SHORT AND WEIRD MARCH PROMPT

Nichola and the Magical Age-Defying Sneakers

A partially-true fiction tale

Not to be vain, but I look younger than this woman. Created with AI.

Nichola was 50. If her parents took more care and had her in the 80s or 90s, instead of the mid-70s, she might not be 50. But she was.

Until yesterday.

For her birthday, Nichola got a voucher for a store selling American athletic footwear and apparel. The name of the store remains unsaid. But let’s say that the Greek goddess of victory was with Nichola that day.

There were so many shoes at the store and so many people perusing them. Nichola hated crowds, so she bought the first fitting pair and went home wearing them. But in her haste, she’d grabbed sneakers from the youth section.

Nichola was wearing children’s shoes.

Back home, Nichola’s body felt odd, both falling in on itself and getting stronger. Her jeans plopped to the floor. Luckily her shirt grew longer to cover her undies.

Nichola ran her hand across her chin, an unconscious gesture from some forgotten point in life. Her chin was bumpy and a voice from her past told her exactly why. Pimples — not the innocuous type hidden with tinted suncream, the big juicy type, ripe for the bursting.