Andersonville 20 – The Cure

by Prudence Walker

 

"Good morning, Crius," Dennis Butz said.

"And to you – ‘brother’," Crius replied with just a hint of sarcasm. The Titan God was seated on the back porch of his new residence having breakfast. He was dressed in his traditional long, white robe with an oversized hood that was common before the war with the Olympians. Nearby sat Lucus, who eyed the director carefully. Dennis gave him a frown and sat down.

"Where’s the suit I got you?" Dennis inquired.

Crius grunted as he stabbed at his eggs. "I didn’t like it – too drab. I prefer my own clothes."

"You need to start wearing human clothes, Crius," Dennis explained.

"Why?" Crius grunted again without looking up. "Is the sky going to fall if I don’t? Are my Olympian ‘masters’ going to come and take me away again."

"Keep your voice down," Dennis warned him softly. "It’s important that people don’t know who we are."

"You mean what we are, don’t you ‘brother’?" Crius snarled in distaste.

"Yes," the director agreed. "We need to fit in."

Crius stared at Dennis with cold eyes and snapped, "What’s happened to you? Have you been around the humans so long that it’s affected your loyalty? You used to be proud to call yourself a ‘Titan’. Now look at you! You disgrace your own people by pretending to be someone you’re not. Well I am not you, ‘brother’! I prefer to be who I am, instead of pretending to be someone I’m not."

"I have a plan," Dennis explained.

"Yes, I’ve heard all about your plan," Crius responded bitterly as he glanced over at Lucus. "After everything the Olympians have done to our people, you now want to work with them? Have you forgotten about your daughter, Rommona, and how Jupiter butchered her!"

"I haven’t!" Dennis answered in an equally bitter tone. "It’s because of Rommona that I’m working on a peaceful solution. I don’t want any more Rommonas killed. We have much to lose by going to war with them."

"No – we have everything to gain," Crius countered strongly. "It is the Olympians who have everything to lose. We control the government of the strongest nation in the world thanks to you."

"Influence," Dennis corrected. "We have influence over the strongest nation in the world, and the Olympians have influence over almost two-thirds of the other nations."

"So what?" Crius scoffed. "We have better weapons."

"This is not a war we can win, Crius – nor should we try to. Millions would die if that happened."

"Bah, you have become weak – ‘brother’."

"No, I have become smarter, Crius. The time for fighting is over. There’s no way we can win a war against the Olympians with our numbers. At best, it would take years to free our people from their prison; not to mention that the toll on human life would be tremendous."

"That is where you’re wrong, ‘brother’!" Crius argued.

"Stop calling me ‘brother’," the director responded forcefully. "I have a name – it’s Dennis Butz."

"I thought you would like the term, ‘brother’."

"Not when it’s used as an insult," Dennis snarled. "You’re trying to force me into a fight with you."

"No," Crius told him sternly. "I’m trying to remind you what they have done to you, to all our people. You have suffered I’m sure, but our people still suffer in their caves."

"In time, Crius…all in good time. Right now there is nothing we can do about it."

"Not true, there is plenty we can do. Lucus has told me much about America’s weapons, and the condition of Peace River when he last visited there."

"Wait a minute," Dennis interrupted, and pointed his finger at the other man. "How could you have gotten into their town without them knowing it?"

"I have my ways," Lucus told him forcefully. "I found out that they are weak – very weak. The humans the Olympians have are not fully supplying their needs. They are having to rely on the orb to compensate for the difference."

"Don’t you see ‘brother’, you give them too much credit." Crius stopped talking for a moment to let that sink in. "I have a plan, brother," he explained carefully. "Lucus can take some of his men and hide near the entrance where our people are being held. When they are safely in place we will strike! I think two, 20-megaton bombs will do the trick. The effects will knock out their defence systems for a least an hour. With their town burning and their humans dying, the Olympians will be too busy to deal with us."

"Nuke Peace River – are you INSANE?" Dennis exploded in anger and horror at the suggestion. "The Olympians would counter with nuclear weapons from their own countries. "

"Not if we nuke those countries first," Crius explained in a cold and callous way.

Dennis stood up and slammed his fist on the table. "THIS IS MADNESS, CRIUS! You’re talking about using nuclear weapons as if they were firecrackers. Do you realise what they would do to this world? The effects from the fallout alone would last for years. Millions would die in the initial exchange, and they would be the lucky ones. Ten times that number would die afterwards. Even if I did wage war against the Olympians, I wouldn’t use weapons that would turn this planet into a graveyard! I won’t subject the human race to that kind of terror AGAIN!"

"You have lived with them for too long," Crius pointed out strongly. "You’re one of us, a ‘TITAN’! So a couple hundred million humans die – our people will be victorious!"

"And what will we rule over, Crius – a nuclear, winter wonderland? Well I’m not willing to pay that price for victory!" Dennis hissed and walked away. Lucus watched him go and took a seat next to Crius.

"I told you it was a waste of time," he tired to explain. "Mr. Butz is committed to this dream of his. He thinks one day that we will live together as one big, happy family. Trying to convert him is a waste of time."

"Perhaps," Crius said, as he tasted the pancakes his assistant had made for him. They were too bland for his taste. "Maybe what my new brother needs is a little motivation. You say he is married to one of these humans?"

"Yes," Lucus smiled slightly. "I met her once. Her name is Mary Jo. I understand she was beautiful in her day."

Crius grunted at the comment and shoved his plate aside. "And what about this Linda Anderson? Where does she fit into my ‘brother’s’ life?"

"Linda is his Rommona – only she isn’t aware of it."

Crius put his hands together as if he were praying, and thought deeply for a moment. There was much to do.

"You will work on a plan to deal with his wife, Lucus. Make sure it’s an accident that we can blame on the Olympians. I will worry about the details on why they killed her."

"Me?" Lucus asked in surprise. "I can’t leave Andersonville, not after my last attack on Mercury. Do you know what will happen if they catch me?"

"This is WAR!" Crius replied coldly. "There is risk in every war, and you’re not above them, Lucus. If we are to be victorious we will need my ‘brother’s’ co-operation. Now, you will do as I ordered or I’ll throw you to the Olympians myself. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Lucus replied in an obedient tone. "What about Linda Anderson?"

A vicious smiled appeared Crius’ face. "Leave her to me. Once Dennis’ support system is in shambles, he will have no choice but to come back to me. Then he will be mine to manipulate, just as before!"

Fade out…

***********************************************

Voice of Dennis Butz – Thousands of years ago there was a war in the heavens, between the gods of old and the new arrivals. During the process the earth was almost destroyed by fire and floods as our war ran unchecked. Finally, after centuries of conflict, an uneasy peace was achieved between our two people. Both sides recognized they needed the other, but neither side was willing to trust the other. However, as man grew in power and knowledge he challenged the god's themselves. To maintain the balance and keep the peace, a buffer zone was needed.

It’s a small town -- just like thousands of others spread across the land. Quiet streets, family-run businesses, and Saturday afternoon picnics. But this town is different. It’s a place for lost souls, for misguided individuals, and for those who are in need of a second chance. It’s also the last, best chance I have of freeing my people from their captor’s. The name of the project is restoration; the name of the town is Andersonville!

***********************************************

Andersonville 20 – The Cure

Story idea by Prudence Walker

Written by Prudence Walker

Introduction by Kelly Davidson

Editted by Geoff

This story is a dedication to Kelly, for without her stories we would all be the poorer.

Authors note: Thanks Samantha for your linguistic skills re the Latin translations.

 

Fade in…

David was deep in thought as he drove his car across the state. He was worrying about his sick wife and daughter following him in the old SUV some days travel behind. Hoping to check out the news of a possible cure, he was racing ahead to see if he could confirm it before Susan wasted precious time driving uselessly to another false hope. His wife had a rare degenerative disease that was ultimately fatal, and unfortunately was being carried by a dominant gene down through the female line to his daughter. Having both a wife and a daughter depending on him weighed heavily on his mind, and as David drove though the breaking dawn’s light, he was unaware of the twists of fate that were about to change his life forever.

***********************************************

In another state, east from where David was driving. A man, whose physical body was nearly identical to that of David’s, was about to become wanted by the police. Jack, a Latin teacher at an all girls’ school, preyed on the students there. One student had alleged that he had interfered with her and then threatened her into keeping her mouth shut about it. The principal, after questioning some of the other students intensely, had found out that this had been going on for some time. After reporting Jack to the police, they had searched his home, where they found evidence of child pornography. Jack made bail shortly after his arrest and promptly and promptly went on the lamb travelling west across the country. Soon a statewide search started by the police, swung into action. David, unaware of the situation, was just about to enter that very same state on his journey east.

By chance, the two men unknowingly passed each other in their vehicles on the same road, both driving in the opposite direction. Stopping for some breakfast, David pulled in at a small roadside diner and climbed wearily out of his car and stretched his aching back. He walked into the diner, were he spotted two patrol officers also eating. A bell over the entrance announced his entry. He didn’t see the look that passed between the two cops as he eyed the menu board hungrily. Just as he started to give his order to the girl behind the counter, a tap on his shoulder announced the presence of the two cops. When he turned in surprise, he found himself pinned against the counter as they grabbed his arms roughly and forced them behind his back. Then he heard and felt the "snick snick" sound of handcuffs going around his wrists.

"What the hell…" David started to yell.

The two cops, thinking of him as Jack a child molester, were in no mood for him yelling. They promptly slugged him in the guts and as he fell gasping for air, followed it up with several brutal kicks to the ribs.

David felt a rib crack and darkness overcome him as he passed out.

***********************************************

Susan wrestled with the SUV, cursing it’s handling as they came over the mountains. The temperature gauge promised troubles if they didn’t stop soon. Looking over at Diane, her 13-year-old daughter sleeping beside her, she sighed, wishing she were awake to keep her company with her incessant chatter. Unfortunately, the excitement of the trip had taken its toll and she had succumbed to the warmth in the cab and dozed off. Knowing her husband was many days ahead didn’t help matters, but she knew she couldn’t stop him racing off like a knight on a white charger. She grinned at the thought, as the car David was driving was a white Mustang, and then the grin slipped at the thought that her daughter’s life was dependent on finding the elusive cure.

***********************************************

David woke to a throbbing pain in his chest and found that his hands were now cuffed in front of him. He struggled to sit upright in the back of the police cruiser.

One of the two cops sitting in the front turned and sneered at David, saying, "We should have fixed you so you couldn’t take pleasure in molesting young girls, but when you’re in prison I guess the inmates there will do our job for us."

"What are you talking about, I’ve only just reached this state this morning. I know nothing about young girls getting molested. You have the wrong guy."

"Look Jack, don’t come all innocent with us. We have your picture here and it says you skipped bail on child pornography and assault on minors," he snarled, shoving a picture of a man that looked just like David under his nose.

David gasped as he realised that nothing he said was going to persuade them that he wasn’t the same man, but he had to try.

"Look, I know that looks like me but, I’m David Mathers not this Jack person. I have my drivers licence, check it out," he pleaded.

"No need, it’s obviously an excellent forgery. Maybe that will get you a few more years on your sentence."

David slumped in defeat. ‘What’s going to happen to my wife and daughter now? Would they ever know what happened to me?’ he thought. He had to escape somehow. It was the only way.

Groaning loudly he slumped, as if succumbing to unconsciousness again. He lay still with his eyes closed, but listening out for anything that might give him a slim chance to escape.

One of the officers complained about missing his morning doughnut due to the arrest, and suggested they stop on the way and pick some up.

The driver moaned, "You’re not going to get my car messy again. Why not stop and eat at the shop." The other agreed, saying the prisoner was out of it and not likely to be going anywhere in a hurry.

Feeling the car slow and then pull to a halt, David tried not to grunt as one of the men, after opening the rear door, poked him in the ribs to check his condition.

"Looks like he’ll keep, we can see the car if he shows his head up. Let’s go get those doughnuts," he said, looking at the shop and just slamming the door closed. He missed the quick movement of the prisoner’s legs as they stretched out preventing the door from latching properly

"And I want a fresh coffee," the other replied.

As soon as their footsteps faded, David, keeping himself from view, pushed the rear door with his feet, thankful that they hadn’t checked to see if it was closed properly, and he slipped out. Keeping the car body between him and the diner he managed to slip away. At that time there were few people out to see his furtive movements as he searched the row of parked cars for a possible getaway vehicle.

Finally, fate looked his way as he opened a door and scrambled in. Trying to do what he’d seen done in a thousand movies he exposed a mass of wiring near the key, but which one was the right one. Finding that they don’t just pull off with a nice bare end, and nearly burning himself on a wire as it melted after shorting it out, David decided to give that away. On an impulse he looked behind the sun visor and ‘jackpot’, the keys were there.

Five minutes later driving somewhat haphazardly due to the fact he was still cuffed and had to use his knee to steady the wheel as he changed gear, he managed to cross the state line again back in the direction he’d come.

**********************************

Meanwhile, Jack was congratulating himself that he’d slipped past the authorities. He was already planning ahead to his new identity and thinking of a new job at another school somewhere. He had no conscience about what he had done, only regret that he’d been caught. He continued driving on a route that would ultimately cross paths with Susan.

***********************************************

David knew that it wouldn’t be long before the cops would be on his trail, what with a stolen car that was fast running out of fuel. Since his wallet had been confiscated, he had no money – and anyone seeing him in handcuffs would not be likely to help him. Things were looking decidedly desperate, and he wished he knew why it had happened to him. It was nearing midday when the engine spluttered to a halt and he steered the car off the road and let it roll into some low brush, lining the road. After climbing out and checking the inside of the trunk fruitlessly for anything to help rid him of the cuffs, he started walking in the direction from which Susan was coming.

David was getting extremely thirsty not having had anything to drink for about ten hours, and his stomach felt knotted in hunger. Hearing the not so distant wail of sirens, he knew that he needed to abandon the roadway and find an alternative route. Cutting across country, he came to a set of railroad tracks that paralleled the road, yet was out of direct sight of it. Making a decision, he started walking the line cursing the way the ties didn’t quite meet his stride. After several hours his thirst in the blazing sun was beginning to dominate his thoughts, and he walked in a near catatonic state hardly noticing the trestle bridge he had stepped onto.

A blasting horn brought him back to his senses, and he saw a diesel locomotive bearing down on him at speed as it started onto the bridge. Panicking, he looked around to see he was doomed. The bridge was too narrow for him to remain on it, and it was too high to jump off. With the speed at which it was coming, David knew it was too far to reach the end before the train crushed his body. As he looked over the edge again, he saw a metal support stay that was protruding from the bridge just a few feet below the top of the track. The vibration of the track below his feet indicated the nearness of the train. Offering a hasty prayer he jumped, opening his arms in a circle as he tried to loop his cuffed wrists over the stay.

As he fell, his life flashed before him, then blinding agony engulfed him. The cuffs cut cruelly into his wrists as the weight of his body jerked him to a halt. As his body swung inwards the last thing he saw was the huge wooden support beam as he hit it, bringing another burst of pain from his broken rib before he surrendered to blessed unconsciousness.

***********************************************

Susan had stopped at a café and was eating breakfast with Diane while many hundreds of miles away her husband hung like a rag doll from a distant railway bridge. As she chided Diane gently about table manners, she looked up to see her husband David walk into the café. Getting up she ran to the man she had mistaken for her husband and turned him around before giving him a resounding kiss.

"David, what are you doing here? I expected you to be in the next state. I’ve missed you so much," she gasped.

Jack was stunned having an attractive women come and give him a kiss him like that. He waited, thinking she was bound to realise her mistake. However, as Susan dragged him by the arm over to her table he saw a young girl look up at him and yell "Daddy". She to ran and embraced him. Seeing the woman was waiting for an answer to her query, he replied with a safe answer that his car had broken down.

Susan laughed, saying that would teach him for driving the Mustang too hard. Jack, seeing that she was still under the impression that he was her husband David, decided after looking at the young girl, to go along with it for as long as he could. He was thinking of all the stuff that he could get the girl to do, especially, if she thought he was her dad. Oh the delicious irony of it all, he loses one life as Jack and gains another as David with added bonuses. Ordering breakfast, Jack listened to Susan babble on, giving him vital information as he listened avidly for every scrap of information crucial to his continued masquerade.

***********************************************

Pain dragged David back from the blessed painlessness of unconsciousness to the reality of finding himself trapped, hanging 50 feet above a ravine in the blazing sun. His ribs having contacted the stanchion along with most of his face as he fell were sending stabs of pain as he breathed shallowly. Blood had run into his eyes, making his vision blurry. Unable to do anything but hang by the handcuffs, his arms were in such a blaze of pain that he moaned out loud. Thirst too was taking its toll, and as time passed he went into a semi-delirium. His mind kept wandering, thoughts of his family and the possibility that he was going to die kept him fighting against the temptation of succumbing to the inevitable end. At last even his strength failed, and he lapsed into a mental state bordering on insanity. His thoughts were jumbled, and he couldn’t concentrate on anything.

"Been hanging round long?" a voice called from above. It took a while before David realised what a voice talking to him meant.

David moaned he couldn’t speak. His throat was too parched to do more than groan.

"Here, let me help," the voice came again.

It seemed to David as if a giant hand had grabbed him and hoisted him bodily to the tracks above, but as he collapsed onto the line he saw only a slim built man wearing a police uniform. Blearily he could make out a name on his badge, M Merrick. Not caring if he was in custody as his tortured arms ached in relief from the long hours stretched to their utmost, he made no protest as the officer pulled him easily to his feet and walked him to the vehicle waiting at the end of the bridge.

The officer said nothing as he drove into the nearby town called Andersonville. David’s thoughts were still drifting incoherently from relief to concern for his family. Thoughts of cool refreshing water tumbled though the disjointed images of police and trains and his daughter. He couldn’t seem to concentrate on anything in his near delirium.

The cruiser stopped outside the town’s courthouse, and David was pulled firmly into the cool interior. He was sat down in a chair and told to wait. David was unable to move from his seat as the day’s events caught up with him. He did notice, before he dozed off, a young blonde women sitting at a desk in front of him giving him a nasty look. She shuffled some papers together and then walked past him into the Judge’s chambers. He came to, with a start, as a hand tapped him on the shoulder. Looking up, David saw Officer Merrick, and he was indicating that he needed to stand up. After several unsuccessfully attempts to stand, the officer pulled him up and supported him. Together they walked into the courtroom.

Sitting there was the judge who was between 40 and 50 years of age. Close by was the girl from the front desk. She had a Dictaphone in front of her. Looking back, David noticed the judge as she glanced calmly at him after looking at some papers. He noted the odd aura she had about her. It was as if she was older than she looked, with the kindly wisdom of long years of life.

Officer Merrick left him alone and walked over to stand by the door. David was sure he would fall, but he found he was unable to move, not even an inch. The Judge looked at him for a moment and spoke.

"You stand accused of numerous counts of child abuse, skipping bail, escaping police custody, and one count of grand theft auto. How do you plead?"

David’s mind wasn’t the clearest at that moment, only the words ‘grand theft auto’ made it past the jumble of what was his mind. Being an honest person, he mumbled out "guilty" before he really thought about what the implications of it might mean.

"Is there anything you want to say in your defence before I pass sentence on you?" Judge Herns said, looking directly at David.

David, in his befuddlement, thought that everything seemed surreal, and a chuckle escaped his lips as he pondered what was real and what was not. He didn’t see the look that hardened the eyes of Judge Hern’s, as she started to mutter in a strange language. He did see the glow that started in the palms of her hands as she continued the chant, and wondered what was happening. Suddenly the glow intensified then shot out, hitting him directly in the chest.

A strange tingling sensation flowed though his body, and as it did the pain from his injury’s disappeared. It was like a soothing balm that erased the aches and pains from his recent ordeal. His head cleared as the fatigue from ravages of thirst evaporated. He wondered what sort of being could do this to him, nothing human he guessed. Was he still in a delirium, maybe he was imagining all of this? If so, he didn’t want to wake up. Release from the pain gave him a momentary high, and then he was sure he was dreaming as he noticed for the first time the extent of his changes.

He looked down at his slim arms, and looking at his hands he saw the long, delicate fingers with the pale pink nail polish rounded nails. He could feel the extra weight of hair pulling on his scalp, as he looked further down, past two creamy orbs of flesh that were definitely attached to his…chest? His clothes too had changed. Where before he had the worn out jeans and shirt, now they had transformed into a lilac stretch top with a scalloped neck, and a short black skirt that just came above his knees. A wide leather belt accentuated his now slender waist, and showed the expanded curves of his hips and butt. Tan hose adorned his slender legs, and the heels he was wearing must have been at least 3 inches high. He gasped in wonder at the feel of the clothes, and the sight of his new body.

Judge Herns was speaking, and he looked up at her with a question in his eyes.

"Your name is Amanda Louise Delgado, and you are 24 years old. You’re the replacement Latin teacher for one of our teachers that recently retired. While there are young girls in the classes, I’m sure you’ll find that with the change in sex, so too, will your attraction to them be changed."

"I’m female and a teacher?" gasped David.

"Yes, you are. Linda, will you please take Amanda to Miss Green for the usual settling in talk?" the Judge said coldly, looking at some more papers in a dismissive manner.

"Come on Amanda, let’s get you to Dr Green so she can explain a few things."

Walking to her office David, now Amanda, was conscious of the skirt as it brushed against the nylons encasing her legs. Surprisingly, walking for the first time in heels didn’t take any conscious effort at all. It wasn’t until she had sat down that she realised with horror that not only had she swept her skirt out like any other natural woman would have, but she found herself sitting demurely, legs together at a slight angle, as if she had been born a woman.

"What’s happening to me?" she screamed, jumping up and getting ready to flee.

"Calm yourself Amanda," a quiet voice said, as a blonde haired woman entered the room. "It’s part of the package to help you cope with the new you." Dr Green moved towards her and took Amanda’s hand. "Please sit down, we have a lot to talk about."

"I’m not a woman, I can’t be a woman! I have a wife and daughter who need me," sobbed a distraught Amanda.

"Look, Jack’s life is gone you are now Amanda for the rest of your life."

"The name is David, not Jack. I don’t know who this Jack person is or what he did, but I’m telling you I’m not him," Amanda yelled angrily.

Dr Green looked at her with puzzled eyes; she knew that some of the people that had committed evil often never remembered their old lives after the judge changed them. They often took on the new life as if it were the only life they had ever lived. Perhaps Jack had a split personality and the side that had committed the abuse’s had vanished, leaving the innocent side (David) to cope with the results of the change. Feeling a little off balance, she filled David in on her new life as Amanda with her personal life details. She felt she should talk to the Judge Herns as soon as possible to check her hypothesis.

Amanda listened sullenly to the doctor as she explained that she was living with Kate Dawson, another student teacher in a flat close to the school. She also filled her in with the dos and don’ts of living in Andersonville, saying that Judge Herns wouldn’t be lenient on any infraction.

Amanda didn’t really take it all in, it was too bizarre, like a science fiction story. She walked out after an hour when the doctor had finished to find a dark haired beauty waiting for her.

"Amanda… at last, I hope everything is okay. What did the Doc say? Was it food poisoning?" She rambled on, ignoring Amanda’s shocked expression as she saw the odd looking eyes of the girl in front of her.

"Umm, no it wasn’t," Amanda replied, trying to work out what and who she was.

"Kate? You shouldn’t leave your car in front of the court like that," someone said.

Turning, Amanda saw Officer Merrick in the doorway. He smiled at her, and she guessed he’d deliberately given her a clue to the young woman’s identity as an aide to her fitting in. A fragment of the conversation with Dr Green came to her, and she realised the woman known as Kate, who was her roomy plus, was also a "temp." Someone who was a computer generated emulation, yet lived and played exactly as a flesh and blood person did, and had emotions and reactions like anyone else due to a huge and complex computer system.

"I’m sorry, but I was in a hurry to pick up Amanda," Kate apologised.

"Okay, just this time I’ll let you off with a warning," he smiled, taking the sting out of his words. Kate grabbed Amanda’s arm and bustled her out of there, saying,

"Quick before he changes his mind."

Amanda was still trying to come to terms with everything that had happened. First becoming a fugitive from the law, then suffering agonies in an abortive escape attempt; then going though a bizarre court ritual with a magic wielding Judge who had then given him a sentence that had transformed him into a woman? Little wonder he didn’t offer any resistance to Kate’s insistence.

Kate drove a small Ford sedan that seen better days, and as they rattled along Amanda looked sideways at Kate Dawson, wondering at the complexity of something that could make her seem as real as herself. Arriving at their flat, Amanda was hustled inside by the ever-attentive Kate, where she promptly went into the kitchen leaving Amanda to set the table for dinner. Kate was oblivious to Amanda’s hurried search for plates and cutlery in a flurry of opening all the cupboards and drawers.

Amanda thought that there was something odd about the way Kate was ignoring her obvious ignorance of the layout of the flat, but assumed it was a "programmed" response in these circumstances. Thankful for small mercies, Amanda soon had the table set in time for the arrival of a beef casserole. It smelled delicious and Amanda’s stomach rumbled at the tantalising aroma, she realised that she hadn’t eaten in days.

After almost inhaling the meal in her hunger, Amanda helped Kate clean up. Then begging tiredness, she went into "her" bedroom, where for the first time she got a good look at her new self in the mirror of her wardrobe door. Looking back at her was a slender girl of modest proportions. Her long black hair was tied back in a high ponytail and shone in vibrant health. Her skin showed a slight olive complexion, which hinted at a Mediterranean ancestry and set off her large brown eyes.

"This is not me...this is someone called Amanda," David thought in panic, barely managing to hold on to his old identity. In tears of frustration he threw off the clothes he was wearing. Trying not to dwell on the fleshy mounds bouncing on his chest, he rummaged in the drawers for something familiar to wear. Finally, he found an over large sweatshirt with the number 10 emblazoned on it (obviously it was from some jock). He pulled it on and it came down past his groin like a short nightgown.

Feeling the call of nature, he wandered out looking for the bathroom where to his chagrin, he realised that he would need to sit just to pee. The unusual sensations of the urine wetting a large area of his groin prompted him to move his legs further apart. Wiping was essential, and he felt awkward and embarrassed touching those sensitive lips as if he was some sort of pervert. Looking closely in the mirror, he noticed that Amanda’s face still had a little subtle makeup on. So knowing from living with his wife that he needed a makeup remover, he started using some cold cream to remove it. He then washed, using one of the many liquid soaps lining the washbowl, which resulted in him smelling like a rose. Walking back to bed with the thought of getting some rest, he climbed into the soft lavender coloured sheets and wriggled around trying to get comfortable with his new protuberances. In moments the fatigue of the last few days caught up with him and he was soon fast asleep.

BRRRIINNNNNGGGG…. In panic David woke, fumbling for the source of that infernal noise. Opening an eye he groaned, then wished he hadn’t for not only did the clock inform him that it was only 6 am, but that groan was in a timbre not his own. Realising that the previous day wasn’t the result of some weird dream he turned over in disgust and tried to will himself into limbo of sleep again.

"Amanda? You awake? Amanda, come on, it’s late and you have classes today."

"Whaa? Go away, I never want to wake up again."

"Amanda you must get up." Kate came over and shook David’s shoulder. Protesting, David roused, knowing sleep was not going to make things right. Kate asked if she was okay, and David mumbled that he had felt better.

"Shall I drive you to Dr Green again?" Kate asked worriedly.

Not wanting to go though that again, David replied that it was okay and to give him a few minutes. Kate walked out after helping David pick out some suitable clothes. ‘More programmed responses?’ David mused. It wasn’t until he was putting on his lipstick that David froze.

‘What the hell did I just do?’

Stepping back, he looked at himself in the mirror. He saw Amanda standing there dressed in a simple blue dress that showed her curves without being blatant. Her hair was swept back and held in place with two tortoise shell combs tan hose and blue 3 inch heels completed the look. David felt fear fill him as he looked at Amanda’s face, and the makeup that had been applied by him. It was subtle like yesterday, and the shade of eyeshadow emphasised his eyes. How had he done that with such skill? Was he turning into the young woman he saw before him? He realised that he’d got dressed and made up his face like a robot on autopilot.

Something that Dr Green had said to him in her office came back to him about relaxing when trying to do something that required the feminine skills. Testing it out, he wiped the lipstick off and carefully attempted to recreate the look. After a struggle and a slight smudge, he did get it right, but it took concentration. Trying again while thinking of something else, he found that it went on quickly without a thought, relieved somewhat that he wasn’t automatically becoming a girl without his knowledge, David finished by grabbing a bag and a folder presumably with Amanda’s notes and went to where Kate was waiting impatiently.

"Here, you’ll have to eat this on the way. Next time get up earlier," she said, handing him a musueli bar.

"Thanks," David said, trying hard not to sound sarcastic. He looked at it grimacing; he hated these things. Give him cereal or better yet, bacon and eggs. He put it his bag, hoping he might find time to get something else at school. On the way in, they passed kids riding or walking to school. Some waved at them, and David wondered if they were to be in his class.

‘Oh-my-god,’ David thought just realising he, or rather Amanda was a Latin teacher. David knew next to nothing about teaching, let alone Latin. His stomach clenched in fear at the thought of standing up in front of a class and making a complete fool of himself. He almost asked Kate to pull over so he could get out, but an idea came to him and smiled inwardly thinking of the surprise on everyone’s faces.

Arriving at school, David looked around as Kate dragged him off to the teachers lounge. The school was clean, and he saw none of the usual graffiti that he remembered from his own schooling. A few students waved and greeted them with good mornings and smiles, and it gave David a feeling of sadness that they were meant not for him, but for Amanda.

Entering the lounge, David found himself rather lost as teachers greeted him and asked how her weekend was. He covered his ignorance by smiling a lot and saying hello. A cup of coffee was thrust into his hands by a young man who looked at him a moment longer than was necessary. David thanked him and sipped at the coffee while covertly glancing back. He saw that the man was eyeing him curiously, and David wondered if there was some difference about him that had made the guy suspicious. His questions were answered as finally, the man came over and started talking.

"Amanda is everything okay?"

"Um… not really." David answered cautiously.

"You’re not having memory problems?" the man asked bluntly.

"Yes, I’m just not feeling myself." David responded – thinking that the guy must know he had been transformed, and decided on giving him an opening.

"I knew it, sorry… I’m Glen Talbot. I teach maths here and like you, I was transformed."

"Were we…" David paused, getting embarrassed, "an item?"

"No, we were just friends." Glen replied gently.

"Oh… well we can still be that, I need all the friends I can get." David said, encouragingly. David looked up into a surprised pair of blue eyes and put his hand on Glen’s, giving him a smile. The way Glen’s eyes lit up made him look cute, and it wasn’t until he bent his head and kissed David on the mouth that he realised what he’d done.

‘Oh no what’s happening to me?’ David thought. "I just acted like a girlfriend without thinking. I actually thought he looked cute. This is getting out of hand. It must be the hormones in this body, and I think the automatic response is getting more natural. If I don’t get out of this body soon I might not want to,’ he mused.

Turning from Glen to get some much-needed breathing room, he bumped into a middle-aged woman. Her curly brown hair was stylishly cut to shoulder length set off her face which although beautiful had a discernible look of wisdom about it.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t see you," he blurted out.

"Hello Amanda, glad to see you back with us,"

"Um yeah, but I’m not feeling myself just now," David explained.

She laughed quietly, "There’s a lot of that going around at the moment. I’m Miss Miller the school superintendent," she added holding a hand out. "Welcome to our school Jack," she continued in a quiet voice. "Your classroom is down the corridor and the last door on the right, number 12."

David looked surprised at her comments, but guessed she was either another of the beings that held sway in Andersonville or was privy to the information from the Judge. The former was more likely, as that look of wisdom was a dead give-away.

Walking towards the classroom the butterflies returned. David assumed that whatever it was that gave him the skills at makeup and the other feminine skills would hopefully come into play when he tried to step into Amanda’s life as a teacher. If it didn’t, then he was in big trouble as his knowledge of Latin was limited to phrases like "Tempus fugit" and "Caveat emptor."

Entering the classroom, he was greeted with a general babble from the students, which slowly quieted as he walked to the desk at the head of the room. Some of the students greeted him with "good morning Miss Delgado" or "morning Miss." It gave him an odd feeling of being welcome with a regret that it wasn’t meant for him exactly, but for Amanda.

As he opened the folder with Amanda’s notes, he tried to get into the relaxed mode that seemed to initiate the automatic help…. Nothing! He was stranded like a beached whale. He turned to the board trying to will the help to come, but as the seconds passed he knew it wasn’t coming. Panic flooded though him and all he could think of was to flee. It was so unfair… mistaken for someone else, and then changed against his will into a female Latin teacher with no teaching skills or knowledge of Latin.

Tears flooded from his eyes and he turned and ran, shocking the students as he fled from the room and out of the building. He ran not worrying where he was headed as long as it was away from the school. Struggling to run in unfamiliar heels, he soon kicked them off, and continued running in his stocking feet. They lasted barely fifty feet until they were shredded. A few people looked askance at the woman running in torn stockings with no shoes, tears streaming down her face.

Gasping for breath as the panic ebbed, David slowed and looked around him. He was nearing a park with playground equipment. A small lake near the centre looked peaceful as the ducks swam quietly on its mirrored surface. David stopped, then walked slowly to a bench and sat wondering what he was going to do. A cough at his shoulder startled him, making his heart race. Looking up he saw the slender build of police officer Merrick.

"Miss Delgado, I had a report of a woman running barefoot in a distressed state, and I see you have no shoes," he raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Also, shouldn’t you be teaching class this morning?"

"NO… and I won’t go there every again and nothing you can do will make me," David shouted angrily.

"I think we should go see Judge Herns," Officer Merrick offered quietly as he lifted Amanda’s slight form like a puppet.

David said nothing; resigned to the fact that another visit to the Judge seemed inevitable, especially as he couldn’t offer any physical resistance with his now weaker female body.

Judge Herns looked up at the interruption as Officer Merrick entered with David in tow. She scowled, and put down the papers she was reading.

"Amanda?" she said, the question plain in her tone. "Why are you not in school?"

"BECAUSE YOU MADE A MISTAKE," David shouted, then in a quieter voice added, "I’m not a teacher, Latin or otherwise, I don’t belong here and I’m not going back."

"Oh? I think you will, given the options. How would you like to become a baby girl in diapers?" she said threateningly, raising her hands.

"Go ahead, make my day," David retorted, his fear at becoming a baby seemed inconsequential to the fear at returning to class.

June Herns was surprised at her defiance; usually they capitulated at this stage and begged to remain as they were. Not wanting to seem bested, she started the change and the ball of glowing energy flew out, hitting Amanda in the chest. Instantly her body grew smaller, forming into that of a newborn baby. David could feel the changes as he shrank his strength dwindled until he couldn’t stand and he plonked onto his tiny diapered rear.

Although he found himself unable to speak other than gurgling sounds, he refused to cry, remaining silent as he was picked up by the officer and handed to a woman who had just entered the court room.

"Oh, thank you Officer Merrick for looking after Julia for me. I bet she’s ready for a feed now."

"Take good care of her now, Mrs Jones, and we’ll see you in a week," he replied with a smile.

David kept eye contact with the Judge as he was placed in the arms of his new mother, and saw something like respect show in her eyes as he made no complaint.

***********************************************

Miss Green entered into the judge’s chambers looking for Judge Herns.

"June, do you think that there is something odd about Amanda’s behaviour? I mean look how she carried on in my office when she claimed not to be Jack, but someone called David. I’m wondering if this rebellious attitude is the result of a fissure in Jack’s mind that’s led to a splitting of personalities."

"Carol, I must admit that it is unusual and there’s something about Amanda that…I can’t put my finger on it exactly. Just so you know, I’ll be keeping my eye on her. A week as Julia should quench that rebellious streak, and we can get back to normal business."

"I’m worried about her rushing out of class today. Miss Miller saw her rushing across the school grounds like a gazelle with a lion after her. She should have been able to handle the class okay. Hopefully we’ll get some answers from the students. If not it will have to wait till you restore her."

"I’ll talk to her later and see what she finds out," June answered bemusedly.

***********************************************

For David, life as baby Julia was curiously calming. Whether it was a side effect of the change in brain size, or a physical one due to the relatively unformed brain of the baby, he was currently inhabiting from being able to keep the totality of his memories. He found the stress formed by his worry of his wife and daughter, and even his own situation, was tempered by a warm fuzziness that filled his thoughts. It was like being drunk where everything seems slightly out of focus and remote without the other side effects.

At first he tried to hold his bowel movements to when he was being changed, but found that Julia’s mother didn’t change him until he soiled them. So he just let go years of learnt behaviour of holding back and just did it when the urge hit. A simple squall would alert her of his need. In fact he was so quiet and his refusal to cry like a normal baby, that she took him to see Dr Green about it.

"But Carol, she hasn’t cried in days, and she just lies there like a zombie. I’m scared there’s something wrong," confided Mrs Jones.

"I’m sure she will be fine in a few days," Dr Green replied, but wondered what was going on inside Julia’s head.

David watched closely as Dr Green examined her body, taking note of her puzzled expression. Inwardly he was grinning at her discomfort, as he lay motionless like a rag doll. Even when she pinched his bottom out of the view of the mother, trying in vain to get some sort of response. He preferred to remain silent as he tried to keep his sense of identity together, by remembering all the details of his life as far back as he could.

Finally, the day arrived. Julia’s mother came back to the Doctor’s office where Officer Merrick took the baby while Dr Green had a chat with Mrs Jones. June Herns look of bafflement as she read the notes she had been given, was quickly quenched, as Julia was brought before her.

"Well, it looks as if you have been behaving yourself, so I’m going to change you back into Amanda as long as you toe the line. If I have to see you again, I won’t be so lenient with you."

David held still, saying nothing as the now familiar glow enveloped his body. As he grew back into Amanda’s slender form, he sighed, but continued to remain silent under the scrutiny of the Judge. Seemingly satisfied, she started to turn away just as David quietly spoke.

"Nothing you do will alter the fact that I don’t belong here. Turn me back into a baby, I don’t care. It won’t change the facts. I WILL not, and more importantly CANNOT be a teacher, unless you erase my mind and reprogram me with your magic to fit your needs." David braced himself, eyes closed waiting, waiting for the Judge to blow a gasket and call down her wrath on him. Seconds passed, and he opened his eyes glancing to where the Judge stood, frozen.

"Amanda."… The Judge’s voice calmly came. "If we wanted to let you die we could have left you on the bridge." Her voice surprisingly, to David, was filled with compassion. "We like to think of this change as redemption, and not as a punishment. We need a teacher and you will fill that role," she continued, her voice hardening as she went on.

"But..."

"Go before I do something I shouldn’t," she interrupted.

David walked out, resolute in his determination to stand up to the Judge as best he could. Out of the courthouse and into the foyer, where he saw Mrs Jones coming out with Julia in her arms. Linda looked up at Amanda’s exit from the courtroom and smiled at her. David smiled weakly back and continued outside and started to walk, grateful of the chance to be independent again. Walking in the sunny morning allowed his mind to once again dwell on the situation of his wife and child, and he felt the frustration return.

***********************************************

Susan was puzzled; David was acting strangely as they drove together east along the highway. He had altered their route so instead of them heading directly east though the next state, insisted they deviate to the south and then move east. Unfortunately she didn’t pick up on the fact that he seemed to pay great attention to everything she said.

Jack didn’t want to risk discovery by the police cordons he was sure would be covering the state borders, and wanted to completely bypass it on their way east. By listening intently to Susan, he picked up most of the information he needed to continue the deception. In the meantime, he was constructing mental images of the things he intended to do when alone with "his " daughter.

***********************************************

"BEEP…BEEP"… David was startled out of his musings as he walked along the path in the general direction of his flat. A small red convertible had pulled along side him, and the driver had tooted the horn, and then called out her name. It was the maths teacher, Glen Talbot, and he offered her a lift to school. Shaking his head, David declined, saying he was going home. Glen then offered to drive her there, and David relented and got into the car.

David was silent on the way back to the flat. He didn’t feel like engaging in any chit-chat, especially with someone who had been close to Amanda in her pre-transformed life. Glen was content to talk to her about school matters, filling her in with the latest gossip, as if David was the least bit interested. He was finding it hard to keep in mind that he wasn’t a "she", as the references to him were always in the feminine pronoun.

Trying to think of himself as David was nearly impossible. The way his breasts jiggled with every movement, and Amanda’s very feminine attire with their attendant sensuous sensations, were sending their own conflicting signals. He was finding that he was falling deeper under the spell’s influence and caught himself with panic, thinking of himself as Amanda, once or twice.

He needed a way out of here, before Amanda’s life became his own and he woke up one day to find that David was submerged beneath the trappings of femininity. When he entered his flat, after thanking Glen for the ride, he decided to change his clothes and get into something less feminine. After finding that the only pants available were skin tight, and only showed his curves off more, he decided to put on a simple dress that was gathered under the bodice and fell with a full skirt to just below his knees. Although it was decorated in a rather feminine yellow floral pattern, it felt comfortable and light.He found a pair of low-heeled sandals that seemed to go with it. Shaking out his hair, he let it flow down freely. It took an almost Herculean amount of mental will not to put makeup on, as he’d found that after arranging his hair the ‘skill’ had started automatically applying it.

He didn’t get away completely with it though. The ‘skill’ had somehow managed to force him to apply some perfume, and deciding not to waste time trying to wash it off, resigned himself to smelling like a girl. ‘Beats BO. I guess,’ he thought to himself.

Looking around the flat while trying to come up with a plan, he eventually found out where everything was. David then decided to make an early lunch for himself.

A knock on the door startled him for a moment, and he quickly ran to a nearby window and peered out from behind the curtain to see who it was. Miss Miller stood there with a determined look on her face. Backing away, David decided that he’d go to his bedroom and politely "not hear her knock.’ Feeling hounded, he sank into a black fugue. After a minute or so, just when he hoped she’d gone, his bedroom door was opened and in walked Miss Miller.

"Ecce, puer, ad sum ante meridiem et nulli desperare, gaudeamus igitur." She said. (Translation: Look, child, I am here before noon, so let us be joyful.) "Reverti, quod in ludo nescesse es." (Translation: Return, for you are needed in school.) She added.

"Huh?" David understood none of it and only knew it sounded like Latin.

"Quid non me intelligas?" she added in surprise. (Translation: "why don’t you understand me?")

From the blank look in Amanda’s eyes, Laura knew something was very wrong here. There was no way that a teacher of Latin wouldn’t have understood her. She had come to get Amanda back to school, but was so bemused with this revelation that she found herself unable to do more than say that she would be back soon. As David stood up and was about to say not to bother, he found himself alone. Miss Miller had vanished.

‘So… she’s one of them too,’ he thought to himself. ‘No wonder she got inside so easily.’

***********************************************

"But June, she didn’t understand me when I spoke to her in Latin, no wonder she fled the class." Laura Miller said as she paced nervously in front of June Herns.

"Are you absolutely sure of this?" June queried, looking disquieted.

"I’m sure…yes."

"Hmm… this puts me in a bind, Dr Green mentioned something about a split personality. If this is true, then the half, which we know was ‘Jack’ and knew Latin, disappeared with the change. We could be left with the ‘David’ half, who’s claiming to be innocent and is unable to understand Latin. Where is she now? We need to keep a close eye on her."

"I left her at home, I think she’s too afraid to show herself," Laura replied.

"Good," June nodded, "you’d better get back to school, I’ll check this out myself."

***********************************************

David wanted out, and had started walking trying to find a way of escaping this crazy place. After walking for half an hour keeping to the quietest streets he came to the outskirts and saw the open countryside. Just as he was about to gather up his skirts to climb over the fence bordering the fields, a voice at his shoulder froze him in place.

"They look inviting, don’t they?"

David turned… to see Officer Merrick standing there. ‘This guy must be one of "them," thought David, panicking a little.

"You can’t escape you know, even if you walked in a straight line, you’d find yourself stopped." He said with a faint grin.

David got angry at the smug look on the officer’s face.

"None of you people get it, do you? I’m not the person you think I am. I don’t belong here, I have a wife and a daughter who are relying on me to find a cure for their disease." David explained, exasperatedly.

"Tell me about them, I’m listening." answered Officer Merrick.

David took that as a first sign that maybe, just maybe he could tell his side of the story. Starting from the beginning, he related everything that had happened from the moment they found out about the disease that was consuming his wife and daughters life to the present moment. After he finished, he added,

‘They should be passing near here soon by my calculations. Keep a lookout for them, they’ll back up my story."

Officer Merrick looked at Amanda with an expression of respect and sadness.

"I think there’s been a terrible mistake made."

As David looked hopefully at him, he saw the cop stiffen as if seeing something far away. With a quick "I got to go," he turned and blurred out of sight. David stood stunned, he knew that the officer wasn’t human in a normal sense, but seeing him vanish like that was still a shock.

‘I wonder where he had to go in such a hurry,’ he wondered to himself.

***********************************************

For some reason Diane didn’t like the way her father looked at her. He had seemed to have changed… almost like he was another person altogether. She noticed it had started since they met back up with him. His sidelong glances made her feel uncomfortable, which upset her, as she loved her dad. They were driving along an empty stretch of road, when a tire blew with a loud bang. The flap-flap flapping sound of the ruined tire as it tore away from the rim was accompanied by a startled yell as David (Jack) wrestled with the wheel trying to control the wobbling SUV.

With a screech of brakes and a grinding sound as the rim threw sparks from the road’s surface, they slowed… but not enough. Managing only to hang on to the wheel, David (Jack) saw the SUV headed for the ditch along side the road. Susan screamed to Diane to hold on as the SUV slowly and with inexorable force tilted and started falling to its final resting place.

When the smashing noises of the interior belongings subsided, and the dust and smoke cleared, the only sounds were the ticking, plinking sounds of overheated metal and the dripping of burst water reservoirs. Then…a groan, and a sound of shifting debris, as Diane scrambled out from under a mattress in the rear of the SUV. Pulling herself up she saw that the vehicle had fallen on its side.

"MOM… DAD? Are you okay?" she cried.

Scrambling dazed, and a little disorientated from the unusual position she found herself in, she moved rearward, climbing over the jumble of belongings.

Moans from her parents told her that at least they were still alive, and she struggled to climb out the rear door, which was buckled from the crash. Moving round to the front she saw her parents hanging from their seat belts. Her father had blood dripping from a cut over his eye, and was moving sluggishly as he tried to free himself.

Just then, a voice behind her told her ‘stand clear.’ Looking around, she saw a tall slender police officer standing there. She was surprised, as she’d not heard a car pull up, or seen anyone about, just moments ago.

"Can you help them?" she asked worriedly.

"Yes, but please stand clear, I think the fuel is about to catch."

Diane went white… her parents were still trapped inside. Before she could even scream in horror, the man sprang into action. Like the comic book hero "The Flash" Diane stood rooted to the spot as she watched the officer blur into motion in seconds both her father and mother were clear and lying on the ground some distance away. With a frightening "Whomp", a ball of exploding fuel and debris reached out towards the girl standing frozen in fear. Just as she was sure she was about to die, she felt herself being picked up and whirled with a speed that defied understanding out of harms way.

"Tsk tsk tsk, you should have moved when I told you, Diane," the officer said chillingly, a slight grin belying his rebuke.

Diane found herself out of danger and amazingly unharmed. Not questioning the impossible, she turned and gave the man a hug thanking him for saving her life. Officer Merrick smiled, his face coming alive at the simple, but heartfelt gratitude coming from the child. Then turning, he busied himself checking out the two adults. The mother was fine, just a contusion that had resulted in her unconscious state. When he looked at the man and wiped the blood away, he stilled, looking very intently, a strange expression on his face.

***********************************************

David walked aimlessly, deep in thought. His life was in tatters, changed into someone else and unable to even live out that person’s life. His choices were limited either accept this life as Amanda, even though he couldn’t do her job as a teacher, or contemplate killing himself as there seemed no escape from the town of Andersonville.

He stopped, taking in his surroundings. He was on the bridge looking over a ravine that was maybe 30 feet deep. Far enough to be fatal if he decided to jump head first. He climbed up onto the edge and stood there looking down. Memories of the recent rail bridge incident flooded back.

‘Was it worth carrying on trying to live a life not his own?’ he pondered. One step, and it would be all over...no worrying about school or having to adjust to life as a woman... no just a quick brief pain then oblivion.

Standing there, he felt so alone and tears fell unchecked as his emotions boiled over. Then as he leaned forward, an image of his daughter laughing on her birthday flashed into his head. A feeling of terror flooded though his body, stilling any motion. He couldn’t give up and go the coward’s way out. Diane’s life depended on him. She trusted him to find a place that could cure her so she could have many more birthdays.

Taking a deep breath to steady him, he was about to step down, when a woman’s voice spoke.

"Please come down. We need to talk,"

Looking over her shoulder David saw the Judge Herns standing there.

‘How do they do that?’ he muttered under his breath.

"No," he snarled, annoyed by the thought that if he did she would think he had complied with her wishes and not made the decision on his own.

"Do you truly want to die?" the Judge added.

"No," he said simply,

‘Let her make sense of that,’ he gloated.

The Judge paused, looking defeated.

"Isn’t there any way we can come to an agreement?" she offered.

"Oh yes... you can let me go as my old self." David countered.

"I’m afraid that’s impossible, you don’t know what you’re asking," she sighed.

"Then let me go as I am...I want. No, I need to try and do what I must to save my wife and daughters life, even if it means I remain a woman for the rest of my days," he conceded.

Judge Herns was about to reply when David saw her eyes change... the same look that Officer Merrick had before he left so abruptly.

"Come with me, there’s been a development," she said in a serious tone. She held out a hand and for some unexplained reason, David took it sensing that there was something bigger going on here. In an instant of time David found that they had travelled to the local hospital where he saw doctors fussing around a couple of patients. Officer Merrick gave David a shared wink and with a nod drew his attention to a child sitting by the patient’s beds.

It was Diane! David’s heart leapt in joy, until the way she was looking at the patients made him realise the worse. It was Susan in the bed.

"Susan!...SUSAN," He surged forward to get closer, but the grip of the Judge held firm.

"She’s okay, just unconscious," she explained.

Looking back at his daughter, he saw she had turned to look at him, or rather Amanda.

"You know my mother?" she asked puzzled.

"Yes bubbakins I do," he answered.

Her eyes opened in shock,

"But…but, only my daddy calls me that," she said wonderingly.

"I know I do, Diane… I just look a little different now," David sighed.

"Daddy?… DADDIIIIIIIIIIEEEEE!" she shrieked, as she ran to David and flung her arms around David’s decidedly slender form.

"Was it the police officer who changed you? He is magic too, he saved me from the explosion," she sobbed.

"No honey bunch, it was this lady here," David said, indicating the Judge. "Officer Merrick saved you?" David continued. He looked over at Officer Merrick and saw an acknowledging shrug.

"Yes, I was sure I was going to die when the car blew up, but he flew me away out of harm and got mommy and daddy out too…oh…but…"

"DADDY?" David broke free from the Judge with a rush of adrenaline-powered strength and rushed over to the other patient, where he stopped, hands clenching in anger. He looked down at the same face he used to own, and realised this was the one, who’s crimes, he had been punished for.

He wanted to put his hands around the man’s throat and choke him to death for causing him so much anguish, but as he looked at him he realised he couldn’t do it. Not only was it like killing himself, but he refused to allow himself to drop to down to the same level. Instead he straightened up and turned instead to his wife, where unbidden, the tears flowed as he gazed upon her motionless body.

"See, you did make a mistake," he accused Judge Herns scathingly.

"So it seems, David," she admitted sadly.

"Why did you turn my daddy into a girl?" Diane asked beseechingly.

Judge Herns crouched down to Diane’s level. "Honey, it was a mistake, but we’ll see what we can do about it tomorrow. Do you want to go with your real daddy for now, and we’ll see you tomorrow morning at the courthouse?"

Yes, alright. Will my mommy be okay?"

"Of course honey, she’ll be fine. Now run along with Amanda…um I mean David," she corrected herself. She had the grace to blush at her faux pa.

"Amanda? Oh daddy I love that name. Can I use it while you look like that?" she giggled. She ran over and hugged him with delight.

David’s heart soared, not only did his daughter accept him as a woman and not turn away, she even showed her love was undiminished.

"Diane, you can call my anything you want, as long as you call me," he responded with Amanda’s feminine giggle. For the first time since his change, he wasn’t concerned about appearances. He was alive, his daughter was alive, and his wife was alive. Tomorrow was another day, maybe his last as a woman. He could relax and enjoy some quality time with his daughter in a whole new way, not as a father and daughter, but as a female parent and her child.

David, in his euphoria, did something he thought he’d never do. He walked over to Officer Merrick and throwing his slender arms around his neck, kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you for saving my family," he whispered, blushing furiously at his actions.

"Just doing my duty, David. Oh… there’s a car outside if you want to take your daughter on a tour…around Andersonville only," he added, the meaning being crystal clear.

David, after making sure Susan was in good hands, took Diane out and found a new red Ford waiting in the hospitals parking lot. The keys were in it, and they climbed in and drove to the nearest little cafe where they had a nice lunch. David listened to Diane’s tale from when they left home and encountered the other person who they thought was he. David asked whether the man had done or said anything bad to them.

"No daddy, but he did keep looking at me and made me feel uncomfortable. I did wonder at the time we met. There seemed to be something wrong, but I didn’t realise what it was until you called me bubbakins. He never said it. You always do when we see each other."

David shuddered at the thought of what might have happened had that tire not blown out so conveniently. Thinking about the coincidence that Officer Merrick had been so handy, made David suspected that maybe the accident had been no such thing. He didn’t know what to think about this person who had stopped them in time, but had at the same time put their lives at risk. Maybe they didn’t think like normal people, he mused to himself. One thing for sure, they weren’t like normal people.

"Amanda...daddy!" Diane’s voice interrupted his musings and he shook his head as if clearing the cobwebs.

"Yes honey? Sorry I was away with the fairies," he explained.

"Do you have a place you live at?"

"Yes, you can stay with me tonight.

"Daddy...what’s it like being Amanda?" she asked.

"Well it’s different from being a man and the clothes take some getting used to, but it isn’t like I became completely different like an alien or something," he answered honestly. "I still have two arms and legs, even if they are a little thinner. Most things feel very much the same."

Diane giggled, "I think you look beautiful, daddy."

David blushed, feeling oddly pleased with the compliment.

"Honey, do you want to look at some shops? I could be like your other mommy and we could get ice cream later."

Diane’s response was to hug him and pull him out of his seat saying, "let’s go, Amanda."

After a quick visit to the ladies room, they left and drove into the centre of Andersonville, where Diane wanted to get some new clothes.

"I’m going to need everything and so will mommy, we lost everything in the crash. You are nearly the same size so you can buy her things and try them on for her," Diane stated with childish simplicity.

"Okay honey, but I hope I have enough money for all of this," David reminded her. He then realised what he’d allowed his daughter to talk him into. Buying and trying on women’s clothes…"Well," he thought, sighing, "I’m really going to get an education here."

The rest of the afternoon they spent trying on clothes, underwear, and shoes. In fact they brought a whole new wardrobe, including cosmetics and some jewellery. David found that he had really enjoyed the time interacting with his daughter as a female, and often took her advice when she said buy this or try that.

Looking at the pile of purchases, he dreaded the time when he came to pay for it. He took out the credit card that he found in Amanda’s purse and presented it with some trepidation to the girl at the counter. He worries grew when she checked it and then motioned to an older, but gorgeous woman working near the back.

She came forward and looked at the card and returned it to David, saying, "I’m sorry, but that card is no good in this store."

David’s heart sank, and he blushed with embarrassment. Just as he was about to tell his daughter the bad news, the woman smiled and said, "Amanda, whatever you need has been taken care of, courtesy of Judge Herns. Your card is no good because there’s no charge. My name is April Marshall. If I can be of any further assistance, please ask and I’ll be only too willing to help."

David could tell from the way April carried herself that this was another one like the Judge and Officer Merrick. They all seemed to carry an aura of wisdom in their eyes, as if they knew the secrets of the ages.

"Maybe they do," thought David, "it was as if they were gods…oh… why didn’t I think of that before? Because dummy, it was too far fetched," he chided himself. David’s internal dialogue took only seconds and he thanked April, for everything, while wondering if he was indeed talking to the legendary Aphrodite.

Later, while enjoying a small ice cream cone and watching his daughter dive head first into the biggest ice cream sundae he’d ever seen, he pondered on his *god theory.* "Merrick, had to be Mercury, with that speed of his," he thought. Not knowing much about mythology, he wondered about the Judge Herns. He knew they had called her June, and with a last name of Herns could she be Juno or was that Hera? Both seemed to fit, but whether he was getting his Roman and Greek gods mixed he wasn’t sure. Anyway it was a moot point. Whoever she was, she was way too powerful for him to thwart.

"I’m finished Amanda," interrupted Diane’s voice.

David laughed at the sight of his daughter; Diane’s face was covered in assorted colours of ice cream.

"Come on honey, let’s get you cleaned up," David giggled.

They walked to the ladies where David knelt down and gently washed the ice cream away with some wet tissues. While they were there, a woman coming out of a stall looked at them both smiling, as she washed her hands and freshened her lipstick.

"Your daughter is adorable, you must be the proudest mother around," she spoke.

"Yes she is, and I am," David said, without hesitation, not picking up on the ‘mother.’

"You behave yourself for your mother hon," the lady said, finishing up and moving towards the exit.

"I do, don’t I mother?" Diane replied, giggling.

"Yes Diane. You are the best daughter a…a mother could have," David replied, blushing as he stumbled over his new description. He gathered Diane into a hug, tears leaking unashamedly down his cheeks.

It was odd to be able to release the feelings locked up in his body without wondering whether it was the manly thing to do. It seemed easier as a woman, to wear your emotions on your sleeve, as it were. Nobody pulled you up on it, it was accepted as a normal thing for women to hug and kiss spontaneously. Funny, how it took going though all this, and ending up as a woman to find out how good it felt. He knew when he got his male body back, things would be much different, and he wasn’t thinking of the physical aspects. He would be much closer to his daughter in future in so many ways.

Arriving home at Amanda’s flat, Diane went exploring. She looked at all the clothes in Amanda’s wardrobe, and started playing with her makeup on the vanity while David brought all the bags of shopping and started making dinner.

"Diane...can you give me a hand here honey?"

"Okay, coming mommy," came Diane’s voice.

David smiled, enjoying a weird sense of contentment at being accepted as a surrogate mother. The feelings of love that filled his heart towards his daughter seemed to make the problems of his gender change pale in comparison.

Diane came into the kitchen wearing some of the lipstick that was on his vanity, she had smeared too much of it on and looked more like a small cute clown.

Between the two of them dinner was made interspersed with fits of giggles as Diane played the mother/daughter game. David couldn’t remember the last time he’d had so much fun.

Kate came home, but only had time to say hello before she had to go change for a date that she had that night. So David and Diane ate together, cementing their new closeness.

After cleaning up they watched a little TV until David saw Dane’s’ head start to nod. Getting her into a nice hot bath David started to wash her until Diane started splashing him in fun

"Hey watch it bubbakins," he protested, starting to splash her back.

She laughed and continued, realising the futility of staying dry. David stripped off to bra and panties; for some reason he wasn’t embarrassed and on sudden impulse decided to strip completely and jumped in the bath too.

"Amanda, you have a lovely body. Will I look like that when I grow up?" Diane asked.

David was about to answer "Yes" when he remembered that the truth was in fact that Diane was unlikely to survive many more years, according to the Doctors’ diagnosis. As the reality of the situation hit David, all his dreams shattered. He choked, then mumbled yes, hating the lie he was forced to give.

He barely managed to hold his emotions in check as they both put on nighties and got ready for bed. Diane wanted them both to sleep together in the same bed, and as she snuggled closer to David with such childish trust, his frustration at his helplessness to find a cure, almost overwhelmed him.

‘It would take a miracle or god to help Diane now,’ he thought. ‘God… or gods… hmm, maybe there was a chance after all,’ he mused sleepily.

***********************************************

David and Diane were at the courthouse as soon as it opened. David, under the prompting of his daughter, had gone all out with his appearance. Using some of the clothes, (supposedly for Susan) he looked very elegant in a navy skirt and jacket with a cream blouse. Diane had helped with the hair so that it looked very chic. David had allowed the ‘auto-help’ as he called it, to take over while applying his makeup, and it had paid off by bringing out Amanda’s best features.

A call from Doctor Green had told him when to come to court, and she had assured him his wife was okay and would also be there on time. Before long the courtroom doors were opened and they filed inside. David saw his wife and hurried over to sit next to her. Diane had rushed over and while hugging Susan whispered in Susan’s ear. David saw her eyes widen then look at David more closely. David gave a wry smile and shrugged his shoulders in a ‘well it wasn’t my idea’ way. David moved nearer and quietly gave a brief rundown on the situation. Susan obviously wanted to hear more, but was interrupted by the arrival of the Judge and soon after by Jack.

The courtroom was almost empty, just Doctor Green and the Judge’s assistant Linda, along with Officer Merrick. Jack looked a bit worried, even though the bandages had gone leaving no sign of his injuries. David wondered what was going on in the man’s mind and just what was the Judge going to do to him. One thing for certain, David was glad he wasn’t the one in handcuffs.

"This is a most unusual situation we have here," the Judge spoke in her opening remark.

"First, I need to apologise to David here for the mistake I made, but as you can see, Jack here is identical in appearance."

She paused for a moment. "I think we’d better get to Jack’s sentence before I consider anything else." She looked at Jack dispassionately. "I don’t like people who molest children that are under their care and the exploitation of children for pornographic purposes makes my blood boil. Do you have any last words to say before I sentence you?"

"Go to hell Judge, I want a lawyer. Seeing you forgot to read me my rights, I figure you have no case against me," he smirked nastily.

The Judge nodded and said, "but to read you your rights, you have to have them first. By coming into my town, those rights have been forfeited."

"You can’t do that," he argued back.

"Yes I can. I find you guilty of the crimes and sentence you to a life in Andersonville. That will not only put right the wrongs you committed, but will give the children here, the benefit of your skills in your chosen profession."

With that, she started talking in that weird language again, and Judge Herns hands glowed. A ball of energy rose up and moved toward Jack, striking him in the chest. He reeled back a step, and looked surprised as his body started to change. Susan was shocked to see the man she thought was her husband shrink and become more feminine. As the changes continued, she saw with fascination his clothes changing too until it came clear that he was wearing the same clothes Amanda/David had on.

Dragging her gaze away to look at David, she saw he was beginning to change too. No longer was he the woman that he had been just a few moments ago… no, he was becoming David again, looking back at… Jack? She saw he was now Amanda, and was wearing the same blue skirt and jacket David had worn.

"Amanda, shouldn’t you be in school now?" Judge Herns asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Gratias ago videndo me, sed mihi rendendum est, iudex, (thank you for seeing me, but I must return now judge). Then looking at David and his family Amanda spoke again in Latin, "Puer,te spero docere mox.(child, I hope to teach you soon)

The Judge shook her head at Amanda, and she blushed and repeated it in English, apologising. David listened in amazement as she did the translation, there seemed to be no sign of the previous Jack in her demeanour. As she walked out of the courtroom her movements were as feminine as if she had been born a girl.

‘What…the…" he started to say.

"David, yes it’s true. She really thinks she was born Amanda Louise Delgado and she has no knowledge of ever being Jack," the Judge interrupted. She’ll be teaching children again, but the danger has been eliminated."

"So, he gets off Scot free then, no real punishment like I went though?" David replied angrily.

"David, inside Amanda’s head, a part of Jack still resides, unable to do anything or control Amanda in any way. He will be so close to the children, but will be unable to get any satisfaction from it. Amanda is a woman who likes to look extremely feminine, and she has a boyfriend. Do you not agree that Jack will hate that?" June Herns smiled.

David knew that having mostly come to terms with his change to Amanda, and the enjoyable time he’d had with Diane interacting as two females, had made him think that Jack had got a good deal. But given that Jack was now a virtual prisoner in Amanda’s head put it in a different light.

The Judge then turned to David’s family, and a pensive look crossed her face.

"Now, it’s your turn, and I have several options for you. I could remove your memories of all this and just let you go on your way. But knowing that the "cure" you’re seeking will turn out to be another dead end, I can’t, in all good conscience let you waste your remaining time seeking a cure that doesn’t exist."

At her words, the hope that David had kept of finding a possible cure died. The blood drained from his face and a leaden feeling came over him, as he turned to Susan trying not to cry.

"However…" the Judge continued. "There is another option…" she paused as if considering whether to offer it.

"What?" implored David, clutching at her words in desperation.

"It will have to be your wife and daughters decision, not yours I’m afraid, and you might not like it. It will mean that they will have to remain here in Andersonville for the rest of their lives," Judge Herns went on.

David wondered if he could stand to remain here in Andersonville for the rest of his life to stay with his family. Looking at his daughter and wife it was a non-decision; he would have lived at the North Pole as long as they were together.

"Well I don’t have a pressing need to be any particular place," David stated, quietly. "As long as we’re together," he added.

"That’s the problem, they would have to stay if they accepted the choice, but you cannot."

"Huh? Why not?" David asked, feeling rather confused.

"Because I’d have to transform them and give them bodies that will not be affected by the recessive gene," the judge replied tiredly, as if explaining to a child.

"So you will give them new female bodies, like you did me?"

"NO!"

"Why not?" David persisted, ignoring the growing scowl on the judge’s face.

"Because the recessive gene being carried down the female line will ultimately surface if I use a female form. I may be powerful, but there are limits. Were I to remove the gene that carries the disease, I remove that which makes them who they are." Sighing at David’s blank look, she continued. "David… they would be someone else… not your wife and daughter.

"But…" then the truth hit David. "NO…Please not that," he sobbed.

"It’s the only way David. In any case, it’s their decision." With that, Judge Herns called Susan forward. She walked around the desk and the judge talked quietly to her. David waited, watching, and wondering could he give them up if they decided to go though with it.

He saw them nodding their heads, and he knew that his wife had made the decision to remain in Andersonville. David felt proud and sad at the same time. Proud of Susan’s sacrifice so she could be with her daughter, and sad because David knew they would no longer be man and wife. Both Susan and the Judge knelt down to explain the situation to Diane. David had to look away, his vision blurry from the tears that filled his eyes. He put his head down and sobbed quietly, until he heard the dreaded chant from the Judge.

David couldn’t watch, as both his wife and daughter experienced the changes imposed on their bodies. Susan grew in height and bulked up into an athletic looking 30-year-old man with sandy hair. Diane too changed, becoming male. He was slightly taller, but still had many of her old features. Susan was surprised at the feeling of well being from this new body of hers/his. Obviously, the disease had taken its silent, deadly toil on her old body unnoticed.

David looked up as a tap on the shoulder, revealed the new Susan. He tried to smile bravely and welcomed Diane into his arms as if nothing had happened. The judge spoke quietly, explaining their new lives. Susan was now Terry, a manager of a ladies wear store here in Andersonville. He was married to Helen, who also worked in the same store. Their son David (Diane) was going to school and was on the baseball team.

David was stunned. His wife was married? He tried not to break down in front of her. Just then, a slim woman entered the courtroom and walked over to Terry. She looked about 26-27 years old with a great figure. Her auburn hair way swept back in an attractive style that showed off her gold earrings. Her eyes were those of a temp, and were the only thing that marred her beauty.

"Honey," she said, looking at Terry. "I need you at the shop. There’s a new shipment just in, and I’m rushed off my feet. I had to close the shop just so I could pick you up. Did you sort out the problem with David? I hope the talk with the judge about throwing stones at windows will put a stop to it and prevent it from occurring again."

Terry looked at David and shrugged. "I’ll talk to you about it later." He went off with Helen, while Diane/David looked back at her dad with a surprised expression. David slumped back down on the bench, his mind a turmoil of whirling emotions. The Judge looked at him carefully, as she shuffled some paperwork.

"You should leave Andersonville soon, so they can get on with their new lives." June Herns said quietly.

"I don’t know if I can do that Judge. Anyway, I have no place to go now. I sold my business and the house so we had enough to pay for the treatment. Now that the SUV is toast and my car is probably impounded in another state. I’d have to walk. This is all I have left," he said, indicating his body.

"Well…no… you wouldn’t go for it," she mused out loud.

"What?"

"There is one way you could stay here, but…"

"Hey tell me already," David demanded.

The Judge sighed, "You won’t like it, that’s why I didn’t mention it before."

"Please tell me," he pleaded.

"You could become Helen, and be the wife of your husband. But seeing your revulsion at being female, I guess that’s not an option."

David sat still, trying to imagine wearing dresses for the rest of his life and having sex with a man, even though it was his wife in another form.

"Can I think about it Judge?" he asked speculatively.

"I will give you an hour, then I want you out of here, walking if necessary."

David stumbled outside and looked around at the town with fresh eyes. Would he be content to live here, not going out beyond the town’s outskirts? If the job Helen did in the shop was with feminine apparel, could he cope? There were a million questions that he had no answers for. The two most important reasons for staying were now in different bodies. Could he look past the outer shell and see the person he fell in love with? Did it matter? As long as the two bodies were sexually compatible, did it matter whose mind was in each body?

David walked slowly around in the midday sun, deep in thought. Coming to one of the many parks in Andersonville, he watched the mothers that had their children playing there. Could he walk away from the only family he had left? Something caught his eye, a small child had fallen over and he was crying until his mother ran up and comforted him, wiping his tears way.

For David, suddenly it all came clear, and he knew with a certainty what his decision would be. Making his way back, he found the judge waiting for him.

"Have you made a decision?" she asked calmly.

"Yes your Honor, I have," David replied simply, trying not to be nervous.

"What’s it to be then, Helen or not?"

"Your honor, before I answer that, I want to apologise for the trouble I caused. Most of it was my worry about my family and my being stuck here against my will." He paused, gauging the Judge’s reactions. "I want to be Helen," he said in a rush.

"I was afraid of this," June said sadly. "You realise that once I change you there’s no going back. No threats or temper tantrums will sway me to alter you back."

"I know that, your honor," he said contritely.

"Why should I believe you," she asked sternly.

"Because, in spite of my reluctance in becoming what I’m not, I realise that I’d miss watching my child grow up. To be there when he falls, to comfort him when he needs two loving arms. To be honest, I’m not sure how I’ll handle having a husband, but I’m going to try, for the sake of my child." Tears were running down David’s cheeks as he bared his soul to the Judges scrutiny.

"Very well David, those are fine reasons. I’ll grant your request and please, if you need help in adjusting, you only need to ask," she said warmly. "Just stand there and I’ll put you into Helens body at the shop." She started the chant, but this time David welcomed it, knowing that in a few moments he would be where he belonged, with his family.

As the blue energy struck him, the room faded from view and the surroundings of a very feminine shop coalesced into view. David, now Helen, found herself facing her husband near the rear of the shop. He had a startled expression on his face and he blurted out the very amazing thing he had noticed.

"Your eyes, they changed from the sparkly to a hazel colour."

"Yes, they do that when the temp has been replaced with a real person," Helen giggled.

"You’re …a real person? And you remember your past life?" Terry queried.

"Yes," Helen teased. " Did bubbakins make it to school on time," Helen smiled.

"Yes.. he.. bub..? David is that YOU?" Oh god it is." He shouted in relief, and grabbed Helen, hugging her for dear life.

"Terry… stop hugging so hard," she gasped.

Terry loosed his hold and looked at Helen in amazement. Helen looked up at her husband/wife and taking a deep breath, leaned forward, and puckered her lips. Terry completed the move and they kissed deeply. That’s when they realised it didn’t matter what sex each was. It was two lovers confirming a bond made in another time and place.

***********************************************

David, after arriving home from his first day at school was as surprised as Terry in the change in Helen. He screamed in delight to hear that she was really his dad when Helen told her story that evening. Helen welcomed the hugs from her son, and looked hesitantly at Terry as if unsure to do the same. Overcoming this last hurdle with a resolve to make this work, Helen opened her arms inviting Terry into the hug. Terry smiled, and knew that times ahead were going to be an interesting challenge, but in his/her heart he/she knew that Helen had finally accepted the situation. Time would take care of the rest, at least they all had the time now, to start again.

Some time in the future…

Helen sat thinking on how things had worked out fine, as she feed little Diane at her breast. The maternal bond that comes with having a baby suckle, was giving her the most satisfaction. Sex as a woman was something she looked forward to after her initial reluctance, Terry was gentle that first time allowing her time to get used to the idea. Now, she usually was the one who initiated the bedroom gymnastics.

David was doing fine in school and business was booming. Helen, having been in the same situation as many of her transformed customers, found she could entice the most reluctant of them to buy. Of course she had lots of help from Terry, who had the experience with feminine apparel. Yes things were great and she was looking forward to teaching her daughter and sharing the unique bond that a mother and daughter share.

Terry too, was dealing with his change. He still had a lot of input into what looked great on Helen, in terms of clothes, and found that having a sexy wife (especially in bed), was exciting. What he missed the most was wearing the sensual fabrics close to his skin both at work and in bed. Helen came up with the solution, and now he wore silky panties and a chemise under his clothes, and he had the nicest selection of silk nighties to wear to bed.

Hearing a car door slam and then running feet entering the house, she put the baby down in her bassinet, and made her way to greet her son and husband coming back from playing ball in the park.

Fade out…

 

 

 

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© 2002 by Prudence Walker. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, compilation design) may printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without express written consent of the copyright holder.