《Dog Boy》


 Chapter 1

    This story is complete as of March of 2022, and will be updated every Tuesday and Saturday. No need to fear this story ending on a cliffhanger!


    The snow was perfect that day.


    Not too soft, not too hard. Not too warm, not too cold. The bleak January weather had even been welcomed by the sun faintly appearing in the sky.


    "So this will be our plan of attack," Douglas instructed, drawing in the snow behind our fort. "The enemy lies atop the hill, with the forest behind them and to the side. Behind them is not the best tactic, as the undergrowth will make too much noise."


    "So you want us to go up to the road," Wendy guessed.


    "Exactly. I''ll go up to the road, within range of their fort, and rain fire down upon them!"


    "Then I go in for the offensive," Wendy said.


    "And I hold down the fort," I said.


    Douglas nodded approvingly. "Fall back if Matt is overwhelmed, Wendy. And both of you, only throw the ice balls to scare."


    "Of course," I smiled. "We aren''t animals."


    The three of us nodded in remembrance of the horrors of the past - when Ted in fury, seeing their flag was lost, hurled an entire shovel''s worth of snow at Douglas in revenge. I did not like Ted. I would not have taken the experience in stride like Douglas had.


    "Good luck soldiers," Douglas said. "By 4 o'' clock, the flag will be ours."


    The two left on their separate missions. Wendy hung back, pretending to head out into the forest, but hiding close to the tree line in case someone came near. Meanwhile Douglas began his long trip circling around the other fort to the road above them.


    And I waited in solitude. My eyes tracked my surroundings, making sure to look in all directions, especially the forest. But that was too obvious. The empty asphalt of the nearby junior high had no cover - mostly. There were a few old trees.


    I heard a commotion, and saw that Greg had been hit multiple times by Wendy. I readied my own ammunition. He retreated. We had less people today - far less unfortunately. Sometimes we were able to get larger amounts of our respective neighborhoods to join in, but today it was just our small group.


    Most people didn''t want to immediately go out into the snow after school was out, when they could just wait until the next day. And of course, most high school seniors were not interested in playing out in the snow. I could not imagine how someone could be so boring.


    I heard the sound in the distance of Douglas attacking, including a poor victim''s cry of "was that ice?"


    I smiled. Perfect. Wendy would be going in for the flag soon. I wanted to be in the action, but I resisted the urge. Others gloried in the glamor of the attack. It was the resilience, the patience here however, that won the fight.


    I heard the faint sound of crunching snow.


    I began to fire.


    I hurled snowballs as fast as I could before my mind even had a chance to recognize the figure. Even in the middle of me throwing as fast as possible, she withstood the fire, and dashed for the flag.


    The moment they slid in, I knew who it was - Jackie.


    She was the fastest person on their side, and she had pivoted in direction, gotten around me, and snatched up the flag, even as I got another hit on her.


    "The flag is stolen!" I sounded the alarm.


    I grabbed up ammunition as I made chase. As soon as I left the cover of the fort, to my relief, I spotted Wendy in the distance making a run for our side. I threw another snowball at Jackie, and missed. I threw again, and it flew in front of her, startling her for a second.


    As she paused, I jumped in front of her, grabbing the flag. She yanked the stick upward through my gloves, but had misjudged the force, and flew backward down to the ground.


    Before I could ask if she was alright, she once again slipped past me, breaking back into a run -


    "We win!" Wendy announced - with Jackie still on our side. A few more seconds, and Jackie would''ve gotten to the other side.


    "Hmph," Jackie grunted, glancing at Douglas, Greg, and Ted, who were catching up behind her.


    "You," Ted said hoarsely to Wendy, "are a speed demon,"


    "It''s her fancy new snow shoes," Jackie laughed with a wry smile.


    "Yeah," I said with a heavy breath. "I wish I''d had some of those."


    "Should''ve kept a tighter grip on the flag," Jackie said to me. "If we''d just had more people playing today..."


    "Then I would''ve had even more people raining down fire from the road!" Douglas laughed.


    Greg spun around to him. "Ice balls dude? Seriously? One almost hit me square in the chest!"


    "But it didn''t hit you," Douglas smirked.


    "If it was almost a war crime," I said, "it''s still fair game."


    The others laughed, and started talking about something else. My heart was pumping really fast from that sprint in snow boots. Gosh I needed a breather. I had that gross, metallicy taste in my mouth. I think it was from a lot of blood flow in the tongue or something.


    I found myself taking bigger, deeper breaths, hanging my mouth open. Barely realizing it, I started hanging my tongue out of my mouth.


    "Dude," Douglas said, "you pretending to be a dog or something?"


    I flinched, nearly biting my tongue. I pulled it back in, embarrassed.


    "Just tired is all," I said.


    "Well you were panting like a dog," Wendy said.


    What? I''d started doing it again? Oh no...


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "It''s... It''s just a habit," I said. "I... augh. As a kid I played around, pretending I was a dog. I... I feel really stupid. Just... for some reason I got into the habit of... hanging my tongue out... and it just became a weird sort of habit. That''s all."


    "It''s okay dude," Douglas said.


    "Matt," Wendy said, "your tongue is like... really long."


    I stuck it out. The others all voiced the same sentiment. I suddenly realized that I''d started panting again. And then I licked my nose.


    Shock briefly came over me, and then I pulled my tongue back in my mouth, clenching my jaw. Oh gosh... I''d really just done that.


    They all stared.


    "Matt...," Douglas said. "That''s... not normal."


    I winced. "I - It''s just a dumb, weird habit. It''s nothing serious."


    Douglas shook his head. "Like no dude, that''s weird, but... your tongue is like, really long. You shouldn''t be able to touch your nose."


    "A lot of people can touch their nose with their tongue," I shrugged.


    The others thus tried an impromptu experiment. Wendy could touch the bottom of her nose, but the others weren''t even close. This... did not help my case.


    "See man?" Douglas said, "you like touched the front of your nose. Something is seriously wrong with your tongue."


    I groaned. "I have a condition called macroglossia, okay? I just have a longer than average tongue. Doctors say it''s fine."


    "And you... pant like a dog," Wendy said.


    I squeezed my eyes shut. "Yes. Okay?"


    "Sorry Matt," Douglas said. "It''s just... strange. But if it''s not harmful... you do you... I guess."


    I definitely wasn''t going to do it now. Even though I wanted to.


    The others slowly took their attention away from me, and talked about something else. They started walking back towards the junior high''s parking lot.


    "Do you guys wanna do maybe one more round?" I asked.


    "Nah," Greg said, "it''s getting late in the afternoon, time to head home."


    Greg, Ted, and Wendy began heading towards their cars. I caught a glimpse of Wendy and Douglas sharing a smile. I could tell something was happening with those two. Douglas interrupted my thoughts.


    "Matt," he said as he, Jackie and I continued past the parking lot towards our neighborhood.


    "Yeah?" I asked.


    "We''ve been friends for like... years dude. Why didn''t you ever tell me this?"


    "Why," I said sourly, "would I randomly tell my friend that I have a long tongue?"


    Douglas was silent. Jackie walked on the other side of him. She had her head hung low. She hadn''t said anything the whole time I''d been making a scene. It was over. I had thought Jackie was cute, and had been considering asking her on a date since she''d started hanging out with us, but now there was no way she''d want to date "dog boy."


    "I''m just concerned about you man," Douglas said.


    "I''ve already said," I repeated, "that I got it all checked years ago, and it''s an uncommon condition, but it''s not harmful."


    "I just...," Douglas sighed. "Jackie, like just... tell him."


    "Tell him what?" she said. "I don''t really care. He can do what he wants."


    "I don''t want to do it," I said.


    "I thought you said you did," Douglas said.


    I groaned.


    They were quiet.


    "I bet you all think I''m a freak," I said.


    "What?" Douglas said. "No."


    "Yes you do. You''re all going to call me ''dog boy'' or something."


    "Dude. you''re our friend," Douglas said. "I think it''s weird, but I''m not going to make fun of you for having some condition. I just want to... understand."


    I glanced at Jackie. She remained silent.


    "Do you think I''m a freak?"


    Jackie flinched. She''d been staring down at the ground, and turned her gaze towards me with what looked like a nervous look.


    "You think I''m messed up," I said.


    "No," she said with a slight panicked expression, "I just... I have some stuff... on my mind. I''m sorry."


    We crossed an empty road, getting closer to home. Jackie kept her gaze away from mine. She couldn''t even bear to look at me. She took one of her gloves off, and oddly reached up and touched her nose.


    I shook my head. I didn''t know what was going through her mind, but it probably was not anything that thought positively of me. As we got close to my house, I turned to Douglas.


    "Douglas."


    "Yes?"


    "Can we please just pretend this didn''t happen."


    "Okay."


    Jackie didn''t answer.


    "Jackie?" Douglas got her attention.


    "I... I''m sorry, I won''t bring it up or anything."


    Another gap of quiet.


    "It''s going to be okay dude," Douglas said.


    I huffed.


    "I still sleep with my childhood blanket," Jackie said quietly.


    She still did not make eye contact.


    "And I put ketchup on my mashed potatoes," Douglas said, "we''re - "


    "You what?" I said in disbelief. "That, my friend, is a heinous crime."


    Douglas laughed. "See, everyone has something weird or embarrassing they do when they''re alone."


    I frowned. "But I messed up and did it in front of my friends."


    I stopped in front of the walk up to my house.


    "And you''re our friend too, dog boy," he laughed. He gave me a brief hug. "If you want to let your weirdness out a bit around us, I won''t judge."


    He took a breath. He would. They all would.


    Douglas smiled. In some way, I found myself mad at him. The others weren''t pretending what I was doing wasn''t weird, but he was. He was doing it to try to be nice, but it was still a lie.


    "I''ll see you later," I said.


    "See you later."


    It had been awkward suddenly breaking that off. I hated myself for having revealed my secret habit. They acted like they were going to keep it under wraps, but I found myself questioning how strong my friendships really were, especially with Greg and Jackie, who I didn''t know as well. And Ted of course I never trusted.


    I glanced behind me as they walked away. They were saying something to each other. I shuddered to think of what it could be.


    I walked into the garage, shaking the snow off of my boots, and taking off all my winter gear. I went up to my room, and thankfully Mom, Dad, and Ashley didn''t say anything to me as I passed through the living room.


    I collapsed onto my bed. I''d ruined it with Jackie. She looked like she''d watched me push a man off a bridge for how in shock she''d seemed. I wondered what I''d done to provoke that response. She didn''t look disgusted, like I would have expected, but rather deeply disturbed. It was really weird and embarrassing, but it wasn''t that bad.


    But whatever. It was over with her. It sucked. My best case scenario was now that they didn''t tell anyone, and I''d have to just never exert myself around any new girl I had a crush on. Exercise was what prompted the behavior the most, especially when I was pushing myself really hard.


    It hurt, because the panting barely happened anymore. It was as if I''d wet the bed or something, falling into something I hadn''t had issues with since elementary school. I''d thought I''d gotten it under control.


    I groaned, sitting up, and grabbing my tablet. I stretched it to its larger size, and folded it, setting the bottom half to be a keyboard, and got to work on an assignment from school. My video design class was not that difficult thankfully. If nothing else, I was able to take my mind off of it all.


    I could only hope that I''d be able to ride out this jarring bump in the road, and maintain the status quo. My friends would forget. I would forget. It would all be behind us.

 Chapter 2

    I woke up the next morning to a pleasant, sweet smell filling the house. As I faded out of sleep, I became aware of an odd sensation - my right cheek pressed against my pillow, my pillow damp.


    I sat up, perplexed, and felt drool drip out of my mouth. Gross. That hadn''t happened in a while. It happened on occasion - like many many months apart... but.


    No. This has nothing to do with... that, I told myself.


    I sniffed at the air. Syrup. And that meant pancakes. I pushed myself up out of bed and walked downstairs.


    "Well you''re up early," my mom said as I walked into the kitchen.


    "I was awakened by the smell of pancakes."


    My mom laughed, stirring a small pot. "Really? I''ve started working on the syrup, but you''ll have to wait a bit for the pancakes. I''m surprised you smelled that so easily."


    I sniffed at the air. "It smells really strong though."


    She looked at me thoughtfully. "I didn''t think my sense of smell was that good, but you are leaps and bounds ahead of me."


    I shrugged, and went into the living room, turning on the screen to some news. I sniffed the air again as I listened to it idly. I was smelling things more strongly. I could smell the fabric in the couches. I could smell the disinfectant from a freshly wiped windowsill, and the faint trace of the half eaten popsicle that Ashley had left melting there a day before.


    It was... weird. As I kept sniffing at the air, I felt all these different smells permeating my reality. It was like when my parents found out that my vision was near-sighted when I was little, and we''d gone to get my vision corrected. It was a feeling of clarity. I hadn''t realized until now just how much of the world was made up of different scents. I felt almost like I could''ve walked around the house blindfolded.


    I licked my nose.


    It was a moment before I got possession of myself again, after being in a moment of shock. They were connected. They had to be. My sense of smell suddenly improving right after getting into my bad habit of panting again? That didn''t feel like a coincidence.


    Anxiety began to creep through my body. I turned around to see my mom watching something on her tablet. I turned forward again... and let myself pant a little bit. This was a bad idea. A very bad idea. But I... I needed it. I needed that bit of comfort, as embarrassing as it was.


    I pulled my tablet out of my pocket and unfolded it, searching online for... anything. I scoured medical journals, question sites, news articles, and anything else I could find. I found stuff about my tongue. We already knew my condition was called macroglossia, but other than talking later than expected and having to do speech in elementary school, it wasn''t a major issue. No information on why I felt the need to pant, other than it being a nervous tic.


    There wasn''t much better information about my sudden boost of sense of smell. The condition was called hypersomia. While it did  describe what I was dealing with, right down to it being a sudden change, none of the causes of it seemed to correlate. They were all more serious conditions that I would''ve noticed. Besides, I found it hard to believe that even in those cases sense of smell became this pronounced.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    I breathed long and deep, trying not to freak out. As I breathed however, I felt my tongue start to creep back out of my mouth. I panted for a moment as I tried to think. I licked my nose.


    No. I pulled my tongue back into my mouth. This had to stop. This was letting this get out of hand and I couldn''t let it go any further. It was so... so hard though. For some reason the compulsion to do it felt stronger now than I ever had felt it in the past. The weird thing was that it didn''t feel like I was craving some sort of high, like that I craved it - it more felt like I was forcing myself to not breathe... or to not sweat.


    The smells had been so distracting that I hadn''t thought of how Ashley, as always during the winter, had the heat up high. Was this why I was feeling this bizarre instinct? Was it because of social stress from last night getting to my brain, and focusing on panting like a dog had reaffixed itself as a coping mechanism in my mind?


    Panting like a dog. Smelling things like a dog. It was not normal. I''d been a weird kid, but that weirdness had continued even as I''d gotten older. I''d pushed back against it, and it had stopped for the most part - but for whatever reason, now I was feeling that strange urge again. The urge to pant like a dog.


    My mom announced that some pancakes were ready, and as got up and went over to reached for one, Ashley rushed over to the plate. I was faster. Being a good winner, I let her have one of them. She complained anyway. She liked eating her pancakes in a stack for some reason.


    I focused on eating my pancake, and not on my weird thoughts. Ashley talk about some boring thing going on with friends from her soccer team, and then got another pancake. When I finished my second one, I began lapping up the syrup from the plate.


    Ashley laughed. "You''re going at that plate like a dog."


    I shook my head in disbelief. Why had I been doing that?


    "No I''m not."


    "You totally were," she said, "you were licking the heck out of that thing."


    I shrunk back. I''d had a lapse in judgment and nearly outed what was going on with me all for a few more licks of syrup. Maybe it would be good for me to just get it over with, despite it being embarrassing. But... gosh. It just made me feel so childish, like if I''d had to tell my parents that I''d been feeling scared of the dark and needed a night light.


    The rest of the weekend thankfully didn''t have any more embarrassing moments like that. But despite my resistance, I just... I had to pant. I kept checking in the mirror and I felt a growing suspicion that my tongue was in fact getting longer. The enhanced smell didn''t go away either. It was so weird grappling with it, because both.... both of them felt kind of good.


    Regardless, it kept getting in the way. I kept having moments where I realized that I had been hanging my mouth open, and drooled slightly on my shirt. It was worse when I realized I''d licked my nose. The smelling had its own inconvenience in the form of a gross gutter I passed while on a walk.


    Going to bed Sunday night I felt a quiet, simmering panic. This wasn''t going to go away. I was going to have to do my best to control my nervous habit - or at least keep it secret. It wasn''t helpful that while I wasn''t a popular guy by any stretch, I wasn''t the kind of person that could easily go unnoticed.


    I sighed and let out a sob, then scrunched my eyes shut. This... sucked. Why did I have to deal with such a stupid weird problem? It probably sucked just as bad having drug issues like other kids at school, but at least that wasn''t nearly so embarrassing. People understood why drugs were addictive, why they damaged people''s lives. They didn''t understand why someone would have a bad habit with panting like a dog.


    But until it hopefully went away, I was going to have to figure it out. If it went away.


    The awful thought kept trying to force it''s way to the front of my mind. I tried to stop it but it materialized despite my best efforts.


    ...what if it got worse?

 Chapter 3

    Monday began with a worse start than Saturday. I had drooled on my pillow. Again.


    I nervously got up and went to the bathroom, looking at my tongue. It hadn''t gotten longer, but it still looked flatter than normal. I pulled my tongue back into my mouth. I felt a distinct discomfort. Like it felt cramped inside.


    I breathed in deep, causing my senses to be filled with all the smells in the bathroom. I panted, and licked my nose. Trying to relax. Maybe this was all stress. I had been feeling stressed out when I was with my friends, then I''d felt stressed out from being embarrassed about my panting - it probably pushed me into this old habit. Then I freaked out from the panting, which only got me more stressed. I needed to relax. If I felt like I needed to pant, I''d find a time I could do it, and then do it. It wouldn''t be a big deal. I''d just relax.


    And so I got ready for school, slowly becoming more calm, panting less. It would be okay.


    The panic began to rise up once more however, when I got to school. I did not consider myself a shy person, but I suddenly felt suffocated as I walked through the crowds. They were going to see something. Anything. They were going to realize I had some bizarre problem.


    I rushed to my locker as I felt the urge to pant rising. When I got there, I opened the door and quickly check to make sure no one was looking at me. I panted and licked my nose. Slowly I was able to calm down again after taking deep breaths. I fought the fear that people were noticing how loud my panting was. It was all in my head. I was only thinking it was super loud.


    I got out my home tablet and changed it out for my school one, charging in the locker. As I put it in my pocket, I caught my reflection in my locker mirror.


    No. I had to be imagining it. I was making myself go crazy. But despite my denial, something was there. My nose was naturally a bit upturned... but it appeared more pronounced. I placed a finger up to it. It was... damp. The texture of it also felt different too.


    I gripped the edge of the locker door, to the point that it hurt. Don''t freak out. Don''t freak out. I breathed deep. The influx of air suddenly blasted me with the scent of tons of high schoolers. It felt just like the cacophony of all the noise in the hallway, but for my nose instead. The nausea of it distracted me for a moment, and I shut my locker door and began marching to my Physics class.


    The situation did not improve when I got to class. New smells hit my nostrils. The smell of an old classroom had always been there, but now I could pick it apart with detail - as well as smelling all the other students sitting down at their desks. It thankfully wasn''t as intense as it had been in the hallway, but I was still able to discern that unfortunately, some of the guys in the class had not showered that morning - or had put on some awful body spray.


    I did notice amid the smells from the girls one that I somehow recognized. I briefly caught a glimpse of Jackie before I looked away. No. Not now. I was already uncertain with where I stood with her, but the last thing I needed was for her to notice me being weird. Unfortunately, I sat right next to her. At the time it had seemed like a steal. Over time it had grown more stressful. Today it was unbearable.


    I closed my eyes, forcing myself to just relax. Get my heart rate down. The room was thankfully cooler than the heat at home, so my desire to pant was lessened. The bell rang, and I directed my attention to my tablet, starting on our daily quiz from our homework. This class was making me begin to realize that my dream in Junior High of being an engineer was not going to happen, even if I didn''t have to do the math by hand.


    Mr. Dun had questions on his tests like "if you are attempting to outrun a raptor on a skateboard..." that made it slightly more tolerable, but no amount of humor made the questions on friction easier for me.


    "Morning everyone," Mr. Dun said. "Hope that on your way to class this morning you were able to get through the freezing weather, and didn''t have your own experience with lack of friction like I did."


    Several members of the class laughed. Jackie notably did not. I wasn''t feeling much in the mood either.


    Mr. Dun, as he was prone to do, got off on a tangent about something completely unrelated to class. It made the lectures more tolerable but didn''t always translate well teaching the material - most of which I had to learn from watching the supplementary material. My eyes drifted to the old XKCD comics that Mr. Dun had all over the walls. I''d read many of them before, but it was a distraction.


    As the class progressed and Mr. Dun got into his lecture, I started feeling a tinge of pain in my nose. I flared my nostrils, but it still remained. The tickling feeling in there brought on a sneeze. I hoped that it would subside after that, but no. I put my finger to my nose - dry. Uncomfortably dry.


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    I covertly hid my mouth with my hand, and licked my nose. After a minute or so, I did it again, and the pain began to subside.


    This... was not a good development.


    "You okay?"


    I snapped to attention as I realized Jackie was looking at me.


    "What?" I whispered.


    "You''re just really tense," she said.


    Phew. She hadn''t noticed my strange behavior.


    "Yeah," I said, "I''m just... "


    I rubbed my nose with my arm, acutely noticing the damp mark it left on my sleeve.


    "... I''m just feeling a bit stuffy is all. Can''t smell really well or anything."


    "You''re not missing much," Jackie said. "This place smells old and gross."


    "Oh," I said, "I never really thought about it."


    She gave me a sort of confused look. I''d never noticed before, but her ears sort of moved up oddly with the expression.


    "I''ve always had a better sense of smell than most people," Jackie said. "It''s really obnoxious."


    I sighed, resting my head on folded arms. Part of me wanted to divulge what was happening. I wanted some kind of person to lean on, to reassure me that it was okay. Maybe Jackie had experience with this. Maybe she knew what was happening with my sense of smell.


    I flinched as I noticed her staring at me again. Her deep eyes contemplated me. They were unique, one eye was blue, and the other green. In the past I''d found it kinda cool. Now seeing them peer into my soul was disturbing.


    "What?"


    "Your nose is... wet..."


    I wiped it again. "Yeah, just a bit stuffy is all, we should probably focus -"


    "He finished the lecture," Jackie said, "it''s classwork time. Didn''t you notice?"


    "Uh - "


    "Well if you''re feeling under the weather, maybe you should get some sinus medication from the office or something."


    "Oh yeah," I said, "maybe."


    I turned my attention to my tablet, pretending to work on problems that I totally knew how to do. Jackie was a very nosy person, so to speak, I had noticed. She did not have much of a filter. In some ways that comforted me because it showed the girl that I liked wasn''t perfect. In other ways it filled me with dread at what potentially rude thing she might say.


    Or in this case, what embarrassing thing she might notice and bring up. I could''ve been honest and see how she reacted, but I was focused on social survival today. The last thing I wanted was to destroy any potential of something between us.


    Class ended, and as everyone filed out the door, I took the opportunity to once again lick my nose. As I walked off into the hallway, I made eye contact with Jackie. She had that confused look on her face again. I quickly turned away, and made my way to the bathroom. My actions were determined, robotic, until I went in and saw my reflection in the mirror.


    I choked back a surprised squeal. My nose was definitely different. More upturned, cool and wet... and darker. No wonder Jackie was looking at me weird! I looked like a freak!


    I heard a stall door open behind me, and I turned my face away as I walked out into the hall.


    This was bad. Very bad. I couldn''t pretend anymore. Couldn''t hold onto delusion anymore. Something was happening to my nose, and my tongue. There was a temptation to resort to "I''ve wronged someone and been cursed" - but I was not yet that desperate. I didn''t necessarily believe there weren''t unexplained, supernatural things in this world, but I definitely didn''t believe in some kind of magic nonsense.


    I''d worry about that later. Right now I needed a solution. Jackie''s suggestion to go to the office gave me an idea.


    "Can I help you?" a receptionist asked as I walked into the main office.


    "Yeah," I said. I feigned a cough into my arm, and then pulled up my jacked to cover my face. "I''ve got a bit of a cold and I''m wondering if you have any masks."


    "Of course," the woman said, reaching into a drawer and handing me one.


    "Thanks."


    Relief came over me as I put on the mask, hiding my deformity. My damp nose pressed against the cloth, causing a shiver to go through me. I was safe though. For now.


    "Do you need anything else? Some Ibuprofen?"


    "No," I said, "except maybe another mask."


    Unless they had "stop bizarre changes to the tongue and nose medicine" they probably couldn''t help me. I put the extra mask in my jacket pocket and began walking to my next class. No, I needed to tell my parents. I couldn''t just pretend this wasn''t happening to me - especially when it could be very serious.


    For now at least, I could relax. I could get into my normal routine. Other than Jackie looking at my oddly again at lunch, everything was normal.


    It was the last normal school day I''d ever have.

 Chapter 4

    I didn''t tell my parents. I''d dreaded the conversation as it drew nearer and nearer, as I finished my last class and rode the bus home. When I''d walked through the front door however, my mom noticed the mask, I sprung to my excuse of feeling slightly sick, and she let me stay upstairs, bringing me my dinner.


    It had been a huge relief - but ultimately it only led to me procrastinating the day of reckoning. I could''ve gotten away with saying that I didn''t want to go to school, but the next morning I''d felt like perhaps my nose looked a bit more normal. I didn''t feel like panting either - as much.


    Now later in the day, in my fitness class, going to school was starting to seem like a poor idea.


    "I don''t think you should play basketball with a mask on man," Douglas said.


    "No, I''m fine. I''m feeling better, I just don''t want to cough in someone''s face as I play defense."


    "Okay," Douglas shrugged.


    Really, I just knew that if I sat in the bleachers during class, I would be left alone. Left to think. To stew on my concerns, my anxiety. If this was caused by stress - unlikely, but all I had to go on - being alone with no distractions was the last thing I needed. Sitting in my last few periods had also been feeling uncomfortable for some reason. I''d had an odd nerve pain at the end of my spine. The sensation was not extremely painful, but it felt... pent up somehow, like I really needed to sneeze but couldn''t release.


    I got up and joined Douglas in one of the basketball courts, adjusting my sport shorts. The odd feeling persisted. It did not make me feel any less on edge considering everything else that was going on.


    Getting into a game of basketball felt good. My mind was focused only on playing, only on being the craziest defender I possibly could. Douglas was one of the ones that could really play the game though. He was the one who could score shots from halfway across the court sometimes. We didn''t let up for a second, the two of us working strategically with each other - me dashing to the ball at a crazy speed, freaking out the person with the ball. Another person would come up from behind and snatch the ball, then pass it to Douglas who''d score.


    Eventually, heart pounding after a solid victory, we were able to all line up to the drinking fountain inside the boy''s locker room. I was desperately thirsty, but I needed to hang back. I wasn''t risking anyone seeing my nose - or a probable bout of panting. Soon everyone was gone out the door, leaving me and Douglas.


    "You go ahead dude," Douglas breathed heavily, "you earned it."


    "No," I said beneath my mask, feeling my tongue yearning to slip out, "you go first."


    He waved his hand dismissively. "Nah, I''m not worried about any of your germs."


    "No I''m good man you go first."


    Douglas stood there silently.


    "What?" I asked, feeling my muscles grow tense.


    "Dude there''s something up with you I know it."


    "What are you talking about? I''m just feeling a little bit sick."


    "Sick enough to not want to use the drinking fountain, but not sick enough to sit out on a game? You aren''t sick dude, I saw you out there."


    I felt the sweating beading not just on my forehead, but everywhere. Gosh I wanted to pant so bad!


    "There''s nothing wrong Douglas, you''re the one that''s acting weird if anything."


    He continued to stare. I turned towards the drinking fountain, and pulled down my mask, getting that blessed drink of water at last. I also finally wet my nose too. Ahh it felt so good, I just... I needed to -


    I couldn''t hold it any longer, and panted.


    "What.... the....."


    "Don''t freak out, don''t freak out," I said between the panting.


    "Matt, you are panting like a dog - and you have a black dog nose! You need to call the emergency room, or your mom -"


    "I''m not," - panting, - "calling my mom. We''re going to both just settle down, and go back outside -"


    Douglas shook his head in disbelief. "Dude... this is like... I don''t even know. This is some messed up horror movie stuff."


    I finally began to get the panting more under control. "This is bad, and I know that. I''m not dumb, but this is not a horror movie. You''re just -"


    "This definitely is a horror movie Matt! You know why? You are being the dumb idiot who''s going to fall prey to something awful, all because you were too stupid and proud to ask for help. C''mon, you''re going to call your mom."


    He grabbed tightly onto my arm and started pulling me towards our lockers.


    "No," I said, "I''m not... I... I can''t."


    "Dude this is freaky and embarrassing but are you seriously just going to let it get worse?"


    I stood there silently, head bowed. I licked my nose.


    The door opened and we both flinched. Thankfully I was turned away from the door.


    "Um, guys?" a boy whose name I couldn''t remember said, "you gonna join the game or what?"


    "Just a moment Aidan," Douglas said, "I need to finish talking to Matt about something."


    Aidan left, and Douglas planted his hands firmly on my shoulders, gripping hard.


    "Matt, you are acting delusional. If you don''t call your mom right now, I''m going to tell Coach Caldwell that you have an emergency and that we need to go to the main office."


    I breathed slowly, trying not to embarrass myself again in front of him by panting.


    "Just... just after we do one more game alright?"


    Douglas maintained his firm disapproving look.


    "I just... I just don''t want to have to face the music yet... I want... I just wanted to play some basketball for a bit, and take my mind of all this."


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    "You promise you''re going to call your mom right after?"


    I looked down at my shoes, breathing slowly through my changed, bizarre nose.


    "Matt."


    "Okay."


    We started walking towards the door.


    "You have to promise not to tell anyone though," I pointed accusingly at him.


    "I''m not going to do that," he said. "Besides, I feel like everyone was already wondering what was going on with you at lunch."


    "Well then don''t tell Jackie about all this at lunch tomorrow," I said.


    "Alright, let''s go."


    I pulled up my mask and walked out the door.


    "Do you know why Jackie was gone today?" I asked.


    "No, I don''t. Let''s get moving."


    I swallowed. I had to get out of this somehow. I didn''t want to face this. It was impossible though. When Douglas set his mind on something, barring anything physics breaking, that thing usually happened.


    The fear was still very real, but as I got into the game, and just focused on what I was good at - playing defense like a rabid beast - I was able to get my mind off of it all. For all my energy, sports weren''t something I was very passionate about, to the chagrin of my sister, who did love sports, and was mad at me for "stealing" the talent first. It was however a great distraction.


    I jumped around like mad, sprinting from one end of the court to the other. I seemed to be causing the person on the other team to feel unnerved, that for some reason the same person kept bothering them the instant they got the ball. I may not have loved sports - but I did enjoy being a creature of torment.


    Finally, I was starting to have a good time again, and just focused on playing. I got up close to someone to block them from passing the ball. I shifted back and forth on my feet.


    Wait. Something was off. My shorts felt uncomfortable all of the sudden, they weren''t quite sitting right on me.


    I lagged a bit behind the pack as the ball traveled across the court. While the others were away from me, I reached down the back of my shorts, and felt for the bunched up fabric that was making everything feel weird. No... it wasn''t bunched up fabric. There was some weird lump right at the tip of my tailbone.


    "Hey Matt!" one of my teammates shouted. He passed the ball to me, and by some miracle, I caught it.


    I thought back to our game a few days ago, where I''d gotten hold of the ball. I had stood still, filled with indecision, and had messed everything up. This time however, I messed it up in a different way. I immediately tried to go for a basket, but it was a pitiful attempt, and was easily caught by someone from the other team.


    I gave chase, running from the other side of the court. I started feeling tired and hot. More than hot. That urge came again. The urge to pant. I allowed myself a few seconds of it as I ran behind the group, and licked my nose. I caught up to everyone, and pinned myself on the person with the ball. I jumped high, and would''ve kept jumping and blocking him, except...


    The weird discomfort from the lump on my tailbone... it felt... no. Stop. Focus on the game. I kept running to the person with the ball. But again, as I shifted back and forth on my feet, my body moving from side to side... the thing back there... it was growing...


    I felt my spine cracking as it happened. I winced at the pain. And as I moved back and forth... it almost felt... like... like the thing was moving back and forth too. Like it was moving independently.


    This had to end. I couldn''t ignore all this anymore. I had to get out of there.


    I ran off the court, feeling my spine cracking and growing more and more, and I ran into the locker rooms. I didn''t stop to think. All that was on my mind was that something down there was still growing, getting longer and longer, a soft material brushing against my shorts. I sprinted past the lockers and threw open a bathroom stall, swinging the door back and throwing the bolt.


    I briefly panted, but then gritted my teeth as I felt another crack. I heard the locker room door open, and the sound of Douglas''s shoes against the tile floor.


    "Matt! What''s going on? Matt!"


    I panted slowly and softly as I felt the growth become slower for a moment.


    "Matt, please, open the door, we need to call your mom now, if this is life threatening we don''t have time to waste!"


    I let out a grunt, bracing myself against the stall door. My body had started to feel feverish. My shaking fingers struggled to grasp the bolt, and I opened the door.


    And I felt that growth finally spring out of my shorts.


    Douglas''s eyes shot wide.


    "Holy shit..."


    I remained silent, slowly turning my head...


    Growing from my bottom was a furry tail. Like a dog''s.


    I suddenly felt more alone, more lost, and more embarrassed than I ever had in my life. Casting salt into this horrible, vulnerable moment, the thing moved involuntarily, curling downward, between my legs. Like I was an ashamed dog.


    Totally freaking out now, and hyperventilating, I was completely unable to stop myself from panting. As I stared at the tail, I watched it continue to grow slowly, wincing as another bone cracked. It was almost half a foot long.


    "No no no," I whimpered, finally remembering to lower my voice, hiding my mutation behind my back in case anyone came through the door. I can''t... I couldn''t be....


    I stopped the thought. Potential humiliation aside, there was only one thing that I could think about doing now.


    I ran to my locker, and got out my phone.

 Chapter 5

    Those short ten minutes standing in front of the school were some of the longest in my life. I gritted my teeth against the bitter cold, even as I wanted to open my mouth to pant. My heart rate felt insanely high, my fever was burning hot...


    But the internal fear, the absolute terror I felt, that was the real demon.


    I was becoming an animal.


    Douglas had his hand on my shoulder, gripping firmly. It did nothing to reassure me. He had been trying to calm me down a bit - and it had worked to some degree. I felt another pop and crack from my tailbone. Calming down wasn''t halting the mutation. Not in the slightest. The situation was only made worse that I could feel through it. It felt sore, and cramped.


    "Just hold on man," Douglas said quietly, his breath fogging up in the air.


    I searched the road for any sign of my mom. The snow was falling down more heavy now. I hadn''t changed into my normal pants, so only stood there in my coat and thin sport shorts. I felt so... so cold. So wet and cold, yet burning hot... so... so alone.


    It had taken all my willpower to steady my voice when I''d called Mom. I''d lied, saying that I was feeling my sickness resurface, and that my stomach had been hurting really bad. Douglas was not happy. I knew he was going to try to interject as soon as she rolled up. I needed to stop this delaying this. It was going to be the most bizarre thing I''d ever had to talk about - but the alternative was becoming worse and worse.


    I tried to tell myself that it was going to be alright. I was going to have some doctor figure out what was wrong, and then I was going to be back at school the next day. But I didn''t know that. Even if I was able to get fixed, all my friends were going to look at me different for a long time, wondering what the heck had been going on with me. Jackie had likely already decided before all this happened that she didn''t want to date me. The other guys in gym probably thought I''d had a horrible embarrassing bathroom episode. In all directions, it felt like my life was decaying.


    At last my mom''s sedan pulled into the parking lot.


    "Thanks for waiting out here with me," I said to Douglas with a tired, nearly frozen voice.


    "We could''ve waited inside."


    "No," I shivered, "I... I couldn''t let... anyone see me."


    I adjusted my mask as the car rolled up... and my pants.


    Douglas stepped forward to say something, but I was too quick. I got into the car and made a show of waving goodbye to him, and immediately after getting the door closed, Mom had already set the car to start moving. I exhaled, not sure if relief was what I should be feeling at the moment.


    "How are you holding up?" she smiled weakly, turning her chair towards me.


    "C-cold. And... and a bad fever."


    "A fever too?"


    "Yes."


    "What''s been going on with your stomach?"


    "I... I dunno. Just feels unsettled."


    "Do you feel like you''re going to throw up?"


    I shook my head. "No... I... I feel fine right now."


    Mom glanced out the windshield, watching as the snow flew past us in big heavy flakes.


    "You don''t look like you''re in the best shape right now Matt."


    "I... I don''t feel in the best shape either."


    "Maybe we should stop at the pharmacy and I can get you some medication?"


    "No...," I groaned. "I... I just want to get home, take some Ibuprofen or something, and lie down."


    "Okay," Mom said with a reluctant look.


    I leaned against the car door like I hadn''t slept in weeks. I felt so drained... and I felt pain all over me... I shifted in my seat.


    "Ow!"


    Mom''s eyes snapped wide. "What is it?"


    "Oww... uhh... my... my stomach."


    I had accidentally put my full weight on that thing down there, and it had hurt badly.


    "Are you sure you don''t want to stop at the pharmacy?" Mom asked, more worried now.


    "I''m... I''m fi - oww!"


    I felt a really bad crack in my spine. Oh gosh I wanted it to stop!


    Mom quickly tapped the car''s display, and we pulled over to the side of the road.


    "Okay," Mom said, "just open the door and puke."


    "I don''t... I don''t need to puke Mom."


    "You''re having really bad stomach pains. Your body is probably trying to get something out, maybe just try to puke and see if that helps?"


    The pain down there continued. It was getting longer. I wasn''t sure if I could so much as turn around towards the door without it popping out.


    I spasmed from another sting of pain.


    And my mom must''ve thought I was about to puke.


    She pulled off the mask.


    She was breathless for a moment, her hands in the air, shaking. I felt paralyzed.


    "...aaaahhah... oh no... oh no...."


    Mom pressed her fingers against her forehead, her breathing becoming intense. I could barely move, her reaction only making me feel more tense in turn.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "No Matt... oh God, why did this have to happen?"


    She put her face in her hands, and I felt hot tears begin to flow down my face. Every gene within me that wanted to avoid embarrassment eroded away. All of that was gone.


    "Mom...," I sobbed... "Mom what the hell is happening to me?"


    She kept her face in her hands.


    "Oh gosh I knew something was going wrong," she said into her hands, her voice muffled. "I should''ve known that the second he didn''t come home."


    My dad hadn''t been at home that morning - and I''d just assumed that he''d left for work early.


    Mom slowly sat up, wiping away her tears. She sobbed, catching sight of my face and my deformed nose, then darting her attention to the car''s display, ordering it to get back on the road. She sniffled slightly, then slowly made eye contact with me, her gaze wavering.


    "Matt... when... when did all this start?"


    "It... like... Friday... I think?"


    She was quiet for a moment, trying to steady her breathing.


    "How bad is your pain right now?"


    "I... I''m not feeling as bad right at this exact moment..."


    "What hurts?"


    "... I... my... my tailbone."


    Her eyes became watery again. "How... how bad?"


    I squeezed my eyes tight. "Please... please promise you won''t freak out."


    "Oh gosh," she wheezed putting her hands up against her face for a moment.


    I gritted my teeth and reached into my shorts... and I pulled it out.


    I kept my eyes shut tight. I heard nothing from my mom. Then I felt her touch it.


    "Oh... oh Matt."


    She hugged me tightly. And I hugged tightly to her. For a moment, the feeling of her holding me was the only conscious thought in my mind... but the real world slowly intruded again. I felt the road rumbling beneath us. I smelled... everything. And then... I felt some awareness that the thing down there didn''t hurt as badly anymore.


    Mom let go of me, her arms quivering uncontrollably. She slowly turned to face the road in front of us, the sight mostly obscured with the blizzard around us. She did not look back to me.


    "Matt...," she said with a deep breath. "Many... many years ago, when you were about a year old..."


    She tensed up again, more tears coming.


    "When you were a baby...," she began again, "you... you like many other children around the time... fell victim to a new variety of cancer. Deaths were rare early on... but the death rates only got higher and higher as time passed. You... you were predicted to be dead by the time you were three."


    I folded my arms, scrunching myself inward as I felt more and more unnerved.


    "Dad''s company had a cancer treatment," she said, "that they adapted for use on your specific version of cancer. It... it wasn''t tested as well as it could have been. Especially since Dad... he was unable to sleep at night. He was unable to wait for the extensive field testing to be done. So he, like other people at Generation... used their own children first."


    Mom absently tightened her hand around the car''s manual controls. I could see tears pooling in her eyes, which she kept blinking away.


    "It worked," she said, "and the cancer subsided. There was further testing with all of the kids in this area with the cancer, and then it was gradually rolled out to the world."


    "This... this cancer treatment," I asked. "It... it''s doing this to me?"


    My mom was silent for a long time. The sound of her lack of a response felt almost painful to my eardrums.


    "Mom," I said more loudly, unable to stand the silence, "what is going on?"


    She sobbed. "The original mass-market treatment... it was ineffective... but a new alteration being tested in the lab... they observed that when exposed to the cancer, for some reason... dogs showed resistance to it. But they couldn''t figure out what specifically resisted the cancer. They... transferred a lot of genes..."


    I found myself starting to cry. "Mom... am I ... am I..."


    I broke down into crying and couldn''t finish. She hugged me again.


    "I don''t know what''s going to happen sweetie. I don''t know if they''re going to be able to fix it, or if it.... or something else. But I want you to know how much I love you. And Dad, even though he and others made a foolish decision, he did it because he loved you. Because he wanted to save you. And I know that now, he''s going to do everything he can to help you again."


    I noticed the map on the car''s display. We were definitely not driving towards home. The destination was Dad''s work.


    "It''s the only place I know that can help," Mom said with a strained inhale. "... and with this going on... I don''t want you to be visible to all the people out in the world."


    Another crying fit came over her, and I could tell she was trying to stifle it. I just felt too stunned and hot from my fever to do anything anymore. I felt my consciousness waver, as though I was about to pass out. But I didn''t. I just hung there, in some strange nightmarish state where the world around me didn''t feel tactile and real.


    But it was real. I knew this wasn''t the worst dream I''d ever had, but reality. I could feel that awful growth from my spine. I could smell the salt from our tears. I could see my mother crying.


    I could sense my life ending around me.

 Chapter 6

    My mom walked around the side of the car. She saw that I was not getting out.


    "I know," she sighed, "that... that this is tough..."


    I hugged my knees against my chest. I felt like I was six again, and my mom was trying to coerce me to go to the dentist. It was a primal fear of the unknown. It was fear simply of not knowing what it was you should be afraid of.


    She hugged me, and inhaled, slowly getting out. When I set foot on the asphalt, and she let go of me, I felt the unpleasant sensation of it back there.


    My mom stood there with discomfort plainly on her face. I hung my head in shame. I was just trying to focus on anything but the feeling of it back there.


    "I''m sorry," she whispered. "um... stuff it back in and lets get inside out of this cold."


    I nodded as cold tears formed. Mom sent the car to drive away and park, and I winced as I pushed it back down into my shorts. I let out a slight gasp, not really out of pain, but more realization that it had felt relieving being uncompressed.


    "C''mon," she squeezed her arms around me tight, "just... just hold on. We''re going to make it through all this one step at a time."


    We stepped through the growing layers of new snow towards the entrance of the building, the cold wind biting at my face and legs. We walked inside, and rather than being quiet like I had seen it in the past, everyone was swiftly traveling from place to place, talking loudly on their phones in frantic voices. No one paid us any mind.


    Sitting in the lobby I tried my hardest to both ignore my deformity and not cause undue discomfort. My mind kept on having those strange signals hit me. This isn''t right, it seemed to say. There is some part of your body that you are hurting and you need to fix it. My nose however, acutely smelled everything. Somehow, I smelled my dad before I even saw him. How I recognized his scent I had no idea.


    "Yes Clive," he said on a set of stairs to another employee, "I know that the time on the computer is precious, but I need this specific one looked at. We have limited time and -"


    He caught sight of me.


    I firmly directed my gaze to the floor. A pair of shoes entered my vision.


    My dad hugged me tightly, and when I did look up, I found he was also wearing a mask. Another employee with him was handing one to my mom.


    "Matt....," he nudged my chin to force me to make eye contact, "Are you alright?"


    I didn''t hesitate. "No."


    He held onto a pensive look. "This is my fault Matt, and I accept that. I royally screwed up all those years ago. Until we get all this figured out, I''m going to be calling people, analyzing data, digging through fifteen year old files... anything I can to solve this."


    "Okay," I squeaked out.


    "So what we need to do right now," he said, "is that we are going to take you to the recovery rooms. We need to analyze the virus as it progresses and monitor your body all throughout - and we also aren''t sure of how contagious the virus is. We are fairly certain it isn''t air transmitted, but we are taking precautions."


    I swallowed. "How... how long will you need to watch me? How far... how far is it going to... "


    "We don''t know Matt," he said, pulling me to my feet. "We know that more is going to change over the next few days."


    He started leading me down a long hallway with large windows opening on a snow covered courtyard, my mom following close behind.


    "How... how much is going to change?"


    My dad seemed frustrated with the questions. "We simply don''t know Matt. We''ll be watching. I know that this is the last advice you need to hear right now, but I''m going to need you to relax. The more stressed, the more anxious you get, the faster the virus will propagate."


    "That makes me feel much better."


    My dad glanced back at me, annoyance flashing on his face, then he quickly suppressed it.


    "I know Matt. This is an extremely difficult situation. I know you''re going through a lot. Just please... try not to lose hope. Try to stand tall through it."


    "Okay," I said sheepishly.


    Other Generation employees gave a wide berth as we walked past them up to the second floor. I didn''t blame them. I would avoid this sickness at all costs too. We went into a wing of the building that had another small waiting room and reception, going past it to a bunch of smaller rooms. Dad opened one and led me inside.


    The room was reminiscent of a hospital room, with a hospital bed and IV. There was a divider that opened up to an adjacent room. We were on the second level, with large windows in each room showing the blizzard outside. A TV sat on a stand at the front of the room, a well used old Switch sitting beneath it.


    "You haven''t seen this part of the building before," Dad said. "It''s where we house patients who''ve been conducting gene therapy, as well as when we occasionally do human trials for new drugs."


    I walked in slowly, and sat down on the bed. Dad slowly walked up to me, and pulled off my mask. He disguised his surprise better than Mom had. I pulled my jacket off, breathing slowly. Dad met my eyes, gripping my shoulder and making a faint smile.


    I felt the crying begin to start, and then it quickly burst soon after. I just needed that moment of release, that moment to not care about anything or anyone... and just cry. It took a minute or two to get it out of my system. I blinked to clear my eyes.


    "Cut out all the fluff," I said, "what''s going to happen to me? What is happening to me?"


    My dad breathed slowly, seemingly collecting his thoughts. "The cancer treatment was given in the form of a pacified virus. Like any virus, it duplicated, spreading around your body. Everywhere it went, it was engineered to deliver changes to your genes to fight the cancer. It made you very cancer resistant, starving out the cancer and saving you... but it seemed that in a way, it left a different cancer dormant. Now those dormant genes, for some reason, are developing, and causing changes in you."


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    I sobbed, stood up off the bed, and pulled out... it, communicating vividly just how bad the changes had gotten.


    My dad stared at the tail. Without a word, he reached into his pocket, and pulled out his pocketknife.


    "Hold still," he said. He gripped the band of my shorts, went at them with the knife, and after a bit of effort, he''d made a tear in the synthetic fabric. I looked up at him with a puzzled look.


    "Pull it through," he explained.


    I suppressed my disgust, holding onto the furry growth, and guided it through the new hole.


    "I hate this," I said. "I don''t want to acknowledge that thing, or my stupid nose..."


    "It''s a part of your body now," Dad said, "and at very least, I bet it feels more comfortable like this."


    I turned around, and stared at it. My... tail. It wavered around slightly. I couldn''t deny that he was right. It felt a lot better.


    "More things like this are going to happen to me," I asked, "right? Am I... am I going to have paws? Am I going to have to walk on all fours?"


    My dad shook his head. "We don''t know exactly -"


    "I''m...," I let out a quiet, groaning wail. "I''m going to turn completely into a dog aren''t I?"


    My dad stood firm, an air of calm about him. I didn''t feel that way at all. I felt like I was sliding down a gravelly hillside that had a cliff at the bottom. I felt so... so alone. I just wanted some small degree of assurance that it would all be alright.


    My dad was staring. I realized at that moment that I''d been panting.


    "So you''ve fallen back into your old habit I see?"


    I slipped my tongue quickly back in.


    "Unfortunately Matt, it''s probably best that you don''t fight that. Your new nose needs you to lick it. Everyone that''s going to see you in here knows what''s going on, you don''t need to hide it."


    "Okay," I said. "I''m sorry that... that I have to be so weird. It just... it just helps me feel better."


    "I''ll do all I can," Dad tried to smile again. "But I don''t know what will happen. There''s the risk that if we''re too hasty, the cancer from when you were little could resurface. But... be brave. And I know that while this feels extremely strange and embarrassing... just do what makes you feel comfortable. Anything that will help you get through this.


    I sighed, and then allowed my tongue to loll out again.


    Dad turned to an employee behind him. And said something that I didn''t hear. He walked up to my bed and pointed at a small button on the side.


    "Press that if you need help. Any help. Food, painkillers, anything. You''ll get a visit from another employee named Melina twice a day to have things like your blood pressure tested."


    "Alright," I said quietly.


    "I''ll visit you when I can," my mom said. "I''ll bring you some stuff to occupy your time."


    "Okay."


    "I love you Matt," Dad said, "remember, despite all these stupid mistakes I made that led to this, all of us right now are trying to help you and everyone else that got the treatment."


    They began turning to leave.


    "Dad?"


    "Yes?"


    "What... what about... everyone else that got the treatment?"


    He was unable to hide the pain that came to his eyes. "I wish I could save all of them, and you, from whatever is happening. There''s millions of children that needed the treatment. We don''t know if every iteration of the treatment has these effects, or just yours. All I know is... I''m glad that we were able to get you here before it got worse. You won''t have to be the patient zero who will have the attention of the whole world."


    It dawned on me how much the news and everything would explode from this. Countless people around the world were going to go through the pain that I was going through. I at least would be able to suffer through it all in privacy.


    "What... what caused it?" I asked.


    "The treatment?" my Dad asked, confused.


    "I mean why did it all... why did it happen now? Why not right after I received the treatment?"


    "That is one of the many riddles we''re trying to solve. So many theories are floating around. Most of the affected are around your age, so maybe it has the same hard coded gestation period... maybe it has to do with hormonal stuff... we don''t know. All we know is that it''s all flooding in right now... so.... so many. So many who might be changing without any idea what''s happening... who just...."


    He sighed.


    "I just... thank you at least for not hiding this Matt. We... we won''t be able to stop everything from happening to you... but maybe we may be able to help the others. Still though, I''ll be doing all I can."


    "Thank you," I said at a whisper.


    Mom and Dad nodded with great pain in their eyes. They said nothing more, closed the door behind them, and left me alone.


    I sat back on the bed, being careful to not sit on my tail. I sat there for a few moments, my mind vacant.


    Then I bawled my eyes out.

 Chapter 7

    I woke up in darkness. I registered the slight glow of artificial light outside amid the blizzard, still thundering away. I''d been so caught up in all of it... all of the crap happening to me, that I hadn''t thought about how intense this storm was. It was probably one of the biggest blizzards I''d ever seen.


    I groggily sat up, feeling a slight twinge of discomfort. My tail. I kept forgetting it was there. I was not keen on having to learn to be more cautious about it.


    I glanced at my watch, the time flashing on the screen. 9:46 pm. I examined myself, afraid that I was going to find more changes. None. My tail had perhaps gotten longer. Maybe I just hadn''t wanted to acknowledge it earlier. It was now more than a foot long, covered in golden fluffy fur. I timidly reached down and slightly tugged on the base of it.


    Yes, it was part of my body - and I could feel through it, feel my hand touching it. I ran my gripped hand down its length, feeling the fur flow against my fingers. It was just... so surreal. I reached out with my mind... and it moved. It moved in a way I didn''t even have to think about, just like I would move my arms or legs. It was part of me. I could feel the soft movement of warm air in the room, blowing through the fur. It felt extremely, extremely bizarre, but I was no longer in the stage of freaking out about it.


    I breathed deep, and willed my tail to curl against me, out of the way. I pushed aside the disturbing sight of watching it obey, and I laid down again. I looked up at the ceiling, staring at the tiles there.


    I didn''t know what to think anymore. I had no idea what lay ahead, and neither did Mom or Dad. Even if I was cured, if I could put this all behind me... it was just so unsettling to have experienced this. I now knew that it was possible for humans to be altered in such a way. I didn''t like the idea of a world like this. What if someone didn''t like you, stabbed you with a syringe, and you turned into a deformed half-human half-slug creature? Would soldiers in war throw grenades of some transformation gas, turning their enemies into cockroaches?


    I shuddered. I didn''t like this.... but being more like a dog was far more preferable to some disgusting bug. Dogs I had always felt a bit impartial to. As a kid dogs had scared me a bit. They had been very friendly and wanted to jump on me. I wondered if somehow they had known - if they had known that there was canine DNA inside me.


    I wondered how other people would react to this - how someone like Ted would react if he''d been told that he was going to transform into a dog. Probably take in stride, like he did with everything. It was strange to me to think that there were some people in the world who would actually want  this. I knew there were furries, and all sorts of other people out in the world, that would think this was cool. How many people would intentionally seek to be infected?


    It was a sickening thought - that anyone would want these bizarre changes. But thinking of the innocent people out there was even more troubling. I got out my tablet, stretching it to a wider size, and looked at the news. Nothing that mentioned this. It was a quiet world right before a storm. I glanced outside. A storm that had already begun to rage in my life.


    The door unlocked to my room and I let out a small yelp in surprise to see a woman - late twenties, early thirties maybe - in medical scrubs.


    "Oh gosh," the woman said, "didn''t mean to startle you. You weren''t looking at anything dirty on there were you?"


    I shivered, turning my tablet off. "No ma''am. I just... I just feel a bit... on edge."


    I suddenly remembered my facial mutation, and reached up and covered my wet nose.


    "Oh don''t mind that," the woman said, "I am well aware of what''s going on. You don''t have to hide anything from me. I''m Melina, and I''m going to be doing basic checks on you to see how you''re doing."


    "Oh... alright."


    She used the room''s dimmer switch to slowly turn up the room''s lighting, thankfully leaving it not too bright. She pulled a chair up next to my bed, and pulled some stuff out of a bag. I sat patiently as she wrapped a band around my arm for testing blood pressure. As she finished that test and some others, I couldn''t help but feel uncomfortable. Not even my parents had been willing to look at what had happened to me.


    Unfortunately, that wasn''t the half of it. When she finished she began a more thorough examination of looking at my face - and then at my tail. She seemed to notice my discomfort.


    "Just relax, I''m just taking a look."


    "Hard to relax," I said, "when that look is at mutated parts of my body."


    "Mutation is a strong word," she said, "I think I prefer ''canine-esque.'' ''Mutation'' makes it sound like part of your body touched cartoonishly green nuclear waste and now your flesh can melt into a puddle and reform."


    "Gross but okay I guess."


    "What does it feel like?"


    "What does what feel like? I dunno. Crappy. Degrading. Makes me feel subhuman."


    "Oh you''re no fun," she chided. "have you... wagged it?"


    "Have I... wagged my tail?"


    "Yeah."


    "Why on Earth would I wag my tail?"


    "I guess not," she shrugged, "you probably aren''t feeling very happy right now."


    "I doubt I would ever feel like... augh, wagging my tail."


    "Would you... try it?"


    I gave her a stare.


    "Oh c''mon this is a very scientific test, I totally promise."


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    I rolled my eyes. I willed it to move. It felt so... foreign. So unlike moving any other part of my body. But I moved it back... and forth. Then faster. Then I was wagging it back and forth repeatedly.


    "Ha ha," she clapped her hands, "brilliant."


    "Please tell me how that pertains to science... or at least what sick thrill you get out of making fun of me?"


    Her demeanor toned down, but I could tell a smile remained beneath her mask. "Oh it''s just a bit of fun. You''re going through a lot right now, and being a bit silly helps to lighten the mood."


    "Whatever."


    She zipped up her bag and stood up from her chair. "But yes, I''ve got everything I needed Matt. I don''t know whether you''ll find this comforting or distressing, but other than your fever, which has crept down to a much better temperature, you seem to be pretty healthy."


    "That is not comforting."


    Melina simply shrugged, and made to go out the door.


    "Melina?"


    "Yes Matt?"


    "How did you come right when I happened to wake up? Are there... are there cameras in here?"


    Melina burst out laughing. I was not amused. "Paranoid are we? No, your watch was tracking your sleeping."


    "So you''re looking at my watch?"


    "The one that your dad gave us access to, yes."


    She glanced out the window. "I think Matt, that perhaps you should follow the weather''s example, and chill a little bit."


    "Ha ha," I stared her down, "very kind to a person who is turning into an animal."


    "The world is covered in trash Matt. Doesn''t mean you need to sit down in a pile of it."


    "I guess."


    Melina was interrupted by two people coming up to my door.


    "We were told to come to this room," an older woman, maybe 40s said. She looked... familiar.


    "Ah," Melina said, "the bed over here."


    She led them into the room. And I locked eyes with the girl with her.


    With Jackie.


    "M-matt?"


    I shook in absolute horror. No. Not this. I felt so ashamed, but not here. Not in front of the girl I liked. Why on Earth was she...?


    She pulled down her mask.


    A canine snout stared back at me - just like mine.


    "I... I thought... I thought something was weird about you when we were playing that game," she said with teary eyes. "And... and when I saw your nose."


    I was dead silent.


    "And... and I guess I found out... why... why I''ve had such a strong sense of smell."


    Her words rang hollow, no trace of light-heartedness in them. It seemed rather, that as she spoke, more life drained from her eyes, and more spirit from her voice.


    I didn''t respond, and her mom directed her past the divider to the other bed. Melina left us in the room. I heard Jackie''s mom whispering some words of reassurance to her. I couldn''t hear Jackie''s reponse. Then Jackie''s mom left too. I averted my gaze as she walked past me. I still... I still couldn''t bear to let anyone see me.


    I sat there in the silent room, the blizzard swirling outside. My mind reeled trying to comprehend what was happening. Dad had told me that many other people my age had needed the treatment... but... I hadn''t considered... hadn''t thought anyone I knew... I remembered then some stray words Jackie had said once. I''d mentioned where my dad worked, and she''d said her mom had worked at Generation too when she was younger. When she was younger. Right when it all happened. When they had tested it on us.


    Something broke me from the unpleasant thoughts running through my mind; Jackie quietly crying. She had always seemed like a very no nonsense, in control girl. Somehow hearing her cry was just as startling as seeing what had happened to her.


    This just... my life had become such a mess. Now a further wrinkle had come - the girl I liked was undergoing this mutation - oh, sorry Melina - caninification - as well. I fought the urge to start crying myself. They might be able to stop this from getting more serious - but I could be stuck with a nose and a tail for the rest of my life.


    Would a girl be able to love me if I looked so disturbing? Would I... would I have any desire to date Jackie if she looked like this?


    The conclusion I reached was that I couldn''t. I felt.. I felt so shallow. It was depressing to me to think of being stuck with these things, and being alone my whole life - but I hypocritically could not stand the thought of loving someone with such an abnormal appearance.


    I pulled the thin, synthetic covers of the bed back over me, hoping my sleep would be free of nightmares. It was so hard to not feel like I was the victim of some horrible curse - that I had somehow offended God, or the universe, or some sorcerer from another dimension. I knew I was hardly a perfect high school kid... but this just... felt so unfair.


    This was all stupid. I knew enough about history to know that sometimes, horrible, unfair things happened. They always would. And someone would always be the one to be caught in the crossfire.


    And out of all the billions in the world, fate had chosen me.

 Chapter 8

    Lucas Hewitt pored over the results from the latest pass. The neural network had parsed through the results from the quantum''s analysis, and selected several viable areas of investigation.


    All of them were ones they had checked before.


    Lucas let out a frustrated, shaking exhale, balling his fists.


    "I think," Clive said, "the only thing left to do is to have computer run tests on each one of the potential problem areas."


    "It already took me fighting all day yesterday to get access to the thing," Lucas said. "All these people are lined up to use the quantum. They all are searching for ways to make it less intense, to prevent it from turning cancerous, all that - they have got their minds on important things, but no one is actually searching for a lynchpin to all this."


    "It''s because one doesn''t exist Lucas," Clive said, leaning on the lab counter. "There''s not a line of code in the canine genome that says that ''this is what stops the cancer, you can remove everything else.''"


    "But there is code," Lucas scowled at Clive. "We made the transmitter all those years ago, we can... I dunno we can put limiters on it..."


    "Lucas," Clive met his eyes, "you need to take a break. How long have you been awake?"


    "Not long enough."


    "Go get some sleep, if you go down the hall and - "


    "No Clive. I''m not sleeping. My son and countless other kids are alone - "


    "Save me your speeches Lucas. I''m not like the suits that are trying their darndest to close up shop. I just think that you are going to do better work if you can actually keep your eyes open."


    "But that''s why we need to go as fast as possible Clive. They are trying to get the hell out of dodge, all those kids be damned. If I could I would stuff the quantum computer in my pocket and run off with it if it would buy me more time to help these kids."


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Clive sat silently in his chair. He pulled a pen and notepad out of his pocket.


    "That''s just the way of things Lucas," Clive said, beginning to write. "We''ll try to do all we can in the time we have left, and hope that other labs and universities can pick up the slack."


    He''d finished writing.


    Cameras.


    Lucas nodded.


    Obviously the computer can''t be moved, but we can start downloading the data.


    "I think you''re right Clive," Lucas said. "I need to get some sleep."


    Lucas wrote down a response.


    If we''re in for a penny, we may as well go in for a pound. I have some people at the company who would be willing to get some other stuff for us.


    "Alright Lucas," Clive yawned, standing up. "Are you going to head out then?"


    "Meagan is coming to check in on Matt in about an hour. I''ll probably go home with her and get some sleep."


    Lucas selected one of the options on screen, and had the computer start running it. He didn''t expect much, but it was all he could do for now.


    "How is the boy holding up?" Clive asked as they left the room.


    Lucas sighed. "I don''t know. Not all that well. I don''t expect him to."


    "And there''s that girl that came in last night too right?"


    "Jackie. She and Matt are friends."


    "Oof. The embarrassment alone from all this sounds difficult enough."


    "I can only pray," Lucas said, running his hand through his hair, "that embarrassment is the worst thing they''ll have to deal with."

 Chapter 9

    "Matt... Matt..."


    I woke up to a hand shaking me awake. My mom stood next to my bed. Her strained smile was a little bit better today.


    "I brought you breakfast."


    She held up a paper bag with a logo that said "Daisy''s" on it - it was a favorite local restaurant of ours, specifically for it''s breakfast. I felt a slight smile come to my face as the smells entered my nostrils.


    "Is it okay if I very quickly get a drink and use the bathroom?" I asked, tentatively rubbing my dry nose.


    "Of course."


    I felt a bit better after using the bathroom, but not much. If anything, it made me focus more on how tired I was. I''d slept fitfully during the night, enduring half-remembered nightmares, all filled with anxiety that I''d be found out. All manifesting my spoken and unspoken fears.


    But there was no time for that now. Now was the time for a cinnamon roll pancake. I hopped back on the bed, and in my quick motion, nearly forgot about that stupid thing again - my tail. I stopped just before sitting down, carefully directing it out of the way. Mom watched, trying to maintain her positive expression.


    "I hate this thing," I said. "I hate to say that I''m getting a bit more used to it being there - but... gosh, it''s so annoying, getting in the way like this."


    Mom''s smile fell. "I suppose... you''ll adjust."


    I set aside everything going on with me, and eagerly pulled out the plastic containers filled with my favorite menu items. Part of me felt a bit off seeing it - we normally got breakfast at Daisy''s only for occasions like my birthday, or just before Christmas. Opening the containers and taking in the smell - oh gosh it was so strong! - it did lift my mood a bit.


    "Thank you Mom." I was able to actually make the effort to make eye contact. Unfortunately I soured it by licking my nose right after.


    "I know that this is what I''d want if I was going through this," she said, trying to regain her smile.


    I began diving into the pile of hashbrowns. As always, they were their perfectly tuned buttery crispiness. I hadn''t realized until that moment that I hadn''t eaten any dinner last night - and I was voraciously hungry. Mom watched me silently as I ate.


    "How are you feeling this morning?" she finally asked.


    I swallowed. "I... " I closed my eyes, and squinted in discomfort. "I feel.... better than yesterday. But considering yesterday was probably one of the worst days of my life, anything will probably be an improvement."


    "They''ve decided it''s safe for me to be in here without a mask."


    I looked up at her and somehow hadn''t remembered that had been a concern. It made me uneasy - it showed that they were making this up as they went, only barely sure of what they were doing.


    "So can I go home?" I asked.


    She frowned and shook her head. "They - specifically Dad and his associates - want to keep you and Jackie here to monitor you."


    I sighed. "Great."


    "Just... just at least take comfort in the fact that if something... unexpected starts happening, that you''ll be right here, ready for them to help you as fast as possible."


    "All of this is unexpected," I mumbled.


    "I brought you some stuff at least," she said while picking up a duffel bag from the floor. "It has several pairs of clothes, your tablet charger, some snacks..."


    "Thank you Mom. It doesn''t... change things... but thank you for trying to help me through it."


    "I''ll do what I can." Her smile quivered. "I just... I just feel so awful... watching this happen and being able to do nothing. That I can''t do anything to help Lucas...."


    It filled me with pain seeing her like this. It had been far worse seeing her breaking down in the car the day before, but I''d also been very broken at that moment too. Now I could see the silent struggle in her as she watched her child go through something so difficult, so alien to our idea of reality - and could do nothing. Somehow it felt worse than seeing her before, because here she was trying so hard to hold up a front of confidence - and there was so much tension there.


    I set down my fork and pushed aside my food, taking a moment of pause in my thoughts.


    "Mom... this... this is hard - but it... it could be worse. The pain isn''t as bad - and..."


    I winced.


    "And at the end of the day...," I said, timidly grasping the base of my tail, "this isn''t going to kill me. I feel a lot more calm today. It''s... it''s so weird, but I can take it."


    Mom took a deep breath, all the while staring at me - staring at what was happening to me. I stood up straight on my knees, and hugged her. I didn''t know what was going to happen... but if something did happen, I didn''t want to waste valuable time being bitter in any way towards my family. They loved me, and it wasn''t their fault that I had gotten that cancer all those years ago - and it wasn''t Dad''s fault that he had tried to save my life and it had such a bad side effect.


    I hadn''t reflected on that really since hearing this secret all for the first time - Dad had saved my life. I''d probably come across as absolutely enraged towards him. I hoped he didn''t think that. It more just felt like I was angry at the unpredictable universe, and what it had done to me.


    Mom let go of our embrace.


    "Have... have you told Ashley?" I asked.


    Mom let out a long huff. "No. We will. She just thinks you''re in the hospital."


    "Can you.... just make sure she understands that I''m alright?"


    Mom couldn''t force a smile. "Matt... you are not alright. I am proud of you for being brave, but... but you are not alright."


    "There are people going through this," I said, "who are having it much worse than me. At least I know why it''s happening. At least I know that Dad is working on a cure."


    "You''re right. It... is good to be optimistic in this... if nothing else it will help you stay calm."


    "Yeah," I frowned. "Yeah."


    Part of me felt like I should be freaking out, causing a knock-on effect where I just changed faster and faster. But part of me had accepted the fact that I couldn''t change this. Things were going to happen. I didn''t feel frantic - but I did have a deep feeling of dread.


    "Is Jackie awake?" Mom asked.


    "I don''t know."


    "I am," a ragged voice said from behind the divider.


    Mom picked up another bag from the floor and walked over to her out of my view.


    "I got you some breakfast too."


    "Thank you Mrs. Hewitt."


    It was the extent of their interaction. Mom walked back to me.


    "Just... remember," she said. "If you ever need anything, anything at all, don''t worry about it, just call me. I can''t get into the building at night easily, but any other time I''ll try to get to you if you need something."


    "What about your work?"


    She made a dismissively gesture. "I''m taking built up sick days. But that''s not important right now. Just... relax, and try to keep your spirits up."


    "It is a well known fact," I said, "that people are really good at being ordered to relax."


    Mom attempted a little chuckle, and gave me a last brief hug. "Stay strong Matt. I love you."


    "I love you too Mom."


    She left. I checked my watch. It was 8:15. I didn''t know when Melina - or someone else - was going to come back and do more testing on us. I groaned with the realization that it was likely going to be the only thing scheduled in my life for as long as a week or more - however long it took us to get through all this.


    "Why are you in such a good mood?" Jackie asked from behind the curtain, interrupting my thoughts.


    "What?"


    "You''re turning into an animal," she said. "You''re acting like this is just the flu. Something not all that fun, but not serious."


    "So you''re upset because I''m not freaking out? Did you not hear me sobbing into my pillow last night?"


    "Can you at least not be cracking jokes? I''m just trying to empty my mind, and it''s being interrupted by you."


    I jumped off the bed onto the floor, and slowly pulled the divider back, revealing Jackie. I only briefly caught sight of it again - her canine snout - before she averted her gaze. It was so strange. I had looked at my own in the mirror, but something about seeing it on another person... I couldn''t grasp the idea that I now looked like that. Also... I seemed to notice her ears... the tops slightly sagged down.


    "Would you please stop staring at me?"


    "The other day you were staring at me," I smirked slightly.


    "Whatever," she said with a disgusted look. "Just leave me alone."


    I stood there awkwardly for a moment as she avoided my eyes. I felt an impulse come to my mind. I was not endearing myself to her, did I really want to be more stupid?


    I shrugged and decided it didn''t matter that much to me anymore. She already wasn''t in the best mood, the worst that could happen is her telling me to go away again. I walked over to my side of the room, grabbed one of the padded chairs, and carried it over next to Jackie''s bed. She looked confused as I picked up my breakfast containers and sat down by her.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    She stayed silent.


    "Aren''t you going to eat?" I asked.


    "I''m not hungry."


    "Oh c''mon," I said, "are you really going to let good food like this get cold?"


    She let out a barely perceptible groan, and opened her food and began to eat some bacon. I briefly smiled, then quickly hid the expression. She obviously enjoyed it. We ate silently for a few minutes.


    "Do you...," I said even as I was trying to collect my thoughts, "maybe want to put on a movie or something?"


    "No."


    "It might help you take your mind off things -"


    "I don''t want to take my mind off things Matt. I am turning into a dog. I''m not going to ignore the end of the world, and live in denial like you."


    I blinked in surprise. Jackie was normally not the most cheerful person - I liked more her wit, her joking around when we played games. This however was just... so depressing.


    "I''m not living in denial Jackie. I know what''s happening to me. I just know that worrying about the problem won''t accomplish anything - in fact it''ll only make me feel worse. It may even make the changes happen faster."


    "Really, really bold words," she sneered, "coming from the child  who would act all grumpy when we wouldn''t pick the board game he wanted to play - and then would throw more micro-tantrums any time someone played the game better than him."


    I felt... cold. Was that really how she saw me? Like I was a child? My lack of control in social situations really frustrated me... but was I really that bad? Did people really.... really not want me there?


    I felt a stab in me as her eyes made contact with mine. Her distinctive green and blue eyes.


    "What is it?" she demanded.


    "I... I know that... I know that I... act dumb sometimes," I struggled to say, "but... that was... that hurt."


    Her mouth opened, seemingly to fire off another quip at my expense, but she stopped herself.


    "Augh... okay. I''m sorry. I just... I just have a really hard time wanting to care about people when I have a cancerous growth misshaping my nose."


    "I understand," I weakly responded. I said it more to move on than anything else. I was still reeling from her blatant unfiltered thoughts.


    "You know that who I am when we''re playing a game is only a very small part of who I am," I said. I should''ve stayed silent. Instead I had to add more fuel to the fire.


    "I am quite sure," Jackie flared her nostrils, "but right now I don''t really care about getting closer with people, not when my own self is unraveling."


    "You are being a major downer."


    She set her food container and fork aside. "Well I''m sorry Matthew Hewitt, but the world is a major downer. The world already was a sucky place but now it''s even worse. Are you prepared to live trapped in the body of an animal? Even if we retain our minds, even if we aren''t stuck walking on four legs, we''re going to be shamed by the whole world. There''s going to be billions of people coming out of the woodwork, eager to be species-ist against us."


    I sat silently, contemplating her words. She was right - unless there was a full cure and it came soon, things were going to be very, very hard.


    "Well that''s in the future. This is now. I already dealt with so much crap yesterday and that amount of emotional intensity is exhausting. There''s not anything I can do right now, so might as well just... I don''t know. Take it as it comes -"


    "Stop that."


    "Stop what?"


    "This. Stop making me feel guilty for being upset."


    "I''m not trying to guilt you," I said. "I just... I don''t know. We''re going through so much, and I just... I want to cheer you up maybe."


    She sat there silently, and returned to her food, taking a bite of some of her own cinnamon swirl pancake.


    "I''m sorry. I hate myself. I hate that my outside is changing to be what the inside is."


    "It''s alright," I said. "Don''t hate yourself. I''m not... I''m not mad at you. We''re both going through something we never would''ve imagined a week ago."


    "It doesn''t change the fact that I''m a sucky, selfish person."


    "I don''t think you suck or that you''re selfish. I think that you''re more than that - that you are very smart, you can be very funny when competing in a game, you''re a cute girl -"


    Crap. She gave me a slightly dumbfounded look. I had overplayed my hand.


    "And even when you are um," I tried to recover, "talking to people and... well..."


    "Are abrasive?" She interjected. "Apathetic?"


    "When you are... bold... at least we can trust you to be honest."


    She swallowed a mouthful of food. I realized that she had been scarfing that food down. She had been hungry. Maybe she wasn''t always honest.


    "I guess," she said.


    "Thank you for... um, pointing out what was... going on with my nose on Monday by the way. If I hadn''t hidden it with the mask, it probably would''ve gone noticed by a bunch of people as it changed... and could''ve been really embarrassing."


    She sat silently there. Her expression seemed a bit more relaxed, more neutral at least.


    "You''re welcome."


    "I''m sorry for being a jerk sometimes."


    "It''s okay. You''re alright. You at least have the courage to face this. You at least are trying to adjust."


    "I''m not sure I''d say I''m ''adjusting.'' I''m coping if anything. I just know that it won''t make the situation any better to sink into depression."


    She was quiet. I couldn''t read her face.


    "Tell your mom thanks for bringing the food. It was good. Can you close the divider? I just want to be alone for a bit."


    "Okay," I stood up. "Just... I know that I''m a terrible talker... and listener. But if you... if you want to talk, I''m here."


    "Well," she said, maybe the slightest hint of a smile coming to her face, "I''m probably an even worse talker and listener."


    "Maybe we can balance each other out?" I laughed half-heartedly.


    "Maybe." It was a statement made with little emotion.


    I pulled my chair and the TV cart out of the way, and pulled the divider closed, latching it. I wasn''t sure what to make of that conversation. It left me with a lot of conflicting feelings. Part of me had not been very willing to internalize that girls were real people who had imperfections, when so many of them seemed to stand mountains taller than me -


    But Jackie was obviously not perfect. Whether she was a more together person than me was up for debate, but it comforted me in a strange way to know that I wasn''t struggling to an abnormal degree, at least compared to some other people in this world.


    My energy drained somewhat from the conversation, I returned to my food. It had grown cold. I pushed back the urge to get frustrated. I had chosen to let myself get distracted by Jackie - and trying to comfort a friend meant more than any food - even if that food was from Daisy''s.


    The food however, still tasted just as good. I let myself relax, and didn''t resist the enhanced smell my canine snout provided. In fact, I fully utilized it to absorb as much of the pleasant aromas as I could. It was a smell intrinsically linked in my mind to my birthday and to Christmas. Adding onto that the knowledge that maybe I had talked to someone and actually made them feel better - it made me feel somewhat content for the first time since I had changed.


    I paused.


    I had been wagging my tail.


    It had happened barely without me noticing it. I nervously willed it to move, going through the same routine that Melina had forced me through the night before. It felt good.


    Despite being in a state of shock at that fact, I continued to wag my tail. It hit my brain in the same ways panting had always done for me. It was a comforting reflex... only this felt more pronounced. As I continued it, it began feeling natural.


    "Oh no..." I whispered to myself. "I may have started another unfortunate habit."


    The part I just couldn''t wrap my head around was that it didn''t feel strange to me. Well, it did feel strange of course, but also didn''t feel wrong, if that made any sense. I had kept it strictly controlled, even cramped up in my shorts. But now it felt free.


    I heard footsteps in the hallway outside, and quickly stopped my strange behavior. I couldn''t resist letting a small smile creep up as Melina entered the room. This was hard, and super bizarre... but maybe not all of it was going to be quite as bad as I''d envisioned it. Maybe... maybe having a tail... maybe having such a strong sense of smell... maybe it might actually be... nice.


    "How are you doing today Matt?"


    "Getting through," I said neutrally.


    But of course, I wasn''t going to tell any of them that.

 Chapter 10

    Lucas Hewitt awoke to his tablet buzzing, and light shining through the window. He blinked slowly, feeling extremely tired. He looked to the tablet, and realized that it was making his "important call" vibration pattern.


    "Hello?" he picked it up quickly.


    "Finally, there you are Lucas," Tessa responded. "I''ve been trying to get a hold of you for an hour now."


    "What''s going on?" Lucas asked, feeling anxious, but maintaining a steady voice. He jumped out of bed and dashed over to the closet as he spoke.


    "Nothing is wrong - well nothing is more wrong than it is already, so you don''t need to be in too much of a rush to get over here -"


    "The kids are fine?"


    "Yes, they''re alright. Lexy''s kid Jackie is pretty moody though from what I hear. Matt seems to be fine."


    "Okay, then what''s the news?"


    "News? Oh there''s no news, I just wanted you to get up and get back to work."


    "Tessa, I -"


    "Jeez," she laughed, "you are so easy to -"


    "I don''t have time for this Tessa," Lucas said while clasping his belt. "We are in a very dire situation. I appreciate a bit of levity to improve morale, but please don''t act like it''s an emergency. I had been planning on sleeping for at least another hour."


    "Oh I''m just kidding around. I do have some news. News that you might find important."


    ".... what kind of important?"


    "Since we had to start dividing processing power on the computer to run only a few modules per problem, things have been going slower for everyone. Our specific problem has borne some fruit. The computer has eliminated a bunch of areas of the canine genome as the center for the cancer cure."


    "That is -" Lucas finished pulling a shirt over his head - "fantastic. What kind of elimination are we looking at?"


    "87%."


    "That... is not what I was hoping for when you said there was a big reduction in candidates."


    "I know."


    "Seriously, even if if our potential area of search was 2%, that''s still an incredible number of combinations of genes that are responsible for fighting the cancer."


    "I know.... Lucas... you think that maybe we should just give up on this?"


    Lucas froze.


    "Let me rephrase that. Give up on this line of attack. We''re acting like the only potential cure for this cancer is found in the canine genome. We could try other avenues, like nano-treatments."


    "Do you know a whole lot about this cancer Tessa?"


    "No."


    "When it first arose, it was like nothing we''d ever seen before. It was this bizarre pulsing - tons of mutations would appear all over the body, then appear to go into remission. Then it would surface again later, and come back stronger. It would continue in this ratcheting up fashion until the tumors took the patient''s life."


    "That is... horrific."


    "It was... very. Nanotech has become invaluable for treating a lot of cancers - but those are more traditional cancers, ones that arise in only a single part of the body. Ones that when defeated do not usually come back. To treat someone with this new cancer using nanotech, you''d require a much, much larger amount of bots. It is already a dicey business getting small groups of nano machines into more delicate parts of the body, but a whole massive swarm flooding all of it? It would be as bad, if not worse than old fashioned chemotherapy - something we tried back in the day on the cancer."


    "Did it work?"


    Lucas began putting on his shoes. "Yes and no. For once, the buckshot approach to treating cancer that chemotherapy used actually worked, as the cancer was spread throughout a patient''s body. However, that''s where that awful behavior of the cancer came in - it would be intermittent, sometimes appearing and then fading quickly, other times staying for months in its first phase. Chemotherapy would slow the progression of the phases - but they would still come, and in greater force. Quite often the cancer would come back soon after chemotherapy ended."


    "And this was all being done... on small children?"


    "Yes."


    "I''m sorry Lucas."


    "It is alright. Hopefully this is in the past."


    "But there could be something much, much worse coming our way. Are you certain that you want to keep pursuing the dog DNA as the cancer treatment?"


    "I''m sure. It is the only thing that has suppressed the cancer."


    "Some here have been theorizing that the treatment virus went rogue and hijacked the cancer or something, and that''s what started the changes."


    Lucas sighed. "I don''t know. We''ll have to keep on studying it all we can. At very least, even back in the day, Clive, Seth, and myself did a risk analysis - albeit a very not-thorough one - and determined that any side effects wouldn''t get too serious - but I''ll confess that we were wrong. We thought that at worst it would be some fur growth, the nose getting slightly wet... not this."


    "Well this is some other good news then I suppose," Tessa said. "One of the other projects running on the computer determined that while the virus has been able to protect the brain from the cancer, every simulation run, the canine changes were not ever able to affect the brain."


    Lucas bent down, resting his head on his knees, and let out a long sigh of relief. His son, at very least, would hopefully be able to maintain his mind.


    "Please Tessa, tell me it won''t get any worse than it''s gotten."


    "Sorry Lucas, I''m getting this through the grapevine, these guys are too busy to have a chat about it. It does sound like the changes will hopefully remain on the surface for the most part - that it won''t cause too many changes to the major organs or their bones."


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    "Okay," Lucas breathed slowly - both to calm his nervousness and excitement. "What''s the status on reversal?"


    "That project on the computer," Tessa sighed, "Is currently set as lower priority."


    "Makes sense... I suppose."


    "The other project on halting the changes is a bit spotty. They think that the virus may simply stop its activity. The reversal project however... well... it''s only just started running this morning, and it isn''t looking good."


    Lucas was silent.


    "I know that''s not what you would''ve liked to hear."


    "It''s what I feared," Lucas said. He stood up and glanced out the window. The low winter sun made last night''s newly fallen snow sparkle. If all of this hadn''t been going on, he might''ve suggested to the family that they go sledding.


    "At least they''ll be alive," Tessa said, "That much we''re sure of."


    "I''m just afraid of how all these people suffering with this... how the rest of the world will take it."


    "Not well," Tessa said, "I''m certain of that. When I went into see one of the other patients for the first time... gosh. You just have this gut reaction of ''is that really a human being?'' "


    Silence.


    "Sorry."


    "No," Lucas said, "I appreciate your honesty. We just... we just need to make sure that we do something to help these people if we can''t reverse the change."


    "I don''t think much can be done about it Lucas. It''s the nature of things that human beings are afraid of the new and different. They feel unnerved by the uncanny valley. If the patients are stuck with canine features... they''ll just have to bear it. They''ll just have to learn to live with the intolerance of the wider world."


    Lucas swallowed, and checked his watch. 2:41.


    "I just wish that the suits at Generation would do something," Lucas said.


    "Oh they aren''t," Tessa said, her tone become as sour as a shipping container full of lemons. "From what I hear they''re preparing to wash their hands clean of the whole thing, blame it all on us."


    "What?"


    "Yeah I hear they''re going to shift all the blame they can on us and other companies - that is if they can''t diminish the role of their involvement beforehand. Most of the suits aren''t even sticking around, they''re trying to get out of the company and to a private island as fast as they can."


    Lucas silently leaned against the dresser for a moment as he processed this new information. He could be called to court. The company''s legal team would have all the power. He''d been a major team member on the original treatment. Sure the treatment had been developed by many companies and universities around the world, but Generation''s strain had been one of the most widely used. He could go to jail for a long long time.


    "I need to get out."


    "I think that would be wise. When?"


    "I don''t know. Has the news broken yet?"


    "Not yet," Tessa said, "but I''m not following it super closely. Leaving the company isn''t going to save you though."


    "I know," Lucas said. "Generation however is simply going to look for a scapegoat, and that''ll be anyone who''s still in the building when the government comes to break down Generation''s door."


    "Well I think that if you''re going to jump ship," Tessa said, "you had better do it before next week. I might also start preparing a case, and try to stay consistent with it."


    "It will be hard," Lucas said. "I need to keep working on this. I''ll go mad if I can''t."


    Tessa was quiet for a bit.


    "Are you there?" Lucas asked.


    "Yes," Tessa said, "I just needed to adjust some settings on my tablet. Look - I''ve heard from Clive and the others what you''re planning. I''m open to offering some assistance if you''re willing. Notably I''m one of the few who can get through to Patrick in security."


    "Where are you Tessa?"


    "I''m in my car," she reassured, "everything is turned off but my tablet, and everything on there is secured. I''m off company property."


    "This is dangerous," Lucas said. "Very dangerous. If they don''t get us for negligence with our work on the treatment, they''ll for sure get us locked up if we get caught for this."


    "I know. But I''d rather go to prison than let these kids - well, everyone with the virus, go it alone with no hope."


    "Wait... what did you mean by that?"


    "By what?"


    "Are there people older than teenagers contracting the virus?"


    Tessa let out a long breath. "They''ve found out that the virus can transmit via saliva. These secondhand cases don''t appear to be as fast acting, as potent as those who natively have it... but gosh it''s starting. It won''t be long now."


    Lucas ran his hand through his hair. It felt gross. He needed a shower. Tomorrow.


    "Okay," he said, "I''ll be there in about fifteen minutes."


    "No need to rush Lucas," she said, "remember that most of the important work is being done by the computer."


    "I can''t stand idly by. I made a promise to my son. Until we get through this, I''m not going to rest until we find a solution."


    He said goodbye, and rushed to finish getting ready. He didn''t know if they would find a solution - but whatever the case, he wanted to be near Matt all he could. Lucas knew however that Tessa was right - most of what he was doing didn''t make anything go faster - but if he stopped he would begin to despair.


    He would begin to realize that maybe he didn''t have the power to save his son.

 Chapter 11

    I hadn''t expected the complete overturning of my life to be so... boring.


    So many strange things were happening in my life - but they were happening slowly. Agonizingly slowly. I was left sitting on the hospital bed, watching videos on my tablet. Jackie kept to herself. Through Wednesday afternoon I was thankfully free of any new changes. I did question if my arm hair felt thicker than normal, but I couldn''t be sure.


    In a way, nothing clearly changing made me far more anxious than if I''d known something specific was changing. It left me in relentless anticipation of what was going to happen next. Would I find myself suddenly barking, unable to speak? Would I wake up the next morning and find the color in my vision washed out?


    In my boredom, I''d made the poor decision to pass the time by looking up things about dogs - and it now gave me way too many things to be worried about. I now not only feared losing my ability to speak, or to walk bipedally, but I feared losing something as simple as being able to eat chocolate.


    I gave up on this research after a while, turning to the slightly lesser discomfort of looking at the news. Specifically, I was searching for any mention of this- of the cancer treatment gone rogue, now affecting countless people throughout the world. I found articles on testing new strains of produce made for vertical farms, trees out of a lab in India designed to consume more carbon - but nothing about a virus turning people into dogs.


    Finally I gave up on searching for things about genetics. It clearly was not bringing up results, even after trying multiple search engines. So I tried a new topic of search - virus. This brought up equally unhelpful results. An article on a woman from Africa who''d done work in viral research, an article from my local news on the current cold season, but not much else. It reached a point of desperation where I was looking through multiple pages of search results.


    Then I found it. An article from Japan that I had to translate, reporting on how several people in a clinic who''d come in due to a high fever, were now exhibiting "unforeseen" symptoms. The people were around my age, and their common trait had been that they''d received the cancer treatment all those years ago. The article declined to give further details at this time.


    It wasn''t going to be long now. The world was going to change forever, and for some reason, I was at the center of it. I had gotten the short end of the stick, out of billions of other people. I laid down on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. I could smell the metal from the air ducts up there.


    "Jackie?"


    I heard no response.


    "Jackie?"


    "What?" her voice came from behind the divider. "I''m here. What is it?"


    "Do you... ever think about fate? About destiny?"


    "No. Why?"


    I rolled to my side, looking at the divider, imagining her there looking back at me. "Why us? Why out of all the people in this world... why did it happen to us?"


    "Because trash things happen in the world Matt. It''s a simple matter of statistics that someone''s going to have to suffer."


    I rolled unto my back again, and took a deep breath. I could feel the strange movements of my wet nostrils. I felt my tail fidget beneath me. I had accepted that. It was mine. It was part of me. There was nothing I could do to stop it, and living in denial that it was happening wasn''t going to make me feel better.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    I checked my watch. I only caught a blurry look of 4 o''clock before I dropped my arm down, tired at even that effort.


    "I can''t believe we''re going to have to live with this," I said.


    Silence.


    "But at least we''ll have a lot of other people like us to feel awkward around."


    I made a nervous laugh. Jackie still didn''t respond. I sat up, and heard the sound of Jackie''s feet touch the tile floor. I heard her pull the divider back, shoving it to compact against the wall.


    I stifled a gasp as I saw that the top half of Jackie''s ears were now sagging down.


    "Look at this face," she pointed to her wet snout. "No one is going to want to be around us Matt. Nobody. Not our families, not our friends. We''re going to be alone. Don''t you dare laugh this off. I''m trying to stay calm right now because I''ll go insane otherwise, but make no mistake, we''re going to go into a Venusian level of hell as soon as we reveal ourselves to the outside world."


    "It... will be hard...," I admitted. My eyes wandered to other parts of the room as her piercing eyes burrowed through my soul.


    "I''m sure you''ve picked up on stuff in history classes Matt - human beings find it very easy to hate each other - and we are no longer human."


    "I don''t agree with that."


    "Doesn''t matter," she made a dark, trembling smile. "They will hate us anyway."


    "I''m going to do my best to get through it," I said. "I know that in time our friends will... will get used to it. As bad as it sounds like this situation is, at least having this many people like us will get the community more used to it."


    "Oh there will be plenty of people around here who will hate it," Jackie said. "Doesn''t matter who they are, religious zealots, hyper natural advocates, or just normal people who don''t like the ugly dog people - we will become scapegoats, a prime example of the horrors of mad science. Especially the fact that both of our parents worked on this, we will both be greater targets. Even other people afflicted with this will look disdainfully at us. They will consider us the source of all their problems. We will be wanted by no one. We will both be alone."


    Nothing moved in my body. For a minute or so, it felt as though not a tendon quivered, nor a vein pulsed. When I finally brought my eyes up to Jackie''s, I saw something I hadn''t expected. I expected her to be standing there fuming - but an ashamed look was there instead.


    "I''m sorry," she said emotionless. "I don''t know how to make people feel better. I just say it how it is."


    I was going to say something in response, but the door opened. My mom walked in, dinner in hand. I quickly put on the best happy face I could, but it was hollow. My smile was fake, my robotic words faker. By the time Mom left, and I began eating my dinner, I didn''t put on a video or anything. I sat there in silence, haunted by the words Jackie had said.


    "We will both be alone."

 Chapter 12

    "That... that''s not real," Ashley shook her head, trembling all over. "That can''t be Matt."


    Lucas swiped to another picture on his tablet. It very distinctly showed Matt with a canine snout.


    "I don''t know what this is all about," Ashley got up from the couch, "but you guys are insane. I don''t know why you''re showing me some AI - edited picture of Matt or something, and why you''re trying to lie to me, but I''m not buying it one bit."


    "Okay," Lucas said. "You can deny it of course, but you''re going to have to see him after all this is said and done."


    "Whatever. I''m going to school now. You just made this an unbelievably weird day. I don''t understand what''s going on at your work, or what''s going on with Matt, but it''s super sketchy. I want out of it."


    "Alright."


    Ashley picked up her backpack and rushed out the door. Meagan walked over and sat on the couch next to Lucas.


    "Well that went well."


    "I guess that''s to be expected," Lucas sighed. "When it would be trivially easy to fake that, why on Earth would she believe that her brother was transforming into a dog person? Gosh things are going to go absolutely down the toilet when the news breaks to the world. There''s going to be so many conspiracy theories... and poor people like Matt are going to have all these people gawking at him, trying to get a glimpse of if it''s actually true."


    Meagan hugged him. "Don''t worry about that now. Worry about what you can do right at this moment - more specifically, getting some sleep."


    "I can''t sleep," he said.


    "Neither can I, but we need to at least try our best. We''ll be no good to Matt if we''re about to collapse from exhaustion."


    Lucas kissed her. "Have a good day at work."


    Meagan forced a silent smile in return. Lucas had intended on taking a shower, but he was getting extremely exhausted. He collapsed down onto his bed, only taking the time to kick of his shoes and unbutton his shirt.


    He finally was able to sleep. Sometime after he fell asleep, his tablet began ringing. It took him a bit to even get out of the fog of sleep, and then spent about ten more seconds fumbling around the nightstand for it, before finally picking up.


    "Augh," he grunted. It was all he could muster.


    "Wake up," Clive''s commanding voice said.


    "I was expecting Tessa, call me back when -"


    There was muffled sound. "Give me the tablet for crying out loud..."


    Lucas felt himself begin to nod off.


    "Sorry," Tessa said, "but I tried calling you thirty minutes ago and you picked up, but didn''t respond."


    "Huh... are you sure?"


    "Gosh you are really sleep deprived Lucas. I was going to say hop on over here but you need to sleep."


    "Just get through it quick."


    "We isolated the genes that may have the cancer resisting properties."


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    "Fantastic," Lucas said.


    "Bad news," Tessa said, "we are certain that these ones are the culprit, but for some reason, they still don''t show any resistance to the cancer unless paired with other genes."


    "But we can cut out more genes than before?"


    "Yes. The problem is we''re reaching the upper limit of even what a quantum supercomputer can help us with."


    "What effect would the isolated genes have on someone if we excluded all the genes that you can cut out?"


    "I''m not sure what you mean."


    "If an individual did not have the cancer, but was administered the genes through the virus -"


    "Lucas that would be extremely stupid."


    "It would provide data."


    "People like Matt and Jackie were immeasurably lucky. They are enduring this horrible transformation, but their bodies are still functioning. If you took an even more unproven treatment it could make your whole body go completely cancerous."


    "Sounds cool."


    "Lucas, this isn''t a comic book. You aren''t going to turn into the Hulk, you''re going to turn into a dead man."


    "What other choices do we have?"


    "Infinity more that are better than that."


    "Would they get us real tangible results nearly as quickly?"


    ".... Lucas, I know that when you set your mind to something, you don''t usually let people persuade you. But I am asking you as a friend - "


    "I understand. I''ll think it over."


    "Also Lucas, update on, em, other stuff. We''ve slowly been getting what data we can from the computer. We''re taking the automatic backups and copying them into SD cards that we can easily hide. Clive is then going into the system log and deleting instances relating to the transfer of code onto the SD cards."


    "And I hope you appreciate that," Clive said in the background, "it is a massive pain digging through all that."


    "Are you copying over the information or simply moving it."


    "Copying" Tessa said. "We''d be very quickly caught if whole sections of logs were missing."


    Lucas closed his eyes for a moment in thought. Part of him wanted to outright steal the data, make Generation pay. Make it so that they couldn''t sell this off to someone who would use it for nefarious purposes. What was happening was awful, and painful to watch, but he could hardly imagine watching people profit off of the misfortune.


    "Lucas?"


    "I''m here," he groaned.


    "Get some sleep, we''ll be waiting."


    Lucas sat still for a moment after the call. He made the decision to actually change into something more comfortable and close the blinds. The prospect of using himself to test things weighed on his mind. It would be incredibly foolish, but potentially incredibly beneficial.


    But that was a concern for later. He turned off the lights, and barely got into bed before he instantly fell asleep.

 Chapter 13

    The boredom of yesterday had made me complacent.


    I didn''t even need to go to the bathroom mirror to find the new changes, they were immediately obvious as soon as I woke up. I had paw pads growing on my palms and fingers. Specifically, the heel of my palm and my fingertips. They were slightly raised from the rest of my skin, were growing darker, and felt different.


    These new changes had not fully completed, but they made for an immediate difference in how it felt to even just close my hand in a loose fist.


    I sat up, and rubbed my hands against my face out of tiredness - and it too, felt very different due to those changes. Movement in the corner of my eye led me to see Jackie put away a book she''d been reading. She was not fast enough however to hide her ears. They were higher on her head, and now were flopping down even more.


    "Okay," she said not looking at me, "you saw them, can you please stop."


    "Hey," I said, "I''ve got my own annoyance this morning."


    I raised up my hands to show her.


    She looked at them for a moment and then just bowed her head.


    "I''m tired Matt."


    "Me too."


    "I don''t mean like... physically tired, but..."


    "I get you."


    "I feel so incredibly drained. I just can''t even bring myself to get upset anymore."


    "Yeah."


    Jackie got up from her bed, and walked to the side of her room. I stood up and walked over to where I could see her. She stood next to her window, staring out at the white, snowy ground.


    "It looks like today would be a good day for skiing," she said. "There''s so much fresh powder out there."


    "I tried skiing once," I said. "I didn''t like it very much."


    Her gaze darted to me. "You know Matt, you don''t have to always say everything that pops into your mind."


    My body tensed, ready to fire back at her. But I didn''t. Everyone knew that Jackie herself had very little filter. But I didn''t point that out. I relaxed, and looked down to the floor. Did my toes look a bit different?


    Jackie sighed, and she went a bit limp, leaning her face against the glass. I saw from her movement that she had forgotten about her altered nose until it pressed against the window. She sighed again, standing back up straight, her nose slightly sticking to the glass for a second.


    "Careful," I weakly laughed, "don''t want to get it stuck to there."


    "Ah, it''s not that cold; and if that did happen, at least it would be an interruption to this painful boredom."


    "I don''t think I like the interruptions," i said, glancing behind me to my tail.


    She turned to face me. "What does it... feel like?"


    I barely intentionally thought about it, but it started to waver around behind me.


    "I... I''m not sure. It''s a whole new part of my body, something that I can actually feel through."


    "Does it... hurt?"


    "Only when I sit on it accidentally. It hurt when it first started growing, but became more subdued after I relaxed."


    I noticed that she was shaking slightly. "I don''t want a tail."


    "Maybe they''ll figure this -"


    "No Matt," she raised up a hand, "I... I don''t want to get down into a spiral again, but they aren''t going to stop it. The changes are going to happen. I''m going to have to live with it. Maybe forever."


    "If it helps," I said, "it... it isn''t as bad as I thought it was going to be."


    She gave me a puzzled look.


    I nervously laughed and looked down at it. "It can have a mind of its own sometimes... but it''s manageable."


    "You enjoy it," she stated.


    "What?"


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "Don''t play coy with me," she said. "I''ve seen you. You literally wag your tail sometimes."


    I stiffened. For some reason I subconsciously glanced around. "Okay. Maybe I do sometimes. I don''t know why. It feels good for some reason."


    "You are accepting what''s happened."


    "I... I guess so. This could always be worse. We could be taking on the features of crocodiles. At least dogs are usually cute and friendly animals."


    Jackie folded her arms. "Then I guess I''m going to make a terrible dog."


    "Well, we still don''t know -"


    "Matt," she pointed to herself. "I am a mutant. I also already wasn''t an attractive girl before all this, but now I''m a horrible in-between thing. No one will ever look at me like they would a beloved pet, let alone as a human they love."


    I stood there in silence. I was getting increasingly worn down by this constant self deprecation she piled on herself - and her also constantly implying that I was also going to be alone. I couldn''t take it anymore. I trembled, looking into her eyes. I needed to resist, it was stupid of me to try to mess with a hornet''s nest.


    "I don''t think you''re ugly Jackie."


    The emotion had been drained from her face, but now she snapped to life. Her ears strangely perked up.


    I was suddenly struck with the reality that I''d just opened a door that was better left closed. I expected immediate anger in return, her shouting that I was the last person she''d want to date. But instead she just stood there staring at me, with an unreadable expression.


    Her hand reached up and gingerly touched her snout, deep self-consciousness present in her eyes. She had the same bizarre changes I was going through, or would soon go through - but her face was still there, still recognizable. I''d felt into her because her face didn''t look hyper attractive. It didn''t look like she ever used makeup - or that she really made much effort to style her hair in anything other than a ponytail very often. The same thing I hated about Jackie was the same thing I liked - that she was very honest, and didn''t care much about putting on a show.


    I wish I could''ve said all these things to her. I wish that I could''ve articulated them all in a clear way.


    "I like you Jackie. I wish that we could both be around each other when we''re both happy. I don''t think we really see each other at our best."


    "I''m never at my best," she whispered. "All that this disease is doing to me is bringing out the ugliness inside. Maybe you have some semblance of a functioning human being in you Matt, but I don''t. I never will."


    Something overtook me. She began walking to her bed, and as she was about to boost herself up onto it, I hugged her. She didn''t resist. Didn''t yell at me. I barely moved. My eyes were closed, but I felt... I felt tears dripping against my arms. I felt her fingers wrap around my right arm. It was the closest that I had ever felt to a girl. I was completely out of my element, and as still as a rock.


    Then there was an odd feeling that coursed through my veins. I felt the prickling of goosebumps forming on my arms... and then the chilly feeling disappeared. I felt a prickling, numb feeling wash over my skin. When I opened my eyes, Jackie and I both had the sight of what had happened. My arms were now mostly covered in golden fur.


    "That... th - that is strange," Jackie said.


    I relaxed my arms from around her, and ran my increasingly paw-like hands over them.


    "I didn''t think changes could happen that fast," Jackie said.


    "Me neither."


    "It felt... warm though." It was a whisper, barely audible.


    Now she got onto her bed. She got out her dark purple tablet, making it clear that she was done with this social interaction. I returned to my own bed, feeling a whole mess of thoughts in my mind, all while running my fingers over the newly grown fur. I wished at that moment that I could know what she was thinking. That I could help her feel better.


    But it was the blind leading the blind, in more ways than one. Neither of us knew if it was going to be alright. Neither of us felt particularly in a good mood. Jackie however, had noticeably deep problems beneath the surface. I only wished that she might be willing to reveal them someday.


    That I realized though, was only the start of it for her. She didn''t believe she even deserved to have relief from her demons. I doubted that I could do anything to free her from those demons.


    I feared that I was perhaps one of them myself.

 Chapter 14

    I was roused from the foggy world of dreaming. For some reason, everything felt... loud. I could hear distinctly not just the sound of the hvac system, but the slight rumbling of many things throughout the building. The movement of water through pipes. The distant noise of people moving around away from the room.


    I had my head to my pillow still, my eyes closed, but yet I felt like I could see so much. It was like what had happened to my nose. Both my hearing and scent together, it was so... clear.


    My conscious mind finally began to take hold. There was a reason this all felt different. Something was changing. I sat up, and reached for my ears, and yes, there it was. They had not only grown more pointed on the tops, but were also already flopping down slightly. Presumably they were changing inside as well.


    They perked up - it was a very odd sensation - as I caught a new sound.


    Crying.


    I got out of bed, and walked as quietly as I could around the divider.


    "Jackie?" I said at a barely perceptible whisper.


    No answer, but the crying got a little bit louder. I walked over to the wall, and slightly turned up the dimmer switch, bringing a faint amount of light into the room. Jackie was lying stomach down on her bed, and a visible furry growth was coming out of the base of her spine.


    "Are you okay?" I asked, still very quiet.


    She let out a faint wail. "No. I''m literally growing a tail. I feel utterly humiliated, and it feels like someone is trying to rip my spine out."


    Jackie continued to sob, and I unconsciously took her hand, holding it firmly. I barely had a moment to question my foolish impulse, before she started gripping extremely hard - but I took it without complaint. I looked to the side of her bed, and pressed the button that would call someone for some assistance. I hoped there was someone working this late who wasn''t busy.


    "Why... why... whyyy....," Jackie moaned at a whisper. "My life is ruined, my life is ruined...."


    "It''s okay Jackie. I went through it. You''ll get through it too. Just relax."


    "I''m a monster."


    "You''re not a monster. You''re a person."


    "I''m going to die," she cried further. "My fever feels so hot. I''m going to get brain damage. I''m going to die."


    "It''s okay," I said, "I pressed the button. Someone will come and help you."


    "No no no," she buried her face in the bed sheets. "I don''t want anyone to ever see me again. I hated being around people before, but now... now..."


    "Jackie, you''re not alone. I know how you feel. And the people here care about us. Our families care about us. They told us that the changes can occur faster when under stress. Try your best to calm down."


    This time she seemed to listen. She sobbed. "Okay."


    I stood there with her, as her tears wetted the sheets. I had no idea what to do. Thankfully, the door opened after a few minutes, and Melina came in.


    "Thanks for that," Melina said. "Like seriously thank you. I wasn''t doing anything important, and Tessa was going on about - "


    She saw Jackie, sweat beading on forehead, and just generally looking extremely rough.


    "Ah," she said. "Someone needs some help."


    I remained there, holding Jackie''s hand as Melina got her the painkillers. She pulled a case out of the medical supply cupboard in the room, and placed a patch onto Jackie''s arm. Jackie slowly calmed down. From the audible cracking sounds, it seemed like there was still a lot of pain - but knowing the pain would decrease helped.


    "And seeing this kind of pain," Melina laughed as she put away the case, "is why I doubt I''d ever want to give birth."


    Jackie gritted her teeth. "I don''t... I don''t think plan on it. I''ve had enough of this. Besides, I don''t want to be the mother of more of whatever freakish thing I turn into."


    Melina gave a "I don''t get paid for this" look, giving the slightest smile.


    "You press that button again if you need anything," Melina said, "alright?"


    Jackie silently nodded as Melina left.


    I stood there with her. She was still holding my hand, but more limply. I began to draw my hand away, but she returned to holding more firmly.


    "Do you want to do something to maybe take your mind off of this?" I asked.


    "Like what?"


    I glanced to the front of the room. "There''s the TV here and an old Switch. We could play a game."


    "I don''t play games."


    "Is your mom just not - "


    "I think they''re boring. Why would I want to play a game when I could read a book, something with an actual story, with depth?"


    "Games can have story, and have depth."


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    "Not any I''ve ever played."


    I made a light chuckle. "How many games have you played exactly?"


    "Leave me alone."


    Now she let go of my hand.


    "I think that it might just help distract you from the pain."


    "I can handle it."


    I didn''t press it further. I''d been doing too many impulsive things regarding Jackie, and I needed to give her space. She may not be interested in playing a game, but I didn''t feel very tired. Although it was one in the morning, I had been sleeping irregularly the past few days.


    I walked up to the TV and examined the small case next to the Switch, looking at the different games. I''d heard of some - some really, really old Metroid and Zelda games - but then there was one that piqued my interest. An old game that my dad had shown me once called Stardew Valley.


    After brushing off the console''s dust covered controller, and trying my best to ignore the feeling of my new finger-pads on the thumb sticks, I was able to get the game to start. It unlocked a lot of really old subconscious memories in my mind - the music, the old-fashioned pixel art style - it felt like watching a dream. Soon enough the game set me loose to accomplish its goal; to take an old abandoned farm, and bring it back to life.


    The game had an interesting little world to explore, but it definitely showed its age. There were all sorts of little quirks from other really old games, like how clunky it felt to move. But I tried not to judge it too harshly, it was a game from the 1990s, if I remembered right.


    As I began planting a small little field of parsnips on my farm, I noticed Jackie sitting at the front of her bed, watching. I got into the little rhythm of the game. Hoe the ground. Plant the seeds. Water the field. I glanced over at her occasionally. Her undivided attention was on my playing, even though I didn''t think it was very interesting.


    I decided on my second day in game, after taking care of my crop patches, to explore the town. The game was very old, but I was impressed that despite the limitations of the time, they still made things look nice. There were lots of different little areas to explore - some of them apparently blocked off for now. Perhaps this game was bigger and more complex than I had thought at first. Especially the people in town - they actually appeared to have little routines that they followed. Even just talking to them was kind of fun in its own way.


    "What are you doing?"


    Jackie breaking the silence startled me for a moment, but then I returned my focus to the game.


    "What do you mean?" I asked.


    "What''s the point? Isn''t there some... score or something? I don''t know."


    "Not all games have to be competitive and all. This game is just about making a nice little farm."


    "So you''re playing a game... about doing manual labor?"


    "I guess," I laughed. "But I think it''s fun."


    Jackie made an unimpressed frown.


    "If you want to try it," I said, "I think there''s a multiplayer mode."


    "I thought you said this wasn''t a competitive game."


    "It''s not," I said, "at least I don''t think so. You just kind of build a farm together."


    "I''ll pass."


    Jackie stopped watching after that. I started to kind of get my fill by that point. I was playing a game that was from my grandparents'' generation, and so it was no surprise that it felt a bit archaic at times. By the time I stopped, I found that Jackie had gone back to bed. I had meant to ask her if she was feeling better - but had forgotten.


    After dimming the lights back down, I laid in bed thinking about her. What did I want regarding Jackie? I''d thought she was cute before, but other than that and liking some aspects of her personality, we weren''t even really friends. Now we had both seen each other going through a very vulnerable situation. Seeing her intense amount of emotional baggage was very... intimidating for me.


    Part of my mind seemed to advise me that once this whole mess was ended - at least, when I could go home - I should kindly see myself out from her life. She was not my responsibility, there were other girls...


    Except there weren''t. At least normal, human girls anyway.


    What Jackie had been saying had wormed into my own mind. That awful self-deprecation. That nihilism. The very real fear that even from those that loved me, they''d never look at me the same way again - and that many would not even want to get get to know me in the first place. I shook the thoughts out of my mind. I''d cross the bridges as they came. The important thing though, was that I didn''t need to act like Jackie was my concern. I could find someone else.


    But yet I felt like I should be concerned for her well-being. She had opened up to me. She needed someone, anyone to just help her ride it out. If everyone acted like they didn''t need to help her... then she would be alone. I doubted that I could be that kind of person to support her. But I guess she doubted she could be a good enough person for me.


    Maybe in the end we just needed to do our best. Maybe I could try to be better. Try to be better for her.

 Chapter 15

    ".... at this time, but to reiterate, here''s what we know at this moment: An artificial virus, begun as a cancer treatment seventeen years ago, is now causing drastic changes in patients around the world. Experts say that the virus is not contagious through air, but is through bodily fluids. Many countries are enacting quarantine measures as the crisis unfolds. Earlier this morning, the president..."


    I was awoken by the sound of a news report. In the haze of waking up, it took me a moment to realize what it was talking about, but then it became clear - the news had finally broken. The world knew what was happening.


    At the same time I made this realization, another one hit me. The divider was opened, and I saw Jackie sitting on the front of her bed, the sound of the news coming from her tablet, sitting beside her. What was more surprising to me though, was that she was playing Stardew Valley. I watched, perplexed for a moment, when Jackie turned to me.


    "Oh, you''re awake. Look! I got a cute little duck! He even floats in the pond!"


    I stared, dumbfounded for a moment. I looked down at myself as I realized more things had changed. More fur was growing on my body. I got off the bed, and discovered that the soles of my feet felt different. Lifting up a foot, I saw that they were also growing paw pads.


    "Your mom got us some food," Jackie said, pointing to a bag next to my bed.


    I went into the bathroom, and found an unpleasant sight in the mirror. My ears had flopped down completely. They''d grown larger, were covered in a light layer of fur, and had traveled further up my head. Most noticeable however, was the light golden fuzz all over my face. Fur was now growing all over me. There was not really much skin left on me that wasn''t free of at least a few golden hairs.


    I let out a long sigh. Being exposed to the strange sight for so long had worn off some of the horror I''d felt when I''d first watched it happen. Now it was just a silent, constant feeling of anxiety, watching as my body became less and less recognizable. Something that I hadn''t expected when this started was just... how... unthreatening these changes looked.


    I had seen horror movies before, where someone had turned into a horrifying monster. Accidentally watching a few before I was old enough had likely been the reason why I couldn''t stand horror movies today, even as a senior in high school. In all these stories it had been so clearly awful and repulsive. Even in tamer things, like the old Disney movie Princess and the Frog, it was shown to be undesirable - being a slimy frog didn''t seem particularly enjoyable.


    But this was not like that. For all of Jackie''s cries to the contrary, it did not look monstrous. It looked very uncanny, and unfamiliar, but not repulsive exactly. My brain couldn''t compute what it thought of my reflection. People of course, aren''t programmed to feel threatened by seeing their own face. At the same time, most humans thought that dogs and other pets looked cute, or at least not a danger to them.


    But these two things were now clashing in the mirror. My mind reeled, trying to make sense that my familiar face staring back at me, was also not my face at the same time - but also had the features one might see on a friendly dog.


    I reached up, and timidly touched the bottom of one of my floppy ears. Like with my tail, I could feel through it. I tugged on it slightly. From where they were now sticking out of my hair higher up on my head, my ears sagged down all the way past eye level. I let go of the ear I was pulling on, and it bounced back up a bit.


    No, these changes didn''t look scary or gross. If anything, the large floppy ears actually looked a bit goofy. I shook my head a bit, and they flung around. I found myself actually chuckling. It all just looked... silly. I stuck a finger under one of my ears, lifting it up. Thankfully, it seemed that now that they hung down, they slightly muffled my enhanced hearing.


    When I let the ear drop back down, a thought came to my mind. I concentrated on the new feeling of my transformed ears. And just like I had thought, I could move them somewhat.


    "Eep!"


    I let them drop. I hadn''t expected it to startle me like that, but it did. There were people who could make their ears wiggle and stuff like that - but I had never had any such skill. This was far more pronounced than that. My ability to move them felt limited, but it was still much like my tail - a foreign feeling of being able to move something that I couldn''t before.


    I slowly raised my ears up again, so that they were both tensed up off of my head. I let them drop back down. Freaky.


    I had no idea how I was going to get used to the new furry triangle shaped things on the side of my head - but I felt certain something else was going to distract me from them before long. I examined the paw pads on my feet. I hadn''t really noticed them until now, but they were getting closer to having fully formed, now firmly separate from the rest of the sole of my feet. My feet were also growing fur everywhere.


    As I focused on the fur, I also started thinking about how hot it felt. Not unbearably hot or anything, but just barely starting to feel uncomfortable. I lifted up my shirt and ran my hand across the larger growths of fur on my torso. I was starting to feel a bit gross having not showered in a day or two, and that made me rather unenthusiastic about showering with all this fur. No wonder dogs didn''t usually like baths.


    I forced myself away from the mirror, used the bathroom, and came back out into the room. I watched Jackie as she explored a cave in the game, attacking some monsters and mining rocks.


    "What are you up to?" I asked.


    "I''m trying to get a bunch of money," she said, "so that I can buy a bunch of pizzas to give to this guy named Shane."


    I let out a little laugh. "Seems like you''ve gotten into this."


    "Well I can''t just leave Shane alone," she said, "he''s drinking a lot and he needs help. He''s kind of standoffish from everyone else and he needs a friend."


    Watching the TV, I noticed something conspicuous.


    "Did you make my character a girl?"


    She shook her head - which caused her own big ears to flop around, prompting a small grunt of frustration.


    "No," she said, "I did that... multiplayer... whatever thing. It asked me to build a little cabin on the farm. I''ve been planting a bunch of stuff."


    I watched as she ran back to the farm, the whole time telling me all these things about the different people in the town. When she got back to the farm, she showed me with pride all the new fields she had planted, along with some nicely laid out paths and flowerbeds.


    I had the biggest smile on my face. She was... happy. Happier than I''d ever seen her.


    "The farm looks really great Jackie," I smiled. "Looks way better than anything I could''ve done with it."


    "Thanks."


    Her smile grew broader - but then vanished. Jackie was wagging her tail.


    "No...," she said with an unsteady voice. "I couldn''t have been... been just doing..."


    I jumped off my bed and went over to her. "Just relax. It''s not a big deal. It feels good to wag it, and that''s okay."


    I made a show of panting and wagging my tail. A thought crossed my mind. I was no longer saying that it wanted to wag, but that I wanted to wag it. It briefly chilled me. I could no longer deny it as a foreign parasite acting against my will. It was part of my body now. And unfortunately, I had not only accepted it, but allowed myself to enjoy it.


    Jackie glanced back at her tail, golden and fluffy like mine, and she cautiously wagged it back and forth. For some reason, the sheepish look on her face brought me out of my own funk, and led me to laughing.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    "Don''t you dare laugh at me Matt," she scowled back.


    "I''m sorry," I grinned, "but you just look so cute..."


    Now it was my turn to feel sheepish.


    Jackie''s cheeks flushed beneath her own growing fur.


    "Th - thank you."


    There was silence between us for a moment. I swallowed nervously.


    "Are you feeling better than you were last night?" I asked.


    She didn''t say anything for a moment. She glanced at the game, then down at her body. I realized that she was forming pads on her hands as well.


    "Yes," she said. "I''m... I''m feeling a lot better."


    "That''s good."


    She stayed quiet.


    I picked up the Switch''s spare controller, and soon was into the game myself. I hopped onto my bed - making sure to grab my tail first, and immediately in the game began running in circles around Jackie''s character.


    She laughed, and then pretended to hit me on the head with her farming tools. She directed me to start watering the fields with her. It was a slow process, but a satisfying one.


    "I like this game," she said after a while. "It''s just... cheerful. The music is so upbeat, everyone in town is just... nice to you. I haven''t played a game in a while, but I''ve never played something like this."


    I had a slight smile, as I thought to myself that maybe she liked the people in the game because she couldn''t argue with them. The thought grew a bit melancholy. Any time that someone complimented Jackie, she tried her hardest to refuse it. In this game however, she couldn''t tell an NPC that she really wasn''t that nice, or good at farming. The characters only had so much programming - not like more modern characters in games that could actually have conversations with you. Perhaps this really was a good game for Jackie to play.


    "I noticed you were listening to the news," I brought up a bit later. We were now harvesting a field of cauliflower.


    "Yeah. They... they all know now."


    "There... there wasn''t anything about -"


    "Us? No. Thankfully the people here were right. Generation was mentioned, but in a list of places that worked on this. At least we''ve avoided this."


    I ran my paw-like hand through my hair. "Gosh... all our friends probably know about this now, don''t they?"


    Jackie sighed. "Yep."


    I pulled out my tablet, and found a slew of messages. On various social media sites random people I barely knew from school had messaged me asking me if I was "one of them." I ignored all these, focusing on my texts, which were from people I actually knew.


    I felt a queasiness wash over me as I looked at them. Douglas had texted me several messages - but he had been checking in with me the past few days. I had refused to send him pictures. What caused me discomfort however, were the messages from my grandparents, my aunts and uncles, cousins...


    I had been mercifully sheltered from becoming a freakshow paraded around to the world, but the pain of this horrible transformation being revealed to my extended family... gosh that still hurt. The texts were all of the same nature - "I heard what happened to you, and we hope you get through it" - well intentioned, but it still felt very embarrassing.


    They all knew what had happened to me. It was true - even in the best case scenario, people would look at us differently from here on out. Even if people were comfortable with being around me, I would always be the dog boy.


    As I went through my texts, I noticed that Ashley had texted me.


    Hey Matt. Mom and Dad... they showed me the pictures of you. I refused to believe them at first. I didn''t know why they''d make up such a weird lie, but I couldn''t believe it. But I know it''s real now... and gosh I''m sorry. I don''t know what to say. I hope that they figure something out, but this is just the weirdest thing I''ve ever seen.


    I texted her back.


    It''s okay. I''m not in too much pain - but just know that it''s as weird for me as it is for you. I don''t know when I''ll be able to go home, but I hope that you won''t be too freaked out.


    "C''mon," Jackie snapped her fingers, "I''m out here harvesting these potatoes all on my own."


    "Sorry," I said, "my sister texted me."


    "Oof."


    "The past week... it''s felt like we''re in a dream. Like it isn''t even real. What day is it?"


    "Friday."


    "Friday. Gosh. But yeah, it feels like we''re just in some alternate dimension, and it feels even weirder on top of all of this that we''re going to have to go back into the outside world."


    "Oh I''m not going to go outside," Jackie said. "I''m going to stay in my room for the next twenty years."


    "That... does not sound like a realistic plan."


    "Maybe not. But there''s a quarantine mandate anyway."


    "Ugh. It''s been so boring being stuck in here. I want to just go outside and go sledding or something, I dunno."


    "I''ll have to look up the details," Jackie said. "At the very least we aren''t going to school for a bit longer."


    "Perhaps that part... perhaps that''s for the best."


    "I don''t ever want to go back to school," Jackie said in a somber, non-joking tone. "I don''t know what I''m going to do, but I''ll figure something out. Some kind of online stuff. I just... I just don''t want to be around people."


    I huffed out an exhale. "I need to be around people,"  I said. "I know that''s weird considering how bad I am at social skills, but I feel drained if I''m spending too much time alone."


    Jackie didn''t say anything for a moment. We gone into the town, and she was talking to an NPC. For her it wasn''t some trivial means to an end, but she actually wanted to learn about the characters.


    "I feel like... maybe I am the same way," Jackie said. "I don''t consider myself an extrovert, I don''t just want to jump into a party... but I... ugh... Being real, I know that I can''t just hide myself in my room forever."


    "If it helps," I said, "when they let everyone go back to school, I''ll stick with you. We can be the weird dog people together. If anyone makes fun of you, I''ll give em'' a punch to the face."


    Jackie set down her controller. "Matthew Hewitt, that is the biggest lie I''ve ever heard."


    My ears perked up.


    "You couldn''t give someone a meaningful punch to the face if they grabbed your wrist and did the punching themselves."


    Despite the degrading remark, I couldn''t resist letting out a laugh.


    "Maybe not," I said. "I''ll poke them in the eyes then, like an old cartoon."


    Jackie laughed. Gosh... it felt so good to see her laugh.


    "Whatever happens," I said, smiling, "the two of us - and the people like us... we''ve gotta stick together."


    Jackie smiled. I thought that maybe I caught a glimmer of wetness in her eyes.


    "Thanks Matt. You.... you''re a good guy."


    I smiled. "And you''re a good girl Jackie."


    She glanced to me with an awkward smile and a raised eyebrow.


    "Oh gosh," I laughed, "I... swear I didn''t mean to say - "


    "Too late," she grinned, "but it''s okay, I am a good doggie."


    We laughed, and Jackie freely wagged her tail. I wagged mine.


    Even if the world rejected us... maybe we could refuse to let them rule our lives - and we could laugh back in their faces.

 Chapter 16

    "I''m tellin'' ya Matt, today was insane," Douglas said over the call. "We hadn''t even gotten to lunch before all of the sudden the news was blowing up. At first a bunch of people, including the teachers are all like ''just relax, we don''t know a whole lot, so for now just go about your normal routine'' - but then an hour later the call to enter quarantine came. A bunch of people just went full doomer, freaking out... gosh dude, like this is freaking scary."


    "I know," I said, "it''s just... so surreal after what''s happened to me... knowing that it''s public knowledge out there in the world... that this is happening to people."


    "Oh dude, like I actually saw some people that I could tell had it. There were a not-insignificant number of people with their hoodies pulled on tight, avoiding people."


    "Dang."


    "You getting any inside information from there?"


    "No," I said, "at least I don''t think so. From what I''ve checked of the news, you guys know pretty much everything. Unfortunately."


    "Does it... bring any comfort knowing why it''s happening?"


    I adjusted my position on my bed. I had my tablet sitting next to me while I continued playing Stardew Valley. Jackie was taking a break and reading a book instead.


    "I dunno. If there''s anything I can say has been most disturbing about this, it''s been the slow transition from a waking nightmare to comprehensible reality... if that makes any sense."


    "Yeah, I think I get what you mean."


    "Like... it just felt like it wasn''t real at first. I could pretend that it wasn''t happening. But now... like I''ve had a tail for a whole week nearly. The world now knows about all of this. I can''t really deny it anymore."


    Douglas was quiet for a moment. "Does it hurt really bad?"


    "No," I said, "not for me since I got here. Jackie had a bit of a hard time though. I think that the tail specifically causes a lot of pain."


    "I know this is a sore spot," Douglas asked cautiously, "but... how much has changed now? Can you send me a picture?"


    "I would rather not."


    "C''mon dude, I promise it''s not a big deal."


    "You''ll see me when they let me go."


    ".... and when will that be?"


    I shrugged, then realized it made no sense because he couldn''t see me. "I don''t know."


    "Do they... do they know how bad it''s going to be?"


    I let out a long, slow sigh. "From what they''ve told us, they think the changes will be somewhat ''superficial''. "


    "And that means..."


    "We''re going to look different, but hopefully not any changes too drastic."


    "Dude you have a tail. How is that not drastic?"


    "Well they mean stuff even worse - like they were afraid at first that I''d be walking on all fours and be unable to talk."


    "The thought of that is just... freaky."


    "Yeah... and it''ll be soooo much better just looking like a Disney character instead."


    "Hey," Douglas said, "they''re right. It could''ve been worse."


    "I suppose so. I just wish that the Disney villains of this story actually had the slightest compassion for what was happening."


    "I heard that Generation was spending a ton of money on trying to solve the problem."


    "Uh uh," I said, "that''s a lie. From my place in here, Generation is trying to abandon us and all their employees. Any work that''s being done is motivated solely by the people that actually care."


    "Have they had any luck in finding a cure?"


    "No," I said. "They''re doing all they can, but from what I understand, they''re all fighting for time to calculate stuff on the company''s quantum supercomputer - especially since rumors are going around that the company is going to shut the computer down in the next week."


    "That sure sounds like they really care about you."


    "Yeah, they''re the paragon of kindness. Bottom line is, sounds like I''m stuck like this... for a long time."


    There was a long, pained pause. "... How long do you think?"


    "I don''t know dude. Maybe when I''m thirty or something they''ll have figured something out?"


    "What? Seriously?"


    "Yeah, like I said, the company is shutting down their supercomputer, and without that, they''re going to lose all their progress, and it''ll take years to make up lost time."


    "But there''s a lot of other places that worked on the cancer treatment right?"


    "Yeah I guess."


    "Have you considered Matt, that maybe you''re being a bit pessimistic?"


    I sighed. "Maybe. I''m just... very tired, very bored... and I''ve been looking too much at how people are reacting online."


    "That''s probably not a very good idea."


    "I know."


    "Look... I don''t know about other people, but even if I have a hard time getting my head around it at first, you and Jackie - and anyone else we know who changes for that matter, you''re all still my friends. It will take time to adjust, but I care about you all. None of this was your fault, and you deserve better than those people trashing you all online."


    "I guess."


    "And I know that''s not just me. I''ve talked with other people at school, Wendy, Ted, my girlfriend, they all care about you too."


    "Aughh, gosh," I ran my hand through my hair. "They all know..."


    "Yes," Douglas said. "They do. People were talking about that whole thing that happened in gym."


    "Gosh I''m never going to be able to live this down."


    Douglas laughed. "For better or for worse, I think most people have forgotten about it in the wake of everything that''s been happening. You were simply the first sign they saw of what was about to go down."


    I slouched, resting my head against my pillow. "It''s so... just... I can''t believe that this is happening all over the world. That all these people our age... it''s going to change everything."


    "I''m just certain that as soon as they find out how to control it, there are going to be people hijacking the virus to make catgirls and stuff."


    "Ugh. Why would people willingly want to change into this?"


    "You serious dude?" Douglas laughed. "It''s the 2050s, people are into some real crazy stuff. Even fifty years ago there were people who were totally into that."


    "I just... this has been so painful, physically, mentally, and emotionally - and then you''re stuck looking like an animal... I don''t know why someone would want this."


    "Gosh I don''t think you realize, cat people are like absolutely tame compared to the absolutely wacky things people will do to themselves."


    "Gross. If people want to do that, can the world just pool together some money to book em'' a flight to Mars, and we can let the people there deal with them?"


    "Gosh I can''t wait," Douglas laughed, "Mars a hundred years from now is going to be the furry planet - no, the red fox planet!"


    I let out a slow, groaning laugh.


    "This sounds like an awful science fiction story," Jackie raised her voice from the other side of the divider. "It turns out, the aliens we discover are us from the future! Oooohohohohooo."


    Douglas laughed. "I dunno. I need to go, but I hope you both get through it fine."


    "Thanks dude," I said. "Thanks... especially for forcing me to call my mom when this started happening."


    "For sure," he laughed. "Like I said, I think that some other people at the school who''d started changing had been hiding just as much."


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    I reached up and felt one of my floppy ears. I couldn''t imagine the extreme anxiety if I''d tried to keep all this hidden this long.


    "Anyway, I hope you all are alright. See ya."


    "See ya."


    The call ending left me with a lot of mixed emotions. Slowly, real life was leaking back into the bubble I''d been confined in this past week. I would have to face it all. Soon I would have to face reality again...


    I saved and exited Stardew Valley, and put my controller back next to the TV. I glanced over to Jackie, who was still reading her book. The cover was a cloudy grey, with some sort of picture of a person looking through barbed wire on the front.


    "What are you reading?"


    She set down her book, and I saw a slight annoyance in her eyes from the interruption.


    "It''s about this girl who was in this camp during war, and... whatever, I can tell you''re not very interested."


    I shrugged. "Eh, it''s just not my type of fiction, but everyone is -"


    "Ugh, no, it''s not fiction. It''s something real. Something that''s actually good."


    "So you like reading, but you don''t like reading any fiction?"


    "I''ve read some of the classics," she said, her face taking on more and more of a defensive look. "But I like the awareness while reading nonfiction that what you''re reading about actually happened."


    I fell for the first impulse that came to my mind. "Just because it''s nonfiction doesn''t mean it''s true. A textbook can be outdated. A biography biased, a personal account dramatized."


    "Whatever," she said. "The point is that it will almost always have more meaning than anything in fiction."


    She had just declared war.


    "What''s so wrong with fiction?"


    She twirled a finger around the tip of her ponytail. "It''s drenched in idealism much of the time, especially all the popular stuff. Everyone just has to have a happy ending, and that optimism has an intoxicating effect on people, giving them a false perception of the real world."


    I stood there for a moment, baffled. How could anyone be such a stick in the mud? I briefly considered saying that out loud, but I knew that it would do little to support my argument.


    "Why," I asked carefully, "in your mind are these stories lacking in value?"


    She gave me a puzzled look. "Basically what I just said. They make it seem like reality is smooth sailing to a happy ending. They depict heroes and heroines that are larger than life, that can solve problems with magic lickety-split."


    I laughed. "I don''t know what type of fantasy you''re reading, but all the fantasy and sci-fi that I''ve read, stuff that''s well written, is anything but nonstop good times. You can''t have a story without conflict, and most do."


    "Okay then," she said, "let''s look at one of these popular pieces of fiction. In Star Wars, they have challenges, but everyone''s all happy-go-lucky all the time, no issues whatsoever - "


    "Seriously? Have you watched Star Wars? Like the actually good ones?"


    She rolled her eyes. "Like once I guess."


    "In the first movie alone, Princess Leia has to watch in agony as her entire home planet is obliterated. How can you call that happy-go-lucky?"


    "A story oversaturated with good times, but pockmarked with a few plot-required ''be sad'' moments does not a meaningful story make."


    "They aren''t just plot required," I said, "they are intrinsically tied together with the story''s themes. Luke sees his aunt and uncle murdered by the empire. It is what forces him on his adventure, but it is a key moment for him and the audience, as we can no longer doubt that the Empire is evil, that this world will be filled with even more injustice if they are not stopped - yet despite seeing this, Luke stays hopeful that something can be done. He does not give up. He fights against the odds even when people tell him to give up."


    Jackie laughed. "And you call this realistic? Like it or not Matt, any meaningful thing done in the world is not by one amazing hero. If anything, giving one person that kind of opportunity is what leads to dictators and other awful people."


    I shrugged. "That''s kind of the nature of writing a story, that we need to have a point of view, and it would feel unsatisfying if Star Wars ended with a text crawl saying ''and the empire was defeated by a separate army that attacked them by surprise.'' "


    Jackie gave a "I guess" look.


    "But I think that one of the great elements of these stories," I said, "is that they show small, humble people doing great things. The hobbits in Lord of the Rings are a big example."


    She laughed, much harder this time. "There are... a lot of problematic things about Lord of the Rings, don''t even get me started on that. It''s to be expected of a story from a hundred years ago. But ignoring all that, it again, is just a fantasy. The world is not filled with perfect heroes or obviously evil dark lords."


    "And that''s exactly what the story says. Other stories would place Aragorn, the one to be king, at the forefront. He is the one with the romance, he is the one who leads the battle against darkness - but instead we focus on Frodo, someone who makes many mistakes. He isn''t perfect. He keeps on fighting. He needs friends to help him. They fight against an obvious dark lord, yes, but there are so many other people in the story who are less obvious in their misdeeds."


    Jackie didn''t respond. She sat there with a thoughtful expression.


    "In the end, the heroes don''t get through easily. They lose some people they care about. They go through an awful amount of pain and heartache. They watch in distress as the world seems on the verge of collapse - but in the end, it is showing that the efforts of small people, all together, make up a great force for good. Frodo alone couldn''t have done it. Aragorn alone couldn''t have done it. Not even Gandalf, a powerful wizard, can fight darkness on his own. It''s the collective effort of good people that makes great change."


    "Yes," Jackie said, "in the end, we just have to believe in ourselves and trust in our friends. Cue goofy outro theme music."


    "Well any message is going to sound like that when you reduce it - "


    "Look, I''m done with this conversation. I''m going to the bathroom."


    She got up from her bed, giving me a glare. I don''t see what I did wrong. She had insulted fantasy and sci fi, something beloved by me and countless people around the world, throughout the solar system even. She had kicked a hornets nest and gotten the hornets angry. I don''t know what she was expecting.


    I walked up to her bed, glancing at the book. It was simply called "Broken." How cheerful. I didn''t think that we should push away anything that was depressing - well I personally did, I didn''t like that type of literature - but I felt like we needed to balance it out with books, movies, and games that were actually positive.


    I walked up to her stack of books on the floor. More of this same sort of thing. Some of them were political. Then something different, a little bit hidden away from sight, caught my eye.


    I picked up one of these hidden books, a simple paperback, with a somewhat crude image of a wolf on the front. I thumbed through it, and came to a shocking realization - this was a werewolf romance novel. There were more of them, hidden away. Really sappy stuff too.


    "How DARE you!"


    I dropped the book.


    "How dare you go through my stuff! Go away!"


    I spun around. "You seriously read werewolf romance novels?"


    "Go away Matthew Hewitt! I''m so sick of you. This is the last straw. I''m going to call someone and get me moved to a different room."


    I stood there firm as a rock as she stared me down.


    "Go to your side of the room, now."


    "Awful lot of bluster for someone who was trash talking everything that I cared about a few moments ago. Guess you don''t like someone shaming your interests either."


    "Gah! They''re not my interests. They''re a stupid little guilty pleasure. Now leave me alone."


    "Clearly," I said, "you think that some fiction is worth reading."


    "Maybe it might be fun," she said, "but it doesn''t have any value in it. It''s just a trashy romance novel. It isn''t even something that I''ve read in ages, my mom just dumped a bunch of books here."


    "Sounds like a plausible lie."


    Jackie clenched her fists. "Fine Matt. I like werewolf romance novels. I like stupid hunky beastly men. Are you happy? You want to go blab about it to everyone in the school?"


    I was silent.


    "Is that no enough for you?" she said with deepening rage. "You want to know more embarrassing things about me? Fine. I''m a furry. Is that enough?"


    I flinched in surprise. "You''re... a furry?"


    "Yes," she said, "I like stuff with anthro animals. And now the universe has given me a twisted curse, giving me ''what I really wanted all along''. "


    She suddenly wailed and jumped onto her bed, and then buried her head into her pillow, crying intensely.


    I had broken her.


    I''d just messed up.

 Chapter 17

    I endured the next few hours in near silence, keeping to myself. Jackie''s pained cries punctuated the still air. The fur on my body was standing on end, feeling cold at the same time as I felt my fever growing worse again.


    I had hurt her. It was a really, really strange thing for me to process. All my life I had been pretty terrible at talking with people, especially girls. I had grown to believe that anything that I said was not considered meaningful enough to give a second thought. Everything I said or did could be disregarded, because "it''s just Matt."


    But this incident had shattered the illusion that my mind had constructed. I had seriously hurt someone, because I hadn''t thought once about if this was going to hurt her feelings. It was a spiral of self doubt that had led me here. It was self doubt I had just accepted, believing that everyone could obviously see my social ineptitude, and thus knew that I wasn''t worth listening to. But that spiral had led me to believing that I could say and do whatever I wanted. I had given myself a convenient excuse to never try to improve.


    I glanced over to the divider, and I visualized her on the other side. I had always looked at other people as being on a pedestal, so much more together, so much more skilled and mature than me. But Jackie was not put together nearly as well as I had thought.


    Jackie was a furry. I didn''t know exactly what that meant to her. To me furries were something out there in the corners of the world, corners I wasn''t very interested in exploring. I wasn''t sure if I felt negatively about them or not. The weirdness of furries kind of paled in comparison now to us - basically real life anthropomorphic animals.


    I looked down at my arms again, my fur cast in red from a rare cloudless dusk. The fur was now covering my whole arms and fingers. Lifting up my shirt I found it nearly covering all of my torso. I checked my legs and feet, and they too were nearly completely covered. My footpads had completely grown in.


    There was a feeling that I couldn''t really describe in looking over it all. My mind knew acutely that I should not have black paw pads on the balls of my feet or on my palms. At the same time however, it felt like they had always been there. I strangely had a difficult time imagining my normal body instead. This was me now - Matt the dog boy.


    I no longer was afraid of my transformed body, no longer constantly repulsed by it. I didn''t even have a sense of curiosity about it as much now. It simply was me, and I was going to have to live with it.


    All the experiences of my life were going to now be through this body. My graduation. College. My career...


    I felt a pang of sadness as I thought of that - and then the other things that usually happened in a person''s life. Things where if I wanted them, I could not hide in my room forever. I would need to venture into the outside world, and try to be around normal people again. But would any girl really want to go out with me? Douglas said that he was going to be my friend no matter what - but there was still a lingering doubt that even our friendship would be anything like it was before.


    I felt an inkling desire to talk to Douglas. On a whim, I decided to submit to his desire to see a picture of me, and quickly took one. He responded very quickly after I sent it.


    Woah... that is... different.


    Yeah. Very different.


    Can I call you right now dude?


    Sure.


    My tablet began buzzing a moment later. I answered, making sure to have the speaker off.


    "Hey," Douglas said.


    "Hey."


    "You doing alright?"


    "With the changes? I guess. I don''t know how much more is going to happen, but I''m pretty much all covered in fur now."


    "Does it feel... hot?"


    "Not as much as I was expecting it to. In a way it feels... I dunno, a bit comfortable if I''m honest?"


    Douglas laughed. "Of all people, of course you''re going to find the bright side to being a dog person."


    I paused for a moment.


    "Matt?"


    "Sorry, I just... I have a lot on my mind."


    "Like what?"


    I collected my thoughts. "Douglas... do you... you like hanging out with me?"


    "Yeah, sure dude. Why?"


    "I just... I just feel like people don''t like me. Gosh I feel so childish. It''s just already so much going through all these changes, but I''m feeling like at the same time it''s making me spiral about everything else in life... I just... I just feel like I''m not much fun. That I''m an annoyance. That I don''t pick up on social cues. I feel like I''ve acted like no one cares what I say, so I have a license to do whatever I want."


    Douglas didn''t say anything.


    "Douglas?"


    "Yeah," he said, "I''m here. I get you. Everyone feels anxious about how they act socially. If you want me to be frank, I think that you could improve. I think that just simply focusing on how to make sure other people have a good time is what you need to do - and sometimes that means biting through things that you don''t feel like doing."


    It pained me slightly to hear his advice, but it''s what I needed, badly.


    "Okay," I said. "Thanks."


    "And just remember that you''re more than your bad moments Matt. For all the times that you might be a bit obnoxious, there are many other times where you make us laugh, where we''ve had fun conversations about games and movies... "


    "But does being funny or talking about games make me a good friend really?"


    "We''re just seniors in high school dude. Our lives aren''t that hard. To me, all you need to be a friend is someone that I can have fun with and relax after school and work."


    "I''m not sure if I help people relax that much. I think that I only stress them out."


    "I don''t think so Matt."


    I let in a deep breath. The divider was fully closed, and I knew that it muffled the sound somewhat.


    "Douglas?" I whispered.


    "Yeah?"


    "I... I hurt Jackie''s feelings really badly today."


    "Oh."


    "We got in a petty argument about books and movies, and she just... she kind of blew up."


    "Yeah," he chuckled, "Jackie doesn''t seem to like a lot of popular media, though I don''t think she''s really tried getting into it. I''m surprised that you didn''t think about that being a potential powder keg conversation."


    I was silent.


    "Sorry dude," he said. "it''s okay. We all make mistakes socially."


    "I just feel like I should know her better."


    "Well I guess I shouldn''t place those expectations on you. Jackie seems to have a unique dislike of you. I''m going to be clear, that is not your fault. You just have kind of clashing personalities. Some people aren''t going to get along, and that''s okay."


    "But I do want to get along with her Douglas. I like her. Even after what''s happened. I know that we can get along. We were playing this old game Stardew Valley, and she seemed to be having a good time."


    "You got Jackie to play a video game? Wow. Maybe she does like you more than I thought."


    "I don''t think she does. She treats me like I''m a 12 year old little brother she is desperate to be rid of."


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "I think maybe Matt, that you should focus on how she feels, instead of how she is making you feel."


    I swallowed, and felt my eyes become a bit watery.


    "I hurt her Douglas. Hurt her badly."


    "How exactly?"


    I ran through my mind of what was okay to tell him. I was slightly afraid that Jackie would hear. No, that''s not what mattered. What mattered was me being a decent person and not telling him her secrets.


    I cupped my hand around my tablet. "I... I saw some stuff she was reading. She had been reading really serious nonfiction, and I saw that she... well, she had some werewolf romance novels."


    "Oh," Douglas laughed. "Interesting."


    "I kind of pointed out her hypocrisy after she''d just trashed about fantasy stuff... and she didn''t like that."


    "I''d imagine not. Look, you didn''t know obviously, but that''s a very sensitive spot for her."


    "I... I didn''t know. She... she has a few other things that I won''t share."


    "You mean that she''s a furry? It''s a bit of an open secret dude."


    "Oh."


    "Well, one that we don''t talk about much. I don''t personally care. She does though."


    He paused a second.


    "Ohhh," he said, "I bet that has really mixed up some stuff for her with all that''s been going on."


    "I... maybe. I just... I don''t know where to even start with this. I don''t know much about... furry stuff."


    I felt weird even saying "furry" out loud.


    "How is she right now?"


    "Not good. She... she just kind of got more and more tense until she exclaimed that she was into... that. She just seems very upset right now and I don''t want to bother her."


    "Well, just remember Matt, that she''s a person just like you. She feels just as anxious about social stuff, and so she likely feels really embarrassed right now."


    "So... did she like... tell you guys about it?"


    "No," Douglas said. "Wendy was at Jackie''s house once and... well, found incriminating evidence."


    "Ugh."


    "Calm down. Wendy said it wasn''t anything gross. Some art on her tablet and stuff like that. But yeah, she''s into this stuff. My question is, what are you going to do about it?"


    "I don''t know. I''ve just been off by myself for several hours. I... I can still hear her crying a little bit."


    "That... oof. That is rough."


    "Should I say something?"


    "I don''t know. I may have made it sound like I know Jackie well, but even though she didn''t open up to you as much, it wasn''t like she was open a lot more to the rest of us."


    "I just... I feel like I''ve gotten a little bit closer to her as we''ve been stuck in this. She''s been willing to talk to me, to open up a bit... when she was going through a lot of pain from some of the changes, she was willing to hold my hand."


    "She was?" Douglas asked in surprise.


    "Yeah."


    "Jackie doesn''t really like people touching her you know."


    "Dang it."


    "No," he said, "I''m not saying that you messed up... I''m saying that if she was willing to hold your hand... she must like you."


    "Does it mean she likes me more if she was holding it excruciatingly tight?"


    Douglas laughed. "I don''t know. But if she likes you at all... I can imagine that this has been difficult for her. Going through these changes in front of someone to plainly see, then laying out a bunch of baggage in front of you... things like that hurt way more when it''s someone you care about."


    "I just... I have a hard time feeling like Jackie cares about me back."


    "So are you saying that you were trying to pursue a relationship with no hope of her returning those feelings?"


    "Gosh don''t say things like that, it makes me sounds like a perv."


    "I''m trying to say dude, that if she likes you, you should keep on trying, but if she doesn''t, her private life is not really your business."


    "That''s the thing though man, I have no idea how to pick up on social cues. I have no idea how to tell if she likes me or not."


    "Well one thing I''ll say is that you''re both in a pretty frustrating situation, so neither of you are probably going to be in the mood to be flirting - but on top of that, Jackie, at least from what Wendy has said to me, doesn''t really play any sort of mind games. She is a blunt person. I feel like if she likes you, she''ll just show it."


    I took a deep breath. "So... do you think I should talk to her?"


    "I can''t make choices for you dude. You got to decide for yourself."


    "Alright," I sighed.


    "I need to go."


    "Okay... sorry dude for just... unloading all this onto you with no warning."


    "It''s fine. It''s what a friend does. I do need to... mention something."


    "What?"


    "Well... we don''t know yet, but there''s... there''s a possibility my girlfriend might have the canis virus."


    "Wait... really?"


    "Yes. That could be really bad news, because we''ve kissed."


    "Gosh," I said. "... on one hand, congrats, but on the other...."


    "Yeah."


    "Yeah...."


    We were both quiet for a bit.


    "I''m not going to lie Matt, I''m pretty freaked out right now. I thought when they said that it couldn''t pass through air that we were all good, but now I''m thinking about stuff like all the drinking fountains at school... gosh, things could get really bad."


    "I''m sorry dude."


    "It''s alright. I''ll get through it, whatever happens. If she changes but I don''t, I''m going to stick with her."


    "Well... I hope everything works out."


    "I''ll find a way to make it work out," Douglas said with confidence, "no matter what happens."


    "Okay. I''ll let you get going."


    "I''ll be seeing you. Be careful with Jackie."


    "I will."


    We said goodbye, and then I was left alone in silence again. It felt loud somehow. Straining at my mind.


    I glanced to the divider. I wasn''t sure what to do. Waiting until tomorrow to talk to Jackie would probably be the best idea. There was the likelihood however, that she''d continue to give me the cold shoulder, and would not be willing to address what had happened. I also didn''t know if she was intending to go through changing to a new room. I didn''t know if that was possible, as I had heard that all the rooms were full, but they might always swap someone if she really wanted it.


    I had a moment of quiet stirring in my chest, as I slowly solidified my intentions. It wasn''t done on impulse, but instead it was a very pointed, intentional act. I walked over, and drew open the divider.

 Chapter 18

    "Jackie?"


    Her side of the room had the lights dimmed, and I saw the mound underneath the blankets move slightly.


    "Can we talk?"


    She finally sat up. I saw her eyes glint back at me in the dim light.


    "Sit," she said in a dry, hoarse voice, gesturing next to her on the bed.


    I sat down, feeling tension in all of my bones. We looked each other in the eyes. I couldn''t read her expression all that well in the shadowy light. She did not seem to be scowling or anything. If anything, she looked ashamed.


    "Jackie," I made the first move, "I''m not going to beat around the bush. I hurt your feelings, I pushed you to a difficult place, and that''s my fault. I let my argumentative side get away from me, and I didn''t consider how it would make you feel. I''m sorry."


    She didn''t move. She looked down at the bed sheets, staring blankly, then into my eyes. I could see the trace of dried tears there.


    "I''m... I''m so tired Matt. Of everything. I''m tired of who I am. I''m even more exhausted now that the universe decided to make my life even worse. I just want relief."


    That statement frightened me.


    "Jackie... I..."


    "Don''t freak out on me," she said, "I''m not... I''m not thinking about... that. I just... I just want a break from life. Not from school, or work, but just from me. I''m so tired of myself, of this constant feeling of no control over what I do, or how I think..."


    "I feel like that a lot," I said tentatively.


    "And I hate that," she said."I hate that everyone feels so lost. We''ve never figured out how to live in the modern world, us human beings. I wish that someone today just... knew what to do, that we didn''t have to doubt."


    "Well, we can choose not to doubt. We can choose to have confidence in ourselves."


    She shook her head. "I can''t. I know I''m doing so many wrong things."


    "Like what?"


    "I am a furry." She said it with a nervous voice, afraid to say it aloud.


    "So?"


    "So? I... I''m... interested in... people looking like animals. That''s... that''s not okay."


    "I... I won''t lie, it''s a bit strange. But there are worse things people are into. I don''t think that it''s wrong."


    "You don''t understand Matt...."


    Her body lurched, like she was trying to stifle a cry.


    "Then explain it to me."


    A few tears glinted on her fur covered cheeks in the fading light.


    "This... this stupid transformation... I like it. I like looking in the mirror and seeing my dog-like face stare back."


    "Okay."


    "I feel... comfortable in this body. I... I feel comfortable in a way I can''t describe. I don''t... I don''t think I want to change back, even if they do find a cure."


    I was at a loss for words. She really wanted to stay this way?


    "Those weird people you''re off-put by, someone who would want to willingly change into this... that''s me. I''m the bizarre girl who wants to look like a golden retriever."


    "Okay."


    She gave me a harsh look. "Gosh, please just say something! ''Okay'' only leaves my mind reeling, trying to imagine what you might be thinking."


    I took a moment to plan carefully what I was going to say. "I... I don''t know if I''m thinking about anything. I''ve never heard of someone... like you before."


    "I didn''t think I was someone like this before," she said. "I just feel... happier now, in a way I can''t describe. I like having a tail, being all furry, having my floppy ears. I don''t know. I feel.. I feel cute."


    I didn''t say anything.


    "And...," she gasped out a small exhale, "I never felt that way as a human."


    "I think you''re okay Jackie. And I think that even though we look like this, it doesn''t make us any less human."


    "We''re not human Matt. We''re something new. I''m... I''m not even sure I''m upset about that. I feel... some sort of weird thrill, thinking about that I''m different now."


    "Regardless," I said, "I think that... maybe by the standards of the world, you''re a bit weird - but I don''t think there''s anything wrong with you. If you like this... I think that''s alright. And I think that... well, you do look kinda cute, a bit like a puppy."


    "Matt," she shuddered, "don''t... don''t say that."


    "Why not?"


    "I should... I should not like this. I should not find it cute. I should not look at you, and feel... feel interested in that."


    "Interested in... what?"


    She let out a few sobs. "I''m attracted to you as a dog. I didn''t think you looked... ugly or anything as a human, but as a dog person.... I just... I can''t control myself. I have... thoughts... going through my mind."


    "You... you don''t have to tell me about that."


    She sniffled. "Okay. But bottomline, it''s... it''s messed up for me to think about you in this way. I accept your apology for riling me up like that, but I am far more in the wrong. From the moment you started changing, when you started panting, and we had no idea what was going to happen, I just... I started fantasizing about what you''d look like as a dog. And now... I got what I wanted. I feel terrible."


    It took me a bit to process what she''d just said. She was into me - but dog me. These changes that I''d been repulsed by, and even now had only started tolerating, she saw completely differently. I should probably have been aghast at her thinking of me in this odd way, but I instead just found it perplexing.


    "What... what exactly do you find attractive... in this?" I gestured to my face.


    She cringed, slowly bringing up her eyes to meet me. "I... I think you look cute with your wet snout... and with your big floppy ears. Gosh Matt don''t make me talk about this. I already felt sick enough when you caught me... wagging my tail. I shouldn''t like anything about this. No healthy person should like anything about this."


    I slowly put my arm around her. "I don''t know Jackie. I think... I kind of like my tail. I''m still getting used to it, but it feels good to wag it."


    I let my tail loosen up, and gently wag. I was doing it as a gesture, but part of me really did feel this way. It was very new and strange, but it also felt a bit relaxing. Somehow, it just made me feel happy.


    Jackie looked at my tail with a blank expression.


    "We shouldn''t be doing this," she shook her head.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    I licked my nose. "Who says what we should and should not be doing? If we like it -"


    "No Matt. This is weird. Normal, well balanced people don''t do this. I''m not going to let you encourage my messed up interests."


    "I don''t think you''re messed up Jackie."


    "Sure."


    "You''ve kept this hidden for so long. I''m sure that''s it''s nerve-wracking for you to talk about."


    She rubbed her fingers against her temples. "Yes. Yes it is."


    "Am I pushing you too far? I''m sorry. I want you to talk about it, but if you feel uncomfortable about this, I can stop."


    She didn''t respond, sitting motionless. I held her a little bit more tightly.


    "I like you Jackie, and I''m sorry for the stupid things I''ve done and said. I think you''re cute, before, and like this."


    She made eye contact with me, and a stunned, yet perhaps hopeful look on her face.


    "You seriously think that?"


    I pulled her close against me. "Yes."


    She leaned a bit closer. "I feel... very torn Matt."


    "In what way?"


    "I don''t want to be alone. I don''t want to give into this."


    She shuddered. "Matt... I''m so so afraid of being alone. I''m so afraid that all those people out in the world will spit on me every time I walk by. I''m afraid that no one will want to be with me."


    I considered the thought in my mind. I nearly shut it down. But ultimately, I decided to be honest.


    "Whether they find a way out of this or not Jackie... I want to be with you."


    Jackie let out a few quiet sobs. "No you don''t. What if they find a cure and I... and I don''t want to change back?"


    I looked into her eyes. I could see the conflict stirring in those dark blue and green irises. It wasn''t just a question of "will you care about me if I''m a dog" but also "if I decide to stay this way, will you stay as well?"


    "I... I don''t know. I think not all of this transformation is bad... but I don''t know if I prefer it more than my human body."


    She didn''t say anything.


    "That doesn''t mean that I might not change my mind. It... it could be a long time before they find a cure."


    Jackie was quiet for a moment longer. She breathed deep and slowly.


    "Matt... they''ve... they''ve said that the virus... it will get passed on genetically."


    Huh. Seems she was more interested in a certain sort of thing than she''d claimed.


    "I... I''m not ready to talk about that sort of thing," I said. "We''re only in high school."


    "Alright."


    It was growing darker. I couldn''t see her features all that well anymore. I decided to hop off of the bed, and turn up the lights a bit. She blinked at the brightness, turning her face away from me. I rejoined her, unafraid to put my arm back around her.


    "Jackie... what I said before - about that I would be there with you when people made fun of us... I still mean it. Our other friends will be there too."


    "They... they... know." She made a sob.


    "What?"


    "I... I only caught pieces of what you were saying on the phone with Douglas... but gosh, they know what a freak I am. That I''m a furry. If they knew everything that I''d told you..."


    "You are not a freak Jackie. I don''t think they really care."


    "And Douglas might fall to the virus too," she said wearily.. "Gosh the whole world is going down the toilet. I''m so tired, I hardly care anymore. I wish the world was normal. I wish I was normal."


    "So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide."


    Jackie looked up at me.


    "All we can do is decide what to do with the time given to us."


    "What... what''s that from?"


    I smiled. "Lord of the Rings."


    She didn''t say anything for a while. I could tell that she had a lot of things going through her mind, and I perhaps didn''t need to say anything.


    Calm seemed to come to her face. She seemed more steady. "Maybe... maybe I was a bit too... a bit too hasty in judging it."


    "It doesn''t matter to me really," I said. "I can live with you not liking it. I care more about that you feel it''s okay to be yourself."


    "Being myself," she scoffed. "That means having no control, letting these sick things in my mind run wild."


    "I don''t think so. I think that it''s feeling happy with who you are. Maybe you can let them run a little bit more free, but still contained."


    "Maybe."


    A curious thought came to me. It might be stupid, and I doubted it was a good idea.


    I scratched Jackie behind her ear. Her ears perked up, and she sat up straighter with a dazed look on her face.


    "I can''t... decide how I feel about this."


    "Does it feel... bad?" I asked.


    "N-no...," she said. "It feels... calming."


    I smiled, and moved to her other ear. A contented look came to her face - and a smile. She was soon wagging her tail. It honestly was kind of cute. I began wagging my own tail.


    A new impulse came to my mind. This one though, I was not ready for yet. She was not ready for me to kiss her, or anything more. I just wanted to enjoy this moment, holding her in my arms. Eventually I stopped scratching her, and we laid down sideways across her bed. She laid beside me, and tentatively reached out to one of my hands, lacing her fingers with mine.


    "Matt," she quietly said with her eyes closed.


    "Yes?"


    "I... I''m happy."


    "Me too."


    "Thank you... for not... for not rejecting the weird person I am."


    "The thing is Jackie, is that I like that weird person. I hope that you don''t turn normal on me."


    She let out a soft mix of a laugh and a cry. "No... I think that... maybe I can figure this out. Maybe."


    And we fell asleep in each others'' arms.

 Chapter 19

    A door opened. I came to, my mind feeling groggy. There was a dull pain all around my face.


    "Oh."


    I blinked the sleep from eyes, trying to discern who had spoken. It was my Mom with some breakfast.


    And I had been sleeping next to Jackie in her bed.


    "Oh gosh, Mom, I swear, nothing happened."


    Jackie was roused from her own sleep, and a look of horror came across her face.


    "It... it''s okay. Just... I''m  happy that you two are getting along, just please... don''t get too comfortable."


    My mom made brief small talk, asking how I was doing, before leaving surprisingly quickly. I glanced to Jackie, where she was crunched up with her arms folded, looking anxious as ever.


    "I''m so, so dumb," she said. "Why did I let that happen? What if it had been my mom instead of yours?"


    I chuckled. "Well it''s not like my mom was particularly enthused either."


    "Aughh," she rubbed her hands against her face. "I just... why..."


    "I felt good last night though," I smiled. "I wasn''t thinking about everything for a bit."


    A faint smile came to her face. "Yeah."


    Jackie leaned in to examine me. I leaned back, a bit startled.


    "Matt... I think that you''re developing a muzzle."


    "What?"


    I got off the bed, and went into the bathroom, and sure enough, there it was. It was only just starting, but my face was beginning to noticeably push out. Great. I had grown somewhat used to how I looked, but the changes obviously were not over yet. I turned my head, looking at my jaw from the side. I just... all of this stuff never started feeling run of the mill. It was always deeply unnerving with every new change.


    I briefly ran my padded fingers across the soft fur on my face, and then went back outside to find someone else outside with Jackie.


    "Good morning Matt," Melina said. I noticed that she didn''t have her bag with her that she used to do checkups with.


    "Morning." I stretched, resisting the urge to reach up and feel my face again.


    "I''ve got some different tests that we need to do today, so you''re going to have to follow me. Who wants to go first?"


    I fidgeted with my fingers, feeling their pads. "Um... like... leave the room? Is that... like allowed?"


    "Yes," she said, "we need to do this, so who''s going to go first?"


    Jackie pointed to me before I could get a word in edgewise.


    "Matt it is then," Melina said, "c''mon."


    I shot Jackie a look. She jumped up on her bed and started playing Stardew. I took a deep breath, and proceeded to follow Melina out of the room.


    I hadn''t thought about, after all that had happened, how alien it would feel to leave that isolated space. After living in that bubble for so long, my mind was having trouble remembering that the world was of course, bigger than the small room.


    And then we started passing people. My fur prickled on end. My tail tucked between my legs. I felt exposed, like one of those dreams where you''re at school naked - only it was real, and felt worse. My mind was in a tug of war between painful embarrassment and morbid curiosity, glancing to and away from the people who were staring at me.


    "Just keep walking Matt."


    "Sh- sh- should I have grabbed a - a mask or something?"


    "No," she said, "you are no longer contagious."


    I followed her down a large multi-story hallway, with big paned windows. It felt refreshing to be in such an open place - but then... people were everywhere. All of those piercing eyes... those very human eyes.


    And I was an anomaly. A twisted creation of science. Some of the people I passed gave what seemed to be more sympathetic looks - fleeting attempts to show some kindness. It was... just plain horrible.


    "We''re here," Melina said, leading me into a lab. She directed me to sit in a plastic chair.


    "What... test do you need to do?" I asked her. I glanced nervously around as I saw other people working. They put their heads down as soon as I made eye contact.


    "Drawing some blood," Melina said.


    "I... couldn''t you have done that up in the room?"


    She looked up at the ceiling, rolling her shoulders. "I guess. They said I could bring you down here though, and I thought it might be good for you to stretch your legs."


    She looked away from what she was doing on the lab counter, and back to me. "Your... very furry legs."


    "That''s not very nice."


    She gave a wry smile as she pulled out a syringe. "It was an observation. I hope that you can handle harsher words than that."


    I sat up straighter. "Oh I can... and I will. I just want to set a precedent that I don''t like having people point out... that I''m different."


    "Sorry Matt, but you kind of are. Not that there''s anything wrong with that."


    I gave her a "I''m very sure there is something wrong" look.


    "Roll up a sleeve, whichever one you prefer."


    I rolled up my left sleeve. Her mouth contorted as she felt around the fur on my upper arm.


    "Huh. Guess I didn''t really think through that it would be harder to find the right place."


    "Is that... bad?"


    "I can feel it out," she reassured.


    She put an elastic band around my arm, tightening and causing the muscle to bulge a bit more. She felt again, pressing gently as she searched for the right place. I breathed deep, and looked away as I felt it go in. It only took a moment.


    "That.... wasn''t too bad," I said.


    "You aren''t donating blood," she said, "we''re just analyzing it."


    "Oh, okay."


    Melina emptied the syringe into a tube, and then wiped my arm off with an antibacterial wipe. As she did so, my eyes wandered around the room - and I saw a familiar face speed quickly into the lab.


    "Dad!"


    He met my eyes, and I felt a stab of embarrassment. He had not seen me in days, and the state I was in. He walked slowly up to me as Melina finished up.


    "Gosh...," he looked into my eyes. "What did this do to you? I... Matt... I''m so, so sorry."


    "Dad, it''s okay."


    "No, it absolutely isn''t. This is my fault. And even now, I''ve gotten so embroiled in working on this, that I haven''t gone up to visit you at all, and - "


    "Dad, it''s alright. I''m... I''m fine. I know you''re working as fast as you can to help me, and help everyone else."


    He stood back up straight, glancing over as Melina packed up her things.


    "Our work at least... is going well," he said.


    I perked up. "Like what?"


    His smile tarnished somewhat. "I''m working on helping you," he said. "But for now, people who''ve already changed are proving difficult. It appears that it''s been in waves, where the earliest forms of the treatment are breaking down first - but some with the early mass-market forms of the treatment aren''t changing at all. Human physiology is so complicated. The good news at least is we''ve made a lot of headway in deciphering the problems with the widespread versions. Hopefully we should be able to prevent a lot of people from changing."


    "That''s great Dad."


    He leaned down and hugged me, briefly hesitating, then embracing me more fully.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "I''m sorry Matt," he said. "I''m going to keep trying. I will do everything I can to help you. I know that some around here are saying maybe we''ll figure this out a decade and a half from now, but I''m not going to give up."


    "I appreciate it Dad," I said, ending the hug, "but focus on the others first. Not everyone has a dad who worked on the treatment to help them."


    "You''re right." He gestured to the door. "I have a moment, I''ll walk back with you to your room."


    I got up, carefully to guide my tail through the hole in the back of the chair, and followed him. The other people in the lab made eye contact with me. They obviously didn''t know what to think of me. I didn''t know what to think back.


    "Do you have any idea if they can let us go home yet?" I asked as we walked out into the hallway.


    "Soon," he said. "Next few days I hope. But just be aware, you''re going from quarantine here, to quarantine at home."


    "Still much better."


    "Have you been okay up in there?"


    I sighed. "Ups and downs. I know she''s only up there because the other patient rooms are full, but I''m glad that Jackie is there. She... she and I have had some talks about all this."


    "I thought that you and Jackie didn''t really get along?"


    I glanced out the large windows as we passed through that big, main hallway. The snow was still on the ground, the sky still grey, but the sun was visible, leaving a sparkling shine on the cold ground.


    "We didn''t," I said. "But... well, I feel like I''ve gotten a lot closer to her."


    "Oh?"


    "She... she''s needed some support through this. She''s helped support me."


    Dad put his hand on my shoulder. "Mom said she found you two sleeping together."


    I shook, turning and casting his hand off. "It - it, it wasn''t like that, I promise Dad, I - "


    "Just... calm down. I... trust you. And I''m glad that you two feel close. Just... restrain yourself, and respect her space."


    "If I wasn''t respecting her space, I get the impression that she would punch me."


    Dad chuckled. "She must like you then to be willing to be that close to you."


    I felt myself blush. "Yeah. Yeah I guess. Um... Dad?"


    He glanced back to me as we started going up some stairs. I pushed aside the distraction of more people staring at me as they passed us.


    "Jackie...," I started, "she... she... I don''t know how to put this."


    "She... likes you?" Dad guessed.


    "I... guess. It''s just... ugh, she... she likes me in a... certain way."


    I''d whispered that last part, and that drew Dad''s suspicion. "Matt, like what I said before. Be more cautious in the future. It is - "


    "Dad," I said hushed, though still upset, "that''s not what I mean. She just... ugh this is weird. She''s... into... this."


    I gestured at my transformed body.


    "Like... the way you look now?"


    I nodded sheepishly.


    "Okaaay," he said. We continued up the stairs, and I could tell he was thinking very carefully.


    "Dad."


    "Hm?"


    "She... she likes this. She... she likes... not being human."


    He stopped as we reached the top of the stairs. "I... I hadn''t really thought... well, that anyone would... feel that way. I guess I should have expected it with all the... diverse, let''s say, people in the world, that there''d be some."


    "You think she''s really weird."


    He puffed out a breath. "Yes."


    "She doesn''t want to change back."


    He raised an eyebrow. "I... I guess I did expect some people to maybe think it was a fun novelty - but only if they could experience it for an hour or something. Not... not like that."


    "I... I probably shouldn''t say much more. She... she confided in me and I feel kind of crappy telling you."


    "It''s okay Matt. I won''t tell anyone - including her mother."


    "... what if you come up with a cure?"


    A perplexed look came to his face.


    "Like...," I said with nervousness, "would you force her to take it?"


    He slightly smiled. "No, I wouldn''t. If someone did, I''d do what I could to stop it. If it isn''t going to harm others, it should be personal choice... even if I think it''s very odd."


    "Thanks Dad. I just... she has so much emotional stuff going on... but she seems genuinely happy like this. I don''t feel like I understand it fully... but she likes it nonetheless. And it seems like me supporting her in it... that it''s also made her happier."


    My dad slowly began walking again, a heavy look in his eyes. I noticed then how tired he looked as he looked down at the floor with a furrowed brow.


    "Matt... do you trust me?"


    "Yeah Dad, of course I do."


    "You''d feel comfortable talking with me about difficult things?"


    "I mean... yeah. I don''t know exactly what you mean. It''s a bit hard for this to be very private out here."


    Looking around, there weren''t nearly as many people on the second floor. The hallway we were in was empty.


    "Matt," Dad turned to me, and put a hand on my shoulder. "Do you... feel the same as Jackie?"


    I jolted. "No, why would I... ugh, why would I want this?"


    He dropped his hand. "I just... I don''t know."


    I once again glanced around -  like there might be some invisible spirit lurking on the ceiling waiting to hear embarrassing, incriminating talk.


    "I guess what I can say...," I steadied my breathing, "that it hasn''t felt as bad at times like I thought it would be. The changes feel bizarre and embarrassing, I shudder at the thought of going out into the world like this... but... it doesn''t feel completely awful. Some of this... it does feel good in a way. I can smell and hear really well... and well, I''ll admit, wagging my tail does feel kind of good."


    I wagged it once or twice. He stared down at it.


    "Okay... Matt. Just... I''m glad that are feeling more calm and relaxed... just remember - you are a human being. This is not who you are. Don''t forget that."


    I swallowed. "Okay Dad."


    We were almost back to the room. I''d felt a distinct difference of tone in that. In talking about Jackie, he''d attested that he was okay with it. But when it was his own child, it was different. Apparently to him, much different. I loved my dad, and I knew that he was not the type to be super controlling of his children... but there was something in there that felt... I wasn''t sure.


    I didn''t know why I felt discomforted by this. I didn''t want to be a dog. I wanted to be myself, my real  self again. But there was Jackie. She would be alone. Even if I felt my feelings grow for her, and they went somewhere... she would stay this way. There''d be a divide between us. We''d be the "inter-species couple."


    Somehow that felt... really... unsatisfying to me. I didn''t like the idea of staying this way, but the alternatives didn''t feel better.


    We arrived back at the room, and my dad called for Jackie to follow him to the lab. I gave Jackie a blank look. She returned the expression, with some amount of confusion. They left.


    I sat on my bed, dwelling on my strange new life, and all the convoluted problems that it had created.

 Chapter 20

    I was jostled awake.


    "Matt, wake up."


    It was pitch black, barely a light to be seen. In a moment, someone - my mom had turned up the dimmer switch. I glanced out the window with bleary eyes. It was still very dark out. My watch revealed that it was just past one in the morning.


    "Mom... Dad?" I groaned. "What..."


    "Get dressed," my dad said, "it''s time to go."


    I ran my hand through my hair. I looked over to Jackie''s side of the room to see her slowly getting up. Her mom was here too.


    "Like... now?" I asked.


    "Yes," my mom said as she packed up my things into some bags, "now."


    "... why?"


    My dad handed me some folded clothes. "Some people I know higher up in the company have informed me that the whole place is going under. The government is going to send people here in the morning and anyone still here is going to be quarantined."


    I looked down at the clothes, then got out of bed and went into the bathroom. Where I''d been wearing loose fitting, casual clothes the past few days, this was a normal t-shirt and jeans. I put them on, glad to be wearing something that made me feel a bit less crappy.


    When I put them on, I discovered something - like I had unfortunately expected, there was a hole in the back of the pants. This time however, they hadn''t been hastily cut out, but craning my neck to look behind me, I saw that the hole was actually nicely sewn. I pushed aside this strange new change to my clothing, and pulled my tail through. It kind of felt nice actually, snugly fitting around the base of my tail.


    I wagged my tail slightly, and panted. I glanced to the mirror. My muzzle had grown. It was maybe... two inches long. I pulled my tongue back in, and... my tongue... felt... comfortable.


    I hadn''t known it until that moment, but my tongue, being longer than normal, had always felt just a bit... off. Cramped. Now however... it felt right. For the first time, it felt right. I shuddered, and walked outside.


    In my effort to push thoughts of that away, something else came to my attention. My fever was gone. It had ebbed and flowed over this past week, but had always been there. Now it was nonexistent.


    Jackie had changed behind the divider. She was wearing a nice looking mint green blouse, with little fringes on the sleeves. It was in strong contrast to what she normally wore, with even her own jeans being a brighter blue than the subdued colors I''d always seen her in.


    "You look pretty."


    Her ears flinched as she glanced to me.


    "Uh... thanks," she said. "I... I guess I''ll see you again after... after all this stupid quarantine stuff is over."


    "Yeah," I smiled.


    I gave her a hug, and she hugged back without restraint.


    "Thanks," she whispered. "... just... thanks."


    "You''re welcome."


    As we hugged, I gave her a little scratch behind one of her ears. She giggled, and scratched one of mine. It felt really good - not just the way it tugged at my new canine instincts, causing me to wag my tail - but just that... that knowledge that she liked me. A girl actually liked me.


    "C''mon," my dad said, "we need to get moving. Do you want that?"


    He pointed to the Switch, where it sat in front of the TV.


    "The Switch? That''s not mine."


    "The company is going under Matt, do you want it?"


    "Dad... I dunno..."


    "Look," he said, "this company has left you to struggle with this for the rest of your life, offering no help whatsoever. They should be giving us millions. No one is going to bat an eye."


    I glanced back to it, and gingerly unplugged it, finding the case that it went in, and put the dock and controllers in one of the bags my mom had brought. My mom handed me another of the bags, and I tucked the switch case under my arm.


    We all walked out of the room, barely a sound in the building. It felt eerie. All the the past nights here, I''d always been able to open up my hearing a bit, and hear some people working. Now though... the building seemed to be vacant.


    My footpads pressed against the cold tile floor as we went down the hallway. A part of me questioned if the heating in the building was running. We came to the top of the stairs, and to my surprise, my dad directed us in a different direction.


    "Um... Dad?"


    "Just follow me, I need to grab something and I want you both close."


    I waved bye to Jackie. I felt so many emotions stirring in her, in the fleeting glimpse I saw of her eyes. Mom and I followed Dad to the bank of elevators, and he pressed the call button. I felt a strong urge to ask Dad more about the situation - but I got the impression from his very off-brand demeanor that this was not the situation. Illegal stuff was going on right now - more illegal than just me stealing a Switch.


    When we got into the elevator, my dad pushed the button for the basement - the second from the bottom one, two floors below ground level. I felt my fur prickle at the circulating air, and the tenseness my parents both had around them.


    Upon the elevator doors opening at our destination. I noticed oddly that Mom and Dad started noticeably shivering. We began walking forward through barely adorned concrete rooms. It was cold, I could tell that... but I felt warm still. Even my foot pads felt relatively fine against the cold surface. It was all the fur, I knew. Dogs and wolves were better designed for the cold than humans were. Human... was I really still human?


    "Gosh...," Mom asked... ," why is it so bone-chillingly cold down here? I feel like it must be warmer outside."


    "You''re almost right about that," Dad said.


    We walked into a new room. On either side of us were rows upon rows of metallic boxes with thin pipes all over them, the boxes about the height of a person. In the center of the room were desks set up with monitors and keyboards. Junk was strewn all over the place. At one terminal was an employee.


    "Oh," the man said, "I thought you were taking the night off Lucas."


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    "I was," my Dad said, "but I''ve heard from people I know higher up that this ship is going down. I''m getting Matt home. Jackie''s mother just got her, and I contacted the families of the other patients. I recommend you get home before morning."


    "Home? I can''t leave right now Lucas. I need to - "


    "Well if you want to live here for at least two weeks Clive, then stay. I just came down quick to check in on any progress on the last batch we started."


    "This... is a lot to take in Lucas. You sure? Like really sure? There''s a lot of people who - "


    "I''m pissed off too Clive, but there''s nothing we can do. Pack it up. You''ll have to hope that we get access to this again... eventually."


    Clive pinched the bridge of his nose, and then looked up. He looked at me.


    "Gosh kid... that virus really messed you up."


    "I''ve been dealing with it alright," I said.


    "All you can do really," Clive said. "As for your batch Lucas, it''s running slower than expected. Someone had left their own batch running that you hadn''t seen when you started it."


    "Hmph. Fine. Maybe someday I''ll get to pick up where I left off. For now though, like I said, say your last goodbyes, grab up any belongings, because this is gonna be government property in not too much longer."


    Clive leaned down and I heard him whisper a curse. My dad turned to the towers surrounding us, and placed a hand down on one of them.


    "This is what has been helping us solve this problem," he said. "It was also what created it in the first place - well, I suppose its grandaddy did. Inside these boxes quantum chips are chilled to a fraction of a degree above absolute zero."


    "Wow," I said, touching the metal box. I wished that I could open it up, examine the technology that had transformed me as though with magic. But from the times that I''d learned about molecules and atoms in school, it knew that opening it up would show virtually nothing - like trying to learn about people living on a street by reading their addresses. I barely understood it all no matter how much I tried. For whatever reason, Ashley seemed to understand Dad perfectly when he talked about all this.


    As I was looking at the towers and their complex piping, out of nowhere, I felt something catch me in the leg, and i lost my balance. I hit my palms against the floor, but none of the pain I expected came. The switch case and my bag fell out of my grip, and a bunch of the switch games scattered around.


    "Oh, sorry Matt," my dad said, having fallen down as well, "there was some water on the floor and I slipped."


    "It''s okay," I gritted my teeth a bit as I stood up. I turned over my hands, expecting them to be skinned against the concrete... but no. That''s right. I had paw pads now. They were unharmed. Other than some fading joint pain in my wrists, I felt fine.


    My dad got down on his knees, and helped me put the games back in the case. I noticed that he''d knocked some stuff off the table that Clive had been working at. Knocked onto the floor was some sort of terminal with a bunch of connections in it. My dad picked up one of the spilled game cartridges - but it was different from the others. The card''s connectors were much newer looking than the 2010s looking switch games. My dad slid it into one of the game slots in the case, making no mention of it.


    Something... had just happened. I didn''t know what.


    We left, going back upstairs, and then finally to the doors, the ones I''d entered on Monday - what felt like a whole lifetime ago. The air of the winter night struck, but again, not nearly as cold as I was expecting. I continued walking up to the edge of the parking lot as the slight breeze ruffled my fur.


    "This is... weird."


    "What?" my mom asked as she pulled her hood up. My dad pressed the button on his keys to call the car.


    "The cold... with my fur I don''t feel it nearly as much. I''m not even wearing shoes and I feel fine."


    My mom didn''t comment. She looked over me the same way everyone did. That mix of so many thoughts, unsure how to respond.


    Despite the continued existence of my problems however, I felt... calm. I felt wrapped in a blanket fitted to my body. My ears could pick up the echoes of the wind against nearby mountains. And as always, I realized again how much smell factored into everyday experience. It felt... simple, focusing on these senses. I curled my fur covered toes, the snow crunching beneath my footpads. I felt free. I was outside. The world was there in front of me again, even though it was veiled in the dark of the night.


    The car stopped in front of us, and I got into the backseat with my bags of things. Even though I felt fine outside, it did feel good being out of the weather, even though the car''s heater had only just barely started running.


    Dad let out a long breath, leaning back in his seat as we drove away from the Generation facilities. We were halfway home when Dad finally sat back up straight. He turned off the car''s main display.


    "Matt, turn off your tablet," he instructed, turning back to face me.


    "Okay..."


    He kept his eyes on me while I did it, and then when the light on my tablet went out, he turned back forward.


    "We did it," he sighed. "Hopefully."


    "Did... what?" I asked. "A lot of... illegal things?"


    "Yes," Dad said, "Thank you for staying mostly quiet and not asking too many questions."


    "Okay..."


    "Hand me that SD card in the Switch case."


    I did so.


    "This thing," he held it up, "is a very, very valuable prize. It came at a very high risk. No one but us can know about this."


    "Al - alright."


    "No one. Not Ashley. Not Jackie. Not your friends."


    "What is it?"


    "Very important data," he said. "We lost the quantum supercomputer, and so now we''ll have to comb through it by hand. The bottomline is, it''s company secrets about the treatment that we have now stolen. If I get caught with this, I could go away for a long, long time. Understand?"


    "Yes," I said weakly. This situation was pounding stressfully against my brain. I was not ready for this.


    "I apologize for the theatrics with the fall and everything," Dad said, "but the security cameras are all over. If - and likely when - people start going through all the footage on those cameras, the worst they''ll see is a frustrated employee jumping ship - just like all the others, and getting his son out of there."


    "And stealing a switch," I mumbled.


    He chuckled. "Like I said, they owe us. If I owe anything to anyone, it''s the people of the world who are afflicted with the virus, who need all this leaked data. And heaven willing, I''m going to spend the rest of my life fighting for them."

 Chapter 21

    There was a very... unclear feeling waking up in my own bed.


    I had slept on my stomach - which with my tail in the way, had become the most comfortable sleeping position. I got up on my knees. Looking around my room, I felt like a stranger there. All my possessions that I''d had from my eighteen years of life seemed to belong to someone else - Matt Hewitt, a normal person.


    But now I was Matt Hewitt, the dog boy. I got out of bed and stood up, looking into the mirror on my dresser. I felt strangely sickened seeing my reflection. My strange, fur covered body was invading normal reality. This was me now. It would stay that way for at least a very long time - if not forever.


    No. It couldn''t be forever. I had to believe that they''d find a way to change me back to normal - and besides that... I couldn''t change my entire outlook on the future because of Jackie. I... felt really good around her. I felt happy with her. But I couldn''t just assume that it was going to lead to a serious relationship. We''d been forced together by circumstance, and I didn''t know that it would last.


    Despite all this, for now, I could not change that reflection. Perhaps the strangest thing of all, ironically, was how... normal it looked. It felt like I had always had fur, floppy ears, and a tail. They looked completely abnormal, and yet at the same time, when I tried to imagine my normal looking face there, the face staring back at me blocked it out. It was the new normal. It was the reality that I could not change.


    In the end, I just had to learn to accept this - I was half human, half golden retriever. It was going to be difficult, but I didn''t have cancer, I was healthy... and I didn''t look hideous. I looked strange, out of the ordinary - but I had that caveman brain impulse that told me that I was looking at a dog, and dogs were friends.


    I licked my wet snout, and let myself pant, smiling slightly. Panting still helped me relax. I wasn''t sure if I could ever feel comfortable visibly panting in front of other people... but I at least didn''t want to be ashamed when doing it while alone.


    I took a deep breath, and let my tail wag as well. It had been tugging on my mind, itching to wag. And gosh... it felt good. I liked this additional way of expressing my emotion, the way it just subconsciously made me want to grin. I knew it was the canine instinct that had crept into me... but I also knew that I''d always felt okay with panting. And I did remember... I''d had a habit of shaking my butt as a kid as well - that Mom and Dad had repeatedly gotten on my case about it... just like the panting.


    It was hard to know where original, human me ended and dog me began. Maybe I''d never been fully normal... fully human. Maybe I''d always been destined to be a dog boy.


    I stopped panting, and stared at that dog boy in the mirror.


    "That''s me," I whispered to that foreign reflection. "And I can''t change that. I''ve always been a bit of a dog boy, and I''m going to accept who I am."


    My reflection stared back. It was mine. That reflection was me, Matt Hewitt. I smiled. That canine-like face smiled back. It was my smile. And I accepted that.


    I licked my nose again, and wagged my tail, keeping that determined smile. I would face the outside world at some point, but at least here, by myself, I was going to let myself be happy in spite of what had happened to me.


    No... not in spite. In acceptance of it. Accepting that I liked some of this in part, and I wasn''t going to fight it. Not anymore.


    It was nearly ten o'' clock, and after several days of not showering, not since I had grown my fur, I needed a shower. Walking across the hall to the bathroom, I found a pair of clothes folded on the counter, a nicely made hole in the pants. Next to it was a bottle of shampoo with a sticky note attached.


    I hope that this works for you. I''m sorry if it might feel a bit... degrading, but it should be able to get you clean.


    - Mom


    I looked over the bottle. It was green, and clearly labeled as dog shampoo, a happy running golden retriever on the front. I took note of a smaller text, that said it helped to prevent fleas.


    Fleas. Gross. I hadn''t considered with all my fur that fleas were now a possibility. No, I wasn''t going to bristle at having to use pet shampoo, if the alternative was bugs crawling in my fur.


    Upon getting in front of the shower''s jets of water, I immediately realized why dogs hated baths. It felt horrible. The smell of wet dog permeated the bathroom, and I immediately was soaked through. I''d never liked the feeling of having wet clothes on, and this was like having a thick wet sweater over your whole body you couldn''t take off.


    I sighed, and adjusted the temperature. After a while though, the warm water still was relaxing, and I got used to the annoying feeling of the drenched fur. Then the shampoo - it took forever, but eventually I got completely lathered up. In an odd way, it felt kind of satisfying scrubbing down into there, getting it all clean. I finally topped it all off by grabbing my normal shampoo, and getting at my island of normal human hair on top of my head. I rinsed off, and then turned off the water.


    I was left there, sopping wet, fur drooping off my arms, legs, and tail, and some getting a bit into my eyes. It felt awful. I wanted it off. I vigorously shook back and forth, flinging the water off my body.


    Huh.


    It took a second to process it, but I''d just... acted like a dog. The impulse to do it had come out of nowhere. I let out a nervous chuckle, and kept shaking. Surprisingly, I was able to get a lot of the water off. I found myself laughing. It felt so... silly. But it worked. Looking around at water droplets and some bits of stray wet dog hair all over though, perhaps next time I''d do it before  I got out of the shower.


    Drying off with a towel did not help as much as I would''ve liked. I did however, succeed in shedding fur all over it. I groaned, realizing that dog hair everywhere was going to be my life now - and that it probably would not be enjoyed by everyone else.


    I looked at myself in the mirror again. With the larger mirror, I could see my whole body. I still had the frame and muscular shapes of a normal person - but several select places were more canine like - it was like I was some living mr potato head that a kid had mixed up with a different one''s features for fun - if that made any sense. I was just glad I wasn''t walking on all fours, and that outside of my face, tail, hands, and feet, I wasn''t too different. Except the fur of course.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    The fur was getting dry, but it still felt too wet to put clothes on. This led to me getting out the hair dryer. I''d honestly never used one before, but it thankfully wasn''t too difficult. It actually felt somewhat nice, feeling the warm air blow against my fur. As I was drying off, I also noticed a brush on the counter with another sticky note - saying that brushing regularly would hopefully reduce shedding.


    By the time I was done drying off and giving myself a decent brushing, I fully realized how nice it felt to be clean. My fur smelled nice now, and was nice and fluffy, shining a clear golden brown.


    Though it was new and unfamiliar, I couldn''t deny that in that moment, I felt and looked good.


    My fur still proved an annoyance when getting on clothes however, lumping and folding in uncomfortable directions. Although I tried to smooth it over, it soon became a useless task. I guessed it would just have to be something I''d need to learn to ignore.


    Ending it off with combing my normal hair, and pulling my tail through the back of my pants, I smiled at that dog boy looking back at me, feeling satisfied. I looked weird, I looked goofy maybe with my big ears - but it was still me. And maybe those goofy big ears suited me.


    I laughed, shaking my head from side to side, watching them flop around. I felt a whisper in the back of my mind that I should feel ashamed of this - but I cast it aside. At my happiest, I was always a goofy person - and in a way, I felt like being a goofy looking dog suited me.


    But upon opening the bathroom door, my private moment of freedom dissipated. There were people out there in the world who didn''t see this the way I was growing to see it. People like my own family.


    I slowly walked downstairs, and faced my mom and dad sitting at the kitchen table.


    "Good morning," I said with a swallow.


    "Morning," they answered back. I could tell they were trying hard to maintain a smile.


    "Did you sleep well in your own bed?" Mom asked.


    I pulled up a chair, and carefully sat down, pulling my tail through the slats in the back.


    "Yeah," I said, "but I guess I''m going to have to rethink how I sleep, with this little devil in the way."


    I grabbed my tail, making a frustrated smile.


    "So you took a shower?" Mom asked. "Was it too difficult?"


    "Ehh. It wasn''t very fun. I''ll get used to it."


    "At least you smell a lot better," Dad remarked.


    I chuckled. "Yeah... it feels good for my fur to be all clean."


    "You want some pancakes?" Dad asked.


    "Cereal is fine."


    "No," he said, "you deserve a nice, better breakfast today after this week. I''ll get out some bacon too."


    "Bacon... does sound very good."


    Dad glanced to me, and once again tried his best to smile - but his eyes gave it all away.


    "Have you guys... gotten used to me yet?"


    Mom and Dad both glanced to me with a confused, but slightly ashamed look.


    "If I''m going to be honest... I''m sorry Matt," Mom said. "It''s going to take some time. How about we just focus on something else?"


    I shook my head. "No, just... you''ve gotta confront it same as me. I gave myself some long hard looks in the mirror today, and decided I wasn''t going to let myself be scared of this any more. I''m the weird dog boy, and that''s who I am."


    Mom made a drawn out breath. "I guess so."


    A thumping came down the stairs, and a tired Ashley came around the corner.


    We locked eyes as she saw the new me for the first time.


    She froze still. She started hyperventilating.


    I sprang up from my chair, and quickly but calmly walked over to her.


    "Ashley, it''s okay."


    "Oh gosh... oh gosh..."


    "Just... stay calm. It''s me. It Matt."


    She glanced wildly around the room, looking anywhere where I wasn''t. Her arms trembled uncontrollably. I gently held her by her arms.


    "Just... breathe. It''s okay." I let out a timid laugh.


    "You''re... you''re an animal. you have a tail... and dog ears...."


    "Yes Ashley. I know it''s weird, and I know - "


    "I just... I just can''t do this!"


    She spun around, and started running back to the stairs.


    "Ashley!" I grabbed her arm.


    "Please," I pleaded, "just... calm down. I know this is a lot to take in at once, and you don''t know how to feel right now, but I''m okay. I look different, I look weird, but I''m still your brother. I''m still the same person."


    She made eye contact with me. Her breathing slowed as she stared, looking over my transformed self. She slowly relaxed, and stepped back down the stairs - but her whole body was still visibly trembling.


    "This... th - this feels like a messed up dream. I feel like I''m imagining this all, and I''m going to wake up and everything will be normal again."


    "I''m sorry Ashley, but this isn''t a dream. I''ve been living through this the whole week... and I can''t deny what''s happened anymore."


    She gingerly stepped up to me, and ran her fingers along my fur covered arm. She looked back up to my face, with my slight muzzle and snout.


    "Gosh...," she shook again. "I''m... I''m sorry Matt, that I''m acting like a wreck, but... this is just unreal. Everything in my brain is telling me what I''m seeing doesn''t make any sense."


    "I know," I sighed. "Just... try to get used to it... please?"


    Ashley didn''t say anything else, and walked into the kitchen. Unfortunately, I made no further headway with her - or really in getting Mom or Dad to look at me more casually either. Sadly, they mostly avoided looking at me - or at least it felt like it.


    I did get Dad''s attention however when I was eating my breakfast - and I was wagging my tail. I hadn''t even really thought anything of it until I realized he was staring at me. He appeared... slightly unnerved. I felt ashamed. I felt like I didn''t want to wag my tail in front of him again. Or the rest of them for that matter.


    I couldn''t really control licking my nose - I needed to do that - but everything else that I could control... I subdued.


    It was a little, small thing experiencing all that, but it hit me with the sad realization, that even if I grew to fully accept my new self... it would be a struggle for the world to even tolerate it.


    I saw it in their eyes. All of them loved Matt Hewitt - but they loved the Matt Hewitt that had sat here a week before. I was an impostor.

 Chapter 22

    Jackie Thatcher was on an emotional roller coaster. That had been the case from the moment her nose had started turning upward and becoming damp, but now that she was home, after all she had gone through, it felt like her mood was swinging like nothing else.


    With Matt around, she''d felt pressure to restrain herself at least a little bit - but now she was alone in her room. She''d woken up and looked in her mirror - and seen her true self there. Who she''d always wanted to be. In private, she could smile back at it, wag her tail, and bask in all the amazing senses.


    She felt like her brain was just shooting her with dopamine. Something she''d dreamed about since she was little, and had read a book about a girl becoming a dog, had finally come true.


    But then she looked at texts from friends, asking her about what had happened. Those who knew asked for pictures, those who didn''t voiced that they suspected she had "the canine virus."


    And then she would swing from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. She sobbed uncontrollably into her pillow, feeling like she might puke from how awful she felt. She spent the whole day alone in that cycle. With her mom working downstairs, Jackie was left to bounce back and forth, between crying from happiness and crying from grief.


    She felt ashamed. She doubted if she really wanted this or if it would get old and obnoxious quickly.


    She''d read a story once her sophomore year, about a "monkey''s paw" - it granted wishes, but twisted, cursed ones. She had wished all her life for this, and now the finger on the monkey''s paw had curled. She ran through imaginary scenarios in her mind, imagining that she''d instead wished to become a full dog - as if that would have affected the real world outcome.


    But that wasn''t what she wanted. She wanted to still have a normal life. She still wanted to talk to her friends and family. And what if she had fully changed into a dog? What if she was now her mom''s pet, and Matt had become a pet himself? Would she really be happy?


    Multiple times since getting home, in a half delirious state, she whispered to the universe, or God, and asked that the transformation would make her fully a dog. She wanted to escape all this. She wanted to stop worrying about the outside world and how everyone would inevitably reject her.


    She knew that was false. Despite that, she kept telling the lie to herself anyway. She was stuck in a black hole of hopelessness and it felt like she''d need to break physics to escape. There was no point in fighting it. The world was not going to announce tomorrow that everyone was going to welcome the deformed dog creatures. She may as well accept that she was going to be mocked, attacked, hated, and shunned by everyone out there.


    Parts of her insisted on fighting against that. Even as she cried against her pillow, ready to tear it to pieces with how angry she was that the world sucked so much, she knew that even though they would have a hard time at first, her friends and family did care about her. Matt cared about her.


    No. She''d seen how he''d reacted after she''d told him that she was a furry. He had been weirded out, but how would all the normal people react to finding out that she liked this? They would find out. People at school would notice her happily wagging her tail. They''d see what a sick weird person she was.


    And again she thought of Matt. Even if he seemed to accept her now, how would he change his tune if she was more honest? How would he really react if she admitted she had fallen for him more and more as he''d changed into a dog? How would she ever tell him without breaking apart that she thought he looked so cute the way he smiled with his big floppy ears? She was certain that he was thinking about what she''d already said, that he was wracking his brain about how weird she was, that she enjoyed this herself, and found him attractive as a dog person.


    Gosh... she just felt so gross. She hated it. She hated that she was this way. There was no escape. Every potential future for her was awful. They could come up with a cure, and she would feel ashamed as everyone wondered why she didn''t change back - and if she did change back, she would feel miserable.


    Throughout her life, she had read about, and seen  people who didn''t care what others thought of them. But she wasn''t one of those people. She was not going to become some trailblazer fighting impossible odds. They were impossible odds after all, and it was therefore impossible to stand against them.


    They were all right. What she was obsessed with... the very person she was... was wrong. It was not right for a human to be totally into having fur and a tail. She wasn''t human. She was subhuman. If she stayed this way, she''d endure a new form of prejudice - speciesism. People in the past had exercised every other form of hate under the sun - it had been terrible, but it had been against people. Human beings.


    But this was far different. She was willingly embracing a radical change to her genetics. She wanted to hold onto something that could turn horrible and cancerous - and could be silently killing her even right now. She was no longer human, and looked so strange. The average person would forever see her as something bizarre and different.


    It just... didn''t feel fair. No way forward was good. Her future was bleak. There seemed to be little point in continuing... but she was scared of the alternative. She was scared of... everything.


    A knock came at the door.


    "Hey Jackie," her mom said.


    She was silent. Her mom opened the door. Jackie was facedown against her pillow, but heard her mom sigh, and sit down on the bed next to her.


    "I guess I can''t blame you for what you''re feeling right now."


    "I hate this Mom," she sobbed. "I just... everything about this is so... so stupid."


    Jackie felt her mom press her hand against her back, rubbing the fur. It was meant to be a comforting gesture, but instead only made her feel embarrassed. She also realized that her tail was sticking up in the air behind her, plain to see.


    There was silence. Well, her mom was quiet. Nothing was really silent anymore with her powerful ears. She could hear the TV on downstairs, all the house''s appliances running... it was something she wasn''t sure she could live with.


    "Everyone," Jackie cried, "is going to hate me. People will make fun of me. My friends will be afraid to be around me..."


    "Well," her mom said, "there are people like Matt - other people who changed that will understand you."


    "No," she said, burying her face - and her newly formed muzzle and snout - into her pillow. "They don''t... they don''t...."


    "They don''t what?"


    "They don''t... get me."


    "What do you mean?"


    Jackie let out a big sob. She felt awful, like absolute crap. Her facial fur was stained with tears, and the crying had stuffed up her sinuses - which felt weird with the changes. Now she had to talk about this.


    "You... you remember...," she sputtered, "what I''ve told you."


    "I think so," her mom said. "What specifically?"


    She groaned. "Mom... please don''t make me talk about this again. Please don''t make me talk about this... please don''t make me dwell on what a weird person I am."


    Her mom let out a breath, and Jackie could feel the frustration contained in it.


    "Jackie... listen. I''m just... gosh. When I found out you were changing like this, I was livid. Going through this the first time when you were little was so awful. After dad passed away, I had that lingering fear in the back of my mind that the cancer was going to return, and I''d have to face this alone.


    "Now...," she went on, "this has happened. I was so, so afraid that you were going to die, or that you were going to have worse changes..."


    Her mom wrapped her arms around her. Jackie lethargically sat up.


    "I''m just... I''m just grateful that you''re alive, and healthy."


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Jackie slowly craned her head up to briefly look in her mom''s eyes. "Mom... look at this. I''m alive and functioning, but I''m a monster. I''m going to have to endure this my whole life."


    "I''m sorry Jackie. It''s going to be hard... but I''ll be there with you however I can. And... I don''t love you any less, and I definitely don''t think that you''re a monster."


    "No," Jackie said. "I''m a messed up freak who... who... likes this."


    She could barely get the last few words out at a whisper.


    Her mom reached up and gently touched top of Jackie''s head, feeling at her ears.


    "I don''t understand it," she said, "but I love you. If liking how this feels will help you get through it, if it will help you be happy, then it''s okay to me."


    "Yeah mom," she said with an edge, "everyone is okay with this or that, but they still are weirded out. That''s what Matt has said too. I know that he is glad to be away from me. He''s a normal guy that this just happened to happen to. In my case it is a curse of the universe, giving me exactly what I wanted. I just - "


    "Jackie," her mom interrupted, "just... calm down. You''re under a lot of stress right now. I think that you''ll feel better as you get used to this."


    "I won''t," she said with finality. "Every time I relax, I''m going to start panting, and wagging my tail. I''m going to suddenly remember how much of a freak I am -"


    "Jackie, you are not a freak. You -"


    "I am a freak, mom. No normal human thinks this way. Now I''ve been cursed for my horrible messed up thoughts to show on the surface for the world to see. No one is ever going to want to be around me. I''m going to end up -"


    "There are much worse people in the world Jackie. I''m not going to lie - this is odd. But being odd is not the same as being a freak. You want to be different, and that''s okay. As long as you''re not harming anyone, or yourself, it''s fine."


    Jackie breathed slowly, but forcefully. Her blood felt hot in her veins.


    "I do want to hurt someone mom. I want to hurt Matt. I want him to stay this way. Even if they find a cure, I want him to stay a mutant dog person. All because of me. Because I''m selfish. I don''t want to be with him, or anyone, if they''re a normal human and I''m a mutant dog person. All because I have a sick mind that is... is into this. That thinks that a dog person is more attractive than a normal person... gosh I hate talking about this. I hate hate hate hate it so much..."


    Jackie''s mom hugged her again. It didn''t make Jackie feel better.


    "We all have different feelings," she said. "In the end what Matt wants to do is his choice. But considering you two were caught sleeping in the same bed he must think you look at least a little cute as a dog girl."


    Jackie groaned, pushing out of the hug. "I don''t like it. It''s not okay for people to have these kinds of feelings. Matt shouldn''t... like this."


    She gestured at her body. Her horrible, deformed body.


    "You are all going through something really strange," her mom said, "and very difficult. I''d be surprised if it wasn''t putting you through equally weird thoughts. I''m... going to be honest Jackie, I''m not the person to talk to with that more sensitive stuff. Your dad was always much better at talking about emotional things. I''ve always been the analytical one."


    Jackie felt several tears leak from her eyes. "I know. He''d be really disgusted by - "


    "Jackie," her mom grabbed her shoulders tightly, "Your dad... I don''t know if he''s still out there somewhere, but I know that if he is, and if he can see us, he still loves you. We tried for years to have a child, and when we finally had you, he loved you more than you could know."


    "I do know," Jackie said. "I''ve been thinking about every day I was with him nonstop in these agonizingly long past few years. I just can''t help but feel like I''m being a failure to him. You and dad worked so hard to get careers and have a family, and it''s produced me. And knowing how messed up I am, I don''t want to force the world to endure whatever more messed up children I would bring into the world."


    Her mom''s eyes glistened in the dim light. "Jackie, it is up to you, but if you have kids, I will love them so much. I don''t care what they look like, I''m going to love being their grandma. You''re not disappointing dad''s memory. I know that he would want to support who you want to be."


    Jackie''s mom sat silently for a bit. She didn''t know how to help, Jackie could tell. She was grasping at straws, struggling to think of a way to comfort her daughter, and likely feeling horrible and anxious. It only made Jackie feel worse, that she was such a lost cause and was causing someone to feel so much pain over her.


    "Jackie," her mom said, "just... hold on. Just try to breathe, calm down. You''ve been through an extremely difficult experience, and you need some time to process it. Just try to focus on the positives."


    Jackie let out a small cry. "I''m sorry mom. I''m sorry for the way I am."


    "Don''t feel sorry," her mom said. "Just... it is weird, but it is what you seem to feel comfortable with. If you''re constantly fighting with yourself, you aren''t going to be happy."


    Jackie groaned. "I know."


    "So what are you going to do?"


    "Continue feeling miserable."


    "That''s not an option," her mom said. "your option is to learn to accept your new self, or work to tolerate what''s happened, and wean yourself away from these feelings in a healthy way."


    "I''m not going to be able to give up these feelings," Jackie said. "I just... can''t."


    "Then I guess that only leaves one viable option."


    Jackie looked down at her body. She looked at the strange fur, shining all the different shades of gold and tan. She stared at her padded fingers. It felt impossible, but it was real. It felt right to her. It felt comfortable. And she wished she knew why.


    "I... I wish I knew... why I feel this way."


    "Something that always frustrated me about biology," her mom said, "Is that feelings can have an explanation - different neurons fire in our brains, different receptors pick up different chemicals... but they don''t really explain why we are the way that we are. You can''t come up with a logical reason for everything, sadly. All I can say about emotions is... just don''t get caught up in that. Let yourself feel the way you naturally want to feel. You need to control those feelings of course... but if it makes you happy and isn''t hurting anything..."


    "It hurts my self image," Jackie said. "It''s super embarrassing. Out in the world I feel so much stronger, more competitive. I don''t want to feel like a sad pathetic dog girl."


    "Then be a cheerful and strong dog girl," her mom smiled. "Show those people out there who''s boss. Show them that you''ll be who you want to be and don''t care what they say."


    Jackie breathed deeply, wiping the tears from her furry cheeks. She pushed down the urge for another contrary response. She was simply too exhausted. "Okay."


    Her mom stood up. "I think that you should find something productive to do. Clean your room, walk outside a bit in the yard, anything that will give you a break from your mind for a bit."


    "Okay."


    She hugged Jackie one last time, being more close, pressing her face against hers. "It''s going to be alright sweetie. Sad days don''t last forever."


    Jackie sighed. For that brief moment she relented, letting herself wag her tail, and letting herself believe that maybe someday, things would be better.

 Chapter 23

    It was slow going adjusting to living normal life again.


    Well, as normal as life could be when we were quarantined. A week and a half earlier, before my world had been upended, the time off from school would''ve be nice maybe - but instead, we were all stuck inside, and to my annoyance, on a snow day that would''ve been nice to hang out with my friends.


    So I just lounged about, noticing that Ashley was avoiding me whenever possible. My mom would peek into my room, asking if the heat was too high, if she had some music on downstairs too loud... or she''d been reading some news article that said that most canis people were very allergic to dark chocolate - but most could eat milk chocolate. I thankfully was able to eat normal chocolate fine - but gosh it made me sad knowing how many little things were going to be different now.


    It was just all of those smaller things. I still was getting used to my new body, and having to get comfortable with fur all over me. Grabbing stuff felt weird with my paw-pads - but surprisingly, the extra cushion of my finger pads made it easier to play guitar. I had to change the way I strummed however.


    Then there was the simple act of getting a drink. During the time I''d been transforming all of the week before, I''d been drinking out of a water bottle, or a cup with a straw. It was when I''d tried to simply drink out of a glass of water that I''d made of fool of myself, somehow spilling a bunch on my shirt. In shame, Mom had filled a bowl up with water - and sure enough, I was able to lap it up like a dog.


    I''d opted to drink with a straw now instead.


    It was just an endless give and take. It was no longer a roller coaster with big highs and big lows, but just a really bumpy road I''d rather not be on. Despite it all, I was done feeling sorry for myself. I was going to stick through this with the stubbornness of a boulder, and live my life no matter what happened. And with that, I made it clear to my family that I wasn''t going to fight my canine instincts.


    While some changes I was not very fond of, others I actually did. They were all part of me, and perhaps had always been there, buried deep. I needed to pant, I wanted to wag my tail. I wasn''t going to apologize. I knew they found it uncomfortable, but they would have to get used to it.


    Dealing with the discomfort of my family was tough though. I felt loneliness in a way I hadn''t in a while. I''d felt it while I was cooped up in that patient room at Generation. It felt a bit different now though, where it was hard for my mind to fully process things, because it was such a unique situation. Now I was at home in my own room - and I still felt lonely.


    It was now the Wednesday after I''d gotten back home. Only a few days really, and the quarantine was starting to wear on me. I didn''t care if it was super awkward, I unironically wanted to go back to school - and not the awful online homework I was having to do. I wanted to see my friends again.


    I knew that an obvious solution to this was to call them and see how they were doing - but I still felt like a high wall of awkwardness stood in front of that. I just... was not ready to talk to Douglas and Wendy, or especially Ted.


    Jackie did understand me. Perhaps more than anyone. We''d been through all of this together, and we''d had all those private moments. And now... I felt like I was starting to know even deeper how she felt. I started finding myself imagining what it would be like if Dad discovered a cure... and what it would feel like to not have my tail anymore. To not be able to fully sense the world with my nose and ears. Thinking back to before my transformation... it seemed... dulled.


    It wasn''t just the reduced senses, it was a feeling somehow that I... felt more right this way. Like in some way before, I''d felt subtly uncomfortable in a way I''d never known.


    When Jackie had first told me she felt this way, it had been so... odd to me. I was in a state of shock, unable to understand why someone would ever want this... but in the days since, as I grew more used to this, I felt the bizarre sensation of actually... liking it. Was this something that was common to all people our age who''d gotten the treatment? Had it altered the neural paths in our developing minds? Or... or were Jackie and I just weird?


    I wanted to call her. Wanted to talk to her. But I felt a sort of blankness. I didn''t know what to say. When we were trapped together at Generation, in the nightmare of our bodies transforming before our eyes, I felt something in me that wanted to be brave and bold. I wanted to comfort her in her time of need. But now I felt some amount of normal reality returning - and now I had lost that adrenaline boosted sense of action.


    Jackie was once again, one of those strange scary people known as "girls" that I didn''t know how to talk to, who could reject me. And I hated that. I hated that after all I had gone through with her, after she had obviously felt something for me, I wasn''t calling her even just to check up on her. I felt crappy. Had she expected me to call her? If she had, she probably was extremely sad now. She probably thought that I had been weirded out by her, and had tossed her aside the moment I could get away.


    Sitting on my bed, I put my face in my hands. I felt so stupid. But now if she felt like I had just tossed her off, calling her now would feel even more awkward. I''d told myself that she''d probably need a day or two of a break from me - but now I had given her four.


    Jackie had been the first girl that I''d really felt something more than a crush with - and if I wanted that to go somewhere, I had to act. I did want to date her when that became possible. I did want a girlfriend. It was January 30th, and if I wanted to do something special for her on Valentine''s Day, I probably needed to start thinking about it now.


    "Matt," my mom called from downstairs, "dinner''s ready!"


    I sighed, and stood up off my bed. I felt dumb. I was squandering this opportunity with Jackie - a girl who was a bit strange - but who maybe loved the strangeness in me too. I had no idea if I was going to find that in another girl. All this also made me wonder if I needed to talk to my other friends sooner rather than later. If I pushed it off, I might find them growing more and more distant. I couldn''t let that happen. I determined that as soon as dinner was over, I was calling Jackie, and Douglas.


    Before I''d even left my room, I was able to pick out the distinct smells of everything on the table - tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, beef - it was tacos, obviously. I could even smell the tortillas, which before I wouldn''t have considered having a smell.


    I came down the stairs with a bit of a smile, but that mood was immediately soured when Ashley''s eyes bore down on me.


    "Well," I said, "staring works in place of saying hi I guess."


    "Matt," Mom said, "she didn''t mean anything of it."


    "Oh she did, even unintentionally. I don''t care, I just want you all to know that I don''t think it''s very nice."


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Please just have patience Matt," Mom sighed. "This is a big change, and something we''re not going to adjust to in a week."


    I stifled saying anything more.


    "How is the work going dear?" she changed the subject, turning to Dad.


    He looked very tired. Not as much as he had when I''d seen him last week, but still unmistakably stressed.


    "Better than I would''ve hoped," he said as he began preparing a taco. "Clive made an offer to another company about an hour away that is looking for a number of new employees. They seem uncertain whether to take on people who just left a sinking ship, but it''s something."


    "So you''ll be able to keep working on a cure there?" Ashley asked.


    "Yes," Dad said, "but it will be a lot slower going without Generation''s supercomputer. We could outsource the computing, but the nature of what we''re doing..."


    "Using the illegal data," I said.


    Dad gave me a sharp, disgruntled look. "Be careful Matt, flippantly saying that. We don''t know if anyone could be watching and listening."


    Dad had taken all our tablets and run some cleaning software on them to lock out any kind of bug. He''d also checked for physical bugs in the house twice now.


    "It''s okay Lucas," Mom said, "I think you''re getting a bit paranoid."


    "I know," Dad swallowed a bite of taco. "I know. There''s just... a lot riding on this. I have a responsibility to do something - but I also no longer have a job, or at least a real one."


    Dad thankfully, had ways of still providing income to us - fortunately and unfortunately, because of the worldwide crisis, there were plenty of companies and organizations that needed help with consultation work, and Dad was very experienced with the virus. I did know however, that Mom and Dad were the kind of parents to hide financial struggles.


    After talking with Dad for a bit, I got the impression that Mom was similarly worn out by the conversation about the work he was doing. The state the world in was unavoidable. It affected pretty much everything.


    "Have you talked with Jackie since you got home Matt?" Mom asked me.


    I''d just finished putting together a taco. "No," I sighed. "I know I need to. I just wanted to give her a bit of a breather. I don''t want to come across as overbearing."


    "I think that''s considerate," Dad said, "but it isn''t as if she''s busy doing anything right now. And honestly, seeing that you two became... rather close, you probably should have called her on Monday or something."


    I groaned. "I''m afraid that I''ve accidentally sent a bad message."


    "Yup," Dad simply said. "I''d probably get to calling her after dinner."


    I didn''t feel much like discussing that any more either. The rest of dinner wasn''t really all that good for conversation. With no other recourse, Mom was left trying to discuss a show she''d been watching. Everyone was just really tired.


    As dinner was winding down, Ashley got up and walked into the kitchen. I barely registered it as she filled a glass that had been sitting on the counter up with water, and downed it. I suddenly felt a massive jolt go through me.


    "Ashley!"


    She flinched, nearly knocking the glass onto the ground as she placed it back down.


    "Matt? What the heck? I nearly -"


    "I drank out of that glass!"


    She went pale. Mom and Dad similarly went into shock. The situation was vividly clear in our minds.


    The most recent information coming out of the news said that the virus appeared to not transmit after people with it finished changing - but no one was certain. And that glass was filled with my DNA, and tons of it.


    Though I normally was getting my water through a water bottle or a straw, that time I''d been lazy. It had always been a normal, if probably gross thing. We just left glasses sitting on the counter, sharing the same germs. Now it had incurred a terrible cost.


    Ashley was spitting into the sink, gargling water from the tap.


    "How in the world," I asked, "Did you not notice that the water tasted like gross dog spit?"


    "I''m sorry," Ashley yelled, "that I wasn''t the one who left a contaminated - "


    "Quiet!" Dad stood up from the table.


    We all became still.


    "What''s done," he breathed in shakily, obviously furious, "is done. You swallowed that water Ashley, and there''s no changing that now. All we can do is see what happens."


    "Dad," Ashley began to tear up, "No. Please, just like... maybe if I drink more water, it will dilute it, and - "


    "No Ashley," he said. "I''m not going to lie. There''s nothing we can do."


    Ashley stood there for a moment in silence, and then slowly made her way upstairs. Mom and Dad turned their gaze to me.


    "Matt," Dad said, "I told you that everything you ate or drink with needed to immediately go into the dishwasher."


    "I''m sorry. But she should''ve - "


    "It doesn''t matter," Dad said. "A week from now there''s a chance that your sister is going to be changed. Just... dammit."


    My mom bent down over the table. I knew that she was crying, and trying very hard to hide it. Dad placed a hand on her back. He gave me a very harsh look. I couldn''t read the emotion in it. Anger? Disappointment?


    I grabbed up my dishes, and quickly rinsed them off, making sure to put them in the dishwasher. When I got back upstairs, I could very clearly hear Ashley crying through her bedroom door. It was soul crushing.


    Back in the privacy of my own room, I felt a few tears come - but they were hot, angry tears. Angry at myself, angry at Ashley for absentmindedly drinking from a glass that had obviously been used already...


    I felt awful. I knew that I should''ve called Jackie, but I felt in no state of mind to do so.


    I felt so terrible. I felt like a walking plague. Perhaps this was going to be even worse than being a canis person out in public. I was going to be seen by all as carrying a horrific, body altering disease, even years and years later.


    Just when I was starting to feel happy again, reality had to spit in my face.

 Chapter 24

    The next morning, I was greeted with some mercifully good news upon waking up. My tablet buzzed, and an automated message informed that the quarantine was loosening somewhat. Public places weren''t opening up really yet, but otherwise, visiting other people was alright.


    I pushed against my lethargy, and sent Jackie a text, simply asking if she wanted to go for a walk.


    She responded surprisingly quickly, with a simple yes, and then another text that she''d be waiting outside my house in a half an hour.


    I got out of bed, and took a shower, going through all that now entailed as quickly as I could. Despite the annoyance of getting all sopping wet, I was getting more and more adjusted to my fur - and as I was blow drying it, I found myself having a hard time imagining myself without it. Somehow the idea of having nothing covering my body... felt unnatural.


    I shook off the thought, and finished getting all dressed. I only put on a light jacket over a t-shirt, and jeans without shoes. I sensed that otherwise I might be too warm. I was not looking forward to the summer months.


    All I grabbed for breakfast was a granola bar before going out the door. Thankfully no one was in the kitchen. I was not interested in talking to my family right now.


    My fur prickled slightly as I entered the cold. Snow was on the ground, but none had fallen for a week or so. Despite being dressed more thin than I normally would be for the weather, I felt fairly comfortable. Overall it just felt so good to be outside. Sounds and smells flooded my canine senses.


    I just stood there a moment in front of my house, breathing slowly with my eyes closed. After so much stress recently, especially yesterday, I just needed a moment of calm. I didn''t even pant - with my muzzle, it was feeling easier to control it.


    I heard footsteps in front of me, and opened my eyes to see Jackie walking up. She was dressed in similarly light clothes. My mood fell a bit when I saw that she had a somber look in her eyes.


    "I hate shoes," she said.


    "You were trying to put shoes on?" I chuckled.


    "Yes, and I tried for ages and it wouldn''t work."


    She wiggled her paw-like toes against the frozen snow, seemingly trying to decipher the new experience.


    "So... uh, you wanna walk to the Junior HIgh?" I asked.


    "Sure."


    I considered trying to see if she wanted to hold hands, but she put her hands in her pockets before I could reach out.


    We didn''t talk much at first. It was just the crunching of the snow beneath our padded feet.


    "How has it been since you got home?" I finally asked.


    Jackie didn''t answer immediately. "Awful."


    I frowned, heaving a sigh. "I feel you."


    "I''m never going to adjust to this," Jackie whispered as she stared at the ground ahead of her. "Right now... I''m certain people are staring out of their windows... they''re silently judging us."


    I saw her breath starting to grow rapid, and I placed a hand on her shoulder.


    "Just... relax. We can''t control what others do. We can only choose how we''ll react to them."


    Jackie squeezed her eyes tight. "I know... I know."


    I took my hand off her shoulder. I could tell she had serious stuff going on in her head, but I had no idea what to say. I saw the glimmer of wetness in her eyes.


    "Jackie... we''ve been through this together. You can talk to me about it."


    She didn''t answer. A brief gust of icy wind blew around us. She grimaced slightly, but didn''t react much to it.


    "I care about you Jackie," I said. "I don''t know... well... I''m not sure where you want this to go... but I want to be there for you, if you want me to be."


    She sniffled. "I don''t know where I want anything to go Matt. Human Jackie''s life is over. Something new has taken her place. Maybe Jackie was never very human to begin with, and she was always faking it."


    "No," I said, leaning down to try to make eye contact with her, "you''re not a something. You''re Jackie, and that doesn''t change if your outside does."


    She was quiet. And then she let out a sob.


    "I hate my inside. I hate myself. I''m a freak."


    "Jackie," I said with sternness. I got in front of her, blocking her path. "You are not a freak. That is a terrible, terrible word, and I never, ever want to hear you use that word again."


    She looked up at me, stunned.


    "I know that you don''t want to care about yourself right now," I went on, "but I care about you. I hate seeing people in pain, in such awful spiraling depression. You do not want to feel this way. I know  you don''t want to feel this way. You want to be happy."


    She muttered something inaudibly, but it seemed she couldn''t find the words.


    "It''s okay to be happy Jackie," I said, grasping her upper arms. "Sitting alone in our rooms, crying in the dark is not going to make our lives any better. It''s not going to change anything. This is our life, and no amount of pining for a different reality will change that. So we have a choice. Stay still, and continue in awful depression, or stand up, and try to do something about it."


    Jackie loosed more tears. "I can''t - I can''t do anything about it. I''m stuck."


    "Talk to me," I said, pulling her forward into a walk again. "tell me what you''re feeling."


    She wheezed. "I... always... secretly wanted to be like this. I... I read a book about a girl who turned into a dog when I was little... and I began pretending to be a dog a lot. I sniffed at things a lot. I didn''t realize that I smelled way better than was normal."


    She trembled. "Gosh," she said... "I hate this. I hate talking about this."


    "Just go on," I said, "it''s okay."


    "Even... even when I got older, I still found myself fantasizing about it. And I messed up my brain. I know it. I became a f-furry. My mom and dad found out about that. I felt worse. When... when my dad died... I felt like such a failure to him."


    "I - "


    She cut me off. "I know. I know that he didn''t see it that way. But it felt like that. But now all this has happened. It''s all become real. And... gosh. I just feel like the two sides of me are playing tug of war with my body. I feel horribly ashamed one minute, and the next I''ve... I''ve felt so incredibly happy. Ever since getting home... being able to be as weird as I want in the privacy of my room... I''ve had such awful mood swings. One moment I''m panting and wagging my tail like crazy, the next I''ve collapsed to the floor, pulling at my fur, wishing I could tear it all out."


    I put my arm around her side, and she began crying harder as we walked. As she sobbed, she reached out to me, and on her own held my hand. I laced my fingers with hers, snugly pressing her paw pads against mine.


    I waited, in case she spoke further. She did not.


    "I have a confession to make Jackie."


    "Wh-what?"


    She looked into my eyes, hers fully pooled with tears.


    "I am not lying to you," I said, "I''m not just saying this to make you feel better - but I feel like since getting home, I''ve grown a lot more comfortable with my transformation."


    She took in a pained breath.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "I look in the mirror," I said, "and I feel like I see myself staring back. I look a little big goofy with my big ears..."


    I made a small chuckle. She did not react.


    "... but," I said, "I feel like that kind of fits my personality. Before all this, I liked messing around. I didn''t want to take myself too seriously. And I feel like... I honestly like how some of this feels. I feel like I can learn to make this who I am."


    Jackie wiped her eyes with her free arm. "I''m not sure if you''re lying Matt, but if you aren''t, you shouldn''t enjoy it. This... this isn''t right."


    "We don''t have much choice," I said. "Hate it and be depressed, or accept it and move on."


    "But I...," Jackie cried further, "I want to keep this. I always wanted this. Even if... even if a cure comes, I want to stay this way... because something is wrong with me."


    I felt around her hand with my fingers. It was hard to get a sense of how the paw pads felt when my own fingertips were now pads.


    We were getting close to the Junior High now. I thought back to what seemed like ages ago, but was really only a few weeks. The day that everything had begun to change.


    "You remember several weeks ago," I asked, "when we were playing in the snow?"


    She nodded slightly.


    "I let my secret habit slip."


    "You panted like a dog."


    "Yes," I said, "and I downplayed it. I only realize now that my tongue felt too big for my mouth... and some amount of canine instinct was there. I did enjoy panting. And I liked pretending that I was a dog too when I was little. I''ve realized that perhaps this has always been who I am."


    Jackie made several slow breaths before responding. "I started suspecting that day. I... I almost said something to you. I almost... almost spilled it all. Maybe if Douglas hadn''t been there..."


    She let out a long, groaning sigh. "I just... I felt so alone. The thought of someone... someone who knew what I was feeling... I should''ve said something."


    I smiled and met her eyes. "You just did say something, even if it took time. It''s okay. I understand. You can be as weird as you want with me. I''m weird too."


    She looked away from me, back to the ground. She was silent as we came around the back of the junior high, near where we''d had our game of capture the flag weeks back. I patiently walked with her, and we sat down on one of the outdoor cafeteria tables. We carefully positioned our tails as we sat. Thankfully, the uncomfortable bumpy texture of the benches was cushioned a bit by my fur.


    "I like this," Jackie whispered. "Like... I really like this. I''ve never felt more... more like me."


    "That''s awesome Jackie."


    She squeezed my hand.


    "Do you actually like me?"


    "Of course."


    "No," she said. "Like... like me, like me."


    I searched my thoughts. It didn''t take long to find my response.


    "Yes," I smiled, leaning in close to meet her eyes. "I... I''d had a crush on you for a long time. And now... I think being a golden retriever fits you."


    Finally, after so many tears, I saw the hint of a quivering smile come to her face.


    "I think you look cute this way," I said.


    Jackie trembled, but she held her gaze into my eyes. "I.. I didn''t really think much about you until the day out in the snow. But when you were panting... I felt awful. I kept... I kept imagining you as an anthro dog. And... now it''s real."


    She was silent. Once again, she had to force it out with a whisper. "I... I think you... you look really cute.  Especially your big floppy ears."


    I laughed, and shook my head a bit, flopping them around. "I think I wear them pretty good."


    Her smile was growing, even though I could tell she felt embarrassed to be smiling. I hugged her. We sat there in that embrace for a while. She rubbed my back, feeling as my fur shifted position. It felt nice.


    "Your fur looks... really clean and shiny," she said.


    "Thanks. Showers aren''t very fun but it feels good to be all fluffy after."


    She smiled a bit more firmly. "Yeah. It smells good too."


    I wagged my tail gently, and turned my head, and pressed my wet snout against hers. It was an odd sensation, and she giggled. Gosh... she looked so cute when she was happy.


    I kissed her. She leaned into it. Gradually as we kissed, I saw her relax. She began wagging her tail. We scratched each other behind the ears. And then she licked my face. I licked her back. We were both very weird. I was okay with that.


    It ended too soon. I didn''t want to push her though. After pulling out of the kiss, she rested her head against me. Other than her twitching ears, she barely moved.


    "Are you cold?" I asked.


    "No," she said, "I have my blanket on."


    She nuzzled my chest as I scratched one of her ears.


    "How do you feel?" I whispered to her.


    "Better. I feel... much better."


    "I know it will take time to adjust," I said, "but at least with me, I want you to be yourself."


    "Okay."


    I leaned down and gave her a quick kiss.


    "Thank you," she said.


    "And thank you too. Yesterday... yesterday was... was a hard day."


    Jackie sat up, but remained close. "What... happened?"


    I sighed. "I was stupid. My sister was stupid. Long story short, Ashley has a good chance of contracting canis."


    "Gosh..."


    "My parents are both mad at me. Ashley... I''m not sure if she''s going to talk to me in the next thousand years... I just feel sick."


    "I''m sorry Matt."


    "It''s okay," I said. "What''s done is done."


    Jackie sighed. "Do you want to hang out at my house the rest of the day while it blows over?"


    "Yes," I said. "I''m not sure how much it''ll blow over in a day... or if it ever will, but I just don''t want to be around any of them for now."


    "I hope you all figure it out."


    "I don''t know what there is to figure out," I said. "it''s happened. I''m sure that they already know by now if she''s going to change."


    "Well whatever happens," Jackie said... "I''ll try to be there for you."


    I smiled. "And same for you."


    Jackie stood up, and offered her hand to me. I accepted the gesture gladly We walked around a bit more, examining our old snow forts. They were misshapen, covered in new layers of snow. Throughout the snow I saw vague depressions, remains of our footprints.


    I found myself looking between them and the tracks that I was now leaving in the snow. These tracks had the shape of a human foot, but my longer canine nails now pressed into the snow, as well as my paw-pads. It was obvious even just from my footprints the strange nature of who I now was.


    So much had changed in the time since that Friday afternoon weeks ago. I could only imagine what my life would look like six months from now, let alone years in the future.


    But today, I wanted to focus on the now. I wanted to focus on Jackie. My girlfriend.

 Chapter 25

    "Then I take it everything is in order?"


    "Yes," Lucas said, looking around the lab full of equipment, "it is. I''d prefer that there were better equipment, but it is enough to keep going."


    "Given the circumstances Dr. Hewitt," the employee, Wesley, said behind his mask, "it''s astonishing the company hired you and the others."


    "And tell them that we are grateful. I will do what work they need me to do, but understand that I do not care about money nearly as much as being given a significant portion of time to work on the cure."


    "And the company will allot that time Dr," Wesley said. "But if I may be frank... speaking personally, the pandora''s box has been opened. So many people are going to to change before you get a chance to intervene. I''m not saying that what you and the other new hires from Generation want to do isn''t honorable, but I am saying that perhaps it would be best to put resources elsewhere."


    "I don''t think  you understand," Lucas said. "I want the real cure. I want to find out how to make people change back."


    The man surveyed the lab equipment with a thoughtful look. "That''s a... daunting goal sir."


    "Lucas is fine. And your name again is Wesley right?"


    He nodded.


    "Okay. Yes, Wesley, you''re right. The task ahead is daunting, but I''ve got to do it. A lot of people out in the world are suffering in a body that changed against their will, and I and others have a responsibility to save them."


    "Again," Wesley said, leaning against one of the lab counters, "I have the utmost respect for you, but there are many, many great men and women out there working on this."


    "They''re focusing on preventing the onset of the disease. Not reversing it."


    "I''m sure there are still many Lucas. That problem is still very much on all of their minds."


    "And it is on my mind as well. I''ve watched as my son has had to endure this virus, and now I''ve failed to protect my daughter as well, and she''s changing herself."


    "I''m sorry to hear that sir."


    "They are healthy," he said with pain in his voice. "But they do not deserve this. Unless I do something... they''re going to have to face the world as canis people for the rest of their lives. I just... can''t live with that."


    "Well as you said. They are healthy at least. Many people around the world have bodies too frail to withstand the transformation. Not too diminish the pain of your children of course. Just saying that things are better for them than they could be."


    "Of course. I just... they are my own children, and yet I feel uncomfortable around them. I see my son... wagging his tail like a dog... my daughter growing dog ears... and..."


    "Sir," Wesley said, "with all due respect, I think it isn''t the best for you to be venting your thoughts to me. Perhaps you should meet with the company psychologist. It appears you''re under a lot of stress."


    "I am alright."


    "Stress will not be very good for you if you are serious about helping these people. I hope you don''t think I''m trying to deter you. The execs gave you and the others permission to work on this, as we''ve received government funds for it - but I think you need some help."


    Lucas sighed. "You''re right. Perhaps I''ll look into that."


    "I would encourage it. Would you follow me, I have some things I need you to fill out."


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Lucas obliged, following after Wesley. As he walked, Lucas felt it again - that uncomfortable itch. Some on his back. Some on his legs. He pushed the thought aside. He''d need to shave again.


    "And again Lucas," Wesley said as they walked past several labs, "I understand. I''ve only interacted with one canis person, and it was very strange. They were an acquaintance of mine, and though I could recognize their face if I squinted, they felt like a stranger to me."


    Lucas squinted his eyes closed for a moment, exhaling.


    "But I think," Wesley went on, "that we''ll adjust over time. It''s been only a few weeks since this situation erupted onto the world. I think that we should not give into grief too quickly."


    "Yes," Lucas said. "Yes."


    "And again Lucas, I read your application. I''m impressed with your honesty, and your earnest desire to help people. I like to think that we are a more ethical company than Generation, and we hope you remain a good addition to our team for years to come."


    "I appreciate that."


    "Besides, you''ll be a lot better than the last person to hold your position."


    "Why? What did they do?"


    Wesley shrugged. "Can''t say everything of course. They did some shady stuff. Was fired after he was caught digging around in company files he wasn''t authorized to view. He was kind of a decent normal looking guy on the surface but... I can''t really put my finger on it. Just something about him, the way he would smile at you felt... creepy."


    The hairs on Lucas''s arms stood upward, as though someone had opened a window to the winter air outside. He halted in his tracks.


    "What... what was his name?"


    "Seth Warren."


    Time stopped for just a brief moment. A moment where all of his other problems faded into the background.


    "This... man," Lucas said carefully, "he worked at Generation before this?"


    "I''m not sure," Wesley said. "A lot of rumors swirled around at the time, and I wasn''t at my place in the company then, so didn''t get as much access. I do remember that the company investigated his past work experience. He''d obscured a bunch of recent jobs where he''d had a really quick turnover. It sounds like the folks up top discussed legal action against him, but they just couldn''t find solid charges to bring against him."


    "That man," Lucas said, "was collecting information."


    Wesley cocked his head. "Did you know him?"


    "Yes. Yes I did. And that''s all I''ll say."


    Wesley began walking again, and Lucas slowly followed.


    "Do you know where he left the company to?" Lucas asked.


    "No," Wesley shook his head. "But if you want me to, I could poke around perhaps, test the limits of my clearance."


    "I... I would appreciate it."


    "The man was obnoxious in a way that I can''t really describe," Wesley said. "It''d be my pleasure to get back at him."


    "No," Lucas said. "Find information, but do it discreetly if possible. You don''t want to get back at him. You don''t want him to know that you''re following him."


    "Why?"


    "Because," Lucas said, putting more firmness, more urgency into his steps. "Seth is not afraid. He is not afraid of anything."

 Chapter 26

    My thumb slipped slightly as I strummed the strings of my guitar. It was difficult now, with the slightly padded fingertips. On one hand, the tougher pads made pressing down chords a lot easier. On the other hand, they didn''t slide as well to new chords. Barre chords also had the extra padding of the fur on my index finger, but the fur would also brush up against the other strings, messing up the sound.


    I thought about that a lot, as I picked what I knew of an old bluegrass tune. I couldn''t even remember the name of it, but my teacher years ago had made me do it as an exercise.


    I hummed along to the tune as I moved to the song''s bridge. My fingers were different, but the song was still the same. It was still fun to play, rapidly picking at the notes. Playing was both easier and more difficult. It was a summation of what my life was now. I hit many notes wrong, but I kept playin'' fast and it didn''t last for long.


    I needed to find out an excuse to bring out my guitar when Jackie was around. Yes, it was extremely cliche, but it was fun to play for people. Sadly there weren''t many organic ways to bring out the guitar without coming across as being showy.


    For the time being though, my spirits were a bit too faint to feel like playing for others. Picking up the guitar again had made me feel better, like it always did, but it was just another subtle reminder that things would be different from now on.


    I finished the song, to my annoyance, catching my thumb-pad on one of the strings as I made my final strum. It muddied the last chord, and I felt the need to replay it to feel satisfied. I rested my guitar against the couch, and leaned back. I wondered if over time I might be able to wear down the edge of the pad so that it slipped easier down the strings. I wasn''t quite sure how the pads worked.


    I really needed to get around to studying some information online about living with canis - but that would inevitably ignite my morbid curiosity to see what people were saying about us. I had already read some of it before. I did not need to see it ever again.


    A thumping came down the stairs. I locked my gaze with Ashley as she turned the corner. Her nose was darker, and starting to turn upward. Her ears had fully flopped down and were covered in fur. She had a sour look on her face.


    "Are you going to play any more?" she asked.


    "I don''t know," I sat up, "Maybe if I feel like it."


    "Well can you not? I''m trying to work on homework and all I can think of is that stupid earworm you''ve been playing since you learned to play guitar."


    "Sorry," I said, in a very not sorry tone.


    She glared at me. "I feel awfully certain that as soon as I leave the basement, I''m gonna hear you start pounding some rock song, screeching at high notes you just can''t reach."


    "At least I actually tried to learn music. You just gave up."


    "And I''m sure mom and dad are very proud of your average level of skill at guitar. Maybe you can actually be successful with it by making a furry rock band. You could have really obnoxious barking sounds in the background."


    "Go work on your homework Ashley."


    "I will."


    She stood there for a moment, staring at me, a ironclad scowl on her face.


    "And Matt?"


    "What?"


    "Even with my deforming face, I''m not going to let anything in my life change. I''m going to take the hardest classes, and I''m going to be good enough at what I do, that whatever the heck I am doesn''t matter to people anymore."


    "Well good luck," I said. "I''m glad that me getting a drink was able to be a catalyst for your amazing career."


    "Oh it''s going to be amazing Matt," she said. Her fists were clenched. "I''m going to study my stupid tail I''m sprouting off, and get to a point where I''m working on Mars, far, far away from here."


    "Have fun."


    She turned around and marched back up the steps.


    I felt my energy deflate out of me. It had been years... like since we''d been little kids, that I remembered me and Ashley getting that mad at each other. My heart went cold. She hated me. In this moment, she really, truly hated me. She wasn''t going to forgive me for this any time soon.


    Ashley had always told Mom and Dad how cool it would be if she could work on Mars someday. Mom had always been extremely skittish about the idea. It would take her away from our family in a way that was hard to understand. Video calls would not even be possible.


    She was only in junior high now, and so much could change. I was certain that in a month from now, the heat of this situation would die down - but right now her rage seemed stoked to a blazing temperature. I thought about how mad I''d have to make someone that they''d want to leave the planet to get away from me.


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    It hurt. Gosh... it hurt.


    Ashley hated me, and Mom and Dad only really said what was necessary. They''d taken to just saying that they''d made dinner - and then we would each split off, eating apart. It was incredibly unnerving. For many people I''m sure this would be a weird thing to be uncomfortable with - but my for whole life, whenever we were all home, it meant we ate together, even if it was just pizza.


    And the fast food was more common these days. Dad was continuing to work hard at his new job, and working from home at her job, Mom seemed to have less and less motivation to cook either.


    I just... hated it. I hated what had happened. I felt deep down inside like somehow I could''ve not just been more careful and prevented Ashley from turning, but I also could''ve helped them accept me better. I had been able to come to peace with who I now was - but as my discomfort for my body subsided, self doubt and anxiety took its place. I felt some of what Jackie felt - doubt that the person on the inside was of much value, even as we struggled with how people viewed our changes.


    And I wished that I knew how to help her. For every tender moment, there would be another filled with tears. I did not show my pain as visibly, but it still strangled me. It just... it just felt like the two of us were floating in the ocean. No raft, just each other, having some odd hope that maybe the other can keep us from sinking.


    School would be starting again soon. I would be forced to face all of my friends again. It had been shocking enough for them to find out what had happened to me, but how would they deal with seeing the new me in real life? How would they react to the bizarre golden retriever boy in shorts and a t-shirt?


    And then there were the strangers. I would have to walk through school, facing crowds of people. People who would be repulsed by my appearance. People who would widely circle around me, out of fear that somehow in looking at them, I would give them canis.


    Then there would be other people with canis too. I knew that there were a good many my age - according to Dad, our area had higher than the average amount - as many as a hundred at my high school could''ve contracted canis. The thought was just... so strange. I couldn''t imagine how I would manage it. I put my hands against my head, closing my eyes and clenching my teeth.


    Too much... too much... just too much had happened in so short of a time. It was only just the beginning of February. Not even a month had passed since I''d changed. It had all crumbled before my eyes. My image of myself, of my family, my friends, and the world.


    It just... it felt so unfair. Even as I thought that, I felt immature. Everyone knew that life was not fair. But it was extremely frustrating. I knew why it had all happened, and why it had happened to me - but why did I have to be one of the first? Why did it all have to happen so fast? Why couldn''t I have been of of the ones watching on the sidelines for a few months, and then have the lot fall on me to get canis later on?


    Would I really want that? Would I really be the perfectly kind person to canis people that I imagined I would be? I knew that I wouldn''t. If anything, I would be one of the silent majority who just pretended nothing had changed. I would ignore people like Jackie. I would have left her alone, and searched for girls who were normal.


    Yet here I was. Dating a dog girl. Telling her that it was okay to be weird, and give into these new, bizarre canine instincts. I curled up on the couch, resting my head against a pillow. I was diving into all of this so fast. Into everything. I had a girlfriend for the first time, and I was encouraging her to act like a dog. It felt... wrong... somehow. I felt so... so confused.


    I just hated it. Hated all of it. I wished that I could just decide how I was going to act, just decide that I was going to be at peace. But I couldn''t. Everytime I started to get too comfortable, I suddenly realized how strange it all was. I''d realize that everyone was staring at me because I''d licked my nose.


    Being with Jackie didn''t feel worth this humiliation. I doubted I would have the resolve to stay this way if they found a cure. It was silly to think that what I had with her would last forever. High school romances usually didn''t.


    But I was all she had.


    I was the person she had opened up to.


    If I did not stand with her, she would be alone.


    My tail curled between my legs, and I reached out and gripped it tightly, like it was some kind of teddy bear. It felt so normal now to have a tail. I tried to will my brain to imagine my normal body without it, but it couldn''t. Every time I imagined seeing myself as a human, gradually my brain would pop in my tail, then my ears, until all I could think of was my canis self.


    I continued in this labyrinth of wayward thoughts for a good long while, going nowhere but in circles, over the same fears and anxieties, all the same frustrations and complaints I''d had the entire time I''d been stuck with this. I knew however, that even at that moment, I was getting exhausted feeling so stressed. I''d hop over to Jackie''s house, play Stardew Valley, feel in a better mood again, and then I''d completely change my attitude.


    It felt so easy to want to look at the world in a positive way, and to want to act in a positive way when you felt happy.


    I sat up, feeling my ears flop around as did so.


    When my life went south however, it felt like my resolve just crumbled. I felt weak. I felt... pathetic.


    A memory rose up in my mind, of a story my dad had read when I was little. It was about a sailor who was renowned for his skill in sailing, in exploring the world, who had undergone great voyages, and discovered many far away lands. He boasted often of his exploits, but never in his stories did he include his first mate. His first mate said little. When on voyages, they traveled through harsh storms, encountered pirates, and when faced setbacks, the first mate was the one who kept the crew intact, all while the captain cowered in his room.


    I had asked my dad what it meant. He said, in a very firm way, without hardly having to think of a response, that the true measure of a man was that he stayed just as strong in hard times as in good; that he could not be moved.


    It was a phrase I knew that my dad lived by. He was immovable. He knew what his goals were, and when something went wrong, he did not waste an hour getting angry, or sobbing. He just went to what he needed to do.


    I let out a very long sigh. I did not feel like I could ever do that. And right now, stuck in quarantine with little productive to do, I felt like I didn''t have much work I could accomplish.


    But maybe I could try to push away these useless anxieties. I could try to focus on what I could control. I could attempt to be brave - as little of that as I could muster.


    I put away my guitar, and went upstairs to my room. I was going to get ready to go to Jackie''s house - and I was going to try to be there for her.


    The storm of life was going to come - and I could stand and face it, or cower in the dark.

 Chapter 27

    Jackie stood outside the school, pulling her hoodie tightly over her ears. There were people around her. They casually walked into the school without a thought. They were normal. They were humans. She however, was canis. She was only just now realizing how horrible of a difference that was going to be for a long, long time into the future.


    She stood out there for a good while, as the morning went from dark to a light overcast. Even with her fur, the  time spent out there in the cold was beginning to wear on her. When there were only ten minutes left to the start of school, she finally saw the eyes of a golden retriever boy appear in the distance. He too covered his head with a hood.


    "Gosh," Matt said as he walked up to her, "don''t tell me you''ve been standing out on the curb like this this whole time?"


    Jackie just shivered in response.


    "C''mon," he took her hand, "let''s go in."


    "No... no...," Jackie whispered.


    "You can do it," Matt said, "today is going to be tough, but every day after is going to get easier."


    Jackie didn''t say anything. He tugged her forward, and she began shambling toward the doors. She felt her tail, constrained down her pants, curl between her legs. It hurt being bound. She wanted it to be free, to wag it...


    Matt was braver than she was. His ears were also covered by his hood, but his tail was plain to see.


    Warmth flowed over her as they entered the school - and then Jackie felt like she was going to faint. Or barf. Or go insane and run back outside and into the street. There they were, hundreds of people. All of her peers... they were staring at her, she was sure. Oh gosh oh gosh oh gosh....


    "Just keep moving," Matt pulled her forward again.


    She held his hand tighter, as though if she let go, she would drown in the sea of people. She felt certain in that ocean of people, that monsters would be there. Monsters from the depths come to mock her awful appearance. She was the real monster. She was -


    "Jackie," Matt stopped her, "you need to relax. I can feel through your very, very tight hand that you''re extremely stressed. Just relax."


    "I''m going to die Matt. The floor is going to swallow me and suck me into a horrible dimension of even more embarrassment."


    "Just keep moving," he said. "Just keep moving."


    She tried her best to, but it wasn''t much more than shambling with a lot of intent. It didn''t help that she felt very exposed with her paw-like feet visible. Shoes didn''t work, and the school wasn''t sure what to do about it dress-code wise.


    After an intense trek that lasted only a couple of minutes, they were close to Mr. Dun''s room, with several minutes to spare. The stress on her went down the slightest bit. They''d be there on time. On time for what though? Torture?


    "We''re here," Matt said, "are you ready to go in?"


    Jackie shook her head. "No... no... no..."


    "It''s okay," he steadied her. "Do you need to get a drink, or use the bathroom first?"


    She blinked, feeling the traces of tears forming. "No. I just... I just want to sit down for a moment before we go in."


    They found a bench nearby, and she immediately felt worse upon sitting down. Now she was not moving. Now it was easier for people to stare at her. She saw eyes begin to cross her vision, they were staring. They were all staring! Oh gosh the staring was unbearable!


    And then she saw something else - a face with a snout and fur. Then in another part of the crowd, another one. There were others. Other canis people. They looked so weird... seeing them in this place from her normal human existence. That was what she looked like to everyone else. She was a bizarre blot on reality, as though someone had ridden a unicorn into the hallway.


    "Jackie."


    She turned her gaze towards Matt.


    "Just... focus on me okay? Don''t focus on them."


    Her face quivered. She felt so pent up. She wanted to escape. The idea of just sprinting out the nearest exit and ditching school didn''t seem nearly so daunting as remaining here. She couldn''t stay here. She couldn''t...


    "Is that okay?"


    She looked to where Matt was pointing - to her imprisoned tail.


    "No," she said, "it hurts."


    "I know you''re scared," he said, "but do you want me to help?"


    He retrieved his pocket knife. She stared at it for a moment, and then silently, slowly, turned her back to him.


    "Just... try to hide it... when it comes out."


    "Okay."


    She tried to stay calm. Breathe slowly, in and out. A boy had a sharp knife close to her, and she couldn''t make any unsteady movements. He punched the blade through the denim. She briefly trembled, then went still again as he carefully cut a large enough hole in the back.


    The world faded for a moment as she felt his fingers wrap around her tail, and gently pull it free. Relief washed over her, and she couldn''t stop herself from wagging it slightly.


    Matt put his pocket knife away, and she pulled him into an embrace.


    "I want to run Matt. I don''t care about any consequences. I don''t want to spend another moment in this awful place."


    "You can do it Jackie," Matt hugged her tight. He ran his hand along her back, smoothing the fur there. "We need to get through this. We''re going to have to live with this for the rest of our lives. We need to adjust to living around humans."


    He helped her stand up, despite her wobbly legs. They began the last stint to their class. Living around humans. They were not humans. Gosh she wish she had some idea of what she was.


    And then suddenly it happened. They left the river of people in the hallway, and were in Mr. Dun''s room.


    And they all stared at the two of them. Her eyes searched desperately, hoping that maybe there was another canis person - but no. They were being stared at like one would stare at an exotic animal in the zoo. She could not quickly get away like she''d been able to in the hallway. Here they could just stare.


    She slowly made her way to her desk, sitting beside Matt. Jackie cursed herself a thousand times over for actively speaking in classes. She would not simply hide in the background.


    "Miss Thatcher?"


    Jackie jolted.


    "Y-yes Mr. Dun?"


    He stood up from his desk and looked at her. Gosh she felt so trapped! She hated this awful  prison of a classroom!


    "I''m sorry to remind you and Mr. Hewitt, but hoodies must be down."


    A bunch of the fur on Jackie''s arms stood on end. She reached for Matt''s hand again, and pressed her paw-pads against his.


    Slowly with her other hand, she lifted her hoodie up, and drew it back, revealing her large ears. The lights shone more clearly onto her face. There she was plainly before the world. And they all stared.


    Stolen story; please report.


    The bell rang, snapping her classmates out of their trance.


    "Alright everyone," Mr. Dun said, "to start off today, we are -"


    Mercifully, they all turned around back to the front of the class. Her classmates in the desks closer to her however, continued to make passing glances.


    "We''re making it through this," Matt leaned over, whispering to her. "You''re still alive, you''re going to be alright. They''re all going to get used to this."


    She flinched as Mr. Dun suddenly turned out the lights, and turned on the whiteboard''s screen. She hadn''t caught anything he''d really said.


    A video began with no title, simply showing an empty space with a guy and a girl standing together in it, with a soft blue tint to the background.


    "Hello," the boy addressed the camera. "In the past month, there have been a lot of big changes to the world."


    The girl stepped forward. "For all of us, these recent events have been very distressing. We''ve been filled with a lot of fear and anxiety."


    The camera panned, and it revealed a very uncomfortable sight - a canis boy and girl. The boy seemed to be some kind of black lab, while the girl was some kind of cocker spaniel. In another setting, Jackie may have remarked that the girl made a cute dog. In this moment however, she could barely breathe, let alone talk.


    "However the Canis virus has affected us," the dog girl said, "it has been extremely distressing. Whether you have watched a loved one contract the virus, just read about it in the news, or even experienced it yourself."


    "Despite the pain and fear we feel," the dog boy said, "we need to make sure that we don''t let it blind us. People who have contracted canis are your friends, your family members. They''re people you watch content from online. They''re people in your clubs and your workplace. They want to be treated like you treated them before - as fellow human beings."


    "Throughout history," the normal girl said, "we''ve been faced with many challenges when it comes to people of different races, religions, nationalities, sexualities, and genders. As we face these challenges, we must face them as fellow human beings, looking beyond the surface to the humanity inside."


    The screen faded to black, and then faded to a new scene, showing a dog girl that looked to be a golden retriever, but more golden and dark in fur color than Jackie or Matt. She was sitting close to the camera with who were presumably her parents. She recounted how she had run away when she''d found out she had the virus. She had driven off into southwest, all alone. It had all the touchy feely soft sad piano music in the background as she told her story.


    Then she talked about how she finally gave up driving in Death Valley National Park, and in walking around there, all alone, she had met a family from Germany who''d had the courage to talk to her, and encourage her to call her parents. Once again, the video had all the stereotypical swelling music, showing how amazing and uplifting this was.


    The golden retriever girl said something ultimately not very deep, about how you just needed to have hope and stuff.


    This same thing repeated with another interview with a boy - this time a boy and his brother, who had contracted canis, giving their experience. Jackie however, had mostly tuned out. She felt like no amount of inspirational "please don''t bully people" videos, no matter how well intentioned, did little to nothing to make her feel better. Even if it somehow made everyone in the school suddenly completely fine with canis people, she would take ages to feel comfortable in school again - and by then her senior year would be over, and she''d be going off to college.


    The video ended the interviews, and then went back to the four people original actors. They ended off saying something else vaguely inspirational she was barely processing, then the video ended with their repeated phrase that "we need to stand together as fellow human beings."


    Jackie did not need their comforting catchphrase. She did not feel human. People liked dogs, thought they were cute, but they would not treat dogs like humans. They wouldn''t let dogs sit at kitchen tables or fly an airplane. She felt a dark sense of foreboding, that for all these speeches, society was going to exclude them. It was going to be just like the horrific prejudice seen all throughout history, and this time, there was extremely good rationalization for people to exclude their kind.


    Mr. Dunn turned the lights back on, and Jackie blinked the flash away. She placed her hand against her forehead, wishing her stress headache would end.


    Mr. Dun pulled his desk chair in front of the whiteboard, turning it to face away from them, and resting his arms on the back. A few of the students in the front chuckled slightly as he did the characteristic, informal action. He made a slight smile.


    "What are you all feeling right now?"


    No one said anything.


    "Because," he exhaled strongly, "I am feeling very uncertain. Now this is a physics class, not a biology or chemistry one - but I think I can speak with some knowledge on the subject - we''ve all got some challenging times ahead. The world of genetics, science, and culture have changed forever. In decades past, scientists shook at the thought of tampering the slightest bit with human DNA - and now we''ve seen a lot of people go through unparalleled changes."


    Still, the room was silent.


    "And I''m not going to sugarcoat it," he said, "this is pretty scary. None of us know what happens next. Hopefully the virus spread stays low, but even then, our lives are going to be very different from now on."


    Mr. Dun stood up from the chair, and to Jackie''s dread, made eye contact with her.


    "Jackie, Matt, would you both sit on your desks for me?"


    "What?" Matt asked.


    "Sit on the desk, yes, up you go."


    Jackie felt her breathing quicken as she got up on the desk, forcibly put on display. Her opinion of Mr. Dun was falling from neutral to pure evil. She was being tortured. This was unconstitutional!


    "I want you all to take a good long look at them," Mr. Dun said.


    The eyes. All of them stared into her soul. She felt pain writhe through every corner of her body.


    "Now," Mr. Dun said, "never stare at them again. Sorry you two, you can sit down now - in the desks that is."


    Jackie, gratefully, slunk back into her desk, for what little additional protection it offered.


    "They are just your classmates," Mr. Dun said, "and in your other classes, in the halls, you will see other people your age who got canis. I want you all to remember that there''s still a person in there who has feelings, who doesn''t want to be stared at. Wasn''t that uncomfortable you two?"


    The dam holding back Jackie''s tears nearly broke. "Yes," she croaked out.


    "I''m sorry I did that," he said, "but the fact of the matter is, I want all the rest of you to get used to them. Get used to seeing them as real people, and not an ''other.'' Think of how you''d want to be treated if the lot fell to you to go through this."


    "It probably sucks," a guy near Matt chimed in.


    "You have no idea," Matt said.


    "We need to start class," Mr. Dun said, "but just want to say, from now on, we aren''t bringing attention to this again. We''re all going to get along, and if I see any bullying going on in my class, I''ll send my velociraptors after you."


    The class laughed, and Mr. Dun directed everyone to get out their tablets and bring up the textbook. Jackie slowly felt herself calm. She was able to get to a point where she could look around the room, and not feel as if the entire universe was fixated on her - but at least one person was.


    The girl that sat to her left, Tabitha, slightly smiled at her.


    Jackie doubted if the gesture was authentic - but at least it wasn''t a look of horror. She might be able to get through this. Like getting into a cold lake, it was going to be shocking at first, but maybe after a while she could get used to it.


    Maybe. The word that ruled over her life.

 Chapter 28

    I watched Jackie all of class. After Mr. Dun''s annoying stunt, she seemed to thankfully do a bit better. I was really worried about her. Granted, I''d be scared out of my shoes myself if I were wearing any, but even so, I felt like I could barely hold myself back from looking pathetic.


    It felt a bit unfair. When someone turned into a werewolf in a movie, the fear was that they would go on a horrible rampage, becoming a badass monster. I however, wanted to go into the fetal position and cry.


    Despite the strain of everything around me, class continued as normal. True to Mr. Dun''s semi-joking warning, no one paid much attention to us. People did glance our way - but I tried my best to put myself in their place. This was something so strange to them. I''d''ve been making glances too.


    The bell finally rang. One class down. I shrunk my tablet and put it in my pocket, standing up and looking to Jackie. She looked calm, but a storm lurked in her eyes.


    "You going to be okay?" I asked.


    "I don''t know."


    I gave her a quick hug. "You can do it. What class have you got next?"


    "English. What about you?"


    "Coding."


    "At least everyone will be looking at their tablets."


    "Yeah."


    We walked out of the room together, and once outside, looked into each other''s eyes once again. Jackie wore a frown.


    I smiled the best I could, and gave her a short kiss.


    "I''ll see you at lunch."


    A faint smile formed on her face. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, then turned away from me, disappearing into the crowd.


    I wasn''t sure I''d ever felt such a strong longing for someone in that moment. I''d been around Jackie so much lately. I had started to feel empty when I wasn''t with her. But now she was out in the cruel world, rather than the safety of her own home.


    As emotion passed through me, I realized then that I loved her. Even as I thought it, I questioned it. I was only eighteen, and Jackie was the closest I''d ever felt with a girl. I wasn''t sure if I knew what loving someone really meant. But I decided it didn''t matter. At that moment I felt closer to her than anyone in my life.


    People passing gave me odd looks as I stared off into space. I came to, and was drawn out of my deep thoughts, back into reality. Back into the changed existence I now lived.


    Most of my coding class was hard to get through. Thankfully it wasn''t because people were staring at me. There was another canis guy in my class, who''d become a chocolate brown lab. Even with another person to divide the attention, it didn''t seem like people were really interested in staring.


    What made coding more difficult rather, was how difficult it was to concentrate. I had a lot on my mind, as I started to think about my future. It was prompted by thinking about how canis would change everything, but it bled into long held anxiety about whether I''d ever succeed in a career. I''d said I wanted to go into coding, at the same time hating math. Eventually though, I was able to push away enough of those far future concerns to get the day''s assignment done.


    The bell finally rang, and I found myself wagging my tail, which I quickly stifled. I was excited to be with Jackie again, and I found it hard to contain that feeling of relief. Right there I could''ve let my tail go wild and not cared in the slightest what everyone else thought - but I knew most people would not be used to seeing it, so I restrained myself for the moment.


    When I got to our usual spot in the cafeteria and hugged Jackie again, I could tell that she felt that separation too. It was so short, but it felt so much harder than before. The eyes of the world bore down on us - but we had each other.


    "You did it," I smiled as I maintained our hug.


    "Barely."


    "You''ll adjust," I said.


    She pressed her cheek against my chest. I scratched her behind one of her ears until her tail wagged slightly.


    "I don''t know how I''d have been able to do this without you," she whispered.


    "I don''t either."


    We enjoyed the embrace for a bit longer, and then sat down. It was a small thing, but sitting down in the booth on the same side as her threw me off. It was a weird, but somehow the everyday little changes that sent that reminder - "you have a girlfriend" - felt more odd than the more special moments we had.


    "Has... Douglas seen you since you changed?" Jackie asked.


    "Only through my tablet. I''ve asked him if he wanted to do something before today - but he always had something - or said he wasn''t feeling like it."


    "I haven''t talked much with Wendy either," Jackie said. "I talked to her once over the phone. It wasn''t much more than her letting me know she was thinking of me."


    I sighed. I wasn''t looking forward to seeing my friends again. Talking to them over phone had been difficult enough. There was such a heightened sense of dread with confronting people that knew you after you contracted canis. One of my aunts had briefly come to our house - and she had looked at me like I had failed our extended family or something. Everything that people expected of me had changed forever.


    "Hey."


    I looked up, and saw some guy I didn''t know looking down at me.


    "Um, can I help you?" I asked.


    "Yeah," the guy said, "you''re in our spot."


    "We''ve been in this spot this whole year."


    I glanced around, noticing that most of the good seating in the room was filled. The guy had two friends with him.


    "I don''t think so," the guy said, "I''ve been in this school the whole year and I don''t remember seeing any dogs in the lunchroom."


    I stood up. "Look dude, I don''t know what you''re trying to do, but you''re going to have to find somewhere else to sit."


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "I''ve found a place to sit. Maybe I just need to call animal control first."


    "Seriously dude?" I scowled at him, "I may be a dog, but you''re being a jackass."


    The guy recoiled, making a glance to his friends. It made me feel a bit of satisfaction, especially because his friends seemed to be a bit timid about continuing with this.


    "Shut it you filthy mutt," Jackass attempted to recover. "Give me that seat now."


    "What''s going on here?"


    A husky boy walked up behind Jackass, and stared him down.


    "Let''s go guys," Jackass said.


    If Jackass had been canis, he definitely would''ve been leaving that confrontation with his tail between his legs. Good riddance.


    "Dang," the husky said, " didn''t think that canis racism would happen so quickly."


    The husky turned his head to look directly at me. It had been obscured by the fur, the muzzle and the ears, but the face now revealed itself.


    "D-douglas?"


    "How''s it going?" he smiled. His two pointed ears twitched slightly.


    "Oh gosh...," I groaned. "I... gosh... I''m so sorry. I... I don''t know what I -"


    "Relax," Douglas raised up a paw-hand. "This isn''t your fault - as you can see, I''m not a golden retriever. And I''m alright, other than a slight sore throat."


    "Dude...," I said, still shaking my head in disbelief, "why didn''t you say anything?"


    "I," he sighed, opening his lunch bag, "have got a lot of difficult stuff going on at home. Let''s just leave it at that."


    Douglas bit into a sandwich. To my astonishment, after swallowing, he casually licked his nose - his black wet dog nose.


    "This just... feels surreal," I said. "My best friend... he''s a dog."


    Douglas laughed. "You''re telling me retriever boy. Seeing a photo didn''t prepare me for seeing you two in person."


    I ran my hand through my hair. Jackie had begun eating her own lunch next to me. She seemed just as shaken as I was.


    "To answer your inevitable question," Douglas said, "I got canis from Wendy."


    "Her too?" Jackie asked incredulously.


    "Yeah," Douglas nodded, perhaps a bit saddened, "her too."


    "Well if it isn''t my canine friends," a new face appeared - Ted. Greg was with him.


    Ted did a double take. "Douglas?"


    "Yup."


    "Dang," Greg said. "Sorry... sorry to all three of you."


    "Four."


    "Four?" Ted asked.


    "Yeah. Wendy."


    "Gosh...," Ted said.


    It was a bit refreshing seeing Ted actually show some emotion other than joking around. I''d begun to question if it was possible.


    "So all of you had that cancer or whatever it was when you were kids?" Greg asked as he and Ted sat on Douglas''s side of the booth.


    Douglas shook his head. "No, I got it from Wendy."


    Ted''s brief moment of astonishment was quenched. "Ah ha ha, I see."


    "We kissed," Douglas shrugged, "I don''t know what more there is to say. She didn''t have any idea what was coming at the time. And the only warning I''d had about how crazy things were going to get was seeing what had happened to Matt."


    Now Ted and Greg looked to me and Jackie. The staring persisted for several seconds.


    "You can use words to express yourself," I said.


    "You are very... furry," Ted said.


    "That was very eloquent Ted," Jackie said.


    "Well you are," he laughed.


    "We also have two eyes, and two ears...," Douglas said. "That''s just as factual."


    We all laughed a little - Ted, as was customary, laughing more than the situation warranted. It felt almost... normal.


    And then Wendy walked up. The illusion was shattered once more as I looked over the husky girl standing before me. Unlike Jackie and I, wearing hoodies and jeans to try to hide our canis selves as much as possible, Wendy wore a pink tank top and shorts. It was a surprise to say the least.


    "Hi," she said dryly.


    "Hey Wendy," Jackie waved.


    Greg and Ted moved so that Wendy could sit next to Douglas. Another moment of awkward staring followed.


    "So," Wendy said. Her tone was very matter-of-fact. "This is how it''s going to be - from now on."


    "Yeah," Jackie said.


    "Yeah," I echoed.


    "It''ll be okay you guys," Greg said. "There are people working on this. It could be a year or more, but I''m sure you''ll be able to get fixed up. I doubt it''ll be permanent."


    Jackie and I shared a look.


    "Don''t say that dude," Ted quietly chided Greg. "Whatever happens, we''re your friends, thick and thin and all that."


    "Thanks Ted," I said. It was honest. It was a rare moment where I felt actual authenticity from Ted, and although I wasn''t the biggest fan of his personality a lot of the time, I wanted to have friends who had my back through this - even Ted.


    "I''m sorry to ask," Greg said, "but... is there any risk... of us being this close to you?"


    "No," Douglas said. "It''s transmitted through saliva, and that''s only when the virus is active, which it isn''t for us."


    "Okay," Greg said. He seemed a bit unsteady.


    "Can we talk about something other than canis now?" Wendy asked. "I just... I''m just really tired, and I want to find some sense of normalcy again."


    "I made a chair in my 3D modeling class today," Ted said.


    "I thought you already made a chair," Douglas said.


    "No," Ted corrected, "That was a really crappy chair. This one was so good. if you saw it, you would fall to your knees and worship it..."


    So Ted spun his tale of what was almost certainly, at best, a pretty normal looking chair. All that mattered to me, was that while everyone was distracted, I could put my arm around Jackie, and hold her close.

 Chapter 29

    I stepped out of the locker room into the gym, and immediately felt very exposed. All that covered my canis body were my shorts and t-shirt. The other boys walked past me, many of them glancing my way, catching sight of my tail, and the myriad strangeness of my face.


    As I walked, I very quickly noticed that the polished wood felt a bit more... unsteady than it normally did with shoes, and I''d imagine even with normal feet. The nails on my feet-paws clacked against it, only further emphasizing how out of place I felt.


    Even though I did feel pretty uncomfortable, I felt a lot better than yesterday. I was still stared at, but it felt a lot less... threatening. Most people had now been exposed to the sight of a canis person, and so now I could relax a bit more.


    What I still had to get used to however, was seeing other canis people. I looked over to where Douglas was shooting a basket on the other side of the gym - it didn''t go in, but he swiftly caught it as it came out, before another person - non-canis - was able to catch it.


    "So," Douglas smiled, dribbling the basketball as I walked over, "feeling a bit better since the last time you were in gym?"


    "I guess so," I chuckled nervously. "It just... feels... surreal."


    The guy standing near Douglas was silent. I could tell he was staring at my tail.


    "I get ya," Douglas said. "Growing this wasn''t very fun" - he looked to his own tail - "but at least it didn''t happen in the middle of playing basketball."


    The guy next to him went a bit wide eyed. "So that''s what that... um, whole thing was."


    I breathed deep. "Yeah."


    Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed some people walking toward us - canis people, a girl and a boy. The girl had fur varying brown, white, and dark brown fur - a breed I didn''t quite recognize, while the boy was a golden retriever, his normal human blonde hair blending into his fur.


    "I had no idea what to make of it," the canis boy said as he walked up. "Douglas wouldn''t really say anything about what had happened to you. Had no idea I''d be facing the same fate."


    Realization came. "Oh... oh no," I swallowed. "I... I didn''t..."


    "My best theory," the boy huffed, "is that someone got a bit slobbery on the drinking fountain. So yeah... thanks for that."


    "Oh gosh," I put my hand to my head... "please don''t tell me... please don''t tell me that I infected a bunch of people..."


    "No," Douglas shook his head. "Aidan was the first to drink out of the fountain after you. He''s the only one."


    Aidan stared blankly at me while Douglas dribbled the basketball in the background.


    "It''s just... so weird," Aidan said...," seeing someone who looks so much like me."


    "I... I''m really, really sorry," I finally said.


    Aidan let out a long sigh. "I was really, really pissed at first - once I heard about what had happened with you, and realized you infected me. My parents wanted to call your family to err their grievances - which I put a stop to. I don''t know. After gritting my teeth through all this, I just have to accept it wasn''t your fault. You had no idea what was going on."


    "But still," I said, "I''m sorry I''ve put you through this."


    Aidan shrugged. "I''ll live. I honestly can deal with being a dog person or whatever, it''s just... dealing with normal people, my parents especially."


    "I know," I said, "my parents... they haven''t been very... comfortable around me and my sister."


    Aidan chuckled. "I don''t think most canis people feel more comfortable at school than at home."


    "My mom always really loved Australian shepherds," the canis girl chimed in. "So I''m guessing most people have had it a bit different than me."


    Aidan leaned behind the girl, staring at something.


    "Pardon me for asking..."


    "Sadie."


    "Pardon me for bringing it up Sadie," Aidan said, "but... your tail..."


    Sadie giggled. "My little tuft? She turned around and wiggled it. It was a very small brown tail poking out the seat of her pants.


    "I was honestly a bit sad that I got canis," she said, "but that I didn''t get a cool long tail - but I''ve grown to like my little one."


    Aidan looked confused. "Well what I was meaning was, I''m surprised that you, well, if it''s small like that, that you wanted to show it, when you could just keep it hidden."


    "I don''t know," Sadie shrugged. "Is it weird to say I''d feel I was missing out? Everyone can see I''m a dog girl, and everyone else has the little holes for their tails. I thought I''d do it too."


    To my surprise, she smiled, beginning to pant, and wagged her little tail too.


    "You guys," the normal guy spoke up, "are really weird."


    The remark didn''t have a bit of laughter tied to it. It was his honest perception of us.


    Aidan''s ears perked up. "W-well most of us are not that enthusiastic about it."


    Sadie waved her arm dismissively. "I decided early on that I didn''t wanna care about being embarrassed with this... I honestly kinda like being a dog. Why hide it if you enjoy it?"


    Me, Aidan, and Douglas shared a knowing look with each other. It was pretty hard to deny that some things didn''t feel all that bad - but we weren''t going to announce it in public.


    "You... like it?" The guy who''s name I still could not remember said. "I seriously can''t think of what would be good about this."


    "Well," Sadie smiled, "wagging my tail for one. It just... feels so good for some reason! And then everything smells really good - well, not around boys of course."


    "Oof," Douglas said.


    "Yeah," I added, "we wash our fur."


    "Oh I''m joking," Sadie waved her hand. "But there''s also that I can hear really well - and it feels nice and warm in the winter... I don''t know. I just... kind of like being a dog for some reason."


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    This was the kind of thing I hadn''t expected to see. I knew in some part of my mind that there would be people who weren''t afraid to show they liked this - but it just felt so... odd...


    Sadie surveyed our expressions, and laughed. "I take it you boys aren''t as keen on what happened?"


    "It''s... a big adjustment," Aidan said.


    "Whatever," Douglas said, "enough fixating on this, let''s just play some ball."


    We were able to get a few more non-canis people to play with us - the one guy from before just seemed dazed, with no idea how to even process what Sadie had been talking about.


    Thankfully, as we got playing I was able to let go of some stress. I was back to what I''d been doing weeks ago when this had all started. All I had to concentrate on was being crazy on the defense. I realized as we played that I''d gotten very little exercise since I''d changed - and it felt good. I was not in extremely good shape, but I still felt refreshed and reinvigorated.


    And I was wagging my tail. It felt completely natural. I was in a good mood, it was something I wanted to do.


    Before I could question if I should stop, the others saw it. The normal, non-canis people just stared. Douglas offered a slight smile. Sadie however had a very big smirk on her face as she passed me, panting without restraint.


    So I let it happen. I liked it, they had all seen it - and so there was little point in trying to retreat from it. When we stopped playing for a bit to take a breather, Douglas looked to me, and cautiously began wagging his tail, and panting. Aidan stared at us in disbelief.


    My life had become so weird, and that constant feeling of oddness had not left it for weeks. Maybe it would never leave. Perhaps I could live with that. To all the normal people out in the world, the thought of someone enjoying this was bizarre - but I knew that I enjoyed it. I didn''t always fully grasp why, but I did.


    I wished then that Jackie could''ve been there - with people who understood her. Perhaps I could try to see if Sadie would want to do something with us sometime.


    As we started playing again, I felt my previous calm fading away. I was embracing this weird new world I was in. Enjoying it even. Was that what I really wanted? Was that... right?


    It felt kind of silly. It was weird, and other people didn''t seem very comfortable about it, but it wasn''t hurting anything. This though, was something so radically different from normal reality. I''d read and watched criticisms of escapism in the past - moral panics about things like Dungeons and Dragons and video games, and how even in the present, there was still the repeated advice to not let yourself get too lost in fantasy. You needed to focus on what was real.


    But now the fantastic was reality. I was half animal. I had laughed in the past at some people, people who were really into a book, game, movie, and this included people like furries, who got way into something to the point where it blurred their view of what was real and what was not. Their real life suffered as they grew obsessed with wanting to live an unobtainable, fictional life.


    Scenarios like that were not very common, obviously - or at least they used to be. It was, again, now my reality.


    That thought repeated in my mind. I was acting very silly over something so small. All I wanted to do was feel free to wag my tail, but I was making it into a whole philosophical dilemma.


    When we finished our game, gym was almost over. As soon as we finished, the few normal humans playing alongside us left, and went to talk to other normal people. A hollowness followed their departure.


    Me, Douglas, Sadie, and Aidan were left standing alone together. The feeling felt was immediately obvious, and even Sadie seemed affected by the cloud hanging over us.


    We''d been left alone. We were different. Even if people were not filled with enough discomfort and hate to bully us, they did not want to be around us. In that moment I realized why I was agonizing so much about whether to embrace this or not.


    I had known it would be difficult, dealing with the reactions of everyone. But actually experiencing it... it felt awful. So swiftly had they abandoned us. I imagined that these people who chose to play alongside us had felt guilty. They didn''t want to leave us alone. As soon as their moral duty was fulfilled, however, the box ticked, they left us for more normal companions.


    There was no friendly banter afterward, no trash talk and teasing. No friendliness. All they left with was "good game," and left as soon as they could.


    I was reading too much into this. I knew I was. But I couldn''t shake the feeling; the feeling that we really were outcasts. If I fully displayed that I was happy with who I was, I would only be driven further from normal humans.


    As I went into the locker room, brushing shoulders with normal guys, all of them staring at the three canis dog people, I felt an awful ultimatum hanging in my head.


    If I continued letting myself grow accustomed to this, embracing it, then I was going to face greater and greater resistance from normal people. They would recoil in disgust. They would be wary around us, and I would contribute to a negative perception of canis people - we would be the people who acted like animals, as well as looking like them.


    If I pushed my desires aside though, and held back, it would make me feel... what? Would I really feel all that miserable if I didn''t give into every urge to pant and wag my tail on a whim? Would it really feel that horrible? Surely it couldn''t be good for me to just act on every impulse. Many situations I would need to be more composed - but could I really hold it back all the time?


    Even if I never let my enjoyment of it show, how much would people really accept me? I could resist any desire to act like a dog, and spare them the discomfort - but I still had a big black snout on my face. I still had big floppy ears - and even if I wasn''t wagging it, people would still stare at my tail.


    I didn''t know what I was going to do. It was still only my second day being a canis person out in public. Maybe things would improve. Maybe they would only get worse. With all the constant questioning in my mind, at least one firm thing surfaced - I felt better around other people like me. I didn''t want to be alone, and I knew other canis people didn''t either.


    So in leaving gym, I struck up a conversation with Aidan and asked him what games he was into - strategy games like X-Com seemed to be his favorite. Being able to talk about something that he liked, and something that wasn''t canis, seemed to enliven him a bit. By the time Aidan had to split off to his next class, me and Douglas offered to share our contact info with him if he ever wanted to hang out. He accepted, and seemed to be in a better mood as he walked away.


    I stood there silently in the hallway, stoic. Not much thought went on in my mind, even as people passed around me.


    "Y''know," Douglas said, casually licking his nose, "it might be nice to have a club, or support group, or something for canis people."


    "Maybe," I said. "I''m not sure. I feel like a lot of canis people I''m seeing don''t seem super interested in interacting with people."


    Douglas shrugged. "You never know. It does feel good though to meet other canis people, and know they''ve gone through what you have."


    I smiled at him. "Yeah."


    "Even if all it is is some sort of study group, or playing games or something after school," Douglas said, "I think it could help a lot of people."


    "You really think we could organize something like that?"


    "I don''t see why not."


    My feelings of anxiety began to fade throughout the rest of the day. I started thinking more and more about this hypothetical canis club. How would I best help people? Show them that they were welcomed?


    In math, when I probably should''ve been working on that day''s assignment, I started looking up stuff on the school website, trying to figure out how one would start a club. I made the jump, and wrote up an email to the school, asking them if I could do this.


    When I met my friends at lunch, I was happy to see that Jackie seemed in a decent mood. Wendy however, still seemed a bit reserved, and surly about things. Despite this, they both expressed support of our idea for a club. Ted and Greg didn''t offer much input however.


    By the time school ended, I got a response back from the school. If we could make plans for this, they would help us get the word out. I met with the others as school ended. Sadie started to immediately scout out what classrooms might be available for us to meet. At the same time, Aidan began making plans to bring his board game collection, while Douglas volunteered to figure out food, starting to talk with the school about potentially getting some money.


    It felt awesome. Something was going into motion. I didn''t know how the world would adjust to this new normal, but maybe all of us who''d gone through this... maybe we could all figure things out together.


    By the time I got home, I felt... relief. I dared to even allow myself some excitement. In the midst of so much confusion, I might be able to help others - and myself.

 Chapter 30

    Lucas typed rapidly away on the analog keyboard, testing out line of code after line of code. He typed in a change, tested it, and observed the results, writing them down in a document. He''d been at this for an hour. It was his routine every day after getting home - much to Meagan''s displeasure.


    Every morning he got the old laptop out, typing away before getting ready, and he did all he could after getting home from work. At work, he had access to machines that weren''t astounding, but far better than this old thing. But when he wasn''t at work, he needed a way to keep going, keep testing. The laptop was an ancient thing, being as much as ten years old. It wasn''t able to compact, change into a tablet, or any other modern conveniences - but he liked the feeling of the analog keys.


    It continued on and on, comparing the canis virus that was actively changing people throughout the world, and the later cancer treatments that had proved inert. Somewhere, he was certain, he would find the key to unlock this. It was incredibly unlikely he''d discover that key when he was combing through the virus''s instructions by hand, rather than using an AI or a supercomputer - or both, but doing nothing on this pained him.


    "Dad?"


    Lucas jumped a little at Ashley poking her head into the bedroom. She now had completely changed. Covered entirely in fur, two big drooping ears. She was so... different.


    "Yes?" Lucas asked, making only a slight glance to her. He''d learned that looking directly at Matt or Ashley often led him to involuntarily making a displeased expression - and so not looking directly at them, while unkind, was preferable to the alternative.


    "Mom has dinner ready."


    "Alright," Lucas said, "tell her to put mine in the oven for now."


    "She said specifically she wants you to come now."


    Lucas let out a long pained sigh. It hurt him to not be working on this - but his nonstop working had been straining Meagan. They''d had a tense conversation several nights ago, where she said some things that sounded a lot like a suggestion to give up. He wished he had responded to her better.


    "Okay," Lucas said, "I''m coming."


    He got off of his and Meagan''s bed, and made himself look presentable in the mirror the best he could. Walking out into the kitchen, he found a different scene than normal - the table was actually set, with a nice pork loin dinner.


    Lucas suddenly realized how hungry he was - and hungry specifically for real meaningful food, not the bare essential, fast food stuff he''d been shoveling in. He immediately felt a deep guilt wash over him as he looked to his wife and children, and joined them sitting down.


    He had been neglecting them. So much had happened, and he had responded with contempt rather than the love and nurturing a father should provide. Ashley and Matt were feeling more and more distant from him. He''d grown so obsessed with curing their disease at some future date, that he hadn''t given mind to caring for them in the present.


    There was a moment of awkward silence at the table. It had been a great deal of time, weeks, since they had actually sat around as a family at the table. He caught the gaze of Matt and Ashley, and looked deeply into their altered appearances. Lucas desperately wanted to help them feel like their home was a place they could relax - but then he looked at how they had changed...


    "Eh hem," Meagan said.


    Lucas looked to her, and she bowed her head - and began saying grace. Lucas was surprised, and the kids seemed to be as well. It had been... a very, very long time since something like this. The impression from Meagan was very clear - she felt that their family needed serious help.


    When they said amen, and Lucas looked up and opened his eyes, he began to feel a growing weight on him. He needed to do something. He had gotten so entrenched in this cause that he had neglected a far more important one.


    Meagan was trying to very hard to keep a strong face, but he knew what the difference between that look and an authentic one was. Matt surprisingly, seemed to be in a good mood, though slightly dampened by the uneasiness of the abnormal dinner. Ashley however, looked very tired, very weak. Even through her altered facial features, it was very obvious she was depressed.


    Lucas had to do something. He had to heal this growing rift. He needed to apologize to Matt for getting so angry at him when he''d infected Ashley. He needed to be willing to reach out to Ashley, to talk to her.


    "So," Meagan broke the silence," how has school been going for the both of you?"


    "Good," Matt said confidently. "It''s been a bit hard adjusting to everything - especially several of my friends now having canis... but it''s been good to talk with them, know we all share that experience."


    Ashley said nothing.


    "I''m glad to hear that," Meagan said, "how has your coding class been going?"


    Matt gave that trademark "I really don''t want to talk about this," look. He obviously didn''t like it, but at the same time claimed he wanted to go into computer science. Lucas had suggested he look at some other options then for a future career, but Meagan had been uneasy. She was insistent that Matt went into something he was sure to find a job in.


    "It''s going fine," Matt said. "You know something that I''m excited about though - tomorrow me and my friends are going to try to hold a support group thing for other canis people. I hope it works out well."


    Meagan looked to Lucas with a blank expression. She was obviously trying to have a conversation about something that didn''t have to do with the virus.


    "I think that''s a decent thing to do," Lucas said. "though be careful that in trying to comfort people, you don''t... let''s say, paint this all in too good of a light."


    Matt blinked with a confused look on his face. "That was the last thing I was worried about, but alright."


    "I just am seeing stuff online about people who... well, get really, really into this," Lucas said. "It concerns me."


    "Why should it be concerning?" Matt shrugged. He took a bite of his food, as if his statement needed no explanation.


    "You''ve all been transformed by a harmful virus," Lucas reminded, "it''s not a game. You''re all at risk for all kinds of complications as long as you aren''t your normal selves. I don''t think it''s wise to get too comfortable with it."


    "I don''t know Dad," Matt said. "I understand that this is serious, and I do take it seriously - but any cure is at least years away. I don''t see any real option for now other than accepting what''s happened."


    "I understand that," Lucas said, "but it needs to be done carefully. If you can live your life and be in good mental and physical health, I''m happy, but you need to remember that you''re a human at the end of the day."


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "Of course I''m a human," Matt smiled, "I just look a bit different on the outside."


    "What I mean is," Lucas said, "you need to remember that being a normal human is who you really are, what you''re supposed to look like. This... " - he gestured - "even if it isn''t actively harming you, it isn''t natural. I would avoid getting attached to it."


    "And what if I do feel attached to it Dad?"


    Lucas paused.


    "Then you," Ashley spoke up, "are really, really, really weird."


    Lucas locked eyes with Matt.


    "I understand everything you''re saying Dad. I get your concerns. But I feel perfectly alright. And being honest, when I look in the mirror - I don''t know. I know I look strange, even a bit funny with my big floppy ears - but something about that... I feel like it suits me. I kind of like it."


    Lucas didn''t know how to respond to that - not at all.


    "I...," Meagan said, "am not sure if this is such a good idea Matt."


    "It''s not like I can really control it Mom. Sometimes... the way I am... it just sort of feels good."


    Lucas clasped his hands, and rested his chin against them. "However you feel about it, don''t get used to it. I don''t intend for this to take years. It''s going to take months at worst."


    Meagan gave Lucas a sharp look. "And how do you intend on getting all of this done so quickly?"


    Oh dear. That was a mistake.


    "I... okay. I understand that I''ve been working really hard..."


    "You never stop," Meagan said. "As soon as you get home, that''s when work should end."


    "But Megan," Lucas said, "some days I don''t get a lot of time to work on the cure. I have my work responsibilities, and they don''t always allot me and the others time to work on this."


    Meagan shook her head in disbelief. "Lucas... you need to accept the fact that this isn''t going to be swiftly changed just by you. The cancer treatment all those years ago took the efforts of people around the world to work, and prying this problem open is going to take the same."


    "Meagan..."


    "I know you want to help Matt and Ashley, and all the people who have this, and I''m not telling you to stop - but I''m telling you that your biggest responsibility is to be here for your family."


    Lucas was quiet for a moment. Breathing slowly, with intention. He straightened up.


    "I''m sorry for my behavior," he said. "I will try to manage things better, keep my work from crowding out everything else."


    Meagan nodded, and her eyes seemed to have some amount of relief in them.


    "I want us to get back to normal," Meagan said. "That''s all I want."


    Matt shook his head. "I don''t really think things will be normal again."


    Lucas smiled. "Don''t give up hope. We''ll find a cure eventually."


    Matt was silent.


    "Matt?"


    He looked up, and stared Lucas square in the eye.


    "I don''t want to be cured."


    Lucas''s mouth slowly dropped open. Meagan and Ashley showed similar disbelief.


    "I want to be there for Jackie. She feels happy like this, and I don''t want to leave her. She needs someone like her to support her."


    "So...," Lucas said shakily, unable to process this information, "you... you''re going to forgo a cure... for the girl you''ve only been dating for a few weeks? You seriously want permanent changes to your body for someone you don''t know all that well?"


    "I do know her well Dad. I''ve known her for a long time, but in the past month, we''ve shared so much with each other. I feel closer to her than anyone else."


    "I''m sorry Matt," Lucas said, "but it still feels like you''re acting really flippantly. You are still just in high school."


    "I love her Dad," Matt said confidently. "I''m not giving her up. I''m not blind, our relationship could change, but I only feel closer to her, stronger around her with every passing day. She needs me. If we ever broke up, perhaps I''d change my mind. You''re acting like I''m flipping a switch to make this permanent. For all you know there''s no cure and it already is. All I''m doing is deciding I''m not going to let this keep me from being happy."


    "Being canis isn''t going to just magically make you happy."


    "I don''t think that Dad. But I do honestly like who I am. I never thought about that much before the change, but now, people bully us, give us weird looks - and I''m forced to stand against those people and be confident in who I am. I''m a dog person, and I''m not ashamed of it. I feel happy because I see a path where I can feel comfortable with who I am, and find people like Jackie and Douglas who I can connect with."


    Lucas shook his head. "You''re going to change your mind Matt. This fleeting fascination with the weird and bizarre will wear off. It will cease being a novelty to you. All that will remain is the annoyances of what you have to deal with."


    "I feel like it already has worn off Dad. Early on, every morning I would wake up, and have that sudden awareness of ''I''m a dog person now.'' But now it''s just who I am. At some point maybe it was strange and interesting to have a tail and fur, but now it''s just ''that''s my tail. That''s my fur.'' There''s a lot of annoying things - the shedding, my paw pads getting in the way sometimes - but I feel okay with it. I think about my changes less and less."


    Lucas let out one last, long sigh. "Alright. If this is what you want, fine. I can''t do anything to stop you."


    "You''re mad at me," Matt said. He didn''t look at Lucas as he said it. He just cut a piece of his pork loin.


    "I''m not mad."


    "Would you rather," Matt said as he took a bite, "that I be super depressed? That I just give up and act like my life will never be happy again, like Ashley is?"


    "Shut up," Ashley shouted quietly, "and leave me alone."


    Meagan gave Matt a cold glare for being rude to Ashley - but Matt didn''t seem very remorseful at the moment.


    "I don''t know," Lucas said to Matt. "I don''t understand."


    "We," Meagan said, with a stern expression, "just don''t want people to make fun of you. We don''t want you..." she sighed in exasperation. "I don''t know. Lucas?"


    "He wants what he wants Meagan. We can''t stop him."


    "What a glowing endorsement," Matt said.


    "It''s not an endorsement," Lucas said. "Being clear, I don''t really approve of this."


    "You don''t approve of something that you admit you don''t understand."


    Lucas frowned. It was really starting to set in that Matt was not speaking casually. He really meant this. He wanted to be this way, and he was willing to argue with Lucas over it. Matt was rarely so argumentative with him and Meagan.


    "Sometime soon, Saturday perhaps," Lucas said, "I think I want to take you two to the lab, and test your condition."


    Matt laughed. "What, you think you''re going to find a specific gene I have that''s ''making'' me enjoy this?"


    "When we last collected blood samples, we found that the virus was still active in you," Lucas said. "I am not going to rule out the possibility that it could be affecting your mind."


    Matt was wide eyed. "Mom, this is crazy. I''m sorry that you all think I''m super weird. I can''t explain exactly why I like this. I just do. Maybe I''ll change my mind at some point, but you can''t force me to change my mind."


    In his son''s eyes, Lucas saw something new - anger. Matt was seriously angry that they didn''t want him to wag his tail like a dog. Lucas was dumbfounded. He and Meagan had thought until now that Matt had been a surprisingly mild teenager. Perhaps he''d been saving all that up for now.


    Matt stood up from the table. "Thank you for the meal Mom. I think I''m going to go to Jackie''s house."


    As he left the room, Lucas nearly considered saying no to that. He recognized quickly however, that it would only prompt Matt to get more upset. And it felt... wrong. He''d be punishing his son... for disagreeing with him. And Lucas had no real evidence to support his view - only the gut feeling that it "felt wrong."


    Meagan left the room without a word. Ashley finished eating soon afterward. Lucas was left alone, eating a meal that had grown cold.

 Chapter 31

    He went back to the bedroom, and did not find Meagan there - and since she wasn''t there, he did what he told them he wouldn''t do, and got back working on his code. After several minutes of this, and the frustration being too much, he called it for the night. Meagan was right. He wasn''t going to be able to crack this problem so easily.


    Lucas also felt like a lot of his drive to work on it had evaporated. His son wanted to be a dog. It was a surreal thought - one that he''d never have imagined two months ago, but here it was. Lucas loved his children, but it was honestly hard for him to see them the same way. His brain had built up pattern recognition with their faces. It had no connection to the dog people that now were in their place.


    Lucas immediately felt guilt again. He wanted to find the cure so that he could see their normal faces again - because he could not figure out how to love how they looked now. He contemplated how Matt and Ashley must feel. Their parents, their extended family... they no longer wished to look at them.


    It was a very painful feeling, and Lucas felt too much shame to push it aside. He opened up their family photos on his computer. He looked at a picture of their visit to Olympia National Park several years ago, and looked intently at Matt and Ashley''s faces.


    Then he opened up two new photos. They were taken purely for the purposes of research, and looked mugshot like, depicting a teenage dog boy and a teenage dog girl, both looking very tired, and very afraid. They looked like drastically different.


    Now Lucas felt unwilling to deal with the feeling any longer. He closed the photos, and began aimlessly scrolling social media. Here he could not escape canis, as numerous news articles advertised celebrities who had contracted the virus, supposed "cures" that actually caused serious harm, and even a few posts that felt decidedly speciesist.


    Was that who Lucas wanted to be? If Matt and other people were intent on living their lives this way, was his son going to drift away from him? Would any future grandchildren kept away because "grandpa is speciesist"?


    Amid these thoughts, Lucas stumbled on a picture that Matt had posted. It was a bit of a visual assault on his brain - it was difficult to adjust to seeing his children as dog people, but here in this picture, he saw even more canis individuals. Matt and his friends somewhere in their school, hanging out, smiling for a picture.


    Matt was very different in this picture from the mugshot-esque one. He was happy. Looking deeper into it, Lucas could still see his son''s face. It was muddled by the fur and the muzzle, but it was there.


    He had to remind himself that despite the awful changes that had happened to his children, they were still alive. One of them was happy, trying to live a meaningful life despite what had happened. He needed to talk to Ashley. She needed desperate help. He was concerned about Matt, but much more concerned about her.


    Lucas wasn''t comfortable with Matt being so cheerful about this - but Ashley looking so defeated, so ready to give up... it pierced him deeply. What did he want? Did he really want his children to just hang perfectly neutral, not feel any emotion? Shouldn''t he be happy for his son, that he''d found a way to get through this?


    Try as he might, Lucas could not. It was just so unthinkable to him that someone could enjoy this - especially with what Lucas had experienced himself.


    Lucas was so lost in thought, it wasn''t till Meagan sat down on the bed that he realized she was in the room.


    "Lucas."


    "Yes?" he looked to her.


    "Matt is angry at us, and feeling more and more distant. Ashley meanwhile is in a very dark place, where I''m concerned about her personal safety."


    "What do you want to do about it?"


    "I want you to express your love for our children."


    "I do love them," he said with firmness. "It''s just difficult adjusting to them... to them having different faces."


    Lucas brought up the photos he''d been looking at. Meagan looked between them for a moment.


    "Well we need to do something."


    "I... I don''t know what to do," Lucas admitted.


    Meagan was silent.


    "I''ve been working so hard on this... because I haven''t had any other way that I could improve these awful circumstances."


    "I''m sorry Lucas," Meagan said. "It''s happened. There''s nothing we can do to change that."


    Lucas closed his eyes, bowing his head.


    He opened them again as he heard the sound of clicking - and saw that Meagan had brought up the picture of Matt and his friends.


    "I don''t understand him," Meagan sighed, staring at the picture.


    "Me neither."


    "We can''t just hang them out to dry though Lucas. Whether or not they like or hate this, they need love and support as they go through such a difficult time."


    "I know. I know..."


    Meagan placed her hand on Lucas''s back, and began rubbing up and down - a very natural, ordinary thing - but Lucas recoiled.


    "What?" Meagan said in surprise.


    "Nothing, just - "


    Meagan reached for his back, and even though he turned his back from her, she was still able to feel it briefly.


    "Fur..."


    Meagan grew pale. "Lucas... no. Please... don''t tell me that..."


    "It isn''t the virus," he quickly said, "or at least, the same variant. It''s a modified version, that hopefully - "


    "You intentionally took the virus? Lucas, what the hell is wrong with you!?"


    "It''s not progressing as fast," he said, "and as I''ve been administering small doses, it may have slowed down."


    "Slowed down? May have? Lucas, messing up the cancer treatment all those years ago was completely understandable and forgivable. But this? You knew this was dangerous. You knew what could happen!"


    She grabbed a fist full of Lucas''s shirt, and pulled it off. Patches of light golden fur were scattered all over his torso.


    Fear and dread spread over Meagan face, and she cupped her hands against her mouth.


    "Meagan," he raised up a hand, "I know it looks bad, but it hasn''t gotten past this, I promise!"


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    "You''re lying," she said, "your nose is slightly upturned. Your ears look a bit higher on your head than normal. Gosh Lucas, you''ve let yourself get totally blinded, and now you''ve done this to yourself - and..."


    She went pale.


    "A week ago, my sense of smell started feeling stronger... and I thought nothing of it. Nothing happened for days. Then I started noticing blonde hair growing on my arms yesterday... Lucas... what have you done!"


    "I tried," he said trembling, "I tried to stop you... but..."


    "So what was your master plan?" Meagan said, anger rising in her voice, "have no physical contact with me for months on end while you hoped you could stop yourself from getting worse?"


    "I am stopping myself from getting worse -"


    "You are lying again," she pointed accusingly at him. "I saw yesterday when you left the laptop open. I saw that exponential graph describing that the rate of change in "the subject" was increasing, despite your efforts. I didn''t know what it was then, but now... "


    Lucas could not deny it. He''d been caught - and caught before he could reverse it.


    "I''m so disappointed in you Lucas," she cried. "You didn''t tell me because you knew I''d say no. You leapt into a dangerous experiment on yourself. And now you''ve transmitted it to me."


    "I... I can fix it," Lucas said unsteadily.


    "No you can''t!" Meagan said. "You can''t control this thing, you don''t know what to do! You should''ve cut your losses, but you stayed at the table, doubling down."


    Hot tears broke through his shut eyelids and ran down his cheeks. "And now... I''ve lost it... lost everything."


    Meagan forcefully grabbed his shoulder and turned him to face her.


    "You...," Meagan said, "make it sound like you lost your children. Like you''re going to lose yourself, and lose me."


    He stared into her eyes with blurry vision.


    "Is that how you view Matt and Ashley, Lucas? Do you think our children are dead?"


    "I... what? No, but - "


    "I''ve watched you since this all happened. At first I just expected, like me, that you were going to take a while to adjust to this. I haven''t fully adjusted myself. But you look at our children like they''re intruders. Like they''re unwanted stray dogs."


    Lucas put his face in his hands. "I miss seeing their faces Meagan. I want them back. It does feel like there are unfamiliar creatures in our house. It does feel uncomfortable. When I look at them... all I see is my failure. That I was unable to save them."


    He felt the mattress shift as Meagan stood up.


    "Well Lucas, now you can see that failure when you look in the mirror. I''m going to go run some errands."


    He continued sobbing uncontrollably as she closed the door behind her.


    He had failed. He... had failed.


    ****


    I''m not sure that Mom and Dad remembered how we had changed - our hearing in particular. In the middle of gathering my stuff to go to Jackie''s house, the shouting had begun - and then I heard everything. I laid down on the floor, ears perked up the whole time it was going on.


    My own father couldn''t bear to look at me. I was no longer his son. I was an invasive creature.


    And now both my parents had contracted canis. It gave me no respite knowing that it was not directly my fault this time. If anything, this made me feel worse. I doubted that my parents would react well to this, and would likely only become colder towards us and the world.


    I was starting to realize that people who contracted canis from the original treatment tended to react to the changes a lot better - maybe because we had already been changed in very small ways our whole lives. To normal people however, it was much worse.


    Ashley alternated between looking angry at everything, to being barely functioning, a complete zombie. Other canis people I''d seen at school seemed similar. But I wasn''t sure. Wendy had contracted the virus from the cancer treatment, and wasn''t taking it very well.


    With my parents at least, I knew that it wouldn''t get better. Everyone but me would be miserable, and they''d want to drag me down into the same state. They would resent me for being comfortable with who I was.


    I felt cold and alone. I curled up on the floor like a dog would, and quietly whimpered. The canine behavior contrasted with my human tears flowing down my fur covered face. As I cried, I heard the distressing sound of my own father crying downstairs. After a while, hearing him became too taxing on my own emotions, and I stood up.


    I looked in the mirror on my dresser, seeing dog boy stare back at me. I breathed in deep through my nose. It felt all runny from crying. I licked it clean. In the past I might''ve thought that was gross, but it felt perfectly natural to me now. Besides, there wasn''t much I could do to make others look down on my appearance less.


    I finally forced myself to pick up my backpack and leave my room. Before I got downstairs, Ashley opened her door, and just looked blankly at me. Her own eyes were red. She stood there quietly sniffling, her tail curled between her legs.


    I had nothing I could really say to her. I went downstairs and out the door. The night wind bit hard at me, cutting through my fur, and I cursed myself for not grabbing a jacket.


    Fighting through the cold, and through the emotions that threatened to make me burst into tears again, I finally got to Jackie''s house.


    I said nothing as she opened the door. I just embraced her. I just needed a moment of genuine love.


    ****


    It was many minutes before Lucas was able to console himself. He got up, and went into the bathroom to try to make himself look presentable. Looking in the mirror, he already saw failure. It hurt even worse knowing that what he''d been so afraid of, what he had fought so hard against, was now going to claim him too.


    Meagan''s stinging words tore through his mind. Now he would see failure every time he looked in the mirror.


    All his life he had imagined that when he was married, had children, and had a career, then he would feel confident. He would feel like he was a functioning adult. He had fooled himself for many years - but now the veil was cast away.


    In that moment he didn''t feel like a child, like he had as a struggling college student. No. In that moment he felt something far worse - that he was a terrible husband and father.


    Meagan, Matt, and Ashley all counted on him to be a leader. They trusted him to provide for them, to  protect them, to guide them. To be an example of an upstanding person. He had failed in that.


    Lucas went back into the bedroom, and sat on the bed, feeling hollow inside. He''d always felt somewhat distant from the idea of a higher power, but in that moment, he felt he believed stronger in one than he ever had. God was disappointed in him, he was sure of it. God had seen what Lucas had been putting his family through, and now Lucas had been humbled.


    If that was the situation, so be it. It was not a punishment, but a necessity. Only when he endured it himself was he going to understand what Matt and Ashley felt.


    He felt a voice in him cry that it was hopeless. He was never going to find a cure, and his family was going to be cursed with this for the rest of their lives. Beyond that, he had proven a poor husband and father, and would only make things worse. He should just give up.


    A different voice in him said otherwise. He needed to fix things. He couldn''t run away from his problems. Feeling sorry for himself would not help his family. He could not give up. Giving up would not solve anything. It would just excuse him from having to try.


    So Lucas decided he was going to try. He was going to actually try. He wasn''t going to let himself be distracted by illusions that he could cure this virus all on his own. No. He was going to love his wife and children, and support them.


    He was going to apologize to them all, especially Meagan. He was going to love Matt even if he did want to stay this way. And for Meagan and Ashley, he would work on the cure when he could, and allow them to choose what they wanted when the time came.


    Lucas took a deep breath. He put his hand under his shirt, feeling the fur growing there. Meagan had not been wrong in the slightest about that graph. The changes were going to get faster, until they reached the typical changing speed. He was going to look like a dog. He could not force himself to like the idea, but that would be a problem a week or two in the future.


    In the meantime, Lucas distracted himself from his thoughts with checking some things on his laptop - not trying to crack the virus, just more relaxed browsing.


    That relaxation came to a halt however. In his email inbox he found an email from Ironclad Web Security. Normally he would discard such a message as spam, even with the preview text that said "ALERT!" on it, if he hadn''t remembered it was the service that his work used to protect their servers.


    Clicking on the email, he found a succinct message: "unauthorized access on Thursday February 7th." Perplexed, Lucas logged into his company account, and was able to find more detailed logs. Sure enough, earlier that day someone had logged in - it had been with authorized login details, but from an unauthorized location.


    As he scanned the logs, he found distressing results. Records had been copied, especially from Lucas''s unit.


    Wanting to wait no longer, Lucas looked up the IP address. He had little doubt who it was, and he was right.


    Seth.

 Chapter 32

    I slept fitfully that night. Being able to talk to Jackie, and just play some games to relax had helped a lot. In a way though, it made it even harder to go back home. I knew what waited for me when I got back; parents that didn''t want to look at me - a sister who felt that I had ruined her life. There was even the unsettling prospect that Mom and Dad''s marriage was on shaky ground.


    When I got home, there was thankfully no one around. Trying to sleep was difficult. I''d been getting used to orienting my tail right as not to pinch it, as well as dealing with the extra warmth from fur. No, what I missed as I tried to sleep wasn''t what sleeping had once been like. I missed Jackie, and being able to cuddle with her.


    I was sure that most guys my age wanted a girl in their bed for a... very different reason, but I wanted the comfort of knowing she was there with me. I was down bad for her, and I knew it. Thankfully she didn''t seem to object much to me being strongly attached.


    She seemed to finally be starting to internalize that I wasn''t just pitying her or anything like that. Despite the doubting thoughts she had, I really did love her. And I felt she loved me back. In that moment, she was all I felt I had. I didn''t know how to salvage my family situation in the slightest. They refused to understand me. But Jackie did.


    Being with her felt so freeing. With her I wagged my tail and panted all I wanted. She''d grown more and more open too. She was like a completely different person in her house compared to school. She smiled widely, talked cheerfully and occasionally kissed me on the cheek.


    But then there was my family. They used to be my refuge. Then in just the span of a month it felt like it was hanging in the balance. Whatever happened with my family, I knew that if it stayed this way, I couldn''t stick around. I needed to get up to college with Jackie as soon as I could.


    So many challenges were ahead. I would need to figure out college, and what I wanted to study. I''d have to adjust to being a canis person in a much larger place.


    Eventually my mind just became exhausted from the stress, and I finally got to sleep.


    The next morning, I was intent on just getting ready for school as quickly as possible, and then leaving home before I had to talk to anyone. Today we were going to have the first meeting of our club, and the last thing that I wanted was for my mood to be ruined before I even walked out the door. I needed to be confident and cheerful, able to help the other canis students the best I could.


    After showering and drying off my fur, even giving it a good brush, I went downstairs to have breakfast. Ashley sat at the table, silently eating some yogurt. She looked as sullen as ever. Only a single light was on, and it cast an eerie shadows over everything.


    I ignored her the best I could, and got some cereal. Shortly after I''d sat down at the table however, Dad walked into the room. I did not acknowledge him, just breathed slowly and steadily, and continued eating. He pulled up a chair, and sat there quietly for a moment. After a minute or so, he let out a sigh.


    "We need to talk."


    I didn''t say anything. Ashley surprisingly spoke up, though very quietly.


    "Where''s mom?"


    "She''s at Grandma''s house. She needed some time."


    Neither Ashley or I said anything.


    "Last night," Dad sighed again, "Mom and I... had some disagreements..."


    "We heard it all," I said.


    Dad looked at me in confusion. I pointed to my ears, perking them up.


    He rested his face in his hand, and I could hear him curse under his breath.


    "Whatever," I said. "I just don''t want to talk about it."


    "That''s too bad," Dad said, making more determined eye contact with me, then glancing to Ashley. "We''ve got problems we need to talk about, and nothing is going to change unless we confront them."


    I didn''t say anything. Ashley just stirred her yogurt around, not eating any.


    "Ashley," Dad said.


    She didn''t move an inch.


    "Can you please look at me?"


    "No."


    "Ashley."


    "I don''t know," she said, "who this Ashley person is you''re talking about. I''m just a mutant that- "


    "Okay, no no, absolutely not," Dad said. "I''m not going to hear this again. I don''t want to hear such awful things out of your mouth again."


    "Doesn''t stop them from being in my mind."


    Dad reached his hand out, and took Ashley''s hand. I noticed Dad looked noticeably uncomfortable holding it. He ran his thumb over her black paw pads.


    "What can I do to help you feel better Ashley?"


    She pulled her hand away. "Stop looking at me, and work on a cure so that I can escape this awful humiliating prison."


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "I''m sorry Ashley," Dad said. "But I want to be more honest with myself, and all of you. It''s going to be at least several years from now before someone finds a solution."


    "Then I guess I''m going to feel awful for the next several years."


    Dad scooted his chair closer to hers, and put his arm around her.


    "Ashley, I know... I know that this is really difficult for you - "


    "No, you don''t understand," she finally looked up at him. "You have not experienced the horrible nightmare this is. You do not know how it feels to be afflicted by this curse. You do not know how it has felt this awful, excruciating week to have everyone in school mocking me, or shunning me. There are so, so few canis people at my school. I used to find comfort in being unnoticed, but now I am on display for everyone to see. It is the worst feeling in the world, and it''s never going to get better."


    I felt deeply sick to my stomach for a moment. She had looked to me in her brief moment of anger. She still saw me as the cause of all her torment. She hated me.


    Dad had no real response. He just sat there, holding her. I turned my attention back to eating my cereal.


    "I''m sorry," Dad said again, after what may have been a full minute of silence. "I can''t really say anything that''ll make your problems go away."


    "No. You can''t."


    "All I can say is, how can we make it easier for you to feel comfortable at home?"


    "Just leave me alone. Don''t look at me. And when you start mutating into a mutant dog person, keep out of my sight too. All seeing other mutants does is remind me that I''m one of them."


    She stood up, and tossed the yogurt in the garbage, a lot of it obviously still uneaten. She went back upstairs, presumably to grab her backpack.


    I finished my cereal, and went to the sink to rinse my bowl and spoon. When I turned back around, Dad met my gaze. He said nothing, just looked at me with distress on his face. At least he was actually looking at me.


    "I appreciate you trying Dad," I made the first move, "but she isn''t going to change her mind. She doesn''t like this, and getting bullied at school probably doesn''t help at all. I certainly can''t help her. She hates me. I''m the reason for all of this."


    "You made a mistake Matt," he said, "but so did she. Even beyond that, it was an accident. You don''t deserve to be scorned forever because of it. I''m sorry that I got so upset at you because of it."


    "It doesn''t matter who deserves what," I said, walking to where I''d put my backpack against the wall. "I can only control my own actions, and no one else''s."


    I slung my backpack on. Dad continued to stare at me. I couldn''t read his expression. I began to turn around and walk towards the front door.


    "Matthew."


    I turned back around.


    "I love you. I''m sorry that I''ve done a bad job of communicating that. I... I honestly have had a hard time getting used to the new you. I''ve refused to acknowledge it. That was a terrible thing for me to do. I''m sorry."


    "Okay."


    I started to turn around again.


    "Matt."


    I sighed, glancing back at him.


    "If this is really what you want... I''m happy for you. I still won''t pretend that I understand why, but I''ll try to be kinder. If you really... if you really feel comfortable with it, you can... wag your... tail... and, well, all that, and I''ll try my best not to judge."


    "Again Dad," I said, "I appreciate it, but it''s hard for me to separate what you''re saying from the fact that you found out last night you were going to become canis."


    Dad ran his hand through his hair. "I knew the risks as soon as I foolishly decided to use myself as a test subject - but you''re right. I didn''t really accept until last night what was going to happen."


    "I''m going to warn you Dad, it''s going to be hard."


    "I know that. Of the former Generation employees at my work, a few know I did this - and they''re going to say ''I told you so'' as soon as they find out."


    "Everything is going to change for you Dad," I said. "The simple act of going out into a public place, buying groceries or something - it''s never going to feel the same."


    "I know," he said. "I know. Right now though, all that matters to me is your mom. She was... I can''t remember the last time I saw her this upset."


    "I think it was when we were camping a few years ago, and we had to eat lunch cowering under a tree in the middle of a massive downpour."


    A smile briefly came to his face. "Oh she was upset then... but no. I can''t remember a time I so strongly disappointed her like this. I feel like the whole time we''ve been married, I''ve been pushing myself as hard as I could to keep her, and then you both, as happy as possible... I let myself get so pulled along by that momentum, that I didn''t really stop to just... "


    I breathed in deep, doing my best to put away my resentment. "I understand Dad."


    He got up, and gave me a brief hug. I realized then, that it had been a very, very long time since he had hugged me.


    When he let me go, he made a small chuckle.


    "What?"


    "It''s... nothing," he smiled. "Just... I don''t know, it feels like I''m hugging a stuffed animal or something."


    "Well...," I said, "that... that''s a weird thing to say, but at least it wasn''t rude, at least."


    "I hope you can have patience with me Matt."


    "I''ll try. I''ll try. Right now though, I''m just more worried about Mom."


    Dad''s smile vanished. "Me too. But she cares about you and Ashley. She is trying to adjust to this same as me, but she still cares."


    "She cares about you too Dad."


    He bowed his head. "I sure hope so. You have a good day at school, alright?"


    "Okay." I tried to give some amount of a smile. He was trying, and I understood this was hard for him and Mom, but gosh, it still hurt.


    I realized as I walked out the door that Jackie had probably given me a pretty false idea of how other people reacted to canis. Until now, my family had been the only non-canis people I''d interacted with - and now that was changing. The thought of all of us... all of us being this way... it was hard for me to imagine.


    Part of me hoped that it might help bring us together, all going through the same struggle, but I wasn''t sure. Ashley seemed to become annoyed if she just happened to catch me smile.


    But I wasn''t going to give into despair like her. I wanted to be happy. My world had been upended, my life was never going to be the same, but I wanted to live. I wanted other people to latch onto that as well.


    I didn''t know what everyone out there was feeling. I didn''t know what Ashley and others were feeling deep down - but I knew that you could be canis, and be happy - and in the day ahead, organizing our first club meeting, I was determined to show it.

 Chapter 33

    School was starting to feel a little bit less anxiety inducing. Jackie was doing a lot better, thankfully. She even had the confidence to walk around without her hood up. While non-canis people were by no means comfortable around us, most people seemed to have gotten past the initial shock. The constant feeling of being stared at like a creature in a zoo was subsiding, replaced by occasional passing glances. I still didn''t like it, but it was an encouraging sign that things were improving.


    During lunch we made sure that we had everything ready for the first meeting of our club. The school had apparently sent out an email to all the canis students about it, so we hoped to get a good turn out.


    After the bell rang for the last period of the day, I made my way swiftly to our designated classroom. It was one of the art rooms, and we were offered it partially because the art teacher, Mrs. Anderson, was also canis. When I got there, I found a nice little poster outside saying "Welcome to the Canis Club," with little drawings of paws. Inside, Jackie and Sadie were already there moving tables.


    "Just make sure that when you''re done you line the tables back up," Mrs. Anderson said. "There''s strips of tape on the floor with the table number written on them."


    Mrs. Anderson appeared to be some kind of dark colored labrador. Labradors seemed to be one of the more common canis breeds, along with golden retrievers.


    "Alright," Sadie said, "thanks again for letting us use your room."


    "Oh it''s not much trouble," she said. "I have an open period at the end of the day on Friday to get all my work done, so you guys are free to use my room."


    "Thanks," I said, setting down my backpack. I went over to Jackie and gave her a little kiss on the cheek.


    "Well I appreciate what you''re all doing for your fellow canis students," Mrs. Anderson said. "You all seem to be holding up well, but I know that a lot of them... they need some friends."


    "And I think a lot just need a break," Jackie said.


    Mrs. Anderson nodded. "Well good luck to you all, let me know how it goes."


    We waved bye to her as she walked out the door. A moment later, Aidan walked into the room. He was carrying a laundry basket full of board games, and had a cheerful expression.


    "Woah," Sadie chuckled as he dropped them down on a table, "that''s a lot."


    "Yeah," I said, "you sure we''re even going to have that many people?"


    Aidan shrugged, and laughed. "I could''ve brought a lot more. I''m not passing up an opportunity to rope people into playing some of my games."


    I walked over and examined some of them - they all looked to be kind of intense strategy games.


    "Uhhh," I said, a bit uncertain.


    "Don''t worry," Aidan smiled. He opened his backpack, pulling out more games, these ones in smaller boxes and looking a lot more casual. "Like I said, I could''ve gotten more. Next week I''ll maybe load up my car with another basket."


    I laughed. "We''ll have to see. I''ll be happy if even just a few people come."


    I felt my tablet buzz in my pocket, and found a text from Douglas asking a few people to come outside and help bring in the pizzas. I recruited Jackie, and we left the classroom and made our way outside to the parking lot.


    When we got to Douglas''s truck, I ran my hand through my hair, a little bit overwhelmed.


    "That''s... a lot of pizza," Jackie said as she looked into the back of the truck.


    I got a whiff of it, and as always, the smell permeated my canine senses. I suddenly realized I was very hungry.


    Douglas smiled. "The school gave us money, we might as well use it. Load up."


    We carefully stacked up as much as we could in our arms. Douglas took a bit of  taller stack to get the last few boxes. We must''ve had something like fifteen. I gritted my teeth as Douglas tried to shut the truck door with his back, but thankfully he had much better balance than I did. Jackie however wouldn''t let him try to open the door to the school with all the pizza boxes in hand, setting down hers to open the doors for us.


    When we got back to Mrs. Anderson''s classroom, I found a few unfamiliar faces - a border collie boy, and a beagle boy. They were kind of hanging off to the side, away from where Sadie and Aidan were talking. Aidan and Sadie took some of our pizzas and helped us set them down. I walked over to the two new guys as the others went to grab plates and napkins.


    "Hi," I greeted, "what are your names?"


    "William," the border collie boy said.


    "Colton."


    Colton was visibly nervous, and avoided eye contact with me.


    "Nice," I said. "What year in school are you?"


    "Junior," William said.


    "Freshman."


    "Well welcome," I smiled. "Grab some pizza, and then we have a lot of games to choose from."


    Both of them nodded, and made their way over to the food tables, where the others had now placed plates and napkins. As the time passed, more and more canis people slowly came in. Most of them of them fell into the same breeds, though occasionally there was an outlier, like a boy who was some breed of bulldog.


    Soon a good sized group of people were there, sitting and eating in a circle. Everyone talking, and to my satisfaction, they seemed to be in a good mood. Still more people came in, and it was getting harder to greet them all.


    I took a moment to break from saying hi to newcomers, and sat down next to Jackie, after grabbing a slice of pizza. We sat down on the side of the room away from everyone, letting out an exasperated breath.


    "There are a lot more canis people at the school than I thought there would be," Jackie said.


    "Yeah," I said, "I suppose the... what, forty odd people in here isn''t too many people compared to the more than a thousand students here. Still, in a way it''s kind of crazy looking over the room and seeing only canis people."


    "Well not quite," Jackie said, pointing over to where Aidan was setting up a game, "there''s still Greg and Ted."


    Huh. I hadn''t expected to see them here, but I guessed they had been sitting in while we''d been talking about it during lunch. I felt a bit bad for not thinking to include them. I then started noticing one or two other normal people, I guessed they''d come with canis friends. That was just alright with me. It was good for them to get used to interacting with canis people.


    "This feels good," Jackie said. She smiled, closing her eyes and leaning back against the wall. "I feel like I''m out in the world doing something, but no one is fixated on me. I can just blend into the background."


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    "Oh don''t blend in too much," I smiled, putting my arm around her. "You''ve done a good job helping put this together, and deserve recognition."


    Jackie glanced to the classroom''s window, opened up to the hall, where their poster advertised the club.


    "Hey Matt, Jackie," Douglas called to us from the circle of people, "the whole point of this was to socialize, come join us!"


    I let out a half-joking groan, and got up with Jackie. Douglas pulled some chairs over for us to join the circle. I noticed that we were running low on chairs, as a few people were sitting cross legged on the floor.


    "So you know what I''ve been thinking about," a light colored labrador boy was saying across the circle, "is that you know that once they figure out how to edit this virus, all the sudden there''s gonna be a bunch of cat people."


    "Ew," a girl said.


    I couldn''t quite place what dog breed she looked like. Some kind of spaniel?


    "I don''t know about that," the girl went on. "I mean, I kinda know there are people who intentionally try to get canis, but they can do it on the down low. You can claim you just got infected somehow - but like, becoming a cat person when you could just become human again? Pretty obvious I''d say."


    "Who said that they''d have a cure by then?" the boy said. "The way I see it, these genetics companies make way more money if they start developing all these other crazy things."


    "Pff," another guy huffed.


    "Wouldn''t you still make a lot of money selling a cure?" a different girl said. "In that circumstance you could likely lobby the government to have a program to distribute it nationwide, guaranteeing you revenue."


    The labrador boy looked a bit stumped, and he appeared to have been dead set on looking at it one way. I didn''t really want to get involved in this argument, as my dad was one of the people working for these big companies, and that might have the potential to muddle my argument. My family wasn''t exactly poor.


    "Whatever the case," the boy said, "in the next decade, I''m sure, things are going to get nuts. Like humans think we''re weird now, but wait until some guy decides he wants to be a lizard and have those weird ball eyes. Or we''re going to get some people like literally becoming centaurs or mermaids, or grow wings on their backs! Us canis people, we''ll be relatively normal by comparison."


    A couple people laughed after this remark.


    "Horace, you don''t understand how complicated genetics is," a guy said. "It''s only by a sheer miracle that we didn''t all turn into cancer ridden blobs with the virus, or end up crippled, or unable to smell, or have serious brain damage - for all the external changes to our appearance, other than like the jaw and our tail bone, most of us is the same. You''re talking about genetic stuff on an entirely different level."


    "It isn''t even that simple," another guy added, "there''s stuff like our ears that were altered a lot, but still, that''s small potatoes compared to making a person that can fly."


    "Whatever," Horace wave his paw-hand. "The bottom line is there''s going to be more non-humans, cat people especially."


    I scooted my chair forward, feeling a little impulsive.


    "You keep saying that," I said.


    "Saying what specifically?" Horace asked.


    "Humans - as in, other people are humans, we are not."


    Horace looked at me incredulously, huffing a laugh. "Dude, look at me, at us - at yourself - we aren''t humans anymore in the slightest."


    "I just think it isn''t the best way to put things," I said. "The word ''human'' has so many strong connotations to it. We talk about someone feeling very ''human emotions'', or when someone is making an apathetic choice, we make an appeal to someone''s humanity - and I just feel like saying we are not humans makes it sound like we lack human emotion, human kindness."


    "Well I got news for you buddy," Horace said. "The humans don''t really care. They think that we''re all freaks. It''d be nice to be called a human, but they aren''t going to allow us that."


    "Well I''m calling myself a human," a golden retriever girl near him said, "and I don''t really care if other people are going to be jerks about it."


    Horace then proceeded to argue about more stuff, as I glanced to Douglas, then to Jackie. This "conversation" wasn''t much fun anymore. The three of us got up from our chairs, and walked over to where Jackie and I had been sitting before.


    "I''d say," Douglas whispered, "to keep an eye on people like that in the club."


    I shrugged. "What would we do, kick him out or something?"


    "Well, yeah," Jackie said. "People came here to chill out, not to debate about whether or not they''re human beings."


    "If you''re too skittish about it," Douglas said, "I''ll take him aside once he stops talking, and have a little chat."


    "Alright," I said, "just... be gentle."


    Hopefully that could be resolved peacefully, but I didn''t exactly want our club to have someone who was such a downer. I already got my fill of that at home with Ashley.


    I also did not want needless drama from setting someone off. We were all going through really difficult stuff, and the last thing I needed was a guy doing his best to stir people up.


    Douglas nodded to what I''d said, and went over to a table where some people were setting up a game. Jackie looked like she wanted to just sit for a moment, so I walked around and watched what everyone was up to.


    I was feeling like playing a game, so I went over to the classroom''s sink to wash my hands. Washing my pawlike hands was still something I had to get used to, when it was a bit harder to get them to feel clean, and then harder to get them dry.


    As I probably was using too many paper towels, I noticed five or so people just kind of hanging on the side of the room, eating pizza alone. They seemed a bit shy, and all but one of them had their hoods pulled up, covering their canine ears.


    "Hi," I said, walking over to one of them.


    "Hi," the boy said quietly.


    "You guys wanna play some games or something?"


    "I''m not really in the mood."


    "I j-just," a girl near him said, "I just... feel like everyone is already p-playing something, and they''re in their own groups... plus there''s not much space left..."


    "Hm," I said, contemplating the situation. I didn''t want to force them to be social. I did want to reach out to anyone that I could though.


    Then I remembered that there was a classroom connected to this one - the ceramics class. Perhaps the teacher would be willing to let us use their class, if it was just a few people.


    I walked over to the connecting door, and opened it a little bit. A few students were in there, working on ceramics projects, while the teacher sat at her desk working on something. She looked up from her computer.


    "Yes?"


    "Hi," I stepped in, "I''m sorry to interrupt you, but we have a lot of people here who want to play games, and I was wondering if it''d be okay if some came in here."


    She sighed. "Well, I''m trying to get some grades entered and get other work done. I can''t really have too much noise."


    The way she had said that last part implied that we were already being a bit loud. I set my jaw.


    "It''s just one group of people, five of them, and they seem more of the quiet type. They just seem a bit intimidated by the rest of the people."


    The teacher fidgeted in her chair a bit, thinking it over. "Okay, just as long as they don''t get in the way of my students working on projects."


    "Alright," I said, "thanks."


    A few minutes later, I was able to coerce the group of canis students into the other classroom. I noticed that at least a couple of them seemed uneasy with the non-canis people in the room, but I did my best to set up the game and distract them. I played a round of the game with them - it was just a simple card game, and they seemed to have a good time, staying in raised spirits after I told them I was going to check on the other room.


    When I came back in, I took inventory of everything. Jackie and Douglas were playing a game with some people, Aidan was holding some other people hostage playing one of his games. Despite the exhaustion of the other players, Aidan was brimming with satisfaction. On the opposite end, that labrador guy, Horace, sat off in a corner with a surly look in his eye.


    I considered going over and talking with him, but felt we''d prodded him enough for today. I didn''t want drama, and bugging him too much was one way to do that.


    That aside, Horace and what he''d been saying had been sticking with me. The initial shock was wearing off from the massive change that had happened in the world. As everyone collected themselves,  times were on the horizon that other things would be changing in response. People were going to start thinking about how we were going to interact with each other, with all that had happened.


    As much as I wished it wasn''t the case, even with the peace and security I had with my friends, and what I hoped I could have again with my family, there was still going to be a lot of difficulty ahead. The world was going to get a lot more complicated, and I was going to get dragged through it, whether I liked it or not.


    But for the moment, I had the opportunity to help people in need of friendship. Looking around the room, I saw people who weren''t afraid to exist. They could be happy without thinking about canis, or prejudice, or the stresses of life.


    Just for today, I could sit back and rest easy, knowing that in the immediate present, things were going right.

 Chapter 34

    It was probably for the best that I hadn''t known just how brief that contentment would be. As we were cleaning up everything from the club, I got a text from Mom asking when I would be home - and I knew from experience that it was a bad sign.


    But still, we''d been able to bring canis people together, and lift their spirits - even the small group in the other classroom seemed to have had a good time. My friends seemed to exude a new air of confidence. Jackie wore a smile the whole time, and didn''t seem nervous, or embarrassed - even when she let herself wag her tail a bit.


    Aidan seemed to have managed to get Sadie to enjoy one of his really complicated strategy games. Most people however, seemed to find them a bit too much. Aidan though didn''t seem bothered. I caught a glimpse of him wagging his tail too once or twice.


    Douglas however had somewhat dampened spirits. He was in a good mood, but was visibly sad that Wendy hadn''t come. She still was trying to ignore what had happened to her - and it seemed like the last thing she''d want to do, was hangout with a bunch of people that would remind her of who she now was.


    Douglas and I had talked for a bit as the club winded down. He admitted that he was a bit envious of me and Jackie - that despite going through this, we in fact only grew closer. Wendy however, seemed to like my parents, be uncomfortable looking at Douglas, even though Wendy was the one who had infected him.


    Only time would tell though. I was emboldened by what we''d accomplished today. We''d brought at least some of the canis students together - and perhaps we would even need to consider finding more space. We''d been forthright to the attendees that pizza couldn''t be a thing every week, but it seemed at least a good amount of people would come again. Even if the club didn''t stick around forever, I got a sense that maybe people would start making some friends.


    I felt filled with energy as I got home. Coming through the door however, I remembered that Mom and Dad had been waiting for me.


    "Come into the living room and sit down," Mom said as she met me at the door.


    I swallowed, wiping my foot-paws on the door mat. When I walked into the living room, I saw Dad already sitting on the couch with Ashley. Mom sat down on the other couch. Ashley had an odd expression. She seemed... indignant, but... I wasn''t sure.


    "Okay," Mom said as I sat down next to her, "we need to talk about things."


    "Like what?" I asked.


    "Like how we''re going to act in the future."


    I breathed in calmly, and exhaled. "I don''t really see what the problem is. I accept your apology. I''m sorry for anything I''ve done wrong to the rest of you. It''s going to be rough moving forward but - "


    "You," Dad said, "are not the problem today."


    He looked to Ashley with a displeased expression.


    "What''s going on?" I asked.


    "Ashley," Mom said, "bit a boy at school today."


    Ashley looked up, and unnervingly, made a wicked smile.


    "You should''ve seen it Matt," she grinned. "He has tortured me so viciously this past week, and even before any of this happened, he made fun of me behind my back, but now he is going to know exactly how I feel. He is going to be mocked by his former friends, he is going to -"


    "That''s enough," Dad said, gripping her shoulder tightly. "I don''t care what people say about you - and what people will say about us, violence is not the answer. You are not going to improve treatment of canis people by attacking bullies."


    "No amount of kind hearted pleas to mercy were going to change that awful demon of a guy," Ashley said. "I lost control of my anger, but the consequence was well deserved."


    "No," Mom said, "no more of this. You have moaned about how you look like a monster Ashley. But this behavior is the kind of thing I actually find concerning."


    Ashley stood up straighter, attempting to shrug Dad''s hand away, but he didn''t budge.


    "I''ll do it again. I''ll fight back against anyone if that''s what it''ll take to get them to leave me alone."


    "Do you want to go to juvie Ashley?" I said, "You''re attacking people! You could ruin your whole life!"


    "I have no life," she spat the words. "I have no -"


    "Ashley," Mom said.


    "Yes mother?"


    "I can''t," Mom teared up, "... just... "


    Mom wheezed, and put her hands over her face.


    "Do you realize," Mom said, "how this makes me feel? You''re getting out of control, and it seems like you don''t care about anything anymore. It feels like anything I say to you is completely disregarded."


    "I''m sorry mother," she said. "My life was unfortunately completely ruined recently."


    "That''s it Ashley," Dad said. "You''re grounded. Your tablet is only for homework now. Every day when you get home you''re going to go into the dining room, and work on your homework, and when you''re done, you''re giving it to me or Mom until the next morning."


    This gave Ashley pause, and her sarcastic attitude was immediately quenched.


    "No Dad, I-I''m sorry, I know that was stupid, and I - "


    "It''s too late," he said. "It pains me that you''ve been dealing with this, but I can''t tolerate you attacking one of your classmates, and I especially am not going to tolerate you talking like that to your mother, or to me."


    "Fine," she said, fishing her tablet out of her pocket. "Take it."


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "And I''m not going to let you sit around the house doing nothing either," Dad said, taking it away from her. "I have some stuff that you can help me with at my work."


    Ashley clenched her fists, staring at the ground, as if it had been the one to take her tablet away. She was so tensed up that I wondered if she was even breathing.


    There was a long silence. I looked awkwardly at Mom and Dad.


    "We," Mom said, "are going to have a lot of challenges ahead as a family. I hate seeing the way we''re acting. At this point, I don''t really care what we''ve said or done to each other. What''s going to happen is going to happen. We''re going to all have canis. We''re going to need to learn to live with that, and I want us, at the very least, to actually be able to be happy here at home."


    "I''m not going to be happy anywhere," Ashley said. "But where I''m at right now I feel especially unhappy. Do I need to be in this room any longer? I want to go up to my room and be alone."


    "Okay," Mom said weakly. "You can go."


    Ashley got up very quickly and left the room. As she left, I could tell that she was starting to cry. I just... I felt completely unequipped to do anything about her, and so I felt like I should let Mom and Dad handle it.


    As soon as she was gone, the atmosphere in the room, while not particularly great, was much more calm.


    "I just...," Mom said, shuddering, "how to... how to help her."


    "Maybe," Dad said, "maybe... she''ll feel a bit better... after..."


    "After I change?"


    Mom rotated her hand in front of her, and I saw a patch of golden fur growing on the back of her hand.


    "I''m not sure," Mom said. "I hope maybe you''re right Lucas. I''m afraid though it will only prompt her to shut in even more."


    Mom cradled her head in her hand. She wasn''t crying - she seemed in fact, drained of emotion, which made me feel even more uncomfortable. Dad ran his hand along her back - and I noticed that the top of his ears were starting to droop. I still hadn''t fully processed that my parents were going to change too. It was hard for me to imagine at that moment. He glanced to me.


    "I don''t know what you''re looking at me for," I said. "I''ve only just recently gotten a girlfriend, I barely understand how to talk to girls."


    "She''s your sister Matt," Dad said. "You know who she is."


    "I don''t know Dad. She''s changed so much in the past few years. She''s a teenage girl, in a completely different world from what I know."


    "I don''t think that''s true," Dad said. He sighed. "At very least Matt... and I''m not saying that I''m any better at this than you - try not to antagonize her."


    "Well, taking away her contact with all her geeky online friends probably wasn''t the best way to avoid doing that."


    "Just because she''s going through a rough time, doesn''t mean we should let her do whatever she wants."


    "What... what exactly was this boy doing to her," I asked, "the guy that she bit?"


    "From what I understand," he said, "talking to the school - and to the boy''s parents - it seems that Ashley was caught writing some poetry, and about a boy she had a crush on in one of her classes. This other boy saw it, and - "


    "She was writing poetry?"


    "Matt, please don''t make fun of your sister, especially with how she''s been lately."


    "I wasn''t," I said honestly, "I just... I didn''t know that was something she did."


    "Anyway," Dad continued, Mom slowly sitting up, rubbing a hand against her face, "the boy... apparently said some really, really awful things. To the effect of, no one was ever going to want to date her - at the same time mocking the boy she was interested in as being nearly ugly enough."


    "Thankfully," Mom cut in, seemingly eager to move past that, "it sounds like his parents were  pretty angry at him when they found out - also thank goodness for us, they aren''t going to pursue any legal action, which they totally could''ve done."


    "But she just went and bit him," Dad said. "Despite all of Ashley''s bravado, I know that she feels ashamed. Apparently everyone in her school is talking about it. She''s one of the few canis people in her school, and so she''s being blasted by all of her classmates online."


    "I think being without her tablet for a while will be good," Mom said. "But... gosh, going back to school on Monday will still be hard for her... especially considering she''s going to have detention for at least the next week."


    "Gosh," I said. "I just... I hope she''s able to get through this."


    "I''ll take her to work with me tomorrow," Dad said. "Hopefully take her mind off things, get her occupied working on something. You could come too Matt."


    I shook my head. "I don''t... I don''t think that''s the best idea. She just... doesn''t seem very comfortable around me."


    "Well she''s going to be uncomfortable around all of us soon enough," Mom said, "she may as well get used to it."


    "I''d rather not push it," I said. "Besides, I was feeling like hanging out with my friends."


    "Okay," Dad said. "But I do want you to come into the lab sometime. I want to take a look at your blood, and see what''s going on in with the virus in the two of you. It is not supposed to remain active like this. Everything I''ve been reading up on about it indicates that in every case, the virus flares up, changes the canis person, and then goes inactive to the point of the immune system purging it from the body."


    "So...  I still have the virus... and it''s still active. Is that... bad?"


    "I... I don''t know Matt," Dad said. "You and Ashley seem to be functioning fine enough...  physically at least... but I want to make sure."


    "Okay," I said. I... I''m going to go work on some homework before dinner."


    "Alright," Dad said.


    He grasped Mom''s hand. She held her hand in his limply for a moment, and then grasped his more firmly. I wasn''t sure how she felt about all of this. I hoped that they would find a way to resolve their conflicts with each other - like with Ashley, it felt so draining to watch, and yet I felt powerless to do anything.


    Going into working on my homework, I was feeling a little bit better about things. I''d been starting to worry that we were on the verge of our family having a total breakdown, but it seemed to have cooled a bit for now. I just wanted a break from it all - not a break like I got from going to Jackie''s house, or being at school - but I wanted a break from the worry, from the stress.


    Part of me hoped that they would, over time, embrace it. That they would come to like it, or at least not mind it. But I had to stomach the fact that maybe this wasn''t to be. Some people just got locked in this mindset - and I supposed some people were just fundamentally different from me. Whether it was because I had the treatment as a child, and other people got the virus from infection, I guess didn''t matter.


    I decided then, that I needed to be tolerant of others, if I wanted them to be tolerant of me. I wasn''t going to let other people, including Ashley or my parents insult me if I wanted to honestly show that I felt happy, but I wasn''t going to belittle them as they struggled to adjust to things.


    I guessed that even though it was not my ideal happy ending where we were the happy canis family, maybe we could just be a happy family, and the canis part didn''t matter.


    I closed my tablet and laid down on my bed, thinking. Thinking about how I could help Ashley, if at all. I thought about how I had been able to help Jackie - and in the end, I couldn''t really organize it into specific actions. I''d just listened to her. I had been kind to her. She had been at times hostile towards me - but I''d also had the opportunity to be with her when she needed help.


    I wasn''t sure what I could do with Ashley though. Perhaps I was overcomplicating things. Maybe the answer was to keep my distance for a while - and then try to think of ways to be kind to her.


    All that mattered to me was that I try to think of others. Canis had been a rough experience for me, and it was not over by the slightest, but I had recognized while going through it that I had acted self centered in the past. I didn''t want to be that Matt anymore. I wanted to focus my life on helping others, and finding honest enjoyment out of that.


    It was a matter of harsh necessity. If I did not make an effort to go out and help canis people, few other people would.

 Chapter 35

    Lucas rubbed his eyes as he looked at the screen in front of him, and in the process, was immediately reminded of the fur growing on his hand. The stuff wasn''t thick yet, but at least wisps of it were all over him.


    His ears were growing larger and more droopy - and it was hard to talk to his coworkers with a straight face, knowing what they saw when they looked back at him. It had been very hard to maintain composure since the truth had come out.


    Tessa had effectively said "I told you so." Clive just said to not let it bother Lucas, and to work like normal. But working normally was hard. He no longer had the drive to find a cure anymore, and that had drained most of the energy out of him.


    He glanced beside him as Melina came in.


    "Hey Lucas," she said, a slight smirk on her face.


    "Hey," Lucas said, avoiding  bringing attention to his changes.


    Melina''s eyes rested on Ashley, who was idly spinning around in a swivel chair to the right of Lucas.


    "So you''re fully changed huh?"


    Ashley did not answer her.


    "Your dad says you need some blood drawn?"


    "Yeah," Ashley said very quietly.


    "Hopefully this time," Melina smiled, "I''ll be able to do a better job finding where I need to go than when I did your brother."


    "What do you mean?" Ashley asked.


    "Just a bit hard finding the veins I need to get to under all that fur," Melina said, "but don''t worry, it''ll be fine."


    "I''m not scared," she pulled up her shirt sleeve. "Prick me."


    Melina laughed as she readied her things. "You seem a lot more confident than your brother was. Though of course he hadn''t been out around people since changing."


    "I just have given up caring," Ashley spoke more boldly. "People are going to look at me with disgust, I''m going to feel terrible. Giving a reaction doesn''t accomplish anything."


    Melina used a wet wipe to clean Ashley''s upper arm, then readied the syringe. Ashley looked firmly in the other direction away from the needle.


    "Hm. I heard though that you made a bit of a reaction yesterday."


    "That," Ashley said, "was justice."


    "It was completely inappropriate is what is was," Lucas said as he typed at the computer.


    "Oh I know it was," Ashley said. "But he deserved it. If anything gives me energy to go forward, it''s knowing that a trembling golden retriever boy is going to walk into school one day, and I''ll get to watch as he gets bullied, and knows how I felt."


    "There," Melina said, emptying the syringe into a container. "You''re done."


    "Fantastic," Ashley said flatly as Melina wiped off her arm again.


    "Personally," Melina said, "I think that''s a little cruel, Ashley. You really want him to be bullied too?"


    "He is the worst person I''ve ever met," she said. "I don''t care what happens to him."


    "Hm. These are awfully harsh words," Melina said, "especially coming from a cute little golden retriever girl."


    Ashley tensed up. "I''m not cute. I''m a monster, and I won''t entertain anyone''s pity claiming otherwise."


    Melina laughed. "I''m sorry, but just... even when you''re acting all ''tough and serious,''" she said in a joking surly tone, "you still look like a really big puppy wearing clothes."


    "That," Ashley glared at her, "is almost worse than what the kids at school say to me."


    "Melina," Lucas said, "she isn''t in the best place right now..."


    Melina waved a hand dismissively. "I''m not making fun of you," Melina said to Ashley. "Just being honest. You could''ve turned into a chicken or something. At least its something nice and pleasant."


    Ashley grunted.


    "How has it felt?" Melina asked.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Worse than you could imagine," Ashley said. "Every moment of my life is a nightmare from which I can''t wake up."


    "So does it hurt really bad or something?"


    "Only in my soul."


    "You seem to think all your classmates are dumb," Melina said. "If you think they''re so dumb, why do care about what they say to you?"


    Ashley groaned. "It isn''t just that. Everything feels so uncomfortable now. I''m shedding stupid hair everywhere, especially in the shower. I just... I can''t stand looking in the mirror..."


    "Sounds like you have a really hard life."


    Ashley scowled. "You are such - "


    "Ashley," Lucas said, "and you too Melina, just stop it."


    "Stop what?" Melina smiled innocently.


    "Leave her be," Lucas said. "She''s going through a lot. And you," - he looked to Ashley - "need to calm down. You nearly got expelled from school because you wanted to play werewolf. Don''t think you could pull that crap on Melina here and not get me fired."


    Ashley''s eyes went wide. "You thought... you thought I was going to just go animalistic on her? You know how speciesist that sounds?"


    "Matt and his friends have shown very clearly," Lucas said coldly, "that being canis doesn''t make you act that way."


    Lucas let the statement hang. Ashley trembled in the silence, and Melina took the opportunity to walk away. He saw tears in his daughter''s eyes. He felt a deep pang of guilt, but knew that he needed to let that pain sink in, at least for a bit. Ashley was getting out of control, and she had clearly been lacking in remorse up until now.


    "I hate you."


    Lucas looked away from his computer. Ashley was doubled over in her chair. She was sobbing slightly.


    "I love you," Lucas said. "And because I love you, I can''t let you hurt others and yourself."


    "I hate everyone," Ashley said. "I hate our family. I hate humans. I hate canis people. I hate myself."


    "I can''t force you to be happy," Lucas said, growing more tense. "Or to get along with everyone. But I''ll just remind you Ashley, that your pain is temporary, even if it doesn''t feel like it. And we have been so frustrated, so concerned, because we love you. I''ve worked so hard because I love you. I couldn''t save you from this, but I love you still, because I know that who you are is still there."


    "No Dad," she said firmly, with no tears. "The old Ashley is gone. Something else is in her place."


    "Then I hope that the new Ashley can adjust to this. If she''s anything like the old Ashley, I know that she can do it."


    Ashley was silent after that. She turned away from him, and started working on some homework, using her tablet locked down with parental controls.


    Lucas''s heart was heavy as he tried his best to get back to work. He just... didn''t know what to do. He was very afraid of pushing Ashley too much. She was in a very fragile state, and he didn''t know what was going on in her mind. He felt however, that taking a light touch just wasn''t going to change her behavior. The push to ground her, to restrict her tablet use, had seemed like all they could do to get her to stop being so self destructive.


    But it had really hurt her. He was afraid he''d gone too far. He thought of what Matt had said, that Ashley''s friends were all online - and Lucas had separated her from that.


    It was probably time to start looking for some therapy options. He knew that Ashley definitely wouldn''t like that, but she obviously needed someone other than her family to talk this out with. Even then, she would probably be pretty hesitant to open up - at least in a genuine way, not covered in a layer of anger.


    Lucas got a notification on his computer - Melina had processed the blood sample, and was sending him the data. When it came up on his screen, he gasped. It was... not what he had expected. He''d known that for Matt to have infected Ashley, and for Ashley to have infected the boy at her school, the virus must have hung around in some capacity more than was normal - but not like this.


    None of the virus had left. It was still fluctuating at a fully active level. The immune system seemed to not be fighting it at all. The virus had been engineered all those years ago to be pacified, to spread through the body and modify cells without harming them, but this... the virus normally had little tricks to prevent the immune system from attacking it, but it wasn''t doing this anymore. The immune system didn''t seem active at all.


    Somehow, the body has just accepted the virus. He knew immediately that he would need to get Matt in here. Lucas also wanted to test his own blood, and Meagan''s. Lucas marked the tab with the data as important, and then sent a message to Clive and Tessa about what he''d found.


    Lucas returned to the jagged graphs, tracking the viral activity in the blood. As he did so, he saw something... peculiar. The icon indicating his user profile was viewing the page flashed for a brief moment - with two icons. He tried to click the other icon, but wasn''t fast enough. He minimized the window, and and opened up the company logs as fast as possible - and yes, it was him.


    Lying in wait, Seth was there. An entry into the system with the same computer address that Lucas had found before. Somehow, he''d gained access, and for some reason, he wanted this data. Reason told Lucas that he should probably inform company management. The people here had taken a big risk in taking him and the others under their wing, and they''d treated him mostly alright.


    But even though it was breaching company security, he couldn''t alert the company, and prompt Seth to turn tail and run. He wanted to catch him. Find out more information. Seth obviously had gotten access some way. Seth knew that Lucas was here. Perhaps Seth had simply hacked his way in, but what Lucas had seen so far showed no signs of that. No, someone from the inside had granted the man access.


    Lucas felt strongly that he needed to tell one of the other ex-Generation employees about this. Clive was the coder who could help him lay a trap to grab more data the next time Seth snuck in, but there was risk in that. Clive had known Seth, same as Lucas. Considering the fact that Clive had great disdain for Seth, it was unlikely Clive was helping him - but Lucas didn''t know for certain.


    He''d have to approach it with the knowledge that he could be revealing himself to Seth - and operate very carefully, acting as if he did not know what was going on.


    From the moment all those years ago that Seth had left Generation, Lucas knew that Seth was going into legally dubious territory. He''d been frustrated with the way the company had operated, and not in a "the suits don''t understand anything about genetics" kind of way like everyone else - more in a "I hate all these regulations we have to follow" kind of way.


    Whatever Seth was up to, Lucas did know for certain - it would not be good.

 Chapter 36

    In the past, ice skating had annoyed me for one small reason; if you didn''t get the skates tightened just right on your feet, the top of the skate boots would shift back and forth, rubbing against your ankles and forming welts. Today however, despite some difficulty at first with trying to get my foot-paws into the boot, my fur gave a nice cushion to protect my ankles from developing those painful sores.


    After I finished putting my skates on, I turned to Jackie to help put hers on. She smiled, her golden fur reflecting the lights illuminating the skating rink.


    It was Valentine''s Day. I''d wanted to take Jackie on a real date, out in public - and she''d agreed, though with some trepidation. It had been several weeks of school now, and we were starting to get used to the idea of being around a lot of people.


    When we moved out onto the ice, I realized very quickly how long it had been since I''d gone skating. Jackie and I laughed a bit as we worked to gain our footing, but having grown up in the frigid landscape that was the great lakes region, we got the hang of it quickly.


    The second thing I realized, was that being out in public had a very noticeable difference from being at school. At school, the primary demographic that had contracted canis - teens who had gotten the cancer treatment as toddlers - were more common, and thus non-canis people were more familiar with us. They had gotten acclimated to it.


    Here however, I knew that we were an oddity, especially when most canis people didn''t go out in public when they didn''t need to. Even though it was Valentine''s Day, and a lot of people our age were here, it seemed there was still a feeling that they didn''t expect to see us out in the open.


    I pushed those concerns aside, and turned to Jackie as we held hands, gliding along the ice. I focused on the comforting, now so familiar feeling of our paw pads pressing against together. In spite of this crucible of trials we and so many other people were going through, we had found comfort with each other.


    In the cold winter evening, decorative strings of lights were draped over the skating ring, and made it feel a little cozy. Even though it was obvious from the passing glances at us that people here found us strange, there was still the sounds of people talking and laughing. It felt alive, and it felt invigorating to be out in the world again, after hiding from it for weeks.


    When going around a curve in the rink, I spun around trying to look cool, and nearly biffed it on the ice. Jackie caught me thankfully, and we laughed. She pulled my tighter against her, and we pressed our snouts together, making a little kiss.


    I loved her so much. I loved that she loved me, not despite of how I looked, but because of it. I was growing to love that adorable puppy dog look she had in turn. She was so cute with that slightly sheepish, yet eager look in her eyes. We had slowed to a stop now, and I kissed her again, wagging my tail happily.


    I had dated before this, but I''d never had a real Valentine''s Day date. I felt a bit sappy and silly, but being a silly golden retriever boy was who I was. I was going to be happy, and it didn''t matter how I looked. No, it did matter a little. I was happy as a canis person. It just felt... right. Without my body, I would have the cozy feeling of cuddling with Jackie, our fur pressing against each other. I wouldn''t be able to smell her familiar grapefruit scented shampoo without my snout. And of course, I couldn''t imagine not having my tail anymore.


    It had been such a short time, just coming up on a month and a half, since this had all started, but I now felt confident this was how I wanted my life to be. I knew that the world wouldn''t understand it, and my family probably wouldn''t either - but Jackie and I understood, and that was enough.


    As we skated, the future settled on my mind. Thoughts of college. Thoughts of career stuff... it was all very stressful. Most stressful perhaps though, was thinking of Jackie. We had talked a bit about life after high school. I didn''t see any future where we went to different schools. That was unthinkable.


    So we were going to continue our relationship in college... and then...


    I let out a long exhale. Jackie tugged me a bit forward, wanting me to keep up with her.


    We were both only 18 now. That would mean around two years before I felt comfortable... with... well, a certain something. I couldn''t imagine waiting that long. I knew deep down that I was just a lovesick high school kid, literally experiencing puppy love. I was going to change a lot as I took on more responsibilities in life.


    But I wanted to marry Jackie so bad. I obviously couldn''t marry her right out of high school. We''d known  each other for years as acquaintances, a solid handful of months as kind of friends - but only this month or so had we been in a relationship. I knew I needed a lot more time for us to see if our relationship was stronger than its initial spark. Plus it was a bit... unseemly marrying someone that early.


    But two years. I was so afraid that our relationship would fizzle out in such a long stretch of time. Part of me said that I really needed to talk about this with her, in some fashion. That terrified me. I knew of course that a guy wasn''t just supposed to pop the question on a girl with no warning, but... augh. The thought of talking about that... it sounded so... so... awkward. It was something I''d rather push down the road to when I was 20.


    Putting me even more on edge was the fact that I knew Jackie was thinking about it too. She was also thinking about... other things. When she was in a very relaxed mood once, she''d asked me what kind of baby names I thought were cute. I''d be lying if I denied that the idea of reaching that point with Jackie made me incredibly happy - but I was not ready for the awkwardness of discussing it right now, while I was barely figuring out how to just be her boyfriend.


    "This has been really nice," Jackie said, pulling me from my thoughts. "I''d love to do this again next year."


    "Yeah," I smiled back.


    "It could be... a bit of a tradition maybe."


    I saw a smirk flash on her face, she''d indicated, perhaps accidentally, her hope that this relationship would last a long time.


    "I look forward to it," I smiled, once again giving her snout a little boop.


    "I love you Matt," she hugged me tightly, pressing her muzzle into the fur on my chest.


    "I love you Jackie."


    "I wish that I had gotten to know you much earlier," she said. She closed her eyes, moving to rest her head against my shoulder.


    "But we''re here now," I said, "and that''s all that matters to me. Besides, waiting even longer would''ve been hard for me."


    "Waiting for what?"


    Oops.


    "Nothing," I said.


    Jackie pulled away from me and laughed. "No, what do you mean?"


    "I just... wherever... um, things go, uh..."


    Her eyes caught the glimmer of one of the lights above. I couldn''t tell whether she was stunned, excited, upset...


    "Oh," she said. "I... I see. Perhaps... perhaps you''re right then."


    I let out a quiet groan, and pressed my hand to my face.


    Jackie laughed. "It''s okay... I... I think about it too. It... it isn''t like I was expecting... anything else."


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    I kissed her. I felt so... so awkward. But she seemed to feel the same way, so at least we understood each other.


    "You''ve changed my life Matt," Jackie hugged me again. "You''ve made me excited about the future. When... when I lost my dad... I felt awful. I became even more depressed after I changed. Thank you so much."


    "I''m glad that you''re fine with me being super sappy," I laughed nervously.


    "Sappy is perfectly fine," she hugged more tightly. "I''d rather have sappy and nice, then someone who doesn''t care about me."


    And again, we kissed.


    My parents had made dinner for us before we''d gone skating - Jackie hadn''t wanted to go out to eat - but I still took her to a local bakery to get two big cookies. I knew that chocolate was the traditional Valentine''s Day treat, but even though it seemed that milk chocolate was harmless enough for us, I wasn''t willing to risk getting my girlfriend super sick today.


    I wasn''t however, able to avoid having a low point on our date. When in line at the bakery, a toddler was standing next to her parents, trying to grab her mom''s tablet out of her pocket. The parents were a bit frustrated, seemingly embarrassed as their toddler voiced her disapproval, and loudly. Jackie and I chuckled a bit, in my eyes, trying to show the parents that it was okay, there was no need to be embarrassed.


    Then the little girl noticed us, and glanced to Jackie. She began to scream. Jackie tried to smile and say "it''s okay" to the girl, but it had little effect. The mother picked up the screaming girl and asked her husband to complete her order, and then took the toddler outside.


    I held Jackie''s by her side as I saw her eyes leak a few tears.


    "It''s alright," I whispered. "Toddlers get scared around strangers. She just had a reaction, she wasn''t trying to be mean."


    Jackie sighed. "We really are like some mascot characters at a parade or theme park aren''t we? Scaring little kids away..."


    "They''re all still getting used to us," I said. "As time passes, things will get easier. A year from now, five years, people will just accept us as part of life."


    Jackie simply sighed again. When we got up to the counter, I made an effort to order our cookies with confidence, not afraid to look the employee in the eye with a smile. They didn''t seem as keen about keeping eye contact with me, but I held onto what I''d said. It would take some time. People would adjust.


    As my family''s car drove us back to our neighborhood, and we tried our best to eat the cookies without getting crumbs all over the floor, Jackie relaxed again, and we were just able to chat. We talked about our next canis club meeting tomorrow, about annoying assignments in our classes... and this, in a way, felt more comforting to me than when we were romantic together.


    If I really wanted to have a stronger, long term relationship with Jackie, then I needed more than just those perfect romantic moments. I needed stuff like this, to know that we could chat as best friends, and genuinely enjoy each others'' company. I''d had friends my whole life, but never someone as close as her. We talked more deeply about each other, shared childhood memories... the kind of things I didn''t normally talk about with Douglas, Kevin, or Wendy.


    Here I felt us grow closer in ways that just kissing and hugging didn''t accomplish. We grew to understand each other, and what we valued in life. Jackie had talked about her dad a lot. She missed him greatly. With that context, it made me feel uncomfortable then when she told me there that I reminded her of him.


    "All I can do," I said, trying to smile confidently, "is do the best I can."


    "That''s the kind of thing he''d say," Jackie said. "But... that''s not what I''m afraid of."


    Her expression fell to one of sadness, and I realized the implication. Her father had been taken from them quickly and suddenly. Brain cancer. He was perfectly healthy, and a month later, he had passed away. She had only told me about it in detail once, and she''d been in a pretty good mood - and it had drained her for the rest of the day talking about it for just those few minutes.


    It was hard to deny how scary the thought of that was. How cruel life could be, that someone could just be taken away from you so quickly. We imagined sometimes, with all our wonders of technology, that something like that shouldn''t be possible anymore. But people still suffered in the world. People still died. Random freak accidents happened, as did natural disasters...


    And then there was stuff like canis, a scourge that hurt people in a different way.


    "We can''t control what will happen in life," I said. "All we can do is control how we live it."


    "That... that sounds like your one Lord of the Rings quote."


    I was a bit surprised, but happy that she had remembered.


    "That''s right," I smiled. "And something else that''s a big theme in Lord of the Rings - for all the sadness in life, there is so much happiness and joy - and the difficult stuff helps us really appreciate that. We may think that happiness is far away in the moment, but it will come. Things will get better."


    "Yeah."


    The car stopped. We''d reached Jackie''s house. I moved over to her seat, and cuddled with her for a moment.


    "All I can say is," I said, "is don''t focus on those fears. If we can''t control what happens to us, then worrying doesn''t really accomplish anything. All you can do is prepare for things in a reasonable way, and do your best."


    Jackie sighed. "I don''t like that phrase, ''do your best.'' I could always stand to do a lot better."


    "So could I. We''ll help each other do better."


    "Heaven knows," Jackie smiled, "I''ve already sanded off some of your rough edges."


    I made an annoyed, forced smile, yet knew she was all too right. I gave her another kiss and playful boop on the snout, and then got out of the car and I walked her to the door. Another kiss goodnight, and then finally, we forced ourselves to seperate.


    Though I wished I could stay with her, I felt confident, and at peace as I rode in the car the short distance home down the street. I''d gotten past the point where I was afraid about making some mistake, and turning Jackie away. No, we were too close for that now. We were going to stand against the world no matter what they did to us - and I still remained hopeful that things would improve.


    I got home and met my parents in the living room with a beaming grin on my face. I related my date to them as we all sat on the couch, and I saw some genuine happiness on their faces. It was an uncommon sight on them since everything had happened, but it was growing more frequent.


    Even though they still saw things very differently from how I did, they were starting to understand, I thought, after experiencing their changes from canis. My dad now had entirely floppy, fur covered ears, his fur coming in thicker all over him. His snout had almost fully developed, as had paw pads.


    My mom''s ears were only just starting to droop, but she had completely formed a snout, and her face was starting to develop a muzzle. She also had grown enough of a tail to need have a tail hole in her sweat pants.


    I''d even say that Ashley, if not exactly happy, had at least become more mellow. Her classmates had stopped bullying her, for obvious reasons. She grumbled about having detention, but Mom did say that working on homework there was improving her grades, as had being deprived of her tablet at home.


    We were all going to be canis people soon. It was such a surreal thought. I''d grown to be a bit fairer to my parents and their struggle adjusting to me, now that I had to witness the reverse. It was hard not to feel like my parents looked really funny with the changes. Just as I''d seen so far though, becoming canis changed your appearance significantly, but still retained some semblance of facial structure, still feeling at a closer look like it was the same person.


    It seemed like they had finally accepted me. I no longer got odd looks when I panted or wagged my tail. Mom had even asked the other day at dinner if I''d prefer to try lapping up water from a bowl instead of using a glass with a straw - and I did have to admit, it felt a lot more natural, and I''d been doing it since. Ashley though still held onto her disdain for seeing me act dog-like. I tried to be patient with her the best I could.


    I felt like after getting the awful cut in me that was transforming into a dog-person, the wound was finally near healing. I always knew there would be a scar, some discomfort from living life, having to adjust to different things... but I felt like I''d gotten over the worst of it. I was settling back into some feeling of normalcy, and now I just needed to worry about the things I worried about before like school and my future career.


    But I felt resistance to that desire, to say that things were normal again. Even as things were going well with the canis club, we were having to enlist someone to stand outside now after someone had stolen our nice welcome poster. That annoying Labrador guy Horace had split off and formed his own canis club, and from what I''d heard, was attracting some unsavory types of canis people.


    At the same time, I''d also noticed that Dad seemed stressed about work again, and when Mom asked about it, he''d been vague. It didn''t seem like stress from working hard... but from something else.


    I wasn''t going to let these kinds of problems get me down though. I was going to do the best I could for the rest of my senior year, and graduate proudly. Now that my family was all going to be canis, I didn''t see any way that life could throw a wrench in my plans.


    I went to sleep that night, feeling at peace, feeling content with everything in my life.

 Chapter 37

    After so many weeks that had stretched on forever, February seemed to flash by in an instant. I''d settled into what my life now was. I''d started to actually feel bored again sometimes, and it felt fantastic. There was however, a lot more going on in my life. I was doing stuff with my friends more, and especially with Jackie. The Applegate High School Canis Club was starting to feel more like a real club - and I still had to pinch myself that me and my friends had pulled this together.


    There was however, the very difficult experience in those weeks, of watching my parents change. My dad had fought so hard to cure the disease. My mom had tried so hard to support Ashley and I when we transformed. But they''d still found it so hard to accept who we were now - and then they''d succumbed to the uncaring virus.


    I saw a distinct somber shift as the virus advanced in them. They looked like they thought they were going to die in a few days - and I couldn''t blame them. It had felt the same way to me. After a time, I''d wake up, see them eating breakfast and watching the news - and I couldn''t see much of their old selves left. All of us, after a month of harsh resistance, were now changed forever.


    Nausea and discomfort were constantly on their faces. They were not willing to put on a mask of cheerfulness like I''d been at first, neither did they let themselves spiral into depression. They simply tried to keep living, all while encountering one annoyance about their change after another.


    But soon the tide began to turn. Revulsion from looking behind them and seeing a tail, turned into annoyed chuckling from it getting in the way again. Sickness turned to just frustration, and eventually even that faded. Their mood improved to the point that they were able to joke about it - Dad remarking that the virus had even infected the house, with dog hair finding its way everywhere.


    They''d now been canis for two weeks or so, and they still were largely in the same mood - that of tiredness. They were no longer disgusted. They were just exhausted with having to deal with it. Part of me had hoped they''d fully embrace it like I had. I was starting to realize that Jackie and I were outliers - and that it was unfair to look down on canis people who did not find comfort in it like we did.


    With their changes though... was a sense of less distance. Mom and Dad were having to get used to a lot of new things - but Ashley and I had already experienced them. We knew how they felt - and they now understood how we felt. They were still obviously uncomfortable - but there was no longer a sense of hesitation when they looked at us, or confusion when they saw me wag my tail. They smiled at me. They asked me how my day had gone, without changing the subject when I talked about something like the club. I felt... I felt like they were my parents again.


    Ashley, by this time, was by no means cheerful - not that she had been a cheery kind of person before the transformation - but she didn''t seem to be in such a dark place anymore. She wasn''t super positive, but she also wasn''t making dramatic statements about how the world was going to end. I felt like Mom and Dad had been right to take her tablet away for a while, and get her more focused on real life. It seemed like she''d even made a few friends at school that were interested in some nerdy stuff like she was.


    This I felt, was the most encouraging development with her. I couldn''t understand how anyone with canis could go it alone - Wendy sadly, seemed to be one of those people, and I had talked with my other friends about how we could help her feel welcomed into our group again.


    On the first day of March, that was the biggest worry on my mind - my continued mission to help other canis people. I had finished another day of school, and we had the club again. Our numbers had ebbed and flowed a bit - often swelling a lot when we had refreshments - but I''d started to feel like the people who were at every meeting had really changed. The small group of shy kids still played their games in the other room, but had started inviting other shy canis people to join them. Aidan had finally gotten at least a few people who seemed to like playing his overly complicated board games. It seemed at times that the person socializing there the least was me, tired out from making sure everything was working right.


    Today we''d decided to have a change in pace, bringing in some TVs to play several competitive games - but still having plenty of traditional board games for those uninterested. Aidan had very much wanted to organize a tournament, but I decided to put my foot down on that. We wanted the club to be a place to relax, and the conflict a formal competition might cause was something I wanted to diminish if possible.


    But conflict found me anyway.


    As I was walking through the main hallway towards the art classroom, I saw that a bunch of the usual hallway crowd was concentrated around the school''s central common area. As I looked over the crowd, wondering what was going on, I picked out Jackie as one of the few canis people in the crowd. As I walked over to her, I noticed a guy speaking in the center of the common area. He was standing on some sort of improvised platform, and spoke into a microphone through a mask.


    "We have been dealing with this for too long!" the boy said.


    "Jackie," I asked her, "what''s going on?"


    She put an arm around me, pulling close against me. "They... they''re protesting us."


    "What?"


    She nodded with worried eyes.


    There had been a recent flare up of canis cases in the area, but I''d largely thought that the cases were decreasing on average, and with it, decreasing hostility from non-canis people.


    "We''ve been in this nightmare for more than a month," the boy said into the microphone. "And they keep forcing us to come here! They force us into the same space as them, not caring if we have a risk of infection!"


    I shivered in stunned silence, as I noticed the people near us in the crowd began to look at us nervously, and drift away.


    "So far the schools in the state have not listened to us," the boy went on, "and I want them to listen to us now. We don''t want to fall to this disease. Either close the school until the disease stops spreading, or send the canis people somewhere else."


    "What?" I said, "is he being serious?"


    "H-he is," Jackie said. "He... he said some things... earlier..."


    "C''mon," I took her hand, "we don''t need this. Let''s go to our friends."


    As we wound our way through the growing crowd, we came to where the hall forked, the art classes on one side, and some engineering classrooms on the other. Down that left engineering hallway, I was confronted with a distressing sight. It was him. Horace.


    Horace, the obnoxious labrador boy, had formed his own club, taking in the people that didn''t feel "welcome" in our club. In reality, these people had been negative. They''d complained. They had adopted an idea that we were not humans, and that humans were the people who hated us. Their club existing hadn''t bugged me at first - but then I''d heard more about how they were talking down about "the humans." They''d started calling themselves "the pack."


    Now the pack was coming straight for us - and for the non-canis people telling them to go away. I knew this could only end badly.


    "Horace," I got in front of him, "what do you think you''re doing?"


    "We''re not going to stay silent like you and your self help club," he said, his group nodding in approval. "Are you really going to let them slander you, and just sit there and take it?"


    "Getting angry at them isn''t going to make them agree with you," I insisted.


    "I don''t care if they agree with us Hewitt," Horace said with the hint of a growl. "I don''t want them to mess with us, and we need to - "


    "You''re acting rashly. You need to sit down for a moment, and think about - "


    Horace pushed me out of the way, and I was taken aback for a moment, enough time for him and the rest of the pack to push past me. Visions flashed in my mind. Images of what Ashley had done when provoked.


    I turned back to run up to them, but Jackie grabbed my arm.


    "No Matt, don''t get involved."


    "If I don''t stop them," I said, "who will?"


    Our eyes locked for a moment, and then she let go. I ran to catch up with them just as they entered the common area, and members of the pack pushed me back as I tried to get to Horace.


    "Horace!" I cried out, "don''t make this worse!"


    "Human!" Horace ignored me, shouting loudly to the protester who''d been giving his speech.


    The boy turned to face the interruption.


    "You have slandered us, mocked us for something that was no fault of our own - you have all acted as if you care about people, but you only care about your own kind."


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "Everyone is afraid to admit it," the boy said into the microphone, "but we can''t deny our natural reaction. We don''t like you. You''re intruding our normal lives. We felt sorry for you - a month ago. But now you all just want to pull us down into the miserable state you''re in."


    "I look like a beast," Horace said, "but you''re one inside. No amount of - "


    Horace was cut off. Someone had struck him.


    And then all hell broke loose.


    I watched, powerless, as the members of Horace''s pack descended on the crowd, desperate for a fight. It quickly devolved into an all out riot, and in the crowd, I could see no sign of any actual adults trying to stop this. It was horrible to watch, with the members of the pack biting their attackers. I didn''t know how many of them still were able to spread the infection, but I knew there were going to be many more canis people soon - and this would only lead to more hatred.


    I was thrown around in the crowd as some people were rushing towards members of Horace''s gang, and other people just wanted to get away from the fighting. There was nothing more I could do, and I joined them in running.


    I escaped the crowd, and reunited with Jackie, grabbing her, and pulling her into a run down the engineering hallway. I became very thankful as I ran that the hallway was carpeted, and my padded paw-feet got good traction on it.


    "We need to go around," I said quickly, "get to the art room. Warn anyone in the club there to get away."


    "Oh gosh Matt," she cried out, "it''s over, they''ll never - "


    "Run now," I said, "talk later."


    We got to the classroom, and found the doors closed. I knocked against the door urgently, and we were let in. Twenty or so canis people were there, many crowded up to the front window with worried expressions. I took a moment to pant, and then surveyed who was there. Aidan, Sadie... Wendy was there surprisingly -


    Douglas.


    "Where''s Douglas?" I asked


    "He''s out in that mess," Aidan said with a long exhale.


    "Oh please don''t tell me - "


    "He''s trying to break it up," Aidan said, "get canis people out and stuff, but I don''t know what good it will do."


    "We need to get out of here," I said, "now."


    "I mean," Sadie shrugged, "It''s bad, but if we just stay in here..."


    "Have you seen what''s going out there?" I pointed to the door, "they outnumber us at least five to one. As soon as they''re done with the pack, do you want to risk the chance of them coming here? I''m not going to let anyone get hurt. All of you, call every canis person you know, and tell them to meet you in the parking lot. We need to get off school property, and fast. Once you''re all out there, anyone with a car try to get as many people with you as you can."


    They all stared back at me.


    "Now!" I ordered.


    They grabbed up their backpacks, and ran to the classroom''s exterior door. I turned to Jackie.


    "Get out there with them," I said to her, "and wait for me. If I''m not out in ten minutes, leave without me."


    "Matt - "


    "I love you," I said, kissing her. "But I need to find people out there, and - "


    My ears perked up, and I realized that the riot was now flowing closer. And then I realized that there was still the group in the other classroom.


    "Go!" I said to her, and then ran towards the door connecting to the other room.


    When I got in, some of them were peering through the classroom''s front window. The others were in various states of crying, or shock. It filled me with deep pain, and anger. Some of these people were neurodivergent I knew, and this kind of situation was incredibly cruel to them.


    "You all need to get out of here, now!" I said, "get out to the parking lot, other people in the club have cars ready to take you to safety."


    "No," a beagle girl cried. "I... I can''t... it''s so... loud...."


    "Get outside," I said softly, struggling to pull her up from her chair, "get outside where it''s quiet, and safe."


    I saw that one German shepherd boy I''d seen that first day of the club. He stood up from his chair, and ran over to someone else, getting them to their feet. He turned to me with a look of affirmation. He would get everyone out. He started directing them towards the pottery room''s own exterior door.


    I ran back into the other classroom, finding it thankfully empty. I went up to the front door, and peeked out to risk seeing what was going on. It had really turned into a full on riot, and across the crowd, I finally saw some faculty and staff blowing whistles, trying to tame the mess - but for now at least, it wouldn''t be pacified. People were attacking each other, not just canis versus human, but some humans versus each other.


    As I looked through the door, someone caught my gaze.


    "Get out of our school freaks!" the guy shouted.


    Several people followed the boy as he came down the hall to where I was. I struggled to hold the door shut as they pushed up against it, and just as I was fighting to keep them out, I saw through the large window a sight that infuriated me. They tore down Jackie and Sadie''s replacement poster for our club - and this time they''d worked even harder on it. They ripped it in half, and then stomped on it as another stupid kid filmed it with his tablet.


    Something in me snapped. I threw open the door, and punched one of them in the chest, causing them to stagger backward against some lockers.


    "Do you know how long my girlfriend worked on that?! You animals are the ones that belong in a zoo, not us!"


    I was met with a strong punch to my gut, and I only just barely managed to orient my fall backwards so that I didn''t land right on my tail. I grunted in pain, and held up my hands as one of them struck me. Another punched me in the arm, and painfully hard. I tried to throw my own punch when I was down, and missed.


    As my pulse quickened, several non-canis people surprisingly stepped in and fought back against my attackers. I had a moment of clarity while they were distracted, and scrambled to my feet again, running down the hall and out the doors to the parking lot. Jackie ran to meet me.


    "No!" I said, "get in the car, get in the car!"


    I ran to where Aidan was in the parking lot, talking to several other people in the club.


    "What''s the situation?" I asked.


    "It''s awful," that one Border Collie boy said - William. "I was on the second floor, on my way to the club when it broke out. I could see some canis people just... gosh they were being beaten in that crowd - "


    "But have you guys been able to get anyone out?"


    "Yes," Aidan said, "When I ran back to the fighting, I saw Douglas, he got some people out, and I told him we were sending people out to the parking lot, and he''s still trying to find people."


    "Okay," I said, trying to steady my breathing. I had to resist my desire to run in and save my friend. I knew it was a terrible idea. "What about the group from the other classroom, are they out here?"


    "Yes," Aidan said with a swallow, "but one of them didn''t get out of the room fast enough, and got attacked. They got out, but with bruises.


    I clenched my fists in rage. "Do what you can, then get out of here. I don''t know if the school is getting any control over this mess, but I don''t want anyone staying around  here to find out."


    "Where do we go?"


    I thought for a moment. "To that park nearby. You know, the soccer complex?"


    "Yeah."


    "Text people the location, and we''ll regroup there."


    My tablet started vibrating in the rhythm that meant one of my parents was calling me. I ran to my car and got in with Jackie, pulling out my tablet and answering the call.


    "Matt, I heard - "


    "I''m safe Mom," I said as I put the car into gear and pulled out of the parking lot. "I''m trying my best to get as many people to safety as I can."


    "Oh gosh Matt it''s horrible," she said, "all these videos are appearing online, and I know that in mere hours its going to be all over the news... "


    "I''m just going to do what I can," I said, "if you know any way you can help, anyone you can call, do it."


    I heard her let out a small cry. "Okay."


    "We''re going to be all meeting up at the Mallard park soccer complex, okay?"


    "Alright. Please... please stay safe. I''m going to go get Ashley from school in case this spreads."


    I gripped the steering wheel harder, my fingers trembling.


    "I''ll talk to you soon Mom."


    "Stay safe."


    I ended the call, and drove in haunting silence as I made my way to the park. All I could do was try my best to breathe slowly, and calm down. I pulled up to the curb, seeing people from the club gathered beneath a picnic pavillion. More canis people were arriving - and one of them was being supported by another, and looked to have been really beaten up.


    I ran up to them, Jackie beside me. There was more than had just been in the club, now around thirty or more canis people, some of whom I did not recognize.


    "Where''s Douglas?" I asked. "Is he here or on his way?"


    "I... I saw him," a voice said in the group. I turned, and saw Wendy.


    "They were... they were kicking him on the ground," she cried, her pointed ears flattening to the sides. "They were - "


    "Okay don''t focus on that," I said with gritted teeth. "Was anyone left in the parking lot who was unable to get away?"


    "Not that I know of," Sadie took a deep breath. "Aidan''s gone back to the school to see if there''s anyone left."


    I breathed deeply and deliberately, trying to organize my scattered thoughts. The harder I tried to think, the more my mind blanked. I couldn''t think of anything I could do in that moment, and I dropped down to sit on one of the picnic benches. WIth slow, ragged breaths, I panted, running my fingers through my hair.


    They''d attacked my best friend, literally beating him. Gosh... Horace would pay for this. He had potentially injured dozens of people, if not worse.


    Jackie sat down next to me and let out a long wheeze. "We''re alone," she sobbed.


    "No," I said firmly, looking around at the other canis people, "we''re not."


    "Humanity has cast us out," she said. "What do we do now?"


    Shaking overcame me, as an icy feeling flowed through my frame. So much had crumbled. I''d thought they were getting used to us. I thought we''d be able to find normalcy again.


    What would happen now... what would happen now...

 Chapter 38

    It had taken me a while to process what had happened. The hours after the riot had felt numb in my mind, feeling more vague and dreamlike than actual reality.


    Once all there. we did a lot of talking about what needed to be done. It seemed that thankfully, while I''d felt in the moment like I was overreacting in getting everyone off school property, it had likely saved a lot of canis people from getting injured. Nearly everyone who was a club regular had gotten out alright - and while some of us had gotten into the thick of the riot, most weren''t in the areas with active fighting going on, and had gotten out without more than a bruise.


    Douglas however, wasn''t so lucky. He had been beaten up badly. He was at the hospital, and his life wasn''t in danger or anything, but when I called his family, they hadn''t been entirely forthcoming about his condition. It seemed like they were too shaken by the experience to feel like discussing it anymore. I did learn however, that someone in the mob had engaged in the barbaric act of using an electric razor to try to shave the fur off of several canis people - and they''d gotten ahold of Douglas for a moment.


    All of these feelings of grief and worry were mixed together with a guilty feeling of satisfaction. Horace and his gang had been fighting nonstop the whole time, and he and several of his friends were apparently in intensive care. I resisted the urge to smile at their circumstance - that would''ve been heartless - but it was hard not to feel like they got what they deserved.


    I doubted that it would change them though. Both canis and normal people were going to grow more in conflict with each other from this, I was certain. It wasn''t as if this was an isolated incident. There was friction at higher levels of society - the kind of thing that I avoided being up to date with. Debates in government about if businesses had the right to deny us service. Arguing over whether we could be allowed free movement in public when many it seemed, still were able to infect others.


    That was something that I was not looking forward to. All those people Horace and the pack had bitten were at risk of transforming - and I had no idea how those people were going to react. Would we see a whole other faction of canis people form, filled with self hatred? I had seen such communities online. Maybe they would get bullied, and be lured in by Horace and his friends - that is, if Horace and his friends weren''t expelled.


    After those few minutes I gave myself after we got to the park, I immediately got back to work. I talked with my friends about how we could improve the club - and the most obvious solution was to take the club away from school. We decided that meeting at the soccer complex, with the weather getting warmer, was a decent option. We were also getting more types of people, ones who wanted athletic activities rather than just playing board games. This led us to talking about more types of activities we could do. It was a nice small distraction to take our minds off of everything that had happened.


    But we still needed to address it - we talked about how when we went back to school, we would work on finding any of the people who''d contracted canis in the riot, and try to be friendly to them. In the past, we''d mostly just waited for people to come to us, but maybe it was time to be more proactive. It wasn''t just about trying to keep those new canis people from exacerbating conflict, but I really wanted to legitimately help anyone who was going through the painful experience.


    This highlighted a new problem however. When we had all fled to the park after the riot, we''d noticed very quickly that so many new people were here. We''d seen them before at school. Loners who didn''t want to talk to anyone - and we wanted to keep them safe. We did our best to talk with them, ask them if they needed anything, and told them about our online group. It was nice being able to help more canis people - but the club was starting to get large.


    We realized then, that we needed to get the club more organized, starting with making firm club leadership. I knew that it was coming, but it still left me slightly stunned when everyone suggested I be the club president. I''d basically been the de facto club leader before, but now it only highlighted in my mind the responsibility that I had. I pushed my slight anxiety aside though, and got right to work with the others about formal roles that needed to be filled.


    As we decided everything, there was the unspoken fact running through our heads - that we needed to be more organized in general. Not just to better help people cope with the difficulties of being canis - but also to protect people in an emergency - like if this ever happened again.


    I shuddered at the thought, but it was there nonetheless.


    Having done all that we could do, making calls, and calming everyone''s frenzied nerves, we finally began to send everyone home. When I finally saw that everyone had a ride home, I found myself standing alone one the spring grass, feeling the wind blow gently on my fur. I stood there a while, just trying to process all that had happened.


    Saturday... was not a fun day for me. I doubted it was a good day for any of the canis people in the area. Even before I''d gone to bed Friday night, the Applegate High School riot was blowing up all over the news. To the anger of myself, my friends, and my family, the news simply reported that it had been a conflict between a canis club at the school and the human crowd.


    Obviously we were very angry at this, making it sound like our club was the one that had instigated the riot, but there wasn''t much we could do. Besides, I was more concerned still with checking our online group, and making sure that everyone was still okay.


    When I''d woken up the next morning, I''d gotten some more news, that brought a bit of comfort. The school apparently was trying to get a bunch of people in the riot expelled. It did sound sadly,  like Horace''s family was calling in favors with people they knew, throwing that influence around to fight against that. At very least, the school district was cancelling classes on Monday and Tuesday - officially "teacher prep days" - but more likely the school district was just working on damage control.


    It would though, give us all a bit of time to recover from the experience - though sadly a number of canis people I''d grown to be friends with had already said in the online group that they weren''t coming back to school, at least for a while. In group, many quietly expressed that they felt they couldn''t handle the trauma of going back. All that I could do was encourage everyone to be strong, and to not feel ashamed if they needed some time away.


    As I was trying my best to recover, around noon, our family got a distressing phone call. The police wanted me to come down to the police station, and talk about the riot.


    What followed was a very uncomfortable experience. When I got to the police station with my mom, I had the realization that I had never been to a place like this since going on field trips in elementary school. Beyond the uneasiness I still got from being canis out in public, I just felt like I did not belong in this place.


    My mom gave me the best encouragement she could, telling me to just be calm, and work with them. I still felt a pang of nervousness when an officer showed up to talk with me. He was a bigger guy. He looked me up and down, then told me to follow him. I perceived that he probably hadn''t been around a lot of canis people. I started to wonder as I walked behind him, my uncovered paws walking along the linoleum, if they thought I''d been involved with Horace. Worse, I started to wonder if they would ask me about my dad - if they knew he''d been doing some legally dubious things when he left his old company.


    As I talked with the officer however, I relaxed a bit more. He seemed a bit tired, but just had questions. He asked me to explain who I was. Where I had been during the riot. I explained everything that had happened, trying to stop Horace, helping the other canis people get out - and what I''d been doing since.


    When I talked about Horace, the officer didn''t respond. He simply asked his questions, asking about my interaction with Horace before, what I thought of him, etc. Thankfully it seemed, they had caught the events that unfolded on security cameras, and they were able to corroborate my story. Finally, after filling out a report, I was free to go.


    I discerned however, that things would not be nearly so lucky for Horace. I''d learned that the riot had only been broken up after he and a handful of other people, both canis and not, were arrested. They hadn''t been in custody for long, but they faced the looming threat of going to court - and I perhaps faced being involved with that as well, as a witness.


    I was grateful that I hadn''t been misrepresented, but I was growing to find some frustration that my dad had expressed often since leaving his old job. I had tried to stop that riot, and when it had broken out, I''d done all I could to protect people. Now it was going to drag me into a lot of stuff in the future.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    It was hard to do good. In the real world, it led to you pissing off people who wanted to do wrong. It led to you getting mired in the affairs of organizations and laws. My dad wanted so bad to just find a cure, work on this problem with no restraint - but he needed to do his major work at his new company first. Plus, he couldn''t share his important data from Generation without revealing his questionable activities.


    All I could hope was that I didn''t get more tangled in this than I already was. I impulsively checked the news several times on Saturday, and though I thankfully saw no sign of my name anywhere, I did see Douglas mentioned - spotlighted as having never stopped in trying to rescue people from the fighting. I briefly felt a smile come to my face seeing that - but knew that it would make him a target for bullying, both in person and online - and I let myself look at it online.


    People said the most awful things about us, and specifically about him, saying that he should have left "those dirty mutts" to die. It was too much for me, and I clapped my tablet closed, trying to relax my senses by playing some guitar.


    I was getting better at playing with my paw pads now - especially since I''d discovered that Jackie was impressed by my guitar playing - which of course led me to practicing more.


    In the aftermath of the riot, I was very concerned about Jackie - and Ashley as well. I had been starting to feel like they were going to be okay, but now both seemed to have become more sullen again. Seeing this, my parents made the suggestion that we invite Jackie and her mother over for dinner, which I felt was a good way to draw our minds away from everything.


    I got a knock on my door.


    "Come in," I said as I played a tricky chord change.


    "Hey," Jackie said.


    "Hi," I turned in my chair to smile at her.


    She sat down on my bed, and huffed a sigh. As I strummed a song I''d been practicing, I questioned if I should stop and talk to her, or keep playing. She didn''t seem in a super talking mood at the moment.


    "Any requests?" I asked as I continued to pluck the strings.


    "I don''t know," she said. "Something... something contemplative."


    "Hmm... let me see."


    I continued to idly play as I thought through songs that I knew. I was guessing from her mood she wasn''t really feeling like a super upbeat song... but maybe there was one song I could play for her.


    I plucked a few strings on a G chord. Then did the same pattern on C. Then repeated the whole phrase again. Then a third time I repeated, playing a bit louder - then I went into the first verse.


    "Why are there so many... songs about rainbows, and what''s on... the other... side? Rainbows are visions, but only illusions. Rainbows have nothing to hide...


    "So we''ve been told and some  choose to believe it. I know they''re wrong, wait and see. Someday, we''ll find it, the rainbow connection. The lovers, the dreamers, and me."


    I continued playing, watching Jackie the whole time. She sat quietly, head down. I went onto the second verse, then went into the third verse with the cool key change I''d figured out. Finally I ended the song with the same pattern as the intro, letting the final chord ring, the notes hanging in the air. I looked up and smiled at her.


    "What''s that song called?"


    "Rainbow connection," I said. "It''s a really old one - like most of the songs I like to play."


    "What... what does it mean?"


    I shrugged. "Being honest, I don''t know exactly what it''s trying to say. But it''s got a nice sound, and feels comforting to me."


    Jackie raised her head and slightly smiled, her tail shifting a bit behind her. "I liked it. It is a nice song."


    "Thanks," I said, feeling my finger pads. It was strange, but I kind of missed having guitar calluses.


    "I''ve thought a lot about what you were talking about," Jackie said, "back when we were changing. When you were talking about positive stories."


    I smiled, absentmindedly starting to strum the theme to Lord of the Rings. "We still need to get you to watch those movies."


    "Maybe," she chuckled. "I just... I don''t know. I was in a heated moment then... but I have had a hard time connecting with stories like that in my life. When I''ve had to endure canis... the way the world is treating us... when I had to get through my dad passing away... it''s really hard."


    I stopped playing my guitar, and rested it against my desk. I sat down with her on my bed, resting my hand on her knee.


    "I know. It feels like happy moments flash by in an instant, while painful ones last forever."


    Jackie didn''t respond, but leaned in closer to me.


    "I suppose that it''s just part of life though," I said. "We have to learn that the difficult times won''t last forever. Scary things will happen in the future... but there''s also so many exciting things. So many happy experiences on the horizon."


    "I sure hope so Matt." She ran her hand down the fur on my arm. "I just... I hope that those people... that they''ll let us actually have a happy life."


    "I said it then, and I''ll say it again now. If anyone treats you like dirt, I''ll punch them in the face. When those guys in the riot got to the club room, and they tore down you and Sadie''s poster, I punched one of them in the chest. I can''t say it was very effective, but..."


    Jackie smiled, but with the caveat of a sigh. "I''m glad that you care about me Matt. I feel a bit more at peace knowing that you want to protect me... but please try not to punch people."


    "Oh c''mon, it felt really good."


    Jackie met that with a neutral look.


    "Okay," I said, "sorry."


    "Beyond that though," she said, "I just... I won''t always have you with me. I''m just... I just feel... kind of angry honestly. Just as I''m getting over feeling embarrassed about who I am, I now am hit with feeling afraid of going out in public for a different reason."


    I held her close. "There''s always going to be more crap we have to deal with in real life, sadly. I''m really proud of you for being able to be honest about yourself. I know that over time, you''ll get used to what we have to deal with, that you''ll be able to stand brave and cheerful in the face of it."


    "I''m... I''m afraid of getting used to it. That''s when unexpected things happen."


    "All I can say then is, when people are just being a bit rude, try to shrug it off. Show that it doesn''t bother you. Try to extend kindness in response, and try to help people know that we''re still humans inside. When people are being a lot rude, don''t budge. Show to them that you don''t care. Being honest, people who are freaking out about us, who are literally attacking us - they''re pathetic. They''re letting themselves give into their most impulse, base emotions, without stopping for a moment to think about if what they''re doing is right."


    "I agree with you Matt," Jackie said, "but it doesn''t change the fact that they can hurt me... really hurt me. I''ve been so afraid of being emotionally hurt in the past... but... for the first time in my life yesterday... I saw how awful it could be to be hurt physically. I''ve never been bullied like that before. My parents were never abusive, or anything like that. I just... I..."


    I hugged tightly. "There will always be violent people out there. But there''s also so many good ones. After I stupidly got into that fight, they were ganging up on me - and I would''ve been in trouble, if it hadn''t been for a bunch of normal people trying to stop them. I know there''s a lot of people like that out there Jackie. They may still be uneasy around us - but they don''t want to see innocent people be attacked."


    Jackie breathed in and out slowly. "I hope that you''re right."


    "C''mon," I said, standing up with her. "Let''s see if dinner''s close to ready."


    My dad made some really good grilled salmon, with potatoes, asparagus, and grilled stuffed mushrooms. We didn''t have it very often, and it never seemed to last long enough when we did. It was nice getting to know Jackie''s mom a bit more - and it seemed that my parents had needed someone like her to talk to. Since changing, they hadn''t been out in public, and so only had their coworkers to talk to.


    She seemed to have a good time as well - though she did remark on how cold our house was - we hadn''t really realized how low we had our thermostat now with our fur keeping us warm.


    It was a good day after a very bad one. Perhaps tomorrow would be as good, or maybe it would be not that great - or just somewhere in-between. We just had to take it a day at a time. I wasn''t immune to the fears that Jackie had expressed - but I tried not to let them bother me. I couldn''t control what other people did, only what I chose to do.


    I was going to keep moving like little had happened. I would lead the canis club, work on finishing this year of school, graduate, and move onto the next phase of life. Living in fear was what all those people wanted. I was determined not to let them win.

 Chapter 39

    "Still holding steady," Dad said.


    Ashley and I were at his work with him, as he looked over a blood sample from us. It was my third or so time coming here now, as he tried to understand the viral activity going on in us. He had thus far only really discerned it was higher than average, but not the root cause.


    After getting our blood drawn, they''d put special round bandages on our arms. They had sensors that could read some amount of bio signs. These Dad hoped, would help give some additional insight into the virus, being able to track the viral activity throughout the day - and perhaps see any trends in how it fluctuated.


    The best theory he had right now was that it was due to me having the first generation of the virus, which I then passed on to Ashley. He wasn''t sure what differences between the versions were causing this. He''d been using his "borrowed" data from Generation to examine documentation from that time, but had been unable to thus far parse anything out. Depending on his results from looking at our longer term data from the bio-monitors, he wanted to test Jackie and the few other first generation canis people.


    Dad had been putting as much time as he could into this. He was being better about making time for our family, but it was obvious that he was trying to distract himself from being canis now. We were now nearing the end of March. They''d been canis for a month now, and I''d now been changed for about two.


    As time wore on, I had stopped thinking a ton about it all. Seeing canis people around was no longer out of the ordinary, but more often than not me seeing new friends - and those I didn''t know I made an effort to smile at. A lot of people at Applegate high school needed it. Some had changed in the riot, but no amount of taping off the drinking fountains slowed the spread. We were still definitely a minority - but there were now at least a few canis people out of the thirty or so people in each of my classes.


    For me, it was comforting. For them I knew, it was torment. All I could do was smile at them, and talk to them like I would any normal person. Some of them refused to talk, but many did. As awful as the riot had been at the beginning of the month, the perpetrators were on suspension until further notice, as the school district tried to enact more serious consequences.


    All that mattered to me was that Horace and the most prejudiced of the non-canis people weren''t around. When they were taken away, the mostly normal of us were left. Because of that, a silver lining to the terrible incident came about - on the whole, people were nicer to us. We stopped getting stared at, at least in an openly repulsed way. I started seeing non-canis people smile at me. Whether they felt some sense of guilt after seeing the horrors of the riot, or whether they felt real genuine remorse - at least we were slowly finding our way.


    It was... a liberating feeling. Sure, there were still crappy people - but they were the outlier. I felt like I could chat with people in my classes again, be active in answering questions without feeling embarrassed about drawing attention to myself. Further, I didn''t really hide my canine behavior either. I licked my nose when I needed to. I wagged my tail and panted when I was in a good mood. It was just something I did now, and a good amount of other canis people did too.


    At our club, people were having fun. I saw new canis people go from feeling great anxiety to making friends with fellow canis people, going on dates with them, and adapting to their new lives.


    When I came home from these improving circumstances though, I saw that under the surface it wasn''t all sunshine and rainbows. Mom, Dad, and Ashley still struggled with it. They were in a better mood overall - even Ashley - but it was ups and downs. I again had to be patient, and realize that many people would take time to adjust - and some would not embrace it in the same way I had. It was a struggle I''d had to accept as I lead the club - that sometimes the best thing to do was give people space.


    But there were times that I''d have a brief moment where the normalcy would fall away. I''d be sitting at the table, listening to Mom talk about some drama going on with her sister''s family - and I would look around, and think about just how weird this was, seeing three dog people eating at the table.


    We were a house of golden retriever people playing dress up in human clothes. It was an image that would have seemed impossible to me at Christmas - when we''d taken our last pictures together as a normal family. I looked at those pictures sometimes, then back at reality. Those pictures felt like they were a whole world away...


    I returned my attention to my dad and to Ashley. She had her tablet open to a laptop mode, running some data of her own. She had taken to going to Dad''s work regularly, taking on the role of a de-facto intern. Whether it was because she found it interesting, or she hoped she could get a cure faster, I wasn''t sure. The way I''d watched her talk with Dad though, it seemed to give her something to focus on.


    I watched Dad''s neural network run. It drew lines to connect random dots, as a counter marked "generations" climbed upward in value. It quickly raced past three hundred generations, and the hundreds of layers of connecting lines soon started to concentrate on one specific path. Then a new window popped up, drawing a more coherent, though very jagged line. Viral activity was marked on the y axis, with the x axis marking time.


    A smile came to Dad''s face. He slightly wagged his tail.


    "Fantastic," he said. "Now let''s see what happens when I add in the readings from my own bandage."


    He clicked on a few things in the program''s interface, and a new dashed line appeared lower than the higher one. He clicked on a filter, and it grayed out the bottom one. He zoomed outward on the graph.


    "That is what I thought," Dad said. "I still have viral activity going on, and its been trending downward. You two however have higher levels of activity, as we''ve detected - the kind that''s been observed when the virus is actively changing the body. The good news at least is that the viral activity is remaining stable. It fluctuates, but when you average it, it isn''t trending upward or anything. "


    "So what now?" Ashley asked.


    "I want to collect more data," Dad said. "I''ll get one of these to Jackie, get an idea of where she stands in this, if she has elevated levels or not. Then round up as many people as I can who have the first generation of the virus. I want to get a reasonably large sample size."


    "Could this be used to change us back to human?" Ashley asked.


    "Perhaps," Dad said. "Problem is, the data we have from Generation doesn''t have the information archived about who has gen 1. That I didn''t have enough time to grab, sadly. Beyond that... the thing I want to figure out is if there''s a way to stimulate the virus, to take someone who is at a lower level back to a higher level - the engine needs to be running before it can move the car, so to speak."


    "Makes sense," I said.


    "Problem is," Dad said, "this is like if I, being left handed, tried to drive a stick shift - I have no idea how to get the car to move."


    "Other people might," Ashley said.


    "Yes," Dad sighed. "That... that''s something I''ve been thinking long and hard about. I need to start building up to where I could write a paper on this - these findings could be very important in assisting the search for a cure. That however, would reveal my access to illegally obtained assets from Generation."


    "And you''d be arrested," I said.


    He breathed deeply, slumping back in his chair. "I don''t know Matt. This is a massive tangle of circumstances. I... I may have potentially broken federal law. But it also was my own research - for the most part."


    Ashley shrank inward, the anxiety and fear very evident on her face. I felt fur stand up all over my body.


    "Or," Dad said, "whatever company is going to try to acquire Generation''s remaining assets might avoid pressing charges at all. It would prevent information coming to light about their far less justifiable actions... I just don''t know."


    "So you can publish your findings," I said, "and potentially hasten the work for a cure..."


    "Or remain silent," he said, "and stay safe."


    We were quiet. We stared at each other as the ventilation hummed softly.


    Dad rolled his chair over to where we sat, and hugged us briefly.


    "I love you," he said. "I want to do all I can to protect you. To be there for you. But there are other parents out there - ones who can''t save their children from this virus."


    "It''s the right thing to do," I said.


    "Yes," Dad agreed - though with a strained look in his eyes.


    Dad glanced over to Ashley, who seemed unwilling to agree. She stared down at the floor, but her stoicism was interrupted by an involuntary lick of her snout. She groaned in annoyance at it.


    "I guess...," she said, "I guess that you can''t let pandora''s box creak open more... when you have a roll of duct tape."


    "No," Dad smiled slightly, "I can''t."


    He rolled his chair back to his computer.


    "It seems that I''ve got a job to start working on - taking a lot of hypotheses and start testing them into the ground. I am glad that both of you want me to do the right thing - even if its risky - but making a well constructed paper takes time... and after what happened the first time, I want to get this right."


    "So several months?" I asked.


    "Getting it done that quickly would be stupendous," he said. "But it could be as long as a year."


    "Gathering the data," a voice said from across the room, "to do a whole well researched study... that sounds quite intensive."


    We glanced over to where Melina stood on the other side of a counter. She was looking down at some notes.


    "We''re on our way," Dad said. "It''s hardly a perfect double blind random test or anything like that... but even if we can''t get something more formal accomplished, we''ve got to put something out."


    "I wish we could help more," I said, "rather than just sitting around and occasionally getting you some data."


    "It''s very helpful data," Dad said, "more than you know. I''m only sorry this will take so long."


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    "If you want to help a bit Matt and Ashley," Melina said, standing up, "there''s some equipment we need to unload from a truck out back, if you''d be willing."


    That was the kind of thing I would normally try to weasel out of... but after sitting for so long, getting up and doing something would be a nice break from being bored. Anticipating some crouching while lifting things up, I took my tablet out of my pants pocket and set it on the counter, to keep it from getting in the way.


    We followed Melina out of the lab and down a hallway. The hallways, in contrast to Generation, were not some fancy large thoroughfare awash with natural light from large windows, but a utilitarian corridor. It wasn''t old looking or dirty, but it did certainly care more about function.


    We were silent as we followed Melina. As we turned a corner, I noticed that she had a somewhat strained expression on her face.


    "Is something... wrong?" I asked.


    She sighed. "I... I commend your father for his bravery, but... Generation - or at least, the people who had stakes in it, are powerful people. Biomedical applications were only one thread of their fortunes. They had modified trees throughout the US that regrew rapidly after logging. They had hands in cultured meat, in growing cotton for clothing... if it grew and could be genetically modified, they were involved."


    "Your point?" Ashley asked as we walked into a sort of warehouse area.


    "My point," Melina said, "is that they have an army of lawyers on their side. They have seemingly completely unrelated shell companies that can come to their aid and sue people without fear of indicting themselves... "


    She saw Ashley''s visible anxiety.


    "I just... I just wish there was a way to fight them," Melina said. "Or... or maybe surrender to them. Maybe if your father offered a bargain to get them the data, he might - "


    "Get the data released to the people who could do immense harm with it," Ashley said with firmness, "and then put our Dad in prison, preventing him from ever being able to work on a cure again."


    Melina hung her head, and didn''t reply. We went through a door out to a loading dock. It was a nice temperature -  but nice to me. I could tell from Melina shivering a little that it was probably a bit more chilly. A truck was pulled up to the loading dock with its trailer door opened, showing some lab equipment inside that was anchored to the walls, and wrapped in protective plastic.


    "Go back in there and undo the latches holding them in place," Melina said, "I need to look at something with the truck."


    "Okay," I said, walking in with Ashley.


    I went up to one of the little ratcheted buckle things that held the restraining bands taut. I went over it in my hands, trying to figure it out. I wondered if my finger pads were making it difficult.


    "Hey Ashley," I asked, "you having any luck on yours -"


    A sudden loud, rumbling sound hit my ears. By the time I darted my gaze over, the truck door was already closing, and a second later we were enshrouded in darkness.


    "What?" I shouted, and Ashley cried out likewise.


    I ran to the door, banging on it.


    "Melina!" I yelled, "the door to the truck shut! Melina? Are you there?"


    No response. It had just automatically closed somehow. Maybe she''d pressed a wrong button and hadn''t realized it?


    Then the truck lurched into motion. The jerk in movement caused me to fall backwards and land right on my tail. I let out a loud yelp, and then a slight whimper as I tried to get my bearings in the dark trailer.


    I went back up to the trailer door, trying to find something, anything that would open it. There was nothing. I felt the floor rumble beneath me as the truck pulled onto a main road. The gravity of the situation finally became clear to me. This was no accident.


    We were being kidnapped.


    ****


    "Dammit Clive," Lucas shouted with balled fists, "I don''t care why it''s difficult! Aren''t you even going to try to connect to their bandages?"


    "Lucas," Clive steadied his breathing, "getting enraged is not going to get your kids back any easier. If we''re going to figure this out, we need to remain calm."


    "I''m done being calm," Lucas said. "I''m done being all rational and cautious. I''m out for blood. I''m going to find the people who took my children, and drag their faces on highway asphalt."


    Clive planted his hands on the counter forcefully. "Even Melina? Are you going to go all destroying angel on her as well?"


    She had betrayed them. She had been working with Seth. Lucas and Clive had failed to figure out in time, and had now paid the price. He had called her when he''d found an empty loading dock, and shouted at her voicemail message. Only then had he truly realized what had happened.


    Lucas''s face tightened up, hot tears practically bursting from his eyes. "I... I just... just don''t know what to do."


    "We''re going to make a plan," Clive said, lowering his tone back down to being calm. "Starting with calling the police. If you really care about your kids, any prison sentence risked from all this being revealed will be preferable to you not getting them back."


    "Well way to state the damn obvious," Lucas said.


    "After that," Clive ignored him, "then we''re going to work on the code of those bandages, and try to figure out if we can access the very faint, longer range signal from them. Scouring the city, or even the whole damn state or country, when the bandages only transmit as far as some bluetooth earbuds isn''t going to help us find them."


    Lucas stared down at his hands - his paw-like hands.


    "I know what people like Seth think," he said. "They think canis people are real life monsters. Well if they think we''re monsters, then I''m going to show them what happens when they unleash a beast."


    "Well then," Clive said, "if you''re filled with bloodlust, your desire for revenge better motivate you to help me dig through this software."


    "I''ll do it," Lucas said, "If you promise it won''t be a waste of time."


    "I can''t promise that," Clive said. "But tracking them through the faint long range signal on the bio readers is our best option."


    "Alright."


    "And Lucas."


    "Yes?"


    "If you get a ransom call," Clive leaned in close, "don''t you dare let them make you decide right then and there. I know you hate bargaining and would just prefer to get to the point, but get them to agree to let you contemplate their demands."


    "Okay," Lucas said. He rose, his muscles shaking with adrenaline. "Let''s get to work."


    ****


    I had been through a number of scary experiences in my life. On a recent summer visit to Olympia National Park, my family had gone on an extremely vertigo-inducing hike, high up over the green landscape. It was beautiful, but with the cliffs surrounding us on all sides, and that feeling like you were just going to spontaneously be pulled off the edge by an invisible force, it was hard for me to enjoy the view.


    Once I had fallen out of our treehouse when I was little, and broken my arm. I''d somehow gotten it in my head that they''d need to amputate it. Going to the doctor had been a nightmare made real.


    Another time, at an amusement park, our coaster train had stopped while climbing up the hill, due to some safety concerns. We''d had to walk down the catwalk of the hill, and once again, I''d felt like I was going to spontaneously fall.


    But in all these situations, I had my parents close. They had teased me for my squeamishness during our hike, but had still urged me to keep climbing to the top. They had held me tight when I got my arm x-rayed at the doctors. While slowly stepping down the roller coaster hill, they''d laughed, saying that at least we weren''t the people whose train had gotten stopped on the brakes in the middle of the coaster, who had to go down an intimidating spiral staircase.


    I''d had my family. My parents. Adults who knew what to do. But as I sobbed in the back of that truck, occasionally holding on to something when it went around a corner, I felt completely alone.


    I tried to hold Ashley tight, doing my best to reassure her - but I had no idea what to do. I didn''t have my tablet - I''d left it on the counter of the lab. Ashley had likewise left her tablet next to Dad''s workstation. No calling for help. I could try to fight the second they opened the truck - but I had no idea who was doing this, and why. They could be dangerous, and have guns.


    Gosh. My body was wracked with a sickening amount of stress. No one had ever aimed a weapon at me. What if they tried to harm Ashley? Would I take a bullet for my sister? Would I be willing to make that ultimate sacrifice? I''d tried to be brave during the riot, but those were fists. How brave would I be when I could actually be killed?


    I hugged my sister closely, but felt immense guilt. I... I was so... so afraid. Afraid of the pain of what lay ahead. I was afraid of death.


    There was so much that I wanted to accomplish in life. So much that I wanted to experience. I wanted to have a family. Would I be willing to sacrifice that to let Ashley have that future? What if they tried to wring information out of me about what Dad was doing, or tried to use us as ransom? Would I be willing to sacrifice myself if it would save hundreds of thousands of people from contracting the virus, or prevent even worse horrors from the technology?


    Every time I tried to pin my decision down, that I would do the right things, and not cave to the pressure of evil people... my resolve faded. I didn''t know what they wanted with me. If they just wanted money or Dad''s data. They could let us go without harm - or threaten to torture us to get information out.


    Locked in paralysis, from fear and shock, my mind went into a deadened state. Thinking brought pain. So I chose not to think. I chose to merely exist, and sit there as I felt the road move beneath us.


    The truck finally stopped. I braced for sunlight to break in through an opened door. I prepared to protect my sister. But nothing happened. The truck stood still. Completely, absolutely still.


    I heard cars passing by through the walls of the truck. As time went on, I heard them pass more frequently for a while. Then less passed. Until few passed. Then it got colder. The cold crept in, and I had no jacket.


    For the first time in a while, I felt uncomfortably cold again, despite my fur. It was an awful added pain to what we were experiencing. I remained close to Ashley. We were still very cold, even while trying to share our body heat.


    Although I did not know if I could save my sister from whatever awaited us, I could at least comfort her. I sat in a more uncomfortable position, so that she could sleep against me, using me as a pillow.


    She sobbed herself to sleep. I however was dead inside. No more tears came. No thoughts were in my head. Finally, I passed out just from sheer exhaustion.

 Chapter 40

    I woke up.


    My mind was extremely foggy. As the cloudiness slowly faded, I realized I was sitting in a chair. My wrists were bound to it with zip-ties. I was in a medium sized room, lit with several lights from above that appeared to be mismatched, with different intensities and colors.


    I strained against the zip-ties, but they only dug into my fur. I looked around the room. It looked old and bare, but the design of it reminded me vaguely of a classroom. With my snout I could perceive quite acutely that it was old - like really old, before the turn of the century. Oils in the carpet from decades of use wafted up an awful stink.


    I tried to move the chair, but my ankles were also zip-tied to the legs. With effort, I could scoot the chair around somewhat - but it unfortunately had the side effect of squishing my cramped tail up against the back of the chair - which had no gap for it to stick through.


    I did my best to ignore the growing ache in my cramped up limb as I tried to figure out something I could do. There were two doors, but I was in the center of the room, which was in a lower section compared to the edges where the doors were. I would have to figure out how to get the chair up that half foot high step - and then what?


    My hands were literally tied, and I wouldn''t be able to do anything until I got them off. There was barely anything in the room but some old chairs stacked up, and thus nothing I could use to cut the zip-ties with.


    The door to my side opened.


    "You sure took a long time to come out of that sedative."


    I stared at the man. He wore very nondescript jeans and a grey button up short sleeved shirt. I resisted the urge to say something useless like "let me go!" or "what do you think you''re doing?" Instead, I didn''t want to give them anything - no information on who I was, on Dad''s work, or anything that would give them reason to get rough with me.


    "I''m going to cut to the chase Matt," the man said, pulling over a chair and sitting across from me. "You have something we want. You have information."


    "I doubt it," I said. "I''m not an engineer or scientist. Unless what you want is something that''s at a high school level of knowledge."


    The man didn''t make a very visible response. It was a good lie - because it wasn''t a lie at all. I didn''t understand my dad''s work well. Even telling them the whole truth, It was doubtful I had enough information to tell them what they wanted. Dad always had said that the best, most convincing lies were the ones that were genuine. Mom never liked when he taught lessons like that.


    "Look," I said. "I don''t have what you want. So let''s skip this, and get to the part where you use me as a hostage to try to get what you actually want."


    The man smiled. Gosh that was creepy. It was interesting how an unremarkable smile could be transformed when it was on the face of a man who had kidnapped you.


    "No Matt," the man said, "I don''t think so. I don''t think your Dad has the information we want."


    I was silent.


    "Matt, you''re in high school, right?"


    "...yes?"


    "I assume you''ve studied history."


    "Yeah."


    "Perhaps you are familiar with the idea of a primary and secondary source."


    "Yes."


    "So you see Matt," the man said, "secondary sources, as you are aware, can be helpful - but they are subject to bias, misreporting, flaws in the technology used to pass them on... etc. No, what is much better, is a primary source... to be able to have an eyewitness account. A person you can ask more detailed questions, get the genuine article, so to speak. They will have their own chance for error, of course, but are on the whole, much better than the alternative."


    A wave of dread passed over me. They must have found out that Ashley and I had this strange anomaly with the virus. They wanted to know it - firsthand. We were not a ransom - probably. We were the true prize they wanted.


    I once again had to stop myself from saying something stupid like "you''ll have to fight to get a needle in me!" I couldn''t fight. I was restrained. They could get as much blood or saliva out of me as they wanted. A new thought came to my mind though.


    "If you try to get something out of me, I''ll bite you."


    "I really would hate becoming one of you," the man admitted, "but I''d be willing to take that risk - or more accurately, someone else would make that risk. But we have nice thick rubber gloves for that - and biting us would just give us a saliva sample from you anyway."


    My strong will to fight their intentions was crumbling away. I was in their power. They could kill me, get all the samples they wanted from me. I had no bargaining power in this situation. I couldn''t stop them - at least right now.


    "If I give you a sample willingly," I said, "will you let Ashley and I go?"


    The man crossed his legs - he did it in such a relaxed manner, like he was thinking about some news article he was reading - it was infuriating.


    "You don''t seem to understand this Matt."


    "I understand that you''re trying to take advantage of whatever''s in our genes to do something awful."


    "Hm," the man hummed. "History maybe, but science apparently not - as in, something you are proficient in. Not your genes Matt, but the virus that lives in you. And you''re making me out to be a cartoon supervillain. Real people are not supervillains Matt."


    "Yeah," I said, "you don''t even have a rocket ship."


    "We have some experiments on Orbital Reef," he said, looking away thoughtfully. "But that''s besides the point. Let me tell you what I''m pushing for here. Your father is a brilliant engineer. He was part of the international team that developed that first wave of cancer treatments - and he specifically had the organizational skills to gather all of it together, to make the data readable, understandable. Without him the treatment may have never developed to its far more effective successors. I have great respect for him."


    "And?"


    "However," the man said, "he is cautious - cautious to a paralyzing point. He is of a school of thought that there are certain areas of genetics we just do not touch, or at least, when we explore them, we are to go very, very slowly. Did you know that we''ve had the technology to cure Alzheimer''s disease, Down Syndrome, and Cystic Fibrosis for decades now?"


    I was quiet. "No," I finally answered.


    "Well we do. As is visible by your appearance, our genetics technology is more advanced than we may have even realized. Despite this however, the world is caught up in curing canis. It is a trendy disease that everyone wants to help with - yet we are not working as zealously on curing Alzheimer''s, or other awful genetic diseases. Our ability to fight cancers of all kinds is hindered. Do you know why?"


    I gave no response.


    "Because people like Lucas Hewitt refuse to enter that territory. Many people, civil, commercial - and even the government and military all fear it."


    "It''s because you don''t know how to control it."


    "And have we known how to do that with any emerging technologies? Have you seen pictures or video of the first airplanes? It was a miracle those shoddy things got into the air and got back down in one piece. Imagine if we had looked at the things, and said that it was just too dangerous, and we should wait at least a good thirty years before we try again."


    I was silent.


    "And that''s what has happened here Matt. We could''ve started flying those airplanes decades ago - and by now we would''ve been on the Moon. We got into the air and into space because there were people like me, pilots and astronauts, who were willing to push forward and take risks, while men like your father, as well intentioned as they are, try to hold us back."


    "But this isn''t an airplane," I said, "and you aren''t the actual one taking the risk."


    "True," the man clasped his fingers. "I am not taking the risk. But someone has to eventually. Isn''t much of a moonwalk if no one is wearing the suit."


    "You are talking about people."


    "I am talking," the man said more firmly, "about things that can do amazing things for people. There are people who have to make sacrifices for technology. Who have to put themselves on the top of a rocket. In the end, their risk benefits everyone."


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "It seems far less honorable when you''re forcing the person to ride the rocket."


    "Who said anything about forcing?" the man said. "There are people out there that are willing to take the risks. Governments just don''t allow them to. It is extremely unfortunate. People struggling with these awful diseases are not being helped, all because of fear."


    "They don''t want to make it worse."


    "And what if it makes one person have a worse case?" The man mused. "What if two, three, or twenty - but then it ultimately leads to millions of people being freed from awful diseases that impair their quality of life, or even their very mind?"


    "You are making a needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few argument," I said. "And I find that very unnerving."


    "So," the man said, "it is better for us to protect one person, make sure they don''t have any risk posed to them, when hundreds of children are born with life altering diseases? When countless elderly people slowly lose memory of the people they love the most?"


    "I... I don''t know."


    "This is a sad truth to swallow Matt," the man said, "because the fact is, every technology has had so many unpleasant things with it. Railroads built our country, connected it in a way never before possible, but destroyed the Native American way of life. The industrial revolution along with it built our whole modern society, but it was powered by child labor, by oppression of women and minorities... "


    "And you''re trying to tell me that was necessary," I said flatly, my disgust not very hidden.


    "Not necessarily," he said, "but we can''t deny that it happened. If someone who was willing to take the risk dies from an attempt to cure an awful disease, that will be minute compared to other awful things that happened in the history of technology."


    The man did not continue.


    "So that''s it there," I said. "You''ve told me your secret evil plan?"


    "Gosh," the man huffed, "the way you talk makes it sound like you grew up watching cartoons from the 1980s or something - which considering your fathers'' antiquated taste in media I wouldn''t be surprised. Few things are so black and white. I take offense at you calling a plan to eliminate awful diseases with elusive cures ''evil.''"


    "You say that," I said, "how can I be exactly sure that it won''t be used for things that are far less noble?"


    "Well you can be sure. It will be used for many awful things. Not by me. I have no interest in that. But technology always has been misused. And anyway, you call it ''my secret plan'' - but I''ve hardly made my thoughts a secret. Your father... he did not like me. The execs at Generation seemed to - or at least they wanted to use me. I''m glad that I''m off on my own now."


    "So you''re not working with Generation?"


    "Generation is dead Matt. But no, I''m not affiliated with the brass at Generation. I left them many years ago. They just wanted money. Your father wants a cure for this. He can play around with that, I don''t care - but I want his data."


    "I thought you only wanted the samples from us."


    "That too, but the data - his library of how everything with the virus is organized...it is very, very very helpful. Even with it, it''s still difficult, as the virus mutates, old data soon becomes less and less useful..."


    "Okay," I said, "if this is what you want, if we give you a sample, and then negotiate for my Dad to get you the data, will you let us go?"


    The man stroked his thumb slightly on his slightly bearded jawline. "No."


    "Why?" I asked. "That''s everything that you want."


    "No," he said, "not really. That data would be super useful, but not without a subject."


    I trembled. "Why... why can''t you just take a sample from us, and put it in someone else?"


    The man''s face contorted a bit, seeming to indicate he was thinking things out.


    "The issue is... the virus will sometimes sort of... die when we''ve done this. Yes, with help from Melina working around your father more recently, it was very easy to get a bit of the virus from you - but it never retains that high level of activity it does in you, even if we inject it into a lab rat or something."


    "So you don''t care if I''m willing to comply," I said.


    "Correct."


    "So why are you telling me all this?"


    "Well," the man said, "For one, I hope it might improve your desire to comply - secondly, I don''t believe I''m invincible. If this ever ends poorly, I''d like to have the people who testify against me in court paint the proper picture of me. I hope however, that it won''t come to that."


    The man stood up from his chair.


    "I''m Seth by the way," he said. "Judging by your demeanor however, you probably prefer Skeletor or something."


    "No," I said, "Seth is fitting. Sounds a lot like Set - the Egyptian god of chaos - that is, the thing you''ll unleash if you continue in this."


    "Rather harsh," Seth said, "but perhaps accurate. I have unleashed chaos on the world - chaos disrupts order - and sometimes order means stagnation."


    "I don''t follow."


    Seth was silent. He walked around me, looking me over.


    "It''s just incredible to me how this all turned out. It feels fanciful, but it actually happened. I didn''t intend it to go this far, but at least it stayed somewhat contained..."


    "What are you talking about?" I asked.


    Seth bent down and pinched a tuft of fur on my arm, tugging it upward. I winced, but tried not to react.


    "Thankfully," he said, "you''ve been far easier to work with than Ashley. Much more interesting to discuss this as well - but ultimately still disappointing in the end, sadly."


    "I suppose you wanted me to join your scheme or whatever?"


    "I was hoping... perhaps you might convince your father to work with me. Seems not."


    "Definitely not."


    "Well then," Seth said, "we''ll have to go a different way with this then."


    Seth left me alone. For a while I sat there, stewing over what he''d said. If I convinced him to let me call Dad, I could at least try to communicate what was going on. If it came to it... we could maybe work out some way to get them to let us go, if I got Dad to agree to something.


    A woman came in - Melina. She''d dyed her hair darker, and it was now cut shorter.


    I growled loudly at her, trying to contemplate some really, really awful thing I could to say.


    She hung in the doorway for a second, and then approached.


    Seth assisted her as they cut my ties, and then put my hands behind my back, binding my wrists together with a new tie.


    I got ready to kick her away and try to escape as soon as they started cutting my angle ties - but a man came in, noticeably taller than I was, and grabbed one of my arms firmly. He silently turned, and looked down, motioning to show a gun holster on his hip. My blood ran cold, but I got the message. I didn''t resist as they blindfolded me, and then led me out of the room.


    Several minutes of walking and turning later, I finally was stopped, and the blindfold was taken off. I saw Ashley in the middle of a room with that same kind of old carpeted floor. Her eyes were stained red. I wanted to reach out to her, embrace her - but I was still bound.


    I looked around the room, and two things stood out prominently to me - two dog beds.


    "Seriously?" I said.


    "Seth," the man said, "doesn''t have a very high opinion of you guys. I think though he mostly thought it would be funny."


    "Seth is a jackass."


    "I won''t disagree with you on that one." the man said, chuckling slightly.


    He cut my zip ties.


    I spun around, and swung at -


    AUGHHH!!


    The man hit something against me hard, and an electric shock unlike any I''d ever felt jolted through. A minute later, I was able to concentrate just enough to realize that I was on the floor, panting hard. That was not a gun.


    "Remember that dog boy," the man said, "and Melina has one as well."


    And with that, he closed the door, and left us alone. I barely had the energy to drag myself over to the dog bed, and collapse.

 Chapter 41

    I came to, still feeling a lot of pains from the electric shocks. I did however, feel Ashley laying next to me, and she stirred, holding me against her when she realized I was awake.


    "Matt...," she cried, "I... I... I''m so... so... scared."


    "It''s... it''s okay," I said.


    "No! It''s not okay! We''re prisoners of a mad scientist!"


    "I... I don''t think he''s going to try to hurt us... badly," I said, "I''m... I''m going to try to convince him to let us call Dad, and we can work out some kind of negotiations."


    "And what if that doesn''t work?"


    "No," I said, "we are going to get out of here. We aren''t going to lose hope."


    I achingly moved, and sat up, getting a better look at the room. Very little to be seen. It again like the other room I''d been in reminded me of an old school room. In one corner of the room, there was a pile of some books.


    "They brought those in when you were asleep," Ashley said. "Said they were providing some ''entertainment'' because they ''weren''t completely heartless.''"


    "Well they need to at least get us some movies if they want me to develop Stockholm syndrome."


    I felt the involuntary call to lick my nose, and it reminded me of how dry my mouth was.


    "Did they leave us food and water at least?" I asked.


    "That...," Ashley said, "is one of the suckier parts."


    She pointed near the door to the room, and I saw... two dog dishes. Two for each of us, one with water, and one with... dog food. They even had the audacity to label them with our names.


    "Okay," I said, "forget this guy''s plans to do all these awful things, this is what makes him a heartless jerk to me."


    I stood up, and walked over to the dishes.


    "The... the dog food," Ashley said, "it... it isn''t as bad as I thought it would be. I''m not.. Not sure if I''ll get used to the... the toilet situation though."


    She pointed in a new direction - at plastic portable toilet things, reminiscent of what a toddler might use to potty train, but in a more generic color and style. They had no place to actually sit on them. Disgusting.


    I resisted giving into the stupid joke they were playing for a while, and considered going on a hunger strike - they couldn''t use me as a pawn if I refused to eat and starved... but I was afraid to call their bluff.


    I bent down, and lapped up the water. I was going to push aside the dog food, at least until I reached a point where I got really hungry... but its smell wafted into my snout, and I had to give in. Ashley had been right - it didn''t taste terrible - but it didn''t taste good either. It tasted very faintly of meat.


    No, far worse than the taste of the dog food was the message it was sending - you do not deserve to eat human food. Because you are not human.


    ******


    I woke up. I looked around. Nothing had changed. Ashley was sleeping, curled up on the dog bed that was too small for her. There was no natural light in the room, or something like a clock. This felt far too reminiscent of when I had changed - no way of knowing how much time had passed, what day it was, or even if it was day or night - and that had been in a relatively much nicer room where I could actually look out a window. I did see though that the bowls of food and water were refilled again. I walked over, and when I was almost there, I got a jolt in my ankle.


    I fell down on my hands - if I had been my old human self, I probably would''ve skinned my palms, but my pawpads absorbed the impact better. There was still a quivering feeling in my ankle.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    "I''m hurt down there too," Ashley said. "I tried to test out the doorknob - and it gave me an electric shock. It hurt really bad."


    There was a short buzz sound, and the door opened. Melina walked in.


    "And when I thought that I couldn''t be in a worse mood," I said, standing up and glaring at her.


    She had a stoic expression on her face, taking a breath. Then she typed out something on a tablet in her hands. When I didn''t remove my gaze from her, she lowered the tablet to her side.


    "Reminder," she patted her waist and the device there. "I don''t imagine you want that again, after Micah gave you that nasty shock."


    She was silent once again.


    "Why," I said in a flat tone.


    "What do you mean why?" she asked incredulously. "Because it''d be incredibly painful, that''s why."


    "No," I said. "Why are you doing this? Why are you helping someone like Seth kidnap people?"


    "It''s not anything that concerns you," she said. "If your father meets Seth''s demands, then you two will be free to go."


    "Do you want us to talk to him?" I asked, trying my best to pacify my rage.


    "No," she said. "It does not concern you."


    Heat began to rise up into my face, and Melina pointed back to their stupid little stun gun thing. She made more notes on her tablet, and then crouched down next to me, looking me over. She had a look of curiosity on her face, and then stood back up. She left the room.


    A few tears came to my eyes. I just... didn''t know what to do. I was a stupid high school kid that wasn''t trained to deal with anything like this. I had no expertise on how to get out of such a tense situation. My only outlet for accomplishing something, trying to negotiate with our captors, was not working. I knew that it was in Dad''s hands now. If Dad was able to find us, they could get the police and stuff, and we''d be alright.


    But I didn''t know that Dad would find us. I didn''t know whether our captors would leave us unharmed. All I knew was that I was entering a terrible boredom, far worse than any I''d endured since becoming canis. It felt all too reminiscent of those days with Jackie, slowly transforming with no control over what was happening. I had stood against the cruelty of the universe, had decided to make good with what had happened to my life. And now I was powerless again.


    Even when I''d been changing, I''d felt at least somewhat secure. As uncomfortable as it had been around them at first, I''d known my parents and other people were trying to help me. But here I only had Ashley, someone who likely felt even more lost than I. It only heightened my feeling of uselessness. She was inconsolable. I did not feel like crying though. I didn''t feel like anything.


    But I knew that whining about my awful circumstances would not change them. And while I could not save my sister... I could be strong for her. I could be a confident support. After more food and water, I went over to where she was sitting by the books, looking over an open one with a blank stare. It wasn''t anything interesting - it was an old textbook on Biology - a really, really old textbook, copyrighted 2009 - around when Grandpa Hewitt would have been in junior high.


    Ashley seemed disinterested in reading it. I began stacking the textbooks like a tower of cards. Silently, emotionlessly, Ashley began helping. It toppled over eventually, and then we built one in a different shape. It was a very simple distraction... but it was a distraction.


    It was a way to ignore. To forget. And I wanted to forget.

 Chapter 42

    Jackie sat at the dining room table in the Hewitt''s house, feeling deeply exhausted, but at the same time, too keyed up to let herself rest. Lucas Hewitt sat on the couch nearby, examining something on his tablet, looking similarly lethargic.


    All around them, Meagan Hewitt and Lucas''s old Generation coworkers, including Jackie''s mom, were shuffling about, talking and strategizing. The debate raged on, where one of Lucas''s assistants from the lab, Clive, was angry that Lucas had not yet called the police, while another, a younger woman named Tessa, was very much in opposition to this. Lucas had similar misgivings about such a plan, trying to find out how they could do it themselves without making it "messy." This had led to Clive accusing, basically, that Lucas didn''t care about his children enough to risk his own skin.


    The argument had been awful, and at one point, Jackie was sure that Lucas would''ve thrown Clive out - if he hadn''t needed Clive''s expertise to have a prayer of saving Matt and Ashley.


    They were gone. That thought had repeatedly drifted through her mind, and she found herself barely able to comprehend it. He was gone. She could not just call him on his tablet, and ask if he wanted to hangout. When she had come to the Hewitt''s home, Matt''s warm puppy dog smile had not greeted her.


    He was gone.


    She clenched her paws. She knew that hopefully, they were still alive, but... from the moment that Matt''s parents had told her what had happened... she''d felt that wave of dread move in, the same she''d felt when her dad passed away. Separation. No knowledge of if you''d ever see them again. Fate, God, or the universe had taken her father away, and now it had done the same with Matt.


    She felt numb. Her mind couldn''t realize it now, but she knew that when tomorrow came, and Matt was still gone - when the day after that came, then the day after that... then the true grief would set in. The soul rending tearing of her apart. All the progress she had made in becoming a more confident, hopeful person was being torn away. Her childhood innocence had finally been destroyed when her dad died - and now her youthful optimism was snuffed out as well.


    She tried so hard to rekindle that hope, but the spark just wouldn''t catch. She knew that it wasn''t over. Matt was likely still alive, and his captors might not want to harm him - but all the possible ways things could go wrong spun silently in her subconscious, surfacing into her conscious mind every so often.


    He''ll try to protect Ashley. He''ll get shot.


    He''ll refuse to give them information. He''ll get shot.


    He''ll try to run away. He''ll get shot.


    She was numb, but fuming. She couldn''t understand why someone like this Seth guy would do something like this. Something so awful as this was something she''d read about in her books, that happened to people across the world who lived harsher lives than her - who were stronger than her.


    And she was mad at the stubbornness of Lucas, who had apparently been willing to come clean about his illegal activities - and then had closed up again. She wished that they''d called the police. It would''ve felt like something was happening, that professional people were handling the situation.


    Lucas and Tessa however - and Jackie''s mom, seemed in agreement that Seth was too slippery for the police. They''d worked with him before, and after he''d stopped working at Generation, he had vanished off the map. They didn''t want to scare him off again. Jackie didn''t want them to scare him off.


    She hated it, but she knew that sending the cops after Seth could lead to Matt being in greater danger. Even if the police were able to successfully rescue Matt and Ashley, it hurt Jackie further imagining Matt having to watch his dad go to jail, deprived of being with the family he''d fought so hard to protect.


    Jackie had wanted several times to interject in the argument in support of Clive - but then felt that guilt come over her - if they decided to go to the police, and Matt''s father was taken away... she would deprive Matt of what she had been deprived of. No matter how much happiness she could have with Matt, get married, have children, she would have the stain on her heart knowing she had been partially to blame for Lucas being put behind bars.


    It was silly. She knew it. If that happened, it would not be her fault. Even if he came clean, it wasn''t assured that he would go to jail. He could find a way out of this. She was just so tired. Her mind was trying to focus on anything other than the awful reality that was around her. She needed to sleep. It had been in the afternoon when they''d been abducted, and it was now 2 in the morning.


    She needed to go home and rest. But she couldn''t, not with knowing the horrible nightmares she would have, or at least being unable to sleep, lying in bed,  with her sickening thoughts swirling around over and over. Just like right now.


    Yet staying here she was powerless. She did not know anything about coding, or the genetics information Seth apparently wanted, or any of their history with the despicable man. She was just left to sit there, feeling completely worthless. It was the way she had felt before she''d transformed. Before she''d had Matt close in her life.


    It felt so horribly cruel, like she was getting a slap in the face from reality, saying "look how pathetic you are without him." She knew that was a very negative thought, that wasn''t grounded. But another voice rang in her mind responding to it, saying "yes, it''s true. You are nothing without him."


    A tear ran down her cheek, and dripped onto the table.


    She needed someone. She needed Matt. She wanted to embrace him, to hear him say it would be alright. The thought of her being in Ashley''s place almost seemed preferable to her, where she''d at least be with Matt.


    "Hey."


    A hand rested on her shoulder - her mom''s hand.


    "Hey," Jackie said, barely audibly.


    "It''s okay Jackie. We''re going to figure this out."


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Jackie did not respond. Clive and Lucas were arguing about something yet again in the other room. Her mom pulled up a chair next to her and sat down. Jackie still did not say anything. A moment later, Jackie felt her mom scratching her behind the ear - she''d been doing that occasionally, it feeling really weird at first, but now felt... felt like how her dad used to tousle her hair. Jackie still said nothing, but felt some of her tension release.


    "I think that you need some sleep," her mom said.


    "I don''t know... if I''ll ever be able to sleep again."


    "It''s out of your control. I know that this hurts to hear, but try not to worry. Matt would want you to be strong."


    Jackie let loose a few more tears. "I''m not strong mom. I realize now how little I am without him."


    "There''s no shame in needing others in life Jackie. Is a baby worthless because they need their parents?"


    Jackie slowly shook her head.


    "And we''re no different as adults. We need friends and family to become the best people we can be."


    "I know," Jackie sobbed. "I know. I just... I''m so afraid mom. I... I don''t want to lose him... not like I lost dad."


    Her mom hugged her, rubbing the fur on her back. "It was so hard losing your dad. But I know he''s not gone. He''s somewhere out there."


    Jackie sniffled, wiping her tears away.


    Clive and Lucas''s arguing became more heated, while Tessa was trying to take a short nap on the couch next to them. They both abruptly went quiet. Lucas took his tablet out of his pocket, looking angry, but then all the color faded from his face.


    "Everyone shut up," he yelled.


    The house went quiet, everyone freezing in position. Then Lucas answered and then answered the call.


    "It has been a long time Lucas," a voice said through the speaker.


    "You."


    "Yes, me. I hope that you''ve been able to manage all the mess with the company closing up shop and all."


    "Where are my kids Seth?"


    "Very direct," Seth said, "that''s refreshing from you. I wished that back in those days you''d been more like that. Would have -"


    "I don''t have time for you to open old scars, you detestable scum. Tell me what you want."


    "Alright then Lucas," Seth said, "if we''re going to operate that way, I''ll be direct as well. I don''t want money, I want your help."


    "Help crushing your skull in is the only help I''m willing to offer."


    "I''m not going to kill your kids Lucas," he said with an eye-rolling tone. "I''m not going to torture them either - though they have proven to be rather unruly."


    "One tends to not want to be kidnapped."


    "As is expected - but anyway, I am willing to trade - you... for the kids."


    Lucas paused.


    "And what do you want me to assist you with exactly?"


    "Big things," Seth laughed, "big things. Understand though, it is not a paying position."


    "You want to exchange prisoners," Lucas said.


    "You put it so crassly," Seth said. "They have food to eat, some books to read..."


    "Seth," Lucas said, his tone becoming less sharp, but still forceful, "I know we disagree on how to use these technologies. You claim that you want to help people - but you need to give people a choice. You need to approve things through the proper peer reviewed channels."


    "Lucas," Seth said, all humor gone from his voice, "you know as well as I do that those ''proper channels,'' are canals with expensive tolls, and with long waits. We have the ability to make the magical real. We could not only cure the worst ailments of humankind, but we could control evolution in whatever way we see fit. I will die long before we ever attain that, if at all, if I were to do things your way."


    Lucas was silent, his mouth drawn to a line.


    "So," Seth said, "I am going to have an associate at the Mallard park soccer complex, I think your son is familiar with it, on Monday at noon. I don''t want any of the people listening to this call, police or your personal henchies, to get in the way. I don''t want to see any tracking chips on you, any devices, nothing. If you cooperate, then we will deposit your kids back at the park at 3 pm."


    And then the call ended.


    "Lucas, I told you that - "


    "Yes, I know Clive," Lucas said, "it wasn''t like I could force the cur to stay on the line."


    Everyone in the room was quiet for a moment, as they tried to process Seth''s message.


    "What does he want with you?" Meagan asked, her canis paw-hands trembling as she rested them on the back of a chair.


    Lucas rubbed at the fur on his forehead. "He knows - he knows that we have the viral anomaly in us. He is doing something to our kids, I''m sure of it."


    Lucas got up from his chair and stood perfectly still for a moment. He kicked one of the chair legs, the loud cracking sound starling everyone else. There was silence as Lucas breathed in deep for several seconds.


    "Lucas," one of the people there, named Patrick sternly said. "Freaking out isn''t going to solve anything," "We need to think this through."


    "He gave us several days," Clive said.


    "And that''s... that''s several days to plan this out," Lucas said, breathing slowly.


    "I''m just...," Lucas said, "trying to figure out everything he said. Trying to figure out what everything means."


    "Why is there a three hour gap between the two times on Friday?" Jackie thought out loud.


    "What?" Lucas asked.


    "I''m just thinking," Jackie said, "why would there be a need to wait so long between exchanging Lucas for Matt and Ashley?"


    "I don''t know," Lucas said, "it seems arbitrary."


    "What if," Jackie said, "it''s because it takes around an hour or so to get out to where they are?"


    Clive stroked his chin. "That might just be the case. Maybe we should spend more time looking at possible sites further out. We at least know that they aren''t out of the country - though it doesn''t rule out the possibility that they might try to get Lucas on a plane, and once they do, they can put Matt and Ashley on a plane back."


    Lucas was continuing to try his best to control his anger, breathing slowly while typing out some things on his tablet.


    "We have time to plan," he said, "we have a place to scout out. Let''s start looking at how they''re going to do this..."

 Chapter 43

    Time was becoming more and more foggy in my head. There was no natural light. I had no clock, watch, or tablet to keep time. Food and water came at random times, and always when we were asleep. Neither Melina or Micah showed themselves again, let alone Seth. All this compounding, I was unable to reason if we''d been here a few days, or as long as a week.


    I began to question if they were drugging us, giving us some kind of sedative. I definitely felt aching all throughout my body. Perhaps it was the collars they had put on us. We''d discovered this latest humiliation after waking up at one point. Ashley tried to take it off, and I was forced to watch in horror as Ashley let out a short, yet painful scream from an electric shock. Yet another sign that Seth was in control.


    I sat up from the dog bed, where I''d been sleeping. Ashley was sitting nearby, looking at a book. Her expression was emotionless, as though she were more staring at the text, examining the letters, than actually reading it.


    My bodily needs came my attention. I was hungry and thirsty, and by this point, my aching hunger stopped any revulsion I had to eating the dog food. I stood up, and then promptly fell down, barely bracing myself as I hit the ground, but still smacking my snout against the carpet.


    I struggled not to curse, struggled not to break my resolve with Ashley near. Somehow, I hadn''t been able to balance right. I pulled my tail out from under me as I sat down, and then examined my feet.


    These were not the same feet I had been walking on when they had kidnapped us.


    "No... no," I said, my body feeling for a moment as though it was numb.


    I looked to Ashley, who only gave a slight affirming look, then I looked back to my feet.


    They  had changed. They were bending, so only the padded part of the foot would touch the ground. The rest of the foot angled upward. I carefully stood up, wobbling. It put me in a permanent tip-toe position. They looked like the hind legs of a dog.


    I swallowed harshly. "I... I was afraid... but I never thought they''d actually try something this... this awful."


    Obviously, I''d experienced changes like this before - but that had been two months ago now. I''d struggled to believe that could be possible - but now for some reason I was having trouble believing it could go further.


    Yet it was. I couldn''t deny these changes were happening. I couldn''t fight off the increasing fear that the changes would be taken to their ultimate result.


    I clenched my fists. "They are drugging us. They''re giving us some kind of messed up drug that... that is doing this. It''s gotta be in the water, or in the dog food."


    Ashley let out a sob. "And what do you plan on doing Matt? They''ve gotten us. We can''t just stop eating or drinking. What if they''re releasing it into the air? We''re trapped, and we could be here for months before anyone tries to get us..."


    I heard her mutter a few words under her breath. Unfortunately, my sharpened canine hearing caught it all.


    "If anyone ever finds us."


    "They... they will find us," I said, attempting to muster up confidence.


    Ashley wiped her tears on her sleeve. "Will they find us Matt? Or will they find two dogs?"


    I sat down next to her, and glanced down at her feet. They were also now in this new digitigrade form. Seth had reignited the virus inside of us, and found some way to make it change us even more. What if Ashley was right? What if we were completely changed before any help could arrive?


    Or what if they found us a bit before then? We might look entirely like dogs, but able to speak and think normally. What if Dad couldn''t find a way to reverse it? What if we were stuck in that awful in-between place... forever?


    Ashley sobbed quietly.


    "Ashley," I said.


    She looked up at me through pools of tears.


    "Do you remember in 6th grade, when we ran that 5k?"


    She nodded, wheezing.


    "You were going to give up."


    "Yeah," she said, "and after I had bragged to all my friends that I was way more athletic than them. And... and they all raced right past me."


    "But you finished the race anyway," I said.


    "I walked for at least a mile of it," she lamented.


    "But you ran fast at the end. You pushed yourself."


    She forced a little smile. "And those guys... they kept a bad pace, using up all their energy at the start... they beat me, but they just about destroyed their muscles for days afterward."


    I hugged her close.


    "Seth and those working with him... I know they''re going to end up like that in the end. Even if we lose the race... we can at least go out strong."


    "Yeah," Ashley nodded, shuddering from her crying. That brief little spark however, seemed to be buried in an instant, as she moved to her dog bed again, falling against it with a weary look on her face.


    I''m not sure if I really could take to heart what I told her. I felt very hopeless. There was no sign that the status quo was changing in our favor. But I had to help get her through this - and get myself through it as well.


    ****


    Imperceptible time passed. I felt more of my bones shifting, changing, shortening.


    All until I woke up, and was barely able to stand. My legs had become much shorter, the length of a dog''s hind legs. Looking down at my paw-like hands, I knew those and my arms wouldn''t last much longer.


    Walking over to the food and water dishes was much harder than I would''ve anticipated. My body instinctively tried to crawl, but my legs no longer worked like that any more. My knees felt messed up, with everything bending in wrong directions.


    After slowly walking quadruped around the room, I eventually learned how to walk in this new, degrading way. It felt extremely alien to me, and my pants restricting my movement didn''t help.


    Ashley laid on her belly, arms out in front of her like a dog would rest. She had her eyes open, staring blankly at me.


    "How are you feeling?" I asked.


    "Not in too much pain," she said. "Most... most of the skeletal changes seemed to have finished."


    I looked over her, seeing what looked like a dog wearing clothes. I could glance down at my legs, but otherwise could only imagine that I looked the way she did, looking far more dog than human.


    "I miss having a normal life," Ashley said.


    I walked up to her, and rubbed my cheek against hers. "Me too."


    "Even... even just living as a canis person," she quietly said. "Even that... if I could even have just that again..."


    I sat down on my bed beside her, finding unfortunately that sitting in the same position as her was what felt comfortable.


    "I''m sorry," she said, crying a few tears. "It''s all I can say. I... I told you all that I hated you. I treated you... and myself like we were animals..."


    I lifted my arm - now starting to turn into a foreleg - and placed it on her shoulder, trying to comfort her in anyway I could.


    "I don''t care anymore Matt. I don''t care what I am, if I''m technically this or technically that. If we''re ever able to walk on two legs again, ever able to actually live a meaningful life... I don''t care if I look like a dog. I wouldn''t care what I looked like... I''ve wasted my life, obsessing over how I looked, wallowing in self-pity at every turn... but I could actually live. I could actually go out and do things. Now... now that''s all gone. I''m going to be a dog. And I''m going to forget it all."


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    "You don''t know that," I said.


    "I don''t," she admitted. "This is where I normally feel the compulsion to pile on the depression, but really I just have no energy anymore. I... I''m too tired to think."


    "No," I said adamantly, "keep thinking, even if it''s hard. We have to hold on. We''re going to make it out of this. You''re going to have a long, happy life."


    "Even if that happens Matt," she whimpered, "do I really deserve it? What have I done with my life? How have I made this world a more pleasant place for others to live in? I''ve just been... I''ve just been a ball of depression, darkening every room that I walk into."


    It was hard to deny that. Even before she''d become canis, she''d been prone to a sullen attitude about life, that to someone who was naturally cheerful, was very uncomfortable.


    "I''m not going to pretend that you haven''t been like that," I said " - sometimes. It''s something you''ve done, but that isn''t who you are, Ashley."


    She looked into my eyes. Her eyes were changing, looking less human, though still wet with tears.


    "Then who am I exactly Matt?"


    "You''re an athletic, decisive girl. You understand many things logically that I do not."


    "And I have no friends. You and Mom and Dad don''t ever want to be around me. I''ve done very little to look beyond myself... meanwhile you''ve made this whole support group, trying to help people get through this... while I''ve just closed off. The only active thing I''ve done since all this happened was... was attacking someone. Like an animal."


    "Someone," I said, "who was being super hateful."


    She was quiet for a moment.


    "Perhaps... perhaps not as hateful as I made him sound. He definitely was being a tool... but gosh... I just feel sick Matt. You have something to fight for. You can be somebody if we escape. I''ll have... I''ll have nothing."


    I tried my best to hug her against me. "I''m trying to do the best I can Ashley - but I don''t have much of an idea of what I want to study as a career. I have stuff I''m good at like playing guitar, but not to the point of making any money. You though... I''ve watched you talking with dad. You get what he''s talking about in a minute way that I don''t understand."


    "Hmph," she snorted dismissively.


    "I''m serious Ashley. I know you''re going to do amazing things someday. You''re way better at math than I am, way better in your understanding of science... you''re going to get out of here. You''re going to get to have a life - you need to get to Mars, just like you''ve always said."


    She sighed, and rested her head on her paws. "I don''t know Matt. I just don''t know."


    "You''ve said that if you are able to escape here, able to get cured - or at least go back to being canis, that you would be more grateful, more happy."


    "Yeah. For a little while. I know that I would wear down. Become self conscious about... just everything again. I don''t know if I can be like you - if I could find some canis guy attractive. And I''m not sure if all this praise your putting on me that I''ll do great things and all that - unless I''m fully cured, if I''m canis, there''ll be so many doors closed to me from prejudice. I just don''t know. I feel like... like it''s all pointless."


    I attempted to shrug, but my altered body probably made it look awkward.


    "Then give it a point. Decide what you want to make your goal in life - or even just your goal each day."


    "That would be a great thing to say," she said, "several weeks ago, when I could actually do something about my life. Not now, when I... when I''m just stuck here... when my humanity is being taken away from me for good."


    "Don''t give up," I said. "I know that Mom and Dad are trying to get us home."


    She took a deep breath. "I''m going to hope that you''re right about that. And hope that you''re right about me too."


    ***


    Another sleep. More changes, with my arms now completely forelegs - though my hands were not yet fully paws.. To my disgust, I realized that they had removed our clothes somehow while we slept - we were definitely being drugged. It only added to the humiliation. We were covered with enough fur as to not feel indecent, but looking at each other felt very awkward. It felt so... animalistic.


    "Thas as aff -"


    My throat felt very strange as I spoke.


    "At''s startingg," Ashley said with a weary look. "We wonn be able taa talk mach longger."


    I winced, trying to keep tears from gushing out. It was not going to be too long now. I was going to become an animal. My mind would probably retreat soon. Perhaps my thoughts would be dulled until I hadn''t realized what I''d lost.


    I could give up. Not yet. There was one last thing that I felt I could do in our captivity.


    I walked over to the books, and took the pencil that we had discovered in one of them - a small treasure that we''d briefly used to play little games and draw some things. But now it might just help us fight back one last time.


    My fingers were receding into much more of a real paw, but with effort, I wrote down a message to Ashley, and then in my deteriorating voice, asked her to come over to read it.


    Talking was becoming difficult, and even if we could still talk better, I was certain there were cameras in here. I needed to do what I could to protect against that.


    Ashley read my message, the handwriting jagged from my failing fine motor ability, but still hopefully readable.


    Writing this so the cameras don''t see. I don''t know how long our minds will last. If we are able to think for a bit longer, play dumb. Start giving into canine impulses, make it look like you''ve forgotten you were human.


    If we''re lucky, it might lead them to let their guard down. Finish the race strong.


    Ashley closed the book, and shed a few tears. She licked my face. I wasn''t sure if she was following my direction to give into instinct - or if she just didn''t care any anymore about being perceived as weird.


    "I donn''t knaw haw mach langer we can spake," I said, coughing briefly. Talking hurt my throat.


    "But," I said, trying to focus on enunciating the words, "if this... is the last thang I say to you... I lave you Ashley."


    "I lave you Matt."


    I licked her back, and she licked me. We went back to sleeping again, side by side against each other.


    ****


    Later, I woke up briefly, and tried to speak. All that came out were indiscernible canine-like sounds. Ashley raised her head. I noticed the structure of her skull looked more canine-like than when we''d last been awake. A few tears formed in her eyes.


    I looked around the room. My vision seemed more muted, becoming more canine. It wouldn''t be too much longer.


    I sat there on the dog bed next to my sister.


    And I just... thought. I thought about life - life before all of this had happened. What I had wanted my life to be in the past. I thought about my family, my friends, my hobbies...


    And I just thought about being human - or even canis. I thought about how I could stand on a mountain top, looking out at the horizon, and think about infinity, to reflect on the universe around me.


    I thought about how it had felt to love Jackie, for how short a time it had lasted.


    There I just laid with my eyes closed, thinking, contemplating what could be the end of sentience. It wasn''t too much longer now. The end of experiencing the world. The end of self-awareness. I had no idea what life as a dog might be like, but I knew that it would never have the fulfillment as a sentient life for me.


    I was going to forget it all. Forget those I loved. Those I hated. All my stresses and responsibilities in life, all my dreams and joys... they would all be gone.


    After all my fighting, I was finally facing what was essentially the end of my life. What a sad, pathetic end it was.

 Chapter 44

    Jackie stood stooped down behind a some bushes, peering through a pair of binoculars. A snap of cold hit her, and she zipped up her jacket tighter. It was a cold day for early spring, even with her fur. She wished they could''ve done this in the back of a warm car or something, watching with a drone and a mic on Lucas - but the others had been very adamant that Seth wasn''t that foolish. He''d have tech that would detect any kind of listening devices.


    Thankfully, Jackie had her canine ears, which were perked up to hear all the sounds she could. Another cool breeze came, leading to the odd sensation of her ears shivering. She adjusted her ponytail. Gosh she wanted to pull up her hood, but it would dampen her hearing.


    She and Meaghan were the only other canis people watching, the only ones who could listen for what would be said. The others sat in a car in the a parking lot across the road, hopefully mixed in with signals of other devices where anyone working with Seth wouldn''t be able to detect them. Another car was waiting in a more hidden location, which she did not know, which would move into action once the other car gave the signal.


    Lucas stood some distance from her, down a path that ran the perimeter of the park. He had his hands in his jacket as he waited, the wind flapping against it and his fur. He stood calm, determined, completely undeterred by the cold weather.


    Just after her watch hit noon, a jeep drove into the parking lot, and pulled up to the curb. A man stepped out of it that matched the description Jackie had been given by the others. Lucas walked up to him. Jackie perked up her ears to try to hear all she could.


    "Long time no - "


    Lucas punched him square in the chest. Lucas shook violently, crying out a loud of grunt of pain and falling to one knee. Seth only staggered back slightly.


    "Well, I felt judgemental doing it," Seth said, "but it seems wearing some protection was, unfortunately, a good idea. Perhaps I should''ve taken the motorcycle and worn my helmet as well."


    "You called me here Seth," Lucas said, standing back up, holding his likely very pained hand. "What''s your game? What''s your trap?"


    "Trap?" Seth laughed. "Traps are for when you''re trying to catch your target. You however, like the nice little hound you are, have knocked on my door asking to be let in."


    Lucas was not amused. He licked his nose.


    "Damn, I don''t know how you could get used to that," Seth said. "With all due respect, you look like a freak of nature."


    Jackie wanted to throw her binoculars at the man. Instead, she gripped them tightly enough that it felt like she''d crush them.


    "Funny how the odd behavior from me," Lucas said. "Is more inhumane than whatever it is you think is acceptable."


    "Interesting," Seth smiled. "Perhaps this is why we don''t see eye to eye, hm? I desire to help humanity, though you''ve obviously left it behind."


    "Enough small talk Seth," Lucas said. "You called me here. If I''m the hound that knocked on the door, if I come inside, will you let the pups go free?"


    "Of course," Seth said. "You come with me, the pups go free. Are you in agreement to this then?"


    "Yes."


    Lucas extended his paw, and Seth shook it. Gosh, Jackie didn''t like this. Were they just going to let this conniving lunatic run off with Lucas? Wasn''t Lucas going to try to fight back? She sighed. No, she had to stick to the plan. They had to follow the jeep back to where Seth was holding Matt and Ashley.


    "How about we discuss the terms over some lunch?" Seth asked.


    Huh. Seth''s nonchalant attitude about exchanging prisoners was making Jackie very, very annoyed.


    "Fine," Lucas said begrudgingly.


    Seth gestured to the jeep, and Lucas got in. As Seth got in, Jackie''s heart skipped several beats. The man''s bright, piercing eyes looked briefly in her direction. He made no reaction, closing the door behind him, and the vehicle began driving off.


    Jackie waited silently for several minutes, as she''d been told, then Meaghan came to her, and they quickly jogged across the street to where the others had parked.


    Following behind the jeep was hardly an easy task. It took odd paths, driving through neighborhoods, parking lots, a gas station... eventually after tailing the jeep for around a half an hour, they saw it stop at a sort of sub shop cafe place.


    Jackie jumped out of the car as soon as it stopped, only for Patrick to grip her arm tight.


    "Woah, slow down there," he said. "We need a plan."


    "The plan is," Meagan said, "she is the only one he doesn''t recognize. She goes in, buys some food, and watches as she eats.


    "Just act natural," Patrick whispered.


    Jackie breathed deep, and pulled on her jacket, walking at a normal pace towards the cafe. Anxiety crept over her. Seth just looking at her had felt like an encounter with some dangerous predator, and now she was drawing even closer.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    She carefully looked around, then spotted them sitting outside. Seth was eating quite a big sub sandwich, and spilling onions all over the laid out sandwich wrapping. What kind of maniac gets that many onions on a sandwich?


    Jackie shook her head, and as confidently as she could, walked into the cafe. She ordered the first thing that came to mind, a grilled cheese sandwich, and some chips. She hadn''t thought until this moment the important detail that she was canis, and people still weren''t used to that. Many people were staring at her as she ordered. Whether it was fear of the unfamiliar, or fear that she was contagious, she wasn''t sure what they were thinking. Without Matt by her side, she felt like she shouldn''t be allowed in this place, around normal people. This... this was going to be how she lived for the rest of her life.


    Yet for some reason she actually claimed to want this. Seeing that cute dog girl in the mirror... it just felt like who she was deep at her core. Despite telling herself that, she had so many conflicting feelings that just wouldn''t let her be happy. She wished that she at least could accept herself, even if others wouldn''t. But the two went hand in hand. She wasn''t like other people, who''d get insulted and be able to just take it.


    As she waited for her food, fears crept into her mind of things years down the road, if a cure was ever found. As people would take the cure and "go back to normal," she would choose to stay the same - and immediately stand out even worse. These days people, even if unwary of her, might take pity on her "sad state."


    But if a cure came, she would immediately be recognized as an oddity. A person who wanted to stay a dog. They might start wondering why. They might see her as creepy, unnerving...


    "Jackie?" an employee called out.


    "Oh," Jackie snapped out of the awful stream of thought, "here."


    She accepted her sandwich and chips. Huh, she''d forgotten to order a drink. Maybe she could go back and - no wait, that wasn''t important. She wasn''t here to get lunch. She was here to watch what was going on.


    She went out the door to the outdoor eating area. A chilly breeze passed by as Jackie sat down in the shadow of the building away from Lucas and Seth. In the cool weather, they were the only other people eating outside. She wondered if Seth was doing that one negotiating tactic where you make your opponent uncomfortable in some way - in this case, the cold, so you have leverage over them. If so, he was really stupid, because Lucas had a coat of fur in addition to a jacket.


    "So," Jackie heard Seth say, "how''s the research been going?"


    "Shut up."


    "So uncivilized," Seth said, "I thought you were the kind of man who wanted to share your research with the world."


    "I do," Lucas said, "but you don''t apply because you''re obviously not from this world, you''re from hell."


    "I''m personally quite happy with where my research is going," Seth ignored the insult, "your children have been very helpful, they just need a bit of - ha ha, prodding."


    Lucas was quiet.


    "I apologize," Seth said, "inside joke. And I shouldn''t joke about that. Very rude of me. Your children are fine. I think the work I''ve done with them will have very valuable results."


    "Valuable for humanity," Lucas said, "or valuable for your wallet?"


    Seth laughed. "Is it too much to ask for both? Others have gotten rich off of good things. I want to use that money for further good causes."


    "You''re a crook Seth."


    "Insofar as I operate somewhat outside the law, perhaps. But you are operating outside the law yourself. You''ve a number of illegal things. You do them to find a cure. I do them to push the tech forward. Both require sacrifices."


    "My illegal experiment though, are not harming others," Lucas said.


    Seth was saying some retort, but Jackie''s ears perked up higher in surprise. Wait... Lucas wasn''t doing illegal experiments. She knew he''d stolen data from Generation... but she didn''t think that he was hiding experiments from everyone... was he?


    No. She knew that was not who Lucas was. He was only operating in this legal gray area grudgingly. And also... Lucas didn''t use wild arm gestures like the ones Jackie was seeing him use.


    She jumped up from her chair, and without a thought in the world, ran straight to Lucas and Seth.


    "Um, excuse me -" Seth said to her.


    But the ruse was out. At this distance, Jackie could see the seams forming the projected overlay on the fake Seth''s face, as well as the fake Lucas. She stared at the two gaping men, breathing hard. She''d been tricked by deepfaked faces and voices.


    "Um," fake Seth said, "I do not know -"


    Her mind was completely blank as she ran back to the car at full speed. By the time she stopped at the car and caught her breath, the tears immediately began to flow.


    "Jackie," Patrick grabbed her shoulders, "what''s going on?"


    "We messed up," she sobbed, "they tricked us. The real Seth and Lucas are long gone."


    Gone. Vanished without a trace.

 Chapter 45

    I... was a dog. My hands were now paws. My arms had become forelegs, and with my hind legs changing as well, I was only able to walk on all fours. It felt weirdly natural.


    What did not feel natural though was my voice. I wanted to say something to Ashley. I wanted to just say anything - but I couldn''t. All that came out were barks, growls, or wimpers. To pile on top of this discomfort, while we slept, they had somehow removed our clothes - I suspected that the drugs they were giving us also put us out cold. It felt horrible being around Ashley like this, and I knew that she felt the same from the look in her eyes.


    My eyes... even they revealed that I was no longer human. I''d thought my whole life that dogs saw in black and white, and my vision hadn''t changed substantially when I''d become canis - but as a full dog, I realized that I could only see in hues of blue and yellow. I was grateful to see some color still - but now with washed out colors everywhere, the red in the carpet and the brick wall now gone, our prison felt even more dark and dreary.


    And yet, after all the crushing fear that I had felt in the past, that the virus would advance me to this state... the reality didn''t feel as awful as I''d imagined it. I had already been living with fur, a snout, and floppy ears for a while. I''d grown to even like how I looked when I was just canis. The full change then, wasn''t as big of a leap as it had seemed before.


    Maybe I''d just given up hope. Maybe my mind had deadened. Whatever the cause, being a dog, walking around on my paws... it felt natural, somehow. I could tell, in some ways, that my mind had been altered. While I had sniffed at the air occasionally as a canis person, now fully canine, I felt a compulsive urge to sniff everything.


    On top of that, I was feeling restless. I had been stuck in this room for... for a week? Or was it just a few days? I felt so pent up. I wanted to go outside, I wanted to run, bound across some grass... chase something.


    When I focused really hard, I knew deep down that those weren''t my real thoughts. They were canine instincts creeping in. But I was a dog now. Did it matter really whether those were my human thoughts or my dog thoughts? It sounded fun, and if it was fun, did it matter?


    I shook my head, snapping out of the trance I was in. It was getting harder and harder to concentrate. It had been this way for a while. I hoped that it had stabilized. I''d been able to think long after my physical changes had finished. Maybe we would at least retain our intelligence.


    I got off of my dog bed and walked over to where Ashley lay on hers. I nudged her with my snout. When she didn''t get up, I barked softly. That woke her up. She sat up on her haunches, where she used one of her hind legs to scratch an itch on her neck.


    I stamped one of my forepaws down on the ground. A moment passed, and Ashley did so as well.


    It was our only way to communicate that we were still mentally alert, able to actively choose to do something not based on instinct.


    Despite my relief that Ashley was still okay, she let out a very, very pained whimper. I licked her face. She licked me back. It was the only reassurance that I could provide to her now. I couldn''t read her thoughts, I couldn''t telepathically tell her we''d get through this.


    All we could do was hold on.


    I tried my best not to let the dog conquer me by trying to do as human of things as possible - and the most human thing I could do was read the books. Getting them open and trying to turn the pages with my paws was difficult - but reading them was getting just as hard. I wasn''t sure if it was my eyes or my mind, but I had to think a lot more about what I was reading.


    At least it was a way for me to fixate on something that felt human. It was a way for me to practice concentration. I was not a dog. I was Matt Hewitt. I had a sister named Ashley. I had my parents who were looking for us. I had a girlfriend named Jackie. I loved her.


    Our situation was awful, but I had felt so much anxiety thinking about how worried she must be. What if she thought I was dead? What if they had no leads on how to find us?


    Even if I saw Jackie again... she would see a dog. The thought filled me with horror. I couldn''t imagine her reaction to that. Maybe she would''ve preferred that I had died. At least then I would''ve died as myself, fighting back. Instead I just felt pathetic. I felt like a coward. I had let them do this to me.


    Contrary thoughts in my mind rejected this as useless and untrue. It didn''t keep me from feeling like I was going to die... or lose my humanity in such a sad way. I had not gone down like a valiant tragic hero, but was going to be defeated as a sad, instinct-driven pet.


    I heard the door buzz, indicating that it was being opened. I kicked away the textbook I was reading, and put on my best, dumb happy face as Melina walked in. It was the first time one of them had walked in since we''d completely changed, and I wasn''t going to squander this opportunity. If we could convince her that we''d become completely lost to the change, it could give us an edge.


    "Arf!" I barked, panting happily. Ashley barked as well.


    "Ugh, pipe down you two dumb mutts," Melina groaned, hauling a bag of dog food into the room.


    She carried it to our food dishes, but poured a bit too much, and spilled it all over.


    She was drunk. Incapacitated to an extent.


    I no longer needed to pretend, as I suddenly felt very, very happy. I barked again.


    "Gosh, can''t you two let a hungover woman have some quiet?" she said loudly.


    She set down the bag of dog food, and then just collapsed onto the floor. She stared up at the ceiling, a glimpse of tears in her eyes.


    The door was wide open. We could run now, and with her being drunk... and hungover? - Gosh she was not having a good day - she might not be able to catch us.


    Ashley let out a small bark directed at me. I could sense the meaning in it in a way a human couldn''t - what are you waiting for?


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    I was waiting for a way to get Melina away from the electric prod on her waist. I suspected, seeing the buttons on it, that it may also control the shock collars we were wearing. I didn''t want to take any chances. She was was resting her hand on it, even as she looked off away from us with a glazed over look. She reached into her jacket, and pulled out a flask, sipping from it.


    "How... how weird is it," she said, putting her back to the wall, "that doing this, trying to drown out my hangover with more drinking... is called ''hair of the dog.'' That''s funny isn''t it?"


    I barked and panted as she took a swig.


    "I woonnder what weirdo came up with that," she slurred, "he was probably... prolly as weird as me, talking to a dumb animal."


    She reached out towards me. I shirked back slightly, out of both my real human anxiety around someone who had attacked me with electric shocks, as well as a natural canine instinct for danger.


    "I won''t hurt you," she said, "not when you''re much nicer than wheenn... when youuu were a huuman."


    I timidly drew nearer to her, and she scratched me behind the ears. Despite the stench of alcohol on her, getting scratched always felt good, and I wagged my tail vigorously.


    "I miss having a dog," Melina said. "I miss having someone thaat looves you soooo much. Not someone who complains that I''m never home for them because I work sso much, but then when you actually try to be there, you find out he was cheating on youu, and then your punk daughter chooses his cheating ass instead of youu who actually carrress..."


    She was sobbing a lot now. Gosh this was uncomfortable - even though I was just a dog that didn''t really have any real reason to feel awkward.


    "Gosshh why did I make my life so awful!!" Melina screamed out of nowhere. "Why did I let myself marry that jerk? Why did I let my daughter slip away!!"


    Ashley and I just stared at each other in bewilderment.


    "And on top of thhhaa," Melina wailed, "I kidnapped some kids and made them into two... dumb... animals..."


    She dropped her head down into folded arms. Her hand was not on her electric prod.


    I glanced to Ashley, and barked that it was time to make our move.


    Ashley didn''t seem to respond. She was just staring at Melina. I stamped my paw, hoping that she wasn''t falling into a trance. Thankfully, Ashley stamped her paw - she was still thinking.


    Melina looked back up, and wiped her eyes. The tears came back almost immediately. Before I could stop her, Ashley jumped up close to Melina, and licked her face.


    "Augh augh!" Melina grunted, "cut it out!"


    Ashley remained persistent.


    Melina''s angered grunts turned to a bit of a frustrated laugh.


    "Okay," Melina sighed, hugging Ashley, "thank you for the kisses... they don''t haalp much though."


    I felt pity for what had happened to this woman - it seemed that working with Seth had broken her - like Seth appeared to have broken others, and wanted to break us. Regardless, she had chosen her way in life.


    As if to affirm my thoughts, Melina sighed and sat up straight, sadly before I could move in to grab the electric prod.


    "But you two aren''t myy friends. You''re our prisoners."


    I barely registered the movement as Melina started to stand up. Ashley jumped on her again, pinning her back against the ground. Melina reached for her prod. Ashley bit hard into Melina''s arm.


    "AAAGGHH!!" Melina screamed. "You damn mutt!"


    I grabbed the prod with my mouth, and Ashley refused to let go of Melina''s arm. As I spat the prod out, tossing it to the side, Melina kicked Ashley hard in the stomach and off of her, causing Ashley to let out a harsh whimper.


    I barked loudly in what could be described as a harsh canine curse.


    I bounded over to Ashley, who panted slow and deep, recovering from the blow. Lying on her side, she gave a strained double stamp with one of her paws. She was alright.


    I turned my attention back to the prod, to run back to it before Melina could grab it. But Melina was completely distracted. She was screaming, gripping her arm as blood seeped between her fingers.


    "You devious freaks!" she shouted at us. "You''re just like everyone else, lying without an ounce of humanity!"


    I looked to Ashley and stamped my paw. We had to go. Now.


    I bounded out the door into a hallway. It was as austere and old as the room we''d been in. I don''t know how my legs could feel strained after doing barely anything for so long, but gosh I was tired. I wanted some real food... like bacon. I shook the thought away, and glanced back behind me as Ashley followed me out of the room.


    I turned around a corner, skittering on the linoleum floor, unused to running on all fours. In the corner of my eye I saw Ashley ran into another room. I barked at her. What was she doing?


    She made a racket, knocking something over. I ran back to find that she was in a breakroom of sorts, and had a big wad of paper towels in her mouth. She ran past me - back to Melina.


    I rolled my eyes and followed her back into the room we''d been held in. Melina didn''t say anything, but immediately grabbed the paper towels from Ashley''s mouth and began wrapping it around the wound.


    "I... am going to kill youuu," she seethed.


    But then she let out a screech, and reached behind her.


    "Ahh! Ahhhh! What... what''s going on!!"


    Melina fell down to the ground amidst cracking sounds - and then I saw lump forming at the top of her back. She reached back their with a shaking hand, loosing her pants - and the start of a black and white tail popped out.


    "Nooo...," she said in disbelief... "Your stupid DNA dammit!"


    I watched in horror. This was no gradual change. If the virus had burned through us like a match, it was moving through her like a forest fire. Her face pushed out into a muzzle, a snout forming. Black and white fur sprouted all over her. As she screamed in pain, she slowly looked up at me, glaring with canine eyes.


    A guttural growl came from her throat, and she pounced on me. She began punching me, getting in several really painful hits, before her hands formed into paws.


    I tried my best to wrestle out of her grip, rolling her off of me. She kicked off her pants, her legs now canine, and she jumped at me again, hitting me with a paw, and I was knocked to the ground.


    I bit back the pain, and barked at Ashley with my head against the floor. She got the message, and began to run.


    I turned back to Melina, who was breathing deep. Her tongue dropped out of her mouth, becoming longer and flatter.


    "You...," she said in a strained voice, "have gotten what you wanted. What everyone arround me waanted. You rruined my life. Youuuuu hhhaahahahaaggghghhhh!!"


    Her voice strained more and more, until her human voice vanished forever. She barked at me a few times, and then realized what had happened.


    Melina suddenly became still, only panting. The transformation had ended. She was a dog - a border collie.


    She whimpered for a few moments. She let out a long howl of despair, before collapsing to the floor. She''d gotten what she deserved. I was done here.


    I ran after Ashley, only exchanging a glance with her.


    And we ran to freedom.

 Chapter 46

    Jackie couldn''t think as she sat in the car. All she was capable of was crying. Her tears streamed down the fur on her cheeks, falling from her face as the car bumped along the road. The drops were large enough that she felt she could hear them as they hit the bottom of her jacket. She''d been certain as soon as she saw Seth, as soon as she''d heard him speak, that he had been untrustworthy. Turns out her fixation on watching him like a hawk had ultimately led them to lose him.


    Of course Seth had been smart enough to misdirect anyone who attempted to follow. Of course he would''ve used deepfaking to make body doubles of him and Lucas. Now Seth had Lucas, and Matt and Ashley. They were long gone. Seth had gotten everything he wanted.


    And now Jackie was alone. She felt that darkness drawing back in her, that hopelessness. It was the same twisted up knot of depression and anxiety that had crippled her before she''d come to love Matt.


    She cried harder. Matt.


    Ever since she was a child, she''d known Matt Hewitt down the street. He was just another kid in the neighborhood, who liked playing cowboy, and being a small bit of a menace. She hadn''t been friends with him, not until high school when she''d come into his friend group more - and even then she had viewed him as immature, self-centered...


    But he had changed. Going through this crisis she''d realized just how much there was to him... and how little there was to herself. She shook. Matt would say that wasn''t true at all. She wished that she could believe the lies that he told her.


    A deep chill ran through her. No, Matt was right. She was far too hard on herself, and she was only eighteen. Most people her age weren''t out doing things that shook the Earth, and that didn''t make her any lesser.


    Jackie had started to feel more confident in herself because of Matt. She had stopped being ashamed that she was a furry. She''d started actually being honest, and showing others that she liked being canis. Despite how weird she knew she was, Matt had loved her anyway. With him, Jackie had started feeling like maybe there was hope in her future. She''d started looking forward to her new self.


    She''d started looking forward to life. Life with Matt. Having a family... even if those kids had floppy ears and little tails.


    That was gone now. She would never find someone who cared about her like Matt. She''d only been able to open up to him out of the sheer crushing hopelessness that had been hitting her at all sides. She... she had seen who he truly was then. When despite all her fears to the contrary, she opened her heart, and rather than crushing it... he had comforted it. He had comforted all the hearts he could.


    Then the universe took him away. Whether it was the random cruelty of an uncaring world, or punishment from some vengeful God, Jackie just felt like she couldn''t take this horror she was living with. Her mind just couldn''t process that somehow, Seth had won.


    Everyone in the car was silent as they drove. She did not know where they were driving to. Probably back to the Lucas''s work.


    In the silence... those scornful voices of her past filled the void. Those anxious voices that her time with Matt had stamped out... or so she thought. Her inner demons were still there. She had let herself believe that people could love her - the actual, bizarre, and weak person she was deep down.


    But then... then a different inner voice came. She imagined Matt sitting right beside her.


    Not that Matt who had complained about something during group activities, not that Matt that had seemed to her like a child... not human Matt. Dog Matt, with his blanket-like fur and warm brown eyes.


    She imagined him next to her... holding her. Letting her know that it was going to be alright. She knew that if he was here, he would say that. What else would he say? - she thought.


    Probably that she was stronger than this... that she had the will to overcome these fears. She would insist he was wrong. He wouldn''t argue with her... he''d simply hold her tight, and then repeat the same... yes you can.


    She paused in her sobbing, and wiped her eyes.


    "Are you okay?" Meagan asked in her lull of crying.


    "No," Jackie wheezed. "But... but maybe I''ll be able to be okay... maybe someday."


    The car jerked forward slightly to a stop. Everyone got out to the sound of crunching gravel. Meagan needed to pull on Jackie''s coat a bit to encourage her to move. Jackie slowly, achingly, got out of the car. She blinked the tears away. They... they were not in the city anymore. They were out on some mountainside, on the edge of some woods. The sun was low in the sky.


    "That day," Meagan said after they closed the car door, "is today."


    "What?" Jackie asked, her eyes becoming clearer.


    The other car in their operation was parked a little bit up the road from them. Clive and Tessa were talking about something next to the car''s opened trunk. Clive noticed them as Jackie and Meagan walked closer. He looked at Jackie''s teary eyes with confusion.


    "What''s her problem?" he asked.


    "Damn it Clive," Meagan said with a bit of a bark. "For all your smarts about this operation, you sure don''t know basic people skills. You used this poor girl and didn''t even think that it would have an effect on her."


    "Whhaa... what?" Jackie sniffled.


    "They bugged you," Meagan said. "We don''t know how, probably someone in the cafe did it covertly, but we knew that they''d get one of us. I pulled the bug off when you were getting out of the car, and now we''ve got our own little replacement in there playing a fake generated conversation, just in case."


    "Why didn''t you tell me I was bugged??" Jackie exclaimed in a strained, but hushed tone.


    "Because if Seth thought we were on to him," Clive looked at his watch''s screen, "he never would''ve gone back to his base of operations. I hate to be rude... again, but you don''t strike me as a very good actor Jackie. And since Seth knows who we all are, I needed a real reaction out of you - the kind that''d satisfy Seth that we were off his trail."


    "You''re a jackass," Jackie spat at him. She grabbed a tuft of fur on her arm, squeezing it tightly.


    "...but thank you for having a plan."


    "You can chew me out later," Clive said. "Right now we''ve got a job to do."


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    *****


    Ashley and I ran through hallway after hallway, while my mind reeled from watching Melina''s horrific transformation. Running like this was taking some getting used to. I wasn''t used to running on all fours, and the linoleum didn''t give very good traction.


    I kept trying to wrap my brain around what had just happened to Melina, and what could''ve caused such an awful difference. I knew that being exposed to DNA with the virus active in it would lead to contracting it yourself - but that was supposed to take a while to actually cause changes, a week at least.


    This had not only been fast, but looked painful. What had Seth being doing to us? Trying to push the virus to its absolute limit?


    At the same time I was at a loss with what had happened, Ashley and I were at a loss with where to go. There were signs giving directions to different classrooms on the walls - but they were just barely too high to be difficult to read - add on to that they were old and faded, plus my brain was having a harder and harder time processing the information.


    I gathered at least, that this seemed like some old remote building for a university, originally for some sort of field work - but now Seth had gotten hold of it, maybe using lab equipment here for his illegal activities.


    Part of the problem I was having is that I wasn''t sure exactly what I was even looking for. DId I want to find Seth and give him a bite the same we''d done to Melina? Maybe if I wanted to get shot. Did we just want to escape the building? Then what? For all intents and purposes, to anyone outside, we looked like any dog. Maybe with some luck we could try and communicate we were intelligent - but how on Earth would we find our parents?


    Eventually I got tired of this endless maze, and knew that we weren''t getting anywhere. I took a moment to stop, and when Ashley realized I wasn''t following, she skidded on the floor for a moment as though she were on ice. It would''ve been funny - if we hadn''t been horribly deformed by a mad scientist, and were now trying to escape.


    Ashley ran back up to me. She panted. I stamped my paw twice. She looked at me with confusion. Oh no. My eyes became wide, and I stamped again, with more intention. Ashley shook her head and then stamped her paw likewise.


    My anxiety was probably evident in my eyes. I was afraid that I had lost her. We were slipping... I could feel it. I only hoped that if we could escape, and get back to Dad, that maybe, he could try something crazy to get our minds to hold on... I felt a lingering sense of fear, that if our minds slipped from us, there might be no bringing them back.


    I barked at Ashley, hoping she understood that I wanted a moment to think. I sat on my haunches, but she stayed alert, scanning the surrounding hallways branching off of the larger main hallway we were in.


    To our right was a set of stairs. We''d already been upstairs. We knew that... that... gosh where had we already been through? I tried to form a mental image in my mind... but something that would''ve been relatively easy for me in the past... I just couldn''t do it. I felt tired. Really tired. I just wanted to lie down for a bit. I wanted someone to scratch an itch on my belly...


    I was shocked out of my trance. A door being slammed open in the distance. Oow! I scrunched my ears against my head. It had been so loud! I wanted to hide.


    Why did I want to hide? I asked myself. Seth. I didn''t like Seth. Seth was mean to us. Ashley ran towards the sound. I didn''t like the sound, but I followed her anyway.


    And then someone stepped through the door. Someone that I knew.


    ****


    Clive abruptly stopped after going through the door, his gun held cautiously in front of him.


    "What in the..."


    Jackie pushed past him to see what he was looking at. She froze.


    Two dogs, golden retrievers. One was a bit smaller than the other. They stared back at the group.


    "No...," Jackie shook her head, "no it... it can''t be...."


    She ran up to the dogs as the others told her to stop. She ran to the larger dog, it smiled and barked at her, licking her face. She reached for the collar around the dog''s neck, where there was a tag. A tag that said "Matt."


    To say that Jackie''s blood ran cold didn''t do it justice. It froze solid. She... she ceased to feel anything. It wasn''t until the others ran up to the dogs, and had the same realization, that she finally started to process what had happened.


    My boyfriend has turned into a dog. He... he is no longer human.


    Jackie''s numbness suddenly turned to frenzied alertness, every hair of fur on her seeming to stand up. She grabbed the fur on the dog''s neck, looking deep into the dog''s eyes. Canine eyes... though still with warm brown irises.


    "Matt...," Jackie began to sob. "Is... is that you?"


    The dog''s expression changed from one of joy, to one of stoicism - an odd look for a dog. The dog nodded, in a very deliberate, intelligent way.


    Jackie hugged Matt''s neck, while squeezing her crying eyes shut. She felt nothing, barely hearing Clive behind her, swearing to send Seth to hell for this.


    A minute or two passed of Jackie and Meagan simply hugging Matt and Ashley. Jackie just couldn''t believe this was happening... she couldn''t believe Seth was capable of something so evil. He had stolen their humanity.


    But no. Jackie could still see into Matt''s eyes. She could still see that he was a thinking person in there, in his mind. He was still human to her.


    "This is awful, and I can barely... gosh, I can barely wrap my head around it," Clive said, "but we can''t afford to wait around. We need to get Lucas and then get out of this wretched place."


    ****


    I ran behind Clive, and beside Jackie as we made our way through the building. It filled me with anxiety that we were going back deeper into this place... but we needed to find my dad.


    Jackie glanced to me as we searched the building. I looked back at her longingly. I wished that I could tell her that I was alright. That it wasn''t so bad. But I couldn''t. I couldn''t say anything to her. I might never be able to truly speak to her again.


    And so all I could do was wonder what she was thinking. Her boyfriend was now a dog. He had transformed into an animal. That kind of thing... it didn''t happen, except in stories. It wasn''t something people were mentally able to process.


    What I was sure of... was that if this was to be my fate, having the mind of a human but the body of a dog forever... it was over between Jackie and I. It wasn''t like I could be her boyfriend, when I was no longer a boy, but a dog. A horrific image of the future struck me, as I realized that she might take care of me... like a pet.


    Would that be my life? Was I going to lay around a house, only going out into the world to go on a walk, or to a dog park... smelling the other dogs... maybe finding a treat in the trash or playing fetch...


    No. I was letting my mind slip again. I needed to focus on Jackie. I was going to find a way back to being my normal self again - or at least, my canis self. Then... no. I didn''t know if that was possible. Thus far, we''d only seen that it was possible to change in this direction - but back to human, we were far less certain.


    I was then hit with a different kind of horror. If I was stuck this way... how would Jackie respond? A scenario flashed in my mind - of Jackie choosing to give up her humanity, and becoming a dog. I timidly let in those thoughts. My parents taking care of me as their pet. Her mom doing the same for her. We''d play together, chasing each other.


    No. That was no life for her. I had already been condemned to this. If I was able to communicate at all with her, I would make it perfectly clear that she wasn''t to choose that path. She had a life to live, and while she could live it as a canis person, she would lose so much in becoming a dog.


    I just felt so... so defeated. Despite running beside her, i felt more separate from her than I ever had. Even if I could just wanted to talk to her again... I had taken it all for granted. I wanted to hold her in my arms. I wanted to be able to comfort her when she was sad.


    Soon focusing on those thoughts helped me calm. Those intruding canine instincts that barraged my attention... they were not what I really wanted. What I really wanted in life was not the fun of playing fetch, the pleasure of just lounging around as a pet. I didn''t even want the passion of some human romances.


    I wanted the warmth I had felt with Jackie. The feeling that when we were together, we could stand against the world.


    And I held onto that feeling with all my might.

 Chapter 47

    Jackie did not want to think. She focused on the feeling of her paw pads hitting the floor as they ran. Gosh she wished they could split up and search for Lucas separately, but that was a sure way to get them into trouble.


    After a long stretch of nothing happening, a muscular man suddenly burst through a door and punched Clive in the side.


    Patrick drew his gun, pointing it at the man.


    "You make another move," Patrick said. "Just try."


    The man made an amused smile. "This is what Seth gets for not letting more people into his confidence. He could''ve had guards at the front. More researchers in his lab. He touts his broader, larger organization, but -"


    "Shut up," Clive said, sticking the barrel of his pistol into the man. "Take us to Seth."


    "Take me to Melina first."


    "Melina?" Clive asked. "You mean the woman who kidnapped Matt and Ashley so you could do this to them?"


    He gestured to the two dogs. Matt growled slightly.


    "Yeah," the man said candidly, "take me to her."


    "We didn''t see her," Patrick said.


    "Liar," the man scowled. "You are lying. She''s not answering her phone, or anything. You did something to her."


    Matt barked, and began heading off down one hallway. Clive was confused for a moment, then nodded to the rest of the group to follow, making sure to keep their guns trained on the man. They found themselves at an open door, leading into a carpeted room.


    With great revulsion, Jackie realized this was where Matt and Ashley had been held. There were dog beds, food bowls... and a place to relieve themselves. It was just.... how could someone do this to other people?


    Then they heard a whimper in the corner, and noticed something.


    A dog. A border collie. It sat amidst discarded pieces of clothes.


    "Holy shit," Clive whispered.


    Their hostage, oblivious to the threat of being shot, ran to the dog.


    "Oh God!" he yelled. "What did they do to you?"


    Jackie just... couldn''t believe it. That dog... was Melina?


    "You bastards!" the man yelled. "I''ll -"


    Before Clive or Patrick could even shoot, Matt pounced onto him, and bit him on the leg just above the ankle where skin was exposed. The man screamed and fell to the ground, but Matt held on. Jackie averted her eyes from the gruesome scene.


    Patrick and Clive kept their guns on him as Matt released. He laid there prone on his stomach, breathing heavily. Matt patted the man''s back pocket with a paw. Clive walked forward, pressing his gun against the man, then pulled out his wallet.


    "An access card," Clive held up with satisfaction. He scratched Matt behind the ears. "Good boy."


    Matt barked and wagged his tail. He did so happily, but... but for some reason seeing that blank look on Matt''s face made Jackie feel sick.


    Clive took away a few of the man''s other things - his tablet, car keys - then went to what seemed to be the remains of Melina''s clothes.


    "Yep," Clive said, as Patrick trained his gun on the wounded man. Clive held up an ID. "Melina really became a dog."


    He shook his head in disbelief.


    "I just... I just can''t believe how something like this could happen," Meagan said.


    "Umm...," Patrick said, "I think I might have an idea."


    They looked to the man as he clutched his wound. He had taken off his shirt and held it against the bite to hold back the blood. But something strange was happening. White and black hairs were growing on his arms. Then on his chest.


    "I''m going to get you all for this," he said. "Especially for what you''ve done to Melina. Her life collapsed all around her, and you treated her like dog shit. I hope you''re happy."


    Matt whimpered slightly, backing away. Ashley did too. It was obvious then, that the two had been behind Melina''s change as well. Jackie knelt down to them.


    "They kidnapped you," Jackie said, discomfort in her voice from looking Matt in the eyes. "They did this to you. They do not deserve your remorse."


    Matt swallowed, and slowly nodded.


    The man suddenly let out a guttural cry of pain, causing Jackie''s ears to perk straight up in fright. His face began cracking, pushing out, forming a snout on the end. His ears peaked and traveled up his skull.


    "Oh my gosh!" Meagan cried out, "how on Earth is it happening so fast?"


    It was horrible. Like something Jackie had seen in a hundred-year old monster movie.


    "I don''t know," Clive said, "forget him, we need to keep moving, especially if he''s alerted Seth."


    The group left the room, Patrick taking the rear and keeping his gun pointed at the transforming man, then slamming the door. Jackie glanced back, and the man was able to open the door, before collapsing.


    "Leave him," Clive told Patrick. "I got his and Melina''s guns."


    Clive turned to Jackie as they went up some stairs.


    "You know how to use a gun?"


    "I... it''s... it''s been a long time..."


    "Okay," Clive said, "doesn''t matter. I''ll carry the extra."


    After their long search down one wing of the building, on the second floor they finally found what they were looking for - a hallway blocked by a door that required a keycard. Clive scanned it, and they were able to get in. There was the sound of someone talking in the second door to their right, and they went inside.


    It was a lab of some kind. By the looks of it, one that had been used as a classroom. Clive had mentioned this used to be a satellite research center for a university.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    "Ah, you''re back," Seth said, his back turned, looking at a computer monitor. "So what was the ruckus..."


    He turned around and realized that he had not been talking to his lackey. They were in a lab -


    "Well dammit,* Seth said casually. "I suppose this is what I get for not taking the time to learn how to use the security system."


    Jackie didn''t much care for what Seth was saying - she was focused on the fact that Lucas was handcuffed to some lab appliance near Seth. He looked in their direction, a strong stoic look on his canine face.


    "We''re done here Seth," Clive said, pointing his gun.


    "Ah, Clive," Seth said, "it''s been a long time. And Patrick, you finally got out of your job in Generation''s security - well, obviously we all got out of that company one way or another. Not all of us went up in the world though, I see."


    "Can it," Patrick said, his own gun pointed firmly at Seth. "You know that both of us will shoot."


    "Of course," Seth said. "You have me. What can I do for you?"


    "Release Lucas," Clive said.


    Seth snorted in derision. "Awfully rude of you all to go back on our agreement."


    "You turned my children into dogs," Meagan said.


    "Ah," Seth said, "it''s been a while since I''ve seen you Meagan. DIdn''t recognize you, what with the deformities and all. Surprising to me that you''d be so upset, considering your children actually look more correct now than they did last week."


    "You''re a sick man Seth."


    "Everyone is so hostile," he said with a deep sigh. "I''ve done bad things, yes, I don''t deny that. But because of the contributions of your children, I''ve gained more from this research than I would''ve from a decade of going through ''proper'' channels."


    "You were just like this before Seth," Meagan said. "You spoke at length about making great advances, but for what? We learn in science, we develop technology so we can help people. You however, are a sick monster who thinks it''s funny to turn someone into an animal."


    "You," Seth said, "do not know my mind. I do want to help people - but I want to help billions of them. We''ve long held the power to cure some of the worst afflictions known to humanity, but have been too afraid to do so. Someone needs to break through. Someone needs to show that it can be done - I don''t even care if I go to jail, as long as this research leads somewhere. But all of you... you will hide this from the world. Hide that somehow, in a way I have been unable to parse out... your family and some others with the virus are different."


    He crossed his legs, seeming completely relaxed. "But... I''m so close to figuring out why."


    "You just want my husband as your guinea pig."


    "I thought that''s what we agreed to?" he asked. "Despite the fact that you have broken into my lab, I''ll even let you take your children."


    "And then you''re going to turn Lucas into a dog too," Meagan seethed. "What is your plan exactly? Are you seriously going to write some research paper on how you turned some people into dogs?"


    Jackie was growing more and more on edge. Seth however, seemed far too relaxed as the rest of them seemed to grow more furious. Why were they letting him go on and on?


    Her thoughts were interrupted as she found a gun pressed into her hands. Meagan didn''t look down at Jackie, keeping her gaze firmly on Seth. It was then that Jackie realized that Seth hadn''t been able to see her very well, as she''d been mostly behind a cabinet. Breathing deep, she crouched down, and slowly began sneaking around the lab counters.


    "They already had the agent in them that allowed it to occur," Seth said. "I was simply trying to cure them, on their request, when this regrettable outcome occurred."


    "You''re an idiot," Clive said, "if you think that''s plausible deniability."


    "It is ambiguous," Seth said, "which is all that I require. As I said, I simply want to give the boulder a push down the hill. If I end up in prison, so be it. All that matters to me is that people aren''t so put off by these discoveries that they refuse to ever again engage in this research."


    "You''ve made your case," Clive said, "now I''ll make mine. I have a gun pointed at you, and it''ll be hard for you to fulfill your dreams if you''re dead."


    Seth laughed as Jackie drew closer to the aisle at the back of the room he was in. Gosh she hated him.


    "But I didn''t say ''I rest my case'', now did I?" Seth said. "My case in this situation - you want Lucas. I want you to cut your losses and leave."


    "And again," Clive said, "I have the gun in this situation."


    Jackie was close enough now as she crouched at the edge of the aisle, to see a dark, wicked smile grow on Seth''s face.


    "And in this situation," Seth said, "I have the true threat."


    He raised a tablet from where it was concealed in his pocket. He held his thumb hovering near the screen.


    "Right now, at any moment," he said, "I can send a signal to the collars those two dogs are wearing. In those collars is one small battery - but one that is strong enough to deliver a lethal electric charge."


    Everyone was silent.


    "Maybe eventually," he went on, "if I feel generous - like say, a year or so from now, I''ll give you your husband back. Maybe he''ll even be a human again - a real, normal human. But if you shoot me now, I will kill your children. Do you understand?"


    Jackie shot Seth in the wrist, and he cried out in pain. She had aimed for the phone itself, but it had been a long time since those hunting trips with her Dad when she''d been younger.


    Clive rushed for Seth, but Seth knew enough to run. He pushed past Jackie, then struggled to simultaneously turn the door handle, and transfer his phone to his uninjured right hand.


    And Jackie''s heart beat in slow motion. Seth pressed the button on the screen.


    ****


    I came loose of the collar just in time, as I heard it emit a violent crackling buzz. Knowing Mom had gotten Ashley''s off too, I had no other thought in my mind but attack. This man had hurt my family so much. I jumped onto him as he went out the door. We both came down onto the old carpet, and he kicked me before I could bite him.


    He got through the keycard door that connected to the rest of the facility, and I barely wriggled through after him. I kept running, running... chasing him... but I was so tired.


    I wanted to attack this bad, mean man... but I wanted to rest. I wanted to just sleep. I was so tired, and had felt so stressed. But now... now these people were here. They were good people... people I liked.


    I... I needed to stop the bad man. Stopping him would help them... somehow.


    I could tell my mind was fogging up more and more. It... it wouldn''t be too long now before the end.


    I couldn''t give up. I had to try... try one last time.


    He had gotten a good distance away, and I started running again, running as fast as my four legs could take me. He rounded the corner, and I followed him as the floor transitioned back to smooth tile.


    I jumped onto him, and knocked him down. He fought. I growled. I didn''t want to attack him. I needed... needed... stuff. What stuff? I forgot. I kept fighting. Stuff... his stuff! He must have stuff.


    I tore at his pants pocket. He knocked me off of him, but his pocket tore - and a black stuff fell on the ground. I planted my paw on it.


    He tried to push me off of it, but then loud noises came. They hurt my ears! I wimpered as the other people made more of the loud noises. The bad man ran away.


    I whimpered. I was tired. My head hurt. My thoughts were hard, very... very hard.


    One of the people came up to me. I pulled up my paw.


    "A flash drive? Oh my gosh... this must''ve had a bunch of Seth''s data on it! Good job Matt!"


    He was happy. It made me happy to see someone say I did something good. I wagged my tail.


    Another one of them knelt down and looked closely at me. She... she is different. She looks like a dog but acts like a human. She... she''s Jackie. She is nice. I like her. I feel happy... but as they watch, they get sad sad.


    "Matt?" she said. "Please Matt... stick with me. You''re a person. You are my boyfriend. I love you."


    I continued to wag my tail, but my head hurt again. These thoughts... so hard. Why were thoughts hard? Why they want me to think weird thoughts? Me don''t like hard thoughts.


    I whimpered. Weird thoughts, thoughts too complex...


    Jackie kissed my nose. She said something. Something... something about loving me... forever.


    Me... me feel sad. Me lick her face.


    Why me miss her? She here. No, me miss her because me different. Me do something bad. Me whimper, feel very sad.


    Thoughts too weird, no more weird thoughts! No more weird thoughts!


    Weird thinks go away.


    Me feel happy now. Me wag tail. Weird dog girl, weird dog man and dog woman hug me, and hug girl dog. They sad. Me feel sad too. Why me sad? Me with good people. Good people nice, not like mean man.


    Me feel happy.

 Chapter 48

    He was gone.


    Over the past few days, Jackie been dragged through pure agony, imagining all the awful ways Matt and Ashley could''ve died, or even... even imagining what had ultimately happened. But now it was reality. It hadn''t been with one climactic moment, where he could still talk to her... where he could truly say goodbye.


    For the next few minutes, she tried everything she could to communicate with him. Asking him yes or no questions. Telling him to stamp his paw if he understood her. She broke down, crying, pleading for him to come back to her. He did not nod his head. He didn''t even bark or smile wider. He just kept on panting... not a thought in his mind. He was gone. Gone forever.


    Jackie felt a hollowness inside of her, unlike anything she''d ever felt. It was as though her soul was eroding, drying up, decaying, leaving an empty void inside her. Despite the silent hallway, and the tears on everyone around him, he was... he was happy. Even as Meagan and Lucas couldn''t bear to hold onto their children any more, Jackie held onto Matt. He licked her. Rather than feeling like a sign of romantic affection, it felt only like instinct, just a reaction to someone who was nice to him.


    "Matt," she said with blurry eyes, "Matt please... think. Hold on... we can help you..."


    A firm hand gripped her shoulder, the padded grip telling her it was Lucas.


    "C''mon," Lucas said. "There''s nothing we can do right now that will help Matt and Ashley. Let''s get out of this wretched place. Then I''ll start seeing what I can do."


    "We''ll stay behind," Clive said with Patrick beside him, "start searching through Seth''s lab, and that flash drive of his."


    Meagan had to guide Jackie out of the building, leading her in front of Matt and Ashley so that she wasn''t looking at them. As the group walked out the door of the building, bright light glowed on the treetops on the hillside below them. The sun was setting, leaving a vivid deep orange on the clouds above. A small feeling inside Jackie felt like it was a message. It was a beautiful sight. For just a moment, it lessened the burning sting of her pain.


    Jackie slowly plodded, one foot after another down the road to where the cars were parked. As she looked down the road, she was surprised to see two dogs watching them - a border collie and some breed of husky. The collie had a watch on one of its forelegs.


    Matt walked over to them and started sniffing at them, but the border collie growled. Jackie ran over there, and Meagan held her gun ready - but the border collie stood down. The dog looked up to them with a very deliberate, somewhat stern looking glare, and raised its paw, as though in waving goodbye.


    The dog barked to the husky, and then the two ran off into the woods. The two dogs, once Melina and her associate, seemed to harbor some sentience still. Maybe the same was true for Matt and Ashley.


    On the car ride back home however, Jackie felt doubt permeate her mind. Matt sat in the seat next to her, panting excitedly as they drove. He seemed no different from any other dog. Maybe they could save them - but what if they were able to turn Matt and Ashley back, and they had major brain damage? Or worse... what if they became human, but still had the minds of dogs?


    She hugged Matt again. He licked her face. She didn''t flinch or anything, and he stopped. Jackie just laid her head against his, closing her eyes. It felt like somehow, a thief had stolen him from her. Part of her just couldn''t believe that this was him, that he must be off somewhere in some faraway place.


    Jackie opened her eyes as she felt the dog rub his head against hers. It didn''t feel quite like the Matt she knew... but looking in his eyes, she could swear she could see something. That somehow, even if Matt had lost his intelligence... that he still cared about her, in his own simple understanding.


    "No matter what happens," she said, becoming teary eyed again, "I''m going to take care of you."


    She heard Lucas sigh from the front seat.


    "I''m going to do everything I can Jackie," he said. "Hopefully, something that we find in Seth''s old lab will help us - and... and perhaps Matt''s last, final push there at the end, to get us that flash drive... maybe that one last piece could help us figure all this out."


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "Okay," Jackie said quietly.


    "Lucas," Meagan said.


    "Yes?"


    "Is... is there any risk of... of this happening to us?"


    Lucas was quiet for a moment.


    "I don''t know Meagan. I don''t think so. Seth did something to them. Something... vile."


    Jackie saw him tighten his hands on the edge of the dash board, as though he felt frustration that the car had no steering wheel for him to angrily grip.


    "Maybe he gave them a stronger version of the virus," Lucas said. "Maybe he further engineered the virus to have more canine DNA in it. Or maybe still, the virus was set off by some kind of external stimulus... gosh I don''t know. My brain is so overloaded right now. As much as I feel so... so... distraught... I need sleep. I need to be able to start working on this problem with an actual full night of sleep."


    "What if we do start to change though?" Jackie asked. "What if it''s rapid like what happened to those others? We wouldn''t have any time to..."


    "Jackie," Meagan said, "calm down. Like Lucas said, we''re going to do everything we can. Worrying about anything beyond that point... it... it''s not going to solve this problem."


    "But what if everything you can isn''t enough?" Jackie said, fighting back tears. "You''ve said it before Lucas, I have that early version of the virus... what if Matt''s DNA has already gotten into me? What if I find myself reduced to that same... that same awful place..."


    "Then...," Meagan inhaled deeply, "all I can say is, we''ll try to do all we can... and I know that your mom will still be there for you."


    "I... I just can''t imagine it," Jackie began to sob again. "I can''t imagine forgetting everything... being a dog."


    She licked her nose. "... Well... fully a dog this time."


    Matt''s parents said nothing more. Matt sat still, panting happily. Ashley just looked out the window with a neutral look.


    Thoughts from the past crept into Jackie''s mind. Times she''d wished she could transform into a werewolf, run away from her problems and be a creature of the wild. Free of responsibilities. Free of stress. Free of worrying about all the awful problems of human life. Maybe... maybe being a dog... didn''t sound so bad. Maybe... maybe she wanted this, deep down. She''d be able to play with Matt and Ashley all day, playing fetch, getting treats...


    There was something strangely alluring about the idea. But it conflicted with what she wanted at her core. She wanted Matt. The real Matt. She cuddled closer to him. He nuzzled her back. At the very least, she felt some of her stress fade, knowing that he wasn''t in pain.


    That didn''t make hers feel any better.


    ****


    Weird dog girl was sad. Even smiling she sad, me knew somehow.


    Me got home. Me felt very happy. Me remembered good smells here. Me more happy when dog woman gave me treat. She gave me good belly rub.


    Me slept on weird bed. It big for me. Me felt weird. A human slept here. Now he gone. Where did human go? Weird thoughts hurt. Me slept.


    Every day was good. Every day was better than being with the bad man. Weird dog humans got me nice things. They got me leash for going on walkies. Dog girl took me on walkies. Me like walkies. Everything smells good. Me smell good dogs on walkies.


    I saw more weird dog humans on walkies. Some talk to dog girl. She is weird, but less weird. I liked her. Some humans saw dog girl and were mean to her. Me barked at them and they go away. Dog girl told me that me a good boy when me do that.


    Dog humans gave me other things. They gave me new bed. It doesn''t feel good. Me like other bed. It feels nice.


    Me and girl dog have fun playing. The dog humans are fun to play with. They were not home always. Me sad when me and dog girl alone. When humans home they made me happy but they not always happy. Sometimes they happy until me get very happy. Then they sad. Being more happy and licking them did not make them happy again.


    Human dog man is very busy. He wakes me up when he comes home at night. Me always say hi to him even when me tired at night. He gives me good scratches then.


    Other dog humans visit. White and black fur dog boy came. He was nice but also sad. Me didn''t understand why he sad. Weird hard thoughts came. Weird thoughts hurt. Me don''t like weird thoughts.


    Dog humans talk to me weird. They want me to do tricks. Me like doing tricks because it makes them happy, and me get treats. Their tricks get harder. Me don''t like these tricks. They bring weird thoughts.


    They still nice to me even when me don''t do their tricks. Me know they sad when me don''t do hard tricks. Me wished me could make them happy.

 Chapter 49

    Jackie sat alone in the lunchroom, sipping her water bottle, but not touching her pizza or old looking banana. A week had passed since her life had ended... for the second time that year. Every day passed like a fleeting smell on a breeze. It felt like time meant nothing to her anymore. School meant nothing to her anymore. Only the pestering of people around her compelled her to eat.


    Much to her dread, Douglas, Aidan, and Sadie all sat down at her table. Surprisingly, she saw Wendy sit next to her in the corner of her eye. Jackie had seen so little of the husky girl since she''d changed.


    "Hey Jackie," Wendy said.


    "Hi."


    "I heard about Matt," Wendy said in a very quiet tone. It was very meek and calm, in contrast to the anger that had been present in her voice since her change.


    "Yeah," Jackie said, only now taking a bite of pizza to avoid talking. Cold. Ugh.


    "I''ve never known someone who''s been stuck in a coma," Wendy said, "let alone two at the same time... but I have been through -"


    "Spare me your ramshackle sympathy Wendy," Jackie said, her eyes firmly down at her tray. "I know how this ends. You hope and you hope... and then they don''t come back. It''s what happened to my dad. It''s what''s going to happen to Matt and Ashley."


    Douglas placed his paw-hand on her shoulder. "You don''t know that Jackie. People have been in comas for years, but then come out fine."


    His words were all for show. Other than the people that''d been there when they confronted Seth, Jackie''s mom and Douglas were the only other people who knew the truth. The Hewitt''s had managed to keep it all relatively quiet, but Douglas was having to fight hard, and lie to a painful degree to keep all the people at the canis club from trying to visit Matt. He''d not been able to stop the nonstop tide of cards and little gifts hoping that he''d "wake up."


    Jackie had read some of them. They''d only made her feel sicker. People poured out how much they cared about Matt, how his desire to be a friend to everyone had gotten them through their massive shift in life. She missed him so much. In his absence they had turned to her, as if she had anything to offer them.


    She could make a neat little poster for the club, or take some artistic pictures for the club''s social media, but she couldn''t lead. Any attempt to comfort someone who''d been bullied led to her awkwardly handing the person off to Douglas, because she could think of nothing to say. She wondered how the club would react if she went into a "coma." Probably forget she existed. If they did, all the cards sent to her would vastly overstate what she did in the club.


    "I guess all I can say Jackie," Wendy said, "is that Matt would want you to try to keep a stiff upper lip, and try to get through it. He would want you to try to be happy."


    "People just... augh," Jackie grunted, wiping her tears away in anger. "People keep saying that. Turn that frown upside down. Gosh I hate emotions. My mom is right. They suck. Everything should be more logical."


    "I guess being told to be happy is really annoying," Aidan said. "When I first changed,I just was so... I felt awful. Now I don''t mind it. It''s not like I made an active effort to accept it. It just takes time. You can''t magically lift yourself out of the water, but you can stay afloat the best you can."


    Jackie didn''t respond. She sat up straighter, and looked at her friends with a neutral expression. They were all dog people. Two huskies, another golden retriever, and an australian shepherd. Being in love had distracted her from how weird this all was, but she felt like she was in a moment of wakeful clarity.


    It all felt unnatural. She felt somehow, that she was doing something wrong by just existing. The others were simply pulled into this against their will. Jackie knew though that if she''d been given the opportunity, she may have chosen to willingly change. Other than perhaps Sadie, she didn''t feel like she belonged around even canis people.


    "Jackie?" Wendy got her attention.


    Jackie breathed in deep as she stared at them, at the same time, able to smell them just as vividly as she could see their faces. For a moment she was hyper aware of her canine features. Her wet snout, the twitching of her tail. She felt pent up somehow, like she wanted to escape. What she wanted to escape from she had no idea.


    "Guys...," she said with a weak voice. "If they found a cure today... would you change back?"


    They seemed a bit surprised by the question.


    "Yes," Wendy answered first.


    "I don''t know," Douglas said. "Maybe. I haven''t really thought about it too much."


    Sadie put on a characteristic smile. "I guess... no. I feel alright. There are jerks out there, but I can deal with them. As for how I feel on my own, I don''t see any reason to change back."


    Sadie hadn''t made any attempts to conceal that she liked being canis. It felt so strange to Jackie - not just that someone could be so open about it, but that everyone seemed to just shrug it off. There was a tapping against the walls of her mind telling her that she was overreacting, and no one cared if she liked this. But of course, she never listened to those little taps.


    "I... I''ve thought about it," Aidan said, a bit of timidness on his face. "If you''d asked me right after I changed, obviously yeah, I''d change back. I was pretty mad at Matt right after I changed to be honest. But I got to know Matt... I got to know other canis people... and I got to know my new body. I don''t know. I have a bunch of people in the club I like hanging out with. I''d feel out of place there if I was human again."


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "But everyone would be human again Aidan," Jackie said.


    He looked down at the sandwich in his hands. "I... I guess? Really would everyone want to change back?"


    Jackie took a sip of her water. "Not you, apparently."


    Aidan took on a sheepish expression, his ears flattening to his head. "I... no. I just... it''s taken so long to adjust... and..."


    "It''s okay dude," Douglas said. "No one is judging you."


    Aidan sighed. "All of us are thinking it. It feels good to pant, to wag our tails... but it''s just... so weird. Even around other canis people it feels really embarrassing." He licked his nose.


    Douglas and Sadie nodded in agreement - Wendy remained still.


    Aidan ran his hand through his hair, it''s blonde color blending in with his fur.


    "I get you Aidan," Sadie said. "It really is just fun being canis. It feels so alive... and expressive..."


    "And unnatural," Jackie said. "And bizarre. And gross."


    They all looked to her. She couldn''t read their expressions. Pity? Disappointment? Even Wendy didn''t seem to have the most positive reaction.


    "Jackie," Douglas said, "I know that you like this."


    Jackie let out a long, pained exhale, shaking at the same time.


    "You had no problem being yourself when you were with Matt."


    "This is not me."


    Douglas shook his head. "Jackie, I''m not going to dive into some debate on souls or identity or anything like that, just... if you like it, if that''s the way you want to act, and if it isn''t hurting anyone... just let yourself enjoy it."


    Jackie set her jaw.


    "You and Matt seemed happy," Wendy said. "I personally don''t get all the... dog stuff you guys were okay with, but..."


    "See," Jackie said gesturing to Wendy, "there''s always going to be someone saying what I like is wrong."


    "Now I didn''t say -"


    "You think it''s at least weird," Jackie said. "You''re silently judging me. All Matt did was distract me from the outside world. He distracted me from the fact that they all see me as a gross mutant. He helped me hide from the fact that strip away all this weirdness, and even as a human, I was barely a somebody."


    "Now Jackie, "Douglas said, "that''s - "


    "I''m not finished," she said. "I have watched all of you. All of you actually are somebodies. You go out in the world and do things. You make people''s lives better. Matt... he made the whole club. He helped so many people, and I just... I''m just Jackie. I''m nothing without him. I used him as a crutch, and now he''s been kicked away out from under me. I''m left to stagger around on my own, and I have no idea how to walk."


    The others didn''t respond. She only now realized that rivulets of tears were going down her face. She cried for an uncomfortably long time in silence, feeling shame as she let out a few canine whimpers.


    They still didn''t say anything. Douglas reached out to her, and placed his hand on hers. Then Wendy stretched out and put her hand on his. They pulled Jackie''s hand to the center of the table, where Aidan and Sadie joined in.


    "We care about you Jackie," Douglas said.


    "Matt cared about you," Sadie added. "and I''d have to imagine it''s because he saw something in you."


    Jackie sniffled. "I don''t know what that could be. It''s not like I play an instrument, am great at leading people, at - "


    "You can''t boil people down to some checklist," Douglas said. "Sometimes people like you... when I think of the fun times I''ve had with you, Matt, and my other friends... you''re just fun to be around. You''re just a good friend. You don''t need to win a trophy, or show off for everyone. Some people may appear larger than life - and many of us feel smaller... but are still capable of doing small little good things. I don''t think that''s anything to be ashamed of."


    More tears came. Wendy glanced to Jackie, and for the first time in months, she saw a genuine smile come to Wendy''s face.


    Jackie didn''t say much more. They finished lunch, and then after school, they hung out together with some other canis friends.


    Her grief didn''t go away, but she did start feeling better. It wasn''t because she made some great heel turn in her life. Maybe she''d just gotten exhausted from feeling awful for so long. Maybe she''d just needed to open up, and have a good cry.


    Slowly as a few more days passed, the lethal wound in her heart began to heal. She went to the canis club, and tried to just be nice to people. She couldn''t be a great leader like Matt, but maybe she could just be a friend.


    And it was a small thing, being around the other people like her. In the process of just having a fun time talking with her friends, arguing about some devious tactic Aidan was using in one of his board games... she felt like for the first time... that she was comfortable with who she was. It wasn''t just comfort in her canis body, but peace with who she was deep down.


    She relaxed, letting go of the tense stress that had dominated her life. She fought against the compulsion to keep herself wound up. For years, she''d felt like if she let up on the gas even just a little bit, she was not "doing her best" - she was being lazy, useless... but she allowed herself to slow down. She kept up with everything she needed to do... but she allowed herself the freedom to find enjoyment in life, and be satisfied with what she was capable of accomplishing.


    Jackie started hanging out with Wendy again, studying with her to work on getting her grades back together. She made the effort to pick up her camera more, and go out and practice her photography. As she captured the images of the world around her, she started finding that she was focusing on the slow, patient movement of nature - the continued rolling of the clouds across the sky, or an ever flowing stream.


    One day Jackie captured a photo of a single sprig of grass, growing among all the others. It wasn''t a different color, it didn''t have a flower on it or anything sappy like that. It just seemed to her that it was the slightest, microscopically bit shorter than the others. No one passing by would have noticed. But perhaps the blade of grass noticed.


    Something about that photo of the blade of grass stuck with her. She saved it on her tablet, and then texted the picture to Matt.


    It would be a nice surprise when he woke up.

 Chapter 50

    Jackie sat beside Matt, scratching the back of his neck as Lucas looked at the screen. Gosh how she wished she could understand what was going on here. She wished she had an eye for this scientific stuff. When she and her mom had dinner with the Hewitts on occasion, her mom would talk with Lucas about all those years ago when they worked together - and gosh Jackie could barely understand any of it. She did her best though to breathe, and find a topic of conversation she could understand with Meagan.


    On the other side of Lucas, Ashley sat on a stool, sitting carefully after nearly toppling over when she''d hopped onto. Ashley, like Matt, was not responding to things like yes or no questions. She just didn''t seem to understand. She was less energetic than Matt, showing signs of frustration when chewing on a piece of rope, and Matt wanted to play with it.


    Matt was easily amused. He would chase a stick, a ball, and funnily, Jackie''s tail. There were times running around in the Hewitt''s backyard that she could just forget what she longed for him to be - and could just enjoy Matt the golden retriever. At least he still liked giving kisses.


    Ashley though, did sometimes like playing. Though she preferred to spend hours napping in spots of warm sunlight, one thing did get her attention - when they''d throw her a frisbee. Oddly she wouldn''t chase anything else, but a frisbee made her positively giddy. She''d bark loudly, wagging her tail like mad, and do crazy high jumps, almost always catching it.


    Meagan had remarked that ultimate frisbee had been one of Ashley''s favorite games - and likewise, when they''d brought out a soccer ball, Ashley had become ecstatic about that as well - she didn''t really understand that she needed to get it into a goal, being more interested in sniffing it and pushing it around randomly with her nose - but it was a game she would play with Matt.


    It was the odd phenomenon they had noticed - Matt and Ashley, obviously, were no longer human. They could be watched all day long, and you''d never guess they were once anything other than dogs. But certain things got their attention. Sports for Ashley. Meagan playing the guitar for Matt. Somehow, it seemed that a part of them was still there.


    This had brought them all much excitement, because they hoped that maybe they could excite their minds into thinking, and slowly bring them back to intelligence. They tried getting Matt and Ashley to do little tricks, asking them to point their paw to someone, for example. This brought mixed results - and harder tasks they shied away from, seeming to find frustrating to an overwhelming degree - even if they were offered treats. Sadly, it seemed to be a dead end.


    But they were smarter than Jackie gave them credit for. They wanted more than their basic needs. Right now, Ashley wanted to see Lucas''s computer screen. Whether she understood any of it, Jackie doubted it. It was hard for her, a human - well, a canid - to understand it. Sometimes though Ashley seemed remarkably in control - perhaps Ashley wasn''t trying to communicate out of spite, after Jackie and Douglas had been playing a game of frisbee keep away.


    Lucas yawned, and scratched behind one of his ears. He navigated away from his massive spreadsheet of data in some very technical piece of software she didn''t recognize, and looked back to the files on Seth''s flash drive.


    Seth wasn''t stupid - or at least, as stupid as they had hoped. He had encryption on the drive, but had finally broken it a few days ago. It had led to a shocking discovery.


    Seth had activated the canis virus.


    He''d left breadcrumbs through his flash drive, note files describing in great detail what he had done. He said in this that it was his way of pushing it all forward, of unlocking the "true potential of humanity''s genetic technology" - and that it would be selfish of him to hoard the "scientific knowledge" gained in this endeavour, even if it incriminated him greatly.


    As with canis itself, it started with a virus. It acted just like canis, but on a smaller scale, still causing changes, but in his words, "flipping on the necessary switches to get the machine started." The virus had spread throughout the world, acting very very slowly - he had in fact, released it an entire year in advance. He''d lamented that it seemed to have failed - but then of course, then everything had gone south in a hurry.


    Jackie still was trying to process this. Her whole life had been upended by this insane man, and the lives of millions more around the world. Part of her nearly gave into the impulse to feel ashamed of her appearance again - this time feeling like the monster to a Dr. Frankenstein.


    But reading his entries after canis exploded quickly turned her away from that. She imagined him maniacally laughing as he wrote his thoughts, talking about how fun it was seeing the world descend into chaos, being forced to watch loved ones become "so appalling to the senses." She hated this man. Matt probably would''ve said something more gentle like "he thoroughly despised him" - but Jackie hated this man. It seemed the ultimate spite would be for her to love her life, and be happy with who she was.


    Despite Seth''s copious notes, and the gruesome insights into his disturbing personality, the files on the catalyst virus, as Lucas and Clive were now calling it, were bearing little fruit. The virus that had further transformed Matt and Ashley had little clear information. Seth had said in one of his notes that he made detailed notes on everything that was "finished" - and so they were all quite afraid that the secret to turning Matt and Ashley back... was locked inside that psychopath''s mind - and who knew where he was now.


    "How did that crook do it?" Lucas asked to himself, breaking the quiet humming of the ventilation. "He somehow hijacked the original canis virus, and no matter where I search in these viral samples, or in his files, I''m not finding any sign of the virus he used to change Matt and Ashley."


    "Is it possible that it wasn''t something he did to the virus," Jackie asked, "but something... I mean... like that it wasn''t an invasive procedure, but an external one?"


    "What do you mean?" Lucas asked.


    "I dunno," Jackie shrugged. "Some kind of radiation maybe?"


    Lucas leaned back in his chair, resting his head against his hands. "Sorry to say, but that''s something you only see in superhero movies. In real life, radiation - usually - gives you cancer, not super powers."


    "Sorry," Jackie said, her tail curling against her.


    "Sorry for what?" Lucas asked. He scratched Jackie behind the ears. To an outsider, a weird thing for a grown man to do to a teenage girl. But he wasn''t a stranger off the street. He was a good man. The Hewitt''s really felt like family to her. Perhaps canis people doing things like that made some people uncomfortable, but she didn''t care. Lucas was not her father - but she liked to imagine that it was something her dad would do - as well as then give her a noogie as she squealed in laughter trying to get away.


    "Seriously though Jackie," Lucas said, "I appreciate any help thinking through this, even if it''s just moral support."


    "I just wish that I could provide some real help," Jackie said. "I feel like I need to study college level biology and genetic engineering before I can actually give any advice."


    "Honestly," Lucas said, "college won''t help you here - and my career at Generation barely helps either. I''d say this is the cutting edge, but I can''t even find where the edge is."


    "But you''re sure it''s with the virus?" Jackie asked.


    "Well," Lucas said, "I have a hard time understanding where else these changes were coming from."


    "It''s just that you said that the virus has been documented a ton around the world now," Jackie said. "And that you''ve compared the sequenced information of the virus in Matt and Ashley."


    "Yes," Lucas said. "It''s strange. The virus still pretty much matches up with the early gen versions of it we created all those years ago - and along with that, you match up with it, and so do Meagan and I. But despite the information being the same, the observations are not. Matt and Ashley - as well as you, all have levels of viral activity consistent with someone who just barely finished changing. I just know he used that somehow - he saw it from the samples he stole from our lab, but how he did it..."


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "And you don''t think he put a different virus in them?"


    "We would''ve detected it... at least I hope so. Can''t imagine what awful things you could do with a completely undetectable virus. Augh. It''s just, the thing is..."


    He paused.


    "What?" Jackie asked.


    Lucas pulled up the folder of Seth''s flash drive. He sorted through the long complex file directories, clicking on filenames that were just long strings of seemingly arbitrary numbers. Five, then ten minutes passed.


    Jackie was leaning on her arm, nearly asleep, when Lucas leapt from his chair.


    "Found it!"


    She jolted upright, Matt leapt up from his nap against one of the walls, and Ashley fell off the stool, thankfully landing on her paws.


    "Oh," Lucas laughed, scratching Ashley, "sorry girl."


    Ashley barked, and wagged her tail. Matt seemed confused.


    Lucas returned to the computer. "There," he said, pointing at the screen.


    It wasn''t a note document, but a file in some sort of coding language, with really long, dense, endlessly nested statements. Jackie only knew what those were from Matt talking about how it was a characteristic of the terrible code in his computer science classes. Jackie squinted at the multicolored text, and Lucas helpfully highlighted a specific few lines, where a note was tucked away after many lines of code.


    "Our initial trials have proved to show potential," Lucas read. "The subjects do not show any rejection of the particles. However, activity after 6 weeks has shown little to no change, as was desired. Human trials are recommended to be conducted as soon as capable."


    "I don''t get it," Jackie asked, "was this testing another virus?"


    "No," Lucas said. He highlighted more text below it. "The particles it seems, are unable to fully propagate. They cause changes in the subject, but are quickly eliminated. Another agent might be necessary for more rapid changes to occur."


    "Another agent...," Jackie said. "Like the virus?"


    "Yes," Lucas said. "I should''ve thought of this before. How do you change someone past what the virus is able to? How do you change them so fast when the virus has normally propagated slowly? Surely something biological cannot go so fast."


    "So... so this thing they were testing?" Jackie asked, "it wasn''t biological? It was artificial?"


    "Yes," Lucas said, beginning to search through the document, "You need something artificial - and then biology that is able to allow that kind of change, namely, you''re virus anomaly."


    "And this artificial component?"


    "Nanoparticles," Lucas said while scrolling down further in the code. "Generation was trying to crack the technology a decade or two ago, where it just hadn''t worked before. Nanotechnology has some really big ramifications for biomedical applications, like targeting cancer, and"


    He stopped searching through the document.


    "I apologize," he said, "I''m rambling. Point is, I''m sure that''s what is going on inside Matt and Ashley - and while it''s certainly detectable, it was under the radar for us, as we were looking for something completely different."


    "So what do we do?" Jackie asked.


    "We need to gain control of the nanoparticles," Lucas said. "I need you to call Clive. Get him to search everything in Seth''s old lab that could pertain to this. Once we get control, we need to dig into the code, find out how all this works. It''s obvious that Seth took some souvenirs of his own from Generation all those years ago to engineer this... we just need to decipher them."


    ****


    It was already late afternoon when Jackie had checked in on Lucas''s work at the lab. Clive arrived with pizza a few hours later. He''d been working to decrypt the rest of Seth''s data for a while now, and he tackled the problem with renewed vigor.


    But ultimately, it was when he was taking a break, and looking through other items that had been recovered from Seth''s lab, when he discovered another flash drive, a Star Wars one shaped like R2D2. In it was all the data they needed.


    "Ugh," Clive said. "His code is a mess. I can tell this was written by someone much better, with their own way of organizing things, and he just patched over the places he needed."


    "Doesn''t matter how organized it is," Lucas urged him, "just do it."


    "Lucky for you," Clive cracked his knuckles, "Ever since I was a computer science TA in college, I am very proficient at untangling knots. If I can fix my professor''s code, I can fix the code of the second worst programmer on the planet."


    ****


    It was midnight when Clive stood up from his computer.


    "I''ve got it ready Lucas. All we have to do is run the program."


    Lucas nodded, and called Matt and Ashley over to Clive''s desktop. Clive then took off Matt and Ashley''s normal collars - which respectively bore their cover names of "Dusty" and "Peaches" - and then put new ones on - the collars they had worn in Seth''s lab. Upon further analysis, they''d realized that the collars weren''t just administering shocks - after getting the nanoparticles into them through their food or something like that, the collars had been broadcasting the signals to the particles, thus inciting their further transformation - and would now hopefully do the reverse.


    As Clive typed on his keyboard, Lucas grabbed his wrist.


    "Clive," he said, "I want you to promise me - I want you to promise me that the collars aren''t going to shock my kids."


    "I promise," Clive said. "The system that shocks them is in a completely different file. Being clear though, the real worry is the nanoparticles. We''re doing something that hasn''t been done before - like really, really never been done. Nanotech is used so little in humans. I''ll be honest here... this could be dangerous."


    Lucas breathed slowly and deeply. "Do it."


    Clive moused over a button in his program, and then selected "run" from a drop down menu. A window came up that began spitting out status messages.


    Jackie gripped onto the hem of her t-shirt with one hand, and on the tufts of Matt''s neck with the other. She steadied herself the best she could.


    "I''ve acquired the particles'' signal," Clive said with slow breaths, eyes scanning the incoming data. "From what I''ve seen, we need to start by unlocking the particles so they''re allowed to do their work. He locked it down as soon as they had fully changed - so we unlock it... and then find our way from there."


    All of them were very, very nervous. Jackie scratched Matt behind the ear, and he licked her hand.


    "I unlocked it," Clive said with a slight sigh of relief. "Now... wait. Huh?"


    "What?" Lucas asked. "What?"


    "I just lost the signal," Clive said, quickly scrolling up the window that was giving the status on what was going on. He opened the secondary program that was doing the actual communication to the nanoparticles.


    "Dang it!" Clive said. "The program is still broadcasting fine? Why did we lose connection then?"


    Jackie looked to Matt and Ashley. They barely seemed to respond. They didn''t seem to be thinking... but they didn''t seem to be in pain either. If anything, they seemed confused about what was going on.


    Despite so much progress in one day, Clive worked at it for a half an hour, then another half hour... but it just wasn''t working.


    "Jackie," Lucas said, "I think you better be getting home now."


    "But what if -"


    "Matt and Ashley are going to be fine until tomorrow," he said. "But you need to go home. If we make a breakthrough... well, it''ll be a surprise."


    Jackie reluctantly left. She felt in a twist of emotions, like someone showing you a really heartwarming video on their tablet, but you''re distracted by the discovery that they use the light mode version of the app. Maybe something would happen. Maybe they would have to go back to the drawing board. Different opinions on how to feel fought in gladiatorial combat in her head. "Don''t get your hopes up" on one side, and "have the courage to be a bit hopeful on the other."


    As her car drove her home, she chose to just continue feeling the way she had thus far, and pretended that none of their leads today had been discovered. She suppressed the feeling that Lucas was just trying to get her to leave in case something went wrong... but she knew him better than that. If he was afraid of her being unable to handle stressful situations, they wouldn''t have let her come to join the rescue, or watch them attempt to control the nanoparticles.


    But still, as Jackie finally got to bed late that night, she was wracked with anxiety. Questions that had plagued her a thousand times resurfaced. Finally, her sheer exhaustion brought her to sleep.

 Chapter 51

    Jackie sprung upward in bed Saturday morning, and before any other need came to her mind, she picked up the phone, and called the Hewitts. Meagan picked up after just two rings.


    "Hey Jackie."


    "Hey Meagan," she said with a widening smile.


    "Sorry to say," Meagan sighed, "but Matt and Ashley haven''t shown any change."


    Jackie''s ears, perked up before, now slumped down.


    "Oh."


    "Lucas is working at it honey, don''t worry," Meagan said. "We''ll figure it out."


    "Okay."


    "But if you want to come over, you''re totally welcome. You could always take Matt for a walk. I''m sure he''d really appreciate it."


    "Yeah, I guess."


    She didn''t make any small talk, just said see you later, and hung up. At least nothing worse had happened to Matt and Ashley - but gosh she wished that she could''ve gone to their house, and been greeted by him running to the door, and getting a hug from the real Matt again.


    When she got there, he did run to her - just on all fours. He had been at the ready up against the door long before she even reached their porch. It was funny how easily he recognized she was here - but she in turn recognized his scent from a distance, and so he surely knew her smell too. Interestingly, Matt and Ashley had shown a cautiousness, and even an animosity at times, towards normal humans. It felt, at least to Jackie, that the two of them felt that canis people understood them.


    After opening the door and calming Matt down, Jackie scratched his head, and he licked her hand. He suddenly stopped, and looked up at her. She hadn''t smiled very widely at him, or given him a good belly rub right on the spot. Did he sense her disappointment? Or was she misinterpreting his random instinctual actions?


    Walking inside, she greeted Meagan and Lucas, who badgered her into having some waffles. Though Jackie still felt nervous about imposing on the Hewitts, they seemed to be trying quite hard to wear down her inhibitions. Lucas made some really good waffles, aided mostly by homemade syrup. While Jackie enjoyed hers, Matt and Ashley seemed extremely eager when two waffle halves were placed in their food bowls.


    Jackie was able to get herself to chat a bit with Meagan and Lucas, responding to questions about how classes were going - but Jackie was eager to just get out and walk without any further conversation.


    She was careful to not say the word "walk" while grabbing Matt''s leash to his collar - the one that didn''t have scary electric shocking bits on it. Matt was very happy as soon as he knew what was going on. Poor Ashley was smart enough to know what was happening, and she had to be held back by Meagan. Despite being told that she''d go on a walk later, she obviously didn''t quite understand. Eventually though, Jackie got out the door with Matt.


    She looked down at him as they began the walk towards a nearby bike path. He panted without a care in the world. She sighed, wishing she could be as happy as he was. She wagged her tail slightly, and intentionally. Unfortunately, she couldn''t force herself to not feel disappointment.


    ****


    Me was happy. Dog girl was taking me on a walk. Days where she walked me were good days. There were many good smells around me.


    "You like the smell of all the flowers, don''t you?"


    Me didn''t know what she meant, but she seemed happy about this, so me happy too. Me smelled her. She smelled like the other things around me. Those things... what were they? Flowers? Me didn''t understand. Some humans and dog humans smelled like flowers, others smelled like dirt. Others smelled boring. Had dog girl been digging up flowers?


    Me didn''t want to go fast. Me liked the smell of dog girl. Me didn''t want other smells right now. Dog girl seemed confused. Why she confused? Was she not happy me was not going fast? Did she want to go fast?


    Dog girl let me off my leash. Now me more happy. Me wanted to be good boy for dog girl so me not be put on leash.


    Dog girl wanted to stop. She sat on weird human thing. Me sat down and scratched a bad itch. Dog girl scratched me there. Me felt very good.


    "I like this bench," dog girl said. "the area around it is very peaceful."


    Me not understand her. Me liked this place though. Trees smelled nice here. Interesting sounds were in my ears too.


    "In the past," dog girl said, "I''d come here when I needed to think about things... I''ve got a lot to think about today."


    Me did not understand, except one word. Think. Me did not like that word. Thinking was bad. Me did not want to think.


    "I''ve been doing well in school," dog girl said, "which is weird considering how messed up these past several months have been."


    She seemed unhappy still. Everyone always slightly unhappy. Me wanted to make them happy. Why they unhappy? Me and girl dog play with them and they still unhappy.


    Me got up and put my head on her lap. Me whimpered. Me sad.


    "What''s wrong boy?" she asked.


    Me did not understand.


    She scratched my ears. Me was not happy. Scratching makes me happy, but does not make her happy, so me not happy.


    "I love you Matt," she said. "I miss you."


    Me knew that word. They called me that word. They called me good boy. Sometimes they call me bad dog. Matt did not mean me was being good or bad. Matt meant... what did Matt mean?


    Weird thoughts... weird thoughts... me no like weird hard thoughts!


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    "Matt," she said. "Do you... do you understand? Are you thinking?"


    Think. Think. Think was that bad word wasn''t it? It meant weird hard thoughts! Complex thoughts. Me liked simple thoughts. Why did me like simple thoughts? Simple thoughts made me happy. Sad simple thoughts happy too.


    But... there were happy complex thoughts. I... remembered complex happy thoughts. I did not understand those thoughts. Where had I remembered them from? They were from dog girl... no... her name... she had a name. Her name... her name was...


    No! Hard thoughts! Me no want to think! Me... I... I want to... what do I want!? Me whimper and howl. So many hard thoughts! Me want it to stop! Head hurt head hurt! Me wanted it to stop!


    "Matt?" dog girl cried out. "Matt?! Oh gosh I''ve broken him haven''t I? I''ve messed up his brain!"


    Dog girl put me back on the leash. Me howled. Weird thoughts weird thought weird thoughts... it all hurt so much! Dog girl was very upset. She wanted me to run. Me only hurt. Only weird thoughts! Me wanted to help her not be upset but me hurt! We went back home. She was very sad. Me feel very bad because weird thoughts wouldn''t go away. Me still hurt bad even when home.


    "Oh thank goodness!" dog girl said when we were back, "thank goodness both of you are still here!"


    "What''s going on?" Dog man asked.


    "Matt," dog girl cried, "he... he''s acting strange. He''s howling... looks generally like he''s in pain... I was talking to him, trying to get him to think..."


    She cried hard. That made me very sad. Why did it make her sad? I wanted to know! Hard thoughts hard thoughts!


    "Look!" she said, "I broke his mind! I hurt him somehow! Now he''s going to be messed up, and brain dead, and -"


    "Calm down," dog man said. "We need... to stay calm."


    They were all looking at me, like they did when they wanted me to do tricks. I didn''t like those tricks, they made hard thoughts come.


    Hard thoughts... what were hard thoughts? Why didn''t I like hard, complex thoughts?


    "Matt," dog man put his hands against my head, looking into my eyes. "Do you remember Matt? Do you remember us?"


    Remember... that word... what did that word mean... it was a hard thought I was thinking... it was scary...


    "Matt," dog girl said through tears, "I know you are in there somewhere. I know you are there. Please come back!"


    You. What did that word mean? I was tired of these hard thoughts - but I wanted to make them happy. They were happy when I thought hard, even though hard thoughts made me hurt. What did "you" mean? They said it to me, just like they said Matt. Did "you" and Matt have the same meaning?


    I felt... I felt more hard thoughts. Me meant the same thing as Matt. I was Matt. What was a Matt? Matt was me. It was... it was... my name. And... and these others... they had names. The other dog near me, staring at me... her name was... Ashley. And the dog people... they were... Mom and Dad.


    Mom and Dad. I... I knew what that meant. I... I was their child. That... these thoughts didn''t make sense. They looked different from me. They were dog humans. I was a dog. I could not be their child.


    Wait... was I a dog? What was I?


    "Matt... do you understand me?"


    I looked to the dog girl. I... I understood. Those words. The dog girl was asking if I understood her. She... I knew her. She... she was... Jackie.


    Jackie... I... I cared about her. I... I loved her. She was... she was my friend. My girlfriend. I felt more and more complex thoughts hammering into my mind. They hurt, but not in a physically painful way, it... it was strenuous, it took effort, but I pushed through, I kept thinking. I was... I was... I was Matt... who was Matt?


    I... I did not think I was a dog. It was not right for me to be a dog. I was... human.


    My mind suddenly became flooded with... everything. I was suddenly scared and confused. A tsunami of information flooded me, throwing me about, and I was lost in crashing waves of memories, random facts, feelings... and then those mental waves settled. I was deep in this ocean of information.


    And then I... I remembered. I remembered who I was. I.... I was human. I felt... I felt wrong. This ocean of thoughts did not fit with this body. I wanted my body to be different.


    I began to change.


    "Matt," Jackie said stooping down to meet my gaze, "please... please say something."


    My eyes quivered as I looked into hers. Her beautiful eyes - eyes that now changed color, filling with their unique and vivid blue and green. I let out a small bark, a slight smile on my face. Awareness came to their faces, and they... they understood.


    I was able to communicate with them, and they understood. It... it felt amazing.


    Stuff began to crack all over me, inside and out. Despite the pain of my mind flooding back in, somehow, these physical changes didn''t hurt. Instead, it felt surprisingly right - like I had gotten over a hill, and now was riding down a roller coaster, feeling more elated the more time I had to process the experience. My hind legs shifted, growing. I fell to the floor as my knees shifted back into place. My forelegs became arms, and my paws became hands. I was not an animal. I was human. I was not meant to be on all fours... but to stand!


    My legs began positioning into the right places, and I felt Mom come up to me just then with a towel in hand, that she put around my waist.


    But as I regained the feeling of more familiar muscles, of things bending in all the ways I expected, I felt more. My tail... it was becoming shorter. My ears traveled down the sides of my head. My muzzle pulled into my face, and I felt my fur draw back in all over.


    As quickly as it had begun, it was suddenly over. I breathed deep and heavy, moving to a kneeling position, and looking over myself. I shakily got to my feet. Not only could I think again, not only was I able to stand up straight, but everything canine about me was gone. My skin was once again smooth, only lightly covered with hair. I reached up to my face and felt no snout, but a downward facing dry nose. I touched my lower back, and felt no tail.


    "I... I..." I spoke, trying out my tongue - my normal, human tongue.


    Nausea struck me like a freight train.


    "Iuugghh... I think I''m going to puke my guts out."


    I held a hand to my stomach while Mom held me from my back, keeping my towel on, and maintaining my decency. Dad ran to grab a container from the kitchen.


    "Okay...," I held up a hand, "I''m okay... I''m fine. I''m fine..."


    As soon as I had tamed my stomach, I immediately felt warm, fur covered arms clamp around me.


    "Don''t you ever, ever scare me like that again Matthew Hewitt!" Jackie cried. "I thought you were as good as dead!"


    I felt tears come to my eyes. "I''m... I''m human again. Fully human..."


    Jackie looked into my eyes. She had massive pools of tears blurring her own.


    "You... you were really a dog... I thought I had lost you... that you were gone forever."


    "I... I feel like I very nearly was."


    Then my parents hugged me both tight. I ignored the fact that their fur was likely shedding little hairs all over me - and just enjoyed the warmth - both inside and out.


    It... it was going to be alright.


    After taking in several breaths, they released their hug. I glanced off beside us where a golden retriever looked at us. She seemed very perplexed. I saw something in her, a struggle happening.


    "Yes Ashley," I got down on one knee and smiled to her, "you can do it too. It''s hard but I know that this is what you want!"


    The dog winced in pain, a deep struggle obviously happening there. She whined, shutting her eyes and showing gritted teeth. Then silence.


    A wet glimmer formed in her eyes as she opened them. She slowly smiled, and stamped her paw twice.

 Chapter 52

    Ashley was not nearly as fast as I had been changing back - but like me, she had inexplicably changed back into her normal human self.


    After another moment of hugs, Mom and Dad suggested that we both get some clothes on - which I was more than thrilled to agree to. A few minutes later, and we all finally were able to sit down in the family room, and process what had just happened. Gosh it felt good to wear clothes again, even if my pants and underwear had an uncomfortable hole in the back.


    Even when we were all back together, no words were exchanged for a while. We just sat there, breathing slow and deep, trying to process what had happened. Dad stared at the ceiling in a daze. Mom put away the dog bowls and beds. Ashley sat on the couch, rubbing her smooth arms. And on the other side of the couch, I leaned into Jackie''s embrace.


    "I just... I just can''t believe it," Dad broke the silence that had lasted for several minutes. "You just... you changed so quickly! And in contrast to what we''d seen previously, it looked like it wasn''t really all that painful."


    I shook my head - which felt really weird without my ears flopping around. "It didn''t... at least physically anyway." I put my hand against my head. "Gosh I''ve got an awful headache."


    "You said it," Ashley said with a groan.


    I laid back against the couch for a moment, closing my eyes. Mom got my attention, and I sat up to find her offering me a glass of water and Ibuprofen.


    "Thanks," I said, downing the pills.


    I groaned, and licked my - I stopped. I wasn''t able to. I didn''t have a long dog tongue anymore, or a snout. Reaching the best I could, my tongue still was a few centimeters below my nose. It had never been so short. It felt... unnatural, even though I knew from a life of people reacting to it, that my previously long tongue had been far more unnatural to others.


    Jackie giggled at my failed attempt, squeezing my hand.


    "This...," Dad said. "I just... I don''t know how this could''ve happened. It''s like... you took control."


    "Of the virus?" I asked.


    "No...," Dad said, "the nanoparticles... we found out that Seth put them into you, and then we unlocked them, but weren''t... wait. Oh my gosh."


    "Dad I can''t read your thoughts," I said.


    "But the particles can," he said with excitement. "Or I suppose, in a way. We tried to control the nanoparticles, but the signal was interrupted, interrupted by something else - the signal from your brain."


    "Our... brains?" Ashley asked.


    "It''s going to take a lot of investigation," Dad said. "But... wow. I''m just... wow."


    I placed my hand against my forehead - my very smooth forehead. Gosh that felt weird. My head still hurt bad.


    "Augh... my memory of the past month...," I said. "It''s really cloudy. Is this how it feels to get drunk, or wake up from a coma? Both sound really not fun."


    "I think," Mom said, "that you and Ashley probably could use some rest."


    "Yes," I said.


    "Hear hear," Ashley agreed.


    I glanced to Jackie. She smiled, and I could see in her eyes that in her own way, she desperately needed that too.


    ****


    "So...," Jackie asked, "what was it like... just... all of it?"


    We sat at her house, idly playing Stardew Valley. Her Mom had been overjoyed to see me, and was now, despite my protests, planning on ordering pizza and inviting my family over. I blinked at the screen, trying my best to run through how to play again. I hoped it was just because I hadn''t played in a while, and not anything to do with my awful change. Physically playing it even was hard, as all the muscle memory I''d figured out on the Switch was when I''d had finger pads.


    I sat quiet for a few moment as I pondered Jackie''s question.


    "I... I don''t know."


    Jackie''s snout wrinkled. "What kind of an answer is that?"


    "Honestly," I said, "I just... I can remember some stuff before we fully changed, and as I was pulling out of it... but everything in the middle is just... I can''t explain it. Obviously having a tail, fur, and all that wasn''t new. But as for the dog instincts and everything... I''m not sure I can even remember them. It''s like... I can remember some smells distinctly, vague monochrome images... but... I dunno."


    "I wonder," Jackie said, idly scratching the fur on her cheek, "if it has something to do with language. I read something once, about how some people who learned language later on in life, they couldn''t really remember life before that well - it was like they now had a way to not only speak, but a way to think as well - language allowed them to organize thoughts. Thus, because the time before they had no way to organize thoughts, and the memories were less clearly defined."


    "I... I think that actually makes a lot of sense," I said. "I never really... thought anything. I just felt happy, or sad. Or confused. Everything was in the moment. I didn''t active think about past thinks, just reacted, and I''d recognize stuff I was reacting to. There were moments though... times where I think maybe I barely peeked out of the fog."


    "Like when?" Jackie asked.


    "I... let me think," I said.


    I sorted through that vast ocean of vague memories, barely finding much I could remember, but a few things came to mind.


    "I remember... being confused," I said. "I remember... that everyone was happy when I was happy... but sad at the same time. It... it''s what I felt when I finally began to gain a hold on my thoughts again. You were sad. I wanted you to be happy. I knew that I hadn''t done something wrong... and I wanted you to be happy."


    Jackie frowned, looking down at the ground. She gripped a pillow on the couch until she trembled. "It was... it was so hard Matt. I was constantly battling with worry and anxiety, sure that I''d never get to talk to you again. But at the same time, you were so happy as a dog. When you started to think again... I felt so happy... until I saw the pain you were in... I felt like I had just ruined you."


    I took her hand, and grasped it tight. "It''s okay. I''m really glad you pushed me there. I... thinking back, there was something nice - at least from what I can remember. Everything I can remember feels very simple, very easy to understand. But then... then there''s living as a human. Most things are far more complex. But... gosh it feels... richer. I don''t know why. It feels like I can feel more, comprehend more about how good something is. I just... I''m glad that I''m myself again."


    "Yeah," Jackie smiled.


    But her eyes revealed more. "What''s wrong?" I asked.


    She opened her mouth, but then seemed to change her mind.


    "What is it Jackie?" I asked. "Please. I haven''t been able to talk to you, I don''t care if something is hard to say, or doesn''t make sense, I just... I just want to listen."


    She sighed. "You''re a human again."


    I let out a slow exhale. "Oh."


    "I feel like a child," Jackie said.


    "You''re not a child," I told her. "I... I understand."


    "It''s just...," she said, "I... I fell in love you... but with a different you. I know that''s bizarre. I... gosh, I feel so shallow."


    I looked up at the screen. Jackie had a greenhouse full of a mystical ancient fruit, and we were now harvesting it to make it into jelly. I idly pressed the buttons on my controller, moving from line to line of the pixel crops, my mind mostly blank.


    "Jackie? Matt?" Jackie''s Mom called from upstairs, "the pizza''s here!"


    Jackie navigated some menus to save the game, and I took the opportunity while she was distracted to kiss her on the cheek. I smiled as she let out a giggle. It felt different though. All I could think about was that she was a dog girl, and I was a human. It no longer felt like a kin-ship, us making the best of a bad situation. I could talk to her again, but now I was conscious of the new way we were separated.


    This feeling did not go away as we went upstairs. My parents had been talking with Jackie''s Mom, while Ashley had already grabbed a slice of hawaiian pizza. I got a slice of meat-lovers and sat down next to Ashley, looking over at my parents. If If felt separated from Jackie... the separation from my parents felt worse.


    I felt a coldness slowly progress through me, ice slowly forming in my veins. This was silly. I still loved Jackie. I still loved my parents. It didn''t matter how each of us looked. We were family.


    After taking a few bites of my pizza, and slumped back in my chair, glancing to Ashley. She eagerly chomped down on her second slice, her first finished. Interestingly, I noticed that she was wiggling her bottom slightly.


    "Miss the tail?" I smiled.


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Her eyebrows shot up. "What? No."


    "I dunno a video Jackie showed me makes it seem like you really enjoyed it while a dog, especially when playing with a frisbee."


    Ashley huffed. "Force of habit. Nothing more."


    "Food does taste... less with less powerful smell."


    Ashley''s firm stoicism softened a little. "Yeah... you''re right."


    Jackie sat down with her own pizza, as my parents did. My parents continued talking with Jackie''s Mom, my dad driving the conversation, mostly about studying all the information they''d gotten from Seth''s lab.


    I remained quiet, eating my pizza.


    "You okay?" Jackie asked.


    "I''m alright," I said, smiling the best I could.


    "I don''t think you are," Jackie said.


    I shrugged. Just a little out of it is all.


    "How do you feel," my Dad changed gears to our conversation, "now that you''re yourself again?"


    Everyone''s attention was on me. What I really wanted to say was that I didn''t feel like myself. So much sacrifice, so much effort in adjusting. I had fought hard these past months of being canis to own who I was, and to work to care for those who struggled with their new selves. I was taken back to that moment months ago when I had told my parents that I liked being canis, that if I had the opportunity, I would not change back.


    Thoughts ran through my mind of what this would mean now. What would happen when this brief spark of elation ended? Would Dad find a way to use Seth''s technology to change him and Mom back? Would the world be cured? That would leave Jackie.... Jackie...


    "Matt?"


    "I feel... naked."


    They stared at me in silence, blinking. Jackie held my hand. I took a deep breath.


    "I feel great again, that I can think, that I can live a real life again... but... this isn''t me. Or at least, this is the old me. This was me before I had the courage to deal with a life changing event. This was me before I made the effort to go out and help people with similar struggles."


    They stayed silent.


    I feel naked without my fur," I went on. "I feel happy... but... without my tail, it feels like I''m physically unable to smile."


    Jackie smiled slightly, though it was tinged with pain.


    "You... you really wish that you could be a canid again?" Mom asked.


    "I... I guess yeah," I smiled sheepishly. "Does that make me weird?"


    Jackie hugged me. "It makes us perfect for each other, I''d say."


    I held Jackie close against me, and glanced to Ashley. She seemed, as she often was the case, a bit unreadable sometimes. One thing I did feel confident in - she did not seem nearly as happy as I expected her to.


    "Do you think...," I said to my Dad, "that we could really find a way to make me canis again?"


    "I don''t know Matt," he said, scratching at one of his ears. "I... I''ll admit I''m starting to understand what you''re saying. I was planning on starting to work on changing Meagan and I back... but now I''m less sure. Even so, do you really want us to stick our paws back into that mess of genetics, and possibly ruin things again? I''m stressed enough just thinking about trying to extricate Seth''s nanotech from your body... do you really want to risk making yourself canis again?"


    I huffed a sigh. I felt deep disappointment - and also some tinge of childishness. I was sad that I wasn''t a dog. Last year if someone had told me that, and they''d be dead serious, I would''ve kindly suggested they get some psychological help. In that moment though, it felt like a deep hunger in me. A hunger to be myself again.


    "Yeah... I don''t know," Jackie''s mom said. "It took so long to figure out how to change you in this direction."


    "You''re right," I sighed. "You''re all right. Maybe it''d be selfish of me to take Dad away from more important work. I imagine that as soon as you to work tomorrow, you''re going to be working full force on scouring through all this new information, and the path to making a cure."


    "It''ll be alright," my mom said. "Like your dad said, having gone through this ourselves, I can understand how jarring changing back must feel - but just try your best to focus on the positives - and you can still help people with canis, even as a human."


    "I know that I should consider myself incredibly lucky," I said, "and be happy that I can... that I can just actually live my life again... but... I don''t know. It''s like... how do I even go back to living like I did before canis hit?"


    "And you also have to face the fact that you have a mountain of homework," Jackie said with a cringe.


    "And that everyone thinks Ashley and I are still canis."


    My dad let out a long, stressed exhale.


    Jackie grimaced. "And... they think you were in a coma too."


    This was news to me. I hadn''t really thought about it, but obviously they would''ve had to come up with a reason for why we''d mysteriously disappeared for a month.


    "But I understand what you''re saying," Jackie said. "A lot has changed."


    "I''ve changed a lot deep down too," I said. "And... I don''t know. I... admitted it earlier, as I grew accustomed to being canis, I kind of started looking back at my normal self as the old me, who had it easy, and didn''t have to deal with much challenge in life."


    "Hopefully though we''ll solve this challenge," Jackie said, "... trying to explain why you''re suddenly human again..."


    I grinned. "So here''s what happened," I said in a dramatic tone, "my beautiful love knelt down next to my bedside, and gave me true love''s kiss - "


    The others chuckled. Ashley rolled her eyes.


    "Ugh," Jackie stuck out her tongue, "I swear, if you - "


    "And," I went on, "I transformed into an honestly uglier looking prince than who I was as a beast."


    Their laughter stopped.


    Jackie''s face went serious. "Stop that Matt, you all have spent months getting on my case about not beating myself up - "


    "I''m only joking. Kinda."


    She put her hand against my back, sighing. She rubbed my back through my shirt, obviously feeling my noticeably fur-less body.


    "Matt...," my mom asked, "are you really telling the truth when you say that you wish you were canis again?"


    On impulse, I began trying to think of some funny way to answer, some big hyperbolic statement - but I decided against it.


    "Yes," I smiled, sitting up straight. "It''s what I want."


    The smile on Jackie''s face grew a bit more defined.


    You... you changed yourself," she whispered.


    I caught onto her line of thinking.


    "Do you think... do you think I could do it again?"


    Jackie was silent. My dad seemed more than a little concerned.


    I tensed my body. I imagined fur growing from my skin, my ears becoming longer and floppy. It didn''t work.


    "How exactly," I thought out loud, "does one tell some nanobots you want to be an anthropomorphic dog?"


    "You probably understand it far more than I do," Jackie said. "But... even if you can''t change back... I still love you Matt."


    We held hands tightly. I truly loved her, despite how she physically looked. Maybe there was more of me, rather than less, that liked her because of how she physically looked. All I knew was that I wanted to be there for her all I could - not just because I wanted to help her through life, but because she had helped me. Simply, she made me happy.


    And I started to feel it. I felt a feeling budding at the base of my spine. I latched onto it. Yes!


    Jackie let go of my hand, and she tried to mask her smile once she realized what was going on - but gave up, grinning widely. The others watched, mouths going agape. I felt the fur growing all over me. My ears began to climb up my head. My nose began to grow wet.


    And somehow, it all felt amazing, exciting. The anguish I had felt during my first change was long gone. This time, I embraced the transformation. I felt an electric invigoration through my veins in a way I couldn''t describe. It felt simply incredible.


    In a minute or so, the feeling faded. I reached up to my face - and there was my muzzle and snout once again. I panted with a smile, and licked my nose, my tongue once again its proper length. Most important of all...


    I reached behind me, and guided my tail through the hole in my pants. I gave it a good wag, just closing my eyes and letting myself enjoy the feeling. I was surely smiling like I was very intoxicated. My parents, Ashley, and Jackie''s mom probably thought I was the weirdest person in the world, but I didn''t care. I was the weird dog boy, and no one was going to take that away from me.


    "Feel better?" Jackie asked.


    "Yes," I grinned, opening my eyes to see her beautiful smile. "Because I''m finally myself again."


    Then I licked her face. She giggled and then happily licked mine. We laughed for a moment, and I looked to my family.


    "I...," my dad said slowly, a slight nervous smile on his face, "have no idea what reality is anymore."


    I hugged Jackie. I honestly didn''t know either. All that mattered to me was that I was myself. And I was happy.

 Epilogue

    <u> 6 Months Later</u>


    "C''mon," Jackie said, peering through the back window. "There''s not going to be another full Moon on Halloween until 2077, and yeah, I know this is silly, but gosh it sounds too much fun to pass up!"


    "Pff," Ashley said behind us. "You two are weird. Wouldn''t you much rather go to a Halloween party?"


    She sat on the couch, adjusting her outfit around her tail - she was trying her best to dress like Isabelle from Animal Crossing. She pulled off costumes better than I did - or Jackie for that matter. Despite Jackie''s comfort in looking very un-human, she was not a fan of costumes. Most pictures of her trick or treating as a kid showed a very, very unhappy girl.


    Jackie laughed. "This sounds way more fun to me."


    She gave me a peck on the cheek - which at the current moment, was missing any kind of fur. Jackie and I, if only for tonight, had decided to change back, albeit briefly, to being human. Though it had been her suggestion, it was obvious that she did not like this much, and was eager to "put on her coat" as she now called it.


    "Well get going then," Ashley said, "My date is going to be knocking on the door, and there''s going to be questions if my brother and his girlfriend, well known canids - suddenly aren''t somehow."


    I raised an eyebrow. "Remember back in like March when even seeing a canid made you uncomfortable?"


    "Yeah yeah," Ashley grabbed her purse, "this whole thing messed us all up, you two especially."


    Jackie and I laughed, and Ashley just rolled her eyes and began walking to the front door. Dad came into the kitchen from the garage door.


    "Did you see the pumpkins?" he asked Jackie.


    "Yeah," Jackie smiled, "they look really awesome Lucas."


    He beamed in satisfaction, but then took on a more serious expression.


    "Okay," he said, "you two... just be very careful. Be back before midnight, don''t scare anyone, and please for heaven''s sake, just... don''t push yourselves -"


    "We''ll be fine Lucas," Jackie said. "We''ve practiced this in the lab."


    "I know...," he said. "I just... I''m getting used to having a family that can shapeshift. Just don''t let anyone see you change. The last thing we need is an angry mob coming to our house with pitchforks."


    I laughed. "Honestly, you''d probably get an angry mob of people wanting to get pictures with us for their social media. Where would someone even get a pitchfork?"


    "The hardware store duh," I laughed elbowing her. She elbowed me harder back.


    My Mom came up behind Dad, and hugged him, giving him a peck on the lips.


    "You two have fun," Mom smiled.


    Jackie and I said bye, went out the backdoor, and retreated into the night. We ran along the bike path as the crisp fall wind chilled our bones, and I felt the anticipation building more and more by the time we finally reached the woods.


    We ran eagerly off the path and into the dark trees. I brushed aside the branches, wincing as one snapped me in the nose - my normal human nose. I wished I had my improved night vision from being a canid before we went into the woods. Jackie insisted however that "wasn''t in the spirit of the thing." All we had instead were our phone flashlights to guide us.


    "I wish," I huffed, breathing hard to keep up with her, "that you''d let me do my idea."


    "As fun as it sounds to make a terrifying transformation into werewolves - or weredogs, whatever - in front of some people at a Halloween party, revealing our little secret is a terrible idea."


    "Obviously," I said, "it would totally screw things up," I said, "but can you imagine everyone''s reaction? And then we''d howl viciously, and go on a full on rampage and -"


    "Get shot?" Jackie remarked.


    "Okay," I said, "maybe... maybe that doesn''t sound like such a good idea."


    Eventually we reached the place that Jackie had picked out, and we put our backpacks down, carefully putting our shoes and phones inside.


    There was a thrill building in me as I pressed the soles of my bare feet against the crunching autumn leaves.


    "You ready?" she smiled.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author."Ready."


    And we began to transform. Fur grew rapidly across our bodies. My spine lengthened into my tail. I eased myself down to the ground, my hands becoming paws. I let out a guttural growl, panting heavily. Although it didn''t really hurt - and I actually was growing slightly used to this, it was fun playing it up to be dramatic.


    As I became fully canine, physically at least, I wriggled out of my clothes, and then howled at the Moon, Jackie joining in my call a moment later.


    She burst out laughing, then licked my face. I licked her back.


    "You ever thought reading all those werewolf novels that you''d ever live it?" I asked.


    "Never," Jackie said, "but I remember from a young age that I wanted it. When I was in kindergarten we did a project where we drew a picture of what we wanted to be when we grew up. I wanted to be a dog."


    "And what a beautiful dog you''ve become," I said, giving her more little kisses.


    Jackie giggled. "Stop it, a werewolf queen isn''t supposed to be getting all kissy."


    "Oh," I said, "I guess I need to - speak in a super deep voice because I''m the super buff werewolf guy."


    "Ugh," Jackie said, "whatever, let''s just have some fun."


    We ran through the trees. Our vision pierced through the darkness of night, and our howls pierced the crisp air. This was only the second time Jackie and I had gone full canine together, and it felt fantastic. I''d gotten to where I could confidently get this far without going into dangerous mental territory. Mom and Dad were still anxious about it, but why would I want to waste this when I''d literally become a shapeshifter? Besides, I was more concerned about how hungry changing made me, which was becoming quite apparent as we ran through the woods.


    Eventually we tired, and we lounged on the edge of an outcropping of rocks.


    "Gosh," Jackie panted, "those werewolves in movies and stuff make running nonstop like that seem easy."


    "The mental effort of not crashing into a tree like an absolute buffoon," I said, "is just as tiring."


    "It''s a shame that it doesn''t line up really with the fantasy," Jackie said, dropping her head to lay against the stone.


    I walked over to her, and licked the side of her face.


    "Oh," I said, "but the thing about this - it''s real. It''s more amazing than any fantasy could be."


    I laid down on my belly, snuggling up beside her.


    "I''ve thought a lot about things," Jackie said, "even just as we''ve been running through the woods tonight."


    "Oh?"


    "I feel like.... I feel happy. Very happy. I now get what you must''ve felt when you went full dog - there''s a freeing feeling to it..."


    "Careful," I warned.


    She smiled. "Don''t worry, I''m doing fine. I just... I do feel better as a canid. I feel like that''s who I am. It certainly helps me feel more at peace with myself. But I don''t think it''s why I''m happy."


    "Could it maybe be that you''re with your super awesome shapeshifting boyfriend?"


    She gave me a little lick. "Perhaps. But... when Seth did that to you and Ashley... when I didn''t have you there with me... I was forced to be on my own. Stand up to my anxiety, to my self doubt. I had to stand up to the fully realized fear of people mocking me for enjoying who I was."


    She shed a tear - but with a smile.


    "But through it all... I became stronger. I became a better person than I ever thought I could be."


    I licked her. She licked me back.


    "And you helped me," I said. "You made me shed my self-centeredness, got me to care about someone else more than myself. And... and you got me to realize that maybe being a canid is what I wanted all along too."


    Jackie smiled, and nuzzled her snout against my face. We lay there for a while, feeling the cool air blow gently across our fur. We opened our ears to the sounds of the woods, to the rhythms of nature. The birds called, the crickets chirped. We howled along with them, adding our voices to nature''s song.


    And there we enjoyed each other''s company, two golden retrievers, lying beneath he light of the Moon, committed to one another forever.


    ====THE END===

 Authors Note

    I''d like to thank everyone who has taken the time to read my story, especially the members of my discord server, who''ve been crucial in helping this revision get to the level of quality that it is. Over the course of six months, it went from an alright story I would say to a pretty good one.


    Dog Boy started with some stories that I had read in the past. The Goosebump''s book My Hairiest Adventure was one of these, as well as a story I found on Deviant Art a number of years ago, called something along the lines of "Walking in Dog''s Paws" - a bit of homage to, if you will, can be found in the footprints on the story''s cover. While when I first read these stories I enjoyed them to some degree, they both had things that I didn''t really like the direction of. What is the transformation over in such a brief moment "off-screen" in the Goosebumps book? Why in the Deviant Art story, does our protagonist have to be the only one that changes?


    Further, I''ve seen a lot of stories involving transformations online that are just the transformation. All that is present is a setup, the transformation, and some kind of tacked on ending, where the transformed individual runs off, having been punished for their misdeeds, or runs off happily. This is also done clean cut. No one knows the person disappeared, it is never addressed, or the entire universe changes to one where the person was always in their transformed state.


    This to me, is not the interesting draw of transformation stories. If we look to a notable film with a transformation, Brother Bear (which probably was one of the things that made me a furry) Kenai has to face the awful reality that his brother sees him as a ravenous beast that must be killed. Further, Kenai is struck with having to face his own weaknesses and wrongdoings. It is not a perfect film by any means, but it understands why transformation can be such a powerful symbol in fiction, and why it has existed since we began telling stories.


    That was the kind of story that I wanted to write. While I have read many nice pieces of short transformation fiction, I wanted to write something as much about the internal transformation of the characters as outward one.


    My first draft of Dog Boy was on furaffinity, and totaled only 38 chapters. It was not terribly well revised - I didn''t even check for spelling and grammar errors before posting the chapters - but it was a decent enough story, and with such a drought for long form transformation fiction, I found a lot of people who enjoyed it. That draft I finished about a year ago, in March of 2022.


    While I did like the story somewhat, I felt that I could do better. Besides getting a better version of this story out there, it would also be a way to further improve my writing skills. I also in this new version, wanted to get this story to other sites than just furaffinity.


    And now I stand on the other side, after many months of reworking the plot, completely tossing out the original first chapter, cutting out many things... but at the same time, I fleshed out some characters a lot better. I improved the conflicts, Matt and Jackie''s relationship, and actually had a tone transition near the end of the book rather than whiplashing the reader straight to action like in the first draft.


    The story is not perfect, you can obviously see some story issues here and there, some character motivations may feel off - but I was able to make something that people enjoyed, and was able to create serious moments that people resonated with, which for a piece of online transformation fiction is a pretty respectful feat I''d say.


    Now, I''ve talked a lot about transformation fiction, and what it means to me. I want to briefly touch on the transformations in me. When I first started writing the first draft of Dog Boy, we were still somewhat in the pandemic. My life wasn''t honestly in the best of shape, and I enjoyed writing stories as a form of escapism. In the year and a half about since then however, I''ve felt my life reorienting in better directions. With that however, I feel like I need to do some active reorienting.


    This part I imagine, will be hard on some of you, but there''s no other way around it, I am not going to be writing as much furry fiction. Besides the fact that keeping up with regular updates on specific days can be challenging, I''ve felt simply that I''ve focused too much of my life on stuff in the furry community. I still really appreciate the furry community of course. There are many great people, creating great things - but my life needs to be more than that.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    My life, in general, needs to be more than the world online. I''ve becoming caught up in focusing on update schedules and rising numbers rather than going on dates and keeping up with assignments. It has become all the more present in my mind that I am nearing the end of college, and I will then have to decide what my life is going to be. Although, again, I''ve enjoyed working on this story, and interacting with people in the furry community, I''ve asked myself quite often if I would find more fulfillment in life in putting a spring in my step, and putting myself out more in the real world.


    The worlds of fantasy and science fiction can be wondrous. We can explore questions about the universe, about humanity, how we might be different if in a different, magical place - but these pieces of fiction can only benefit us when they motivate us to go out into reality, not replacing it.


    So I have decided that furry fiction will have to be more on the backburner moving forwards. Do not consider this me quitting, as I find it hard to imagine that an idea won''t strike my fancy - but do not expect either that I''ll start dropping a new story tomorrow. While I do have ideas, and even things written I could all share with you, if there''s something I''ve discovered from the world of online stories, there is little more painful than getting ten chapters deep into a story you really love... only to discover this story was last updated in 2011. I am not in the business of promising a story, and leaving the reader only the fragmented illusion of one.


    I was procrastinating putting off writing this last part to Dog Boy, mostly because I''ve been feeling sick lately and haven''t wanted to do anything - but I think it''s for the best that I''m writing this when I am. This may sound rather corny to some, but I watched the animated film Rango last night. As a fan of animation I could speak volumes about what I really enjoy about it, but on this particular watch, a line in the film stuck out to me - that no one can walk out of their own story.


    No matter how much we enjoy the world''s of fiction, we must accept the fact their stories end. We as people have to continue on with life, no nicely constructed narrative dictating our experiences. But in a way I find that to be more fantastic than a story, as we are protagonists that can decide what we will do. We can have relationships with people more fleshed out, more meaningful than any character on a page.


    And something I hope, as I work to take charge as the protagonist of my life story, is that my writing will become more polished, more rich in detail and substance, as I have more life experience. As happy as I feel happy with Matt and Jackie''s relationship, it has felt hollow to me - as it is not something I have yet had the opportunity to experience.


    I want to work on my other, non-furry stories. It is the unfortunate fact of life that my furry stories I can''t really share with people in real life. Whether they are averse to unsavory things they''ve heard about furries, or simply find it weird, I must accept the fact that getting people to read stuff is already difficult enough. I don''t feel too disappointed by this. I can feel at peace with what I am interested without having to shout it on the rooftops. And besides, my interest in anthropomorphic art is not my entire personality, but just a small piece.


    I hope that I can pour those other interests into amazing stories someday. I actively am working on them, but unfortunately cannot post them online, as it voids exclusivity publishing rights, which I do not want to lose as an option someday (I am however, willing to share my google docs if you join my discord server ??). I really want to be able to share all of those stories with everyone, not just the people who''ve read Dog Boy, but also my family, my friends, and countless potential people out in the world. Perhaps I''ll never accomplish my dream of being a published author, but I can live with it if I am not doing it as a career, but at least get to share my stories.


    In the end, while I''m going to be working more actively at refocusing my life, and focusing more on my other writing, I''m grateful for the opportunity I had to better improve my skills, and all the support I''ve received from you, the readers. I know many of you will think of this author''s note as awfully dramatic for following the story that preceded it-


    But that is the way that I view things. The world of fiction is all about exploring crazy, unrealistic universes... while at the same time, exploring things that resonate with all of us as human beings. And in the end, I''d say that''s what Dog Boy is all about - that no matter how the world changes, no matter what differences we may all have - we are all human, deep down.


    Rocky


    January 29th, 2023