Post by StoryGirl83 on Oct 21, 2008 10:38:46 GMT -5
Chapter One – Me, But Not Me
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The sun was beginning to shine through the window of Wyatt’s bedroom. The alarm in the night stand was ringing. Wyatt groaned in his sleep. He slapped at the wall instead of at the night stand. His eyes popped open the second his hand connected with the wall. “What on earth?” Wyatt’s eyes widened even farther. “Whoa! That’s . . .” his voice trailed off, but the sentence continued in his thoughts, not my voice. Only the thoughts didn’t belong to Wyatt, because even though the body was Wyatt’s, everything else about him was Chris.
Chris in Wyatt’s body sat up and looked around. The sheets fell revealing his bare chest. And this is not my room. He slapped the alarm clock in the night stand. Why am I in Wyatt’s room? He pushed the covers off the rest of the way and climbed out of bed. Clad only in pajama bottoms he walked over to the bedroom door and pulled it open. He exited his room, turned left and then left again into the apartment bathroom.
Chris entered the tiny apartment bathroom. On the left of the room was a bathtub with an attached shower. On the right there was a toilet by the apartment wall and a sink with a mirror over it nearer the door. Chris looked in the mirror and started breathing hard. This is bad. In the mirror he saw only his older brother’s face, with no sign of his own. Chris turned around and left the room.
Chris exited the bathroom and turned left, again. He stopped in front of the door to his bedroom and turned the knob. He gulped and pushed open the door. Inside he saw himself, fast asleep on the bed. The sheets were no longer neat, something that bothered him a little. He entered the room and walked over to his bed. He stopped next to it and looked down, trying to see something that would indicate this wasn’t really him. Apparently I am still in bed, but how is this possible? He reached down and shook the other Chris, the Chris that looked like Chris. “Wake up.”
Chris’ eyes opened, sleepily and he looked up at Chris. “Wyatt? What are you doing here?”
Great, Chris thought to himself. It’s not Wyatt. Who’s in my body?
Chris frowned as he looked around. “What am I doing in your brother’s room?” He frowned, his voice bothering him.
Chris gave him a wry look. “My room actually. I’m Chris. Whom am I talking to?”
It was an odd question to ask, but Leo had already figured out something was wrong. Chris? His mind questioned the words at the same time he accepted that if what his senses where telling him was right, then most likely this was Chris. “What’s going on and why do I have your voice?”
Chris sighed. “My voice, my body, my bed. I repeat, whom am I talking to?”
“Your dad,” Leo informed him.
Chris shook his head, trying to clear it. Wy must be somewhere else. Turning his attention to his dad he said, “We need to get over to the manor.” He closed his eyes and tried to orb out of there, but he just stood there. He frowned and opened his eyes. “I can’t orb.”
“That’s okay,” Leo told him softly. It wasn’t exactly, none of this was, but all things considered, a lack of orbing wasn’t that big of a deal. Besides, while, he son couldn’t orb, Leo was almost certain he could, a feeling he had felt in over two decades. “I think I can. Go get dressed.”
“Dressed,” Chris looked down at his body, remembering that he hadn’t dressed yet. “Sorry.” He groaned as he remembered why the alarm had woke him. “Work.”
“What?” Leo asked, not sure how work had come up in the conversation.
“Wyatt’s alarm woke me,” Chris informed him. “He has work today. Am I supposed to go in for him?”
“If you think you can do the job,” Leo hesitated trying to make a decision, finally deciding that this probably could wait for a little while, “it’s probably best. Do you have work?”
Chris nodded. “At eight. Ever worked at a department store?”
Leo shook his head. “I grew up during the Depression. I was lucky to get a newspaper route. After high school I went to medical school and then to war. I certainly never worked in a department store as a whitelighter. However, I think I’ll manage for one day.” It might even end up being fun.
“Keep in mind,” Chris reminded him, “I’m the assistant manager and the manager’s not in today.” Remembering events from the past few weeks he added, “Oh, and be careful around David. He’s kind of a friend, but he thinks I’ve gone insane lately.”
“Don’t worry,” Leo assured him. “Just get dressed and figured out how you are going to do Wyatt’s job at the museum.” Leo looked around his son’s room. The clock in the wall told him that there wasn’t a whole lot of time before he had to get to Centennial, if he was going to go. “I’ll go see if I can find your brother and check on your mother.”
Chris nodded. He turned around and headed for the door, mumbling as he went, “I knew I hated demons in my room and there is no way this isn’t a demon.”