Fresh Start

Chapter 13
Consequences

The morning twilight sky was brightening as Matt sat on a plastic kiddie chair facing Mr Belton. The camp director was sitting behind his desk with a sad face. It had been an hour since Matt’s mind had returned. His memories of the period between the gassing and returning to awareness were quite hazy. He only remembered images, snippets in time. He recalled the rattle, being fascinated with it, chewing on the plastic and shaking it to hear the sound. He recalled wetness in his pants, recalled taking them off. Then next thing he knew he was Matt again, a seventeen year old in a the body of a twelve year old by that point. But most embarrassing he came to his senses lying in a giant crib in nothing but a thick diaper that was both wet and messy! He’d had a teething ring jammed in his mouth and his whole chest and tummy were wet with drool. Mercifully Mr Belton had brought him a new set of kid clothes to change into, a rugby jersey, athletic shorts and regular briefs.

Now though he had to face the disappointed looking director. At least he wasn’t alone. Brad and James had also recovered their wits and were sitting beside him also redressed in proper attire for an eight year old, looking chagrined.

Belton shook his head like a disappointed father. “Boys, what were you thinking?” he asked.

Only James had the courage to actually answer. “I was thinking I don’t want to be a little kid,” he stated boldly.

Belton seemed taken aback by his lack of contrition, but he wasn’t done yet. “I was thinking that I don’t like wearing cartoon t-shirts and running around with dirty bare feet. I actually like to be showered and clean. I was thinking I enjoy reading a good book and, y’know what, watching some good porn. Because I’m not a little kid!”

Belton frowned deeply. “Well, I’m sorry for you my boy. I’m sorry you cannot see that we are doing this for your own good.”

“My own good? If you think being a little boy is so great why haven’t you strapped yourself into a chair and let your mind be wiped back to the level of a six year old? Why haven’t you volunteered to lose all your education, your world experience and your sex life so that you can watch cartoons and enjoy the feeling of mud squishing ‘tween your toes on a daily basis?” James demanded sarcastically.

“Well I take it you were the leader of this little group?” Belton asked.

James didn’t even hesitate. “Yep, that’s me,” he stated. Matt thought he was either crazy or incredibly loyal to try to take all the blame.

“Well my boy, you are not the first misguided young man to try to escape from his treatment. But you are one of the few I’ve seen corrupt others with your dangerous ideas.”

James seemed to take satisfaction from hearing he’d earned such a distinction. He actually smiled at Belton, further angering the man.

“Well James I have some good news for you. You will not be continuing the treatment to become a seven year old boy. You don’t have to worry about that anymore,” Belton said with a strange little smile. “No James, to be perfectly safe we’re going to move you to the Buzzy Bee Cabin where you will be receiving treatment to make you a two year old.”

Now James’ smile was gone. In fact for the first time his bravery seemed to waver and his lip trembled. “You can’t do that,” he told Belton. “My parents make that decision, not you.”

Belton shrugged. “We have ways of changing parents’ minds about things like that. Don’t worry we’ll make sure they’re more than happy to have a little toddler at home again.”

James could only shake his head in disbelief.

“Oh, and since we don’t want any more repeats of last night you’ll be going directly to training right now and you’ll be getting a much more powerful dose of drug and lengthier training session than most other. In any case you’ll find the 2-year old training process is much harder to resist anyway. It just feels so nice, letting all your big boy thoughts slip away, leaving the world so bright and new and exciting,” Belton explained.

James finally broke down. “Look, you don’t have to do this. I’ll behave from now on, I promise,” he pleaded.

But Belton was shaking his head. “No, it’s much too late for that I’m afraid. Dr Howe already has your new special programme all ready to go. Funny you found running around barefoot distasteful. I guarantee by this evening you’ll be toddling around camp buck naked, and you won’t mind one little bit.”

With that Belton pushed a button on his desk and the door behind James and the others swung open, Dr Howe walking in with a needle in his hand. In one swift motion he jabbed it into James’ arm and depressed the plunger.

“Shit! What was that?” James demanded.

“Just a mild sedative,” Howe assured him. “It’ll just make you nice and sleepy without actually putting you out. It makes it so you don’t try to run away.”

Matt could see the fight going out of his friend already. James’ shoulders sagged and his eyelids drooped. Howe took his arm and helped him to stand on unsteady legs. “That’s right it’s time for you special treatment now. Just come with me and I promise you’ll be feeling much better in no time. The last time I did this treatment the boy was drooling over his toesies before I even finished the programme.”

James groaned but seemed powerless to resist anymore and he let the doctor take him out of the room.

Now Mr Belton turned his attention to the remaining two boys. Matt felt like he would melt under the man’s stern gaze. “I am very disappointed in you boys for following James and his foolish plan,” he lectured.

“I’m sorry,” they said in unison.

“I’m sure you are. You’re just lucky that our defensive gas only clouds minds temporarily or you could have been back in diapers for a long time. Now I’m going to give you boys another chance, but if you cause any more trouble you will be getting the same treatment James is right now.”

Matt hurried out of Belton’s office just as quickly as he could after that. He’d been thinking that he had nothing left to lose but he was wrong. Being a two year old would be infinitely worse than a six year old. He’d just have to accept that was what he’d soon be. At least he and Davey could be friends again, he thought.