"Good morning, Crius," Dennis Butz said.
"And to you - 'brother'," Crius replied with just a hint of
sarcasm. The Titan God was seated on the back porch of his
new residence having breakfast. He was dressed in his
traditional long, white robe with an oversized hood that
was common before the war with the Olympians. Nearby sat
Lucus, who eyed the director carefully. Dennis gave him a
frown and sat down.
"Where's the suit I got you?" Dennis inquired.
Crius grunted as he stabbed at his eggs. "I didn't like it
- too drab. I prefer my own clothes."
"You need to start wearing human clothes, Crius," Dennis
explained.
"Why?" Crius grunted again without looking up. "Is the sky
going to fall if I don't? Are my Olympian 'masters' going
to come and take me away again."
"Keep your voice down," Dennis warned him softly. "It's
important that people don't know who we are."
"You mean what we are, don't you 'brother'?" Crius snarled
in distaste.
"Yes," the director agreed. "We need to fit in."
Crius stared at Dennis with cold eyes and snapped, "What's
happened to you? Have you been around the humans so long
that it's affected your loyalty? You used to be proud to
call yourself a 'Titan'. Now look at you! You disgrace your
own people by pretending to be someone you're not. Well I
am not you, 'brother'! I prefer to be who I am, instead of
pretending to be someone I'm not."
"I have a plan," Dennis explained.
"Yes, I've heard all about your plan," Crius responded
bitterly as he glanced over at Lucus. "After everything the
Olympians have done to our people, you now want to work
with them? Have you forgotten about your daughter, Rommona,
and how Jupiter butchered her!"
"I haven't!" Dennis answered in an equally bitter tone.
"It's because of Rommona that I'm working on a peaceful
solution. I don't want any more Rommonas killed. We have
much to lose by going to war with them."
"No - we have everything to gain," Crius countered
strongly. "It is the Olympians who have everything to lose.
We control the government of the strongest nation in the
world thanks to you."
"Influence," Dennis corrected. "We have influence over the
strongest nation in the world, and the Olympians have
influence over almost two-thirds of the other nations."
"So what?" Crius scoffed. "We have better weapons."
"This is not a war we can win, Crius - nor should we try
to. Millions would die if that happened."
"Bah, you have become weak - 'brother'."
"No, I have become smarter, Crius. The time for fighting is
over. There's no way we can win a war against the Olympians
with our numbers. At best, it would take years to free our
people from their prison; not to mention that the toll on
human life would be tremendous."
"That is where you're wrong, 'brother'!" Crius argued.
"Stop calling me 'brother'," the director responded
forcefully. "I have a name - it's Dennis Butz."
"I thought you would like the term, 'brother'."
"Not when it's used as an insult," Dennis snarled. "You're
trying to force me into a fight with you."
"No," Crius told him sternly. "I'm trying to remind you
what they have done to you, to all our people. You have
suffered I'm sure, but our people still suffer in their
caves."
"In time, Crius...all in good time. Right now there is
nothing we can do about it."
"Not true, there is plenty we can do. Lucus has told me
much about America's weapons, and the condition of Peace
River when he last visited there."
"Wait a minute," Dennis interrupted, and pointed his finger
at the other man. "How could you have gotten into their
town without them knowing it?"
"I have my ways," Lucus told him forcefully. "I found out
that they are weak - very weak. The humans the Olympians
have are not fully supplying their needs. They are having
to rely on the orb to compensate for the difference."
"Don't you see 'brother', you give them too much credit."
Crius stopped talking for a moment to let that sink in. "I
have a plan, brother," he explained carefully. "Lucus can
take some of his men and hide near the entrance where our
people are being held. When they are safely in place we
will strike! I think two, 20-megaton bombs will do the
trick. The effects will knock out their defence systems for
a least an hour. With their town burning and their humans
dying, the Olympians will be too busy to deal with us."
"Nuke Peace River - are you INSANE?" Dennis exploded in
anger and horror at the suggestion. "The Olympians would
counter with nuclear weapons from their own countries. "
"Not if we nuke those countries first," Crius explained in
a cold and callous way.
Dennis stood up and slammed his fist on the table. "THIS IS
MADNESS, CRIUS! You're talking about using nuclear weapons
as if they were firecrackers. Do you realise what they
would do to this world? The effects from the fallout alone
would last for years. Millions would die in the initial
exchange, and they would be the lucky ones. Ten times that
number would die afterwards. Even if I did wage war against
the Olympians, I wouldn't use weapons that would turn this
planet into a graveyard! I won't subject the human race to
that kind of terror AGAIN!"
"You have lived with them for too long," Crius pointed out
strongly. "You're one of us, a 'TITAN'! So a couple hundred
million humans die - our people will be victorious!"
"And what will we rule over, Crius - a nuclear, winter
wonderland? Well I'm not willing to pay that price for
victory!" Dennis hissed and walked away. Lucus watched him
go and took a seat next to Crius.
"I told you it was a waste of time," he tired to explain.
"Mr. Butz is committed to this dream of his. He thinks one
day that we will live together as one big, happy family.
Trying to convert him is a waste of time."
"Perhaps," Crius said, as he tasted the pancakes his
assistant had made for him. They were too bland for his
taste. "Maybe what my new brother needs is a little
motivation. You say he is married to one of these humans?"
"Yes," Lucus smiled slightly. "I met her once. Her name is
Mary Jo. I understand she was beautiful in her day."
Crius grunted at the comment and shoved his plate aside.
"And what about this Linda Anderson? Where does she fit
into my 'brother's' life?"
"Linda is his Rommona - only she isn't aware of it."
Crius put his hands together as if he were praying, and
thought deeply for a moment. There was much to do.
"You will work on a plan to deal with his wife, Lucus. Make
sure it's an accident that we can blame on the Olympians. I
will worry about the details on why they killed her."
"Me?" Lucus asked in surprise. "I can't leave
Andersonville, not after my last attack on Mercury. Do you
know what will happen if they catch me?"
"This is WAR!" Crius replied coldly. "There is risk in
every war, and you're not above them, Lucus. If we are to
be victorious we will need my 'brother's' co-operation.
Now, you will do as I ordered or I'll throw you to the
Olympians myself. Do you understand?"
"Yes," Lucus replied in an obedient tone. "What about Linda
Anderson?"
A vicious smiled appeared Crius' face. "Leave her to me.
Once Dennis' support system is in shambles, he will have no
choice but to come back to me. Then he will be mine to
manipulate, just as before!"
Fade out...
***
Voice of Dennis Butz - Thousands of years ago there was a
war in the heavens, between the gods of old and the new
arrivals. During the process the earth was almost destroyed
by fire and floods as our war ran unchecked. Finally, after
centuries of conflict, an uneasy peace was achieved between
our two people. Both sides recognized they needed the
other, but neither side was willing to trust the other.
However, as man grew in power and knowledge he challenged
the god's themselves. To maintain the balance and keep the
peace, a buffer zone was needed.
It's a small town -- just like thousands of others spread
across the land. Quiet streets, family-run businesses, and
Saturday afternoon picnics. But this town is different.
It's a place for lost souls, for misguided individuals, and
for those who are in need of a second chance. It's also the
last, best chance I have of freeing my people from their
captor's. The name of the project is restoration; the name
of the town is Andersonville!
***
Andersonville 20 - The Cure
Story idea by Prudence Walker
Written by Prudence Walker
Introduction by Kelly Davidson
Edited by Geoff
This story is a dedication to Kelly, for without her
stories we would all be the poorer.
Authors note: Thanks Samantha for your linguistic skills re
the Latin translations.
Fade in...
David was deep in thought as he drove his car across the
state. He was worrying about his sick wife and daughter
following him in the old SUV some days travel behind.
Hoping to check out the news of a possible cure, he was
racing ahead to see if he could confirm it before Susan
wasted precious time driving uselessly to another false
hope. His wife had a rare degenerative disease that was
ultimately fatal, and unfortunately was being carried by a
dominant gene down through the female line to his daughter.
Having both a wife and a daughter depending on him weighed
heavily on his mind, and as David drove though the breaking
dawn's light, he was unaware of the twists of fate that
were about to change his life forever.
***
In another state, east from where David was driving. A man,
whose physical body was nearly identical to that of
David's, was about to become wanted by the police. Jack, a
Latin teacher at an all girls' school, preyed on the
students there. One student had alleged that he had
interfered with her and then threatened her into keeping
her mouth shut about it. The principal, after questioning
some of the other students intensely, had found out that
this had been going on for some time. After reporting Jack
to the police, they had searched his home, where they found
evidence of child pornography. Jack made bail shortly after
his arrest and promptly and promptly went on the lamb
travelling west across the country. Soon a statewide search
started by the police, swung into action. David, unaware of
the situation, was just about to enter that very same state
on his journey east.
By chance, the two men unknowingly passed each other in
their vehicles on the same road, both driving in the
opposite direction. Stopping for some breakfast, David
pulled in at a small roadside diner and climbed wearily out
of his car and stretched his aching back. He walked into
the diner, were he spotted two patrol officers also eating.
A bell over the entrance announced his entry. He didn't see
the look that passed between the two cops as he eyed the
menu board hungrily. Just as he started to give his order
to the girl behind the counter, a tap on his shoulder
announced the presence of the two cops. When he turned in
surprise, he found himself pinned against the counter as
they grabbed his arms roughly and forced them behind his
back. Then he heard and felt the "snick snick" sound of
handcuffs going around his wrists.
"What the hell..." David started to yell.
The two cops, thinking of him as Jack a child molester,
were in no mood for him yelling. They promptly slugged him
in the guts and as he fell gasping for air, followed it up
with several brutal kicks to the ribs.
David felt a rib crack and darkness overcome him as he
passed out.
***
Susan wrestled with the SUV, cursing it's handling as they
came over the mountains. The temperature gauge promised
troubles if they didn't stop soon. Looking over at Diane,
her 13-year-old daughter sleeping beside her, she sighed,
wishing she were awake to keep her company with her
incessant chatter. Unfortunately, the excitement of the
trip had taken its toll and she had succumbed to the warmth
in the cab and dozed off. Knowing her husband was many days
ahead didn't help matters, but she knew she couldn't stop
him racing off like a knight on a white charger. She
grinned at the thought, as the car David was driving was a
white Mustang, and then the grin slipped at the thought
that her daughter's life was dependent on finding the
elusive cure.
***
David woke to a throbbing pain in his chest and found that
his hands were now cuffed in front of him. He struggled to
sit upright in the back of the police cruiser.
One of the two cops sitting in the front turned and sneered
at David, saying, "We should have fixed you so you couldn't
take pleasure in molesting young girls, but when you're in
prison I guess the inmates there will do our job for us."
"What are you talking about, I've only just reached this
state this morning. I know nothing about young girls
getting molested. You have the wrong guy."
"Look Jack, don't come all innocent with us. We have your
picture here and it says you skipped bail on child
pornography and assault on minors," he snarled, shoving a
picture of a man that looked just like David under his
nose.
David gasped as he realised that nothing he said was going
to persuade them that he wasn't the same man, but he had to
try.
"Look, I know that looks like me but, I'm David Mathers not
this Jack person. I have my drivers licence, check it out,"
he pleaded.
"No need, it's obviously an excellent forgery. Maybe that
will get you a few more years on your sentence."
David slumped in defeat. 'What's going to happen to my wife
and daughter now? Would they ever know what happened to
me?' he thought. He had to escape somehow. It was the only
way.
Groaning loudly he slumped, as if succumbing to
unconsciousness again. He lay still with his eyes closed,
but listening out for anything that might give him a slim
chance to escape.
One of the officers complained about missing his morning
doughnut due to the arrest, and suggested they stop on the
way and pick some up.
The driver moaned, "You're not going to get my car messy
again. Why not stop and eat at the shop." The other agreed,
saying the prisoner was out of it and not likely to be
going anywhere in a hurry.
Feeling the car slow and then pull to a halt, David tried
not to grunt as one of the men, after opening the rear
door, poked him in the ribs to check his condition.
"Looks like he'll keep, we can see the car if he shows his
head up. Let's go get those doughnuts," he said, looking at
the shop and just slamming the door closed. He missed the
quick movement of the prisoner's legs as they stretched out
preventing the door from latching properly
"And I want a fresh coffee," the other replied.
As soon as their footsteps faded, David, keeping himself
from view, pushed the rear door with his feet, thankful
that they hadn't checked to see if it was closed properly,
and he slipped out. Keeping the car body between him and
the diner he managed to slip away. At that time there were
few people out to see his furtive movements as he searched
the row of parked cars for a possible getaway vehicle.
Finally, fate looked his way as he opened a door and
scrambled in. Trying to do what he'd seen done in a
thousand movies he exposed a mass of wiring near the key,
but which one was the right one. Finding that they don't
just pull off with a nice bare end, and nearly burning
himself on a wire as it melted after shorting it out, David
decided to give that away. On an impulse he looked behind
the sun visor and 'jackpot', the keys were there.
Five minutes later driving somewhat haphazardly due to the
fact he was still cuffed and had to use his knee to steady
the wheel as he changed gear, he managed to cross the state
line again back in the direction he'd come.
***
Meanwhile, Jack was congratulating himself that he'd
slipped past the authorities. He was already planning ahead
to his new identity and thinking of a new job at another
school somewhere. He had no conscience about what he had
done, only regret that he'd been caught. He continued
driving on a route that would ultimately cross paths with
Susan.
***
David knew that it wouldn't be long before the cops would
be on his trail, what with a stolen car that was fast
running out of fuel. Since his wallet had been confiscated,
he had no money - and anyone seeing him in handcuffs would
not be likely to help him. Things were looking decidedly
desperate, and he wished he knew why it had happened to
him. It was nearing midday when the engine spluttered to a
halt and he steered the car off the road and let it roll
into some low brush, lining the road. After climbing out
and checking the inside of the trunk fruitlessly for
anything to help rid him of the cuffs, he started walking
in the direction from which Susan was coming.
David was getting extremely thirsty not having had anything
to drink for about ten hours, and his stomach felt knotted
in hunger. Hearing the not so distant wail of sirens, he
knew that he needed to abandon the roadway and find an
alternative route. Cutting across country, he came to a set
of railroad tracks that paralleled the road, yet was out of
direct sight of it. Making a decision, he started walking
the line cursing the way the ties didn't quite meet his
stride. After several hours his thirst in the blazing sun
was beginning to dominate his thoughts, and he walked in a
near catatonic state hardly noticing the trestle bridge he
had stepped onto.
A blasting horn brought him back to his senses, and he saw
a diesel locomotive bearing down on him at speed as it
started onto the bridge. Panicking, he looked around to see
he was doomed. The bridge was too narrow for him to remain
on it, and it was too high to jump off. With the speed at
which it was coming, David knew it was too far to reach the
end before the train crushed his body. As he looked over
the edge again, he saw a metal support stay that was
protruding from the bridge just a few feet below the top of
the track. The vibration of the track below his feet
indicated the nearness of the train. Offering a hasty
prayer he jumped, opening his arms in a circle as he tried
to loop his cuffed wrists over the stay.
As he fell, his life flashed before him, then blinding
agony engulfed him. The cuffs cut cruelly into his wrists
as the weight of his body jerked him to a halt. As his body
swung inwards the last thing he saw was the huge wooden
support beam as he hit it, bringing another burst of pain
from his broken rib before he surrendered to blessed
unconsciousness.
***
Susan had stopped at a caf? and was eating breakfast with
Diane while many hundreds of miles away her husband hung
like a rag doll from a distant railway bridge. As she
chided Diane gently about table manners, she looked up to
see her husband David walk into the caf?. Getting up she
ran to the man she had mistaken for her husband and turned
him around before giving him a resounding kiss.
"David, what are you doing here? I expected you to be in
the next state. I've missed you so much," she gasped.
Jack was stunned having an attractive women come and give
him a kiss him like that. He waited, thinking she was bound
to realise her mistake. However, as Susan dragged him by
the arm over to her table he saw a young girl look up at
him and yell "Daddy". She to ran and embraced him. Seeing
the woman was waiting for an answer to her query, he
replied with a safe answer that his car had broken down.
Susan laughed, saying that would teach him for driving the
Mustang too hard. Jack, seeing that she was still under the
impression that he was her husband David, decided after
looking at the young girl, to go along with it for as long
as he could. He was thinking of all the stuff that he could
get the girl to do, especially, if she thought he was her
dad. Oh the delicious irony of it all, he loses one life as
Jack and gains another as David with added bonuses.
Ordering breakfast, Jack listened to Susan babble on,
giving him vital information as he listened avidly for
every scrap of information crucial to his continued
masquerade.
***
Pain dragged David back from the blessed painlessness of
unconsciousness to the reality of finding himself trapped,
hanging 50 feet above a ravine in the blazing sun. His ribs
having contacted the stanchion along with most of his face
as he fell were sending stabs of pain as he breathed
shallowly. Blood had run into his eyes, making his vision
blurry. Unable to do anything but hang by the handcuffs,
his arms were in such a blaze of pain that he moaned out
loud. Thirst too was taking its toll, and as time passed he
went into a semi-delirium. His mind kept wandering,
thoughts of his family and the possibility that he was
going to die kept him fighting against the temptation of
succumbing to the inevitable end. At last even his strength
failed, and he lapsed into a mental state bordering on
insanity. His thoughts were jumbled, and he couldn't
concentrate on anything.
"Been hanging round long?" a voice called from above. It
took a while before David realised what a voice talking to
him meant.
David moaned he couldn't speak. His throat was too parched
to do more than groan.
"Here, let me help," the voice came again.
It seemed to David as if a giant hand had grabbed him and
hoisted him bodily to the tracks above, but as he collapsed
onto the line he saw only a slim built man wearing a police
uniform. Blearily he could make out a name on his badge, M
Merrick. Not caring if he was in custody as his tortured
arms ached in relief from the long hours stretched to their
utmost, he made no protest as the officer pulled him easily
to his feet and walked him to the vehicle waiting at the
end of the bridge.
The officer said nothing as he drove into the nearby town
called Andersonville. David's thoughts were still drifting
incoherently from relief to concern for his family.
Thoughts of cool refreshing water tumbled though the
disjointed images of police and trains and his daughter. He
couldn't seem to concentrate on anything in his near
delirium.
The cruiser stopped outside the town's courthouse, and
David was pulled firmly into the cool interior. He was sat
down in a chair and told to wait. David was unable to move
from his seat as the day's events caught up with him. He
did notice, before he dozed off, a young blonde women
sitting at a desk in front of him giving him a nasty look.
She shuffled some papers together and then walked past him
into the Judge's chambers. He came to, with a start, as a
hand tapped him on the shoulder. Looking up, David saw
Officer Merrick, and he was indicating that he needed to
stand up. After several unsuccessfully attempts to stand,
the officer pulled him up and supported him. Together they
walked into the courtroom.
Sitting there was the judge who was between 40 and 50 years
of age. Close by was the girl from the front desk. She had
a Dictaphone in front of her. Looking back, David noticed
the judge as she glanced calmly at him after looking at
some papers. He noted the odd aura she had about her. It
was as if she was older than she looked, with the kindly
wisdom of long years of life.
Officer Merrick left him alone and walked over to stand by
the door. David was sure he would fall, but he found he was
unable to move, not even an inch. The Judge looked at him
for a moment and spoke.
"You stand accused of numerous counts of child abuse,
skipping bail, escaping police custody, and one count of
grand theft auto. How do you plead?"
David's mind wasn't the clearest at that moment, only the
words 'grand theft auto' made it past the jumble of what
was his mind. Being an honest person, he mumbled out
"guilty" before he really thought about what the
implications of it might mean.
"Is there anything you want to say in your defence before I
pass sentence on you?" Judge Herns said, looking directly
at David.
David, in his befuddlement, thought that everything seemed
surreal, and a chuckle escaped his lips as he pondered what
was real and what was not. He didn't see the look that
hardened the eyes of Judge Hern's, as she started to mutter
in a strange language. He did see the glow that started in
the palms of her hands as she continued the chant, and
wondered what was happening. Suddenly the glow intensified
then shot out, hitting him directly in the chest.
A strange tingling sensation flowed though his body, and as
it did the pain from his injury's disappeared. It was like
a soothing balm that erased the aches and pains from his
recent ordeal. His head cleared as the fatigue from ravages
of thirst evaporated. He wondered what sort of being could
do this to him, nothing human he guessed. Was he still in a
delirium, maybe he was imagining all of this? If so, he
didn't want to wake up. Release from the pain gave him a
momentary high, and then he was sure he was dreaming as he
noticed for the first time the extent of his changes.
He looked down at his slim arms, and looking at his hands
he saw the long, delicate fingers with the pale pink nail
polish rounded nails. He could feel the extra weight of
hair pulling on his scalp, as he looked further down, past
two creamy orbs of flesh that were definitely attached to
his...chest? His clothes too had changed. Where before he
had the worn out jeans and shirt, now they had transformed
into a lilac stretch top with a scalloped neck, and a short
black skirt that just came above his knees. A wide leather
belt accentuated his now slender waist, and showed the
expanded curves of his hips and butt. Tan hose adorned his
slender legs, and the heels he was wearing must have been
at least 3 inches high. He gasped in wonder at the feel of
the clothes, and the sight of his new body.
Judge Herns was speaking, and he looked up at her with a
question in his eyes.
"Your name is Amanda Louise Delgado, and you are 24 years
old. You're the replacement Latin teacher for one of our
teachers that recently retired. While there are young girls
in the classes, I'm sure you'll find that with the change
in sex, so too, will your attraction to them be changed."
"I'm female and a teacher?" gasped David.
"Yes, you are. Linda, will you please take Amanda to Miss
Green for the usual settling in talk?" the Judge said
coldly, looking at some more papers in a dismissive manner.
"Come on Amanda, let's get you to Dr Green so she can
explain a few things."
Walking to her office David, now Amanda, was conscious of
the skirt as it brushed against the nylons encasing her
legs. Surprisingly, walking for the first time in heels
didn't take any conscious effort at all. It wasn't until
she had sat down that she realised with horror that not
only had she swept her skirt out like any other natural
woman would have, but she found herself sitting demurely,
legs together at a slight angle, as if she had been born a
woman.
"What's happening to me?" she screamed, jumping up and
getting ready to flee.
"Calm yourself Amanda," a quiet voice said, as a blonde
haired woman entered the room. "It's part of the package to
help you cope with the new you." Dr Green moved towards her
and took Amanda's hand. "Please sit down, we have a lot to
talk about."
"I'm not a woman, I can't be a woman! I have a wife and
daughter who need me," sobbed a distraught Amanda.
"Look, Jack's life is gone you are now Amanda for the rest
of your life."
"The name is David, not Jack. I don't know who this Jack
person is or what he did, but I'm telling you I'm not him,"
Amanda yelled angrily.
Dr Green looked at her with puzzled eyes; she knew that
some of the people that had committed evil often never
remembered their old lives after the judge changed them.
They often took on the new life as if it were the only life
they had ever lived. Perhaps Jack had a split personality
and the side that had committed the abuse's had vanished,
leaving the innocent side (David) to cope with the results
of the change. Feeling a little off balance, she filled
David in on her new life as Amanda with her personal life
details. She felt she should talk to the Judge Herns as
soon as possible to check her hypothesis.
Amanda listened sullenly to the doctor as she explained
that she was living with Kate Dawson, another student
teacher in a flat close to the school. She also filled her
in with the dos and don'ts of living in Andersonville,
saying that Judge Herns wouldn't be lenient on any
infraction.
Amanda didn't really take it all in, it was too bizarre,
like a science fiction story. She walked out after an hour
when the doctor had finished to find a dark haired beauty
waiting for her.
"Amanda... at last, I hope everything is okay. What did the
Doc say? Was it food poisoning?" She rambled on, ignoring
Amanda's shocked expression as she saw the odd looking eyes
of the girl in front of her.
"Umm, no it wasn't," Amanda replied, trying to work out
what and who she was.
"Kate? You shouldn't leave your car in front of the court
like that," someone said.
Turning, Amanda saw Officer Merrick in the doorway. He
smiled at her, and she guessed he'd deliberately given her
a clue to the young woman's identity as an aide to her
fitting in. A fragment of the conversation with Dr Green
came to her, and she realised the woman known as Kate, who
was her roomy plus, was also a "temp." Someone who was a
computer generated emulation, yet lived and played exactly
as a flesh and blood person did, and had emotions and
reactions like anyone else due to a huge and complex
computer system.
"I'm sorry, but I was in a hurry to pick up Amanda," Kate
apologised.
"Okay, just this time I'll let you off with a warning," he
smiled, taking the sting out of his words. Kate grabbed
Amanda's arm and bustled her out of there, saying,
"Quick before he changes his mind."
Amanda was still trying to come to terms with everything
that had happened. First becoming a fugitive from the law,
then suffering agonies in an abortive escape attempt; then
going though a bizarre court ritual with a magic wielding
Judge who had then given him a sentence that had
transformed him into a woman? Little wonder he didn't offer
any resistance to Kate's insistence.
Kate drove a small Ford sedan that seen better days, and as
they rattled along Amanda looked sideways at Kate Dawson,
wondering at the complexity of something that could make
her seem as real as herself. Arriving at their flat, Amanda
was hustled inside by the ever-attentive Kate, where she
promptly went into the kitchen leaving Amanda to set the
table for dinner. Kate was oblivious to Amanda's hurried
search for plates and cutlery in a flurry of opening all
the cupboards and drawers.
Amanda thought that there was something odd about the way
Kate was ignoring her obvious ignorance of the layout of
the flat, but assumed it was a "programmed" response in
these circumstances. Thankful for small mercies, Amanda
soon had the table set in time for the arrival of a beef
casserole. It smelled delicious and Amanda's stomach
rumbled at the tantalising aroma, she realised that she
hadn't eaten in days.
After almost inhaling the meal in her hunger, Amanda helped
Kate clean up. Then begging tiredness, she went into "her"
bedroom, where for the first time she got a good look at
her new self in the mirror of her wardrobe door. Looking
back at her was a slender girl of modest proportions. Her
long black hair was tied back in a high ponytail and shone
in vibrant health. Her skin showed a slight olive
complexion, which hinted at a Mediterranean ancestry and
set off her large brown eyes.
"This is not me...this is someone called Amanda," David
thought in panic, barely managing to hold on to his old
identity. In tears of frustration he threw off the clothes
he was wearing. Trying not to dwell on the fleshy mounds
bouncing on his chest, he rummaged in the drawers for
something familiar to wear. Finally, he found an over large
sweatshirt with the number 10 emblazoned on it (obviously
it was from some jock). He pulled it on and it came down
past his groin like a short nightgown.
Feeling the call of nature, he wandered out looking for the
bathroom where to his chagrin, he realised that he would
need to sit just to pee. The unusual sensations of the
urine wetting a large area of his groin prompted him to
move his legs further apart. Wiping was essential, and he
felt awkward and embarrassed touching those sensitive lips
as if he was some sort of pervert. Looking closely in the
mirror, he noticed that Amanda's face still had a little
subtle makeup on. So knowing from living with his wife that
he needed a makeup remover, he started using some cold
cream to remove it. He then washed, using one of the many
liquid soaps lining the washbowl, which resulted in him
smelling like a rose. Walking back to bed with the thought
of getting some rest, he climbed into the soft lavender
coloured sheets and wriggled around trying to get
comfortable with his new protuberances. In moments the
fatigue of the last few days caught up with him and he was
soon fast asleep.
BRRRIINNNNNGGGG.... In panic David woke, fumbling for the
source of that infernal noise. Opening an eye he groaned,
then wished he hadn't for not only did the clock inform him
that it was only 6 am, but that groan was in a timbre not
his own. Realising that the previous day wasn't the result
of some weird dream he turned over in disgust and tried to
will himself into limbo of sleep again.
"Amanda? You awake? Amanda, come on, it's late and you have
classes today."
"Whaa? Go away, I never want to wake up again."
"Amanda you must get up." Kate came over and shook David's
shoulder. Protesting, David roused, knowing sleep was not
going to make things right. Kate asked if she was okay, and
David mumbled that he had felt better.
"Shall I drive you to Dr Green again?" Kate asked
worriedly.
Not wanting to go though that again, David replied that it
was okay and to give him a few minutes. Kate walked out
after helping David pick out some suitable clothes. 'More
programmed responses?' David mused. It wasn't until he was
putting on his lipstick that David froze.
'What the hell did I just do?'
Stepping back, he looked at himself in the mirror. He saw
Amanda standing there dressed in a simple blue dress that
showed her curves without being blatant. Her hair was swept
back and held in place with two tortoise shell combs tan
hose and blue 3 inch heels completed the look. David felt
fear fill him as he looked at Amanda's face, and the makeup
that had been applied by him. It was subtle like yesterday,
and the shade of eyeshadow emphasised his eyes. How had he
done that with such skill? Was he turning into the young
woman he saw before him? He realised that he'd got dressed
and made up his face like a robot on autopilot.
Something that Dr Green had said to him in her office came
back to him about relaxing when trying to do something that
required the feminine skills. Testing it out, he wiped the
lipstick off and carefully attempted to recreate the look.
After a struggle and a slight smudge, he did get it right,
but it took concentration. Trying again while thinking of
something else, he found that it went on quickly without a
thought, relieved somewhat that he wasn't automatically
becoming a girl without his knowledge, David finished by
grabbing a bag and a folder presumably with Amanda's notes
and went to where Kate was waiting impatiently.
"Here, you'll have to eat this on the way. Next time get up
earlier," she said, handing him a musueli bar.
"Thanks," David said, trying hard not to sound sarcastic.
He looked at it grimacing; he hated these things. Give him
cereal or better yet, bacon and eggs. He put it his bag,
hoping he might find time to get something else at school.
On the way in, they passed kids riding or walking to
school. Some waved at them, and David wondered if they were
to be in his class.
'Oh-my-god,' David thought just realising he, or rather
Amanda was a Latin teacher. David knew next to nothing
about teaching, let alone Latin. His stomach clenched in
fear at the thought of standing up in front of a class and
making a complete fool of himself. He almost asked Kate to
pull over so he could get out, but an idea came to him and
smiled inwardly thinking of the surprise on everyone's
faces.
Arriving at school, David looked around as Kate dragged him
off to the teachers lounge. The school was clean, and he
saw none of the usual graffiti that he remembered from his
own schooling. A few students waved and greeted them with
good mornings and smiles, and it gave David a feeling of
sadness that they were meant not for him, but for Amanda.
Entering the lounge, David found himself rather lost as
teachers greeted him and asked how her weekend was. He
covered his ignorance by smiling a lot and saying hello. A
cup of coffee was thrust into his hands by a young man who
looked at him a moment longer than was necessary. David
thanked him and sipped at the coffee while covertly
glancing back. He saw that the man was eyeing him
curiously, and David wondered if there was some difference
about him that had made the guy suspicious. His questions
were answered as finally, the man came over and started
talking.
"Amanda is everything okay?"
"Um... not really." David answered cautiously.
"You're not having memory problems?" the man asked bluntly.
"Yes, I'm just not feeling myself." David responded -
thinking that the guy must know he had been transformed,
and decided on giving him an opening.
"I knew it, sorry... I'm Glen Talbot. I teach maths here
and like you, I was transformed."
"Were we..." David paused, getting embarrassed, "an item?"
"No, we were just friends." Glen replied gently.
"Oh... well we can still be that, I need all the friends I
can get." David said, encouragingly. David looked up into a
surprised pair of blue eyes and put his hand on Glen's,
giving him a smile. The way Glen's eyes lit up made him
look cute, and it wasn't until he bent his head and kissed
David on the mouth that he realised what he'd done.
'Oh no what's happening to me?' David thought. "I just
acted like a girlfriend without thinking. I actually
thought he looked cute. This is getting out of hand. It
must be the hormones in this body, and I think the
automatic response is getting more natural. If I don't get
out of this body soon I might not want to,' he mused.
Turning from Glen to get some much-needed breathing room,
he bumped into a middle-aged woman. Her curly brown hair
was stylishly cut to shoulder length set off her face which
although beautiful had a discernible look of wisdom about
it.
"I'm sorry, I didn't see you," he blurted out.
"Hello Amanda, glad to see you back with us,"
"Um yeah, but I'm not feeling myself just now," David
explained.
She laughed quietly, "There's a lot of that going around at
the moment. I'm Miss Miller the school superintendent," she
added holding a hand out. "Welcome to our school Jack," she
continued in a quiet voice. "Your classroom is down the
corridor and the last door on the right, number 12."
David looked surprised at her comments, but guessed she was
either another of the beings that held sway in
Andersonville or was privy to the information from the
Judge. The former was more likely, as that look of wisdom
was a dead give-away.
Walking towards the classroom the butterflies returned.
David assumed that whatever it was that gave him the skills
at makeup and the other feminine skills would hopefully
come into play when he tried to step into Amanda's life as
a teacher. If it didn't, then he was in big trouble as his
knowledge of Latin was limited to phrases like "Tempus
fugit" and "Caveat emptor."
Entering the classroom, he was greeted with a general
babble from the students, which slowly quieted as he walked
to the desk at the head of the room. Some of the students
greeted him with "good morning Miss Delgado" or "morning
Miss." It gave him an odd feeling of being welcome with a
regret that it wasn't meant for him exactly, but for
Amanda.
As he opened the folder with Amanda's notes, he tried to
get into the relaxed mode that seemed to initiate the
automatic help.... Nothing! He was stranded like a beached
whale. He turned to the board trying to will the help to
come, but as the seconds passed he knew it wasn't coming.
Panic flooded though him and all he could think of was to
flee. It was so unfair... mistaken for someone else, and
then changed against his will into a female Latin teacher
with no teaching skills or knowledge of Latin.
Tears flooded from his eyes and he turned and ran, shocking
the students as he fled from the room and out of the
building. He ran not worrying where he was headed as long
as it was away from the school. Struggling to run in
unfamiliar heels, he soon kicked them off, and continued
running in his stocking feet. They lasted barely fifty feet
until they were shredded. A few people looked askance at
the woman running in torn stockings with no shoes, tears
streaming down her face.
Gasping for breath as the panic ebbed, David slowed and
looked around him. He was nearing a park with playground
equipment. A small lake near the centre looked peaceful as
the ducks swam quietly on its mirrored surface. David
stopped, then walked slowly to a bench and sat wondering
what he was going to do. A cough at his shoulder startled
him, making his heart race. Looking up he saw the slender
build of police officer Merrick.
"Miss Delgado, I had a report of a woman running barefoot
in a distressed state, and I see you have no shoes," he
raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Also, shouldn't you be
teaching class this morning?"
"NO... and I won't go there every again and nothing you can
do will make me," David shouted angrily.
"I think we should go see Judge Herns," Officer Merrick
offered quietly as he lifted Amanda's slight form like a
puppet.
David said nothing; resigned to the fact that another visit
to the Judge seemed inevitable, especially as he couldn't
offer any physical resistance with his now weaker female
body.
Judge Herns looked up at the interruption as Officer
Merrick entered with David in tow. She scowled, and put
down the papers she was reading.
"Amanda?" she said, the question plain in her tone. "Why
are you not in school?"
"BECAUSE YOU MADE A MISTAKE," David shouted, then in a
quieter voice added, "I'm not a teacher, Latin or
otherwise, I don't belong here and I'm not going back."
"Oh? I think you will, given the options. How would you
like to become a baby girl in diapers?" she said
threateningly, raising her hands.
"Go ahead, make my day," David retorted, his fear at
becoming a baby seemed inconsequential to the fear at
returning to class.
June Herns was surprised at her defiance; usually they
capitulated at this stage and begged to remain as they
were. Not wanting to seem bested, she started the change
and the ball of glowing energy flew out, hitting Amanda in
the chest. Instantly her body grew smaller, forming into
that of a newborn baby. David could feel the changes as he
shrank his strength dwindled until he couldn't stand and he
plonked onto his tiny diapered rear.
Although he found himself unable to speak other than
gurgling sounds, he refused to cry, remaining silent as he
was picked up by the officer and handed to a woman who had
just entered the court room.
"Oh, thank you Officer Merrick for looking after Julia for
me. I bet she's ready for a feed now."
"Take good care of her now, Mrs Jones, and we'll see you in
a week," he replied with a smile.
David kept eye contact with the Judge as he was placed in
the arms of his new mother, and saw something like respect
show in her eyes as he made no complaint.
***
Miss Green entered into the judge's chambers looking for
Judge Herns.
"June, do you think that there is something odd about
Amanda's behaviour? I mean look how she carried on in my
office when she claimed not to be Jack, but someone called
David. I'm wondering if this rebellious attitude is the
result of a fissure in Jack's mind that's led to a
splitting of personalities."
"Carol, I must admit that it is unusual and there's
something about Amanda that...I can't put my finger on it
exactly. Just so you know, I'll be keeping my eye on her. A
week as Julia should quench that rebellious streak, and we
can get back to normal business."
"I'm worried about her rushing out of class today. Miss
Miller saw her rushing across the school grounds like a
gazelle with a lion after her. She should have been able to
handle the class okay. Hopefully we'll get some answers
from the students. If not it will have to wait till you
restore her."
"I'll talk to her later and see what she finds out," June
answered bemusedly.
***
For David, life as baby Julia was curiously calming.
Whether it was a side effect of the change in brain size,
or a physical one due to the relatively unformed brain of
the baby, he was currently inhabiting from being able to
keep the totality of his memories. He found the stress
formed by his worry of his wife and daughter, and even his
own situation, was tempered by a warm fuzziness that filled
his thoughts. It was like being drunk where everything
seems slightly out of focus and remote without the other
side effects.
At first he tried to hold his bowel movements to when he
was being changed, but found that Julia's mother didn't
change him until he soiled them. So he just let go years of
learnt behaviour of holding back and just did it when the
urge hit. A simple squall would alert her of his need. In
fact he was so quiet and his refusal to cry like a normal
baby, that she took him to see Dr Green about it.
"But Carol, she hasn't cried in days, and she just lies
there like a zombie. I'm scared there's something wrong,"
confided Mrs Jones.
"I'm sure she will be fine in a few days," Dr Green
replied, but wondered what was going on inside Julia's
head.
David watched closely as Dr Green examined her body, taking
note of her puzzled expression. Inwardly he was grinning at
her discomfort, as he lay motionless like a rag doll. Even
when she pinched his bottom out of the view of the mother,
trying in vain to get some sort of response. He preferred
to remain silent as he tried to keep his sense of identity
together, by remembering all the details of his life as far
back as he could.
Finally, the day arrived. Julia's mother came back to the
Doctor's office where Officer Merrick took the baby while
Dr Green had a chat with Mrs Jones. June Herns look of
bafflement as she read the notes she had been given, was
quickly quenched, as Julia was brought before her.
"Well, it looks as if you have been behaving yourself, so
I'm going to change you back into Amanda as long as you toe
the line. If I have to see you again, I won't be so lenient
with you."
David held still, saying nothing as the now familiar glow
enveloped his body. As he grew back into Amanda's slender
form, he sighed, but continued to remain silent under the
scrutiny of the Judge. Seemingly satisfied, she started to
turn away just as David quietly spoke.
"Nothing you do will alter the fact that I don't belong
here. Turn me back into a baby, I don't care. It won't
change the facts. I WILL not, and more importantly CANNOT
be a teacher, unless you erase my mind and reprogram me
with your magic to fit your needs." David braced himself,
eyes closed waiting, waiting for the Judge to blow a gasket
and call down her wrath on him. Seconds passed, and he
opened his eyes glancing to where the Judge stood, frozen.
"Amanda."... The Judge's voice calmly came. "If we wanted
to let you die we could have left you on the bridge." Her
voice surprisingly, to David, was filled with compassion.
"We like to think of this change as redemption, and not as
a punishment. We need a teacher and you will fill that
role," she continued, her voice hardening as she went on.
"But..."
"Go before I do something I shouldn't," she interrupted.
David walked out, resolute in his determination to stand up
to the Judge as best he could. Out of the courthouse and
into the foyer, where he saw Mrs Jones coming out with
Julia in her arms. Linda looked up at Amanda's exit from
the courtroom and smiled at her. David smiled weakly back
and continued outside and started to walk, grateful of the
chance to be independent again. Walking in the sunny
morning allowed his mind to once again dwell on the
situation of his wife and child, and he felt the
frustration return.
***
Susan was puzzled; David was acting strangely as they drove
together east along the highway. He had altered their route
so instead of them heading directly east though the next
state, insisted they deviate to the south and then move
east. Unfortunately she didn't pick up on the fact that he
seemed to pay great attention to everything she said.
Jack didn't want to risk discovery by the police cordons
he was sure would be covering the state borders, and wanted
to completely bypass it on their way east. By listening
intently to Susan, he picked up most of the information he
needed to continue the deception. In the meantime, he was
constructing mental images of the things he intended to do
when alone with "his " daughter.
***
"BEEP...BEEP"... David was startled out of his musings as
he walked along the path in the general direction of his
flat. A small red convertible had pulled along side him,
and the driver had tooted the horn, and then called out her
name. It was the maths teacher, Glen Talbot, and he offered
her a lift to school. Shaking his head, David declined,
saying he was going home. Glen then offered to drive her
there, and David relented and got into the car.
David was silent on the way back to the flat. He didn't
feel like engaging in any chit-chat, especially with
someone who had been close to Amanda in her pre-transformed
life. Glen was content to talk to her about school matters,
filling her in with the latest gossip, as if David was the
least bit interested. He was finding it hard to keep in
mind that he wasn't a "she", as the references to him were
always in the feminine pronoun.
Trying to think of himself as David was nearly impossible.
The way his breasts jiggled with every movement, and
Amanda's very feminine attire with their attendant sensuous
sensations, were sending their own conflicting signals. He
was finding that he was falling deeper under the spell's
influence and caught himself with panic, thinking of
himself as Amanda, once or twice.
He needed a way out of here, before Amanda's life became
his own and he woke up one day to find that David was
submerged beneath the trappings of femininity. When he
entered his flat, after thanking Glen for the ride, he
decided to change his clothes and get into something less
feminine. After finding that the only pants available were
skin tight, and only showed his curves off more, he decided
to put on a simple dress that was gathered under the bodice
and fell with a full skirt to just below his knees.
Although it was decorated in a rather feminine yellow
floral pattern, it felt comfortable and light.He found a
pair of low-heeled sandals that seemed to go with it.
Shaking out his hair, he let it flow down freely. It took
an almost Herculean amount of mental will not to put makeup
on, as he'd found that after arranging his hair the 'skill'
had started automatically applying it.
He didn't get away completely with it though. The 'skill'
had somehow managed to force him to apply some perfume, and
deciding not to waste time trying to wash it off, resigned
himself to smelling like a girl. 'Beats BO. I guess,' he
thought to himself.
Looking around the flat while trying to come up with a
plan, he eventually found out where everything was. David
then decided to make an early lunch for himself.
A knock on the door startled him for a moment, and he
quickly ran to a nearby window and peered out from behind
the curtain to see who it was. Miss Miller stood there with
a determined look on her face. Backing away, David decided
that he'd go to his bedroom and politely "not hear her
knock.' Feeling hounded, he sank into a black fugue. After
a minute or so, just when he hoped she'd gone, his bedroom
door was opened and in walked Miss Miller.
"Ecce, puer, ad sum ante meridiem et nulli desperare,
gaudeamus igitur." She said. (Translation: Look, child, I
am here before noon, so let us be joyful.) "Reverti, quod
in ludo nescesse es." (Translation: Return, for you are
needed in school.) She added.
"Huh?" David understood none of it and only knew it sounded
like Latin.
"Quid non me intelligas?" she added in surprise.
(Translation: "why don't you understand me?")
From the blank look in Amanda's eyes, Laura knew something
was very wrong here. There was no way that a teacher of
Latin wouldn't have understood her. She had come to get
Amanda back to school, but was so bemused with this
revelation that she found herself unable to do more than
say that she would be back soon. As David stood up and was
about to say not to bother, he found himself alone. Miss
Miller had vanished.
'So... she's one of them too,' he thought to himself. 'No
wonder she got inside so easily.'
***
"But June, she didn't understand me when I spoke to her in
Latin, no wonder she fled the class." Laura Miller said as
she paced nervously in front of June Herns.
"Are you absolutely sure of this?" June queried, looking
disquieted.
"I'm sure...yes."
"Hmm... this puts me in a bind, Dr Green mentioned
something about a split personality. If this is true, then
the half, which we know was 'Jack' and knew Latin,
disappeared with the change. We could be left with the
'David' half, who's claiming to be innocent and is unable
to understand Latin. Where is she now? We need to keep a
close eye on her."
"I left her at home, I think she's too afraid to show
herself," Laura replied.
"Good," June nodded, "you'd better get back to school, I'll
check this out myself."
***
David wanted out, and had started walking trying to find a
way of escaping this crazy place. After walking for half an
hour keeping to the quietest streets he came to the
outskirts and saw the open countryside. Just as he was
about to gather up his skirts to climb over the fence
bordering the fields, a voice at his shoulder froze him in
place.
"They look inviting, don't they?"
David turned... to see Officer Merrick standing there.
'This guy must be one of "them," thought David, panicking a
little.
"You can't escape you know, even if you walked in a
straight line, you'd find yourself stopped." He said with a
faint grin.
David got angry at the smug look on the officer's face.
"None of you people get it, do you? I'm not the person you
think I am. I don't belong here, I have a wife and a
daughter who are relying on me to find a cure for their
disease." David explained, exasperatedly.
"Tell me about them, I'm listening." answered Officer
Merrick.
David took that as a first sign that maybe, just maybe he
could tell his side of the story. Starting from the
beginning, he related everything that had happened from the
moment they found out about the disease that was consuming
his wife and daughters life to the present moment. After he
finished, he added,
'They should be passing near here soon by my calculations.
Keep a lookout for them, they'll back up my story."
Officer Merrick looked at Amanda with an expression of
respect and sadness.
"I think there's been a terrible mistake made."
As David looked hopefully at him, he saw the cop stiffen as
if seeing something far away. With a quick "I got to go,"
he turned and blurred out of sight. David stood stunned, he
knew that the officer wasn't human in a normal sense, but
seeing him vanish like that was still a shock.
'I wonder where he had to go in such a hurry,' he wondered
to himself.
***
For some reason Diane didn't like the way her father looked
at her. He had seemed to have changed... almost like he was
another person altogether. She noticed it had started since
they met back up with him. His sidelong glances made her
feel uncomfortable, which upset her, as she loved her dad.
They were driving along an empty stretch of road, when a
tire blew with a loud bang. The flap-flap flapping sound of
the ruined tire as it tore away from the rim was
accompanied by a startled yell as David (Jack) wrestled
with the wheel trying to control the wobbling SUV.
With a screech of brakes and a grinding sound as the rim
threw sparks from the road's surface, they slowed... but
not enough. Managing only to hang on to the wheel, David
(Jack) saw the SUV headed for the ditch along side the
road. Susan screamed to Diane to hold on as the SUV slowly
and with inexorable force tilted and started falling to its
final resting place.
When the smashing noises of the interior belongings
subsided, and the dust and smoke cleared, the only sounds
were the ticking, plinking sounds of overheated metal and
the dripping of burst water reservoirs. Then...a groan, and
a sound of shifting debris, as Diane scrambled out from
under a mattress in the rear of the SUV. Pulling herself up
she saw that the vehicle had fallen on its side.
"MOM... DAD? Are you okay?" she cried.
Scrambling dazed, and a little disorientated from the
unusual position she found herself in, she moved rearward,
climbing over the jumble of belongings.
Moans from her parents told her that at least they were
still alive, and she struggled to climb out the rear door,
which was buckled from the crash. Moving round to the front
she saw her parents hanging from their seat belts. Her
father had blood dripping from a cut over his eye, and was
moving sluggishly as he tried to free himself.
Just then, a voice behind her told her 'stand clear.'
Looking around, she saw a tall slender police officer
standing there. She was surprised, as she'd not heard a car
pull up, or seen anyone about, just moments ago.
"Can you help them?" she asked worriedly.
"Yes, but please stand clear, I think the fuel is about to
catch."
Diane went white... her parents were still trapped inside.
Before she could even scream in horror, the man sprang into
action. Like the comic book hero "The Flash" Diane stood
rooted to the spot as she watched the officer blur into
motion in seconds both her father and mother were clear and
lying on the ground some distance away. With a frightening
"Whomp", a ball of exploding fuel and debris reached out
towards the girl standing frozen in fear. Just as she was
sure she was about to die, she felt herself being picked up
and whirled with a speed that defied understanding out of
harms way.
"Tsk tsk tsk, you should have moved when I told you,
Diane," the officer said chillingly, a slight grin belying
his rebuke.
Diane found herself out of danger and amazingly unharmed.
Not questioning the impossible, she turned and gave the man
a hug thanking him for saving her life. Officer Merrick
smiled, his face coming alive at the simple, but heartfelt
gratitude coming from the child. Then turning, he busied
himself checking out the two adults. The mother was fine,
just a contusion that had resulted in her unconscious
state. When he looked at the man and wiped the blood away,
he stilled, looking very intently, a strange expression on
his face.
***
David walked aimlessly, deep in thought. His life was in
tatters, changed into someone else and unable to even live
out that person's life. His choices were limited either
accept this life as Amanda, even though he couldn't do her
job as a teacher, or contemplate killing himself as there
seemed no escape from the town of Andersonville.
He stopped, taking in his surroundings. He was on the
bridge looking over a ravine that was maybe 30 feet deep.
Far enough to be fatal if he decided to jump head first. He
climbed up onto the edge and stood there looking down.
Memories of the recent rail bridge incident flooded back.
'Was it worth carrying on trying to live a life not his
own?' he pondered. One step, and it would be all over...no
worrying about school or having to adjust to life as a
woman... no just a quick brief pain then oblivion.
Standing there, he felt so alone and tears fell unchecked
as his emotions boiled over. Then as he leaned forward, an
image of his daughter laughing on her birthday flashed into
his head. A feeling of terror flooded though his body,
stilling any motion. He couldn't give up and go the
coward's way out. Diane's life depended on him. She trusted
him to find a place that could cure her so she could have
many more birthdays.
Taking a deep breath to steady him, he was about to step
down, when a woman's voice spoke.
"Please come down. We need to talk,"
Looking over her shoulder David saw the Judge Herns
standing there.
'How do they do that?' he muttered under his breath.
"No," he snarled, annoyed by the thought that if he did she
would think he had complied with her wishes and not made
the decision on his own.
"Do you truly want to die?" the Judge added.
"No," he said simply,
'Let her make sense of that,' he gloated.
The Judge paused, looking defeated.
"Isn't there any way we can come to an agreement?" she
offered.
"Oh yes... you can let me go as my old self." David
countered.
"I'm afraid that's impossible, you don't know what you're
asking," she sighed.
"Then let me go as I am...I want. No, I need to try and do
what I must to save my wife and daughters life, even if it
means I remain a woman for the rest of my days," he
conceded.
Judge Herns was about to reply when David saw her eyes
change... the same look that Officer Merrick had before he
left so abruptly.
"Come with me, there's been a development," she said in a
serious tone. She held out a hand and for some unexplained
reason, David took it sensing that there was something
bigger going on here. In an instant of time David found
that they had travelled to the local hospital where he saw
doctors fussing around a couple of patients. Officer
Merrick gave David a shared wink and with a nod drew his
attention to a child sitting by the patient's beds.
It was Diane! David's heart leapt in joy, until the way she
was looking at the patients made him realise the worse. It
was Susan in the bed.
"Susan!...SUSAN," He surged forward to get closer, but the
grip of the Judge held firm.
"She's okay, just unconscious," she explained.
Looking back at his daughter, he saw she had turned to look
at him, or rather Amanda.
"You know my mother?" she asked puzzled.
"Yes bubbakins I do," he answered.
Her eyes opened in shock,
"But...but, only my daddy calls me that," she said
wonderingly.
"I know I do, Diane... I just look a little different now,"
David sighed.
"Daddy?... DADDIIIIIIIIIIEEEEE!" she shrieked, as she ran
to David and flung her arms around David's decidedly
slender form.
"Was it the police officer who changed you? He is magic
too, he saved me from the explosion," she sobbed.
"No honey bunch, it was this lady here," David said,
indicating the Judge. "Officer Merrick saved you?" David
continued. He looked over at Officer Merrick and saw an
acknowledging shrug.
"Yes, I was sure I was going to die when the car blew up,
but he flew me away out of harm and got mommy and daddy out
too...oh...but..."
"DADDY?"