by Nia Eze
TRANSGENDER J.
BY
NIA EZE
Transgender J
By Nia Eze
Copyright 2016 Nia Eze
All Rights Reserved.
Digital Edition
ISBN 9781370676569
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Epilogue
Author’s Note
CHAPTER 1
What happened to Jay was horrible. He was drugged and kidnapped. He was injected with “super hormones” which created and accentuated feminine attributes in his body. He was then pimped out to perverted and often cruel men who acted out all manners of perversion on him.
He was frustrated, he was out of patience and he had long lost his humaneness. As he looked around at the devastation which had been wrought by the detonated device in the airport’s departure lounge, he did not feel any iota of misery or shock at the bodies littered along with the debris of concrete blocks, plaster and iron rods. All his thoughts were on how to get out of there.
He clutched the briefcase in his hands close to his chest as he made his way out of the nearest exit. His entire body was out of sorts. It was like he was on fire and at the same time some parts were like on ice, painfully cold ice. He guessed this was what was called the Hot/Cold flushes. His head was pounding and his joints all ached. He knew he was experiencing withdrawal symptoms. He was hours overdue for his hormone shot and his pimp kept a tight leash on when and how much of the hormones he got.
He stumbled towards the spot where a car was supposed to have picked him up over twelve hours ago. He did not hold out any hope that it would still be there waiting for him but he did not know what else to do and in the state that he was in, he really couldn’t think past the pain all over his body.
Suddenly, he heard a shout behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he saw that a group of guards were running in his direction, baton, guns and whatever weapons they had pointing towards him. He didn’t stop to reason. He ran. With pounding head, roiling stomach and all, he ran like his life depended on it. And it did.
Fortunately for him, the airport complex had no fencing on the side where the pick-up point had been. Scanning the area, he realized there was no car waiting for him. Figured! He hadn’t really expected them to wait him out. If he had been thinking clearly, this mission should have been aborted once things had begun to go off schedule.
He ran past the pick-up point right into the bush that started where the airport grounds ended. The shouting still went on behind him but so focused was he on getting away that he did not bother to look back. Each stamp of his feet on the ground made his head pound so loudly that he could hear nothing else. Cold dread filled his heart. He had no means of escape. He was unwell. He was going to be caught. He would be killed horribly. He was a freak. It was not his fault, but it was what he was. What was he? Was he male, female, what?
There was a word for him.
Transgender
What did that even mean? His breathe hitched as a sharp pain pierced his side. He felt the burn of hot, salty tears on his face. He sniffled out a laugh as he kept hacking his way through the bush. His body would eventually give up on him. Maybe he could have some peace again. Oh, how he wanted peace.
Suddenly, he burst out from the bush into a street. It was fortunate that it was rather late in the day. He could not imagine what a fright he must look like. His breast ached, especially at his nipples. It was an aching biting pain that was driving him to the edge of madness. He took a quick survey of the street. There seemed to be very little activity on the street as most residents were indoors. He tried to control his breathing and walked as casually as he could along the street, avoiding looking up into any faces. His head roiled, his stomach churned on and his body ached with hot and cold flushes all over but he could not stop. He couldn’t afford to stop.
He heard the sound of a car driving up behind him. His heart began its pounding dance again. As the car drove by him, it slowed down. Jay quickly swerved into the next available open gate. It seemed to be an open air events centre of sort. There was very little activity going on as only a few people lingered around shops and kiosks.
He heard a car door slam behind him and picked up his pace. He needed to loose these people if they were after him but he was all out of options. He walked as fast as he could towards the building at the far end of the compound.
“…it seems impossible but I just need to check. Get closer…” he heard the person who had stepped out of the car saying. His limbs began shaking as full blown panic took a hold of him. As he geared up to break into a run again, a hand grabbed him and turned him around. He kicked out at the person in desperation, fighting to break away from what seemed like an iron hold on him.
“Jay.” He was blinded by his panic and continued to struggle to get away, kicking and scratching at the person.
“Jay, it’s okay. Hey! Jay!” the person whispered fiercely at him. “Don’t create a scene.” “You’re drawing attention to us. Calm down!”
The haze on Jay’s brain cleared momentarily and he was able to process the words being spoken to him. He peered into the face of the man holding him by both his arms.
He looked vaguely familiar and Jay wondered which he was. Was he a previous handler or a cheat? Neither was a good option.
The man, sensing that Jay was not about to bolt on him, loosened his grip on his arms.
“We’ve got you men.” Jay tensed as he heard these words. The man hurried on, “Look, there are guards and security people crawling all over the place looking for you.” “You need to get out of here.”
Jay remained in his grip, considering his options. His body was one mass of pain and hurt. Even thinking hurt. He felt like crying. He wanted to just lie down and die. It would be easier than this…living. Was he even living?
“There isn’t any time to waste. Let’s get moving.” He propelled Jay towards the car, which had pulled up a few feet away from them without Jay’s realization.
The man pushed him into the back seat of the sedan, got in after him and shut the door. He gave some instructions to the driver of the car and the car surged forward with purpose. Jay reclined on the soft leather seat, his precious
briefcase dropping to the floor of the car at his feet and his mind giving way to the suffocating pain. He just wanted to die, he thought, as his vision fled. It seemed to him that it had gotten very dark very quickly. He felt the man beside him watching him. Jay had all sorts of questions to ask but hardly the energy to ask them. It was too much. It was all too much. He needed to die. He needed for his life, such as it was, to end. Those were his very last thoughts as exhaustion claimed him and he blacked out.
CHAPTER 2
It was a bright day, sunny and bright. Jay lay on the metal cot he had been assigned to when he first arrived at the Centre.
He breathed in deeply, very deeply as a small smile flitted across his lips. He let out his breathe in a loud whoosh and felt the smile surround him.
He could see the birds flitting from tree to tree, flying off into the skies. There was even an airplane, flying off to someplace.
It felt good to just lie down. No drugs pumping through his system. His head and heart clear. It was early yet though. He had hope that before the day ran its course, he would have reason to loose this feeling of content. It was great to savour for now though.
The door to the room opened and a few people came in through it. One of them came in ahead of the others a small smile across his face.
“How do you feel Jay?” he asked. Jay smiled, remembering his feeling of panic the first time he had heard this voice.
“Good. But it’s early yet. I have great hopes that…it won’t last all day.” He responded chirpily.
Mahmoud.
Jay had found out that his name was Mahmoud.
He smiled as he responded, “You’ve been on a very long journey Jay. It’s been a long journey for you to get here,” thumping Jay lightly on the back.
“I brought a few friends to review your stats.” He continued as he sat down at the edge of the bed. “We need to know what next and if we’ve overlooked anything in the course of your treatment.” The look on his face was questioning, as if seeking permission from him. Jay laughed inside of him. Permission indeed! He was a guinea pig and a grateful one at that.
If Mahmoud had not got a hold of him that fateful evening about a year ago, Jay was convinced that he would have killed himself one way or another. He had reached the end of his tether that day. For the first six months, he kept waiting for his reprieve to come to an end but it was almost a year to that day, and he beginning to dare to believe that his ordeal…was over? At least, it was over in part.
The other people came forward and surrounded his cot. It was a testament to how far he had come that he did not flinch. If this had happened in his former life, he would have been tensing up by now, expecting some hideous thing to happen to him. In fact, he had thought nothing of it when five men, in various shapes and sizes surrounded him.
“Good morning Jay. I’m Doctor Greene. We will just ask you a few questions, perform some test that are routine and see what happens as we go along.” The tall man closest to his head said.
Jay looked up at him, really looked at him in the face. “What are you hoping to find Doctor?”
“We aren’t sure.” He responded after a slight pause. “You are the first person we would be examining with your peculiar… issues?” he said ending his comment on a questioning note.
Jay starred back at Dr. Greene, unsure of what response was expected of him.
The younger looking man at the far end of the bed, closer to his feet, continued the thread of conversation.
“We had heard of some concoction…some drug that was being used for genetic alterations but had no physical evidence it was even real until you.” He looked up from Jay’s feet which he had been studying keenly and the full impact of his gaze hit Jay like an electric shock. The man had fascinating eyes. It was a strange, bright shade of brown. Jay wondered if he had contacts on. They were arresting eyes, almost pretty but for the intensity in them.
“We suspect that there have been others like you who have either been killed or have died because their bodies did not handle these drugs as well as yours seem to have.”
Jay felt a cold shiver go down his spine. It was like someone had just walked over his grave.
If someone had told him a story based on the past few years of his life, he would have imagined that he was being told a sci-fi tale or thriller, but he had lived it, every terrifying moment of it.
“Is it permanent do you think? He asked nobody in particular.
“There have been some minor changes in your enhanced physiology since we successfully weaned you off the drugs.” Mahmoud responded, “Nothing too significant. We are not sure if there will be a reversal, complete or otherwise. We’ve never been confronted with such a case as yours.”
“In order words, no one knows if I’ll survive and if my life will be worth living after all.” Jay intoned, an aching longing invading his heart as he allowed his mind dwell briefly on the possibility of a normal life.
“We have no way of knowing Jay. Don’t give up on us yet though.” Mahmoud seemed like he might have wanted to say more but held himself. He got up from the bed and it seemed like it was a signal for the others to leave the room. As they left, Mahmoud said “Someone will be in to take your samples. Try not to overdo things this morning. We will be hitting the labs later today.”
“Oh happy!” Jay said sarcastically. Mahmoud smiled, a teasing smile, a scolding smile.
“You should be grateful you oaf.” He said. As he made to shut the door behind him, he turned to Jay again, “I believe there is a reason why I was the first person to find you that day Jay. There was a reason why the bomb explosion did not kill you. I believe you should stick around to find out what it might be.”
Jay turned away and looked steadily out of the window. He heard the door shut as Mahmoud left.
He sighed deeply.
He had known his feeling of contentment wouldn’t last all day.
CHAPTER 3
The handsome young man was dressed in a very dapper, if a bit oversized suit. He had a portmanteau beside him as he stood at the front stoop of the tall building. The building itself had no distinguishing features to make it seem out of place in the business district where it stood. No one would have guessed what Jay had just been through within the walls of the building.
He walked a short distance from the building and turned back to look up at it. So engrossed was he in studying the features of the building that he did not see the car coming slowing towards him until it was almost upon him. When he finally noticed the car, he took his attention away from the building and peered at the driver of the car.
He realized it was Mahmoud. Obviously, his ride had arrived. Jay studied the sedan car as he walked back to pick his portmanteau and join Mahmoud in the front passenger seat.
After strapping on his seat belt, he turned to his friend. Yes, after many long and lonely years, he finally had a friend. He felt a rush of warmth and gratitude towards this man who had fought so hard and so fiercely to restore his sanity, his sense of worth, and his willingness to rejoin the human race.
Mahmoud put the car in gear and joined the flow of traffic. He too then turned to glance at Jay. He took a deep breath as he asked, “So…how do you feel? Ready to take on the world?”
Jay turned from him to look out of the wind shield in front of him. “We will see.” He responded dread, trepidation and anxiety tangling in confusion within him.
Mahmoud tapped him lightly on his thigh, “You’ll be brilliant!” he insisted.
They drove in silence, each man keeping company with his own thoughts. After nearly an hour’s drive, they arrived at their destination. The address was in the suburbs. As the gates were opened, it was revealed to be a smallish duplex with a small compound. There were pots of plants placed in various spots on the front porch of the house. Jay took in the ambience of the place. It seemed like a well appointed family home. However, he had learned not to always trust what a place looked like. David’s house to a casual observe
r would have looked something like this house did. He hoped that that was as far as the similarities went.
He had heard over the radio that Mahmoud had brought into his room at the Centre one day that David’s factory had been raided and closed down by the food and drugs regulatory agency for producing contaminated food supplements. That news bulletin also went on to say he was in court over various charges of endangerment of public health which if he was convicted of could put him away for a very long time.
He had eventually told Mahmoud the connection between David and him. David had supplied the ‘super hormones’ which he had been regularly injected with while he was with his pimp. He shuddered as memories of those first shots raced through his mind. The pain, the disorientation, the bewilderment and the fear as he began to realize what was happening to him, what had happened to him.
“They are a nice enough family.” Mahmoud voice intruded on his morbid thoughts.
“I wasn’t worrying about that.” Jay replied. Now, he was worried about that too. “What do they know about me?” he asked.
“Hey! They are safe Jay. We didn’t tell them a lot. Just that you had been kidnapped by a gang a few years ago and had to survive in that sort of environment until you were rescued by some security personnel. We are trying to trace your family as your memories of them are not so sharp due to the trauma.”
“And they believed that?” he huffed. “For all they know…I could murder all of them in their sleep!” “Why would they open up themselves to that sort of risk?”
“They did.” Mahmoud snapped. When he spoke again, his voice had gentled. “You need to learn that not everyone is out to get you Jay. It’s been a rough few years, I know. It’s turning a bend now Jay. Are you ready to take that curve or are you too hampered by fear to reach out? Grow? Experience new and better things....”
“I get it.” Jay interrupted as he opened the car door and got out. Mahmoud sometimes drove him up the wall. He was like a brother he was not sure he ever had, a psychiatrist and a mother hen all rolled up together. ‘Jay you should… Jay you need to…Jay you shouldn’t….’ If he were not so grateful to the guy, he’d probably had gone off on him by now. He turned to look at the house again. What if he did not like it there? What if he went ballistics on someone in that house?