One Out of Many

The morning light shone in through the windows as I pulled the curtains. I enjoyed the sunlight. And it was going to be a day where I’d get to enjoy all this sunlight to the fullest! Just like always.

Today was going to be fun. A day out at the mall with some friends, nothing more, nothing less. I got in the car, slipped in like I’d always had it. Nothing of interest happened on the way there, which was always a good sign.

I met up with my group just outside the entrance to the movie theater section, our favorite meetup place. Sarah, Melody, Ron… I counted heads. Every one accounted for. Six of us.

If you included me that is.

I was very enthusiastic about deciding what to do first. I’d always done that. And I’d keep doing that for as long as necessary. It was the standard fare – we’d act all firm on a collective itinerary, then the second something shiny came along and tugged on those strings in the dark corners of one of our minds, the whole thing would go out the window. They’d always done that. And they’d keep doing that. I’d make sure of it.

It’s a convenient thing they’d all gotten used to me taking the lead, acting all comedically serious about our endeavors. That’s just who I was. I like to have fun a little bit, where I can. Some people would tell me to stop playing with my food, but I don’t much care right now.

That’s not to say I’m totally disassociated. My account came up short so they treated me to some snacks for the movie we’d always pick out and go see. And if there’s one thing I am NOT, it’s ungrateful. So when Ron saw a model kit he wanted but was a bit out of his price range, I took the cashier aside, gave him a smile and a knowing look… “haggled” a little bit, and what do you know he’s happy as a clam! That was satisfying.

I might just miss these guys when it’s time to go.

I have to use a little effort to… “get my point across” that I don’t want anything to eat when it’s time to have lunch. I never need anything for lunch. I say I’m saving money, I’m not hungry, I’ll just nibble what you’re having (and they always let me)… it works 9 times out of 10 without me having to risk exposure.

I have been wondering if it’s been time to shift to the next phase of the plan for a while, but I’ve seen some promising signs that it’s finally time. For one, despite referring to me multiple times today, none of these guys have called me by my name.

That’s good. They’re slipping.

As far as they’re aware, nothing’s wrong. And why would anything be? Zack (that would be me, by the way) still responds to the group chat. Shows up to hangouts on the weekend like this one. Laughs and cries and fights with them. Everything a normal human friend would do.

One problem.

I took Zack weeks ago.

Slipping into his form was as easy as any of the others that had come before him. Then it was a matter of assimilating his life so as not to arouse suspicion. Live his life for a liittle while, work my magic to ease him out of the consciousnesses of anyone who knew him, then move on.

His parents? Never had a son. Wish they did, though. Their minds will auto-edit him out of any pictures they see of him. Cute baby. Friend’s kid who was visiting their house. They never attended his graduation, visited this apartment, nothing. I made sure of that.

Hell, if I really wanted to, I could nab them too, really cover up the tracks. But orders from ON HIGH tell me to take the sneaky approach, so that’s what we’re doing. Slow as it is, one at a time. Abduct, replace, erase. Repeat.

It’s getting late now. Zack was always an early to bed, early to rise sort. That gives me the perfect out to leave first, and leave one more seed of memory-editing deletion in everyone else’s minds. They won’t miss Zack. They have each other. Heck, if I was feeling sentimental and ON HIGH would let me, I’d process the whole group at once. You think I have to limit myself to one person at a time? You don’t know me. I’ll admit I’ve never done the Hive Mind technique to pilot more than one of me at once, but I’m sure any day now On High will authorize me. I’d even settle for just two…

I’m not gonna fight the mission, though. Not when everything is running so smoothly. By my estimate I’ll be completely out of all public consciousness in two weeks. Then it’s just a matter of leaving and having the High Command pick me up. Since walking out as Zack would be ill-advised, I get to do something fun – mix up my features and take on whatever guise I want. Nobody’s looking for me, so there’s no restrictions. I always love the chance to stretch my creative muscles to their fullest.

Now, where will I be dropped off next? Who’s my next assignment? I scroll aimlessly looking at all those viable targets out there. If I had it my way, we’d scoop up entire towns at once, we have the means. Block out everyone’s memories and be done with it. But mine is a rather unpopular take among my kind right now, but the tide seems to be turning.

Who knows where I’ll get to strike next? Maybe I’ll pick a few people off in the big city. Or erase one person from a supposedly “everybody knows everybody” town in flyover country. It doesn’t matter. If I’m lucky enough to earn a little downtime I might just morph into a guise of my choosing and go out on the town. But who said I had to stick to the mission? I could do some extra work, like… oh, would you look at that.

You’ll do nicely.