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Diego caught Valeria as she slumped against him. Her dead weight nearly overbalanced him but he managed to drag her to the living room couch. She sat there bonelessly, her head lolling forward. Diego sat next to her, proping her up, in a panic.

"Mom? Can you hear me?" He asked, rubbing her hands.

"I hear you Chase. I'm ready" She sat up straighter, her eyes still closed. "Tell me what to do. Tell me who I am"

Diego closed his eyes and his head shook back and forth. His worst fears were confirmed. Chase had done something to his mother. Her identity was slipping away. With a deep breath, he remembered what he'd learned from that strange video.

"I have to help her" He whispered, opening his eyes.

"Tell me your name" Diego commanded.

She paused. "I..." Her confusion was heartbreaking.

Diego pressed further, his heart hammering. "You are Valeria Rivera"

"I am Valeria Rivera" she said hesitantly.

"Why are you hesitating, Mom? Er, Valeria" Diego asked.

"That name doesn't seem right." Her demeanor shifted and she became harder. "Don't you want me to be... Val? We have such a good time together, Chase"

"Val? You hate that nickname"

She frowned. "It's my name dumbass. Why would I hate it?"

"All right. Tell me. Who is Val?"

She sighed. "Huh? I'm your friend, asshole. Why am I even telling you this, Chase? You know as well as I do, I'm your partner in crime. We grew up together. We committed minor felonies together. We've pantsed every nerd in high school together."

"Open your eyes and look at me. Tell me who I am"

She opened her eyes and looked at Diego. "You're not Chase. You're that nerd Diego from high school!"

Diego nodded. His body was vibrating with energy. He expected his mother to wake up and just walk away but her trance held.

"That's right. I'm Diego. And, you are not real" He held up his hand when she started a profane retort. "Stop. Don't answer unless I say something. What's your mother's name?"

"Uh. I... Kendra?" Val's bravado began to crack.

"Wrong. That is Chase's mothers name"

"Do you have a middle name?"

"I... No. I don't think so"

"You don't think so? Seems like you should know" Diego relentlessly pressed his advantage.

"What's your favorite color? What's your favorite ice cream flavor? What's your father's name?"

"Stop it! I don't have to..."

"Do you have a Brother? Sister? Here's an easy one. What's your birthday?"

"September 31st" she said triumphantly.

"Not a real date. Just like you're not a real person. Go away Val. You don't exist. You never did."

Her jaw tightened. "No more talking. Close your eyes again" Diego commanded.

Her eyes closed obediently.

"The persona known as Val was never real. As you realize that you will feel her slipping away. She won't want to go. She'll try to stay. She will grab on with everything she has but she won't be able to hold on because her fingers aren't real. Her hands aren't real. She isn't real. She's a cruel, manufactured identity who has no place in the mind of Dr. Valeria Rivera"

Her body tensed. "Now feel Val disappearing for good. Accept this command and... relax. You are at peace again. Val is gone"

A brief tremor shook Valeria's body and then she relaxed, her head lolling forward again. "Val is gone" She sighed.

"Who are you?" Diego asked again.

This time she sat upright, opened her eyes, and looked Diego in the eyes, smiling. "You know who I am, baby."

"Mom?" Diego asked hopefully.

Valerie, licked her lips and smiled seductively. "Mom? Oh that's right. Sure. I can be your mommy if that's what you want."

Diego blanched. "No. This isn't..."

She took on a thoughtful expression. "Hey, baby, did you just kiss me? That was so hot. I think you made me wet. Don't leave me hanging Domingo. Mama likes!" She moved her hips slightly.

"My name is not..." Diego closed his eyes again "Stop talking"

She closed her mouth obediently but still eyed him with lust.

"Answer my questions. No editorializing or... flirting. What is your name"

"Valerie"

"You mean Valeria?"

"Valeria? Maybe once. Not since I learned my place. Chase showed me that I'm just a slut whose sole purpose is to please men. Valerie suits me better now"

"Who is Chase to you then?"

She frowned. "He's my... owner. My pimp. He hires me out to... clients... like you"

"I am not your client. i am your... Never mind"

"Valerie, do you like being a prostitute"

She shrugged. "I'm not good for anything else. I am a dumb whore. I flunked out of... I think I flunked out of high school. I think Chase.. Chase found me and put me to use."

"How old are you Valerie?"

"Uh. 30?"

"Don't you know?"

"I'm 30" She said confidently "Of course I know"

"You're thirty." *I nod* "And how old is Chase?"

"Chase is..."

"Chase is my age. He's 18."

"Ok. Chase is 18."

"So, when did Chase find you? Ten years ago, maybe? He's been your owner for a long time right?"

"Right. We go way back. He saved me"

"So he saved you when he was eight years old"

She frowned. "No. He..."

"What's the atomic weight of Helium? Quicky!"

"4 atomic mass units give or take. it depends on the isotope" She answered quickly.

"How do you know that Valeria?"

She shook her head. "I must have heard it somewhere... Was I right?"

"Yes. You were right. How do you treat gout? Valeria?"

"Initial treatment is usually colchicine with follow-ups of non-steroidal..." she ground to a halt.

"Nonsteroidal?" Diego prompted.

"How did I know that?" She asked, looking confused.

"You know that because you are not who you think you are, Valeria. You are someone who is more than just a... whore. You are an educated successful woman"

She shook her head, eyes wide. "No. I'm.."

Diego interrupted her, keeping her off balance "Wouldn't you like to think that you have value, Valeria? Wouldn't you like to be smart and to have a life that had meaning? A life where you helped people?"

She frowned. "Value? I... That's not... What are you doing to me? Why do keep calling me Valeria?"

"I'm showing you who you are. . You are Dr. Valeria Rivera. You are an accomplished, respected doctor. You work at a hospital. You help people. You are the kind of person who people look up to"

"I help people? People look up to me? But... I'm..." She whimpered.

"Yes. And, on top of that you have a son. A son who loves you. A son whom you love"

"You. You're the son" She said looking at him "Diego. My son."

"Right. Close your eyes" Diego commanded again.

"You are Dr. Valeria Rivera. Valerie was never real. You know that now. You can feel her leaving you. She's happy to be gone. She wanted to be useful. She wanted to have a life. She wanted to be a mother. She is happy to know that she was always Dr. Rivera"

"I want to be useful. I want to have a life." Valeria intoned. "I want to be a mother"

"You love your son. What is your son's name"

"Diego" She whispered. "I love Diego"

Diego nearly wept. "That is right, Valeria. You love Diego. And he loves you. You are coming back to yourself now."

Valeria relaxed into her trance again, sighing.

"Valeria?" Diego said quietly. "Open your eyes and see me"

Valeria open her eyes. "Diego" She said staring at him intently.

Diego felt the breath leave his body in a huge sigh. "Mom..."

"Tell me what to do, Diego. Tell me what to think" She implored.

Diego frowned. "That's not..."

Discarded on the floor, Valeria's phone screen lit up; Chase's cruel visage flashed there as the phone began to buzz.