Chapter 12

“Karl? What are you — Kate?”

Alisha looked almost distressed as she walked into the living room. But ... not exactly upset at seeing Karl. More nervous. At least, that was Karl’s read on her.

Kate sprung to her feet, beaming.

“Hey, Sis! I was just keeping your friend company while we waited for you to get home. Good thing you’re finally here, because I have places to be!”

Alisha blinked, looking back and forth between her sister and Karl.

“Kate, what —”

Kate walked up to her sister and put her hands on her back — pushing Alisha down the hall towards her bedroom. She called back over her shoulder at Karl.

“Hey, we won’t be long — just got to chat to my sister. She’ll be with you in a second, Karl, then I’ll be out of your hair!”

Karl heard Alisha’s frantic whispering to Kate before the door closed.

“Kate! What are you doing? Why is —”

“Hurry up! Stop getting in your own way — now, do you have anything else to wear —”

The bedroom door closed, cutting them off from Karl’s ability to hear. He stared after them, amused more than anything. Kate seemed to think that he was here to hook up with her older sister. Which was ... appealing, in its own way. Alisha had certainly looked attractive in her standard pencil-skirt and blazer, her long blonde hair curling back over her shoulders, but ... Karl was more interested in what he had just learnt from Kate.

Giselle — the woman he had kept seeing, the one he had dreamt of, the woman in the photograph had known his uncle? Of course Karl had figured there was some connection given that he had found the picture in his uncle’s cabin, but Kate seemed to think that they had been close.

And why did all this happen at once? My uncle passing away, all these people leaving soon after, Giselle vanishing and then seeming like a different person afterwards ... it can’t be coincidence.

Karl was beginning to feel like some kind of conspiracy theorist. He didn’t usually give credence to the more outlandish theories, but there definitely had to be some kind of connection between it all. And if he added in the changes he had noticed about himself as well...

Karl shook his head, whispering to himself.

“This is crazy. What is happening to me? And why do I —”

Karl was interrupted by the two sisters returning. Kate was pushing Alisha out ahead of her, seeming like she wasn’t giving her older sister a chance to stop and think. Karl blinked as he looked at Alisha. Had she ... changed? She’d taken the blazer off, and was wearing the same white button-up shirt, but was the skirt a different colour now? Karl was sure it had been a light grey, but now it looked black? It was hard to tell, since it was the same style, but Karl thought it might be a little ... shorter?

Kate steered Alisha over to the living room, and then gave Karl a cheery smile.

“Lovely chatting to you, Karl. Remember what I said, now. You two have fun! I’m off!”

Kate patted her sister on her bum, making Alisha jump. Alisha glared at her younger sister.

“Where are you going? Kate, this really isn’t —”

“Sorry, Alisha! I’m late. Catch you later, Karl! I won’t be back until it’s dark, so ... yeah.”

Kate winked at Karl, and then she grabbed her coat and was out the door. Alisha stood for a moment, looking incredibly embarrassed, before sitting down on the sofa across from Karl. She crossed one leg over the other, hiding her hands in her lap. Going by how much smooth thigh she was displaying, Karl was now almost positive that she had changed skirts. It hadn’t been that short when she walked in the door.