You arrive at the old library at the corner of Carlyle St. and 4th Avenue on your dad’s car, with your mom on the passenger’s seat. She hasn’t taken Ashley’s skin off (despite your father’s insistence, as that was the root of the problem) but has changed into a more conservative attire, wearing a turtleneck sweater and loose jeans.
The brick edifice has been there before your parents were even born, still offering services to the city and neighboring townships, but compared to the new one, it holds a lot of secrets. For one, the basement has been deemed off-limits, though the signs of being a nuclear shelter can still be seen at the distance.
Then there’s the incinerator. Though inside the off-limits zone, the chamber has an emergency exit that leads to an abandoned building that most college students use for bohemian activities, ranging from impromptu raves (which are quickly broken by the authorities) to an improvised theater. The McFarley School of Humanities owns the structure but aside from treating it as a “building of historical importance”, red tape (allegedly) prevents any renovation projects.
Because of this, college students often visit it, learning – amongst other things – about the old incinerator. You’ve heard your sister speak about how the college uses it to destroy “sensitive documents”, but rumors also abound of other, less savory uses.
You visited the place once – on behest of Nick, who wanted to show you about it before you entered college – and check the interior with your phone’s light. Soon, you hear something rasp on the floor, and a furious but wary voice greeting you. “Who goes there?”
To your fortune, the voice is familiar. “It’s me, Tina. Mom’s with me.” You still notice your mother holding the black pen on her hand, brandishing it as a weapon.
“Good. Follow me.” She leads both of you through a corridor, pushing debris aside to reveal a door. Inside, a half-broken wall leads to an alley closed to outside, with the other side leading to the emergency exit, whose door was left deliberately open.
Inside, Tina grabs a duffel bag and drags it nearer to the incineration chamber, close to a bag of charcoal which she then grabs. With her back to the chamber door, your sister finally addresses you. “We need to talk.”
“Tina, isn’t this illegal? This place is off-limits--”
“I’d ask if identity theft was illegal, but I guess running afoul of the law runs in the blood.” Tina’s remark was so cold, you suspect she may have been replaced. She pulls Quentin’s skin first, followed by Cassie. “Before you ask – I heard your little discussion. And I agree someone has to do something about it. That someone shouldn’t be you, Mom – unless you want me to call you by your new name.”
“Christina...”
“Ma’am, don’t try to dissuade me. Right now, it feels like I don’t know you. I know Dad did something horrible, but this isn’t the way to solve it. Stealing someone’s life isn’t how my mother taught me to deal with things.”
You remain observant as your mother tries to appeal to your sister’s reason. “I know this isn’t what you want to hear, my dear, but--”
“You’re right on one thing. I don’t wanna hear that my mother’s willing to take someone else’s life to spite my dad. Claire’s old enough – I don’t think she’ll suffer a divorce compared to when she was younger. You can always ask Dad to pay for alimony.”
“But then he’ll live with Ashley. I’ll be rewarding his behavior. Where will I stand?”
Tina shrugs as she drops the bag of charcoal inside the chamber. “You figure it out. If Dad wants to live with that woman you’re wearing, let him. You’re not too old to remake your life, Mom.”
“I spent over twenty years of my life devoted to taking care of you. I can’t enter college, and I have no job experience. Where will I start?”
“Go ask for a job at the McDonald’s near the gas station leading to the highway! That’s... what, ten minutes on bike?”
“With what money, Tina? I have no car, I have no savings – I had no intentions to abandon your father! I could keep the house, but how will I--?”
“You can get a learner’s permit, Mom. Borrow Nick’s truck – or ask him to take you there. Everyone’s gonna have to make some sacrifices, but we’ll push through together.”
“And in the meanwhile, your father will have all the money in the world to do whatever he pleases, right?”
The exchange leaves you exasperated, so you cut to the chase. “You can discuss that later. What’s the deal, Sis? Either Mom takes off Ashley and revives her or you’ll burn the other skins?”
She’s stunned, but Tina nods in agreement. “Basically.”
Before your mom can even react, you grab Quentin’s skin and shove it inside the chamber. “Alright. Let’s do it.”
“Eh?” You notice your sister’s confused, which is exactly where you want her. You notice a valve leading into the chamber, stopped only by a wheel with a pair of pressure gauges on both sides.
“What’s next? This is the gas valve? What’s the charcoal for?”
“David, what’s your plan?”
She’s a bit more receptive, but most importantly, you can sense the doubt in her eyes. “Simple,” you say, calling her bluff. “Mom’s right in a way. If you ask her to take Ashley off, she’ll be left on the dark while Dad can pursue his relationship. He wins, we lose.”
“I don’t get you.”
“Mom has reasons to cling to this new life. You’re gonna bicker for an hour, you’re gonna insist, and she’s gonna refuse. Since you said you’re gonna burn the skins if she doesn’t agree, let’s do this already.”
“David...” Now it’s your mother who’s confused – and angry. “You’re not telling me you’re gonna burn Cassie as well.”
“Tina wanted to do it, no?”
“David, even Mom wouldn’t be as callous as to--”
“You’re hinging on the chance that she’s not gonna let you burn Cassie’s skin, so she’ll agree. No one cares about the other guy, so you’d burn him first to convince her. But here’s the deal. How much did you hear about our conversation?”
“Something about having you go on as her sister.”
“I bet you stopped when I figured you’d be listening.” Your prediction surprisingly comes true, telling you all you need to know. “That means you know nothing about the people inside Ashley’s other sister – and maybe her mother too. Or the fact that Ashley’s mother is a criminal mastermind of sorts.”
“Whaddya mean?”
“Remember the escort service? Seems that she’s handling that. Now imagine if no one answers her call. She figures something wrong happened. She sends her goons, probably armed with pens just like the ones Mom used to turn Cassie and the guy inside him into skin. They find Dad, turn him into skin again, but this time they’re not in a joking mood.”
You gauge Tina’s reaction, and you notice she’s shaken. “Then, they get us. The brown pen lets you interrogate the people you’re wearing, which means they’ll learn you burned the guy’s skin. What do you think they’ll do?”
She’s silent and shirking. You go for the killing blow. “What do you think they’ll do to Mom? Or to me? I already burned one of their guys. Maybe they’ll burn me. Maybe they’ll kill Mom too. Make Claire and you the next escorts. And all of that because you burned that asshole while trying to convince Mom to stop with her plans.”
“Then call the FBI!” your sister yelps. “Or anyone!”
“By the time that happens, they might be on their way. What if the people we call are them? What if we tell them everything, and they take it against us?”
You grab Quentin’s skin, stretching it before you. “This guy’s the only one who knows how they work. I was trying to figure out how to catch them unaware. I know it’s risky, but it’s better than putting everyone else in danger. Dad’s not guilty, and neither is Claire, or Nick, or even you. If something happens to us--”
“David? Stop it. I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but--”
“Mom and I have a chance to stop them. It involves fooling Ashley’s mom by posing as her daughters. Then, when she least expects it, we use the pens and see if someone’s inside, then check their mind. Maybe even fool the people under her command. Throw us off their tracks. Maybe even call the police and get them arrested.”
“And then?”
“If you wanna burn this guy,” you say while shaking Quentin’s skin, “then go ahead. But at least Ashley’s family will be safe. If Mom still wants to be Ashley afterwards, then you can argue. But in the meanwhile? Let’s try to keep the family safe.”
Tina ponders the possibility for a good while, only to hand you the duffel bag. “Fine. Just remember – this isn’t Hollywood. If something happens to you, I’m calling the FBI. I don’t care what happens, but I won’t let you two put yourselves in risk for us.”
“Thanks for reconsidering.” You shove Quentin’s skin on the duffel bag, jerking your chin. “Time to go. Can’t let them know we were here.”
“The librarian knows,” Tina reveals. “That people come here, anyways. She couldn’t care less.”
Your mother, who has been silent thus far, finally speaks. “Tina, I’m sorry for making you feel like this, but I hope you understand what I feel.”
“I hope you understand what I’m feeling, Mom.”
You notice your mother stays behind, pensive. You check in case someone approaches, but let them have their space. Perhaps Tina won’t change her mind, but at least should help them mend their rift.
It feels odd to win one against your sister. But she hasn’t lost yet. What if something happens to the two of you? What if your actions lead them to your family?
The bag feels very heavy on your arm. Is it guilt, like your father feels for his betrayal? Is it fear of failing your family? Or is it the weight of responsibility every hero must face, when no one else can face the danger before them?
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