Jimmy Kowalski had only bought a ticket because he was curious.

At thirty-four years old, he had never attended a beauty pageant before, let alone a children's pageant. Yet there he sat among hundreds of spectators at the Miss Georgia Peach Pageant, watching contestant after contestant parade across the brightly lit stage.

The girls seemed so confident.

So polished.

So completely at ease under the spotlights.

Jimmy leaned back in his chair and wondered what it would be like to compete.

Not to watch.

To compete.

The thought barely crossed his mind before the world lurched.

The auditorium vanished.

Jimmy blinked.

He was no longer seated.

Now he stood behind the curtain in the wings of the stage.

The sounds of applause echoed nearby.

Bright lights spilled through the opening in the curtain.

Contestants and coaches hurried around him.

"What-?"

Before he could make sense of anything, a voice boomed through the speakers.

"Contestant number thirty-seven... Jimmy Kowalski!"

Jimmy's eyes widened.

Then, to his horror, his body moved on its own.

A huge pageant smile appeared on his face.

His shoulders straightened.

His chin lifted proudly.

He stepped forward.

One foot crossed neatly in front of the other.

His arms swung with practiced grace.

Every movement felt automatic, as though he'd rehearsed it thousands of times.

Inside, Jimmy was panicking.

Outside, he looked perfectly composed.

He could feel fabric swishing around his legs.

A bow bounced somewhere behind him.

Yet he couldn't look down.

Some instinct-or training-kept his eyes forward.

The crowd came into view.

Rows of judges smiled from behind long tables.

Parents filled the auditorium.

Cameras flashed.

Jimmy reached the podium.

A smiling girl handed him a microphone.

Without hesitation, he accepted it.

Words flowed from his mouth effortlessly.

"Hello everyone! My name is Jimmy Kowalski, and I am seven years old. I am so excited to be here today! I love to sing, dance, and have fun with my friends. My favorite thing to do is explore new adventures and make people smile. I believe kindness is very important, and I try to be nice to everyone. Thank you for listening to me. I hope you all have a wonderful day!"

The audience applauded.

Jimmy beamed.

Then he handed back the microphone, turned gracefully, and exited the stage.

The moment he disappeared behind the curtain, control returned.