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As soon as you were certain that you'd gotten all the muck and grime out of all your nooks and crannies, you shut off the water, toweled yourself off and stepped out of the shower. There was a fresh set of clothes laid out for you by your mother, and you smiled at the gesture. It was only a graphic tee that was a little tight on you, a pair of blue jeans, and some plain underwear and socks. Nothing fancy.
You spent some more time drying off your hair, slipped into your new clothes and checked yourself in the mirror.
<span class="mu-s">“Ugh. Still foggy…”</span>
You wiped your hand on the mirror to clear it up and saw a poor reflection of your face staring back at you. Your eyes looked normal, and your face still looked like…your face.
You flashed a grin, and inspected your teeth for any specks of undead flesh or blood. You didn’t see or feel anything out of place, but you didn’t want to take any chances.
It only took a minute of searching to find a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash and floss. Everything was exactly where you left it last time. Mom must’ve gone through painstaking detail to create this place.
—-----
Several minutes later, you emerged from the bathroom, still using your towel to pat your hair and neck dry. Your mom was sitting at the dining room table, now dressed in something more casual and less bloody.
You exchanged a smile and walked over to join her at the table.
<span class="mu-s">“Hi…”</span> you said, still wondering if you were dreaming.
Your mom cocked an eyebrow, an amused smile teasing her face.
<span class="mu-r">“Hi.”</span> she mimicked, patting the table until you hurriedly sat opposite her.
You shuffled uncomfortably in your chair, placed your arms on the table, and then removed them a moment later when you remembered who you were sitting with.
Your mom chuckled.
<span class="mu-r">“I’ll excuse your bad manners.”</span> she offered. <span class="mu-r">“<span class="mu-i">This time</span>. It’s a special occasion, after all.”</span>
She reached over to grab your hand, and you gripped hers as tightly as you could without hurting her. You ran your thumb over her hand, allowing the reality of the situation to sink in for you.
Your mother was alive! Actually alive!
<span class="mu-s">“Mom…what’re you doing here?”</span> you asked. <span class="mu-s">“They told me you guys were taking kids and making them work for you.”</span>
Your mother chuckled slightly and let go of your hand. Your fingers groped empty air for several seconds more, longing for her touch.
<span class="mu-r">“As you can see, I have been busy in my absence. This facility has been in construction for some time now, and I have made myself indispensable to their operation, for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the resources they have to offer.”</span> she explained.
You gave her a puzzled look, and your mother’s expression suddenly became serious.
(Cont.)
