Story Time

Different Eyes

I woke up this morning in someone else's bedroom. I didn’t think much of it until the person looking back at me in the mirror wasn’t the body I fell asleep in. My phone goes off. Well, it’s not my phone obviously...it had a bright pink glitter case with a Polaroid picture of a dog named Blu glued to the outside. I picked it up without thinking and answered the call.

“Kitty, where are you? Your shift started 30 minutes ago!”

“Uhhh, send me the address. Blu threw up this morning and I may or may not have slipped in it.”

“Okay? I hope Blu is alright, but please get here soon, Kit.”

I don't hesitate to start looking for a work outfit, let alone trying to find out where I apparently work. I received a message from Bea.

”Oh thank God...they actually sent the address.”

“Kitty, are you still here?”

Great, this Kitty person lives with someone.

“Yeah, my alarms didn’t go off. I’m getting ready to leave now.”

“Well, make sure they’re on for tomorrow and please don't forget to feed Blu. I’ll see you after work.”

The front door closed softly and I took no time to look up the address. Okay, so I work at a restaurant. Ehh, great, people. I get up and to my surprise I find a small chair with neatly folded restaurant attire. I guess it's not so bad being someone else. A small mumbled woof comes from the closed bedroom door. Nuts. I forgot there's a dog hopefully I'm not still allergic. I swing the door open and immediately get tackled by a large long nosed greyhound. I can’t lie and say he was the sweetest and most loving dog, but he was damn close. Honestly it hurt me a little to hear his whimpers as I left the house. As you can imagine work is work, so I won't go too much into that experience, but when we were closing the restaurant a small figured female approached me.

“Are you sure you're feeling alright today, Kitty? I mean even your regulars knew something was up.”

“Yeah, I’m alright just worried about Blu, ya know?”

“Welp, I hope the real Kitty decides to come into work tomorrow.” She giggles afterwards and leaves me alone dumbfounded - the real Kitty? Did that woman know I'm not her? Not possible this is all just a dream, right? I get back into the car and drive towards the house. I decided to not wait for the random person to show up at the house and to take a nap instead. Once I woke up I was in a different bed underneath different blankets in a different room. I knew I wasn’t myself but I thought I would be stuck as Kitty for the rest of my existence. I guess that’s not the case.

A phone goes off. I turn over and reach out towards the night table. I grab the phone and look at the message: You better be ready for the game tonight. I'll be over at 6 to get ya. I glance at the time and realize I only have thirty minutes to get ready. UGH. I throw myself up and off the bed. I look around for clothes and get dressed. I open up the bedroom door and head to the kitchen. As I pass the bathroom I hear something scurry from behind and in front of me. I really hope this person has pets. Opening up the fridge I feel something rub up against my leg. I look down and see a brown and white cat. “I have to feed you, don't I?” I scoop up the cat and look for a food dish. I found three. Thankfully all three of them are automatic, but I never came across the two other cats. The second I had finished that thought, two large lizards came scurrying around the corner to get their regular timed meal. I laugh it off and continue to get ready. My phone goes off again: We are coming to get you now. Be ready out back. We still have to pick up Nomer. I gather the things I think I'll need and head to the back entrance. I make eye contact with a driver in a black cubed car.

“Kim! Over here!” She was smiling and waving her hands like her life depended on it. I waved back and made my way towards the car. A window rolls down as I approach.

“Hey loser. Long time no see!” Before opening the car door I replied.

“I know right! How have you been?”

“It’s definitely been going. Are you ready for the game?”

“Yeah I’m ready.” I buckle and turn towards the person in the driver's seat and whisper,“What are we doing?”

She laughs.

“You really don't remember what you planned?” I force a laugh.

“I just want to make sure we are all on the same page.” She looks me up and down.

“We are going to ZimZim for laser tag - you did remember to sign us up for the competition match, right?” The tension in the small car is getting worse. I hope silently and pull out my phone. Not here. No. AHH, YES, RELIEF.

“Look, Jane.” I show her a screenshot of the five tickets I purchased.

“Heck yeah! We have this in the bag!!”

Thankfully I was quick on my feet...even had enough time to look at her contact.

“Okay, guys, we're heading to Noms to pick up Ren and Nomer. ”

“WOOP WOOP ADVUTURE!”

The car ride was blasting with all kinds of genres of music. We pulled up next to Nomer and Ren. They climbed in and exchanged their hellos with everyone in the car. After settling down we were off and headed to ZimZim. We arrive, and Jett in the back seat keeps grunting and shuffling things around. “I forgot my mask, Jane. Do you have a spare?”

"What? Why would we need masks?"

“Yeah, the white box underneath Kim’s seat has a whole bunch.”

“Oh poop, could I get one, too?” Jett hands me a mask. After putting it on, everyone heads inside. The place is nice: large roof and the walls seem to go on forever. The lady from behind the shielded desk looks up and makes eye contact.

“Group of 5?” I nod and walk towards her. I hold my phone up to show we already paid.

“Ahh good. The comp lands are down four doors and to your right. You will buckle up in the room and then be separated. Come out victorious and your whole team gets lunch on us! Here are the bands; put them where they are visible. No ankles.” She smiles and waves us off. Approaching the fourth door Nomer collects us and explains the usual plan. Apparently we’re here almost every Friday and we are all individually known, which means we have targets. He went on and on about the separation. The players from the same team are every other player. The last thing he mentions before the buzzer goes off is to run to the right and to shoot at anything with a cyan band. We head into our own capsules and get a 10 second countdown. The door swings open and people are free. I make a break for it and keep it low. Hiding behind anything and everything that won't give my position away. A person with a cyan band runs across my field of vision. I eye them through the scope until I see their target. I pull the trigger and my bracelet buzzes. They turn around and make eye contact with me. I shoot back down into a crouch position and make my way to the right of the playing field. I stop and hide because I hear people approaching, Two other people with cyan bands cross my path. I pull out the gun, eye their targets, and shoot. This time I didn't wait for a reaction but instead of one vibration on my wrist I had gotten two. Trying to follow the path that was briefly explained to me, I run into a dead end. I turn around and I'm face to face with Nomer and Jett. Even though I'm filled with relief I yell rather loudly.

“Kim, quiet! You're going to give us away!” Nomer harshly whispers but I already hear the shuffling of the other team approaching. I lean up against the dead end and the wall that's supposed to be dead opens. I yelp and try to catch myself from falling over.

“Perfect timing, Jane!” Nomer laughs and nudges Jett. Someone comes running into the dead end that's not so dead. They eye our bracelets and yell out.

“They’re over here, Conner! They opened the end door!” He aims and attempts to shoot Jett. He misses his shot. Quickly thinking I pull out my own and shoot 3 different times and run through the end door. We had no time to close it but my bracelet buzzes signaling a small victory. We ran as a group until the timer went off. Out of breath we all stop and look up at the scoreboard screen. It reads in all caps “ORANGE BANDS WIN”.

We got back to the start and took off the equipment. Everyone decided to save the lunch for another day. We made our way back and drop everyone off at their designated houses. I wave Jane off and head back into the complex. I reach the front door and unlock it. The pretty brown and white cat comes running up to me. I scoop up the cat and sit in the living room turning on the TV. After a few moments, the two lizards joined the slumber party on the couch.

“BRAY! YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE FOR SCHOOL! I TOLD YOU TO WAKE UP AN HOUR AGO!” Oh no, angry people...and who names their kid Bray? I throw the covers off of me and stand up. I head towards the shelving unit until the bedroom door flies open.

“Oh good, you’re up. Thought I would have to yell again. Breakfast is ready downstairs and you have roughly 45 minutes.”

“Okay, I’ll see you downstairs.” I flash a quick smile and reach for some clean clothes. I dressed as I normally would and thought nothing of it. I head down the stairs and am greeted by a full black cat with gorgeous green eyes. I couldn’t help myself from complimenting the cutest kitty.

“Ohh...you’re such a pretty kitty. Yeah. So soft. Very pretty.”

“Are you feeling alright, Bray? I thought Reaper didn’t like you let alone let you touch him.”

I glance at the name tag. It’s engraved with the name Reaper/Meow Meow and a phone number. I leave the cat alone and sit around the table my "family" has gathered. There was an attempt for small talk, but I kept quiet and ate. My phone goes off. It shows a text from Z: Hey dude, i’m out front.

Okay I guess that’s my queue.

“Z is out front. You all have a good day. Love ya.” I slowed down when there was no response.

“Don’t stay out too late, Bray! Love you too,” she yelled from across the house. Better than nothing. I headed out the front door and was greeted by Z waving his hand in a cool looking sports car.

“Hey, dude!”

I waved back and closed the door behind me.

“How was the mall with Karly? You guys kiss yet?”

“Shut up, wack job. Drive.”

With that being said, he stepped on the gas and we were off to the one place I try my hardest to avoid.

The high school was rather large. A few structures away from looking like a castle, but it was nice. Good thing this Bray kid has PowerSchool otherwise I'd be lost within an educational mansion. After quite a few classes the bell rings and signals the end of the day. I make my way over to Z’s car. With no other option I decided to wait. My phone goes off. I look down and read the message to myself: That body doesn't belong to you. It's from a private number. I frantically look around the parking lot. I turn my gaze around and see Z coming from the back exit. I smile and wave towards him. Guess he didn't see me. The doors unlock for the car and I climb on in.

He comes into the car but doesn’t start it.

“You aren’t Bray, Don't try and reassure me. I just want to know what's going on.” He looks at me. Worry fills his eyes and I sigh.

“I don’t even know what's going on. A few days ago I fell asleep like normal but when I woke up I was in a different body, looking out of a different pair of eyes. I change into a different person every time I sleep.”

“Okay - then just go back to sleep and change again!”

“I don't think it's that easy -”

“I don't care. You are an impostor and I want Bray back. If you need to sleep you will sleep.”

I laugh nervously and attempt to get out of the car. Damn child lock.

“You don't have the option of leaving, you fake. We’ll take care of this.”

He drives off and I'm stuck in the car. WE?! Why did I explain it to him? I could have just said I was having an off day. That might have worked and I wouldn't even be in this situation! I guess I have no other option than to wait. It feels like hours go by. The sun is down and we are still driving towards the unknown destination. Finally the car stops. Z gets out of the car and opens my door. With a quick shift of motion I'm bagged. My legs are free but I can't see anything past the bag that's over my head. He shoves me to move and we start walking. After walking for a while he shoves me down and the last words I remember him saying were “This is the kid.”

Terrified, I shoot up. The covers fly off and I look around. The room looks familiar. I rush to the mirror and a sigh of relief washes over me. I’ve never been this happy to see me looking back in the mirror.