I blink awake, the morning light sneaking through my blinds like it's trying not to wake me. My phone buzzes on the nightstand, insistent. I groan, reaching for it, and squint at the screen. A text from Sam: "Yo, you free today? Let's hang." A grin tugs at my lips. Sam's my best friend, the guy who'd jump off a cliff with me just to see what's at the bottom. I type back, "Sure, come over whenever," and toss the phone aside.
Swinging my legs out of bed, I feel it--the subtle shift in my body. My muscles are tighter, more solid, borrowed from Mark's fitness level. I flex my arm, watching the bicep ripple under my skin. Not bad. And my head? It's sharper, like the fog's been burned off. Mark's IQ boost is a hell of a perk too. I shuffle to the bathroom, splashing water on my face. In the mirror, I look... good. Healthier. Smarter, maybe. The remote's been a game-changer, and I'm itching to play with it more.
Downstairs, the front door creaks--Sam's here. I jog down, finding him sprawled on the couch, legs kicked up on the coffee table like he owns the place. He's got that lazy grin, the one that screams trouble.
"Sup, man," he says, tossing me a bag of chips from his backpack. "Brought fuel."
I catch it, smirking. "Thanks. You eat breakfast yet?"
"Nah, figured we'd grab something later." He digs into the chips himself, crunching loudly.
We settle into our usual--video games, trash talk, the works. "Dude, you see the new superhero trailer?" he asks, mashing buttons on the controller.
"Yeah, effects are insane," I say, scoring a point. "Hope they don't botch the plot again."
He snorts. "Right? Always screwing up the good parts."
"You're still trash at this," I tease as I dodge his attack.
"Shut up, you're cheating," he fires back, elbowing me.
It's easy, comfortable. But the remote's practically burning a hole in my pocket. I can't hold it in anymore. I pause the game, turning to him. "Sam, I gotta show you something."
He quirks an eyebrow, leaning back. "What's up?"
I take a breath. "I found this... device. It's wild. It swaps stuff--traits, body parts, whatever--between people."
He laughs, loud and sharp. "Yeah, right. You been binging sci-fi again?"
"I'm serious," I say, voice low. "I can prove it."
He crosses his arms, skeptical. "Alright, hotshot. Prove it."
"Follow me. And keep quiet." I lead him downstairs, where Cindy's lounging on the couch, scrolling her phone. She's still got Emma's flat chest, but her voice is hers again. Perfect.
I pull out the remote, showing him the sleek, black surface. "Watch. I'm swapping her voice with yours."
He smirks. "Sure you are."
I select "voice" for both, hit the button, and--
Zzzztttt
A faint buzz hums through the air. Sam opens his mouth. "What the hell?" Except it's Cindy's voice--high, feminine--coming out of him.
I grin, waiting for his reaction. But he just frowns. "What? You're being weird, man."
My stomach drops. Shit. He wasn't touching the remote. He doesn't know anything's changed. "You don't hear that?" I ask, frustration bubbling up.
"Hear what?" he says, still in Cindy's voice. "You're losing it."
I smack my forehead. "Forgot about that. Only people touching the remote remember the swaps. Hold it this time."
He rolls his eyes but takes it, fingers brushing the edge. "Fine, whatever."
I select "hair" for him and Cindy, then press it again.
Zzzztttt
Another buzz, and Sam's short, messy hair explodes into Cindy's long, wavy locks, spilling down his shoulders. His eyes go wide. "What the fuck?!"
I laugh, relief hitting me hard. "Told you."
He stumbles to the hallway mirror, hands flying to his head. "This is insane!" He pulls at the strands, twisting them like he's testing if they're real. Then he peeks back at Cindy--her head now topped with his choppy cut. She's still oblivious, tapping away.
"How'd you do this?" he demands, spinning to me.
"It's the remote," I say, holding it up. "Swaps anything. But only those touching it remember."
He's breathing fast, eyes darting between his reflection and Cindy. "So I've got her hair, and she's got mine?"
"Yep. And earlier, you had her voice. You just didn't notice."
He shakes his head, calming down a bit. "This is nuts. Can we swap back?"
"Yeah, hold it again." We both grip the remote, and I switch their hair back.
Zzzztttt
His locks shrink to normal, and he exhales. "Okay, that's better."
As he turns to head upstairs, I sneak one more swap--their voices. Zzzztttt. Can't have him talking like Cindy all day. He doesn't notice, and I smirk to myself.
Back in my room, I plop on the bed, the remote between us. "So that's it. But there's a catch--if you swap and the other person leaves, you could be stuck with their part, or lose yours."
He frowns. "Like what?"
"Like when I swapped chests with Cindy. She left for the day, so I was stuck with her boobs 'til she got back."
His jaw drops. "You had boobs?"
"Yeah," I mutter, scratching my neck. "Wasn't boring."