Centaur of the Universe

[corjomc]

Francemir Residence
Pelham, NH
Sunday, January 24, 1999


    Quirke turned the lever which opened the large wooden doors into the stables. Ginger backed up when He entered but The Skipper trotted forward to greet Tom. He raised the shotgun. Skipper stared up the barrel at him.


    "This is crazy," Tom told himself, "It's not going to work, You don't want to shoot the Skipper."


    Quirke could hear Francko coming into the stables behind him. They were being followed by Dean and the rest of the Francemir family. Tom realized He had to act now.


    "Skipper is old," Tom told himself, "the whole situation is crazy maybe crazy is what you need to reverse it."


    Again Tom looked down the barrel. His eyes met with the horse. Other than being younger and a different color Tom's horse parts matched the Skipper to a tee. Tom gritted his teeth.


    "Sorry," He told the old stallion.


    Francko grabbed the gun. Tom yanked it back.


    "TOM!," Francko screamed, "DON'T!"


    Francemir pulled the gun again off target. Tom backhanded his friend and shoved them backwards. Dean came running up. Tom trained the gun again on the horse. Skipper was moving, reacting to what was going on outside his stall. Ginger began to whinny.


    In the distance sirens could be heard.


    "Dammit!," Tom pronounced as he made up his mind.


    Francko was quickly back on their hooves. They ran and body slammed Quirke. The gun fired. They both stumbled across the ground. The rest of the Francemir's entered the stable.


Sunshine Farm


    "We have to stop meeting like this," Tiffany Baylor told Tom as She put his arm in a sling.


    Tom sighed. He had fractured his left wrist and elbow. His right hand was cuffed to a post. That was courtesy of Derek Hanley who was also on the scene.


    "Using a gun without a license," Derek told his fellow Pelham alumn, "the other stuff Francko's folks aren't pressing any charges."


    "Do I need to be cuffed?," Tom questioned.


    Hanley laughed and freed Quirke. Tom shook his head. He was met with multiple aches. Tiffany told him She couldn't give painkillers. He smiled. That hadn't changed.


    "You were going to shoot that horse?," Jake Creech asked as He, Dean, and Stephen Miller came over.


    "That's insane," Miller told Tom, "did you really think that would work."


    Tom shrugged.


    "Where's Francko?," He asked embarrassed.


    "He . . .,errr, She, uh, they are back at their place," Dean told him.


    Quirke admitted He was getting desperate. The others had no solutions to offer.


    "It's cool being a centaur," Dean offered.


    "He can't sit on a toilet," Creech countered.


    "Or have a normal girlfriend," Miller added.


    Tom glanced over at Baylor. Hanley was chatting up the parademic. Tom groaned loudly. Tiffany excused herself and went to check on him.


    "I can't give you anything yet," She repeated.


    At the same time She ran her hand down Tom's equine spine. Baylor was petting him without thinking. Tom snorted without thinking. Hanley walked over and handed Tom his citation.


    "So drinks tonight?," Hanley asked Tiffany.


    "Barney's has kareoke," the paramedic told the policeman.


    "I love kareoke," Derek told her.


    Tiffany checked one more time on Quirke then got in the ambulance with her partner Barwell and drove off.


    "I hate kareoke," Hanley stated once She had left.


    He then told the guys He would be making Miss Baylor sing one way or another before the night was through. He then got in the cruiser with his partner Pedersen.


    "What an A-hole," Tom spat out as the cop car kicked up dirt as it sped off.


    'i think the paramedic liked you," Miller told Tom, "A shame really."


    "Hey," Creech laughed, "She should go with Tommy Boy here," he joked, "He's hung like a horse!"


    "Human-Centaur relations may prove difficult if not injurious to the human partner," Dean extrapolated.


    "I don't want to go out with anyone dumb enough to go out with 'Handsy' Hanley," Tom told his friends.


    "Go with the Purple girl," Creech suggested, "She's crazy, it'd be pure rodeo."


    "I would not get involved with someone who is acting the way Ms. Boyd is," Miller told Tom, "but Dean is correct about dating within your species."


    "Species?!," Tom blurted out, "I'm human guys!"


    Quirke told them someone would discover what was causing this. He told his friends they would discover a cure. If there was no cure it would go away of it's own accord.


    "Maybe a week," Tom argued, "A month . . ."

[corjomc]

Sunshine Farm
Pelham, NH
Saturday, January 30, 1999

"You're holding it upside down," Cyndi Stone told Dean Dowell as He looked over the schematics to the editing equipment.

"Don't worry," Tom told Dean as He looked up from behind the rig they were assembling.

"Sorry," Cyndi bit her lip, "you said no talking."

Quirke laughed and told her maybe Dean needed to sit by and be quiet and She could help him assemble the computer editing system. Dean made a face. Stone smiled a big smile.

Quirke had spent the week logging his footage and getting cutaways shots. The B-Roll would help cover any cuts He had to make. He also got more interviews to get anything him and Maggyie Weisner may have missed. Most importantly, if He kept busy He did not have to think about the situation He was in or what had happened at Francemir residence.

"Really nice of Dr. Weisner to buy you this set up," Dean commented once He had swallowed his embarrassment.

"Well," Tom told his friend and Cyndi, "She wants Me to edit this project and there is no way I am fitting into the Tv studio."

Tom plugged in something in the back and asked Dean ifg anything came up on the screen. Dowell nodded that the screen was now showing color bars. Cyndi added the colors did not look right.

"S'okay," Tom told her, "We can fix that no problem," he explained, "right now I just need to know it's connected."

The three them had the system up and going by lunch.

"So no more VHS tapes?," Dean asked as Miller who showed up with some Wendy's for everyone.

"You mean SVHS tapes?," Tom asked and shook his head, "Still need them to record the action."

Miller had wrote down everyone's order and He read it back to them as He handed out the food. Quirke meanwhile explained that the big things gained by editing on a computer were the added versatility with the raw footage and the marked reduction in loss of quality every time the video was copied to something else. He added the Draco had gygabytes of space.

"A copy of a copy you mean," Miller asked after wiping his mouth of burger juice, "less degradation."

"Maggie sure spent a pretty penny," Dean added.

"Like I said," Tom repeated, "She wants these interviews done as quickly as possible."

"ASAP!," Cyndi chimed in remembering the acronym.

"Where's Francko?," Miller asked.

"Well Stephen," Dean explained, "Steven is still angry with Yosemite Sam Centaur so they have been staying at their home," He added, "y'know, the scene of the crime."

"Where's Creech?," Miller asked.

"Tom here," Dean told him, "sent our boy to run interference between Hanley and the beautiful paramedic."

Stephen Miller eyed his transformed friend.

"Two things Thomas," He started, "One, You are a centaur now," then Miller inhaled and added, "and Two, sending Creech to stop Hanley from," He paused glancing at the young Miss Stone before continuing, "getting his hands on Ms. Baylor is like sending the fox to guard the henhouse."

Tom blinked when Miller told him this. He had already told himself He had been stupid to think of shooting the Skipper. He had been even dumber to backhand Francko. Now with a vision of Tiffany Baylor shacking up with Creech forming in his head Tom was pretty sure He had a streak of dumb decisions going. He trotted over to the phone the Mullen family had in their riding hall so He could page Creech.

As He left his message two more people walked into the section where he had built the editing bay.

"He's right over there," the Centaured police officer, Sonya Shoemaker, told the new arrival to the farm.

"Oh my God!," Jennifer Glass exclaimed when She saw her ex-boyfriend, "Tom!"

Glass ran over and after a pause embraced Quirke tightly. Tom almost dropped his drink and potato. Miller and Dean looked on amazed at this turn of events. Cyndi looked on with, although She did not quite know the feeling yet, jealousy.

"Don't worry Tom," Glass told him confidently, "We are going find You a cure!"

[corjomc]

Sunshine Farm
Pelham, NH
Tuesday, February 2, 1999

"Democracy?," Helen Fischer questioned the interviewer, "You don't vote yes or No on matters Mof common decency!"

Mrs. Fischer was the oldest of the transformed people staying at the Mullen family farm. A heated debate was taking place among the half-horse herd. Mr. Mullen had ordered all the people staying on his family farm to assemble at the paddock.

It was a four-legged folk only affair. The only two-leggers invited were Dr. Vijay Sindhu and Dr. Benjamin Weisner, and the Boniface family.

At least it got Jane Glass out of his hair for a while Tom mused.

The Mullens had talked to Dr. Sindhu and the Weisners. Mike and Kristie Mullen after conferring with the medical people had made their decision. They wanted to let everyone know all at once they would all be wearing horse blankets or the equivalent while staying at the Sunshine from this point on. The arguing soon began. Many demanded they vote on the idea.

Tom of course was recording all of this for Maggie. Cyndi trotted over to see if He needed help. Quirke smiled. She was a sweet kid. He began to worry that maybe He had spent too long watching her thrashing around in Little Island Pond before going in and rescuing her.

The thought was fleeting. His concentration turning back to the shot at hand. So many people with their thoughts on the matter. He was not the only one recording the discussion.

“Will the Horse Folk vote Yea or Nay,” WMUR-9’s Ray Brewer asked his bigger professional camera.

Although He was jealous of the rig the guy from channel Nine had brought to the Sunshine Tom got a shot of their setup. It would make good B-Roll for his projects.

“You old hag,” Erica Boyd shot back, “we are the avatars of the new age!”

“You’re freakin’ loon,” Fischer shot back, “and you need your medication!”

“You are ashamed of our blessing,” Boyd countered as She turned her Purple hindquarters to face the old woman, “You would hide our superiority!”

Both Quirke and the WMUR camera guy zoomed in on the action. Boyd started waving her tail. Mrs. Fischer asked that someone get the young woman’s parents. The oldest of the Mullen children, Robin, went over to deal with her.
Erica was wearing a Gold turtleneck sweater. She turned again to face Fischer. She threw off the sweater. Tom looked up from his camcorder. The WMUR had done the same at his field camera. They exchanged a glance and sighed.

“Erica!,” Robin yelled at the high schooler.

Mullen grabbed the turtleneck and did her best to cover up Boyd.

“I am the High Priestess of the Lord High Sea God Poseidon!,” Erica yelled while trying to evade Mullen, “He is coming!,” Boyd continued, “the New Age is upon us!”

In his periphery Quirke saw Detective Anaya motion over to Patrolman Shoemaker. They were both local cops. Sonya Shoemaker galloped over to deal with the situation. She was joined by one of the trainers at Sunshine Farm, Sara Hilliard, and Robin’s friends.

Tom looked over and Cyndi was laughing.

“She’s silly,” Stone told Tom.

“That’s one word for it,” Quirke responded.

“Ha Ha!,” Brian Boniface ran over and told Cyndi, “I don’t have to wear a horse blanket and You do!”

Cyndi turned and looked down at the annoying half canine child. She was 10, soon to be 11. She did not have take guff from this pipsqueak. She waved a fist at him. Brian the Dog-Boy laughed and ran away.

Tom panned the camera over at the people who were not currently wearing a blanket. Other than the High Priestess and Dog-Boy the newlyweds, Mr. & Mrs. Rice were living unencumbered. Cyndi and her Mother were also in the non-blanket camp. The guy who had accidentally killed his wife and his daughter also no blanket. Even one of Robin Mullen’s friends was sans cover.

Tom stopped the camera when it reached Francko. Steve also had no blanket. Francemir was talking with the Hayley Harper who Mother had been killed when the transformation had happened. Tom and Francko had not talked since the events at the Francemir stables. When Francko saw the camera was on him He turned so as to not be facing Quirke.

Tom brought the camera back to where the speakers were. They were at the same mic that He had used for the interviews. The SVHS tape had two audio tracks. One got the speakers while the other captured the nat sound.
“That’s it everyone,” the big Blonde guy who had arrived recently told everyone, “This not a voting situation, the Mullens want everyone to dress like humans and have some modesty.”

“And if we refuse?,” Erica the High Priestess demanded.

Detective Anaya trotted over to the microphone.

“Anyone who does not cover up will be arrested,” He informed the crowd, “for indecent exposure.”

“You can cover our beautiful blessings!,” Boyd hollered out, “but You can Never Take OUR FREEEDOM!”

Unfortunately for the self-appointed keeper of the new faith the others did not rally to her like the Scots to Mel Gibson. Instead She was escorted inside the riding hall so She could calm down.

With his arm in a sling Cyndi was very helpful breaking down the camcorder and tripod. She also helped with the microphone, stand, and cables. When Elena came over to collect her daughter Tom made sure to tell her how helpful Cyndi was.

“Well we have to go shopping for something stylish to wear,” Mrs. Stone told Quirke, “they want us to behave like humans by wearing horse blankets, really?”

She also thanked Tom again for saving her daughter at the pond. Quirke smiled. He could not help but think Cyndi’s Mom has got it going on. He watched her leave and headed to the newly built editing bay in the riding hall.

It was while trying to figure out how He would edit or work around Erica Boyd’s rated-R behavior that He had a visitor. It was difficult doing the editing one handed. Tom had to concentrate more. So as he was looking at that part of the footage that needed censuring He did not notice the person walk up to him. He almost had a double-heart attack.

“It didn’t work,” James Vanover said aloud.

James Vanover was a wealthy businessman. His wife Sandra was looking to be in the Olympics next year. Sandra had trained her whole life riding horses to get the chance to represent the USA in Sydney. Now James and Sandra were both half-stallions.

“What??,” Tom asked while fumbling to turn off the screen showing Erica the High Priestess.
James Vanover cleared his throat.

“Listen,” he explained, “My wife wants to win a Gold Medal next year in Australia,” Vanover then paused, “I want my wife back.”
“Okay . . .,” Tom replied.

“Earlier today,” Vanover paused again, “I euthanized both Akbar and Magnifico.”

Tom stared at the other afflicted centaur. Vanover told Quirke He had heard about his attempt to reverse their condition by shooting the horses He and his friend had most recently ridden. Seeing no other way Vanover decided to what Tom had been unable to do.

Nothing happened. His prize steeds, including the one Sandra rode in her competitions, they were both dead. He had killed them both and to no avail. He and his wife were did not return to being human. They were both still centaur. She was still male.

“I just wanted to let you know,” Vanover sighed, “You should let Dr. Sindhu and the veterinarians know as well.”
“Yeah,” Tom agreed thinking how close He had come to shooting Ginger and the Skipper.

He suddenly realized the situation He was now in with Francko was totally unnecessary. It need not be happening. Tom gritted his teeth.

“Don’t worry,” Vanover told Tom while placing a hand on his shoulder, “I am going to find the cure,” He announced confidently, “even if I have to burn through all my fortune to do so.”

[corjomc]

Gage Hill Pond

Pelham, NH

February 2, 1999



"Thomas J. Quirke," Tom thought to himself as night fell and He snuck off with the Vanovers, "Cameraman by day, Ninja Horse by Night!"



James Vanover had designed a system for collecting data en masse and organizing it. He then sold his company and went into semi-retirement a very rich man. His wife Sandra was an equestrian with dreams of competing in the 2000 Olympics. Neither were happy with their current situation.



They went past Little Island Pond through the woods and down the back roads. No one stopped them. The official quarantine was not being strictly enforced. No one in Pelham thought the Centaurification was contagious. Not after a week anyway.



The Vanover Estate was not as big building-wise as Francko's place but when the reached the end of the cul-de-sac it was located on Quirke could see they owned more property. All of Gage Hill Pond to be exact.



"We're here," Vanover told Tom as the entered the stables, "wipe your hooves."



Quirke stopped. He did as He was told. There were people both 2-legged and 4 already at their stables. Tom noticed that unlike the Mullen's farm there were no horses in these stables.



They had actually done it Tom thought to himself. This was concerning in many ways. One, it didn't work. That made Tom worry that maybe there was no way of reversing their situation. Two, it showed how ruthless this James Vanover fellow could be.



Tom winced. The memory of backhanding Francko and going to shoot Skipper replayed in his mind. He shook it off. He told himself He had been desperate. Francemir shouldn't have grabbed for the shotgun. He could have injured either or both of them.



"Tom Quirke," Vanover introduced him, "this is Amy Harte and her Father Bob."



Amy was now half stallion. She smiled and shook Tom's hand. Her father who was not transformed did the same. Mr. Harte told Tom that there was nothing to worry about. He assured him that James Vanover was going to fix everything.



"Well hopefully not everything dad," Amy told her father in her male voice.



Quirke eyed the other centaur. He wondered did She prefer being half horse? Maybe She preferred being a guy. Tom wondered if they turned Francko and him back to be human again would Steve remain a girl. Quirke began to think of how He could try to make amends with his friend.



The other centaur present trotted over and grabbed Tom's hand shaking it energetically.



"James tells Me you are videoing everything over at the Sunshine," Dean Schott told Quirke while pumping his hand.



"I am recording events for Dr. Weisner," Tom told his fellow transformed human.



"We will need copies of your video," another person stepped forward to tell Quirke.



"Amjt Patel," Schott introduced the nontransformed tech guy, "Jeet here is James' extra brain."



Patel glanced at the centaur and repeated that they required copies of the footage Tom was taking. He told Quirke that if they were to find the cure it was of the utmost importance. Tom could tell that Patel was awaiting a response.



To be honest Tom told himself He had not signed any contracts with Maggie. Still handing over her info without letting her know He was doing so did not seem legit. On the other hand He wanted a cure. Patel awaited a yes or no.



"Why," Tom asked after hemming and hawing, "Why can't you work together?"



Quirke was relieved. That was the best response. Also, working together would be the best way to do things. Keep it all in the open and find the cure.



"You are correct," Vanover trotted over and told Tom, "both You and the Weisners should be working for Me."



"If they get on board," Sandra added, "we will work this out all the sooner."



"We can't find a cure," another person in the stable put forth, "unless we know why it happened to begin with."



"It was the return of the Great and Powerful Poseidon," Vanover joked, "we are the avatars of the new millennium!"



Everyone here must have learnt of the rants of Erica Boyd. They all laughed at Vanover's joke.



"I am Ms. Vanover's coach, Ted, Ted Mitchell," the man who had just spoke told Tom, "You been shoed yet?"



"Shoed?," Tom asked.



"Yeah," Coach Mitchell asked, "Shoed and fed."



Tom had to admit He was hungry. The whole shoed thing kind of weirded him out. Was this guy actually offering to nail horseshoes on him? Quirke involuntarily retreated. Visions of him turning back to normal and having pieces of iron nailed into his feet made his mind scream.



Betty Mitchell, Ted's wife, entered the stable and she had brought food, A lot of food. Tom was devouring the meal when a truck pulled up. Two more centaurs exited from the trailer it was pulling. A pair of fillies.



Sandra Vanover galloped outside and hugged her friends. Both were bundle from the waist up for the weather. She lead them quickly inside to the warmth of the stables. They were fellow equestrians like herself.



"Romulus DeBerg," the first on with Red hair and thus Red horse half told Tom with an overly dramatic curtsy.



"Scott Scanlon," the other one told Tom as they trotted up and shook his hand.



"So Jimmy," DeBerg Smiled at Vanover, "Find the cure yet?"



Vanover smiled a knowing smile. He told DeBerg they had but unfortunately it did not work on Gingers. He hoped that was not an inconvenience.



"Must be the whole lacking a soul thing," DeBerg shot back, "are there any children around I could steal one or two from?"



Scanlon was not into the frivolity. He instead made a bee-line for the spread Mrs. Mitchell had laid out. The driver of the truck and the passengers walked over to Vanover. Tom noticed as they talked Vanover had motioned to him. Downing his fourth sandwich Quirke left the table, thanked Mrs. Mitchell, and went over to the new arrivals.



"So surgery may be the only way," the tall man Tom would learn was one Dr. Peter Foreman told Vanover.



"The upper half of your altered bodies can most likely survive independently," his nurse Abigail Walton added, "once separated from the horse section."



"Without legs?," Sandra Vanover asked with concern, "What about going the bathroom?"



"It's not the optimum option," Dr. Foreman admitted, "but it is an option."



Vanover reminded them that He also wanted his wife back in a womanly way as well. Walton informed him there were procedures for that as well. Vanover nodded while glancing at his wife and doing the calculations in his head.



Tom thought about it as well. Could his human half survive independently of the horse half? In his mind He could see himself hooked up to machines or in a wheelchair. On the plus side the world was built to help those who were in wheel chairs. It wasn't perfect, not by a long shot, but it was more accommodating than it was for people the size of a mythical creature.



He also wondered about going the bathroom. He didn't even want to think of the effects on his sex life. Quirke had pretty much given up on that anyway. Still having all that part of him permanently removed was a pretty scary proposition.



"They can build bigger doors," Tom finally told himself.



His thoughts were interrupted by Patel. He wanted an answer from Tom.



"Whatever Dr. Weisner is paying You," Patel told Tom, "James will double it."

[corjomc]

Gage Hill Pond
Pelham, NH
Wednesday, February 3, 1999

Groundhog Day had come and gone without infinitely repeating Tom noticed with a sigh of relief. He had gotten a lot more superstitious since the events of January 23rd. Honestly He thought could anyone blame him? Why should the insanity stop at centuarification?

“So Dr. Foreman will be in charge of the scientific part of our research,” James Vanover told everyone while standing in front of the whiteboard He had brought into the stables.

The whiteboard had things like ‘Scientific inquiry’, ‘Magic’, and ‘The End of the World’ written on it. Mr. Vanover was leaving no stone unturned in his quest for a cure. Quirke liked that. He didn’t like that Vanover wanted to keep his endeavor in this regard secret. Tom was not fully on board due to this factor.

“Rom,” Vanover turned to the Redhead, “I am putting you in charge of the mystical end of the investigation.”

“James,” his wife Sandra interjected in her awkward male voice, “What if this Boyd girl is actually onto something?”

“Is that the Purple nut cake?,” Dean Schott shot back.

“We all had the Stampede dream,” Sandra returned crossing her arms.

“It’s definitely worth looking into,” Vanover agreed with his wife.

“I nominate camera boy here,” Rom DeBerg told the room, “The Princess will eat up the chance to be on Tv and film!”

“Camera Boy?,” Tom questioned when He heard it.

“Sorry,” Romulus looked over his shoulder grinning at Quirke, “Camera Colt.”

Quirke frowned. They want him to spy on Maggie and now they want him to cozy up to his annoying neighbor. Erica Boyd was a winey pain before the event. She was infinitely worse now. Vanover met Tom’s gaze. Tom nodded.

“Dammit,” Tom thought internally after doing so.

“I will be collecting the reports from everyone,” Amjit stood up and informed the group before adding, “We also need to find out how this effecting the rest of the world.”

Catedral la Inmaculada Concepcion
Bolivar Square
Armenia, Columbia

Maria had ducked around the back of the Cathedral. Her life had become a living hell and she needed a break. She did not want anyone to see her smoking. Pleasure filled her as She inhaled the nicotine smoke.

The young woman thought of how many times She had brought pleasure to Father Figueroa and Father Moench right her hidden in the shadows of God’s house. She shuddered but was happy that was not going to be happening ever again. Figeuroa disgusted her. Moench was a monster.

Another puff later and her respite came to an end. A young girl who had not been injured in the giant earthquake that had torn through the town had found her. She pointed and called out.

“Ya está aquí la Monja Mula Padre Lucas!,” Anna Fernando called out smiling and pointing at Sister Maria Caterine Paguen.

Maria quickly threw down the cigarette She had been smoking and stamped it out with one of her front hooves. She stepped out to where Anna was standing. Fathers Figeuroa and Moench were staning in the street with many other of the parishioners. There was even a camera crew there filming.

The people enthusiastically gave Maria thanks for all the work She hadone to help rescue people and tend to those injured in the great disaster. A smile appeared on the Nun’s face.

“Three cheers for Sister Maria!,” Father Figeroa incited the crowd, “3 Cheers for the Angel of Armenia!”

Jaipur, India

Hubert Hammond Patel had been very happy to visit his Grandmother back in India. His father was intent on convincing Manu to leave her home and move with them to Quebec. Grandmother had been extremely reluctant to go. It was during this trip that they decided to go 2 hours out of their way and visit the Safari & Elephant Rides in Jaipur.

“How are we going to get back home?,” the now giant half elephant teen asked his also transformed Parents and Sister.

Zveçan, Kosovo Region

As He made his way between the trees Alexandre Peranovic had to laugh quietly. He had gone from the groups best horseman to a horse-man. He had no idea how it had happened but the whole squad were now centaurs.

They had been hunting for the KLA terrorists who had murdered Father Rasonovic. Suddenly early in the morning they while having breakfast they all started to glow. When it was over and done Alex found himself with a horse lower half that looked just like the body of his animal Pobeda (Victory).
The men who rode fillies had also become women.

They had decided to halt their search and had been on their way back to their village outside Mitrovica when a shot rang out. Alex’s friend Josip got hit in the temple. His four knees bent and He was dead before his hit the ground. There was no going back now. Captain Zorovic was furious. They were going to find the sniper and they were going to kill him.

Darkhan, Mongolia

It had been the greatest match of Kokpar ever played. Hundreds of the men magically changed into halfman, half horses had gathered to play in the lands traditional sport. Many were injured. Some had even been killed but in the end Tsendin Davanayar had lead his men to the victory.

The growing crowd cheered Tsendin’s name as He held what remained of the headless goat in the air. It was then that Davanayar looked around him and began to dream impossible things.

Kruger National Park
South Africa

Sbelo Sage had joined the Park Rangers to protect endangered animals from poachers. He was also there to find out if his commander Francois Snyk was in the pocket of the very poachers they were supposed to be stopping. His mission had became that much more difficult after January 23rd.

“Well,” his fellow ranger and centaur, Jerrel Van Der Wekken, told Sbelo, “If you didn’t want to become a filly you should have rode a colt or stallion boyo.”


Seoul, South Korea

Jiwon Le was still trapped in her 34th floor apartment. The authorities, her family, her friends, and her neighbors had all been very helpful and considerate. Only the building’s owner was being difficult. He would not allow any damage to be done to his building.

Jiwon also worried about her job as a dentist. She had missed over a week. Then She realized would She even fit in the clinic now? She did consider that then again this was a worldwide phenomenon. Would She have to be a dentist for only centaur clientele? Could She make a living doing that?

“Ms. Le,” the officer came in and awoke her from her thoughts, “the helicopter is enroute.”

Le looked out to see the aircraft coming towards her apartment. It was getting louder and louder. The harness they planned to use dangled below. Below the helicopter the street was full of onlookers. All wanting to see what would happen. For Better or Worse She steeled herself.

They’re calling me the Human Pegasus,” Le told the officer with a quick nod and a smile.

[corjomc]

Thomas J. Quirke Born 4/4/1974 Pelham, NH, USA Videographer, Funeral Home worker – Tom is seeking to find the “Cure” while also recording and documenting the strange phenomena.

NEW POVs
Sister Maria Caterine Paguen 11/19/1977 Armenia, Columbia, Nun, Sister Maria was forced to become a nun by her parents. She has since been molested by two of the priests there. She secretly hates the Church she belongs to. During the earthquake that struck 2 days after She got turned into a Centaur She helped save many people. She is being called the “Angel of Armenia”.

Hubert Hammond Patel 2/2/1982 Quebec City, QB, Canada, High School, Bert went on a trip to India to visit his Grandmother. While their he and his family rode elephants. They are now Elephantaurs. His birthday is on Groundhog Day.

Alexandre Peranovic, 10/18/1977 North Mitrovica, Yugoslavia, Wielder, Alex was part of a group hunting assassins when his squad got transformed. On their way back to HQ a sniper killed one of his friends in the squad. They are now hunting the sniper.

Sbelo Sage, 10/22/1966, Johannesburg, South Africa, Park Ranger, Sage was assigned undercover to the Rangers to find out if their commander, Francois Snyk, was being paid off by the poachers they are supposed to be stopping. He is now half human and half filly. He has a Wife and 3 year old Son.

Jiwon Le, 3/6/1976, Seoul, South Korea, Hotel Concierge Staff, Jiwon has been stuck in her apartment since transforming. They are going to get her out by helicopter. News crews are filming her extraction. She’s being hailed as the “Human Pegasus”.

Future POVs
The heir to the villa in Northern Italy
The innkeeper Down Under who is also a politician
We are Steel Samuri!, . . .well we were . . .
Joe at the Latoon Fairy Bush

[corjomc]

& Tsendin Davanayar