Growth and change
You open your mouth to warn her, but you cannot speak, you are so
overcome by pain. For a moment, it seems to subside, and you try to
stand once more... but the pain again erupts, now worse than before,
and no longer limited to heat-based pain... In addition to the fiery
conflagration you feel inside of you, you feel as though you are being
stretched upward and downward so strongly that you believe you must be
ripping apart. You feel a strange tingling sensation upon your skin,
but cannot concentrate upon it. You feel yourself stretched in all
directions like a piece of putty... and every few seconds, you feel
the horrible sensation of part of you stretching even farther. The
pain reaches such a crescendo that you cannot bear it more; you
collapse on the ground... and take several seconds to realize the pain
is gone. Opening your eyes, you look around... and your vision seems
strange, as does your sense of touch. You are sprawled out on the
ground, but you feel as though there is a second layer of skin over
your true skin, and your shoulders and rear feel strangely... you
cannot describe the sensation. Looking at yourself, you suddenly see
the massive form of a dragon. You try to jump away in surprise until
you realize the dragon is you. Appraising yourself, you feel
excitement rising within you. Your body is perfect; both dextrous and
amazingly strong, legendary in appearance, and beautiful to behold.
You look for Kerri, and see her staring at you. For a moment, you
cannot see whether or not she has eaten the seed... Because if she
has, she will likely go through the same transformation as you.
Focusing your eyes, you see...
The sunflower seeds were hot and delicious, and you enjoyed eating
them a great deal. The warmth they provided continued to heat your
throat and your stomach, but it was only after you had eaten your fill
that you realized something was wrong.
Instead of feeling the warmth decreasing, you feel the heat inside
your belly swell to a raging inferno. You double over, groaning in
pain. Kerri turns toward you in surprise, her first sunflower seed
upon her lips.
