They walked. And walked. And continued walking until they came to a huge lake. The water looked like liquid glass. Ok, so technically, glass is a fluid anyway, but that's beside the point.
"Well, I'm real thirsty," Zac said. "Do ya think it's safe to drink?"
"Let's find out," Taylor said, kneeling by the edge.
And he bent over the water, he could see his reflection. Or at least, he assumed it was his reflection, there was something rather strange about it, but he couldn't put his finger on it. At any rate, he started to scoop up some water.
Isaac had glanced over at Fred to see where he was. When he looked back at Taylor, he did a double take. He looked an awful lot more... an awful lot more... feminine than he remembered. His eyes sought Zac's, but to no avail.
"How's the water Tay?"
"Refreshing," came a very feminine voice.
Isaac, Zac and Fred stared as Taylor turned around. A very girly Taylor. He - err, she - stared at her brothers as they stared at her.
"Who are you, and what have you done to my brother?" Isaac demanded.
"Me?" Taylor repeated. "Who are you and what have you done with my sisters?"
"Sisters?" Zac repeated. "Hey, I ain't no girl, and never will be. And same with Ike. And Fred. Well, maybe Fred."
Fred rolled his eyes.
"Ike? Fred?" Taylor repeated. "And who are you?"
"Zac, of course."
"Well," said Taylor. "My sisters are Isabel, Zelie and Freda. And they will never be boys - well, maybe Freda..."
"Ok, see, this is the point where we say, 'hmm, no I don't think the water's safe to drink'. One sip and Tay's turned into a girl," Isaac said. "And thinks we should be too."
"Well, at least you guys admit that I'm a girl," said Taylor. "The Hanson-haters keep calling me a boy. Gee, it's not my fault I'm flat! Do you think I should get a -"
"No! No! Don't say it!" Zac yelled. "Don't say it! Ok, I have to be dreaming. I must be dreaming. This has all got to be some really weird dream..."
Then he paused and looked up at the sky.
"Hey! Story line department! What the heck do you think you're doing?"
Taylor eyed him for a moment, then looked at Isaac and Fred.
"I can see he and Zelie aren't at all alike. I mean, Zelie is really self-conscious."
"Are you still a 'Taylor'?" Isaac asked.
"Sure," Taylor replied, smiling sweetly.
"So, how do we get our Taylor back - and how do you get your sisters back?"
"Do I look like I know? I mean, c'mon, if I knew don't you think I'd like, do something about it?"
"Why don't you drink out of the lake again?" suggested Fred.
"Oh isn't he so smart?" Taylor gushed.
And Taylor turned and drank out of the lake again.
"Whoa," came a reassuring male voice.
"Tay! You're a boy!" Zac yelled happily.
"Yes and thank goodness for that. You won't believe where I've been," he said. "You and Ike and Fred, were girls named Zelie and Isabel and Freda. And they had a band too. And Freda - can you believe this - was the lead singer!"
Zac and Isaac shuddered.