The first week of school, i meet all my kids. Finally put names to faces. We go through an introduction for each of my classes, and do some preliminary warm-up exercises. Eventually, I'll get into doing some fun activities. Floor hockey, double-dutch jump roping, and an intro to weight training for the 8th graders.
About a month in, one particular 6th grade boy seems to have taken an interest in me. I seem to have become his favorite teacher. He doesnt say much, but listens intently to everything I say. A couple of teachers hate his haircut, and think such a punk-style should be banned. I'm not a fan of flat tops or mohawks myself, but it actually suits this kid very well.
Finn is a natural talent. Perfectly smooth in his motions. If only he would go through a growth spurt. He might have a shot at a pro sport someday. I even encourage him to try out for the baseball team. He just looks at me with his intent eyes that seem almost to bore into you. Strange child. Definitely also has the potential to end up with a nice cute girl someday as well. If only he'd actually speak. Hehe. He does talk. Just not all that often. He's very reserved and observes everything around him.
One day, I see him looking at me through the glass of my office. His short stature leaving his head barely above the ledge. I feel somehow compelled to get up, and walk out to see what he was up to.
"Uh. Coach?"
"Yes, Finn?" I ask. "What's up?"
He didnt say anything for a minute or so.
"Can I see your hand for a second?"
"Huh? Uh.....ok..." I say as i take out my left hand.
He reached up with his left, and grasped it as i noticed him fiddling around with something in the right pocket of his athletic shorts.
Something happened, but i cant really say what. It was like a thunderclap, except without the thunder. Whatever it was, my perspective suddenly changed! I was standing, facing the opposite direction looking up at and grasping the hand of....my twin brother? And with my right hand inside the pocket of my.....athletic shorts?
"What the...?" My voice seems to have grown somehow softer.
Suddenly what looked like my twin brother, but not QUITE like my twin brother, released his grip, and grabbed my right arm. Which was was .uch smoother, softer, and.....YOUNGER! My right arm was seemingly being swallowed in....my brother's? hand.
He yanked hard on my arm, pulling out a strange medallion I found gripped inside my much smaller hand. He used his left hand, and easily pried it from my little fingers.
"What-" i started asking, looking up, up, UP at this imposing figure that was my-brother-not-my-brother.
"Don't talk!" He interrupted. "Don't say anything. Don't tell anyone what happened!"
Suddenly, i felt compelled to shut my mouth, and not say a word.
"You'll be going to the rest of my classes. My schedule....YOUR schedule....is in my....YOUR....backpack in the smaller, outter zipped picket. Now. Turn aroumd and get out of here!"
I opened my mouth to speak, but my jaw was seemingly snapped shut as I felt a compelling force to just stand there, glaring at this mysterious imposter for a minute before turning around to do as instructed.
As i was somehow walking away in this obviously much-reduced shorter frame, I felt.....lighter, somehow, on my head. At least i was free enough to reach up and touch....bare scalp! I frantically felt around my bald skull, feeling a strip of short spiky hair in the middle!
I turned a corner to go into the boys' locker room. Only time i go in here, is to yell at my class to hurry up and get changed. Thats when i stop walking, and look down at the small kiddy body I'm now attached to or stuck with. Gone, are my years of musculuar development! Replaced with the body of an under developed adolescent! A much shorter, thinner frame. Not really "thin." But far from "fat." A decent build, at least, with a decent tan. Really nicely rounded legs, and the beginning stages of a "beefy" chest. But still a child's body.
I just stood there, in complete awe at this radical transformation, wearing the same exact clothes that Finn Morgan was just wearing- wait! Finn's clothes? Extra short? And....and....a MOHAWK!? A short, flat mohawk!?
I look up and mutter in my softer voice:
"No. Way!"
With heart beating in my chest, and fear rising, i made my way towards the mirrors on the other side of the locker room, saying to myself;
"It can't be! I'm not a kid. I'm not some 12 year old boy. I'm not a 12 year old boy with tbe name-"
*gulp!*
I looked at myself in the first mirror I came to and finished my thought:
"Finn Morgan!"