Megan sat on the floor, her arms on her knees. Janet and Steve had seen her pouting like this before, but her new body made her look brooding and menacing. Steve could see Megan’s biceps straining the sleeves of her orange jumpsuit, and quickly turned back to his chimp-wife.
Janet hobbled over and put a large, hairy hand on her daughter’s shoulder and made a quiet cooing noise.
Megan turned to her mom with watery eyes, “Thanks mom,” she said with a low, gravely voice.
A rhythmic clicking noise drew the mother and daughter’s attention up to Steve, who was pacing to and fro, his arms folded under his large breasts, his manicured hands balled up into fists.
“Hey, slut! Can you stand still for five fucking minutes?” the brusque language sounded strange coming from Jack’s new voice. The convict was leaning against a wall, arms crossed, his girlish face twisted into a scowl.
Steve glared at him, but complied. He click-clacked to his own corner, away from everyone. He couldn’t be near his daughter out of fear that his new urges would drive him to unthinkable actions. He couldn’t be by his wife’s side because, as much as it pained him to admit it, her new body repulsed him. And he couldn’t be by his old body or his daughter’s because they were strangers to him now.
Steve felt a tugging at his skirt, and looked down to see his wife, pulling him towards where his daughter sat. He looked into her round, dark eyes, they almost seemed to say, ‘Please, we need you Steve.’
Steve got down on his knees and hugged Janet. He felt her coarse, hairy arms wrapped around him. And even though his skin crawled at the sensation, in his heart he felt the warmth and love of the woman he’d married.
Holding hands, Steve and Janet walked over to their hulking daughter and sat down next to her.
“What a freak show,” Vanessa scoffed from her side of the room.
At that moment, the metals door slid open and the Professor walked in, alone.
“Well, it seems like you lot are adjusting well. You’re all free to go.” he turned towards the door and called, “Bobo! Bring in the release materials!”
Bobo, now dressed in a sterile-looking gown and his hair shaved to close crop, walked in pushing a metal cart full of neatly arranged file boxes. The remaining Stevensons shuffled up from the floor but didn’t approach.
“Obviously,” the Professor began,” you won’t be able to return to your former lives. As such, I have arranged everything you’ll need to start new lives. Vanessa, Jack.”
The two approached and the professor handed them each a box labeled with their former names. Jack struggled with the box, not having anticipated how heavy it’d be for him now.
“Inside is all the pertinent information of the two Donaldsons you now are. Social security numbers, bank account information, and so on. As well as keys, identifications, and wallets. I have taken the liberty of filing both the boy and the wife as dead, so it’ll just be the two of you.”
Hearing this, Janet clutched her husband leg, feeling her distress, he put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
“Unless you have any questions or concerns, you will find the Donaldson vehicle waiting for you outside. Oh! And do be aware that I’ll be monitoring you. After all, this is a long term experiment.” the Professor continued.
Vanessa dug through her box, pulled out the credit cards in Steve’s wallet and gave a satisfied smirk.
“I think we’re all set,” she told the Professor and began to walk out of the holding room.
“See ya, fucking freaks,” Jack chuckled as he walked past the Donaldsons.
“And as for you three,” the Professor turned to Steve, Janet, and Megan.
“I assume you two,” he gestured at Steve and Janet, “would rather like staying together. I’ve arranged for Janet here to be donated to a zoo, securing Mr. Donaldson a job as a caretaker under Ms. Morgan’s name. You’re set to start in a week, which will give you plenty of time to arrive and get settled into your new apartment. I will personally handle Mrs. Donaldson’s transportation so don’t worry,” he handed the remaining two boxes two Steve, “Your box contains all the documents you’ll need for your new life, and your wife’s box contains all the information you’ll need to know about the care of chimpanzees.”
“What about my daughter?” Steve asked.
“Ah yes, your daughter.” the Professor turned up to look at Megan, who’d been anxiously wringing her hands this whole time, “Well you see, given the fact that in the world’s eyes she is now a wanted criminal, letting her out into the world would cut my experiment short,” he gave a dark chuckle, “I decided to keep her on my grounds, her new body is perfectly suited for heavy labor.”
“So I’d have to stay here?” Megan’s voiced boomed.
“Unless you’d rather be arrested and executed, yes.”
Steve grabbed Megan’s hands, an action that sent sparks up his spine, “Honey I- I don’t know what to say, but you have to stay here. At least here you’ll be safe. And we’ll- I’ll come to visit you! Every week, or month, but I’m not abandoning you.”
He pulled his daughter in for a hug, and felt the bulge between her legs press against his stomach. He pulled away before his body’s urges took hold. Tears were streaming down his face as he picked up the two boxes off the cart and hurried out.
Megan stood in shock. So much had changed in such a short time. She didn’t know how to process it, or even if she could processed it! Her mother came in and hugged her as well, a deep, heartbroken sadness in her eyes. Megan watched as the madman that’d put them all in this situation led her mother away. The doors closed behind them with a hiss. And Megan broke down.
Her large shoulders shook with her sobs, deep, rumbling sobs...