Page 12 of Citrine

"¡Madre mía!"

I reach out a trembling hand, expecting another hallucination, but I feel a smooth, vaguely latex-like material under my hand.

Driven by curiosity, I command my clothing to dissolve and it leaves me exposed once more to the strange reality I find myself in. A yellow triangle marks the juncture of my thighs, a symbol of the inexplicable changes that have overtaken me.

Surveying my altered form, I can't help but notice the differences that extend beyond my canary yellow hair.

My breasts have swelled beyond my already generous C cup, which is just great. More back problems in my future. My hips have further widened from their already curvy shape, but it's the strange tightness in my belly that disturbs me the most.

It feels artificial, as if it doesn't belong to me. I liked the womanly swell of it before, which was hard earned after years of rough living.

"What exactly happened?" I mumble to myself, my fingers pressing into my throbbing temples. "Dios, don't tell me I'm the only one here."

I ignore the tinge of guilt that comes with hoping someone else is sharing this screwed up situation.

But still. I can't go that long without talking to people. The compulsion to speak as a way to center my racing mind and anxieties is already growing.

Taking over clear thought and reasoning.

I pull my arms close and imagine they are coated in sunshine so I can think it all through. My body is different, the environment is all wrong. I don't recognize any of the plants or bugs I've seen so far, and it's a hobby of mine to memorize them.

"Toto, we're not in Arizona anymore."

I can't quite say it yet, but I'm starting to wonder if I'm even on Earth anymore.

My movements are cautious, each step deliberate as I walk through the uneven terrain. Suddenly, something catches my eye.

The sun's rays reflect off a glint beyond the jagged rocks, and I realize it's a lake.

Trees tower overhead, their gnarled branches reaching out like skeletal fingers against the ominous rocky formations. Sharp brown rocks protrude from the ground, their surfaces mottled with patches of green, purple, and yellow lichen.

I swallow hard, the dryness in my throat becoming unbearable. "I'll have to find water."

No way is that lake water safe to drink.

As I press forward, the long shadows cast by the trees and rocks stretch across the dusty planet. With the failing sunlight, an eerie chill hangs in the air, causing me to shiver.

I cast a wary glance around me, my heart hammering in my chest. The dense purple and green foliage behind the rocks obscures my view, heightening my sense of claustrophobia.

Every nerve in my body is on edge. Yet, despite the unease, there's no sign of any presence other than my own. Alone in this strange wilderness, it seems.

Even as I think it, I can't ignore the sense that something lurks just beyond my line of sight. The rustle of leaves and the faint whisper of wind through the trees only serve to amplify my unease.

Memories of childhood adventures flicker through my mind. I remember getting lost in the woods as a child, only to be rescued by mypadrewithin minutes. A faint smile tugs at the corners of my lips as I reminisce about the warmth of those moments spent with him.

But the smile fades as quickly as it came, replaced by a surge of longing and sorrow. If only he hadn't left the world. I wonder how different my life would be.

Tears prick at my eyes, threatening to spill over, but I quickly shake my head, banishing the unwelcome emotions.

"This is not the time, Eli," I murmur to myself, steeling my resolve.

With a deep breath, I close my eyes and center myself, preparing to face whatever lies ahead. When I open them again, I take in my surroundings one last time.

Behind me, the forest looms like a dark, foreboding presence.

To my right and left, the trees are lighter in color, reaching up to thirty or forty feet in height. Ahead of me, the landscape shifts abruptly to a jumble of rocks, each one a different shade of brown, illuminated by the kaleidoscopic patterns created by the sun's reflection on scattered shards from the silver vehicle.

"Hijo de puta."

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