Jeff and Riley stared at the strange program Jeff had pulled up on the computer, a shimmering blue interface that pulsed with an eerie, almost hypnotic glow. The software that had transformed Jeff into Riley was now open before them, and Riley’s eyes lit up with the possibilities. Jeff, still in Riley’s 10-year-old body, felt his stomach twist. He knew this was going to get messy, and now that his younger brother was in control, there was no telling what would happen.
Riley, still grinning mischievously, rubbed his hands together like a villain in one of his favorite cartoons. "Alright, Jeff. Let’s see how this works." His voice was filled with excitement as he scrolled through the options.
Jeff, standing beside him, could barely keep his nerves in check. "Riley, I don’t know if this is such a good idea. Maybe we should just—"
"Relax, brother," Riley interrupted, throwing Jeff a side glance that sent a shiver down his spine. "You wanted us to bond, right? Well, we’re going to bond all right, but on my terms now." He clicked a few buttons, and Jeff saw his own name pop up on the screen under the “Transformation Target” menu.
Before Jeff could object, Riley grinned wider and clicked on it. The program whirred to life, and within seconds, the familiar blue light enveloped Riley's small form. His ten-year-old body shimmered and flickered, morphing and stretching as the transformation began. Jeff watched in shock as Riley’s small, athletic frame elongated, growing taller, broader, and older.
Riley gasped as he felt his body change, his muscles expanding, his voice deepening, and his vision clearing. It was like waking up into a completely new world—everything felt different. The weight of a 16-year-old body settled around him, and his mind, once scattered with the chaotic thoughts of a child, suddenly became calm, composed, and more focused. It was like the noise inside his head had quieted down. He loved it.
As the transformation completed, Riley looked down at himself, now standing in Jeff’s 16-year-old body. He stretched out his arms, flexing his new muscles, and smirked. "Whoa, this feels awesome," he said, his voice now deep and smooth. He turned toward the new Riley—Jeff, still stuck in his 10-year-old body—who was watching in stunned silence.
"Riley," Jeff stammered, his small voice cracking as he tried to process what had just happened. "This isn’t what I—"
"Oh, but it is," Riley—now in Jeff’s body—interrupted, the grin on his face showing just how much he was enjoying this. "You’re the one who wanted to swap places, to bond with me. Now it’s my turn to see what it’s like being the older brother." He moved closer, towering over Jeff’s smaller form, enjoying the height advantage he now had. "And I gotta say, this feels way better than I imagined."
Jeff’s heart raced, panic bubbling up inside him. "Wait, Riley, you can’t just—"
"Sure I can," Riley interrupted again, his tone casual but with a dark undercurrent. He placed a heavy hand on Jeff’s small shoulder, gripping it tightly. "You wanted to be me, right? Well, now you are. And guess what? I think I’ll keep things like this for a while."
Jeff’s eyes widened in disbelief. "You can’t be serious!"
Riley—now Jeff—leaned down to meet Jeff’s gaze, his blue eyes sparkling with a mixture of mischief and excitement. "Oh, I’m dead serious. I’m loving this. My head’s not all messy anymore. It’s so… quiet." He tilted his head, inspecting his new body with satisfaction. "You never told me how good it feels to be a teenager. No more annoying little kid stuff, no more being told what to do. This is perfect."
"But… I’m stuck like this!" Jeff protested, feeling a sharp pang of regret for ever showing Riley the program. "You can’t just leave me like this! I’m you—I mean, I’m ten!"
Riley stepped back and laughed. "That’s the beauty of it, little bro. You get to be me for a while, just like you wanted." He winked, a cruel edge to his playful demeanor. "But now, I’m Jeff, and you’re my little brother. And don’t worry, I’ll take good care of you."
Before Jeff could say anything else, Riley—now fully embracing his new role as the 16-year-old—turned and pushed him out of the room with a surprising amount of force. "Now run along," he said, smirking. "I have some ‘big brother’ things to do." With that, Riley slammed the door behind him, leaving Jeff standing in the hallway, dazed and confused.
Jeff blinked, staring at the closed door in disbelief. His heart was pounding, his palms sweaty. Everything had spiraled out of control so quickly. He reached up to touch his face, feeling the roundness of his cheeks, the youthful smoothness of his skin. He really was stuck in Riley’s body—a 10-year-old’s body. And now Riley was in his.
He knocked on the door, panic rising in his chest. "Riley! Open the door! We need to talk about this!"
But inside, Riley was already rummaging through Jeff’s belongings, completely ignoring his pleas. He loved the feeling of being older, stronger, more in control. The chaos of being a kid was gone, replaced with the calm confidence that came with age. Riley grinned as he pulled on Jeff’s favorite hoodie, glancing at himself in the mirror. He looked just like Jeff used to—only now, he was the one behind the eyes.
Jeff pounded on the door again, his small fists barely making a sound against the heavy wood. "Riley, please! You can’t just—"
The door remained locked, and Riley—now fully comfortable in his new body—smirked as he stretched out on the bed, feeling completely at ease. "Looks like I’m the big brother now, Jeff," he muttered to himself, closing his eyes with a satisfied sigh.
Jeff, standing outside in the hallway, felt a deep pit of dread forming in his stomach. Riley wasn’t planning to switch back. He was stuck like this, and his little brother—no, his older brother now—had all the control.
And as the realization sunk in, Jeff slumped to the floor, his back against the door, feeling more trapped and powerless than he ever had before.