Without warning, the aura of light around the book suddenly exploded in intensity. The Donaldson family all shielded their eyes. Steve dropped the book to the floor. It collapsed with a heavy, dull thud... and the brilliant aura of light instantly ceased.
“Wh-What happened?” asked Megan, blinking and rubbing her eyes. “Ohmigod! Dad – why are you wearing my clothes?!?”
“Huh?” asked Steve.
He looked down at himself in confusion.
Sure enough, he was now dressed in the clothes of his daughter. Everything had somehow re-sized itself to magically fit his larger, heavier body, but it still looked ridiculously out-of-place on him. He wore a white, baby doll tee with a small drawing of a winged unicorn across the front. The outline of a plain, utilitarian training bra was visible beneath the shirt. He had on a pair of powder blue, cut off jean shorts and a pair of cheap looking, sparkling pink flip-flops. Steve's ears were now pierced as well and sported a set of tiny, silver heart-shaped earrings. His hair was its normal color, but had grown out to just above his shoulders and was styled the same as Megan's had been. He also had a pair of braces on his teeth now, identical to the ones she used to have.
“I... what... this is... how did...” Steve stammered.
Then the family all took a good long look at each other.
They had all been changed.
Megan was now dressed like her older brother Alan. She wore his t-shirt, jeans, and shoes. Likewise, her hair was cropped short in an athletic buzz cut just the way his had been.
Alan was now dressed like his mom. He wore Janet's red, v-neck top, her 'mom shorts,' ankle socks, and tennis shoes – again, all re-sized to fit his body. His hair had also sprouted out longer and was styled just the way a middle-aged woman's would have been. His mom's purse was now slung over his shoulder.
And Janet was now wearing all of Steve's clothes – his polo shirt, dockers, shoes and socks. Her hair was now cut short and seemed to be very thin on top, revealing a noticeable bald spot.
“What's happened to us?” Janet said, finally breaking the silence. “Why... why are we dressed like this? And what's happened to our hair?”
“Uh-oh,” said Alan, peering into a large, broken shard of a damaged mirror hanging on the wall. “You guys better come look at this.”
The family clustered around the broken mirror and one by one gasped at their reflections. In the mirror, they were one another! Steve's reflection was that of Megan... Megan's reflection was of Alan... Alan's reflection was of Janet... and Janet's reflection was of Steve!
“Did we somehow turn into each other?” whispered Janet. “Only we can't see it ourselves?”