Mime Spent Apart

Part 24

Menhaus was in his apartment, drinking a cup of coffee. |||| He stared at the back of his hand for a few seconds, then looked back at the hand holding the cup of coffee. Neither appeared to be shaking, but he felt like his brain was shaking instead and they just happened to be shaking in time with each other. His brain, his corneas, his hands. He knew that had to be it, because he was definitely shaken. He finished the remaining half a cup of coffee in one go, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, then turned his laptop towards him.

Loading up the chatroom, Menhaus said hello to everyone else in there.

Mene: Did anyone else notice anything weird happen at the party?

Entropy: No, I don't think so?

Calliope: I had a wonderful time.

Calliope?

Menhaus: Calliope? You're OK? I saw you get... well... basically kidnapped.

Calliope: I'm here, aren't I?

Mene: Yes well... your nickname is there. I mean, you could be anyone, really.

Calliope: That's pretty rude.

Kusa: No, he's right. What did you see exactly?

Mene: Funny you should ask, Kusa. I saw you and Calliope get drugged and bundled into a car by a couple of really scary looking people wearing white face makeup.

Entropy: WOW! Really? That is messed up! Did that really happen or have you just gone crazy? XD

There was no response from either Kusa or Calliope for a few seconds so Menhaus just tapped his fingers along the bottom of his keyboard for a few seconds. Then he noticed a chat window flashing to the side. It was Calliope.

Calliope: Did that really happen?

Menhaus: It did, I watched it. It was in the foyer of the building.

Calliope: Wow.

Menhaus: So was that actually you?

Calliope: No, that was someone else.

Manelaus: This is going to sound weird, but are you actually you? I mean, are you Calliope or was that Calliope?

Calliope: I'm the real Calliope. This whole thing is strange, I know. I paid a service to get an actor to pretend to be me. They're meant to be excellent. I was wondering why I didn't get a call about the job today; I figured they were just tired or something. Plus, it's the weekend.

Menhaus saw another private chat prompt come up; this one from Kusa.

Kusa: What exactly did you see?

Mene: I saw two guys in white face paint come in and inject both you and Calliope in throat, then but you into burlap sacks and take you away! Though I say it was you and Calliope... I know it wasn't you.

Kusa: Because I'm here talking to you?

Mene: No, because I got a phone call right before it happened. I got a phone call telling me that the person calling themselves Kusa at the party was actually someone pretending to be you and that they were in danger.

Kusa: Wow how weird. Why did they call you?

Mene: I don't know! But they said I could stop the other you from coming down the elevator otherwise something terrible would happen to him. Well, I guess I couldn't stop that from happening.