Vice Versa

Alice and Brian opened the door to Brian’s house. Brian scanned around his living room, looking for any sign of life. Pinkly, Brian’s white Maltese, trotted down to them, yapping at the cat. Tholomew kept mewing and struggling to be put down so Brian dropped him. Tholomew attempted to lick Pinkly, but was defeated by her snapping at him. The cat screeched and ran away, the small dog hot on his tail. Chuckling at the exchange, Brian leant back on his kitchen bench.

“Sounds like him.” Alice caught him whispering.

“Him?” she asked, curious.

“Never mind.”

“Please tell me. You have been weird since you heard the cat’s name.” Alice pressed. He visibly sighed.

“My best friend died almost two years ago.” He said his voice sorrowful. “His name was Jimmy. He was the drummer for the band.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. He was a fucking great guy. Bat shit crazy, but… he- he was like my brother.”

Alice nodded. “What is the connection between Jimmy and Tholomew then? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“His stage name is The Reverend Tholomew Plague” he emphasised the middle name. “Or the Rev.”

“Wow. Tholomew huh.”

“Yeah. And Artemis says he acted like he knew me. Maybe…”

“Maybe he reincarnated into a cat?”

“Yeah.” He finished. Silence kept the moment still, both of them inside their minds. The only sound was the fridge’s hum and the clacking of the animal’s feet. A squeak of the door broke them out from their silence.

“Oh my God, Brian. You’re okay!” A female voice carried out to them before Michelle appeared before them, a blonde woman next to her who looked almost the same as Michelle and a tall man with bludging tattooed muscles and brown hair cut short. He was sporting a pair of aviators. Michelle pulled Alice into her arms. She gave Alice a big kiss on the lips. Alice froze. She glanced at Brian, seeing her face’s jaw clench.

“Brian, are you okay?” Michelle pulled at Alice’s attention. She looked at her, the blonde woman gripping at Alice’s unfamiliar muscled shoulder.

“Yeah, I am.” Alice said, dazed.

“Who is she?” Michelle pointed at Brian, who is visibly in Alice’s body.

“Oh…” Alice tried to think of an excuse. “She’s Alice. She’s… she is my long lost cousin from…” She glanced up to a tin of pasta on the kitchen shelf across from her. “Italy.” She smiled, looking at the three people, who were staring at her silently.

“Okay. I never knew you had a cousin from Italy.” Michelle said.

“Yeah, she’s twice removed.” Alice added. Michelle greeted Alice, shaking her hand. However from her pleasant demeanour, Brian and Alice could tell that she is suspicious of Alice.

“This is Matt and she’s Val.” Michelle pointed at the two people behind her. Both of them waved, acknowledging the so called visitor.

Brian, in turn, felt very strange and awkward, being introduced to his own wife, her twin sister and his best friend. He knew every single thing about them, but, in this circumstance, they knew nothing about him, or shall he say her. Tholomew padded to Brian, who picked the cat up.

“Who is that cat?” Michelle asked, a confused face.

“That’s Alice’s.” Alice intervened.

“All the way from Italy?” the wife raised an eyebrow. Alice freaked at her weak lies. Deciding to play along, she nodded.

“Yeah.”

“Hey, man. You okay? Michelle said you lost your memory.” The guy with the aviators, or Matt, walked up to Alice, holding her bicep. He leant in slightly.

“Yeah. I can’t remember anything.” Alice replied.

“Do you remember hitting your head anywhere?”

“No.”

“Do you want to go to the doctor? To check up or…?”

“No! I mean… no thanks.”

“Are you sure, Brian? You’re acting very strange today.” Michelle chimed in, closing in Alice along with Matt’s muscular frame, making her claustrophobic.

“I just fucking woke up and forgot everything. What do I supposed to do?” she explodes.

“Everything?” Matt echoed.

“Yeah, everything.”

“Do you remember our songs?”

“No.”

“Fuck!”

“Sit down then, we need to see if you’re okay.” The other blonde woman, Val, said. Alice did what she said, sinking in the couch. Alice was dazed and confused by the mass of attention. Val shooed at Michelle and Matt, telling them that ‘Brian’ needs space. She bent a bit, her face level with Alice.

“How many fingers am I holding?” Val said, holding up four fingers.

“Four.” Alice replied without missing a beat.

“Who is the president of America?”

“Obama.”

“What is the year?”

“2011. Look. It’s just trivial general things. I know when it is. But I don’t…”

“Okay.” Val sighed, her hazel eyes concerned. “Is it just coincidence that Alice is here when your memory got wiped or is it related?”

Alice wanted to stand up and scream that they swapped bodies so she would have peace of mind. But she knew she woven it too deep and she had to go along with the lies she had said on what happened today.

“Just a coincidence.”