by Doporto, CM
“What? What’s wrong?” Natalie could hear Ryan asking Lise.
Immediately, Natalie let go of the doorknob. She turned and rotated her hand, studying both sides. Had she caused the knob to turn hot? She looked into the mirror. Flames spread underneath her transparent skin, igniting her entire body into a burning inferno.
On my God, I’m on fire! My body’s on freakin’ fire! Her eyes gravitated down, checking out the rest of her body. Her clothes had disappeared along with her shoes. Where had they gone? She ran her hands up and down her body. It felt like her body except her skin had turned into an energy field with a fiery blaze brewing underneath. Her female anatomy resembled that of a Barbie doll; curves and mounds with no other distinct physical features. Even the hair on her head had turned a deep bright red, billowing all around her.
“Natalie, open up,” Ryan demanded, pounding on the door.
The beating grabbed her attention. “Ummmm…everything’s fine.” She tried to clear her throat but her voice crackled like burning embers. She looked back at the heavy brass doorknob, now a few shades lighter orange than before. Her instincts told her to cool it down before Ryan tried to open it. She didn’t want him to burn his hand too.
Grabbing the doorknob with both hands, she watched in awe as water flowed from her hands and surrounded the knob. The original worn dark color resurfaced, telling her the knob had cooled down.
“Oh my God, how did I do that?” she whispered under her breath. She had the ability to contain water within the palms of her hands. How was that possible? Before she could come to terms with what she had done, her entire body transformed into a body of water.
“Natalie, are you sure you’re okay?” Lise sounded worried and scared. “Why won’t she open the door?” She heard Lise ask Ryan.
“I don’t know, but I’m about to break down this damn door.” Ryan jiggled the doorknob.
She didn’t know what to do. Her heart drummed in her ears and it felt like the walls were closing in around her. She turned around in a circle, searching for an escape. There was no window or second door. They couldn’t see her this way. They’d freak out. She had to convince them she was okay so they would leave her alone.
“I’m okay. I just need to be alone. Ryan, I’ll uhhmmm… text you when I’m ready to leave,” she stammered out.
The doorknob stopped turning. “Okay sorry, we’ll leave you alone. I’ll be waiting at the table and take you home whenever you’re ready.”
“You poor thing. Let us know if we can help you,” Lise said.
“Okay, thanks.” Natalie sighed in relief as she heard them leave. She turned back to the mirror, stunned at her pristine blue transformation. Waves of water flowed freely all over her body. She touched her brilliant blue hair. It looked exactly like ocean water from the Caribbean. How was this possible?
Then reality hit and she went into complete hysteria. “Oh my God! Oh my God! What is wrong with me?” She backed away from the mirror until she hit the wall. She slumped down to the floor. What was she going to do?
Her mind lingered on the edge of a full panic attack. I will be okay. Just stay calm. She hugged herself, rocking back and forth trying to soothe the fear within her. Her mind raced with a million thoughts. She closed her eyes and buried her head against her knees. Maybe she was dreaming and this really wasn’t happening. She rocked herself for several minutes, willing the ordeal to end.
She lifted her head and opened her eyes, praying she would wake up in her bed. When she opened her eyes, nothing had changed. She was still a small body of flowing water sitting on the floor in the bathroom at the mansion. Why was this happening? When she raised her hands to cover her face she noticed her composition changing once again.
She watched her arms, legs, and feet turn darker, transforming into a vibrant evergreen color. Her hands shook and her entire body shuttered. How was this possible? She rose to her feet and paced back and forth, telling herself it was her imagination. She held her hands up in front of her, completely awestruck at what she had become. Why was she green? She looked like a toxic waste dump. What was she going to do? How would she get home?
She continued pacing around the bathroom, trying to figure out what to do. She clinched her fist and gritted her teeth. She would get out of there. It took a few seconds for her to calm down. She focused on her breathing, concentrating on the wheezing and rattling sound of the air as it entered her nose and filled her lungs. Inch by inch, the air consumed her to the point it rose up through her throat and moved over her face. Her body became lighter and lighter until she lifted up off the floor.
“What in the world? Help! Somebody help me!” She moved her arms and legs as though struggling to stay afloat in water. After a few seconds she stopped moving, realizing her body hovered just beneath the ceiling. She glanced over at the mirror. She was as clear as the air she breathed. Her nearly invisible body floated effortlessly. How had she turned into a body of air?
This by far had to be the most insane, delirious, and freakish thing she had ever experienced. One thing was for certain, she had to get out of there. She thought hard, analyzing every possible solution. She had to escape without being seen. A thought emerged and she imagined herself flying through the air and out of the mansion. It was possible, right? She repeated the words over and over in her head. I can fly. To her disappointment, it didn’t work. She hadn’t moved an inch.
She sighed; feeling frustrated but determined to get out. The small bathroom made it nearly impossible to move. Once more, she closed her eyes and focused on making her body fly. She felt her body gradually drifting through the air.
Her eyes popped open when she touched the mirror. “Yes! I can do this!”
She reached down and picked up her purse off the counter and inched her way to the door. Before she opened it, she listened carefully, making sure she didn’t hear anyone coming.
Slowly, she cracked the door open and peeked outside. Her eyes narrowed and she took a deep breath, concentrating on what she wanted her body to do. All of sudden something deep inside of her emerged; a forceful, yet instinctive power coming from the pit of her stomach. She darted forward, gliding down the long dark hallway. She had done it. She was flying!
She stopped before the common area, hovering behind a pillar, determining which way to go. The main area and front doors were too risky. Her eyes scoped out a path right next to the library leading out to the veranda. Even though people filled the room, this was her only hope of escaping.
She waited for the right moment and sprang forward, zipping through the room and out a set of double doors into the night. She had escaped and now she was flying! She couldn’t believe she was actually flying like a bird. It had to be the most exhilarating thing she had ever felt before in her life. It was mind-blowing and scary at the same time. She soared through the hot, muggy air and past the Austin skyline. She knew she was born to fly.
Chapter 8: Inevitable
In the faint distance, Natalie heard people chattering. The indistinct voices told her it had to be the television or the radio. She woke gradually, the black behind her eyes lids turning lighter, to the point that she had to squint from the sun’s bright rays.
“Is she okay?” a male voice asked.
“I don’t know. I think she’s breathing,” a female voice replied.
“Hey, wake up.” Natalie felt a nudge on her arm. When she moved, every muscle and joint ached. Sleep and tiredness weighed her down. It felt like her eyes were coated with lead.
“Maybe we should get a cop. She probably partied too hard last night. I mean look at the way she’s dressed,” the female commented.
Partied too hard…what?
“Yeah, you’re probably right. Are you okay?”
Natalie felt someone touch her face and shake her head. Her eyes popped open and instinctively she grabbed the hand in front of her face and twisted it, pulling it away.
“Hey, let go,” the guy yelled. A dog next to her barked sever
al times and he ordered it to stop.
She released the guy’s hand and jumped to her feet. “Leave me alone. What do you want?” Her vision blurred and her eyes burned from the light.
The dog barked a few more times and then sniffed her, licking her foot. The wet, sandpaper stroke from the dog’s tongue caught her attention. Why did she only have one shoe on?
“Hey, take it easy.” The guy backed up, pulling his dog with him.
“Yeah, we’re trying to help you.” The woman got up quickly and took a few steps back.
Natalie looked around for a moment, blinking her eyes rapidly. Where in the world was she?
“Do you need us to call someone for you?” The woman pulled out her cell phone from the band around her arm.
She stared at her for a second. Did she know her? The woman had to be a few years older than her, say early-twenties. She wore a tank top, shorts, and running shoes. Maybe she knew her from the gym.
Natalie took a deep breath and ran her hand across her forehead. She had the most excruciating headache ever. Once her vision stabilized she recognized her surroundings. She was on The Drag, the main strip along the edge of the UT campus, in front of an empty building. How did she end up here?
“Do you need our help or not?” the guy probed one more time.
“Oh, ummm…. I think I’m fine. I fell asleep, that’s all.” She brushed the hair away from her face and noticed her wristlet, dangling from her hand. “I’ve got my phone.” She opened her purse and took it out.
The woman and guy looked at each other. Natalie knew what they were thinking. They probably thought she got drunk at a party and passed out. How embarrassing.
“Okay.” The woman shot her a sardonic look and then slid her phone back into her arm band.
The guy shrugged his shoulders and yanked on the dog’s leash, instructing him to follow. The dog sniffed her foot one more time and then turned to follow his owner and the lady.
“Thanks.” Natalie blurted out, feeling bad for the way she acted. They didn’t bother to acknowledge her gratitude and kept walking down the street.
She checked her phone wondering what time it was. It showed 8:42 a.m. Saturday morning. A list of several missed calls flashed on her screen, all from Ryan and Lise. What would she tell them? She started to dial Ryan’s number, but stopped. She had to figure out what happened before she called him. However, the throbbing in her head made it nearly impossible to think.
A horn sounded and startled her. “Hey there baby? How much?”
She looked up and saw a car passing by with a guy hanging out the window yelling. She turned around, wondering who he was screaming at when she realized it was her. She wanted to run and hide. To make matters worse, a few people walked by her, staring at her and making sly comments under their breath. She had to get off The Drag and out of this dress.
She knew she couldn’t go back to the dorm. Lise would have too many questions for her. The safest place was the condo.
She limped her way down the sidewalk, stopping midway to remove the one shoe she had on. Going barefoot would be easier and her feet ached from wearing the stacked heels. She flagged the next taxi cab passing by and got into the car.
“Where to ma’am?” the driver asked.
“Ummm, 300 Bowie Street.” It took her a minute to remember her aunt’s address. Everything seemed so foggy and faint in her mind. She leaned her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes. Images flashed through her mind, recalling how she changed and transformed. She opened her eyes and looked at her hands. Did all that really happen?
“Rough night? Frat party?” the cab driver asked, looking at her through his rear view mirror.
Natalie crinkled her nose. She didn’t owe him an explanation, but she didn’t want to be rude. “Yeah, I guess you can say that.” She didn’t like to lie or make up stories, even if she didn’t want to tell others her business. In reality she didn’t lie to him. She had a rough night and she did go to a party. Maybe not a frat party but a party nonetheless. How would she explain this to Ryan?
It didn’t take long for her mind to drift back off, recollecting the events that took place inside the bathroom of the mansion. A shudder quickened through her body, recalling the excruciating pain her body went through. It made her feel sick and weary. She didn’t want to think about that right now. She had to figure out how she blacked out and ended up on The Drag.
She smiled when she remembered how exhilarating it felt flying through the air. Flying had to be one of the best things she had ever experienced. Nothing compared to it.
When they passed through downtown Austin, she recalled soaring around the buildings, and zipping by the bright neon lights glowing against the dark night sky. Being nearly invisible had to have been the best part of all. It had allowed her to fly without being seen by anyone.
“We’re here. Spring Condos, right?” The cab driver interrupted her thoughts.
“Oh. Yes, thanks.” Natalie sat up quickly. She looked at the meter and then paid the cab driver.
She walked into the four-hundred and fifty-five feet tower, sliding past the front desk security guard. The newspaper kept his undivided attention, preventing any further embarrassment. Luckily, the lobby was empty and the elevator opened immediately when she hit the button.
She went straight to the guest bedroom and fell back on to the bed. This did happen, I’m not going crazy, or am I? She ran her hand over the intricate ribbon design on her dress. It did happen, otherwise why did she wake up on The Drag, still wearing her clothes from the night before? She would have awakened in her pajamas at the dorm or the condo if nothing had happened.
Her cell phone rang and she flinched. Ryan’s name flashed across the screen. She let out a huge sigh. What would she tell him? She couldn’t avoid him any longer.
She answered the phone. “Hello?”
“Natalie. Thank God you finally answered. What happened? Where are you?”
“I ummm… took a cab to my aunt’s condo.” She picked at the nail polish on her thumb, thinking of the right thing to say.
“I was so worried about you. Why didn’t you let me take you home?”
“I don’t know,” she muttered. She got up and started pacing back and forth, trying to figure out what to tell him. Should she say that she had turned into some type of freak-a-zoid and flew home instead? No, she definitely couldn’t tell him that.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was leaving. I didn’t want to bother you.”
“Natalie, c’mon. You were sick. Besides, you could have at least told me you were at the condo. I worried about you all night. I didn’t know if something bad happened to you.”
“I know. I’m sorry I didn’t text or call you. When I got to the condo I ran to the bathroom and couldn’t leave. I must have fallen asleep because I woke up next to the toilet.” Natalie pressed her lips together. She couldn’t believe that she lied to him. What choice did she have? He would never believe her.
“You poor thing. I wish you would have let me drive you home. I would’ve taken care of you.” Ryan’s voice turned from upset to soothing and caring.
Natalie sat back down on the bed. “Thanks. I didn’t know if I caught a bug or if being overheated caused me to get so sick. I’m still not feeling that well.” She hated this continual lying but didn’t know what else to say.
“I’m sorry, beautiful. Do you want me to come over and take care of you?”
“No!” She stopped and changed the tone of her voice. “I mean, thanks. I think I’ll sleep the rest of the day.” She swallowed hard and tried to fight off the tears. It broke her heart. She needed Ryan more than anything and wanted to see him. However, she knew seeing him would be dangerous. She couldn’t risk changing in front of him. She had to wait until she knew exactly what had happened to her.
“Okay. Is there anything I can do for ya?”
“Yes, can you let Lise know I’m okay? She’s been texting and calling me too.”
“Thanks. I’ll call you later this evening,” Natalie said in a low voice. It killed her inside to lie and pretend that she didn’t want him to come over.
“Okay. Call me if you need anything.”
“Alright, I will.”
“Promise?”
“Yes, I promise. Ryan…” her lip quivered and the tears welled up in her eyes.
“Yes, beautiful?”
“I love you. I love you more than anything.” Tears streamed down her face and her breaths shortened.
“I love you too, Natalie.”
She hung up the phone, not wanting Ryan to hear her tears turn to sobbing. Her heart ached. This is not what she wanted. She wanted to be with Ryan, her love. Staying in a relationship seemed to be impossible for her. Why was it every time she fell in love with a guy something bad happened? Maybe she wasn’t meant to love anyone. She turned and buried her head into the pillow, weeping and crying, wishing she could wake from this horrible nightmare.
***
A few hours later Natalie woke up, tangled in the sheets and covers. She threw them back, checking herself to make sure she hadn’t changed. She sighed in relief when she saw that she was still normal. However, it didn’t explain what happened to her last night. She had to figure this out. She closed her eyes, thinking back on what happened. She couldn’t concentrate. Fogginess clouded her thoughts, blocking all her memory. Her stomach growled and she realized she needed to eat.
She dragged herself out of bed and went to the kitchen. She opened the fridge and poked around. There wasn’t much food since Sharon had been traveling and she hadn’t bothered to go to the grocery store. Checking the freezer she found a few frozen dinners. She popped a lasagna in the microwave.
She sat down at the bar, waiting for her food to cook, thinking about the night before. Vivid images of what she turned in to flashed through her mind. Not only were they in her mind but also etched deep in to every muscle fiber of her body. She ran her hand up and down her arm, recalling the sensations she felt when her body changed and morphed. Her muscles were sore and her body hurt. It felt like she had worked out for hours.
