Being Replaced: Finale

“It turns out that the epidemic of people being replaced by their shoes never reached the millions, it did however over five thousand before it was stopped.  You know about the show the X-Files?  Well, it just so happens that a similar organization actually exists.  Think of it as the M-Files, where instead of finding out about aliens they track and counter magic threats.”  Susan explained to the woman sitting on the bench next to hers.

“Fortunately, the takeover was discovered when one of the new women tried to trick a member of the organization into reciting the spell!  The former shoes were captured and that started a world wide manhunt for the other perpetrators and their victims.  It was hard to locate everybody since once the perps left each other most of them never crossed paths again.  All in all the hunt took years and some victims were transformed for a very long time.  I wound up being those black high heels for just over ten years before the new Susan was captured and her victims restored.”  Susan said the last with reflective expression.

“What was it like?”  The other woman asked after a few moments of silence.

“Hmmm?  Sorry, I got lost in thought for a moment.”  Susan apologized and then answered the question.  “That first night was amazing and weird at the same time.  My mood turned to one of horror though when I saw the new Susan trick some else into reciting the spell.  It was then I knew that the spell was not going to restore me in twenty four hours like it’s description said it would.  I felt guilty every time the new Susan brought home a new pair of shoes and placed them on the shelves with me.  All those other people were victims because I ignored my Grandmother’s advise.”  Susan explained with a look of fresh guilt on her face.

“As the days turned into weeks and the weeks into years I quit paying attention and I would go in to an unthinking stupor for long periods of time.  You see, when one is transformed their current form starts to imprint on them if left in that form after a period of time.  So, after a while even though I was still sentient I forgot about who I and what I used to be.  I became in mind just as I was in body, a pair of shoes.  I still remember how good it felt on one of the rare times she actually took me off of the shelf and wore me.  All I could think about was how I was fulfilling the purpose for which I was made and how I hoped my ‘owner’ was satisfied with how good I made her feet look.”  Susan finished looking off in to the distance.

“Wow!  pretty much a total loss of identity then?”  The woman on the other bench asked.

“Oh yeah, after ten years as a pair of shoes I didn’t know how to be human anymore!  I just laid motionless on the bed I was placed in after being restored and just stared at the ceiling for at least a week trying to process what was going on before it started coming back to me.  It took almost a year after that before being human felt natural to me again!  That’s how far I had fallen into the mindset of a pair of shoes.  Some of the victims never recovered unfortunately and the organization decided it would be more kind to turn them back into shoes instead of leaving them in the confused, depressed state that they were in as humans.  They made sure to find good homes for them.”  Susan explained.

“Wow, that is sad.  What happened to the people who used to be shoes?”  The woman asked.

“Well, they were all returned to their original forms.  In fact I’m wearing the shoes that replaced me as we speak!  I bet she hates every minute of it too.  It serves her right if she does!”  She said with some spite in her voice.

“Wait!  All the shoes that replaced people are still sentient?  That’s horrible!”  The other woman gasped in horror.

“On the surface it seems that way doesn’t it.  However you have to realize that in order to restore their victims the perpetrators had to resume their original forms once the spell was broken.  Other wise everyone they transformed would still be trapped.  It was necessary.”  Susan explained gently.

“Now once I recovered they asked me to join the organization based on my talent with magic.  I agreed and they trained me in the proper use of my talents band I’ve been with them ever since.  It turns out that not everybody has been restored and new victims are being made even to this day.  It’s so far proven impossible to know if we’ve found the last perpetrators and that is where you come in.”  Susan said.

“Now, you already knew about the organization since they helped you control your abilities and I’ve given you my back story are you ready to join our ranks and help protect the rest of humanity?”  Susan asked the woman with a sincere smile.