Mike burst through the door of the apartment, his arms laden with a bulky cardboard box, the edges frayed and uneven from a multitude of careless tosses. It hit the floor with a dull thud, generating a small cloud of dust.
"Jeez, Mike, what's that?" Jeff called from the couch where he was splayed out with a game controller, the TV casting flickering lights across his grinning face.
Mike kicked off his shoes and gave the box an enthusiastic pat. "You'll never believe what I found today. Remember those Transcostumes we were talking about? I scored a box of 'em—parts of 'em, anyway—for next to nothing!"
Jeff dropped his controller, raising an eyebrow as he twisted his body around to peer over the back of the couch. "Parts? What do you mean, parts?"
"Like check it out!" Mike concealed none of his excitement as he popped open the flaps of the box, revealing a cluttered mishmash of fabric and forms. Brightly colored sleeves and intriguing mound-like lumps lay tangled with elongated sock-like coverings in a riot of vivid hues. "They're like the top and lower portions of Transcostumes."
"Top and bottom? So, what—like hoodies and pants?" Jeff cocked his head, curiosity evident despite his skepticism. "How do you even know which part makes you into what?"
"That's the thing!" Mike exclaimed, rummaging through the sartorial hodgepodge, unfurling a stunning blue top that shimmered in the light with iridescent scales. "They're not labeled. It's a complete mystery what creature or object you become."
Jeff moved closer, his fingers brushing one of the costumes that had fallen from Mike's grasp. "Aren't you worried? I mean, what if you end up looking like half a fish and maybe grow some fins or something? That sounds more like a horror flick than a fun afternoon."
Mike waved off Jeff's apprehensions with an enthusiastic grin. "No risk, no reward, right? They say the transformation is totally safe and reversible. Plus, I’m pretty sure these are just spare parts from Morphtech’s assembly line—just look at the price I got them for!"
"But what if?" Jeff pressed on, picking up a pair of fuzzy orange leggings, inspecting them as though they might spring to life at any moment. "Without the rest of the outfits, they might transform us into something…mad, like an in-between fraction of an animal or object."
Mike tossed the idea around, the doubt lingering momentarily as he eyed the chaotic rainbow pile of garments. "I think the worst that could happen is looking like a wonky Dr. Moreau experiment. And, hey, we'll be legends at every costume party in town!"
"Sure," Jeff chuckled with a pointed look. "Just don’t get stuck half-way. I’m not interested in living with an abomination."
With a chuckle, Mike grabbed a silky lavender top that whispered like a distant ocean when it moved. "Let's have some fun with these! I'm gonna be the first one to try it. What could possibly go wrong?"