Sarah is looking to have her first romantic date with Carien but a sudden transformation complicates matters.  This is story number 18 in the series.

A Deertastic Date.

I awoke to a sore back as bright light flooded my eyes. I sat up and swung my legs off the side of the couch that I had been sleeping on. For the last few nights, I had been sleeping at Carien’s house, waiting for things to blow over. Just a few days ago, I had gone to do a Fredricks Fancy commercial as part of my new job. Things were going alright until I had their Fredricks Fancy product and started growing like they wanted me to. For the first time in my life, my clothing didn’t grow with me; the scene was embarrassing. To make matters worse, the company wanted to lock me away until they knew why these new changes occurred.

I stretched out and yawned. I wasn’t going to let such a thing happen, so I bolted, running to Carien’s house. I had to hide in a nearby lake until I shrank back down, but everything was back to normal for now. She was letting me crash at her place for a while as I was afraid some Fredricks Fancy goons were going to appear on my doorstep. I had way too many problems now. I needed a new job yet again, I needed to figure out what was wrong with me and why my transformative changes were getting worse, and I had to get Fredricks Fancy off my back.

Today though, I wasn’t going to worry about any of that. I had put off my first date with Carien long enough. I was going to surprise her when she returned home from work. She still had that horrid job at the Jenny Downs Department Store. Just the other day, she was telling a horror story about Gregory. I was happy on some level that he had fired me even though I was worried about where my income was going to be coming from.

I stood up and walked to the kitchen. It was only nine a.m., and Carien wouldn’t be home for another six hours. That should be enough time for me to prepare a surprise for her and still relax most of the day. I reached into the fridge and pulled out some waffles.  What was I going to do until then?

I slid the waffles into the toaster.  I could go out for a run or watch some television until it is time to work on my surprise. It won’t take me six hours to get things ready.

The toaster dinged. I grabbed my waffles with the tips of my fingers and dropped them on the nearby plate. I then grabbed some butter and used a knife to spread it across my breakfast. I then dug into a paltry meal.

I do wish I knew why these transformations seem to be becoming worse, though. Why I am growing and shrinking without rhyme or reason or transform without having a Fredricks Fancy product. I don’t get it. Will this just get to the point where I wake up in the morning, grow to seventy feet tall, and by the end of the day, I am only three inches high? I don’t think I could handle such a thing.

I finished my breakfast and stretched. I had a few hours to burn, so it was time to relax.

***

Carien arrived home later that day. I waited for her to enter a candle-lit room where I had dinner prepared for the two of us. It was a bit much for a first date, but we did know each other. And well, I did have my own feelings for her. I had just wanted to take the appropriate steps.

Carien opened the door and let out a gasp. “Oh my. Sarah? What have you done?”

“I wanted to surprise you.”

She dropped her purse by the door and smiled. “I love it. But where did all of this come from?”

I sat down at the table. “Well, with everything going on, we never got to have that first date. So before I have to worry about life, let's slow down and have it. Shall we?”

Carien smiled. “Of course. I would be delighted.” She joined me at the table. “Is this roast duck?”

I nodded. “Yes. Thankfully Fredricks Fancy still paid me because of my, ugh, contract, so I have some money coming in for the time being. And I wanted to make something nice.”

We dug into our meal. The mouthwatering meat fell part in my mouth. “This is really good,” Carien said.

“I know. I am usually not this good at cooking. I was afraid I might have burned your house down.”

“It is a good thing you didn’t, or I would have to be crashing at your place.”

I laughed painfully. “Yeah. So as long as I have known you, I have never had the chance to ask, but what is your family like.”

I gritted my teeth as Carien tapped her fork on her plate. My feet suddenly felt like they were on fire. “They are not worth mentioning.”

“They can’t be any worse than my folks.”

Carien looked away. “I haven’t talked with my family in years. Look, can we just drop this and talk about something else?”

I started to scratch my left foot with my right. “Ok. Different subject.”

Carien smiled. “Do you have any hobbies that I don’t know about? I know that we are close, but I want to know more about you.”

I crossed my arms across the table. “Well, sometimes I enjoy writing some poetry and reading. I just don’t have as much time as I used to.”

Carien smiled. “I would love to read some of your work sometime.”

“I need to go to the bathroom.” I stood up and hobbled into the next room. I was unsteady on my feet. When I got into the bathroom, I took off my shoes and examined my feet, trying to discern the issue. My skin was turning hard, and brown, and my toes were melding together. I winced in pain as the transformation occurred.

Carien knocked on the bathroom door. “Is everything alright?”

“I am having a transformation problem. I have to end the date early. I am sorry.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

My feet were now fully transformed into tiny hooves.

I tried to stand up but failed, falling onto my rear end, hitting the tile floor hard. I reached up and unlocked the door. “Yes, help me walk.”

She flung the oak door open and was at my side in an instant. “You didn’t have any Fredricks Fancy drinks by accident, did you?”

I shook my head as my lower legs became more rigid. “No. I wouldn’t dare on a day like this.”

“Ok, I am just asking as I don’t want to experience anything like this when I am trying to help you. Let’s get you up onto those hind legs, shall we?”

I laughed. “That sounds weird.”

“We are way past weird in our lives, I would think. Hold your arms over me for support.” I threw my right arm around Carien’s shoulder and tried to balance on my new legs. I wobbled for a minute before my limbs stabilized. “Ok, now try taking a step.”

The first step I took, my legs gave out. I fell to the ground, pulling Carien with me.

“This isn’t working.” I looked at my legs and the brown fur with white spots that were starting to grow. “I guess I will just have to wait until the transformation is finished.”

“We are getting you outside first.”

“Why?”

She pulled me up once again. “Because I am not having you transform in my kitchen.

I don’t know what exactly you are turning into yet, but I just cleaned my house. No offense, but if you start to shed that fur all over the place, you are going to clean it up later.”

I rolled my eyes.  Great.

I tried walking once more on two legs, this time having more success. Carien helped me walk to the door before I hunched over in pain once more. She looked at me in concern. “What is wrong?”

“My thighs hurt.” I heard my pants start to tear as my legs began to expand outward.

I could also feel a tail growing, starting to rip through my pants. Suddenly a short tail burst forth as the fur crept up to my waist. I looked back to see the white streak on one end of my tail.

“My lower half looks like a deer.”

“We are almost out, Sarah. Just a few more steps. Hurry before you become any more deer-like.”

I threw my arms over Carien once more. She pushed open the door and helped me outside, the afternoon light blinding my eyes. The moment I was outside, I sat down in the nice soft grass, letting the scent of the nearby pine trees wash over me. Carien closed the door behind me and sighed. “Ok, now we just wait for this to blow over.”

I crossed my arms. “At the rate this stuff is happening, I am going to have to invest money into clothing.” I looked down at my ripped pants. “I miss when my clothing would morph with me.”

The sound of roaring engines filled my ears as they started to itch. “What is that sound?”

Carien walked out into the driveway. “It sounds like someone is coming down my driveway.”

“I need to hide. It could be a Fredricks Fancy representative looking for me.” I tried to stand up, but my legs were too weak to hold my body up. Carien looked back at me.

“Go to the shed. I don’t have time to help you move. Hurry.”

Not wanting to waste time, I ran on all fours for the shed. It was awkward moving with my upper half still human for the most part and my lower half now that of a deer, but it was still more manageable than trying to stand on my hind legs. I pushed my way into the shed as my ears became furry and pointed and shut the door behind me. I then opened the wooden door just enough so I could watch what unfolded outside.

A grungy blue pickup pulled into the driveway. Then an elderly man and a young lady stepped out of the vehicle. The man had a pair of red overalls that were falling apart at the seams and a blue baseball cap that said Best Hunting Father.  The young lady with short blonde hair had a checkered jacket and a rifle strapped across her shoulder.

Carien walked up to them. “Hello, Terry. Ashely.”

“Carien. You know what time of year it is.”

“Look, Terry. I don’t think now is the best time for. . .”

Terry spat to the side before turning around to his daughter. “Go and get my rifle, will you, honey?” He then turned back to Carien. “I thank you again for letting us use this land year after year.”

I gritted my teeth as more fur started to sprout from my face, and my nose jutted out. My teeth flatted, and my eyes budged. I started making grunting noises, no longer able to speak.  Damnit, Sarah, be quiet.  I waited for the changes to continue, but they didn’t; in fact, I felt the strange sensation leave my body. I crossed my arms.  Great, I am stuck as some half-human, half-deer hybrid, and there are hunters nearby.

I pressed my head against the door and tried to listen to the conversation outside. “Look, this isn’t a good time for you to be hunting here,” Carien said.

“Nonsense,” Terry said.

“Here is your rifle, dad.”

“Thanks, honey.” He turned back to Carien. “Last year, we let a majestic buck getaway, and we won’t let the same mistake happen this year. I can’t imagine what that sucker must look like this year. I can’t wait to get out there and find him.”

There was a sudden pain in my rear end as a horsefly bit into my skin. I cried out and kicked the door with my hind legs. “What was that?” Terry said.

“I can see a deer in Carien’s shed,” Ashely said.

“What are you waiting for? Don’t let it get away.”

I ran further inside the shed as a shot rang out. To my dismay, there wasn’t another exit out of the shed; I was trapped. Panic rising in me, I started clawing at the side of the shed. It wasn’t rational, but fear and my semi deer brain had taken hold. I needed to get out. I slammed my fists against the wall, panting as I heard voices closing in. Another strike and the wall gave away. I backed up and rammed into the wall and broke through, running on all fours for the forest line.

Behind me, I could hear voices shouting. “What in the world is that?”

“I don’t know, honey, but I want that on my wall. It will be a story to tell the people back at the lodge. Half man, half beast.”

After a few minutes, I came to a halt by a creek, panting. I had calmed down and was once more in control.  I need to find someplace to hide until I turn back to normal now that I have people hunting me down.

I sat down on the cold earth. I held up my left hand and looked at the bruises already forming on my palm. I need to either figure out how to walk like a satyr or hope I turn entirely into a deer. My hands can’t handle this. I can’t believe I wish I had fully turned into an animal for once.  I tried to roll my eyes, but I didn’t have the muscles to do so.  Still, if I had fully transformed, I might not have gotten out of there alive. This way, I can hold off the deer instincts as long as fear doesn’t take hold.

I slowly stood up, my legs wobbling. It hurt my hind legs but eventually, I was able to balance my body.  Ok, I think I can do this.  I took one slow step after another, trying to relearn how to walk. After a few wobbly steps, I was able to start walking.  I think I have this.  The next step I took, a rough stone hit the base of my right hoof, and I fought for balance, running forward at high speed.  No, no, no. By the time I regained my balance, I was at the edge of a steep hill. I took a deep breath in.

That was close.

I put my hands on my knees to rest like I usually did, but the extra weight made my legs give out, and I tumbled down the hill.  Oww, offh, oww.  When I hit the bottom, I shook myself, knocking leaves and twigs off my body.

Maybe this is as far as I need to go.  I sat down as I was exhausted. Today was just supposed to be a fun date with Carien. Even transforming, I could have had some fun still, but now I was running through the woods for my life.  Why does life work out like this?

Just as I was about to rest my eyes, I heard voices from above. “The bugger went this way. Left a good collection of tracks.”

“Dad, what kind of deer wears clothing?”

“Look, I don’t know. We can find out after we harvest it, ok.”

I stood back up, knowing that I had to get out of here. Fear started to rise in me once more. Calm down, Sarah. You need to stay in control.  I stood up, my head twisting back and forth. I could feel the impulses swirling through my brain more and more.  “Run wild.

Find food. Find a mate. Run hunters.”

I needed to ignore them and stay calm. Giving in to my instincts would only get me killed right now. I need to think clearly.

I sat down by an old oak and put my head in my lap. I wish I knew what I was going to do to get out of this. Wandering out in the middle of nowhere wasn’t an option; heading back to the hunters wasn’t, and going further in wasn’t as I was afraid of what might happen if I found wildlife.

There was a sudden noise from behind me. I turned to see a figure emerge from the bushes. I cried out as Carien walked up to me.

“Sarah, quiet. Do you want my neighbors to hear you?”

I took deep breaths. Carien sighed. “You haven’t been all that stealthy, so I am sure they will be able to find you easily.” She produced a Fredricks Fancy Sparkling Water bottle from her purse. “Here, drink this.”

I shook my head. Carien pressed me. “Come on. I know you don’t want to, as it will cause more issues, but my idiot neighbors are looking for a hybrid deer to hunt. If this turns you back or turns you entirely into a deer, you are golden. Besides, it is illegal around here to hunt does.”

I looked back at her.  I guess I could have a few sips. Carien unscrewed the cap and held it out for me. I opened my mouth and sucked down a few gulps. That was enough to make my body tremble. I shook my head as fur sprouted from my chest and arms, my torso becoming broader.  It hurts.  My breasts vanished into my chest as my body grew. My arms became thicker as hair grew and my hands melded together into hooves.

Afterward, I gave out a sigh. My transformation into a deer was complete. I looked at Carien, happy that I was now somewhat safe. At least the hunters will be looking for something else besides me now.

Then suddenly, the deer instincts flooded my mind. My head become fuzzy, and my vision cloudy. The last thing I saw was running away from Carien.

***

When I awoke, I was sitting back on Carien’s couch.

I sat up, my back killing me. Carien bought me a cup of hot coffee. “Hey, there, sleepy head.”

“Hey.”

“I found you after you reverted back and brought you here.”

“Thanks.”

She kissed me. “We will have to have another date to make up for you turning into a deer on me.”

I sighed. “What happened to your neighbors?”

Carien laughed. “I think they are still out there. They brought an entire news crew thinking they discovered a new species.”

I sipped on the coffee. Well, at least for once, no one knows it was me.