Sam Pierce eyed the pitcher, looking for facial movement, any twitch, any clue to what the pitcher might throw. The pitcher began his wind-up and fired the ball. Sam made a split second decision and 'POW', sent the ball hurling towards deep left field.
He thought it might go out and slowed his pace. The ball surprised him by hitting the very top of the fence and bouncing back into the field.
"Oh, shit!" was all he could say and put it in high gear. He was around second when the outfielder flung the ball towards third base. Sam started to pull up and return to second, when the ball bounced out of the third baseman's glove. At that speed, the ball shot back up in a high arc, catching everyone off guard, and scooted across the foul line between home plate and first base.
"Yes" , Sam thought, and broke back into a full gallop. He saw the third base coach motioning him home. "I'm going to make it" he thought, as he turned the base. Then it happened. He felt a sharp pain in his right hamstring, his good leg. "NO" he yelled, but kept charging.
The next few seconds seemed like an eternity. The catcher had retrieved the ball, and was getting ready to throw to the pitcher, who was now protecting home plate.
"Almost there" he thought. Limping, gasping for breath, he realized that in spite of his desire to make it, he was slowing down. "Damn!" he wheezed.
The ball came to the plate just as he dived. It was no contest. "Yerh Ouuutttt!" chimed the umpire. Sam had missed an "Inside the Park Home Run" by one step.
Dejected, he pulled himself up, dusted himself off and limped to the bench.
His old friend, Chris, came over to offer comfort to him. "That's okay, Sam. "You'll get 'em next time".
Sam shook his head. "Nah, Chris, I'm through". My body can't take it anymore. Even five years ago when I was thirty, I was still the softball league's best player, and now look at me. "Even if I hit it good, I just don't have the wheels to compete with all these twenty year olds anymore.
Chris could sympathize with him. He also was starting to feel his age. "Oh well, Sam, at least we've had a good run of it. " I mean, we met way back then when we were in Little League. That was a long time ago."
Sam thought, "Yeah Chris, those were the days. We weren't very good, but we sure had a lot of fun. "How come, just when you start to get good at this game, you can't play it anymore? "I sure do miss those days".
Chris thought for minute, then bit his lip. "Sammy.....What if I told you there was a way that we could go back to those days?"
Sam eyed him suspiciously, "Don't tell me that you guys over in the defense department have finally built a time machine? "
Chris chuckled, "No, not exactly. "We still haven't figured out a way to travel back in time, but we now have in our possession a device that can safely change a person's age. "You remember that UFO crash that I told you about last year?"
"You mean Roswell"?
"No, it was much more recent than that. "This saucer crashed in Nevada and before the press could get wind of it, our Defense boys had carted it away to one of our secret air bases in the desert.
Sam whistled. "So, it's true after all"?
"Yes, Sam, it's true. "Anyway, in the wreckage, we found a device. "And this device has the ability to make a person young by twenty five years at a pop. "Why, we could even go back to the age that we were when we played in
Little League.
Sam was stunned. "Wow, I can't believe it. "I mean, can you imagine how good we would be if we were to go back and play the game with all of the knowledge that we have now? "Why, we would be unstoppable. " I say let's do it!"
"Not so fast, Sam", Chris cautioned, there is still one drawback.
Sam looked at him quizzically "What drawback? " Like, we'll wet the bed or something?"
This made Chris really laugh. "No, no, nothing like that. "It's just that we have to transfer our extra years to someone else. "That means, for us to get younger, someone else has to get older."
Sam was crushed. "Oh man. " There's no way we could get someone who's forty years old, to take on twenty five extra years. "Why that would make 'em sixty five years old. "That could be dangerous."
Chris looked at him. "Well, I had another thought on that. "What if it was somebody younger? "I mean much younger, like a kid or something".
Sam jumped up. "That's it, Chris! "And I know just the kids who could do it."
Chris looked at him blankly. And then it dawned on him. "You-you mean our kids? "No way, Sam. "It's too experimental. "I-I mean, yes we have run hundreds of tests and have had no setbacks up to now, but...but, our own kids?........"
"Come on, Chris, you said yourself that it was safe".
"I know, but can you imagine what effect that could have on our kids? " I mean, your son, Charlie, is only nine years old. To have him grow to an adult in a matter of minutes.....that would have to be traumatic for a kid"
Sam looked at him. "Well, we could start the process out slowly and see how he responds. "If Charlie has any adverse effects, we'll stop the process. "Besides, Charlie is a pretty smart kid when it comes to science. "If I explain to him that it would be like a science experiment, he would jump at the chance. "What about your daughter"?
Chris knew what Sam ment. His daughter, Christie, had lost her mother three years ago when she was only seven. "The shock had been too much for her. "She had quit talking, began to live in a fantasy world, and lately, seemed to be getting worse.
"Maybe this would be a good thing for her," ventured Sam.
Chris looked dejected. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try. "I mean, I've taken her to the best doctors and no one seems to able to help."
Sam brightened. "Well, then it's settled. "Little League" tryouts start in about a week, so we're going to have to hurry."
Throughout the next week they planned out the details.
"Look", said an exasperated Sam, "It's simple. "Since the driver's licenses in this state don't require a picture I.D., It will be no problem for you and Christie to switch identities. "That is, if she is capable of doing so. "We can do the same with Charlie. He will become the adult named "Sam", and I'll be his son, Charlie. "Hell, his name's already on the waiting list for this baseball season. "Just stick with me on this, Chris. "All we need to do is take a three month leave of absence; just long enough to pull this until the baseball season is over. "Then we can change them and ourselves back to our original age. "Of course, we'll have to give them instructions on how to live like adults; very personal instruction, if you know what I mean".
Chris's face reddened. He knew what Sam was talking about. Neither Charlie nor Christie had entered puberty yet. There was a lot for them to learn.
One Saturday, Charlie heard his dad calling to him from the basement. When he got downstairs, he found his dad and Uncle Chris standing around a device he had not seen before. The base was a shiny bright material and on top of the base stood a large green, crystal looking pyramid.
Sam looked at his son. "Pretty cool, eh, son"?
Charlie gawked at it open-mouthed. "What is it dad".
"It's a machine that has a very special power, Charlie. "If we stand in the right place and turn it on, we can exchange our ages. "You will get older, while I get younger."
Sam slowly explained the plan to his son. Charlie agreed excitedly.
Chris had them take their position, one on either side of the crystal.
For the first time, Chris noticed some doubt on Sam's face. He looked at Chris.."Isn't there anyway that I could be a little older than nine?" he asked, "I mean, that's pretty young."
Chris face darkened. "I've told you before, Sam, the machine only works in twenty five year increments. "There is no choice. "If you don't want to go through with it, I'll understand."
Sam looked at him, and said "No, it's not that. "It's just that you're two years older than me; and that means that when this is all over, you'll be eleven, and I'll only be nine years old."
"Look, I've offered to switch with you before, but you said you wanted the challenge. "So, what will it be"?
Sam took a deep breath and said, "Okay, let's do it the way we planned. "You switch with Chrissy and I'll switch with Charlie. "What do we have to do"?
"Well, first thing, Charlie will have to take off his clothes."
"What??" Yelped Sam
Chris sighed "Sam, Charlie is going to get bigger physically, a log bigger. His clothes might injure him. So, they've got to come off.".
"Do I have to dad?" Charlie whined.
"Yes son, Uncle Chris is right. "You have to".
"But, the floor is cold down here. "Can I leave my socks on?"
"Sure son".
Charlie did as he was told, and for the first time, Sam got a glimpse of what awaited him. This boy's body was so frail; all skin and bone. It frightened him to think that in a few minutes, he would look like that.
"Let's get this over with". he murmured.
Chris turned on the machine. An eerie green glow shot from both front and back, striking Charlie and Sam.
The light seemed to pulse, about once per second. Sam looked at his naked son. His body was rocking with each pulse that hit him. Slowly, Sam noticed that Charlie had gotten a little taller. Then the pulses seem to increase in strength. Charlie again got taller. His body stretched out and his hands got larger. "Is he all right?" said Sam.
"He's fine" Chris said. "He looks as if he's about to enter puberty."
Sure enough, fine black hairs started forming between his legs. At first, it looked thin and wispy, but soon, the hairs got longer, as did his penis. More pulses, and muscles began forming on his body. Chronologically, his age appeared to be about thirteen years old. 'That's four years older' thought Sam, 'that means that I'm four years younger. 'I'm thirty one again'.
The changes continued. Charlie shot up in height, and on his now teen-aged chin, facial hair was growing.
Sam noticed very little about himself at first. Then, when he regressed back to his late twenties, he felt a surge of newfound power. His legs felt strong again, powerful.
He looked at his son, now a strapping nineteen-year-old.
'Hmmm, ' that's eleven years. That makes me about twenty-four'
And he looked it to. His clothes were starting to get loose in all of the right places. "I want to watch this," he said, removed his pants and shirt. Clothed only in his underwear, Sam marveled at his newly returned youth. His body was supple and strong and looking more lithe by the minute. When he looked over at Charlie, Sam realized the passing seconds had changed them again. With amazement, he realized the he and his son were now the same age, both of them looking about twenty-one years old.
"Dad"? Said Charlie in his now husky voice. "Are you okay"?
"I'm fine son" said Sam, and was shocked at the change in the tenor of his voice.
Charlie was a full-grown man now, while his father was showing signs of intense youthening. The younger Sam got, the less confident he felt. There was a fear that was welling up inside of him, a feeling of helplessness. The world was starting to seem a lot bigger to him. For many years, he had control of his destiny. But now, as his muscles shrank, his height diminished, his own facial hair fading, Sam did not anymore feel like the confident adult that he once was.
Now a skinny twelve-year-old, Sam was beginning to remember what it was like to be a kid. The uncertainty, the fear, the sense of being lost in such a big world.
His underwear slipped to his ankles, revealing a small patch of pubic hair and ever shrinking genitals. Charlie burst out laughing, a loud, hardy, manly laugh. His own body was starting to show signs of middle age. Love handles appeared on his sides and his own muscles softened a bit.
All of this time, Chris watched them both, fascinated by the startling changes.
Sam's view of the room lost a few inches. This feeling was not at all what he had expected. He looked down at his body. Now hairless and small. He was a boy. A little boy and becoming littler with each passing second.
"I-I would like to stop".....he started to say, but stopped in mid-sentence when out of his mouth came this child's voice.
Chris anticipated his message and said "Come on, Sam, you know there is no way to stop this until the machine switches off automatically. "Anyway, I'd say that by the looks of you, that will not be too long now."
Sam closed his eyes. 'This can't be happening' he thought.
Then the machine shut down. The room was totally quiet. Sam slowly opened his eyes. Towering over him was now his full grown son, Charlie and his best friend, Chris.
"How do you feel?" said Chris.
"Fine", Sam said, in his child's voice. 'How am I going to get used to this?' he thought.
"It looks like it's a complete success, Sam. "Why don't you and Charlie go over to that mirror and have a look?"
They did. The reflection showed a father and his nine-year-old son. Only it was this little boy who was the father.
Chris headed for the stairs. "You guys get dressed. "I'm going to get Christie before I chicken out of this whole thing."
Sam and Charlie fumbled with their clothes until they realized that they would never get them on, and finally switched with each other.
Chris returned with Christie, dressed only in a terry-cloth robe, and leading her by the hand. The girl seemed oblivious to the world around her. He sat her on a chair in front of the machine. Christie was ten, and a very pretty little girl, though her stare was vacant.
Chris got into position and started the machine. Once again, the pulse lunged out, striking them at the same time.
Sam and Charlie watched as the girl began to age. The front of her robe started protruding outward as Christie entered puberty. Then she began to grow in height and fill out. Her body took on the shape and suppleness of a young woman. Her now full breasts pushed at the robe, revealing a full cleavage.
Her body reached full maturity and then there was the point when both she and her father were the same age, around twenty-four.
As she got older, her dad was getting younger.
Recognition began to enter her eyes. She looked around and spotted the young man just beyond the weird looking machine.
"Daddy"? she ventured.
The much younger Chris was moved to tears. "Christie, honey, you're back"!
His daughter had blossomed into beautiful womanhood.
"Daddy, what's going on?" she said, and he could hear the fear rising in her voice.
"Just wait a minute, darling, and daddy will explain everything to you."
Chris was shocked by his voice. After what happened to Sam, he didn't dare take his clothes off, even though they now hung on him in waves of fabric.
Finally, the deed was done. The machine switched off automatically. Chris had fared a little better than his best friend. After all, he was eleven years old.
He seemed to be more teen than child. He instructed Charlie to take Christie upstairs to her bedroom. After they had left, he walked over to Sam. He was a head taller than his friend.
"Come on, Chris, strip! "I want to see just what we've gotten ourselves into."
Chris stepped out of his oversized shoes and easily pulled off his huge clothing while Sam shed his own clothes.
Standing in front of the mirror, he couldn't believe what he was looking at. His eleven-year-old body was in the early stages of puberty. The signs were unmistakable. His hands were larger and between his legs there was a fine patch of pubic hair, but not enough to completely cover the pink skin underneath.
"I...I can't believe this" he said, "It looks like I'm going to have to go through puberty again!"
Sam looked at him and laughed. "Well, at least you don't look like the shrimp that I turned out to be. "Jesus, look how tiny my Dick has gotten.
They re-dressed again and assembled Charlie and Christie in the kitchen. At the table, they laid out their plan. They would both remain children for the next three months so they could play Little League baseball, while Charlie and Christie would assume the role of their parents.
"Wow", said Charlie in his baritone voice "You mean I get to be the dad and you get to be the kid. "Does the mean I can boss you around and send you to bed without your supper?"
"Don't get too cocky, son" said Sam. "You may be bigger then me for now, but remember, that will not last forever. "And I will hold it against you".
Charlie lowered his head. "I'm sorry dad. "I get ya".
Chris looked at his full-grown daughter. "How about you honey? "Are you okay with this?"
She looked at the young boy. "I...I guess so, daddy. But how are we going to act as adults. "We have never been and don't know what to do."
"Don't worry about that, Christie," said Sam, We'll teach you everything you'll need to know. "We'll be at the ball field during the daytime, but will be here for you in the evenings."
"Remember everyone, our roles have changed. "For the next three months, You, Charlie, will be Sam Peirce; and I will be your son, Charlie. "And you, Christie will be the mother of your eleven year old son, Chris. "Have you all got that?"
They all nodded in agreement.
Continued in Part 2