“Are you frightened of me?” he said. I was shocked that he used actual words.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m not you. I didn’t create any of this. You’re just an illusion. Heck, I’m probably asleep somewhere, about to wake from this incredibly horrible nightmare.”
“That’s what you’ve decided on, huh?”
“Yep.”
“Well, then why don’t you wake up?” said the doppelganger, almost in a lyrical manner. I stared at him. And I did not wake up.
“Sit down, Kevin.” Two chairs appeared on either side of the table. As I took a seat, I noticed that the table was covered in green felt.
“What’s going on?”
“What do you think is going on?”
“I think we’re going to play cards.”
“You’re right. What should we play for?” I didn’t know what to say. “Let me make a suggestion.” A spotlight appeared to my right. Within the spotlight was Christian. He was sitting there on the floor, playing with some toy trucks, the picture of innocence.
“Its all that easy, is it?”
“Yep, its that simple.” He smiled.
“Well, what game are we going to play?”
“What do you want to play?” A deck materialized in front of us.
“How about we each just cut the deck, draw a card, and high card wins?”
There ya go, baby.
“Are you sure you really want to do that, Kevin?” He looked at me with mischievous eyes.
“Sure.”
“Why do you think you can beat me at that game, Kevin?”
“Why do you think you can lose?” He frowned.
“You puny, worthless pile of skin. How can you possibly beat me?”
“Don’t you want to find out?” Now I was smiling.
“Cut the damn deck and draw your card.” I followed his directions and set the card in front of me.
“Your turn.”
As if on cue, a card shot out of the deck and stood in front of him with its back to me.
“You still think you can win, don’t you?” He seemed annoyed now, his previous amusement turning into ferocity.
“I know I can.” My fingers crept toward my card.
“Hold on a minute. What do you think is under that card that could possibly beat what is under mine?”
Show him.
“Why do you ask? You’re sure that you have me beat. If you’re so sure, then why do we even play?”
“Turn the card,” he said, his stare piercing through the light shining around us, the darkness beginning to close in. Just as it began to close around me, I lifted my index finger half an inch. My card rose from the table, a shining cross on the face of it. In that swift instance, the darkness in the room vanished and my doppelganger disappeared. The card table was no longer in front of me. I was now sitting on the couch, watching my son play on the floor in front of me. Amy walked in from the kitchen.
“Hey sweetie! How was work?” she asked. I looked down at my clothes. I was wearing a suit and tie.
“Why don’t you get out of that stuffy lawyer getup and into something more comfortable? You can play with Christian while I finish up dinner.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m not you. I didn’t create any of this. You’re just an illusion. Heck, I’m probably asleep somewhere, about to wake from this incredibly horrible nightmare.”
“That’s what you’ve decided on, huh?”
“Yep.”
“Well, then why don’t you wake up?” said the doppelganger, almost in a lyrical manner. I stared at him. And I did not wake up.
“Sit down, Kevin.” Two chairs appeared on either side of the table. As I took a seat, I noticed that the table was covered in green felt.
“What’s going on?”
“What do you think is going on?”
“I think we’re going to play cards.”
“You’re right. What should we play for?” I didn’t know what to say. “Let me make a suggestion.” A spotlight appeared to my right. Within the spotlight was Christian. He was sitting there on the floor, playing with some toy trucks, the picture of innocence.
“Its all that easy, is it?”
“Yep, its that simple.” He smiled.
“Well, what game are we going to play?”
“What do you want to play?” A deck materialized in front of us.
“How about we each just cut the deck, draw a card, and high card wins?”
There ya go, baby.
“Are you sure you really want to do that, Kevin?” He looked at me with mischievous eyes.
“Sure.”
“Why do you think you can beat me at that game, Kevin?”
“Why do you think you can lose?” He frowned.
“You puny, worthless pile of skin. How can you possibly beat me?”
“Don’t you want to find out?” Now I was smiling.
“Cut the damn deck and draw your card.” I followed his directions and set the card in front of me.
“Your turn.”
As if on cue, a card shot out of the deck and stood in front of him with its back to me.
“You still think you can win, don’t you?” He seemed annoyed now, his previous amusement turning into ferocity.
“I know I can.” My fingers crept toward my card.
“Hold on a minute. What do you think is under that card that could possibly beat what is under mine?”
Show him.
“Why do you ask? You’re sure that you have me beat. If you’re so sure, then why do we even play?”
“Turn the card,” he said, his stare piercing through the light shining around us, the darkness beginning to close in. Just as it began to close around me, I lifted my index finger half an inch. My card rose from the table, a shining cross on the face of it. In that swift instance, the darkness in the room vanished and my doppelganger disappeared. The card table was no longer in front of me. I was now sitting on the couch, watching my son play on the floor in front of me. Amy walked in from the kitchen.
“Hey sweetie! How was work?” she asked. I looked down at my clothes. I was wearing a suit and tie.
“Why don’t you get out of that stuffy lawyer getup and into something more comfortable? You can play with Christian while I finish up dinner.”