Virtually Twisted By Daniela A. Wolfe Jim Rumsfield always believed he was regular teenage boy, but when he undergoes a twist he discovers he is anything but ordinary.

Author's Note:
Although this is marked as revised it may be more accurate to call this a rewrite, as very little of the original text has been retained. The original plot is more or less intact, but be aware that certain portions of the story may not turn out quite the way you remember. This story was originally serialized on my website www.danielawolfe.com.

I would also like to take a minute to thank Morpheus for creating the Twisted Universe, and Xtrim who was kind enough to do the final grammar edits.

Part 1 - School Days

"En garde!” The dark knight raised his blade, his polished black armor gleamed in the torchlight.

I scowled and drew my weapon. “Step aside, knave!”

His muted laughs came through the helmet muffled, and he lunged at me. I barely brought my weapon up in time. “Let her go!”

“Never!” he screamed and lunged at me again.

I leapt aside and plunged my blade deep into his side. When I jerked it free, I paused, watching the dark knight collapse to the ground at my feet. I used the tip of my boot to flip his face cage open, gasped and took several steps back. “Megan?!”

“Mr. Rumsfield,” she said with a dry monotone voice very different from her real voice.

“Mr. Rumsfield,” she repeated, and the world evaporated around me. My eyes snapped open and with an audible groan I looked up at Mr. Beekman who was hovering over me, lips creased in a frown and arms folded across his chest.

“James, this may be the last day of school, but it is still my classroom. This is not nap time, if you can’t stay awake during class I suggest you get to bed a little earlier. I bet, this girl Megan, who’s name you’ve been calling out, would agree.”

The classroom erupted with laughter and my cheeks burned as he turned away. He continued his lecture and yammered on about photosynthesis. ‘God!’ I thought to myself slumping my head against the desktop. ‘When will it ever end?!’

I think I must have dozed off again because the next thing I knew the school bell rang. I jumped out of my seat, but stopped when Mr. Beekman call out my name.

"Mr. Rumsfield," he said. "In your eagerness you seem to have forgotten that class ends when I dismiss it, not at the sound of the bell."

I scowled at the ornery bastard and plopped back down in my seat. Fucking hell, I hated school!

"All right class as I was about to say before Mr. Rumsfield tried to leave prematurely," Beekman continued, "For those of you that will attend my AP Chemistry class next year, remember there's a twenty-five dollar lab fee that's due by the first day of school. Class Dismissed."

I was one of the first out of class, every extra second in that place was one second less of my summer. I sped down the hallway, weaving in and out of the crowds.

“Jim, my man!” Jeff Goldwin, a classmate and a friend approached. He raised his fist, and we bumped fists.

“Hey, I’d like to chat man, but I’m trying to catch Megs before she leaves,” I said, glancing around hoping to catch sight of her.

“Damn, man you really need to hit that,” he said with a playful slug in the shoulder. “Well I guess we’ll talk later. Hey you going to the Game Palace opening in the mall on Thursday?”

“Yeah,” I replied. “Why do you think I'm looking for her? Hey, uh I guess we’ll talk later, okay?”

“Okay, whatever,” he muttered shaking his head and rolling his eyes before I turned away and took off down the hall.

“Hey you wanna hang this summer?” He called out.

“Yeah sure,” I called over my shoulder. “Call me!”

I had almost reached the hallway leading from her last class when I ran into her. As you might have guessed she was both the girl I’d been dreaming about and the one for whom I’d been looking.

"Oh, hey Jim," she smiled at me and I felt my knees turn to jelly. I started into her bright green eyes and my heart skipped a beat.

She cocked her head and met my gaze. She was wearing her hair out for a change. Most of the time she wore it in a ponytail, but I kind of preferred it the way it was. It framed her heart-shaped face and made her look closer to her actual age.

She pursed her pouty lips and flicked a strand of fire-red hair away from her large nose. It was the only flaw on her face and probably the only reason she wasn’t considered one of the hottest girls in the school. Personally, I think it added to her charm, but maybe I was biased.

Megan was my best friend, and we'd been inseparable for about as long as either one of us could remember. When we got older, I developed a bit of a crush on her and when I asked her out, she turned me down flat. She said she wanted to stay friends, but sometimes I got the impression she was holding something back. It sucked, but I would take her whichever way I could get.

"Hey, did you hear about that new Game Palace in the mall?" I asked glancing down at her chest and turned away hoping she hadn’t noticed.

Megan, like almost any other girl under the sun, hated it when she caught a guy ogling her boobs, but sometimes I couldn’t help myself. She had to be among one of the top five most well-endowed girls in the school. What straight guy couldn’t resist sneaking glances at those luscious melons? It wasn't just her breasts either, Megan had a lot of soft, round... interesting curves.

"A Game Palace in the mall?" she said before her face broke out into a dazzling smile. "Awesome! There's one where my grandma lives."

"Yeah, there's one in Clinton it's pretty freaking awesome." I grinned back at her and added, "You want to go check it out? They're supposed to have a huge grand opening tomorrow."

"Sure," she replied.

"All right, I'll pick you up around noon," I said.

"Sounds like a plan," she said then added "I gotta go, see you later."

"Later," I called after her as she disappeared around the bend.

I watched her disappear down the hallway and let out a long sigh. We were perfect for each other. I couldn’t understand why she didn’t see it. I shook my head and made my way out of the school. Maybe someday she would understand.

I arrived home after a short drive from school. The house was empty. It appeared Mom hadn't made it home yet. I’d long stopped trying to keep up with her schedule. She kept crappy hours working retail. I climbed up the stairs, plopped down on the couch and flicked the television on with a gesture of my hand.

I watched a documentary on a ziprock band who'd made it big and squandered it all on drugs and prostitutes. It was interesting, and it gave me something to do until my mom got home. I’d always thought the band kind of sucked so I got a good laugh out of it.

After a few hours I realized the time, so I threw a couple frozen meals in the oven for dinner. I sat down again, and I watched a repeat of a sitcom I liked. I must have seen the episode almost a dozen times already, but since it was one of my favorites, I laughed my ass off like I’d never seen it before.

A short while later a voice called from the landing. "Jim, I'm home."

I hopped off the couch and made my way down the stairs where I found my mom, Kate, setting down her bags. "Hey, how was work?"

"I'm just glad to be home," she said. "I've been doing employee evaluations all day."

She worked as a Manager at a department store in the Mall called Haglund's. She hated it, but brought in a decent sized paycheck every month. Not bad, considering she started out as a grunt and worked her way up the ladder in only eight years.

"Dinner's almost done," I said, changing the subject, "I put in a couple of those Lasagna dinners you bought the other day, they should be done in a few minutes".

Mom looked a little relieved, "Good, I'm famished."

After we finished dinner I looked to mom and asked her, "Want to watch a movie or something?"

"Yeah that sounds great, but let me get caught on the news first," she replied, "I want to see what the weather will do tomorrow."

"-is 570 MBC, News," the TV blared after Mom switched it back on and changed channels. "This is Katey Charles with today's News. In Los Angeles, police have arrested a suspect in relation to the Echo Park killings, the police have not released the suspects name, but he is believed to be a 24-year-old male twisted, find out more after these words from our sponsors."

Mom muted the television as she growled, "Those damn Twisted! Those freaks need to be locked up so they can't hurt anyone else. What's this world coming to when decent people can't even trust—"

That's where I tuned her out. I used to think the twisted were as horrible as she always said, but I’d begun to doubt some things she told me. Megan's dad seemed like a good guy, despite being a lawyer, and he seemed to think they were no worse than anyone else. On the other hand, there were twisted like the Echo Park Killer that did horrible things, but I wondered if they were as much victims as the people they harmed.

Maybe they were freaks like Mom said, I couldn’t decide. It was creepy and weird and it must suck to change with no reason or prompting into a different person. I'm told, not all twisted were altered to such a large extent, but I imagined that it would be freaky even when the changes were minor. Were they all dangerous like Mom said, or just a select few?

"Your father—" I heard my mother say, and I turned to stare at her with my mouth hanging open. "What about my father?"

"You know what? I'm feeling tired. I'm going to bed," she added looking back at me with wide eyes before springing from the couch and bolting up the stairs.

"Mom wait! What did you say about my dad?!" I called after her desperate to learn anything about my old man. I chased her up the stairs, but when I had reached her bedroom door, she slammed it in my face. I tried the doorknob, and she’d already locked it. So, I pounded on the door. "Mom, what were you going to say!"

"Mom!" I called out again. Still, she didn't reply.

I slammed on the door a few more times, then with a shake of my head and a wary sigh I gave up. Sometimes I wondered if she didn’t have a few loose screws. Most of the time she seemed fine, but then she pulled this kind of shit. Then there was her temper… I shuddered and backed away. I didn’t want to get an ear full from her.

My mom had done some bizarre things, but this one took the cake. What had she been about to say? Every time I'd ever asked my mother about my father, she would change the subject or act like she hadn't heard me at all. What was it about him she didn't want me to know? What had she come so close to telling me and what did it have to do with the twisted?

God! I just wanted to know who he was! What the hell was the freaking big deal?

“Dammit!” I spun away and found my way to my bedroom. Closing the door behind me, I went to the chair sitting in the corner and turned it over. I popped off the bottom which I'd secured with tape. Inside, where I’d left it, I found my mother's old sophomore high school yearbook. I'd found it hidden in the back of her closet a few years ago. I pulled the masking tape free, holding it in place, and flipped the book open.

When I first discovered it, the book opened to page thirty-two as if she had opened it to that page many times. I’d looked through the book on multiple occasions, but that page was the one I always returned to, because of what it contained. Listed in the second column was a boy named Harry Turow. Someone, my mother I guess, had drawn a heart around his picture and underneath in my mother's scrawl were the words "Harry and Kate 4ever". The boy's physical resemblance to me was striking, but that didn't mean he was my father. A picture wasn’t a whole hell of a lot for me to go off, but it was the only lead I had. What the hell had happened to him?

I was born during my mother's junior year of high school. I learned by asking people around town the Turow family moved away the summer before my birth. Did their departure have something to do with my conception or did they moved away unaware that my mother had been pregnant?

I'd tried searching the web for any information on him, but none of the Harry Turrow’s I’d found had been the right age.

Staring at the photo of the boy I tried to imagine what he must have been like or what he might look like now if still alive.

I closed the book replacing it under the seat and popped the bottom back in. I righted the chair then I collapsed onto my bed and let myself drift off to sleep with images of the boy who might have been my father floating through my head.

Part 2 - The Stuff of Nightmares

"No!” I screamed running after the man in the hooded cloak.

He first appeared hovering over my bed like some ghostly specter. I sat upright, and he bolted with a flurry of motion. I threw my covers off and leapt to my feet in pursuit. The world shifted and turned and the surrounding walls disappeared, replaced by an empty field. My clothes had even changed, I realized, as I continued after the man. I was wearing a plain tee, a pair of jeans and sneakers instead of my pajamas, but it didn’t matter, I had to catch the man. I didn’t know why, but it seemed important.

The world spun, and we were inside the school. I followed him around the corner of a hallway and then the world turned again and we were back in the field.

The black knight from my day dream appeared, swinging his sword at me in a downward arc. I jumped back dodging his attack and lurched into motion fleeing before he attacked again. His armor clanked behind me as he leapt into pursuit. Once or twice I glanced over my shoulder, each time he was right on my heels.

How could he keep up with all that armor weighing him down? Soon I caught sight of the man again and I put on more speed, hoping to catch up with him. Why did he run?

The knight was giggling behind me. She called out, using Megan’s voice, taunting me. She called me a loser and said that I was repulsive. I remained focused on the man. I didn’t know why.

We ran, I chasing after the man, and the knight after me and the world shifting and turning around us. Flash after successive flash came, and I found myself in a variety of familiar locations, the mall, the park near my grandmother’s house and even the hospital where I’d been born. When the world shifted again, we'd returned to my room.

I stopped in the doorway peering inside.

A boy slept under the covers, he was wearing jeans and a t-shirt and he was more or less my size. The boy turned, and I recognized him as Harry from my mother’s yearbook. He sat up in bed and as he did so the shadowy man pulled a knife from inside his jacket. The boy stared at him and a smile formed on his face before the dark figure grabbed him by the throat and pulled him close.

The knight appeared in the doorway and lifted his visor. Megan’s face peered out, she grinned at me her face stretching into inhuman proportions. She didn’t intervene, but instead watched as the shadow man pointed at me then grabbed the boy in the bed by the cuff of his shirt. All three laughed in perfect unison, and I stepped forward grabbed the man by the arm

“Let him go!” I screamed.

“No!” They both refused and shook their heads in perfect sync.

“You don’t get it!” the man yelled pressing his knife up to the boy’s throat.

“Don’t you see?” the boy asked. “I’m not your father!”

They both shook and trembled and blood dripped down the boy’s throat as the blade cut into his skin.

"He's not your father, Jim." The man cackled and pulled his hood down and pointed at Megan. "She is!"

"Nnnnnnnoooooooooooo!" I screamed out ready to hurl myself at the man, but stopped myself when he bent and contorted. His muscles shifted and shrunk and a pair of breasts bulged out of his chest. Megan’s face beamed back at me and she unzipped her jacket.

She brought the knife up to her mouth and licked one side of the blade clean. “You still think I’m sexy, right?”

“Jesus fucking Christ!” I sat up in my bed. My head jerked about, looking for any signs of the man, the boy, or Megan. None of them were present and I let out a long drawn-out sigh as I became aware that it had all been a dream.

"Shit, that was weird," I mumbled as I stumbled out of bed and into the bathroom. I did my business then hopped into the shower. Though mom was probably gone for the day, I checked in on her, just in case. Her bedroom door was open, and she'd made her bed, a sure sign she'd left. She’d had an early shift which wasn't too uncommon, her work shifts seemed to hop all over the place. It was just one of the many hazards of working retail, or so she kept telling me.

I hovered inside her bedroom door and considered going through her room for some clues of my father’s identity, but soon discarded the idea. I’d already looked through her things more times than I could count and the only clue about my father’s identity I’d ever found was the yearbook.

Last Illusion XXV was calling me from the front room. I bought the game last week and had only played it for a few hours so far which was odd because it was one of my favorite game franchises. After a quick breakfast of Plucky Trinkets I made my way to the front room and switched on my Gamestation. It didn’t take me long to get pulled into the game play and I lost track of time.

It was almost noon before I remembered that I'd planned to pick up Megan for our run to the mall. I saved my game, then shut down the console. Racing out of the house I almost forgot my keys, but remembered to grab them at the last minute. In a few minutes, I pulled up in front of Megan’s house and was about to get out when the front door swung open. I guess she must have seen me pull around. Out sprang Megan accompanied by a blonde girl I’d never seen before.

"Hey Jim," Megan said as she approached my car, "Is it okay if my cousin Allison, comes along?"

"Sure," I replied and reached across to push the door open. "Hop on in girls."

A tall girl with a model’s build stepped into sight and I felt my jaw drop as she ducked inside the car, taking the front seat. Her resemblance to Megan was startling they could have been sisters. She had the same green eyes, but had a fairer complexion. Her nose was about average-size, but her lips weren’t quite as generous.

Allison was quite the looker, I hadn’t seen many faces as pretty as hers outside of a magazine cover. My eyes lingering on her breasts, which were a lot smaller than her cousin’s and I swallowed hard. The scent of raspberries filled the air and glanced at Megan as she climbed into the back seat. I don’t know if it was some sort of perfume or her shampoo, but Megan hated that sort of stuff, so I had no doubt the scent was emanating from the new girl.

Megan didn't say much as she climbed inside, but judging from the way she was frowning at her cousin I knew something was up. I’d been looking forward to spending some alone time with Megan, so I was a little bummed that she’d brought someone else along. Allison was easy on the eyes, but I’d never been partial to blondes. I tried not to let my disappointment show on my face.

"Hey, I'm Jim," I said holding my hand out to Allison.

She took it and giggled, and with a rather vacant expression on her face she said "Your friend is cute, Megan. I'd wonder why you weren't dating him if I didn't already know you were gay."

I choked at that "You think I'm cute?"

"Yeah," she giggled, "I'd totally date you if I didn't have a boyfriend."

Then it clicked what she'd said about Megan. I seemed to have trouble thinking straight around cute girls, but that shouldn’t surprise anyone. What straight teenage guy didn’t?

"You're gay?" I glanced back at Megan mouth hanging open eyes as wide as saucers.

"Thank you so much Allison," she said with a sneer, "I wasn't ready to drop that particular ball, just yet. Were you planning on telling any other of my secrets today?"

The vacant expression on Allison's face took on a more menacing cast as she said "No, but there are still plenty of hours left in the day. Who knows? Something might occur to me later on."

The two girls glared at one another, Megan folded her arms across her chest and scowled. I glanced back and forth between the two of them and grimaced running a hand through my thick mop of hair.

"Ladies, I don’t know what the hell just happened, but why don’t we forget what was said and try to have a good time," I said putting both hands on the steering wheel and looking back at my friend in the rear-view mirror.

"Oh, we're teasing each other. Aren't we Megan?" Allison said with another giggle, the menace fading from her face, replaced by the vacant mask she’d been wearing before.

I looked back at Megan. “Megs?”

"Yeah, sure," she said gritting her teeth, "Just teasing."

The drive to the mall was awkward as hell, but it only lasted a few minutes. Once I had the car parked we all piled out and while I couldn’t speak for the others, I was eager to relieve some tension. Upon entering the mall Allison looked around and shrugged. “Eh, not bad, but I’ve seen better. I’ll look around you two can go to your game thingie and we can meet back here later.”

She didn’t wait for a response before turning her back and stepped into the nearest store. I let out a sigh more than a little glad to see her go. Allison was pretty, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like looking at her, but it was a lot less awkward when it was me and Megan. I’d sooner not have the other girl around if they spent the entire time making jabs at each other.

"Soooo," I said slipping both hands in my pockets and glancing at Megan. "You like girls."

"Yeah, I think I was in denial about it for a long time. Remember, last month when I visited my uncle? Well..." she trailed off for a moment. "Allison had a slumber party with a few of her friends and long story short, I-I sort of kissed one."

I stopped in my tracks and let myself picture Megan kissing another girl. I had enough sense not to give voice to some interesting images that her comment invoked. Still, I was sure my night time fantasies would take a few more interesting twists because of this new information.

"Is that why things between you and your cousin seem so tense?" I asked clearing my throat and doing my best not to keep my mind off it.

Megan sighed, "Yeah, sort of, but… that’s the way she is. She’s offish most of the time anyway, but since the kiss, her friend won’t even talk to her and Allison blames me."

“That’s rough,” I agreed and eyed my friend as she continued forward.
Megan didn’t say a word, and I stopped in my tracks, my heart sinking with the realization I’d never get the chance to win over the girl of my dreams. I would soon get my chance, but in a way I never imagined. If I had known, I would have run for the hills, but one way or the other, it would have happened anyway.

Part 3 - It Begins

We continued in silence as we made our way to the Game Palace, and within moments the store was in sight. Megan’s face stretched into a smile. We exchanged glances and picked up the pace nearly running into the store. When we made it there, there was almost no space to move around, it was so packed. For good reason, they had the largest selection of games I had ever seen. We moved to the center of the store where they had an exclusive demo of the upcoming Demon Can Die game.

"Awesome," I exclaimed, "I can't wait till it comes out."

Megan didn't agree, "Oh come on, the only game of the series that was half-way decent was the first. I seriously doubt the fifth game will be better than the other sequels."

I was about to retort when something caught my eye. "Holy freaking crap," I said running up to a display. "They have Death Stalker I've been looking everywhere for this, and it's only twenty-five bucks!"

“Jim, my man!” Jeff Goldwin’s voice called from the other side of the store and I turned to greet him with a fist bump as he approached.

“Hey Meg,” he greeted Megan holding his fist out to her. She rolled her eyes and shook her head as she stared at his hand with a frown. Megan had never liked Jeff, but I’d never been able to figure out why.

"Look," Megan called out waving us toward the center of the store where a crowd had gathered.

A tall man, with a smile that seemed too forced, was standing in the crowd's center next to a large display. There was a stylized banner with the words ‘Virtual World’ hanging from the ceiling above his head.

“Gather 'round, gather 'round,” he called motioning for everyone in the shop to move closer.

Megan, Jeff and I didn’t have to be told twice and the three of us moved in closer. Which wasn't close at all. The throng of people around him was already thick, so we didn’t get the best view. Jeff and I were both close to the same height and we could see pretty much everything, but Megan was short, even for a girl, and I doubted she could say the same. She stood on her tip-toes, leaning back and forth, no doubt trying to get a better look.

“Well, I think we have a big enough crowd now.” The man beamed, running a hand over his hair as he scanned the crowd. “My name is Alex and I’m here today to give you kids an exclusive sneak peek at an upcoming new gaming system that will revolutionize the world of gaming as we know it. We’ve all seen virtual reality systems that mimic our movements, but Virtual World does so much more than that. With our system you’ll be able to experience the wind blowing against your cheek or the touch of a hand on your shoulder.”

On either side of him there was a large holo display and a table with a cloth over it which concealed a ball or sphere.

“For this demonstration I’ll need a volunteer, any takers?” he asked his face stretching into a toothy grin as he surveyed the crowd.

Every hand in the store, save those belonging to the staff, shot up, and the man grinned.

"Pick me," I called out. Similar sentiments were repeated by my friends and others. Alex eyes scanned back and forth across the crowd, passing me by several times. I thought for sure he’d pick someone else, but then his eyes settled on me and when I met his gaze, a slow smile forming on my face.

"You near the back with the blue shirt there," he said pointing his finger at me. The crowd parted and in disbelief I made my way to its center where Alex was waiting.

"Young man, what is your name?" he asked.

“J-Jim,” I replied, meeting his gaze, my whole body quivering from anticipation.

"Tell me Jim, have you ever used a VR system?"

"No, but a friend of mine used the virtual attachment for the PlayNet," I said. "He thought it sucked."

The man laughed. "I've heard a number of gamers say much the same thing, but the Virtual World system is no mere attachment. This is a much more advanced device than anything that has come before. As I'm sure you'll agree once you've tried it out for yourself."

"The Virtual World system uses diodes built into a head mounted sound and display system. It does not operate by catching your motions, like older VR systems, but instead senses what you want your avatar to do, and feeds sensory information back to your brain.

"That sounds awesome!" I said, the excitement building inside me. I could hardly contain myself. "When do I get to try it out?"

The man laughed. "Well folks looks like our eager beaver is ready to get this ball rolling. What say you?"

The crowd cheered, and I resisted the urge to cover my ears. My ears hurt a little from all the sound.

"All right," Alex said holding his hand up to silence the group. It took a few seconds, but they quieted down. With a dramatic flick of his wrists he pulled the cloth cover the table free. Underneath was a racing helmet with a blacked-out visor with several knobs on the side.

“Ready Jim?”

I nodded, my stomach seized up as he fit the helmet over my head. Darkness engulfed my senses as it fit into place. I don’t know why, but for reasons that escaped me at the time the whole business was making me just a little uneasy. I had the strongest urge to rip the helmet off my head and run as fast and as far away as my legs would take me. If only I had listened.

Part 4 - Chance of a Lifetime

"Now," Alex’s muffled voice said from the other side of the helmet. "We adjust these knobs and we should be ready to go."

Something cold and metallic touch the skin on my forehead and the back of my neck. I couldn’t say for certain, but I figured they must have been the mechanisms that fed sensory feedback from the game into my mind.

"Do you feel anything touching your skin?" he asked, and after I replied in the affirmative he asked if I was experiencing any discomfort. When I replied in the negative, he flipped the visor down over my eyes.

"As our friend, Jim, experiences the full splendor of the Virtual World System, this monitor will display a limited visual interpretation of his experience. So you may have an inkling of the awe and splendor of the Virtual World Console," Alex spoke. "Please keep in mind that this, in no way, comes close to what Jim will be experiencing."

It was dark under the helmet until a blue streak of light flashed across my eyes and exploded with dozens of green and blue squares each of which expanded until they filled my entire range of vision. Black text appeared on screen creating dead-spots where there was no light and I realized that I was looking at a menu. I reached out to touch one option, but stopped when I saw my hand. It didn’t look like flesh, but rather mechanical. Its fingers were segmented and reminded me of something that might have belonged on a crash test dummy.

‘Must be some kind of default avatar,’ I thought to myself.

"As you might have noticed..." Alex said in the distance but I ignored him. I didn’t wait for any prompts from him, but instead I reached my hand out again and touched the menu option that seemed to show game-play. There was another bright flash accompanied by a burst of red and gold tiles which displayed another menu.

Alex made another dumb joke about me getting ahead of myself. I rolled my eyes, chose to ignore him and focused my attention on the menu displayed in front of me. The first thing I saw were several selections for what appeared to be game demos. One had a picture of a very attractive woman wearing a tight form-fitting jumpsuit with light blue skin, almost cat-like ears and a small set of horns in a futuristic setting, another had a bearded wizard with lightning shooting out of a staff, and the last had a Tarzan-esque character in a rainforest.

I debated for a minute, but reached out my hand and chose the science fiction setting. I'd always had a thing for sci-fi, plus the alien, or whatever she was, looked hot. Another bright flash filling my vision, and this time the screen was populated with white and gray tiles. When my sight cleared, I found myself inside what I guessed must have been a spaceship. I marveled at the detail and how it looked real. It wasn't until I drew near a bulkhead that I realized a few details didn't look right. I drew my hand up the wall touching it with my hands and snatched it away when in surprise when cold steel contacted my fingers.

I studied the wall and the surrounding area for a few minutes, and I looked at my hand. It was blue like the woman from the preview image, but what struck most about it was that it had six digits rather than the usual five. The nails were short and well-manicured, the fingers themselves were longer, more slender and looked like they belonged to a woman.

My hands drifted to my chest and discovered something I should have expected. I had boobs, or I guess my virtual avatar did, but damn they felt real enough. I grabbed a hold of one and it jiggled on my chest. "Wow," I heard myself say aloud. "That's weird."

This pronouncement brought about a fit of laughter from the crowd, but I ignored it, a little put off by the sound of my avatar’s voice speaking in perfect unison with my own.

"Stop right there," a new voice said behind me and I spun around to face the intruder.

An NPC, a non-playable character, stood opposite me wearing segmented combat armor that looked almost organic, but what had my attention was the large and dangerous looking gun in his hands. Based on the rounded-glass like protrusion along the weapons front, I was willing to bet it didn’t shoot bullets, but if all my years of gaming had taught me anything it would do major damage to the character I was playing.

"Crap," I said, ready to spring into action, but stopped when Alex protested.

"Woah," Alex protested. "Why don’t we back up? While I’m very excited to let you experience the game play of The Rise of the Anthecron, there are amazing features that the audience has yet to see."

Several loud groans followed this pronouncement, and I was prepared to keep on going, but the game seemed to have taken on a mind of its own. The screen flashed again, this time with orange and green tiles and I found myself in yet another menu, but this one had floating bits of text that instead of hanging motionless circled around me. It surprised me, at first, but then I realized Alex must have had an override which enabled him to take control of the demonstration. I’m not sure why he hadn’t used it earlier, but I guessed I would have to play along if I wanted another chance at playing the game.

"This, is the character customization menu," Alex said. "You can play with Kalena, the captivating default character or if you like a more customized design, you can choose something more in line with your own personal tastes. Keep in mind that this is a demo version and that the game is still in active development so some features aren’t yet available."

"Our friend, Jim has done a good job of navigating the system so far, but for the sake of this demonstration I’ll be taking the reigns. Although the character customization menu isn’t finished, there are still a wide range of options. I’m told that in the final version you’ll even be able to scan your own image and play as yourself. As this is a demo that feature has yet to be implemented," he spoke.

"There are so many options available that with some tweaking you could make a reasonable representation of yourself, but that’s rather boring isn’t it? Now we could play with this for hours, but I’m just going to walk you through some basics. First option, is the species of the character."

Alex switched between several options, first a human, then some big hulking creature and back to Kalena’s race. He moved on to gender, for a moment my form switched to a male one before reverting to the female form. He tinkered with the settings and various parts of my digital body grew and shrunk as he experimented with the menu sections. When done he started on clothing. There seemed to be a lot of options available many of which seemed to include every form of dress imaginable including silly options like those dorky tropical flower shirts, and even parachute pants, but most of the stuff were futuristic clothes and combat gear.

It was while he was navigating the clothing menu my stomach seized up and I panted for breath. It started with a tingling sensation, like static, that started in my scalp but spread through my whole body. I doubled over, a strange pressure building inside me. My initial reaction was to pull the helmet off my head, but when I reached up an incredible jolt of pain shot through my body as if lightning had struck me. Massive forces rippled through me as if the universe itself were pulling at me. For a moment it seemed that the entirety of my existence began to waiver and I would cease to exist. The darkness came and there was nothing.

Part 5 - The Naked March

Bright light blinded me as I came awake. I tried to bring my hand up to block it out, but my arm refused to move. I opened my mouth to talk, but even my voice would not cooperate. My initial impression was that someone very large and very strong was holding me down, but when my eyes adjusted to the light, I realized that my original impression had been wrong. I tried to move again, but my muscles refused to budge. I panicked, but then Megan’s hand touched my shoulder.

"Jim, you will be all right; don't worry," she said and while there was a slight quiver in her voice, her words kept me from giving into my hysteria. "Just breath, I’ve heard of this happening before and most people regain use of their muscles within a few minutes."

It struck me then what a good friend she'd been. Too bad she was a lesbian I think we might have grown to be much more than friends.

I saw the crowd for the first time and remembered that I was still in the gaming store. What the hell happened? What about the game? Who removed the helmet? Why was I on the floor? Why couldn’t I move? Whatever happened my mind didn’t seem to have been affected. At the moment I had plenty of questions, but no damn answers.

A third attempt to move my hand proved more effective, and it twitched if only just a little. It wasn’t much, but I took it as a good sign. I breathed a sigh of relief and I worked at it longer. With my fourth try I was able to lift my arm and touch my face, but as I did, my fingers brushed against something on my chest that shouldn’t have been there. My heart hammering in my chest, I found the strength to sit up, glanced down and found a pair of naked lumps sticking out from a blue chest... my chest.

I stared at those two masses in confusion before realizing that I was looking at a pair of breasts. I glanced around at the crowd and saw their eyes burrowing into me. My brain still struggled to process the changes to my body and for a moment became convinced I was still in the game, but that didn’t seem right. As far as I knew the real world and the game weren't able to interact, but why the hell did I have blue skin like Kalena and why was I naked? My cheeks burned, and I used one arm to cover those inexplicable breast and another to cover my new and female privates.

"Holy hell!" I cursed and tasted bile in my throat as the only possible explanation came. I was Twisted, I curled up into a ball, a wave of nausea washing over me as my knees pressed into my chest. I gripped the side of my head as the tears came.

"What is it?" A boy to the right of me said I glanced at him and realized with a sinking feeling in my stomach it was Jeff.

"It kind of looks like that character from the game. That hot looking alien chick. How is that possible?" a voice said somewhere behind me.

"I'll tell you how it's possible," said a girl standing right in front of me. "That thing is a twisted freak."

"Oh, god!" I screamed and sobbed.

I was a freak a damn twisted freak!

Though I made the connection, I didn't want to accept it. Mom knew, I realized, which is why she'd always been so secretive about my father. I must have inherited it from him, but then...

"Your kind aren't welcome here," the girl screamed, and I fell backward when she approached with fists clenched at her side. "Get out before you expose us all to the Kincaide Virus!"

"Hey," a boy said stepping out from among the crowd. "She has as much right to be here as the rest of us."

"You’re twisted too, aren’t you? Freak!" she screamed glowering at the boy.

The boy stared back at her fists clenched at his side, but the rest of the crowd moved in. Everyone screamed at once and the girl pounced on me her nails tearing into my new soft skin. I tried to raise my hands in defense, but I was still so weak and she threw them aside with almost no effort. Megan stepped in before it got too bad and punched the girl across the nose. She spun away and fell to the ground clutching at the face.

"Get the hell off Jim, you stupid fucking bitch," Megan said looming over the other girl the threat of more violence reflected in her eyes.

The scene erupted into a full blown brawl. I tried to crawl away, but the girl grabbed me by one of my ankles and dragged me back into the fray. "Leave me alone!" I screamed and kicked at her with my free foot. She didn't relent, but another brawler appeared to come to my aid. Things were getting bad, but I think if the trio of mall cops hadn’t picked that moment to show up it would have gotten a lot worse.

They cut right through the crowd and went straight for Megan, handcuffing her arms behind her back. Most of the brawlers scattered, but a few remained to watch including the girl who Megan had punched in the face. She had a triumphant grin on her face as she pointed an accusing finger at me. "The freak started it!"

One of the mall cops, the tallest of the three glared down at me. "Get up!" he demanded.

I wobbled, but with what little strength I had available I managed to climb to my feet unaided. Once standing, my hair brushed against my shoulder and reached up to touch it. I looked down at my chest and new tears welled up out as I sucked in my breath fighting back another wave of panic.

One guard, I didn’t see which, grabbed my wrists and forced my hands behind my back. I didn't resist and felt the cold steel of his cuffs lock in place around my wrists. He shoved me and I jerked forward. I kept walking, but glanced back before the game store was out of sight and through my tear soaked eyes I noted the burn marks on the ground where I’d been standing. I didn't understand much about the processes involved, but I sensed it was a result of my twist. The damage to the floor was extensive, and I was surprised and more than a little grateful, no one had been hurt.

I glanced back catching sight of Jeff, and met his gaze pleading for help, but he didn’t budge an inch. When I gave up and turned my head away, he spoke.

"Freak!" Jeff’s voice called after me as one guard pushed me forward.

The trip across the mall was the most memorable one of my life which would surprise no one under the circumstances. Every step I took, it reminded me of everything I had lost and it took all the willpower I had just to keep moving. My breasts jiggled, but there was a noticeable absence of movement between my legs. The guards never attempted to cover me up, so every eye was on me as I walked barefoot and unclothed through the very public areas of the mall. I looked down, watching my blue six-toed feet move across the cold ceramic tiles of the mall walkway.

"You know, my father’s a lawyer," Megan spoke part way through our little jaunt. "One call from him and you’re gonna wish you’d let us go."

I glanced toward her and the guard that was leading her along. He didn’t say a word, but rolled his eyes and pushed her forward. She was right, forcing someone butt-ass naked through a public mall was a lawsuit waiting to happen, but all I could think about was my shame and humiliation. The outrage would come later.

I looked around and almost wished I hadn’t. The eyes of the onlookers burrowed into me and though I closed my eyes, the damage had already been done. I could still feel their eyes on me and I wanted nothing more than to hide, or crawl into a ditch or do anything that would let me escape those terrible eyes! Tears splattered against my breasts and I shook. I couldn’t bear it any longer I had to get away.

I tried to run, but I'd never realized just how hard it was to move without use of my hands until I'd had them cuffed behind my back. The impact of my breasts against the cold tiles sent shock waves of pain through my chest. I grunted, gasping for breath as a hand forced me up from the ground. Before recovered, those hands pushed me and I stumbled barely able to keep from falling back over. I cursed myself, realizing how stupid my escape attempt had been, but I wasn’t in my best mind at that the time.

I hoped Megan wasn’t just spewing out empty threats. If her dad sued the mall, I imagined he would take them for a pretty penny if the courts sided with me.

When we reached the security offices, Megan, and I had our handcuffs removed and then they shoved us into a holding cell. It sent me flailing to the ground, but this time, I twisted to my side and avoided falling on my breasts again. Megan helped me back up to my feet, and I collapsed into her arms sobbing. The flood of emotions became too much, and she wrapped her arms around me providing the only comfort she could. She didn't speak, but made her presence known. It was enough.

Part 6 - Secrets

I don’t know how long they kept us in the holding cell. What happened had so thoroughly shocked and shaken me I couldn’t bring myself to do anything but weep into Megan’s shoulder. I was so out of it I didn’t even realize I was still naked until Megan moved.

My eyes snapped open and glanced at Megan. She looked toward the door and I craned my neck to follow her gaze. Jonathon Hails, Megan's dad, stood in the doorway with a frown on his face and arms folded across his face.

"Megan, please tell me what’s going on? I was in the middle of a meeting with an important client when your cousin called."

My cheeks burning, I glanced at Mr. Hails. I pulled away from Megan and did my best to cover myself up, but in my state it was almost impossible to hide everything. It seemed pretty stupid, but I didn’t think Mr. Hails would appreciate a naked girl straddling his lesbian daughter. That is... assuming he was aware she was gay.

"Megan!" he repeated her name.

"Uh, well… the thing is Jim, well he sort of went through a twist," she winced scratching at the back of her head as she shrunk away from him.

"This." He threw a hand out at me his eyes growing wide before he coughed and turned away. "This… is Jim?!"

Megan glanced at me, brought a hand up to her mouth and turned away. She pointed at my chest and when I looked down, I realized I’d let my arms fall to my side leaving my bare breasts exposed.

"Sorry," I said my cheeks burning as I was cupping the naked lumps. "I never even suspected I was twisted. Suddenly, growing a pair of... well... boobs wasn't exactly something I expected to happen."

"Yes, well, twists are seldom predictable," Mr. Hails replied. He averted his eyes and if the scarlet shade of his cheeks was any sign, he was very uncomfortable. I couldn’t say I didn’t blame him, but it was nothing compared to what I felt. Hell, being naked and blue with your best friend and her father present was plenty freaking weird, but when you added the breasts to the equation, it was damn intolerable.

"Megan, the guards mentioned a brawl. You didn’t cause it did you?" he asked grimacing as he rubbed a hand against the back of his neck.

"Well..." Megan's voice said trailing off, "I might have hit another girl in the face, but she deserved it."

"We’ll talk more about this later. You’re just lucky I got here when I did or we'd be having this conversation at the police station. Being a lawyer has its advantages. One need only threaten to sue someone and they become far more accommodating. Jim, we’ll need to contact your mother she works here in the mall doesn’t she?"

"Oh shit, Mom," I cursed then glanced down at my chest and bit my lip. Mom hated the twisted with a passion that bordered on fanaticism. I didn't have any idea what that meant for me, but just contemplating it made me want to curl up into a ball. She was my Mom and even though she was flawed and a little unhinged, I still loved her.

"Yeah, she works over at Haglund's." I looked up at him and bit my lip.

"She will need to be apprised of this, ahem, new development," he replied fidgeting with his tie.

"Mr. Hails?" I asked.

"Yes?"

"She won't take the news well. I, uh, think I need to be the one who tells her."

He nodded and turned away.

"Oh, and do you think you could get me some clothes?" I added glancing down at my naked body and my cheeks flushed anew.

"Yes, I’ll get Allison to find you something," he nodded again, he moved to the door, and stopped waiting to be let back out again.

"There will be hell to pay for this. I’ll make sure," he said reaching for the door when it popped open. He disappeared through the opening leaving Megan and I alone again.

"So, this is weird? Isn’t it?" Megan pursed her lips and glanced at the door after her Dad left.

"Yeah," I let out a long sigh and glanced down at my hands. "That’s an understatement. I never expected this, none of it. God this is so freaking wrong!"

"You’re not the only one who’s surprised. I never expected you would be twisted. Not the way you’re Mom is always ranting about them… about us."

"You’re twisted?" That was a surprise. I would have wondered why she never told me, but I already had a good idea. There was a lot of prejudice against twisted people and with Mom being the way she was I don’t blame her for keeping it from me.

"Dad's twisted, and everybody says my mom was too. Most of my relatives are, so it's something we're used to. I guess I am too, or I will be. Whatever. I try not to think about it. It’s freaky realizing I could wake up one day and be a different person." She sighed.

I had a good idea about what the twist had done but there had to be more to it. If the comments from the people in the Game Palace were right, then I looked like Kalena from the game. I’d only had a brief look at her image, but I remembered her face looked more or less human. Besides the color of her skin her weirdest features were her six-fingered hands, her horns and her ears.

I glanced at Megan then down at my bare breasts. Aside from being blue, they had all the same features as any other girl’s breasts I'd seen and I knew Megan had seen her own set hundreds of times by now. It felt strange being around her naked like this.

I slipped one arm over both protrusions, ensuring I covered them then I flexed my free hand and watched each of my six-fingers move in response. I'd been so focused on the other aspects of my transformation and the shock of it all, I hadn’t noticed such an obvious change. Reaching up to touch my head I felt for what I knew must have been there. Sure enough my fingers found purchase on something hard that ended with a point, a horn. Next, I felt around touching one of my ears. The flesh, felt soft and pliable, like my old ear lobes just in the wrong shape and in the wrong place. When I slid my hand to the side of my head, where my ears should have been, there was only hair and skin.

Dammit all to hell.

"Are twists usually this extreme?" I asked, reaching up to pinch the tip of one of my horns.

"No. Even most of the people who go through a major transformation look more or less like a regular human, but there are stories. My dad told me about this guy that got transformed into this massive dog-like creature and Allison knows this kid with compound eyes like an insect. Some people don’t transform at all, they get these odd compulsions or have their personalities change."

I groaned. "Why couldn't I have been one of those!"

"Trust me it can be worse. Some of the compulsions people get make them do crazy and for some even bad things. Like that guy that's been killing people in California."

"How do we know I don't have some kind of compulsion?" I asked, dreading the mere thought.

"We don’t. Only time—" she stopped and turned as the door swung open.

Mom was standing in the entryway and the moment she saw me her eyes narrowed. She clenched her jaw and turned to Megan with that half-crazed expression she got whenever she talked about the Twisted. "Megan, what the hell is that freak doing here? Where’s my son?"

I winced, my stomach sinking.

"Oh, um, well you see the thing about that is—" Megan looked like she wanted to bolt and I couldn’t blame her I was fighting down the same urge.

"Cut to the chase would you? I don’t have all damn day!" Mom yelled still glaring at me.

I swallowed hard, fresh tears running down my cheek as I stared up at Mom. Megan looked back and forth between Mom and I. My lips trembled and I wanted to crawl into a hole. ‘Just do it, it'll be like ripping off a band-aid. Tell her.’

"M-mom," I said. My mother flinched away as if I’d slapped her. Her face grew darker and I saw the contempt and hatred in her eyes. She must have figured it out for herself, but I had to speak the next few words as much for my own benefit as hers. "It’s me, Mom, Jim, your son. I guess I’m twisted."

Her eyes were so wide I thought they might pop out and roll around on the floor. Several times she opened her mouth and a part of me hoped that she’d tell me everything would be all right, but when she spoke my worst fears were confirmed.

"I don’t have a son. I never had one! All this time I’ve been fooling myself. You’re a freak like your father!" she yelled trembling as she loomed over me. "I tried so hard to keep the truth for you, but it didn't do a damn bit of good!"

"Mom—" I said, and it came out as a high-pitched squeal. I wanted to say more, but the hatred displayed on Mom’s face was too much for me to take and I crumpled under that gaze.

"You know, that’s screwed up, don’t you? Jim can’t help being twisted. Did you think you'd keep him from twisting just by hiding the truth from him?" Megan asked glaring up at my mother.

"Shut the hell up, you stupid little twisted-loving brat. This is none of your damn business," she howled turning her horrible gaze on Megan.

I swallowed hard steeling myself against whatever horrible thing my mother might say next. It took every ounce of resolve I had just to form the next few words and it got harder to speak with each new syllable. "Maybe not, but she has a point."

Mom’s fire chilled to ice, and she looked me over with an air of indifference. "I can’t allow a twisted freak to live in my home. You'll need to find somewhere else to live."

"You’re not serious! What am I supposed to do? Where the hell will I go?"

"I don't give a damn," she said then burst out of the room leaving me there to stare at the door in complete shock.

I had this image of my mother running a dagger through my heart and clutched at my breasts as if her words had done exactly that. My fingernail dug into my skin, and though blood dribbled down my chest, I didn't care. Nothing mattered, I'd never felt so alone in all my life.

I sobbed, and the tears gushed out of me like water bursting from a dam. "God Jim! That was horrible." Megan threw her arms around me, but I couldn’t answer even if I wanted to. I buried my face in her shoulder and let the anger and grief come bursting out of me.

Part 7 - Shit Hole

"Shit, Jim?" Allison voice wafted in from the doorway.

I wiped the tears from my eyes and glanced over my shoulder at Allison. She was holding a large plastic bag marked with the all too familiar logo of Mom’s workplace, Haglund’s. With my mother’s departure a few minutes earlier, it was a painful reminder of her rejection. My lip trembled, and I turned away so that Allison wouldn’t see my crying.

"Yeah, it’s Jim," Megan replied in my place.

"Why’s she crying?" Allison asked dropping the bag of cloths in front of my feet.

"I just had my heart cut out!" I screamed between sobs. "My mother wants nothing to do with me!"

"Shit, what happened?" Allison asked.

"I-I’d rather not talk about it." I snatched the bag from the ground and rifled through it.

Near the top, I found a pack of girl's panties with the name cotton bikinis on the bag. I hesitated a moment before splitting the bag open and fetched a plain white pair, the least feminine color choice, from inside. Slipping them up my legs, I bit my lip and shook my head. Because I had become so accustomed to boxer briefs, it felt a little strange wearing something so form fitting, especially without a cock and balls to fill the crotch area.

I peered back inside the bag and found a red polo shirt with a black collar. I slipped it over my head, glad to cover my breasts. The shirt was tight, across the chest in particular, but I had a feeling that I’d be running into that a lot since I seemed to be very well-endowed. I stopped before moving onto the next item to pull my hair out from inside my shirt. I held the tip in front of my face and grimaced. Of, all the colors I had to end up with it had to be fucking purple hair. I hated purple. Still, at least it wasn't pink.

Brushing my hair behind my back I reached into the bag and pulled out the next item, a pair of black short shorts with a drawstring. I glared at the damn things and held them in front of my face. Though I liked seeing girls wear them, they were damn revealing. I would have never considered wearing them before my twist, but better them than nothing.

"Might as well go out in the undies," I muttered under my breath and scowled as I forced the damn things up my legs. They were a little loose around the waist, but tight in the ass so I pulled on the drawstrings.

The last item was a pair of flip-flops. I always found them to be a little uncomfortable, but since they were plain black with red trim, they weren’t anything I’d be too embarrassed to wear. The rest of the outfit was another story entirely. The shorts showed off way too much leg and were only slightly less revealing than the panties underneath and while the shirt colors were gender-neutral the cut definitely was not and even showed off a little of my new cleavage. I suppose it could have been worse, Allison could have bought me a pink leotard and a tutu or something just as frilly. I shuddered at the thought and glared up at Megan’s cousin.

"Seriously?" I asked Allison. "Short shorts?"

"They’re cute, and besides that was the cheapest outfit I could find that matched." She scowled down at us and folded her arms across her chest.

"Yes, well I’m so glad you took the time to color coordinate," I said between gritted teeth.

"They look good on you," Megan said, and I turned to meet her gaze.

I wasn't quite sure why, but her comment was oddly comforting, "You really think so?" I asked.

Allison looked from me then back to Megan, "You definitely have the bod for it."

I felt a tingle of excitement at Allison's comment. "Oh, god! I am so hot."

"I think you might have some mental changes," Megan said a hint of a smile on her face.

"It's not that uncommon with a twist," she added in explanation when she caught my blank expression.

"Well, the good news is I convinced the mall management not to press any charges." Mr. Hails appeared from the doorway, but stopped dead in his tracks when he got a good look inside the room. "Jim, what happened to your mother?"

I’m not sure how he missed her tearing out of the room, but his question dredged up all the sore feelings from my mother's rejection. I didn’t cry this time, but my eyes misted up.

"She’s gone," I mumbled glancing down at the floor. "Apparently, since I’m a twisted freak, I’m not good enough to be her son anymore."

"I would think, a mother’s love would see past such things." He spoke in a calm, collected manner that almost seemed to make his response nonchalant. If it hadn’t been the firestorm of fury that was brewing in his eyes I never would have guessed that he was angry.

"Apparently not," I said my lips trembling.

"Well, let’s hope she comes to her senses," he said with a calm, reassuring smile. "Until then, you’re always welcome to come live with Megan and I."

"Thank you," I muttered letting a sob escape my lips. "But what if she doesn’t?"

Mr. Hails pursed his lips and let out a long sigh. "We’ll figure something out. Just know that if it comes down to it, I would never put you out on the street."

Megan put her hand on my shoulder and gave me a smile that seemed just a little forced. "Come on, let’s get the hell out of here."

I forced a smile of my own, but it was lackluster. I doubted it did much to mask the simmering jumble of emotions that threatened to scream out from me at a moment’s notice. "Gladly, I never want to set foot in this shit-hole ever again."

Part 8 - Exit Stage Left

I was so eager to leave I was the first out of the security offices, but I regretted my haste when I sensed the eyes of everyone in the area on me. I balled my hands at my sides and stepped forward trying to ignore the looks, but I found myself meeting people’s gazes, anyway.

A boy of about thirteen was staring at my chest when I looked down I realized that my nipples were showing through my shirt. Blushing, I folded my arms across my chest and moved past him. Even when my back was to him I swore that I could feel those damn prying eyes on me. Even clothed the walk out the mall proved to be almost as humiliating as our march to security offices and it was only my determination to get the hell out of Dodge that kept me putting one foot in front of the other. Before I'd been so shocked and humiliated that I didn’t look people in the face, but this time I noted all the hateful glares, every obscene gesture, and every lewd look.

Mr. Hails took the lead, and we followed him to the far North side of the mall. We’d almost made it to the exit when I found myself face to face with the girl from the Game Palace. I was more than a little gratified to see that her face was swollen and she was sporting a nasty black eye from where Megan had hit her in the face.

"FREAK!" she screamed.

"Get the hell out of my way." I stepped forward and got up right up in her face. I’d never hit a girl before, but I balled my fist up prepared to do just that. Besides, I was a girl now and about the same size so it would be a fair fight. Well, unless I discovered I had any special powers in the next few minutes.

"No," she said and snatched hold of one of my wrists. "I’m not gonna let you get away! You twisted freaks are always causing trouble it’s time one of you get what you deserve."

"What I deserve?!" I freed my wrist and shoved her away then motioned at my chest. "What the hell did I do to deserve this? You’re the one that started the damn fight! You remember my friend here, don’t you?" I threw a thumb over my shoulder at Megan. "Well, let’s say if you don’t get out of my fucking face, what she did to you will pale in comparison to what I’ll do."

That seemed to do the trick, the girls stepped away and watched us walk past her. I heard her mutter a half-hearted "freak" as we left, but I ignored the insult. I didn’t want another fight. My threats against her had been a bluff meant to scare her off.

It was almost dark when we were outside and I let out a long sigh of relief as I took in the warm summer’s air. I started for my car, but stopped mid-stride when I realized I didn’t have the keys or my driver's license. My Twist destroyed everything in my pockets, including a good chunk of cash, my car keys and cell phone.

"I-I guess, I’ll have to ride with you guys. My keys are gone." I sighed and followed Megan and the other’s to Mr. Hails’ ride.

"Thanks Dad, for coming and getting us," Megan said as she climbed into the driver’s side backseat.

"You should thank your cousin. She’s the one that called me," Mr. Hails replied.

Megan glanced at Allison, hesitated for just a moment, then let out a long sigh. "Thanks Ally."

"How’d you know what happened?" I asked.

Allison shrugged, "I couldn’t find you guys anywhere and every time I tried to call Meg’s mobile I got a busy signal. So I asked around and found out about what had happened at the game store. I figured it was Megan who’d gone through her twist since she’s about due. I had no idea it was you."

"Oh," Megan winced. "You told Dad I went through my twist didn’t you?"

"Yeah," Allison grimaced. "But can you blame me? What were the chances that’d be Jim?"

I sat back in my seat, closed my eyes, and let Megan and Allison continue the conversation without me. I had so much to think about and it didn’t seem very relevant. What would I do? My entire world had come crashing down around my ears. I liked it when Megan and Allison complimented me which was weird. I think Megan was right when she said there might have been some mental changes. It terrified me, I might have lost a part of myself when I underwent my twist and even if I had would I be able to tell?

The car came to a stop and I opened my eyes to watch as Mr. Hails pulled the car into the driveway. I got out with the others and groaned when a simple realization dawned on me.

"What’s wrong?" Megan asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I blushed and bit my lip. "I need to pee."

Part 9 - New Plumbing

Once Mr. Hails had the door open, I leapt inside and made a beeline for the stairs but when I tried to take the steps two at a time; I stumbled. If I hadn’t had a good grip on the rail, I would have fell face forward, but I caught myself and the only thing wounded was my damn pride. I’d lost a decent amount of height and that meant my legs were shorter. Grimacing, I took each of the steps one at a time before bursting into the bathroom and locking the door behind me.

I flipped open the toilet seat, and pulled my short shorts down ready to take a wiz in the usual fashion, only to realize, once again, that didn't have the usual plumbing. I clenched my teeth, flipped the seat down and plopped down. You know when you hold it so long you have trouble peeing? Well, I learned that day it wasn’t a problem unique to men. When I got the stream going, I closed my eyes and let the pee flow and sighed in relief once I got a steady stream going.

I finished up and walked up to the counter where I washed my hands then glanced up at my reflection and I got my first look at my new face. Though I resembled Kalena in form, the face was all wrong. I saw some of the old Jim looking back at me and a bit of Mom too. If I had a sister, I imagined the girl in the mirror could resemble her.

The girl in the mirror was nothing short of breathtaking, even with the blue skin. Her angelic blue face was framed by a mane of violet hair that ran almost all the way down her entire back. Atop her head growing out of her parietal bone a set of horns jutted out from her scalp. Just to the side of each horn a pair of blue-colored feline-like ears stuck out like a sore thumb, but the most striking feature of all was her eyes. They were the same violet as her hair, but the iris continuously shifted shades, it almost looked like a tumultuous violet fire. If I’d seen her breasts on another girl I would have said they were perfect. They were big, but not huge and firm.

"Wow," I muttered feeling a little enamored until I realized I was looking at my reflection.

"No," I scowled. "That's me now."

I reached up to touch my ears, but when I did so they twitched. This surprised me and I hesitated a moment before reaching up to touch them. They were hairless and matched the color of my skin. It was a strange sensation having an appendage in a different place and that was the wrong shape. My horns were smooth and felt like I would have expected. They were only about an inch long and as I examined them I wondered if they would grow like horns on animals did. Would I have to trim them?

I glanced down at my chest and grimaced when I noticed my nipples were visible through my shirt again, but this time they were erect. "Damn," I cursed I was turning myself on. What the hell was wrong with me?

"Well, I am pretty fuckable," I admitted to myself. "Shit, I'm a cosplayer’s wet dream. Hell, I'm my wet dream."

Try as I might I couldn’t bring myself to look away. I was horny and it kind of weirded me out not just because I was getting off on my reflection, but because it was the first time I’d become aroused as a girl.

"Think unsexy thoughts," I said, repeating the sentence in my head. A rap at the door was followed by Megan's voice. "You all right? You’ve been in there a while."

"Yeah," I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. "Yes, I'm fine I'll be out in a minute."

I popped the door open and found Megan standing there with her arms folded across her chest. "Just what were you doing in there?" she asked.
"Nothing," I said then frowned and glanced down at my boobs. "I was just familiarizing myself with the new me."

"Right," she said straining to keep a straight face.

I cleared my throat and fidgeted with my long tresses. "We should have a talk. I need to learn more about being twisted."

She nodded and led me downstairs where both Allison and Mr. Hails were lounging on the living room sofa. I glanced at the two of them and plopped down on the loveseat opposing them. "C-can we talk?"

"Of course," Mr. Hails replied. "It’s only natural you would have questions."

I leaned forward and brushed the hair from my eyes as I muddled over what I would say. My mind was still reeling from my transformation and I kept trying to convince myself that it was all some horrible, horrible dream, but I knew it was real even if I didn’t want to accept what had happened.

"I never expected this," I said. "I-I don’t understand why my mother never told me that this could happen. It might help to understand a little more about being twisted. Since you guys are all twisted, maybe you can help me."

"Well, what makes you think we’re twisted?!" Allison protested her eyes wide in mock surprise, but she was such a terrible actress I wouldn’t have bought her act even if I’d been unaware of the truth.

"Oh please." Megan rolled her eyes and took a seat in the loveseat next to me. "I already told Jim that we’re twisted. There’s no reason to play stupid."

"Please forgive Allison, the acts of hatred and malice that have been directed toward people like us would give anyone pause. Megan was right to tell you the truth," Mr. Hails looked first at his niece then Megan and met my gaze. "What is it you want to know, Jim? I promise I’ll answer to the best of my abilities."

"I know what they told me in school, but not much more. It would be easiest if I told you what I know and have you fill in the blanks. It all started when this explorer from Canada, John Kincaide I think his name was, brought the Antarctic Flu back after exploring Antarctica. There was a massive outbreak which killed millions of people. The virus changed the survivors, but no one realized it until they had children and they went through their twists."

Mr.Hails smiled and seemed to mull over what I had told me. "Sometimes I think all they teach kids about the Twisted in school is to fear and hate us, but I’ve never been happier to be proven wrong. That is an accurate description of the history behind the twisted."

"I guess I don’t understand. It seems so bizarre. How is it possible? How can a person just change like this," I asked throwing my hands out. "I’ve heard about people changing all my life, but I never stopped to think about it. It was always so distant, something that wasn’t happening."

"That is the question, isn’t it?" Megan asked. "We talk about quantum fields and shit, but the only people who understand it is the egghead sciency types."

"Megan, mind your language," Mr. Hails said, glancing at his daughter with a stern look. "Thank you for that colorful interruption."

"Well, I’m not the 'egghead sciency type' as Megan so eloquently put it and my understanding is limited, but I will do my best to explain. The twisted are unique because we can tap into what’s called a quantum field. When we first connect with this field is when we first undergo our twist and it’s often triggered by a strong emotional response or a new experience. The physical changes are sometimes accompanied by shifts in personality. In addition, you may have also picked up compulsions which may prompt you to say, do or behave in ways which are unusual."

"Compulsions?" I shuddered and scrunched my nose up. "I’m not sure I like the sound of that."

"You'd be pretty messed up in the head if you didn't," Megan chimed in. "There are some freaky compulsions like that serial killer in California."

"But," Mr. Hails added glancing at his daughter with a shake of his head. "Most compulsions are harmless."

"Yeah," Allison agreed. "I go to school with a girl who's so obsessed with the color pink she wears nothing else."

"I guess there could be worse things than wearing pink all the time," I muttered. "How do I find out if I have one of these compulsions? Is there some kind of test?"

Mr. Hails chuckled as if something I’d said had been funny. "Give it a few days if you have one you’ll discover what it is soon enough. There is something we can test for that is if you’re interested. There’s a chance you may have gained a trick."

"A trick?" I asked.

"Yeah," Allison said, "It's kind of like having a super power."

"You mean like flying or something?" I asked.

"Such abilities are seldom so grand, but yes, I have heard of people gaining the ability to fly. Most normal people seem to be threatened by some of these abilities which is why we refer to them as tricks instead of powers. It sounds more benign."

"Well, that doesn't sound bad. In fact, it might even be useful. What's your trick?" I asked Mr. Hails.

"I can shrink or grow to a quarter my regular size and back," he replied.

"That's awesome!" I said. "Can I see?"

Mr. Hails grimaced. "Perhaps another time. I was thinking you might like to try it out for yourself and see if you had a trick."

"Sure," I said with a shrug. "Just tell me what to do."

"Unfortunately, it’s not that simple, there's no instruction manual. Some people have different triggers for their abilities, take me for instance, my trick requires a great deal of concentration to activate, but for some people it requires none at all and there are a few who activate theirs on a subconscious level. We’ll play things by ear and see what works for you."

"Ok," I said. "Well, here goes nothing."

I closed my eyes and took several deep breaths and cleared my mind or tried to. A billion thoughts coursed through my brain and I struggled to silence them. I tried to imagine myself tapping into Mr. Hails quantum field. A slight tingle trickled down my spine, but when I opened my eyes to see had happened, I couldn’t tell if anything had changed. To say it disappointed me would have been an understatement.

Part 10 - Shifting Attitudes

When my trick revealed itself, it happened by accident. I gritted my teeth and brought my hands up, but stopped my arms brushed against the side of my boobs.

"Shit, these things just get in the damn way. I wish they wouldn’t jiggle so damn much," I stared at them and felt my cheeks burn.

"You get used to them," Megan shrugged. "A bra would help with the jiggling."

I couldn’t help it, the image popped into my head and my clothes twisted and contorted as if they’d come alive. The collar of my polo detached itself from the rest of the shirt and slithered inside nestling itself against my breasts, but that wasn’t the only activity under my shirt. Hundreds of tiny threads work themselves from the bottom of the shirt and inch up around the uncovered portion of my breasts, the space between them, under my armpits and around my back. I gasped and my eyes growing wide as the fabric formed under my shirt. Shit, it felt like I had a bunch of bugs crawling all over me.

"Holy freaking hell!" I gasped, pulling the front of what had become the new collar of my shirt open and stared with wide eyes at the red and black bra which had formed underneath. The polo wasn’t a polo anymore, the new collar was black, but it had formed into a v-neck which came down to display even more cleavage than the polo. A few inches of material were gone from the bottom of the shirt, exposing the bare flesh of my belly button.

"Your shirt!" Allison gasped, and I braced myself as she leapt from the sofa and came running toward me. She grabbed my shirt by the bottom of the hem and pulled it up so she could get a better look at it. "It changed!"

Megan stood up, grabbed Allison by the shoulders, pulled her away and positioned herself between me and her cousin. "Somehow, I get the sense, you didn’t intend for that to happen."

"No, I imagined myself wearing a bra and it sort of happened. Shit I got a magic bra." I blushed and tugged at the bottom of my shirt. Why the hell did the damn thing have to get shorter?

"I'm guessing the ability to create magical undergarments is not the true extent of your trick," Mr. Hails put in stroking his chin.

"Yeah," Megan agreed. "I bet you can change the rest of your clothes too, but the amount of fabric you’re wearing must limit it. That's why the collar and the bottom of your shirt changed."

"Lame, I was hoping for something a little cooler," I groaned and collapsed back into my seat.

"There are cases where a few twisted have developed multiple tricks or even a single trick with different aspects, but I wouldn’t hold my breath," Megan shrugged.

"Yeah, but that’s rare," Allison scrunched her nose up and shook her head. "It’s killer! I’d love to change what I was wearing at the drop of a hat! I’d save a fortune on clothes!"

"She has a point," Mr. Hails added. "While tricks may seem spectacular, they often aren’t particularly practical. This one has the potential to be useful assuming we are correct about how it works."

"There’s one way to find out," Megan grinned. "You remember that outfit Rachel Lockridge was wearing last week? The purple tube top with the denim mini skirt? Why don’t you visualize yourself wearing it?"

I was ready to protest, but I actually wanted to try out the outfit. ‘Yep, some mental changes,’ I thought with a weary sigh before closing my eyes and taking a deep breath.

I visualized myself in the getup and my clothes shifted and changed. The color of the threads shifted as they wove themselves into the intricate pattern of the new fabrics. The outfit was identical to Rachel’s with one key exception my footwear hadn’t changed with the rest of my apparel. When I closed my eyes again, I imagined myself wearing a pair of purple sandals to match and my trick did the rest.

I glanced at Megan and caught her staring at my breasts. I blushed and my stomach tied up in knots as I fought down my panic. A growing part of me liked the way I looked and I think she did too, but I was having a hard time reading her. I’d known her longer than I could remember and I could read her better than almost anyone, but this time what I saw there on her face confused me. That look in her eyes suggested she liked what she saw, but the frown she had told another story.

"Well," Mr. Hails said unaware of the way the two of us were looking at one another. "I don't know about the rest of you, but it’s getting late and I would like to eat before going to bed."

Allison and Megan both chimed in and mentioned that they were also hungry. Food was about the last thing on my mind and I didn’t seem to have much of an appetite, but I hadn’t eaten since this morning. Because of the hour and the fact we were all worn out from the days ordeals Mr. Hails decided that we’d get delivery from Pizza Shack. It wasn’t the best pie in town, but it was the fastest and it was one of the few places that would deliver to Megan’s house.

"Maybe now would be a good time to tell your Dad you’re into girls." Allison grinned, took a bite from her pizza and smiled at Mr. Hails who was staring at her with his mouth hanging open.

"W-what?!" Mr. Hails’ snapped around as his big, wide eyes fell on his daughter.

Megan glared at Allison, bit her lip and turned back to her father. "I was planning on telling you. The right time just hadn't presented itself. I was worried how you might react."

"Megan, that sort of thing makes no difference," he replied reaching over and throwing his arms around her in a hug. "Why didn’t you say something?"

"Thanks Dad," she broke away, bit her lip and looked down at the table. "I sort of had this image in my head of how my life would turn out and I sort of freaked when I realized I like girls. A part of me always knew, but that night at Ally’s house, I guess, is when I accepted it."

"At Allison’s house?" Mr. Hails asked with a raised eyebrow. "Megan do you and your cousin have something to tell me?"

"Huh?" she wrinkled her nose and stared at him with a blank expression. Realization seemed to strike her and she let out a loud groan and glanced at her cousin. "No no no! That's not what it sounds like, ew, no. Allison had a slumber party, and I got caught up in the moment and I sort of kissed one of her friends."

"Ha! Well that’s a relief," Mr. Hails chuckled then glanced at Megan who was rolling her eyes. He cleared his throat and cupped Megan’s hands. "Megan, I am sorry things didn’t turn out as you imagined, but remember what your grandfather used to say. 'Sometimes when life takes you off the beaten path, you make your own way.'"

She blushed then shook her head and looked at me with an apologetic smile. "Here I am whining about being a lesbian when Jim here has it much worse than I do. I mean, you know, with everything that’s happened today."

I frowned, pondering my disownment and the shame of my walk through the mall before a grin stretched onto my face as a thought occurred to me. "You know what, Megs? It’s okay."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I think I’m a lesbian too," I said with a shrug just before taking a big bite from my pizza.

Megan snorted and let out a soft chuckle which I think it just may have been the most beautiful sound in the world.

Part 11 - The Kiss

"Well," Mr. Hails said concealing a silent yawn behind a clenched fist. "You kids may have the rest of the summer off, but I’m due in court tomorrow morning."

"Megan, could you show Jim where… he will be sleeping? He yawned again, loosened his tie, and ran a hand through his hair. "I better get to bed I can hardly keep awake."

Once Mr. Hails had left, Megan glanced at her cousin. "Allison cou—"

Her cousin rolled her eyes. "Clean up this mess? Sure why not? I’m only a guest in this house."

Megan ignored Allison and then led me out of the dining room. I followed her upstairs. She stopped at a door at the end of the hall.

I don’t know if I’d say Mr. Hails was rich, but he did pretty well for himself as a trial lawyer and his house was the largest in the neighborhood. It had five bedrooms, two of which belonged to Megan and Mr. Hails, and the third was a guest room. The fourth was Mr. Hails’ home office, but as I’d never seen the fifth I had no clue what they might use it for if they used it at all.

Megan popped the door open, flicked the light on and waved me inside.

"I guess you’ll be staying in here." She shrugged and bit her lip.

A futon sat in the corner, but other than that the only furniture was a single bookshelf against the opposite wall. That being said, the room was far from empty, boxes and other odds and ends cluttered the inside.

"We use this room for storage," she grimaced. "But since Allison’s using the guest room, this is the best we have. I mean, you could sleep on the couch downstairs if you wanted, but at least in here you’ll get privacy."

"It’s fine." I shook my head and shuddered remembering the apartment Mom and I lived in when I was younger. "I’ve slept in worse."

Megan nodded in understanding. "I can get you some bedding, and if you need something to sleep in, you can borrow a pair of my pj's."

"Thanks that’d be nice… The bedding I mean with my trick I can probably just morph into something more comfortable."

I closed my eyes and imagined myself wearing a form fitting black night gown. My trick did the rest and when I opened my eyes, my clothes had shifted to match the image in my mind. It wasn't until after I was wearing the damned thing I realized I hadn't even given a second thought about donning such a feminine garment. Worse yet, I didn't even seem to be bothered by it. I liked the way it accentuated my figure and...

I shuddered and stopped myself before I completed the thought. That wasn't me, it was my twist talking.

"Aw shit," I said, "You were right, Megan, there's been some mental changes."

Megan smiled and put her hand on my shoulder. "I've known all my life I would one day go through a twist, but you never even saw yours coming. None of this was expected, but maybe you can take comfort in knowing that no matter what happens I will be there for you. You’re my best friend."

My eyes misted up, but I kept myself from bursting into tears.

"Thanks Megs, I don't know what I would have done if you guys hadn't taken me in," I replied cupping her hand.

It went without saying I was pretty confused and I wanted someone to hold me. Since my twist had landed me with a girl’s body, I guess I figured Megan might want to take our relationship in another direction. I leaned in to kiss her and I realized just how wrong I’d been when she pulled away.

"No, Jim.” She shook her head. "That’s not a good idea. I’m just coming to terms with my sexuality and you’ve only been a girl for less than a day. We shouldn't jump into anything."

I nodded wiping the last few tears from the corner of my eyes. If I hadn’t been such a mess, I would have been able to better understand where she was coming from, but I was an emotional wreck. I wanted Megan and it was like a sucker punch in the gut. As soon as she had left the room, I collapsed atop the futon and burst into tears.

"Stupid fucking twist," I cursed under my breath and curled up into a ball.

"Hey." A hand touched my shoulder and at first I was certain it belonged to Megan, but when I looked up, I found Allison sitting there with saucer-wide eyes.

"It gets better," she said twirling a strand of hair with her index finger.

"It gets better? My whole life has gone down the shitter! My mother hates me and I’ve been turned into a freak! Tell, me how the fucking hell is it supposed to get better?!"

"Yeah, I guess that would suck," she replied then paused for a moment.

"You guess?!"

"Sorry, I have a hard time speaking to people, especially other girls since my twist. Most of the time, I either act like a complete bitch. When I'm with guys its worse, it's all I can do to keep my hands off them. I don’t have a lot of friends anymore and even the few that stuck around are... distant.” She sighed and bit her lips. "I’d almost rather I turned out more like you at least I wouldn’t feel so alone all the time. It’s stupid, but the reason I keep treating Megan the way I do is cause I can’t stop thinking of her as competition."

"You’ve been fighting with your cousin because you’re worried she might, what flirt with a guy you like?" I scrunched my nose up and bit my lip. "That makes no sense! Megan's into girls."

She grimaced. "Yeah, I told you my twist messed me up in the head, didn’t I? It doesn't matter if she’s only attracted to the fucking cookie monster. She's got boobs and a clit. That's pretty much all it takes. I mean, I’m having a hard time not making a snide comment to you right now. I can resist my compulsion for a while, but don’t expect me to restrain myself too much longer."

The longer Allison sat there the more uncomfortable she seemed to get, and it even got so bad I swore she would pop. Weird, Allison’s attempt to cheer me up had succeeded, and I smiled at her. She squirmed about and I fought down the fit of giggles that threatened to come bursting out of me.

"Thanks Allison. You don’t have to stay if you’re not comfortable."

"Oh thank God!" She yelled and jumped up from her seat and tore out of the room at full speed.

"Um," Megan said popping her head into the doorway a moment later. "I got your bedding. Sorry it took so long I had to get them from the basement."

She set them down on the futon and brushed past me on her way out. "Megan wait!" I grabbed her by the shoulder before she was halfway out of the room. "I-I know I’m not in the best state of mind, but I’m crazy about you... always have been."

"Jim, I…" she trailed off. Her big beautiful blue eyes were wide as she stared back at me. It happened so fast it left me in a daze. Her her lips locked around mine. She broke away and as we stared at each other, I swallowed hard. The next thing I knew we were kissing again.

When we broke for air, it was Megan you spoke first. "I can’t believe I… we did that."

My cheeks flushed as I looked at her in those big frumpy pajamas. They were covered in cartoon characters and knowing Megan they were probably boys pajamas, but even so I thought she looked amazing. "I’d like to do it again. I mean, that is, if you want to."

She shook her head, then bit her lip. I thought maybe, she might have come around. "Just give it some time. We don’t want to jump into anything. I—" She cleared her throat and toyed with a lock of her hair as she pulled away from me. "I’m getting pretty tired. I think I better get to bed."

She didn’t look tired, and judging by the way she had her fists clenched and her teeth gritted I was pretty sure a part of her didn’t want to leave. She took a few steps back from me, then glanced back at the door her face erupting into a nervous smile as she exited. "Good night, Jim."

"Night," I replied then collapsed onto the bed once she was gone. I didn’t even bother making it as I lay there and thought about the touch of her lips against my own. I’d thought about kissing her and more for ages, and to finally be able to do so was a dream come true, but I’d paid a terrible price to get that opportunity.

I could almost feel her lips against my own and I closed my eyes imagining her in my arms again. I tried to clear my mind, and go to sleep, but all I could think about was Megan and those soft luscious lips…

Part 12 - The Next Morning

I don’t think it would surprise anyone to learn I didn’t sleep well that night. I tossed and turned and no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t get comfortable. Every time I changed positions, my breasts, hips, and not to mention my ears and horns, seemed to get in the way. I resolved myself to lie on my back, without a pillow and my head a good distance from the wall.

When I drifted off to sleep, I had only the vaguest recollection of my dreams from that night, but I remember a lot of angry voices screaming at me. Mom, was there, and she was mad at me. I remember Megan walking around nude striking suggestive poses, but other than that, everything was a big jumbled up blur.

In the morning, I woke to find myself in a strange place and the memories of the previous day were slow to return to me in the fog of drowsiness. So when I reached up to rub my eyes and my hand brushed against something sticking out from my chest, I’m sure you can imagine that came as a big surprise. When I looked down at those two blue mounds of flesh, I freaked, screaming at the top of my lungs like the girl I had become.

I had the vaguest sense of someone entering the room, but caught up in my 'discovery' that I didn’t pay who ever it was any mind. I’m not sure how long I went on like that, but a stinging blow to my face shut me up and knocked the sense back into me. All the memories from the previous day came back, and I flushed as I looked at Megan and Allison who were standing on either side of the bed.

"Oh, god," I muttered looking down at my six-fingered hand. "It happened."

"Who slapped me?" I asked rubbing my still sore jaw.

"That would be me," Allison replied a peculiar mixture of amusement and guilt displayed on her face.

"Thanks, I needed it."

"Don't mention it," she replied, raising her eyebrows.

"Jim are you all right?" Megan asked putting her hands on her hips.

"Fine, woke up and sort of freaked." I replied grabbing my boobs and my cheeks burned as I met Megan’s gaze. "What with the new hardware and all."

"Just don't do that again, ok?" Megan ran a hand through her hair. She had a bad case of bedhead, but something told me she wasn't trying to tame it. "It scared me."

"It scared me, too," I said a wry grin forming on my face.

Allison folded her arms and scowled down at me. "Uncle John is making chocolate ebelskivers for breakfast! If we don’t get down there they’re gonna be cold!"

"They're Danish pancakes," she added. "Just hurry the hell up!"

Allison tapped her foot on the floor, scowled at both of us and stormed out of the room. "I’m through waiting! Enjoy your cold ebelskivers!"

"I guess, she's done taking it easy on you, but with her twist I guess it was only a matter of time," Megan folded her arms across her chest.

"Uh, yeah." I massaged my horns, let out a loud yawn and crawled out of bed. "She told me about that last night. I don’t think she can help it."

"You look nice," I added after glancing at Megan. Her hair was a mess, and probably not long out of bed, but even so there was something about her disheveled appearance that got my motors revving.

I wasn’t quite sure how she would react to my compliment after the previous night, so I was glad to see her smile. She blushed and leveled her flat gaze on me. "I’ve already seen myself in the mirror this morning you don't have to lie to me. You look nothing short of miraculous."

"Really?" I asked feeling a rush of pleasure from her compliment. I was still a little taller than her so I leaned in to peck her on the lips. She didn’t resist, like I feared she would, but when I pulled away she frowned.

She stepped back. "We talked about this, remember?"

"What the hell!? Are you two coming or not?" Allison asked poking her head from around the side of the door.

"Yeah, we'll be down in a second," Megan replied, her voice taking on a rough edge as she glared at her cousin.

"Well, I guess we better go," I said as Allison disappeared again.

"I guess so," Megan agreed and with that we made our way downstairs.

I was expecting something a little more on the flat side, so it came as a surprise when I stepped into the dining room and found a plate of little powdered sugar-covered balls that looked more like cream puffs sitting on the table.

Allison had only been half right, some ebelskivers were chocolate-filled, but when I bit into my first one raspberry flavor filled my mouth. I closed my eyes reveling in it. When I finished that one and reached for a second, it was filled with milk chocolate. I opted for a glass of milk to wash it all down, the orange juice seemed too much when paired with the ebelskivers. There was bacon too, but by the time I finished a couple more ebelskivers I had no more room. It seemed I couldn’t put away as much as I had before my twist.

Soon, Mr. Hails left for work, leaving the three of us girls alone. Megan, looked across the table at me and scrunched her nose up and sniffed under her arm pit. "You know, it’s time for a shower, you reek and I smell no better."

I grimaced and glanced down at my breasts, not thrilled at the prospect of seeing myself naked, but I'd need one sooner or later. It was better to get it done with than to put it off and agonize over it. "I-I think I should go first, if that’s all right."
"Fine with me," Megan shrugged. "I’m not planning on going anywhere soon."

Allison glared at me, her expression became more thoughtful, and her face stretched into a smile which sent cold chills down my spine. "Yes, Jim goes first."

Megan rounded up some old clothes for me and I found my way into the bathroom where I disrobed. Before I could pull my shirt over my head, the door swung open, and Allison stepped inside. She closed the door behind her and regarded me with hands planted on her hips and a thin smile.

"Uh, Allison, I’d like privacy for this." I felt my cheeks burn and pulled the straps on my nightgown back on.

She rolled her eyes and put her hands on my shoulders. "I’m not here to watch you shower. I thought I’d pop in and offer you some helpful tips. That body requires more maintenance than your old one."

"Great," I replied glaring at her with my arms folded across my chest. It looked like Allison was trying to be nice again, but I couldn’t be sure with her twist. For all I knew she was planning a mean prank. I wasn’t sure what sort of maintenance she might be referring to, but, at a minimum, I needed to know more about feminine hygiene.

"Take a seat," she said, gesturing for me to sit on the toilet seat. "This could take a few minutes…"

Part 13 - The Shower

Most of the 'maintenance' which Allison had in mind was to do with proper hair care and washing, but she mentioned other things like tampons, which I really wasn’t looking forward to, wiping myself down after urinating, and, my favorite, shaving in those awkward areas. I got Allison to shut up and rushed her out of the bathroom before she could think of any more ways to humiliate me. It was one of the more awkward conversations I’d ever had with a casual acquaintance.

Once Allison departed, I closed the door, this time ensuring I locked it, and undressed myself. I tried not to focus so much on my transformed body parts, but it was almost impossible. Every time I moved, those stupid lumps got in the way, and the way which the fabric rubbed against my breasts was a very new sensation. Once I disrobed, I glanced down at my chest, bit my lip, stepped into the shower and turned on the water.

When I felt that hot water splash against my chest, I knew that whatever hope I’d had of ignoring my body was circling the drain. Nevertheless, I tried. When I soaped up my breasts I kept my head, but when I got to my clit, curiosity got the better of me. I traced my hand around the edges of the ‘hole’, then plunged a finger inside. A gasp escaped my lips, and I slid the finger free. The sensation was a new one, but it wasn’t unpleasant just a little weird.

I washed my privates, in the manner Allison described, then grabbed a fistful of my hair and grimaced. It had become so long and thick that cleaning it seemed all but impossible, but I didn't want to walk around with matted or greasy hair. So after grabbing a handful of lavender-scented shampoo (which was the only option available) I got to work massaging my scalp and rubbing the soap all the way to the end of my hair. It was awkward what with the horns and ears, but I managed. I scowled each time I splattered soap and water in my ears and made a mental note to look into filling them with cotton when I showered.

Just washing my hair seem like a major undertaking and I wondered why so many women put up with it. Short hair wasn't unfashionable for women, per se, but long hair was the trend.

I was about to turn the water off, when I spotted a bottle of conditioner, and I remembered Allison’s lecture about hygiene. It wouldn’t have fazed me so much, but I think my mental changes kicked in again. I imagined myself with soft, silky hair and all my resistance crumbled away. I snatched the bottle up, read the instructions, and in short order I was rinsing the last of the conditioner from my hair.

Drying my new locks proved to be quite a task, and even after toweling them off they were still wet. I got dressed, first in a pair of jeans which were an older style, but were of an obvious feminine cut. They must have belonged to Megan’s Mom from before she had passed away. Next, I grabbed the shirt, a bright pink thing in a more modern style. I had no idea where it had come from, but one thing was sure, it wasn’t anything Megan would be caught dead wearing.

When I glanced down at myself, I grimaced, not satisfied by the outfit. My mental changes kicked in again. I closed my eyes and willed my clothes to change. I morphed the shirt into a violet tank top with spaghetti straps, which was a perfect match to my hair and I changed the color of the jeans to black and made them more form fitting. All, the excess material, I used to form a built-in bra into my shirt and a pair of socks to match my top.

With a growl of irritation, I pulled my hair free and shuddered as the cold and wet strands slid up my back. I swung the door open and before I took a single step into the hall, Allison appeared in the doorway and pushed me back inside.

"Did you even listen to what I had to say? You need to comb your hair or it’s going to get matted!" Allison lurched toward me and I took a step or two back half expecting her to attack me. Instead, she turned toward the cabinet, pulled a drawer open and produced a comb. Armed with the implement she advanced on me, grabbed me by the shoulder and forced me into a sitting position along the edge of the tub. She was a lot stronger than she looked or, I realized, I’d lost a lot of strength from my transformation. Allison was taller than me and had a more athletic build. It stood to reason she’d now be stronger than me.

"Did you use conditioner?" she asked.

When I replied in the affirmative, she nodded in approval. "Good, just remember to keep using it at least once a week. It helps keep long hair from tangling. Shampoo takes all the moisture out of your hair, conditioner adds it back. Combing after showering helps prevent tangling too. Make sure you use a wide-tooth comb and not a brush."

She combed my hair, starting at the tips and working her way up and when finished she folded her arms, and looked down at me with a frown. "There, isn’t that better?"

"So, much better." My reply was anything but sincere, but Allison didn’t seem to notice. She stared at me with her lips pursed for a moment and I imagined the gears turning in her head. I pushed past her before she found new ways to torture me and let out a long sigh of relief when I had escaped the bathroom.

I made my way downstairs where I found Megan lounging about on the loveseat. "Well, that was real fun."

Megan yawned and tilted her head sideways and made eye contact. "Allison?"

I nodded and explained how her cousin had cornered me in the bathroom. Megan snickered and collapsed back into her former position. "Should have figured she’d do something like that. She’s been weird since her twist. Yesterday before we went to the mall, she cornered me with a curling iron."

Since Megan was sitting in the dead middle of the loveseat and didn’t seem inclined to give up a cushion, I plopped down on one chair opposite her. "I don’t get it, if she’s such a drag why is she visiting?"

"Oh, I don’t know." She sighed, rolled her eyes sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "Her parents left on some business trip and they came up with this genius idea to saddle us with her for a week."

"Parents?" I froze up and felt my lips tremble. Her harmless little comment reminded me of everything I had lost. Tears came flooding down my cheeks and I sobbed. God, I was freaking pathetic.

"Shit," Megan cursed and before I said or did anything she was up and out of her seat and had her arms around me. "I’m sorry. Hey, it'll be okay."

I bit the tears back and wiped my face clean all the while shaking my head. It had been the overreaction of the century, but I couldn't help myself. "Don’t be. It’s just hard for me to wrap my head around this. I never expected Mom to do anything like this. I’m her son for Christ's sake."

Megan pulled away and her eyebrows shot up at the mention of the word son, but she didn’t say a thing. "I don’t think anyone would blame you for being upset. It was a horrible thing your mom did. Especially after the way they humiliated you in the mall. All things considered, I'd say you're handling it pretty damn well."

I shook my head and fought down fresh tears. "I wish I could talk to Mom make her understand that it’s still me inside."

Megan pulled on my arm, jumped to her feet and took me with her. "Come on, let’s do it! Let’s go over to your house and confront her!"

"You can’t be serious?!" I broke away from her and balled my fists at my side. "You don’t know her like I do! She’s so freaking stubborn and she hates the twisted! She will not relent, not even on something like this."

"But your own flesh and blood. She gave birth to you for hell sakes! It’s not like you can help you’re twisted."

"I know," I said letting my head droop into my hands. "I never said it made sense."

"Then go for your own sake. You need closure and face it… you can’t keep borrowing clothes from me. At least, get some of your stuff. With your trick you should be able to reuse all of your old clothes."

It made sense I suppose. I needed to confront Mom, at least for my sake, but a part of me still thought it was a bad idea. I relented. I couldn’t say no to Megan. "Fine, but I’m not sticking around if things go hairy."

"No I wouldn't think so," she said then lumbered across the room and swung the front door open and held her hand out. I paused and stared at the opening and swallowed. The prospect of going out again, terrified me, but I had to do it sooner or later. I bit my lip and stepped through the door, I couldn’t keep myself cooped up inside just because I looked a little odd. I had my whole life in front of me and I would not let my mother or anyone else stand in my way.

Part 14 - Confronting Kate

We'd almost reached her car before Megan smacked her forehead with an open palm muttered an "Oh crap" and ran back into the house. When she got back, she ushered me inside the car and tossed what looked like a roll of plastic garbage bags in the back seat before sending the car lurching out of the driveway and in typical Megan-fashion went tearing down the street like a bat out of hell. I don’t know how she'd ever passed her driving test, but she scared the hell out of me every time she got behind the wheel.

The ride to my former home was nerve-racking not because of Megan’s insane driving, but because of what sort of reception I’d have waiting for me. I wasn't sure what my mother's work schedule looked like, but somehow I was certain she’d be home. Maybe it was a lame sixth sense I’d developed because of my twist or perhaps it was because the universe would never let me get away with going back home without seeing Mom one final time. I almost told Megan to turn the car around, but I bit my lip and closed my eyes. I needed to confront Mom even if it meant tearing my already broken heart to shreds.

When we arrived, I was a little surprised to find my car sitting in the driveway. Mom must have brought it home with one of the spare keys. Megan parked on the street and I was out of the car before it had even come to a complete stop. Megan joined me a moment later, and slipped her hand into mine, clenching tight. I glanced at her and she smiled as we walked up to the front door. It was difficult to work up the courage to ring the doorbell. Each time I tried, my hand hovered a few inches from the button and my heart pounded in my chest. I glanced over my shoulder, contemplating making a run for it, but before I could, Megan hit the button.

I froze in place my eyes focused on the door. A few long seconds followed, and I jumped back as the door flew open. A familiar face stared back at me though not quite the one I had expected. The woman was tall and willowy and resembled my mother, she folded her arms across her chest and a frown creased her lips. It was my Aunt Lily, she’d never much liked me to begin with, but judging from the look on her face I was sure she more than disliked what I’d become. She stared at me with those cold eyes and sharp features, like a hawk ready to swoop down on its prey, but didn’t say a word. I was the one who broke the silence.

"Hi, Aunt Lily it’s me, Jim, I’m sure Mom told you all about what happened." I winced and glanced up at her as her scowl only seemed to deepen. "Of course, she's heard. Why else would you have flown in all the way from Boston?"

"What do you want?" She said sneering down at me.

"I want some of my things." I looked her in the eyes and strained to fight back my tears. It about all the effort I could muster, but I would not let her see me cry.

For a moment, Lily’s features softened, and my heart leapt into my chest. Maybe I'd touched a nerve? She scowled at me, dashing my hopes.

"You have a lot of nerve, coming here after what happened." Lily scowled and folded her arms across her chest.

"You make it sound like I had a choice." I gritted my teeth and grabbed my breasts in both hands. "Do you think I wanted to get turned into this! It’s bad enough I’m a girl, but I look like a weird-ass over-sexed Smurf!"

I closed my eyes and bowed my head massaging the base of my nose before I glanced back up at her. "Look, let me talk to Mom, please. If she still wants nothing to do with me, I’ll take my stuff and leave."

Lily hesitated and for a moment I wasn’t sure if she would let me through or slam the door in my face. Before either happened, Mom appeared in the doorway staring at me with that same fanatical fire in her eyes I saw when she'd confronted me in the mall.

"What the hell do you want?" She had her hands clenched at her side and her face was so red I wondered if her head would explode.

"Mom, please talk to me and help me understand. I’m so confused but I’m still Jim under all this," I said motioning at my breasts. "Please, tell me it will be all right. Tell me you still love me."

"Love you?" she asked her face blank. "How can I love something that looks like that!"

Talk about a slap in the face. Whatever hope I had for fixing things with my mother gushed down the drain with that single heart-rending comment, but what she said next only made it all worse. Though she wept, she didn’t reach up to wipe her tears away. "You’re just like your father! He abandoned me and left me and all I got was a stupid letter! He wouldn’t even tell me to my face. You’re not Jim, he died the moment you twisted!"

"Mom, plea--"

"NO!" she screamed. "Go away! Go somewhere you're wanted. Why don't you live with your freak father?"

"My father? I'll gladly go find him. Tell me where he is! Dammit! Christ, tell me who he is! It wouldn’t be any worse than living with you!"

"Oh, I think you know who he is," she narrowed her eyes and her face grew even redder, if that’s possible. "I found my old yearbook taped inside that chair in your room. He’s in Spiral, or at least that’s where he told me he was going in the letter."

"All these fucking years! Why didn’t you tell me my father was twisted? If I had known I would have prepared myself!"

"And have you end up like him?"

"What? You think you keep the truth from me and somehow I wouldn’t change? Do you have any idea how stupid that sounds!?"

She turned away and was about to close the door, but I pushed past her, and made my way up the stairs. Her hand clamped around my wrist and I spun around to face her. "Let me go! I want some of my things and I’ll go. We wouldn’t want there to be a scene would we? I’m sure if we call the cops they can straighten this all out. I bet the neighbors would love to hear all about this mess!"

It was a bluff. Calling the cops was about the last thing I wanted to do. I was a twisted freak in a very conservative town. It seemed doubtful they’d take my side, but it was the right button to push. Mom was always so worried about what the neighbors might think and I had played on that fear. A moment later she let go of my wrist. She had her jaw clenched and had both hands fisted at her sides, but she nodded. I wasted no time leaping up the stairs and motioned for Megan to follow.

After I finished climbing them I glanced back down at my mother. "That boy in the year book, Harry Turow, you never told him about me, did you?"

"No," she said between gritted teeth. "And if I’d known what he was, I never would have let him touch me. Get your things and get out of my home or I'll be the one calling the police!"

"That’s it then," I said tears stinging my cheeks. "It’s over."

I turned away, hoping my mother hadn't seen me cry and moved down the hallway toward my bedroom.

"If I’d known you would have turned out like this. It would have been over a long time ago," she replied after I was about halfway down.

I didn’t say another word. A part of me wanted to fall down on my hands and knees and beg her to reconsider, but I was fighting a losing battle and everybody knew it. My feet seemed heavy, as if weighed down by lead. It was difficult just putting one foot in front of the other.

Mom hated me, I could see it in her body language and hear it in the way she spoke. I’d lost the only family I’d ever known. Sure I could go looking for my father, but I knew nothing about him. He could be dead and even if he weren’t how could I be sure he’d accept me? Just because we were both twisted wasn’t any guarantee.

Something slipped inside my hand and I looked over to find Megan staring at me with a frown and puppy dog eyes. My lips trembled, and it was all I could do to keep myself from throwing my arms around her and letting it all out. I squeezed her hand, she returned the gesture, and she smiled at me between pursed lips as we stepped into my bedroom.

I flicked the tears from my eyes and glanced at Megan. Many people in my position wouldn’t have anyone they could turn to. It was fortunate that Megan and her dad had been so willing to take me in. She’d been an amazing friend, and I paused staring at her with wide eyes before reaching out to touch her face. My friend didn’t resist, and my lips lock around hers not even sure which of us had initiated it.

Megan broke away and cleared her throat. "Now’s not the time."

I nodded and glanced around the room. "Tell me you brought the garbage bags?"

She nodded and produced the roll of bags from her back pocket. She tore one free then tossed the roll to me and we got to work. I didn’t have a lot of clothes, a few pairs of jeans and a pair of dress pants, a few button-up shirts, some sweaters and hoodies, a couple pair of shoes, socks and undies and a week’s worth of t-shirts. We tossed all my clothes into the bag and glanced around the room looking for anything else I might want to take. It was amazing how little of it I grabbed, a few knick-knacks, my stamp collection, my year books and all the cash I had. Nothing else seemed that important. I almost left my gaming stuff behind, but figured, at the least, it would provide a distraction.

I stopped by the kitchen and grabbed the extra set of keys for my car and inside the front room just long enough to pick up the rest of my gaming stuff, my Gamestation and the few games I kept there. Kate--I couldn't bring myself to call her mom anymore--watched me with hawk eyes and a scowl that grew deeper by the minute. I eyed my aunt and mother, wordlessly daring either of them to stop us as we left. Kate just stared at us, but Lily muttered several curses under her breath that would have made a sailor blush.

I waited for the door to slam shut behind us before I collapsed to my knees. Tears blurring my vision as I stared up at Megan. She knelt down next to me and put her arm around my shoulder. "I’m so sorry, I never should have pushed you to come."

"No," I shook my head. "I needed that. It was the most difficult thing I ever had to do, but at least it’s over."

I climbed back to my feet slung my bag over my shoulder and stopped in front of my car. I pulled the keys out of my pocket and had just fit the key into the door when I noticed something out of the corner of my eyes. There was something hanging out of the dumpster. I left the keys hanging from the door and flipped the lid of the garbage can open. A sob escaped my lips as I reached out to grab my baby book from the trash. I almost left it there, but it seemed like something I should keep. At first, I spotted nothing else and turned to leave, but I caught sight of a scrap of paper poking out from under some bags. I did more digging and found my social security card and an envelope. Its edges were torn and worn and it looked as if it had been well read.

With shaking hands I opened the envelope and unfolded the paper inside and read the short note scrawled on the page. The ink was streaked with what might have been tears and the lettering was jagged and uneven almost as if the person’s hand had been shaking when writing it.

Katey,

You’ll hear rumors, and most of them will be true. This might come as a shock to you, but I went through my twist and my family has decided to move away before things get ugly like they did when Joey Henderson twisted. I would tell you to your face, but given the way your family feels about people like me I’m not sure that would be such a good idea. When you read this, I’ll be gone. We’re going West there’s a town called Spiral, where people like me aren’t met with fear and hostility. I still care for you a lot, but things have changed in more ways than one and it would never work between us. I’m so sorry.

With my deepest and most heartfelt regards,
Harry

I folded the letter back up and glanced at Megan who’d come up beside me. "He has no idea I was ever born," I bit my lip and shook my head. "Oh, Megs, what am I gonna do?"

She put her hand on my shoulder. "We can figure something out back at the house."

"What about my car?"

"Do you think you should drive? If I were in your shoes. I'd be pretty damned out of it. We can come back for it later, when that woman isn’t home."

I nodded and reached out to snatch my keys from the car. Megan helped me put my stuff, including most of the things from the garbage, inside her trunk and a moment later backed the car out of the driveway.

The first few minutes of the ride passed in a blur, but then I remembered the car slowing down. I looked up and found that we’d stopped at an intersection with a red light. I glanced to the side and noticed a familiar beat up red Jeep. It belonged to Jeff Goldwin. Without even thinking, I waved out the window at him, but when he returned my gesture, it was in a much less cordial way. He flipped me off. I’d forgotten he’d been present during my twist, he’d disappeared in the aftermath and somehow it had all slipped my mind.

I guess I would have to get used to it. How many more of my friends would reject me now that they all knew I was twisted? I doubted Jeff throwing me the birdie would be the worst of it and it seemed an omen of things to come.

"Fucking twisted bitch," he craned his neck and yelled out the window. "If I had my way you'd be lying in a ditch somewhere!"

If that wasn’t bad enough, I was getting looks from pedestrians. Before things could take a turn for the worse the light turned green and Megan stomped down on the gas zooming past Jeff and his Jeep.

"Well," I said glancing at Megan. "I can’t wait to find out what the town thinks. As if Kate and Lily weren’t bad enough now I gotta worry about Jeff and all the other fuckheads who are convinced I’m a freak. Did you see the way people were looking at me?"

"I will not lie. People will not make it easy for you, but you're not in this alone. We’re not gonna let people bully you without a fight."

"Thanks," I said biting my lip. "For everything."

"I'm sure everything will turn out all right," she said not sounding convinced herself.

I smiled. "Let's hope so."

She pulled into the driveway of her house and for a moment we both just sat there. I don’t know what was going through Megan’s head, but I didn’t feel very motivated at the moment. My life had gone from average to fucked up with a single twist of fate. I didn’t know if I was strong enough to endure the storm that was sure to follow.

I cleared my throat and turned to Megan, the car was getting hot. "Wanna help me with the bags?"

"Yeah," she popped the trunk just before hopping out of the car. Neither one of us said a word as we made our way inside, bags flung over our shoulders. What more was there to say?

Part 15 - Trouble Comes A-Knocking

After everything that had happened, I was feeling pretty down on myself. Megan didn’t leave my side and had been trying much of the day to cheer me up. When that didn’t work she changed tactics. She put in a movie and dragged me in front of the tv. The show was one of my favorites a superhero movie called The Vindicators and for a little while, at least, I forgot my worries.

Part way into the show, I grabbed Megan’s hand and leaned against her shoulder. She squeezed back and smiled before returning her attention to the movie. About halfway in we were both lying on our sides spooning on the couch. Megan in back, her breasts pressing into me. I liked it, and I did my best not to call attention to it. Had Megan realized that it brought… interesting thoughts to my mind our seating arrangement would have changed. Given she wanted to wait before jumping into a relationship, this seemed like a mixed signal, but I would take what she'd give me.

It wasn't until we were well settled that I remembered, Megan, who had been so caught up in confronting my mother and later trying to cheer me up, had neglected to take a shower. She smelled a bit like a meadow of flowers, actually. I doubt I would have smelled half as good if it had been me. Then again, she'd taken a few trips to the bathroom. Maybe she'd taken a minute to freshen up.

"You two are such nerds," Allison said appearing at the base of the stairs. "I can't believe you watch this stuff."

Megan paused the movie and glanced back at her cousin letting out an exaggerated sigh. "You used to watch this stuff all the time before your twist."

"Thank god for my twist then!" she exclaimed. "I’d rather put a power drill to my head than watch this crap."

"Then what are you doing down here, other than bitching?" Megan replied.

"Fuck if I know." Allison sneered and stomped away, but stopped halfway up the stairs and bit her lip. "Enjoy the movie."

"What was that about?" I asked Megan after her cousin had disappeared the rest of the way up the stairs.

"I've given up trying to understand her." Megan shrugged.

It didn’t take us long to forget about the whole thing and again become engrossed in the movie, but less than five minutes later it was the outside world that interrupted us. The doorbell rang, Megan paused the movie and nudged my shoulder. I sighed and rolled off the couch, freeing Megan to grab the door. Mrs. Belmont, Megan’s neighbor and one of the town’s biggest gossips stepped inside without saying a single word or waiting for an invitation.

"Well, it looks as if the rumors are true. Your father is harboring that thing." She threw a finger out and I jerked back. The look of revulsion on Mrs. Belmont’s face made me want to scurry away and crawl into a hole.

"Mrs. Belmont," Megan said between gritted her teeth getting right in the older woman's face. "I don't care what lame-brain stories you've concocted about Jim, but I like the company."

"Young lady, I can forgive you for not understanding. Your father is hardly the best example. Let this be a lesson to you, be careful who you associate with yourself. People might get the wrong idea."

I cringed at that comment, not because I found it insulting, which I did, but because it would set Megan off. When provoked, she had a tendency to do wild and impulsive things. I'd seen it many times, but this time her behavior shocked even me. Though that's not to say I didn't enjoy it.

She spun around on the heels of her feet and flung herself at me. The first few times we’d kissed her lips had been so soft, but this time she pressed so hard that it hurt a little. Still it was pleasant in its own way, but when her tongue slithered into my mouth, I almost pushed her away from sheer shock. Again, it wasn’t unpleasant, but I was pretty inexperienced in these things. She pulled away leaving me breathless and wanting more and glanced over her shoulder at Mrs. Belmont. "Does that clear things up for you? I’ll associate myself with whoever I damn well please. Now get the fuck out of my house!"

I wouldn’t say it flabbergasted Mrs. Belmont, but the look on her face was priceless. "Little whore, now I see it’s not from some misguided sense of charity that your father has taken that freak in." She stomped out of the house, face flushed and both hands clenched at her sides.

Megan erupted into a fit of giggles collapsing onto the couch on top of me. "That was amazing! Did you see the expression on that stuck-up old bat’s face!?"

Megan had her back to the door, so she didn’t see her father standing in the still open door until he cleared his throat and she peered back at him. "Megan," he said with a tight-lipped frown. "What did you do?"

Megan’s jaw dropped as she leapt up from the sofa and spun around to face Mr. Hails. "Dad, you're home early."

He grimaced slamming the door shut behind him. "Mrs. Belmont is good at only one thing, stirring up trouble. Worse yet, her husband is on the city council and the Mayor is her cousin. She is about the last person in town you want to make angry."

"What was I supposed to do?" she asked planting her hands on her hips. "She barged in here and called Jim a freak!"

"You should have asked her to leave. Mrs. Belmont is a lot of things, but at least knows when she’s not welcome. If she wasn’t stirring up trouble before, I’m sure she will be now."

"Then let her!" Megan screamed. "I’m tired of pretending we’re normal. Everyone will turn against us like they are doing to Jim once it comes out we’re twisted too."

"Don’t think I haven't considered that, but what you have done is to make a bad situation worse."

"God!" Megan screamed throwing her hands up into the air. "I don’t fucking care! I hate this damn town and all the narrow minded bastards in it!"

She stormed up the stairs and Mr. Hails glanced at me shaking his head. "I’m sorry, I don’t blame you. Sometimes I think Megan’s too much like her mother."

"I know." I bit my lip and hesitated glancing back over my shoulder looking to see if Megan was still in sight before I continued. "It is my fault though, none of this would have happened if it weren’t for me."

He set his briefcase down and moved up surprising me by wrapping his arms around me in a hug. "Never let yourself believe that. You've done nothing wrong"

"You and Megan and, I guess, even Allison, got tangled up in this mess. I feel responsible."

"Jim," he said pulling away. "You’ve spent so much time in my home you’ve been almost like a son to me. I can’t just stand by and let your mother put you out on the street. We’re in this for the long run. I’ve seen firsthand what the world will do to people like us, and I can’t in good conscience stand aside. This would have happened eventually. It’s only a matter of time before Megan goes through her own twist and even if her transformation isn’t quite so drastic as yours I doubt the people of the town will be any more welcoming to her."

"T-thanks Mr. Hails," I said, "It's nice to know there's someone I can turn to."

He smiled, and for a moment an odd expression passed across his face before he cleared his throat and motioned up the stairs. "If you’re up to it, maybe you could go talk to Megan. I doubt she’ll be showering me with affection any time soon and if I'm right, she could use the company. So could you."

I nodded and made my way to the stairway about halfway up I turned back only to find that Mr. Hails had disappeared into the kitchen. I owed him so much and somehow a simple thanks just didn’t seem like enough. Would I ever find the words?

Part 16 - A Light in the Dark

I wandered upstairs and found Megan lying face up on her bed staring up at the ceiling. She didn’t even glance at me as I entered the room. Either she caught a flash of me out of the corner of her eye or the sound of my movements had announced my presence.

"I’m jealous of you and Allison. For as long as I can remember I’ve known I was twisted and that one day at the drop of the hat I’d change with only a fraction of a second warning. It scares me that one day I might open my eyes and have lost who and what I am, but sometimes I wish it would be over so I can move on with my life."

I said nothing, instead I sat down on the corner of her bed and she turned to look at me. "Don’t be," I said, brushing the hair out of my eyes. "I’m looking like this for the rest of my life. Being a girl is weird, but it doesn’t hold a candle to being blue. Wherever I go people can tell on sight, I’m twisted. You can still turn out looking normal. I’d do anything for that."

"There are worse fates," Megan said with a shudder. She hopped out of bed and walked to the doorway. She paused glancing out the door before closing it behind her.

Megan put her arms around my waist and drew me close before pecking me on the lips. "Jim, I want you to consider something. It might not be a bad idea if you chose a new name. Something a little more feminine. You will get a lot of odd looks if you keep going by Jim."

I wasn’t quite sure what to say to that. The tattered remains of my masculinity wanted nothing to do with it, but a part of me understood that I’d have to, eventually. It was like giving in and proclaiming to the world I had accepted that I was no longer a man. It was a little ridiculous considering my twist, but a part of me worried that if I took a new name, I’d be losing some irreparable part of myself.

Perhaps, I'd already lost that part of myself or perhaps it was so insignificant it didn't matter at all. Could I be masculine in a body that oozed femininity? Then again, perhaps it didn’t matter. I was whoever I decided to be regardless of what gender. What mattered was the sort of person I was and that was one thing I was able to control.

"You're right," I said. "It's silly of me to go around calling myself Jim, when it doesn't fit so well anymore.

She beamed back at me. She seemed just a little too pleased by my pronouncement, but I knew Megan. This was her way of helping me cope. "Great! You have anything in mind?"

I shook my head. "No, I haven't, but I'm guessing you have."

"I have a few suggestions," she admitted her cheeks burning red as she averted her eyes.

"Well, all right, let’s hear them."

"Well, I sort of liked Rebecca, you could go by Becky or even Becca if you liked."

I shook my head and pursed my lips. Rebecca just didn’t seem like a good fit. "No."

"What about Sarah or Anna? Oh, I have it," she said snapping her fingers. "Haylee."

"No," I shook my head again.

She listed off names, one after the other, some of which were unusual. Either, Megan had an amazing memory for names or she’d put a lot more consideration into it than she was putting on. After she repeated each name, I shook my head, and she moved on to the next. I plopped down on the bed and lost interest.

She continued to list off names, and I half listened, shaking my head after each one. Then she said one that seemed to grab at me and I sat bolt upright in bed glanced toward her.

"Wait, that last one, say it again."

A hint of a smile touched the corner of her lips. "Calista."

"Calista," I said trying it out.

"Calista Rumsfield," I paused upon hearing my mother’s surname leave my lips and scowled. I didn’t want to be a Rumsfield anymore. I met Megan’s gaze, pursed my lips, and a smile touched the corners of my lips. "Calista Turow."

Megan smiled. "I believe we found a match."

I hesitated as I stared back at Megan. Did I want to be using that moniker for the rest of my life? It was a little more feminine than I would like, but for whatever reason the name seemed to resonate with me. I nodded and let out a long sigh. "Calista will do."

Megan squealed and threw her arms around me. Though she seemed quite thrilled about the whole thing, I wasn't quite sure how I felt about it. A part of me understood it was for the better. "Calista, a beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

It was a cheesy line, but what can I say? I'm a sucker for a pretty girl. We kissed, and my heart thumped in my chest. Did this mean, we were an item now? Before I asked she dragged me out of the bedroom to announce to everyone the "great news". I would have rather stayed in there with her.

About an hour later, Mr. Hails received the first call. The only reason any of us had any clue he’d gotten an obscene call in the first place was that we’d heard him yelling and came running into the room to see what the commotion was all about. We found him in the kitchen, his face had turned bright scarlet and he gritted his teeth before slipping his mobile back into his pocket. He wouldn’t say who had called or even what they said, but if the looks he gave us were any sign, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

"Dad," Megan said. "What’s going on."

"No one leave the house by themselves."

"Dad." Megan repeated her voice coming out just a tad whiney.

"Don’t press this, Megan. Just do as I say," he said and for the first time I remembered, he looked a little scared. That settled it, I really didn’t want to know what they'd said on the phone.

She nodded and glanced at me her eyes telling me more than words ever could. She was scared, and I didn't blame her. Mr. Hails seemed pretty shaken, and he wasn’t the sort to let a phone call get under his skin. There was at least one case he’d worked on where someone had threatened him and he hadn’t let that stop him from doing his job.

"Girls," he said looking from Allison, Megan and to me. "I want you to pack your bags just in case we have to leave town in a hurry. I don't think we'll be sticking around much longer."

A cold shiver trickled its way down my spine and I swallowed hard. I didn’t argue when he told us to go pack. Neither did Megan nor Allison. I had everything packed away already, but Megan had a whole lifetime of things to pick through.

Under her direction, I grabbed clothes from the dresser for her to pick through. It became clear she put a lot more time and thought into what she wore than she put on when she picked at the clothes I’d laid out for her. She grabbed a suitcase from the basement and dumped her top picks inside.

Allison popped her head in the doorway and scowled at the two of us. It didn’t take her longer to bark out orders and even less time for Megan to blow a fuse. "Would you shut the fuck up, for once in your God damned life!? Jesus, can you ever turn it off?"

"I’m just trying to help!" Allison glared back at her cousin, placing both hands on her hips.

"No one asked you to!"

Allison gritted her teeth, let out a high-pitched scream, and stormed out of the room.

Megan collapsed into my arms, back first so my boobs pressed up against her back and I stood there holding her in my arms not sure what to do.

"Calista, I’m scared," she said grabbing a hold of my wrist so tight she started pinching the skin on my arm.

Though I wasn't accustomed to my new name, it sounded sort of nice coming from Megan. I know she was scared shitless, but it felt good holding her in my arms. I thought I could bear being called Calista and everything that came with it if it meant having Megan in my life.

"Me too," I said putting my head on her shoulder.

Megan’s hold loosened, and she turned around inside my arms so we were standing there breast to breast. "There’s one good thing. I got rid of Allison."

I chuckled, my laughter coming out as much more of a giggle than I intended. "Yeah, thanks for that."

"My pleasure," Megan smiled back at me.

We locked gazes and our lips grew closer until they locked. Megan’s tongue slithered inside my mouth, exploring every nook and cranny. When we broke for air, we didn’t pull away, but held each other. It was nice having someone to hold close. It sounded girly, but it made me feel safe. For the first time since my change I thought no matter what went wrong everything would turn out all right.

We made our way over to the bed and collapsed still holding one another. We didn’t fool around or anything. I couldn't speak for Megan, but I was content just laying there. I drifted off to sleep lost to Megan’s warm embrace.

Part 17 - Scare Tactics

When I woke the next morning, Megan and I were so intertwined that the only way I could've climbed out of bed would have involved moving her limbs and waking her. Content to watch her sleep, I was struck by how peaceful she looked as I watched her chest rise and fall. She looked almost angelic. Light illuminated her face, shining through the slats in the blinds and a cheerful bird song heralded in the new day.

"Hey," Megan side her eyes cracking open as she let out a yawn.

"Morning sleepyhead," I replied a smile touching my lips.

She smiled and reached out to caress my cheek. "It's weird, a few days ago I never would've imagined that we would end up in bed together. It’s weird thinking you used to be a boy."

"Seems like a lifetime ago, but at least if I’m stuck like this I get to have the hottest girlfriend ever."

"Girlfriend?" Megan’s eyebrows shot up, and my stomach twisted into knots as I recognized the stubborn look that formed on her face. "I never said I was anyone’s girlfriend."

I could shoot myself. Things had been going so well and I’d had to screw everything up. A smile cracked on Megan’s face, and as she giggled, I realized she’d been yanking my chain. "Don’t fret Calista. Your girlfriend’s cute, but mine’s hotter."

"Oh, yeah?" I asked glancing down at my breasts. "You might be right. I’m one delectable little morsel."

Megan laughed and pecked me on the lips, before pulling away and untangling her limbs from mine. "As much as I hate to say this, we better get out of bed before someone finds us in it together. If Dad sees us like this, he’ll have a shit fit."

I agreed, with no small amount of reluctance and together we made our way downstairs. Much to our relief, neither Allison nor Mr. Hails had found their way downstairs. Megan popped something into the microwave and then we sat down at the breakfast table together. We talked a little, but mostly just held hands and grinned at each other like idiots.

"You two are up early," Mr. Hails said stepping into the kitchen and grabbing a mug from the cupboard.

Megan winked at me then cleared her throat and turned to her Dad. "We had a good night."

Mr. Hails pursed his lips and eyed Megan as if he wanted to say something. For a moment I thought we were busted, but then he shook his head and turned away. "Next time you’re up this early put on a pot of coffee, would you?"

"Sure dad," Megan nodded.

Mr. Hails got the coffee maker brewing then disappeared into the front room. The door creaked open, and I heard the screen door creak shut as Mr. Hails stepped outside. A few minutes passed, and he didn’t return. I didn’t think much about it, but Megan furrowed her brows and craned her neck probably trying to get a better view into the front room. "What’s taking him so long?"

She hopped out of her seat and I was only a second behind. By the time we found our way back into the front room, Mr. Hails was back inside and I didn’t like what I saw on his face. He slammed the door behind him and quivered with rage as he went tearing into the kitchen. "Goddamned son of a bitch!"

I was pretty surprised to hear him curse, he’d always been so polite and well spoken that I’d almost convinced myself that those sorts of words weren’t even in his vocabulary. Something must have gotten to him for him to swear like that. His face was beat red, and he kept twisting his hands as wringing some imaginary neck.

"Dad," Megan stared at her father with wide eyes. "What’s wrong?"

"Vandals," he said between gritted teeth.

Megan and I glanced at each other and sprang for the door in almost perfect unison. I stopped dead in my tracks and felt my voice catch in my throat as I saw what was on the other side. Sure, I’d seen vandalism enough times in my lifetime, and I admit I’d even participated in a TP-ing or two, but this wasn’t just vandalism. Sure there was TP everywhere and a whole hell of a lot of graffiti, but it was what had been written that was so telling.

There were nasty things written on the wall and lawn. "Die twisted freak" and "get out freak lovers" were among the more mellow messages and the rest of them I didn’t care to repeat. Someone had smashed the mailbox, and every lawn ornament on the yard looked like it had been put through a giant blender. If that wasn’t bad enough someone had put good sized dents in both cars and smashed all the windows.

It was no childish prank of teenage vandalism. It had been an act of hatred, and all of it was because of me. My mere presence was putting Megan and her family in danger. The realization didn’t settle well with me and I shook my head as Mr. Hails pulled us away and closed the door behind us.

"I think it’s time I put a call in to the underground. Things will not get any better and truth be told I’ve seen things like this escalate to some scary extremes. It’s probably best if we leave before anyone gets any ideas."

"Underground?" I asked. "What underground?"

"You know about the underground railroad, right? Well, some twisted people and some sympathetic normals created a similar network for twisted looking to escape persecution. I’m not part of the underground, but I have helped them with a few of the more difficult cases and I know a few people who can help us."

I shook my head and looked into his eyes. I didn't say any more, but I knew what I needed to do. They shouldn't have to flee town because of me. I threw my arms around Mr. Hails. "Thank you for everything."

He smiled and glanced over his shoulder. "Why don’t you two go grab something to eat? I want to be ready to leave town at a moment’s notice."

Megan slipped away and disappeared into the kitchen. I hesitated, glancing at Mr. Hails and ran up the stairs breakfast all but forgotten.

Part 18 - Fickle Friend

As much as Megan and her father had tried to convince me they were leaving town because they had no other choice, I didn't agree. They would give up their entire lives in Clearville for me and it didn’t sit well.

I returned to my room and found a few of my old boys clothes and changed into them. They didn’t fit well for obvious reasons, but a quick use of my trick fixed that problem. I only changed the t-shirt and jeans enough to make them fit. There wasn’t enough fabric left over to form a bra, so I put on another shirt and used it to make one, along with a pair of panties. I guess, there must have been a little fabric left over between that and my shoes, because I found little shreds all over the ground.

I didn’t bother picking it up. Instead, I spun around on the balls of my feet and made my way to the window. I opened it up and climbed out. Though a little more difficult than I’d anticipated, I was able to crawl across the overhang on the back patio and jump down. After a less than graceful landing I made my way around to the front of the house.

Once I started walking, I realized I had no place to go. I needed to clear my head.

Maybe it was better if I left town alone, but the idea scared the crap out of me. I hadn’t been alone for more than a few hours a day in my life. I had no idea how to fend for myself.

Clearville didn’t seem like a safe place for me anymore, which made my walk even more idiotic. It was still early, and I had seen no one out yet, but the longer I was out the more likely I’d run into someone. About two blocks away from the Hails’ house I turned a corner and kept going until I reached the park. I plopped down on the first bench I found and let it all out.

I felt so alone, my mother hated me, the only friends I had were being threatened because of me and I didn’t have a clue what to do about any of it. A part of me wanted to run away and just leave it all behind, but the only place I knew I could go was Spiral, looking for my long-lost father. Even if I made it that far, I didn’t have an address, and I'd already tried countless times to find him online. He may well have changed his name or passed away for all I knew.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I had no choice, but to rely on Megan and her dad. It was a shitty deal for them, but I wasn’t brave enough to do it on my own. It made me sick just thinking I would let them go through that for me, but what other choice did I have?

A part of me wanted to run and just keep on running until I found a place to escape it all. Yeah and fucking pigs could fly. I wanted everything to go back to the way was… well, not everything. Megan had been the one bright spot, but I’d turn back the clock if it meant keeping her from being driven from town.

I kept asking myself the same questions over and over in my mind hoping to find some new answer that might help me decide, but the more I ruminated over it the more angry and confused I became. It wasn’t right. I had done nothing to deserve people’s hatred, but I’d become a target for hate mongers and bigots without even trying.

It didn't help that I wasn’t alone. A few joggers and runners ran along the outside of the park. No one said a word but as each one of them passed, their eyes burned holes into me. One jogger in particular, scowled each time he looked at me and it was his looks that motivated me to leave.

It wasn't' so early anymore, and I was no closer to deciding. I was sure Megan and Mr. Hails had discovered my absence by that time and so with a shake of my head I turned back towards the Hails home hopeful I’d find them there when I got back.

I heard the screech of tires before I saw it and I swallowed as I looked up to find Jeff Goldwin scowling at me from inside his Jeep. He pulled over to the side of the curb and leapt out of his car and I backed away.

I knew it would not be a pleasant encounter from the start, but when I looked into his eyes, it sent cold chills down my spine. Once, I had considered him a friend, but all that hatred and malice I saw on his face told me I needed to get the fuck out of there. He jerked his hand out and grabbed my wrist. He slammed me face first into the side of his Jeep.

"You have a lot of nerve showing your face in public. Didn’t you see that message we left you scrawled all over the Hails’ front lawn? Can’t you fucking take a hint?"

"Jeff, please you’re hurting me," I said hot tears stinging my eyes. He didn’t relent and in fact he pushed harder.

"You act all innocent, but you twisted are all alike. You’re dangerous and need to be put down like rabid dogs. There’s no place in the world for people like you."

He grabbed me by the back of my neck and slammed me to the ground. I screamed as my whole chest burned with stabbing hot pain. I gritted my teeth and rolled away before he could get his hands on me again.

"Stupid bitch," he yelled lurching toward me. I kicked up, hitting him in the face and climbed back to my feet.

I ran, and within moments I heard his feet pounding on the pavement behind me. Though I’d been a fast runner before my twist, I couldn't move half as fast. Not that it would have mattered. Jeff was on the school track team and was the fastest runner I knew. There was no way in hell I would have ever outpaced him. Sure enough, he caught up and latched onto my shoulder.

I spun around to face him, just in time to watch his fist soar toward my face. I tried to dislodge him, but he had too good of a grip on me for me to do anything but brace myself for the impact. He hit hard, and I staggered back dazed from the force of the blow. He let go of my shoulder and before I could make a move, he hit me again. This time I flew to the ground and I hit the side of my head on the curb.

I tried to get up, but he kicked me in the side and I lay there groaning as he rained blow after blow down on me. Something inside of me snapped, and I felt all my pent up anger and frustration explode out of me. When his foot came down again I grabbed ahold of it and pushed with all my strength. Though an awkward maneuver, it seemed to do the trick. Jeff lost his balance and careened into the street behind him.

I scrambled back to my feet just in time to watch him pick himself back up. "You’re fucking dead!" he screamed and started toward me again. This time when he got close enough, he swung his arm out at me I ducked and I closed my eyes and slammed all my weight into his chest. We both went down in a tangle of limbs and when I jerked back I realized that my face was buried in his chest. I was back on my feet in an instant, but Jeff didn’t move.

His neck had hit the curb, and it was bent at a weird angle.

"'Oh god," I whispered clasping both hands over my mouth. 'He’s dead.'

"Hey!" A voice yelled, and I spun around just in time to see a figure come sprinting toward me. No one would believe that I had only been defending myself. I was a twisted freak. So, I did the only thing I could think of doing, I ran like a bat out of hell.

It wasn’t long at all before sirens blared in the distance and I cut through the park hoping that the trees would provide cover. I guess it worked because when I craned my neck an ambulance and a pair of police cars zoomed past.

I should have watched where I was going a little more closely, but I wasn’t thinking with my head on straight. I ran into an overhanging branch from a nearby tree. My feet flew out from me and there was a flash of pain in the back of my head. Then nothing.

Part 19 - On The Run

The world returned to me, piece by piece. First came the pain, with a dull throb in my head, and tender aches and pains that tended to accompany scrapes and bruises, then came sound, a blaring car horn in the distance and leaves rustling in the wind, and sight came last, my eyes snapping open to reveal the darkness of the night. I brushed the hair out of my eyes and clawed my way up into a sitting position. Leaves snapped into my face and I jerked sideways trying to brush them away, but each time I swatted one away more slapped me in the face.

As my eyes adjusted to the moonlight, I could finally take in my surroundings. I reached around the back of my head where the pain was the worst and felt something warm touch my fingers. Blood. I gritted my teeth and grabbed a hold of one of the larger branches using it as leverage and pushed myself up from the ground.

I was banged up pretty good and in ordinary circumstances I would have gone to the hospital or at least visited a doctor, but these were far from ordinary circumstances. By now, they probably wanted me for murder, the safe thing to do would be to get out of town and that’s what I intended to do.

I wouldn’t risk bringing the trouble with Jeff down on Megan or her father which meant I would need to do it on my own. The prospect terrified me, but I saw no other choice.

I grunted and pushed myself away from the tree. I wobbled around on my feet for the first few steps, but the more I moved the easier it seemed to get. It hurt like hell, but at least, I didn't seem to have broken anything.

I started toward Megan’s house, moving through the darker areas of the park hoping to keep from being spotted. No one cried out, so I guess I was successful.

Moving through the rest of town was a little trickier, but I found my way to the Hails’ home without incident. I stuck to the shadows, and dove behind a bush whenever a car got close. I had no idea what time it was, but most of the houses around were dark so it must have been late.

Both cars were gone from Megan’s home when I arrived and the lights were off. It was possible they’d fled town, but my gut told me they were out looking for me. Either way, there wouldn’t be anyone there to try to stop me. I stuck to the shadows and slipped around into the back of the house. As expected they'd locked the rear door, but I knew where Mr. Hails hid a spare. I walked up to a tall pine tree that towered over the house and slid a hand up the side of the trunk. There I found a key hanging from a nail more or less where I expected it.

I retrieved it and returned to the back door, opened it, and stepped inside the house. The kitchen was dark as I stepped inside. There was a switch somewhere along the right wall, and I slid my hand across it until my hands found purchase. I bit my lip and looked around the room. I’d spent a lot of time in that house and in a lot of ways it seemed like a second home to me. It was too bad I'd never see it or the people who had made it seem such a welcoming place again.

My lips trembled with that simple revelation and tears stung the corner of my eyes. When I tried to wipe them free, they kept coming. I gritted my teeth and made my way up the stairs. I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and jotted down a quick note for Megan. My tears splattered the paper as I wrote smudging the ink in a little in a few places, but it remained legible. I told her I was sorry and that she meant the world to me, but I had to go to keep them safe. I signed my name and slipped it under her bedroom door.

Once inside my makeshift bedroom I grabbed whatever supplies I could, one bag of clothes, some stuff my mom had tossed in the trash, and the little bit of money I had. As much as it pained me to leave my gaming gear, I could never hope to carry all of it halfway across town. I made my way back down to the kitchen, took one final look around the kitchen, before setting the key down on the counter and slipping out the back door.

Pausing outside the back doorstep, I scrounged through the bag before finding what I’d been looking for: a black hoodie and dark blue pair of sweatpants. I slipped both over the clothes I was already wearing, then used my trick when it became clear they didn’t fit me all that well. Loose bits of cloth fluttered to the ground, but I didn’t bother stopping to clean them up. I slung the bag over my shoulder and made my way back out into the night. I had one more stop to make before leaving town.

It had taken me almost twenty minutes to get from Megan’s place to my mother’s home. Normally, the walk would only have taken about ten, but toting the bag of clothes had been a little more strenuous than I’d expected and it had slowed me down. Sticking to the shadows and diving behind whatever barriers were available at the time didn’t speed things up either.

When I’d gotten to my mother’s place my car was the only one in the driveway. Haglund’s was closed by that time of night and my mother didn’t work overnight shifts, my guess was she was out for a night on the town with her sister. Thank God for that. I didn’t know if I could handle another confrontation with either.

When I got into the car I froze. Not because I feared discovery so much as the prospect of what lay ahead of me. Save for spending a few months in the summer at my grandmother and aunt’s homes, I’d lived my entire life in Clearville. Although things had already changed in ways beyond my control, leaving town seemed a huge step.

I contemplated leaving my mother a letter, like I had for Megan, but I’d already made my feelings known.

There was another thing holding me back, my mother still had the title to my car stashed somewhere in the house. It was in my name, but with no proof of my true identity She might report it stolen and the police would have yet another reason to come after me. Grand theft auto didn’t seem that bad compared to murder charges, but it meant that every cop car from here to Spiral would be looking for me.

I contemplated other options, but I saw none short of staying in Clearville and facing the music. With a long sigh, I started my car and pulled out of the driveway. I’d never been to Spiral, but I knew what direction I needed to go. My twist had destroyed my mobile, so I would need to pick up a map somewhere along the way, but for now I’d settle for heading in the right general direction.

With that in mind, I turned down Fifth Avenue and headed straight for the interstate on-ramp. Within moments I was on the open road and headed toward my new future. God, it scared the crap out of me.

Part 20 - The Road

I yawned and glanced down at the odometer. Less than fifty miles in and the driving had begun to wear at me. It was late and, face it, I wasn’t in prime physical condition thanks to my encounter with Jeff. I didn’t have enough money to get to Spiral and pay for lodgings, not that I was without options.

There were a lot of camp sites just off the freeway. Mom and I used to do a lot of camping when I was younger. We’d been poor and money had been tight. The outdoors provided a cheap getaway. Those times spent in the wilderness were among some of my fondest memories. I gritted my teeth, forcing back tears as recollections came unbidden and turned off the interstate. There, I found the nearest campsite, and pulled my car in under a large copse of trees.

I shut the engine down and reclined my chair. The moment I shut my eyes, I was out like a log, but my dreams weren’t what you would call peaceful. I woke up screaming more than once and when I awoke in the morning, I didn’t feel rested. Something chased me, some dark shadow creature, and when it caught up, it threw me around like a rag doll, but the rest was a blank. I woke with a sense of general unease I couldn’t seem to shake.

My stomach growled and I let out a long sigh. I was famished and hadn’t eaten since the previous morning, but I didn’t have a lot of money. I thought about finding some roadside diner and doing the whole dine and dash thing, but I knew that something like that would eat me up inside and it would draw more attention from the law than I wanted to risk. So I settled for a cheap option that wouldn’t upset my conscience.

I drove down the winding road a few miles and found a little convenience store. I parked at a pump and filled up. Once, I had that out of the way I started for the door, but stopped mid-stride and glanced down at my chest. With my blue skin I stood out like a sore thumb and it wasn’t good to call too much attention to myself.

I returned to the car, popped the trunk open and retrieved a few articles of clothing from inside. Slipping two shirts on, one on top of the other, I morphed them into a hooded jacket and matching gloves. Sweat trickled down my brow as I walked forward, but, despite the heat, I kept the hood pulled over my head. I considered covering my face, but something told me that would be just a little too conspicuous. It was better to keep things simple.

I sighed, tugged on the hood, and pulled it as far down over my face as far as it would go, and strode into the store. The place had been in business for many decades before my birth. If the well-worn tiled floors and the soda machine, were any sign, I'd guess the place had been around since nineteen-nineties or earlier. It had seen better days, but it was lit, clean and seemed to still be in service. I thought about finding a market, their prices would have been cheaper, but I wanted to avoid as much any undue attention. An out of the way convenience store seemed the better choice in that regard.

It was empty save for the attendant.

"Thank god," I muttered under my breath as I walked through the aisles.

I moved through all three gathering bags of chips and pre-packaged pastries with names like ‘Lunar Pie’ and ‘Xtreme Cherry Tart’ and anything else that I could find that fit my budget. I eyed some jerky, but decided that it was just a little too expensive and grabbed some ‘Scrawny Johny’ meat sticks instead. Few of the brands were ones I recognized, and I doubted they’d taste great, but at least they would fill my stomach. I grabbed a map from a rack near the front of the store and I walked up to the counter. I smiled at the attendant, trying to appear as non threatening as possible. He’d been watching me move through the store with wide eyes and it put me on edge.

The attendant was an older fellow, who stood hunched over, and moved about as slow as a snail. He smiled at me as I approached the counter and scratched the stubble on his chin. "You a runaway?"

Maybe visiting the convenience store wasn’t a good idea. I glanced at him wide-eyed and bit my lip. I swallowed hard and glanced back over my shoulder contemplating making a run for it, but then the old man reached out and touched my hand.

"Relax girly, I ain’t looking to cause no ruckus. You twisted folk have it hard enough as it is. Seems to me, if you’re on the run, you probably got a damned good reason."

I hadn’t expected that. I didn’t even realize I’d been holding my breath until I released it.

Glancing over my shoulder, I turned back to him and nodded. "I, uh, have gas on pump three."

I eyed the old man as he rang me out and my heart sank when I saw the total. Though there was enough in my wallet to cover the charges, it would take almost all my cash. My mind raced. I’d need at least one more fill up to reach Spiral. Though I could remove some food items from my order, it wouldn't be enough. Even now my stomach rumbled, demanding sustenance. I had enough to feed me the next several days and not much more. I couldn’t imagine going another day without food. What the hell was I supposed to do?

I don’t know if the old man had seen something in my face, but he smiled, tapped a few buttons on the register and the price changed. "That’ll be five dollars."

I felt tears sting the corner of my eyes and my hand shook as I handed him a bill. Under other circumstances, I would have insisted on paying the full amount, but I was desperate. I sobbed, as he bagged me up, but didn’t say another word. He smiled at me one final time and wished me a good day before I muttered a thanks and slipped out of the building.

I paused outside, noting the little store’s name and address before slipping back into my car. I jotted the information down on a spare scrap of paper before starting the engine and driving away.

Though our encounter had been brief, I’d never forget what the old man had done for me and I intended to pay back every penny after I found my father.

Part 21 - Tribulations

After another day of travel and a second night sleeping in my car, I was getting low on gas. If my second trip to a gas station had ended half as well as the last I would have made it to Spiral on a high note. As it was, I was lucky to make it out without getting my ass handed to me.

I picked another remote little convenience store, this one was a fair bit newer, but looked much more run down. I pulled up, pumped my gas and walked into the store tugging at my hoodie to ensure it covered my head. The attendant was reading a book when I entered and didn’t even glance up when I stepped into the store. I still had enough food left over from the last stop, but water was another matter. I grabbed two gallon jugs from the back of the store and stepped up to the counter.

The attendant was still oblivious to my presence in the store. I waited a few moments, hoping that he would take notice, but when he never did, I dropped the bottles onto the counter and smirked when he jumped. He fumbled with his book, almost dropping it, before slamming it down on the counter. He scowled and turned to me red faced, but stopped like a deer in headlights when he saw my face.

I threw my thumb over my shoulder back toward the door and smiled. "I need to pay for my gas."

He shook his head, glowered at me and rang me up. I sensed movement and turned in time to see a trio of college-age guys enter the store. They took no notice of me at first, and if I would have had the good sense to look away, they might never have seen my face.

"Hey, Jet, get a load of this one," one man said slapping his friend in the chest with the back of his hand.

I swallowed, hard, and averted my eyes, attempting to avoid eye contact, but it was too late. The tallest of the trio, Jet, grabbed me by my left wrist and spun me around to face him. He was a good foot and a half taller than me and had a wild look in his eyes.

"Now, I don’t know about you boys, but I never expected any twisted freaks to step into our neck of the woods," Jet said grinning down at me. I grunted, struggling to break free, but I didn’t have even half the upper body strength I had before my twist. Even then I doubt I could have done much against him. The dude was huge.

"I’m not looking for any trouble." I swallowed... hard.

He grinned and loomed over me, his intent mirrored in his eyes. When he spoke my stomach sank. "You’re pretty hot for a weirdo, what say you and I take a trip out back and have a little fun?"

I jerked back, but he was too strong for me. He pulled me closer and I could feel his breath on my neck. I froze and clench my eyes shut, shuddering. His lips brushed mine, and I squirmed. Jerking my head back screaming at the top of my lungs.

"Fuck," Jet cursed and lurched back hands still locked around my wrists, pulling me with him. I risked opening my eyes again and found that his cronies had backed away. Jet just glowered at me. I swallowed hard and squirmed kicking out and squirming in his grip. He pushed me back, slamming me into a row of shelves.

I howled, gasping and heaving in pain. I thought for sure that he had me, but then my skin tingled. The fabric of my hoodie twisted and contorted. Strips tore away reweaving themselves and shooting out from my body. They wrapped around Jet’s wrists and ankles and I watched eyes wide as the strands tightened. He gasped, and his grip loosened. The straps pulled his hands toward his body and I pulled my wrists free just before the fabric locked his hands in place.

"What the fuck?!" Jet screamed, his eyes bulging out of his head. He lurched toward me, but the straps had also bound his legs together. He fell forward, and I lurched out of the way. His head, brushed my shoulders and impacted a shelf. I glanced at him waiting for him to free himself and climb back to his feet, but he just squirmed around on the ground.

His friends were staring at me eyes still wide. I half expected them to retaliate, but none of them moved. I looked down at Jet one final time, bit my lip and walked back up to the counter. "H-how much do I owe you?"

The attendant eyeballed me, turned back to the register and pecked the keys bringing up my total. I slapped the last of my cash down on the counter and slipped out the door. I didn’t bother waiting for the change, it was only a few dollars and getting out of there as fast as possible seemed the wiser course of action.

If someone took it into their heads to retaliate or call the police, I could find myself in a lot more trouble and while I had discovered a new defensive aspect to my ability. If I tried it again, something told me I’d be walking out of the gas station naked or damn close to it.

Part 22 - Stranded

For the first hour after I pulled out of the station, I kept glancing over my shoulder half-expecting a squad car to pull up behind me, but when it never did, I relaxed. Still, I tensed any time I spotted one, but each time they passed me by and I let out a sigh of relief.

I drove through the night. The encounter with Jet had left my nerves frayed and though more than a little worn out, I wasn't the least bit sleepy. About mid-afternoon was when it hit me and I found a secluded spot to rest.

I fell asleep in seconds, but my rest was far from restful. It was a fitful sleep, and more than once I woke up certain I was under attack or about to be arrested, but each time I would peer around wide eyed only to realize that I was alone.

After the fourth such occurrence, I gave up on sleeping altogether, started the engine and pulled the car back onto the road. It was very early morning and still dark, and while I was still fatigued, it didn’t hinder me.

As sun cracked over the horizon, I glanced down at the fuel gauge and clenched my teeth. The tank was getting close to empty, and I worried I wouldn't make it all the way before running out of fuel. If I had more money, I’d stop and gas up, but that wasn’t an option. I’d just have to see how far the old gal would get me.

Soon after this realization I spotted the first road sign showing that Spiral to be a hundred miles away.

About twenty miles to go, I glanced down my breath catching in my throat. The needle had dipped below the empty mark.

"Come on baby, you can do it." I patted the dash, willing the car onward through sheer force of will. That worked about as well as you might expect. A few minutes later the steering wheel locked up, and the engine sputtered. It took damn near all the strength I had just to turn the wheel, but I heaved and grunted forcing it to move. Though panting and dripping with sweat by the time I got to the side of the road, somehow I managed.

"Shit," I whispered under my breath and bowed my head. "What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

Tears dribbled down my cheeks, but I didn’t bother wiping them away. Instead, I climbed out of the car and cupped my hand above my eyes to block out the sunlight peering in either direction.

Well, it looked like I’d have to walk or hitchhike. Neither held much appeal, but with no damn money there wasn’t a whole hell of a lot of other options. I grabbed the last few scraps of food and water out of the car and walked up to the edge of the road. Though I stood there thumb extended like a jackass for close to thirty minutes, no one stopped.

I sighed, and dropped my hand, resigning myself to walking. Periodically, I would throw my thumb out hoping that someone would have mercy on me, but no one did.

Five hours into my stroll, the first few drops of rain splattered my cheeks, and within moments it had become a deluge. I’d morphed myself another hoodie before leaving the car and I tried morphing it again to provide protection from the rain, but my trick proved useless. It would only change the appearance and texture of the fabric, but it couldn’t change its makeup. Unless it was waterproof to begin with I was shit out of luck.
Within minutes, the rainfall had drenched me, and the added weight from all the water bogged me down. I kept trudging along bound and determined to make it Spiral.

After two hours, I spotted the exit sign for Spiral and stopped staring at it with eyes wide. Supposing I found my father, what would I say? What would I do? How the hell would I even convince him I was his child?

I'd been so shortsighted and was not prepared at all. I hesitated. What if he rejected me? What would I do then? I had nowhere to go and no one to turn to for help. Why the hell hadn’t I let Megan and her dad help me?

I licked my lips and glanced back the way I’d come. There would be no going back. There wasn’t anything for me to do except see this thing through. For good or for bad, I would find Harry Turow, and if he wanted nothing to do with me, then at least I’d know.

I pushed my doubts aside and felt a renewed sense of hope swelling in my heart. Though tired and worn, I found the energy to take off running.

I descended the offramp, making my way into town. At first the buildings were scattered and spread far apart, but before long they surrounded me, spanning out in every direction. Most places were small shops and restaurants, some were chains I recognized, others seemed to be local establishments.

Though dark out, it was still early enough that people were out and about. Though not packed, there were more than a few cars and a hand-full of pedestrians out and about. Most of them looked normal, but I spotted a woman with a furry tail that wagged behind her as she walked and a kid with something resembling bear paws for feet.

I slowed my pace, and looked around, biting my lips as my mind raced. I pulled the hood of my sweatshirt down and swallowed hard as I locked gazes with a girl perhaps a few years older than myself. Even without makeup she was drop dead gorgeous easily one of the prettiest girls I'd ever seen, looking as if she could grace the cover of a magazine. I couldn’t look away, I just stood there mouth hanging open staring at her with wide eyes. She had long fire-red tresses and was wearing a black leather jacket, t-shirt and jeans. She must not have been out in the rain for long because she was only a little wet.

The girl was probably twisted, I realized. How often do you run into people that attractive alone on a dark street at random? It made it easier for me, realizing that we had something in common.

I didn’t see fear or suspicion in her eyes, but the opposite.

"Hey, you all right?" She reached out, touching my shoulder. I looked down at her hand my cheeks flushing. She pulled her hand away perhaps, sensing my discomfort, and I met her gaze.

"F-fine." I said again glancing around the street. "My car broke down outside of town."

"You’re sure you’re all right? You need a lift or something?" she asked throwing her thumb over her shoulder.

"I-I don’t have the address. Do you know any place where they might have access to a computer or perhaps a phone book, do you?" I shook my head.

"Only places I can think of are closed down for the night. If you need an address or something, I can look one up for you." She reached into her pocket and produced a mobile phone.

"Uh, yeah," I scratched the back of my neck. "I’m looking for a Harry Turow."

She eyed me, pursed her lips, and I got the sense she wanted to say something more. She shook her head as if she’d thought better of it and turned her attention to the phone. "Not finding any Harrys." She glanced back at me. "There’s an Elizabeth and David Turow, who live at sixteen-forty Riverside Drive."

My heart fluttered upon hearing the news. Might they be Harry's relatives? Turow didn't seem to be the most common name. I pondered it over, wondering if they might be my aunt and uncle or grandparents. What if they weren't related at all? Regardless, it was my only lead.

"Uh, I don’t suppose you know which way Riverside drive is?" I blinked glancing over my shoulder and back the opposite direction.

She nodded, slipping her phone back in her pocket pointing down the street. "Follow this street three blocks, turn right on Lyon drive and it’ll intersect Riverside after another two blocks."

"Thank you." I beamed grabbed her by the shoulders, pecked her on the cheek and took off running. It was only after I’d made it maybe a hundred yards, that it occurred to me I’d kissed her, or I could have asked her for a ride. I didn’t however turn back, my cheeks burned at the mere thought of facing her again. And so I ran, all my fatigue and tiredness forgotten. Hope swelling in my chest.

Part 23 - Family Ties

By the time I reached Riverside drive, I’d lost my renewed surge of adrenaline and wanted nothing more than to curl up into a nice soft bed and sleep for a decade or two. Short of breaking into someone’s house, that would not happen. So I continued onward, locating a house number on one of the nearest homes and made my way north from there.

Before long I was standing in front of the Turow house and I stood there heart hammering in my chest. The windows were dark and there were no cars in the driveway. I didn’t hold out much hope that anyone was home, but there was only one way I would know for certain.

I found a little stone pathway, followed it to the front porch and rang the bell before coming to a stop. Several minutes passed by, and nobody answered. I rang again, but as I expected no one came to the door.

I bowed my head and sighed, collapsing atop the porch, resting my back against the door and cupping my face with both hands. They’d be back sooner or later. If I hadn’t been so tired, I might have knocked on a neighbor’s door, but it didn’t even occur to me.

I guess I drifted off to sleep because the next thing I knew I was being shaken awake. A groan escaped my lips and my eyelids slid open. I felt a weight on my shoulder and turned my head and looked into a pair of bright blue eyes.

"Honey, are you okay?" she asked a sad smile marking a face bathed in shadows. I shook my head, attempting to dispel the lingering haze and squinted my eyes straining to make out more of her face.

"I, uh, yeah, I think so," I replied and peered up as a second figure approached.

"Do you have anyone we can call? Are you in trouble, dear?"

I bit my lip, tears streaming down my face. My brain, though muddy when I’d first came around, was now racing as I fought to find the words.

"I-I, I’m looking for Harry Turow," I said, glancing up at the man. I strained my eyes, trying to make out his face, but it was too dark.

"Harry?" The woman asked glancing back at the man.

"Could he be a relative of yours? I-I think he might be my father?"

Again, the woman glanced at the man. She turned back to me, smiled and cupped my cheek with her hand. "You appear to have been through quite the ordeal. Why don’t we get you inside? We can draw a warm bath, we can get you some clean clothes then we can talk about Harry. Does that sound good?"

I glanced down at myself, my cheeks burning when I realized how I must look. Even in the dark, she had seen that I was soaked to the bone, but worse yet, mud covered my pant legs and shoes.

The woman rose to her feet and held a hand out. I glanced up at her my heart fluttering in my chest. Normally, I'd hesitate to go into a stranger’s home, but this time I didn't even hesitate. Perhaps the prospect of a hot bath and clean clothes had swayed me, but somehow I got the sense I could trust her.

I took her hand and let her help pull me up, but I leveraged myself against the door to lighten the load. She slipped a hand around my back and with a gentle tug guided me away from the door. The man breezed past, jangling a set of keys in his hands. He had the entrance open in seconds, and light spilled out from the opening illuminating the porch.

I winced, shielding my eyes from the sudden illumination, but stepped forward at the woman’s urging. Stumbling into the house, I jumped when the door slammed shut behind me. I cast my eyes about before settling them on the woman a sheepish grin stretching across my face.

The home, though large compared to my mother’s, was modest in size. The floors were all hardwood, there was no carpet, save for a runner that ran into the kitchen doorway and a large area rug that lay in the center of the living room. A large sofa and loveseat rested on either side of the room and a coffee table sat between them. Against the wall opposite me a large stand housed a holo display.

I glanced at the couple, getting my first good look at their faces. I'd put them somewhere in their fifties, no doubt old enough to be Harry Turow’s parents. While I'd never laid eyes on her before, there was a familiar quality to the woman’s features. Though her face was careworn, and her dark hair had more than a little gray, her high-cheekbones and generous lips suggested she had been quite the looker in her youth. The man was tall and broad-shouldered and had the build of a linebacker.

"Good lord," the woman gasped after turning to face me, and cupped a hand over the bottom half of her face. "Who’s your mother?"

I wasn’t quite sure what had prompted the reaction, but pursed my lips and swallowed. "Kate Rumsfield."

"Do you recall the name of the girl Harry was dating before…"

She trailed off before she could finish and the pair stared at each other with wide eyes. The man’s finger twitched and watched his hands move in a furious blur of motion. Understanding dawned on me and I bit my lip. He must have either been speech or hearing impaired.

The woman smiled, cupping both of my cheeks with her hands. "What’s your name dear?"

"Jim…" I paused blushing again. "I’ve been calling myself Calista since…" I glanced down at myself. "Well, since this happened."

Neither one of them even so much as batted an eyelash. Then again, I'd turned up on their doorstep looking like some oversized demon Smurf, I guess the revelation I used to be a boy wasn't much more of a stretch. This was Spiral, after all. As I understood it, twists like mine were rare, but not unheard of.

"Poor dear, I’m Liz and this-" she held a hand out motioning toward the man. "Is David my husband. He can hear anything you might say, but his twist left him without the ability to speak. I'll be happy to translate for you."

"Nice to meet you," I said still not sure what was going on or if I should call them out on it. They seemed harmless enough, but they kept giving each other these odd looks, like they knew something I didn’t.

"Honey, would you move the carpet out of the way?"

At first, I thought she was talking to me, but realized she'd direct the comment at her husband. He nodded, moved forward and slid the runner into the kitchen.

"Now, why don’t we see about that bath?" Liz turned to me a smile touching the corner of her lips.

Part 24 - That Time of the Month

I peeled the hoodie and shirt away from my skin and slipped both over my head. When I glanced around, I frowned. There wasn't any place where I could drape or hang them. Though I hadn’t been in direct rain since before I’d fallen asleep on the doorstep, both had been soaked through. I dropped them in a corner and stared at my reflection in the mirror. God, I looked like shit.

The dark circles under my eyes had their own dark circles, and my face was smudged with dirt. My arms ached and though the blue tone of my skin hid them well, when I looked close enough I could see the outline of bruises. I even felt a little queasy and my gut cramped up, but I’d long had a sensitive stomach. Given that I’d eaten nothing but junk food for the last several days, was it any wonder I should be a little sick?

I peered back at the door, Liz was gone. She stuck around long enough to draw a bath and departed promising to return with a change of clothes. I bit my lip and returned my attention to the mirror.

I had morphed the bra I wore onto my body. There were no hooks or clasps, instead a solid band of fabric held them in place. I closed my eyes, concentrating on the article of clothing, and the strap squirmed along my back. When they opened again, I peeled the water-logged bra free and stared at my bare breasts in the mirror before averting my eyes and turning my attention to the rest of my wardrobe. My pants, already tight and form fitting to begin with proved quite challenging to remove and I shivered as I peeled the panties away from my vagina, but they didn’t give me much trouble.

I piled everything in the same heap as the hoodie and t-shirt and stepped up to the tub and slipped my toe into the bath water, gasped and pulled it back out. To someone who’d just spent hours wearing the same water-soaked clothes, the water was unbearably hot. Though far from cold outside, it had been nighttime and my water-logged cloths chilled me.

I made another stab at it, this time, easing my foot in. I let it sit a few moments, adjusting to the heat, before stepping inside. A few seconds later edged my other foot in before submerging the rest of my body in the water. I wasn’t one for baths, but I had to admit it felt damned good.

I dunked my head under the water, slicking back my hair and wiped the water away from my face as I rose to the surface. my lips emitted a long sigh, and I leaned my head against the back wall. My breasts were a little more buoyant than I expected, which was distracting, but as the heat permeated my bones, I soon forgot all about it. All the aches and sores melted away, and I closed my eyes, letting myself drift off.

There came a knock and my eyes snapped open. I glanced at the door and heard Liz’s muffled voice calling my name through the door. It was a good thing she’d snapped me out of it before I’d fallen asleep.

I cleared my throat, pulled the shower curtain closed so that she could only see my head and called back. "Yeah, come in!"

The door popped open and Liz slipped inside, carrying a towel, a stack of clean clothes and one of those mesh bath sponges. She set them down on the counter. "I called Harry," she paused emphasizing the name before turning back to me. "He only lives a few blocks away. He should be here soon. Until then, take your time. There’s no rush. Even if it turns out Harry isn’t your father, you’re welcome to stay the night."

I nodded, glancing back toward the door. "Thank you."

"Here." She picked up the pink bath sponge and turned it over in her hands before setting it down along the outside edge of the tub. "I take it, you were a boy before your twist? I know it's not the manliest color, but, I’m afraid, this is all I have. David is down to his last bar of soap, but you're welcome to use my shampoo and body wash. I guess it’s fortunate I keep a spare bath pouf."

I thanked her again, and Liz moved toward the door. When she reached the doorway, she glanced back at me, opened her mouth then clamped it shut again. She bit her lip before she disappeared through the door.

I pushed the shower curtain away and sat there staring at the wall. Such a strange situation I'd found myself in. There were so many thoughts coursing through my head, and so many emotions tied to them I was having a hard time giving voice to them. Liz must have been in a similar predicament. I mean how often did a potential illegitimate grandchild turn up on your doorstep?

I grabbed the bath pouf, holding it in front of my face and pursed my lips. Like most guys I used the cheapest and easiest option available when it came pretty much to anything. My cleaning and hygiene practices had been no exception. I picked up her body wash in the other hand and sighed. I suppose I could handle smelling like raspberry sorbet. It beat lavender fields. I’d never realized how much I hated the smell of lavender until I’d gone around smelling like them.

As much as I would have liked to sit there and let all that warmth infuse my muscles, I’d fall asleep again. I was dying to meet Harry and find out once and for all if he really was my father. He seemed to be the only candidate. In a town like Clearville, the twisted were about as scarce as water in the Sahara. Counting Harry, I only knew of two others. One had been a woman, and both were much older than my mother. To my knowledge neither had ever associated with my mother. Mom had pretty much confirmed my suspicions. So after coming all this way, why was I so riddled with doubts?

Deep in thought I scrubbed myself more or less on auto pilot, but when I got to my vagina, I stopped. Since my twist, cleansing my nether regions weirded me out, but this time it was so much worse. I stopped, my heart pounding as I looked down. There was a cloud of pink water around my girly parts almost as if…

I stopped, a cold shiver trickling down my spine. I had paid little attention in that part of sex-education class, but I knew damn well what it meant when girls bled between their legs. Even if I hadn’t had Allison’s little lecture when she’d cornered me in the bathroom I would have more than made up for it. I was menstruating.

Part 25 - Like Father, Like Son

I gritted my teeth through the rest of my bath and scrubbed without looking down. My stomach wasn’t cramping up because I’d been eating junk food. It was bothering me because I'd started my period. Thanks to Allison’s little talk I knew a hell of a lot more about ‘that time of the month’ than I ever would have dreamed.

My heart hammering in my chest, I rose to my feet, and flicked the drain plug open with the tip of my big toe. It didn’t even occur to me I hadn’t washed my hair until after I’d toweled myself off. I continued patting myself down, slipping the towel between my legs and glanced back into the tub. More than half the water had drained away and the prospect of filling the tub up again and going through all that trouble had no appeal. Plus, I was tired and feared what might happen if I fell asleep in the tub. I shook my head and glanced back at my towel and growled under my breath when I spotted the light pink stain that had discolored the fabric.

I shook my head and moved toward the sink, splattering water all over the towel. It seemed to do the trick and I let out a long breath of air. My hair wasn’t quite dry, but I didn’t have another towel and wasn’t keen on rifling through their stuff.

I cracked the bathroom door open, peering out, and once satisfied there wasn’t anyone in sight, I pulled it open far enough to slip my head out and called for Liz.

She called back, and I soon caught sight of her at the bottom of the stairway. "Yes? Is everything all right?"

"W-would you come up here for a second, please?" It wasn’t something I wanted to announce least of all to someone I’d met less than an hour ago, but I needed help and, face it, I was already way out of my comfort zone, anyway.

She rushed up the stairs, stopping a step down from the top. "What’s wrong?"

I gritted my teeth and sucked in my breath before speaking. "I’m bleeding…"

"Is it serious are you hurt?" She asked drawing closer.

I licked lips and looked down. "You know, down below."

All at once understanding lit Liz’s face and she pursed her lips before meeting my gaze. "Can I come in? You can cover up, if you like, but this will be much simpler with a demonstration.

"David’s still downstairs?" I asked glancing down the stairs past Liz.

She nodded again, I hesitated a moment, then, my cheeks burning, I pulled the door all the way open and stepped back behind it.

She moved inside and I closed the door behind her before turning back to face the woman. If I’d been blushing before it was nothing compared to what I was feeling at that moment. I considered slipping past Liz and concealing myself behind the shower curtain, but the damage was already done.

My naked march through the Clearville mall had been the single most humiliating experience of my life. If I could live through that, I would handle this. I bit my lip and forced myself to meet Liz’s gaze.

"Your face is turning violet." She furrowed her brows and reached out, but pulled her hand back before her fingers made contact. I glanced at the mirror realizing that she was right, there was a slight purplish cast to my cheeks. Then it dawned on me, my skin was blue, add a little red, like say if I was blushing and the result would be what I was seeing.

I didn’t offer an explanation, but she seemed to have figured it out. Her eyes grew wide for a second and a knowing smile touched her lips. I cleared my throat and changed the subject. "I bled on your towel, I think I got it out, but I didn’t want it to put it back on wet."

"Of course not." She smiled, but didn’t make direct eye contact for which I was grateful.

I knew some women were comfortable disrobing in front of others of their own sex. Oh, I doubted they had naked pillow fights or anything else you might see in ahem certain… videos. I recalled a handful of occasions my mother let her friends in to help her select an outfit for a night out on the town. I didn’t give it much thought. What teenage boy wanted to think of their mother naked? That being said, each time she would emerge from her room, friends in tow wearing a different getup. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what had happened.

"I don’t need the use of these anymore, but I keep some around for when my daughters visit, just in case." Liz said snapping me out of my reverie and I glanced toward her realizing that she’d managed to get the close door open without me even noticing. What could I say? It had been a long day.

She handed me a small plastic pack, and I turned it over in my hand a sinking feeling forming in the pit of my stomach. I suppose it could be worse, it could have been a tampon. I shivered at the mere thought of putting one of those little pods down there.

"You might be more comfortable using a pad," she smiled at me then retrieve a second pack from the bag. She opened it, showing me proper placement over her clothes. If I’d been blushing before, it was nothing compared to the way my cheeks burned after her demonstration.

"Just make sure you keep yourself as clean down there before and after putting one on, you might get an infection if you’re not careful. There are some wipes on the shelf," she glanced back toward the spot she’d retrieved the pads. "Make use of them if you need to."

I heard a thud in the distance and glanced in the sound's direction. Liz followed my gaze and smiled. "That sounds like the front door. I’ll leave you to get dressed."

She slipped out the door and I grabbed a handful of wipes, ensuring I was clean down there and affixed the damn thing just as she’d shown. When done, I turned my attention to the stack of clothes on the counter. I grabbed the shirt first and slipped it over my head. It was a little large on me, but I didn’t care. Though the pants hung on me, I wasn’t comfortable morphing clothing that belong to another person. I’d lived with worse. When I was little, my mother bought most of our clothing used.

I cracked the bathroom door open, listening to the conversation without. I recognized David and Liz’s voices well enough, but the third one didn’t belong to a man as I’d expected.

"—ad, please just give me a straight answer. What’s going on?" A soft and feminine wafted up the stairs.

"Long story short, there is a scared teenaged girl upstairs who seems awfully convinced she’s your daughter," Liz replied.

"What? That’s impossible I haven’t—"

The thump of my heart in my ears drowned out the rest.

I slipped out of the bathroom and crept down the stairs. I peaked around the corner, getting a good glimpse into the living room. A woman stood near the front door, and I stared my eyes bulging out of my head. No wonder Liz and David had behaved so oddly when they’d first laid eyes on me. Save for my blue skin, purple hair, and the obvious age difference I was looking at my twin.

Part 26 - Shattered Expectations

"Carrie, you need to see her." Liz said holding up her hands.

"D-did she say who her mother was?" Carrie asked clearing her throat and folding her arms across her chest.

I’d yet to reveal myself, still surprised by our resemblance, but it was as good of a time as any. I stepped down the last few steps and moved into full view. Carrie caught sight of the movement and her eyes followed me as took stepped toward them.

"Kate Rumsfield," I said swallowing hard as I met the newcomer’s gaze.

I studied her face. My initial impression, was more or less correct. When I looked in the mirror, I saw a little of my mother looking back at me, but as I took in the woman's features it was clear most of my looks came from Carrie. I bore the same jawline, the same high cheekbones and the same generous lips. My nose was narrower and shorter, but the remaining differences were so slight that they were hardly even noticeable.

Liz and David, turned back toward me and I folded my arms across my chest my cheeks flushing. "I-I—Sorry, I heard you talking and… I didn’t mean to eavesdrop."

"It’s okay, dear, it’s only natural you should be curious," Liz smiled and moved toward me. "You must be famished, I’ll get you something to eat. David, why don’t you help me in the kitchen? I’m sure they would appreciate a little one-on-one time."

Liz left with her husband in tow before I could thank her and they left me standing opposite Carrie, at a loss for words. For as long as I could remember, I’d wondered about my father. I’d even planned out what I might say should we ever meet, but now there was this woman standing in his place. I didn't have any freaking clue what to say.

Carrie, smiled and held her hands out motioning toward the sofa and loveseat. "Why don’t we have a seat?"

I nodded and moved toward the sofa and watched Carrie take a seat opposite from me. I’d read somewhere that men preferred to sit across from someone so they can look into their eyes while women tend preferred to sit side by side because it was more intimate. If true, it suggested to me she wasn’t very comfortable with me just yet. Which was okay by me. I was as uncomfortable as hell.

"So." I leaned forward clasping my hands in front of me. "I gotta ask, you are Harry Turow, right? The one who used to live in Clearville and dated Kate Rumsfield."

She nodded, running her hand through her hair and collecting it behind her ears. "I haven’t gone by that name in a long time, but yes, that’s me. I guess you must have realized I’m twisted. My younger sister had this little nurse getup she used to play dress up in, and one day, just horsing around, I threw the cap on my head and Carrie was born."

"And your family moved to Spiral to escape persecution." I nodded, the gaps were easy enough to fill in. Things were a lot worse for the twisted in those days. To my knowledge no one in town was even aware Harry was twisted, which suggested the Turows fled without telling anyone. Things were pretty scary before I’d left, there was no telling what the residents in Clearville would've done if Carrie and her family stuck around.

"Can I ask you, when you were born?" she asked staring back at me with wide eyes.

Given our resemblance, I had no doubt she was my father, but I didn’t blame her for asking. If the situations were reversed, I’d have done the same. "February third," I said pursed my lips and then added the year.

She sucked her breath in and leaned back in her seat. "We left Clearville in June the previous year and your mother and I… well," she bit her lip her cheeks turning red. "Nine months give or take a few weeks would land somewhere around May, yeah I’d say it’s possible. Did your mother ever say anything to you about me?"

I shook my head. "She wouldn’t tell me anything about my father. The only reason I even knew your name is because I found one of her old yearbooks. She hates the twisted, wants nothing to do with them... us. I guess, maybe, she thought if she could keep the truth from me I’d end up being normal."

"People have a lot of weird ideas about us. They accuse us of being tools of demons or alien, or being one or the other depending on who you ask. It’s not much of a stretch to suppose your mother would think she could hide your heritage and prevent you from being twisted."

I nodded. "Did you know? I mean, did she tell you she was pregnant?"

"No, and if I had known, believe me, I would have tried to be a part of your life. I wrote her letters, but she never answered back. She'd made it clear what she thought of the twisted even then, but I sort of hoped that she would come around. I guess I expected too much." She pursed her lips and let out a long sigh. "You made it to Spiral all by yourself? That must have been scary for you."

I nodded and as I spoke, I told her all the details, starting with the day I’d found out I was twisted. As I described my twist, tears stung my eyes as I related the details of my naked march through the mall. I paused and met Carrie’s gaze, she sprung from her seat, and took up position on the couch beside me, wrapping her arms around me. It almost felt like having a mother again.

When I continued, I told her about my mother, and erupted into a fit of sobs and wails. I burried my face in her shoulder and just let the floodgates burst open. It hurt, almost as much as it had when it happened, but in telling her I could feel all the tension drain out of me.

Her voice whispered in my ear, speaking soothing words and she rocked me back and forth. When done, I bit my lip and pulled away my cheeks flushing as I realized that Liz and David had returned. My grandmother had a plate of food in hand, and she set it down on the end stand beside me, before a sad smile touched the corner of her lips and she embraced both me and Carrie.

The warmth from these two women gave me a sense of belonging I’d been sorely missing since fleeing Clearville.

It hurt no less, imparting the rest of my story, but with Carrie and Liz there to offer support, it made it a little easier. I grabbed the plate of food, a plain turkey sandwich and banana which Liz had peeled and sliced up for me. My period had made me nauseous, and I found it hard to stomach even such a simple meal. I hadn’t eaten since that morning and I forced myself to down it.

Something told me, she'd given me such plain fair on purpose. A woman her age had undergone more than a few periods. I had no doubt she knew full well what I was going through.

I spoke between bites, telling them the rest of my story. I left out some of the interactions between me and Megan, but aside from that I held nothing back. Even describing my confrontation with Jeff and the later one with those jackasses at the gas station. I feared they might lecture me or tell me I used poor judgement, but neither did. Instead, I earned hugs from each and soothing words.

Once finished I was drained. I’d had a long day, hell I’d had a long week, and it wasn’t even over.

Carrie reached out, and her hands cupped my cheeks. She was shaking and as I peered into her eyes, I saw tears stream down her face. "I am so sorry. God, I should have been there!"

I shook my head, putting both hands on her wrists and pulled them away. "Don’t be. It’s horrible, but none of it's your fault. Mom chose not to tell you and that’s on her."

I saw David’s finger’s moving, but had no idea what he was saying. Liz was good enough to translate.

"David’s sorry about what happened to you and wants you to know you’re welcome in our home."

"T-thank you," I said a long drawn out yawn escaping my lips.

Carrie smiled and freed her wrists. She turned back to meet her mother’s gaze, they exchanged glances, nodded and my father turned back to me resting a hand on my shoulder.

"It’s late, I think we can postpone the rest of this until tomorrow. I’m sure you’d like some rest."

I nodded, biting my lips and forcing back more tears. As much as I was dying to grill her on every little detail, I was damned tired. "Yeah, that’d be nice."

"Mom is it all right, if Calista stays here for the night? I’d rather not wake Drew or the kids. This will be hard enough to explain as it is… and if she's going to be staying we'll need to find some room for her."

"Of course, dear. She can sleep in your old bedroom."

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of 'the kids'. I’d always wondered what it might be like to have siblings, but in my youth that had always taken the form of an older brother and even, on occasion, an older sister. When I got older I came to realize, how unlikely it was, and had given up on that dream. After, I’d gone looking for my father, I hadn’t once considered that he, or rather she, would get married and have more kids.

As I grappled with the idea, I now appeared to have multiple younger siblings, the rest of my mother’s words sunk in. ‘If she's going to be staying.’

I didn’t seek clarification as Carrie rose to her feet and extended her hand. Just knowing she'd accepted me was enough to keep my curiosity at bay. The details would be filled in later, when I’d gotten some sleep.

I took her hand, letting her lead me back up the stairway and into a bedroom across the hall from the bathroom.

Stumbling toward the bed, I paid no heed to the decor. I collapsed atop it and closed my eyes. I fell asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Part 27 - The Morning After

I slid out of my seat and hopped to the ground, grunting as my feet contacted the pavement. I was still sore from my walk into town and the impact hurt. I swung the truck door closed and turned to watch David approach from the other side of the vehicle.

He smiled and motioned me forward, but I paused staring at the building in front of me like a deer caught in headlights. They'd told me Carrie waited inside, but so too were my half-siblings and stepfather. What the hell was I supposed to say to them?

I heard footsteps, and I turned to see Liz approach from the opposite side of the street. We'd stopped and picked my car up, and, given my twist destroyed my license, Liz convinced me it best I avoided getting behind the wheel. I'd tempted fate fleeing Clearville, why take that risk again? So, she'd driven it instead.

"Everything all right?" She asked frowning at me arms folded across her chest.

"Uh, I just… it's nothing." I moved forward, my cheeks flushing and my heart hammering harder in my chest the closer I moved to the house.

I stopped just outside the door, licked my lips glanced back toward Liz and David, let out a long breath of air and pounded my fist on the hardwood.

The clatter of footsteps sounded in the distance and a moment later the door swung open revealing an unfamiliar face.

"You must be Calista," the man smiled his face flushed. His eyes widened after taking me in. I don't know if it was my resemblance to his wife, the outfit I was wearing, or a combination of the two, but he sure was quick to avert his eyes.

"Yeah." I peered at his face, he was slender and tall and had the sort of boyish good looks that a lot of women seemed to go crazy for. "Drew, right?"

He pulled the door open all the way motioning inside. "Um, yeah, come in, come in."

"Liz, David," he nodded to my grandparents and closed the door behind them.

"I gotta admit, when Carrie told me about this… situation I thought she'd lost her mind, but… now. Well, after getting a good look at you, there's something to it."

I peered about and Drew followed my gaze, and as if sensing what I was thinking he threw a thumb over his shoulder. "Care is bathing Amanda, our daughter… I guess that would make her your sister, she got in the fridge and had an accident with the pickle relish."

"Are the twins about?" Liz brushed past her son-in-law gazing into the next room.

"Uh, they're out back with the dog, they're a little rambunctious this morning I thought I'd let them unwind."

"Probably a good idea." Liz smiled.

"Uh, yeah, well Liz, David, why don't you have a seat in the living room. Callista, Carrie wanted to talk with you before you meet the rest of the family."

I supposed I should have expected something along those lines, but the prospect of meeting 'Drew and the kids' had been so nerve-racking I hadn't even considered Carrie might want some one-on-one time.

Drew motioned to me and I followed him away from the living room and into a hallway. We stopped outside a door about halfway down and he tapped on it with the back of his knuckle. A moment later the door cracked open and Carrie poked her head out. She had dark circles under her eyes and looked like she could use a few hours of sleep, but had a smile on her face, nonetheless.

She slipped out of the bathroom and Drew squeezed inside closing the door behind him.

"Daddy!" a little girl's voice squealed, and I listened to the sound of her voice my heart pounding in my chest. It was the closest I'd come to meeting any of my half-siblings. I touched the door, listening to her jabber muffled through the wood. I didn't understand most of what she said, but it was clear she was young.

A hand touched my shoulder, and I turned to lock eyes with Carrie.

"It's good to see you." She smiled, and I stiffened when she slipped her arms around me, but melted into them after only a few seconds.

"Mind if we talk for a minute?"

I shook my head, she pulled away but kept one arm around my back and guided me to the end of the hallway and into the room beyond.

It wasn't much to look at, the only furnishing was a desk in the corner with a computer on it, and a rolling office chair. It looked like they used it for storage. There was a row of shelves with assorted canned and boxed foods and maybe a dozen unmarked boxes stacked against the opposite wall.

"That's an interesting outfit…" She frowned, both hands on her hips.

I was wearing, a pleated mini-skirt and crop top with a plunging neckline. In retrospect, it probably wasn't the best outfit to wear when meeting my new siblings and stepfather for the first time, but I wanted to be as open about my twist as I could and that included the way I dressed.

"I, uh, yeah, my twist messed with my head. I enjoy wearing stuff like this. With my trick, I can produce any outfit I want." I'd explained all about my trick when I'd told her my story, but it seemed worth repeating.

"I could see that coming in handy." She paused a moment dropping her hands and folding them across her chest. She shook her head and smiled. "I wanted to tell you. Jonathon Hails called looking for you this morning."

"What? How?" Mr. Hails knew about Harry Turow, but not that she'd been bent by her twist or that she'd married and taken her husband's last name.

"It appears we have a mutual friend in the underground, who knew my dead name, and pointed him my way. He was very relieved when I informed him you'd found me and were all right. I guess you gave them quite the scare. He wanted me to pass along to you that no one blames you for anything that happened and that they're all safe."

I nodded, biting back tears. "Megan?"

"Your friend? She went through her twist. He didn't say much, but he believes she's had some mental changes and may have picked up some compulsions. I guess she's not too happy about it, but she's fine otherwise."

I ran my hands through my hair, pressed my back against the wall and slid down onto my haunches feeling my stomach twist up into knots. If Megan had gone through her twist, there was no telling how it might have changed her. I wanted to see Megan again, but what if she didn't like girls anymore, or, worse, me? Personality and physical form weren't the only things that could change with a twist, sometimes sexuality did too. What if she ended up with an abrasive personality like Allison?

"Did he say anything else?"

She shook her head. "Not a lot. He had to get off the phone. Someone was at the door."

I nodded, swallowing hard. Never in my life had such an innocuous statement had such an ominous feel to it. Things in Clearville had taken a turn for the worst before I'd fled. If someone had been at the door it just as likely to be a package delivery as an angry mob.

Odder still there was no mention of Jeff. It tied my stomach up in knots just thinking about it. Was Jeff dead? I'd never gotten the chance to check for a pulse. There had been witnesses to our squabble and those people or even Jeff himself pointed the finger at me it was my word against theirs. Since I was a 'twisted freak' it was far more likely that the townsfolk would side with him.

"He gave me your mother's number. I talked to her too… It was unpleasant, but very brief. As a mother myself, I - I can't imagine how a mother could say those sorts of things about her own child."

I didn't press her for details. It would have been like rubbing salt in an already open wound, but I had a good idea what Kate had said. She'd already made her feelings known.

"I've talked it over with Drew, and I'd like you to come live with us. I know it'll be an adjustment for all of us, but—"

"Thank you," I climbed to my feet raced across the room and threw my hands around her. I pulled away a moment later, my cheeks on fire. "That is to say, I'd love to. I just have one question. What the crap am I supposed to call you?"

She laughed and ran a hand through her locks. "Tell you what, you can call me Carrie and we can sort the rest out later."

In short order, Carrie led me out of the room, and my heart skipped a beat when the bathroom door cracked open and a pitched scream filled the air.

Part 28 - Flesh & Blood

A screech rang through the hallway and a little blonde and green blur came tearing out of the bathroom. It slammed into me and I looked down into a pair of wide blue eyes. A young girl, no older than three years old smiled up at me. She was sopping wet and had a pastel green towel wrapped around her body.

Carrie peered down at her, both hands on her hips, concealing a smile, but it touched the corners of her lips and sparkled in her eyes.

"Hi!" The little girl said, before emitting another ear-splitting scream and took off running again.

"Okay, young lady," Carrie said scooping her up before she could slip past. "It's time to finish drying you and get you dressed."

"This should only take a few minutes," she smiled. "Why don't you join the others in the living room?"

The girl screamed a third time, as Carrie carried her away squirming in her arms. Half-amused and half-disappointed, I watched them depart. I gritted my teeth against a flash of anger and irritation. Closing my eyes, I paused and counted to ten.

On my second day of my period, I was still suffering through the effects of premenstrual syndrome. Which, I'd learned from further discussion with my grandmother, started before my monthly visitor. Like a lot of guys, I'd always just assumed PMS was another term for a period. It seemed like a no-brainer in retrospect, but, to be honest, I'd never given it much consideration. Should have figured that in addition to a little bleeding I'd have to deal with mood swings, stomach cramps and the likes. God, being a girl was such a joy.

I'd been dragged through the mud so much since my twist, I had given little consideration to how emotional I'd been. Who wouldn't be a wreck after what I'd been through? Now that I look back, it seemed likely that the raging torrent of hormones that now surged within me had probably influenced my behavior.

I found my way into the living room and seated myself beside Liz. I hunched over legs spread out and ran my hands through my hair, this time careful not to scrape them on my horns. My heart hammered in my chest and it was all I could do to keep from bolting. I had an entire family I'd never even met, or even once considered they existed. A hand touched my knee and look over at Liz.

"If you're going to dress like that you probably shouldn't sit with your legs open," she whispered, and I glanced down realizing that I was displaying my panties for all the world to see.

My twist had screwed with my head and given me a figure most girls would envy, but it didn't give me the knowledge or mannerisms to fit the part. I bit my lip and put my legs together my feminine pad crinkling between my legs. Goddamned was it annoying.

I eyed David and Liz, who kept sneaking furtive glances when they thought I wasn't looking. When I shifted my clothes in front of their eyes, I'd given them quite the shock, but my choice in outfit was what drew their attention now.

A dog's bark sounded, and a moment later another blur, this one black with a splash of white, came whizzing through the room. A cocker spaniel bounced on to the couch, plopped down beside me and put its head on my lap. I jerked back, startled, but soon enough I found myself scratching the little critter behind the ear.

Drew returned with the twins in tow and I got my first look at my younger brothers. They were six, maybe seven, indistinguishable from one another and took after their father in the looks department. Not that I didn't see a little of Carrie in their features, but it was mostly in their eyes.

Carrie returned with a much more sedate Amanda in tow, and everyone took seats. It was a little crowded for everyone, but they managed, Drew grabbed Amanda and let her sit on his lap on the recliner and the twins shared a matching seat across from him. Carrie remained standing, but moved toward me. She smiled and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Kids," Carrie cleared her throat "I'd like you to meet Calista she's your sister…"

They met her statement with dead silence and I stared back at my siblings like a deer caught in headlights.

As we peered across the room at one another, the one thing that kept running through my mind was, of all the times to start my period, why did it have to happen now? If I hadn't been so preoccupied with the damn pad between my legs or the cramps in my stomach, I might have devised something to say.

It was Amanda that broke the silence, she burst out of Drews arms and came rushing toward me, hopped onto my lap, threw her arms out and buried her face in my chest. Frozen in place, I sat there surprised and a little uncomfortable, but then the girl pulled back from me and the smile that stretched across her face melted my heart. Without even thinking about it, I returned the embrace.

"I, uh, that is to say, it's nice to meet you all," I said my cheeks blushing

"Calista, the one on the left, is Brandon, and the one the right is Bryan," Carrie said motioning to each in turn

"Sister? You never said we had an older sister!" Bryan said, both twins staring at me with wide eyes.

"Well," Carrie said a sigh escaping her lips. "You remember what mommy said about the way I was before I had my twist?"

The twins nodded and Amanda peered up at her mother arms still wrapped around me. "When I was a boy, I was dating a girl. Her family didn't think too kindly of people like us and when I twisted, I left my home town without knowing we'd made a baby together. Calista didn't know much about me, but she had my boy name, and found your grandparents."

The brothers exchanged glances, then Brandon spoke up. "Does this mean she'll be staying with us?"

Carrie asked squeezing my shoulder and peering down at me with a single arched eyebrow. I froze staring up at her with wide eyes. I knew what she was doing trying to get me to engage my half siblings, but that didn't mean I had any idea what the crap to say.

"Y-yeah," I said a smile touching the corners of my lips despite my nerve. "I guess it does."

Amanda let out a squeal of pure uncontained glee and I looked down into her eyes as she beamed up at me. "We're gonna have sooo much fun. We can play dollies and have a tea party and make cookies and play dress up and…"

I beamed back down at her all the tension bursting out of me in the form of a nervous giggle. Amanda was the first, but one by one, each of the family members joined in. It felt good to laugh after so long and for the first time since my twist things were looking up.

Curled up on the sofa, I bit my lip and glanced down at Amanda who had fallen asleep with her head resting on my lap. It had been a long day spent moving boxes and cleaning out the family's spare bedroom. My muscles were sore and my eyelids heavy, but I couldn't help but smile.

Carrie was in the shower, Drew had run to the store, and the twins played in the other room. Amanda had taken to me like bread on butter and I can't say I disliked it. She was cute as hell, and now that I was girl… I didn't mind admitting it.

She was a bit crazy, the pickle relish incident had proved that before I'd even met her, but I wouldn't change that for all the world. That being said, it would be a little nice to move.

I leaned forward, careful not to disturb her and reached out for something which had caught my eye on the adjacent table. I stretched out my arm as far as I could without moving my torso, which was much harder than it sounds, and let a smile touch my lips as my fingers found purchase around the corner of a tablet. I pulled it close and switched the device on, again careful not to disturb my near-comatose sister.

There was something I'd been dying to know since arriving in Spiral. Though it could shatter my prospects of a happy home, I couldn't hide the truth forever. I swore my heart stopped when I punched the search terms into the bar, and for a moment I just stared at the screen frozen. When a few dozen results appeared, I bit my lip reading the headlines and held back my breath.

"Local Boy, Attacked."

I swallowed hard and clicked on the article. I doubt it took more than a second to load, but to me it seemed like hours. When the text appeared on screen, I realized I was still holding my breath. I exhaled and skimmed the text, but there didn't seem to be a lot of information. The time and place fit, but there they didn't even give the name of the 'victim' or his 'assailant'. It seemed obvious that it was Jeff, but why was there so little information?

A part of me wondered if it was Mr. Hails doing, but why hadn't he mentioned anything about it on the phone with Carrie?

I pursed my lips, closed the browser and set the tablet back down. Leaning my head back, I let out a long sigh, and without even thinking about it stroked Amanda's mane of long hair. She stirred in my arms, but didn't come awake.

I'd only just found my new family and already, I feared I might lose them. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I close my eyes and bowed my head sobbing and whimpering. I just wanted everything to settle down. It had been naive of me to believe that finding my father would just fix all my problems. Real life didn't work that way.

I had a vague sense of something moving on my lap before a weight settled on my chest. I opened my eyes and stared into a pair of big brown eyes. "Were Bryan and 'Brannon' being mean to you."

I froze. Amanda did not understand why I wept. Yet, she was ready to offer her sympathies with no reservations.

"No honey," I replied returning her embrace. "I'm sad and scared because people were mean to me before I came here."

She buried her head in my chest. "Don't worry Mommy will protect you."

Despite of all my worries, I smiled. She was so innocent and had such simple unwavering faith in Carrie. I remembered having similar convictions about my mother when I was only a year or two older than her. In my case, it had turned out to be nothing more than the imaginings of a naive little boy, but where her mother was concerned I got the sense that it was different. Her love had no strings or conditions. Which begged the question: did that love now extend to me?

Part 29 - The Clinic

I squirmed in my seat, glancing around at all the people around me and sucked in my breath. Though I stood out more than the others, I was not the only twisted in the room. Aside from myself, the most noteworthy was a girl perhaps thirteen or fourteen. She looked more or less human save for the bunny ears that jutted out from the side of her head, and a pair of prominent buck teeth. She held a carrot in her hands and kept looking around the place with wide eyes and jerking movements of her head.

There was a boy about my age with orange eyes, and clawed hands, a woman in her forties with teal hair that grew out of her head in thick yarn-like strands and another person who was so androgynous I couldn't tell whether they were male or female or even pin down their age.

Carrie sat beside me, reading a magazine, but glanced at me and on occasion offered a smile.

It had been a few days since meeting my family and while it was gratifying to find acceptance; it had been more than a little chaotic. Clearing out their spare bedroom alone took the better part of a day, and as yet, I would be sleeping on an airbed. I didn't yet have any furniture. I still had my sack of clothing and could morph into any outfit I desired.

Carrie was supportive, and we spent hours everyday talking and getting to know each other. We had a lot of catching up to do.

Drew had taken Amanda and the twins out for ice cream. As much as I enjoyed her company, I was glad that my half-sister hadn't come along. I was nervous enough without her tugging on my arm every five minutes.

Okay, that came off as a bit harsh. Truth be told, I couldn't get enough of her. Amanda wanted to be with me every spare moment and was delighted when I showed off my abilities. If I let her, she would spend hours coming up with new outfit combinations for me to morph. It would almost be worth it to see the smile on her little face. I must admit, I liked it much more than I let on.

The same could not be said for the twins. They didn't know what to make of me, nor I them. Though polite, they were shy around me and seemed to live in their own little world. Though determined to break through their shell, I'd yet to puzzle out how.

Despite my difficulty with the twins, it was Drew who I was the least comfortable. He was polite, friendly even, but of all the family if seemed as if I was intruding into his life the most. His wife was my father, something which was downright weird to begin with, and I kept feeling as if I needed to apologize to the guy. Here I was living in his house, eating his food, and all because he married a lady who'd once been a dude and gotten some girl pregnant.

He had said nothing to indicate he didn't want me around. He had been every bit as accommodating as Carrie and it only made me feel guilty.

I put that out of my mind, released a long breath of air and pressed my lips together. When Carrie told me about the Spiral Clinic, I understood why she wanted me to visit, and I agreed to come without much convincing.

I'd only been waiting a few minutes, but I was already antsy. At first, I didn't know why, but then it came to me. I feared what the doctors might tell me. What if they decided I was dangerous, or that Carrie wasn't my father? What would I do then? Who would I turn to? Where the hell would I go?

I don't believe it showed on my face, but a hand squeezed mine and I looked over to see Carrie smiling. "Hey, it'll be fine, there's nothing to worry about. I work here, I know these people."

I swallowed and nodded. Carrie was a licensed nurse and worked at the clinic part time.

"W-would you come in with me?"

Carrie blinked, smiled and then nodded. "Yeah, of course."

I opened my mouth, but a voice called my name before I formed the words. When I looked up a single tear rolled down my cheek, my cheeks flushed, and I rose to my feet sensing the eyes of everyone in the room on me.

Carrie took my hand, I smiled, and we walked into the office… together.

"Thanks, Sharyn." Carrie smiled and the other woman squeezed her shoulder, waved goodbye to me and disappeared from the room.

Carrie and her friend had spent the last few moments chatting with me. What surprised me was that she hadn't even batted an eyelash when Carrie walked in. As she talked with us it became clear that my father told her all about me. Oh sure, she asked plenty of questions, but she'd already known about my parentage and how I'd turned up on my grandparents doorstep.

It warmed my heart just a little to realize that Carrie hadn't even tried to conceal my parentage, her 'shame' at having fathered an illegitimate child or even that she'd been born male. I let out a long breath of air and all the tension drained out of me.

I looked about the room, surprised at just how ordinary everything looked. There were the usual cupboards and counter with the sink, the row of implements arrayed atop the countertop, two chairs on one side of the room, an examination bed and the standard rolling stool. The only thing that seemed even a little out of place was a long cylindrical table that resembled a tanning bed which rested on the opposite side of the room. I turned to Carrie with raised eyebrows the question in my eyes. Either she didn't pick up on my unspoken question or ignored it.
I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could utter a single word a knock at the door silenced me and a slender middle-aged man wearing a lab coat appeared inside the room. The newcomer smiled and then nodded to Carrie. He ran a hand through a shock of graying green hair before turning to meet my gaze.

"You must be Calista. It surprised me to learn Carrie had a teenager. I thought her children were much younger," he said with another smile. "My name's Dr. Clark."

He turned turned away. I glanced at Carrie, and bit my lip. It was clear she hadn't apprised the doctor of the situation. I held my breath thinking perhaps she might hide the truth, but again she surprised me.

"Actually, Irving." Carrie paused pursing her lips. "I only found out about Calista a few days ago. She was conceived before my twist…"

Dr. Clark jerked around turning back to stare at her with his mouth agape. Carrie froze meeting his gaze, before she let out a long sigh.

"When I was a boy…" She finished grimacing as she watched the doctor eyes grow even wider.

"Well," he said clearing his throat. "That must have been quite a shock."

He turned to me, snatching up a tablet from the desk and grimaced. "I assume that's why we don't have any information on you in the system."

I nodded and pressed lips together before glancing up and locking eyes with him.

He settled onto a rolling stool with a tired groan. "Why don't we get started by you telling me about your medical history and we can go from there, all right?"

I told him everything I knew, and he nodded. I'd never been seriously ill or had any surgeries. About the worst thing that had ever happened to me had been that I sprained my wrist when I was seven. Beyond that, the only issue I had to contend with health-wise was the occasional bout of hay fever.

He then asked about the circumstances of my twist and that too I shared. I told him nothing of the events that followed, and he did not press me for details. A matter, for which I was grateful.

"We can see about getting your medical records transferred later, but I don't believe it sounds as if there's anything serious in your medical history. We don't, as yet, have a baseline for any comparisons, but I think the standard procedure with a recently twisted individual, like yourself, still stands. A physical examination to determine the extent of your transformation and ensure that you don't have any unique medical needs, a psychological examination to ensure that you haven't developed any harmful compulsions or personality traits, and a consultation with one of our trick specialists," he said a smile creasing his thin lips.

A psychological examination? I blinked caught off guard. I guess my surprise must have shown on my face because the doctor spoke up. "Please don't think you're being singled out or that there's cause for concern. It's all very routine. I went through the same process myself when I was your age as does every patient who comes through these doors."

I nodded and sank my teeth into my lips realizing that there was something I should tell him. "Doc, as far as the physical examination goes, I guess now is as good as any to tell you…" I trailed off flushing. "I-um, I'm having my period. My first, actually."

He froze, looking back at me eyes wide, nodded, glanced at Carrie then fixed his gaze back on me. "You were a boy before your twist too?"

I blinked, my mind going over our conversation, realizing that not once had I mentioned I'd been a boy before my twist. I nodded, certain that my cheeks were burning bright violet.

He smiled and glanced down at his tablet, pecking at the display. "Well, father and son both undergoing gender changes, this is a first for me."

He set the tablet down on the desk behind him without even looking back. He motioned toward the exam table. "If you'd like to hop up on the table there, we can get started."

I nodded, my heart hammering in my chest, once again. All my doubts coming to bear again. Again, I wondered what if he told me I wasn't Carrie's child? What if our resemblance was just some weird coincidence? Where the hell would I go then?

I swallowed, forced back all my doubts and climbed onto the table as he suggested. I was being stupid, I told myself. Carrie was my father, I had all the proof I needed. I looked just like her for hell sakes!

I held my breath, and the doctor approached removing the stethoscope from around his neck. Try as I might I could not dispel my fears. I released my breath as the doctor neared. Misgivings or not there was nothing to do but have at it and hope I'd made the right choice.

Part 30 - Doctor's Visit

At first the visit with Dr. Clark was pretty routine. He checked my blood pressure, heart rate, and he stopped long enough to comment on my reflexes, which he said were quite exceptional. When he got to examining my more unusual features, things got a little less routine.

His fingers traced my scalp, first passing over my horns and then my cat ears. When he finished, he didn't speak, but turned away, and returned with an otoscope, and several attachments clenched in his other hand.

I'd gone through the whole process before, but as he stuck the cone down into my ear canal I shuddered and sank my teeth into my bottom lip. It felt… odd. The sensations were pretty much similar, but my new ear drums were more sensitive.

The doctor sighed and pulled the scope back out. "Just as I suspected, your ear canal is much deeper than normal."

He popped the cone off, replacing it with a much longer one in his hand and tried again. I grimaced as he slid it inside my ear, and sighed when he pulled it free and declared that my ear canals, though "a bit unusual" appeared to be clear.

He glanced at my hands, and reached toward one of them, but paused a few inches away. "May I?"

I hesitated, glancing down at his outstretched digits, and nodded. He gripped my hand gently, fingers tracing along all six fingers, and then he released his grip nodding and muttering something about polydactyl digits.

He scooted away on his stool, replacing the otoscope on the counter and turned to regard me, a lopsided smile stretching across his face. "For all appearances, you're healthy. I see nothing to be concerned about, but we'll do a body scan just to be sure. Since you're experiencing a period, it's likely you're a fully functional female, but the scan should put any doubts to rest."

His smile creased into a frown and he leaned forward looking me in the eyes. "You will need to disrobe. I can leave if it makes you more comfortable and--" he paused glancing at the 'tanning bed'. "You can climb inside the scanner while I'm gone and I can—"

"Or," Carrie added interjecting before the doctor finished. "I can run the scan for you. That is if you don't mind me operating clinic equipment when I'm off the clock."

The doctor nodded. "I think we can make an exception just this once. Whatever makes you comfortable," he smiled and again meeting my gaze.

I bit my lip, I didn't much enjoy getting undressed, but I recognized why it was necessary. My cheeks were burning as I cleared my throat and turned to regard my father. "I - I want Carrie."

He smiled, muttered a word of encouragement and disappeared from the room leaving me alone with Carrie. We hemmed and hawed for a few moments, before she turned her back to me, and I slipped out of my clothes. I left my clothes and my shoes in a heap on the exam table and moved toward the scanner.

As soon as I opened the hatch, the insides flared to life, not as bright as a real tanning bed, but enough that my eyes watered. I climbed inside, clenching my eyes shut to guard them from the illumination. Once settled I called for Carrie and a moment later I heard the clatter of the top closing over me. I risked opening my eyes in time to see the light to shift from white to an eerie purple. The scanner hummed, and I clenched my eyes shut again as the light intensified.

A few moments later, I climbed out staggering forward spots appearing in my eyes. I blinked and rubbed them, and as my vision returned to me, I locked gazes with Carrie. Her eyes bore holes into me. I glanced down at my naked chest, my cheeks flushing, and lurched forward snatching at the heap of clothes and throwing them on. When I called up my trick, I let out a long sigh of relief as the clothes weaved back into place.

I bit my lip and turned back to Carrie, she smiled, and disappeared through the door returning a moment later with Dr. Clark in tow. He took a seat back at the stool, retrieved his tablet and pulled up the results from the body scan.

"Well," he said after a few moments staring at the screen. "Everything looks good, and as we suspected you are female. There are some abnormalities, but it seems to result from your unique physiology."

"Abnormalities?" I blinked and glanced down at my hands. "Yeah, you can say that again."

I felt Carrie's hand on my shoulder, but didn't glance back at her. Instead, I focused all my attention on the doctor as he replied.

"Yes, you have several cosmetic differences from most, but I was referring to your internal biology. For most vertebrates, there is a thin layer of fibrous tissue around our muscles called epimysium. You appear to have another thin layer of anomalous tissue surrounding it. It doesn't seem to serve any purpose from what I can see. Have you exhibited any unusual abilities since your twist?"

Both of their eyes bore into me, and I shrugged. Aside from my trick, I didn't seem to be able to do anything unusual. "I can't shoot bolts of lightning or anything like that if that what you mean. All I seem to be able to do is change my clothing."

I bit my lip, thinking of how I'd used my trick to stave of Jet in the gas station. I considered telling the doctor about it, but I didn't see how it could be relevant.

"What do you mean change your clothing?" The doctor asked, both eyebrows disappearing into his bangs.

“It's easier if I just show you.” I sighed, closed my eyes and willing my outfit to change and change it did. The fabric crawled and twisted across my skin, splitting and reweaving together. When I opened my eyes again, I glanced down at myself and nodded in satisfaction. My top and skirt had merged into a simple, floral sundress that only displayed a little less cleavage than my previous getup.

"Fascinating," the doctor mused without another word. He glanced back down at his tablet, jotting down a few more notes before he glanced back up at me.

"We may have to run a few tests, but there may be a tie between your trick and the anomalous tissue." He cleared his throat then eyed me again. "I'll consult with Dr. Foster, your trick specialist, on the subject, she might have some insight on the matter."

"The other abnormality has to do with your eyes," he said peering into each of them. "To be honest, the way they shift colors is quite unique. I haven't seen anything quite like it. The scan suggests you may have better-than-average night vision. Have you noticed anything?"

I thought back, remembering my flight from Clearville and realized how I'd gotten around in the dark. I had thought little about it, but now that it was staring me in the face, it shocked me I hadn't noticed it before. "T-that sounds right."

"What about my hearing?" I asked fingering one of my ears.

"Despite the resemblance to cat ears, I'm afraid that you're hearing is nowhere near as sensitive as that of a feline. Your range is excellent, but well within the standard range for humans. That being said it is on the outer limit of that range, you'll hear things most people will not."

"Now, if you don't have any—"

"Can you do a paternity test!?" I blurted out the question before he could finish.

"Well," he blinked, cleared his throat and glanced at Carrie. "If there is some question as to your parentage we could arrange something. Mind, I can't guarantee there will be a full match. A twist as extreme as yours would've changed much of your underlying genetic structure, but enough may remain to get a partial match. Then again, the results may not be conclusive at all. It's hard to say."

Carrie squeezed my shoulder and smiled down at me. "You have nothing to prove to me."

I nodded, glancing at the doctor out of the corner of my eyes. "I just don't want there to be any doubts."

Carrie shook her head and pulled away. "All right then, let's get it over with."

The doctor walked over to a cupboard and produced two little packets. He tore the first open and removed a single-sided cotton swab and swabbed the inside of my cheek. He placed it inside a plastic bag and repeated everything for Carrie.

"We should get the results in a few weeks, until then, if there's nothing further I'll make my exit. The nurse will show you to the trick specialist."

The doctor slipped out the door before either of us could say another word. Carrie smiled and squeezed my shoulder one final time. A moment later the nurse popped her head in the door, and before I knew it was being ushered toward my next torture session.

Part 31 - One-Trick Pony

As it so happened, the trick specialist wasn't at all what I expected. At the very least, it was one of the more interesting visits.

"Come in, come in," a woman ushered me into the room and I stopped mid-stride unable to bring myself to look away.

The woman that stood on the other side of the door was gorgeous, her long blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders in ringlets and I looked into her bright blue eyes in shock. She looked like she belonged posing in the centerfold of a dirty magazine, and I couldn't bring myself to accept my imagination hadn't conjured her up.

I bit my lip and stepped inside the room. The woman smiled and lurched forward hands reaching up to push the door closed behind me. She smiled as I turned to face her. "Hello, I'm Dr. Foster, but you can call me Janet."

I glanced back over my shoulder, wishing that Carrie hadn't left, but unwilling to give voice to her absence. The nurse has told us that the trick specialist had wanted to visit with me alone, and I had grudgingly agreed. I should have insisted she come along, but hadn't wanted to rock the boat.

Janet's bounteous chest, loomed less than a foot from my face and I stared at it with eyes wide.

"I-I'm Calista," I said averting my eyes, my cheeks flushed.

"Please have a seat," she held her hand out motioning at a pair of seats along the far wall.

I complied, seating myself and peered back at her. She grabbed the other chair, positioning it opposite me and sat down, crossing her legs and folding her hands across her lap.

She peered at me, a slow smile touching her lips and she glanced down at a tablet clutched in her perfectly manicured hands. "I've been reading your file. It says here you've already discovered a trick. Can I see it?"

I nodded, but didn't speak. Instead, I clenched my eyes shut and concentrated on my outfit. For the third time that day, I shifted my clothes, the fabric slithering and crawling across my skin. When I opened my eyes again, I glanced down at myself, and smirked. I was wearing a simple strapless black minidress.

When I looked back up and met her gaze, she folded her arms across her chest and studied me her eyebrows furrowed. "Well, color me jealous. A trick like that would come in handy. I'd never have to go clothes shopping again."

She pursed her lips, again, glancing down at the tablet. "It says here you were a boy before your twist. That must have come as a shock." She grinned, cleared her throat and again peered at the tablet. "I'd say from your choice of outfit, there were a few mental changes as well."

I nodded, and she slipped the tablet on the counter, letting out a long breath of air. "Could you tell me how your trick first manifested itself?"

I frowned and told her how Mr. Hails had encouraged me to see if I had a trick and in doing what he suggested I discovered it. She listened and nodded when I had finished.

"Tell me how you feel when you use your trick?"

I shrugged. "Well, my skin tingles, like it did when I underwent my twist, only not as intense."

"I'm interested in this anomalous tissue Dr. Clark has discovered. I think it might have something to do with your trick. Tell me, can you use your trick on other people? Could you say… turn my blouse into a v-neck?" She asked arching an eyebrow.

I shook my head. "I can--" I started say, but stopped thinking back to the gas station. "Well, I can't change what a person is wearing, but I can-- Let me just show you."

I reached out, clasping hold of her hand and to my surprise she didn't jerk back or try to draw it away. Again, I clenched my eyes shut, trying for something simple. Some of the fabric from my dress wiggled across my skin, down my arm and onto her wrist. I pulled back and slid my eyelids open to reveal my handiwork. A simple black lace wristlet, about half an inch wide had appeared on her wrist.

When I looked down at myself, my outfit remained more or less unchanged. I saw no difference, but I knew the fabric from the bracelet must have come from somewhere.

She blinked, lifted her arm, and turned her wrist back and forth examine the result. When she glanced back up at me she arched an eyebrow.. The doctor remained silent for what felt an eternity then let out a long sigh and smiled. "I think I understand. You can't change what I'm wearing, but you can shift clothing onto me, is that correct?"

"Yeah," I said. "I… found that out the hard way."

She pressed her lips together, but did not comment. Instead, she ran her hands through her hair strummed her fingers across the armrest. We sat there for several moments, looking back at one another before she spoke up. "This mystery tissue around your muscles may be related to your trick. It might be why you can't change other people's clothing. I'd like to run a more specialized scan if that's okay with you."

I paused a moment, not keen on yet another scan, but sucked in my breath and nodded. Though I didn't understand why the doctor seemed so intent on unraveling this mystery, it seemed best to play along. I suspected that if I ever got into legal trouble over what had happened in Clearville or the gas stop, it would be nice to point to this and show how harmless my trick was.

She guided me over to an exam table where she attached an array of sensors to my skin. She initiated the scan using her tablet and asked me to shift my clothes once every several minutes. When all was said and done I was wearing a purple minidress with a plunging neckline that was the same shade of purple as my hair, and a pair of tall black boots that went up almost to my knee, which I learned later were called wedge boots. She had me concentrate, like I did when I used my trick, and, as I expected, my skin tingled.

After a few seconds, she had me stop and one by one removed the sensors from my skin. She didn't speak for the longest time, instead moving across the room and set the sensors down on the counter. She kept her back to me, then turned back and studied me both of her arms folded over her chest. "Well, the scan detected a lot of interesting activity. When you use your trick, you call on the quantum field which seems to interact with the anomalous tissue around your musculature. That is why, you can only shift clothing that's touching your skin."

"Uh, that's good?" I said making it more a question than a statement.

The doctor smiled, but didn't reply, instead she rubbed her chin and glanced back down at her tablet. After another few moments of silence she spoke. "Well, I don't think there's anything more we can do here today, and Dr. Mansfield is waiting."

I nodded and let her lead me out of the room. We traveled halfway down the corridor where we paused and she knocked on a door indistinguishable from the rest. She knocked on the door, and a loud thud sounded from within the room. A moment later, the door slammed open and the rooms occupant stood in the doorway. I swallowed… hard upon seeing the creature and stepped inside the room.

Part 32 - Creature Comforts

The creature within the room smiled displaying a double row of razor sharp teeth as it closed the door behind me. It was short, about half my height, and moved with an uneven shuffle. It's body was a patchwork of green skin and tufts of purple hair. A collection of skin and bones, it looked more like an artist's crude rendition of a gremlin or a goblin than a living-breathing being. I thought for sure it would jump out an attack me, but it merely stood there looking upon me with it's grotesque wide-toothed grin.

"I'm Dr. Mansfield," the creature spoke, it's voice was soft almost melodious and I peered at it my mouth agape. It's voice seemed an odd match to its grotesque visage and sank my teeth into my bottom lip. I took in it's features, the slightly widened hips and the pair of disheveled lumps on it's chest and realized that I was looking at a woman.

"Uh, Calista," I replied, rubbing the back of my neck.

The doctor slammed the door shut behind me and hobbled toward a desk bathed in the shadows toward the back of the room. "I apologize, but I'm afraid that my eyes are quite sensitive to bright lights. I hope the dark doesn't make you uncomfortable."

I shook my head, watching the doctor jerk behind the desk, and disappear from sight. It lurched back into my sight a moment later, scratching and clawing its way up the desk and onto what looked to be a cross between a standard rolling office chair and an infant's high chair.

When she was positioned atop it, she waved me toward her with both hands and pointed toward a seat on the opposite side of the desk. I complied, still feeling a little nervous around this odd little creature, but bolstered by my faith in Carrie. She worked with these people, I don't think she would let me anywhere near them if she thought they were dangerous. Though the doctor's appearance was grotesque, she was just the victim of a particularly unfortunate twist.

As if sensing my fears, she smiled, this time without showing her teeth and laughed. "I promise I don't bite… much."

I peered back at her, eyes wide before a smile touched the corners of my lips and I let loose a low throaty chuckle. Though it wasn't terribly funny, it did much to release the tension and I was more than a little glad about that. At least, she seemed to have a sense of humor about her situation, which was more than I could say had I ended up looking like her.

"I'm going to be upfront with you, most of the therapists here rely on computer tests for this part of your exam, but truth be told I'm a little old-fashioned and prefer to interview you face to face. There are a lot of facial and vocal cues that most people make without realizing it and I can learn far more from that than any computer test. Truth be told, the holoscreens hurt my eyes. Since, I'm going to be asking you about yourself, I only think it's fair you know a little about me."

I didn't speak, instead nodded and studied her face. She regarded me with a blank expression. She didn't speak at first. Instead, she thrummed her clawed digits on the desktop. Finally, she exhaled and began to speak, her voice a little more than a soft murmur. "I'm sure you've surmised that I'm twisted, like yourself. I was born in the South and was raised in a time when the twisted weren't as well publicized and most people believed us to be little more than an urban legend."

I blinked, caught off guard by this admission. She must have been among one of the earliest generations of twisted. Her appearance was so strange, that I couldn't begin to guess her age, but for her to have been alive during that time she wasn’t exactly a spring chicken.

I leaned forward already eager to hear more. "My father and mother were both survivors of the Antarctic Flu outbreak. At the time, nobody understood what caused people to undergo twists, and I grew up a more or less ordinary life unaware of the fate that awaited. It happened about midway into my teen years, my younger sister was terrified of the goblin she claimed lived in her closet. We didn't get along particularly well and I thought it'd be funny to play a little prank on her. I waited inside her closet one night prepared to jump out when my father did his nightly check for the goblin. Unfortunately, that night when he did so, he found me… looking like this. I had underwent my twist," She motioned down at herself and let out a long sigh.

"I fled, terrified of what I had become, and even more afraid of what my family would think. I never returned. I learned to fend for myself, living in abandoned homes, and dark alleyways. Anyplace where I could remain hidden. I discovered a unique power within myself, I could for short periods of time, make myself invisible. I made use of my trick to feed and clothe myself by stealing whatever I needed. I wandered from town to town, and state to state. I had little contact with other people, but the times I went out to retrieve what I needed to survive I began to hear murmurings of the twisted, and a place where some of them began to gather."

"Spiral!" I blurted out, biting my tongue when I realized I'd interrupted her, but she only nodded and continued with the story.

"Although I was still only in my late teens, I had already grown quite cynical. Even now, I'm not sure what convinced me to come to Spiral, but when I did, I discovered that the stories were true. Unfortunately, even the other twisted were afraid of me. A few showed me kindness, however, and a family whose son whose twist was nearly as severe as my own took me in. For the first time in years I had found a home."

"My new adoptive family encouraged me to go back to school and so I did. I completed my high school education and that might have been the end of my schooling had it not been for something quite unexpected."

She paused a slow smile spreading across her face. "I hadn't thought of my family in years. They seemed part of another life, and I did not believe I had any hopes of ever seeing them again. Why give myself false hope? So you can imagine my surprise when one day, I encountered my father. He recognized me at once and I fled from him fearing what he would do having found the creature that had ambushed him within his daughter's closet. At first, my fears seemed confirmed as he chased after me, but then he called my name."

I fought down my fear and confronted him. It seems my family had puzzled out that the goblin in my sister's closet and I their oldest daughter were one and the same. In retrospect it seemed obvious. Their arrival in Spiral however was a coincidence. It seemed… that my sister had also undergone her twist. Though not severe, by most standards the change was significant enough to drive my family from our hometown. Like me, they had heard of Spiral and fled here hoping for sanctuary. They had not expected to find me there, and had all but given hope of seeing me again."

"Reunited with my family, they encouraged me to interact with other twisted and I met many with stories similar to my own. No longer content to live in the shadows, I decided to do something with my life. I thought, perhaps, I could help others like myself and so I did…" She grinned clasping both hands atop the desk. "I won't bore you with the rest of the details. Suffice it to say that I had to work hard to get my degree and get where I am now. I have been counseling twisted ever since."

I eyed Dr. Mansfield and studied her knotted features. Her story had been interesting enough to keep my attention and the parallels to my own were obvious, but as she gazed back at me I wondered why she had felt the need to tell it to me.

"Now, why don't you tell me about yourself?" The question hung on the open air and I paused realization dawning on me. She'd told me her life story to put me at ease. Probably in the hope that I would be more open to telling her about myself. Well, I shrugged, if that was her intent I guess she was about to get her way.

The moment I started talking I could hear her scribbling something on a notepad, but I didn't let that stop me. I started giving her a little bit of my background, telling her about being raised by a single mother and my friendship with Megan. Before long I jumped headlong into the story telling her everything starting with my twist and ending with my arrival in Spiral. It was no easier to share than the last time, but I did keep myself from breaking down in tears.

Again, I refrained from mentioning Jeff and my confrontation with the jackasses in the convenience store. I worried, that as a trained therapist, she'd pick up on the omission, but if she did she said nothing about it.

The doctor leaned back in her chair and I stopped waiting for her to say something. When she did there was a slight quiver to her voice. "I am sorry for what you've been through. I can't promise you it will get any easier, even among the twisted you will stand out in a crowd, but now, at least, it sounds as if you have the beginning of a support system."

Next, she questioned me on specifics of my story, mostly about my feelings of rejection first from my mother then the people of Clearville, and my emotional state during those events.

She cleared her throat, and leaned forward. "Unfortunately, we don't have as much time as I'd like. I fully encourage you to seek counseling. The sort of trauma you've experience has a way of coming back to you years later if you don't address it."

I nodded, but didn't otherwise reply. She continued speaking a few reassuring words and reiterating the value of psychological counseling before moving on to other things. She started by asking me, what changes I might have noticed in my personality and behavior. I told her everything I could think of which wasn't much. Mostly I told her about how I liked to wear feminine and revealing apparel, and how I'd been more emotional since my twist. She nodded and jotted in her notepad.

She asked about my trick and how it worked. Personally, I didn't see how that could be relevant to my emotional state, but the doctor didn't give me any indication how nor did she illuminate me as to why she'd asked the question.

She followed that up by reciting a number of different words and asking me to say the first thing that came to my mind. That went on for several moments, and she again paused to write something down.

Next, she asked me a series of questions, and state on a scale of one to ten how much I agreed with them. Most seemed harmless enough, but there were a few that gave me pause. I never would have expected her to ask me if I liked intending people harm or that I thought people were out to get me.

When we finished she scurried down the side of her chair and came to stand beside me, smiling and placing a hand on my wrist. Though her appearance was still grotesque I was no longer disconcerted by it. She truly wanted to help people and I could see no reason to fault her just because she happened to resemble a creature out of someone's nightmares.

"Please do consider counseling, the sort of things you have been through can be detrimental to your mental health. I only work at the clinic here ten hours a week, but I do specialize in situations like your own. I have an office a few blocks away. The front desk can give you the address and phone number."

I nodded and smiled back to her. "I’ll, uh, talk it over with Carrie."

"Carrie," she repeated, rubbing her chin. Though she hadn't said much when I mentioned my father's identity. I got the sense that she had been quite surprised. Of course, she must know Carrie if they both worked at the clinic, but there was something more to it.

She pulled her hand away, and started to move away before turning back and regarded me both arms folded across her chest. "Would you mind asking Carrie to come speak with me?"

"Is, there, uh, something wrong?" I asked rising to my feet.

"No… Often times when I speak with a patient, I find it beneficial to consult with their parents. Not only can I make my recommendations to them, it's helpful to coach them in how they might best help their children adjust to their new situation."

I nodded, regarded her one final time, and left the room. I had dreaded the psychiatric evaluation the most, but it had been by far the most rewarding of the three. Yes, I had been forced to once again lay myself bare, but after speaking with her for the first time since my twist I felt a little more like my old self.

Part 33 - Feminine Possibilities

"So…" I said turning to Carrie. "Did Dr. Mansfield have anything interesting to tell you?"

I'd been debating on whether I should even bring it up since Carrie had left to talk to the doctor. Even after we met back up and made our way to her car, I was still undecided. I was dying of curiosity and that's what had pushed me to ask.

I reached for the seatbelt heart pounding my ears as I awaited her answer. She started the engine and glanced over at me a smile touching the corner of her lips. "Nothing too Earth-shattering. She's worried about you."

I nodded glancing down at my hands, which were by then resting in my lap, and closed my eyes. "She wants me to get counseling."

"Might not be a bad idea," Carrie replied.

"Yeah," I said opening my eyes and turning to smile back at Carrie. "I suppose… she's right."

I clamped my lips shut and said no more on the subject. Carrie furrowed her brows, opened her mouth as if to speak and then shook her head as if reconsidering.

She put the car into gear and for several moments neither of us spoke. Carrie broke the silence. "I've been thinking, maybe you might enjoy a trip to the hair salon."

My head jerked sideways, wondering perhaps I'd heard wrong, but she didn't say a word. My hair was a little unruly, and could use a little trimming and more than a little taming. I hadn't given any thought to getting it cut or even styled. All at once, a smile crept onto my face and I considered how sexy I might look if my hair were—

I shook my head and refused to finish the thought still a little creeped out that my mind had been twisted in such a manner. Still, I couldn't resist the opportunity Carrie was giving me. She was testing the waters, seeing if I would be open to the possibility. After all, until recently I'd been a boy. While many men frequented hair salons, few saw it as an excuse to pamper themselves in the way so many women did. I know I hadn't.

"That would be nice," I answered after a moment of silence.

Carrie peered at me out of the corner of her eyes, and a smile touched her lips. She didn't speak, instead she took the next right, cursed under her breath when the driver ahead of her slammed on his breaks, forcing her to do the same, and after following the road another three blocks pulled into a parking lot.

After she'd parked, and we'd vacated the car, I stopped in my tracks a pit forming in my stomach as I caught sight of a store with the words "Envy Us Beauty Parlor" emblazoned in bright pink script across its front. I emitted an audible groan at the pun, but followed Carrie inside.

I'd been in a hair salon or two, but as I peered about, I knew this was no garden-variety beauty parlor. The right and back wall were solid-black and the left wall was solid-pink. The right side housed a row of barber-chairs with bubble-gum-pink padding and each sat opposite a mirror and a small stand, the back wall was home to a row of sinks with matching padded arm-chairs and the left housed a single table about eighteen inches wide that spanned almost the entire length of the wall divided into five different stations by five three-tiered shelves, each station featured a matching set of black chairs, and light built into the tabletop.

Located front and center, just a few feet from the door and in front of us. A pink and black stand housing an old-fashioned register stood before us and a smiling young woman only a year or two older than me, with sky-blue hair and a forked tail that quivered about in the air behind her, nodded in greeting as we stepped through the double glass doors.

More than a dozen different people, all I assumed were women moved about the room or seated along one of the walls giving or receiving beauty treatments.

"Hi, welcome to Envy Us Beauty Parlor I'm Brandy, how can I help you?" The girl's smile widened and her lips split open to reveal a pair of fangs.

Even a few weeks ago, her appearance would have surprised me, first by her tail and then for the teeth, but after undergoing my twist, transformed into a hyper-sexualized Smurf-demon and encountered a few others with twists as severe as or, in the case of Dr. Mansfield, worse than my own I didn't even blink. Besides, she was cute and her smile appeared genuine.

"Hi, do you do walk-ins?" Carrie asked.

"Uh, not usually, but we're having a bit of a slow day, so it shouldn't be a problem unless you want a mani or a pedi."

I arched an eyebrow, peering again at the denizens of the salon. She considered that a slow day?

"So, what'll it be?" Brandy glanced back and forth between the two of us.

Carrie put her hands on her hips, grinned and glanced back at me. "Whaddya say Callie? Feeling adventurous?"

I froze surprised both by the new nickname and Carrie's playful demeanor. Good God, what had I gotten myself into?

Swallowing hard, I nodded and bit my lip. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well let's start with a wash and a haircut and see where the wind takes us." Carrie's reply again surprised me.

I hadn't seen this side of her before and I was treading on uncertain ground. This time I didn't say a word and when I thought of something to say, I was already getting my hair washed.

Brandy brought us up to a pair of women in their mid to late twenties. I was given into Alicia's care, a tall slender girl with a pretty smile and shock of neon-pink hair that went down almost to the back of her knees and Carrie was assigned to Matty a flat-faced woman with scarlet streaks running through her short-cropped blonde hair. Whether their colored locks resulted from a twist or just a dye job, I couldn't say and I didn't ask. It didn't seem important.

They guided Carrie and I to the back wall and seated with our backs to the sinks. When Alicia reclined my chair, I closed my eyes and let her get to work without comment. She talked as she worked asking my about myself, and about my twist. I suppose that at some point my mother must have washed my hair when I was little, but I didn't remember it. The experience of letting another person wash my hair was new to me.

I wasn't prepared for how relaxing the experience could be. It was an experience I wouldn't mind going through again. I just hoped I had the chance.

Part 34 - Salon Magic

"Wow, you look unbelievable!" The woman explained after they ushered me to one of the barber chairs.

I craned my neck around peering up at her with eyes widened and a single eyebrow raised. She had a wicked grin stretched across her face and a set of wide innocent eyes that made her appear surprised. She was pretty, even with the long scar that intersected her jawline on the left side.

I froze, though I saw no malice or ill-intent in her eyes, I wasn't sure if she intended her exclamation as in insult or a compliment. Her next comment however, put the matter to rest.

"Very exotic. You got a whole sexy-space Smurf vibe going. I think It's killer."

"Ummm, thanks?" I replied, the tone of my voice making it sound more a question than a statement.

"Name's Sally," she beamed down at me.

"Calista," I replied glancing back at her with wide eyes.

"You just go through your twist?" she asked reaching for a pair of scissors on the counter.

I nodded. "How can you tell?"

She shrugged. "We cater mainly to twisted here. You see enough of them come and go, you can spot the newbies a mile away."

"Well, since this is your first post-twist haircut you have anything special in mind?" She asked lifting the scissors in front of her face and cutting at the open air with them.

"Uh, hadn't given it much thought. This was a kind of spur-of-the-moment sort of thing," I replied as she pulled out a hair-styling cape and draped it over me.

A part of me, my masculine side, wanted nothing more than for her to shave it all off, but my feminine side, bolstered by my compulsions, had already become my dominant half. I doubt it would surprise anyone which side won out, least of all myself.

To my feminine self, such a change in hairstyle wasn't just drastic it was unthinkable. That being said, long hair was a pain in the ass, and I was getting sick of dealing with it. For my inner-girl a shorter-hairstyle would not be out of the question which helped bring balance to my warring halves.

I wasn't well-schooled in anything girl, so the name of the particular style I had in mind escaped me. There was, however, a simple solution to my dilemma. I brought my hand up about halfway down my neck and held it out flat. "Uh, how about something this long?"

Sally furrowed her brows, dropped the hand holding the scissors and reached out to grasp a strand of my hair with her free hand. "You mean a bob? Honey, you have such beautiful hair, you want me to lob it all off?"

"Callie, you sure about this? It could take years to grow it out that long again," Carrie chimed in from the seat beside me.

I bit my lip, glancing back and forth between the two women catching their doubtful looks before gritting my teeth and nodding "Yeah, do it."

The hairdresser, frowned putting both hands on her hips and peering at Carrie, no doubt hoping the other woman would override me, but my father only nodded. Sally sighed and shook her head.

"Such a waste," she muttered under her breath before raising the scissors and lobbing off a big strand.

My stomach roiled at the sight of my locks fluttering to the ground. Asking to have my hair cut shorter was one thing, witnessing it was another. My feminine pride was screaming out in anguish, but it was already too late. I clenched my eyes shut, feeling my whole body tremble as I listened to the scissors hacking their way through my hair. I felt each strand slide down my body before dropping to the ground.

'You'll look sexy as hell,' I told myself over and over in my head. It seemed to help, slowly, I released the breath I didn't even realize I'd been holding, but I couldn't bring myself to open my eyes. Not yet…

Minutes ticked by, and it seemed as if hours passed before Sally announced that she'd finished. When I opened my eyes, I found myself looking at my reflection. I was not disappointed. The change was drastic, but it looked great.

"You like it?" Sally asked peering at me over my shoulder.

"Yeah," I said studying my reflection and running my hand through my hair. I bit my lip, I don't know what it was… but something seemed missing.

"Carrie, what do you think?" I asked turning to the chair beside me, only to lock gazes with a little girl about half my age.

My eyes scanned the room, looking for Carrie and I found her seated at a row of chairs parked near the front of the shop which I'd missed when we entered. As soon as we made eye contact, she hopped to her feet and made a beeline toward me. I don't know if she'd seen something in my face or if she'd just heard me say her name and had been a little slow making her way to me.

When she reached us, I inspected her new do and pursed my lips. She didn't seem to have done much with her hair, it was a little shorter, but that was the only change I could spot. Then again, her hairstyle suited her, why mess with a good thing?

She reached out, snatching a piece of my hair and rubbing it between her index-finger and thumb. "It's cute," she said peering at Sally out of the corner of her eyes. "But it could use a little color. Why don't we streak it?"

The moment those words left Carrie's lips, I knew it was what I wanted. I had no experience with this stuff and very little idea what any of the terms being bandied about meant, but when she said 'streak it' the conclusion my mind jumped to seemed obvious. I may have been oblivious to the terminology, but, in this case, it seemed like a no-brainer. That being said, it didn't hurt to get confirmation. If I was wrong, I didn't want to get into anything I might regret.

So, I looked about hoping and leveled my gaze on a girl about half my age with gold streaks running through her hair.

"You mean like her, right?" I asked nodding toward the girl and watching with a blank expression as they each turned to follow my gaze.

"Yes," Carrie said regarding me with a smirk, cocking her head, and folding her arms across her chest. "But… maybe something a little more involved than a few blonde streaks."

I nodded, my mind racing as I considered the possibilities. Already, a picture had formed in my head and though I had no doubts Carrie had something specific in mind, I wasn't going to let that deter me.

"Yeah," I said nodding in agreement, a smirk every bit a match for Carrie's stretching across my face. "About that…"

Part 35 - The Unexpected

I stepped out of the salon, glancing over my shoulder and catching sight of my reflection in the glass storefront. A smile touched my lips, and I studied it again, nodding in satisfaction at what I saw.

My hair was no longer solid purple, but streaked with black and pink and styled in what Sally called a 'messy bob'. It was everything I could have hoped for and so much more. I had conflicting feelings about it, to be honest. Yes, I looked sexy as hell, but I only liked the way I looked because of my twist. It wasn't me… or, at least, it wasn't before my twist. I didn't know who I was anymore, and that scared me more than anything.

The smile faded, and I turned away from the reflection, my lips creasing into a frown. The door creaked open behind me, but I didn't turn to face the newcomer. I knew without looking it was Carrie. Eager to escape and make sense of my warring thoughts I slipped out when she was paying.

Though, I liked how I looked, I hadn't realized that it would take so goddamned long. I enjoyed all the pampering at first, but all that time spent sitting in one place, holding still left me feeling stir crazy. I wanted to do something. Almost anything would have been better.

"You look nice," Carrie said and at last I turned to meet her no longer frowning.

"Thanks," I replied staring down at my chest. "I'm still a little weirded out, looking like this, and having these compulsions."

I looked up in time to see Carrie drawing closer. She reached out, enfolding me in her arms and stood there holding me. After a moment, she pulled her hands away and reached up, cupping my face and looking me in the eyes. "I know what you're going through. It was the same for me. I can't promise you it'll be easy, but I can promise I'll be there every step of the way. Being twisted… or even a girl isn't the end of the world, even if it seems that way sometimes."

I nodded, and a single tear rolled down my cheek. She wiped it away and smiled motioning toward the parking lot. "Come on, let's go home."

Without another word, we moved to the car and though we didn't speak for the rest of the ride back, I didn't mind. Here or there when she stopped the car at a light or crosswalk, Carrie would glance at me, as if worried I'd disappeared when she wasn't looking, only to offer a reassuring smile and return her attention to the road.

When we reached the house, Carrie let us inside and once we'd climb the stairs, I looked about frowning as I realized the house seemed quiet. A little too quiet.

"Drew!" Carrie called, sighing and dropping her keys on a tray mounted to a wall along at the top of the stairwell and slipped her purse inside a coat closet around the corner.

"Back here!" A voice answered from down the hallway.

"What's he doing back there?!" she asked peering at me out of the corner of her eyes. When she turned away, I could swear I saw a smile touch the corner of her lips. I furrowed my brows and opened my mouth to speak, but she was already moving down the hallway.

She paused just long enough to motion with her hands for me to follow before disappearing around the bend. I trailed her, heart thumping in my ears, and biting my lip. I had an inkling that not all was as it should be, but as the gears and cogs turned in my head I couldn't, for the life of me, puzzle out what it might be.

A few feet down the hallway, she was waiting for me, a gentle smile touching her face. "He's waiting in your room, why don't we see what he wants?"

That was when all the pieces fell into place and realized what Carrie and Drew were up too. She placed a hand on my back, and another on my shoulder guiding me forward. Though my heart still pounded in my chest and my hands trembled, I didn't resist.

When the door opened into the spare bedroom, I stopped standing in the doorway, mouth hanging agape and eyes wide like saucers.

A tall white full-size platform bed with a double row of pull-out drawers had replaced the airbed. A matching dresser and a vanity that was a shade or so off but a close approximation of the other pieces of furniture occupied the opposite wall. I peered at the latter, realizing that it looked familiar and stepped toward it to get a better view.

"You like it?" A voice asked, and I spun around to find Drew standing in the closet a tool belt, with a full complement of hand tools, strapped about his waist and his hair matted with sweat.

The closet too had changed, before it had been bare aside from a few boxes left inside. Now, it housed a column of shelves and drawers down the center, two rods on the left, and another on the right. It looked pretty well put together, but I guess that was to be expected since he worked as a foreman for his family's construction company.

"Still needs some work," Drew continued thumbing his hammer oblivious that I hadn't answered him. "Sometime further down the line we can pull out the carpet and slap a coat or two of paint on the wall, but at least for now you'll be comfortable."

I glanced down, forcing myself to keep a blank expression on my face as I peered at the dull-green carpet. It was one of the ugliest shade's I'd ever seen, but I was happy to live with it if it meant a safe place to sleep. I gave the room one final glance, swinging around on the balls of my feet. The bed and dresser looked like they were constructed from pre-fabricated materials and, if the faint scuff marks were any sign, were used. Not surprising, furniture wasn't cheap, and I'd showed up with no warning.

The vanity, was another matter. At first glance, it seemed to be made of more durable materials, but I'd doubt I know for sure without stripping off the pain. My eyes lingered on it the longest, realizing why it looked so familiar. It was the same one which had graced Carrie's old bedroom in her parent's home.

I smiled, turning my attention back to Drew, and rushed toward me step-father, warm drops staining my cheeks. He grunted and stiffened when I threw my arms around him, but soon his arms enfolded me. I whispered 'thank you,' over and over into his chest.

"This was all Drew's doing," Carrie pronounced after I'd pulled away from the hug, my cheeks already starting to turn a little violet. "He wanted to surprise you while we were away, but it took a little longer than he expected, and…"

"That's why you took me to the hair salon," I finished for her with a nod.

"Well, I had a little help from the boys. The new hair looks great. I like it." Drew grinned at me, and after catching a side-long glance from Carrie added, "I would be remiss if I did not take heed of my blushing bride's new do. You look fabs, honey."

Carrie rolled her eyes and kissed him on the cheek. "You're a dork, Andrew Christianson, but I love you."

He smiled back and pecked her back on the lips. "You two hungry? Amanda and the twins aren't due back for a few hours. It may stretch the limits of my abilities, but I think I can handle cooking for just the three of us."

Drew slipped through the door, and Carrie rolled her eyes before motioning for me to follow. Disappearing through the door a moment later, but I lingered. I looked around the room, one final time, a smile touching the corner of my lips, before I too exited the room closing the door behind me.

Part 36 - Mall Meet Up

"Mommy!" Amanda proclaimed tugging on Carrie's sleeve. "Look!"

I glanced down at about the same time as Carrie and our gazes followed toward my younger sibling's outstretched finger. Amanda's eyes were fixed on a rack of frilly pink dresses, off to the side and about a dozen feet away. There was an almost rapturous expression as she stared at them and she began to hop up and down a grin stretching across her face.

"Ooooh, pretty!"

Carrie knelt down beside Amanda and smiled. "Oh, those are nice aren't they, princess? Remember, Mommy bought you a brand new dress a few weeks ago. Maybe if you're a good girl, Mommy will buy you another one for your birthday next month."

The little girl's features wrinkled and for a moment I thought she might throw a fit. She locked eyes with her mother, and her face softened. She nodded and a big grin spread across her face. "Okay, Mommy!"

I concealed a smile and shook my head. I didn't realize how temperamental, a girl her age could be until I'd started spending time around my younger sibling. Her behavior, however, was far from predictable. What might invoke a temper one day, she would shrug off the next.

We continued on and I clamped my mouth shut, looking about the store. I didn't need any clothes. Although I'd already morphed my way through most of my old boy clothes, I could shift into pretty much any outfit I thought of with enough material at hand. Even without my current wardrobe, I could make do with discards from my new family, or even buy the cheap stuff from the clearance rack for pennies and morph them into whatever I wanted. That being said, I hadn't expected myself to be drawn to the women's section.

I'd paid little attention to women's apparel as a boy. One outfit seemed pretty much the same as another. The only ones that stood out were the ones that displayed a bit of flesh or that clung tight to a girl's body leaving very little to the imagination. When I'd flipped through the wracks, I could barely contain my glee. Ideas for new outfit combinations already coursing through my mind.

I glanced down at myself, contemplating shifting from the pink and white floral sundress I was wearing into something more revealing, but discarded the idea. This was family time, and as much as I was tempted to try out more interesting outfit combinations that sprang to mind when sifting through the racks, those sorts of experiments would have to wait until we were back home.

I didn't need a reason to come, just browsing the clothing racks alone had been worth the trip, but that was not the reason for our visit. The adjacent movie theater was our ultimate destination, but we needed to kill time before our show.

With Drew at work and the twins at a friend's house, it was just the three of us girls. That was fine by me. As touched as I was by Drew's surprise, he didn't seem the type to appreciate a shopping trip to the mall and subsequent 'chick flick' and the twins were a handful even under the best of circumstances. Throw them out in a wide open space like the mall and there was no telling what sort of chaos they might visit upon us.

I smirked at the thought, imagining the towheaded duo enacting a sword-fight with pool noodles or running around the store screaming at the top of their lungs towels draped over their shoulders pretending they were super-heroes. Had I ever been that big of a dork?

It had been a few days since Drew surprised me with my new bedroom furniture and though things still seemed awkward, I felt less like an intruder in his life. Even the twins seemed to have warmed to having me around. Though they still kept their distance, I hadn't caught them glaring at me in a while. That, at least, was progress.

The mall had just opened and because it was a weekday and most of the stores weren't open yet, it was rather quiet. I cast my eyes about as we exited the store, my eyes lingering first on a Haglund's and then settling on a Game Palace. Both were common enough chains, and I would have been a fool not to expect to see them again. That being said, I didn't expect the reaction it would invoke within me.

Thoughts of my mother and my twist came to me unbidden, and I paused a single tear rolling down my cheek a sob escaping my lips before I could silence it. Carrie turned about and came rushing back toward me.

"Calista? You okay?" She asked reaching out to touch me, but I stepped back and waved her off.

"I'm fine," I said my voice quivering. Carrie put her hands on her hips and frowned, not looking at all convinced, but nodded and kept her distance.

A weight settled into my leg and I peered down in time to see Amanda enfold her arms around it and stare back up at me with unblinking eyes. I cleared my throat, wipe the tears from my eyes and a sheepish smile touched my lips. I bent down wrapping my arms around my younger sibling before peering back up at Carrie. "F-fine," I said exhaling slowly. "Seeing some of these stores just dredged up bad memories."

Carrie nodded, and I turned my attention back to Amanda, extricating her arms from around my legs before hefting her up and standing with my younger sibling in my arms. I groaned from the strain of her weight, surprised at how heavy she seemed. I lost a lot of my strength during my twist, but the strain of lifting her helped drive that point home.

"It's okay, I protect you," Amanda said throwing her arms around my neck a soft moan escaping her lips.

I didn't speak, but hugged her close fighting back tears. Though the proclamation was just a tad silly, it came from her heart and it tugged at the old heartstrings.

My lips began to tremble, and Carrie glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. I pressed my lips together and looked away unwilling to make eye contact. Carrie didn't speak, perhaps decided that I needed the quiet.

I peered about, glancing from storefront to storefront. None of them caught my eye until we'd strode another ten yards. I stopped, Amanda's small form still held tight in my arms and stared across the mall and into a small entryway tucked into a little out of the way corner. I might have overlooked it altogether had I not glimpsed movement out of the corner of my eyes.

A man in his late thirties or early forties was leading a class in martial arts exercises. A kid back in Clearville who'd been a huge Judo enthusiast had shown his moves off a time or two. While, it impressed me it hadn't quite drawn my eye the way it was now. It appealed to me beyond the simple adolescent fascination in which I'd viewed it before. The thought of taking such classes and learning martial arts had real appeal now.

I clenched my peepers shut and looked away. Sucking in deep breaths, I opened my eyes, and forced myself to look away from the martial arts studio. There was no doubt in my mind that this new interest was yet another aspect of my twist. I knew precious little about the game I was playing when I underwent my transformation, but the character customization screen would seem to be the root of my trick and my obsession with looking sexy. What if I'd picked up more ticks from the game than I realized?

We continued on and I didn't once glance back though I wanted nothing more in the world than to do just that. I bit my lower lip, feeling a flash of pain. That helped distract me and kept me from losing my resolve. I let out a long sigh when out of sight of the studio, but it was already too late. Sooner or later, I knew, I would try it and I would be hooked.

I might have spent the rest of the day ruminating, and brooding over my sudden interest in martial arts if I hadn't caught sight of a familiar blonde head of hair a few yards away. I stopped. Allison?

I slipped Amanda's arms from around my neck and placed her on the ground. My heart pounding in my ear, I moved forward deaf to Carrie and Amanda's cries. When I got close enough, my fingers stretched out to grasp the girl's shoulders, but before they found purchase she spun around and I got the shock of my life.

"Megan?!"

Part 37 - Reunited

Though the girl that stood before me looked far different from the one I remembered, it was Megan. The nose I knew so well, the one which used to be a tad too large for her face had shrunk down to a more dainty and proportionate size. Her eyes were the same brilliant green and her lips just as generous. Her hair was another matter, she was now sporting long blonde locks. I couldn't say whether it was a dye job or part of her twist, but either way it made her a near twin to her cousin.

Megan was the biggest tomboy in our class, and I hadn't seen her wear the slightest bit of makeup the entire time we were friends. Today however, it was plastered all over her face. Many people would have thought her drop dead gorgeous, but it was her old face that I'd crushed on all those years.

Her fashion sense, at least, hadn't changed. She was wearing a plain white t-shirt, jeans and a denim jacket.

Had I not known her better, I might have assumed that it was Allison I was looking at, but Megan was shorter and curvier and she was far less graceful in her movements. She stared at me all doe eyed for a moment. I even saw a tear glistening in her eyes, but then she swung her arm out slapping me across the face.

"IDIOT!" She screamed her feature's twisting and contorting into an angry scowl.

I probably deserved that.

I was so flustered that I backed right into a mall directory. Carrie called after me, but I held a hand up warning her off.

I glanced back at her panting and with wide eyes. Her features softened, and she moved closer. I put my arms up, not to attack, but defend myself in case she struck again. She reached out, but when I swung my arm out to block her, she forced it aside and grabbed the collar of my dress.

Certain that another attack was incoming, you can imagine my surprise when she pulled me toward her and locked her lips around mine. My face was still throbbing from her blow, but I melted into her arms, nonetheless. When we broke for air, I stood there panting and staring back at her with eyes still wide. I slipped a hand up the side of my face, rubbing my fingers over my jaw and cheek.

Megan frowned, stepping back and folded her arms. "What the hell were you thinking?! Do you know how worried we've been! We didn't have any idea what happened to you! I thought, I lost you!"

Unwilling to look her in the eyes, I lowered my gaze and adopted a pose almost identical to hers. "I thought if I left, it would take some heat off you guys."

"You're an idiot," she repeated and pulled close slipping her arms around me. She put her head on my shoulders and I felt warm tears splatter on my shoulder. "Never do anything like that again, okay?"

"Megan?" A familiar voice spoke before I could respond.

We turned in unison to find Mr. Hails standing a few feet away. The toothy grin on his face told me all I needed to know. I craned my neck around at Carrie, my suspicions confirmed when I caught a knowing smirk on the corner of her lips. Our encounter was not a coincidence. Twice now, Carrie had pulled the wool over my eyes. One of these days, I told myself I would get her back.

I peered at the pair of them, arching an eyebrow. I might have expected more concern from Carrie, given that Megan just attacked me, but perhaps our kiss was enough to dispel any uneasiness, Pursing my lips before jerking forward, I threw my arms out and wrapping them around Mr. Hails.

"It's good to see you!" I beamed. "Both of you!"

Mr. Hails stood stiff for a second, but then he relaxed and returned my hug. I pulled away looking up at him and glanced back over my shoulder at Carrie. All those years of looking for my father and I did not realize, until that moment, that I couldn't have wished for a better dad than the one that now stood before me. Though we shared no blood ties, he had been there for me when no other adult would and had stood by me when my mother kicked me to the curb.

I was grateful to have found Carrie, but as we got to know each other and our relationship evolved she was coming to fill the role of a mother more than she ever would a father.

I cleared my throat and took a step back. As much as I wanted to tell Mr. Hails how I felt, it was neither the time nor place. Someday soon, I would make my feelings known, but for now the hug would have to do.

I stepped back, moving back toward Carrie. When I reached her, I held a hand out to her. "Megan," I said. "This is my father… Carrie Christianson."

"Shit," Megan blurted out. "That's why you could never find her! She twisted into a girl just like you! That's so rad!"

She stopped, her eyes scanning each of our faces before shaking her head and smiling. "I mean, um, nice to meet you!"

Megan dropped to her knees and peered at Carrie's legs. Confused, at first, I followed her gaze and caught sight of Amanda peeking out from behind them.

"Who's this?" Megan asked, a smile spreading across her heart-shaped face and her eyes lighting up.

"This is Amanda," Carrie answered bending over to retrieve my younger sibling. "She's my youngest."

Megan and Carrie, with Amanda in her arms, rose to their feet, and the former smiled at my youngest sibling. "Hi, I'm Megan, I'm Calista's friend."

Amanda buried her head in Carrie's shoulder. "You're mean!"

I smirked, watching Megan out of the corner of my eyes wondering how she would address the situation. Amanda saw her slap me, and it was nice to see at least someone had come to my defense even if I deserved the slap.

"I'm sorry, did I upset you? Your sister scared me, I promise I won't do it again, okay?"

Megan looked up at her eyeing her with her big brown eyes and scowled at Megan. Though she didn't seem convinced, she nodded. "Okay."

"As much as I hate to break this up," Mr. Hails said stepping forward, his hands fingering the cuff links on either of his wrists. "I'm afraid I have a job interview in less than thirty minutes."

Megan arched an eyebrow, peering back and forth between her father and Carrie. "I thought it was after the movie?"

He smirked and then shrugged. Megan rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. "So we're not going to the movie?"

"I'm not," he said making eye contact with Carrie and nodding.

Understanding dawned on her face and Megan peered back at me a smile touching her lips before she turned back to her father. "Uh, yeah, so I guess I'll see you tonight."

Mr. Hails nodded at Carrie, then he turned to me still smiling. "We'll catch up later."

I nodded, and he turned away. He'd only taken perhaps half a dozen steps when without even realizing what I was doing I ran after him. I threw my arms around him, and he jerked to a stop glancing back at me with a startled look on his face.

"Mr. Hails…" I froze as I looked up into his eyes. "I-I just wanted to say, thank you… for everything."

"Of course." He peered back, surprised reflected in his eyes.

"And… good luck, with the interview, I mean. You're a shoo-in."

Mr. Hails sauntered away, and a second later a weight pressed into my side. I glanced toward it just in time to witness Megan slip her arms around my waist and smile. I peered into her eyes and leaned in to peck her on the lips.

Of all the ways I'd expected my day to turn out, this hadn't even made the list, but that was not a bad thing. Not at all.

We rejoined Carrie and made our way to the theater seating ourselves within the nearly empty auditorium. When the lights turned dark and Megan's head came to rest on my shoulders, I let out a contented sigh. I'd come a long way to get where I was, and for a while things looked bad. I'd found my father and reunited with the girl I loved even if she looked a little different. What could be better?

As the opening credits rolled across the screen, I took Megan's hand and squeezed it. I had no idea what the future held, but it had never looked so bright.

Part 38 - Epilogue

"—In what experts are calling a landmark victory for Twisted rights." The female reporter's voice blared from the television as video footage played on-screen of Mr. Hails and me descending the steps of the courthouse.

I muted the volume, a smile spreading across my face as I watched the news report. I shook my head still unable to believe that it was real, or that I was the focal point. Star Capital Realty and Development Corporation, the company that owns the Clearville Mall offered to settle out of court, in exchange for my silence, but Mr. Hails and I agreed that I needed to share my story.

On the surface my case had been a simple lawsuit claiming damages against Star Capital, but Mr. Hails seemed to think there would be more far-reaching implications. Such a victory could pave the way for civil cases like Loving v. Virginia or Brown v. The Board of Education.

Though painful, relating my memories of what happened in the mall in a courtroom for everyone to hear, the tears I shed on the stand helped drive my point home. All of Star Capital's money and their slick lawyers didn't stand a chance.

The judge awarded us more money in damages with which I might have otherwise know what to do, but with which I already began to make plans. The cost of higher-education wouldn't be getting cheaper any time soon, and if the future I envisioned would ever come to pass I would need some of that money to fund it.

At first, Mr. Hails wanted to take on my case pro bono. He insisted that the notoriety alone would be a major career booster, but I persuaded him to take a portion of the judgement. He relented and suffice it to say that I wouldn't be the only one who would be paying for her college expenses with all the money.

With everything that had transpired, I did a lot of self-exploration and made some decisions about my career path. I wanted to help people and… well, I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my dad. Not Carrie, but the man who took me in and protected me when my own mother wanted nothing to do with me. As you guessed that would be Mr. Hails or John as I was calling him these days.

My mind turned to Jeff Goldwin and those jackasses at the convenience store. One of the first things I asked Megan about after our reunion had been about Jeff. As I already surmised I was premature in assuming I killed him. He tried to pin the whole thing on me, but someone in the park filmed the entire confrontation on their smartphone. Mr. Hails used it as leverage to get the charges against me dropped.

As far as 'Jet' and his friends in the convenience store, they didn't come forward until after the lawsuit against Star Capital and only because they saw my face on the news. Again, video footage saved my ass, this time from the convenience store security cameras. Like Jeff, Jet and his friends had been the ones to face the music. Unfortunately, the worst charges that were levied against them had been disorderly conduct. I would take any victory I could get, even the small ones.

Though I escaped both unscathed, Mr. Hails saved me from the legal repercussions of their actions. It was a sad truth that the victims in situations like mine tended to be ones who faced criminal charges. Namely because no one would stand up for them. Maybe I was meant to help others in the same way Mr. Hails helped me.

I glanced at my reflection, a smile touching my pink gloss-stained lips as the girl in the mirror peered back at me. It took some time, but I put to rest the war between my male and female halves. My masculine half surrendered to my inner girl, and I embraced her with no reservations.

I don't think any of that would have happened without the help of Dr. Mansfield. Our regular counseling sessions helped me realize that aside from my desire to be pretty and a few weird compulsions I was still pretty much the same old me. I still liked video games, I still ogled girls, and I was as big of a nerd as ever. The only difference being, most people didn't see past my looks. For some that meant they saw a freak, but for most people in Spiral it meant another pretty face albeit one who looked a little more exotic.

The other big change in my life, was twist-related as well and that too I embraced. As I guessed I would, I took the dive into martial arts. I enrolled in lessons just two short weeks after walking past that studio in the mall and didn't look back. My sensei told me he'd never seen anyone progress as quickly as me, but that would surprise no one who knew what caused my twist.

Since learning of my interest in martial arts, there had been no other surprises. I hoped that doing a little research of The Rise of the Anthecron the game which triggered my twist, might offer some clues, but I gleaned nothing helpful. Even the character bio for Kalena had been a bust. If there was anything new to discover about my twist, I would have to uncover it on my own. The version of the game I played was a demo and had yet to see a final release. When it did, I would be sure to get a copy. Who knows? I might enjoy it if nothing else.

My attitude towards my twist had changed in recent months and I was beginning to see that despite all the hardship it caused me, it was the best thing to have ever happened to me. I found my father… won over the girl of my dreams and my future seemed brighter than ever. College always seemed like wishful thinking when I lived in Clearville. Now, it had become a very likely prospect.

Armed with my ambitions I started applying myself in school and went from an average student to one of the top in my class. I made new friends and found a family, some of whom were blood and some not, that supported and lifted me up. As devastated as my mother's rejection left me, she'd never been very supportive. My new family had their difficulties, but when it counted they were always there for each other. I couldn't say the same for my mother.

Even the twins seemed to have accepted me. I overheard them discussing me with one of their little friends and although they still thought I was an 'icky girl' I was 'kinda nice' too. Not exactly a glowing recommendation, but an improvement from the accusatory glares they used to level at me. Amanda, was a highlight and while she could be needy and temperamental, she made even my worst days worth living. Drew, seemed pleased to have me around and included me in all the family activities. Our dynamic isn't what you would expect of a stepfather and stepdaughter. He treated me like a younger kid sister, which was just fine by me.

As for Carrie... The paternity test had been a closer match than anyone had anticipated. Dr. Clark had seemed surprised, but I made perfect sense to me. I looked just like her, after all. Nevertheless, it was reassuring to have confirmation, even if Carrie insisted it wasn’t necessary.

Liz and David had become something of a fixture in my life. Though their visits were less frequent than I’d like, I looked forward to the times they visited. I’d even started learning sign language so I could communicate with my grandfather.

I gazed into the vanity mirror one last time, giving my makeup a quick once-over, and smiled. Though I'd been reticent to give cosmetics a go, because of the price, I had to admit that the results were well worth it. There weren't a lot of places that sold makeup to match my blue skin tone, but I managed to find a place that custom made it. I lived in Spiral after all.

I moved away from the mirror and grappled with the remote, flicking off the TV mounted on the opposite wall, a recent addition, and tossed it onto my bed. I stopped by the dresser, retrieving an envelope with the address to a certain convenience store scrolled across the front it and my purse. Sliding the former into the latter, I slipped out of my bedroom and down the hallway.

I found Carrie and Drew lounging on the couch in the living room. She was wearing her scrubs from the clinic and he was still sporting the t-shirt and jeans he usually wore out to the job site. I stepped into view, spinning around on the balls of my feet."Well? How do I look?"

Carrie rose to her feet and rested her hands on my shoulders. "A slam dunk as always."

I nodded, glancing down at my outfit pleased by her compliment. It was less revealing than my usual fare, but I didn't want to out-do Megan by too wide of a margin. She was still very much a t-shirt and jeans sort of girl and I always felt so overdressed when Megan and I were out together. I sported a pink halter top and black knee-length-skirt and matching pair of heels.

"Do me a favor, and try not to stay out past ten-thirty, okay?" She asked.

I nodded, biting my lip. Though she made the same request every time I was out with Megan, I was more than happy to accommodate her. "Okay… Mom."

She froze, her gaze never leaving me. It was the first time I'd called her by anything other than her first name and, I managed to catch her off guard for a change. Eventually, her mouth cracked into a smile, and she turned away wiping a tear from her face.

Before either of us could speak, the doorbell rang, and I tore down the stairs tripping over myself to get to the front door. Somehow I made it without face-planting into the hardwood steps and swung the door open to reveal Megan standing on the other side.

My heart fluttered at the mere sight of her and I stopped momentarily short of breath. Megan was my everything, we'd been through so much together and I couldn't imagine life without her. Our relationship had raised a few eyebrows because of our age, but I didn't give a fuck what anyone thought. The way my heart yearned for her whenever I was apart from her was more than just a simple crush.

Our relationship had evolved a lot since my flight from Clearville. It had been a little bumpy at first, due largely to the aforementioned flight, but we’d had a long talk and cleared the air. Megan still thought me a bit dense for fleeing town, but she had come to accept my reasons. She told me all about their own flight from Clearville and the sense of abandonment she’d experienced when I left.

What must it have been like all those years thinking that she was the only twisted person her age in our little town only to discover that not only was there another, but that person also happened to be her best friend? Then I had left, abandoning her just days before she’d undergone her own twist. Was it any wonder she slapped me when we met back up in the mall?

After my mother’s rejection, I understood all too well what Megan had gone through. It tore my insides up just thinking about the pain I’d caused her. I promised myself, and Megan too, that I would never abandon her again. Looking at her now, I found myself reaffirming that vow.

For a change Megan had switched things up. She wore a red button-down shirt, with half the buttons unclasped to reveal her rather generous cleavage, and instead of jeans she wore a pair of tight-fitting black dress pants. Without a doubt it was the most revealing thing she'd ever worn and yet still managed to fit into her tomboy sense of style.

Her cosmetics changed as often as I morphed my clothing and at times it seemed at odds with the way she dressed, but I'd gotten used to it. On that day she'd gone with something relatively conservative, blush, mascara, a little eyeliner and scarlet red lipsticks. The previous day she'd gone with a rainbow effect around her eyes and lips. Needless to say when the two of us were together we stood out in a crowd.

Megan's twist had been a result of an aborted attempt at a makeover by Allison. She'd experienced a shift in appearance to more closely resemble her cousin and compulsion to wear cosmetics. Aside from that she was more or less the same old Megan which was just fine by me.

If it was possible, the rift between the two girls had widened even further. I didn’t see much of Allison these days, and though I understood much of her behavior was a result of her twist I couldn’t say I was disappointed by her absence. I only prayed that she one day found a way to make peace with herself.

I bit my lip then leaned in to peck her on the cheek. "You look nice."

"You too," she beamed back at me. "So what do you have planned tonight?"

I slipped outside, and closed the door behind me, my smile stretching into a grin. "Oh, I have some ideas."

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