Shifters

The Imposter

Remnants of the wooden door flew past their faces as the entrance was  continuously bombarded by an unknown, terrible force. With no viable route available for them to escape through, both Patricia and Josh stood pensively as they awaited the inevitable. 

'Just what has changed?' Patricia wondered, aura shimmering faintly over her skin, 'How is he able to take the door apart so quickly after failing so miserably earlier?' 

Throwing a glance at Josh, she noticed that although he appeared to be as terrified as her, his expression still looked somewhat hopeful. 

'I have to think of something,' she thought to herself, 'If nothing else, I refuse to go down without a fight!'

Drawing all of her newly gathered aura to her fingertips, Patricia balled her hands into fists, aura flaring brightly around them as she readied herself for battle. Taking a cue from her stance, Josh also raised his fists as he too attempted to step into a combative frame of mind. Nodding at his unexpected actions, both he and Patricia looked on pensively as the last bits of the door were torn asunder. 

Before either could enact their assault on the unknown target, a brilliant flash of green light accompanied by the fresh scent of molting leaves  suddenly assailed their senses. Raising a palm to shield their eyes as they acclimated to the sudden change in brightness, Josh let out an audible gasp as a figure he never expected to see strode through the now shattered doorway. 

"There you are," the figure said in a girlish tone, "You really like to hide in the strangest of places," she added before noticing Patricia, "And with a beautiful girl no less. Consider me officially jealous!"

"Do you know her?" Patricia questioned confusedly, relaxing her defensive stance. 

"Patricia, meet Elle," Josh said, still in shock by her appearance, "Elle, meet Patricia!"

"Pleasure to meet you!" Patricia said with a small bow, "We're certainly glad to see you rather than the other guy."

"Other guy?" Elle asked, looking behind her as if expecting someone to show up. 

"Forget that," Josh said, cutting in, "How are you even here?" 

"Oh that?" Elle asked, waving her hand dismissively at the question, "Joana didn't feel too good about leaving you two alone so she sent me to check in on you both. Good thing I did as it seems to me that you're in a real pickle."

"But how'd you find us so quickly?" Josh questioned skeptically. 

"That," Elle replied, "I cannot say. We all have our secrets!"

"How do we know you are you claim to be?" Patricia asked, picking up on Josh's increasingly extensive line of questioning. 

"When we first met," she replied fluidly, pointing at Josh, "He was all over me!"

"No I wasn't!" Josh exclaimed, face turning red. 

"No you weren't," Elle said playfully, but your reaction was certainly worth it, "We first saw each other at Herman's remember?" 

"Did we meet before then?" Josh asked, paying close attention to her body's physical response. 

"Not that I can recall," Elle answered with a genuinely confused look on her face. 

"I see," Josh replied with a straight face, "She seems legit."

"Of course I am," Elle responded with a chuckle, "now shall we get going or do you want to stay here."

"Let's go," Josh urged, taking Patricia's hand in his own. 

Although surprised by his odd action, she refrained from saying anything as he promptly squeezed her hand tightly.