Chapter 14: Shadows in the light

Abigail’s phone buzzed relentlessly that morning. She sat on her bed, scrolling through texts from her friends:

Callie: Abby, we need to talk. NOW.

Zoe: Seriously. Callie’s freaked out.

Marcus: Something isn’t right. Trust me.

Her chest tightened. She grabbed her jacket and ran into the crisp morning air. The three friends were waiting outside her apartment building, faces tense.

“Okay,” Abigail said, hands on her hips. “What’s going on?”

Callie stepped forward first. “It’s James.”

“What about him?” Abigail asked cautiously, a flicker of defensiveness rising.

“Something’s off,” Callie said. “We’ve noticed. And it’s not just us—other things too. We’ve been trying to ignore it, but…”

Marcus ran a hand through his hair. “Abby…he doesn’t exist like you think he does.”

Abigail froze. “Excuse me?”

Zoe swallowed hard. “We don’t know how to explain it. He’s… not consistent. People you’ve met, places you’ve gone with him…no one else remembers. And some things about him…don’t add up.”

Her heart raced. “That’s ridiculous. I’ve been with him! We—”

“Abby,” Callie interrupted gently, “we care about you. But things have been strange for a while. We’ve been trying to convince ourselves it’s nothing, but…”

Abigail shook her head. “I can’t believe this. You’re saying he’s not real?”

Marcus stepped closer, voice firmer. “We’re saying something is wrong. You’ve been…isolated. And when we see James, we can’t find anyone else who knows him. Places he supposedly went, events he supposedly attended…he’s invisible outside your experience.”

Her stomach dropped. “You’re lying. This isn’t true.”

Callie reached for her hand. “Abby, think about it. All the times he showed up out of nowhere. How he only ever appears when it’s just you. The inconsistencies in his stories. This isn’t us trying to ruin something—it’s us trying to protect you.”

Abigail’s fingers trembled around her jacket. “No. I know him. I feel him. He’s…real. He makes me happy.”

Zoe’s eyes glistened. “We know he does. And we’re not saying you can’t feel that. But it’s not normal to feel this strongly about someone no one else can see or remember. We’re worried—”

“Stop!” Abigail’s voice cracked. She felt tears prickle. “Just…stop! You don’t understand! You’ve never felt what I feel with him!”

Callie and Zoe flinched but didn’t back down. Marcus kept his hands raised, trying to stay calm. “We do understand,” he said softly. “That’s why we’re trying to help. Don’t push us away.”

Abigail pulled her coat tighter around her, spinning to leave. But something froze her. Across the street, she swore she saw James standing there. Watching. Smiling. His hands tucked into his pockets, like he belonged there and nowhere else at once.

Her breath hitched. Her pulse spiked. But when she blinked, he was gone.

Callie followed her gaze. “See? That’s…that’s exactly what we mean.”

Abigail shook her head violently. “No! You don’t get it! I know him!”

Marcus stepped forward. “Abby, listen. We’re not trying to hurt you. But…we can’t just ignore this anymore. Promise us you’ll think about it, okay? Look around you. Not just at him—at everything. Questions matter.”

Her chest heaved. “I… I can’t. I just…love him. That’s all that matters.”

Callie and Zoe exchanged a worried glance. “Abby…”

“I’m fine!” she shouted, then spun and ran down the street, ignoring the snow crunching under her boots. Her breaths came in shallow bursts, her chest aching.

She slowed near the park where she and James had spent Christmas Eve. The snow sparkled under the dim streetlights. And for a moment…he appeared.

“Abby,” he said softly, stepping into the lamplight. His smile was calm, warm. Safe.

“I…you’re…how?” she stammered.

“Don’t question it,” he said gently, taking her hand. “I’m here. That’s all that matters.”

She clung to him. The doubts, the warnings, the suspicions—everything faded in that instant.

But even as she pressed her forehead to his chest, a tiny, nagging thought tickled at the back of her mind: something isn’t right.