Jacob Max, a 10-year-old with orange short hair, blue eyes, fair skin, and dressed in green clothes, towers awkwardly over his older brother. Henry Max, 16, with green short hair, green eyes, fair skin, and clad in orange, glares up at him, frustration flickering in his gaze. They brush their teeth in silence, each eyeing the other's reflection in the mirror, the towering younger brother and the stunted older one. "I wish you knew how annoying it is to be this tall, especially when everyone treats me like a grown-up," Jacob mutters.
Henry trails behind Jacob, ignored by the older teens and mistaken for a fifth grader by the teachers. "I'm sixteen, Mrs. Ray! I swear, I just look young," he protests as a teacher ushers him toward the elementary wing. Jacob winces as he ducks to enter the classroom doorway, classmates snickering about his height. Both brothers, humiliated in their own ways, glance at each other with matching scowls.
"You know what? If I could wish for anything, I'd just be taller than you for once," Henry says, voice low and bitter. "And I'd rather be shorter, just to stop standing out," Jacob grumbles. Together, they grip the coin, close their eyes, and each silently makes their wish. Thunder booms, a strange shimmer fills the air—and suddenly, everything changes.
Jacob[/@ch_1] has shrunk, now barely peeking over the edge of his blanket. Henry stretches, his head brushing the ceiling, limbs long and awkward.]
Jacob's feet dangle far above the floor, and his clothes pool around him like a pile of leaves. Henry, now towering above his bunk, knocks over a shelf with his elbow, startled by his new size. "What did we do?" he whispers, voice trembling between awe and fear. "I... I think we wished too hard," Jacob squeaks, struggling to climb down.
Jacob[/@ch_1] struggles to reach the doorknob, while Henry ducks through every doorway, knees bumping furniture.]
At breakfast, their parents stare in shock. "Mom, Dad, it's really us!" Henry pleads, nearly knocking over a chair as he tries to sit. Jacob clambers onto a stack of books just to see over the edge of the table. Each bite feels like a new challenge, and the world feels more alien than ever.
"Maybe... we should wish things back to normal," Jacob says softly. "Yeah. I think I’d rather be me—even if it’s hard sometimes," Henry replies. Together, they clutch the coin, wishing to accept themselves as they are. As midnight chimes, the air shimmers once more, and they tumble into a peaceful sleep, their sizes—finally—just right.
