She watched her carefully, rolling her tongue across her teeth, as she thought about how to answer.
“I guess if something good is in it for me, then I can keep it a secret. I can keep whatever secret you want.” Theresa smiled, satisfied with her response. Because based on the woman’s appearance she did have something great to offer.
“I can offer you a life where you never have to wonder where your next meal is going to come from. Fresh clean clothes. A warm and soft bed to sleep in every night. Eventually, you can marry into a wealthy family and live a life of luxury beyond your wildest dreams.” Theresa dropped her hands, waving over herself. “I am offering you my life.”
The woman thought for a moment and then laughed. “And they all callmecrazy.”
Theresa sighed. “What is your name?”
“Ellen,” the woman replied as she reopened her bag to resume rummaging.
“That is a very pretty name. Do you know who I am?”
“Yeah, you are the daughter of that factory owner.” Ellen nodded her head in the direction where Theresa lived.
“Yes, that’s right.” Theresa smiled. “I want to switch places with you. I want you to become me and for me to become you.”
“Why would you want to be me?”
“Well, I am going to be honest with you. People I trusted hurt me deeply, and I want to punish them.” Theresa gritted her teeth, anger flaring up anew inside her.
“I guess you came home to find your fiancé married to that other rich gal, huh?” Ellen smiled, seemingly understanding the situation.
Theresa’s posture loosened. “How did you know about that?”
“Your engagement was big news. So, when it was announced he married someone else, it became the source of gossip on the street.” Ellen shrugged. “Plus, people don’t notice me, so I hear all kinds of information.”
Theresa exhaled a breath, and then it turned into full laughter, causing Ellen to join in.
“Why are we laughing?” Ellen asked, out of breath.
“It is going to make my revenge so much sweeter knowing the whole city knows about what happened.” Theresa turned serious again. “So, what do you think? Can we switch? You take my life and I take yours?”
Ellen shook her head. “If this was even a possibility, I would say yes in a heartbeat, but you have to know how crazy this sounds.”
“Let me prove it to you.”
Silence hung in the air as Theresa waited with bated breath for Ellen’s response. Crickets in the alleyway filled the silence as they played out their insect music, indicating nighttime was coming.
“Do I need to do anything?” Ellen finally asked with an edge of nervousness.
“Nope, just stand there, and don’t freak out. Also, if you tell anyone about this, I will switch back with you. I mean it, you cannot tell another person.” Ellen nodded in agreement. Theresa focused back on the tether as it reached out towards Ellen.
It looked like a mist in the shape of a hand to Theresa, though it was invisible to Ellen or anyone else. Luckily it was dark now, and the switch could be done in secret.
Theresa noticed that the shine coming off the tether wasn’t quite as brilliant as it had been on the train, despite being in a dark alley.
She considered for a moment that maybe this wasn’t the best course of action. Maybe she should wait and see what would happen in her life as Theresa.
Am I willing to risk exposing my secret to this complete stranger?I can tell Ellen I was making it up, overcome with the emotions of the day. That there is no possible way I can switch with people.
Theresa thought about all the work she had done to get here and that she wanted to be married and not live with parents all over again. The fact that she was looking forward to having a friend like Margaret to spend time with, and that now that was gone, added an extra sting to her heart.
Richard and Margaret took that from me, and they need to pay.She rolled her shoulders and stretched her head back and forth to reinforce her resolve.
“Okay. Here we go.”
Once the tether reached Ellen, it happened in a flash. She opened her eyes and was looking back at the face of Theresa. Her immediate first thought was that she reeked, a smell that could only be described as horse dung and old fish. She watched old Ellen, now Theresa, as she marveled at herself. Even in the dark, the woman was stunned that she was actually in a different body.
