Second Skin #2

It had been two months since Ellis last changed.

He told himself he was trying to take a break. To live in his own skin for a while. But the truth was, every time he passed a thrift store, a little voice in the back of his mind whispered, Just try one more on…

Today, he gave in.

A sleek navy polo shirt caught his eye—simple, clean, and recently laundered. It hung perfectly among the racks, still holding its shape like its last owner had only just let it go. Ellis could feel it calling to him. Not loud, not urgent—just a quiet tug of curiosity.

He slipped into the dressing room and pulled the curtain shut. His hands moved almost without thinking, sliding the shirt over his shoulders.

Then came the shift.

His arms tingled first, tightening and toning, veins lifting to the surface as youthful definition replaced middle-aged softness. His shoulders pulled broader, posture straightening effortlessly. The lines on his face smoothed away as his jaw refined, cheekbones lifting.

Then his hair grew in fuller, lighter, shifting to a sandy blond. His pale complexion returned, but now it was fresher, flush with a natural, healthy hue. His body slimmed slightly, settling into the wiry, athletic frame of a young man in his twenties.

He blinked into the mirror.

Gone was the graying man in his forties. Now, a clean-cut, handsome young guy stared back—dressed down in grey sweatpants and sneakers.

Ellis ran a hand along his face, brushing the light stubble on his jaw.

“Damn, I look… normal,” he muttered, grinning.

But it wasn’t disappointment—it was freedom. In this body, he could slip in and out of crowds unnoticed. A blank slate with charm. The kind of guy who didn’t raise questions.

Another life added to his collection.

And this one? This one he might just take out for a spin.