I fell off a hoverboard. Five times. I managed to entangle my legs with my own tail. Let’s just say that some things are far funnier if you are the one observerving them rather than the one they are happening to.

Zora and Maria are showing a lack of appetite. They have also asked me to dim the windows.

The children like the sandwiches I have made. Unfortunately the hot stuff and, much worse, the ice cream have cooled respectively melted, as they were outside in the time between my inventory emptying itself and my repacking them into my new arsenal. Using this fantastic magical kitchen to reheat the stuff will take time.

And nobody objects to the ice cream. Have I mentioned that magical tables are self-cleaning if you know what to ask of the house? There is a slot for coins in the basement. I’ve put two coins into it.

M: Those bastards have trapped us.

P: How?

M: We saw police and military roadblocks.

Z: TV says that the transformed are to be quarantined.

She still has trouble looking directly at me.

P: The roadblocks are not the problem. We could get past them.

M: Let’s do that.

P: And then? We don’t have enough conventional vehicles. We look very different from ordinary people. We don’t have papers. And where would we go?

M: But this is a prison.

P: But with beach access.

She makes a dramatic gesture and instantly regrets it.

M: My head

Z: Are we safe here?

P: What do you mean?

Z: I have seen what you can do in this house. There are wizards out there who can do the same.

P: Not very many. I have a pretty rare ability. Though it seems like maybe people of Stjepan’s race do not need to be wizards to operate these houses. Have you talked to the neighbours?

Z: No. Nobody want to make the first move. But you are not answering the question.

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

She is beautiful. Even as a dragon forced into a skirt and a shirt that has inadvertedly been converted into a crop top.

P: Yes, to some this house would be very valuable. And no, I cannot fight one of those. I doubt, however, that they would simply take a house. At least for now. It is not worth the hit to their reputation. But it would be an offer you could not refuse.

Z: My grandparents lived here. My children learned to swim here.

I can only shrug.

Z: Then what can you do?

P: Two things. First I can make sure the neighbours will not do anything stupid. And the second thing is rather delicate.

Z: What do you mean by that?

P: I am afraid I need to explain how one becomes a wizard.

M: If you must ...

They get the tale of the essences and the awakening stones and the methods of advancement.

Z: So you can make us into witches.

P: No, I am not quite that well equipped.

I put the two essences I have on the table.

Z: I have to ask. Why are you doing this?

A legitimate question. And honestly speaking I should not do this. I am doing it out of feelings that are, at least no longer, mutual. What do I owe her?

Perhaps not leaving her alone and defenseless in a world gone magic. There is a nagging doubt about my connection to this ransformation. I have no evidence for my involvement, but I cannot rule it out anyway.

P: You mean a lot to me. And you were my last anchorage. And we are transformed, both of us. Into very different races. I cannot change how people will look at you. But I can change how much you’ll have to care about it.

Z: Ok, I am going to take a shower. And then we’ll go shopping all together. We do not need to decide this today. My head hurts.

--

This town is under aerial surveillance. My new eyes are sharp enough to see the camera drones.

The shop is open. There is a burly man of undeclared, but obvious purpose indicated by a baton at the door. His eyes widen at the sight of Zora and me. He shares a species with Stjepan. He says nothing. The shop is displaying a sign. I think is says something like „one of each piece only“.

Everybody out here is pretending that nothing happened. I suppose those who are not ready to do so are at home giving in to despair or alcohol. I pick the biggest bag of cat food they sell. The lady at the cash register is a honest to god movie elf, including the pointed ears.

Zora is making some conversation. I do my best to look patient, lest I cut off our source of information.

--

We are watching TV. In deference to my language limitations we’ve opted for the BBC.

» Two more smaller domes of transformation have turned up in the Mexican part

» of the Sonora desert in the eponymous state of Sonora

» The number of people affected is deemed minimal

» The second zone has engulfed the whole island of Aniwa in the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu

» The EU has reminded its member states that it considers the transformed citizens with all rights

» whose freedom of movement shall not be infringed unless absolutely necessary for reasons

» of national security

Z: The lady at the shop says that about half her customers are like Stjepan. And I am the first dragon she has seen. There was one like you, who changed his mind before entering the shop.