Sage Mallory arrived at 1313 Forandring Street (an odd name that reminded her vaguely of
something from one of Professor Tolkien's books). It was a two-story building divided
into a several suites, perfect for small businesses.
The advertisement hadn't said which suite she should go to, but there was a sign inside
telling test subjects to go to the second floor.
Sage was 22, with fair skin and auburn hair cut boyishly short. She wore a black eyepatch
over her right eye, and there was a faint scar visible behind it; her remaining eye was dark
green in color. A slender girl with small breasts, Sage was was quite tall; even wearing a
pair of faded sneakers, she was 6' 1", with long arms and legs. She was wearing a pair of
men's sweatpants, an old Metallica concert t-shirt, and a brown leather jacket.
Climbing the stairs to the second floor, she saw the door to Suite 11 was propped open.
Poking her head inside, she saw an attractive woman in her early 30's seated behind a
desk.
"Excuse me, is this the place for the test subjects?" Sage's voice was very soft, and even
when she spoke up, most people had a difficult time hearing her. Fortunately, the older
woman didn't seem to have any problems, and smiled warmly at her.
"Please, Miss, have a seat. My name is Marcy Grey, and yes, I am interviewing test
subjects."
Sage took a seat, glad that the leather chair was on the large side. "I'm Sage, Sage
Mallory."
"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Mallory. Are you alright? You look a bit depressed."
Sage looked away. "I...sorry, I'll be fine. It's a long story."
Marcy shook her head, and got up to close the door, locking it before she took her seat
behind the desk. "Nonsense, it's been a slow morning, and I hate to see such a pretty girl
looking so sad."
"Pretty? Me? Um...if you say so." Sage didn't often hear compliments about her
appearance. There had been a few people who'd said she was cute, but after what had
happened, she felt anything but.
Marcy just smiled. Sage started to talk, despite herself. Marcy was an excellent listener,
she let Sage talk at her own pace. The words just spilled out, things Sage would normally
never tell anyone.
She wasn't sure when she first realized she was different than other girls. It didn't really
occur to her until 8th grade that she wasn't interested in boys. Oh sure, some of them
were cute, but she vastly preferred the company of her own gender. Then one day, while
watching the girl's volleyball team play, she found herself staring intently at the athletic
bodies of the young athletes....and being aroused by them.
She tried to deny her feelings, and kept her secret until her first year of college, when,
during a party, one of her dorm-mates, Bethany, made a pass at her. At first, it was
wonderful, Bethany understood how she felt, and she didn't have to hide who she was.
Sex with another girl was better than she'd ever thought it could be.
But after two months of bliss, Sage found out that Bethany didn't love her at all. The
betrayal, and the subsequent breakup was brutal. In tears, Sage wandered the campus in
a fugue, not even caring about the December cold.
And that's when she'd met Skye.
Sage couldn't move anymore, and she'd almost collapsed in a park bench. It was so cold,
she knew she was dying. And she didn't care. Everything was starting to go black when
something warm was wrapped around her, and she heard a sweet voice, begging her to
live. Next thing she knew, she was at the hospital, and there was a hand holding hers.
An angel had saved her life.
Skye certainly looked the part, with her long, pale blonde hair, and royal blue eyes. She
was the most beautiful girl Sage had ever met. Skye visited Sage every day, bringing her
food and talking to her as if they'd been friends forever. Even though she was only 15,
Skye was very smart and mature for her age, and she helped Sage mend her broken heart.
Skye didn't even blink when Sage told her that she was a lesbian. "Well why would that
matter, Sage? It doesn't make you any different to me."
Theirs was a strange friendship, but Skye's parents treated Sage like a family member, and
the two girls were nearly inseperable, despite their difference in ages.
Sage was in love, but she denied it. Skye was too young, it wouldn't, couldn't, be right.
But the younger girl had different ideas. The night of her sixteenth birthday party, Skye
confronted her friend.
"Sage...don't you like me?"
"I...um..of course, you're my best friend."
Skye had sighed, then unbuttoned her shirt, revealing her perfect breasts. "I like you more
than that, Sage. I love you."
Sage had protested, but Skye silenced her by placing her fingers over the older girl's lips.
"If you don't feel that way about me, Sage, that's ok. I'm happy to be your little sister. But
don't lie to me."
The way she had looked at Sage, with tears in her eyes...Sage felt her resolve melt away,
and she gave into her desires, pulling the smaller girl into her arms.
It was Skye's first kiss, and much more. Sage had felt guilty about it, but Skye wouldn't
have any of it. "It was my choice, Sage, mine. And don't say I'm not old enough to know
what I'm doing."
When Skye turned 18, she moved in with Sage, and the two of them were happy.
Then, three months ago, they had an accident with a hit-and-run driver. Sage lost her
eye, but Skye was put into a coma...one that the doctors said she'd never wake up from.
It was too painful to see her lover laying in the hospital bed, like a broken doll.
For the second time in her life, Sage wanted to die.
Sage finally fell quiet, looking down, unable to stop crying. That's when she felt Marcy's
arms wrap around her, the older girl hugging her tightly from behind.
"Skye is running out of time, and you have nothing to lose, that's why you're here. I think
we can help each other, Sage."
Sage had to sign a lot of forms, and submit to a full medical examination. She hated
revealing the scars on her body, but Marcy was there the whole time.
Finally, she was ready to begin the program.
"Sage, dear, we have several drugs we're wanting to test. I'll let you choose which one
you'd like to test for us."