Still nervous from having his thoughts read aloud by this mind-reading salesman, Eric ran a trembling hand over the plastic-wrapped clothes. A simple pair of overalls caught his attention - they showed signs of fading and patches sewn on haphazardly.
They looked big enough to fit his older, overweight frame. "Hey, Jim," he said, raising an eyebrow, "how's this supposed to be worn by a kid? I could fit into one of these!"
Jim remained unfazed. "I wouldn’t be so sure if I didn’t try them on first."
He crossed his arms, a knowing grin spreading drew on his face as he turned his gaze toward the fitting room.
There was a hypnotic quality to the way Jim spoke that really mesmerized Eric. He felt a strange energy from Jim that disarmed the usually snarky, full-grown man.
There was a hypnotic quality to the way Jim spoke that seemed to mesmerize Eric. He felt a strange, disarming energy from Jim that softened the usually snarky, full-grown man.
"W-well, if you say so…" Eric gulped nervously. He made his way into the changing room, sighing as he finally escaped Jim’s overwhelming presence. Now he was free to try on the overalls and see what all the fuss was about.
Eric quickly unbuckled the overalls, feeling the touch of the cool metal fasteners.
He eased his right leg in first - so far everything seemed normal. Then, he tugged at his left leg, the flexible fabric stretching comfortably over his against stout thighs, with the bib pocket at the front gently pressing against his belly.
Like a second instinct, Eric slipped the straps of his overalls over his shoulders. He’d finally finished putting them on, but as he looked at his reflection - still the same old face looked back. He shook his head, saying "Of course I didn’t change. What was I even thinking?"
Then a sudden tingling caught his attention. His jaw dropped at the sight of the hair at the crown of his head, which had been receding, began to grow back, and the gray strands gradually darkened to a richer black.
His wrinkled skin began to soften, tightening up from its sagging state and looking healthier. Aging spots that had splattered across his body were covered with a smooth, even tan.
"Well, this is a pleasant surprise," Eric said with a smile. He reached over the fabric that had stretched tight against his belly, feeling it retreat - the remaining fat bunched and clomped into toned six-pack abs. He flexed his flopping biceps, watching as they firmed up into something worth envying.
Eric admired and flexed before the mirror. He’d walked in as a stout, older man, now a younger man in his thirties looked back at him, standing tall and proud. He chuckled with an intoxicating sense of pride as he watched his overalls strain desperately against his newfound pectorals instead of his former weight.
A reality check came in the form of a second wave of changes. Eric snapped out of his daze as to his horror time was still winding back. He ran his hands over his stubbled chin, feeling the roughness fade as the hair absorbed back into his skin, leaving his younger face smooth. The muscles he proudly flexed began to lose their volume, giving his overalls a much-needed break from their strained appearance. The tan that had complemented his physique was quickly being replaced by an increasingly pale complexion, undoing years of sunbathing and outdoor workouts.
As Eric re-entered his teen years, he began to realize he wasn't just feeling younger - he was changing into a completely different person. His once neatly cut short hair, which had been dark brown, gradually grew longer and took on a blond hue he never had as a kid. His sharp jawline softened along a more rounder, childlike appearance. It was as if the signs of puberty were slowly reversing - his body hair receded little by little, until there was hardly anything left to notice.
"What the h-" Eric’s voice cracked. He reached up, clutching his throat as he felt his Adam’s apple retreating and his voice shifting into a much higher pitch. "…heck?"
His eyes widened in shock. He couldn’t be older than twelve - or less, he was still getting shorter… maybe nine? No, he looked down at the mirror and saw a little baby-toothed boy who looked no older than six years old. An unruly towhead with freckles splashed across his face, and a tiny button nose. The towering man that had walked in earlier had now been reduced into this unfamiliar boy. And strangely enough, the overalls had shrunk to fit his smaller frame.
He looked at his hands, trying to process everything. "What just happened?" He said in his new country accent.