Allison found herself lying back on the single bed, simply breathing, as she heard Angie leave after Dr. Grace assured Allison everything would be OK. It’d just be painful, for now.

She finally had some peace as she counted inhale and exhale, then just let herself feel the breaths. It was almost like she’d had one of the calming smokes. Or maybe it was that her pain had left her; the medication working. Probably it was being told she was fine, and not dying. Or that all this wouldn’t have to stop...

Then she thought about the pain, and where it was focused.

As she did she thought of Robert.

She quickly stopped thinking about Robert realising the effect it was having on her. She tried to think of less handsome, friendly, extremely fucking hot and sexy things she wanted.

For some reason her mind went to Adam, who was just goofy.

She laughed; a small, low chuckle, just for herself. He really was a weirdo and she realised that was why she liked him. Why she’d always liked him. He’d give her crap when she’d do the weird stuff as Patryk, the whole treating women like people thing, but it wasn’t actually a big deal. It wasn’t aggro. It was just, Allison thought on it, it was teasing, really. Other guys thought Patryk was a fuck up. Adam accepted the weird Patryk and after a shock yesterday accepted her as new Allison. Then when she saw him smoking she saw how pure he was. How willing he was to embrace things.

Allison sat up in the bed again, thoughts of a sexy Robert far from her mind, and picked up her conn. Where there was actually a message from Robert. “You’ll never believe what happened to me. I’ll meet you later today. You will want to hear this! It has to be because of you. There’s no other explanation!”

She shook her head, having no idea what he was talking about but she knew he wanted to go for a walk with her. He told her that yesterday. To see if she could manage stairs in her new heels. Which she thought about. She wanted to look nice for him.

“Angie... What do I wear today? I’ve never...”

“Already picked out for you, sexy!” Angie called back.

Allison stood and went into her dressing room, wondering how bad the pain would be as she moved about; as clothes pressed on her pained body as she moved about.

A pair of what looked like men’s work dungarees but as a dress that’d come to the top of her knees was hanging up, along with a white skin tight, long sleeved top. There were also a few bras laid out, in various styles and colours. They were the same size as the pair One had found for her so Allison figured the access she’d granted to Angie for her apartment allowed her to go scavenging in the other apartments. Then she realised how early she must have woken Angie. She had vague memories of rolling around and groaning while half awake. Dreams she couldn’t quite clutch onto... Angie could have spent hours worrying about her!

Allison got dressed, again chasing thoughts of what she’d do to Robert out of her mind as she put on her lingerie. Not that she wanted to chase the thoughts from her mind, or him, she had to. She couldn’t spend every moment of her life lusting after him. If that’s what it was. She wasn’t sure on what the feelings were. Again she forced those thoughts from her mind.

Then she was dressed, fully, and walking into the double bedroom where Angie was stripping the bed. “Maybe it’ll dry out faster?” Angie said.

“We’ll figure something out,” Allison said. She put on her shoes, and felt good now she was back to a mostly female appearance, the pain still there, just about, but it was more a reminder that everything she was going through had a purpose. Making her who she was supposed to be. And her bones definitely didn’t hurt. “How do I look?”

“A button!” Angie said. Allison didn’t know what Angie was saying. “‘As cute as,’ you doofus!”

“Oh! Thank you! Not sure I believe you, though.”

“Believe what you want!”

Allison sat down on the chair Angie had dragged into the room while she slept and sipped at another bottle of water. She knew she had to tell One she couldn’t, or shouldn’t, work for the next few days. And that she had a medical question about the tobacco she was smoking. And that she’d already, sort of, let tobacco slip to someone. She had the message typed up and sent.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Angie had the cover off the duvet, and the sheets off the bed, just as the hilarious sound of One’s call was coming to Allison’s conn. It was a public call, again. “Don’t worry about anything,” One said, as soon as Allison answered.

“Angie is here with me, she can hear you.”

“Hello, Angie! How was your smoke?”

“I liked the second one more, One. It’s weird hearing your voice. I thought you’d be really mysterious or something.”

“How do I sound?” One asked.

“Normal. Cheerful,” Angie said.

“Thank you, Angie. So do you. You preferred the tasting smoke? Have you had anything to eat or drink today?”

“Just water. It tastes kind of boring, more than usual. I am hungry though”

“Have some chilled water when you can, before eating, you might get something more from it. No ice if possible, cold from a chiller, in a glass bottle. The bottle gently, and patiently, poured into a glass would be best. No straw. Let Allison know when your taste returns to normal, if you don’t mind.

“Allison, the smokes will have no physical effect whatsoever, don’t worry about that. You know what they do mentally. That’s why you’re working for me. You’re capable. Now who did you tell about them?”

“My doctor... But it wasn’t quite these smokes, she said cigarettes and cigars, like in movies, I think? Surprised citizens could smoke them.”

“What’s her name?”

“Doctor Grace. I can send her ID to you via message if you want?” Allison said, preparing to forward Dr. Grace’s details to One.

“Perfect. Is there something wrong with you? You said you can’t work for a few days.” Allison only heard concern in his voice.

“Is that an issue?” she asked.

“No. Health comes before even our work, but health is often dependent on our work, to a degree. And that’s dependent on happiness, which operates along with health. Jenny told you about the philosophy section in the library... Something to look into. What’s wrong with you, if you can share? If you want to?”

Allison took a deep breath. It was like he was her father; a father to someone in their twenties; someone who no longer should be in need of any fathers. “The medication to help with what I realised with you, about me, it’s working faster than the doctor expected. It could be painful. Well... It is already.”

One laughed. “You’ll love it. You’ll be who you’re supposed to be faster. Remember the first smoke you had with me, the very first?”

“The test one?” Allison asked.

“Zero-zeroes. Like the 0 smoke but a little bit of a devolution, just the advancements of the 0 smoke applied retroactively. That’s the closest we have to the original, lethal tobacco. The 0s are the first modern smoke, the closest in lineage to the old stuff.

“The zero-zeroes are a little more powerful than what they had back then but with the dangers removed. It’s like a heightened experience of it. It’s similar to what voters smoke, although they’re smoking more for flavour. We smoke it to see how people react. Your reaction was among the best. It cleared your mind of a hangover, and some other things. It means you react well to tobacco, particularly well. Your mind is primed for it.”

Allison was verging on zoning out by the time One finished his statement, then she realised she was rushing ahead of the things he was saying almost knowing them before he said them. At the least recognising them as he said them. “That makes complete sense, One, but why say it?”

“I’ll have some delivered to you. Try not to share that one, unless I tell you it’s for a client. Angie can try it if she wants, she’s already your personal client. Fastest personal client anyone’s ever heard of, even if a little basic. Adam can have some too, but I don’t think you’ll find out much from him about it.

“Angie, tell Allison when your taste goes back to normal, please. Don’t smoke any of the taste ones again before it goes back to normal. It’s not dangerous but it’ll be something Allison will learn from, which is why you’ll have them for free, for life. And Allison, I’m telling you about the zero-zeroes because they might work well with whatever you’re taking for your pain. Try them if you feel like it, it won’t hurt. I’ll hold off on jobs until you’re ready, OK?”

“Thanks One, that helps.”

“I’ll have them delivered to you today. Take your time, and let me know when you’re back. Message me when you want, about anything, I’ll reply as soon as I’m free, or awake from a nap. It’s more important your realisations from the brown smoke are seen through than anything you do for me. Focus on that for as long as you need.”

“OK. I will,” Allison said. “Thank you.” She meant the thanks a huge amount, and so much of it was she hadn’t realised until then how grateful she was to One, for what he’d done for her. For bringing out ‘her.' For bringing out the Allison she fully felt she was in that moment. And she felt cared for.

One ended the call.

“I have no idea what he was saying,” Angie said. “Although it all was explained with me listening I don’t understand smoking enough. It’s not... I don’t know?”

“I guess that’s why he picked me. I suppose,” Allison said. “You’ll find something, I’m sure.” She took some more of the water and stood. “We should eat, you must be starving.”

Angie looked at Allison with an accusatory look. “You did build up an appetite in me. Where do you want to go? We can eat anywhere with our dining passes!”

“No, you’re the one who’s hungry, really hungry, and you looked after me. I kept you waiting hours. You should pick.”

Angie shook her head angrily. “Your the idiot who’s unwell! You’re the idiot who needs to eat so what will you damn well eat?!”

The response burst out of Allison’s mouth; a desire that inflamed the instant Angie called her an idiot. “A disgusting burger! That makes you hate yourself! Sickening! And you’re tempted to go back for another. Your body craves it and your mind can barely hold your body back from getting a second!”

Angie laughed. “I know just the fucking place!”

Allison laughed as well. And felt good; relieved, drained and in need of grease.

“Well that’s fucking great then. A fucking burger!” Angie said.