Transformation

I felt relieved that at least he was screaming now, too. But mostly I was busy noticing that I could make out individual houses, ringed by faint light. I could see individual car headlights and taillights. And I could see the mall parking lot, which was almost empty except for a crew painting new stripes on the blacktop.

"Aaaaaaahhhhhh!"

I focused as hard as I could. I had long ago morphed an osprey. That's a type of hawk. It's mostly dark gray-brown, with a sort of mottled white underside and a dark beak. It's a cool bird. But you know what? Right at that moment, I didn't care what kind of bird I became, as long as it had wings.

"Grow, wings, GROW!" I yelled, and the wind screaming past my face blew the words right out of my mouth.

Feathers began to form on my skin. I felt myself shrink. I felt my bones grow light, hollow. I could hear a grinding sound as the bones of my skull scrunched down to hold a much smaller brain.

Too slow. Way too slow.

I could see people now. The guys working in the mall parking lot. I could see people! And I was still falling.

No way I could morph in time!

No time! The ground!

It was going to hit me! It was jumping up to hit me! I could see one of the work crew look up at me.

I could see his eyes!

I spread my arms wide.

No! Not arms. WINGS! WIIINNNGGS!

SWOOOOOOSH! The wind snapped my wings back, straining every muscle, and I blew at ninety miles an hour, just inches off the freshly painted blacktop.

<Yah-HAH!> I yelled. I glanced left. Ax was right beside me, in his own harrier morph.

<That was exciting,> Ax said.

<Yes, it was. Let's never, ever do that again.>

<Ever,> Ax agreed.