Changes

“You've finally awoke.”

When William awoke the next morning, he heard an old man's voice. When he opened his eyes, he saw the visage of a guy in his sixties.

With a goofy grin, the old guy later added, “I feared I hit you too hard and you died.”

Because of what he heard, William immediately stood up on top of the bed and became alert.

The old man burst out laughing at William. His tears began to pour as a result of the length of his laughter.

“I just laughed like that again, child,” he said once he'd had enough laughter.

“I'm no longer a child,” William stated solemnly.

The old man agreed with William, “Hmm, right.”

He said thoughtfully, “What you did last night, you're not really young anymore.”

William pondered it and remembered what had transpired the night before. He leapt from the bed and was about to hurry out the door when the old man said, “He's gone, so don't bother.”

William's face lit up with surprise, and he exclaimed, “What do you mean he's gone?”

“Oh, sorry,” the old guy