Alex knocked on Myla's door. "Tenho que falar com voce."
Myla opened the door. "Que que voce quer..." They were clearly still shaken, it didn't feel like it was from what happened in the meeting, rather about last night's fight.
Alex stared at them, and sighed. "Olha, e... Eu vou voltar pra ficar com o resto da familia la no rio."
"A-And I'm going along too, right...?"
Alex would just stare, before shaking her head. "You need to learn to fend for yourself, Myla. I'm sorry."
No. No, no, no... She can't leave. They can't stay alone in here. Please. Fuck. No. This is wrong. Myla starts to hyperventilate.
Alex is just standing there. Watching it. She thinks it's about time, especially now. "I already packed my shit up, should be outside. I called an Uber, too. I left something for you in the fridge."
Myla looks up at Alex. They're sobbing slightly.
"I'll leave you alone. Text... you later." She heads outside. Myla gets up from bed. It feels like they lost 30 years of their life last night. First, whatever the fuck happened at the meeting, and now Alex leaving. This is hell. They remember Alex mentioning something she left for them in the kitchen or whatever. They should go check. Getting into the kitchen, nothing really stands out. They check the fridge and there's a bottle there, with a post-it stuck on it.
"38% Mushroom, 24% Chamomile, 38% Yerba mate. Sorry for everything. -Alex"
They grabbed the bottle. It smelled a bit harsh, but they liked it that way anyways. They just stare at the bottle for a bit. They're remembering everything that happened yesterday. It felt so surreal, maybe it was just a bad trip of theirs, who knows.
They drink the tea. Myla straight up just hits their fucking head on the table and fall unconscious on the floor. Ouch. 'Myla' got up. Why was its forehead bleeding slightly-
Where was it, even? What the fuck just happened? An overall just weird aura of confusion and a... really weird lack of emotions beyond just confusion.
---
Willow walks slowly towards Myla's house, focused more on the sidewalk and her phone then anything, lost in thought. She knocks on the door, "It's me, Myla- er. Madison! Uh- as in I'm Willow and I'm here, Madison?" Madison runs and opens the front door. First thing Willow notices about it is that it looks exactly like Myla, but, the hair is less messy, it looks more anxious, and, hey, no mask? "Hm. Hello." Madison is only staring at Willow for now. It signals them to come in.
Willow walks inside, holding a small leather journal. Immediately begins to take notes, starting with appearance differences and behavioral differences. She runs to the bathroom after a minute, and takes a brush that Myla had used, collecting some of the hair in a bag, labels the bag "Myla", and runs back to Madison, "Could you give me a small sample of your hair? I want to compare these.. see the extent of what's changed.."
Madison is still staring at Willow, before it they break eye contact. "Why should I? I just met you... Y'know?"
"Oh, crap, you're totally right. I'm sorry. I haven't remy even properly introduced myself. Im sorry. I guess i was just used to.. knowing.. sorta you? I'm Willow. Uh. Nice to meet you."
"Even if you thought you knew me, it's still a bit, odd to just... barge into someone's house and ask... for their hair... I'm Madison. Madison... wha... uh... Warren."
"...yea. you're right. In case you're curious, the hair I have in this bag is Mylas and is for DNA purposes. I was hoping to compare this hair with yours. I am a bit odd. I'm working on that, I promise."
"Well, uh... I mean... can I give you something else?"
Willow studies them for a moment, "You know.. can I ask you a question?" Her mood changes violently, suddenly excited, open and friendly. She is preforming a test.
"Uh... sure?"
Willow's smiling enough for it to hurt, arms out and open, appearing comfortable. "What's your favorite candy?"
"Candy? Uh... My. My favorite candy. Uh. No. The. The idea of. When you. It." Madison is clearly having a meltdown.
Willow takes notice, changing mood again, red in the face and upset, "I just.. cant! AUGH! Everything.. Everything has just gone WRONG lately and I know it's not your fault bit I miss Myla.. So so much, I just.. I can't help but be mad at you- augh!"
Madison is staring at Willow again, before it bursts out in a fit of rage as well. "What do you fucking want me to do though?! Is 'everything' that's going wrong MY FAULT?! AND I DON'T CARE IF YOU FUCKING MISS MYLA! STOP TALKING ABOUT HER TO ME!"
Willow begins to laugh, slowly and quietly and first, before it spits into full on cackling, barely able to breathe, tears falling from eyes, "So.. so Mylas really gone. And you're practically a mirror. She's gone.." She calms down, taking notes. "I'm sorry. I'm very, very sorry. I had to know. I don't blame you. At least I know I shouldn't. I'll be there soon. It just might take a minute." Willow takes a deep breath and exhales, staring up at Madison. Madison stares back at Willow. They're not as upset as them. These little moments where they stare at them feel like just a blip in time.
They calm down as well. "I'm sorry too. It'll be okay."
"It's just.. I have to know how different you really are from her. If your DNA has changed. I'd need something like hair or fingernails from you AND Myla, and since.. shes... gone hair seemed the easiest. This would really help my research. I only need a little, even as little as three strands would do."
Madison stays quiet for a moment, before getting up and going into the kitchen. It comes back holding a towel with blood on it. In a somewhat emotionless tone, it talks. "Towel. Woke up. Head bleeding. Take it."
"Hm. Ok. But where am I supposed to get blood from Myla-" Willow sigh snad quietly follows it, staying a decent distance but taking notes. It doesn't really do much, it just goes to the kitchen. And then back into the living room. And then back into the kitchen. Back to the living room. Kitchen. Living room. Kitchen. Room. And so on. Willow sits down in the living room, "Are you ok?"
Madison stops, before staring at Willow again. They look distraught this time.
"Hm. Is there anything I can help you with? Or tell you?"
It's blinking maniacally. You try to interpret this as morse, maybe a small amount of Myla is in there, but no. It just keeps looking. And blinking. It opens its mouth. Willow looks at it expectantly. It just says a ton of gibberish. Willow sighs, trying to appear comfortable, "You should try to calm down. I know this is alot.."
It looks at Willow again. It acts calm. "I am calm... it's just... yeah."
"I know what you mean. I don't know how to feel about this. On one hand, it's horrible, and my friends have practically died, being replaced and.. not remembering me.. at all. On the other hand, there's new people too meet, and the entire thing is just.. fascinating, and strange. It shouldn't be possible."
"Listen, I don't know you that well, but like, it's nice to have you as a friend, I guess... I mean, I've probably had worse?"
"I don't know. If I was really a good friend I would've been able to save her somehow.. but you're here now. And I.. I'm glad to have you. It just might take me a while." Willow sighs, "I'm sorry."
Madison seems to almost shed a tear. A real drop of emotion stemming from it in the midst of everything going on. It goes in to hug Willow. It feels genuine.
Willow hugs Madison back, not putting on any act, "It'll be ok. I'll figure this out. I have to do something. I.. I'll.. I don't know. But it'll be ok. If you really don't want to give some hair, it's really, really fine. I can try to ask somebody else."
"...take it."
"Thank you. I really do appreciate this. I promise I'll do my best.. DNA isn't my specialty.. but I'll show and tell you any results I get."
"Alright. Take care. It's a desert out there."
Willow takes a very small snipit of the tips of their hair, collecting it in a bag, labeling it 'Madison', "Thank you. I'm sorry that.. you know. For everything. For how weird and confusing this must be to you. If you need me, just send a chat! Try to get some rest tonight!" And just like that, she waves, wandering off.
Madison looks outside. It faintly repeating what it said before she left.
"Take care... it's a... care... it... out there... take care..."