Lying in total darkness in the back room of the school storage, trapped in a bag full of other jockstraps, Ryan didn't know how much time had passed. Hours? Days?
In that time, he finally began to accept the fact that he'd remain this way, a bunch of elastic and mesh, for as long as he could manage to last without falling apart--what Ryan imagined would be "dying" if a jockstrap even could die.
He also took some time to feel around his new body. Nope. Without muscles, movement was impossible. Somehow, though, he could still hear and smell and see. He retained all his human senses even though he was only a jockstrap.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of whispers.
There was more noise as the chain on the door sounded like it was being unlocked. Then Ryan heard the door swing open.
"I can't believe you stole the key. What if the coach finds out?" said Carter.
"It doesn't matter," said Horst. "We've gotta try and find Ryan and the assistant coach said he took all the jocks from the lost and found and put them back here."
"Can you believe it? Vinnie put Ryan in the lost and found! He may not even be back here! That little punk--I shoulda..."
"Don't even think about it. Unless you want to end up a pair of tighty-whiteys. That dweeb turned Ryan into a jockstrap, don't think he won't do the same thing to you if he got the chance."
"Carter! Horst!" Ryan shouted as loudly as he could--which wasn't very loud considering jockstraps have no vocal chords.
"What are we gonna do if we DO find him?" asked Carter, not hearing Ryan.
"We take him to Vinnie and make him change Ryan back."
Ryan shouted again, hoping somehow they might hear him. He heard a lot of shuffling around him.
"But," said Carter, "What if he doesn't? Or what if he can't?"
The shuffling stopped. It sounded like Horst was trying to think of what to say.
"Well," he said, "We give him to his parents. Or we take care of him. Something. We just can't leave him here, not with all the freaks who'd probably love to use Ryan Standish as their personal..." Horst broke off and made a wretching noise.
All of the sudden, the top of the back opened and Ryan was looking up at Horst's huge face.
"Bingo! Here they are."
"Horst! It's me! I'm right here!" said Ryan.
Horst dumped the contents, Ryan included, onto the dirty floor and the two guys began inspecting the speedos and jockstraps and sports socks.
"See him?"
"Uhh...I dunno. What exactly does Ryan look like?"
"Umm. A plain white jockstrap?"
Carter picked up Ryan in his thick hand and studied him carefully.
"Guys! I'm here! Horst! Carter! It's me, Ryan!"
"WHOA! Hey Horst, I think I found him!" Horst looked over at the jockstrap Carter was holding in his hand. Sure enough, it was Ryan. In the mesh pouch of the jockstrap, Ryan's face could JUST be seen mouthing their names.
"RYAN!" said Horst, "Oh man, I'm glad you're...well...you're okay!"
"Guys!" smiled Ryan, "Get me out of here!"
Carter piped in. "We're gonna try and fix you Ryan. Dude...you look like you've been through a lot." Carter wrinkled his nose. Ryan realized he must be covered in filth, but he didn't care. He knew his friends would take care of him.
"Don't worry man," said Horst. "We're not gonna let you out of our sight this time. That little dweeb--"
"What's going on here?"
Horst and Carter jumped in surprise at the sound of the new voice. They turned to the door. It was...