Chapter #4Southern Discomfort by: Seuzz   Text by imaj
You are idly flicking through the television stations when Joe returns from school the following afternoon. You hear the front door open and the sound of two voices talking to each other. One is definitely Joe, the other a girl. 'Is that you Joe,' you shout, unwilling to move yourself from the couch you are lying on.
'Yeah,' comes his voice loudly. 'This way,' you hear him say more quietly. You crane your neck to look as he enters. 'This is' uh' my cousin Sue,' he says to his companion, for you have chosen to wear the mask that combines Joe's and Frank's faces.
If his companion thinks anything of your name, she says nothing about it. 'Hi, y'all,' she greets you, with an obvious southern twang. 'I'm Tina.'
You examine the girl that Joe has brought you. She's pretty rather than beautiful, a slender girl next door with modest curves. The light spray of freckles across her nose makes her look cute and her generously proportioned lips smile with genuine warmth. Her best feature, without a doubt, is the bright flame red hair which is tied back into a loose ponytail save for a few errant strands at the front that frame her face.
Her clothes are modest too: A simple pair of blue jeans over dark brown boots. A sleeveless white blouse with a conservative neckline that hints at the presence of her breasts without revealing anything. There is a flash of silver at her neck and you spot a small cross hanging from a necklace. Her exposed arms are pale and slim with, gain, a smattering of freckles. You notice that the bangles on her wrists are the same shade of blue as her eyes.
She'll do, you think. 'Hi Tina,' you say.
'Can I get you a drink,' Joe asks Tina.
'If you have a coke that would be fine sugah,' she replies.
'Get me one too cuz,' you add.
'Get yourself a drink,' laughs Joe as he walks into the kitchen.
'So Sue,' says Tina, taking a seat opposite you. 'That's an unusual name.'
'Lots of girls are called Sue,' comes Joe's voice from the kitchen. You groan. 'Oh, you mean like for a boy. Yeah his parents are weird. Lucky for him, he's come to stay with the intelligent side of the Family.' Tina titters. 'I'm going to teach him everything I know.'
'Not going to take long,' you mouth silently at Tina, who breaks into a wide smile. 'I better go get my drink otherwise he'll forget,' you say more loudly, slithering off the couch.
You walk through to the kitchen where Joe, unsurprisingly, has gotten a drink ready for Tina and himself only. You grab him by the shoulder and turn him round to face you. 'Get back in there and make with the'.' you whisper. You don't finish the sentence, instead miming placing a mask on your face.
'You happy enough with that one then,' he whispers back conspiratorially. 'Boobs not too'' he gestures expansively with his hands.
'No,' you reply, narrowing your eyes. 'At least I don't have to worry about a boyfriend or anything.' Joe raises his eyebrow so you explain. 'She's got one of those chastity pledge rings on her finger. Cross on her neck too. I'm guessing she's religious or something.'
Joe laughs loudly. 'Y'all okay in there,' shouts Tina from next door.
'Sue just said something funny, that's all,' Joe shouts back. 'You've got a lot to learn about girls Will Prescott,' he whispers at you. 'That just means when she does hook up with a guy its going to be raw and dirty.' You look at him levelly. 'Want to bet on it,' he adds. 'You'll see once you get inside her head.'
'Just get out there and get on with it,' you hiss.
Joe sniggers as he opens one of the kitchen drawers and pulls out a blank mask from it. He stuffs the mask into the band of his trousers at the back and grabs the drinks and walks out.
You lean on the worktop and wait. There is a quiet murmur of discussion, some muffled sounds then finally Joe calls you. 'It's done.'
Tina is slumped over in her chair when you come back in. Joe is already disrobing her. 'I'm not sure I approve of you looking inside her clothes like that,' you say.
'What,' he asks with a frown.
'Well, I mean, it's going to be my body in a couple of minutes. I'm not sure if I like the idea of you having seen me naked.'
'Who's to say I haven't seen her naked already,' replies Joe with a sparkle in his eye. 'Girl has the hots for me I'm telling you.'
'Look, ughh'' you begin. Joe smiles lasciviously. 'Yeah, whatever.' You dive into the cushions of the couch and pull out the golemized mask of yourself. It will keep the real Tina out of the way while you pretend to be her. When you turn back round, Tina is completely naked, her clothes sitting in a neat pile beside her. 'Did you just use your super speed thing to undress her? Is that even? God, I really wish I'd gone with Frank now.'
'No you don't' smiles Joe. 'We're having fun. That the mask of you? Give it over.' You throw the mask to Joe underarm and he catches it deftly. He waits silently beside Tina till the blank mask resurfaces from her. 'Don't think I'm going to get used to seeing that, makes my stomach turn.' He gingerly lifts the blank off Tina's face and passes it back to you.
Joe places the golem mask on Tina and the naked duplicate of your real self sits bolt upright. 'This is just a little too kinky for me boss,' it says quickly. Joe sniggers. Again.
'Just get upstairs and get dressed,' you snarl grumpily. Then it's back to the kitchen with the new mask of Tina. You pull the jar of sealant from its hiding place in a cupboard behind some peanut butter. Not a mistake I want to make, you think. You lean on the worktop as you place the finished mask on your face, struggling against the overwhelming tiredness that passes over you in waves. Your vision clouds for a second and your breathing is laboured but you manage to retain consciousness.
You let out an involuntary grunt as you start sifting though Tina's memories. Joe, it seems, was right. Tina has been with a couple of boys, despite the fact she still insists she wants to save herself for marriage. At least she feels guilty about it, and that she let Joe kiss her a couple of times on the way over here.
That she let Joe kiss her a couple of times on the way over here. Fuck.
'You owe me ten dollars,' says Joe, suddenly beside you.
'I what,' you ask, spinning round to face him.
'That was the amount I decided our bet was for,' he replies. 'She does have the hots for me. I can tell by the look on your face.'
'You mean the one of disgust,' you snark back.
'My feelings are all hurt now,' he says, looking at you with puppy dog eyes. 'Make them better for me.'
'We're not doing this for a cheap thrill,' you say through gritted teeth as Joe starts to run one hand along your hip. 'I'm just becoming Tina for the investigation.' You push Joe's hand away. 'And stop that.'
'Are you sure,' he replies. 'If you're acting against her nature then it might make people suspicious.
'Yes I'm sure,' you reply. 'Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go and get undressed' I mean dressed in her clothes.'
Joe grabs your hand and massages it gently. He has a point, almost. There's a strong vote from Tina's personality to stay with Joe for a while. Not to go all the way, of course, just to have a little make out session.
On the other hand, you have a nagging feeling that using the masks to make out with each other is not what Joe's dad had in mind when he put you in charge of the investigation.
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