Molly struggles to deal with the sudden appearance of her unwanted clone.

This story began as a writing prompt about a scary story. I hope you enjoy it. And on the blog site you can sign up for my new newsletter, which I will begin sending shortly.

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Not Again

Bob Gillen

Molly heard her mother’s car pull into the driveway. She closed her math book and ran to the front door. The two hours she spent between the end of school and the time her mom came  home from work were always quiet, lonely.

She met her mother at the front door.

“Hi Mom!” She gave her a hug.

“Hey sweetie.” She set down her purse and her keys. “How was fifth grade today?”

“Too much homework. A real drag.”

“Well, go finish it up and we’ll watch a movie after dinner, okay?”

“What’s for dinner?”

“Cobb salad. I got the Ranch dressing you like.”

“Yes!”

Molly dashed back to her room. Thoughts of homework clouded her head. Why do I have to do this? It’s such a waste.

She heard the front door open and close. Huh? Mom’s already home.

A twinge of fear darkened her spirit. She heard footsteps approach her room.

A perfect clone of Molly appeared in the doorway to her room. Dressed in the same clothes. Hair in an identical ponytail.

“Hi, Molly.”

Oh no. Not again.

“It’s been a while,” Molly 2 said. “I missed you.”

“Go away. I did not miss you.”

“That’s harsh,” Molly 2 said. 

“I hate you. Why pick on me?”

“You’re such a sweet girl. I like messing you up.”

With that, Molly 2 headed for the kitchen.

“Hi, mom. Did I say, I hate Cobb salad? And especially that Ranch dressing.”

Molly 2 unscrewed the cap on the dressing bottle, sniffed the contents. “Whew. Smells like panther piss.”

Molly’s mom turned, stared at Molly 2. “That’s crude. I thought you loved this meal.”

“Hell, no,” Molly 2 said. 

Molly entered the kitchen. “Don’t listen to her, mom. She’s not me.”

Molly’s mom looked from one girl to the other. “Not again.”

Molly said, “She back. I don’t know how to get rid of her.”

“Why get rid of me?” Molly 2 said. “Double the fun.”

Molly’s mom shook her head. “Not our idea of fun.”

“Oh, and did I say, I failed my Science quiz today?”

“Not true, mom. I passed with a B+.”

Molly 2 grabbed a bite of the salad from the counter. “Actually, not bad.”

Molly’s mom said, “How do we drive her away? Last time she disappeared by herself.”

“You can’t get rid of me,” Molly 2 said. “I am a perfect clone of you, Molly, down to the hairs on your head.”

Molly 2 shook her hair out in Molly’s direction. “A perfect clone. But I’m your dark side. I reveal all the negative in your heart. Your dark side is always there. In the background, but always there. Like how much you hate homework.”

“So I have to think positive thoughts to get rid of you.”

“Not so simple.”

Molly 2 ran into Molly’s room, came back out with pages of her math homework. She crumbled the pages, tossed them in the air. 

“No!”

“Who needs homework?”

“I just spent two hours on that work.” Molly picked up the pages, tried to smooth them out on the counter.

Molly 2 dumped Ranch dressing on the pages.

Molly’s mom screamed. “Get out of here!”

“Can’t do that.”

Molly slid to the floor in tears.

Molly’s mom tried to wrestle Molly 2 out of the kitchen, but she eluded her. She moved into the living room, turned on the TV at full volume. Molly put her hands over her ears, began to cry.

“See. Fun, right?”

Molly’s mom unplugged the TV. Silence, if only for a moment.

Molly 2 moved around the living room, shifting all the furniture, tossing pillows into the air.

Molly 2 put her hand on Molly’s mom’s chest. “You really should have gotten that reconstructive surgery. You look pretty flat with this padding.”

Her mom pulled back, collapsed onto the couch in tears.

Anger flashed in Molly. She pulled herself up from the kitchen floor. Ran into the living room.

“My dark side won’t win today.” She stepped up to Molly 2.

“I love you,” she said to her clone. She ran her hand through Molly 2’s hair. 

Molly 2 shook her off. 

Molly hugged Molly 2.

“Wait, what are you doing?” Molly 2 said. She tried to push away from the hug, but Molly held her tight.

“I may have a dark side, but I will only show kindness today. ”

Molly 2 shuddered, then disappeared in a wisp of swirling air.

“That did it,” Molly said. 

Her mom wiped away her tears, hugged Molly. “Good thinking.”

“How about you finish the salad while I try to re-write my homework.”

“Keep those thoughts positive.”

“Deal.”

***