The school bus stopped in front of Ellen's house. She stood up from her seat, ended her conversation with Christina, put her backpack over her shoulder, and walked out of the bus. She ignored the buzz of the other kids as she exited. In front of her house, she walked up the driveway to the walkway and then proceeded to the door. She took out her key, opened the door, and entered the expensive home. She brushed a stray hair that passed by her face.

Ellen's mother wasn't home. It didn't matter too much; Ellen was thirteen years old and didn't need to be watched while home alone. She used her toe to pry off her shoes at the door. Her mother liked for everyone to walk barefoot in the house.

Ellen deposited her bag and purse inside her room and then returned to the kitchen to have an afterschool snack. She grabbed some chocolate mint cookies and a soda. She turned on the TV in the family room to watch. Ellen has a TV in her own room, but the TV in the family room is the biggest.

Ellen's hair was getting annoying, she had to brush another strand of hair out of her eyes. Her hair was usually much more controlled.

Ellen watched a show she liked on one of the network stations. But it had been preempted by a news report.

"... please explain what you know about the Trait Swap Virus." the anchor man asked his guest.

"The Trait Swap Virus or TSV isn't a virus at all although that is what we have called it. It does exactly what the name implies. It swaps traits between two people. Let me explain. The only way to get the TSV is from another person. The person with the TSV gives you not only the virus but one of their traits. For the first person who transmits the virus, the TSV is done with them. They can't transmit or receive any trait again. But the person who received the TSV is now contagious until he or she transfers one of his or her traits to a third person." the expert told the audience.

"So, at most, two trait swaps are performed?"

"Yes, exactly two, no more no less."

"What types of traits could be transferred?"

"It could be any trait. The most obvious traits are physical traits, height, weight, hair color, shoe size, and traits like that. But sometimes the traits aren't as obvious. The type of traits could be anything: mental, emotional, psychological, social, or any other trait a person possesses."

"I understand what a mental trait or even an emotional trait is, but what is a social trait?"

"You can swap friends, place in the community, or place in the family."

"How can you swap friends? Don't the people around you know who their friends are?"

"The TSV is insidious. Only the two people who have swapped traits know the swap has happened. For everyone else, they believe that whatever swap has taken place has always been that way. If you swap friends, for example, you will simply have a new set of friends."

"Bizarre. If a person gets the virus, what are they to do?"

"We don't know how to combat it. You just have to let it pass and hope for the best. Most trait swaps are small and can be dealt with. For example, a swap of friends might be jarring at first. But just because a person has a new set of friends, doesn't mean he/she has to keep them. Friendships change throughout a lifetime. Other traits like eye color or shoe size don't pose much of a problem. If your shoe size changes, simply buy new shoes."

During the discussion, Ellen's hair kept falling in front of her face. It was annoying. She instinctively tied it back into a bun.

"I guess people like that are lucky."

"They are, but for a person who swaps their entire family, or gains a hundred pounds, swaps gender, or complete bodies, the changes are profound."

"Is there any way to prevent the more extreme swaps?"

"No, the swaps seem to be random. But one will always swap with people who are close to you."

"How far do you have to be from another person to avoid swapping?"

"We don't know the exact distance."

"As soon as you make a swap, you are immediately contagious?"

"No, there is an incubation period of about a day."

"Is there a way to avoid the second swap once infected?"

"No, eventually you will pass the virus on with one of your traits."

The show continued. Ellen watched with interest. She was fascinated as was everyone else. Some people fantasized about a trait exchange. Others were horrified.

After the report ended, Ellen decided to get a rubber band and tie up her hair. She didn't know why it was so bothersome all of a sudden. That was when she realized the hair she had on her head wasn't hers. Instead of her usual wavy brown hair, she had a stringy mess of red curls that were virtually unmanageable. Without her noticing, she had received the Trait Swap Virus.

"OH MY GOD! What am I going to do?"

The trait she swapped wasn't that big a deal. She might not like a mess of red curls, but it wasn't the end of the world either. But the next swap could be anything. She worried about the worst that could happen. She could become a boy, or gain a hundred pounds, or have the wrinkles of an old lady. Ellen concentrated on the physical swaps mostly. they were the most obvious.

Ellen became instantly distraught. She had the virus. Anything could happen. She didn't know what to do. She started to think back. Whose hair did she possess? None of her friends had hair like this. It must have been one of the girls on the bus.

"It could have been worse," she realized. That made her feel better. This was the first swap, what about the second swap?

Ellen tried to keep herself together. She had to decide what to do. She knew she had a day to figure it out. She couldn't swap anything until tomorrow. That's what the guy on TV said.

The first thing she had to do was to tell her mother. Ellen picked up her phone and called.

"Mom, you have to come home right now. I need you!"

"What's the matter, Honey?"

"I'm sick."

"Sick? You mean you have the flu?"