The Everythings

Chapter 1

"Checkmate." I grin as I strategically shift my queen into position.

His eyes scan the board. Finally he looks up at me, his green eyes reflecting the silvery light of the moon. His bright eyes are wild and filled with spirit. They're young, like the eyes of a child. Only his wrinkled face with a gnarled white beard and his hoarse, raspy voice betray his age.

"I was just going easy on you," he jokes.
I stare out the window at the flashing pinpricks of light from the stars, flashing like lightning bugs. I love watching the stars flicker and twinkle.

Maybe my transformation will be a bird or an insect, something with wings, so that I could soar among them. But I could have so many other things... a dolphin or shark would be cool... maybe a dog or cat... elephant, giraffe, fish, bear, deer... I'm almost glad I don't get to chose my transformation. It would be too hard to decide.

I hear Grandpa start to say something, "Amy-"
He stops speaking abruptly. His voice is replaced by a high pitched chirping sound. I turn around and find that he is no longer sitting in the chair opposite me. I look around in surprise before I spot a cricket on the chair and realize what happened.

"Grandpa, you're doing it again." I frown. The older you get, the harder it becomes to transform and to control your abilities.
I watch as the bug morphs back into my Grandpa. He sighs.

"Well... anyways," he continued, "I was going to ask about tomorrow. Are you excited?"
My sixteenth birthday: My transformation day. I'm not even sure how I feel. I am curious about what it will be... and scared.

"I just hope I get a good one," I say, "Goodnight, Grandpa."

Before I climb into my bed, I pick up a framed photograph of a beautiful hawk-My mother-soaring above a gorilla pounding his fists on his hairy chest-My dad... he died when I was young. I only know there was an accident; my mom hates to talk about him and she never told me anything more than that.
I look at a large handprint painted on my wall. Next to that, the outline of a bird's talons. My parents put their handprints there when I was a baby, back when this room was my nursery. And I am going to put my transformation's handprint on the wall tomorrow, when I finally get my transformation. I imagine all of the different handprints that could appear there. It probably won't be a handprint, though. Maybe a pawprint or a... clawprint? Finprint?  Is that a thing?

I yawn, again wondering about my mysterious transformation. Some of my friends at school have already had theirs... My best friend, Cara, who had hers about a month ago, is a fox. I would be pretty content with almost anything, I think. As long as it's not something terrible. I just want to know what it is already.
    I hear the noisy beeping of my alarm clock and see soft morning light peeking through my curtains. When I remember what day it is, I sit up in bed and close my eyes shut tightly, willing myself to transform.
    I groan in frustration when nothing happens. I am disappointed, but not too surprised. I never expected that it would happen the first few times I tried. In fact, would have been shocked if it had. I head downstairs and glance at my watch.
As I gobble down my pancakes I ask, "Where's Granny? It's almost time for me to leave for school."
"Don't worry, she's a fast horse."
I head outside when I see her down the hall. As I saddle up, I spot the tip of a pointed nose emerge through a hole in the fence, followed by a bushy red tail.
"Cara, I thought you took the bus."
The fox scurries towards me and turns into a tall girl with long black hair tied back in a pony tail. Her face is sprinkled with freckles.
"I don't need to. Not since my transformation," she smiles as she says the last word.
"It hasn't happened yet, right?"
"Do you think I would still be in my human form if it had?" I say.
She shrugs.
"It'll happen later," she reassures me, "It happens at a different time for everyone. I've heard of it happening really early. That's pretty unusual, though. I didn't have mine until they afternoon."
We approach the school, a rectangle building with lots of windows.
I get off the back of the horse, which transforms back into my Granny so she can so good by. Before she drops me off, she tells me, "I can't wait to hear what it is!"
Cara and I walk into the school. I decide to try another transformation attempt while we walk. Nothing. She enters her classroom, which is on the second floor, and I head for history on the third. As I walk down the long hall, I observe the kids in the hall, many in transformation form. I see a few cats... there's a rabbit... and a parrot glides overhead.
Lost in thought, I don't even notice at first when I start walking on all fours... My hands and feet are paws... I realize that everything seems louder. I feel around my mouth with my tongue, which has become... sandpapery... and find that my teeth have become sharper. I gasp in surprise, but instead I hear a low roar.

I'm transforming! But what am I?

I soon realize realize how fast I am going, and I suddenly understand why the kids who race down the halls while transformed find it so appealing. I look down and see and see a flash of orange. I search for the nearest mirror and speed into the bathroom.

There is a girl and an alligator in there who don't take a second second glance at me. I stare at the reflection I see in the mirror. I am a large cat. I flick my tail, which makes me feel balanced. I have orange fur striped with black.
I'm a tiger.