Amanda answered the door, smiling. Outside was a tall girl about Amanda's age, with frizzy brown hair.
"Hi", she said. "I'm Jessica Alvarez, Amanda's friend."
"Do come in, dear", said Amanda. " I'm Amanda, Stacy told me you were coming. As Jessica hung up her coat, Amanda sprinkled a fine powder over her head. Jessica didn't seem to notice.
"Have a seat, Jessica. Stacy stepped out for a moment, but I'm sure she'll be back soon. Can I get you anything? Are you thirsty?"
Jessica had been fine, but the word "thirsty" seemed to echo in her head. Suddenly, she was parched.
"Yes, please, I'd like a glass of water."
"Certainly, dear."
Amanda went into the kitchen and came back with a glass of something that looked and tasted like water, but wasn't. Jessica accepted it with thanks, and drank it down greedily.
"Wow, that really hit the spot. Thanks again!"
"You're quite welcome, dear. Why don't you turn on the television while we're waiting for Stacy? The remote's right over by you."
"Sure", said Jessica. She reached for the remote, but found that she couldn't make her fingers work.
"Is something wrong, Jessica?" asked Amanda.
"I don't know", said the girl. "It's like there's something wrong with my fingers!"
Jessica gasped as her fingers became shorter and stubbier, her nails darkened and curved into claws, and pads began to form on her palms. Fur began to grow on what were now her paws.
"Oh, my God, what's happening to me?"
"It's interesting", said Amanda, "how the change happens differently each time."
"'Each time'?" said Jessica. "You've seen this before?"
"Oh, yes", said Amanda. "Just a short while ago when I changed Stacy."
""You changed Stacy'?" said Jessica, so astonished that she didn't notice the change spreading up her arms. "You're doing this?"
"Yes, dear", came the reply. "If it's any consolation, it's not my choice, and it's nothing personal."
"'Nothing personal'?" screamed Jessica. Her arms had now completely changed into a dog's forelimbs. "You're crazy! I'm getting out of here!"
With that she ran over to the door. However, she quickly found that her paws were useless to open the securely-locked door. She turned to Amanda.
"Let me me out of here, now!"
"No", said Amanda. " Now stop that noise and come over here, now."
To her surprise, Jessica found her legs carrying her back over to where Amanda now stood. Amanda spoke again.
"Now hold still while I undress you." Jessica found herself incapable of moving.
"'Undress' me? Why?"
"It's easier to observe the change that way", said Amanda, as she quickly but gently removed Jessica's clothing.
Jessica began to cry as a coat of brown fur began to grow on her torso, even as it re-shaped itself into that of a dog.
"Why are you doing this to me?"
"Just bad luck on your part, dear. I used my powers to find a suitable initial candidate, then I used them again to influence her parents to hire me, then I influenced her to summon girls that would be suitable. Not really her fault, or her parents'. They weren't exactly free agents in all of this. Really, I'm not even 'free'. Blame the Fates, if you like. In the end, those three make us all dance for them."
Amanda led Jessica over to the full-length mirror hanging in the hall. Jessica moaned as she saw her nose darken and then lengthen, moving outward from her face. Her lower jaw followed suit, her teeth sharpened, and her tongue thinned out and lengthened. Soon she had a perfectly-formed canine muzzle. She felt a tingling at the base of her spine, and soon a tail thrust itself out of her hindquarters. Next, she found herself rising up onto the balls of her feet as her toes began re-shaping themselves into paws. Amanda steadied her as her legs began to re-form into those of a dog, lowering the girl gently to the ground once her limps had assumed a completely quadrupedal configuration. The change was now complete, except for her ears. Amanda was nonplussed. The sight of an otherwise fine-looking German Shepherd with human ears was bizarre, even to her! However, the ears soon changed, and the transformation was complete. Amanda slipped a leash onto the girl, and led her towards the back door.
Out in the back yard, Stacy's mind was awash in fear and confusion. Was she going to be stuck like this forever? What was Amanda doing to her friends? It didn't help that her new canine senses were overwhelming her with a brace of new sensations. The new smells alone were making her crazy! Worse still, there was a part of her that was becoming more and more comfortable as a dog! What if she lost her human intelligence? What if she forgot she'd ever been human? She perked up as she saw the back door open. Her tail began wagging at the sight of Amanda. Stacy was horrified! She was reacting like a dog at the sight of its owner! She whined unhappily as she saw that Amanda was leading another German Shepherd like herself. She caught the new dog's scent, and to her horror, she realized that the new dog was Jessica, transformed just as she was! Amanda led Jessica over and chained her up to the doghouse next to Jessica's.
"Now, you girls be good and be quiet. I have to go get ready to meet our final guest. Don't worry, it'll be time for the final step soon."
With that, Amanda went back into the house. Stacy wondered frantically what she had meant by the "final step". She looked over at Jessica and whined as apologetically as she could. How she wished they could speak together - maybe even plan. Jessica looked at her, her tail wagging feebly. Stacy placed one of her forepaws over one of Stacy's. She was pleased to she that her friend didn't pull away. She hoped that meant that Jessica didn't blame her for the fix they were in.
Back in the house, Amanda prepared to receive her next guest. She hoped that this unpleasant business would soon be over. She prayed to the Fates that everything would go smoothly, and hoped that they were listening for once. Shortly, the doorbell rang. Forcing a smile onto her face, Amanda answered it.
Who is at the door? Is it...
 indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
| Members who added to this interactive story also contributed to these: |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
More by this author