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Chapter 13
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Who Is in My Mother’s Skin? Chapter 1
I'd been home for half a month, but I still couldn't shake the feeling that Mom wasn't quite herself anymore. She looked and sounded like she always had, but something felt different.Then, one day, I got a message from her that sent a chill down my spine."Lily, hide! There's a ghost in the house!"At first, I thought she was pulling a prank on me—or maybe her account got hacked.Then, there was a knock on my bedroom door. Mom, who had just finished cooking, called out to tell me the meal was ready.I was still hesitating when another message popped up. It was a voice message."Trust me, Lily. I'm your real mom! The one out there is a ghost! Run!"It sounded just like Mom's voice from outside. My mind was racing in panic.Not hearing me respond, Mom giggled from the other side of the door and said, "I'm coming in."
Who Is in My Mother’s Skin? Chapter 2
Once the SATs were behind me, I was finally done with dorm life and came home. I hugged my blanket and rolled around on my bed.Mom and Dad were eager to spoil me. They felt terrible about how hard I'd studied in school and how much weight I'd lost. Honestly, I felt like I was floating on cloud nine.But one day, I noticed something felt off.Senior year had been so packed that I barely came home. Even winter break was just a few days, so I barely spent more than 20 days at home all year.Now that I'd been home longer, I could tell something was different, like there was someone new living here.When the three of us were in the living room watching TV, I kept feeling like someone was lurking in a corner, watching me. It gave me the creeps.We live on the sixth floor of a secure building. Mom was a stay-at-home mom, so realistically, no one could sneak in without being noticed.I asked Mom about it while she was cooking. She tapped my forehead and told me that I was probably just
Who Is in My Mother’s Skin? Chapter 3
I didn't want Mom and Dad to worry, so I saw a therapist without telling them. The doctor said the hallucinations were due to anxiety.I took the diagnosis home, thinking maybe I should take a trip to clear my head. But when I got home, I saw Mom with her back to me, chopping cucumbers.I frowned. She knew I was allergic to cucumbers. I hesitated for a second but figured she probably wanted them for herself, so I didn't bring it up.I went to my room, trying to figure out how to tell them I wanted to take a trip.I'd never gone far by myself. Mom and Dad were always overprotective. They never let me go more than ten miles alone because they were always worried something bad might happen.While I was thinking of how to convince them, my phone lit up with a WhatsApp notification. I thought it was just a friend asking me to hang out, so I opened it without thinking. But then, I frowned.It was a message from Mom.I hadn't greeted her when I came in, so maybe she thought I was still
Who Is in My Mother’s Skin? Chapter 4
How I wish I could turn back time. I should've listened to that voice message and gone into hiding. And to make it worse, I didn't even lock the door!I held my breath, sweat beading on my forehead, my hands and feet shaking uncontrollably. I stared at the doorknob as it slowly turned.Mom was about to come in!Just as things were about to hit the fan, the front door rattled."I'm home," Dad called out.Mom heard him from outside my door and got distracted. I saw the doorknob stop turning, then heard her gentle voice."Alright. Let's eat. Hurry up, Lily. Don't make your dad wait."Her footsteps faded, and I felt like I'd just come up for air after being underwater. My legs went weak, and I dropped to the floor, gasping for breath.Once I'd gotten my bearings, I heard the plates and silverware clinking from the living room and chairs scraping on the floor.I cracked the door open to take a look. There was Dad, beer belly and all, casually tossing his briefcase to Mom.That fam
Who Is in My Mother’s Skin? Chapter 5
That night, I barely slept. I kept the light on, forcing myself to stay awake until dawn, and only then did I doze off a bit.When I opened my eyes again, it was already evening. The sun outside wasn't as strong, and quite a few people were out for a walk. I got up and opened the door.Grandma was already there, wearing an old dress that didn't fit right. She was probably trying to look "grand", but the wrinkles around her eyes gave away the toll of her younger years spent doing tough work.She was sitting on the couch, talking to Dad. I listened closely. She was still pushing Dad to have a second child."Come on. Hurry up and get to the hospital for IVF. We need a grandson in this family.""What's the rush, Mom? Let's wait until Lily's in college.""How can I not be in a rush? We've been waiting forever, and now that we finally got rid of that bitch—" Grandma paused and glanced at Mom, who was busy cooking in the kitchen. "Forget it. The most important thing is, I want a grandso
Who Is in My Mother’s Skin? Chapter 6
My heart raced, and I couldn't think straight. A rush of fear washed over me, and a cold shiver ran through my body.It wasn't just because of what Mom said. Her hand was ice cold, like I was holding something that wasn't even alive.Just thinking about it made me tremble all over again, and the fear from yesterday came rushing back. I froze, holding my breath, until Mom finally let go of my hand and smiled as if nothing had happened."Just kidding. Head to your room after dinner and get some rest," she said.The weight lifted off my shoulders, and I didn't say another word. I rushed to my room and locked the door behind me. It was terrifying.I saw it clearly. Mom's face just now was all serious. She wasn't joking. Who was the "she" she was talking about? What happened to Mom?I remembered those WhatsApp messages from someone claiming to be Mom, saying the woman in our house was an impostor.Could what she said actually be true? Where was she, then? If she knew this "mom" was a
Who Is in My Mother’s Skin? Chapter 7
I jumped awake, eyes snapping open as I shot upright in bed. My whole body was soaked in cold sweat.Thank goodness, it was just a dream!I wiped the sweat off my forehead, but then, I caught something out of the corner of my eye, sitting on the desk by my bed.I usually kept my desk pretty clean. Aside from my computer, a photo frame, and a pen holder, there was never much else on it. But now, there was something new—a small porcelain doll in a white dress.Its pale, round face had two dark, shiny eyes staring right at me, bold as ever. I couldn't remember ever putting anything like that in my room.I picked it up to get a better look, but my phone suddenly rang. I quickly set the doll back on the desk and grabbed my phone from the bedside table. It was an unfamiliar number."Hello, is this a relative of Irene Lovett?" asked a man.Irene Lovett was Mom's name. A wave of dread hit me instantly."Yes, I'm her daughter. Is something wrong?"The man continued, "I'm an officer wit
Who Is in My Mother’s Skin? Chapter 8
Since the one at home was a ghost, who was texting me last time?I hesitated for so long that the call almost went to voicemail. I checked to make sure my bedroom door was locked, then nervously pressed the answer button.There was no sound on the other end. I had no choice but to break the silence. "Hello?"All I could hear was a weird buzzing sound, like something was messing with the signal. Through the static, I could barely make out a broken-up voice that sounded like Mom's."Lily... Window... Quick… She's coming... Jump now... Hurry!"She wanted me to jump out the window? Was she out of her mind? I was on the sixth floor. Below was just a patch of dirt and some scraggly grass. If I jumped, I'd probably be crippled for life.Plus, I still couldn't tell if the person on the other end was human or a ghost. I wasn't about to risk my life based on what she said."Who the hell are you? Why do you sound exactly like my mom? Are you trying to get me killed by telling me to jump?"
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Who Is in My Mother’s Skin? Chapter 13
Grandma shot me a look full of pure hatred. "You're such an ungrateful brat! How could you team up with a ghost to hurt me and your dad? Don't you have any conscience?"I laughed bitterly. "Conscience? Maybe you should ask yourself if you even have any. Where was your conscience when you killed my mom?""She had it coming! She was worthless. She couldn't even give birth to a son, so what was the point of keeping her around? She'd rather die than have another kid, wouldn't she? So, we were actually doing her a favor. What's the big deal?"If my son hadn't been so kind and stayed with her, she wouldn't have had all those good years, would she?" Grandma yelled.I never truly understood until now. They didn't just kill Mom to turn her into their maid. They saw her as a breeding machine. It made me sick.And as for those "good years" Grandma talked about, was she referring to Mom's never-ending days of cooking, cleaning, getting beaten, and being abused by Dad?If that were what they
Who Is in My Mother’s Skin? Chapter 12
I cried for a long time, all the way until Dad and Grandma came back. They brought with them a middle-aged guy who looked like some kind of exorcist.As soon as they walked in, they pointed at the woman next to me and yelled, "Sir, that's her! This evil spirit has taken over my wife and is holding my daughter captive!"I couldn't wrap my head around how just standing there made me the one being "held captive".With a dramatic flourish, the exorcist pulled out a bottle of holy water from his bag and started chanting. Suddenly, the holy water was floating in midair and flying right at the woman. It splashed on her and turned into a puff of black smoke.I felt a flicker of concern, but as soon as she winked at me, I knew she was alright.I couldn't say whether she was actually that powerful or the exorcist was just a fraud, but Dad and Grandma totally bought into it. They couldn't stop talking about how amazing he was after what they saw.The exorcist puffed out his chest and said,
Who Is in My Mother’s Skin? Chapter 11
Back then, I already had a feeling that this "Mom" was wearing Mom's skin. How else could she pull it off so convincingly?She let go of me and scoffed. "You're smart enough to figure it out, but dumb enough not to even realize your mom's been gone for ages."I didn't have time to argue. With a cold tone, I asked, "So, how did my mom die?"I just needed to know who was behind it.She didn't answer right away. Instead, she stood up, lifted her shirt, and showed her belly.The skin, which should've been pale and smooth, was covered in bruises and cigarette burns. And, even worse, I could see faint knife scars.I stared in shock. "My mom was abused?""Yeah, she was abused the whole time. Didn't you know she'd been stuck in an abusive relationship for years?"Abusive relationship?I'd read countless stories online about abusive relationships, and they were all heartbreaking. But I always thought that was something that happened to other people, not my family.Dad was always gentl
Who Is in My Mother’s Skin? Chapter 10
When I woke up, the strong scent of disinfectant hit me. I noticed a white ceiling above and bright sunlight streaming through the window.My mouth felt dry like it couldn't produce enough saliva. I tried to lift my hand to grab the water on the bedside table, but I didn't have the strength.A doctor in a white coat walked in, holding a chart, followed by Dad and Grandma."You're awake?" The doctor motioned for the nurse to help me sit up.I took two big gulps of water, feeling like I was coming back to life after almost drying out."You really are a miracle. You jumped from the sixth floor and ended up with just a mild fracture in your arm," the doctor quipped.Without thinking, I looked at Dad. He should've been relieved I made it, but all I saw in his eyes was panic.I didn't bring up what happened last night. No one would buy a story like that. At worst, they'd think I was crazy and throw me in a psychiatric ward, and I'd never see Mom again.In a raspy voice, I said, "Mayb
Who Is in My Mother’s Skin? Chapter 9
When did the doll turn around? How long had it been watching me? I didn't want to dwell on it. There was one outside and one inside. What was I supposed to do?Suddenly, the voice on the phone crackled again, "Jump out the window. Jump."I couldn't open the door or stay in my room much longer. So, why not jump? It felt like the only way out. The idea wouldn't stop circling in my head.Slowly, I walked over to the window and looked down. Jumping from this height would either kill me or leave me crippled.Summoning every bit of courage, I grabbed the porcelain doll off the shelf and threw it out the window with all my strength.There was a loud crack as the porcelain shattered, followed by a shrill, bloodcurdling scream.Strangely, the scream came from the other side of the door. It seemed like the doll and whatever was outside were somehow connected.I didn't have time to figure out who put that doll in my room. The thing outside was pissed now. Its voice wasn't Grandma's anymore
Who Is in My Mother’s Skin? Chapter 8
Since the one at home was a ghost, who was texting me last time?I hesitated for so long that the call almost went to voicemail. I checked to make sure my bedroom door was locked, then nervously pressed the answer button.There was no sound on the other end. I had no choice but to break the silence. "Hello?"All I could hear was a weird buzzing sound, like something was messing with the signal. Through the static, I could barely make out a broken-up voice that sounded like Mom's."Lily... Window... Quick… She's coming... Jump now... Hurry!"She wanted me to jump out the window? Was she out of her mind? I was on the sixth floor. Below was just a patch of dirt and some scraggly grass. If I jumped, I'd probably be crippled for life.Plus, I still couldn't tell if the person on the other end was human or a ghost. I wasn't about to risk my life based on what she said."Who the hell are you? Why do you sound exactly like my mom? Are you trying to get me killed by telling me to jump?"
Who Is in My Mother’s Skin? Chapter 7
I jumped awake, eyes snapping open as I shot upright in bed. My whole body was soaked in cold sweat.Thank goodness, it was just a dream!I wiped the sweat off my forehead, but then, I caught something out of the corner of my eye, sitting on the desk by my bed.I usually kept my desk pretty clean. Aside from my computer, a photo frame, and a pen holder, there was never much else on it. But now, there was something new—a small porcelain doll in a white dress.Its pale, round face had two dark, shiny eyes staring right at me, bold as ever. I couldn't remember ever putting anything like that in my room.I picked it up to get a better look, but my phone suddenly rang. I quickly set the doll back on the desk and grabbed my phone from the bedside table. It was an unfamiliar number."Hello, is this a relative of Irene Lovett?" asked a man.Irene Lovett was Mom's name. A wave of dread hit me instantly."Yes, I'm her daughter. Is something wrong?"The man continued, "I'm an officer wit
Who Is in My Mother’s Skin? Chapter 6
My heart raced, and I couldn't think straight. A rush of fear washed over me, and a cold shiver ran through my body.It wasn't just because of what Mom said. Her hand was ice cold, like I was holding something that wasn't even alive.Just thinking about it made me tremble all over again, and the fear from yesterday came rushing back. I froze, holding my breath, until Mom finally let go of my hand and smiled as if nothing had happened."Just kidding. Head to your room after dinner and get some rest," she said.The weight lifted off my shoulders, and I didn't say another word. I rushed to my room and locked the door behind me. It was terrifying.I saw it clearly. Mom's face just now was all serious. She wasn't joking. Who was the "she" she was talking about? What happened to Mom?I remembered those WhatsApp messages from someone claiming to be Mom, saying the woman in our house was an impostor.Could what she said actually be true? Where was she, then? If she knew this "mom" was a
Who Is in My Mother’s Skin? Chapter 5
That night, I barely slept. I kept the light on, forcing myself to stay awake until dawn, and only then did I doze off a bit.When I opened my eyes again, it was already evening. The sun outside wasn't as strong, and quite a few people were out for a walk. I got up and opened the door.Grandma was already there, wearing an old dress that didn't fit right. She was probably trying to look "grand", but the wrinkles around her eyes gave away the toll of her younger years spent doing tough work.She was sitting on the couch, talking to Dad. I listened closely. She was still pushing Dad to have a second child."Come on. Hurry up and get to the hospital for IVF. We need a grandson in this family.""What's the rush, Mom? Let's wait until Lily's in college.""How can I not be in a rush? We've been waiting forever, and now that we finally got rid of that bitch—" Grandma paused and glanced at Mom, who was busy cooking in the kitchen. "Forget it. The most important thing is, I want a grandso
