Literature
Its All in your Head (Stepford TF)
Erin and Kat both smiled as they made their way through the downtown streets on another cool November evening. Date night wasn’t exactly a formal occasion, but the frosty air and holiday season made it feel just a bit more special to both of them. Erin’s knee-high boots crunched through the swirling leaves, her jeans and lined leather jacket complimenting each other nicely. She strode confidently, exuding just the slightest bit of intimidation from her sunglass’d eyes and black hair in a firm bun, belying her excitement. Kat, on the other hand, was doing almost a half-skip, keeping up with Erin’s strides. Her leggings, sweatshirt, and blonde braids, alongside her visible smile and rosy cheeks beamed her excitement all around. The two eventually stopped at a pizza place with a small porch and tables littered around a courtyard. All Kat had to do was look up at her austere partner. Erin sighed, lovingly. “Alright, we can sit outside. You sure you’re not too chilly?” “Nope!” Kat chirped back. “I’m actually a little worried that you’ll be.” Erin zipped her jacket together and nodded. “Nah, I’ll be fine.” The two were led by a server to one of the tables sitting under a tree. After settling down and cracking open the menus, Kat looked excitedly over at Erin. “What’s up?” Erin asked, chuckling. “Nothin’ really, whatcha getting?” Kat’s eyes sparkled as she waited intently for Erin’s response. “Uhh… the margherita looks good, I guess. Not very often we go for fancy pizza, yknow.” “Well, there’s been something I’ve been wanting to try!” “What’s that?” Kat giggled coyly. “You’ll find out.” Erin gave her bundle of energy a slight side-eye, to which Kat just smiled. “Right… so anyway. I’m gonna run to the bathroom real quick, just get me what you’re having if the server comes back.” “Okay!” Erin got up and made her way past Kat, towards the building at the center of the courtyard. As she did, Kat whispered under her breath before giggling again. “See you soon, Sally.” “Huh?” Erin paused for a moment and looked back at Kat, who was staring at her phone. Seeing that Kat had neither acknowledged her stopping nor seemed to be needing her, Erin restarted slowly walking towards the building. As she walked, though, her mind seemed to clould a bit. Thoughts began to fog. The only thing that she could hold on to was what she thought Kat had muttered. “Sally… who’s Sally…?” Ran her internal monologue over and over as she slowly staggered towards the restaurant, a walk that seemed to be stretching on out towards infinity. “I’m Erin… so who’s… Sally…?” “Why, Sally’s me!” Piped up a sugary-sweet voice in the back of her mind. “No? I’m Erin.” Retorted a louder, firmer, more familiar internal monologue. “Heavens, no, dear. Who would want such a boyish name?” Came the sugary voice again, louder this time. Erin?’s footsteps became heavier as the voices in her mind started to argue more fervently. “Me… I would, it’s my name…” Erin replied. “Oh, no, dear. Your name is Sally.” “My name… is Sally?” Serin meekly pushed through the door into the restaurant. A hostess smiled at her as she stumbled in. “Why, of course it is!” The new voice rang out in her head as she opened her mouth. “Pardon me…” she gasped out to the hostess, “is there a ladies room around?” her enunciation firming as she spoke. “Just down the hallway and to your left!” “Marvelous!” Erin exclaimed, louder than she wanted to. “…i appreciate it”, she followed, her old voice kicking back in. Sellryn shuffled past the hostess stand and down the hallway, another journey that felt like it took eons as her brain continued to fracture. “Young ladies should smile when they are in public.” The sugary voice emplored. “Isn’t Sally a proper young lady?” “…no… I’m—Sally is… just me…” “Very good, darling! Oh, Katherine will be just pleased as punch when she sees you.” “Katherine… Kat?” “Yes, indeedy!” The voice affirmed, “Sally is Katherine’s pretty little thing, isn’t she?” Sellyn started to feel like the voice was winning. “Y…yeah, I love her so much…” she muttered, crashing into the women’s restroom. “You love her enough to look your best at all times, don’t you, doll.” The voice cooed. “Mhm…” Sallyn was starting to give up. It felt really, really good to listen to the voice. “What a good girl!” The voice exclaimed, “let’s go and make sure your makeup is in apple-pie order, shall we?” If there was any of Erin’s voice remaining in her head, it evaporated the second she looked in the mirror. Her face was expertly made up, porcelain-white with doll-like blush, light mascara and eyeliner all framing matte-red lips and shining teeth. “Does the young lady in the mirror look like an Erin or a Sally, dear?” “Why, she looks like a Sally!” Sally exclaimed, her perfect smile lighting up the vanity more than the sconces beside it. “Golly, that’s me, isn’t it!” “Right you are, dollface! Now, what does Sally like to wear for a night on the town with her Mistress?” The voice in her head urged. Sally’s mind raced, its glittering gears turning as new memories, thoughts, behaviors and preferences invaded the space vacated by her former self. “Oh, I remember this little number that Katherine said was just divine when we ran across it at Penny’s… let me see…” The ocean of pastel mush in Sally’s brain churned and coalesced into a brand-new, manufactured memory: “Golly, it was this gorgeous white, tea-length dress with the most adorable little blue flowers all across it… I wore it with a black ribbon across the hip and a petticoat or two as well…” As she described the dress, her leather jacket morphed into a white bodice with elbow-length sleeves, a peter-pan collar and tiny blue flowers all over. Sally looked down, her face lighting up further as she saw the metamorphosis taking place. She could hardly contain herself as her jeans fused together and flared out as nude hose with a black seam glided down from her skirt while a black belt cinched her waist. Her boots shrunk down into three-inch, navy blue mary-jane pumps with white trim. Sally excitedly reached a white-gloved hand down into her black, gilded clutch and pulled out some lipstick. After freshening her coat and making sure her vintage bob was in place under her white headband, she turned to the bathroom door, grabbed the navy blue cardigan that hung there, buttoned it up, and lept through the door. Back outside, sat Katherine, also expertly done-up in a vintage look, her platinum-blonde locks draped around her face in retro rolls. Her stiff, caramel-colored skirtsuit and heels made getting up quickly look like no easy task, but she did so moments before Sally arrived back to her seat. “Allow me, doll.” She smiled, pulling Sally’s seat out. “Golly, you’re such a charmer, you.” Sally giggled as she primly took her seat. “It’s always a pleasure to spoil my little lady.” Katherine replied, as suavely as she had been energetic earlier. “Oh, goodness, dear… you know how that princely attitude of yours can get me going…” Sally gasped. Katherine tsk’d. “Not in public, my darling. In public, Sally—“ Sally went as stiff as a board, crossing her legs and sitting at attention. “is the epitome of propriety, grace, and congeniality.” “That’s my girl.” Katherine cooed… ———— To be continued??