Sphinx
“At least I’m not becoming female, like they claimed.” He muttered, growling as his tingling fingers moved to his face, his sideburns falling out, fingernails like claws. There was a change, especially in the shoulders. He hunched over, stomach aching as his shoulderblades shifted place, hips starting to rotate as if on an axis. He cried out as muscle began to pile on, his hands becoming useless paws.
Lion-hearted, strong, brave, protector, guard.
Mysterious.
He had forgotten they had called him mysterious, and deep in his mind he knew what was coming. Only one creature fit those words. One that did walk on all fours, and was guardian for others and a protector. He was going to become a sphinx. He also knew all sphinxes were inherently female, and upon that realization his fumbling paws clawed at his jeans, as he felt organs shift into new positions, the pants he wore tearing free and falling useless to the ground. Gassan watched as a roll of fog obscured them, and made them disappear. His mind expanded, intellect growing, a knowledge of riddles, of having all the answers and not being able to give them. He KNEW what was going on, connected at the foundation of truth. He.. now she, strode on all fours to the door and pawed at it.
“Gazala? Did it work?”
“Gazala,” Gassan thought, “it means intelligent and charming.” Dani and Jackie knew the truth of the matter, but now she, Gazala, knew how to stop it. If only she wasn’t bound to keep it secret.
“David needs to let me in, however in so doing he will become more than the mere man he is now. He will need to solve two dilemmas at once, one of self, and one of others.”
David’s voice came to the other side of the door. “Do you mind telling me what any of that is supposed to mean?”
“I am beholden to speak in riddles, David.” Gassan, now Gazala said. “Now get your skinny ass out here and get changed into the form that might be able to help us all out!” she thought. Wishing sphinxes had the ability to just be up front and honest with solving problems.
“If I’m going out there, I need to know if you’ve changed.”
“They won’t believe me, or they’ll be hesitant, but I can not lie. Crap, what the heck am I going to say?” Gazala thought. She spoke after a moment, “What I have been to you is new to me, I speak for Dani and Jackie. But in coming out here into the fog, I have clarity. David, you will be changed into the hero we require. You will be of myth and legend to us all.”
David grumbled, “Do I have a choice?”
“Yes, you could leave me out here to starve, in this fog. As it is, I can not reach the button to close the door, my paws are ill equipped to turn on the fans. If you need to leave this place you put us all in danger of further changes.”
Written by Jack Ripper on 24 December 2015