The door edged open.
It was Dustin.
“Hi there, you must be little Dustin” he said to this little lad that looked about 10 years old “I’m Ty’s older brother, Simon.” He lied.
“Come in” replied Dustin, “I’m not sure where Ty is, but you can certainly wait for him.”
Ty squeezed through the door, which seemed a lot smaller than before and Dustin took him into the kitchen.
“Mom, this is Ty’s older brother, Simon”
“oh, hi Simon,” answered June, puzzled “nice to meet you. Its funny, over the 4 years that Ty has lived here he’s never mentioned having an older brother. But
there is no mistaking it, you look exactly like him, only a little older, and bigger.”
“Yeah, we got separated a while back, but we’ve been keeping touch by letter. We’re very close!” said Ty. “Would you mind if I look at Ty’s room? I’d like to
see where he’s sleeping, I’ve heard so much about it.”
“Course not” replied June “Dustin will take you, wont you Dustin?”
“Yes Mom, come on Simon, I’ll show you.” Ty followed Dustin up the stairs as if he hadn’t a clue where he was going.
“How old do you think I am?” Dustin asked Ty “Go on, be honest”
“Err, I don’t know, 8, 9 maybe?”
“no, I’m 16. Your brother did something to me, don’t ask me what, and I’ve been getting younger ever since. I know this sounds crazy, but it’s the truth.”
“I believe you, Dustin, come on, let’s go into Ty’s room, I think I have something to tell you.”
Ty led Dustin into the room and closed the door after himself.
“Sit on the bed” Ty said “what I have to tell you may take a while.”
He started his story:
“A few days ago I found an old crystal. It was hidden in the dirt under that tree outside. I cleaned it up, polished it like you wouldn’t believe. After I polished it,
when it was gleaming whatever I suggested to happen, would happen. Its me Dustin, I’m Ty.”
“What???” gasped Dustin, “it can’t be, you must be nearly 30, and what, 400 pounds or more! Change me back please, I’m just getting younger and younger. In a
couple of days I’ll be a little baby, I don’t want that, and I’m sure you don’t. It’ll be like you’ve killed me. I promise never to make fun of you, or taunt you again
Ty, I mean it” He pleaded
“Look Dustin, here’s the crystal” replied Ty pulling it out of his skin-tight jeans, “do whatever you want with it. It wouldn’t work for me earlier, maybe its because
its got dull again, I don’t know. Try cleaning it up, that may work.” He said handing it to Dustin.
Dustin grabbed the crystal. “thanks Ty, let me give it a go” he said polishing it on his T-shirt.
“Is that what it looked like once you had polished it?” he asked Ty.
“Yeah, pretty much the same. Now try to change yourself back, go on. All you have to do is just say it.”
“Ok, I’ll try. Make me 16, make me 16….”
Before Ty’s eyes Dustin was starting to get older.
“YES!!” cried Dustin, “Its worked!”
“Good” said Ty, “Do you think it would work for me?”
“Probably, what did you do to get that big? Did you say that you wanted to be 400 pounds?”
“No, I just said I wanted to be big, that’s all. I’ve learned my lesson now though. You really have to be careful what you say.”
“Ok, I’ll let you try to get back, but first watch out of the window, I’ll be right back.” And with that Dustin ran out of the room. Ty was watching out of the
window, Dustin was nowhere to be seen. When Dustin did re-appear he was carrying something. Ty couldn’t quite make out what it was.
Dustin walked to right below the bedroom window and lay the crystal on the ground. He lifted the object, that he’d just fetched, high above his head. Ty could
now just make it out, it was a hammer. With one swing Dustin brought the hammer down on top of the crystal, smashing it into millions of shards.
“NO!!!” cried Ty, but it was too late.
Ty waddled out of the bedroom to the sounds of Dustin laughing.
As Ty got downstairs Dustin was just coming from the kitchen, he held out a few of the shards of crystal.
“There you go Ty, there’s your crystal back, I guarantee it won’t work now!” laughed Dustin.
“What’s the problem here?” asked June “What have you got there Dustin? Give it to me.”
“Ok Mom, it was rubbish anyway.” Replied Dustin.
“June don’t, I need that, would you give it to me?” asked Ty.
“Its rubbish Simon, you don’t need that.” Answered June , throwing the shards away into the bin.
“Please June, look at me, it’s me, Ty” by this time he was almost crying.
“I know its you Ty, I could tell what was happening when Dustin began changing, it was like history repeating itself.”
“What do you mean?” asked Ty, “I don’t understand.”
“Well..” began June “a long time ago, when both Mark and I were a lot younger, before we had Dustin, my great-grandmother gave me that same crystal just
before she died. She was a white witch, and she always told me to use the crystal only for good, not for messing about with like you have done. Dustin was only
reversing what you had done, and now the crystal is gone for good. I’m just glad that Dustin could reverse what you had done, otherwise he would have been gone
for good. I think this way everyone’s happy. You could get used to looking like that.”
“I don’t want to get used to it though.” Replied Ty, “Look, when I walk I wobble like a jelly, I’m round, I desperately need new clothes, these one’s of Mark’s are
too small. Help me please.”
“Here” answered June, reaching into her bag “here’s $350, with that you can get yourself some new clothes, and start a new life. Just don’t tell Mark what I’ve
done, he’ll hit the roof if he finds out that I’ve given you $350.”
With that Ty walked to the front door, he looked back to see if June could do anything, June shook her head.
Dustin opened the door for Ty.
“See you around blubber-bucket!” Dustin Said, patting Ty’s inflated gut.