Since it's a vacation on a lush tropical island, going to the beach is the usual place to go first. With little clouds in the sky and the sun shining its warmth on the entire island, this is the perfect day to lounge on the beach. But before Ken and Cole left for the beach, they passed by a clothing store where everything was free. It's so surreal that you could just pick a garment and it's yours. While Ken has the looks, he's still self-conscious about his body. He picked a mint-green shirt and white baggy shorts to go along. Cole, on the other hand, cares little for his self-image. One of the reasons he wanted to go to the beach is that he could get a tan. He might have earned a hefty mass these past few months but they aren't that visible with his pasty complexion. Sunbathing will change that.
The beach stretches out for miles along the Eastern coast of the island. It's still a distance away though, so Ken and Cole hitched a ride from a passing train car.
They reached the place a few minutes later, feeling refreshed from the Pina Colada given to them by a guide. Courtesy of the destination, the blonde twink said. The beach is like your ordinary beach, except that this one stretches beyond the horizon. The length, however, did little to mask the numerous people lounging on the beach. There are men of all ages and sizes, ranging from old people in their wheelchairs to little runts chasing each other underneath their father's legs. Some are lounging in the sand, bathing their bodies in the radiant light of the sun. Some are on the beach, swimming and surfing with the waves. What bothered the two is this strange behavior from the men emerging from the water. Some of the men would dip their entire bodies in the water, and emerge out seconds later while groping their body in its nooks and crannies. Weirdly, one guy was doing it. So, it's even weirder when there's a handful of them doing the same thing.
Ken and Cole passed by the welcome sign. "Body Swap Beach," it said. Strange name.
While passing, Ken noticed a series of signboards listing the rules and regulations of the beach. They are your typical ones like lifeguards on duty, do not swim far, do not swim after you eat, and other such and whatnot. But the list kept on going and Ken kept on reading. The second board dialed the weirdness to a hundred. It depicted drawings of people with souls going out of their bodies and entering another. The rules and regulations say,
"Guides to Body Swap Beach.
'Have the experience of a lifetime thanks to the mystical waters of the island!'
'To swap bodies with the other patrons, dip your entire body in the water. You will swap with another person who dipped at the same time as you. Do not fret. The swap can get disorienting but remain calm. Panicking can cause you to drown.'
'If you and your partner want to swap longer, consult with one of the beach lifeguards. An extension can last a few hours to a permanent change.'
'Due to cases in the past where guests impersonated island staff, lifeguards are immune from body swaps. Although, the safeguards are in their beta stage so it might not work most of the time. If it happened, consult with an official to have it sorted out.'"
Ken motioned to Cole, his eyes still reading the sign twice over, "Are you seeing this?"
Cole took one look at the giant word wall, "Yeah. I'm not reading that. Also, could you hurry it up? I just saw someone leave their beach bed." Cole ran towards the empty bed and jumped on it before the prior person returned. A resort official walked closer and asked if Cole wanted to get lotioned. Of course, he said yes. You can't tan yourself without getting a dollop of SPF on your skin. He wants a tan, not skin cancer. The official squeezed a mound of lotion from the bottle on his belt and spread the oily concoction all over Cole's skin. The official covered Cole's body within seconds. He’s been doing this for a good while. With that, Cole popped the attached earpiece from his Misfit Phone and played some tunes. The warmth of the sun and the light salty breeze of the ocean lulled him into a blissful sleep.
As for Ken, he just finished reading the sign for the fourth time, and there is still no sign of it making any sense. When he looked for Cole, he already found him sleeping. His body is getting a bit pink from the sun, but his head is safe from the shape of a nearby parasol. Ken came to the beach to play in the crashing waves. It's a bummer that he can't do it with Cole.
Ken stepped out of the boardwalk and into the warm sands on his unblemished feet. The sand is coarse and warm, it's a gritty particle rubbing between toes. Even alone, he knew he could enjoy himself in the waters. He ran as fast as his legs could take. It's a bit of a chore since the sand is dampening his gait. Once he reached the border between land and sea, he jumped as high as he could and came crashing down on the pristine waters of the beach.
The waters felt… strange? It feels like water but at the same time, it's like fizzy air. Imagine pouring a cold cola on a cup and having the back of your hand cover the brim. That's what it feels like. What came after felt even weirder. Ken opened his eyes but there's only darkness. He could feel the wet sand on his feet and the strange water around his body. But there is only him and darkness in his eyes. Ken remembered the sign, it said that going into the water can be disorienting. Ken held his breath, his heartbeat steadily beating, and kept the calmness in his mind. Just as he did, the world around him appeared once more. The clear waters of the beach projected before him. He could see the wet sand sifting between his toes. But wait… Ken thought that the strangeness would stop as soon as he regained his vision but it seems it has only begun. Those feet- it's not his. Definitely not his. Ken quickly paddled himself back to the shore and he did, he saw the entirety of the change that befell on his form.