All Your Fates (Currently editing/updating)

Chapter 21: Welcome to the Pleasure Dome ~ Carrie Cutforth

Music Track list: Welcome to the Pleasure Dome

****

David’s POV

I walked over to myself?? WHAT THE FUCK?? on unsteady legs, feeling dizzy and my soul beginning to separate its hold from the spine of this body. Keep it together, David! Keep it together….

I sat down in the booth opposite to my other, who stared at me with that same shit-eating grin, like he enjoyed watching my brain assplode all over itself a little too much. He was every inch of me, only perhaps a bit more sculpted. His hair was neater than mine currently was. Like a man full of swagger and not baby spittle.

“Welcome to the Pleasure Dome,” my other self said.

I snorted and stared at him, trying not to speak through gritted teeth, “You for real?”

“What you don’t believe your own eyes?” my other self said.

“I believe my eyes. Not the line,” I snapped back. Can you believe this mofo? Questioning my perception of reality?

“Just making sure. You don’t always know who I am,” he said.

“You mean…you’ve met me before?” I asked.

He leaned back into his seat in that jovial relaxed way, taking his time to answer. Slinging his arm round the seat to be certain I would be irritated by his nonchalance. I wanted to punch that smug jaw of his. Then I wondered if I would feel it. Then I began to think about the Crimson twins, Tomax and Xamot, from GI Joe that could feel each other’s pain, and that one episode where they blasted the skulls off an army of attacking corpses and then my train of thought unravelled from there.

Dav—The Other David grinned at me, and I could sense he was pleased with my destabilization. I gripped the edge of the red Formica table to keep myself steady and…unviolent.

He smiled with that infuriating smarmy smile…really, do I fucking look like this asshat when I smile? and said, “I’ve met several of us, David. Not all of them take it so well. You know, having their entire paradigm challenged after being so long in a psychic and spiritual slumber.”

The waitress suddenly appeared to place a turkey sandwich in front of me. She arched an eyebrow at me, but carried on wordlessly away from our table. I stared after her wondering what she must think. And what could she do if she guessed correctly? It’s not like there is a reality police you can call in suspicious times like these. The Other David paused until she was out of earshot before assuring, “She guesses we are twins.”

I nodded and waited for him to continue. “So far,” The Other David said, “You are taking it well. I see this isn’t all new to you.”

“I’ve been around the block once or twice,” I nodded.

“More than that, I bet,” he said and then gestured for me to dig into the turkey sandwich. After noticing my hesitation he said, “Eat. Don’t let yourself get lightheaded. You’ll lose all control. The soul needs the strength of the body to hold onto.”

I acquiesced and took a bite of the goddamn sandwich, and it was most good. I forgot how enjoyable eating was, I move around so much it’s hard to remember when the last time I ate was. But he was right, I seemed to slip out more during moments of bodily weakness or stress.

“So,” I said between mouthfuls, trying not to spit on myself, “Riddle me this. Emma is cheating on me with you, myself? Does she think we are twins? Or how does that work?”

David laughed a throaty laugh, “It’s a matter of perspective. I would say, from where you are sitting, she’s cheating on not you but the body whose soul you’ve unceremoniously kicked out for however long this jaunt is. And cheating with your soul if you stay long enough in the poor shmuck’s body. Which is your plan all along right? To reap the rewards of some other David’s efforts?”