Chapter 5

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

John 8:32

Columbus, OH – Near The Ohio State University

“What do you mean you don’t need a doctor?”

Anne pushed herself off the floor, feeling the eyes of every person in the coffee shop watching

her. She suddenly wished she could make herself invisible. “I’m OK, John. Please. Let’s not

make a big deal out of this.”

Brandie held her arm out for support. Feeling unbalanced and dizzy, Anne was happy to take

it.

John reached out to support Anne from the other side as she returned to her chair. “But this is

a big deal. You just passed out or something. You might have a concussion.”

Anne straightened her rumpled shirt and pulled her hair back in a ponytail. She had to find

some way to reassure John. Telling him the truth wasn’t an option. Anne gave Brandie a look of

desperation that she hoped her best friend would understand. An almost imperceptible nod from

Brandie gave Anne hope.

“Was it the headaches again?” Brandie asked.

Yes! She did get it. “Yeah. They’ve been so bad this time.”

The questioning look on John’s face made it clear he wasn’t going to be persuaded that easily.

“Headaches? What headaches?”

OK. This was it. The crowning touch. “You know. The ones that come every month.”

That did the trick, at least partially. Anne could see John’s brow unfurl as his concern seemed

to ease.
 “You mean that was just a bad headache? Because of your …”

Bingo. Bring up the one subject no guy wanted to talk about. She took John’s hand and looked

into John’s eyes. “I’m sorry I scared you like that. I guess that one just really hit me hard. Please

don’t be mad at me.”

“Of course I’m not mad. Just worried. Let me get you a glass of water.”

Anne flashed her best smile – the kind of smile that no man could resist. “That would be great.

Thanks.”

Anne watched until she was sure John was out of earshot. Leaning across the table, she

whispered, “I just had a dream, or a vision, or whatever.”

As expected, Brandie’s eyebrows arched in surprise as she leaned forward. “What? How did

that happen? And why now?”

That was a very good question. Anne didn’t know why it happened, but she did know that she

didn’t like it. It was one thing to have her sleep disturbed by these images. Now her waking

hours were going to be terrorized, too? I don’t know how much more I can take, Anne thought.

Maybe she did need to talk with Dr. Rappaport. After all that had happened to her in the last

few years, talking to a shrink couldn’t hurt. “I’ll call Dr. Rappaport tomorrow. What do I have to

lose?”

Before they could continue their conversation, the manager came over to their table to see if

Anne was OK. After assuring him she was fine, Anne saw John turn away from the counter with

her glass of water in hand. “Thanks for the water, sweetie. I think if I just sit here for a minute

I’ll be OK.”

Anne took a sip of water and scanned the café, looking for the creepy guy who had been

staring at her before the vision. There was something about him that freaked her out more than
the normal perv that liked to stare at the college girls. This guy had really seemed to have

something to say to her. Probably something she was better off not hearing. Anne muttered to

herself, “Where did he go?”

“Where’d who go?” Brandie’s furled brow reminded Anne that she hadn’t had time to point

him out before her “headache.”

“That creepy guy I was trying to tell you about. Right before I had my headache I saw him

over there staring at me.”

Both John and Brandie looked around the coffee shop. “I’m sorry honey,” Brandie said. “I see

lots of guys but I don’t know who we’re looking for.”

Anne gestured toward the front of the coffee shop. “He was right there. About 30 to 35, short

dark hair, goatee, had a scar on his left cheek, wearing a black leather coat and apparently he

likes to stare at college girls. ”

John slowly scanned the coffee house again. “Well, he must have left when you passed out.

Right now, you just need to relax and not worry about some guy looking at you.”

Anne inhaled deeply and slowly breathed out, trying to relax herself. She always used these

deep breathing techniques before an important piano performance. It usually worked. But right

now she couldn’t relax. As if her dreams weren’t bad enough. Now they were coming during the

day and she apparently had an unwanted fan. “Don’t you think that’s a little suspicious? That he

just leaves while I’m passed out on the floor?”

“Want to know what I think? I think you’re a little paranoid,” Brandie said. “He was just some

guy who thought you were cute. Guys stare at me all the time. If I called the cops every time

some guy watched me, I would need to have my own personal security force.”
 The roar of an ambulance siren filled the air as the emergency vehicle stopped in front of the

coffee shop. Anne watched as a pair of EMTs were pointed in her direction by the barista. Oh

no! Someone must have called 911 after John yelled.

After checking her vitals and talking to her, one of the EMTs told Anne that she didn’t have

any signs of a concussion.

“So I don’t need to go to the hospital?” Anne asked.

“No. Everything looks OK, but someone should stay with you tonight and wake you up every

few hours to make sure.”

Brandie put her arm around Anne and smiled. “John and I can take turns staying up. We’ll

make sure you’re alright.”

“OK. Watch for slurred speech, memory loss, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, ringing in the

ears or sensitivity to light or noise. If you have any of those, you need to get to the hospital.”

Anne thanked the EMTs as they packed up their gear. She was thankful to not have to go to

the hospital. That would mean a call to the parents. Her mom and dad didn’t need a scare like

that. And there was no way they would be as willing to buy the headache story as John was.

“Let’s go back to your room,” John said. “I know it’s only a few blocks but let me get my car

and I’ll drive you back. I’m just parked down the block.”

Brandie helped Anne stand up and handed her coat and purse. After pulling on her coat, Anne

dug her phone out of her purse. Please let there be a new e-mail. Yes! She had a new e-mail. And

it was from a_friend1@[Link].

“You are not alone. I will tell you the truth. I will call you tomorrow.”