1 Something's Weird About Mom

"I mean, don't you find it... weird, too?"

I looked at my sister with a blank expression. We were sitting by the sofa, watching the evening news when she started this conversation.

"What do you mean?"

It's first coming from her. She's not the type to normally open up random conversations like this, especially if it's something not "that" important. It must've been boggling her mind ever since.

"I mean, mom... she's acting odd."

As she sat there and stare across the television, I couldn't help but think that our situation might be taking a toll on her. She's not the vocal type, after all.

"Aren't you just exaggerating a little, sis?"

"I am not."

She's not the type to let her words flow freely, like throwing words in a river until someone hears them at the bottom of the falls. Her replies are always too short, too concise, and too straight to the point.

"What do you mean by odd, anyway?"

Yet this time, something must've really been bothering her lately. I would just brush it off or tell a joke about it.

"Well, what kind of 'odd' are you even talking about?"

But there's something in her this time that I can't simply ignore.

"You don't really notice it, do you?" And then she looked at me with those droopy eyes, piercing through my soul.

"Maybe it's just your imagination, or something else? And why would you even say something like that to me? It's as if... it's as if what you're saying is true."

"Maybe."

I'd like to shrug it off, just this once. Our conversation's kinda getting lost. But I could somehow feel a growing curiosity deep down inside of me.

"Well... whatever, I guess. I'm going to sleep, how about you?"

She didn't answer me as she kept watching the news. Her stares where blank.

She went to school earlier the next morning.

"Look at you, staying out all night again are you? Bring this to your class, okay?"

"Thanks, mom."

I couldn't sleep well last night. Every time I close my eyes, I'd always wake up one hour after. It's such a hell, especially when the final tests are coming. But the reason why I kept waking up on those intervals is that there's something else in mind. Now I'm the bothered one.

Mom's as normal as usual. Ever since she went back from an overseas business trip a couple of weeks ago, she has always been preparing our school meals every day.

I gaze at her in the kitchen as I munch the food she offered me today, sitting in front of a small table a little far from her. I could see her prepare more food for dinner, and washing the plates and utensils she used.

"You're gonna bore a hole through me if you keep staring like that."

That caught me off guard.

"Sorry, I was just watching you."

As I lifted a spoonful of food I hesitantly avoided my stare onto her, and then I looked again. She's baking something this time.

"Something's bothering you, sweetie?" She said as she continuously kneads a medium lump of dough.

I could tell her about what my sister and I talked about last night, but I think it would only make her worry. She can sometimes make mountains out of little things, and create a pathway with multiple turns.

"My studies, I guess?"

"Would you like a tutor for your subjects? How about your sister?"

"It's alright, mom. I think I can handle them pretty well on my own."

I stood up to put my finished plate in the sink. I saw her favorite mug as I was walking to it. It was given by my dad when he was still around. It was a grievous period in our lives. But most importantly, his passing created a huge toll on my mom.

"You know..." But looking at her now, she seems pretty okay with everything. "I can also lend you a hand if you want to."

"It's okay mom, I got this figured out." She smiled after I said that. I looked at her as I meticulously clean my plate.

Something was definitely odd.

"If you say s— oh no!"

Broken shards of glasses soon covered the floor. I unconsciously and accidentally jogged her favorite mug.

"I-I-I'm sorry, it was an accident."

She stood upright and stared at it for what it felt like forever.

"Mo-mom?"

"Oh... yes? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No, I'm fine. But you're mug..."

"Oh, don't worry about that. I better clean it up and throw it in the trash, I guess."

"Throw it in the trash?" I whispered.

"Did you say something, honey?"

"Ah, no, um... I mean be careful with the shards."

I took two steps back, dropping my unfinished plate to clean in the sink.

"I'm going to head out to school now."

"Alright," she said, still looking at the mug. "Get home early, okay? We'll have a special dinner."

I grabbed my bag and things and ran outside. I looked back in the house and let out a deep sigh.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you're right about something... odd."

I felt gazes from different directions as soon as I walked outside the house. They were coming from our neighbors, and the one's across, and the people walking by the sidewalks. The whole neighborhood seemed to have changed, but I couldn't put a finger on what exactly it is. Like a word on the tip of your tongue that you suddenly forgot.

"You believe me now?" My sister said as she stood up from her seat. We were alone in our class when we had this kind of talk, again.

"I... I don't know." I looked at her as she stares back at me. "I'm not sure, okay?" I also told her about the anomalies I've felt, and encountered, when I was going to school.

"For what its worth, at least you're believing the things I told you." She looked at me again as she slowly walked away outside the door. "Just be careful, okay? I'll be late today, the teacher's somehow calling me. You can go home now."

When I finally went home, all of the lights inside the house were off. I slowly opened the door and saw my mom watching the television by herself in the living room. In the dark.

"Mom?"

I walked slowly and tried to reach the switch.

"Don't open the lights, sweetie."

As soon as I heard her voice, I knew something was definitely wrong.

"Mom?" I took two steps back without losing my eyes on her. She was just there: sitting motionless on the couch, watching the television. And then she looked at me with a smile.

But it wasn't mom.

Her, or its, face was half black. Like an eraser accidentally touched that part and erased the details. My legs shook as I stood there, staring at her horrific look.

"Now, now, is that supposed to be the way you treat your parents?" She stood without turning her body to me, and then she slowly walked. "It was hard for me to do it at the airport, you know? I wonder how difficult would it like if I do it again."

"Wha—what are you talking about?"

I heard the door behind me clicked and opened as I continue to step back away from "that."

"Si-sister!" I ran to her as soon as I saw her bag. "Leave this house! Run away!"

"Just in time, you're home too! We're going to have lots of fun." That thing said while twisting her neck, wearing a huge smile on her face.

"Why would I leave you, sister?" My sister said, with a different voice as well. She stayed at the entrance of our house, standing like a statue.

"The teacher was really nice to me in the department. Shall I share that kindness to you, too, sister?"

It was dark at that time, like swimming in murky and muddy water. The light of the moon behind her illuminated her, casting a long, broken shadow. And when the door opened fully and as soon as I saw her face...

"N-no... It can't be..."

Was also the same as my "mother's."