Nine
Lisa found Mario in the usual spot, and wasted no time at all in telling him the reason she didn’t want to have any more sex with him was one hundred per cent down to his inability to satisfy a woman. She used phrases from the magazines the twins had read. Phrases that caused Beth to cringe with embarrassment. He attempted to shrug off her comments, but even Beth, from her vantage point somewhere in the back of her own mind, could see he was bothered.
‘Why are you being like this, Beth? This isn’t like you at all.’
‘I’m just telling you straight, Mario. We’re done. I don’t have the time to waste on you.’
‘Fine. I was going to finish with you anyway. The grass won’t grow under my feet.’ Mario attempted a swagger.
‘Oh right, yeah. How could I forget all the other girls who are queuing up to sleep with you?’
‘I ‒’
She didn’t let him speak. ‘There are no girls. I think we both know the score. You told me that to persuade me to sleep with you. What does that make you? Huh?’
‘Well, you slept with me. What does that make you?’
‘There’s one thing I wish to make perfectly clear, Mario.’ Poking him in the chest, Lisa snarled, ‘I don’t want to hear any rumours about me. You tell even one friend that we had sex, or that you think you were the one who finished with me, and you’ll regret it.’
‘Beth … you’re so …’ Mario observed the person he took to be Beth with new found interest. ‘Can we not just …? You look great. I never realised …’
Lisa shoved him aside. ‘I thought I told you we were done. Get the fuck out of my way.’
Beth didn’t complain when Lisa decided to celebrate by stuffing her body full of junk food in a burger place in town. She then bought a huge bag of pick ’n’ mix, which she devoured swiftly and efficiently, all the time telling her twin how much better the sweets were now that she could really taste them.
‘I’m glad you’re having a good time. But we ought to get back. Don’t you think?’
‘Don’t be boring. We don’t need to go home yet. I fancy a drink.’ Lisa marched into a convenience store.
‘A drink? Do you mean …?’
‘Alcohol, my dear sister. That’s what I mean.’
Beth rarely drank. The occasional glass of wine with dinner at home was about her limit. But Lisa clearly had other ideas.
‘I don’t think they’ll serve you. You … I mean I don’t look old enough.’
‘Rubbish. I look bloody hot.’ Lisa picked up a bottle of vodka.
‘Lisa, please. I’ve never drunk vodka before. You’ve never drunk vodka before!’
‘I’ve never done any friggin’ thing before. But that’s all going to change now.’ Lisa laughed.
As Beth suspected, the person behind the till asked no questions. Lisa was sold the bottle of vodka without a second glance. The minute she was out of the shop, she unscrewed the bottle and took a swig of the clear liquid.
Beth sensed a vague taste of perfume. Her throat became hot. Judging by the way Lisa began coughing, the experience was far more intense for her.
‘Wow. That stuff is strong.’
‘Don’t drink any more now, OK? We ought to get home.’
‘SHUT UP!’
The noise echoed around Beth’s head. It was amazing to think no one else could hear it. ‘Please, don’t shout. You know how it feels for me.’
Taking another large gulp, Lisa screeched, ‘Oh yes. I know how it feels for you. I know how it feels to be locked up inside your head, watching you LIVE.’
Beth tried several times to convince her sister to stop drinking and head home. But Lisa was like a convict released from her cell. As she slowly made her way home through the park, she continued to swig from the bottle of vodka. The more she drank, the more bitter she became. ‘You’ve had all this. You’ve been able to feel and taste. You could have had fun. You could’ve had SO MUCH fun. You’re an idiot.’
‘Please, stop.’
Lisa sat herself down on a park bench. By now the bottle was half empty. ‘You’re a waste of space. I’m ashamed of you.’
‘I am going to live more. I promise you. Let me have my body back and I’ll do more fun things. I’ll do whatever you want us to. I promise. Please. Let’s swap now?’
‘Fuck off,’ Lisa slurred.
Beth watched, helpless, as her view of the park slid sideways. She was aware of her body slumping onto the bench. Things still seemed far away. Her mind was becoming increasingly muddled. If I’m like this, how much more confused must she be?
Lisa started mumbling aloud, ‘So strong. The colours are … beautifully bright.’
‘We can’t fall asleep here. You need to get up.’ Beth tried desperately to shake her sister, but her body wouldn’t move.
Lisa held Beth’s hand close to her face and examined each finger in turn. ‘Look at the fingerprints. Look at the nails. So much detail.’ Again, she spoke aloud. Beth was fearful someone would hear her and come to her assistance. She couldn’t be sure what her sister would tell them.
She was trapped. Wherever she was, she had no control over her body and, even more worryingly, Lisa had slipped further down the bench and was now completely horizontal.
‘I mean it. Don’t fall asleep here. Just get up and make your way home. You can sleep in my bed. Not here. Someone will see us.’
Then, Beth knew real fear, as Lisa uttered her final words before falling asleep. ‘I’m never going back!’