When Simon finds a crashed alien space ship, it not only changes his life but the lives of his friends and classmates

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Simon's Story: A Prequel to the Club
part 1 of 9
By Morpheus

"Yo Simon." I heard a loud voice calling, wincing at the sound of my name. God how I hated my name. Simon Victor Halloway, though often referred to as Simple Simon or Simon the pie man, much to my disgust. I couldn't help but wondering why my folks had ever saddled me with a name like that to begin with.

Turning around, I saw the person who'd been calling me, running towards me through the school hallway. He was 16 years old, more than just a little overweight and had his acne splotched face smothered by an unruly mop of brown hair. Edwin Marshall wasn't in a much better position than me namewise, perhaps even worse. That just might be the reason that we'd been best friends for most of our lives.

"Heya Ed." I greeted him when he got closer, using the nickname that I knew he preferred, though I was about the only one who ever used it. "What's up?"

Ed grinned at me. "Not much. I'm just glad the weekend's here."

"Don't remind me." I grumbled, definitely feeling less than enthusiastic about the four day weekend which was just about to start.

Frowning sympathetically, Ed asked, "Your dad's still serious about that?"

I nodded, sighing as I did so. "I'm afraid so. We're off to go camping and be one big happy family." I added as much sarcasm as I could to it, which wasn't at all difficult considering how I felt.

"Bummer." Ed told me.

Nodding agreement, I frowned and stared off, dreading my weekend. My dad had decided to try making us act like a family for a change, which was what I knew it would just be. An act. He was probably trying to appease his guilt or something, which he did about every six months Or after about every major affair of his.

Dad was always out having an affair with one woman or another, usually ignoring me and mom. But then again, mom certainly wasn't much better. She just stayed at home, drowning her sorrows in a bottle and nagging either me or dad every time she even bothered to say something. I never could figure out if it had been her drinking and nagging that had made dad start having his affairs or if it was the affairs that had started her drinking. Either way, I guessed it was another one of those 'chicken or the egg' situations. Needless to say, I was NOT looking forward to spending any more time than necessary with my folks, especially not camping. I shuddered at the very thought.

"Going to sleep on Elm Street would probably be more fun." I muttered to myself, thinking that spending time with my folks was going to be anything but a vacation.

"Well," Ed told me, "I'm really sorry to hear that, but I hope you can at least keep from going psycho or something."

I chuckled, slapping Ed on the back. "Who knows," I told him with a grin, "maybe I'll find some way to have fun with my folks. Like slipping vinegar into my mom's vodka again." Ed and I both laughed, remembering my mom's reaction the last time that I'd done that.

"Well, I've gotta go." Ed told me, starting towards his bus, "See ya later."

"Later." I echoed, starting towards my own bus, dreading my return home. It was times like this that I actually wished the school day was longer. At least at school I had all the other kids around to talk to and didn't have to put up with my folks bull shit. Shaking my head, I climbed onto the bus and braced myself for the torments to come.

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I groaned to myself as I climbed out of the car and looked at the cabin that was to be my home for the next several days. But still, at least it was better than being locked in the car with mom and dad. The long drive up there had been a living hell. And at least now I'd have the chance to slip off among some of the trees that surrounded the cabin, as flea infested a rat hole as it was.

"Well Simon..." my dad asked cheerfully, "What do you think?

Frowning, I tore my eyes off of the cabin that dad had borrowed from some friend and stared at him. He was grinning almost stupidly, obviously thinking that this little family gathering was going to make up for everything bad. I snorted in disgust, having long since given up on those hopes.

"Does it at least have cable?" I asked grumpily, not at all happy at having been dragged along.

Mom quickly interjected, "It's lovely." I swore that I could hear a slight slur to her speech, even if I hadn't seen her drinking anything during the drive up.

After a moment, dad said, "All right Simon, I'm going to take a look around. I want you to take all of our bags inside." Then with that, dad started walking off, leaving me and mom standing by the car. Mom didn't even glance at me before going into the cabin on her own.

"Just great." I grumbled to myself, picking up my bags and starting towards the cabin, "Another weekend in hell."

The rest of the night was even worse than the ride up. The cabin was drafty, the running water was cold and I had to listen to my mom nag my dad for hours, at least until she got herself too drunk to talk, while he insulted her the whole time. I just stepped outside, standing on the porch and listening to the noises from the forest, wishing to God that I was back home. At least there my parents didn't usually stay in one room long enough to yell at each other too much.

First thing in the morning, I walked out of the room I'd stayed in, yawning slightly but having slept much better than I'd expected. Whatever friend of dad's had lent him the cabin definitely kept the beds at least in good shape. It was almost as soft as back him. The only real downside was how cold it was in the morning since no one had bothered starting the fire. And of course the fact that my folks were in the cabin as well.

When I went into the main room, I saw my mom laying on the couch where she'd passed out and there was no sign of my dad. I figured that he was probably still sleeping in, which was just fine with me. I wasn't really in any mood to face him right now, or his hypocritical speeches about how we were a family and should do family things together

After I'd eaten a quick bowl of the cereal that we'd brought along, I went outside and took a look around the cabin. It wasn't actually quite as bad as my first impression, but still, I'd much rather have been back home where I at least had cable TV. This place didn't even have one at all, which was a real bummer.

For a couple hours I just hung around the cabin, trying to ignore my folks as they both got up and started to move about, even pretending that they were a happily married couple. I just felt sick from it.

"Common Simon," my dad finally suggested cheerfully, "let's go fishing and get a few big ones."

My only response was to shake my head and mutter, "Joy." But I went along with him anyway down towards the lake, hoping that maybe I'd have some fun after all. I certainly wasn't expecting it though, especially since I'd never been a real big fan of fishing.

"You'll love it." dad insisted when we got to the edge of the lake. I nodded, unconvinced but deciding to humor him for the moment.

The fishing trip was a big bust. After less than an hour, dad had started to flirt with a pretty girl who'd come by from another cabin. I smiled at her faintly myself but looked at dad in disgust. He hadn't even tried pretending that he wasn't interested. Instead, he just grinned, "No harm in window shopping." I snorted, knowing that he really meant "No harm in trying them on for size."

But eventually we both left the lake, neither of us having caught a thing. "What a waste of time." I muttered, noticing that dad's good mood had vanished just as quickly as the fish. He was grumbling to himself the whole way back to the cabin, and after a few short words with mom, he turned and left again. Back to look for that woman he'd been flirting with I guessed.

"I don't know why I ever married that good for nothing bastard." mom told me, pouring herself a glass of scotch. "And you....." She sneered slightly as she took a sip.

"Whatever." I exclaimed, suddenly turning and storming out of the cabin. I wasn't in any mood to hear about all my faults, especially not from her.

As soon as I was outside the cabin, I yelled back, "I'll be back later. I'm going for a walk." Then with that, I grabbed my back pack from the door where I'd left after getting back from fishing and started towards the hiking trails that I'd seen earlier. I didn't know where I was going, but I was sure as hell going to get away from the cabin and my folks for as long as I could.

I hiked along the trails for several hours, surprising myself in that I was actually having a good time. Walking along the trail and being all alone in the trees made me feel relaxed, more so than I'd been in a long time. Without really thinking about it, I just continued walking, enjoying the fresh air and most of all...being away from my folks.

Eventually, I changed directions, deciding to follow some of the lesser used trails, heading towards one mountain that looked interesting. I figured that I could find my way back easily enough so didn't worry about it when I left the main trails. I was having so much fun that I didn't even notice how quickly the time passed.

After awhile, when I got closer to the mountain that I had been heading towards, I was surprised to notice that the trees had thinned out dramatically. There was a huge spot where all the trees were gone, almost as if they'd been clear cut a long time ago, though a lot of underbrush remain and some smaller trees. Not at all like the bigger ones in the rest of the forest.

"There was probably a fire." I muttered to myself, glancing around and guessing that if there was, it had to have been a long time ago. Probably a couple decades too by the amount of underbrush and the smaller trees.

Shrugging, I decided that it wasn't worth wondering about so continued to the huge rock wall that was on the edge of the clearing. The cliff had looked so impressive from a distance that I'd been almost drawn to get a better look at it up close. And better yet, there hadn't been any trails so I figured that not many people actually saw it like I was.

When I got to the base of the cliff, I let out a loud whistle at how high it seemed, then stopped suddenly when a glint of light caught my eye. Curious, I turned and started towards it, seeing that it was coming from further down along the cliff. At first I wasn't sure exactly what it was, but as I got closer, I saw several chunks of metal shredded and scattered around, mostly covered up with brush and dirt from having sat there for a long time, but enough was still in the open for the sun to reflect off of it at the right angle.

"A plane crash." I gasped, realizing that was exactly what this had to be.

I looked around, going further down and finding that the metal was getting thicker. When I turned and looked back towards where I'd come from, I noticed a pattern. The whole clear cut area had a deep trench down the middle of it, going back all the way and it seemed to end just a short distance ahead of me.

"Wow." I whispered, wondering if anybody else had ever found the place wreck.

However, as I went a little further, I noticed something embedded into the wall of the cliff. Hell, it was so embedded that rocks and dirt covered almost all of it, obviously having come down during the crash. The plane, I realized in amazement. I could barely see any of it under the large pile of dirt and rock.

Still feeling extremely curious, I started to move close to the wreckage, nervously realizing as I did so that I might even find some long dead bodies. The thought spooked me but excited me at the same time. It was more adventure than I'd ever seen before in my life and doubted I ever would again. And as I got closer and closer, as well as more nervous, I saw that a there was a shiny section of metal that wasn't covered by the dirt and rock, as well as a gaping hole where the side had been torn wide open from the crash.

When I got to the edge of the gaping hole, I let out an "Oh shit." wondering for the first time if maybe this hadn't been an airplane. It didn't look like any airplane that I'd ever seen before in my life, and the metal that I saw looked...odd. I wasn't sure why, but it was a slightly bluish silver, which wasn't quite like what I would have expected, especially since I suddenly realized, that there wasn't a speck of rust on any of it. None of the exposed metal that I'd seen had been rusted in the slightest. Dirty and buried yes, but rusted....no. With that, I let out another "Oh shit." then nervously stepped inside.

The room in front of me was at a slope and I had to be extremely careful as I slowly started making my way further in, and somewhat down. The whole floor was covered with dust, dirt and debris, also with bits of fur and stuff that made me think that a few animals must have found there way inside at one time or another. I only hoped that there weren't any at that moment, especially any bears. I shuddered at the thought of suddenly running across a bear or wolf.

"That's that last thing that I need." I muttered, stopping where I was and digging through my back pack for my flash light. Once it was on and giving me enough light to see by, I felt a lot better and more confident, but also even more surprised. "Wow." I whispered again in amazement, glancing around and not recognizing most of what I saw. "This ain't no plane."

The sides were at an odd angle and there were several different things that I assumed to be computers, but I couldn't tell for sure because they looked like they were half made out of bone or something and half made out of the same silvery blue metal that I'd already seen. I gulped, fighting the urge to get out and run, but instead I started going further inside, through a round door in the back and into yet another room.

When I got to the next room, I gulped, seeing some sort of light up ahead of me. I looked around, even turning my flashlight off to make sure, but the yellowish glow was still there in the back. Hesitantly I started going towards it, finding that I had to go through one more round shaped door, where I found myself in yet a third room. The yellowish light was coming the far corner. From a glowing sphere that looked sort of like a crystal ball. It was sitting on some sort of column and seemed to be partially clamped down.

My eyes widened at the way the sphere was glowing, realizing that I'd just found something that was more than just a little strange. "Oh shit." I whispered again, moving closer to it and seeing something more. There were two bumps on the floor just on the other side of it, both piled up against the sloped wall. However, as weirded out as I already was, when I got close enough to make out what the bumps were, I was a thousand times worse.

"Ohmygod." I gasped out in a rush, jumping backwards, my heart racing faster than it had ever done in my life. "Aliens. I've found some freakin aliens." I gulped staring at the skeletons which had obviously not come from any human. I might have thought that they'd come from some sort of monkey if it hadn't been for the large and elongated shapes of the skulls, not to mention the fact that they both had two sets of arms coming from the each shoulder. "Aliens."

For several minutes I just stood where I was, staring at the skeletons in disbelief. Thoughts of amazement and confusion filled my mind, as well as thoughts about how I was rich. Or at least how I'd be rich once I showed these things to the newspapers. But then I realized something else. My folks would probably get the money, not me. And worse, the government would probably take the whole thing away. I gulped, glancing around, nervous of being discovered. Fortunately though I was still alone. Alone with two dead aliens and the freakiest glowing ball that I'd ever set eyes on.

Finally, I decided that I could probably keep the flying saucer I'd found hidden. All I'd need was something to prove that I was telling the truth. Grabbing one of the bones from the aliens came to mind, but I quickly discounted that, instead looking at the sphere. That would do it, I figured.

"Here goes nothing." I muttered as I nervously reached out to touch the sphere. The hair on my arms stood straight up, and then, as soon as I touched it, I felt shock run through my body, making every hair on my body stand out. But at the same time, it didn't hurt. It just felt pretty damn weird. "All right." I told myself, "It's not going to hurt you." Then as an afterthought, I added, "Unless it's radioactive."

I didn't like that thought so ignored it, focusing instead on trying to get the sphere off of the column. After holding onto the sphere for several minutes, feeling kind of warm and tingly while I did so, I managed to get it loose from the clamps that was holding it in. The sphere popped loose into my hands and I stood there, holding it out triumphantly, proud of my own success. I was grinning to myself and didn't even notice it at first. The strange yellowish light that started to pour out from the column.

"Oh God." I muttered nervously. "What did I do?"

Standing where I was with the sphere clutched firmly in my hands, I stared at the light and the glowing yellow mist that came out of the column, filling the room I was in. I was too terrified to move, positive that at any minute something was going to blow up and kill me or that I'd be poisoned. However, neither happened. The room just continued to fill with the mist for another minute while the column continued to glow. My whole body felt tingly and warm, making me even more afraid that I was going to suddenly keel over dead. God, I felt strange.

After a couple minutes, the mist faded away and the column stopped glowing. I stared at it still, using the light from both my flashlight and the sphere. Nothing had happened to me, but that didn't change the fact that I hadn't been able to move once that had started up. And it hadn't been because of my incredible curiosity either. I'd been terrified. Too terrified to move. I patted myself, seeing that nothing harmful seemed to have happened, but that didn't really make me feel any better.

"Just great." I told myself, gulping and then putting the sphere into my back pack. I noticed absently that while it was still glowing, it wasn't nearly as strong as before. Maybe that stuff from the column had been powering it or something. I didn't know, but I did know that it would make great proof of what I'd found, when I was ready to show it to someone that was.

With that, I took a deep breath, then hurried out of the wreckage, letting out a sigh of relief once I was back into the fresh air. I gave it one more nervous glance, then looked up at the sun, realizing that I'd spent a lot more time away than I'd planned. And then I started hurrying back to the cabin as quickly as I could.

When I'd returned to the cabin, the sun had just set and as soon as I stepped inside my mom immediately demanded, "Where the hell were you?" I winced, knowing from the smell on her breath that she was already drunk. "Well?"

"I was just out back building a tree house." I told her in my most innocent voice. "You told me that there'd be no problem, don't you remember?"

Mom looked confused at that and I just smiled to myself and went to get myself something to eat. Sometimes, I thought to myself with some amusement, having a drunk mom could be fun. However, while I was eating, it didn't take me long to notice that dad wasn't back yet either. I frowned at that, not in the least surprised.

"Several more days of hell." I muttered, patting my back pack protectively and knowing that I was going to have to keep my discovery well hidden for now. But still, I grinned to myself, barely able wait to show Ed.

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After my weekend in hell was over, I was more than happy to finally get back to school. Being back in the classroom and with all my friends was definitely preferable to spending time with my folks. Even with all the tests and teachers, I'd rather be at school than home.

Shortly after second period, I finally got together with Ed. "Man," I told him in an excited whisper, "You won't believe what happened to me."

Ed chuckled. "I take it that things went a little better than you expected. What happened, did you get laid?"

I grinned at that. "I wish." Then I frowned. "My dad got laid though. But my mom didn't." Ed groaned at that. "Most of the weekend was about what I expected. It sucked big time."

"So..." Ed asked.

"I did have one thing happen, that you wouldn't believe. I can't tell you here." I told him quietly. "I've got something that I've really gotta show you after school. I mean, you won't believe it otherwise."

Ed looked at me oddly. "You're serious?" I nodded. "Now you've got me curious."

With that, Ed and I grinned at each other, both of us knowing that we'd meet together at his house to talk about what had happened. I couldn't wait to let someone in on what had happened to me.

The rest of the school day went by pretty quickly. And pretty much just like normal. Shelly Elbrook, the cheerleader that I'd had a crush on completely ignored me. John McCormick threatened to push me through a wall if I looked at him again, and Mrs. Hendrickson, my English teacher ordered me into detention just because I disrupted her class a little with a few comments. It's not like it was really my fault. She was the one who'd set herself up by saying things before thinking them through. I couldn't resist. Especially after she made a comment about us paying as much attention as a buncha statues. I mean, how could I resist comparing her to Medusa?

After school had finally ended for the day, not to mention my detention as well, I returned home, dodged around my folks and grabbed my back pack, with the sphere still in it, then rushing off to Ed's house. I grinned to myself the whole way, barely able to contain my excitement as I thought about telling him.

When I got to Ed's house, his mom let me in and I rushed up to his room. "Hey Eddie boy..." I called out when I burst in, grinning broadly, "Howya doin?"

Ed sat up from his bed and grinned. "So man, what was so important."

I held up my back pack, patting it proudly. "Simon says, sit down." Ed looked at me oddly but sat back down on his bed. "You're gonna need to be sitting for this."

"What's going on?" Ed asked, beginning to sound annoyed.

"Well..." I said slowly, still grinning, "I went out hiking and...." As I told Ed the story, his eyes widened a little, though he looked a little more incredulous than surprised. Obviously he thought I was joking, which didn't surprise me too much since I have been known to play a joke every now and then.

"You don't expect me to buy that, do you?" He asked me.

Sighing, I said, "I guess this is what happens from crying wolf." Then I unzipped my back pack, making a show of doing it slowly. "Of course that's why I brought proof." Then with that, I pulled the glowing yellow sphere from outside of my pack, feeling all the hairs on my arm standing up slightly while touching it. "I found this on the UFO."

Ed just stared at it for a moment, his eyes wide with amazement. "I don't believe it." he said quietly. "Maybe it's some sort of night-light. Battery and a light bulb."

"No openings or seams." I pointed out, slowly rotating the ball around so that he could see.

"Chemical then." He muttered. "Like some of those fish."

I shrugged at that. "I ain't got a clue how it glows or why. I only know where I found it and that it's definitely weird. I mean," I shuddered slightly, "you shoulda seen that place. Those skeletons..."

Still not looking completely convinced, but coming closer to it, Ed hesitantly asked, "Can I hold it?"

"Sure." I told him, handing it over.

However, as soon as Ed's fingers touched the sphere, I felt the static shock hit me and then I was suddenly unbelievably dizzy. Everything suddenly went blurry and weird, leaving me more than a little confused. Then just as suddenly, everything cleared up and I found myself looking at a tall thin kid with dark brown hair instead of Ed.

"What the hell?" I asked, yanking my hand back away from the glowing sphere and staring at the guy across from me in shock. Then I recognized him. It was me. The same face I saw every time I looked in the mirror. "Ohmygod." I gasped out in a rush, looking down at myself and seeing that I was shorter than before and a lot heavier built. I was inside Ed's body.

My own face took on a look of confusion and dropped the sphere onto the floor. "Holy shit!" I heard my voice exclaim. "I'm....I'm...."

"You're me." I gasped. "And I'm you." I stared at Ed in complete surprise, then looked down at the sphere which was laying on the floor. "I can't believe it."

"Well...." Ed said weakly, "I believe. I definitely believe."

I stood up, wincing at how heavy I felt compared to normal. Then I slowly patted myself down, still trying to make some sense of it. Ed was doing the same with my body, patting it down as if to try proving that it was indeed real.

"How.....how did this happen?" Ed asked, his eyes wide as he stared at me. for a moment I thought that I could see traces of panic in them.

I shrugged at that. "How the hell should I know? I just found the damn thing." Then my eyes went back to the sphere. I stared at it for a few moments, trying to stay calm and think about it. Then I realized, "Nothing happened until we both touched it. Maybe if we both touch it again....."

"Worth a try." Ed agreed.

But even though we'd both agreed, it took us a couple moments before we bent over to touch the sphere again. I took a deep breath, then grabbed hold if it with no effect. Ed on the other hand hesitated for a second, then after giving me a nervous look, he touched it as well. Almost immediately I felt a static shock, as well as a wave of dizziness and confusion. When it had all passed, I found myself once more looking into Ed's face.

"It worked." I said, half surprised. Then as I stared at the glowing sphere, I slowly started to grin. "It works." Ed gave me a weak smile and I just laughed. "It works!"

"Cool." was all that Ed said, still looking as if he was trying to make some sense of it all.

I just stared at the sphere with a grin on my face, deciding that I could probably have some real fun with that thing. Chuckling wickedly, I thought that if it would keep working that way, then I could have some real fun indeed.

Simon's Story: A Prequel to the Club
part 2 of 9
By Morpheus

The next day at school, I couldn't stop thinking about what had happened the night before with the sphere. I was burning with curiosity, not only to know if it would work again but with people other than Ed as well as what it would be like to be someone else. And not just for two minutes either.

When school had finished for the day, I told Ed, "Do you wanna come on over to my house for awhile. My dad's gonna be working late..." I sneered slightly at that, "I wanted to try that sphere out again."

"I don't know." Ed told me nervously. "I mean, what if we get stuck?"

I shrugged, refusing to worry about it. "Relax." I told him. "We won't." Ed didn't seem particularly convinced of that, but he agreed to come over anyway.

A couple hours later, Ed and I were in my bedroom, huddled over the sphere. I grinned as I stared at it, rubbing my hands together absently and thinking about just what I had on my hands. Screw telling people about it, I thought to myself. Why would I want to take the chance of someone stealing the thing from me, especially now that I knew what it could do. I only had to prove to myself that it still worked.

"I don't know about this" Ed muttered, repeating the words that he'd told me earlier. "Are you sure that it will even work again?"

Shaking my head, I assured him, "Sure it will. It has to."

Then I grinned and put my hand onto the sphere, inviting Ed to do the same. He hesitated for a moment, then reached out to touch it. As soon as his fingers touched the sphere, I felt the zap and a moment later we'd swapped bodies again.

"Cool." I said, standing up and gently patting my stomach, trying to get used to the extra bulk that I'd suddenly gained.

Ed patted his as well, obviously noting what it was like to suddenly lose the extra bulk. "Cool." he echoed. "You know..." Ed said, looking down on me slightly and grinning, "I think I like being tall."

"Well..." I mumbled, patting my stomach, "No offense, but I don't think that I really like the spare tire."

Ed just shrugged at that. "So, are we going to change back now?"

"No way." I grinned back. "I wanna see if we can stay like this for a little longer or if it wears off or something." Ed looked a little unsure of that, but he reluctantly nodded agreement.

For the next couple hours, Ed and I just stayed in my room, bullshitting and playing my Nintendo 64. It was kind of strange, I mean sitting next to him and seeing myself. Definitely weird. Even weirder when my mom came in and told me, "You'll have to be leaving in awhile Edwin." I smirked slightly at that and then Ed and I started laughing when my mom had left.

When it was finally time for Ed to go home, he said, "I guess we'd better change back now."

I looked over at Ed and then the sphere, thinking about it as I did so. "But this is kinda cool." I told him, feeling a little reluctant. Then I suggested "Why don't we stay as each other for the night? We can trade back tomorrow."

"I don't know." Ed said reluctantly, but I could tell from the look on his face, or was that mine, that he was definitely thinking about it. It took me less than a minute to finish talking him into it.

"Well," I told him with a grin, "I guess I'll see you in school tomorrow.....Simon."

Ed laughed at that. "Later...Edwin."

Then with that, we both chuckled and I left my room, going past my mom who was sitting on the couch sipping something from a bottle while dad watched the news on TV and ignored her, and me as I walked past.

When I got to Ed's house, his mom greeted me with a cheerful, "Hi Edwin. How was your day?" I stared at her for a moment, then smiled faintly.

"Pretty good." I told her. "A little strange though." She looked at me oddly for a moment, then asked what I meant. "Oh, nothing much." I grinned. "I just don't feel much like myself at the moment." And with that I chuckled and hurried up to Ed's room, even pausing long enough for a quick "Hello." to Ed's dad.

I felt pretty odd when I got ready for bed. I mean, I was a couple inches shorter than normal and probably 25 pounds heavier as well. Having to wear Ed's underwear wasn't my idea of something fun to do either, but at least I didn't use his tooth brush, preferring instead to not even bother brushing my teeth.

When I woke up the next morning, I rolled over and slapped the alarm, feeling rather confused at the same time. For one, I definitely felt wrong. I opened my eyes groggily and looked around, immediately recognizing that I wasn't in my own room, but it took me several seconds before I remembered what had happened.

"Oh man." I groaned to myself, finding it a little harder than usual to wake all the way up. I kept wanting to crawl back into bed. I'd never had such a hard time in the morning. "Man," I mumbled, grabbing my new gut in my hands, "this is not fun." Then shaking my head, I went about taking a shower, figuring that Ed wouldn't be happy if I showed up to school stinky.

When I went into the dining room, I was half shocked to see Ed's mom wide awake, sipping at a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper. My mom never woke up before noon if she could help it. Ed's mom looked up at me and smiled, actually looking pleased to see me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if I was where I didn't belong.

"Good morning sweetheart." she greeted me, getting up and going to the kitchen cupboard. A minute later, she was back with a bowl and a box of cereal. "Did you sleep well?"

"Fine." I told her, smiling in spite of myself. It was strange to actually have a mother worrying about me, even if she was someone else's.

For some reason, having Ed's mom around and talking cheerfully while I ate and then went about getting ready for school put me into a good mood. It was quite a difference from my own mornings and I decided that I liked it. But sadly, I thought about my own folks and knew that my own family would never be like Ed's. At least he actually had a real family.

When it was about time to go, I returned to Ed's room to pick up his books. Without really thinking about it, I reached under his bed and grabbed the book bag that was underneath there. Once I had that in hand, I started back out the room, stopping suddenly as I glanced down at the book bag and wondered how I'd known where to find it.

"That's weird." I muttered, shrugging it off and then leaving for school. "Later mom." I called out to Ed's mom when I went past.

"Have a good day in school sweetheart." she called back as I went out the door.

Once I got to school and sitting in my first period, or actually Ed's first period, I noticed something else. Ed had been taking a math class that was a little more advanced than mine, but much to my surprise, I was actually able to follow along with the lessons. And I didn't know anything about math.

After the teacher, Mr. Bellmont passed out the results of the test that had been taken the day before, I looked at Ed's results and was startled to see that he got an A. Since he was usually a B and C student like myself, I guessed that he'd probably be pretty proud of it.

"Good job Edwin." one girl sitting next to me said cheerfully, bent over and looking at my paper.

I looked at the girl for a moment, never really having seen her before except in passing through the halls, but I suddenly knew that her name was Ashley Morris. Ashley brushed a hand through her frazzled reddish hair and I smiled weakly, just as suddenly also knowing that Ed had a major crush on her. I could remember sitting in my room and staring at her picture, which was extremely odd since not only did I not have a picture of her, but I'd never met her. Then it dawned on me. That was Ed's memory.

"Thanks." I answered quietly, feeling my heart beating a little faster in her presence and thinking "Oh shit." Somehow I actually felt attracted to her. As if I was the one with the crush on her. Ashley grinned back and then we both returned our attention to the teacher. Or at least I pretended to return my attention to him. I was actually too busy thinking about what the latest discovery.

The next time I saw Ed in the halls, I almost didn't recognize him, not being quite used to looking for myself. I rushed over to him and asked, "What's up?"

"Not much." Ed answered, grinning slightly. "But it is kinda weird. But kinda neat at the same time."

"Definitely." I agreed wholeheartedly. "But I've noticed something else that's kinda weird." I paused for a moment, wondering how to say it. "Well, I've been remembering things that never happened to me. Some of your memories and stuff." Ed's eyes widened at that. "Not much, and only if I really concentrate on it." I told him, "But I've also recognized people that you know but I never met. You know, knowing their names and stuff."

"Common..." Ed said uncomfortably, "You're kidding right."

I shook my head. "Nope." Then I told him about what happened with Ashley.

Once I was finished, Ed whispered, "Jesus..."

"Have you had anything like that happen to you?" I asked him.

He shook his head, then after a moments thought, admitted that there might have been something a little like that during one of the classes though he wasn't sure. "And I don't really remember anything that you did either." He told me, concentrating hard to see if he could. After a moment, he shook his head. "I think I've got a little bit, but it's really weak."

Closing my own eyes and concentrating, I found it relatively easy to pull up a few of Ed's memories, though I did have to focus on exactly what I wanted. "I wonder why I can do it then." Ed shrugged, admitting that he didn't have a clue either. "Well," I glanced down at the watch on my wrist, "I guess we'd better get to class. We can talk about this again later."

"All right." Ed agreed quickly. Then after a quick "Seeya." from each of us, we started for our next classes.

During the rest of the school day, I continued to know things and people that I shouldn't. Things that Ed did. It was strange, but at the same time very exciting. It even got easier and easier for me to pretend to be Ed and once or twice I even caught myself thinking of HIM as Simon. However, when I asked him about the memory thing again later, he told me that though he was able to pick up a lot of things that he didn't really know, especially about who people were, he still wasn't able to get any actual memories.

After school, I talked with Ed for a few more minutes then climbed onto his bus for a ride back to his house. And the same time, I was already planning on going back to my own house a short while afterwards so that we could switch back. I smiled faintly at the idea, still hardly able to believe that I'd spent the last day as my best friend. It seemed so...impossible.

When I got back to Ed's house, I was wasn't even surprised to find that the dinner table was already set and ready to go. I'd instinctively known that it would be, gained not only from my longtime friendship with Ed but from his memories as well.

"How was school dear?" Ed's mom greeted me cheerfully, making me smile and immediately feel better.

"Pretty good." I answered, sitting down and sniffing deeply as she started setting the food on the table. "Boy this looks good." I smiled even more, feeling a lot hungrier than I normally was.

Then Ed's dad walked into the room, looking a little tired from his day at work but still in a bit of a good mood. "Looks good honey." He told Ed's mom, giving her a kiss before sitting down himself. I just sighed, wishing that my own family could behave like that sometimes. I was beginning to envy Ed his family.

Dinner was over before I knew it, and after helping clean up a little, I rushed out to go back to my own house. When I got there, Ed didn't seem to be nearly as happy as I was about dinner, but that wasn't any real surprise considering my mom's cooking talents. And not long after that, we were both back in our own bodies and thinking about our experience.

--------------------

Over the next several days, Ed and I didn't use the sphere anymore, but neither of us could stop thinking about it, especially me. I'd pull the sphere out and set it on the foot of my bed, staring it for hours. Rubbing it for hours. I couldn't get it out of my mind. What I could do with it. Who I might be able to become.

Slowly I started to burn with an even greater curiosity about what it would be like to become someone else. Someone who wasn't my best friend and so much like me. Sure, I wouldn't mind trading with Ed again, but I wanted to see what it was like to be someone completely different. Like one of those jocks who ran around the school and got all the girls. Hell, I even wondered once or twice what it might be like to be one of those girls.

Ed and I were talking about the sphere one day before school and I finally brought up the subject. "I think that we should tell someone else about the sphere." I paused, frowning as I did so. I didn't like the idea of telling anyone else about it. Of sharing my discovery of the flying saucer and the body swapping ball. It went against every paranoid fantasy that I had, but still....my curiosity was beginning to pull on me. "We should get someone else swap with too."

For a moment after I'd suggested this, Ed looked thoughtful, then he finally answered. "I was thinking the same thing." He looked embarrassed at this, then continued. "Being you is all right, but what's the point of having the sphere if we can't use it. I mean, I wanna become popular." Ed stared at me, surprising me with the intensity of his gaze. At the almost hungry look in his eyes.

"Do you have any suggestions?" I asked hesitantly, "Someone we can trust?"

"Well...." Ed said slowly, "I've had a couple people in mind but I really don't think that most of them would be much fun." I looked at Ed and nodded understandingly. In other words, they'd be guys just like us. The guys that didn't quite fit into any of the cliques. The guys who were the average students that actually made up the main population of the school but might as well have been invisible. "And..." Ed paused, frowning and looking extremely embarrassed, "There is one that's a little different. That might be interesting."

I stared at Ed impatiently. "Well?" I demanded. "Who? And can we get him to even try it?"

Ed continued to look embarrassed for a moment and then coughed. "Actually, I think it shouldn't be too difficult to talk her into trying it."

It took me a moment to realize what Ed had said. "HER?"

Shaking his head, Ed forced a weak smile. "Yeah, but I think I can convince her, and...." He frowned for a moment, "I thought it might be interesting to be a girl. OfcourseI'dratherbeajock." He spurted out in a rush.

"Who?" I demanded again, really wondering if this was a good idea.

Taking a deep breath, Ed spurted out, "Nancy Clark."

"Nancy Clark." I repeated. "You're kidding." I frowned. Nancy Clark was probably the smartest kid in the entire school, and probably more so than some of the teachers, but she was also nicknamed Queen of the Nerds. However, she did have one other thing in her favor. She and Ed were friends, though nowhere near as close as I was with him.

Ed nodded. "I'm in fifth period with her so I can ask her to come over to my house then." He paused for a moment. "Maybe she'll have some ideas about how we can get some others to try it with." I nodded agreement, then Ed and I went our separate ways.

--------------------

After school, I immediately left home and started for Ed's house, my back pack firmly clenched in my hand, filled with my most priceless treasure. The sphere. The whole way over to Ed's house I couldn't stop wondering if we were making a mistake.

As soon as I got to Ed's house, I said a quick hello to his mom and then went to his room, freezing as soon as I opened the door and saw that he wasn't alone. There was a thin girl with shoulder length dark brown straight hair. She wore a thick pair of glasses and had a somewhat pasty reflection, not to mention a flat chest. It was Nancy Clark, Queen of the Nerds.

"Um...hi." I said, stepping inside and closing the door behind me.

Nancy looked up and stared at me thoughtfully and then looked at Ed. "So, what's going on?" She looked back at me. "Edwin said that there was some sort of phenomenon that he needed my opinion on." The tone of her voice was sort of curious but impatient as well.

I snorted, taking my time as I pulled my back pack off and moved closer to her and Ed. "You didn't tell her?" I asked him. He looked embarrassed and then shook his head.

"Well?" She demanded, probably wondering if this was some sort of prank. I guess that wasn't too surprising considering my reputation as a class clown.

"You invited her." I told Ed, though I also slowly started unzipping my back pack. "You start."

"Simon found something...." Then Ed paused, turning and looking at me. "It'll probably be easier to show her."

"Guess you're right." I admitted, pulling the sphere out of my pack. Nancy's eyes were immediately locked on it. "This," I said proudly, "is the phenomenon that Ed mentioned." I careful set the sphere down on the edge of the bed in front of Nancy and making sure that she didn't touch while I still was.

Nancy picked up the sphere and studied it with an intense look of curiosity. "Interesting. What is it?"

"It was your idea." I reminded Ed. He nodded and then reached out and touched the sphere while Nancy was still holding it.

The blank looks that appeared on Nancy's and Ed's faces were almost amusing to watch, and then Ed's face looked confused instead. I looked at Nancy, really Ed in her body and smirked.

"So, what's it like?" I asked.

Ed frowned and patted at his chest with an odd look on his face that I couldn't tell if it was curiosity or disgust. "Kind of weird." he admitted.

Then I looked at Nancy, who was staring at herself and Ed in shock. "This is impossible." she exclaimed, obviously nervous but trying to remain rational.

"Nope." I told her with a grin. "You and Ed swapped bodies." She looked at me with a bit of fear in her eyes and I quickly added, "But you can swap back without any problems. We just wanted to prove to you that this was real and if we told you first, you woulda thought we were crazy."

Nancy seemed to think about that for a moment, then she nodded. "I see your point." She frowned, still looking a little uncomfortable. "What is this thing?"

I smiled at that. "I found it." I didn't bother telling her where, deciding that she didn't need to know that. I mean, I couldn't help but thinking that if she knew that it came from a freaking UFO, then she might go and try to find the damn thing. I wasn't about to let anyone know where it was at yet. That was my secret.

Ed looked at me for a moment, then nodded faintly, apparently realizing what I was up to. "Sorry to catch you like that." Ed told Nancy, looking just a little uncomfortable.

She nodded back faintly, then asked, "So why are you showing me this? Why did you do this with me?"

I took a deep breath, then told Nancy about how Ed and I had discovered it's powers as well as had spend a day as each other. Then I blushed badly, admitting, "And we wanted to see what it was like to be other people. You were the only one that we thought we could get over to try it who might be the least bit interesting."

"So you're perverts." she sneered.

"Actually," I told her, beginning to feel a little offended, "I rather would have had a football player or something, but we aren't exactly friends with any. It's not like we really had a lot of choice."

Nancy didn't say anything more about that though she did ask a few more questions about what we knew of it. I still didn't bother telling her anything about where I'd found it and neither did Ed.

Then finally Nancy smiled. "I do have to admit," she said slowly, " this is interesting. I've always been curious about what it would be like to be male."

"Pervert." I said with a grin. She grinned back so I knew that we were all right.

For nearly an hour we just stayed in the room talking, none of us suggesting that they trade back just yet. It was obvious from Nancy's reactions that she was beginning to get curious as well. Then finally she nervously suggested to Ed, "Why don't we stay like this for a day. Just like you and Simon did?" With very little hesitation, Ed agreed, looking almost relieved as he did so and making me wonder if he had been about to suggest the same thing.

We talked for a little while longer before I picked up the sphere and slipped it back into my pack, grinning at my friends and then leaving with Ed coming right behind me. It felt rather odd thinking of the skinny girl as Ed, but of course I guessed that it had to be even stranger for him. Then Ed and I said goodbye and I went back to my house while he went to Nancy's, wherever that was.

--------------------

The next day at school, I saw Nancy several times, both looking and acting like Ed. At first I just avoided her, but since Ed and I sat next to each other in one of our classes I couldn't avoid her any longer.

"So..." I finally asked quietly, "What do you think?"

Nancy grinned, giving me the same crooked grin that Ed always did. "It's pretty cool man." I frowned at that slightly, thinking that she definitely sounded more like Ed than she did Nancy. "I mean, whenever I really think about it, I know things that I shouldn't. Like I've got HIS memories."

"You too." I muttered to myself. "Interesting."

"Yep." she nodded. "Pretty weird too. I mean, I feel like you really are my best friend. As if I'd known you all my life." She frowned at that, looking thoughtful. "It's kind of confusing and scary, but pretty neat."

I stared at her for a moment, remembering my own time as Ed. Then beginning to grin, I asked, "And what about Ashley?"

Nancy suddenly blushed brightly, looking extremely embarrassed. My eyes widened at the sight and I started to chuckle. "What about Ashley?" she asked, pretending as if she had no interest but I could see that it was obviously otherwise. Some of Ed's emotions had obviously carried over to her, just like they had to me.

"Must be strange for you." I told her. She just continued to blush, nodding agreement but not saying anything more about it.

For the rest of that class and every other time I saw Nancy at school, I just pretended that she really was Ed. Surprisingly, it was easier than I would have thought. But then again, she was acting like Ed, not like the brainiac nerd girl that she usually was.

However, the real surprise for me was when I finally ran into Ed towards the end of the day. When I saw him in the hallway between classes, looking for all the world like the Queen of the Nerds, I just had to go talk to him.

"So..." I asked him, repeating the question that I'd asked Nancy herself earlier, "What's it like?"

He gave me an almost arrogant look which surprised me, then answered. "Unusual to say the least." Then he smiled faintly before continuing, "I've been able to keep up perfectly well in all of my classes in spite of the fact that most of them are more advanced than any that I'd taken before." Ed looked smug as he finished, "Even calculus wasn't much of a challenge."

"All right." I said slowly, not sure that I liked the way Ed was acting. Then his expression suddenly changed and he grinned a lot more like the Ed that I knew.

"It's pretty weird man." Ed told me with a grin. "I mean, I've even got her memories, just like how you told me. And it's sort of like I've got this Nancy mask inside of me. I just slip it on and poof, I'm her."

Ed and I talked for a few more minutes before I rushed to my final class, actually feeling a little envious of him. I mean, I didn't want to be a girl or anything, much less a nerdette, but still, he was getting to experience something completely new. I knew that I'd be able to get my turn and that helped a little, but at the moment I still felt a little jealous.

--------------------

After school, we all met at Ed's house again. We sat in his bedroom, staring at each other for awhile before I finally unzipped my back pack and pulled the sphere back out. I was a little amused at the light that seemed to flash in Ed and Nancy's eyes.

"Here we go." I told them, setting the sphere down and carefully pulling my hand back.

Nancy and Ed both touched the sphere and a moment later she patted at herself and let out a sigh. "That was definitely interesting, but I'm kind of glad to be me again."

"I know what you mean." Ed said with a grin.

Then with that, Ed and Nancy both started talking about what they'd done as each other, though they quickly found out that they didn't have to bother. They could each 'remember' on their own, just like they could in each other's bodies. I guess that would certainly help them to keep track of what they were supposed to have done earlier.

About an hour after they'd changed back to normal, Nancy admitted, "I...I'd like to try that again sometime." Then she had an almost dreamy look on her face which I wouldn't have expected. "But I'd like to be someone else. I've always wondered what it would be like to be....popular." She started blushing, looking embarrassed. "To be pretty for a change. Maybe even a cheerleader."

"I know what you mean." I agreed quietly. "I've always wanted to be popular too. I think just about everyone does." Then smiling slightly, I added, "At least with this sphere there might actually be a chance of getting to see what it's like."

Ed added tiredly, "If we could find someone popular who'd be willing to trade with us that is."

"Who said that they had to be willing?" Nancy asked with an almost evil grin.

"No." I told her firmly, glaring at Ed as well. "We can't go around stealing peoples bodies. Besides..." I smiled weakly, "I don't want a lot of people to find out about the sphere. I want to keep it a secret. Just a few of us."

The others nodded agreement then Ed chuckled, "So, we're a secret club now, huh?"

"I guess." I chuckled back.

Nancy just shook her head, then she started to look thoughtful. "Actually..." she mused aloud, "I think I know where we can get another person to try this with." Then she actually began to grin. "Someone that just might be interesting."

"Who?" Ed and I both asked at once.

Still grinning, Nancy said, "I tutor Sam Jordan twice a week." We both stared at her with our mouths open. Sam was the star football player and one of the most popular guys in school. Nancy nodded at our expressions. "Yes. I can talk to him tomorrow night. Since he might be difficult to convince, the best course of action may be somewhat similar to what you did with me."

After we'd all agreed to at least try it, Nancy and I both started getting our things together, about to leave and go home. I went over and picked the sphere back up, feeling a little disappointment that I still didn't get to try it again and it was my sphere. But then Nancy surprised me by putting a hand on my shoulder and looking at the sphere with an almost questioning look in her eyes. I nodded, holding it out while Nancy touched it.

I immediately felt the static shock and the confused dizziness. When it cleared up, I was staring up into my own face. "Wow." I muttered to myself, stepping back and looking down at myself, seeing the slight swellings of Nancy's small breasts. It was everything I could do just to keep myself from grabbing my new tits or my crotch.

"I'm so....tall." Nancy whispered.

Grinning, I glanced down at the cheap looking watch on my wrist and then back at Ed and Nancy. I felt rather short, even having to look up a little to see Ed. And the thick glasses resting on my nose weren't all that normal for me either, but then again not much about me was at the moment. I could scarcely believe that I'd actually turned into a girl, even if it was only Nancy.

"We'll have to change back before your tutoring session with Sam." I pointed out. Nancy nodded back. "Well then," I said, nodding faintly to Nancy and then Ed, "I suppose that I'd better be going." Then with that, I picked up Nancy's jacket and started for home.

Simon's Story: A Prequel to the Club
part 3 of 9
By Morpheus

After leaving Ed's house, I concentrated on Nancy's memories. I felt them in the back of my mind, just waiting for me to use them, just like with Ed.. It wasn't quite as easy as using my own memories, but then I remembered what Ed had told me about having a 'Nancy mask' inside of him. Now I had that mask.

"Cool." I muttered to myself, mentally slipping that mask on. I immediately felt a difference though I couldn't put my finger on exactly what it was. But with a shrug, I started walking towards where I instinctively knew Nancy's house to be.

The walk seemed to take a lot longer than I would have expected, but then again I did have shorter legs. And at the same time, while walking I felt....nervous. Unsure. It was like I half expected someone to jump out from behind nearly every tree though fortunately nothing happened.

When I was in Nancy's house and safe in her bedroom, I finally let out a sigh of relief, then sat down in the chair by her desk. For several minutes I just sat there, then I noticed the school books piled up on it. Without really thinking about it, I reached for the first book and started on the homework assignment, surprised that I not only knew what it was but how to do it as well. I could barely do algebra normally but there I was, going through and actually doing calculus problems.

After I was finished with all the homework, which was amazingly easy, I finally took a break. Standing away from the desk, I stared at it, hardly able to believe that I'd gotten so caught up in doing homework. Shaking my head, I decided to check out what had really been making me curious earlier. Even if it didn't seem to be doing so anymore.

"The mask." I said aloud, realizing that I'd still had Nancy's memories and personality loaded on top of my mind. With that, I pulled the mental mask away and suddenly felt different again. My whole perspective of everything had changed back to normal, or at least mostly so. "Holy shit." I muttered. That was a LOT different from when I was Ed.

Sighing, I turned away from the desk and made sure that the door was locked and then began to undress. I felt real embarrassed as I started taking off all of Nancy's clothes, but then I reminded myself that she was probably doing the same thing with my body. That didn't really make me feel any better. I was still invading her privacy in a way that I'd never imagined that it could be invaded. But that didn't stop me from continuing.

Once I was entirely naked, I stared at myself in the small mirror that I'd found on Nancy's dresser. Her figure wasn't much better without the clothes on. Hell, I figured that I might as well still have been a boy. My tits were so small that they could barely be qualified as being such and I didn't have many other curves to compensate either. Nancy was definitely not a looker so I wasn't quite as excited as I would have imagined being. I wasn't even able to get too excited about the change between my legs.

I shrugged at that, feeling a little disappointed. Sure, it was interesting being Nancy and different, but it wasn't really all that exciting. Since my curiosity had been satisfied for the moment and I still wanted to see what she was really like, I slipped the 'Nancy mask' back on and went about her normal routine for the night.

--------------------

The next morning at school was more than just a little strange. I felt an odd mixture of self-consciousness and smugness as I walked through the halls. It was immediately obvious that most of the students seemed to either ignore me or treated me as if I was some kind of social leper. I was used to being ignored, but now people, especially girls, were cruel and vicious. I just stuck my nose up, reminding myself that they were just jealous of my intelligence. That most of them weren't going to have any kind of future, but I was. Then I caught myself, realizing that these weren't my opinions, they were Nancy's.

"Fascinating." I muttered to myself once I realized just how thoroughly I'd allowed Nancy's personality to cover my own. I could bring my own to the surface easily, but I didn't, not wanting to do anything that might make people suspect.

For most of the school day I continued acting just like Nancy, finding that it was relatively easy. I found that I resented the jocks and popular students even more than usual, while at the same time feeling more comfortable around the 'nerds'. Hell, they all treated me with respect, which made me smile to myself and feel smug. It was no wonder that Nancy was called Queen of the Nerds.

When I got to the class that Nancy shared with Ed, I talked to him for a minute before class. "This is definitely an interesting experience." I told him. "And I don't think I'd even mind doing it again sometime. But I am very eager to experience even other peoples lives."

That much was more than just a little true. Throughout the day I'd learned a lot more about Nancy and the rest of the nerds and geeks than I'd ever imagined that I could. They weren't all Star Trek freaks or anything, and in spite of how everyone viewed them, I decided that I liked them. Or at least most of them. I wasn't sure how much of that was my like and how much was Nancy's, but I didn't question it too closely. What mattered was that I'd seen things from a whole different perspective and was hungry for more. A lot more.

Then, just before the last class of the day, I ran into the real Nancy in the hall way. We stepped out of the main hall and stood where we could talk without really being heard.

Nancy smiled at me, then asked, "So, what's it like? How do you like being a girl?"

"It's....interesting." I admitted. "Definitely interesting."

She nodded at that, then hesitantly asked. "Are you using my memories and stuff like Ed did?" Once I told her that I was, she frowned. "But I can't really use any of yours." she told me, sounding almost like she was whining, which I hated hearing from my body. "I mean, I can handle people and stuff, but I just can't get all the same kind of stuff that I could with Ed. He mentioned earlier that he had the same problem. Do you know why?"

I stared at Nancy for a moment, still wearing my 'Nancy mask' so using her knowledge as I considered the situation. "Possibly a natural partial immunity." I admitted with a frown. "Or it could possibly be caused by a more extreme exposure to the sphere than you two had."

"Oh." She mumbled, looking a little disappointed.

However, as I looked at her, another possibility dawned on me. I shuddered slightly when I remembered all that strange mist and light that had come out of the column. Maybe that had something to do with it? But still, I didn't mention that to her.

"Have you been handling everything all right?" I asked her, then dropping the 'Nancy mask', I asked, "I mean, you haven't wished that we didn't do this, have you?"

"Oh no." Nancy shook her head. "It's definitely interesting." She grinned at that. "I just can't wait until we get a few more people into our....club. Then we can have a little more variety." I nodded back, deciding that I liked that idea. Not the other people knowing about my secret, but the variety part.

After we'd said goodbye, I went off to Nancy's last class for the day, following her routine until I eventually ended up back at Ed's house. Nancy hadn't shown up yet in my body so it was just me and Ed, which made me feel just a tiny bit uncomfortable.

Ed grinned at me. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"Yep." I agreed, glancing down at my watch. "So, where is she?"

For a moment Ed just frowned, then he admitted. "She got detention for being a smart ass in class." Ed laughed at that for a minute, then continued. "She was trying hard to be just like you so she insulted the teacher and got you a couple days detention. I groaned at that, shaking my head. "But don't worry." Ed assured me with a grin, "She'll be here soon."

Ed's prediction proved to be accurate since less than fifteen minutes later, Nancy had arrived and in my body. She grinned at me then pulled the sphere out of my back pack. A minute later, we were both back in our correct bodies. The first thing that I did was pat my crotch, verifying that it was indeed still there.

Almost immediately afterwards though, Nancy apologized, "Sorry, but I really must return home for when Sam shows up. Why don't you two come along and we can introduce him to the sphere there?" Nancy smiled smugly, looking especially intense when she'd said the word 'introduce'. Ed and I looked at each other for a moment and then agreed.

--------------------

When Sam showed up at Nancy's house for his tutoring, he was definitely less than pleased to see me and Ed there. He glared at us, demanding to know if we were going to try blackmailing him or something. Since he stood just over 6 feet tall and was almost solid muscle, he was very intimidating. But then again, that and his rugged good looks where what drew the girls to him, not to mention what made us interested in him.

"Absolutely not." I assured Sam. "We just wanted to invite you to a...." I winked at Ed, "prestigious club."

"What?" Sam snorted in disgust. "With you three?" He shook his head then started for the door. "I'm outa here. You're just lucky I'm not kicking your asses."

"Stop!" Nancy ordered in a serious voice. When Sam turned around with an angry look on his face, I was afraid that she'd pushed it too hard. But instead of backing down like I'd half expected, Nancy held up the sphere. "Take a look at this. It's very, very unique."

Sam frowned, still looking angry but less so. He was also beginning to look curious. "All right." He said, reaching over to grab the sphere out of Nancy's hands. He never noticed the smirk on her face until it was too late.

A moment later, Sam, now in Nancy's body was grabbing at himself in a panic, about to scream. Thinking quickly, Nancy quickly put a hand over his mouth and ordered him to be quiet. I gulped, seeing the terror in Sam's eyes as he realized his position and how helpless he was against his real body.

"Relax." I told him. "Please don't scream. Just let us explain." With that, Nancy pulled her hand away and Sam snapped around, still looking like he was about to panic or attack one of us. "Please...." I said, gesturing for him to sit down. "I'm really sorry about that but we really didn't think you'd believe us if we said that we had a way to make people trade bodies."

"No fucking shit!" Sam exclaimed, which sounded extremely strange coming out of Nancy's mouth. "What the fuck did you assholes do to me?"

"Don't worry." Ed assured him, "It's only temporary. You can go back to normal almost any time."

Nancy nodded, bending down next to Sam. "We needed to convince you that we were telling the truth so that you might actually listen to us."

Then once Sam had nodded his understanding, we explained the situation to him, at least as far as we'd explained it to Nancy. When we had finished, Sam just stared at us and the sphere in disbelief. "That kind of stuff just isn't possible." Then shaking his head, he demanded, "Why the hell would I want to be someone else? Especially one of you guys?"

I sighed at that, knowing that now would be the hard part. Then I grinned. "Haven't you ever wondered what it's like to be someone else? Or maybe, what it would be like to be really smart? To not need a tutor to help you, but to be one yourself?"

When Sam nodded vaguely, Nancy smiled then suddenly asked Sam a calculus question. Something that he'd never know the answer to. "How the hell should I know?" was his immediate response.

Ed grinned. "No. Think about it for a minute. Concentrate."

Sam frowned, looking pretty skeptical but he did as he was asked. A moment later he gave the correct answer, looking surprised himself. "Holy shit." he whispered in amazement. From the look in his eyes, I knew that we had a new member for our little club.

--------------------

In spite of the fact that Sam had joined us, It was a week before I got to see what it was like to be him. By then, the others had already had their turns though with Sam having football practice every day after school, it wasn't easy for him to get over and swap with one of us. Of course he also insisted on being himself for the game, which I guessed I could understand, even if I was a little disappointed. I'd kind of wanted to play in one of the games myself.

Then my chance finally came. When I walked into school in Sam's body, I was amazed at the sudden difference in the way everyone treated me. Sure, I felt a hell of a lot better, stronger and more confident, but the way that all the guys looked at me with envy and respect and all the girls with desire was unbelievable. I'd never felt anything like it in my life, and I had to admit to myself, that I loved every moment of it.

After a couple classes, I stopped in the bathroom and stared at myself, amazed at the handsome and well muscled guy that looked back instead of my usual average looking reflection. I sighed, knowing that I was just borrowing that face, but that didn't dim my enjoyment too much.

For my entire life I'd been the guy that everyone had ignored. Just another face in the crowd. Perhaps, I wondered to myself, that was why I'd always been something of a class clown. Maybe I was just trying to get attention in the only way that I could. Being Ed was almost the same and even though I had gained some notice as Nancy, it wasn't the type of notice that I wanted. But as Sam....

When lunch came, I was surrounded by a bunch of jocks, who all treated me as if I was one of them, which at the moment I supposed I was. They all joked with me, treating me with respect. I loved it. However, what I loved the most were all the cute girls that were around and actually being nice to me. One's who normally wouldn't even give me the time of day.

"Hiya handsome." I suddenly heard one girl exclaim, practically throwing herself against me. "Wanna give me a kiss?"

For a moment I just stared at the girl in amazement, more than just a little aware of both her breasts pushing up against me as well as my erection. Then as I saw her gorgeous face, surrounded by her lovely long blonde hair, it dawned on me exactly who she was. Shelly Elbrook. One of the cheerleaders and most popular girls in school. And more than that, the girl that I'd had a crush on for as long as I could remember. I gulped.

"Well?" Shelly demanded almost impatiently. "Are you going to kiss me or not?" How could I resist? Especially since it was my dream come true and just as good as I'd always imagined.

When Shelly and I stopped kissing, she stepped back, looking impressed. "How was that?" I asked her with a grin.

"Great." she whispered. Then she winked at me. "I'll see YOU later." Then with that she'd run off to be with some other cheerleaders.

One of the guys next to me slammed me on the shoulder. "Man, she's got the hots for you, big time." I just nodded, too stunned to say anything. Then after looking around me, I let my 'Sam mask' slip back into place and continued with lunch.

Several hours later, I was strolling through the hall towards my final class of the day. I smiled, feeling smug and unconquerable. Like I was king of the world, or at least king of the school. Then just as I was walking past one of the classroom doors, I was surprised to suddenly feel someone grab my arm and pull.

"Who?" I demanded, snapping around and clenching my fists, getting ready to beat the shit out of whatever bastard had dared to fuck with me. However, as soon as I saw who it was, I relaxed, feeling surprised but no longer threatened. "Hi Shelly." I grinned, stepping into the empty class room that she'd tried pulling me into.

"Hiya handsome." she whispered sexily. As soon as I was all the way in, Shelly grinned mischieviously then locked the door. "Now that we're alone, I have something that I'd like to show you."

"What's that?" I grinned, eyeing her figure appreciatively. Then as she started to slowly strip in front of me, I let out an appreciative whistle. "Nice." Soon she was standing in front of me completely naked. The girl of my dreams looked even better naked than I'd imagined in all of my fantasies.

Shelly danced around for a moment, making me even harder than before. I was almost sure that I was going to cum in my pants, though somehow I didn't. Without any further encouragement I stripped out of my own clothes and went at her. We screwed right on top of the teachers desk, going at it like a couple of wild animals. It was the first time that I'd ever been laid and it was just as good as I'd imagined.

I never made it to my last class but didn't really give a damn. I felt fantastic and would have done it again in a heartbeat. However, during football practice after school, I nearly got the shit kicked out of me for not paying attention and had to run a whole bunch of laps around the track. That sucked big time, but since I was in a hell of a lot better shape than in my real body, it wasn't really as difficult as I would have thought. But still, even while running the laps I kept grinning to myself.

--------------------

I sat on the edge of Ed's bed, looking around the room at him, Nancy and Sam, all of whom where there and currently in their own bodies. I'd just swapped back with Sam and was hoping that he didn't say anything about what had happened with Shelly. I blushed just to think about it.

"So..." Sam said, staring straight at me and breaking the silence, "Where did you get this thing?" By the tone of his voice, it was clear that Sam expected me to tell him immediately. There was even a hint of a threat in it.

Grinning, I looked Sam straight in the eye then told him, "I found it in a yard sale. Some crazy old man in a bathrobe sold it to me."

Ed chuckled at that while Nancy looked at me in surprise. Of course I'd told her that I'd found it in an abandoned warehouse, sealed up in a wooden crate labeled "Roswell."

"But that's not what you..." Nancy started.

Apparently deciding to go along with me, Ed interrupted, "But he told me that a wizard gave it to him."

Neither Sam nor Nancy seemed too pleased by my little joke, though personally I didn't care. There was no way in hell that I was going to tell them the truth. But then again, I chuckled to myself, realizing that after a couple more stories I actually could tell them the truth and they still wouldn't believe me. Perhaps I would do that, I thought to myself.

We all talked for a little longer before Sam brought up another point. "It's too damn much trouble to have to keep coming over here for this." He paused, grimacing. "Why the hell should we do it here?"

Nancy nodded in almost reluctant agreement, looking at me. "I have to agree. It is rather difficult to keep coming here to Ed's house or yours when we want to use this. Besides," She looked at the sphere thoughtfully and then the rest of us, "our being seen together so often might make people suspicious. After all, we are not exactly in the same social circles."

"And what do you suggest?" I demanded sarcastically. "It's not like we can keep it at school."

We were all silent for a moment, then Nancy looked up with a smug grin. "Why not?" When we all stared at her, Nancy adjusted her glasses then said, "If we hid the sphere somewhere on school grounds, then we would easily be able to use it whenever we wanted and without having you bring it."

"Cool." Sam nodded. "Are we going to stuff it in one of our lockers and share the combo?"

Nancy shook her head at that, still smiling smugly. "Nope. Do you all remember how they canceled all the drama classes last year since there were never enough students?" Once we all nodded, Nancy quickly added, "Well, their old prop room is still there and nobody every goes up there anymore. In fact, the drama club members were about the only ones to ever really use it so I don't think that most of the students even know that it's there." Nancy smiled broadly. "That should be a decent place to meet as well as hide the sphere."

"No way!" I practically snarled. "It's mine." There was no way that I wanted to give up my sphere. To let everybody else have it anytime they wanted. If we did this it would be like I was saying that it wasn't mine anymore.

Ed grabbed my arm. "Chill out man." It was immediately obvious that he liked the idea as well. I was outnumbered and after a few more minutes of arguing, I reluctantly gave in. I didn't like it, but I didn't really have much choice it seemed.

--------------------

Several days later, we'd all agreed to meet in the old drama club prop room that Nancy had mentioned. It was actually just in back of the gym and the only way up there was through a narrow stairway in one of the closets. It was no wonder that most of the students didn't know that it was even there. Hell, I hadn't even known that it was there until Nancy pointed it out.

I was leaning back on the couch, wondering absently how anyone had managed to get it up there in the first place. Nancy was sitting on one of the chairs, paying more attention to the math problems that she was doing in her notebook than to us while Ed was pacing back and forth.

"Where is he?" Ed asked nervously, glancing towards the door.

"Who knows." I mumbled, silently agreeing with Ed. Sam had mentioned earlier that he had a surprise for us, which is why we'd gone up there in the first place. "I might as well be back home and watching my mom getting drunk." I snorted in disgust, wondering absently if she was still sober enough to finish dinner. Dad had been gone a little more than usual lately while she'd gotten even worse. However, it wasn't at all unexpected. It was a cycle that happened about every six months. "Hurry up." I muttered, glancing impatiently at my watch.

Then I heard the footsteps on the stairs and looked at the door expectantly. Sam stepped in a minute later, grinning from ear to ear. "Did you miss me?" he asked cheerfully. I didn't know what it was, but something about even that simple a comment sounded almost arrogant coming from him. Even if it was fun being Sam, that still didn't mean that I actually liked him.

"So what did you want?" I demanded impatiently. Ed nodded agreement and Nancy finally looked up from her homework.

Same glared at me for a moment, making me squirm in my seat. "Come on in." he called out.

Then to my surprise, two new people stepped into the room, making me stare at them and then wonder what the hell Sam was up to. I immediately recognized one of them as Shelly, whom of course I couldn't avoid noticing. The other person was a guy with black hair and wearing a leather jacket and blue jeans. He seemed to have a sneer fixed permanently to his face. I gulped nervously, recognizing Rick Aaronson, one of, if not THE toughest kid in school. He even had his own Harley.

Sam smirked. "I brought some new recruits." Then he gave Nancy a look, adding, "You said you wanted some more girls in the club."

"Now what's this about?" Rick demanded, glaring at us as if he was imagining the best way to tear us apart. I gulped, suddenly thinking about Freddy Kreuger for some reason. "Why the fuck did you want me to come up here?" He glared at Sam, "You promised me something big."

Shelly just gave us all a look of disgust. "Why are THEY here?"

I sighed, standing up and demanding, "What did you bring them up here for?" Ed and Nancy quickly echoed my sentiments.

"I didn't even know that this place was up here." Shelly told Sam.

"New recruits." Sam told us all with a smug look.

"On who's say so?" Ed demanded.

"Mine!" Sam glared at him, raising a fist threateningly. "You got a problem with that wuss?"

I definitely did and was sure that the others did as well. Rick and Shelly both looked a little confused but impatient as well. For a moment I just stared at the two of them, easily seeing why Sam had wanted to invite them and knowing that I might have asked too. Finally I said, "Since they're here, what do you guys think?" I looked at Ed and Nancy

Nancy looked thoughtful for a moment then agreed that they could join as did Ed. "You invited them," Ed told Sam nervously, "so you can explain."

Sam nodded and then turned to our potential new recruits. "All right then, it's like this...."

And then Sam started to explain about the sphere swapping bodies. At the same time, Nancy had pulled the sphere out from where we'd hidden it and set it down on a table, letting them clearly see it's glow. It was obvious that neither Shelly or Rick believed us and for a moment it looked as if Rick was actually going to hit Sam.

"You expect me to buy that fucking shit?" Rick demanded. "You fucking waste my time..."

"Ahem." I interrupted, glancing between him and Shelly. "I know that it's pretty far fetched," I grinned slightly, "but why not humor us for a minute? If it doesn't work you can kick my ass."

Rick looked at me skeptically but I could tell from the sadistic grin that he liked the idea. At least the idea of kicking my ass and having my permission to do so. He nodded agreement and Shelly did as well, with only a few more words of sweet talking from Sam.

"I'll do it with her." Nancy said, staring at Shelly as if she was a predator stalking her prey.

"But I wanna." Ed said quietly, sounding a little embarrassed. I did too, though I certainly wasn't about to admit it. But then again, glancing at Rick, I was equally curious to see what it was like being him.

Then I suddenly had an idea. "Why don't we all touch it at once?" The others looked at me as if I was crazy, but I pressed on. "Maybe it will swap us all at once. What have we got to lose?" Since no one had any real objections, they all quickly agreed. A minute later, all of us touched the sphere at once and just a few seconds after that, neither Shelly or Rick had any more doubts about it being real.

As soon as the change was done, I stared down at the two large bumps on my chest. I'd ended up in Shelly, which I thought was quite interesting. I could actually feel the weight on my chest. And though I'd already been a girl as Nancy, in just the few seconds that I'd been Shelly, I could already tell that there was quite a difference in their bodies.

"Oh my." I whispered, gently cupping my breasts.

"Cut that out!" Sam demanded, looking half panicked and half pleased. The way he quickly patted at his chest let me know that this had to be the real Shelly. "I'm....I'm..." She grabbed her crotch then gasped. "I'm a guy."

"I'm a girl." Nancy gasped, obviously being Rick inside. "Fuck. I feel so fucking weak."

"Quit whining about it." Rick smirked, "You sound like a fucking girl. What a pansy ass." I stared at him for a moment before realizing that the real Nancy must be in his body and wearing the 'Rick mask'.

For several minutes we just stood there, helping our newest recruits get adjusted. I grinned every time I moved, barely able to wait to get alone so that I could really check out my new body. Every time I felt my breasts jiggle just a little, I couldn't help but thinking about how great they'd felt in my hands.

Finally, while looking at myself and Rick's body, something dawned on me. "Since we're all together now, maybe we should make a few rules."

"Rules?" a couple of the others echoed.

I paused for a moment, licking my lips and enjoying the lustful look on Sam's, Ed's and my own face. I almost giggled at how easy it was to excite them with just a movement, even if I hadn't intended it for that purpose. "Yes." I told them, almost getting excited myself from the sexy voice that came from my own throat, "Like no more new recruits without everyone's agreement."

"Good idea." the real Ed said, grinning from my body. "No offense to you two, but we don't need any more surprises like this. Everyone should agree if we let in someone new."

"I agree." Nancy answered from Rick's body, having dropped the 'Rick mask' for now. "Perhaps we should also include that if someone wants their real body back, whoever is in possession of it MUST trade back with them as soon as possible."

Since we were on the subject, we all came up with several other rules that we'd agreed on. Namely that to keep anyone from suspecting the truth not to mention to keep from ruining their lives or reputations, we had to actually carry on just like the people who's bodies we were in. Acting just like them and everything.

When we were finished and about ready to leave, Sam...Shelly in Sam's body tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around, looking up to see the grin on his...her face. Even without the 'Shelly mask' on, I felt sort of odd standing next to her. Not to mention short.

"Well..." She said with a cocky grin, "Just to let you know..."

"Know what?" I asked curiously.

Shelly chuckled. "Since we just made the rule to carry on as the person we'd become, I thought that I'd remind you that you have a date with Neil Hallenbeck tonight." Then she laughed out loud as she rushed out the door with me staring at her the entire time.

"Date?" I whispered to myself, my eyes wide open while I groaned silently. "With Neil?" At that I didn't even bother to keep my groan silent. Neil Hallenbeck was one of the football players and probably the second biggest star on the team next to Sam. "Just great."

I sighed, and turned, seeing that all the others had already left. Shaking my head, I reached down and squeezed my new breasts and shook my head to feel the hair brushing against my shoulders. "At least it should be interesting." I mumbled, already wishing that we hadn't made that rule. With that, I slipped on the 'Shelly mask' and started down the stairs.

Simon's Story: A Prequel to the Club
part 4 of 9
By Morpheus

I smiled cheerfully as I skipped down the stairs from the old drama room, feeling incredibly cheerful for some reason. I even giggled absently when I looked down at my big tits. They didn't feel nearly as strange or alien on me as they had before I'd slipped on the 'Shelly mask', but they were still a little unusual, and very interesting.

Since school was over, I didn't pass more than a couple people in the halls as I made my way out of the building. However, I could feel their eyes on me as I walked by, which oddly enough, made me feel sort of nice. I grinned to myself as I made my way to the parking lot and my car. Shelly's car, I reminded myself absently.

When I got to Shelly's house, I hurried in to the bathroom, locking the door and immediately turning to face myself. I smiled, feeling rather proud at the pretty girl that stared back. "You are definitely hot." I told myself with a giggle. Then, realizing that I still felt almost normal as I was because of the 'Shelly mask' that I had on, I pushed her personality to the side and let my own take over again. Suddenly I was staring at the reflection with an entirely different viewpoint. "Damn." I whispered, practically drooling at the sexy girl.

For several minutes I just stood where I was, rubbing at my breasts through my shirt, amazed at how nice they felt. Then suddenly feeling a little embarrassed, I got out of the bathroom and went to Shelly's bedroom instead. Once I was safely inside, I locked the door, noticing as I did so that there was a full length mirror on the back of it.

"Damn hot." I whispered to myself, beginning to get turned on. Hell, I was already more than a little turned on. My insides felt warm and mushy, unlike anything that I'd felt like in Nancy's body.

I continued to stare at myself for several more minutes, making poses that I'd always wanted to see Shelly in. I grinned even wider as I remembered the time I'd spent with her and was tempted to try remembering that incident from her point of view. However, I wasn't even sure that I could so didn't bother. Then I started to undress, having to use some of Shelly's skills to get out of the bra.

Once I was completely naked, I was nearly in heaven. "God I'm sexy." I whispered to myself, posing even more and getting even more turned on. My nipples were so hard that they poked right out, feeling intense when I touched them. And my crotch.... My new slit was so wet that it was dripping down my thigh. "Holy shit."

It didn't take me long before I was rubbing at my nipples and crotch, absolutely loving the sensations that they provided. They were so much like what I normally had when turned on, but completely different as well. As I played with myself, I felt even better and better. It was so good that I moaned to myself, finally coming in a massive orgasm that was unlike any that I'd ever had before. It seemed to explode throughout my entire body rather than just from my crotch. And even better, I was able to keep at it until I came again.

After I had finally finished and had recovered a little, I sat up on the bed and looked around Shelly's room, thinking about what a dream come true that was. Sure, I'd already had sex with her once, but I was even more intimate with her at the moment than I'd ever been with her before, even then.

Suddenly remembering what Shelly had told me earlier about her date, I suddenly gulped, feeling nervous and scared. "What am I going to do?" I whispered to myself, seriously playing with the idea of canceling it. However, I knew that I couldn't do that now. Not after I'd just agreed to the new rule where we'd actually be the person that we became. Sighing, I muttered, "I might as well get this over with."

Then with that, I let Shelly's personally come forward again, slipping on the 'Shelly mask'. As soon as I'd done that, my whole perspective seemed to change again. I glanced over at the dresser, absently thinking that I should have used the vibrator in the bottom drawer. And at the same time, I smiled absently as a fantasy of a big cock fucking me filled my mind. I shuddered at that slight, but only slightly. At the moment I was too filled with Shelly's personality to feel as disgusted as I thought I should

Over the next hour, I went and took a long bubbly shower, even going so far as to shave my legs and under my arms. I hadn't even really thought about it much as I did so, only doing what felt natural before a date. Afterwards, I went about getting dressed and ready for the date. I had absolutely no problems picking out the right sexy clothes thanks to Shelly's borrowed fashion sense. Even the makeup and walking in the high heels weren't any problem for me. Neither did I feel embarrassed about them. Instead, I actually started to get turned on again. I felt sexy and loved that feeling.

When I was finally ready for my date, I stared at my reflection in the mirror and smiled, feeling incredibly proud of my looks. "He doesn't stand a chance." I told myself firmly. "Not a chance in the world." Then I blew myself a kiss before going to wait for my date.

Neil arrived a short while later, and as soon as I saw him, I smiled to myself, absently wondering about how good he was in bed. The thoughts bothered me a little, but not nearly as much as I would have expected it to. Instead, I just shrugged it off, telling myself not to worry. To just relax and go with it.

I felt so sexy when I walked to Neil's car with him nearly drooling all over me in just that short distance. "Here, let me." Neil insisted, opening the passenger side door for me. I smiled, feeling flattered at the motion. "God you look gorgeous." he told me quietly, which only made me smile even more.

After we arrived at the restaurant that Neil was taking me to, I actually felt rather impressed. It was a pretty nice one and a lot more expensive than any that I'd ever taken a girl to. Throughout the whole dinner, Neil was extremely polite and I loved the constant attention that he gave me. Not just him either. I noticed that lots of guys in the restaurant kept looking at me and a couple of the girls as well. It was more attention than I'd ever had before and I loved absolutely every second of it.

Once we had finished with dinner, Neil and I went to Zippy's, one of the local teen hang-outs and danced. I knew that he'd mostly just wanted to show me off to some of the other kid's who'd be there, but I really didn't care. I was definitely in the mood to show off myself.

Eventually, we left Zippy's and I was still feeling giddy and excited. In the car, I giggled to myself, looking down at my generous breasts and telling myself that it wasn't just a dream. It seemed so...impossible.

"I had a great time." I told Neil, wishing that it wouldn't end quite yet.

"Who said the night was over?" Neil asked me with a grin, pulling into the driveway of a small house, almost a cabin really that sat down the end of one road. When I looked at him questioningly, Neil just winked and got out of the car. Curious, I got out and followed him to the door. "It's my brothers place." he told me with a smug grin when he opened the door. "He's out of town for a couple weeks though so left me the keys."

I felt a little uncomfortable for a moment as I went inside, looking around somewhat curiously. "Nice." I said, exaggerating slightly. The house was so small that it could have almost just been a shed.

Then before I could really think about what was going on, Neil caught me by surprise, grabbing hold of me and kissing me. However, what surprised me more was the fact that I stared kissing him back just as passionately. My nipples, which had already been hard for half the night, started to poke out even harder. And I was so wet that I half expected that my crotch had to be leaking through my skirt.

"You are such a hottie." Neil told me quietly when he pulled away.

I just stared at him for a moment, burning with desire. I was so horny at that moment that it didn't take more than a couple more words before I'd started undressing. Several minutes later, we were on the bed and making out passionately. Somewhere deep inside, I knew that what I was doing was wrong. That small part kept telling me to stop. To think about what I was doing. However my hormones had different ideas and were much more insistant. I felt far too good to even seriously consider stopping.

Shortly afterwards, I lost my virginity as a girl, loving absolutely every unbelievable moment of it. I'd exploded with not one, but 4 orgasms, each at least three times more powerful than any that I'd had as a man. When I was finished and laying in bed next to Neil, I couldn't help smiling smugly to myself, thinking that if it felt that incredible as a girl, it was no wonder that Shelly loved having sex as much as she did. And with all of Shelly's skills which I'd inherited, I made damn sure that Neil had enjoyed himself nearly as much as I had.

--------------------

The next day at school, I strolled through the halls, feeling as if I was queen of the school. I could feel all the students staring at me with either lust or envy in their eyes, and I loved it. For my entire life I'd been ignored, and even after the attention that I'd received as Sam, it was nothing compared to what I got as a sexy girl.

I smiled to myself smugly as I thought about the night before. A small part of me was embarrassed, even humiliated that I'd done it with a guy. But that was the buried part. The real me that was underneath the 'Shelly mask' that I'd so thoroughly accepted. And even with that, I knew that the real me inside loved the attention as well. Loved how incredible I'd felt the night before. And as I walked through the halls of the school, I found myself licking my lip and wanting to try it again.

When lunch came and I saw Sam walking through the hall, I grinned mischieviously to myself, suddenly remembering how I'd spent time with Shelly before. I licked my lips, suddenly remembering the same incident from a slightly different point of view. Then I giggled to myself as I realized that the real Shelly was the one in Sam's body.

"Why not?" I asked myself, absently rubbing at one of my breasts. "Why not?"

I stared at Sam lustfully, dreamily imagining his thick cock between my thighs. I smiled faintly, giggling as I realized that even if he had Shelly's mind inside, I was still thinking of him as Sam. It seemed a lot more natural that way. Just as it was easier for me to think of myself as being Shelly.

As soon as Sam walked past me, I quickly grabbed his arm and threw myself up close to his body. He stepped back in surprise, and I just looked up, smiling suggestively and batting my eyes. "Hello handsome." I said in the low throaty voice that I'd found so sexy earlier. The effect was immediate and obvious as the bulge suddenly formed in the front of Sam's pants.

"What?" He gasped, still looking surprised. But at the same time, I could see the lust clearly in his eyes. He wanted me. Bad.

Gently tugging on Sam's arm, I pulled him into the same empty classroom that we'd used before. His eyes widened as I locked the door and smiled at him. "Since we are to carry on as the people we now are in every way..." I whispered seductively, already undoing my shirt as I said so, "I thought that you might like to try this out as well."

Sam just stared at me, a hungry look in his eyes. "I must be imagining things." He said quietly. "I can't believe I'm getting so turned on by....myself."

I just smiled at that, slowly stripping and dropping my clothes to the floor. "Relax and enjoy it." I told him, finishing off and standing in front of him in as sexy a pose as I could. "Trust me...you will."

After this, Sam didn't say anything more. Instead he started undressing as well and within minutes we were on the teachers desk, repeating our previous encounter but from each other's position. And as much as I'd loved it then, I found that I loved it even more this time.

When we'd finished on the desk, I got dressed again, smiling suggestively at Sam as I did so. "So...." I finally asked, "How did you like the other side."

Sam just grinned back. "Awesome." he told me. "But really different." I nodded, knowing exactly what he meant. I giggled slightly and rubbed my nipples for a minute before going back to getting dressed. "Damn." Sam whispered almost to himself. I just continued to grin as I finished getting dressed and then strolled out of the classroom as sexily as I could.

Several hours later, I was greatly disappointed when I had to trade bodies again to give someone else a turn as Shelly. I'd reluctantly did so though, without saying a word. I knew that it wasn't fair for me to keep her body to myself, no matter how much I'd wanted to. And even when I was back in my own body and no longer had the 'Shelly mask' to blame it on, I knew that I still wanted to go back and be her again. To have all that beauty and attention. To be popular and well loved. And even to have the incredible pleasure that came with the body. But sadly, I let Nancy finally have her dream come true.

--------------------

Three days after I'd had my experience as Shelly, I got to try being Rick for awhile. I thought that it was definitely interesting since he had such a tough guy reputation. While being him I got to smoke, drink and ride his Harley around, which was pretty cool. However, what I liked best about being Rick was that I got to take advantage of his body, reputation and fighting skills to beat the shit out of John McCormick, one of the guys that took a delight in harassing me.

In just a couple weeks, we also added two new members to our secret group. One of them was a girl with a serious reputation as a troublemaker and a dyke. I learned first hand that the rumors about her being a lezzie were completely and utterly true. The other member was the richest boy in the school, so we all enjoyed the chance to see what it was like to have all that money.

However, in spite of our newest additions, over the next couple months I found that I still tried to become Shelly again as often as I could. It was like I was becoming addicted. I just couldn't get enough of being the beautiful and popular cheerleader. I was afraid that Ed at least noticed it, but I was relieved that he never said anything to me about it.

During the next few months I also couldn't help but noticing that most of the others seemed fairly reluctant to become either Ed or me, especially when we gained more members. And then, it was usually Ed who was chosen over me for swaps. I knew that this was partly because of my partial immunity. That no one else could really get my personality. But I was also disgusted to realize that it was because Ed and I were so normal. So average and boring. I wasn't too surprised, but I was very, very disappointed.

One day, Ed and I were sitting in my back yard, both of us in our real bodies as we talked. Ed twiddled his thumbs, looking extremely lost in thought. He'd been doing that a lot lately and I couldn't help but wondering what was going on. If I didn't know better I would have thought that it was one of the others in Ed's body, but I did know better. This was my oldest friend and something was bothering him.

"Spill it." I finally told Ed. "You've been acting real weird lately. What's going on?"

Ed looked at me for a moment, then he answered. "I was thinking about how great it's been since we got that ball." I couldn't help but noticing how he said 'we', apparently forgetting that it was really my sphere. All the others seemed to most of the time. "I love it." Ed told me, his eyes suddenly burning with an intensity that was surprising. "I love the variety. Being able to be a hot chick, or the star football player. Hell, I even like being a nerd once in a while."

I snorted. "We all feel that way." I told him. "I like being other people too."

"Yeah," Ed told me, "but honestly, I don't really like being me anymore." He stared at the ground, sounding rather sad. "My life is boring. It's always the same. I don't want to be me." He sighed and I just tried to stay quiet and listen. "You know that I don't have much of a future. Not enough brains for a scholarship or enough money to get me in college. I'll just graduate and get stuck working at McDonald's or something."

"No you won't." I told him, trying to cheer him up but knowing exactly where he came from. Though I didn't like to think about it myself, I didn't know what I was going to do either.

Ed shook his head sadly. "I don't have much of a future. Hell, I'm scared shitless about graduating. I don't want to leave school. I like it there, especially now that we have all that variety." Ed looked at me again and forced a smile. Then the intense look returned to his eyes, sending shivers down my spine though I couldn't say why. "I'm not going to leave." Ed said in a near whisper but extremely seriously.

"What do you mean?" I demanded, suddenly wondering if Ed was going crazy. "Are you going to try flunking?"

"I don't know." Ed said quietly. "I don't know how yet, but I'm going to stay. Somehow."

I shook my head, thinking that Ed was a bit crazy but not knowing what to say. So instead, I changed the subject. "My folks are at it again. Last night my mom caught dad in bed with one of his bimbo's."

"Shit." Ed chuckled. "Not again..."

Nodding, I frowned. "Yep. They had a big argument and everything. I think dad's gonna want to some more of that family bonding shit to smooth things over."

Ed just smiled faintly at that, having heard it all before. Then said, "I really feel for you man, but I sure as hell ain't taking your place and I don't think anyone else will either."

I groaned, having half hoped that I could have talked Ed into doing me that favor, but I knew that he was right. The others were already too reluctant to spend much time as me so I knew that none of them wanted to do it for a long weekend, especially with my folks.

"Just great." I grumbled. "Another weekend in hell."

After several minutes of silence, Ed started laughing. "Hey Simon, just remember that the last time you went with them you came back with the sphere. Who knows what you might come back with this time."

I smiled back faintly, not believing that anything was going to happen and bracing myself for the trip that I knew was going to come up soon. I didn't know where or when, but I didn't doubt that there would be one. "Well," I told Ed with a grin, "I'll make a deal with you. If you pray for me to make it through this, or better yet avoid it, I'll pray that you get your wish."

"Deal." Ed laughed as we shook hands on it.

After a few more minutes, Ed got up and sighed. "Well man, it's about time for me to get home. I'm gonna have to fly."

"Won't your arms get tired?" I asked him in my most innocent voice.

Ed chuckled at that. "Smartass."

I shrugged. "It's better than being a dumbass." Ed chuckled even more at that.

When Ed was gone, I continued to stare in the direction that he'd went in, frowning thoughtfully. I was still a little worried about Ed, especially since he seemed so determined to never leave high school.

In some ways I could easily see where Ed was coming from though. Being in school was a hell of a lot better than being at home for me. All I had to do was attend classes all day and occasionally prove that I knew a little bit. There were people around all the time so it was a great place to socialize and even meet girls at. In fact, the biggest problem that I had with school was that I was almost always completely ignored.

Then, I smiled faintly to myself as I thought of the sphere and the changes that it had made to my school life. I'd learned a hell of a lot about people in general and knew that I'd learn even more. But most of all, I smiled to myself as I remembered that I'd get another chance to be Shelly in a few days. If my dad waited until afterwards for whatever hell he had planned that was. With a shrug, I decided not to worry about it and went inside to do my homework. There'd be time enough to worry about that later.

Simon's Story: A Prequel to the Club
part 5 of 9
By Morpheus

I climbed out of the car, glaring intensely at the ugly cabin that stood there before me. "I can't believe it." I grumbled to myself. How could dad take us to the same damn flea infested cabin that he'd brought us to the last time he'd wanted to do something family oriented. It nearly made me sick but then I guessed that getting his friend to lend him the place was probably a hell of a lot cheaper than actually paying for something new.

"Lighten up Simon." dad told me cheerfully. "We'll have a great time." Then he stretched his arms out, taking an exaggerating breath. "Smell that fresh mountain air." I groaned.

"Lovely." came mom's voice from behind me. I turned and saw that she already had a bottle of beer in her hand and sighed as I realized that she'd soon be upgrading to something just a little harder. "Just lovely." she mumbled, not sounding all that enthusiastic about it either.

I shook my head, reaching back into the car for my baggage and deciding to myself that maybe this time it wouldn't be too bad. After all, I grinned to myself as I realized that I could go back and check out that spaceship again. I felt a shiver of excitement run through me as I considered that, wondering what else I might find there this time. "No," I muttered to myself, "coming back might have been a good idea after all."

Later on, I walked down towards the lake, quietly thinking about my plans for the next day. I smiled to myself as I figured that I could get up early and hike on up. And this time I'd be a little better prepared for what I might find.

When I got further down towards the lake, I stopped for a moment and stared at a black car that was parked off towards one side of the road. For some reason, it just didn't look quite right to me, perhaps because it was so perfectly washed and looked absolutely brand new. Not like any of the other cars that I'd seen in the area. Shrugging, I continued towards the lake, quickly forgetting about the car.

A short while later, I was sitting at the edge of the lake, staring at the rippling water and thinking about what I might find in the flying saucer this time. The idea both excited and scared me at the same time. I frowned, then turned towards a family that was playing along the edge of the lake. There was a father and mother with their two children. Both little girls. I smiled faintly as I watched them, feeling somewhat envious at the way that they actually behaved like a family.

"Oh well." I muttered, getting up to go back.

However, just as I was getting ready to leave, I couldn't help but noticing a couple of strange men just a short distance away from me. One of them was carrying a metal detector and the other one was carrying some sort of box that I couldn't really make out from my distance but it reminded me of those Geiger counters that I'd seen in movies. Both of those were unusual enough to attract my attention, but the thing that really made me curious was the fact that both of them were dressed in identical black suits and wearing sunglasses.

"Weirdo's." I muttered to myself, watching them for a few more minutes before returning to the cabin.

The next morning, I woke up early, or at least early for me. I kept yawning to myself, not having had much sleep with my folks yelling the night before. But I was determined not to let a little thing like that slow me down. I was burning up too badly with curiosity about the ship. I just had to see it again.

I started the hike back up the mountain, not positive that I remembered the whole way correctly but hoping that I had. The fact that all I had to do was see the right mountain or the right cliff and I'd know where I was helped raise my confidence. I knew that I'd find it again, of that I had no doubt.

After several hard hours of hiking, I'd seen the cliff that I remembered so well from the distance and started towards it. It didn't take me too much longer before I once again found the cleared out area that had been created when the ship had initially crashed. I grinned excitedly with my goal almost in sight.

When I finally reached part of the cliff that had the ship half buried in it, I stopped and gulped. As excited as I'd been to get there, I still hadn't lost my nervousness. The memory of those aliens bodies returned and I shuddered slightly, realizing that I was about to willingly walk back into a tomb.

"Shit." I mumbled to myself, beginning to walk towards the entrance.

However, before I could go in, I stopped suddenly and froze, seeing a light coming from within. I stared in confusion, then started to nervously step back. Then they came out. The same two men that I'd seen the day before with the black suits, and one more. One of them was carrying the same black box as the day before, one of them a large flashlight and the third one a large gun.

"Oh man." I whispered to myself, suddenly feeling scared.

Then they saw me standing there. "Freeze." The man with the flashlight yelled. The man with the gun immediately pointed it at me.

"Ohmyfuckinggod." I squeaked out, taking another step backwards instinctively.

With the gun aimed straight at me, I stopped moving and held my hands out, terrified that I was going to get shot. "Who are you?" The man with the flashlight demanded. "How did you find this place?"

"I'm....." I gulped.

Then the man with the odd box or meter frowned even more than he was previously. "We have to hurry." He told the man with the flashlight. "It's set to go off in 30 seconds."

Thirty seconds? I wondered what the hell was going on but they didn't give me any answers. Instead, they gestured for me to move along with them as they started running. I was terrified but ran, afraid of getting shot. Then suddenly it came. A massive explosion from behind me knocked me to the ground. I rolled over and stared in disbelief at the cliff, or at least what was left of it. The whole cliff was a smoldering ruin from where the ship had been.

"A bomb." I gasped, horrified that the space ship...that MY space ship was destroyed. "You blew it up." I said in horror.

Immediately the men in the suits stared at me, the looks on their faces suddenly even harsher than before. I gulped. "What do you know if it?" The man who had been carrying the flashlight demanded.

"Oh shit." I gasped, glancing quickly from one of the men to another.

Then I noticed that the gun was laying on the ground. The guy who'd held it must have dropped it when the explosion knocked us over. Seeing my only opportunity, I jumped forward, grabbing the gun and started running as fast I could. I could hear them yelling for me to stop and come back from behind me. Then, just as I reached the trees, I heard several gun shots being fired. Obviously that one hadn't been the only one who was armed.

"Ohshitohshitohshit." I repeated over and over as I ran, hauling ass as fast as I could and hoping that those people wouldn't be able to follow me in the forest.

After getting myself lost, I somehow managed to find my way back to one of the trails and then back towards the lake. I was absolutely terrified as I rushed back to the cabin, wanting to too my folks what had happened. Somehow, I seriously doubted that they'd believe me, but I had to try.

As soon as I was finally within sight of the cabin, I let out a sigh of relief and rushed through the door. I stopped just inside, glancing back out, half afraid that those guys would be there. For several minutes I just stood there, leaning against the door frame and gasping for breath.

Once I'd calmed down a little, I looked outside again, just to make sure, then I went to find my folks. God, I needed help and badly. I found my parents in the bedroom that they were using in the cabin, arguing with each other. Loudly too.

"Mom!" I cried out when I threw open the door. "Dad! You've gotta help me. They're after me."

"Who's after you?" dad demanded, suddenly looking worried. The argument between my folks seemed to have been forgotten at that moment. "What's going on?"

I gulped, trying to take slow deep breaths as I explained. "Some guys. They've got guns and were shooting at me and blew up the space ship and they're trying to kill me." Pausing, I knew that I wasn't really making much sense, but I was too terrified to think clearly.

Dad just stared at me as if I was crazy. "What are you yammering about?" He demanded, sounding impatient. "I don't' have time for that kind of nonsense.

Trying to keep calm and go slower, I explained. "I found a UFO in the woods and some guys blew it up and now they're trying to kill me."

At that dad started to look angry. "Enough of that Simon. I don't have time for your stories."

"But dad...." I protested.

Mom interrupted at this. "Listen to your father."

I stared at them both, then pleaded. "Please, you've got to believe me. I'm in trouble. Please...."

"Stop this lying!" dad snapped, this time looking furious.

"But...." I started to protest, but was stopped with the painful impact of my fathers hand against my face.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" He yelled, "GO!"

"But..." then dad raised his hand again. I turned to mom, but she was shaking her head and looking at me as if I was the drunk. As she didn't believe a word I was saying. I stared at my folks, gasping at the disappointment. They didn't believe me. Hell, they refused to even listen to me. Dad even called me a liar to my face. My own parents..... "Then..." I whispered, beginning to feel tears on my cheeks, "The hell with you." At that I turned and ran out of the cabin as quickly as I could, hearing my dad yelling at me loudly from behind me but not bothering to stop.

I didn't know where to go so started down towards the lake, glancing behind me every couple of seconds. The thought that the guys with the guns could be there scared the shit out of me, but then I told myself that I'd lost them in the trees. All I'd have to do was keep a low profile and they'd give up. And I told myself, if I stayed around other people than they wouldn't dare do anything to me. I smiled weakly, beginning to feel a little more confident though not too much.

When I got to the edge of the lake, I paused and looked around me and then smiled faintly when I saw that there was someone standing out on the end of a small dock. As I moved just a little closer, I saw that it was a little girl. The same one that I'd seen the day before with her family. She was a very cute girl who couldn't have been any more than 8 years old. She had long blonde hair and was wearing a pink swim suit. As I slowly moved towards the dock, I couldn't help but wondering where her folks were. I glanced around, knowing that they had to be somewhere nearby though I didn't really see them. I shrugged, deciding not to worry about it for the moment but to keep an eye on her just in case.

I sat down on a large boulder and watched the girl for several minutes. She'd just stayed at the far end of the dock, staring into the water and then sitting down and kicking her legs back and forth into it.

Then, while I was watching, the little girl fell right into the water. At first I didn't think anything of it, just thinking that she was trying to swim. However, she started splashing around violently, screaming and then going under. She came back up for a moment, flailing some more before going down.

"Oh shit." I gasped, jumping to my feet and staring at the girl in horror. She didn't know how to swim.. "Oh shit!" I screamed, about to rush to her but knowing absolutely that I couldn't get there in time.

I stared at her intently, finally beginning to move towards her when I suddenly felt a strange tingle fill my body. Then almost immediately I felt the same confusion and dizziness wash over me that I'd felt dozens of times before, though this time there was no sphere to have caused it. As soon as the confusion passed, I was shocked to have water going into my mouth. I spat it out, realizing that I was sinking. That I was surrounded completely by water. I splashed around, trying to calm down enough to swim and stay afloat. Once I'd done that, I noticed the dock that was just a few feet away from me and with a horrible sinking feeling I grabbed hold of it and stared back at the shore. I'd traded places with the little girl.

"Oh shit." I exclaimed in a very girlish voice, wincing at it while I slowly pulled myself back onto the dock. It was definitely not easy with my now much smaller and weaker body.

Once I was halfway onto the dock, I looked back towards the shore, staring at my own body. It was just standing there, staring down at itself with an extremely confused look on it's face. The girl in body was also crying, which made me wince at how much it made me look like a sissy. However, something else suddenly made me wince even more. A short distance behind my real body, I saw the three men in the suits walking straight towards it.

"Ohmygod." I gasped in horror, then screamed out as loud as I could, "RUN!" The girl in my body looked at me with a scared and confused expression, apparently not realizing what was happening. Then before I could scream out another warning, I saw one of the men raise a gun and then saw my real body explode into red splashes. "NO!" I cried out, climbing the rest of the way onto the dock and staring at the scene in horror. With one more shot, my real body lay on the shore, motionless and bloody. Dead.

For a minute, I just stood there, staring at the scene in shocked disbelief. That couldn't be happening. It couldn't. I gasped, not caring about he tears that were pouring down my cheeks as I realized that I was dead. That my real body was dead, and I was somehow trapped as a little girl.

But as horrified as I was by what I'd just seen, the fact that one of the men was walking straight towards me with his gun stretched out made me even more scared. When he got closer, the man stared at me then shook his head. "I'm sorry kid," he said quietly, "but we can't have any witnesses."

I stared at the man, knowing that I was about to die for real now. But then, as I stared at the man, I felt the static tingle hit me again. A moment later, I found myself looking down at the cute little girl, holding a gun in my hand.

The girl looked completely disoriented then her eyes wend wide and she demanded, "What the fuck?"

"What's going on?" One of the other men yelled out from the shore. "Why haven't you taken care of her?"

"Oh shit." I muttered, turning away from the little man in the little girls body and staring at his friends. "Oh shit."

I gulped, glancing down at the gun in my hand and realizing that it was my only chance. Then with a grimace, I aimed it at one of the other men and started shooting. The gun was silenced so didn't make much sound, but it still had a little recoil. One of the other men went to the ground and I stared running towards the end of the dock, shooting at the other one and then running for the trees. God help me, I thought in horror, not knowing what had happened or what I was going to do.

"Ohshitohshitohshit." I repeated, dropping the gun in disgust as I ran. I still didn't even know who those guys had been. And I'd killed them.

Not knowing where else to go, I immediately started towards the cabin, hoping that somehow I'd be able to convince my folks to help me. That somehow I'd be able to make them believe me. But as soon as I got to the cabin, I carefully stepped into the door and was immediately confronted with the sound of my parents yelling at each other.

"Stop fighting!" I yelled at them, watching them both turn and look at me in surprise.

"Who the hell are you?" dad demanded, glaring at me furiously and beginning to come towards me.

Mom was standing back, holding a half finished drink in her hand and looking confused. I stared at her for a moment, realizing that I'd made a mistake. Then turning back to dad, I glared at him, realizing that even if I told him who I was, he'd never believe me. If only there was some way to convince him.

Then, while I was staring at my dad, who was still coming towards me and making threats, I felt the tingle again. My eyes widened slightly as I realized that I had somehow called it up. I concentrated on my dad and a second later, I was once again looking at one of the men in the black suits. But this time I was in my dad's body.

"Holy shit." I whispered to myself, realizing that somehow I'd done that without using the sphere. Dad on the other hand looked completely confused and then looked at me, demanding that I change him back. For some reason that only made me angrier.

"What's going on?" mom demanded with a slight slur in her voice.

I turned towards her, feeling disgusted. Then, glancing back towards dad I started to chuckle. The idea was so....perfect. With that, I stared at mom, trying to bring back that tingly sensation. A moment later, it had come and I found myself suddenly in my mom's body. I could feel her tits hanging from my chest. However, I also felt rather vague and dizzy. Sort of foggy. In other words....drunk. Though it was a lot more difficult than I'd expected, I managed to concentrate enough to focus back on man in black and summon up the tingling again.

"What the hell's going on?" my dad started screaming from my mom's body. He dropped the drink to the floor and grabbed at his new boobs. I just smiled wickedly, remembering all the times that he'd like grabbing other women's boobs.

Mom was grabbing at her crotch in dad's body looking equally confused. "Enjoy." I told them, turning and running back out of the cabin, leaving my parents inside and without any idea of what had caused their exchange. I absently wondered what they might say if they knew that they had their son....their former son to thank for it.

When I left the cabin, I had no idea of where I was going to go. I just stared rushing down the road, hoping that something would come to me. After a few minutes, I realized that I probably should have grabbed my folks car keys and taken the car. That way at least I'd be able to get away from there.

Suddenly, the realization of everything that I'd just done crashed down on me. I winced, knowing that I was dead, I'd killed some men or at least badly injured them and left another man inside the body of a little girl. I felt guilty, blaming myself for her death. It was me that they were after. She was just an innocent.

"But what am I?" I asked quietly. I didn't know anymore. How could I consider myself innocent after shooting those men? After what I'd just done to my parents? I didn't know.

Before I could answer any of the million questions that had swarmed over me, I felt a sudden pain in my shoulder. I froze, feeling a little dizzy as I reached back and pulled out a dart of some sort. For a moment, all I could do was stare at the dart in confusion before everything went black.

Simon's Story: A Prequel to the Club
part 6 of 9
By Morpheus

I was surprised to wake up inside of a rather small room with white walls. There was nothing in the room but the small shelf that also served as a bed of sorts. Several small cameras were visible in the corners and I gulped to realize that I was being watched. The white metal door which sealed the room was locked shut and showed no sign of a knob or any way of opening it.

After a quick examination of the room, I muttered, "Oh shit." to myself and sat down on the bed. As scared as I was, I realized that I was still in shock since everything seemed sort of distant to me. I tried calming down and thinking things through though no answers came to me. I was obviously still in the body that I'd stolen earlier so I didn't even know if I was locked up because they thought I was him or because they knew that I wasn't. Either way, I really didn't like it.

Closing my eyes for a moment, I tried figuring out why I'd suddenly gained the ability to trade bodies with people without using the sphere. The only thing I could think of was that it had something to do with my previous partial immunity to the sphere. Maybe both had been caused by the light and mist from the pillar when I'd found the damn thing. Maybe they'd just been caused by overexposure to the sphere. I didn't know and decided that it really didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was if it still worked.

"I wonder..." I mused to myself, realizing that if I had some of the memories of the guy who's body I was in then I might be able to figure a few things out. I might be able to get a few answers. With that, I tried to read the memories but quickly found that I couldn't. Not like with the sphere. And remembering that I'd traded bodies with people at a distance while I had to touch the sphere to use it, I smiled faintly to myself and wondered if I could do it from my little room. With that, I closed my eyes again and concentrated on Ed. I figured that I knew him better than anyone so it would have the best chance of working with him. However, nothing happened. Whether that was due to his being out of distance or my ability to swap having worn off, I really didn't' t know. "Oh well." I mumbled.

After a long wait, the metal door slid open and two men stepped inside. I gulped and instinctively shrunk back. One of them was one of the men that I'd shot on the beach. He limped as he stepped in and definitely did not look pleased. I didn't recognize the other man who seemed to be in his fifties and was wearing a white lab coat. Both stood at the doorway, the one that I'd shot having a gun pointed at me.

Finally, the man with the gun asked, "Who are you?" He said it coldly and without emotion. "What are you?"

I gulped, then trying to bluff, I answered, "What are you talking about?"

Neither of the men looked surprised by the answer. The man in the lab coat said, "We know that you are an impostor. The little girl confirmed as much after a detailed questioning."

"Who are you?" the man with the gun demanded again.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I told him, silently praying that I'd find some way to get out.

"Since you won't cooperate willingly," the man with the gun said quietly, "we will have to use other methods. Come along." He gestured for me to leave the room, still pointing the gun at me. As soon as I was outside the room, I noticed several other men with guns pointed at me. This was definitely not going to be easy.

A short while later, I'd been taken into what looked like some sort of science fiction laboratory. I was completely stunned but too scared to fight with them. They had me strip out of my clothes then they ran me through a whole barrage of strange tests. I got an MRI, some kind of full body X-rays and things that I didn't have a clue what they were. But through the whole thing, there were at least four people with guns aimed at me. I really didn't know whether to feel flattered or terrified.

Once I was done, they had me get dressed again though only in a pale green jumpsuit that reminded me of a hospital gown.

"Fascinating." the man who'd run the tests on me mused. "Every test identifies him as completely human...." He paused for a moment and cleared his throat. "However, there is some unusual brain activity."

I didn't like the sound of that but kept quiet. I'd tried smarting off to those guys a couple times during the tests and still had the bruises to prove it. Then, much to my surprise, I saw that two more people had come into the room. One of them was another of the guys wearing black suits and holding a gun while the other one was very familiar. It was the little blonde girl, dressed in an oversized jumpsuit just like the one I was wearing. However, the wary look on her face and the hatred in her eyes were completely new.

"Give me back my body." The little girl demanded, sounding rather petulant. It was all I could do not to smile. At the same time, I noticed that her escort had been keeping his gun pointed at her. Obviously she was now just as much a prisoner as I was.

After the mad scientists as I'd started to think of them gave us both a few more tests, the girl and I were both led to a cell just like the one I'd been in before and locked inside. It might even have been the one that I was in before. The little girl just stood there, crossing her arms and staring at me with hatred in her eyes.

When it became obvious that she wasn't going to say anything, I sat down on the edge of the bed and watched her nervously, having to remind myself that this was the same person that was about to shoot me when he thought that I'd been the cute innocent little girl. No, she was definitely not the innocent little girl that she appeared to be.

About an hour after we'd been locked into the cell, the girl still didn't show any signs of moving or saying anything. Finally, I asked her. "Who are you people? What do you want?" I gulped, trying to hide my nervousness and hoping to get some answers.

The girl seemed a little surprised. "You don't know?" She snorted. "Then I'm not going to tell you."

I sighed, trying to think of a way to get her to talk. For a moment, I seriously considered just threatening her or something since I was so much bigger than her, but then again, I'd always hated bullies. I sure as hell didn't want to really become one, even if it was to get some answers. Instead, I pointed out, "You're a prisoner here as well. Your friends obviously don't think much of you at the moment either."

"Because of you." she snapped. "You stole my body."

"And you were about to shoot me." I snarled, beginning to get angry.

"I don't know what the hell you are," the girl said coldly, "or how you did what you did, but we will find out. We'll make you change me back."

For a moment I just sat there quietly then answered, "I don't think that your friends are interested in that. You're just another experiment to them now."

She stared at me, the hatred still in her eyes. But I guessed that I must have gotten through to her a little. "If you give me back my body, then I might tell you."

"If you tell me, then I might give you back your body." I responded. I glanced nervously at the camera's, realizing that I'd just admitted to being able to do that. On second thought, that had not been a good idea but it was too late now.

"We are a very small organization dedicated to wiping out alien influence." she finally told me, looking ashamed as she admitted it. Not from being xenophobic I realized, but from betraying her group in even this small way.

I frowned, having seen enough movies to guess the rest. They were probably secretly stealing whatever alien technology they could and planning to take over the world or something. For our own good of course. I snorted in disgust. I didn't know if that was really it but I didn't care much either. I figured that I was close enough.

She looked me expectantly, but when I didn't switch us back, she went back to glaring at me silently. I shrugged and stayed where I was on the bed, hoping that somehow I'd get out of this and wishing that I was back in school where it was safe.

Later on they brought us some food which we both ate in silence then they left us alone for the rest of the night. I wasn't really even sure that it was night since there were no clocks and the lights in the cell never went out, but I guessed it was since I was getting tired. I even laid down on the single bed and took a nap.

The next morning, we were fed once again and then returned to the laboratory at gun point. This time though, the girl and I were both put into chairs that were facing each other and then stuck with a whole bunch of wires and stuff running all over our bodies.

"Now," the man who seemed to be in charge of the experiments said, "we are going to try something different." He stared at me and then ordered me. "Do whatever it is that you do. Trade bodies with her." Then he gestured at the little girl.

"Trade bodies?" I asked, deciding to play dumb again.

The man didn't even seem bothered by my answer. Instead, he almost seemed to smile. Almost. "You will do as I request," he said simply, "sooner or later."

Then he pushed a button and I was suddenly filled with an intense pain. I screamed out as every nerve in my body seemed to be on fire. The pain stopped just as quickly as it had started and I just sat in the chair that I was strapped into, gasping for breath.

"You see," the man said calmly, "we will continue to administer this encouragement to use your abilities until you do so. And if you have any inclination to use them on someone other than the girl, do not." He stepped back and gestured at the men with the guns. "They have orders to shoot anybody that you switch into other than her. And if you are somehow able to overcome that, the room itself has a lethal gas system that will be activated remotely."

I stared at the man and then gulped nervously. I quickly looked at the nearly half dozen men with guns and the video cameras on the ceiling. The whole situation terrified me and I was becoming even more so with every minute. While at first the situation had seemed like a bad movie, now it was becoming far too real for me.

Suddenly my thoughts were interrupted by another burst of pain. When it ceased, I gasped for breath and was once again ordered to trade bodies with the girl. This time, I nodded faintly, not wanting to have to go through that pain again. I felt disgusted at myself for giving in so easily but I did so anyway. I concentrated, summoning up that tingling sensation and a moment later I was in the little girls body again, thinking that everything around me suddenly looked much bigger.

"Fascinating." the scientist muttered to himself.

The former girl, now back in her original body looked pleased. "Good to be back." He said, grinning for just a moment before telling his friends. "You can let me go now." However, they didn't pay any attention to him and continued to treat him as a prisoner or experiment.

Over the next several hours, they made me repeat all of the tests that I went through the day before. This time though I was even more humiliated and scared. Everyone was now at least twice as big as me and I couldn't help but feeling incredibly small and helpless. I was trapped in the body of an 8 year old girl

Eventually, they finished their tests and I was once again returned to one of the cells. This time though they put me back in it by myself. I sat on the edge of the bed, wincing at the inches between my feet and the floor, reminding me just how much I'd shrunk. And as uncomfortable as my situation was, the fact that I couldn't call up any sort of 'little girl mask' to help me adjust only made it even worse.

For the next several days, I was kept mostly in that small prison cell. Every once in awhile they'd take me out for one type of test or another and all of those times they kept the guns aimed very carefully at me. I just did as they wanted though I didn't know how much longer it would be until they started asking me questions. Trying to find out what I really was and how I go that way. I knew that it would come sooner or later and I dreaded it horribly but at the same time, I was far too terrified to even attempt any sort of escape, even if I had found some way to do it.

Then my chance came. I was stuck in the mad scientist lab, sitting in a chair with a bunch of electrodes glued to me while they prepared for their next test. I just sighed and went along with it, knowing that I didn't have any other choice. Especially now that I was so much smaller than any of them. The guy that had been in my new body before me was also in there strapped to a chair and didn't look any happier about it than I was.

"Have you accepted the fact that I am NOT a threat?" asked the man who's name I still didn't know. Hell, I didn't know any of their names.

The scientist in charge didn't bother answering, nor did any of the men with guns. I just watched them quietly, realizing that they did seem just a little more relaxed than before. My being so cooperative must have made them realize that I wasn't a threat, though why they still had the guns pointed at me then I didn't know. Then again, maybe it was because I looked so small and helpless as a little girl.

"Too bad." the other man muttered almost to himself. Then he looked at me oddly, making me wonder what was going on. Before I realized what was happening, the man had snapped his hand out and grabbed the gun from one of our guards, shooting at another one.

"Oh shit." I squeaked out in my little girl voice, staring in amazement as she shot yet another one of the guards. Seeing that no one was aiming at me anymore and realizing that it was my only chance, I traded bodies with another one of the guards and as much as I hated it, I shot at the others. A moment later, only my fellow prisoner, myself and the guard in the little girls body remained standing.

My fellow prisoner gave me a look of hate but kept the gun away from me. "Hold your breath." He snapped, gesturing towards the ceiling and the grayish colored gas that was beginning to come out of a vent. I nodded, doing as he said and ran for the door with him and the little girl both close behind.

Me made it through the door just after it sealed shut behind us. The little girl was staring at me with hate in her eyes and the other prisoner as well. The other prisoner just said, "We need each other to escape. This way." I nodded, not trusting him in the least but knowing that he was right. I did need him to help me escape.

Before we made it more than a couple feet further, I felt a massive pain ripping through my stomach. I collapsed to the ground and looked up, only to see the little girl standing there with a gun in her hand. She's obviously picked it up from one of her dead friends while running out. She had a look of hate in her eyes that was so intense that I couldn't even tell if she realized that by killing me she'd trap herself. As she readied to shoot again, I traded bodies with her, just in time to feel the recoil in my hand.

"Oh shit." I whispered, staring down at the dead body that I'd occupied mere moments before. Every instinct in my body was screaming out for me to drop the gun, but somehow my rational side took over, reminding me that I was going to need it with everyone trying to kill me.

The other guy just glared at me, looking half disappointed that I was still alive. "Hurry up." he snapped, running down the hallway. I nodded and ran after him, trying as hard as I could to keep up with his much greater speed. That wasn't easy with my little girl legs.

A moment later my partner led us to another room. He quickly typed some stuff into a metal keypad and the door opened. I just watched nervously as he ran about, grabbing a bunch of stuff that I slowly realized were bombs. He started setting a bunch of them then dropped one of them into the middle of explosives before leading me back out of the room. As we hurried through the building he set them in one place or another, to make things more difficult for our captors he told me.

We made it outside the building with the bombs going off behind us. Everything was bursting apart and I could feel the noise and explosions as if they were washing through my entire body. I turned back, seeing the entire building going up in flames.

"That will slow them down." my temporary partner said quietly. I could see that he was tempted to shoot me, but he put the gun down for a moment and gestured for me to follow. "We can take a car and get as far away as we can. Hopefully we can lose them before they get reorganized." I only nodded faintly and followed along.

After we'd driven for less than an hour, we pulled over, stealing someone else's car and pushing the one that we'd stolen down into a deep embankment. My partner told me that the trees would hide it for a short while. Neither of us said much of anything as we drove, trying to get as far away as we could. We stopped several more times, getting us both new clothes and switching cars. Each time, I watched carefully as he hot-wired them, hoping that I could learn how to do it in case I ever needed to.

I was almost numb with shock, following along because there was nothing else I could do. My entire world had crashed down around me and I felt completely and totally lost. How could I have gotten involved in something like that? I was only a high school student. At least I had been I reminded myself sadly. I couldn't very well go back looking like I did now. Looking more like I belonged in second grade.

Eventually, after we'd been traveling for almost two days, we stopped in a cheap motel, posing as father and daughter. I hated it but knew that it made perfect sense. We stared at each other for several minutes and my partner finally asked me, "Who are you? What are you?" He looked partially afraid of me.

I stared at him for a moment, feeling scared. I think that he recognized that because he relaxed a little, looking a little less threatening and trying to smile. "I'm....Shelly." I told him, using the first name that came to mind. He nodded, obviously not believing me.

"You can call me John." he told me. I noticed that he said I could call him that, not that it was his name.

We stared at each other for a little longer before he finally asked, "You were inside the boy we shot on the shore, weren't you?"

"Sort of." I mumbled back, trying to decide if I should tell him the truth or not. Finally, I sighed, knowing that I needed to get it off of my shoulders somehow. "I...." I gulped, feeling the tears pouring down my cheeks again. "I....I was the boy on the shore." I was too tired to glare at him, knowing that he was one of the men responsible for killing me. "That was my real body."

John's eyes widened slightly. "Interesting." He said nothing else.

Deciding that I didn't have anything else to lose, I finally told him most of the story, completely leaving out the sphere and what I'd done with it. Instead, I just told him that I'd found the ship and that there had been a strange light and mist. He seemed rather skeptical but didn't question it, apparently deciding that he didn't want to push me too far and risk my being quiet again.

"And what about you?" I asked him quietly. "And your friends." I sneered as I said friends.

John was quiet for a moment then he answered. "They will kill me without hesitation and you as well if they can't recapture you. They want to learn how you do it."

"But why?" I asked, knowing as I said it that it was a stupid question. If they could control an ability like mine, they could have their people trade places with any businessman or politician. Even the president. John didn't answer my question, sensing that there was no need to.

"I told you that we....they were dedicated to eliminating all alien influence upon our culture." John paused, sipping at his cup of cheap coffee. "But there's more. There are some in the organization with....other goals." He stopped and stared at me. "They think you're an alien and will stop at nothing to get you. To find out how you do what you do."

I sighed, suddenly feeling even smaller and more helpless than before. It was a far cry from how powerful I'd felt as the real Shelly. Absently, I began kicking my feet back and forth since they hung several inches above the floor.

After a little longer, John looked at me thoughtfully then said, "We can lose them for good as soon as we find some new bodies for you to switch us into."

"What?" I gasped, surprised at the idea. Though I knew that I could do it, I wondered how I'd find some people who'd want to switch with us.

"You switch us into new bodies and then we can kill these ones. Even if they managed to find our bodies, they'd never know who we switched with."

For several minutes I just stared at John, feeling disgusted. What he'd suggested made perfect sense to me as far as staying alive went, but I didn't think I could bring myself to do it. It was bad enough killing people who were trying to kill me, but to kill someone innocent. That idea nearly made me want to vomit.

"No." I finally whispered. "I can't steal an innocent persons body and I sure as hell can't murder them." I gave John my most determined look so that he'd know how serious I was.

John looked furious at that and for a brief moment I was sure that he was going to threaten me and try to force me to agree, but as soon as he remembered that I could trade bodies with him again he calmed down. "All right." He said quietly, obviously planning some way to either talk me into it or work around that, "We'll have to find some other way."

It didn't take John too long to figure out a temporary solution to our problems. Some new clothes, a couple hair cuts and some hair dye for us and we looked like nothing more than a redneck father with his 8 year old son. The whole thing made me almost laugh since there I was with the mind of a teenage guy in the body of a little girl and pretending to be a little boy.

For the next two weeks, we took turns hiding out and slowly traveling across several states, John telling me a little bit more about the people after us along the way. Almost ironically, we ended up back in the same state that I'd started from before being kidnapped. However, we were not planning on staying there long. John said that he knew of some people who might be able to help us once we got to them, but we still had a bit of traveling to go before getting there.

One day, we stopped in a city to pick up some more supplies before continuing our little trip. Specifically, John wanted to pick up some weapons, having become sure that the guys chasing us were going to find us sometime soon.

The idea scared me enough to give me nightmares even worse than the ones that I'd been having since our escape. Nearly every night I'd wake up, terrified that they'd found us. That I was going to be locked up and dissected like some lab animal. I was more than willing to help John get us some guns that we could really use to fight back. He'd just shrugged and told me that guns were only one type of weapon that we'd need.

After we'd found a motel room to stay in, John went looking for someone who could give us the weapons. It didn't take him nearly as long to find that person as I would have expected. He'd made several phone calls but mostly went out on his own while I stayed in the room, knowing that he wouldn't be nearly as noticeable alone. But still, with as much time as I spent all by myself in the motel room, I grew even more afraid. I'd spent the last few weeks living in almost constant fear. Fear made even worse by my much smaller and weaker body.

John and I stared at each other while he told me about his plan. "I found a guy who can get us what we need." he told me seriously. "It wasn't easy considering our finances." I nodded noncommittally at that, knowing very well just how little money we had. "But I found something that we can trade." John smiled at that in a way that nearly sent shivers down my spine. It was the first time that I'd seen him smile that much since we'd met. "Trust me."

I snorted. "Of course." I told him as innocently as I could. I knew very well that he trusted me just about as far as I trusted him. However, I was pretty sure that he was on the up and up for now.

"I will go and pick up my contact and then take him to our meeting place. You will already be waiting there, with this." He set a handgun on the table. Unfortunately, it wasn't nearly what we'd need against the guys who were after us. "Just in case." he told me. I nodded agreement, not liking it but knowing that he was right. "We will verify the deal and then complete the transaction. Afterwards, we will continue on our way."

Once John had told me the details, though I still wasn't able to find out what the full deal was, we were on our way. John dropped me off in a parking garage and I hid between several cars with the gun while he went to pick up his contact.

An hour after John left, I saw him pull back into the parking garage with a passenger. I stayed hidden where I was, watching a Hispanic man in his thirties climb out and stand there. "Now what?" the contact demanded to John. "You told me that you had something I wanted."

John nodded. "Yes. I've heard that you have a couple of....pissed friends who might be after you."

The man cursed for a moment. "Yeah, so what's it to you?"

"I also heard that you wanted to disappear so that these friends can't find you." John gave a friendly smile that looked fake even from where I was hiding. "I can arrange is so that you don't have to worry about them finding you. Hell, you can even start over from scratch. Of course there are several....downsides."

"You selling fake ID's man?" the contact asked warily.

"No." John answered. "A new life." Then John turned and gestured for me. I came out from between the cars, keeping the gun hidden in my belt behind me. "In exchange for the equipment that I told you about, I can guarantee you a new life. The downside is that you become a child and have to grow up again." I gasped, realizing for the first time what John was going to trade. He was going to get me a new body in the deal.

"Fucking crazy." the man snapped, reaching behind him to pull out a gun.

Without waiting for John to say anything, I concentrated and used the ability that I hadn't used in weeks, praying that it was still there. I felt the tingle and a moment later I was in the man's body, carefully setting the gun down on the car.

"Is that proof enough that we can do it?" John asked, looking at the little girl body.

"What the fuck is going on?" the contact demanded in the cute voice that I'd almost grown used to hearing from my own mouth. I smiled, then remembering the gun that he now had, I switched us back and was once again looking at him while he patted himself down in relief.

"That," John said, "Is your chance at a new life. It's the only alternative that we can give you. You become a child again, but you get all of those extra years to live and without the people who are after you." I smiled faintly to myself, realizing that John hadn't mentioned that this body was female and I was still dressed up as a boy. The guy didn't know what he was getting in for.

I stayed back and remained silent while John talked with the contact. After calming him down and convincing him that this was indeed legitimate, John slowly worked on convincing him to turn into a child again. Throughout the whole negotiation, I tried not to smirk since John always referred to my body as a child's body, not once mentioning it's sex.

Finally, the contact and John shook hands and the contact said "You've got yourself a deal man."

"Just as soon as we pick up the equipment," John told him back, "we can come back here and make the exchange." I couldn't help but noticing the predatorily gleam in his eyes. Then John told me, "You stay in hiding. We'll be back in a little while." I nodded agreement.

A minute later, John and his contact were back in the car and had left. I smiled to myself, realizing that in just a little bit longer, I was going to be both an adult and male again. However, the prospect of being male again didn't excite me quite as much as I would have thought. Especially once I started thinking about how great it had been being the other Shelly.

It was nearly an hour and a half later before I finally saw John coming back. I stared out the side of the parking garage and smiled to myself. Soon. Then suddenly, just as I was staring at it, the car exploded into a massive ball of flame.

"Oh shit!" I gasped, staring at he fiery ruin that had been John and the contact moments before. "Ohshitohshitohshit."

For several moments I just stood there and stared, too shocked to move. But then I saw them. Two men in black suits and wearing sunglasses stepped into view, one carrying a hand gun while the other one held what looked to be some sort of rocket launcher. I cursed to myself as I watched them examine the wreckage, then against my better sense, I started moving behind cars and trying to sneak closer to them. When I got a little closer, I saw that both of the men had put away their guns though one of them pulled out a cell phone.

"It's me." the man with the cell phone said into it. "The targets were terminated. I have verified the two bodies. One was definitely the traitor and we are sure that the primary target was the other." He paused for a moment, obviously listening to the other end. "No. There wasn't time for it to escape that way."

I stared at them, carefully pulling myself back further and making sure that I wasn't going to be seen. They'd killed John but when they saw the contact with him, they'd just assumed that it was me. Almost as soon as the man with the cell phone hung up and put it away, both of them quickly disappeared.

I continued to stare at the burning wreck for several more minutes, realizing for the first time that I was free. They thought I was dead so wouldn't be after me anymore. I almost smiled in relief when I snuck away, though at the same time I couldn't help but feeling real bad about John. I may not have liked him but he had saved me and stood by me when no one else had.

Once I had made my way clear of the parking garage, I went around, scared and confused, deciding that it was too dangerous to return to the motel just in case but not knowing where else to go. I walked down the sidewalk, lost in thoughts as I tried to figure out what I was going to do.

Then suddenly I felt someone grab hold of my shoulder asking, "Where do you think you're going?" Terrified that they'd found me, I snapped around and stared at the person who'd caught me, not sure whether to feel more afraid or relieved.

"Well son?" The cop asked. "I think you'd better come with me." Then with that, I was forcibly but gently led to a police car and taken away.

Simon's Story: A Prequel to the Club
part 7 of 9
By Morpheus

At the police station, several people kept asking me questions that I couldn't give an answer to. I told them that my name was Sean Butler, making up the name on the spot though I didn't think that they quite believed me. Especially not after I couldn't answer any of the other questions to their satisfaction. It didn't take long at all before they'd all decided that I was a runaway.

"All right son," said one of the cops who'd been somewhat nice to me, "where are your parents at? What's your phone number?" I sighed and didn't bother answering. I'd tried lying about it earlier and had quickly been proven wrong.

After a few more questions, the social services lady who'd shown up sighed. "Well, we might as well get him cleaned up and fed for now."

I protested but was taken to a bathroom against my will where they decided to give me a bath. Unfortunately though, they quickly found out that I was really a girl, or at least wearing a girl's body. Once they'd found that out, it didn't take them very long before someone happened to run across a missing person's report for a little girl who disappeared near a mountain lake.

I spent hours with the social services woman as well as some psychologist. I was humiliated as they inspected my body for signs of abuse or molestation. No matter how much I protested otherwise, they didn't seem to believe me until they'd seen it for themselves. Then there were the questions they asked me. I lost track of how many times and different ways they asked me about where I'd been since my disappearance. Every time, I told them that I didn't remember, which only made them worry more.

"Please child." the social services woman said, "We're trying to help you. Are you sure that you don't remember anything?"

"Nothing." I told her, trying to look as innocent and sincere as I could. Unfortunately they still remained suspicious.

After several days in the care of social services, I was almost surprised when a man and woman showed up. The woman was very beautiful blonde who could easily have been a model while the man had light brown hair and a somewhat athletic build. I immediately stared at them, recognizing both as the little girl's parents. Tears started to fill my eyes as I remembered her with them. As I remembered her being shot, all because of me. Feelings of guilt washed over me and I burst into loud sobs.

Both the mother and father gasped at the sight of me, staring for a moment then throwing themselves at me, assuming that I was crying from happiness or something. "It's all right baby." the woman cried. "Mommy's here. We're going to make everything all right."

"Oh God Alison," the man cried, "where have you been? What happened to you?"

I just let them hug me, feeling oddly comforted by it. It had been so long since I'd been able to get close to anyone. Since I'd felt wanted or loved. And as strange as it was, having them treat me as their daughter Alison actually made me feel happy.

Mrs. Trotts, the social worker who'd been watching over me told them, "She seems to be suffering from some form of amnesia. We believe that she may have suffered some trauma that she's repressing." Alison's parents were both horrified at that, but Mrs. Trotts assured them that there had been no signs of my being molested and that my memory would probably return in time. I just went along with it, glad at the excuse amnesia offered.

After several more days and a few more tests, I was released from social services and sent back home with my 'parents'. It was a truly frightening experience for me. They continued to shower me with all their love and care, thinking that I was their lost daughter. At the same time, they were extremely careful and nervous around me, as if expecting me to be extremely delicate and fragile. I felt like I was an invader, intruding into their lives.

When we finally arrived at their house, I was led inside and immediately confronted with another girl who looked to be about 10 years old. Alison's sister. For now....my sister. She stared at me for a moment with a look of confusion, obviously not recognizing me very well with my dyed hair and boyish haircut. That didn't last long though.

"Alison!" She exclaimed, the look on her face bursting with love and relief. She threw herself at me even harder than her parents, hugging me as if she were afraid that I'd just vanish in a puff of smoke. "It's really you." She cried at that and I found myself crying along. After my new 'sister' pulled herself away, she looked up at her parents and said, "But she looks like a boy."

"They found her like that honey." the woman explained.

Then the father gently added, "Alison doesn't remember anything Sarah so please be careful with your sister. All right?"

"Nothing?" Sarah asked in surprise. My new 'mom' and 'dad' shook their head sadly. I could see how much this was tearing them up in their eyes and it hurt me even more to see it. They slowly explained my 'amnesia' to Sarah who looked at me with incredible pity in her eyes. "I'm so sorry."

For the next few days, my new family was extremely careful around me, trying to remind me of things from Alison's past. It hurt me to tell them that I didn't remember any of that so occasionally I found myself saying that I thought I was beginning to remember something. Every time I looked at one of them and saw the love and worry in their faces, I felt a stab of sorrow fill my heart for the real Alison. I was the one responsible for taking her away from her family. All I'd wanted to do was save her from drowning and I'd caused her to be shot instead. And the saddest thing was that her loved ones would never know.

At first, I considered how I might leave them without hurting their emotions. How I might somehow get an older body again. But every time I saw the way they looked at me, I couldn't think about it again. And what was worse, I actually felt loved. I actually felt happy. I actually felt as if I were truly a part of the family, very much unlike my own real family had been.

After two weeks had passed, I finally made up my mind. I'd already grown somewhat comfortable in my new body. I didn't even mind being a girl. In fact, I found it exciting and new, remembering how much I had liked being Shelly.

I knew that I'd never be able to return to my own home. To my own family. Sadly, I knew that I'd miss Ed a great deal and wished that I could let him know what had happened to me. But since that didn't seem a good possibility, I reluctantly let it go. Instead, I decided to accept my new life. By some miracle I had escaped death and been given a second chance. I had been given a new and happy existence. With that, I threw myself into my new role, embracing my new identity as Alison.

--------------------

I spent the next few years living my life completely as Alison. Though I never forgot who I really was, who I'd originally been, it slowly grew less and less relevant. I was no longer the boy that I had once been. Instead, I was a girl named Alison who had a lot of friends and a very loving family.

One thing I always kept in mind was everything I'd learned. I made sure not to repeat the same mistakes that I'd made before. And I put to good use everything that I'd learned in my previous school as a lot of different people. It gave me an appreciation for other people's points of view that I refused to forget.

School was very easy for me since I'd already been through all of that stuff years before. I was a straight A student without having to put in much effort, though I did pay attention and study enough to catch all of the little things that I'd forgotten about in that time. I even got into tutoring some other students.

It didn't take me very long before I became rather popular at school as well, though it wasn't due to my purposely trying to be. Instead, I was much more confident and outgoing which made it much easier to make friends. My helping other students with their homework and always being able to see things from other's points of view helped a great deal as well.

Then puberty hit me a little earlier than the rest of the girls in my class and my popularity skyrocketed even more. By then, my hair had long since grown back out and was once again the lovely blonde that had made the original Alison so cute. With my rapidly developing figure and the good looks I'd inherited from my 'mom', I was soon considered to be the most beautiful girl in the entire school.

There was one thing about hitting puberty that caught me by surprise. I'd found myself staring boys, finding them attractive. I knew that it was just the hormones of my new body and didn't fight it too much, but at the same time, enough of my old self remained that I still found girls attractive as well. It seemed that I was becoming bisexual and I wasn't sure exactly what to think of that. Finally though, I decided not to worry about it. That was just one more thing about the person that I was becoming.

One day, when I was 13 years old, I sat at school next to my best friend Marylou Elliot. She was no Ed, but she had been my closest friend since I first became Alison nearly 5 years earlier. Marylou was a rather pretty brunette who talked almost incessantly.

"So, like David asked Monica out and like, Monica said no way and..." Marylou told me excitedly. I only half paid attention to her, glancing around the lunch room and smiling at everyone. Several boys were looking at me which made me feel all warm and gooey inside. God I loved the attention. Then Marylou asked, "So, like are you still going to that....that old fogey place for your school project?"

It took me a moment to change mental gears. "Yeah." I told Marylou, thinking about the trip that I had planned to the nursery home after school. Everyone in class had been required to do something as a civics project and I was somehow talked into going to the nursery home every day after school all week. "It isn't that bad though." I told Marylou. "Some of those old people have some interesting stories." I grinned at that, "Like one of them used to know Marilyn Monroe before she became a movie star."

"Wow." Marylou whispered. "That is like, so cool." Then before I could get another word in edgewise, Marylou started going off about her own civics project though she changed topics every other sentence without apparent rhyme or reason. I just nodded and tried to at least pretend that I was paying complete attention.

Several minutes later, a couple of boys came over, swaggering a little and looking cocky. I grinned to myself and then quickly hid it, remembering somewhat how it had been to be a guy.

"Yo, Alie." The taller of the two boys greeted me, using the nick name that several other kids had started using. "I was wondering if you wanted to go see a movie with me Friday." The boy stood there hopefully, no longer looking cocky though I could see that he was trying. There was definitely the familiar fear of rejection in his eyes.

Sadly however, I didn't have any intention of going out with him but I didn't want to hurt his feelings either. I could remember all too well how painful getting turned down from a girl could be, especially when she wanted it to be.

"I'm sorry," I told the boy, trying to look as apologetic as I could, "but my folks won't let me date yet."

The boy nodded, looking disappointed but somewhat relieved that I hadn't taken the opportunity to humiliate him. I just smiled faintly to myself as he and his friend turned and left.

Marylou shook her head in disbelief. "I don't know how you do it. I'm like, so jealous of you. All the boys want you." She pouted a little at that and muttered, "And you just turn them down."

"You just need to be confident." I told Marylou, gently putting my hand on hers, "And friendly. If you're not, they'll get scared off." Marylou nodded, still looking a bit skeptical. "Trust me." I grinned. "One thing that I know is how boys think."

After we'd finished eating, Marylou and I got up and took our trays to the garbage can. However, just before we could drop the leftover slop in, a large boy suddenly stood in our way.

"Hiya baby." Tony Maxwell, one of the typical school bullies said. He looked at Marylou and then snorted. "Get lost flatty, I'm talking to busty here."

I winced at that. Just because I'd started developing a little earlier than most of the girls and had a bit more cleavage, boys had been drawn to me like magnets. Marylou wasn't quite so fortunate yet and already had a little inferiority complex at times because of that.

"What do you want?" I demanded, gently grabbing Marylou's arm so that she didn't run off.

Tony stuck his chest out and puffed himself up. "I wanted to give you the opportunity to date me." The arrogant expression on his face made me want to beat the shit out of him. However, I wasn't exactly in a position to do something like that anymore. "You're going to go out with me Friday."

I shook my head, trying to stay calm. I hated school bullies. I'd hated them when I was still Simon and that hadn't changed. For a moment I stared at Tony, more than just a little tempted to use my special ability and swap him with Marylou or some other girl in school. However, I quickly stopped that idea. I hadn't used my power in years and wasn't even sure that I still had it. And even more importantly, I didn't want to do anything that might ruin my life as Alison.

Instead, I grinned and snuggled up closer to Tony, almost flirting with him. He gulped nervously, obviously a little surprised at my actions. I could tell that Marylou certainly was. "Why honey..." I said in my most exaggerated sexy voice, "I'd love to." Tony looked smug again, then I continued. "Except that I've heard you wet your bed and I just can't date babies." I said this last loud enough for the people around us to hear. There were several loud gasps. At the same time, I emptied my half finished apple juice container right into Tony's crotch, making sure that I'd positioned my body close enough so that no one could see me doing so.

"Why you..." Tony gasped furiously.

I stepped back and stared at him with a look of mock horror. "Oh my God." I exclaimed loudly, gesturing to the large wet spot in the front of his pants, "He pissed himself."

Suddenly half the lunch room burst out laughing and Tony looked down in horror. His face turned a bright red and after giving me a quick look of hatred, he turned and ran out of the lunch room as quickly as I could. I just grinned to myself as I finished taking care of my tray.

"That was like, so evil." Marylou giggled. "You are the worst."

"You know it." I told her. "Just remember that." We both giggled at that, looking around at all the other kids who were still laughing and talking about Tony's wetting his pants. I really doubted that anyone would take him very seriously as a bully anymore.

------------

After school, I went to the nursery home where I was helping out as part of my civics project. I felt a little sad as I went though, knowing that I could probably help some of those people but that I didn't dare. Some of them were so full of life that I could scarcely imagine them belonging in a place like that, while others....others were near enough to being dead that death might have been a mercy. Going there always made me feel depressed so I couldn't wait until my civics project was over.

When I got to the parking lot of the nursery home, I paused and let out a sigh. At least some of the people there had been real friendly. There was one old man who was stuck in a wheelchair but didn't let that slow him down. He'd cheerfully talk for hours, telling the biggest lies that I'd ever heard. The thought of Mr. Carson brought a smile to my face. There would be a few things I'd miss when that was over.

Then I noticed something out of the corner of my eye that made me suddenly snap around with my heart racing in fear. On the other side of the parking lot was a tall thin man dressed in a black suit. He even had a pair of sunglasses on.

"Ohshitohshitohshit." I gasped, looking around frantically for a way to get away. But much to my surprise, the man wasn't coming towards me. He didn't even pull out a gun or anything. Instead, he just slowly walked away, much to my relief. "False alarm." I whispered to myself, trying to calm down. "He must have been a mortician." I muttered, knowing that the nursery home would be a good place for that kind of business.

I was still a little shaken up though as I hurried towards the building, knowing that I'd feel a little more comfortable once I was inside. Once the doors had closed behind me, I let out a sigh of relief and started towards the common room where everyone gathered to socialize.

Almost half an hour after I'd arrived, I sat on a chair, listening to Mr. Carson tell me all about how he 'single handedly ended World War II', which was quite amusing. However, it wasn't easy trying to keep a straight face while he described his 'heroism'.

"And then of course," Mr. Carson told me with a grin, "I took some pictures of old Adolph right after shaving him bald. He had to wear a wig after that." Then Mr. Carson let out a disappointed sigh. "Unfortunately though, the G men confiscated them when I got back stateside and hushed the whole thing up."

"Balderdash." Another old man snorted from several feet away, not looking the least bit tolerant of Mr. Carson's imaginative tales.

"Well, I believe you." I lied, gently patting Mr. Carson on the arm. Then grinning to myself, I added, "And did I ever tell you that I once found a crashed UFO?"

After a brief chuckle, that gave Mr. Carson another idea and I spent a few more minutes with Mr. Carson telling me about his encounters with a foo fighter over Tokyo, I stood up and excused myself, saying that I needed to stretch a little. "I'll be back in a couple minutes." I promised Mr. Carson, then went out to go find a soda machine so I could get something to drink.

I stopped at the soda machine just in front of the buildings main entrance, glancing over the selection and trying to decide just what I wanted. Then I glanced out the door and dropped my change as I let out a loud gasp. Walking swiftly towards the entrance were three people dressed in black suits and wearing sunglasses. One was the tall thin man that I'd seen earlier while another was a more athletic looking man with blonde hair. The last was a woman who appeared to be in her late twenties or early thirties and had short black hair that was slicked back. This time, I had no doubt that they were not morticians.

"There she is." The blonde man exclaimed when they saw me. "Get her."

"OH SHIT!" I yelled, turning and running into the building as fast as I could. I screamed silently to myself as I ran through the halls, trying find some place to hide. Glancing back, I could see them close behind me, guns ready to be used.

"Freeze." The tall thin one ordered. I didn't bother to listen and jumped around the corner instead, just in time to see a hole burst open in the wall where the bullet had hit.

I ran as fast as I could, dodging around elderly patients and nurses, afraid that they were going to be hurt by the people who were after me but even more terrified that I would be. The memory of my old body exploding into bloody holes filled my mind, making me even more determined to get away.

When I got to the end of one hall, I was shocked to see two more men wearing black suits. They'd obviously come in another way. Once again I barely managed to avoid them, though their trigger fingers seemed to be getting more and more itchy.

After a few more minutes, I had managed to lose most of them, but unfortunately not all of them. Still, I ran as hard as I could until I suddenly found myself caught in a corner. Feeling scared, I turned around, my eyes wide with fear and my heart racing wildly. "Trapped." I muttered. When the tall thin man came into view, I grimaced, knowing that I was trapped. Then I noticed the old woman further down the hallway that he'd knocked aside coming after me.

"What are you smiling at?" the man in front of me demanded coldly.

I just continued to grin for a moment, pulling my concentration together. I felt a blur of confusion, finding myself standing there with a gun in my hand. I threw the gun towards my own body and then shifted again, this time into the old woman further down the hall. My hips were suddenly burning, feeling as if they were on fire. I didn't allow that to dim my concentration though and quickly focused back on my own body.

"Gotcha." I said, bending over and picking up the gun. Once I had it in hand, I told the confused old woman who was now in my attacker's body, "Sorry about that, but I hope you'll forgive me." I didn't stay around long enough to see her response. Instead, I ran past the terrified old woman who was frantically grasping at her body with a look of horror on her face. "One down." I whispered.

Before I'd made it all the way to the other end of the hall, another one of my attackers appeared. I didn't even hesitate this time as I jumped into his body, grimaced as I braced myself, and then shot both of my feet. I screamed in agony, throwing the gun aside and somehow managing to shift myself back into my own body.

Glancing at the man who'd fallen to the floor, grabbing at his bloody feet, I quietly said, "Two."

After seeing a few more scared patients and staff, I decided that I needed to get out of there immediately. People were in danger because of me. Bad danger. I carefully started making my way back towards the main entrance, hoping that I could escape.

Then I suddenly had another worry. Once I found a phone, I called home, wanting to warn my family to get out of the house. To go some place safe. But after the phone rang a dozen times without an answer, I dropped it, feeling sick to my stomach. Were they just out or had THEY gotten to them? I shuddered, afraid of the answer.

As I carefully made my way through the building, I tried figuring how they had found me. How they'd figured out that I was even still alive. But then it dawned on me. Someone must have figured out the identity of the girl that they'd captured. Not difficult considering the missing person reports of a little girl having disappeared from the lake. Then, someone must have found out that the same girl had just as suddenly reappeared. I didn't know what had taken them so long to find me, but I definitely wished that it had been a lot longer.

I was surprised to hear someone suddenly calling out "Alison. What's going on girl?"

"Mr. Carson." I whispered, turning towards the old man. He was rolling towards me in his wheel chair, looking frightened but determined. "You've got to hide."

"I ain't hiding from nothing." he snapped. "Least not till I know what it is I'm hiding from and why."

"Please..." I begged him, glancing around fearfully. "You've got to get into one of the rooms where you'll be safe."

But then I looked up and saw that it was too late. The blonde man was coming up behind Mr. Carson with his gun pointed at me. "Surrender now." The blonde man said quietly, then he shifted the gun and pointed it at Mr. Carson.

"No." I gasped. "Don't."

"Then surrender and come with me." he demanded, showing no trace of emotion in his voice.

I gulped, glancing fearfully between Mr. Carson and the blonde man. Then finally I nodded. "All right." I could feel the tears coming down my cheeks.

Suddenly, Mr. Carson caught me by surprise by snapping his elbow around and catching the blonde man's hand, knocking the gun away. I didn't need any more opportunity than that before jumping into the blonde man, then into Mr. Carson before finally back into myself.

"Dear Lord." Mr. Carson exclaimed from his new body, looking more than a little shocked. "What's happening?"

"A second chance." I told him quietly. "A second chance."

The real blonde man was yelling at me from his new place in the wheel chair while I hurried off, taking advantage of Mr. Carson's distraction to make sure that he wasn't in any more danger because of me. Soon I was out of sight and on my way again.

Realizing that they seemed to have the main way out guarded pretty well, I changed directions and started towards the west wing. I shuddered at the thought of going there. That was more hospital than nursery home. That was where they kept all the really bad cases. The patients with serious problems.

I slowly made my way down one of the halls, figuring that if I could get to the other end and out the fire escape, then I'd be home free. "Almost there." I told myself hopefully.

"But not quite." I heard a female voice say. Nervously, I turned around and sat that it was the woman that I'd seen at the front entrance. "None of your tricks." she said coldly, gesturing towards one of the doors while keeping the gun pointed at me. "In there now."

Gulping, I looked at the tense grip she had on the gun. At the way her finger was about ready to pull the trigger. For some reason, I began to doubt that I could trade places with her before she pulled the trigger. I'd caught the others off guard, but she was anything but. Nodding, I stepped into the room that she'd directed me to.

"Now we can take care of this without as many witnesses." she said calmly. I gulped at that, knowing that she was going to kill me. Then I glanced at the old man who was sitting motionless in the hospital bed and staring at the wall. "No. I'm not going to kill you." the woman told me, pulling something out of her pocket. It was a syringe. I gulped at the realization that instead of being killed, I was going to be kidnapped again.

I looked at the woman and the gun in her hand, then at the syringe in her hand. I didn't like the look of it in the least but her finger was still too tight on the trigger. Finally, I looked at the man in the hospital bed. He didn't even seem to have noticed us. It took me a moment, then I recognized him. One of the nurses had shown him to me while giving me my initial tour. He was Mr. Erickson. A poor slob who they were positive was brain dead or at least nearly so. He'd been in a coma for over 10 years but his family made sure that he was kept alive anyway. Pulling my eyes away from Mr. Erickson, I looked back at the woman.

"Who are you?" I asked her quietly. "Why are you doing this to me?"

She didn't bother to answer that. Instead, she just stepped closer to me and told me that if I moved, she'd shoot me. I nodded, wincing as she jabbed the needle into my arm. Almost immediately I started to feel weak and tired. I staggered and fell down, no longer really looking towards her but towards the bed instead.

At the same time, I noticed that her grip had loosened on the gun while she tried to control the direction that my body fell. Somehow, I managed to summon enough concentration together to jump again. Unfortunately though, I hadn't been able to look at her since she was behind me. Instead, I found myself suddenly laying in the hospital bed and staring at the wall.

The woman didn't even seem to notice what had happened. She was busy rolling my body over and checking my pulse. For a moment I just stared at the woman as she pulled out a cell phone and said, "I've bagged the target." She told them where to find us and then put her phone away. "Now for my witness." she said aloud, turning towards me with the gun in her hand.

"No." I gasped, suddenly jumping into her body.

What happened next caught me by surprise. In one brilliant second, the door to the room burst open and two men in black suits came in, both carrying large guns. At the same time, the old man in the hospital bed jumped straight at me, his hands going straight for my throat. Suddenly the man's forehead exploded in a red burst and he was thrown backwards, landing across the bed with over half of his head missing.

For a moment I just stood there, too stunned at what had just happened. The goons had just saved my life from one of their own. "Are you all right?" one of the guys in the black suits asked me.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to stay calm as I answered, "Yes."

Both the men in the suits went to the bed and stared at the mess. One of them pulled out a cell phone and told someone in it. "The primary target attempted escape in a patients body but was neutralized." The man waited a moment then continued, "No. It was killed instantly, before it had the chance to escape that body." After a moment, the man hung up the cell phone.

"We should go before the authorities arrive." the other man stated calmly.

I looked at them both, suddenly relieved that the sunglasses I was now wearing hid my eyes and my expression. Once again they'd killed the wrong person and thought that it was me. But this time, instead of just slipping off without being seen, I was in the body of one of them. They assumed that I actually was the woman who's body I wore.

Without saying a word, I went with the two men who had saved my life. After we got into a black car and drove off, one of them talked to someone on the cell phone again, mentioning that the clean up team would take care of the mess that was left behind. A cover-up of some sort, I realized. I only hoped that Mr. Carson was able to get away and take advantage of his new youth.

However, it was the words that came next which sent a cold chill down my spine. "Yes. The primary target's family was terminated once we verified that they were not like it."

The words that the man had said so calmly nearly made my heart shatter. My family was dead. Killed...murdered by the same cold blooded monsters who'd killed the real Alison years before. And though every part of me wanted to cry, to scream out and grieve at the loss of the only true family that I'd ever known, I knew that to do so would mean my own death. Or worse. So instead, I swallowed up all of my pain, all of my grief and pretended not to care as I continued towards my unknown destination.

Simon's Story: A Prequel to the Club
part 8 of 9
By Morpheus

We drove for a long time and I remained quiet for the entire trip, as did my companions. I only spoke when one of them said something and then I kept my answers as short and emotionless as I could, which seemed to be what was expected. I was also extremely thankful of the sunglasses which continued to hide my eyes, which I feared would have given me away.

During the drive, I listened carefully to anything that was said, knowing that I'd need every ounce of information that I could get to keep them from suspecting who I was. God, I was terrified that at any minute they could possibly discover that they hadn't failed in their objective to capture me. That I was still their prisoner, even if they didn't know it yet. With that in mind, I tried remembering every detail about them that I could. From my pervious time as their prisoner to what John had told me. I only hoped that it would be enough.

After awhile, we reached an airport and caught a private plane to somewhere else, though I didn't really know where. I certainly couldn't ask either since they assumed that I would already know. However, about an hour into the flight, I left my seat and went into the small bathroom stall, hoping that I'd finally get a chance to find out who I now was.

In the stall, I stared at my reflection in the mirror, seeing a rather attractive woman staring back. She was the same woman who'd tried capturing me of course, with fairly short black hair that was swept. Her eyes looked just a little puffy from where I'd been holding back the tears, not to mention a little bloodshot as well, but I decided that they'd probably look rather nice under other conditions.

Silently I started patting my pockets, looking for anything that might give me some more information. One by one, I pulled out my gun, then another one which had been strapped to my ankle. After that came two knives, a cell phone, some sort of key card that looked sort of like an ATM card but was pure black.

In one pocket I found a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, which gave me the answer to why I'd felt rather high strung and antsy for the previous hour. I'd felt an urge for something, a need...and now I knew what that something was. Silently I put them back, feeling a little uncomfortable with the idea though I didn't really know why since I'd smoked before while in someone else's body. But then again, that had been years earlier and with their emotions as well.

Then finally I found something that made me smile. A black wallet that had well over $500 cash in it, several generic looking credit cards as well as several forms of identification. I snorted as I stared at the drivers license and then the ID which said I was an agent for the NSA. Somehow, I seriously doubted that she really was. In fact, I seriously doubted that the name Lydia Trask which was on the identification was real either. However, it was all that I had for the moment.

Eventually the plane landed and by the time it did, I was feeling even more fidgety from the nicotine withdrawal that my body was going through. I told myself that I could handle it and go through the withdrawal with just some discomfort, but then as I watched one of my companions light a cigarette, I realized the problem with that. I wouldn't be staying in character and at the moment I couldn't afford to do anything that might be out of character.

"Shit." I whispered, stepping away from the others though remaining in site. I gulped, feeling a little less than happy about it but knowing what I was going to have to do. "You've done it before." I told myself, feeling foolish for my hesitation.

With that, I pulled out the pack of cigarettes and lit one. Whether it was the fact that I'd done it before years ago back at school or because my current body was used to it, I was soon smoking without any difficulty. Not only did it get rid of the craving that I'd been feeling, but it also seemed to be what the others were expecting.

After a short while longer, we'd made it to a building that appeared to be where their headquarters was. Or at least the one where we were going to. We were given a debriefing and I had to tell my 'supervisor' what had happened, from Lydia's point of view. The whole time though I couldn't help but desperately wishing that I had used the sphere to change. Then I'd at least have gained the memories to really pull off my impersonation. But once the debriefing was over, I was actually relieved these people were so secretive and close lipped. It made it a little easier for me to give my report and then get out of there, even without having the sphere.

--------------------

Over the next several weeks, I was extremely careful and attentive, doing everything that I could think of to fit in and keep from being discovered. It wasn't easy, especially not with the fact that there were cameras everywhere, watching my every move. But somehow I was able to keep passing myself off as Agent Lydia Trask, or whatever name I was to use. There were nearly half a dozen different sets of ID for me in my quarters, each having a different name.

Even though I had free run over most of the building, there was no doubt that I was still a prisoner. A prisoner that my captors didn't even know that they had, but a prisoner nonetheless. If I did anything to give myself away, I knew that I wouldn't get another chance. With that in mind, I put even more effort into staying in character at all times, which wasn't quite as difficult as I would have expected with all of my previous experience and my motivation.

After my first two weeks, I'd adapted enough so that I was becoming more sure of myself and my ability to pass. I'd learned a great deal about the organization that I was inside and the person whom I was replacing. I'd even practiced extra hard on the firing range to make sure that my lack of skills wouldn't give me away either. But again, I couldn't help remembering that the sphere would have made it all so much easier on me.

One day, I was in my cramped quarters, having just gotten back from an assignment to check out some crazy guys claim of having seen a UFO. Throughout my first mission, I'd looked for every opportunity to escape, and even though I did see one or two small ones, they didn't seem quite right. I would have given myself away and soon had them hunting me down again. I didn't want that so remained with the others, questioning the 'target' and verifying that he was just imagining things. I was almost disappointed when we'd returned to headquarters empty handed and decided to relax by taking a long hot shower.

I had just gotten half undressed when I was surprised by a knocking on the door. I frowned to myself as I went to answer it, wondering who it could be. Before opening the door, I glanced at the gun which sat on the stand next to it, getting ready to grab it in case I should need it.

"Yes?" I asked, opening the door a little. A somewhat tall and athletic looking man in a black suit stood there. I didn't remember seeing him around before, but that didn't mean anything.

"I just returned from my mission." The man said quietly then stepped inside, coming right past me and into the room. Once he was in, he actually smiled at me. "I missed you."

I gulped, not sure what to say. "Really?" I answered, trying to sound calm and confident.

Apparently it worked because the man told me, "Definitely."

Then before I realized it, he's grabbed hold of me and started giving me a deep kiss. However, I quickly got over my embarrassment, kissing him back. I may not have known the guy, but Lydia obviously had. And on top of that, I could definitely feel my body responding to his touch.

For the briefest of moments, I considered throwing him out. I didn't even know the guy. But then, I quickly reminded myself that I had remain in character. How much of that was being logical and how much just rationalizing what I'd already started to do, I didn't know. A minute later we were laying on the bed and having wild sex.

Once we'd finished, I leaned back in the bed and smoked a cigarette, thinking about how fantastic it had been getting fucked for the first time in years. I smiled faintly, knowing that it had indeed been nothing more than fucking. There had been no love making involved, only wild animalistic sex.

My companion, who's name I still didn't know, rolled out of the bed and immediately started getting dressed again. I frowned, wondering why he was leaving so suddenly. He just leaned over, gave me a kiss on the cheek and rubbed my tit for a moment before he said goodbye and left me.

"Well that was fun." I snorted sarcastically. Even Sam had stuck around afterwards. Then sighing, I snubbed out the cigarette, got up and went to take my shower. The warm stickiness all over my thighs was beginning to make me feel a little dirty.

--------------------

Over the next several days, I discovered that my new lover was Agent Brad Smith, though that was of course another alias. I also found out that though he and Lydia where lovers, that was as far as their relationship went. That was not unusual in the least since any romantic ties were severely frowned upon within the organization. However, that at least made things a little easier for me since if Brad had been closer to Lydia, he would have almost surely noticed that something was wrong.

During the next few months, Brad introduced me to anal and oral sex, some of which I liked, and some of which I didn't. But every time I was with him, I knew that even though he was making me feel good at that moment, he'd shoot me in the back the instant he learned who I was. The instant he found out that I was not Lydia. He might have been good for sex, but I never forgot for even a moment that he was really my enemy.

I almost hated myself for having to remain in character, though with each passing week, it grew easier and easier. I learned more and more about the organization as well as the skills that I needed to continue passing myself off. Soon I was going on more and more assignments, each giving me opportunities to escape. Opportunities which I did not take for one reason or another. Some of the things that I had to do on those assignments left me feeling sick to my stomach, though I did manage to avoid doing any of the real nasty stuff myself, without looking like I was avoiding it.

For six months I spent my life as Lydia, hiding within the middle of the very people who'd been hunting me. Becoming more lost in the character I was playing and even more disgusted at myself for doing so. Finally, after one particularly bad mission, I'd had enough. No matter what it took, I knew that I had to get out. I had to get free before it was too late.

When I found out my newest assignment, it was everything I could do to keep from showing my excitement. It was my opportunity. I waited until just before we were to leave, then I got into the computers to 'research my assignment'. However, while I was there, I grinned to myself, almost laughing at the fact that I was going to use one of their own weapons against them. I very carefully loaded a computer virus that they'd designed into their own system. A virus that would sit dormant for several days, then wreak havoc with their files, corrupting everything it touched. I just prayed that it would erase their information on me. That it would make any chance of them following me that much more difficult.

--------------------

I was sitting in the black car, surrounded by several other agents, glancing towards my watch and hoping that things would work out quickly. Glancing over at Brad, I could see that he didn't look concerned in the least, which wasn't unusual. Most agents didn't seem to have any emotions at all much less show them. Especially not while on an assignment.

"It's time." The agent in charge said simply.

With that, we all nodded and climbed out of the car and into the inside of the warehouse. My hand started towards my gun but I froze, patting it instead and then standing with the others in front of the car. Brad, myself and the agent in charge stood motionless, both Brad and I being empty handed though ready to reach for our guns should we need them. The agent in charge however was holding a black suitcase.

Then I saw the other men coming towards us. A man with gray hair who seemed to be somewhere in his late fifties or early sixties and wearing an expensive looking gray suit stepped into view. Two other men followed close behind, each of them with an obvious bulge in their suits which revealed the guns that they were carrying.

"Shall we get down to business." the gray haired man asked quietly. I watched him intently, knowing that he was actually a rather influential senator. He glanced around warily. "You have the pictures?"

The agent in charge nodded faintly. "Of course." He pulled out an envelope and made sure that the senator could see it clearly. "And of course, the two million." With that he held the suitcase out for a moment.

Snorting, the senator took the envelope and opened it up. He pulled out the photo's that could end his career, frowning intensely as he stared at them. Then without another word he used a lighter and set the pictures on fire. The agent in charge silently handed over the briefcase as well while the senator glanced nervously at me and Brad before accepting it.

"Blackmail and bribery at once." The senator sighed, talking almost to himself. "Who would have thought I'd sink so low." Then to the agent in charge, he nodded. "I've done what you asked. I've killed the proposal you wanted."

"Good." was all that the agent in charge said.

I watched the others, feeling more and more nervous. Then, just as the others were distracted, I concentrated and traded bodies with one of the senators bodyguards. Immediately I grabbed for the gun that I'd noticed him carrying earlier. Within half a second bullets were firing from both sides. I jumped back into my Lydia body, just as the bodyguard was shot.

"Oh shit." I muttered, jumping off to the side and behind one of the warehouse supports, being safe from the bullets for the moment. Then I saw the senator, running to get out of danger while his remaining bodyguard took care of protecting him. I grinned, then concentrated again. A moment later I was inside the senators body, feeling suddenly even older and more tired. I grimaced and threw the suitcase with the money as hard as I could back towards where I'd been hiding in my Lydia body. Then I shifted back, hoping that I'd done it quick enough that the senator hadn't realized he'd even changed bodies for a second.

Without a word, I glanced over at the agents who were shooting at the bodyguard, frowning when I noticed that the agent in charge had been hit. God, I suddenly felt guilty over what I'd done. I'd only intended to make a distraction and then run, making it look like Lydia was in with the senator, but now people were getting killed. I gulped, grabbing up the suitcase and then running while everyone else was distracted.

"STOP!" I heard Brad yell from behind the car. I didn't dare, though I did glance back, gasping to see that he was aiming at me now, not the senator.

I let out a scream of pain as a bullet knicked my thigh. I could tell immediately that it wasn't going to be bad, but it still hurt like hell. Without another thought, I suddenly jumped into Brad's body, threw his gun as far as I could and then switched back into my own, leaving him standing there with a totally shocked look on his face.

"Damn it." I growled to myself, rushing out of the warehouse and grimacing at the pain in my leg. I tried not to look back, knowing that I'd just done the one thing that I hadn't wanted to do. I'd just used my power and let them know that I was still alive. Still alive and having been hiding in the middle of them. "Damn." I muttered again.

Once I was outside the warehouse, I quickly found the senators limo hot-wired it. As I hit the gas and got out of there as quickly as I could, I silently thanked John for having taught me that skill. It was a skill that I used several more times in the next couple hour as I switched cars and tried to get further away from the warehouse.

"Just like old times." I told myself over and over again, remembering too clearly the time that I'd been on the run with John. I grimaced, remembering that I'd definitely learned a few things about hiding out from him, not to mention from the people that were now chasing me.

I smiled to myself faintly before heading into the worst part of the city, knowing that I couldn't remain Lydia for too much longer before they'd find me. Not only because of my description which they knew so well, but because I strongly suspected that my current body might have had some sort of tracking device surgically installed as well.

After trading bodies with a would be rapist whom I'd lured in, I took the money and started on my way. I knew that I'd have to make several more swaps along the way to truly lose my pursuers, but I also knew that I'd already made a good start.

Pausing for a moment, I sat in the latest car that I'd stolen and opened the briefcase, letting out a lout appreciative whistle. "Two million dollars." I shook my head, then absently scratched at my crotch. "God this is uncomfortable." I muttered. After being a girl for so long, being a guy again was definitely going to take some getting used to. And what was worse, I thought that my latest body must have had crabs....or worse.

I closed the suitcase and then closed my eyes, trying to calm down and think about happier times. I smiled faintly when I thought about Ed and wondered what had ever happened to him. Then I felt a pang of guilt when I remembered the last time that I'd ever seen my real parents. I cried, remembering what had happened to my adopted parents as well.

When I opened my eyes again, I stared off into the distance and realized that I didn't know what I was going to do. I had money and the ability to stay in hiding, but I didn't want to live my life in hiding. I wanted to be noticed. To have attention and friends. Like when I was still Alison. I didn't even know what had happened to any of my old friends. Any of my Alison friends or my Simon friends. Sadly, I thought that I still had far too many loose ends from my previous lives. It was then that I realized where I had to go and what I had to do.

Simon's Story: A Prequel to the Club
part 9 of 9
By Morpheus

I stood on top of a grassy hill, tears coming down my cheeks as I stared across the orchard of headstones. The cemetery was very quiet and empty, which suited my mood since I wasn't in any state to have company. Silently I started down the slope towards where the cemetery manager had told me they'd be.

It had been nearly two weeks since I'd escaped from my prison and I was trying hard not to think about my time there. Some of the things that I'd witnessed made me feel queasy and I didn't like who I had been slowly been turning into while surrounded by those people.

Once I'd escaped, I had slowly made my way back towards the town where I'd lived for 5 years. Several times I had switched bodies with people, each time making it more difficult for THEM to catch me. Currently I was in the body of a scrawny teenage runaway girl who'd tried mugging me, thinking that I was just a helpless homeless man. I smiled faintly to myself at the thought of how she must be adapting, though I also felt a little bit guilty. Not too much though. I was just relieved to be a girl again, even if it was such a scrawny and unattractive one.

When I finally reached the plots that the caretaker had told me to look for, I stopped and stared at the headstones, crying freely. The graves of my adopted parents sat in front of me, a cold and heavy reminder that I had been responsible for their death. Just as I'd been responsible for the death of the real Alison. Collapsing to the ground, I sat there and cried for a long time.

Eventually, I got back to my feet, staring at the grave stones and whispering. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Then I started wiping at my tears, trying to regain some control over myself. For several more minutes I just stood there silently. But then, I realized that something wasn't quite right. I'd been crying over my adopted parents graves and hadn't even noticed that there wasn't one for either Sarah or Alison. "Ohmygod." I gasped in a rush, wondering what that meant.

I didn't know what was going on but I knew that I had to find out. With that in mind, I started back to my old house, finding that other people were living in it now. That however wasn't where I was planning to go. Instead, I smiled faintly to myself, knowing that if you ever wanted to know anything about anybody, the best person to ask was the neighborhood snoop.

A short while later, I was sitting on a couch in the living room of Mrs. Aberton, my old neighbor, having told her that I was an old friend of Alison's who hadn't seen her in a long time.

Mrs. Aberton had looked horrified but invited me in. "It was horrible." Mrs. Aberton told me quietly. "There was a burglary and the whole family was shot." Then she sounded sympathetic as she told me, "And even worse, less than an hour later, little Alison was caught in a terrorist attack."

I nodded, not having to hide the tears that I was crying again. "So the whole family was killed." I whispered, but still wondering where Sarah and Alison's graves were at.

"Oh no." Mrs. Aberton exclaimed, her eyes going wide with surprise. "Little Sarah was badly hurt but she survived the burglars. I believe that she's living with her aunt on the other side of town."

"Survived?" I gasped. "Oh my God." I let out a sigh of relief, feeling just a little bit of the guilt I'd been carrying fade. And she was apparently living with Aunt Jesse, who was the only other relative of the family in town.

Mrs. Aberton nodded. "Oh yes." Then she said, "But you probably want to know about Alison, the poor dear. I don't know all the details, but she must have hit her head or something because the poor girl has been in a coma ever since. Little Sarah visits her in the hospital nearly ever day, the poor child."

"Alive." I whispered, not sure which had surprised me more. Sarah was still alive, and apparently so was my old Alison body. "Thank you very much." I told Mrs. Aberton, then said goodbye before rushing off.

--------------------

I stared at the hospital bed with a swirl of mixed emotions. Laying helpless in the bed was an extremely pretty blonde girl. Alison's body. My body, I thought to myself faintly, realizing that I had grown very attached to it. She was just as pretty as I remembered, even if she was hooked up to several machines.

"Hello...Alison." I whispered quietly. Then a moment later, I said, "Mr. Erickson." Obviously it was still him in that body. The young and healthy body had done nothing for his already destroyed mind, which oddly made me feel sad and relieved at the same time.

Just staring down at my old body made me frown. It made me wince, seeing it looking so helpless like that. So lifeless. I smiled faintly, remembering how much I'd liked being Alison. How much I'd loved being a pretty young girl. Then I turned and made sure that there was no one else in the room as I made up my mind.

"Here goes nothing." I muttered. Then with that, I focused my concentration. A moment later, I opened my eyes, feeling extremely uncomfortable from where I was laying on the hospital bed. "I'm back." I smiled, definitely feeling a little better already.

When I sat up and started pulling some of the wires and needles out of me, I winced at each one. But before I'd been able to climb completely out of the bed, I was interrupted by a nurse who'd burst in to check on me because of some alarm that went off when I'd removed a wire. For the next hour I had to sit there while several doctors came rushing in and checking on me, all enthusiastic that I'd finally 'woken up from my coma'. However, there were also a lot of questions about the scrawny teenage girl who was found laying on the floor next to my bed. The one who was now in a coma instead of me.

Throughout the whole thing, I played along, pretending to have no idea why the girl was laying next to me. I just told them that I had a nightmare about someone leaning over me and had suddenly sat up, only to bump into the girl and watch her fall to the floor. All the doctors seemed confused by this but they didn't question me very much. After all, what could a girl who just woke up from a coma know?

Eventually all of the doctors and nurses left, telling me that I needed my rest. I nodded and agreed, yawning loudly while they left. Once I was alone again, I waited for awhile to make sure that they weren't coming back, then grinned to myself as I slipped out of bed.

"Hello Sarah," I muttered, "here I come."

It was a little more difficult to sneak out of the hospital than I would have hoped, but thankfully all the clothes I'd been wearing 6 months earlier were packed in the room's closet. Unfortunately though, I quickly discovered that they didn't fit nearly as well as they had earlier. It became obvious that puberty had continued doing it's work on my body while it was in a coma. It had grown, both up and out, looking even more mature than before.

"Damn." I whispered, definitely wishing that I had a mirror to check out how I looked. But I didn't have time to go looking for one. Instead, I finished making my way out of the hospital and started towards my new goal.

--------------------

After a quick shopping trip for some clothes that would fit me right, I stopped at a beauty parlor and got myself a haircut and manicure. God, after spending all that time in a bed, my body definitely needed some serious pampering. And, I had to admit to myself, a bit of exercise.

Once I was finished, I stared at the results in the beauty parlor mirror. "Not bad." I said, knowing that it was an understatement. I looked hot. Damn hot.

The six months had definitely been good for my body. I was built even better than I remembered, at least an inch taller and even more beautiful. I smiled at the reflection, realizing that with the right clothes and makeup, I could even pass myself off as 18. Maybe even older. That would definitely be an advantage.

When I paid my rather large bill and left, I chuckled, "It's good to be a millionaire." It was with a rather large smile that I started off, definitely feeling a lot more like my cheerful old self. "Look out world, here I come."

A short while later, I'd made my way across town and was standing at the door to Aunt Jesse's house. I felt incredibly nervous while standing there, not sure of what I was going to say. I was going to see my 'aunt' and 'sister' but what could I tell them. That I was really an impostor that they didn't even know? But I did care for them. At least for Sarah. I had to see her again.

The door opened up slightly and a very pretty blonde girl stuck her head out. "Hello?" she asked curiously. Then her eyes suddenly went wide with a look of absolute shock. "Alison?"

"Hello Sarah." I answered, smiling weakly, "Mind if I come in?"

Sarah didn't say a word as she stepped back and let me in, but the instant that I was across the door frame, she had thrown herself at me and grabbed me in a strong hug. "Oh my God Alison, how did you get here? What's happened to you? You were still at the hospital yesterday." Her obvious confusion made me chuckle.

"Where's Aunt Jesse?" I asked when we stopped hugging.

"She's at work." Sarah told me. "But what's going on?"

I smiled faintly and sat down in the living room, gesturing for her to do the same. "It's a long story." I told her. Pausing for a moment, trying to consider how best to tell her while realizing at the same time that I couldn't tell her everything. "The people who..." I gulped, "shot mom and dad were the same ones who came after me in the nursing home."

Sarah's eyes widened in surprise. "They were after me." I told her quietly. "It's my fault." I was beginning to cry again but tried to hold it back.

"How could they have been after you?" she demanded, obviously doubting my claim.

"You remember when I disappeared from the lake?" I asked her, knowing that she couldn't have forgotten that time. When she nodded, I told her, "I...I saw something that I shouldn't have and some people kidnapped me. When someone helped me escape from them, I thought that it was over. But they came back."

"No..." Sarah gasped. "That couldn't...." She frowned, obviously trying to think things through. "But how did you get here? You were in a coma."

I nodded. "I can't explain any more." I told her quietly. "Not now."

Sarah didn't like it but she saw the look in my eyes and didn't argue. She might have been two years older than me physically, but at that moment, I think that she sensed I was older and more experienced than her inside.

For the next couple hours, we both danced around the subject of what had happened, talking instead about how things had been with her. How she'd survived the bullet that missed her major organs and then moved in with Aunt Jesse afterwards. I nodded through the whole things, asking her questions every once in awhile.

Then finally, I looked at the clock. "I'm afraid that I've got to go."

"But why?" Sarah asked.

"Because they'll come after me." I told her quietly, unable to look her in the eyes. "Because, sooner or later, they will look for me here. I have to leave or I'll be putting you and Aunt Jesse in danger."

"But you're only 14." Sarah said, sounding more like she was pouting. "I'm your big sister and I'll take care of you. That's my job."

I couldn't help but smiling at that. "Not this time." I told her, giving her a serious look that made her gulp. "There's a lot more to both the situation and to me than you could imagine." I frowned, then added, "The innocent Alison that needed your protection died long ago." Sarah's eyes went wide in surprise though I knew she had no idea how true my words had been. "But I do appreciate the concern."

Sarah protested some more, but I didn't change my mind. When she realized that, she offered to come along, but I refused, telling her that it would only put us both at greater risk. "But what are you going to do?" she asked sadly.

"I don't know." I told her frowning thoughtfully as I stared out the window. "Clean up a few loose ends I guess, but after that...." I shrugged. With that, I reached into my purse and pulled out a thick manila envelope and handed it to Sarah. "Here." I told her. "This is for you."

"What is it?" She asked, not making any move to open it.

I said, "I've gotta go." With that, I bent over and gave Sarah a sisterly kiss on the cheek. I could hardly believe myself that she wasn't my real sister, only the sister to my body. But tell that to the last 6 years of my memory. "I'll be back." I told her quietly, then said goodbye one more time before leaving.

As I hurried away, I cried quietly to myself. I'd wanted to tell her the truth about Alison. The real one, but I hadn't been able to bring myself to do that. "Maybe it's for the best." I told myself, not sure that I believed it. I only knew that I would miss her and that I hoped she would be all right. I only wished that I'd been able to do more for her than just leave her with the $100,000 that was in the envelope.

While I hurried across town, I continued to glance back, feeling a lot of regret. Regret for what had never happened. I sadly thought about Marylou and Mr. Carson. I'd wanted to check up on them while I was in town, to find out what had happened to them, but I didn't have any more time. Maybe another time, I told myself half heartedly. Then I let out a sigh, wanting to get out of town before the memories got too much for me. At least for the moment.

Once I'd picked up the briefcase and my money from where I'd hid them and climbed into my car, I sat there for a moment, thinking about what I was going to do. I couldn't be Alison anymore. That much was clear. Frowning, I knew that I'd have to get a new identity. It wouldn't really be that difficult. I'd learned a great deal about that sort of thing from John, plus I'd done my homework before my escape. But I could find the right people and get that taken care of later. With that, I started the car up, knowing that I had to get on my way.

--------------------

The next day, I'd reached my destination, feeling extremely nervous as I did so. I drove past my old house, noticing that even after all that time it still looked about the same. Though I was tempted to go inside and see what happened with my parents, I didn't. I felt a little guilty when I thought about what I'd done to them, but even more curious. However, I knew that now wasn't quite the right time. Not yet. With that, I drove to a secluded spot and curled up in my car for the night.

I woke up the next morning and slowly went about getting myself ready. Then once I was satisfied that I looked just right, I drove to my old school, knowing that I had to find out what had happened with my friends. That I had to get my sphere back and this was the only place that I knew to look. I only prayed that I could find some clue.

It was lunch time when I walked into the school, seeing students everywhere and realizing that everything looked almost the same. There were new faces of course, but they looked much like they had when I'd gone there. There were the jocks, the nerds, the stoners and all of the other groups, as well as the normal students who didn't fit into any of them. The ones who were like I'd once been. Average and unnoticed.

When I walked into the lunch room, I smiled faintly as I stood there and watched all the students moving around. I took in a deep breath and let it out as a sigh. "God I miss this." I mused, realizing just how good I felt to be back in school. Lots of the boys were staring at me again, bringing me to a smile. There were so many people everywhere, most of them seeming so...alive.

Several minutes after I'd entered the cafeteria, one boy had already come over and asked me out. He'd stuttered while doing so, looking so embarrassed and afraid of rejection. I remembered what it had been like to be in that position myself and actually felt sort of sorry for him. Under other circumstances I might even have taken him up on it, but I told him no, being as nice about it as I could. After all, I didn't want to discourage him.

Unfortunately, almost as soon as the first boy had left, I had another one in my face. This was a rather large boy in a letterman's jacket. A jock obviously. "I haven't seen you around here before." he said, looking almost arrogant as he did. "I'm Ted Landers." He puffed himself up as if expecting me to recognize it.

"Any relation to Anne Landers?" I asked, barely looking at him.

"Who?" was Ted's immediate response. I just sighed. "Hey babe, why don't you and me go out for dinner tonight?"

"Sorry," I told him, "I'm not interested." Then with that, I started to turn around to leave, but Ted's hand suddenly appearing on my arm prevented that.

"I'm not through talking to you." Ted said in a low, almost threatening tone.

I glared at Ted, beginning to get more than just a little annoyed. This guy was a real asshole and I definitely did NOT like his kind. "Let me go." I told him calmly, more than just a little tempted to use my abilities on him.

"What time should I pick you up?" Ted asked, pretending not to hear my polite request.

"Let me go...NOW." I told Ted firmly, glaring at him. When he still didn't respond, I decided to let him see what it felt like to be grabbed. With that, I suddenly reached out and grabbed his crotch has hard as I could. Ted let out a loud gasp of pain and started to drop to the floor while I only squeezed harder, keeping him from going down. "What?" I exclaimed loud enough for all the kids around to here, "Not even half a handful?" There were a lot of gasps and laughs at that.

"Please....." Ted squeaked. I just squeezed even harder, remembering how he'd responded when I asked nicely.

"I'm really sorry...." I said in my sweetest voice, "but I have a rule about not dating a guy who's cock is smaller than my little finger." There were even more gasps and laughs at that. Then, I let go of Ted, watching with amusement as he dropped to his knees and clutched his crotch with both hands. This time when I turned and started to walk out of the lunch room, nobody stood in my way.

Several minutes later, I was inside the gym, glancing around nervously to make sure that nobody was watching. As soon as I was sure that it was clear, I went into the back room and closet. Though I didn't expect the sphere to be there, I knew that I had to at least look for some kind of clue.

But when I was at the bottom of the almost hidden stairway, I heard some voices. One male and one female. I glanced around nervously, especially when they started coming closer. "Shit." I whispered to myself, quickly hiding behind a shelf in the closet, just out of sight.

I listened carefully at the voices as they came down the stairs. The boy exclaimed "I mean...did you see her? She's hot for a teacher."

The girl's voice quickly followed. "Yes, she is very pretty. I can't believe that we're actually going to ask the new teacher to join our club. A teacher! It should be really interesting."

"Definitely." the boy's voice came again. "Very interesting." He started chuckling and I listened even closer, barely able to believe what I was hearing. They were talking about the club. It was still around. "I'll finish asking the rest after school, and hopefully tomorrow we can introduce Ms. Elwin into the club." He chuckled evilly. "I can't wait to get into her pants."

Then, I watched nervously as both the boy and the girl came into view for a moment. He looked like he was a jock. Tall, athletic and pretty handsome. Probably a Junior or Senior too. The girl looked rather mousy and could easily have been a Freshman. However, before I could get a real good look at either of them, they were both gone.

"Very interesting." I mused to myself, coming out of my hiding spot and hurrying up the stairs. My curiosity had suddenly increased by a great deal.

When I reached the old drama room, I was surprised at how little it had actually changed. All of the old props had been moved even more out of the way than how I'd remembered them and there were a couple more seats, but overall it looked very much the same.

I smiled when I noticed the full length mirror that was set up against the wall. Walking towards it, I stopped and admired my reflection. My long blonde hair looked fantastic, as did my figure. My complexion could have used some more sunlight after my body's long nap, but a little makeup covered most of that up for the moment.

Suddenly I heard something and snapped around, seeing that someone else had just stepped into the room. It was the same jock that I'd watched leaving a few minutes earlier. He stared at me in obvious surprise, then demanded, "Who the hell are you? What are you doing up here?"

For a moment I stared at him, then with a sigh, I told him, "I'm here to pick up something that belongs to me."

"Like what?" he demanded coldly, slowly stepping towards me.

"Oh," I said, batting my eyes sexily, "It's a little ball, about so big..." I held my hands apart to show the size of the sphere. "And it glows bright yellow."

His eyes went wide with surprise for a moment, then he glared at me. "I don't know where you heard about that thing, but the person it belongs to is dead. He went to hell then got shot and killed."

I stared at the jock, surprised to actually see some sadness in his eyes. Then it dawned on me. He'd said that the owner had been in hell and got shot. That was me. But the only one who knew about my calling my family trips hell was myself. Myself and.... "Ed?" I whispered in shock. "Is that you?"

The jock suddenly looked even more surprised. "How do you know that name?"

"Ed..." I gasped. "It is you." I stared at him, feeling confused. How could Ed still be there? I remembered his saying that he didn't ever want to leave school, but this just didn't make sense. "Oh my God."

"Who are you?" Ed asked, no longer sounding all that calm. In fact, he looked and sounded extremely nervous. Almost afraid.

I sighed, closing my eyes for a moment. When I opened them, I stared Ed straight in the eyes and said, "Who I am is a long story. I've had several names, but I guess they don't matter. Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, I used to a plain and simple Simon."

Ed stared at me with his mouth open for a long minute. He gulped audibly then quietly whispered "Simon?" When I nodded back sadly, he gasped, "But you can't be. Simon was killed in a hunting accident."

"Is that what they told you?" I asked, surprised to hear it that way. "There was no accident."

"Oh my God." Ed gasped. "It is you." He shook his head, staring at me in disbelief. "But it's impossible. You were in your own body when you left and we had the sphere..." Then he gasped. "You found another one didn't you?"

"Sort of." I told him, frowning as I did so. "But I'll explain later. Tell me what's happened. How are you still here? What happened to everyone?"

Ed stared at me, obviously wanting to ask me a thousand questions. But instead, Ed sat down on the edge of the couch and told me. "When it was time for me to graduate, I traded places with a Sophomore. Permanently. She went off and joined the Marines..." he snorted at that, "and I stayed here. I've traded a couple more times like that too. Hell..." he grinned smugly, "I don't think anyone in the club even realizes who I used to be. This was the first time that I'd even heard the name Ed in years."

After that, I sat down on one of the chairs while Ed continued. He told me about how Nancy had graduated and gone on to college. The last time that he'd seen her, she no longer fit the nerd stereotype. Apparently she'd learned more than enough as other people so that she changed her own life and image completely. I felt rather happy for her.

"Sam got a football scholarship and went to college," Ed told me, "and Shelly ended up moving to Florida when her dad got a better job offer. Rumor had it that she was pregnant at the time." Then Ed chuckled. "I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure that Sam and Shelly traded permanently before she left." After another chuckle, which he cut short when he looked at my current body, Ed quickly told me about a few of the others, though I didn't pay quite as much attention.

"What about my mom and dad?" I asked him quietly. I couldn't bring myself to look at Ed as I remembered what I'd done to them. Sure, I'd been pretty pissed off at the time and they'd given me good reason to be, but what I did... I always had been a little too impulsive.

Ed was silent for a moment, then he answered. "They came back really different. I mean, they were both really upset about your being killed. I think they blamed themselves." I winced at that. "I went over there a couple times afterwards and they almost seemed like different people. Your mom stopped drinking and your dad stayed at home most of the time."

"I guess I should check up on them." I mused thoughtfully. I'd never been very close with my parents when I did live with them. They'd made my life and each other's a living hell. I couldn't bring myself to care about them quite that much, but still, they had been my parents.

"Maybe." Ed answered noncommittally.

Somehow though, I doubted that I would go see my folks. Or if I did, it would only be from a distance. Perhaps I'd trade them back and perhaps not. I'd have to wait and see. But then again, I reminded myself that they'd deserved it. Besides, they might have been my original folks, but my real parents, the ones that I at least felt close to were dead and gone. Then with a sigh, I refused to consider that line of thought anymore, staring across at Ed instead.

Then finally, Ed started asking the questions that he'd been dying to. "What about you? My God, you were dead."

I nodded, sadly remembering my time at the lake. With a sigh, I gave Ed a quick summery of what had happened, though I left a large amount out. He didn't need to know everything. "And they are still after me." I told him. "I'm only passing through and came to pick up the sphere and find out what happened to you all."

"But the sphere is ours now." Ed protested. "There are 11 of us now. It's changed our lives a lot." Ed stared at me, obviously afraid that I was going to take it. He argued for another minute, then his expression shifted suddenly and I knew that he'd slipped his 'jock mask' back into place.

I sighed and shook my head, glancing back at the rather arrogant look on his face. "Drop the mask and we'll talk." I told him firmly, leaving no doubt that I wasn't going to let him bully me.

Ed's expression shifted again and he looked faintly embarrassed. "Now you drop yours." he told me. "Don't think that I didn't notice how girlish you're acting."

"But I'm not wearing a mask." I told Ed quietly, staring down at my well manicured fingernails. "My ability doesn't work like that. I'm acting so girlish as you put it.....because I've been a girl for almost 6 years. This is who I am now."

Ed seemed stunned at that. We were both quiet for a minute, neither of us knowing what to say. Finally, I told Ed. "I guess I don't really need the sphere right now. Not with my power. Of course it would be nice to have sometimes, but I can survive without it." I saw the surprised but very happy look on Ed's face and smiled in response. "But you have to keep an eye on it for me. Someday I might want it back and I'll want it in good shape."

"Thank you." Ed gushed, suddenly jumping over and hugging me.

The feel of Ed's strong arms around me started to get me aroused. I squirmed slightly, feeling rather nice though embarrassed as well. I'd been thinking about how handsome Ed's body was since I first saw it, but he was my best friend. Or at least he used to be. Then I noticed the bulge in Ed's pants that revealed his feelings about me.

"Sorry." He apologized, looking somewhat embarrassed. He stared at me with the desire clear in his eyes.

For a moment I just looked back at him, coming to a decision. "Don't be." I told him. I stood up and slowly started undoing my shirt, much to Ed's obvious surprise. "I have a confession to make." I gulped, blushing in embarrassment as I continued to undress. "I'm still a virgin in this body." Ed gasped at that and I quickly added. "I wanted to lose it with someone that I cared about. You."

"Oh my." Ed gasped.

It didn't take any more encouragement before both Ed and I were stripped naked and going at each other on the couch. We both took our time, knowing that this time was unlike any either of us had ever had sex before. This time was special. This wasn't just sex, this was truly making love. When Ed finally popped my cherry, I let out a scream. Both of pleasure and of pain. Then after I'd adjusted a little more, we continued to go at it.

When Ed and I had finally finished, we cuddled next to each other, both basking in the afterglow. My crotch hurt, but felt good at the same time. Then I started to laugh at the irony of it. There I was, a girl who'd had sex a number of times before, and I'd only just now lost my cherry.

Glancing down at myself, I licked my lips, admiring my body again. Then I grinned wickedly. "How about doing that again?" I asked Ed. When I saw that he was beginning to get hard again, I chuckled then used my power.

"What the hell?" Ed gasped, obviously surprised to suddenly find himself in my sexy body.

"Like I said," I told him in my new male voice, gently taking hold of the sexy girl in front of me, "I don't need the sphere." I grinned, admiring my body from my new position. Then with that, Ed and I went at it again, though this time he was a little more uncomfortable since he didn't have a 'girl mask' to help him adapt. Still, he obviously enjoyed himself a great deal.

After we'd finished again, I swapped us back and then used one of the blankets in the room to clean myself off a bit before I started to get dressed again. While I slowly put my clothes back on, I absently glancing over at Ed who was doing the same. Finally, Ed asked, "What do I call you? I mean, I can't call you Simon right now, so what's your name?"

"I don't know." I answered truthfully. "I've had several names, but honestly, they aren't me."

Ed grinned. "How about Simone. That's pretty close to your original name."

I winced. "God that's horrible. You know that I hated my name then so I sure as hell don't want to get a female version of it now. Especially not Simone. Jeez, that sounds like a hooker's name or something."

Suddenly I heard a loud bell starting to ring and jumped to my feet in response. "I'm going to have to go." Ed told me. "Class is starting and Josh...that's me right now...has a final exam. If I'm not there to take it....." he shrugged, looking at me apologetically. "Besides," Ed added with a grin, "I already missed my last class because of you."

I nodded. "I have to get going too."

"But why don't you stay and go to school here?" Ed asked me, almost sounding like he was begging.

"Can't" I told him quietly. "Sooner or later they're probably going to come looking for me. I don't want you to be hurt when they find me. If they find me." I smiled weakly. "Besides, I'll be fine. I can take care of myself."

Ed and I looked at each other for a moment, then I silently kissed him on the cheek. "I'll miss you." I told him.

"Me too." Ed answered, looking a little sad. "But at least now I know you're still alive."

Without saying anything more, Ed and I went down the stairs together. I stared at him, thinking about the question that he'd asked me just a little earlier. About my name. I'd already known that I was going to have to get some new identification made up for me, but I hadn't really thought about what name I'd use. About what name would really suit me. Once I was simply Simon Victor Halloway, but now....now I no longer knew. After all, what name would be appropriate for someone who could jump into other people's bodies and vice versa? Then it suddenly dawned on me. It not only tied into my original name, but suited my sense of humor as well.

"I guess this is goodbye." Ed told me, interrupting my thoughts and giving me another kiss.

"I will be back." I promised Ed, smiling faintly. After I'd started walking away, I stopped and turned around. "By the way," I told Ed, smiling to myself. "My name's Vickie. Vicki Versa."

Then before Ed could say a word, I hurried out to get on my way. To where I didn't know yet, only that I wanted to go back to school. Perhaps even going to college some day. I'd faced most of my past, so now it was time for me to begin my new life as Vicki Versa.

THE END