A strange darkness crept into my consciousness as I sat there with the broken ornament in my hand. Even the lights on the Christmas tree seemed to dim a bit, as if portending that something ominous approached.
I stared at my cards, feeling the weight settle in on top of me. If even my friends couldn’t take a stalker seriously, how could I expect the police to?
As a teenager, my happy place was always Jones Beach, NY. I would arrive early before the toll, just as dawn was breaking. The causeway was empty of other cars, all was quiet on the beach, parking spots were plentiful and you could choose any field you’d like.