The Rock Star

Aedin Stray, real name Cary Lowdermilk, the lead singer of the world hottest band of the moment Injustice, leaned back in the leather lounger, shirtless, eyes closed, arms draped over the armrests of the recliner in his dressing room, a half emptied bottle of Kentucky bourbon clutched by the neck by the ring laden fingers of his left hand. His full sleeve arm tattoos, splashes of color from backs of his hands all the way up to his neck, the world “Blissful” in an old English font arced above his navel. Both nipples pierced.

There was a staccato knock on the door, loud, insistent.

“Fuck off!” Aedin yelled without bothering to open his eyes.

The door pushed open, Brian Thompson, the band’s long time manager poked his head around the corner, “Jesus Christ Aedin, you go on in less than two fucking minutes and you’re already bloody tight!” he said harshly, eyeballing the whiskey bottle.

Aedin growled, leaning forward he threw the whiskey bottle at Brian, but hit door, smashing the bottle into a shower of glass and amber liquid as Brian hastily ducked behind the door.

“Fuck!” Aedin yelled loudly, almost a primal scream.

The door opened wider. Brian looked in again, “Get your ass up there!” he said, pointing out the door.

Peeling himself out of the chair, Aedin ambled toward the door, glaring at Brian as he passed into the corridor beyond.

“He’s coming up, kick it off,” Brian said into his two way radio.

“Copy that,” crackled a reply.

Aedin could hear the first licks for the show opener peeling out over the noise of the crowd in the stadium as he walked down the tunnel toward the back of the stage.

“Where the fuck are we?” he asked, looking over to Brian.

“Baton Rouge, Tiger Stadium,” replied the band manager.

Climbing the stairs, Aedin was assaulted by waves of adulation, a physical palpable force as tens of thousands screamed when he suddenly appeared onstage. Moving across the back of the stage, in full view of the screaming horde of frenzied fans, he came to stand directly between the legs of a twenty foot tall statue of the goddess Themis, except this version was scantily clad in a studded black leather bra barely containing oversized rounded breasts and ultra skimpy panties. Standing defiantly challenging, legs wide apart, she was built like hyper sexualized goddess. Her left arm extend up and out, a set of scales clutched in her left hand. In her right hand, she held a sword, resting over her right shoulder, a blindfold across her eyes. Aedin reached up with both hands placing them on her inner thighs, and leered out at the audience, before moving forward and pumping his arms in the air, revving the crowd as crossed the stage to the mic stand to grab the mic stand.

“Hello Baton Rouge, do you want to get down and dirty tonight?” he screamed, holding the mic close to his face with both hands.

The already raucous crowd went insane, a deafening roar drowning out the guitar.

“I can’t hear you, I said, who wants to get DIRTY!”

Even louder than before, a blanket of raw noise and energy shook the stadium.

“Then let’s set this fucking night on fire!” He screamed. Turning, he looked over at the lead guitarist, Edwin Vogel, the Wizard, Eddie to those who knew him before he became ultra famous, and started nodding his head in tune with music, he closed his eyes and cut his god given voice loose on the swirling mass of humanity in front of him.

“Your pretty smile, girl how you beguile, so innocent and sweet, I’m at your feet, nowhere to run, ain’t got no retreat.“

So practiced and routinized, the words rolled off his tongue through the sound system and out over the concert goers. Laser lights danced around, in synchronicity with the pyrotechnics as pair after pair of black feminine underpants rained down from the crowd near him. Catching a lacey pair of black panties out of midair, he made a show of bringing to his face before stuffing them down the front of his black leather pants and launching into the chorus.

 “You’re the devil’s daughter dressed all in lace, going to take all I got, I can’t win this race, I’m on my knees there’s no disgrace. You’ve got black panties and an angel’s face.”

The show passed by like a blur, a dream, like so many shows before, an endless string of performances, he knew they were somewhere in the States, but he couldn’t remember which, let alone the city they were in. When the end arrived, he was spent, sweat pouring off his slender body. Walking off the stage, the roar of the crowd seemed so far away, “Encore! Encore!” they screamed.

Mopping his sodden brow, a smile curled at the corner of his mouth, he stepped back out on stage for another four songs to close out the show. Walking off stage, someone draped a towel over his head and shoulders as he was guided down the stairs by hands belonging to unseen faces.

Back in the dressing room, the shattered glass and whiskey cleaned up, fresh new bottle on the table beside the tray of candied fruit. Flipping the tray off the table, he grabbed the whiskey and collapsed back into his recliner, the leather cold against his sweaty skin.

A banging on the door, snapped him back to the moment, a roadie popped his face in. What’s his name? David? Daryl? Derwood? Whatever, it was the guy he got weed from. “Hey Aedin, couple of, um fans, here to see you,” he said.

Aedin didn’t reply.

Two young women trotted into the room. The first, a girl with long electric neon blue colored hair in a too short form fitting black dress and high heels. Big tits, pretty face. The belt around her waist looked like gold loops encircling her. She held her hands to her face, bright red lips parted into a big smile. The other girl had shorter blond hair and wore an Injustice t-shirt with the sleeves removed and strategic holes cut into the rest of the shirt. Neither of them looked old enough to drink.

“I can’t believe you’re Aedin Stray,” said the blue haired girl, voice high pitched and manic with excitement.

He smiled weakly and nodded, “In the flesh,” he said, voice raspy as it usually was after a show, lifting his unopened bottle in salute.

“Can I take a picture with you?” asked the little blonde, moving closer, fumbling to get out her phone.

”Whatever,” he said. She leaned in beside him, fingers moving over his leanly muscled chest, clicking off a number of shots, the other girl dropped to the other side of the recliner, leaning her face in beside Aedin’s for a couple of pics before turning to kiss him on the side of his face and blindly snapping a few more shots.

Pushing them both back, he leaned forward in the recliner and climbed unsteadily to his feet taking a few steps forward before turning.

“You know, we could both stay,” said blonde girl from behind him, tone hopeful, big eyes full of dusky promise.

He turned and frowned, trying to clear the veil from his eyes. The blue haired girl dropped to her knees directly in front of him, hands fumbling with his belt.

He looked down a second then moved back, “Don’t you even care?” he asked, pulling the bottle to his lips and taking a swig.

“Of course I care, I love you Aedin,” she said, moving forward, hands back at his belt.

He pushed her hands away, “Get the fuck out of here!” he yelled, turning away, belt buckle and pants hanging open. “Derwood! Get these fucking chicks out of here!” he hollered.

The door opened, the roadie came in “Dylan,” he said to Aedin. Looking at the girls, “Okay ladies, you heard the man, time to go.”

The blue haired girl stuck her lower lip out, “But,” she protested.

“I think Eddie is taking visitors,” he said, hustling the girls out of the room. Pausing at the door, “Sorry man, I just thought, you know,” he said closing the door behind him.

Aedin staggered toward the couch and collapsed into it. Unscrewing the cap on the bottle, he tilted it up and savored the burning sting of the alcohol as it passed over his tongue and down his throat. Closing his eyes, he massaged them with his free hand.

There was a light rapping on the door.

“What!” he bellowed

“Brian asked me to tell you the car is here to take you to the hotel,” said Karli, Brian’s assistant, in a soft voice. She was neatly attired in a light grey skirt and matching jacket, white blouse, black shoes. Her brown hair was up and she wore black framed glasses which seemed to magnify her powder blue eyes. At 5’4” she commanded a much larger presence, especially when she was angry.

He pulled his hand away from his eyes and smiled at her, not only was she incredibly cute, she was genuine, a rare commodity in the world he inhabited. “You know he sent you to tell me because the last time I almost pegged him with a whiskey bottle,” he said, half smirk on his face.

She chuckled, but didn’t move.

“I’ll be right there,” he said, sitting forward, making a sticky noise as his naked flesh pulled away from the leather.

“He instructed me to escort you to the car,” she replied, a slight frown on her pretty face.

He shook his head. Setting the whiskey bottle down on the ground, he pushed himself to standing, “Where are we playing tomorrow?” he asked.

“Travel day tomorrow with the contest winners, then back to back shows in New Orleans,” she replied, not needing to consult the clipboard she carried in her left hand.

“The Big Easy,” he said, nodding. The thought of Bourbon Street bringing a smile to his face.

She smiled as he grabbed a t-shirt off the table and pulled it over his head, struggling a bit to get it down over his sweaty torso.

“How are you doing?” she asked, knowing engaging in personal questions was contrary to Brian’s client management policy, but seeing how worn and ragged Aedin seemed, she didn’t care.

He smiled half-heartedly, “Tired,” he said.

“Five more shows and this tour will be in the books,” she said, flashing him a big smile.

“Including the two in New Orleans?” he asked.

“Five after those two,” she replied.

He nodded. Walking with Karli, he made his way to the rear of the stadium where the limousine was waiting. Crawling inside, she followed him in.

Charlie Kelley, the band’s drummer was already inside the limo, seated near where the vanity screen between the driver and passenger compartment would come up.

“Hey Karli,” he said when the assistant manager climbed into the car, giving her a smile and a wink.

She smiled and nodded, straightening her skirt, “Charlie,” she replied, nodding politely.

“Aedin, me and Pete”, Peter McCrary, the band’s bassist, “Are planning on going on a gator hunt before the show day after tomorrow, you want to come?” he asked.

Aedin frowned, “Not my thing,” he said, massaging his temples.

Charlie laughed, “Going to blast me a new pair of boots,” he said, raising his arms up like he was actually holding a shotgun and taking aim, before jerking back like he had just fired a shot. “Blam!”

The car started pulling away, the lights passing by faster until the car was out and away from the stadium.

Aedin looked around the inside of limo for booze, finding none, he frowned.

“You need to dry out some for tomorrow,” she said.

Aedin laughed, “You my babysitter now?”

She half smiled, “Do you need a babysitter?” she asked, pushing the glasses back up her nose.

“Good point,” he said, leaning back and closing his eyes.

Back at the hotel, safely up to his room, Aedin jumped in the shower. Usually he liked to shower at the stadium before coming back to the room, but he’d been getting lazy over the last couple of venues. Crawling into the king sized bed, slumber came quickly.

A Day in the Life

Aedin awoke with a mother of a hangover, not uncommon, though this morning the honor bar in his room was devoid of his normal liquid relief.

Grabbing the phone in the room, he stabbed the ‘0’ with his index finger, nail painted gloss black.

“Front desk,” said a cheery female voice on the other end of the line.

“Can I get an orange juice up here?” he asked, pulling himself up in bed and leaning forward to massage the back of his neck with his free hand.

“Certainly sir, I’ll see that it’s delivered shortly,” replied the polite voice.

“Make sure instead of pulp, there’s a big healthy splash of vodka in it,” he instructed.

“I’m sorry sir, there is no alcohol available at this time,” replied the overly pleasant voice.

“Why don’t you send one of your little maids into a room that has a stocked honor bar and get her to grab me a half dozen or so,” he said, tone slightly irate.

“Sorry sir, we have been given specific instructions by your manager,” said the voice apologetically, but still so fucking sweet.

“Here some specific instructions for you, get fucking bent,” he said sharply.

“The orange juice will be right up, “advised the voice, impossibly friendly.

“Fuck it,” he said, slamming the phone back down.

Grabbing the remote, he pushed the power button and the TV sprang to life.

“Sitting in the gulf gathering strength, I repeat, tropical storm Gertrude has been upgraded to a category 3 hurricane and is currently sitting in the gulf gathering strength,” said a woman’s voice over the satellite shot of the swirling mass of truculent air hovering in the Gulf of Mexico.

Channel up.

“Expecting landfall in the next seventy two hours, meteorologists say Gertrude could-“

Channel up.

“The strongest hurricane to possibly hit the region since Katrina-“

Aedin clicked the power button again, turning the TV off. Getting up off the bed, he wandered into the bathroom and took a leak. There was a gentle knocking at the door. Finishing, he shook off and walked to the door, peeking through the spyhole. Karli was standing there, tablet in her hands. 

He let out a sigh and opened the door. She smiled up at him.

“Good morning,” she said, cheerfully.

“The happy little cunt from the front desk let you know I was awake?” he asked.

She nodded and held out her closed right hand.

He frowned, extending his hand under hers. She opened her hand and two extra strength Tylenol dropped into his palm.

He frowned, a glum expression on his face. He popped the pills into his mouth and swallowed them.

“We’ll be leaving soon and I need you down to the bus in,” she looked at her watch, “Thirty seven minutes.”

He chuckled and saluted her military style.

Thirty minutes later, belly full of Florida OJ, dressed in white t-shirt, black leather pants and white Adidas runners, dark Wayfarer sunglasses shielding his eyes, Aedin was downstairs behind the hotel near the band’s tour bus. Forty five feet long, the black bus with tinted out windows was a state of the art rolling palace. Equipped with six sleeper berths, a dining area as well as two big screen TV’s, Blu-ray set up, and video game systems.

Karli was waiting just outside the hotel when he stepped out. She smiled at him. “Ready?”

He snorted. “Google delirium tremens and asked me in an hour,” he grumbled moving toward the bus.

As they climbed aboard, Aedin first, followed by Karli, Eddie Vogel stepped down into the stairwell and barred them from entering. “No women on the bus, that’s the band’s rule,” he said, holding his hands out like he was powerless to overturn the unwritten commandment. At six feet tall, he was built like a scarecrow, reed thin and as annoying as hell, but when it came to playing guitar, he was an absolute magician, hence, the Wizard. Able to pull unearthly and haunting sounds out his 1968 Stratocaster, identical to the one Jimi Hendrix used at Woodstock, he was a musical genius.

She smiled up at him. “As an assistant manager, it pre-empts the fact that instead of a dick I have a vagina between my thighs,” she countered pleasantly.

“Pussy is pussy,” Eddie said, licking his lips suggestively and looking down to her crotch.

“Please,” she said mockingly.

“Lighten the fuck up Eddie, she’s just trying to do her job,” Aedin said, dark glasses over his bloodshot eyes, stepping up and pushing Eddie back deeper into the bus.

“Meaning you,” Eddie said, frowning. “You’re her job.”

“Yep, she’s my responsibility,” Aedin said.

“That mean I get to bring little girls onto the bus, eh?” he asked. “Like that little blue haired nymph I fucked the shit out of last night, that girl was born to suck cock.” He sniggered.

Climbing the stairs, Karli followed Aedin into the bus but stopped in front of Eddie, scowl marring her pretty face. “What was her name?” she asked the lead guitarist.

“Who?” Eddie asked.

“Your blue haired paramour last night,” she supplied.

Eddie snorted. “I don’t know, Blue? Who the fuck cares?” he scoffed.

Karli frowned, “So you used her for your pleasure and then discarded her, some nameless little girl.”

Eddie screwed up his face. “Whatever, she got a load,” he said, grabbing his crotch.

Aedin stopped, turned to look at Karli over his shoulder, half smile on his stubbly face, “You sure you want to be here?” he asked.

She frowned, “Honestly, I don’t really want to be here,” she said, emphasis on the want, “But Brian wants me to make sure you don’t drink yourself into oblivion and that this day goes off without a hitch.”

Aedin laughed. “Brian’s worried about my drinking? Nothing about Eddie’s coke habit? Pete’s ‘pain’ pills for his back?” he asked, using air quotes around the word pain.

“Fuck you,” said Pete.

Karli leaned in close to Aedin, close enough for him to pick up her floral scented body spray, “Those guys are great at what they do, but you’re the soul of this band, the reason all the little girls get wet,” she whispered, half smile on her face as she moved back a step.

Aedin held her eyes a moment, about to ask her how he affected her when Pete, sitting on one of the couches in back, lifted his leg and let loose a thunderous explosion of flatulence.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Aedin said, turning, face scowling as he took several steps backward toward the front of the bus. Karli frowned and followed him.

“Jesus! What the fuck did you eat?” challenged Charlie, waving his hand in front of his face.

Pete laughed, “I don’t know, but they been raunchy all morning,” he said, stupid grin on his face.

Eddie scowled and pull his shirt up to cover his nose and mouth. “You shit yourself?” he said.

“Ripper,” Pete replied, using an Australian accent.

“Fuck, you might want to get a doctor to check that out,” Eddie said through his shirt.

“That being said, today is the day we welcome the ‘Spend a day with Injustice Contest’ winners,” Karli said.

“What the fuck does that mean?” Pete demanded.

Karli shook her head. “As part of the promotional side of the tour, there was a contest across the US for people to get a chance to come and spend a day with Injustice. There were three winners from different regions,” she said, enunciating slowly

“That’s a load of shit!” Eddie complained.

Karli smiled. “There’s more. Because one of these winners is not of legal drinking age, all of the alcohol has been removed from the bus.”

“What?” Aedin said, frowning.

“I’m not done,” she said, fixing a steely eye first on Eddie then Pete, “There will be no drug use, at all!”

Pete scowled. “Can we fire her ass?” he asked, looking at the others in the band.

“What do you mean no booze?” Aedin asked.

She ignored the question. “They will be joining us in,” she looked down at her watch again, “About ten minutes. We’ll do a meet and greet here on the bus and then they’ll will ride down with us to New Orleans. They will also get an all access pass to tomorrow night’s show.”

“This is the first I’m hearing any of this shit,” Eddie said.

Charlie laughed. “It was in the email she sent last week and then again yesterday and it was all over our website for like the last month,” he said, still chuckling.

“You knew about this?” Eddie asked, turning to stare at Charlie.

Charlie nodded. “Yep.”

“But wait, there’s more,” Karli started, “Because Anna Rydell is only eighteen, she’ll be escorted on this little voyage of bliss by her mother Amanda.”

“This just gets better and better,” scoffed Pete. “Who were the other two winners?”

“Daphne Alcott and Celeste Beaudry,” she said.

“They’re all chicks?” Eddie asked, cocking his head and raising an eyebrow, smile curling up the corners of his mouth.

“Yes, Eddie, they are all female,” she answered.

“Hot?” he asked.

“There are all very nice young ladies who have not had the privilege of seeing you for the lecherous hound that you truly are,” she responded.

“They’re not hot,” Pete said with a frown, shaking his head. Turning to Eddie, “You know when she says it like that, they’re not hot.”

Eddie frowned and nodded. “True story,” he said.

Karli shook her head, ponytail swaying from side to side.

Aedin also shook his head and frowned, dropping down into the couch opposite Pete.

Meeting the Fan Girls

Karli left the bus. When she returned, she was accompanied by a tall slender blonde girl, 5’9”, very pretty face, sexy pouty mouth, tight jeans, black Injustice t-shirt restraining a nice rack.

The members of the band all rose to their feet.

“This is Daphne Alcott,” she introduced, positioning the girl slightly to the side.

The girl stood there, vibrating, like a piece of dynamite with a lit fuse waiting to explode. A half second behind the first girl was another, this one a couple inches shorter, and absolutely stunning, long slightly wavy brown hair, eyes big and limpid green. Large incredibly firm breasts, almost too big for the taper in her narrow waist before the flare of her hips. Like the girl before her, she wore one of the band’s black t-shirts, a pair of hip hugging black jeans, and white running shoes with a pink stripe running down the side.

As if just her presence sucked the air out of their lungs, each of the band members stood there momentarily agog, bereft of words as they looked at her.

She lowered her gaze shyly and said, “Hello,” voice sweet and definitely sexy.

“Like giving a girl keys to a Lamborghini when she doesn’t even know how to drive yet,” mumbled Pete, openly staring at the astoundingly gorgeous young woman standing there.

“This is Anna Rydell,” Karli said, and turning as a more mature woman possessed on similar features to the girl walked up, “And her mother Amanda.” Mother was a few inches shorter than daughter, slightly less busty and a little thicker through the midsection, but still very attractive.

Amanda nodded and smiled, “Gentlemen,” she said firmly, mouth pursed as she looked at the men ogling her daughter.

The last girl to get up on the bus was about the same height as the first girl, but only because she wore knee high shiny black boots with a huge five inch metal heels. She appeared slender, her hair a mix of streaked autumn colors ranging from yellow to dark red making it impossible to guess what her natural hair color might be. She had a number of piercings on her face, two under her lower lip, each side of her nose, one eyebrow, and a fair number in each ear. Like the other girls, she too wore a tour t-shirt with the band’s name printed on it. Bright red lipstick on her lips moving as she worked a piece of chewing gum. She giggled and lowered her gaze.

“Celeste Beaudry,” Karli said, before leaning in close to Eddie, “What was it you said to me about the no vagina on the bus rule, how does that work?” she whispered low so only he would hear.

Eddie cleared his throat and frowned, turning to her, he replied, “It’s more of a guideline as opposed to anything actually set in stone.”

“Oh, I see,” she said, lengthening the word, nodding her head and she leaned back from him grin on her face.

Eddie grinned sheepishly, then looked back at the young women assembled on the bus.

Without warning, the blonde girl exploded with a brain numbingly high pitched, shrill scream, stamping her feet together before launching herself directly at Aedin, who shut his eyes and turned his head to the side as she collided with him, the smell of her perfume almost too sweet in his nostrils as he was moved backward several paces by the force of impact created by her sudden movement.

Like some bizarre chain reaction or group dynamic, both of the other girls also suddenly started screaming, Eddie stepped forward and wrapped his skinny arms around a near hysterical Anna as she bounced in place where she stood.

Karli stepped in, first separating Eddie from Anna, before prying Daphne off Aedin and interposing herself between males and females.

“Alright, girls, you all know the Injustice front man, Aedin Stray,” Karli said, pointing a finger at his chest, more screaming.

He smiled politely despite the fact his head pounded even with the Tylenol as the high pitched sound reverberated off the walsl inside the bus like an echo chamber.

“One of this generations finest guitar talents, Eddie the Wizard Vogel,” Karli said above the pandemonium.

 Eddie grinned and winked, licking his lower lip. “Ladies.”

“Pete McCrary, bass. Charlie Kelley, drums,” she introduced. Pete bowed and Charlie smiled and nodded.

Even with Karli’s aid, it took several minutes for the girls to regain some measure of composure at meeting the band.

Once the initial impact of fan meeting icon subsided, Karli extrapolated, “Celeste is from Burlington, Vermont, up near the Canadian border. She was selected as the representative for the eastern region. Daphne is our central region winner hailing from west of here in Abilene, Texas.”

“Go Eagles!” she said, a little Texas drawl in her voice. She kept her big blue eyes locked directly on Aedin.

“And Anna and Amanda are from Culver City in the Los Angeles area and won the west region,” Karli said.

“LA?” Eddie said, sly smile, “I was thinking of picking up some property out that way,” he said. “The Hills of Beverly.”

Karli frowned and fixed him with a reproachful stare.

“I’m sure, with all of the wealth this occupation pays you, you’ll be able to afford something very nice,” Amanda said, eyes narrowed at the guitarist.

“Uh huh,” he replied, eyes still on Anna. So gorgeous and so shy, Eddie desperately wanted to defile her in ways that were probably illegal in all but a handful of states.

“Anyway,” Karli started, clearing her throat demonstrably, “Here’s the plan,” she said, looking down at her tablet. “We are going to drive down to New Orleans where we will get situated in our hotel. After that, we will get back together for a trip around the city, weather depending I guess,” looking at the ominous sky outside, “Where we will have a meal together.” Looking up, she smiled. And again the girls erupted in a fit of screaming and frenzied excitement.

Aedin kept his face calm, in desperate need of a drink, something to numb his splitting skull. He made a mental note to make sure to find places on the bus to stash emergency supplies in case Karli pulled another one of her ‘dry’ bus tactics. Right now he would trade his left nut for a shot of whiskey.

“Okay, everyone’s ready? Let’s get seated and we can get this show on the road,” Karli said, taking a seat as the driver released the brake and the bus started to roll.

On the Road

With the outer arms of Hurricane Gertrude sweeping through the area, rain had started falling fairly heavily, there was a massive pile up on I-10 south, forcing the bus driver to take alternate route down to New Orleans.

Taking the Airline Highway, like so many others, the roadway was jammed with traffic, they turned off onto Louisiana 42 north of Prairieville and followed it east across the Amite River into Port Vincent. 42 turned into 16 through The French Settlement where the road became Louisiana 22 and soon they were lost.

During the drive, the members of the bad were literally bombarded with questions:

How did you guys get together? (Celeste)

Eddie – we all started in high school, messing around in Charlie’s parent’s garage.

How old were you when you started? (Daphne)

Aedin – Shit. Me and Eddie were like 14, 15 maybe, and Charlie was 15-16, Pete’s the old man, I think he was 17.

Pete – That sounds right

What was your big break? (Daphne)

Charlie – Aedin and Eddie wrote the song ‘Slave to Rock’ and it got some local play in LA, somebody with some stroke heard it, asked if they could use it in a video game, next thing you know we got a bona fide hit and mega hits on our video on YouTube. 

What is your favorite color? (Anna)

Aedin – Black

Eddie – Pink, looking at Anna as he answers, half smile on his face.

Charlie – Purple, big fan of the Baltimore Ravens football team

Pete – Green, color of money baby

How old were you when you lost your virginity? (Celeste)

Aedin – Laughs, I’m still a virgin

Eddie – I’m not, I was 15 she was 24, that was like 12 years ago now.

Noting the scowl on Amanda’s face, “Okay, maybe that’s enough Q&A for now,” Karli said, choosing to intervene before things got too ribald.

“Something fucked up is going on, we’ve been driving for like two hours and we seem to be in the middle of nowhere,” Eddie said, looking out the windows of the bus, gnarled cypress trees lined the roadway on both sides, Spanish moss hanging from the trees like a funerary shroud.

 “This is like hillbilly country,” mumbled Pete, peering out the windows of the tour bus.

Aedin frowned, “We’re in the bayou, it’s Creole country,” he clarified.

“I thought this was Cajun country?” Charlie chimed in.

“What’s the fucking difference?” Pete asked.

Aedin shook his head, realizing there was probably no point in making the distinction for Pete. “Don’t worry about it,” he said.

Pete shrugged. “Whatever, you know-“

There was a loud pop from up front and bus pulled dramatically to the right. Swerving a couple of times before the driver was able to bring it safely to a stop on the narrow shoulder beside the crumbling asphalt.

“Fuck!” yelled Charlie, bracing himself on the couch.

“What the fuck happened?” Eddie yelled in the direction of the driver.

“Blowout, right front tire,” the driver said.

“Check that shit out!” Pete exclaimed, pointing through the window of the bus at what appeared to be some type of old graveyard ringed with a high iron fence. Jumping up, he moved toward the front of the bus, “Hey open the door,” he said, putting a hand on the driver’s shoulder. Pete turned, “Eddie, c’mon let’s check it out.”

The driver pulled the lever and opened the door.

Eddie looked from the girls to Pete to weird isolated graveyard outside. Grinning, he got up and joined Pete.

Still sitting in the bus, across from Aedin, “You know I’m wearing black panties,” Celeste said coyly.

Aedin looked at her as Pete and Eddie got off the bus. “What?”

The girl with the fiery hair repeated herself, sucking her bottom lip between her teeth.

Karli frowned, Amanda scowled while her daughter Anna averted her eyes and blushed, Daphne just giggled and nodded.

Aedin smiled. This is not awkward. “Um, cool,” he said, not entirely thrilled to be hungover and now the subject of scrutiny in an estrogen fest.

Getting off the bus, Eddie and Pete walked across the worn and broken pavement of the narrow road to the site of the boneyard. The gates to the fence were rusted and corroded and open. Situated near the center of the fairly small graveyard amidst the collected of eroded simple tombstones was the only building visible, a small mausoleum, white stone stained green from years of exposure to the elements and vegetation. In total, there were another thirty or forty tombstones, some pre-dating the Louisiana Purchase.

“Too fucking weird,” Pete mumbled, looking on, squelching through the damp ground as they walked on.

“Graveyard in the middle of nowhere,” Eddie said, looking around. “And quiet, you’d think there would be, I don’t know, like swamp noise or something,” he commented.

“Swamp noise?”

“You know, like in the movies,” he explained.

Pete nodded. “Let’s go have a look see what’s in there, besides I got to take a piss,” he said, pointing at the decaying edifice.

“Better not be like a vampire or some shit,” Eddie said.

“Dude, it’s like the middle of the afternoon,” Pete replied, looking skyward and holding his arms out.

“Just saying, pretty sure I can run faster than you,” Eddie quipped.

Circling around the ten foot by foot ten building, the heavy stone doors were ajar, pushed outward. Peering in, Pete snapped his head back, “Bah, something crawled in there and died,” he said.

“Let me see,” said Eddie, calling up the flashlight app in his phone. Leaning in through the narrow pass between the doors, he shone his light inside. It smelled dank, something pungent, almost putrid hung heavy in the close air. “Smells like your feet,” he said, moving inside.

Dark green stains covered the wall from floor to ceiling, the only feature in the room was a dais of some type, it looked like a maybe four feet by four feet square about six inches above the rest of the floor in the middle of the room. On top of the dais, there was what looked like a crudely drawn white chalk circle with arrows poking out of it, a bunch of symbols, some of the design looking like it had washed away by the rain blown in through the partially opened doors. Near the center of the pattern was an overturned bowl, something dark and sticky spilling out from under it and congealing, and on one side was a clear unlabeled bottle of some burnt amber colored clear liquid, almost like tea, a cork stoppered in the top.

Eddie scowled. Reaching down, he picked up the bottle.

“What the fuck is it?” Pete asked, entering the musty room and coming close to the circle.

“Don’t know,” replied Eddie, working the cork out of the top of the bottle.

“Dude, check it out,” said Pete, unzipping his fly and removing his penis from his pants before urinating down on the circle, washing out several of the symbols.

Eddie scowled, “Dude, what the fuck man?” he said.

“I told you, I had to take a leak,” he said, giving his dick a shake before tucking it back into his pants and zipping up.

“You’re straight up class,” Eddie said, tone snide.

“Fuck you,” Pete said, moving closer to see the bottle.

Get the cork free, Eddie brought it to his nose, then held it back a moment before bringing it to his lips and taking a pull.

Pete scowled.

Eddie’s face puckered at the burning sensation traveling down his esophagus.

“Give it,” said Pete, reaching out for the bottle.

Eddie handed it over. Like Eddie, Pete sniffed it, whatever it was smelled like booze. Lifting the bottle to his mouth he drank some, pinching his eyes closed and turning his head to the side. Initial reaction over, he smiled and wiped his mouth with the back of his arm, “Burns,” he said, voice hoarse.

Eddie chuckled, “Shit has definitely got some kick,” he said.

Pete nodded, grinning. “That split tail has got us on a dry bus, we got to get some of this to Aedin and Charlie.”

“I wanted to record their faces when they get that first taste,” Eddie said, “Post that shit on social media.”

Pete laughed as they slid out of the mausoleum back toward the bus.

“I’ll go in get them to come out,” Eddie said.

Pete nodded and waited in front of the bus. Looking through the windshield, he pointed at the driver, then the bottle. The bus driver nodded and smiled. Eddie returned with Aedin and Charlie.

“Hey, you guys won’t believe what we found out in the graveyard,” Pete said.

“Dead bodies?” said Charlie, tone unimpressed, looking around at the darkening stormy sky.

“This,” said Pete, holding out the bottle.

Aedin frowned. Taking the bottle from him. He frowned, eyes narrowing. “This a joke of some kind?” he asked, suspicious.

“We totally found it,” Eddie said, jerking his thumb back toward the graveyard.

“Fuck off,” Charlie said, taking the bottle from Aedin and smelling it. He eyed Eddie and Pete, “Smells kind of like rum,” he said.

Aedin nodded, “Take a hit,” he said.

“Fuck that,” Charlie said, handing the bottle back.

Aedin sniffed it then took a long draught. Eddie fumbled with his phone, trying get the video to record as Aedin’s face puckered and he coughed. “Taste like bloody gator piss,” he said eyes screwed shut, holding the bottle out.

Pete looked at the driver, “You go,” he said.

“No, I’m driving, I shouldn’t,” he said, waving his hand.

“Fuck off, don’t be a pussy,” Eddie said, taking the bottle from Aedin and holding it out to the driver.

The bus driver took the bottle and a little sip, instantly making a sour face. Eddie laughed, recording the expression on his cell phone.

“Just you Charlie,” Eddie said.

“I don’t think so,” Charlie said, frowning.

“When are you ever going to have chance at random graveyard rum again, it’s like finding porn on cable TV,” he said.

Aedin shook his head, eyes still half lidded. “Graveyard rum, we should write a song about it,” he said chuckle turning into a cough.

“Fuck it,” Charlie said, seizing the bottle and taking two good swallows.

Eddie swiveled the phone to record Charlie’s face just as Karli rounded the front of the bus.

”What the heck is going out here?” she asked, just taking note of the bottle in Charlie’s hand.

“Are you kidding me, what are you guys, like fourteen?” she said, a scowl on her face. Extending her arm toward Charlie, she opened and closed her hand a couple of times. “Give it.”

Charlie shuddered and handed her the bottle. She sniffed the contents and immediately held the bottle at arm’s length and jerked her head back, eyes closed, tongue sticking out. “That’s horrible!” she said.

“It’s a man’s drink,” Eddie said aiming his phone at her and grinning as Charlie tried to compose himself.

“I personally checked the bus, how did you managed to smuggle this aboard?” she demanded.

“We found it,” Pete said, looking back toward the graveyard.

She frowned. “You found a bottle of whatever the heck this is in that graveyard?” she asked, incredulous.

Eddie and Pete nodded in unison.

“Who in their right mind would drink something like this?” she challenged. The men all looked at each other.

“Anyone ever tell you that you’re beautiful when you’re angry?” Eddie asked, flashing her a wink.

She scowled, “Anyone ever tell you you’re stupid when you’re awake?” she replied, flashing him a scowl.

“Sick burn,” said Pete, pointing his finger at Eddie. “Son you just got owned.”

Taking a step forward, she jammed the bottle into Pete’s chest, “Take this back where you found it.”

He took the bottle and gave her a straight arm forward salute, “Jawohl,” he said in a German accent before journeying back into the graveyard. Looking at what was left in the bottle, he snickered and drank it, lobbing the empty bottle back toward the mausoleum.

Putting one hand on her hip, she pointed at the bus door with the other, “Get back in there right now!” she ordered. “There are three ‘lucky’ young girls in there who get to spend the day with Injustice, idolizing you while you morons stand out here drinking god knows what form a bottle you found in a bloody graveyard in the middle of nowhere,” she barked, definitely not happy. She leveled her gaze on the driver, frowning. He nodded meekly and skirted around, getting back on the bus.

“Relax, it was just some harmless swamp juice for crying out loud, you need to un-wad your panties and relax,” commented Eddie.

“You may need un-wad my foot from your ass if you don’t get it back on that bus right now,” she stated, face brooking no argument.

“Un-wad my panties? Did any of you bother to check your phones and see that were are in a no service area? Hmm?” She asked.

Eddie and Pete checked their phones. “What does that mean?” Eddie asked.

“It means we are stuck in the middle of nowhere, with no means of summoning help,” she informed, face a mask of restrained anger.

Emergency

“That sucks,” Pete mumbled, sour expression on his face.

“I think if we’re stuck here, we’ll need to pick bunk mates, I’ll take one for the team and choose Anna,” Eddie said, nodding his head slowly, offer of self-sacrifice sincere.

Karli shook her head, “No,” she said rather emphatically. “We passed a plantation not too far bad, it had some lights on, we should try and make our way there before this storm gets any worse,” she suggested.

“Or we could wait with the bus,” Eddie said, looking toward the back where Anna sat with her mother.

“Have any of you been following the news, there is a hurricane swirling around in the Gulf of Mexico, and you want to wait here with the bus?” Karli asked, lips pulled down into a frown.

“Sure, why not?” Eddie replied.

“Oh, I don’t know, stuff blowing around in the air at over a hundred miles an hour while you’re holed up in a bus coated with thin skinned aluminum and lots of windows, just seems, a little on the risky side is all,” she informed.

Eddie frowned, looking up and down the length of the bus.

Aedin nodded, the burning sensation from the graveyard hooch still lingering in his innards. “I say we do what Karli says, makes sense,” he said, belching quietly into his hand.

“This is horseshit,” bellyached Pete.

Within ten minutes the whole party from the bus, including Jeb Stewart, the bus driver were hoofing it back down the road toward the place where Karli had said she had seen the light.

“Maybe they’ll have a phone there we can use to get someone out here to fix the bus,” offered Jeb optimistically, bringing a hand to cover his mouth as he burped.

“Maybe,” Karli answered, feeling a lot like a cowpoke driving a herd across open country.

“We should have grabbed some snacks from the bus,” Charlie lamented.

Daphne looped her arm through Aedin’s as they walk.

Eddie tried to walk near Anna, but Amanda interposed herself between the two.

Rain continued to patter down around them.

“I wonder if there are alligators out there?” asked Celeste, cozying up next to Pete.

Pete frowned.

The house was indeed spacious, large covered veranda on both the main floor and a covered balcony on the upper floor, a dozen white columns along the front of the house.

Taking the hard packed gravel road to the house, Eddie skipped ahead, bounding up the half dozen steps. Mopping the water from his hair and snapping it back behind his head, he curled his left hand into a fist, rapping hard on the door. “I hear you knocking,” he sang, flashing a big grin to the party as they assembled behind him on the veranda.

A light came into view, getting brighter through the sheer curtains covering the large oval windows in the white wooden doors. The curtain shuffled to the side, a woman’s face looked out.

Karli stepped forward as the sounds of the lock being disengaged preceded the door opening.

A woman attired in a dressing gown stood there, long dark hair hanging back over her shoulders, hard to guess her age, mid-thirties maybe a little older, glowing gas lamp in her hand.

“Hi,” said Karli, using her best sweet voice, “My name is Karli. We have had some mechanical difficulties with our bus down the road a bit and were wondering if maybe you might have a phone we could use to summon help before the storm gets too bad.”

She shook her head, “No phone and with the storm coming in, you won’t be able to get help none either,” she said, her words sounding accented French.

“Hmm,” Karli noised, frowning.

The woman seemed to regard each of the people on the veranda, pausing a little longer on each of the men. A slow smile spread across her face. “Where are my manners?” she said, “You all should get on inside instead standing out here in the rain like drowned chickens.” She moved back inside the large foyer in the plantation house.

“This is an incredible house,” Celeste said, stepping through the door looking around as she entered.

The woman smiled and nodded, “Thank you child, been in the family for years,” she replied, pride in her voice.

“No power?” Eddie asked, pointing at the lamp in her hands, detecting the scent of old dried flowers off the woman as he walked in.

The woman shook her head. “Just went out not five minutes back now,” she replied. “The storm, she is getting her business in order before she comes knocking.”

“I’m sorry ma’am, I didn’t get your name?” Karli said politely.

“Angeline de la Barthe,” she said, nodding her head as polite introduction as others walked into the elegant plantation.

Karli went around the room identifying each of the people to the woman.

Angeline nodded. “I’ll get fetch some towels now, so you can dry off and we can get proper situated, but I’ll need an extra set of hands,” she said.

“I’ll go,” said Aedin, disentangling his arm from Daphne’s.

Angeline smiled and nodded, “Come along then,” she said moving across the foyer toward the short hall opposite the doors, “For the devil brings a chill on account of the wet.”

Stopping at a door, she nodded, “In there,” she said.

Aedin opened the door to a linen closet, pointing at a stack of white colored towels with a fancy bit of colored embroidery.

The woman nodded and smiled, “You might just as well bring the whole pile, probably going need them seeing as you boys got hair as long as the girls,” she said with a chuckle.

“You all by yourself out here?” Aedin asked, leaning into the closet, reaching for the towels.

She reached out and grabbed his wrist, a small sound in her throat. “You got your nails painted?” she asked, looking at his fingers. He was startled by the strength of her grip.

He grinned, “We’re in a band,” he replied.

“Tsk-tsk,” she breathed, shaking her head from side to side, “Seems unbecoming for a young gentleman,” she added, releasing his arm.

Aedin frowned, “You wouldn’t happen to have something to chase the chill from our bones? You know, before the devil shows up?” he asked.

She shook her head.

Aedin frowned. “You didn’t answer my question about being out here alone,” he said.

She nodded, “Just little old me,” she said, looking at him slyly.

Aedin nodded as she closed the door. Returning to the foyer, he distributed towels to the others. Everyone began drying off before Aedin himself bent at the waist and dried his hair.

“We really appreciate your taking us in,” thanked Karli, smiling at Angeline.

“It is only proper hospitality,” the woman replied.

“There‘s a graveyard up the road, that’s where the bus broke down,” Eddie said, wiping the towel across his face. “Looked pretty old.”

She arched an eyebrow and nodded, “Been there a long time that’s for sure,” she said.

Pete glowered at Eddie, catching the hint, he changed the subject.

“You all by yourself?” Eddie asked.

“Not no more, now I got all of you here,” she said with a smile.

A Port in the Storm

Angeline redirected all of her guests into the parlor/sitting room, lighting several candles for illumination, an odd hint of lilac hanging sweetly in the humid air.

“How long has the power been out?” Daphne asked.

“Oh, about going on five minutes now,” replied Angeline.

“It just went out?” Karli asked.

Angeline nodded, “About six minutes ago now.”

Aedin’s headache was finally beginning to subside. The interior of the house looked incredible, loads of antiques lined the mantle and old photos gave the place a real museum quality. Daphne sat right beside him on the chesterfield.

“This storm isn’t likely to blow over in just a few hours, you all going to have to get settled in here for the night, maybe two,” Angeline advised.

“A lot of unhappy souls at the Superdome,” Eddie said, envisioning an angry mob outside the home of the New Orleans Saints.

“What kind of mental midget goes to a rock concert in the middle of a frigging hurricane?” Charlie asked, half smirk on his face.

“I would,” beamed Celeste, the smile on her face pulling up the metal piercings in her face as she turned her gaze over to him.

“Um, yeah,” he replied, unsettled by her look.

“She’s all yours,” sniggered Pete, before belching noisily. “Pardon me, normally I throw up,” he added, grinning.

Amanda frowned and shook her head.

“So if we’re going to be here for a day or two, do you have enough room to accommodate all of us?” Eddie inquired, innocent look on his face.

Angeline shook her head, “I got six bedrooms, and there be ten of you. Everybody’s is going to need to double up,” she advised.

“Don’t even say it,” Karli said, eyes locked on Eddie.

“What?” he asked, innocent look now wounded.

“Amanda and her daughter can take a room together, Daphne and Celeste, Aedin and Charlie, Pete and Eddie,” she said, pairing people up. She looked at the bus driver. “You take the last bedroom, I’ll curl up out here,” she said.

“Somebody switch with me, Pete farts in his sleep,” petitioned Eddie but receiving no takers.

“Speaking of farting, what about some vittles?” Pete asked, looking around before settling his eyes on Angeline.

“There’s a bunch of munchie stuff on the bus, we could grab some of that before the weather gets much worse,” offered Charlie.

“I’ll go,” offered Aedin.

“I’ll help,” said Daphne, big grin.

Karli scowled but nodded.

“You lot can help me get a fire going and we can get some water on the boil,” Angeline said, looking at the other women.

Amanda smiled and nodded.

“We can get some wood,” said Pete.

Eddie snickered.

“Don’t” warned Karli, holding a hand up in Eddie’s direction.

Aedin and Daphne

The trek back to the bus wasn’t too bad, the trees lining the roads sheltering Aedin and Daphne from the brunt of the gathering winds and the rain still falling at about the same volume as when they had gone to the house, the smell of vegetation hanging thick in the air. Wrapping an arm around her, they hustled back to the bus. Opening the door, he went in first and to the area where the band kept their snackables. Kneeling down, he pulled out a couple of bags of chips, a box of flavored crackers, some beef jerky, and a big white and blue bag of double stuff Oreos.

She stepped in close, close enough for him to catch a whiff of her perfume or what remained of it after running through the rain, water dripping down off of her onto him.

“You know we’re alone now,” she said suggestively, moving her hips slowly from side to side.

He looked up at her and smiled, nodding.

Reaching down, she put her hand on his head, “There’s no rush for us to get back is there?” she asked, her pink tongue playing with her lower lip.

He frowned and stood up, several inches taller than her. Her hand moving over his body as he rose coming to stop on his genitals.

She giggled.

He maintained his smile, “Under different circumstances, you know, maybe without a hurricane and all, we could have a little fun together, but for right now, I think we need to keep it on hold,” he said, leaving her hand where it was.

She leaned forward, up onto her tip toes, hand still groping him, “I’ll take that as a raincheck,” she breathed hotly in his ear.

He cleared his throat and turned, breaking her contact with him. “Okay, help me get this stuff gathered up so we can get it back to the house,” he said.

She nodded, coy smile playing on her lips as she twirled a strand of wet hair in her fingers while he gathered up and armful of treats.

Picking up the rest of the goodies, she followed him off the bus and back into the weather and back toward the plantation house.

She giggled to herself as they quick stepped.

He frowned, not understanding her sudden bout of mirth. “What?”

“Just thinking I’m walking through the rain with Aedin Stray, puts a little smile on my face,” she said playfully.

“Uh huh,” he replied, shaking his head.

Back at the House

Night arrived prematurely, hastened by the thick and angry storm clouds darkening the sky. The sounds of wind screaming through the branches of trees near the plantation and the candlelit environment gave the house an eerie quality.

“Cozy,” mumbled Aedin, uncomfortable in the silence, left hand curled around the ceramic mug half filled with tea on the arm of the chesterfield where he sat.

Daphne sat directly to his right, leaning into him.

“I should’ve brought my acoustic, we could have done some unplugged stuff,” Eddie lamented.

“Go get it,” encouraged Pete.

Eddie snorted. “There a hurricane out there, shit’s blowing around like a hundred miles an hour,” he said, indignant look on his face.

“I’ll go with you to get it,” Anna volunteered, voice sweet, looking at him behind her long lashes.

Eddie perked up, “Say what now?” he asked, eyes intent.

“Absolutely not,” said Amanda, staring at Eddie. “I’ll go,” she said.

Eddie leaned back, slow smile creeping over his face. “Sure,” he said. Getting up, he walked over and extended a hand down to Amanda, stealing a glance at Anna. A smile on his face to see the young girl peeking back. Helping Amanda to her feet, Eddie led her to the door and together they stepped out into the elements. Moving quickly at a brisk jog, there was still enough light to see by, they made their way to the bus. Cracking the door, they entered the vehicle, Eddie first Amanda second. Making his way further into the bus, Eddie grabbed the case that held his acoustic guitar, a lot of times on the road, he and Aedin would spend hours crafting songs and devising lyrics together. Grabbing it by the handle he walked back toward Amanda.

She stood beside the driver’s seat, “You know, I see the way you look at my daughter,” she said, tone serious, hands on her nicely rounded hips.

“Come on,” Eddie started, scoffing, “It’s all just in play, your daughter is exceptionally pretty and by flirting with her makes her feel special, right?”

“Yes she is,” Amanda replied. “On both accounts, pretty and special.”

He stepped in close to her, “I see she gets it from her mother,” he said, looking down at her, touching his lower lips with the tip of his tongue.

She smiled and nodded, “I suppose,” she answered, pausing.

“Is this where you tell me to stay away from your darling little angel?” he asked, half smile now on his face. “Her daddy has got a shotgun.”

She laughed, “No, I just wanted to give you fair warning about her is all,” she replied.

“Warning?” he said, puzzled by her cryptic answer, “What do you mean warning?”

Turning toward the steps leading off the bus, she shook he head and grinned, like she was privy to some inside joke.

“You better keep one eye on your little princess in there tonight momma,” he said, perturbed by her demeanor. “I’m a wolf,” he added, howling.

She looked sideways at him, big smile on her attractive face, “I’ll do what I can to keep her off of you, no promises though, you’ve put a pretty big target on your back,” she said, stepping down getting off the bus.

He marched after her, the wind lashing him once he exited the bus.

“We better get back, wind is picking up,” she said, raising her voice to be heard above the sinister whine of the wind.

Eddie nodded, raising a hand in front of his face to keep flying debris out.

Back at the plantation, Pete made a sour face, his stomach rumbling, an uneasy feeling in his bowels, like they might loosen unexpectedly. Looking over at Angeline, he asked, “You got a toilet somewhere nearby?”

Angeline got up, “I’ll show you,” she said, motioning him to follow.

“Are you okay?” Karli asked.

Pete seemed to consider a moment before nodding his head, be damned if he’d give her the pleasure of getting a dig in.

She shook her head and chuckled, “Graveyard rum,” she said.

He put a fake smile on and nodded, showing her the middle finger of his left hand.

“Boneyard booze, give you the blues, deep in the bayou,” Aedin said in sing song fashion.

Daphne clapped her hands together, before putting them on his shoulder. “That’s awesome,” she cooed.

Karli arched and eyebrow and looked over, “Injustice’s next mega hit?”

Aedin laughed, “It’s fans like these who decide which song is a hit or not,” he said. “Take a look around, guess what we found, going to drink it down.”

At the bathroom door, Pete clutch a hand around his abdomen, steadying himself against the door jamb with his free hand.

“What did she mean graveyard rum?” asked Angeline, standing next to Pete.

He belched under his breath, and shook his head. Shuffling into the bathroom, he took the candle and closed the door. He started to feel nauseous. He started to wonder if it was the rum, after all he drank more than any of the other. Pulling down his pants he sat on the toilet, but nothing came out. He noticed a tingling sensation in his fingertips and in his toes.

Angeline returned from the back.

Karli looked up in askance. Angeline pursed her mouth and shook her head.

“What about you three?” Karli asked, looking first at the bus driver Jeb, then to Charlie and over to Aedin, “Any of you getting a case of the trots?”

Charlie snorted and slapped his stomach, “Nope.”

Aedin shook his head.

The bus driver was touching his fingers one at a time to his thumbs, “I feel a little off, and my fingers feel like they’re starting to fall asleep,” Jeb said, still touching his fingers to his thumbs.

“Maybe you should turn it?” suggested Celeste, eyes sparkling in the weak light.

Jeb nodded.

“I’ll show you the way,” Angeline said.

“Good night,” called Karli, followed by several others.

Aedin was touching his little fingers to his thumbs and then the ring fingers on his own hands when Eddie and Amanda returned.

Each grabbing a towel, they dried off before returning to the others, Eddie winking at Anna as they girl’s resumed her seat beside her daughter.

Opening the case, Eddie sat down, guitar on his lap, “where’s Pete?” he asked, bringing a hand to his mouth to belch.

“Bathroom,” Charlie answered, looking down toward his gurgling stomach.

Eddie nodded then shrugged his shoulders, “He’s just the bass player anyway,” he joked, strumming the strings of his guitar.

“Gone but not forgotten,” Aedin said, looking at his band mates.

Eddie nodded and started to play, Charlie kept tune with his feet and tapped his hands against his thighs.

“Late at night I’m all alone, remembering the way you felt, lying in my arms, now there’s just an empty space, an empty place in my heart. I don’t know why I let you go, I was blind and didn’t see, what it was you meant to me, you’re gone but not forgotten.”

Charlie held up a hand hiccupped, face looking a little green. Eddie stopped playing. Aedin frowned.

“I’m feeling a little off,” murmured Charlie, shaking his head, as if the action might clear the feeling in his stomach.

“Lightweight,” poked Eddie, chuckling.

Pete reappeared at the door, face pale, sweating clearly visible on his brow. “I’m going to turn in dudes,” he said. “Ladies,” he added.

“Don’t be getting the bed all funky,” Eddie said, a wave of unpleasant sensation washing over him.

Aedin moved Daphne to the side, leaning forward. “I think I need a drink,” he said.

“I think this is what happens when you de-toxify,” Karli said. Rising to her feet, “Bedtime for the boys,” she said.

The DT’s

When Aedin went to bed, his stomach was turning and he had a slight case of vertigo. Charlie was faring little better. The room was fairly expansive, fancy furniture and the like. The bed was a big wooden framed thing painted white with carved elements all over it. There was a frame near the ceiling for sheer mosquito netting that hung down around the bed. He could hear the sound of the wind howling outside, but it didn’t matter much to him, the moment his head hit the pillow, Aedin fell asleep. He awoke, completely soaked in his own sweat and completely naked. He tried to sit up, but found he was completely covered by material over top of him. He wondered for a moment if he or Charlie hadn’t inadvertently pulled down the mosquito netting. Pushing against the fabric, it felt smooth and soft, almost like a bed sheet. Somewhere in the shrouded darkness, he could hear the distant sound like snoring almost lost in the sounds of the storm raging outside. Turning on onto his stomach, the dampened surface beneath him felt similar to what was above, he slowly pushed his way on his hands and knees toward the sound. What the hell? It felt like he had covered dozens of feet and still no escape from whatever was sandwiching him. The closer he got to the sound, he knew without a doubt it was Charlie, he heard that snore enough times in the past to know its author. Finally, after what seemed and endless crawl, he found Charlie. Shaking him, Charlie?” he said, but the drummer was unresponsive. “Charlie!” he repeated, shaking a little harder, no response. Cupping his hand, he slapped Charlie’s face. If only he had a Sharpie, he chuckled. Leaving Charlie, he continued crawling finally finding reprieve from the weight over him. Emerging from under whatever it was, he stood upright. In the diffuse light, he turned slowly about assessed the environment. Then it occurred to him, he was standing on the bed in the same room Angeline had brought him to, but everything was somehow utterly massive. Same dresser, windows, everything. He scratched his head. “What the?”

Walking toward the edge of the bed, he pushed at the translucent netting and peered over the side, down on the floor were his clothes, his shoes now at least four times longer than he was tall. “Fuck off,” he mumbled, shaking his head from side to side. Moving onto of the sheet then the bedspread, he moved toward the foot of the bed.

He started laughing, “Man, this is definitely a trip,” he said. Cupping his hands around his mouth, “Karli!” he screamed into the shrouded darkness of the room.

He paused a moment. “This has got to be a dream,” he said aloud, “Some fucked no booze in my system mental fuck up.”

“KARLI!” he yelled. Nothing. “Fuck,” he muttered. Last he remembered, she was supposed to be spending the night in the parlor. He frowned. “How the hell do I get down there?” he asked rhetorically, looking for a means to get down to the floor level. Moving back toward the head of the bed, where the sheet folded over, it draped over the side of the bed almost to the floor. He considered a moment, he could lower himself down the sheet and the netting would help prevent him from falling.

“Good plan,” he mumbled, getting down onto his stomach and lowering his feet over the edge of the bed, gripping tightly the fabric, he slowly lowered himself to the floor. Getting out from under the netting, he brushed his hands against each other. He paused a moment, looking back up at the sheer immensity of the bed and the fabric draping it. He frowned. Mosquito net. If he was this small, a mosquito would be like the size of a small bird to him.

This sure didn’t feel like a dream and he didn’t feel messed up, in fact he felt pretty solid. So if this wasn’t some kind of substance inspired nightmare, did it mean he was small? And if he was this small, how the hell did he get so tiny? Charlie was the same size as him, what about the others? He let out a breath. He needed to go find Karli, she could make some sense of this situation. He started moving around where he had heaped the evening previous.

“Hey!” he heard from above, recognizing Charlie’s voice.

“Down here!” Aedin called back.

“Aedin?” Charlie asked.

“Yeah, down here, I’m on the floor,” Aedin replied.

“How did you get down there?” asked Charlie.

“I lowered myself down between the sheet and the netting,” he replied.

“Dude, what the fuck is going on here?”

“At first I thought maybe it was a dream or some hallucination borne of residual chemicals still in my body, but I’m thinking this either has to do with the hooch from the graveyard, or the chick that owns this house,” he speculated.

“If it was the broad, then the girls would be small too right?”

“I would think so, but if it was the booze, then it just those of with a ‘Y’ chromosome who might be thusly reduced,” he opined.

“Where were you going?” Charlie asked.

“Find Karli,” replied Aedin.

“Okay wait down there for me,” Charlie said.

“Go closer to the head of the bed, that’s where I came down,” advised the singer.

Not quite as graceful as Aedin, Charlie slipped a few times coming to land on the floor flat on his ass with an oomph.

“And from the French judge, an 8.7, based solely on the technical difficulty of the move,” Aedin said, altering his voice.

“Haha,” Charlie replied, making a fake laugh. Getting to his feet, he ran his hands over his rump, pride wounded more than flesh.

“So I’m pretty sure Karli said she was going to stay in the parlor for the night, that’s where I was going to go,” provided Aedin.

“What if she’s small?” asked the drummer.

“That means it was Angeline and we need to rescue her,” Aedin answered, starting walk toward the door.

Charlie frowned. “What if she’s, you know like gigantic?”

“Then she can help us,” replied Aedin.

“This is fucked,” Charlie commented

“Yep,” replied Aedin. Together they set off for the parlor.

Pete and Eddie

“Gah!” exclaimed Eddie, thrashing against the seemingly endless supply of fabric bearing down on him.

“Eddie?” came Pete’s voice in the darkness.

“Pete?” replied Eddie, calling out.

The sound of scuffling preceded Pete’s arrival near Eddie.

“You okay? You looked pretty green around the gills earlier?” Eddie inquired.

“No, I feel okay now, but man what the hell is going on here?” asked the bassist.

“It’s like I’m stuck under the tarp at Yankee Stadium during a rain delay,” answered the guitarist.

“I don’t know, feels pretty smooth,” countered Pete.

“I didn’t say it was canvas, I just compared it to the tarp, you know, when it starts raining at the ball diamond and they wheel it out and sometimes one guy falls but they keep rolling out the tarp anyway. It feels like that situation, not that the fabric necessarily feels like a tarp,” explained Eddie.

Pete laughed, snorting a couple of times, “That is funny when that happens though,” he remarked.

Eddie chuckled.

“So what’s going on?” asked Pete, guffaw finished.

“How the hell am I supposed to know?” Eddie queried.

There was a moment of silence in the darkness broken by a high itch squeaking sound coming from Pete’s direction. “Did you just fart?” asked Eddie.

“Sorry,” replied Pete.

“Dude, I’m trapped under whatever this is with you and you just totally Dutch Ovened me, fuck man,” groused Eddie.

“Sorry, you know I got GI problems, it just sort of came out,” he said.

“You could have warned me, fuck,” he said, moving away from the foul stench created by Pete’s breaking of the wind.

Pete followed. “Hey, you never said what went on between you and that little girl’s momma?”

“You are so lucky I can’t shit myself right now,” Eddie cracked back.

“I said I was sorry,” Pete repeated.

“Amanda tells me to look out for her little girl,” Eddie said.

“What, like, make sure nothing happens?”

“No, no, like she says I need to worry about her, that I put a target on my back,” he said, emerging out from under the fabric that was over him.

“That’s fucked up,” Pete commented.

Eddie extended a hand to help Pete stand. “That what I told her, I said, ‘You better keep one eye on your little princess. I’m a wolf,’ then I howled.”

“What the fuck is this?” Pete asked, looking around.

“Looks like our room,” Eddie said in almost a whisper. In the weak light it was fairly easy to recognize the interior of the room Angeline had provided them, except everything was gargantuan.

Pete’s mouth hung agape as he nodded. “If our room was the Louisiana Superdome,” he breathed.

Eddie laughed, “This is messed up,” he said.

“Uh huh,” agreed the bass player. “This is our bed,” he murmured.

Eddie walked across the bed to the side where the mosquito netting vanished over the edge. Pushing against the fabric, he shook his head.

“What are you thinking?” asked Pete, trying to see whatever it was Eddie was trying to see.

Eddie turned, “Dude I think we are miniaturized, you know, like shrunk down. We can’t be more than two or three inches tall,” he offered.

“What does that mean?’ he asked.

“It means were are hooped, like seriously. Someway, somehow we got turned into shrimps,” Eddie said, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Nobody can shrink nobody,” scoffed Pete.

“No?” challenged Eddie, “Look around numb nuts, we are tiny, stuck in a strange woman’s house during a freaking hurricane.”

“What’s that got to do shrinking people?”

“I think it’s because you pissed on that mark in the crypt thing, that’s what I think,” Eddie said.

“Voodoo shit,” said Pete slowly.

“Exactly, like some…” Eddie paused. “It was the rum, it had to be the rum,” he said emphatically.

“We all drank the rum.”

“All the boys did, which means the girls didn’t, which means we need to find Karli,” provided Eddie.

“What if it was something Angeline did? You know like some bayou hex or curse?” inquired Pete.

“Hmm, I still think it’s the rum. I think we fucked with some Haitian voodoo god and we’re being punished,” said Eddie, moving along the edge of the bed trying to find a break in the netting.

Pete nodded, running a hand over his head. “Maybe once the rum is out of our system, we’ll be, you know, returned to normal?”

Eddie stopped, turning to look at the other man, “Yeah maybe, but maybe not. If Karli is okay, we can get her to get us to a voodoo priest and try and undo this thing, know what I’m saying?”

Pete started nodding vigorously, “Yeah, that’s a plan, a good plan,” he said, smiling. The two men resumed walking and testing the netting.

“The trouble is we got to find a way to get to Karli,” Eddie vocalized.

“Or one of the girls, they could help too,” Pete offered.

Eddie stopped dead in his tracks, turning slowly

“What?” Pete asked,

“Something is not right here. You know, it was the warning Amanda gave, it seemed fucked up to me at the time, especially after the way I was eyeballing her daughter.”

“I don’t understand,” said Pete, confused.

“’I’ll try and keep her off of you,’ that’s what she said and look at us now,” Eddie continued.

“And?” prompted Pete.

“It’s like she knew something was going to happen,” Eddie shook his head.

“How could she know the graveyard rum was going to shrink us? Eh?” Pete asked.

“I don’t know, but think about it. Under normal circumstances I would split that little girl in half, she wouldn’t walk right for a week, but now, ha, now we’re super tiny and she could practically do anything she wants and there would be nothing we could do to stop her,” he said.

“That girl seemed pretty shy,” commented Pete.

“Right,” agreed Eddie, “But did you see the way Daphne was all over Aedin? What about Celeste, what would she do with a tiny you or me or one of the others?”

“But that’s assuming the girls aren’t shrinkified like us,” Pete said, making his caveat.

“All I’m saying is if they’re not shrunk, the only one we could trust is Karli,” Eddie clarified.

Pete nodded in agreement.

“Aha!” exclaimed Eddie, finding the split in the mosquito netting. “Now we can slide down this to get to the floor, then we’ll see if we can find Karli.”

Pete looked over the edge of the bed and then at Eddie, shaking his head. “I don’t think it’s safe to try and slide down that,” he commented.

Eddie snorted and taking hold of the thin sheer fabric began to hand over hand himself to the ground. Nervous, Pete followed suit. Once they were both on the ground, they began their search for Karli.

Athos, Porthos, Aramis, & d’Artagnan (the 4 mouseketeers)

Arriving at the closed door to the bedroom where they had slumbered, Aedin put his hands on his hips and looked to Charlie. “Under?” he asked, looking at the narrow gap between the wooden floor and the bottom of the door. Though fairly narrow, Charlie nodded.

Dropping down, Aedin slithered under the narrow opening to the other side of the door, not much room but able to get by without too much difficulty.

“Good thing we’re not fatties, we’d never be able to get under that door,” commented Charlie, getting down on his belly and wiggling under the big door to join Aedin.

Staying close to the white painted baseboard along the bottom of the wall where it joined the floor, they moved cautiously down the hall back toward the parlor where they hoped to find Karli.

Coming to another shut door along the hall, they started to cross the threshold when suddenly Eddie’s head popped out from under the door. “Boo!” he said, laughing at his prank.

“Fuck!” exclaimed Charlie, eyes bulging and jumping backward several paces in a single leap, startling Aedin in the process.

“Hey!” Eddie said, crawling the rest of the way out. “Look at you guys,” he grinned. “You should see the looks on your faces, priceless.”

“That wasn’t funny man, fuck,” countered Charlie, heart pounding in his chest at the sudden fright.

Aedin shook his head, frowning.

“Man, I wish I could have got that on video, that shit would’ve gone viral, hard core rocker jumps like a little bitch,” Eddie snickered.

Pete emerged from under the door. “Look at all of us guys, like little peewees,” he said with a big grin on his face.

“Fuck, I know, we’re like super tiny,” said Charlie, trying to steer the conversation away from Eddie scaring him and making him yell.

“You guys alright?” Aedin asked, looking first at Eddie and then to Pete.

Eddie nodded, “Other than being the size of a mouse,” he said. “You guys?” Pete nodded.

“Charlie plunked on pretty hard on his ass coming down off the bed, but other than some wounded pride, I think we’re okay,” Aedin answered, looking back to Charlie then to Eddie.

Charlie gave Eddie the finger first before adding, “It was like getting donkey kicked right in my can,” he added sourly as he rubbed his hand over his bottom.

“Was it funny?” asked Pete, cocking his head and looking to Aedin.

“Pretty funny,” acknowledged Aedin with a half grin.

“Haha,” fake laughed Charlie, “Just as funny as shithead here screeching like a banshee under the door just as we’re walking by,” he growled. “Lucky I didn’t just tee off and toe punt right in your pug ugly face.”

Eddie shook his head and laughed some more.

“I wonder about the bus driver, what was his name, like Jethro?” Pete asked, looking around.

“Jeb,” replied Charlie.

“Angeline took his down a different hall, so I have no idea what’s going on with him,” supplied Eddie, shrugging his shoulders.

“We figured we were going to see if we could find Karli,” Aedin interjected.

Eddie nodded, jerking a thumb at Pete, “That’s what we were thinking too,” he said. “But, like I was saying to Pete, I got a weird this vibe, you know, when I went to the bus with Amanda, she like gave me this cryptic warning, almost like maybe she knew some shit was going to go down,” he explained.

Aedin frowned. “Like what kind of warning?”

“Like beware of Anna,” he said in a spooky voice.

“How would she know, you know, how could she know some shit was going to happen?”

Eddie shrugged, “I don’t know, I’m just saying is all. We don’t even know if they’ve been shrunk down, you know. For all any of us knows, the girls are all itty-bitty like us,” he paused, Cheshire grin sweeping over his face, “And naked.”

Aedin shook his head, “Really?”

“But if they ain’t little, then we might be fucked, like literally, f-u-c-k-e-d,” added Pete. “You remember, these fan girls can get pretty crazy, like that one in Cincinnati, how many stitches she give you Charlie?” he asked.

“Nine, bitch had claws on her like a velociraptor,” replied the drummer, looking down at the white scar on his side.

Pete screeched in an imitation of the dinosaur, and slashed with his hand, “Velociraptor,” he shrieked.

“We’re all like smaller than those little action figure toys they make of us and at this size we can fit in a lot of tight places,” Aedin said, frowning.

“That would be pretty frigging sweet, don’t you think, all up in some girl’s business,” Eddie sniggered, moving his arms like he was parting something and nudging his way in face first.

“Um, how about no,” said Charlie frowning, “Imagine some little thing trying to stick you into her asshole or something.”

“Shitty,” laughed Eddie, tipping his nose in the air and shaking his hair.

“We got to find Karli,” Aedin said, “Make sure we stick close to the walls, it’s dark and we’re tiny it’d be easy for someone to step on us,” he cautioned.

Progressing down the hall toward the flickering illumination further along, the quartet reached the entrance of the parlor. From their position on the floor, they could see Karli seated on the loveseat.

“She’s not changed,” said Charlie.

“You know,” started Eddie, “From this angle your girl is smoking hot,” he said to Aedin, licking his lips.

“From this angle she looks as big as the Statue of Liberty, holy crap,” mumbled Pete.

“We need to cross over toward the chesterfield, from there maybe we can try and flag her attention,” Aedin suggested.

“I say we play it safe. We can hide under the big chair, but maybe only Aedin should go over to the couch and try communicate with her,” Eddie offered.

“Now you get shy?” Aedin asked, snorting.

Eddie shook his head. “As much as I would love to feel how amazing it would be to sprawl all over her tits, we don’t know how she will respond, she’s got a pretty good head about her, but fuck, look at us. If you talk her and everything is cool, we’ll come out,” he said.

Charlie nodded, “I think it’s wise,” he agreed.

Pete grinned and nodded.

Aedin shook his head and set off for the chesterfield, while the other three veered off toward the plush skirted chair.

Parlor Tricks

Candlelight provided the only illumination in the room. Seated on the loveseat in the parlor, Karli held her glasses in her right hand as she massaged the bridge of her nose with the thumb and forefinger of her other hand. So many things to juggle. The shrieking wind outside sounded like it was going to tear the house apart.

Angeline appeared in the room, approach silent.

“This house is magnificently prepared,” Karli said, replacing her glasses on her face.

Angeline nodded, “Thank you. Do you like it?”

Karli nodded slowly before looking around, “It’s perfectly delightful, elegant with a heavy dose of southern charm,” she said, smiling.

“How long do you think it will take?” Angeline inquired.

Karli pursed her lips, “It’s different every time. The ones you think will take the longest usually end the quickest and vice versa. Despite possessing permanently stunted adolescent brains, don’t be fooled, Aedin and Eddie are both incredibly intelligent, Pete is fearless, and Charlie is wise, so it could be interesting,” she explained.

“They should be rousing soon,” commented Angeline, looking toward the corridor leading to the bedrooms.

Karli checked her wrist watch, “they should all be awake by now and coming to terms with their environment,” she said.

Angeline nodded. “The bus driver?” she asked.

Karli considered a moment. “Let him sleep for the time being. We’ll see what happens with the band and depending on that we can decide on him later,” she instructed.

Angeline nodded again, rising from her seat, she inclined her head slightly before taking a candle and exiting the parlor.

Amanda walked into the room and sat down beside Karli, curling her legs under herself. “None of the girls can sleep, they’re all too excited,” she said.

Karli smiled and nodded, “Understandable, given we are only moments away from the fun. Remember, the limit is two per person which means two of the girls could wind up with a pair and one may wind up with none. Trading will be permitted, but again as long a no one exceeds the limit. Impress upon your girls these conditions because failure to abide will result in being disqualified from continuing,” Karli advised.

Amanda nodded, “I went over the conditions with all of them and they are aware,” she assured.

“Good,” replied Karli, nodding in approval. “Why don’t we go and get the girls ready?” she suggested.

Amanda nodded.

“Are you sure you don’t wish to participate?” Karli asked as she rose from the loveseat.

Amanda chuckled, “I’ve been considering it. I’ve half a mind to get ahold of little Eddie and teach him some respect,” she said, eyes filled with bad intent.

“Let me know before we begin, it alters the dynamic slightly but certainly won’t be a problem,” Karli said with a smile.

“I will,” replied Amanda as the women exited the parlor.

Concealed within his hiding place, Aedin’s jaw dropped. He couldn’t believe the conversation between the women. What the hell was Karli talking about? From the flavor of her conversation with Anna’s mother, it sounded like she was completely aware of what had happened to them and that it seemed almost pre-planned. He shook his head. Nah, he mumbled low under his breath. Couldn’t be? There was no way she could have known about the rum. No way. Angeline’s seeming deference to Karli that was also weird. The bits and pieces were just too incredulous to be true, well first off, being tiny was fucked, but Karli in on it? He scratched his head, trying to make some sense of the jumbled thought bouncing around inside his pumpkin.

Quickly making his way back to where the others were hidden, whistled. One by one the other members of Injustice appeared.

“Did you that?” Aedin asked.

“Yeah, the part where Amanda says want to teach me something, pfft,” Eddie said, making a noise with his mouth.

“The part he’s talking about is that it looks like Karli may have orchestrated this whole thing, from the get go,” Charlie said.

Pete’s eyes widened, “You mean?”

Charlie shook his head, “Yes dim bulb, all of the women are in on it somehow. They knew we were shrunk and now apparently they are going to cut the girls loose on us,” he said.

“But,” Pete started, trying desperately to see how the pieces of the puzzle fit.

Aedin nodded slowly, “I should have spoken to Karli, found out the rules to this fucked up game,” he said.

“Or she could have just stomped you, right? How do we know?” Eddie queried.

“Or she could have said, stay hidden for ten hours and you’ll all wake up in the bus, or I don’t know, fuck, I just think I missed an opportunity,” Aedin grumbled.

“Way to let the team down,” Pete condemned, serious expression on his face as he glowered at the lead singer.

Charlie shook his head, “What’s done is done and we shouldn’t be standing around here gabbing like a bunch of hens in a chicken coop when the foxes are about to pounce, we should find a place to hide,” he suggested, pivoting on the spot and trying to identify a good place.

“I say we split up, it increases our odds of staying hidden,” Pete said, nodding his head.

“So instead of limiting them to one spot to find, you’ve now doubled their odds by creating two groups, or more if we all go solo,” Charlie offered by way of reply.

“Charlie’s right, we need to stay together, especially if what Karli says is true, no one girl can have more than two of us. If we’re together then we’re four and we can try and get one of them disqualified. Again, that’s according to what I heard,” Aedin stated.

Charlie nodded. “I don’t know what the fuck is going on, I think we still need to get info from Karli, make her undo whatever the fuck this is, you know?” he said, frowning.

“I say we find a place to hole up and weather this storm,” Aedin said. Pointing back into the parlor, “In there,” he added, surmising the girls might not begin their search in that room. “If I get a chance, I’ll make the approach to Karli.”

“I like it,” said Eddie.

Charlie frowned. Pete snickered and also nodded.

“Are we decided, all for one and one for all?” Aedin asked, lopsided grin on his face.

The other members of the band nodded in agreement.

Let the Games Commence

Navigating into the parlor, the four tiny men crept cautiously and slowly across the hardwood floor, finding shelter under a skirted chair on an area rug.

Peering out from under the thick floral patterned fabric, Aedin held his hand up, signaling the other to stop.

“What?” asked Eddie, looking over at Karli then back to Aedin.

“Quiet,” whispered the lead singer.

In mute silence the four men looked on.

Karli consulted her watch and nodded, “Let’s get the girls,” she said, rising to her feet.

Amanda nodded in agreement, also standing.

“Have you decided whether or not you wish to participate, there is no additional expense to you,” Karli asked as the women were departing the parlor.

Anna chuckled softly, “I’ll let the girls get started and depending on how they fare, if there’s anything left I might join in,” she replied.

Karli chuckled as the women vanished from sight.

“Anything left?” asked Pete.

“Yeah, that doesn’t sound overly promising I must say,” added Charlie.

When Karli returned with Amanda, all three girls were trailing behind, excited expressions and wide smiles. All were dressed in tight exercise pants and tops, all with feet bare.

“Remember,” started Karli, “If you are finished playing with any one of them, it is your prerogative to release that individual for others to enjoy or you can retain that one for the duration of this play. You may also exchange your toys with one another as long as you do not have more than two in your possession,” she cautioned.

Daphne and Anna both bobbed heads in unison, while Celeste’s smile widened.

Karli looked back at her timepiece, “Then begin,” she said, opening her hand toward the corridor leading to the bedrooms.

The girls took off like they had been blasted out of a cannon, each trying to be the first into the hall leading to the bedrooms where the little men had awoken. The sound of their footfalls on the floor thunderous as they squealed and raced passed.

“Jesus,” murmured Pete, “Imagine that coming down on top of you,” he said.

“Did you see the way those ginormous titties bounced?” snickered Eddie, licking his lips.

“Are you for fucking real?” criticized Aedin, pointing an arm in the direction the girls had disappeared, “Those boobs are twice your total bloody body size for fuck’s sake,” he added.

Eddie grinned and nodded, “I love me some big ole boobies,” he stated, closing his eyes and imitating the ‘motor boat’.

Charlie shook his head, “You would easily be smothered by half of one of those,” he chided.

Karli returned to sitting, crossing her legs and leaning back against the loveseat, hands in her lap.

“Is it okay if I go watch?” Amanda asked.

Karli smiled, “By all means,” she replied.

Amanda circled around the furniture and went down the hall.

Aedin turned back to the others, “I think now is my chance,” he said.

“I don’t know,” cautioned Charlie.

Aedin look to where Karli sat and then back to his bandmates, “I want some answers,” he said.

“I want the truth! You can’t handle the truth!” quipped Eddie, stupid grin still on his mug.

Aedin frowned and shook his head, slipping out from around the skirting in the chair. Moving as stealthily as possible, he circled around the side of the loveseat near where and end table sat. Craning around the corner to peek at Karli’s leg, he moved out slowly, keeping close to the skirting of the loveseat. Suddenly she shifted leg position, bringing her other foot down. He paused, waiting. Getting stepped on would be like getting a full sized luxury automobile dropped on you, with the weight on an apartment building behind it.

Still in the concealment of the skirting of the chair, the lads watched on. Charlie cursed under his breath. “I don’t like it,” he commented, head moving from side to side.

“What’s not to like?” queried Eddie.

“She could kill him,” he answered.

“Or play with him, you heard her, she used the word toys,” Eddie stated.

Charlie turned to face Eddie straight on, “I think you need to take this shit a little more seriously,” he chastised.

Eddie snorted, “Or what? I’m going to get shrunk? Please,” he scoffed.

“You’re going to get caught, or you’re going to get us caught,” he growled, stabbing a thumb in Pete’s direction.

“And would that be so bad? Really? What do these little girls want to do with us each idolize us, worship us as rock gods?” Eddie countered.

Charlie laughed, “Little girls? Rock gods? We’re the goddamn size of rock McNuggets right now and we’ve got super-heated adolescent girls hunting us like fucking T-rex dinosaurs chasing rabbits,” he scolded.

“You forgot, sexy hot super-heated adolescent girls. I for one say we embrace the situation, you know, do something that possibly no other human has done before,” Eddie said.

“Go, if you’re so fucking eager to find out what a tampon feels like, don’t let me or common sense stand in your way,” Charlie said, extending his arm.

“Eddie,” Pete said, shaking his head.

“Think about it Pete, how much bloody pussy have we crushed over the years, probably thousands, you ever been able to play with one that size?” Eddie asked, trying to garner support for his position.

“I don’t know if I would want to, you know, fuck man, one of those things could swallow you whole,” Pete stated.

Eddie raised his eyebrows and grinned mischievously, “Exactly,” he said. Looking in the direction Charlie pointed.

“Dude,” Charlie said.

“Fuck you guys, I’m going to boldly go where no man has gone before,” Eddie asserted, pushing through the fabric and moving toward the hall.

Pete tried to reach out and stop him, but Eddie brushed away his hand.

“What do we do?” Pete asked, looking to Charlie.

“So much for staying together,” mumbled the drummer. Facing Pete, he said, “We need to find a different place to hide and as soon as right the fuck now, because once those girls get their hands on Eddie, I don’t think for a moment he won’t sell our asses out, you know what I’m saying?” Charlie declared.

“Where do we hide?”

“I say we go in the direction of the hall where the girls came from, might not think to look for us there,” Charlie said with a nod, watching as Eddie moved across the opening to the hall while in the other direction, Aedin was creeping toward Karli, reaching his hand out to touch her foot.

Pete nodded vigorously, “Let’s do it,” he said.

Contact - Aedin

Once Aedin thought Karli had finished moving, he stepped in close and lightly touched the bare skin on the side of her foot, then jumping back quickly just in case she startled and reflex jerked, inadvertently kicking or stomping on him. She did neither, failing to even respond. Frowning, he moved back to her foot and this time slapped it, then darted to the side.

Leaning forward, Karli looked down on him and grinned broadly, “Aedin, what a pleasant surprise,” she commented, looking up from him to the hall where the girls were ransacking the rooms looking for the tiny men.

“What the hell is going on?” he demanded, gazing up at her.

She frowned, “You’ll have to speak up, it’s very hard to hear you,” she advised, reaching down with her left hand.

Allowing himself to be picked up around his legs and torso, arms free, he realized he was probably similar in length to her index finger, her hand strong and vice like as she lifted him up off the floor and toward her chest. He felt an utter sense of powerlessness, like a piece of driftwood at the mercy of the ocean, knowing she could effortlessly tighten her hand and he would be no more. Undaunted by the realization of his impotence, “What the fuck is going on here Karli?” he said, face dark.

“What?” she asked, an innocent expression on her pretty face.

“What do you mean what? This,” he stated, looking down at the hand holding him, “Being small and shit.”

She chuckled, “Oh this? I suppose there is a certain amount of confusion bouncing around inside your head right at the moment?” she surmised, tilting her head slightly to the side and regarding him.

He nodded, sullen expression on his face, and looked down over his body and then back to her, “You think?” he smarted, tone sarcastic.

“Don’t be cheeky, you’re in no position right at the moment,” she admonished, waggling a free finger from her other hand at him.

He frowned, rewarding her with a glower, but refraining from saying anything.

She grinned, “Better,” she said.

He paused, composing his request carefully before speaking, “Karli, could you please help me understand what is happening to me and my bandmates at the moment?”

Ignoring the question, “You know you really should try to find a good hiding spot, I’m pretty sure you’re high up on the list of desirable captures for each of the girls and I don’t think they’re going to stay in your too much longer,” she said.

“Explain it to me,” he said, holding his hands open in a gesture of supplication.

She relented and then smiled, “Okay, but just two minutes then you’re on your own,” she said.

“How did this happen and what do these girls means to do to us?”

“The how is easy, I did it, I made you this way. The particulars regarding the process however is a long and somewhat complicated tale that would consume the precious seconds you have left,” she said.

His mouth hung open, slack jawed. She did it? How could somebody do that, just shrink people? If he was tucked inside her hand he would never have believe such a thing? Ever. Yet, here he was, a fingerling in the hand of the band’s beautiful assistant manager.

Watching his face as he struggled to process the information, she chuckled.

“Why?”

“While I could say my primary incentive was financially motivated, that would be a lie, I’m honestly doing okay money wise, don’t get me wrong I do charge an astronomical amount of money for this service. I think I do it for moments just like these, right here, right now. The look on your face is exquisite, I mean absolutely delicious,” she informed.

“Was it the graveyard rum, is that what made us small, some voodoo magic?” he babbled.

She laughed out loud, “The elixir? Hardly. Though it was specifically put there for one of you to find and share. I’m glad you were all able to imbibe in the draught, it will make you all a little hardier and able to endure the delights the girls undoubtedly have planned for you all,” she answered with an affirmative nod, light brown pony bouncing.

“Can you undo this?” he asked, hope gleaming in his eyes. “Please? I’m not sure what lesson I’m supposed to get from the experience, you know, like Ebenezer Scrooge and the Christmas ghosts, but I don’t want to be small,” he expressed.

A half smile crossed her face, blue eyes sparkling behind her dark framed glasses. “Time’s up,” she said softly, bringing him close to her lips and kissing him, her supple lips nearly engulfing his entire face.

“Please Karli,” he pleaded again as she brought him away and started lowering him to the ground.

“You know if you survive this, you and I will have to have a go round, I want see what all the hubbub is about,” she remarked, setting his feet on the rug over the polished wooden floor, eyes full of caprice and bottom lip held between her teeth.

If he survived? “Fix this, please,” he repeated, hands high, tone beseeching and filled with urgency.

She touched the side of her right index finger to the lips she had so recently kissed him with, “Shh,” she noised, “You best use these fleeting moments to scamper away now but don’t worry, I’ll keep our little secret,” she said now smiling and motioning him away with her hand.

Turning slowly, unsure of what to say, he took a few steps in the direction of the chair where he had left the others, eyes lingering on the gigantic woman seated on the loveseat as she watched him, the amused expression on her face never changing.

From somewhere down the hall there was a high pitched shriek of triumph.

Eddie Captured

Eddie snorted to himself as he moved leisurely down the hall. The idiots couldn’t begin to comprehend all of the possibilities for some eccentric love play with some gorgeous young tail. Morons. He meant to savor the chance, to drink from the holy chalice of feminine creation and indulge every single fantasy his mind could fabricate.

He was almost back to the room he shared with Pete when Daphne emerged from the room and spied him. Shrieking excitedly, she dropped down quickly, a massive knee to either side of him, hands poised to grab him.

“Relax,” he said, big grin on his face as he spread his arms wide.

She reached down and snatched him up, capturing him in two hands.

“Easy,” he groused, a little overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of her size. He was feeling very small in her hands.

Opening her hands slightly, she grinned down at him, “Got you!” she exclaimed, peering in on him and spreading her hands further apart so that he was resting in her open palm.

Amanda and Anna appeared together.

Rolling onto his side and supporting his head with a head, Eddie nodded, giving Anna a sexy wink.

Daphne looked to Anna. “I made it no secret I want Aedin, if you’re willing to help me find him, I’ll give you Eddie right now,” she offered.

Eddie looked up at Daphne, “I know where Aedin was not more than five minutes ago, hand me over to Anna and I’ll share that location with you,” he said.

Daphne and Anna exchanged glances. Anna nodded, bringing her hand up. Daphne tipped he hands and Eddie dropped into Anna’s palm.

“Where?” asked Daphne, eyes intense.

Eddie pointed back toward the parlor, “Under the chair, near Karli,” he said.

Daphne took off like a shot, headed for the open sitting room.

“Now gorgeous,” Eddie started, but was silenced when Anna stuffed him in the front of her bra and set out to assist Daphne in her pursuit.

Firm full flesh pressed him hard into the fabric, making it almost impossible for him to move. Fortunately the material was breathable, but as she bounced around, he thought for sure he would be crushed under the massive volume of her boob flesh. This was not at all going like he had expected.

He heard Anna’s mother say, “Go ahead, you go enjoy your toy, I’ll help Daphne.”

Eddie could feel more movement as he Anna carried him away.

She reached into her top and pulled him out, setting him on the bed in her room.

“That’s a little better, pretty confining inside that thing,” he complained, putting his hands behind his back and stretching backward.

Anna grinned down on him as she pulled the top over her head before removing her brassiere.

“Now we’re talking,” said Eddie, finished stretching and rubbing his hands together all whilst licking his lips as he gazed upon her incredible breasts.

She wiggled out of her pants and towered naked before him, smile on her face.

“Oh girl, the things I am going to do to you,” he said with a half-smile. “Now I was thinking,” he was interrupted when she reached down and plucked him up off the bed and brought him near her face.

“Pace yourself,” he cautioned.

Opening her mouth wide, she extended her tongue, her breath engulfing him as she brought him closer.

“Wait!” he commanded, but to no avail, she deposited him on her tongue and drew him back into her mouth. He was tumbled about the inside of her mouth, unable to right himself or stop her from moving him as she saw fit.

When finally she stopped, she was naked, drooling him out between her lips and onto her chest. Her youthful breasts firm and round as he slid into the hollow space just above her cleavage.

Slick with her saliva, he raised a hand and tried to speak, coughing and sputtering instead. Scooping him up quickly, before he had a chance to voice protest, she moved him over her left breast, pressing him down against the aroused nipple and rosy aureole and began rubbing the excited flesh.

He tried to flail, to halt her use, but was powerless in her hand as she stimulated herself. The rubbery flesh swelling and responding to her use of him. Again, he tried to make noise, but her handling of him was not particularly gentle. And the only sounds coming from him were guttural and lost in the noises of approval she was making as her hunger mounted. Grabbing him by the legs, he was jerked above her, the sudden movement causing his stomach to turn before he was suddenly plunged downward toward her crotch. As he approached, head first, he could she had begun to lubricate, her musk heady and strong, enticing the near he got. Parting her legs, she arched her pelvis, opening herself. He wasn’t entirely sure what she had planned, but he certainly got the impression she was no longer thinking but responding to the rising heat of her passion. The length of it was longer than he was tall. In theory, the idea of playing with a giant pussy seemed thrilling, but now in reality so close to this furnace of lust, he was daunted.

Pushing his face and upper torso indelicately against the entrance of her sleek tunnel, there was some minor resistance before the flesh yielded to her forceful effort to push him in. The hot pink tissue reluctantly parted around him creating a vacuum trying to pull him deeper inside. She buried him in the tender folds before yanking him back out. There was an urgency in her movements, bending him and using him over and over, plunging him repeated. Pace increasing to sate her waxing need, the friction was intense. He tried to breathe, only to be greeted by mouthfuls of her secretions, filling his mouth, his nose the thickness of it clogging his throat.

Suddenly the heat humid darkness clamped down around him, battering him, the sound of her heart thudding in his ears. He struggled to get out of the confinement but the muscles holding him were unrelenting, unyielding. Spots of lights danced across his vision and he thought he was drowning. There was a tugging at his legs and he was pulled free.

Gulping for air, he hung inverted a moment, gasping. He tried to wipe at his face, to clear his vision, but as quickly as he had been lifted he was lowered back down. He could feel pressure at the sides of his face, on his left side her index finger, on the right the tight crinkle rosebud of her anus.

“Wiat!” he managed to holler, but she was either oblivious or unheeding because the sphincter responded to the pressure and his head was inserted into her rectum. As before, he was helpless, the pressure on his shoulder phenomenal as she feed him into her bung, over his shoulder, passed his waist, then his knees before closing around his ankles, the only thing not inside her, his feet. The steamy channel closed around him, the soft tissue supported by powerful muscles not letting him move. He tried to yell in the dank darkness, but the noise was lost in the sounds her body was making.

Pete and Charlie

The duo had just ventured into the hallway, pressed up tight against the baseboard when the thunderous sounds of footsteps halted their progress. Trying to seem as innocuous as possible, they watched as Anna rushed passed, tiny figure in her closed fist.

“Holy shit!” hissed Pete watching the girl go as quickly as she had appeared.

“Stupid Eddie,” murmured Charlie, trying to decide whether or not to continue in the path they had chosen or return to the parlor.

Pete snickered, “What do you think he’s going to do her?” he asked, a lecherous grin on his face.

“Were you born an imbecile, or is it something you have had to work at?” Charlie asked bluntly, staring at the bassist, a look of incredulity on his face as he shook his head from side to side.

Pete scoffed, making a noise with his mouth and waving his hand dismissively.

Pointing in the direction of Anna’s passage, “You do realize that delicate little flower of femininity we all drooled over is now the same size as a ten story apartment building. I don’t think Eddie is going to do anything to her. I do however think she is going to do whatever the hell she wishes to him, with him. Our talented lead guitarist should consider himself fortunate if he survives this intimate encounter with his hide and faculties intact,” Charlie started, jabbing Pete sharply in the chest.

Rubbing the spot Charlie poked, Pete frowned, “I was just thinking, you know how he said,” he started before he was cut off.

“Stop thinking! Eddie the rock icon, who has probably had more pussy than Aedin or you and I combined is not in control of the situation, as much as he thought he was going to be. All the little tarts that have thrown themselves at us over the years have surrendered themselves to us, to Eddie, to Aedin, giving away their virtue for a taste of fame or brush with celebrity. Get this through your pointed head, these girls here are not those star struck groupies, these ones are in charge. This whole thing was planned and executed, right down to a T. And now Eddie the horny fuck, who was all over that girl, and she knew it, she had him from the get go, she played him like violin, and what did he do? He bloody walked out there and surrendered himself. At best, he’s a chew toy for her pussy, at worst, what if she eats him or crushes him?” he challenged, ire in his voice.

Pete shook his head, browbeaten by the intensity in Charlie’s delivery of the situation. Pete knew the drummer was right though, they were no longer in the driver’s seat and he knew they didn’t know what these girls may have planned. He looked down at his feet.

Charlie clasped him on the shoulder, “I’m not trying to be an asshole. You know that right?”

Pete frowned.

“We good?” Charlie asked, giving Pete’s shoulder a squeeze.

“Here’s a thought, what if the girls are only looking for Aedin and Eddie?” Pete asked.

Charlie slapped him on the forehead. “Dim bulb, six girls, counting our three fans, Amanda, Karli and Angeline, five dudes, counting us and Gus. Do the math.”

“I do not what the heck has happened to Gus,” Pete said, wondering.

“And nobody has seen Angeline in a while either. So maybe the two of them are gone off somewhere together, I don’t know. Eddie and Anna are living it up as we speak, leaving you, me, and Aedin for Karli, Daphne, Celeste, and Amanda. Three slices of pizza for four mouths to feed. You catch my drift?” Charlie answered.

“I don’t think Karli is involved in the chase, I mean she could have grabbed up Aedin when he went out,” Pete offered.

Charlie nodded, “True, she could have put the glom on him right then and there, but that just evens out the numbers,” he said.

Pete nodded, “Too bad about Karli though,” he mused.

Shaking his head, “What could you possibly mean by that? Like too bad she methodically set us up and played us like marionettes so that now we’re small and fleeing for our lives, or too bad she’s not going to use one of us as a handy wipe for her pussy? You need to rein your shit in man, fuck. I love pussy as much as the next guy, and trust me I do. I just don’t want to fed into one like a goddamn log into a wood chipper,” he growled. “Right?”

Pete nodded mutely, fearing another diatribe should he open his mouth again.

“Good,” said Charlie, “Now I say we keep going the way we have been going, down this hall to that room over on the left and see what’s in there, maybe, just maybe we can get through this shit no worse for wear.”

“Okay,” mumbled Pete, looking in that direction

Crossing the hall, they made their way to the room, the door being partially ajar made it easy for them to enter the room without have to slither under it.

The room definitely was a bedroom, though there was no way to tell which of the girls might be staying in it. Everything was situated fairly high, bedspreads hung several inches above the floor, antique dressers sat up on legs, while ornate and beautifully hand crafted, offered little in the way of potential hiding places. Even electrical cords to lamps were bound up and didn’t hang down low enough to use as a possible means to gain access off the floor to some place higher up to hide. The gap in the bottom of the door to the closet was slight and there was no way either man could wiggle under.

“Well this is just dandy,” murmured Charlie, hands on hips and thoroughly unimpressed with the complete and utter lack of a place to secret themselves.

“I think they may have anticipated us looking in here,” suggested Pete glumly.

Charlie nodded slowly, “Looks that way my friend.”

“Where to now then?” queried the bassist.

Charlie turned back toward the door, about to say something, but the sound of footsteps approaching silenced him as the pair ducked under the bed.

Daphne and Amanda

Karli was startled when Daphne exploded into the parlor like a whirlwird, Amanda a short distance behind, eyes alight.

“Daphne captured Eddie but turned him over to Anna,” Amanda announced as the girl dropped down low to begin searching underneath furniture for Aedin.

Karli nodded, “That would explain her rushing through here a moment ago to enjoy her prize,” she commented.

“I know you’re in here, Aedin,” Daphne said in singsong fashion. “Come on out, sugar, I don’t bite,” she added, a little Texas drawl in her speech as she flipped up the skirt on first the chair, then the love seat.

True to the arrangement, Amanda helped. Covering the opposite side of the furniture to make sure no one slipped out unnoticed.

Karli watched, slight smile on her lovely face as the other two women systematically scoured the area for the tiny lead singer.

Daphne saw it first, a flicker of movement in the periphery of her vision as Aedin attempted to dart across the space between the legs of an end table.

“There!” she shrieked, practically flinging herself in that direction. Seeing Daphne’s movement, Amanda mirrored it, closing in from her direction.

Aedin heard the shriek and tried to spur his legs to move faster, hoping he might be able to use her size to his advantage. Providence smiling down, he flicked a glance back at Daphne as she got her arms and body entangled under the table. What he didn’t see was Amanda’s open hand, running into it like a baseball player tracking a long ball and forgetting about the outfield fence. The impact bounced him back onto his butt and chased the air from his lungs. He didn’t have time to gobble air as Anna’s mother’s hand closed tightly around and hoisted him skyward, the sudden rapid change in elevation twisting his stomach as he struggled to find a breath in her tight grip.

“Got him!” exclaimed Amanda, holding him out in front of her body.

Daphne pulled back into a sitting position, bum on her heels, clapping her hands in front of her. “Please be Aedin,” she breathed hopefully.

Opening her hand slowly, Amanda watched as Aedin rolled onto his side, gasping, finally able to get air into his lungs.

“It’s Aedin,” said Amanda triumphantly, extending her hand toward Daphne.

Reaching out with both her hands, Daphne received the tiny man from Anna’s mother, face positively aglow as she looked down on the little man.

“We’re all square?” Amanda asked, pleased with her capture.

Daphne nodded slowly, eyes glued to her diminutive prize as she rocked forward then up onto her feet before closing her hands gently around him. “I can’t believe it! I got Aedin,” she squealed barely able to restrain her jubilation.

Hustling down the hall, she went to her room, first door on the left and practically leapt onto the bed. Rolling onto her back, propped up against pillows, she set him down on her chest.

“I want you to sing for me,” she said, fervor in her cornflower blue eyes.

Aedin pulled himself to standing, looking up at the excited face of his captor. “What do you want me to sing?” he asked.

“Sweet Lady Sweet,” she replied.

He nodded. “Been awhile since I since I sang that ballad,” he said, clearing his throat and prepping his vocal chords.

Daphne was eager her whole body seemed to vibrate, making it hard for Aedin to stand.

“Okay,” he said, closing his eyes and singing a cappella.

”You been gone far too long, I’m lying her alone, thinking of you. Why couldn’t you stay, the ache grows every day. What can I do to prove myself to you? I’m here in defeat, you’re my sweet lady sweet.”

“I love you,” Daphne blurted, limpid eyes brimming over with tears.

Aedin stopped singing, smiling up to Daphne as she sniffled.

“I’m embarrassed,” she said, dabbing the corners of her eyes with the heel of her hand.

“No it’s okay,” he consoled, “Sometimes I forget how much our music impacts people. Thank you,” he said.

She chuckled, the movement of her body causing Aedin to stumble back. Sweeping a hand in behind him, she caught him before he could fall.

He clutched at her fingers.

“Got you,” she said, smiling.

Setting him down on the blanket atop her bed, she hopped off, still facing him. Slowly she began to disrobe, first removing her top, then pants, until she was standing in nothing but a pair of diaphanous black lacy panties.

She was exceptionally beautiful, young body firm and toned. Symmetrical breasts with small rosy nipples. Shaking her hair fee, she looked at him through long lashes and smiled, “Do I have an angel’s face?” she asked suggestively.

Looking up at this exquisite young woman, her lovely face framed by her long blonde hair was indeed heavenly, he nodded slowly.

Smile widening, she kept her eyes locked on him while she bent at the waist and slowly removed her skimpy thong, before standing aright completely naked.

Aedin shook his head slowly. Eyes drifting down her lithe body to the smooth hairless mound between her thighs.

Moving close to the bed, she carefully climbed onto the bed, moving slowly so as not to throw him from his feet. On her knees, she gathered him and leaned back, ass on her heels. Using an arms under her breasts, she pushed them up and set him back on her chest.

“You are amazing,” he said, speaking loud enough for her to hear.

She grinned, “You’re sweet,” she replied. Bringing her head forward, she closed her eyes and puckered her lips.

Taking hold of her lower lip with both his hands, he kissed it, a hint of strawberry in her lip gloss. She opened her eyes, the fire of passion begin to glow there.

“Now you got no panties and an angel’s face,” he said, almost sing song.

She nodded slowly, the tip of her pink tongue peeking out from between her sexy lips. Leaning in, he touched his tongue to hers.

Picking him up with her free hand, she changed her position, on her back semi-reclining against the pillows again. Once more she deposited him on her chest.

He paused to look left then right, tumescent nipples prominent.

She grinned, “You can play with them if you like,” she said coquettishly.

He grinned and nodded, crossing the unblemished flesh and moving up the slope of her right breast. Sitting cross legged around a nipple similar in size to a basketball in his tiny hands, he began to knead and touch her.

Snaking her left hand down her body, she began to delicately caress the sensitive flesh near her sex.

Pete and Charlie

“I think I’m going to hurl,” said Pete, listening to the sounds of Daphne and Aedin coming from the bed above them. “We should get out of here,” he suggested.

“Shut your gob,” growled Charlie, voice low, “As long as that is going on up there, no one will be looking for us down here,” he added. “Think about it, none of the other girls will be coming in here.”

Pete seemed to ponder a moment then nodded, eyes glancing toward the discarded panties on the floor near the edge of the bed.

Charlie frowned, following the line of sight, “Don’t even think about it,” he instructed.

Abashed, Pete turned backed, innocent look on his face, “What?” he asked.

“You know what, you were scoping out her underpants,” Charlie accused.

“I wasn’t,” retorted Pete.

Charlie shook his head.

“I do kind of want to have a peek though,” Pete said with a lascivious grin.

“At what? Them?” asked the drummer, looking up.

Pete nodded.

“You are as bad as Eddie. Just sit tight and relax,” Charlie encouraged.

Pete shook his head, “There has to be a way up there, or at least to as spot where I can see,” he said.

“You made a complete 180, from wanting to hurl to wanting to peep, pervert,” taunted the drummer.

Pete scoffed, “I just want to sneak a peek is all,” he said.

“Stop being stupid, we already checked, there’s no way up there and dude, really?” Charlie asked.

Pete frowned and sat down. “I was just curious, you know, like maybe watching porn on a full size movie screen or something,” he replied.

“You know what curiosity did, except in this case, it didn’t kill the cat, it fed the shrunken little man into her pussy,” Charlie informed. “That what fucking curiosity did.”

Pete snorted. “You know if we were our proper size, I would have tagged this girl, straight up, folded her over and stuffed her like a thanksgiving turkey,” he said.

Charlie laughed, “You couldn’t stuff a squab,” he joked.

“I wasn’t talking literally,” Pete snapped back.

“I know you weren’t talking literally, but you’re right, she’s a very pretty girl and right now Aedin is probably inside her,” Charlie replied.

“Like all the way,” Pete nodded.

Charlie chuckled, “You remember that girl from Jersey City? You know, the cute girl with the ginormous poof of hair?” he asked.

Pete laughed, “Oh my god, pretty face but holy crap, 70’s minge,” he said, big grin on his face. He had slept with her but had made a point of taking her around and introducing her to the rest of the band prior to getting redressed.

“Right?” Charlie laughed.

“Hairiest pussy I ever saw, fuck you could have braided that shit,” Pete said. “She was amazingly talented though,” he chuckled, reminiscing about their time together.

Charlie nodded. “It’s funny the ones you remember,” he said, thinking back on the sea of faces of the girls he has slept with over the years. One tended to blend into another and then another. There were only a few who he could distinctly remember.

“Bet you Aedin’s is going to remember this one,” chortled Pete.

“Howe about Eddie, he’s way more of a man whore than any of us? Pretty sure he’s going to remember Anna alright,” Charlie snickered.

Pete nodded in agreement. “Pretty little thing,” he commented. “What about you, any one in particular stand out.”

Charlie paused, deciding whether or not to share. There had been one less than a year ago. Girlfriends and sex partners came and went, but this one left a lasting impression, not just because she had been out of this world gorgeous. There was something about her. He had offered her everything in his power to get her to stay with him, including marriage, but she declined. She would be the one to haunt his memory.

“Well?” asked Pete.

“None in particular,” Charlie said, “Hey listen, I think they’re almost finished up there,” he commented. Pete cocked his head.

The sounds overhead were becoming heated. On the bed, Daphne, head back, eyes closed, held Aedin in the valley between the index and middle finger of her right hand and pinned him in place with her thumb. She used him to massage the excited flesh of her femininity. Arching her pelvis upward, she slowly inserted the fingers into her sleek tunnel, moistened petals parting to receive pleasure. In and out she worked her digits and him, pace quickening, left hand squeezing her left breast and playing with the nipple.

Aedin struggled for air, the intensity of her thrusting made it difficult for him to catch a breath, slick and coated with a viscous mixture of her lubricants and pre-come. The scent and taste of her swollen excited passion was heady, arousing him but he was incapable of doing anything other than riding along with her desire. He could tell she was getting closer to release, her breathing rate was increasing and her motions were almost frenzied. Suddenly she held him firm against her pussy as her body began to quake. Shuddering, she came, crying out in ecstasy as another wave passed through her.

He could feel her body tremble, lips parting as the pearlescent evident of her climax seeped out of her and onto him. He couldn’t help himself, his own body releasing, draining him.

After what seemed several minutes, she pulled him away and set him lay him gently on her chest. Resting on his back, he took several deep breaths and he pushed his sticky mane off of his face.

“I’ve never come so hard in my whole life,” she giggled.

“That was amazing,” he said, words genuine.

“I wish we could just live in this moment forever,” she said softly, dreamily.

He wasn’t sure what to say. While undoubtedly a hapless prisoner of her sexual hunger, she had been relatively gentle and the experience had been tremendous, but he did want to be restored to his former self.

Another One Bites the Dust

Finished her initial liaison with the lead guitarist, Anna scooted off the bed and walked over to the pile of her hastily removed clothing, pulling on her top and pants before sauntering back out to the parlor.

Amanda looked upon her daughter and smiled, “You seem contented,” she commented.

Anna nodded.

Looking at her daughter, “Where’s Eddie?” Amanda asked, not seeing the little man.

Anna giggled and wiggled her bum back and forth playfully, “My ass,” she said.

“What?” Karli asked, mirth in her voice, eyes moving to the girl.

“I left him in there for the time being. I’m kind of hoping to catch another one. I want to play with two at the same time,” she informed.

“Daphne has Aedin,” Amanda provided.

Celeste appeared, “They’re not in there, I scoured both rooms thoroughly,” she said, consternation on her face.

“We caught Aedin out here,” Anna’s mother provided, pointing at the location by the end table.

“Come to think of it, Eddie was coming back down the hall,” Anna recollected, looking in the direction where Daphne had seized him

Celeste shook her head, fiery colors dancing as her hair moved.

“I could give you Eddie to play with, he’s in my butt right now,” she offered, twisting and pointing at her shapely rear end.

Celeste chuckled, “Shitty,” she quipped jokingly, looking to the other girl’s bottom then back to her face. “I’ll take a flier on the offer for now, thanks though,” she added, giving Anna’s butt a playful slap on the cheek.

“Charlie and Pete are still around here someplace,” Karli said, looking around but at nowhere in particular. “Whether they’re together or hiding separately, I’ve no idea.”

“There’s no way they’re back there, I scoured those rooms and I don’t think they are here which mean they are most likely hiding in our rooms,” Celeste said, pointing in that direction.

All the other women looked in the indicated direction. “Four rooms, we could help,” offered Anna, looking back to Celeste then her mother.

Celeste smiled and nodded. Given the nature of how the rooms were set up, there weren’t very many places to hide and their search yielded no sign for either unaccounted man. Standing back in the hall, the three women exchange looks and then collectively looked at Daphne’s closed portal.

“Should I knock?” asked Anna. “Or just burst in?”

Celeste frowned and shrugged.

Amanda shook her head, “The doors all come with locks. If it’s locked then she wants some privacy with Aedin, if it’s open,” she said, leaving the notion of invitation unspoken.

Celeste took the clear glass knob in her hand and turned it slowly, testing it for resistance. The door was not locked.

“We shouldn’t all just rush in,” whispered Amanda. “In case, you know, she’s actively engaged in enjoying her catch.”

“Mother please,” Anna scoffed, “We’ve all seen each other naked many times, no big deal.”

Amanda shook her head. “Peek in, try and see if the other men are in there, maybe surprise them,” she suggested.

Anna and Celeste exchanged looks then nodded in agreement. Turning the handle again, Celeste pushed the door open very slowly, poking her head in to see what state of play Daphne was in. The tall leggy blonde with exceptional boobs was reclining on her back atop the bed, naked, arm tucked up under her breasts, Aedin lying recumbent on her chest. She grinned broadly when she caught site of Celeste looking on.

Suddenly, there was a flicker of movement on the floor near the leg of the bed near the door, “There!” exclaimed Celeste, suddenly throwing wide the door and rushing down to where she had seen the movement. Sliding in quickly, right arm extended quickly under the bed in the hopes of blindly grasping one of the two fleeing little figures. Success, her quick thinking resulted in her knocking one of the little ones down enabling her to close her hand around him, which one though, she didn’t know.

Amanda, on Celeste’s heels, circled to the opposite side of the bed and dropped down low, arms out as she sprawled on the floor under that side of the bed, to block off any avenues of escape while creating a corral with her arms in the hopes of snaring one of the men.

“Get one?” asked Anna, gorgeous eyes bright as she stepped into the room and watched as Celeste withdrew her closed fist, two tiny little feet poking out from under her pinky.

Celeste grinned and nodded, sitting upright. Opening her hand carefully so the little man would not attempt to dart out or fall.

Rolling onto his side and the pressure of her fingers allowed him to move, Charlie looked up into the pretty face of Celeste, his mouth hanging open, eyes wide.

“Which one did you get?” Anna inquired excitedly, curious. Amanda was still down on the floor, half under the bed.

Celeste smiled and chuckled, “He’s going to play his drum for me, pah ruppa pum, pum, ruppa pum, pum,” she sang in sing song, eyes alight with a triumph as she gazed down on the tiny man in the palm of her hand.

Daphne leaned forward to peer over the edge and look at Celeste, cradling Aedin so he wouldn’t slide off of her, “He was in here the whole time?” she asked.

“Wait,” Charlie said, lifting his arms, head swiveling around at all the women gathered in the room, eyes wild.

“For what?” asked Celeste, tongue passing over the gold colored hoop through her lower lip as she licked her lips with the tip of her pink tongue.

“Um,” he had no answer, sitting there, eyes now solely locked on the girl with the fire spectrum colored hair who held him.

Celeste laughed and used the bed to push herself upright. Dropping to a knee, Charlie steadied himself on her palm as she rose, catching sight of Aedin cradled against Daphne’s naked bosom.

There was sudden motion from the side of the bed Amanda was on.

Drum Solo

Exiting the room just as Amanda successfully managed to capture Pete, Celeste returned to her own room alone with Charlie. Much like the other rooms, hers was Spartan consisting of only a bed, night table and dresser. Setting Charlie down on the bed, the girl with flame colored hair vanished, leaving the drummer alone in the darkened room, wind still whining outside the house.

Should I hide? He frowned, uncertain. When Celeste returned, she was carrying a candle in her right hand orange flame bending as she walked, a single drumstick in her left hand. The grin on her face put a feeling of unease in his belly.

Setting both the candle and the drumstick on the table beside the bed. Reaching into her pocket she removed a white colored square of what appeared to be dental floss and also set it on the night table before stepping back and undressing, revealing a lean athletic body decorated with a peacock feather tattoo down her right thigh and elegant script with the words Carpe Diem written on her right side near a large breast.

Charlie looked at the night table where she had put the candle, drumstick, and floss, a disquieting feeling settling in his gut.

When she turned to face him, he could see several piercing reflecting the candlelight, both nipples, her navel and another on her privates. He wandered if she flame colored her pubic thatch, but discovered she preferred to go smooth.

Charlie pointed at the jewelry in her belly button, “What with all the holes?” he asked, clearing his throat.

She chuckled, climbing over top of him onto the bed, her weight shaking the mattress and causing him to fall onto his side.

“Come here little guy,” she said, plopping down on her bum and scooping him up in her right hand, fingers firm around him, though not so tight as to interfere with his ability to breath. Bringing him up near her face, her eyes sparkled in the fiery light.

“I suppose you were maybe hoping for a chance to get with Aedin,” he commented, trying to engage her in conversation.

She shook her head, “It seems to me front men are usually prima donnas. It was you I wanted right from the start. Hidden away behind your kit, you’re the heartbeat of the band, the one who sets the pace,” she said. “And I figured as long as Anna and Daphne were fighting over Aedin and Eddie, I could get you. Worked out perfectly,” she added, smiling.

Charlie nodded, “It’s true,” he said, resting his hands on the index finger curled around his chest. “Um, call it a curiosity question, but what’s with the drumstick?” he added, turning his head to look at item on the table and dreading the response.

She looked over at it then back to him, grinning. “We’re are going to get inventive,” she said, licking her lower lip, tongue lingering on the piece of metal through her lip.

He grinned feebly. She’s going to tie me to that stick and then do god know what, oh man this is not good.

“Given this is my, ah, first time being little, maybe we should spend some time just sort of adjusting to the whole newness of the situation huh?” he asked, flashing her a big beaming smile.

She shook her head slowly, “Time is limited, so I think maybe we should just jump in, head first,” she suggested, raising her eyebrows and giving him wide crazy eyes.

“Or,” he started, but she was already leaning sideways to grab the drumstick and floss. “No, no, no,” he said as she plucked the items off the table and returned to a seated position.

She carefully slid the drumstick up behind his back and her fingers, stopping when the wooden tip was in the hollow behind his neck. Lessening the hold of her pinky finger, she looped the floss between his feet and the wooden stick before circling it around and cinching it, securing his feet to the shaft of the stick.

“Hey, hey!” he complained, but she wasn’t listening. “I said hey, come on, this isn’t funny.”

Chuckling again, “Stop squirming so much, we need this to be nice and sure otherwise you might slide off and that would present a whole other issue if you get me?” she encouraged.

He moved his head from side to side, he knew what she intended and no way did he want to wind up lodged way up inside her. “I’ll suffocate,” he protested.

“Nope,” she replied, shaking her head.

Next she began to circle the floss around and around the him and the stick, each loop holding him faster, the way a spider might cocoon a fly unfortunate enough to have wandered into her web. She continued weaving the threading up his body, binding him to stick like a witch to the stake, not so tight as to be painful, but snug enough to be ensure he would not be able to more. Cycling him down in the hand holding him, she pinned his hands by his side and then covered over them with the floss, spooling the thread around his body and the stick until his body was bound from chest to ankle. Removing her hand, she held the handle of the drumstick.

“Not very comfy,” he said, trying to wiggle, but only capable of moving his head and toes.

She smiled and nodded, raising him to her face. Puckering her lips, she kissed him on the head, strawberry flavored chapstick gelling his hair back and leaving a smear on his face.

“I think I saw a movie like this once, where a dude was tied to a missile or something,” he said, trying to blink.

“Perfect,” she said, swiping a thumb across his face to remove the residue left by her lips. Leaning back on the pillows, she bent her knees and parted her legs.

Bringing Charlie back to her face, she opened her mouth wide to receive, closing her lips around him and lubricating his face and the strands binding him liberally with saliva. Pulling him out, face slick, she grinned, “Ready?” she asked.

He shook his head no, but it didn’t matter, she was already moving him down the length of her body.

Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide

“Aha!” came the jubilant sound of Amanda’s voice from under the bed. “Got you sneaky Pete,” she said triumphantly, pulling herself out from under the bed, holding onto Pete’s left leg and dragging him out and lifting him up for the other to see like a mouse by the tail, huge smile on her face.

“And that makes all four,” commented Anna, slightly disappointed. With Eddie still firmly planted in her bottom, she had still been hoping for another capture of her own.

Celeste grinned and practically skipped from the room, prize clutched firmly in hand.

“What are you going to do?” Anna asked, a part of her hoping her mother might defer and pass the bassist over to her to play with.

Amanda held Pete in front of her face, “I think I’m going to spend some time with our little friend here,” she replied, not seeing the crestfallen expression on Anna’s gorgeous youthful face.

“When you’re done, could I haven him?” Anna inquired.

Amanda nodded, “Of course dear,” she answered, getting to her feet, Pete flailing in her grasp.

“Whatever happened to Angeline and the bus driver?” Anna asked, to no one in particular.

Amanda paused near the door of the room, Pete still dangling from between her fingers, “Angeline works for Karli and I think the bus driver wasn’t part of the arrangement,” she offered. “Or the bus driver was for Angeline, I’m not sure.”

“Just the band?” Anna inquired of her mother.

Amanda nodded, “That was the original arrangement,” she answered, before leaving the room, Pete in hand.

Carrying the bassist into her own room in one hand, candle in the other, Amanda smiled down at him and set him atop the dresser. “You know I’ve never played with a little man before,” she advised.

Pete stood there shivering, remaining silent, eyes fixed on the gigantic woman and uncertain how to respond.

The overhead light came on, Amanda looked up and smiled as she undressed. “I must confess, I am rather excited by the prospect of using you, not just because you’re famous, but there is a certain headiness to the whole thing wouldn’t you agree?” she inquired.

He wasn’t sure what she meant by headiness, but if she was thinking scared as shit, then he was certainly on board with her.

Finished, she turned to him, “Cat got your tongue?” she asked, eyeing him, grin on her face as she beheld the tiny man.

He shook his head. He had been with his share of women, groupies and other hangers on, but Amanda seemed different. Maybe it was just the fact that she so big. He wasn’t sure, but she was sexy as hell. Maybe that’s what she meant by heady.

Picking him up of the top of the dresser, she moved over to the bed, climbing up carefully and spinning around in order to play.

She kept her garden trimmed, pubic hair short and neat. Cupping him in her hand, she lowered her hand and began moving him backward and forward over the puffy swollen flesh of her genitalia. The thought of the little man in her hand, at her mercy, rubbing her most private area aroused her as she began to get wet.

Pete tried to stay small, keeping his arms tucked in and his legs together. I f he accidently got and appendage snagged on her flesh, he had no doubt it would result in a broken bone. Plus, she seemed content to get herself warmed up this way.

Moving her over her chest, she stimulated her breast, licking her fingers and tweaking he nipples before pushing him against it. Setting him down on her stomach, right index finger pointed down, “Wrap yourself around my finger,” she instructed.

He did, looping his arm and legs around the digit like he was trying to climb a telephone pole. As she lifted her hand up, he clung on for dear life, inches to her were feet to him and he suspected a fall would probably do so significant damage. Back at her vagina, she rubbed him gently up and down the smooth pink slit, rolling his legs and torso around the fleshy hood at the top of her pussy. Using her left hands, she spread her outer labia, revealing the opening of her love canal. Pushing carefully, she drove him in, the damp flesh sucking at him, strings of her fluid clinging to him as she drew her finger back, just to plunge it back into herself. He found his grip on her finger growing more and more tenuous, slippery and hard to hold and she was only picking up speed. Then it happened, he slid free of her index finger, stuck in the gooey clutches of her ravenous pussy. It was impossible to tell up from down and when he opened his mouth he was choked on her lubricants. Unable to get a breath, he thought for sure he would drown inside her but felt her finger s trying to grasp him. Catching his arms, she pulled him free of her. Bringing a hand to his face, he swiped at the mess plastering his tangled hair over his face. Switching her hold, this time pinning his feet to the base of her fingers with her thumb, she started driving him into her depths head first. He tried to raise his hands as he descended into her, hands sliding futilely over the folds of slick flesh as he was dragged back out before being buried again.

He could feel the confines getting more constrictive as her level of excitement increased and he hoped she didn’t lose herself to the moment and accidently crush him. She began to arch her hips, grinding her pelvis into her hands, breath coming faster and faster, as she achieve climax, continuing to stroke him and out of her, pinning his head there as she continued to come, smothering his face in her milky secretions.

“Mmm,” she grunted, shuddering at the sensation, a thin trail of her pleasure seeping down over her asshole.

Finding a Muse

Aedin awoke with a sudden jolt, bright lights shining down on him, the smell of antiseptic strong in his nose. There were voices and beeps and noises as he frantically swung his had about trying to interpret the message his eyes were sending him.

He was full sized, lying in a mostly reclined hospital bed, metal rails to either side of it, an IV planted in the back of his right hand. There was a stout woman dressed in a multihued shirt standing there, looking down at a clipboard.

“Hey,” he croaked, unsure about trusting his voice.

The woman looked up, “Oh my god you’re awake!” she exclaimed, her eyes growing round as her mouth hung open.

He smiled, body feeling weak.

Raising her hand, holding up a halting finger, “Just a minute, I’ll be right back,” she said, bolting from the room. He could a host of people beyond as the door slowly closed.

Rolling his head to the side he looked toward the window. It was light out and he didn’t hear the sounds of any storm.

A man walked into the room, neatly attired in dark blue slacks, pale blue shirt, and a black tie, wearing a white physician’s smock. He looked older, retirement age, white hair, and a friendly smile. “Mr. Stray,” he said, “I’m Doctor Leighton, how are you feeling?” he asked, holding a small portable electronic tablet.

“What about the hurricane?” Aedin asked.

“Hurricane?” inquired the doctor, looking puzzled.

“Gertrude?”

“There hasn’t been a hurricane round these parts named Gertrude since like early seventies,” he said, eyes smiling.

Aedin frowned, “But,” he said, confused, a frown pulling the corners of his mouth down.

“Do you know what’s happened?” the doctor inquired, moving closer.

“The bus got a flat and we took shelter from the storm,” he explained,

The doctor pursed his mouth and nodded slowly, “as near as we’ve been able to tell, I put this in layman’s terms, you were poisoned. Our best guess is that when you stopped you and your bandmates were exposed to a low sitting pool of something the locals call swamp or marsh gas, though our tox screens haven’t been able to identify which ones other methane specifically. There is some suggestion the mixture might have included traces of hydrogen sulfide, though as I said, our results are inconclusive,” he explained.

“What?” Aedin queried.

Doctor Leighton smiled and put a comforting hands on the rocker’s foot, “You’re very lucky to be alive. Quick thinking on the part of your band’s assistant manager prevented what could have been a tragedy,” he said.

“Karli?” he asked, eyes growing wide.

The doctor nodded, “She’s right outside, she been hovering like a poor concerned mother bear,” he offered with a chuckle.

“But, she’s a giant,” Aedin babbled.

Doctor Leighton raised an eyebrow, “When we got you in, you delirious, suffering from hallucinations, ranting about King Kong and a vibrator,” he explained with a heartfelt chuckle.

“No, you don’t understand,” Aedin started, hesitating. What could he say? Tell the doctor that Karli shrunk his band down so a bunch of girls could play with them like sex toys? A known heavy drinker, frequent user of narcotics, what kind of possible credibility did he have? Zero.

“The others?”

“The other members of your band will be alright, though it appears Mr. Vogel was probably exposed to the most toxins and will need a few more days, but like I said, it does appear as if there has been any permanent damage,” he answered with a grin.

“Did anyone else say anything?” he inquired.

“Mr. Kelley went on about being tied to the stake and Mr. McCrary talked about drinking rum from a graveyard and being chased by a giant pussycat or something,” he informed.

Aedin leaned forward in the bed, sitting upright, “But there is some similarity in what everyone is saying,” he stated.

“While it is not particularly common, it’s not unheard of for people from a group exposure incident to report similar stories based on interpretation of stimulus triggers encountered during that exposure. For example, ten people think they’ve been abducted and eight provided accounts that are somewhat aligned. Does it mean it happened? Who’s to say? All I know is that with any luck, you should be up and about in a couple of days,” he assured, moving back toward the door.

“But,” was all Aedin could muster.

“There seems to be quite a hullabaloo outside, I’m guessing your band is pretty famous?” he said.

“You haven’t heard of us?” Aedin asked, surprised. They had been to part of the world where no one spoke English, but they knew who Injustice was.

Doctor Leighton smiled, “After Elvis Presley, I’m afraid my musical knowledge is pretty limited,” he apologized.

Aedin chuckled softly, “Yeah, I guess you could say we’re pretty famous, not in league with the King though, but then, who is?”

The doctor nodded, “I’ll let Karli know you are alert and capable of receiving a guest. I’m going to limit your visitation time to no more than fifteen minutes, you still need to convalesce,” he added, slipping out the door.

Aedin leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest, frown on his face. Swamp gas? Sounded pretty farfetched. What about the hurricane? I guess if a chick can shrink you down to the size of a lighter, she can do just about anything. Weird, just plain weird.

Karli poked her head in the door. “How you doing champ?” she asked, entering the room and walking over to stand beside his bed.

“You shrank us and sold us to a bunch of girls as playthings,” he accused.

She grinned and nodded.

His eyes narrowed, “You admit it?”

“Of course, but just to you,” she said, grin blossoming into a smile. “I let you keep the majority of your memories intact. The others are already beginning to forget, their memories dissipating like smoke in the wind,” she touch, touching her lips with her fingers and spreading them as she blew.

He crawled back away from her, pulling the blanket up higher to his neck, “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why? The whole thing. Why do it? Why leave me with memories?”

She tilted her head. “First, like I told you before, it was just a contract. It’s what I do. I provide a very unique service to people with very specific tastes. As to why you? Well I think because I’ve taken a bit of a shine to you. I’ve listened to your songs, ballads about powerful female archetypes, and here I am,” she said with a big smile, spreading her hands and singing in his voice, “Girl how you beguile, so innocent and sweet, I’m at your feet. I’m on my knees there’s no disgrace.”

Swallowing hard, “Are you a witch?” he asked.

She laughed, genuinely amused, “Hardly,” she replied, shaking her head.

“What now?” he asked.

“Well,” she said, “You’re going to have to finish the tour, I’ve already set about re-scheduling and then you and I can spend some time together.”

“Some time together?”

“Now that I’ve fulfilled my contractual obligations to Amanda, you and I need some time away from work, you know, maybe I’ll be your muse and help to inspire you to write so more songs,” she said, tipping her head to the side.

“Are you going to shrink me again?” he asked, voice small.

“Most assuredly,” she answered, reaching out and cupping his cheek in her delicate hand.