Body Swappers 1
The first scene in my fantasy story Body Swappers. What if people in crisis could have a trained professional swap into their body? Read my take here.
When her husband raised his hand a second time, Jennifer shut her eyes and thought, I can’t do this anymore.
With that, Jennifer Raines was no longer in her body. Maya dropped down in her place. Time slowed to flow like cold molasses as she opened this body’s eyes and became aware of the facts.
1) Chris got violent when he was angry.
2) Chris was angry.
She had enough time to take stock of this body’s position compared to Chris’s position. Lastly she noted his aura. His energy boiled off him, red rising like steam from the center, which was a sickening combination of green and purple, like a bad bruise.
Time went back to normal speed. Chris’s hand came down, but Jennifer’s body was now in motion. It was a little awkward without the muscle memory, but Maya’s training prevailed, and she twisted enough to get out of the way of being hurt, while simultaneously introducing Jennifer’s elbow to Chris’s gut. Jennifer’s body wasn’t particularly strong or toned, but Chris’s own momentum worked against him, and the blow landed hard. Even so, Maya knew what stunned him into stillness had more to do with his meek, pushover wife suddenly standing up to him.
“Chris, my name is Maya. I’m a Crisis Management Agent with Parker and Associates, CMS. I’ve temporarily stepped in for your wife.”
His aura flushed yellow and pink. “What?”
Maya rolled Jennifer’s eyes. “A body swapper.”
Green infused his aura, and his nose wrinkled in disgust. “You possessed my wife?”
Okay, not only does he not know the proper terms, he’s one of those that thinks it’s wrong. “Sir, your wife signed on with Parker and Associates for crisis management. She agreed to transfer one of us in, should she find herself in a situation that was getting out of hand.”
“Mind your own fucking business.” Purple, orange, and green danced around his head.
“Crisis management is my business,” Maya said, crossing Jennifer’s arms. It didn’t feel natural in this body, but she still felt a catch from tension buildup under the left shoulder blade. Some things stuck with the consciousness, even when it didn’t make any sense. “For some reason, your wife doesn’t want to leave you. Yet. If I were you, I’d change my behavior before she changes her mind. Hand those to me.” She pointed at a sticky pad and pencil on the side table.
Chris squinted his eyes, glaring, but he handed the writing implements over to Jennifer’s body. Warily, as though the body contained a snake rather than a more confident and skilled woman than he was used to.
“I’m going to jot down a few gemstones you can wear to help manage your anger. And the name and number of a Shaper who could adjust your aura, helping you relax and channel differently.”
“That stuff’s all bullshit.”
“Is it? Then do you think it’s your sweet Jennifer who hit you in the gut?”
Chris didn’t answer. Maya finished writing and handed the sticky pad back to him. She focused on softening her tone. “Your wife loves you, and wants to be with you. She needs your help, though.” Her jaw clenched, and some frost crept back into her voice. “Consider this a wakeup call. If you love her at all, get it together. We’ll be touching base with her later to make sure she’s okay, so think twice about punishing her for this.”
His aura flashed various colors in quick succession, but he nodded. Maya wished she could do more. She didn’t believe he would change. Still, she’d done her job. She thought her key phrase, Guess I’m heading home now, and her conscious mind whisked away, back to her own body.
Why do women stay with such assholes?
When she opened her eyes, she found her coworker Ruth standing over her. Maya’s hands were holding a mug of tea, and another mug, mainly full, sat nearby.
“Ah, you’re back.” Ruth looked at the two mugs and chuckled. “Mrs. Raines didn’t believe me that she wouldn’t care for Earl Gray while she was in your body.”
“Of course she wouldn’t,” Maya said, turning her neck against the pull behind her shoulder. “There’s oil of bergamot in it.”
“You should finish the chai tea. It’ll help settle you.”
“No thanks,” Maya said, rising and fetching both mugs to the sink, then dumping both of them out. It may have been her mouth that had been drinking from them, but it hadn’t been her. She felt the same aversion to drinking after Jennifer as if the mug contained someone else’s backwash. She set one of the mugs down much harder than she’d intended, and the clack of sound jarred her teeth.
“You okay?” Ruth asked.
“Jennifer’s much shorter than I am.” Yeah, it was just klutziness, not anger.
Maya could hear Ruth frowning. Thankfully, the wood chimes hooked up to the front door began bangling together.
Jeff’s voice filtered back to them, chatting with Donna, the receptionist.
I like the concept of body swapping. With the swap, we get thrown right into the action of the scene along with Maya. That was nicely done.
Lorelei, Thanks for sending this to me. It was interesting. It makes me want to read more. You are very creative