Despite coming to grips with his newfound power it was still too overwhelming. He felt smothered in his own room -- barely able to catch his breath. He got dressed and headed out, avoiding Mark and June downstairs in the kitchen, and quietly let himself out the front door. Nobody even noticed him.
Ty walked. To the end of the street at first, then to the end of the next block. Then several streets down. He barely noticed how far he'd gone as his mind swirled with moral dilemmas, possibilities, and dangers. Still lost in thought, he found himself at the edge of town staring across the highway and looking into a forest. He knew those trees well, for he had gone there many times to collect his thoughts... or hide.
He walked on, across the road, through a clearing, and into the line of trees. It got darker as he went deeper into the forest, and Ty soon found himself farther than he'd ever been before. Finally, exhausted, his legs pleaded for rest, and the 15 year old sat down on a pile of dead leaves staring at a rocky stream that divided the ground. On the other side, much to his delight, he saw a single whitetail doe dipping her face into the water to drink.
Ty had always had an affinity for animals and nature and the sight of the beautiful animal was soothing. He watched the deer for a long time and stayed still as not to spook her. As she finished drinking Ty felt a boil of excitement in his stomach and couldn't resist the temptation to experiment any longer. He had to try something else.
He closed his eyes and concentrated on the doe. "I wish she would gain human intelligence and the ability to speak." He whispered.
On the other side of the stream, the doe had begun to walk back into the trees when suddenly the animal's eyes went wide and she stopped. Ty watched in anticipation as the doe's head dropped and her legs splayed to the sides. He eyes clenched shut, her body began to tremble, and the animal's jaw went slack. She trembled and shook for only a few short seconds as her brain rapidly grew in size and complexity and then opened her eyes. Her pupils had transformed, from dull black and brown to a beautiful shade of turquoise blue.
She stood stunned for a moment, still shaking, jaw still slack, and then stood to her full height in awkward shivers of movement. She closed her eyes again, taking quick breaths, as her vocal cords and voicebox tugged and changed in her throat. With a final pull in her neck, the doe let out a sigh of relief as she felt the alien sensations subside and with all tension released, she fell to her front knees in exhaustion and then collapsed onto the ground with a thud. Her shivering stopped, her body relaxed, and she felt warm and tingly all over.
Ty gaped in wonder as he saw the sides of the deer's mouth pull into a smile. With gentle steps, the boy approached the stream, just several feet from the animal. The doe's eyes shot open and she regarded Ty with her vibrant new gaze. Ty froze. The doe froze. They locked gazes for a long time.
Slowly, Ty knelt at the stream's edge and made himself as non threatening as he could. The doe watched his movement curiously but stayed where she was.
Finally, Ty got his courage up and waved gently to the animal. "H-Hello." He said in a near whisper. For a moment the doe seemed shocked, cocking her head to the side in confusion. She looked at the ground, moved her lips several times as if mouthing words, and finally stared back at Ty, her expression one of shock. "H-Hello." She repeated, in a soft feminine voice.
Ty's heart leapt into his throat and he smiled from ear to ear. It had worked!! To his further delight, the doe drew closer now, standing right on the other side of the stream staring at him. "Can you understand me?" Ty asked gently, still at a near whisper.
"Yes..." She began, then paused, then smiled warmly. "I can understand you, yes." She turned her face shyly. "Do... do you know what's happened to me? I... I seem to have..." She looked back at him and gulped. "Er... changed rather suddenly."
"I do! Can I come over there and talk to you?" Ty asked politely. "I can explain everything."