Home Never Leave You

Candice Hardy led Gill up the walkway to her current residence, a rented flat in a three-story middle suburb complex pristine and well-kept as was normal for the uptown district residents. She giggled, apparently excited that he was there, a fellow student and possible companion to spend time with during the cold winter days.
They paused, Candice reaching into her purse producing a white card pressing it up against a metal plate at the side of the main doors. Gil unconsciously flinched to really wanting to recall past memories, but the setup drew them back up.
“Gill,” he heard Candice call. He had gone stiff, tense just like his younger days living under the family roof.
“Oh, sorry,” he said joining her in the foyer.
The halls were white, bright double-florescent lights beaming so harshly, almost searing the white linoleum-marble faced tiles stretching along the corridor. Again, pristine shiny aluminum doors, parting to allow Gil to see inside the elevator.
For a moment he paused, drawing a small frown from Candice again. “Is there something wrong, Gill?” she asked.
Should I dredge up the dark past of my life at home, he thought, will Candice think I’m strange? He thought better of it, shaking his head.
She smiled. “Then come on,” she said, reaching out to grab a hand. He did not resist, cheered by the warm fingers clasped tightly around his.
The elevator glided up smoothly and silent as it went, coasting to a stop to let its occupants exit. Another sanitized hall, but at least the door to her apartment was made of dark mahogany wood, adorned with square reliefs carved into the surface reminding him of the old horror doors leading into the mad doctor’s lair.
Again, she giggled, cutting a quick glance out of the corner of her eyes in his direction. There came a click, Gill did not see any key or one of the access cards used in the Science Department rooms.
“My home,” she said stepping aside ushering him in.
Cheerfully, Gill entered then froze. He gazed around astonished at the large living area with its sunken couch resplendent in a white fabric he could not recognize, bookshelves neatly arrayed against the left wall, center coffee table made from expensive looking wood topped by an oval shaped glass panel, two matching smaller lamp tables on either side of a large reclining chair. To the right on the upper platform was the dining area where four New England Modern style chairs arrayed around the table set in perfect spacing against the backdrop of the patio windows shrouded by long semi-sheer curtains, also white in color. There was a bar beyond that separating the kitchen, chrome steel buffed to a meticulous shine on the appliances.
Candice by then had removed her shoes padding barefoot past him down into the living room. “Like it?” she said twirling happily on her toes.
“Uh, yeah,” answered Gill. He took another step, foot about to set down on her thick white shag carpet when a loud cry cut the air. He jumped back staggering as he frantically looked around wondering what trouble was approaching them.
A mutation occurred, at least that’s what Gill thought when his eyes caught sight of Candice again. Where once stood a bright attractive and bubbly woman, sensitive and a bit meek, there now stood a terrifying and ferocious looking Amazon. Her eyes were wide, fingers twisting the strands of her blond hair, face aghast in mortal shock lock squarely on him.
“TAKE-OFF-THOSE-SHOES!” came a hard, demanding voice.
Oh no, muttered Gill, shoulder’s slumping. It was mother all over again, her long, ultra perfect persona reaching out to follow him once more…