Concern flashed across his face. “You should have woken me or Dad. You shouldn’t sneak around in the dark,” he whispered. He glanced at the stairs; the voices of Linda and Ronald carried down from their bedroom. Had we woken them? I’d thought they were sleeping.
“I know,” I said. “But I didn’t want to worry you. I already feel like enough of a burden.”
I hugged Devon and leaned my cheek against his chest, not sure if that was a sisterly move. His arms wrapped around me. He felt warm and strong and he smelled like skin and cotton and comfort. I pressed my nose into his shirt, hoping he wouldn’t notice. I knew without a doubt that he wasn’t the killer, no matter what anyone else said.
I slipped out of my clothes, turned on the shower, and stepped under the stream of water. Goose bumps erupted all over my body and for one glorious moment my mind felt empty. But then it started. At first in my toes, then my calves, and up to my thighs. My skin rippled, undulated, stretched; my bones shifted, cracked, repositioned. Shock kept me rooted to the spot. The rippling moved higher until it had taken over all of me. Shifting without volition—that wasn’t supposed to happen. Not now, not ever.
I willed it to stop, for my body to obey my orders. My skin rippled and shifted in small waves, like there were bugs crawling under its surface. That wasn’t normal. It had never happened before.
Grabbing a towel, I got out of the shower stall and stumbled as my legs shortened a few inches. My knees collided with the tiled floor, sending sparks of pain through them. I held my arms out in front of me. I shuddered, which ushered in a new wave of rippling through my body as my skin grew paler.
I gripped the washbasin and pulled myself to my feet. I staggered to the mirror to see my reflection. My face was shifting, remolding slowly. It was still Madison’s face but my eyes were turning turquoise. First one, like one of those Siberian huskies with different-colored eyes, and then the other. My lips twisted, my bangs lengthened and turned auburn. It was happening to me. I could see it happening, could feel it happening, but I was powerless to stop it.
I pressed my eyes shut, refusing to believe what I saw. Why wouldn’t it stop? Ripping, tearing, stretching, and then it was over. I looked at my reflection. It was no longer the one it was supposed to show, the one I’d gotten used to.
Freckled nose, auburn locks, turquoise eyes. Madison was gone.
I shivered. A puddle had accumulated around my feet where water dripped from my body and hair. I felt more drained than if I had just run a marathon. Even if my body obeyed me now, I doubted I’d find the strength to shift back into Madison’s body.
I heard steps coming up the stairs. I stumbled toward the door and turned the lock.
“Maddy? Everything okay?”
Choking down my panic, I turned on the faucet, hoping desperately that the sound of running water would drive Linda away. I pressed against the far wall beside the toilet, as far away from the door as possible.
“Maddy?”
If I answered her, she’d realize it wasn’t Madison’s voice. What was I supposed to do?
Her steps halted in front of the door. “Maddy?” She knocked. “Maddy, honey, are you okay?” She wouldn’t leave until she knew I was all right.
Clearing my throat, I tried my best to sound like Madison. “I’m just taking a shower before bed. I’m fine.” It wasn’t a very good imitation but hopefully the sound of the running water would help to drown it out.
“Are you sure?” I could hear the concern in her voice. She turned the knob but the door was locked.
“Yep, just taking a shower. Don’t worry, Mom.”
The Mom slipped so easily from my lips, it scared me.
“Haven’t you already showered?”
Think, Tessa, think.
“I started but I heard my phone, and I got out to see who texted me.”
There was silence on the other side of the door. “Who was it?”
“Ana.”
Just go away, I thought. Please.
“Okay. Wake me if you need anything.”
She waited a moment longer before her steps moved away from the door. I turned the shower back on and waited until I was sure everyone was safely in bed. Once I was sure nobody was around, I hurried into my room and locked it. My own reflection stared back at me from the mirror on the door. Shadows spread under my eyes. My fingers brushed over my unblemished throat. I’d gotten so used to feeling the scar there.
I needed to change back into Madison. Closing my eyes, I tried to trigger the rippling sensation but I didn’t feel anything, not even the slightest tingling. Droplets of sweat mingled with the water from my hair and gathered in the towel around my body.