|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- THE MILDRED CORK--CUP 5--"DIFFERENT" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  The Mildred Cork  ||  -------> (Cup SRmc005, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = I reveled in my new body. Absolutely superior in every aspect. I could see no reason to return, but what would happen? If I left it there, in the bed, in a coma like that--someone would certainly find it and rush it to a hospital--my family would be worried sick, and they'd do all sorts of things to try and revive it. Hmm. Maybe I could just destroy it, and then metamorphose my nightbody into a simulacrum of my human one? Thus being able to switch back and forth from Nancy to Truly at will? I liked the idea, but somehow, I knew it wouldn't work. I had this fear of the dawn, and as I found out later, I was all too right. In my wanderings, I passed a payphone, so I decided to call one of my best friends, Ala. It must have been 3 or 4 AM by then, but I figured she'd be okay about it. Since I had no money, I called collect. "Hello?" came Ala's groggy voice. An operator spoke. "Collect call from Nancy." "Huh?" "Collect call from Nancy--do you accept the charges?" "Nancy--Nancy Smollan? Uh, I accept..." "Go ahead." "Hi Ala." I said in my new voice. "This is Nancy." "Doesn't sound like Nancy..." "I know. Listen--something's happened to me. Something amazing. I just had to talk to someone about it." "Who is this? Where's Nancy?" "This IS Nancy." I said, realizing that my voice was nowhere even in the same realm as my human's. "Come on Ala--I've changed. I mean, REALLY changed. Look--ask me anything--I'll prove myself to you." "What could have happened to change your voice like that?" "Come on! You gotta believe me. How 'bout those pictures you took--of you and your boyfriend from home--how many people know about that?" "Nancy--I mean, whoever you are--what's this all about?" "Ala, you have to believe me. I need to talk to someone about this--so that I know I'm not going crazy. Something happened between me and Rom Jeffers." She paused. "What?" she finally said. "Never mind now! Just--just can you come and pick me up? I'm downtown. It'll take me an hour to walk back." "Oh no! There's no way I'm gonna do that! You think I'm stupid? I have no idea who you are!" "Come on Ala, I'm not asking for that much!" But I realized I was. In her shoes, there's no way I would drive into this creepy area on the request of a person of unknown origin. "It is too much." she said after a pause. "Okay." I said. "So I'll walk back. But I'm coming to see you." She paused again. "Is this really Nancy?" Yes, it is! But--but now that I've changed... I just don't want you to be scared of me." "What do you mean?" "I mean, I look... different. Totally different. Maybe even scary." "Look--if you are Nancy--I don't know what's going on, but--but just--come if you have to but I'm not gonna be alone." "Come on Ala! I don't want to involve anyone else!" "My roommate's already awake and hearing all this." "Okay, F'jinjy is okay--but no one else, alright?" "Why?" "When you see me you'll understand!" "I don't--okay, okay. When are you gonna be here?" "Should be about an hour." I said, then considered the possibility of using my leaping ability to travel faster. "But maybe a lot sooner. Whenever. Just be ready to answer your door. Or..." "What?" "Maybe I should just come in the window." "Why?" "Aren't there video cameras in your hall? After what happened to Susan last year?" "Yeah..." "Well I don't want to be on camera." "Why not? "Because, I look really weird, okay? I'm totally dark, and I have glowing eyes! Okay! Let me get going. I hope you're going to help me!" "Whatever." Ala said. "See you soon." I said, and hung up. Was this wise? Letting her in on my secret? I didn't know--but part of me was seeking some way to prove this all real--if I had to get back into my human body by dawn, as I felt I would, I wanted some proof that this all happened, that it would happen again the next night. -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----