I couldn't focus. All day I kept thinking about the girl who was helping me find the first girl and my car. What was taking her so long? I needed my car. I needed to find the first girl again to prove that I had worth. That I wasn't a loser.

I checked my watch. It was a quarter to noon. Maybe if I ran out to get a bite to eat it would clear my mind. I might even see the girl who was helping me find my car.

I stepped out of my cube and took the stairs down to the building lobby in case the thin man was still in the elevator. As I walked out onto the sidewalk a gust of hot wind blew my hair back. I took off my jacket and wrapped it around my waist.

I was starting to regret not eating anything this morning. My stomach grumbled as I stepped into the first restaurant that caught my eye; a Mexican restaurant on the corner of Broadway and Twelfth Street. The scent of hot peppers and spices filled the air.

I didn't even bother to glance at the menu. A plate of nachos and a tall glass of ice water would have to do. I took my seat at a booth and leaned back against the red velvet curtains that shielded me from view, determined not to make eye contact with anyone in this place. I picked up my fork and started eating.

The nachos were cold and soggy and the cheese was congealing in my mouth, but I ate them fast, only stopping to take big gulps of water.

Then I saw her.

She was standing at the end of the booth closest to the door with her back turned toward me. It was the girl in the pink shirt and blue jeans. Her brown hair cascaded down her back in a glossy mane. I was so caught up in watching her that I couldn't hear the server approach my table.

"Can I help you, sir?" the server said, leaning over my shoulder.

I jumped at the sound of his voice and dropped my fork on the plate. "I–uh–just need a refill of water, please."

The server looked down at my empty glass and turned to go when I stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"And a Coke, please."

He nodded and walked away.

I looked back to where the girl had been, but she was gone. I peered around the room, but I didn't see her anywhere. I finished the last nacho and put my plate on the edge of the table. I leaned back in the booth, trying to still myself from racing heartbeats and pounding blood in my ears. Then I noticed a couple at a nearby table staring at me with an incredulous look on their face. I looked down at the front of my shirt and realized what they must have seen. It was an old action movie poster from the 1980s featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger as a Terminator.

I ran a hand over my head to calm myself and tried to think rationally again. The girl had probably just decided to leave, maybe because–

The server reappeared with the Coke. "Here you go, sir," he said, setting the glass in front of me. "Enjoy your meal!"

I thanked him and when I turned back to my nachos I saw the girl sitting across from me in my booth.

"Good god!"

"I'm sorry to startle you," she said in a soft voice. "I was back here to–"

"No, it's fine, I was just startled! What are you doing here? Did–did you find my car? The girl from last night?"

"Oh," she said. "No, I was–I was just thinking about you and wanted to see if you were doing alright."

I felt my face heat up and the server noticed from across the room.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked her politely.

"No thanks," she said in a cool voice, her eyes still on me. "I'm just chatting with a new friend."

"Alright, enjoy!" he said with a smile and then returned to his station.

I felt the warmth on my face turn into a full–blown flush as I stared at her.

"I–uh, thanks for checking up on me, but I'm really ok. I just want to find my car." I said finally, hoping that she would take the hint and leave and go looking for it.

She did not leave.

"Come on, let's go somewhere private," she said. I felt her hand on my knee. "I know you're not ok. Let's talk about it."

I tensed up and yanked my leg back, standing up abruptly from the booth and pulling the napkin off of my lap.

"Listen, you can help me find my car, but I don't want to talk about this–this sort of thing."

"But you're so upset, I just want to help you!" she protested.

"I don't need your help with that. You can help me find my car–or we're done!"

She gave me a look of hurt before standing up. Her eyes seemed to glow and all the color drained from her face.

"Fine, we're done!" she said angrily and stormed off.

I watched as she left the restaurant and got into her car.

Wait, was that hers? Why did she have a car? No, that was my car!

She had my car!

I ran out of the restaurant.

"What the hell is going on?" I said, grabbing her by the arm and spinning her around.

"Ow! Let go of me!" she screamed.

I released my grip, but before she could leave I grabbed her again and shoved her against the restaurant wall, and held my hand up to hit her.

"What is your problem? Why would you take my car?" I yelled at her.

"I didn't take it, I brought it back. But you didn't want it."

"Didn't want it? Excuse me?"

"I asked you to go somewhere private with me. I was going to take you to your car."

"Then why the hell didn't you just say that?" I was furious.

"You just acted all weird! I don't know, maybe it was the way you were looking at me. You seemed so down."

"I was not down!" I said angrily and pushed her away from me.

She stumbled back and started to cry. "I'm sorry!" she sobbed.

"I don't want to talk to you right now! Just leave!"

Then she changed.

Her shadow on the wall grew larger. Her face was still hidden in her hands but I could tell she had stopped sobbing.

Then she spoke.

"I killed her. You weren't supposed to bring her back."

Her voice was muffled, but I could still understand her. She had killed the woman I had met last night.

But why? And how had I brought her back?

Her shadow seemed to be clouding the entire street now.

"How?" I asked.

"I don't want to talk about it. Just leave me alone," she said.

I watched as she disappeared into her shadow and then everything was bright again. People walked past like they hadn't seen our argument or her transformation into a shadow.

I stood there in shock for several minutes. The server stepped out of the Mexican restaurant.

"Hey, you going to pay your bill, buddy?"

"Oh, uh, yeah. Sorry." I handed him a twenty and left.