My Short Stories

Alter Egos (Short Story)

"There was one woman everyone knew. She was a star, beloved by all. A singer, an actor, a dancer...You name the show, she's done it already. Her name was Sarah Hendrix. She had long blonde hair, curled to perfection, sky blue eyes that sparkled like diamonds, and some sort of flower print in all of her outfits. Her smile shone brighter than the sun, and she walked with the sweetest bounce in her step that any sane person would bow to. At least, that's what I thought she was like. That's what everyone thought, until that one fateful day...

It started out like any other day. I was headed to the office for more filming of the latest movie when Sarah Hendrix appeared in my office. She didn't acknowledge me at first. She was lost in thought, fidgeting with a Rubix cube. She rested the cube on my desk and said, 'I would like to be the star of this film. Poor Ms. Stephanie won't be able to do it. Her dad died not too long ago. She asked that I take her place.' I was completely taken aback. Here we were, halfway through the film, and my lead woman was gone... Naturally, my first thought was postponing the movie. There was too much already filmed to just throw it away. But there was a look in her eyes that looked not quite as innocent as it usually does. A glimmer of something black wrapped around her ankle before disappearing when she cleared her throat. 'Please, I owe her. I don't want this film to fail.'

Of course, I said yes. Not only was it a legend standing before me, but there was something about the look on her face that told me no was the wrong answer. So, just like that, we changed leads halfway through the film. Working with her was amazing. She was kind to everyone and quick to memorize her lines. I couldn't have asked for a better woman to work with!

As time went on, we neared the end of our film. I was excited to bring it to the public. But, my mind still kept going back to the suddenness of Stephanie's leaving. I hadn't heard a word from her in over nine months, and I was getting worried. Oddly enough, whenever I brought it up with Sarah Hendrix, her story changed slightly. 'I told you, her mother died, and she had to move away to tend to her family,' was her story this time. She clicked her tongue sadly and shook her head before turning and abruptly leaving.

I had had enough. If there was something more to this than I thought, I was sure as hell going to find out. I decided to call in my best friend and head of security Mr. Creed. I told him everything that happened, but he chuckled. 'Oh, come now. It's Sarah Hendrix! There's no way she could do something sinister! Have you seen the way she acts around her fans? It's too adorable for a criminal! If you want me to check this story out, you're out of your mind.'

Of course, no one would believe me. She's the sweetest person in Hollywood. There would be no way she was corrupt. But, I trusted my gut nonetheless and looked into it myself. I decided to follow her home one day. It was 8, maybe 9 o'clock in the evening, and she was casually walking down the street, fidgeting with her keys. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She wore the same flowery blouse and innocent grin as always. I was about to turn back when a flash of a hooded figure began running towards Sarah. Instincts kicked in, and I began to walk faster just in case the scene escalated. But Sarah didn't even budge. That same glimmer of black whipped across her ankle, and something thrust towards the figure, and he fell over. Sarah grabbed the body and dragged it into the alley, then reemerged empty-handed a few moments later. I was completely shocked. I just stood there, frozen in place, too scared to keep following her. When she disappeared around the corner, I turned around and ran. As if I would mess with her after that. Hollywood's angel isn't all that perfect, after all.

The next day was the movie premier. I made my way into the theater and sat down towards the front. My leg bounced anxiously, and I had to force myself to stop. The seats were full of producers and actors, all roaring with excitement, chattering their own story of how they contributed to the movie. And, just a few minutes before it was time for us to begin, Sarah Hendrix struts in, demanding the attention of the room. Everyone hushed immediately and gazed at her beauty as she made her way to her seat next to mine. I avoided eye contact with her in fear of what might happen if I upset her. Yet, I still couldn't help but admire her dress. When she saw me blushing, she giggled, 'It's okay, you can stare. I don't mind.' My cheeks burned even more as she leaned in close to my ear and whispered, 'Although, I can't remember the last time someone had the guts to stalk me. It was fun. Sadly, it wouldn't be very good for my reputation if word got out. We'll talk later.'

She placed her hand on my arm and laughed loudly as if I had told her a joke. I nervously chuckled and kept my eyes on the movie for the remainder of the night. When it finished, people flooded towards Sarah to compliment her, giving me time to run. I snaked my way around the crowds, dodging producers and actors until I finally made it to my car. I fumbled over my keys for a second, got in, and turned the ignition.

But something was wrong. I could feel it. The air was tense, rough. And, in my rearview mirror, Sarah Hendrix sat with a Rubix cube in her hand. Her smile was gone, and her eyes were cold and calculating. A small black string climbed up her ankle, turning her leg black. Then the other. Her index finger stretched forward and pointed at my chest, her nail a blood red. I will never forget what she said, 'No one runs from a siren.'"

"Sir, you are on trial for the murder of Sarah Hendrix, who was found in a dumpster on the other side of town. What does this fake story have to do with anything?" the Judge asked, twirling his gavel.

"It's true! It's true, you have to believe me! She was a monster, and I finally killed her! You don't understand...Please..." The man begged as he was dragged away.