Impersonates dead man

I forced myself to reform, and I realized that I’d picked up extra mass from somewhere; I wasn’t sure where. I dropped it back in the sewer, and then I forced myself back into a human form. The houses here were deserted; I would have been able to hear the sounds of people moving to look out the window. I could already hear people coming back; it looked like the others were coming with reinforcements.

The pain of returning to a humanoid form was less this time, and I chose his form, slipping into his clothing and kicking his skeleton back into the sewer. The bones were broken so it took longer than I’d have thought.

***

“She slithered off as soon as the others ran off,” I said. I coughed and clutched my chest. “I think she broke a rib.”

“Shit, we need to get you to a medic,” he said.

There were three of them in the van, and it looked like they were carrying heavier weapons than the first set had been.

They helped me into the back of the van and as one of them tried to examine my wounds, I slapped his hands away.

“She was crushing me to death,” I said. “The mouths were just for show. We don’t have time to waste. Tell the others that she’s heading south. I’d imagine that she’s looking for a way to communicate back to base.”

They hesitated, then nodded.

I’d figured this guy for a commander, and it looked as though I was right. It was maybe stupid to get in a van with people who wanted to kidnap me, but if they’d been behind even some of the attacks on me I needed to deal with it because eventually they’d get me or worse Dad or Ruth. I’d have to hope that my Social Thinking abilities were enough to bluff my way out.

***

Reacting