Foreword: The following story is loosely based on the Slitheen from Doctor Who. I have take some creative liberties to explore this idea. I wanted to explore their concept in an everyday setting. Not looking to destroy the world or anything. Here, Katie, who plays for the University field hockey club, must face an unbelievable change in the realm of realism.

I have a second chapter planned. And I will warn you there will be some things of gore and erotic nature within this story. If you have ideas, I would love to see them. Thank you.

Chapter I - Aches and Hazing

There had been a light in the pond where she had taken a moment to throw up. It was downhill in a cover of evergreens. The light danced in her eye before lashing its teeth at her and piercing her skin. It fizzled away and she collapsed to the ground, wanting to scream, but her voice was disarmed. On the campus main road, her friends were waiting and were too far gone to realise the time passed.

Soon the gnawing pain inside of her subsided. Everything had finished. Katie rose to her feet in only a light sweat. Her skin clasped to her like a wet towel. A strange sensation, an othering of herself, she never thought she'd feel. She couldn't control these fingers as she had once done, and her legs stumbled and dragged as she moved.

Her stomach rumbled and she winced. Good grief, she thought, it was like a belt tightening around her waist notch by notch. She grabbed the skin on her sides, hoping to give herself space to breathe.

She looked down to her stomach. The belly button was on a diagonal angle.

"Don't look right." She grabbed it and stretched it to smooth it out. "Better," she said. She inspected her face in the water. "I look just as I did before."

She wiped away some of the dry sick around her mouth and the tears, climbed back up the hill, holding her already tattered dress up, dragging her feet awkwardly through the mulch of leaves. Katie did not know why the change had occurred, why her, yet felt no desire to find out. She didn't feel any different than before, only she now longer felt bound to herself. This feeling was exciting and dizzying intoxication.

Back on the main road, they all swayed and stumbled on the hill of the university. A new blood pumped beneath Katie's skin, or rather, a new body was stuffed underneath. Their brains were too bathed in alcohol to notice even a slight change.

How could she keep her mind stable? Her hands, she'd always taken them for granted. Now they were a lie. All of her felt like a lie. But, even with this dissociation, this secret made her feel good. It was all just a costume now. She was something else much bigger. And that was empowering.

She looked to others in her lectures as they studied Kant and Heidegger. Could they be like her too? No, it was just her. Could she really ever be friends with any of them again when she knew deep within she was a monster? There was now so much she could never share. A part of her no partner of hers would ever see. She'd always be hiding. She let a few tears drop within cover of her notebook.

The aches got worse each day. At the best of times, people would laugh and say she sounded hungry. On the worst, her friends would ask if her cramps had become worse. Katie even considered the Doctor when the realisation of the incident at the pond reminded her, she was no longer human.

She'd toyed with the idea of unmasking in her room, but the thought scared her. It might hurt. And what if she ripped her skin and it was irreversible? She'd be stranded in her room and what would happen then? She'd be shot and stuffed into a government bunker.

Once a week had passed since the pond, it was once again time to drink. Tonight was another social for her hockey club. All the worries of the week had accumulated. So had the aches and pains. She swept into the corner shop with the hope the alcohol might relieve her of the burden beneath her skin, and let her forget.

She fancied a bottle to drink slow and alone, but they hated that. Eleanor especially would not like that. She'd end up having to down some horrid concoction or something. Dread tapped her on the shoulder. Just go home, it told her, don't bother. She couldn't be arsed to deal with any of the older girls, especially Eleanor. But on the other hand, there were plenty that she loved there. And she was keen to make friends with some of the freshers before their life was ripped from them by hazing.

She knelt to grab a four-pack of ciders when something twanged in her lower back like the snap of elastic. It didn't feel right. She felt herself writhing beneath her skin — This would do, whatever this was. The shelves had blurred and merged, and Katie was now hauling some sort of cider pack or, if she was unlucky, tonic water.

The cashier grazed her hand. His eye peered at her for just a moment. She pulled it away. It was dead cold.

She didn't wait to say goodbye or thank you, and rushed out onto the pavement, kneeling by the gutter. All she could smell was wet rubber and dirt from the wheel arch of a car. Another rumble erupted in her stomach, like trapped air tumbling down from her core to her lower abdomen where it spread into nothing. She gasped for air. The November air scratched her throat.

She had to go. No matter how she felt. She didn't want to do a late punishment.

Most of the Ladies Second and First teams were inside Eleanor's house. The room already smelt of harsh beverages, and Eleanor's friend already had a crazy look in her eye. They'd already done a couple of tequila shots. It was time to catch up, Eleanor declared.

Freshers were marked with Fs on their cheeks in permanent marker and stood around not yet buckled over. Trying to have a conversation in hockey socials was like speed dating: they only had so much time before the alcohol took their voices away. Does anyone really get to know anyone here, Katie thought, tempering the trapped air in her stomach?

Maybe if she maintained this, she could make it through the night. Except now something was terribly wrong. Her whole body felt wrong. She crumpled over and tucked her head between her knees.

A hand fell on her back.

"Have you got a stomach-ache or something," enquired Olivia, one of the players from the Lady's 2s. Her hand radiated warmth radiated into her core. She hadn't lost all sentiment, Katie was glad, she was still capable of human emotion.

"I'm fine." Katie shrugged her off gently, flashing a smile. Olivia left her be, joining again the crowd, but her eyes were still caught on Katie. "Sit down, Katie," she shouted back.

So, she found the sofa and watched the others throw balls into cups filled with beer, cider, whatever. The music thumped as did her thoughts. People screamed and drinks pooled on the tables:

Spillage is lickage!

D word, two fingers!

Take a beverage, Fresher!

She glanced at the corner of the worn rug, where the pile had worn away so much, she could see the beige backing. It was mottled everywhere. The freshers' eyes already seemed glazed over. Poor things. Eleanor lurched over one. Could she not have fun unless she was making someone's night a misery?

Her cramps were making her ever more irritable. The musky smell of sweat and hot breaths was driving her insane. I need to breathe, she told herself, but the only solution was out of the question. She couldn't do that. The idea of her fingers slipping underneath made her queasy.

Eleanor scolded a Fresher for wasting a drink. Katie cried inside her head again if Eleanor could just leave people to have fun and get on with their lives. She then became aware that everyone near her went silent. She'd said it aloud. The walls grew dark and leaned in to get their ears to the gossip.

"Excuse me?" Eleanor turned round to Katie. She felt herself shrink back down inside herself. All this power wasn't enough to glance into her eyes. Katie only glanced at her through the haze of her fringe.

"Just leave them alone. We're meant to be friends."

"Shut the fuck up and take a drink, Katie."

She obliged.

People were getting up and ready for the club and a chill rushed in to replace them. Eleanor told her to stay where she was. The others should go on without them.

There was warm beer in plastic cups on the table and sticky ping-pong balls. The stench was appalling. Katie knew she wouldn't make it to the club, not alone. Eleanor had reassured her they would go together, but it seemed more necessary than genuine care.

Once Eleanor had cleaned up a little, she then moved over to the sofa and crossed her legs. Her expression was a mixture of feigned care and irritation.

"Alright Katie, look at me, please." as she retightened her bun. "Do you have like a problem with me or something?"

Katie felt her blood pump to her head. Was that it? Eleanor was allowed to step on people, and if she was questioned it was 'having a problem?'

"You are horrible to them," Katie cried, while her eyes skirted along the mottled rug.

"It's a social. Don't be boring."

"I don't find it fun. I don't think they do either."

"Sounds like a you problem." She shrugged. "Everyone else likes it. They don't have to come."

"Well, maybe they just like playing or want to make friends."

Eleanor scoffed. "Well, keep your opinions to yourself. You do realise, people can speak for themselves. They don't need you stuffing words in their mouths. And if they don't like it, they can grow some balls and say it."

Her legs were pulsating. She could feel her true self agitated. She wondered if her skin would rip open there and then. Patience, she tried to remind herself, but it moaned more. The more this went on, the more that she felt she was just an act, and being 'Katie' grew tiresome.

Eleanor broke her discipline, offering a glass of water for her cramps, before resuming: "I don't care if you're in pain. It gives you no right to ruin the night for everyone else. And if you dare gob off to me again, you can fuck off to the Twos. No loss to us."

"I'm not that bad." Katie stood up. It was always like this. She felt she had so much to give, and no one ever appreciated what she was able to do. "I do a lot." She looked to the door and made a move to leave.

Eleanor scoffed. "OK. Whatever. Just promise me you won't make me look a fool in front of everyone again." She grasped Katie's arm.

The rumbling got worse. She really needed to go. Trapped air tumbled from her shoulders and neck, all tumbling down. She couldn't help it. It came out suddenly. She felt her skin loosen for a moment. It was a brief relief.

"Are you making fun of me?" Eleanor stood up; her breath smelt heavy of gin. "If you want to be childish like that, don't bother playing tomorrow. I'll play someone else."

Katie tugged her arm, but Eleanor gripped tighter. Even a fingernail was pressing hard into her wrist. She knew the situation she was in. No one would stick up for Katie. No one liked her that much to speak out against Eleanor. No one would even notice she was gone. She meant that much. She could be gone tomorrow. Would anyone even notice she was gone?

The ceiling light shined on her face, now covered in a thin layer of perspiration. She was suffocating. Everything from her thighs to her stomach felt cramped. She could imagine now her hands rising and ripping it off. How nice it would feel to slump out.

It relieved the pain slightly, but it exasperated her desperation. She couldn't do it here. She needed to be alone. Run home.

Eleanor raised her eyebrow, waiting for an answer. It was evident to her Katie was in pain and she knew any moment now she would fold, apologise, just to get out. Only a little longer. Katie will apologise.

Peeling this off. How lovely that will feel, Katie thought. The noises from within were gurgling and groaning. Eleanor kept herself in the way.

"Go on then." Eleanor released her grip and threw herself back into the head of the sofa. "Just don't bother turning up tomorrow."

But Katie didn't move. Now she was free to go, but she couldn't. She couldn't give Eleanor the satisfaction. Indignance and rage had seized her to the spot, and she so wanted Eleanor to learn. To know that she was nothing. Nothing. She was no better than anyone else.

Eleanor was splayed out on the sofa with a lax confidence. Katie eyed up the contemptible figure in front of her. A terrible temptation threw an idea into her head. She spoke before she'd contemplated it.

"I think I will play tomorrow," she spat.

Eleanor laughed, "How?"

And that was it. On cue, the tightening had cut off Katie's breath. The idea became the only solution. She had to do it. She had to rip off this skin.

Katie grinned as she pulled back her fringe, picked away at the skin on her forehead. She was unsure how to do it. Then she caught something, and she tugged. A small spark of blue light broke through a narrow hole. Her skin creaked. She tore open a gap, a long incision in her head until the light was pouring out the room and bathing Eleanor's breathless gasp.

There was a whimper from Eleanor as Katie's smile distorted to a pleasure no human could possibly feel. She moaned too as she struggled to release that elastic hold.

Once the line of light engulfed the top of her head, she paused to savour Eleanor's fear. Her eyes and lips appeared dead cold. Eleanor could see it. It was all empty.

She dug her fingers into the gap to lift her scalp from a smooth green head. Electricity followed the parted forehead and hair as it flopped onto the back of her neck. Her hands pulled vigorously as her eyes and brow folded over her smile, and soon a very monstrous head stood in the place of her human one. It was unbelievable that these human hands were passionately pulling away all that Eleanor had ever known about Katie.

This thing had been hiding here all night. In my house, she cried. All the joy and euphoria she remembered in the night turned sickly sour at the sight of Katie's crumpled and stretching face.

Soon enough her hands flopped away, her clothes stretched. Threads of her clothing squealed before they snapped. A bit of thread slashed Eleanor across the face. Her features melted over her stomach as Katie pulled her claws free. It seemed implausible that a thing could be emerging from hips and legs that were too narrow and slender.

One of her hockey teammates, one of her party members flopped to the ground. A head, a body completely hollow. This monster was hiding beneath Katie. For how long?

Eleanor shook her head and darted for the door. Her ankle was clasped by Katie's claws, and she went tumbling to the ground.

Olivia was already on the way to the club mulling over what had happened tonight. She asked her friends if they thought Katie was going to be fine. No words could ease her. She had to know if Katie was okay.

Nothing Katie had said was untrue, and we had left her to fight her battle alone, Olivia told herself. Her heart plunged and shaded thoughts crept into her mind, chanting, 'you're a bad person.'

"I'm going back, I'll see you in a minute." She ran back up the road, not bothering to stay to explain herself. The terraced houses passed one after the other. All the streets looked the same and she couldn't remember exactly where Eleanor's place was. It took fifteen minutes until she arrived back. There was the bay window in the distance, flashing blue.

This didn't alarm her. Even when she heard the groaning and wet sloppy sounds. There was a lot of mess, she thought. They must be cleaning up. At least, she could be handy. It was common for the front door to be left open during pre-drinks, and if none of the others were in, the door simply would be locked. She put her hand to the handle and pushed her way into the room.

Whilst Olivia was approaching the house outside, Katie was busy pulling Eleanor's face over her monstrous black beady eyes and green head, zipping up the forehead, adjusting the mask to fit her own face. When Olivia walked in, she had her bare back turned.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry." Olivia was embarrassed. She would have never known that Eleanor would be naked in here. They were meant to be going to the club any minute now.

Katie, who was now Eleanor, quickly kicked the empty skin of her former self beneath the sofa. Luckily, there was a coffee table blocking the immediate view from the door. She was embarrassed. She didn't know how to explain her being naked. Acting as someone else didn't really make it easier.

"I was changing," she said. She was unsure if that would pass. Why would she change in the living room?

Olivia started making her way back to the door. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to just barge in, I just didn't think you'd be doing that here." Eleanor kept herself turned away, checking everything fitted correctly. Olivia added just before the frame of the door, "I'm sorry. I am gunna leave, but just came back to check on Katie. Where is she?"

"She left. She was in too much pain and well, I didn't like the way she was speaking to me."

Olivia mumbled in disapproval but was too disarmed by the situation to think of much else. She left and jogged to rejoin the others. Hopefully, the cold would burn away the embarrassment.

Eleanor only remembered now the risk of what she had just done. The door had been open the entire time, and she had no idea if her housemates were in. If they were, they hadn't interrupted her in the process. She worried a little about how long Olivia had been outside. There was no way Olivia could know the truth. She wouldn't have stayed so long. What if she was in denial? This scared Eleanor.

She strutted along, dragging the skin of Katie out from beneath the sofa. She binned the ripped clothes on her way to where she believed Eleanor's room might be.

In front of a mirror, she inspected herself. She really was Eleanor. She was really running her own hands through her thin whisps of hair. It felt odd, she was not used to the sight of wide thighs nor to looking at the room from quite a few inches lower.

"She looks more bloated than usual," Eleanor said to herself twiddling with her navel bead. Nice piercings though, she muttered. Her stomach replied in agreement. She ran her hands down, almost scanning every new sensation she had inherited. It was all hers. It was her. "Feels better and she looks good on me."

She stretched her neck, her skin creaking, and she let out a gasp of pleasure. There was so much she had to do, but first, she needed to go to the club and keep up appearances. On her way out, she glanced once more at her old, flattened face looking snooty on the hook of the door.

On the way through the kitchen, she heard a phone ring. It was in the bin. In the pocket of a torn pair of jeans. It was Eleanor's partner.