Introduction by the Author: This story is the genesis of what makes me a writer and why I write the way I do. I was inspired by Lanterns on the Levee, and North Toward Home. Both were written by local authors, both wrote of a world in transit. This story is true, I know because I lived it. Pulling this tales from the dark recesses of my mind took courage, and several bottles of spirits. I hope this would the first story in a trilogy of three genesis works. I hope you will find this story enjoyable. Also I would like to add that this chapter one, a second chapter followed by a third and a short epilogue will soon hopefully follow the publication of this one.

In two thousand and seven I was a sophomore at Yazoo County High School. A tiny school that was no more than a collection of eight or nine buildings on a hilltop that had been pushed off and leveled off some ten or so years ago. The world was different then, so much has changed that I find myself lost for words. It was in the autumn of the year, the leaves on the trees had turned from green to orange and yellow. The mornings were cool and the afternoons hot. The kudzu that covered much of the hills and hollows and creek bottoms was still its pleasant ivy green.

That year stands out to me because it was the year our school won the state championship in football and it was the year I first joined AOTK, then a small, but thriving site tucked away in the corners of the internet. I was underage at the time, as most of us were. I had been aware of my spanking kink for quite some time having discovered that summer the works of Lurking Dragon and many other famous writers that have slipped under the shadow of time. I had read all of the Lurking Dragon stories over the course of two to three weeks, between attending church services at St. George Episcopal Church and Saturday nights at a local hangout called The “The Waycafe”. Why it was called that, I have no idea. That local hangout like so many other things I knew as a youth has slipped under the fog of time.

Anyway, homecoming at Yazoo County was like a protestant version of Mardi Gras. We had different days theme days all leading up to the big homecoming game on Friday. Now, I've never been a big fan of football. I've never read a football score, I could not to save the life of me tell you the positions of the players. But homecoming day was like one massive party, and parties are a good thing. Now like I said, each day had a theme, if I can recall correctly, Monday was casual, meaning we could wear jeans and a t- shirt instead of our normal uniforms. Tuesday was sports, meaning we could wear something sport related. Wednesday was camouflage day.

Thursday was something, I can't recall to save the life of me and Friday was the day we've all been looking for. Friday was costume day. Now, before I go on, I feel I should tell you a little more about myself. I hung out with the geeks of the school. My peers were the computer geeks, the anime nerds, the comic book and manga collectors, the emos and the Gothic kids. The kind that brought all their casual clothing from Hot Topic and Hot Topic only.

And so with Friday's special theme being costumes, we all agreed that we should cosplay as our favorite anime character. The anime selection at that time was kind of limited. I remember most of us only followed what was popular. The anime that were really popular at the time, If I can recall correctly were Bleach, Naruto and One Piece those were the really popular ones with my group. I myself consider myself a bit more sophisticated because I'd seen such anime's as Gundam Wing, Burn Up W, Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura, .Hack and many others. I did not limit my anime viewing to what was popular. At that time my favorite manga series was Mahoromatic and my second favorite was Chibi Vampires both feature strong female leads and both featured maids. And so the idea struck me, why not become an demure maid for the day.

But I wanted more than that. I wanted to pass as a demure maid. And not just a guy who had put on a maid dress in hopes of getting some comic relief going as was common. In the early two to late two thousands most anime only pictured crossdressing as a meaning of comic relief. The word “Trap” was common and thrown around with all the casual usage of dollar bills at a strip club. Times have changed and for the better. But returning to the story, I wanted to do more than just pass.

I wanted to enter into the headspace and live there for a day. And so with that in mind, I decided to surrender myself and yield to my effeminacy. I considered myself something of a sissy, my looks were androgyny at best. I had always worn my hair long, longer than most boys were allowed too. It was long enough to pull into a low ponytail or two pigtails. My face is soft and almost void of facial hair. My voice too was soft and gentle. At afar people often mistook me for a girl.

Neither my mom or dad seemed to care. And neither seemed concerned about what I did. My dad was a man's man, who hunted, fished, smoked, drank and when he spoke his voice seemed to fill the room. Since I neither hunted, and only fished when the mood took me, I think he had written me off and had adopted my cousin Ben as the son whom he wished to have had. That is not to say he mistreated me, in his own way he was proud of my grades, of my eloquent style of speaking and my reserve manner. And often invited me to weigh in when talking business with his brother, my uncle.

My mother thought of me as an odd goose who never concerned herself with me. I was different and that all she knew. She did not understand me, but she did love me. And that all that mattered. Returning to the story now.

I wanted to do more than pass. I wanted to enter completely into the headspace. And so one bright Saturday morning, the Saturday before homecoming was to take place, I hitched a ride to “The Metro '' the largest enclosed mall in that fable city of dreams Jackson. Now when somebody from Mississippi mentions ``The Metro” nine times out of ten their refer to the Metro Mall. At that time, the Metro Mall was the largest enclosed shopping mall in Mississippi with over a million and a quarter enclosed square feet of shopping space. The mall has since, like all things I knew and loved, passed away. But at one time it was the best.

I remember The Metro that bright Saturday morning. It was still early and the mall was just coming to life. The whole mall smelled of freshly brewed coffee and hot pastries. The merchants were just starting to open up their shops. And already people were starting to flood in. I had two goals that day, the first one was to secure a costume, the second one was too secure a set of matching panties, bra and hosiery, the third one was too secure hosiery, and then shoes.

I had in my old, brown leather pocketbook, six one hundred dollars bills and a collection of coins. My phone was fully charged. It was ten o' clock in the morning and my mom had just dropped me off by the front door. My mom was going to spend the day visiting my sister, my aunt who lived in South Jackson at the time.

It must have been a comical sight. Me stumbling into the mall, totally out of my elements. The flood gates soon broke open and the concourse of the mall was soon filled with people. My “Yazoo '' accent made trade hard. I talk with a gentle, rolling of the tongue, a classic southern accent. One that is slow, rich and steady. And my tone of voice was often no more than a whisper. The people of Jackson spoke with a rapid fire accent. They seemed to spit their words out and pitch them to you. I often had to write down what I wanted to say, even then my English too flowery and too descriptive. It made for good writing and storytelling, and was a damn curse when it came to trade and business.

My first stop was to acquire a set of bra, and matching panties and some hosiery. I could have gone with the big chain department stores, like Belk's, JCPenney and McGray's but again putting myself into the female mindset I decided that Victoria Secret's would be something a teenage girl would select and so stumbling, unsure of myself I wandered.

I browsed the racks for a few minutes, and finally a young woman, who's name plate read “Karen C. Manager.” walked up to me and wanted to know if I needed any help. Blushing I told her of my plight and what I wanted. She was stunned at first but then decided to help me. She also informed me that today they were having a sale, buy two matching bra and panties set and get another one free. Seemed like a good deal, a steal almost, and though I only needed one set I decided having two back-up sets would not be a bad idea.

What happened then? Oh she measured me, wrote down my bra size and made suggestions. I followed her suggestions and before I left that store I not only had brought three sets of matching panties and bra's but also acquired a bottle of lotion free of charge and a tote bag. My nerves were jangled to say the least and so with my newly acquired treasures in hand, I decided to get a coffee.

Well deserved coffee and a sweet roll. To this day I'm still amazed at the cost of a simple cup of coffee and one hard as a stone sweet roll. It was then just eleven in the morning and the mall was really coming to life. Most of the mall stores did not open till ten in the morning. Something that amazed me, I was a country boy, I rose well before the sun and by ten my workday was halfway over. But as I sat there, looking at the people who passed me by, A certain zest for living bubbled up from deep inside me.

I finished my coffee and my hard as stone sweet roll and once more resumed my shopping spree. I felt like Alice, who had followed the white rabbit and had fallen down the rabbit hole. My faith in myself restored a little by the coffee, that was not really coffee, but coffee flavored water and the bite or two of the hard as stone sweet roll, had allowed me to think a little clearer. I soon ventured into the local Belk's and in the way only youth can, made my way toward the clearance rack and without thinking, picked up a simple, light cotton dress that was blue and trimmed in white. I added a pair of simple wedge heels to the lot. I then rushed off to the check out. The clerk behind the desk was a middle aged woman. She rang my order up, took my money and handed me a bill of sale without even blinking. A sale was a sale to this hard bitten retail clerk.

Now before I go on. I should say something. I was something of an avoid reader and browser of the internet. A year or so I had run across the term “Crossplay” the term was used to describe those who chose to cosplay as somebody of a different gender. With that key in my pocket I started to read up on the tricks of the trade, including how to hide different body parts. Or how to camouflage them.

Armed with that knowledge. I started to collect the items I thought I might need. In the end I decided on a dancer belt. I could wear a pair of my newly bought french cut panties over them and it would flatten me enough. And so I picked up one and a small make-up kit and finally a cheap purse from markdown. And once more I went to the same flea bitten, fish eyed retail clerk, who this time gave me a look that made the hair on my arms stand up. For a minute I thought she wanted to say something and I froze up.

But thankfully she stopped and said nothing.

Gathering up my stuff, I started to walk quickly toward the nearest bathroom. Once there I scanned the area, found an empty stall and bolted into it. I locked the bolt behind me and stood there, gathering my thoughts, my courage and my drive. I felt almost like Julius Caesar standing before the little Rubicon. Now I had dressed in girl's clothing before. I started when I was twelve. A story I will tell another time if their demand. But that had always been in private. This would be public, and with the noon hour drawing near, the mall was crammed full of people. I believe ten thousand souls all told must have been crammed into that space. I closed my eyes and started to pray. I don't remember what I prayed, or whom I prayed too. Jesus? The Holy Spirit? Buddha? Maiden, Mother and Crone? I guess I prayed to anyone who would listen. It has long since amused me, that at that very moment a pantheon of gods and goddess sat around a circle and listened to my prayer and cast lots among them to see who would come to my aid.

But somebody did and they found the heart to give me courage. And with that newfound courage. I slipped off my socks, my shoes, my jeans, my shirt, then my undershirt and finally my boxers. I slipped on the dancer belt, the newly brought French cut panties, the dress and finally I slipped on the shoes. I packed my old stuff into one of the bags and walked out of the stall. I did my face and put my wallet, phone and other loose odds and ends into the purse. And with that my mall trip started in earnest.

What happened then, I really don't know. But it was like a mental switch had been flipped inside my head. I started to notice small things, I had to slow my pace, I had to take care of how I sat. Girls learn from each other, they learn from Mothers, aunts, cousins and their peers. They have years to perfect their skill sets, I had only one afternoon, and no teachers.

But I managed somehow. I found the costume I wanted, an anime maid one that was red and white and had a square neckline. Trying it on I noticed the helm was a bit too short and would ride up if I bent down too far. That did not seem like a problem at the time. It would later though. Without giving it a second thought, I snatched it up and brought it.

And so with all my major objectives in hand. I floated for the rest of the afternoon. Doing my best to squeeze in as much girl practice as I could in those fleeting hours. And here the first part of the story comes to an end.