Erin is positive she has seen the star, James Linkin before in a thirty year old TV show. He hasn’t aged a day. How is this possible? Erin is determined to find out, but how will James handle the scrutiny of an all too intelligent teenage girl?
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James raised his eyes finally. “I’m sorry, Erin. I didn’t mean to-” he paused, searching for
the right word, “unnerve you.”
“You
didn’t,” Erin replied automatically, but in actuality she was feeling
distinctly unnerved, disturbed even.
Those eyes, so strange, almost trance-like. Her earlier giddiness had completed
evaporated.
“Are
you sure?” James persisted.
Erin
was quiet for a moment, thoughtful. “Oh
my God,” she burst out loudly.
James
had been leaning towards her slowly but now froze. “What?” he asked uncertainly, seeking to make
contact again with her eyes.
“I’ve
seen you before,” Erin said. “You looked
so familiar to me in Casey’s Diner the other night.”
James only
looked at her blankly.
“But that’s
impossible,” she said.
“What
is?” James’ tone was straining for a
detached, almost bored air, but there was an underlying edge of anxiety.
Erin
looked straight into his eyes without him having to urge her this time. “There’s this old TV show I watched with my
mom when I was a kid. They showed
re-runs on cable from time to time.”
She
noticed how his knuckles clasped tightly.
“It was a sitcom, and the older kid in it, the
college hero of the family-” Erin paused.
“He looks like you, James.”
Silence. Then James stood and laughed, but it was
forced sounding, and somewhat off balanced.
He stared down at her. “They say
everyone has a double, Erin.”
Erin
rose to meet his gaze. She stepped
closer to him. “I haven’t seen it in
years but the resemblance is-” What was the word? “Uncanny.”
“Uncanny,”
James repeated dully.
“Yes,”
Erin whispered. “My mom had a crush on
that guy.”
“Did
she?” James smiled, and his tone was
warm again. “I’ll have to catch this
show sometime, check out the resemblance,” he said, confident and at ease once
more.
“I
don’t think they run it anymore,” Erin said, studying him.
James
shrugged. “Don’t dwell on it kid.” He slapped her on the shoulder like they were
old pals.
His
touch was cool and she quickly moved back from him. James’ hand hovered in the air for a moment,
seemingly undecided about what to do next.
He put it back in his pocket.
Those eyes, Erin thought again. Like a cat, a big cat, a panther.
James
stepped back from her now. “Got to
mingle inside some more,” he said, backing further away.
Erin
nodded, and watched him slink gracefully inside the warehouse. She was thinking of that television show. They didn’t show that program these days, but
her mother had bought it on video. Where were those tapes?
Erin sat back
down and switched on the camera. Even if
she could find them, she didn’t have a VCR anymore. Did
anyone in Copperfield own one?
The photo of
his eyes loomed up at her. She’d add it
to her Sight collection. Animal eyes, watchful, predatory, and
waiting.
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Thanks Lisa
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