Where am I? 

I’m walking. Everything’s blurry. Underwater? While walking. I can barely see. It looks like I’m walking in a familiar place. There.. My wife! My boy! They’ll help.

I can’t yell. The water.

Someone’s talking. I’m talking? No. But it’s coming from where I’m located? Vibrations. From the water. The water.

It’s talking to my wife. My child.

GET AWAY FROM THEM! GET AWAY! THIS ISN’T RIGHT! PLEASE! Please.

I can barely hear what they’re saying. Something about breakfast. Are they not suspicious?

WHY CAN’T YOU TELL IT’S NOT ME?!

I should've paid more attention in school. Then I’d be able to tell what’s happening. What kind of human this thing is. How can I call it human? It’s water. Water hurting an innocent man. An innocent family. He must have taken my form. I’m stuck in a me-shaped shell. For how long will I be here? Does it eat? I might just be the food.

Walking outside. Where are we going? In the car? Guess so.

And it can drive. And turn on the radio. It’s talking along with the news reports. 

It’s talking along with the interviews. 

It sings the songs. 

The meeting!

That’s where it’s driving to. And we’re here now. 

Daviys! You’ll notice.

Or not. I think he’s smiling. Haven’t seen that in a while. So a stupid, lousy water parasite makes you happy but not your friend of more than a decade. 

My meeting’s ruined.

Through the gold gates. He must have passed security. Now he’s meeting my guide. Shaking hands. 

I can see so much green. Must be the gardens. The beautiful gardens. I’ll never get to see them. 

So much red and gold. Luxury. Tears. But what do tears mean when I’m engulfed in a blob of water. Real poetic stuff coming out of me. Guess confronting death kinda does that to a man.

The doors are opening. Is that? I think it is. The Wyxxitiez family with the main man there. Silzas Wyxxitiez. They’re all blurs. But rich blurs who know how to wear a robe.

Hold on. That’s- That’s En Kare! Why is he here!? Who invited him to my meeting? I’m fuming. He better not talk to me. Or my water. 

Oh. The meeting’s started. Didn’t notice. Let’s see how this thing does. I’ll try to concentrate but that T’Wyndum kid keeps muttering something to the man beside him. It looks like the boy’s ruining the mood of the room. Even from here I can tell. 

Or it could be the water. It’s been talking for some time. Has it even let Pa. Wyxxitiez talk? What is it doing? The vibrations. Is it shouting? Is it angry?

My reputation ruined. No, not just my reputation. My grandfather’s. My family name is ruined. I just wanted to make you guys proud. I have such memories of greatness. It feels like greatness is part of the family name. You earn the name Bem by being great. Otherwise, you’re a fraud. I have the family. The job was what was going to be next. My father didn’t get to have the job. He sacrificed his worth for me to enjoy the surname. The name was probably a burden for him.

Thyla and Junior. I was so close to giving you everything.

Someone’s coming to Silzas. Whispering something. Silzas is saying something. T’Wyndum’s standing up. Punishing him, Silzas? T’Wyndum’s getting closer to me. Getting something from his jacket pocket? An orange wave. A flame. Why is he bringing it towards me? The maniac-

A splash. Steam. Freedom! Freedom!

“How did you know that wasn’t him?” says a voice

“Sensed him, isn’t it?” another voice

“Sensed that he was not a human?” and another

I’m disoriented. But I can still recognise this one voice.

“That was a human. Guess I’ll explain if I have to. There wasn’t much to it. I’ve seen Mr. Bem around. Heard him around, more like. Very opinionated. Very loud. I knew his scent. Remembered his voice. Knew it wasn’t him. My guess is it has something to do with the river. But if you want to understand, I think all of you would do well listening this time.”

Where am I? Everything’s clear. So at least I’m not back in that thing. I must have blacked out. I’m still in the Wyxxitiez home. I’m assuming with all the high ceilings and scarlet fabric. Someone’s next to me. T’Wyndum.

“So you know me, En Kare?”

“Kinda. I’ve seen you around, you’ve seen me around. What you’re trying to ask is if I know how much you hate me.

…

“How’s Thyla and Junior?

…

“Point is I’ve got really good hearing, remember? Whole alien thing. But then again, some people don’t believe that.”

He can see my shocked face. I should probably say something now.

“Family’s good. Thanks.”

“Someone’s calling them.”

“That’s great. Errr…Thank you so much. I really thought I was gone. I didn’t really mean what I said. You shouldn’t have listened to all that. That’s just jealousy, y’know? Who am I? You’re the hero. Let bygones be bygones, hey?”

“Sure. But I need something compensatory. Or two things. Do you have a cigarette pack?”

“No. And you shouldn’t be smoking at your age.”

“I wasn’t going to- I mean, well, I’m actually like a hundred. Older than you so I don’t have to listen to you, you should really listen to me if we’re doing the whole respect your elders thing. And fourteen isn’t young enough for you not to bully me apparently. Humph. Let’s just move on to my second thing.”

“Yes, sorry, Ms. En Kare. Yes, I was very rude to you. Yes, rumours are very naughty. And yes, your son is lovely. The best even. Yes, no, no, yes, of course,...”