🥞 Crush Course

"Jack, are you feeling well?" the doctor inquired, observing the boy's heartbeat. "Any discomfort? Tension? Muscles aching?"

"Nah, I'm fine," Jack replied, a hint of slight boredom in his voice.

"Then I'll need to increase the pressure slightly more," said the doctor, pressing a button on the squeezing machine. "I'll add an extra 10 pounds."

"No, make it 20," Jack requested.

"You sure about that?" The doctor asked skeptically, arching his eyebrows.

"Absolutely positive," Jack affirmed. "It's boring to progress this slowly. I really need to get inside that new mecha by Monday! I've been looking forward to this upgrade since, like, last year!" he explained excitedly.

"Oh, these tin cans keep getting more compact as they get more powerful," the doctor shook his head. "Only limbless boys like you can still fit into all these new models..."

"Isn't that cool?" Jack grinned. "I'm lucky to have a chance to try them. Can't wait until I can spend whole days folded up inside one of those things!"

The doctor sighed and pressed the button, increasing the pressure on Jack's torso, flattening it like a pancake. The boy didn't flinch, enjoying the added compression.

"You certainly make any circus acrobat look like amateurs with that incredible fold," the doctor remarked, getting back to monitoring Jack's vital signs.

"I know, my parents must have wanted me to be a contortionist when they tweaked my DNA," Jack explained, "But I got into mechas instead."

"Still, you're a real miracle boy," the doctor nodded. "It's quite impressive how you can even breathe under such pressure on your chest..."

"I'm used to it," Jack replied, "I've probably spent more time in a backbend than a straight posture since I was born."

The doctor finally finished examining Jack and prepared to leave. "I'll be back in 20 minutes to take off the machine."

"Thanks, doc," Jack grinned.