Evelyn pouted in her cage. Mary Lou had not kept her promise. Evelyn had trouble keeping track of time, but she knew by the rising and setting of the sun that many days had passed, and Mary Lou had yet to return to free her.
And the fools at the Zoo had continued to confuse her for Mary Lou. She absolutely hated her new name. In fact, she hated everything about her new life. The Zoo staff had not yet introduced a male gator into her enclosure, like Mary Lou had threatened. She remained alone in her pen. Alone and bored. True, the tourists came by to ogle and taunt her. But it was no replacement for the company of family or a nice conversation with her friends. Or the warm embrace of her boyfriend, Adam. An embrace he now shared with Mary Lou, the alligator that had switched bodies with her and stolen her life.
Mary Lou. Evelyn silently cursed the name for the thousandth time. Every time someone called her by her usurper's name it was like a dagger in her heart. She had not just stolen her name. She had taken everything away from her. Her home, her boyfriend, her freedom ....... And it had left her severely depressed. Evelyn would have stopped eating, but the stupid injections the Zoo staff gave her made her so hungry she couldn't resist.
Evelyn looked around her empty cage, and was even more depressed. It was a large enclosure, but it was still a prison. There was a small pond, and some nice foliage. But she was going mad staring at the same boring surroundings. There was nothing to do but eat and sleep. The monotony was driving her crazy.
The door to Evelyn's cage suddenly opened, and a small girl with bright red hair entered her enclosure. When she was first captured, Evelyn had fought any Zoo staff who entered, in a vain attempt to escape. But after repeated failures, she no longer even tried. She realized it was pointless, and Evelyn just didn't care anymore. It wasn't worth the energy. Besides, she remembered this person. Most of the staff treated Evelyn with disdain, but she was different. This girl was gentle with Evelyn, and seemed to generally like her.
Idly, Evelyn wondered why the girl was here. In the enclosure, days and weeks drifted by without notice. Every day seemed the same when you were alone and nothing really changed. Evelyn saw a shampoo bottle in one of the girl's hands, and a scrub brush in the other.
Is it bath time already? thought Evelyn. It seems like I was just cleaned.
Usually Evelyn would have protested. Most of the staff would drug her, and scrub her body painfully. But this one - Kim, I think she was called - was different. Kim was gentle, scrubbing softly and deeply, getting every hidden crevice of Evelyn's large body clean. It was almost like a nice massage. So Evelyn rewarded Kim with docile behavior when she cleaned her.
"Hello, Mary Lou. How are you this evening? " said Kim cheerfully.
Upset at the sound of that cursed name, Evelyn turned away from Kim and sulked.
"Oh, c'mon, don't be that way. I just wish you weren't so sad, " said Kim. "I know. A nice bath always seems to cheer you up. And if you are really good - and behave yourself so I don't have to drug you - I might have another surprise for you. A little deer meat, maybe?"
Evelyn began to salivate uncontrollably a little bit. She had to admit, the girl was good. Kim would make a good zookeeper. Evelyn smiled a little as she turned.
"That's a good girl. You're the best Mary Lou, " said Kim. "And look. We are going to try something new tonight. I found this strange shampoo in the store room. Let's see if it is any good."
Evelyn's eyes went wide when she saw what was in Kim's hands - the Indigo Shampoo! She had thought that all of that stuff was lost or taken by Mary Lou. But here it was - right in the girl's hands. And she was going to use it on her. Evelyn felt something she hadn't felt for a long time - hope. Her tail began to wiggle back and forth behind her in excitement.
Kim backed up towards the door. "Whoa, girl, settle down. I don't think I have ever seen you this worked up. Maybe I should go get the sedative."
Evelyn focused, and controlled her tail. She needed her wits tonight, and she couldn't afford to get drugged. Evelyn did her best to look submissive and docile. But it was difficult to control her excitement. Evelyn turned and presented her back to Kim, inviting her to begin the bath.
Kim was a little confused. She had never seen such behavior in an alligator before. It almost looked intelligent, like it understood her. "Okay, girl, I know you don't like the sedative. Neither do I. I'm going to give you a chance tonight. But just in case, I better leave the door open."
Kim reached forward, and slipped a muzzle across Evelyn's snout. Normally Evelyn hated the muzzle. She hated it when the staff treated her like an animal. But because Evelyn knew that a bath was close behind she was ecstatic. Evelyn heard Kim pour the shampoo into her bucket, then work it up to a lather with her sponge. Finally, after what seemed like an impossibly long time, Evelyn felt the brush run across the thick hide on her back. As Kim leaned her other hand on Evelyn's back, she felt the familiar warmth spreading across her body, and Evelyn couldn't help but smile.