MyStandIN: Back to Joe (alternate ending)

8- His name was...

Ming... That's how they called me from then on.

I had heard the name many times before... in my dreams. Always the same. I was in a dark, cold room. Screams. A door opened. I ran in its direction it. The more I moved forward, the further away it got. Soon the opening seemed to close. Desperate, I leapt towards it. My body remained in the shadow, yet my hand could reach the light. I felt somebody's plam grasping me, pulling hard on my body to get me to the light. Out of the darkness, I collapsed on that person. I could feel a man's body. However I never got to see his face.

Two days already. I had woken up in this hospital room... in someone else's body. As far as I could piece the available informations together... he was the youngest son of a wealthy Thai family of Chinese descent. Some spoiled Bangkok rich kids. They told me I had been in a car accident. Drunk, my car had gone off the road, ending up in a tree somewhere outside town.

I saw Ming's parents. His older brother and sister were alternating at my bedside. As far as I could see, they looked like good people. Men dressed in black, who appeared to be bodyguards, watched over my room. Tong, some kind of male model, seemed to be my brother-in-law. I envied this stranger, whose place I had taken. In my previous life, I was an only child, my father had died when I was about ten. Before the accident, I was alone with my mother.

And then, there was Joe, the guy who possesed my body. I couldn't explain his presence here. What happened when I left ? I don't recall ever being in touch with that type of fancy people... But here I was, face to face with myself, in this new environment, only dressed in designer clothes. Every time I laid eyes on him, I was drunk with rage. My blood pressure would rise to the roof, a nurse quickly arrive a needle in her hand, filled with a colorless liquid. After that, I would fall asleep. As I woke up, however, there he was again.

This Joe didn't seem to be a bad fellow. He didn't say much. When I tried to get data from him, he'd change the subject repeatedly asking how I was or run out of the room under false pretences. Nevertheless I had to get rid of him to get back to my old life back. I couldn't stay in this Ming's body indefinitely. Where was that guy anyway? How could I make this other Joe disappear? I was physically so weak, I had to find something else... I managed to get close to one of my bodyguards. For a few thousand Baht, I provided me with some pills... assuring me they had an immediate effect. After maximum 30 minutes, I wouldn't hear about this person I hated so much.

After lunch, I kept one of the water bottles the nurses brought me, to dissolve two of the tablets I'd been previously given. All I had to do was wait. In the early evening, Joe arrived that day, later than usual, threw his bag on the floor.

- Here! You look exhausted today !, I advised him as I handed him the bottle.

- It's been a long day !, he said slowly unscrewing the plastic knob.

The bottle open, he gradually brought it to his lips. It was only a matter of minutes. Ringtones, from his bag. Damn it ! He closed the bottle, placed it on the edge of the bed, picked up.

- Hum. Yes, I just arrived. Hum. He's fine.

Joe often had this kind of call, 5 minutes at most, where he reassured someone regarding my condition, before hanging up.

- Do you mind if I lay my head on the bed for a few minutes? My eyes are very tired.

After a few minutes, he fell asleep on the edge of my bed. I straightened up, with my index finger, I touched his cheek to make sure he was napping. I ran my hand through his hair, touched his skin to make sure this whole thing happening in front of my eyes was real. Those hair, these features used to be mine. I caressed his earlobe. He trembled slightly. One more time, he wriggled like a fish in shallow waters. It was adorable. Back then, that body was so ticklish. A female voice approaching.

- Joe, Joe, child!

Knocks on the door, someone entered my room.

- I'm looking for my son, Joe!

- Mum?!

The words made their way out of my mouth before I even realised it.