(A (very dark) Fox Serum Story)
by grapehyacinth
Randall hunched over his computer, staring fixedly at a live feed on the screen. “Go, run, you bastard!” he screamed into it, but his face was shining with glee. “Go, he's gaining on you! You're gonna be hawk food in seconds if you don't hide! He's coming!”
His girlfriend Anna watched him mournfully from the kitchen table. “He's so obsessed with Predator Park,” she mumbled to Randall's sister, Morgan.
Morgan sighed, glancing over at her brother. “Most people are, and it used to be doing such great things. Now it's become like a theme park...”
Randall jumped up, nearly toppling his chair. “Here he is!” He gripped the sides of the computer. “It's...”
A great big red “X” flashed across the screen and Randall threw himself back in the chair. “Oh, I would never have done it that way! Some of these people are so stupid! Plan your strategy! This guy is so bird food now. My friend Todd had a hundred dollar bet on him evading capture...Damn, the guy's toast!”
As the screen remained on the hawk with squirrel legs still struggling in its mouth, Anna looked away, moaning, “Poor man.”
“But he wanted it!” Randall cried, turning to her. “He signed up for it!”
“He's going to be digested, Randall,” Morgan uttered. “You think that's fun?”
He shook his head. “They say that the drugs from the Fox Serum are still in you when you're transformed, so you don't feel as much pain.”
Morgan's eyes flashed. “And you believe that? How many people who have been eaten have come back to tell you that it's not painful?”
“Morgan, come on, get with reality. These people signed on, they're paid, and they're helping the park do great work.”
Morgan snorted. “It used to do great work. When's the last time they contributed to any real wildlife conservation programs? They used to!”
“They still do great stuff! People have learned so much about the natural world both by being transformed and being part of the hunt, or even just visiting the park. The hikes there are awesome, because obviously the animals aren't scared of you. You get to see and learn stuff you never would be able to normally.” He paused, gazing at the women's looks of disapproval. “Most people have no problem with it, guys. It's a choice, like any other.”
Randall twisted back to the screen as some text came up. An announcer read off the words. “'Thank you, lifetime donor Benedict Swanson, 35, who became a squirrel to help our ecosystem thrive...'”
“This should so be illegal, don't you see that, you sicko?” Morgan got up from the table in a huff. “This park does nothing to help animals anymore. It's like a front for gambling. With people's lives!”
He shook his head. “Come on, Morg, no one forces them to join! They get money every day they're transformed. Some people come out of here making tons.”
“Actually, the pay is pretty low,” Anna commented.
“Yes, especially for dying,” Morgan added, stomping over to the sink. “And the idiots who bet on it make it even worse.”
“Oh, the Lifetime Donor families are remunerated for it. You know that.”
“Lifetime Donors? Try Dead Donors,” Morgan said under her breath.
Her brother continued as if she hadn't spoken. “And honestly, before they make it illegal, I want to do it myself.”
Both girls froze. “You're serious?” Morgan breathed.
Nodding, a smarmy smile crossed Randall's face. “Come on, everyone wants a try at it.”
“But you could die.”
“Naa, even if I turn into a prey animal, I'm smart enough to get out of everyone's way. And they say that when you're turned into a predator, if you know you're going after transformed people, a lot of predator-people feel guilty and don't eat the prey-people.”
“The hawk did!”
Anna remained quiet. Randall had mentioned his wish many times, and as the government came closer to outlawing Predator Park, she knew it was only a matter of time before he would make his plans known. The problem was that he wanted her to join him.
She liked the idea very much of being transformed, even if it was into a small creature like a squirrel or chipmunk, but she didn't want to do it at Predator Park. Other programs, like Prehistoric Park and Mission Replenish's different zoos, used the Fox Serum to transform people, but no one was eaten. There was no danger. Those places were there to propagate endangered species or to serve as zoos. She could even try Serum Central, a safe place for first-time and inexperienced Fox Serum users...
But Predator Park was truly dangerous, and it attracted people because of the thrill. If she knew that she was to become a predator, that would be somewhat comforting. But the big draw of Predator Park was that one did not get to choose what one would become. Otherwise there would be very few prey species around...
“Oh, oh! 'Jim Pendeldon's Stars' is on!” Randall clapped his hands. “Did you see this month's winner? Dorothy Flisher? She was gorgeous! And she was even cute as a rat!”
Anna could just make out the words on the screen. There was a grid with faces on it, each with information on a different girl. “Dorothy, 23, could not wait to be a Star, and she visited Predator Park as often as possible until she was chosen. Her deepest wish was to be with Jim, and it was finally fulfilled. Thanks, Dorothy. Jim loves you.”
“'Jim loves you!' That is the sickest part,” shrilled Morgan from the sink. She turned on the water angrily. “How could you want that slob to eat you?”
“It's a fetish,” mumbled Randall.
“Hm. I bet you have that 'fetish' too,” snapped his sister.
“Hey, that billionaire paid lots of money to be turned into a snake. And each Star's family is set for life if their son or daughter is chosen. Look, everyone knows they sometimes have 'pets' at the park. They change people like Jim and study them. Changed people can tell scientists all kinds of things that normal animals can't.”
“Fine, but why does Jim Pendeldon have to eat transformed people?”
“He doesn't always. And remember, when you sign up for the park, you understand you are reduced to an animal. You can be used for anything, even 'pet' food. And if Jim happens to like you, well, your family's set for life. It's awesome!”
Again, Anna was quiet. She had never shared with anyone her morbid interest in Jim Pendeldon's Stars. Each Star became world-famous once Jim chose them. They were everywhere- magazines, books, ads. Of course they didn't get to experience their posthumous fame, but their families did...
And Jim, whether in human or snake form, was more handsome than any movie star. The idea of transformed people becoming his meal was almost titillating...well, not that she herself wanted to be anyone's food...
“He's a sick bastard. You know they're trying to see how big he'll get? He's loving it,” Morgan growled, smashing down a cup.
“I wouldn't mind being him. Having models thrown into my cage and begging me to eat them... Oh God,” Randall turned away so they wouldn't see how excited he was.
The next day Randall called Anna with what he considered the best news ever. As an early birthday present for her, he had obtained tickets to a Predator Park exclusive 'Safari Hunt'.
“Some birthday present,” she murmured, hanging up a bit too quickly.
They found their seats in the high bleachers that surrounded a mini-jungle enclosure. “I can't believe we got seats, and for cheap!” Randall exclaimed, almost spilling a box of popcorn he had purchased for them to share. “The box office said someone canceled due to emergency. We just got lucky.”
“It's a full house,” Anna agreed. This wasn't her first time viewing a show at Predator Park, but she had never been to an exclusive event like this. Usually they were far out of her price range.
A man's voice came over the loudspeaker. “Welcome to Predator Park! Tonight, learn about the hunting habits of the elusive hyena! Ellen Fosbender and Ralph Ryerson are our hyenas, and folks, we have some celebrities here with us today! Mink Jansen, heavyweight champ, will be a cute little rabbit with his girlfriend, model Tabitha Simms!”
The crowd gave an enthusiastic shout followed by a sea of loud applause.
Randall grabbed Anna's arm. “See that? They made a huge guy a small prey animal! And I'm placing bets he'll survive!”
“This is strictly a hunt, not a contest like some of our other events. There are no points to earn. Here it's one hour of sheer predator-prey excitement. If our prey makes it through unscathed, they get to be predators in our next hunt!” The speaker took a dramatic pause before continuing, “You may place all bets with our PredatorApp on your phones. Please do so now!”
As Randall typed furiously into his phone, Anna watched the other spectators around her do the same. Meanwhile, her neighbor, a young brunette about her age, buzzed on about how sensational the last week's hunt was.
“Oh, boy! Did you see it on TV? The Contest?”
Anna shook her head. “I'm sure my boyfriend did.”
“Oh, let me tell you,” the woman went on, “We were there, and it was great! My cousin was in it, and he got us free tickets. He was a deer, and he got so many points because he avoided all the apex predators there...They had a rhino there, can you believe it? That rhino, I'm surprised she didn't win, but she didn't eat too many people...”
“So who won?”
“Well, my cousin lost at the end. He did do a great job. I'll miss him.”
Anna made a small gasp. “He's dead?”
“Oh, yeah,” the woman answered matter-of-factly. “But he loved the hunt. He died doing what he loved..”
The loudspeaker interrupted with, “All bets are in, and...”
Everyone joined in, “LET'S USHER IN THE HUNT!”
A troubled Anna turned from the woman to view Randall beside her. He was literally gripping the edges of his seat, and despite herself, she chuckled. He never got this worked up except if he were viewing a Predator Park event. She knew how much it meant to him, and she focused on him rather than the impending hunt before her.
“And they're off!”
“Watch, Anna! Watch!” Randall gripped her arm, and she found herself forced to observe the spectacle nonetheless.
The hyenas entered the enclosure, sniffing at the air. “Hyenas have a great sense of smell. If you haven't been an animal before, let me tell you – it's amazing to discover information through a sense other than your eyes and ears!” the announcer commented.
The two impressive animals ran into the brush side by side, scouring the area for their prey.
“The hyenas are working as a team. Ellen and Ralph are spotted hyenas, which are the most gregarious of the hyena types. And even though they're newly transformed, you can see their instincts kicking in as they hunt together.”
“Oh, I think I saw a bunny!” Randall gasped. “I can't believe it...I hope not...It's too early...”
Anna stretched her neck to look past a branch that partially obstructed her view. “Where?” Her heart was beating faster, and the excitement of the hunt had even touched her. She just hoped the bunny-people got away.
“Over there – yes, it is one! Oh, run! Why would you jump out in front of predators like that?”
The crowd gave a loud “ooh” as one of the hyenas dashed after the small animal, and it took off.
“GO!” several people in the audience shouted.
“That rabbit better run!” cried the announcer.
The small rabbit darted confusedly through the brush, alternately hiding and dashing away. “Go, go, go!” Randall shrieked, shaking his head in impatience with each word.
The crowd encouraged both predator and prey, while Anna found herself silently praying for the rabbit's life. She wondered if it were the woman or the man.
The rabbit paused, and Anna could see it shivering as it looked around wildly.
And then the hyena pounced.
“YAY!” the crowd was in an uproar, which drowned out the rabbit's loud squeal.
“And...it's down!!” screamed the announcer. “IT IS DOWN!”
“Damn, damn, damn!!” Randall slammed his hands down angrily. “Was that Mink? I bet on the bastard! He can't freaking die on me!”
“We've just lost Tabitha, folks. As always, our predators are instructed to deliver a quick, merciful death. Thank you, Tabitha Simms, for your incredible sacrifice to Predator Park!”
Anna wondered what Mink, Tabitha's famous boyfriend, was thinking now. Wherever he was hiding, he had to have heard the announcer's voice.
As expected, the other rabbit ventured out not soon after. Unlike his girlfriend, there was no spring in its step, and he only gave a half-hearted attempt to avoid capture.
“Damn it, don't give up, Mink! You knew it could happen!” Randall yelled. Several of the audience members glared at him, but most shook their heads in agreement.
The hyenas circled the trembling rabbit, who began to dig into the dirt.
“What the hell is he doing? Digging himself a hole?” a nearby man burst out.
“Mink! You're going to make me lose a bundle!” Randall spat in annoyance.
The hyenas were on the small creature in seconds, and he looked like he welcomed it.
Anna turned away from the wrestler's gory demise.
The crowd let out a collective sigh, and Randall slapped his fist against his forehead, cursing several times. The loudspeaker sputtered a moment, as if saddened by the famous wrestler's loss. “Aw, there goes a great one. Mink the Man, Lord of the Rink, has ended himself for a truly noble cause. Thank you Mink, for your sacrifice.”
The voice went on to outline Mink and Tabitha's life story and history, but Anna was not listening. Instead she was trying to console her very agitated boyfriend.
“He's so powerful as a man! He would have been amazing as a rabbit, and we didn't even get a chance to see him in the hunt! He wussed out, and I lost a hundred dollars that I really needed! I gotta pay the rent!”
Anna studied him with sad eyes. These people were dead; finished, and all Randall could see that he had lost his chance to witness great sport. Mink and Tabitha had lost their lives – admittedly they knew this could happen – and Randall had merely lost one hundred bucks.
“You're still breathing, at least,” she mumbled weakly.
A very-animated Randall came in, having just returned from work. He found Anna by the television, watching an expose on Mink and Tabitha. The glamorous couple had been planning to get married, but now that they were deceased, they seemed to be approaching sainthood. They had even eclipsed the majority of Jim Pendeldon's Stars.
“Damned Mink.” Randall tossed a booklet in front of Anna.
She frowned. “What's this?”
“I need money. I signed us up.”
“For the Park?”
He watched her beautiful face twist into a look of fear, and immediately he felt a pang. He was concerned that she might react this way, but she knew how much it meant to him, and she had always said it would be fun to try the Fox Serum.
“What if we die?” she asked point-blank.
Since she moved to his town in seventh grade, Randall had always had a crush on Anna Tynn, but it was not until the tenth-grade dance that he admitted it. She had gone with him, but had spurned all his advances. He was constantly pursuing her, the quiet beauty that no boy could obtain, until they went off to college. They had gone to separate schools, but a chance meeting during his summer break led her to give in.
He had the engagement ring and was just finding the right time to propose...
Should I be putting her in danger like this? he thought to himself. Look what happened with Mink and his girlfriend...
He tried to shrug off his nagging fear. No, we'll be fine. We'll soar through the air as birds or stamp through the forest as rhinos...But we'll have a plan. Mink and Tabitha just went in blindly.
“Randall,” Anna whispered, her green eyes wide, “Can't we just join Mission Replenish? I'll even be a bug in the Arthropod Annex, if that's what you want. You can turn me into a cockroach, if that makes you happy.” She tried to smile, but it came out as a thin wincing gesture instead.
Randall rolled his eyes. “There's no fun at those places, no thrill of the hunt, no predator to dodge. Come on, I'll protect you. No matter what you are.”
When they reached the Park, neither Anna nor Randall were surprised to see the protestors in front of the gate. They were an odd crew of nature-lovers, businesspeople, and others who were generally shocked at the blatant disregard for the sanctity of life. Somehow, they were kept away from the shows, perhaps due to the police line that was drawn up in front of the gate at these events. But during regular business hours, they were often present.
“This is a disgraceful use of transformation technology!” one woman yelled. “It should be outlawed!”
“Why don't we just put up suicide booths?” cried another.
“Dr. Adam Fox didn't invent the Serum for murder!”
“Jim Pendeldon is a sick monster!”
Randall and Anna pushed through to the gate, glancing nervously at the signs. “We're going to have an awesome time,” he assured her in a wobbly voice.
The last sign they passed seared into Randall's mind:
“Dying as a bug is not part of God's plan!”
A group of twelve stood listening to the orientation. It was mostly younger risk-taking types, but there was an older couple that looked more excited than the whole group combined. “Please tell us what we're going to be,” begged the woman. “Bernie and I have done all the parks, and we finally have gotten up the nerve to be part of Predator Park...We've been prepping for weeks!”
Their leader, a rugged, scarred man named Jackson Connors, winked at her. “You know that's half the fun. The not knowing what that swig of Serum's going to make you.”
An unshaven young man standing beside Anna murmured, “My friend says it's freaking awesome to try to guess what you're turning into. And the drugs make it feel so amazing...”
Jackson, nodding, continued, “As Mike over there said, the Fox Serum has certain feel-good additives so the transformation isn't painful. They can be quite...stimulating, so if you prefer to change in secret, we have private changing rooms. Any takers?”
No one responded, but Anna wanted to. But she knew the idea of turning into something in front of everyone, especially her, was quite a turn-on for Randall. And he wanted to see her transform just as much. So she remained silent.
“As you know, you'll be tracked on the computer portal, and people can watch you on PredatorTV. Now, if you chance to become a prey animal, you'd be wise to remember where you are on the food chain. If you find yourself in a position where you might get eaten, definitely try to get out of it. But if you can't, you have the thanks of the Park for being an important part of the ecosystem. Your name will appear as an 'in kind - lifetime donor' on the website and in our next quarterly report.”
“I'm scared,” murmured Anna.
Randall patted her back without taking his eyes off the guide. “It's only a week trial.”
“Yes, but lots of things can happen in one week.”
“Not to us, they won't.” He embraced her comfortingly. “Look, we signed all the paperwork. We've gotta do this. And it'll be great. Everyone's here for the thrill!”
“Death is not a thrill,” Anna whispered.
“Here's your serums,” Jackson said, and a woman passed around a small plastic shotglass to each person. “Any questions?”
The older couple threw their arms in the air. “We're ready to change!”
“Thank you all for your devotion and possible sacrifice to Predator Park. Enjoy your time here, and have a pleasant metamorphosis. Bottoms up!”
Anna was shaking so violently that she hardly felt the pleasure-inducing drugs kick in. But she was definitely changing, and the light fur sprouting from her arm actually tickled. Relaxing somewhat, she wondered what she was becoming. Most likely a mammal...what had light fur like this? Maybe a deer? Oh, that might be nice, she loved how gentle and pretty they were...yet deer were prey... Maybe she was becoming a big...oh, what predator had this...
Oh, God, I feel amazing...
She glanced at Randall to see him curled up on the ground, moaning in ecstasy. He seemed to be enjoying this even more than her, she realized with a bit of jealousy. The rest of the volunteers were also wrapped up in their own worlds of bliss. Like Randall, many had collapsed to the ground, writhing and moaning in pleasure. A few were engaged in activities to increase this, and the blushing Anna averted her eyes.
A throbbing at her tailbone signaled a tail.
As it popped out, she twisted around to try to identify it. She still wore panties, and, although she saw most of the other volunteers had removed the majority of their clothes, she felt it would be more appropriate to wait until no one could see her female parts. But the tail popped out over her elastic waistband, and she saw it did not have the fur like the rest of her was sprouting.
What am I turning into?
Even as she felt herself shrinking, she stared at the new appendage. Which creature had a tail like this? Opossums, most marsupials...rats?
“Oh, God, Randall! Are we turning into rats?” she squeaked.
But Randall was too wrapped up in his changes to respond, and as her own waves of pleasure increased, she tried to calm down. He would protect her, whatever she was to turn into. Plus, being a small fuzzy creature sounded so appealing, she would be so cute...
She moaned as her body forced itself to all fours. Her hands and feet now both were similarly hand-shaped. I still could be an opossum...
But she was getting too small, and judging from the people whose changes were further along than hers, she realized it was highly unlikely that she was to be anything remotely large...
“And the first transformations are complete!” yelled Jackson from somewhere above them.
The older couple, who had been the first to drink their serums, were now both white rats, exploring each others' bodies with obvious amazement...
“Ew,” she tried to whisper, but it came out of her tiny snout as merely a squeak.
With a large burst of pleasure, she felt her body stop its contortions. Staring down at herself, her fears were confirmed. Yes, she had light brown fur. But she was still a rat – just like everyone else.
They made everyone the same thing! We're all rats!
But she felt wonderful this way, and she knew all would be well. Randall came to her, patting her with his clawed paw, and she had to admit, he was quite a handsome rat. He smelled nice too. Apparently he found her very inviting as well.
“No mating, guys,” a laughing Jackson came by and pushed several of the new rats apart. “You can 'investigate' your new bodies later. Let's get you all acquainted with your new home first. And of course, I wish you all the best of luck. You're part of the hunt now.”
This should have scared Anna, but she was too deep into the sensations rippling through her new body. She felt spectacular! She was so warm and compact, and so full of energy that she was certain she could escape any predator. The Serum still made her very form tingle from head to toe, and she made another contented squeak.
Another man walked over to Jackson. He leaned over and spoke into his ear, and Anna was just able to make out his words. “The biology class is here, and Jim's hungry.”
The words jarred Randall from his mindless ecstasy. Jim's hungry?
“Dave, he just ate!” Jackson exclaimed in shock.
“Well, the bigger he gets, the more he wants. Come on, we can't lose our funding!”
The giant man looked over the new crop of prey. “We didn't get any more mice for him yet. I guess we'll have to...” He raised his eyebrows.
“Yup. He picked one out already. Her.”
He pointed straight at Anna.
Anna's tiny heart skipped a beat. Despite her interest in the Stars, never once did she actually want to be one. Letting out a harsh squeak, she tried to run as Dave approached her. But she was still in the changing hall. Unless one was large enough to open its doors, there was no escape. And Dave was so big, that one of his steps equaled several dozen of hers...
“Come on, cutie, you've been chosen! Everyone wants to be a Star! You should be honored!”
He reached down to grab her, but she darted away. Another rat was jumping at Dave's feet, but he ignored it, stomping after Anna. “Come on, you signed on for this! You knew it could happen! Don't fight me!”
But she hadn't signed anything! Randall had signed her up, and maybe he thought that since Jim had just eaten so recently, they were safe...
“Got you, honey!”
A sharp pain ran through her spine as he picked her up by her tail. She struggled helplessly as he lifted her higher and higher. Just before he placed her into a box, she caught a glimpse of her intended sinking his teeth into Dave's leg...
Dave cursed in pain and swatted at Randall as the rat bit into the man's skin. “Little bastard!”
“She's his girlfriend,” Jackson pointed out.
“She's an animal. And he should be honored that Jim picked her.” Dave walked off nonchalantly, the box tucked neatly under his arm.
“Sorry, kid,” Jackson directed down at Randall, and he walked away.
Anna tried to chew her way through the cardboard, but even with her sharp rat incisors, it was hard work. She heard the sound of a crowd, and felt her box being placed down.
“Welcome to Predator Park, Mrs. Bertram's Honors Biology class. Today you get the big treat of watching Jim feed!”
A shout went up from the invisible assemblage, and Anna gnawed desperately. There was a hole forming...she just had to enlarge it enough to get through.
“Today's Star is Anna Tynn!”
She could see brightness through the small hole! She would escape between the children's feet, maybe someone would quietly grab her and take her home with them...
There was a blinding light as the box opened, and Anna was fished out by the tail.
No! Please, please help me! I didn't want this! she protested, but the words came out merely as harsh, high-pitched shrieks.
“She's 21, beautiful, as you can see by her photo on the screen behind us, and she can't wait to be a Star!”
More cheers greeted her, and she flailed her limbs helplessly as the blood flowed to her head.
“Now follow me and meet Jim!”
The room was gloomy, and the oversized tank in the middle housed the largest python Anna had ever seen. Especially when she was so small...
“Hey, Jim! We hear you're hungry for a Star!” Dave shouted merrily.
The snake slithered over to a set of buttons, and pushing one with his tongue allowed the word “Yes” to appear on a screen over his cage.
The crowd cried out in excitement. “Go, Jim!” one student yelled.
Dave chuckled. “Here she is, just like you picked out. The beautiful Anna Tynn!”
Against a backdrop of encouraging shouts, Anna began to squeak hysterically as she was lowered into the tank. Unlike a real snake, Jim just sat observing the proceedings patiently. But Anna could see a mix of raw animal hunger plus the very human-male lust in his anguine eyes, and it increased her fear exponentially.
Dave clasped his hand around her, hissing, “Yes, they all get scared in the end. But don't worry. You'll be fine soon. Don't fight it.”
He can't eat me! I don't want to die!
She tried to scuttle up the side of the tank, but her sharp claws merely slid down the glass, and she fell to the wood-shaving-covered floor with a thump.
“Go, girl! Go!” exulted the crowd.
The students' faces were blurred through the glass, making them seem like something from a nightmare. They were cheering for her, though. Were they hoping for her to escape? But there was only one way out of this enclosed tank...
I don't want to be food...
She turned and stared back into Jim's eyes. They were nearly hypnotic, and they pulled her in, calming her, relaxing her...
He's not a bad man, and he's a beautiful snake, and he has to eat. Everyone, transformed or not, has to eat...
The Fox Serum still tingled through her, and her thoughts were growing dreamy and confused. There was no more fear, no more pain. She was fulfilling a rat's purpose in life, and was honored to do so...
“Feel the instincts, Anna! Let them take over!” someone yelled.
She surrendered to the rat in her. All she knew was to run, get away, escape... There was no more Anna, there was only Rat...
She was running hysterically through the tank, around the shavings, over Jim's slick coils...
“Go, Anna! Go!”
“Get her, Jim!”
“You're going to be a Star, Anna Tynn,” said a far-off voice above her.
The sound of her name woke a small part of her human pride. I will. This is my destiny. There's no escaping destiny. I'll be famous, and my family will be rich. Jim won't be hungry, and I'll be part of this wonderfully handsome man forever....
She allowed herself to fall to her side, exposing her belly invitingly, and the snake began to run his forked tongue over her fur. It felt wonderfully relaxing, and it touched all the right places...
Bliss...
Make me part of you, Jim Pendeldon. Make me a Star.
“YAY!” The crowd watched the snake engulf its prey. Many of the students stood up, clapping in delight.
“Thank you, Anna Tynn, for your contribution...”
As the students watched the small bump travel through the snake's body, one boy shook his head in annoyance. “Hardly a struggle. That sucked at the end.”
When the other rats were ushered through a door to the park, Randall would not budge from his spot. “Come on, kid. She's happy. Be proud of her,” said Jackson, nudging him with his foot.
But Anna hadn't been happy. She had been scared as hell. He had seen her fight. It was bad enough he had signed her up for the Park, but why hadn't he even considered that Jim Pendeldon might choose her? She was gorgeous – of course he would have! What had he been thinking? He was so wrapped up in joining the hunt himself...and these things never happened to people like him! Only the weak, stupid ones ended up as food...
His rat eyes watered. His Anna, his beautiful, caring, patient Anna had swallowed her fears to join him, and now...
Now he had killed his love.
I deserve to die, he thought.
Jackson picked him up by the tail and deposited him in the front of the Park. Randall stayed in the clearing where he had been placed, praying for someone to end his misery.
“Run, kid. You're in plain sight. There's a big lack of mice and rats here lately, which is why we turned you all into them. We've got a lot of hungry predators around here.”
Randall made an angry squeak and glared at him.
Jackson clicked his tongue. “Well, have it your way.” He pointed to a camera partially concealed behind a sapling. “The world is watching. You'll definitely up our viewership just sitting here like a sitting duck...or rat, as the case may be...”
Randall remained there all night.
He did not sleep. He squeaked out his sadness, scanning the darkness for animals. Several shadows walked by in the course of the night, but no one approached him. Perhaps they knew who he was and felt sorry for him? How much did the participants know what was going on here, anyway?
At dawn, he found himself face-to-face with a barn owl. It merely stood by him, observing him, and in its vaguely-human eyes, he could see the transformed person's indecision. To eat, or not to eat?
He desperately wanted closure, and he moved towards the bird. Are you a man or woman? How long have you been here? he wondered. Don't you want to eat a nice, plump rat of a man? One who just sent his love to a horrible death?
The owl shook its head and flew off with a sorrowful hoot.
Hell, was all he thought.
The rat that would not budge drew a great following on PredatorTV, and Randall and Anna's story was famous. “Newest Star's Rat Boyfriend Mourns her” was the new week's headline, which fed the anti-Predator Park's movement tremendously.
A horribly depressed Randall returned to human form. Sick and heartbroken, he nonetheless scanned the Predator Park website. Only two others of the group had survived- the unshaven teen standing beside them at the orientation, and the older woman that had visited the other parks with her husband. Her own story had also become well-known, and in her mourning her husband, she became a big voice in the anti-Park movement herself.
Anna's face was everywhere; it taunted and chastised him from every corner. Her empty-coffin funeral was that of a hero, and thousands attended. Anna's family moved to a richer area of town, never once contacting him after her death. The paltry few dollars he made from his park experience remained in their envelope. He couldn't bear to use them. He had made money, and Anna had died.
And shortly after, Predator Park was outlawed and closed.
Randall's guilt ate at him every day, reducing him from a youthful, relatively handsome man, to a wrinkled, sorrowful soul. He sank into such a depression that he would remain in his house for days on end, and he was quickly let go from his job. He would not bathe and would forget to eat, only being kept alive by his sister's frequent visits.
“Randy, you can't stay like this forever,” Morgan said one day. “And look, your loss is really what it took to get that awful place closed.”
“I'd rather have given my own life than have to deal with this horrible...loss...guilt...”
“Next time don't sign people up for things without asking.”
“She knew!”
“She didn't know you actually were doing it!”
Randall threw his head in his arms. “I'm so disgusting. I'm a killer. I should go strangle that Jim Pendeldon.”
“You know, he's still a snake. They're letting him stay that way.”
“How the hell can he get away with it? Who'd he pay off?”
“He's not eating people anymore. Supposedly. Although I wouldn't be surprised if it's still going on quietly.”
“It's against the law! No eating transformed people! I'll kill that bastard!”
Randall finally had a goal.
The sign at the gate read: “See Jim Pendeldon! Only $5.00!”
“The bastard charges tickets to view him!” Randall growled as he and his sister joined the line of spectators.
“And people pay,” uttered Morgan.
Randall was shaking as they were ushered into the dark room. It was time. Jim Pendeldon did not deserve to breathe the same air that Anna had.
Randall was on the snake before anyone realized what was happening. He was grabbing at it, strangling it, hurting it, killing it...
“You ate her! You killed Anna!” he shrilled, not realizing that tears were pouring down his cheeks.
There were hands pulling him away and a sharp pain in his side as the giant snake tried to fight him back. He fell to the floor, his last thoughts before the darkness being, She's inside him. I almost killed Anna again.
The crowd was being forced out by uniformed guards, and Morgan protested, trying to push back inside. “That's my brother in there! He blacked out! He needs help!”
“He tried to kill Jim Pendeldon! We'll take it from here,” one officer insisted. “Out, lady!”
When Randall came to, he was in a familiar furry form.
“Hi, Randall,” said a voice he recognized as Jackson from Predator Park. He was in a fish tank, and the man was smiling down at him evilly.
“I know you have pain. But what you did is inexcusable. Jim is not amused.”
A very weak Randall was plucked from the tank and placed in front of the python, who winked.
“Your family will be paid well,” announced Jackson.
Peace came over Randall. There was no anger, no fear. He was joining his love in eternity.
“They killed him! I swear it! There's no reason they won't say where he is!” screamed a teary-eyed Morgan. She was at an anti-Park meeting, which, now that Predator Park was closed, was now set on stopping all harmful uses of Fox Serum.
“I think she's right,” responded Katie, a very involved member. “Several of my sources say he was made back into a rat and Jim ate him.”
“How can we prove it? How can we can send that rich bastard to jail?”
“Open him up and check his stomach contents?”
The others gazed at each other. “There's no way he'd allow someone to cut him open. Especially in snake form.”
“They'd only find a rat in him, anyway.”
“What if they check the rat's DNA?”
“I don't know...”
“This man does not deserve to live,” Morgan said coldly.
Everyone silently agreed.
It was very painful for Morgan to find herself back on the line to view Jim. Although no mention was made in the media of her brother's attacking him and his subsequent disappearance, there was a very noticeable increase in security.
She wore a brunette wig and heavy makeup, hoping this was enough to keep her from being recognized. She held a small syringe in her pocket, fearing the quick change it would induce, but knowing it was necessary. When she was successfully ushered into the dark room, she let out a small breath of victory. She jammed the syringe painfully into her thigh, and the changes threw her to all fours with a fearsome roar.
The spectators drew back in fear. “She's changing into something huge!” someone screamed, running past the guards and out the door. Part of the crowd followed, while others merely watched in fascination as Morgan very quickly became a massive tiger.
“Get her!”
Several guards raced at her, another forcing the rest of the guests out. The snake thrashed in his tank nervously as the glorious feline mauled one guard after the other until all were felled. Then she turned to the tank.
With one mighty swipe of Morgan's paw, Jim's protective glass shattered. She scooped her large claws inside, ripping open a whole section of his flesh. He writhed in agony, twisting in on himself to protect his wound. With a growl, she drew up the whole large snake and threw it to the floor, pouncing on it and crushing it. The snake weakly fought back, winding itself around her as best as it could. As it twisted around her neck, she made a garbled roar and bit into its wound, nearly severing the snake in half. The pressure on her neck loosened, and as it gave way, Jim's back half ripped from its front with a sickening sound. It thudded to the floor, and for a few seconds more, the top half of Jim Pendeldon writhed. Then he grew still.
The proud tiger shook him from her neck and ran into the night.