The Device
Mr. Pensky wriggled and writhed, attempting to move his little tube body.
Two pairs of sneakers settled on either side of him, the skinny legs of the two teens rising from their footwear and disappearing into the shorts around their waists. They were so huge and tall that the transformed scientist had difficulty even glimpsing their distant faces...
...until Tommy happened to notice the little pale grub, bent at the waist, and lower his face down. "Mr. Pensky! What the hell are you doing? Don't you know how dangerous it could be for you on the floor?"
As the scientist looked up at Tommy, another face crowded into view over Tommy's shoulder. "That's your neighbor?" The other boy asked, obviously not convinced. "And you changed him into that worm with some invention he made?"
Tommy plucked the grub off the floor.
"Yes, it is," he said. "And that's how it happened, more or less. Here! I will show you."
Tommy carried the grub to the table.
"Please, you're crushing me," Mr. Pensky pleaded as he felt the teenager's fingertips smashing against his frail form.
Tommy placed the grub near the keyboard that controlled Mr. Pensky's device. "I spilled my drink on it, and I think I fried something." Tommy admitted. "You know computers. What can we do to fix this so I can get Mr. Pensky back to normal?"
Joe shook his head. "First, moron, don't go near a keyboard with a open beverage!"
Tommy jabbed Joe's shoulder. "Shut up and just fix it, will you?"
Joe glanced down at the keyboard, but he also happened to notice Mr. Pensky's pale, tube-shaped form. He looked like a piece of cooked macaroni. His expression turned into a grimace of absolute distaste as he stared at the disgusting little grub.
"Well, I guess if I don't, you're neighbor's screwed."
Two pairs of sneakers settled on either side of him, the skinny legs of the two teens rising from their footwear and disappearing into the shorts around their waists. They were so huge and tall that the transformed scientist had difficulty even glimpsing their distant faces...
...until Tommy happened to notice the little pale grub, bent at the waist, and lower his face down. "Mr. Pensky! What the hell are you doing? Don't you know how dangerous it could be for you on the floor?"
As the scientist looked up at Tommy, another face crowded into view over Tommy's shoulder. "That's your neighbor?" The other boy asked, obviously not convinced. "And you changed him into that worm with some invention he made?"
Tommy plucked the grub off the floor.
"Yes, it is," he said. "And that's how it happened, more or less. Here! I will show you."
Tommy carried the grub to the table.
"Please, you're crushing me," Mr. Pensky pleaded as he felt the teenager's fingertips smashing against his frail form.
Tommy placed the grub near the keyboard that controlled Mr. Pensky's device. "I spilled my drink on it, and I think I fried something." Tommy admitted. "You know computers. What can we do to fix this so I can get Mr. Pensky back to normal?"
Joe shook his head. "First, moron, don't go near a keyboard with a open beverage!"
Tommy jabbed Joe's shoulder. "Shut up and just fix it, will you?"
Joe glanced down at the keyboard, but he also happened to notice Mr. Pensky's pale, tube-shaped form. He looked like a piece of cooked macaroni. His expression turned into a grimace of absolute distaste as he stared at the disgusting little grub.
"Well, I guess if I don't, you're neighbor's screwed."