Magic Dress - Isis

I had never noticed the shop before, and I don't know why I went in. It was called 'Heart's Desire'.

As I entered, the woman behind the counter said "The dresses are over there."

I was a man in ordinary clothes. Why would she say that?

"Just browsing," I said, and looked everywhere but at the rack of dresses. There was really nothing I wanted. There were sort of knickknacks, ornaments, jewellery and I don't know what. Lucky charms, I suppose. Amulets I think they're called. Little statues of people and funny boats. Something ethnic, I supposed. There was statuette of a man with a big hat and a funny beard, and another with a dog's head. There were some scarves and things with what looked like hieroglyphics. Egyptian?

The woman was dark-skinned and of indeterminate age but looked very kind. She could have been Egyptian. She had black straight hair and dark eye makeup, and a long plain ochre dress.

"The dresses are over there," she said again. "They are all seven pounds."

"That's cheap," I said.

"Yes, I am sure you will find the one for you."

Yes, I did want a dress: I had been wanting one for a long time, but how did she know? I had some female underwear in my flat. I loved to dress up and put on makeup and dream of going out as a woman. Being a woman, in fact.

I had never taken the step of actually buying a dress, though I had often gone into shops with that intention, and nervously walked out again.

"You are welcome to try them on," she said in such a calming voice that my usual panic went.

"If that is what you want," she added.

Yes! I wanted it more than anything! I went to the rack and she followed.

Straight away I saw it. A green dress. It was exactly the sort of thing I wanted. Just a nice dress with a knee-length pleated skirt. I took it off the rack.

"Just a moment," she said, and held it up against me. "It is your size. Will you try it on?"

Somewhat in a trance I went to the changing room and dropped my male clothes on the floor in my excitement. I was already wearing pretty green panties. It was just a shame I did not have a bra.

I put on the dress.

It fitted perfectly, and I felt wonderful. I was a woman!

I came out so happy, and the shopkeeper looked at me approvingly.

"You have nice firm breasts," she said. "You will not need a bra in future."

In disbelief, I felt myself. Yes, I had nice firm breasts! And my cock and balls were gone!

"But how is this possible?" I asked.

"It is what you want. It is what you deserve, and it is about time for you. That is why."

"How do you feel inside?" she asked. "Your soul? Is it burdened?"

"No, as light as a feather!" I answered joyfully. No longer a man!

"Now to complete your journey you will want to go home and put on your cosmetics."

She was right. I could not go out with makeup.

I took off the dress.

And (of course) I had a cock and balls and no breasts! I had just gone a bit crazy, but it was good. I would definitely go out as a woman tomorrow. And maybe one day I would have an operation to become one!

I put my male clothes on, and she put the dress in a carrier bag.

I handed over two fives.

"That is good," she said. "Five is my special number. Now the price is seven, and I will give you three in return. Three and seven are special numbers."

"It's my birthday tomorrow," I said. "I'm thirty-seven!"

"I wish you happy day," she said. (She must be foreign. Maybe she is Egyptian.)

She gave me a receipt with a pentagram and what looked like hieroglyphs on them.

"Thank you, Iris," I said, looking at her name badge. "Thank you so very much."

"You are welcome. It is Isis, actually."

"Like the river?" I asked

"Yes, the river has my name," was the answer. I thanked her again. Definitely Egyptian.

"Have a safe journey," she said.

I could hardly wait to get home. I showered and shaved my chin, underarms and legs, did what I could with my hair and put on makeup. Then my bra and panties, and a little perfume. I painted my nails and toenails, and waited for them to dry.

I couldn't believe it. I had actually bought a dress! I had plenty of panties -- the sort of thing a man might buy as a gift for a girlfriend. And a couple of nightdresses, though not what I really wanted. They were see-through and glamorous -- again as gifts. What I had really wanted was a simple but nice one -- the sort a woman might buy for herself -- but no man would give. And my precious bra. One day, crimson with shame, I had managed to select it and take it to the counter. The gum-chewing assistant had snorted before scanning it. I had looked longingly at dresses, but never managed to sort through and actually take one off the rack, never mind trying it on. How had I been so brave today?

As I held the dress in my hands I hesitated. It was just a cheap piece of cloth. It was a bit ridiculous. My imagination had run away with me in the shop. But at least I had a dress at last. I would definitely go out in it! Tomorrow. Or quite soon anyway. When I felt brave enough. Definitely.

I felt sad for a moment. That was all I really wanted. To go out in nice female clothes. I couldn't really be a woman, but I could pretend, just so long as people didn't mind. Where was the harm in that?

"You will not need a bra in future," she had said. Nonsense!

OK, I would try it without the bra first, then put on the bra. I knew it wouldn't make me into a woman, but today was the day I was going out as one. Completing the journey, she had said.

Or maybe tomorrow.

I hesitated, and took a deep breath.

I put on the dress. I looked at myself in the mirror and had to sit down for a moment.

It was true! I was a woman! I had breasts! I had everything I wanted.

Hesitantly I felt myself. My breasts were not large, just good handfuls which filled the bust of the dress perfectly. My panties were not filled with that annoying cock and balls! They were nice and flat at the front. My vulva felt my fingers with a little tingle of pleasure!

Quickly I pulled on a pair of high-heeled shoes. The crocodile skin was just right with the dress. Looking in the mirror I even had hips. Nothing dramatic, just a nice pleasant woman shape! My face was the same, but looked more feminine somehow. I had got the makeup just right. Perhaps it was the smile!

I did not dare to question how this had happened. I knew I just had to accept it as a gift. The best possible birthday gift! As I thought this, I had a deep conviction that this was permanent -- this was how I was going to be from now on!

I opened the door and stepped out! The weather had brightened, so I wouldn't need a coat. I walked down the road. I was smiling and several people smiled back at me. Just what I had dreamed of!

I made my way over the river to the park on Nile Street where the flowers were out a bit earlier than usual, so the people around were cheerful. The weather was just right, with a very slight breeze I felt on my legs and arms as I walked proudly along, feeling the movement of my skirt. I looked at other women in their summer clothes and knew I was like them, a woman at last! In the distance I saw Isis, so I waved and she waved back. I had never felt so happy in all my life!

I was a bit guilty because I had not seen my brother for a long while. He lived just far enough away so that it was not convenient, but not so far that it was really an excuse not to go. He was alone, so I should try harder.

I rang the bell, but there was no answer. Then I noticed the door was ajar. Rather worried, I pushed it open and called out. It was his birthday, so he was expecting me. Maybe he had popped out and been burgled. I looked carefully, but the door did not seem to be forced.

Carefully, I went in. In the living room he greeted me with a big smile, sitting on the sofa in makeup and a dress.

He was stone cold.

The inquest recorded a verdict of natural causes. Something in the brain, quick and painless, they said. It could have happened at any moment without warning. There was a receipt for the dress dated the day before. There were quite a few items of underwear but no other dress or women's shoes. There were also many women's magazines. It must have been a birthday present for himself.

Even when we were little boys, he had been such a gentle soul. I wished he had told me of his desires, but I was glad he got to enjoy the dress for a bit before he died. I had him buried in it, with full makeup, and some high heels that I bought as a replacement for the trainers which had been meant to be his birthday present. They were green, like reptile skin, to go with the dress. I had noticed them in the window of an odd shop on the way to the undertakers. Size 7 price £37, one pair only. His size, his age: almost as it meant for him.

Before they closed the lid of the coffin, I put in the dress receipt, which had a sort of pentagram and what looked like hieroglyphs.

"Safe journey, sister," I said.