Tara Lane stood outside of Happy Friends Preschool greeting the kids as they got dropped off. “Good Morning Jack!” She said to a little boy who hopped out of a car and rushed past her to get inside.

“Annie!” she put her hands up to her cheeks and smiled “You look so pretty today…what’s the special occasion!”

4 year old Annie Lawry stopped and curtsied for her teacher “I’m Princess Annie today” she announced.

“Well welcome You Highness” Tara replied waving her arm and curtsying in response.

Annie’s Mom just rolled her eyes “She dressed herself today if you couldn’t tell and no matter what I told her would not convince her to wear something else”

Annie danced around in front of the door, her book bag hung over her shoulder but wearing a sparkling silver dress with a lot of tulle and ruffles along with silver flats.

“I’ll make sure she doesn’t get anything on it” Tara said.

“It was last year’s Easter dress” her Mom told her waving her hand dismissing any real concern.

Annie went in as the train of cars continued for Tara.

Tara was just a helper; she bounced from class to class to give an extra hand as she was the youngest of the staff. Just 23 and just out of college with her early childhood development degree, she was learning a lot about running a Preschool.

The teachers had taken their classes to their rooms by the time Tara came inside with the last child. She helped him to his classroom and then stuck around.

Annie soon came bouncing over to her, smiling, but covered in green paint.

“Oh No! Your pretty dress…” Tara said.

“It’s okay Miss Tara…I didn’t get too much on me” Annie said holding her hands out.

“Keep those hands just like that” Tara said “Let’s go to the bathroom and clean you up” She took Annie by the wrists and led her off.

Annie stepped up onto the stool in front of the sink and swayed back and forth slightly as Tara scrubbed her hands for her. A little bit of paint remained under her nails but then Tara noticed she had green paint under her own nails. “Couple of spots on your sleeves and on the bottom; do you want to change your clothes?”

“No Miss Tara; I’m a Princess remember and Princesses don’t wear sloppy clothes” Annie said defiantly. “They wear fancy dresses”

“They do indeed” Tara replied. She glanced in the mirror and fluffed out her shoulder length black hair. She puckered her lips briefly before smacking them and turning back to Annie.

“Do you want to be a Princess too Miss Tara?” Annie asked.

“Oh yes, I’d love to be a Princess” Tara replied “Because if I were royalty, like you, then I wouldn’t have to work”

“But who would do your job here?” Annie asked.

“I’m sure they’d find somebody” Tara teased.

“I could do it” Annie announced “Even if I weren’t a Princess, I’d still like to work here someday”

“Well, maybe someday you can work here” Tara said.

“Ooo! Maybe today!” Annie said bouncing with energy again.

“What do you mean?” Tara asked.

“Well if you want to be a Princess and I want to work here then we can just switch places. You can be the kid and I can be the adult!” Annie said excitedly.

“You have quite the imagination Annie” Tara said. They had stepped back out into an empty playroom. Annie shut her eyes tight and balled her little hands into fists “I wish I was an adult and Miss Tara was a little girl” she said quietly. “That way she could be a Princess just like me and I could help all the kids like she does”

With those words the world stopped. All noise cut out and absolute silence surrounded them. Lights dimmed before flaring brighter and Tara felt her body lift up and off the ground.

“What the…?!” she yelled as her feet lifted out of her black flats and she rose into the air hovering gently a few inches above her shoes. She kicked her feet weakly back and forth as her hands went to her sides feeling like they were kicking underwater. She wore jeans and a blue long sleeved top and very little jewelry; it just got in the way with the kids so a simple pair of pearl stud earrings adorned her ears and nothing else.

Annie jaw dropped as Tara lifted up off the ground “Wow Miss Tara you’re float…oh my gosh!” she said as she now felt herself lifting up. Her tiny kids size 8 silver slippers remained on the ground but her feet came clear of them and lifted up into the air as she rose up further off the ground until she was eye level with Tara. Her bright blue eyes shone with wonder and her blonde pigtails flipped back and forth as she moved her head around as much as she could. The bottom of poufy skirt swayed lightly in the breeze as her arms came to her sides and her little toes pointed as she kicked.

“Don’t panic Annie, we’re going to be okay…I’ll…” Tara said loudly.

“I’m not scared Miss Tara” Annie replied calmly and with a little giggle

“Okay well I’m panicking” Tara said turning her head from side to side “Why are we floating?”

Annie felt warm all over and she smiled.

“Why am I so cold?” Tara asked “I…what’s that?” she asked looking down “What is that…it feels weird…it feels like I’m…” she was mainly talking to herself as a tingling sensation ran through her and then it felt like her muscles were tightening and she was trying to crouch or pull in closer.

She looked down when she sensed the bottoms of her jeans brushing over the tops of her feet. By the time she looked, only her toes were sticking out from beneath them, the tops of her feet were covered.

It took a moment to comprehend what she was seeing “My feet…they look…smaller” she said in a confused tone. As she stared and concentrated on them, her jaw slowly dropped.

Tara’s wide toes narrowed; the knuckles of them drew smaller and her nails began to shrink. The bottoms of her feet and her heels were softening and turning a brighter pink color as well. Tara kicked her feet but her jeans felt heavy on them and the fabric was bunched up over them covering them up now.

Tara could feel her feet rising up the legs of her jeans now that they were completely covered. Her legs were thinning and getting shorter and her pants were getting bigger and looser on her body.

Annie’s warm feeling was spreading and she was getting warmer. She pointed her toes and stretched. Her stretch though kept on going and felt like it would never end. Every muscle in her body seemed like it was growing longer and farther out.

Annie pointed her toes and began to kick, her legs and feet moved easier and with more power behind them as they began to grow longer and bigger. Her feet began to gain size and started to widen while her legs grew longer, the tulle scratched at her calves, then her knees, then her thighs.

The sparkly dress began to tighten at her waist and across her back. Her arms began to elongate and gain strength as they grew longer. She balled up her fists as her hands began to change as well.

Annie’s fingers grew wider and longer, her nails thickened and the palms of her hands spread outward. “Miss Tara; I feel funny” she giggled.

Tara could only gasp as she felt her hands begin to rise up and retreat into the sleeves of her shirt. Her fingers looked like they were smaller just like her toes did before they disappeared. The nails seemed thin and pale and her fingers looked stubby and skinny.

Her arms were getting shorter and rising up her sleeves as her legs rose up her pants. Her clothes felt super loose, even around her waist and stomach and chest. She wiggled her chest as much as she could, feeling her breasts bounce freely around her bra. “What’s happening to me?!” she said. Tara narrowed her eyes and looked around confused at the sound of her voice; it sounded higher and kind of whiny.

As Annie continued to grow, her clothes began to change. The tulle and ruffles of her silver dress extended down and darkened, changing to a simple black cotton skirt, loose and flowing and changing along with her body. The green paint spot on her sparkly top spread out and took over the color of her top, removing the glitter and sparkle and just becoming a simple green top.

Annie’s arms lengthened, her waist popped outward along with her stomach and hips as her clothes continued changing. She noticed an itch in the middle of her back followed by something snapping down on her widening shoulders and encasing her chest.

Annie wiggled her wider hips as a tingle raced through her chest. Her legs continued stretching out longer as well as feeling heavier as they began to thicken and round up. She held her right foot out as it spread wide and her toes grew longer and her nails became dense and thick. “It’s my wish Miss Tara; it’s coming true”

“No, that’s impossible Annie, that can’t be” her high pitched voice rang out but as she continued to shrink down smaller, Tara’s clothes now began to change to adapt to her body. Her jeans tightened and began to rise up but they also changed color from regular and boring blue to bright pink.

Tara’s toes reemerged from the bottoms of her pant legs much smaller and delicate looking than they had been when they went in. “What the heck?” she said upon seeing them. Tara gave them a wiggle as bright pink nail polish now popped onto her very small nails.

Annie’s hair ties unwound letting her pigtails out and her blonde hair fell down to her shoulders. It darkened and began to style itself differently. Her face broadened and began to fill out, maturing in looks as her features expanded.

Annie’s chin and jaw dropped down and came out forward. Her lips and mouth spread as her nose broadened and her cheeks rose up. Her ears grew longer and received Tara’s pearl earrings as her eyes widened below a spreading forehead with thickening eyebrows.

She licked her lips as her teeth popped out long white and straight replacing the mishmash of baby teeth she previously had.

Her face was that of an adult and her body was quickly completing its journey there as well. Her legs rounded, her muscles firmed and her feet popped outward. Her arms strengthened and lengthened as her waist and stomach came out and her rear rounded and lifted under her long black skirt.

Her breasts had been steadily growing and expanding as her age increased until they filled the bra which had appeared on her chest under her green top “Wow Tara, I feel amazing!” Annie said in a much deeper and confident sounding voice.

“Well I don’t Miss Annie!” Tara shot back. Her hips and ass came in straight and flat along with her chest. Her blue top remained blue but a brighter shade with sparkles and glitter that spelled out Princess on it as it went flat against her body, her bra vanishing off her body as it was no longer needed.

Brink pink polish popped onto the ends of her tiny fingers and immediately parts chipped and flecked away as they reemerged from the ends of her sleeves small and clumsy.

Her black hair thinned and grew wild as it grew slightly longer in relation to her body. Annie’s hair ties came to her and she felt her hair sweep back and pull tight as a ponytail formed up and tied off.

As her hair pulled tighter, it felt like it was pulling her face in smaller and tighter as well. Her forehead lifted and shrank and her eyebrows thinned. Her brown eyes narrowed and her nose shrank down button small.

Her cheeks puffed out pudgy with baby fat as her chin and jaw came in soft and close. Her lips thinned and her mouth shrank on her now very childlike face. She parted her lips as her adult teeth shrank down very small, returning to baby status inside her mouth. “AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!” A little girl’s high pitched scream rang out in the silent room but Ann was amazed to realize that it wasn’t coming from her.

Ann looked across from her and saw a small girl, no more than 4 years old, floating in the air. “Tara?” she said loudly and firmly “Calm down Tara please”

Tara was shaking her head quickly back and forth “NO! How can I calm down?! I can’t!”

Ann began to move; she drifted closer to Tara who then began to drift herself past Ann. The switched places where they were hovering and found themselves on the opposite side of the room.

Ann began to lower. She saw her feet approaching the black flats that Tara had been wearing which remained on the ground. Her toes pointed and she slipped into them easily and comfortably.

Tara also began to glide down back to the ground. The silver slippers, kids size 8, were there waiting for her and her small bare feet slid easily into them, in fact, they were a little big for them but they were her favorite shoes. “Muh…Miss Annie?” Tara said confused but happy to be back on the ground “What just happened to us and why am I calling you Miss Annie?”

Ann looked around and slapped at her new adult body now that she was on firm ground. She looked over at the tiny girl standing before her, barely coming up to her waist and smiled. She got down on her knees to be at eye level with her and said “I wished that I could be an adult and that you could be a little girl and a…” she pointed to the silver glitter word on Tara’s shirt “…Princess again and that’s what happened. I’m big” she said putting her hands up over her head and standing back up.

Tara was amazed at how big Annie looked to her now “You’re like twice my size now Annie!” Tara said putting her hands to her mouth.

“I know; isn’t it great!” she spun around once on her heel.

“No it’s not great!” Tara said furrowing her brow and frowning. She crossed her tiny arms over her chest and stomped her little silver slipper down “I’m supposed to be the big one here not you! Gimme my age back!”

“No” Annie said firmly putting her own black flat clad foot down.

With her foot making contact, the world rushed back to life around them. Noise exploded and kids were running everywhere coming into the room. Tara spun around and saw so many kids that were now the same size as her rushing towards and past her that her she scrunched up smaller.

“You have to, it’s not fair!” Tara said focusing on Ann again.

“No I don’t and you can’t talk to me like that young lady” Ann told her and enjoyed the look of fright that appeared on Tara’s face. “It was my wish; it came true and now this is how it is”

“But…” Tara said.

“Is there something wrong Tara?” Miss Jenny, one of the teachers asked coming upon the scene.

“Yes Miss Jenny” Tara started excitedly “Miss Annie stole my age from me and she won’t give it back”

“She stole your what?” Jenny Walsh asked confused.

“My age! You know I’m supposed to be an adult. I’m 23 and she’s the 4 year old…you hired me to work here!” Tara voice piped up.

Jenny began to laugh “You kids have quite the imagination some days”

“But!”

Annie joined in laughing “We were playing a little game where she was pretending to be the teacher and I was her student while I washed hands up from a little paint mishap and now…” she shrugged her shoulders “She’s taken it a little bit too far”

“Now Tara, we don’t want to have to call your Mommy do we?” Jenny asked.

“No Miss Jenny, please don’t call my Mom”

“Then this is the last I’ll hear about your silly little game?”

Tara bowed her head and nodded.

“Good. Now don’t be mad, everybody gets a little overexcited sometimes when they’re playing a fun game but it’s free play time and then it’ll be snack time and I’m going to read a story in a little bit too, does that sound fun?” Jenny asked.

“Yes” Tara said, a slight lisp forming in her speech now.

“Good, now I need Miss Annie to help me move a few things so run along and play with your friends”

Tara looked at Ann with confusion and anger but a small girl with curly hair ran up to her and took her by the hand, leading her off to play.

Tara tried to concentrate on what had happened but playing dolls was also fun and by the time Miss Jenny called for snack time, she ran to her locker and got out her Sheriff Callie lunch box to see what her Mommy had packed for her.

Ann had went to another room to help with the 2 year olds in a Mommy and Me program and by the time she got back, Tara was staring wide eyed at the story being read to her.

Ann heard footsteps behind her and turned to see her Mom coming up. Being taller than her now and just a few years younger was a shock, but not as much as when she said “Hey Ann, I need to pick my daughter up early today, can you get her for me?”

“Oh, um, sure” she replied with a confused smile.

“Tara” she called out “Your Mom’s here to pick you up”

Tara spun and upon seeing her, instantly perked up and ran over. Her arms outstretched yelling “Mommy” happily and giggling.

“We need to take Grandma to an appointment” Mrs. Lawry said swooping Tara up into her arms. She put her back down “Go get your stuff and tell your teachers Thank You”

Tara rushed off and grabbed her bag and lunch box, waving good bye to her friends and teachers. She stopped suddenly in front of Ann.

They locked eyes for a brief moment before Tara smiled “Thanks Miss Annie”

“No Tara…Thank You” she replied.