The Terminal Switch - teen to toddler

[tom]

Thanks for your comments. Sorry for the delay, still having difficulty, any help would be greatly appreciated. Possibly Insane- no, I havn't read that story, is it similar?

[lpoolboy]

Hi Tom
Not quite sure how your going to go. Will they reach thier destination or will the action take place on the plane? Will they (teen and toddler) meet each other on holiday - a confrontation? Or will he live his new life???
J

[tom]

Hmm, I have a basic story plan. but I dont know whether I should also write from the toddler's perspective, and if so, how I would do this.

[gamebaby]

sweet pretty good man.

[lpoolboy]

You could jump? Some parts from his prospective and others told from a narrator? But as you have started from his point of view I would continue along that line. Your doing a great job - just write it down and see how you feel. We can't wait to see what happens!

[tom]

I think I may just keep it to the point of view of the teen (that has turned into the toddler) and miss out that of the toddler's.

But I'll give writing in the toddler's perspective a go, if it doesn't work out, I'll leave it out.

[lpoolboy]

That sounds great. BTW I have just got a great thomas twin set from ebay. Its yellow with a red trim with Henry on the front and thomas and other engine shorts. (Just thought I would share as you must like thomas the tank! Percy is my fav!)
J

[tom]

Okay, sorry for the delay, next chapter should be up tomorow, I'm writing it now.

[James]

Yippee! New chapter!

[tom]

Hi everyone. I'm still going over the next chapter and Mandi kindly said she'd have a look at it. But Im going to post what I've got...just becuase Im going away for a few days, and Im already a day late on what I said'(sorry about that). So dont be surprised if I post an edited version in a few days. Thanks everyone, here it is:

Chapter 4


Earlier that day...

'Right Jack'. I'm standing in front of mummy, looking up at her. 'Have you got Ralphie?'. I look down to the plushie in my hand. This isn't just any plushie, this is my doggy Ralphie .'Yes mummy, Ralphie's safe in my hand. 'Good boy, right, now you hold daddy's hand and you can both go and wait in the car whilst I give the house one last check.' Mummy's always worrying about things, she's already checked everything three times. 'July, there really is no need 'states daddy. As per usual mum pays no attention and is already halfway up the stairs, shouting down to us 'get in the car please, I won't be long.' Well, ordered as I am, I take daddy's hand and we both walk out to the car. 'Huh, woman, what we gonna do with her ey ? Piece of advice, don't ever get married.' Dad says this to me, but it's more one of those times when actually he's ranting to himself whilst I ignore him and experiment how fast I can swing Ralphie by one paw.

I find it fascinating how fast mummy can be, it is in fact quite extraordinary. In the time it had taken me and dad to casually stroll to the car, mummy had been round the house, checked every light, electrical appliance, door, tap etc. etc. and got back to the car before us. Superwoman!, thats my mummy. Whilst consumed in this amazement, thinking about the wonders of my mummy, I fail to notice that I'm being transferred from the ground of the drive, into my car seat in the back of our car. Now, I feel it the responsibility of every toddler to throw a tantrum whilst being strapped in a car seat, so as to make it as difficult as possible for mummy and daddy to strap me in, and I'm not about to make an exception just because we were going on holiday. Consequently, as soon as I realize whats happening I frantically begin to wail, scream and kick in a frenzy, 'I DON'T WANNA GO IN MY CAR SEAT, I DON'T WANA'. This of course triggers the usual response: 'Tough luck kido, July, hold him down', and, with their special parental touch, operation get me in a car seat is executed with military precision, whilst I, under toddler laws, continue to wail and kick as hard and as loud as my body will allow. 'Well done July' says daddy in satisfaction , 'we did that in record time'. Knowing that once again I have lost, but happy in the knowledge that I have done my duty, I stop and let out a load 'hmph'. Mummy and daddy get in the car, daddy driving and mummy with the map (not a good combination), the engine starts, and the race is on. To get to the airport in time we need to do a 2 hour journey in just under 1 and half! As expected, they take no time in setting down the rules. Mummy is now turned round facing me, her serious face well and truly on, with me slumping back in my car seat facing out the window, avoiding eye contact. 'Right. Now you've got to be a good boy for mummy and daddy today, a very very good boy. Otherwise we can't go on holiday, okay?' I remain staring out of the window, with no interest in what she is saying. 'Look at me please'. At this I turn my head marginally towards her, still avoiding eye contact. The problem with eye contact in these situations, is that parents have a way of winning you over with their eyes, with that look of disappointment they do. Dad looks over at me via is rear view mirror, 'Are you listening to mummy Jack?, only good boys get to go on airplanes. If you're not good the security guards won't let you through.' .....'Jack!' snaps mum, 'are you listening!?'. Again, no reply and no eye contact from me. 'I'm trying very hard to not to get angry here, but you're not making it easy'. Silence. '...RIGHT that's it'. Mummy swings her body back round to face forwards as she huffs and puffs. I'm not quite sure what this means, 'that's what' exactly?. After deliberation, I decide that I won the argument, as mummy and daddy have now shut up. Now if you'll excuse me, Ralphie needs a hug.

I'm laying, pretending to be asleep in mummy's arms, tired, and with a tummy ache. This isn't exactly the most comfortable Ive ever been, but I can't let her know that my stomach hurts, or she might not let me on the airplane, and I have to be quiet, because daddy said that only good quiet boys get to go on airplanes. I open my eyes just slightly, just enough to take a glimpse of my surroundings. There's lots of angry people, I don't like angry people; and lots of tired people. Sitting directly ahead of me is a boy, but he's much bigger than me; he's lying on the floor, in his t-shirt, jeans and trainers. I wish I could be a big boy: with the freedom to do what I like, like lie on dirty floors without mummy picking me up, jumping in puddles, going where I like and eating as much ice cream as I can fit in my tummy. In frustration I scream at the top of my voice ' Mummy! I WANT TO BE A BIG BOY NOW!'. Mummy looks down at me, and my dad across at me. 'Jack! Hush please, mummy and daddy are very busy getting us ready for the plane. Now remember what daddy said, only good boys go on planes. You want to go on a plane don't you?'. Damn it woman, she's got me again, always blackmailing me with something or another, why do grownups always do that. 'So go back to sleep please'. I just stare at her in anger. 'Now' she states with a certain directness and a tone, that I know means business. Wanting to scream, to relieve me of my frustration, but knowing I shouldn't, I give in and close me eyes. 'Good boy'. 'Bugger off woman' I mutter quietly to myself under my breath. You see, toddler's pick up a lot more from their dad's then they might show....

---------------------------

I open one eye, and then the other, in doing so I begin to let out a timid whimper, this being a natural reflex for me on waking up. The position I'm lying in has clearly taken a turn for the worse, as the comfortability factor would appear to have decreased significantly. Mummy's arms seemed to have turned rock hard. After wriggling round a bit, I come to the conclusion that I am not in mummy's arms, but in fact on the terminal's hard, and rather cold floor. Horrible mummy, putting me down on the floor. On trying to stand up, I stumble back down, it has never been easy to stand up after just waking up. I attempt this again, and as I do something is noticeably different. As I lift my body, my head, I notice my head height is significantly higher, in fact I can actually see people's faces rather than their knees. I look down at my body, mummy said I was going to get a growth spurt , but I must say, I never expected to growth this much this quickly. Looking around I notice daddy by the check-in desk. I begin to walk towards him but in doing so I'm intercepted by another woman, 'oh good, you decided to get up, good job too, they've just called last boarding. This way.' As she walks off in the opposite direction, I notice mummy. But....but....in her arms is, well...... me! I take another look down at myself, I'm wearing jeans, a t-shirt and trainers.....I'm.....I'm that big boy I saw, am I dreaming? Mummy says I dream funny stuff in my sleep, she told me she hears me at night. A flood of emotions comes to me at one, confusion, panic, upset, but one feeling overpowers them all.......I'm big! And I'm free! I, can do anything I want. Dream or no dream, this... is going to be fun!