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-There was a shuffle of papers and the click of a lamp, and Roy was done with his homework. He leaned back in his deskchair, and yawned contentedly. It had been one of those days that was just awesome. School had gone well, he had gotten along with everyone, and what little bit of homework he had been assigned was completed. After school, he had hung with friends and later had a delicious dinner. Really, the day had gone off without a hitch. He was content to lie there, staring at the ceiling for a while, until he noticed the time.
+There was a shuffle of papers and the click of a lamp, and Tom was done with his homework. He leaned back in his deskchair, and yawned contentedly. It had been one of those days that was just awesome. School had gone well, he had gotten along with everyone, and what little bit of homework he had been assigned was completed. After school, he had hung with friends and later had a delicious dinner. Really, the day had gone off without a hitch. He was content to lie there, staring at the ceiling for a while, until he noticed the time.
-"Eleven o' Clock?" He said to himself. "It's later than I thought!"
+"Eleven o' Clock?" He said to himself. "It's later than I thought!"
-The day had made him tired, so he had no qualms about hopping into his bed. He turned the TV on and lay there, letting his mind rest in its wavering glow.
+The day had made him tired, so he had no qualms about hopping into his bed. He turned the TV on and lay there, letting his mind rest in its wavering glow.
-
+
-Who knows how long he had slept there, when suddenly he became aware of an intense light around him. His eyes snapped open, and he gasped as he saw only white. No bed, no desk, and certainly no television. He went to sit up, and was suddenly aware that he was floating. A light breeze passed him by, which made him shudder as it brushed every side of him. Peering into the light and now the swirling pastel colors that surrounded him, he searched for any tangible form. There was none. Suddenly, another light appeared this time even more blindningly white.
+Who knows how long he had slept there, when suddenly he became aware of an intense light around him. His eyes snapped open, and he gasped as he saw only white. No bed, no desk, and certainly no television. He went to sit up, and was suddenly aware that he was floating. A light breeze passed him by, which made him shudder as it brushed every side of him. Peering into the light and now the swirling pastel colors that surrounded him, he searched for any tangible form. There was none. Suddenly, another light appeared this time even more blindningly white.
-"Roy!" a deep voice boomed, almost making him crap his pants. For a split second, he wondered where it would go if he did take a dump floating here, but his mind was called to attention by the voice. "ROY!" it called once again.
+"Tom!" a deep voice boomed, almost making him crap his pants. For a split second, he wondered where it would go if he did take a dump floating here, but his mind was called to attention by the voice. "TOM!" it called once again.
-It was just as scary the second time.
+It was just as scary the second time.
-"Y-yes?" Roy answered.
+"Y-yes?" Tom answered.
-"I have seen your longing for a new life. Though you make best of the one you have here, you yearn for something different."
+"I have seen your longing for a new life. Though you make best of the one you have here, you yearn for something different."
-There was a pause, and Roy nodded, though he wasn't sure the speaker saw. There was a chuckle, and the voice came again. "Now, I don't often do this, but I'm going to make an exception if you wish me to. Would you be willing to give up your life here, your friends, family, and yourself? Would you choose to be given a new life in a new world?"
+There was a pause, and Tom nodded, though he wasn't sure the speaker saw. There was a chuckle, and the voice came again. "Now, I don't often do this, but I'm going to make an exception if you wish me to. Would you be willing to give up your life here, your friends, family, and yourself? Would you choose to be given a new life in a new world?"
-"I-I... But..." Roy stammered.
+"I-I... But..." Tom stammered.
-"Mind you, you would never get to come back. Your mother and your father would miss you. But of course I would let you say goodbye."
+"Mind you, you would never get to come back. Your mother and your father would miss you. But of course I would let you say goodbye."
-Suddenly, it all came clear to Roy. This was his chance! The part where he said "Oh heck yes!"
+Suddenly, it all came clear to Tom. This was his chance! The part where he said "Oh heck yes!"
-"Ummm... Yeah. I mean, yeah!" he stammered. "I would like that! Can I go now?"
+"Ummm... Yeah. I mean, yeah!" he stammered. "I would like that! Can I go now?"
-It hadn't quite come out like he had wanted it to.
+It hadn't quite come out like he had wanted it to.
-The voice laughed. A deep, earnest laugh. "Okay, child. Let it be so!"
+The voice laughed. A deep, earnest laugh. "Okay, child. Let it be so!"
-Suddenly, Roy heard a familiar voice. "Roy, time to get up!" His mother shouted up the stairs. He opened his eyes for real, and to his disappointment, saw his room where he had fallen asleep. The television was still on, as it must have been the whole night. A gentle morning breeze was fingering the window curtains, letting rays of sun through. Roy sat up for a moment, dazed, and then threw himself back down irratibly. "A dream." Roy whispered. "Just a fucking dream."
+Suddenly, Tom heard a familiar voice. "Tom, time to get up!" His mother shouted up the stairs. He opened his eyes for real, and to his disappointment, saw his room where he had fallen asleep. The television was still on, as it must have been the whole night. A gentle morning breeze was fingering the window curtains, letting rays of sun through. Tom sat up for a moment, dazed, and then threw himself back down irratibly. "A dream." Tom whispered. "Just a fucking dream."
-_________________
+_________________
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+
-Roy heard his door open, and he feigned sleep. Not that it did any good. In a few seconds, he felt his mother, shaking him awake.
+Tom heard his door open, and he feigned sleep. Not that it did any good. In a few seconds, he felt his mother, shaking him awake.
-
+
-"Roy!" she said. "Roy! Wake up! You've slept long enough. Besides, your breakfast  is getting cold!"
+"Tom!" she said. "Tom! Wake up! You've slept long enough. Besides, your breakfast  is getting cold!"
-
+
-Roy turned his head and blinked at her sleepily. "What did you make for breakfast?" he mumbled.
+Tom turned his head and blinked at her sleepily. "What did you make for breakfast?" he mumbled.
-
+
-She smiled. "Your favorite! French Toast!"
+She smiled. "Your favorite! French Toast!"
-
+
-He moaned, and shoved his head back into his pillow. This happened all the time. His mother had the mistaken idea that he loved French Toast, when in reality, he despised it. His older sister loved it, yes, but not him. He would much rather have a warm omelette, or some juicy sausage. Or even better, his real favorite! Pancakes. What he wouldn't do for a heaping stack of pancakes. The more syrup, the better. "I'll    be down in a few." he grumbled. With that, he closed his eyes. He had no real intention of being down in a few. But his mother didn't leave like he expected her to.
+He moaned, and shoved his head back into his pillow. This happened all the time. His mother had the mistaken idea that he loved French Toast, when in reality, he despised it. His older sister loved it, yes, but not him. He would much rather have a warm omelette, or some juicy sausage. Or even better, his real favorite! Pancakes. What he wouldn't do for a heaping stack of pancakes. The more syrup, the better. "I'll    be down in a few." he grumbled. With that, he closed his eyes. He had no real intention of being down in a few. But his mother didn't leave like he expected her to.
-
+
-"...Roy?" she asked. "Are you feeling okay?"
+"...Tom?" she asked. "Are you feeling okay?"
-
+
-"Yes, Mom." he responded.
+"Yes, Mom." he responded.
-
+
-"Okay. If you say so. I just noticed, you look a bit pale."
+"Okay. If you say so. I just noticed, you look a bit pale."
-
+
-"No mom, I'm fine."
+"No mom, I'm fine."
-
+
-She got up, shrugged, and quietly left his room. He must have tried to fall back asleep for a good half hour, but it was to no avail. Finally, he gave up. Rolling out of bed, he tossed a clean pair of clothes on and started downstairs. The moment he stepped into the kitchen, there was a gasp. His mother stood there, mouth agape, pointing at him. He looked to his father, and was surprised to see a similar expression on his face.
+She got up, shrugged, and quietly left his room. He must have tried to fall back asleep for a good half hour, but it was to no avail. Finally, he gave up. Rolling out of bed, he tossed a clean pair of clothes on and started downstairs. The moment he stepped into the kitchen, there was a gasp. His mother stood there, mouth agape, pointing at him. He looked to his father, and was surprised to see a similar expression on his face.
-"W-what's wrong?" he asked. He would have pulled the 'is there something on my face' joke, but the serious expression on their faces bade him to refrain. Instead, he just stood there, as his mother pointed. "You're... You're..."
+"W-what's wrong?" he asked. He would have pulled the 'is there something on my face' joke, but the serious expression on their faces bade him to refrain. Instead, he just stood there, as his mother pointed. "You're... You're..."
-"You're transparent. His father finished. We can see right through you.
+"You're transparent. His father finished. We can see right through you.
-
+
-Roy looked down at his hand, and drew in a breath, as he realized he could make out the kitchen tiles through it. He looked at his parents with an expression of horror on his face. "What does this mean?!" He asked.
+Tom looked down at his hand, and drew in a breath, as he realized he could make out the kitchen tiles through it. He looked at his parents with an expression of horror on his face. "What does this mean?!" He asked.
-
+
-His parents sprung into action, after their temporary shock. Putting hand on his forehead, she felt for a fever. "Your temperature feels fine." she said. "Do you feel any symptoms?"
+His parents sprung into action, after their temporary shock. Putting hand on his forehead, she felt for a fever. "Your temperature feels fine." she said. "Do you feel any symptoms?"
-
+
-Roy thought for a moment, trying to figure out if he felt sick in any way. Finally, he spoke. "As far as I can tell, no."
+Tom thought for a moment, trying to figure out if he felt sick in any way. Finally, he spoke. "As far as I can tell, no."
-
+
-"Nothing? Nothing at all?"
+"Nothing? Nothing at all?"
-
+
-"No! I feel absolutely fine!"
+"No! I feel absolutely fine!"
-
+
-Roy's mother turned back to her husband. "What should we do? Should we schedule an appointment with th-" She was interrupted as he stood up from his chair, shaking his head firmly. "No." he said. I don't want to take any chances. We're going to the emergency room this moment."
+Tom's mother turned back to her husband. "What should we do? Should we schedule an appointment with th-" She was interrupted as he stood up from his chair, shaking his head firmly. "No." he said. I don't want to take any chances. We're going to the emergency room this moment."
-
+
-Roy's stomach growled. "Can I at least get something to eat first?" he pleaded.
+Tom's stomach growled. "Can I at least get something to eat first?" he pleaded.
-
+
-His father grimaced. "Make it quick! Grab something on your way out if you must." With that, he went to start the car, but turned halfway out the door. "We don't want to let things like this sit! It could be getting worse every minute!" he explained.
+His father grimaced. "Make it quick! Grab something on your way out if you must." With that, he went to start the car, but turned halfway out the door. "We don't want to let things like this sit! It could be getting worse every minute!" he explained.
 ________________
 
 Sitting there in the Emergency Room, Tom felt horribly out of place. Around him were children with nasty coughs, people with bandaged limbs, and even a lady in a wheelchair. It wasn't that he had never been to the emergency room before. He had actually been there three times. Once, when he had broken his arm, again when he had got a gash in his leg, and once more when he had come down with a nasty stomach flu that seemed worse than the usual ones. Each time, he had looked around at the other people and felt a certain bond, as if they were partners in the trial of sickness and pain. But this time, he felt positively fine! He had no cold, no injury, and yet... He noticed all the strange looks. He noticed when people chose to sit in the chair farthest from him, even if that meant sitting next to someone who was throwing up. He only began to grow scared when he saw the look on the face of the nurse who came out to bring him into the doctor. It was subtle, a widening of her eyes and a look of confusion, but it was there. She caught herself though, and hid it as quick as possible, under an air of sweetness and professionality.
 
 "The doctor is ready to see you, Tom!" she said.
 
 Tom's father and mother stood up, and he did the same. The trio followed the nurse through a door, down a hallway, and into a room with two chairs, a desk, and a platform in it. After seating Tom on the platform, and his parents in the chairs, she walked to the door.
 
 "The doctor will be in in just a moment!" she said.
 
 Then she opened the door, and left. The sound of her shoes clicking on the tile floor could be heard receding down the hallway, and then all was silent. All but the clock ticking. After about a minute, Tom spoke up. Looking at his parents, he said not a little tremulously "...Do you think everything will be okay?"
 
 His father frowned. “I honestly don’t know. I hope for all of our sakes that it will be, but how is one to know? It isn’t often that you hear of someone becoming transparent all of a sudden.” Seeing the look on Tom’s face, he quickly added, “But don’t worry about it! If anyone will know anything about your condition, the doctor will! Before worrying any more, lets wait and see what he has to say!”
 
 At that very moment, there was a click. The door opened, and the doctor walked in. “Hello!” he chimed, in the way that doctors speak so as to cheer the patients up. “And what do we have here today? A sniffle? A cut? A- HOLY MOLY!” he exclaimed, but instantly regretted it as Tom winced. Then the doctor spoke again, softer this time. “Now, how did this happen?” He looked quizzically from Tom, to his parents, and back again.
 
 Tom’s father cleared his throat, and began to speak again. “We honestly don’t know, Doctor. He was fine yesterday and last night. But this morning, when he woke up, he looked like this. Can you tell us anything about his condition?”
 
 “I’m afraid not, sir. I’ve never seen anything like this.” His brow furrowed with thought. Then, he smiled, as if a lightbulb had flashed in his head. “But what I can do is take his vital signs! That will do for a start, and it will give us some clues as to what’s going on, and whether it is harmful or not.” With that, the doctor walked to a rack on the wall, and began picking the medical instruments he needed.