Welcome to the Machine

Chapter 7
Chapter 7

’Mother! It’s me.... Suzi!’

Gloria stared at the woman standing in front of her. ’Suzi? That’s you? How long have I been gone?’ What happened?’

’Just a few hours, Mother. I was trying to figure out what to do before I risked putting you back in the machine. But I ended up with no choice!’

’But you’re ~older~’ Gloria said.

’Just 16. Only a couple of years. I wanted to be older to see what it felt like. I guess the machine doesn’t have the same effect when you only use it to get older.... I haven’t changed a bit while everyone else has turned into children and babies!’

’Suzi... Ummmmmm... You’re about 16 twice over!’ Gloria told her.

’No..... I’m fine!’

’Look at yourself! I mean really ~look~! Do you look like a 16 year old?’

Suzi looked down at her expanding hips and legs that threatened to sprout varicose veins at any time. She examined her dry hands. A quick glance in the mirror confirmed what Gloria had been telling her. The 35 year old puffy face staring back looked nothing like a teenager!

’Ohmigod!.... NO!’ she cried out.

’Settle down.... we’ll figure this out. We need each other!’ Gloria said calmly.

’Ok....you’re right. I’m sorry. We can do this together!’

’Ok, get me up to speed on things..... and WHO is THAT?!?’ Gloria asked seeing a 2 year old struggling in oversized clothes.

’That’s grandmother!’

’Mother? That’s my mother? Her too... And that?’ she asked pointing to another child.

Suzi began filling her in on the mystery woman and what they had done to her.

Gloria sighed and then spoke ’Why did you leave Sara and mother little?’

’Because... I was afraid of the trouble that little kids could cause! Look what happened when everyone starting getting too small the first time. That would only happen all over! I didn’t know what to do or who to ask... except you. You always know what to do!’

’Well, thanks for the vote of confidence but I don’t know much about computers. And this mystery woman knowing about this machine can’t be good.’

Suzi picked up some papers Sara had made notes on ’Here, these are some notes Sara did about what Dad had discovered. Sara wrote that Dad found out the regression/progression was successful by causing the cells or genes to somehow be reprogrammed. She then said that he once they were reprogrammed they quickly tried to return to that state... even after a reversal. There’s more but it starts getting a little off because she was getting to young to understand’

Gloria looked over the papers, quickly skipping past what Suzi had just told her. ’Who’s Mark?’ Gloria asked upon seeing that Sara had scribbled his name all over one of the pages.

’That’s the boy we saw playing basketball.’ Suzi replied.

’Hmmmm well that would explain this picture’ Gloria said as she looked over a childish drawing of some stick-figures playing ball.

’Anyway, mother, our little mystery guest said Dad had found the solution and that is what she is looking for.’

’I think we’re going to have to make her old enough to tell us what is going on’ Gloria said as she placed the baby back in the machine.

’But how do you know she won’t get away?’ Suzi asked.

’I thought about that.’ Gloria replied as she took the blanket away from the baby ’I don’t think she’ll likely be going anywhere in only her birthday suit!’

’Ohhhh... I hadn’t thought of that!’Suzi said.

’Plus, you can regress her to diapers if she tries anything!’ Gloria added.

They then started the machine and reversed the process. The naked baby soon became a naked 35 year old.

’What’s wrong with her?’ Gloria asked upon seeing the grown woman still acting like a newborn.

’I guess that’s normal. Just talk to her and she should come out of it.....you did!’ Suzi replied.

’~I~did????? This is sooooo embarrassing!’ Gloria said as she began talking to the unresponsive adult. Finally the woman came around.

’Hey.....!’

’Don’t move or Suzi will have you in diapers again. Stay right there! We have some questions for you.’ Gloria stated icily.

’At least give me my clothes!’ she pleaded as she used her hands to cover herself as best she could.

’~Sorry~ but we need answers!’

’I don’t have to tell you ANYTHING!’ the woman answered.

’You will or you’ll be back in diapers!’

’Actually, YOU will too!’the mystery woman shot back ’You’re already getting younger...and look at your daughter.... she’ll be an old woman! And your mother has joined your other daughter in infancy.’

’So then why don’t you help us? Then we can ALL be OK?’ Gloria asked.

’Because I want this technology for myself! I don’t want to share it with any of YOU! As far as the world will know, I invented it!’ the woman said as she backed up and leaned against the back table.

The women argued. Gloria couldn’t understand what the woman stood to gain by not helping. After all, she was going to be a baby again if she didn’t help! They had already lost 10 years. Suzi was now 45. The varicose veins were prominent now. Her knees were knobby and her face sagged.

’We’re getting nowhere!’

All of a sudden the woman made a move! Suzi clicked the mouse to restart the machine but nothing happened.

’You fools! I reset the machine from the laptop computer!’ she yelled as she dived to the floor and retrieved her gun.

Suzi saw her go for the gun and quickly made a dash for the stairs while she had the chance. Gloria tried to beat her to the weapon but came up short! Suzi found out that her 45 year old body didn’t move like her 14 year old body had been able to! Fortunately, the mystery woman had to fight off Gloria and that allowed Suzi time to escape.

Unfortunately, Gloria was trapped at gunpoint now!

’OK, Bitch! Tables are turned!’ she said as she pulled off Gloria towel. ’Now...into the machine!’

’NO!’ Gloria protested.

The woman put the gun to Gloria’s head and changed her mind. Gloria reluctantly stepped into the machine.

’W...W...What are you going to do to me?’ Gloria asked nervously.

’THIS!’ the woman said as the machine came to life.

Gloria froze instantly. The lights scanned her and then shut down.

Gloria inspected herself. Nothing had changed! ’What did you do?’

’I scanned you mentally. Now I’m going to take some of that burden from you by storing it in the computer.’

’What?’

’Stan figured out how our bodies are programmed to age.... how our memories are stored. And ~somewhere~ how to stabilize this. As soon as the computer analyzes and sorts your memories that it’s copied, I’m going to let it reprogram your mind without the last 35 years included!’ The woman smirked while still pointing the pistol at Gloria.

’That can’t be! That’s impossible!’ Gloria cried out.

’Impossible? After all that has happened today you say something is impossible?’ The woman shook her head in disgust.

’But I’m getting younger anyway....why do this?’

’Because this gurantees that you won’t be a bother to me even IF someone reverses your age!’ The woman the laughed as she saw the computer was ready. She clicked the button that started the machine.

Gloria’s eyes widened! She opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out. The computer took much longer for this process. The mystery woman began studying notes while Gloria was being reprogrammed.

Meanwhile: Suzi had went back to the Park. She had started out in a run but her nearly 50 year old body wasn’t up to the task. She hoped to find Mark. She needed someone whom she could trust and was strong and unaffected by the machine. Mark was the only one she could think of. She could hear voices but had trouble seeing in the distance. Her eyes were not as good as they had been. Out of breath, but she had to continue on. She didn’t know what else to do.

Basement: After a long while the computer finished the reprogramming. The mystery woman looked up. ’Hello, little girl.’

’~Hi~’ Gloria answered shyily.

’I’m Annie. What’s your name?’

’Ummmm I’m.. Glo’ she answered in a quiet voice

’That’s a nice name.’ Annie said as she approached her and offered her hand.

Glo apprehensively took the hand of the woman she percieved as older.

’You better get dressed and then you can help me watch the babies while I work’ she said as she handed her a towel. ’You should be able to find something to put on upstairs...OK?’

’K!’ Glo answered as she happily ran up the steps while holding the towel around herself.

Annie smiled with an evil grin as she sat back down at the computer.

Park: ’Mark! Can you come here please?’ Suzi yelled ahead breathlessly, hoping to not have to go any further herself.