Desire

Chapter 1
Chapter One

Every day Evan hated them a little more. Sure, it wasn’t as though they were after the same thing he was - not exactly, anyway - but that didn’t change the fact that they got to spend the whole day with her. Every morning when he stepped out onto his porch, balancing his coffee and briefcase, they’d scramble out of the cars that had lined up in front of her home, meeting her in the driveway, clamping onto her legs with the kind of hugs only overenthusiastic toddlers can manage. When the last child had arrived she’d shepherd them into the house, telling them in that soft lovely voice of hers just how much fun they were going to have that day. And when her charges were safely inside, she’d look up and catch Evan staring. Though this ritual had been going on since she moved next door a month ago she never failed to offer Evan a wave and a dazzling smile that stayed with him the whole day through. But as much as he dreamed of her smile, her shining green eyes and the way her dark, flowing hair curled ever so slightly at her shoulders, he hadn’t yet worked up the nerve to so much as say hi.

It bothered him, somehow - Evan considered himself a fairly handsome guy, after all. He had gotten the best of his parents’ Greek genes, which were responsible for his olive skin, dark curly hair, and a toned if not muscular body. And even though he was in the middle of a bit of a dry spell, at the same time he knew that, if he wanted, he could head to the bar and bring home any woman in the place. But she was what he wanted. And, once again, Evan was left standing on his porch, allowing himself to linger for just a moment before heading off to work.

At the office his thoughts constantly returned to the woman, making it difficult for him to focus on even the simplest task. By the time he returned home he was so exhausted that it wasn’t until he stepped out of his car and onto the sidewalk that he realized she was standing on his doorstep. Their eyes met and Evan stopped dead in his tracks. She flashed the smile. He dimly felt his lips curl into a grin as his feet carried his dead weight towards the object of his desire.

“Hi.” She said.

“Hi.” Evan managed. “I’m Evan.”

“Julia.” She extended her hand. The two shook and Evan couldn’t help but shiver at the way her skin caressed his like warm silk.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Evan said, experimenting with a tone that he hoped came off as suave.

“Pleasure’s all mine. I’m sorry I haven’t come over to introduce myself yet - as you’ve seen, things can get pretty hectic with the kids, and I didn’t want to come over and bother you during your weekend.”

“Oh, please.” Evan waved a hand. “You can bother me whenever you want.”

For an instant Evan felt he might have come on a little strong and felt almost elevated by relief when Julia laughed.

“You’re funny.” She brushed her hair back and smiled. “Sorry if this seems a little out of left field, but do you like kids? It’s really important to me.”

Evan raised an eyebrow.

“Important...how?”

Julia looked embarrassed for a moment.

“Important...in someone I’d like to date.”

The words seemed to burst through Evan’s lips without him even speaking.

“What, are you serious? I LOVE kids!” He cried. “’I’m jealous that you get to spend all day with them.”

“Really?” The woman pursed her lips. “Maybe I could bring them over sometime and we could watch them together.”

“That would be fantastic!” Evan heard himself say.

“Well, great!” Julia gushed. “Now that that’s out of the way...what are you doing tonight?”

Evan felt himself go weak in the knees.

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

Julia grinned.

“Be at my door in an hour.” As she passed, Evan caught the faintest whiff of some sweet perfume, so rich and intoxicating that he nearly chased after her just to keep wind of it. He fought the temptation and watched her go, standing on his doorstep with the same dumb grin plastered on his face. It wasn’t until she disappeared from sight that he was able to move again, scrambling to find his keys so that he could prepare himself for the date of a lifetime.

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Dinner was marvelous. Initially Evan was a little hesitant when she insisted not only on choosing the restaurant but also on driving them there. But in the end things turned out perfectly, as the two of them shared a wonderful meal over conversation so light and easy it belied the youth of the relationship. Before Evan knew it he and Julia were sitting in a nearly empty dining room, sipping coffee over the remnants of their desserts.

“So, tell me.” Julia said as she set down her cup and put a hand to her cheek. “What was your childhood like?”

Evan shrugged.

“It was fine, I guess.”

“...that’s it?”

“Sorry to disappoint you. I don’t remember much about it.”

Julia smiled.

“Sure you do.”

Evan furrowed his brow.

“Beg pardon?”

“I’m sure that if you think hard, it’ll come back to you.” She leaned forward and put her hand on his. “Try.”

The instant she touched him Evan’s mind was flooded with memories, so clear and vivid that he almost felt as though he were living them again. All of a sudden he could recall the faintest details of his boyhood home - the squeak of the wood beneath his feet when he scrambled up the stairs to his room, the way the den collapsed into twirling colors when his dad would hoist him onto his shoulders and give him a helicopter ride, the Sunday afternoons when the smell of his mother’s fresh-baked cookies would fill the house and waft onto the street. He remembered how fallen leaves would crunch beneath his wheels when he and his friends explored the neighborhood on their bikes, how he would cry out with joy as he splashed in their inflatable pool on blistering summer days, and how the wind would kiss his bare skin as he scampered around naked in the yard when he was very small. But beneath even all of that was something wholly simple and pure, the sensation of being held in his mother’s arms, of being warm and safe, of looking up into her eyes and knowing that everything was...

“Evan? Evan?”

He snapped to attention and found Julia looking at him with an amused if slightly concerned expression.

“Yeah, um...” Evan muttered. “I’m sorry, what were we talking about again?”

“I was saying that we should get going. The waiters look like they’re ready to kick us out.”

“Oh...sure.”

On the ride home Evan couldn’t help but return to what had happened to him in the restaurant. He had never experienced memories that vivid in his entire life, and what scared him the most is that he almost felt as though he would have been lost in them had Julia not snapped him to attention. He snuck a glance in Julia’s direction. Did she do that to me? The thought seemed absurd - after all, she had seemed just as confused as he was. Just stop thinking about it, he commanded himself. Who cares about what you were like as a kid? I wasn’t different from any other brat. He stole another glance at Julia and smiled. What’s important is that you’re sitting next to a beautiful woman, and what’s more, it actually seems like she’s into you. Don’t. Screw. This. Up.

Julia pulled into her driveway and turned off the engine. Their eyes met and a beat of silence passed between them. Simultaneously they looked away and offered some embarrassed laughter to break the awkwardness of the moment.

“I had a really good time tonight.” Evan finally said. “We should do this again soon.”

Julia pursed her lips and looked him up and down.

“Y’know...” she said, tracing her finger along the steering wheel, “Since tomorrow’s Saturday, I won’t have any little ones to take care of. Maybe...”

Julia locked her eyes on his. Evan swallowed.

“Maybe you could stay at my place tonight.”

Evan sat shock still for a moment, going over the words in his head again and again to make sure he had heard what he thought he heard.

“Sure. Yeah.” He sputtered through an idiot’s grin. “Absolutely.”

Minutes later Evan found himself sitting on her couch, trying not to boil over with anticipation. She had excused herself to fetch something from the other room and left him alone in the living room. His surroundings weren’t exactly adding to the mood. From the buckets of toys to the finger paintings hung on the wall it was pretty clear that this room was where Julia did most of the childcare. But before he could ruminate too long on that Julia strode back into the room. In her hand was a small clear vial, like a perfume bottle with a dropper top, filled to the brim with an amber liquid glinting in the moonlight that seeped through the windows.

“Now...” She purred, pulling the full dropper from the vial as she sidled up next to Evan. “Before we do anything else, I need you to be a good boy and take your medicine.”

“Uh...” Evan held a hand up and let out a little laugh. “What exactly is that stuff?”

Julia pulled back and smiled.

“Don’t you trust me?”

Trust you? Lady, I just met you.

“Look, Julia...”

Julia sighed and put the dropper back.

“Okay.” She laid back on the couch and crossed her arms. “You can go home now.”

Evan bit his lip.

“You’re not trying to poison me, are you?” He asked, half-joking.

Julia smiled and rubbed his shoulder.

“Of course not, silly.” She said - a touch condescendingly, Evan thought. “This is just something I use to...help things along.”

Evan raised his eyebrows. I didn’t figure her for the type.

“Yeah?”

She nodded and withdrew the dropper again.

“Believe me.” She said. “I’m going to fulfill your deepest desires.”

Evan looked at it, then at her...and then opened his mouth wide. Julia gave him that dazzling smile as she moved forward and let three drops fall on his tongue. Evan was struck with the remarkable sensation of tasting what felt like a hundred flavors at once. In an instant he registered traces of chocolate chip cookies, s’mores, cotton candy, lemonade, and countless others that vanished before he could identify them.

“What...what was...”

“Shh.” Julia put the vial aside, took him by the hand, and pulled him to his feet. “It’s much better standing up.”

Evan grinned and immediately forgot about the liquid.

“Naughty girl.” He growled as Julia led him to the center of the room. He moved in for a kiss only to have Julia put a finger on her lips and place her hands on his shoulders.

“Don’t be in such a hurry.” She said. “We’ve got the whole weekend.”

Evan felt himself grow flush in anticipation, almost overwhelmed by what this woman was doing to him. But mere desire wouldn’t explain why the heat that had rushed to his cheeks had now plunged into his gut and seemingly splashed over his insides, making him feel as though every inch of his body was radiating with warmth. It felt like...like he had in the restaurant...

“What...what did you make me take?” He muttered. “Feels like ecstasy.”

Julia giggled and brushed her lips against Evan’s ear. He shuddered and felt a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead.

“Not quite.” She whispered. “Just close your eyes and savor the sensation. It’s only going to get better.”

Evan did as he was told, closing his eyes and focusing on how good she was making him feel. But somehow, though he was mere moments away from making love to his dream woman, he couldn’t keep his mind from drifting back to his childhood. Thoughts of sex were brushed aside by memories of basking in the warm summer sun, of playing tag until dusk, of snuggling up with his favorite teddy bear while his mother stroked his hair and lulled him to sleep. Oh God, he thought. What was in that vial? Ecstasy sure as hell doesn’t do this. He opened his eyes to demand he tell her what he had swallowed but was stopped shock still before he could get the words out.

He was eye level with her. Evan’s eyes widened as Julia pouted.

“Aww. I was hoping you would keep your eyes closed the whole time.” She said in a mock sulk. “It’s a much nicer surprise if you wait ?til it’s finished.”

“What is this?” Evan cried. He tried to break free of her grip but her hands were like iron clamps on his shoulders. “What are you doing to me?"

“Oh, I’m sure you can figure it out.” She teased. “Just take a look at yourself.”

Evan was, to say the least, hesitant to do so. He had worked out that he had shrunk somehow, and that if his continually dropping eye level was any indication, was still shrinking. But what else could there be to it? He swallowed hard and looked down at his right hand, watching for a moment in a combination of fascination and horror as the sleeve of his Oxford shirt crept over the fingers. Trembling, he lifted the hand to his face and watched the fabric cascade down his arm. His breath caught in his throat. The tiny dark hairs that covered his arm were receding into his skin.

“I’m getting younger.” He muttered, turning his arm over and over as though in a daze. “You’re making me younger.”

Julia smiled. “Me? I didn’t do anything. You were the one who opened wide.”

Evan closed his eyes and clutched at his shirt.

“This isn’t happening.” He muttered. “This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening.”

He repeated the phrase over and over like a mantra, as though mere repetition of the statement would make it true. Even hearing his voice crack and then raise to a boyish soprano in the space of two phrases wasn’t enough to make him stop. It wasn’t until he felt his pants slip and fall from his waste that he finally gave up, choking out a low sob as he opened his eyes and looked down to see them pooled around the bottom of his skinny little legs. Though he wanted to pick them up Julia kept him still, forcing him to stand there exposed, whimpering as the woman he lusted over watched him turn into a little boy with his pants around his ankles and his body swimming in an comically oversized shirt. Then, just as quickly as it came, the sensation disappeared. Before Evan could so much as look down at himself, Julia bent over and drew close to him. The boy cringed and tried to pull away, but, to his surprise, all she did was lean forward and plant a kiss on his forehead.

“Goodnight, baby.”

Dizziness overtook him. He felt himself falling only to be stop before hitting the ground, dimly aware that Julia had caught him, holding the boy close as his world was overcome by darkness.

 

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