Curiosity (TW)

Thousands upon thousands of hours of role playing games, comic books, fantasy novels, and movies prepare a person--to a certain extent--to confront the unexplainable with at least some level of aplomb. The possibilities were mind blowing. So I sat there for at least a minute just letting my mind be blown. If you've ever been in an already uncomfortable social situation that is suddenly interrupted by a full minute of stunned silence, you can imagine how awkward that was.

Finally, I mustered my first question, "What can you do?"

"Well, to start with, I can read your mind," Elspeth answered. She paused for a minute, obviously considering, and continued, "You know what? That's really all you're going to get for now. The deeper I look into your mind, the less I trust you. Suffice it to say you will keep my secret."

I was powerfully disappointed, but before I could come up with a rejoinder, she was talking again.

"And you're going to let me move in here. I did my research. This is a nice area, convenient to the college, and the rent's reasonable."

While I couldn't exactly forget the whole "witch" thing, this was something I needed to nip in the bud right now.

"Yeah, no. Like I said, I'm --"

She interrupted, "Only interested in a male roommate. I remember. I just don't care. Well, that's not entirely true. I do care a little. I'm not a monster."

Elspeth stood, and paced towards the balcony doors while I sat there with my mouth hanging open like a fish pulled from the water. She spun back around with a smile on her face.

"I've got it!" she exclaimed. "Your problem is that you don't want the inconvenience of a roommate who's so very different from you. Different bathroom habits, different dating habits, et cetera. Right?"

I nodded.

"And you hate it when a girl you think is hot friend zones you, too. We'll leave the whole **** culture conversation for another day. For now, I can fix 99% of our problems with a little applied magic."

I jumped to my feet in shock and--I'm not afraid to admit it--fear. I had no idea what Elspeth could or couldn't do to me, but I frankly didn't want to find out. As soon as I managed to stand, though, I found that I couldn't move any further. Well, I could move my head, but that was about it. And since I was staring at the witch standing near my dining table, I hadn't even noticed that I could move my head. I only knew I couldn't move anything else. She was holding her hand out towards me. Now, she made a lifting motion, and I felt my feet leave the ground entirely. If I could have flailed about, I'm sure I would have. Instead, I just hung there in the air as she walked around me.

She talked as she walked back into the sitting area and walked in a circle around me. Some part of my panicking brain registered that she walked around me three times, counterclockwise. Widdershins, my bookworm memory helpfully provided.

"Yes," she said, "that's exactly what would fix your problems. And be quite a bit of fun for me, as well. Hold still, now." She giggled at her own joke, but then her face got very serious and her gaze very focused. There were no further hand gestures.

Instead, I felt my clothes shred themselves and the bits fly away from my suspended body. Then, it felt as if someone slipped my entire body into a giant, person-shaped glove, starting at my feet and inching its way up. My calves, then my knees, then my thighs were engulfed. My pelvis and hips were next. I looked down, realizing that I could even as I did so, but could see nothing but my naked self hovering about a foot off the floor. That didn't stop the sensation of being engulfed by some tight, smooth garment, though. The feeling didn't stop or slow as it swam up my abdomen, up over my chest to my neck. It did pause there as my hands suddenly got into the act, and the same invisible garment spread up my wrists, forearms, over my elbows, then my upper arms, and finally over my shoulders to the neck. Finally, the sensation shot up all at once over my face. I even felt it on my scalp, though my hair should have prevented that.

Thus far, the experience was merely odd and kind of alarming. Now it graduated to agonizingly painful. If before it felt as if I was enveloped by some sort of full-body glove, now it felt like that glove rapidly began to shrink. Honestly, there's no way to describe it because there's not much in most folks' experience to compare it to. Every square inch of my body was squeezed as if a million ratchet straps were being tightened all around me.

It didn't take long for the first bone to snap. It was the thumb of my left hand. I remember that with one hundred percent clarity. Hearing and feeling that snap was the last clear thought I'd have for a while as one bone after another followed suit. Ribs. Arms. Legs. Jaw. Pelvis. Even my skull was squeezed to the breaking point and beyond. I couldn't scream. I tried, but no sound came out. I couldn't pass out, either. I prayed for that, but no one heard.

The actual next clear, distinct memory I have was of my feet settling gently to the ground. Elspeth was standing in front of me, beads of sweat standing out on her face. The agonizing pressure was gone, but nothing was right.

Elspeth had been several inches shorter than me. Now I looked her straight in the eye. And my body felt way, way off.

I asked, "What the fuck was that?" and was astonished at my voice, which didn't sound like my voice at all.

Elspeth took a deep breath, smiled broadly, and replied, "Now we have a lot more in common."