Unclean

"No, listen. Listen! I'm telling you, the goddamned cab driver dropped me off at the wrong place." The young woman stalked down the desolate street, shoulders hunched deep within her suit jacket. Her black high heels clicked-clacked on the broken sidewalk. Rows of old brick houses lined the street. The buildings were built in rapid development decades ago but now most lay empty and boarded up. A few children played basketball in the street ahead of her and several adult sat in front of their homes, relaxing on the wide, dark gray concrete steps.

"I don't know!" the woman hissed into her phone. Her eyes flicked between the children and adults. Her bare legs whisked together under her black skirt. "There's no signs anywh- Wait. Yes. 3rd and Main. How far away? Jesus. Fucking-"

"Spare some change, miss?" An old man said from the woman's side. "Some change, miss?"

The young woman sneered at the homeless man next to her. She held her phone to her side, sure that the old man would try to steal it. Her large bag was clenched against her right armpit. "No. I don't have any change for you. Leave me alone. Ugh."

"Jus' some change for food, miss. Jus'-" The old man stumbled, accidentally brushing against the woman.

"Don't touch me! Seriously? Are you serious? I said I don't have any money for you now leave me the fuck alone you smelly piece of shit!" The woman picked the phone up to her ear. "No. Some hobo tried to get money from me. Look, I'll call you when I get there. I should only be about five minutes. Yeah. Bye."

A group of teenagers catcalled the woman as she passed. She ignored them, her legs pumping furiously without actually running.

Suddenly, the air grew heavier. Colors seemed to drain slightly from the world around her. Everything slowed and the woman felt as if she were struggling through molasses.

A voice called to her, clear and sharp in the slow, drugged world around her. She turned. A middle aged man, gray flecked at his temples and beard, sat alone on the nearby steps. He was dressed in an old yet impeccable business suit. His hands, however, looked like they belonged on a laborer - gnarled and rough. His eyes were clear and the woman couldn't seem to hold his gaze.

"No change?" he asked simple. "You do have some but you know that. You've never helped anyone, have you? Don't answer because I know you haven't. It's your parents fault but you're an adult and a few people have tried to tell you what you are. Old broken friendships. You think the world is small and dirty, don't you, Trisha?"

She tried to answer but, she couldn't. Her mouth wouldn't work right and her brain felt slow. She heard him and understood him just fine but a response wouldn't form.

"And so it is for you," he finished. His hands, clasped together in his lap, glowed brightly red for a brief moment.

Trisha gasped as she stumbled. Sounds and colors rushed back to her. The nearby steps were now empty and the small knot of children watched her curiously, their game temporarily forgotten. The young woman hugged herself, shivering against a cold gust of air that seemed to suddenly rush over her. She rubbed her arms and then continued forward.

A few minutes later, Trisha was seated in a small conference room. Huge glass windows lining two of the walls gave her a view of the surrounding city. At twenty-five stories up, cars appeared tiny and people were roughly the size of ants.

The world

is

small and dirty

, Trisha thought. The sun sat on the horizon, sending golden streaks through huge white clouds.

"We're just waiting for John before we start," an older woman said. Three people sat at the conference table - Trisha, Mary Jo and Stephen Beck. John, the CEO of the company Trisha was presenting to, was nearly always late.

"Of course," Trisha said, her impatience well hidden behind a calm mask. She rubbed at her upper lip while watching the bustling traffic in the distance. Several small holes opened in the skin along her cheeks. Tiny black hair slid through the skin, barely showing above the surface. Trisha rubbed her knuckle against her lips, moistening them before dragging them up and over the small hairs. "I'm fine waiting, naturally."

Trisha's stomach rumbled loudly as a strong, sweet smell wafted through the room. She lifted her chin, lips parting slightly as her nostrils flared to take in the smell.

Donuts

, she realized. Normally she avoided sugars and carbohydrates in order to stay slim but the near sickly sweet smell of the pastries made her drool. She spotted a cart of donuts and other breakfast foods at the far end of the offices outside the conference room.

Both hands came up to her mouth and her tongue quickly darted out to wet her fingers, again bringing them up and over the black hairs along her mouth and cheeks. The hairs grew as if she'd pulled them out. Long and jet black and thick. She brought her hands up to tuck and rub at the hair behind her ears. She didn't stop to wonder what she was doing, just as she didn't realize there was no natural way for her to smell the donuts from so far away.

Mary Jo and Stephen shared a look. They'd had two meetings with Trisha and she'd normally presented herself quite professionally. Her twitching nervousness was new and unsettling.

Trisha brought her hands down to her lap. She scratched along the back of her hands. Her trim nails lengthened, growing to sharp, thick points. Fine white hairs sprouted along her knuckles and up to her wrists. The hair was wispy and fine to the touch. Trisha found herself stroking the growing fur with pleasure. Unseen and unfelt to her, tiny shiny black hairs grew along the length of her spine..

"Do you want to go ahead and hand out the copy of your response to our RFQ while we wait?" Mary Jo asked.

"Yes!" Trisha squeaked nervously. The young woman rolled her shoulders. The line of fine black hairs had grown up to the base of her neck and into her hairline, disappearing beneath the tightly coiled bun of her own hair. From the nape of her neck, the light fur spread out to both shoulders. "I mean, yes. Sorry."

The young woman reached for her bag and then stopped. Her heart raced as her eyes widened in sudden fear. Her hands were completely covered in pure white fur and her fingertips ended in dense, thick sharp fingernails. Her upper lip twitched in her nervousness and her eyes darted about the room. The black hairs along her cheeks pushed out further, no longer hairs but short, black whiskers.

"I have to- I've-" Trisha stood and walked from the room without another word. The buzz of the office workers assaulted her ears. Everything was too loud and too bright and she was absolutely

sure

everyone was looking at her. Her shoulders twitched and jumped. Deep within her hips, the bones broke and reformed, preparing the way for her tail.

A ring of light, short black fur grew around her right wrist, longer than the fur on her hands. Trisha shivered in nervousness and ran for the elevator. She sighed with relief when she stepped into an empty car but then, at the last moment, a young male intern stepped in. Trisha buried herself in the corner, crouching down while her heart sped in her chest. Cartilage and bones formed at the base of her spine and a small bump of flesh pushed out above her ass. Sweat broke out on her back as tiny patches of black fur erupted from her skin. Her white, button-down shirt quickly became soaked.

The young intern sniffed the air, frowning at the sudden sharp scent. Trisha could see him trying to look at her from the corner of his eyes. She could smell herself and, while she knew on one level that the odd sweat smell mixing with her growing fur was unpleasant, she couldn't help but breathe deeply of it. Her nose widened as she breathed in and out.

Unpleasant? Actually, it's nice. It's like... wait, what the hell is wrong with you?!

She screamed at herself.

Look at what's happening! It's... there's... wrong! Something... wrong!

When the door dinged and the car stopped, the intern stepped out with a quick glance back at Trisha. His look at disgust deepened into confusion before Trisha ran from the elevator. Pure black fur spread from her shoulders down her arms, still hidden beneath her shirt and jacket. She could feel lines of sweat tracing along and under her perky breasts.

The lobby was fairly empty but Trisha barely noticed as she ran.

Out out out out!

She said to herself. She paused briefly in front of the rotating door. It confused her. She shook her head and rubbed her face with her soft white furry hands while she tried to figure out why the door was confusing to her. She took a tentative step into the small open space and then panicked.

Small. So small. I'm stuck. I'm stuck! I'M STUCK!

With a near screech, she threw herself at the door and then followed it as it spun. The young woman stumbled into the street to the astonishment of several nearby people. Her ankles twisted as she tripped on her shoes. With a quick shake of both legs, she flung her high-heel shoes behind her.

"Hey lady," a voice said behind her. "You forgot-"

Trisha turned, staring at the man with wide eyes. Small black hairs grew along her brow and down around her widened nose. The scattered black hairs spread to her cheeks and around to her jaws. Trisha ran.

"- your bag," the man finished.

The crowds on the wide sidewalks of the downtown streets were beginning to get crowded as the evening wore on. Trisha continued to run. Her calf muscles bulged slightly, seconds before her thighs widened. She ran faster, dodging among the people until she thought her heart would give out. She stopped, hunched over and gasping as people walked wide around her. She was covered in sweat. Trisha rubbed her cheeks and ears fastidiously, licking at the fur of her hands and then cleaning herself. The bumps and whorls in her ears smoothed out, pushing the skin at the edge of her ears until they grew larger.

"No," she whispered, pausing. "No, this isn't. This. Not right." Her memories were fragmented. She looked at her hands in horror and then glanced up at her pale reflection in the storefront window. She couldn't see herself well but her eyes fastened on a long, thick black coat hanging just inside the store. "Hide. Good to hide."

Trisha watched a young woman open the door to the store. She dipped her head in understanding and then waited to watch another woman do the same. Cleaning herself quickly one last time, she approached the door and gripped the handle. A quick pull opened the door and she hurriedly stepped inside before she got stuck again.

The young woman's eyes roamed the entire clothing store. She saw mirrors and how they reflected back the person's image and she desperately wanted to look at herself. Something in her mind frantically yelled at her to look at her reflection. The open area cowed her, however and she shrank back into the corner. Her whiskers pushed further out, now two inches long and as thick as a sewing needle. Sparse black fur crept down her jawline to her neck, disappearing under her lapel.

Sudden pain in the young woman's chest caused her to grunt and hug herself. Her chest swelled, pushing at her shirt. The fabric pulled tight against her chest as her bra bit into her breasts. A single button popped in the middle of her silk shirt. She gasped and clawed at her chest, her sharp nails cutting ribbons from the fabric until accidentally slicing through a bra strap. The relief was immediate. Her perky b-cup breasts bulged into double-d's and then further, popping two more buttons.

A small door opened twenty feet in front of her and an older, trim woman with gray hair stepped out. She had several items draped over her arm but, more importantly, Trisha saw a mirror hidden in the room. She grabbed the long black coat she noticed earlier and stalked quietly through the racks of clothing.

The back of Trisha's skirt bulged and writhed as a wrist-thick tail grew from the base of her spine. Her hips suddenly swelled as muscle grew to match her stronger legs. Her skirt pulled painfully tight against her waist and the young woman hissed at it.

So many. Many people. So many. I don't like. Don't like it. Too open. So open. So many.

She hunched further.

Trisha rubbed at a few sore spots on her lower belly, scratching carelessly with her claws. Her tail continued to grow until the very tip appeared from under her skirt, swinging freely behind her. The skin of the tail was rough and black and lightly ringed. Her tail grew another inch and, with a sharp sound of tearing fabric, the hem of her skirt ripped. Thick black fur showed through the tear in the back.

Finally, she made her way to the booth and inside. The door hung open and she pushed at it. It closed for a moment but then swung open again. Trisha bared her teeth in anger. As she did, her teeth cracked. The fine dots of black hair along her face sprouted into thick fur as her jaw broke and expanded. Her four front tooth grew in their sockets, pushing at the surrounding teeth as they lengthened. Her formerly slim, petite face extended into a partial, furred muzzle.

The young woman's hips and thighs continued to expand beneath the skirt and multiple rips formed as it failed to contain her growth. The skirt bulged outward as her ass swelled, tearing a large hole straight down the back. Her tail flopped out through the hole, writhing against her furry ass cheeks. The skirt hung uselessly around her wait, barely concealing her lower body. Black fur erupted along her legs and she scratched herself furiously while trying to figure out how to make the door stay closed.

A distant memory rose to the front of her mind and Trisha hesitantly reached out to the shiny knob at the side of the door. She pushed and then slowly turned the knob until the door locked. The young woman squealed in pleasure when the door stayed in place. Her tail whipped happily behind her, curling and twisting until it had wrapped itself around her leg.

Trisha looked at herself. She knew things were wrong. She knew she wasn't herself. She felt shame and dread and terror but the emotions were remote. Her skirt was torn completely in half down the back. Her white shirt was shredded leaving large ribbons of silk fabric on the sides. Her nipples tented the front of her front and the whole thing strained against her breasts. Trisha flailed her arms until her jacket slipped to the floor.

Smooth black fur showed through the holes in her shirt. Three buttons were missing from the front of her shirt and, through the gap, she saw the swell of her heavy breasts. Trisha grabbed the top of her shirt and pulled. The shirt ripped easily, buttons pinging against the wall. Her stomach was completely hidden behind a thick coat of fur. The young woman pushed the fur away from one of the sore spots on her lower belly to reveal a pink swollen circle of skin. She touched it lightly and shivered. The skin moved against her touch, twisting and spiraling and pushing away from her belly into a fully formed human-sized nipple. She let the fur lay flat again and the tip of the pink nipple showed just above the dark fur.

Trisha leaned against the mirror as the other three sore spots similarly tightened and grew into nipples. The fur moved on her belly until all four lower nipples were showing. It was painful but arousing and she clenched her teeth. Her new sharp incisors bit into her lips but the bones in her face shifted again to compensate. Trisha's huge upper breasts lay heavily on her slight frame that widened into furry hips and large, muscular legs. Thick tufts of fur covered her shoulders and the nape of her neck.

Laying her furred forehead against the mirror to catch her breath, Trisha finally looked up. Her brown eyes seemed huge, larger than normal. They bulged slightly from her face and, as she watched the pupils dilated. The black in the middle of her eyes continued to expand until, slowly, her eyes were completely black. She blinked at herself nervously. Her white-furred hands quickly raised to her mouth and she licked them before running her hands along her short muzzle. Six inch long whiskers twitched as she considered herself.

Fur slowly crept up from her belly to surround her breasts. The sparse hairs coating her massive chest spread and thickened, hiding her pure white skin under a black pelt. The fur stopped around her wide areola, leaving her nipples completely exposed. Her tail slid along her leg until it touched the floor. She felt a small release of pressure as it continued to grow, spooling behind her feet. A thick tangle of black fur hid her sex.

"Hide," she whispered, her whiskers rippling. "Have to hide. Hide." She remembered a place. A place she used to sleep at night. Her place. She searched her memory for its location but found nothing. Everything slipped away from her when she tried to grip at it. She had vague pictures of a tall, shiny building and a dark room but nothing else. She instinctively knew that she couldn't be out among the people like she was. She was weird and wrong. She looked wrong. She didn't think she looked strange but she knew they would think she was wrong. Her stomach gurgled and she stroked herself, quick white paws running through the thick black fur along her belly.

Trisha struggled into the long coat she'd taken. She was too hot with it but she had to hide herself. Again she looked in the mirror. Her skirt hung loose and her shirt was wide open, exposing her furred chest but the long coat hid her tail and rough outline. Another memory surged and she reached back to find a hood. The young woman pulled it up over her head. Her ears stretched under the hood. The thick skin of her human ears became thin as they elongated. Fine gray fur grew from the base of her ears to the tips.

"Good," she nodded. "Good. Good good good." She could go out freely among the people like this. She could find her nest. She could hide and eat. It was good, she decided. Trisha reached out to turn the silver knob, proud that she remembered. She stepped out of the booth.

A young woman looked up from a nearby rack and shrieked, pointing at Trisha. Trisha's heart suddenly pounded. She squealed and squeaked in panicked reply. Trisha's powerful legs bunched and she leaped, crashing into several racks. Her thick tail slammed around her, cracking sharply across another woman's side, flinging her to the ground with broken ribs and a mouthful of blood.

With a loud screech, Trisha righted herself. The bones of her feet grew, lengthening and pushing her toes out into proper paws. Thick pink pads of skin grew under the balls of her feet as she dug her toes into the short carpeting. Her toenails grew to dense points. Trisha ran on all fours, massive breasts bouncing as her tail streamed behind her under the coat. She crashed through the store's windows with arms crossed in front of her short muzzle. The young woman rolled on the glass filled sidewalk as people screamed around her.

Trisha hissed at everyone and righted herself, bounding down the street on her huge paws. Her tattered shirt and skirt rippled in the air as she run. Her speed was phenomenal in her new form and she soon found herself at the edge of downtown. Gleaming buildings gave way to the rougher industrial district. The smell was welcoming - dank and near rotten. She lifted her muzzle and sniffed deeply. She knew she'd fit in and the stench would hide her own smell.

The stress of the change and her flight from the crowds had tired her. The young woman stood on her paws and crept into an alley between two old buildings. The alley ended in a brick wall with old broken pallets and broken down cardboard boxes and a large, metal trash bin. Trisha sniffed curiously at the trash but was disappointed to find it empty. She crawled to the corner of the alley and shifted the cardboard over her. The ground was cold but her fur was thick and warm. Her ears twitched against the noises outside but sleep soon overcame her.