Head pulls back the shirt to reveal a mass of swirling, flesh-colored latex. Though most of it remains a generally liquid consistency, you occasionally see pieces solidify into recognizable body parts—an ear, an eye, a toe, a hand, a nipple—though each only stays for a few moments before sinking back into the blob.
“Oh my god! Lisa, I’m so sorry! Can you hear me? Are you okay!” Head exclaims.
However, Lisa doesn’t seem to respond in any decipherable way. Instead, her latex body gathers itself up into a rough ball shape and slides the rest of the way out of the clothes. She begins moving away in an awkward, sloshing roll, occasionally using appendages to help as they briefly form and retract.
“Wait, please! I’m so sorry, I should have tried to warn you first. Just stop, I’ll explain everything!” Head continued pleading, her voice beginning to crack.
“I—I don’t think she can hear you,” you say mentally, “she may not even understand what’s happening or be in control of her actions.”
“Then why did she run away from me?” Head retorts, watching Lisa continue her slow retreat back in the direction the two of you just came from.
“Look where she’s going. She’s probably heading back to Agatha’s mansion, like those animal-people from last night. Maybe there’s still hope.”
“What, hope that Agatha can suck out her life force? That’s what she did to the others, if you’ve already forgotten.”
“Aren’t we bringing her amulet to her so that she doesn’t have to do that anymore? Maybe if we can be quick about it, we can get back and explain everything. I know it’s not encouraging, but Agatha’s the only person I know that could fix her anyway. She’s probably heading towards her best chance right now as we sit here. We just need to make sure we don’t give Agatha too much time to do something else first.”
“Thanks,” Head said, sniffling. “It’s just scary. She was… my roommate I think? Or at least we live together. Lived together, I guess. I can’t remember much more, but I felt a jolt when touching her and it seemed to bring a little bit back at least. It’s strange, I can’t remember anything about her, but the thought of anything bad happening to Lisa absolutely terrifies me.”
“Well, keep your head up, Head, we’ll—”
“Sandra,” Head interrupts.
“What?”
“My name is Sandra. It’s what Lisa called me, and the more I think about it, the more it feels right.”
“Oh. Well, keep your head up, Sandra. We’ll get through this. Which way?”
Sandra hints for you to stand back up as she rubs her eyes and gathers herself. Thinking for a moment, she points the two of you back in right direction.
The next few minutes feel a bit awkward. You want to offer some sort of encouragement to break the tense apprehension you sense, but you don’t have anything else to offer and want to give Sandra as much privacy as you can in this state to process all that just happened. Eventually, she’s the first to break the silence.
“You know, I don’t really know what to call you now. It doesn’t feel fair that I have a name and you’re still just Legs or Boy or whatever.”
“It’s fine, I don’t really mind,” you reply.
“Really though, it just feels more dehumanizing. Even if we’re changed or all mixed up, at least having a name lets you know who you are, or it at least reminds you that you’re still you in spite of it all. Maybe you’ll remember your name too by the time we get back.”
“Forgive me if this is too blunt, but after how you remembered yours, I really hope I don’t.”
That may not have been the right thing to say, as the mood dampens again and the two of you go back to walking quietly through the town’s streets. A few others are out and about in the early afternoon, but after the experience with Lisa, Sandra keeps the hood of her jacket up and the two of you give them a very wide berth.
Before long,