Moving Me
"Lookin' for bread cuz that's what I need. Whole grain is healthier but I prefer wheat." I sing as walk the aisles of Wal-Mart. My weekly grocery shopping had been completed earlier but I forgot the bread. So now I'm back in the store.
The bread is easy to find. I buy it every week. Of course I use the self checkout. There's no way I'm interacting with a person if I don't have to. On my way out I see a poster on the community board. It wasn't there when I walked in, I'm sure of it.
There's a sketch of a face on the poster with the word 'MISSING' written above it.
I take a mirror out of my purse to make sure I'm seeing things correctly. The mirror shows what I fear. That's my face plastered on a missing persons poster.
"Damn it." I curse under my breath. Suddenly I'm aware of people staring at me, watching me watch the poster.
Racing home, I panic over what to do. I can change again. I have to change again but into who? This face was chosen after weeks of research and I still only got to keep it for a year. How long will I be able to keep a randomly chosen face? No that's not what matters. What matters is that my husband won't recognize me. And my kid...
"Damn it!" I scream as I punch the steering wheel.
When I enter the house I see the kid lounging on the couch. I have to call her name three times before she answers.
"What?" She says in a snippy voice. God I wish we could skip the teen years.
"Where's your dad?"
"They called him in to work."
"Good. I have to change again."
"What? Why?" She jumps up from the couch and follows me into the kitchen.
"They've got this face plastered on missing posters." I say as I dig through drawers. I find my dagger and head for the bathroom. Someone knocks on the door and we both jump.
"Answer that. And if they ask for whoever this is," I gesture at my face, "tell them she's not here." I close the bathroom door behind me.
I hear the kid speaking to whoever's at the door. This has to be quick. A drop of blood spilt, a few words spoken, and I'm a new woman. The bathroom door flies open and a man in a trench coat walks in. He seems surprised to see me there.
"We have a warrant." He says and then holds a picture up to me. "Have you seen this woman?"
"No." I lie. Is it a lie? I haven't seen that woman, only her face in the mirror.
"They say she lives here."
"Mom's on a business trip." The kid interjects. I shoot her a seething glare. I've told her never to improvise a lie. Lies beget more lies.
"And who are you?" The cop asks.
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