It's Monday morning, and instead of being at a dead-end job, I flipped through a giant, yellow brick of paper just to kill some time.

Then, I received a phone call from my job.

"Hello?" I answered, holding the cell to my ear.

"Yes, is this Florence Dolores Rodriguez?" a familiar voice asked from the other end.

"Yes, speaking."

"Um, the boss said that you're needed immediately."

I was taken aback. "What? Are you sure?"

"Yeah," the voice hesitated, "you're on the schedule right now. Are you coming in?"

It has come to this. 

Working at that greasy spoon, or keeping my self-respect?

I took a deep breath, then replied without a second thought, "No thanks. I'm not coming back."

I hung up and blocked the number. 

The only reason why they even bothered calling is because it's rough in the morning and they needed some sap to push the workload on.

I turned my attention back to the phonebook, flipping through job listings that constantly asked for "A minimum of five years of experience." How was anyone supposed to get any of experience if every job required it in the first place? It was like every opportunity was locked behind a door.

I turned to the degree hanging on my wall, that little piece of paper that the higher-ups pushed as a symbol of ambition. A bachelor’s degree in videography. Four years of sleepless nights, pouring every ounce of my energy into a field that promised stability and a future. 

However, they forget to mention the reality of the job market.

It felt like the world reminded me that I wouldn't meet their expectations no matter how hard I tried.

Now, all I could think about was Edita. I held on to that fleeting memory with her. It almost felt absurd to hang on to something so small, but it was all I really had at that moment.

My cell rang once again, dragging me from my mind. It was Yolanda.

As I answered the phone, her voice burst out from the speakers. 

"Hey, Foil! I hate to bother you when you are working and all, but you must see what I have in store for you! I finally made a breakthrough!" 

"Sure, it's cool. You don't have to worry about me and work right now," I replied. 

"What do you mean by that?" Yolanda asked. 

"Nothing. I'll talk to you when I get there."

"Oh, uh, great?" she responded in a confused tone.

The streets were quiet, a stark contrast to the static in my head. I tried to push the thoughts of my job loss and Edita aside for now, instead focusing on Yolanda. 

What could she possibly have in store this time?

I needed something to take the edge off. I'll head to the pet store right after I get a case of Voodoo U from the gas station to numb the pain later. 

Should probably get some more gas, too.

The gas station wasn’t far from the apartment, so it was an easy in and out. Or at least it would have been if I wasn’t constantly being hassled by people on the street.

Speaking of, I noticed a homeless man sitting on the bench near the gas station. His eyes scanned the area for deep pockets. As I got closer, he shifted around, trying to tuck a pair of shoes underneath the bench with his foot. 

I tried my best to ignore him and just go straight in. 

The harsh and uninviting lights of the station came into view when I pushed open the door, and I could smell the stale, cheap coffee and the rawness of those nasty-ass rotating hot dogs. I ran towards the back, where the cold drinks were kept.

Dare I try another beer other than Voodoo U? 

Nope.

I was startled by the same man from earlier when I crossed past the bench. 

"Got some spare change?" he mumbled as he shook his cup at me, not meeting my eyes. He also wore a sign that read, “Need Shoes”.

I glanced down at his worn-out socks and shoes he tried to hide underneath the bench and then back at him. “Do you need some shoes, sir?”

He looked at me and nodded his head. “I sure do.”

“Funny. I found a pair right there.” I pointed toward the shoes he was trying to hide, shook my head, and kept walking.

Knowing his stunt was compromised, the man scrambled to grab the shoes from under the bench and ran off, trying to find another pair of heartstrings to pull.

It was the blatant dishonesty as he looked dead into my eyes that was just another reminder of how screwed up things really were.

After grabbing the beer and tossing it into the passenger seat, I left my car at the apartment parking lot and hopped on the bus stop. 

As I arrived at the pet store, I was greeted with everything that caught my attention like before. The lavender scent, the colorful display, and the flickering light near the lab entrance. 

“Foil? What are you doing here now?" she gasped as I entered. "Wait, are you skipping work again?" 

"I guess you can say I'm skipping work full-time because I've been fired," I confessed. 

"HUH!?! How come?" Yolanda's mouth was agape.

"Well, long story short, the grill wasn't working, a lot of the burgers came out uncooked, so I was told to leave by that no-good bit-individual."

"Aw, you will be fine. Plenty of job openings are looking for people fresh from the unemployment office. " Yolanda reassured me. “Besides, things happen for a reason. It could make room for something good to come."  

I sighed, still grappling with the situation. "That's true. But you know, now that I'm here, what did you want to show me?"   

"Oh, right! Follow me to the back. But first, close your eyes! When you open them, you will be surprised with what I have in store!" 

I managed to bump into the wall before she guided me. I'm eager to see what she has to present to me. While my sight was obscured, I could hear shrieks that danced about the room like we were in some form of Hell.

"Okay, you can open them now," Yolanda's voice rang out. 

Slowly, I opened my eyes and was greeted with a bizarre sight. A peculiar contraption sat before me on a cluttered workbench, releasing faint whirring noises. Tubes and wires snaked around it, connecting to various electronic devices scattered across the room.

Surrounding us were so many different species that would make God cry. Some of them, I don't even think, were still alive. 

"What is all this?" I yelped.

Yolanda beamed with an odd amount of excitement. "This, my dear Foil, is my new and improved creation—a genetic transfer chamber. It lets me transfer genetic material from one organism to another, creating hybrids with enhanced DNA. And you could be one of the first human subjects in our experiment!" 

My stomach churned with unease. "Why?” 

Yolanda's expression softened. "I chose you because I trust you, and I know you will appreciate the importance of what we are trying to achieve here. And do not worry, it is perfectly safe. Although we've only tested it on animals, and myself. We need another human subject to take the next step in our research."

I hesitated as the gravity of her proposal started to sink in. "I don't know. It still doesn’t seem very safe to me. I mean, look at these creatures! They don't belong here. They look like they want to be put out of their misery.” 

Yolanda's eyes gleamed with determination. "Trust me, Florence. This is our chance to make a real difference in the world, to push the boundaries of science and create something truly groundbreaking." 

Despite my apprehension, a part of me was intrigued by her possibilities. Could this be a chance to leave my mark on the world somehow? 

But before I could voice my decision, a sudden movement caught my eye. A small blurry figure shook inside the chamber from afar. On closer inspection, it appeared to be a deformed monkey. My heart sank once I continued to stare at the poor creature. He looked like a chirpy little fella, but his eyes were filled with unspeakable terror, unaware of what was in store for it next. 

The whole situation was overwhelming, and I couldn’t bear to look at it and what surrounded me anymore. "You need to get these animals out of here right now! It's gone too far!"

"No, I do not think so. This needs to happen, whether you like it or not!”

"It's not going to happen because it ends now!"

I attempted to figure out where to turn the machine off, but before I could react, Yolanda lunged forward, grabbing a frying pan from the nearby countertop. With a swift motion, she struck me across the head, sending me reeling to the floor. 

"I am sorry it had to be this way," Yolanda said regretfully. "But the show must go on."

Pain exploded through my skull as darkness engulfed me as I crawled around on the ground. The last thing I saw before I felt my consciousness fade away was Yolanda's frantic figure, rushing to the chamber where the monkey creature awaited. 

Fade to black.

…

Suddenly, I regained consciousness. 

Was I here for days? 

Weeks? 

Eons? 

I couldn’t tell anymore.

My vision was blurry, but I could tell I was inside the chamber, which hummed with a low, pulsating energy that pierced my eardrums. I was surrounded by a misty fog, which smelled of rotten eggs. I could barely breathe, and when I tried to inhale, I felt my lungs being attacked from the inside. There was also a sharp, metallic taste that lingered in my mouth.

The chamber shook around, and I felt a surge of electricity and a chilling sensation coursing through my veins. My muscles stiffened involuntarily, my senses began to sharpen, and my mind raced like a gang of spiders crawling along my brain as it struggled to process the ongoing flood of information.

I could hear my heartbeat thumping in my chest, fast and erratic. Every beat has this weird feeling, like my heart was being massaged from the inside out.

I attempted to move, but I was restrained around my wrists and ankles. I struggled against the bonds, but they held firm. 

For some reason, my body felt different—heavier, yet more agile.

Overall, it was an unfamiliar feeling. I’m surprised I even remember anything with how hard Yolanda hit me over the head. 

"Yolanda!" I shouted, my voice echoing in the tight space. "What the fuck is going on?!?"

Through the glass door, I saw Yolanda frantically working at a console. "Oh, you are awake. I need to stabilize the machine. Just hold on a minute!"

"I can’t take any more of this! Get me the hell out of here, please!" I yelped with a guttural scream.

A new scent caught my attention. Somehow, I can sense a level of fear emanating from Yolanda. I could almost taste it. A low growl escaped my lips, and I bore my teeth, feeling a primal rage building inside me. I pulled against the restraints again, harder this time, feeling a beat of strength I didn't know I had. They slowly but surely started to give way. 

"I am almost there!" she yelled.

With a final snarl, I ripped free from the restraints, snapping like mere twigs under my newfound strength.

The chamber door hissed open, and I lunged out, crouching on all fours. The world outside the chamber was a blur, and I felt a sense of motion sickness. 

"Please, just stay calm! I did not want this to happen, but I can help you," she said calmly. "I know this is scary, but you have to trust me. Let me help you."

I growled a low, guttural sound that shocked both of us. 

Yolanda took a cautious step back, waving her hands back and forth. "Listen to me! You need to stay here so we can monitor your condition. The transformation might not be permanent. I have medication that could help stabilize you, but the unpredictability is staggering. But you need to take it soon. Please, come back!"

But I couldn't stay. The walls felt like they were closing in on me, and my senses were high. Every sound amplified, and every smell intensified. The lab reeked of chemicals and fear.

Yolanda hesitated, her eyes darting towards the open door and me.

"Okay," she said softly, taking a deep breath. "I will not stop you. Just... be careful. Remember who you are, Foil. It should wear off soon. Hopefully…"

She stepped aside with a final, conflicted look, giving me a clear path to the door.

Say no more.

I could hear Yolanda calling after me, but her voice faded into the background as I focused on running. 

I was greeted by the cool breeze from the blue sky when I bolted out of the pet store. My adrenaline started to dwindle, and I stopped in a secluded alleyway, trying to catch my breath and collect my thoughts. 

What had I become? Is this something I will live with for the rest of my days? Am I even human anymore?

"Okay, Florence, get it together" I muttered to myself, trying to keep my cool. "You're still you. You just… have claws now. And you might just be losing your goddamned mind, but it’s okay. "

My nose started to itch, but from my depth perception, it stuck out like a snout. In fact, it was a snout! How much more freaky can this get? Oddly enough, it was still smooth, which means I haven’t fully transformed. 

For now. I spoke too soon. 

My chest started to cave in as the sounds around me continued to pile up—raccoons eating out of the trash can, cars honking and crashing. Sirens blurring—it was sharp, loud, and overwhelming.

Everything seemed against me until I sensed something close by—a rustling sound and little feet tip-toeing around. I wasn’t alone. I didn’t feel the presence of danger, but I was on the watch. 

Lo and behold, a monkey emerged from the shadows.  

Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be the same monkey that lay beside me during the experiment. He didn’t seem like a threat at all. In fact, an oddly comforting feeling radiated from him.

"You're not afraid of me, are you?" I asked, squatting down to his level. He paused, looking up at me with those wide, puppy dog eyes. I could see a flicker of understanding as if he sensed my unease. 

We had a staring contest, trying to figure out what the other was thinking. 

It approached forth, slowly climbing upon me. I tried to shove him off, but he clawed his way right up to my shoulder and rested there.

"Look, little man, you need to get off me. You don’t know what you’re getting into," I muttered, my voice sounding rough. 

He scrambled down from my shoulder to the ground. He paced back and forth in a circle before me until he got tired and reached his tiny hands out. 

"Okay, okay," I said, crouching back down. "You want to come up?"

He bounced with joy, and I felt a smile creeping onto my face despite everything. As I scooped him up into my arms, he curled against me with such warmth.

“Looks like I’m stuck with you, huh?” I chuckled. He nodded along and moved closer to my chest.

The world's atmosphere seemed to be set aside in the background as we stood there, trying to make sense of what became of us.

But that moment faded as reality settled in. I patted my pockets, only to remember that I had no phone on me. It was the last thing on my mind, along with everything else that happened.

“Well, little fella,” I said, glancing down at my newfound companion, “We’re stranded out here. We going to have to walk, so keep an eye out.”

He understood the assignment and walked alongside me.

As much as I wanted to pretend this was all some sick dream—I couldn’t. I had to face Yolanda again. I had to get answers. I had to figure out if I will ever be fully human ever again. 

But at least I know I’m not entirely alone in this.