I Was Being Watched

The hair was standing at attention on my neck again. I was being watched. No doubts this time. Validation comes on my spine and neck first. I looked beyond the bushes, wondering if it was an animal. Someone said my name. I waved automatically. But no one was here. I was alone in the swirl of twilight. Only a block to walk between the library and my dorm room. The air turned cold, and I felt a quick urge of panic. Was someone following me? My shoes clicked down the walk. Slap. Slap. Slap. Slap. Slap. Slap. I was going faster now. I turned the corner and there she was. My doppelganger. Standing with my friends, howling at something. My legs stopped walking. I shook my head. This made no sense. You didn’t make it! A voice said. I turned to see my grandmother. When the chandelier fell on you at the library. Was there time to warn my roommate? I ran over to her and tried, but she did not look at me. What is wrong with her? I asked my grandmother. She gave me a hard lined mouth look and faded away. The next ones to come were not as kind. I was torn from my friends screaming.