Amy Towers sat at her desk and took roll. It was her last class of the day at Munson High School, and little did her students realize that for most of them it would be the last class of their lives.

She had been filling in for the past two weeks as a long term substitute for Kelly Watson, the regular English teacher. As expected, the students had tried to get away with everything possible; however, her sixth period class was the worst. Over the past weeks she had had come to the conclusion that this group, with three exceptions, deserved to be punished.

The class had twenty-five students, mostly seniors who for the most part were biding time until graduation. The fact that most didn't care about learning wasn't why she had picked this group for retribution; no... it was deeper than that. She had read their essences, studied their futures, and decided that the world would be better off without them.

To the students and staff at Munson High, Amy Towers appeared to be an attractive woman, with short black hair and Mediterranean features. She looked like she could be Greek or Turkish, although Egyptian would be a closer description. Many of the male teachers thought she was exotic and sexy; although some of the teachers, mostly women, sensed there was something dangerous about her.

During her time at Munson High, she had watched the pettiness, bullying, cruelty, and general disregard for other people's feelings and beliefs. She had only come to make observations, but the anger in her grew until she determined that a lesson had to be taught to these teens.

Amy reviewed the class roster and made checks next to the names of three students, two girls and one boy.

After the bell rang, she stood up to speak to the class. It was also a Friday afternoon, and she knew that they wouldn't want to pay attention. That would all change in a moment.

Chapter 2

She stood before the class with her hands behind her back. As expected, it took her several attempts to get the students to stop talking or to hang up their cell phones.

"Now that I have your attention, I have an important announcement to make," she stated. "First, does anyone know what this object is?"

She brought her right arm from behind her back. In her hand was an object that looked like a boomerang. It was yellowish in color and had carvings on it. The carvings looked like Egyptian hieroglyphics, but looked older, as if they were done by a race that preceded the Egyptians.

The class shook their heads and glanced at each other.

"What's all this about?" whispered one girl to her friend.

Finally, one student raised his hand. "It looks like one of those ceremonial knives from ancient Egypt."

Amy smiled. The boy was bright. His name was Tim Lancer, and he was also one of the three on her list.

"That's correct, Tim. It is an Egyptian apotropaic, or wand, and it is made from the tusk of a hippopotamus. The hieroglyphics on it give the owner great powers," said Amy.

As expected, most of the students began to giggle and start to talk among themselves. They had thought this woman was a little wacko, but now she was talking about magic.

"Excuse me, but do you mean it's a magic wand?" asked a large boy. His name was Mark, and he was on the football team.

"That's one way of describing it," replied Amy. "Here, let me demonstrate its powers."

She held it above her head and began to speak an incantation. There was a rumbling sound and then a bright flash.

Chapter 3

The next thing the students knew, they were standing in a sunny meadow, on the edge of what looked like a newly planted forest. In the distance there appeared to be a small village. It was too far away to make out the buildings in detail, but all appeared to be white with red roofs. Past the village, snow-capped mountains rose high into the sky.

"What the hell?" asked Mark.

"What happened?" asked a girl named Kristen. "Where are we?"

"Silence!" demanded Amy. "I will answer all your questions."

The students turned to their teacher and saw that she was no longer dressed in the neatly pressed gray skirt and starched white blouse that she just been wearing. Now she was dressed in what looked like a long white, sleeveless gown. The material seemed to flow over her body as if it was alive.

"As you have observed, we are no longer in our classroom. In fact, we far away from Munson High," said Amy. The sound of her voice had changed too. It was deeper and seemed to penetrate the very bodies of the teens.

Mark tried to walk towards her, but found that he couldn't move. It was as if his legs were frozen in place. The others also discovered their inability to move.

"What the fuck are you doing? Is this some kind of a trick?" demanded Ron Harris, another football player.

Amy waved the wand in front of the students, and they fell silent.

"Now, as you suspect, I am not what I appear. In fact, I am not even human. My true form is much different than this. Let me give you a demonstration," said Amy.

She changed form in front of the students. She now appeared to have the head and the body of a hippo, the paws of a lion, and the back of a crocodile. Her breasts were huge, as was her protruding stomach, which made her look as if she was pregnant.

"To the ancient Egyptians I was Taweret, a demon, a protector of women, children, and rebirth. I was also known by another name and shape," she stated in a loud booming tone.

She changed again, this time she had the head of a crocodile, the body of a leopard, and the backside of a hippo.

"In this shape I was known as the demon Ammut, the one who consumed the unworthy!"

She then returned to her human form. "I combined and adapted the two names to form my human name Amy Towers. I will now permit you speak, starting with you, Ron."

Ron stared at her. "What are you going to do to us?"

"Why, I'm going to punish the unworthy and reward those who deserve it," replied Amy. "Just as I have always done."

"You can't do that! It's not right!" shouted Ron.

"Who are you, human, to tell me what is right or wrong? I doubt you know the difference," declared Amy.

She then pointed towards a girl named Lisa.

"This isn't right; it's inhumane!" she screamed.

Amy let out a thunderous laugh. "As I said, I'm not human. My kind once were the rulers of this planet. When humans evolved, we tried to help them, mold them, and educate them. Instead, they attacked us, hunted us down and killed most of my kind. Those of us who survived went into hiding, but now things are changing. I took this form to study you and your fellow students. I have found a few worthy souls, and they will be rewarded. But in the cosmic scale of life, to reward good deeds, bad ones must be punished too. Now, where to start?"

Chapter 4

"Do you have a question, Tim?" asked Amy.

Her question caught Tim off guard. He cleared his throat before speaking. "Are you strictly an Egyptian...demon?"

Tim was a skinny red-headed teen with thick glasses. He was very intelligent, and for this he was constantly being bullied by his classmates.

Amy shook her head. "I have many forms and many names; these are just the ones that please me today. I am known to numerous cultures throughout the eons. As for the term demon, it is not one that my race uses; it is what you humans named us in your ignorance."

She was pleased; the boy was more curious than scared, worthy of being rewarded.

"Where are we? This obviously isn't California, and it isn't Egypt," continued Tim as he looked around. "Are we still on Earth?"

"What does it matter, geek?" shouted Jack Abbott. He was the class president. "Some monster is about to eat us, and you're wondering where we are. You are such a dumb ass!"

A couple of the other football players laughed, but then caught themselves when they saw Amy glaring at them.

Amy ignored Jack and turned again towards Tim. "We are still on Earth, but the correct question should have been WHEN are we?"

Instead of being horrified, Tim just nodded. "That makes sense."

"If you must know, we're on the peninsula of land that your people call Greece," continued Amy.

"How is that possible?" Tim asked.

"Stop asking stupid questions, geek!" snapped Jack "Can't you see that you're pissing the monster off! I ought to shut you up."

"Using human terms, I'm a demon, not a monster, and he's not angering me; I like intelligent questions... but you, on the other hand, are bothering me, mortal!" exclaimed Amy furiously towards Jack. Her tone changed as she again addressed Tim. "You're correct again, Tim. Greece looked very different than what people in your day think it did."

"So, we're in the past?" asked Tim.

"My, you are a curious one, aren't you? If you must know, yes, we're in the past, at the early Bronze Age," replied Amy. A sly smile grew on her face as she saw the shock in the eyes of most of the others. "They are on their way to developing a fine civilization. I've always been fond of them, almost as much as I am of the Egyptians. Yes, I have the ability to move through what you humans call time; in fact, that's part of the reason why we're here."

The looks of shock began to turn to terror.

Amy then turned to a short mousey looking girl. "Yes, Marla, you have a question?"

Marla Matson came from a poor family and was dressed in hand me downs. Her brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Amy could see that what the girl lacked in earthly riches, she more than compensated for with her compassion for others.

"What will happen when... when they notice we're missing? My parents will go crazy...they will be devastated," she said as she nervously adjusted her wire framed glasses.

"Shut up, Minnie Mouse! We're being held by some crazy demon, and you're worried about your parents?" shouted Marvin, another of the football clique. He used a cruel nickname that the other students called Marla.

"My younger sister died last year of cancer, just like my brother died three years ago; I'm their last child. Yes, I'm worried about them!" Marla snapped back. Even she seemed surprised that she had stood up for herself.

Amy nodded approvingly. Marla had a good heart and would also be rewarded. Marvin, on the other hand, would soon face his retribution.

"It will be taken care of," said Amy. "Those who will be punished, you no longer exist back in your world; no one will have any memory of you, and it will be as if you were never born."

"You can't do that to me!" cried a beautiful blonde girl named Ann. "I... I have a life ahead of me... I'm a cheerleader!"

Amy noticed that the girl only was concerned about herself, which was consistent with her vain personality. Oh, I have a special treat for you, my lovely, thought Amy.

Then Amy looked at the third of the ones she had deemed worthy. Her name was Alyce Troy and she was one of the top female athletes at Munson. She was due to receive a full scholarship to Stanford to play basketball. However, Alyce was also one of the most generous students at Munson, always willing to help others in any way possible.

Amy could see that Alyce would accomplish great things in her life; all she needed was some assistance.

As for the rest of the group, they had done little with their lives and would do even less in the future, if they were allowed to continue on their present paths.

"Now, I will direct you into your correct circle. On the ground are stone circles; step into one, you will know the correct circle to stand in," ordered Amy.

The teens obeyed in silence. They seemed to be drawn to the stone circles, and soon they were separated into five groups.

The circles were approximately twenty feet in diameter. Their borders were made up of round rocks, barely eight inches high. Each circle had different colored rocks.

Amy surveyed the groupings and nodded. "Good, everyone is where they should be. Now, before I start, I will explain why you have been picked."

She began to walk slowly around each circle. "As I said, I have the ability to pass through time. I looked at the impact of your lives and for the most part was appalled. I saw wasted opportunities, I saw pain, I saw crime, and I saw lives ruined. I have decided to step in and make some changes. I also saw three who could accomplish great things, if only given the tools."

"What are you going to do to us?" asked Marvin.

He was standing in a circle with five other boys, all athletes.

"Yeah, you're not even human, you said that yourself; what does it matter what we do with our lives?" added Ron. He then turned to Tim, who was standing in a circle with Marla and Alyce. "Isn't that right, geek...I mean Tim?"

Tim shrugged his shoulders, not knowing how to reply. It was also the first time that Ron had called him Tim since grade school, where they had been friends.

"Silence! I can do what I please; besides, I am improving your world by removing you from it," interrupted Amy. "The six of you are the worst in your group. Left to your own accords, you would hurt others, cheat on your loved ones, abuse your children, and basically waste the talents you were born with. You use your physical strength to benefit only yourselves, at the cost of others. You will only become more selfish as you grow older. So, I have decided that you will now spend the rest of your lives helping the people of this land."

She then reached into a leather pouch that appeared in her hands and pulled out metal rings. Without a word, she reached up and placed a ring in the nose of each of the six.

"What the fuck?" shouted Marvin and he tried to pull the ring out.

"Don't waste your time," said Amy. "Now, before the changes start, I need to rid you of your clothes."

She waved the apotropaic, and a strong wind began to blow, but what was strange was the wind only affected the six in the first circle. Their clothes blew off as if they were autumn leaves. In a moment they were naked.

"Now, it is time for you to start your new lives," said Amy as she waved the apotropaic in their direction.

The six males began to change. They fell to all fours, and their bodies began to transform.

The others watched in horror as their classmates began to take on the form of cattle.

The boys in the circle could see their hands change into hooves, their arms changed into legs, stiffening and growing outward, a tail began to sprout from each of their rumps. Small horns began to grow from their heads, as their faces took on a bovine appearance; their skin turned a rich golden tan.

In less than a minute, the six were all young oxen. Several began to graze on the grass in the circle.

"Don't worry, they will all have fruitful lives; the villagers will treat them well, as they will be need to plow the fields and haul goods to market. They will not be eaten," said Amy to the others.

"Do they know who they are?" asked Tim.

Amy shook her head. "No, I am not cruel. They are now oxen and nothing else."

Chapter 5

Several of the others students tried to flee, but found that they couldn't leave the circles. They pressed against the far sides of the circles to escape the wrath of the demon.

Amy walked to the second circle. Inside were five girls, all members of one of the most popular groups in the school. They all dressed similarly; they never went anywhere without the others.

"Megan, you are the leader of this group, correct?" asked Amy.

Megan was a spoiled rich girl, who had carefully selected friends who would blindly follow her. She used her wealth to build blind loyalty and rewarded and protected those who did as she said; likewise, she hurt those who showed independence.

"Yes, I guess you could say that," replied Megan.

"I looked at your future and was very disappointed. You would have bounced from one empty relationship to another, using people to serve your own selfish needs. As for the rest of your group, they would lead equally vacant lives. You'd just consume and give nothing back... that is all about to change," stated Amy was she waved the apotropaic.

The wind blew, and the girls were soon naked. The other girls huddled together and looked to Megan for help.

"Please, Megan, do something!" begged one girl.

"What can I do?" replied Megan. "I'm not in charge of you!"

"Oh, you will do much, Megan. From this day on, you will dedicate yourself to the protection and wellbeing of these and others," said Amy.

Before Megan could reply, she found herself on the ground; hair began to cover her body, and a tail began to grow from her rear.

The others watched in fascination as Megan transformed into a large dog.

The rest of her group also changed, but they took on a different form; white hair began to grow all over their bodies, and their forms changed as the hair became thicker; in moments, they were sheep.

"Megan, you're a good dog, aren't you?" asked Amy as she reached down to pet Megan's head.

Megan barked and wagged her tail.

The sheep were bleating in protest, but soon their attention shifted to the grass, and like the young oxen, they began to graze contently in the warm sun.

Megan looked over her flock and then flopped down to rest, but she kept a vigilant eye towards her charges.

"The villagers will benefit from this gift, and Megan will protect the herd from wolves," explained Amy. "As with the oxen, she and the others have no memory of their past lives."

"Please, no more, we'll change!" pleaded Jack.

"I doubt that," replied Amy. "Words are easy; deeds are more difficult."

Chapter 6

Jack was in with the largest group, equally divided between boys and girls. While they were not all friends, the eight students had one thing in common; they were all deeply vain and took great efforts to outdo each other.

"I tried hard to find some redeeming factor among you; I would have settled for even one, but I couldn't find any. You're the most selfish and vain of all your classmates, concerned only with your outward appearance, paying no attention to your inner selves. Even worse, you judge others only by their appearance. That by itself is not worthy of punishment, but as you grow older, you will become worse. You will squander your time and wealth to maintain your appearance."

"It's our lives!" shouted out Courtney.

"Yes, but when you hurt others, it becomes my concern. I have watched you apply makeup in class, letting your mind go empty. If I allow you to continue as you are, you, Courtney, will murder your own husband to get the insurance money to pay for plastic surgery. Ann, you will die at thirty due to silicone poisoning from a defective breast implant. And Jack, you will be caught embezzling your company's funds. The money was wasted on yourself. The bankruptcy will hurt hundreds of employees and thousands of investors. And Mark, you will be dead in two years after developing cancer from the illegal steroids you have injected yourself with. You others will do no better. No, since you and the others are only concerned with your looks, I have a fitting solution."

Before the teens could protest, the apotropaic was raised, and the wind blew hard, ripping the clothes off the teens.

The teens were all naked, but that didn't last long. Amy waved the apotropaic again, and they were partially dressed in what looked like ancient Greek outfits.

Jack was just wearing sandals and had what looked like a cape draped over his back. A crown of laurels rested on his head; otherwise he was completely naked.

The girls' outfits ranged from fully dressed to totally nude.

Amy waved the apotropaic, and a variety of objects appeared on the ground in front of each teen in the circle.

Without a word from Amy, they reached down and picked up the items. Jack held a discus in his right hand. Courtney, who was partially dressed, picked up a tall urn and instinctively propped it on her shoulder. The other teens also picked up items and held them.

"In a moment, you will get your greatest wish; as people will marvel at your beautiful bodies for years to come," said Amy.

The teens tried to move, but seemed frozen in place. Before any of the teens could protest, their skin began to turn white and then harden. In just a few seconds, they became marble statues.

"These will beautify the village," said Amy, as she ran her hand across the statue that had once been Courtney.

Chapter 7

Amy approached one of the two remaining circles. The teens inside fell to their knees and began to beg for forgiveness. There were two boys and one girl.

"I have a special plan for you three. In your short lives, you have done nothing but take; you have not given anything back; you care only about yourselves. Well, that is about to change; whether you want to or not, you will spend the rest of your lives giving back. Rather noble, if you ask me," Amy said.

"What are you going to do to us?" asked a boy named John.

"You'll see," replied Amy as she waved the apotropaic.

The wind blew, and their clothes drifted away.

"Run, run as fast as you can," ordered Amy.

Suddenly, John ran away, followed by the others. They headed towards the forest, hoping that if they made it inside, the trees would hide them from the demon's wrath, but they didn't get far. A strong gust of wind struck them, and they suddenly froze in place. They tried to move, but their legs were stuck in the ground.

"Good, you're far enough apart," said Amy. "I would hate for you to interfere with each other's growth."

The teens looked down in horror as their legs began to fuse together, their feet become roots, their arms spreading upward and growing outward. In a few moments, they were young oak trees.

"In time, they will be home to birds and insects; the squirrels and other animals will harvest their acorns, and their branches will provide shelter," said Amy.

She then turned to the last three teens. "The good news is that I am not going to punish you three."

"Look, instead of rewarding us, can you turn the others back?" asked Tim.

"Why would I do that?" asked Amy.

"They're not that bad," added Alyce.

"I agree with Tim and Alyce. They may have been mean to me, but they don't deserve their punishments," added Marla.

"I'm not surprised by your compassion. Don't worry about them; besides, you won't remember them in a short time anyway. Now, Marla, let me start with you," said Amy.

"Please, I'm happy being me," Marla begged.

"I'm sure you are, but I see an inner beauty that needs to come out," said Amy. "You will be the same person inside, just different on the outside."

Amy waved the apotropaic in Marla's direction. A slight breeze blew.

Marla felt a tingling over entire body. As the others watched, Marla began to transform into a stunningly beautiful young woman, her complexion cleared up, and her glasses disappeared. Her raggedy clothes changed into stylish fashions that showed off her curvaceous body.

Marla ran her hands over her body.

"Marla, you're beautiful!" exclaimed Tim.

Alyce pulled a mirror out of her purse and handed it to Marla.

"Is this really me?' asked Marla.

"It is the real you, my dear," said Amy. "I know looks shouldn't matter, but humans place so much importance on physical appearance. Now, you're the same good hearted person you've always been. Don't change just because you're now attractive."

"Does that mean I'm going back home like this?" asked Marla.

"Yes, and you'll find a few other changes; for one, your parents will have better jobs, and you won't be living in that - what do you humans call it - oh yes, a trailer park."

"I don't know what to say," said Marla. "Thank you."

"That's a good start," replied Amy. "Now, it's your turn, Alyce; this won't take long."

"What are you going to do to me?' asked the athletic young girl.

"You are a fine athlete, and it has served you well, but you are destined for much greatness," said Amy.

"Only on the basketball court, I'm good at sports, but my grades aren't that great," said Alyce. "I'm not that smart."

"I'll take of that," said Amy as she waved the apotropaic. A soft whirlwind seemed to envelope Alyce.

Alyce reached up with both hands and held them to her head, as she fell to her knees. She closed her eyes and gasped as if she was in pain.

"Are you okay?' asked Tim as he crouched down next to her.

Alyce opened her eyes and nodded. "I feel wonderful."

"I removed some blockages that were holding you back, I think you'll not only excel in your studies, but enjoy them too. I understand that you're going to an excellent college; make the most of it."

Tim helped Alyce to her feet. "So, I'm going back too?"

Amy smiled as she nodded. "Of course."

Chapter 8

"Now, I've saved the best for last," said Amy as she approached Tim.

He knew that running was pointless and instead he stood his ground. "I don't want anything from you but to go home."

"You will go home, Tim, or should I say, Tina?" said Amy as she walked around him. "Yes, my dear, I have seen the struggle deep inside your very essence. Deep inside, you wish you were a woman; am I right?"

Tim glanced at his two remaining classmates.

"Is that true, Tim? Do you want to be a girl?" asked Marla.

"It's okay to admit it," added Alyce. "It sort of makes sense. I mean, I've known you since first grade, and well, you always seemed a little different for a boy."

"She's right, Tim...I mean, Tina," added Marla. "I always felt there was something you were struggling with."

He wiped away a tear. "It's true. I've always felt inside that I should have been born a girl."

He fell to his knees and began to cry. The other two girls quickly came over to comfort him.

"It's okay," said Alyce. "Here, let us help you up."

Tim was soon up on his feet, standing in front of Amy.

"It happens all the time, Tina," said Amy as she held out the apotropaic.

"Please, Ms. Towers, or whatever your real name is, I do want to be whole, but I can't let it be at the cost of hurting others," begged Tim. "I'm Tim, not Tina."

"Tina, my dear, no one has been hurt," said Amy. "Now, my sweet child, prepare yourself to feel whole for the first time in your life."

She raised the apotropaic and waved it gently over Tim's head. The wind blew, but it was a gentle breeze that seemed to tickle his body. He ran his hands over his body as if to soak in the strange sensation.

Tim's clothes seemed to turn to liquid, flowing off, leaving him naked. He looked down and watched in wonder as his body began to transform before his eyes. Breasts began to blossom from his chest; his waist grew thin as his hips moved outward.

There was no pain, only the gentle caressing of the breeze. Tim watched in awe as his penis retracted into his body, until it was gone.

Her arms and legs changed to match the rest of her new body, becoming slim and feminine.

"I'm a girl," proclaimed Tina. Her hands reached out to touch her mouth. "My voice...it's so... so...."

"Fitting?" asked Marla. "Tina, you're beautiful!"

"She's right, Tina, you are lovely," added Alyce.

Tina reached up and touched her now long auburn locks that flowed around her face.

"Yes, Tina, you are a gorgeous young woman, complete in every way. Your past has been changed to fit your new body; your parents will be as loving as before," said Amy. "Now, let's get you dressed."

With another wave of the apotropaic, Tina was now fully dressed, adorned in a form-fitting sun dress and sandals.

"When you return to your time, you three will have no memory of today's events. You will not remember your cruel and taunting classmates. However, you will all go on to lead long and very productive lives. Additionally, as one last gift, you three will be the closest of friends, closer than sisters. You will achieve great things in your lives together,' said Amy.

"Wait... what are you going to do?" asked Marla.

"Yes, are you going back to Munson High?" asked Alyce.

Amy shook her head. "I've decided to stay here and help these villagers. They are uncorrupted and may produce a fine race, given the right guidance. I know what I did to your classmates may seem cruel, but you must trust me; I did your world a great favor. In time, should they truly change, I will return them to human again; stranger things have happened," explained Amy.

She then lifted the apotropaic and began to speak in a strange tongue. The girls huddled together, and in a moment they were gone.

Amy smiled to herself. She then saw some of the villagers approaching, and she motioned for them to come closer. "I have brought you gifts."

Conclusion

"Excuse me, Senator, Dr. Tina Lancer is here to see you," stated the aide.

"Excellent, Nancy, please show her right in" replied the Senator, looking up from her desk.

A few minutes later, Dr. Lancer was seated next to her old friend, now the junior Senator from California.

Tina was dressed in a tailored grey suit. Even though she was in her early fifties, she still had a slim, fit figure, although her auburn hair now had touches of gray.

"Well, is it true?" asked Tina anxiously.

The other woman nodded. "We just got the word late last night that he conceded. He called me and promised to throw all his support behind me."

Tina broke out in a huge smile. "I'm so happy for you!" She got up and gave the Senator a big hug.

""I'm still in shock," said the Senator.

"I'm not. I think you'll make an excellent President!" exclaimed Tina.

"Don't jump to conclusions, Tina. I haven't even been nominated yet."

"Nonsense. Now that Parker has pulled out, you're the leader by a long shot. The party will have to nominate you. Just imagine President Alyce Troy!"

"I must be crazy," replied Alyce.

"I don't think so," said Tina. "I just wish you'd run last time."

"You may think I'm crazy when you hear this, if I'm elected, I want you to be my Secretary of Education," replied Alyce.

"Maybe you are crazy," replied Tina. "Alyce, I've just become a grandmother, for Pete's sake!"

"That makes two of us," Alyce laughed. "Grandmother or not, you're the best person I know to lead that department. I mean, you were the youngest president ever of an Ivy League college. Then you oversaw the complete overhaul of several inner city school districts and introduced the mandatory teaching of critical thinking skills. I can think of no one better qualified. Look, this is going to be hard enough; I'll need all the friends up there I can get."

Tina sighed, knowing that she had to accept her old friend's offer. "Okay, I'll do it, if only for old time's sake."

"I knew you would. Oh, by the way, I just got off the line with Marla," said Alyce.

"Don't tell you conned her into joining us?" asked Tina.

Alyce nodded. "She's going to head the EPA if I get elected."

"Big business isn't going to like that," said Tina with a laugh.

"Tough. Marla's one of the toughest environmental lawyers in the country. She's intelligent and fair, but mostly she knows how to stand up for the little guy. I've always admired that about her. Even if she wasn't one of my best friends, I would include her for the work she has done making green vehicles commonplace. I'm still amazed she won that case against the oil and auto industries."

"Who would have thought we would rise this far?" asked Tina.

"I know exactly what you mean," said Alyce. She then paused. "By the way, do you still have those strange dreams? You know, the ones that we used to talk about?"

"The ones with the strange woman?" asked Tina.

Alyce nodded. "I had one just the other night."

"You too?" asked Tina. "I wonder if Marla still has them."

"Yes, it's so strange that the three of us have dreamt about her," said Alyce.

******

It was a blustery winter day when Alyce Troy took the Presidential oath on the steps of the Capitol to become the 49th President of the United States. Citizens of all fifty-four states were present, along with the first delegation from the Moon colony.

As President Troy gave her inauguration speech, her eyes were drawn to a particular woman in the crowd. The woman seemed strangely familiar, but then she seemed to disappear. It caused Alyce to momentarily pause. She had looked almost identical to the woman in her dreams. Alyce quickly regained her composure and completed her speech to thunderous applause. She wondered if she should tell Tina and Marla about what she saw.

Amy smiled to herself as she walked away from the ceremony. She had been correct to help those three, as the world was in much better hands. All had accomplished so much in their lives and would achieve even greater things in the future.

All three women had raised families, and now their children were raising families, all of which pleased Amy greatly. She was even more pleased with the values that the three women had passed down to their offspring. Maybe there was hope for this race, thought Amy.

She then thought about the others. Only a few had redeemed themselves sufficiently to warrant becoming human again. They had been given the choice of returning to their old lives or to live out their lives in their new home; all had decided to stay.