They left the two bewildered fans and the usher behind. In a moment Allie had surfed herself down the aisle, and out the back doors of the theater again, finding herself on the stairs. Going down, she discovered, was a little trickier than coming up, because everyone was hurrying up the stairs to get to their seats. It was like running down an “up” escalator. She surfed through dozens of people, fighting the current, not lingering for more than an instant in any one person until she was back on the ground floor, and in the theater’s main aisle again.

She pushed off in a smooth regular rhythm, relaying herself through various people trying to find their seats, then she surged up onto the stage—and Milos was right beside her, reaching the stage the same moment she did.

“I win!” Allie said.

“No, I win!” said Milos.

“All right, a tie, then.”

Milos laughed. “Very good! We both win!”

Allie could not believe how exhilarating this had been. She wanted to do it again and again.

Milos must have read the excitement in her face, because he said, “You see? There are many, many joys to being a skinjacker.”

Around them, the house lights began to dim. The audience roared in anticipation, and Allie looked out to the darkening theater, pretending that they were all cheering for her.

“Another game!” she said to Milos. “Hide-and-seek! I’ll hide in a fleshie, and you have to find me!”

Milos crossed his arms. “How could I do that?—there are thousands of fleshies here!”

She grinned mischievously. “I’ll be the one thumbing my nose at Travis Dix!” And before he could respond, she was off, surfing her way through the theater.

Travis Dix took the stage with his band, and the audience cheered. In a moment he was singing his big hit, “Stomp My Heart and Shave my Mullet,” and most of the audience was singing along.

Stomp my heart and shave my mullet

All your lies stick in my gullet

No more cash is in my wullet

Baby, we’re through

But now I’ve got a better ‘do’

Allie chose to inhabit a college-age girl in the left mezzanine who was standing and dancing to the song with her friends. Allie carefully balanced herself within the girl, taking physical control of most of her body, but not putting her to sleep. It would be more interesting this way! Keeping her awake would be tricky, but Allie successfully hid in a blind spot of the girl’s consciousness, so her presence wouldn’t be detected. As soon as Allie took over, the girl’s body stopped gyrating, and Allie raised her right hand, putting the tip of her thumb to her nose, and spread out her fingers.

“What are you doing?” asked one of the girl’s friends.