Steven wasn’t sure what to make of what just happened. This was not right… nothing was right! This… this shouldn’t even -be- possible.
Everything- the way she felt, the sensations across her body, her vantage point was completely wrong. The ground so much closer then just before… smaller… weaker…
She was a girl. A ‘young’ girl now, or at least in the body of one. She looked at those hands- fingers- soft skin all on ‘her’ elbows and arms, part of her body… wrapped in a small blouse making her cringe inwardly at the alien feel of it all. The ring, still on her finger, she tried to tug at it a few more times to no effect.
Could this be some weird- no- ‘freaky’ dream? She was wearing the kind of clothes that would be considered quite ‘normal’ for a girl which was a mixed blessing given the alternative. still… feeling that absence between her legs as well as how short she was, the longer hair framing the sides of her delicate face- it was all just so surreal. She should be panicking, however the ‘absurdity’ of this must be stalling a normal reaction- at least for now. Panic might come later.
People glanced at her direction and didn’t even notice anything amiss. One would think ‘someone’ would have seen a grown man vanish and suddenly a girl appear instead. Yet nobody reacted at all. Why? Were they all really that oblivious?
Anyone looking at her now would see just a normal ordinary girl… She wasn’t exactly entering her teens any time soon, as she looked side to side with the soft brown bangs lightly trailing the sides of her head.
So… what was she ‘supposed’ to do in this situation now?
The curious change had also removed her phone, wallet, keys, identity papers… everything. Looking (with reluctance) around the hem of her skirt she couldn’t find any pockets. Did a dress even have pockets?! Not this one anyway.
If this body had any instincts it was at least in agreement with her adult mind on what she had to do right now. “I have to… tell someone what happened.” Yes. That was probably the best thing to do. If she could tell someone that this weird ring changed her… would they even believe her though?
She rushed as quickly as she could towards one of the security guards outside some kind of arcade shop. He seemed approachable enough with a radio on the side of his belt and blue uniform. He looked down at her with a smile.
“Everything okay?” He asked with a concerned look at the child’s expression.
“Uh- excuse me.” Steven said nervously. Her mind was already rushing on just how to approach this… how to ‘prove’ her identity. That voice- that high pitched voice… that was her voice!
“Yes miss?” The security guard asked furrowing his brow in further concern. He was an older man and spoke quiet gently to her. Steven found that tone rather annoying. He was ‘babying’ her- urgh. “Are you lost? Where are your parents?”
“Well-” Steven started but felt the... the words.. they were stuck just on the edge of her tongue. She was trying to get it out… trying to say ‘something’ but for some reason she couldn’t speak those words! “I-” she tried again. The same thing happened. What the heck was happening?!
“Yes?” The man pressed. “It’s okay if you are lost. I can take you to reception, I’m sure we can call to find your family.”
Steven looked horrified as she realized she couldn’t say anything about her situation! She wasn’t just trapped physically but.. socially? “Uh- Nothing! I’m fine!” She replied exasperated, as she quickly ran away from the security man… now even more confused by the situation then ever before. “Why can’t I say who I am!” She asked herself angrily.
She didn’t know what to do… was something stopping her from saying her old identity now? Someone? She tried to say it to herself. “My name is…” She felt the word again get stuck. She could talk about the situation to herself but.. she couldn’t seem to say her old name. “Maybe I can write it down?”
She walked in a daze in the middle of the mall… staring somewhat blankly at the ring on her finger, the only clue to what happened to her. “I have to get this thing off me.” If it was the cause of all this, then hopefully taking it off will undo it! However as much as she tried tugging and pulling nothing seem to work. It wouldn’t budge an inch. The girl felt tears welling up in her eyes. What was going on?
Steven had wondered the mall for about an hour… confused and- worryingly she knew she was starting to attract attention from security. In a way she was glad they noticed her and were keeping an eye on her. She tried to act like she was waiting for someone, sitting around the food court but all that did was make her hungry. She had no money either at the moment. “Being a kid sucks,” she muttered as she tugged at the ring again. Every now and then she hoped it would slip off her but no.. it was stuck. She was stuck wearing a blouse, a blue dress.. being a girl.
She was about to decide to just try going home when she saw someone she knew! “Alex?” She gasped. He seem to be just eating a burger in the food court. He knew him quite well, given the two had gone to college together. They only went their separate ways afterwards, but had stayed in contact. Right now Alex was his only hope- he had to try and tell him!
Alex was fairly tall, with short blonde hair. People considered him easy going. There was a genuine ‘nice’ aura around him- which to Steven at the moment seemed all the more apparent. Alex was pursuing a career in computer engineering and worked building computers. He often helped people with any IT issues. “Alex!” Steven cried out.
Alex turned a bit stunned, surprised that a girl would call his name. “Oh.. hello.” He smiled. “Can I help you?” He glanced around wondering who this kid was.
Steven tried to explain. “Look- uh- I- uh-” He frowned. Again.. he couldn’t seem to say any words that would direct him towards.. telling him who she was!
“Yes?” Alex asked blankly. “Do I know you? Uh…” He was getting more then a little uncomfortable about this.
Steven sighed. “… can you help me? This ring is stuck on my finger. I know you from the computer shop- um- can you help me get it off?”
“This isn’t a joke is it?” Alex asked a bit warily. He did know a few kids that came to the shop to play the latest games though. Though he was sure he would have noticed her.
“No! This ring is really really stuck… I um.. I just need some help getting it off… please?”
Alex sighed and put his sandwich away, wiping his hands on a sanitary napkin. “Well, I suppose I can try. What’s your name?”
“S..St..” He frowned. Did he have to come up with a name now? “Stacy…” she whispered blushing at the name. It was the best she could think of!
“Nice to meet you Stacy.. well, let’s have a look then. Usually a bit of oil will help, and we got tons of that here.” he chuckled. He first tried to give the ring a tug.. but it wouldn’t move at all. “Mph.. tough nut- let’s try again-” He tugged at it some more putting more strength to it.
“Ah- that hurts-” Stacy gasped.
Alex stopped immediately but there was a strange flash as if the ring suddenly activated. “Huh? What the heck?”
The flash seem to go all over Stacy… she didn’t know what just happened. It was like… waking up? Going to sleep? Maybe both… passing through some strange torrent of energy. She felt like things were changing all around her but it was also like- she knew- she knew these forces had ‘always’ been there in some capacity. Things that influenced probability…
Magic…
‘Awareness of magic comes at a price… sometimes it is that awareness alone…’ A voice spoke gently. ‘It will take something from you first, as much as it will give… it has given you time… a precious gift for some...’
“Where am...I…” Stacy asked. The ring was messing with her… it changed her into a girl.. prevented her from telling anyone. Her entire life was just gone… why? What did she even do to deserve any of this!
