The Jumper (SF Mystery)

The Jumper 18: You Have No Idea

The other humans thought I had magical powers, of course, because I did not grow old, but no one in that society grew old. Disease, accidents, animals, weather, and infections generally killed them off before they reached their twenties. The rare few who lived to the ripe old age of thirty were the ancient repositories of wisdom.

"After the first few transitions, which were extremely difficult and dangerous, I managed to make a transition to a woman's body. It was much harder being a woman because of the way women were treated, but it was easier to recover from the transitions, and I found their bodies more resilient and easier to manage. I could live as a woman for a hundred years before having to jump to another.

"I went on that way for almost fifty thousand years, gradually learning to keep my hosts alive for hundreds of years at a time."

"Always as women?"

She smiled, "always. There were advantages. For one, men were constantly expected to risk their lives. As a young man, I would be expected to put myself at risk of dying, every day, in both hunting and war. As a young woman, I was a precious commodity, protected, unless the tribe lost a war. If they did, I was booty, handed out as a prize to the conquering warriors, who also protected me."

Jeff was open-mouthed at the casual description of the way she was treated.

She laughed, bitterly. "Modern humans have no idea what life used to be like. I was property, Jeff; fought over and passed about like any property.

"There were still many advantages, though, if one was particularly beautiful. When I came close to my time of change, I chose the most beautiful girl I could find. Even if I were forced to marry–which usually happened–my husband would die, eventually, leaving me young and healthy, and relatively free.

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