-----"It is time that you, my child, who claims to be faithful to me, learn what it means to follow in my ways."

-----It had been those final words, in a dream, nearly a year ago, that had sealed Joseph Snider's fate as a woman. Though it had felt like a punishment to him, God felt that it would be a vital lesson if he ever wanted to redeem himself in his eyes.

-----And why he thought so (that it was a punishment), was because he had become a woman in the same position as those he abused, took advantage of and treated as if they had no rights of their own. It might have been because he were drunk during those times, sharing with others his miserableness as he drank himself to the bottom of every shot glass in a shifty, underground bar; but he felt justified because of all of his debts and his poor financial situation in an economy becoming most foul.

-----But, also, because he had taken the place of one of the young barmaids at the bar he frequented. And out of necessity, he had tried to handle the job, figuring, also, that the sooner he "learned his lesson", the sooner he could return to being himself. But it wasn't to be... After tolerating the various looks of the male patrons, all of which seemed foreboding to him, he finally fled when he was felt up.

-----It had been a real eye-opener, a very scary, very real one. And the worst part: he remembered doing the exact same thing... Even to the girl he now was! He tried to pray, to tell God that he had learned his lesson; but no such luck there. Desperate to find some reprieve, he finally decided that becoming a nun would be favorable in the eyes of God, and it'd also protect him from the outside world. Besides, he could be closer to God that way, and learn his teachings properly, right? Anything to escape the flesh he now occupied.

-----His idea worked like a charm... For a while. He had found a way to hide from the world, but soon the world came to him, in the form of a Reverend making a guest sermon at the church, who later cornered him in a private office in the monestary and had his way with him. The experience, even though he was familiar with it (on the other end of things), totally devasted him. What was worse, was that the Reverend probably had chosen him as his target since he'd only been at the monestary for two weeks, and if he got pregnant it could be explained as having conceived before seeking shelter at the monestary... And that's exactly what had happened, despite quite fervidly pointing his finger at the Reverend.

-----And now, eight months later and having bore all of what he considered sufferings, he had plead, prostrated himself out of fear and respect, and swore unwavering faith before the alter, where beyond a large display of Christ hung on the cross. But relief was not to come... For, in answer to his prayer after many months of silence, he was told:

-----"Learned you have, of the wrongs that you have done. However, my child, you still have much to learn yet... Given the opportunity to understand those you have hurt, you still only worry about yourself and think not to help others that may be in need. You will learn to care and love others, as you do yourself, and you will soon have the perfect opportunity to do just that. But I warn you; fail to give your child the mother he needs, and it will be then that you realize my wrath."