Learning more about the change.

"Robert." She said, looking at me suspiciously. "You said you have a student with you?" She didn't open the door more than a crack, and I got the impression she was bracing the door against the possibility that I might try to **** my way in. That was so weird.

"Uh, yeah. Nikki." I beckoned the girl and she came to my outstretched hand. I placed that hand on the back of her neck, completely comfortable with the idea of touching her body by now.

Andrea's eyes took it all in, but when she saw the obvious trauma on Nikki's face, she opened the door and moved closer to inspect her more closely. "Oh my God, what happened to her?"

With the door open, I could see that the receptionist, a pretty woman in her early thirties, was hiding behind Andrea's desk, watching warily. She was also not quite a person.

It seemed odd for me to have to explain myself to this thing, but habit at answering to the principal won out. "I confiscated her when she changed to this. It caused a disruption."

"No, Robert, obviously I mean this!" She indicated the red eyes and smeared cum on her skin and in her hair. "She's been ****!"

Woah, that was a dirty word. I didn't like the sound of it. I certainly hadn't **** anyone. Nikki wasn't even a person.

At the sound of the word, the teen started crying again. I rolled my eyes. This conversation was tiring.

"Whatever. I'm going home." I turned towards the main door.

"W-wait!" Andrea stopped me, looking nervous.

"What? I've had a long day, Andrea."

She looked at Nikki, and then back to Carol, the receptionist, then back to me. The expression on her face was familiar. She was struggling with a difficult decision. "Take us home." She said at last.

"What? Don't you live across town? That's way out of my way. And I don't even know where... No. No way." I was in no mood to drive shit all over town. I just wanted to get home.

She pushed Nikki into the office, and Carol reached for her, helping her into the chair. I couldn't hear what she was saying.

Andrea stepped out of the office and pulled the door closed to speak to me privately. "Robert. Look, I know you're a good man. With everything happening, I don't know what to do. But I trust you... I think." She looked at me like I might try to rob her, then sighed. Her usual confidence was nowhere to be seen. "I'm scared."

I looked at her, her emotional appeal having no impact on me in the slightest. She was older than me. Not unattractive, I supposed, but definitely past her prime. I looked down her body and she shifted uncomfortably.

"Robert. Please. This is serious." Then she looked surprised "Wait, do you not know?"

"Not know what?"

She shook her head. "My God. Robert. It's awful. It's not just me and Carol and that poor girl. It's everyone. Everywhere. All of us!"

I scrunched my eyebrows together. "What do you mean?"

She really did look scared. Whatever this was, it must have really been important. Nothing usually bothered Andrea Blackburn. "Robert. This thing that's happened to me." She gestured to her whole body. "It's all women. In the whole world. Every single woman age 18. This is really happening. I... I don't know what to do!"

I pondered that. "Oh. Well, I guess you can't be principal anymore. I mean, who would want," I motioned to her, imitating her own gesture, "this in charge of their students?"

She glared at me, barely controlling her voice. "Yes, I suppose you're right." Then she shook her head and looked back at the door to her office. "So you don't feel anything for us? For our... situation? Truly?"

I shook my head. "Why should I?"

She shivered. "Good God. You're one of the best men I know. If you're already this numb... Robert, don't you see this is horrifying? It's affecting you. You see that, right?"

"Is this going somewhere? I'm off the clock. I want to go."

She stared at me, stunned. "It's really true, isn't it. Carol and I, when we felt it happen. She's got a lot of social media and friends and things. She heard about it first. We locked the doors and hid. What else could we do? It's a miracle you found Nikki. Did you see who attacked—" She looked at me again with new suspicion, but kept her thoughts to herself.

She took a deep breath, and I recognized her steeling herself to say something unpleasant. "Look, Robert. I should stay. I should look after my staff and students. I know that, but this is too much. I just want to go home to my husband. Please. I beg you. Take me home. I don't want to go out there alone."

"Geez. Again with that? That adds like thirty minutes to my drive. No way."

She looked ****. "This is insane. Robert. Look at me. You know me. How can you be like this?" Then she took another breath and changed her approach. "My husband... You know him. He speaks very highly of you. He must be worried about me. He would want me back. Can you understand that? Can you empathize with him, if not with me? Have you never lost something precious to you? Please. For him."

I hadn't considered that. Dr. Blackburn was like a friend. I couldn't deny that he would probably want his wife delivered safely to him. "Ugh. Fine. Give me your keys to the school. I'm relieving you of your title. And I'm not taking them." I indicated the closed door. I would call the school board in the morning and let them know I'd saved the school from being headed by a woman. By an inhuman thing.

She nodded and pressed the keys into my hands. "Yes, fine. Please. I don't care anymore. Thank you. My husband thanks you." Then, under her breath with a glance to the closed door, "God help us all."

I led the way towards the parking lot. Andrea followed quietly, looking grim.