# content
Brady walked into Rajani's apartment. She had given him a spare key, and even though she seemed to have gone missing, he had a good idea of where she might be.

He pulled a box out from under the table, dug through a couple of blankets, and saw a slug-like creature curled up underneath.

"Rajani?" he asked.

She looked up at him.

"Is this real?"

Brady lifted her out of the box and onto the sofa. She had apparently wrapped one of the blankets around her long, soft body.

"I'm a snail," she sobbed. "I'm a snail. I'm so vulnerable."

"Where's your shell?" Brady asked.

"It fell off."

Rajani rested her snout on top of the pillow. Whenever she was in her snail form, Brady was struck by how much she still looked like herself. Her long hair was flowing down the side of her face as she lay belly-down on the couch.

She rolled over to look at Brady.

"Sometimes when I'm alone, I pretend to be a snail," she said, still crying. "Do you think someone found out, and made me a snail for real?"

Brady didn't know how to respond. She might become even more upset if she realized she had been a shapeshifter for years without knowing it.

"Sometimes I wish we were both snails," she said. "I know it's a terrible thing to wish for, but I have this picture in my mind of you as a snail, and you look so cute - I just can't get it out of my head."

Rajani sighed.

"Have you ever imagined anyone else as a snail?" Brady asked.

"Just my cousin. I've imagined him as a snail before. Although he did really like snails. He had a snail themed sweater he'd always wear..."

Rajani stopped.

"...Do you think he was actually a shapeshifter the whole time? And if he was... Oh my god, Brady. You're a snail too, aren't you?"

Brady nodded.

"You tried to tell me, didn't you? I didn't think you were real. I treated you like you weren't there... I owe you an apology, Brady. I'm so sorry."

Rajani rolled onto her back.

"So I've been turning into a snail this whole time without realizing it... Do you think my parents know?"