Mickie was waiting at the old fairgrounds at 1:00 as Eddie arrived. Years ago Prairie Falls had been the county seat, but as its population had dwindled, the nearby town of Elmburg had taken on that role, and the fairgrounds had become neglected and forgotten. So it was one more place the two friends could reasonably expect to be undisturbed.

Eddie thought Mickie wasn't looking quite as eager as the day before, maybe she was going through some of the same type of turmoil as him.

"So, this is getting pretty screwy, huh," he said.

"You're telling me. My sister went all mental at me for walking in on her in the bathroom. I used to do that all the time, now all of a sudden it freaks her out."

"Yeah, my folks are getting all messed up over this, they can't seem to keep straight who I am. I guess I don't even know either."

"Well, I guess it's like, the world around us is coming around to seeing us how we're supposed to be, but it's taking it a while to figure it all out. And so we're in this mixed up crazy place for awhile."

"Why does it work like this, Mickie? I still look the same, like a boy, you still look like a girl. I wonder if this talisman knows what it's doing. I don't wanna get stuck in some never never land."

"It worked for Laura and Carl, we just gotta have faith. She said it got real nutty for a while, but then it all got fixed."

"I hope so, I'm getting the nerves real bad."

"Well it's all the more reason to get on with the next step. C'mon, let's go in that old stable, that will be the perfect place for this."

Eddie wasn't real excited about trespassing into some rickety old stable, but he followed Mickie regardless. He kept on following her as she scrambled up a ladder to a hay loft. There were still scatterings of old straw up there, and Mickie gathered enough of it together to make a little mound big enough for the two of them to lay down on it, rather than on the dirty old boards.

"OK we lay side by side on our backs, and kinda hold hands but with the talisman in between our palms." They did so, and even with the talisman in between, Eddie thought it felt good holding his friend's hand. She knew just what he was going through, the only person who really understood.

"Laura called this part 'the movie of your life'. It's like you're gonna see your life the way it shoulda been, and then it's gonna go on into what it could be. We just gotta lay here and watch it."

"Ok, do I need to do anything to start it?"

"Nope, just lay there and let it happen."

The patterns in the grain of the wooden beams above them became etched in Eddie's mind, as the seconds and then minutes ticked by. Nothing really seemed to be happening. Over time, his eyelids felt heavy, and after some struggle, he closed them. He was not asleep, but could not reopen his eyes.

Suddenly a vivid image flashed before him. It was the wedding he had been ring bearer in, long ago. He was seeing it in technicolor, from his perspective as a participant. Only something was different. He wasn't the ring bearer, he was the flower girl, in a darling little white dress. And as she processed down the aisle and lined up with the bridesmaids, no one fussed about it, because it was all as it should be.

She was on the school playground at recess, playing jump rope and hopskotch with the other girls. Billy Leonard ran by and yanked on one of her pigtails, causing her to squeal and chase after him.

She was dressed up as Snow White for the third grade play, wearing a black wig and a blue and yellow dress, red ribbon in her hair. She had to kiss the boy who was playing the part of the prince.

She was at a slumber party for Patsy McGuire's birthday, giggling with the other girls until late into the night, and trading secrets about which boys they liked.

She was knitting together with her mom just the other day, working on making an afghan blanket, and just enjoying mommy-daughter time.

She was at a school dance, in the future, resting her head on a boy's shoulder as they slow danced together, her heart fluttering wildly.

She was at another wedding, her own. Her father was proudly walking her down the aisle, her gorgeous gown pink and white, the church bathed in soft candlelight, her handsome groom awaiting her at the altar.

She was a mother, feeling a tear in her eye as she clasped her grandmother's heirloom necklace around her pretty teenage daughter's neck.

Her eyes opened.

The wooden beams in the rafters still had the same patterns in the grain. She looked down at her clothing. She was still wearing boys' pants, boys' shoes, a boys' shirt. She ruffled her hair. It was still short cropped.

She was still a he.

He sat up and looked at Mickie, who still looked the same. She had a disappointed look on her face, and Eddie was certain he shared the same look.

It had felt so real.

"Man, that was like... I was really there. I was really me." She sighed. "And now I'm back in this dumb old body. I wish this thing would hurry up and finish already."

"I know, it doesn't feel right, being back like this now. It's like that was the real life, and this is some bad movie."

"Exactly! Gosh, I hate looking like this!"

"I know you do Mickie, but... I think you look... pretty."

She looked at him sourly, then softened. "Thanks, I guess. But I don't wanna look pretty, you know that. I just wanna get on with this."

"I know."

"Anyway Eddie, I'm sure you're gonna be a real pretty girl."

"You think so?" He perked up.

"I'm sure of it. I can just feel it."

"That's nice of you to say."

"And when I'm big and strong I'll make sure nobody does anything bad to you."

"I'd like that Mickie."

They sat quietly, Eddie feeling something new. What will Mickie be like, when he's really a boy? Something was different in Mickie's eyes, there was something there that made Eddie feel safe. He felt a tender feeling arise, and he closed his eyes again to savor it for a moment.

They climbed down out of the loft and outside, both still rather shaken by what they'd experienced. They glanced at each other again as they mounted their bikes, and he felt that tenderness again. He could tell from Mickie's eyes that she felt it too. She looked away uncomfortably.

"OK tomorrow's the last one of these. See you later!" Mickie said with characteristic abruptness, and sped off on her bike. Eddie sat there soaking it all in for a few moments, and then rode off on his own.

+++++

The movie of your life was still swirling through Eddie's mind as he rode home, and he was feeling too restless to just go sit in his room. He decided to stop at the park first - maybe he could sit up in Old Hickory and ponder things. He was parking his bike near the tree when he heard a voice calling him from the playground area.

"Eddie, Eddie, come see us!" He turned his head to see two girls waving at him from the swings. To his astonishment it was Valerie Galvin and Patsy McGuire, broadly acknowledged to be the two prettiest girls in his grade at school. They'd barely spoken two words to him over the last couple years. Not that they were particularly stuck up or anything, but he was a shy withdrawn smallish boy, and now that the boys and girls were maturing and becoming different, the popular girls weren't exactly drawn to him.

"Come over here!" Patsy called again cheerfully. Eddie froze for a moment, but finally got his feet to work and walked over to the swings. Patsy, who had long wavy golden hair, was wearing a dark purple skirt and a light purple blouse. Valerie, a brunette with more of a bob style, had on an overalls dress over a white shirt.

"Uh, hi Patsy, hi Valerie."

"Swing with us!"

He sat gingerly on the open swing between them, and half heartedly tried to start propelling himself.

"We haven't seen you in so long!" Valerie chirped. "What have you been doing?"

"Um, you know, summer things. Riding my bike, climbing trees, whittling. Uh, hanging out with Mickie..."

"Oh we heard about that," Patsy smiled conspiratorially. "Do tell! What's Mickie like?"

Eddie was flustered. "Well you know Mickie. She likes baseball, and volleyball, and - "

"We hear Mickie's so strong and brave," Valerie cut in, making a swooning gesture.

"Well yeah, she IS strong and brave..."

"You're so lucky!" Patsy squealed. "Hey, let's go jump rope!"

Both girls leapt off the swings and ran to where their rope was laying. They picked up the two ends and yelled back to Eddie.

"C'mon, you're first!" They started swooping the rope, looking at him expectantly. The recently familiar feeling of paralysis gripped him again, and he was unsure what to do.

"Will you get over here, silly?" Valerie giggled. "We can't keep this up forever!" He shuffled over and lamely attempted to hop over the rope as it looped around, but immediately got caught up in it.

Patsy and Valerie erupted in giggles. "Oh you're out of practice!" Patsy ribbed him. "Too much time taken up by Mickie Waller!"

"Yeah, why jump rope when you can jump into Mickie's arms?" They both exploded in another round of giggles. Eddie couldn't work out whether to be offended or not, but they seemed so good natured about it, he couldn't bring himself to feel too bad.

"Hey, what's this?" Patsy asked as she suddenly approached him. She had noticed the chain of the necklace he was still wearing. He'd tucked the pendant inside his shirt so it would be inconspicuous - even Mickie hadn't noticed. But Patsy had zeroed right in on it.

Eddie gulped as she came right up and fished the necklace out from under his shirt. She held the pendant out and made her mouth into an O shape.

"Oh my gosh, this is gorgeous! Where did you get it?"

"Uhh... my grandma gave it to me? It's an old family heirloom..."

"Valerie, look at this! Oh gosh Eddie, the way these stones match your eyes, it's just beautiful!"

"Oh goodness, you're right!" Valerie had crowded in. "This would look perfect with that light blue dress of yours, Eddie!"

He froze once again. This is what he wanted right? Yet the utter strangeness was frying his mind.

"Light blue dress?"

"You know, the one you wore to Patsy's party. Hey by the way, you sure are dressed funny today."

"Yeah, and hey, you cut off all your hair..."

"Oh wow, yeah, why would you cut off that beautiful long blonde hair?"

They were both looking at him rather accusingly, he could see the gears slipping in their heads, like the illusion was shattering. He tried to say something but nothing would come out. The blush in his cheeks was setting his face on fire, and he wanted to turn and run, but he couldn't make anything move...

"Oh well, just don't let Mickie see you like this!" Both girls laughed again and the awkwardness dissolved.

"Hey Eddie, you gotta see these flowers over there," Valerie said, pointing toward the other side of the park.

"Oh yeah, they're amazing!" Patsy concurred, and they both shot off toward the flowers, motioning for Eddie to follow. His joints resumed their ability to move, and he followed them.

When he caught up to them, they were oohing and ahhing over a bush of roses that were somewhere between a pink and purple shade. Eddie was struck by their beauty in a way he hadn't been before, he'd never paid much attention to flowers.

Valerie stuck her nose into one and breathed in, closing her eyes with a blissful expression. "Oh, it's heavenly! Eddie, you have to smell one of these!"

Now he was intrigued. He approached one of the roses and mimicked what Valerie had just done, drawing the fragrance up into his nostrils. His eyes bugged out, and it was almost like he was having a religious experience. The flower smelled so good, and he could feel it triggering something deep within him. He just couldn't believe he had never gone around smelling flowers before. It was fantastic! It was as though his nose had closed itself off for years from the dangerous act of enjoying a flower, as if that would reveal a true nature that had to remain concealed. And now he didn't want to conceal it ever again.

"Oh gosh!" he exclaimed. "That is the most incredible thing I have ever smelled!"

"Isn't it though?!" Patsy squealed. "We told you!" She started jumping up and down and giggling again, quickly joined by Valerie. Eddie couldn't help himself, and soon he was jumping and giggling too.

"Eddie!" Valerie cried out suddenly. "You haven't told me yet if you're coming to my birthday party next week!"

"Your birthday? You mean, I'm invited?"

"Of course! You have to come!"

"Well I have to ask my mom, but I'd sure like to." Silently he pleaded with the talisman - 'please hurry up, please hurry up!'

"It's gonna be the funnest sleepover ever! We'll play games, and paint our nails, and talk about boys..."

Yet another round of giggles erupted, and then they ran back to the jump rope, and this time Eddie threw himself into it, feeling fully coordinated, and they had a grand time. After a few more minutes the girls had to go, and Eddie collected his bike and rode home, grinning and humming absent-mindedly, and imagining how the wind will feel blowing through his beautiful long blonde hair.