Maggie didn’t think twice when a kind stranger helped her load groceries into her car. It was just a small act of kindness—or so she believed. But soon, she started seeing him everywhere—outside her café, near the bookstore, even outside her gym.
He never approached her, never spoke, just stood at a distance, watching. At first, she brushed it off as coincidence, but the eerie familiarity of his presence became impossible to ignore.
As the sightings continued, Maggie grew increasingly unsettled. Each time she tried to take a picture or show someone, something would interfere—her phone would die, or the stranger would vanish. One evening at a café, she pointed him out to a woman sitting nearby, only to be met with confusion. No one else could see him. Panic set in, and Maggie realized she might be losing her grip on reality. Desperate for proof, she confided in her best friend, Elaine, who suggested they check her store’s security footage. To Maggie’s horror, the recordings showed nothing—she had been talking to thin air.
Determined to uncover the truth, Maggie returned to the supermarket where she had first met him. She convinced the staff to let her review their security footage, hoping for clarity. But as she watched herself interact with an invisible figure, the devastating truth became clear—the man had never been real. Stunned and overwhelmed, she struggled to accept what was happening. Elaine, deeply concerned, insisted that Maggie seek professional help. Though reluctant, she finally agreed to see a therapist, Dr. Levin.
During her session, Dr. Levin explained that Maggie was experiencing prolonged grief disorder. Her mind had conjured the man as a coping mechanism, a familiar presence to fill the void left by her late husband, Michael, who had always helped her with groceries. The realization was both painful and enlightening. With therapy, Maggie slowly began to process her grief rather than suppress it. She spoke openly about Michael for the first time in years and allowed herself to feel the emotions she had long buried.
As she confronted her loss, something remarkable happened—the stranger disappeared. He no longer lingered in the shadows or watched from a distance. By acknowledging her grief, she had released the illusion that had haunted her for so long. Though the journey had been difficult, Maggie emerged stronger, realizing that she wasn’t alone. Elaine had been her anchor throughout it all, reminding her that true support comes from those who stand by us in both reality and memory.