Extreme old lady syndrome

Once upon a time, 6-year-old Tae found herself spending the summer at her 67-year-old grandma Helga's house. Helga, a woman of solitude and firm principles, lived an old-school life, and in her home, the rules didn't bend, not even for her darling granddaughter, Tae. On the day of Tae’s arrival, the electronic devices and toys she held dear faced immediate confiscation, replaced by a kitchen filled only with tomato juice, prune juice, and an endless supply of bran products. Tae, having an aversion to these items, made a silent pledge to avoid them at all costs. One day, with a glass of tomato juice perched on the table, Helga said to Tae, "I'm leaving you home alone. I trust you. I have a doctor's appointment and I don't wanna be late. Bye dear." The old grandmother, oblivious to Tae's revulsion, had left the tomato juice for her to drink. Yet, once the door closed behind Helga, Tae was off on an adventure of liberation. Tae bolted to Helga's room, scrunching her nose at the scent of mothballs mixed with were old lady perfumes. She grimaced at the various garments and footwear that littered the room, but her attention was solely on the confiscated treasures resting atop a shelf. Ignoring the waves of distaste for the old lady clothes and sandals, Tae climbed the shelves, grasping her beloved belongings only to lose her grip and tumble down. In the flurry of the fall, her feet landed square into a pair of Helga's old lady sandals. "Oh, yuck!" Tae exclaimed, scrunching her nose, kicking the sandals off swiftly. But something strange started to occur her feet began to crack and wrinkle, transforming into her grandma's. A gasp escaped as Tae gazed at her hands now wrinkling, the rest of her body was rapidly coming next, seeming to condense and age simultaneously. "Oh no! Grandma?" she cried in shock. But it wasn't Tae’s voice now; it was deeper, older, eerily similar to Helga’s. Before her horrified eyes, her clothes dissolved, replaced by a short pink old lady skirt and a tan floral shirt. White curly hair replaced the neat pigtails, and yellowed, gapped teeth reflected back at her from the mirror instead of her toothy grin. "Oh no! I don’t wanna be grandma. I’m Tae! I’m 6! No grandma! I don't wanna be grandma!" she cried in her new voice. However, her pleas were met only with the sight of her new, elderly reflection. Tae's memories started to alter as if a specter was snatching her childish reminiscences and planting experiences that spanned decades. Her toys and electronics faded from the ground, being replaced by Helga's purse materializing in the closet. "Am I... am I becoming Grandma’s replacement?" she mumbled, struggling against the undulating wave of change overtaking her mind. But soon, she remembered nothing about being Tae, only the life of Helga. "Oh my golly. I'm gonna be late for my doctor's appointment. Why am I still home? I usually leave earlier to dodge rush hour but I'm still here? I must be losing my marbles," the new Helga fretted, spots of confusion swirling in her head. She picked up Helga’s sandals, mumbling, "For Pete's sake! I never leave my things about like this. What's going on with me today?" Checking her look in the mirror, she sighed, "Wow! Can't believe I'm 67 years old. Really sad this skirt is no longer as hip as it was back when I was a little girl. It suits me so I guess that's all that matters most." An old lady chuckle emerged from her, licked with a twinge of sadness. Moving slowly, she wandered to the kitchen, eyeing the glass of tomato juice and almost mechanically downed it in a few large gulps, enjoying the taste. "So delicious. I love tomato juice and prune juice so much. Don't understand the fuss on how they taste. They're so good for you too. Really wish I wasn't so lonely all the time. This old lady could use some company. Really wish one of my daughters would've had children so I could have a granddaughter or grandson to hang out with me. I'm so boring by myself. Oh well, better call my doctor and hope I can still get down there today or I'll have to reschedule." With a mournful sigh, the newly transformed Helga left the house. Tae, the spirited 6 years old, was gone, replaced utterly by the 67 years old Helga she had unwillingly become.