Wild Fiction

‘So, you’re exactly the same as us then?’ James asked. He walked over to her, picked up her limp hand, and ran his fingers along her forearm and over her skin.
‘Don’t be stupid James, you know you can’t tell a fictional from a real person by examining them physically,’ Rebecca said.
‘I know,’ James said not taking his eyes off Genevieve. ‘I was always so afraid of her. She used to edit anybody she wanted to out of the story and now she’s just as much at risk as we are. It’s like walking up to a crocodile whose mouth has been wired shut and running your hand along its snout.’
‘That’s not very nice comparing her to a crocodile,’ Rebecca said.
‘Can she speak?’ James asked.
‘Yes,’ Genevieve replied. ‘I think I’m in shock. I’ve just discovered that my memories are someone else’s. At least some of them are. I don’t know when the pre-story memories that he planted in me stop and when my real memories start. This is all very confusing. I just don’t feel very well, I’m feeling nauseous.’
‘It’s probably morning sickness,’ Rebecca said and then cringed and looked away.
Genevieve’s eyes opened wide. ‘How do you know that I’m pregnant?’
‘We...um...we...um...discovered it by accident.’
Genevieve continued staring at her.
‘I found the remains of the test kit in the bathroom...accidentally.’
Genevieve leant forward, towards Rebecca, and sniffed. ‘You wear one of the Calvin Klein perfumes don’t you?’
‘Yes, Escape.’
‘It was you I could smell in the bathroom and in the basement,’ Genevieve suddenly looked concerned and grabbed Rebecca’s arm. ‘Does he know I’m pregnant? The author, have you told him?’
‘No we haven’t told him.’
Genevieve sat on the bottom step of the stairs, put her head in her hands, and cried. Rebecca stroked her hair, pulling the loose strands off her forehead and tucking them behind her ears.
‘The child isn’t his,’ Genevieve said between sobs and once she had calmed down.
‘I know, he told me he had had a vasectomy and we all guessed that it’s probably Stephen’s. You’re having an affair with him aren’t you?’
‘I was, I think it’s all over now though. We had a fight and I haven’t heard from him since. You’re right, the child is his. What else do you know about me?’