The Princess and the Plague: 42

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The Princess and the Plague
Part 42
By Anistasia Allread
Not Edited
The radio blasting, the girls singing and yelling above the music as they rolled down the highway. That was how Erika would remember the morning.

Samantha turned down the music as they entered the city limits and parked in the gravel parking lot where their camp bus had parked.

“It hasn't changed much.” Krystal noted.

“It's a lot colder here than in Constitution. Tricia commented.

“We're going to be late.” Samantha ushered them down the sidewalk.

“You made appointments for us, right?” Krystal asked of Samantha.

     
duckling.jpg

 
 
CH 42

Erika woke up in the small, delicate arms of Tricia. She smiled to herself and snuggled closer to her girlfriend.

Victoria moved from nearby. She put a shushing finger over her mouth and motioned that she was going to use the bathroom. Erika nodded slightly in aknowledgment.

She raised her head to look around the room at the sleeping bodies of her cabin mates/friends. The evening after the hot tubbing had wound down to stuffing their faces with snack foods and watching 'chick flicks'. One by one they pulled their covers up and snuggled into their pillows.

Victoria tip toed back into the room. “Samantha's parents are coming.” She jumped onto the sofa and pulled a blanket up around her.

A few moments later Samantha's parents entered. As her mother began cleaning up the snack foods, her father began pulling stuff out of the fridge and cupboards.

Soon the smell of bacon began permiating the great room. Stretches and groans began to eminate from the bundles of blankets scattered about the floor.

“Good morning girls.” Samantha's mom finally greeted. “Breakfast will be ready in just a few minutes. Wash up.”

The girls were soon sitting around a table laden with eggs, bacon, pancakes, orange juice and a bowl of sliced fruit.

“So what's on your adjenda today?” Samantha's father asked.

“We're going to the salon to get our hair done.” Samantha reminded. “I told you the other day.”

“I was just checking.” her father brought a few more pancakes over to the table.

“Okay, if you all want to shower you're going to have to make them short. Five minutes.” Samantha's mother explained, “Some of you can use our shower while the others can use Samantha's shower.”

--o0o--

The radio blasting, the girls singing and yelling above the music as they rolled down the highway. That was how Erika would remember the morning.

Samantha turned down the music as they entered the city limits and parked in the gravel parking lot where their camp bus had parked.

“It hasn't changed much.” Krystal noted.

“It's a lot colder here than in Constitution. Tricia commented.

“We're going to be late.” Samantha ushered them down the sidewalk.

“You made appointments for us, right?” Krystal asked of Samantha.

“Yes. He's expecting us.”

Krystal opened the door to the salon allowing Samantha and Erika to enter first. The sight of the salon brought a smile to her face, the smell brought back memories good and bad. Mostly good.

“Ah, my camp girls.” Sasha greeted with a big smile and open arms.

“Hello Sasha.” Samantha greeted.

“Hi Uncle Sasha.” Erika teased.

“Wow, look at you.” Sasha stepped back and took her in. “You're becoming a beautiful young lady.”

“Hopefully even more so with your help.” She blushed slightly.

“So who's hair am I doing and what are we doing?” Sasha asked.

“It's my birthday and I came to have you foil my hair.” Samantha smiled.

“I could use some help too.” Erika stated. “Tricia had to trim my bangs because I couldn't get up to see you.”

“I'm keeping my hair.” Victoria stated firmly, clutching at her long braid.

Sasha led them back to a corner of the salon. “I'm going to have you two get changed out of your tops and into a robe. I'll meet you back here.”

Samantha and Erika sat in salon chairs side by side, the light weight robe losely covering them. The other three sat in chairs near by.

Sasha came out of a back room with a tray of all kinds of things: bowls, brushes, combs and long foam things.

“Okay, while I put these foils in her hair, I want to hear about everything that has gone on since I last saw you.” He said this pointedly at Erika.

The girls all took turns telling details of the past few months. Of Them hiding Erika's identity from her parents, then from the school. Getting her involved with the Rally squad, the issues with boys, and with girls. Erika told him about how her father accepted her whole heartedly while her mother still gave her grief about it. She told him about seeing Dr. Barts and Dr. Lipdick as well as the tumor that they found.
Sasha could barely believe his ears hearing all of this. He nodded his head at some of the details, shook it disbelieving others. He looked surprised at hearing about the rally squad and shocked at her being homcoming princess.

“So what are you planning on doing about that thing in your head?” he asked.

“Everyone wants me to go through with the surgery.” Erika explained. All of her friends head's bobbed almost as one.

“And you don't?” Sasha asked.

“I don't want to go back to being a boy.” Erika explained.

“There are hormones that prevent that.”

“I know, Dr. Lipdick and I talked about that.” Erika assured.

“I told her that I'd rather her be a boy and living than a girl and dead.” Samantha told him.

“Sometimes Transgender people would see it the opposite, honey.” Sasha shook his head. “I've known a few who have commited suicide because they couldn't stand living as they were.”

Sasha pushed the bowls of chemicals aback away from the edge of the counter and turned Samantha to face the mirror, a pyramid of foils stacked upon her head. “What were you thinking of doing with your cut?” he asked.

“I kind of want a change.” Samantha smirked at herself in the mirror. “I don't want it short, but I'd like a change.”

“Hmmm.” Sasha looked at her in the mirror for a moment. “Okay, I know.” He then turned towards Erika. “I have something in mind for you too.”

“Oh?” Erika asked.

“How do you feel about curly hair?”

“I — ah — I don't know.” Erika looked to the others for advise.”

“What were you thinking?” Tricia asked.

“A loose perm.” Sasha stated.

“Not a poodle perm.” Victoria wanted to make sure.

“No, of course not.” something that will give her body and some big boucy curls.”

Erika looked to Tricia.

Tricia smiled and nodded.

“Okay Sasha.” Erika nodded. “I'm in your hands.”

“Great. Lets go wash you up.”

Sasha led her back to the shampoo area.

“So is the short blonde haired one, your girlfriend?” Sasha asked.

Erika reddened. “Yeah.”

“She's cute.” he smiled. “She needs to let me fix her hair, though.”

“She just got it all cut off a couple of weeks ago.” Erika stated.

“I can tell.” Sasha nodded. “So, how are you really doing?” he asked.

“Fine.” Erika said.

Sasha stopped shampooing and locked her gaze.

“I'm just scared about this thing in my head. I don't want to go back to being a boy.” She stated. “And I don't want everyone treating me like I have cancer or something.”

“Um, Honey.” Sasha made her look him in the eye. “You do have cancer.”

“I know, it's just....”

“You don't want them all treating you with kid gloves.”

Erika nodded the best she could with her neck in the bowl.

Back at the station, Sasha combed her hair out and then parted it off. He put a thin parting of hair between to thin pieces of paper and grabbed the foam thing off of the counter and wrapped it around the hair, rolling it all the way to the scalp where he bent the ends making it stay in place. With In minutes, he had her whole head covered with the foam rods. The ends sticking up made her look like Medusa causing jokes and giggles amongst the other girls.

Erika's head felt like it had gained ten pounds with all of the rollers in her hair. Cotton was tucked in around the edges and then Sasha began to methoticaly squirt each strange looking rod with a chemical.

“Ick that stinks.” Samantha made a face.

“This one does, the next one to go on won't.” Sasha promised.

As soon as all of her head was soaking in chemicals, He placed a plastic bag over the whole affair and then checked on Samantha's foils.
“You've got a cool head.” Sasha annouced. “And I don't mean in the groovy good way. I'm going to have to heat you up. Come with me.”

Sasha led Samantha over to a chair that had a strange halo looking device suspended above it. He flipped a switch and the halo glowed orange and began to revole and tilt around her head.

“Okay blonde, jump in the chair, you're next.” Sasha called to Tricia.

“I just got my hair cut.” She protested.

“I know, I need to fix it.” he stated. It won't take long and I won't take too much off.”

Tricia sat in the chair as Sasha threw a cape over her. He pulled out some scissors that looked like they had teeth along with a comb. He pushed the comb up through her hair and began working the scissor blades real fast on top of the comb. He then went over each section a few different times before moving on to the next. Bits of blonde hair flew and drifted all around Tricia as he worked. Finally he stood back, and raked his fingers through her hair. He scrubbed through it with the blow drier blowing the rest of the lose hairs to the floor then grabbed a jar of product. After rubbing it through his hands, he began to scrub and pull at Tricia's hair. A pinch here and a twist there and he stood back and looked at he in the mirror.

“Wow!” Tricia beamed. “That looks a whole lot better.”

“Let's see.” Victoria asked.

Tricia turned to them. Erika felt a flush of warmth wash over her and her groin became tight with excitement.

“Okay you are ready to be rinsed.” Sasha pointed to Erika. He turned to Samantha. Come on back you are about ready too.”

The two girls followed him back. Sasha rinsed Erika's hair for what seemed like forever. Her neck was getting tired with all of that weight on it.

“Stay right there and drip dry for a few minutes while I wash out Sam.”

“Samantha.” Samantha corrected.

“Hmm?” Sasha asked.

“I perfer Samantha over Sam.”

“Sorry.” Sasha acknoledged. He pulled the foils out of her hair and then leaned her back and shampooed her well. He wrapped her head in a towel like a turban and sent her back out to the front.

Sasha pulled a bottle out of his pocket and began applying the chemical to her still rolled hair. As soon as he was done, he began unrolling the foam, weird looking rods and tossing them into a box.

“I hope you like curls.” he smiled.

As long as they aren't poodle curls.” Erika shot back.

“They are looking very good.” he told her. “Now, you can not get your hair wet for the next three days.”

“Three days?”

Sasha nodded. He rinsed her hair and conditioned it before turbaning her head as well and leading her out front.

Sasha unfolded Erika's turban and used a large toothed comb to comb it out. “This is a curl definer,” He said rubbing a cream in his hands. You're going to want to scrunch this into your hair as soon as you get out of the shower.”

Erika nodded.

Sasha then began combing her hair into sections and cutting. He then misted her hair back down. “Okay you are to go under the dryer for a bit.”

Erika couldn't hear a thing as hot air whirled and blew around her head. Sasha was back to work on Samantha. She couldn't see what he was doing but she was growing nervous by the amount of hair hitting the floor.

He blow dried her hair using his hands to ruffle it up to give it volume. Taking his shears, he again started cutting on Samantha's hair. Blonde hair flew up in the air as he worked. Erika thoght of Edward Scissorhands as he worked on one side and then the other of Samantha's hair. He then rubbed something in his hands and began working it into her hair in similar fashion to Tricia's hair.

She couldn't hear what was being said, but she cold see Samantha's smile stretching across her face as well as those of her friends. Samantha got out of the chair, and wrapped her arms around Sasha in a big hug before boucing over to her friends.

Sasha meanwhile came to Erika's rescue and guided her back to the station. “This is a difusser.” he explained. “This is how you are going to want to dry your hair.” he went on to describe the different ways of holding the dryer, of using the cool shot button as well as product. He then showed her on her hair.

Erika stared in disbelief at herself in the mirror. Large and medium sized curls gave her such beautiful volume.

“You look ready for the red carpet.” Victoria commented.

“You look beautiful.” Krystal nodded.

“You look sexy.” Tricia agreed.

“It's getting late we need to be getting back before my parents start calling the cops.” Samantha stated.

Samantha and Erika paid Sasha for his wonderful work. Tricia tried to pay him something too.

“No. don't worry about it.” he stated. “It only took me a few moments and all I did was fix a few pieces.”

Tricia gave the stylist a big hug, which was followed by each of the other girls.

“Carefull going home.” Sasha waved. See you soon, I hope.”

To be continued....

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Comments

a note from the author

Sorry it has been so long between posts. I hope you all are still following along.

I am a hairstylist by profession so hair is important to me. I hope this episode wasn't too boring.

So as I am envisioning: Samantha's new cut is a modern, longer version of the Joan Jett shag. Tricia's cut is that of Hannah Spearritt in Primeval season 3. and Erika's is permed to look similar to how Taylor Swift wears her curls on the red carpet.

I hope that helps.

Thank you all for commenting and voting.

A.A.

I'm still following this

Amy_Daemon's picture

I'm still following this story, and I still love it.

*sigh* I wish I could get my hair done, especially by somebody like Sasha. Unfortunantly, too many years of DHT did a job on some of my folicles, so I have to wear a wig.

A stranger is just a friend that you haven't met yet.

Still here

and still enjoying it....Very much!

Kirri

down time

laika's picture

It wasn't that long of a wait, AA. having gone to camp with them these are all very memorable characters. Great they could spend some time with Sasha again. Glad that Tricia and Erika seem to have put their past difficulties behind them. As I picture it the styles really suit these girls...
~~~hugs, Laika

had to laugh at the friends' comments at the end...

You can tell who's thinking what.

“You look ready for the red carpet.” Victoria commented.

“You look beautiful.” Krystal nodded.

“You look sexy.” Tricia agreed.

Thanks for another chapter. No complaints from me on timing of it. Just happy to see it come.

Thanks, A.A.

For bringing back Sasha. He is one fella that knows a lot more than his profession. He is very wise, too.

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine
    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

Hair Expert

terrynaut's picture

Wow! You really do know your stuff. The hair care scenes held me spellbound. I've never experienced any of that before.

I like a lot of the imagery in this chapter, especially early on. The description of groans eminating from bundles of blankets made me smile.

I'm still into this story no matter how infrequently you post it. I want to know what Erika will do about the tumor and I need to know that she'll be okay.

Thanks very much for this. Please keep up the good work, and happy cutting. :)

- Terry

"I've never experienced any of that before."

Having recently had a couple of remarkably similar experiences myself at the hands of our very talented author, I wasn't surprised that the scenes with Sasha rang so vividly true. :)

Like RAMI, I got a faint but distinct sense of foreboding from the teaser and Sasha's parting line. I hope we're just reading more into it than AA intended....

I like it! :)

It's worth the wait! And the hair stylist piece is important to developing the story IMHO. It's a nice variant, and gives the story some realism. I enjoyed it. :)

Thanks for your efforts!!

-JT
=^.^=

-JT
=^.^=

Very, very scared of a Grand Canyon like cliff and a kinaharra

RAMI

This chapter does not appear to end with a cliffhanger, but from some hints A.A. left, I think, but hope I am wrong, that we are at the edge of the Grand Canyon and at least one of Erika's friends - Tricia, Samantha, Krystal and Victoria, will not be with us in a chapter or two.

The hints as I see them are:

1. The radio blasting, the girls singing and yelling above the music as they rolled down the highway. That was how Erika would remember the morning.

Why would a memory of this morning be that important. Perhaps it is because later memories would be too sad.

2. Careful going home.” Sasha waved. See you soon, I hope.” Nothing necessarily foreboding, but perhaps a forewarning of things to come.
In Yiddish, what he said would be called a kinaharra, in Brooklynese a canary, and perhaps elsewhere a jinx.

RAMI

RAMI

silver lining

At least, if Erika is the one doing the remembering, you know that whatever happens doesn't kill her. Plus, she's still Erika when she's remembering so it doesn't turn her back into Eric either.

I can really relate to the

I can really relate to the "groans and blankets scene", as I can recall many times leaving for work and only a couple of my kids around and when I would get home in the morning, stepping over and around about 15-20 sleeping kids covered in blankets all over the front room and family room. Jan

The girls

Hi, its so good to hear from the girls again. It's wonderful to hear from them as they grow into young women. Thanx, Mary.

Still here, and still loving

KristineRead's picture

Still here, and still loving this story.

Hope things are smoothing out in RL for you A.A.

Great to see a new chapter...

Rami -- you had to put the fear of ... well ... you know... darn I can't argue your points at all :(

Hugs,

Kristy

Uh,oh!

Jezzi Stewart's picture

** The radio blasting, the girls singing and yelling above the music as they rolled down the highway. That was how Erika would remember the morning. ... “Carefull going home.” Sasha waved. See you soon, I hope.” **

Sort of like remembering the summers of 1914 and 1939. I sincerely hope I'm wrong, but this sounds like someone is gonna die.

"All the world really is a stage, darlings, so strut your stuff, have fun, and give the public a good show!" Miss Jezzi Belle at the end of each show

BE a lady!

Rami may be right...

It's fiction, remember (I know, it's hard sometimes, they are all so real to us all).
If suddenly something really bad has to happen, it has to be foreshadowed. It's in the rules :-( .

Whatever is coming, we all will read it and enjoy it. Maybe we'll cry, but we'll read it.

- Moni

Well, here you have it on votes and comments

Princess and the Plague is really a nice little story; tastefully and skillfully written. I never miss an episode.

However

Healing a Princess, in my opinion, required my more skill, talent, and attention for detail than P&P. The former currently has 111 votes and the latter has 24 votes. For me HAP is much more engaging and every time, I will prefer it before P&P.

So, here it is, showing proof that it is not the Author, but the audience and their preferences that determine how a story will be recieved.

Great job AA

Khadijah

have a banana

laika's picture

In regards to the poor reception that non-tg stories get at BCTS: primate researchers have observed that while chimpanzees taste in films runs toward high production values, action and excitement, they would rather watch a cheap, bad dull movie with chimpanzees in it than an exciting one without any chimps in it (Not that either of Anastasia's series' are dull)...
~~~Ooh ooh ooh! Laika

Am I not a true Chimp ?

Oh, I like many of the "Nice little stories" here, some of them just really stand out as being professional production of the highest degree. Some stories get extraordiarily high values compared with three years ago simply because Erin moved the vote box to the more accessible, end of the story.

Another factor is that some of these stories have a very high degree of development in terms of plot, unexpected twists, and other factors. I suppose that I am just too lazy to have a whole "mission board", outlining major developments.

I am told that some professional authors have a staff made up of of a dozen or more people doing research for them. And, I must admit that analyzing the work of others is sometimes more fascinating than writing my own stories. I am not going to get into a self demeaning analysis of writing. I just so admire those few authors who write with such creativity and aplomb, and AA is one of them.

Khadijah

A perm....

Been there, wasn't happy with the results - though I tried for a few years. It was always curlier than I wanted. They could never get them loose like I wanted. But then, I wasn't willing to show them a photo of what I wanted either. Maybe now?

This did seem a nice episode. :-) Peaceful.

Thanks,
Annette

hairstyle

sadly I no longer have enough hair for a pretty hairstyle

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