Forever Young: Blessing or Curse (Always Young Trilogy) by Morgan Mandel Page A

scooted his chair under the desk
to hide evidence of his arousal.
    “All
right then. Let’s get down to work. My sure-fire proposal to Walt Disney World
came through for Monday.”
    ***
    The
setting couldn’t be more idyllic. Flanked by Mickey Mouse and Snow White,
perpetual symbols of youth and innocence, Roman stood before the Cinderella
Castle and pitched his product. The subconscious minds of the audience would
fill in the blanks. If people bought Forever Young, they’d live in the eternal
bliss of youth, a state impossible to resist. In the commercial’s finale´, a
manufactured bubble burst to reveal the fairy tale-like figure of a smiling
Dorrie.
    With
the commercial through, he glanced with interest at the Magic Kingdom’s
attractions. He hadn’t ridden a roller coaster in years. Dismissing the crew,
he turned to Dorrie. “Are you game?”
     “I
was hoping I’d get a chance.” She eagerly followed him to the ticket line.
    His
blood pulsed in exhilaration as the cab ascended. His stomach dropped at the
sharp descent. The wind blew against his face, making him feel alive, and
thrilled to be sharing the experience. While the roller coaster zoomed up, down
and around, his assistant laughed and screamed in enjoyment.
    There
was something so beguiling about her regression to an earlier age he again
wondered if he should chance taking the pill himself. His looks were his life,
and if he lost them, he had no idea how to survive.
    He
had every confidence by the time he needed the pill, the issues raised by
Donato would be resolved and the pill would be safe for consumption.
    The
ride stopped, bringing him down to earth in more ways than one. The experience
had been great while it lasted, but danger loomed at the prospect of sitting
close to Dorrie for any length of time.
    She
stumbled as she got out of the cab, and he caught her about the waist. “Are you
all right?”
    “I
think so. I’m a little dizzy, probably from going around so fast. That was such
fun, even more exciting than I remembered. I hadn’t been on a roller coaster
since I was fifteen. ”
    “Would
you rather be that young?”
    She
felt soft and smelled like honeysuckle. He didn’t want to let her go, but did.
    “I
like being right where I am. It’s the perfect age for me.”
    He
flashed an approving smile. “I agree.”
    She
flushed and looked away. After a few steps, she turned back to him. “What about
you, Roman? Have you decided yet about taking the pill?”
    “Funny
you should ask. I’ve been giving it more thought, but there’s plenty of time to
decide. I’ve set some aside for myself, just in case.”
    “Isn’t
there an expiration date?”
    “No,
they’re designed to last forever, like your youth.”
    Her
brow puckered. “What happens if for some reason I change my mind and decide to
grow old?
    “That
would not be wise. Think of all you’d lose.”
    “I’m
not saying I would. I’m just wondering what would happen, that’s all.”
    “Coming
off the pill could be dangerous. If you were sixty in actual age and stopped,
then in three months, you’d return to sixty. But consider this grim
alternative. If your actual age would have been a hundred and ten, you’d be a
goner.”
    “There’s
no in between? I couldn’t maybe be middle aged again, if I wanted to?” 
    “No,
I’m afraid I’ve not invented such a pill. Maybe I can do so in the future, but
it wouldn’t do you any good. The consequences of switching from one pill to
another would be disastrous.
    So,
my dear, your choices are limited. You can either be the age you might have
been in actual time or the even more attractive one you’ve chosen. I can’t
guarantee anything other than that. Variations could occur, according to the
individual, but if I were you, I wouldn’t take chances.”
    “Then,
somewhere down the line, if I couldn’t get the pills, it would be all over. I’d
die like a regular person.” She shivered in the heat.
    He
put his arm around