Subterfuge

Chapter 2 - Intruder.

Chapter 2: Intruder

  

Becca's house was only a block away from me, we go round each other's houses all the time; I practically live at hers. So it surprised me when there was no answer when I got there.

"Hello?" I called through the letter box: "anyone home?"

As I peered through the letter box, the door nudged forwards, and I realized the latch had been taken off its hook. Curious, I stepped inside, it was unlike them to leave the door unlocked... but Becca's family wouldn't mind me going inside. As I slowly edged my way into the hallway, I noticed a fragment of glass on the rug at the entrance to the kitchen. What? Becca's house was always so tidy: not even a speck of dust in sight or a pen out of place, ever. At this realization my heart began to speed up as the adrenaline flowed through my body; all of a sudden my movements were cautious and soundless. This was ridiculous. Why was I being so paranoid? This was a quiet neighborhood and there was therefore nothing to worry about.

I calmed myself as I peered around the corner of the doorframe that led into the kitchen. More glass. I cursed and frantically began looking for any signs that anyone had been hurt, or anything had been stolen. I need to be paranoid now. I knew this place like my own home, Becca's family felt like my family. They were important to me.

There was no-one in the room as I looked under the table and in all sixteen cupboards. Moving round into the conservatory my eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign… But there was nothing… I turned around to go back into the kitchen.

My heart faltered. Becca?!

“What the hell?!” I shouted at her. “Didn’t you hear me shouting through the letter box? Didn’t you hear your phone ringing?”

She stared at me blankly and then answered: “I…uh… my phone,” she emphasized the word as if she had no idea what it meant, “was… off? And I was… busy...”

I had no idea how to reply to her blatant lies. Something wasn’t right...

“Where are your parents?”

“My parents… are… out… yeah… they went out.”

I glared at her. “Went out where?”

Her facial expression was blank; there was no sign of the Becca I knew. The air grew eerily silent as I waited for her to reply.

“I… don’t know… They never told me.”

“Lies!” I shouted at her, “Who are you?”

The intruder looked startled. “My name… is…” She frowned and shook her head, as if trying to remove something from inside of it. Then she burst: “Help me Daisy! It’s inside my body! This… ghost thing it’s inside me! Help me!” She shook her head again, muttering to herself: “Shut up stupid human! This is my body now! LEAVE!” 

­­I slapped her and she froze: stunned.

“Who… what are you? What have you done to Becca, where is she?!” I choked. The anger welled with grief was beginning to consume me, I would crack soon enough. “Don’t make me say it again.”

“I am Galladina, and I am-”

“Galladina? What are you? Some kind of nut job? Don’t lie to me!” I screamed as I launched myself at this imposter claiming to be my best friend. “Tell me what you’ve done with her and her family! No more games! Why do you look like her? Did you use some kind of… plastic surgery to change your face? So no one would know you had… had… ” I clawed at her face as I pressed her against the plaster wall. But she didn’t hold for long. She grabbed my shoulders and flung me across the room with unreal strength and into the kitchen table. The force at which I had landed knocked the air from my lungs and I groaned. That hurt.