“Honey, I always call you Polly – for fun. You know that. Look, this is serious. I think we should take you to the doctor tomorrow morning. Can you call June and get her to cover for you?”
“But Jon, I’m not sick.”
The automaton was speaking quietly now, while her eyes narrowed and her mouth set in a tight line.
“I don’t know. I think a check-up wouldn’t hurt. Would you like me to call June?”
There was a method to his madness. He secretly hoped to get June’s opinion.
“If you think it is best, Jon.” She answered with a sweet smile.
Jon got up and dialed June’s number while keeping an eye on the automaton, even though he wasn’t sure why. He’d never been afraid of Pauline but now he was thinking that she was not herself, which was truer than he could’ve imagined.
When June answered the phone she was laughing.
“Hell-oo!” She said in a sing-song voice.
“June, it’s Jon. Can you talk?”
The automaton sat still and stared at Jon with a slight smile.
“Oh, Jon. Okay – but I must warn you – I’ve had three chardonnays!”
“Well, I want to take Pauline to the doctor’s tomorrow and I was wondering if you could cover for her until lunch time.”
“Honey, there’s no ‘covering’ at work. She’s either in or she’s out.”
Jon was annoyed with her flippant attitude. He backed away and moved into the living room, keeping one eye on the automaton, who continued sitting and smiling mildly.
“June!” He hissed. “I need to ask you something!”
“Why are you whispering?” She giggled.
“June, I’m worried about Pauline. I want to know if you can meet with me or talk – when you’re – sober?”
There was a short pause while June took in a breath.
“Oh, yeah. We should talk, but I don’t like the idea of doing it behind Pauline’s back.”
Jon pricked up his ears.
“You know why I’m asking, right?”
She sighed. “Yeah. She’s been strange. Actually, I thought there was something wrong between the two of you.”
Jon felt his flesh crawl when the automaton came into the living room with a plate of cookies. She placed them on the coffee table and then folded her hands in front of her. Jon pretended that everything was fine.
“Okay, June. Thanks for that. I’ll have her in by lunchtime.”
“Jon, are you okay? What’s going on? Is she there?”
“Sure. See you then.”
He hung up, took a cookie and smiled at the automaton, while she stood and stared like a mannequin.
At that time, in another universe, the real Pauline was screaming as a Viking dragged her onto the long ship.
“NO! PLEASE, NO!”
“This one is feisty!”
He was speaking in another language but somehow Pauline knew what he was saying, like she’d been speaking in that tongue her whole life. Her consciousness inside the mermaid’s body was not aware of a soul and it freaked her out, along with her fear of whatever was about to happen. The red haired mermaid shouted down to her in a mocking tone.
“Come on, Doelara! What are you afraid of?”
As she was distracted by the pretty mermaid and the others behind her – kissing the Vikings passionately – she momentarily stopped struggling and was instantly lifted up and over the edge of the ship. Screaming, she began to fight again, but the Viking was stronger. He pulled her close and began to plant kisses all over her face.
The stench of weeks’ worth of dirt and foul breath made her vomit onto the deck. All the men stopped their amorous shenanigans and looked down at the small yet bizarre puddle of yellow liquid, which contained small fish and tiny crabs mixed in with what looked like seaweed and chewed-up sea sponges.
When they all started laughing – including the other mermaids – Pauline began to cry. The brunette mermaid called out to the red haired one.
“Time to twist, Feyla!”
“Everyone – TWIST!” The redhead announced to the other mermaids.
Pauline was horrified to see the mermaids slap their webbed hands around the heads of the Vikings, who began to scream in fear. She could see the pulsing hands injecting something into the faces of the men. The one who’d hauled Pauline aboard staggered back in horror.
“What’s happening?!” He cried.
Pauline shook her head as the brunette turned to hiss at her.
“NOW, DOELARA!”
Suddenly Pauline noticed a slithering inside her mind. Whatever soul there was inside this emanation was now waking out of some kind of self-induced coma. She sensed the trepidation as thoughts started to swirl among her own.
“Oh, no – not again! I can’t – I just can’t!”
Then Pauline felt a strange sensation in her arms. It seemed to be floating from her chest – feeling like she had two hearts pumping wildly as her veins burned throughout her strange body. When she looked down she saw cobalt blue liquid dripping from the palms of her hands onto the deck. She lifted them up and turned them over. There were many tiny pores opening and closing like eyelids, as the blue substance leaked out like blood.
Then the voice spoke directly to her consciousness.
“Who’s that? Who’s there?!”
Pauline wasn’t sure if it was a nervous reaction or if the soul inside was directing her. She lunged at the Viking as he screamed while backing against the side of the ship, then she slapped her hands on his face and felt her skin attaching to his like a suction cup. The vacuum was strong and her veins pulsed even harder as he writhed beneath her, now collapsing onto the deck.
There were no more words inside her mind. She felt a thrill running through her body and her tail curled in excitement. Even though she could still hear the other Vikings screaming and the mermaids laughing, singing and chattering excitedly with guttural sounds, her eyes were trained on the one she was 'twisting'.
Soon his clothes started melting away as the scales began forming on his lower body. She watched as his eyes turned a bright green and his legs fused together. In no time, he had changed into a merman. When he started gasping like a fish out of water, she let go of him and moved back. Her veins were now quiet and the liquid had stopped seeping from her hands.
She was then jolted by a loud booming noise. The brunette was blowing a conch shell into the air, while the other mermaids rolled their captors - one by one - into the sea. She turned to Pauline and smiled triumphantly.
“Well done, Doelara. Now, get him into the water before he passes!”
Pauline was amazed at how strong she was, but also at how obedient she was – considering the confusion and sorrow at not having found her way home. The excitement at being able to travel through alternate realms had worn off. She was still reeling over the idea that she was wanted by whatever authorities there were in the parallel portals and the fact that she was considered to be an infiltrator.
She easily dragged the Viking over to the edge and dropped him into the ocean. When she looked down, she saw him struggle for a moment, then he began to wave his hands around like he was getting a feel of his new surroundings.
The brunette slithered up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder.
“Doelara, we have to take them back. What’s wrong with you lately?”
Pauline found herself answering without thinking – or rather – the soul inside was doing the talking.
“Marna, I don’t like it. I think it’s cruel to take over another’s life.”
The mermaid laughed heartily.
“How do you think you came about? None of us were original seeds. Have you forgotten the story of our ancestors?”
Pauline shook her head and was once again amazed with the words coming out of her mouth.
“No, but I still think it’s unfair. I don’t understand why we can’t work towards solving the riddle. Then we wouldn’t need humans, would we?”
Feyla calle
d out before leaping over the other side of the ship.
“Come on – or we’ll turn!”
Marna took Pauline’s hand and they both leaped into the water. The Viking merman was now looking clean and quite handsome, even though he still appeared to be in shock. She instinctively took him by the hand and dragged him behind her as she followed the others, who were delving deep into the dark waters below.
Chapter 9 – Jon and the Automaton
Jon continued to act like a cat on a hot tin roof around Pauline’s automaton, even though she went on with her creepy, Stepford Wives act. He wasn’t sure if it was due to his overactive imagination, but the fact that she was overly attentive and even more eager to please was giving him chills.
When they went to bed, he excused himself from intimate contact and lied about a phantom headache. Usually the one to fall asleep first, he deliberately stayed awake while pretending to sleep, which was no mean feat. Once he heard her breathing normalize, he tried to reach for his cell phone, but the movement made her sit bolt upright.
“Can I get you anything, sweetheart?”
Now Jon was noticing everything. Pauline was usually a sound sleeper and even if she had noticed him moving or tossing and turning, she’d merely reach out her hand and pat him on the butt.
“No, thanks. I’m fine.” He said, trying not to sound like a frightened child.
He noticed that she took some time to lie back down, but then he had a great idea. Why not test her out before taking her to the doctor’s, without letting on that he was suspicious about her transformation?
“Polly?” He called out over his shoulder.
The automaton moved slightly and then answered in a quiet voice.
“Yes?”
“Can we talk?”
“Certainly. Is anything wrong, Sweetheart?”
He sat up and switched the bedside lamp on. The automaton also sat up and smiled. Even though his flesh was crawling, he did his best to keep a straight face.
“Not exactly. I guess I’m feeling a little melancholy, for some reason.”
The Pauline he knew would’ve reached out and hugged him with a playful, “Awwww!” She would have also kissed him and wrapped her arms around him. The coldness behind the face now looking at him was baffling, to say the least. The automaton seemed to be having difficulty in finding a suitable response.
“Melancholy? Do you mean – sadness?”
She seemed particularly puzzled, although she smiled as she waited for a response.
“I suppose so. Do you remember the first time we went to Seaspray?”
He hoped to elicit a response from her, seeing as they’d spent their honeymoon at the remote beach, which was Pauline’s favorite place for a vacation.
The automaton looked up to the ceiling for a brief moment, then smiled and glanced over at Jon.
“Yes. It was lovely.”
Even though he couldn’t put his finger on it, he knew that something was up.
“What was special about it, for you?” He asked, while trying to fake a yawn.
The automaton again looked up before glancing back at him with a nervous smile.
“Being with you, of course.” She replied, more like a question than an answer.
He felt an icy chill run through his veins and wondered how she could have forgotten the most romantic time in their lives together. He decided on a different approach.
“Why do you love me?”
Once again, the automaton looked up at the ceiling before responding.
“There are many reasons, Jon. You’re a wonderful man.”
Jon looked up at the ceiling and for a moment he thought he saw something – like a ripple or a wrinkle. At first he thought there was a kind of heatwave billowing across the ceiling, but every time he tried to focus on it – it dissipated. He was then stunned when he felt the automaton’s hand slither around his neck.
“Don’t you want me, Jon? I’ll let you do whatever you want.” She whispered in his ear.
He tried not to make a show of pulling away, as a sudden wave of revulsion swept through him.
“Um, yes – but – let’s get some sleep. We have your appointment in the morning.”
She smiled and stared for a moment, like she was assessing a specimen in a jar.
“Alright then. Goodnight darling.”
“Goodnight.” He replied, before lying down and making a point of facing her for the rest of the night.
***
Their trip to the doctor’s went without a hitch. After they checked in, he passed a note to the receptionist while the automaton went on to the waiting area. He leaned over the counter and whispered to the older woman.
“Can you pass this to the doctor before she calls us?” He whispered.
She took the note and eyed him off suspiciously.
“Well, okay – but Doctor Wells has an issue with husbands accompanying their wives – unless there’s a mental health issue or the wife requests it.”
He shifted nervously and looked over his shoulder at the automaton, who was sitting quietly and staring out of the window.
“No, that’s fine. As long as she gets the note before she calls Pauline.”
She nodded and looked over Jon’s shoulder.
“Is there anything we need to be concerned about?” She asked nervously.
“No, no. She’s not herself lately. I’m a bit concerned. That’s all.”
The receptionist nodded and tucked the note into her pocket.
“Alright. She’ll be with you shortly.”
After a twenty minute wait, Dr. Wells came out and called Jon. He turned to look at the automaton, who smiled slightly after a long, confused pause. Jon patted her hand and shrugged before getting up. The doctor waved to the automaton.
“We won’t be long Mrs. Warbanks.”
The automaton nodded and waved back.
“That’s fine.”
Jon felt her eyes burning the back of his head but he followed Dr. Wells to her office, trying to prepare himself for the questions he knew were coming. Once inside, she closed the door and motioned for him to take a seat. Tall, slim and imposing with her brown hair cropped short and peering down her long, thin nose at Jon, she was obviously concerned.
“I must say Jon, I was quite perplexed by your note, but before I see Pauline, I want to know what you’re expecting to find out. You know that only Pauline can decide to share the results of any testing, if we decide she needs it and if she agrees to it.”
He cleared his throat and did his best not to show any fear, even though he wasn’t exactly sure about what he was supposed to be afraid of.
“I understand that you can’t share anything without her consent, although I do have some concerns – more about her mental state, actually.”
Dr. Wells cocked her head and tapped her pen gently on the desk.
“Mental state?”
He gulped before continuing.
“Yes. Like I said in the note, she hasn’t been herself lately. It’s almost like…”
Dr. Wells waited patiently.
“…like she has…become another person.”
He watched her face for any reaction, but she remained blank.
“It’s hard to describe, but she’s not behaving like the usual Pauline.”
Dr. Wells leaned back in her chair.
“Such as?”
“Well, I know she won’t like me telling you, but she is exhibiting behaviors that aren’t like her at all. Sexually, emotionally and functionally. For example: she has started performing sex acts that she balked at before. She doesn’t seem to understand my sense of humor – and we’ve always been on the same level where that’s concerned.”
Dr. Wells nodded in encouragement.
“Go on.”
“It’s like she’s flat-lining – performing like a robot – going through the motions, you know?”
She sighed quietly and shook her head.
“I’m not a Psychiatri
st – or for that matter – a Psychologist or a counsellor. I could send her for a few tests and suggest a psych evaluation, but it’s completely up to her, like I said. Unless she’s acting erratically or hurting herself or others, there’s really nothing I can do.”
Jon started fidgeting nervously.
“I understand. Could you just check her out, for no other reason other than letting me know I’m not going insane?”
She smiled warmly.
“Yes, of course. Go and send her in. If need be, I’ll see you briefly when we’re done, or call you.”
“Thanks so much Dr. Wells. I really appreciate it.”
He went out and waved the automaton over. She got up dutifully and followed him to the doctor’s office. When they arrived at the door, he did his best to appear nonchalant.
“I’ll wait for you, Sweetie. Okay?”
She gazed at him for a few seconds longer than needed – which indicated that she was assessing him.
“Alright then.”
She then smiled and kissed him on the cheek before opening the door.
***
Jon was in the waiting room for only half an hour, but he felt like a whole day had rolled by when Dr. Wells called him from the reception area. When he approached, he was surprised to see her looking a little anxious.
“I think you’re right Jon, and she’s agreed to testing. I’ll call you later, but I really shouldn’t be talking to you behind her back.”
Jon felt a chill run through his bloodstream, before it settled in his stomach and took a while to dissipate.
“Is everything alright? Is she okay?”
The doctor pulled him aside and whispered in his ear.
“I’m not sure, but I see what you mean. She keeps looking at the ceiling and has difficulty answering certain questions. Has there been any traumatic event or loss recently? I asked her, but she looked blankly at me like I asked her to solve a complex mathematical question.”
“Nothing’s changed at all. I don’t know what’s going on.”
He was almost in tears but it was unusual to be upset over something so vague – yet so terrifying at the same time. The unknown was so much harder to deal with.
“Alright. Margaret will give you the referral for the hospital. I’ve ordered complete blood work and other testing, but you won’t need to wait around. Drop her off and they’ll tell you when to come back and get her. It’ll probably take at least two hours, most likely three or four. I’ve told her that it’s a regular check-up, but if she shows any behavior that indicates suspicion, play along with it and take her home if she requests you to do so.”
Parallel Portals Page 8