With the beginning of the year of the snake celebrations, came Horizon’s annual discounts to become an Animalian; specifically a snake Animalian. While these new converts would be disqualified from competing in the yearly games of skills; that didn’t mean the latest additions couldn’t watch and cheer on the latest participants.
One such newest convert to Animalian was a frail looking old woman by the name of Anka who had glassy eyes; eyes with severe glaucoma. A weathered face from years of hard living and a thinning head of whispy white hair. She was confined to a wheelchair and recently celebrated her ninetieth birthday. She was the last of her family; a family torn apart from a tragic time in human history. She had very few pleasant memories as a child as she struggled to survive her time in Auschwitz. The Nazi concentration camp where she watched and S.S officer kill her father the moment they arrived at the camp; all because he had a defiant look on his face. Anka’s mother was hanged a month later after being caught stealing food from a guard; her excuse was she needed it for her daughters. That left her and her twin sister all alone. Some of the medical staff took notice of her and her sister and used them for horrible experiments. She recalled the doctor who had this sickly sweet smile as he injected her and her twin sister with unknown cocktails and watched as her twin sister began to convulse as she was made to watch in horror. The man speaking to a junior officer as he dictated his latest findings; she watched as her sister slowly rotted from the inside out while she remained somewhat healthy. It wasn’t until after the Soviet army liberated the camp in 1945 that she soon learned that is was a man by the name of Josef Mengele who performed the horrible experiments; opting to use twins, treating one to horrific experiments while the other was used as a control. One of the doctor’s hideous experiments rendered her sterile; unable to conceive let alone carry a child to term. The man managed to escape a hid out in Brazil up until his death, but by then Anka’s twin sister was already sent to the crematorium; dead two months prior to Auschwitz's liberation.
The doctor put down the file as she observed Anka struggle to sign her name on one of the final forms needed to convert into an animalian. The doctor, a shire horse animalian looked up with a shocked surprised at Anka’s choice in the forms.
“A Titanoboa animalian,” the doctor nickering with concern. “Are you sure? You would need to relocate to Dinotopia after. With the way America is,” the doctor trailing…
“South America also has a colony,” Anka answering back sharply; “it’s not as if they don’t have a climate more hospitable to a snake animalian. And a government that is more tolerant than the current American administration. More so with my, colorful past;” Anka adding with a sigh
The doctor paused for a moment before realizing that Villacamba might be an acceptable alternative if Lord Chumly and his estate could not accommodate the ninety year old Polish ex-pat. She noted on the forms for a psychologist that Anka would need therapy to handle the typical symptoms of RHS. The animalian virus will undoubtedly undo the damage Anka received during the second world war; but she was worried about the mental trauma that might come out,and a possible sexual appetite in need of heavy monitoring.
“If you are worried I’ll become some sex crazed monster,” Anka speaking up as she is slowly wheeled to a standard hospital recovery room; “then pencil me in for an appointment with the local head shrink.” She chuckles wryly, the old woman’s words sharp and quick. “It’s not as if I haven’t spent most of my life trying to sort out all the horrors I’ve endured,” Anka sighing as she thinks of her long dead family.
“If you don’t mind me asking,” the shire horse animalian asking; “how come your English is flawless for someone who lived and grew up in the former Soviet Union?”
“I was a spy for the KBG,” Anka answering flatly; Anka not needing to turn to see the doctor’s eyes widen in shock. “I was captured by MI-6 back in 1972 when living in London and was sent back to the U.S.S.R. in a cold war prisoner swap. I don’t remember who Khrushchev handed over as I was sent back, but I was debriefed and soon stationed near check point Charlie in East Berlin. I stayed there until Gorbachev announced the end of The U.S.S.R. I moved and toured around Europe for a time before settling back down in London of all places,” Anka being helped into the hospital bed; “I took a job as a book keeper for a tax consulting firm as I’ve always had a good head for numbers. Afterwards I did what I could to stay out of the limelight,” Anka doing her best to stare at the doctor; her vision clearly bad as she could only make out a vague brownish shape. "But the Israeli government visited me years ago and asked for my story. How I survived Auschwitz," Anka pausing; letting the last word linger in the air.
“It will be a few days for the Titanoboa animalian serum to arrive,” the doctor looking at the old woman; “try to relax in the meantime.”
“Its not like I got anything pressing,” Anka chortling in polish; settling down for a nap in the bed provided
*********************
It was a few day later when a doctor from Horizon labs arrived from Dinotopia at the small private hospital an hour outside of Leeds, England. Along with the doctor was Lord Chumlee, a dodo animalian who was sporting a vibrant multi colored three piece suit and walking stick and carrying a large parcel wrapped in brown paper, talking the horizon doctor’s ear off over the latest Roman archeological discovery at his estate. The doctor for his part, a micro raptor animalian did his best to look interested, but was here to talk with Anka and personally administer the animalian virus; a new security feature thanks to Marcella's theft and willful release of a strain of the virus.
“Mister Chumlee,” the doctor interrupting the dodo animalian; “can you please wait out here? I’m certain Miss Anka would like some privacy as she converts.”
“I can wait,” the jovial individual answering as he sits down at a nearby chair; Placing his walking stick and the large parcel he had in his hand on the chair next to him. “Hope these clothes will fit,” Lord Chumlee picking up a magazine; “you did say mega fauna large.”
The micro raptor animalian nodded as he entered the ward that was temporarily closed off. Walking to a large room to see Anka sitting in a wheelchair as she stared out into space.
“My vison may be crap,” Anka speaking; “but I could hear your arrival. Your claws click on the tile floor. That must make you an animalian like the doctor who I talked to a few days ago.
“Impressive,” the doctor answering as he prepares the syringes and alcohol swab. “Your vision and much more will come back,” the doctor speaks as he swabs the woman’s arm.
“I’ll just have a massive tail instead on legs,” Anka responding as she waits for the injections.
“If I may ask,” the doctor readying the first syringe; “why the Titanoboa? There are many other snake choices to choose from. Why an extinct snake of the Paleocene era?”
“Despite my colorful life,” Anka grimacing as she felt the first injection; her body instantly becoming flush with a rising heat in her; “I’ve always had a fascination with large animals. I’ve spent many hours in the London zoo waiting from my contacts when I was a spy for the Soviet Union watching the various animal in their habitats. I always seemed to spend most of my time in the reptile house,” Anka feeling her body starting expand, her heart beating faster as she began to change.
The doctor quickly injected the second dose before packing up and beating a hasty exit to allow Anka some privacy. “Welcome to Animalia,” he stated before exiting the room.
Anka looked up at the last second to see the feathered micro raptor-animalian leaving the room, her vision restored as she looked to see her skin turning into a blend of green and grey scales. She smiled as her hands started to look bigger and her nails becoming more claw like. The hospital robe she was wearing straining as it slowly started to tare apart, she ripped off the garment and saw her small saggy breasts looking full and firm for the first time in thirty years. She cupped them as they continued to get bigger; mesmerized at their size as Anka gives them a playful squeeze. She then watches as her legs begin to fuse and merge; growing into a massive tail. She got out of the wheel chair and marvel at how easily she was able to stand in a fashion for the first time in years. She watches as the new scaly appendage grows and stretches; Anka estimates that it was a good twenty feet in length and a solid four feet in diameter. Her upper body looking very muscular under her new scales, as she poses and flexes like a body builder; seeing her reflection in the glass window. Anka watches as her face pushes out into a massive snout. Her tongue begins to flick in and out; Anka is surprised to taste the new scents she picked up. One was her lingering human scent, the other was the miro-raptor doctor.
“Thisssssssss issssss going to take ssssssssssome getting ussssed toooooo,” Anka hissing; her tongue and new vocal cords making her stress her s’s as she speaks. She starts to move her tail as if she was born with it just as her pale eyes become a deep amber yellow with vertical slits. Opening her mouth she sees her mouth has rows of sharp serrated teeth and notices her jaw easily becoming unhinged; suited for swallowing large prey whole. She coils her tail allowing, allowing her to sit up as she stares at her crotch. A slit between her scales showing her new sex. Placing a scaley hand just above, she was about the explore her new depths when a small cough could be heard behind her.
Turning around to see the same Micro raptor animalian who administered her injection and the shire-horse doctor staring at her in complete shock.
“She is bloody big,” the female doctor being the first to speak.
“About thirty feet,” The micro-raptor answering; “and that’s not counting the torso. I hope those clothes Lord Chumlee brought fit,” the doctor saying the last part to himself.
“I’d ssssssssay, a good thirty four to thirty five feet total” Anka effortlessly slithering to the two, “I hope you got me sssssssome clothesssssss and sssssssomething to eat. I’m ssssssssssssso hungry,” she hisses; her large forked tongue flicking about as her stomachs rumbles angrily for food.