frightened of her.

A look of sheer terror is etched across Jessica's face as she lets out a horrified scream. Caught off guard, you attempt to reassure her as best as you can. However, as you touch her arm, she recoils in disgust.

-No!!! Mom, please, please, don't do it!!!- She starts crying out of pure fear. She knows about the pens? But you're sure she didn't realize when you shot her on her back... no, wait, she was sleeping, and... why are your, nay, Michelle's memories this confused? Could she have been convincing herself that she gave her daughter a painless end, while the truth is the total opposite? Based on her reaction, it has to be the case.

-Jess! Jessy-girl, wait! Calm down!-.

-No!!! No!!!- She's squirming and wiggling furiously. You're afraid that she may fall from the bed and hit her head, so you react instinctively and press your mouth against hers. Her scream is muffled in a revolted surprise, then you feel her lips cautiously returning your kiss until it becomes a passionate make-out. You then retract, finding yourself looking at your daughter... urgh, girlfriend, with a shocked expression on her face.

-David?- She asks. You heave a sigh of relief and take off Michelle's face, being careful not to ruin her combed hairstyle.

-It's me, babe. I promise, you're safe now.-.

-But, but... how?- She stammers, on the verge of hyperventilation. You suspect that seeing her boyfriend's head on the top of her mom's body isn't helping her mental state, so you wear back Mrs. Hunt's face. Her memories, which were rapidly vanishing, return as well. You feel complete again, in a sense you can't fully describe.

You explain to Jessica everything that has happened and, much to her dismay, show her Trish's skin. Jessica looks shaken and mortified, and tells you her story: -M-Mom entered my room, and she had this, this crazy look on her face. S-She said she wanted to become me because she was in love with you a-and she had the pen in her hand, at first I didn't believe her, but then I felt, I felt...- She grips her heart, probably hinting at the sensation of being shot and subsequently deflating, something that you can barely imagine.

She starts sobbing, and you feel distraught at seeing Jess so defenseless and miserable. And it's not just you; also, Michelle, in a remote part of her mind, cannot stand to see her daughter like this, to see her perfect features disfigured like this.

-Jess, I'm so sorry...-.

-Why? Why did she do it? I-I'm her daughter; I, I love her! Why she tried to...- She doesn't dare to say it out loud, it's so terrible to even think about it; but she's going through all of this for real. A dark thought creeps in your mind: you could ease her suffering, it would just make a quick zap, and 'she''d never shed a tear again.

-Maybe it's better if I take off her skin.- You propose, but she sniffs and shakes her head.

-Can you... can you hug me?- She asks. A sympathetic smile warms your visage, of course you can. You embrace her tightly, just like when she was only a kid and needed you.

-I'm here, sweetie. I'm here.- You whisper, feeling it's the right thing to do.

-Bye Mrs. Hunt! Bye Jess!- Trish closes the door behind her, leaving you two alone once more. After Jessica had calmed up a bit, you decided that the best you could do with Trish was to reinflate her and send her home. Your ̶d̶girlfriend, claimed that she had passed by earlier and that then she fell asleep, and somehow Trish was convinced by her explanation. After all, she had no reason to suspect that her best friend was lying.

You, David, posing as Mrs. Hunt, played your part and did the dishes in the meantime, and you're still doing so; instead, Jessica's facade immediately drops.

-Feeling better?- You try the same.

-A bit.- She squeezes her shoulder and keeps her eyes low, giving somathic expression to her sorrow: -It's so strange to think that it's you under Mom's appearance.-.

-I guess it is.-.

-...you surely put much effort into passing as her.-.

You flicker and look down at yourself, still wearing the business outfit you chose. Michelle usually wears casual when she's at home. Yet, honestly, you feel quite comfortable.

-Have you thought about what we should do with her?- You then ask.

It's her turn to hesitate.

-You said you can read her memories, right?- She waits for your nod: -So do you think that... she would try to do it again or...-.

-Jessica...-.

-Don't. I know what she wanted to do, what... what would have happened to me if you hadn't intervened. But, please.- She looks up at you, resolution and despair both in her eyes: -I need to know.-.

You pause. Not because you don't know the answer; it's just you don't know how to say it.

-A part of her feels guilty for what she did; really. But she would do it again if she had the chance, I have no doubt. Even now, as I'm looking at you, I can feel that urge; I mean, for me, it's just an echo, but... I'm sorry, Jessica. I know it's not what you wanted to hear.-.

A silent realization crosses your girlfriend's face, it must be a heavy toll on her; and yet, you cannot but imagine wearing that same face for yourself. You know it's sick, but it's also really tempting.

-Ok.- She sniffs once, then takes a deep breath: -Ok, thank you for telling me.-. However, this also leads you to an impasse: Jessica knows that Michelle cannot be revived, but she also can't simply toss away her own mother. Perhaps the answer lies in the heart of the problem.

-Maybe the pens can help us.- You suggest, piquing her curiosity: -Some setting that we haven't checked yet.-. Jessica, though not comfortable using the pens again, admits that it's worth a try. You recollect the package that contained the two pens, looking for any instructions or a mark on the box that could explain who built them. No use.

-It's a real mystery. Someone has created these pens and mailed them to someone else, but there's no trace of evidence.- You sigh in disappointment.

Jessica hopelessly shakes her head: -I just wish that my mom never found them.-.

-You know, uh, I was thinking, what does the brown pen do to someone who's not wearing a skin?- You say to distract her from her gloomy considerations. But it's something that you wanted to try for a while.

-You think it can help us?-.

-I don't know. Let me try.- You move to take off Michelle's face again, but Jessica stops you. You figure she's not ready to see her own mother deflated like some Halloween costume.

-I'll do it instead.- She takes the pen and points it at herself, swallowing down a dense lump.

You give her a reassuring smile: -Hey, don't worry. I got your back.-. She nods, and then she presses the button. Well, she doesn't become a skin; however, she frowns in some sort of bewilderment.

-How do you feel?-.

-I'm not sure, I...- She puts her hands behind her head and you see her face incredibly detaching, revealing... Jessica?!

-What the hell! How is this possible?-.

-I have no idea. Wait, lemme take it off.- Jessica quickly undresses, a vision that causes conflicting emotions inside of you, and then peels out that newly-formed second layer of skin. So this is what happens if you shoot yourself with the brown pen.

This brings another question.

-What if we reinflate it?-.

Jessica gives you an intense look, and then she tells you to try. You zap the skin with the black pen, only to gasp in shock when another Jessica stands up from the floor, brushing her neck confused.

-Uh, hi?-.

-Oh my God!- Jessica exclaims, surprised that she can even talk. The two Jessicas stare at each other, like in a mirror. Jessica, the original, looks down at her doppelganger: -Darn, is that how I'm seen from the outside? Maybe I should lose a few kilos...-.

-Who are you?- You ask the second Jessica. She blinks a pair of times, following you with her eyes while you're moving next to your real daughter, damn! Girlfriend.

-I'm her. Well, I'm her clone. It's weird, I know that I'm not a real person, but it doesn't bother me.-.

-So, you're like, me?- Jessica asks, shivering both for the excitement and for being still naked: -Memories, personality, ecc?-.

Jessica-2 nods: -I remember shooting myself with the brown pen, and then waking up on the floor. But I also feel that I should follow your orders, Jessica. Aehm, may I get dressed?-.

-Oh, ah, yes, sure.- She mindlessly gives her consent, but you stop her.

-Hold on! Jessica, maybe this is the solution!- She turns to you in puzzlement, then she understands what you're suggesting.

-What? You mean, having her... wearing Mom? I, I don't know, this is not what I had in mind.-.

-I know, but it's not like we have a better option.- You argue, and you see that you're convincing her. You address the copy, asking her if she would agree. She thinks about it for a second, then nods again.

-Ok.- Jessica finally approves: -But it's temporary, until we find a better solution.-.

You smile, prideness swelling your chest. Jessica is truly a sweet girl, she hasn't given up yet with her mother, and that's why you love her so much. That's why you want to be her so much...

-Uh, so, you should, like, take her off.- Her words bring you back to reality. She's right, and so you prepare to take off your suit. But, suddenly, you hesitate.

Are you really ready to stop being Mrs. Hunt? Sure, you know that you're actually David wearing her skin, but the truth is, you feel so good in here! Michelle is a divorced, middle-aged woman, and yet you didn't feel out of place for a second, quite the contrary; it's as if being David, a guy, is just a distant memory of the past. Sure, he cannot just disappear, but you just need to take off Michelle for a second and create a clone; you'd be so quick that her memories wouldn't even fade. Jessica thinks that another her would be the best choice to impersonate her mom, but perhaps, perhaps you can be an even better mother. No, you know it.