“Mason, could you please stop talking for five seconds?” Paul Hartman said to his 6 year old son. Mason flashed a grin and ran to his 18 year old sister Marissa’s side. Marissa clutched him close as he buried his head against her hip.
Paul just shook his head “Your Mother and I will be back on Sunday; Marissa’s in charge” He said spying his 12 year old twins Ella and Ethan rolling their eyes. “She has all your schedules along with my credit card” he paused and looked at each of them individually “So no giving her a hard time”
“We’ll be fine Dad” Marissa said in her calm and level voice.
“I know…Mason only listens to you anyway” Paul conceded. “Just keep these two from fighting the whole weekend and it’ll be a victory” he pointed at the twins. They had entered into a phase where they had become ultra-competitive with the other and their fights were constant.
Ella crossed her arms smugly and looked down at her twin brother; she was an early bloomer who had recently went through a growth spurt that made her a full two inches taller than her “little’ brother. At 5’4”, Ella was only an inch shorter than Marissa and constantly reminded Ethan that she was 6 minutes older than him. “You heard Dad; no fights…and since you start every single one of them…” Ella stared.
“Do not!” Ethan interjected.
“Yes you do; you and your stupid little friends are always finding a way to torment me at school” Ella said.
“Quit making stuff up and playing the poor little victim Ella; not even Dad believes you anymore that you’re little Miss Innocent; your soccer friends are like a roving gang” Ethan said.
“At least out team wins” Ella shot back. “Your team’s record is what, 2 and 8”
“No other friends will be coming over this weekend” Paul announced over the argument. “Settle down you two” he added.
Both of the twins made exasperated sounds as their Mom came in carrying her last bag. “No fighting. Period.”
“Yes Mom” they said in unison.
“And if there is even one knickknack out of place when we get home; you’re all going to be in trouble” Sara Hartman added.
Mason came over and hugged and kissed both of his parents first with a few tears but then smiles as his Dad told him to “be the man of the house”
“I will Daddy” he responded proudly.
“Yeah…whip the rest of them into shape” Sara added.
Ethan and Ella reluctantly lined up for their hugs and kisses and quickly stepped aside.
More last second directions were given to Marissa who simply nodded and agreed with everything that was told to her “You’ll still have your phones with you if something gets really out of control…don’t worry about us; we’ll be fine”
Paul nodded “I know everything’s in good hands with you Marissa”
“You’ve always been our leader” Sara added noting Marissa strong personality.
“Have a good time” Marissa told them as she followed them out to their car.
“We will, we’ve been looking forward to this little get away for a while now” Sara said.
“I know you have and you deserve it” Marissa said “I promise everything will be fine while you’re gone”
Paul and Sara pulled out and Marissa went back in to the sounds of fighting “HEY!” She yelled “Knock it off you two” she pulled Ella and Ethan apart.
“I’m gone for two seconds and you two start this already!” she ran her hands through her long brown hair exasperated already.
“She started it” Ethan said.
“Did not you did!” Ella countered.
“Don’t care!” Marissa said. “Just leave each other alone and don’t touch the other one again tonight!”
Marissa’s eyes flared in anger that sent the twins scrambling from the room to their respective rooms; rooms that they shared with their respective siblings.
Ethan slammed the door to his room muttering to himself. He swept several of Mason’s toys out of his way as he made his way to his bed. “Stupid Ella…God I hate her!” he put in his ear buds and opened his Kindle. He went to YouTube to watch some of his favorite videos “They always believe her instead of me…wish I wasn’t a twin…” he said as he settled in.
Ella was only a few steps behind her brother up the stairs and she didn’t flinch when he slammed his door “So immature” she said shaking her head as she went into her room.
Ella and Marissa’s room was much tidier than the boys’ room across the hall. Ella grabbed her iPod and started to listen to her favorite music but she kept switching songs when none captured her attention. She couldn’t get comfortable on her bed so she moved over and sat in Marissa’s chair, finally settling down. “Stupid Ethan! Why do I have to even be related to him let alone be stuck being his twin?!” she thought as she curled up in the chair.
Marissa was calming down but still rubbing her temples as Mason came up to her holding all four of his ninja turtles. “Marissa? Do you want to play Ninja Turtles with me?”
Marissa smiled at the simple request “Of course” she answered and slid out of the chair and down onto the ground.
“I want to be Michelangelo and Raphael so you have to play as Leonardo and Donatello” Mason said handing those two figures over to his big sister.
“Okay” Marissa said simply. She crossed her legs and began to help her little brother fight off invisible ninja enemies. Eventually, Mason gave up the action figures and began to fight them off by jumping around the room and off the furniture. Marissa allowed it for a few moments before getting him to calm back down.
“That’s enough for now” Marissa told him “I think you beat Shredder pretty good this time”
Mason smiled, a few missing teeth in the front made him even more adorable to Marissa. “It’s going to be bedtime for you pretty soon so you need to start settling down”
Mason said “Can we watch a movie?”
“What do you want to watch?” Marissa responded.
“Um…” he smiled.
“Fine…we can watch some episodes of your Turtles” Marissa conceded.
The two of them curled up on the couch, Mason nestling in close to his sister’s side. Marissa checked her phone but never let go of her little brother. “Let’s get you up to bed little mister” she told him as he began to drift off.
“Carry me” he said putting his arms up.
“You’re getting too big for me to carry you much longer” Marissa told him.
“But you can still do it tonight” he said.
She smiled at him and lifted him up. Mason wrapped his legs around her and hung on as she walked across the room and up the stairs. She put him down outside of his door and he barged in.
Ethan sat up when the door opened and took out his headphones “I told you to knock”
Mason paid no attention but began to strip down and grab some pajamas to put on.
“You doing okay?” Marissa asked as she stepped into the room.
“I’m fine” Ethan answered quickly averting his eyes.
Marissa leaned against the doorframe and folded her arms.
“You share a room with her so you always get her side of things; never mine, it’s so unfair. I wish…”
“What do you wish?” Marissa asked taking a step into the room.
“I don’t know…I’m just frustrated” Ethan replied.
“This isn’t about me being on her side or your side; I’m not on a side except the side of being your older sister and trying to keep you two at peace with one another” Marissa said. “So don’t try to make this into some kind of girl thing because it’s not”
Ethan sighed “You don’t know what it’s like being a twin Marissa, especially a twin to someone who doesn’t even like you”
“Don’t say that, Ella likes you, you’re her brother”
“You could have fooled me” Ethan shot back. “She struts around school like she’s so high and mighty; she doesn’t even acknowledge I exist except to make fun of me for being shorter than her now”
Marissa let him vent.
“She and her friends make life miserable for everyone at that school; not just me. You can go ask a lot of girls in our class what they think about Ella Hartman and you’re going to get an earful” Ethan told her.
“You’re right about me not knowing what it’s like to be a twin but I do know something about middle school girls and I agree; they’re the worst people on the face of the planet. But they do eventually grow out of it okay” Marissa said with a smile.
Ethan smiled back slightly but still averted his eyes.
“Hey Marissa!” Mason shouted out.
“What?”
“Wouldn’t it be cool if we were twins?” Mason asked jumping into bed.
“Yeah that would be cool, but what age would we be…my age or yours?” Marissa asked as she tucked him in.
The question went unanswered as Mason simply said “Goodnight”
Marissa kissed him on the forehead “Goodnight” she replied in return.
“You need to get to sleep too dude, you’ve got a game at 9 tomorrow morning” Marissa reminded Ethan.
Ella looked up and smiled slyly from her sister’s chair as Marissa came in “Comfy?” Marissa asked sarcastically.
“It’s no big deal you know” Ella said. She stood up and pulled her long blonde hair out of her ponytail and let it fall down over her shoulders.
Marissa climbed up on her bed and leaned her back against the headboard “Don’t make the next two days more difficult than they need to be…please”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about” Ella replied sitting on her own bed “I didn’t start that earlier”
“Maybe, maybe not but I don’t want to hear about you being one of the mean girls if you know what I’m saying” Marissa warned Ella.
“I’m not” Ella shot back sounding shocked “I am not a mean girl and if Ethan has been telling you that, he’s lying”
“Why would you think I heard it from Ethan?” Marissa said flipping through her phone.
Ella blushed and said nothing having fallen for her sister’s bait. “Whatever” she shot back sullenly. “You don’t know what it’s like to be a twin”
“You know that’s the second time I’ve been told that tonight…guess I should give that a try sometime” Marissa responded sarcastically with a rise of her eyebrows.
“Ugh” Ella growled “I wish I…ugh!”
Marissa looked up but said nothing “You’ve got an early game tomorrow”
“Mine starts at 10” she replied.
“But your brother’s starts at 9 so we all have to get up early” Marissa reminded her sister.
Ella voiced her disgust through another grunt as she flopped back on the bed.
Marissa had to set an alarm but she was up and getting ready at 7. She woke Ella up next followed by Ethan a few minutes later. She could hear them fighting over breakfast as she did her hair.
She heard them still fighting as she came down and told Ella to shower and get dressed in their bathroom and Ethan could use their parents bathroom to get ready.
“But Mom and Dad’s shower is nicer than ours” Ella said.
“But you have more stuff in our shower than Ethan; he can move spots easier” Marissa countered.
Eventually, she got Mason up and he was dressed and ready before the other two.
“Come ON! It’s a soccer game not a runway!” Marissa called up to Ella.
“I’m coming…sheesh” Ella replied carrying her equipment bag on her shoulder.
“We’re not going to be late” Marissa told her.
“I won’t be late”
“Your brother will so knock it off” Marissa told her “get in the car”
The ride over was quiet due to no one wanting to upset Marissa anymore, only Mason made any noise as he sang along to the radio from his seat in the back.
Ethan jumped out and dashed across the fields to join his team for warmups while the other three took their time. Marissa got out chairs for her and Mason and slung them on her back along with a bag of stuff to keep Mason happy.
“Can I have some money for the concession stand?” Ella asked.
“No” Marissa replied “You just had breakfast, you have your drinks…what else could you want?”
Ella didn’t say anything as she stomped off to watch, and make fun of, her brother as he played.
Marissa and Mason got set up between the two fields that the twins would be playing on so they could watch both while Ella headed off to hang out with her friends who were already there.
Ethan game got off to a bad start; he got beat on defense and the other team scored an early goal. Marissa could see Ella and her friends laughing about it but couldn’t hear if anything was said.
Despite playing hard, Ethan’s team lost 1-0. Ella on the other hand scored her team’s go ahead goal with only a minute remaining as they won 2-1.
After a silent ride home, hell broke loose.
In the kitchen, Ella mumbled under her breath “God you suck Ethan…I can’t believe you’re even my brother let alone my twin brother” She elbowed him on her way by making him stumble.
“Shut up! Why are you such a bitch now?” Ethan shot back.
Ella mocked him “Oooo such a potty mouth little brother, you’re going to be in trouble”
Marissa was already in the house before them and she came back into the kitchen “That’s enough from both of you. I heard what you said to him Ella but that’s no way to respond Ethan. Stop picking on each other or I will separate you two”
“I wish we were separated!” Ethan yelled “I wish I wasn’t a twin anyway”
“I wish I wasn’t a twin either!” Ella yelled back “You think it’s easy being the big sister to such a worthless dork!”
“Big sister; Hmpfh” Ethan said.
“Yeah…bigger than you physically and older than you and I always will be and don’t even start Marissa, you don’t understand what it’s like being a twin at all”
“I never said I did understand that” Marissa said trying to keep calm.
“I wish you did know” Ethan said.
Mason had wandered back into the room, drawn by the commotion “I wish I was a twin” he said mostly to himself.
“Everybody just calm down” Marissa said putting herself between Ethan and Ella as they began to approach each other.
“I wish I was in charge just so I could boss you around Ella” Ethan said.
“Like you’d ever be in a position to boss me around shrimp; just keep wishing and maybe, just maybe, someday it might come true” she made her hands into fists and rubbed them at her eyes mocking Ethan crying.
Mason came up and grabbed Marissa just as Ethan lunged forward. He slammed into Marissa and Mason, his arm flailing over and connecting weakly with Ella’s shoulder.
“Waa-waa…I’m a baby I’m…what was that?” Ella mocked at first.
A sound like a jet going over boomed through the house, rocking it.
Marissa looked around confused as all of them separated and took steps back in opposite directions.
“What were you going to say Marissa?” Ethan asked looking at her.
“I…I don’t know” Marissa said a bit confused and unsure of herself.
“Well nothing is going to get settled worrying about some stupid noise that means nothing” Ethan said confidently “We need to get something for lunch before Ella…” he stopped and cocked his head looking at his twin sister.
Ella stood motionless, a confused look on her face as Ethan finished his sentence to his own surprise and to the surprise of everyone else in the room “…gets cranky”
“What did you say to me you…you…?” Ella was frustrated suddenly, unable to say anything more.
Mason stepped forward “I don’t feel right” he said running his hand through his red hair.
“I don’t either” Marissa agreed.
“Something’s wrong” Ella said worried.
“Um…guys…” Ethan said softly. They all looked at Ethan who was staring down at the ground, at his foot to be more precise. The front and top of his shoe was beginning to lift up and out as if his feet were pressing there with great force all of a sudden. He grimaced and winced at how tight his shoes had become on him.
Marissa’s eyes went up as she saw his soccer socks, which had been pulled up to his knees begin to pull down, exposing more of his leg; a leg that was bulging and popping outward as hairs emblazoned themselves out in newfound growth. “Um” he repeated.
Ethan looked up and saw he was already the tallest out of all of them. Taller than 5’4” Ella and 5’5” Marissa “What’s going on?” he asked.
“I…I don’t know” Marissa said as she watched her younger brother go through an amazing growth spurt. Inches, pounds and muscle piled onto his body. His thighs stretched outward grabbing the material of his shorts and pulling it taut.
With some considerable effort, Ethan freed his feet from his now way too small shoes. The laces finally gave way and he popped his growing feet out of them. His socks continued to slide down though as his calves continued to grow.
“Ella?” Ethan said in a questioning tone. He surprised himself at the sound of the voice that came out of him. It was deeper and stronger than it had ever been before.
Ella looked up and down, a look of confusion and now fear spreading across her face as she now began to shrink. “Wha…What’s happening to me?” she pleaded.
Marissa began to panic but was unable to help either of her siblings. She ran her fingers through her brown hair, which was now lightening with streaks of red beginning to weave their way in. She had red hair when she was younger but it had darkened over the past few years; now that reddish auburn was returning to her.
Marissa said “Don’t panic!” but it came out in a higher tone of voice than she was used to hearing. Her hand went to her throat and she swallowed hard. She began to shrink down now too; slowly at first but steadily too.
Ella’s shoes felt big on her, her shirt began to sag and her shorts loosened at her hips and waist. Her legs began to thin and shrink. Her knee high socks began to bunch up around her ankles and calves as they thinned and got smaller “Why am I getting shorter? I’m smaller!” she said.
She was wearing a sports bra to keep the small breasts she was beginning to develop in check but those small breasts disappeared as her chest went flat and the bra felt loose around her torso.
Mason furrowed his brow trying to understand anything that was happening when he felt his shoulders begin to rise up and spread out. His legs began to grow and he looked down at his feet as they widened and began to get bigger “I’m growing Marissa!” he announced.
“Holy shit, what’s happening to all of us?” Marissa asked, her voice rising even more in pitch.
Ethan felt his jersey getting tight across his chest. It lifted up away from his waistband exposing his stomach which was muscling and flattening out into abs. His pectoral muscles bulged as did his biceps. His back and shoulders broadened making his shirt ridiculously tight on him. He crossed over the 6 foot barrier in height as his facial features matured and his blonde hair darkened and grew.
Ella’s blonde hair lightened to almost white as it thinned and went straight half way down her shrinking back. Her shoulders rolled forward and inward, her hips and rear went flat as her thighs thinned and her legs returned to stick like proportions. Her feet slid around loosely in her huge shoes as her socks bunched up around her shrinking toes.
Ella looked to Mason who was quickly gaining height on her “Mason! You’re getting bigger than me!” she cried out in a very childish and high pitched whine.
Mason shrugged “I can’t help it Ella” he said as he continued to look not only bigger, but older as well. His pudgy cheeks were smoothing out as his eyes spread and his chin came out. His hair darkened to deep auburn, almost full brown as he cracked the 5 foot barrier.
Marissa now looked at Mason and saw that they were almost identical in height “You…You’re getting to be my size Mason” she said.
“Uh…Marissa” Mason said pointing at her chest.
Marissa looked down and saw her chest deflating in size. Her large breasts were shrinking down. “AH!” She yelled as she pulled the neck of her shirt out. Her breasts could be seen clearly in her bra, which was now much too large for her. Her full and round breasts were now more cone shaped and much smaller, like the breasts of a young teen…or even a 12 year old “Holy shit…we’re all switching ages with each other” Marissa said.
“Ethan’s getting my age and Ella is going to be Mason’s…which means Mason and I are turning into 12 year olds!” Marissa declared.
“No that can’t be” Ethan said in a deep voice. He stood 6’2” and was well built as his face continued to change and mature. But as he looked at his siblings, he knew it was true.
Ella was now smaller and younger than Mason. She swam in her clothes, a small and young face peeking out of huge clothes looking petrified at what had happened to her. “I’m still getting younger! I can feel it! I’m tingling all over! I don’t wanna be a little kid again!” she stomped her foot and flapped her arms up and down.
Ella’s hands and fingers were shrinking down small and tiny at the ends of her thin and short arms. Her large clothes were flying up and down as she jumped up “I’m not Mason’s age! I’m not the youngest! I’m not gonna be 6!”
Marissa looked up at Ethan, now her bigger and older brother “Ethan…you’re…”
“I’m 18” Ethan said putting his long and strong arms out in front of him “I am in charge. And…I’m not a twin anymore by looks of it”
“Stop it!” Ella yelled. Her right foot had come out of her soccer cleat and her sock flapped loose on her shrunken foot. She had lost a foot in height and 6 years in age. Her face was round and chubby cheeks dominated her look. Long, thin blonde hair framed her young face that still registered utter shock at becoming the baby of the family all of a sudden.
Mason and Marissa looked one another up and down. Mason had edged slightly taller than his sister in height as his features become those of a preteen boy. His red t-shirt rode high up on his body as he continued to grow larger. His arms tore at the seams of his sleeves and his chest strained at the sides. His stomach showed as it grew longer but still hairless.
His waist pushed out against his tight pants tearing the waistband. His shins showed through as the legs of his pants rose up and hair grew out “I don’t know how I’m going to get these clothes off” he admitted, his voice pitching down deeper than before.
Marissa shrank down a bit shorter one more time to just 5’1”. Her jeans hung on her as her hips and ass were nowhere near as big as they had been. Her legs had very little curve or meat to them as she had passed back out of most of puberty. Her feet were smaller and looked softer as well as just her tiny toes peeked out from the bottom of her pooled up pants.
Marissa’s top hung on her and her bra was now useless as it was way too big to help her small and now back to the beginning of development breasts. She yanked at the sleeve of her top to pull it back onto her shoulder but it was useless as it kept sliding back down along with her bra strap.
Her face was rounder and much less mature or intimidating to her siblings, just the face of a short 12 year old now instead of the 18 year old confident oldest sibling.
She felt shyer all of a sudden, less confident as she saw that Mason was 2 inches taller than her and deep down, she understood something else; he was the older of the two of them by 6 minutes. “Six years younger…six minutes younger…I’m the younger sister now” she muttered. Her voice wasn’t all the way high but it was higher and less authoritative.
Marissa brought her knees together and slouched down trying to get even smaller as she backed away, she clutched at her clothes making sure they stayed on and covered her diminished body. She searched for a mirror or anything to reflect what she, and all of them looked like now.
“Where you going?” Ella asked as Marissa left the kitchen and headed into the hall.
“I have to see what I look like now” she said. There was a mirror hanging in the hall with a bench beneath it. Marissa stopped in front of it and upon seeing her reflection gasped out “Oh God!”
Mason followed her as she said “Oh My God” Marissa hands flew to her face and began to press and explore her changed features “I look like a kid! I’m 12 again!”
Mason stepped into the frame shocking her even more but bringing an immense amount of surprise to the former 6 year old who had just doubled in age “Whoa” he said taking in his very different look. But where Marissa’s shock was tinged with fear and sadness, his was one of amazement at his new stature.
“I’m big!” he said leaning forward “I’m bigger than you” he said to Marissa making eye contact with her via the mirror. Then his expression changed and Marissa knew that he knew what she did. Mason laughed slightly as he acknowledged it “And I’m older than you now too!”
Marissa hung her head, unable to say anything to defend herself.
“This is so awesome” Mason admitted “I can’t believe it”
“This is NOT Awesome Mason.” Ella now stood nearby in a huff “I switched ages with you!” She came to the mirror but couldn’t be seen in it “Darn it” she said as she climbed up onto the bench and finally came into view “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Her high piercing scream echoed through the house as her small hands slapped at her chubby cheeks.
“Calm down Ella” Ethan said confidently.
“That’s easy for you to say Ethan” Ella shot back, even standing on the bench, she was still shorter than him.
“Yeah, what was it that you said to me earlier…something about how you were bigger than me and older than me and always would be” Ethan gloated a bit “Looks like we got our wish Ella; we’re not twins anymore but I also got my other wish granted; I’m the boss now”
Mason elbowed Marissa but she said nothing; Marissa no longer felt like she should say anything about it or question her big brother’s authority. She was intimidated by his size and how much more mature he was than her now.
Mason finally got tired of his constrictive clothes. He flexed his back and arms forward and split his shirt down the back. He yanked on his pants which refused to tear but he did get them down and off exposing the fact that his tighty whities were now very tight on him.
“Um” he dashed up the stairs to his room. Once inside, his eyes popped open to the changes that he saw. Toys were gone as were any and all signs of Ethan’s youth, replaced by more modest colors and sports equipment.
All of Mason’s clothes had changed in his dresser and in the closet. He picked out clothes that fit him and came back to the argument that was still raging on.
Marissa smiled wanly at him as he came back, she felt better when he was around. “What am I doing…what am I thinking?” ran through Marissa’s mind “I switch ages with Ethan and all of a sudden I’m this shy little thing looking to my two big brothers”
Ethan and Ella were fighting when Mason broke them up “If you’re going to be the adult around here Ethan, act like it” Mason said.
Ethan looked at him “You’re right. Ella, go change clothes. You should too Marissa, I know I am”
Marissa turned on her heel and headed upstairs to change, Ethan followed but Ella stood her ground until Mason said “You should go”
“Fine” she said and stomped up the stairs.
Marissa stepped into her room and stopped dead in her tracks “What the heck is this?” she asked the pink walls. A Barbie doll sat on the ground at her feet. She kicked at it and it skittered toward Ella’s bed which now had a bright pink quilt on it covered in butterflies.
“Where’s my phone? Where’s my laptop? Where are my clothes?” she asked searching the room. Clothes that looked like Ella’s were all around along with a lot of little kids’ clothing. There were no heels in the closet or dresses or anything that was hers before it dawned on her “Oh. Those are mine”
Ella had come in and was fuming mad “What am I supposed to do with this?!” she asked “Where’s my stuff? Where’s my life?”
“This is our life now Ella” Marissa reminded her.
“This is not fair! Why?” Ella asked.
Marissa shrugged and looked on the verge of tears “I don’t know”
“Why did this happen to us? Why are we both younger and the boys are both older? They seem really happy about this” she folded her arms over her small chest.
“It’s like I don’t want to change my clothes” Marissa said sitting down on her bed “If I take these off, it’s like I’m admitting defeat and I’m accepting my new age and body. These clothes are all that’s left of my life as an adult”
Marissa cupped her now gigantic bra. She went to the drawer where she kept them only to find bras that were so much smaller; they would fit her now, but that’s not what she wanted.
Ella peeled off her large soccer socks, shorts and jersey. Her underwear and sports bra were also too large but she accepted her new clothes quicker than Marissa. She changed into the right sized underwear, jeans and a purple shirt with butterflies and glitter on it.
“You staying here?” Ella asked her still bigger sister.
“Yes” Marissa sniffed as the tears started to come.
“We need to see if we can get this changed back” Ella said.
“I know” Marissa said “I’ll be down later”
“You’re still my big sister and you’re still 6 years older than me” Ella reminded her.
Across the hall, Ethan stepped into his room “Whoa” he said echoing his brother. He picked up High School trophies with his name on them, saw pictures of himself with older teens, his friends. One of him with his arm around a pretty brown haired girl “Girlfriend!” popped into his head.
Ethan put his hands to his temples as they throbbed “Her name is Kaitlyn…we’ve been dating for like 8 months…she also a senior…plays Volleyball…”
He saw a cell phone on the bed and he snatched it up. Running through the contacts, names and faces and connections came to him “Holy Shit” he said.
He yanked off the much too small clothes he had on and replaced them all quickly with what he found in his sizes. He stopped for a moment when he was naked at how much had changed there but it felt weird to linger on it.
Downstairs, Mason was looking at the other side of the hallway; the side across from the mirror. Their family portrait hung on the wall and it reflected back just as much as the mirror did. Mason remembered getting it taken a few months earlier. His Mom had wanted pictures for a Christmas card but they had turned out nice so she ended up ordering a bunch of them.
He had been sitting on his Dad’s lap in the original but now it was Ella sitting on their Mom’s lap. He and Marissa stood on both sides of their Dad and Ethan stood behind their Mom. Whereas in the original Marissa had stood behind their Mom and Ethan and Ella were on their Dad’s shoulders. “It flipped too…the whole world flipped” he said to himself.
“What did you say?” Ella said stomping down the stairs.
Mason pointed at the picture “Everything is different now” he said. “This is big”
Ethan came back down and Ella attacked “You’d better start wishing us back to normal and say it like you mean it”
“What are you talking about?” Ethan asked.
“It was your stupid wish that got us into this mess and you have to change us all back to how we were” Ella insisted.
“Why would I want to do that?” Ethan asked.
“Because it’s not fair that’s why”
“What was fair about our original birth order?” Ethan asked back. “This is how it is now so we need to just go on from here”
“No! I don’t want to be 6 again and Marissa didn’t do anything to deserve being 12 again” Ella stated.
Ethan exhaled at that thought, he did feel bad for Marissa. “Look not now, we don’t know anything now if it was our wishing or what happened” Ethan said as he walked into the living room followed by Ella.
“I can’t believe you’re actually the adult now; I know you and I know you better than anybody else and this isn’t right or fair. I might have been mean to you but I don’t deserve to get turned into a six year old and whatever I said to you wasn’t so rough that it lets you just magically go to being a grownup”
“Just shut up for a second Ella” Ethan said “I need to think”
“Make sure you think about everybody and not just yourself” Ella snapped back as she left the room.
Mason was left by himself in the hall but his mind turned to his twin sister. He made his way upstairs and he knocked on the door “Marissa…you okay?”
Nothing was said so he opened the door and found her crying on her bed still dressed in her oversized clothes. Mason sat next to her and she grabbed him in a hug and cried on his shoulder “Come on…it’ll be okay; we’ll figure this out” He said patting her back.
She just cried harder and shook her head back and forth gesturing no. “I’ve lost everything” she sobbed “I lost my age, my body, my life”
“It could be worse” Mason said which only made her cry harder.
Marissa did feel a bond with Mason but her overriding sadness was still too much; she knew it could be worse, she could the six year old but she just didn’t understand why.
“I’m not going to push you; this is big and you obviously need some more time, but if you need me, just let me know and I’ll be right here for you” Mason said standing up.
“Thanks” she whispered and turned away from him and the door.
Upon going back downstairs, Mason found Ella by herself “Where’s Ethan?” he asked.
“Gone” Ella told him “He said he was leaving, he discovered he could drive and had a girlfriend so…he’s gone”
“That dick!” Mason said “Sorry”
Ella just shrugged.
“Marissa is messed up right now and he takes off!” Mason was pissed. “That selfish…”
“I know” Ella said in her high pitched little girl voice “Nobody wants to listen to the youngest one…isn’t that right Mason?”
Mason just looked at her but did nothing.
Ethan drove down streets away from his house heading to Kaitlyn. “I can drive, no one can tell me what I have to do” he kept telling himself. He knew where Kaitlyn lived and he had to see her and talk to her; he needed her to justify that this was all actually happening.
He pulled into her driveway and got out of the car. As he walked up to the door, it swung open “Hey! What are you doing here today? I thought your parents were out of town and you had to watch your brother and sisters” Kaitlyn said.
“Um” the 12 year old part of Ethan’s mind hit first making him nervous around a pretty girl “I just wanted to see you was all” he said smiling.
“Is everything okay?” she asked giving him a quick kiss.
Ethan heart exploded as her lips touched his. Part of him was experiencing his first kiss and another part told him it was routine and nothing special.
“Yeah, everything’s fine; Mason and Marissa can handle Ella for a little bit. Like I said, I just wanted to get out of the house for a few minutes and I wanted to see you” he put his hands on her hips and held her close as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Ethan followed her into the house and up to her room. He saw pictures of the two of them together having fun and memories of those time began to filter in more and more; a time at the lake, coming out of a movie theater, bundled up in the stands at a football game.
They sat down on Kaitlyn’s bed as she began to talk. Ethan sat back and just listened as his mind swirled and swam.
Back at home, Mason and Ella talked. “You have to tell Ethan to fix this” Ella said.
Mason was trying to think and decide what to do. “I don’t know what to do” he admitted. “Ethan’s gone. Marissa’s a wreck” He sighed “I can’t have Marissa be like this…it’s killing me to see her this upset”
“What did you expect her to be happy about becoming a 12 year old? She was trying to keep all of us in line and then boom, she’s a powerless kid all of a sudden having to look up to both of her brothers. I’d call that a shock to the system”
“I know. She was always so good to me, she always looked out for me when I was, well, when I was your age” Mason admitted. He got up and walked upstairs followed by Ella.
The door to Marissa’s room was still open a crack and they both peeked through. Marissa was still lying on her side facing the wall crying. Mason came in and sat next to her and rubbed her shoulder “Do you want anything to drink? Some water or something?” he asked.
Marissa sat up a bit, propping herself up on her elbow, she nodded and Ella ran to get her a bottle of water. Marissa held her oversized black top and bra close to her smaller chest. She sat up and let her feet dangle off the side of the bed, her long pants hanging down covering the tops of her feet.
“Not going to change clothes are you?” Mason joked.
Marissa shook her head “No” she said stuffed up “I will wear these clothes until they fall off of me. I will not accept what happened as inevitable. All the rest of my clothes have changed but not these and as long as they stay on me, I have hope”
Mason could only smile “I can’t stand to see you like this; you’ve always looked out for me so now it’s my turn to look out for you”
Ella came back in “Only Ethan is happy right now and it’s not fair” she stated.
“Where is he?” Marissa said.
Ella hung her head “He left. He can drive now and he says he has a girlfriend so he went to see her”
Marissa went back to crying.
A few hours later, lights flickered through the window as a car pulled in. Ethan stepped inside and saw Mason was waiting for him by the door “Nice of you to show back up bro” he said.
“Um…hey Mason” Ethan said.
“Way to show you’re responsible; just take off for 5 hours after the most mind blowing and disturbing thing that could possibly happen occurs to all of us. Did you even stop to think about what the rest of us were going through?”
Ethan hung his head “I don’t know…I’m sorry…I freaked out…I didn’t know how to react. I’ve been driving around and…
“And hanging out with your girlfriend? What about Marissa’s boyfriend? What about your sister?” Mason said getting angry “She hasn’t moved from her bed yet you selfish dick”
“I…” Ethan said. He went to the stairs and went up.
Marissa was done crying, she sat on her bed with her knees up in front of her and her arms wrapped around them. She stared at Ethan as he came into the room with a scowl that could create ice.
“Marissa?” he said quietly as he approached.
“What do you want?” she hissed.
“I want to say I’m sorry”
Marissa looked down and away “It’s not enough” she whispered.
“I’m sorry: I was selfish and I never intended this to actually happen. How many times do you say I wish something; I didn’t think this of all things would come true”
“Well it did and now look at me” her voice hitched with emotion “LOOK AT YOU!” she spat out shocking both of them. Marissa jumped up and Ethan did as well. She was on him in an instant and despite being over a foot shorter in height, she shoved him backwards with all her strength.
Ethan stumbled caught off balance. Marissa came towards him with fire in her eyes, she was fuming, breathing hard, her cheeks flared with bright red “ASSHOLE!” she punched him in the chest before beginning to flail and hit him wildly at all points.
Ethan ducked and covered his face and allowed her to hit him. Mason and Ella had made their way to the doorway and were doing nothing to stop it.
“THIS” hit “ISN’T” hit “RIGHT!” hit “I was the only one who didn’t wish a damn thing this morning so maybe I should.” Marissa took a step back and flipped her hair out of her face “I wish I was 18 again! I wish I was in charge again! I wish I had my body, my clothes, my stuff, my…entire life back the way it was!”
“UGHAAAHHH!” She screamed and spun around in frustration, anger and fear.
The room was deathly quiet, Marissa stood panting in the center of it all. She looked around at all three of her siblings and just as Ella was about to say something, she noticed that Marissa’s expression changed from exasperated hate to confusion.
Marissa stood as still as she possibly could, she was even holding her breath. A wrinkle in her shirt popped and smoothed out on its own.
Marissa could feel the fabric of her jeans begin to slide and move over the tops of her sensitive bare feet and she thought she could see slightly more skin exposed. Her heart took off rapidly beating, her mouth went dry despite her attempts to swallow. She wiggled her fingers nervously, twitching them a bit and shaking.
Ethan took a step back, a smile beginning to form on his face despite his fear for this might mean to him. Ella and Mason stood in awe, watching everything as closely as they could.
“Um, guys” Marissa finally said “I feel funny again”
“I think you might be…” Ella said as she bounced forward in her own excitement.
Marissa raised her eyebrows and stared at the jeans pooled at her feet. Standing so still, she could feel her pants begin to rise up, exposing the sides of her now growing feet.
Her feet began to widen and grow longer; her toes spread out wider as Marissa saw more and more of her feet clearly. Her jeans lifted back up to her ankles, where they had started out the day as height began to return to her as well as weight and curves.
Her hips began to spread and her thighs began to plump outward with fat again. Her jeans were growing tight against her larger legs.
Marissa felt a definite stirring in her stomach and a tingle below her waist as things began to mature back to 18. Her waist and stomach rose and came out along with her ass.
Her arms now lengthened out again stretching out as she returned to 5’5”. Her top began to rise up and she was refilling up her bra as her breasts returned to her. “Oh Thank God” she whispered as she clutched her growing chest.
Marissa spun toward a mirror above her dresser as her hair darkened and changed style back to what she was used to. Her facial features matured and grew out wider changing her back into the 18 year old she was supposed to be.
Even her posture was affected and she pulled her shoulders back and stood up tall and straight as her confidence and maturity returned to her.
She spun and laughed; excited and happy to be back at her rightful age. Ethan still stood before her much taller than and just as old as her, but she knew deep down that he wouldn’t be for long.
A twitch began in his left eye as his jaw dropped slack starring at his rejuvenated sister.
“I don’t want to hear anybody say anything about wishing their life was different than the one they have ever again” Marissa said in a low and controlled voice. It was deep and mature again and she was trying to maintain her calm demeanor throughout but every emotion imaginable mixed together in her. Anger at what she had been through that day and joy that it was over were most prevalent.
“Yuh…Yeah…Sure Marissa…wha…whatever you say” Ethan mumbled extremely nervous as his sister bore down on him. He backed up, stumbling suddenly and losing his balance as he stepped on the back on his pant leg: A pant leg that was now covering his heel.
Ethan caught himself on the edge of a dresser and stood up as straight as he could but he noticed immediately that his sister was closer in size to him once more.
“You’re shrinking” she told him.
A brief moment of panic crossed his face as his stubble retreated leaving his cheeks and chin smooth again. His upper lip held out for an additional second but it too quickly went smooth as his hair lightened and changed. His eyes and nose got smaller and his mouth came inward atop a rapidly diminishing jaw line and chin.
Ethan slapped at his chest and upper arms as his muscle receded leaving him a skinny and scrawny boy again. His height slipped and dipped down eventually making him shorter than Marissa again as his waist, thighs and legs turned skinny and short. Swimming in his adult sized clothes, the once again 12 year old Ethan gasped at much stronger and confident Marissa looked before him.
“Looks like my wish to get my life back is working” Marissa said looking down on Ethan.
“I…I’m sorry Marissa” Ethan replied, lip quivering.
Marissa reached forward and hugged her little brother “I know you are” she responded.
They both turned and looked when they heard Ella scream “Thankyouthankyouthankyou!”
Ella bounced up and down and Marissa flung her hair back out of her face as she could tell that the little girl clothes Ella had on were growing tight and small on her.
Ella’s hair darkened from the almost white it had become back to her usual blonde. Her facial features expanded and matured as did her body. Small rips and tears began to appear in her clothes and as a long rip ran up her back, she exhaled out relieved.
She grew taller; her legs began to curve and round as did her upper half. She returned to 5’4” and was all too happy to be bigger than Ethan once more but took no joy in pointing it out at the current time.
Relief was all she cared about. Her waist band popped as she grew and her body expanded back to that of a 12 year old girl instead of a tiny 6 year old.
Ella’s hands ran over her face as she bounded to her mirror and watched her return to her normal age.
Her hands now roved up and down her body as it returned to what she had hoped for “I can’t believe this; this wasn’t a dream was it?” she asked, her voice dropping back down lower as she spoke the words.
Marissa just shook her head and looked to Mason “Sorry dude: You were actually the coolest one of us through all of this” she told him.
Mason just shrugged his shoulders “Oh well. I don’t mind going back since it doesn’t seem fair to anyone else if I get to be older at their expense”
“You’re going to be the most mature of all of us” Marissa told him.
“Dad will be shocked” Mason laughed.
“So will Mom” Ella added.
Mason smirked as he began to shrink down smaller and younger before all of them “Back to what I know best” he said with his voice cracking as he went. His hair lightened and reddened back up as freckles broke across his face which was rapidly sinking back in years and getting younger with each passing second.
Mason laughed a high pitched little boy’s laugh and wiggled his hips as his clothes got larger. His pants dropped off and his shirt hung on him like a sail as his legs shrank down small pale and skinny.
Marissa picked him up and could feel him still moving and shrinking in her arms. She hugged him close as he went back to being the 6 year old little brother she had to watch over.
He hugged her back around her neck as he settled back at his original age and his energy level shot through the roof. “Wow! That was fun!” he shouted as he squirmed his way out of his big sister’s arms. He bounced around the room in his huge shirt grabbing Ella by the shoulders and pulling her down to the ground with him.
“Knock it off Mason” she told him shoving him away from her. “I don’t need a reminder about how annoying 6 can be”
Marissa punched Ethan on the shoulder “Did you at least learn something today?” she asked.
He nodded ”Being grown up and in charge isn’t all that” he said.
“And I hope you learned to be a little nicer to your brother” Marissa said looking directly at Ella.
Ella just dipped her eyes and her chin and blushed and nodded.
Marissa left her room and headed for the main hallway. She went to the family picture and saw that it had been restored to what it should look like for all of them. She could hear Mason and Ethan talking in their room; it had obviously reverted back to its original look as well.
By the time she made it back upstairs, Ella was already changed back into clothes that fit her in their restored room. “I turned my back and when I turned around, it was all back to normal” Ella said with a shrug “What a crazy day”
“Indeed” Marissa said unable to add anything more.