Exiting the bathroom, Jamie went for one of the boxes and pulled out a bottle of aspirin. A headache was coming on. She needed some form of relief in the middle of all this insanity. As John and Ruth debated on what course of action to take, Jamie snagged water from the fridge, popped the pill in her "smiling maw" and swallowed. Leaning on the counter she started to think.
What should they do now?
The weight of her actions had finally given Jamie pause. Her mysterious transformation notwithstanding, she had now just drawn two good friends into this madness. Guilt was beginning to gnaw at her. Had she known they would also be "infected" she'd had never called them over. Water under the bridge, unfortunately. But she still felt horrible.
However, a morbid sense of curiosity had since taken hold.
John had always been a bit of a goofball, though certainly not to the level of a class clown. Ruth, however, was straight and to the point. She could count the number of times she'd seen her laugh on just one hand. Smiles were a bit more common but they never derived from humor, rather personal accomplishments. In all seriousness, Ruth had all the makings of a shrewd businesswoman. Look no further than their choice in clothing. Jamie was sporting a white long-sleeved T-Shirt, blue sweatpants, and beat-up sneakers. Ruth? A white button-down long sleeve top with a sweater vest, designer jeans, and boots! And to see THAT in the same boat Jamie was in now?
Jamie, you're so terrible! It took a lot of effort on her part not to laugh when she started that buzzing! As Jamie went for another swig from her water bottle, John called her from her bedroom.
"JAMIE! GET IN HERE QUICK! YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS!"
Rushing forward, Jamie briefly paused when she saw Ruth in the bathroom. She was staring in the mirror. She couldn't see her mouth but she glimpsed a black ball on her nose.
So it's started then?
Entering her room, she was in complete shock.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"
It was just as it appeared in the mirror, a horrible clash of awful aesthetics that looked like something Krusty the Klown would vomit out. That clown car bed frame, the ugly dressers and nightstand, the hideous carpeting and walls, it was all accounted. There was more also. Clown dolls were stacked on her bed while various clown costumes lined her now opened closet. John's appearance also gave Jamie quite the scare.
"Look at this picture!" He cried.
John was now sporting a red nose, painted mouth, and permanent smile like her. Nodding, she came in to get a better look at the picture and was shocked.
"M-mom...D-D-Dad!"
It was a family picture taken when she was 10. She remembered the original. After all, it hung on her parents' living room wall for years. This, however? They were all clowns. Whiteface and looking utterly ridiculous. Jamie had the sudden urge to cry but noticed that John was staring at her strangely.
"What?"
"Your face..."
Rushing to the mirror, she discovered her face and for that matter, ALL of her skin was now completely white. Her hair was also in mid change, with numerous blue strands growing in length. Covering her face in shame, Jamie was all but prepared to give up. She was going to be a clown and there was no way of stopping it. It was then John gave her a reassuring hug.
"Don't worry Jame! We'll find a way outta this! We're in this together!"
His words gave her a degree of comfort. John then called Ruth.
"RUTH COME HERE, WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO STOP THIS!"
*HONK* "Hehehehehehehehe"
John and Jamie took to the bathroom and found her. She was still wearing her jeans and boots but her glasses were now round blackened shades. She was wearing a yellow striped turtleneck, black gloves, and two antennas were bopping from her head. Her skin was now white like Jamie's, her lips were black and also affixed in an ever-present grin. Most distressingly, her hair was long and pure black, with numerous yellow highlights.
"That...wasn't in the mirror." He whispered in disbelief.
"Ruth...are you okay?" Jamie asked.
Turning to face them, Ruth jumped up and down like a hyperactive child before squeezing her nose and buzzing like a lunatic.