The phone on her bedside table rang, startling her out of her wits. When she recovered, she picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Karyn?"
"Yeah?"
"This is Jon. I don't know how to tell you this but... I accidentally lost the stone, and I don't know where it is."
"Jon, I..."
She paused, glancing at the stone in her palm.
"Karyn, I'm so sorry. I started remembering all those things after I got home, about your condition. Now I can't help you change back because I lost the stone like an idiot."
She sighed. "Look Jon, I'm sure we can find it. How far could it have gone?"
"No, you don't understand," he said "I WISHED it away!"
"Don't worry, I'm sure we can find it. We just have to look around some."
"You mean it doesn't bother you to be stuck like that? You're taking this awefully well..."
Karyn frowned. She wasn't used to lying like this, especially to Jon, but the opportunity to play with the stone was too unique to pass up. She could give it back to him later, but for now she needed some help getting him to believe her.
"Hey, can you hold on a sec?"
She put the phone under her pillow where the sound wouldn't carry and clasped the rock in her hand and said "I wish Jon was incapable of believing that I have the stone." Then she picked the phone up again.
"Sorry, that was my mom."
"I was so worried you'd be mad about all this, Karyn. I'm glad you can take it so well."
"I'm sure that we can find the rock and get things undone somehow eventually," she replied "I just wish this fur was more comfortable."
"Well, I'll try my best to find it tonight. Either way I'll see you at school tomorrow. I have to get off the phone now, Zoe's whining about not getting her phone time."
"Okay. Night Jon."
"Night."
She was glad to finally be off the phone. She wasn't hot anymore, and the long, soft hair was starting to seem like a lovely thing to wrap around oneself. She just wanted to get her jeans off so she could appreciate it.
As they slid off she felt even better. It was strange, she thought, that it had never occurred to her how sensual it might be to be covered in the downy substance. She always loved the feel of certain animals' fur. Now she felt as if it were covering her entirely.
As she slid against the bed, the feel of being stroked thrilled her. She stopped, shocked.
What had happened to her?
