Family secrets

 Lucas opened his eyes, feeling a rising panic. He staggered to his feet and saw his mother's reflection in the mirror, but he knew it was him there.

His mother, standing in the doorway, gave a soft, almost complacent smile.

— Oh, Lucas, you're awake now. You must be confused. Don't worry, it's something I do from time to time — she said, with a frightening calm.

Lucas ran his hands over his face, feeling the strange texture of skin that wasn't his. His heart was beating fast.

— From time to time? What do you mean by that? Why am I... in your body? — Her voice was shrill, and the desperation grew with each second.

She took a step forward, crossing her arms casually. Her eyes glinted with a certain mischief that Lucas had never noticed before.

— Body swapping, dear. A simple trick I use to maintain my youth.

Lucas blinked in disbelief and shook his head in denial.

“Youth? That’s a joke, right? It can’t be real…”

She laughed, a light sound that cut through the silence in a disturbing way.

“Oh, it’s very real. I’ve been doing this for over ten centuries, to be exact,” she said, as if she were telling something trivial, almost like a family recipe.

Lucas felt the ground disappear beneath his feet.

“Ten centuries?! How come… you never said anything!” Her voice rose in tone, panic turning into indignation.

She shrugged, as if that were the most normal thing in the world.

“And why would I? It’s always worked well. Only… this time, I had a little setback.”

“What setback?” Lucas asked, feeling like he didn’t want to hear the answer.

She sighed, as if she were about to give some news that wasn’t so bad, but inevitable.

“I always switched bodies with my first daughter.” But with your father... well, I only had you.

Lucas's eyes widened, horror spreading throughout his body.

"Wait... does that mean that..."

"That means that now you're in my place," she added, her smile never wavering.

Lucas took a step back, his mind spinning.

"And how long will it last?" His voice was almost a whisper now, full of fear.

She smiled even wider, enjoying his suffering.

"Who knows? Maybe a few months, maybe years. It depends on my mood."

"Years?!" Lucas felt the blood drain from his face. "You're joking!"

She looked at him with a mixture of tenderness and authority.

"No, my son. This is not a joke. But don't worry, you'll adapt. I'll always come back."

"This can't be happening..." Lucas stammered, his eyes fixed on his mother's serene figure.

She took a step back, still smiling.

— Oh, and don’t forget to make a nice dinner, dear. Your dad loves a gifted wife. And… well, he’s been quite in the mood these days. Enjoy!” She winked and, before Lucas could react, she was out the door, leaving him alone with the terrible reality.