The man continued, “You need to remember, remember who you are.” He grabbed her around the shoulders. “You’ve got to remember, Celine. You’ve got to remember.” He shook her a bit as though trying to jar loose something in her brain to help her remember.
Josie struggled against him. “Let go of me, let go.” She wriggled out of his grasp. “You’re crazy,” she said, backing away. “Stay away from me.” She turned and hurried toward the exit of the store, leaving behind her cart and intended purchases.
“Celine!” he called after her, “Celine, wait! You’ve got to remember!”
Josie hurried from the store, rushing out into the bright sun. She fumbled with her sunglasses, resisting the urge to break into a full run to her car. She was unnerved and her hands were shaking as she got into the car, locking her doors behind her. He was crazy; he had to be. But yet he knew personal details about her. Why did he insist on calling her Celine? Was it him who sent her the music box?
She took a deep breath and swallowed hard. She looked at the store’s entrance; the man had followed her out and was staring across the parking lot at her. She pulled on her seat belt and fired the engine, putting the car into gear and driving away.
By the time she pulled into the driveway at home, she was no less unnerved. She entered the house, pushing the door shut behind her and locking it, she leaned against it, eyes closed, taking deep breaths.
“You okay?” a voice said.
She jumped, startled. She opened her eyes to find Michael making his way across the room. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you, is everything okay? You seem upset.”
She considered lying to him but she was so disconcerted by what happened she couldn’t pull it off. She shook her head ‘no,’ unable to speak for the moment.
“What happened? Come sit down, are you sick, do you feel faint again?” Michael helped her to the couch. “I’ll get you some water,” he said.
“Water, yes, some water please,” she managed, trying to compose herself.
Michael returned with a glass of water, handing it to her and sitting down next to her. He rubbed her back as she took a few sips. “Can you tell me what happened now?” he asked after she set the glass down.
“This man, at the office store, he just, he was crazy, he had to have been,” Josie stammered, almost as though speaking to herself.
“Man at the office store? What? Josie, start at the beginning.”
“I went to the office supply store. Oh my gosh, I never finished shopping, I just left,” she said, placing her hand on her forehead as she remembered her folly.
“What about the man, Josie?” Michael persisted.
“I was shopping. I turned the corner and almost ran into him. The man that caught me when I fainted at the mall. I recognized him and I thanked him for helping me. He asked how I was feeling and I said I was better. Then he just started rambling about how he could help me and that I needed to remember who I was. He grabbed me and kept saying I needed to remember who I was.”
“He grabbed you? Are you okay?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. I mean, he didn’t hurt me, but he grabbed hold of me, but I’m okay.”
“Probably some nut case. But I don’t like the fact that he’s showing up so often, that can’t be by chance. Nor that he’s putting his hands on you. We should call the police.”
“Michael, he knew,” Josie said, looking right into his eyes and ignoring his previous statement. “He knew about my nightmares and the music box. How would he know that?” she asked, turning pensive again. “It was so strange. I thought he was crazy too, but he knew things about me. How did he know those things?”
“Probably has been following you and overheard it. I don’t like this, Josie. We should call the police and I don’t think you should go anywhere alone or even stay here alone. Who knows how crazy this guy is. Did he follow you to your car?”
“He came out of the store. I was already in the car, I left. What are you doing?” Josie asked, seeing Michael with his phone in his hand.
He put the phone to his ear. “I’m calling the police.”
“No, don’t,” she said, grabbing the phone.
“Why? Josie, this guy might be dangerous.”
“I just, I feel stupid. He is just some weirdo, probably harmless. I mean, what am I going to tell the police? A strange guy caught me when I fainted and I ran into him later and he told me I needed to remember who I really am. I’m the one who will sound crazy at this point.”
“Yeah, that’s exactly what you’re going to tell them. Okay, if you don’t want the police involved yet, fine, but as much as possible, you shouldn’t be going out anywhere alone or staying here, will you at least agree to that?”
“Yes. I didn’t say I wasn’t uneasy. I just don’t think it’s police report worthy at this point.”
“Good.”
“Shoot!” Josie exclaimed.
“What?”
“I told you, I never finished my shopping. I needed supplies for work.”
“Order it, Josie. Don’t go back to the store.”
“I don’t want to go back but I should order it now before I forget. I’m going to change and grab my laptop.”
“Okay.”
Josie headed up the steps and to her room. She was a little calmer, no longer shaking. She was home and safe and she focused on that. She started changing into more comfortable clothes. As she put away the clothes she was wearing, she spotted the music box. A wave of emotion swept over her. She remembered the man in the store mentioning it. He must have been the one who delivered it to her doorstep. That was before he had “rescued” her at the mall. Who
