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“Are you sure I’m ready for something like this?”  Jeanie asked nervously as she followed closely behind Shelly.

Shelly shrugged.  “You know…  I’m not completely sure, but it’s what Mr. Black suggested.  You said you believe in yourself since we ultimately hired you, right?”  She asked innocently.

Jeanie momentarily puffed her cheeks before letting out a small sigh.  “Yes, you’re right…  I can do this,” she insisted with a nod of her head.  She was already in this far, so she couldn’t back out and let her nerves get to her.

Shelly grinned.  “That’s the spirit.”  She led them down some stairs and through a secure door, which led to a ‘people mover’, which was basically a moving sidewalk like you’d find in airports.  “I’m too lazy to walk the full distance; come join me,” she insisted as she stepped on.

Jeanie tilted her head in curiosity before nodding and stepping on next to Shelly.  She glanced down the hall and couldn’t see the end.  “How far is it?  I can’t see where it ends.”  Just how massive was this facility?  The people mover was two-way and moved in both directions.

“A mile maybe?  There are some minor bends and bumps, so you can’t see straight across.”

Jeanie nodded and let out a low sigh.  “Fair enough…  I guess we have a minute, then.”  There were a million questions in her head, so she didn’t know where to start.

The two stood in silence for another minute, with Shelly yawning and slowly blinking with her eyes half-closed.  “Man…  Do you have any caffeine on you?”  She grunted, scratching her head as she looked toward Jeanie.

“Oh-- no…  Sorry, I don’t have any drinks on me,” Jeanie stated apologetically.

“What about caffeinated gum?”  Shelly inquired.

Jeanie froze and gave Shelly an incredulous look.  “Gum?  What?”

“There’s this Japanese gum with caffeine…  Good stuff,” she muttered before rifling through her pockets and scrounging.  Seconds later, she withdrew a crumbled pack of gum and let out a triumphant laugh.  “Haha!!!  I found it!”  She opened the pack and popped a piece into her mouth before holding a piece out for Jeanie. “My dad always said to bring enough for the whole class if I’m gonna bring any at all,” she said teasingly.  “Just enough for both of us.”

Jeanie cracked a smile. ‘What a character,’ she mused before graciously accepting the gum.  “Appreciated; I promise I won’t let any of our coworkers know you only had enough for you and I.”  With that, she popped it into her mouth.  A moment of chewing later, her eyes widened.  “Oooh!  That’s strong!”  She cried, not expecting the potent burst of menthol assailing her throat and sinuses.

Shelly grinned and giggled.  “Seriously, right?”  She was enjoying her time with the new recruit so far.  “If it’s too much, I apologize.”

Jeanie took a big breath, the minty air cooling her lungs.  “No, I love it.  Now that I’ve adjusted my expectations, I’m ready for it,” she promised.

“That’s the spirit,” Shelly replied with a thumbs up.

The two stood in silence for another couple of minutes while questions brewed and steeped in Jeanie’s head.  How would she feel after meeting Carrie?  Was she sad about her existence as a mare after living as a human man her whole life?  Would this be a depressing and upsetting experience?  “Hey…”  Jeanie looked at Shelly with concern.  “Is there anything I should prepare myself for? I mean-- for meeting Carl-- Carrie, and all that.”

Shelly placed two fingers on her cheek.  “Hmmm…”  She mulled the question over before speaking.  “I don’t think so.  It’s meant to be a learning experience for you and you’re not going to upset Carrie, I assure you,” she promised.

“Oh?”  Jeanie bit her lip, her eyes shifting to the corner as she recalled how it felt to help her dear sister Mable through her transformation.  When she learned morse code and started to communicate with Mable in her bovine body, she learned of how truly scary and isolating becoming a farm animal was.  “I hope-- I hope Carrie is doing well.”

Shelly cast a sympathetic look toward Jeanie.  “I know how you feel.  It’s not wrong for you to worry and feel nervous,” she promised.  “Carrie is a trooper. Of course she misses her old life, but she has found a new lifestyle to enjoy and is happy to help with training new recruits.”  She stretched and stifled a yawn before continuing.  “Besides, I’ll be there with you.  You’re not in this alone.”

Jeanie weakly smiled and nodded.  “I appreciate it; thank you…  Carrie must be incredibly strong willed.  If I ever undergo livestock syndrome, I hope I can stay that positive.”

Shelly nodded.  “Don’t think about it. Whatever happens in life happens, so there’s no point in worrying about events outside our control.”  She got closer to Jeanie and put a hand on her shoulder.  “You’re doing great.  Keep your chin up and take a deep breath.”

 Jeanie froze and shifted her eyes away before slowly nodding her head.  “Thanks…  I really appreciate it,” she said with a weak smile, looking into Shelly’s eyes. “I was pretty scared coming here, but I’m starting to see how supportive everyone is.”

“We’re one big dysfunctional family here,” Shelly smirked.  “I think you’ll fit in perfectly….  By the way, we’ll be there in a couple of minutes now,” she added.

“A couple of minutes…  Understood,” Jeanie offered in response as she clenched her hands and reminded herself she was qualified for the job. She was hired specifically because they knew she could handle situations like this; it was of the utmost importance that she handle all of this with grace.

Before much longer, the two stepped out of an elevator that went up more than a few floors, and into a grassy pasture.  Jeanie saw fenced off plots of grass that stretched for acres, and in the distance, hills and mountains all around offered them some semblance of privacy.

“Neat, huh?”  Shelly stated nonchalantly, putting her hands in her pockets as she turned toward Jeanie.  “This farm and research facility is guarded quite nicely in the valley.  The mountainous perimeter is secure and guarded, so we’re able to keep everything on the down low.”  She seemed excited as she spoke.

Jeanie nodded.  “Yeah-- this is pretty awesome.  I would have never expected to see something like this,” she confessed before walking forward with Shelly, heading toward a building near the valley’s center.  There were also stables and other facilities strewn about, most tof which Jeanie couldn’t guess the importance of.

A few minutes later, Shelly led Jeanie into a stable, opening the door and stepping in.  The first thing Jeanie noticed was how similar it was to the enclosure they built for Mable, with some foot-- or, hoof-pedal operated amenities.

A horse with deep brown fur lay on a bed-like cushion in the corner, soundly sleeping as her nostrils rhythmically flared.

“Hey…”  Shelly said softly as she carefully approached Carrie, placing a hand on her flank.  “Sorry to bother you; this is the correct time, right?”  SHe asked.

Jeanie stood near the back and watched with trepidation as the horse stirred and yawned, swiveling her head to eye Shelly and then Jeanie, half-blinking as she did so.  After getting her bearings straight, she nodded and caerfully stood to her hooves.

“DId you hear me?”  Shelly asked warmly, pulling her hand away.

Carrie yawned before clopping her hoof, with the morse code roughly translating to, “Yes, now is right. Sorry, I was taking a nap.”

Jeanie tried not to panic or react poorly as she interpreted the hoof clops.  She glanced at the glossy mare, trying to glean whether she seemed upset or unsettled in some way. ‘No..  I don’t think so,’ she told herself, but was still afraid after remembering everything her dear sister went through.

“This is Jeanie.  She’s a new recruit at the LSIU; she’s just getting her feet wet and I thought it would be good for her to meet you.  I know you mentioned earlier that you wouldn’t mind answering some of her questions.”

The mare’s tail swished as she stretched and looked toward Jeanie before gazing back to Shelly again. “Can I use…  Sight typing?” She clopped.

Shelly nodded.  “Let me get that set up for you.”  She walked to one corner of the large room and operated a panel on the wall.  A panel opened up and she rolled out some type of computer on a cart.  There were monitors set wide apart and at eye-level for a horse.

After Shelly turned the device on and navigated a couple menus, she stepped out of the way and gestured for Carrie to come over.

The horse walked forward and positioned herself carefully, the device quickly chiming in with a feminine, robotic voice. “Initializing.  Please maintain eye contact.”

Jeanie watched in wonderment as the mare stood completely still and gazed at the monitors, which were positioned so her wider-set eyes could see them without issue.  The monitor showed shades of green, blue, and yellow, which were all clear and bold.

Shelly stood near Jeanie and placed a hand on her shoulder.  “This technology is pretty amazing. Each monitor can detect Jeanie’s eye movements, with AI helping to auto-fill words as necessary.  Once you get used to it, the whole thing is fairly fast.”

Jeanie knew that sight-typing technology was a thing, but she had thought it to be in a primitive state.  “Oh wow…”  If this worked, could they get it set up for Mable?

Carrie’s nostrils flared and her tail flicked as the device properly registered her eyes. “Testing… Forming a sentence,” a feminine, but less robotic voice sounded from speakers affixed to the monitors.  “Miss Jeanie, it is nice eto meet you,” Carrie stated cordially.

Jeanie’s eyes widened and she took a hesitant step forward. “It’s nice to meet you too, Carrie. I-- I am sorry, but I’m not even sure where to start.”

“That is quite alright.  As you’re probably aware, I used to be Carl Lantz.  A male employee working for the LSIU.  Talking about my situation-- my life, even, won’t upset me,” Carrie insisted.

Jeanie glanced backward and saw Shelly standing with her back to the wall and arms crossed.  She just gave Jeanie a reassuring nod, not wishing to interfere. “Pretend I’m not here.  This is all you and Carrie,” she insisted, gesturing between the two.

Jeanie swallowed and faced Carrie again.  What should she expect?  What would she learn from this experience?  “I-- I understand, thank you,” she said softly, placing a hand on her arm with a faint squeeze.  “Umm…  How is life for you here?  With your daily routines and such.”  She hadn’t meant to ask such a vague question, but she hadn’t been sure where to appropriately start.

“I’m not sure if I would be as mentally sound as I am now without the support of everyone in the LSIU.  Thanks to them, I have reached a point where I’m able to find each day pleasant.  I can count my blessings and am able to find some joy in the small moments.”  She paused to consider her words before continuing. “I would be lying if I said it wasn’t hard.  I won’t pretend I don’t lament what I’ve lost.”

Jeanie winced and solemnly nodded.  That was to be expected; anyone in Carrie’s position would suffer through a great deal of turmoil.  “Can you tell me which parts of your current life you enjoy?”  She asked warmly.  Maybe this insight would help her sister; she felt a compulsion to press onward for Mable’s sake.

The mare shifted on her hooves and glanced at Jeanie before returning her focus to the monitors. “The biggest saving grace is my new appreciation for nature…  Perhaps it’s my equine instincts, but I find a great deal of gratification from running-- feeling the wind through my mane, sprinting quickly through the trees while surrounded by the sounds of chirping birds and running rivers.  I can spend an entire day running about and taking in the natural beauty without feeling bored.”

Jeanie nodded, finding this discourse fascinating and feeling a growing urge to press and ask more questions.  “What do you do when--,” she paused and considered whether she should continue. “When you miss your old life?”

There was a long silence with Carrie’s ears folding down.  Eventually, she stood confidentsly and responded. “Sometimes I come to my room here…  I’ll listen to music or use these monitors to browse the internet.  Anything to feel human again,” Carrie admitted.  “Sometimes I’ll just sink further into horse life.  Grazing, trotting…  Spending time with other horses who were once human like me.  The coping mechanism I pick depends on my mood-- it’s hard to describe.”

Jeanie nodded, trying to stay confident. Everything she heard made sense so far. “Is there anything you’re looking forward to?”

Carrie took another moment to consider her response. “Yes…  There is someone like me.  A man turned into a horse who has been staying at a different facility.  We have communicated via text for a couple of months now and I feel like we get along,” she confessed. “Unlike me, he turned into a male stallion.  A part of me envies him retaining his sex, but the other…” Carrie’s body language grew somewhat bashful as she shifted her weight between her front hooves. “I am hoping we will live together…  As hard as I have tried to fight it, I am female-- a mare.  I need companionship.  Does that make you think less of me?” She asked with a self-conscious air.

Jeanie quickly shook her head.  “N-- No, of course not!  You should do whatever makes you the happiest right now-- in your current form,” she insisted.  “I’m sure this body isn’t what you wished for, but it’s part of you now.  There’s nothing wrong with wanting a mate,” she promised with a genuine smile.

Carrie turned to face Jeanie, taking measure of her before returning focus to the monitors. “Thank you…  It’s true. I do want a mate-- a male mate…  Admitting it is extremely difficult, but I promised to be truthful.  I am excited to meet Ryan-- it has been years since I’ve had companionship.”

Jeanie felt a pang of great sympathy toward the mare.  She just nodded and weakly smiled.  “You deserve it… From everything I’ve learned of you, you’re probably the strongest person I've ever met.”

“That means a lot…  I am happy to help you, and the LSIU, in any ways I can,” she promised with sincerity.

“I’m sure I’ll be needing plenty of help,” Jeanie laughed, offering a wide grin. This meeting hadn’t been nearly as stressful as she thought.

“So, then.  How do you feel?”  Shelly asked as the two women stepped onto the people mover and headed back to their office.

Jeanie flashed Shelly a smile.  “Carrie is amazing.  I hope I can meet her again-- and I hope she gets to meet Ryan soon.”

“She’s pretty great, yeah,” Shelly concurred, placing a hand on Jeanie’s shoulder with a smile of her own.  Shelly’s expression suddenly turned severe and she withdrew her hand. “Not every Livestock Syndrome victim is as resilient as Carrie.  Please keep that in mind when we start your field training tomorrow,” she said with complete seriousness.

Jeanie swallowed and broke into a cold sweat.  She knew it was coming, but was she prepared?  The coming days would prove a great trial.















CHAPTER END

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