- Shari -

I am walking back through the forest.

The fact that each step leaves a small current is a bit unsettling.

I have some experience in navigating its depths and a hunch of the direction I was initially brought to the cave.

So I am able to get to a spot I can recognize to find a way back home.

Contemplating what the best approach might be and how unfair life in general is, I’m walking with a downcast stare in the rough direction.

Abruptly I sense something with that strange 360° observation.

"Grooarrh"

Immediately I tense up.

In front of me is a "grindingboar".

Normally those creatures are not really dangerous in the forest.

They attack in a straight line and it’s easy enough to run and jump behind an obstacle.

The problem is: I can’t!

It’s not that I’m still exhausted; it’s the body in itself.

I can’t run or jump like before with my old body.

If I would try, the limb I use would simply give in to the pressure.

But like this, I can’t escape the assault of that monster.

And it has already announced its attack.

"No, no! Stay where you are! Don’t come any closer! Just go away!" (Shari)

"Grooohhr"

Hah, what did I expect?

Like this, it rushes at me in a full charge attack.

"Noooh!" (Shari)

With great force, I feel how it's crashing into me.

However, the moment it connects the impacts gets somehow dulled.

Still, I feel how the horns spike me, and then I get lifted by its head.

When I can gather my thoughts, I find myself held up in the air.

I’ve got raised by the boar’s head, which is now embedded in my body.

"No, let me down! Go away! Let me go!" (Shari)

Instead of complying, the creature is threshing around wildly.

Contrary to my statement I cling to the head with all I’ve got.

I don’t want to be thrown away with the power this monster is utilizing.

The clinging is surprisingly easy.

It has maybe something to do with this body.

But now is not the time to contemplate this.

Now is the time for panic!

"Let me! Go away! Leave! Just leave! I want you to disappear! Aaahh!" (Shari)

"Zsch"

After I’ve said that the monster gets even more enraged.

It jumps around, swings its head left and right, and actually pushes me into a tree

Obviously without effect.

Then it becomes suddenly still.

The raging creature lowers itself to the ground.

I stay unmoving until I get a hold of myself.

While I separate my liquid from the body, I wonder why the boar stopped in its tracks.

As soon I catch a look it becomes apparent.

The monster's head is just a bloody pulp.

Gross!

I can see the bone that resides under the skin.

And at some places, there are holes with grey liquid gathering in them.

That's its brain, isn't it?

That shouldn’t be liquid, right?

What happened that it turned into this state?

At that moment it dawns me:

Slime dissolving!

I just dissolved the head with, whatever it is that slimes use to decompose what they take in.

That means I have just eaten its…

"Bluuuurrgh" (Shari)

Okay; message to me: "Don’t Puke!"

All you do if you vomit is throw up the same slime that makes up your body.

And if you do so it promptly flows back inside you.

And this is so disgusting in itself that it could put you in a circle of puking and flowing back.

After I managed to stop throwing up, which took me longer than I can be proud of, I contemplate how this could happen.

I was walking for a while through the forest and did obviously not leave a path of destruction behind me.

As this monster attacked me I believe it was at first fine too.

It just changed something after I’ve told it to… Disappear!

So easy?

I just need to think that I don’t like something and it vanishes out of existence?

Well, I suppose it wouldn’t work on Liqu since she is made of slime and I’m obviously not dissolving myself.

Nonetheless, I need to be extremely careful, if one wrong thought can let me end up killing.

I don’t try to think too much about the carcass I left and proceed on my way.

As soon I’m in a safer part of the forest I try out how this dissolving works.

I grab a branch of a tree and try to think about hostility against the touched part.

"Zsschh"

"Tock"

It fell off!

A problem appeared hereby.

The reaction came already at the slightest negativity in my mind.

That means I could let someone lose his hand if I don’t like to be touched.

Maybe even by surprise.

Then another test!

I place both of my hands on a tree and try to repeat the former just with my right one.

"Zsch"

At first, my right hand starts to burn through the wood.

But the moment, my concentration wavers to the acidic effect, my other hand starts to do the same.

It's in the end rather distracting when stuff completely disintegrates and apparently merges with your body.

So I can determine that control is possible, but I lack it.

If I think about what I’m going to do now.

No matter how it will turn out, I don’t want to hurt my family.

I need to be extremely careful and plan in advance.

I’m advancing on my home ground.

It is a good thing that my family lives outside of the village.

Otherwise, I would not know how to proceed now.

When I see my house my stomach feels like turning around.

Well, I shouldn’t have imagined that, because that’s literally what the slime does!

I really should avoid thinking about the reaction for goosebumps.

My home is a one-floor building.

Outside is a small storage shack.

Inside are three rooms; the front hall where we cook and eat together, my room right at the end of the hallway and my parent’s on the opposite.

By the way, my parents' names are Jona and Hannah.

I had my red hair from my mother (had!), who wears it shoulder length, my father, a hunk of a man has short dark brown hair.

Now I need to plan how I will do this.

I guess just knocking at the door and waiting for them to open would be plain stupid.

There might be a resemblance to my old body, but I should be real about my situation.

I’m a monster!

A kind that is known for eating anything that comes close to it.

The reaction when they open the door and I stand in front of them is obvious.

A better idea seems to be that I knock and try to get fast behind a tree.

My voice is still my own, albeit maybe a bit syrupy.

So if I can start a talk, maybe I can explain to them the situation.

At least I could try to confirm my identity.

Maybe if I refer to a past occurrence, I could convince them.

Urrgh; why is it always when you need to remember something that nothing comes up?

Maybe this!

Taking my time till I made up my resolve I finally approach the house door.

I would breathe in if I could, but things being like this I instead stare at the door and knock.

"Splosh"

I should have known this.

Instead of the sound I need, there is just my hand disintegrating at the impact.

That won’t work.

If I try it like this, I will not know when they hear me and are going to open the door.

So I'm trying something else.

I take some stones in the vicinity and hide behind a tree.

Then I throw them at the door.

"Plock! Plock! Plock!"

And pray.

And pray that monsters don’t get divine punishment for praying.

"Is someone there?" (Jona)

"H-Hello d-dad!" (Shari)

I try my utmost to sound like me and not like… well, slime.

"Sh-Shari where were you, do you have any idea what your mother's been through?" (Jona)

"SHARI?" (Hannah)

Don’t cry! Focus!

I would have preferred to speak with them one by one, but no help here.

"Why are you hiding, come out!" (Jona)

"Ehm, I’m sorry but something happened and I don’t really want you to see me now.

Uh, do you remember this time when I started with gathering herbs and by mistake ate the wrong berries, which took me out for two days?" (Shari)

"What are you saying there? Did something like this happen?" (Jona)

"N-no I think this is a bit more serious." (Shari)

"There, behind the tree!" (Hannah)

Shit, spotted!

I can hear my mother’s steps approaching.

"DON’T COME CLOSSHHH" (Shari)

During the last part, I lost control over the matter for my voice, but I think I’ve taken her aback since she stopped in her tracks.

"W-What is wrong?" (Hannah)

"I really don’t want you to see me, please just go some steps back.

Father, maybe you should take her in and we talk first?" (Shari)

"You sound fine overall, what could be so grave that you behave like this?" (Jona)

"Just believe me it is!" (Shari)

"You should just come out, we are getting nowhere like this." (Jona)

"Then at least retreat a few steps." (Shari)

"…Okay." (Jona)

"Shari…" (Hannah)

I hear them retreating a bit.

Here goes nothing!

I want to approach them carefully and just hold out a hand or whatever you would call an appendage consisting of slime.

Because I can’t hear a reaction I am going to show myself.

Okay, that explains the silence.

I look at expressions of shock, disbelief, pity, and maybe fear.

The fear part is the most important so I should take care of that first!

"J-Just so you know, I’m not going to attack you! I’m still the same on the inside.

W-Well, that’s technically not true, but I mean I’m the same person as before." (Shari)

They just keep staring.

But that was within my expectations.

It’s still better than taking the first weapon available and rushing at me.

Or running while screaming.

"I’m sorry, but I really don’t know what else I can say." (Shari)

"Shari, is that really you?" (Hannah)

"I wish I could deny this." (Shari)

I answer while laughing embarrassed, trying to ease up the situation.

"What happened?" (Hannah)

Tears well up in my mother’s eyes and I feel uneasy and start staring to the ground.

"In short: a monster did this to me." (Shari)

"A-a monster? But how?" (Jona)

"You really don’t want to hear the details.

Just... it wasn’t nice. But please believe me!" (Shari)

Tears are now welling up with me too, but I try to wipe them back in.

If slime comes out of my eyes now that would just gross them out.

"I’m really sorry! I didn’t want this, but I don’t know what to do!" (Shari)

"This, this is much to take in." (Jona)

Father got quite pale at the situation.

I believe all that keeps him still upright are his developed muscles.

"You don’t say!" (Shari)

I say with a bitter expression.

"I… I believe you; I can recognize my own daughter!" (Hannah)

"Thank you." (Shari)

I would feel relieved here and maybe actually do, but mostly this situation is just extremely uncomfortable.

"Maybe we should go inside?" (Jona)

"Yes, might be bad if someone comes." (Shari)

So we are going inside and sit down at the table.

I believe I will have a lot to explain.

Sitting at my usual place at the table I feel slight discomfort, naturally because of the "being a monster thing", but more due to the fact that I’m leaking.

Yes; currently the liquid that makes up my body is dripping on all the places that come in contact with me.

Maybe taking some clothes might have been a good idea.

But I did not want to delay the talk and thought that by wearing them they would just get ruined.

"I am sorry! Now that we are here, I don’t know what to say." (Shari)

"You could at least explain what lead to this!" (Jona)

"I already said…" (Shari)

"I still want to know what happened to my daughter!" (Hannah)

"Good! You see there was this order from Ms. Oka." (Shari)

"We know! Everyone was looking for you." (Jona)

"Y-yes sorry, so I went to the forest to get the requested items and suddenly there was a slime monster, like me now. Well, in green. It took me with it and carried me in its lair and turned me there into this. There is not much to say besides that it took very long and was… unpleasant. Please don’t force me to dwell in this!" (Shari)

The memories are forcing tears, if it’s allowed to call them this, out of my eyes. But not many and they soon dwell back inside.

"I am sorry Shari. I didn’t mean to." (Hannah)

My mother extends her hands to comfort me despite my looks.

Her kindness affects me deeply. However, I can barely react in time.

"DON’T TOUCH ME!" (Shari)

My yell just made it in time before the contact.

Still, now my mother has a shocked impression on her face.

I need to react fast!

"Forgive me, that wasn’t intended, but just don’t touch me!" (Shari)

I have to explain this.

"I-It’s just that I have no control over this body yet and that includes the… dissolving of things! I just don’t want to hurt you!" (Shari)

My mother still retains a worried expression, but shows some understanding and nods unsteadily.

"So, you mean that you have all the features of those monsters?" (Jona)

"Well, my mind is still clear, but otherwise there is not too much difference I fear. (Shari)

"Does this hurt Shari?" (Hannah)

"It doesn’t, but it feels very strange." (Shari)

"Are you okay?" (Jona)

"To be honest I am a bit worried or more, I don’t believe that I have much of a future. You know there won’t be many marriage proposals in for me and if someone would propose to me that would be a reason in itself to be afraid." (Shari)

I laugh before making a stern face.

"We should be real here; if we announce my "condition" to the village my chances will be quite bad. Even if no one of the villagers tries to kill me, for sure anyone from outside would do so." (Shari)

"Maybe we can find a way to turn you back." (Jona)

"Sorry, but there are some reasons I have to believe that there is no way." (Shari)

"So what do you think we should do?" (Jona)

"No real idea! But I hoped that you would let me stay a bit till I can figure something out for me. You know, my only other opportunity would be going back to the cave of that slime and I’m not too keen on this." (Shari)

"Yes, for sure you can stay!" (Hannah)

"Thank you, mum." (Shari)

After we are done I resort to my room.

Maybe there is a way to finally get some rest.

While there is no physical weakness, the past events were mentally straining.

I know that my parents have now quite much to deal with, but hope that they as well will find some sleep.

Even if a monster sleeps directly next to them.

On the other hand, I managed too, if fainting counts.

The moment I throw myself on my bed I realize that I just ruined it.

The slime flows directly inside and I lose a bit of mass.

Getting it out again turns out to be close to impossible and only a meager amount can be retrieved.

Having no other options I lie down on the ground next to the bed.

The floor might be hard, but I still have no sense of negative impact on my body.

I can feel the touch, but in fact, I'm cushioning myself.

Still, it is uncomfortable in the way that I need to keep my body up, straining myself to not have my face spreading on the ground.

Which is a dreadful thought.

While I ponder what I could do now to deal with my situation, in general, I have a more concrete problem.

I've just lost some mass, adding to that what I left as footsteps on my way here.

So before long, I need to find out what I can take in to replace what got lost since it’s not safe that I can eat normal food.

While I know that sometimes slimes dissolve all kinds of things, the fact that they tend to flesh is concerning.

Even more, as meat is a pricey matter.

Contemplating like this I can reach some state of disconnection from the world, even if you couldn’t call it real sleep it comes close to.

So I manage to get some rest in the end.