As Rae clicks the icon with the purple snake, the digital camera's lens flares briefly with a violet light, and she feels her body convulse in ways she's never felt before. Panic sets in as her apartment, once spacious enough, instantly appears to shrink around her. She watches in awe and a touch of horror as her legs seamlessly fuse and morph, scales where there once was skin, her feet dissolving into the sinuous extension of a powerful serpent's tail.
At first, there's pain — a burning sensation that ripples through her transforming body — but it is quickly replaced with a surge of power as her new form finishes taking shape. A long, muscular purple tail now coils where her legs used to be, knocking over a pile of books, a cup of pens, and tangling itself in the mess of cables under her desk.
Soon, she realizes she must navigate her way in this cramped human habitat with the body of a creature meant to roam the open landscapes of myth. Rae takes a few moments to adjust, focusing on the surge of strength coursing along her tail. With careful motions, she begins to learn to control her new form, lifting and coiling, surprisingly agile with a bit of practice.
The apartment she calls home has suddenly become a labyrinth of obstacles. Furniture that once fit comfortably now feels like towering hindrances to her new, sprawling form. Yet, Rae can't help but feel a mixture of excitement and fear as she slithers across the floor, exploring her apartment from this new and peculiar perspective.
Rae's thoughts flit to the practicalities of the new life she just entered. She'd have to navigate not only her home but her life, her job, and her relationships as something pulled from legend. The Chronivac had indeed worked, but for better or for worse? That remained to be seen.
Rae's senses are in overdrive, a whirlwind of color and sensation flooding her perception as her body has bent and shifted. A sharp crackling sound pierces the air – the unmistakable sound of electrical short-circuiting. She barely has the presence of mind to glance at her setup; the CD drive glows an eerie purple before it fizzles out, the light from the computer screen flashes bright, and then... everything goes dark.
Her computer, the very link to her former self, is fried, and with it, the CD – the single doorway back to what she once was. A cold dread washes over her, realizing that there is no going back, no simple click to undo the irreversible change. She's alone, truly alone in this predicament.
With great effort, Rae maneuvers her elongated form to the full-length mirror mounted on the back of her door. The sight that greets her is breathtaking, yet terrifying. The once familiar reflection is now that of a creature out of mythology. Her upper body remains human, but from the waist down, she is all serpent, purple tail and all.
A feeling of panic sets in as she frantically searches for the physical attributes that once defined her womanhood, but they are nowhere to be found. Her heart races, and she feels the onset of tears. The reality of the situation crashes over her — her intimate relationships, her identity, her very sense of self, all morphed into this new, strange form.
Sobs escape her as she mourns the life she assumed was hers forever, but as she studies her reflection further, her eyes are drawn to a section of scales along the underbelly of her tail. They are shaped differently, smoother and more rounded compared to the rest of her armored exterior. A glimmer of biological recognition sparks her thoughts — could this be her new form's answer to a cloaca, the hidden vent where snakes conceal their reproductive organs? Her hand briefly touches it and a familiar wave of pleasure electrified her senses, causing her to pull her hand back, fearful at how real this all is now.
Rae is a mix of emotions. Curiosity piques amidst the desolation, distracting her from the immediacy of her loss. She wonders about the functionality of these scales, about the intricacies of her new anatomy, and, oddly enough, about the hidden mysteries her new body holds.
Still, the weight of the situation hangs heavy on her heart. With no clear solution to her predicament, Rae contemplates her next steps. How will she go about her daily life now? What will her loved ones say? And damn it, will she ever get to have sex again in her new form?