When you woke up it was dark. Your girlfriend was now dressed and was offering you a plate of food. 'How are you going? Are you hungry? would you like some chicken?'
'Yeah sure. What time is it?'
'11.30. You have been sleeping for 6 hours'
'Oh wow. It doesn't feel that long'
'Yeah, well you were pretty out to the world. Are you feeling alright?' She put her hand to your forehead. 'You don't feel hot'
You sat up. You were still naked. 'No I feel fine. Just a bit sleepy' You reached for the plate of chicken she was handing you 'Aagh!'
You winced. Your finger was sore and swollen, indeed it was purple. It was the finger Monica had pricked with the needle.
'Oh look at that' you showed the finger to Monica. 'It must be infected'
'That's good' she replied. 'I must have given you my virus'
'It doesn't feel good' you replied 'How is your finger?'
'Nothing to see here' she showed you her finger. There was nothing wrong with it.
You ate your meal with just your right hand. You were hungry and it tasted nice. Your girlfriend spoke to you 'I rang your Mom and told her you were going to stay with me for the week. They were okay with that. Actually they were happy. Your Mom told me "Thanks for giving us space. We should have being in Hawaii"
'Oh so they didn't mind. They didn't think you were kidnapping me or anything'
'Well I had shapeshifted into you first so they thought it was you talking to them' she said matter of factly.
'Have you been me before?' you asked. You were curious.
'Sure have. I've actually been you quite frequently. I like being in your body. I feel so virile when I am you'
'Better than being Graeme?'
'Of course. Graeme is old. When you are in an old body your joints hurt. But I'm sure you will soon learn that for yourself'
'Why do you say that?'
'Because you are infected now. Soon you will be able to shapeshift for yourself'
'How do you know?'
'Your finger of course. Where the bat scratched me my shoulder swelled up just like your finger'
'How long does it last for? The swelling I mean'
'For me it was about 3 days. It will get a lot worse before it gets better. But I will be here to look after you'
I finished my meal and Monica took my dirty plate away. When she returned she changed into a nightie then climbed into bed beside me. We talked for a bit but I felt really sleepy. I must have dozed off.
Next thing I remember it was day. Monica was dressed and applying a damp cloth to my forehead. 'You have a fever now' she said as she realized I was waking.
Then I noticed my left arm. It was almost unrecognizable. It was purple and totally swollen. 'Is it sore?' Monica asked.
Surprisingly I had to reply 'No'. It looked horrible and felt like a piece of jelly but it wasn't tender at all.
Monica stayed for a while but soon I was struggling to keep my eyes open once more.
The next time I woke I realized my whole left side was purple and jelly like. I couldn't see out of my left eye. Monica bought me a hand mirror and showed me my face. The left side of my face was just a purple blob. My eye was swollen shut. 'I think you should call a doctor' I told her. 'I'm scared'
'You will be fine. I will look after you' She spoon fed me some sort of mush. I had not lost my appetite.
I dozed fitfully throughout the day. The purple swelling spread. By evening Monica said I was purple all over. I had totally lost my ability to move my limbs and both my eyes were now swollen shut. I was having trouble talking and she apparently couldn't understand me when I pleaded with her to get medical help. However I was not in pain. I didn't feel anything.
Evidently I must have started having nightmares that night. The next thing I remember was Monica telling me 'The worst is over' I realized I could see once more, though only with my left eye. She told me it was 24 hours since I had last been conscious.
Slowly my periods of lucidity extended and became more frequent. I couldn't talk and I couldn't move but I could hear and began to get vision back in my right eye. Monica told me that my skin was now scabbed over. She proved it by tapping on my arm. It sounded like I was in a shell. She also said a funny thing had happened. Evidently my eye color had changed. I had always liked my hazel eyes but Monica told me my eyes were now a deep brown, the same color as hers. She thought it a sign that I had acquired the ability to shapeshift.
It was another 24 hours later that I started breaking out of my shell, That is what I had come to think of my former skin. It had become brittle and Monica noticed it had started to crack on my left arm. I still couldn't talk as my mouth was fused over but I was by now able to make noises and communicate once more with Monica. One grunt was a yes and two grunts was a no. I say grunts but they actually sounded more like a high pitched whimper.
Monica asked me whether she should crack open my arm. I grunted once. I had a desire to get out of the shell.
I watched Monica as she broke open the loose shell on my left forearm. I noticed a sudden look of alarm on her face before she suddenly stopped. I tried to ask her 'What is the matter?' but all the sound I could make was a bit of a whimper.
She left, saying 'I think we need to let your skin cure for just a bit longer'
She returned sometime later and sat beside me. She broke off a bit more of the shell on my left arm and had a close look at what was inside. She then turned to me and asked 'Did you dream of me when you were sleeping?'
I grunted once.
'Well I have some good news then. I think I can safely say you have become a shapeshifter. I'm no longer alone'
It was hours later before she returned once more, this time she inspected my arm once more before breaking off the remaining shell covering it.
I felt her give my left and a squeeze. 'Can you feel that?'
I gave one grunt
'See if you can move your fingers' she said
I did so. They felt weak but I had control back over at least a part of my body.
Monica seemed concerned 'Simon I'm going to bring over the mirror. Don't be alarmed but I think you will see why I am confident you are now a shape shifter'
She bought the hand mirror across and and held it so I could see my hand. But it wasn't my hand. It was Monica's hand.
When I wiggled my fingers Monica's fingers wiggled. It didn't make sense. Both her hands were holding the mirror.
She told me 'I think you have shape shifted into me'