Victor Shopping Alone at Walgreens

Once upon a time, in a small neighborhood on the outskirts of a bustling city, a 6-year-old boy named Victor was shopping alone at Walgreens for the first time. His 21-year-old mother, aware of the essential need to foster independence, handed him a few dollar bills. As she watched him venture off into the store, her heart was filled with a peculiar blend of anxiety and pride. The store was a monolithic structure, with high towering aisles filled with an assortment of goods. Victor nervously navigated through the matrix of aisles, his heart pounding with both thrill and fear, like a mariner exploring uncharted waters. After what seemed like an eternity, he spotted a familiar sight - his favorite candy bar tucked away on one of the shelves. Triumphantly, he clutched it and proceeded to the checkout counter. Just as he was about to exit, he was halted by a striking figure whose appearance was as vibrant as it was peculiar. She was a woman, perhaps around 38, her black, curly Afro hairstyle framed her face which was marked by sharp, piercing brown eyes. Large hoop earrings dangled from her ears, reflecting the harsh store light. This was Tyesha, widely known as Princess Nigeria, a homeless woman of African American descent. Her attire was as unique as her persona - a skin-colored crop top, short shorts, and platform sandals. A black purse hung on her shoulders, her bright orange-painted fingernails, and toenails providing a stark contrast. An eyebrow piercing and a tongue piercing shone ominously, and a tattoo conspicuously marked near her left butt cheek signaled a forgotten relationship. "Hey sugar, you got a dollar or sum on you? You're so damn cute! I'm sorry if I'm scaring you if you don't got anything, hon, I understand," Tyesha cooed. Victor wordlessly pulled out his remaining cash and extended it to her. Suddenly, an electrifying exhaustion seeped through his little hand. His vision got blurry, then completely black. When he opened his eyes, things seemed... different. A voice, identical to his, rang out, "Hope that's enough money, miss", but he didn't recall saying it. In fact, he realized that his hand was still extended, the dollar bill untouched. As his heart began to race, he realized something else – a horrifying, impossible change. He felt taller, and his hair was definitely longer and curlier. Examining himself, he saw the outfit from earlier—the skin-colored crop top, short shorts, and platform sandals — previously worn by Tyesha, now adorned him. The hoop earrings grazed his neck and previously unnoticed feminine mounds protruded from his chest. His fingers bore the same bright-orange nail polish and he was repulsed at the femininity he now carried. "I'm.... a girl? I don't wanna be a girl! I wanna be a boy!" The voice was different too, mature, refined, and female. Overcoming the initial wave of shock, Victor began to explore the purse hanging from his shoulder. The contents shocked him further, including what he didn't know were tampons and pads, cigarettes, and a lighter. Victor's reflection in the store's patron mirror confirmed the terrifying truth. He found the tattoo marking that symbolized a discarded love affair, his new features were visible under his hoop earrings, a piercing embellished his eyebrow, and a revolting sensation in his mouth made him aware of a tongue piercing. Princess Nigeria’s lifestyle was worlds away from the innocent world he was used to. He felt the discomfort of the hot pavement on his new feet and winced as he stepped on a sharp rock, causing an immense wave of pain to surge through his left foot. It was then that he spotted his own body, approaching him with a hopeful glint in his eyes. But the hope was crushed as he heard his previous voice deliver a casual, "I hope you enjoy your drink, miss," before striding away. Victor slumped onto the pavement, his world falling apart. He slipped his feet back into the platform sandals and gingerly stood back upright, clutching the purse anxiously. He began aimlessly walking, wincing at every step, until he stumbled upon an alleyway. It was a grim and graffitied refuge, but it would do until morning. "It's so dark! I want my blanket! I want my mommy! She's supposed to tuck me in and kiss me goodnight, so the monsters stay away," Victor whimpered, hugging his knees with his orange painted nails visible under the dim glow of a broken streetlamp. His cries echoed through the alleyway, reminding him of his predicament: an unexpected foreign inhabitation into a world he didn't understand. In the face of fear and confusion, Victor held onto his innocence, though his eyes welling with tears were the ones of an adult woman, his female body scared him more. He gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut, desperately wishing for it all to be a terrible dream. However, unbeknownst to young Victor, he had unknowingly stepped into the life of Tyesha and would never be a boy again.