[vended]

PART 2: Gaining a New Perspective

For the second time that morning, Laura pondered going after the attractive store clerk. But despite her own growing desire... and the moment they'd obviously just shared... her normal, level headed habits eventually prevailed. She decided maybe now wasn't the best time, and instead moved toward the cash registers to complete her purchase.

"It's kind of busy today, last thing I want to do is get his boss mad at him for screwing around. I'm in here all the time, anyway. Maybe I can... bump into him later?"

She smiled a bit to herself. Now that she wasn't in a panic from being accosted by that pervert, her normal thought processes were starting to assert themselves. And just like that, her mantra came to the rescue, easing her disappointment.

"Yeah, they say there's a reason for everything. Maybe even for that disgusting old goat. Richard will definitely remember me now, thanks to him..." She still felt like she'd been left hanging, but this thought brought her some comfort.

She sighed deeply, contentment settling in as she finally reached the checkout.

"Yeah, things are going to work out. If it's meant to be, it'll be...” At this point, it didn't seem like things between them would be going any further today. Which was just as well. Considering how bizarre things had gotten, Laura was ready to just get home and decompress.

As she reached the check out area, she was a bit taken aback with the number of customers already ahead of her. In the time she'd been talking with the farmer and Richard, business had picked up considerably. Naturally, there were only three open lanes, all backed up with frustrated customers and overfilled buggies. She resigned herself to waiting another ten to fifteen minutes with her one carton of milk, which had already taken up way more time than she intended.

"Hmmm... Maybe Richard will come and open up another line... yeah, that would be nice. Mmmm, Richard...."

Her breath quickened again at the thought of her would-be protector. Her chest heaved up and down in a gentle rhythm, the strap still resting in her cleavage. She fidgeted from the throbbing ache between her thighs.

In the back of her mind, Laura was vaguely aware that this sudden hyper-sexuality was abnormal for her. Sure, she had a healthy sex drive, as strong as anyone else's. But today was different... more intense than usual.

"Mmmm, that Richard must have really got to me... I feel like I could... just... mmmm...."

As she waited for the line to move forward, she became distinctly aware of the sweet sensation of moisture, soaking into her cotton panties.

Her surroundings faded away as her mind drifted from awareness. She quietly reveled in the feel of her damp underwear against her body. She remembered briefly when she'd picked out these panties and the matching bra. They weren't anything special, just cute enough to make her feel feminine... and sexy. She didn't have a boyfriend, but even so, she remembered hoping that she might get to model them for some handsome devil eventually.

"Hmmmm... I wonder if Richard would like these? Mmmm yeah... I can definitely find some more excuses to shop here..."

The line moved forward ever so slightly. Laura automatically moved with it, her mind a thousand miles away.

She imagined herself, standing before Richard in her bedroom, in nothing but those pink undergarments. She imagined him looking her up and down, much the same way she'd looked at him him earlier. "You like what you see?" she'd say seductively, hands on her hips. And he'd nod with a sly, approving smile.

She imagined him standing before her, nothing but a pair of thin silk boxers. The outline of his manhood... clearly pressing against... no, no boxers.

"Nude. Completely nude."

Her breathing hitched a bit at the thought, but she hardly noticed.

"Yeah, nude. Both of us..."

Without a second thought, the pink underwear vanished from her mental image. An incredible thrill shot through her at the thought of both of them, naked and unashamed. Her heart was pounding in her chest like a jackhammer.

"Uhhh.... screw foreplay... just... me and him... nude... ready... to...errrrh..."

Laura's hand gripped and flexed around the handle of the milk carton, while her free hand fiddled with the neckline of her shirt. The fantasy had taken on a sudden carnal tone. Her old, conservative self felt a twinge of guilt... she'd always been wary of such wanton disregard for romance. But another part of her was winning out... pushing her reservations aside. Warm, insistent heat continued building deep within her, and she let her guard crumble.

The line moved forward just a bit more, as Laura moved deeper into her daydream.

She pictured her and him... both still naked... her whole body tingling. They looked each other over wantonly... standing in her room... no, somewhere outside. She didn't care, it didn't matter where. Her focus was elsewhere.

She felt herself juicing even more as she gazed down at his member... watched as it grew... sliding from the sheath attached to his lower belly.

"Mmmmr, yeah..."

He was ready... it was time now. Without hesitation, she turned her back to him... down on all fours...

"Mrrmmm, oh...."

Her tail hitched to the side reflexively... and she called to him...

"Mmmm... mmmrrrrr... mmrrrrooooOOO...."

In reality, Laura's upper lip curled, and a low, barely audible moan escaped her throat. The noise went unnoticed amidst the sounds of scanning, beeping, and registers chiming. It was a mere shadow of the sound her mental self had made. Only a small portion of her mind was keeping track of her surroundings, giving her just enough control not to fall into a blind sexual frenzy in the midst of other shoppers. But that portion was buckling under the pressure of these unbridled thoughts. Laura was becoming lost in the haze of lust, not yet processing just how far off course her fantasy had drifted.

She imagined him behind her. Whoever he was. She didn't care. She was ready, and so was he. That's all that mattered. He responded to her call enthusiastically, sniffing her... and then... he was on her... his brown, hairy body... on her back... hooves rubbing against her flanks... and he was thrusting... in her...

"...mmmmrrrrroooo..."

No reluctance... no hesitance... just... thrusting...

"...mmmmrrr... mrrrroooooo..."

Thrusting... more...

"...mmrrr..."

Thrusting... humping... harder... harder... faster...

"MmmmmMMMRRRRROOOOOOO!!!!"

The sound erupted from her throat, startling her fellow shoppers from their mechanical routines. But Laura wasn't phased. Not until the milk carton slipped from her hand as her mind became totally lost in the carnal imagery. It hit the floor with a thud, spewing it's contents onto herself and the people around her. The sensation brought her daydream to an all-too-sudden stop.

"What... what's that...?"

She stood in a daze, trying to focus... why were her legs and feet wet... what's all the noise about... and why was she getting such strange looks from the people around her? A middle-aged woman in front of Laura scowled, a mixture of anger and shock twisting her already unpleasant features. There was milk all over the back of her dress and shoes.

Laura's head was spinning as she tried to understand the situation. The commotion, and her seemingly unresponsive demeanor, drew the staff's attention for a second time that day.

"Ma'am... Laura, are you alright? What's wrong? Can you hear me?" She felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to see... who was that guy, again?

"Richard..."

Her mind lifted gradually from the fog... and in turn, vague understanding took hold.

"Oh... Oh my god... I'm so sorry... I don't know what happened... I just..."

"Oh my... was I... ... just thinking about... ... with a... ... ... ... ... OH MY GOD!"

Her head spun as she struggled to process what was happening, her mind reeling from the situation. She gasped for air as blackness encroached on the edges of her vision... the combination of embarrassment, shock, and unfulfilled need had overwhelmed her senses. She felt herself being steadied by Richard and a few other staff, then guided away from the checkout line. They found a nearby chair for her to sit in, while others sprang into action cleaning the mess she'd left.

She said hardly a word, only the occasional "Yeah... I'm fine" to their concerned questions. Someone handed her some paper towels to dry herself off.

"No... I don't need a doctor... I'm just dizzy..."

Now someone was shoving a cup of ginger-ale in her face. It was Richard. She took it, and thanked him weakly.

"I'm alright, I just need a moment..."

The clamor of other staff and shoppers asking about her drifted into her ears.

"What happened?... not sure, she started groaning real loud, then almost passed out I think ...oh dear, hope she's okay..."

She sat there for several minutes, with Richard and a few other employees looking her over with concern, including the manager on duty. They watched as she sipped her drink, quietly regaining her composure. Gradually, the group around her shrank as her condition seemed to improve, and the manager waved them off to attend to other matters. He was about to do the same to Richard when his walkie-talkie blared for attention. He was needed elsewhere.

The manager groaned angrily while trying to maintain a professional appearance. He really didn't want to leave just yet. Customer accidents were a tricky thing; if handled the wrong way, corporate might very well have his head. Still, things seemed to be calming down, and he could just as easily get in trouble if he failed to put out whatever other fires might be springing up.

Seeing no alternative, he asked Richard to keep an eye on her for just a minute and let him know if she needed anymore help, then snatched the radio from his belt.

"This better be important, I've got a situation here," he spat into the device as he began to sprint away, leaving Laura alone with his handsome underling.

A few moments before, she would have died for another chance to talk to him, alone. Now, she wasn't feeling very conversational at all. Her mind drifted back to the checkout line... to what she'd been imagining... trying to understand what had happened. In spite of the humiliating scene she'd just caused... her body still ached with a certain... craving...

"What the hell... what is wrong with me? How did I get so carried away thinking about... doing that... with some..."

"... Bull... ... holy shit... ... ... a bull!... "

Laura could almost feel the color draining from her face as the realization set in...

"... ... That farmer!"

She felt herself grow faint again, peaking Richard's concern.

"No way... ... that can't be..."

"Hey, are you sure you don't need a doctor? You still don't look like you're feeling too steady?"

"No... really... I'm okay... thanks." If what she suddenly feared was true, how was a doctor supposed to help?

"Was it that old man? He didn't do something, did he? Like, maybe slip you something?”

Laura thought for a moment. Could that be it? But he'd never laid a hand on her, or given her anything. No, but what was that he said he'd use on her?

"...Hocus pocus..."

"No... no he didn't do anything like that. I think I just... I think he just upset me more than I thought. That's all."

It was a flimsy excuse, Laura knew. That insistent ache... the images dancing on the edge of her thoughts... both warned her there was much more to it than just being upset.

"Are you sure? You were groaning pretty loud. I heard you all the way back there." He gestured towards the rear of the store. "You sounded like you were hurting..."

"I... was just..." She tried to remember.

"Groaning? When did I... oh no... I didn't?!"

But she had. At the time, she was in such a fog, she hadn't even registered the sound. But now she remembered. As her daydream was ramping up... she'd made that sound... out loud...

"That wasn't a just a groan... that was... OH GOD NO!"

"Listen, thank you, I'm fine. I've got to go." She stood from the chair, ready to bolt from the store. She wobbled a bit, but steadied herself quickly.

"Are you sure you're okay? You're still worrying me. If you need a doctor or something..."

"No, no really! I'll be okay!" Laura didn't look or feel okay though. She was on the verge of panic mode.

"Listen, thank you again. You've done more than enough. I'm sorry I caused such a ruckus."

"It's okay." He hesitated for a moment, and then...

"Look, take this." He reached in his pocket, producing a small notepad and an ink pen. He hastily scribbled something down. "Here, this is our store phone number. I also wrote my personal number on there if you need to get in touch with me. If you need anything, or you want me to talk to the cops about that guy, or whatever, then give me... give us a call, okay?"

"Oh..." Laura felt a sense of calm as he handed her the note.

"He really is concerned isn't he? That's... so sweet. Wow, maybe... me and him..."

As she took the note from his hand, their eyes locked. They stood there, both awkwardly gazing, once again wanting to say something they couldn't quite express. This was it... a moment like she'd always hoped for. It was finally here... and she...

Something wasn't right. There was something different now... was it him? She looked him over again, more discreetly than before. Here he was, the man her heart had fluttered for... the man her body had just so recently yearned to have. It should have been everything she wanted, the total package... and yet for some reason... he just seemed so...

Unappealing?... Weak?... Small? "Compared to..."

She gasped as she realized where her mind was going.

"I... thank you. I'll be in touch.. I've got to go. Bye."

"...Okay... bye."

And with that, Laura hurried away, leaving her knight-in-shining-smock to ponder her behavior.

She trembled as she stepped out into the parking lot, considering this disturbing development as she made her way to her car. The sudden loss of her attraction to Richard was mortifying to her, almost as much as the new attraction she'd acquired.

Somehow, in a frighteningly short span of time, her sexual desires had shifted drastically. The undeniably handsome, charming man... her story-book fantasy man... somehow, she could no longer see him the way she had. He just didn't seem suitable...

"...as breeding stock..."

She stumbled halfway to her car as the farmers words echoed in her mind. She recovered, and tried to act as casual as possible to avoid attracting more unwanted attention. She didn't feel like answering any more questions about whether she was okay or not. She pushed the urges down as best she could and hurried along, stifling the urge to let out another... sound...

"Oh god, this is in my head. Please... tell me this is all in my head! Maybe I really am just upset. Maybe that pervert spooked me, and this is just some freaky nervous reaction."

By the time she reached her tan Toyota, Laura's nerves were starting to settle. She seemed to have hit on a perfectly rational explanation. That had to be it, just some freaky case of anxiety. Being harassed by that man... then meeting Richard right after that... the whiplash of emotions must have just been a shock to her system.

"That must be it. The mind does crazy things when you're under stress..."

She fumbled through her purse, looking for her keys. She could never find them quickly, especially when she was frazzled.

"That's it, I'm just frazzled. That's the reason I'm feeling this way. There's always a reason for everything. It will all be okay once I calm down."

She continued digging in her bag, focusing on the task at hand instead of the strange urges churning just below the surface. She stopped a moment as the wind shifted, bringing faint, musky scent to her nostrils.

The image flashed through her mind again... a bull, strong and eager. Her body primed itself... something deep within her insisting she was ready.

She snapped back with a start, shaking her head clear as awareness returned.

“Ah... what the hell... Alright Laura, get it together... you're not turning into a cow... you're just frazzled...

With renewed gusto, she returned to digging through her bag, but had to stop for a moment to scratch an obnoxious itch that had started on her lower back.

She froze mid scratch, her mouth dropping open in a stunned gape as she felt something beneath the fabric of her shirt. She leaned forward as her knees went weak, bracing against the car with her free hand to steady herself. The purse dropped, hanging loosely from her neck and shoulder.

She stood perfectly still for a long moment, on the verge of hyperventilating.

"Please, no..."

What she felt beneath her clothing threatened to destroy her well thought out, rational explanation mere seconds after its conception.

Purposefully, almost robotically, the stunned young woman moved her hand away from the spot. In an almost automatic state, Laura reached into her purse... located her car keys... carefully eased herself into the vehicle... tossed her purse in the passenger seat... and cranked the engine. She stared blankly into space through the entire process, her body on autopilot while her brain tried to process information it wasn't quite ready to handle.

She sat there in her car for a moment, staring straight ahead, her hands gripping the steering wheel to steady her shaking body. Not moving, not daring to try and drive, just trying to come to grips with what she had discovered.

It was crazy. It couldn't have been what she thought. But she had to know for sure. Slowly, she found the will to reach back again, to verify what she'd discovered. This time, she raised the back of her shirt up slightly, running her hand directly over her smooth skin.

Except she didn't feel smooth skin.

Instead, she felt what could only be described as a coarse patch of hair. She inhaled sharply, feeling like she could almost throw up. There was definitely hair coating her lower back. No, not hair. Fur.

"Oh god... ... ... it's happening..."

Her breath caught in a frightened whimper. She jerked her hand away from the spot, back onto the steering wheel and gripped it with all her might as her body trembled.

"No... no I won't believe it until I see it!"

In the cramped confines of the vehicle, Laura craned her head around as best she could, trying to lift the back of her shirt with her shaking hands as she did so. Her fingers brushed against the new growth, but she found it impossible to get the angle she needed for a clear view. Trying to view your own lower back in a cramped Toyota is not as easy as one might think. She caught a glimpse of what she thought looked like... maybe something there... was it just a shadow, a trick of light? It looked brown...

She looked away quickly, before she risked seeing something else she didn't want to.

"... ...brown swiss cows... ..."

"Oh god oh god oh god... this can't be real! People don't turn into animals! They don't turn into cows! I'm hallucinating... that's got to be it... there's nothing there... I'm still just rattled. I mean... .... I never agreed to become a cow! He said it like I had a choice... so why would I be..."

"This is crazy, this is crazy, this is crazy, it's not happening... it's not happening... it's not harrr..penning... ... ... oh god..."

Her voice pitched and wavered for a moment, in the most unsettling manner.

"That didn't happen, just a frog in my throat. I'm nervous, I'm rattled, it's normal."

She was starting to lose faith in her attempts to explain away her symptoms. If this was a hallucination, or nerves, then it should clear up if she could clear her head and calm down. In a desperate bid to prove her own theory, she cranked the AC to full blast and positioned the vents to blow directly on her face.

Her stomach was starting to churn, obviously from the heightened stress she was under. She dropped her hand to her belly, clutching it instinctively.

"Calm down Laura, calm down. You're going to give yourself an ulcer, over some random pervert... and his bullshit... bull... oooohhh... god...”

Her eyes rolled back as the image filled her mind again. She leaned forward, still clutching her stomach, as her body trembled with need.

She clamped her eyes shut, trying the force the thoughts from her head. “Ohh... god... no, I don't want... that...” And then, her stomach gave a sudden lurch...

Her eyes snapped open with the sudden feeling. This wasn't just a cramp or stress-related butterflies. Laura could feel something. As she pressed her hands against her lower abdomen, there was a distinct and unsettling sensation... movement.

Her mouth dropped open... it couldn't be what she thought. And yet, she could still feel it. Beneath her clothes she could feel the skin of her stomach squirming and writhing. The whole area was becoming extremely sensitive.

What Laura had told the old farmer was true, she really wasn't very familiar with cows. But she knew the obvious features of cow anatomy, enough to know what might possibly happen to that region of her body if somehow, she was in fact becoming one. And considering that this part of her body was easily within her field of vision, there was no excuse not to see what was happening...

Lifting the front of her shirt with one hand, she tilted her head down, using the other hand to pull the front of her shorts up slightly. Just enough to see beneath them.

“Oh... oh god, no!”

Despite what she could already feel, there was nothing that could have prepared her for the actual sight. The skin of her lower belly was different... it had changed texture, and taken on a much pinker hue than the area around it. Two small protrusions were budding from her skin, sticking out just above her panties.

“Waaaahhh!!!” Laura couldn't suppress the startled yelp, it jumped from her mouth before she could think. She immediately regretted the lapse in composure, despite her current circumstances. Quickly, she covered her mouth with her hands to stifle any further sounds. She had no desire to draw unwanted attention; the last thing she needed was a bunch of blithering idiots panicking if they saw what was happening to her.

After a moment, she regained enough composure the release the grip on her mouth. She cautiously looked around, making sure nobody had taken notice of her. She was thankful for the cars tinted windows; she figued they'd keep her somewhat obscured, as long as nobody zeroed in on her specifically. She realized that her drivers-side window was still cracked open from her morning drive, but not enough for anyone to see. She considered closing it for a second, but decided against it; a little fresh air might help steady her, she hoped. A part of her was still clinging to the notion that this could be some stress-induced hallucination... but that hope was quickly fading.

Satisfied that she hadn't caused a stir, Laura turned her focus back to her body. She peeked beneath her clothes as she had before, hoping her eyes had fooled her. If anything, the strange development had progressed. There were still only two bumps, but they were a bit larger than before, and the pink area seemed to be spreading. Her breathing picked up as she watched this, not wanting to believe her eyes.

“It has to be a hallucination... I mean... it just HAS to be...”

There was only one way to know for sure. Tentatively, she reached down to touch one of the bumps with her finger... then immediately jerked her hand back, sucking in a sharp breath of air. It was acutely sensitive to touch... but more importantly, it was real.

That was it. She had rationalized as much as she could, but seeing this, and feeling it... her logical explanations evaporated much the same way her self control had in the checkout line.

"Breeding stock... .... a cow... ... he's turning me into a cow... ... to breed with his... oooohh..."

Her body shuddered with the thought of what she would be used for. She moaned as she leaned forward, gripping the wheel again, trying to regain control.

In the midst of her struggle, someone walked by her car, squeezing between her and the vehicle beside her. It was just some random shopper, but it spooked her almost as bad as her changes. She couldn't be seen like this... especially if her changes got worse. Which she feared they almost certainly would.

She sat uncomfortably still as she tried to contain the raging heat. Thoughts ran through her head, making her involuntarily picture the beasts the farmer intended her to couple with. She groaned, feeling the itch on her back flare up again, moving up her back slightly. She knew the hair was spreading.

She held as still as she could, trying not to attract attention as the person next to her finished loading up their car. She watched, suddenly envious of their normality as they pushed the empty buggy into the nearby return. Shortly thereafter, they hopped into their modest sedan, and drove away, completely oblivious to the young woman struggling to maintain her humanity right beside them.

She had to get out of here. But she couldn't go anywhere until she had a handle on these urges. The last thing she needed was another episode like the one in the store, but going sixty miles an hour down the road.

Unfortunately, getting a handle on her new desires was proving more daunting than she'd hoped. She kept thinking maybe she'd get used to them, her mind would adjust and they wouldn't feel so uncontrollable. Instead, they seemed to be getting stronger.

"No, please... ... I don't want to think about bulls... No, I want to think about... ... about... ... Richard! Yes, Richard, that's who I want! Not some brown... big..."

"Oooohh..." she shuddered and shook involuntarily as an image flashed through her mind.

"So much... bigger... than Richard... so much more...."

"NO!!!" she shouted, and instantly hoped nobody heard. She didn't look to see though. She needed to focus, to put everything she had into this. She needed to make herself want Richard, to desire him, like she had when she first saw him. She needed to want him, not some mindless beast.

She tried to picture him naked, his body pressed against hers. She imagined the sweet foreplay that usually got her motor running hot. His hands running up and down her body, as he leaned in and kissed her gently.

"Ah, damn it! Why can't I like this?! He's so handsome! I'm already on fire here, why can't I just... feel that... for a MAN..."

She forced herself to continue the daydream. She imagined his hands on her breasts, teasing her nipples. His hand sliding gently between her legs. His stubble rubbed against her face...

"Oh, that's nice... I like that..."

He moved behind her purposefully... and with a deep, strong bellow... he...

"Arrooo..... AH... Fuck, no!" It almost happened again. The daydream shifted, but this time she at least caught herself before it got too far. That did nothing to quell the needs assaulting her body, though. Even worse, the imagery of Richard hadn't done anything for her. Not until she started to think of him as...

"Urrghh, stop it, please just stop..." Her mind raced as she tried to get a handle on herself. She felt the churning in her stomach again, intensifying. She hated to consider what that meant.

"Okay, okay, so I'm turning into a cow. Now what am I going to DO about it? I can't just let this happen. There's got to be some way to undo this. How?"

She drew a complete blank trying to answer that question.

"How am I supposed to stop it?! I don't even know what the farmer did. He's the only one... ... ...that's it!”

She remembered the farmers speech as she'd been yelling for help. She hadn't heard everything, but she distinctly remembered something about how it wasn't finalized. She could accept or reject the change. And there was no doubt in her mind which one she wanted.

“I've got to find that bastard! I need to make him understand that I do NOT accept his offer. But how the hell do I do that? Is he still around here somewhere?”

She glanced around the parking lot... he couldn't have gotten far, could he? And if he did this, then he must know what was happening to her now, so surely he wouldn't have just left. He had to be here, somewhere...

“Where are you? I can't just get out and look, what if people see me?”

She stole a quick glance at the rear-view mirror, and was momentarily relieved to see her own face staring back without any alteration. Her hair was even still fixed the way she had it earlier.

She never thought she'd appreciate her own reflection the way she did at that moment. It seemed that, at least for now, her changes were still limited to places covered by her clothes. But how much longer could she rely on that? She needed to get this under control... and fast.

She returned to looking around the parking lot, scanning for anyone in overalls and a stupid hat.

“Maybe I should drive around and look... I should be okay if I don't leave the parking lot, and stay focused. I've got to find this jerk!”

She reached down to put her hand on the gearshift, working up the nerve to put it in drive...

“He's got to be here... and he's got to know that I reject this stupid 'offer' of his. The LAST thing I want to be is... ... breeding stock... ... for some... some... big... ..."

"Mmrrrrrr..."

Laura hardly noticed the sudden turn her mind took, as the animal instincts she'd fought to suppress began to overpower logical thought. She was only vaguely aware of the sound she'd made again, it's expression feeling as natural as a sigh, or talking.

"Mmmmroooo..."

"...bull....strong"

"...Mrrrroo..."

Her new, animal instincts were looking for whatever opportunity they could find to assert themselves; any drop in her guard was an opening for them. Her hand slackened against the gearshift.

In her thoughts, she was suddenly back with that animal... the one she'd pictured in the check-out line. The handsome store employee who'd come to help her was barely even a distant memory now, her head filled with the image of something far more primitive. Her daydream resumed almost where it had left off earlier... she was offering herself... her tail twitched... ... he was on her... ... no hesitation... just thrusting... humping... harder...

"MmmrrrooooOO..."

In reality, Laura's hips started an instinctive, rhythmic grind against the seat of her car. One hand gripped the wheel firmly while the other braced against the gearshift. In her mind, she pictured them as hooves, firmly planted on the ground to steady her body, as she was rutted... again... again... harder... harder... her hips began to pump faster against the car seat...

"Mmmrrrroooo.... errrroo... mmrrrrrrRRRROOO...."

"BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!!"

Someone tried to pull out of their spot without checking, narrowly avoiding the car already coming down the lane. The car horn pierced Laura's addled mind, interrupting her fantasy just enough to stir her back to some semblance of recognition.

"Ohhrrr... urrhh.. oh... oh god!... Urrr...!"

She froze up, overriding the animal instincts and ceasing the rhythmic rocking she'd fallen into. The thoughts still played in her mind, but she pushed them away with all her strength.

"Ahhrrroo.. oommpphh!"

She struggled to contain the sounds that wanted to come out, stifling the noise in her mouth as best she could. Her heart was pounding, she was gasping for air, her body still thrumming with the unfulfilled urges.

"How... when the hell... did that happen?! God, I didn't even realize I was...

Her hips bucked again as she dropped her guard. The new bovine instincts were demanding her attention.

"Oh my god... this is getting harder... ... ooorrrrrhhh..."

She could feel those bumps on her belly rub against her clothes, sending strange signals to her brain. Something else flashed through her mind, different from the images that had assaulted her before. This time, it wasn't a bull... it was a calf. A feeling she couldn't quite place washed over her... not lust, exactly... but definitely some kind of... instinctive yearning...

She tried to brush the image, and the feeling, completely away. She was already confused enough. Yet her belly gave another sudden lurch; she could feel her change progressing even further.

She didn't dare look, she could already tell, more teats were starting to emerge. And the ones she'd seen before were becoming more developed. The itch she'd felt on her back began to not just spread, but spring up elsewhere. She scratched absently at her arms and legs before realizing what the itch foretold. She watched the skin on her appendages expectantly, waiting for the first sign of fur. There was none where she could see, yet, but she could feel it prickling into existence around her hips and on her upper thighs beneath her shorts. The same was true for her shoulders. She rubbed a particularly bothersome place there, and could feel coarse fur creeping up over the strap of her bra.

"Oh god..." she whimpered. "How do I stop this? I don't want to be a coorrw... ohhh... why..."

Her nose twitched, though it was hardly concerning in the midst of all else she was dealing with. Until it happened again, stronger... accompanied by a sudden sense of pressure. Fear gripped Laura anew, as she turned to face the rear-view mirror to confirm what she didn't want to see.

Her nose had altered, ever so slightly. She stared wide-eyed at her reflection, which she had been so thankful for just minutes ago. Now, her face was marred by this farmer's magic. Her nostrils had widened, ever so slightly. And as she watched, the tip of her nose... was is getting darker? Yes, in fact it was. She reached up to touch it... only to find the texture far different from what it should have been. Rougher... more leathery...

“Oh my god... why is this harrrpening... ….ah, shit!”

Her heart sank at the way her voice wavered. Some force beyond her control compelled her to make sounds other than the ones she intended. It was starting to sink in now. Her mind didn't want to accept... still couldn't to a degree... but the truth was inescapable.

“No, no this isn't rrrroo... rright. God... it can't be right!”

“There's always a reason for everything... no matter what...”

Before today, that would have helped. There had never been a time when Laura's mantra let her down, no matter what she'd faced. Sure, sometimes it was harder to accept than others. But the notion that there was a higher purpose had always brought her comfort, even when she couldn't see the the good herself. But this... this was nothing like anything she'd faced before. For the first time, Laura's life-motto felt completely powerless.

“Why? Why the hell would I need to turn into a cow?! There can't be a reason foorrrr... fooorr... damn it!”

The indignity of it all... it was heartbreaking... no, it was flat out insulting! For such a fate to come upon her, something so unheard of... so ridiculous! And just as she'd met such a wonderful person...

“Richard...”

“No... nooorr... I worrrn't... let this happern...”

Pulling on every ounce of strength she had, Laura set her mind on fighting. She was determined, no matter what the forces of heaven, earth, or this jackass farmer may throw at her, she was NOT going to become some stupid, mindless breeding cow!
She closed her eyes, focusing her mind on Richard once again.

“That's it Laura... that's who you want... just think about him... he's a man, not some animal... you want a man... so cute... you're touching him... he's touching you... mmm... rubbing my breasts... that's right... that's what I want... a man to treat me like a woman... damn it...”

Despite the detail in her fantasy, her body didn't seem to want to respond. But she knew she liked this, she wanted this. She was going to be attracted to a desirable human man, whether this “hocus-pocus” liked it or not...

“He's touching you... rubbing your leg... now he's going around... sniffing...”

“Ooouurrr... fuck it!” She gasped, dropping her head to rest on the steering wheel. “I'm not goorring... to let this harrrpen! Damn it, I finally found a genuinely good guy... and noorrw this?”

She could feel her ears tingling, but she didn't want to look. Didn't want to touch. She could feel them, the way they were twitching. She knew the change was trying to claim them as well. She wondered how much longer she had. Was she really going to turn into a cow, right here, in her dinky little car in the midst of Saturday shoppers? Was that really fate's plan for her life?

She thought back to Richard. It just wasn't fair... there could have been something there. He'd been willing to fight for her. She remembered the way he'd jumped to her defense, without any hesitation. That stern look, like he was ready to smash that farmer right in his wrinkled face... just for her.

Something sparked. She felt it, faintly... but it was there. Attraction. Real, genuine, HUMAN attraction... of a woman for a man.

She focused on that thought. His stern face... his eyes burning with anger, just because someone was bothering her. He was going to stop it, one way or another. His job didn't even matter; if he needed to get physical with that creep, he would have. All for her...

Warmth flooded her private, feminine places... womanly desire flared to life. She felt the wetness pooling in her already damp center... similar, yet different from the beastial cravings she'd been battling.

“Yes! Yes, that's it! That's what I want! Love... someone who loves me and shows it! Not some animal... love!”

Her breathing steadied, even as her human sex drive reasserted itself. Her anxiety was starting to fade a bit. And if that wasn't enough, something even better happened.

At first, it frightened her... that same disturbing, churning feeling in her belly. But it wasn't quite the same... she couldn't put a finger on it, but it prompted her to look despite her fears. And that's when she saw the most beautiful sight she'd seen since Richard had come running to her.

The small, barely-developed udder which was trying to form on her stomach was receding. The pink hue faded, returning to it's normal shade. And the bumps... those little pre-teats... they were shrinking, ever so slightly.

Relief overwhelmed Laura in a way it never had before. With a hopeful smile, she glanced at the rear-view mirror. Sure enough, her nose was also returning to it's former state. The dark leathery patch regained it's normal skin-tone, and her nostrils withdrew to their correct proportions.

“Haha... oh my god... I can't believe it... I beat it! I... I beat it!” She realized after she spoke, she'd managed to say every word without a problem. There was no hint of any struggle to pronounce the simple words.

To say she was ecstatic was an understatement. The tingling of her ears had stopped, and the itching sensation ceased to spread. She could still feel it, but it too had changed. She reached behind her to touch her lower back again... there was still fur there, but not as thick as before. All of her changes were reversing!

“Oh thank god... thank you, thank you, thank you...” She was on the verge of both laughing and crying. She never thought just getting to be human could bring her such joy. And now, since she knew that humanity could apparently be lost, she'd never take it for granted again.

She relaxed in her seat, just letting her rattled nerves settle down before she did anything else. It seemed she didn't need to find that vile farmer after all. All it took was her own willpower, her own insistence that she wanted her humanity. She thought about the farmers words... that must have been what he meant by “accepting” or “rejecting” his offer. By clinging to her human desires and rejecting those... disgusting urges... she must have broken the spell.

And Richard... he had saved her without even knowing.

She glanced over at the entrance to the store... he was in there right now. She could go and talk to him... she'd never even given him her number. She had his... but why wait?

They obviously had a connection, and she'd damn well almost lost the opportunity... not to mention the ability to take advantage of it. This was what being human was about. And maybe, just maybe that was the reason for all of this. A reminder, to make her take stock of her life. A very bizarre, unprecedented reminder... but if nothing else, it had gotten her attention.

She smiled broadly... her decision was made. She would talk to Richard, not later, but now. She would make her interest in him clear, as well as her appreciation for what he'd done. Even if he didn't know the full extent of it.

She'd rested from her ordeal long enough. She'd never felt more confident, more sure of herself. With a deep breath, she threw open her car door, ready to embrace life like never before.

She stood from the vehicle, preparing to march right back in to tell Richard... something...

“What... what's that smell...?”

She'd smelled it earlier. When she was walking back to her car, she'd caught it on the breeze. A pungent, musky smell... nothing she could place, but it grabbed her attention in a way she couldn't explain. What was it...?

“Oh god... what...?”

She leaned back, bracing herself against the open car as best she could as pure, liquid need suddenly rushed through her body. Once again, thoughts of powerful, eager bulls... potential mates... danced on the edges of her vision, demanding her attention. Moisture suddenly flooded her privates... god, it felt amazing...

"Uhhhh... uhhhhrrrrrr.... rrroooo..."

Her legs began to tremble, and just like that, she could sense it all coming back. The victory she'd just won... her progress in turning back the tide of animal lust... suddenly it meant nothing. Her knees went weak, and she dropped back to sit on the side of her driver's seat, trying to regain composure once again.

“No.... why?”

Within seconds, she could feel it. The itching... the tingling on her ears... the churning in her stomach... she could feel those damned teats... budding once again, pressing against her clothes.

She tried to clear her head, get her bearings. Why was this happening? She hadn't changed her mind! She still wanted Richard, not some big... virile... ready...

“God... oorrr... what is that fucking smell?!” She tried to keep her voice to a whisper, aware that she was much more visible with her door open like this. She was about to pull herself back into the car, when she heard something. It was exhilarating... and yet bone chilling.

“MMMRRROOOOO.”

She turned her head, having to look through the rear window for a clear view. Recognition hit her like a ton of bricks as it came into view... the same red pick-up truck she'd seen that morning at the intersection, moving slowly up the lane, practically behind her car now. And in the trailer... there he was. Not just an image in her head... but a real live bull.

A mate...

Her whole body lurched involuntarily, her hips giving a spasm of pure, carnal joy at the sight of such a worthy mate. Her human side prayed nobody saw her, but she found it was getting harder to care.

The truck slowed as it cleared the back of her car, coming into plain view right beside her. Laura's gaze remained fixed though... the trailer was further back, she still had to look through the rear window to see it clearly, but she could see him. She couldn't force her eyes away... his scent was intoxicating.

“Stop it Laura... stop it... look away... before you can't...”

Her strength was faltering, but she mustered what she could, finally forcing herself to turn her head. The driver of the truck was just sitting there. The lane wasn't blocked. What was he waiting for?

“Go! Go god damn it! You have no idea...”

His passenger side window started to lower... “what the hell... tell me you're not trying to start a conversation with that... oh, shit!”

Honestly, she didn't know how she hadn't seen this coming. She should have known... the stupid wide-brimmed hat...

The creep smiled at her from the drivers seat, a knowing smile as he watched the obvious struggle within her. He cut his eyes back toward the trailer, then back at Laura, as if saying “Yeah, you like that, don't you?”

She glared at him, anger welling up even as her body begged for his cargo. Without a word, he gestured with his hand, pointing somewhere. She looked... he was pointing at the store... why?

With that, he rolled up his window and began to move again. The trailer cleared the back of her car now, and she could see him, unobstructed save for the trailer itself. God, he was magnificent...

“Fuck... no... just look away...”

But she couldn't. She watched intently, gazing after the bull as the old man moved up the lane. She watched him reach the end, but didn't turn as other traffic would. Instead, he continued on, around the side of the building, disappearing out of view around back.

He wasn't gesturing at the store, he was telling her where he was going... he wanted her to meet him there.

She stood, her legs shaking as she formulated her next move.

“I have to talk to him. That's the only way. He said he'd talk to me after I'd thought about it... he wants a direct answer to his face. I have to reject him outright... then he'll let me go...

She stepped away from the car, her mind in a strange state between awareness and automatic response. As she started walking, her body gave an approving thrill; the animal instincts were all too eager to follow where the bull had gone.

She shuffled along in a haze, trying desperately not to give in and let the carnal need claim her. She needed to stay in control for this confrontation. She thought of Richard again, tried to remember the way he'd looked at her... and rushed to her defense.

Her body calmed itself, somewhat. But she could still smell that animal... his scent added something new to the equation that she hadn't needed to factor in before.

Still, the thought of Richard made her heart flutter, in a distinctly human way... the animal urges calmed, but refused to relent completely.

She continued along slowly, keeping her head together as best she could. She could tell the changes were reasserting themselves, but so far there was nothing visible. She shouldn't draw attention as long as she didn't do anything stupid.

The shoppers around her continued on with their scheduled tasks, unaware of the struggle going on right in front of them. As Laura glanced around, making sure nobody had noticed her odd behavior, she was struck by a disturbing thought. Somehow, she had the sense that she was preparing to swap one herd, just to join another.

“Don't think like that Laura. You're going to beat this. You have to...”

Her parking spot had been on the last row, so Laura pretty much had a straight shot around the side of the building. As she moved away from her car, she didn't even notice that she'd left the door open, leaving her purse in the seat for anyone that happened by. She was too focused on keeping herself under control. Even if she had remembered, the possibility of her purse being swiped would have paled in comparison to what she currently faced.

She approached the side of the building, disappearing from the view of the majority of customers. They paid little heed to the young woman walking around the store, despite the fact that she clearly had no real business going back there.

The scent of the bull was getting stronger, playing havoc with her foggy head and overly sensitive body. She stopped for a moment, leaning against the wall to brace herself. She focused on Richard again. It steadied her, but not as much as before.

“Okay Laura, this is it. Pull it together! Just get this over with, and you can move on!”

Her whole body was thrumming. Her nose began to twitch again, she knew what was coming. More changes would follow if she didn't beat this now.

For a moment, she considered going back. She knew this was where he wanted her. He was waiting for her to round that corner and meet him back there... and offer herself to that animal. And given her body's unsolicited reactions so far, she couldn't guarantee she wouldn't. But... what else could she do? Would these urges ever stop? Would he just give up, or follow her around until she caved? No, she was going to end this now. She wasn't going to spend her life walking around and trying to fight the urge to hump a fucking bull...

Her eyes widened... that thought had been a mistake, especially with the scent of one so close by. She wobbled, bracing harder against the wall, her body crying out for satisfaction.

“Uuu... uurrrooo...”

Her stomach lurched, churning and writhing once more. She clutched herself again, and then without warning, the small proto-udder surged beneath her hand. Laura gasped out loud; not only could she feel more teats developing, but the udder itself... it was growing, bulging from her body. She could feel her shorts and panties tightening, ever so slightly.

“Oh god... I've got to do this noorrrw...” She ignored the pitch in her voice, starting forward once again. Her mind and body were in complete agreement about where she was going, but each had completely different reasons.

She approached the corner around back... the scent was getting stronger, but she held as steady as she could. She paused again, considering her options. Maybe she should go get Richard? Surely he'd help her...

“Yeah right, and tell him what exactly? 'Hey Richie, remember me? Well, I need help fighting off a spell-casting farmer. Oh by the way, I'm growing an udder now. You like?'”

She chuckled a little, somewhat surprised that she could still muster a sense of humor right now. But at least she could still laugh... that was something distinctly human. That had to count for something, right?

A loud “MMMRRROOOO” interrupted her musings, sending a fresh wave of lust right through her. Her knees tried to give out... god, she had no idea that a need could be this strong. She braced against the wall again, this time suddenly aware of how stiff her fingers had become.

Once she was steady again, she held her hands to her face, looking for any sign of change. She could see nothing, but they definitely felt odd now. She contemplated for a moment, what would it be like to not have hands, but hooves. A disturbing chill ran up her spine... she really didn't want to find out. Her fingers twitched a little... she knew the change was coming to them, she just didn't know when.

That was it, she'd had enough. She was going to go tell that farmer what he could do with this “offer.” Then, when she was back to normal, she was going straight into that store, and her and Richard would live happily-ever-after.

Steeling herself, she prepared for the encounter. “Screw your courage to the sticking place...” she thought to herself; maybe Shakespeare could help her through this if nothing else could.

She clenched her fists, gritting her teeth as she pushed the animal urges aside with all the strength she could martial. Then, with a stern, cold expression, she set her feet in motion and rounded the back corner...