A new beginning

Every bones in your body seems to resist when you try to vacate the rocking chair which you had bought many years ago. The slight pain on your knee joints prevents you from striding across the room like you used to do. You stop by a table top which is littered with picture frames. They are digital of course, the pictures on the frames switches around every few seconds. But they're all a picture of you and your late wife, Trish with your adopted child from Trish's earlier relationship. The whole thing surrounding Leah created a huge tension on your relationship with Jessica and the two of you broke up a month after that. You didn't get into another relationship for the rest of your senior year, preferring instead to bury yourself with your studies and the soccer team.

It paid off however, as you got a scholarship from a prestigious university in Australia.

Before you left, you decided to leave the pens in Jimmy's hands. It was as much as due to his pestering and at the time, you didn't think that you'll ever be using it again. Later on, you found out that he had shared the pens and their secrets with Eric Nguyen, a mutual friend of yours and Jimmy's. You kept in touch with Jimmy and Eric. A spectator sometimes to their crazy antics, as they donned on various skins. Though Eric was definitely a safer hands than Jimmy. The guy was clearly only interested in finding out more about the pens and gaining new experiences. He was also more able to resist Jimmy's wild ideas than you.

You returned to your hometown briefly after you finished your graduate studies. It took a full 7 years, but by then you've been able to move on and you've secured a job for yourselves back in Australia. On an off-chance you met with Trish and after rekindling memories of the old times, the two of you decided to take it to next step.

***

You sigh and cast your gaze at the rest of the photo frames. That was nearly 50 years ago. There are other pictures too, of your siblings. All of them are in America and you keep in contact with them occasionally, although you haven't seen them physically since the last 5 years or so. Your child had moved back many years ago to America, to be closer with her biological father and after Trish's **** four years ago, there had been no contact with her. You just hope that she does well, wherever she might be. Somehow, after her 20th birthday, you never seemed to be able to connect with her anymore.

A knock on the door breaks you away from your reverie.

''Yo, gramps. Ready to go yet?'' a Caucasian guy strolls into your house unwelcomed and make himself feel at home by heading straight to your prized rocking chair after you open the door.

''Screw you,'' you grumble and close the door behind you.

''I must say you don't look bad for an OAP,'' the Caucasian gets up and flexes his biceps, ''Not as good as me though.''

''Yeah, yeah,'' you mumble, ''Go help yourself with something from the fridge while I get ready.''

''I've had enough digestives, thanks though.'' the 30-something Caucasian takes out a can of chilled beer and opens it with a satisfying click.

As you make your way to your room, you take a few seconds to take it all in. It's very likely you'll never see this place anymore. You move to the cupboard and flings the doors wide open. You rummage the bottom drawer for a few seconds,before finding the latch that will allow you to lift the false bottom. From the depth of the drawer, you take out a small safety box which inside, contained something you've kept secret all your life, even from your wife.

''Whoa,'' the Caucasian guy's voice and subsequent burp startles you, ''It looks as if it was just made yesterday.''

''Jesus, Eric,'' you growl and pick up the thing from the floor.

''Sorry dude,'' Eric grins, ''I forgot you're real old now,''

''You're no spring chicken either.'' you mouth.

''Well, actually,'' Eric fiddles with something on the nape of her neck. The Caucasian face contorts and loses its shape, before turning into a flabby piece of skin, revealing an Asian face underneath.

''Fucking hell,'' you mutter as you examine your friend's face. Eric Nguyen should be the same age as you do, but rather than turning all wrinkly, he looks like as if he's in his mid-30s.

''I know, right?,'' Eric returns the Caucasian face back, ''It seems that being inside a skin temporarily stops your metabolism rate, although the person that we wear still age normally.'' Eric look at the skin of Leah that you've got in your hands. The secret you've kept for so long. ''You better get ready,'' Eric shrugs, ''We've got a flight to catch. I'll wait outside, since I don't want to see your wrinkled dick,''

***

You stretch Leah's skin out and lay it down on the bed. You're never sure what witchcraft or technology allows the skin to look as if it was just made seconds ago. It looks as silky and lively as it was when you first hid it decades ago. The empty eye holes seems to invite you of the prospect of seeing those vibrant blue grayish eyes again. The supple breasts that creates the amazing cleavage which you can never forget. The dazzling smile that gives you an instant hard-on many years ago.

Slowly, you stretch the opening slit on the back of the neck and feel the skin around the area parts until it reaches just a point above her tailbone. You haven't done this in the longest of time and you can't help to wonder if it will still work.

Perhaps the passage of time has made the skin loses its almost magical nature. You raise a leg and feel the inside of the skin brushes as you slot your leg in. You do the same with the other one.

Perhaps years of not being worn had rendered the technology ineffective. You align your torso with the skin's and slides the entire length of your arms inside the skin's as if you're wearing a pair of gloves that extends to your shoulders.

Perhaps it just wouldn't work and you, Jimmy and Eric have been wasting your time all along for the past three years and a half. You pull Leah's face over yours, aligning her empty eye sockets over your own and making sure that the rest of the skin fits you perfectly.

You take a deep breath and look at your reflection in the mirror.

Perhaps your worries are unfounded.

***

''Here's your IDs, passports, some money, letter of introduction'' a Japanese woman in her late twenties hands you a small rucksack, ''There's also a new phone with a preloaded number, which should be useful for you,'' her accented English sounds rather odd, but she says it with such fluency and confident that you can't help but to smile. ''Have I missed out anything else?''

''No,'' you shake your head, ''I'll be fine, plus Jimmy should be waiting for me, right?''

''You know Jimmy,'' the woman rolls her eyes, ''Knowing him, it's a wonder he's able to attend his classes at all.'' The woman glances at you, and she must've noticed the amused look on your face, ''He'll be there, don't worry. Definitely not as himself though.''

''Thanks Eric,'' you say after you familiarise yourself with your new stuffs. You decided to not take anything from your old flat. They would just remind you of the life you've left behind.

''It's Keiko,'' the Japanese woman says sternly, ''I suggest you start getting used to your new identity too, Rachel'' Her expression then relaxes, ''You're welcome old pal. OAPs like yourself and Jimmy should stick together anyway,'' she chuckles. ''Well, you can go anytime now, I've got a flight back to Narita to catch.''

''Screw you,'' you laugh and exit the car.

''I'll visit you guys sometimes,'' you hear the woman shouts before you close the door.

***

You take a look at your reflection in the mirror. The grayish blue eyes that look back at you are tired from the long haul flight to Athens, but also excited from the prospect of your new life. You take some time to use the new phone and text Jimmy, telling him that you've arrived.

''Hello, Ms. Jones,'' the customs officer greets you after you handed him your passport and letter of introduction, ''What's the purpose of your visit.''

''Oh, I've always wanted to visit Greece. Always wanted to see the scenery and culture. I'll be teaching English too, as a volunteer.'' you calmly say the phrase you've practiced and refer to your letter.

The customs officer spends a few minutes looking through your documents, before he stamps the passport once and returns the documents to you, ''Welcome to Athens.'' he says with a smile, ''Enjoy your visit.''

''I will,'' you grab your documents and beam a smile at him and walk past the arrivals lobby where Jimmy has been waiting for you.

***

The woman behind the wheels grins widely and throws a glance at you. She's lithe and tall, standing at almost 6 feet with long flowing brunette locks with neat bangs covering her forehead, ''Isn't that Leah?'' she says. There's a distinctive Russian twinge in her accent. ''Dude, she's just as I remembered her.''

''Yeah, I know,'' you manage a chuckle, the seat belt is creating a great divide between your bosom, ''So, who are you now?''

''Oh, we haven't even introduce ourselves,'' the woman gives a melodious chuckle, ''My name's Natasha Avdeyev, currently a first year student in the local university. Oh, I play volleyball and teaches English on my spare time.''

You grin, but play along, ''I'm Rachel Jones, currently taking a gap year to travel the world and teach English.''

''Strange. It seems as if we've known each other for the longest of time. I'll take you out to see the town, but first, let's go to my apartment where you'll be staying while you're here.''