Kim knew Heather was telling the truth. She could see her body changing right before her eyes. Her skin had taken on a reddish hue, and was body had begun to swell as she grew larger. Her clothes groaned under the pressure of her expanding body.
"You bitch! " spat Kim. "I was trying to help you. I thought we were friends!"
"Now, now. I would watch that temper of yours. Getting angry will just accelerate the changes, " said Heather with a smile.
Kim tried to calm herself down, and immediately felt the changes slow. "Thanks, " said Kim gruffly. "But why would you help me like that?"
"Why, isn't that what friends do? Help each other? " asked Heather.
"Turning me into a dragon is helping me? " asked Kim. She had to work hard to control her anger.
"Of course! Being a dragon is great. I know you will love it. Isn't that why you came to this exhibit? Because you like dragons? " asked Heather.
"Just because I like dragons, doesn't mean I want to be one, " said Kim through gritted teeth. She could feel her body begin to swell again, as her anger started to build. This girl was either really stupid or really crazy. Either way, it was really starting to piss her off.
"It doesn't matter. When you finish changing, you are going to love it. Then you can thank me by breaking these silly chains, " said Heather, as lifted up the chains attached to her front claws.
"Or I could just use my new strength to move your tail out of the way so I could get out of the door and leave you behind, " said Kim with a smile.
Heather's jaw dropped. Apparently she hadn't even considered that possibility. Kim decided that crazy or not, this girl was just now very bright. "You wouldn't? " asked Heather softly.
"Watch me, " said Kim with a grin.
"Fine, fine. You don't want to be a dragon, you don't have to be a dragon. You don't know what you will be missing, but who am I to question a fool?" said Heather.
"You mean there is a cure?" asked Kim with hope.
"Well, not exactly a cure, per se. But there is a kind of inhibitor compound you could try. It won't reverse any changes, but it will stop the changes from progressing any further, " said Heather.
"Where is it? Give it to me now, "said Kim.
Heather just wagged one clawed finger at her. "No, no, no. You get what you want, when I get what I want. Free me from these chains, and I will take you where it is kept. But you better hurry. Every minute you waste, you will lose more and more of your human shape. If you take too long, you will end up as some kind of freakish hybrid of human and dragon, " said Heather.
Kim frowned. She desperately wanted that compound, but she had no idea how she could free Heather from the heavy chains. She wasn't even sure if she should try. After all, Heather was contagious. Who knew what kind of chaos she could cause if she was set free. But then again, she really did not want to become a monster herself. She looked at her body. She could tell that she was now taller, and slightly more bulky with muscle. She could feel the pent up energy within her just begging to be released. She needed to do something, and soon, or it would be too late.