Waking up, Through sleepy eyes I saw the circled date on the calendar. It was three days away. My 17th birthday and the day for the change.

The change as everyone refers to the real name is about a mile long scientific mumbo jumbo. The change has been happening for 2 generations and is mandatory that on their 17th birthday a young boy or girl goes through the change. The change has all but eradicated sexual assaults. Their hasn't been a rape in, if I remember history class, 127 years.

The change is where the boy or girl is changed into the opposite sex, for a year. When it first started you had to return on your 18th birthday to have the change reversed, If you wanted to. Now days the scientists got it to only work for 365 days. Then you change back. If you wanted to remain the opposite sex. You would have to go back for a second dose. Then the change would be for good. As far as I know none of my family has ever remained the opposite sex. When my older sister went through the change it was neat having an older bother, even if it was only for a year.

I will introduce myself. My name is Luke Martian Reynolds. I am 16 now but I will be 17 in three days. July 27. In September I will be starting my junior year of high school. I am lucky I guess as I will go through the change before I start school again. I have friends who one day a boy the next they are a girl. Talk about being tripped out.

“Luke,” A knock came on my door. It was mom.

Sleepily, “Yeah, Mom”

“breakfast is ready.”

“Oh K , I'll be down in a minute” I yawned. Heading downstairs after a stop at the bathroom. Walking into the kitchen. Cassy, my 12 year old sister was already eating.

“Cereal?” Mom asked. I just nodded. Mom poured me a bowl. Then put a glass of milk and Juice next to my bowl.

“How about Lori, Gail, Jennifer, or Teresa?” Cassy said.

“No” annoyed. “would you stop it I will decide on my own girl name.”

Smiling, “Just trying to help.”

“Mom, would you tell her to stop.”

“Cass, Luke can figure out his own name, himself. Kennedy did herself when she had the change. You will too when you turn 17. I did, so did Dad. Everyone has to.”

“But Mom I am just trying to help”

“I don't need your help. I am nervous enough already. Without you bombarding me with girl names.”

Cassy finished her bowl of cereal, put her bowl in the sink and headed out the back door.

“I going to Tammy's”

“Be home for supper” Mom said.

“What do you have planned for today? Luke.”

“Don't know, plan the goodbye to my masculinity party”

“Come on, It is only for a year. Then you will change back. That is unless you decide to stay a girl.”

“Jeez Mom, I like being a guy too much for that.”

“Well you never know. Uncle Kieth was born a girl and decided to stay a guy. I've known others, too”

“Really Uncle Kieth.”

Mom nodded. “Yea, My sisters name was Rebecca until she turned 17 and became Kieth.”

“I would have never thought, Uncle Kieth”

“Well what ever you decide, your father and I will still love you.” She gave me a hug. “ Don't worry, everything will be alright.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“When would you like to go shopping for your new clothes?”

“Never”

“Honey, You can't wear your boy clothes when you are a girl. How will it look in the locker room. You pull down your pants to change and are wearing tighty whitys.”

“So” I commented.

“Well the Change was developed to give the opposite sex a taste of what the other side has to go through. That includes clothes and other things.”

“It's the other things I'm worried about.”

“Everything you experience in that year, is what I go through all the time.”

“Doesn't mean I'm gonna like it” I said heading back to my room.
I swear I heard Mom say, “you never know” as I reached the stairs.

“Mom,” I called down the stairs.

“Yes”

“We can go this afternoon”

“OK”

Back in my room, I lay down on my bed. Just staring at the ceiling. I grab the important letter. Everyone gets. Like the old draft letters guys got years ago.

As you know once a young person approaches their 17th birthday. A great day also comes. The time for the Change. For over 200 years young boys and girls, live the time between their 17th and 18th Birthday as a member of the opposite sex. It has eradicated sexual assault completely. Before the Change was initiated sexual crime was rampant. With one in twenty being a victim. These crimes where not only on the female population but also the males as well. The enclosed pamphlet on the history of the Change.

You are scheduled for the Change on July 27 at 8:30 am. This appointment is mandatory. Please bring a parent or guardian with you. Those young people missing your appointment. Will be brought up on criminal charges.
Optional: You may bring a change of clothes of your new gender if desired. (highly recommended)

Please report to the Change station listed.

Station 143
19992 Oak lane.

Please be prepared to give a DNA sample for identification purposes.

Sincerely,

Your government.

So everyone in the world gets one of these letters. Looking at the brochure, titled. “What to expect at the Change and the History of the Change”

Scanning through it, Teachers have gone over the history of the Change in School.

In London, England 1888, Dr. Henry Jekyll a brilliant scientist. Thought that If the person presumed Male who was committing the White Chapel Murders, commonly called, Jack the ripper, Was able to live as a female for a time. The tragic White Chapel murders may never have happened. Dr. Jekyll though years of research and trial and error. Came up with Polymorphasitine, The drug that causes the change. After proving that the change does affect those predisposed to commit sexual crimes. Living the life of the opposite sex, caused sex crimes to decrease to zero. After testing it was determined that only a year as the opposite sex was needed. In the beginning a drug was needed to counter act the original drug. Now days the medication that causes the change has been designed to only act for 365 Days. Thus returning the boy or girl to their original sex. Those who desire to remain as the opposite sex may with the administration of a second injection of Polymorphasitine.

What to expect before, during, and after the change.

Before:

Once you arrive at the Change station, you and your parent or guardian will have your identities verified, via DNA. Once identity is confirmed. The new 17 year old child is taken to an exam room. Each patient will change into a gown. Their clothes will be, at the patients request:

Returned to the parent or guardian
Destroyed
Cleaned and kept at the Change Station for those who did not bring a change of clothes for their new gender.

The patents assigned Change team will begin the administration of the Change medication. The Change medication is administered via IV over the course of 15 minutes. Beginning approximately 5 minutes after the start of the IV, The Change will start. This IV has a sedative that renders the patent unconscious.

The actual Change:

The Change is down to the DNA itself. Your heritage is not changed, nor is you parentage. The only change the DNA is those related to gender. Patients will experience their internal organs, change to match their new gender. Males will grow breasts and female genitalia while Females will lose their breasts and grow male genitalia.
The patent will not experience any physical pain. Some however may have some slight muscle pain from the Change due to bodily changes. Those who experience pain that continues for several days should visit their Dr.
Some patients gain or lose height. Those changing to males may experience weight gain while those changing to female may lose weight.

After the Change:

The Change normally takes about half an hour. In some cases it may take slightly longer. You parent or guardian will be informed through out the procedure. Your parent or guardian will complete the required paperwork needed. Such as your new name, First and middle. Once your Change team has determined that the Change has been completed. You will dress in your genders clothes, either ones brought to the station or appropriate clothes will be given. Your Change team will monitor you for the next 5 to 10 minutes to make sure you are completely awake and alert. Once your Change team authorizes your release to your parent or Guardian. You are free to go home. The new you for the next 365 days.

It is advisable to bring clothes of your new gender to wear home. Unfortunately, a patients size may not match the same as before the Change. The Change procedure has no control of such things. It is advisable to bring casual comfortable clothes.

Suggested for males:

boxers
Flip flops or Slippers
Sweat or sleep pants or shorts
T-shirt

Suggested for females:

Panties
bra
slippers or sandals
Sweat or sleep pants or shorts
Appropriate shirt T-shirt or tank top

We at your local Change Station wish you the best and bring this change to educate the population on how the opposite sex lives.

Thinking, all this is just bullshit. Then again it seems it is for a good reason. Oh, well can't fight it. Being that I didn't have much to do till later. I still haven't picked out a name.

Logging on the the internet, I did a search for Change names, Female. Just my luck, 1000s of sites came up. Popular, unusual, famous, Ethnic, how to choose, it was mind boggling. I began just randomly checking sites. Like the searches the sites also had 1000s of names. Everything from Abby to Zelda.

I didn't want a common girls name like Betty, Mary, or Sue. I didn't want to pick some corny name either. Angel, Princess, or the like. Just sound corny. Maybe a name that my parents call me. On the third search page was a randomizer, which randomly picks a letter of the alphabet after answering a couple questions then after a couple more questions picks a name. I have heard of some of my friends use it, when they went through the change.

All I can do is try it. So I clicked on it. Answering the first set of questions kind of goofing around with the answers. It came up with a list of 'W' girls names to one side it had the questions on the other. Names like Wendy, Wanda, Windy, Wednesday Again after answering the questions, Like a game show the names lit up in random order, bouncing round the screen all kind of faded. Until the final one popped up prominent in the middle of the screen.

“Whitney”

Whitney, I thought that is kinda a cool name. Now for a middle name. Using the randomizer again but this time selecting Middle name, putting in Whitney as my first name. Again it asked the same questions, It ran the names again, then popped up in the middle of the screen.

“Whitney Renee”

That is actually a cool name, thinking I will have to learn to write it, but some kids who have gone through the change told me that you will know your new name like you have had it all your life. Maybe something to do with the DNA change or something like that. Maybe memory who knows.

For the rest of the day until mom came and got me to go shopping for girl clothes. I just lay on my back staring at the ceiling, pondering my up coming change and a year as a girl. All my friends have to go through it as well. My best friend went through it 6 weeks ago. He or should I say She didn't change in the mental sense too much. She is just as kooky and corny as ever. But in a hot body. Sorry I am saying that but Ashley is hot. Actually hope I am even half as hot as she is.

I have been just plain old Luke. Never real popular or athletic I was however on the freshman basket ball team. That was kind of cool. I am a band geek. I play the saxophone, I am quite good. I just hope my talent isn't lost when I am a girl or worse when I become a boy again. In 367 days.

And the notion that I may want to stay a girl is crazy.