The Man Who Turned into a Woman

Once upon a time in the small town of Springville, lived a young boy named Zeke. He was just five years old and lived with his 23 year old mom. For the very first time, his mom allowed him to go to the grocery store alone, a task that seemed like an adventure to him. Taking small, tentative steps with a shopping list clutched tightly in his little fist, Zeke entered the store. As he moved down the aisles, he spotted a woman whose stature highly outstretched that of any person he had ever met. From behind, he observed her shoulder-length brown hair and the short dress she was wearing, along with platform sandals and a stylish purse adorning her shoulder. Zeke approached the lady and observed her as she turned around, providing him with a full view. The woman caught sight of little Zeke and broke into a warm, inviting smile. "Aren't you a little cutie? You must be wondering why I'm so tall. My name is Anastasia; I'm 30 years old and I'm from Russia. I stand at a proud 6 foot 10 inches," she introduced herself, reaching out her hand to shake Zeke's. Matching Anastasia's gesture, Zeke extended his hand. Suddenly, a strange feeling welled up within him, as if his head spinning. When he opened his eyes again, he found the tops of the store aisles far below him. Looking down, he saw Anastasia's dress, platform shoes and purse now adorned him. Glancing into a nearby mirror, he gasped, pointing at his reflection. Zeke managed to muster a few words, which came out in the unfamiliar accent and maturity of Anastasia. Feeling a little scared, he attempted to walk but immediately felt the fear of toppling over. He decided to remove the platform sandals and purse, finding them too girly for his taste. However, he hesitated when it came to the dress, deciding it would stay on until he found a solution. Suddenly, Zeke spotted his own body at a distance, and without wasting a moment, he ran. Only this run was different; in two strides he was where he meant to be. He looked down at his childlike body but this time, Anastasia, in Zeke's body was utterly content. She expressed her relief at the opportunity to live a life without the burden of towering over people. Zeke's memories as himself faded away, slowly replaced by Anastasia's life experiences. Finally accepting his new persona, Anastasia realized she had overstayed her time at the store. She found her discarded shoes and purse, and once situated, started on her quest to find her groceries. After gathering all she needed, Anastasia took a moment to admire her reflection in the mirror. With loving thoughts about her parents and her childhood years, she smiled, despite her tear filled eyes. "30 years old already. I remember being a little girl like it was yesterday. Now I'm a grown woman. A really tall grown woman. I love being so tall. So lucky I had such amazing parents who treated me with all the love in the world. I miss them more and more every day," she reminisced. Staring at her new reflection Anastasia had a realization. Even though she was now trapped in a five-year-old boy's body, she held the joy of finally being shorter. And even though Zeke would now spend the rest of his life as Anastasia, Anastasia felt content in her little body, ready to relish every moment of once again, being the shorter one.