DAY FOUR, THUR.

    The pain was gone, but the cage still remained, surrounding me with long
shinny bars of metal.  As tears of anger fell slowly from my eyes, all I/it
could think of was the forrest and being free to run away from this nightmare.
But first things first:  How to get out of this box?  The researcher was smart
this time because a large combination lock held the door firmly shut instead of
just the normal bolt lock like there was on the last cage.  There was no way out
for me without suddenly being able to bend the bars (like that was ever going to
happen...)  I just stared out of my cage and through a window at the star-filled
sky, letting my thoughts drift like the fall leaf in the wind.  Soon I just fell
asleep with a heavy feeling in my heart.  In my dreams I was free to go where I
wanted to, yet for some reason I was draw to enter a clearing where all of my
friends stood in a circle around me, yet I didn't recognize any of them for they
were not skunks.  They were all like the researcher, on two legs and had strange
things over their bodies.  A voice in the back of my mind told me that I shoud
know them, yet I didn't.

"Who are you?" I asked.

The one in front of me answered "We are your friends, don't you recognize us?"

"I don't know you, yet something..."

The speaker picked me up and said "It's time we were going home."
Something about the familiarity in his voice told me this was the right thing as
he caried me into the night.

"It's alright now, no more bad water will hurt you anymore."

"Thank-you...." was all I said as I curled up into a ball and fell into a
feeling of peace I hadn't known for a long time.  A smile came to my face as I
just laid there, safe and warm.  "No more bad water..."

     I awoke to the steel bars across the night sky in the window and the smile
quickly faded away from my face into tears of fustration and anger.  "No more
bad water..."

     The alarm clock began to blair heavy metal at me as Crash yelled from the
bottom of the stairs.  After a quick shower and foregoing brushing my fur, I
went downstair into the kitchen where Crash was.

"While you were asleep, I took the liberty and went grocery shopping.  I figured
you could use a few extra things."

"Like what...?"  I had a bad feeling that I really didn't want to know.

"Here ya go."  Crash handed me a paper bag and I cautiously peered inside.

Taking out a small bottle, I asked him "Is this your idea of a joke?!?"  Inside
the bag was flea powder, extra-strength deoderant, a wire fur-brush, and a
rubber squeek-toy.  "I am not amused!" I fumed with a growl forming in my
throat.

"Sorry, I just couldn't resist."

That wasn't helping the situation any.

"Oh, don't be like that.  Cheer up!"

I just sat there.

"Do I have to scratch you behind your ear again?"

This time I did growl at him.

"My, doesn't someone need a sense of humor reinstalled on their C-drive..."

"So, what's for breakfast?"  I asked to change the subject off of my mood.

"What'cha want?"

"I don't care."  My mind was stuck on the dream that I had last night, not on
the present.  By far, it had been the craziest one yet that I could recall.  I
let out a big yawn and didn't care in the least if my tongue flopped out or not.

"Man, I think I saw your tonsils.  Rough night?"

"You could say that."

"Another one of your dreams?"

"Yea..."

"I don't know weither or not to be worried about you and your grip on reality."

"That's just it, they aren't a part of my reality, they're a part of the
skunk's.  I just get to go along for the ride if I want to or not."

     After a quick meal of cereal and toast, Crash picked up his backpack and
headed for the door.

"I'll see you after class.  Let me know how things turn out, OK?"

"Alright...see ya."

Just as Crash left, Chris came inside.

"Ready to go?"

"I guess so."

With a quick glance around, I lept into the backseat of Chris' car and laid down
and covered myself with a towel I grabbed from my linen drawer.  Just as last
time, the quard gave us no trouble to get onto the Seir-tech grounds and we
proceeded to the medical building.  Again, I sneeked into the building and
headed towards Dr. Harvard's office.  Personally, I was begining to tire of all
the hiding and sneeking around behind people's backs.  Chris sat down in the
waiting room with a magazine as I knocked on the door.

"Ah, Mr. Kavin.  Good to see you again.  This is Dr. Oki, the staff vet that
I've informed about our situation."

Dr. Oki was a younger man that strongly portraied his asian heritage in his
features and spoke with a heavy accent.

"Mr. Kavin, I am honored to meet you."

I did a bow out of repect and he returned the guesture.

"So what hideous tourtures will I have to suffer through today?"  I asked.

"You're about to find out.  Now, take off your clothes and have a seat," replied
Dr. Harvard.

"Excuse me?"

"And put this on."

I put on one of those flimsy paper hospital gowns and tied it loosly behind my
back.  With the air conditioner going at full power, I was glad for the first
time to have fur to keep me warm.

"This is going to be a most interesting case," commented Dr. Oki, "Let me see
your hand."

I held up my hand and Dr. Oki began to examine it very closely.

"Hmm.  No fingerprints, just pads.  Do you feel this?"

Dr. Oki took out a small pin and and gently pressed it into the black pad at the
end of my index finger.

"Ouch!!  Yes I do!"

"Obviously, they are quite sensitive.  I barely just pressed down."  He then
proceded to gently pull on a claw to test it's strength.  Next, he began to bend
and flex each individual digit through it's full range of motion.  "Hmm..."
Dr. Oki held his index finger next to mine.  My finger was about twice as thick
and in the range of only about one half to three quarters of the total length
that his finger was.

"Do you have any problems trying to grasp objects or just trying to move your
finger at all?"

"Not really."

"That is strange.  Your hand is so paw-like now, it's amazing that you can even
bend the fingers.  I could feel the stiffness and resistance to bend just by
even moving your finger in any direction.  Were you by any chance double-jointed
when you had normal hands?"

"Just a little bit in the thumb and wrist."

"Hmm... that still doesn't explain the fingers.  Make a fist."

I tried to make a fist, but my fingers wouldn't bend more than about 3/4 of the
way to my palm.

"Just as I thought what would happen."

"So I can't make a fist, no big deal."

"Wrong... just think for a moment.  If you can't bend your fingers because
they're too much like a paw, other joints could have been affected and lost a
lot of flexability or control.  Take your feet for example."

I hadn't thought about it like that and I ended up looking down at my feet,
wondering about them.  I didn't even want to start thinking about what else
could have been dramaticly changed inside my body.

Dr. Oki spoke up again, "Do you have any difficulty in walking, sitting, or
bending your knees?"

"No."

"Flex your toes and move your right foot in a circle."

I had no problems in moving my foot around, but my toes were a different story.
I could barely move them at all,  yet the Dr. was able to bend them by hand,
though, with a lot of resistance.

"I'd like to get you into radiology for a series of x-rays."

"Wouldn't someone see me?"  I asked after thinking of how much Dr. Harvard
wanted to keep my existance quiet for now.

Right then Dr. Harvard spoke up, "No, I've had the wing secured for the day.  No
one but us should be here.  Follow me."

I hopped off the table and followed the two doctors down a hallway to the x-ray
facilities, where I was promptly told to lay down on another table.  After about
a half-hour, they were finally done and I got to go sit back down on the table
in to doctor's office.  The entire way back, Dr. Oki studied my stride and
walking style, focusing particularly on my feet and toes.  I could see him
constantly writing down notes and drawing little sketches on his notepad.
Nothing really crossed my mind as I sat there, thinking about the future.  Would
I ever be normal again?  What will I do if I'm stuck a hybrid for life.  In my
mind, I could just picture myself being attacked by a mob, chanting "Destroy the
freak of nature..."  An involuntary shiver shot down my spine at that thought.

"Are you cold?" asked Dr. Oki.

"Uh, no." I responded as I tried to think of something to ease my mind.  Nothing
worked.

     After some time, Dr. Harvard came back into the office with a grave look on
his face.  The first thought to pass thru my mind was that the shit was about to
hit the fan.

"Justin, I just got off the phone with Dr. Claris," there was a very long pause
before he continued, "I'm afraid your condition may be permanent.  Just by the
preliminary tests alone, he could conclude without a shadow of a doubt that your
DNA structure was completely fused with the skunk DNA strands.  Even if we could
find a way to separate them, our technology level couldn't even come close to
pull something like that off successfully."

My world just fell out as all of my fears hit me with the force of a Mac truck.

"Nooooooo..................."

Right there on the table, I just completely broke down.

"I can't say how sorry I am to have to tell you that.  I think it may be best
for us to continue this examination later."

Dr. Harvard and Dr. Oki left the room as I began to slowly pull on my clothes.
I don't even remember how I got home, all I know is that my life was just
screwed over royally and I'm powerless to do anything, except lay here, in my
bed, alone.

     Around 2, Crash came home from classes.

"Honey, I'm home!  Oh, hey Chris.  What's up?"

"I don't really know.  Justin came out of the Dr.'s looking like he took a cheep
shot to the gut and just asked to go home immediately.  After that, he just went
into his room and I haven't heard a peep since.  I tried to talk to him, but he
locked the door and won't say a thing."

"Something must have gone wrong at the examination to upset him that badly.  It
might be best to just let him sort things out on his own for now."

"Hmm...  So how'd physics go?"

"Boring as usual."

"Well, I've got to get going.  I only stuck around to let you know what's going
on."

"Thanks."

I could hear the front door close and Crash begin to assend the staircase, more
than likely to stop at my door.  I was right.  A knock came from the door as did
Crash's voice, "Hey, Jus... you alright?"

I didn't say a word in reply.

"Jus?"

I could here Crash searching the door frame for the spare key, but I had already
taken it and placed it on my nightstand next to the bed.

"Come on.... open the door."

There was a sound in the keyhole as the door swung open.  In his hand, Crash
held another spair key.  I silently cursed to myself for not thinking that there
were probably more keys.

"Please, just leave me alone."

"Jus, what's wrong.  I've never seen you like this before."

"Please leave."  My voice had lowered to the point of almost being an beastly
growl.

"Jus,..."

I don't really understand what happened next, it was like something just snapped
inside me.  I literally flew from the bed and tackled Crash so that I pinned him
down to the floor.  Grabbing him by the shirt, not caring in the least that my
claws had gone right through the material and possibly hurting him, I pulled his
face close to my muzzle.  My muzzle was wrinkled in a snarl of pure rage, baring
every last tooth.

"YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S WRONG?!??  TAKE A REAL GOOD LOOK!!!  THIS IS WHAT I'M
GOING TO BE LIKE FOR THE REST OF MY DAMN LIFE:  AN INHUMAN MONSTER!!"

It was then I saw the fear in Crash's face, looking at me like I was some wild
animal about to kill him.  That brought me back to my senses and I let him go
immediatly as traces of crimson began to form thin lines on his shirt.  I pushed
myself back against the wall and into a corner.

"Oh, God, Crash.... I'm so sorry..."  I curled up into a ball and started to sob
uncontrollably.  "I'm.... sorry...."

Crash held my head against his shirt, trying to comfort me a best as he could.

     Eventually, Crash left my room with the though,"'I don't want to do that
ever again," running through his head.  He went downstairs and phoned up Dr.
Harvard.

"Dr. Harvard."

"Uh, yes, this is Crash, Justin's friend."

"Oh, yes, I remember you from yesterday."

"Listen, Dr.  What did you tell Justin today, he's gone completely off the deep
end and I have a very bad suspicion as to why."

"I'm really not at liberty to discuss Mr. Kavin's condition...."

Crash cut Dr. Harvard off in mid-sentence, "It's permanent, isn't it?"

There was a long strech of silence.  "I'm afraid so."

"Damn...  Well, thanks anyway.  Goodbuy."

"Goodbuy and give my condolences to Justin."

Click and the phone went dead.  Crash sat down on the couch in the living room
and stared out into space, lost in deep thought.  "Damn..."

     The rest of the day became as silent as a tomb in the apartment as I stayed
in my bed and Crash stayed in the living room.  The televison was on, but Crash
payed no attention.  His thoughts were on me and that violent outburst of anger.
I had never done anything like that in my life and it upset me as much as it
did him.  What really scared me, though, was that I was actually on the verge of
using my claws on him without as much as a second thought.  Crash could see that
too, with the look that was on his face.  My stomach was in a knot with the fact
that I had come that close to possibly severely hurting him.  "Dinner!"  drifted
up from the bottom of the stairs.  I wanted to go down and eat, but I felt that
I just couldn't face Crash for now, especially after what just happened.

"Jus?  Dinner's ready and you need something inside your stomach."

I couldn't bring myself to look at him, "I'm not really hungry."

"Are you sure?"

"Yea..."

I was alone again in the darkness of my bedroom with only an occasional sniffle
and the sound of a tear falling on a pillow to break to silence.

DAY FIVE, FRI.

     The sun trickled into the room through the slits of my blinds and landed on
my face.  I turned over rather than to face the new day.  My stomach was as
empty as my heart as it gurgled it's protest of not having any food in it.  As
if to tease me, the smell of bacon tickled my nose and set off my stomach into a
frenzy.  I couldn't lay there anymore, the smell beconed and I followed.

"I knew that draw you out of your cave."

Damn, it was just another one of Crash's ploys.  I turned around and was about
to go back upstairs when Crash suddenly barked, "No you don't... Now sit your
ass down!"

I sat down but didn't looked up.

"And look at me!"

So I did.  I had never seen Crash throw his weight around like this before and
it was making me a bit nervous.

"Look, I don't blame you for yesterday.  I can understand how angry you were and
I stepped over the line by not leaving like you asked."

"I almost shreded you, there's no excuse for that.  I've could have killed you
yesterday."

I hung my head in shame and sorrow.

"But, you didn't.  That's what counts.  I've lived with you long enough to know
that you would never do something as stupid as that.   Now have some breakfast,
I know you want it."

Crash was right, I was hungry, but all could manage was to pick at the food for
a while and bearly eat a thing.  As I sat there and played with my food, the
phone rang.  Crash picked it up and promptly handed it to me.

"Hello?"

"Justin?  This is Dr. Harvard.  The full results of the tests from Dr. Claris
and Frons have come in and there are some very interesting answers and new
questions you might like to know about.  Could you possibly come by sometime
today, so we may discuss them?"

"I guess so."

I handed the phone back to Crash and asked him for a ride over to Seir-tech
sometime today.

"No problem, what time?"

"Is now ok?"

"Let's go, then."

     This time, instead of having Crash sit in the waiting room, I asked him to
sit with me and listen to what the Dr. had to say, since his major delt with
organic chemistry and biology.

"I'm glad you came over.  As you know, the damage has been done and can't be
reversed, which I am truely sorry to say.  But, we now know what caused the
damage in the first place.  The organic compounds were in the right proportions
to cause a major problem in the white blood cells.  Instead of attacking the
compounds, they absorbed  the compounds and began to act as a sort of retrovirus
inside the cells.  Now, the blood sample sent in was nothing even close to
ordinary.  It seems that it had gone under a heavy amount of genetic
engineering, almost to the point of it being close to human DNA, but still
retaining the basic skunk genes.  Well, since the blood cells were affected by
the compounds, they actually absorbed the skunk DNA, thinking it was a part of
you, and began to produce altered DNA, which in turn, affected other cells until
they began to produce the altered DNA, and so on, until the end product was
reached:  your new body. Still, though, we have no earthly idea as to why you
are having your dreams.  Possibly further tests will yield information to us."

I tried to take it all in, but I just didn't understand much.  On the other
hand, Crash understood it all and still couldn't believe it.

"I thought genetic engineering on that kind of level was impossible!"

"Not so, it's more of a question of why push the hand of evolution like that."

"I see your point."

I finally spoke up, "Are you trying to say that someone built a whole new
species out of scientific curiosity?"

"Quite possibly, and as an added bonus, created you by accident."
This was starting to get too strange for me.  Maybe Chris wasn't too far off
with his joke about some secret lab and that kind of scared me.

"Justin, if you feel up to it, would you mind if we completed the examination
today?"

"I guess so... It's not like I've got anything else to look forward to."

"I take it that this is my que to get out," said Crash as he left throught
office door into the waiting room.  Dr. Harvard picked up his phone and rang up
Dr. Oki.  In the meantime, I took off my clothes and put on anther one of those
poor excuses for a robe.  "I'm really beging to hate these things,"  I thought
to myself.

     With in a few minutes, Dr. Oki enter the room.

"Ah, Mr. Kavin.  Good to see you again.  Just as the good Dr. gave me a call, I
had just finished looking over the x-rays taken yesterday."

That got my attention.

"I was right in thinking that other joints were affected, also your bone
structure was changed quite extensively, by the looks of this full body shot."

I was starting to become depressed, again.  Dr. Oki sifted through a few papers
and pulled out a computer printout with what looked like a computer-enhanced
scan on it, "Notice these dark areas on this scan?  Well, those are musk glands
located just below your tail, so I'd be very careful when you bend over for any
reason."

"Are you telling me that I can spray?!?"

"Well, you just wouldn't be a proper skunk without that little abillity, now
would you?"

I didn't know just what to say in reply to that remark.  Dr. Harvard took care
of the silence that followed by speaking up.

"I just began to read the report writed by Dr. Claris.  From the preliminary
findings, your DNA structure is more skunk than human.  Just from that alone,
you are extremely lucky to even have basic abilities like speach and walking
upright.  Another problem to add on to the pile is that further mutation may
still be continuing in your cell structure.  Dr. Claris noticed minute
diffrences in the sample of your blood he was studing about every 13-15 hours,
especially after mitosis in the cells occurs sometime after that specific time
period has elapsed."

My mouth just dropped to the floor in shock.  Quickly, my situation was
deteriorating from bad to worse and I wasn't the least bit happy about it at
all.

"Just great, just friggin great.  Is there anything else that can ruin my life
any further that you haven told me yet?"

"I haven finished reading the report yet, so I really can't say."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as I felt my anger begin to build up to
dangerous levels.  The sound of ripping fabric made me reopen my eyes.  I had
unconsciously clenched my fists and the claws had gone through the examination
table cover.  "Ooops....  Sorry about that."

Dr. Harvard's eyes had become as wide as saucers as Dr. Oki tried to hold in a
laugh.  "Um,.... Just don't do it again, Ok?"

As I picked cushion stuffing from out of my claws, Dr. Harvard left the office
and came back in with a small package that he set down on his desk.  "Anyways,
where were we in the examination before we stopped yesterday?"

"We had just finished the x-rays."  responded Dr. Oki.

"Yes, now I remember what I was going to do.  Justin, lie down on your stomach
with your head twards me."

Dr. Oki moved over by me and began to press down on my spine, feeling the entire
length to the tip of my tail.  He then held my tail straight out and felt the
bone structure in it.  "Do you feel this?"  he asked as he gently pulled on my
tail.

"Yes."

"That's a good sign.  There are nerve endings and muscles along with the spinal
cord extention.  Have you ever tried to move your tail around and practice
controlling it."

"Just once and I failed miserably.  Aaaahh!  What the hell is that noice?!?"

"I just wanted to test your hearing capabilities,"  Dr. Oki put a small dog
whistle back into his pocket, "Obiviously, they go beyond normal human limits."

"Next time, please warn me before you blow that thing."

Dr. Harvard then held up a eye chart and asked, "What's the smallest line that
you can read?"

"Um,...  r, e, s, p, e, c, t,"  I responded.

"That's not so good, that's basicly 20/40 vision.  Would you happen to know what
your vision ration was before the accident?"

"Ah, it was like 20/10 or something like that."

"Hmm.  High loss of eyesight, more than likely a byproduct of the DNA fusing.
Close your eyes."

I closed my eyes and Dr. Harvard put some objects onto his desk and then turned
off the lights.  "You can open them now.  Can you see and identify the objects I
just put on my desk?"

Even in the darkness, I could make out a can of tomato soup, a toy car, and a
Bach CD as clear as day.

"Amazing," commented Dr. Oki, "I can't even see the desk from here."

"Poor eyesight that is made up for by very acute nightvision, how interesting."

"Please, don't tell me I've got to wear glasses."

"No, no.  I don't think that your eyesight is low enough to warrant glasses,
besides, anything that goes on your face would have to be custom fitted to your
head and muzzle and that could be a real pain."

 Today was becoming more and more depressing by the minute and I guess it showed
quite clearly on my face.

"Cheer up, " Dr. Harvard said to me, "Things are not the worse that they could
be and you shoud be quite thankful for that little miracle.  Here, this is for
you."  He handed me the package that was on the desk.  "It's the least that we
could do to try and help you adjust to your new life."

Inside were pants of diffrent types, shirts and underwear.  "I had these
professionally altered.  The legs are wider than normal to allow for your fur
and I suppose you've already noticed the holes in back in everything.  The
shirts have a wider neck for greater ease in getting them on."

I didn't know what to say.  "Thank-you, thank-you very much."  I guess all faith
in humanity can't be lost yet if generosity like this still existed.  Speaking
of humanity, I began to wonder just how much of it was left in me, especially
with the data saying that I'm slowly losing what was left of the human genetic
code in me.  Well, from my point of view, that's what the data suggested to me.
After a day like this, I couldn't even start to think of what the future could
possibly hold.  To tell you the truth, I didn't want to think about it. "Is
there anything else that you wanted to do today?"

"Not that I can think of off the top of my head.  No, wait.  Come to think of
it, have you had any more of your memories dreams?"

"Only one that I can think of."

"Hmm... Well, you can go home now.  I'll give you a call when I finish reading
the report."

After the two doctors left, I tried on the new clothes.  They were a good fit on
me and, for the first time in three days, my tail was actually comfortable.  The
Dr. had a strange taste in colors.  The white shirt and black pants just seemed
to be more of a joke, yet they looked appropriate once I had them on.  Oh, well.
Time to go home and back to the shattered remains of my life.

"Whoa, nice outfit!'  commented Crash as I left the office.

"A gift from the doctors," I said as I brushed some loose hairs off the front of
the shirt.  "Come on, let's go home."

      As soon as I stepped in the door, my nose picked up a faint oder that I
was very framiliar with, yet I just couldn't place it.  "Hey, Crash, you smell
something?"  I asked.

"Uh, no.  That doesn't surprise me though, since you've got a nose a foot long."

"Hey!  How would you like it if I made fun of you?"  I fumed.  It was then that
I recognized the scent:  Perfume.  "Oh, shit!  Alex's here!"

"Are your sure?!?"

"I'd know her perfume anywhere."

You see, Alex van Helder is my girlfriend.  Unfortunately, the last time we were
together, we had a bit of a falling out (She wanted to see the ballet in town
and I didn't.  You can figure out the rest on your own.) and hadn't spoken since
and that was a good week and a half ago.  Why did she have to show up now of all
times?  From out of nowhere, two arms flew around me and held me in a death hug.

"Oh, Justin, why didn't you ever call?  Say, since when did you start wearing a
fur coat?"

"I, um, er..."

From behind me, Alex swung around and look me straight in the face.  Suddenly,
her eyes became as big as saucers and words froze in her throat.

"J-J-Justin???"

"I, um, can explain."

Alex just fainted dead away.

  I picked up Alex and put her on the couch and told Crash to get the smelling
salts.  Her eyes blinked open and locked straight with mine.  Alex shot to a
sitting position and promptly pushed herself against the back of the couch.

"Clam down, Alex.  It's me, Justin."

"No!  This is some bad dream.  I am not looking a six foot animal that's
speaking to me."

"I'm sorry, but this is no dream and I am Justin.  You'll just have to believe
me."

"Prove it."

"Uh...  Remember that trip to the lake cabin just the two of us took and the
baby bird I found in a nest or when you fell in the lake?"

There was no way anyone could make up that since we were the only two people in
the entire area around the cabin we rented for the weekend.  Alex knew this,
too.

"Oh, dear Lord!  It is you!"

"Like I said."

"I leave you alone for a week and look what happens, uh,  just what did happen
to you?!?"

"An accident at Seir-Tech is what happened."

Alex began to run her hand through the tuff of fur on the top of my head and
then she touch the tip of a finger on the end of my nose.  I clasped her hand in
mine and looked straight into her eyes.

"Alex,  I can't have anyone know that I'm like this.  You've got to promise me
that you will tell no one."

"I swear I won't tell a soul."  Alex cocked her head to the side and looked long
and hard at me.  "You know, you're kind of cute, in a strange way."

I could feel my ears start to burn with embarrassment.  "Me?  Cute?"  I thought
to myself.

"I don't care what you look like, I'm just glad to have you back."  Alex moved
over and locked her arms around me.  I rested my head on top of hers.

"Ditto..."

     I guess not everthing was lost in my life and for the first time this week,
I was truly happy.  Happy to have someone I love close to me and sharing my
feelings.  Alex snuggled up to me as we watched some TV together and Crash began
to occupy his time with food in the kitchen.

"Your fur is so soft and warm,"  Alex said to me as she began to scratch behind
one of my ears.

I closed my eyes and just smiled.  Why hadn't I called you earlier and brought
back some light into my life, Alex?

     We sat together a good hour before Crash called lunch.  Somewhere along the
line, my tail had wrapped around Alex's waist and she was having a grand time
playing with the tip of it.

"Would you mind letting go of my tail long enough for us to have lunch?"  I
asked while at the same time trying to stand up.

"Aw..., but you're so warm and comfy."

"I am not a chair, you know!"

"But, you are sooo cute."

I just rolled my eyes and asked, "Doesn't it even bother you that I'm not even
human anymore?"

She thought for a bit on my question.  "Well, a little bit, I guess.  But, I am
open to new experences!"

Right there and then, I could have sworn that I had heard my jaw hit the floor
in surprise.  In the kitchen, Crash collapsed to the floor, laughing like a
loonatic.

     Leave it to Alex to say something completely off the wall like that.  I
guess that's one of the reasons why I love her so much.

"But seriously, this is me for the rest of my life."

"That's just it, it is you, eventhough on the outside you're a walking fur coat.
 Sure, I'm taken aback a little by your looks.  Who wouldn't be?"  She had a
point there.  "Still, what's more important is that you're alive and here, with
me."

I couldn't help smiling as we walked into the kitchen, together, hand-in-paw.

     After lunch, both Alex and Crash had to leave for class and neither would
be back until late, which left me totally alone, stuck indoors, and with nothing
to do.  Gee, how much more exciting could life get?  With a sigh I went up to my
room and changed out of the clothes I had on and into just a pair of gray shorts
from my bundle of new clothes.  Another trip downstairs yielded me only a soda
and a chance to flop onto the couch in front of the tele.  Sigh and double sigh.
A press of the power button on the remote rewarded me with, "Welcome to Amazing
Videos."  Great it was the local trash tv that showed any tape sent in, no
matter how stupid or unbelievable it was.

     "Tonight, an exclusive story that may shock all of America.  Could the
private sector or even the Government be conducting black projects that toy with
the powers of nature?"

That got my attention, sort of.

"This exclusive video from the Colalition of Animal Liberation shows just what
may be going on behind closed doors."

The video was a b&w surveillance tape of two people walking down a hall and
going into a room.

"Ok, so what's the big deal?"  I asked the TV, still not paying much attention.

"This is a computer enhancement of the figure on the right, just before it
enters the room."

Up came a fairly clear profile shot of something with a tail.  Holy shit, it was
ME!!!  The next photo of my head confirmed it.  The video was me and Dr. Oki
walking down the medical hall.  I spat out a mouthfull of soda onto the TV in
shock.

"This tape shows beyond a shadow of a doubt something that is most definately
not human, so the real question here is, just how authentic is this tape?
Another question raised is, if the tape is real, just how many of these
creatures exist?  Could these be the soldiers of tommorow or even our civil
forces, such as the police?"

At that, I couldn't help but to break out laughing.  I could just picture it all
:  A presinct of me's out on patrol.  Poor criminals wouldn't have a clue as to
what hit them.  They'd have to rename 'swat' to 'stink.'  Of course, all this
only got me laughing even harder.  As I finally got a grip on myself, I realized
that Dr. Harvard and Dr. Oki could be in danger.  The group that smuggled out
the tape was well known for their strongarm methods against anything they
targeted.  If they thought that I was the product of some experiment, God knows
what they'll do next.  I immediately phoned Dr. Harvard to warn him.

"I know, Justin, I thought of the same thing after seeing the segment.  Still,
thank-you for the warning."

"How did you know that those fruitcakes got their hands on the tape?"

"Blind luck that I stumbled into the show when I did, that and the company memo
on the theft I just recieved.  Listen, you should be cautious yourself.  If one
of the members spotted you leaving the plant, they may haved followed."

That was something I hadn't thought of.

"In the meantime, I want you to work on getting adjusted to your body.  Figure
out how to control your tail and do some exercises to work out any problems you
may find with having a modified skunk anatomy.  That will give you something to
do while you stay home.  I don't want you outside at all during the day and try
to avoid any unneccesary contact with other people.  I really don't want to add
fuel to the fire after that broadcast."

     We said our goodbuys and I hung up the phone.  Great, now I was basicly
under house-arrest and I let out a very long sigh for that reason.  Still, I
could take some comfort in knowing that if those nutballs came looking for me,
they are in for one hell of a surprise.  I stood in front of the phone for a few
moments and thought about what Dr. Harvard said about becomming adjusted to the
new me.  No better place to start than with the newest part of my body:  the
tail.  For the life of me, I just couldn't figure the crazy thing out.  I
reached my arm behind myself and by the tip, pulled my tail in front of me so
that I could look at it.  I let it go and tried to get any movenment out of it.
Not a thing (Now, why wasn't I surprised?)

Somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 or so minutes later...

     Try and try again as the old saying goes... I think...  Well, at least for
all my troubles, I could actually move the damned thing with a little control,
and I do mean little.  So much for passing basic tail movement 101 (Never a
tutor around when you need one, eh?)

     It took me another good half-hour before I could finally move my tail in
any direction, including the dreaded straight-up position, with only the minimal
of effort.  I only tried up once because of my fears of accidentually misfiring
in the living room.  God knows what would happen if I ever try that bending
over.  Wouldn't Crash be thrilled to come home to the lovely aroma of skunk
musk.  Come to think of it, so would the landlord; Goodbuy security deposit.

     I went into the kitchen as I softly laughed to myself.  As I rummaged
through the fridge, I thought to myself, "Just what do I know about skunks
anyway?  What else could be diffrent with me, well, besides the obvious things?"
 I pulled out some lunch meat and made myself a sandwich.  As I lazily munched
away, I began to channel surf with the remote.  Egads, fifty-odd channels and
there wasn't a thing on I wanted to even think about watching.   That more or
less brought me back to the question I had asked myself only minutes before.
Well, I knew that A:  Skunks are black and white; and B:  Skunks can spray.
Beyond that, I didn't have a clue.  I went upstairs to my room and booted up my
computer.  When it finally stopped grinding data, I slipped in my encyclopedia
CD-Rom and looked up 'skunk.'

     My query revield that skunks are nocturnal omnivores by nature and are
related to the weasel.  I guess the scientific community can now add humans to
the family tree.  Just what I always wanted to be:  a missing link.  Good grief,
I didn't know how much more I could take if the rest of the day was going to
like this.

     From downstairs came a knock on the front door, as if I already didn't have
enough on my mind to worry about.  "Should I or shouldn't I?"  ran through my
head.  I should, because, knowing Crash, it's more than likely him locked out...
again.  I crept noiselessly to the front door and looked out the peephole.  It
was Mike, of all people.  "Wonder what he wants?"  I opened the door just wide
enough for him to slip in and promptly shut it again.

"I thought you had class now?"  I asked.

"I do, but this is more important.  That was you on the TV a little while ago,
wasn't it?"

"Oh, that... Yea, it was."

"Then, you're the talk of the entire campus.  The rumors are running rampant
thanks to that video."

"I didn't need to know that.  My life is enough of a mess without that to add to
the pile."

"Funny you should mention messes...  Isn't tonight that block party you
mentioned a few weeks ago?"

My eyes went as wide as saucers.  I has completely forgotten that the block of
aprartment I lived  in was going to have a huge party tonight.

"What could possibly be next??" I groaned.

"Too bad it isn't a costume party, you'd win first place easily."

"Yea, but what would I do it they found out this isn't a costume?"

"Good question."

"Crap, and I was looking forward to the party because Alex was going to be
there, too."

"She doesn't know about you, does she?"

"Actually.............. she sneaked in to surprise me and she was the one that
got surprised."

"How's she taking it?"

"I'm not really sure.  'Well,' is my best guess."

"She always did strike me as bit of an odd duck."

"Oh??"

"Well, she likes you.  If that isn't strange, I don't know what is."

I just growled at Mike.

"Smile will ya, that was a joke you putz.  I've gotta go now.  I'll stop by
later with Chris, if you don't mind."

"That's ok.  Gives me something to look forward to now that I'm stuck indoors."

"See ya later, then.  So long, Stinky!"

Mike was out the door and long gone before I could even think of a come back.

     As I turned away from the door, I just happened to catch a glimps of myself
in the hallway mirror.  I moved closer and for the first time, really began to
study my face.  I tried smiling and was surprised to see that the corners of my
mouth and cheeks pulled upward so that one could actually tell that I was
smiling.  It was somewhat comforting to know that I could still express some
emotions.  What was not so comforting was that my eyes had changed colors to a
deep emerald green.  I hadn't noticed it before, but now that I was actually
paying attention to the details, the dark green stood clearly out from the black
fur that surrounded it.  Actually, I kind of liked my eyes this way the more I
thought about it.  Something about dark shades of blues, green and purples have
always attracted me for some reason.

     I laid down of the couch and stared at my feet, as strange as they now
were.  Ah, if only my parents could see me now.  They sent me to college to
master science, not become a victim of it.  Now there's something I wasn't
looking forward to:  Revieling to them that their son is now a genetic nightmare
with a tail.  I could almost imagine the look on their faces when I walked
through the door for the first time.  It wasn't a pretty picture that came to
mind.  I stretched and let out a big yawn as I contiplated what to do to pass
the time.  To tell you the truth, I was really becoming depressed with not just
the day, but with myself as well.  I had such high hopes for the future, but now
those dreams were a dim haze.  Sure you can call me a pessimist, but it's hard
to get happy with problems like mine, even with Alex back in my life.  I glanced
at the vcr and read the display:  2:41.  Crash wouldn't be home for another
three hours and Alex would be around even later, if she could get off work for
the night.  Three hours, a person could accomplish a lot in that amount of time.
 Not me,  I'm stuck on the couch, the very lifeforce draining away with each
minute thanks to boredom.  Why couldn't this have happened at Holloween, instead
of spring break?  At least then I could have left the house without any
consequences.  After all the thoughts than ran through my head began to dry up,
I eventually drifted off into sleep.

     "I'm cold and hungry, please let me out of this cage," I pleaded with the
researcher, sadness and anger tingeing every word like an accent.  The
researcher continued his ramblings into a small black object as if I didn't even
exist.

"The project is continuing at a pace I hadn't ever dreamed of.  Subject's mass
and body size has already doubled and is showing signs of an increased  IQ
raiting.  Subject is already capable of speech in unbroken English and from the
evidence, able to form complex rational thoughs and solve logic problems and
puzzles, such as cage locks.  I have sent a sample to an outside firm for
testing and eagerly awaiting the results.  Sadly, though, project 5 is the only
one showing this kind of genetic modifications.  As of today, all other projects
will be discontinued so that I may focus all my energies onto my little black
and white friend."

I didn't like the sound of that one bit.  I had to get away, fast.

     A loud knocking at the door awoke me with a jolt.  "Who the hell??"  I
wondered, since I wasn't expecting anyone for a while, still.  I crept to the
door and looked through the peephole, which is no easy task when one has a
muzzle in the way.  It was my literature professor from college, now why in the
world was he here?!?  Right then I knew it was because I had missed this entire
week's classes.

"Hello?  Justin?  I know someone's home because your car is here."

Trapped like a skunk in a cage...  "Uh, Professor Silverston, what brings you
here?"

"I just came by to see if everything is alright, you've missed the whole week
and I was starting to wonder."

"Oh, it's just that I've caught something nasty and the doctor wanted me home
for at least a week."

"Would you mind if I came in and gave you the assignments that you've missed?"

"I wouldn't advise it, I wouldn't want to get you sick and I just haven't been
myself lately."

"When one lived through a bubonic outbreak in India, it's hard to be afraid of a
little cold."

"Yea, but this isn't a little cold."

"I won't die on you, I promise."

"Fine, only on one condition:  You got to promise what happens in here, stays in
here... no matter what."

"I swear an oath of silence."

I cracked the door and let Professor Silverston in and promptly shut in so that

I stayed hidden in the shadows.

"Why are you hiding, Justin?"

"Well,..."  Just how does one say he's been turned into a multi-species humanoid
in a polite way?

"It can anywhere be as bad as the poor people I helped in India, now step out
into the light."

I still hesitated.  "Only if you won't freak out or something like that."

"I'll try not to."

I took a cautious step tward the professor, fear and apprehention blatently
obvious on my face.  Professor Silverton's mouth dropped.  "Sweet mercy!  I can
see why you've been out.  How in God's green earth did this happen?!?!
Suddenly, I just... don't ....  feel...................."

I rushed forward to catch the Professor as he suddenly collapsed to the floor,
unconscious.  With all the strenght I could muster, I moved him to a chair by
the door and went to retreive the smelling salts.  As I waved the salts under
the professor's nose, I asked, "Professor Silverston, can you here me?  Are you
all right?"

He slowly began to come around, only to suddenly snap awake and
start yelling, "Get away from me!  Get away!!"

"Professor!  Please, calm down!  It's me, Justin.  Just have a seat and gather
your thoughts.  I'm not going to do anything to you."

Professor Silverston began lose a bit of his edginess with every coaxing word I
said.  "Damn, I knew this wasn't a good idea," I silently cursed to myself.

"Now, what was it you came here for?"

"Y-y-your assignments.  I-I-I have them here."

He handed me a stack of papers and snatched his hand back as if they were on
fire the moment I touched them.  As I looked over the papers, I noticed one
major problem:  I couldn't read the fine computer print, even after smaking them
into the end of my snout to try and get the papers closer to my eyes.

"I can't read this, it's all just one big blur."

"Then maybe we should just forget about the assignment and I should let you get
back to whatever you were doing just now."

Professor Silverston started to rise out of the seat, but I stopped him and
gently pushed him back into it.

"Professor Silverston, I'm the one with all rights to be afraid here.  This
entire situation is any more comfortable for me than it is to you.  Do you think
I don't know what I look like, that I'm totally at ease with this body?  I know
that you are uncomfortable looking at me and I'm trying my best to make you feel
welcomed and dispel any fears of me that you might have.  I may be a damn skunk
on the outside, but I'm still the same student inside, to use a cliche."

"I don't know what to say..."

I knelt down and looked straight into his eyes, "You don't have to say a thing.
All I'm asking for is a little understanding."

I stood up and turned away from the professor so that he wouldn't see the tears
starting to form in my eyes.  I knew in my heart that this was exactly how the
majority of the world would react to the first time seeing me.  For the first
time, I seriously thought that maybe the world shoudn't ever see Justin Kavin
again, just to let that name die out from memory and start all over, alone.  My
head hung low as I fought to keep a grip on my emotions.

"Justin?  I'm.... I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."

Without turning around, I responded, "No, you didn't.  It's just..."

"It's just maybe I shouldn't have come.  I've obviously have made things only
worse for you."

"No, it's just that I don't know what to do from here...  Society won't have me
and science only wants to dissect me, so where can I go?"

"......"

"See?"

"I have a class soon, so I must take my leave of you.  Goodbuy, Justin.  I hope
things do work out for you."

"Goodbuy... and thanks."

     I watched the professor leave in quite a hurry (and almost get hit by a car
in the process) through a slit in the window blinds and wished that I too could
be outside.  I knew that he didn't have a class at this hour and he said that
just to get out ASAP.  Could I blame him, though, to want to leave me. "My
kingdom for a normal body," I mumbled to the empty room.  So close, yet so far
to freedom.  The VCR clock said that it was just past 5:00, which ment Crash
would be home soon.  I looked at the couch and sighed.  You could tell exactly
where I was laying by the multiple layer of hairs covering the length of the
couch.  Crash would not be pleased at all about the couch.  What's he going to
do, shave me bald?  Now that was an interesting picture to imagine.  It was then
my nose picked up a slight odor eminating from the kitchen.  A few more sniffs
confirmed that there was something in the air that I just couldn't place.  I
began to poke around cabinets, the fridge, even the closet trying to find the
source.  Eventually I did stumble over it, literally.  I bumped into the garbage
can and it was then the smell assaulted my nose with full force.  There was
something nasty in the can and it was making me sick from the odor it was giving
off.  I tied up the bag hoping that would choke off the smell.  That helped a
little, but the odor still hung in the air.  I sprayed a little air freshener
into the air, big mistake.  Now I was gagging on the smell of the air freshener.
 Even though it was unscented, there was something in it that did not agree with
me or my nose one bit.  I ran into the living room, hacking and weezing, to try
and catch my breath.  I made a mental note to never do that again.  I laid back
down on the couch, sick to my stomach.  "Ugh, someone stop the world...  I want
to get off...."  I said as the room wildly spun around.

  It was a long, agonizing two minutes before I wobbly made my way to the
bathroom.  Leaning over the porcelin goddess, I proceded to toss my cookies with
as much dignity that I could muster, which wasn't much.  Right in the middle of
me doing that unpleasant buisness, Crash walked into the bathroom and promptly
did an about-face and walked right back out.  Nothing like a power-heave to
greet a friend, eh?

"You ok in there?"  he asked from outside, well out of sight.

"Hack.... cough.... cough... give me a few minutes and I'll get back to you on
that."

I placed my head under the tub faucet to wash the bile taste from out of my
mouth.  The cool water running over my head helped to make me feel a little bit
better.

"What was that all about??"  asked Crash after cautiously peering around the
corner.

"I don't know.  All I did was spray some air freshener and it made me this
sick," I responded after a few more hacks.

"Think you can manage to eat something?"

"As long as I don't go in the kitchen for a while."

Crash turned around and muttered something under his breath as he left.  I
overheard a few bits that went something like, "I told him that stuff was
strong, but does he listen?"

     Dinner was a short affair since there was bound to be mounds of food
availiable at the party tonight.

"Are you going to the party?"  I asked between bites of my sandwich.

"I promiced that I'd help setup, so I've got to go."

Crash must have saw in my face that I was still a little miffed from having to
miss the party because he then said, "Don't worry, I'll bring you a 'skunky'
bag."

"Be still my pounding heart," I responded with enough sarcasm to cut like a
knife.

"If you're going to be like that, maybe I'll just forget all about you."

"No fur off of my back."

"Speaking of which, I noticed the couch is drowning in black and white fur."

"It's just a few hairs, so?"

"A few?!?  I could make another you and still have enough left over to knit a
sweater!"

"I don't like the fact that I'm sheding any more than you do, hell, I don't like
being a skunk period, but there's not much I can do about either."

"Even with your hyped-up senses, oh mistic one?"

"They're not as wonderful as you would like to think.  Granted, I've got great
nightvision, but I've lost almost all of my normal vision in the trade.  An
eyechart test rated me at 20/40 and I can't read fine print for anything.  And
you saw what can happen with me and strong odors."

"Life's a bitch..."

"And then you get audited."

"Not the ending I had in mind, but it works."

Crash looked at his watch and said, "I've got to go now, but I'll bring you
something good when I get the chance."

"Hey, wait a minute.  What are you going to tell people why I'm not there?"

"Um, that you've changed into a wereskunk and I had to chain you to your bed so
that you wouldn't try to spray anyone tonight.  How's that?"

"That is not funny, Crash," I said with a low voice that verged on the edge of
being a growl.

"Oh, all right.  I'll just say your sick or something.  I still like my first
idea better."

I did a razzberry at Crash, which surprised me that I still could do that.

"Same to you, buddy!"  he called out as he went through the front door.

     Wereskunk?  Now that was a new one.  Actually, the more I thought about it,
even that would be better than my current situation.  I'd only be inconvenienced
for a few nights a month and the for the rest of  the time, live a normal life.
A sudden banging on the front door snapped me back to reality as a influx of
bodies spilled through the door.  There I was, standing in the middle of the
room, to shocked to say a thing.  Actually, so were the people standing in front
of me.  An eriee silence came over the apartment as we stared wide-eyed at each
other.

"Justin!  Incoming!" yelled Crash as he appeared in the doorway.  "Oh, hell...."
he then said as he saw the group that was eye-locked with me.

"What the hell?!?!?"  I finally managed to asked.  "Would someone please tell me
what's going on here."

"Surprise?"  responded someone from the crowd.

"Got that right..."  another voice added.

"What the hell did you tell these people, Crash?"

"I told them you didn't feel good and suddenly, there was a mad dash for the
apartment to 'cheer you up.'"

"Can't you people knock?  A person can't even be a humanoid skunk in private
these days.  Geez..."

"Get it!" someone suddenly yelled.

"Wha!  Wait a sec!"  I held my hands up in front of me as I took a step back,
fear begining to take over control of my body.  Before I knew it, I was
dog-piled by the group and pinned to the floor.  Crash tried to help me, but he
was held back.

"Get back, it could be dangerous!"

"That 'it' is Justin, you idiots!!"  Crash yelled into the face of the person
holding him.

"This thing is not Justin!  It's not even human!"

That last phrase struck something deep inside of me, something that shattered
any healing that had occured in me over the last few days.  The fight went
completely out of my body and I closed my eyes as the tears began to fall
silently down my furry cheeks.  "This thing is not Justin!  It's not even
human!"  rang in my ears.  Ever hear the sound of a heart breaking?  I could now
say that I did:  Mine.

"Bastards!  Let him go!"  There was a soft 'ooff!' as Crash elbowed his holder
right in the stomach.  More people grabbed him as he fought to get me free,
until there were too many for even him to fend off.

"Should we call the police or animal control?"

"Neither!"  spat Crash in responce to the question.

"I am Justin..."  drifted softly up from the floor.

"Hey, it said something."

"I AM JUSTIN, DAMNIT!!  JUST GET IT THROUGH YOUR THICK SKULLS!!!"  I roared at
the people.  Adrenalin began to flow through me like water.   Right then someone
noticed that my tail had begun to twitch quite violently.  Before he could
scream a warning to the rest of the mob, I unloaded both barrels right into
them.  I didn't even mean to spray, it was like my body decided enough was
enough on it's own.  What musk that didn't get soaked up by my shorts sprayed
outward in a mist that landed on several people.  The effect was almost
instantanious as the mob realized just what happened.  And then the smell hit
them...  Mass panic ensued as people ran for the door, hacking, and coughing.
Some even became sick to their stomach and ran out the door to fertilize the
grass.  Serves them right I say.  Breathing through his shirt, Crash ran into
the kitchen and pulled out two spray bottles and began to saturate everything in
sight with their contents.

"I knew these would come in handy!"  he finally said as the odor of skunk musk
began to dissapate from the air.

The two bottles were special sprays designed to eliminate the smell of musk from
just about anything.  When he was done with the room, Crash then started to
spray me and my shorts.  When he finished using me for target practice, I
stormed upstairs to my room and slammed the door.  My anger was at an all time
high.  God, I wanted to shred something and if I hadn't left the room right
then, that something might have been Crash....again.  I ripped off my shorts and
threw them in the trash.  After a quick shower, I laid down on my bed, not
caring in the least that I wasn't wearing a thing.

     Crash threw the door closed when the last of the smell died off and
immediately came upstairs to my room.  He found me laying on top of my bed.  I
had curled into a tight ball and was visibly shaking from the whole ordeal.

"Jesus, Justin, don't you think you went a little overboard downstairs?  The
carpet still smells a bit funky."

"Sorry, I didn't even mean to do that.  It just kind of happened by accident."
I had stopped shaking, but my stomach was a sea of acid in a hurricane.  "If
anyone else comes by, tell them I'm dead, insane, or whatever, I really don't care."

"Isn't that going a bit far?"

"I don't think so.  You saw their reaction to me and earlier, Professor
Silverston stopped by and tried his best to leave the moment he saw me.  Maybe I
am better off dead, maybe Justin shouldn't exist anymore.  You just don't know
the pain I'm in, to be called a monster to the face and feared because you're a
damn giant skunk."

"No one called you a monster."

"But the meaning was there, in the tone of voice."

For once, Crash didn't have a word to say in return.  I moved my tail back over
my face and closed my eyes.  I could feel the last of the adrenalin working it's
way out of my system and it was leaving me feeling very tired.  An emotional
explosion like what I pulled downstairs was unheard of with me and to have had
two of them in less than 24 hours was scaring me.  Hell, I don't know how I kept
control like I did, but if something had triggered me...  I involuntarily
shivered at the thought of what could have happened.

"Do you need anything?" asked Crash.

"I didn't even know you were still there," I said without even opening my eyes.

"A new life would be nice, other than that, can you throw out those shorts in
the garbage bin?."

"Ok.  Listen, just sleep it off.  Not every one's going to act like that," Crash
then mentally added "I hope."

"Wish I could live in that dream world."

"At least, could you put on something for crying out loud?"

With a sigh, Crash left my room.  I did a short huff and curled into an even
tighter ball.

     Some time later, Alex stopped by the house.  Crash answered the door and
said, "Oh, hey Alex."

"Hi, Crash.  What happened to the party and what is that smell??"

"You're smelling the aftermath of Justin having to fend off an angry mob the
best way he could, hint, hint."

"Oh, no...  How is he?"

"He was pretty badly shaken up."

"Where is Justin?"

"One guess."

     My left ear cocked to the sound of my door opening, but I didn't even
bother to wake up to see who it was.  Alex saw the clothesless ball of fur on
the bed and shook her head.  She silently glided over to me and sat on the bed,
next to my head.  After watching the steady rise and fall of my chest for a few
minutes, Alex then began to scratch behind my ears with one hand and smiled at
the reactions she got from me.  It was when I started to do a soft churring
sound, she stopped.

"Justin?"

"Mmm...?  AAACCKKK, ALEX!!"  Suddenly I was wide awake and then fell right off
the side of the bed.  Trying to cover myself the best I could (I still have some
modesty, people...), I asked her, "How long have you been there?!?"

"Long enough to have got you churring.  Are you trying to get back to nature or
are you just letting the wild animal in you roam free?"

My ears and face were on fire from embarrassment.  Thank God my fur did cover
everything, but still this was one hell of an akward situation and I didn't have
a clue as to what to do.

"Do you mind?!?  Could you at least turn around for a few moments, please??"

"Ok."

When Alex turned her back, I quickly threw on some clothes from the new bundle.

"Don't do that ever again!"

"Oh, don't get your drawers in a bunch.  It's not like you're totaly naked.  If
you were, things would be quite diffrent.  Besides, who ever heard of wildlife
wearing clothes anyway?"

"It's the principle of the matter!"  I said to here as I sat down on the bed,
next to her.

"Oh, lighten up!  Can't you take a joke?"  Alex suddenly began to tickle me in
the sides, my only weak spot.  She got me laughing so hard, tears were coming
out of my eyes before I could get away.

"Stop that!"

"Aw, but it's so much fun to make you suffer."

"Like I haven't suffered enough already today...," I muttered under my breath.

"What?"

"Nothing.  NNUUAAAUUGGHH!!!!"  I clutched me chest as it felt like someone had
just dowsed it in gas and lit it.  I colasped to the floor in unbelivable pain,
ragged breaths trying to feed oxygen to my body.

"Oh my God, Justin!!!  Crash!  Get up here, now!!!!!"  yelled Alex out the door
as she tried to see what was wrong with me.

Crash bust in only a few seconds later, "What's wrong?!?"

"Justin!  He needs a doctor!!"  Alex put her hands to my face, "God, he's
burning up!  Call an ambulance!"

"No way."

"What?!?"

"Help me get him to the car.  From there we'll go to Seir-tech."

"Why??"

"The doctor that's treating him is there and I trust him a bit more than those
goons a county general."

Crash wrapped me in a blanket and gently (and with a bit of difficulty
concidering the two of them had to get me downstairs first) loaded me into the
backseat of my car.  Alex looked at my face, now slacked jawed and with my
tongue hanging out the side as I panted shallowly.  "Hang in there, Justin..."

     By the time Crash roared up to the front gates, I was uncontious and barely
breathing at all.  After fighting with the guard to let him in, Crash burst into
Dr. Harvard's office, carring me in his arms.

"What's the meaning of this??" yelled Dr. Harvard.

"Something's majorly wrong with Justin!  You've got to help him!  Oh, God, he's
just holding on..."

Crash set me on the table and Dr. Harvard had the nurse bring in all the
equipment availiable.  Within minutes, I had been stablized with the limited
life-support systems kept in the building, keeping me just hovering over the
brink and staring into the unknown abiss of death.

     For what seemed to be an eternity, Alex and Crash sat in the hallway,
waiting for any news.  Finally, the doctor emerged and quietly closed the door
behind him.

"I'm afraid it's very serious.  If you hadn't gotten him to me when you did, he
just may have died."

"What's wrong with him???" Alex asked with tears streaming down here face.

"How can I put this.... basicly, it's like his body began to fail on him, sort
of like a computer shorting itself out.  His body was put under tremendous
strain from conflicting hormones and instructions that the two haves of his
nature was sending out, human vs. skunk.  Something eventually had to give, and
it did:  Justin suffed a total shutdown of his body by the looks of it.  Dr.
Claris was afraid that this might happen, but there wasn't enough proof to
totally support his theories.  If his DNA doesn't stop continuing to mutate, the
concequences could be even worse than this."

"Can we see him?"

"He's stablized for now, but he's delierious from a high fever he's in.  Justin
keeps saying broken phrases in both english and like how a skunk would speak.
That worries me."