Collecting my coat, wondering what was going on and what the point of taking me to see Thomas was, I waited in the front hall until Aunt Jeannie finally appeared, holding a pair of Katherine's old sneakers.
"You're going have to wear them," she told me upon seeing the look on my face and not really sure how to say no, I allowed her to slip them on my feet and then Velcro them in place.
Afterward, I was placed in the van, luckily not in one of Katherine's booster seats, and Aunt Jeannie started up the auto, I peered out of the window, thinking on my Aunt's story, wondering if it was true that at one point she and my mom had actually been two male dogs. Unable to come to any conclusion on the truth of the matter, I watched as the landscape slid by.
Within moments I realised where it was that Aunt Jeannie was taking me and as she parked in the Hospital lot, I asked her, "Is Thomas here and if so, what happened to him."
Not saying a word, Aunt Jeannie climbed out of the van and then, coming around to my side, she helped me out. As she and I walked toward the Hospital, she explained, "Thomas was brought here awhile ago because of a rare brain disorder that left him in a coma. This is what I mean by having a choice. You can change yourself back, which I can help you because I have an article of clothing that belonged to you before the change."
"How did you come by such an item?" I asked, but Aunt Jeannie sidestepped the question by continuing on with her explanation.
"You can use the amulet to transform your mother back to her own age, again using an article of clothing that I have in possession. Or," she stopped and directed me into a room and then pointing me to an occupied bed, "You help Thomas by transforming him."
Looking at the still form, listening to the beeps and other noises of the machines, I realised that I was looking at Thomas, only he seemed slightly wasted away from the last time I had seen him. Realising that I hadn't seen him in more than two months, I moved closer and sitting down next to the bed, I looked at my Aunt and asked, "What will we say if his parents show up?"
Aunt Jeannie joined me and looking at me, she replied, "We won't be interrupted. Thomas's family has been here and gone. They'll probably return later this afternoon, as they are apt to do so. And if they do show up, they'll see you as Marcus, friend of Thomas."
Looking at my best mate, suddenly confused, I asked, "But isn't my name Ashley? Not Marcus?"
"Ashley is your female name and Marcus is your male name," my Aunt's voice explained and I suddenly realised that she was leaving. Turning about, I opened my mouth to ask something, but she told me, "I'll leave you to alone," as she slipped backward into the hall."
Watching her go, I eventually turned back to Marcus and then after a moment, asked, "What's up," feeling rather unsure of myself and not quite sure if Thomas could hear me.
Looking at my best mate, I opened my mouth to say something and then closed it. Opening it again, I shut it and then when I opened it yet a third time, I suddenly found myself spilling every little detail to him, telling him about the amulet and what was happening to me, and explaining how the amulet might be able to help him.
Afterward, I sat next to his, thinking of the Amulet of Zulo, wondering how I could help Thomas. After a bit, I took his hand and giving it a squeeze, I told him, "Catch you later," and standing, I exited the room.
In the hall, I looked down at the clothes I was wearing and suddenly felt ridiculous to be wandering around in such a feminine outfit, but at the same time my mind was taking a slight slip and I wanted to prance and skip. Seeing my Aunt coming down the hall, I began walking toward her. When I reached her, I asked, "What will happen to Thomas if I use the amulet."
Aunt Jeannie looked thoughtful for a moment and then started walking. Following her, I listened as she explained, "Well, I think the best option would be to make Thomas the same age as you, perhaps a girl as well."
Stunned by this, I tried to picture Thomas as a girl but was unable to come up with a picture. Next to me, my Aunt was continuing by saying, "This way you'll still grow up together, best friends. But, be warned. If you take this road, Thomas may still be doomed to die. It may be at this exact same day or it may be at a later date." Looking off into space, after a bit, Aunt Jeannie said, "No later than her twentieth birthday, if the illness carries over."
"And there isn't a way to find out if it will carry over?" I asked.
Aunt Jeannie shook her head and after a bit, I replied, "I need to think this over."
For the rest of the day, to which I passed slipping in and out of a feminine state, I thought over the issue of transforming Thomas and by the time I was given a bath, along with Katherine, I had my answer.
As Aunt Jeannie was tucking me into bed, and Katherine was fooling about in the bathroom, I asked, "Can we go back to see Thomas tomorrow. I want to say goodbye to my friend before trying to use the amulet on him." as I snuggled closer to the plush Angelina Ballerina doll.
Looking serious, my Aunt replied, "It won’t really be goodbye. You do know this, right?"
Looking at the white sleeves of the nightgown I was wearing, listening to the gentle crackle noise of the dry-night I was wearing, I looked at my Aunt and then explained, "It will be goodbye to his and my male life, if the amulet has only one more use to it."
My Aunt looked at me and then kissing me on the forehead, she told me, "Sure thing," and then rose to go deal with Katherine, who was now arguing with are older sister, Natalie.
*****
I awoke sometime after both Katherine and Natalie had left for school and dressing, not even giving it second thought to the fact that I was wearing girl's clothes - though I still refused to wear girl's underwear - I hurried downstairs for breakfast.
As I ate, I asked Aunt Jeannie when we would go to see Thomas, to which she explained, "We have to first stop and get something. Do you still have the amulet?"
Pausing, I suddenly realised I didn't know what I had done with the amulet after Aunt Jeannie confronted me. Dashing from the table, I tore about the house for about an hour until finally Aunt Jeannie called me back to the table.
After finishing my breakfast, I went back to looking for the amulet, to which I eventually found it in the same location it had been the other evening. Afterward, Aunt Jeannie helped me into the van and we drove to a local department store, where she bought a very pretty outfit suitable for a four year old girl.
Next we went to the Hospital, where we watched as Thomas's family climbed into a car. As they did so, I suddenly wanted to run over to them and say something, but unsure as to what, I held my ground until they had left.
Inside the Hospital, Aunt Jeannie led the way back to Thomas's room and inside, she closed the door. Moving over to Thomas's bed, I watched as she laid the outfit on top of him. Joining her, I asked, "He doesn't have to be wearing it," unable to remember how and when I had started my transformation.
Looking down at my, Aunt Jeannie smiled and told me, "I'll leave you now. When you are done, just touch the amulet to him and the dress and the magick will do the rest," and turning, she exited the room, closing the door behind her.
Looking at Thomas, I wondered exactly what I should say. And then, before I could change my mind, I took the amulet out of the little purse I was carrying. Looking at it, taking in the figure on the front, feeling my mind slip some more, I held it above Thomas and then saying, "Hope this works. If it does, I'll see you on the other side," I dropped it onto him, letting it touch both his exposed skin and the dress.
Immediately there was an electrical crack, much like the one I had felt when this whole thing started - even though I couldn't remember such an event - and then Thomas's body shuddered. Looking at the amulet, I watched as it started to crumble, unaware that around me everything was going dark.
Another shudder from Thomas and I could see the effects on him taking place as his skin lightened and his hair lengthen. Another shudder and suddenly everything went black and I found myself falling. Scared, I called out and then felt something collided with my side as something covered me. Pushing aside the object, realising that it was a sheet, I looked over at a wall.
Thinking, "What the hell," I pushed myself up into a sitting position, looking around.
"Was it all a dream," I asked myself as I realised that I was back in my room and then seeing the white walls with the pink trim, I thought, "I couldn't have been a dream. Could it?" and then standing, I began to look about.