DAY THREE, WED.

     I awoke in what appeared to be a small rectangular cage.  No, it wasn't
me... it was the creature again, I was just along for the ride.  It was another
memory dream that seemed to pick up were the last one left off my subcontious
mind finally realized.

"Please, let me go," I pleaded with the researcher.

He bent down in front of the cage and looked in.  "Why, hello little one, I'm so
glad you're awake.  I have something for you."  The reasearcher held up a small
syringe.

"Please, no more bad water.  It hurts me."  I tried to squeeze as far back as
the cage would allow.  "Please, no more!"

The fear on my face/muzzle (whichever you like) brought a evil smile to his
mouth as he injected the liquid in my side.  The pain was soon to follow, unlike
any I had ever experienced before.  The reasearcher left, oblivious to the howls
of torture I cried out with from inside my little cage.

     I awoke, panting like crazy, in the real world.  My tongue hung out of my
mouth as I tried to cach my breath.  "You poor little thing...," I said to
myself, as if I had witness the whole thing in person.  I rested my head in my
hands.  "I've got to find out where that sample came from.  It's the key to this
whole mess, I'm sure of it."  I looked over at my clock:  3:45 A.M.  "Uggh, not
a good time to be awake..."  I yawned and felt my tongue flop out over the front
of  my mouth when it was wide open.  "I've got to get a handle over this small
problem," I thought to myself, not wanting to have my tounge wagging all over
the place everytime I opened my mouth.

     I laid back down and thought some more on the dream.  Truthfully, I was
becomming scared of them because of how disturbing they were in my mind.
 Instead of going back to sleep, though, I began to really look at myself with a
critical eye for the first time.  All I could see was fur.  It was a thick black fur
that was broken by random patches of white, except for the front of my neck,
body, and the bottom and tip of my muzzle, which was a solid stripe.  I felt my
head and formed a mental picture of what it looked like: Short, rounded muzzle,
small ears on the top of my head, and of course, my little black nose.  I laid down
on my back and was greeted by a feeling of disconfort from around my butt.
With a short curse, I pulled my tail from behind me so that it was between my
legs and instantly felt better as the tip twitched a few times, as if to complain.
Out of curiosity, I tried to move the whole thing.  Nothing.  "OK... let's try that
again."  This time, I got a bit of movement at the tip. Things didn't improve
from there too much.  I eventually lost my intrerest after a bit and gave up for the
time being and resumed my inspection at the legs.  They looked fairly normal,
untill the I saw my feet.  My toes were now larger and thicker than the human
large toe and situated so that the middle ones stuck out farther and the ones on
the ends set back a bit, all of which caused my foot to flair out a bit at the end.
 In the same fashion of my hands, black pads were on all of the toes and the heels,
as were sharp, black claws at the end of my toes (no wonder my socks did the
splits.)  Thinking about that brought me to the next logical question:  Just
what am I going to do for clothes?  I just can't go to the local department
store and ask for the semi-human and furry section.  Actually, did I even need
clothes now that I was a giant fuzzball?  It didn't take long for me to say
'yes' to that question.

     I laid my head on a pillow and stared at the ceiling.  I really didn't want
to go back to sleep if any more of those dream memories were to invade my
subcontious.  Eventually, sleep came and possesed my body for a while longer.

     The clock alarm began to scream blood murder as soon as 7:00 appeared on
it's face.  With one fluid motion, I unwrapped myself from the bed quilt and
slapped the 'alarm off' button.  Without a second thought, I began my usual
morning routine, untill I walked into the bathroom and turned on the light.  The
moment I saw my reflection, the fiasco that was last night came crashing back
into my mind.  To tell you the truth, in the back of my mind I still believed
that this was still all a dream, but the hope faded away with each second I
looked into the mirror.  I almost broke down as I leaned on the counter and hung
my head in sorrow.  A lone tear found it's way down my muzzle and landed
silently on the sink-top.  "Damn-it!  Why did this have to happen to me!?!"  I
thought, while pure anger began to fill my mind.  I slammed my fists onto the
counter-top, wishing it would somehow make me feel better.

       After calming down a bit, I turned on the shower and just stood under the
stream of water, my fur matting down and becoming a water-logged mess.  Toweling
off made matters worse, turning me into a giant Einstein hairdo on legs.  I
sighed and took out my hairbrush.  After a good 15 minutes, things looked
half-ways decent, except for a tangled mass on the top of my head. The large
white tuff of fur was what I presumed to be the remains of my hair.  It finally
fell into place, looking very similar to the style I wore my former hair in.
Now came the hard part:  Finding clothes that fit.  A tee-shirt I pulled out of
my dresser drawer fit fine, but it gave me a hard time getting over the new
shape of my head.  Shorts and underwear were a whole new ballgame, though.
Sissors took care of the underwear, but I didn't want to ruin my shorts by
cutting a big hole in the back of them.  So, I did the only thing I could:  I
stuffed my tail down a leg and let it come out the bottom.  It wasn't the most
comfortable feeling position for it to be in, but it would have to do until I
found a better solution.  Shoes and socks were completely out of the question
because of the weird shape and claws my feet had aquired.  Satisfied with the
way I looked, I went downstairs to face the day.

     Crash was already in the kitchen when I came down, but he had his back to
me as he cleaned some dishes in the sink.

"Morning," I said.

Without turning around, he replied "I had the strangest dream last night.  You
turned into a giant skunk after eating a chicken dish I made.  And then I gave
us a psychological session or something like that.  Weird..."

"I don't think the chicken had any thing to do with it."

"WHA....!?!  Are you trying to say that you had the same dream?"

"No."

"Than what ARE you saying?"  Crash spun around, confused out of his mind, until
he saw the giant skunk sitting at the table.  "AAA!!!" He jumped a good two feet
backwards from shock at the sight.

"I'm saying that it was probably the compounds and we need to get to my
appointment for some answers."

"You can't go out looking like that!"

"Well, I really don't have much choice, do I?"

Crash looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't.

"We gotta go.  You're driving."  I tossed him my keys.

     After Crash looked around outside, he signaled me that it was clear.  I ran
to my car and dove into the backseat.  He sat in the driver's seat and took off
as I covered myself with a blanket I kept in the car.  We made it to Seir-tech
without any problems and the guard let Crash by without a second glance after he
proved to be on the visitor's list.  The car pulled up to the medical building
and again Crash checked out the scene.  "All clear..." I was on the run, again,
into the building and to Dr. Harvard's office.  Outside, I told Crash to go in
first.

"Uh, Dr. Harvard?  I'm Justin Kavin's friend, Crash."

"Welcome. Where is he?"

"Just outside.  Listen, whatever he told you was wrong on the phone is a tad bit
outdated.  Things have gotten worse, much worse."

"Then we need to start right away.  Mr. Kavin, please come in here."

I opened the door and stept in.  Upon first sight, the color drained from Dr.
Harvard's face.

"W-w-what in the Hell!?!"  he stammered.

"That is what we would like to find out," Crash responded.

The Dr. just stood there, calculating the depth of the entire situation.

"This is too big for me to handle alone, if it's alright with you, I'd like to
bring in a few specialists."

"By all means," I said.

     Dr. Harvard moved over to his phone and dialed up the nurse.  "Nurse, I
need you to call Dr. Claris at genetics and Dr. Frons at materials, have them
come here right away.  Also, I need you to use my security clearance to get the
complete material listing of all the vials involved in Mr. Kavin's accident two
days ago, even the classified ones.  It's an emergency, so I have all rights to
ask for and recieve that information."

"Right away, Dr."

Dr. Harvard refocused his attention back at me.  "Please sit on the examination
table and remove your shirt."

I did as I was told as he began a thorough examination of my body.  The Dr.
tried to find a pulse through my fur, but gave up quickly.

"Open your mouth."

I opened wide, remembering to try and keep my tongue in.  I felt him use a
tongue depresser and thump at a few teeth.  Next were my ears, nose, and eyes.

"This is absolutely amazing, to think a few organic compounds and a sample of
blood could have caused this."

"Doc, I don't care for the scientific value right now.  I'm only interested in
becoming normal again."

The nurse then entered the room, carrying an armfull of files and papers, which
she nearly dropped the moment she first saw me sitting there.

"Doctor....., here are those files you requested."  She set them down on his
desk, never taking her eyes off of me.  I tried to think of something to say to
releave the tension in the room.

"You don't have to stand way over there, you know.  I am housebroken."

That did it.  A smile came over her face as she held in a laugh.  The nurse
slowly approached me and touched my arm.  The sensations, on my part, were the
strangest thing I had ever felt.  But then, like a automatic action, she began
to stroke my head like I was just some oversized pet.  I didn't mind, in fact, I
rather enjoyed it because of the soothing effect on me.

"Nurse, please don't pet the patients."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!  I didn't even realize I was doing that."  She began to blush
quite brightly.

"It's ok," I said, "I actually kind of liked it."

Somehow, the nurse turned an even darker shade of red.

"It's just he reminded me of a friendly skunk that lived near my farm when I was
a child.  He would let me pet and feed him everyday out by the fields.  He was
never afraid of me, nor I of him.  I guess I just got lost in those memories."
When the nurse said something about memories, I remembered the dreams that I had
been having.

"Doc, I've been having these bad dreams lately.  Only they seem to be more like
memories that someone else  had and are being replayed in me."

"Go on...  what are they about?"

"They're like broken glimpses into what seems to be the skunk's life.  Mostly
they are conversations with some reasurcher over injections of what it calls
'bad water' and being the 'first animal able to do human capabilities.'  From
what I can tell, the building is in some wooded area.  That's about it."

"Hmmmm..."  The doctor looked through the files and pulled one out.  "Blood
sample from spilogale putorius sent in for testing.  Sending Location:
Columbia, S.C.  Sender:  Dr. Bill Templeton.  Company name:  Unknown.  Company
location:  Unknown."

"Excuse me, spilo-whata?" I asked.

"Spilogale putorius, or in english, the spotted skunk."

"I could have told you that just by looking at me."

"I guess this kind of makes you a whole new species.  What do you think of the
name Homo putorius since you're a mix of Homo sapien and Spilogale putorius?"
I just shrugged my shoulders, since I didn't have a clue of what he was trying
to ask me.  The phone ringed just then and the doctor answered it, so  I took
the opportunity to talk to Crash.

"I've got the bad feeling all Hell's about to break loose, Crash."

"Cheer up, dude.  At least I don't have to lead you around on a leash and use a
hydrant for the bathroom."

"I'd like to see you just to try that."

We both started to laugh at the mental images that it brought up.  The doctor
turned around to face us as we fought to keep a straight face.  In the corner of
my mind, I wondered just what my face looked like displaying emotions and simple
gestures like a smile and laughter or do I just show a lot of teeth and not much
else?

"That was the two specialists I asked to join us.  They'll be here in a moment."

I sat there, wondering just what their reactions were going to be.  I didn't
have to wonder long as the door opened and two gentlemen entered.  Upon first
sight of me, one of them asked "Is this some sort of a joke?"

"Thank you for comming at such short notice and no, this is not a joke.  This
seems to be the result of the accident that occured here two days ago.  Dr.
Claris, Dr. Frons, I'd like you to meet Justin Kavin."

Dr. Claris was a short, heavyset man that had an air of no nonsense surrounding
him.  "You can't lead me to believe that this is not some costume."

"Don't I wish it was.  If you would take the time to come over here, you'll see
that I'm as real as you are."

And that he did.  He yanked on my fur, convinced it was just some elaborate
costume.

"Ouch!  That is connected to me, you know!"

Still not believing, he looked over my entire head and examined every opening.

"My God!  You are real!"

"That, gentlemen, is why you are here.  I need you two to run every possible
comparision and test on this list of items and find some answers to why this
happened.  Extremely crucial is the testing of the blood sample.  There is the
strongest possibility that there is something very unusal about it.  All of the
samples should have backup samples since the originals were lost in the
accident.  The two doctors left with the files and I sat there with a feeling
that I was just some sideshow freak on display for everyone to see.

"The last thing I want to do, Justin, is get a blood sample from you for
testing."

Dr. Harvard held up a large syringe and I involuntarily backed away in fear.

"This won't hurt a bit.  No need to run away from it."

"I'm sorry... I has a flashback to one of my bad dreams involving a needle when
I saw that."

After some difficulty of finding a vein through my fur, Dr. Harvard finally got
his sample and I was free to go.  Crash and I again sneaked back out to my car
and left Seir-tech with the feelings that rough waters were lying ahead for us
whenever the test results came back.

     We arrived back at our apartment around 12:00.  My stomach growled to
complain about the lack of food in it and I realized that I hadn't eaten at all
today.  Crash turned around at the sound and looked at me with curiosity.

"So, just what do skunks eat?"

"I don't know about other ones, but I feel like pizza."

"Figures... let me guess, an all meat one?"

"Pepperoni and mushrooms will do just fine."
Crash shrugged and went to make the phone to the pizza place.  I laid down on my
stomach on the couch and turned on the TV.  Nothing much but soaps and the all
news channel were on all the stations.  It was no wonder why I never watched
much daytime television.  With a sigh, I hit the 'off' button.  Minding the
tail, I rolled over onto my back and closed my eyes.  As I laid there, the worse
possible thing that could have happened did:  The doorbell rang.

     I felt my stomach fall out as Crash ran to the door and looked through the
peephole.

"Who is it???"

"It's Chris and Mike,"  Crash answered with an underlying tone of panic in his
voice.

"Shit!!  I can't have them see me like this!"

"Open up in there!  We saw you two go in!" drifted through the door.

"Shit!!!"  My anxiety right there went into overdrive as I sat up with a jolt.

I shot up the stairs and crash landed on my bed.  Again, up came the quilt.  I
could hear Crash open the door and tell them that I was sick and needed to sleep
(which wasn't too far off the truth.)

"Good one, Crash," I thought to myself.

A low voice, who could have only been Chris', answered back, "Yea, right... he's
not getting out of this road trip so easily.  We've had this planned for a month
now."

There was a huge racket on the staircase as Crash tried to head off our unwanted
guests before they reached my door.  I pulled the quilt over my head and this
time made I made sure it wasn't going to be yanked away by holding onto the edge
with a solid grip.

"Alright, time to get up and on the road!"

I silently cursed my luck as Chris and Mike burst into my room.  Time for the
backup plan:  Lie like crazy.

"I can't go, the doctor said I shouldn't do much of anything for a few weeks."

"Bullshit... now quit stalling."  Mike called my bluff and destroyed my only
plan of defense.

Both Mike and Chris grabbed the end of my quilt and yanked with all their might.
 
     To my surprise, the sound of ripping fabric filled the air as my claws went
right through the material and shredded the edge to pieces.  Without anything to
hold on to, I lost control of the situation quickly as the quilt flew off me for
a second time.  The room went dead silent as everyone stared at me and I just
sat there, fuming with anger.  Suddenly, Chris broke out laughing uncontrolably.

"I always said you stunk at eveything, but this takes the cake!!"

I wasn't amused at Chris' little comment.  Eventually, he calmed down enough to
form rational thoughts again.

"Alright, the joke's over, take off the suit and let's get going."

"Um..., this isn't a suit..."

"Uh, huh... sure, whatever..."

Chris reached over and pulled on one of my ears.

"Ouch, dammit... that hurt!!!"

His eyes became as wide as saucers when he realized I wasn't kidding about the
pain and about not wearing an elaborate costume.

"Ok, maybe you're right about not taking the trip for now..."

"Naw, really?"  I replied sarcastically.

Now Chris and Mike are the type of people who can't last for more than five
minutes at being serious on anything, especially something that strikes them as
funny as what I now look like.

"What happened?  You go overboard on some hair grower or what?"

"No, remember those vials you knocked me into?"

"Whoa!  I knocked you into?!?  You crashed into those on your own."

"Everything would be fine if you hadn't even pushed me in the first place!"

"I guess you have a point there."

"Damn right, I've got a point!"

My anger was reaching  the boiling point and I decided to drop the whole
conversation befor things got out of hand.

"What's done is done.  Listen, I've got to keep this quiet to everyone,
especially the media and the science department.  I really don't want to end up
someone's project to be dissected or worse."

I stood up to give them the full view of my new body.  After a few moments, Mike
was the first to comment on it.

"That is definitly a new look for you.  Is it permanent or temporary?"

"I won't know for a while."

"I take it then you've seen someone on your conndition, right?"  asked Chris.

"Just this morning."

Mike studied me closely for a minute and I could see the opinions forming on his
face.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I think you look kind of cool, not that I
want you stay that way or anything."

I looked down at myself and though, "I do look cool don't I... wait a minute...
What the Hell am I thinking here?!?  This is not how I want to spend the rest of
my life!"

Now Chris spoke up.

"Yea, you're like a living cartoon or one of those weird pictures that float
around the net."

"Is that supposed to make me feel any better?  If so, you're failing miserably."
I crossed my arms and smiled.  As I did so, my tail begin to twitch against my
leg.  Chris noticed it moving and did a double take.

"You even have a tail?!?"

"Unfortunatly..."

 Chris began to laugh,again,at this bit of information.

"This is just too much, ha-ha!!!!!"

"You know, you wouldn't be laughing so much if this had happened to you."

"You're right...," said Chris as he stopped laughing, yet kept a smile remaining
on his face.  "Still, this is the most fantastic thing I have ever seen.  My
friend, the skunk-man!  I mean, what's next?  Visitors from some secret lab to
wisk us away and turn us all into things like you?"

" I don't think you're to far from the truth there...  Come to think of it, I
just had a mysterious call, asking where the two of you lived."

"You're kidding, right???"  Chris was visibly begining to get a tad bit nervous.

"Gotcha!"

Now it was my turn to laugh.

     A few minutes later, the doorbell rang. Instinctivly, Crash and I both knew
who it was:  The pizza dude.

"Well, are you just going to sit there or are you going to get our lunch?  I
can't exactly answer the door right now, you know."

"I'm going, I'm going.  Give me a second to even get out of my seat."
Crash got out of my desk chair and went downstairs.  My mouth began to water at
the thought of finally geting to eat.

"Lunchtime!!"  Crash announced upon his return.

"YES!"

We both tore into the pizza without mercy.  The first few bites were a bit of a
problem to me as I adjusted to having to eat with a muzzle and differently
shaped teeth.  A small pile of napkins grew around me quite quickly.
Eventually, I got the hang of it and no more of the cheese and sauce was ending
up in my fur.  Suddenly from out of the blue, everyone began to laugh.

"What?  What's so funny?"  I asked.

Crash just pointed at his mouth.  I strained my eyes to look down my muzzle and
find what he was pointing at.  Hanging on the end of a wisker was a gob of
cheese, and from the way it was situated, the gob almost looked like it was just
hovering in midair.  I flicked it away and it landed uncerimoniously on the
floor with a soft 'splat.'  I gave Chris a warning look before he could say
anything.

"Now don't start with me."

"Would I do a thing like that?"

"Yes, you would."

     Luckily, the phone rang and saved me from having to hear Chris' complaints
on that remark.  Crash picked it up and then handed it directly to me.

"Who is it?"  I asked.

"That doctor dude."

"Wonder what's up... Hello?"

"Justin?  This is Dr. Harvard...  I was wondering if it would be possible for
you to come in tomorrow."

"Have the results already come in?!?!"

"No, those won't be in until at least the end of the week.  The staff vet and
myself would like to run a few more tests, especially on your physical
capabilities."

"A vet???"

All of the eyes in the room turned twoards me when I said that outloud.

"I'm not experienced or licensed to deal with nonhuman physiology and you are
part skunk now."

"Just how many more people are you going to bring in on this?"

"He should be the last one needed.  How long can you stay out of school before
it becomes a problem?"
 

"Well, next week is spring break, but after that, I couldn't say."

"That's something to work with at least.  I would like to keep you out of sight
for as long as possible.  How many people actually know of your condition?"

"Just a few close friends."

"Relatives?"

"I've been debating about that in the back of my mind."

"Well, for now, just keep it to those few friends.  The fewer the better."

"That's the first bit of advice from a doctor I plan to follow in a long time."

"Good to hear that.  Anyways, is the same time as today fine for you?"

"Let me see.  Crash, can you give me a lift again tomorrow, same time?"

"Sorry, dude... physics, remember?"

"Shit, that's not good...  How about the either of you at 8 in the morn?"
Mike shook his head no, but Chris motioned yes.

"Dr. Harvard? That will be fine."

"Well then, I'll see you in the morning."

Click, and the phone went dead.  I put down the reciever and turned to Chris.

"Thanks, man."

"No problem..."

I went over to my desk and opened a drawer.  I then pulled out a micro-recorder
and handed it to Crash.

"Take this with you tomorrow and get as much as you can with it, just don't let
prof catch you recording."

"This ought to be an interesting experience:  Physics by tape."

"It might be bending the rules a bit, but it's better than failing."

"No argument there."

Mike then spoke up.  "You two are in that crazy class with only two tests,
aren't you?"

"Correct," Crash answered.

"Man, I booked out of that class the instant he said the grade depends only on
that.  You two have got to be crazy to have stayed in."

"If we're so crazy, then how is it we're passing?"  asked Crash.

"Luck?"

"And not much else."

"I thought so."

Crash just shrugged his shoulders and then left my room without saying a word.
I laid down on my bed and began to wonder about just what tests Dr. Harvard
wanted to run on me.  As I laid there, daydreaming, Mike asked me a question.

"So, you've got a date with a vet tomorrow?"

"Sort of..."

"What do you mean 'sort of.'  Either you do or you don't, there's no middle
ground on this sort of question."

"Well, if you put it that way, I guess it's yes then."

"Got to go get your tags and rabies shot, eh?"

"That's not funny, Mike..."

"Then why am I laughing?"

"Don't make me turn around and hose you..."

The look that came to Mike's face was one of pure shock/surprise and was just
priceless in my book.

"Oh, my!  Just look at the time!  Come on Chris, we've got things to do."

"Wha...?"

As Mike dragged Chris out of the door, I called out behind them, "Don't forget,
8 A.M. tomorrow!"

After the sound of silence came over my room, I laid back down on my bed and
fell into a deep sleep.