Was it only a dream (light ending)
When one dreams, strange things can go through your mind. Fantastic things. The events I am about to relate came to me while I was sleeping a few nights ago, so bear with me if they seem strange. Are they just a dream, or a glance into a future that is yet to come? Only time will tell.
When one dreams, strange things can go through your mind. Fantastic things. The events I am about to relate came to me while I was sleeping a few nights ago, so bear with me if they seem strange. Are they just a dream, or a glance into a future that is yet to come? Only time will tell.
Several elections ago, a very charismatic man appeared from nowhere. People were tired of politics as usual, and he managed to draw in quite a coalition of people from all ends of the political spectrum.
He didn't run as a Republican, or a Democrat. He started his own party. No one would have thought it was possible, but somehow he managed not just to garner enough votes to win the election, but he won in a landslide.
His election took all of the elites in Washington and all the pundits by surprise. No one had even given him the slightest chance of winning against the two entrenched parties.
It wasn't long after he took office and gave a few speeches that he managed to convert a vast majority of congressmen to his side. Most even joined his party. Through what appeared at the time as a series of coincidences, he managed to appoint a large majority of judges to the Supreme Court.
Something odd was definitely going on, but the new President would give a speech, and everyone would fall under his sway and forget what they had been so concerned about. Soon he was the most popular president ever in the history of the country.
Everything seemed great at first. Using his charisma he managed to broker deals other presidents could only dream of. The economy was booming, unemployment was the lowest it had ever been, and peace had started to break out all over the world. Countries that most would have sworn could never get along were now fast friends.
People began to let their guard down. This was exactly the opportunity He was waiting for. He quickly and quietly began to pass laws. Some allowed him to bypass congress and issue whatever edicts he wanted. Others made him President for life. Any objections were quickly struck down thanks to his control of the supreme courts, congress, and most of the state legislatures.
Some people were more resistant to the Presidents charms, and tried to sound an alarm, but they went unheeded. Soon he had established what could easily be called a police state, though most people were happy and there was little need for actual police.
While most parts of the population faired well under the new regime, there was one population that ostracized and made into an enemy. This was the LGBT community. In what was an amazing turn of events, a community that had gathered wide spread acceptance with most of the population was quickly and efficiently turned into a boogeyman. They had to be removed for the good of the whole. They were stripped of all their possessions and rights and forced to live in communities were they were treated like they were nothing more than animals.
These communities were set up all over the country. There were separate ones for gays, lesbians, transgenders, and any other groups considered deviants by the state. While the communities were fairly nicely appointed with everything the residents would need, they were obviously intended to be warehouses. Once a person entered the camp, they would never return to the outside world.
The residents of the camp were made to remain naked at all times. They had all of their personal items confiscated, and lived in comfortable but sterile rooms. They received quality food and medical care. They were treated with the respect one would give a beloved pet. Most even had access to community centers with Movies and video arcades.
Life in these communities was generally unremarkable. Most people spent their days going about their business, resigned to their fate. There was an adjustment period for new arrivals, but they quickly got used to their new lives. Younger residents were kept segregated from the older ones until they turned 18, and graduated from high school. A basic education was deemed important, but that was as far as they went.
I am a resident of one of the Gay camps in the Washington area. I graduated from the high school recently, and have just been moved into my place with the adult residents.
While they have been getting more efficient, I wasn't identified as gay until I was about to start at a regular high school. Most people knew what happened to the people found to be gay, and didn't want that to happen to them. I had met another boy like me at summer camp, and we had developed quite a relationship.
About a week before we were supposed to start high school, we had been a little careless, and left the door to my room unlocked while we were making out. My mother came home and found us in a passionate embrace. She ran from the room crying. I wasn't quite sure what to do next.
She wouldn't talk to me about it, and kept blaming herself. The next day, A van pulled up into our driveway, and a group of men came into the house. My mother told them where I was, and they barged into my room and drug me out to the van, and took me to the closest camp.
I couldn't believe my own mother would turn me in. I don't know if she managed to identify my friend or not, but I hoped he managed to avoid being caught. I was processed and released into the juvenile section of the camp. I was surprised at how young some of the residents were. I wouldn't have thought they could even tell what their sexuality would be at that age.
Anyway, it took me a few months before I got used to the forced nudity, and seeing the other kids that way. It took even longer for me to get over the betrayal I felt from my mother. I did okay in school, but I'm sure that I would have done better in the outside world.
We were carefully monitored, so there was no chance of us having any sort of relationship while we were in the juvenile section. We were kept so busy with school and other mandatory activities that I don't think I would have had the energy had we been able. Still I made a few good friends in my classes.
The adult section was much more free and open than the Kids section. We were allowed to interact with each other in any ways we saw fit. There were a few guards to keep the peace, but we were mostly on our own.
I settled into my new room, which didn't take long, as I had no clothes or possessions, and there wasn't much more than a bed, a desk, a couple of chairs, and a TV on the wall. The TV served as our entertainment and news source. There was a pull out keyboard that we could use to browse the web, but we couldn't send any email outside the camp, and were similarly limited with social media. The camp essentially was our world.
After flipping through the channels, Surprisingly we got quite a few, I didn't find anything interesting, so I decided to walk around a get familiar with the area. I quickly found the dining areas. They were set up more like restaurants than the cafeteria style ones in the kids' section. It was around lunchtime, so I grabbed a quick meal before I continued my explorations.
I spent most of the day walking around taking in the sights. The people seemed friendly enough, nodding and saying "Hi" as we passed by, but none seemed interested in starting a conversation. I finally managed to find some of my friends rooms, and we spent the rest of the afternoon talking, and went out to dinner the next evening.
Most of my days went along the same lines. We would wonder around and try and find ways to pass the time. You would think not having to worry about a job would be great, but its really not. The days would drag on and on. Before long my friends and I would run out of things to talk about. Now I know why the others were the way they were, it was easier just to tune out before the boredom caused you to go crazy.
The weeks stretched into months. It was mind numbing. I started looking for anyway to get out of the facility, but soon discovered there were none. Besides, they were always located a good distance from the "normal" people. How far would I get with no supplies?
Every once in a while there would be an opportunity to sign up for a research project. While research on humans had been banned long ago, since we weren't considered human anymore, we were the perfect choice. We were still required to be treated humanely, and the projects had to go through a rigorous review process before they could even be considered.
I passed up most, as they sounded like they would be painful, and I wasn't interested in being a pin cushion. One day I got a notification that a new project had been added. Since I had nothing better to do, I decided to check it out. I read through the proposal and something caught my eye.
It was a program for behavior modification. They wanted to see if they could remove or modify unwanted traits or something like that. As a child I had come to accept being Gay as part of me, and gotten used to it, but since I have been stuck here, I have come to see it as a curse, and I wouldn't mind a chance to get rid of that part of me. I signed up right away as slots filled quickly. I should have read a little more. Buried in the fine print it explained that this was not to remove traits, but to add new ones.
I spent the rest of the week in anticipation of the project, hoping it would make me "normal", not that there was anything wrong with me now in my eyes. Maybe it would give me a chance to return to the normal world. I could see the rest of my friends and family again. Yes, even my Mother. It had taken a while, but I finally forgave her.
When Monday rolled around, I ate a nice breakfast, and made my way to the building where the project was to take place. I arrived a little early and found a few other men standing around waiting. We exchanged pleasantries, the stood in complete silence. After a few minuets, we were led inside and told to find a seat. As we entered the room we were each given an injection. I'm not sure what it was, but it gave me a nice warm and secure feeling all over.
Once everyone had found a seat, a man in a white lab coat came onto the stage. He introduced himself as Dr. Stephenson. He started to explain what the experiment would entail, but I found it hard to concentrate. I looked around and saw that the others in the room were starting to space out as well. Must have been the result of the shot.
After some time had passed, I'm not sure I can accurately judge anymore, we were escorted to separate rooms. Once there I was placed in a seat and strapped in. I was facing a large screen. A technician entered the room, and activated the screen and jabbed me with a syringe, injecting me with a second substance. I don't know what it was, but it was a nice green color. As it took effect, the tech started a video and quickly left the room.
The next thing I knew, several hours had passed. The tech returned to the room. He attached a device around my neck that would monitor me and track me. I caught a glimpse of myself in the TV, and couldn't help but think it looked like a dog collar. How odd.
It was late in the evening when we were allowed to return to our rooms or the night. I didn't feel any different. I got a few interested stares when people noticed my "collar" but no one would dare say anything. I grabbed a quick meal and headed to bed.
As I dreamt, I saw myself free and running around in a large field. I would often stop and smell things. I had a sense of freedom and contentment that I had never felt before. If I could have seen myself while I slept, I would have seen my legs and arms flailing about like I was running on all fours.
Little did I know, that the screens in each room had a camera, and the techs were watching me as I slept. They were pleased with the results.
The next morning, I returned to the lab for my second treatment. This time everything was the same except the injection was blue. I don't know what that meant, but no one would tell me. Didn't want to influence the experiment. Again, I apparently watched some kind of video while I was under the drugs influence.
After I was released from the second treatment, I started to walk home. I noticed that it was particularly warm, so I started to pant in an effort to cool myself. I had walked quite a distance before I realized what I was doing. I quickly stopped and hoped no one had seen me.
I had a similar dream that night. I was running free, sniffing things, this time I was walking on all fours. It seemed so natural to me. I didn't remember much about it when I woke up, but it left me with a great feeling.
When I got to the next treatment, I was given a quick questionnaire before the treatment. I wasn't sure what the questions meant, but I'm sure they were to give some idea of how the treatments were working.
This time the injection was red. It seemed to work faster than the others. Again, I was subjected to a video. Little did I know that some additional suggestions were being fed into the room by the techs. My mind soaked them all in, making them apart of me.
When I was released, I had to struggle to walk up right. I kept dropping down onto all fours. I would often find that I started panting also. It took everything I could muster to get home without looking like I was crazy.
Once I was back in my room, I dropped to all fours, and couldn't get up for the rest of the night. My dreams were much more vivid. I started to see myself as a full dog. It was a wonderful feeling. It felt like I should have been this way all the time. It seemed like all my cares were erased as I chased squirrels and barked.
When I woke up the next morning, I wasn't sure I liked what was happening. I didn't want to be turned into a dog. This isn't what I expected at all. I resolved not to go any further with this test until someone explained to me what was going on.
That was the plan anyway. But I found myself compelled to return for more treatments. No matter how much I tried to resist, I found myself back at the lab each morning. Over the next few days I was given a different injection, first red, than orange, than finally yellow.
I found myself taking on more and more dog related traits after each treatment. By the end of the week, I was being kept in what could only be called a dog run in the facility. I was no longer able to function as a human, and needed round the clock supervision. The techs took careful notes and seemed pleased with my progress. I tried to yell at them, and tell them this isn't what I signed up for, but all that came out were barks.
The best I could tell, I was still me inside. I felt exactly the same as I had before the process. I still liked all the same things, but the human speech just wasn't there. Walking on all fours seemed natural. I had an overwhelming urge to obey the techs and Doctor. No matter how human I tried to be, I found it difficult to express myself as anything other than a dog.
Over the course of the next week, I was watched around the clock to see how well the conditioning had taken. I found myself thinking and acting more like the dog I was becoming. I was in danger of losing myself completely. By the end of the second week, my human mind and personality were almost completely submerged. I was behaviorally no different than any other normal dog.
The doctor was heralded for his great success and even won a few awards. I was paraded around at various speeches. Much to my dismay, I wasn't able to understand much of what was said- except when I was given a command. At that point I found myself instantly obeying.
After the tour was over, I was allowed to visit with my parents and family. I'm not sure how they felt about their son becoming a dog, but I very much got the feeling that they knew they had made a mistake turning me in initially. My mother did it in a fit of sorrow, and misguided loyalty. When my father found out, he was devastated. He had even threatened to leave her, but couldn't bring himself to it. My mother kept apologizing to me every chance she got.
We spent the rest of the day playing. I was relieved to find out that they still loved me even if they had hastily made a poor choice all those years ago. I let myself relax a little and really started to enjoy playing with my parents. They seemed excited to have me back. I didn't know how long I would be able to stay before I was forced back into the camp.
I soon found out they had made arrangements to adopt me as their pet. I was given an exam and the needed shots. I was also injected with a microchip identifying me as their pet. As the tags were attached to the collar, I wasn't sure what to think, but I was happy to be with my family again. Even if it had to be, ostensibly, as the family pet.
Over the course of the next few months, the dog became a less prominent part of my personality. Without the additional reinforcement of the drugs, I slowly started to regain the core of my personality. Most days I was the same as I was before the experiments, but if I got too stressed or excited, the dog would come out and I would find myself barking or growling at the things that had stressed me.
There were still some issues with my leading a normal life. I had issues with regaining my ability to walk upright, and the fact that I was still wasn't considered human made doing things difficult. I couldn't pursue a higher education or get a job. Even leaving home would be a problem.
One morning, a van pulled up outside our home. It was Dr. Stephenson. He spent several hours talking to me and my family. He explained that one of his own kids had been forced into one of the camps, and he now understood the pain they caused. He wanted to put an end to them, and get as many people out as he could. He laid out his plan on how I could have a more normal life, and no longer have to worry about being subject to the laws and ending up back in the camp.
Once he was done, my parents were hesitant, not sure he could really be trusted. They agreed to his plan, as long as that was what I wanted. Something in me told me that he was sincere, and I didn't really see any other way I could stay with them without always having to look over my shoulder. A leash was clipped to my collar and I was led away. After a short trip in the van, I was led into a waiting room. There I was injected with a sedative.
When I woke up, I found myself in what looked like a surgical theater. I tried to get up but couldn't. My movements must have alerted the nurses, as one soon entered the room. He undid a few straps and lifted me off the bed onto the floor.
As the drugs continued to wear off, I noticed that my whole body felt different. I was standing on my toes, rather than my hands and knees, and I could see something extending from my face into my field of view.
I wasn't prepared for the shock as a mirror was wheeled in front of me. I was no longer human. I couldn't believe how successful the surgery was. If I hadn't known it was me, I wouldn't have recognized myself. This might actually work. As best as I could tell I was now a golden retriever. Something in me was excited by this, and my tail started wagging.
My tail? Yep. I couldn't believe it, but I had a tail, a muzzle, paws, the works. As far as I could tell I was indistinguishable from a natural dog. I opened my mouth and started panting. The doctor came in and ruffled my fur. He praised me. He started petting me. I felt wonderful. Waves of pleasure went through my body.
After a thorough check up to make sure there were no complications, I returned home to my family, who were all happy to see me. I spent the rest of my life posing as their faithful pet. I had to be careful not to let on that I was something more than a normal dog. I could only talk when we were alone. This wasn't exactly what I had planned when I had signed the form so long ago, but I had to admit that I was happy to be back home.
With my parents support, I spent as much time as I could online trying to find some way to overthrow this corrupt government. I found I had a knack for inspiring people, but the resistors were few and far between. This was going to take some time.