Feeling strange and confused the world seems to be swimming and things seem to be getting farther away. I turned back to the basement stairs and yelled for my parents.
"Mom! Dad!"
No reply came so I started moving to the stairs to leave the basement but hit my head on the low ceiling. Strange, dad was the only one to ever need to duck. My clothes started feeling tight and I was feeling sick and claustrophobic so I ran to the stairs and called again between coughs.
My voice sounded strange, deeper, and It felt like the world was closing in on me. I tried to go up the stairs and get out of the basement but my pants were constricting my legs. I decided to crawl and realized my shirt was feeling tight in the same way. After much effort, I collapsed at the top of the stairs panting. clawing at the neck of my shirt which seemed to somehow shrink around my neck.
"Mom! Dad! Where'd you go? Somethings wrong!" My voice was still sounding deeper but I was able to breathe better at least.
My parents appeared from around the corner and dad smiled. "Amazing, Excellent. Get up Jake. Up, up. Off the floor."
Dad extended his hand and helped me up, the clothes constricted my movement. Surprisingly I was looking down at him, he was an inch or so shorter than me.
Mom handed me new clothes and seemed to be holding back tears before she turned and left the kitchen.
"Dad, what's going on? What happened to my clothes? Why is mom crying? I don't know what happened."
"Call me David. Get changed here and Ill tell you all about it."
Dad walked past me to the refrigerator and although I wanted answers now I was uncomfortable in the clothes which had become way too small somehow. In the kitchen I stripped my pants off with much difficulty, hurrying to put on the new pair mom had given me, watching Dad to make sure he didn't look. I did the same with my shirt and upon putting the new shirt over my head found dad before me offering me a drink.
The dust had made my mouth dry so I immediately chugged the can realizing only after the second or third gulp that I wasn't drinking pop. Stopping myself, glancing at the can, and watching my father take a sip of his own.
"Dad, This is beer. Mom will kill us." I tried to hand it back.
"Call me David, Jake, and Mary won't care."
"What's going on? Why do I feel so strange? Why are you having me call you by your first names? Why is Mom suddenly OK with you giving your 12 year old son beer?"
"I was warned that the mental side of it will take a bit longer, but making you face the new reality will help speed up your... acclimation and new memories. You see, we were really getting tired of having a kid. We need to drive you places, feed you, worry about what you are doing, who you are with... and becoming a teenager, it was just going to get worse. We would have to start worrying about you getting into drugs, having sex, your appetite was already starting to get out of hand, and the attitude!"
"Dad?" I asked beginning to tear up.
"No Jake, I'm not your dad anymore. The sooner you realize this, the easier it will be on all of us. We love you, we will always love you, but we don't love having a teenager. Come with me, it will be easier if you see for yourself."
Dad started walking and I downed the rest of the beer he had given me, something told me I will need it. Dad stopped at the bathroom turning on the light and motioning for me to go in. I heard a thunk from upstairs and looked at dad quizzically.
"Oh, we'er redecorating the guest room. Have a look at yourself."
I stepped into the bathroom and looked at the vanity. Before me stood a man with a light brown stubble beard, soft features and a nearly comical look of shock and awe plastered on his face. He appeared to be mid 20s, average build and he mimicked every motion I made.
"From now on Jake, you're my kid brother. Mary and I are helping you while you are between jobs and you have sold most of your posessions for cash. The fake memories should be starting to take hold and will feel totally natural in the next day or two."
"Why?"
"I always wanted a little brother but instead had a son when I was 18. I'm still young and want to enjoy my life but couldn't do that with you needing me as a father the next 13 or so years. Lets face it, you would need a car in 4 years, then college tuition two years after that, all while eating us out of house and home. Then you would probably come back while trying to find a good job to pay off your college debt, we just skipped to the last part where you find a good job and go. Mary and I can enjoy vacations throughout our 30s instead of worrying about you getting girls pregnant. Can I get you another beer? Looks like you could use it."
"Yeah David, sure." I was entranced by my reflection, it seemed so foreign yet familiar. I didn't even realize I called him David, everything seemed far away.