At first the women were embarrassed and then amused. They even started to giggle a little as their thoughts took them in all the wrong places. They ...sed life sized dummies for the training and the comments that flew around the room were wild. They were chastised by the instructor but still could not keep a straight face. When they got back to the apartment Ann and Alice still were talking and thinking about class that day. They engaged in some pleasurable touching but did not get to do. She liked that her butt had gotten the attention of the men but didn’t like that they kept staring when she had caught them checking her out. She felt disrespected. She locked the door behind her, said goodnight to all her co-workers before she walked to her SUV. It was getting colder than what she was used to. She was shivering by the time she was in her car. She found her keys and attempted to start the car but except a few clicking noises nothing happened. With a confused look on her face. As for the rest of humanity, Pat thought, well, they were going to bein for a big surprise. She was hopeful that enough people would beaccepting, and perhaps some like Sally and Eric who would eagerly seekto join their community. But she knew her brother, and he would reactwith fear and loathing. She cataloged all the conversations that shehad had with the other mers about their families, pasts, and suspicionsabout the "real world." Galina and Alexis in particular were adamantthat the. “Pretty little butterfly. Do you miss the sun?” she whispered, for to my ears, the voice sounded female.“Oui,” I breathed, trepidation making the word shiver as the hair on the nape of my neck rose and panic made me struggle, helplessly, against my bonds, the rope chafing and burning the tender flesh on my now bloody wrists.“A gift, then.”Her voice came closer, revealing a barely perceived shape; humanoid to a degree, though strangely designed. I gasped, my breath filling my lungs, as I felt.