Saskia: The first book in the Saskia story

damages.

One

I suppose it served me right for walking so close to the quarry edge, and in the twilight too. One minute I was walking along the path, the next I was falling - over the edge - 200ft straight down!

I remember the wind as I fell and I remember shouting help and then everything just - stopped. I wasn’t falling anymore and everywhere was dark. I remember thinking, This is it. I’m dead.

Then a voice, You called for help. How may I be of assistance.

I looked around but couldn’t see anything in the dark. I also realised I appeared to be hanging in mid air.

The voice again, How can I help you

Am I dead? I said.

No you are merely - suspended - while I seek to find out what it is you need.

But I was falling, over the quarry edge.

In a sense, you still are. The suspension has removed you from your timeframe. Where you are falling, no time is currently passing.

How are you doing this?

You would not understand if I explained. I ask again, how may I help you.

I would have thought it was obvious, stop me falling!

Alas, I cannot do that. It would interfere with your timeline too excessively. I can, however, change physical parameters, particularly those pertaining to you.

I thought quickly. So you can’t stop me falling, but you can change me?

That is correct.

So if the fall didn’t hurt me, would that be ok?

Yes, that would be acceptable. How do you propose this might be done?

I thought quickly. Given the circumstances, there was only one thing I could think of. Make me invulnerable. Give me super powers, like Supergirl and Superman.

I don’t understand. Let me interrogate your conscious mind. Ahh, I see. Yes that can be done, a little strange perhaps but possible. Would that be acceptable as help?

I’ll say it would! But wait, wait. Can you make it so I can change back to a normal me again? I’d hate to have to hide for the rest of my life.

Yes, this can be done. All it will take will be a conscious effort of your will.

Then do it please.

There. It is done. When I release you from the suspension you will be changed so you will not be hurt by your fall. Goodbye. And I was falling again!

Before I had time to suck in a breath to scream again, I hit the rocks below at the bottom of the quarry. I should have gone ‘splat’ but I just - stopped. One minute falling, the next lying on the rocks.

I got to my feet. Wow. I really must be Superman. The fall hadn’t hurt a bit. I brushed my hair back out of my eyes. Hang on a minute. Hair? Long, blonde hair? Superman doesn’t have long blonde hair. But Supergirl does! Ohmygod!

I looked down. It might have been nearly dark but I could see perfectly. Boobs, little skirt, long bare legs. I’d been changed into Supergirl not Superman! I was a bloody girl! I realised the voice had seen a picture of Supergirl in my mind instead of Superman and had changed me into that. That was what it meant by ‘a little strange’.

Ok, ok. Don’t panic. Think about changing back. It’s supposed to be possible. As I concentrated there was a blur and I was a man again. Phew. That was a relief, at least that worked as advertised.

I looked around. There was no means of getting back up out of the quarry, which was basically just a very deep hole. I was trapped. Hang on though. Superman can fly. So can Supergirl. If I changed back to Supergirl could I just fly back up to the top? In the Supergirl shape I was obviously invulnerable, the fall hadn’t hurt a bit, I should be able to fly.

A moments concentration and the girl was back, skirt, cape and all. Now just exactly how do you fly? Suddenly I just knew how to do it. I rose vertically up the quarry wall and landed light as a feather at the top. There I saw the fence with a hole in it where I’d fallen through and a big bite out of the top edge of the quarry. That was why I’d fallen, the edge had given way under me.

I realised there was no need to walk home. Why walk when you can fly. The next moment I was in mid air in the gathering dark flying home.

My back garden isn’t overlooked by anyone so I simply landed there and stepped up to the back door. There I hit a problem. The back door was locked as always and the Supergirl persona didn’t have a key. I changed back and with some relief found the key in my pocket and let myself in.

The voice had said I could change shape and I could - but - could I change to anything other than Supergirl? Could I change to a boy or another man or even Superman?

I needed a mirror so I went up the stairs to the bedroom and I saw myself for the first time in a mirror. I laughed as I realised I thought I looked rather good. Hang on. What I actually looked like was Helen Slater from the Supergirl film. I realised this was the image I must have in my mind of ‘Supergirl’.

I changed back into my ‘ordinary’ shape. Try as I might I couldn’t manage any other male shape than that. Ok. Could I be somebody other than Supergirl.

I couldn’t think who else to change into off the top of my head, then an image of the schoolgirl who lived down the road popped up. I wondered what she’d look like as Supergirl. I held that image in my mind as I changed again.

When I looked in the mirror a young girl with long dark brown hair looked back. She was still dressed as Supergirl. My God! It worked! I looked just like her. But did I still have superpowers? As a test I let myself lift slowly into the air. I could still fly!

I landed my feet on the floor again. The girl didn’t have the shape that Helen Slater brought to the Supergirl character, but she still looked great.

I couldn’t go around wearing a Supergirl costume all day, so I imagined what she would look like in a T shirt and a skirt. I found I could change myself so that only the clothes changed, I stayed the same. I looked just like a teenage girl. I realised I could leave the house like this and walk about outside as a girl. Better not do it looking like this girl, though.

Now I wasn’t wearing the Supergirl costume, I wondered what would happen if I changed back to a man. Quick way to find out, I changed. I was still wearing my normal clothes. Ok. Change back again.

I half expected to be wearing the Supergirl costume again which would beg the question of where the

girls clothes I’d been wearing would go. I needn’t have worried. The girl was back in the skirt and top. Now what if I concentrated on a costume, still Supergirl but different.

In short order I turned myself into Supergirl, looking like Helen Slater again, then I stuck. I couldn’t think of any more young Super heroines off the top of my head.

I wondered if I could design my own version of a super-costume so to speak. I thought of Supergirl, looking like the young girl but with a blue crop top, a short pinky-purple skirt, yellow pants and a red cape. I changed.

It worked! I looked just as I’d imagined a few seconds ago. There was nothing for it - I had to go outside and try flying around in this new costume. Nobody would see me anyway, it was full dark by now. Never mind the door, I opened the window, took two steps back and launched myself through it. By the time I reached the window I was horizontal, flying with my arms out in front of me.

As I cleared the window I turned upwards slightly and gained height until I was well above the town. There I just - stopped - in mid-air. Turning upright again I hovered easily in place and look around me. I’d never seen the town from this viewpoint before. As I hovered there I became aware of the wind blowing gently around me. I could feel it in my hair. My hair. It was moving gently in the breeze. I’d never felt that before.

Eventually I returned to the bedroom the same way I’d left, through the window. I sat on my bed in the ‘new’ super costume. I needed to confront a small problem. My life so far had been - less than perfect. I was an orphan, brought up by relatives who hadn’t really wanted me. I’d never been loved, apart from once perhaps, and that had ended in a personal tragedy which was still affecting my life today. While flying around I’d had a crazy idea of maybe assuming another shape and sort of starting again, being young again and doing things differently.

I decided. If I couldn’t be a boy, I’d be a girl. Maybe I could fool myself I was making a new start and maybe it’d work. It might make me feel better about myself anyway. When I thought about it later, I admit I hadn’t thought it through. There was no question of not spending time as a girl, the super powers made that definite.

There was another problem anyway. I looked like the young girl down the road, probably sufficiently exactly to fool her friends. If I went out in public, it couldn’t be as her. I didn’t know what would happen if I tried to modify the template so to speak but there was another way. It occurred to me that while surfing the internet I’d come across many pictures of young girls. I could pick one I liked. Since the ‘original’ girl wasn’t even in this country, never mind this town, I would be ok.

In an instant I was at the computer downstairs (I could move fast!). After a bit of browsing through websites, I came across just the girl. Tall and thin with long dark brown hair. She looked gorgeous and actually quite like the original girl including the long dark brown hair A little concentration and I looked just like the girl in the picture.

I now realised I’d lost the super costume I’d been wearing. Could I go directly from girl in ordinary clothes to girl in super costume? Yep. Now I was wearing the little skirt and top again. I didn’t need to take off my clothes to reveal my super costume, just dodge behind something and change directly. Interesting possibility. Just to check, I changed back to my ‘proper’ shape as a man and then back to the girl in the super costume. Perfect.

I needed a name for my new girl shape. After consideration I decided on Saskia, for some reason it was the first girls name I thought of. I found I liked that name.

It was far too late to do anything else so I tidied away all the girls clothes, changed back to normal and went to bed. I took a while to fall asleep, my head full of the possibilities of now being able to be a super girl.

Two

Saturday - no work (hmm, still had to work unfortunately). Anyway, I could have a couple of days of fun before then.

First, a quick check. Saskia could appear in the super costume or basically anything else I wanted, provided I could ‘see’ them in my mind’s eye, so to speak - not that I was an expert in girls clothes. That meant I would never have to buy clothes, if I took them off before I changed, they stayed behind.

If I was going to make a new start as a girl, I needed to try appearing in public as Saskia. The easiest way to do that was at the local shopping centre, a few miles away on the outskirts of town. I could drive or ... I could fly!

If I drove I’d have to go as myself, but driving was boring. Fly then. I’d just need somewhere to land where nobody could see. If I was going to do that, I might as well fly there in the super costume - hoo-wee!

An instant later I’d dived headfirst out of the bedroom window. Within a further instant I was flying above the clouds, nobody could possibly have seen me go. That brought up another question. I couldn’t see the ground - or could I? Somehow I engaged super vision. The clouds might as well not have been there, this must be x-ray vision, brilliant! I thought about looking more closely at the ground and suddenly I could. Telescopic vision, proper Supergirl stuff.

I zipped along until I was over the shopping centre. Stopping in mid-air, I hovered there looking for a place to land. Nobody could see me naturally, I was above the low clouds, but I could see perfectly.

I spotted a place in some bushes, out of view but near enough to the main entrance that I could get there without a problem. Now I had to get there without being seen. If I moved quickly enough I could be there before anyone realised they’d seen anything.

I dropped down at super speed feet first. Although I was dropping at a significant fraction of the speed of sound I hit the ground and stopped instantly without even a bump. Quickly I changed to a different outfit.

Saskia was now wearing a denim skirt and white top. I looked around with super vision to check nobody was looking my way, then stepped out from behind the bushes.

Stepping round a corner I was at the main entrance to the centre - and so were a lot of other people! I thought ‘My God! What am I doing’. Then thought ‘come on Saskia, pull yourself together. You look like a girl - be a girl!’. And I walked into the shopping centre.

I couldn’t do anything except walk around, having neglected to arrange for a handbag, purse, money etc etc, but I was just enjoying myself simply walking about. There was one problem, though. Boys. Boys - and men! Being actually a man, I wasn’t interested in the male population but they thought I was a girl, and a pretty one at that. I was getting lots of looks and even some stares. I tipped my chin just a little higher and tried to ignore them (just let any of them try anything with me - I’m Supergirl!).

As I neared the main entrance again I thought I could hear distant shouting. It must be from outside as nobody was creating a fuss inside. I realised I could make it louder, of course - super hearing. It was cries for help!

I quickly walked outside. The cries were coming from the back of the centre, by the river. Using super vision through anything in the way, I saw a young girl in the river. She’d obviously fallen in somehow and couldn’t get out. I couldn’t help myself. I ran round the corner, checked nobody was watching and changed to Super-Saskia. No need to run when you can fly, I took off and flew to the back of the building. The girl was sitting in the water. I flew up to her from behind. Don’t worry you’re safe now.

I put one arm around her back, the other under her knees and lifted her out of the water. If she realised I wasn’t actually in the water she didn’t say. Ow, it hurts. I think I’ve done something to my ankle.

That was a problem. I couldn’t just dump her on the bank and vanish. I was too late anyway, there were heads looking over the wall at the top of the bank. Ok. Time for Super-Saskia to make an official appearance.

Rising into the air, I carried the girl up and over the bank wall. She made no comment but I felt her grip increase as she obviously wondered what was happening. Still in mid-air I spotted a security guard in the gathering crowd. She’s hurt her ankle. Where’s your First Aid room?

Without saying anything he pointed to a door at the end of the building which said Staff Only. I flew gently towards it. As I flew I heard him talking into his radio. By the time we got to the door it had opened and a couple of guys were pushing out a trolley. Gently I laid the girl on it and stood back.

Ignoring all the shouts and questions, I rose quickly into the air. God only knew what everybody was going to make of a flying girl but I didn’t care, I felt great.

I decided not to fly straight home, It was still only mid-morning. Saskia wanted another try at appearing in the girls clothes. I decided to land in the centre of the town. Spotting a good place in a back alley, I shot down to a landing as light as a feather. Super-Saskia disappeared and ordinary Saskia was back.

As I walked out of the alley I immediately saw three men, well boys really, older than me anyway. As they saw me they began to approach. For about one second I felt apprehensive then remembered, I’m a super girl.

Hello little girl. Out all on your own this morning?

Yes, as you can see. What can I do for you?

Well, for a start you can tell us what you’re wearing under that skirt. Ahh. One of those kind of encounters. No wonder young girls feel insecure.

It’s none of your business what I’m wearing.

Ooo, sassy are we? We might just have to look for ourselves.

You’re more than welcome to try, I said sweetly as they moved to surround me. But be warned, I will break your arm.

The one in front of me reached for the hem of my skirt. I let him actually get hold of it before saying, Naughty, naughty. Mustn’t play that sort of game with girls.

I took hold of his arm. I was easy to twist it round until it was behind him. Naturally he let go of my skirt. I don’t think I broke his arm but it did bring tears to his eyes. He staggered backwards clutching his damaged member.

Get her! Give her a good slap! Beat her up proper! he shouted.

One of his friends put his arms around me from the back while the other approached from the front. Making a fist, he hit me hard in the stomach. I barely felt anything but he obviously hurt his hand. As he howled and shook his hand, I lifted a foot and pushed him, perhaps just a little hard. He flew backwards through the air and fetched up in a pile of rubbish on the other side of the ally.

Now there was one. Mano-a-mano - well - mano-a-girlo anyway. He let go of me and I turned to face him. He pulled out a knife.

I couldn’t resist. Call that a knife... and I giggled. I think it was the giggle that did it. He lunged at me with the knife, obviously intending to stick it in me just under my breasts. All went well for him until the point of the knife touched me, whereupon it just - stopped. There was no way he was going to cut me, I’m a Supergirl! He did, however, tear my T shirt.

He looked down at the knife touching my stomach, obviously he was pushing as hard as he could. Ok, I said. You’ve torn my top. Now I’m quite cross. I easily took hold of the knife and pried it out of his hand. I might have hurt his fingers just a little but I didn’t care. I tried to bend the knife with a theatrical gesture but all it did was break in two. It had the same effect, His eyes showed his fear. Dropping the two halves of the knife, I took hold of his arm and easily tossed him across the alley to join his friend in the rubbish.

Now it began to get a bit ugly. Number One was on his feet again and this time he’d produced a small gun. Now you’re going to get it, he called as I turned towards him. And he fired the gun directly at me!

All six shots hit me in the chest - and all six shots just bounced back off! All I felt were six taps. I became aware of him still pulling the trigger, the empty gun just producing clicks.

Oh dear. Have you run out of bullets? I asked him. Looking down I saw he’d ruined my top. I might be invulnerable but my clothes obviously weren’t. Quite large areas of skin were showing. I couldn’t have that, not with low-life still looking at me. This I could do something about.

I changed, from Saskia to Saskia, but with the same clothes. The net effect was to ‘repair’ my top so it was complete again. I think it was witnessing this which pushed Number One over the edge a bit. He began to wail and gibber.

This, coupled with the gunshots, would bring people running very soon. I didn’t want these thugs to get away. What to do. An empty commercial bin caught my eye, perfect. Moving quickly, I gathered up the wailing thugs and dumped them in the bin. Shutting the lid I tried another superpower. I discovered I did indeed have heat vision as I managed to seal the lid shut, not enough to be difficult to open from outside but impossible to do from inside.

Just in time. I could hear running footsteps outside the alley. I took off straight up. In an instant I was above the buildings. As I flew upwards I changed to Super-Saskia, for some reason I felt more comfortable flying in the super costume. I didn’t know what the police would make of the scene in that alley. Three thugs sealed in a bin, all with various injuries. A broken knife. A gun obviously fired recently with flattened bullets in the alley and Number One’s fingerprints all over it. One thing for sure, if they told the truth, nobody would believe them. I laughed to myself as I thought about it. What fun!

I spent the rest of the day as Saskia ‘trying on’ clothes. I had the few girl’s clothes from yesterday but discovered it was much easier to simply change from Saskia to Saskia in a different outfit.

Three

Sunday morning was - interesting. I’d gone to sleep as Saskia the previous evening. I awoke looking decidedly rumpled. My long brown hair was a tangled mess. Of course, I had no hairbrush (or other girly impedimenta for that matter). I struggled for a few minutes with a comb then had an idea. I simply changed from Saskia in a fright wig to Saskia with properly brushed shiny hair. Worked like a charm. Within seconds I was ready to face the world.

Then I made an error. The house had a post box fixed outside rather than a letterbox. I’d not checked it for a couple of days so I popped out of the front door to see if there was anything in it. The error was to do it as Saskia.

I was looking into the box when a voice said Hello.

For a second I froze in alarm then turned with a smile fixed to my face. It was the young girl from down the road, the one I changed to the other night. Oh bugger!

I managed to pull myself together and said, Hello yourself.