I was trying really hard to keep my shit together. I didn’t think panicking was the right move, even though I wanted nothing more than to scream and run off into the night.

I was jostled by a sudden crush of people, and when they cleared, I checked the reflection in the glass again. I scanned for any sign of the fake cop, but from the looks of it, he wasn’t there anymore.

I finally turned around to check with my own eyes and make sure he was really gone and not just hiding behind a streetlamp or something. I let out a breath when I didn’t see him lurking among the revelers.

I was so rattled by the Truth lady that I must have mistaken someone else for the fake cop. There were so many people out tonight in so many different costumes; it made perfect sense that I would think he was following me when it was someone else altogether.

Just get to the train, Aliyah, and everything will be fine.

I took a breath and kept on toward the train station. I’d officially had more than enough excitement for tonight, and it was time to go home. I couldn’t wait to curl up with a cup of chamomile tea and a good textbook to study until I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore.

I hadn’t made it very far when I felt another chill down my back. I paused, pretending to check out something in a store window as I snuck a glance over my shoulder.

There he was again—the fake cop!

He was a few stores down, pretending to look in a store window just like I was. I took a good look, wanting to make sure I wasn’t making a mistake again, but it was him alright. I’d know those dorky khakis and crisp white button-up anywhere.

Fuck! He is following me! Now what?

Once again, I pushed down the urge to run off screaming. If I did that and he gave chase, it would be even scarier, so I needed to relax the best I could.

I took off at a fast pace, almost running but not quite. I moved through the crowds, hoping to get lost in them so that he couldn’t find me. I’d been annoyed by the hordes of people earlier, but now I felt comforted that I wasn’t out here alone on a deserted street alone with my stalker. At least if he tried anything, I could scream, and someone would most likely take notice.

I almost yelped with glee when I spotted a cop a few feet ahead of me.

“Hey, are you real?” I asked him. I narrowed my eyes as I looked at the badge on his chest, but it looked just like the one the creep had shown me, so that didn’t give me much confidence.

He eyed me. “What?”

“I asked if you’re real or if that’s a costume. Are you a real cop or a Halloween cop? I think I’m being stalked!”

If the cop wasn’t real, the way he crossed his arms over his chest and gave me a skeptical look certainly looked the part. “I’m a real cop,” he barked. “How much have you had to drink tonight, miss?”

“What? I haven’t had anything to drink! I’m completely sober.”

He gave me another skeptical look.

I thought back to the green punch at Simone’s and shuddered. I’d expertly avoided even taking a sip of that, and I wasn’t really a fan of beer, so it had been pretty easy to avoid that, too. I was maybe the most stone-cold sober person out tonight.

The cop sighed. “Okay, so who’s stalking you? Someone you know?”

“No! The only thing I know about him is that he’s pretending to be one of you!”

“What?”

“A fake cop! He’s dressed like he works in accounting, but he has a badge and said that he was a cop, but I don’t believe him. I left the party I was at, and he’s been following me ever since!”

The cop looked over my shoulder. “I don’t know, lady. All I see are a bunch of people having fun on Halloween. You should try it sometime—you know, having fun.”

“Are you fucking serious?” I huffed. “I’m not playing around. The guy is back there, and I’m afraid that he’s—I don’t know—going to do something to me.”

The cop smiled. “Okay, okay, I’ll keep an eye on you, okay?”

I rolled my eyes. “Thanks, but no.”

“Suit yourself,” the cop said and went back to leaning against a mailbox.

I stormed off, pissed that I was obviously on my own against this weirdo tonight. I stopped and looked around. I didn’t see the guy anywhere, but I still had that strange tingle at the back of my neck that told me that he was watching me, and I had to get away.