The drive to the Magic Shop, while long, was a straight journey through the highway. Laura had already been on the road an hour. Although the sun was now setting she couldn’t complain, traffic had been surprisingly light. The trip had also given the two friends a chance to catch up.
“You know it’s been forever since we had a chance to hangout outside of work,” Kaitlin mused as she stared out the window. “What have you been up to, you know when your not in possession of magical dice.”
Laura laughed at the joke, she could appreciate Kaitlin’s levity at a time like this. “Nothing really,” she sighed. “It’s been pretty much work and home lately considering the season.”
Kaitlin sighed as she held the box a little tighter. “See that’s the problem though Laura,” she said. “Ever since the divorce all you do is work. Look I know it sucks but it’s been a few years now. He moved on and so should you.”
Laura frowned as she brushed her dark brown her from her face. Throughout her life Laura had always been a perfectionist. As a kid she had to be the responsible one, considering her older brother was always in trouble. That meant she needed to excel at everything she did. Throughout high school she was on the honor roll and she had even been a top tier swimmer. Once she went to college though things changed. She was on her own finally, away from her parents. She cut loose, stopped studying, partied too hard. It didn’t help she had injured her knee and couldn’t swim competively. It resulted in her barely graduating from college and meant she struggled afterwards. Considering what she went through to get where she was now she promised to never slack off ever again.
“Sorry Kaitlin,” she sighed. “Working is what I do best. Don’t get me wrong I’m happy he moved on and too be honest so have I. I struggled though so much to be where I am now. I need to stay focused if I’m going to succeed.”
Kaitlin contemplated this as she stared out the window. She could somewhat understand where Laura was coming from. Laura was on the verge of being a partner at their accounting firm. She had shown a tremendous work ethic , which the bosses had come to notice. Still, though she missed those rare nights the two had gone out. Laura was tall, leggy and fun. The brunette was naturally good when it came to people, even if she wouldn’t admit it. Laura always knew how to make people comfortable. “Laura,” Kaitlin started.
Laura turned only to see her friend scream and drop the box. “Shit,” Laura exclaimed as she swerved towards the shoulder. Darting through traffic Laura barely missed a set of cars and a truck, which blew its horn to know his displeasure. Screeching to a halt on the gravel shoulder she now glared at her frightened friend.
“What the hell Kaitlin,” she screamed. “I almost got us killed and if that box had opened do you know how bad things could have been. What if the dice rolled? What if the dice rolled a couple of times? I could of become younger while driving. Hell if the dice rolled enough I might of become to young to drive period.”
Laura now glared at her friend who appealed quite pale as she stared down at the fallen box. “S..Sorry,” Kaitlin whispered. “But...but the box.....it...it spoke to me.”
“What are you talking about?”
Kaitlin looked at her friend who was glaring at her. She could tell that Laura had not heard what the voice had whispered. She thought, maybe, Laura hadn’t heard it. It seemed impossible to her but she had heard the voice as clearly as any other. It had whispered her name and thanked her for bonding with the dice.
“Your not going to believe this,” Kaitlin whispered, still pale as a ghost. “But the dice....they whispered my name.”
Laura gave her friend a curious look as she listened. She hadn’t heard anything, which surprised her since Kaitlin had heard the voice when she became 30. She now felt concern about what the dice could possibly have said to Kaitlin.
“Okay,” Laura sighed. “Okay Kaitlin just...just tell me what you heard.”
Kaitlin now tried to compose herself as she wiped her brow with her sleeve. “Alright,” she whispered. “I...I was just sitting here when all of the sudden a voice whispered Greetings Kaitlin.”
“Was that it,”
“No,” Kaitlin mumbled shaking her head. “It...it said you have bonded with one of the Regressing Lots. Each roll shall now give back to you what you have lost.”
Laura gasped as she stared dumbfounded first at her friend then lowering her gaze the box. A cold sensation seemed to run through her body as her stomach churned. If Kaitlin had bonded with one of the dice then she too was now resigned to the same fate as Laura. As she gazed at the box she realized they would need to check.
“Okay,” she sighed. “Kaitlin I know this sounds like a bad idea but we need to check the dice to Be sure.”
Kaitlin nodded as she slowly picked up the box. Carefully she peeled the top back as the two women now peered inside. As they gazed down at the dice their eyes went wide. While one of the dice still glowed golden like before one of them now flowed silver. Carefully the two women picked up the others die a shark they examined them. “I..I think this is yours now,” Laura whispered as she held out the silver die. Kaitlin nodded as she now held the golden die in her hand. “Okay this is nuts,” Kaitlin mumbled. “Does...does this mean that if my die rolls I’ll get younger too.”
Laura nodded as she gazed at the silver die. “I guess so,” She shrugged. The two no way gazed at the dice in their hands. Silently they now began to pass the dice to one another. As they did a truck suddenly sped by causing both women to jump. “No the dice,” Kaitlin yelled. Laura watched terror filled as both dice now dropped from the women’s hands.
As the dice clattered to the floor both women looked at each other in shock and fear. Before either could say anything globes of light began to float off their bodies causing both women to shiver.
“Thirty years you have walked this earth. Now this number isn but twenty eight. Each roll of the dice returns what you have lost.”
“I’m 28,” Laura thought in alarm as she turned towards Kaitlin. The honey haired woman was now seemed to shiver slightly as the globes of light vanished around her body.
“Thirty nine years you have walked this earth. Now this number is but thirty four. Each roll of the dice returns what you have lost.”
“I’m 34 now,” Kaitlin exclaimed. “Holy shit.”
Laura nodded as she too began to examine her latest round of regression. Laura found her face and hair looking more youthful. Laura’s face appeared unlined while her hair seemed to glow with youth. As Laura examined her chest she could see they appeared perkier than she was usEd too.
“Yeah I’m back in my twenties now,” Laura muttered. “Listen Kaitlin we need to get those dice back in the box. I feel they keep rolling we might end up younger than we want.”
“Yeah okay,” Kaitlin said breathlessly. The two women now exited the car as they began to search the car floor for the fallen dice.