Andrew McKenzie is a junior in highschool when a strange incident sweeps the world. In the aftermath Andrew is left confused and unsure what's happening to him as he slowly begins to notice changes.

“Oh my god!” Suddenly I was awake and my mother was standing at the foot of my bed looking at me. Confused at her outburst I rubbed my eyes.

“What?” I asked my voice breaking unusually high.

Staring at me for once in her life my mother was at a lost for words. “What?” I asked again my voice still a bit itchy and breaking like I was 13 again.I cleared my throat. “Would you say something!”

Finally my mother pointed at me. “You look different...You’re hair it’s...longer and lighter I think and your face is fuller maybe.” Confused I shook my head.

“Nothing is different it’s probably just the light or something.” Sitting up I turned on the light and my mother gasped. “What?” I asked again startled.

Moving closer my mother touched my face and her eyes widened. “Your face is definitely different hun. Your jaw is thinner and your cheeks are much puffier I’m telling you. I’m calling the doctor maybe you’re having an allergic reaction or something.”

Running out the door I heard my mother tell the nurse at the desk to page the doctor as it closed. Half asleep still I climbed out of bed and for some reason everything felt off. The bed felt a bit taller than it did the night before and the floor colder on my bare feet. I went to the mirror and looked at myself in the corner of the room. Blinking to focus my sleepy eyes I was staggered when things finally came into focus.

My fingers touched my face as I examined it myself and I couldn’t believe how it felt. My skin was softer than I remembered it and my mother was right my cheeks were more puffy. She was right about my jaw as well it did look thinner than it had yesterday. I still looked like me just slightly different. Nothing was too extremely altered that people wouldn’t know it was me but when you really looked things stood out. My hair was the most obvious though noticeably longer than when I’d gone to bed and several shades lighter than my normal brown. No wonder it was the first thing my mother noticed even in the dark.

Was this an allergic reaction? I didn’t know what to think when the door opened behind me. “Andrew!” my mother gasped again. I spun around towards her. “What!? What!?” I said in a panic.

“Turn back around.” She said. I did looking at the mirror again trying to see what else she may be talking about. “Your bottom is swollen too Andrew. It’s much bigger than yesterday.”

I turned back to look at my back side in the mirror and again my mother was right. My bottom looked much fuller than just the day before. I had to see what else might be reacting to whatever was happening to me so I darted to the bathroom and tore off the hosptial gown. Looking over my body even more changes popped out. It wasn’t just my butt it was my hips too they seemed to have more fat, my thighs as well, but my waist had slimmed down or so it seemed. I felt weird and off balance as I used the smaller mirror above the sink in the bathroom to look at myself.

Just like my face nothing was too drastic but everything seemed to have changed just a little bit. The hair on my arms, legs, and body seemed lighter and much thinner now, and it wasn’t just the skin on my face that was softer my whole body was the same way. I ran my hands over everything and as they crossed my chest I jumped. “Ow!” Carefully I placed my hands on my chest again and under the skin I could feel two firm bumps behind my nipples.

Whatever these bumps were they made my nipples pretty sensitive and just a little push or poke was painful. Turning this way and that I looked at myself in the mirror. Just like my butt and cheeks my chest seemed swollen with a bit more fat and my nipples seemed puffy and a bit more pronounced. Suddenly a knock came at the bathroom door.

“Andrew? It’s Doctor Foster is everything alright? Your mother said you have some swelling can you come out so I can have a look?” Swallowing I answered him back through the door.

“Yeah give me a minute.” Again my voice broke but slipping back into the hospital gown I made sure everything was covered and opened the door.

For the second time that morning I heard a shocked gasp as someone saw me for the first time. This time the doctor stared at me with a look of shock on his face. “What in the world? Ok I can see what your mother was saying it looks like there may be some swelling in your face and some hair growth certainly.”

“Is it an allergic reaction doctor?” My mother asked as she paced behind him still staring at me.

“It could be yes. We definitely need to run your blood again and see what that tells us. Is there any other swelling besides your face?” Nodding I looked at my mother and then back to the doctor as he waited for me to explain.

“Um... mom can you leave the room please.” I knew asking her to leave wouldn’t go over well but after an argument and the doctor agreeing with me my mother finally left me alone with Doctor Foster. My face bright red with embarrassment I took a deep breath and slipped out of the hospital gown to show the doctor my body.

“From my waist down to my thighs everything seems a bit swollen, but my waist seems smaller, and my skin feels different too much softer than before. ”Pausing I was reluctant about the next bit but taking a deep breath I continued. “Also my chest is sore and swollen too with two bumps behind my nipples that are extremely sensitive.”

Nodding the doctor looked me over and started to examine the different areas. When he finally got to my chest he paused. “You said these lumps are very sensitive is there any pain?”

“Yes when I poked one earlier there was a lot of pain. “Looking at my swollen and pronounced nipples the doctor felt my chest with his fingers asking occasionally if it hurt where he was pressing. I shook my head a few times and then gasped in pain doubling over as he pushed on one of the bumps behind a nipple with his fingers. My eyes watered and a couple tears ran down my face as I held my chest.

“Sorry I know that hurts but I just need to see what might be going on.” Straightening up I took another breath before I let him continue inspecting my chest. “hmmm.” he said as he made notes on his clipboard. “Ok. You can put your gown back on and lay down if you wish I just have one more question for you. Your voice seems to be cracking today is there any pain or soreness in your throat?”

“No it just itches a little.” Even as I answered him my voice broke again. When my voice had dropped during puberty I was always embarrassed by it but it had stopped several years ago. This was different however. This time when it would break instead of going lower it would get higher.

“Alright I think that about does it. Let me get your mother and we can go over what’s next together.”

Slipping the hospital gown back on I got back into the bed feeling very drained already and tearing up still. The pain had gone from where Doctor Foster had pushed a little too hard but I couldn’t help continuing to cry a little for no reason. When my mother returned she came right to my bed and sat down next to me giving me a hug.

“What’s wrong hun? Why are you crying you’ll be ok it’s just some swelling. I’m sure the doctor can give you something for it.” I leaned into my mother as she hugged me and comforted me. I had never been the very emotional type but today it felt good as I wiped my eyes. “There we go dry those tears. Now what’s going on doctor?”

“To be honest I’m not certain yet. I want to run another blood test and I’m adding an ultrasound of your sons chest.” Doctor Foster said while making notes on his clipboard still.

“An ultrasound on his chest? Why what’s wrong with his chest?” My mother looked at me and my cheeks turned red as I turned away a bit too embarrassed to say anything.

“Well along with his hips, butt, and thighs his chest seems to have some swelling, but that doesn’t concern me as much as the hard lumps behind his nipples. They seem to be extremely sensitive so I want to get a look at what’s going on there.”

My mother gasped hearing the word lumps and I could see her first question coming. “It’s not cancer is it?”

“I’m not sure what it is but the ultrasound should give us a better idea along with a new blood test. For now I want Andrew to just relax and I’ll get the nurses going on these tests. As soon as they're ready they’ll come get you.” Putting his pen in the top of his clipboard Doctor Foster smiled. When he looked at me finally I could see why my mother was flirting with him. He was pretty attractive really and had a nice smile. I couldn’t help but smile back feeling my cheeks warm and blush.

Why was a blushing at a smile from a Doctor? I was confused and looked at my mother unable to not notice a slight blush in her cheeks as she too returned Doctor Foster’s smile. I felt really weird and looked back at the mirror in the corner as he left my mother and I alone. “So why did you make me leave, because of this swollen chest?” My mother asked as soon as the door closed.

“I didn’t want my mother to see me naked that’s all.” I squirmed as she joined me looking at my reflection in the mirror.

“Andrew I have seen you naked more times then I can count there’s nothing you should be ashamed of me seeing.” We looked at each other indirectly in the mirror and I just couldn’t bring myself to argue this time. “Now let me see.”

With a sigh I turned and let the hospital gown slide down around my waist. My mother’s eyes widened and she covered her mouth as she stared at my chest. “The doctor said they are painful?” I nodded as she had me turn to one side and then the other. “Only when pressed on they are fine right now.”

Sudden I saw a questioning look in my mother’s eyes as she looked at my chest. “What do they feel like hun? Are they kinda balls and hard behind the nipples?” I couldn’t help but wonder how she knew that as I noded and told her yes. “Hmmm well hopefully the sonogram well tell the doctor what’s going on.” I felt as though suddenly my mother knew something I didn't but I was still too drained to push and find out what.

It didn’t take long for the nurse to show up and draw my blood again. After that I was taken for the sonogram which took way longer then it should have. The lumps behind my nipples sent pain through my entire body and brought me to tears every time they were pressed on or bumped a bit too hard. A couple times I just couldn’t take it and had to stop and catch my breath to recover. Finally I was able to tuff it out though and we headed back to my room. Along the way the nurse stopped and told me she wanted to get my height and weight again.

I asked her why when we had just done that the day before and she told me it was something the doctor had requested. With a shrug I agreed and stepped onto the scale. To my surprise despite the swelling all over my body I had lost about 5 pounds overnight. Even that wasn’t as big a surprise as when she measured my height though. Somehow in less than a day's time I had lost more than a full inch in height.

I understood now why the bed and everything in my room seemed off. They felt taller because I was suddenly shorter. When we returned to the room my mother was waiting and by now my sister had arrived. I told them about the weight loss and the height but neither seemed to care all they wanted to talk about was my chest. My mother had me show my sister the swelling and as they looked at each other again I felt like they knew something I didn’t.

“What? What is it? I saw that look.” I asked staring at the them. Again they looked at one another before Amanda answered me.

“Your chest looks like you have breast buds. Mom told me when I got here and wanted to see if I thought the same thing. She’s right it really does look like breast buds to me. I don’t know what’s going on but if those aren’t breast buds I don’t know what else they could be. They look just like mine did.”

Confused I had no idea what she was talking about. “What are breast buds I asked?

This time my mother leaned in closer and took my hand. “Breast buds are something young girls get when they are developing breasts hun. They make the nipples extremely sensitive and are two lumps that form behind them.”

Now I understood what they were saying and I shook my head “What? You think i’m developing breasts? No way how is that even possible?”

Still holding my hand my mother shook her head. “I don’t know how but the doctor did say your estrogen was high yesterday so maybe that had something to do with it. I’m not even certain that’s what’s happening I just know from experience that it certainly seems like that’s what they are to me. Let’s wait and see what the doctor says though I don’t want to panic you over nothing.

“Too late.” I said stewing a bit as I covered myself and bumped a nipplein the process. Pain shot through my body and I got a knowing look as if they knew the pain from my sister and mother. “That’s...crazy there’s no way. The doctor said it would take high estrogen levels for a long period of time to see any effects. It’s only been a day.”

I could see the concern on my sister and mother’s face not wanting to panic me any more than they had. “Listen I’m sorry we brought it up you’re right the Doctor said it would take a long time. I’m just worried about you and my mind is just racing trying to find answers. Forget what your sister and I said let’s just wait and hear what the doctor thinks.”

Sitting in the bed I glared at the two of them as they whispered to each other now while I flipped on the television. I knew they were still talking about me but I tried to take my mind off of it and started to look for any more reports on the cloud. Again there were plenty of reports but nothing confirmed on what it was or where it came from. By now people had started reporting theories by this scientist or that but none of them seemed right to me.

We sat there all morning my sister and mother chatting amongst themselves as I watched TV and then into the afternoon. The longer it took for the doctor to return the more nervous I got. I had buzzed the nurse a couple times to ask what was taking him so long but the only thing she would say was he’ll come see me when all the tests are back. Why was it taking so long? Yesterday my blood work and cat scan were back in no time at all.

Finally in the late afternoon there was a knock on the door and in walked Doctor Foster. “Sorry it took so long we ran a number of tests on your blood this time.” With a sigh as if he had been having a long day Doctor Foster sat on the little rolling stool again by my bed.

“What’s going on? Did you find anything?” my mother blurted out before I could even say a word.

“To be straight with you yes and no. His blood work still shows elevated estrogen even higher than the levels were yesterday and his testosterone is now at minimum level even for a female. However this shouldn’t be causing the reaction we are seeing this quickly.”

“So it’s not an allergic reaction it’s because of his hormone levels?” My mother asked as I sat there a bit numb and unsure what to ask.

“No it’s definitely not an allergic reaction and we don’t know how but it does seem related to the hormone levels yes. Some of the things happening to him are a lot like what happens with transgender male to females when they take estrogen but like I said that normally takes a long period of time to see these kind of changes.”

“I knew it! His chest those are breast buds aren’t they?” Covering my face i couldn’t believe my mother had just blurted out her theory to a doctor.

“Yes it seems so.” I straightened up and stared at the doctor shocked that he had not shot her down. “Looking at the sonogram and after examining him this would be what we’d expect to see in early breast development for a young girl.”

I was stunned and even though my mother was right I could tell she was to. I was developing breasts after all. My sister was the only one of us able to get a question out. “Well can you stop it or reverse it?”

With a deep breath Doctor Foster look back to me. “We are going to try. The nurses are going to get you on testosterone and an estrogen blocker to try and get his hormone levels back where they should be. However I don’t know what effect it will have on the changes that we’ve already seen. All we can do is wait and see.”

I shook my head tearing and my mother rushed to my side wrapping her arms around me. I had never cried as much in my life as I had in the past day but I couldn’t help it. “There is one other thing. The blood test wasn’t the only reason it took so long for me to get back to you. I have been in and out of video conferences with government health officials all day. Because this may be related to the cloud yesterday they have decided to send a team here to monitor you and your treatment.”

My stomach sank for some reason. “So you’re not going to be treating me anymore?” I asked with my eyes full of tears. My mother gave me a strange look as Doctor Foster shook his head. “No I’m still your primary doctor but I’ll be working with them when they arrive tomorrow. This is a good thing though you're going to have a lot of smart people working to help you now. We have already discussed your case in video conference and this hormone treatment is what the group decided would be the best course of action at the moment”

I felt somewhat better hearing I was now going to have a team working to stop whatever was happening to me so I straightened up and dried my eyes with a tissue my mother had given me. Through my still breaking voice I told Doctor Foster thank you and with a nod and smile headed back to the nurses desk outside my room.

Once he was gone my mother turned to me and fixed my hair. “I’m sure everything will be fine hun. Like he said you have a whole team of doctors now they'll fix this. Look at you though these hormones are making you a mess aren’t they?” I couldn’t help but laugh and smile still wiping my eyes. “Totally. I’ve never cried this much in my life i hate it.”

“That’s the joys of estrogen hun your sister and i have to deal with it all the time but don’t worry I’m sure they’ll get you back to an emotionless manly man soon enough.” My mother laughed at her own joke along with my sister who had to make one of her own. “Oh and by the way watch those teary eyed thank you faces like you gave Doctor Foster. if you were a girl that would have been borderline flirting.” She said with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes. “You’re on crack I looked at him while I was crying because of these stupid hormones.” My sister smiled and leaned back in her chair. “Well hormones can do weird things and I’m saying is that face and thank you have been used by girls to flirt for a long time.”

“Your sister is right hun. I saw it too and if i didn’t know you i would have thought you were flirting with him a little.” I threw my hands in the air in aggravation as my mother agreed. “Not you too! I don’t like guys! I wasn’t flirting with him!” I shouted a bit too loud and turned red hoping no one outside my room had heard me. On top of everything else it kinda seemed like these hormones were starting to make me as loud and dramatic as my mother and sister. That’s the last thing i need I thought to myself.

“We know you don’t like guys Andrew stop being so dramatic. It’s just the hormones.” Great now my mother was calling me dramatic somehow I had to get a hold of myself. After a bit more teasing from my sister help finally arrived in my struggle to do just that. The nurse knocked on the door with a couple IVs one filled with the estrogen blockers and the other with testosterone. In short order she had them hooked up and I watched as they dripped beside my bed into the tubes now stuck into my arm.

It didn’t take long before there was a reaction but not a good one. Less than an hour after the IVs were started my nausea returned with a vengeance and I held a bucket as I got sick several times. Eventually though despite still being nauseous it stopped probably because of nothing being left in my stomach. I couldn’t eat anything the rest of the night even looking at food made me feel like I was going to be sick again.

My sister eventually went home and when the nightly news came on it was just my mother and I left alone. Prepared this time she had brought some things from home and the nurses had set up a cot for her in my room to spend the night. I didn’t really want her to but she wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

“Hello and welcome to the nightly news I’m Ron Danvers and tonight we have some interesting news about the cloud that swept our globe a little more than a day ago now.” Suddenly I sat up wondering what they had found along with my mother. I turned up the volume on the TV a little as the anchor continued.

“According to government sources there are now several cases spanning the globe of illnesses possibly related to the cloud. Everyone affected showed signs immediately after the cloud passing through their location and are receiving treatment at various medical facilities. So far according to our source all those affected were males between fourteen and eighteen years of age.”

I couldn’t believe it there were others besides myself affected. “None of those affected appear to have life threatening issues and the government says there appears to be no risk of infection by others. In a statement the head of the CDC said and I quote ‘These issues do not appear to be related to any disease and the public is in no danger. Anyone who developed a nose bleed and extreme nausea immediately after the cloud passed is however asked to report to your local medical facility for examination.’ ”

I couldn’t help but wonder what reaction the other’s were having? Were we all the same or was it different for everyone? “So far it seems the number of people having issues related to the cloud is small according to some reports less than 5 cases in the US and as high as 13 in China. The CDC has since dispatched teams of doctors to treat all five cases in the US and have further teams on standby for any further cases that may arise. Stay tuned for more news as we receive it.”

As the TV went to commercial I looked at my mother. “Only four other people in the US? That’s it?”

“It seems so hun but it still doesn’t seem like they are all that certain about anything. Maybe there’s more out there who just haven’t shown symptoms yet.” My mother was right maybe there was more I just couldn’t believe of all the people in the US i was one of only 5 affected by this thing.

By now several other news agencies were reporting basically the same thing. None of them seemed to know what issues any of the 5 were having which made me a little happy that people didn’t know how it was effecting me. The last thing I wanted was everyone knowing I was developing breasts and was an emotional wreck due to high estrogen levels.

I looked over at the IV dripping beside me and I hoped this would stop whatever was happening before it ever got out. Tomorrow the team from the CDC would arrive and if the IVs didn’t work I was certain that they would be able to help me.

It wasn’t long before my mother was asleep. Despite being tired the IV tube stuck into my arm made it hard to get comfortable enough to sleep myself. Eventually though I managed and for the second day in a row I fell asleep at the hospital.