E-VOLV

Part 4- Upgrade

A/N in the revised version that is offline, there are major changes in the story starting in this chapter.

I am not sure how long I was in the bathroom writhing in pain and retching but it stopped just as quickly as it started. The pain was gone.

I ...felt fine.

No weakness. No vomit yuck mouth. I went to look in the mirror and my gums were a nice healthy shade of pink and my teeth looked white, pearly and strong. I smiled like Chester Cheetah. Stuck my tongue out this way and that and looked all around my pie hole and could see no malformations.

Well alrighty then. Guess it was some sort of internal upgrade.

I washed my face and once again started the toothbrush. I paused briefly before putting it in my mouth, anticipating another bout of pain but it was thankfully uneventful as I placed it against my teeth.

After gargling and rinsing my mouth out, I went back over to the toilet to flush it. The sound of something bumping against the porcelain stopped me in my tracks. I looked just as the bowl emptied and thought I saw something small and white disappear down the drain. Confused as to what it could be I assumed I had chipped something off the toilet seat. I considered taking another shower and looked dubiously at the stall. I 'll wait. opting instead to wash up in the sink. I slipped into a superman t shirt and some soft cotton shorts and headed into the kitchen for a snack.

Snacks and drink in hand I made a beeline to the living room sofa.

I spent the rest of the afternoon watching television and trying not to think about Noel or this morning's episode. After a few shows I decided to get in a little bit of fresh air and went for a walk in the park. I inhaled the fresh city garden air and my whole being felt alive. I felt like I was part of nature. I exhaled and a breeze simultaneously blew, as if Mother Nature and I were in sync. I wondered what Noel was doing but fought the urge valiantly to reach for his mind. I wondered if there were others like me. Of course there had to be. I couldn't be alone in this, could I? The park provided no answers for me. I headed home.

The afternoon quickly faded into evening and the smell of rain was in the air as I got back to my apartment. Pushing the elevator button, I was reminded again about the stubborn latch from this morning. On the ride up in the empty elevator, I used the time it took to travel the 12 floors to visualize opening and closing the latch. Pulling and pushing it. Determined not to let it beat me, I decided to try once again.

Inside my apartment, I went straight over to the balcony window, pulled the curtains back and as I was reaching to unlock it manually, it clicked open. Confused, my hand suspended in the air like I had just shot a pretty two pointer, I visualized closing it and it clicked back in the other direction. I tried it a few more times to make sure it wasn't a fluke and it was consistent.

Okay, I guess I was doing something wrong this morning.

Feeling renewed, I tried opening the window and it opened with ease. I closed it and opened it a few more times to make sure I had it right. Closing the curtains back with a wave of my hand, I looked around my apartment for other things to move. I opened and closed doors and drawers around my apartment for the next hour or so. I was giddy but who could I tell?No one would believe me or maybe they would and then I could be in a world of trouble.

Rain had started to fall sometime during the last hour while I was playing around with my new abilities. Finally deciding it was safe to jump in the shower again and feeling much more like myself after emerging uneventfully from the same shower I stepped into, I looked at the clock on the wall and realized I had not picked out anything to wear for the event I was supposed to go to this evening. I was a co- worker's plus one and had promised to meet her there for at least the dinner and speeches so she could put in an appearance without looking like a loser. She was currently 'in between relationships,' as she put it.

Yes those are air quotes.

I was temping, so I did not get an invite. Shelly, legally, Shelby Kaufeldstein, was a social butterfly and immediately assigned herself to me on my first day in the office 2 years ago and has not unattached herself yet. She was a perky blond waif of a thing and flitted more than walked, always smiling. She was like-able-ish.

What to wear... I thought as I headed to my closet.

Deciding on a clingy LBD with a deep neckline, form fitting skirt and a scandalous plunging cutout in the back. I slipped the dress on. I liked what I saw in the mirror. My girls were ample and prominently displayed and ready for a night out. I stepped into a pair of itty bitty string thongs and then added some ski high black and silver pumps and a little silver clutch. I figured I would definitely turn a few heads. I spent considerable time on my hair and decided finally to just do a messy top knot. A little mascara and a touch of raisin plum lip gloss and the kid was almost ready to go. My honey skin was radiant. My eyes were luminous. I'd do me. I said jokingly to the mirror and blew myself a kiss.

I reached in the back of my panty drawer and pulled out a small box. In my trinket jar, on the dresser, was the key to open it. The pendant and ring were vintage pieces. They were given to me when I was a child in the orphanage. A gift from a mother that died during my birth.

Taking out the delicate silver necklace and pendant that currently held 10 tiny opalescent gemstones in a perfect circle the size of a quarter, I placed it around my neck. The pendant fit snugly between my breasts. I put the silver ring on my finger. It had a beautiful blood red stone that sat just off center in its intricate design. The wraparound designed band ending in a sharp point.

Ready to go, I picked up my little clutch and dropped the box and key into it. Through all of this, the pendant and ring were the only 2 things I could never leave behind. After giving myself a once over in the mirror. I looked around the apartment wistfully. Then headed to the front door. This would probably be the last time I saw it.

©Venis Nytes

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