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Mark Merrick's store was located in one of the older buildings of Peace River. Although the construction date indicated the building had been build over 100 years ago, it's condition made it appear to be less then a year old. Over the door was a sign with the words 'Mercury Connections' printed in big, bold letters. It was my first time to Mark's shop, at least the one in Peace River, and I peered through the large storefront window with mild interest. Lining the display case were computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices of the day. I had to give Mercury credit where credit was due; he knew his business. When I opened up the door there was a pleasant chime, and suddenly Mark Merrick was standing next to me dressed in pair of gray slacks and a blue dress shirt. He looked every bit the salesman, right down to the silly grin that made you wonder if they were saying 'sucker' to themselves. "Took you long enough," I told him. "I've been waiting here for almost a full second." My comment earned me a laugh and friendly smile, which I returned. Besides Apollo, Mercury was the only God in Peace River I trusted, up to a point that is. "Sorry, I was a block away when you came in," he joked, although I couldn't really be sure if he was joking or being serious. "What brings you to my store today, Linda? Nothing wrong with your phone I hope?" "No, nothing like that. I'm here to ask you for a favor," I said directly. "I see," Mark/Mercury replied without changing a beat. "What kind of favor?" "The kind of favor I'm going to owe you big time for if you do it. The favor isn't for me, it's for someone else." "Aww, I see," he grinned. "One of those favors. Well, what is it?" His mood remained friendly as I explained what I wanted him to do. It was a long shot, but for some reason I felt Mark wouldn't refuse my request. I had no doubts that what Judge Jasper's answer would've been if I had asked him. "You do realize the position you're putting me in," he stated after I was done. "This isn't something my father would approve of." "Does everyone here follow your fathers lead?" I asked. "If you believed that we wouldn't be talking," Mark answered dryly. "There is a general plan, but each of us still acts independently in our own affairs. As for your request, how do I know you won't try anything funny?" "Oh, come on, Mark. What other reason could I have for asking you? I'm doing this for Ashlee's sake. Trust me on this one." "Trust you? Like you trust me?" he said with an intense stare. "I don't follow you, Mark? I trust you." "What about this?" he said while poking his skinny finger at the cross around my neck. "It's a cross, so what?" Mercury moved within inches of my face and with intensity in his voice whispered, "we both know it's more than just a cross, Linda, so lets stop pretending here. I was talking to Connie the other day and she told me there seems to be a blocking agent around you. I've noticed it too, ever since you came here from Andersonville. The only thing different between then and now is that piece of metal around your neck, so don't play games with me." "Maybe I don't want your people reading my mind," I told him smartly. "Who told you we were going to read your mind?" he shot back defensively. "I have no intentions of doing that, nor does anyone else. Yes, we can and do read minds when we have to - and I stress this again, WHEN WE HAVE TOO. We don't do it whenever the mood hits us. We live by a code here, Linda." "But Dennis told me - " "I don't care what Dennis Butz told you," Mark cut me off, "We don't read peoples minds, PERIOD! Look Linda, I've been up front and honest with you since the day we met. I'm giving you my personal guarantee that we don't read people's minds without a reason. If we did, it would dispute the normal rhythm of our town. How could the people here function normally if they believed we were reading their every thought? We simply sense the emotions that come out of the conversations we have with your people, that's all. "So why should I take it off if that's the case? If you're not going to read my mind then there isn't any harm in me wearing it." "Because it's rude!" he explained. "It would be like us communicating to you without actually talking in words; just projecting our thoughts into your head. After a while it would drive you nuts." "I still don't understand, Mark. Why do you need to feel my emotions when we communicate?" Mercury sighed. "Because Linda, we've found that human words sometimes have a double meaning. The only way we can be sure what the person means is by what they say 'and' feel. If the person is saying one thing, but being deceitful inside, we can tell. If someone is shouting in an angry voice, but we can feel inside that they're sad, we can handle the situation properly. Words can be misleading but not emotions. That's how we've dealt with your people all these centuries. Now you're forcing us to act differently." "No offense, Mark," I said slowly, "but why should I trust you?" "Because I've earned it," he stated firmly and in a way that left no room for arguing. I thought about it carefully and removed the necklace around my neck. I folded it up in my hand and handed it to him. "Just make sure you give it back to me before I leave," I told him. "It's a gift from an acquaintance, and I want to make sure I return it and shove it up his lying ass!" Mark serious expression turned back into a friendly smile. "Just keep it in your purse for now - and thank you, Linda. As for your request, I'll need to enlist the help of Ms. Marshall. She owes me a couple of favors. When were you thinking of doing this?" "Judge Jasper will be gone two days next week. I think it's better if we implement my plan when he's not around." "I agree. Let me work out all the details with Vickie and set everything up. Eight hours, Linda, that's all I can give her. And you will own me big time for this!" "Thank you, Mark," I said holding out my hand. "For a favor like this, I think a hug is in order," he smiled. I followed his lead and embraced him. Fade out... *** Voice of Judge Jasper: We are the Roman Gods, who fell to the world long ago when your people were still learning how to crawl. We have guided you through the years, rewarded you for good deeds, and punished you when needed. With our leadership, we helped you defeat the Titans in a terrible but glorious war. Once your path was set, we went to sleep, waiting for the day you would reach for the stars and take us home. But the Titans interfered, and turned you away from your destiny. When we awoke, we found much work to do; so we established a base and called it Peace River. The Titans, with our help, established their own base later on. It's a town where we can work together, a last ditch effort to avoid another war that may destroy the human race forever. Some would like to see the town and your people destroyed, others would like to see it work - to have peace at last. There is much hatred between our people, and the road ahead won't be easy but the rewards if we do are great. The name of this last chance for peace is called Andersonville. *** Andersonville 15 - The Rich Bitch Written by Kelly Davidson Edited by Sam Vincent and Nelson T. This story dedicated to Sapphire, owner of the TG_fiction email list and the oldest TG fiction web site, Sapphire's place. We are blessed by her giving spirit and continuing determination to provide a place for TG writers to come and share their stories. Thank you Sapphire. Fade in... The wind was trying to mess up my hair but I didn't worry; that's what my scarf was for. It was hand-made from Japan, and was supposedly of better quality then other scarves. 'For almost $80 it had better do more then just look pretty,' I thought to myself. 'Although it was true you couldn't put a price on beautiful things.' I had reason to worry about my hair. I had just gotten it done the day before and wasn't scheduled to go back to the salon until tomorrow. If my hair got messed up too badly, I wouldn't be able to leave the house until then. Forgetting about my hair for the moment, I pushed my expensive, high-performance Corvette a little harder, accelerating up to almost 80mph. On the hilly, two-lane highway I was on that felt pretty fast. The car had been my birthday present last month and a major disappointed. I had given my daddy hell for not buying me the red Porsche 911 I wanted. Well, at least it had T-tops and rumbled like a sports car - but a Corvette! I knew a few of my friends were laughing at me behind my back, the snobs! Deep down inside I knew they also wished they could be just like me. Bored, I picked up the phone and punched in my friends phone number. I wanted to find out what had happened to Jeannie this morning. "Hey Brittany doll," Rachel answered in an almost airhead tone. "Where are you at, girlfriend?" "I don't know," I replied, sighing deeply. "I'm on some two-lane blacktop in the middle of no where. I was so bored yesterday; I decided to take a short trip and just drive. So, what happened to Jeannie?" There was a loud giggle in the background before Rachel started talking. "Well, Brittany doll, she took the bait and went to the audition like you planned. You should've seen her expression when she discovered the part she was trying out for was that of the reptile woman. The slut turned bright red with embarrassment. I swear Brittany, her mascara was running by the time we left." I smiled inwardly as a pleasant feeling ran throughout my body. Jeannie Lambert was an attractive girl, a model in fact, who had come to Hollywood with high hopes of becoming a movie star. Jeannie was also about as poor as a church mouse, and had to work two jobs to survive. Unfortunately, Jeannie didn't know her place in society, and quickly started moving in on my territory. She began making friends with people I knew she wasn't on the same social level with. When my boyfriends started giving her the look over, I knew it was time to step in and put Jeannie in her place. So I went to a friend who was a movie director of horror films, and asked him to let Jeannie try out for the lead role. The look on Jeannie's face when I told her the good news was priceless. A round of eternal gratitude followed her na?ve smile, as if I was doing her a huge favor. I knew Jeannie would fall hard when she discovered the role didn't call for someone pretty, but someone they could turn into an ugly monster. I even made sure the director told Jeannie to her face that she had the look to play a hideous beast. Rachel had agreed to go with Jeannie to the audition and fill me in on all the details later. "She had it coming, pretending to be just as good as us!" I bragged. "I only wish I were there to see her face when the director talked to her. Maybe now she'll go back to Ohio, or Indiana, or wherever the hell those hillbilly's come from." "Well girlfriend, I got the whole show on tape. Why don't you stop by -" The phone crackled and suddenly went dead. I tried getting the signal back but it didn't respond. "Shit!" I yelled throwing the phone down into the empty seat beside me. Why did life have to be so cruel to me? Sure, I didn't have to work, but only because looking beautiful all the time and staying on top of the social scene was a 24/7 job. Of course my daddy took care of me so I didn't have to work. With all the money he made from his investments in real estate and oil wells, I live quite comfortably. Apparently not nice enough for him to buy me a Porsche though. I cursed my father's name. Sometimes he could be such a prude. In the distance I saw the outline of a small town positioned next to a wide river. I hated small towns. They were so far behind in the times compared to the big cities. Still, there might be a chance that someone there could fix my phone. They would charge me an arm and a leg to do it of course but so what? I didn't care what it would cost. After all, daddy would be paying for it; and my daddy never said 'no' to his precious, little girl. Of course I did have to earn my money. Usually that meant dressing up like a fairy princess to attend some boring function with daddy. I remembered there was another one coming up soon, and I was dreading it. The thought of trying on $700 dresses wasn't very appealing; especially when I knew the real good dresses started out around $1,500. I sighed again. It wasn't fair that daddy didn't understand fashion like I did. Oh, I could spend more on a dress if I wanted, but the difference would come out of my monthly allowance. It made me mad that if I wanted to look good attending some boring function I had to spend my own money to do so. Why should I have to spend so much of my own money on a dress I could only wear once? As I crossed over the bridge leading into town, I noticed how different the color of the water looked. Normally river water was green or gray, but this water was almost a bright blue. I saw a sign ahead welcoming me into Peace River. 'What a boorish name for a town,' I thought. I stopped at a traffic light and looked at the downtown area spread out before me. It was made up of two and three story brick buildings, all of them looking rather new. I found that a little odd since most of the small towns I had been passing through contained a number of rundown buildings. Looking ahead, I spotted a young woman pushing a baby carriage preparing to cross the street in the middle of the block. A grin appeared on my face, and I gunned my engine just a little while waiting for the light to turned green. When it did, I took off with a loud roar. Much to my surprise, the woman looked in my direction and proceeded to cross as if she had the right-of-way. "Stupid bitch!" I cursed with a smile. 'I would teach her a lesson she won't soon forget.' I accelerated to nearly 50mph and pushed down hard on the horn. The woman quickly looked at me, an expression of alarm registered on her face. I swerved wildly into oncoming traffic, coming within inches from her baby. She screamed in horror as I roared by laughing. It served the bitch right for getting the shit scared out of her. I knew she would never try crossing the street like that again. The wailing of a siren brought me out of my victory daze, and I saw in the rearview mirror a police car behind me with his lights flashing. The cop driving the car motioned for me to pull over. I ignored his request, opting instead to smile and waved back at him. Finally some excitement had come my way. There was no way this cop could catch me if I ran, and I wasn't interested in waiting while he wrote me up a ticket. I knew he would never understand what I did back there. Of course the way I saw it, I had done the bitch a favor by almost hitting her. It would force her to be more careful the next time. With a laugh I push down on the accelerator. By the time I left the city limits my car was already doing a 110. The cop stayed back, either because he was afraid of endangering other people in the area or his car couldn't keep up with me. I figured the latter had to be true. A couple of miles down the road I came to another bridge, also crossing a wide river. It occurred to me that this town must be on an island, or at the fork of two big rivers. I snickered at the cop car way behind me, straining to catch up. If he thought I was fast now, wait until I got to the other side. I would really open the car up. Suddenly there was a bright flash in the distance and a town appeared. I blinked hard; the town looked very similar to the one I had just gone through. I shook my head to clear the thought away; that wasn't possible. Suddenly another cop car drove up and blocked the exit of the bridge. I hit the brakes, planning to turn around and go back the way I had come in. That's when I noticed the cop car that had been way behind me was now inches from my rear end. How in the hell had he gotten on my tail like that? With no alternative other then crashing my way through, I came to a stop less than twenty feet from the cop car blocking my way into town. Almost as soon as I did, a thin, tall man wearing a suit was at my car door pulling out the keys from the ignition. "Hey, those are my keys," I protested loudly. The cop who had been chasing me ran up to join him. His nametag said 'Deimos' and he wore dark sunglasses "Thanks Mark," he told the man. Then he turned to me frowning deeply and asked, "What the hell did you think you were doing back there, lady?" "How dare you talk to me like that you, you pig!" I yelled at the cop in a disrespectfully tone. "Do you know who you're talking to?" "Someone, who was going to get a stern warning and then let go, but is now going to see the judge," he stated sternly. "I'm not going anywhere with you," I shot back. "I have my rights. And you, give me back my keys before I sue you for everything you have." The man the cop called 'Mark' just laughed. He turned to the police officer and said, "Oh, Judge Jasper is going to love you, Deimos!" "Take the good with the bad," Officer Deimos replied with a slight chuckle. 'Let them all laugh,' I said to myself. 'By tomorrow morning I'll have a team of lawyers pounding on their door and then we'll see who laughs.' "It's time to go, Miss Appleton," Officer Deimos stated while pulling me out of the car by my arm. "Mark, since you already have the keys, would you do me a favor and drive it back for me. "No problem, Deimos. I'll stop by the courthouse later to fill out the paperwork." He waved at the other officer blocking the road ahead to let him know it was all over. "I'll have your badge for this," I threatened as Officer Deimos led me to his squad car. "How dare you treat me like a common criminal!" "Lady, there's nothing common about you," he expressed in an insulting tone. With one quick push, he sat me down in the back seat of his car and closed the door. My mind was fuming! I couldn't wait to call daddy and tell him what had happened. They would pay, every last one of them - including this Judge Jasper if he messed with me. I was as close to being a queen in this country as you could get. As we drove into the town ahead of us, I peered over at the welcoming sign so I would know whom to sue. I gasped. The sign read, "Welcome to Peace River." That was impossible, I had left the town of Peace River behind me. Then I saw a young woman standing on the sidewalk holding onto her baby and I noticed a group of other women standing around comforting her. No, it couldn't be - that couldn't be her. The road leaving out of town had been straight as an arrow. As we passed by, the woman spotted me sitting in the back of the car. She gave me an evil grin, as if she knew something I didn't. Obviously like everyone else here, she didn't know whom they was dealing with. I would make sure my lawyers filed a suit on her as well. I would most likely end up losing money when this was all over, but I could afford to lose money while they could not. The cop turned the corner and pulled up in front of the local police station that was part of the huge courthouse of Peace River. "Inside," the officer ordered, while pulling me out of the car. "Don't you 'touch' me you asshole," I spat back. "My lawyer's going to have a field day with you when he shows up." "Huh uh," he responded in a smart tone. "We'll see about that. Now keep quiet!" I held my tongue. My revenge would come later, when I filed a 500 million-dollar lawsuit against this backwater town. The cop practically dragged me into a courtroom that was lavished better than most homes I had been in. The bench he sat me down on was made of solid oak, as was the judge's bench in front of me. The wood floor was so shiny that it must have been waxed and buffed each night. I looked up and noticed the lighting fixtures were Alcon chandeliers, very expensive and extremely hard to come by. Whoever had restored the chandeliers had done a bang up job, each one looked brand new. I could tell from the style that they had to be over a hundred years old. I had seen a pair of similar chandeliers once being sold at an antique store for $1,500 apiece, and they weren't in as good of shape as the ones hanging above me. "You must be Miss Appleton," a female voice said, knocking me out of my daydream. "Who are you?" I asked in a frosty tone. I saw a blonde hair woman dressed in a tacky business suit standing beside me. "I'm Stephanie Hall, your lawyer." I laughed rudely. "No offense, Ms. Hall, but I have my own set of lawyers I deal with. I'm sure you don't come close to stacking up against them." "Perhaps not," she replied a little annoyed by my rudeness. "However, in a few minutes Judge Jasper is going to walk out that door and you're going to be glad I'm here." "What are you talking about?" I asked her. "This is a traffic ticket, not bank robbery. The first thing I'm going to do is plead not guilty. The next thing I'm going to do is call my daddy. He'll get me out of all this." "Please Miss Appleton, trust me," she pleaded. "I can clear this matter up, but you have to let me do the talking." "Trust you? I don't even know you! And after all this is over, and I've been found guilty of some trumped up charges, you'll present me with an outrageous bill for your services. I know how these small towns operate. If you excuse me for being so bold, Ms Hall, the lawyers and judges of small towns are usually in the same bed together. By the time this is all over you'll have fleeced me for over $3,000 in fines and legal fees over a simple traffic ticket. No thank you, Ms. Hall! I'll wait for my own lawyer." "You don't know what you're saying." "Are you suggesting I'm confused or mentally disturbed?" I gave her an angry stare. "No," she replied in a tone that indicated she wasn't backing down. "I'm saying you don't know the trouble you're facing here. First of all, my services to you are free; the court will pay for them. Second, I can get you out of all this if you shut up and let me do the talking." "I'm not a fool, Ms. Hall," I snapped back. "I'll deal with this judge my own way." "Suit yourself," she answered sadly, "but I'm sticking with you till the end." She took a seat next to me and looked forward. I was going to say something else when Officer Deimos bellowed out, "All rise!" The door to the judge's chambers opened up and I got my first good look at who everyone was talking about. He was tall and well built, maybe in his late forty's or early fifties. The man had slightly graying hair and wore a full, well-trimmed beard. He strolled up to the bench with confidence, wearing a long, black robe that you would expect a judge like himself to be wearing. Behind him followed a young, teenage girl with shoulder- length hair. She wasn't bad looking, but with my help she could've looked a lot better. For one, her skirt was yucky looking and too long for someone her age. She took a seat behind a computer and the trial began. "Officer Deimos, what do we have here?" the judge asked. "Brittany Appleton, Your Honor. She's guilty of speeding, reckless driving, and leading me on a high-speed pursuit." 'Guilty, am I!' So this was how they were going to play it. I would make them pay for their boldness. "I see," the judge commented calmly. "By the way, how did your car perform, Officer Deimos?" "Wonderfully Judge. Sherry really did a great job with the engine. The car has a lot better acceleration now." I coughed impatiently. "Excuse me, Your Honor, but I'm a very busy lady. Can we please get this over with." "Why the hurry, Miss Appleton?" he asked rather annoyed. "Your hair appointment isn't until tomorrow." His response startled me. How could he have known that? Then I remembered I had left my appointment book in the car. Those snoops must've gone through it looking for information on me. I added that to the list of things I would tell the lawyers. "We don't tolerate reckless driving on our streets," he lectured rather strongly. "However, Officer Deimos should've given you a warning and let you be on your way. That being the case, I'm dismissing this case." He got ready to hit his gavel when I stopped him. "Excuse me, Your Honor," I interrupted. "I'm afraid I can't let this matter drop so easily." "And why not, Miss Appleton?" he asked with a frown. "Because of the way this security guard who calls himself a cop treated me. I was brought here like a common criminal, and he was insulting during the trip. I know my rights, and this is false arrest." "Judge, I did nothing of the kind," the officer shot back. I smiled when I saw the cop go on the defensive. The fact that this Judge wanted to drop the case so quickly was an indication that he knew who I was. He was afraid of what I would do next, and I was going to play on that fear. "Come forward, Miss Appleton, and stand next to Officer Deimos." The Judge made a motion with his hand and the look on his face showed he was serious. When I got up to the bench he asked softly, "What is it that you want?" "$250,000 to settled this matter, and an formal apology from this half-wit cop." I told him forcefully, thinking I now held all the cards. "Think about it Judge. If I get my lawyers involved it'll cost you ten times that amount to settle this. By the time they're done, your town won't have enough money left to feed a goldfish." I watched the Judge's face turn beet red with anger. "Now, let me tell you something, missy," he answered back in a low, angry tone. "You're a vain and immature little girl trapped in a woman's body. The problem with you, Miss Appleton, is that you've been pampered all your life like a Siamese cat! Your idea of a crisis is when a fingernail breaks before a big date! You've never had to deal with the responsibility of getting up each morning and going into work when you don't feel like it. You never had to try deciding which bill to pay when you don't have enough money to cover both. You wouldn't know a real problem if it came up and bit you on your shinny, pampered ass!" Officer Deimos laughed softly, causing me to lose my temper. Never had I been talked to or treated so disrespectful by anyone. I was really going to make this Judge Jasper pay for his comments. I would bury this town in so much paperwork that they wouldn't know which end was up. I doubt if their lawyer, Stephanie Hall, would be able to handle the load. "How dare you - you pompous ass," I snarled. "I'm a sophisticated lady, the cream of society. If the United States had royalty, I would be a princess. I've grown up learning proper manners, unlike your backward, goat farmers around here. Look at your officer as an example! He doesn't even know it's rude to wear sunglasses inside a building." I reached over and ripped the sunglasses off Officer Deimos face before he could react. "Give me those, you ignorant cowboy - OH MY GOD!" I put my hand over my mouth and screamed loudly. The officer's eyes were jet-black. He smirked slightly, making him appear scarier than he already was. I started backing away when two, strong hands grabbed me from behind and held me in place. It was the other man, Mark Merrick, who had suddenly appeared next to my car and had taken my car keys. I tried to break free but he barley broke a sweat keeping me in place. Something was very, very wrong here. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PEOPLE?" I screamed hysterically. I glanced over at Stephanie Hall, who was looking at me with a sad, sympathetic look. The judge peered over his bench at me with an anger expression. "You should've left when you had the chance, Miss Appleton," he stated formally. Then he turned to the cop with the black eyes and said, "Officer Deimos, I owe you an apology. I now understand why you brought this - this lady here for judgment. I'll make sure that it's swift!" "Please, please," I began to beg. "Let me go. I swear I won't tell anyone." The judge seemed unimpressed with my pleading so I switched to bribery. "I can give you money, Judge, lots of it. I can give you diamonds and other gifts - new cars, a boat. Just tell me what you want and let me go!" "Judge Jasper, a moment please." It was Ms. Hall, the one who had wanted to represent me in the first place. I looked at her with hopeful eyes. "Judge, you can still make Miss Appleton forget all of this. It's obvious she's immature for her age, but being rude and stupid isn't a crime." "It is in my courtroom," Judge Jasper intoned sternly. "Miss Appleton, I sentence you to a life in Peace River." "Noooooo, you can't do this!" I yelled. Suddenly I found myself unable to speak. "Since you've lived a life of wealth and leisure, it's time you learned how the rest of the world lives. Stand still please." I literally watched in horror as he raised his hands and started mumbling something underneath his breath. His palms began to glow, and I knew nothing good would come out of it. A ball of pink light or energy slowly started to rise from his hands. I closed my eyes and pretended this couldn't be happening, wishing it away. This had to be a bad nightmare I rationalized. Yes, in a minute I would wake up in my warm bed and realize it was all a bad dream. Only none of this felt like a dream. This was a nightmare beyond anything I could ever imagine. There was a tingling that started in my chest and grew out in every direction. Then my body began to shift in different directions, and for a moment I thought maybe I had shrunk by a couple of inches. My clothes began to feel different too. My silk skirt and blouse suddenly felt rough and scratching. In fact it felt like I was wearing several layers of clothing. Suddenly the tingling stopped and I felt normal again, at least to some extent. "Mr. Carlos Aguilar, you can open your eyes now." "Who?" I asked keeping them closed tightly. Suddenly my eyes popped open against my will. I looked down at my clothes in horror. "What did you do with my skirt and blouse?" I gushed in surprise that quickly turned to anger. "That was a $300 dollar outfit you Son of a Bit - " I stopped talking as it hit me that those were my words, but the voice was very male. "No, no," I kept repeating as I rubbed my hands over my breasts but couldn't feel them. I moved my hands down farther and let out a short scream as a mass of flesh greeted me where there shouldn't have been any. "What have you done to me?" I cried out. Both Ms Hall and the teenage girl looked sadly at me, while the rest of the spectators stared silently with a satisfactory smile. "Officer Deimos, please escort Carlos to his job," Judge Jasper said firmly. "I sure his boss is wondering what's taking so long." "Yes, Your Honor," he replied grabbing my arm. I suddenly found myself being pulled out of the courtroom. Thankfully, the officer had retrieved his sunglasses and I didn't have to look at his horrid eyes anymore. He sat me in the police car and we drove off together. I didn't say anything to him; I was in too much shock to speak. I reached down and touched my groin again. The mass of flesh, whatever it was (and I pretty much knew what it was since I wasn't a virgin), tingled slightly as I moved my hand over it. Suddenly the thought of turning myself on disgusted me and pulled my hand away. There was no way I could be a boy now, no damn way. My attention was shifted forward as Officer Deimos stopped the car in front of a garage called Sherry's Cherry. "Here's you new job," the cop said with almost no emotion in his voice. He opened my door and grabbed my hand, leading me inside to a skinny, blonde hair lady wearing a pair of dirty coveralls. She was bent over the hood of a car tightening something up. When she saw the officer come in, she laid down the wrench and wiped her hands on a rag. "Good morning, Officer Deimos. This must be my new assistant Linda called me about." "More or less," he replied. "I'll have one of the girls stop by to introduce Carlos to his new life. If he gives you any trouble let someone know. Behave boy, and have fun!" He smirked at me one more time before he left. "Well Carlos," the female mechanic said while holding out her dirty hand. "I'm Sherry, your new boss. How much do you know about cars?" "I know you turn a key and they start up," I answered rudely while ignoring her gesture. "Terrific!" she sighed lowering her hand. "I can see you're going to be a big help to me. I have two brake jobs and this tune-up I need to get done by five." "Maybe you should tell this Judge Jasper that he made a mistake and have him turn me back into who I once was," I suggest as I watched Officer Deimos leave. Sherry smiled slightly as if she could read my mind. "If you're thinking about leaving, forget it. You'd never get outside the city limits before they picked you up. In case you didn't know it yet, they tagged you. Once you set foot off my property they'll know." "Who are you?" I demanded to know. "Who are they? Do you work for them?" "Hold on, Carlos. Slow down and let me answer some of your questions." "I'm not Carlos, 'Blondie.' My name is Brittany, and I want out of this hell-hole and returned to my own life." "I'm afraid that won't happen," she said truthfully. "The fact is, you're trapped here just like I am." "You - you're a prisoner too?" "Sort of. It was my decision to stay in Peace River, but I can't leave even if I want to. So you see, I'm in the same boat you're in." "At least this judge kept you a female. Look what he did to me?" "You mean, he changed me into a female," she explained. "I was a man before I came here." "And you wanted to stay here and become a woman? I've heard of fruitcakes like you before, but I never thought I would meet one." I laughed in an attempt to forget about my own situation. "Oh honey, you look lovely in that outfit. But, I think you need some pearls to go along with it." "Thanks," Sherry replied a little annoyed, "but I didn't decide to stay because I wanted a sex change. I stayed because of the love of two of my friends. Of course, you wouldn't understand that now, would you 'Carlos'. I bet you never had a true love in your life before. You're just some poor, little rich girl bored out of her mind and trying to figure out the meaning of life" "I've had more lovers then you'll ever have," I lashed out. "No doubt," she smiled. Suddenly I caught the insult she had intended. "Perhaps now would be a good time for you to get started. I want you to crawl underneath that Chevy and change the oil." "You must be kidding," I answered in an insulting tone. "NO, I'm not," she replied sternly and with a frown to show who was in charge. "I don't have time for games, and I'm not your babysitter. I'm paying you $6.50 an hour to help out around here, and that makes me your boss. Now pick up the oil filter wrench off the table behind you and get your ass underneath that car." "And if I refuse." "I'm sure Officer Deimos won't be too happy if he has to come back," she smiled evilly. "I - I don't know what to do?" I stuttered out, my strong, demanding demeanor changing to that of a frightened little girl. How could they do this to me? How could they change me into a boy and expect me to work in a place covered in grease and filth. I put my hands over my eyes and started to bawl. "It's okay, Brittany," the blonde hair mechanic said a comforting tone. "I'm sorry I was so mean to you just a minute ago, but that 'Blondie' crack really got under my skin. This is all a big adjustment to you, so take a moment and have a good cry - you'll feel better." "Why are they doing this?" I screamed out. "Please, there has to be a way back to my old life." "I'm sorry, there isn't." she answered softly while giving me a hug. "Once you're here, you're here for good. There isn't anyway out of Peace River, and you can't bargain with them. Many have tried and it doesn't work." "But I don't want to be a boy - I'm a GIRL. And I don't want to live like this either. Please, help me." "I'm afraid all I can do is help you adjust, Brittany. If it were up to me, I would let you go. Unfortunately I don't have a say in the matter. The other people here will help you adjust too, including those who work for the judge." "Please," I begged, clinging tightly to her dirty mechanics overalls, "I just want to go home." "I'm sorry, Brittany," she whispered sadly. "This is where you'll live now for the rest of your life." I laid my head against her dirty clothes and cried even harder. It wasn't fair, I hadn't hurt anyone. I was only trying to scare that lady, that's all. I had learned my lesson, I was sorry now. Why couldn't they let me go now? All I wanted to do was go back to my life of expensive clothes and rich friends. I wouldn't even complain anymore about the Corvette daddy had gotten me, even if it did make me look cheap! After crying for almost fifteen minutes I had calm down enough where we could get back to work. I felt a certain bond with Sherry, something I hadn't felt before in my life. Even though she wasn't someone I would've hung out with before, she was still a nice person. I felt I could trust. Sherry was sort of like the sister I never had. "I really need to get back to work, Brittany," she informed me. "I also need you to change the oil of that car." "But - but I'm not sure what to do," I started to whine. "Hi sister," a different voice rang out. It was a new girl, a teenager maybe about 16 years old. She was about my height, with long reddish hair that curled down the sides. She had a smile that was sure to break a few hearts. "Hi Angie," Sherry replied. "Boy, am I glad you're here. I need to get this tune-up done and Brit-I mean, Carlos here needs instructions on how to do an oil change. Can you stay and help out?" "Only if you buy me lunch," she grinned in a devilish manner. They both laughed, and it was apparent that they had some kind of history between them. Perhaps this was one of the friends Sherry had come here to save. "I buy you lunch all the time, why don't you ever do that for me?" Sherry complained humorously. "Because I'm a poor, lonely high school student," she laughed back, "and you're a successful, rich business woman." "I saw the guy you went out with Saturday night, Angie. I would hardly say you're lonely." Both girls giggled happily. "Okay, I'll help out," Angie smiled while turning and holding out her hand. "In case you didn't know by now, I'm Angie, Sherry's younger and more attractive sister. And you're Carlos." "Brittany," I responded. "Carlos," she reaffirmed. "They don't like us using our past names here, it's too confusing. Now, take this wrench and crawl underneath car." Reluctantly, I did as she said. The underside of the car was a mess. It looked like the car had been driven through every mud puddle in town. "See that thing that looks like a pan with a nut in it? That's called the oil pan. Put the wrench I gave you on the nut and turn it. Oh, and move this gray pan underneath the nut. It's there to catch the oil." I tried with all my might but it wouldn't turn. "I can't get it to work." "Um, try the other way," she suggested. "Hey, it's working now," I told her. All of the sudden something thick and black started coming out from around the loose nut. I screamed in horror as it touched my hand. "What is it - what's wrong?" Sherry yelled running over to see what had happened. I pulled myself from underneath the car and held up my hands to her. "I turned the nut like Angie said and this black stuff got on my hand," I sniffed. "So what- it's oil," Sherry replied in a rather testy tone. "But it came out before the plug did - and it got all over my hands. Look at them! It'll take hours to get my fingernails clean again. I just had them manicured yesterday." Sherry looked like she didn't know whether to yell or laugh at me. Finally she turned away shaking her head and went back to her car without saying a word. Angie chuckled slightly and handed me a rag. "Here Carlos, wipe it off the best you can. You better get use to this, you're hands will be quite dirty from now on." "But I hate dirt," I whined. From that moment on my first day of work went downhill. *** "Carlos, someone is here to see you," Angie said hours later. I put down the tool I had been cleaning and went outside to see who it was. This someone turned out to be a friendly looking man with a pleasant grin. "Hi son," he greeted me. "Son?" I blinked hard at the stranger. He coughed. "Um, yes, that's right. I guess we need to discuss some things. Get in my car and we'll go for a ride." His car was an old Firebird that had long since live out its usefulness. The starter made a terrible groaning sound when he turned the key but eventually the engine caught and rumbled to life. My father pulled out into the alley behind the shop and turned onto a road that led away from town. "When I heard you were coming, I asked the judge to let me talk to you first instead of one of his muses," my new father said as if it explained everything. "I've been waiting for this day to come for a long time." "I'm sorry, I don't understand," I told him. He laughed joyfully. "Sorry Carlos, I keep forgetting you're new here. It's strange how you begin to think everything is so normal after a while. Okay, let me start at the beginning. I've lived in Peace River for almost 30 years. It's funny how the time has flown by so quickly. Anyway, your mother and I have had two children on our own, and 2 more kids, for lack of a better term, that we've adopted. You're the third one. I guess what I'm trying to say is; they're just like you. Adults who were turned into children and needed a new home." "I'm not a child," I told him defensively. "In Peace River you are," he answered in a firm but kind tone. "About 10 years ago, Judge Jasper promised me a boy. You see, up until now all my kids were girls. I've been waiting for a boy to do men stuff with." 'Oh oh,' I though to myself. Why did I feel like I was going to end up hating my life even more. "What kind of 'men' stuff did you have in mind?" I asked. "Oh, the usual," he smiled. "Hunting, fishing, camping out under the stars, watching you play sports." "I'm not good at any of that stuff," I told him. "In fact, I don't plan - I mean, I'll never fit in here." "Planning to leave already, are you," he grinned as he parked the car in front of the river. I turned pale but he didn't reprimand me for the idea. "Don't worry, Carlos, I won't tell anyone. You're not the first person to think that way. But before you try something foolish, let me explain the facts of life to you. The roads leading out of town are watched - all the time. If you try to walk away they'll catch you and bring you back. If that happens, Judge Jasper will punish you. Believe me Carlos, you don't want that to happen." "Why not? How could my life get any worse for me?" "Yes, I understand. When I first came here, I thought the same way. I didn't think my situation could get any worse. But when I refused to follow Judge Jasper's wishes, it did." "Why would he punish a two or three year old like that?" "Two?" my father grinned. "I was 20 at the time." "But - but you don't look any older then 30." "That's the way it works around here, Carlos. Nobody gets any older then 30 in this town. So in a way, it's like living in an eternal youth program. Instead of being old and run down, I look and feel like a young man. Which is why I can still enjoy my remaining time with you." "I'm not your son!" I told him defiantly. "It doesn't matter that you weren't born into this family," he said directly. "The fact of the matter is, you're mine now - and I'm going to raise you up right." "I'll find another way out," I told him looking at the river. "I'm a good swimmer!" "Yes, I'm sure you are," he said with a sly grin. "Which is why I brought you here. You figure they can't be watching every corner of this island. So why not just build a raft and sail or even swim to the other side? The truth is you're right, they don't watch every corner. But then with the security system they have set up, they don't have to. Watch and you'll see what I mean." My new father opened up the trunk of his car and pulled from it a small, brown bag. He walked over to the river's edge and placed one foot in the water. Carefully he started splashing the water around. I looked at him as if he had lost his mind, but he just smiled confidently back at me and continued. Out in the distance I saw something, the head and neck of a man. He rose out of the water slightly and look at us curiously. He was a rather hansom man, with blonde hair and a thick neck indicating he was very muscular. If I had still been a girl I've would've made a play at him no matter what his current marital status was. He smiled warmly at us then went back underneath the water. "Okay, watch carefully, son," he told me. My father pulled a steak from the bag and flung it as far as he could into the river. The man we had seen before popped out of the water next to the steak and picked it up with both hands. Suddenly he changed into a horrible looking beast. His skin was covered with green scales, and he had long, sharp teeth meant to tear things apart. It's hands looked like claws, and the way it ripped the steak apart left no doubt in my mind on what it could do to a human being. "You wouldn't get 50 yards off the shore before they'd be on you," he spoke while watching the creature tear the steak apart." "They? You mean there's more of these things in there?" I asked in a frighten voice. "Oh yes, many more," he replied solemnly. "I never believed in mermaids and mermen until I came here. So you see Carlos, it's still your choice to try and leave Peace River if you want. But if you plan to swim out of here, just be prepared to die a horrible death." I didn't look at my father as he spoke. All I could do was focus my attention on the ghastly beast stuffing the last piece of meat into its mouth. When the creature was finished, it turned back into a handsome man and smiled at us. *** My new father talked about other things as he drove me home. To be fair, he seemed like a nice man even though I didn't want to stay here long enough to get to know him. My new home was a single story house located in a rather crowded neighborhood. In fact, it wasn't even as big as the pool house at my old house, and it made me wonder how six people, now seven, could live in a building so small. Of course my father hadn't told me when his other kids were born, so it was possible some of them were living on their own by now. The living room was nice, but hardly luxurious like I was use to. There was a big screen TV in one corner, and a couple of old couches and chairs scattered about. A small, worn out table with several ugly scratches sat in the dinning room. I noticed there was a family photo on the wall above the table and to my surprise, I was in the picture. There didn't seem to be any end to our captor's magic in this town. "This is your mother," Mr. Aguilar indicated to the woman standing over the stove. I gasped slightly. "Hello son," she said with an almost evil smile. "You!" I replied in surprise. My mother turned out to be the woman I had almost run over this morning. "That's right," she replied with a thin smile. "Let me say 'young man', that I wasn't pleased to find out what the judge had done. I guess he has his reasons, he usually does. So you're my son, and I'm your mother. I'll make sure to treat you respectfully, as long as you treat others here the same way. Oh, and don't even think about trying on my dresses. Unlike other mothers here, I won't allow you to dip back into your past. You're a boy now, and you're going to act like one all the time." "Dear," my father intervened, "I know you two had a bad start, but we need to put that event behind us." "I'm just setting down the rules, Joseph," she glared. He took her in his arms. "I know honey, but if Carlos wants to see Ms. Marshall and buy something nice with his own money, I'm not going to stop him. It's harder on some people to present themselves 100% of the time as the other sex. However," he looked directly at me, "I expect you to do such an act in the privacy of your own room. I, we don't want to see you doing it" "Ms. Marshall? Who's that?" I asked "She runs a dress shop," my new mother replied smugly. "Dinner will be ready shortly. Why don't you show Carlos to his room and get cleaned up." "Yes dear," my father said, kissing her on the forehead. She smiled and turned back to the boiling pot on the stove. "Carlos, follow me," my father ordered. My room turned out to be an old coal room located in the basement of the house and was about the size of one of my three walk-in closets at home. It had been paneled and fixed up to look halfway decent, but it was still small and dingy looking. The bed and desk took up almost half of the space. On the walls hung pictures of cars, baseball players, and even a couple of posters of some half-naked girls in swimsuits. "There's a shower and toilet over there." He pointed to a small room in the corner with a curtain over the entranceway. "Why am I living down here?" I wanted to know. "Because, this is a small house, and there's no room for you upstairs. Your mother and I have the main bedroom, your older sister has another, and your baby sister is in the third. Unless you want to sleep with your younger sister, this will have to do." "Okay," I reluctantly agreed. Anything was better then sharing a room with a whinny baby. "Good. Why don't you take a shower and change into some nice clothes. Your sisters will be coming over soon to meet you soon. I know you'll want to make a good impression on them." He proceeded to leave then stopped and smiled at me. "Welcome home, son. I really am glad to have you here." "I wish the feeling was mutual," I replied. "Give it time," he nodded then left. I sat down on the bed and started stewing in my own self-pity. A phrase came to mind - how the mighty had fallen. I guess it could have been worse, but I didn't see how. *** The rest of the evening was different then anything I had known before. My sisters, both older and living on their own, welcomed me into the family with open arms. Each one told me a little bit about themselves, but I was too involved with my own problems to care what they had to say. Once I tried bringing up the subject on who they once were before coming here, but my mother stopped and chastised me for it. Apparently, such topics were not something you talked about in public. Hours later I went back down to my room and collapsed on the bed. I lay there, crying into my pillow for almost an hour and wondering what I had done to deserve all this. I was used to living in the lap of luxury, not staying in a place that made Motel 6 look like the Hilton. My bathroom didn't even have carpet on the floor, and the toilet was an older unit that made all kinds weird noises when you flushed it. The one in my bathroom at home barley made a sound. I thought of my daddy, and how worried he must be. That was the only bright spot in my day, knowing he was probably looking for me right now. I knew he wouldn't stop looking until he found me. How I missed him, and all my friends. Right about now I would be getting ready to go out to one of the many clubs we would visit in a night, dressed in one of my expensive and fashionable outfits. Instead I was going to bed so I could get up in the morning and go to work. Damn it, how could my life get worse? I rolled over and closed my eyes, exhausted by the day's events. To my surprise, when I opened them up again it was morning. I rolled out of bed and got dressed. The sun was just beginning to peak in through the basement windows as I walked upstairs to get something to eat. The clock on the wall said it was almost 7am. I had been asleep for almost 11 hours. I found my mother in the kitchen feeding my little sister. "Good morning son," she muttered out, but the greeting wasn't very warm. I knew she hated my guts. My sister was only about 6 months old, and even though babies had never really excited me that much, I had to admit she was cute. "Can I ask you - mom - um, is she, real?" "You mean, did I have her or was she given to us? Well, she's mine all right, your fathers and mine." "She's cute and looks just like you," I said trying to break the ice. Maybe if we agreed on some common ground, things would be better between us. "DO YOU KNOW WE CAN DIE HERE?" my mother snapped angrily at me. I stood there in shame and shook my head. The events from yesterday were now coming to a head. "It's true," she explained. "People die in accidents around here all the time. Even if that wasn't true, you came within a foot of my little girl with your speeding car." "You were crossing in front of me when you shouldn't have." "So that gives you the right to scare the hell out of me and put her life in danger?" she asked with angry tears. "What kind of person are you to think that way? Do you know what that makes you look like? How would you feel if you were me, and I came speeding by within inches of your daughter?" "I'm - I'm sorry," I told her. Inside I was feeling a new emotion, guilt. I had never felt guilty about anything before, but I did now. She was right, what the hell had I been trying to prove? "I'm so, very, very sorry." "Well, so am I young lady." She turned and went back to feeding my baby sister. Not feeling hungry anymore after the encounter with my mother, I strolled into the living room and turned on the TV. I had to leave for work soon, but there was still time to watch a few minutes of the Hollywood moment. I imagined my name and face would be all over the TV screen since my disappearance, and wanted to see what progress had been made. That's when I saw her standing there next to my father. "Mr. Appleton and his lovely adopted daughter, Jeannie Lambert, attended the function last night," the announcer with an English accent was saying. "They donated 2.5 million to help build a homeless shelter in LA." The picture switched to Jeannie giving some man in a tux a huge, cardboard check. She was dressed in a stunning, black gown that I had planned to wear one day. "Mr. Appleton and his daughter had this to say." "I was never fortunate enough to have a daughter of my own," Mr. Appleton said. "Jeannie has filled a void in my heart that I've miss all these years. She's a real role model to others." Standing next to him was Jeannie, holding on to my father's arm smiling. Then the picture switched directly to her and she said, "Homeless people is an issue that's very near to my heart. I'm so glad we've been able to raise over five million dollars tonight to build a place where these poor, down on their luck people can go to find a warm bed and a hot meal waiting for them." The TV screen shifted to a small crowd of people standing over an open barrel with a fire burning, trying to keep warm. They were all dressed in filthy rags. "Miss Lambert just signed a multi-million dollar movie deal that is expected to start filming next month," the announcer explained. "However, she doesn't expect her film career to interfere with her charity work or her relationship with her new father. In other news, - " I stood there shaking in anger, boiling mad at what had just transpired. Everything that I had worked for - yes, it was work being my father's daughter - had been stolen from me. My nice clothes, the wonderful house, my moment in the spotlight - ALL GONE! It was mine, not that slut's. And where did Jeannie get off giving 2.5 million of my future inherence to a bunch of bums? I had worked hard to make sure daddy never gave very much money away to charity; after all, it would all be mine one day - all 35 million. "That damn judge did this to me," I swore. Well I wasn't going to let him push me around anymore. I would refuse to play his game and demand he return me back to my rightful place in life. Who did he think he was, giving my life away to that bitch, Jeannie Lambert? "Is something wrong, Carlos?" my mother asked as she walked into the room and saw me standing there in my current state. If I didn't know better, I would say she was concerned. "FUCK YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE HERE!" I yelled back. I grabbed my coat and ran out of the house as fast as I could. *** The receptionist for the judge was young, maybe 18 or 19 years old, with shoulder-length, brown hair that had been cut into a cute, feminine style. By an average High school boy's scale of standard, she was a 7 or even an 8. She had a better then average chest size and was dressed in a rather nice skirt and blouse outfit. Her nameplate said Linda Anderson and she gave me a nervous smile when I walked into her office. "Good morning, Carlos," she greeted me. "Can I help you?" "No, not you. I'm here to see your boss," I demanded in a hash tone. "Carlos," then she added softly, "Brittany, I know you're pretty upset right now. Trust me, today is not a good day to go into his office half-cocked. Judge Jasper isn't in a very good mood and you're just the reason to make him do something rash. Please, come back another day." "Up yours!" I informed her as I walked toward the Judge's door. She stood up and stepped in my way, but I pushed her against the wall. Still she tried to stop me by grabbing onto my arm. "Please, this is for your own good," she pleaded. "Don't go in there." "Get out of my way, bitch!" I shot back reaching for the door handle. Before I could do so the door opened on it's own, and I saw Judge Jasper standing in the doorway looking at the both of us. "What's going on here?" he demanded to know with a tad of anger in his voice. "I'm here to see you," I snarled back, letting him know I meant business. "Both of you, come in here," he said. I went in first followed by Linda who was holding her arm from where I had grabbed her. Judge Jasper closed the door then walked back to his desk and sat down. He stared at me intensity and asked, "Now, what is so important that you had to attack my secretary to see me?" "I think you know," I told him bitterly. "I want out of here! I demand that you change me back into Brittany Appleton and return to me what's rightfully mine." "Oh?" he smiled slightly with amusement. "I see you saw the program this morning." "I most certainly did, and I wasn't amused by it. How can you be so DAMN CRUEL?" "How can YOU!" Judge Jasper roared, his smile quickly disappearing into a merciless expression. "Look at your life! You've existed for one reason and one reason only, to serve yourself. You've planned events for the sole purpose of hurting others, just so you can laugh about it and feel alive. Jeannie Lambert was a sweet girl by anyone standards, and you couldn't stand that. You couldn't bear to face the fact that someone who didn't have any money, who had to work two jobs, could be happier than you where." "But I - " "Don't interrupt me," he said with a menacing stare. "I've known people like you from many places. You're the type of person who would stand by the edge of the river and watch someone drown rather than jump in to save them and ruin your clothes in the process. Well young man, there are some things more important then money. Perhaps by being here you'll learn that." "I won't stay here!" I stomped my foot down hard to show him I meant it. "You turn me back right now, do you hear me! I hate being a boy. I can't stand it any longer! Now you return me back to my life as Brittany Appleton." "And if I don't?" he asked quietly with a slight grin that only pissed me off more. "What are you going to do, hold your breath until your face turns blue?" "I'm not playing your game anymore, Judge Jasper. I'm not going back to work at that crappy shop working as some grease gorilla." "It's monkey," he corrected. "I don't CARE what the hell it is!" I yelled. "I won't do it again - and you can't make me." "So you hate being a boy, do you?" he said with an evil glare. "You want to be a girl, where someone will take care of you all the time and you don't have to worry about working or doing any of those things that the rest of us have to do here. Is that correct?" "That's correct," I snapped back. Linda looked nervously at me and shook her head 'no', but I paid her no mind. What did someone her age know about anything? "Very well then, I shall give you exactly what you want. A life without work or worries, where the only thing you have to do is lay around and have someone take care of you." He closed his eyes and raised his hands in front of him. Linda looked at him and then at me in a frightened state, but didn't say a word. This time a blue ball of light rose from his hands, and I watched with fascination at it entered into my chest without feeling anything. There was a tingling throughout my body, and I felt a tugging on my mass of manhood that, to my relief, started to reduce in size. I almost laughed out in joy, but my happiness was short lived as I noticed my entire body was shirking in size at an alarming rate. Everything was getting bigger around me as I moved closer to the floor. Judge Jasper stared at me with a satisfied look, while the teenage girl's expression was that of complete sympathy. My blue jeans and T-shirt turned into a frilly yellow dress with ribbons around the collar. I panicked when I felt something soft and constrictive wrap itself between my leg. 'Oh my God,' I wanted to scream out. 'He's turning me into a little baby.' Something soft and frilly grew around my head, and I knew it could only be a baby bonnet that matched the dress I had one. Yellow booties with tiny ribbons completed the outfit. Something grew around me, and I found myself lying in a small basket surrounded by a soft blanket "There, that should be more to 'your' liking," Judge Jasper laughed out loud. His chamber door opened up and a beautiful woman walked into the room and picked me up out of the basket. She had long, golden hair and was one of the prettiest women I had ever seen. "You told me I was needed," she said while rocking me gently to stop me from crying. "I thought I was going to be meeting Carlos, not this pretty young sweetheart." "Good morning, Vickie," Judge Jasper said formally. "Carlos was being a little rebellious today, so I'm giving him the day off to think about his actions. I understand Julie Smith is 4 months pregnant with her first child. Why don't you take little Sheila over to her house so she can get some practice taking care of a newborn. She can drop her back off at the courthouse tomorrow morning." "That's a wonderful idea, Your Honor," Vickie Marshall agreed. She placed me back in the basket and pic