Hold the Marinara

She wanted to scream, but she couldn’t. None of this made any sense. She had taken one disgusting whiff of the fried food placed on her table, and suddenly found herself swapping bodies with the mozzarella sticks.

Her former body smiled as it looked straight forward with a blank expression. It didn’t make sense. There were no way mozzarella sticks would even be able to breathe in her body, let alone smile, and yet they were somehow functioning as a human.

It was just as nonsensical that she was now in the body of the fried snack on the table. They didn’t have any brains to think with, yet she was still thinking. Somehow she saw herself, even without eyes. Yet screaming -- with no mouth that wasn’t happening. There was no way to move either, and she would soon be at he mercy of a very hungry man.

Paparazzi

Ian learned quickly that the body he swapped into because of the Great Shift was famous. Though it didn’t take him long to figure out how to evade paparazzi either -- who seemed very interested in his famous body, even though he wasn’t famous himself -- and all he had to do was dress like his old male self.

Old jeans, a hoodie, a hat, and some sunglasses -- heck, it almost made him forget he was a woman with a gorgeous supermodel body underneath it all.

Still, every now and again, someone would figure it out. He didn’t really mind; what were they going to report on? That he was going to work? Or going to get groceries? His life just wasn’t that interesting!

Incognito

Leonard thought swapping into the body of a world famous supermodel as a result of the Great Shift would be a hassle. He figured he’d be recognized on the street all the time and be harassed constantly.

It didn’t happen.

He just found a pretty easy trick to go incognito; it was as simple as not doing his makeup or his hair. With a bare face, he was practically unrecognizable in the supermodel’s body -- though he still certainly had a body that just didn’t quit.

He could still live a normal life for the most part...that is when he didn’t embrace the modeling side. She was, after all, famous; and those gigs often paid a lot of money. It was just in his downtime when he went unnoticed...

Orbed

Jason never exactly figured out how the orb worked, how it changed his life, and how he could never seem to use it again to return to normal.

But did he really want to go back to his old life as a divorced, middle aged man? Not really. The orb turning him into an in-demand supermodel who was often jetted off to many exotic locations for photoshoots was a far better life than the one he left behind.

He had held onto the orb for the longest time, wondering if he could ever figure it out. But he decided on his latest gig, it was time to finally let it go. So one night after a shoot, he went out to the beach, he took one last look as it started to glow, then he thre it into the ocean. Maybe someone else would find it; maybe they’d also end up with a life of their dreams.

After Party

Harvey knew his bar wasn’t exactly the trendiest place in town. In fact, even he’d describe it as “a hole in the wall.” But it did have a pretty great location that often made it a prime spot for after parties during fashion week. He couldn’t complain; they paid a hefty premium up front to book the place every time.

But it was during one of these events when he was serving a drink to a beautiful blonde model where something strange happened. She left without leaving a tip, and Harvey made a snide comment. She turned back toward him, and he was prepared to be slapped.

Instead, it felt like his wasn’t just his face that had been hit, but his whole body. And the next thing he knew, he was looking at himself. As surprised as he was to be inside the model’s body, she was absolutely horrified to be in his.

Altered Fates (The Movie Trailer)

I don't usually post any videos on this particular blog. (I tend to do that elsewhere.) However, with the advent of AI video, it has really opened up a new way to tell stories, and I honestly couldn't be more excited. I already promoted my YouTube channel last week, but I thought I'd give a shout out to a few of the videos on there by linking them on this site as well. I dunno, I guess I just think they are pretty decent in terms of content. And if people hadn't already sniffed them out or seen them already, now their chance. Also, maybe it helps with SEO? I dunno. I've never been good at SEO; I just like showing off what I do sometimes. I figured it also couldn't hurt to encourage people to like and subscribe and whatnot.

Imposter Syndrome

Xiao had decided to skip most of New York fashion week this year. The runways, the parties, and everything else was often much too overwhelming. Given her buzz in previous years and her bookings in Milan and Paris in the weeks ahead, she figured a break was long overdue.

And yet about halfway through, she realized she missed the excitement. Sneaking into a party or two seemed reasonable enough. She took a taxi up from her Lower East Side apartment to head toward a club near Bryant Park where one of the big designers usually held an after party. She knew of a back entrance that she had been shuffled out of last year to avoid paparazzi; it’d be an easy way in. There was no way she was waiting in line. After all, she was a celebrity, and it was starting to rain.

Except just as she opened the door, a woman came out. It was like Xiao was looking in a mirror. It felt like a nightmare and Xiao wasn’t sure if she was dreaming. Her doppleganger talked about being a man, a medallion, and one her old dresses from last year’s runway.

Xiao didn’t really care about the details. She was far too terrified after seeing her doppelganger; she ran. She slipped a few times due to the rain causing slick, wet sidewalks. Though her imposter was having an even harder time thanks to the added difficulty of high heels.

Xiao wasn’t exactly sure how to deal with all this. Should she call the police? Tell her agent? The idea that there was a fake version of herself running around was unsettling.

Model Ambition

“Ronaldo? Earth to Ronaldo?” Zarina was trying to get the man’s attention, “You’re going to have to stop staring at yourself in the mirror soon enough to face the world. People are expecting me to go out there.”

“But I’m not staring at myself,” He said flatly. “I’m staring at YOU. I’m moving, yet your body is the one making the movements. It’s so weird.”

“Yeah, I get it. I’ve used the Medallion of Zulu with tons of other people at tons of other times. You’re acting like a n00b. Well, I guess that’s because you are.”

“Has anyone else ever had to do a fashion runway as you?”

“I usually time it better. I didn’t mean for us to swap. I was just out, and we both touched it...”

“And we became each other...But I’m not sure I can be you out there on the runway. You’re always walk with such poise and perfection.”

“It’s a benefit of the medallion. You’ll find my body knows what to do. But you seriously need to get out there.”

The Consultant

Two weeks ago, Mandy and Sawyer had arrived at the trendy consultant with their own requests. Mandy was a model with her contract at risk due to the recent weight she had gained; Sawyer was a scrawny nerd looking to bulk up and get in shape. When the eccentric consultant popped their heads off and attached it to the other’s body, they were as shocked as they were skeptical.

And yet a few months later, neither could argue with the results. Mandy looked over at her former body. It was skinnier than she had ever remembered being; the only problem, of course, was Sawyer’s dorky male head attached. Sawyer was equally impressed by how buff Mandy had gotten his body.

After expressing their gratitude, the consultant smiled. “I’m glad you’re both happy,” She said.

They both expected their heads to pop back onto their original bodies, but instead the consultant just continued to smile as they all sat there.

“So, how do we get back normal?” Mandy finally asked.

“Oh,” The consultant replied, “I only promised to get your bodies into the shape you desired. I never promised you’d get them back!”

Famous

“I wish I was famous,” I remembered muttering those words in the last few seconds as a man.

The next thing I knew, it felt like I was falling, as if my soul was dropping into a new place. Then I regained a physical form only to find myself falling for real, unable to stand on tall heels that I had never worn before in my life.

There was a crowd watching me. Everyone was taking videos. I tried to pick myself up, but I couldn’t. Swapping bodies with someone wasn’t like what you might see in the movies. Your brain doesn’t know how to adapt so quickly. You need to relearn how to do basic things like moving and walking.

I don’t know how long I struggled, but eventually a medic came. He helped me off the stage and began to examine me. He could tell my movements were slow and awkward. Eventually, an ambulance came and took me to the hospital. None of the doctors could figure out exactly what happened, nor did I feel open to tell them that I swapped into this body somehow. The longer they kept me under observation, the more I was able to relearn basic movements in my new body. I noticed on the television in the room that my situation was on the news. “Supermodel collapses on the runway” were the stories. I guess I got my wish to be famous.

Isabel

It wasn’t uncommon for the sunlight to bounce off one of the other skyscrapers in just the right way to fill the office with a flash of light. But the flash of light one that one day was different. It was like it had a force behind it; it was almost painful, even knocking people to their feet. It didn’t take long for everyone to notice that the flash of light that day was no ordinary flash of light.

Like many of his co-workers, Andrew found himself on the floor after the flash. He felt very strange and oddly hungry, considering he had just eaten lunch. As he began to pick himself up as he noticed a reflection in the office windows. It was the supermodel they had brought in earlier that day for their latest ad campaign. He turned his head behind to get a look at her, but she wasn’t there. Then he noticed that as he turned his head, the reflection of the supermodel did the same. As he slowly stood, once again the supermodel’s reflection mimicked his actions. Finally, he walked slowly to the window and touched it; seeing his own hand touching the reflection of the supermodel. He didn’t want to look down to see what he knew was there; the leather pants, the pink top, the breasts. He jumped when a voice addressed him from behind.

“Isabel, are you okay?” It asked.

“I’m okay, but I’m not Isabel.” Andrew replied.

“That’s what I was afraid of. No one is who they are supposed to be anymore...”

Recognized (Part 3)

View Part 1 of Recognized.
View Part 2 of Recognized.

The afterparty proved to be a lot more difficult than the runway show. For starters, he didn’t even know who he was, and they would ask him all sorts of questions that he simply didn’t know the answer to. He would just deflect or change the subject. Nobody really pressed; after all, no one had any reason to suspect he wasn’t who he appeared to be. He was having fun, but he was ready to ditch this party, go back home, and turn back into himself. The life of a model was fun for a little while, but he was ready to go back.

Recognized (Part 2)

View Part 1 of Recognized.

Within moments, Jason was backstage at a fashion show. His makeup and hair were done in a flash and he was put in a dress. Before he knew it, he was walking the runway.

It certainly wasn’t what he expected when he used his device to transform himself in a woman earlier, but he was enjoying the unique experience! He wasn’t sure if he did well, but he walked out, posed at the end, and then walked back. He was thrown into another outfit and then did it again. Finally, he walked out with all the other models.

And, of course, he was told about the after party.

Recognized (Part 1)

Jason was quite proud of his invention. He could just input a few specifications, and his body would be completely transformed into anything he wanted. He had used data from various beautiful models to turn himself into a gorgeous woman. Then he went for a walk in the park.

Apparently, he didn’t make his inputs generic enough, as he was recognized fairly quickly. And with fashion week happening just a few blocks away, he was ushered to a place where he was told he was supposed to be. Now he was starting to wonder if he was going to accidently run into the woman he now appeared to be...

The Experiment Begins (Part 3)

View Part 1 of The Experiment Begins.
View Part 2 of The Experiment Begins.

Ted had no idea what he was going to do now. It seemed unlikely that he could explain to Rebecca who he really was. He could hardly believe it himself! Going back to the lab wasn’t an option either, since he no longer had any memory of where it was. Maybe he could find someone who knew who he now was? He pondered the odds. The lab hadn’t been too far from where he lived, maybe this woman was local? Her clothes were loud and eccentric -- they didn’t seem to be from the lab. So if she regularly dressed like this, maybe she was the type of person who liked being seen and being known? He tried to look for a mirror; maybe he’d recognize his own new face. He ended up using the side mirror on a car. Maybe he had seen her once in town? She looked vaguely familiar.

Then a passerby did a double take and said, “Oh my God! It is you, isn’t it? Can we get a selfie together?”

“Uh, sure,” Ted said as he suddenly had an idea, “Tag my Instagram! Oh, do it now! Lemme see before you post!”

And so the passerby wrote #ShawnaFoster on the post. Ted knew the name. She was a model, and that meant... Ted was now a model. Ted was Shawna Foster.

Exclusive Interview

I had been granted an exclusive interview with Madison Lowery; it was a thrilling opportunity. It was hard to recall the last time a celebrity got famous so quickly, being booked on countless shows, movies, and fashion shoots in such a short time. I had to know her secret, so I asked.

“It was a genie,” She laughed.

“No, seriously,” I protested.

“For real. Six months ago, I was actually a guy down on his luck, and I mean a guy, a dude, a male. I came across a genie. I wished to be attractive. I should’ve been more careful, as I had hoped to be an attractive guy; instead he gave me the body you know see. Then I wished for fame that brought me great wealth. It’s non-stop work, but at least I have this wonderous estate.”

“This all sounds far-fetched.”

She took me to get backyard that had an absolutely enourmous animal. “It’s the finest of its kind with a coat that is naturally manicured perfectly. It’s larger than you’d find anywhere else, no matter where you looked. It exists because it’s magic.”

“But why would this be your third wish?”

“Another case of needing to be more careful. Do you really think I wished for the world’s largest and most beautiful donkey?” She asked.

Charter Flight

Jack had been flying private charter planes for a decade now. He was most recently hired to fly a rich playboy from New York to DC. The spoiled brat boarded with several scantily clad models hanging off his arms. Jack hid his annoyance and kept a professional attitude. About halfway through the flight a strange flash appeared on the horizon. Jack suddenly found himself in the passenger area with no explanation. He didn’t care why, he just rushed to the cockpit in order to take control of the plane. He then proceeded to make an emergency landing at the nearest airstrip.

With his heart pounding and adrenaline racing, he didn’t even notice what had happened to him as a result of the flash. He had swapped bodies with one of the models. As he stepped off the plane in her skimpy outfit, the discomfort of his new body was hitting him all at once along with the sheer confusion of how this could have even happened.

Cheeseburger

Immediately after using his invention to steal Juliana’s body, Paul grabbed his stomach in pain. He wondered if Juliana just hadn’t eaten recently or if she was starving herself to stay thin for her modeling career. The reason why he wanted her body was because he saw her as an ideal of beauty. But if this was the price of that beauty, he was not sure how long her was going to last. He couldn’t stop thinking about the pain in his stomach and how much he just wanted to sink his teeth into a giant cheeseburger.

A Lot to Learn

Jason was a little nervous when he signed up for the experiment at the science institute. The marketing materials talked about living in another person’s shoes and offered a lot of cash, but when the scientist at the facility explained it was a brain transplant surgery Jason was shocked. When they refused to tell him what body he’d end up in, he thought about backing out. However, he really needed the cash, and ultimately went with it.

When he awoke from the experiment, he was shocked by his new slender, feminine body. They had put his brain in the body of a woman! Strangely, they were rushing him to put on the woman’s clothes and have just a few tests done before heading back to her house. He sort of expected a little more recovery time, but as he stood up and walked, it seemed that he didn’t need it. Everything seemed normal...almost too normal.

Jason learned about his new life. She had been a model, but she didn’t get enough work to pay the bills. The money from the experiment would be more than enough though. What still bothered him was how simple and easy the surgery had been. What the scientists never told him was that brain transplantation had been perfected long ago; where research was still lagging was about the psychological effects of a more extreme transplant. The variable in Jason’s case was gender, and they weren’t done studying him either. They had implanted a chip in his brain to monitor his location, his mood, and his reactions. There was a lot to learn.

Cover

Vance woke up in the morning with the taste of stale booze and cigarettes in his mouth. He tried to think back to the night before, but it was all a blur. As he trudged along to the bathroom he felt something was off, but he couldn’t quite place his finger on it. Then as he caught his reflection in the mirror, his jaw dropped. Looking back at him from the mirror was a gorgeous woman. His mind was in a panic, but he quickly decided to his the streets to look for some answers. Digging through her wardrobe, his selection seemed quite limited. With little choice, he tied his long hair up, put on some leather pants, and headed out.

He didn’t make it very far until he stumbled across a wall plastered with the covers of fashion magazines. Sure enough, he recognized a face on one of them. It was the one that had looked back at him from the mirror this morning. It seemed he was not just a woman, he was a model -- one famous enough to be on the cover of a magazine at that! None of this seemed to make him feel much better, but at least he knew a little more about who he now was...