This was a writing experiment for me, but I thought I'd share it. It's the same story told in three different versions. Given the list's proclivities, version X is first, then comes R and G. It's short and fairly good for what it is, which should be obvious, so the extra stuff shouldn't be a heavy burden.
I think one of the net archives may have just the first version of the story so avoid it. This file contains the complete set which is the one that should be archived. Don't split them up if you redistribute it.
Enjoy.
Oyster Cracker
Clam Shell/Version X By Oyster Cracker
"I've always wanted... a family. I just never, uh... been able to find... the right man. You know the feeling?"
Melissa doodled in the sand.
"Yeah. I've had that problem too..." Joel said. "With women, of course. It's tough sometimes."
"I know what you mean. You don't know if they're looking for a one night stand... if you should risk telling them you want a commitment and, er, scare them out the door... or just settle for whatever sex you can get."
He laughed. But neither of them looked at one another. They continued to stare at the sand or watch the palms swaying in the gentle beach breeze as the clouds faded away into night.
"It's hard being a lounge act. Working the circuit. You don't have real stable relationships with women."
Seagulls circled and flew off into the distance, mocking his loss of freedom.
One dove for a fish.
"I don't want to pressure you. I mean here we are- both looking for love, stranded on the proverbial deserted island together with this thing hanging over our heads... I only bring it up because you know it and I know it and... if we get it out in the open, maybe we won't be as threatened by it." He put his hand on hers. She didn't draw away. "I'll take as long as you like... but I think in the end we should try to make the best of it."
She sighed. "I know. We could be here a while. We should... get along. Just, um, give me some time with it. I know I'm not your... perfect woman. You're not my, uh, perfect man either, you know. It's not that I couldn't stand you on the cruise ship." She stroked his forearm. "I thought your act was quite funny. You've got a special sensitivity. And you're not at all cruel like a lot of comedians."
"That's why I'm on retirement cruises and not Johnny Carson."
She chuckled.
"You haven't been making too many jokes lately. Aren't you afraid you'll be fired?"
He laughed. "Tryin' out for my job, huh? Trust me. You're not going to like the ass I had to kiss to get it... Although I don't know... I've got the only other ass here to kiss. Be nice about it and maybe I'll teach you the trade..."
"I'd like that." She smiled at him and then turned back to the falling darkness.
"Yeah... I'm sorry I got serious on you. It's just that I wanted to be clear about things. I didn't want you worrying and I didn't feel comfortable with the question not being out."
"I'm glad you're direct. I like that. And I do like you. I just need some time to get used to the idea. Don't worry. It probably won't take me that long to get horny."
There wasn't much to do.
They were lucky to stumble on the cave, high enough up on the hill where they would be protected even during storms.
Fish were easy to catch. There was plenty of fruit. And of course the cave surrounded a fresh water spring.
It didn't take long to get used to the bubbling brook and the way it sang him to sleep at night.
His years in the Boy Scouts kept them warm.
And of all the ironies, they'd managed to salvage a mattress and a few bags of dirty laundry from the ship. In fact they'd floated to the island on the thing.
Would the springs rust? He might never know at this rate. Like the gentleman he was, he parted company with it as soon as they landed.
All in all, things could have been much worse.
So why didn't he feel lucky?
Having more time on his hands only made things more difficult.
Joel took another long walk along the sandy beach. What else was there to do?
He hadn't lied to her. He always had wanted to find someone and settle down.
At least he had the settling down part finally taken care of.
He sighed as he thought of all the women he'd met as a traveling comic. You'd think one of them would pan out.
He hoped Melissa would. She was the end of the line for the foreseeable future.
She seemed to be warming up to him. She really was quite friendly once she opened up.
But she still kept her distance.
Well, these things take time...
He picked at the shells in the sand with his toe. One of them caught his eye.
There was something about it.
It wasn't brighter than the others. Or perfectly shaped.
He picked it up and rubbed the sand off.
He looked out at the sea and wondered how far they really were from land. He continued cleaning it as his mind wandered.
The inside was pleasantly smooth.
It reminded him of Melissa's skin.
Why was she off on the other side of the island today? What had she told him?
He caressed the shell with his thumb like a worry bead as he strolled in the warm sunlight. Maybe he could make it into a necklace for her. Would she like that?
He wished she liked him that way. Or perhaps he had simply said to himself, "I wish I could be what she wanted."
In the years to come he would never remember exactly what he had thought or how he had put it.
The sandy shoreline lunged at him. It looked like the world would smack him in the face. Then just as suddenly it stopped.
No. He must be falling still. There was some blonde hair in his eyes.
He wiped it away.
He didn't feel like he was falling. He didn't feel like he was kneeling either but everything was shorter.
He checked.
Good lord.
Breasts.
And pubic hair between them.
But nothing else.
"Ah!"
She ran numb fingers through her long tresses.
She glared at the damn shell and rushed with it to the nearest tidal pool, painfully unable to ignore the heavy bouncing in her chest that wanted to pull her over... or forget the one important bounce missing down below.
A stunned, if delightful blonde girl stared back from the dark blue waters.
Her mouth dropped open in horror.
"Yes. I finally believe you, honey, um, Joel. You know too much about our last week here." She stroked the girl's still shaking arm and leaned with her against the cave wall. "How long have you been like this?"
"Um... uh, just after lunch I think."
"Since lunch? Oh, Joel... why didn't you try to find me? It's a small island. Why'd you come up here and hide all day?"
"Well what was I supposed to do? Run around naked with these damn tits flapping everywhere?" She clutched at the beach towel wrapped around her torso.
"You could have- well, that's behind us now." Melissa cleared her throat. "Explain to me how this happened again?"
"I was rubbing this shell I'd found and... I don't know. I was thinking about you and... me and how I'd like us to be together. I don't know. I guess I wished you liked me more or I could be the kind of man you liked and the damn thing did this to me." Joel jabbed a thumb in her own soft stomach. "This place is cursed," she whispered. "We've got to get out of here."
"Oh... oh honey, no. It gave you your wish all right." Melissa calmly stroked the girl's blonde hair. "I'm a lesbian, darling. You really are much more attractive to me now."
"Huh?!"
Joel backed away from her, clutching at the towel as the cave wall snagged it and it rode uncomfortably high.
Melissa drew back.
"I won't do a thing to hurt you, Joel. I'm sorry this happened." She smirked girlishly. "But I was really your first thought? That's so sweet."
"Well, uh, not really." Joel scratched a line in the sandy dirt floor with her toe. "First I wished to get off the island." She finally looked at Melissa again. "But that didn't happen. Then I got to thinking while I was rubbing the shell how I'd at least like to, uh, get along with you better if I had to be stuck here. You know. It was perfectly innocent, I swear."
"I believe you." Melissa kissed her on the cheek. "It was lovely." She eyed the shell with her. "And that was all it took? Just a thought?" Melissa thought herself a moment as she drank in the petite girl's curvaceous form. "Could I call you Amy instead of Joel? Would it be asking too much? You remind me of an Amy I knew once and calling you Joel seems silly now."
"I suppose with all the other changes... yeah, what's one more?" The name seemed oddly comfortable as if it were something on the tip of her tongue she'd been waiting to hear. "I don't really feel like 'Joel' now, although I also don't... it's so strange."
"Are you unhappy like this?"
"Of course I'm unhappy!" she squeaked. "It... it strangely enough seems to fit, but I'm still upset that... that more than anything I wasn't at least asked about it." Amy massaged the crick in her neck and suddenly wondered why she had to look up at Melissa now. "Why am I so much smaller than you?"
"I guess it knew I like short women." Melissa shrugged and stopped herself from cupping the blonde beauty's face.
"At least you don't like them heavily stacked," Amy sighed, dragging an arm across her uninvited new globes.
"Oh please," she grinned. "That's such a male fantasy. Don't tell me you actually want big tits."
"No. Please. No more accessories."
Melissa laughed. "I don't think you'll have to worry about earrings on this island." Though she did see a tiny hole in one of the girl's ears.
Melissa inched a bit closer and Amy tightened her arm, pressing her mounds uncomfortably flat. The damn things felt huge, but thankfully they weren't that big. She took back every thought she'd ever had about large breasts.
Although... if Melissa had a set she'd be- Oh! Stop that! They had more immediate concerns. Like she had no dick to do anything about it.
Shouldn't she be in a complete panic about this? The old Joel would. And she was at first.
But how long could you panic about reality? This was something she couldn't do anything about and she'd always been practical.
It was so odd. The body was certainly the complete opposite of what she had just been, but so many parts of her hadn't seemed to have changed. Was she just adjusted? Maybe it was part of the spell. She felt peculiarly double- crossed.
"I feel like I should want a man or something."
Melissa drew back. "You don't, do you?"
"No, but I feel like there ought to be parity. Like you should be a man or something since I can't undo it. We both oughta be screwed by this deal. It isn't fair."
"Sorry. I'm a lesbian, not one of those men trapped in a woman's body. What do they call them?"
Amy sighed and her mind wandered off. "Now I'll never be able to give you that family you wanted... that I wanted..."
"Well, maybe I should try the shell. Can I have it a moment?"
"I don't know." Amy eyed it warily. "It didn't work too well for me. And I couldn't change myself back or wish for anything else either. Be careful how you phrase it." She paused. "I couldn't talk you into turning me back to my old self, could I?"
"Right away? You have an opportunity here... I mean I'd definitely have sex with you as a man but..." She sucked on her lip... "You're very tempting... Could we have sex now and then try for it? Please?" Melissa cupped the teenager's cheek.
"No..." Amy blinked but didn't push her hand away. "I'd like to go back now please. This makes me really nervous. Like the longer I wait the worse it will get."
"I understand." Melissa cleared her throat. "I do feel a little guilty about it. This is it?" she checked as Amy passed her the shell.
"Yeah."
"Careful, huh? OK." She hummed to herself. "Something specific..."
Melissa tried wishing she was a he again but nothing happened. Amy even crouched down, just in case the ceiling tried to hit her like the shoreline had. No such luck.
Melissa wished them off the island. Nothing happened again, but Amy figured that one wouldn't work anyway.
She wished someone would rescue them. Nothing.
Would something like that take a while?
Maybe it had to be something you really wanted?
Melissa closed her eyes. "I wish we were pregnant."
"Give me that!" Amy snatched it back. "You fool. I didn't want to be a girl," she hissed, "much less a pregnant one."
"Oops." Melissa looked shyly at her. "I kind of meant me. You know, us as a couple."
"Well I hope you told it that!"
She shrugged and glanced at her still flat belly. "Relax. It doesn't seemed to have worked either. None of them did."
"You dummy," Amy said, shaking the shell at her. "It doesn't work that fast. You'd know that if you slept with any men."
"Sorry." Melissa shrugged yet again. "You forget some things when you don't have to worry about birth control." She stroked Amy's arm. "Come on. Hand it back. Let me try something else."
"Hell no." Amy rubbed the thing as fast as she could. "Oh God let me have my period!" She bit her lip. "I thought I'd never hear myself say that..." she whispered, knowing somewhere in the pit of her stomach that wish wouldn't come true either.
Melissa finally wrestled it away but try as she might, she was no more successful. She set it aside and tried to console Amy. She really should have been more careful with the way she worded things.
She felt guilty that she hadn't really wanted Joel to be a man again. Had that nixed the wish? But how could she change something like that about herself?
"Maybe the other half will wash up?" Melissa ventured. "We can go looking for it tomorrow..."
Amy just glared at her.
"I know. I maybe screwed Joel twice today, huh?"
Amy furrowed her brow.
"Well it was what you wanted," Melissa smiled. "Getting screwed? Oh... come on." She gave the gorgeous teenager a friendly hug. "Where's your sense of humor?" She tickled Amy's chin. "It is a bit funny, don't you think?"
Amy finally cracked a smile. "I could turn myself in for sexual harassment," she giggled. The cave echoed with her girlishness and the grin disappeared. The shy blonde clamed up once more.
Melissa laughed politely, then gave her shoulder a reassuring pat. "I am still a little confused. Why did you wish what you did, exactly, if this wasn't what you wanted?"
"Well, you didn't seem to be coming around and I knew I couldn't get off the damn island." Amy was suddenly very sheepish, like she'd been caught in the girl's lockers (which she knew she would from now on). "I didn't want to brainwash you. And dammit." Her fists pounded the wall. "I had to get my rocks off! I was desperate!"
"That's so sweet using your wish to please me. Thank you." Melissa gave Amy a friendly kiss which seemed to calm her. "I hate to tell you though. I was warming up to the idea of straight sex. It's just that I was having my period and I ran out of tampons. I didn't want you to see the mess so I tried to stay away. It's gone now, not that I guess it really matters. Your rocks are certainly off," she teased sarcastically.
"All this for nothing." Amy smacked her herself in the face.
"Well, not for nothing. I really am in love, if that matters."
Amy backed away.
"I- I don't think I could love a chick who was into other women."
"You'd better. Unless you want a guy."
"Ugh."
"I know what you mean."
She tugged at Amy's sheet. The girl continued to retreat, but the strategy didn't seem to be working this time.
She swallowed.
"Now I'm not sure I'm ready for it."
Melissa sighed. "I may have gotten us both knocked up. Don't you at least want the fun that's supposed to go with it?..." She smiled and paused a moment before moving forward again. "Please let me make it up to you?" she offered softly.
"Give me a while." She put a resisting hand between the older woman's breasts, surprised as much by her own boldness as she was the tender warmth that greeted her fingers.
"OK. But it's an awfully lonely island. It almost made me go straight. It's gonna make you gay in the end."
Amy flinched. "I always hated that word. The way the guys teased you in elementary school." Her arm relaxed. "Not that they could much stand the little girls then, but they knew enough about sex to taunt you with the label-"
Melissa tugged on the fabric again. "You always had the hots for me. I hope your little wish didn't change that."
"No..." Amy blushed. The chunk of granite wedge in her spine told her she'd run out of cave wall. "I just don't know what to do."
"A virgin, huh?" Melissa leaned forward and nibbled lightly at her ear. "Well, if you'd had me as a man, technically I would have been a virgin."
"Really? You never..."
"Nope. Never." Fingers crept up Amy's neck, into her golden hair. "Always knew who I was and what I wanted," Melissa breathed.
"That's so sad.... You missed a lot." Amy's mind wandered and Melissa finally stole a kiss from her tentative lips. "I remember how much fun my first time was. We thought we were in love..." Amy rested an arm around the brunette's neck and gazed into the evening sky.
"My first was sweet too." Melissa's chin dug into her shoulder as she nibbled an ear. "And now you get to have another first."
"Yeah," Amy laughed. "I hadn't thought about that." The blood drained from her cheeks. "Do I, um?" She clutched at the fabric between her legs. "Will it hurt?"
Melissa pulled back and smiled gently at her.
"I don't know. Let's get you unwrapped, sweetie."
Sweetie. It was normal enough for lovers to say... Why did it seem a tinge patronizing now?
Melissa wasn't making fun of her height, was she?
More tugging at the sheet. The larger woman was so much stronger.
"I'm sure you'll be as pretty under there as the rest of you is."
The words fell like kindling on her ears.
"Thanks..."
The cave was warmer.
Amy swallowed as Melissa took her hand and lead her back to the bed.
They stood for a moment, staring out at the sun as it turned red over the ocean.
Melissa rubbed a thumb over Amy's knuckles and gently pulled her down. They kissed and Melissa worked fingers into the seam of the sheet, slowly unraveling her beautiful gift.
It fell away.
Amy looked down at her quivering breasts while the evening breeze puckered their nipples.
"I am pretty," she observed quietly.
"Gorgeous, honey." A garden of fine bumps grew up in the tightening pink disks. "Lie back now."
"OK." Amy brushed her hair across the blue mattress and let its ends fall in the dirt.
As Melissa's nails grazed her stomach, unfamiliar sensations stirred between her legs.
There was something there after all... She'd forgotten in her terror. She could feel it more as Melissa parted her thighs.
She sighed at the itch created by the air's gentle caress. Melissa's light touch deepened it into a tingle.
"I'm just looking, honey."
Her tender skin was exposed to the world for the first time. Something was slowly opening, like a morning flower.
Two fingers spread her bloom delicately apart. She loved being touched there...
Melissa frowned a bit. "It's not big but you'll feel it a little. I'll be as gentle as possible."
"Thank you."
Melissa smiled.
"But that's not for a while yet."
Amy smiled back and cupped her face, fingers plucking gingerly at Melissa's top.
With a kind twinkle in her eye, Melissa lifted the oversized t-shirt, unveiling the black lace bra Joel had lived to steal glimpses of.
Amy parted her lips to wet them.
Arousal swept her body with such a strange sense of safety. Her nudity wouldn't result in an embarrassing erection.
But then such a confession wouldn't bother Melissa now...
The brunette fumbled with the clasp on her back.
"And now ladies and ladies, what we've all been waiting for..."
Melissa giggled for the first time she'd known her.
The cups fell away and set free her wonderful wine-coloured nipples.
Amy swept her wrist against the side of her breast.
"You're as lovely as I imagined." Then Amy snickered coyly. "At least one of us can still get big and purple."
Melissa looked down and her face relaxed in a smile.
"Do you like them? They sag a bit."
"You're lovely," she repeated, caressing a lock of brown hair. "All women sag. I will too, I'm sure."
Eventually... Melissa realized with some sorrow. "I wish we'd been able to salvage some decent sheets for you."
Amy laughed. "I'd settle for a few clothes that fit."
"If there aren't any, I'll make you some, my love."
Amy's lower lip disappeared in her mouth. "Do you love me?"
"No one's ever given me so much." Melissa kissed her.
Amy's hand drifted up her arm as she laid in the bed, breasts gently rising and falling with each breath.
"Let me prove it to you," Melissa whispered.
She stroked a golden strand from Amy's temple and kissed her full on the mouth.
Their tongues mingled a few moments. Amy stroked her soft, tan skin and felt her own nipples stand even tighter as Melissa's dangling breasts grazed them.
It seemed they did nothing but kiss for an eternity, soothing and exploring one another's faces.
Amy sensed the friendly steam rising inside both their bodies.
Melissa finally shifted her knees and pressed her form full into her. The blonde tugged suggestively at her shorts as the woman lay on top of her. Melissa smiled and unbuttoned them with a thumb.
"Is this the biggest check you've ever picked up to get into a girl's pants?" she joked.
Amy smiled ever more shyly at her.
Melissa placed the young woman's hand on the zipper and pushed her fingers down.
The cave was silent except for the distant call of seagulls and the popping metal teeth. And the water... the calm bubbles that were always there...
With a swish Melissa slid them over her hips. The blue panties snagged in her crotch a second before they too joined the march of cotton down her thighs.
She kissed Amy awkwardly as she lifted her feet.
Her underwear flew onto one of the cleaner rocks where it joined her t-shirt.
They embraced and ran hands through each other's hair as their bodies melted together in the ebbing daylight.
Melissa teased her with the graceful dance of her nipples, piquing Amy's ardor.
Outside night began to rise.
Amy writhed under her. The unfamiliar ache was too much. She kneaded Melissa's bottom, hoping for some guidance. With a bit of boldness, Amy traced the curve of her lover's hip and slipped a finger down through the silk of her sex.
Melissa brushed her palm against Amy's pert cheek and widened her legs slightly to let the girl explore.
She stumbled over the soft, warm pearl and shadowed its moist lips as they grew under her fingers. Melissa closed her eyes and moaned quietly as the girl rolled the small, fleshy knob.
Her jaw rested on Amy's creamy shoulder. Melissa sucked in a gasp of air.
Amy stopped.
Melissa rose up and blinked at her.
She gave Amy a kiss.
"Would you like to know how it feels first?"
Amy gave a small nod.
Melissa took her by the hand and led her down into the golden fleece nuzzling the juncture of her thighs.
"Feel around first. Go on, honey. Take your time. Then we'll do it together."
"Don't you want to look?"
"There's nothing really to see, sweetie. The cave is too dark now."
"I could wait until morning."
"The sparkle in your eyes is enough..." She smiled. "And yes, I promise to kiss you there later... Come now. Give me your finger..."
Amy smelled the ripe fruit almost as soon as it was sliced open and cracked her eyes. They smiled at one another. Amy blinked and sat up in bed.
She noticed the red stain left between her legs. Just a few spots.... and a smear where the blood hadn't quite dried before she moved during the night.
Melissa dabbled a damp cloth on her thigh, cleaning the stiff crust away and reviving the sensitive tingle in her loins that reminded her of their love.
She also tried to wipe the shadow of dark crimson from the bed. Amy stopped her. She liked the way it stood out on the blue and white floral designs.
Over the years it would always be her favorite side of the mattress. She never gave it up.
It was such a small price to pay for sharing one another's company during the night. And a body this soft couldn't be expected to sleep on the sand any longer.
She wasn't enough of a gentleman to keep doing it, Amy snickered to herself.
Melissa set aside the towel and stroked her lover's hair.
"There's something I forgot to tell you," she whispered.
"What?" Amy smiled devilishly. "It can't get any worse than you being a lesbian."
"Well. I didn't think of it at the time... but personally I've always wanted to have twins. One of each, you know..."
It took Amy a month of careful work, but eventually she carved a small hole in the shell so she could wear it around her neck.
Every once in a while during her long walks along the shore, she'd stop and hold others up for comparison.
Melissa always waited patiently with an arm around her waist. She wondered in the back of her mind what thoughts preoccupied her lover each time she rubbed a new shell.
But despite the years of effort, Amy never did find its lonely twin. Was it still out at sea?
Well, she had found hers. What more was there to really wish for?
Clam Shell/Version R By Oyster Cracker
"I've always wanted... a family. I just never, uh... been able to find... the right man. You know the feeling?"
Melissa doodled in the sand.
"Yeah. I've had that problem too..." Joe said. "With women, of course. It's tough sometimes."
"I know what you mean. You don't know if they're looking for a one night stand... if you should risk telling them you want a commitment and, er, scare them out the door... or just settle for whatever sex you can get."
He laughed. But neither of them looked at one another. They continued to stare at the sand, watch the palms swaying in the gentle beach breeze or the clouds fading away into night.
"It's hard being a lounge act. Working the circuit. You don't have real stable relationships with women."
Seagulls circled and flew off in the distance mocking him his loss of freedom.
One dove for a fish.
"I don't want to pressure you. I mean here we are- a man and a woman both looking for love, stranded on the proverbial deserted island, something inevitable hanging over our heads... I only bring it up because I know you're aware of it and you know I'm aware of it. If we get it out in the open, maybe we won't be as threatened by it." He put his hand on hers. She didn't do anything. "I'll take as long as you like... but I think in the end we should try to make the best of it."
She sighed. "I know. We could be here a while. We should... get along. Just, um, give me some time with it. I know I'm not your perfect woman. You're not my, uh, perfect man either, you know. It's not that I couldn't stand you on the cruise ship." She put her hand on his. "I thought your act was quite funny. You've got a special sensitivity. And you're not at all cruel like a lot of comedians."
"That's why I'm on retirement cruises and not Johnny Carson."
"You haven't been making too many jokes lately. Aren't you afraid you'll be fired?"
He laughed. "Tryin' out for my job, huh? Trust me. You're not going to like the ass I had to kiss to get it... Although I don't know... I've got the only other ass here to kiss. Be nice about it and maybe I'll teach you the trade..."
"I'd like that." She smiled at him and then turned back to the darkness.
"Yeah... I'm sorry I got serious on you. It's just that I wanted to be clear about things. I didn't want you worrying and I didn't feel comfortable with the question not being out."
"I'm glad you're direct. I like that. And I do like you. I just need some time to get used to the idea. Don't worry. It probably won't take me that long to get horny."
There wasn't much to do.
They were lucky to stumble on the cave, high enough up on the hill where they would be protected even during storms. Fish were easy to catch. There was plenty of fruit. And of course the cave surrounded a fresh water spring.
It didn't take long to get used to the bubbling brook and the way it sang him to sleep at night.
His years in the Boy Scouts kept them warm at night.
All in all, things could have been much worse.
So why didn't he feel lucky?
Having more time on his hands only made things more difficult.
Joe took another long walk along the sandy beach. What else was there to do?
She seemed to be warming up to him. She really was quite friendly once she opened up.
But she still kept her distance.
Well, these things take time, he thought to himself.
He picked at the shells in the sand with his toe. One of them caught his eye.
There was something about it.
It wasn't brighter than the others. Or perfectly shaped.
He reached down for it and rubbed the sand off.
He looked out at the sea and wondered how far they really were from land. He continued cleaning it as his mind wandered.
The inside was pleasantly smooth.
It reminded him of Melissa's skin.
Why was she away on the other side of the island again today? What had she told him?
He caressed the shell with his thumb like a worry bead as he strolled in the warm sunlight.
Maybe he could make it into a necklace for her.
He wished she liked him that way. Or perhaps he had simply said to himself, "I wish I could be what she wanted."
In the years to come, he would never remember exactly what he was thinking or how he had phrased it.
The sandy shoreline lunged up at him. It looked like the world was going to smack him in the face. Then just as suddenly it stopped.
He must be falling still. There was some blonde hair in his eyes.
He wiped it away.
He didn't feel like he was falling. He didn't feel like he was on his knees either. So why was everything taller?
He looked down.
Good lord.
A bosom.
And a miniskirt.
Gack!
She ran her hands through her long tresses.
She looked at the damn shell.
She rushed to the nearest tidal pool trying to ignore the new bouncing and the way the fabric pulled flat over her crotch.
A darling blonde girl stared back from the dark blue waters. A delightful, horrified face.
"Really?" Melissa asked. "I was your first thought? That's so sweet."
"Well, not really." A much calmer Jo batted the sandy dirt of the cave with her big toe. "First I wished to get off the island. But that didn't happen. Then I got to thinking while I rubbed the shell how I'd at least like to, uh, get along with you better if I had to be stuck here."
"And that was all it took?"
"Yes. That's what I keep telling you," she groaned.
"Relax, honey. I believe you."
Melissa stroked her shoulder reassuringly while she thought a moment.
"Are you unhappy this way?"
"Of course I'm unhappy. It... it strangely enough seems to fit, but I'm still upset that... that more than anything I wasn't at least asked about it." Jo reached up and poked her in the cheek. "I mean, why am I so much smaller than you? Everything's so big now."
"I guess it knew I like short women."
"At least you don't like them heavily stacked," Jo said, pulling her blouse out and looking down it. What a view, she thought. Nice bra. Wonder what the nipples- ack! stop that. They're yours now, dummy.
"Oh please. That's such a male fantasy. Don't tell me you actually want big tits."
"No. Please. No more accessories."
She laughed. "I don't think you'll have to worry about earrings on this island... Let's sit down and think this out, Jo." Melissa pulled her to the mattress they'd been luck enough to salvage from the ship. That and a few bags of the ships laundry were all that drifted ashore.
Jo sank into her comforting arms and wondered why she wasn't in a complete panic about this. She was at first. But like the practical girl she was, how long could she panic over something she couldn't do anything about?
It was funny. The body was certainly different. But so many parts of her certainly hadn't seemed to have changed. Was she just adjusted? Was it part of the spell? She felt doublecrossed that it would do something like that to her.
"I feel like I should want a man or something," Jo stated simply.
"You don't, do you?"
"No, but I feel like there ought to be parity. Like you should be a man or something. We both ought to be screwed by this deal. It isn't fair."
"Sorry. I'm a lesbian, not one of those men trapped in a woman's body. What do they call them?"
Jo sighed.
"It's going to be hard to have a family. I know you want one. Or did. I'm not in a position to do anything about it now."
"Well, maybe I should try the shell. Where is it?"
"Are you sure? It didn't work well for me. And I couldn't change myself back or wish for anything else either." Jo passed it to her with a shaking hand. "Be careful how you phrase it," she warned. Then she paused. "Could I talk you into wishing me back to my old self?"
"Right away? You sure you don't want to, um... play around a little before trying to go back?"
"No. I'd like to go back now please."
"You're very cute, you know. I'm tempted."
"I know." Jo blushed and stared at a stone. "It makes me really nervous, though. Like the longer I wait the worse it will get."
"OK. Don't worry." Melissa patted her on the shoulder "I do feel a little guilty about it." Melissa finally took it from her hand. "This is it, huh?"
"Yeah."
"Careful, huh? OK. Something specific."
She tried wishing she was a he again, but nothing happened. She wished them off the island. Nothing happened again. She wished someone would rescue them. Nothing. Would something like that take a while?
Did it have to be something you really wanted?
She closed her eyes. "I wish we were pregnant."
"Give me that," Jo said, snatching it away. "You fool. I didn't want to be a woman, much less pregnant."
"Oh... sorry. I was thinking of us as a couple." She looked down at her belly and grinned. "It doesn't seem to have worked though... None of them did."
"It doesn't work that fast dufus," Jo huffed. "You'd know that if you slept with any men."
She shrugged. "Sorry. You forget some things when you don't have to worry about birth control. Hand it back. Let me try something else."
But wish as she might, none of them came true.
Melissa tried to console her. She should have been more careful with the way she worded things. "Maybe the other half will wash up? We can go looking for it tomorrow..." She stroked the girl's beautiful golden hair. "Why... why did you wish for what you did, exactly," she whispered.
Jo arched her neck. She'd longed for Melissa's touch like this. She had delightful hands, at least the muscles in her shoulders thought as much.
"Well, you didn't seem to be coming around and I knew I couldn't get off the damn island. And I didn't want to brainwash you. And dammit. I had to get my rocks off. I was getting desperate. I guess my mind ran away with me again."
"That's so sweet using your wish to please me." Melissa kissed her cheek. "I hate to tell you though. I was warming up to the idea of straight sex. It's just that I was having my period and I ran out of tampons. I didn't want you to see the mess so I tried to stay away. It cleared up this morning, not that I guess it really matters. Your rocks are certainly off," she smirked.
Jo smacked her herself in the temple. "All this for nothing."
"Well, not for nothing. I really am in love now, if that matters."
"I don't think I could love a chick who was into other women."
"You'd better. Unless you want a guy."
"Ugh."
"I know what you mean."
She tugged at Jo's top. Jo turned and inched away.
"Now I'm not sure I'm ready for it."
"Sigh. I may have gotten us both knocked up. Don't you at least want to have the fun part that goes along with it?"
"Give me a while."
"OK. But it's an awfully lonely island. It almost made me go straight. It's gonna make you gay in the end."
Jo flinched. "I always hated that word. The way the guys teased you in elementary school. Not that they could much stand the little girls then yet, but they knew enough about sex to tease you with the label-"
Melissa tugged on the blouse again, until it came out of the skirt. "You always had the hots for me. I hope your little wish didn't change that."
"No..." Jo dropped to a whisper. "I just don't know what to do."
"A virgin, huh?" Melissa nibbled her ear. "Well, if you'd had me as a man, technically I would have been a virgin."
"Really? You never..."
"Nope. Never. Always knew who I was and what I wanted."
"That's sad. You missed a lot..." she said as her mind wandered. "I remember how much fun my first time was. We thought we were in love..."
"My first was sweet too." She nipped at Jo again. "And now you get another first time."
"Yeah," Jo laughed. "I hadn't thought about that." Her cheeks turned pale and she pushed Melissa away. "Do I, um?" She reached down between her legs. "Is it going to hurt?"
"I don't know. Let's get your skirt off, sweetie."
Sweetie. It was a normal enough word for lovers to exchange. Should it sound a little patronizing to her ears now? She put it out of her mind as Melissa unzipped the miniskirt and slid her panties down.
"Lie down, sweetie."
She wished they'd been able to salvage some decent sheets.
"You'll be fine, honey. It's not a problem..."
Melissa was the first to wake up. Jo smelled the ripe fruit she had sliced and opened her own eyes.
They smiled at one another. Jo blinked and sat up in bed.
She noticed the red stain on the mattress. A few spots. A smear where the blood hadn't quite dried before she'd moved during the night.
Melissa dabbled a damp rag on her thigh, cleaning the stiff, crusty substance from her.
Jo stopped her before she could tackle the trace on the mattress. She liked the way it stood out on the blue and white floral designs.
Over the years it would always be Jo's favorite side of the bed.
It was a small price to pay for sharing one another's company during the night.
And a body this soft couldn't be expected to sleep on the sand any longer. She wasn't enough of a gentleman for it anymore, Jo snickered to herself.
"There's something I haven't told you," Melissa said to her lover.
"What?" Jo smiled devilishly. "It can't get any worse than you being a lesbian."
"Well. I didn't think of it at the time. I hope I didn't do the same thing to you. I said 'we' when I meant 'me'..."
"I know you're sorry." Jo kissed her.
"Well... I've always wanted to have twins. One of each, you know..."
"Uh!"
Though she knew it was futile, Jo fell down on her hands and knees and prayed every night for her first period, but it never came... not for years...
It took Jo a month of careful work, but she eventually whittled a small hole in the shell so she could wear it around her neck.
Every so often she would stop and hold others up to it for comparison. Despite years of searching, she never did find its lonely twin.
Well, she had found hers. What more could she really wish for?
It was a shame that for the greatest joke of her career, there had only been an audience of one.
But who could complain. Melissa's applause was all she needed.
Jo pestered her once again about their pregnancies, worrying what they would do without a doctor on the island, if one of them should die in childbirth, if the children should get sick...
On and on.
Melissa clutched the other shell in her pocket and wondered if she should tell Jo about it and her other wish.
It would certainly calm her... but what would she do with hers if she found out?
It was best to have a spare... just in case they were rescued...
Clam Shell By Oyster Cracker
"I've always wanted... a family. I just never, uh... been able to find... the right man. You know the feeling?"
Melissa doodled in the sand.
"Yeah. I've had that problem too..." Joe said. "With women, of course. It's tough sometimes."
"I know what you mean. You don't know if they're looking for a one night stand... if you should risk telling them you want a commitment and, er, scare them out the door... or just settle for whatever sex you can get."
He laughed. But neither of them looked at one another. They continued to stare at the sand, watch the palms swaying in the gentle beach breeze or the clouds fading away into night.
"It's hard being a lounge act. Working the circuit. You don't have real stable relationships with women."
Seagulls circled and flew off in the distance mocking him his loss of freedom.
One dove for a fish.
"I don't want to pressure you. I mean here we are- a man and a woman both looking for love, stranded on the proverbial deserted island, something inevitable hanging over our heads... I only bring it up because I know you're aware of it and you know I'm aware of it. If we get it out in the open, maybe we won't be as threatened by it." He put his hand on hers. She didn't do anything. "I'll take as long as you like... but I think in the end we should try to make the best of it."
She sighed. "I know. We could be here a while. We should... get along. Just, um, give me some time with it. I know I'm not your perfect woman. You're not my, uh, perfect man either, you know. It's not that I couldn't stand you on the cruise ship." She put her hand on his. "I thought your act was quite funny. You've got a special sensitivity. And you're not at all cruel like a lot of comedians."
"That's why I'm on retirement cruises and not Johnny Carson."
"You haven't been making too many jokes lately. Aren't you afraid you'll be fired?"
He laughed. "Tryin' out for my job, huh? Trust me. You're not going to like the ass I had to kiss to get it... Although I don't know... I've got the only other ass here to kiss. Be nice about it and maybe I'll teach you the trade..."
"I'd like that." She smiled at him and then turned back to the darkness.
"Yeah... I'm sorry I got serious on you. It's just that I wanted to be clear about things. I didn't want you worrying and I didn't feel comfortable with the question not being out."
"I'm glad you're direct. I like that. And I do like you. I just need some time to get used to the idea. Don't worry. It probably won't take me that long to get horny."
There wasn't much to do.
They were lucky to stumble on the cave, high enough up on the hill where they would be protected even during storms. Fish were easy to catch. There was plenty of fruit. And of course the cave surrounded a fresh water spring.
It didn't take long to get used to the bubbling brook and the way it sang him to sleep at night.
His years in the Boy Scouts kept them warm at night.
All in all, things could have been much worse.
So why didn't he feel lucky?
Having more time on his hands only made things more difficult.
Joe took another long walk along the sandy beach. What else was there to do?
She seemed to be warming up to him. She really was quite friendly once she opened up.
But she still kept her distance.
Well, these things take time, he thought to himself.
He picked at the shells in the sand with his toe. One of them caught his eye.
There was something about it.
It wasn't brighter than the others. Or perfectly shaped.
He reached down for it and rubbed the sand off.
He looked out at the sea and wondered how far they really were from land. He continued cleaning it as his mind wandered.
The inside was pleasantly smooth.
It reminded him of Melissa's skin.
Why was she off on the other side of the island today? What had she told him?
He caressed the shell with his thumb like a worry bead as he strolled in the warm sunlight.
Maybe he could make it into a necklace for her.
He wished she liked him that way. Or perhaps he had simply said to himself, "I wish I could be what she wanted."
In the years to come, he would never remember exactly what he had been thinking or how he had phrased it.
The sandy shoreline lunged up at him. It looked like the world was going to smack him in the face. Then just as suddenly it stopped.
He must be falling still. There was some blonde hair in his eyes.
He wiped it away.
He didn't feel like he was falling. He didn't feel like he was on his knees either but everything was shorter, like he was kneeling.
He looked down.
Good lord.
Breasts.
And pubic hair between them.
But nothing else.
Gack!
She ran her hands through her long tresses.
She looked at the damn shell.
She rushed to the nearest tidal pool trying to ignore the parts that bounced along with the absence of jiggling from those parts that should.
A delightful if stunned blonde girl stared back from the dark blue waters. The face became horrified.
Joe stumbled back along the path they had cut last Wednesday.
Where had the clothes come from on the beach?
How did she know to slip into them?
Melissa had no choice but to believe the poor girl. She knew too much about Joe. The two even had the same mannerisms, the same talk, the same sense of humor.
There was still some panic in her eyes. Melissa had done her best to calm her down.
"Really?" Melissa asked. "I was your first thought. That's so sweet."
"Well, not really. First I wished to get off the island. But that didn't happen. Then I got to thinking while I rubbed the shell how I'd at least like to, uh, get along with you better if I had to be stuck here."
"And that was all it took?" Melissa asked. She thought a moment. "Could I call you Jody instead of Joe? I never liked that name and you remind me now of someone."
"I suppose with all the other changes... yeah, what's one more?" The name seemed oddly comfortable as if it were something on the tip of her tongue she'd been waiting to hear. "I don't really feel like 'Joe' now, although I also don't... it's so strange."
"Are you unhappy this way?"
"Of course I'm unhappy. It... it strangely enough seems to fit, but I'm still upset that... that more than anything I wasn't at least asked about it." Jody suddenly wondered why she had to look up at Melissa now. "Why am I so much smaller than you?" she asked.
"I guess it knew I like short women."
"At least you don't like them heavily stacked," Jody said, pulling her blouse out and looking down it. What a view, she thought. Nice bra. Wonder what the nipples- stop that!
"Oh please. That's such a male fantasy. Don't tell me you actually want big tits."
"No. Please. No more accessories."
She laughed. "I don't think you'll have to worry about earrings on this island."
They were lucky to salvage that mattress and some dirty clothes from the ship's laundry that drifted ashore.
The old Joe should be in a complete panic about this. She was at first. But how long could you panic over something you could do nothing about? It was funny. The body was certainly different. But so many parts of her certainly hadn't seemed to have changed. Was she just adjusted? Maybe it was part of the spell.
"I feel like I should want a man or something," Jody stated simply.
"You don't, do you?"
"No, but I feel like there ought to be parity. Like you should be a man or something. We both oughta be screwed by this deal. It isn't fair."
"Sorry. I'm a lesbian, not one of those men trapped in a woman's body. What do they call them?"
"Still, it's going to be hard to have a family. I know you want one. Or wanted one. I'm not in a position to do anything about it now."
"Well, maybe I should try the shell. Where is it?"
"I don't know. It didn't work well for me. And I couldn't change myself back or wish for anything else either. Be careful how you phrase it." She paused. "I couldn't talk you into wishing me back to my old self, could I?"
"Right away? You have a real opportunity here. We could have sex and then try for it?"
"No. I'd like to go back now please. This makes me really nervous. Like the longer I wait the worse it gets."
"OK. I do feel a little guilty about it. Is this it?" she asked as Jody handed her a shell.
"Yeah."
"Careful, huh? OK. Something specific."
She tried wishing she was a he again, but nothing happened. She wished them off the island. Nothing happened again. She wished someone would rescue them. Nothing. Would something like that take a while?
Did it have to be something you really wanted?
She closed her eyes. "I wish we were pregnant."
"Give me that," Jody said, snatching it away. "You fool. I didn't want to be a woman, much less pregnant."
She grinned. "I know. It doesn't seem to have worked though," she said, looking at her belly. "None of them did."
"It doesn't work that fast dufus. You'd know that if you slept with any men."
She shrugged. "Sorry. You forget some things when you don't have to worry about birth control. Hand it back. Let me try something else."
But wish as she might, none of them came true.
Jody fell down on her hands and knees and prayed every night for her first period, but it never came...
Melissa tried to console her. She should have been more careful with the way she worded things. "Maybe the other half will wash up? We can go looking for it tomorrow..."
They sat in silence through another boring meal of fish and coconuts.
"Why did you wish for that, exactly?" Melissa asked.
"Well, you didn't seem to be coming around. And I knew I couldn't get off the damn island. And I didn't want to brainwash you. And dammit. I had to get my rocks off. I was desperate."
"That's so sweet using your wish to please me. I hate to tell you though. I was warming up to the idea of straight sex. It's just that I was having my period and I ran out of tampons. I didn't want you to see the mess so I tried to stay away. It's passed now, not that I guess it really matters. Your rocks are certainly off," she smirked.
Jody smacked her herself in the face. "All this for nothing."
"Well, not for nothing. I really am in love now, if that matters."
"I don't think I could love a chick who was into other women."
"You'd better. Unless you want a guy."
"Ugh."
"I know what you mean."
She tugged at Jody's top. Jody backed away.
"Now I'm not sure I'm ready for it."
"Sigh. I may have gotten us both knocked up. Don't you at least want to have the fun part that goes along with it?"
"Give me a while."
"OK. But it's an awfully lonely island. It almost made me go straight. It's gonna make you gay in the end."
Jody flinched. "I always hated that word. The way the guys teased you in elementary school. Not that they could much stand the little girls then yet, but they knew enough about sex to tease you with the label-"
Melissa tugged on the blouse again. "You always had the hots for me. I hope your little wish didn't change that."
"No... I just don't know what to do."
"A virgin, huh?" Melissa nibbled Jody's ear. "Well, if you'd had me as a man, technically I would have been a virgin."
"Really? You never..."
"Nope. Never. Always knew what I was and what I wanted."
"That's sad. You missed a lot..." she said as her mind wandered. "I remember how much fun my first time was. We thought we were in love..."
"My first time was sweet too. And now you get to have another first time."
"Yeah," Jody laughed. "I hadn't thought about that." Her cheeks turned pale. "Do I, um?" She reached down between her legs. "Is it going to hurt?"
"I don't know. Let's get your skirt off, sweetie."
Sweetie. It was a normal enough word for lovers to exchange. Its diminutive aspect was somewhat patronizing now. She put it out of her mind as Melissa unzipped the miniskirt and slid her panties down.
"Lie back on the mattress."
She wished they'd been able to salvage some decent sheets.
"No. It's small enough. There won't be a problem."
"Feel around first. Go on, honey. Then we'll do it together."
"Don't you want to look?"
"There's nothing really to see, sweetie. The cave is too dark now."
"I could wait until morning."
"I just want to see your face. Come on, now. Give me your finger..."
Melissa was the first to wake up. Jody smelled the ripe fruit she had just cut open and opened her own eyes.
They smiled at one another. Jody blinked and sat up in bed.
She noticed the red stain on the bed. A few spots. A smear where the blood hadn't quite dried before she moved during the night.
Melissa dabbled a damp cloth on her thigh, cleaning the stiff, crusty substance from her.
She tried to wipe the trace from the bed but Jody stopped her.
Over the years Jody would always treasure her side of the bed.
It really was a small price to pay for sharing one another's company during the night. And a body this soft couldn't be expected to sleep on the sand any longer.
Besides, Jody wasn't enough of a gentleman to keep doing it, she snickered to herself.
"There's something I haven't told you," Melissa said to her lover.
"What?" Jody smiled devilishly. "It can't get any worse than you being a lesbian."
"Well. I didn't think of it at the time. I hope I didn't do the same thing to you. But I've always wanted to have twins. One of each, you know..."
It took Jody a month of careful work, but eventually she whittled a small hole in the shell so she could wear it around her neck.
Every so often she would stop and hold others up to it for comparison.
Despite years of searching, she never did find its lonely twin.
Well, she had found hers. What more could she really wish for?
Jody worried endlessly about their pregnancies, what they would do without a doctor on the island, if one of them should die in childbirth, if the children should get sick...
Melissa clutched the other shell in her pocket, wondering if she should tell her about it and her other wish.
What would Jody do with hers if she found out?
Best to have a spare one lying around, just in case they were rescued...