Christmas day was in just a couple of days and I had some last minute Christmas shopping to do. I went to one of the biggest department stores closest to me in my area. As soon as I entered I almost kicked myself for not buying the gifts sooner. The store was bustling with people. Panic struck me suddenly like a wave. I wondered if it was from my brain or if I had absorbed it from the stressed out customers. The classic Christmas song ‘Jingle bells’, was playing loudly over the speakers. Kids were screaming, and tempers were flaring. I began to feel faint. I thought it would be a good idea to ‘escape’ into one of the quieter isles just to collect myself to focus on what I needed to get and make as quick an exit as I possibly could.

I stood there staring at items I had no interest in buying when I felt a presence a few feet away from me. I quickly glanced over my shoulder and it was a young women with short brown hair and a tweed winter coat. I gave her a quick panicky smile, but she just stared blankly at me.

“Okay what do I need? And which isle is it in?” I thought as I walked away.

A few minutes into the chaos I enter a semi-quiet isle. I exhaled in relief. As I stood there I felt a pair of eyes on me again. I turned around and at the end of the isle was the same young woman with the short brown hair- not older than 25- with the tweed winter coat. She was standing there staring at me eerily. She’s not looking at items. She just has her eyes fixated on me. I felt uncomfortable by her presence. I decided to ignore her and continue examining the kitchen towels.

A few minutes later I walk up the escalator to the second floor, and again I feel a pair of eyes burn through me. I turn my head slightly around and there she is again facing me with a blank look on her face. It was the young woman with the short brown hair again!

I turn my head and roll my eyes, “Oh boy looks like I have a stalker!”

Something about her really got under my skin.  She was really creepy. When I got off the escalator I started walking quickly as to get away from her. I noticed some nice fake Christmas trees and decided to take a closer look at them. As I walked through the display of trees a haunting version of silent night began to play over the speakers. From the corner of my eye I spot the green tweed winter coat again. The creepy girl is now walking parallel to me. My blood starts to burn I feel like I am about to have a panic attack in this crowded and loud store and on top of that a crazy girl is following me! I take a deep breath and glare at her to let her know that I’ve caught on to her and I’m not cool with her following me like a lost dog. The girl disappeared into the next isle the isle that I wasn’t planning on going to

“Thank goodness!” I thought.

I don’t need anything from that isle. I got what ever I needed and quickly headed to the cashier line. I Looked left right behind me in front of me and no sign of the weirdo.

“Oh what a relief I cant wait to get out of here and go home.”

The line wasn’t very long and when it was my turn I put my things on the table to be scanned. I turned to put my basket back surprisingly there was no one behind me. Then I felt someone breathing on my neck I turned around and there she was again. This time she had a defiant grin on her face instead of a blank stare. I began fuming inside. It’s Christmas time and I don’t want to start a fight with a random crazy person. Just a few more moments and I’ll be out the door and hope to never see her again. I payed for my things and bolted out the door. She followed suit. I started walking and turned my head and she was just standing there staring at me. She made me curious. What was her problem? I wanted to know. I wasn’t looking for a fight, I mean she was the one who was harassing me. I wanted to know what her issue with me was.

So I turned around and walked up to her I probably looked like I had steam coming out of my nose and ears. 

“Is there a problem? Why were you following me?” I said angrily.

She stares back stoically and tilts her head and sighs.

“I didn’t mean to bother you..it’s just that..”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. Her fingers moved quickly on the screen.  She was looking for something. Her fingers stopped moving. She looked at her phone and then at me.

And in a sad tone of voice she said, “You look exactly like my friend.”

She hands me the phone and it is a photo of her with her friend smiling for a beach selfie. I almost drop the phone. The resemblance is uncanny Her friend is my clone! My doppelganger! I can’t believe it!

“Oh my God”, I gasped.

“That’s very funny. I guess she’s my long lost twin or clone. You know some crazy government experiment. We were definitely separated at birth”.

We both let out a laugh.

“I would like to meet your friend and perhaps take some photos. I think that the photo would go viral on social media don’t you?”

The young woman smiled at me poignantly.

“My friend… is dead.”

She then bowed her head down sniffled a bit and turned around and walked away.

I stood there in a state of shock.

“Well.. Merry Christmas to you too then!”

THE END 😉