🅿🅰🆁🅺🅴🆁
If I had to explain what it feels like to equip a new body, I wouldn't know how to. But for the sake of this book, let me try.
First, after you've kissed your current shell goodbye, it feels as if you are being dunked into an ice tank, cold enough to shrink your balls - if you still had any. Afterwards, your body begins to vibrate like a dildo on a rollercoaster. Your vision shakes and soon everything goes black until gravity pulls your new body to the ground.
When I had equipped Jordan for the first time, it wasn't much of a change. Him and I aren't too different, we both have somewhat similar interests (beer pong and college girls), are of the same age (too young to care) and both know as much about the world as a rotten hazelnut, buried decades ago by an amnesic squirrel.
But with Isabella, I expect it to be quite different.
She is 35 afterall. And a woman. Plus, I barely managed to graduate highschool while she probably went to Yale or some shit.
College. Yeah, I had tried that for half a semester. Then I dropped out to follow my true passion: Becoming a full-time asswipe. My parents hadn't been too fussed about my decision but in the end I couldn't have cared less. I never gave a damn about my education, status or future. I'm nothing like Isabella.
I take a breather, then I click 'Equip' and prepare for the freezing cold. It washes over my body quickly like the melting glacier caps and then I start shaking. I quickly lose all weight and my spirit buzzes around the room. I try to stay still as much as possible but I can hardly fight the motions.
Next my brain gets flooded with information.
Michael D. Higgins is the president of Ireland.
Chives need to be cut down when they start growing flowers.
Mauve and blush pink are not the same color.
And before I can tell, I get heavy again and land on my knees. I keep my eyes closed for a second, waiting for the thunder in my head to calm down. Then, once I'm sure I can handle it, I try to get up.
But I can't move.
My spirit is not connected to the limbs. I do feel how I'm spread through the body evenly but I don't have any control over it.
I feel panic starting to rise, I want to say something but I can't make a single sound. I can't even blink.
Something starts to beep. I remember the safety pop up, maybe I shouldn't have ignored it. Messing around with faulty technology is never a good idea.
The beeping gets faster, then it stops.
Suddenly, without me doing anything, Isabella's mouth opens and a mechanical voice leaves her throat.
"01001001 01100100 01100101 01101110 01110100 01101001 01100110 01111001 01101001 01101110 01100111 00101110 00100000"
Binary code? Okay, something is definitely wrong here.
I try to somehow escape the body but let's be real here - once you are inside one, you can't just fly through it like it's a wall. You have to follow the laws of physics.
I'm trapped.
"01000001 01100100 01101010 01110101 01110011 01110100 01101001 01101110 01100111 00101110"
I know we've had binary code in IT class back in highschool but even if I did remember how it worked, Isabella speaks way too fast for me to translate it.
"01010100 01100001 01101011 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01101111 01110110 01100101 01110010 00101110"
I can feel my energy fading. What is happening to me?
I slump.
Isabella clears her throat. Her voice is now warm and mellow, smooth like melted butter. It is the last thing I hear before I lose consciousness.
"I'm sorry, Parker. But it's my turn now."
<<<
🅸🆂🅰🅱🅴🅻🅻🅰
Standing in front of the floor-length mirror, I slowly turn from left to right, looking at every angle.
The dress this boy chose is actually pretty adorable. It is giving me great cleavage and a nice waist but the outfit is definitely lacking jewellery. I glide my hand over the fabric and feel my belly.
Maybe I should start going to the gym? But then again, it is kind of cute.
Someone knocks on the door and pulls me out of my thoughts.
I quickly walk over to the noise, fixing my dress and hair.
Another knock, this time more demanding and I swing the door open. When I see who is standing there, I raise my eyebrows.
A young dark-haired woman is staring at me with bewilderment.
"Who are you?"
Her tone is sharp, she narrows her eyes. "And where is Jordan?"
Good question.
I clear my throat and try to put on a confident smile. Then I look at her name tag.
"Hi Kira. Is this Jordan's room? Sorry, I just arrived today and I was looking for my suite. The door was open but then I saw that this one already belonged to someone. I guess I got lost." I let out a laugh but Kira doesn't seem entertained.
"Are you a guest? This floor is for employees only. The suites are on floor 15."
"Oh! God, that's embarrassing. I'm sorry, I must have mixed up the numbers." Kira nods and rolls her eyes.
What kind of customer service is this? I make a mental note to inform her employee should I get the chance.
"Don't worry, Miss. Do you want me to show you the way?"
"Hm? Oh, no no. I can find it. I'll just go to the elevator and push the button that reads 15." Another awkward laugh that leaves Kira cold.
"Alright, have a nice stay."
I nod with a cold smile on my lips, then I turn around and walk down the hallway. I can feel Kira's eyes following me, they are glued to my ass. Hah, jealous?
<<<
Instead of making my way to floor 15, I went down to the lobby and straight to the reception to get a room.
The reception desk was empty and I wasn't able to spot any security cameras so I quickly snagged one of the unclaimed keys and hurried away.
Now the hotel is fairly empty. It's around 10:30 pm and only the bars are open, packed with couples and friend groups. With satisfaction I notice how several eyes are glued to me as I make my way through this beach resort's nightlife. But I don't pay too much attention to anyone, my mind is screaming for sugar.
I've always had a bit of a sweet tooth and the thought of a bag of sour worms almost makes me drool.
The closest vending machine is situated at the south entrance and I quickly put in my two dollars and insert #17. I can see the bag of sour worms move along the spiral.
It comes closer, tips over but before it can fall down, it gets stuck.
I groan. Is this really happening right now?
I hit the plexiglass but nothing moves. "Come on, you beast."
I hit it again. Nothing.
"Do you need help?"
I swirl around and my eyes widen when I see who is talking to me. The girl standing only a few feet away is slender, her blonde hair is falling over her tanned shoulders and she is wearing a short jumpsuit, making her body look quite enticing.
And those eyes.
I quickly regain control over my facial expressions and tuck a curl behind my ear while smiling confidently.
"No, sweetie. Don't worry. We have these stupid things at work, you just gotta know where to hit them."
I turn back and take a deep breath. Then I lift my leg and kick the stupid thing. I hear a crack, I almost expect it to break. But instead the bag moves forward a bit.
I grab the vending machine with my two well manicured hands and start shaking it like a maniac.
Finally, the sour worms fall down and I reach through the metal flap to grab them. Once I'm back up, I flick my hair over my shoulder and smirk at the young woman.
"Touch them like this and they can never resist."
The girl's eyes widen. Is she blushing?
Her tension pulls me closer. It runs through my body like fuel.
"So, what does a pretty girl like you do alone at this time of night?"
"M-me?" She seems rattled but clears her throat. "I work here. As a singer."
"Oh really? What kind of music do you perform?"
I open the bag and the artificial smell of jelly and sugar fills my nose and heart.
"R'n'B and some Jazz. And Blues sometimes."
"That sounds lovely, I should attend one of your shows sometime."
I casually lean against the vending machine, making sure to highlight all of my curves. Then I slowly stick one of the orange worms into my mouth. Her eyes are watching my lips while she is playing with her fingers.
When she realizes that I have noticed, she quickly looks away.
"Y-yeah, I perform during dinner most nights and at the piano bar on weekends. You should check it out. I m-mean if you want to. There are other performers as well."
I walk over to her. "I will." She smiles.
"And if you ever need my assistance with vending machines or any other holes, let me know."
I wink. She freezes.
Our shoulders brush against each other as I walk past the girl, making sure to move slowly and put as much femme fatal into it as possible. Once I've reached the nearby elevator, I turn around only to see that she is staring at me.
I give her a lascivious smile and step out of sight.