Standing there, staring at his 12-year-old body in the mirror, an idea came to Jim. He wanted to try changing his age.
He was curious to see what he would look like when he was older, but first, he thought he might try getting younger. He figured it might be fun to see himself as a little kid again, just for a little while.
He inflated the balloon with several breaths and said the magic words, “Control my age.” Then, he slowly let air seep out of the balloon.
At first, the changes were hardly noticeable. Jim felt as though he were gradually sitting down, as everything around him was rising higher. Then, he noticed his clothes started to feel looser on him. Looking at his reflection, he could see his face rounding out. He stopped letting air out to examine himself.
By his reckoning, he was now only a gradeschooler, maybe 10 years old. He guessed he was a few inches smaller now, which was disconcerting considering that he was already short for his age. In spite of that, he decided to keep going. He wanted to see what he looked like when he was even younger.
Jim let out more air, and again he felt that strange shrinking sensation. Staring at his reflection, he watched as he grew smaller and more childish. In moments, he was younger than his 9-year-old sister. Suddenly, his pants slipped off his skinny waist leaving him naked except for his T-shirt. Again, he stopped the balloon from deflating.
Looking at the cute kid he had become in the mirror, Jim recognized his 7-year-old self.
“Wow, I look like a first grader,” he said and then giggled as he heard how squeaky and childish his voice sounded. He stepped out of his pants and looked at his small feet. They seemed so close now compared to when he was 12. He guessed he was only about 4 feet tall, a real shrimp. Next, he checked out his crotch and frowned to see that his developing manhood had dwindled down to a tiny boyhood.
Looking at the balloon, in his tiny hand, Jim considered for a moment what to do next. Would he stay this age for a while? Did he want to try getting any younger? Or would he try getting older now?