Dr. Evelyn "Evie" Thompson, the renowned inventor of the Skin Gun, sat at her desk in the dimly lit underground laboratory. She was absorbed in her work when the intercom buzzed.
"Dr. Thompson, there's a government official here to see you. He's insisting on seeing the Skin Gun in action."
Evie sighed. She had been hoping to avoid this moment for as long as possible. She had promised herself that she would never use the Skin Gun on a living person, but the government had other ideas.
"Very well," she said into the intercom. "Send him in."
The official, a tall man in a sharp suit, entered the laboratory. He looked around, taking in the rows of storage units filled with skins of all shapes and sizes.
"Dr. Thompson," he said, extending a hand. "I'm here to see the Skin Gun in action. I've heard a lot about it."
Evie shook his hand, trying to hide her reluctance. "Very well," she said. "But I must warn you, the process is not without its risks. The Skin Gun will transform the test subject into a 'skin' - a lifeless and hollow husk of their former self. They will not be harmed, but they will lose their consciousness and all sense of self."
The official nodded, a look of skepticism on his face. "I understand," he said. "But I must see it for myself. Can you demonstrate on a live subject?"
Evie hesitated, but she knew she had no choice. She nodded, and one of her assistants brought in a random man from the street. He was secured to a chair, and Evie aimed the Skin Gun at him.
"The Skin Gun works by emitting a thin white light that erases the subject's muscles, organs, and bones, leaving behind only their skin," she explained. "The skin will retain all of the subject's memories and voice, but the consciousness will be gone. The process is irreversible."
The official nodded, his eyes fixed on the man in the chair. "Go ahead," he said.
Evie pulled the trigger, and the Skin Gun emitted a thin white light. It zapped the man's full body, and within seconds, his muscles, organs, and bones vanished, leaving behind a lump of skin. His limbs deflated, his breasts shrank into empty sac-like udders, and his face deflated like a balloon. His eyes, nose, and mouth all went dark and empty.
The official was impressed. "Incredible," he said. "Can I try on the man's skin?"
Evie warned him that the skin would give him access to the man's memories and voice, but the official insisted. He put on the man's skin and was immediately overwhelmed by the man's thoughts and feelings. He stumbled and fell, but Evie caught him.
"The seam on the skin will only appear when the user wishes to remove it," she explained, demonstrating by making the seam appear and then disappear.
The official was amazed. "Can I wear multiple skins at once?" he asked.
Evie nodded, and pulled out a woman's skin from a nearby storage unit. The official put on the woman's skin over the man's skin, and he was now physically a woman, but his own memories and thoughts remained unchanged.
"The exterior skin will age and not the user or skins underneath," Evie explained, demonstrating by making the woman's skin age rapidly.
The official was satisfied. "Can I take the Skin Gun with me?" he asked.
Evie refused, explaining that the world only had one Skin Gun and it was not for sale. The official tried to take the Skin Gun by force, but Evie was prepared. She zapped him with the Skin Gun, turning him into a pile of skins. She separated the skins and put them in the storage unit.
"Empty skins are indestructible and do not age when they are unworn," she explained. "Empty skins that are zipped up will shortly turn back to their original selves."
The official was humiliated, and left the laboratory, vowing to keep Dr. Thompson's secret. Evie smiled and returned to her work, knowing that she had created something truly extraordinary.
"Now, where did I put my coffee?" she muttered to herself, as she sat back down at her desk.
Want to know how it ends?
This is just the opening chapter. Continue the saga — or write a steamy tale starring you.