This choice: You people choose who the imposter that's been you're so called mother for mouth • Go Back...Chapter #5Familial Strangers by: Nostrum   “What the hell...?” You refuse to believe what your eyes are seen.
You’re standing atop the stairs, holding your breath to avoid being caught, watching as your mother has just ripped the nape of her neck and pull her face off to reveal...
You can’t discern if it’s someone you know – you're seeing her from behind – but she’s definitely not your mother. You hide as soon as you see her turn towards the stairs, but the woman wearing your mother seems distracted by something else.
So distracted, that it allows you to get closer to listen at her conversation on the phone. “Leslie? It’s me, Merry. Did you send the fucking package like I told you?"
Damn! You think to yourself. What if it has a tracking number!?
“I know it should be here by now, but it hasn’t!” The woman grows exasperate, walking in circles. “Les, they look like pens – Customs won’t check it out.” A pause prompts her to stop. “Listen - you should stop being so paranoid. There’s a reason we used DHL – and we paid good money for it.” She sighs, grumbling. “That’s why you should’ve added the tracking service in the first place!”
You sigh in relief, then cover your mouth. What if she listened?
“Anyways - as soon as I get the damn pens I should find a hideout for you. Just stay in the safehouse and I’ll tell you when you can do the switch.” Another bout of silence, this time followed by a relaxed look from the imposter. “Once you’re inside cousin Marie’s husband, we can choose who to be with.”
Shit! They’re a couple!
“I’d stay inside her – it's comfy being inside a housewife.” The impostor giggles, squeezing your mother’s breasts. “Can you imagine she’s just as good looking as the last time I saw her? She’s not too bad to be in her forties,” she adds with a snort.
She checks the soiled clothes – full of loose dirt and stray hairs from all the swipes she did to the floor with them – and loads them in. “They don’t suspect. I’ve been inside for about a month now – if they suspected, they’d know by now.”
I know, you say, but you must recognize the truth. You don’t recall seeing your mother acting strangely – or anyone in your family, for that matter.
“Once I get the pens, I’ll get her husband Paul.” She nods, snorting. “He’s handsome, but he’s starting to lose it.” Another pause, this time with an eye roll. “We can always switch to some of the other kids – cousin Marie has two girls and two boys, so we have options. You’ll like Nick – he's got an adventurous spirit like you.”
If you can find him. Nick spends most of the time someplace else, crashing on his friends’ dorms whenever possible. You’re unsure of what “adventurous” spirit she speaks, but if it means always being on the streets and never inside, that’s for sure. Or his love for girls.
But this is a terrible omen. Someone – apparently, from the family – has replaced your mother, and now intends to replace someone else from your family. You’re not on their radar – for the time being – but if they suspect even a little that you’re their worst threat, who knows what they may do.
“I’ll keep an eye and check the kids’ rooms – I'll leave Nick’s for last. I’ll probably start with their youngest – she seems the most troublesome.”
You’re surprised by how eerily right this imposter can be. Claire has gotten quieter – to an extent – as she’s gotten into her teenage years, but she can still be a pain in the ass to you. If she’s been here for a month, either Claire did something to bother her, or she’s a formidable student of character.
And if she does... She probably knows you lied. This isn’t good.
You hide deeper as she moves towards the stairs. “I’ll call you when I get them. Don’t worry, babe – no one’s gonna find us. Love you too. Bye.”
As the call ends, the imposter stores her phone on her back pocket, then grasps your mother’s deflated face. She sighs with delight, a grin formed in her face. “Cousin, I gotta thank you for letting me in.” She cackles at her own (morbid) joke, replacing it upon her own. “You fit me like a glove,” she says in your mother’s voice. I hope you don’t mind if I stay for a bit longer – my babe Les and I gotta care about a few things before we leave.”
She takes her phone and looks at it – at the camera, most likely, since she admires your mother’s face. “You’re not that bad looking, cousin. Who knows – maybe our stay will be permanent.”
She takes a deep breath, closing her eyes. “Can’t be too careful. Good thing that other pen lets me act like you.”
So that’s what the brown one’s for...! You’re hardly excited by the news, but at least it gives you a fighting chance.
If you can recover the pens from your room, you could threaten the imposter to reveal herself and maybe learn what’s with them. Why would your mother’s cousin – if she is her cousin! - choose to use these to become her?
Going to your room now may be a challenge, though. She’ll check all the rooms until she does, and while she’ll check Claire’s first, your sudden disappearance from your room might trigger her. You feel a distraction may be in play.
Tina’s out of the question, though. She’s probably distracted with college homework, in her own world. (Better than bossing you around...) Your best bet is Claire, since she’s easier to rile up and you could pass it off as a prank. That depends, though, if you can take her off her phone, where she’s talking to Katie, her best friend and your girlfriend’s sister.
But if they’re too distracted... Why not tackle the imposter yourself? Once you take the skin off, they’ll understand the dangers they were in.   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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