Crystal's notes : This story can be found in its original form at Michelle Johnson's site http://www.dragscape.com/stories/fantasy.html . It was written in 1997, according to notations there, and never finished, as far as I could determine. There was no email address for the authoress provided. I wrote to Michelle Johnson seeking an email contact for the author and have not received a reply. I have also looked on the web and posted a note on the CyberBoard. All without success. At this time it appears that Michelle Johnson's site has not been updated in over a year. If the author, or Michelle Johnson, wishes, I will remove this story upon receipt of a verifiable, written request to do so. It is StorySite's policy not to post stories unless sent directly by the author. There are always exceptions to any rule however.

 

RJMcD’s Changes to Diane Christy’s Sisters of Athernia Part One:

Though I didn’t want to alter anyone’s writings there were a couple changes that I felt should be made to Part One. They are minor, but if you’re curious...

1. Jack was originally named Jerry, which I found too distracting because my brother is named Jerry. I changed it to Jack but it can be changed back.
2. I changed the name Ricky to Rick because it sounded more masculine.
3. Some minor spelling corrections, such as "busom" and "bosum" to "bosom".
4. The original had many multiple exclamation points and question marks!!! Is that distracting?!?! It was for me!!!! Part One was written so well it didn’t need them so I cut them to singles! Or sometimes doubles!!
5. A few things that happen in the new Part Two needed to be hinted at in Part One, so I added a few sentences here and there.
6. I changed or added about 10 other sentences in Part One.
7. I made a few grammatical corrections.
8. The last few paragraphs of Part One and a few earlier sentences were changed slightly so they would lead into Part Two better.

For Part Two to make any sense at all you MUST read Part One first.

 

The Sisters of Athernia           By Diane Christy

 

 Part 1a.

As our plane droned along slowly, I glanced over at my friend, Jack and saw that he was still sleeping. I looked back out the window at the wide, blue ocean a few thousand feet below me. Glancing back around the small cabin of our twin-engined plane, I saw that the other two guys aboard were asleep, too. We had been flying for over three hours, from before sunup, and if our guide had been correct in his estimate, we still had another two hours to go before reaching our destination. At least that was what we had gathered from his attempt to make us understand him. If he spoke any English at all, it wasn't any better than my Spanish, and that was pretty bad.

We had left the Galapagos Islands for our next destination, a small atoll in the South Pacific, in order to complete our research assignment. Our research of tropical and sub-tropical plants and trees was the culmination of our senior year at UCLA. All four of us, Jack Thomas, Kevin Benning, Rick Taylor, and myself, Dave Johnson, were on the last week of our three week tour. Hopefully, we would all be back in LA by the following week. That would give us two months to prepare our thesis in order to graduate in June. This trip had cost our parents a great deal of money, but they knew the importance of real hands-on experience and hadn't baulked at the opportunity. The university had arranged for the unescorted tour through the Life Sciences Department. Other than the tedium of the work, we had all had a very enjoyable time on the trip so far. I looked back out the window and watched as the sun cleared the horizon on it's skyward trek for the day.

I leaned back in the uncomfortable seat and closed my eyes, trying to rest like the others. I was anxious to get home and thoughts of my girlfriend, Linda, came to mind. She was a senior also and I missed her alot. We were planning on getting married in the fall and I spent the next few minutes thinking of her. I was just getting a good mental picture of her in her bikinii when I heard the otherwise monotone drone of the engines miss a beat.

I sat up straight in my seat and looked out the window at the engine mounted on the left wing. I noticed a large streak of oil covering the cowling and spreading towards the back of the engine in the slipstream. I looked back into the cabin in time to see the others coming awake and staring about, questioning looks on their faces. Jacks' eyes were wide with fright as he looked at me.

"What's going on!?", he blurted out.

I shrugged and looked back out to the engine, now covered with oil, and then back to Jack. He looked downright petrified. He hated to fly and it seemed that his (and my) worst fears were coming true.

I looked towards the cockpit where only a small curtain separated the pilot from the rest of the cabin. Kevin pulled it open and asked the pilot, a small man of about forty, what was happening. The pilot said something excitedly in Spanish and then closed the curtain again. He seemed to have his hands full and the worried expression I glimpsed on his face didn't give me alot of hope.

The left engine sputtered a few more times as we all looked out the window at it and then I could see the propellor slow down and come to a stop, it's three blades flat against the wind. By now, we were all exchanging terrified looks and wondering if the airplane could make it on one engine.

We didn't have to wait long for an answer. The prop hadn't feathered properly and the extra drag it now produced was too much for the other engine to compensate for. Looking down at the ocean below, it became apparent that it was getting closer by the minute.

Kevin opened the curtain to the cockpit again and tried to get the pilots attention. The man seemed to be wrestling with the wheel and wasn't interested in Kevins' anxious questions. I didn't think he was going to be any help in explaining what was going on. Besides, it was all to evident what was about to happen.

We all looked back out the window and watched the water come up to meet us. A minute or so before it seemed evident that we were going to ditch, we buckled into our seats and located the raft in the back behind the last row of seats. Jack and Rick pulled it out into the aisle and we sat back, waiting for the inevitable. I thought for a moment about what the headlines would say. 'Four UCLA Seniors, aged 22, Die in Plane Crash'. The look of terror on the faces of my friends was the last thing I saw before we hit the water.

**********

I came to, lying face up in the small raft. The first thing I saw was Jack, looking out over the water with an excited expression on his face. I glanced around the raft and saw that Kevin and Rick were sitting on the side of the raft like Jack, both of them pointing in the direction that Jack was looking. I leaned up on my elbows, a little dizzy from a knock on the head and tried to peer over the side of the raft. I noticed that the pilot was conspicuously missing.

I couldn't see over the side of the 12' inflatable raft so I took quick stock of myself. I didn't feel too bad. No broken bones. Just a bump on my forehead and a little nausea. I looked back towards Jack and saw him looking at me.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, buddy!", he exclaimed with a smile.

I thought it unusual for him to smile in our current predicament, but it soon became clear why he was excited.

I reached for my head and then asked, "How long have I been out?"

He helped me into a sitting position and said, "About an hour. We were a little worried about you, Dave. But Kevin insisted that all you had was a minor concussion." I looked over to see Kevin and Rick smiling at me as Jack said, "It seems he was right." Then he hesitated and asked, "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine except for a little headache." I replied. "What was all the excitement I saw when I came to?"

Jack looked back over the side of the raft and then back at me. I noticed the other two were looking out again.

"We seem to be drifting close to a small island. It's only about a half-mile away.", he said excidedly. Then he added, "I could have sworn it wasn't there a little while ago. We've all been keeping watch for signs of a search, even though it's probably too soon for that." He had a look of concern on his youthful face and I knew he was puzzled by the island’s sudden appearance.

I lifted my head up and looked out in the direction they had been pointing and could see a wide beach that stretched for about a half-mile around the visible parts of the island. It was apparent that it was only about a mile wide and we couldn't see how long it might be from our viewpoint. There didn't seem to be anybody living there. At least not from where we were.

I looked back at Jack and asked the question that I had been holding back.

"Where's the pilot? And how about the plane?"

Jack just looked down and replied, "He died in the plane. It went under so fast." He looked up at me and smiled a little, "We almost coudn't get you out in time, buddy. The door didn't open very much and it was a chore to get you out before the plane sank." Then he looked at Kevin and said, "Kevin got the raft inflated right away, good thing he's a strong swimmer. Then Rick and I pulled you out. Kevin dove under once to look for the pilot, but he was still buckled into the pilots seat and we couldn't get in the windows." He smiled weakly and then looked back towards the shore.

Kevin looked at me and said, "We should make the shore in just a little while, then we'll be OK."

Rick had been strangely quiet. He looked at me once, but didn't say anything. His hopefull expression had changed when Jack had commented on how it didn't look like the island was inhabited. Now he sat on the side of the raft, his head bowed.

I wasn't too worried at the time. I had noticed the box of provisions in the center of the raft and knew that, other than needing more fresh water, we would be alright for several days at least. And we were young, healthy guys. We would survive.

Kevin was the biggest among us. He stood about 6'2'' tall, good build, about 180 pounds. His red hair gave away his Irish background and his handsome face seemed to be always smiling. He looked at the positive side of things.

Rick and I were about the same size. Both about 5'11" and 160 pounds. The only difference was that he had brown hair and mine was blond. Jack was a little shorter than us, about 5'10" tall and maybe 155 pounds. His dark hair was always neat and trimmed.

I looked back to the island and saw that we were nearly there. Feeling better after a sip of water from the canteen, I sat up on the edge of the raft and watched the shore draw close. It was a little strange the way the sea calmed down as we neared the sandy beach. The swells had been about six feet when I had woken up, lifting us up and down quite a bit. Now there didn't seem to be anything more than a gentle roll as we approached the island. I didn't dwell on it though, I was only thankful that it would be an easy task to get on dry land.

One thing that didn't hit me until later, though. It had been chilly when I woke up. Even under the clear, morning sky. Not uncommon in the cold waters that came up from the south of the equator in this region. Most people think it's always warm around this area. But the Western South Pacific can be a cold place this time of year. My studies had taught us that, as well as our own first hand experience. But now, as we drew the raft up onto the beach, I noticed that it was at least ten degrees warmer, making it about room temperature. But, happy to be alive and on firm ground, I didn't say anything.

We brought the raft and our provisions up to the top of the beach, about 50 yards from the water, and sat down under a eucalyptus tree. We looked around and saw nothing but the beach in front of us and a forest behind us, though we couldn't see very far into it. The ground seemed to be gently rising inland, but no trail or road could be seen. It was then that Jack made a startling observation.

He stood up and walked over to one of the trees near us. He felt the flaky bark and then looked at us and said, "Doesn't it seem strange to you guys that this type of tree would be growing here?"

He was right, this tree was definitely out of it's habitat. One or two might be explained by a random planting, but not a whole forest of them. I was about to say something when I heard a noise off to our left.

We all stood up at the sound and looked down the beach. Kevin gave a shout and ran out onto the sand. Looking gleefully back at us he shouted, "Hey! There are some people coming up the beach! Come on!" He motioned us to follow him and soon we were all running down the beach to meet the small group of men approaching us. There seemed to be about ten of them. They were wearing coveralls, all tan, and looked to be about twenty-eight to thirty-three years old. They were of various sizes, but all seemed to be in good physical condition. As we drew near them, the one in front waved and stepped up to us.

Kevin grabbed the man's hand and blurted out, "Hey! Are we glad to see you guys! We just crashed a couple of hours ago and . . . . " The man cut him off, speaking calmly and directly.

"Is this all of you?" He spoke perfect English. His rugged, handsome features were unmoved by our elation and he seemed very business-like.

"Uh, . . yeah.", Jack said, "Just the four of us. The pilot died in the crash."

The man spoke again. "Is anyone here hurt?" He seemed concerned as he looked us over.

"Well, Dave got a bump on the noggin, but otherwise we're fine.", Kevin said.

The man looked me over for a second, making me feel unusually nervous, then looked at us all, one at a time.

Then he smiled and told some of the others to get our gear. He motioned us to follow him as he turned back down the beach.

We badgered him with questions about where we were, who they were, and so on. But they only told us to follow them, there would be time for questions later.

It all seemed so unreal. These guys popping up on the beach. Taking us 'who knows where' without answering any questions and being very quiet and business-like in their manner. I wondered what we had gotten ourselves into. But mostly, I was just glad to be saved.

We rounded the end of the beach and took a small trail up about a hundred yards into the forest. Then we came out on, of all things, a paved road! A large van was parked near the trail. The man pointed to the open door on the side and we all piled in. I noticed that the other men just looked at us and then at one another as the van started down the road. It made me feel uneasy. They seemed to be sharing some thought that we weren't allowed in on.

I looked over at Jack, he was smiling and trying to start a conversation with one of the men, but he seemed very happy about being rescued and he wasn't too concerned about the lack of response.

Still, the men were smiling and seemed to be glad that we were safe. The van moved down the road for only a few minutes when I could see a few buildings drawing near.

We had gone uphill slightly for a few minutes when we started down a little grade. Then all at once, we seemed to be in an area of very nice and well kept homes! I could see modern, expensive cars in the driveways and a few men and women about. It all struck me as very odd. Here we were in the middle of the Pacific, and all around us were elm trees and houses that looked like an LA suburb. It wasn't very large, maybe twenty-five or thirty homes, but it all seemed so unreal.

The people struck me as the most interesting. For the few minutes we drove through this area I could see a few people outside their homes. The women caught my eye more than anything else.

Although I only saw about four or five, they were all gorgeous! Some blond, some brunette, but every one of them was a knockout! Absolute Babeland! They looked to be about twenty years old or so, but it was hard to tell, the way they were all dressed up. All of them were dressed as though they were going out. Those that were with men seemed to be married to them, the way they held their arms or their hands, always smiling at them and walking or standing in a seductive manner. This was really getting weird!

The van passed by the houses and I could see the other guys from our group looking out at everything with the same confused look that I had. Then we went on for about a half-mile and came up on a nice park and then drove into the center of what was a small, but very modern town. It was complete with a town square and city hall building. The storefronts were brick and glass-lined and looked as though they could have been brought here from Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills! There was a mini-mall off to one side and a couple of nightclubs on one street across from the large city hall building. A cafe stood near where we were and there was a theatre across the square right next to a beauty salon. There were other buildings, too, though I didn't have time to get a good look at them.

The van stopped in front of the large building and I could see more men and women walking around or coming out of stores or going into them. They were very much like the ones I had seen near the homes we drove through. The men were young and fit and the women were absolutely gorgeous! I thought that maybe this place (wherever it was) might not be such a bad place after all! By the looks on the faces of Jack, Kevin, and Rick, they seemed to have the same thoughts.

I looked out on the square and saw a man sitting on one of the park benches with a woman. She was a brunette wearing a short sweater-dress. The red dress came well above her crossed knees and she wore a pair of high-heeled red pumps that set off her long shapely legs very nicely. But it was the front of her dress that drew my attention. Her ample cleavage was straining at the front of her low-cut dress as she leaned towards the man sitting next to her and brought a long, white, ladies cigarette up to her red lips. The man lit it for her and she leaned back, exhaling a long stream of white smoke off to one side as she held the cigarette femininely between her slim fingers with their long, shiny red nails. They seemed to be having a pleasant conversation and she smiled continuously. I looked back at Jack, who had watched the same scene I had just observed. I was about to say something when the van moved again, driving us around the side of the building and then stopped next to a side door. The men motioned for us to get out and we were hustled into the building quickly, as though they didn't want anyone to see us. That seemed a little strange, but I wasn't complaining, it was good to be alive right then!

We went in the door and turned down a hallway that led back to the front of the building, passing a few doors along the way. In a few moments, we were up near the entrance of the building. Why didn't they just bring us in the front?

The lobby of the building was very large and grand looking. The black tile floor was shiny and clean and there were several soft chairs in the center of the lobby, forming a circle around a table. A large counter sat against one wall, where a receptionist might have worked. The back of the lobby had two hallways going back into the building. Pictures hung about the marble walls and large throw rugs lay neatly about.

The man who had brought us here dismissed all but four of the other men with him and those that he dismissed left through one of the hallways. The others sat down against one wall on a long, leather covered bench. I still didn't feel comfortable the way they continued to look at us and then talk among themselves in whispers.

Then the 'leader' sat in one of the chairs near the center of the room and motioned us to sit near him in the remaining chairs. We sat down and Kevin looked over at me and then at the man. Before he could say anything though, the man began to speak.

"I know you all have many questions that you would like to ask. Please allow me to introduce myself and then I'll try to answer your questions as best I may." He spoke authoritatively and I was sure that he must be a community leader, if not the leader.

He continued, "My name is John Lawson and I am the Mayor of this community. The island you have found yourself stranded on is called Athernia. We are glad that you are all in good health and are sorry for the misfortune that has brought you here."

I thought about the name 'Athernia' and realized that I had never heard of an island by that name in this region of the Pacific. I wanted to ask him more about it, but he continued to speak.

"There are fifty-eight inhabitants living here on our island. Thirty-two men and twenty-six women." I noticed some of the other four men sitting on the sofa shifting in their seats.

"We have been here for quite some time now." He hesitated, then went on.

"Some of us have lived here for over thirty years." As he let that sink in, I wondered at his words. I hadn't seen anyone old enough to have been here that long unless they had arrived as very small children. But he went on with his speech, seeming to know our questions before we asked them.

"This island is not the usual island you might find in this part of the world. As you may have noticed during your short stay on the beach, the island has many features and characteristics about it that don't seem quite correct." Some of us nodded in understanding.

Kevin finally spoke up. "Uh, . . Mr. Lawson. My . . . my name is Kevin Benning." Then he turned to each of us and introduced us by name. Then he looked back at Mr. Lawson and continued.

"We're on a scholastic tour from UCLA. We're all very thankful for your assistance but, . . . but can you help us to contact our parents so we can let them know we're alright? And we need to contact our people that were to meet us at our next destination. I'm sure their all looking for us by now."

Before Kevin could continue, Mr. Lawson raised his hand and then said, "I'm afraid that communication with the outside world would be impossible." He looked at each of us in turn as we pondered the statement he had just made. Impossible to contact the outside world? What could he mean by that? Obviously this island did quite a bit of trade in order to be as modern as it was. Certainly they had a way to communicate with the outside.

"Please let me continue and all will be clear in a moment." he said. We settled down and listened intently to him after that.

Looking gravely at us, he continued, "I have been here almost thirty-three years. Ten of us landed here after our plane crashed at sea enroute to Fiji from Lima, Peru. We were a group of scientists, on our way to study the effects of atomic testing in the South Pacific. There were eight men and two women in our group. Like you, our pilot died in the crash, but the rest of us got into the two rafts we had aboard and eventually found ourselves washed up on the shores of Athernia." We looked at him with our mouths open. Thirty-three years ago? If that was true, then he must have been a child genius! He didn't look to be quite thirty-five yet! But before we could say anything, he went on.

"This island was uninhabited when we arrived. Only this building was here, although its' appearance was somewhat different than you see now." He paused and looked at each of us, then asked, "Didn't you notice how one minute there was nothing on the horizon and then in the next minute

you seemed to be quite near this island?"

We looked at one another and nodded our heads. That was just what Jack had mentioned on the raft.

"Well," he continued, "the same thing occured to us. We came ashore and found our way here, to this very spot you're on now. It was a simple, low structure back then. It took us quite a while to find a way into it."

Now we were completely intrigued by his words. We listened, half unbelieving to what he said. But the unreal situation lended credibility to what he said and I felt somehow that he had no need to lie to us.

He stood up and lifted his hands around him, as if to show off the room and said, "This . . . this building is the reason all . . . or almost all of us survived."

He seemed a little sad as he spoke. Almost all survived? What did he mean by that?

"You see, we came to find out that this was not an ordinary island. In fact," and now he looked at us again, "in fact this is not an island at all." Now he really had us intrigued.

"We discovered that this whole island is just an extension of the building. This structure is really an observation post of some kind, . . . An outpost of some type of ancient or alien civilization that must have been left behind a long time ago." He looked serious as he spoke, not a trace of falsehood in his expression.

Jack couldn't take this anymore and he blurted out, "Aww, come on, Mr. Lawson! This is ridiculous! I don't know why you're telling us all this, but I just want to get home! Obviously you people must have some kind of radio or something around here. If you'll just let us contact our folks, we'll be out of here as soon as they can send for us." We were all nodding in agreement. This was getting too weird!

But John Lawson shook his head as he sat down and then said, "I understand your reluctance to believe me. It is always the case. But maybe I can persuade your opinion a little easier by showing you what I mean."

He looked around at each of us and then pulled out a small device from his pocket. It looked like a hand held calculator, only different. He placed it on the table in front of him and pressed a button. A moment later we could hear a low hum and then saw something that convinced each of us that he was telling us the truth.

The space immediately above the device became hazy and blue and then a 3-D picture, like a hologram, appeared above it. A scene unfolded within the space. The ocean appeared first, then the water flatened out where waves had been and an oval land mass began to appear. Within a few moments, the land was firmly in place and then a conical light pattern descended onto it and when it's apex reached the center of the island, the light disappeared and a low, flat building was left in it's place. Right in front of our eyes, trees, bushes, plants, and such appeared. The island took shape and beaches were formed. Then a small craft, like a plane, but different, more sleek and slender, descended onto the building. Small figures could be seen coming out of it and entering the building from the top. Then the picture went out.

We looked at one another in astonishment. The picture had been so real, so lifelike. I had never seen anything like this before. Certainly it wasn't a trick. I knew what it took to create a hologram. There wasn't any kind of apparatus around here to do that. What ever that device he had used was, it wasn't made with any technology that we had ever seen.

Mr. Lawson grinned and picked up the device, sliding it back into his pocket. Then he looked at us and said, "That is a partial record of the creation of this place. It has much more to it, but that should suffice for now. We discovered many such devices of a very advanced technology here. It took us several years to figure all of them out to see how they worked and what was the purpose of each of them. Fortunately, we were all scientists and took our time in experimenting with each of them. I'm sure that others would have made grievious errors in experimenting with them and accidents surely would have occured. We were fortunate in that we took our time and eventually learned all their purposes and many of their possible uses."

He looked around the room again and said, "This building is the power source for the whole complex. By using some of the equipment we found here, we were able to convert the landscape into anything we needed. The homes, the shops, the roads, . . . the whole town is artificially created using the technology we found here. Even the vehicles are created by the equipment we discovered." He paused and looked again at each of us.

Jack spoke up again, not so aggresive this time, "But, . . . but how do you explain your age and . . . . and why don't you just create an airplane to fly you out of here?" That question was forming in all our minds. Why didn't they leave?

John looked around the room again and then sighed, "You don't understand everything yet, my friends." He took on a saddened expression and then continued.

"It took us some time to even get into this building. Then it was a year or so before we really began to understand much of what it was all about. We found food synthesizors and other helpful things that we figured out soon enough. So we survived, . . . that is, . . . all except the women."

He paused, a sad expression covering his rugged, handsome face.

"The two women died shortly after we arrived. Within a week they both were taken quite ill. In a few days they had died of some unknown disease or virus. We've never been able to figure it out." He shrugged and sighed again, then he continued, "When we finally began to master all of the equipment here, we discovered how to convert the raw material of the island into dwellings and what ever we needed. The homes and the town you see now took us several years to create. And we change things now and then, for variety. It keeps us busy and helps to stimulate us."

Then he looked again at each of us, taking his time to look us over, then said, "As for leaving here, . . well . . of course we thought of the same thing. We tried to leave right away. Within a year we had created a small ship and set off in search of the shipping lanes, hoping to be seen by a freighter or an aircraft. But try as we might, we could never get more than a half-mile away from the island. You see, the materials that make up this island, will not leave the island. They remain here, drawn back to it as if by some type of mutual, magnetic attraction. But much different, much more complex.

"This island, as I said, was probably an observation post. It is not visible from above or from the sea. Only if you are brought in by the currents of the sea, and only with a very small craft, like a raft, will you land safely on it. Attempting to power your way in simplying shifts you around it. And you can't float or fly away from it. Apparently, only the vehicles of it's previous inhabitants could have come and gone as they pleased. As I said, . . . this was an observation post of some other civilization. They didn't want to intrude. For that matter, man may not have even evolved at the time they were here. We have no idea how old this place is. They took all the records, except a very few, with them when they left."

He smiled a little and said, "But you must all understand that we have become used to our lives here. We have made for ourselves a place that we enjoy. Anything we need is available to us, and so . . .over the years we have developed a very nice life. I doubt that any of us would leave now, even if we could." He looked back at Jack and said, "As for your question about my age? I was forty-five years old when I arrived here. That means I'm now seventy-eight years old." He stood up and turned around for us, displaying his youthful, healthy and toned physique.

"Not bad for an old man, eh?" He laughed a little at our astonished expressions. Then he sat down and said, "One of the benefits of the technology we found here. We can have the body of our liking, and we can stop ourselves from aging. But, . . . you'll get to know more about that after a while." As he spoke and when what he had said sunk in, I noticed the other men on the sofa smiling at one another and looking towards us. Again I felt a little uneasy.

But now Mr. Lawson was speaking again, "We can recieve transmissions from outside the island. We have televisions and radios here, but we can only receive. We can't send any signals out. So we've kept up to date on what's going on outside and frankly, . . . we're glad we're here and not there." He paused and then smiled again. "We keep up on current styles and trends, new innovations and what have you. And the women like to keep up on the latest fashions, although we do keep some of our old lifestyles and habits alive here. The rules are simple and you'll get to know them. I'm sure that after you've been able to rest and relax, you'll find out everything else you'd like to know. In the meantime, we've some preparations to make for your stay here. There is a place here for you in this building. You'll stay there until you’re made ready to move to the housing area. Please allow me to show you to your quarters and you can rest and eat before we meet together again later, after lunch."

He stood up and motioned us to follow him. Made ready to move? What did he mean by that? But before I could say anything, Kevin spoke up again.

"Mr. Lawson? You said that there was only ten of you when you arrived, . . and that the two women died. How come, . . . how is it that there are almost sixty of you here now?" Good question, I thought.

But Mr. Lawson just smiled and said, "I'll explain everything about that when we meet after you've rested, but . . . suffice it to say for now that you're not the first castaways we've received on Athernia." Then he led us down one of the hallways towards the back of the building.

That made sense. Of course, after all these years they were bound to have had more than just a few chance survivors of accidents at sea arrive here. The answer seemed to have concluded any further discussions at the moment and we followed Mr. Lawson past several doors and adjoining hallways towards the rear of the building and our temporary quarters.

****************

I stood in the middle of our 'quarters' and looked around me. To say it was very comfortable was an understatement. Mr. Lawson had brought us in and then had left, telling us to be ready in an hour to meet with him again. Some of the other men he had dismissed upon our arrival in town were just leaving the room when we arrived. Apparently they had been preparing it for us.

The place where I was standing was sort of a sunken common area. It was a circular area about thirty feet across. You could get down here from any direction by means of two steps that led down into it from all around. The center of the area was encircled with a large, round, white sofa. There were three openings in the circular sofa so that you could walk inside to sit. In the middle was a large, glass topped table with ornate footings on it. The glass was lined on the edges with a wooden trim. There were a few small table statues on it, a couple of large, glass ashtrays, and a large bouquet of flowers in the middle.

The rest of the room fanned out into an upper area where there were four sleeping areas. Each was partitioned off with a seven foot high wooden wall that came out about twelve feet, ending about four feet from the inner area so that you could walk around the room from that level and enter any of the sleeping areas. Each room had a three foot wide opening along the outer partition from which to enter it, but there was no door to close it off.

Each 'room' had a comfortable bed, about a queen size, with a nightstand and lamp, against one side of the room. There was a small alarm clock on the nightstand next to the lamp. There wasn't anything else on it except a small, crystal ashtray. Next to the partion on the other side was a dresser and a freestanding closet. Against the wall where the head of the bed was, stood a vanity with a mirror and a chair. Other than the fact that the furniture looked to be more suited for a woman's taste, for instance the bedspreads were a peach color and the bottom of the bed was lined with a ruffled, yellow skirting, it was more than adequate for our immediate needs.

A large bathroom could be entered through a door on one side of the room next to the last of the sleeping areas. It had two toilets, two showers, and a long, marble counter with two sinks in it and an ornate, wood lined mirror running above the entire counter-top.

Most of the room, including the bathroom was carpeted in a thick, white, pile carpeting, except for the open area outside the rooms to the edge of the steps down into the pit area. That was covered with a black marble tile. I looked around to see that the room was lit from above with recessed lights and an opaque, glass roof for ambient lighting. The ceiling was at least fifteen feet high.

There was even a small bar along the backside of the sofa on one side, complete with icemaker and a contraption that looked like a small microwave. Mr. Lawson had explained that it was a food synthesizor and had told us that the instructions were self-explanatory. We should use it, he had said, since we mentioned we were thirsty and hungry.

Other than some paintings that hung about in each room and in the bathroom, there wasn't much else except for what looked like a large TV screen on the wall. It hung in an area where another sleeping area could have easily fit. It was about five feet in width and height, though there didn't appear to be any controls on or about it and I hadn't seen any kind of remote control lying around. There was a cabinet-like thing below it. It looked a little like a rolltop desk, only narrower and devoid of handles or any visible way of getting into it.

Nothing else could been seen of any real significance in the room, except for what appeared to be a large, many faceted, glass covered light over the sofa. It was at least the diameter of the sofa, but I wasn't sure if it was a light or just an ornamant. It appeared to hanging down to about ten feet above the sofa by cables. If it was a light fixture of some kind, there wasn't any apparent switch around to turn it on.

I looked around again and noticed that each of the other guys had claimed a sleeping spot. Kevin was sitting on one of the beds, bouncing a little on it to test it out. Jack was in the one next to him, next to the remaining room that was near the entrance to the bathroom. He was looking in all the drawers of the dresser. I saw that Rick was sitting down on the side of his bed, just staring at the floor. He was in the sleeping room that came over near the large TV.

I walked out of the pit area and went into the remaining room, between the entrance to the bathroom and Jack's room. I looked around for a moment and then went around to see Jack.

He was closing the drawers on the dresser and looked up as I entered.

"Well," he said, "we should have packed a bag. There doesn't seem to be anything in here for us." He smiled a little and then sat on the edge of the bed.

I walked over and sat on the chair at the vanity, turning it around to face him and said, "Well, . . . I wouldn't worry. I'm sure we'll be provided with everything we'll need. You can't expect them to have already measured us for clothes." He just laughed and nodded and then looked thoughtful.

Kevin came around the edge of the partition and looked at us. He seemed to be in pretty good spirits and smiled, saying, "Well, guys! I've stayed in much worse places than this! The beds are comfy and it sure beats a raft!" His smile and good mood was a little infectuous and I smiled back.

He pointed out to the pit area and said, "And they even have a bar! How 'bout that? And did you guys see that TV? Monday night football is gonna be great!" Then he looked over at Rick and called out to him, "Hey, Rick! Don't look so glum, man. We'll be OK. You'll see."

Kevin looked back at us and said, "He's taking this pretty hard. He never was much of an adventurer.' Then he looked serious for a moment and asked, "Do you guys think that Lawson is on the level? His story sure seems strange and hard to believe! But, . . . you know?, . . . I get the feeling he's telling us the truth."

Jack looked over at him and said, "I'm not sure what to believe right now. But I get the feeling that there's alot we haven't been told yet. It all seems kind of, . . well, . . . too easy, if you know what I mean." He stood up, gesturing a little with his hands as he continued, "I mean, . . . all this stuff about not aging and how this place is not really an island, . . . and what about the women we saw? Man! Can you believe it?" He sat down again on the bed.

I looked at them and said, "Well, . . . his story sure holds up when you look at that hologram . . or whatever it was. I've never seen anything like it before. And the part about being able to not age and change your body around sure fits when you look at him and the others. The women obviously all took part in it. I haven't seen an ordinary looking man or women since we got here, though I'm sure we only saw a few of them." I hesitated a minute and then added, "Well, . . . it doesn't really matter now, anyway. I'm sure he'll let us know more at our meeting later." Then I stood up and said, "In the meantime, how about something to eat?"

They all agreed and even Rick came out from sulking in his room to join us. Jack looked over the food synthesizor and got it working in just a few moments. Apparently the instructions popped up on a small screen when you touched it. He read off a rather lengthy menu, but we all just had a sandwhich and a glass of soda. It was weird watching the food just appear, all ready to be served on a plate in just a couple of seconds. It reminded me of something I'd seen on a science fiction TV series one time.

We talked a little while we ate, sitting comfortably on the sofa, and even Rick lightened up a little and seemed to be more relaxed. When we were done, I looked around for a place to put the dirty plates, but couldn't find anything, so I just piled them on the large, glass table and left them.

A little while later the door to the room opened, sliding back into the wall, and Mr. Lawson came in.

He looked around at us, we had been sitting on the sofa discussing what we wanted to ask him at the meeting, and he smiled.

"Well, . . . I'm glad you have taken this opportunity to have something to eat. Did all of you get something?" he asked. We all nodded. He smiled and clasped his hands together.

"Very good. Now if you'll all follow me, we'll move into a comfortable room where we can all talk. I'm sure there is a great deal you’d like to know."

He smiled and motioned for us to follow him. As we got up and went out into the large hallway, it dawned on me that I didn't know how the door worked. Mabye it just opened when you came near it? But I'd walked by it several times when we were in the room and it hadn't opened. I decided I'd better ask Mr. Lawson about it when I had the chance.

The four of us in our now dry clothes followed him down the hallway for a short distance. He turned to a door on his left and it opened. He motioned us in and we found ourselves in a large conference room.

A large, oval, wooden table was in the middle and there were plenty of comfortable chairs sitting around it. On one long side of the table, across from the door we had entered, the four men who had stayed with us at the earlier meeting were all seated. They had changed their clothes and were now dressed in slacks and blazers. Their clothes weren't identical, but they were all of the same cut and style. Brown, black, or blue. They looked very conservative, but casual. They smiled at us as we entered.

Mr. Lawson, dressed in similar clothes, moved around to the head of the table and took a seat. He motioned for us to sit and we took the remaining four chairs across from the other four men.

Then something a little strange happened. After we had sat down, a couple of the men across from us switched places. They didn't seem to make a big deal of it, they just switched around slightly. To me, it seemed to fit in with all the other weird things that had been happening. Besides, I was feeling very relaxed, almost a little sleepy, and I didn't really care about anything at the moment except for some answers to my many questions.

Mr. Lawson looked across at us and then cleared his throat.

"Well, boys. First let me say that I think you are all taking this very well. I'm very glad that you haven't created a fuss concerning your present situation. I can tell you that not all of our arrivals here have been as calm as you have." He smiled and gave us a friendly look.

Kevin started to say something, but Mr. Lawson held up his hand. He smiled and said, "Now I know you all have many questions still. But, first, . . if you please. I have been through this many times. Meeting with new arrivals, that is. If you'll just let me talk, uninterupted for a while, I'm sure I'll answer many of your questions right off the bat."

He smiled again and we all nodded. That seemed fair enough.

He continued, "First of all, please believe me when I tell you that you are stuck here with the rest of us. I know that you'd like to leave, but I assure you, . . . there just isn't any way off the island. I'm also quite sure that in time, you'll all come to be quite comfortable here and thought's of leaving won't trouble you so much."

He gave us a reassuring smile again. But I didn't think that I would ever get used to staying here, even if what he said about leaving was true.

"Now you all know as much as you need to for now, about what and where this place is. So I'm not going to dwell on that any further. Suffice it to say that everything I told you about Athernia is true and that I have no reason to lie to you.

"As for your future here, . . . I would like to tell you a few things before we get into any details." He stood up and went to the wall behind him. He pressed a part of a panel and a screen appeared on the blank wall. He pressed a space next to the screen and it illuminated slightly. Then he sat down again and looked at us.

"What you are about to see is some recorded footage of some of the things that have ocurred here in the past. I will narrate as it progresses and fill in any details you might need to know. Most of the scenes are self-explanatory. These are things we feel new arrivals should know. Please don't interupt me until it is over. It won't take long."

He pressed down on a spot in front of him on the table and the screen brightened up a bit. Then, as he started to speak, images would appear on the screen as he spoke. Sometimes they were stills, like photographs, and others were like a video. The first few minutes was a brief record of their arrival here and the next couple of years of their stay. It showed them building a few simple shelters and then the discovery of the way into the building. Apparently, the devices in the building were recording their movements, even before they had gotten into it. I could see Mr. Lawson in the pictures. He was a little different then, a little older and not as good looking as he was now. But he was familiar enough to pick out from the others.

The first part even showed the women who had become ill and died. The shots of them lying on cots, puffed up and bloated, wasn't very pretty. Then the next few frames showed them after the men had entered the building and began experimenting with the equipment. Finally it showed them forming small buildings in the area of the square. Then the screen went blank. He had narrated the film as it went along, giving us a brief history of their first couple of years here. It seemed very real and convincing to us.

He looked back at us and said, "Now you know enough about how we have survived to understand the extent of the technology we have available to us here. The rest, that is, . . how you four will fit in here, is really quite straight forward and I won't bore you details of how we accomplish it."

It? What did he mean by that? Again I felt as if I wasn't really in on what was going on here. It wouldn't be the last time I felt like that.

He turned a little serious and looked gravely at us now. Even though I was really feeling relaxed and calm, his stare unnerved me a little. I could see it was having the same effect on the other guys.

"Please pay close attention to what I'm about to tell you. It concerns you closely and I feel we owe you this explanation before we begin."

That sounded ominous. Begin? Begin what? I was a little confused and the way the guys and I looked back and forth at one another confirmed that they were as puzzled by his statement as I was. But he continued before anyone said anything.

"After the two women with us died, we didn't have any other visitors here for a few years. Then, . . one day, we found three women and two men washed up on our beach. Very near the spot you landed. We brought them into our small town and nursed them back to health. But, . . . in a few days, the women showed the same signs of illness that our two original female companions had." He lowered his gaze a little and a sad expression came over his face as he continued on.

"Within two days, . . . they were dead. We didn't know, . . . couldn't figure out what was happening to them. It went on like that. Every now and then, over the next few years, more people were marooned here. The largest group came seventeen years ago. A large cruise ship went down and we soon had forty-two women and twelve more men with us. Many more never made it to the island. But, . " again his look of resignation, "again, the women all died. But this time, there were several children with them when they came ashore. We had hope for them, . . . but, . . all the girls and all the boys under fifteen died with the women. Four boys over fifteen lived."

He stood up now and walked behind his chair. He looked up at the ceiling and then turned to face us, his hands resting on the back of the chair.

"We finally deduced that any females, and all young children under fifteen or so, carry a common virus in here with them from the outside. Obviously, they have always carried it, probably all women and children everywhere. It is harmless, unable to grow or become malignant on the outside. We don't know why.

"But, . . . something in the atmosphere here, or something else, triggers the virus out of remission and it soon kills them. We don't know how to control it, though I assure you we've spent considerable time trying." Now he moved around the table and sat down again. I was getting a little nervous. All this talk about dying and disease made me feel uneasy. It was strange, though. I was feeling very relaxed and calm, otherwise.

Jack spoke up quickly, "But you must have found a cure for this disease at some point. What about all the women, . . . "

Mr. Lawson cut him off with his raised hand and smiled a little, saying, "Please, . . . let me finish. It'll all be quite clear in a moment. Then you'll understand."

I noticed that the men across from us were fidgeting a little. But a quick look from Lawson calmed them down. I noticed that the one sitting across from me, the one who had switched with another earlier, was looking at me with an odd expression. It made me feel self-conscious and nervous. I looked back at Lawson.

He went on, "As I said, . . we were never, and still have not, been able to find a cure for this. Even the technology we have here at our disposal has not availed us. Maybe someday we will find a way to stop this incidious disease from taking the lives of those women and children who are unfortunate enough to find themselves here. But that remains to be seen.

"Since that time when so many people arrived here at once, seventeen years ago, fewer and fewer people have come here to us. We know that the technology in the outside world has improved over the years, making accidents at sea less likely, . . and rescue much quicker. And, so, . . . Over the next several years, only a small number of people came here, . . until at last, some four years after that event, we had thirty-two men here and no women." He paused for a moment and then spoke again.

"We knew that something had to be done. There was bickering and infighting among us. We had everything, health, strong bodies, plenty to do and plenty to think about. But , . . " he raised a finger, "we had no women. No female companionship. No real reason to go to our homes at night." He looked at us and calmly said, "No comfort in the dark hours of the morning." He smiled a smile of resignation and shook his head a little.

I was intrigued now. It was almost like a drama unfolding in front of me. I had so many questions for him. How did they ever get women to live here if they hadn't found a cure? What was the mystery behind all of this? I looked over and noticed Jack looking back at me with a confused look on his face. Kevin and Rick were just staring at Lawson, like kids waiting for the climax of a story to be read.

Mr. Lawson looked back up at us and continued.

"So we held an historic meeting. It was a turning point for us here on Athernia. We discussed the problem from many angles, and . . . and at last we reached a decision. We drew up some laws and rules to live by, and for others to live by should they join us in the future. Hard choices were made that day, . . . but we found that they were absolutely necessary, . . . and they have worked very well for us."

Now he stood behind his chair again and looked directly at each of us in turn, taking time to lock eyes with each of us. It made me very uncomfortable. But I didn't seem to be able to fidget. I felt riveted to my chair. He finally let go of my gaze and sighed.

"What we decided was this. If we couldn't keep the women that came to us alive, . . . why couldn't we create women who could live here with us?" As he let that sink in for a second, I had the uneasy feeling that I was listening to a mad scientist. Create women? Well, . . . maybe they could. I supposed that the technology was there, or here. But, . . . ? His voice cut off my thoughts.

"We knew we couldn't just make a woman out of inanimate objects, . . but we could use the resources that came to us now and then." He drew up to his full height and then looked down at us. He was about to tell us something to clear this up. I just felt it!

"We decided that we would not let any more men join us on this island until each of the thirty-two men already here had a wife, . . . a female companion. We decided, . . . we resolved to use the technology on the island to change the next thirty-two men that arrived here, . . . into women. They would become our wives."

What? I couldn't believe what I'd heard! Jack was looking over at me and I was looking at him and Rick just seemed to be staring down and shaking his head. Kevin was just staring blankly at Lawson.

We were all about to say something when he raised his hand to silence us and said, "I know that this sounds impossible to you! But, . . you saw for yourself that it has worked! We were very, very succesful. Beyond our wildest dreams! It really wasn't difficult to do at all. Once we had mastered all of the technology available to us, it was just a matter of a little experimenting. By the third attempt, we were more than satisfied with the results. And, . . . " he emphasized this point, "we have improved every time we have repeated the process."

I'd had enough of this! This guy was nuts! I was going to stand up and say something, but, . . . but I couldn't seem to make my arms and legs move! I looked over at Jack and he seemed to be in the same predicament! I found my voice and blurted out, "You can't be serio . . ss. . . s," It was getting hard to talk! What had they done to me! Could he possibly mean . . . .? Could they possibly . . . ?

"Ohhh, we're quite serious, Mr. Johnson.", he calmly said.

Kevin strained to speak, mumbling out, "Wha . . . wha . . .are . . youuu . . say . . . . . ing!?" Then he couldn't speak any longer and his mouth just wagged. I could see Jack and Rick just shaking their heads, pained expressions on their faces.

Mr. Lawson looked at Kevin and calmly said, "What I'm saying, gentlemen, is this." He moved over between the men across from us. I noticed they all had wry smiles on thier faces.

Mr. Lawson spoke like a diplomat now. Very frankly. Very matter-of-factly.

"We are very sorry that you must go through this. But, if we hadn't done this, you would have landed on an island inhabited by insane men."

I was pretty sure I already had!

"We want you to know that you will be treated with the utmost respect and care once you have been transformed into females. These four men have waited a very long time for this moment and you must try and understand what they have been through. Your situation is nothing compared to the suffering they've had to endure through the years.

"Your transformation will not take long, . . . it will be completed by this time tomorrow. I won't go into too many details, . . . suffice it to say that it won't be painful, at least physically, and you will still retain your own thoughts and memories."

I almost couldn't hear him with the wild thoughts and panic racing through my mind. A woman? Me? Like the ones I'd seen outside? No! This was nuts! I heard a slight gag come from Jack. His pained expression told me he was having similar thoughts.

Lawson moved over to the screen and touched it again. A very accurate drawing of a womans slender hand, her left hand, appeared on the screen. Very well done, with a cut-away view of her ring finger. A single, diamond studded ring was on the ring-finger. It looked like a ladies diamond wedding band. Small tendrils, almost like roots, wound into the finger from under the ring and wrapped themselves into the nerves depicted inside the finger.

"I will give you a very brief synopsis of the process before you must return to your quarters and begin. I know that you are unable to speak by now, so they'll be no questions. The food you had earlier was laced with a very strong muscle relaxant. Please don't try to struggle, it will do you no good." He pointed to the drawing.

He was right. I couldn't move at all. But I continued to try! I had to get out of here! They were crazy!

"A ring like this will be placed on the ring-finger of your left hand. It will be big enough to fit you now, but it will shrink in size to conform to your new bodies as you undergo the many changes ahead. It is a type of transceiver, that is, it is a signal receiver and a signal sender. It is tied into the main complex here and directly into your nervous system. It will facilitate your transformation and maintain the proper control over your behavior during and after the process. Since you will retain all of your memories and thoughts, we obviously have to excercise a certain degree of control over your actions. How much control it places on you, will be up to you. It senses abhorrant behavior when it is contemplated and stops the individual from carrying it through. It will force you, though painlessly, to behave in a manner prescribed by our rules and conventions. Even the men here wear something similar in order to stop us from harming one another, though we don't have to excercise anywhere near the amount of control you will be under."

He paused and walked back behind the men. He looked at them and then back to us.

"These men are to be your husbands when your transformation is complete. They will place the rings on each of you and then escort you back to your quarters. The transformation will begin there shortly. The large TV screen in your room will keep you advised of the process as it occurs, it's all automatic and will begin about a half-hour after the rings are placed on your fingers." He motioned to the men sitting across from us and they stood up.

My heart began to race wildly! I couldn't believe what I was hearing! This couldn't be happening! It had to be some kind of cruel hoax! They would all start laughing soon, I just knew it!

He smiled and nodded to us, then, as he turned to leave, he added, "I will look forward to seeing all of you tomorrow. Have a pleasant evening." He nodded and left.

Have a pleasant evening? I could feel my heart pounding! I was terrified! What if he was telling the truth? What if they really could turn me into a . . a . . girl? The absurdity of it all told me not to worry. But the reality of my immobile body made me panic!

I felt the man standing behind me reach over my shoulder, towards my left hand. I looked quickly towards Jack. The guy behind him was doin the same! And the others, Kevin and Rick, were being handled, too! I tried to jerk my arm away as he touched it, but, . . I couldn't! I wanted to yell and scream at him not to touch me, but . . . but, nothing would come out.

I felt him hold out my ring-finger and then I saw a flash of gold and silver as he held out a ring, identical to the one in the drawing, and placed it onto my limp finger. I noticed that the pinky finger of his right hand had a small gold band on it. The other men did, too. Could it be?Were they really serious about this?

The ring slid down to the base of my finger and then he released my hand. As I watched my hand flop down into my lap, I hoped that maybe the ring would fall off. But I could feel it tighten slightly and draw close to my skin as my hand fell. Then, a moment later, I could actually feel a dull sensation as it sent many small tendrils snaking into my finger to intertwine themselves with, . . . and merge with my nervous system. Then the sensation stopped and my hand felt normal.

I looked over at Jack and saw that his ring-finger of his left hand wore a ring identical to mine. Although I couldn't turn to see Kevin or Rick's fingers, I knew that they, too, must be wearing one.

Almost at once I felt my limbs start to come back to life. I had a little movement in my hands, but I really couldn't move them much. Then I heard the man behind me say, "You will be strong enough to walk with some assistance in a moment. I'll help you back to your room. Please don't try

and struggle, it'll only make it hard on you. I . . . I don't want to harm you in any way."

Harm me? What the hell did he think he was doing now? I felt some strength returning to my limbs, though I still couldn't talk. I looked over at Jack and the other two. They were looking around at me and at each other, looks of panic and fear on their faces. The other men were speaking softly to them, saying essentially what had been told to me.

After a minute, I felt strong hands lifting me up to a standing position. I was turned around slowly and led, one agonizing step after another, towards the door. I tried so hard not to go out of that room! It seemed the only safe place to me right then. But the firm grip of the man behind me led me out into the hallway. I realized I was breathing hard and I felt my knees go weak again as I contemplated what was about to happen to me! I kept thinking that this was all a bad joke! They couldn't be serious! It just couldn't happen! Not to me ! Not to us !

We hesitated in the hallway as the others were led out by each of the men. Then we were turned and helped down the wide hallway to the room we had been in before. I noticed that the man with me used a small device, like a garage door opener, to open the door. That answered my question about how we could get out the door. We couldn't!

That walk back to our rooms was the longest I think I had ever taken. I tried to turn away from the door when it opened, but I was so weak! The man behind me led me in and took me down to the sofa. He helped me sit down and then stood to one side as the others were led down and seated. Then the man that had led me in looked at me and said, "My name is Peter Miller. You will be with me when you're ready. I want you to know that I'll treat you well. You won't have anything to fear from me. And I want to thank you for your sacrifice." Then he turned and left the room.

Be with him?! When I'm ready?!? Thank me?!?! He could damn well thank me by letting me out of here! But all I could do was watch him leave. I noticed that he was a little taller than me and had light brown hair. He looked to be about thirty. I hoped right then that I would never see him again!

Then the man in front of Jack introduced himself to him as Sam Weaver and then pretty much said the same things to him that Peter had said to me. I think Jack hardly heard him. He was looking down and shaking his head, his mouth still wagging up and down as if he was trying to talk.

It went the same for Kevin as Alex Collins introduced himself. And for Rick as he met Robert Sellers.

Then Robert turned to leave, saying, "In a few moments you'll be back to normal, . . . . at least, . . . that is . . you'll be able to talk and move around. Please don't do anything foolish or control will be exerted on you by the device. You'll be able to speak freely for a while as long as you don't raise your voice too much." Then he moved to the door, saying, "You'll know when the process begins." He pointed to the TV screen. "Just listen and watch up there." Then he smiled and left, the door sliding shut behind him.

We were alone again. I still couldn't believe the events of the past couple of hours. I looked around to the other guys. Jack was still looking down at his lap and Kevin was looking at me. Rick sat a little to one side, his face showing fear and confusion. I could feel strength coming back quickly and I raised my hand up to my shoulder. I sat up a bit and then turned to Jack. I tried speaking.

"Jaa . . . Jack? Are . . are you . . all . . . all right? Can . . can you move?" I was feeling better by the second now. I noticed Kevin stirring a little and even Rick was leaning forward.

Jack looked up at me and then sat up straight. He arched his back a little and streched his left hand out in front of him. The ring on his finger caught his attention and I watched as he looked at it closely, slowly turning his hand in front of his face.

"Yeah. . ," he said slowly, "I'm allright. . . . I think." I could see that he was looking intently at the shiny, feminine ring on his finger. He looked over at me and then back at it again.

He firmed up his jaw and then said, "The first thing is to get this damn thing off!" I saw him reach his right hand up towards his left ring-finger. Then, just as if he had decided not to touch it, his right hand went to his lap and rested there. He looked at me and I gave him a shrug.

"Well," I said, "go ahead. Take it off." He looked at me strangely and then looked at his right hand.

He reached for the ring again and then his hand went back to his lap, like before. He looked up at me with a puzzled expression.

"I . . . I know I . . I was going to . . take it. . . . take it off. But, . . . my hand just . . just goes into my . . . my lap!" He spoke with confusion in his voice.

I saw Kevin looking at him and then reaching up to take off his ring. But a second later his right hand was in his lap, too. He looked confused as to what had just happened.

I looked at the ring on my finger. It looked so . . . so innocent. Just a ladies wedding band, I thought. I decided to take it off and reached for it with my right hand. Then, . . . then I realized that my right hand was in my lap. I tried it again. Same thing. My hand wouldn't even make it to the finger and it would go straight to my lap. Weird! But as much as it intrigued me, . . . it frightened me more.

Jack looked over at me and I heard fear in his voice as he said, "I . . . I think we're in trouble, man." He looked back to his hand and just bent his head.

Rick sat up and I could see fear and disgust in his face as he haltingly spoke, "Mannnn, what are we . . . what are we . . going . . .to . .to do?!?!"

His breath was coming faster and I could tell that he was really afraid. Jeez! We all were! It seemed these guys were serious about this!

"C-can they do this? I . . . I don't, " Rick breathed in heavily and then finished, "I don't want to be a . . . a . . . girl !" He looked over at us and cried out, "Do something, you guys! Can't we just do . . . " But his voice trailed off and he sat back calmly. His look of confusion indicated that he was being controlled, he was being silenced for his outburst. He looked as helpless as I felt!

Kevin stood up slowly and said, "Well I'm not hanging around here to find out if those guys can really turn us into women or not. I'm leaving. Now!" He started to walk towards the door but, before he even got out of the pit area, he stopped, turned around and walked back to his place on the sofa and sat down again.

Jack, Rick, and I all looked at him as he sat down. Then he looked over at Jack and I and half sobbed out, "Oh man! I didn't do that! I . . . I was walking and . . . and then . . . then I was just walking back!" Real fear showed in his face as he said, "I couldn't help it, man! I just turned and came back!"

That did it! We all started to get up and head for the door. But a moment later, we were all sitting back down on the round sofa! I could feel myself take control of my body and get up to go. And then, . . . then I just had to turn around and sit down. There wasn't any question about it! My body acted on it's own and I just went along for the ride. I felt normal, but I couldn't make it do anything but go back to the sofa and sit down.

Rick moaned again and said, "Ohhh, Sweet Jesus! They're really gonna do it, man! We're gonna end up like those women we saw before! Man, they're, . . . they're all really guys ! Like us! But now, . . . now they're girls!"

Again, just as he started getting too worked up, he sat back and calmed down, unable to cry out.

But I knew he was right. I was really beginning to become a believer! If they could control us this easily, what couldn't they do? But nothing had happened yet. Maybe nothing really would. Maybe this was just some kind of mind control game. Maybe? I didn't know what to believe.

Then Jack sat up and looked over at me. He seemed a little calmer now and he spoke deliberately, "Dave, I'm going to try and see if I can get to the bathroom. I really do have to go. Maybe this thing only stops us from trying to do things like leave and stuff." I nodded and he stood up.

He slowly walked over towards the bathroom. He made it out of the pit and then turned and smiled at us. He seemed proud of this accomplishment.

"Peace of cake!", he said grinning. "I'll be back in a minute."

He walked easily into the bathroom and a minute later we could hear him flushing the toilet. Then he walked back out.

He looked at us and motioned silently that he was going for the door. But after a few steps, he just turned around and came back to the sofa.

"Well," he said, "it was worth a try." He looked a little more somber now. Not grinning.

Then Kevin got up and went easily, with no halting, into the bathroom. He came out a minute later, zipping up his pants. He walked a few steps towards the door and then turn and came back to the sofa. His face was strained with confusion as he sat down. I didn't even try it.

I looked over at Rick and said, "Hey, Rick. You OK, man?" He looked up and nodded slightly. He really looked worried.

I sat up and looked around the room. I noticed that a few things had changed since we had left. There was a white robe on each of the beds. I got up and walked into my sleeping area. I wasn't hindered at all. As long as I was doing something that was 'within the rules', I didn't seem to be restrained.

I picked up the white robe lying on my bed and held it up. It was obviously a woman's robe. It was all fluffy and way too small for me. Too small? I was getting weak in the knees again as I sat down on the bed and put down the robe.

I could feel my fear growing as an unwanted mental image of me turning into a girl came to mind! I squeezed my eyes and forced the image away. I had to be calm! I couldn't let myself panic! I just sat there for a little while, contemplating what we might try to do. I knew that if I paniced, lost control of myself, whatever they wanted to do to us would be difficult to stop. Calm reasoning was the only way out, . . . or so I thought.

I was about to get up and go to the bathroom when I heard three soft chimes sound.

I stood up and looked around the room. The other guys, sitting on the couch, were looking around, too.

Then I looked at the TV screen and saw that it was beginning to illuminate. Without wanting to or trying to, I found myself walking to the sofa and sitting down next to Jack. We all just looked up at the screen, dreading what might be coming.

In a moment, the screen lit up and a young woman came on. She was like the other women we had seen here. No other way to describe her except, . . . . except perfect.

She was a dark brunette with big green eyes and long, full lashes that made her doe-like, almond shaped eyes look so big! Her bright, shiny, full red lips were smiling and she wore expertly applied make-up like a model would. She was stunning! Her bright, white teeth shone out as she smiled and her long, dark hair cascaded in wavy, soft curls over her soft shoulders. We could only see her from the shoulders up, but she was obviously wearing a dress or blouse that was worn off her shoulders, leaving them partially bare. She wore long, pearl strand, drop earrings and a pearl necklace. She couldn't have been more than twenty.

Then the soft chimes sounded again and we couldn't help but watch her as she began to speak in a soft and cherry, but very soothing voice.

"Welcome, Ladies! Welcome to Athernia!" I looked at Jack for a second. I wanted to tell him not to listen to her! But I found myself looking back at the young woman, with my mouth closed! I couldn't stop looking and listening to her.

She continued to talk, her melodic voice sounding cheerful and bright as she smiled. She sounded alot like a woman announcer on a TV commercial, selling products to a female audience.

"Your stay here at the center will be brief. In just 24 short hours you'll join the other lucky women of Athernia, living with your new husbands and becoming a part of our fine community."

Oh shit! This couldn't be happening! They were serious!

"We'll begin in a few moments with your transformation, but first, . . please take off all of your clothes, watches, and jewelery and place them into the refuse chute next to the door."

I wasn't about to take anything off! But as this thought went through my mind, I found myself standing and taking off my pants! The other guys were, too! Then, once we were stripped, we went, one by one over to an open chute by the door and dropped our shirts, trousers, underwear, socks, shoes, and everything into it. I even let my watch and high-school ring go in without hesitation. I just couldn't stop myself. I somehow knew that I'd never see them again.

Then we went back and stood by the sofa. That beautiful smiling face looked out at us and in my nakedness, I felt embarassed. Standing nude in front of this woman seemed so strange. But my embarassment was nothing compared to the fear I felt growing in my throat! I knew now that I had no power over myself. They were doing whatever they wanted and I was powerless to stop it!

Then the woman continued.

"Thank you, girls. Now each of you will take a brief shower and return to where you are now. Don't be more than five minutes. Please use the soap in the dispensers and don't forget to wash your hair. Two of you may shower at a time. And please towel off completely before returning. You may place your used towels in the chute when you’re through. Please begin."

I had inwardly cringed each time she referred to us as 'ladies' or 'girls' and I wasn't going to move and . . . to my surprise, . . I didn't! But Kevin and Rick immediately went into the bathroom together. A few seconds later I could hear the showers running. I looked over at Jack, now able to avert my gaze from the woman while she simply smiled silently. He looked at me and then he looked down, shaking his head. I tried talking to him in a low tone.

"Jack. I . . . I'm getting real scared, man! I can't stop myself from doing whatever she says! Can . . . you do anything?" He looked up at me and then looked down again, shaking his head. I was sure I could see a tear forming in his eye.

My heart was racing when a few minutes later, Kevin and Rick came out of the bathroom. They had towelled off and were walking towards the chute by the door. After throwing in their towels, they walked silently back to the sofa and sat down. Then they just looked over at us with worried expressions.

I moment later, I found myself walking into the bathroom with Jack right behind me. We both got into the showers and in a few minutes, I was lathered up, head to toe, with a feminine scented soap. Then I rinsed off, unable to stop myself from completing this task she had ordered, and was soon outside of the shower towelling myself dry next to Jack. As hard as I tried to stop, I just kept right on going. A few minutes later we were sitting on the sofa, looking back up at the pretty woman on the screen. All I could think of was the fact that I was becoming desperately afraid that I might end up not just looking at her, but looking like her!

Although she was speaking to all of us, she seemed to look at us individually as she spoke. It was weird. Just like those paintings where the eyes seem to follow you.

"That's fine, ladies. Thank you. I'm sure you all feel much better now."

"Now, girls, your transformation is about to begin. The process will take place in two segments. You will complete the first segment this evening and the second shall take place in the morning. You will be finished by noon tomorrow. But please don't worry. You'll be sleeping soundly tonight knowing that you are physically more a woman than a man." She smiled and winked as she completed her last statement and I felt my anxiety rise with the increased pounding of my heart! Could this really be happening?!

I was about to find out.

"Just remember, ladies, that this will be a painless process. No physical discomfort will be felt at any time. You may feel many strange sensations, but no real pain.

"Now, ... each part of the first segment will take only a few moments to complete. There will be a short period of rest between some parts and you'll be free to move about, eat, drink, use the ladies room, or just talk amongst yourselves. But when you hear the chimes, . . . please return to

the sofa and wait for me to appear on your monitor.

"I'll explain each process to you before it begins. Although you won't need to worry about all the specifics, I'll give you a brief description of any changes to take place during any particular phase of your transformation. That way, you'll know what to look for as the individual phases are completed. Also, as the transformation progresses, you'll notice that more and more behavioral control will be exerted. Of course, you wouldn't want to continue to behave and talk like men in your beautiful new female bodies."

She giggled slightly as she spoke the last sentence and I felt my pulse race. I couldn't look over at the other guys, except briefly, then my head would turn uncontrollably back to the screen. But my glimpses of them showed abject fear on their faces. I knew from my trembling lower lip that I must have looked the same! How could they even think of doing this to us?!? We were men! Free, good, young men ! They had no right!

But the woman continued.

"Now that we have all of the formalities out of the way, . . . let's begin."

I tensed up, as if waiting for a blow to hit me.

"The first phase shall consist of a general physical modification and skin refinement. It will include considerable overall size reduction, bone restructuring, and skin texture modifications. Completed physical modifications will yield a 5' 6" height and a weight of approximately 115 pounds. Some hip and waist restructuring to female specifications will occur and rib reduction shall be completed to female standards. Pelvic bone modification for insertion of a uterus, later on, will be initiated and preliminary changes to mammary glands and nipple enlargement will be begun. Further breast and nipple development will follow. Skin texture, tone, and elasticity will be modified to female requirements, with further refinements to follow. Primary removal of body hair will accompany this phase.

"Now please remain still as the process is initiated."

My thoughts were a jumble as I tried to take in all she had said! Size reduction? Skin? Breasts? Uterus! This couldn't be happening!

But a moment later I heard a low hum emit from the round, multi-faceted glass structure above us. I was able to tilt my head up slightly to look at it. It seemed to be descending down towards us and it was starting to glow with a pale yellow light! I looked back to the monitor, but the woman was just smiling and looking blankly out at us. Then I heard the humming increase and I felt a warm tingling all over me!

Oh, please God! Don't let anything happen to me! Please!

A moment later the humming ceased and I opened my eyes. I felt fine. I knew it was a trick! Nothing had happened! I looked over at Jack and my elation quickly faded!

He was looking at me with wide eyes and an open mouth. But I couldn't be sure I was looking Jack! He was so, so, . . . different now!

His face still looked like him, only . . . much younger and definitely more boyish, . . or . . . was it just more . . . Oh, God! . . .feminine? Like he might have looked at thirteen or fourteen! And his body! God! He was so much smaller now! He had a small torso and narrow waist! And his shoulders were so narrow now! He looked, . . . . looked . . . almost like a. . . a girl ! His smooth skin was devoid of hair, except on his head and between his legs. Between his legs? I leaned over slightly to look. I felt a little relief. At least that was still there! Smaller, . . but, there! But it was his hips that seemed the most changed. They were absolutely curvy! And his legs were shapely, almost like a girls! Hairless and shapely! And his chest! Chest?

Protruding out from his small chest were two rather large, well developed nipples! Women's nipples! They weren't quite as big as most women's, but they were definitely female!

"Oh Jesus, Jack!, " I cried out in a slightly higher pitched voice than I was used to hearing, "You, . . . you, . . . you look like, . . . like your . . . I don't, . . . I can't . . . ohh, maann!" My voice trail off in disbelief.

He looked at me with shock and replied, "Ohhh, Christ, Dave! You should see yourself! Oh, God! I think they're doin' it to us, man! They're turning us into , . . into, . . . girls !" His slightly higher voice was filled with fear.

I quickly looked down at myself, afraid of what I'd see, but afraid to not look.

Instead of seeing my usual, well built male body, I saw , . . . saw . . . well I saw what I saw when I looked at Jack! A narrow waist, too high on my torso, hips too wide for a man or boy, soft skin, long shapely legs, and just plain smaller everything. Except my distended and feminine nipples! I leaned back and groaned! I could hear simpering noises coming from the other guys.

I looked over at Kevin and was just as shocked as when I'd seen Jack. He was so small now, just like a girl! He had been so big! What had she said? We would be 5' 6"? 115 pounds? I couldn't look at his girlish frame anymore! He looked like an undeveloped girl, . . . we all did! I could hear Rick choke back a cry and saw that he, too, looked like the rest of us. His face was almost pretty now. And his chest sported the same, feminine nipples that the rest of us had. I had to look away! I closed my eyes, hoping to wake up from this nightmare!

I looked back up to the monitor, wanting to scream out at the woman smiling at me from there! But a second later, I heard the three soft chimes and I tensed for what was to come.

She began to speak again.

"There now, that wasn't so hard. Was it, ladies?" She smiled widely and then went on.

"That completes the first phase of todays segment. I'm sure you'll all be more comfortable in your properly sized bodies. But don't worry, there will be several more modifications today. We wouldn't want you to feel too incomplete after just getting started." She winked again and I felt sick. I couldn't look away from her, but it was all I wanted to do. I couldn't bear to hear about more changes!

"Now for the next phase, ladies. This phase will include Voice Modification and Tonal Quality Modification to complete female standards. Hand, Feet, and Neck Modifications to complete female standards, and Male Genitalia Atrophy to Pre-Pubescent stage. Please remain still during the process."

As I looked to see the yellow light grow with the increasing hum, I tried to force myself to leap off the sofa! But I just couldn't make my body move! My body? I didn't think so.

The light bathed us for a few moments and the only thing I could feel was a slight constriction in my throat and a tingling in my loins and extremeties. A slight tingling sensation grew in my hands and feet and lower abdomen, but otherwise I felt fine. But that didn't make me feel any better now! I had felt fine before and had seen the results!

As the light faded away, I again looked over at Jack. He seemed to be about the same except that his neck seemed slimmer and a little longer. And he no longer had any trace of his Adam’s Apple! He was looking at his hands which were definitely the slender, soft hands of a woman! With long, slender fingers and tapered, shapely nails that went slightly past his fingertips!

I held up my own hands and looked at them. My hands!? They had been small after the last change, but this! This , .. . these . . . these were ladies hands! Just like Jack's. Long, slender fingers and rounded nails! They seemed so small and delicate! How could they be mine!? I looked quickly down at my feet. I had heard her say something about them and I had felt tingling there, too.

Lifting my leg up slightly, I looked at a small, petite, woman's foot! The small toes were tipped with rounded and feminine toenails! I leaned back and groaned a little.

But, . . . but, . . . what was that I heard? I groaned again at the thought and I heard the distinctive groan that only a woman's voice could make! I looked over at Jack, who was staring at me and opened my mouth to speak. After hearing what I said, . . . I wished I hadn't.

In a very high and feminine voice I heard myself say, "Jack? Do, . . Do you hear anything, . . . different in my, . . . my, . . voice?" Before he answered, I knew that he had to. It was unmistakably the voice of a young woman. The soft, high-pitched, lilting voice of a . . . a . . . girl ! I now had the voice of a woman and I knew that there was nothing I could do to stop it from being so! I felt soooo humiliated! I just couldn't say anything else. My mind reeled with the thought of what was happening to me . . . to us!

Jack just moved his mouth up and down in disbelief for a moment before he blurted out, "Oh, my God, Dave! Your voice! You have, . . a , . . a . . . girl's voice!" He was about to say something else when he shot his slender hand up to his own throat, looking at me with shock on his face. He had heard it as well as I. His voice was no less that of a woman's now than mine! Different, of a slightly lower pitch, but unmistakably a girl's voice!

I shot a look at Kevin, sitting up and looking at us, his slender hands at his own throat, too afraid to speak. Rick was watching, too, but he shook his head from side to side and cried out, very femininely and softly, "This isn't happennnningggg! Noooooo!" But as if in direct contradiction to his statement, his girlish, all female voice betrayed the truth. I couldn't believe the sound I had heard coming from him anymore than I could believe the sound that had come from my own throat. His high-pitched whining had elevated his pitch to as high a whine as I had ever heard a woman make before. There was no question. We sounded exactly like girls!

Kevin looked at Rick and said, "It's alright, man. We . . . we'll . . . beat . . . beat . . . " But his soft, girlish voice just trailed off. He obviously couldn't stand hearing his own soft soprano voice any longer. He just stared at Rick, his delicate hand at his slender throat and then he looked down, silently shaking his head.

I looked back down at my hands and noticed that the wedding band no longer seemed strange on my ring-finger. It was made for a hand like this. A woman's hand.

I remembered the tingling I had felt in my groin, but didn't want to look. What had she said? Male Genitalia Atrophy? To Pre-Pubescent size? I wasn't sure what that meant, but I slowly spread my girlish looking thighs apart and looked.

I gave a little feminine gasp as I looked at where my previously, all male, well endowed penis and testicles had been. It might not have been any bigger than most other guys, but it suited me fine, . . . that is . . . it had suited me fine!

Where once I had been proud of what I saw there, . . . I now had the small pink penis and tiny testicles I remembered having when I was very young, before I entered puberty. There was no other way to think of it. I was no longer a real man. At best . . . I was just a boy!

Looking over and seeing the others looking down at their own naked groins, and hearing the feminine moans escape their lips as they did, I gatheredthat they were in the same shape as me.

As Jack and I exchanged a fearful glance, we heard the woman begin to speak again and our heads turned involuntarily to meet her gaze. She continued on with her happy, cheerful tone as she spoke.

"That completes the next phase of your transformation, girls. I'm sure you'll all be delighted with the results thus far."

My fear grew as she so calmly continued on, acting as though we wanted these insane changes to our bodies to continue!

"Now, . . before we take a short break, we'll make a couple or more alterations with the next phase of this segment."

My heart, if it was possible, began to beat even faster. What could be next!? I didn't even want to know! Oh, please!, I thought, . . . Please Stop!

"This phase will consist of Hair Texture and Placement Modification. Length adjustment will be completed in the second segment. Also, some Internal Organ and Endrocrin System Modifications to female specifications will occur. Testicle Ascention into the lower abdomen and preliminary mutation into Female Ovaries will be conducted. Other minor male reproductive organs will be transformed into female organs; such as Prostate Gland mutation into Fallopian Tubes and other minor changes. Full implementation of Female Genitalia and Reproductive Organs shall be completed in the second segment."

I was reeling from the calm, deliberate way she pronounced that I was about to essentially become more of a woman than a man! Ovaries?! Fallopian Tubes?! I couldn't have those things! I was a man! Damn it! I was a man!

"When this phase is completed, ladies, you'll have a short break in which to become accustomed to the many changes you have undergone. Please feel free to discuss your feelings with your friends. Free-speech will be allowed as long as you don't become too excited." She winked again.

"Before we commence this phase, let me tell a little more about another process that will begin as soon as your break begins. As I told you earlier, certain controls, via your lovely wedding bands, will be transmitted to you continously from now on. So far, these controls have simply restricted your behavior. At the completion of this phase, behavior enhancement and control will commence. I'm sure you'll find that these behavior enhancements, which compel you to act and speak in certain ways will assist you in making your transformation more comfortable. They will begin gently though firmly, but you'll find that more enhancements will come as time passes."

Now, . . . if you are ready?" She raised her eyebrows and then smiled, "Please remain still as we begin. I'll be leaving for now, . . . but I'll be back."

With that, the monitor faded as she smiled and waved her dainty hand to us. The humming started at once and soon we were all bathing in that accursed yellow light!

When the light faded, I looked up for a moment and saw the glass retracting upwards to it's previous position.

I hesitated looking down at myself or at the others again. I had felt a strong tingling on my head and in my groin area. I had heard what she had said, but I couldn't believe that my balls had gone up inside of me and were turning into a pair of female ovaries! I didn't even try to picture it. It was too disgusting! But I did feel a little different down there now. There was no denying it. It would be hard to describe it. I just felt different. Where I had always felt everything outside of me, I was now beginning to feel things, . . . inside of me! My groin area outside of me felt naked! The thought made me cringe!

I looked down at my crotch. I just had to. It was the only way to see for sure. I gasped in a feminine tone at what I saw!

What startled me was not so much the lack of any testicles and my small, pink penis, no more than an inch in length now and shrivelled inside pinkish skin, but, . . . it was the . . . the traingular patch of soft, feminine, blond pubic hair! My normally wide ranging, scraggly, coarse blond male pubic hair had been replaced by the same kind of pubic hair I had only seen on nude pictures of women and on my girlfriend! What had happenned to my hair?

As the thought flew through my mind, my right hand flew to my head. Instead of feeling my blond, coarse hair, I now felt soft and fine hair, much thicker than I'd had before! It didn't feel any longer, but it was unmistakably the hair you would expect to feel growing abundantly on a woman's head! It was so soft and silky! I let my hand fall away and let out another feminine groan.

I finally looked up as I heard the girlish gasp coming from Jack. Looking over at him, I could see the shiny, silky black hair he now had on his head. It was thicker than his had been, and darker, but, . . . without even feeling it I could tell it was girl's hair. It just looked the way a woman's hair should look! And it grew out from his head like a girls hair did. It fell softly on his small head and there was no trace of any growth on his neck. Even the area above and in front of his ears had only soft, fine and silky wisps of feminine growth! I could tell by his look that he saw the same thing on me.

And something else. He'd had fairly thick, somewhat bushy dark eyebrows before. Now, . . . now all I could see were a pair of much thinner and more feminine looking, slightly arched eyebrows. They were still dark, but they were more of what you expect to find on a woman than a man! I felt my own eyebrows with my slender fingertip. Oh, Jesus!, I thought, they feel so thin and soft!

I looked over at Kevin and Rick. Kevin's hair seemed the biggest shock! Where he had always had coarse, thick, and curly red hair, he now had a head of short, but radiantly fine and silky soft reddish, auburn locks! The shiny auburn hair curled lightly as it rested softly on his head. He was touching it tenitavely and moaning softly in his female voice. His reddish-brown thin eyebrows matched the shape and feminine appearance of Jack's.

Rick's hair was the same as ours, except in was a shinier, light brown now and had some blond highlights in it. He was looking at me as he ran his slender, long, feminine fingers through it. His lower lip trembled as he looked back down at his crotch and touched his soft, light brown, traingular patch of female pubic hair. His girlish eyebrows were raised in alarm as he felt the downy softness of his female pubic hair.

Jack looked back at me and he took a deep breath, causing his distended, feminine nipples to jut out a little.

"We've got to try and do something, Dave." he said softly in his female voice, "I don't think that I can take anymore of this."

Kevin sat up straight, a look of resolve on his face and said, "Yeah! Let's put our heads together guys and see if we can't find a way out of this." He didn't sound very convincing with his high-pitched, girlish tones.

I shook my head, feeling my own frustration, but knowing how completely helpless we were and said, "It's no use, man. They've got us and you know it! We couldn't do anything if we wanted to. You've seen what happened before! I'm not going to try and escape. Just look at us! Do you think we'd stand a chance fighting against these guys? We're, . . . " I was so frustrated, "we're stark naked and no. . . no bigger than sixteen year old girls!"

They looked back at each other and then back down at themselves. Seeing their small, feminine bodies with only a little more muscle mass than you would expect to find on a young girl made my statement sink in. They looked back at me with looks that said they knew I was right.

Rick stood up slowly and turned to us. He looked to be about to cry as he said, "I'm afraid, you guys! I don't want to be a damn girl! I don't!" His feminine voice made him sound like a young girl about to throw a fit. I felt sorry for him, even in my own frustration and despair.

He turned as if to run from the pit, but . . . he just started to walk to his room. The rest of us stared in shock.

It wasn't the fact that he was walking to his sleeping area that shocked us, . . . . it was the way he walked. His mannish saunter had been replaced by a gracefull, feminine walk! And his hips swayed back and forth, just like a girls! He was halfway to his room before he stopped short and turned back to us. His look of dismay told us that he must have realized what he was doing.

"I'm not trying to do that!" he said, "I . . . I just . . . couldn't . . . help it." His girlish voice trailed off to a whisper. I looked at him and realized that the behavior control the woman had spoken of must be starting. It made sense that none of the men here would try and act like women, even if they did look like one. They would have to use control to make us act that way. I wondered what else we would find ourselves doing. The thought made me shudder!

I looked at Rick and then back at the others and said, "Don't let it get to you. Just remember, you're not doing it, . . . . they're making you do it!" The others, still showing fear and confusion on their androgenous faces nodded and even Rick nodded back, too. As long as we stuck together, it wouldn't be so bad or embarassing each time something happened.

Even in our current state, old feelings of comaradery came back and we knew we had to stick together. But I wasn't sure how long I could keep up any sense of pride and self-respect. I felt so much despair at our plight! I just didn't know what we could do!

"At least we can put something on," I said softly, "I'm not going to sit around here naked and have to look at myself."

I got up and headed to my room. I was halfway there before I realized that I was walking like a girl, my hips slightly swaying and my left hand held up next to my waist with a limp wrist. I stopped for a moment and looked back at the others. They were watching me with blank faces. I just sighed and said in my girlish, new voice, "Just remember, . . . it's not our fault!"

Then I swished into my room and sat down on the bed, unconciously crossing my legs at the knees. I looked down and wanted to cry. In spite of my efforts to appear brave, I didn't feel that way. I was terrified.

I looked at the white, ladies robe lying on the bed and decided that I just couldn't wear it. I stood up and walked in a girlish way over to the closet. I struggled to use my own walk, but all I could do was take short steps with my hips moving like a girls would. I decided to stop dwelling on it and opened the closet. Nothing. I went over to the dresser and opened the drawers. I quickly closed them when I saw that they only thing that had been placed there while we had been gone was a . . . a girl’s pink nightie!

The robe didn't seem so bad now, but I was still reluctant to put it on. Then, before I could think of doing anything else, I found myself slipping it on, feeling the soft material against my soft and sensitive skin! I didn't try to put it on! On the contrary. I was almost ready to wear nothing at all when I just walked over and slipped it on! More control, I deduced.

I tied it around my small waist and then turned to see the vanity with it's mirror against the wall. Up until then, I hadn't wanted to use it, but I just

had to look at myself. I had to reassure myself that I was still me!

I walked over to the mirror, noting that the mirror seemed to be taller than I remembered. But I knew that it was me who was several inches shorter now. I took another step and stood in front of the decorative mirror.

Looking back at me was a young blond person of about sixteen years old or so. It was difficult to tell if it was a boy or a girl, but the image leaned strongly towards that of a young woman. I looked, mouth agape, at the youthful, almost pretty image and saw that I could still see myself in that picture. My light blond hair, shining and soft like a girls, lay slightly longer on my smaller head than it had when I was bigger. It gave me a bit of a pixey look. I saw a slender, feminine hand go up to my face and felt it touch the soft, glowing skin it contacted on my cheek. I even felt the unusual touch of the longer, rounded fingernail as it brushed over my skin. I could see my dark blond, thin eyebrows and realized that they were higher above my eyes than they had been before. Almost arched like a woman's. Most of my face looked about the same, except it was smaller, the skin was smooth, devoid of facial hair, and my nose seemed a bit smaller in porportion than it had been. My hand went to my long, thin throat and I suddenly realized that I no longer had an Adam's Apple! It was just smooth and soft, . . . like a girl's!

I shook my head and turned away from the mirror in terror. I couldn't look anymore. A sudden realization that I could easily pass for a woman now had run through my mind uninvited . . . . and I couldn't bear that thought for long.

I walked back out of my room. I didn't want to go anywhere, but I walked in a feminine manner, again against my will, over to Jack's room and turned in to see him putting on his robe, too. I wanted to say something to him about what had just happened, but instead, I heard myself gush out in a very girlish way, saying, "Oh, Jack! You look so nice in that robe! It's really you!"

My face must have blushed ten shades of red! How could I have said anything like that? That wasn't me! Damn them!

His momentary look of shock was replaced by a genuine smile and then he girlishly exclaimed, "Thank you, Dave! You look very nice in your robe, too. Aren't they soft and cuddly?" He hugged his body and swayed femininely as he spoke! Then he stopped and blushed, trying to look away. I found my own voice and said, "It's alright, Jack. I couldn't help it either. It's the behavior control again. It just comes out. " Then I paused and added sadly, "It'll probably get worse as time goes on. Remember what she said?"

He looked up and nodded, knowing exactly what I meant.

We heard a girlish squeal and went out to see Rick standing in front of Kevin, actually smiling and pleased as he exclaimed, "Oh, Kevin! You've got one, too! Aren't they just sooo soft and comfortable?" As he got ahold of himself, a look of dismay came over his face as he realized what he had just said. Kevin's feminized voice cried out as he swayed and hugged his small front, "Oh yes, Rick! I just looovve the way they fit!" Then he, too, looked in amazement at us all as he struggled to control his own speech, blushing as he looked away, totally ashamed on his behavior.

Jack stepped lightly into the pit area, his hips swaying as he did and went to the bar. He acted very femininely as he pressed the buttons to get himself a drink of something. I followed him down and got myself a soda and then sat near him on the couch. I noticed that we both smoothed our robes under our thighs, just like women, before we sat and then crossed our legs at the knees. He was sipping his drink, holding it femininely in his hand as he did and I realized that I was, too.

The other guys soon came down, Kevin with a glass of soda and Rick with a cup of tea. As I watched them sit like ladies and then sip their drinks like women, I realized that the control was beginning to extend itself into almost all facets of our behavior. I felt despair and loss at my inability to control my actions. I concentrated on not doing anything, but . . . the more I tried not to move, the more often I would make a feminine gesture. The same thing was happening to the others. Soon, we were all sitting and gesturing as though we had always behaved like girls! It was so embarassing and mortifying to see the others and myself act this way! I wanted to stop and run screaming from the room! It was only when we calmed down and didn't move so much that we could regain some minor control over ourselves.

We hadn't spoken since the earlier outbursts when Jack looked over at me and said, "I'm afraid to talk. I'm . . . I'm not sure what will come out."

I nodded with the others and then said, "Me, too. I can't stand hearing my voice and I'm afraid that I'll say something embarassing."

Kevin looked over at me and said, "I know how you feel, man. This is driving me crazy! I can't believe that anyone would . . . or could . . do this to me. I . . . I'm afraid of what will happen next." He feminine voice held none of usual bravado that we had come to know. He sounded like a lost girl, alone among wolves.

Rick looked at us and softly said, "I . . . I don't think I can , . . . can say anything . . . except. . . . except that I think you guys are great and . . . . I was glad . . . glad to be your friend." His feminized voice trailed off and he lowered his head, his soft brown hair falling forward a little.

Jack cleared his throat and said, "I . . . I don't no how much longer we'll be able to say what we want, so . . . I guess I'll just say my goodbyes now. I . . . . . don't know how we'll act later. Just . . . just remember. It's always still gonna be me in here." He turned a slender finger to his chest.

I looked at him, feeling sad and lost and said, "Me, too. I hope we'll always remember what we were like. Maybe this . . . this won't . . . won't go on forever."

Kevin and Rick nodded as Jack looked up and smiled a little. Kevin looked at him and said, "I can . . . I can feel it, too. I . . . try to say . . . To say something, . . . but it just seems hard . . . . hard to get it . . . out." I knew what he meant. It was getting more and more difficult to say exactly what I wanted.

Jack nodded and then looked at me. He said, "What . . . . what do . . . you . . think . . will happen . . . next?"

I shrugged in a feminine fashion, unable to do otherwise and held my slender hands limp to the side. I shook my head and said, "I . . .don't know. But . . . but I'm . . .sure it won't be . . . . be any fun. I don’t know if I can take it." Then, without trying, I smiled and reached out in a girlish way, touching his arm and exclaimed, "But I just looovve the way your hair shines! I hope mine does, too!" Then I actually giggled! Inside, I . . . I felt sooooo ashamed, but I couldn't stop it from coming out.

Instead of seeing Jack's face become alarmed or get an embarassed look on it from what I had just so girlishly said, he reached out and touched my hand in a feminine way and said, "Oh, Dave, your hair is gorgeous! It's such a nice shade of honey blonde!" Then he gave a fake, petulant pout as he touched his own hair and said, "I just wish it were longer! I just can't do anything with it the way it is now!"

We both giggled again and then I found myself blushing once more over the scene we had just acted out. It just seemed to happen without warning!

I looked at Kevin and Rick and could see their discomfort over what they had just witnessed. Rick opened his mouth to say something, his expression indicating that he wanted to tell us it was OK, but instead, he broke into a wide grin and looked at Kevin, pointing gracefully at him and exclaiming, "I just wish my hair was as naturally curly as Kevins'! Some girls have all the luck!" Then he giggled and Kevin, who was obviously trying to look away at that moment, smiled, turned back to Rick and then actually struck a feminine pose, his hand fluffing up his soft auburn red hair as he said in a sultry voice, "Eat your hearts out, girls!" Then he giggled and said to Rick, "Don't worry, Rick, you know your hair is just as pretty as the rest of ours!" Hearing them refer to us as girls just made it worse! The humiliation was unbearable!

After that, we tried not to talk so much, but every now and then over the next fifteen minutes or so, we would go through another little burst of behavior like that, talking very girlishly and acting like a bunch of schoolgirls. Rick had even stood up when we had finished our drinks, gathered them up and put them in the chute (which seemed to conveniently open whenever it was needed). Then he swished back over to the pit area and started to sit down. Then, . . .he stopped and stood there, his girlish hand held femininely on one hip and said, "I hope you guys don't think I'm going to be your personal maid! I only did it because I think that we should be neat and tidy !" As he sat down again, smoothing his robe under his thighs, I could see that he was blushing red from his statement. Inside, . . . I knew that the other guys were as fearful and despairing as I was.

A short while later, we looked up at the screen as the chimes rang softy out.

The woman appeared on the screen, smiling bright as usual and began to speak.

"Hello again, ladies! I hope you had an enjoyable respite. I'm glad that you have all had the good sense to put on your lovely robes. Aren't they comfortable?" Again she gave us that knowing wink. I almost had the feeling that she could see us sitting there. My heart began to beat faster as she continued on. I didn't know what to expect.

"The next phase of this segment will begin in a moment. But first, . . . let me tell you a little about what to expect." Oh, God! I wished that I could just die and end it all before hearing what she was about to say! But, . . . I just listened and watched, unable to do anything else.

"This segment will consist of Ear Sizing, some Facial Alterations,and Breast Budding. Your ears will be reduced slightly to accomodate female characteristics and earlobe enhancement will occur to female specifications. Facial Alterations will include jawline lifting and smoothing, chin tapering and shortening, and some mouth and lip sizing to include lipline assimilation to feminine standards. Also, all dental reconstruction will be completed to include teeth straightening, whitening, and size reductions. Your noses will be slightly modified to a more feminine standard, however, complete female restructuring will be accomplished during the next segment. Some eyelash and shape alterations will be performed, but this will not be completed until tomorrow. Most of the major facial changes shall be completed during the next segment. These changes are only preliminary and will give you time to grow used to your new appearance. All facial modifications will be made using your current appearance as a base starting point. You will find that you may be able to see a resemblance to your current appearance, even when your transformation into a complete woman has been finished. This resemblance will vary with each of you, of course, depending upon how radical the alterations have been to produce the desired effect." She paused and gave us another wink. Then she went on.

"Also during this phase, your breasts will be altered to assume the size normally attributed to female puberty. Appropriately sized Aureolas shall grow about your nipples, and lactation cells will form within the mammary glands. Overall size will approximate an A-cup. Complete breasts size

enhancement will be completed in the second segment. Now , . . . if you'll all please remain still, we'll begin."

I tried to look over at Jack and the others as I heard the humming start and the glass structure lowered towards us. I knew I couldn't move, but I felt like I needed to see the other guys, to reassure myself that they were nearby, that I wasn't all alone. I felt so horribly scared! What had she said this time? Breast Budding? A-cup? Did she mean that they were going to start making my breasts grow? Like a girl's? I almost didn't care about what she had said about my ears and face when I heard that! But I also was deeply worried about whether or not I would ever be able to recognize myself in a mirror again. I felt so afraid that I was losing myself, . . . losing sight of the me that I knew and was comfortable with! But I remembered Larson had said we would retain our thoughts and memories. With all the other changes it didn’t seem like much. But there would still be some of me deep inside.

But as I tried to turn to the others, I froze, the yellow light bathing me and the humming filling my ears. I could feel my head and face tingling and I felt an itchy kind of tingling and throbbing at my chest! Oh my God!, I thought, please! Please make this end!

A moment later, just as before, the tingling ceased as the light faded and the humming stopped. I looked up slightly and saw that the glass structure was retracting to it's previous position, it's insane, revolting work completed.

I took a breath, aware that my chest seemed to be rubbing uncomfortably against my robe, especially around my nipples. I didn't want to look. Could it possibly be? If I opened the front of my robe, would I be confronted with the fact that I now had a small pair of tits? Girls tits? I couldn't look. But I didn't have to. I could feel them. They were there, poking out, pressing lightly against the inside of my robe, pushing the nipples against the soft fabric. But even the soft fabric was enough to lightly irritate them. How big were they? Would I be as disgusted as I feared, if I looked?! I had to look! I had to see if I was only imagining it! Maybe that's all it was, the power of suggestion! Maybe they were only in my imagination! My feminine hands moved to the front of my robe, my long, slender fingers pulling the robe apart.

But my fears were not my imagination. As the front of my robe opened up, I slowly looked down to see two, small, but pert, round breasts! My distended nipples poked upwards from their nubile fullness, surrounded by somewhat large and reddish-brown female aureolas! My new bosum protruded enough to know that I would never be able to wear a tight shirt again without betraying the fact that I had the breasts of a girl! And the woman had said that they would get bigger tomorrow! I almost fainted from my panic and fear. I was so ashamed at my appearance! How could they! How could they make me have. . . have tits !

A feminine gasp from Jack made me close my robe and look over at him. Him? My mouth fell open in astonishment! Other than the obvious fact that he now had small breasts protruding from his feminine chest, his pink nipples sticking upwards, stiff and proud from within his dark aureloas as he held open his robe with his slender hands, . . . other than this painful reality, I was more shocked by his . . . his? . . . his face. I was only sure that it was Jack because I knew that he had been sitting next to me when this phase had started!

I blinked twice while staring blankly at his profile, realizing that I was looking through eyes covered with long, slightly curled eyelashes that I could see in an unfocused blur over my eyes , . . . and then I saw his full face as he turned to look at me, fear and astonishment growing on his, . . . his . . . young and . . . and (there wasn't any other way to put it) . . pretty, feminine face!

I stared in disbelief at his smooth, gracefull jawline, his small, lightly rounded chin and his smaller, more pert nose. But, . . . but if that wasn't enough, . . his previously thin lips and small mouth had been replaced with a wider, fuller, more feminine mouth, and a much more feminine set of lips! He even had a small cupid's bow on his full, upper lip! I didn't even notice at the time that his ears were bobbed and now quite petite looking, with larger, more feminine lobes on the bottom.

He blinked once and I caught the sight of longer, dark eyelashes moving up and down on his eyelids. They even curled up slightly, like a girl's would, making his eyes look much larger than they were! The overall effect of his facial changes made it difficult to see him in there. He just looked so, . . . so . . . . pretty! I felt my pulse race again in distress, as I realized that I, too, would see equally bizarre changes in my own appearance if I looked into a mirror.

I stopped staring as I heard a feminine sob come from Rick. I knew what to expect this time as I looked over at him, but it still didn't lessen my shock at his transformation! He was staring down at his new, protruding breasts and wagging his full, feminine mouth in disbelief at the new female acrutiments growing from his chest. But I found it difficult to see much of the old Rick I had known in the pretty, feminine face that looked up at me. He had always had larger lips than I would have thought normal for a guy, but now his full, pouty lips looked so feminine and so, . . so sensuous, that I hardly believed it was him! His classically feminine jaw and chin were unmistakably girlish and his small ears poked out only slightly from under his light brown, silky hair. He was blinking back a tear and his long lashes looked soft and full as they fluttered up and down.

I turned away, unable to see my friends like that any longer. I wanted to shout and stamp my foot in anger, knowing that my changed face must also reflect the same female qualities that the others had, when I heard the feminine and girlish voice that I knew belonged to Kevin, softly cry out,

"Oh, God! Oh, God! Oh, God!", it repeated. I looked up to see the feminine, fair skinned, and girlish face that had replaced Kevins' rugged and mannish features. His girlish jawline was tensed in anger and his pert nose was slightly flared in frustration. He was looking over at Jack and me, his full, naturally reddish lips open in shock. Gleaming white teeth shone out from his full, girlish mouth, his long lashes blinking up and down in bewilderment, his feminine bosum heaving in and out, exaggerating his feminine appearance as he cried out softly in his girlish voice, "Oh God! They. . they really . . . really did it! They, . . . . . they made . . . made us . . . grow . . . .tits !"

I shook my head and looked away, I couldn't look any longer at his pained, yet pretty and girlish expression. He had been the most macho of all of us. A man's man. But now, . . . now his cute face only reminded my of the fresh, beautiful faces of young girls I had seen and known. There was no way earth that anyone would have ever guessed he was anything other than a young girl of fifteen or sixteen years old. It was the same with Jack and Rick and . . . and without even looking, I knew for me, too.

I could feel my straight teeth clench together, touching each other differently than they had before, fitting together better and without the small underbite I'd had . I lifted my left hand up to my mouth and with my soft fingertips, felt the soft, fuller, shaplier lips I now had. I let my fingers trace my jawline and felt it's soft, gentle incline as it went gracefully upwards towards my neck. The small chin I felt underneath my touch was not mine and as I lifted my fingers up to my nose, I knew before I touched it that it would no longer have the distinctive bump on it's bridge that I'd carried there all my life. As I traced it's small, smooth outline to my cheek, I choked back a cry of despair, knowing that I probably wouldn't even recognize myself now. Nor would anyone else if ever they came looking for me.

I looked back at Jack and realized that he was looking at me with the same look of disbelief that I had shown him.

"Oh, Jeeezuss, Dave! You . . . you . . . you look . . . you look just like . . . like a . . a girl !" he said in his feminine and astonished voice.

I just bowed my head, seeing the front of my robe pushing slightly outwards, and replied, "I . . . I know." Then I looked back at him and seeing his youthful, feminine face again, I softy added, "You. . . . you, too. We . . . we all do now!" I looked over at Rick and Kevin and nodded in their direction. Jack looked over at them, too.

Rick was looking at Kevin. Kevin was letting his slender fingers run over his face, feeling for the first time what it felt like to have the face of a girl, no longer feeling his rugged features. His look of dismay made my heart sink.

I saw Rick's petulant lips quiver as he said, "Oh, Goooodddd, Kevin! What's happening to us?" His frightfull, female voice made me wince. I couldn't stand being assualted by all . . . . all this . . . . femaleness around me! I wanted to escape! To run! To hide forever! But I just sat still, waiting for the inevitable.

As Rick lowered his head in abject despair, I could here the chimes sound again as the woman on the screen resumed her smiling pronouncements. We all looked up at her as began to speak, afraid to listen, but too afraid to not know what was coming next.

"Well, girls. I'm sure your all very proud of your new additions," and she winked again as she continued, ". . . especially your new breasts! But, . . we still have one more phase to complete this evening before you can relax and get to know your new bodies better."

She hesitated and flashed a sexy, toothy smile before continuing.

"The last phase of the first segment does not involve any further physical alterations. Rather, . . we will concentrate on beginning new behaviors and aquainting you with certain customs and activities expected of women here on Athernia."

I felt a little better knowing that they weren't going to inflict anymore changes on us right away, but I gained little comfort from that thought, knowing the extent to which I had already been altered.

"First of all," she began, "you will no doubt wish to attire yourselves properly for the short lecture I'm about to give you. I'm sure you all feel a little uncomfortable without any proper underwear on. If you'll all direct your attention to the receptor cabinet below the monitor, I will ask each of you to approach it, one at a time, and remove the items placed there for you. Then, please return to the sofa for further instructions."

I looked at the cabinet below the TV monitor that I had seen earlier and saw that it now was opening up. The rolltop-like upper part had slid back to reveal a wide shelf. On it lay a pink bag, . . a drawtop purse. I looked at Jack, not wanting to move, afraid of what might be in store for us now, but, . . . but I found myself standing up and walking alone, hips swaying over to the cabinet. As I approached it, I could feel the additional flesh on my chest jiggle slightly as I moved. The feeling was so strange and so embarassing that I wanted to put my arms over my breasts, to stop them from moving. But I kept my arms gracefully at my sides until I reached the cabinet and then, without hesitation, reached out and picked up the pink bag. It felt like a soft leather to my slender fingers, and it looked like the drawstrings closed the top the way I'd seen womens' purses close before. I tried to let it go, let it fall back onto the shelf, I didn't want to hold this symbol of womanhood in my hands, . . . but I only turned, holding it in a feminine manner in my right hand as I went back to the sofa and sat down, placing the pink purse in my lap.

Then I saw the lid on the cabinet close for a moment and then open again to reveal a peach colored purse on the shelf this time. Jack stood up and walked over to it. His hips moved in a feminine fashion as he did and I could see him reach out and clasp the purse in his right hand, holding it gracefully as he turned and came back. I couldn't help but notice the jiggling motion his breasts made to the front of his robe as he returned and sat next to me, placing his purse in his lap.

Kevin and Rick followed, each returning with their own purses. Kevins' was red and Rick held a white one on his lap. I looked at each of them, some of them raising their feminine eyebrows up in a look of puzzlement over what was going on. But each of us still showed more fear and distress on our faces than anything else.

The woman began to speak again and we all looked up at her image on the screen, tensing for what might come next.

"Very good, ladies. What girl would go about without her purse, . . right?" She smiled and nodded as she spoke, "That's right, the first rule is that you will never leave a room without your purses. You will have an opportunity to exchange it later for different purses of your choice, as the occasion dictates, . . . but for now, please carry this one with you at all times." I somehow knew that even though I would never attempt to keep it with me, I would nevertheless, be forced to carry it around involuntarily wherever I went.

"Now, as I said, I'm sure you all must feel uncomfortable without any underwear, so I would like all of you to please open your purses and take out the two items you'll find inside, on top."

I couldn't stop my hands from loosening the straps and opening up the purse. I found myself looking into the purse and seeing a pair of simple, pink cotton panties and a pink cotton bra. I wanted to jerk my hand away, but instead I reached in and gently lifted the two items out, placing them next to me on the sofa and then closing the purse. I didn't even see what else was in it, I had acted so quickly under their control.

"Very good, girls. Now, please stand and remove your robes."

Involuntarily, we all stood up at once and took off our white robes. We placed them next to our purses, which we had set on the sofa as we stood up. I noticed the other guys standing near as my head had turned to set down my robe. I caught a glimpse of several small, jiggling breasts as Jack and Kevins' bosoms filled my sight. I stood back to face the screen, feeling the air move over my breasts and nipples as they jiggled slightly with my movement. I felt my shame and disgust grow as I stood there, naked in front of my friends and that woman, no longer a man, but a man inside the nubile body of a girl, . . . a girl with only small vestiges of a former male identity.

"Thank you, ladies. Now please, . . . one at a time, put on your panties and bra. Then you may sit down. Please begin."

I waited for my body to move, but I could see a movement out of the corner of my eye and I found that my head turned freely to see Rick stepping lightly into his pair of white panties! He pulled the panties up over his hips in one motion, as if he had worn girls panties all his life. I noticed that they rode well up on his hips, curving in to fit around the base of his small waist, with a small, almost unnoticable bulge protruding where his tiny penis pressed against the soft fabric. They were rather plain, except for a small strand of white lace that lined the top and I could see the distinctive, feminine cut of the fabric as they tapered up on the sides to narrow, french-cut bands. Then, I watched with increasing anxiety as he picked up the bra in his small hand. He turned it so that the small cups were in front and he leaned forward slightly as he slid his small arms through the straps and then pressed the cups against his bosom. Then he reached around and fastened the clasp in the back. He did it expertly, like a girl who had done it many times before! Yet while all of this was happening, his face showed only fear and loathing at what he was doing, his full lips quivering as he was forced to don the feminine undergarments.

When he had clasped the bra in back, he stood up straight and adjusted the bottom of the bra so that it held up his small breasts properly. Then he adjusted the cleavage, actually pulling his breasts towards the middle with his slender fingers, causing them to press together in the front, creating the illusion of more breast flesh than there really was! I saw a small, pink rose embroidered between the cups on the band and a light lace trim ran up the front on both sides.

When he was through, he sat down, crossing his legs at his knees and stared up at the screen. I was amazed and afraid of how much the bra did to lend to his feminine appearance, especially seeing his new breasts pressing out from the tops of it.

Then Kevin did the same, putting on his rose-red panties and bra in the same manner as Rick did. When he was done and sitting down, his face showed his disgust at what he had just done, but he was unable to say or do anything.

As Jack started to put on his girls underwear, I felt my anxiety grow, knowing I would be next. Soon he was sitting down, his peach colored panties and bra in place, his new breasts pushed up in the front to poke out the top of the lacy garment. He looked at the screen, his pretty face showing disdain as he placed his small hands in his pantied lap.

Then, I was turning and picking up the pink panties and pulling them up my smooth, hairless legs. Inwardly I screamed for myself to stop, but in a moment, the pink panties, with their lace trimmed top were snuggly up over my hips, pressing in on the bottom of my narrow waist and firmly in place, lending a distressing femininity to my already disheartening appearance.

Then I picked up the pink bra. As I struggled inwardly to throw it away from me, I found myself looking at it and turning it around so that I could slip my slender arms through the straps and place them over my narrow shoulders. As I did, my right hand came up to press the cups against my breasts and then I leaned forward, allowing my small boobs to fall into the cups. Then I reached around with both hands and found the ends, clasping them together in the back. I knew my face was displaying my dismay and anger as I straightened up and then adjusted the front, pulling my sensitive breasts up and in to get the maximum effect from the lifting action of the lace trim brassier. You can't imagine my feelings when, after sitting down and crossing my bare legs, feeling my panties snugly about my hips, I looked down to see a pair of small, but nicely developed breasts displayed femininely in my pink bra!

My bra? My breasts? My panties? The reality of what had happened was still sinking in and I felt so bad for myself and my friends as our manhood was slowly whittled away with each passing moment!

Then I was looking back up at the woman, hoping that she had finished with her 'lessons' for the day. I just wanted to crawl into a corner and die!

But she smiled anew and went on with her cheerful speech.

"That's fine, ladies. You must feel much better now. No self-respecting woman would feel properly feminine without her underwear on. At least for most occasions." She smiled and winked again. I cringed inside at her comment. I didn't even start to think about the connotations of what she

had implied!

"Now, ladies, . . please pay attention while I outline some of your duties and responsibilities that reflect our customs and female behavioral requirements here on Athernia. You will be expected to adhere to them at all times. No exceptions. You will find that all of these behaviors will occur automatically, should you elect not to comply voluntarily. Up until now, you have only been exposed to a few of these behaviorial requirements. Although we simply can't cover them all, . . . and since we can't cover too many this eveing, I will give you an outline of those that you can expect to see happen right away, or at least sometime tonight. . . as soon as we finish here."

She smiled and then continued to speak, while my heart pounded in my chest, . . . my chest that now had two breasts sprouting from it!

"Now if I may, . . I'll begin.

"First, all Athernian women are expected to maintain a high degree of personal grooming at all times. You must always be properly dressed and wearing appropriate make-up, as the occasion permits. Your hair must always be clean and properly worn, in the best of feminine fashions and at

an appropriate length for the style selected. Nails must be kept neat and polished and of an appropriate length." She lifted up one of her delicate hands and displayed a set of long, well-kept, and polished nails. Their bright, wet looking red color lent an air of ultra-femininity to her. I could not imagine the humility of having to wear nails like that! They were at least half an inch past her slender fingtips!

"A limited selection of cosmetics, to fit your immediate needs, can now be found on your vanities. Please avail yourself of their benefits as the evening progresses. You will find a full selection provided for you tomorrow.

Make-up? Cosmetics?! On me?! No way! Not on this guy! I won't do it!

"You should always dress in a feminine manner and never attempt to revert to past practices where grooming and attire is concerned. I'm sure you'll find your selection of attire to be varied enough to please even the most finicky of tastes. When we are finished here, you'll find that your closets and dressers have an appropriate ensemble for your immediate needs this evening."

I was trembling slightly at the thought of being forced to wear more women's clothing! But I knew that I was helpless to stop it from happening, . . sooner or later. Yet, . . I still harbored a feeble hope that this would all stop and I'd be myself again. But, the strange feeling of the bra, wrapped around my chest and cupping my breasts told me different.

"Your manners must always reflect your commitment to total femininity. You will always behave in a feminine and ladylike way. This will happen as a matter of course as the behavioral control over you continues to increase this evening. By the time you leave here tomorrow, you'll find that you will be able to conduct yourself as a lady in any situation, thereby finding yourself glady accepted into the circles of Aternian Society.

"Now, we have many customs here for the women of Athernia that have been carried on for many years. We find that they all serve a useful purpose and serve to create an ambiance of sophistication and allure. These will all be apparent as time goes on, but I would like to take this time to familiarize you with a few of them.

"You will find that all our women are kind and considerate to others at all times. To each other, . . and most importantly to the men. Disobedience or insubordination to a man, especially your husband, will not be tolerated or allowed. Automatic control will take over whenever insubordination is considered. Don't worry about slipping up, it simply won't happen.

"Also, you'll find that we often attend community functions. Most are of a formal nature and serve to create a feeling of commitment and belonging. You will be expected to attend any function that you receive an invitation to. Your husbands will assist you in keeping a proper social calendar.

"You will be expected to socialize individually with your peers, that is, . . the other women, both alone and with your husbands. Small dinner parties are an everynight occurence here." She smiled and said, "You will find yourself constantly deciding what to wear . . . always a new party or function to attend to.

"Now that is not to say that you won't have time alone with your spouses or time for yourself, but we feel that idleness creates sloppiness, and it will not be tolerated or allowed."

I tried to picture myself in the situations she was describing, but found the thought disgusting and repulsive! I had to get out of here! Oh, God! Please help me! Please stop this, . . now!

"You will be expected to keep your homes neat and tidy at all times, ready to receive guests at a moments notice. You'll find that with our ultra-modern technology, this will be a fairly simple task.

"Also, we have several personal habits that you will find, if properly done, lend a quality of sophistication and, . . . yes, sensuality, that our men find appealing. Automatic control will always allow you to participate in these activities with ease.

"For instance, we women always conduct ourselves in a loving and ladylike way when with our men. We show our affection freely and with respect. Holding hands, taking his arm, and dancing closely to him are but a few examples of this. You'll find many more examples as you observe others and as the automatic control over your behavior intensifies."

As I sat, half naked in front of the screen, I shuddered at the thought of having to touch another man in that way! I simply would not let that happen! I couldn't! But the lump in my throat was growing by the second as she spelled out a life that I was revolted by! I couldn't! I wouldn't!

"Another aspect of your behavior will include lovemaking." She smiled and blushed a little, almost in a fake way, as she said, "Enough said about that for now, I'm sure you'll wish to discuss this more tomorrow, when you are a complete woman."

Never! Never!

"There are many other examples I could discuss, for instance, you will always allow a gentleman to hold a door open for you, assist you with your chair, and do other gentlemanly things for you, . . such as light your cigarette." She smiled and said, "This type of behavior will enhance your feminine sophistication and sexuality." She paused as I tried to comprehend what she had just said.

But as the various, disturbing thoughts quickly flashed through my feminine head, she simply continued to talk.

"Of course, you will only smoke ladies cigarettes and you will do so in a feminine and ladylike manner. At formal functions, when properly attired, you may find that you will be required to use an appropriate, ladies cigarette holder. If you already smoke, you will find this an easy transition, however, even if you do not currently smoke, you will find that it is an automatic behavior that will not harm you. Remember, you will remain free of disease and harm here. You will all have an opportunity to participate in this behavior a little later."

Smoking? What? I . . . I didn't smoke! Neither did any of the other guys! This was crazy! I . . . I couldn't! . . . wouldn't smoke a cigarette or, . . or, . . . or do anything else she had described! This was outrageous!

"Well, ladies, that's about it for now. In a moment, you'll be free to move about and begin experiencing your new bodies and various aspects ofyour new lifestyles. Free-speech will be available much of the time throughout the evening. Don't worry about having to remember everythingwe've discussed here today. We realize that you have been given alot to consider and think about. So, if you can't remember what to do or how to act, . . . the automatic contol will assist you.

"I'll be back again in the morning with a wake-up call and a whole new segment for you to enjoy! So for now, . . . goodbye and good luck."

She waved girlishly and her image faded from the screen. I just sat there, dumfounded and in some kind of mental shock! I just couldn't accept all that had happened! I was reeling inside!

I stared at the screen for a moment longer, not wanting to move or face my friends. Then I looked over at Rick, fear and loathing covering his feminine face. I still couldn't believe the . . . girl/boy sitting there, wearing white panties and a pair of small breasts lifted up in a matching bra was my old, . . . . male classmate!

I looked at Jack and I saw him avert his eyes from me. He had one of his slender fingers bent and he was lightly biting on the small knuckle, a pained expression on his girlish face, his breathing coming quickly as his bra covered busom heaved in and out.

Kevin, wearing his rose-red panties and bra, was still looking up at the screen, the blank look on his feminine face a statement of his shock and

disbelief over what had happened to us in one short afternoon.

Despite my discomfort over my appearance and our situation, I felt that I needed to do something. Anything! I couldn't just sit here, wearing a pair of girls pink panties and matching bra and let them take over my life! But what could I do?

I heard Jack sob once and looked back at him. He was looking at me now, his hands folded in his lap as he said, "D. . . Dave? What are we going to do, now? I . . . I'm so afraid of what will happen! Ha . . . have you . . thought of something? Do . . . do you think . . . think there's any way, . . way out of here?" I wished I had thought of something, . . . but the truth was, . . I was so upset that I couldn't think. And I didn't think I could bear the thought of finding a way out and then confronting someone, especially someone I knew, looking like this!

I shook my head, taking a deep breath before saying, "I . . I don't think so, Jack." I hated the sound of my own voice! My feminine, high-pitched, girls voice!

I saw Rick stir and then sit up straight, his feminine busom jutting out slightly in front of him. He looked at us and I noticed the worried expression he'd had was gone, replaced by a slight smile and then he said, in a very girlish tone, "I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to get dressed. I'm hungry and I don't think we should eat in our underthings." Then, while we stared in disbelief at his statement, even knowing he was being controlled, he reached down and picked up his white purse, slinging it over one arm at the elbow and then picked up his robe. Then he walked towards his room, his hips swaying to each side, emphasizing his pantied bottom.

After Rick had gone into his room, Kevin looked at Jack and me and started to say something. I could see his mouth open to speak, . . . but he closed it abruptly and stood, picking up his purse and his robe. Then he smiled and said, "Me, too." Then he was swishing off to his room.

I just looked at Jack and saw him tighlty closing his eyes, obviously trying to control himself. But a second later he was on his way to his own room, purse and robe in hand. When he had stood up, he had opened his eyes, smiled at me and said, "Come on, Dave. Let's get dressed for dinner."

I wanted to grab onto the couch and hold myself firmly there, but a second later, I was up and following him, my pink purse in one small hand, my white robe in the other. As we ascended the two steps up towards our rooms, I involuntarily said, "Oh, Jack! I'm just dying to see what I have to wear!" I felt my breasts jiggle slightly in the confinement of my pink bra as I walked up the steps, inwardly screaming for myself to stop, but unable to command my own, . . . my own femininzed body!

Jack went into his room and I continued to mine. I walked in and immediately saw that something had changed. The vanity now had a small assortment of womens' cosmetics on it, stacked neatly next to a small jewelery box. And a small bouquet of pink roses was on top of the dresser!

Seeing the new, female items there made me want to turn and run from the room, . . but I just walked over and set my purse down on top of the dresser and then leaned forward, taking a long whiff of the aromatic flowers. I knew that I was completely out of the picture now when it came to controlling my movements and behavior. All I could do was come along for the ride and watch.

I stepped over to the closet and opened it up. As I reached inside to get a hangar for my robe, I saw a pale pink dress hanging there. My hand even hesitated, only for a split second, due to my disdain for the dress, before grabbing the hangar and then placing my robe on it. As I hung the robe up, I noticed a pair a pink pumps on the floor of the closet. They were very feminine with low, but narrow, one and a half inch heels. I was very relieved when I found myself turning away from the closet and heading for the dresser.

But my relief was shortlived when I opened the top drawer of the dresser and saw a pair of tan pantyhose lying next to the pink nightie I had seen there earlier. I couldn't stop it when my hand reached in and drew them out.

While my body was moving about my room, I could hear drawers and closet doors opening and closing in the other rooms. I knew that my friends were stuck in the same process I was in. It was obvious that, against our wishes, we were all getting dressed for dinner. Dressed in girls clothes!

I took the pantyhose over to the bed and sat down on the edge. Then, as if I'd done it a million times before, I carefully rolled them up each feminine, smooth leg and then stood and adjusted the pantytop over my pink panties. The top of the pantyhose rode up until it covered my panties and rested up on my narrow waist. I looked down, turning one leg and then the other, as if to inspect my work, and noticed how my legs now looked totally female, with only a hint of male musculature on them. I wanted to scream in anger at what I was being forced to do!

Then I walked over to the vanity and sat down. As I did, I could feel the strange way in which the .nylons hugged my legs and thighs. It felt so alien! I again had the thought run through my mind that I must be in a dream, I couldn't be here! This couldn't be happening!

But my thoughts were shaken free as I found myself sitting up straight in the vanity chair and lifting my head up to look, for the first time, at my new face.

I was shocked! It . . . it was me, but, . . . but . . . it wasn't! I mean, . . . I could see some resemblance to my old face there, but, . . . but it was only the resemblance a 22 year old man might see in the face of his fifteen or sixteen year old . . . sister !

Although I was being controlled and my mouth had a little, subtle smile on it, I felt as though it would drop open in disbelief at what I saw. All I could see was . . . was, . . .well . . . me as a girl! Or I guessed what I would have looked like as a girl! What I did look like as a girl!

I saw my full, pinkish lips and petulant mouth, my narrow jawline and chin, and my much smaller, more petite nose. My hair looked as it had before, short, but feminine and my eyebrows were still the narrow, soft, feminine shape I had seen before, but . . . but on my eyelids, especially the upper ones, longer, much more feminine eyelashes now blinked back at me!

I couldn't stop myself from reviewing my image, even though I wanted to turn away, and I found my right hand coming up to my head to hold back my hair on one side to reveal my new, bobbed and petite ears! The whole image combined was enough to make me sick as I realized that I would now have a very difficult time trying to convince anyone I was a man!

Before I knew it, I had reached over to the pile of neatly lined up cosmetics and had selected a tube of something. I tried so hard to stop myself, but it was no use. In a second, I had twisted open the tube and had extracted a small, curved brush that was coated with a blue-black mascarra. As I struggled in my mind to control my own body, I found myself tilting my head back slightly and leaning forward into the mirror as I held my eyes just so and began applying the mascarra to my eyelashes! As my hand lightly brushed the substance to my longish lashes, I could see them thicken a little and separate out. They seemed to lengthen slightly as I first did one set and then the other, both upper and lower lashes of each eye. When I was done, I set the tube down and even fluttered my lashes a few times, even smiling as I saw how pretty they now looked!

When that was over, I couldn't stop as I reached over and picked up a small plastic case and opened it. I knew what it was only when I began to spread the pink-rose colored eyeshadow lightly onto my upper eyelids! I wanted to quit, but I couldn't! I just couldn't!

Then I involuntarily reached over and picked up a small, blue pencil. A second later I was applying a light blue line around the edges of my eyelids, creating the illusion of larger, more almond shaped eyes. When I was done, the eye make-up, in combination with my thinner and more feminine eyebrows, made my eyes look so,. . . . so feminine that I could hardly stand the humiliation I felt inside!

Then I was opening another plastic case and applying a pink-rose blusher to my cheeks. I had already noticed that they were almost as high as a woman's might be and looked much too feminine for a boy! But the blusher only added and brought out what femininity they already had. After I was through, I couldn't believe how expertly I had blended the light blusher up towards the middle of my small ears.

Then I brushed the tip of my chin and once over my nose lightly before returning the case to the vanity.

I looked back at my reflection, noting how I was being forced to smile in a feminine gesture of satisfaction over my image, and then stood up again. As I went over to the closet, I was hoping that none of the other guys would come into my room and see me like this! I felt humiliated inside!

Before I knew it, I had opened the closet and was taking the pale pink dress down from the hangar! As I took it off of the hangar I was only thinking about how I hoped I would simply just die . . . just . . . just die and stop all this!

I held it up in front of me and I could see than it was made of a soft fabric, like cotton, and was fairly simple, but very feminine. As my mind yelled no, . . . my girlish hands unzipped the back and then lowered it over my head as I slipped the arms into the sleeves, pulled it down over my breasts, and let it fall into place. Then I twisted and reached behind to zip up the back. Even though I seemed to know how to do it, zipping it up was not easy.

Then I involuntarily turned to the vanity mirror, standing back from it, and looked at my reflection.

Now, . . with a girls' dress on, there was nothing left to see except a young girl of sixteen standing in front of a mirror, her face prettily made-up, her short hair shining on her small head, wearing a pretty pink dress that pressed out lightly from her (Oh, God! . . . MY! ) developing bosum! The dress had puffed sleeves that came to a straight cuff just above the elbows. The squared off neckline exposed a good deal of bare skin above the bosom, where a lacy edge rested a couple of inches above the bra top. There was no collar.

I looked at the way the dress nipped in tight at my waist and then flared slightly over my hips so that the semi-full skirt fell to just above my nyloned knees.

Instead of retching at the sight, I could only watch as I turned gracefully from one side to the other, smiling as I admired my reflection! I was praying that no one else would ever see me like this!

Then I turned and walked back to the closet. I cringed inwardly as I reached down and picked up the pink pumps. I noticed that they had a classic pump look, but that the heel, though narrow, wasn't too high. Still, I groaned in my mind at the thought of wearing them!

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, I watched as my disobedient hands slipped them on to my small feet. I had noticed a size stamped in the heel of the shoes, it had read 'Size 5 Petite'!

I stood up, wondering wether or not I could even walk in them and then found myself walking back over to the mirror quite naturally, feeling slightly taller now, though my hips seemed to sway more than they had before. I also noticed that I placed my heel and toe down at the same time now, not like I had walked before. And I also was placing one foot almost directly in front of the other. I knew I was walking the way a young woman would! I was walking in high-heels! I wanted to die.

I saw how they changed my posture as I looked at my image again in the mirror. I stood more, . . . well, . . . more ladylike now! And I couldn't stop it from continuing on and on and on!

Then I smiled again and walked back up to the vanity. I saw my reflection as I sat down and realized that I was automatically sitting down like a woman, feet together, smoothing my dress under my thighs, and then crossing my legs at my knees. I even adjusted the hem of the dress to cover my thighs!

I watched in humiliation as I opened the small jewelery box and took out a single strand of pearls, carefully clasping it around my slender neck. It fell to just above the top of my dress, tickling my smooth, soft skin. I noticed right away how it added a degree of maturity to my otherwise, teen image.

Then I opened the top drawer of the vanity and pulled out a ladies hairbush. I watched as I brushed my short hair into a feminine bob and then teased the back of it, causing it to fluff out a little there. The speed at which I was able to do all of these things amazed me! How could they control me so precisely?!

Then I reached back into the jewelery box and took out a pair of clip-on earrings! Oh, Jesus! I really tried hard not to clip the round, half-inch diameter, pink-coral buttons to the lobes of my ears! But a moment later, they were in place, again adding a flare of sophistication to my young look! I could feel they way they lightly pinched at my earlobes, grasping firmly to them!

As I studied my reflection, hoping at last to be done with this, and hoping even more that now they would be satisfied and let me take all of this off, I watched my head turn from side to side, my lips smiling at my feminine reflection. God! I couldn't even comprehend an existence where I would repeat this day after day! But I knew that's what they intended for me, . . . only it would be worse as a full grown , . . . real , complete woman!

But I wasn't finished yet. I reached back into the upper drawer of the vanity, and soon I was applying a light pink nail polish to my well rounded, short, but feminine shaped fingernails! It seemed to take forever as I watched first one, and then another of my nails turn a shiny, light pink color! When I was finished, I was disgusted at the way I was holding my hands and fingers in an exaggertedly feminine fashion, spread out, nails shining back at me, as I waved them about to let them dry! I was picking things up from the vanity and placing them back where they belonged, holding them like a sissy, as I tried not to smear the drying nails. But all I could do was watch and wait as they dried over a period of about ten minutes.

Then I found myself touching them lightly, testing them to see if they were dry. I had thought that they weren't dry yet, the way the shined like they were wet, but they were.

As I looked back up into the mirror, my painted nails shining back at me from their reflection, I knew that I must be done. I only hoped that I would remain right in my room, not moving or seeing anyone. I had heard noises from the other rooms now and then, but I had no idea what might be going on, except a sinking feeling that the other guys were probably going through the same thing as me!

But I wasn't finished yet!

I watched in continued horror as my hand reached out and picked up a tube of lipstick from the vanity! Nothing, . . . nothing I had done so far since I'd started to dress, seemed as final a blow to my male ego as when I watched my delicate, feminine fingers, with their shiny pink nails uncap the tube and twist it to reveal a light, shiny pink lipstick roll out the end!

I cried in my mind, . . . pleading for my body to listen to me, . . . begging it to stop as I leaned once more towards the mirror, spread my full, feminine lips apart and began to apply the soft, shiny pink lipstick to them. First the lower lip, smoothing it on liberally, then the upper lip, spreading it expertly into place, taking obvious care to create the right look, dipping it around my slight cupid's bow and then down to the corners of my mouth. I saw my mouth transformed into the sweet mouth of a pretty girl, her lips shiny and pink, smiling brightly and sexily as she rolled them together once to even out the color.

As I put the cap back on the tube, I looked back up, . . . stunned once more at my reflection! I couldn't help it! I . . . I couldn't help thinking how . . . how pretty she was! Her youthful, pretty face suggested a young lady, just entering into womanhood, bordering on becoming a beautiful young lady! It was only for a second, . . . but, . . . . but even that second of thought caused me to realize that I would never, . . . never be the same again!

It was me I was looking at! Me tasting the distinct taste of lipstick on my own lips! Me smelling the aroma of the make-up on my face! Me feeling the feminine clothes on my body and the jiggle of small breasts on my chest! Me !

I was so ashamed inside! But, I wasn't allowed to show it! I could only watch from inside my mind as I smiled sweetly into the mirror and then actually blew myself a feminine kiss! I was totally under their control and was acting just as the image in the mirror suggested I should, . . . Like a pretty, young girl, pleased with her appearance, about to go out on the town! Oh, God!, I begged, Please just let me die!

As I looked at my image, I could hear the sound of high-heels clicking on the marble tile as someone left their room and walked into the pit area. Then a moment later, I heard it again. It seemed nearer, as though it might have been Jack leaving his room. I knew by the sound of the heels that they must have been going through what I was. I felt a lump in my throat.

Now I stood up again, taking the lipstick with me as I walked back to the dresser and picked up the pink purse. I opened it and placed the lipstick into it, then closed it again and put the strap over my arm. Then I turned once more to review my image in the mirror, from a slight distance so I could see my whole reflection. I hated it each time I was forced to look at myself like that! Why couldn't they just leave me alone with my misery! Why did I have to look!

But I did have to look . . . and I hated what I saw! The young girl, looking older than she was, smiling with shiny pink lips, her make-up complete, wearing a pink dress and pink high-heels, holding her purse in the crook of her left arm, her nails shining and her jewelery glowing in the light! Oh, help me! What could I do?

At last, I turned from the mirror, hoping I would sit on the bed so that I didn't have to look. But it wasn't to be. I found myself walking, taking sort, ladylike steps in my dress, hips swaying gently, out of my room!

Oh, pleeeaaassse! Don't make me go out looking like this! Puulllleeeeeeease! But dispite my inward cries, I walked gracefully out of my room, a light smile playing on my painted lips.

I could hear my heels start to click on the tile as I left the carpeting of my room, and my short steps became a mincing walk as my body automatically compensated for the slippery surface. I was looking down at my feet at first, negotiating the tiled surface, when I looked up towards the sofa. I couldn't believe what I saw!

There, sitting gracefully, legs crossed and smiling widely, were . . . at least I guessed, . . . were Jack and Kevin! At least I supposed so from the color of their hair and the vague resemblance to them that I saw!

Jack was sitting ladylike on the sofa, where he had been before. But, . . but now he was wearing a peach colored dress! And he wore matching pumps of the same style as mine! His legs were also encased in a pair of tan pantyhose! His dress rode slightly up on his thigh as he sat with his legs crossed at the ankles. A small belt with a gold buckle was about his small waist. The V-cut front of the dress came to just above his obvious bosum and the collar stood up an inch or so around his thin neck. The short, billowy sleeves of the dress came halfway down his slender upper arm. He wore a single strand choker of large pearls around his neck, his ears were adorned with a single pearl earring on each lobe.

I was still walking towards them when I looked closely at his face. He wore light make-up, like me, except his eyeshadow was more of a light blue and his blusher was redder than mine. An he was wearing a shiny and pale, but pronounced red lipstick! His dark, shiny hair was fluffed up in back and he had parted it off to one side. It looked very feminine and soft. He was smiling brightly and his white teeth shone out from between his shiny red lips. I looked at his slender hands as he fingered his sleeve and saw shiny peach nailpolish on his rounded nails.

As I sat down on the sofa in a ladylike manner, I looked at Kevin. He was wearing a blue skirt and a white blouse! The belted skirt was tighter than our dresses around the hips and thighs and the shiny black belt was about two inches wide with a silver, oval buckle. His tight, lacy white blouse, buttoned up the back to a high, lacy collar with ruffles around the top that came halfway up his slender neck! And the long, puffy sleeves ended at the middle of his forearm where they were attached to long, satiny cuffs about four inches long! He had on a small, diamond pendant necklace, outside his blouse and the diamond rested on it's slender, silver chain between his pronouced breasts, straining outwards against the front of his tight blouse!

He wore shiny blue pumps of the same style as ours, and he had on a pair of taupe colored pantyhose! His auburn hair was shining as he sat smiling at me, his eyes shaded with a light green eyeshadow that set them off beautifully. His red blusher was more pronounced on his fair skin than ours was, and he showed his shiny white teeth through a set of full, pouty lips that were a shiny, pale rose color. As he turned to look at me as I sat down, I could see the sparkle from the diamond earrings that dangled a half-inch below each ear! His fingernails were painted a shiny rose-red, more obvious than the pale pink that I wore.

After I sat down, I crossed my legs and then leaned forward and set my purse on the table in front on me. I saw that Jacks' peach colored purse was beside him on his right and Kevin had placed his on the table.

I looked back at them again, not sure if I had to, . . or if I wanted to. I was still smiling slightly and knew that I couldn't stop, but I seemed to have regained some ability to move as I wished. Still, each movement reeked of femininity. I could see that they were looking me over with the same

astonishment that I had reviewed them with. I could only guess at what they must be thinking behind their feminine, smiling faces! I wanted to crawl away and hide.

But, my chagrine was interupted by the sound of clicking heels on the tile to my left. I turned my head to see Rick coming towards us. Rick? It was only a guess.

What I saw was a young girl, wearing a knee-length, tight skirted, white dress walking gracefully towards us in a pair of shiny red pumps like the ones we had on. The dress had a shiny red belt around his small waist and an oval neckline with no collar. It hugged his bosum and proudly displaying his growing breasts! The short, straight sleeves ended just below his lightly padded shoulders with a ruffled cuff.

As he continued to walk towards us, mincing lightly in his high-heels, he was smiling with his bright, full, and shiny red lips! His rosy cheeks glowed from the blusher that swept up to his feminine ears, each adorned with a red, button style, shiny oval. His necklace was made of large, red colored pearls that hung just above the front of his dress. His eyes were smokey looking with a light purple shadow and he had used a dark eyeliner that made his eyes look so big! I saw his hands as he went around the table to take a seat at the sofa and saw that was wearing a bright, shiny red nailpolish! His long lashes fluttered as he looked towards us and smiled, sitting gracefully down on the sofa and crossing his legs at the ankles, his thighs pressed firmly together.

That was when I noticed his hair! He had brushed his light brown hair forwards and had fluffed up the back. But that wasn't all! Even though he had made it look as feminine as possible, given it's short length, he had also placed a red flower, held by a small clip onto the right side above his ear! It looked so, . . . so . . feminine ! So . . . frilly ! I felt my heart go out to him. What he must have felt when he had placed it there! I knew we all were feeling the same way.

Then I saw Jack sitting up and turning to him. His pretty face smiled as he clasped his hands together, parted his shiny lips, and girlishly exclaimed, "Oh, Rick! You look so lovely! I just loooove the flower in your hair! I wish I had thought of it myself!"

Oh, God, Jack! Please don't! I had dreaded the inevitable, more girlish talk, but I knew it was only a matter of time. I braced for what I would hear, . . . or say!

Rick giggled and replied with a cheery, feminine voice, "Thank you, Jack. I think you look very pretty! I think your dress is so divine!" Then they both giggled and I found that I was, too!

I looked at Jack and then at Kevin. I tried to shut my mouth as I felt it open, but instead, I used my most feminine voice to exclaim, "And what about Kevin's blouse?! Isn't it just to die for?!" I was pointing a painted nail towards his chest as I spoke. Then I clasped my hands femininely in front of me and said, "You look just lovely in it, Kevin. And your skirt is very nice."

I felt my disgust grow with each word that came out from between my shiny pink lips. But all I could do was smile and tilt my head off to one side, admiring his clothes!

He smiled back, looking down and fingering his blouse with his slender, painted fingertips, then gleefully replied, "Thanks, Dave! But I think your choice of pink is the best! You look so feminine and pretty! I wish I had pretty blond hair like you!" We both giggled and I thanked him sweetly for his compliment.

Then he complimented Jack on his dress and in a moment we were all discussing what each other was wearing, just . . . just like a bunch of girls! It was so distressing to keep it up for as long as we did, that I didn't think it was possible that I had kept smiling and making feminine gestures throughout the whole thing!

When we had started to settle down, it took me a moment to realize that we were becoming less talkative because we were starting a period of free-speech. It doesn't just happen all at once, you kind of drift into it. It took us a second to get used to it, we had been chatting automatically for

over five minutes now without stopping. But although we found we could say what we wished, we couldn't stop gesturing, smiling, and generally behaving like girls. Only our speech was our own. But now that I was free to express my thoughts, I realized I was too embarassed to say anything!

Jack broke the ice when, still smiling and sitting femininely, he hesitantly spoke out.

"I . . . I was . . so . . afraid that . . . that I would be the only one of us dressed up when I came out." He looked at us all as he spoke in a low, girlish voice.

"I . . I tried to stay in my room but, . . but I just couldn't!"

Kevin looked at him, his bright rose colored lips almost in a smile. He reached over and lightly touched Jacks' arm in the way a girl would while consoling a girlfriend and said, "I know what you mean. I was so ashamed when I came out first and didn't see any of you out here! But, . . I couldn't help it." As he looked down at his feminine hand, touching Jacks', he said, "And I still . . . still can't stop from acting this way! I . . . I just wish I . . . I could end it all!"

His expression didn't match his words. He looked sympathetic and caring as I looked at him. How awful it was not to be able to really do what we wanted! Even though we were angry, embarassed, and frightened, only our words echoed our thoughts. Our bodies continued to behave like young ladies!

I looked at them and softly said, "Me. too. I . . . I felt so . . . so helpless while I got . . . got dressed. I . . . I just wanted . . wanted to . . " My girlish voice trailed off, but I still looked at them with a little smile on my lips.

Rick looked over and said, "I'm . . . glad . . . uh, . . at least . . at least that we're . . . all kind of . . . well, . . . you know, . . . together in this." Then he quickly added, "I . . I mean! I . . don't wish this . . .was happening to us, . . just that I . . . don't think I could go through all this . . . you know, . . alone."

I knew just what he meant and said so. He smiled and I felt that it was almost genuine. The others nodded and I think we felt a bond between us then that we hadn't known before. We were in this together. We probably would have gone insane without each others support.

Kevin took a deep breath and I watched his breasts strain against the front of his tight blouse. He put his hands out in a very feminine gesture as he said, "Look. We can't stop this, . . . so . . so at least we ought to . . well, . . . . . help each other out as much as we can. You know, . . . be there for each other." He paused, involuntarily licking his red lips in a feminine fashion and then said, "We know that we can't stop what we're doing, so . . so there's no reason to feel so . . so embarassed about it. I know I can't help it either, . . . but we shouldn't have to . . . it's not our fault."

Jack nodded and said, "I wish I could. I wish I didn't feel so damn helpless and ridiculous." Then he gave a feminine sigh and said, "Maybe . . . maybe it'll get easier."

I didn't think so and said, "Don't forget, . . . there's still more to come tomorrow. It . . it's going to get worse before it gets better . . . . if it ever does." He looked at me and smiled, I knew he didn't want to, but I just smiled back. It was so frustrating!

Rick broke us away from the depressing conversation by standing, smoothing his tight dress over his thighs and saying cheerfully, "Well, I'm going to get something to eat! Anybody here want to join me?" I wasn't sure if it was him or the device talking. But I was hungry and found that I could get up to go get something, even if I had to do it in a ladylike way. I looked at him and said, "Good idea, Rick. Let's get something to eat while we can."

The others nodded and soon we were all walking, hips swaying, over to the food dispenser. I wasn't really hungry and just took a small salad and a glass of tea from the unit. The others took similar small meals.

Soon we were back at the sofa, eating our food daintily off the trays and sitting forward, small napkins held femininely in our slender hands as we ate with the manners of young ladies. Despite what we had said earlier, I still felt embarassed as I watched myself and the others act so feminine and girlish. And the first time I took a sip from my glass, I inwardly cringed as I set it back on the table and noticed the pink lipmark on the rim!

When we had finished, we all cleaned up and placed the dishes in the chute, we didn't have a choice, it all happened automatically.

We went back and were sitting at the sofa when I saw Jack pick up his purse and open it. I wondered what he might be doing, but he soon made it clear. He pulled out his lipstick and a small compact. He opened the compact and held it in front of his face, very ladylike, checking his make-up. I watched in embarssment as he fluffed his hair a few times with his hand and then opened the tube of red lipstick and began to apply it expertly to his full lips, repairing the light damage to it from eating. When he was through, he rolled his lips together, then pursed them and smiled at his image in the small mirror. Then he put his compact and lipstick back in his purse and set it next to him. I felt embarassed having watched him do it.

He smiled, his red lips now all shiny and moist, and said, "I guess, . . . I guess I'm going to have to get used to that. I . . . I couldn't stop."

I nodded, knowing how he must have felt.

Then Rick did the same, applying the red color to his full lips with equal ease and perfection.

Then both Kevin and I were reaching for our purses, too. I felt very self-conscious as I applied the shiny, pale pink lipstick to my girlish lips, knowing the others were watching. But I just went ahead, rolling my lips together to smooth the color out and then primping with my blond hair for a moment as I looked at my reflection in the small compact mirror before putting it all away in my purse. I noticed Kevin's full lips had been restored to the shiny rose color I had seen earlier as he placed his purse back on the table.

With that done, we sat on the sofa for a few minutes, occasionally talking amongst ourselves about how we felt, or how we might get out of this situation. But none of us could say anything that would really cheer us up. It was hopeless to resist and it only made us sadder to talk about it. So we just talked about things the woman had said, and speculated on what had happened to us or how they did it. But we had no answers.

After a few minutes, Rick leaned forward and picked up his purse again. As he opened the drawstrings, I wondered what he might be doing. Could he be fixing his make-up again? Before I could ask him, Kevin spoke up.

"What are you doing Rick?"

Rick looked at him for just a second as he said, "I . . . I don't know. I . . . I guess . . . ." His feminine voice trailed off and he broke into a girlish smile as he opened the purse and reached into it.

We all looked to see what it was he was being forced to do when I saw Jack reaching for his own purse. I looked at him and then back at Rick.

 

(continued in Part 1b)

© 2000
The above work is copyrighted material. It was reproduced here after diligent efforts to contact the authors did not produce results. It will be removed upon request by Diane Christy or Michelle Johnson.