Sam sighed in frustration as he navigated the bustling mall with Kenith and his little friends running in all directions, their laughter echoing through the crowded space. Sam had been dragged into this—taking eight six-year-olds to the movies—by their mom, and it was driving him mad. He had wanted to be at his friend’s party, enjoying a carefree day of fun, but instead, here he was, herding a group of overexcited kids dressed up in superhero costumes.
Kenith, as always, was full of energy, skipping beside him in his Batman costume. His excitement was infectious, but Sam couldn’t help but feel irritated. Every five seconds, one of the kids would run off, shout something ridiculous, or make fart noises that only they found hilarious. It was like trying to manage chaos itself.
“Thanks for taking us, Sam!” Kenith chirped for what seemed like the fifth time. “You’re way cooler than a parent taking us. I know you’d rather be at your friend’s party, but you’re being the world’s best brother!”
Despite his annoyance, Sam couldn’t help but smile at his little brother’s words. Kenith always had a way of making him feel like the best big brother in the world, and even though it was hard work, Sam did love making his little bro happy. He loved the moments when Kenith looked up to him, and it made him feel responsible, like he was really important in his little brother’s life. But man, it was a lot of work.
Just as he was starting to feel a small sense of pride, Kenith suddenly broke away from him, running ahead and tackling one of his friends in the middle of the mall. The two of them, dressed as tiny superheroes, began play-fighting in the walkway, pretending to be Batman and whoever the other kid was dressed as. The scene was both adorable and chaotic, but to the older shoppers passing by, it looked like a disaster waiting to happen.
“Kenith!” Sam called, rushing over to pull his brother and the other boy apart. “Sorry!” he said hastily to an elderly woman giving them a disapproving glare. Sam sighed, pulling the two boys back in line. “Come on, guys, let’s try to get to the cinema without breaking anything, okay?”
The other six-year-olds were running around, laughing, and shouting, making every kind of noise from fake burps to loud, exaggerated farts. It was chaos. Every time Sam thought he had a handle on them, one would dart off in another direction. Why did Mom think a twelve-year-old could manage this? He felt like he was babysitting a circus.
But then, as Sam was wrangling another kid who had wandered off toward the candy shop, something strange happened. He felt… different. A weird sensation crept over him, starting from his toes and rushing through his body like an electric current. Before he could process what was happening, his body began to shrink. He could hear his own heartbeat in his ears as he looked down and saw himself getting shorter, smaller, younger.
"What the—" Sam started, his voice higher than usual.
Then he heard it—Kenith’s unmistakable giggle.
“Kenith!” Sam shouted, grabbing his brother’s Batman cape. “What the hell, man!?”
Kenith, still laughing, turned to face his now eight-year-old brother. “You looked bored and sad, so I thought turning you eight and making you wear a cool Spider-Man costume would make it more fun,” Kenith said with a grin.
Sam glanced down at himself, and sure enough, he was now eight years old, wearing a Spider-Man costume that fit him perfectly. His initial shock and anger began to fade as the excitement of being a kid again started to wash over him. As much as he hated to admit it, part of him did feel more excited about the superhero movie now.
“I’ll change you back after the movie, I promise,” Kenith added, still grinning mischievously. “I just wanted you to have fun.”
Sam let out a deep sigh, feeling both annoyed and a bit amused. His little brother was still clever, even if he looked and acted like a six-year-old most of the time. “Fine,” Sam relented, rubbing his forehead. “But you’ve gotta get your friends to stop running around and messing with everything.”
Kenith’s eyes lit up with a kind of authoritative glee. “Easy!” he said, and with a sudden shout, Kenith called out, “Soldiers, line up!”
Amazingly, the seven other six-year-olds immediately snapped to attention, forming a line in front of Kenith as if he were their commander. They saluted him, standing at mock attention, their silly expressions betraying the seriousness of the game they were playing.
Kenith, taking on the role of the drill sergeant, paced in front of them, inspecting each one with exaggerated disapproval. “I’ve never seen such a mess of dirty, silly soldiers in my life!” he barked, causing the kids to giggle. “Straighten up! We’ve got a movie to march to!”
Sam, now watching this unfold from his new eight-year-old perspective, couldn’t help but smile. Kenith had managed to turn the chaos into a game that somehow worked. The kids were all playing along, marching in line toward the cinema like a troop of tiny superheroes, following Kenith’s every command.
And to Sam’s surprise, being eight wasn’t so bad. As they walked toward the cinema, he found himself laughing at the jokes the kids made, finding their energy infectious. By the time they got into the theater, he was just as excited about the movie as the rest of them. The superhero film was everything they had hoped for, and by the end, Sam had forgotten all about his frustrations from earlier in the day.
When their parents picked them up after the movie, everyone was in high spirits, especially Kenith. And as soon as they got home, Kenith pulled out his phone and changed Sam back into a twelve-year-old with the press of a button.
Sam stretched his arms and legs, grateful to be back in his older body, but surprisingly, he didn’t feel as annoyed as he thought he would. “It was an okay day,” he admitted, smirking at his little brother. “Thanks, Kenith. But next time you turn me into something without asking, I swear I’m taking that phone from you.”
Kenith rolled his eyes, a mischievous grin on his face. “Oh, please. I might look and act like a six-year-old, but I’m smarter than you. I’ve made it so only I can use this phone.” He handed it to Sam with a cheeky grin. “Go ahead, try.”
Sam grabbed the phone, but as soon as he did, his body tensed. He couldn’t move, as if an invisible force had frozen him in place. No matter how hard he tried, his body wouldn’t allow him to take the phone. It was like he was being controlled from within.
Kenith giggled, taking the phone back effortlessly. “See? Told you. Only I can use it.”
Sam shook his head, feeling a mix of frustration and admiration. “You’re impossible,” he muttered, but deep down, he couldn’t help but be a little impressed by his little brother’s cleverness.
Kenith smiled, putting the phone away. “I know. But I’m still the best little brother, right?”
Sam chuckled, ruffling Kenith’s hair. “Yeah, yeah. You are. But seriously, no more surprises without asking, okay?”
“Deal,” Kenith said, flashing a mischievous grin.
As they both settled in for the night, Sam couldn’t help but reflect on the day. It had been chaotic, frustrating, and more than a little ridiculous—but it had also been fun. And even though Kenith drove him crazy sometimes, Sam was glad to have him as a brother. Even if that brother had the power to change reality with the tap of a screen.
As the house grew quiet and the two brothers went to bed, they both knew one thing for sure: life was never going to be boring with Kenith around.
And for now, that was just fine.