Monica's head spun and her legs felt weak. She felt her boyfriend take her in his big arms. She couldn't imagine what was going on.
Meanwhile, everyone else in the room were various levels of confused, concerned, and stunned as Monica's sleek swimmer's legs began to merge and lengthen. Lydia and her boyfriend were in the latter category. They exchanged a look that confirmed each knew the other suspected the same thing: the Transformation Genie had struck again.
"Uh, Monica, you've got a tail" said one of the other girls.
Monica looked back at the appendage now trailing behind her. It was fleshy at first, but the color was beginning to change. Shades of brown, gray, and black. And the texture was changing too. Monica reached down and felt what was indeed a tail. It reminded her of a certain kind of purse. She also felt her hair somehow lengthen, falling over her shoulders.
The shock wearing off, Lydia and her boyfriend began edging for the back door,
"What the hell?" asked Kasey, one of Monica's more intelligent friends. "You're growing a snake tail!"
"Snakes?!" Monica's boyfriend said with start, bolting to his feet and dropping Monica on the floor in the process. "Where?" The big jock had a fear of snakes.
Monica pushed herself off the ground and glared at her boyfriend. "She's talk about my tail, you idiot."
Monica's boyfriend's expression froze and his face began to turn white. One of the other girls screamed. Monica rose up on her new tail, whipping her head around.
"What the hell are you screaming about?" she hissed. The girl froze and began to turn white.
Lydia realized what was happening, abandoned all subtlety, and ran into the next room, pulling her boyfriend with her and knocking over one of Monica's friends in the process who had been blocking that exit.
Kasey had enough sense to head for the nearby front door. It didn't open at first, but she remembered the deadbolt and got outside without a backward glance. Another girl from the swim team ran after Kasey, but made the mistake of glancing back at Monica and froze in place. That left only the girl who had been knocked over by Lydia. Her name was Elizabeth and she knew enough to realize what was going on, although she didn't have any idea how it was possible. She backed against the nearest wall and struggled to her feet, keeping her eyes closed. Monica slithered over to her.
"Why are your eyes closed?" she demanded of Elizabeth. "What's going on?"
"Medusa" replied Elizabeth.
"What?" Needless to say, Monica wasn't familiar with Greek mythology.
"Your hair has turned into snakes. You just turned three people to stone. You're a medusa. It's a mythical creature."
Monica paused for a moment. "The genie was real..." she said, dumbfounded. "That means I can get Lydia after all."
"Lydia? You're still obsessed with her? You need to get help - you've turned into a monster."
"Monsssster? Ha!" She slithered after Lydia. As soon as she thought Monica was out of the room, Elizabeth made a run for the front door. Maybe her and Kasey could get help...somehow?