"I pick this one!" Dustin said triumphantly grabbing the second card
from the end after the blur of moving cards had stopped.
"Eeeeeehhheheheheh!" whinnied Dustin as he held the horse card in his
hand.
"There, Dustin, you're already thinking and speaking like a horse. The
rest will follow a bit more slowly cause you got to bulk up close to a
ton of muscle," laughed Ty as he pulled an apple out of his pocket.
"Here boy stay calm. Have some nice juicy apple."
Dustin bent over and took a bite of the apple with his mouth. His
fingers were already pretty stiff, and the card had fallen out of his
hand to land back on the bench with the other cards. Ty took out his
cellphone with his free hand and made a wish.
The phone rang. "Hello, you're calling about the horse?" Ty asked
knowing already that the caller was doing just that. "Yes, I've got
Dust-y at the park, if you'd like to come to pick him up."
Dustin raised an eyebrow over his shiny big brown eye. It had been
blue, but now was brown and far too large for Dustin's still human
face. His ear twitched. He snorted and took another bite of apple.
The hairline on the sides of Dustin's head rapidly receded exposing
his bare scalp. A casual observer might have taken Dustin for a punk
with a mohawk haircut. But it was more than just a mohawk. Dustin's
mane grew down his neck. Already, a fluff of hair protruded from the
back of Dustin's jeans as his growing horsetail forced its way out.
Next Dustin's skin was covered with a tiny coating of velvety brown
fur. His clothing appeared to be two sizes too small, and he appeared
uncomfortable with his swollen body trapped in human clothes. Ever
thoughtful, Ty shifted the cotton fibers in Dustin's clothing. The
transforming youth was now wrapped in a horse blanket. There was the
clatter of the unneeded plastic and brass buttons, studs and zipper
hitting the pavement.
Dusty whinnied, as he felt a sudden draft and realized he was now
naked except for the blanket. He had trouble closing his growing
mouth. His teeth felt so big. His muzzle pushed out from his face
stretching his jaw and nose away from his eyes, and forcing his eyes
to the side of his head.
Dustin took one more bite of apple. He took the whole thing core and
all out of Ty's hand and chomped it in his equine mouth. His hands
were now placed on the pavement for support, yet he still seemed
upright. His arms must be longer, Dustin thought with vague
uncertainty. He was having trouble thinking about how a human might
move about on two legs. His mind told him that people - horses -
walked on four legs the way they were supposed to walk. Humans were
freaks which walked only on their hind legs.
Heavy nail grew over Dusty's new hooves to protect his compounded
fused feet.
Dusty blinked he had half understood Ty's phone call. Dustin knew he
was a horse, or soon would be. He hadn't contemplated that Ty might
sell him. Could it be a horse breeder? Or would it be Mr. Helpern who
ran the horse rides in the stables at the far end of the park?
Perhaps a farm owner? Or maybe somebody from the racetrack? If Ty
sold him, how would he have another chance to pick a card. He shook
his head angrily as he looked down at Ty. Ty should tell him what to
expect, but he knew Ty wasn't about to do that.
The blanket fell from Dustin as his withers shivered and the final
transformations took place. He was a handsome Chestnut colored
stallion standing next to Ty by a bench in the park.
He looked down at Ty and harrumphed. He wasn't sure when the bit and
reins had appeared, but they had, and Ty held them firmly. Dustin just
wanted to stretch his muscles and run across the turf, but Ty held him
firmly.
An errant fly landed on his left flank. Instinctively, Dusty flicked
his tail swatting the fly.
"Be careful, Dusty, next time that fly might be you. Didn't know there
was a fly card in the deck did you?"
Dustin felt an odd sense of remorse for the fly. He was sure it
wasn't a person, but well with Ty and Peter in town, one never knew.