As I enter the apartment I notice first my younger brother and sister, who are watching some program on the T.V. set. Calling out, "Mom, I'm home," the most I get is a shushing noise from Steph.
Dropping my backpack, I head for my room. Sitting at my desk, I take the amulet from around my neck and setting on the desk, I begin to study it. Tracing the crack that runs through it, I receive another shock and just as I'm about to curse at the thing, there's a knock on my bedroom door.
Sighing, I get up and opening the door, I'm greeted by my sister, who tells me in her own bossy tone, "Mommy is in the kitchen and wants to speak with you."
Pushing her gently out of the way and telling her, "Go watch your programs," I begin to make my way toward the kitchen. On the way there, I pass Peter who is heading toward the room that we share together; something I'd never liked, but just accept it in the long run.
In the kitchen, I see mother working at something. Sitting down at the table, I notice that it's something for the lease to the apartment. Setting her pen down, she gets up and retrieving her purse, hands me a list and asks, "Can you go down to the local store and get me some items for dinner?" at which point she withdraws some money from her purse and hands it to me.
Taking the money, I head for my room to make sure that nothing of mine has been left out. Just outside the bathroom, I pause when a noise can be heard from within. Knowing what it is, I open the door.
Inside I see Peter has left his clothes on the floor, but that's not what catches my attention. What does is the cat sitting in the tub. It's a grey tabby named Winky. She's a one year old pussycat that belongs to the neighbor’s daughter and nobody knows how she keeps getting into other peoples apartments.
Grabbing the cat, who is making strange Mewing noises, I head for the front door and deposit her outside the apartment, telling her, "Go home Winky."
Back in the apartment, I head for my room. Seeing nothing out of place, I'm about to leave when something makes me stop. Looking at the desk, I see that the Amulet of Zulo is missing. Figuring Steph took it, I tell myself, "I'll deal with it when I return from the store," and close and lock the door to my room.
Down the street is a department and grocery store. Cutting through the clothes section, I brush up against a pair of G.I Joe pajamas. As I do, a blue spark jumps from me to the clothes and back again. Feeling out of place, I shake my head as a wave of dizziness washes over me. Not sure why, I picked up the pajamas and headed for a changing room, stopping only to pick up a pair of white panties with a big pink heart on the front.
As if watching myself from a dream, I enter the changing room and undress. Next I pull on the top part of the pajamas and button it. Afterward, I pull on the panties and then the pants part of the set. As I finish this, a wave of vertigo washes over me and I close my eyes.
The moment I do, new memories begin to flood me. I remember a woman scolding me, telling me, "Derrick Gregorson! Why did you do that?"
A man asking me, "Son, what compelled you to do such a thing?"
The woman telling me, "Derrick, just because you’re different, doesn't make you any less worthwhile. Always remember that you're a special little boy."
A memory of me lying against the wall that separates my room and my parent’s room and how on the other side I can hear them talking:
Father: "The test results that came back show that the genetics and chromosomes make him a boy, no matter what he might have between his legs.”
Mother: "So we are doing right by raising him as a boy and not a girl?"
Father: "He has the XY pairing and the plumbing is pumping out testosterone."
Mother: "But the Doctor says that everything down there is what?"
Father: "He's a healthy young boy, even if he looks like a girl when undressed and will probably need to see and OBGYN when he gets older. Honey, relax. We've got a healthy boy, even if the plumbing between his legs and inside his body says that he looks a girl. It produces the same hormones and chemicals that a boy needs."
The memory shifts and I can remember doing normal stuff a growing boy does and enjoying myself as I rough house with a boy named Joe that lives next door. More like this flood in, but before they can become to much, I try to force them to a stop.
Uncertain about all these new memories, I open my eyes and nearly scream. Staring back at me from the mirror is a five year old boy with dark blond hair and cobalt coloured eyes. Before I can do anything, someone knocks on the door and a woman's voice can be heard asking, "Derrick, sweetie, do the pajamas fit?" Scared, I try to remember my name, but all that comes to mind is the name this woman just called me.
Accidentally brushing my hand across the crotch of the pajama pants, I stop as I notice how flat it is. As I hear a little boy's voice, my voice, replying, "Yes mommy," I pull the pants forward and gaze down at what has just happened to me.