Cataclysm

Mia was in an unfamiliar living room. Nancy was there. 

In the corner of the room was a floating baby. 

It giggled and bounced in the corner then pushed to the middle of the ceiling and turned to look at Mia. 

Mia looked at Nancy. “Who’s that?” 

Nancy glanced up. Then looked back at Mia and smiled. She said nothing. The baby cooed and giggled then began to float over Nancy’s head. 

Nancy looked up at the baby. She reached out her hand with a pointed finger. The baby reached out. It couldn’t reach. There was too much distance. 

The baby looked at Mia. “Tether loosening has begun.”  

Mia sat up in bed. She had never had a dream like that before. Everything seemed so real and dreamlike. She looked at the clock. It was 2:13 am. Then she lay back down. 

She knew that Nancy was indisposed tonight because she was with Steve. He was being deployed tomorrow. 

She wrote down the time and a detailed description of the dream. 

She remembered when she was a little kid and nightmares would come. 

Janis would get into bed with her and rub her head. They would talk and then sleep would ease into her. All was made right. 

Nancy felt different. She’d never felt this way before. Something was and wasn’t right. She was lying in bed naked with Steve. He was snoring away. 

She could still feel his wetness between her legs. 

Nancy turned over and shook Steve. “Wake up honey…” 

“Huh?” Steve turned to look at her. “You, ok?” Steve held her close. 

“Something is different now.” She nestled into his chest. 

After a few minutes, Steve had fallen back to sleep. Nancy turned and looked at the clock. It was 2:13. 

Her eyes closed and her body relaxed.  

Nancy was staring at a tunnel. A young child was playing with a ball further down it. She could hear her high-pitched giggle. 

At a certain point after throwing the ball against the wall. She put it against her hip and beckoned Nancy. Nancy walked into the tunnel. The child beckoned again. She walked towards the girl. The girl stayed the same distance away. Then she giggled again. “The tether is loosening…” Her voice was high-pitched and reverberated down the cylinder. 

The girl dropped the ball, turned, and ran away. Nancy followed her. She got to the ball. The girl kept running getting smaller and smaller. Then next to her, she heard a voice clearly say, “How would you handle a paradigm shift?” 

Steve stood over her. His coffee in hand. 

“Today is goodbye.” 

Nancy looked at him. He’d never seen that look on her face. 

Nancy walked into Metamorphosis right at seven. 

She headed over to their corner table. Mia stood. As they embraced Mia inhaled. 

Nancy smelled pregnant. 

Mia smiled and knew she would say nothing. 

“Last night I had a strange dream.” Nancy took a drink of her water. “Have you ordered our usual?” 

“I have.” Mia smiled. 

Nancy explained her dream. Mia said nothing. When they were halfway through the appetizer, Mia took Nancy's hand and cradled it. She stared at her. Nancy could tell that Mia wasn’t quite there. “This child represents a shift in us. The universe wants this. We need this.” She let go of her friend's hand and took a drink from her Margarita. Nancy could see the crazy seep from her best friend. Mia withdrew. “I’ve said too much.” 

Nancy said nothing, she just ate another buffalo wing. 

Three Hours Later 

Janis’s phone rang she saw it was Nancy. 

“Hey, kid. How are you?” 

“I’m pregnant. “She knew Nancy well enough to know that this wasn’t a joke. “Wow. Congratulations.” 

“Thank you.” Both laughed. “It was a pleasure.” More laughter. Then silence 

Nancy knew what the next question was. “How did Mia take it?” 

“When I told her she was fine and then she started to act strangely.” 

“How?” 

“She was acting the way she was before San Diego.” 

Janis leaned back in her seat. “Ok.” She looked at the hills. “That’s not good.” Another silence “When are you due?” 

“April 15th.” 

“What’s your analysis of Mia?” 

“I think she’s ok, but I wanted to give you a heads up in case this gets out of control, and something has to be done.” 

“I understand. I’m going to be in your neck of the woods soon. Why don’t we spend the day together?” 

“That sounds great. How long has it been?” 

“Since San Diego.” 

Mia was at Nancy’s apartment. It was late.

Suddenly Mia sat up and got right close to Nancy. She reached out rubbed Nancy’s belly. “I’m inside of you. I’m here and there. But when the baby is born there will only be one of me.”

Nancy looked her right in the eyes. “What are you talking about?” This was the parental voice that had been sharpened on Mia’s previous nonsense. 

The loudness of the voice was having the cowering effect that it normally has. “I need your help to make the transformation smooth.”

Nancy stood up. “Where are you getting this shit?”

“The night you got pregnant I dreamt about the girl.” She pointed to Nancy’s stomach.

“How do you know it’s girl? I don’t.”

Mia smiled. “You know Nancy.” 

Nancy backed away. She hit her rocking chair and sat down.

Then she put her head in her hands. “Mia…I do not need your fucking craziness now.”

Mia smiled again. “That’s the hormones talking. Pregnant women aren’t themselves.”

“No Mia…” Nancy paused. “What am I doing? I’m pregnant and you’re nuts.” She stood and walked out of the room mumbling. “It’s the blind leading the blind in 4g on Parker street.”

Mia was back in the living room. Nancy was standing in front of her. She was naked and very pregnant. 

Nancy smiled. 

Suddenly there was a hand that appeared to be pressing out. Then another hand next to it. In between these two hands, a head appeared. It looked like Mia. The face was using Nancy’s belly as a tight mask.

“You cannot deny fate or destiny.” There was a pause. Nancy rubbed her belly. When her hands were in front of the face it appeared without its mask of Nancy’s uterus and muscle. 

It had the same coloring as Mia. Eventually, Nancy’s hands locked around her belly. The baby blinked. Its hands disappeared from the sides of the head. “I am a mirror. See in me what you want.” 

Nancy was staring at Mia. She finally spoke. “Touch her Mia...touch me...” 

Her stomach was large. Suddenly there was a hand that appeared to be pressing out. Then another hand next to it. In between, a head appeared. It looked like Mia. Nancy’s skin became a tight fitting mask.

Mia reached out and put a hand over the face that was coming out from the belly.  

The baby closed its eyes. Then Mia closed hers. The face was in her head. Mia began to take her hand back. 

The baby reached out and gripped her wrist vice-like. The pain was electrifying her. “Listen Mia Smalls, you and I are connected in this dimension and all the other ones. I am your baby not Nancy’s.” There was a pause. Mia opened her eyes. 

The baby was right next to her face. The uterine mask was all around it. “I have always been your child.” 

Then the baby reared back and lunged at Mia. 

She could feel its hands rip at her ears. 

Mia woke up like a shot. She was freezing. Next to her she heard the baby say. “March 15...We shift.” 

Mia woke up...again. She was covered in sweat and freezing. This had happened in San Diego. She didn’t know what to do.

She got out of bed, ran to the bathroom, and vomited. After that, she leaned against the wall. Everything was too silent. She wanted her sister to fix everything like she always had. 

“JANIS!!!” She began crying. Then she banged her head into the wall. Then she did it again and again. 

 Mia walked out of her apartment. She had no idea where she was going. It was loosening. She wanted out. 

Mia walked six blocks down from her apartment. Then down past Parting Park. She stood in front of Nancy’s apartment. 

She grinned. The front door was glowing. She could see it take in a breath. 

Mia watched it for a while. She wanted to be naked. It was a nice summer night. 

She took off her shirt and threw it down on the street. Then her pants and underwear. She began to spin in the street. The wind felt good against her body She spun and spun until she was dizzy. Then she collapsed on the stairs. It felt so good. 

She needed to tell Mia. 

She ran up to the door. It was glowing bright now. Its breathing became labored. 

She pushed the door open and ran up the stairs to the third floor. She pushed 409’s doorbell. Then she turned and began to dance to an invisible beat. Her hips circled slowly then faster. 

Nancy looked through the peephole and saw the gyrating. She opened the door. 

“Mia!!!!” Her voice was part whisper part yell. With that, she jerked her inside the hose. 

Mia let out a little kid yelp and wrapped her arms around Nancy. 

Then she leaned into her face. “You have a baby inside you. A blank slate for the world to write upon. I am inside now. I will always be a part of you. Half of you and half of Steve.” She released Nancy and began to twirl around the apartment.      

She was giggling now. 

“Where are your clothes, Mia?” 

“I freed them my love.” She threw her hands up in the air and fell back on the sofa. “They’re free!!!” 

The baby was kicking a lot. It did that almost all day but tonight it was much more than normal. Tonight, it was pounding her uterus like a drum.  

“Can I feel Mia 2.0 in there?” 

What do you mean Mia 2.0?” 

Mia twisted her back and then entwined her arms. “Little Mia. Mia ’N Mia. We can be M’NM. The real slim shady” 

“When did I say I was going to name the baby after you? I said you could help. You don’t even know if it’s a girl.” 

This caused all of Mia’s motion to cease. Seriousness flooded over her. “It’s a girl. I saw her. Our destinies are linked.” Mia grinned. “She told me that.” Then an idea popped off in her head. “M N M…Mia Nancy and Mia. Peanut goodness for all.” She danced around for a few more minutes, the baby kicked even more. Then she sat down. 

It was then that Nancy noticed when Mia was sitting the baby didn’t kick. When she danced around it went wild. 

She hoped this meant nothing but knew she was wrong. 

Finally, Mia lay back on the couch and fell asleep. 

The kicking stopped. Nancy went off to her rocking chair and sat down. She began to rock back and forth. Eventually, she got up and wandered downstairs to look for Mia’s clothes. She was able to go down and pick them all up. As she stood from grabbing the underwear her baby began to kick violently. 

Nancy knew that Mia was awake upstairs. As she rode the elevator up, she realized how crazy Mia had gotten. The whole time the baby was pounding against her. 

She walked into the apartment and Mia was up dancing around. 

Nancy threw her clothes on the couch. “Do Mama a favor and calm the fuck down. Then put your clothes on.” Nancy sat back in the chair. She wondered how Steve would’ve dealt with this. 

Suddenly, Mia stopped. Simultaneously, the baby stopped kicking. Mia bent over. The sweat shone. 

“I’m going to make us some tea.” 

Mia returned from making the tea.

“You need help, Mia.” 

Mia collapsed back onto the couch. “I’m drifting off. Soon the transition will be complete.” There was a quiet. “You will help with the transition won’t you Nancy?” 

“I’ll do what I can.” Nancy picked up her phone. She pulled up Janis’s number. She typed in 911 and sent it off. 

“I’m going into the bedroom. Let me know when the tea is ready.” 

When she got to the bathroom Nancy wrote a text to Janis. “Mia just showed up to my house naked. When can we talk about this?” 

Janis responded. “I’m available all night... breakfast tomorrow?” 

“Metamorphosis Restaurant. 8 am. Address to follow.” 

The ruins of breakfast lay on the table. 

“So, Nan...what’s been going on?” 

“You know I love Mia but lately she’s gone off the deep end.” 

“Worse than San Diego...” 

“I don’t know I’m not really in my right mind.” Nancy rubbed her belly. 

“You’re due next month...right?” 

“I’m due in exactly a month.” 

“You’re going to be an incredible mother.” 

“I hope so.” Nancy crossed her fingers and looked to the heavens. She felt the baby kick. Then again. She had to stop talking for a second. “Sorry...they’re awake.” More kicking. “That’s the other thing I need to tell you. The baby’s movements are connected to when Mia is up. The more energy she has the more energy she has.” 

“Is it a girl?” 

“I think so.” 

“Are you serious about the Mia girl connection?”

“Completely serious. Last night during her meltdown the kid was going crazy inside. Mia collapsed and the kid stopped kicking.” Nancy looked up into Janis’s eyes. “I’m not kidding about that.” 

“That’s weird.” 

“So, besides the stuff I’ve told you before Mia has been saying that she will be reincarnated as the child. She will be the child.” 

“Jesus...” 

“There’s more. Last week Mia demanded to be in the delivery room. I didn’t have the heart to ask if she would be dead by that time...or when exactly the soul transference, her words” Nancy rolled her eyes. “Takes place.” 

“Where is she getting this stuff from?” 

“No idea Janis...no fucking idea.” Nancy raised her finger. “She does want this transference to be very smooth.” 

Janis put her head into her hands. “This is much worse than San Diego.” 

Nancy leaned in close. “You and I have known each other for decades. Mia has never scared me. Now, she’s scaring me. She needs to be hospitalized.” 

Suddenly, from the door, there was a scream. “Janis WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE???” 

Mia stood in the doorway. Her top was hanging off her shoulder and her pants were barely on. She approached the table. “HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON?” 

Janis rose. “Mia, I was worried about you.” 

Mia ignored Janis. She glared at Nancy. “AND YOU!!! HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON??”

Nancy felt an enormous tsunami of kicking inside. The kicking was relentless and felt like it was powered directly from hell. She could feel the bile rise. 

Mia was speechless. Nancy’s bile was picking up speed as it snaked up her esophagus. The baby’s kicks seemed to be never-ending. 

Mia was backing away from the table. 

She bumped the table behind her. Janis moved towards her. “Mia. Calm down. I’m here to help you.” 

Nancy tried to stand up and on the second attempt, she got up. 

Mia was rushed back to earth because of the bump. 

She turned and ran out into the street. It was then that the impact happened. 

A large white car squealed to a halt. The witnesses said that Mia’s body flew up and then hit the ground with a sickening crunch. 

The moment Nancy heard the crunch the kicking stopped. She moved out into the street and Mia lay there. A halo of blood was evenly forming while her brain matter was easing from her. 

It was then that Nancy’s bile erupted. It spilled over the curb and into the street. 

Janis, meanwhile, immediately took control and began screaming for someone to call an ambulance. She walked over to Mia and held her hand. 

Mia’s eyes were open. 

Nancy was in dry heaves. Someone came over and led her back into the restaurant. She touched her belly instinctively and it felt different. The baby is gone. The thought flashed across her head. But she knew it wasn’t true. She just knew she was wrong. 

The baby is gone. The thought was there again. She dragged herself back to the bathroom 

Metamorphosis was empty everyone had gone outside to see what had happened and now the ones who wished they hadn’t been dribbling back in. 

Nancy moved into the back of the restaurant and down to the women’s restroom. She got into there and walked into the stall. She leaned and slid down the wall to the floor. 

It was then that she felt the blood on her legs. Something had gone wrong. She went to scream but nothing came out. 

She looked towards the door and then at the other wall. 

It was then that she saw the white shoes and stockings. There were two pairs of them in front of her. Further up, there were two black dresses and white shirts.

Nancy’s eyes rested on Mia. 

Mia stared down through Nancy. Next to her was a child that looked like Mia and Nancy. 

Mia looked down. “That was the transition that was supposed to be.” The child looked up at Mia. There was silence. Mia smiled. The child looked back to Nancy. It never smiled, just stared blankly.

 Then the stall was empty. 

Nancy had forgotten that she was trying to scream. She broke the silence with a roar. Then she looked at the wall. There was nothing there. She noticed that someone had scrawled something on the wall. “Thank you for the release…” 

The handwriting was Mia’s.

Nancy screamed again.