You pass by your old body which had fallen to the ground and was looking dazed. Your eyes followed the progress up ahead. Your sister had swapped into a young woman's body perhaps about 25. She turned and smiled at you and gave you a wave then raced across the busy road while there was a gap in the traffic. You lost sight of her as a bus passed. But then the traffic was too busy and you found from your new shorter point of view it was hard to judge what was coming. You had got across one of the four lanes when a car tooted you and skid to a halt. It stopped less than a metre from you. Suddenly there was pandemonium and someone picked you up.
"Where are you going young miss?" A man had picked you up and carried you back to the side of the road where you had started from.
Then other people were there and everyone was talking. "Is she hurt?"/"She just ran out in front of me"/"She could have been killed"/"Who is looking after her?" You found yourself placed on a seat at a bus stop.
"I need to find my sister!" you wailed. You had your sister's little girl voice.
"What's your name young lady?" It was a policeman talking to you.
Without thinking you replied "John"
"Joan did you say? Now tell me who is looking after you?"
"Nobody. I'm looking after my little sister Katie. She ran across the road"
"Your little sister?" the policeman sounded alarmed. He was immediately talking on his radio "I think we have a missing child incident. I have one small girl approximately 7 who says her younger sister ran off across Queens Road"
Meanwhile there was another commotion nearby. A teenage boy was wailing. "What's happened? Why am I like this?"
Someone passed you a drink of bottled water. The policeman asked you "Joan. How old is your sister? What is she wearing?"
You realised he took you for the little girl you appeared to be. You described the woman Katie had changed into. "She has long brown hair and was wearing a blue skirt and a white shirt"
"How old Joan? How old is your sister?"
"About 25"
The policeman looked aghast "I thought you said she was your little sister" Then into the radio "Cancel that missing child report". He then addressed you again "Joan you must tell me the truth. Is Katie your mother?"
You realised the seriousness of your situation. For all intents and purposes the world thought you were Katie. You were in her body and wearing all pink. The policeman would not believe you were really a 16 year old boy. The real Katie by now was long gone. You decided to change tack.
"I'm Katie" you admitted
You could sense the policeman's frustration. A little girl was telling him fairy tales. "Okay Katie. Who is looking after you and do you know where you live?"
Your answer was interrupted by your old body "Officer help me! Something has happened!"
"What is it kid? Can't you see I'm busy" He sounded very terse.
"I.... I'm not me anymore! I bumped into somebody and fell over and now I'm like this!"
"Take a seat. I'll deal with you when I've sorted out young Katie" You saw your old body sit down on the other end of the bench.
"Okay Katie do you know your address?"
"Yes. Just down that street Number 23. I'm alright. I'll take myself home" You didn't really know what to do. But you didn't want the police involved.
"I'll walk you home. Sit here while I sort out this young man"
"That's my brother" you blurted out. "He can take me home" If you could speak to the woman in your old body you would know who Katie had become.
Your old body looked puzzled and started to speak "I don't know....."
You called out "He fell over and bumped his head on the ground. I was chasing the woman who bumped into him"
"The woman in the blue skirt and white shirt?"
"Yes" You stood up and walked across to your old body and whispered to it "I know what happened. Pretend you are dazed" He, as in your old body, looked at you in puzzlement. "Take me home John" you said out loud.
"How about I escort you both home and speak to your parents" said the policeman.
You guessed the woman in your body also didn't want to get involved with the police. No one wanted to be taken to a psychiatric hospital. She must have guessed you were her best chance of getting her body back and went along with you. "We'll be right officer" he said
"No I do want to speak to your parents"
'They are not home" you replied.