You sit in front of the computer, watching your image on the screen via the active webcam. A little icon confirms recording is in progress. You clear your throat and then begin to speak.
Hi.
It doesn't really matter who I am.
More important is what I am, or maybe I should say what I was.
I am what used to be called a normal human being.
Not sure how many of us are left.
Last I heard, about 75% of the world has been affected by this to some extent.
Stop and think about that a moment.
Considering the last estimate was Earth having a population of at least nine BILLION...
Definitely not as many of us as there were at the beginning of this year, so maybe I should start there.
It all began in a foreign lab overseas. Or at least, foreign and overseas in regards to where I am.
Anyway, there was an accident, and independent authorities have confirmed that it was an accident, but why they were working on such a project to begin with, let alone what they hoped to accomplish once they achieved "success" is still under investigation.
But it was the accident that changed the world.
The accident that released and started what is now being called Pandemic A.
If there's any logical explanation to all the whys and wherefores, nobody's found the answers yet to my knowledge.
Even if you don't have it now, there's no guarantee you can't get it later.
You could already be exposed and not know it for days, weeks or even months.
For all I know, there could be no actual time limit because no one has yet to issue an official "All Clear."
They were doing blood tests for a while, trying to determine who might and might not have been exposed, let alone who would succumb and how badly. But considering how many there were to examine, those in charge just threw up their hands in disgust and quit!
At the moment a few people here and there don't seem to have contracted it. But those that do...
There is no known cure. Sometimes I wonder if anybody is even bothering to research that any more.
It definitely started out airborne, but has since mutated to include tactile exposure and even person to person contact.
Once you do succumb, if it happens, you feel a sudden flush of warmth, like a woman having a hot flash during menopause.
Then...
You change.
Losing your humanity forever because every transformation involves the person becoming some kind of animal.
Hence the name, Pandemic A.
Like who can be affected, there is no rhyme or reason in regards to what you change into.
Land, sea, or air. If it's part of the animal kingdom, it's a possibility.
Even children transform!
There are now puppy kids and kitten kids and who knows what else.
There are entire families out there now where each member is something different.
Like I said, no apparent rhyme or reason or plain ol' logic or common sense.
Anyway, no matter where you are and how you might be affected, there are some consistencies in this whole mess.
For one, not everyone changes into a complete animal.
Some just gain noticeable physical characteristics like ears, tails and/or paws.
The Japanese call them Nekos, but apparently the term doesn't apply to just cat people.
There's been reported cases of satyrs, satyresses, mermen and mermaids, you name it. If it's part animal...
Other victims (although they'll deny being one once their transformation is complete and they adjust to their new life) go all out, including fur or feathers or whatever is involved.
While the Nekos will at least wear some things, because of the fur or whatever, the Fulls (as some people call them) never want to wear clothes again.
But whether Full or Neko, there are some commonalities between both new varieties of humans, if that term even still applies to the changed.
Men are still men and women women.
Everyone still retains their intelligence, memories, and personality pre-transformation.
Even the Full transformees still walk on two legs instead of four. I found out that's called anthropomorphic.
I got all the names and terms from a "Furries" website.
Can you believe there were normal people who wanted to be animals instead long before Pandemic A happened?
Guess everyone in that community is loving this even if they have no control over what they become.
Anyway, you do gain all the positive animal abilities of whatever your new aspect is without any of the negatives involved, like having keener senses without the risk of ever going feral.
I know things were quite scary at first, but in time those that already changed started showing others that if it does happen to them, there is nothing to be afraid of and help them them adjust to their new life, like a vegetarian human suddenly finding themselves a meat eating lion.
I can't say there never will be any bigotry or hatred between the Normals, the Nekos, and/or the Fulls, but here's hoping this Brave New World, to borrow from author Aldous Huxley, turns out far better than the novel ended.
_______________________________________________________________________________
At this point the series is wide open. You can follow anyone anywhere, whether they've already changed or not, regardless of what they do or have become. The only thing I ask is that you start each installment with Brave New World: (episode title) to denote new chapters of this series from any other contributions to CYOC.net.
Thank you. Take care and STAY SAFE!—tmw.