A New Bunny                   by: Carol Collins

 

I, Charles Winthrop, had mixed emotions as I signed the divorce papers. Across the table, Sheila, my wife of fourteen years looked on with a tear in her green eyes. Our lawyers checked the documents one last time before they told us that we were through for today.

Our marriage had been deteriorating for several years. We, like many other couples, had simply drifted apart. When I had discovered that Sheila, a very pretty redhead, had been having an affair with her boss, it had not bothered me as much as it should have. Perhaps, if we had had a healthy relationship my reaction would have been different. I knew I had to accept much of the blame, I had spent too much of my time running my investment company and not enough time with Sheila.

The signing of the paperwork today was the last step before the judge made the divorce official the following afternoon. It is hard to admit that two people could drift apart so far. Perhaps, if there had been children, there would have been a reason to remain together. As it was, both of us had agreed to let our marriage die a natural death so that we could get on with the rest of our lives.

I shook hands with my lawyer, mumbled a good bye to the woman to whom I had sworn, "until death do us part", fourteen years earlier, and left the law offices. I felt so very lonely as I rode the elevator to the parking level. I knew that I had the rest of my life ahead of me. I had a good career. I was a partner of a successful investment firm. And, I was going to make the best of my new life. I held my head up as I walked toward my car.

Also leaving her attorney’s office on a different floor of the building was a very pretty eighteen year old natural blonde, Janet Dunn. She was called Bunny by her family and friends. It was a nickname originally given to her by her father when she was a baby. Janet’s grandmother had passed away the previous year and had left Janet a large trust fund which was to be a monthly annuity, plus a cash settlement to be awarded on her twenty first birthday. Her parents had already looked over the paperwork, it was just a formality for her to sign it today. She had loved the sweet old woman whom she had known as NaNa and she had been her grandmother’s favorite grandchild. Janet used a hanky to dab a tear from her big blue eyes as she slowly walked across the parking garage toward her shiny new BMW convertible sports car. Our paths crossed as I made my way to my Ford Taurus.

Six blocks away, in the research laboratory of Advanced Electronics Defense Research Institute, Inc., Doctor Herbert Cook, Ph.D. in Quantum Physics, was pressing the test button on his latest invention, a Charged Particle Beam Cannon. The target was a small obsolete and out-dated personal computer placed in front of six inches of armor plate steel which was the safety back stop. Dr. Cook was going to prove that a charged particle beam could scramble the electronic circuits in a computer. It had been calculated that the experiment would be perfectly safe. However, the good Doctor had made a slight mathematical error in his basic equations. He had placed an exponent of minus six, instead of positive six, in his equation for energy levels released. The event that was taking place would have far reaching effects on other peoples’ lives. The test button was pressed. There was a major exothermic explosion as an energy level one quadrillion times greater than anticipated was released in the laboratory. Dr. Cook and his two assistants were killed instantly by the explosion.

The Particle Beam vaporized the small personal computer, easily penetrated the six inches of steel, traveling six blocks, passing through fourteen buildings, before it entered the parking garage under the attorney’s building. I was the only person to be directly struck by the Beam. My body was instantly shattered into individual atoms and sub atomic particles. The energy shock wave released from my disintegrating body passed through the petite young blonde, only three feet away, in the form of an ion blast and electrical arcs. Janet Dunn was thrown against the car parked behind her. Her unconscious body slithered to the concrete floor like a rag doll as the dust swirled around her.

The particle beam energy dissipated as it penetrated the Earth’s crust, leaving behind a path of destruction. When, James Anderson, the CEO of Advanced Electronics Defense Research, Inc., surveyed the damaged laboratory and the hole in the wall of his building, he immediately called the corporate attorneys to inform them of the possible liability law suits.

Donald and Eve Dunn sat nervously beside the hospital bed. Their only daughter had been injured two days earlier and had lain in a coma ever since. No one had explained what had actually happened. The federal government was involved and a cover-up appeared to be in progress. Don tried not to blame himself for Bunny’s injury, but, he some how felt that if he had been there in the parking garage, he could have shielded her from the effects of the mysterious explosion.

Eve’s reddened eyes told of the emotional trauma that she had gone through. Even without cosmetics, Eve looked ten years younger than her age. She, like her daughter, had natural blonde hair and blue eyes. Her figure was almost as good as Bunny’s, just a little fuller. It had required all of her will power to keep from biting her long red finger nails over the last two days.

The medical doctors attending to Janet ‘Bunny’ Dunn were the best the city had to offer. They had examined Bunny thoroughly and had found no physical injuries. Even some government medical experts had examined Bunny while she lay in her catatonic state. They expected a full recovery as soon as she regained consciousness.

The hospital room had begun to look like a florist shop as Bunny’s friends and relatives sent bouquet after bouquet of brightly colored and sweet smelling flowers. Eve knew that Bunny would appreciate the outpouring of concern when she awoke. Eve just wished that her little girl would awaken and everything would return to normal.

Don and Eve anxiously came to their feet as Bunny’s eyelids began to flutter. Her eyes opened and she slowly turned her head to look at them.

I had been adrift in a weightless, non physical nether world for what seemed to be an eternity. I felt physical sensations gradually returning as I slowly regained consciousness.

Sensations of light filtered through as I slowly opened my eyes. I did not recognize the room, nor, the two people sitting nearby. The room appeared to be a hospital room. There were flowers every where. The aroma of fresh flowers smelt good. I attempted to ask the couple what had happened, but found my mouth to be too dry to speak.

The blond haired woman was now standing beside the bed and was holding my hand. I saw tears in the woman’s eyes and coursing down her cheeks. The man was pressing a button to summon a nurse. I wanted to ask what had happened, but was unable to speak.

Within moments, the room was swarming with several nurses and two doctors. One of the nurses ushered the couple out the door as the others attended to me. I was offered a drink of water, which I gratefully accepted. My mouth tasted like a dry cotton ball. I sucked the cool water through the straw and let it trickle down my parched throat. My pulse, blood pressure, etc., were checked. I still felt completely disoriented. The medical staff would not let me sit up when I tried to raise up in bed.

One of the doctors spoke to me, "Take it easy, little lady. You have suffered quite a trauma and need to take it slowly." His advise was confusing. It seemed as if he had referred to me as "young lady." I was given an injection and began to loose consciousness again before I could ask him about his choice of pronouns.

The sensations of reality slowly penetrated the fog of unconsciousness. Once more, I became aware of weight, of laying on a bed and light. I opened my eyes and saw that the blonde woman, whom had been present before, was still here, although, I believe she was wearing fresh clothes.

"Hello, Bunny," she said as she moved to stand beside the bed. She had a pleasant voice, but, I had no idea who she was. She had a pleasant smile and seemed to be friendly. "There was an accident and you were knocked out. That was three days ago. The doctors say you’ll be okay now that you have come out of the coma." An accident? It had happened so quickly, I didn’t remember anything. The woman added, "You had us so worried, baby."

I tried to ask who she was, but, could only make high pitched croaking sounds. When I looked at her hand holding mine. I could tell that things were not right! My hand was too small and we both had long red fingernails! I tried to sit up only to have her push me back down on the bed. "The doctors were explicit about you taking it easy." My movement had caused an unfamiliar motion on my chest.

I could feel the bed rising as the woman was using the control to tilt the upper part of the bed and bring me up to a semi sitting position. As the sheet fell away from the upper part of my body, I looked down to see two large swellings under the hospital gown. My mind began racing as my free hand moved to my chest, groped the two huge lumps there and realized that they were large breasts!

Eventually, I noticed that the blonde woman was holding a glass of water for me to take a drink. The primal needs of my body took over as I sipped water from the straw. The water soothed my dry mouth and throat even as my mind was operating in overdrive. What had happened? How had it happened? Why me?

The woman was speaking, but, I could barely hear her as my mind tried to make sense of the obviously female body that I found myself in. "...and then that electronics research company denied that they were responsible for your being unconscious. The police think differently. They say some man disappeared, too." She took the water away after I had finally slaked my thirst. "I missed you, Bunny. I don’t know what your father and I would have done if you weren’t okay."

I slipped my left hand under the cover and felt between my thighs. I nearly fainted as I discovered that my penis was not there. My worst fears were confirmed. Something very, very serious had happened and I was no longer male. I was speechless as my mind reeled with the realization of what had happened.

Finally, at long last, I was able to ask a question. The blonde woman was shocked when I asked, "Who are you? Who am I?" My voice was hoarse, but I could tell that it was normally soft and high pitched. I could see an expression of shock on her attractive face as she said, "Bunny, I’m your mother. I’m Eve Dunn and you are my daughter, Janet."

It took a moment for what I had already anticipated her answer to be to sink in. After a pause, I asked the next logical question, "What happened?"

"The Doctors had warned us that such a shock could possibly cause a case of temporary amnesia." I could tell that she was not as calm as she tried to appear. Neither was I. "You are my daughter, Janet Faye Dunn, but, your nickname is Bunny. You just graduated from high school and you are enrolled at the state university and will begin classes this fall. Your major is Art."

I let what she had said sink in for a moment. I tried to decide how to tell her that my name was Charles Winthorp and that I had absolutely no memories of her, or, of her daughter. Her eyes once again had tears in them. She seemed like such a nice woman, I wanted to soften the news if I could, so, I delayed telling her that I really wasn’t Janet Dunn.

Just then, the door opened and the government’s on duty medical staff consisting of three doctors and four nurses, entered into the room. Eve Dunn spoke to one of the doctors, "Dr. Oppenhiemer, you were right, Bunny has amnesia." He was an older man with gray hair and a goatee.

The good doctor gave me a quick examination and stated, "Not to worry my dear lady, we will keep your daughter here as long as it takes for her to recover."

I decided very quickly that I certainly did not want to stay in the hospital any longer than necessary. They probably would not know what to do to return me to my own body. If I told them what had actually happened, one of two things was sure to occur. They would not believe me and would lock me away in a rubber room for the rest of my miserable life. Or, they would believe me and would lock me away in some research laboratory for the rest of my miserable life. Either way, I would never be able to discover what had actually caused me to wake up in Janet Faye ‘Bunny’ Dunn’s body.

I looked from one doctor to the next. I guessed that they would not be able to help me. I made a quick decision and said to Eve Dunn, "Mother, I just want to go home as soon as possible." She smiled at me, squeezed my hand and looked questioningly at the doctors.

"Young lady, you can go home in a few days. We need to keep you here for observation until we are certain that you are well." I decided that I would play along until they released me. I certainly did not relish the idea of going through the rest of my life as a girl. Somehow, the people at the electronics research company that Eve Dunn had mentioned may be able to help return me to normal. I didn’t know if they could, but, I had to find out.

They ran tests on me for the rest of the afternoon. Eve Dunn stayed with me the entire time. What was embarrassing to me was when they helped me out of bed and into the bathroom. I sat on the toilet and peed like a woman for the first time. Letting go of the stream of urine was similar, yet, so very different than I was accustomed to. I remembered to use some toilet tissue to wipe dry. Naturally, just fifteen minutes later, a nurse wanted a urine sample.

Eve had taken the story of amnesia in stride and was telling me about her husband, stories of Bunny growing up and about Bunny’s friends. I had to admit that Bunny must have had a good childhood and had been a very lucky girl. I began to feel sorry for her. I had lost my body, but, there seemed to be no presence of her still in her body.

The medical tests came to an end just as Donald Dunn walked into the room. He was tall, distinguished looking and handsome. He strode to the side of the bed, leaned over and kissed the side of my cheek. Having some other guy kiss me, even under the unusual circumstances I found myself in, bothered me. He seemed to sense that I was uncomfortable as he said, "The doctors told me that you were suffering from memory loss. I’m just glad to have you back, Bunny."

I thought of the fact that he and his wife were mistaken. I was occupying the empty shell of their beloved daughter’s body. I did not know where she had gone. I only knew that when they learned the truth, it would hurt them very much. Perhaps it was being in this body, perhaps it was because of the emotional trauma that I, myself, had experienced, I cried like a baby for several minutes. Don and Eve moved to each side of the bed and hugged me. At first, it made me feel worse to receive their concern under false pretenses. Then, I hugged both of them for the next twenty minutes or so.

I was so exhausted from the medical tests, I fell asleep in their comforting arms.

When I awoke again, I found Eve Dunn sitting beside my bed. Her clothes were different and she seemed to be really cheerful as she said, "We were wondering when you would wake up. The doctors wanted to wake you at eight, but, I made them leave you alone. It’s almost ten."

She raised the bed for me and helped me to arrange the pillows as I sat up. "I saved your breakfast." She smiled a dazzling smile as she added, "All except your orange juices and toast. I ate that." She moved the tray in front of me and said, "eat something. You hardly touched your food yesterday."

I remembered them serving lunch yesterday, but, I was so disoriented, I couldn’t remember what it was. I was hungry. I ate everything on the tray. My stomach must have been completely empty. The food was cold, but, it still tasted good.

Eve told me as she removed the empty tray, "I have good news for you. The Doctors have agreed to let you go home today. They said that the tests were okay and that you are physically healthy. Dr. Oppenhiemer said that you might help get your memory back if you were at home."

I smiled back up at her. I had no idea where ‘home’ was, but, the sooner I got out of the hospital, the sooner I would have a chance to find a way to get my own body back. And, maybe I could return Bunny Dunn to her body as well. I certainly hoped so. ??

 

(to be continued by ?)

 

Actually, this was to have been a longer story, but, with my limited time available to write, I lost interest. Rather than leaving it to collect cobwebs until it is thrown out with the trash, I decided to share it with you. Anyone wishing to continue the story is welcome to it. It would be great if several authors carried the story forward. The stories would branch outwards to new and distinctlly different territory.

 

 

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