Walking quckly downstairs to asnwer the bell, Alex entered the (very new and very
spacious) Library to find his Dad talking to his Mom. The first thing he noticed was that
his Mom was holding a palmtop computer of some kind and that she was dressed to kill in
a long black ballgown. The second thing he noticed was that his dad seemed younger and
better dressed than he had when he left for work that morning and was in a sharp suit
instead of his usual chinos and sweater.
Dad turned around as he entered the room and said "Ah Simms, I'm glad you're here.
Would you take my coat please it's been a long day." Inside, Alex was shocked as it was
obvious that his dad recognised him only as the butler and not as his son. He tried to say.
"Dad, it's me, Alex!" but once again, words came unbidden to his lips and he found himself
saying "Very good Sir, will that be all?"
Dad said "Yes thank you, you may call us when dinner is served." and Alex replied "Ver
good" again before backing out of the door and closing it behind him.
As he left the room to put his dad's raincoat into the hall closet, Alex began to suspect
that Mom was starting to enjoy her little life remodelling experiments. He wanted to get
back to normal and though he was kind of enjoying his new body and appearance, he was
less thrilled about being his parent's live in help.
Just as he left the closet to check on the preparations for dinner, the library bell rang again
and he hurried back to see what was required of him. As he entered the room, he saw his
mother standing up by the fireplace and pointing the palmtop computer at his father who
was reading a newspaper by the window.
Mom turned to him and said, "Ah, Alex. Or should I say Simms? I'm glad you're here, I'd
like you to give our new gardener a tour of the house and grounds before he joins me for
dinner this evening. Would you do that for me?"
Alex looked around for the gardener and said "Of course ma'am, where shall I find him?".
Mom gestured to his dad with the computer device and said casually, "Oh hadn't you
realised, he's there reading the paper, he'll be done in a moment!" His dad sensing that he
was being talked about, rose from his chair and then seemed to stumble slightly,
steadying himself on the arm of the chair.
Stepping forward, Alex noticed that his dad's suit seemed to be dissolving and
shimmering, as he watched, the smart Italian trousers lightened and wrinkled into a pair of
well worn camouflage combat trousers and dad's polished shoes swelled into a pair of
black workboots that looked too big for his body.
The changes seemed to race up his dad's body, though for a moment he presented
the amusing appearance of a slick business executive on top and a rough workman
underneath. As he watched, the smart shirt seemed to shrink even as his dad's upper
body swelled with muscle. In a matter of seconds, the shirt and tie were gone replaced by
a white wifebeater that strained to contain a thick mass of muscle covered in reddish hair
across the chest and arms. The changes next rushed up dad's neck which thickened and
seemed to force his old image upwards replacing it with the strong but much younger face
of a 25 year old man sporting a thick red goatee and moustache and close cropped red
hair. With a small pop, a gold earring appeared in dad's left ear and a swirl of tattoos
spread across his shoulders and arms.
Where seconds before had been a 40 year old businessman, there now stood a 25 year old
wall of muscle who looked like a toughened version of a pro-wrestler.
The new man, stepped towards Alex holding out his hand in greeting and said "Pleased to
meet you Simms." in a thick Eastern European accent that sounded like something from a
vintage Bond movie. Though Alex was too much in shock to have replied in normal
circumstances, he found himself automatically taking the offered hand and shaking it
warmly in greeting.
As he turned to lead the 'gardener' up to the servant quarters while Mom smiled to herself
sipping her wine by the fire, Alex wondered if his Dad knew what had happened to him as
he himself knew and wondered helplessly where the adventure was going to go next...