“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us for tonight’s performance of Wizard’s Fury. We hope your visit to the Wonder Realms Resort has been a truly enchanting experience. Until we see you again, have a safe journey home. Thank you, and goodnight!”
The closing announcement was hardly audible over the cries and chatter of the crowd. The smell of smoke and sulphur from the nightly fireworks display lingered in the air alongside the wafts of buttered popcorn and sweat. A wave of thousands slowly bobbed towards the exit. Another day of fun and excitement had concluded as the Wonder Realms closed its gates for another night. The family friendly theme park had been around for years, offering thrills and spills in the Florida sunshine for 50 strong years. It was celebrating its anniversary with a year-long event called the Festival of Smiles where they planned to giveaway fifty thousand prizes to random guests ranging from plush toys up to lifetime park tickets for the whole family.
Hence why Alton had dragged his own family to the Leisure Arcade, a sheltered walkway behind the series of interconnected shops along Market Street, the cobblestoned European-style street that acted as the entrance and exit to the theme park. His family had made an annual visit to the Wonder Realms since he was in first grade. It was his favorite place in the world, almost like a second home. He knew the ins and outs of the massive theme park, and could navigate its entirety with his eyes shut. Even now, his decision to head into the arcade was intentional to avoid the throngs of people who immediately leave the park. But he was on a mission. It was his final day in the Wonder Realms and he wasn’t ready to leave. Not while the Festival of Smiles was ongoing.
As Alton tried to drag his family into the Venezia Emporio store, his dad instead tried to guide him away from the display of seasonal merchandise. “We have to get going, bud. Those suitcases aren’t going to pack themselves.”
But Alton stayed put. “I still haven’t found the perfect farewell souvenir!”
“But Ali, I’m tired!” His little sister Suzie whined. She was starting her first year of school soon, but she still acted like a toddler. She tugged on her mom’s dress and moaned, “I wanna go!”
Looking at his parents desperately, Alton played the guilt-trip card. “Come on, dad. You said it yourself, who knows when we’ll be back.”
Not wanting a meltdown in the final hours of their vacation, Alton’s mom stood by Alton’s side and sighed. “You take Suzie back to the hotel and get a head start on the packing. We’ll get one of the hotel buses back.”
Alton’s dad rolled his eyes, but he didn’t push any further. “OK. But don’t take too long, bud. We have an early start tomorrow, and you know how cranky you get when you haven’t had enough sleep.”
Alton pouted. It wasn’t his fault he was a night owl. He could stay up ‘til morning if he really wanted.
His dad held out a hand to Suzie to hold. “You ready to go, princess?” Suzie held her hands up high instead, and he laughed. “OK, OK”. He lifted her up into his arms and wheezed. He shared a look of “she’s getting too big for this!” with his wife before waving the two of them farewell.
Alton dashed through the storefront and grinned from ear to ear. It was a treasure trove of Wonder Realms memorabilia. Collectibles, figurines, stuffed toys, tacky shirts, quirky kitchenware, the place had it all. While Alton did want a final souvenir, he had mainly entered the large store to increase his chances of receiving a Moment to Smile. He’d been trying to get the attention of anyone who looked likely to hand one out for the entirety of his trip, but no dice. If he hung around long enough, maybe his luck would change. Besides, he always relished a chance to spend more time in the theme park.
Alton picked up a particularly awesome limited edition Funko figurine of Gary Gator and Cecil Croc, the park mascots, riding on Fire Mountain. It would look so cool on the Wonder Realms shelf in his bedroom. But one look at the price tag, and he cringed. “Hey, mom…” he began to ask.
She quickly shut him down. “You’ve already spent enough this trip as it is! Whatever final day souvenir you want has to come out of your own money.”
Alton opened up his wallet and sulked. He had a few dollar bills, and a ton of change. Just about enough to get a collectable pin. He put back the limited edition collectable and sauntered over to the pins. He spun the rack around, looking for something “final day” worthy.
As time drew on, Alton’s mom stepped outside to wait for him instead of getting in the way as he gawked at pins. He had narrowed his decision down to a pin with Gary Gator outside the new Planetary Showdown coaster, or the special 50th anniversary pin with the theme park’s icon, the imposing Merlin’s Tower that sat in the center of the park. Truthfully, he was only biding his time and stretching things out before he had to leave for good. Maybe his indecision would attract the attention of one of the frighteningly cheerful park employees, colloquially known as realm artisans. He ummed and ahhed loudly until he heard a chipper voice to his side. “Excuse me sir, do you need any help?”
Alton jumped at his sudden appearance, and looked up. He stammered “Uhm, no. Yes. Maybe. If you don’t mind. Just, uh, deciding on pins.”
He couldn’t help but feel intimidated by the man. He was fantastically buff, more than double the size of Alton himself. His uniform was taut across his athletic frame, the sleeves looked ready to burst. He’d never seen a man so packed with muscle in his life, not up close anyway. He’d seen statues in museums, and he’d seen wrestlers on TV but they paled in comparison to the real deal. Yet despite his overtly masculine body, The man had soft, inoffensive features framed by short, golden curls. There was an ethereally ageless beauty that made him look both young and old at once. Like every realm artisan, there was a smile permanently fixed to his face. However, he radiated authentic charm unlike a majority of the employees who faked their cheerful façade. Alton glanced at his name tag: Magnus, no last name.
The man placed a hand on his hip and the other against the wall, leaning forwards. “Last day huh?”
Alton slumped his shoulders in self-pity. “How could you tell?”
“I see this ploy often. Nobody likes to leave the most amazing place on the planet. But you seem more stubborn than the others…” There was a lilt to his voice, a slight Irish accent. He crouched down to one knee and rested his elbow on his bent knee, his chin on his fist. His flexed arm could have been thicker than Alton’s head. “Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong. Maybe I can provide some assistance.”
Alton sighed. Normally he wouldn’t tell a complete stranger his woes, especially one so frighteningly swole, but the man had a compelling charm that made it difficult not to spill his guts. “Well my dad got a new job recently, in Canada… We all have to move with him, and that means a lot of changes. A new home, a new school. But the worst change is no more Wonder Realms… Do you know how much a flight from Ottawa to Florida costs? More than the amount gas costs to drive here from Georgia. And that’s one ticket! My dad said we can’t afford to come back again for a while. So this is my last visit to the Wonder Realms for the near future…” He pouted and looked to the ground. He was normally sad when leaving the park for another year, but he always had that glimmer of hope knowing they’d be back the following year. This time, however, that glimmer had been extinguished.
Magnus clutched his chest and tutted. “There’s no frowning in the Wonder Realms,” he claimed, making Alton crack a smile. He stood back up with a swing of his mighty arms. "That sounds like a rough time for you, buddy. I’d love to help, but I can’t exactly magic up a relocation for you.”
Alton sighed. “If only… then I could spend all my time at the Realms instead of a few days a year.”
The man’s expression changed slightly. He still smiled, but it seemed more cunning. Almost mischievous. “You’d really like that huh? To grow up with the Wonder Realms?”
“More than anything!” Alton cried. But that was impossible. If only his dad had gotten a job in Orlando instead of Ottawa. Then he could practically live in the park. Maybe even become a realm artisan himself when he was older.
Magnus stroked his chin with a smirk. “Tell you what, I’ll give you a discount on both of those pins, plus I’ll throw in a little something to help with your troubles.“
When Magnus turned his back to guide him to the nearest cash register, Alton pumped his fist in the air and silently cheered. This was it, his Moment To Smile! His mind raced at the possibilities. A VIP tour of areas not usually accessible to guests. A week in the luxurious Wonder Realms Hotel & Spa. It could even be a lifetime pass! Then they’d have to come back to the Wonder Realms next year! They really did go above and beyond in this place. Just another reason Alton was a Realmhead. The online theme park fan community he was a part of referred to themselves as such. He didn’t have much of a social circle outside of the internet. While plenty of teens liked and visited the Wonder Realms, his obsession with the park didn’t go down well among his peers. Maybe folks were more open-minded in Ottawa…
With the added discount, the pins came to exactly the amount of change Alton had left, tax and all. As he emptied his faux leather wallet onto the counter, Magnus reached underneath it and produced a tiny box. He placed it alongside his purchase. “I hope this brings you a smile,” he began. “And I hope I see you again real soon,” he added with a sly wink.
Alton picked up the box and raised an eyebrow. It certainly wasn’t a lifetime pass, that’s for sure. Maybe it was another pin? He opened it up and pulled out an oval shaped name tag, the very same the realm artisans used! However, it had someone else’s name on it. There must have been a mix-up somewhere. Alton looked up to ask the man but he’d vanished. He didn’t understand how such a large man could get lost within the crowd of people still mingling inside the shop, yet he was nowhere to be seen. He flipped the name tag over in his hands and winced. "Ow!” He’d pricked his thumb on the safety pin on its backside. He frowned and dropped the box into his backpack, a gift was a gift after all.
Alton left the store a little dejected and found his mom standing to the side of the arches that led towards the exit. She was impatiently checking her phone. As soon as she spotted Alton, she waved him over. “Come on, honey! You know what your father’s like if we’re not packed and ready to check out in the morning.”
He sulked to his mom’s side and looked up to the sign above the archway depicting the Cajun alligator mascot. “Y'all come back now, ya hear?” Alton read aloud, disdain in his voice. If he had his way, he’d never leave…
His mom ruffled his hair and asked, “What happened to your little hat?”
Alton froze. Where was his hat? He swung his backpack off his shoulders and frantically dug around its messy depths. But nothing… “My hat, I don’t have my hat!”
His mom sighed. “Oh honey, it’s only a hat. It was getting too small for you anyway. We can buy a new one tomorrow.”
"But it’s my lucky hat! I got it on our very first visit to the Wonder Realms! I wear it every time we come back. I can’t leave it behind, it’s practically a collector’s item!”
“I don’t think I’d go so far as to call it that…”
“Mooom!”
“Why don’t we check the lost and found? Maybe somebody handed it in.”
Alton shook his head frantically. “No! I remember I still had it on after the fireworks, and then I went to the restroom… It must be in there!”
His mom pinched the bridge of her nose, and tried to reason with her son. “Alton, please. The park is closed, they won’t let you back in there. What will your father say if you get into any trouble?”
Alton whipped his bag back onto his back. “He’ll understand. You go back to the hotel, I’ll get one of the park buses back later.”
Before his mom could argue any further, he ran straight back into the arcade, struggling against the flow of people who were exiting. Luckily he knew this place like the back of his hand. He slipped through a closed door and into a cramped courtyard. It had a few metal benches, and several trash cans. It was a designated smoking area, but thankfully nobody was using it. Plus, it led directly to the restroom he’d abandoned his hat inside. He strolled through the tiny space, grateful for solitude in the usually packed theme park.
As he escaped the courtyard and came to the restroom entrance, Alton glanced out to the park and grinned. Everything in the Wonder Realms looked the same as always, just devoid of people. The lights were on, the music was playing, even some of the rides were still running. Alton had read that the park shut down in stages at night, because it would certainly ruin the magic to be out in the parking lot and see the whole place plunge into darkness. Still grinning, Alton entered the restrooms, his favorite ones in the park. Since it was close to a smoking area, fewer people tended to use it. Alton realized, however, that it was the first time he’d ever been alone in there. It gave him the chance to notice small details he’d usually overlook when surrounded by frazzled dads and screaming kids, like the little turrets carved into the tops of the bathroom stalls to make them look like castles.
The bathroom hadn’t been cleaned yet, thankfully, so Alton’s lucky hat was still there: albeit on the floor, below the sink where he’d washed his hands. He picked the crimson cap up and brushed it off - it had a little dollop of hand soap on the brim, but nothing disastrous. He admired it for a moment, stroking the embedded patch of the retro Wonder Realms logo. Losing his favorite hat would have turned an already lousy night into a disaster. He put it back on his head, its wide brim turned to the back of his head, and adjusted it in the mirror. He didn’t want to, but it was time to say goodbye to the Wonder Realms…
As Alton turned his back, he stopped mid-step. An evil grin came over his face. Thanks to his handy shortcut, he hadn’t seen anyone on his trek. So that must have meant nobody saw him. He had an opportunity that few Realmheads ever got! He was alone, in the park, unsupervised, and no one had noticed him yet. It couldn’t hurt to have a little wander around, right? He could maybe even confirm some of the crazier online rumors about the park, like the secret tennis court supposedly hidden in the depths of Fire Mountain, or that crazy one about the pedestal supporting Merlin’s Crown actually being the tombstone of Sid Murray, the park’s founder, which was why the flowers in front of it were always in bloom. All he needed to do was hop the railing and walk behind it to see for himself.
That was all the way on the opposite side of the park in the Realm of Camelot. It was risky but he could always play the “lost child” card if caught. His parents might freak out, but he’d just tell them he’d missed the last bus and couldn’t call because his cell phone service was bad. Technically it wasn’t a lie… Besides, nothing bad ever happened at the Wonder Realms, he’d be fine!
Given that the restrooms were still a mess, Alton knew it wouldn’t be long before someone appeared to clean up. He checked his phone, the park had been officially closed for over an hour by now. Attendants would have already scoured the park for any stragglers and kindly yet forcefully encouraged them to leave. He may be the last guest left. He walked out of the bathroom then crouched, realizing he couldn’t be entirely careless - someone could still spot him, especially if he was dumb. He sidled closer to the landscaping and crept through the courtyard, leaving through a different door to the one he entered.
It exited out to Market Street, the long road that led up to the central hub where most of the realms connected, heralded by the massive tower that loomed over everything. There was a reason it was the park’s icon, or the weenie as some theme park enthusiasts called them. Alton laughed whenever he saw the term. An object that could draw people’s attention to places being called a weenie? Whoever thought of that was a comical genius! Stifling his chuckles, Alton poked his head around the corner. He was outside the entrance to the tram service that encircled the park, offering quick access to all corners of the realms for those unwilling to walk. And the tram stop in Camelot happened to be opposite the crown. But unfortunately, they stopped running before the fireworks started. He’d have to plan a better route to Merlin’s Crown, one that offered the best coverage. Luckily, there was something inside the station that would help.
After making sure the coast was clear, Alton entered the tram station. It was dimly lit and eerily empty. Alton had never seen it so vacant before. He looked to the farthest wall, which had a mural that depicted the park and all its attractions in breathtaking beauty. Every tram station had one so guests could easily find their way around. It was always updated to depict the current look of the park. As he approached the map, something else caught Alton’s attention: a glimmer in the corner of his eye. He turned to his left where he saw the light. The adjacent wall was covered in elegantly scripted words, all of them references to classic Wonder Realms properties. He was always in such a rush to get the next tram, he had never taken the time to fully appreciate it.
The light came from a string of words along the edge of the bottom written in reflective paint. It was something he wasn’t familiar with. Strange, maybe it was a reference to a closed attraction. But the words were in a different language. Maybe it referenced one of the international parks? He crouched down to look closer. “Anocht, beidh mé i mo fhear.” Alton attempted to read it out loud several times, stumbling over the odd mix of letters. He thought of the Irishman from earlier, wondering how he would pronounce it. With one final attempt, Alton blurted it out with perfect diction. He felt a shiver run down his spine and a sudden pain in his pricked thumb. He jumped back up, was somebody there? A cold breeze wafted through the room. Unnaturally cold for the Florida summer. A little rattled, Alton returned his attention to the mural and quickly plotted his route.
As Alton walked down the Market Street, keeping close to the storefronts, he couldn’t help but notice how empty the park was. Not only "devoid of guests” empty, but “devoid of staff” empty. He would have expected the place to be full of cleaners keeping everything in tip-top shape for tomorrow morning. But he hadn’t seen a single soul since he left his mom. He sighed and shook his head. He’d heard rumors of staff layoffs on the message boards. He hoped it wasn’t true, not during the big 50th anniversary.
He took the first left before reaching the hub, which led to an apparent dead end. But Alton knew better. The door at the end opened to a short passageway that connected to the next realm. He approached the large wooden door and pulled on its circular handle. It didn’t budge. Frowning, he gripped the handle with both hands and pulled again. It wasn’t locked since he could feel it moving, but it was astoundingly heavy. Which was peculiar, since Alton had only used the doorway earlier that day with no fuss.
He paused to breath, altered his stance, and pulled with all his might. As he clenched his eyes shut and grit his teeth, the door continued to inch towards him. Veins popped up along his arms, which were starting to swell up. He altered his grip as his hands grew wider and his fingers longer. Previously unused muscles pumper harder and harder, outgrowing their usual size. His shoulders flared, his triceps expanded, his biceps bulged. Suddenly, he lurched backwards as the jammed door was freed. He fell to the floor and blushed. It was a good thing nobody saw him do that… He pulled himself to his feet and entered the short, dark hallway, closing the door behind him. He rubbed his arms, feeling his sore, rippling muscles. It felt like he’d done a proper workout…
Alton threw open the following doors with relative ease and gazed in awe at the futuristic zone. He’d entered into the Realm Of The Rising Sun, a Japanese themed realm where imperial castles and rock gardens met cutting-edge tech and gritty cityscapes.. It was the newest addition to the park, opening only two years ago in partnership with the Wonder Realms park in Osaka, which opened the Realm Of The Free with their own take on American culture. It took the place of Circus Junction, a kiddie play area that Alton adored when he was the appropriate age group. He was sad to see it disappear, it had been around since the '80s, but that’s progress for you. At least the overgrown bamboo and narrow, neon-lit streets provided plenty of hiding spots, should he require them. It was easy to get lost in the authentic-looking Tokyo backstreets, and sure enough, Alton was disoriented. It hadn’t been open long enough for him to commit the layout to memory. Was he in front of the Izakya pub or the Harajuku clothing store? He had to leave the shadows, and the incredibly cramped surroundings. If a guy of his breadth struggled to fit down the alleys without resorting to a side-step, he wondered how the average park guest could make it.
He could see the Mount Fuji high speed roller coaster through the gaps in the buildings. He’d ridden it twice that day thanks to SpeedyTiks. All the best rides had them, you simply show your park ticket to get a timeslot where you can return and ride with no line. But thinking back on the high speed thrills made him feel queasy. He still couldn’t believe they scrapped one of the only realms designed for preschoolers and replaced it with such an outrageous attraction. What were they thinking… But now wasn’t the time for worrying about that.
Alton was almost out of the narrow back streets when he saw one of the beverage stands. Realm Of The Rising Sun had caused quite a stir when it first opened, as it was the first place in the park to serve alcohol you could carry around, instead of having to sit at the park restaurants. Since then, a few more realms started to sell booze as well. It would only be a matter of time before the entire theme park sold it, he thought with disdain. After perusing the menu and being astonished by how much liquor cost - 15 bucks?! - Alton was overcome by teenaged curiosity and poked his head behind the stand. He wasn’t expecting to see anything, but was surprised to find a souvenir cup in the shape of a samurai sword, its “handle” opening up to reveal an opening you could drink from. Alton picked it up - not only was there liquid inside, but it was still cold!
With a chuckle, he grabbed a pen from the register area and scribbled a note on some receipt paper: “You shouldn’t be drinking on the job!” He left the note on top of the register, wedged under a paperweight, then looked back at the cup. It was irresponsible to be hiding alcohol like that…the employee could get written up, not to mention they could make a mistake because they were intoxicated. But it wasn’t like HE was an employee. It would be a shame to let perfectly good alcohol go to waste. Plus, he’d never had a drink before, and it felt right for his first to be in the Wonder Realms, his favorite place.
Heart pounding, he lifted up the cup and sniffed it. It smelled good, and the cherry scent told him which menu item it was - the pink sake. With a grin, Alton tipped it to his mouth and took a long drink. The action strained his tight t-shirt, and as he guzzled the alcohol, his biceps grew larger…and larger…until his sleeves burst apart, revealing thick arms pulsing with heavy muscle. Alton lowered the cup and let the taste linger on his tongue. “Not bad…” he said, licking his lips. There was only a little bit left - the cup wasn’t full to begin with, unsurprisingly - so he wanted to relish it. He walked out from behind the stand and to the end of the alley, surveying the replicated Tokyo streets, and then took another sip while he admired the view.
This time, raising his arm revealed not just a growth of his biceps and triceps, but also of hair. His smooth underarms, bared to the elements now that his shirt was sleeveless, sprouted dense patches of pit hair that stuck out in tufts even when he lowered his arms back down. His hulking arms had grown so big that their combined circumference equaled his torso, giving him an odd appearance - and also wedging him inside the alleyway.
He tried to take a step forward but was held in place by the walls, yanking him back and causing the cup to fall from his hands and skitter across the ground. Alton wriggled, twisted, and finally wrestled himself free. Two sharp cracks echoed through the night air as his shoulders widened out, square and proud, forcing his bulging arms to hang at angles. The seams of his souvenir t-shirt popped open intermittently over his new breadth as he strutted over to the cup and tossed it in the trash. “Don’t wanna litter,” he muttered to himself, scratching under his hairy pit as he walked onward.
“Was that the…” He turned to his right, then his left. Damn, he was kinda lost. He never got lost! But if he was gonna be lost somewhere, this was the place to be. And hey, he always had his phone if he needed to call for help. He didn’t need to do that yet, but what he could do was brag about his current predicament, so he got out his iPhone and hopped onto Instagram, only to discover he had no phone signal. He also discovered the free Wonder Realms WiFi service was down. That was worrying. Apparently his little white lie was now the truth… Alton was about to put his phone away when he had a thought. He may have no signal but that didn’t mean he couldn’t take a picture. It was a good area for one too because there were enough lights on that he didn’t have to use flash.
He propped his phone up on a lantern and set the timer, then jogged a few yards away to center himself with the neon signage behind him. He put his big arms out to the side and made a cheesy face, then jogged back to check out the first take. It wasn’t bad - and he liked that he looked kinda tall since the phone was angled slightly upward. When you were 5’6, you took what you could get. Alton tried again, hitting the button then running like he was diffusing a bomb. This time, he posed with his hands in his pockets, with an easy smile on his face.
“Blurry, damnit,” he said, deleting the pic. He did look lanky though - not something a 5’9 guy could usually say.
He allowed himself one last try before giving up. This time he walked briskly to his position, crossed his arms, and kept his face flat and emotionless, jaw clenched. That tactic worked - the camera could actually focus when he wasn’t wriggling around. Alton favorited the best pic - the one where his forearms looked crazy huge - and figured he could lengthen his shorts in Photoshop. They didn’t cover enough of his thigh. He’d only recently shot up to six feet tall, and his parents weren’t great at keeping him in clothes that fit. He gave the ends of his shorts a self-conscious tug after he put his phone away and made his way toward the bold red torii gate that marked the exit.
As Alton left the Realm of the Rising Sun, the surrounding foliage noticeably grew more lush and untamed. He couldn’t help but smile now that he was in The Wilds. It was his favorite area of the park. An overgrown, rip-roaring adventure zone with roller coasters and water rides galore. He could spend his entire day hopping from ride to ride without getting bored.
The Wilds was also home to one of the oldest yet still thrilling roller coasters in the park: Fire Mountain. As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations, the ride had been recently updated with new, next-gen special effects and an overhauled story. A move that had many fans divided. As much as Alton loved the ride, he did find the updates unnecessary. It was a classic, why did they need to add a plot involving magma monsters? Wasn’t riding through an erupting volcano thrilling enough?
However, now that he was here, he couldn’t resist taking a peek inside. He had to see the tennis court for himself! It was long rumored, and eventually confirmed by the ride designer himself, but nobody outside of the artisans had seen so much as a picture. That was all about to change. Alton crept into the queuing area, partially obscured by the overgrown plants that surrounded the volcano. He hopped over the chains forming the switch-back queue, heading towards an unassuming door on the far side. It said “ARTISANS ONLY” in chunky lettering. He grinned mischievously, who was going to stop him? The door creaked as it opened, and sensor activated lights swept down the corridor. Alton felt giddy as he looked at the fire escape map to his left. He located the most likely room for a tennis court and bounded down the sterile hallway. He swung open the door and found himself in a messy break room. There was a counter with a coffee pot and a mini-fridge underneath it. A few metal tables and chairs scattered the concrete floor. But no tennis court. Alton grumbled, he was sure this was the right room! But as he turned to leave, he spotted something in the corner. A crate with two tennis rackets sticking out. It really was here! He darted to the rackets and looked around excitedly. The truth hit him hard.
This was it? This was the fabled tennis court hidden within the depths of Fire Mountain? A makeshift half-court made by haphazardly painting a net on the wall and markings on the floor?? Alton was crushed. He was expecting a proper court that realm employees young and old could play during their breaks. Not this thing… Yet deep down, Alton felt something else. Familiarity. He felt like he’d not only seen this room before, but he’d even been inside and batted a tennis ball in his off time. Deja vu… Well he came here to play tennis, he may as well give it a shot.
He picked up a ball and racket kept in the crate and bounced the ball on the floor a few times. He copied what he saw tennis players do on TV, tossing the tennis ball into the air and whacking it towards the wall with a forced grunt. It immediately rebounded and flew to his left. He leaned, stretching his chest wide to reach it. It bounced back to the wall, then to his right. He stretched again, his chest spreading out wider. To the wall, back to him, to the wall, back to him. Alton continued until he whacked the ball with such force, it recoiled off the wall and flew high over his head, bouncing off the back wall and into its crate. In his hands, the racket had splintered and hung in two pieces. He scratched his head, a little embarrassed. He’d forgotten his own strength. The guys weren’t gonna believe this…
Alton dumped the broken racket back in its crate. There wasn’t much he could do now, it would have to wait for the morning. He was worn out after that match. He panted and stretched his arms out wide, spreading his chest and shoulders even wider until his shirt stretched taut across his broad upper body. Each deep breath he took expanded his chest a little more until his square pecs developed an overhang that managed to block his feet from view.
Alton was in desperate need of a drink, and he doubted there was any coffee left in the pot. He checked the fridge. Score! There was a bottle of water inside! He unscrewed the lid and gulped the entire bottle down without taking a breath, then crushed the plastic between his fist. It made a satisfying crunch that made Alton smirk. Now quenched, he felt a little bad about taking the bottle. A healthy workplace required trust in one another. He’d have to replace it later if he found the chance, and after he figured out how to replace that racket… For now, it was time to leave the disappointing tennis court. He could see why the Wonder Realms never published any pictures, it would destroy the community spirit.
As he left the volcano behind, Alton strode towards his handy dandy shortcut to Camelot when he overheard some voices. Startled, he dove into some bushes and crawled behind a big tree. Peeking around the trunk, he saw two artisans heading straight for his shortcut!
“…kid still in the park.”
“You sure it’s not one of the dolls from Friendship Express?”
“Hah! I wish! Can you imagine those motherfu…”
Alton frowned as they disappeared from view. Foul language on realm property? That wasn’t proper Wonder Realms conduct. Realm artisans should be polite and courteous at all times when not backstage. It was literally rule one in the guidelines!
There was also the matter of Alton’s presence in the park being known. He had to be more careful! It didn’t help that he couldn’t use the shortcut he wanted to. Instead, he would have to take the long way around Hourglass Lake. It would take a while, the realms surrounding the lake made up almost half the park, but it was safer than walking into trouble. It was funny to consider himself trouble, anyhow…he was the most obedient kid there was, most of the time. Sneaking around did not come naturally to him. And now, people were looking for him, which added pressure.
Unless…
Alton spun around and crept back to the employee area hidden in the volcano. He’d seen something that could maybe help his predicament, but it hadn’t seemed necessary to grab at the time. Hopefully it was still there…
“Yes!” he breathed, looking at a walkie-talkie abandoned on one of the chairs. It probably caught on the back and fell off the belt of one of the fatter guards as he got up, Alton thought. People really needed to keep themselves in better shape. How could you walk around all day every day and still be fat? It didn’t make sense.
Not wanting to linger anywhere long, Alton grabbed the walkie and skittered back outside. He stood in a shadowy area and caught his breath first, then dug out his phone. Still no signal. He tapped his head, he knew he’d seen the code for a lost child before, what was it…
He held the walkie out in front of his face, which was strangely hard because his bicep hit the side of his pec. He closed his eyes and turned it on. “Anyone there?” he squeaked nervously.
“State your name?” crackled a voice.
“Alt-” Crap, what if his parents had given them his name already? “-er. Alter.”
“Evening, Alter. You sound different, buddy.”
Alter took in a deep breath and lowered his voice a bit, his chest expanding out further in front of him. “About that, uh…Signal 70,” he said almost convincingly.
“You find them?”
He knew his plethora of Realms knowledge wouldn’t let him down! Another boost hit his pecs, which flared wide, nipples slipping out of the sides of his ripping t-shirt. The response came out several notes lower. “Yeah, 'course I did. I already reunited them with their family.”
“Already? It was only reported 20 minutes ago. How’d you get 'em there so fast?”
Alter’s face flushed pink, and his anxious breath expanded his chest massively; two solid boulders that were now as big as his head. He nervously stammered, “They were…right outside the park.”
“No, they were at the resort. You sure you had the right Signal 70? And is that really you? You sound-”
“It’s really me,” Alter snarled, his voice morphing into a bass that tore through sound waves, the only pitch that was reasonable for such an enormous chest. “Stop questioning me, everything is fine.” He turned off his walkie and jammed it into his backpack with a huff, then noticed his stomach was bared. His t-shirt had rolled up under the spherical girth of his pecs and encased them like a sports bra. Alter tried to tug it back down, but there was no way. Damn, his parents really needed to get him new clothes. At least his stomach felt good, though he couldn’t see it over his chest shelf. Alter flexed it and admired the bricks composing his abdomen. “Nice,” he grinned. This would get him lots of girls at school. He rubbed his hand over the solid muscles. “Washboard,” he chuckled, fingers alighting on a treasure trail poking out of the waistband of his underwear. “MANLY washboard!”
He took off for his route around Hourglass Lake, still frustrated that he had to take the long way. At least it was pretty to look at. And he could see his reflection in the water, and really admire his abs - it wasn’t a 6-pack anymore, it was an 8-pack, and it was bulging with so much muscle now that it made his waist bigger and strained his shorts. Alter liked the distribution of body hair across his stomach, too. He’d never been hairy anywhere except for his tummy, where his treasure trail spread outward like a river delta, highlighting each deep groove. After he looked away from his reflection and walked onward, the hair crept higher, trail reaching under his t-shirt and sprouting between the crevice of his pecs. It fanned out over their mass, curls lengthening and thickening as Alter itched at them, until it was flowering out of his collar and the torn sides of his shirt, a full-on rug that turned heads when he took his shirt off after gym class. That was always fun, taking off his t-shirt after a run, exposing his massive, sweaty chest to the weaker boys. It made Alter stand up taller to just think about it, his pecs rounding out proudly in front of him, hair pouring off of them. They even bounced a little as he walked.
Outside of The Wilds came Alter’s least favorite realm, Storybook Avenue. A sugary sweet place that featured an array of classic literary characters. When it came to realms themed to literary classics, the steampunk utopia that was Verne Junction was leagues ahead of its fairytale counterpart. Too bad it was on the other side of the park, Alter would have loved to ride the Around The World In 80 Days flight simulator with no-one to disturb him with their giggles and screams.
Storybook Avenue was the kiddiest section of the park, and one of the original realms to boot. A few of the opening day attractions still existed here too, such as Aesop’s Garden and Friendship Express. Alter shuddered a little, it was a celebration of friends all across the globe, complete with a catchy ditty that got on everyone’s nerves. In fact, he could hear the plucky tune right now. He glanced up for the source. He wasn’t going mad, the realm was still fully active with flashing lights and tinned music floating on the breeze. There were no guests, no realm artisans, not even the park mascots offering autographs. Alter shook his head and tutted. Leaving everything running at this time of night, they should be ashamed! Think of all the electricity being wasted right now… In fact, he was going to make a note of this.
Alter reached across his broad chest and fumbled with the straps of his backpack. He couldn’t quite reach them, his biceps kept bashing into his pecs and prohibiting his movement. He grumbled loudly. How did he even get it on in the first place? His back was usually too goddamned broad for them. With one last effort, Alter managed to grip the strap that dug into his shoulder. With a yank, he accidentally ripped the strap straight off the bag, which swung wildly off his back and down his other arm. In a panicked effort to stop it falling to the ground, Alter reached for the other strap and pulled, tearing it off in the process. It fell to the ground with a soft thud. Great, another thing he had to replace… He crouched down and unzipped the bag, pulling out a notepad and pen. He furiously scribbled a reminder to himself to write up the Storybook Avenue employees in the morning. Write it up where, exactly…? On the message board, there’s where.
As he scribbled, Alter failed to notice his backpack deflating, the zipper falling to the ground. It drooped forwards, the top melting outwards until it formed a rectangular flap that hung over the front. The two broken straps rolled inwards and merged together as a singular, flattened strap. The flimsy nylon fabric stiffened as its bright colors swirled together into a dark charcoal gray that swept over its new leather texture. As Alter finished writing his note, he swung open the flap on his small satchel and dropped the notepad inside. He buckled it back up and grabbed its handle, holding it at waist-height, then threw the long, leather strap over his back and attached it to the satchel. He adjusted the strap until it rested between the crevice of his hair-coated pecs. It wasn’t the most convenient bag around, but it was the only hands-free option Alter had considering his widespread back. Besides, it sure was handy for patrolling… No, for touring the realms.
Happy with his reminder, Alter doubled his pace, unwilling to spend more than the few minutes it took to leave the realm. It was eerie seeing everything set up and waiting for guests with nobody to cater for. As he neared the giant pages that formed the exit, he heard a loud voice yell “I’ll huff! And I’ll puff! And I’ll blow your house round!”. Alter span on the spot, his hands raised in the air. There was nothing there but the Little Pigs Twister. He sighed and chuckled, a hefty bass laugh that seemed to shake the ground around him. It was only a pre-recorded announcement made before the ride started.
Alter couldn’t help himself. He scrambled over the railings and picked out a wooden house with wings strapped to the sides. They really took some liberties with this idea, he thought with a sigh. It used to be themed to the Wizard of Oz until MGM threatened a lawsuit. The Realms didn’t want to waste the money on changing the whole thing, so they stuck wings on the houses and replaced the Wicked Witch Of The West with the Big Bad Wolf. He recalled the witch’s cackle as you spun around quite fondly, though he wasn’t sure why since it was well before his time. Maybe he’d seen it on one of those Historealm YouTube videos that showcased closed attractions.
He squeezed inside, making sure to buckle his seatbelt. Safety first. Not that he needed it as there was no way he would be falling out. He was squashed into a vehicle typically made for two, his knees buckled up and crushed into his pecs. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. He remembered being able to fit not too long ago. But how long ago was that really? The Big Bad Wolf at the top of the spinner comically growled, “Time to see these pigs fly!”
The winged house audibly creaked as it rose into the sky. Alter tried to reach the controls that altered the height but couldn’t get past his legs. He grumbled and instead tried to relax as the spinner picked up speed. He almost started to enjoy himself when he felt a slight tug on his head. He slapped a hand up and yelped as he realized his lucky hat had been blown off! He leaned over to try and spot it on the ground but it was no use. It’s not like he could jump out of a moving ride. He closed his eyes and forced himself to relax, enjoying the breeze.
As the wind whipped around him, it started to tug at his hair follicles. Bit by bit, his hair blew off of his scalp and lazily floated away. Round and round Alter went on the ride, his hairline slipping further and further backwards, shedded hair dancing around him. Some hairs fell like raindrops, sprinkling down across his broad shoulders and upper arms, taking root where they landed. More hairs trickled down his shirt collar to nestle across his back, ensuring he would be a furry man all round. It wasn’t long before he was left with a balding crown that shimmered under the twinkling lights. Alter was drifting asleep when the vehicle suddenly juddered. He awoke with a jolt. All of the ride vehicles rose to their maximum height before bouncily dropping back down to their original starting positions on the ground.
Alter waited until his vehicle came to a complete stop before he unbuckled his belt and stepped out. He felt like he was missing something… He scratched his bald head, trying to remember, when he suddenly yelped aloud. His hat! He abandoned the spinning ride and searched high and low in the surrounding area. He rubbed his smooth scalp anxiously, he couldn’t lose it again! Finally, he noticed it resting on the overhanging awning outside Mother Goose’s Menagerie. Alter stretched high, but the awning was just out of reach of his fingertips. He tried again, standing on his tiptoes, palms outstretched, and reached as far as he could. He felt his palms rest firmly on the awning. He stretched even further, his arms and legs lengthening as he reached for the hat. As his fingers brushed the brim, he bounced the awning a little, and the hat fell into his grasp. He returned his feet to the floor, hands still resting flat on top of the awning, before he let it go with a slight bounce. Being tall sure had its advantages. That wasn’t so hard…
Alter placed the flat cap atop his head, the thin brim facing the front. The sides aligned perfectly with his horseshoe fringe to disguise his severe male pattern baldness. Most people were surprised to see him without a hat, previously convinced that he had a full head of hair. He wasn’t exactly ashamed that he was bald, he had more than enough hair on the rest of his body to compensate, but he also couldn’t bring himself to shave the sides. He didn’t want people thinking he was a no-good thug, after all. Not while he was still in middle school… No wait, high school… College? While he was still in some form of education.
Once upon a time, the Wonder Realms actually forbid their employees from shaving their heads for that exact reason. A rule that didn’t last long to the joy of balding realm artisans everywhere. Alter stroked his smooth chin in thought. The Realm Look Guidelines were still quite conservative for such a carefree theme park. Things had changed over the years but there were still rules on how a Realm Artisan should present themselves ranging from hair length to skirt length. Alter recalled that men once had to be clean shaven at all times. That rule stuck around right up to the early '90s when they allowed men to keep a trim moustache or goatee. It wasn’t even a decade ago that they relaxed the rules further to allow men to have a full beard. Alter chuckled at the thought. He would’ve had to carry around a razor at all times back in those days. He rubbed his cheeks, his stubble already beginning to show, darkening his cheeks a steely gray. His facial hair grew so quickly, he’d have to keep on shaving throughout the day to keep himself presentable. The moment they scrapped that rule, Alter stopped shaving and he had a full beard within the week. He continued to stroke his dense, black whiskers with pride. Sometimes he wished it could be longer, but he always ensured he kept it trimmed to the maximum allowed length of a quarter inch long. He didn’t want to rock the boat too much, after all. Not that he had to abide by the guidelines, he wasn’t an employee.
With his cap firmly on his head, Alter abandoned Storybook Avenue. He scratched at his beard, pleased to see the back of it. That place was for kids anyway, and he was practically a grown man. Or at least he felt like one. Looked like one? He wasn’t sure what the criteria was. He was blissfully unaware that as soon as he left, the realm fell into darkness.
As he continued the clockwork circuit around Hourglass Lake, he tugged on his shorts which were riding up his ass and were more akin to booty shorts at this point. He really should have worn better fitting clothes. He was worried they may rip apart at any moment. It wasn’t long before Alter approached the stone columns that lined the entrance to Olympus, a realm dedicated to Greek mythology.
This was one of Alter’s favorite areas - maybe even his number one. After all, it was what had sparked his interest in bodybuilding all those years ago. He remembered standing beneath the giant Heracles statue as a boy, gawking at the overgrown muscles it sported. To think that back then, its genitals were visible! That would never fly nowadays, not outside of an art museum. They couldn’t remove it without destroying the fiberglass statue, so they added a skimpy tunic a while back and called it a day. That was well before Alter’s first visit but he remembered gazing up and joking with friends about how small the genitals were compared to the rest of the statue. Weird… Despite that, Alter hoped it was still inspiring generations of boys to work out like it had him.
He saw the statue from afar. It was hard to miss since it was ten feet tall, and yet when he got close to it, it didn’t feel nearly as big as it had when he was a boy…not even earlier that day when he’d passed it. Alter grinned boyishly as he looked up at it. What a hunk! Alter knew he wasn’t gay, but he sure loved muscular men. That was why he’d grown himself into one. He was almost as buff as Heracles himself. Which gave him an irresistible idea. First, Alter flexed and mimicked the statue’s pose, then he ran himself through a quick routine right there in the Athens Market Square. His muscles pumped into overdrive, expanding beyond belief. Without warning, his shirt burst off and exposed his tough, hairy torso to the world. He grew further, massive muscles swelling further and taking on the godly shape of the statue before them, growth spilling down his limbs as his arms inflated and his legs bulked up. Tears ran down the sides of his shorts, and when he outstretched his leg like he had in his last competition, they tore off, revealing his underwear straining to hold in his large ass. Veins spread thick and prominent over his entire body, culminating in the thickening of his neck, which configured itself to nestle within the mass of his overworked traps.
Alter envisioned himself on a brightly lit stage, his bulging body shaved smooth and smothered in spray tan to further enhance the bold depths of his physique. The only thing covering his modesty was a flimsy posing piece that hid little from the eye. It felt less like a fantasy and more like a cherished memory. The crowds cheering, the heat of the stage lights… A snap and a thud brought him back to reality. He was so engrossed in his posing, the latch on his small satchel had snapped and sent it falling to the floor. Alter grunted in annoyance and picked it up. The strap was far too short to get across his wide back and vast pecs. The bag would rest underneath his armpit if it did. Instead, he wrapped it around his waist and buckled the belt firmly above his hips. It wasn’t perfect, but it would have to do for now.
Alter pawed at his bulge. His daydreaming had got him boned up. He knew he had to get control of himself. But damn, if he didn’t love muscle. It was so frustrating being in middle school and no one else having a body like his. He wanted to be around MEN: big, hairy, buff men who sweat testosterone like he did. It was crazy being so young but passing for mid twenties, which everyone told him he did. He had a beard and a hairy chest and giant muscles, and he was tall to boot. He needed the other guys to catch up. Once they did, life would be so much better.
His big body shivered in response to a breeze strong enough to rustle his chest hair. Alter scratched at his beard and walked forward, wondering why he was so chilly. It was Florida. Florida wasn’t THAT cold. Then again, he was kinda naked. He needed a shirt. Why didn’t he have a shirt? Just because he looked thirty didn’t mean that his parents didn’t have to provide for him. He’d always looked older than he was. At first he’d thought it was the jaw - his was really strong. Wide, square, solid, like a cartoon soldier’s. Chin even had a cleft to really hammer it home. And then his nose, which was kind of prominent. And because he was out in the sun so much, his skin had started weathering. He had a permanent tan and furrows on his brow, with deep lines etched around his eyes and mouth. Sometimes people thought he was forty, which was funny, because he was so young. His hair falling out hadn’t helped matters either, nor the grays piercing through his beard or the mature look of his muscles, with their deep striations and thick fibers. His last bodybuilding contest, they’d thought he was in the Masters group!
As Alter walked past the entrance to the Minotaur’s Labyrinth, wondering to himself whether the ancient Greeks had underwear under those tunics they always wore, he saw a beam of light swoop across the floor ahead of him. Shit! It was those guards again! He looked down at himself, he was practically in his birthday suit, double shit! He couldn’t be caught like this! He ran into the labyrinth and peered out from behind a column. It was the perfect place to hide, he had the maze committed to memory at this point. He’d lose them in a minute.
“…reports of some hooligan messing around in the storybook realm.”
“Didn’t ol’ Alt say he found that kid?”
“Yeah, but he didn’t sound too convinced himself.”
“So what, you reckon he was lying?”
“Alter? Lying? Of course not! Are we talking about the same man?”
“So you believe him?”
“I believe that he was misinformed. Weird shit’s been happening around the lake all night.”
“I’m telling ya, it’s those Friendship Express dolls…”
“And I’m telling you that this isn’t Night At The Wonder Realms!”
“I’m just saying, what if they came to life? What would we do?”
“Not this again…”
Alter watched the two guards walk back the way he came from, bickering over a contingency plan for a potential robot uprising. He sighed with relief, he was mere seconds away from being kicked out of the park for life! That wouldn’t go down well with the guys. He lifted himself back up and took a long look at his mostly naked body. Damn, he looked good. Not a single ounce of body fat to be found on his rippling torso. And all that hair, it just oozed masculinity… He slapped his cheek, now wasn’t the time for narcissism. Not a single piece of his clothing had managed to survive his trip. He told his parents he was a growing man, that he needed new clothes, but noooo. Now he was in the middle of the Wonder Realms in his birthday suit. Only his boxers still clung for dear life, and it was only a matter of time before they too were destroyed. He only had to get one awkward boner…
As Alter crept back out of the labyrinth, he shivered. Even with the excessive amount of body hair he had, it was an unusually chilly night. He racked his brain for a solution. He was near the border between Olympus and the Old West realm of the theme park. In fact, he could see the Prospector’s Tavern in the distance. Which meant he wasn’t that far from the General Mercantile, the largest gift shop in the wilderness. Making sure the coast was clear, he darted across the empty expanse. He gripped a rough palm to each of his furry pecs to stop them from jiggling as he bounded, the bare soles of his wide feet slapping against the stone pavement. With each bounce, his bag slammed into his hip and shrunk slightly. It continued to shrink until it eventually snapped into several rectangular pouches that looped around his belt. As stone turned to gravel and striking white temples were replaced by creaky, wooden buildings, Alter came to a stop. He stared up at the faded green facade and almost wept in relief as one of the shop doors was still propped open.
Alter entered by a rack of postcards and walked slowly through the menagerie of soft toys and collectable figurines, hoping the open door meant no security system was on. He entered into a room lined with jewelry and gemstones both real and fake. It happened to be where the exit for Gold Rush led into. Gotta love that theme park synergy… Alter recalled a time when they used to sell Native American headdresses and authentic crafts in the store. That was back when the Indian Village was still intact, showcasing the daily lives of Native Americans during the American Frontier. Another edutainment attraction that was lost to the sands of time, not even making it out of the '70s. It was an inevitable loss due to depictions of Native Americans now considered offensive, but it only showed the gradual decline of the Wonder Realms. It used to be a place you could go to have fun and learn something new at the same time. Now all they seemed to focus on were crazy thrill rides that nobody under 52 inches tall could experience. Alter sighed, it all happened decades ago and yet he felt like he was digging up long lost memories of his youth.
He abandoned the jewelry section and found the room filled with clothes of every kind. Ones depicting Gold Rush, ones with Gary Gator and Cecil Croc front and center, and ones with a subtle design that somehow justified charging half the price of a park ticket. Alter browsed the selection yet nothing took his fancy. He did manage to find a pair of garishly bold, stretchy athletic pants that almost looked his size, along with some water shoes which were handy for the Atlantis realm on the other side of the park. Alter slid the pants up his thick thighs and wiggled to get them up to his hips. They just about fit him, and made his ass look fantastic. But his ass looked fantastic in just about anything. No amount of fabric could make his shapely rump look flat. They also did nothing to hide his bulge from view. You could easily see the outline of his cock as it snaked down his left thigh. But there wasn’t much he could do about that, he couldn’t help it if his dick was double the size of the average man’s. He gripped it with his huge paw and adjusted himself so it wasn’t quite as noticeable.
As for a shirt, nothing caught Alter’s eye. It didn’t help that his incredible breadth and massive build meant having to resort to buying specialized sizes. He almost gave up until he saw a rack of new shirts by the cash register. They were cartoonish renditions of various realm artisan costumes in T-shirt form, part of the 50th anniversary collection. He picked out the biggest one, an XXL recreation of the security guard’s outfit. It was the only one of its kind within the rack. From the grainy, printed on buttons and pockets to the stylized drawn-on clothing folds, you’d never believe it was a real uniform, even from a distance. Alter slipped the shirt over his head, yanked the fabric over his puffed-out pecs, and firmly pulled it down over his hairy abs. It fit snug across his chest, but what shirt didn’t at this point? It would have to do for now.
Alter observed himself in a nearby mirror. His orange pants clashed garishly with the pale blue shirt. His arms were looking spectacular though, he pulled a little pose, gripping one arm with the other and flexing. His biceps almost bulged bigger than his own head. Not bad for a guy his age… That was a weird way to put it. Sure, he may look like he was long past his prime, what with his gray-stained beard, his fine weathered wrinkles, and his notoriously bald pate. But he was still just a kid! He didn’t even take advantage of his advanced appearance and try to purchase alcohol or sneak into nightclubs. The rules were there for a reason, after all.
He picked up his prized hat, a black security cap with a golden Wonder Realms plaque in the centre, placing it on his bare noggin and adjusting it in the mirror. Alter sighed, he still felt a little naked. Suddenly, he remembered something. His gift! He opened one of the tiny compartments that hung on his belt, and pulled out the small box inside. He removed the name tag and looked at the name. It seemed familiar but he couldn’t quite place where he’d seen it before. Well whoever lost it, it was his now. He pinned it to his chest, careful not to prick himself again. There! Now he could’ve been a proper artisan if his shirt didn’t look like he’d drawn it up in Photoshop. In fact, he wanted to commemorate this moment with a selfie.
Alter opened a black pouch and retrieved his iPhone. He’d always made fun of people who carried their cell phones on their belts, but it was good to have it so accessible. He looked at his lock screen and frowned. His Face ID wasn’t working. But he looked the same as always! His fingerprint scanner was on the fritz too. Alongside the signal issues, maybe it was time for a new phone. Luckily he remembered his passcode. He clumsily swiped across the phone and forcefully jabbed a thick finger on the camera app. It opened on selfie mode, offering an unflattering angle of his tired face partially obscured by his thick pecs. But he wanted the back camera so he could get a mirror shot. He fumbled with the screen, accidentally turning on flash and switching to panoramic mode in the process. When did things get so needlessly complicated?
In the end, he shoved his phone back into its pouch with a growl, he could take a picture later. He had more important matters to tend to. Alter turned on his heels, then glanced back. He didn’t want to walk out without paying… He pulled out his previously empty wallet and took out a wad of bills. He left a few twenties on the counter before returning to his task at hand. He adjusted the flat-topped black hat atop his head and left the shop. The Realm of Camelot wasn’t far off now. He only had to make it through one final realm. The bone-chilling, frightening, Horror Isles.
It was a small plot of land that was used for special events throughout the year. With the Independence Day celebrations well and truly over, they were already gearing up for Halloween. Alter could only grumble over its existence. It was the middle of summer, far too early for tricks and treats. They kept pushing the Halloween celebrations further and further forward to milk guests for what it’s worth. What happened to the days of wholesome Halloween fun that only lasted the week? It’s not like the park was seeing any of these Halloween funds, they’d been cutting costs and penny pinching for years now, ever since that Bill Gior was made head of the theme park division. All he cares about is the stockholders getting their money’s worth. Alter hated to see the place he cared for get ruined by these maniacs in charge. They were tainting the magic of the Wonder Realms…
The quickest path was through the haunted graveyard in the dead center of the mini-realm. Alter crept through uneasily. With everything shut off for the night, it was eerier than usual. He felt like anything could happen.
A ghoulish figure jumped out with a blood-curdling scream, making Alter cry out himself. He clutched at his chest and breathed rapidly. It was only one of the spook dolls that popped up on unsuspecting visitors to the graveyard. There were a few of them dotted around, and Alter usually followed a set path so he could avoid activating them. Their screams were enough to turn your hair white, he thought as he brushed a hand over his horseshoe fringe, the fragile hairs turning a light gray wherever he touched. He scratched at his beard, spreading more white hairs throughout its prickly coverage.
Alter stepped carefully, sticking to his usual path. It helped that it was the same every Halloween season or he’d be tripping them nightly. That is, until he reached the edge of the graveyard. He forgot about the mummy in the sarcophagus until it was too late. The rotting ghoul pushed open the case with a bone-chilling moan that sent shivers down Alter’s spine. A wave of white hairs swept around his bald fringe and through his beard until there were more grays than his actual hair color.
He dragged a hand over his face and grumbled "Gosh dang it, these friggin’ monsters get me every friggin’ time!” After all these years spent in the Realms, kid-friendly curses came more naturally than the real deal. He even found himself using them outside the parks too. He grumbled some more, trying to keep his temper down. The way he looked, he didn’t want to be called a grumpy old man. He hated it when people suggested he was old. So he had gray hairs, that didn’t make him old, it made him distinguished. He had thought about dyeing his hair from time to time, but ultimately decided against it. He liked being a silver fox, and lots of people digged the mature look. He laughed when they called him daddy, he wasn’t even old enough to have kids!
Escaping the frightening graveyard, Alter stopped at the “intersection” of Fright Lane and Spooky Street, right in front of the Victorian manor that was one of the few permanent fixtures in the temporary realm. It was currently under the guise of Ramshackle Manor - the only part of Horror Isles where the actors were allowed to touch you. They’d pop out of the walls and swing over your head, anything for a good scare. It wasn’t Alter’s idea of fun at all, so he was glad he had the excuse of not fitting inside the narrow hallways. But he had a fondness for the place, because he’d been standing directly in front of it when he’d come to a life-changing realization: that he was gay.
It happened during the park’s annual pride parade, which to Wonder Realms’ credit, had been going on many years before Pride became so commercialized. The very first one in park history was done guerilla style by guests who assembled and did a parade themselves, but the next one was park sanctioned, and even had Gary Gator in a rainbow cape leading the way. Alter had been standing on the standing outside the manor, pride flags flapping from its windows. He was bulging out of his clothes as he always did, relishing the open stares coming his way. He’d long since acknowledged that he was attracted in some way to men, but was always able to explain it away - and to him, the main reason he absolutely couldn’t be gay was that gay guys were effeminate, and he was as far from that as could be. Alter was a man’s man. He was hairy and muscular, he loved sports and working out, his voice was deep and rough, he drank beer - or had, once upon a time, before he decided he wanted to keep his abs. He just wasn’t gay.
All that explanation fell away when he saw the two bodybuilders. They were big as houses, square-jawed and bearded, stuffed into normal dude clothes. And yet, they were walking with their arms around each other’s waists, enjoying the day and each other, and they’d stopped near Alter for a quick kiss before walking on. And that was it. He didn’t know their names or who they were, but he’d realized he was like them.
That wasn’t the end of his coming out process, not by a long shot. It took time. He didn’t go to gay bars for a while, and once he did, he initially didn’t enjoy them, because he got so much attention and didn’t know how to handle it. His conversations with his buddies were laborious and indirect, as he mumbled awkwardly about how this didn’t change anything, and he didn’t want to fuck ‘em or nothin’. He was too young to be having sex anyway. Most of them came around in the end, to his relief. But it took him years to be proud of who he was, and what he represented. Kids today had it a lot easier. He was jealous of that.
Which didn’t make sense, since he himself was a kid, even if people sometimes thought he was in his fifties. God, where was his head tonight?
Alter slid down Spooky Street to escape the spook filled mini-land. As he did so, he couldn’t help but gaze up at Merlin’s Tower with a fond smile. Finally, after an excruciatingly long detour, he’d made it to the Realm of Camelot. He admired the tall tower, the weenie of the park. He cringed, whoever chose such a suggestive word for an architectural term should be ashamed. The tower was elegant as always, painted in mystical shades of sparkling purple and blue. It was the tallest building in the park, reaching an impressive 199ft. Any taller and it would need lights on top to warn aircraft. It used forced perspective to trick the eye into thinking it was much taller. Every floor was slightly smaller than the one below it. Alter used to think it was ingenious back in the day.
There was even a rumor that Sidney Murray had an apartment built up top so he could watch over the realms. But Alter knew that wasn’t true, he’d personally had to climb to the top on many occasions. All there was up there were some tiny storage rooms. Those side towers may look roomy from the ground, but there wasn’t enough space to swing a cat up there. Or to even stand in Alter’s case. He’d feel like a cartoon character who’d outgrown his surroundings up there, even more so than usual. But when would he have had the opportunity, let alone the time, to go up the tower? Nobody was allowed up there except for the artisans…
Alter gazed up at the large ornate clock set into the front of the tower. It wouldn’t be long before the sunrise. He had to make it to Merlin’s Crown soon or he’d have nowhere to hide. He was such a tall, wide-set man, he’d stick out like a sore thumb. Alter strode through the middle of the tower, extravagantly decorated with mosaic artwork telling the tale of Arthur Pendragon. Inside, you could find the Knights Of The Round Table Dining Extravaganza, while underneath was a tacky attraction about Merlin’s life. Alter remembered walking through it on opening day and being scared out of his wits. Now that he was older, it had lost all of its charm. It was deemed too macabre and management removed the scarier parts. Even the once fierce dragon was altered to a goofy, friendlier design. But didn’t it open with the park all those years ago? March 1st 1970 to be precise. Boy that was a crazy time. The pavement in the Leisure Arcade hadn’t set properly and women were losing their high heels. The Friendship Express broke down 10 minutes into opening day and didn’t reopen for another year. Then a water pipe burst and there was no running water for days. The media called it the biggest failure of its time. Yet despite all those setbacks, to become the premier tourist attraction worldwide was no small feat. It made Alter proud to have stuck by its side all these years, through thick and thin.
He shook his head violently. There were those thoughts again! Like he’d been visiting the Wonder Realms for decades instead of for a few years. It was weirding him out. Staying up all night must be messing with his head… Leaving the elegant tower confines behind, Alter smiled softly as he entered into the Realm of Camelot. It still looked the same all these years later… It was a lot like a renaissance fair that was bordered on all sides by turrets and castle walls.
To the left was the large boulder where Arthur pulled the sword of Caliburn from. A distinction Alter loved to explain to curious guests. Excalibur was gifted to Arthur by the Lady of the Lake. You could catch the theatre show on the other side of the realm, in the Enchanted Forest Theatre. He was happy to help any guest who required assistance, even if only for a photo of themselves by the stone. More often than not, however, he had to stop them from jumping the rope so they could attempt to pull the sword themselves. It wasn’t even a real sword, only half of one stuck to the top. It was a hassle every time, but they were only kids caught up in the magic. Usually anyway… It wasn’t as bad as those nutjobs who kept trying to prove Merlin’s crown rested on the gravestone of Sid Murray… Hang on, he was one of those nutjobs! He had to find it before -
“Hey! Stop right there!”
Alter turned around and froze up. Two security guards were headed straight for him! Fudge! He weighed up his options. He could hide somewhere, but he wasn’t exactly the smallest guy around, and there were no indoor attractions he could lose them in. He could run for it. The Realm of Camelot had another exit, but it was in the opposite direction to the crown. He could stand his ground and fight, but despite his massive stature and incredibly masculine appearance, he’d never been in a fight in his life. Not even when he had to handle drunk and upset guests. He preferred to intimidate with his size and use his words to defuse tense situations. Which settled it, he’ll have to talk his way out of this. He straightened his back and puffed out his chest, his furry pecs raring to burst through his new shirt. He approached the two guards with newfound confidence.
As he got closer, he noticed it was the same two guards he’d previously seen. One was young, probably mid twenties. He was slim with freckles and ginger hair. The other was older, maybe early thirties. He had a sizable belly and a trim, rounded goatee. They both gawked as he drew close, realizing how dang big he was.
“I’m not a lost kid,” Alter lied, hoping he could pass for older so that they didn’t call his family. He frowned when both the other guards started laughing.
“No shit, Walter!” one said to him.
Alter blinked. He wouldn’t correct them since they seemed to think they knew who he was. “Yeah, that’s right. I’m Walter,” he growled in his bottomless bass. “And you shouldn’t curse. This is a family park.”
“We’re closed, man! Don’t be such a hardass all the-”
“I said don’t curse!” Walter corrected sternly. “It’s against policy. Now, why are you two boys bothering me?”
“We’re looking for that lost kid. Did you hear it on the radio?”
Walter nodded, running his hand up and down his torso. As his fingers raced downward, the printed-on buttons of his t-shirt shimmered and became three-dimensional, growing into real ones that held tight over his muscles. “Yeah, and that means you heard me answer on the radio. That kid ain’t around no more. It’s just me.” Walter straightened up, and the new buttons over his chest popped open, culminating in an explosion of fabric around his neck that folded down into a stiff shirt collar. Walter reached up and pulled the points further open, exposing more of his hairy chest. He often used the hard mass of his pecs to drive his points home - they did a lot of talking for him.
“We did hear that,” the young guard nodded, “but when we saw you far away, thought maybe…”
“You thought I looked like a kid?” Walter chortled, flexing his arms as the illustrations of patches on his sleeves became real ones. The shirt seemed to be getting tighter, the bottom pulling in around his waist until the buttons bulged over his abs. “Haven’t been told that in a while!”
“Yeah, that’s our bad.“ he said, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly. His cheeks were redder than his hair. "Of course you’re obviously a security guard.”
“Wait, I’m not a-” Walter started to say before recognizing his opportunity. "I mean, of course I’m a security guard! What else would I be?”
“A scatterbrained old man, apparently.” The two men laughed, and Walter forced a chuckle. He managed to resist the urge to lecture them on how he wasn’t old, only experienced.
“We’re only kidding. You’d have to be fu-” The young man paused as Walter’s eyes narrowed, daring to defy him again. “Forking bonkers to think you were a kid. Maybe a bunch of kids pretending to be a single man, however…” He stroked his chin with fake suspicion.
“Now, now. We still need to talk about this missing kid.”
Walter rolled his eyes impatiently and growled, “I’m telling ya, I found that kid! It was a little girl lost after the fireworks ended. I found her in the restrooms by the smoking area. I gave her one of them crocodile toys the kids are mad for to calm her down. Her parents were relieved, said they were moving to Canada next month and… And…” Walter trailed off, wasn’t that…?
“Oh, right. Canada…” the older man said, unconvinced. “You sure it’s the same kid? We had reports of someone spotted in Storybook Avenue an hour ago. Junior here and I checked, but found nothing ourselves. They must’ve moved on already.”
Walter shrugged. “It’s probably those Friendship dolls on the loose.”
The younger man whacked the other on the arm. “See! I told you!”
“Nah, ol’ Walt’s only yanking our chain!”. He turned to Walter and said “You are joking, right?”
Walter held his stoic, no-nonsense stare long enough for the two men to feel uncomfortable. “All I know is, I’ve patrolled over half of the park and the only other folks I’ve seen all night are you two bozos.”
The older man scratched at his goatee and rebutted “That doesn’t prove there isn’t a lost child, it only proves you haven’t seen them.”
Walter put his hands on his hips as his shirt tucked itself into his pants. Strips of fabric jumped out of his athletic pants and looped around his belt. “You two better search harder then if you don’t believe me. Let the others know too, we can’t be the only ones on patrol tonight.” The men stared at Walter, until he barked, “Well? Go on!”
“Uh, yes sir! Right away, sir!” They turned around and hurried away, the older one speaking into his radio, leaving Walter standing alone in the Camelot courtyard.
He leaned up against a turret and laughed in relief. “Wow, I can’t believe they bought it!” he rumbled in his booming voice. “This shirt must be more realistic than I… I…” Walter trailed off. He was suddenly cognizant of his t-shirt’s fabric shifting, stiffening from soft cotton into a sturdier polyester blend that rubbed against his hairy muscles. He looked down and saw the t-shirt’s fake chest pockets push outward into real ones that folded underneath the overhang of his rack, the open buttons of his shirt allowing a bouquet of salt and pepper chest hair to stare back at him from the astonishing mass of his pecs. As he gaped, the dull brown cartoon shield of the former t-shirt erupted into a shiny golden pin that clung to his left pec, completing his new - real - uniform shirt. He ran a shaky finger over the pin, feeling its cool metal finish that was only fabric ink mere seconds ago. “I…I gotta…” he started before clamming up at the sound of his foghorn-like voice echoing around him.
Walter spun and took off, not running but almost, each step adding more fabric to his athletic pants as the bright orange spandex shifted to a respectable ash gray pair of ironed trousers that somehow clung even tighter to his butt. He kept patting his pecs in horror, confused by their sudden appearance, and most of all their size…where had all these muscles come from?! His arms were bigger than…than…he didn’t even know. Bigger than everything!
He looked left and right, unsure where he was going or what he was doing anymore. He spotted an open door and darted towards it. The water shoes on his feet hardened with every step he took. The water resistant fabric drained of its vibrant color, its rough texture smoothened out as the tips lengthened to a blunt point. The soft rubber silicone soles hardened into tough rubber that clacked against the rough stone floor. Walter cringed at the racket his leather wingtip shoes made as he reached the door. He had to duck down and side-step through the opening, too big to properly fit through, and found himself in another shop. He leaned against an empty wall and clutched his face, hyperventilating. It didn’t feel like it should. It was rugged, bristly, blocky, misshapen. What happened to his soft, rounded, hair-free face?
Looking up, Walter noticed he was inside the Avalon Regal Salon. A place where little girls, or boys he added on instinct, could get a royal makeover complete with hairdo, make-up and a specially designed dress. It was a pricey upcharge, but Walter had to admit it was heartwarming to see all those kids enjoying the realms in their fancy dress outfits. They always beamed when he called them princess. It almost made him want a kid of his own…
In amongst a display of elegant dresses, he spotted a mirror set into the wall. He cautiously approached it, fearing his reflection. Since it was set at child height, Walter had to crouch down to see himself. But even getting down on his knees proved to be futile as his broad shoulders and bountiful pecs took up most of his reflection. He was too darn tall for this place… He crouched down further until he could see his face. He examined his tanned, weather-beaten visage with a frown that only accentuated his many wrinkles. He slipped his hat off his head to gaze upon his bald scalp, the effects of male pattern baldness run rampant. The hair around the sides, all that remained, was trimmed as short as his beard, and was almost as gray. He placed a calloused mitt on his neck, feeling how loose and leathery the skin was. It dangled over his throat like a turkey waddle. The way his prematurely aged head contrasted with the virile, Herculean body of a man in his prime made him feel woozy.
This had to be a joke, right? Those guards would burst in any minute and declare the whole thing a prank. Because he could prove he wasn’t a security guard in his fifties. He took a picture of himself a few hours earlier! He fiddled with the pouches around his belt, until he slipped out his iPhone. He furrowed his brow. He’d only upgraded recently but this was several generations out of date and roughly handled, with a cracked screen and various scuffs and scratches on the casing. Nevertheless, he tapped in his passcode and it let him in. Well why get rid of it if it still worked? He only used it for contacting people anyway, and the occasional photo when he could figure out the camera controls. Still no signal, he noted in frustration. He always had excellent signal in the Wonder Realms up to now, something was definitely up. The lack of signal, the absence of realm artisans, his ever-changing body, it all had to be connected…
Walter opened up his camera roll and tapped the photo he took earlier in the night. It showed him stood surrounded by fluorescent lights that highlighted his impressive physique, his buff, furry arms crossed underneath his furrier pecs, his gray-bearded face molded into that signature stern expression. The shot was off-center, as if set up for someone shorter, but it only made him look bigger in comparison. It was definitely him, but the new him. The old him. The wrong him… He scrolled through his album in a panic, encountering picture after picture of the rugged, middle aged bodybuilder he’d become. Pictures that went back weeks, months, years…
Walter fell back onto his ass, his phone clattering to the floor as he covered his face with his large hands. Nothing was ever supposed to go wrong at the Wonder Realms! He couldn’t be an old man, he just couldn’t! He tried to control his breathing and thought about the past few hours. Maybe he could place when things started changing for him. The day had felt mostly normal…got to the park with his family, clocked in, put his protein shake in the breakroom fridge, then started his rounds. Not a day went by without Realmheads stopping him for a picture like he was one of the costumed characters. In fact, it always happened multiple times. He didn’t like his smile in photos, so he’d flex his bicep and put a stern, tough look on his face. Sometimes people got a little handsy - one woman had recently put her hand inside his half-open shirt and fondled his chest - but he liked being…
Walter slapped his thigh. None of that had ever happened! “What’s happening,” he groaned. If nothing ever went wrong at Wonder Realms, maybe this was a test of some kind…or even a reward? But he knew things went wrong at the resort sometimes, he’d seen some crazy stuff over the years. Like that period in the ‘00s when women would occasionally flash their breasts for on-ride photos. Or how often horny couples decide to get a little frisky on the dark rides. It wasn’t all fun and games though, the Wonder Realms had seen some terrible times too. Like the fire that destroyed the old Alpine Sleds attraction, or the awful derailment on Fire Mountain that -
Walter cringed and slapped his forehead. These weren’t memories, they were stories he’d read about online! They had to be. He couldn’t bear to have his happy place tainted in such a way. He tried to recall happier moments from his time in the realms. On his visits - not because he worked here. Like that first day stroll down Market Street, Merlin’s Tower shimmering in the early sunlight. He could imagine himself strutting around with his family, catching glimpses of his reflection in metallic surfaces, admiring his giant arms and massive chest stretching his security uniform to the limit. He always wore his security uniform to every visit. It was tradition. Not the same one, of course…he got bigger every year, so he had to get a new shirt and pants each time. It was fun to see himself outgrow his dad in the pictures.
“None of that’s right,” he groaned, which reminded him again of his voice. He covered his mouth, which reminded him of his beard. He skittered on his hands and knees across the store and finally used a shelf to pull himself to his feet. He was astonishingly heavy. He’d always popped up from the ground easily, and now it was a labored process. Why would anyone want to be this big? His muscles knocked together in weird ways as he walked - thigh against thigh, bicep against chest. He needed to shrink back down, and it was clear it wouldn’t be happening in this kiddy salon.
As he barged back toward the exit, Walter caught sight of his globular pecs in a mirror again. Something caught his eye. He patted his right pec, feeling the oval name tag he’d received as a gift. He pulled it off and ran a finger over the name. Walter Towers. “Heh, I sure do!” he uttered reactively. Even as a child, he always towered over his peers. But that wasn’t his name! It was… Was… He racked his brain, searching for anything else. But all he could grasp was Walter Towers. He rubbed his scalp to try and help him remember. All it did was remind him how he missed having hair. He sighed loudly, pinned the name tag back on his chest, and stomped out of the store.
He walked past one of his regular posts and unwelcome memories of being stopped for pictures came back in. That was how he knew when someone was on those message boards, because they’d ask HIM for a picture, or call him Big Walt. No one else called him Big Walt. It was a 100% made up internet thing. He only discovered it himself when one of the young trainees showed the whole team the largest Wonder Realms forum online, where there was a thread titled “WALTER TOWERS (BIG WALT!) APPRECIATION THREAD!” There were hundreds of pages of fans sharing their experiences with the longest serving realm artisan in the park’s history.
Photos with Walter were a forum tradition. Not only was he the most recognizable guard in the entire resort, but he had so many stories that he could toss off. He’d met every person of note and seen the development of every ride, so once people got to know him, they’d get rewarded with an anecdote or two before he’d say they were distracting him and shoo them off so he could keep working.
Amongst Realmheads, as they so boorishly referred to themselves, he was almost as popular as the actual park mascots. Marketing once approached him to ask if he’d allow his likeness to be used in some expo merchandising. He refused, of course. He always found the ultra-fan community unnerving anyway. All those folks who stalked him in the parks and obsessed over his life. They even managed to find him outside of the realms, stopping him for selfies and autographs in the mall or on the beach. He appreciated the attention now and then, but not when it got in the way of his work or his private life.
Walter growled in irritation, he was doing it again! Those thoughts weren’t really him. The him he was now didn’t even exist until that evening. “I’m not Big Walt,” he grunted to himself, picking up his pace as best as his big thighs allowed. “Stupid place is doin’ stuff to me. I’m just a kid. Remember that, you’re just a kid.” Then he clammed up, in case one of the younger guards saw him and started the rumor that big bad Walter was cracking up and talking to himself on the job.
The heavy clomps of his feet came to a stop when he spotted the old wishing well hidden inside Robin Hood’s forest. He had a picture of him in front of it as a little kid, clutching his dad’s hand and showing a gap-toothed smile. It had seemed so big then. Now Walter towered over it. He crouched down, grateful for the stretch fabric they wove into the uniform pants so his big butt didn’t burst through them, and he fished out a quarter from his pocket.
“Change me back into a teenager,” he whispered, then he kissed the coin and tossed it in. The sound of it hitting the bottom was almost immediate, and he remembered the well was fake, with a plexiglass bottom painted to look like water. He used the edge of the well to push himself up, then rested his hands on the small thatched roof and closed his eyes. “Change me back,” he whispered, as his back got a bit thicker, his pecs a bit rounder. “Change me back.”
Even though his shirt was tighter than ever, Walter didn’t feel entirely hopeless when he opened his eyes, seeing that he still had giant, rough hands and still loomed over the wishing well. He’d gotten bigger over time, so he wouldn’t revert all at once either. He’d know it was working when his shirt loosened up, or his hair started growing back. Plus, he’d shrink. It sounded unappealing the more he thought about it, but he knew it was what needed to happen. He didn’t know how to be a grown-up yet. Where was he supposed to live?! It’s not like he had a quaint townhouse on the outskirts of Kissimmee where he happily lived with a husband and son, right? That would be crazy.
He wanted to go back to his actual home. The big family house in Georgia that he was happy with. But even that was changing since his dad got that new job in Otta…Orta…Orlando… They moved to the Sunshine State when Walter was still a toddler. Of course at that time, Orlando wasn’t the tourist hotspot that it grew to become. In fact, his dad was hired to help construct the Wonder Realms. That’s how Walter managed to attain the elusive opening day ticket, everyone in his family received one. That single day was all it took to get Walter hooked for life. All his pals would spend their weekends and summer holidays in the theme park. The moment Walter turned 16, he applied to work part time in the realms. His first job working for the gator. Ticket handler, shop assistant, ride operator, Walter did it all before he found his true calling as a security guard.
Walter strolled out of the small forest, his head buzzing. The more he recalled, the more he felt like he should give into his new life. Maybe it really was him and all these night shifts were taking their toll… Or maybe if he retraced his steps back through the realms, he’d turn back into the kid he thought he wanted to be. Was that what he really wanted though? To be a run-of-the-mill average teenager? Wouldn’t he rather stay the tall, hirsute bodybuilding man he’d become? He was practically a part of Wonder Realms history now, he even met Sidney Murray himself on more than one occasion back in the good old days. If only he could go back in time instead…
Lost in his thoughts, Walter almost walked past a beacon of light within the shadowy surroundings. He stopped in mid-step, and gasped. There it was. Merlin’s Crown. The overhanging spotlight still shined down upon the diamond studded headwear, giving it an otherworldly glow. It sat on a stunning black granite pedestal shaped, unsurprisingly, like a tombstone.
As Walter approached the crown, there was a voice in his mind screaming at him to back away. But it was what he’d spent all night searching for, the end of his journey. He gripped the iron railing that protected it from guests. He had to jump over, but he was reluctant. It wasn’t accessible to anyone but Merlin himself. He’d be breaking park rules. And for what, a silly rumor? He looked down at his hands, barely visible over the bulbous peak of his chest. They were rough, veiny mitts heavily dusted with a mix of black and silver hairs. The cool metal he gripped felt dull underneath his hardened, calloused palms. They were the hands of a man who had spent decades working with them, training with them. They were his hands, but they shouldn’t be. Whatever had caused this to happen, something told him he’d find an answer here, at the crown.
Walter stood up straight. He’d made his decision. He followed the railing to a chain link fence, where Merlin would enter the small square to put on his magic show. He lifted a long leg over the chain and effortlessly stepped over it. Walter’s heart was beating fast in his chest. This was it, the moment he’d been waiting for. The journey was long, it had changed him completely, all to find out the truth. He stepped around the base of the crown, crouched down and gazed at the pedestal.
There was nothing there. No eulogy, no name, no date, no marks of any kind. Only smooth granite, as blank as the front. Walter wobbled on the spot, gripping the stone to stop himself from falling. He felt light-headed, a tight pain in his chest. There had to be some sort of mistake, it couldn’t be a lie… He didn’t come all this way and suffer this terrifying transformation for nothing! Maybe there was a panel, or a hidden switch, anything. He’d give anything for it to be true! Otherwise, what was the point of it all? Why did he have to grow up… A cool breeze blew past Walter, making him shiver. An even cooler breeze brushed through him like a wave of acceptance. He exhaled slowly. Of course it wasn’t a tombstone, the crown had been in its place since the day the park opened. And it hadn’t changed a bit since then. Before Walter stood up, he spotted a few stray candy wrappers stuck to the base. He grunted with frustration and picked them up. He despised litter, there were more than enough trash cans throughout the park. He continued to grumble under his breath as he looked around the square. Stray leaves, crumbled park maps, even a few cigarette butts. It looked like nobody had cleaned up all night.
“You know you shouldn’t be back there.” Walter spun around on the spot, only to confront a familiar face. A golden haired god that he’d met only hours earlier. “What happened to Mr. Goody Two-Shoes?” he purred in that irresistible Irish accent of his.
“Magnus?” Walter cried, looking to the gorgeous man standing at the edge of the flower bed. He was still dressed in his uniform. Walter walked up to him, noting how much shorter and leaner he was than himself. Wasn’t he taller? And more muscular? Why did he think that?
Walter held up the discarded wrappers and shook them in Magnus’ face. “Those lousy cleaners have been skipping over the crown again. It’s like they think nobody can see the back of it, so they avoid it. I’m going to have a strong word with Hank when I next see him.”
Magnus shrugged his shoulders. “I’m sure they don’t mean to, it’s a big park to clean after all.”
“That’s another thing, I’ve not seen a single person on my patrol tonight. No cleaners, no maintenance workers, no gardeners, nobody! Just Stan and Ollie. And you… What are you doing here anyway? Your shift doesn’t start for a few hours.”
“Well, I was so lonely without my husbear beside me, I just had to come and surprise him.”
Walter cringed at the word. He wasn’t a fan of cutesy pet names, but by gum did his husband love teasing him with them. Walter recalled the moment they first met. He was hosting a safety seminar for the new recruits and there he was, bright eyed and bushy tailed despite the early start. They met a few more times at the Wonder Realms LGBT employee group and hit it off. He had just turned 40 while Magnus was participating in the international college program. Sure, a lot was said about their twenty year age difference, but they made it work even when Magnus returned to Ireland to finish studying. They kept in touch, and it was a glorious reunion when he moved back to the states for good. 17 years after that seminar, they were married and still working at the Wonder Realms together. 17 years… Walter still had most of his hair back then, and a moustache suited for retro porn. While he missed his hair, he certainly didn’t miss that 'stache. He didn’t know what Magnus saw in him back then. Heck, he still didn’t know. While Magnus looked as radiant as the day they first met, Walter had only gotten craggier and crankier. How the time flies…
Walter patted his husband on the shoulder. “Yeah, well, you could’ve waited. My shift is almost up.” He yawned and stretched out his lumbering body. “Ugh, I can’t wait to get back and sleep until the cows come home!”
As Walter climbed back over the chain-link rope, Magnus asked, “So is it true? Is that really the tombstone of Sid Murray?”
Walter gave him an incredulous look. “Course not! That crown and pedestal have been here since the day the park opened, long before the man passed away. And I should know.”
“Because were you there the very day the Wonder Realms opened? When you were 7 years old? After your dad got the whole family tickets through his construction company?” he asked, a sly smirk on his face.
“Exactly! I was… Hey, don’t sass me! You usually love my stories of the park’s history…”
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist. I mean you’ve been working here…” Magnus waved his hand to signal Walter to finish his sentence.
“41 years last month. Yup, I started working here in high school. They had me on ticket duty every weekend back then. Hard to imagine me doing that nowadays. Even then, parents would say I was too intimidating.”
“Because you’ve always towered over the rest of us?”
“Well I’m not called Walter Towers for nothing! Apparently I scared their darling kids away from entering. Now everyone can’t get enough of me.” Walter puffed his chest out, high on his ego. He prided himself on being the longest serving realm artisan in the park’s history. “Just think, I’ve been working here since before you were even a twinkle in your father’s eyes.” Father… Something about that struck a chord in him… His eyes widened and he blurted out “Elias!”
“Huh?”
“Elias? Our son?? You didn’t leave him home alone, did you?”
“Aw, he’s a growing lad. He’s almost 15. I think he’s old enough to spend a few hours home alone.” Magnus giggled as Walter’s eyes narrowed with suspicion and crinkled his crow’s feet more than usual. “I’m kidding! He’s spending the night at his friend’s house. The one with the manatee obsession.”
Walter sighed in relief. He didn’t want people to think they were irresponsible. It was hard enough on a kid having two dads, one of whom was getting on in years, let alone having two parents with such erratic work hours. It was rare for them to spend more than a weekend together as a family, and that was usually spent by doing father-son training sessions. Elias was a chip off the old block, that was for sure. With a little time and effort, he could even surpass his old man back when he was a little nipper. He’d thought about cutting his hours down to help him reach his potential but that was nigh impossible at the moment with the anniversary events occurring.
Magnus stepped closer and swung his arms around Walter’s waist. “Yup, I was all alone, I missed cuddling up with my big, strong hubby,” he said before pinching his ass. Walter squirmed uncomfortably, not particularly a fan of PDA. Magnus smiled and gazed into his husband’s eyes. “What’s wrong? You know there’s no frowning in the Wonder Realms.”
Walter rolled his eyes. He had a naturally stern face, he couldn’t help it. “It’s been a rough night, that’s all.”
Magnus pouted. “Aw, poor daddy.” Walter frowned even more. He used to love it when he called him that, not so much after they adopted their son. Magnus bounced up onto his tiptoes and gave Walter a kiss on the cheek. He placed his arms onto his shoulders, staying on his toes. “I think I know what’ll make you feel better.” He planted the next kiss straight on the lips.
Walter broke free of the kiss with a soft smile. Still, he chastised Magnus. “Don’t start that up. You know I like to keep things strictly professional at work. What if someone sees us?”
Magnus smirked, a mischievous look in his eye. “You said it yourself, there’s nobody else here tonight. Even those pesky guards have vanished for now. Come on, daddy…”
Walter grunted before relenting to his husband. Magnus launched into a long kiss, their tongues intertwining. It felt like years since the last time they were so passionate with each other. He felt his husband’s hands slip from his shoulders, and begin unbuttoning his shirt. He resisted slightly, he didn’t want to lose any buttons. But Magnus was an expert, freeing his hair-covered body without losing a single one. He rubbed his slender hands over his powerful physique, groping his meaty pecs and sliding them down his broad torso, down to his trousers. Walter resisted some more, muttering in-between breaths. “Ngh… Can’t do that here…”
Still in the throes of making out, Walter began shuffling backwards, his hat falling off his bald head, as Magnus desperately tried to loosen his belt until they hit a dead end. Walter leaned up against the wall as Magnus freed his belt and tugged down his pants. He fished out his massive cock, nestled in within salt and pepper pubes. It stood out proud and erect, and throbbing for attention. They stopped kissing and Magnus fell to his knees, gripping the monster with his tender hands. “You ready, old man?” he cooed.
Walter leaned back against the wall, apprehensive. This went against everything in the guidelines! Even masturbating in the backstage toilets was considered a major infraction. If they were caught, they could kiss their jobs goodbye. Thank god they’d backed into a security camera blind spot… As Magnus slowly slid his hand down his dick, Walter quivered with pleasure. He had to stay strong! He had to tell his husband, no! As Magnus wiped a bead of pre-cum off his tender cock, Walter stammered, “I don’t… I don’t think we should…”
Magnus kissed the tip of his cock, making Walter shudder. “Nobody will disturb us. I promise. It’s only you and me here. Just like it has been all night.”
“Wh… What do you mean all night?”
“I’ve been observing you from the shadows, watching you grow into this big ol’ hunk of aged beef. I knew you would get older, but I didn’t expect you to get so big. You exceeded expectations, became better than I could ever have imagined… But you won’t fully accept the new life you’ve been bestowed until you’ve given yourself to me, body and soul…”
Walter listened to his husband’s ramblings, it made no sense. New life? This was his life, wasn’t it? He began to doubt himself. The park had been virtually empty all night, which was more than unusual. It was usually buzzing with activity to get the park ready for the morning. Where was everyone? Was it really Magnus’ doing? Had he orchestrated the entire thing? He had a flash of a faded memory… Of being a teenager who had lost his hat… But that couldn’t be him, he was a well lived man in his fifties. Unless…The crown… It did something to him, to his mind. He had to fight it! “I don’t… I won’t…” Every time he spoke, Magnus would brush his cock and silence him with a burst of pleasure. Each stroke added a bit of length to his already impressive size until Walter could see the head of his girthy dick over the curve of his pecs, the tip glistening with pre-cum.
“Tsk tsk, there’s no negativity in the Wonder Realms,” Magnus said almost mockingly. Walter couldn’t allow this to happen! He had to say no. The word was right there on the tip of his tongue, it just wouldn’t escape his lips. Magnus tapped his cock impatiently. “I can’t do this unless you let me…” He stroked his length again, making Walter shudder. God, he was so horny! He almost felt like a teenager again. He wanted this, he wanted to release these urges, he wanted his husband’s lips against his dick so bad… Against his better judgement, Walter nodded his head and grunted in affirmation. Magnus took no time diving down onto Walter’s cock. He sucked on his flushed cock head, his tongue delicately dancing atop. Walter gasped, and pounded a fist against the wall. He’d never felt anything like this before. It was so dirty - so good - so nasty…but he did have a nasty daddy side he liked to let out–
“MMmmmuhh…” he groaned, a cavalcade of emotions hitting him all at once: arousal, confusion, euphoria, fear. He pushed his hips forward and felt Magnus gag, and then he heard himself growl: “yeah, boy, suck daddy’s big cock…no, I mean…what’s happening to me…” He didn’t want to see Magnus, didn’t want to be confronted by the consequence of his actions, so he arched his back and moaned as his pecs grew further out in front of him, fully blocking the view of his husband. Walter fondled his nipples, groans of joy catching in his throat. If being an adult felt like this, then maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. He was born to be a giant silver bodybuilder anyway, and a security guard too. He loved working out, and he loved order. Right? It even annoyed him that he was breaking the rules right now - he needed to stop - he reached down to push Magnus away, but stopped when he touched his husband’s head, his fingers slipping through his thick, golden hair. It was dangerously close to violating the guidelines on hair length. He’d have to bring up the prospect of a haircut later on. For now, he tugged on the locks, roughly thrusting his crotch into the man’s face.
Maybe this would fix everything, get everything back to normal. Except Walter wasn’t sure what normal was anymore. He knew he had a different name and different interests, but nothing was coming to him. Every time he thought back, he changed further. His pecs a little plumper, his ass slightly rounder, his demeanor more dominant. “You like that, boy?” he grunted, thrusting into Magnus’ face. Magnus replied with an affirmative murmur, shuffling closer to Walter and wrapping his arms around his waist, getting a good feel of his ass cheeks. Walter’s breath was heavy, his chest heaving, as Magnus expertly deep throated his thick member. “You’re f…fuh…you’re good at this-” Even in the midst of forbidden pleasure, he stopped himself from cursing. He loved the sound of Magnus’ mouth smacking up and down on his dick, the feeling of his heavy balls slapping against the Irishman’s chin. He loved being the one in charge, plunging his cock roughly into the man’s gullet knowing he could handle his whole length. He knew he was close to completing when his toes curled and his knees buckled. “Daddy’s gonna cum…” he groaned happily, mouth lolling open. “Daddy’s…gonna…HNK-”
He held Magnus’ head firm while he shot into it, forcing the man to drink down his seed so there was no evidence left behind. Magnus licked Walter’s dick clean like a lollipop, eager to take every last drop of him. When he stood, Walter was leaning against the wall, eyes shut, groaning and flexing for himself, squeezing his giant muscles with his hands.
“That’s right,” Magnus smiled, fondling Walter’s chest. “Change is finishing up. Let it happen.”
“Almost done,” Walter said proudly.
“You’re a Wonder Legend now.”
“Wonder…Legend…” A big smile broke out on Walter’s face. It looked odd on him - his features weren’t made for such an expression. “Becoming a Wonder Legend…”
He dreamed of the day he’d ever be considered a Wonder Legend, a noteworthy person down in the throes of Realm History. Sidney Murray, Dave Markus, Sheri Clair, Gracie Yane, Walter Towers. Globally adored for his commitment to the Wonder Realms and his achievements in bodybuilding. A legend all around…
His once softening cock stirred as it reached full mast once more, high on praise and arousal. He flexed even harder as he felt up his huge body, tweaking his nipples and clutching his biceps. Magnus stood close to his side and delicately cupped the rugged man’s scruffy chin. He leaned in close to whisper. “That’s it. You’ve grown up with the realms just like you wished. Give in to the truth.” Walter groaned as Magnus trickled his hands over his hard-earned muscles, tracing the contours of his eight-pack abs, down to his throbbing cock. He couldn’t take much more. It was time. Without warning, Walter humped mid-air as he ejaculated once more, his guttural roars echoing off the castle walls, his cum shooting across the courtyard in bold, white streaks. It coated his leather shoes and dripped down his pristine trousers. His face contorted in pleasure. He was Walter Towers, damn it! Security guard, bodybuilder, Wonder Legend. He exhaled a long breath of air and fell against the wall, lightheaded.
Magnus stuffed the large man’s dripping cock back into his underwear and zipped up his pants. He turned back and marveled at the gallons of spilled seed splattered across the floor. He stared at the puddles with a grin. “My, look at the mess you made. Can’t leave that here…”
Walter slid down the wall from exhaustion, his thick legs sprawled out across the floor. “What’s that you say?” he asked through his heavy breaths.
“Oh, nothing…” Magnus replied, as the mess in the courtyard dissolved away, leaving the ground spotless of semen and trash. He joined his husband on the floor, snuggling into his protective arms. He gazed up into his craggy visage and said, “So did that put a smile on your face?”
Walter playfully pushed Magnus’ face away. “Shut up!” he grunted, the shadow of a smile apparent. They laid for a moment, Walter stroking his husband’s golden locks while Magnus brushed his hands through his husbear’s bountiful chest hair, both of them comfortable in silence.
The soft golden rays of the rising sun warmed up the Realm of Camelot. Walter gazed up at the Wizard’s Tower, the red hue of the sky awakened the spires with shimmering light. He sighed and smiled, nuzzling his bearded chin into his husband’s neck, making him squirm. “We’d better get up before anyone spots us,” he said in his grizzled voice. He attempted to use a nearby water fountain to pull himself off the ground, grunting as he almost ripped it off the wall.
Magnus laughed and helped his husband to his feet. "Here you go, old man.”
“I’m not old, I’m experienced,” Walter grumbled, a hint of a smile cracked his lips.
“I know, I’m only teasing,” Magnus replied before kissing him on the cheek. “Now you go home and rest. You’ve had an eventful night.”
Walter chuckled sarcastically. Aside from their spontaneous love-making, it wasn’t different from any other night. Even that Signal 70 turned out to be a bust. Still, an uneventful night with a passionate ending was better than any eventful night could ever be. He redid the buttons on his shirt, leaving his customary top three undone to let his chest breathe, then tucked it back into his trousers and brushed himself off. “Guess I’ll see you tonight.” he grunted before sauntering off in the direction of Market Street.
“Hang on, papa bear,” Magnus called out, making Walter turn back with a sigh. “You forgot this,” he said, holding out his favorite security hat. He received it all those years ago when he first joined the security team. A lot had changed since then, but he’d held onto it. It was a little scuffed, and the logo was different from its current version, but it was still work-acceptable. Heck, the bigwigs practically encouraged him to wear it, especially now as the realms celebrated its varied history.
“Thanks hun,” he growled as he took it off Magnus and gave him a quick kiss in return, making him weak at the knees. Walter carefully placed it upon his head, adjusting it to perfectly cover his bald pate. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if I lost that.”
“Wear one of your other hats, I imagine.”
“Yeah… but this is practically a collector’s item,” he said softly before hardening his stance. “You know some no-good punk would put it up for sale online if I ever misplaced it!” While he had a tough demeanor, deep down Walter was a sentimental softie. He had a varied collection of Wonder Realms memorabilia he’d gained throughout the years. He even kept his first day ticket, framed with a park map in his living room alongside his Wonder Legend achievement plaque. With the 50th anniversary and the Festival of Smiles, he had considered parting with a few of his treasures. The uber-fans lapped that kind of stuff up. Even his prized hat was on the table, but he was reluctant. He couldn’t give it to just anyone. They had to earn it, prove that they would treasure it as much as he treasured the place himself.
Magnus laid his head against Walter’s shoulder and said “You know the Realmheads wouldn’t let that happen. They love their Big Walt almost as much as I do.” He slipped his arms underneath Walter’s armpits from behind and gave him a sneaky hug, though he was unable to get his arms around the entirety of the broad man’s chest. “You should really look into joining social media.”
Walter grimaced at the thought. “Why on earth would I do something like that? I have better things to do with my life.”
“It doesn’t stop you from peeking at the Walter Sightings Instagram from time to time.” Magnus said with a smirk, making Walter blush.
There was a whole Instagram account dedicated to pictures of him from family photos in the Wonder Realms, to professional bodybuilding shots, to sneaky candid pics in the supermarket. There were hundreds of thousands of followers, all thirsting for his hairy, beefy body, as the kids would say. He quite liked the attention. It was flattering, in a voyeuristic kind of way. He’d even anonymously submitted a few pictures of his own, not that he’d dare admit it. A fan-run account was one thing, but an account of his own? He sighed. “All I do is work here and work out, I got nothin’ of interest to say!”
“You have plenty interesting to say, you gorgeous beefcake, you. There’s all of your favorite Realms anecdotes, you could share some bodybuilding tips, you could even show off those old pictures of yourself when you were in your prime.”
“Hey, I’m still in my prime!” he growled as he freed himself of his husband’s grip, flexing his body and almost shredding his shirt in the process. He had only gotten more muscular and more powerful as he got older.
Magnus chuckled, his laugh as lyrical as his accent. “You know what I mean. Back when you had a little less gray, and a little more up top. Oh, and that porn 'stache you used to have! Remember that?” Walter scowled at the thought, making Magnus laugh even harder. “Don’t pout, that was the man I fell in love with. Though he doesn’t quite compare to my silver fox. You’ve only gotten more handsome with age.” He rested his head on Walter’s chest and smiled when the old man kissed his forehead.
“Having a youthful Adonis for a husband helps. You’re as good-looking now as the first day I saw you.”
Magnus snorted at his husband’s endearing words. “Don’t get all mushy on me now, you have a reputation to uphold!”
"What’s a reputation if I can’t declare my love for you?”
“You big softie! Everyone loves a tough guy with a soft side. I’m sure Elias would be happy to help you get online. He’s pretty savvy with things like that.”
While Walter had avoided the rise of social media, he was the outlier in his family. Magnus had his own popular Instagram account where he shared classy family photos of them training together and their competition days. Elias split his time over multiple social media apps but was most popular on TikTok, no doubt due to him roping his dads into whatever “challenge” the kids were up to nowadays. Walter didn’t appreciate his son making him participate in such tomfoolery, but he just couldn’t say no to his rising champ. Maybe one day, kids would stop begging him to floss…
“I guess I’ll think about it… But right now, I need a good rest. I can’t believe my shift ended half an hour ago and I’m still here.” He said goodbye to his loving husband and sent him to the employee showers to freshen up, then walked back through Merlin’s Tower. He had left his stuff in the breakroom near the front of the park. But first, he took a moment to pause and look over Market Street. The rising sun bathed the street in a soft glow. It was warm but comfortable. The humidity hadn’t reached unbearable just yet. He watched as realm artisans darted around, sweeping the pathways, cleaning the shop windows, making sure everything was ready for park opening in a few hours. It made him proud to see the hard working individuals keeping this place alive.
Turning back, Walter stared up at the tower with a fond smile. It was as stunning as it was the very first day it opened. After 50 long years, they were both still there. The two Towers standing tall at the realms. It was poetic in a way. And who knew, maybe in another 50 years, they’d both still be standing strong and proud and overlooking the Wonder Realms as they always had. The mighty symbols of the most amazing place on the planet.
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The story - and the accompanying art - was phenomenal!!
ReplyDeleteThank you! It was a lot of fun to work on.
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