Tuesday, July 16, 2024

[Fiction] Doppelgängerin

Well, it was Sunday afternoon and I was just doing a bit of ironing when there was a knock at the door. I wasn't expecting a parcel or anything so I was a bit confused, but when I answered it...it was me. 

No, I mean on the other side. There was this woman who looked exactly like me, well almost - at first I thought there was something wrong but then I realised it was because I'm so used to seeing myself in a mirror and of course I don't look like that to other people, it's all reversed. But she looked just like me, even wearing clothes similar to ones I've got, only all bedraggled and stuff. Didn't look like she'd brushed her hair in days, that sort of thing. 

No, no I had not been drinking! I told you, it was the afternoon. 

Ok, I know it sounds crazy and that's what I thought - this is crazy. Maybe I've finally lost it. But she, the other me, was also just staring at me and before I could say anything she started yelling at me and barged her way in past me. She was screaming "Who are you?" and "What are you doing in my house?" and the like. Then she started asking what I'd done to Jo and Sam - 

My partner and my son. Sorry, I should have said, they were out getting Sam new shoes for school.  I didn't go because I really can't stand shoe shopping and his uniform needed ironing before Monday - 

What? Oh, the door was locked. It's just habit, I lock it behind me as soon as I get in. Don't want strangers just being able to walk in, hah! 

Sorry, I guess it isn't really funny. 

So I was getting scared, there was this crazy woman in my house, she knew about my family, and she was getting more and more agitated. I tried asking her to calm down and asking who she was, saying she must have the wrong house, stuff like that. She was tearing from room to room and I tried to get in her way a bit and stop her going upstairs - definitely stopped her going into kitchen but as I said I was scared and she looked so...so demented...

Of course I thought about calling you, I tried to grab my phone at one point but also didn't want to take my eyes off her. 

She slowed down. After a bit. She stopped running around and just stood staring at a picture of the three of us - me, Jo and Sam that is - and was muttering under her breath. I said something like, "You really have to leave," and that's when she just turned on me. Yelling, screaming, really. "You've taken over, you're taken my life! What are you? You won't take them from me!" 

She just ran at me, hands out like she was going to...I dunno...scratch me? Strangle me? Just shouting "What are you?" over and over. I guess that was when I picked up the iron. It was just self defense. 

I...I don't remember anything after that. Until I heard the sirens. I guess the neighbours called you?


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