I woke up with a jolt. Something was very wrong.
This wasn’t our bedroom.
My heart pounded in my chest. Where was I?
I turned towards the other side of the bed. There was a man there, still sleeping.
“What the fuck,” I mouthed.
Everything about my body felt strange. What was I wearing. Then I noticed my hair. It was …long? And blonde?
No. This couldn’t be true.
My name is Alan. I’m married. We have two kids together.
Yesterday, I had been playing outside with my youngest. We made a wish on some dandelions.
I silently wished to become Maggie. Our neighbor.
I know. It was spontaneous. I’m a straight man, but I’d always been curious about what it would be like to be a woman.
Maggie was beautiful.
But now, as I looked down at my hands—delicate with manicured nails where my calloused fingers should be—I realized with mounting horror that my idle wish had somehow come true.
Carefully, I slid out of bed, trying not to wake the man beside me. It had to be Rick. No, Rob, Maggie's husband. My stomach lurched. Rob was a nice enough guy—we'd had beers together at neighborhood barbecues—but I wasn't supposed to be in bed with him.
I tiptoed to the bathroom, flipped on the light, and nearly screamed. Maggie's face stared back at me from the mirror. Those high cheekbones, full lips, and almond-shaped eyes that my wife had always envied. I gripped the counter to steady myself.
"This isn't possible," I whispered, but the feminine voice that came out only confirmed my nightmare.
I splashed cold water on my face, hoping it might snap me back to reality. Back to being Alan. Back to my wife and kids. But nothing changed.
My breathing quickened. I felt like I was going to have a panic attack.
What had I done?
I slid down to the cold tile floor, trying to organize my thoughts. How could a stupid wish do this? And more importantly, how could I undo it? Could I ever undo it?
My kids. My wife. My parents.
I needed to get back home, explain somehow... but what could I possibly say?
I wanted this. Why had I wanted this?
A soft knock on the bathroom door made me jump.
"Mags? You okay in there?" Rob's voice was thick with sleep.
I froze, unsure how to respond.
My heart raced as I stared at the door. What was I supposed to do? Act like his wife? I couldn't do this. Not really.
"I'm... fine," I managed, "Just, uh, using the bathroom."
I heard his footsteps pad away, and I exhaled.
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