The Town

Chapter 2
Trick or Treat

Sam felt a chill run down for spine and felt like she was going down in a elevator. That same feeling came to the other girls. Sam saw the world growing along with the girls. As it was her world grew, her body shrank, her hands shrank back and her family ring slipped off, her long legs dwindled down and her breasts receded to her chest. Her freckles started popping back up and her red hair got thinner and short. The same went to the other girls. Katie noticeably got smaller and lost weight, Tall Nikki shrank shorter than the other girls to their surprise. As the changes stopped, Sam turned around to the other girls, now as short as kids.

“I hope you like the changes.”

Sam looked at herself and looked at her reflection at a nearby car. Her hair remained the same but her freckles came back as well as her baby teeth. She then noticed something odd, her costume that was meant to fit her then womanly frame with her DD breasts and size 11 frame has been shrunk with her. She even felt her bra and panties fitted her childish frame. Her lace bra and hip hugger panties still fitted her even though she was now about 11 years old now if her memory serves her right.

“I‘m a kid, what did you do!” Sam shouted at Mary. However she saw a little girl, no more than 9 or 10, with short blond hair, and gap toothed smile, wearing the same schoolgirl costume Mary wore.

“What did you do Mary!” Sam shouted at the little girl, knowing it was Mary.

“I didn’t do anything. The town did.” she whispered to Sam.

“What the hell is this?” a high pitched yell came out behind them. It was a short girl who appeared under four feet tall. She

had long and curly black hair, she was angry until she came closer to the two girls , they two appeared taller than her, she slowly stepped back and appeared anxious.

“I was short as a kid, I didn‘t hit a growth spurt until 9th grade!” the tiny girl said.

“Nikki is that you?” Sam said to the girl. “Yes” Nikki meekly said. Nikki was now eight years old and about half the height of Sam which surprised Sam seeing how Nikki used to be the tallest of the group. Her Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader costume shrank with her, even more funny was that her tribal leg tattoo and her earrings adapted to her new childish figure as well as the hot pants shrunk to fit.

“What happened to me?” another girl yelled. Sam thought it had to be Katie and she was right. Katie stood amazed at her new dimensions. Katie pretty much remained the same before she shrank to a child. However, she slightly seemed to weigh less and the haircut changed to a bowl cut from the short haircut she had as an adult. Her Galaxy girl costume shrank with her which seemed comical now that Katie, now a nine year old was wearing such a costume with her tall boots. She walked towards the girls as she adjusted her bracelet which slipped off after she regressed. “What the holy fuck happened to us! Last time I checked, I wasn’t a goddamn kid!” Katie shouted at the group, the girls then observed each other. “Wow Nikki, you’re so tiny!” “Well at least I knew when to drop the Snicker bar, Katie!”

“Girls, stop fighting! This isn’t going anywhere if we just fight all night!”

Sam tried to calm down the girls form fighting each other. Sam then looked at the little blond, blue eyed girl with a fresh, youthful face. Her long blond hair covered half of face as she smiled at Sam. “Mary, explain NOW!” Sam urged. Mary literally now looked like a schoolgirl. Sam grabbed Mary’s cotume and pulled her to Sam’s face. Sam was angered and literally was on the urge to punch somebody.

“It wasn’t me, it’s the town. The town releases your inner child. I was invited to come back but I didn’t want to come alone this time so I brought you along.” Mary explained.

“So that’s why you wanted us to come so badly but why did you pretended to not know shit about what was going on? Why are we kids again?” Sam growled at Mary. Mary still appeared unfazed at Sam’s threating nature. “This town wants you to be free, not to tie down by the things adults do. Not to live by the rules our elders want us to repeat as we follow. This place allows us to show literally show us our inner youth. Besides, it’s not just you. If you let go, I’ll show you.” Mary promised. Sam let go, wanting to get answers. “Let’s go back to the party, maybe something interested has happened.” Mary smiled.

The four girls walked towards back to the house the party was held, and saw several kids walking around, looking amazed. Some children looked ridiculous in their newly shrunken costumes that fitted and suited them as adults, mainly the girls who were uncomfortably showing more skin than they did the 1st they were kids…then again, this wasn’t their 1st return to memory lane physically. Sam looked around and remembered some of the adults wearing the same costumes now worn by kids. The girls couldn’t believe it. “Has the entire town’s population become kids again?” Sam thought. “What happened to everybody?” asked Katie. “The town has worked its magic; the clock went back for those who want to go back.” Mary explained. “Hold up! Those who went to go back? We never wanted to be kids again!” Nikki yelled. “Yeah, I don’t remember ever wanting to be a kid.” Sam added. “You didn’t want to but something inside you said different, especially due to recent events…” Mary teased. “Recent events? What do you mean?” Sam said to Mary.

Nikki was standing in the middle, looking at Sam and Mary explaining the situation with Katie next to Sam but Nikki got bored. She leaned next to the car when someone walked up behind her. “Well someone looked just as lovely then as they did now.” A Male voice said behind her. She turned around to a little boy wearing a Captain America costume, no more than 10 years old. “Thanks little boy but I’m not your type.” “I see you lost your assets but not your sense of humor I see. Besides, I remember seeing a cute lady dressed as a Cowboys cheerleader who searched for something in a dull party before she left. I’m sorry, you reminded me of her.” The boy said. “Well, when I see her, I’ll let her know but I’m looking for a man who was in a Captain America, he looked nice and was sweet to me. I haven’t seen him since I left, have you seen him?” Nikki said. “No but when I find him, I’ll let him know…” He said to Nikki as they both approached each other and then kissed. After they finished, Nikki said, “What’s your name?” “Steve, ironic isn’t it?” the boy said. “Just as ironic as people turning into kids.” Nikki said. The couple said as they stood next to each other and talked.

“Well, that was random.” Katie said as she turned back and Mary and Sam explained what happened. “What did you mean about recent events?” Sam said to Mary. “You didn’t see the letter? It came two days ago.” Mary talked about their job together with their paper, Philadelphia Republic. “The letter came on Thursday, they were gonna let go next week. I noticed they sent you a letter as well. I didn’t you to be distraught so I invited you to the party, so we can let loose and have fun. I should’ve told you more but…” “You didn’t want me to be mad and I think you were bullshiting me about this. Shit…Mary, I don’t know what to say?” Mary approached Sam, “It’s Halloween, let’s trick and treat.” Mary said and smiled. Sam still hasn’t adjusted to her situation but if maybe if she followed along, she’ll get back to normal.

“Come on Nikki, let’s go!” Katie yelled at Nikki as Nikki was talking was talking to Steve. “We’re going trick or treating, bring your boyfriend and let’s go!” “He’s not my boyfriend.” Nikki quickly rebutted but Steve then said, “Oh, come one then, let’s get some candy, think of it as our first date.” Steve smiled as he lends his hand out, Nikki then grabbed his hand and walked together with their hands loading each other.

The former adults now kids went trick or treating around the neighborhood and something caught Sam’s eye. They were still adults around the town, to teenagers to people in to their 20s. It looked like no one was over the age of 30! “Mary, why are there still adults around, haven’t the whole town been regressed?” Sam asked. “Actually, some of these are the elderly couples like the Henderson’s, they’re actually in their 70s but become in their 20s around this time.” Mary explained. “Wait, how do we choose what age we want to be?” Katie questioned. “Our heart does that job for us, I learned that lesson the hard way, I wanted to be younger one day and I ended up a toddler, being changed and carried around, it was so embarrassing. We can’t just simply ask for it. It doesn’t work that why.” Mary explained. “Sounds more complicated than a Rubik’s Cube!” Sam said as the group went to the Henderson’s house, Mary pressed the doorbell and as the door opened, they shouted “Trick or treat!”

A couple greeted them dressed as witch and guy with a fake ax on his head. Well what do we have here? Two superheroes, a cheerleader, a school girl, and what are you supposed to be little girl?” The husband said to Katie. “I’m a galaxy girl…yeah not many people know either.” Katie explained. “Well then, here’s a Reese’s for you then.” The wife gave to Katie. “Thank you.” The group then spent the hour trick or treating around the block. In a normal neighborhood, they would’ve gotten some stares as two girls dressed provocatively than others, which they acted more like adults, that the boy and girl were kissing and holding hands every now and then but then again, this was no normal neighborhood.

Throughout the trip however, Sam still wondered how this was possible. Magic? Drugs? An illusion? Whatever it was, Sam wanted it to end. She may have smiled and accepted the treats but concern was still behind her head. The group went back to where the party was held. It was jarring seeing the kids mingle like adults but then again, they were. Katie and Mary showed off their candy while Nikki and Steve were still getting to know each other. Sam was sitting on a chair, drinking her punch and looking at her feet dangle above the ground. Something in her wanted to leave with urgency and she got up and went to Nikki. “Nik, where’s your purse? I got my keys in it, I want to leave.” “Sam, why do you want to leave? I’m having a blast and look at Katie, she’s enjoying herself!” “In case you haven’t noticed, tomorrow is Tuesday, and I got to go to work, you don’t have something I don’t, a job! I need to get to it!” Nikki pulled her purse under the seat and gave Sam the keys and Sam bolted. “Hold on, I’ll be back!” Nikki to Steve as Nikki followed Sam. “It’s okay, I’m not getting any older.”

Sam went outside and opened the door to her car. As she got in, problems arose. Her feet wouldn’t reach the gas pedal and she could only see half of cockpit. Sam threw a tantrum. “This is not fucking real! This is a dream!” Sam yelled. A knock came to the window, it was Mary. She rolled the window down. “Sam, what are you doing?” “I have to leave; I need to go to work tomorrow.” “Sam, you know what’s waiting for you if you go back right?” “It maybe something, move to another division, cut my hours, tell me to that I was the best but…I had to be let go…something other than this.” Sam sobbed. “Nikki and Katie like this, why not you?” “I just…I never had the best childhood…” She said as broke down. “I never knew my parents growing up. *sniff* I was placed in the system since I was 6. I had more parents, more transfers from school, more first days, more…*sniff* more than others. I never had a childhood. I was emancipated when I was 15, moved to Philly, worked from a papergirl to an editor. I met you and the girls. I was something as an adult; I don’t want to go back…” Sam cried as Mary opened the door and hugged her.

“That’s what the town is for. For people like you. I invited you and if you want, we’ll help you.”

“The town? Yeah, whatever. I think you’re just fooling me. They don’t give a shit about me.”

“They do. I do. Come with me and I’ll show you.” Sam was greeted with a familiar sight with Mary holding out her hand. Sam grabbed it and walked. “Nikki? Katie? Care to come along?”

“I think I’m good.” Nikki said but Katie decided to follow along.

“Why us? You said you were going to go by yourself but why bring us?” Sam questioned.

“You all seemed lost with your lives, admit it, you didn’t like your job…”

“Yeah, but someone had to pay the bills.”

“But whenever you went to work, you were stressed out. I hate seeing you like that. Work just drained you from hanging out with us.”

“Yeah, you were just no fun, even on the weekends!” Katie added.

“Katie? Do you like you being back in the shoes of a kid again?”

“I have to admit, it’s…interesting. I wonder if this is just real or a dream.” Katie asked back.

“It’s real.”

“Mary, how do you know about all this?” Sam said.

“It’s not my first go around. I’ve been here for as long as I remember, since Bush was president.”

“How long was that?” Katie questioned.

“1988”

“Wait, what?” Sam stopped.