This choice: You head home, fake sleep till morning, then go out to meet Jackson at the mall. • Go Back...Chapter #7Copying People at the Mall. by: Gimlet   You reach home and literally jump back to your open window, catching the ledge. You expected to have to try that a few times to do it, but even though you missed grabbing the ledge itself your slime tentacle hands latch to the stonework and you heave yourself in. Well, good enough. Closing your window you lay down on your bed and get your phone out. Next time you keep it with you. Though... might be awkward as you change? Hmm... have to think on that.
For now you simply lay there and surf on your phone, looking up images to maybe be tomorrow. Apart from those you copy at the mall. After a bit you try to sleep but find it tricky. It's possible you're just nervous about all this, but it's also possible you CAN'T sleep any more! That kind of worries you slightly. You vaguely remember sleep is more than just restoring energy. There's some kind of mental component and if you don't get it... will you go mad or something? You try to relax. Maybe you just need to try again tomorrow? It's already getting light out, so you play on your phone some more wasting time till it's time to go.
After a few hours you head out, being about 9:30 when you leave the house. This time you don't hide it, telling your parents you are meeting Jackson at the mall for a shopping trip. Thankfully your bitchy sister Jennifer doesn't show up. She'd likely make a show of it somehow. With a sigh you bring your mind back to the present as you head into the mall itself. Ah, there he is!
"Hey Jackson!" you wave, and head over to him.
"Hey John." He replies calmly. "So ready to take a stroll through capitalism?"
You snort at his comment and just wave at the entrance. You both head in, looking around at the people with far more interest than usual. Normally you came here to eat fast food (a little better than Burger King), or to go to the Game Shop. This time it was for people watching.
"What about him?" Jackson says, pointing at a someone looking like a weightlifter as he walks past in the main concourse.
You squint and try and picture him in your head, storing it for later.
"OK, got it." You say, but Jackson coughs and nudges your body.
"Uh, you wiggled." He whispers.
"Seriously?" You say, looking down at yourself
"Yup, very obviously. Careful, you don't want to get caught!"
"Uh, OK. Maybe we better do this from a hidden vantage point or something?" You mutter. "I didn't think I'd get all weird just picturing people in my head... though I guess that is sort of what I do when I change almost."
Jackson points up to the second level.
"There is the bookstore over there. It's pretty barren these days. There's an upper room alcove with a window that overlooks the concourse. As long as it's free that should do it. Oh, and no cameras. I checked."
"Do I want to know why you checked?"
Jackson looked proud of himself.
"Hey! A guy's gotta make sure his date isn't being filmed when in a... Ahem... compromising position."
"You didn't!"
Jackson half nods, then sighs.
"Unfortunately no, I didn't, but I planned it all out. She just was ACTUALLY looking to study with me. I thought it was something entirely different!"
You smother a laugh. You can hardly talk. You've never had a proper girlfriend. Well, there is Emily, but she is just your friend, not girlfriend. You've known her a long time, but... recently have begun to feel way more for her. She's just so... right. Anyway... not what you're here for!
"OK... so lets see if it's free."  indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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