This choice: You awake several hours later, after your 'mother' has awoken. • Go Back...Chapter #6You awake several hours later, after your 'moth... by: Wassel   You awoke sometime later, trying to convince yourself it was all just a dream. That your mother didn't think she was you, or have your brain patterns, or whatever the doctors had been going on about. It being way too messed up to be true. Opening your eyes to find that you were still in the same hospital room as before, with your father sitting there beside you. Happy to see that you were awake.
"Hey, buddy. It's good to see you," he smiled. Trying to hide the obvious look of sadness painted across the rest of his face. This unfortunately saying it all. That it hadn't all just been a dream. It was real. Your mother really did have your brain now. She really was a mental copy of you.
Breaking down again at this, at the realization that your mother (or at least what had been your mother) was now gone, your father hugged you tight. Assuring you that it would be alright and that somehow together, you'd all be able to get through this. Needing to be strong. Reminding you that although she was "different now", she was still deep down, your mom, and she wouldn't want you all falling to pieces over something like this. Your mother having always been a kind, compassionate, but strong woman. A woman who would gladly give her life for the sake of her children. Which in a way, you supposed she had now done. Even if she never got to realize it. Your father awkwardly chuckling then, in an effort to disguise his grief, "Though God knows how we're gonna handle two Tim's running around. I have a tough enough time with one."
You weren't quite ready to see the funny side yet however (or at least pretend to). It being devastating to lose your mother in such a manner, and even more difficult to believe that she was now mentally you. Not even being able to comprehend what that would be like. The doctors having pretty much stated before that she knew everything you did, and had every single one of your memories as if she'd lived them as her own. Finding the thought of this extremely disconcerting.
"Have... Have you seen her?" you asked.
Your father nodded. Looking a little less comfortable. "Yeah. She..." he began, abruptly stopping himself mid sentence. "Though I guess its more like he now." This causing you to involuntary shiver. "He woke up several hours ago, and... and, well... I'm not sure how to say this, but he really was exactly like you. Scared. Frightened. Confused. Not really able to comprehend what had happened. Devastated about your moth... About the accident. The doctors had to give him something in the end to help him rest as well. He's been asleep ever since."
"Oh God..." Hearing your father refer to her as 'he' making it seem all the more real. That there really was someone nearby who looked exactly like your mother, but thought and acted exactly like you.
"I know it's hard to believe, son. I don't want to believe it either. But although it is your mother... it's her body.... It's also you. I was really talking to you through there."
You weren't quite sure what freaked you out more. The thought of someone else having your brain, or the knowledge that it was your own mother. It just being wrong on so many levels. Like you were actually living an episode of the Twilight Zone.
"Well what are we going to do?" you asked him. Sitting yourself up on the bed and trying to think practically. As difficult as it was. "We can't have two of me running around. I can't also be inside Mom's body."
"There's nothing we can do," he replied. Presumably having been asking himself this very same question for the last several hours. "The doctors said its irreversible."
"But what about hypnosis or something like that? We could try that. Try to bring the real Mom back..."
He shook his head. "It won't work. Her entire brain chemistry has changed. Everything that made her 'her' is now gone." Letting out a sigh. "We're just going to have to accept that and try to make this work instead."
"Make 'this' work?" What the hell does that mean?
"Yeah, well, that's the other thing I've got to tell you," he said. Looking even more uncomfortable now. Tripping up once again on the pronoun game. "She's... I mean, he's... gonna be coming home with us. Pretend to be your mother in public. The doctors were pretty clear on that."
"You've got to be kidding me?" you yelped. Not having been at all prepared for this. Having another version of yourself, inside your mentally deceased mother's body, living at home with you and actually pretending to be her was just... It was just... Creepy as hell! You couldn't actually be expected to live like that could you? To pretend that this other 'you' was really her. Stuttering nervously then, "H-how? ...Wuh-why?"
Your father placed a hand on your shoulder. Trying to assuage your panic. Explaining, after a deep breath that, "Well, because, as messed up as it is, he's my son now too. Everything inside that brain of yours is also inside his. And not only that, but due to the experimental nature of the procedure, there are certain legal and ethical questions that it is in best interest of everyone to avoid." This presumably having been what you'd overheard the doctors arguing about when you'd first woken up. "I can't even begin to imagine how difficult things will be if the press gets hold of any of this. He may well end up in some sort of lab somewhere being experimented on. You too!" Being mental twins now after all.
Jesus. You hadn't even stopped to consider any of this. It coming as quite a shock then that this could be a possible outcome. Dr. Kerry having really taken a huge risk when he'd performed this operation. Though you supposed, because of it, you were now alive. It could have been much, much worse.
Still, that didn't make any of this any easier to swallow. Repeating to yourself, "So... So he's gonna have to pretend to be Mom, even though he really is her? Another version of me is going to have to be Mom?"
"I know it sounds crazy," your father agreed, "and believe me it is, but there really is nothing else we can do." It being obvious that he wasn't accepting this whole thing lightly. Forgetting that it was also his wife that now had the brain of his eldest son. That being no less difficult for him to have to come to terms with, that it was for you. The woman he loved and had been happily married to for the last 20 years was now you. Talk about a mind fuck!
"Imagine if it was the other way round. If you were the one that had woken up like that. Would you want to be poked and prodded by scientists for the rest of your life?" he then asked. "...Treated like some kind of freak?"
"No," you quickly replied. God no! Shivering again at the mere thought. It being too damn creepy for words. You, being your mom. Fuck... The 'other me' actually has to deal with that. Gaining a sudden sympathy for your copy.
"Exactly. Now your brother and sister are already on board, so we need you to be as well. God knows how your Mom... How the other 'you' is going to take it when we tell him all this. Not well I'd imagine."
No. Not well at all. Having a very unique perspective on this, and knowing fine well if it was you (and in a way it was), you'd be freaking the hell out. Trapped now inside some kind of living nightmare. A nightmare where you were your own mom.
Telling your dad then that you had no other choice really but to support this decision, you agreed to sign whatever piece of paper the doctors wanted you to. Having apparently offered in return a good deal of money as compensation. Money, that while not being able to bring your mother back, would help out at least a little with all this mess. There being a host of medical bills and a new car to buy. As well as whatever else you'd need to help acclimatize this new 'you' into your mother's role. Needing only to wait for him now to, like you, once again wake up. Somewhat dreading that confrontation.
  indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
| Members who added to this interactive story also contributed to these: |
<<-- Previous · Outline  · Recent Additions © Copyright 2025 Wassel (UN: wassel29 at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
Wassel has granted Writing.Com, its affiliates and syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work within this interactive story. Poster accepts all responsibility, legal and otherwise, for the content uploaded, submitted to and posted on Writing.Com. |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
More by this author