You decide to try out the Ageression Coaster. A choice food as any, and the name intrigues you. There's just three other people and line and you'll pass the time while waiting for your friends. Or rather, waiting for a slot at the roller coaster design computer. It looked fun but that booth solely had five places. Besides, you already know of theses simulation programmes and games. You've played a few of these 'design your own coasters and theme parks' games before. The one at this carnival probably isn't what it’s all cracked up to be. You'll enjoy a few actual rides and then return to the computer room and ask the others if the simulator is any good. You can tell them what the rides are like.
The Ageression is a closed ride, with paintings representing different stages of childhood, from babies to about ten years of age, with the typical activities of each age. The ride itself has illustrations of the same sort, from babies playing with rattles up front to boys playing football and girls doing ballet or laying tennis at the end. Two other teens sit up front so you get a bit behind, whee the pictures representing toddlers are. The other person, a girl in her twenties, sits a few seats behind you. The ride starts and it goes around a track where different smells greet your nostrils: play-dough, bubble-gym, cotton candy,... On the walls, moving pictures, quite stylish, appear and move swiftly, displaying a book opening with fairy tales characters, teddy bears dancing, swings, bedrooms with amazing toys, old-fashioned toys as well,... It was nice to see all those things, even if the ride wasn't the fastest or the most interesting. It was quite artistic and not bad either. At the very end of the ride, out of nowhere, a thick blue and pink smoke fell on you. You all coughed and sort of felt dizzy. Like you were tumbling down a dark hole, the world spinning around you.
When the world finally stops spinning, you notice weird things. The ride looks much, much bigger. Everything does. And your jeans are on the floor. How did they fall off? And how did your sweatshirt get so baggy? Or its sleeves so long? You try to stand up but quickly understand your motor skills are way off. You flail around and then hear cries from the front and a terrified shriek from behind. You see a panicked girl of seven rush out of the ride, scared mindless and her shirt too large and acting like a dress on her frame. However, she is caught easily by a large carnie and placed under his arm to hold her. She screams and kicks but of course it doesn't do anything. Another carnie goes up front and rummages through a pile of clothes retrieving two babies. Or rather infants, because they must not be more than a few months of age. No need for restraints for them. They are weak and simply held one in each arm by the carnie. As for you, the first carnie goes straight at you and removes your sweatshirt. Your body is that of a toddler. It can't be! You shout out your protest but it only comes out as mispronounced words and sounds. The carnie grabs you under the arms and both he and his pal go though the ride, taking hidden doors and passages. A third one removes the clothes and puts them in a plastic bag before following. The girl cries and hiccoughs and frankly, you feel like doing the same. She asks where they are taking all of you and why. She also says she doesn't want to be a kid. The carnie just answers that you're all going to be adopted in a few hours. In a hidden room, the carnies dress you in an old but clean pyjama, two legless onesies for the babies and nothing for the girl as she still has her shirt on. Then milk is forced into your mouths, through a sippie cup for you, a glass for he girl under threat of punishment if she doesn't obey and through bottles for the two infants. You are then placed in cages, except the babies who are in simple baby carriers. They both fall asleep and you wonder how they can possibly think of that when yourself you feel your eyes shut and put your thumb in your mouth as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Quickly, you sink into a slumber, while the girl nest to you yawns and follows your lead.
You wake up slowly when you hear voices around you. There are more lights too. Around your cage, lots of strange people chat, laugh and look at you. They have wide smiles and do not hesitate to reach through the cages to pat your head, tease you, chuck you under the chin, tell you sweet words of nothing like whether you'd like a candy or some hugs and kisses and gush at how adorable you are. The others face the same treatment, with the babies faring the worst. They can't move away when these strange people coo at hem, grab their hands or tickle them on the legs and feet, gushing at their reactions.
Suddenly, a woman in a cocktail dress claps her hands and announces that the presentations and auctions are about to begin. You suddenly feel very afraid. Who will want to adopt you? Who will you go to a new unknown home with? How can you make sense of it all with your head so fuzzy?