Jake sniffed again. He hoped this cold wouldn’t last long. The big game was in a couple of days. He needed to be in peak physical condition, and a cold would not help. He left the house just as a car pulled up to the curb. It was his pal, Aaron. He smiled and quickly hopped in the car.
Jake and Aaron were both jocks. Jake was on the football team while Aaron was on the baseball team. They had been friends for years and had been in the same classes since kindergarten.
“What’s up, bro?” Aaron asked as he pulled the car away. “You ready for the game on Friday?”
“I’m mentally ready,” Jake said. He sniffed again. “It’s just this cold that came out of nowhere that’s got me a little concerned.”
“Yikes,” Aaron said. “Don’t sneeze in my car.” As if on cue, Jake felt one coming up. He rolled down the window as quickly as he could.
“Achoo!” he managed to stick his head out of the car, but only just.
“I told you not to sneeze in here,” Aaron complained.
“I didn’t,” Jake said in his defense. He rolled up the window. He looked back at Aaron and thought maybe he was wrong.
“My udders would disagree,” Aaron said sarcastically, scooting his seat back so that his new cattle parts weren’t squeezed uncomfortably against the steering wheel. His t-shirt was stretched tightly across his chest, where six significantly large teats were straining against the fabric. Something seemed wrong about that, and Jake felt that for some reason he should be alarmed by Aaron’s new animal parts. But he felt nothing in the slightest. He squirmed in his seat as he fished his newly grown tail from his pants.
“I tried to sneeze outside,” Jake said, apologetically. “By the way, what kind of tail is it today?”
Aaron glanced over and replied, “That’s a dog tail. And as far as outside, either your Ani-cold is really catching or the dog ears on the man on the sidewalk over there is also your doing.” Jake nodded apologetically to the man, who was less than pleased about his changed ears. “Man, I was going to be asking out Claire today, too.”
“I could always try sneezing near her,” Jake said with a smirk. “Maybe she’ll turn into a bull.”
“Funny,” Aaron said flatly. “But seriously, if you turn me more into a cow and turn someone else into an attractive bull, it won’t end well for me or for you when I change back tomorrow. Remember when Alex changed into a mare in heat last month?”
“Oh god, don’t remind me,” Jake said, shutting his eyes as if it would block out the memory. “She only sneezed once around me, and even I was turned on by her scent. I’m just glad I had already started dating Jen by that point. She was able to lead me away from her.” Aaron stopped at a traffic light. A group of five cops began walking on the crosswalk past them nonchalantly.
“Oh no,” Jake said, feeling his nose crinkle. “I’m going to sneeze again.” He opened the door and sneezed twice into the open air.
“Duuuude,” Aaron half moaned, half mooed. “Are you even trying to not change me more?”
“Sorry,” Jake said, sniffing again.
He shut the car door, and that’s when it hit him. He had been cursed! He had a cold that caused changes in people! Everyone thinks it’s an already established disease! He’s turning into a dog! He’s now got floppy ears, a doggy tail that was longer than before, and slightly distended face. He looked at Aaron and was speechless. Aaron’s shirt was even more taut against the much larger mammaries he was sporting on his chest. His ears had also changed, and he just finished fishing his tail out of his pants. Jake tried not to panic.
That’s when he noticed the cops.