FSE

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Am I dreaming? I must be. Things like this don't happen. They can't happen. Can they? I reach down and pinch myself. It hurts. A lot. I guess I am not dreaming.

I walk a little further down the street. Once I come upon a store window, I stop and look at my reflection to take stock of my situation.

I still can't believe what is going on. I stare at my reflection and confirm that I am still completely naked. No, that's not quite true. I am wearing a dog collar around my neck. A blue nylon one that looks kind of cheap, but is somehow fitting.

Otherwise I remain the same, at least as far as I can tell. Same shoulder length curly blond hair that nearly covers my blue eyes. Same face. Same arms. Same legs. Same chest. Same hands and feet. Same... everything else. Now fully exposed for the world to see.

As I stand on the street staring at myself like a deranged lunatic, several people pass me. I know they can see me, but they walk on by like nothing is out of the ordinary. I'm sure if I saw a virtually naked man standing on the street I would notice. Heck, I would probably stop and take in the sights, but that's just me.

Something in my mind tells me I am missing something important. Other than my clothes I mean. I can't quite place it. Every time I think I am going to catch it, it skitters away and hides in some dark corner of my mind.

I glance up at the street signs, and realize that I am not that far from my boyfriend's house. Seeing as I can't do much about my situation standing here on the street, I decide to head towards his house.

Kevin's house is only a couple of blocks away, but it is right through some of the most populous areas in the city. As I walk through the streets, I find myself amid a bustling crowd of people. As before, I am allowed to make my way with hardly a notice. I even see several people that I know, and they simply ignore me.

It's not that they can't see me. They are clearly making their way around me. I even walk into people's way, and they change course to avoid me. They are simply choosing not to acknowledge my existence. No matter how much I rack my brain, I can't make heads or tails of their behavior.

After what seemed like a lifetime, I finally made it to my boyfriend's house. I stood outside debating what to do next. Should I just go up and nock on the door? How am I going to explain my current state to him? Heck, would he even pay any attention to me? So far no one else has.

I spend the next several minuets playing out possible scenarios in my head. I could try to go home, but it is a good distance from here, and with no car or money for the bus would take me hours. What if people decide to start noticing me? The last thing I want is to be arrested and charged with a crime. There is a park nearby. I could sleep there and try to figure out what is going on.

No. I need to tackle this head on. The only one I can trust is Kevin. If he ignores me I will just have to make him pay attention. It may be fairly warm now, but it will get colder tonight. I'm going to need a place to stay and something to eat. Something tells me that might not be so easy to find somewhere else.

With my mind made up, I stride up to the door and knock. As I wait for an answer, I am grateful for the hedges Kevin keeps out front. Usually they are a nuisance, their thorns scraping my arms and legs. At least now they were blocking certain sensitive areas from view, making me a little more comfortable and relaxed.

As the door began to open, something in my mind started to get very excited. I was practically jumping out of my skin with joy when the door was finally fully open and Kevin stood there staring at me.

What happened next took me by surprise. Kevin looked me up and down, and said, "There you are Benjy. Good Boy. I'm so glad you made it home. I thought I'd lost you!" Next, he grabbed the leash that was hanging by the door, and attached it to my collar.

I was in shock. Benjy? That isn't my name. At least I don't think it is. For some reason I knew that wasn't my name, but I couldn't remember what it really was. I tried to say something to Kevin to correct him, but all I could manage was a pathetic sound that could easily have been mistaken for a bark.

Kevin led me around the house and out into the back yard. He kept going on about What a god dog I was, how happy he was to see me again, how he though I was lost forever, and how he would be more careful when walking me from now on.

Apparently, at least according to Kevin, We had been out for our daily walk, and I had seen a squirrel. I dashed off after it, breaking the cheap leash Kevin had bought. He claimed he had looked for me for hours without luck.

No, that couldn't be right. I am a human. Not a dog. Right? I looked down at myself. Yep, still clearly a human. Why couldn't anybody see that? I was starting to think I was losing my mind. Which probably wasn't all that far from the truth. I was finding it harder and harder to recall anything beyond this morning. How in the world did I get into this situation?

I didn't have much time to think about it because Kevin led me to his fenced off back yard. He led me in through the gate and took off my leash. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a shiny bone shaped tag. I tried to read what was engraved on it, but for some reason the letters made no sense to me. He quickly attached it to my collar, and said, "There, now if you wander off again, someone can help you find your way home."

While the tag surely weighed only a few ounces, once it was attached I could almost feel the weight pulling down on my neck. Something in me changed. I can't quite put my finger on why, but for some reason my view of Kevin changed. I was starting to think of him less as a boyfriend and more of an owner.

Kevin reached out and started to pet my hair, and rub his hand along my back. This sent waves of pleasure through me. While this still seemed very strange to me, with each passing second it was starting to feel more and more natural.

Soon Kevin decided he wanted to play with me. He picked up a stick and threw it out into the yard. I looked at him for a second. The something compelled me to run out, chase it and bring it back to him. The first time, I picked the stick up with my hands. When I brought it back, Kevin seemed happy, but he gave me an odd look. The next throw, something made me scoop it up in my mouth. The taste made me sick.

I can't explain what was happening, but as Kevin and I played in the back yard, I started feeling as if an outside force was trying to take over my mind. The force was getting stronger with each passing moment. It wasn't long before I realized that my mind was being overtaken by the instincts of a dog.

The more I played the more my human persona slipped away, only to be replaced with the instincts of a dog. It was controlling my actions, making me behave more and more like an animal. It took all the concentration I could muster to avoid dropping on to all fours.

Before I knew it, I was tired and panting. Kevin was about ready to take me inside for the night, but insisted that I take care of my business while I was out there. A wave of embarrassment passed over me. I wasn't sure I could do what I needed to do outside with him watching me.

I found a nice spot where I was hidden behind a bush, and against my better judgment, gave the dog a little more control. Before I knew it, I was done. I had to admit I felt much better. Only now the dog was insistent one thing. Food.

Regaining what little composure I had left, I carefully made my way back to Kevin. He praised me for being a god dog, and petted me a few times before leading us back into the house.

Once inside, He made his way to the kitchen. I followed close behind to find him placing two bowls on the floor. One was filled with water, the other with what appeared to be dog food. The smell hit my nose and I thought I would gag, but for some reason it turned into the most delicious thing I had ever smelled.

Without thinking, I dropped onto all fours and proceeded to eat every last scrap of the food, and drink nearly all of the water. Once I was finished, my face was covered in water and dog food. I did my best to lick it off, but my tongue just wasn't long enough.

Kevin laughed and cleaned my up as best he could. Normally I would have resisted, figuring I could do it myself, but for some reason I found myself enjoying it. Kevin's attention sent waves of pleasure through my body. I was disappointed when he stopped. Tossing the rag into the sink, he made his way into the living room.

I stood there on all fours in the kitchen for a few minuets trying to decide what to do. A little voice in my head kept telling me this was wrong. I wasn't his pet. I was his boyfriend. That sounded somehow both right and wrong at the same time. Using what will I had left, I managed to pull myself up onto two feet and walk into the living room.

Walking was more difficult that I could have imagined. I didn't remember having this much trouble when I was just a toddler learning how to walk. I had to stop every few steps to steady myself; clinging on to anything I could reach to avoid falling on my butt.

When I finally made it to the Living room, Kevin was seated on a couch on the far side. There was nothing but open floor between me and him. I made up my mind that I had to get closer and try to talk to him, and figure out what was going on. That turned out to be a huge mistake.

As I started into the room, my legs gave out. I started to fall forward and caught myself with my hands just before my face smashed into the rug. Great. Here I was on all fours again, and try as I might, I couldn't get up. I seemed to be stuck in this position by an unknown force.

I crawled the rest of the way over to Kevin and, without thinking about it, sat like a dog at his feet. He looked down at me and smiled. He reached out and patted my head, calling me a good boy. Immediately I was filled with pleasure at his touch. The feeling totally overwhelming my human mind. I tried to say something, but all that would come out were barks.

Before I could regain any semblance of my humanity Kevin dozed off, leaving me to my own devices. It took almost an hour before I could think clearly enough to make any progress on trying to find out what was happening to me. I decided to explore the house and see if I could find anything that would give me a clue.

As I made my way down the hall, I passed in front of a full-length mirror. I spent a few minutes taking in my reflection. Everything seemed normal, other than my being on all fours, wearing just a collar. For some reason, the more I stared, the more I saw myself as a dog. It started to feel more and more real to me. Obviously being a human was just a dream.

Luckily Kevin dropped the remote he had been holding, and the noise broke me out of the trance. I quickly moved down the hall and away from the mirror before I lost myself completely.

I was shocked when I reached the bedroom. Inside I found a large dog bed that I knew hadn't been there earlier. Fortunately Kevin wasn't big on neatness, (Like I'm one to talk!) and I managed to pull on some of the clothes hanging out of the drawers with my teeth to get the drawers open.

No matter which drawer I looked in, there was no sign that I had been there. Kevin had given me a drawer to store some underwear, and some sweats for when I spent the night. That drawer was now filled with pile after pile of unmatched socks.

Thinking Kevin had put my things in the closet, I tugged it open, only to find a fairly large heap of mostly dirty clothes on the floor. After digging through it for a minute I found nothing of mine.

I thought about grabbing some of Kevin's clothes to put on, but I just couldn't make my body move in any way that would accomplish that. I was also strangely repulsed by the idea of covering myself. I could tell that no matter how hard I tried, I wasn't going to get anywhere. Frustrated, I made my way back to the living room to see if I couldn't communicate with Kevin.

I couldn't help but notice as I moved around the house that I was starting to get more and more comfortable on all fours. It became easier to walk, and I was moving with more speed and agility. Being on all fours seemed right to me, and I was having trouble remembering moving around any other way.

Kevin was still sleeping when I got back to the living room, so I jumped up onto the couch. I inched closer, and intended to give him a push with my hands to wake him. My body interpreted the commands my brain was sending a little differently. Instead of a gentle nudge to wake him up, I leaned over and licked him in the face.

I was starting to panic. At the rate this was going, I would be completely a dog, at least mentally, in no time. I was sure I didn't fancy spending the rest of my life as my boyfriends pet, but something inside me kept telling me that it wouldn't be so bad and that's the way things were supposed to be.

Upon feeling my wet tongue on his face, Kevin awoke and sat upright. After a second or two of confusion, he looked over at me. I thought for sure I saw some hint of recognition from him, but it faded quickly. A look of displeasure crossed his face, which resulted in me being kicked off the couch.

I tried everything I could to get some kind of message across to him. I even tried charades. I really hate that game! Either I was really bad, or Kevin was dumber than I thought. Maybe both. Nothing seemed to make any impression on him. To him I was nothing more than his dog.

By now I was exasperated and resigned to my fate. I was going to be this way forever. At least I still looked human. Right? Little did it register that subtle changes had already begun to my body. My body hair had already started to thicken, and my legs were reshaping themselves.

I decided to return to the dog bed to curl up and sulk. It must have been more comfortable than it looked because I was out like a light as soon as my head hit the cushion.

After a few minuets, I began to dream. It seemed like a normal day to me. I was out with Kevin and we were having a good time. It wasn't long before I noticed that although I was walking upright in the dream, I was still wearing just the collar. Attached to the collar was a leash, which Kevin was holding in his hands.

We walked through the main areas of town this way, everyone complimenting Kevin on his cute dog. I couldn't help but blush each time I heard it. Once we came to a large park in the center of town, Kevin let me off the leash and we spent the afternoon playing fetch. I would catch the ball in my mouth and run it back to him so he could throw it out into the field again.

After playing a few other dog games it was starting to get dark, so Kevin leashed me back up and started to lead me back to his house. I felt tired yet excited at the same time. It was the most fun Kevin and I had ever had together. Even better than when we made out. I could hardly believe it.

It seemed so real to me. I couldn't tell if I was recalling an actual event or if my mind was making it up. Maybe this is how I got to be lost this morning? It still didn't explain how I got into this mess in the first place.

As I continued dreaming the story continued to unfold. We were walking the path we had taken dozens of times. I recognized all of the buildings and even some of the people. As we were crossing a street, something caught my attention. I veered away from Kevin as the walk sign changed. He was surprised enough he dropped the leash as I went running away.

I pursued my prey through several alleys and ended up nearly choking myself when the leash caught on a fence. I pulled a little harder and the ring snapped freeing me. I ran a few streets more, but had lost whatever it was that had caught my attention.

I looked around and realized I was lost. I didn't see anyone or anything I recognized. I started trying to find my way back home. All of the back alleys looked the same. I was afraid I would never get home.

I must have been thrashing about in the bed because the next thing I knew, I was awakened by my head banging against the floor of the bedroom. Judging by the light streaming through the window, it was early morning. The first sensation I felt was hunger, and an urge for more dog food. Then another more pressing urge hit me.

I ran to the bathroom, but finding my face about eye level with the toilet, everything that had happened yesterday flooded back into my mind. I had to get outside. Quickly. I ran into the kitchen to see Kevin sitting there enjoying his breakfast. When he saw me he opened the back door and let me out into the yard.

I was disappointed at how easily I relieved myself. It meant my transformation was progressing. If I had the presence of mind to check, I would have noticed that I was now almost completely covered in a nice layer of blond fur. And my, I guess now, rear legs had almost totally reshaped themselves. My feet were now more paws than anything else. I wouldn't be walking upright again anytime soon.

Returning into the house I found a nice bowl of dog food waiting for me. I was starving, so I quickly gobbled it down. As I ate, the memories of eating anything other than canned or dry dog food faded from my mind. This time I didn't have any trouble licking the food from my face. I also noticed that I had done a better job getting the food in me instead of on me this time.

With my immediate needs taken care of, I tried to process my dream and what was happening to me. It seemed reasonable, with the information I had access to, to believe that my dream was a fairly good replay of how I came to be wandering the streets. Now I just had to pin down how I got into this mess, and how to get out of it before I became nothing more than an ordinary dog. Easy.

I tried to formulate a plan to get the answers, but I was never good at that sort of thing. I was always better at improvising, and it looked like that might be exactly what was called for in this situation.

Kevin was still sitting at the kitchen table working on his computer. I made my way around the table, careful not to make too much noise, and positioned myself in a place where I could see the screen. I could barely make out what he was working on from the odd angle and my decreasing ability to understand written words. The pictures gave me a pretty good idea of what he was doing.

I waited patiently until Kevin went to the bathroom, and then reached out putting my front legs onto the table. My fingers were getting stiff, and felt numb, but I was still able to manipulate the computer well enough to look at his emails and web history. It took all the concentration I could muster to make any sense out of it. I was crestfallen when I couldn't find anything. I just barely got things back to where they were when Kevin came out of the bathroom.

Kevin suggested we go for a walk. I was hesitant at first, still not thrilled with the idea of walking around in public naked. I gave in quickly when I realized that I wasn't finding anything of use here in the house. Maybe a quick trip around the neighborhood would give me the information I needed. At least it was a nice warm day.

As we walked through the streets, my body continued to change. My fingers grew shorter and reshaped themselves into toes. I now had full paws on both my front and rear legs. I hoped that wouldn't keep me from doing whatever I needed to do to change back.

My fur had now mostly come in. It was nice and thick and gave me at least a little sense of being covered and made me feel more comfortable. Though it was warm. I soon found my tongue hanging out. Much to my surprise, panting is a very effective way to keep cool.

I caught a look at my body in the glass of one of the office buildings as we walked by. (I had long since given up trying to make heads or tails of the business names.) With the exception of my still human head, and body shape, and lack of a tail, I could tell that I was becoming a yellow lab. Could be worse I thought. I could be turning into one of those awful yappy dogs. Thinking that way made me feel a little ashamed of myself, but only for a second.

As we walked, something must have triggered my mind. Perhaps an unusual sight, sound, or smell. A memory came floating to the surface. It was hard to make heads or tails of the isolated memory, but as we continued more and more pieces floated to the surface. Before long I had the beginnings of a story.

Kevin and I were walking down a street not unlike this one. In these memories much to my surprise, I was fully dressed and human. Kevin had been lamenting the fact that he had never been allowed to have a dog as a kid. He went on and on about how jealous he was of the other kids when he saw them with their dogs. I mumbled something about wishing I could help him with that. I had always had dogs as a kid, and they were part of the family. I couldn't imagine growing up without one.

Just as I finished speaking, a strange man stepped out of the alley and said one simple word. "Granted". With that he disappeared. Kevin and I looked at each other, but we were both baffled. We were about to continue on our way, when a sudden light hit me. When I could see again, I was standing next to Kevin naked save for my collar.

The memories faded at that point. Although my mind was running a little slower than normal, I managed to put two and two together. Obviously the strange man was some kind of wizard or genie. He mistook what I said for an actual wish, and though he was helping by turning me into the dog Kevin had always wanted. Great, me and my big mouth. At least now I knew what was going on.

Clearly I had to find this whatever and stop him before he could do this to anyone else, and maybe get him to turn me back. A strange feeling interrupted my thoughts. Looking back, I watched as a tail grew from the base of my spine. Without any prompting from me it quickly started wagging, clearly in response to the exhilaration I was feeling. I didn't have much time left.

I couldn't tell if Kevin's senses were allowing him to relive the same memories as I was, or if he was whether or not he understood their meaning. It seemed all to clear that the answer was no when he started to turn around and head home. I had come this close. I couldn't turn back now.

I had to keep going. I started pulling on my leash, hoping it wasn't any better quality than the last one Kevin had bought. Unfortunately he seemed to have learned from his mistakes (why now?), and the leash held. I strained and pulled with all my might. I could feel my body changing more and more with each passing moment, but it would be worth it.

By the time I convinced Kevin that I wasn't ready to go home and wanted to continue on my walk, the only thing even remotely human remaining on my body was my face. I didn't have time to care, because the longer I procrastinated the dimmer the memories got and the more I lost myself to the dog I was becoming. I had to remind myself I was human every few moments, lest I slip away completely.

Something was driving me towards an alley just a few blocks away. I started to pick up a scent that I recognized. I could feel my nose flattening and getting darker, my face pushing out into a muzzle as I tried to follow the trail.

I was listening for anything that would indicate the presence of the man I was seeking. While I was glad that I was starting to be able to hear more clearly, and from further away, I knew what it meant. My ear had gotten long and floppy and moved upward on my head.

I tried to resist, but couldn't help sneaking a glance at myself in a window as we passed by. I was now totally transformed. I looked like nothing more than a dog. You would never have known I had ever been human. I just hoped the added fidelity of my senses was worth it, and I hadn't done anything irreversible.

When we finally reached the alley, I found a scent I recognized. I couldn't see him right away, but I knew my prey was somewhere among the dumpsters and junk strewn about. Something about the scent triggered another memory- So familiar- Yes! This must have been what I was chasing when I got lost. He must have done something to my memory so I wouldn't catch him!

I could tell Kevin was hesitant to enter the alley, but I could tell the only way to reverse what was happening to me was in there. I turned and, to my surprise, and I think Kevin's, growled at him. This surprised him enough for him to drop my leash. I took the opportunity to dash into the alley following my nose.

I didn't take long before I finally found what I was looking for. Using my snout and paws, I managed to move a few crushed boxes enough to expose a figure lying prone on the ground. He didn't look like I remembered, but the smell was the same. He had to be the same one.

I wasn't sure what to do next. I reached out with my paw and gave him a push. He groaned a little, but barely moved. After a few more pushes and some insistent barking, Kevin made his way over to see what had caught my attention. He knelt down beside the little man, and I could see that some hint of recognition crossed his face.

Finding a small box, Kevin scooped the man up, and placed him inside. Grabbing a hold of my leash, he started to lead us home. I only hopped the man would survive long enough to fix me before I lost what little humanity I had left. On the walk home, I tried as hard as I could but found myself slipping more and more.

When I was able to finally retake control of my body, I realized a few hours had passed. I was in the back yard, and could hear Kevin in the kitchen. Luckily he had left the door ajar, and I was able to push it open enough to enter. I found Kevin seated at the table caring for our prisoner.

As I approached the table I could hear that he was doing better. When he saw me, he turned to face me, and got a relieved look on his face. "Thank you for not eating me, and saving my life." I gave a half hearted bark, letting him know that I was a little hurt with that remark.

"Sorry, Sorry" he continued. "I am not of your world as you may have guessed. I am from the world of the Fay- A fairy if you will. I try to help people as best I can, but my magic has a way of, how do you say? Oh yes, back firing. I am sorry that I caused you so much trouble." That was the understatement of the year.

"I must return to my home if I am to survive. But I think I have enough power left to fix your problem and rectify my mistake. As you have been so kind to me, I will give you a choice. (A) I can return you to how things were before this happened. You will never have met me, and will lead a long happy life with your boyfriend. (B) I can leave you as a dog, but restore your humanity. You will have a human life span and will be able to think and speak as a man. Kevin will be your owner and I know you will have a full life. (C) I can make you anthropomorphic. You would be able to speak and think like a human, and move on two legs, but you will retain the best features of the dog- added senses and strength, fur, a tail etc. or (D) I can make it so you have always been a dog. You will be nothing more than an animal. You may find this life most fulfilling if you want to leave all the cares of human life behind. I will give you a long lifespan and you will remain with Kevin as the dog he always wished to have. I can think of no greater act of love. I have limited time. You must choose now."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Each option had its pluses and minuses. I wasn't sure how I could ever pick one. Taking a deep breath I made up my mind. I choose:

(A). I looked up at the man and barked "A" at him as best I could. Somehow he managed to understand me. He took a moment gathering his energy. After a few minutes of strange chanting I began to feel funny. I looked over at Kevin, and could tell he felt it too. With a final scream a blinding light filled the room. After what seemed like an eternity, the light began to clear. Kevin and I found ourselves sitting at the Kitchen table about to enjoy a nice lunch. As the last of the light faded, we noticed the man and box had gone, but the significance of that quickly faded from our memories. After a second or two, or conversation resumed, and we finished the plans we made, heading out to catch a movie at the Cineplex. Clearly this had been the right choice.

(B) I had to admit my life hadn't been anything really special, and every time Kevin interacted with me as his pet I felt a level of bliss that was unsurpassed by anything I had experienced as a human. I looked up at the man and barked "B" at him as best I could. Somehow he managed to understand me. He took a moment gathering his energy. After a few minutes of strange chanting I began to feel funny. I looked over at Kevin, and could tell he felt it too. With a final scream a blinding light filled the room. After what seemed like an eternity, the light began to clear. I looked up at the table to find the box and man had vanished. Kevin looked over at me and started petting me. "That feels Wonderful" I said. It took me a moment to realize that I had spoken and not barked. Kevin smiled and continued to pet me as waves of pleasure ran through my body. Over the next couple of days, Kevin and I spent our time the next few days playing and getting ready for our new life. Playing with Kevin made me feel wonderful and I could tell he was enjoying having a pet as much as I enjoyed being his. Every sensation was amplified, and more powerful than anything I ever felt as a man. The only thing I didn't like was the trips to the vet. Yuck. I let Kevin know in no uncertain terms if he ever tried to have me neutered, he would be sorry. We were closer than we had ever been as people. I knew that I had made the right choice.

(C) Anthrodogs? I had to admit the idea was appealing. I liked the feelings that my enhanced senses provided. This body had potential. But was limited as a dog. I looked up at the man and barked "C" at him as best I could. Somehow he managed to understand me. He took a moment gathering his energy. After a few minutes of strange chanting I began to feel funny. I looked over at Kevin, and could tell he felt it too. With a final scream a blinding light filled the room. After what seemed like an eternity, the light began to clear. As my eyesight returned, I realized my point of view was much higher than before. I looked down at my body, and ran my hands along it. It felt wonderful and powerful. I could hear every little noise. I sniffed Kevin and was practically intoxicated by the scents of his body. I may not be able to go out in the day without a disguise, but we didn't do that much anyway. While I often go the urge to play like any dog, Kevin and I found the sex to be extraordinary. We eventually moved out to a more secluded area where we could frolic in the woods together. Kevin and I were never closer, and I know I made the right choice.

(D) A normal pet? I had spent most of the last few days trying to avoid that. I looked over at Kevin, and realized I hadn't seen him this happy in a long time. I thought back on my own life and it dawned on me that it hadn't really been all that worthwhile. I had been kicked out by my parents when they found out I was gay. That had really taken a toll on my mental health. I had drifted through life, and if Kevin hadn't found me when he did, I don't know what would have happened. I looked up at the man and barked "D" at him as best I could. Somehow he managed to understand me. He took a moment gathering his energy. After a few minutes of strange chanting I began to feel funny. I looked over at Kevin, and could tell he felt it too. With a final scream a blinding light filled the room. After what seemed like an eternity, the light began to clear. I looked over at master and could tell he was happy. This made me happy. I barked at him. Master reached over and petted me. It put me into a state of pure bliss. I wagged my tail, and jumped up on him, licking him in the face. We couldn't have been happier. As the last of my humanity slipped away, I knew I had made the right choice.

Meanwhile, in some reality just outside our own, a small man appears in a flash of light. He is hunched over and clearly in pain. He stands straighter, drawing power and strength from his surroundings. After a few moments he begins to stagger home, sure that he will face some punishment for his mistakes, but at least he was reassured and bolstered with the knowledge that he had been able to set things right.