BBW: Anomaly Points Book 1

“OK, Carla, what’s going on with you?” I asked.

“My mutations are complicated. Since getting here, my mutations have been trying to manifest, but I don’t have enough essence. I would become conscious as they started, and the pain would go on and on until everything went black again. The first time I actually mutated was when you supplied me with essence, Bob. The Staff have photos of that mutation, but it is not this one. This is a result of the last change, and you swamped me with enough essence to bring me back to consciousness. Before that, it was like I was dying of thirst, but it was the essence I lacked.”

“So you have two different forms?” I asked.

“No. I have two completed forms I can use, plus my human form, but there are more potential uncompleted forms that may be possible.”

“You can change into your human form as well?”

“I am pretty sure. But there is a price. A high price for changing forms. The first price is Essence. I don’t have enough on my own. I need to borrow through our connection.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem, depending on how much and how much I have available. What is the other price?”

“Pain.”

“Oh shit.”

“Oh, shit,” she agreed. “I am very reluctant to change forms.”

“I can understand that,” having felt a portion of the pain.

“Can I examine the scales? The change is not just the scales, right?”

She held out her arm. I poked and prodded and tried lifting one. They were solid and like fish scales. I sniffed close to see if I could smell anything.

“These look real and solid, but you are saying they will go away somehow?”

Carla nodded, “Not that I have tried yet. It is going to take a bit to work up the courage.”

I nodded. “I am not sure you realise how big this is, though?”

“Big?” Carla queried.

“Essence. Until now, it was just a cause of Mutation. Fixed mutations that don’t change, except yours do. Essence can, therefore, change physical things. What else can it be used for?”

Carla and Soph were just looking at me. Carla shrugged.

“Yeah, I don’t know myself, but we can experiment.”

Carla looked at me suspiciously, “Are you thinking it is going to be like one of your fantasy novels? Like magic?”

“Ah… yes, maybe?” I said a bit sheepishly.

“I think we should get back to Carla’s mutations,” Sophia said.

“Yes,” I agreed. “Tell us what you think the forms are and what you think they might do. We realise you won’t know until you test them.”

“OK, first of all, I think the gills are permanent in all forms, including the human one.”

“That's good. Can I look at them closer?”

Carla nodded, and I moved up the bed. She moved her head to the side so I could get close to her neck. There were six lines or slits where the flesh separated. The top one was a bit different. It seemed to be angled the opposite way to the others.

“How do they work?” I asked.

“I have had the gills since shortly after arriving, so they have been examined and x-rayed to death while I was unconscious. I activate them like this,” and she did something, and the top gill opened, but the others didn’t change. “The top opening isn’t a gill. It is just an opening to let water flow into the mechanism. The water then flows through and out the other five, which are gills and extract the oxygen from the water. I have not tested them yet, but the consensus is I have to keep water flowing through them for them to work.

“That makes sense. Keep moving like the sharks have to.”

“Yeah, but I need to test it in a pool or something.”

“You could be pulled along by something underwater. You wouldn't have to be swimming.”

“That's true,” Carla said.

“I like them,” I said and then ran my tongue over them. The scales felt interesting.

“I didn’t feel that past the scales,” Carla said. “I wonder how sensitive they might be when skin covers them.”

“I guess we will find out,” I said. Sophia was looking at me strangely again. She had no touch or taste available through the contamination suit she was wearing. She would have to wait.

“The ultrasounds and other testing suggest my body is denser, hardened against pressure, which should also make it more durable overall. I am assuming that is also permanent, but we will see.”

I just nodded.

“A sample of these scales has been taken for testing, but preliminary results suggest they have the same properties as fish scales and will provide protection, especially against piercing and cutting.”

“Not bullets.”

“Not bullets, but knives etc, as long as they are not going against the way the scales lie. They also make me streamlined and can help me swim faster.”

“So denser, more durable body and light armour plating. I like it.”

Carla smiled. Then the smile disappeared as she said, “I will probably never have hair again.”

“Phfft,” Sophia said, “That’s what wigs are for. You probably want to stick with black, But there was a nice dark purple one that I liked. A bit of make-up, and you are good to go.”

Carla gave her a thankful smile. It would only help from a distance, but Sophia had obviously been thinking about it since she arrived.

“Anything else?” I asked.

“Not until we can test it.”

“What about your other form? What do you know”

“It is a different type of scale, more bone, like a shark's scale. So it is not shiny like this. It is probably smoother in the water. There seemed to be flesh protrusions on my back and feet.” She sighed. “Fins, they are fins. Like a shark's fins.”

“No fins on this form?”

Carla shook her head, then said hesitantly, “There is something else. I ah… ah… get shark teeth.”

“Shark teeth, like in your mouth?” I asked.

She nodded, reached over, pulled open the top drawer or the side cabinet, and handed over a tooth.

It was pointed and curved and wicked sharp.

“Wow. Was it painful?”

“I was unconscious, but I imagine it will be very painful, and I can't imagine I will ever need them.”

I shrugged, “No idea, but I don’t think I ever want it to be me. Do they change your teeth or push them out and regrow?”

“Push them out and regrow.”

“Ouch.”

“I might not be trying that form for a long time, if ever.”

“So you are a limited shape changer, but at a high cost,” I said.

“Seems like,” she replied. “I think there might be other shapes, but they may not be complete or formed or whatever it is. I ate everything I could get my hands on, including a crab and a Pipi that was on the rocks.”

“Shellfish? Wow, that could be strange.”

“You had a jellyfish, so you can’t talk”, she said.

“True.”

“We made some final plans and unpacked the phone and laptop Sophia had purchased.

“Is my number on this SIM, or is it random?” Carla asked.

“It is a random prepay. I figured you would get your phone back.” Soph replied.

“Are you staying in this room now?” Carla asked me.

“I fingered I would. I bought the TV and everything.”

“If we do get separated, take the laptop. We can message through it.” Carla said.

“Sorry, I would have bought two of everything if I had known,” Soph said.

“No problem, we will get our stuff back soon,” I said, logging into the hospital wifi.

“Everything tracked,” Carla said.

“Everything tracked,” I replied. “You know they are going to try and divide a wedge between us, right? Sophia is probably the weak link.”

“Sophia knows the deal, don’t you?” Carla said.

“You and me forever. Bob the fucktoy.” She replied.

“Excuse me! I am the Lifesaving Fucktoy, thank you very much.”

Sophia turned to me and said, “Thank you. Thank you for saving Carla’s life. She can be impulsive, reckless and even crazy. I wasn’t there to pull her back this time, so thanks. I owe you for that.”

“Shit. I have never been in this situation before. How am I supposed to respond to that?” I said.

“Don’t even try, Bob,” Carla said. “Just accept it.”

“You know they will try to drive a wedge between the three of us? They will tell you, Soph, that you are inadequate in bed because she has a fucktoy. From being bad in bed, they will, therefore, say you are not a good enough girlfriend.”

Carla just laughed.

Sophia said, “They won’t be the first. I am secure in who I am and who we are as a couple. Not everything is about sex. They will never know, and it is none of their business.”

“I taught her that the best way to respond to those accusations is to laugh in their faces,” Carla said. “She doesn't do it often enough. She is too nice.”

“Nice is certainly something you need, you evil witch,” I said.

“So do you, you selfish bastard. I found my nice. Good luck finding yours.” Carla responded.

“Maybe you could share?”

“Fuck off,” Carla said. “She’s too nice for you,” and she gave me the finger.

I just smiled. Things were getting back to normal.

“You know where you are going, Soph?” I asked.

“Lawyers, then my Mum's place.”

“Don’t let them side-track you, and don’t answer questions,” Carla said.

“I know. I will be fine. I have already had a text from the lawyer, and they are expecting me,” she said as she held up her phone. “I would rather stay here with you.”

She was talking to Carla, but I answered, “It is your choice. If you want to stay, you can stay. You take off the helmet of the contamination suit, and they won’t let you go. It is a backup plan. It doesn’t have to happen today. Tomorrow is New Year's Day. The city is going back on holiday, so I doubt anything will happen before Monday.”

“The lawyers will close as well, so now is the best time for that,” Soph replied.

“Then come back tomorrow and then stay,” Carla said. “The room will be crowded, but we will deal.”

“Not sure I can,” I said.

“I will see you tomorrow anyway,” Soph said. “We can discuss it then. If I don’t stay, I will be back every day. I don’t mind fetching and being the contact with the outside.”

Soph and Carla hugged awkwardly with the contamination suit in the way. I gave her a nod and got one in return. I think I am seen as a necessary evil in her eyes. I am OK with that.

“Do you think they have watched enough cartoons?” I asked Carla. “I know my brain is numb.”