How a young boy's life changed after being switched with a struggling single mother.

Once upon a time, a seven-year-old boy named Jason was given money by his 29-year-old mother to go shopping in Target alone for the first time. The little boy was excited, and he ventured into the store, brimming with anticipation. The store was a veritable labyrinth of wonders to him, rows upon rows of toys, snacks, and goodies. As he turned into an aisle, looking for his favorite snacks, he came across Stacia. She was a 20-year-old single mom, her blonde hair tied back in a bun, a Louis Vuitton backpack slung casually off her shoulder. She looked like she had just run a marathon in the blistering summer heat, her tank top, short shorts and thong sandals, evidence of the sunny weather outside. She was juggling shopping and bouncing between her two daughters, a precocious 4-year-old and a 3-month-old baby, a strenuous task for just one person. Seeing Jason, Stacia kneeled down to his level and introduced herself. She asked Jason if he could lend her a hand with something. The boy, taken aback, nodded shyly, even though he felt a little wary. Suddenly, as Stacia took him by the hand, his world spun, and everything went black. When Jason opened his eyes again, he was shocked. He felt taller, and his clothes felt different. Looking down, he saw the very same tank top, short shorts, and thong sandals he'd just seen on Stacia. His back felt bulkier too, and he realized he was now wearing Stacia's backpack. Ambling over to a reflective surface, Jason's heart pounded in his chest. The reflection wasn't his, but Stacia's. His mind spun again, this time from the shocking realization. And the little girls, now they were in his care, looking up to him with curious eyes. He freaked out, immediately removing the unbearably girly sandals and the backpack. Loosening his hair from the bun, he felt a bit more like himself. As an emergency measure, he took the two little girls to the front desk, asking the employees to keep an eye on them. In a panic, he scurried through the aisles, frantically searching for his own body. When he finally spotted it, the sight was surreal. His young face was replaced with Stacia’s mature features. With trepidation, he walked over, knowing the woman inside was Stacia. He begged her to switch back, but she coldly refused, confessing she was tired of her grueling life, now it was his turn. His world came crashing down. As he stood there, tears streaming down his face, his memories morphed and matured. Wave after wave of Stacia's past washed over him. In a few agonizing moments, the last shred of Jason faded away until he could only remember being Stacia. Confused and distressed, he found himself wonderingly why he was barefoot, without her backpack and with her hair down. Seeing her daughters sitting unattended at the front of the store filled her with dread. She rushed towards them, embracing and kissing them, apologies pouring from her lips. She quickly found her sandals, slipped them back on, and hurriedly found her backpack, pulling her hair back into a bun with the scrunchie she found. "So glad I found you guys. I've been feeling off today. Mommy loves you both. I know you can't understand me," she murmured, gathering herself as she picked up her groceries. Then, with her daughters in tow, she walked to her car. But as she drove home, there wasn't a trace of Jason left. None at all.