An hour before

KNOCK KNOCK

You slow your breath in order to calm down, and you quickly wipe your eyes and nose. You shouldn't have come here unannounced, plus you've found the building's door opened, so you didn't even ring the intercom. You know it's enormously selfish to burst into her house like this and ruin her day with your presence, but you really need to talk to her. Just... just to see one damn thing working in your life.

The door is opened, and Maria's confused face reveals itself.

-Oh.-.

You sketch a smile.

-Hi. I was in the area and I just... knocked.- You lie, hoping that you can hide the nasality in your voice. But, evidently, you don't, as she seems really taken aback and eyes you like to an alien.

-...Yeah, of course. Please, come in, Cindy.- She eventually steps aside and invites you. You hesitate for a second, and then you step in.

---

The number you've dialed-

You close your phone and let out a sigh. Tina's not answering, and you wonder why since she usually plays with her phone after lunch; you know this because you often spied on her when you were...

You blush at those embarrassing memories and shake them away.

You set your eyes on the suburban house in front of you. Maybe it was a bad idea to come here alone, maybe you should have waited for Tina to answer. But your Heather side still feels guilty for having involved her, plus you really feel that you can wait no longer.

"I'll simply check if it's the right place." You say to yourself.

"Yes. I'll knock at the door and... and...".

You have to admit that your plan didn't get over that point, but at least now you're here. Let's focus on the present.

---

You enter the small lobby while Maria closes the door behind you. Your gaze casually wanders through the living room, unknowingly expecting to find her mother lying on the couch. She isn't.

-Uh, is your mom at home?-.

You immediately regret your intrusiveness, it's totally not your business and maybe she's not here for health reasons, but you had to say something to take courage. Maria falls silent for a few seconds, and keeps staring intensely at you.

-My mom? No, she's gone out.-.

...Ok, her tone is a bit cooler than you expected. Though, you can't blame her, right? You're not in the most presentable state, and you stormed in with all the intentions of taking out your frustrations on her. But she surely has her own problems to think about, and you've been so mean. Gosh, maybe it's been really a bad idea. You open and close your mouth several times, but you feel your throat too dry to talk.

-You need some water?-.

-I... yes, if it's not a both...er...- She's already moved to the kitchen, and you hear the tap running and filling a glass.

...Of course it's a bother. You, you're a bother here. Probably she was studying or, or calling her own mom, or maybe her dad, you don't even know if she has one! Or maybe she was doing something else entirely and you... you just...

-I'm... I'm s... sor...-.

-Here.-.

You find yourself with the glass in your hand and her cool glare still upon you from behind her thick glasses.

You look at the limpid water, where your distorted image is twinkling fragilely.

A wave of sadness hits you, and you feel the compulsion to cry.

---

You quickly fix your hair and your clothes, and then walk down the short driveway to the front door.

You move to ring the bell, but then you freeze. What will you tell her? Can you just say that you're sorry for her getting fired? Isn't this a bit hypocritical?

"What if she thinks that I'm making fun of her? I've just ruined her life, and now I'm ringing at her door with no actual solutions! M-Maybe I should offer her some money to atone, to help her.".

You distend your finger, but halt it again.

"But then she'll think I'm trying to bribe her! I should offer her a job, at least. But how? I don't have that power! My parents won't let her go back, not even as my personal maid...".

"Then I could call one of my acquaintances! Ask them to hire her! But what if they don't? I can't just make a promise and then disregard it: it would be mean, it would be cruel, I would give her false hopes, and then...".

You lower your gaze, ashamed.

"I-I should have made that call before coming here. But I had no time these days!".

"...No, no, this is just an excuse. I should have found the time, somehow. Oh no, have I been selfish? Did I come here only to get rid of my conscience, and not to really help her? Am I, am I this kind of person?".

You feel wretched now, captured in a vortex of true despair. Elena always disliked you, and now you see why: what a good person you are! You're just a spoiled little girl who likes toying with the lives of others!

You start to cry over that terrible realization. You deserve Elena's anger, you deserve your parents' disapproval!

"I'm so sorry! I never realized, I didn't know, I didn't think... I've always tried to follow His teachings, but instead, instead, have I failed Him?".

Distraught, you are about to run away and leave, when a noise catches your attention.

---

You eventually drink the water, while Maria leans on the wall, arm crossed. You search for a friendly sign, a relaxation, but she looks harsh grim right now. You're starting to get afraid that she has received some bad news when you arrived.

-So, what brings you here exactly?-.

-I... wanted to apologize if I didn't look like myself... in the bathroom, I mean...- You answer, your throat is burning again and so you clasp your grip on the empty glass: -It's just, several things have happened and I just wanted to... to see you.- somehow, a timid smile curls the corners of your lips.

Maria falls silent. Then, she turns toward the oval mirror on the wall and brushes a tuft of blonde hair at shoulder height.

-Do you find me beautiful?-.

---

"What was that?".

It sounded like something heavy falling on the floor. Like a chair. And it came from inside.

You shake your head. It was just your imagination. You were looking for an excuse not to admit your...

Another one. Another noise, this time like a jar shattering. Has she tripped perhaps?

You knock at the door, calling: -Hello? Miss Elena, are you there?-.

The subsequential bump was way louder. Now you are really on the alert. What was going on? Has she felt sick? Or, or is there a thief inside? Is she in danger???

-Miss Elena! Miss Elena, please, answer me, is everything alright in there??- You knock again and again, but no one comes to open.

Then, you hear it. A muffled scream. A call for help.

"Oh my God! Oh my God!!!". When your mind will be clear, you will know you have to pray ten Pater Noster for having taken His name in vain, but right now you're not thinking about it at all.

You instinctively try to **** the door, but to no avail. What can you do? Phone the police? But they won't get here in time! Call for help? But you can't open the door! If only you could just...

"Wait.".

---

You almost wince at that unexpected question. W-What? Has she figured out...? Figured out what, what were you implying?

-Cindy? Do you find me beautiful?- She repeats slowly, in a murmur.

-W-Well... uh... I think that... you're a nice girl.-.

-I see. Thank you, Cindy, I highly value your opinion regarding these topics.-.

You feel a bitter itch in your belly at this statement, but you can't say exactly why.

And then she adds something you won't forget, not even in a billion years:

-I see that I've made a good choice with her.-.

---

You take a step back and look down, in the gap between the entrance and the floor. A **** idea forms into your mind; pondering about it in the future, you'll realize that you could have done many better things, but at this moment it seems your only chance. You know that you can manipulate your body, assuming everyone's semblances. But can you do more? Can you, can you become again the red goo you were before entering Heather?

"I have to try! I have to try at least!" Thus you close your eyes and inspire deeply.

"Just remember when you were a goo. Remember that sensation. I need to become it once again. I need... that feeling...".

You realize you're starting to get shorter. And... wider. It's working?! You reopen your eyes and see in a mix of excitement and horror that your legs have indeed melted into a red puddle.

"H-Holy... Holy Mary!" You now follow the flux until you're completely non-human. Being a jelly of those dimensions is, is, is the weirdest thing ever, you cannot even describe it! But you can't lose any more time, thus you give yourself a push and slide under the door, and when you're fully inside you focus to "regrow" again. In a leap, like a geyser burst, you're back being Heather.

Immediately, you feel like you have to vomit your bowel. You don't think human bodies are supposed to do what you just did. Nevertheless, you manage to lift your eyes from the floor, and you instantly forgot about any sick feeling, since a cold grip clutches your stomach.

Elena was lying prone, a bleeding wound on her forehead. And, right above her...

---

-W...What?-.

---

-What the fuck...?-.

---

You're confused, no, you're stunned by her words. Maria spins on her heel, facing you with a frigid smile.

-You know, Cindy, when I saw you here I thought you had come for me. That somehow you knew. But you're not someone that knows many things, are you?-.

"What?".

She turns around and walks into the kitchen, where she collects the case of her lens and then puts them back. She then sashays back to the mirror.

-Please, advise me again. Better with or without?-.

"What?".

-I'll appreciate your opinion on this. You're more of an expert on good looks than I am. And than Maria, of course.-.

...

"What?".

She daggers you again with her deadly seriousness.

-Oh, silly me. Forgive me if I have been inhospitable. I haven't absorbed all of her memories yet.-.

CRASH

Glasses fly all-around at your feet.

---

During all her life, Heather had never sworn. No, to be honest, she did once, when she was a little kid. Her father got so angry with her that she cried for two days, and made the resolution of not doing that again anymore.

But in these circumstances, even the real Heather would have cursed.

There is a monster above Elena's **** body. A green, humanoid-like monster, with no facial traits, like a creature made of swamp. Or of green jelly.

"No way.".

"No... way...".

"This is impossible.".

The creature "sees" you, in the sense that hefts her non-face to your direction.

Is it... another person like you? Someone else with your power? But it can't be, right?

The creature tilts its head, as if intrigued by your presence. You, instead, are terrified. But then you remember why you got here in the first instance.

-L-Let her go!- You intimate, even if your knees are trembling noticeably.

-W-W-Who are you? W-What do you want from her?-.

It cannot answer, and if it can it just doesn't. But Elena stirs at the sound of your voice, and barely reopens her eyes.

-H...Help me...-.

---

"What?".

'Maria' looks displeased at the fragments on the floor.

-Cindy, be careful please. Uff... Wait while I take the broom.-.

She leaves you alone once again, but you cannot concretize the amount of time. You feel that barely a second has passed, or an eternity perhaps.

-You look pale.- She comments, sweeping the glasses aside.

-Do you need a seat?-.

"What?".

"What?".

"What?".

-Come on Cindy, don't make that face. Truly, it's a shame to sight your pretty visage in such a state. You were trying to confide me something, right? "Several things have happened" if I'm correct. Well, proceed then. I'm listening.-.

-No.-.

She lifts an eyebrow.

-It can't be true.-.

-You're... unpleased?- She frowns: -Why though? You wanted to do the same to me, after all. And, truthfully, I can confirm it.- she narrows her eyes: -It's not a bad sensation.-.

While you stay immobile to look at her, while the world collapses, she loosens her shoulders and neck.

-Strange at first, yes. I'm not used to this voice, to this accent...- She stares down at her Maria's body and gently gropes her Maria's tits: -Neither to these ones. But it's just a matter of time. Yes, I think I'll like being in here.-.

You fall on your knees, regardless of the presence or absence of shards. You don't feel them anyway. You don't feel anything.

-Tell me this is a joke.- You whisper: -Tell me you're just making fun of me, Maria. Please.-.

-A joke? No, I'm not joking.- She crosses her Maria's arms and frowning her Maria's eyebrows: -I really don't see where's the problem. Once I'll absorb her personality everything will be back to normal, and nobody will notice the difference. I may even have a use for you too in this new life of mine, if you behave. I'm not ungrateful.-.

-No. No, no, no. No, please, please you can't do this. You can't... you can't do this!- You trudge up to her feet and grab her by the pants, and then burst into wild tears. She watches you surprised, quickly moving her Maria's pupils alongside your body.

-P-Please, please Charity, I'll do anything you want! I'll be your-your ****, I'll be your pet, I'll be-I'll be your toy! We-We can have sex again if you wish! Everything, everything, I'll give you everything I have! But please, let her go! I beg you, I beg you on my knees, let her go!!!- You scream in sobs. But she shatters your hopes with her Maria's voice.

-'Let her go', you say. No, Cindy, I'm sorry, but this won't happen. I've heard of Maria: one of the most promising students in our University, probably even smarter than me. And undoubtedly much more beautiful. Yes, her personal life is quite troublesome, but I'm gonna change it. Thus, I won't exit her body, either now or ever. Don't misunderstand, it's nothing personal. This is not about her, this is about me. And I... I have many plans for her.-.

-No, no!- You shake your head vigorously, unable to accept it as the truth, this cannot be, this cannot be the reality.

-Please, please, I'll give you everything! I, I, I'll have sex with you again!- You rapidly take off your clothes, remaining bare-chested, regardless of the cold or heat in the room: -You-You liked that, right? I know you did! We can do it again, and again and again! And you can, you can do anything to me! You can **** me as much as you want! You can hit me, **** me, hurt me! Yes, I'll be your bitch, I'll be your personal slut!-.

For some reason, although crying, you're now laughing, as if a surge of happiness has just flooded into your brain. After all your efforts! All your sacrifices! This is jyst a stupid joke, isn't it?

But she is irremovable and just stares at you in a way that you never, never saw in Maria's face.

Break it. Break the game. Make me feel stupid.

-Please! Please, ahah, please! You don't understand, I love her! I love her with all my soul! I'll die for her, I'll kill for her! Listen, listen, if you have ever loved anyone in your life, you have to release her! I'm... I'm begging you!!!-.

-Get up, Cindy. You're ruining my trousers.-.

-It's because you want to take **** on me, right??? Because I've chosen you to save her, so you want to make me pay!!!- You yell at the top of your lungs.

-Ahah, you did it! You did it, I surrender to you! You've won!!!-.

-Enough.- With an abrupt gesture, she pulls back and you lose your grasp on her. You end with your hands on the ground, but you barely have the strength not to crumble on yourself. Your tears fall copiously on the pavement while you repeat the last words. You've won. You've won.

-I've changed my mind. You're becaming a bother, thus I see no utility into keeping you around. I thought we were more similar. Get out, now.-.

She takes some steps and passes you, opening the door wide.

-I forbid you to come back here. From now on, I banish you from my house. I'll see you during lessons.-.

You feel like you're dreaming. You're standing up now, turned toward her. You look at her expression for anything that can remind you of the girl you fell in love with. A hint. A singular little hope. But there is not.

-M-M-Maria...-.

-Get out, I said. Or I call the cops.-.

The door closes shut behind you.

---

The monster looks down again, and you notice that its arm is elongating towards Elena's face.

-No! Stop it, stop it!-.

You react instinctively by charging it with all your impetus. You doubt Heather would have done such a thing, but your legs move before your mind.

You crash into its flabby, soggy body, pushing it away with a superhuman strength you didn't know you had and soiling yourself with his green-vomit compound. The thing ends up in the living room, crashing on the coffee table. For a moment the dismay of having used **** prevails over your rationality, and remorse assails you.

-Oh God, I'm sorry!-.

The monster is quick to reassemble and now it threatens you by getting closer with ample steps.

-Please, I don't want to fight, let's just ta- He slaps your face literally blowing you away, past the open door on your left. You collide with the stove in the kitchen, and the sharp impact with your back breaks your breath.

"Ahh!!!".

Your opponent is soon on you, grabbing your neck and trying to lower your head onto a still burning flame. Even if it's made of jelly, it has the strength of several men, while yours is fading away as you gasp for air. But you manage to behold an overturned coffee pot, probably Elena was attacked while she was preparing it, and without thinking twice you slam it on its head. The creature lets you go and retreats twirling, its spheric "cranium" deformed by your strike.

-I'm, anf, I'm begging you, anf, stop, I just want to talk!- You try to reason again, leaning a hand in front of you to calm it down. Instead, once it has straightened itself, its arms reform into two sharp blades.

"Fucking hell...".

This is not a monster. This is a damned Terminator.

You hear grumbling from the other room - it's Elena, she's waking up.

-Run!!!- You shout as if your life depends on it: -Run!!! I'll keep it busy!!!-.

Attempting to take advantage of your distraction, it jumps on you, raising its sword. Your hands find a cutting board on the kitchen counter, and you use it as a shield. The wooden is sliced like butter.

"Oh my God!!! Oh my God!!!".

It attacks again, this time you protect yourself by opening the freezer door. You then grab the first thing you find and throw it. The pot is cut in two and pieces of frozen pie fly all over the place.

You hear the front door opening and frantic steps running away.

"Yes!" You think triumphally.

The monster realizes its mistake and loses his guard, so you decide to counter back.

-AAAAH!!!- You overwhelm it again, this time dragging it with you until it crashes into the wall. With your hands, you block its arms, and you press your body onto its sticky one to hold it still. Once again, you feel that a normal person would have been thrown away as the wall cracks into a web, but you won't let it go for any reason.

-I won't let you!!! Hurt her!!! So stop!!! Fighting!!!- You intimate with gritted teeth as it attempts to break free. Then its head leaps towards you and smashes on your face, only to invade your mouth and nostrils. You goggle and moan in asphyxiation, as you feel it flowing down your esophagus like cold water and try to trespass its walls.

It doesn't just want to **** you. It wants to possess you!

"No! No! Get out, get... out!!!" You feel a burst growing down your throat and a puke-like **** pushing it back upside, and finally you can breathe again. Your rejoice doesn't last, however. As it rebuilds its head, in fact, you notice that it's tilted back.

"What...".

THUMP

It breaks through your forehead as if it was made of marble, and you fall limp backward, on the pavement. Your head slips aside as shadows envelop your vision. The last thing you see is the opened door from where the light is entering, but which is fading quickly. Then you close your eyes and lose your senses.

---

-Oh... it's... you...-.

Cindy Hope, your sister's best friend. And she looks like she just has been spat out by a tornado. Her eyes are lucid and irritated, her cheeks crossed by the grooves of several tears.

-I-Is Kim at h-home?- She sobs with a voice that is nothing more than a heartbroken whisper.

-Ehm... no, she's not here... but...- You now sense a familiar resonance coming from her. It must have been Kim, you reason; after all, you did the same with Heather. But that doesn't explain her current status.

-I s-see... t-then sorry f-for the disturb...

-Oh good Lord! Your legs...!- You exclaim horrified as your eyes rest on her knees. She tiredly follows your gaze, as if she hasn't realized until now.

-What happened? They are all bloody! Are those pieces glass? Cindy, what's going on, who did this to you?-.

She sniffs and her lips shiver, but she doesn't answer your question. Instead, she says: -T-Tell her I-I passed by...- and dangles around as to go away.

-Wait, wait! You can't go out in these conditions!- You take her by the shoulder and stop her. She doesn't put up any resistance.

-Come in, I'll get you some patches and some disinfectant.- She allows herself to be brought in meekly, you feel like you are moving a doll. You've never seen a person in her condition. Whatever has happened, she's deeply traumatized by it.

-This way, in the bathroom. Oh Jesus, I don't know if... maybe I should call the hospital. Luckily the jeans have stopped the little ones. Cindy, are you ok? Do you hear me?-.

She just watches you dazed, but it's more like she's seeing the void all around you rather than you. You glom and try to find the courage for both of you.

-Listen, I think you can use your shifting powers to help me. Can you do it?-.

She nods, slowly.

-Ok, I'll remove the big one first. On my three. One...-.

-Two...-.

-Three!-.