Chapter #9Like a Walk in the (Edgefield) Park by: Nostrum   Jimmy’s idea is disturbingly solid – catch up some people to turn into, and if someone finds out, your older sisters will be blamed – but it has one fatal flaw. “Where are we gonna leave them?”
“Leave who?”
“Well...!” You throw your arms. “Tina and Heather! If we take them off and wake them, we’ll be naked!”
“How about,” he immediately counters, “we wear their skins and the new ones!”
“And wear their clothes underneath? We’ll have to hide something anyways. If so, might as well not bother with them.”
“But what’ll happen if someone catches us?”
“Really?” you taunt him. “You’ve done pranks for years and no one has caught you.”
“Because I know how to do it!”
“Well, let’s do that! I just don’t see how putting them on will help us in the long run. Besides, I still need to get home by dinner.”
“But it’s early!”
“Yeah - and the quicker we do this, the more time we’ll have. Putting them on and off and dealing with them will ruin that.”
Jimmy nods, pointing at you. “You’ve got a point. But if we get caught, it’s gonna be your fault.”
“Hey!” You try to catch him, but he slides away from you and runs. You follow him, but with a slow pace, waiting for Mrs. Wilson to explode. “Jimmy! What have I told you about running down the stairs!?”
“That I shouldn’t,” he whines.
“You’re not a kid anymore, young man. Act like someone your age – like David, for example!”
“Sorry...” He sees you shrugging smugly and snarls before turning towards his mother. “Say, you mind if I go hang out with him?”
“Where?”
“Uh... Around here. Maybe the park. We’ll call you if something happens.”
Mrs. Wilson doubts at first, then asks you. “You’ll keep Marie informed, I suppose.”
“Sure,” you tell Mrs. Wilson.
“Alright. Have fun, you two.”
“Thanks! See you by dinner!” Jimmy slides away, while you say a different farewell.
“Uh, in case it gets too late... Nice to see you again, Mrs. Wilson.”
“You too! You’re always welcome here, David. Say ‘hi’ to Marie for me. Oh – and if you could teach Jimmy some manners, I’d be thankful!”
“Can’t promise you anything,” you tell her.
“I bet Marie must be delighted to have a son as you.” (Ouch!) “Anyways, I won’t take more of your time. See you!”
“Bye!” You step out, only to see Jimmy’s desperate glare.
“Dude! What took you so long!?”
“Trying to be nice to your mom. Y’know, so she doesn’t suspect a thing.”
“I thought you were chickening out.” He draws the pens and grins impishly. “Dude, we’re gonna have so much fun.”
--
Your plan’s simple. Like Jimmy told his mother (and you told yours through the phone), you’ll be at Edgefield Park, checking for test subjects. It’s a public place, and therefore a good first location to check.
You’re still figuring the particulars when you hear a familiar voice calling at you. “To your left.” It’s a woman, her wavy auburn hair tied in a bun, dressed in a tanktop and tight yoga pants; she’s very athletic, owing to her years of experience as a marathon runner.
And you obviously know that because of the second, friendlier and more familiar voice questioning you from behind. “You two?” asks Trish O’Neil, slowing down to meet your pace. “Walking? What are you planning?”
“Can’t we enjoy a sunny day walking around?” Jimmy responds, nonplussed, as you see Trish’s mother greeting you.
“Oh, hey, David. Didn’t recognize you.” She gathers her breath before recognizing your companion. “You too, James. Rare to see you around.”
Seeing them together, it’s hard to deny Patricia and Erma O’Neil’s kinship. Oh, there are differences – both are athletic, but Trish is curvier and softer-skinned while her mother’s pure muscle. Trish’s hair is frizzled and lighter, with a relaxed look contrasting her mother’s sharpness, but they share the same blue eyes and smile.
“Like I said, pretty day to be holed in.” (You know Trish doesn’t believe his bullshit.) “What about you, ma’am? Training or keeping in shape?”
“More like whipping Trish to keep hers,” Mrs. O’Neil says, with that slight German inflection that makes her sound like a fitness instructor despite 20 years of residence.
“Mom, I’m doing fine.”
“I know, but you can always do better.”
“You going to the park?” you ask while pointing at the direction they’re running.
“Yes!” Mrs. O’Neil responds. “Will run a couple laps and then back home to rest.”
“Cool!” Jimmy says. “We’re going there too. Mind if we accompany you?”
“I appreciate it,” she says, “but you’ll only delay us. Come, Trish – we still have to do five laps around the park.”
As you see the older woman leave, Trish rolls her eyes and starts her strut. “Guess we’ll be seeing there. Oh,” she says while pointing at Jimmy. “I’ll keep an eye on you. I know you’re plotting something.”
“Who, me?” He snorts. “Who knows – maybe you’ll figure out very soon.”
“I’d rather not.” Hearing her mother’s call, she gives Jimmy a final advice. “Going! And Jimmy – grow up. You’re too smart to waste your time on silly pranks. See you later!”
As she leaves you in the dust, you notice a dark glare in Jimmy’s eye. “She was funnier when younger.” Then, a nasty grin. “But damn if she’s not hot.”
“Dude,” you say while interposing before him. “Don’t.”
“Why not? She’s gonna be there. All we need is to distract her, zap her, then--”
“Let’s check if there’s someone else, alright?” You sigh, starting to regret showing Jimmy the pens.
--
After a couple minutes, you arrive at the fountain at Edgefield Park, still holding some decorations from the harvest festival. (It’s hard to think this whole place was the orchard of Henry Edgefield, the founder of the town.) But you’re not here for the sights – at least, not the usual ones. You’re here to look for people to turn. And while at that, you’re left pondering. What to do after that?
Sure, the plan is to have fun while wearing their skins. But what kind of fun? Will it just be walking around, pretending to be two people? Or will you indulge on things you wouldn’t, like drinking booze and smoking?
Your pondering is interrupted as Jimmy taps your shoulder. “Hey. Isn’t that Caroline Wasserman?”
That name rings a bell. Caroline Wasserman was part of the school’s track team when Nick was a senior, and it seems she’s kept practicing. You didn’t recognize her as her blond hair is tied in a ponytail, rather than the mane she used to have during school, but her green eyes and puffy cheeks are unmistakable.
Obviously Jimmy would identify her – she was one of his wet dreams ever since you entered high school. And her companion, an equally athletic brunette wearing similar yoga pants and a tanktop baring her midriff, isn’t one to envy her.
“Yeah,” you confirm him. “Isn’t she in MTSU, though?”
“Guess she’s visiting her folks or something.” He taps you again, wriggling his eyebrows. “How about them?”
“I dunno...” You see them stop as they wave to two guys jogging around, kissing them in their cheeks. “Don’t you think it’s too risky?”
“What, you chickenin’ out!?” He snorts. “Listen - all you need to do is distract them while I snatch one.”
“And then what?” you say, sounding a bit exasperate. “Are we gonna... I dunno. Prance as them? Because sure as hell you won’t kiss with a guy.”
“Eww!” (That seems to shake him.) “Then again – we could always send them off. Find us some real lesbians and score.”
“I thought you’d say choose the guys instead.”
“Why? I’m not gay.”
“Look at him,” you say at the bruin guy talking to Caroline. “She’s smitten by him. Get him, then you can try scoring with her.”
“But what if she asks--?”
“That’s what the other pen’s for. Or I suppose it does. If it works, you’ll fool her into scoring with you.”
“Yeah,” he says, nodding. “What about you? Wanna get the other guy to score with the other chick?”
“Dude, I got a girlfriend.”
“Yeah, but she won’t know. I mean, you won’t be doing it with her – you'll be doing it as the other guy. Or you can just turn into that chick, send him off, and jerk off to her bits while I--”
“Keep it down.” You shush him as a group of elders pass by. Though the sounds of the park help you muffle your conversation, you don’t want anyone suspecting. “Also – are you always think about sex? We could do something else.”
“Like what?”
“Like... I dunno. Hang around. Maybe... drink something.”
He guffaws. “Turn into the chicks, then hitch a ride into one of those posh places on Tyneside?”
That sounds like a good – but risky – idea. You’d be partying at a place you’d normally not be allowed, drinking stuff you’d be asked ID for, and with their minds, navigate that world. But what if you get swallowed by it, unable to go back?
Your concerns are dismissed and relieved as you see a viable alternative. Leah McBride, one of the school’s cheerleaders, is passing nearby, talking to someone on the phone. “...at Starky’s? Why that greaser?”
“Hey,” you whisper to Jimmy as she passes you through. “Blonde Squad chick, up front.”
“Hold on.” Though it’s not necessarily an insult – most of Edgefield’s cheerleaders are blonde, with the captain Sonya and her second-in-command Meghan as major exceptions– Leah immediately takes it as one. “Any problem with that, you two?”
“I didn’t mean it as an insult,” you clarify.
“With that attitude, it’d be a miracle if you’d get to know one of us closely.” She turns away, berating you to whoever’s on the other line. “It’s nothing. Two creeps thinking they’re smart.”
She shouldn’t have said that, for you cross eyes with Jimmy in a very conspiratorial way. And you know exactly where they’re going.   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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