The serum

The storm raged across the valley. Visibility had been reduced to next to nothing. The twin engine plane struggled to maintain altitude. The light level inside the cockpit was dark and power levels aboard the plane were failing. A flash of light lit up the pitch black sky, the thunder that accompanied it was so loud that it shattered several windows on the plane, including two in the cockpit. The noise the from the wind created by the decompression and the rain and near constant thunder filled the cockpit. The planes engines were starting to fail, and the crew could hear the propellers struggling. The left engine gave out first, the crew knew they had to make an emergency landing.

"We have to make an emergency landing sir!" the co-pilot, Commander David Archer loudly said. The noise from the rain was so loud that everyone had to yell to be able to hear each other.

"If we land we run the risk of our cargo being exposed!" the Pilot, Colonel William Bartan yelled.

"One way or another were going down! If we don't make an emergency landing now there won’t be anything left of the cargo! We have no choice", the navigator said.

"Very well! I'm taking her down in lake Saint Claire over there! " William Bartan said.

The plane maneuvered, slowing descending towards the body of water. The winds from the storm suddenly picked up, rocking the plane severely. In the Cargo area, Major Mark Draven was guarding the cargo, and was jolted out of his site by the impacts. Picking himself up, he radioed the cockpit.

"What's going on up there?!?".

"Major! Were going down! We are attempting to make an emergency landing in lake.." before he could finish, a strange feeling permeated the plane. Time seemed to slow down, and everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Something hit the side of the plane hard. Several breeches opened up in the skin of the plane, rain poured in. Time seemed to get slower and slower. A bright light surrounded the plane, the rain seemed to stop. Before anyone could react, the plane seemed to come to a stop in mid air. All sounds around and inside the plane seemed to come to a stop. The slow motion effect increased in intensity, movement became almost impossible. The planes instruments were going haywire.

"What's happening?" Colonel Bartan asked, his voice sounding as if it were being played in super slow motion.

"I don't know I've never seen anything like it before!" Commander Archer responded. Before anyone could react, the slow motion effect seemed to dissipate, and the planes instruments stared working again. The white light surrounding the plane darkened, forming into the floor of the forest. The planes forwards motion resumed and with a thud it smashed into the forest of the floor, which was suddenly only a few feet below it. Before coming to a stop, the plane knocked down several trees. Several holes were pierced in the skin of the plane, and the crew had to hold on as tight as they possibly could to avoid being thrown. The pane came to rest at an odd angle, slanted towards the left side.

Something was wrong, the storm was gone and it was no longer night. The crew seemed to be okay. Picking themselves up, they realized something was very wrong.

"What the hell happened? And where are we?" Bartan asked. "I don't sir, all instruments are offline.", Archer responded.

"Colonel! We have a problem! The container! It's been breached.", came the call from the back!

"Initiate containment procedures! Hurry!" The colonial ordered.

****

Where did it come from? Who are they? How did they get here? One minute I'm sleeping comfortably in a tree, the next minute this huge thing appears in a flash of light and knocks a bunch of tree's over. It sounds like there are people in it. I'm gonna go check them out!

****

Mark Draven did everything he could to contain the cargo container, but it had sustained too much damage in the crash. Vials of the serum were pouring out of it, rolling across the floor of the plane. Several had rolled out of the large hole that was situated in the back of the plane. The angle of the plane allowed the vials to roll right out of the breech and onto a large rock that was situated right beside it, it having most likely caused the breech. Several of the vials shattered, spilling their contents as they hit the rock, but a few managed to stay intact, and fell to the grassy ground below.

"Damn it!" he said as he saw yet another vial get away from him and fell out the hole. William Bartan walked into the back area of the plane, and saw what the situation was.

"We have to contain it!" if any person were to come into contact with even a small amount of the serum, the consequences could be disastrous!", he said.

"Yes sir, but how do we contain the vials that have smashed? And where are we? What happened? What was that light and strange effect?", Draven asked.

"We don't know yet, but firsts things first, we must clean this up!", the colonel answered.

****

This looks nothing like the other flying things I've seen fly over, it looks a lot older. Looks like there is a hole in it at the side. I'm going to go in and see what's going on. As I look in the hole, I see something fall of out it. OUCH that really hurt! What’s the liquid on my head? What broke on me? I feel weird. Why are those guys looking at me like that? Why are they screaming 'stop him'? Stop me? Why do they want to stop me? What did I do to them? What's that rolling across the floor over there. Cool! It's shiny! I want it!. What's going on? I feel strange! Why is my fur glowing? Why do they seem to be afraid of me? I won't hurt them Maybe if I rub up to them it will calm them down. Why are they backing off? Why do they look so upset? Their faces look strange! Their starting to look like me, they're even shrinking! This is cool! Why do they sound so upset? Their voices sound strange. Cool! They're starting to sound like me! Cool! There are 2 other ones. Who are Mark and William? I'm gonna go nuzzle up to those two other guys. I'm not glowing that brightly anymore, I wonder why? Why do they back away as well? Wait a minute, those two other guys, after I nuzzled them they started growing fur and shrinking. This is cool, I get to have 4 friends. I'd better hurry and touch them before I stop glowing. I don't know why they look so upset, me touching them must feel warm and now that their growing fur they must be even warmer. Whatever was in that thing that broke on me, the same stuff must be in all those shiny things I'm gonna take one home with me. Why are those guys so upset, their just like me now. I got 4 buddies to play with, common guys don't be upset lets play. That's the spirit. But first I want to drop this shiny thing off at home. Don’t worry guys you'll be fine, you'll like being like this. Common I will show you around, that's the spirit!

****

Paul and Sabrina had been dating for 3 years. It was the middle of summer and they had just graduated from high school a month ago. Paul knew of a lake in the middle of a forest, lake Saint Claire. It had a small beach on it, but very few people knew of it. It was a warm day and when Sabrina had asked him if he wanted to go for a swim, he had suggested this lake. It was secluded and was clean, they could have privacy and some time to themselves.

"So how did you find out about this lake?" she asked.

"I remember once reading about a military plane that disappeared near the lake nearly 50 years ago, it was right over it during a nasty thunderstorm when they lost contact with their base. No trace of it was ever found. One day I decided to come here to see if I could find anything, you know, just out of curiosity and I found the beech", he responded.

"Interesting, it will be nice to be able to go to a beech that doesn't have 50,000 people on it and where the water isn't dirty", she responded.

"Well, the water in lake Saint Claire is very clean. Some say it's clean enough to drink. Although it probably would be best not to risk it." He responded.

"I can't wait to see it", she said in anticipation.

"We should be there in about an hour" he said.

****

It's so much fun having 4 brothers to play with every day. I can tell that their happy like this, they may have been upset at first but I just have to listen to the sounds they make now to know they enjoy their lives. It's weird, they said year is 1952. I have seen other humans in this forest, and they say the year is 2002. It's so confusing, why do these guys think it's 1952? Why does their flying thing look so much older then the others I have. It's like they just skipped all those years. But no matter, they're happy now and that's what matters. Drinking from and playing in the lake is so much fun. On a warm day like this it's a great way to cool down. What's that sound? Something coming. Not something, someone. It's two more humans. They can see us, and their smiling, I wonder if we can get food from them.

****

Paul and Sabrina walked towards the beach and saw the 5 raccoons playing in the water.

"Cool, I love raccoons, their so cute and smart", Sabrina said.

"So do I, I brought some food for them, as I knew there were a lot of them in this forest" Paul responded.

"I hope we don't scare them", Sabrina said. Reaching into the bag he had brought with him, Paul picked out several small pieces of food.

****

He's got food! Guys he's got food! And she said were cute and smart. I like them already. Let's go over and get some. Common we can run faster then that! there we go! Cool their running towards us! I love when they bend down to give us food, it's so cute. That's some great food, some of the best I've ever tasted. Maybe if I nuzzle up to her they'll give us some more. Oh this is great! She's petting me! That feels great. That's it right behind the ears, oh yes that’s the spot. Wow! She's great at this. She must have petted others of our species before. Common bro's try it out, it feels great, I think I'll have some more of that food he's got. You don't want to give me too much? You can never have too much food. Maybe if I give him my puppy dog eyes look he'll give me some more. It's working, there we go. Thanks, that’s great food. I'm just gonna lay back on my back now and relax. She doing something, she rubbing my belly! Wow that feels nice. I love it when they say we look and sound cute. Have some more food guys, it's not too often you see humans this generous especially ones that want to give us belly rubs. She great at this. They are giving me an idea, I think I have a use for the shiny thing. I'm gonna go get it. Thanks for the food and scritches guys.

****

"That was cute. I love the way they warble and chitter like that. Their fur was so soft" Sabrina said as she and Paul watched the 5 raccoons walking away.

"Me too. So, shall we go for a swim" Paul asked. "Sounds like a great idea" Sabrina responded. The two of them had their bathing suits on under their clothes, so they stripped down to just their bathing suits and ran into the water. The water felt very comfortable, it wasn't too warm and wasn't too cold. It was nice and clear. Both excellent swimmers, they swam across the lake several times. They had been swimming for hours, it had become dark, with a beautiful full moon and a sky full of stars. It was still warm out, and Paul had an interesting idea.

"You know, were alone here so we have lots of privacy, we could take off our bathing suits off and no one would know" he said, sounding rather mischievous.

"Well, normally I don't think it'd be appropriate, but what the heck!" she said, as she slipped her bikini off, followed by Paul slipping his trunks off.

"You look beautiful" he said. The two of them hugged each other under the moonlight and resumed playing in the water.

****

I hope they haven't left. I really should take better care of my place, it took my forever to find the shiny thing. It's still warm out, I hope they haven't left. Good, there is something moving in the lake, it looks like it's them. What are they doing? Why'd they take off their um what did they call it? Oh yes bathing suits, why'd they take them off? Human's are so weird. They don't see me yet. Just wait till I show them the shiny thing. Maybe if I get their attention, by making some noise. There we go, they can see me, and their walking towards me! If I can just get this thing opened! There! Now to pour the stuff inside of it on myself. Wow its warm, I feel funny again. Cool! I'm glowing. They sound upset, now all I need to do is to get them to touch me.

****

"What's wrong with him? Why is he glowing?" Sabrina asked.

"I don't know, what if something wrong with him? And what's that vial beside him?" Paul asked as they walked onto the beech, approaching the raccoon. The raccoon walked towards them, and made sounds indicating he wanted them to pet him.

"I don't know if we should touch him, what is he's sick?" Paul asked.

"We already touched him earlier today, if any damage has been done then it's probably already been done. Anyway, if he’s sick, maybe we can help him somehow." Sabrina responded. Paul agreed and they walked towards him. The raccoon responded happily running towards them and snuggling up to them. As they both petted him, he calmed down somewhat.

"He seems to be okay, but why is he glowing? Sabrina! Your face!" Paul said, sounding very urgent. The raccoon stood back and watched the two of them, as if expecting something to happen, and when something appeared to be happing, he started chirring happily.

"What about my face?" she asked, as her face started to feel itchy. Reaching up to scratch her face, she felt something totally unexpected.

"FUR? What's going on? What's happening to me? Paul! Your face! You have fur! It looks like his!" she said, pointing to the raccoon.

"So does yours!" he responded, as he felt the fur on his face.

"It's spreading!" he said, sounding very urgent. He held his arms out in front of him, watching as grayish-brown fur started to grow on his arms and down his chest. He looked at Sabrina, and it had been spreading on her as well. The fur was spreading down her chest and arms quickly growing into a thick pelt. Must to her perturbation, her breasts were shrinking and she appeared to be growing 3 sets on nipples down her chest.

"Of all things to change, why did it have to be that!" she said, watching the nipples grow in. Paul was on his knees, his entire chest and back were covered in a pelt of grayish-brown fur, his hands looked like paws, or to be more specific, raccoon paws. His face started to feel strange, feeling as if something was pulling on it. His ears had been feeling strange and he felt something growing on top of his head. Watching Sabrina, he could guess what was happening to him. Her nose and mouth were changing, growing into a short muzzle, her nose had turned black and whiskers were growing out from it. She was growing new ears on top of her head, and her human ears were being absorbed. He felt a pulling at the base of his spine.

"Paul! Your growing a tail!", Sabrina said, as she watch a long and furry tail growing from his spine.

"So are you!" he said, as the same thing happened to her.

"You did this? But why and how?" they said, as they looked at the raccoon, who was now very happily warbling, they noticed that he seemed bigger somehow.

"Is he growing?" Paul asked. Looking around at their surroundings, everything seemed to be bigger

"No! Were shrinking!" Sabrina responded. Paul's hips started to hurt and he could feel the bones changing. He had to lay down, as the feeling was very strange, it didn't really hurt, but the feeling was bizarre enough that he didn't want to depend on his legs to support him while this was happening.

"my hips! They feel so strange!" he said "mine too!" Sabrina responded. Both of their hips seemed to feel almost as if the bones were turning into liquid, the bones in their almost liquefied state changed shape, and re-solidified. Their legs underwent a similar state, re-shaping and growing fur. They both continued to shrink, gasping at their changes. Paul tried to speak, but his voice had been changed. Only the sound of a raccoon's distress signal came out. He looked towards Sabrina and when she tried to speak, she too could no longer make human sounds. Both of their legs seemed to have finished reshaping and were now fully furred, and shaped like the raccoon. They both seemed to understand him now. Their arms started to reshape, the bones feeling almost liquid like, shrinking and reshaping. Looking at each other, then the raccoon, they saw that they were now his size. As the bones in their arms re-solidified, they stood up.

Paul looked at the formerly human raccoon standing beside him, and she looked at him. They both warbled in confusion. Looking at them, the raccoon walked over to and hugged both of them, welcoming them to their new lives.

Both Paul and Sabrina could only make raccoon sounds, but they could understand them, and were able to have a conversation.

"Well this was certainly unexpected" Paul said, looking at Sabrina, realizing how beautiful she looked as a raccoon.

"Yes it was, but I have to admit you look great." She responded.

"and you look beautiful" he said. "Maybe this won't be so bad." She said.

"You've love it here! Common I will show you around and introduce you to my bro's" the raccoon said. Happily, they followed him into the forest, looking forward to what the future had in store for them.