Glancing around the hallway Todd inched back to the wall to avoid the crowds of students making their way towards their next class. Thanks to Todd’s device he remained invisible and considering it was still early no one seemed to notice the preteen girl silently crying in an empty classroom. As the crowds thinned and vanished Todd once again peaked into the class.
Elaine Sterling was still seated at her desk. The young girls face was still buried in her hands as she cried silently. Todd noticed how baggy the girls clothing seemed on her. Elaine’s nylons looked baggy, bunching in places on her now narrow legs while only one of her shoes still clung to the toes of one of her feet. The other foot dangled from the chair, the material seeming to bunch around her toes. Todd noticed that the girls blazer half covered her hands as she cried while the turtleneck gaped slightly around a now skinny neck. “Time to continue my experiment,” he thought as he made himself visible once more and entered the classroom.
Elaine heard the door open and gave a childish shriek, jumping to attention in her seat. Unfortunately this action caused her shoe to clatter to the floor leaving the girls nylon covered feet exposed. Quickly trying to compose herself she gazed fearfully at the college boy in front of her. “C..can I help you,” She stammered.
Todd tried to hide a smirk as he slowly closed the door. He decided to try and talk with Professor Sterling to gage her reaction to suddenly becoming a child once more. “I’m sorry,” he stated. “I was looking for Professor Sterling. Are you her daughter?”
“No,” Elaine winced. “No..no I’m Professor Sterling. Please, you have to help me. Something...something happened to me.”
Todd watched as the the girl pleaded deciding to act as if he didn’t believe the girls story (which considering what had happened to her would be highly probable). “Right kid,” he smirked. “Look I’m sure you like playing pretend and everything but I really don’t have time. I mean your what 12? Professor Sterling is close to 5. Yeah you look like you borrowed her clothes but Cmon do you expect me to believe this?”
Elaine’s lip trembled in sadness and rage as she looked herself over. As she gazed at her far too large clothing and youthful hands she had to admit that she could see why this young man would have a difficult time believing her. “Look I know how it sounds,” she whined. “I can scarcely believe it myself but you have to believe me. Somehow, someway I became a child. I...I don’t know how but I need help.”
Todd rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he looked at the girl Professor. She was desperately trying to maintain an air of maturity despite her appearance. Todd now considered how to handle this situation, attempt to believe the girl or continue to push the idea that it was impossible. Todd decided to try a mixture of the two. “Okay,” he said. “Let’s say just for a second I believe you. How is it you all the sudden became a kid.”
“I don’t know,” she whimpered. “I was only teaching class then the next thing I know, I look like this.”
“Well on the plus side people usually want their youth back,” Todd said, trying to lighten the mood. Elaine glowered at Todd, which at her current age made her look like a child about our throw a tantrum who had been told to go to bed early. “I did not want to be young,” she yelled, her voice cracking. “And besides no one ever wants to be THIS YOUNG. I mean look at me, I don’t think I’m old enough to be in Junior High right now.”
“Okay true,” Todd conceded. “But theirs no need to yell. Most people don’t like when they get yelled at, especially if that person looks like they belong in grade school.”
ElaInes face grew red as she grit her teeth, she was not used to being spoken down too. Throughout her life Elaine had been a woman who was respected. Even as a child she had been forceful in her opinions and respected in the arguements she made. She was a rational, intelligent woman. The idea that this boy would look down on her and tell her how to conduct herself wounded her pride. Leaping to her feet she gave an audible gasp as she quickly grabbed at her skirt that nearly cascaded down her boyish waist.
“Is their a problem Ms. Sterling,” Todd smirked. Elaine grumbled as she now stomped over towards Todd, her stocking covered feet flapping behind her. Elaine paused briefly as she realized the top of her head came only up to the bottom of Todd’s neck. Taking a deep breath she now thrust her hand up at Todd, quickly regretting it when she realized her blazer covered half of her young hand. Todd stifled a laugh as Elaine glowered at him with all the fury her 12 year old features could muster.
“You listen and you listen well,” Elaine grumbled. “My name is Professor Elaine Sterling. I am a tenured Professor here. You will show me the respect I deserve.”
Todd smiled as he leaned down at Elaine. As he did he activated his remote, an action he had anticipated to further arrivals his former professor. The command was simple, it would transform Elaine Sterlings identification from a college professor to a sixth grade girl. “Well Elaine,” he said sternly. “Looking at you right now the only thing I see is a spoiled brat who seems to be too used to getting her own way and has no respect for her elders. Unless you can prove it the only thing I’m thinking is that you just a little girl playing dress up.”
Elaine paused as she fearfully looked at the much larger Todd. She was in a bind as she looked at the boy. Todd was bigger, stronger, and judging by the look on his face close to losing his temper. “Fine I’ll show you,” she proclaimed. Stomping over to her purse she quickly grabbed her wallet triumphantly raising her school identification. “See!”
Todd stifled a laugh as he looked at Elaine’s identification before shaking his head a gazing sadly at Elaine. “Cute,” he laughed. “I must say Elaine your sixth grade picture actually came out well.”
Elaine gave Todd a curious look before glancing at her identification gasping in shock as she saw it was now a school I.D. An I.D. that showed Elaine as she currently was and listing her as a sixth grader attending the local elementary school. “No,” she whispered. “No, that...that can’t be. This isn’t happening, it’s not possible.”
Todd watched in amusement as Elaine now began rifling through her purse. The device had altered all of the objects in Elaine’s purse transforming them into objects that would belong to a sixth grade girl. Elaine gasped in shock, becoming more and more frantic as she looked at the items in her purse. Her drivers license was now a library card. Her credit cards, gift certificates to local clothing stores. Pictures of herself, now school photos. Finally her expensive phone was nothing more than a simple cell phone, the type of phone a parent would give to a child as a first cell phone.
“This wasn’t here,”she cried, her big hazel eyes beginning to dampen with tears. “I’m a grownup. IM A GROWN UP!!!”
Todd watched as the former haughty professor began to break down, now he needed to decide how he wished to proceed.