Dan stood there, hopeless. Where once a brawny man of 25 years stood, now stands a lanky 16-year-old teenager. Just like those ’shrimps’ he so often bullied in school - was this karma getting back to him?
The nurse directed his attention to his notes as he wrote down his post-regression stats. A chance for escape presented itself, so Dan took it and sprinted off towards the hallway, going from door to door, but blocking the door to freedom is that same woman, the NeoLife rep.
"Going somewhere, Mr Redgrave?" She asked.
"Ma'am, I have no other choice. I mean, look what you've done to me. I'm a short, frail-looking kid. I won't allow for more of this indignity!"
The woman calmly responds:
"It's all within the contract you've signed. We don't bear the responsibility for your hastiness, young man." She says as she walked up to Dan. He couldn't muster the courage to answer her back due to their disparity in age and height.
"And to my understanding, you had no real prospects for your future pre-regression anyway. That's why you're here, or do you find your old life any better?"
Dan blushed. He never felt this naive in a long time because of the woman’s sensible demeanour.
Daniel stuttered. "N- No, Ma’am. You're right."
Seeing the remorse in his eyes, she comforted him. "I know this must be hard for you, Dan, but I can assure you that this can be a worthy reinvestment of your time. And the outcome of that investment will be determined by your performance this coming school year."
Dan didn't notice her sudden drop of formalities when she referred to him as ‘Dan’ instead.
"But let's start by getting you dressed now, shall we?"
Dan’s face reddened by the late realisation as the two of them walked back to the operation room.
------
Today was Dan’s first day in Willow High School, a prestigious boarding school, more so than his old school.
Here he was, neatly dressed in his uniform, proudly bearing the logo of his new school, and armed with nothing but an empty bag and sheer determination. He couldn't mess this up, or else he may find himself several grades younger.