looked at Mr. Krebs, surprised by his sudden request. "Are you serious?" I asked, not sure if he was joking or not.
"Absolutely," he said with a big smile on his face. "I've always wanted to be young again, and if this machine can do it, why not?"
I hesitated for a moment, not sure if I wanted to risk experimenting on a person. But the excitement of seeing the machine in action was too tempting. "Okay," I said finally. "But I have to warn you, Mr. Krebs. We've never tested this machine on a human before. It could be dangerous."
"I trust you, Jake," he said, patting me on the back. "Let's do it!"
I pressed the button labeled "Revert" and Mr. Krebs stepped onto the machine platform. He took off his shirt, revealing his massive muscles, and I couldn't help but stare in awe. He looked like a bodybuilder with his blonde hair, stubble, and blue eyes.
"Ready?" I asked, trying to focus on the task at hand.
"Ready," he said, flexing his biceps.
I pressed the "Start" button and the machine hummed to life. I watched as Mr. Krebs' body started to shrink before my eyes. His muscles began to shrink, his chest and abs deflating as the machine worked its magic. It was like watching a balloon slowly lose air.
His arms, once bulging with muscle, now looked like thin sticks, his shoulders and back losing their definition. His six-pack abs vanished, leaving his stomach flat and unremarkable. Even his neck, which had been thick and muscular, now looked like a toothpick.
In just a few minutes, Mr. Krebs had gone from a massive bodybuilder to a skinny 18-year-old. He looked up at me with a stunned expression on his face.
"What happened?" he asked, his voice higher and more youthful.
I realized that I had accidentally hit the "Revert" button instead of the "Grow" button. The machine had reversed Mr. Krebs' age, but not in the way he had hoped.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Krebs," I said, feeling guilty. "I hit the wrong button. You're younger, but not in the way you wanted."
He looked down at his body, still in shock. "I can't believe it," he said, touching his chest and stomach. "I'm so skinny!"
I felt bad for him. He had trusted me, and I had messed up. But at the same time, I couldn't help but be amazed by the machine's power.