The screech of car tires against the soaked wet tarmac filled the air as cars passed by at a slow but steady speed. The sky is painted with dull grey clouds filled with rain threatening to pour down. Drops of rain water dripped from windows, cars, tree leaves, and walls. A slightly cold breeze gushed around the street corners and not too many people stayed outside for too long before running into a shop or a house. The pavements were empty as shops began to close, people started to go home to their families and the odd student roamed the street making their way back from evening study. The small hand on the church tower turned over to six o'clock. The bell began to ring out the across the miles upon miles of country side. The town stood still and the place suddenly seemed more eerie and deafeningly quite. Nothing but the sound of waves crashing against the rocks created a sense of ambience and silence. Suddenly, it was a ghost town.

The loud thundering engine of a bus pulling alongside a shelter shook the ground. The coach hissed before the automatic doors flung open. Two people stepped off, an old woman and a young man named Sam Moran. He was tall, skinny, had shaggy black hair and pointed features. He had sad, drooping eyes that said ‘’kill’’. His nose was long, pointed and his lips weren’t very prominent. His long stature gave him a gangly yet serious feel when one looked at him. He was reasonably handsome in a unique sort of way.

The coach hissed once more and tipped away down alongside the beach walk. The old woman hobbled down the pavement, leaving Sam alone in this baron street. His bags and trunk lay around his rooted feet. His placed his hands on his waist and sighed. He turned his head and sat down on the bench underneath the bus shelter. He lifted his huge trunk and placed it beside him. He unzipped one of the side pockets and took out a piece of paper with a picture of a house on it. It was large, square with four windows at each corner, a red door with a circular window and a small front garden. It was right beside the sea.

Sam sat for a moment, thinking. He then poked his head out of the shelter and looked down the street. No sign of the house that he was looking for. It must have been outside the small town. He picked up his bags and trunk and began to walk on the wooden boardwalk along the beach. He took in his first breath of fresh sea air and exhaled. For Sam, this was heaven in contrast to the smoke and fumes of the big city where he once lived. He looked at each shop as he walked by. They were all typical seaside businesses from ice-cream parlours to video-game arcades, casinos and restaurants.

The reason Sam moved to this sea-side resort was because he wanted to get away from it all. He was twenty years old, a complete college failure and he was on the fast track to disaster. His uncle, whom he lived with, kicked him out and told him to make his own way in life. ‘’I’m sick of yeh’ moochin’ off me you little prick! Go find some place of your own and get the hell outta my sight!’’ he said. It wouldn’t be inaccurate to say that Sam and his uncle Joe loathed the hell out of each other. They never got along, ever! But Uncle Joe was the only family Sam ever had. He never really had a family, his father vanished before he was born and his mother dumped Sam off at her friend’s houses all the way through his childhood. She never wanted him. He struggled to make his way through school and life because he had absolutely no interest in anything. That was why his "working class" uncle despised him and told him to go away.

But Sam wasn't moving to this little seaside town alone. His good friend Neil had moved into their new house the day before and Sam was just arriving a little later than expected. Neil was the complete opposite of Sam. He was twenty two years old, small, well built, very short brown hair and very square, chiselled features. He had the look of what you could call ‘’a smart jock’’. He was very ambitious, hardworking and studied engineering in one of the country’s top universities. He came from a close family unit. They encouraged him at everything he did, they looked after him well and they were proud. As soon as he finished college Sam convinced him to take a gap year and move to Hollytown with him to ‘’wind down’’ after years of hard work. At first, Neil was sceptical but he eventually convinced himself to take a break. He deserved it after all.

Sam walked on the thick wooden boards, tugging his trunk after him and straining to keep his bags on his shoulders. The faint whiff of sea weeds in his nostrils. He reached the end of the town within a matter of minutes and walked around a sharp corner which led to the town exit, leading beyond into the country side. He spotted the two story house, just a short distance from where he was standing. The footpath led all the way to it and stopped as no more houses came after it, the last house on the edge of the town. Sam looked at the picture in his hand, then at the house. This was the place.

The house had a crooked stone wall with a rickety old wooden gate at the front. The house was large and square, whitewashed and worn. The same red door and large windows matched the picture. Sam looked over his shoulder at the waves which crashed up against large sharp stones right beside the road. He opened the gate and struggled to carry his things up to the red door. He knocked three times and within seconds the door flung open and Neil poked his head out.

"Sam!" he cried delightedly.

"What's up man? How are you keeping?" said Sam, trying to hide his joy.

"Nothing much now, still settling into the new pad," said Neil. "Come on; let me help you with your stuff!"

Neil groped the biggest piece of the luggage, the trunk and heaved it over his shoulder, into the hallway and plonked it on the ground. Sam threw his lighter bags in, dusted his hands together and stepped inside the hallway. The minute his foot touched the ground, a cold chill ran down his spine, making the hairs stand on the back of his neck. The place was freezing.

"It's kind of cold isn't it?" said Sam, rubbing his arms.

"Yeah I know,’’ said Neil, the smile vanishing from his face. ‘’Strange isn't it? I've turned on the heating several times but it doesn't seem to work."

"Odd," Sam thought.

The entrance hall was large and shaped like a cubic square. The ceiling was high and reached up to the second floor. There was a double door archway to his right that led into the dining room and kitchen and another to his left which led into the sitting room. There was also a staircase on the left of the hall which led to the second floor, the banister reaching up to a sort of balcony over the entrance hall. At the end of the room was a long hallway that led to a tiny bathroom, utility which connected to the kitchen and a back door. The place was dusty and looked as if it hadn't been lived in for years. The walls were bare and plain and the ground was laid with dark wooden floor boards. It needed a serious amount of decorating.

Neil clapped his hands together, grinning happily as he stood beside Sam who was looking up high at the ceiling which had a huge damp stain on it.

"It may need a bit of a touch up, but I still can't believe we got to rent it for such a cheap price," said Neil.

Sam didn’t reply. He wasn’t listening as his concentration was focused on the strange vibes he was absorbing. He felt uncomfortable in the house, as if somebody was watching them. He couldn’t put his finger on it. Neil continued to jabber on.

‘’Just imagine the parties we could have in this place!’’ said Neil. ‘’It may be far away from everyone but heck, they’ll come to this place once they see what we’ve done to it!’’

‘’Yeah, yeah, imagine…’’ said Sam, not paying the slightest bit of attention.

Sam walked around the hall, looking at every corner, feeling very sceptical and unsure. He was beginning to realise why the place was so cheap to rent. It felt downright creepy! So much that it penetrated his body, making him feel highly uneasy. It felt very odd.

‘’Hey, you okay?’’ said Neil.

‘’Wha —‘’ said Sam, broken from his trance.

‘’You seem a little on edge, you okay?’’ asked Neil worriedly.

‘’Oh, uh yeah, yeah I’m fine just ah, a little hungry after the long bus journey,’’ muttered Sam.

‘’Oh, well that’s perfect because I was just about to start on dinner,’’ said Neil.

‘’I didn’t know you could cook?’’ said Sam.

‘’I’ve never cooked - ’’ stated Neil. ‘’ - but I guess there’s a first time for everything!’’

A few moments later, Neil was looking around the stove like a confused ape, searching for the ‘’on’’ switch. Sam just sat on the high stool beside the kitchen island, amused by Neil’s lack of cooking knowledge.

‘’Where’s the bloody thing?’’ muttered Neil, looking behind the stove.

‘’Did you try that one?’’ said Sam, pointing at a red leaver on beside the stove on the red bricked wall.

Neil looked up at the leaver, bent double, reaching up and turning the leaver. The sound of gas hissing ignited and the stove lit up. Neil turned his head and smiled with satisfaction.

‘’I’m getting good at this!’’ he said rather proudly.

‘’Yeah, you’re a regular Betty Crocker!’’ said Sam sarcastically.

A short while later Neil and Sam were throwing water in the oven, waving away the smoke, coughing and spluttering.

‘’Christ, I didn’t think you were that bad!’’ bellowed Sam. ‘’How the hell did you survive in college?!’’

‘’Don’t blame me!’’ said Neil. ‘’I lived in a house with two girls! They always made the dinner!’’

The fiery roast beef was put out and the two boys stood in silence, breathing heavily after the panicked incident.

‘’Takeaway?’’ gasped Neil.

‘’I like the sound of that,’’ said Sam.

Neil left the house to go downtown to the Chinese Takeaway. Sam sat alone on the old mattress in his new bedroom. The room was bare and dank. Only a mattress, bedside locker, chest of drawers, and a wardrobe were present. It was average sized, just the way he liked it. It just needed some decoration, like the rest of the house. He had opened the window to let in some much needed clean air and unpacked his clothes into the drawers, his outfits into the wardrobe and his possessions into the locker. The rest of his stuff remained in his trunk, left at the foot of his bed.

Unpacking took his mind off of the strange feeling that had engulfed his nerves and feelings when he first stepped into the house. When he was done and had nothing left to unpack, his mind was set back on his uneasy feelings. He sat alone in his new bedroom, feeling slightly scared and intimidated by the walls. He felt queasy, bloated, mixed with a sense of fear at the pit of his stomach. It was incredibly nauseating, uncomfortable and worrying.

He stood up and left the room, swiftly walking down the stairs, panting heavily. His eyes were watery and scared. As he walked down the stairs he was thrown off of his feet as the house jerked sideways. Dust fell from the ceiling as the house rumbled, shaking to its very foundations. His head banged against the drywall, making him dazed and confused as he rolled down the last few steps. The shaking stopped and Sam lay groaning on the floor.

‘’Fuuuuuuuuck!’’ he grunted as he picked himself up, squeezing his eyes shut and rubbing his sore head.

He got up on his two feet and shook his head to rid the dizziness. His vision came back to view and the house was silent once again. The first thing that came to mind was ‘’earthquake’’ but then he realised that there were no earthquakes of that magnitude in this particular part of the country. The strange incident shook the fear out of him for a few moments before it returned again. He looked at each corner of the room, his eyes darting from one point to another. He didn’t blink. He held his breath, waiting for something else to happen.

Neil arrived at the front gate five minutes later to find Sam sitting on the porch holding a wet cloth to his forehead.

‘’Jesus, what happened Sam?’’ said Neil as he walked up the front path.

‘’What do you mean what happened?’’ said Sam confusedly. ‘’The earthquake!’’

‘’Earthquake?’’ said Neil, his eyebrow raised. ‘’There was no earthquake!’’ he scoffed.

‘’What are you talking about; the god damn house was shaken to its bloody foundations just ten minutes ago!’’ bellowed Sam.

‘’Alright man, take it easy, no need to get all mad!’’ said Neil, holding the hot, brown paper bag underneath his arm. ‘’I just think that if there was an earthquake the whole town would have felt it!’’

‘’But — b-but that doesn’t make sense?’’ said Sam, getting to his feet, still holding the soaked cloth to his forehead.

‘’You hit your head?’’ said Neil, focusing his eyes on the lump on Sam’s forehead.

‘’Did I? Did I hit my — YES!’’ said Sam irritably. ‘’I hit my head but that doesn’t mean what I’m saying isn’t true!’’

‘’Well there’s your answer, you just hit your head and now you’re a little confused!’’ said Neil as he passed by Sam.

Sam leant up against the door frame, dabbing his forehead, looking completely exasperated. Could’ve I imagined it? He wondered. How come Neil can’t feel the same uncomfortable feeling that I have? Maybe all of this is just in my head.

‘’Sam come get your food!’’ bellowed Neil from the kitchen.

Sam went back inside and sat down to eat his food.

‘’ — imagine being Chinese and eating this tasty food every single day!’’ said Neil.

Sam didn’t reply and just slowly ate his egg fried rice. He was thinking. Should I say something to Neil? Sam thought.

‘’What do you think of the new place anyway?’’ said Neil.

Sam thought for a moment. He thought it would be best to tell how he felt.

‘’It’s okay - ’’ said Sam, ‘’ - It just feels a bit, weird.’’

‘’Weird? How so?’’ said Neil as he chewed on a rib.

‘’I know it sounds stupid but I feel uncomfortable, as someone is watching us, I don’t know!’’ said Sam, feeling silly with himself. ‘’I just get nothing but bad vibes from this place!’’ he said, looking around the kitchen.

‘’How hard did you hit your head?’’ asked Neil.

‘’Enough about my head!’’ bellowed Sam. ‘’This place gives me the creeps and you won’t listen to me!’’

‘’You are only here for a few hours and you already hate the place! You chose it after all!’’

‘’You obviously don’t understand what I’m saying!’’ stated Sam.

Sam stood up and put his plate in the sink.

‘’Where are you going?’’ asked Neil.

‘’I’m going for a walk,’’ said Sam as he grabbed his coat.

He walked down the front path, opened the rickety gate and set off towards the town. The strange feeling had vanished from within and he felt more at peace yet his mind was racing at the same time. He was already starting to feel rueful, a horrible stab of regret dawning upon him. If his relationship with Neil was going to continue like this then it was a complete waste of time moving to Hollytown. Why wasn’t it that Neil could sense the weird vibes coming from the house, why wasn’t it that Neil didn’t feel the earthquake and why did Sam feel the way he did.

He walked down the wooden boardwalk beside the sea. The sun had started to creep out from behind the grey clouds, casting rays of light over the town. The sea was glittering with millions of sparkles and the low rush of cars and wind sounded through the streets. It was around three o’clock in the day. Sam crossed the road and walked down a narrow cobbled street filled with small shops selling goods from washing powder to cotton jumpers. The streets were scattered with few people, mostly adults and the odd schoolboy or girl.

It didn’t take long for Sam to realise that the people of Hollytown were as friendly as can be and that everyone smiled at fellow villagers. It was grand place and Sam began to cool off. He walked through the town square which had a large fountain in the centre. He walked by a chipper which was scattered with teenaged schoolboys in uniform. He strutted past the train station to the other end of town by the secondary school. The school was a large, Victorian and surrounded by a tall red bricked wall. The large steel gates were open to the long avenue leading up to the main entrance doors. The distant sound of the bell ringing sounded and Sam thought it would be best to get out of there. He was so glad to be finished with school. That was the place he hated the most.

Sam arrived back at the house at around five o’clock. Neil was in the sitting room drinking a bottle of Coke and smoking a cigarette, looking rather frustrated. Sam leant up against the archway and looked down at his feet. He noticed that the eerie feeling had returned.

‘’I feel it,’’ said Neil softly.

Sam didn’t say anything. He was more relieved, knowing that he wasn’t going crazy. Neil sat in silence, not looking at Sam.

‘’Maybe the place is haunted,’’ joked Neil.

‘’I hope not,’’ said Sam, ‘’but that stuff doesn’t exist!’’

‘’Yeah I know, it feels like something else, I can’t quite — ‘’

‘’ — put your finger on it?’’ finished Sam. ‘’Yeah, I feel the same.’’

Neil threw his cigarette into the fireplace and gulped down the last of his cola. He got up and walked towards Sam. He stopped in front of him, looking into his eyes.

‘’I think we should get ou — ‘’

A loud droning horn burst the airwaves violently as the house began to shake yet again. The floor boards shook under the wrath of the loud noise, making Sam cover his ears, begging for mercy. Neil was viciously tossed across the room, screaming as he hit the hard wall. Sam fell to the ground, begging for the noise to stop. Dust fell from the ceiling and the few pieces of cutlery in the kitchen smashed against the floor. Sam roared at the top of his lungs, screaming.

Then, there was silence. The house stopped shaking and everything became somewhat ‘’normal’’ again. Neil picked himself up from the ground, rubbing the back of his head. He was covered in dust and he looked very dazed. Sam shuffled to his feet and looked around.

‘’You okay?’’ he asked Neil.

‘’I’m fine. Are you?’’ said Neil in a low mumble.

Sam nodded, not blinking, holding his breath. He seemed to be caught in a never-ending stare with Neil. A trance, both feeling shocked and a little shaken. Sam looked over his shoulder, then turned for the stairs.

‘’Where are you going?’’ said Neil in a fearful tone.

‘’I think there is something upstairs,’’ said Sam as he placed his hand on the banister.

‘’S-Something or someone?’’ said Neil.

‘’Shh!’’ hushed Sam.

He walked up each step of the staircase, one by one, slowly and steady, followed by a cowering Neil. Sam felt convinced that something odd was happening upstairs. He just felt it within him. He couldn’t comprehend or express the feeling. He was somehow drawn to his bedroom. He reached the top of the stairs and turned his head towards his bedroom door. He lifted his foot over the last step and walked down the hallway. Neil decided to check out his room so he went to opposite end of the hall, directly across from Sam’s room. All they could hear was the low rush of the waves crashing outside. It was eerie.

Sam walked towards his bedroom door, his breathing becoming more paced, and his heart pounding through his chest. He turned the doorknob and pushed it open. To his great relief, the room was exactly the same way as it was when he last left it. He stepped inside, feeling a little silly at how he was afraid of nothing. Literally nothing.

‘’Neil, its okay! Everything is — ‘’

Suddenly, the door slammed shut, loud bang coinciding with a blinding flash of white light.

"Arrrrgh!" cried Sam, protecting his eyes with his arm.

He stumbled backwards, feeling disorientated and confused. His vision was blurred and it took a moment for his eyes to focus back. And when they did, Sam’s jaw dropped with shock and complete awe of what happened. The room completely decorated but certainly not to his style. The walls were painted bright yellow, mostly being covered by posters of teenage boy bands, idols and teddy bears plastered everywhere. The bed sheets were white with yellow polka dots. The dresser to his left filled was suddenly stacked with make-up products, nail polish vials, powders, brushes, a hair straightener and lipstick tubes. A desk had also appeared at the very end of the room by the window with stacks of school books piled upon one another. Teddy bears were scattered in every corner of the room and girly clothes were thrown around the floor.

Sam blinked several times, not believing what had just happened to his room. He was frozen, rooted to the spot and completely dumbfounded. He took one step forward when another flash of white light blinded him yet again but this time a high pitched screech of a girl screaming filled his ears with pain. When his vision came back, the room was back to its plain old self. Sam was panting heavily as if he had just run a marathon. His hand trembled slightly. His mouth hung open shocked and horror-struck.

‘’What the fu —, ‘’ he gasped, feeling breathless and vulnerable.

His eyes watered as he gulped down his fear. He blinked again, taking in everything that had just happened. He expected for something to jump out and attack him but nothing did. All that could be heard was the crashing of waves outside through the open window.

Sam broke away from his frozen stature and scrambled for the door knob. It wouldn't budge. He tried pulling the door open but it was locked shut. He put his foot up on the frame and pulled the handle with all his strength but it was useless. He didn’t know whether he was now fatigued or panicky because his breathing was racing a mile a minute. He began to bang on the door with his fists, not able to bare another second in the room.

"Come on Neil stop playing around!" bellowed Sam.

But there was no reply. What happened to Neil? Sam called him again but he got nothing back but silence. Now he began to panic. He quickly ran to the window and tried to turn the handles. They wouldn’t budge either. He felt terrified as he looked around the room helplessly for an exit. He knew that the minute he got out of the room, he would immediately leave the house and never return. He had he felt so claustrophobic and frightened in his life. He placed his hands on his head and began to pace up and down the room, his eyes wide with fear. He tried banging on the door again but there was still no response from Neil.

"Oh god!" he whimpered. ‘’Oh good God!’’

He turned for the window. He knew he had to smash it open. It was the only way out. As he ran to the window, an invisible force sucked every breath out of his lungs making him fall to his knees, gripping his sides, and gasping for air. He choked and gagged for what felt like a lifetime before a burst of tingling energy penetrated his entire body. He had no time to think when suddenly his insides started writhing as though he’d just swallowed live snakes — doubled up, he wondered whether he was going to be sick — and then a pleasurable sensation spread rapidly from his groin to the very ends of his fingers and toes. He gasped, taking in mouthfuls of air by the nanosecond. He thought it was over.

Suddenly, the tiny hairs on his arm, and neck stood up as his whole body covered in goosebumps. He shivered all over, feeling as if someone was tickling him with a feather. And before his eyes, his hands began to shrink, the fingers thinned, the nails were growing. An explosion of utter horror engulfed him. It wasn’t painful yet he let out a bellowing scream that could’ve cracked a pane of glass. In the other room, Neil didn’t respond. To Sam, he may as well have not been there at all. He tried to get up on his feet but his knees immediately buckled beneath him as he stood. He fell sideways, leaning up against the wall for support.

His shoulders thinned in and a tricking feeling down the back of his shirt told him that his hair was growing rapidly.

‘’H-Help!’’ groaned Sam.

His body muscle shrunk away until he was frail and bony. Then layers of fat distribution appeared on his arms, bottom, hips and legs. His breathing was becoming more and more repressed, feeling as if someone was squeezing him, as his waist thinned inwards. His thighs began to widen making his pants hug his hips tightly. He lurched forward as his bones began to shift and change, transforming into a feminine skeleton, his height dropping considerably.

He screamed for Neil yet again but like before he didn’t reply.

It wasn’t painful but he groaned at the enormous amounts of pressure inflicted on his face. His nose turned into a cute button nose and his square jaw-line became more curved and soft. His thin lips swelled up, turning into pouty girly lips within an instant. His lashes thickened and lengthened as his hair continued to grow down his back, unrolling like a brunette curtain. Sam gripped his bottom with his two hands, feeling the fat that had appeared. He could’ve cried right there but his attention was quickly drawn to his groin as the pleasurable sensation accelerated to incomprehensible heights. He looked down his pants to see his manhood quickly shrinking away.

‘’Nooooo!’’ he roared as his voice cracked mid sentence, becoming more soft, high pitched and feminine.

He tried to grip his manhood before it vanished before his eyes but he was too late. The bare skin formed a thin slit creating a new womanhood. He could no longer watch. The whole feeling was as surreal as it was frightening. He gripped his hair from each side of his head, gaping at his new long, thick brunette hair, feeling incredibly shocked and dumbfounded. His insides burned like fire as his inner organs shifted about. Then, to his horror his shirt tightened as his chest expanded like a barrel bursting its hoops -- his hips and rear end were in pain agony as the pants became too tight — two perky breasts formed within his now tiny hands.

The final stages of the transformation were taking place. His little amounts of body hair vanished -- his skin bubbled as it smoothened and softened — forming soft feminine skin. He was trapped within his own room, unable to escape his strange transformation. He was utterly petrified and was trying to think rationally but it was impossible, his mind was clouded with confusion, disbelief, shock and panic. It all had to be some sort of a dream but the part where he was supposed to wake up was long delayed. This was real.

Sam stumbled sideways due to his new feel of gravity, falling facedown onto his bed. He breathed heavily into his blankets chanting, ‘’it’s not real, it’s not real, it can’t be real!’’ over and over again. He gently slid off the side of the bed onto the ground -- his new long, thick brunette hair flung down over his face. His hands trembled as he parted the hair -- feeling the sudden weight of breasts on his chest -- a horrible feeling of absence and nakedness between his legs. Had it ended? Was it over? He wondered. He slowly began to pick himself up from the ground, not wanting to believe what happened to his body. It was bizarre. It couldn’t possibly be real. It was physically impossible to suddenly change gender! His long hair irritably moved over his eyes again. He parted it down the middle as he wobbled towards the mirror.

He screeched in a high pitched voice at the sight of himself. His hands immediately gripped the pair of breasts he now had poking through his tight shirt as his mouth hung open with fear and shock. He couldn't believe his eyes. He looked at his new tiny hands, his nails longer, and pointier. He looked at his face. It had completely changed! His chin and jaw line were now smoother and pointed. His nose was curved into a cute button nose. His lips were slightly larger and more filled out. He now had long thick lashes and a few freckles scattered across his cheeks. He felt all of these facial features quickly followed by looking at his brunette coloured hair. The girl in the mirror looked very, very pretty and teenaged, around the age of sixteen or seventeen. Sam's large green eyes were bewitching and incredibly beautiful but they sparkled as they watered with panic. He stroked his hand down his arched back down to his larger buttocks which he gripped tightly.

"What the hell - ” he whimpered, gripping his new behind.

He started to walk up and down the room, feeling his new sense of gravity. ‘’it’s not real, it’s not real, it can’t be real!’’ he kept muttering to himself over and over as he paced up and down the room with his hands behind his head. His feelings were inexplicable and he couldn’t think of any reason behind the sudden change. He couldn't deny it. It was definitely real because it certainly felt like it. He tried his luck with the door again but it was still locked shut. He bit his lip, unable to look down at himself, not wanting to face the truth. Then to his horror he heard a shrill scream that came from the other side of the house.

"Neil!" screamed Sam, turning back to the door, pounding it with his tiny fists.

He now felt the enormous decline in his strength for the first time. He was in such a panic to help his friend that he didn't even notice his voice had changed to a very soft girly voice. Neil roared again.

"NEIL!" screamed Sam, now on the brink of tears.

He stopped banging on the door and turned. His eye was caught by the trunk suitcase which lay at the foot of the bed. He ran to it and attempted to lift it up in the hope of using it to break the window open. Again, he felt the massive decline in his strength as his thin arms wobbled erratically before he dropped it to the ground, catching his breath.

"What's going on?" he gasped.

Neil screamed yet again. Sam felt that he could do nothing for his friend and it frightened him greatly. He felt confused as his mind raced, wondering how he was going to get out of this strange place. He ran to the door again and shouted, hoping that Neil would reply. But he didn't. He turned and looked at the bare room feeling helpless and afraid when suddenly he was blinded by the bright flash of light yet again. He screamed as he blocked his eyes from the burning light, falling backwards on his behind.

His vision quickly returned. The room had changed back to its girlish form that he had seen in the very same vision just minutes ago. He looked around his room horrified as if he just woke up in an intimidating prison cell. His mouth agape and his knees shaking, his eyes quickly darted from one corner to the other. The boy-band posters, the makeup station, the teddy bears and the clothes disturbed him greatly, making the hairs stand on the back of his long slender neck. He felt that this had to be the part where he would wake up from the nightmare but nothing happened. Things started to get even worse.

Sam looked down at his body, his thin stomach, his wide thighs, long slender legs and breasts as he sat on the ground. He examined his new girlish form with a sense of awe and disbelief.

Then, something else started to change, his now oversized boy clothes. His white sneakers turned to the colour brown and grew a slight heel, the laces fused together, turning into two buckle straps. He quickly jumped to his feet looking down at his feet, stunned as his sneakers just transformed into a pair of brand new dubbary school shoes! He tried to move about but his legs were forced shut together as the denim legs of his jeans fused together, making Sam wobble on the spot. It began to shorten up his legs until it was above his knees, exposing his soft bare legs. He was now wearing a tight blue denim skirt but colour immediately changed to grey and pleats formed on the hemline.

‘’Oh god no!’’ cried Sam in an unnaturally girlish voice, ‘’Neil where the hell are you?!’’

The fabric changed to polyester as it pulled itself up over his wide hips. Sam, his jaw hanging open tried to pull the skirt off but it wouldn’t budge. He felt his boxer shorts shorten and tighten against his bottom, forming into a soft pair of satin knickers. His grey socks began to stretch up his new slender legs, all the way up his shins, over his knees and up his thighs until a fresh pair of thin black tights formed. His t-shirt split down the middle and fastened itself together with buttons. The fabric of his t-shirt changed to cotton white and a collar formed around the neckline -- the short sleeves tightened against his arms and lengthened down to his wrists forming a pair of stiff cuffs.

His newly formed blouse hugged his breasts and arms tightly and tucked itself into his grey pleated skirt as it zipped up, fastening the skirt around his waist. Suddenly, he left as if a tight elastic band was wrapped around his chest as white bra appeared and strapped itself around his new perky breasts, lifting them up, encasing them in satin. He felt incredibly embarrassed, hoping that nobody was watching, yet how could they? He was trapped. His mind was all over the place, a blurry haze of horror, confusion and disorientation. He couldn’t comprehend the amazingly strange feelings within his body and the surreal nature of it all. It was all too much for him to handle at this point.

A v-necked, sleeveless light blue school sweater appeared over his blouse and the collar fixed itself around the neckline. A matching tie also appeared and fixed itself under his blouse collar. His long, thick brunette hair that now reached half-way down his back softened and brushed itself out, a light blue hair band appearing. He let out a shrill girlish scream that could’ve have woken the dead, but, of course nobody heard him.

‘’Oh god, please, no!’’ he whimpered as he looked down at his feminine uniformed body. ‘’Stop, stop! Whoever you are! Just stop! I don’t want this!’’

He gripped his breasts in his hands, squeezing them to check if they were real, his jaw hanging open with shock. He then ran his trembling hand down his arched back and over his butt which was now well rounded and stuck out. He raised his hand to his cheek, feeling his new nose and mouth yet again.

All of his energy vanished and he slid down against the door, his skirted bottom hitting the floor softly as tears began to well up in his eyes. He hadn’t cried since he was eight years old. Sam sat on the ground, looking around the girly bedroom with a mixture of disturbance and a strange feeling within the pit of his tummy. He sat there for what felt like an age, rocking back and forth muttering, ‘’this can’t be real, it is mad, this can’t be real, this is mad!’’ Suddenly, Neil gave a signal that he was in the other room. The signal was a loud roar.

On the other side of the hall, within the opposite bedroom, Neil gripped his sides, gritting his teeth and his eyes watery. He too was locked in his room and could not escape. He kept his arm around his stomach as he leant up against the wall, straining to stand, feeling his insides gurgle as he began to change. A strange tingly feeling engulfed his groin, innards and it spread from head to toe as if somebody was tickling him from the inside. He could barely speak under the enormous amounts of pleasure inflicted upon his entire body.

His muscle began to fade away. His arms became long, scrawny and bony. His six-pack vanished, his leg muscle disappeared and his abs shrunk back into his body. His hand shook erratically as he touched his abdomen, his ribs now poking through his skin.

‘’No! W-What is h-happening to me?!’’ he groaned.

Slowly yet surely, fat distribution began to spread in the regular places of the female anatomy. His backside began to swell, as did his arms, thighs and legs. His shoulders hunched forward as his legs grew longer, along with his neck and general height. His pelvis widened out, making his jeans hug his hips tightly. His shoulders thinned as he scraped against the wall, trying to make his way to the on suite bathroom but he was struggling a lot.

"Neil are you okay?!" screamed a girlish voice from Sam's room.

‘’Nooooo!’’ he roared, stumbling into the bathroom, his face hitting against the cold hard tiles.

He quickly looked up, feeling a huge amount of pressure on his face. He pulled himself up to the sink, bending over and looking up into the mirror. He screamed at the sight of his morphing face. His eyes were forcefully widened making them look bigger and brighter, the colour green swirling within around his pupils, changing to a vibrant blue. His lashes grew longer, darkening and thickening. His cheeks thinned inwards, forming feminine cheekbones. His lips swelled, becoming fuller and more luscious. His nose shrunk, becoming more curved and feminine. His jaw line pointed and smoothened out as his bulging Adams Apple vanished from his new swan-like neck.

"This can't be happening!" cried Neil, touching his new features.

Then, to Neil’s horror, his new feminine face began to age slightly until it looked about thirty to forty years old. His nipples grew hard as his chest began to inflate two large breasts, popping the top two buttons on his shirt. He thought they’d never stop growing as he gripped them shakily. He looked down, shocked at his revealing new breasts -- his brown hair burst down his back as it grew within the blink of an eye -- flowing beautifully down his back and over his shoulders. The brown colour of his new long hair changed to bright white blonde.

He felt a hot feeling engulf his manhood. He quickly unbuckled his belt and looked down to see the last of his manhood before it shrunk into his body. He suddenly felt very, very different as his new womanhood appeared. He gasped the second his transformation was complete feeling very fatigued and weak. He gripped his breasts with his new manicured hands, his jaw hanging and his eyes agape with shock. He then ran his hand down his new matured curves, shaking. He looked just like a housewife in her early forties! Neil kept gasping at his new features, muttering ‘’what the hell’’ over and over.

Neil couldn't comprehend what had just happened, the sudden change was simply bizarre and impossible. It wasn't over yet. Like Sam, his clothes began to shift about as if an invisible force was beneath his clothes. His black polo shirt tightened against his breasts and arms, slowly changing to the colour white as the fabric softened.

He couldn’t find the right words of how to react to the entire situation. He swung his head towards the door, feeling the swift turning of his long blonde hair for the first time. He could feel his blue jeans tightening against his legs as he went for the bathroom door. He was suddenly rooted to the spot as his legs were forced shut together. The two jean legs fused together forming one tight dress. It began to shorten, slithering up his shins, stopping just below his knees.

"Help!" shouted Neil, not used to his new feminine voice.

The denim blue jeans turned into a tight black pencil skirt as it pulled itself over his thighs and around his waist. His boxer shorts tightened against his skin and shortened, changing into a soft pair of satin knickers with a bow on the front. He felt tightness around his chest as a bullet tipped brassiere appeared and strapped itself around his shoulder blades, lifting his breasts up and making them look more prominent and pointed.

Neil’s cheeks were aflame as his newly formed white cap blouse tucked itself into his pencil skirt as it zipped up, creating a snug tightness around his waist. His feet began to wobble as his now oversized sneakers turned to the colour black. He was forced to stand on his tippy toes as three inch heels grew out of the soles of his shoes. They then shrunk in size to a shiny pair of pump heels. His long blonde hair rolled itself up, forming a beehive doo. He then felt something being coated on his lips as makeup began to appear on his feminine face. A white pearl ring appeared on his finger along with matching earrings into his ear lobes.

‘’This c-can’t be r-real!’’ he shrieked, his voice shaking.

Neil couldn't take it anymore. He had to escape this horrible nightmare so he ran out of the bathroom with a massive amount of difficultly due to his heels, the tight skirt and his new centre of gravity. He entered his bedroom and to his awe it had completely changed with the flash of a white light. He looked around the room with his jaw hanging and his eyes wide open. There was a huge double bed with a large oak wardrobe opposite it. A makeup station table lay beside the door and the walls were decorated with cream and marooned coloured wallpaper. The ground beneath him had a fuzzy cream carpet and the beds were draped in matching covers. He stopped rotating on the spot and walked slowly over to the bed, not blinking an eye, expecting something else to happen. He gently sat on the bed, his knees together, back straight and his hands on his laps.

"What the hell is going on here?" he whimpered.

Meanwhile in Sam's room, he too was sitting on the bed confused and frightened. He was looking at his small hands, his pretty slender fingers and sharp nails. His left hand then moved to his long brunette hair which hung over his shoulders. He felt it, letting the thick hair run between his fingers.

‘’Why?’’ he whispered.

He then looked down and placed his right hand on his right breast. He then slowly slipped it down, feeling the fabric of his school sweater, stroking the short pleated skirt until he reached his thigh. He touched his hairless skin, feeling how much softer and sensitive it was. He then took a deep breath as he choked back his tears.

"Why is this happening to me?" he thought.

Neil was doing the same thing. His left hand was on his large breast, feeling the pointed bra underneath the smooth blouse. He then touched his face, his much older, extremely feminine face. He stood up and wobbled over his heels. He saw a full length mirror. He didn't want to look but something inside urged him. He had to see. He walked over and stepped in front of it. His hands immediately covered his mouth.

"What the fu -” he gasped

He had elegant curves around his waist, stomach and hips. His bodice was pointed with the bullet bra and his hair was done beautifully in a 1960's style beehive. His cheekbones were sharp and visible; his milky pale complexion gave his new face a hugely feminine air. His eyes were cat-like and sultry, the lashes thick on long. His new full lips coated with red lipstick. His long sawn-like neck was draped elegantly with a pearl necklace. His breasts were beautifully pointed and perfectly sized. His waist was thin and his hips were wide along with his behind which now stuck out. He looked like he just stepped out of a 1950’s household!

He quickly turned as he heard the door click. It had unlocked. Sam's bedroom door did the same. He jumped to his feet off of the bed and went to the door. Neil walked briskly towards the door and opened it. Sam did the same. And in sequence they swung one another’s bedroom doors open and looked at each other from across the hallway. Neil was breathing heavily, his chest moving in and out as he stood in the door frame, his hands holding on to the sides, panting as if he had just ran a mile. Sam's eyes widened with shock and disbelief as he stared at the strange woman, standing where Neil should be.

"Neil?" said Sam, softly and innocently.

"Sam?" gasped Neil. ‘’I-Is that you?’’

They looked at each other for a few moments, staring, not believing their own eyes. After an eternity of silence, Sam slowly walked out from his room, not taking his eye off of Neil who looked as if he was about to break down in hysterics. But he contained himself and did the same, wobbling over his heels as he walked closer to Sam, meeting him directly in the middle of the hallway. Sam looked into the mature woman’s eyes, searching for Neil but there was no trace. Neil looked into the teenaged schoolgirls pretty eyes trying to convince himself that it was indeed Sam and not just some bizarre joke.

Sam felt lost for words. He literally couldn’t form a proper sentence without sounding completely obscure and insane. He looked at Neil’s body from head to toe. His elegant curves, his neatly tucked blouse and straight pencil skirt. His stunning hair and carefully done makeup. If this truly was Neil, he had completely changed in every way.

Neil looked down at the teenage girl that stood before him. Her bright green eyes, beautiful brown hair and cute but pretty face made him wonder if it was Sam at all. His neatly kept skirt and perfectly fit school jumper gave the air of prim beauty and youthful presence.

Finally one of them spoke.

"What happened to us?" whispered Neil.

"I have no idea!" said Sam, shutting his eyes closed, begging to wake up from this weird nightmare.

‘’E-Everything has changed! Everything!’’ stuttered Neil tearfully.

Sam opened his eyes to see tears streaming down from Neil’s cheeks. He quickly snorted and wiped away the tears, trying to cover up his new emotions rather poorly.

"Y-You're older?" said Sam.

"You're younger!" replied Neil.

"Not by much though!" said Sam, finally taking his eyes off Neil's new face.

Suddenly, there cheeks turned scarlet. Sam tried to hide his shame by looking away, feeling embarrassed at his new appearance and dress.

Sam looked at the walls instead of Neil noticing that they now had pictures hung on them. His heart seemed to stop completely as he focused in to see his female persona looking slightly younger and incredibly happy as she smiled, posing with an older smiling woman that looked to be her mother. The mother was Neil.

"Oh my god!’’ gasped Neil, raising his manicured hand to his mouth.

Sam’s eyes darted from picture to picture as he walked down the hallway. They were all photos of Sam’s and Neil’s female forms. There were pictures of Sam as a young girl dressed in ballet gear, pictures of Neil’s female form dressed in a beautiful summer dress, smiling with the girl Sam had changed into. Sam began to feel scared and incredibly freaked out. He quickly turned to Neil with his hands on his head as everything that had happened had suddenly hit him.

‘’Who the hell have we changed into!’’ he bellowed.

Sam’s sudden outburst seemed to make Neil pop like a balloon as he broke down in hysterical tears.

‘’I-I d-don’t know what’s g-g-going on Sam!’’ blubbered Neil. ‘’Just p-please don’t s-shout!’’

‘’Don’t shout?!’’ squeaked Sam. ‘’We’ve both spontaneously transformed into girls and you’re telling me not to shout?! I want to know what’s going on here! I need to know what’s behind it! And who the hell are we?!’’

Neil walked briskly by Sam, bumping into him on the way, crying his eyes out. He kicked off his heels as he walked awkwardly down the stairs, howling like a banshee. Sam breathed heavily and turned following Neil down the stairs. He stopped at the foot of the last stepped, looking around to see that the entire interior of the house was now decorated and looked well kept. The horrible cold feeling Sam once felt was no more. The place was now a warm, cosy family home.

Sam shook his head not believing his eyes. He walked across the entrance hall and into the kitchen where Neil bent over the table, sobbing to himself. Sam didn’t even take note to himself that he had never ever seen Neil cry before. He slowly walked over to the table and awkwardly placed his hand on Neil’s back, feeling the soft cotton fabric of the white blouse.

‘’I-I don’t think I’ve ever been this emotional b-before,’’ said Neil a little more calmly.

Sam didn’t say anything and just continued to rub Neil on the back. He didn’t want to scare him by presuming it was part of the transformation but he didn’t know that for sure. He had his mind on more important aspects of the sudden change. Why did it happen? Who or what was behind it and why did they do it?

Sam looked around the kitchen as Neil wiped away his tears. The place looked more filled and homely; everything was well kept and neatly put in place. Pots, pans, plates and cutlery had appeared and a floppy apron hung beside the stove. Sam’s eyes were watery. Not because of crying but because of lack of blinking. He couldn’t get over the fact that what was happening to him was real!

"We have to get out of here," mumbled Sam.

"What?" said Neil, jumping up from his seat looking shocked and appalled, "I'm not going outside like - like t-this!"

"If we stay here any longer god only knows what else this place will do to us!" stated Sam.

Sam felt as if he was talking to a complete stranger. He wasn’t acting like himself. He was crying and being hysterical. It wasn’t helping but maybe he couldn’t control it. Why was it that Sam wasn’t crying? He certainly felt like it but he could control it. Neil looked around the place taking in everything new. His pointed nails ran across the worktop as his eyes trailed towards the stove.

"This is all very creepy man!" said Neil as he looked at the apron. ‘’How did this happen?’’

"I don't know," muttered Sam.

"I mean what if there is no way back? What if we’re s-stuck like f-for the rest of our lives!" stuttered Neil.

"DON'T say that!" bellowed Sam. "I'm already freaked out enough!"

An awkward moment of silence fell upon the kitchen as Sam looked fiercely into Neil's eyes again.

"Everything has changed," whispered Neil fearfully. ‘’What are we going to do?’’

‘’Like I said before, we have to leave NOW and hope that the changes will reverse once we move out of this creepy place!’’

‘’I d-don’t — ‘’ started Neil. He couldn’t finish his sentence because he was too afraid to. He didn’t want to leave the house in his current state.

‘’FINE!’’ shrieked Sam as he stormed out of the kitchen.

He marched towards the front door and swung it open. Neil ran as fast as his tight skirt would let him run to the door. Sam was already out past the front gate when Neil screamed, ‘’Please don’t leave me here!’’

Sam didn’t know it but his boiling rage transferred onto his face poorly. His lips pouted as his thin eyebrows arched as much as they could. The sea breeze blew in from the beach and caressed Sam's bare legs as he stormed towards the town. The feeling of wearing a skirt was incredibly odd as the wind gushed up and around inside. He flattened it down with his hand and began to walk faster into the town. His long brunette hair blowing in his face and into his mouth causing him to spit and weave it back over his small shoulders.

He was now walking down the main front coast street which was very windy. Pedestrians' smiled warmly at Sam as if they knew him. Teenage boys in school uniform noticed Sam and looked at him oddly. Schoolgirls walked past him dressed in the same uniform, wondering who he was. The sudden attention of school students hanging outside fast food bars and cafes made his stride broke into a run down the long street.

For the first time, he felt his breasts jiggle as they jumped up and down with each hard step, his girlish shoes certainly not made for running as they hit the ground hard with each running step. His tube stockings had slipped down his shins to his ankles. Little did he know, but his running looked incredibly feminine as he kept his elbows in and his hips swayed back and forth, his skirt waving back and forth. His mind was racing and his breath was becoming more strained as he reached the end of the street. He ran around a corner towards the other end of the little town.

Within a few minutes he had ran to the end of town, stopping outside the large wooden billboard that had a painting of the sunny beach with a happy family waving and smiling. The text read "Come back soon!" Sam stood in the middle of the road, panting heavily and staring into the green countryside. Something was stopping him from stepping past the sign. He was about to put his right foot forward but he couldn't. Something was pulling him back, within his mind, within his body, an invisible force, simply making it impossible to go beyond the billboard. He tried with all of his might to continue running but he was willed not to. He tried several times to go further but it was hopeless.

"W-Why can't I leave?" Sam asked himself, feeling crazy for talking to himself.

He tried again and again and again to continue beyond his restricted point. He couldn’t understand it. He waited there for an hour, sitting down on the side of the road, feeling the cold stab of imprisonment, hopelessness and defeat.

***

Sam crept through the front door, a slight creak and the warm home air caressing his cold legs. The sun was just sinking below the horizon casting rays of sunlight through the curtains. Sam closed the door, his eyes and ears drawn to the stairs where Neil sat, crying. He just stood there and watched him sob and sniff. His makeup was a complete mess as mascara streamed down his cheeks like black tears of pure despair.

"I - I t-thought you'd left me!" he stuttered.

"I can't leave," said Sam darkly, not admitting that he has intended to ‘’save’’ himself. "We can't leave, we're trapped here."

Sam turned his head away from Neil but he could still feel him staring at him. The silence, the sudden truth and revelation stunned them both.

‘’What do you mean by trapped?’’ asked Neil confusedly in a low tone of voice.

‘’I tried to leave but I couldn’t — s-something was stopping me. I don’t know what but it seems impossible to get out of this weird town!’’

Neil didn’t have to say anything. He quite sobs said it all and it maddened Sam. He felt like slapping Neil across the face, shouting, ‘’pull yourself together man!’’ but he didn’t have it in him. Neil looked down at his breasts, sighing and trying to talk, changing the subject.

"I've - I have got to get out of these clothes!" said Neil, wobbling as he stood up.

Sam gently nodded as the low stepping sounds of Neil climbed up the stairs followed by the shutting of ‘’his’’ bedroom door. Sam stood, rooted to the spot and looked down at his own body. He too wanted to get out of the school uniform so he went upstairs to his own room.

As he shut the door behind him he turned and looked at his newly decorated bedroom. The posters of boys on the yellow painted walls sent shivers down his spine and the wide array of makeup products at the dresser made the tiny hairs stand on the back of his neck. The scattered blouses, skirts and even bras made him feel dizzy with embarrassment. The black beady eyes of the teddy bears made him feel uneasy and the faint whiff of perfume made his stomach churn. He certainly felt out of place, trapped within a totally girlish atmosphere.

He looked at the foot of the bed to see that his suitcase filled with his possessions was replaced with a white chest painted with pink flowers. He took a small step forward and sat on the soft cushiony bed. He took a deep breath and sighed, looking down at his legs. The black cross strapped school shoes and the long white tube socks. He grunted under his breath as he kicked off the shoes and pulled off the socks with one hand. He looked at his legs, hairless, delicate, soft and gentle. He looked at his toes, his tiny stubby little toes, girly and cute. He shuddered as he stroked his thigh up and down with his long nails. He placed his hands on his breasts again, feeling the soft fabric of his school jumper, discreetly squeezing them, feeling a slight tingle that gave his goosebumps.

‘’This is really happening,’’ he whispered.

He stood up again and placed his hands behind his back searching for the zipper of his skirt. As the pleated school skirt gently slid down his legs, he tugged at his tie and threw it aside on top of the desk. He then lifted the snugly fit jumper over his head, messing up his long hair.

Now wearing just his blouse and panties, Sam walked over to the wardrobe and opened it slowly. A wide array of girly teenage clothes hung inside, three types of school uniforms, skirts, dresses, jeans, tunics, blouses, dresses, sweaters and gowns. It took Sam forever to find something that wasn't extravagantly feminine (which was most of the clothes) until he came across a plain blue t-shirt and tight ratty jeans. He put these on and sat on the wicker chair beside the desk in front of the window which gave a lovely view of the sea.

He stared at the waves crashing against the sharp rocks at the bottom of the nearby cliffs. The relaxing, ambient sound of waves soothed his sore head, making him feel that little bit at ease. He quickly forgot about his situation as he closed his eyes and listened to nature take him someplace beautiful.

Meanwhile, Neil sat on the leather bound stool in front of his elaborate makeup station, unbuttoning his blouse slowly as if something revolting was hidden beneath. His eyes were large and watery as he stared into his new face. He un-tucked it from the skirt and undone each button, letting it slide off his back to the carpeted floor. What lay before him was a large pair of breasts encased in a tight lace bullet bra. He touched his left breast with his long slender fingers. The woman in the mirror did the same.

"That can't be me!" he whispered.

He slowly put his arms behind his back to unbuckle the bra. One he had succeeded, he saw just how large his breasts actually were. He held them both in his hands, his lower lip trembling as he squeezed them. He then stood up and looked around the feminine room. The tall wardrobe filled with fashionable clothes for housewives, the large double bed, the richly coloured upholstery and the neatly kept nature of the room.

He then looked down at his legs, his high waist pencil skirt above his waist. His wide hips and hourglass figure made him quiver, feeling disturbed and unease. He unzipped the skirt and let it slip down his hips until it crumbled at his ankles, exposing his bare legs. He couldn't look at his body anymore. He had no more muscle, replaced with layers of fat and curvy features. He had no idea how he could possibly be truly a male inside when he had such a feminine body.

***

Sam was snoring loudly. His head was lying against the desk with his long hair covering his face. He had been sleeping by the window all night long, staring out at the sea, and had fallen asleep on the chair. He didn't want to open his eyes. It was all a dream wasn't it? He thought. Yes! It was just a dream and as soon as he opened his eyes he would see that he was still a man. His eyes slowly flickered open. His bones ached from sleeping in such an awkward position. He looked down to see that he was still a girl. His heart sank with great disappointment. He picked himself up to his feet and saw that the room was still the same. His stomach churned again as he groaned mournfully.

He went downstairs, dressed in the same plain jeans and t-shirt to find Neil lying on the couch in the sitting room wearing nothing but a white bathrobe. He heard Sam come in so he jumped to his feet exposing his new lady-bits to Sam.

"Sorry!" he said, turning scarlet.

"Why the hell are you wearing nothing but a bathrobe?!" said Sam.

''T-There's nothing in my new room that I can wear, nothing but skirts, dresses and b-blouses," stammered Neil as he walked by Sam. "And all my stuff has vanished!"

"Yeah, same," said Sam, staring into a trance.

Later that day Sam went down to the beach. He sat on the soft grainy sand, watching the tide roll in and out, the waves crashing up against the sharp pointed rocks. The powerful sea breeze blew against his soft cheeks, caressing them as if everything was okay. It was a place of serenity, a place where he could be alone and a place of thought.

Neil didn't want to leave the house because he was afraid people would judge him. This confused Sam because he looked more female than anything so he had no reason to be frightened. He was not acting like himself over the past few hours but then again could you blame him? His life had spontaneously transformed into the life of a forty year old woman! Sam still couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it but the truth kept nagging at him from the back of his mind. He didn't want to accept it.

As Sam stared out into the sea, his situation felt more real. Over the day he spent lying on the sand reality slowly dawned upon him piece by piece. He had indeed transformed into a sixteen year old schoolgirl. When he came to accept it he buried his face into his hands.

‘’What in the name of god am I going to do?’’ he mumbled into his hands, his small girlish hands

Then, unbeknownst to Sam, he began to tremble as a powerhouse of emotion washed over him like icy cold water. He looked out into the sea. He felt as if something was in his throat, a lump as he tried to choke back something he hadn’t done in years, crying. He closed his eyes, water seeping through the eyelids like over flowing buckets. His lower lip trembled as he opened his eyes, releasing the tears down his cheeks. He gasped, letting out a mournful sob.

"Oh god!" he sobbed emotively, shaking all over.

What could have caused this strange transformation? Was the house cursed? Was he hallucinating? All of these seemingly impossible reasons swirled about his mind until he came to the conclusion, he did not know. And this bothered him. He wanted to know why this had happened to him and Neil. He felt that he could rest and live easier, knowing what happened to him but he couldn't help but think that he will never know and he would have to spend the rest of his days growing up as a girl.

Later that day as the sun went sunk down below the horizon and the orange rays of light cast millions of sparkles over the sea, Sam had left the beach and went back to the house. It felt like the walk of death, a journey of acceptance, somewhat. Inside, Neil was sitting on the high stool by the kitchen worktop looking completely miserable. He still hadn't changed out of the fuzzy bathrobe but his new blonde hair now hung down over his shoulders.

"Hey," he croaked as Sam entered the kitchen.

Sam didn't reply because he was too concentrated on Neil’s face. It was red, blotchy and his eyes were raw due to apparent crying. He too felt the emotional maelstrom of their situation. Sam sat down on the opposite stool and leaned over the worktop.

"What are we going to do?" said Sam.

"I dunno, if we can't get out of here well then -," said Neil, ‘’ — I don’t think we stand much of a chance against what caused our transformation.’’

Sam looked down, biting his lip with annoyance.

‘’That’s a very defeatist attitude Neil,’’ said Sam darkly.

‘’Sam, if I knew what caused this then I think we’d be looking for a way to reverse this," said Neil, looking down at his breasts.

"We're trapped aren't we?" said Sam, admitting the horrible truth.

He slammed on the table and jumped off of his seat. He paced up and down the kitchen with his hands behind his back.

‘’Yep that’s it! We can just carry on with our lives and pretend that nothing was out of place. We’d make brilliant girls!’’ said Sam sarcastically. ‘’It’s as easy as that! It can’t be that bad!’’

Neil didn’t say anything as he was taken aback by Sam’s erratic behaviour. Sam stopped to take a breath.

"Sam I don't want to be a woman! I'm supposed to b-be an engineer not a bloody housewife!" cried Neil, his eye flashing at the apron hanging beside the stove.

"Nor do I want to be - what - sixteen, seventeen years old again but as a girl?" mumbled Sam.

‘’What could have done this to us?’’ said Neil.

‘’Like everything else going on, I don’t know!’’

Later that night, Sam lay under his white and yellow bed sheets staring at the ceiling. He ripped the posters of the boys off the wall because they freaked him out but the girlishness of the room still remained and it constantly reminded him of what he was, a teenage girl. He couldn't help but wonder what would happen to his life now. Will he stay a girl forever or is there a way back?

"There has to be a way!" he thought.

But his hopes weren't high. He never expected much in life and he certainly wasn't going to start now. He thought maybe he should. After lying in the bed for a few hours, still awake and staring at the walls, Sam could hear Neil coming up the stairs. He hadn't spoken to him much all evening.

"Good night Lily," he heard Neil's female voice say faintly.

"Lily?" said Sam confusedly.

He quickly jumped out from beneath the covers and swung the bedroom door open. He got Neil's attention just as he was closing his door. He looked at Sam, startled.

"What did you call me?" breathed Sam.

"What - I - I said good night?" said Neil, frowning.

"You called me Lily?!" said Sam.

"Wha - did I? Sorry I meant to say Sam! Dunno where I got the name Lily from?" said Neil.

Sam wasn't convinced but he let it be and just nodded before closing his door. Was Neil losing his mind? Why did he call Sam Lily? This really bothered Sam as he got under the blankets of his bed. He couldn't think of any Lily's that Neil would know to make a mistake when addressing someone. "Nah, it's just a simple mistake!" said Sam, brushing it off his mind. He lay awake all night, scared and quivering. He didn't exactly like sleeping in a house that changed him into a girl. He finally fell asleep at around four o'clock in the morning, tired and exhausted.

There was a lot more in store for Sam and Neil. Much more . . .