"...a goose," she said, her voice heavy.
"Really? A goose?" Cady didn't really know what to make of it. "What does that mean?"
She sat down at the kitchen table, her natural positive energy remaining in her movement. "What use does the government have for geese? Am I going to be in a petting zoo or something?"
"Maybe, dear," her mother replied, anxious. "They use geese for a lot of things."
"I guess it's not so bad", Cady replied, cheerfully. "It could have been worse, I could have been made a pig!"
***
Cady sat in the Regeneration Centre, still cheerful and optimistic. After they said goodbye to their parents, they were given paper neck bands with their new species identified in Latin. The time spent in the waiting room was tense for many, especially those with less hopeful species. A girl around Cady's age choked back the tears as she faced a new life as a squid- the only employment opportunities in her future involved plates of Japanese cuisine. An attractive cheerleader-type was more fortunate to receive a new life as a dalmation. A cushy domestic life and regular walks were a more enticing prospect than the harsh realities of farmlife.
It wasn't long before Cady's name was called. She was lead through double-doors into a long corridor, and taken into the third door down. A kindly young nurse instructed her to remove all clothing- apart from the neckband- and lay down on a hospital bed. She did as instructed, and clenched her teeth as a long needle was prepped for her transformation.