got bored and decided to go to the house across the street from ours to play with one of my friends, who was also at the block party. <br><br>The plot of land between my house and the house directly across from us was very thickly wooded. Looking back I realize that it was a little strange, but we all kind of took that little wooded area for granted at the time. We would always use it as a shortcut to that house. <br><br>As I was walking through the woods I saw a man. He was tall, and he had on a white shirt but that’s about all I remember. I thought he was one of the people from the block party, but he was leaving the other way (back to the street that connected to the main road). I said hello to him, but he didn’t answer. I still thought it was weird, but I still wasn’t afraid. <br><br>I continued on my way to my friend’s house. When I got there I found my dads car in the driveway. He wasn’t supposed to be there, he was supposed to be at the block party. I walked inside thinking something was wrong and he was waiting for me by the front door. He asked where I was going and I told him I was going to play with my friend. He told me I wasn’t going anywhere and that we were going back home to mommy. <br><br>I didn’t understand what was going on until I got older and realized what he saved me from. Because as soon as I walked out of my house to go to the block party, he followed me out and watched to make sure I got to the other house safely. He didn’t like the look of a man who was standing by his house (the man from the woods) and decided to keep an eye on me. Then when I took the shortcut he immediately thought something was wrong and followed me. He didn’t see me leave the woods (he said he was looking at the house across the street to make sure I got there safely) but when I didn’t come out the other side that’s when he really started to worry. <br><br>He told me that when he walked through the woods he didn’t see anyone. It was as if the man disappeared. But he said he could tell someone had been there because the branches on the ground had been disturbed. <br><br>I still go camping to this day, and I love being outside, but that incident changed my outlook on being outside forever. These days I always trust my instincts. <br><br>Dad, if you’re reading this (he posts here sometimes) I love you.<br><br>Edit: Holy cow this post blew up! I just woke up and wow. I’m gonna have to respond to all these comments now lol. Thank you to everyone who’s been responding.