Tricking my daughter

Carly had always been a modest girl, favoring the comfort of hoodies and sweatpants over the allure of tight dresses and high heels. But today, as she slipped into a sleek black dress, her friend Ari couldn't help but notice the transformation. There was a new confidence in Carly's posture, a sly smirk that replaced her usual shy smile.

Ari watched as Carly admired herself in the mirror, her eyes sparkling with an unfamiliar gleam. There was something different about her friend, something that Ari couldn't quite put her finger on. She knew that things were different now that her mom was out of town, but her mom had been gone for well over a month. “Which was around the time her personality started changing,” Ari whispered to herself. Her friend looked stunning, a vision of elegance and beauty that was hard to ignore. She knew that Carly was playing around with magic as a hobby, but Ari had no idea that it could help her in her life to this extent. 

“Say … Carly? Ever since you started learning magic from your mom, I’ve noticed … that things seem really different. What’s gotten into you? Like … you just seem different. It’s almost like you’re a different person. I’m kind of worried. You always hated attention. You’ve also been seeing at least three different guys. Are you just sleeping around, or are you actively shopping for a boyfriend?” 

“Are you jealous?” Carly caught Ari's gaze in the mirror and winked, her smirk growing wider. Ari felt a rush of confusion, her brows furrowing in bewilderment. That was when Carly finally broke the silence, her words hanging in the air like a revelation. “I’d be jealous too if a body like this was snagging every guy I liked. Don’t worry, I’ll slow it down. I don’t plan on getting pregnant this early. Not making that mistake again.”

“Again?” Ari was taken aback. She couldn't wrap her head around it, her mind struggling to grasp the reality of the situation. But as Carly spritzed on some perfume, Ari realized that this version of Carly made sense. It explained the transformation, the change in demeanor, the newfound confidence. “Hold on, if you’re not Carly, then who are you?”

“Her mom,” Carly said. “Yeah, I figured you were going to get suspicious sooner or later. I saw it in your eyes a few minutes ago, but I didn’t put two and two together until now. I taught her magic so her soul would be darkened just enough so I could take her body.” The body thief shrugged and smiled. “She’s still inside me, by the way. She’s not the dominant soul anymore, though. That’s never going to happen now that I’ve sealed myself in her body. I didn’t want to do this so soon, but I was starting to get sore.” The possessed Carly let out a laugh and shook her head. “Don’t look so shocked. Haven’t you had more fun with me? She was awfully boring. No wonder none of the boys liked her.” The body thief gave her another wink. “I’m amazed she never actively looked for men to sleep with. This body’s perfect.”

“This is wrong on so many levels,” Ari whispered. “Get out of her now.”

Carly’s mom rose a brow and crossed her slender arms. “Or what? You’ll tell on me? Magic’s a taboo, but it’s not something that’s common practice these days. Nobody would ever believe you. Besides, it’s about time Carly came out of her shell. Now, are you going to come party with me, or are you going to be the timid friend that stays at home like my loser daughter?” Ari couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She had to find a way to reverse this. She had to find a way to free her friend. But as Carly’s possessed body forcefully pushed her out of her apartment, she realized that she was outmatched. Carly’s mom went straight to her party while Ari helplessly followed. Something evil had taken place, and she was powerless to reverse it.