The Dyadomorph

Dr. Carolyn Smirnoff had come of age at a time when women were being told they could "have it all" combined with the chance to see if that proposition were true. In Carolyn's case, it had been true — but it seemed to her that as quickly as she attained success in her chosen profession, married the man of her dreams, and brought into this world the three children she always wanted to have, that

all

began to slip through her latex-clad fingers.

First to disappear was her husband of twenty years, Alexi. Dead at the age of forty-five of heart disease... and he wasn't even a smoker! The second thing to disappoint her was the medical profession itself which somewhere along the way decided doctors should not be healers but instead paper-pushing zombies for Big Pharma. Most recently, her children devastated her — at least her two oldest ones at any rate. It is always difficult to discover that your eighteen and twenty-year-old kids are having sex. In Carolyn's case, she was driven home one Wednesday afternoon because of nausea only to find her oldest child Rudy and her middle child Renee quite literally joined at the hip in the living room. Coming home to that image unshackled the good doctor's ability to retain the contents of her stomach...

"Renee," Carolyn screeched just before heaving, "get off your brother!"

"I can't, Mom... we're stuck and he can't get out of me!"

"Rudy, pick her up and go!" she commanded as she bent over at the waist and pointed in the direction of her son's bedroom.

At that moment her stomach decided to follow that same advice...

No more about the incident was said that day or even the day after. On the following Saturday, however, Dr. Smirnoff and the

lovebirds

went to her closed clinic where she put them both through full medical examinations. She asked her children the usual battery of questions which are expected of any physician dealing with such a medical area as human sexual relations...

Question: "How many partners have each of you had?"

Answer: "We've only been intimate with each other, Mom."

Question: "How long have you two been sexually active together?"

Answer: "Ten years."

Carolyn tried to maintain her professional bearing but her anger bled-through into her next query.

Question: "And in this last decade of having illicit sex under

my

roof... what sort of protection against pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease have you two been using?"

Answer: "None."

At this point, Dr. Carolyn Smirnoff lost all sense of a professional demeanor and reverted back into

Mother Mode

...

"Do you two numbskulls have any sense left in you that the gods gave geese? I'd guess not since you've decided it's an okay thing to engage in unprotected sex — and to do so with a close relative, no less! There are various laws here that have been broken by the two of you. As a licensed physician, I am required to report this to the authorities. Fortunately for the two of you,

I am

the highest authority in your lives, so you will only be grounded until each of you reaches thirty instead of getting handcuffed and thrown into the slammer!"

Both of her kids took the opportunity at that moment to reach out and caress their mother's shoulder nearest to them. Carolyn had to admit this twin gesture was both welcomed and effective. She

was

much calmer now...

"You aren't going to stop having sex with each other, are you..." said Carolyn.

"No, Mom," answered Renee.

"Do you want me to have one of my colleagues write you a script for the Pill, honey?"

"Sure, Mom... if that will make you feel better."

"It won't make me feel any better, but it might keep me from becoming a grandmother before I'm fifty!"

All of what was just described happened to Dr. Smirnoff more than two years ago. Since then, her two oldest children had moved from home into their college apartment. Only her youngest child, Tanya, remained. She was now eighteen and had just that week graduated from high school. In those last two years, Carolyn never got her

all

back — not even close — but her life did manage to settle into something resembling stability. Unbeknownst to her, even that small, less than satisfying victory was about to disappear...

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Carolyn closed her email account and sat back in her office chair. It was 6:30 on a Thursday afternoon only a few days past the summer solstice — which was why intense sunlight streamed through the outer windows in her practice's suite of cubicles and illuminated her work space. Her staff had left her to catch up on paperwork just after the final patient of the day had waddled back out the main door in all her pregnant glory.

"I was

so

ready to get all those Medicaid forms completed and sent in!"

Side-lined by an unexpected email from Renee, Carolyn had opened and read the message. Its contents made moot the 'To Do' list she had been prepared to methodically work through over the course of the next hour. Instead, she rose from her chair and took off her smock. From a coat stand, she traded the smock for her jacket, retrieved a large handbag from an otherwise empty drawer, and made for the suite's rear entrance — on the other side of which sat her Subaru Forrester.

"Please come, Mom. We have to see you as soon as you can manage it! Exciting news!" was what Renee's message had said. Nothing, of course, to indicate what sort of news...

"It's so typical of her," thought Carolyn. "She has the rare ability to be both enigmatic and hyperbolic at the same time."

The drive to her children's apartment on the campus of the University of Michigan was only about three miles from her office, but owing to the time of day, Carolyn could not hope to reach her destination for at least twenty minutes. And sure enough, at just past 7:00 PM, Carolyn found and took an empty parking space near the building where they lived.

The walk to the apartment building's entrance was effortless. Waiting for her daughter to buzz her into the structure was not. Once inside, Carolyn strolled through the lobby, called for the elevator, and took it to the sixth floor where Rudy and Renee lived in the relative comfort of their two-bedroom flat. Not that they actually

used

both bedrooms...

As the elevator struggled to haul her up to the designated level, Carolyn recalled the shocking moment all those years ago when she had come home early only to discover Renee and Rudy having sex with each other. She had long since resigned herself to the shame of her oldest children's relationship. Carolyn consoled herself with the belief that Tanya (who also knew about the affair) showed no interest in following her two siblings into their special cult of depravity. The elevator doors opened but Carolyn almost didn't exit the lift.

"It's pointless to turn back now. Renee already

knows

you're here, woman. Buck up! What worse thing can she and her libidinous brother spring on you that you haven't already had to deal with?"

Carolyn was under no illusions that her children's love affair was anything other than active. They hardly ever seemed to be apart from one another: they had the same course schedule, and Rudy even delayed his entrance into U of M so the two of them could be in the same graduating class. When Carolyn had last been to their place not more than ten days ago, she one again tried to broach the subject of them being lovers. Not even a minute into her speech, she realized the futility of her efforts and switched subjects.

Arriving at the apartment door, Carolyn knocked and waited... The door swung open and she nearly collapsed to the floor. Renee reached out her arm to steady her mother. The arm was naked — as was the rest of her. And in place of the flat tummy Carolyn had seen a week and a half ago under her daughter's clothes, a very pregnant belly now protruded obscenely back at her. Renee guided her mother into the apartment and shut the door.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I guess I wasn't thinking about how this might look from your perspective. I was just

so

excited..."

"How?" croaked the overwhelmed mother and gynecologist.

"Yeah... I guess Rudy and I have some explaining to do, don't we. Well, he's getting dressed. When he comes out... Oh, here he is, now!"

"Hi, Mom! Just for the record, I was in favor of breaking this news to you in a different way."

"What in God's name is going on here! I saw you just last week, Renee, and... are you pregnant or is that a tumor?"

"I'm as healthy as ever, Mom. It's our child, not a disease. This is actually normal... for people like us..."

"'For people like...' Who are you, and what have you done with my offspring?"

Carolyn Smirnoff felt as if the room was spinning off the surface of the planet. Rudy came and sat next to her on the couch. He took her left hand into both of his. His mother slowly extracted it as she stared into his eyes.

"I'll just go and get some clothes on..." said Renee in a quiet voice.

"No, Renee," said her brother. "There's only one way to answer her question, and that entails me taking my clothes off!"

"Are you sure, Rudy?" gasped Renee.

"She's already here and seated... I thought this was what we wanted to do?"

"Okay..."

Carolyn watched as her son got up and quickly shed what few articles of clothing were on his person. As she watched, Rudy sat back down on the couch, but at the far end; and this time facing toward her with his feet resting on the cushion separating them. Her son's cock (which appeared to be much larger than the last time she had seen it) began to thicken and grow in length.

"Mom," her daughter said now gaining her attention, "you are just the second person ever to see the

real

us. Please don't leave until this thing which is about to happen... happens. You will have many questions. We will do our best to answer all of them."

"Who was the first person?"

"Tanya..." replied Rudy.

With that, Carolyn watched as Renee climbed up onto and squatted her pregnant form over her brother's lap — also facing toward her. Her legs were spread and Carolyn could see Renee's crimson and distended vagina open to accept her brother's turgid and equally crimson cock. Properly seated, Renee slowly sank onto her brother. All this Carolyn was grudgingly prepared to witness.

But as Renee settled onto her brother's lap, something began to happen which Carolyn did not anticipate: Renee's body began to disappear into Rudy's! Carolyn's hands went to her mouth to stifle a scream. With immobilized horror, she watched as her daughter's pelvic area merged into her son's. In place of two separate sex organs, a small orifice appeared which resembled a sphincter set beneath a vertically oriented lash-less eyelid.

The merging continued with their legs melding together soundlessly from hip to toes into a perfect amalgamation between male and female gams. Carolyn experienced dry heaves as first Renee's distended torso and finally her head disappeared into her brother's body — and in so doing, blended their two separate vessels into a new, single — still pregnant — being.

Carolyn Smirnoff, physician and parent, sat in rapt wonder for over five minutes as this surreal process played itself out. By the time it was nearing completion, the scientist within her was thoroughly amazed. (It was the only part of her experiencing something other than abject terror.) With the transformation apparently complete, this new being rose from the couch and proceeded to dress itself.

"What are you?" asked Carolyn with a choked cry, "And what do I call you?"

Now clothed, this person — whose facial features hinted at the presence of both her children — sat back down on the couch as far from Carolyn as possible and spoke in a voice which sounded unlike either of them...

"What we are is a Dyadomorph, Mother. When we are in our merged state, you may call us by either of the names you and Father gave to us. In every way that matters, we are both still here."

"Your father and I... did

we

give rise to you, or did this... thing... happen to the two of you afterward?"

"Both... When a Dyadomorph is created through human birth, it is usually one half of the dyad at a time. The half of us you know as Rudy had to wait for the Renee half for over two years. As you well remember, Rudy was more himself once Renee was born. After our births, it took us many years before we matured enough to incorporate in the fashion you just witnessed. What you assumed to be 'sexual intimacy' was really our way of furthering this maturation process."

Carolyn took in this information as best she could, and tried to think of something which might drive from her mind thoughts of them in the throes of love-making. She chose a very old memory...

"Rudy, I remember how happy you were to learn you were going to have a sister. And when Renee was born, your personality went from nervous to calm in a heartbeat!"

"Renee — as you must now understand, Mom — is not so much a sister to me as she is the other half which makes me whole..."

"Rudy," continued Carolyn, "people speak only of their

spouses

as being 'their other or even their better half.'"

"Precisely," responded the Dyadomorph. "Renee and Rudy are joined — married in the purest, most classical sense of that word: '...and the two shall become one flesh — a new creation.'"

Carolyn shook her head trying to clear away the confused wonderment which had overtaken her. She began to get to her feet but discovered her legs had not the strength to support her. She put her head into her hands and began to weep from the frustration of not even having the ability to flee from this waking nightmare. For the longest time, she wept to the point where her tears felt as if they were being absorbed and recycled. When she again looked up, Renee and Rudy had separated from one another and were standing before her — both now clothed. Renee's pregnant belly again mocked her every sensibility as a mother and as a doctor. It also prompted her next question...

"This accelerated pregnancy of yours..." she began to say to both of them as she wiped away her tears, "is it also connected to this

morphing

ability you possess?"

"Yes," replied Renee. "What you see here," she said pointing to her belly, "represents just eight days of gestation. I have about another five days to go before the child emerges."

"Will you give birth like other women, Renee? That is to say, will you be needing the services of someone like myself — an Ob/Gyn?"

"No, Mom," responded Rudy. "The child will just pass through Renee's body and

emerge

when its gestation has been completed. Renee will not experience any of the pain most women experience in child-birth."

"And neither will there be any blood or trauma... nor even an umbilical cord to cut," added Renee.

"So, no belly button..." whispered Carolyn to no one in particular.

"The new Dyadomorph will learn how to mimic one in order to blend in with humans," Rudy replied.

For some reason, Carolyn thought this was one of the funniest things she had ever heard, so she began to laugh. The better part of a minute passed before she regained her emotional control. She motioned for her children to help her get off the couch.

"I need to go urinate before I end up making a mess. Renee, help me get into your bathroom. You do still require the services of a toilet, don't you?"

"Of course, Mom! In most of the ways which are important, Rudy and I are just like you."

"But unlike me — or the rest of humanity — you aren't of the species

homo sapiens

are you?"

"True, we aren't human," confirmed Rudy. "We are far, far older than what you know as the human race."

Carolyn made it to the bathroom and turned to speak to her children.

"In a minute you two can elaborate on that. Right now, I believe I have the strength to take things from here. Thank you — for helping me to the toilet, and more so, for changing back into the children I recognize."

"You're welcome, Mom," replied Renee.

"Mom..." added Rudy.

"What, son?"

"Please understand that we are still your and Dad's biological children. We aren't some kind of aliens..."

"Don't sell yourself short, Rudy. Perhaps you are both things at the same time. Now, pardon me while I pee!"

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Relieved of her full bladder and with her hands as dry as they were ever going to be under the circumstances, Carolyn emerged from the bathroom and found her children drinking iced tea in their kitchenette. She felt herself now ready for more information...

"So, just how far back in the evolutionary history of the universe do Dyadomorphs go?"

"We don't really know that, Mom," Renee responded. "We mostly know our own history as far back as our genetic beginning... and some

other

things which have been implanted into our genome."

"And just how far back is that beginning? Wait one minute here... are you implying you remember everything back to the moment of your conceptions?"

Rudy and Renee looked at one another and Carolyn saw matching smirks appear simultaneously on their faces. Renee nodded her head at her brother...

"Mom," he said, "our genetic beginning happened over twenty-four thousand years ago... in what is today called Iran."

"How can this be?"

"We retain all our memories from one iteration of our lives to the next... up to and including the present," Renee added.

"In Renee's and my case," Rudy continued, "we emerge into the human family — on average — every one hundred and seventeen generations. Sometimes Renee is first and sometimes I am. On seven occasions, we have been born as twins."

"In your case..." Carolyn repeated trying to sus out the meaning. "Do you mean to say there are others like you in the world?"

"Yes," Renee answered. "From the beginning, there were twelve breeding pairs of Dyadomorphs embedded into the human genome. That was a major part of the plan."

"What

plan

?"

Renee and Rudy looked to one another as if they were telepathically deciding how to answer their mother's question. It was Renee who finally did so...

"The plan to develop, stabilize, and lastly to maintain until the Sun's dying day a peaceful humanoid presence on this planet... a presence whose primary function is to care for the planet's bio-diversity."

Carolyn Smirnoff took this response in as if it were an echo from some distant mountaintop — that is to say, slowly and not too confidently. Then she realized why what her daughter had said seemed so familiar!

"Are you talking about the creation story in the Book of Genesis... Adam and Eve created by God to tend the Garden of Eden?"

This understanding was apparently something her children were hoping she would come to: for broad smiles immediately formed on their faces along with something which seemed to Carolyn's eyes like relief...

"That's it precisely, Mom," said Rudy. "The two beings you call Adam and Eve were originally a Dyadomorph which Creator permanently separated thus making them human."

"How..." Carolyn began to say, but was interrupted by her cellphone. The particular ringtone told her it was Tanya calling...

"Yes, dear? I'm kind of busy with your brother and sister..."

"Dinner is ready, Mom. You three can come home, now. Best have Rudy drive..."

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