Where indeed. Dana thought.
There was no denying it: she was a prisoner in Newtown. The strange voice had warned them before and now both her friends were gone. What was she going to do? She didn't want to become someone else. She just wanted her friends back and hope that this was all a nightmare.
Dana quickly wiped the tears that were forming. The irony of having one of her friends transformed into an old police officer and offering to help her was nearly overwhelming. Never before had she been so alone and lost but she didn't need a policeman: she just wanted her friend back.
“I don't know” she admitted. “I'm not from here. I don't know anything about this place.”
“Oh, then why are you here? And all alone for that matter” Officer Thatcher asked out of curiosity.
Dana tightened her fists and looked away.
“Sorry, Miss, I didn't mean to disturb you or pry into your affairs. It's just that I am glad to see new faces around here. We're just your average town in the middle of nowhere. We don't get many visitors, you see. Let me take you to the station.
They were both quiet for a while but eventually Dana spoke up. “I'm not alone. I came here with two of my friends.”
“I see. Where are they now?”
“I... I don't know any more” Dana replied. “There were three of them. One of them was...” Dana tried to remember her friend Scott but found it impossible to remember his name. She searched her memory but it was as if they were getting fuzzy and slipping away. She couldn't even remember what he looked like any more.
“There are two boys... and a girl” she said. At least she was sure of that. But she soon found she couldn't develop more than that. She knew the man driving next to her was one of their friends but it seemed like a ridiculous idea. She wasn't friends with this cop! No, no, no. She had been friends with a boy that had turned into that cop! That was it! However that thought kept getting weirder and weirder. People just don't change. And yet she had flashes of memory of her friend... he had transformed inside the car, just like the other boy... And what of the girl? Marcia! Dana suddenly remembered. She had been sleeping before it all began. She hoped she was safe.
“You seem tired. It must have been a rough trip coming here” Officer Thatcher said noticing how deep in thought Dana was. “Don't worry, I bet your friends are looking for you as well.”
“Yeah” Dana said, uncertain. Still the cop's words seemed to ease her and she felt secure next to him.
It was a short trip to the station. Dana noticed that there wasn't anyone out in the streets. It was definitely creepy but she wasn't frightened since Officer Thatcher was next to her. He had always been there for the citizens of Newtown, she suddenly reminded.
They quickly made it inside the station, though Dana was unsure of what to do. What was she even doing so late at night? Officer Thatcher had been sweet to give her a lift but what then? She didn't feel like she belonged in this town and had nowhere to go.
As they entered the police station they noticed one man there, sitting. The rest of the station was eerily quiet and empty but the man jumped on his seat as he saw people come inside.
He was around twenty-something. Dark haired, tall and lean. He seemed nervous and as he began to talk he didn't make much sense at first.
“Oh thank God, at last! I was afraid no one would come!” he said.
“Calm down, boy. I'm sorry to make you wait. What do you need?” Officer Thatcher's posture was of a serene authority and soon the man calmed down a little.
“Oh sorry! It's just I'm lost! My GPS sent me here and then the car broke down! My friends stayed by the car while I went to seek help. I tried calling for help but I just got a weird response saying 'Welcome to Newtown! New Town, New You!'”
Officer Thatcher chuckled. “That's not weird. It's the slogan of our town! Nice place, huh?”
The man shook his head is disbelief. “No... I mean yes. I don't know. I've never been here, I don't know this place. I just need a little help with my car. Please!”
Dana had been silent but as she saw the man so distraught over his problems she felt an urge to just hug him to make it all better. It seemed weird to do that to a complete stranger but she felt a need to help him nonetheless.
“I can help you” she said. “I'll go with you!” she added without hesitation.
“Oh, thank you for your help! I can show you where we left the car.”
Dana smiled at the man. A sudden thought intruded in her head “Where would he be without me...”
“Officer Thatcher, thank you for the lift. You don't need to worry about this. I'll go help this young man. Have a good night!
“Good night, Linda! See you tomorrow!”
Dana noticed the name but said nothing. After all Linda was a pretty name.
“What is your name, dear?” she askes as they walked down the street.
“Oh, sorry. I forgot to tell you. I'm Hayden.”
Hayden... she wrinkled her nose. That was a name she didn't care much about.
“I'm Dana”
“Dana? The policeman called you Linda...” he noted, confused.
She smiled... “Yes, of course, Linda... It's a beautiful name, isn't it?”
Hayden merely shrugged, not knowing how to respond to that strange attitude.“So... hum... can you fix cars?” Hayden asked. He was thankful that this woman was out there trying to help but she didn't seem the most obvious choice for this problem.
“Cars? Oh don't worry about that. We just need to go. It's getting late”
“Go? But go where?” Hayden asked. He then realised that he had been merely following this strange young woman. He tried to remember where he had left the car but he couldn't. “Hum... this is not... I don't think the car is this way.”
“Don't worry about that. Please, let's just go. You need to get up early tomorrow!” She grabbed Hayden's hand and they kept walking.
Hayden was confused and yet he felt comforted as the lady took his hand. Somehow he knew he could trust her. He felt a pleasant warmth running through him.
The woman beside him looked at him and smiled. Her clothes began to change and Hayden looked on in amazement. Her jeans became loose and darkened, becoming a dark blue skirt over her shins. An elegant white blouse formed as well, giving her a classic look.
“Whoa... what's happening to you, Linda?” Hayden asked still amazed.
Linda looked down and smiled at him. “What do you mean, James? I'm just walking down the street with you. Everything's okay!”
Hayden became aware that this was not normal. Clothes can't just magically re-arrange themselves! And he wasn't James! But the worst thing was that Linda now stood much taller than him. He had to be around her chest!
He quickly jerked his hand away from hers. “No! Stop doing this, whatever you're doing!”
“What are you talking about, James? What's got into you?” Linda asked, confused about James's sudden attitude.
“Don't call me that!” He complained, although it seemed like an infant whine.
“James, behave yourself! You're usually such a good boy! Why are you acting like this?”
He could see even more changes on the woman in front of him. She became visibly older as her face matured way past her twenties and into her late thirties. Her hair brightened into a gold yellow.
Was this also happening to him? Was he changing? He looked down at himself and noticed that indeed he was much smaller. His hands and feet had shrunk.
“No way...” he said in disbelief. The tone was that of a child. “Please, I don't want this!” He cried, tears forming on his eyes.
“Oh James! What's the matter, my sweet son?”
The boy felt scared though he was forgetting why he felt that way. He saw a woman trying to walk to him. He felt love for that woman and he knew she loved him too but for some reason that scared him. He ran away but as he did so he tripped and fell, his knee scraping on the group. He began to cry louder.
“Oh my baby! Don't worry, it's okay! Mummy is here! She kissed the boy on the head. From the spot of the kiss his hair became the same blond as his mother's. His clothes arranged into a shirt and shorts fit for a four-year-old boy. But more than that the kiss made him stop crying.
“Aww James, look at that boo-boo!” Linda said as she noticed his son's knee. Let's go home and I'll fix it!
James smiled, the last of his tears drying up. “I love you mummy!”
“I love you too, sweetie.”
She again held her son's puffy hand and they continued walking down the street towards their home.