On a stormy night, private secretary Millicent Barnes waits at a bus depot. She checks the time and goes over to speak with the ticket agent. Millicent asks about the bus to Courtland and why it's overdue, and the ticket agent says that due to the rain there's no way to tell when it's coming in. The ticket agent irritably complains that he already told Millicent the same thing several times, even though Millicent insists that it's the first time she asked. As she complains about his manners, Millicent notices that her suitcase is on the floor behind the agent. She turns around confirms that her suitcase is also next to the bench where she was sitting. Millicent goes back to her bench, puzzled.
Millicent goes back and looks at the suitcase behind the desk. The ticket agent asks what she wants and Millicent asks about the suitcase, which is identical to hers right down to the broken handle. The agent says that she did check it and when Millicent turns around to point out her bag, she discovers that it has disappeared. Millicent doesn't understand but the ticket agent tells her to sit down, wait for the bus, and stop bothering him. She sits back down for a moment and then goes into the ladies room. The attendant looks at Millicent as she washes up and then asks if she's all right. Millicent wonders why she's asking and the attendant says that when she was just in the ladies room a few minutes ago. Puzzled and angry, Millicent says that everyone else is insane and goes to the door. As she opens it and looks back, she sees... herself, reflected in the mirror and seated at the bench.
Millicent slams the door shut and the attendant gets her a wet cloth. However, Millicent says that she doesn't need it and that she's just tired. She goes out and discovers that no one is sitting on the bench. Her suitcase is back where it was earlier and Millicent sits down. After a moment, she starts to approach the ticket agent but he glares at her so Millicent approaches an elderly couple. The old man is sleeping and his wife says that she wasn't paying attention to who was sitting on the bench. The suitcase behind the counter is now gone. Millicent sits down and wonders if she's delusional, and looks up to see the bathroom attendant studying her.
A man enters the depot and hands Millicent the bag that she dropped. He introduces himself as Paul Grinstead and explains that he missed his plane and his cab skidded off the road nearby. Paul notices that Millicent appears distracted and she admits that something is the matter but she doesn't know what. She talks about how she's been seeing things and Paul offers to help if he can. Millicent explains that everyone keeps saying that she's been there before doing things that she's never done, and she saw a double of herself from the ladies room. Paul dismisses them as delusions and Millicent agrees, but says that she's not running a fever. She also points out that her delusions wouldn't make other people see her. Paul assures her that there must be a reason and suggests that there is someone there who resembles her, or someone playing a joke on her. As they talk, the Courtland bus arrives outside and Millicent thanks Paul for hearing her out.
As Millicent and Paul go out to the bus, Millicent looks up and sees something, gasps, and runs into the bus depot. As Paul runs after her, he fails to see Millicent's double, seated on the bus and smiling.
Millicent passes out and Paul and the bathroom attendant tend to her. The ticket agent warns that the next bus won't come until seven the next morning but Paul says that he'll wait. Once the driver leaves, the agent turns off some of the lights to save power and the attendant leaves for home. When Millicent wakes up, Paul assures her that a few more hours won't make a difference to him. Millicent remembers a story she read somewhere about parallel worlds and how when something from the other dimension crosses over, they have to take over their counterpart to survive. Paul doesn't believe but Millicent insists that's what has happened. He suggests that he call a friend who can drive them to the next stop, but Millicent ignores him.
Paul goes over to the ticket agent, who has overheard the entire conversation. He thinks that Millicent is nuts, and Paul admits that he doesn't have a friend to call. Paul hoped that Millicent would come along if he claimed he had a friend, and starts to dial the police. Meanwhile, Millicent goes to the ladies room and demands that her counterpart show herself. Paul calls to her, asking if she's all right, and Millicent says that she's fine. She comes out and Paul suggests that they get some fresh air. They go outside and a police car pulls up.
Once the officers take Millicent away, Paul goes back inside. He tells the ticket agent that they're going to take her to the hospital for observation. The agent suggests that he get some sleep and Paul puts his case on the floor and goes to the drinking fountain. When he looks up, his case has vanished. Someone runs out the door and Paul chases after him. As he gets closer, he realizes that he's chasing... himself. His counterpart looks back, smirking, and runs off into the night.
Written by Gadfly on Sep 20, 2015