Failing to realise that I have just wrapped the towel around my midsection, much like a girl would, I fumbled for a responce. After a bit I told her, "Maybe later," and then seeing her hurt look and grasping for straws, I added, "I really have a lot of homework to do," unsure if I even have homework.
Watching Katherine walk to her room, I felt my mind starting to slip and hastily I shut the door to my room. Turning, I looked about the room, taking in the bright pink and white colours, feeling comforted by this. Shaking my head, I thought to myself, "No," and then with some difficulty - mostly due to the fact that I didn't want to - I removed my sister's bathing suit, thinking for some reason that it actually was mine, and then tossing it into the closet, I wonder what to do.
Moving across the room, I stood in front of the full-body mirror, memories of playing dress-up in front of it flooding my mind. Shaking my head again, I took in my appearance, which now had long and soft brown hair falling down to the mid-point of my back, soft skin with just a hint of baby-fat in some points and the fact that my penis and testicles were even smaller and more pubescent looking then before.
Shaking my head, I suddenly realised that I had been standing in much the same posture as my sister would and that for some reason, and at some point while standing there, I had braided my hair. Touching my skin, my mind doing another one of those funny turns, I immediately turned away from the mirror and strolling across the room, I entered the closet and without giving it a second thought, I took from within an oversized white shirt with a purple Hibiscus on the front and a pair of pink shorts, much like the ones I had worn to the swimming pool.
Dressed, noting that the shorts were really tight on me but that my penis and testicles were to small to even poke through one of the leg holes, I shook my head again and adjusting the shirt I was holding up so that I could look at my shorts, I decided to find out what was for dinner.
Downstairs, I was suddenly selfconscious about what I am wearing, but before I could really do anything - such as turning about and running back upstairs to change - my mother came into the hallway and upon seeing me, she said, "Dinner will be ready in a bit."
And then turning, she went back into the kitchen, with the final word, "Make sure you and your sister are cleaned up before you eat," leaving me with a rather confused feeling.
Returning back upstairs, I approached Katherine's room, but stopped just short of the doorway. Calling out, "Mom says dinner will be ready shortly and she wants us to be cleaned up by then," I turn and without waiting for a responce, I head back downstairs, figuring I was clean enough already.
In the kitchen I am greeted by a shock as I fully am able to look at my mother. Sitting down at the table, swinging my feet back and forth in much the same manner Katherine something did, I look over at my mother, trying to figure out why she looks different for some reason. After a bit, my mother turned and seeing me, she set down the bowl she was holding and asked, "Can you help set the table?"
Nodding, I stand and going over to the drawer with the siverware, I asked as I open it, "Mommy, do you remember that amulet I had shown you several weeks ago?" cringing at my use of the word 'mommy'.
Mother turned around and for a moment didn't say anything. Setting the flarware on the table, I turned and seeing the thoughtful look on her face, I suddenly realised that for some reason she looked younger. Before I could dwell on this, mother told me, "If you are looking for it, I think it's in one of the drawers of the table in the front hallway."
Elated, I almost went for it, but stopped as I remembered that my mother had asked me to do something. Figuring I would go look after I had set the table, I was distracted when my sister came down wearing a beautiful dress that I suddenly wanted to wear.
Shaking my head, pushing the feeling of wanting to play dress-up and be pretty much like Kathering, I instead sat down and mother dished me and Kathering up. Eating, I thought of only one thing - getting the amulet back. "But truth be told," I thought to myself. "I don't know what to do once I get it back," as I continued to eat my dinner, my feet swinging back and forth.
After dinner, I placed my plate in the sink, but before I could go and see if the amulet was in the front hall, my mother immediately told me and Katherine, "Bathtime, both of you," and before I could say or do anything, I found myself being led back upstairs by my mother.
Inside the bathroom, my mother made me strip and as I did so, I caught a look in the mirror, suddenly realising that at some point I had gotten alot of my dinner on my face and hands.
Wondering, "What the hell is the matter with me," as I realised that I had eaten my dinner in much the same manner as I had when I was about three, I was immediately drawn out of my thoughts by two things that just couldn't be ignored.
The first was that Katherine, who was only moderatly cleaner then me, had stripped down to nothing and that we were bothing standing in the same posture - something I thought was okay for her, but made me look like a little girl. The other thing that caught my attention was the overpowering smell of berries. Feeling my mind slip, I tried to shake my head, but was unable to as my mother told me, "Hold still," as she attempted to undo my braid.
Bathed, I allowed myself to be layed down on the floor as my mother put a dry-night on me. My mind flip-flopping back and forth, I was to confused to do anything else as I was handed a nightgown.
While my mother put a dry-night on Katherine, I slipped the nightgown on, trying to focus, knowing that there was something important I needed to do and it involved the front hall. "There. All clean," my mother announced, distracting me as she explained, "You and Katherine may watch something until it is time for bed."
Unsure, not wanting to argue with her, I nodded and followed my sister downstairs and sitting on the couch, I was immediately mesmerised by the programme that Katherine turned on.
*****
Waking slowly, I shifted deeper under my covers, wishing it was all a dream. But as I listened to the dry-night making a crackling noise as I shifted, I knew for certain that it wasn't a dream. Scared that I was losing my mind, I slid out bed and slowly began to get dressed for school, knowing that it was time to get up, but realising that for some reason the clock was really difficult to read.
Dressed, thankfully in all boy clothes, I went downstairs for breakfast. Sitting at the table, I thought over the reflection I had seen this morning, glad that I had not suffered anymore changes. After a bit, I recieved the biggest shock as my mother walked in and sitting down, she began to eat - but before telling me, "Hurry up and finish, Marcus. Your bus will be hear and then I have to get Katherine to the babysitters and then I have to get to school."
Confused, wondering what was going on, thinking my mother looked even younger and feeling like my mind was taking another one of those slips, I kicked my feet back and forth, suddenly remembering the amulet.