Growth Spurt

    By Nora

    Growth Spurt cover image

    17 Mar, 2024

    a man in a brown shirt and a backpack walking down a street in a city with stores and people, tachisme, concept art, Cedric Seaut (Keos Masons), official art

    In a small town lived a young man named Tom, who was always bullied for being skinny. One day, he stumbled upon an advertisement for a muscle growth drink, promising to transform the user into a muscular hunk. Intrigued and desperate to change his life, Tom decided to buy the drink.

    a man sitting on a chair with a box in front of him and a bottle of alcohol in the background, sots art, a character portrait, Aguri Uchida, official art

    The package arrived within a few days. Tom, filled with excitement and a bit of anxiety, gulped down the drink. It tasted terrible, but he didn't care. He was eager to see the results.

    a man with a hoodie on in a room with windows and a window sill in the background, sots art, a character portrait, Aguri Uchida, official art

    The next morning, Tom woke up feeling different. He was not only bigger, but he was stronger too. He felt a surge of power running through his veins. He was ecstatic with the transformation.

    a man in a brown jacket and a crowd of people in a store aisle with signs on the walls, sots art, a character portrait, Ai-Mitsu, official art

    At school, everyone was in shock seeing Tom's transformation. He was no longer the skinny boy everyone used to make fun of. He was the center of attention and he loved it.

    a man sitting on a bed in a bedroom next to a window with a view of a tree and a bed, sots art, a character portrait, Aguri Uchida, official art

    However, the growth didn't stop there. Tom continued to grow bigger and stronger each day. His clothes started to tear apart, and he had to buy new ones. Even his bed couldn't bear his weight.

    a group of doctors standing in a hospital room together with a man in a tie and a woman in a dress, remodernism, a screenshot, Dr. Atl, official art

    Tom's rapid growth started to worry his parents. They took him to various doctors, but none could explain what was happening. Meanwhile, Tom continued to grow, now reaching the ceiling.

    a group of young men standing next to each other in front of a building with a window and a sign, sots art, concept art, Ai-Mitsu, official art

    He had become a local sensation. People would gather around his house to see the giant boy. However, Tom started to feel isolated. His friends were scared of him and he could no longer fit through doors.

    a man sitting at a table with a cell phone in his hand and a plant in the background, in a room with shelves of books and a window, sots art, a painting, Cedric Seaut (Keos Masons), official art

    One day, while struggling to move around his room, Tom noticed the leftover drink he had consumed. An idea struck him. He decided to contact the company that sold the drink.

    a woman in a lab coat standing in front of a desk with a padlock on it's chest, sots art, a character portrait, Chizuko Yoshida, official art

    The company was shocked to hear about Tom's condition. They sent their top scientist, Dr. Morgan, to investigate. She was a renowned biochemist known for her problem-solving skills.

    a man and a woman in a lab coat looking at a piece of paper on a table with a bottle of liquid, remodernism, a character portrait, Eizan Kikukawa, official art

    Dr. Morgan arrived in town and met with Tom. She was taken aback by his enormous size. She collected his blood samples and promised to find a solution as quickly as possible.

    a woman in a lab coat holding a glass tube with liquid inside of it and surrounded by glass bottles, remodernism, a stock photo, Aguri Uchida, official art

    Dr. Morgan worked day and night in her lab, trying to figure out a way to stop Tom's growth. After several attempts, she finally discovered an antidote which could potentially reverse the effects.

    a woman in a lab coat standing in front of a group of people in a room with a phone, remodernism, concept art, Aguri Uchida, official art

    She rushed back to Tom's house and administered the antidote. Everyone held their breath, waiting for a sign of change. After a few minutes, Tom's growth finally started to slow down.

    a man standing in a hallway with a brown jacket on and a white shirt on and a brown jacket on, sots art, a character portrait, Aguri Uchida, official art

    Over the next few days, Tom gradually started to shrink. He was finally able to fit into his clothes and walk through doors again. Everyone was relieved, especially his parents.

    a man in a school hallway with a backpack on his shoulder and a group of people behind him, all looking at the camera, sots art, concept art, Ai-Mitsu, official art

    Tom's life started to return to normal. He went back to school and was treated like a hero. He was the boy who had become a giant and then returned to his normal size.

    a man and a woman standing in front of a store front in a city street with people walking by, sots art, concept art, Ayako Rokkaku, official art

    Dr. Morgan left the town, but not before warning Tom to stay away from such products in the future. She also ensured that the company stopped selling the dangerous growth drink.

    a man with a backpack standing in front of a forest with trees and mountains in the background, looking at the camera, sots art, a character portrait, Aguri Uchida, official art

    Despite everything, Tom was glad for the experience. It had taught him the importance of self-acceptance. He realized that he didn't need to be big or strong to be respected.

    a group of people standing on a street next to each other in front of a crowd of people with signs, rayonism, concept art, Ai-Mitsu, official art

    His story became an inspiration for many. People started to appreciate their bodies and stopped striving for unrealistic body goals. Tom had unknowingly started a revolution of self-love in his town.

    a man standing in front of a crowd of people on a street with buildings in the background and a man in a brown jacket, remodernism, concept art, Cedric Seaut (Keos Masons), official art

    Tom's experience served as a reminder for everyone about the dangers of unregulated products. It prompted the authorities to take stricter measures to control the sale of such items.

    a man standing in front of a tree in a city street with buildings and trees in the background,, sots art, concept art, Cedric Seaut (Keos Masons), official art

    As for Tom, he continued to live his life as a normal boy. He had learned his lesson and was content with who he was. He never again wished for something that wasn't meant for him.

    a man in a city at night with a lot of people walking around him and a lot of signs, sots art, a character portrait, Cedric Seaut (Keos Masons), official art

    His story served as a cautionary tale for all, reminding everyone that it's okay to be different. After all, it's our differences that make us unique. And that's what truly matters.

    a man standing in front of a crowd of people on a street with buildings in the background and a woman with a backpack on her shoulder, sots art, concept art, Cedric Seaut (Keos Masons), official art

    And so, life in the small town went back to normal, but with a new understanding of acceptance and love for oneself. Tom's story was remembered by everyone and served as a lesson for years to come.