Those were the last words Jason Beavin heard before he found his face planted, along with the weeds in the ill-kempt schoolyard, in the muddy May ground, marshy from incessant rainfall.

Jason pulled himself up out of the muck. Of all the things he could’ve said to the bully, the best he could think of was: “What sand? There’s mud on the ground, not sand.” Next thing he knew, his face was back in the swamp, the disgusting odors of the earth permeating his nose.

“Don’t correct me, y’little wimp! If I didn’t have stupid English class in about five seconds, I’d kill ya!”

And with that said, the bell rang, and the bully that was Kyle Chestnut disappeared. Once again, Jason pushed himself onto his feet and tramped into History class, his wet shoes squishing and brown water dripping off of his body. The teacher, and most of the class, stared at him horror. Mr. Phenix shook with rage. “Jason Beavin!”

Jason stopped going to his seat and did an about-face, staring up at the teacher.

Mr. Phenix continued. “Look at you! You look like the Swamp Thing! Get out right now before you ensure the janitor a night of cleaning hell and wipe yourself off in the boy’s locker room.”

Jason hesitated.

“NOW!!” Mr. Phenix roared his command like a drill sergeant.

Jason took off down the hall, tears streaming down his face. Why did everyone hate him? What did he ever do to them? He didn’t realize he just begged to be picked on, physically and mentally. First, as a seventh-grader, he was only 5’2” and 90 lbs of skeletal tissue. He was as pale as a sheet and had zero backbone. Also, he was a total brain. He devoted himself to his studies and always passed all his tests. Not only was he easy to pick on, but everyone was jealous of him. Not a good combination.

He tore through the empty gymnasium and into the shower room. Then he stopped. A gleaming light shone through one of the lockers.

Jason slowly crept up to the shining locker. It didn’t have a padlock. He threw it open.

Where was the light? There was nothing in there except a dingy, tarnished gold necklace. It was a thin gold band with no medallion, save for a small square with a circle inside decorating it. Jason picked it up. Immediately it started glowing again, and all the dirt on it vanished. It was now an immaculate, shining piece of jewelry.

“Weird…” Jason mumbled to himself. Suddenly he realized he’d taken too much time. He put the necklace on the bench and hopped into the shower.

Five minutes later, he emerged. He toweled himself off and slipped back on his school uniform. “Crap…” He realized he’d untied his tie, and he didn’t know to re-knot it. He’d ask the gym teacher to do it for him. He was right in his office, anyway.

Jason started walking out of the room when he saw the necklace again. It was so pretty. It was probably worth a lot of money…why not pick it up…why not…he walked over and methodically unclasped it, put it around his neck, locked it in place, hid it under his green v-neck sweater and walked out.

“Mr. Hopkins?” Jason tapped on the shut wooden door.

The knob turned and the intimidating gym teacher opened up the door. “May I help you, Mr. Beavin?”

Jason hated the teachers calling students by their last names, but there was nothing he could do about it. He explained why he was there and held out the tie. The teacher sighed in frustration, as if to say he didn’t have time, but tied and knotted it around his own neck. He slipped it off his head and gave it back to Jason, who hurriedly turned around to leave.

“Mr. Beavin?” Jason stopped. “Yes sir?” The teacher continued. “Two things: I wouldn’t recommend taking any more mud baths between school periods. Second of all, you really need to shave. Now get outta here.” The teacher smiled, his first sign of friendliness, and Jason slowly walked out. The door clicked shut behind him.

“Shave? I’ve never shaved…” Jason’s curiosity was piqued. He jogged back to the locker room and ran to the full length mirrors.

Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw.

His face, once smooth, was now covered in a thin sheet of light, chestnut brown stubble. His eyebrows were considerably thicker, and his blonde hair, once a short crew cut, was now the same color as his facial hair and reached his ears, looking messy and well kempt at the same time.

“What the…ow! AAAUUGHH…” Jason’s body was seized by compulsive cramps. He doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach. Noises of ripping cloth filled the air. He looked up. His sweater and shirt were now in innumerable pieces on the floor, ripped to shreds by his broadening upper body. His shoulders were now broad and strong, lowering down into two perfectly formed muscles. He watched as his chest formed itself into a specimen of manhood, deep crevices forming on his stomach as an eight-pack appeared, and his upper chest morphing into two powerful pectoral muscles. The pain moved down into his legs. His pants, once too long, now only reached too his knees. His calves were tanned and gorgeous, the size of footballs. His thighs rippled with power and agility, pressuring his pants to the point were they couldn’t stay on any longer. Jason, barely able to withstand the pain, pulled them off right before they would have been destroyed. He screamed in ecstasy and pain, slamming his fists into the mirror, shattering it. He held his hands out in front of him. Bones cracked and reshaped as his small childish hands became dominant instruments. He pulled off his shoes and watched as his feet performed the same exercise, first looking grossly disfigured as they changed, and then straightening out and becoming perfect and large. His underwear was to the point of bulging, as his tool aged and grew along with the rest of his newly adult body. His voice, once high and squeaky, was now deep and booming, and entire sexual. His entire body oozed sex appeal from every pore. He stumbled over to another mirror, trying to get used to his new shape and frame. He watched as his face changed as well. His eyes, once light blue, darkened to a blueberry color, then to a piercing and brooding green. His nose reformed, his jaw strengthened and his chin sharpened, a cleft appearing in it, partly hidden by the volume of stubble on his face. His sideburns filled out, and his cheekbones became higher as they set themselves in perfect formation with the rest of his face.

Suddenly, the pain stopped. He had time to collect his thoughts – and his breath -before strange noises attracted his attention. He slowly turned around.

The shreds of clothing on the floor were beginning to magically grow back together on his body. His shirt became a black muscle T-shirt, leaving nothing to the imagination as it fluctuated and stuck to every corner and inch of his angular body. His sweater formed into a metallic silver silk button down shirt, leaving itself unbuttoned to still reveal his sculpted chest, as the collar gave his tanned neck a beautiful angle. His underwear changed into a pair of red, tight, accentuating boxer briefs, and his pants became black dress slacks. His black Oxfords grew to match the new length of his feet, nine sizes bigger than their original volume.

Jason couldn’t help but laugh as he turned around and looked in the mirror. Blond streaks had appeared in his beautiful, thick hair, and his entire tanned body radiated with power and beauty. He was a true specimen of nature, perfect in every way. •