Chapter 1

My name is Jake Druthers, when this last summer had started I was fairly small and weak, I had experienced a Major growth spurt however and was now a decent height of 6ft 1inch. Also my older brother had come down from college, he went to UCLA on a football scholarship, he spent his summer working my ass out. He had said he would not have a brother of his being scrawny and weak. It had worked I began to fill out, that combined with my growth spurt I was hoping to avoid all the teasing and bullying I had gotten in middle school.

I was ready and prepared to start my first year in high school, with my brother helping me I had started a routine to prepare me for football, I had been sort of a geek and now was looking forward to expanding my horizons, it was my brother who had advised me to try out, he said he would put the good word in with the coach. This was why I now found myself two weeks before school even started running laps at the school, I was trying out for the team.

I had never worked so hard at anything before, I was not a born athlete, I found myself struggling with every exercise, I still was not as used to my new height and was awkward. At the end of the day the coach called me over, he took me to the side of the field to talk to me.

"Look Jake, I know your brother wants you on the team. But I don't think you are ready for that just yet, I like your brother Jake so I am going to do him the favor and put you on, you will train with the team and be a member just don't expect to get any game time. Trust me that will be enough, your brother told me about the bullying, that will stop when you start hanging out with the football team. Who knows Jake maybe with practice in a year or two you will get better. I cant promise anything though, what with all the MORFS kids on the team, have to be pretty outstanding like Mike was to make it"

I nodded, it was more then I could have hoped for anyway.

"Thank you coach Johnson, I appreciate it, I promise I wont let you down"

He laughed.

"Kid just show up for practice and you will have met my expectations, tell your brother I said Hi."

I nodded.

"Sure, Mike already went back to school, Ill tell him next time I talk to him though"

He patted me on the shoulder and sent me to the showers.

I was waiting outside the school when my mom pulled up to get me, I entered the car and smiled at her.

"I made the team Mom!"

She nodded.

"I knew you would Honey, I just hope you don't get hurt as much as Mike did, could never stand all those bruises"

I nodded, I wasn't going to tell her the only reason I made the team was that Mike had put in the good word.

"I got a feeling mom Ill be fine."

She just nodded watching the road.

"Your dad will be happy"

Dad was an engineer for Boeing and Mom was a Doctor, I had grown up fairly well off, my parents having never wanted for money. They both believed in simple living though, besides Moms penchant for luxury cars we actually didn't have much to show for the money. Dad said he didn't want us growing up spoiled, we each had a trust that matured when on the day we graduated College, Dad said we could decide to spoil ourselves then.

All of a sudden I got a dizzy in the car, a got a growing pit in my stomach, before I knew what happened, I threw up in the front seat. The last thing I heard was Moms startled cry.

I woke up briefly, I was in the emergency room at moms hospital, I could hear Mom talking.

"It looks like MORFS, it came on suddenly though."

I heard another voice.

"We have been getting some pretty severe cases the past few months, comes on quick and hits them hard"

I heard my farther then.

"Is he going to be ok?"

Mother then laughed slightly.

"Honey its just MORFS, he will be fine, I see it a thousand times, he will be sick for a week tops then be ok"

I heard dad sound nervous.

"But what if he changes in to something?"

I heard Mom groan.

"Harold Druthers, you better not be implying you have a problem with MORFS survivors, I know your family believes in being pure, but when I married you I thought I made it clear I would have none of that nonsense."

I heard dad sigh.

"Dear thats not what I meant, I ... I was just more concerned for his state of mind, you know that Johns son at work became a eel hybrid, he went through a very hard time, he tried to kill himself"

My mom spoke again.

"That happens sometimes, we just have to make sure Jake know no matter what he is our son and that we will always be there for him."

I began to get dizzy again, I heard mom tell the nurse.

"I think we will take him home, I have the proper supplies and medicine for him there, and Ill call out here for a few days to make sure he has round the clock care. Besides who can take better care from him then his own mother"

I blacked out again, I woke up in my Fathers arms as he carried me to my room.

"Its ok Jakey I got you, your gonna be fine, no matter what happens we are here for you, Mom is setting up your room for the IV and monitoring equipment"

I nodded and dozed off again, I awoke in my bed, my mother was standing over me.

"Its ok dear I just have to switch out the IV, you pulled it out when you thrashed about in your sleep"

She kissed my head, and I went back to sleep. I awoke to hear my Mom in dad outside my door.

"I don't know whats causing it Jane, but I swear when he was struggling last night some things in his room started to float, it was like something out of a horror movie"

I heard mom whisper.

"He is probably getting a power of some kind, sometimes they manifest during the transformation process."

I heard my father whisper back

"what about that stuff on his arms? It looks like feathers, not to mention the other things!"

I heard my Moms whisper get more intense.