Sarah is called in the middle of the night by her friend Carien to deal with a strange problem, unexplained transformation issue.  Hopefully things won't be to hard to handle.  This is short story number 15 in the series.

The Hopping

The phone rang just as I started to drift off to sleep. I sat up with droopy eyes searching for my cell to silence the ringing. “I just want to sleep. Who the hell is calling at this time of night?”

My hand went to my nightstand searching for my phone but instead fell on the digital clock causing the alarm to go off. “Oh gosh, darn it.”

After silencing the alarm, I found my phone buzzing away on the floor next to my bed. Just as I grabbed the damn thing, the phone went to voice mail.  This is Sarah Collinsworth. I can’t get to you right now. Leave a message after the—“

I hit the talk button. “Hello? Yes, this is Sarah. Who is this?” I swung my legs over the side of my bed, scratching at my head. “Callen from Fredricks Fancy? What do you want? Don’t you know it’s ugh?” I looked at the clock. “Eleven at night. What are you doing calling this late?”

“I wanted to talk about our business partnership.”

“Can’t it wait until morning?”

“I have meetings booked for the entire week. This is the only time I could get ahold of you.”

I sighed. “Ok, what exactly do you want then?”

“Two weeks from now, we will be making a new commercial for a new product line. We want you to come to the site, help out, and we can use the day to work out your contract going forward.”

“Can we talk about the contract now? I was just recently fired from my old job and could really use the income from this job.”

There was a pause.  “I will have to talk with my superior but can see what I can do. I will call back about this in the next few days. But are you down for helping us with a new commercial in two weeks?”

“Yes.”

“Perfect.” Callen hung up.

I sighed. “Typical, an abrupt end to the conversation. He will be a charming person to work with.” I laid back down. “Hopefully, he doesn’t call in the middle of the night next time.”

The phone rang once more. I sat up and grabbed the phone. “Dammit, all Callen, why can’t you just tell me everything you have to say in one go,” I answered the call. “Ok, Callen, what did you forget?”

Carien’s voice was on the other end.  “What is your problem, and who is Callen?”

I took a deep breath. “Carien? I ugh, thought you were someone else. Still, though why are you calling this late?”

“Since when is that an issue. Didn’t you used to stay up to two a.m. playing video games?”

“I wasn’t up that late every night. Just because I was fired from that horrible job at the Jenny Downs Department store doesn’t mean I will be up all night. Even though that sounds fun, stay up into the late hour’s just relaxing and playing games.” I drifted off from the conversation for a moment thinking back to when I didn’t have to worry about earning a living for myself, simpler times.

“Well, anyways, I am not calling to discuss why or why not you are up. I need you to come over.”

“If this is for another late-night gaming and shrinking session, I would rather go to bed, Carien.”

“Look, I need you to come over and help me. You are the only person I trust for this will you just do this?”

“Wait, what is going on?”

“I will tell you when you get here. Are you going to come?”

“Sure.”

“Oh, thank you.”

“See you in a bit.” I hung up.

That is strange. What can’t she just tell me what is wrong on the phone?  I stood up and went to my dresser, swapping my nightshirt for a plain t-shirt and some jeans. I then walked into the bathroom and quickly washed my hair.

Afterword’s I went downstairs, grabbed my coat and car keys, and walked outside. The moon was out and shinning, casting a pale light on the car that I was still loaning from my neighbor. Tomorrow I was supposed to be heading to the dealership to buy a new vehicle; my neighbor no longer wanted me to borrow his car after I had left it at the mall where I used to work and needed to have it towed. He had told me earlier that if I didn’t get a new vehicle of my own in the next few days, I should get used to taking the bus.

I started up the car’s engine and turned on the lights. I wasn’t thrilled that I had to be up this late when I had to be somewhere early tomorrow, but it couldn’t be helped. Carien sounded very worried over the phone, and I had to help her. That is what friends do.

As I drove the fifteen-minute drive to Carien’s place, I thought about just what could be wrong that she couldn’t tell me over the phone. Typically when she needed help, it only extended to me coming online and helping her get revenge with someone who had griefed her in some game. I could do that from my house. We would also help each other out at work, but those days were behind us now.  Well, whatever the issue is, we will figure out how to deal with it.

I arrived at her house, parking in her driveway. I took a deep breath before stepping out of the car and making my way up to her door. I then knocked and waited for Carien to let me in.

“It is unlocked. Come on in.”

I opened the door into a dimly lit room. As I entered, I heard Carien call out, “Close the door behind you.”

I did as I was told. I sighed and then walked into the living room, sitting down on the blue sofa. “Carien, I am waiting in the living room.” The television was already on, with a late-night comedy show on. There was a coffee table between the sofa and the flat screen that I set my feet on and some pictures of Carien, and I assumed her family on the brown-colored wall.

“Sarah.” Carien’s voice came from behind me. “I don’t want you to freak out or anything.”

I tried turning my head, but she cried out. “Don’t’ turn around just yet.”

She sighed. “I asked you over as you are the only person that would understand what is happening.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I just woke up to get a drink, and well, I am not sure if I had Fredricks Fancy product during my sleep or what, but.” She walked around to face me. I almost laughed as I saw her face, which had a cute little bunny nose and long rabbit ears with white fur. She looked at me with giant black round eyes.

I couldn’t help but snicker while I talked. “You really did have a mishap with the transforming drinks, didn’t you?”

“Hey, it isn’t funny. Besides, I didn’t have any Fredricks Fancy products tonight.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t?”

She sat down next to me, her ears drooping. “No. I just wanted a nice relaxing night. But I woke up to this. I know you said something when you were being fired that you had an unexplained transformation, and wondering if you can help me. That is what is happening right now.”

I shrugged. “Hey, I had no idea what happened that day. I was fired. I still don’t. I am not sure what I can do to help.”

“Ok, then can you just stay here until this passes? I am just a bit freaked out. I just don’t feel in control right now.”

I smiled. “Sure, but I am going to crash on the couch and get some shut-eye. I have someplace to be tomorrow.”

Carien walked toward the window, stretching. “That is fine by me. Just as long as you are here, I will feel a whole lot better.” She stood still looking out the window. “The moon sure is beautiful tonight.”

“Ya. I was happy it was out for once. Helped me find my way here.”

“Is it getting hot in here?”

I turned to look at her. “No? In fact, I think your furnace is out.” Carien was shaking as she looked out the window. “Are you alright?”

“I ugh, am fine. I just need to head into the kitchen and get a snack.” She turned from the window and slowly walked away.

I stood up and followed her; something wasn’t right. When I came into the kitchen, the light wasn’t on as Carien opened the fridge door. I found the light switch on the wall next to me and flipped it on. I then sat down at the wooden table in the center of the room, tapping my fingers as I waited.

“It’s not here.”

“What isn’t?”

“I ugh. . . where did I leave the lettuce that I had bought.” She started to throw items out of the fridge. “Where is it?”

“Whoa, calm down, Carien.” I walked over to her. “It isn’t that big of a deal.”

“I just really need it. I. . .” She held her hand over her stomach. “Ugh, I don’t feel so good.” She started to shake rapidly. “My head feels all fuzzy. All I can think about is lettuce and carrots.” She looked at me. “Sarah, what is happening to me?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know.”

I heard the sound of fabric tearing, and we both looked down to see Carien’s feet growing, becoming large fuzzy paws, pushing their way out of the confines of her shoes. She looked at me, the fur starting to spread across her face. “Sarah, I feel myself starting to fade.

Stay here for me, will you?”

“I. . .”

She grabbed me, her hands shaking. “Promise me that you will be there for me?”

“Ok, ok, I will do what I can.”

She smiled. “Thank you, ugh.” Carien suddenly fell to the floor.

I held my arm around her. “Carien?”

She took in deep breaths before slamming her hand down on the ground. White fur was sprouting from between her fingertips. “I can smell lettuce somewhere. My body, fuzzy.” She slammed down again. “So hungry.”

I shook her. “Carien. Look at me.”

She turned her face, which was now fully covered in fur. She seemed to stare through me as I talked. “Stay with me. Listen to my voice.”

She sniffed me as fur traveled down her neck.

“Do you have any lettuce? Oww, my hand hurts.”

I looked down to see her hand morphing into a giant white paw almost twice its original size.  She is growing. This isn’t good.

I suddenly fell over as Carien’s feet exploded outward, puffing out into massive paws the size of a luggage container. I rolled off of her soft fur and onto the floor. “Ouff.”

She looked down at me for a moment and then down at her feet, testing them out. “Big fluffy shoes. Want to hop.”

Carien started to hop up and down in place, giggling as she did so, causing the room to vibrate. I fought my way to my feet as she did so; I could see fur poking through her leggings and her thighs starting to swell with every bounce.  If she keeps this up, she will ruin the kitchen.

“Carien, stop.” She didn’t listen to me and hopped once more, her leggings ripping, revealing her furry thighs. “Carien, you want lettuce?” She stopped and stared at me with a crocked head. “Lettuce and carrots and more if you follow me.”

Carien took a few steps towards me and said, “Carrot?”

I nodded my head. “Yes, if you follow me, I can get you many carrots. A big growing bunny like you loves carrots, right?”

Before she could respond, she fell over in pain. A huge white fluffy tail pushed its way out of her rear end, and her t-shirt started to rip and tear from her growing body. Carien took in deep, grunted breaths as she looked ever more like a giant rabbit, her face becoming large and cubby. I took a few steps backward.

“Carien, stay with me. I am going to get you those carrots remember?”

She was now a good thirteen feet tall and bent down, so her face was in front of mine, her front teeth growing out into two massive buck teeth. She sniffed me for a moment before hopping over me, heading for the door. I ran after her, yelling, “Carien, come back here.”

Thankfully she couldn’t move quickly confined in the house, but I knew if she made it outside, I would never catch her. I had to lock her inside before she could bound her way to freedom. I quickly ran past her as she tried to maneuver through the house towards the front door and locked the door. I then turned around to see her still coming. I held my hands up. “Carien, I told you I was going to help you, and I am not letting you outside. You are not in control of yourself, and you could get yourself hurt, or something else could happen.”

She rammed against the door and me, stuck in the center. Seconds later, she fell to the floor, floundering on her back as I slumped to the ground gasping for air. “Ouch.” After catching my breath, I ran up to her and grabbed her right arm. “Ok, we are taking you upstairs.

You are sleeping this off.”

With a jerk of her head, she lashed out and bit my arm. “Oww.” I recoiled in pain, falling onto my butt. Carien then hopped up, stood over me, sniffing me with a confused stare before hopping off in another direction. I held my arm up to inspect the damage. Thankfully to her flat teeth, she hadn’t been able to break the skin too much. “I am going to need to think of another way to stop her. I can’t let her bite me again like that.”

I stood up, walked to a jacket hanging up on the wall, and used it to wrap the wound on my arm. “That should hold it until this issue is over with.” I turned my attention back to Carien. “Now I need to figure out where she went to.”

I found her living room trapped in the door that lead to the backyard. She was clawing at the frame, trying to free herself, but her fluffy butt wouldn’t move. I walked over slowly, happy for the moment that she wasn’t going anywhere. “Got yourself stuck, I see.”

Now how should I play this? I can’t just pull her back inside as she will break free and possibly out the door before I react. If I leave her there, she will worm her way out.  I wiped the sweat from my brow.  Phew, it is getting hot. Chasing her down is hard work.

I noticed an extension cord that lying a few feet away. It appeared to be a part of a holiday lights set that had been forgotten to be packed away. “That will be perfect.” I reached down and grabbed the cord and then swung it around Carien’s body.

“Ok, calm down and come back inside.”

As I tried to pull her back in, my arms started to shake. “Ugh, stop resisting. I am trying to help.” Suddenly white fur began to sprout from the back of my hands. My eyes went wide as Carien suddenly broke free, causing me to fall flat on my face.

I pushed myself off my fluffing hands to see her bound away into the night. “I am sorry, Carien. I tried.”

I looked back at my hands which were now-massive white paws. I gulped, knowing that I was undergoing the same transformation Carien had. “Why is this happening, though?”

I shivered, and the jacket I had used to cover up Carien’s bite wound fell to the ground, but as I looked at it, the damage had healed. Not only that, but white fur was growing out of where the bite marks used to be.

“I need to lock myself inside before . . . before?” I shook my head as my ears became long and floppy. “What was I just thinking about?” I held a paw up to my head. “Everything feels so fuzzy. I need to sit down.”

I wobbled over to the couch, my clothing starting to feel tight. The sofa groaned as I sat down, and I could feel my body growing, reshaping itself. I took deep breaths in and out as fur sprouted all over my body. “Getting hard to think.” I squinted. “Ugh, so hungry. Can’t stop thinking of lettuce and carrots. So juicy.” My shoes snapped apart as my feet became huge paws. “Oww.”

I jumped down onto all fours as my tail started to push its way out. I closed my eyes, my face contorting in the process as my jeans snapped to my growing frame. I slammed a paw on the ground, my body shaking.

I can’t even talk anymore.  I stood up, my front teeth growing into two massive buck teeth. I was still slowly growing, my clothing tearing to my rabbit frame.

I can barely think. Need carrots and lettuce. All I can think about. Food.

Hop and find food. Make burrow and hide it.

***

I woke up the next morning in my bed and the worst hangover I had in my life. I slowly rose to harsh sunlight peering in through the window.  Ugh, what happened last night?

As I sat up, I realized that I was lying in juice. I looked around and saw that my room was covered in torn and shredded vegetables. I took deep breaths in and out, brushing my pumpkin-filled hair. “What happened to me last night?”