This choice: A pill that will change his metabolism, giving big gains in size from eating • Go Back...Chapter #5A Simple White Pill by: Kilbil   At first glance, one would be hard pressed to believe that the simple blank white pill in Ray's palm would be any bit more effective than the countless supplements and vitamins you could get for cheap at a Walmart. However, much like David facing Goliath, appearances could be and often were deceiving.
This little bad boy was specifically designed to supercharge the body's metabolism and hormone production upon being ingested with a glass of water. Over the course of several weeks, once he'd taken it, Ray's body would transform itself into a merciless engine of self-improvement, using up as much energy as it could to build up muscle and bone density as well as add on height. He would become ravenous, requiring a constant supply of produce and in order to fuel his development, and there would be several times where he would become especially feverish from the changes that he would undergo, but that was a necessary burden he had to bear. His body would need extract a lot more nutrients and essential molecules from even the most basic foods in order to allow him to defy his genetics, and he needed every last scrap of an advantage he could to bring himself up to par.
The effects didn't just end at physical enhancements, however. Every organ would experience substantial genetic and epigenetic changes that would serve to drastically improve his overall performance, including the brain. His thoughts would become clearer, his focus sharper and longer lasting, and his dexterity and coordination would reach borderline superhuman levels. Far more than being a way to bring himself up to the standards of the rest of the world, what Ray hoped to achieve with this pill was to become something more. Something grander, something special, someone who would never have to fear being overshadowed by anyone for any reason. Someone that his younger brother would actually respect and admire for a change, instead of always going out of his way to remind him of how lesser he was in the grand scheme of things.
Anyone who took this was almost guaranteed to become an effective demigod, an advanced specimen of a man that was stronger, faster, more intelligent, and most importantly, bigger than anyone else. That was the ideal outcome, anyway. The effects of the pill could vary depending on various factors, and Ray hadn't quite gotten around to testing for all the potential side-effects just yet. He needed more time to run through scenarios using his diagnostic equipment before the moment of honor arrived.
First, though, he'd been slaving away over this for long enough. Now that he'd gotten a chance to cool off for a bit, he may as well get started on preparing breakfast. Mikey could get really impatient when he hadn't gotten food in his system within the first 30 minutes of the day. Ray really needed to teach him a few basic things about preparing meals for himself one of these days; he'd been slaking off on showing him for far too long, and Mike was getting too old to not at least know how to make some bacon and eggs.
Ray, in his haste to get cooking and to get back to work on the pill as soon as possible, happened to accidentally leave the basement without locking behind him. To think that the one time he'd forgotten to lock the basement door, was also the one time that Mike happened to get curious about what exactly went on down in Ray's secret lab.
~~~
Mike couldn't believe he was actually doing this.
The moment that he saw that Ray had left the basement unattended, the athletic boy was quick head for the open door. Fortunately for him, Ray always made sure to oil the hinges so as to minimize any distractions from his environment, so it was trivial for him to slip in and close the door behind him while he made his way into the depths of the lab.
Mike wasn't simply sneaking in for laughs, however. The thing was, he always had a problem with commitment. He'd get into a sport and completely dominate it for a while, only to get bored and move on to something else. He didn't mind much at first, but it was starting to affect his social standing at school. Everyone was looking at him like he was some kind of unreliable flake who would leave a team out to dry the moment he didn't immediately get something out of it, but that wasn't him! He just likely being active a lot, doing all sorts of different things! He just had a problem with sticking around doing the same thing every day, following regimented rules for how he was supposed to have fun!
It felt like he was always doing something wrong, always giving off the wrong impression and driving everyone away. He was supposed to be the golden boy, the guy that everyone could look up to and rely on, yet he was never able to step up when it really counted. If only he had something to help with that, something that would get him to focus on one thing at stick with it.
That was when he had a brilliant idea. Ray was always up to some weird science-y stuff down in that basement. If there was anyone who could concoct something that would make Mike smarter, or at least more focused, it would be him!
The problem was, unlike everywhere else in the house, that basement was the one place that was always strictly off limits for Mike. He'd tried time and time again to get in, but it seemed like at every hour of the day, that stupid wooden door was slammed shut. He'd tried begging and pleading Ray for just a tiny peek inside, but he'd always been insistent on not letting him in. It was the one thing his bro wouldn't budge on, and he just knew that if he tried asking him for something to help with his focus, he'd totally refuse.
That was why it was so important that he happened to see that for the first time, the basement was left completely unattended. And now, he had the opportunity of a lifetime to see for himself what mysteries awaited in his brother's secret domain. With luck, he'd be able to find something that would help him before Ray came back.
At the bottom of the stone steps, Mike was met with exactly the kind of thing he'd expect a super-science nerd like Ray to have. There were beakers with strange multicolored liquids, boxy iron-clad machines that beeped and booped and shone flashy colored lights everywhere, and realms upon reams of weathered paper showing complicated-looking diagrams and numbers scattered on every wall and table corner. He would never be able to understand even a quarter of what was going on down here, and he was more than fine with that. He was the brawn, while Ray was the brains. All he wanted was just a little extra boost, and he was on his way out.
He had to hurry, though. Ray could come back at any time, and then he'd get really mad at him, and kick him out, and lock the doors behind him, and he'll never, ever get to know what's it's like to be normal like everyone else!
Fortunately, he wouldn't have to look long to find something, as there was one particular item of interest that immediately caught Mike's attention. Right in the middle of the room, lit up by a solitary desk lamp, there was a single white, nondescript pill left all on its lonesome. It was the only object present on what looked to be the main desk of the room
What the heck was a tiny thing like this doing sitting all by its lonesome in the middle of an empty desk? Whatever it was, it had to be important, right? Otherwise, it would be in a container or something like that along with a bunch of other pills in one of the dozens of stuffed cupboards that chocked this cramped, dark space.
...it couldn't be that big a deal, though. It was just one measly pill. His bro probably had plenty like it tucked away somewhere. It's not like it was anything that he would miss if it happened to be gone, right?
Right?
Mike stared down the pill like it was some kind of alien probe looking to dissect him at any moment. It was now or never if he wanted to have a shot at figuring out just what this thing was. It may have looked plain and unassuming, but there was no telling what this thing could do. On the other hand, whatever it was could only benefit him. Context clues alone made it clear that this was an important project of some kind, and there was no way Ray leave something dangerous just lying around, without any labels, just itching to be swallowed up, right? Maybe it would even give him exactly what he wanted. It was spring break, any way: that was plenty of time for Ray to look him over in case something went wrong.
Pondering over his options, Mike ultimately decided to...   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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