It was Saturday night and we were all just settling down to watch the movie when the doorbell rang. For a moment, we all looked around at each other. We were all here already and the pizza had been delivered 20 minutes ago. The silent question hung in the air: “who is at the door?” Maggie gave me a look, since I was closest to the door. “Ugh fine fine” I say, feigning annoyance to hide my nerves. It wasn’t like it was the middle of the night, but it was definitely too late to expect someone at your door. As I approached the door, I saw a familiar face through the sidelight. “Did anyone invite Tessa?” I call over my shoulder. Behind me I hear gasps and whispers, then frantic shuffling. What the hell is the big deal? It’s not like we haven’t hung out with Tess before. Just as I get to the door and begin to unlock the bolt, Maggie’s hand crashes into the door.

“Mags, what the f-“

“Don’t let her in,” Maggie whisper screams at me.

“What are you talking about?” I whisper back, completely clueless as to what’s going on.

“Jordan, bolt the door and move away,” Maggie says, an intensity in her voice.

“He-hello?” A quiet voice comes through the door. “C-can someone help me? I think so-something is wrong. I don’t feel well.” Tess presses her forehead gently against the glass.

“Maggie, listen to her. Tess needs help,” I begin to plea.

“Jordan, shut up and think,” Maggie gives me a stern reply before taking a deep breath to calm herself. “You want us to let Tess, our friend, in because she needs help. But that can’t be Tess. I don’t know who that is, but she is not who she says she is.”

The more Maggie says, the more my head starts to spin. I’m not sure what is going on anymore.

“What are you saying, that’s clearly Tess!!” I almost shout in frustration.

“No, it’s not,” Maggie says, “because Tess moved across the country a week ago”

As Maggie says this, I’m almost snapped back into reality. How did I forget that? We all helped her pack and waved as the truck pulled away. But I just…forgot. After I come back to myself, the Tess outside begins to knock again, louder than before. And she says in a voice that is not quite Tess’ this time, “Please help. I think something’s wr…ong. I don’t f-feel well”.

By this time, Marie and Dom come from the other room to see what’s going on. Maggie and I look at each other, silently asking ourselves how are we supposed to explain this, when a knock comes from the back door. The voice of an elderly man comes through the house. “Girls! Girls can somebody he-elp me! I feel…ill.”

Dom turns to us and says “That’s Mr. Thompson”

“No,” Maggie says, “it can’t be, he died a few months ago. Remember the vigil after the car accident?”

What is going on, I think to myself. And how are we not remembering these details about people? Suddenly both doors begin to rattle from the force of the… people outside banging on them. We all shriek.

Maggie takes control of the situation like she always does. “Jordan, make sure the front door stays closed. Marie, the back door. Dom get us all some sharp knive from the kitchen to protect ourselves. Once you’ve all done that, meet me in the living room. We will huddle up and try to protect ourselves.”

We all ran to our stations, Marie and I making sure the doors hold as long as possible and Dom grabbing sharp instruments from the block in the kitchen. Then we all run back to meet Maggie. Again, she is so cool under pressure and gives us our assignments. “Jordan, stay up front. Marie and Dom, in the middle with backs together. I’ll stay on this side and watch the other way. Stay safe and whatever you do, don’t let them in!”

We all stand with knives in hand and listen to the incessant pounding at the doors. As I strain, my heart thundering in my ears, I realize the pounding has stopped. “Hey, I think it’s safe.” I say as I turn to the others.

There, on the floor… are the lifeless bodies of Marie and Dom. And standing over them, covered in blood is Maggie. She stares at me, licking red from her fingers with a smile.

“What the hell…” I say to myself as I fall backwards.

“Thank you, Jordan, truly. I couldn’t have done it without you” Maggie says as she steps slowly toward me.

“Why?” I beg, “why are you doing this?!”

“‘Why?’ Because I’m hungry” she smiles again, too wide. “But thanks to you, I got a lovely meal. Honestly, the hardest part was altering your memories, but you even made that easy for me. So thanks again”

“But, the things outside… Tess and Mr. Thompson” I sputter.

“Never there. Just imagination gone wild…with some help of course.” “Maggie” towers over me now the knife in her hand.

My last question is “Who, or what, are you?!”

Maggie gives me one last smile, “Me?” She asks, “I’m not who I say I am”.