The Shape-Shifting Cowboy, Part I

Jenna lived in rural Wyoming lands, where grass rolled over small ridges and buttes, a small town way out in the cow country, where the ranchers still throw lassos in loops. She was driving out to see her boyfriend, who owned a ten thousand-acre large spread, he had a big house, riders and a herd, and was a keeper, all her girlfriends said. It struck her funny that he'd done so well, since her man had not been born around here, they said when we came here eight years ago he'd shied away from a mustang in fear! She supposed he must've overcome that, since now he rode like a weathered cowboy, he'd bought his own place, made himself a name, and had brought Jenna no small bit of joy. He wasn't expecting to see her now, but she knew that Calvin would understand, the diner had been sheer hell this morning, she'd even been groped by a sketchy man. She needed a break, to hash this all out, Calvin always had a way to comfort, and he liked to say that she was his world, she was sure that he would be there for her. When she pulled up the whole ranch was quiet, the hands must have been all out in the hills, but she saw Calvin's horse at the corral, had he decided to just hang back and chill? If that was the case, it was good for her, she would've hated being here all alone, so Jenna walked up the big farmer's porch and noiselessly entered her boyfriend's home. She was tied, didn't bother to yell, just padded upstairs to his big bedroom, the lights were off but a translucent glow seemed to pierce through the darkness and the gloom. Inside she saw a bipedal figure dressed all up in Calvin's battered work duds, a flat-faced being with a slit for a mouth, and two huge eyes, both the color of mud. The skin was smooth, with no human blemish, a vibrant, bioluminescent green, and when the figure turned to see Jenna she loud out a truly terrified scream! “Jenna, what--”the creature began to say, speaking the words in Calvin's own voice, then slumped down and muttered to itself, “Well I guess no I don't have any choice.” There before her eyes the green skin shifted, the figure became Calvin once again, he frowned and awkwardly looked to his feet... “Well, I guess I should explain all this then... CONTINUES IN PART II