Drake and Ethan made it to the campus' cavernous indoor basketball court. Though his shoes were a little snug and his clothes didn't quite fit right, Drake relished his new height.
"Hey, is there something different about you?" asked their b-ball buddy Sam. He studied Drake, trying to figure it out.
"Nope," said Drake innocently, catching the pass from Ethan and dribbling off the make another dunk.
"This is so awesome," Drake thought to himself. "I can keep this a secret...make little changes to myself...I could finally be and have everything I ever wanted!" Drake never thought much of himself--he'd always been a late bloomer and was envious of the other guys who seemed to take for granted what Drake wanted so much.
Taking a break, Drake sat down on the bleachers. Some business majors walked by, one of whom was sporting a thick five o'clock shadow. Drake reached up and felt his own chin.
"Genie," Drake said, whispering into his gym bag, trying not to draw attention to himself. The genie's head appeared inside the bag.
"Greetings mortal! I am--"
"Shh! Be quiet! I'm trying not to draw any attention to myself."
"Apologies master," said the genie without moving his lips. It occurred to Drake that he was hearing the genie's voice telepathically, in his mind.
"Wow. That's perfect, actually," Drake marveled.
"What is your wish?" echoed the voice.
"I want to be able to grow a beard like that guy over there," Drake said, nodding his head at the stubbly business major. "I mean, I want my facial hair to grow as fast and thick as his every day."
"It is done. Henceforth, you will be blessed with abundant facial hair just as you desire. Your beard will be the envy of--"
"Hey Drake!"
"Yeah, I'm coming!" Drake said quickly, zipping up the bag on the genie's surprised face.
Ethan and Drake continued to play for another half hour. Every time they stopped, Drake reached up and rubbed his chin in his hand, unable to believe it. It was becoming bristly. Drake smiled uncontrollably and, in his enthusiasm, played with even more excitement.
Ethan noticed. "Dude, what's gotten into you? You're in such a good mood. And Sam's right. Something HAS changed about you. But I can't put my finger on it..."
"Beats me," Drake shrugged.
"You ready to grab some dinner?"
"Aw, you don't wanna keep playing?"
"Dude," said Ethan, looking at his watch, "We skipped dinner because you wanted to come over here and play ball so bad. Now I'm hungry. I'm gonna clean up, Michael Jordan." Ethan smiled and rolled his eyes at Drake who continued to dribble the ball, unwilling to leave.
"Man, that's what I wish I could be someday," thought Drake, now studying the ball.
Suddenly something slammed him in the face. Drake couldn't hear for a moment and was totally stunned. When he got his bearings, his head was spinning and four gym rats ran past him with the basketball they just threw at his face.
"Excuse me!" said Drake. "I was--"
"Excuuuuse me!" said one in a high-pitched mocking tone. They were well over six feet and had ridiculously disproportionate upper bodies--bar bodies--he'd heard someone call them. Guys who were only concerned that their biceps and pecs would strain against their extra small t-shirts.
"You can't just steal my spot!" said Drake, puffing his chest out and speaking in a deeper voice.
"We just did!" said another, who then proceeded to call Drake a series of disgusting names.
Drake, defeated, angrily stormed off the court and grabbed his bag.
"Dammit," he swore, muttering to himself. "I wish I was bigger. I mean REALLY, REALLY big. Then I'd show them."
"It is done," said a voice in his head.
"Oh no," Drake thought rapidly. "I forgot to dismiss the genie when I made my last wish--he's still out of the bottle!"
"No, genie!" he shouted, not caring who heard him. He fumbled blindly for the zipper of his sports bag. "I'm done! I didn't mean for you to--I don't want anymore wishes, I didn't mean for you to answer--"
But the tiny zipper was impossible to grasp. The bag was shrinking rapidly. No, HE was growing!
"Aaaaagh!" shouted Drake as his clothes and shoes strained to hold themselves together. They soon failed and fell off Drake's naked body in tatters. "What's happening to me?!" Drake bellowed. Everyone in the gym screamed and began to run out in terror. 10 feet, 15 feet, 20 feet...His head reached the ceiling of the huge indoor gym and the college co-eds running on the indoor track above the basketball courts screamed as well and ran much faster for the doors.
"No! No! Someone help me!" Drake shouted, his massive bare feet slapping against the creaking wood floor. The growing stopped. Drake stood, panting. He looked down at his body, at his feet, and at the shreds of clothes he outgrew just moments ago.
The tingling feeling began anew.
"No! It's happening again! It's not stopping!" The side of Drake's face was pressed against the ceiling. It suddenly occurred to him to kneel down. His knees continued to grow and skidded outward along the floor, knocking people over. His feet slammed against the doors and soon, people next to him were trapped, unable to get past Drake to escape through the far doors.
And Drake was still growing. His head hit the ceiling again, so, with difficult, he blindly rolled over on his back, hoping he wasn't crushing anybody. The back of his neck was pressed up against the wall and his chin was pressed down uncomfortably onto his chest. He was trying to scrunch himself into a ball, when suddenly...
The growing seemed to have finally stopped.
"Genie! Genie!" he shouted, the vibrations of which shook the walls and floor. "Undo this! Make me smaller!"
There was no answer. The tiny people the size of G.I. Joe action figures continued to scream. Drake realized suddenly that, as he began to grow, he had been careless with his words.
"I told the genie I didn't want any more wishes," Drake said softly, but in his giant voice everyone heard him easily. Fear filled him and his heart raced, the noise of which echoed in the gym.
Suddenly, Ethan ran out from the locker room. He stopped and stared at his best friend. His mouth hung open.
"Ethan!" roared Drake, his eyes wide and fixed on the tiny friend. Ethan and everybody else trapped in the gym cowered in fear and covered their ears.
"Ethan!" Drake said again in an attempt at a softer voice.
"Drake! What--what the--what HAPPENED TO YOU?!"
"Ethan! I think I'm stuck like this!"
"What do you mean stuck like this?! How did that happen to you?"
"It was a genie! In a lamp. It's in my gym bag! I need for you to wish me smaller! I can't be stuck like this! This isn't what I wanted! HELP! PLEASE!"
The roar of panic shook the gym again. "Keep it together Drake! You're going to make us all go deaf! Where's your gym bag?"
"I dunno," said Drake, trying to turn his head to help look for it. "It's down there somewhere. It's red." Drake managed to turn his head and see the little crowd of people trapped on the other side of him. Three of the gym rats were among them, eyes wide, faces pale.
Ethan ran up to Drake. "Just hold still, okay! I don't want you squashing me! DON'T. MOVE."
"I won't! I swear!"
Ethan muttered to himself, looking uncomfortably at his helpless friend. "Damn, you could have at least kept your underwear on."
"This isn't funny! Do you think I LIKE having everybody see me like this?!"
"Okay, okay!"
It didn't take long before Ethan saw what looked like the flattened remains of Drake's bag poking out from under Drake's towering thigh.
"Umm, Drake..."
"Do you see it?"
"Yeah, I see it...but I don't think I've got very good news for you, buddy."