Change of Identity (The Ruh-ruh-redux!)

Chapter 8 The Deal

((This chapter has a lot of crap going on so prepare yourselves. You have been warned.))

I woke up, feeling better for the first time in a while. I got up to go talk to Mabel and make sure we were all good.

"Mabel?" I faltered, then tentatively pressed my hand to my throat. No...

I looked down, and it hit me.

I was a guy again!

But my excitement was short-lived, because it was then I noticed Mabel's bed was empty. I glanced at the clock. 7:30. Mabel was never up before 8:00.

She was gone.

I was so busy trying to look to see if she was hiding and messing with me that I didn't notice when the world turned black and white. A familiar voice echoed behind me.

"Looking for someone, Pine Tree?"

I spun around. "Bill!"

It was him, sure enough. But next to him, Mabel floated, suspended in midair and sleeping.

"Give her back!" I yelled.

"Well, Pine Tree, this was part of the deal we made. Shooting Star sacrificed herself so you could be back to normal. Isn't that so nice?" If Bill had a mouth, he'd be smirking.

"No! It's not! Give her back!" I repeated.

"It's not that easy, kid. The only way to undo this deal is to reverse it." Bill narrowed his eye. "Do you realize what that would mean?"

I thought for a second. I did realize it. If I wanted Mabel back, I had to reverse her deal. Meaning...to get her back, I would have to be a girl forever.

I gave a small nod.

"In that case, I'll give you the choice." Bill said, then darkness wrapped around everything but him, Mabel and I. We were sitting in a void.

Then two small orbs appeared, one to my left, one to my right. They both glowed a strange bright teal and had sparks shooting out every now and then.

"Here's how it works, Pine Tree." Bill began. "Grab the orb to your left, and the deal is reversed. You get your precious sister back, but you're her sister forever." The orb to my left flared brighter for a second. "Grab the orb to your right, and the deal stands. You don't get Shooting Star back, but you get to stay a boy." The orb to my right flared at this point.

I looked between the two orbs.

It was me or her.

Mabel or me.

Who would I rather sacrifice for the other?

I took a deep breath.

"I've made my decision." I told Bill. He rubbed his hands together, as if this was his personal game show and it was at the good part. Which was actually pretty true.

I reached out with my right hand...

And grabbed the orb to my left.

"Kid, no!" Bill screeched. "You're not supposed to do that!"

I held tight. The orb began to glow brighter, beams shining through the spaces in between my fingers. Some sort of wind blew from it, blowing me back, but I held tight.

"I'd do anything for Mabel!" I yelled into the nothingness.

Then everything went black.

((I warned you!))