He seemed like a regular sort of guy at the door, greeting me with a smile and handshake, I gave him my name Gavin Shunter, then he sort of glided off to shake hands with another. He might be the one. I've seen them slide right up walls when trapped, barely needing contact with the ground, depending on the different personas they adopt. Anything from squid to Sasquatch to shadow, they slip-slide through social niceties and no-one's the wiser. He does seem perhaps too smooth to be real.
They can be so good at ingratiating themselves into normal human society with their well practiced mannerisms and shape shifting ways. Yes that's correct, I'm a Shunter from the year 2189, hunting down a Shapeshifter through time portals to corner it near the corner of Bealey and Victoria in 2019 Christchurch, New Zealand. I've been on its trail for three weeks and reckon I've finally got its measure, following the telltale signature of ectoplasmic slime into this early morning meeting.
I learnt my trade from my Aunt Zanox, a Shapeshifter herself, but one who had dispensed with the evil ways of the multitudes. I guess I'm lucky to possess some of her genetic material which has made me a most successful Shunter. I picked up the scent at a Zombie Zumba in 2089 Botswana - time jumped across a neo-warp to find myself here with the acrid burn of hot ectoplasm in my nostrils.
It's in this room, I'd bet my last Trump on that.
There's a call to order and everyone is sitting, listening to an inspiration from a short woman with rapid fire story telling. I don't believe her, she has everyone's attention. I have my polariser primed and ready for her to make the giveaway, then wham she'll be in the slammer. Once I'm on their case there are only two options for a Shapeshifter, slammed or... better not to go into the number twos, lets just say slammed is what they would choose.
Short woman didn't give away any tell tale signs and now... now there's a strong possibility this is it; nobody in real life would have such a keen smile. I've got this guy in my sights, the polariser's warming up again. If this dude is the one I'll have to be quick. It's a masterful design he's chosen and he'll be rapidly away if he twigs me.
No it isn't him, he failed in the sign-off.
Now there's a bombshell addressing the group... could be her but I don't think so -generally Shifters don't like to stand out from the crowd.
Now they are all coming up front for a rapid turn around of speeches.
I didn't think I'd have any difficulty here but there is so much variety my head is swimming.
"Gavin Shunter, Gavin..." A Potential is calling me up front. This is tricky... may be a trap
The Potential; slightly built with Irish accent... yes definitely a 90% Potential, is calling me up front.
"Gavin, you find yourself in a time warp surrounded by Shapeshifters who are curious as to your motivations. How do you explain yourself... Gavin Shunter?
Now they are all clapping. The faces are all fixed on me.
I understand now... everyone, yes everyone is a Shifter.
I've grossly underestimated the situation here.
I reach for the polariser but change my mind immediately. I'm outgunned. Summoning up a portal I neo-warp across the void to a safer time and place.
Appendix:
Later Sean remarked that he'd never before seen anyone so reluctant to attempt a Table Topic. "It wasn't that difficult, was it?" he asked his fellow Toastmasters.
"No it wasn't," Everyone agreed, before discarding their skins in unison and slithering off to Vic's Coffee House for breakfast.
Sunrise Toastmasters meets every Thursday at The Knox Centre, 28 Bealey Ave at 7am.
Comments