The Scent of Shrinking

by

Asukafan2001 & Littletoy

copyright 2004-2007 

 

Prologue

 

            Why isn’t Caitlin back yet? I thought to myself as I sat in the silent darkness. I shifted uneasily on the pile of silk fabric that I was sitting on. The events of the past few days were a hazy blur to me now. These past few hours had been one of the rare times I was left alone to myself, free from the peering eyes and trampling feet of my sister and her roommate.  Outside my dark enclosure, I could hear people walking down the apartment hallways, the high pitch voices of young women echoing through my ears. I didn’t bother yelling at the top of my lungs because nobody can hear me. It had been almost four hours since my sister Caitlin and her roommate Chloe had had gone out for a night in the bars. I shuddered at the thought of those two college sophomores drunk around me. Normally I would have just left but in my current predicament, I had nowhere to go. I had to wait for one or the other to return and release me. It’s crazy, I thought to myself, once I was a normal college sophomore with a girlfriend and a part time job and now here I am, four inches tall sitting trapped in my twin sisters’ dresser drawer in her dorm room. I lay back against one of her silk teddies, and took myself back a few days to the start of it all…

 

            I was Friday afternoon early September, college had just started for the fall semester and it was the first week of class. I had finished my English composition class, which was my final class of the day and headed over to the vintage clothing boutique where my twin sister worked. I had promised mom that I would have dinner with her at least once a week since I had transferred schools. Caitlin wasn’t too thrilled with having to commit to seeing her brother every week and I figured it wouldn’t last. But tonight was the first time I had seen her since we had moved into our respective apartments last week. I had to promise her we would be finished by 8 pm so she and her roommate Chloe could get ready for some party she was invited to.

 

            The old bell above the door rattled out my entrance to Granny’s Boudoir Clothing Boutique. I hated being in a place like this but it was almost 5 and my sister was due to get off work soon. I had promised to come by and pick her up and we would go to dinner. I spotted her near the rear of the story, straightening out a rack of old scarves.

 

            “Jeez Sam you’re early. I don’t get off work for another half hour.”

 

            “I thought you said 5:00?”

 

            “I said 5:30 I cant leave yet. Just hang out.”

 

            “Dammit Caitlin.”

 

            “Just chill out and wait. Don’t mess with anything.”

 

            I wandered around the store as Caitlin helped some customer that had wandered in to buy a blouse that was in the window. I grazed through the men’s section with little or no interest. Not paying much attention I slowly made my way across the back of the store to the side with the women’s clothes and stuff. I leaned up against the glass counter at the rear, bored out of my mind. There were about a half dozen ladies purses sitting on the counter to my right, and to my left about 20 small but very ornate antique perfume bottles. My hands lazily glided over to one of the bottles and as I fingered it clinked against its neighbor. The perfume bottles were all of different sizes and colors and were all made out of glass. Some of them were very pretty and I thought about getting one as a gift for my girlfriend Emily when she came to visit next month. I grabbed a round one that had an atomizer on top. Thinking that it was old and empty I squeezed the bulb and instantly was blinded as a puff of mist shot out at my face and body. A strange blue fog enveloped me from head to toe. I inhaled and instantly started coughing and gagging. My head felt like it was going to explode as I sank to the floor. I felt everything around me tingle; my clothing became incredibly itchy.  I tried yelling to Caitlin for help but all I could get out were a few gasps of air as I hit the floor and blacked out.

 

            I came to a few minutes later. My eyes fluttered open as I surveyed the vast plain before me. It was vaguely familiar. I looked up at the sky but really could only see a vast ceiling of white. Around me was a titanic wall that rose straight up into the sky. I noticed the wall was made of wood beams framing what looked like vast clear glass, but that was impossible. It was undoubtedly man made. Where was I? The place looked vaguely familiar but still I felt horribly out of place.

 

            Just then, the earth started shaking. I cowered in fear against the base of the wall as two pillars clomped into the middle of the plain. I looked up to see the pillars ascend to a mammoth tube of denim wrapped around where they joined together. Above that was a field of green, jutting out in the front. Strands of brown hung on the green, framing the white surface of …Caitlin!

 

            “Sam? Sam where are you? Stop hiding this isn’t funny.”

 

            “Caitlin! Caitlin! Help! Help! Down Here! I’m down here!”

 

            I watched my gigantic sister look around for what she heard to be a very faint voice. I continued to scream and waive my arms wildly until finally she looked down. She froze as her eyes became as big as saucers at the site of me.

 

            “OH MY GOD! SAM? SAM IS THAT YOU? WHAT HAPPENED?”

 

            “Caitlin thank god. I don’t know you’ve got to help me. I got sprayed with something from a perfume bottle and…”

 

            “Sam I told you to not to mess with anything.”

 

            I watched in awe as Caitlin bent over her knees still far above my head. I screamed in panic as I saw her reach for me, her fingers curling about me tightly. I felt the floor leave my feet as I rose up, up, up into the air.

 

            “Wait! Caitlin lemme go! Lemme go!”

 

            “Relax Sam I’m just putting you on the counter. You’ll be safer here. This is horrible; we have to get you to a doctor ok?”

 

            I was set down on the counter and I felt her fingers loosen their grip. I was still only at the height of her waist as she towered over me. I felt relief that Caitlin was here when the shop door opened and a middle-aged woman and her daughter walked in.

 

            “Sam you wait here while I take care of the customers. Just stay put and everything will be fine, k?”

            I had no real choice as she turned away. I wandered around the counter. The perfume bottles that before I had fingered were now easily my height if not higher. I estimated my size at 4 inches tall. Thankfully whatever had shrunk me had taken my shoes and shorts to the new size as well. The mist had permeated them as well as me.

 

            “Can I help you Ma’am.”

 

            “My daughter here is looking for a pair of hip boots.”

 

            “Over here I think we might have just the thing. What is you size young lady?”

 

            The sounds of Caitlin with her customers on the other side of the store masked the sound of the bell ringing as somebody else came in. I heard the footsteps getting closer and closer and began to panic. I looked at the perfume bottles on one side of me and at the row of purses across the counter. I made a mad dash toward them as the footsteps and talking got louder and closer. The purse on the end was open. It was one of those knitted white bags with a very loose weave and a drawstring. I ducked inside and prepared to wait for whoever it was to leave and for Caitlin to return for me. It was dark but I had fresh air from all around since the purse was woven so loosely.

 

            “How about that little black one Rochelle?”

 

            “Too dressy.”

 

            I heard the thud of something being lifted up and dropped next to me on the counter. I closed my eyes and prayed silently.

 

            “Oooo look at this one Nadia. Its red Italian leather. It matches the couch in our apartment.”

 

            “That one would be cute with your two piece you got at Sak’s last week.”

 

            “Oh it 100 bucks, that more than I wanted to spend; besides I want something more casual to carry stuff in when I am at class.”

 

            “Hey how about this bag here?”

 

            I suddenly gave a yelp as my fabric prison was yanked off the counter. I sank to the bottom of the soft bag, unable to get to my feet as the purse was swung side to side.

 

            “This one looks cute Rochelle. I can wear it with my jeans to class.”

 

            “Yeah and I can borrow it when I wear that little white mini I have. It’s perfect you should get it.”

 

            “Hmmm it’s only 30 dollars. Cool.”

 

            “Get it Nadia.”           

 

            Oh god no, I thought as the bag I was in began swinging from side to side. I was jostled as these two giantesses carried me unknowingly to the front of the store. I screamed at the top of my lungs but my voice no longer seemed to carry.

 

            “Find everything you were looking for today?”

 

            “Yes thank you, this cute purse is just what I was looking for.”

 

            “That’s thirty dollars, plus the skirt is twenty five. Sixty two fifty including tax please.”

 

            “Ok, wait Rochelle I don’t have enough cash. Can you put this on plastic and I will pay you when we go to the ATM?”

 

            “Sure.”

 

            “Caitlin! Please! Help!”

 

            “Sign here please. Thank you and you have a great day.”

 

            “Bye.”

 

            I finally scrambled up against the side of the bag. I could look out between the weave just in time to see the door of the clothing store as we left. I was facing backward. To one side I could see the immense bulk of another giant walking side by side with my unawares captor. I looked out at the giant world as this girl named Nadia and her roommate Rochelle carried me down the street. The clothing store got further and further away and so did Caitlin and any hope of getting help. I was trapped as helplessly as a fly caught in a spider’s web. Giants and giantesses passed by me, titans to my tiny four inch height now. Everything mundane in the world was now a danger. It was clear that I wouldn’t get far in this terrible place without the help of big people. I looked up out of the purse and tried to imagine what my captor and her roommate looked like. I could hear their voices making small talk, but I couldn’t see them. I saw the ground far below and knew I was suspended about three feet off the ground.

 

            The girls stopped at an ATM machine so Nadia could give Rochelle her money. Then they started walking at a brisk pace again and I could see the stores and shops recede into the distance replaced by tree-lined streets of houses and low-rise apartment buildings. I gripped the fibers of the purse as it swayed back and forth, determined to get back to Caitlin someday, despite being a tiny prisoner in the purse of two young women who weren’t even aware they had me.

 

That, as I was going to find out, was about to change.

Chapter Two

 

            The world looked different as it passed by at a blistering pace. The buildings and cars were but a blur. It was like looking at the world through the window of a racecar as I pushed and pulled at the giant ropes that made up this purse.

 

            My heart leapt with fear as this cage remained in constant motion banging against her hip as she walked down the street chatting casually with her friend both oblivious to my existence. My body began to bruise and become stiff, my joints swollen as my fingers dig into the fabric as I struggle to remain upright.

 

            “Hey mommy look” a young girl says as she points to me in the purse.

 

            “Katie, it’s not nice to point at people” her mom reprimands as they continue by neither party stopping. I felt alive for a moment, I could feel a twinge of excitement in me rise as I was alive and real. I knew that I had to get out of here, I had to get back to Caitlin I just had to. I knew if that girl saw me as a person she would too. I was so naïve back then.

 

            The girls had finally stopped, I let go and fell to the bottom of the purse. I muscled relaxed as I lay there limply. A faint jingling drifted through the air like a feather falling to the ground. The air around me was still, the city was quiet or so it seemed.  It felt good to lie there but everything erupted into turmoil as the door pulled open and I felt myself flying through the air. The wind was now coarse and cold as it bled through me.

 

            Everything came to a crashing halt as the purse exploded against the back seat in a lump. The fabric was heavy and covered my body like a blanket. I reached my hand out of one of the many small square fabric holes running along the firm fabric of the seat. It was a car seat; I was really trapped this time. If they could have lived close by I maybe could have escaped but if they are driving, a simple block would be miles if I had to walk it. I turned my head looking at the light that shone through the car windows. The car jostled from side to side as they sat down, a pleated sky then appeared overhead, and before I could scream it fell upon me covering the purse with ease. A simple pleated skirt blinded me in darkness as the rumble of the car engine drowned out their voices. It was semi peaceful but before to long the sounds of Britney Spears stole away any peaceful innocence that was left.

 

            The car twisted about starting and stopping, fear pushed through me as if it was one with my blood. The lack of sight or control was driving me mad, as if the smell of that nasty perfume in Caitlin’s boutique was not bad enough the vanilla air freshener in the car certainly was. I kicked my legs and pounded my fists against the floor of the seat for a moment before I resigned myself to my fate. I was stuck for the time being, I can’t get out of here and even if I could being trapped in the girls car was not any better then where I am now.

 

            The car finally shut off, I heard the two getting ready to make there departure. I braced myself as best I could as I knew what was about to come, however it was a bit different then before. This time her fingers wrapped around the skirt and purse, I could feel the warmth of her hands through the layers of fabric as she grabbed both the purse and skirt in one bundle.

 

            I nervously held onto what I could not sure what to expect as they plodded up stair after stair. I was unsure if they were walking up stairs or climbing Mount Everest, as it seemed to take an eternity before they stopped. My stomach lurched forward as she unlocked the door and sped into her home in one fluid motion. The mindless banter drifted into nothingness then I felt the painful g’s of dissent and a painful crash against something. I lay motionless for a few minutes as I heard thundering footsteps swell about the room. I nervously lie in fear hoping it would all go away.

 

            Bright light painfully shines into my eyes as the skirt covering the purse is lifted up; I stare up at the blonde haired giant, as she held the plaid skirt against herself admiring her newest purchase.

 

            I nervously bit my lip hoping she wouldn’t see me but she had already spun around tossing the skirt a few feet from me on her bed as she stomped out of the bedroom.

 

            She was so huge I thought to myself, I could hardly see her. My heart was pounding as I looked about this giant monstrosity of a room. As scared, as I was I knew I had to get out of here, as she would eventually want to use her purse.

 

            I was relieved that the purse wasn’t pulled shut using the drawstring so I could easily crawl out of the purse and out onto the bed. As I looked around the room, I found myself in awe of its stature and size in comparison to myself. I began to understand just how my life had changed as I stared about the bedroom.

 

            The bed itself extended in what looked like city block after block only these blocks were covered in baby blue flowers. I only knew that I needed to get off the bed, as detection would be all too easy. If I ever want to see Caitlin or the rest of my family then I definitely had to do it on my own.

 

            At this time, I didn’t really know what to do or where to go. The situation was so unique, so unheard of that I wasn’t even sure if it was real, but my primal fears started to emerge. They told me to run, to hide, but most importantly to get off this bed.

 

            As I ran my feet sunk a bit into the bed, I had to hurdle the folds in the mattress. I wasn’t even half way to the edge and I was already breathing heavily as sweat dripped from my brow to the mattress. I could taste the salty sweat in my mouth as I pushed myself forward. I knew I had to get away, I just had too.  I kept pushing myself on jumping fold after fold, the air filled with a hint of vanilla. Laughter from seemingly beyond this world was in the distance but still filled the air like a space shuttle taking off.

 

            I began to get into the lull of jumping and running, the burning of my lungs, the fits of laughter all around that I almost jumped clear off the edge of the bed. I came to a halt all too quick. I peered over the immense cliff. I couldn’t believe how far down it looked. I nervously started to back away from the edge of the bed when the floorboards began to creek and bed rumbled slightly. I looked towards the door that was slightly closed and stared in awe as it was pushed open with ease. The monolithic structure easily strolled in, first a blonde then a brunette.

 

            “So what dress do you think will look good?” said the brunette as she started to lower herself onto the bed.

 

            I wanted to scream in terror as the largest ass I had ever seen in my life was being lowered towards me. It was as if my legs couldn’t move fast enough as I ran back the way I had came. I made a diving effort to get out of the way but it was no good as the brunette’s bottom smashed into me from the waist down. My back sunk into the bed as she continued to press into the mattress. I pushed at her bottom but it was no use, the denim was too thick for her to feel my minute plights to escape.

 

            Part of me wanted to scream for help, to have them find me but I knew that would never work. What could they possibly do for me? This just isn’t some kind of common occurrence. The only person who could help me is Caitlin. Maybe there is another perfume that can restore me? That’s all I have going for me right now.

 

            As the brunette began to stand up I found my chance to escape from the top of this bed. I grabbed at the edge of her back pocket and before I knew it my body lurched forward and smacked against her bottom. My arms and face racked against the denim as she her bottom wiggled from left to right as she walked. I had greatly underestimated this girl’s strength. Each blow sent painful shivers down my spine as my fingers fight to hold my body weight as falling would almost certainly mean death.

 

            “That would be perfect Nadia for your date with Matthew, you could borrow my red shoes, you know those dress ones I wore to your aunts wedding.”

 

            “Oh yeah, let me try them on.” begged Nadia as she followed Rochelle out of the room.

 

            Each step the brunette took my hold eased slightly more until I found myself falling the length of her body, I hit her thigh and bounced down her leg finally resting in the high shag carpet below. I looked back to see the blonde coming towards me. I tried to stand up but my body was entangled in the carpet. It was a very high shag light brown carpet with loops making up each strand of the carpeting. I continued to twist, kick and pull trying to free my body but it only made it worse. I cringed as her foot rose over me. I am going to die I thought to myself. I kept waiting for her to smash into me but it nothing was happening. I slowly opened my eyes shocked to see the face of two young women staring down at me.

 

            “I told you something dropped from your pocket.” Exclaimed Nadia as she pointed her finger at me.

 

            “What do you think it is? It looks a bit to big to be any kind of bug I have ever seen.” says Rochelle as she lowers her hand covering me in darkness, filling the air with her scent and warmth from her hand.

 

            “Don’t touch it Rochelle, it could be dangerous.” curiously says Nadia as she flicks me with her toe sending me flying through the air eventually crashing into one of those backless sneakers. I was happy to be free from the carpet but I didn’t want to be discovered by those girls either. I crawled into the shoe immediately heading towards the toe area.

 

            “Where did he go? It had to be a bug, I flicked it over that way and it’s gone, it must have flown away.”

 

            “Who cares, I want to see if those shoes are going to work. It’s just a dumb bug after all, onto more important matters.” I breathed a sigh of relief as I heard the pounding of their foot steps disappear.

 

            Now what, I thought to myself as I made my way out of the shoe. I don’t even know where to.

 

            “Found you” The voice erupted at seemingly a 1000 decibels, the blonde haired girl reached her hand out towards me. I shuddered as her fingers clasped around me and I was lifted into the air. She began to spread her fingers apart which forced me to grab a hold of her pointer finger. She giggled as held her pointer finger out in front of her face examining me with her eyes oblivious to my fight and struggle to hold onto her finger.

 

            “Hey Rochelle! I found it! I don’t think it’s a bug at all. It looks like a mini man,” yells the blonde which nearly makes my ears bleed. Within moments, the face of a brunette was positioned behind me. She poked at my back causing me to swing back and forth on the blonde’s fingers.

 

            “He does look like a tiny person. I wonder what he is doing here?” inquisitively asks Rochelle.

 

            “Dazzled by my beauty of course, he saw me from afar and used up all his strength forcing his little legs to follow my giant strides wishing to be found by me, held by me, as I caress his itty bitty body in my power grip.”

 

            “Or scared shitless by your hideous face.” retorts Rochelle as I watch the blonde playfully push her with her opposite hand.

 

            “Very funny Rochelle.” laughs the blonde.

 

            Caitlin scurried back towards the perfume counter as the two young women walked out carrying a knit purse and a skirt. Caitlin still couldn’t believe her twin brother had shrunk. Sure she wasn’t a nice as she could be to him but she still loved him dearly. There has to be away to get him back to normal prayed Caitlin.

 

            “Sam, Sam they are gone you can come out now? You did a good job hiding, they didn’t see you. Its all clear Sam, SAM!”

 

            “Caitlin, what are you doing? Who are you talking too?” asks her co-worker Dallas.

 

            “Oh um I was just talking to myself, you see it’s a creative writing project, we have to use personification on an object and report back on how it worked. Pretty lame huh” says Caitlin trying to force a laugh.

 

            “Whatever, but you know that group of teenagers who walked in, they each but a purse so do you want to get a few from the back room while I close out the till.”

 

            “Teenagers! Dallas did anyone else come over her besides those teenagers?”

 

            “Umm why? I think some college girls those teenagers and a younger looking woman she looked Mexican but she bought this cute Prada backpack.

 

            “Oh no” Caitlin cries.

 

            “What’s wrong? I know you were hoping to get that proda backpack but I’m sure we will get more in stock.

 

            I stared at these two giant girls from the coffee table where they had set me down on. I was embarrassed as I stood before them. They couldn’t even hear me so I had to talk into Rochelle, the brunette’s microphone on her laptop. I felt humiliated. I couldn’t even carry on a normal conversation unless they put there face up really close to me, or we had electronic help.

 

            “Don’t worry little guy, we will take good care of you” Rochelle said as she closed her laptop. I tried to scream to her that I still needed that as I was in the midst of saying that they needed to call Caitlin but it was to late now as the brunettes hand was already coming towards me. I hardly had time to react before her hand was pressing against me and I was cuddled into her palm, surrounded by her strong grip. I felt myself lift off the coffee table as she tried to gently walk across the room but I was still strewn about a bit until she spilled me out onto there kitchen table. As I looked about there apartment I saw that it was a typical college apartment. They were obviously doing everything on there own as there wasn’t a lot of nice stuff around, there was some like the television and sofa and such but a lot of the other things looked to be normal college furniture.

 

            My thoughts were interrupted by a bottle cap with a giant hunk of ham a few potato chip crumbs being set down in front of me. I looked up at them and then down at the food. My mouth watered as I dove into it.

 

            “Look at him go, he must have been starving. You know Rochelle, having a pet is a big responsibility. This isn’t like roger”

 

            “I was eight years old! I didn’t know any better,” snapped Rochelle back as she watched me finish the food.  

 

            “We better get ready, it’s already late and I’m sure Carolyn and the girls will be here soon enough to hit the clubs.

 

            “Damn, it is seven already…” I hardly have time to flinch before Rochelle grabs me and carries me back into Nadia’s room. I cringe as she opens up the same knit purse I arrived in drops me in followed by pulling the drawstring shut.

 

            “This should hold you” gloats Rochelle as she hangs the purse up on a hook inside Nadia’s closet. I look from the left and then to the right nothing but purses on either side of me. I huff as I slink down to the floor.

 

            I spent the rest of the night alone in that closet. I could hear the muffled sounds of the girls leaving and then hours later they came back. It sounded like Nadia passed out as soon as she hit her bed.  Unfortunately, I would see Nadia first thing in the morning. Things were about to get a lot worse before they got better.

Chapter Three

 

            Caitlin bounded up the steps of the police station. She had to report her brother Sam as missing so she could get help finding him. Maybe the police would help recover her brother. It was late already but she didn’t know what else to do. Walking up to the desk, she could see the fat, middle-aged sergeant eating a donut and drinking coffee.

 

            “Um... I’d like to report a missing person please.”

 

            The Sergeant looked up from his donut. “Sure miss, wait right here and I’ll get the detective on duty. Hey Lt. we got a missing person case.”

 

            “I’ll be right there Sgt. Ficus. Have them take a seat.”

 

            The Sgt. Walked Caitlin over to a desk and she sat down. Then he went back to his donut. The nameplate on the desk read Lt. Wilson. A minute later Lt. Wilson, wearing a sport coat and khaki pants came over and introduced himself, then grabbed a pencil and sat down behind the desk.

 

            “Ok now please describe the missing person. Name and connection to you please?”

 

            “Samuel Summers, he’s my brother.”

 

            “Age?”

 

            “20”

 

            “Height? Weight?”

 

            “Um….about four inches tall. Weights about 8 ounces?”

 

            “Begging your pardon ma’am?”

 

            “Well um…”

 

            “Hey Ficus, get a load of this one! Always the nuts come in late. Come on sis, who’s your brother, GI Joe?”

 

            “Maybe she’s kin to the tooth fairy”

 

            Both policemen burst into laughter for several minutes. Caitlin sat there embarrassed. There was no way they were going to believe her.

 

            “Hey Lieutenant, I got Peter Pan on the phone, he’s looking for Tinkerbelle HAHAHAHAHA!”

 

            Caitlin had had enough. She bolted from the desk in tears, heading out the door of the station.

 

            “Hey missy don’t go. We’ll get a couple of detectives on the case just as soon as we put the lid on the Tom Thumb disappearance!”

 

            Caitlin wiped away the tears as she walked to her car. She knew she was on her own but it was late. She muttered to herself “Don’t worry Sam, I will find you wherever you are…only I’ll have to start in the tomorrow. I have to meet my roommate and her boyfriend at The Treehouse in a half hour. Please be safe…”

 

            The morning hit me like a ton of bricks as light flooded into my purse as soon as Nadia opened her closet door. The air from the door opening caused the purse to swing from side to side, jostling me as I was hunkered on the bottom. As soon as the light hit my eyes, I clambered to one side of the purse looking at the huge female form bending over to peer in on me. It was Nadia.

 

            “Morning little pet. Did you sleep well?”

 

            “Not really” I shouted.

 

            “Well I’m sorry about the accommodations but I can’t have you loose in the apartment now can I?”

 

            “Please just let me out of here. I have to find my sister Caitlin to try and restore my size and-“     

 

            Nadia didn’t wait for me to even finish. In an instant her fingers had dipped into the purse and latched onto my feet. She pulled me out upside down and dangled me in front of her still sleepy face. She smirked at my helplessness, then lowered me down into the palm of her other hand.

 

            “I bet you’re hungry, let’s get some breakfast, k?”

 

            Nadia glided out the bedroom and down the hall to the kitchen. The smell of coffee and bacon assaulted my nose and created pangs of hunger in the pit of my stomach. I twisted around to get a better look but Nadia held me flat against her stomach.

 

            “Morning Rochelle.”

 

            “Morning Nads, morning little man.”

 

            “Mfffftp!”

 

            “What’d he say?”

 

            “He said good morning right little Sam?”

 

            I was set down on the kitchen counter as Rochelle and Nadia towered over me. Both of them were wearing just T-Shirts and panties and their hair was messed up from sleeping. From the sleepy look of both of them they hangovers from the night before.

           

            “I think I want an omelet Rochelle. Do we have any eggs left?”

 

            “Sure two left.”

 

            “Hey make me an omelet too!” I shouted up at the pair.

 

            Nadia snickered at me. “I doubt you could even a fourth of an egg you’re so tiny. You can have some of mine, ok precious?” I watched as she cracked a couple of eggs into a bowl, and then whipped them up with a fork and poured them into a frying pan. Soon the smell of cooking eggs filled my stomach again.

 

            “Please Nadia, I’m starving. Make me an omelet.”

 

            Nadia suddenly got a mischievous look in her eye. She whispered something to Rochelle I couldn’t hear but I heard Rochelle giggle and say “That’s so mean Nadia”. I saw Nadia stretch her arm over my head and grasp a plate. She slid the flat cooked eggs on the plate and sprinkled some cheese on it. Then suddenly I was scooped up and dropped in the center of the eggs. I screamed as the shadow of the eggs descended on me as Nadia folded the omelet over on top of me, my head just sticking out of the rapidly solidifying mass of eggs. They were firm and I was held in place in the hot eggs as Nadia sprinkled some salt and pepper over the omelet and sat down at the kitchen table.

 

            “Hey dammit what do you think you’re doing? Let me out of here do you understand me?”

 

            “Careful Nadia, don’t eat him.”

 

            “But he said he wanted me to make him an omelet so that’s what I did. I made you an omelet, little guy. This is gonna taste so good Rochelle are you sure you don’t want some?”

 

            Nadia carried her plate over to the kitchen table and sat down. I screamed as the tangs of her fork speared the eggs just below my feet and carried a large hunk to her mouth. I struggled with all my might but I couldn’t get free. The fork descended down toward me once more, causing me to scream as it dug into the egg covering my stomach. The fork split the coating of eggs from my groin to my neck. I was sure she was going to spear me and eat me but I found myself free from the egg prison as she only caught the egg covering me and carried it up to her mouth, leaving me exposed and able to climb out of the scrambled eggs.

 

I stood on Nadia’s plate shaking my fist in rage as she and Rochelle giggled at me.

 

            “Ewww Nadia that’s so mean, you got his clothes all greasy. They will need cleaning now.”

 

            “So what’s the problem? Its Saturday, laundry day anyway.”

 

            “I can’t believe how cute he looks on your plate.”

 

            Just then the apartment door burst open. A girl with shorter length blonde hair burst in.

 

            “Hey you guys got any coffee? I got a huge hangover from last night and I have to be at work in an hour. I can’t believe you made me drink all those Margaritas.”

 

            “Don’t you ever knock Dallas? And it’s not like we twisted your arm or something last night. You were sucking them down even before you were sucking –“

 

“Hey shut up!”

 

“The coffee jar is here on the table.”

 

            I watched with horror as this new girl strode in, making a beeline for the kitchen table. I froze in terror as her hand shot out. My eyes instinctively shut as I prepared for the inevitable but all I heard was the girl chirp “Thanks, followed by swift footsteps. I will see you guys later.”

 

I opened my eyes to see Rochelle shutting the door behind Dallas. She scurried back to the kitchen table as Nadia continued to eat her eggs around me. I grabbed a loose chunk off the plate and stuffed it in my mouth.

 

            “God he’s so tiny, she didn’t even notice he was there.”

            “I know it’s kind of cool. I’ll have to show him to her later.”

 

            “Hey! I will not be shown off to your friends.”

 

            “I think someone needs to mind their manners.”

 

            Caitlin got to work early Saturday morning. She was due to work only till noon but she had other work to do. She unlocked the front of the clothing store and was relieved to find she was the only one there. In a fit of absurd optimism she ran to the back of the store and looked around for Sam in the faint hope he was still hiding somewhere, but he was nowhere to be found. So Caitlin walked into the back room and found the box with the receipts from yesterday and started to go through them. She took the roll of register tape and unspoiled it, checking the timestamp on the transactions until she got to the general time that Sam came in until she got off work. Fortunately it was slow at that time and there were only four or five transactions. She didn’t remember anybody coming in to browse and leaving without buying anything so hopefully she could track the customers down through the cash register tape which would have the credit card names and copies of the signatures. The first one she found was from the mother and daughter who came in right when Sam was shrunk, she could rule them out because they never made it to the back of the story. That left three names who paid with credit card; a Melissa Fuente, an Aimee Bradshaw, and a Rochelle Martin. Unfortunately all had bought the same thing, one of the purses from the back of the store. Caitlin wondered if Sam had somehow gotten trapped in one of the purses and been sold with the purse! She would have to track down each of them and ask about the purse they bought with out being too obvious about it. She decided to make up a story about her wallet being left in the purse when she was trying it on. She would take the names down and when she got off work she’d look up the addresses on her PC. Then it was just a matter of figuring out which one had her Sam and bringing him back. Caitlin put the register tape back in the box just as she heard Dallas coming in. She hurriedly went out to greet her and help open the store.

 

            “Help! Lemme go! Lemme go!”

 

            “Oh hush you big baby. Look at him struggle Rochelle.”

 

            “Stop this at once dammit. I can undress myself. I don’t need any help from you.”

 

            I was being held above the bathroom sink as the two giant girls crowded around me. Nadia had me firmly in her grip as she undressed me. Below I could hear the rushing of running water as Rochelle filled the sink with warm water. Nadia grasped my shirt and ripped it off me, throwing it on the countertop.  I started to squirm but her fingers completely covered my upper torso, leaving just the top of my head sticking out as she pinched my leg between her thumb and forefinger and popped my shoe and sock off, then doing the same to my other foot. That done she pulled my pants down, taking my underwear with them. I was totally exhausted and humiliated as Nadia triumphantly enclosed my nude body within the confines of her fist, held between her and Rochelle’s beaming faces.

 

            “Sure you do little man. You need us big girls to survive now. If not for us, you would be-“

 

            “With my sister Caitlin now take me back to her now!”

 

            “Silly you haven’t had your bath yet.”

 

            “Geez Nadia listen to him bitching up a storm. Maybe we should help him. After all he is a person, only tinier.”

 

            “And lose my little man? I think not. At least not yet ok? We just found him so what’s the hurry? This is kind of cool. You are so cute. You are so much better than any pet.”

 

            “I  am not some pet put me down!”

 

            “As you wish.”

 

            I felt Nadia’s grip relax, and I lost contact with it. I saw at once the water rushing up to greet me as I was dumped into the sink.

 

            Caitlin are you OK? You’ve been acting kind of weird for the last couple of days. Is everything all right?”

 

            “I’m fine Dallas thanks for asking. I’ve just trying to get a hold of my brother and I can’t seem to find him anywhere.”

 

            “Oh well I am sure he will turn up. You should hang with me and my friend Nadia  and her roommate sometime. You would like them. They are great to go out and party with. Want to go clubbing with us tonight?”

 

            “Thanks, Dallas, but tonight I kind of have some stuff to do. Some other time maybe.”

 

            “Ok fine, but ya gotta cheer up. You will scare away the customers. It’s a good thing we are only open a half day today. I don’t really feel like being here either.”

 

            I had been sitting in the darkness for about two hours now as Nadia and Rochelle we off in the apartment laundry room. I languished in Rochelle’s lingerie drawer, shifting in and out of sleep as I waited for the girls to return. It was better than being trapped in the purse, that’s for sure but still I wish I had light, and something to do. At least I felt clean after the bath Nadia and Rochelle had given me. Nadia had also made me a toga out of one of her handkerchiefs while she washed my clothes. Even though I was being treated as an amusement they at least fed me and clothed me and bathed me. I guessed it could be worse. Suddenly I heard the door to the apartment open up. There were footsteps coming down the hall, closer to Rochelle’s room. As they neared the dresser I was shut up in my heart sank as an unfamiliar female voice rang out.

           

            “Rochelle? Nadia? Are you home? The door was unlocked”           

 

Then the dresser drawer shook and light flooded in. We both gasped at the same time.

Chapter Four

 

            “I didn’t know she had one of these.,” giggles Dallas as I watch her hand lower into the drawer as I cower beneath a cotton pair of panties. The perfume of this giant makes my nose tickle as her hand passes over me and grabs onto something large and plastic, it passes by me in a blur as I watch her stare at the enormous flesh toned tube.

 

            “What in the world is that?” I think to myself as I watch her nonchalantly drop it back into the drawer. My eyes bug out as I realize that it is about to fall on me and I cannot move to avoid it as that would mean detection.

 

            The sound of the door opening rips through the room and I watch the blonde haired giant vanish from my realm of sight. I breathe a sigh of relief as I struggle to remove the flesh-toned tube off me.

 

            “Hey Rochelle, I let myself in, I hope you don’t mind.” Shouts the blonde-haired woman as I hear he voice get more and more distant. I push the flesh-toned tube off me and stare up out of the now open drawer.

 

            Realizing this is my chance to escape or at the very least get in contact with my sister, I grab the flesh toned tube and struggle to lift it up so that it is leaning up against the wall of the drawer. I smile at my ingenuity as I start climbing the ribbed tube.

 

            As I reach the top I gulp as I realized just what this tube is, I have been climbing Rochelle’s dildo. A bit shocked by my revelation I almost let go but I manage to regain composure from my shock and climb onto the tip of the dildo, from the tip of the dildo I leap onto the edge of the dresser top and pull myself up.

 

            “Caitlin, I’m sorry but I find this whole thing hard to believe. Your brother who is now G.I Joe sized is stuck in a purse somewhere in the city, and you have reason to believe that someone on this list has him?”

 

            “Yes, you are a reporter Chloe, Editor of the school paper, do your reporter junk, tap your sources, flaunt yourself around like you usually do.” snaps Caitlin as she looks at her best friend and roommate. I made you a copy of the list find out what you can. Please!”

           

            “I will try but I make no promises alright? And what do you mean flaunt myself around like I always do?” says Chloe as she gets in her car.

 

            “It looks like I am on my own” huffs Caitlin as she looks as she looks at the first name on the list. Melissa Fuentes she says to herself as she heads

 

            I could not believe how much effort it took just to get to the floor of this place. I was only on top of a dresser and yet it seems like a mountain or at least a very tall tree. I started running across the bedroom floor, I wasn’t even a quarter of the way there and already my chest was heaving, my lungs were begging for air as my legs felt like they were about to fall off. I kept praying that Rochelle would not walk in, then again if she did walk in would she even see me. She thinks I am still in her drawer. I cringed at the thought of my life being exterminated like a cockroach unknowingly.

 

            The floorboards start to rumble as the wind begins to stir, dust flies up into my face making my eyes water as I look around for a place to hide. I spot an overturned sketcher to my left and a small bag lying to my right. I glance at the shoe and then back at the small bag. I decide on the small bag for no real reason at all but it just feels right. As I make it to the bag, I look over my shoulder seeing Rochelle carrying a full laundry basket talking with the blonde girl who almost spotted me in the drawer. I immediately crawl into the small bag.

 

            As soon as I crawl into the bag, I immediately get blasted with smells of various make ups all mixed together. I struggle to hold in a cough as I lean up against a compact still breathing heavily but a small smile across my face as I have freedom at last.

 

            The rumbling increases getting louder and louder breaking my thoughts of happiness and freedom by the image of a foot smashing down into the ground mere inches from the bag I am in. I start to think how bad of an idea this is as one wrong step and I could be a goner, the shoe would have provided a bit more protection, hindsight is 20/20 I think to myself as another devastating footfall lands nearby.

 

            “You are such a pig Rochelle.” Blurts Dallas as she folds a t-shirt.

 

            “Hey I can keep my room however I want Dallas, and you are not exactly one to talk.”

 

            “Yeah, yeah, at least keep your make up bag off the floor, I almost stepped on it. I would feel bad if I ruined your make up, especially since you got some of that expensive French import stuff.”

 

            My entire body paused as I heard those words. I felt the bag begin to lift up slightly and then crash onto something hard. Eyeliner, lipstick, compacts; etc fell over me as the bag crashed down onto what I can only guess is a table of sorts.

 

            Chloe pulled out her cell phone as she closed the door to her 97 navy blue Pontiac Grand-am. She stared down at the list of names eyeing them closely until one pops out at her.

 

            “Hi, business services, I need a phone number, I am doing a story for the gazette and yes, uh huh. The first name is….”

 

            I looked over at Rochelle as I stood atop of her vanity table, behind me stood bottle after bottle of various nail polishes, lipsticks, eyeliner and blush. I headed towards the edge of the table; I gulped as I looked down the side of the table. It had to be a hundred foot drop. Just great, I thought to myself. I escaped from a drawer to be trapped on her vanity table. Just fucking beautiful I thought to myself as I sat down on looking out at the two giants.

 

            The time passed by slowly as they had left the room quite a while ago. Rochelle seemed quite pleased with herself as I saw her look over at the drawer a few times, as she was talking with her friend Dallas.  I huffed as I stood up a bit upset but admiring how good it feels to stretch my legs. I walk to the far side of the vanity table and look over at one of the sides of the vanity table. I look down much to my surprise I see salvation. A small light cord is running down the side of vanity table. There will be a bit of a drop from the outlet to the floor but it does not look like it should be severe, not wanting to waste anytime, I grab hold of the cord and begin to shimmy my way down. It is a bit more work t hen I had thought it would be but I did not dare slide down the cord, as I did not want to get a burn.

 

            I finally touched down on the carpet and looked back up at the top of the vanity table. Its huge I think to myself, I cannot believe I was all the way up there. That is unbelievable. The room being empty I casually head out across the floor not overly concerned with much of anything as no one is here right now.

 

            I made my way into the hallway as I heard a knock at the door. I rounded the corner anxiously as I knew whoever was coming would have to leave and that’s when I can make my escape.

 

            The closer I get the more excited I find myself becoming. I start running towards the door halfway forgetting where I am but it all comes rushing back to me as I see Nadia sitting on the sofa next to Rochelle.

 

            “Hi, I am with the newspaper and we are doing a spotlight article on students and you two have been selected.”

 

            “Us?” curiously asks Rochelle

           

            “Yes, you see we are honoring students who are recommended by their teachers to be hard working but not necessarily straight A students.  We feel too often that the only students who get recognition for hard work are the students who are pulling in a 4.0 or close to it. So we are decided why not honor those who do work hard just to get a B or even a C. Sometimes getting a C is just as great as getting an A.”

 

            “It all seems interesting but I still don’t understand how you got our names. I mean why would any teacher recommend me?”

 

            “Would it be all right if I used your bathroom?”

 

            “Oh sure”

 

            As I rounded the corner I could not believe what I saw, it was Chloe. My heart did somersaults as I watched her frame rise up and move towards me. I started to shout and jump up and down in glee as she neared me; her eyes locked on the floor scanning from left to right. I knew that it was just going to be a matter of time before she spotted me however as she neared me I saw her head start to swivel to the left.

 

            “No, Chloe! CHLOE!! OVER HERE” I shout as her foot lifts over me. I run forward not wasting anytime. I can feel the vibrations of Chloe’s footfall. I turn back to see her back to me.

 

            “Just great” I think to myself as I kick at the wall in anger. As I turn around, I am met with a wall of flesh. The fingers curled around my body sealing me in darkness muffling my voice. I flailed my body but it was no use as she only exerted more pressure flattening my body firmly against the palm of her hand.

 

            The movements of the giant quickened as her body rocked from side to side at near breakneck speeds. A door closed as light shone down onto me. I nervously looked up…

 

            Caitlin dejectedly walked out to her car, as the first two names on the list were failures. There was always hope that he was at this Rochelle Martin’s house but what are the odds. A four-inch tall man in a city this big, Sam could be anywhere. Caitlin thought to herself as she started her car up.

 

            Caitlin struggled to maintain her composure as she neared the address, As much as she knew that Sam wouldn’t be there part of her knew that he had to be, that if he wasn’t she would never see him again, hope was all she had left.

 

            Meanwhile, I looked up at Chloe from the counter top; I leapt at her stomach and buried my face into it. Tears started to well in my eyes as I felt a finger lovingly stroke me.

 

            “You know, you have someone really worried about you?” whispers Chloe as she curiously stares at me.

 

            “Who? Caitlin? I doubt she misses me all that much. I mean we get along and all but she doesn’t really….”

 

            “Just shut up Sam. She has been going crazy the past day and half or so looking for you. She is your sister you know. Give her a little credit.” snaps Chloe as she bends down so her face is level with me.

 

            “Yeah, your right, We have our differences but we are always there for one another. So how you getting me out of here, I can conceal myself under your shirt you know!”        

 

            “Ummm how about NO!” shouts Chloe.

 

            “You can’t blame a guy for trying can you?”

 

            “Yes, yes I can. Just for that, I may just have to keep you for myself. I could do a lot with a little man. I could wire you tap you and you could crawl into conferences rooms or lie in wait by a phone so I can get exclusives and breaking news. I could be lead anchor for CNN or MSNBC.”

 

            “Come on, let’s get serious. I want out of this damn place.” I try to say as firm sounding as possible but it still comes out squeaky.

 

            “I love your new voice Sam. It is so you….Immature.” laughs Chloe as she pulls out her phone.

 

            “Very funny, just get me out of here.” I plead as I stare up at my giant sized savior.

 

            “Alright, you are going to have ride in my backpack out of here.”

 

            “How’d you get a backpack in here without them realizing you were up to anything?”

 

            “Girl stuff and I really don’t want to talk about it, so you coming or staying,” asserts Chloe as she stuffs me into her backpack quickly zipping it shut.

 

            Chloe smirks as she looks down at the backpack and lifts it up slinging it over her shoulder making sure to give it an extra thud against her back as she heads out of the bathroom.

 

            “You may not have noticed me before Sam, but you are going to notice me now.” mumbles Chloe as she heads into living room and sits down just as her cellular phone rings.

 

            “Hello, oh really…okay, I will be right there then.” Says Chloe as she hangs up the phone. “Sorry we are going to have to reschedule this, I have to get back to the office. I will be in touch with you.

 

            “Alright” says Rochelle as she walks her to the door.

 

            Chloe hustles down the hallway not wasting a single movement as she reaches the elevator. The elevator slowly meanders down two floors when it stops and door opens.

 

            “Did you get him?” excitedly says Dallas.

 

            “Yeah he is in my bag. So far so good right? They didn’t suspect anything when you left?”

 

            “Nope, I told them I forget that I had a load still in the wash.”

 

            “Shall we?”

 

            “I think we shall. Enjoy the ride the little man,” shouts Dallas at the bag as she pats on the bottom. Both girls then dart out towards Chloe’s car not looking back once.

 

            “Hey Rochelle, Have you seen the little man, I thought he was in your drawer.”

 

            “He is!”

 

            “Not anymore.”

 

            “You don’t think he escaped?”

 

            “Not without help he didn’t… we might have to pay a little visit to a near and dear friend.” Says Rochelle as she cracks her knuckles.

Chapter Five

 

           

            I stood on the counter top and looked up at Chloe and Dallas. I was relieved to be in the familiar surroundings of Caitlin’s apartment but Caitlin was nowhere to be found. I cringed as the hand of Dallas swept around me and hoisted me into the air. I hung limply in front of her face as she examined me.

 

            ‘Hey!”

 

            “Wow, he’s so incredibly light Chloe. I can’t believe it’s really a little person. And he’s cute too. You are so cute, Caitlin’s little brother.”

 

            “Hey I am her older brother. And put me down.”

 

            “Not anymore you aren’t.” Teases Chloe as she looks on at my helpless plight in Dallas’s grip.

 

            The girls move over to the living room. I try to kick and fight against the grip of Dallas but its like I am anything but a toy to her. She doesn’t even notice my struggles as she proudly examines me as she walks behind Chloe into the living room. I am set down on the coffee table.

 

            “Wow I can’t get over how easy he is to manipulate.”

 

            “Well I think you had better be going now Dallas. Sam will be fine with me.

 

            “But I-“

 

            “-Had better go before Caitlin gets home. Nobody is supposed to know about Sam’s condition.”

 

            “Oh, ok.” (sighs). “I just wanted to see him.”

 

            “Well you will soon, I promise. Now is not a good time though.

 

            “Awwww….”

 

            “I will see you later little man, I guess.”

 

            I didn’t answer her as she closed the door behind her. Chloe sauntered over to the coffee table looked down at me. I cringed as she reached down and wrapped her fingers around my body and I was effortlessly lifted high up in front of her face. I kicked ineffectually against her but I don’t think she even noticed.

 

            “It’s ok Sam, you are safe now. Caitlin should be home a little later on. She will be so relieved that I found you.”

 

            “Thanks, now if you could just set me down I will wait for Caitlin to get home.”

 

            “Oh don’t worry I am going to let you down once we get to my room. We can hang out together until Caitlin gets home.”

 

            I watched helplessly as the apartment swirled around me. Chloe was headed down the hall toward her room. From her fingers I tried to swivel to see what was in front of us but she giggled and pushed me into her top. All I could see was darkness as I heard the sound of her door open and then shut.

 

            “I can’t believe Dallas would do this.”

 

            “Yeah that bitch. I thought she wanted to be a Chi-O.”

 

            “Just how the hell are we supposed to find the little man now Nadia? God knows where she and that other girl took him.”

 

            “Let’s go down and see her. I will get it out of her if I have to rip every hair out of her head. How dare she take my little Tucker from me.”

 

            “Tucker? I thought his name is Sam?”

 

            “Pet’s don’t have their own names until their owners name them. I’m calling him Tucker.”

 

            “That’s gay.”

 

            “No it’s not. I think it’s cute. He’s my little Tucker, and I want him back.”

 

            “Oh whatever. Let’s go.”

 

            “Hey what’s up?”

 

            “Oh hey Carolyn. Nothing much, we were just going downstairs to pay Dallas a visit. That Bitch is in big trouble.”

 

            “Oh? What’d she do?”

 

            “She stole something from us, and we are going to get it back right now.”

 

            ‘Oh cool, I may as well come along with you.”

 

            “This doesn’t concern you Carolyn.”

 

            “Well I am bored so I may as well.”

 

            Dallas walked quickly back to her apartment. Although she was upset she didn’t get to see the little man as much as she wanted to she felt good about helping him get back to his sister. Chloe didn’t offer to drive her back, but it was only a few blocks anyway. She clutched her purse and pretended the little man was still inside. It felt kind of cool having a living person secreted about that way. Having somebody that small in your possession while nobody else knew he was there.

 

            As she rounded the corner toward her building, she wondered what Rochelle and Nadia were doing right now. Probably looking in vain for Sam. She laughed at the thought of them turning their apartment upside looking for the tiny man. They probably had no idea she was involved with Chloe. She was going to think of an excuse just incase however. It was probably unnecessary but it was for the best.

 

            She was wrong. As she rounded the hallway corner to her door she could see them standing there, waiting for her. Rochelle, Nadia and also Carolyn. They didn’t look too happy.

 

            “There you are. Dallas may we have a word with you?”

 

            “Come on Sam, only a couple more feet and you are free.”

 

            “Chloe this isn’t funny, its hard to move under your stocking.”

 

            I struggled upward as I shimmied up Chloe’s smooth thigh. Her stocking pressed against my back as I tried to get to the lip. It felt like mosquito netting over me as I crawled. We had gone back to Chloe’s room she had wasted no time in getting to see and touch me some more for herself. I was set down on her bed and I watched with a gulp as Chloe began stripping down to her bra and panties. I backed away from her as she moved toward me on the bed her eyes fixated on me.

 

            “Don’t worry Sam, you will be safe with me and Caitlin. You can stay here and live with us until you can get back to your size, k? Besides you know I have always kind of thought you were cute before but now…”

 

            “Thanks Chloe, just be careful with me, I’m not some plastic doll you know.”

 

            Chloe giggled and eyed me for a few moments, and then reached down and grabbed me in her fist. I cringed as I felt my feel leave the surface of the bed and I was whisked into the air. I surveyed her nearly naked body as I rose up to her face. I started to panic as her grip was tight around my body, and then suddenly I was flipped upside down in her clutch.

 

            “Hey what do you think you are doing put me down put me down put me down!”

 

            “Relax Sam, I am not going to hurt you. Don’t be such a baby, I am just playing.”

 

            “I’m afraid of heights. Let me down.”

 

            “Hmmmm well I will make a deal then. I will put you in my stocking and if you can climb out I will leave you alone.”

 

            Chloe then pulled her stocking open and dropped me in. I slid all the way down to the top of her foot. I looked up at the top of my nylon prison to see her smiling at me before letting go of the stocking. Then I felt her lurch as she lay down on the bed and grabbed the remote control and turned on the TV.

 

            “You have ten minutes or you are mine forever.”

 

            I gulped. Was she serious? I didn’t want to find out, and began working my way up her leg, across her shin.

 

            “Ooooo that tickles.”

 

            “Listen Dallas unless you want to be blackballed from the sorority you better tell us where Tuck, er little Sam is, understand?”

 

            “I told you Nadia, I don’t know what you are talking about. I never saw any Sam.”

 

            “I still can’t believe there are little men and you guys didn’t tell me.”

 

            “SHUT UP CAROLYN.”

 

            “Where is he Dallas? Or do you want to get kicked out forever. And you can forget about that internship with my dad’s company next summer too.”

 

            “Awww Nadia, please. I don’t know of any-“

 

            “Ok fine you heard her girls, I will propose a resolution at this weeks meeting to blackball Dallas forever.”

           

Dallas’s eyes began welling up with tears. She had meant no harm, but everything was backfiring on her now. Her friends, her sorority, her internship all gone because she had tried to help the little guy.

 

“OK OK OK, please don’t kick me out. He’s at 1526 N. Sycamore, apartment 213.  But please don’t tell them I told you, I swear I was just trying to help.”

 

            “Oh don’t worry we won’t tell them anything. In fact we won’t see them at all you will. We’re going right now to get him back and you’re coming with us. Girl’s lets go.” Orders Nadia.

 

“Time’s up little man. I’m keeping you now.”

 

I was just at the lip of the stocking. I gave a last push to get out but her fingers came down to hold me in place. I struggled to free myself but Chloe was too powerful. She plucked me up and stood me on her stomach as she lay on the bed. I rose up and down as she breathed in and out.

 

“There. That better?”

 

I was about to say something when a rumbling below me shook through my being.”

 

“Oopps sorry I guess I haven’t eaten much today. Are you hungry Sam?”

 

“Well I could-“

 

Chloe didn’t wait for an answer. She snatched me off her stomach and tucked me back into her stocking, then got up and walked to the kitchen. I sunk back down to the top of her foot rising up and down with each step she took, wondering if she was really going to keep me for herself forever.

 

“Ok turn left, left Nadia there’s the building over there.”

 

“Park across the street.”

 

“Ok, Dallas here’s the deal. If you ever want that internship or if you don’t want to be kicked out of the sorority you will go in there and get our little Tucker back.”

 

“But Chloe’ll never-“

 

“You better figure out something then.”

 

“I still can’t believe you guys have a little man. I can’t wait to see him.”

 

“SHUT UP CAROLYN!”

 

“Ok Dallas get out! You better be back with him in five minutes or you are dead.”

 

As Dallas walked toward the apartment door Nadia turned to Carolyn in the back seat.

“Ok Carolyn we need you to do a favor for us. When Dallas gets back with Tucker we want you to take him for the evening. I’m sure Dallas will lead that other bitch right back to us so we are going to stash him with you for the night. You are going to see our little guy but you better not hurt him or you will get it.”

 

“I promise, I swear”

 

I was sitting on the kitchen table, finishing my tiny turkey sandwich with mayonnaise. Chloe had set me down here and let me finish eating while she excused herself to go to the bathroom. It hadn’t been more than a minute when the front door unexpectedly opened.   

 

“Chloe are you there?”

 

I jumped up and down was it Caitlin? My sister!

 

“Caitlin! Down here on the coffee table! Its me! Its Sam!”

 

“Caitlin is that you? I’m in the bathroom I’ll be right out.”

 

 

I heard the footsteps approach. I expected to see my sister but looked up at surprise to see Dallas again. Without a word I was quickly scooped up into her palm and dumped into a large denim shoulder bag. It was empty except for me. The world went dark and I shouted in vain as I felt the bag rock back and forth, then the door closed and the sound of shoes on pavement. I heard a motor running, then female laughter.

 

“Did you get him?”

 

“He is in the bag.”

 

“Thanks!”

 

I felt the bag lurch as it was grabbed violently, then the squeal of tires and gunning of engine followed by laughter. I could hear Dallas screaming “Wait!” in the distance.

 

“So long Dallas thanks!”

 

“I can’t believe you just ditched her Nadia. That was so mean.”

 

“Serves her right.”

 

“Ok let me finally see this little guy.”

 

I saw the bag open up and two faces peering in. One was Rochelle and the other was an unfamiliar red head.

 

“Awww he’s so cute. Let me hold him.”

 

“Leave him be until you get him home.” I heard Nadia say. “We will get him from you tomorrow.”

 

I saw the bag close and I was again in darkness. I sunk to the bottom of the bag in despair as I knew my journey was about to take a new course.

 

“Sam? Sam? Where are you? Don’t hide from me.”

 

Chloe was searching frantically throughout the apartment for him. Where could he have gotten to? She had left him on the high counter, there was no way he could have gotten off it himself. Someone must have…

 

“Hey Chloe, I’m back, did you have any luck?”

 

Chloe froze and straightened up. It was Caitlin. Caitlin was having a hard time of it. She decided not to tell her about the days events just yet. She didn’t want her to know Sam was right here in the apartment, or at least was. Caitlin would be furious if she thought Chloe hadn’t done a good job of keeping an eye on him. She was so frantic to find him.

 

“Oh hey Caitlin,. You didn’t find him?

 

“No but not everyone was home. I’ll have to go back tomorrow. Poor Sam I hope he’s alright.”

 

Chloe walked over to Caitlin and sympathetically hugged her.

 

“Don’t worry Caitlin, we’ll find him.”

 

Then, whispering to herself  “If it’s the last thing I ever do”

 

It had been about fifteen or twenty minutes since Dallas had whisked him from Caitlin and Chloe’s apartment in the empty bag. It was now pretty late, probably after ten PM. The idle chatter of the girls gave no clue as to where they were taking him.  He had expected to be going back to Nadia and Rochelle and in fact hoped that to be true because Dallas and Chloe had both known he had been there and probably would look for him there or tell Caitlin to look there. But then his hair stood on end as the car turned off and the girls got out. The bag lurched as it was slung across a shoulder and he distinctly heard Nadia, say “Bye Carolyn and remember, be careful.” He then heard nothing further from Nadia and Rochelle. Was he with this Carolyn? He had no way of knowing. He began beating on the denim side of the bag, shouting to be let out but no one answered him. Instead he heard the key turn into a lock and a door open. Then he was jostled about as his captor walked up a flight of stairs and then opened another door, then quickly shut it.

 

“Hey Carolyn, home early aren’t you?”

 

“Yeah well wait until you see why.”

 

I cringed as the bag was flooded with light then the face of Carolyn appeared overhead. I yelled up at her not to do this. But her face disappeared and was replaced by her hand which caught me about the middle and lifted me from the bag. I was dropped onto a soft surface. I got to my feet and shook with fear as I could see I was standing in a bed in a large room. There were three other beds and desks and posters on the walls. Loud music was blaring and surrounding the bed was not only Carolyn but three other girls was well, all dressed in various sleeping garments.

 

“Now I want you all to meet Tucker. Tucker belongs to Rochelle and Nadia but he is staying here for the night as a favor. Tucker, I want you to meet my roommates Kate, Ashley and Lindsey. You don’t have to be afraid of them little guy, they will all take good care of you wont we girls?”

 

“Welcome to the Chi Omega house” I heard one of them say as they all moved closer to Carolyn’s bed, the room filled with giggling and laughter.

 

This might not be so bad, I thought to myself as they gathered around me…

Chapter Six

 

            Morning didn’t come quickly enough. I heard voices swirling about the room but I didn’t dare open my eyes. I wanted this nightmare to be over. I was so close to being reunited with my sister and now I am once again whisked away.

 

            Bright light shone down on me forcing my eyes open just in time to see Nadia’s hands coming down on me. She grabbed me roughly holding me up to her face with a big smirk on her face.

 

            “You get to come home. Try not to look so happy” I can only stare at Nadia with a hint of sadness as she bounds down the stairs. I press a bit against Nadia’s grip in hopes she will loosen her grasp on me.

 

            “Can’t you please take me back to my sister” I shout up to her but she doesn’t hear a thing as my voice is weak and pitiful in this state. My arguments cannot even be heard unless these giants want to hear them.

 

            As we near a midnight blue Mitsubishi Eclispe I try to peer in to see who is inside but the windows are tinted. I pray that it’s not Rochelle but I already know it is. Nadia swings the passenger side door open and slides into the passenger seat.

 

            “So did you get what you came for babe” I look up from Nadia’s hand to see a giant. Nadia releases me onto her lap as she nods.

 

            I gulp at the sheer magnitude of him. He doesn’t look to be a jock or a muscular guy just a normal guy. Blonde spiked hair, average height I would guess about 5’8”. He starts to lean towards Nadia. From my diminutive size, the entire act looks gross as his mouth opens a bit and Nadia leans towards him. I find myself clutching Nadia’s blouse as I let her blazer cover me.

 

            “You know I love it when you wear that school girls uniform.” He says as the car rumbles to life.

 

            “Anything to keep my man happy.” Replies Nadia as her fingers reach around me.

 

            “You are going to be a good little man Tucker or I just might have to show you to my man and from the way you were clutching up against me I don’t think you want that. So you better start forgetting about whatever life you use to have. You are mine now. I am going to see to it that things stay this way.” Whispers Nadia as she slips me into a clear plastic pouch in the front of her backpack.  

 

#####

 

            “Hey what’s wrong with you Chloe? You seem out of it today.”

 

            “Well you see I am not really sure how to tell you this. You see I have some really good news, then some really bad news, then some more good news but not quite as good as the first good news”

 

            “Wait a minute, just tell me what is going on” Caitlin says with a confused look spread across her face.

 

            “Okay well I found your brother yesterday. I was going to tell you sooner but you see it leads into the bad news he is missing again. I left him on table you see right here and when I came back he was gone. You see but on a positive note we know he is alive so if we…”

 

            “Wait a minute, what do you mean he disappeared, how come you didn’t tell me sooner?”

 

            “Well umm, it was supposed to be a surprise, and it all happened so fast I wasn’t really thinking. I found him and was so happy that he was okay you know. He was not even home that long. Then I came back and he was gone. I am so sorry. I feel horrible.”

 

#####

 

            I pounded against the plastic wall as Nadia walked across campus. People were everywhere not even paying me a thought. I was starting to think that I was too insignificant to even be noticed when I saw a brunette staring at me. She was walking with a guy and was pointing me out. I started frantically trying to wave my arms. My heart leapt as she rushed towards Nadia.

 

            “Nadia? Is that you?”

 

            “OH MY GOD!! Rachel!” The brunette’s arms wrap around Nadia and the backpack pushing me firmly against the back wall. I struggled for air briefly, before her mighty grip is released. I cringe as I watch Nadia unceremoniously let her backpack fall the ground. I find myself staring out at a vast plain of green grass. I crane me neck up to see Nadia intently talking to this Rachel girl while her boyfriend stands around with a bored look on his face.

 

            Time passes by slowly until finally, he says something to her and I watch them quickly kiss and he walks away. I kick at the plastic wall in anger as I find myself stuck in this hell. My torment doesn’t go on for long though as I hear the two girls say their goodbyes and Nadia slings the backpack over her shoulder as she heads towards what looks to be the science building.

 

#####

 

            Rochelle pulled up to the chi omega house, her stomach was in knots at the thought of getting to hold her little man again. She knew how territorial Nadia could be and this would be her best chance to claim the little guy as hers. Their was a lot she could do with a little man. Most of all, she wanted to make sure she got the guy this time.

 

            Rochelle ran up towards the Chi Omega house wearing red hooded sweatshirt and some grey sweatpants with red trim. She had a plaid hair scrunchy pulling her back into a tight pony tale and a pair of white converse tennis shoes with red trim to complete the outfit.  

 

            Swiftly Rochelle ran up to the house knocking on the door. She could wait no longer and pushed the door open nearly smacking Kate in the face.

 

            “Let yourself in why don’t you?” smarts Kate as she glares at Rochelle.

 

            “Oh stuff it Kate, I don’t have time for your games this morning. Where is Carolyn?” blurts out Rochelle as she starts heading up stairs.

 

            “She is in the shower,  if you are looking for the little man he isn’t here.” Kate watches Rochelle stop dead in her tracks. Rochelle’s head whips around as she madly glares at Kate.

 

            “Where is he then? You didn’t lose him did you? I knew it was a bad idea to let Carolyn take him. She couldn’t even keep a pet rock alive” says Rochelle as kicks at he baseboard stomping back downstairs.

 

            “Nadia came by with her boyfriend I think and took him. He didn’t come in but I saw him in the car as I jogged up to the house. He is such a cutie. She gets all the good ones.”

 

            “Don’t I know it.”

 

#####

 

           

            I screamed Nadia’s name as she tossed her book bag down on the floor next to a lab table. I was violently thrown into the plastic wall only this time I felt the wall give under my weight. I plummeted to the floor.

 

            I looked around the now massive science lab. I remember I had this class back at my old college. My memories of boredom were interrupted as I felt the floor quiver a bit. I stared up at four colossal pillars. It was Nadia and some girl. I couldn’t believe how tall they looked from this level. I hadn’t seen these giants at ground level for quite sometime but now its all rushing back to me. The fear, the panic, the terror, I scurry back towards Nadia’s bag as I would rather be enslaved by Nadia then crushed by one giant step.

 

            “Oh I have something to show you. Can you keep a secret.”

 

            “Yes! I am your sister you know.”

 

            “Yeah, kid sister. Smirks Nadia as she bends down reaching towards me, her eyes bug out a bit as she sees me outside of her pouch but she grabs me nonetheless and sets me on the table.

 

            “Umm so you made me get up early, come to class like 30 minutes early so you can show me a Barbie doll? Whoa it moved, did you just see it move. Nadia it just moved. Not like a toy move but a move, move. Its squeaking oh my god its squeaking.”

 

            “Settle down, look you know how we are moving in together next month. Well I need you to take him until then. You cannot show him to anyone. I am serious. Rochelle and I found him in this purse I bought, you see. Its complicated, anyway you cant show him off to a single person not even your best friend.”

 

            “Its really real isn’t it? I mean he is alive?”

 

“Yeah he is, his name is tucker. He keeps lying and saying other names but don’t listen to him. This is serious though, I am trusting you with something important.”

 

            “I promise, now can I please touch him. I wont show anyone. I swear you can trust me. You have never let me in on any of your schemes before so I know this has to be important.”

 

            “What’s the number one rule?” Nadia says in a serious tone as she squeezes me tightly pushing the air out of my lungs.

 

            “You fuck over your friends, do what it takes to succeed, Lie, cheat, and steal to get your way but don’t fuck with family”

 

            “That’s my sister here ya go” says Nadia as she opens up her hands. I nervously look out at her younger sister. She grabs me quickly; her fingers dig into my side as she holds me up in front of her face.”

 

            “He is so warm, his tiny expressions are so cute. Don’t worry little fella, I will take good care of you. I am just going to put you in my bag.” I was a bit taken aback by her niceness. It was different then Nadia.

 

            “I am going to drop some of my stuff by later alright?”

 

            “Okay, I will be around”

#####

 

 

            “Carolyn I thought we had a deal” yells Rochelle as she sits down on Carolyns bed.

 

            “We do, I just don’t know where he is. I swear.” Pleads Carolyn.

 

            “That’s not what Kate downstairs says. She was saying Nadia came by and took him. So that make me ask why are you lying. You are suppose to be my girl and yet here you are lying to my face.”

 

            “Well if you believe Kate over me then we were never friends were we.” yells Carolyn as she pulls a t-shirt on.

 

            “I guess not” yells Rochelle as she storms out of the room.

 

            Carolyn loudly exhales as she closes the door locking it behind her. She dashes over to her nightstand pulling out her cell phone then falling backwards onto her bed.

 

            “Hello, Nadia we have a problem. Rochelle was just here and knows something is up, yeah well Kate talked to your boyfriend.  Yeah I know, well like you said its just for a bit longer then you can cut him loose. Besides, it’s not like you don’t already know he is sleeping with Rochelle.”

 

#####

 

            “Lets just go to their house Caitlin. I know where they live, and Sam needs you. All he could talk about was getting to you, getting to you, and all you have talked about is finding him, finding him, fuck your classes lets just go and do it.”

 

            “You are a good friend Chloe.”

 

            “Yeah I am aren’t I” both girls start laughing as Caitlin then playfully pushes Chloe on their way out the door.

 

 

 

#####

 

 

            Everything around me was in constant chaos as books, pens and pencils, and god only knows what else jumbled about the army green denim backpack. She had the shoulder strap pulled over her neck as the backpack bounced against the side of her hip as she walked.

 

            “Help! Get me out of here!” I yell as I fight for my life inside of here. I push my way to the corner of the backpack where I grab a loose bottle cap and hold it in front of me as I curl myself up into a ball.

 

            The constant turmoil continues for quite sometime before I feel a sharp descent and then bright light. Powerful hands start pushing these massive objects out of the way. I can see her eyes scanning for me. They finally lock onto me as she reaches for me.

 

            “Hey little Tucker, how are you doing? You didn’t get hurt did you?” I wanted to snap at her. The stupid girl had almost gotten me killed and yet as she looked down at me she looked so concerned I couldn’t bring myself to snap at her.

 

            “I’m fine. Could you please call my sister,” I beg as I stare up at her gargantuan frame.

 

            “I don’t think so, I think its time you start to get settled. This is your home now. If you don’t understand that, I guess I will just have to force it upon you. You can’t expect little pets to fully grasp things to quickly.”

 

            Everything speeds by in a blur, my stomach starts to settle a bit as I hear cupboard open and close. The girls hand starts to tilt, I grasp onto the side of her hand but it’s no use I find myself tumbling into a plastic coffee mug. It’s a the giant kind you get at gas stations with the cheap refills. I look up at her for but a moment. She has a pout look on her face as she slams the lid down and opens the door to the fridge.

 

            “I will check on you in a bit. I hate to do this, but you need to learn this is your home. You only need Nadia and myself, we will take good care of you.” I heard the door slam shut as my prison grows colder and colder.

 

######

 

            “Hey Rochelle whats up, I got your message. What do you mean where is Tucker, I stopped by to get him this morning and Carolyn said that you picked him up. Yes I am serious. Yeah I think she might be too. Look meet me at Carolyn’s house in 20 minutes. Wait for me though okay?”

 

######

 

I couldn’t believe how cold it got so fast in this cup. My whole body was shivering as I sat here in absolute darkness. I rested my head against the side of the glass.  My mind began to wander back to the beginning of this all. If only I didn’t touch that perfume, or hide in that purse. I am probably going to die in here because I couldn’t do what Mrs. Nelson my kindergarten teacher taught us. Keep your hands to yourself. I don’t think any wiser words have ever been spoken.

 

Bright light came shining down on me, the light was so bright my eyes wanted to shut, the scent of jasmine wafted in as warm air filled the cup.

 

“Chloe? Is that you?”

 

“Nope, just me Anna, Anna Slovik. I have a question for you. Where do you live?”

 

“I live with my sister and Chloe. I wont ever admit to living with you or your fucking sister. You both are going to pay when they find me.”

 

“Oh they are going to find you here huh? Why would they ever look for you here. They don’t even know where I live. I am just a lowly college freshmen, here cause if I want a piece of mom and dads money I need college a degree in business. I’m sure you don’t mean that. Its hard to get use to a new home. I know, why don’t we go to my room and get to know each other a bit more.”

Chapter 7

 

“Dammit Chloe, it doesn’t look like anybody is home.”

 

“Well ring the bell again.”

 

“Its no use and you can see the place is dark. Sam! Are you in there?”

 

“That’s silly, even if he could hear you his tiny voice couldn’t yell loud enough for us to hear.”

 

“My poor brother; a prisoner of these bitches. I swear I will tear their hair out when I find them.”

 

“Well what do we do now? Stay here and wait?”

 

“I don’t know. I still don’t get how he could have disappeared from the apartment. Are you sure he isn’t hiding under my couch or something?”

 

“I don’t really think so. I left him on the table when I heard somebody come in when I was in the bathroom and I thought it was you.”

 

“And nobody else other than these girls know about him right?”

 

“I think so, except for – DOH!”

 

“What are you not telling me?”

 

“Get in the car Caitlin, we are gonna pay someone a little visit.”

 

                                                #####

 

“Tucker what are you doing? Come out wherever you are this minute. I might step on you accidentally, you are just a little folk.”

 

I huddled against the floorboard under the bed and crept silently toward the foot of the bed. I’d been hiding here for an hour as Anna ignored me while she gabbed away on her phone. I picked my way over one of Anna’s bras and a T-shirt. I was just bit from the edge of the bed. From there it was only a few feet from the open door of Anna’s bedroom. If I could only get out of the bedroom maybe I could find my way out of the apartment and somehow get word to my sister. From under the bed I could see Anna’s sock-clad feet pound the wooden floor was she moved about the room while talking to one of her friends. I couldn’t really make out what she was saying, something about her classes and her sister giving her something. From the way her feet were facing it looked like she had her back turned away from me. I took my chance and double timed it along the floorboard toward the open door. I was so close when I heard laughter ringing in my ears, and was suddenly clasped in a vice-like grip. I cringed as the air was sqeezed from my lungs and I felt the floor lose contact with my feet as I kicked wildly back and fourth. I rose up into the air as Anna brought me up to her face. She smiled at me as she held me easily.

 

“There you are Tucker. I knew if I left the door open you’d come out. What did you think you were doing? My little man needs to be careful where he is going if you don’t want me to accidentally step on you, k?”

 

“Please just put me down! I need to contact my sister!”

 

“Oh is she little like you? Having a little brother and sister might be cute.  It is too bad you are related or we could breed you. I bet we could get a lot for baby little people.”

 

“Dammit I am not some animal to be bred like a hamster!”

 

“Oh of course not you are Nadia’s little man, and therefore mine by extension. Now you need to be good while Hey are you hungry? I have half a turkey sandwich left over from lunch. Let’s get you something to eat.”

 

I had no time to answer one way or another as Anna cuddled me against her like a kitten and walked out of the bedroom toward the kitchen.

 

                                                            #####

 

            “OK Carolyn, Nadia and I know you got the little man so hand him over, he’s ours. Hand him over now.’

 

            “Actually Rochelle that was just a story I made up to get you here. Carolyn doesn’t have him. I got him and he is mine forever.”

 

            “Fucking bitch! He was just as much mine as he was yours! We found him together!”

 

            “In MY bedroom!”

 

            “Well I pay half the rent so technically its half my bedroom too.”

 

            “Oh and is my boyfriend technically half yours too, since you’ve been fucking him behind my back?”

 

            “I AM NOT!”

 

            “Oh come on Rochelle, everybody knows you are.”

            “SHUT UP CAROLYN. I thought you were on my side.”

            “Well its not cool you fucked Matt. Besides Nadia promised I could help take of the little guy if I helped her. You should have seen Tucker last night, it was so cute we laid out on the bedroom floor and made him hop from one of our stomachs to the other. Kate was laughing so hard she made him fall down on his face and gave him a bloody nose.”

 

            “I didn’t mean to! I just couldn’t help it he was so adorable.”

 

            “Well Rochelle I’m sorry but Tucker and I are moving out! You can just get yourself another roommate, another boyfriend, AND another tiny guy! Tucker’s mine, and so is Matt!”

 

            “BITCH!”

 

            “Rochelle I think you should just leave.”

 

            “Fine Kate, but you skanks haven’t heard the last of this, especially YOU Nadia.”

 

            As Rochelle slammed the door, Nadia turned to Kate and Carolyn.

 

            “Thanks girlfriends, I will be back later. I have to drop some stuff off.”

 

                                                            ######

 

            “I-I’m so sorry Caitlin, they made me do it, they told me I would lose my internship and get kicked out of the sorority if I didn’t help them, I-I just couldn’t lose everything. I was going to tell you anyway. I’m sorry, please I swear. I’ll help get him back for you, please let me help you.”

 

            “It’s ok Dallas, don’t cry. I know they pushed you into it. The important thing now is that you’ll help us, right Caitlin?”

 

            “I guess I believe you Dallas but you should have told me right away they had him.  I’ve been worried sick about Sam. Now who knows if he is in that apartment or someplace else.”

 

            “Caitlin I know I can get him back for you, just give me a chance, please, I don’t care if I get blackballed anymore from the sorority, I could never live with myself if anything bad happenes to Sam. I just wanted to take care of him, he was so helpless and tiny. God please forgive me!”

 

            “Dallas, I know how you can help us, since you are a Chi-O and we aren’t, maybe you can go over there and see if anyone knows where Nadia or Rochelle is.”

 

            “I-I’m only a pledge though so they won’t tell me shit.’

 

            “Well see what you can find out and call me on my cell.”

 

            “I will, Caitlin, I promise I won’t let you down this time, you’ll see.”

 

            “You better not, Dallas.”       

 

                                                            #####

 

            I was seated on the black formica counter top next to the sink. I shuddered as Anna opened up the refrigerator door; I didn’t want to go back in there. She noticed my apprehension as she removed a plate with a sandwich on it and set it down next to me. I looked up at her incredulously.

 

            “Don’t worry Tucker, you won’t have to go back in there as long as you are on your best behavior. Now I want you to eat something and I will pour you some Pepsi in a bottle cap, k?”

 

            I didn’t know what else to do so I waved thanks up to her. She giggled.

 

            “That’s a good little guy. Don’t worry I said I would take good care of you didn’t I?”

 

            She then proceeded to pick up the sandwich and took a huge bite out of it as she walked back to the fridge and pulled out a 2 liter of pepsi. She filled up the bottle cap and set it down next to me as she devoured the sandwich. I stared up at her hungrily as the turkey sandwich disappeared bit by bit into her enormous mouith.

 

            “Mmmm this is good – oh where are my manners? You wanted some, right?” She then broke off a small piece from what she had left, set it down next to me, then popped the remaining bit of sandwich in her mouth. Just as I was about to dig in she took it away from me again.

 

            “Let me put a little mayo on it for ya.”

 

            As I watched the titanic freshman grab a jar of mayo from the fridge I was startled to hear the side door open. I had no time to hide as the figure entered the kitchen. It was Nadia carrying paper bags full of clothing.

 

            “Anna help me with this stuff, I’m dropping my clothes all over.”

 

            “What happened?”

 

            “I finally had it out with Rochelle over Matt. We aren’t speaking ever again.”

 

            Anna walked over to Nadia and took the bags from her. She walked into the living room to set them down by the side of the couch. Nadia spotted me on the counter. I cringed as she came near.

 

            “Hiya little guy! How’s my sister treating you? Are you being a good little doll for her? Anna is he being good for you?”

            “He’s been ok. I was fixing him something to eat.”

 

            “Hey what’s that, turkey? That looks good, mmmm.” I screamed up at her but it was too late as she took my piece of turkey sandwich and popped it in her mouth.”

 

            “Hey I was gonna eat that!”

 

            “Nadia that was mean?”

 

            “What? Oh you were going to eat that? Sorry lil guy, you can have a cracker. Anna give him a cracker. I gotta go stop at my sorority and pick up my suede jacket from Kate, and then do some errands, but I will be back later with more stuff. Bye little man, I will be seeing you later.”

 

            I bit into the dry cracker and chewed as Anna watched me in fascination. It was better than nothing.

 

                                                                        #####

 

            Dallas parked the car across the street from the Chi-O house and looked out at the sorority. She wanted to help find the little guy and she was sure Carolyn was involved somehow. She was all set to go in when Nadia suddenly pulled into the driveway in her car. She quickly got out and rushed into the sorority house. Dallas held back; she didn’t want Nadia to know she was there or she’d know something was up for sure. So she would wait. She turned on her cd player and put on her sunglasses as she waited.

           

                                                            #####

 

I sat on the table in Anna’s living room, watching in fascination as Anna operated the enormous vacuum cleaner. I couldn’t believe how easily she could move the tons of metal back and forth across the carpet. I covered my ears as the vacuum screamed out over the room. I yelled out for Anna to stop but she continued on, not even hearing my cries. I was so insignificant to these girls now they didn’t even hear me most of the time. I was nothing but a toy for their amusement. That’s all I had become. I sat down on a stack of newspapers just as I heard the doorbell ring. Anna turned off the vacuum and motioned me to be quiet as she walked over to the front door and opened it up.

 

“Oh hey Rachel, what are you doing here?”

 

“Hey Anna, I haven’t seen you for a while, I thought I drop in what are you up to?”

“Oh I was just cleaning, hey what’s that?”

 

“Oh I brought over a DVD of that movie we were talking about, ‘Jersey Girl’, when Ben Affleck. I also got some Smirnoff’s.”

 

“Oooo that’s what I’m talking about. Come on in.”

 

I shuddered as Anna’s friend walked into the living room and sat down on the couch, her back to me. Anna closed the front door and put the DVD in the player, then both girls opened up a Smirnoff Ice and made small talks through the previews. I sat quietly on the table behind them, afraid to draw attention to myself.

 

“Oh hey I saw your sister.”

 

“Oh? She didn’t tell me.”

 

“Hey you wanna see something really cool she gave me? Wait here?”

 

“Ok, hurry up the movie is starting in a minute.”

 

I looked up in terror as Anna walked behind the couch over to the table where I stood. I closed my eyes and waited for the inevitable as her fingers reached out toward me. I raised my hands over my head to ward off her clutch in a useless gesture.

 

“You won’t belive this it’s so cool. Check it out.”

 

“HOLY SHIT! OHMIGOD! Look at that!”

 

“I know I can’t believe it. I’m not supposed to tell anyone but you are my best friend.”

 

“Can I touch?”

 

“Sure, just be careful.”

 

I opened my eyes in confusion, I was still on the table, and Anna was standing over Rachel by the couch as she held something in her hands

 

“How adorable. I have never seen a turquoise necklace like that before. “

 

“I know she got it out west in New Mexico this summer.”

 

“Cool.”

 

Relieved, I sat back down on the table and dealt with my present terrible situation. I had endured much the past couple days but nothing prepared me for two hours of Ben Affleck. I hoped I would survive.

                                                            #####

 

Rochelle was furious. She had run from the Chi-O house in tears, and spent the next couple of hours just driving around campus unsure of what to do. She couldn’t face her apartment and she didn’t want to tell Matt their game was up. Finally she was back on the street where the Chi-O house was located. She speed past and as she did so noticed not only Nadia’s car in the driveway, that was no surprise but a little further down the street she could see Dallas sitting in her parked car, That seemed odd to her. Why was she just sitting there, why didn’t she go into the house? Was she waiting for someone? Rochelle herself didn’t want to go back in the house so soon after her confrontation with Nadia, Kate and Carolyn but she was curious. She scrunched down in her seat as she passed Dallas’s car and turned to circle around the block. She found an empty space far down the street and parked, keeping an eye on not only Nadia’s car but also Dallas. What the hell was that girl up to? 

 

                                                            #####

 

Dallas had practically fallen asleep in the car when she heard the door of the sorority house slam. Nadia was walking down the front steps clutching her suede jacket. She ducked down in her seat as Nadia sped out onto the street, then she pulled out after her following at a respectful distance and as inconspicuously as possible. She grabbed her cell phone as she drove.

 

“Hey its me, I found Nadia, she just left the house. I’m tailing her now, I will call you when I find out where she is going. Oh thank you, I know we will find him, bye.”

 

                                                            #####

 

“Hey watch where you are walking!”

 

“Oops, sorry Tucker. I don’t think you will be safe on the floor.”

 

I shook my fist up at Anna as I stood in the center of her bedroom floor. Rachel had left without incident, and Anna had been please that I had behaved myself. I was taken from the living room and set down on her bedroom floor. I marveled as Anna pulled her jeans off and put on a white T-Shirt. Her white ankle socks straddled either side of me as she smiled down at me. I looked back up at her long legs as they towered over me, disappearing at the thigh underneath her T-Shirt.  She clicked on the stereo and instantly the room flooded with some dance music at a low volume. I had to scurry away as Anna started dancing over me, laughing at my fear. I tried backing away under the bed but she reached out her foot swung it around to my back, nudging me forward. I tumbled toward her and landed with a splat.

 

“Hey!”

 

“Oops sorry Tucker” Lets put you someplace safer.

 

I tried to back off again but her sock covered foot rushed at me again. I closed my eyes fearing she would smush me under her once and for all, but instead her toes scooped underneath me and I opened my eyes to find myself clinging to the top of her foot as she raised and extended her leg into the air. I held on for dear life to the sock covered foot as she swung it over the bed, then she shook me free. I screamed as I plunged onto the soft bed. I bounced once and came to a rolling stop on her comforter. I looked around for Anna but I couldn’t see her. I heard her giggling as a wall of comforter rose up high over me like a tidal wave, then crashing down over me, leaving me squirming in darkness. The bed squeaked and I could feel something displacing my weight easily. Then my ankle was pinched and I was dragged along in the darkness toward the light of an opening. I desperately tried to cling to the fabric but she was just too strong. I heard more laughter and then Anna’s voice as I emerged between the folds of her comforter.        

           

“What are you doing in there little fella? Come out here and hang with me on the bed for a while, k?”

 

                                                            #####

 

After sitting for what seemed an eternity Rochelle was startled by the roar of Nadia’s car as it backed out of the driveway. As it pulled out, she saw Dallas pull out too, moving in the same direction Nadia was. What the hell is going on here?  Quickly she turned the key and pulled out, keeping Dallas in sight as they drove. She didn’t know why Dallas would be following Nadia around, but she had a good idea. Perhaps they should have not fucked Dallas over the way they did. Oh well too late now, she thought. Something was definitely up.

Chapter Eight

 

            Dallas spied Nadia as she drove down street after street completely oblivious to the fact that Rochelle was following her. Where is Nadia going? Dallas thought to herself as she watched Nadia take a right finally pulling into a strip mall. I should have guessed. Sunsational Tanning. Great Dallas thinks to herself as she waits a few minutes then heads into the building followed by Rochelle.

 

#####

 

            “Are you sure we can trust her Chloe. I mean she did steal Sam?” nervously says Caitlin as she unlocks the door to their apartment.

 

            “We can, Dallas is very trustworthy. She just got forced into a bad situation.”

 

            “I know, I know I just don’t like having to rely on her for something this big. Sam is all that matters right now.”

 

            “We are gonna get him back and you are going to be yelling at him before you know it”

 

            “I hope so. If we don’t my mom is going to be pissed. I was supposed to help him adjust and so far I have shrunk him, lost him, and almost killed him nothing can get any worse.”

 

            “Well you didn’t almost kill him. Hey are you expecting company?” curiously asks Chloe as she heads towards the door as there is another knock at the door.

 

#####

 

            Rochelle dashes out the door as she spots Nadia walking out the door. She glances over at Dallas who is just getting out of her tanning bed.  Rochelle smiles at the attendant and gets in her car as Nadia pulls out of the lot. Rochelle anxiously speeds out of the lot. She looks behind her realizing that Dallas has already spotted her but it no longer  matters. She needs to get to Nadia before Dallas does.

 

#####

 

            “Hey Anna, what’s up? How is tucker?

 

            “Oh he is just fine”

 

            “Great, I can’t wait to get my hands on him” replies Nadia as she walks into the apartment

 

            “I can’t either,” yells Dallas from down the hallway. Nadia dashes into the apartment but not before Dallas gets her foot in the door.

           

            “We can work this out Dallas” Nadia shouts while trying to push the door closed.

 

            “We sure can, just hand over the tiny guy,” Dallas says while pushing her shoulder into the door.

 

            The scene was surreal as I saw the fighting at the door. I didn’t quite understand what was going on, but I knew this was the moment I had been waiting for, with Anna helping her sister try to close Dallas out of the apartment I knew this may be my last chance to get out of the apartment.

           

            I ran as fast as I could towards the door. My body was starting to give out as I approached the door. A chunky black shoe was in the door and as I looked up I could see Nadia and Dallas fighting. I scurried onto Dallas’s black shoe and then slid down onto the floor. I couldn’t believe it worked.

           

            I felt freedom for the first time, but I was unsure of where to go, until I spotted a tote bag looking purse down the hall. Dallas must have dropped. A genius idea popped into my head. If I snuck into the purse now, she wouldn’t ever know, and then once night hits I can sneak out of her house, and then find Caitlin. It all makes sense in theory.

 

            I ran towards the purse and climbed in. Needless to say you can probably figure out the rest. Dallas left, dejected at first feeling she had let down my sister, but then she went to meet with them. I popped out of the purse and explained everything to them from the start.

           

            So that’s how I ended up in this drawer waiting for my twin sister to come back to let me out. Caitlin is quite the protective one. Especially after all that happened, I guess I can’t really blame her.

 

            “Sam? Sam!!” A loud voice bellows.

 

            Well that’s Dallas, she still helps take care of me. She really bonded with my sister and Chloe. They are practically in separable.

 

“Dallas, I’m in here!” I shout, as her footsteps approach.

 

~~Fin~~

Epilogue

           

 

 

            Nadia sips on a white chocolate mocha as she sat in the outdoor section of the Starbucks just around the corner from her apartment. She straightens her white blouse and adjusts her black beret as she stretches her legs out before tucking them back under her chair and continues to play with her flip-flop style sandals. She looks out towards the street watching a seemingly happy couple walk across the street.

 

            She sighs a jealous sigh before standing up and grabbing her small black purse and slowly strolling back towards her apartment. The warm breeze blows at her hair as Nadia rounds the corner. The familiar vibrating sound of her phone interrupts her thoughts. She grabs her phone from her purse and then shoves it back in ignoring the call as she walks up the stairs to her, and her sister’s apartment.

 

            Nadia opens the door and tosses her purse on the kitchen table while being greeted her dog Peanut, a cute brown Yorkshire terrier.

 

            “Did somebody miss me? Yeah he did, Yeah he did” Nadia says in a baby voice before standing up.

 

            Nadia kicks off her sandals as she heads into the living room. She grabs the remote and flips on E! before tossing the remote back onto the sofa. Nadia walks over to the corner next to the sofa and crouches down allowing a smile to spread across her face.

 

“Hey Rochelle,” Nadia exclaims as she taps her finger against the glass of a sixty-four gallon fish tank, that her and her sister had converted into terrarium. The floor covered with a square of sod, along with a perfectly scaled house placed in the middle. Several Bonsai trees scattered about along with a dirt path leading towards a tiny lake with guppies in it.

 

Nadia watches as Matt comes out of the house and cranes his neck to look up at her. The sight of the two of them together brings a large grin across her face as she looks down at her ex boyfriend, and her ex best friend he cheated on her with.

 

“Looks like you really got the last laugh after all.” Taunts Nadia as she pulls away walking over to the sofa and stretches her legs out while grabbing her book out from behind one of the couch cushions.

 

# # # #

 

I couldn’t believe that it had been several weeks already. I still am stuck small enough to be Ken’s brother.  However, life has been pretty good. The shock of the whole shrinking thing is well behind me and I’m enjoying life. I can’t say I wouldn’t jump at the chance to be restored, but things worked out for the best.

Needless to say, my girlfriend was far from impressed with my new size. After a week she was already moved on to the arms another man. However, tragedy opens a new path. At least, that’s what I have always heard and it worked out for me. Dallas and I have actually started going out.

 

She would always come over around lunchtime when Chloe and Caitlin are at class and work. Dallas would then look after me so to speak. Everyone tried to make it not sound like a babysitter but that’s pretty much what it was. Then, after a few weeks the babysitter and I started getting a little closer.

 

So when it’s all said done, I can’t really complain. The only thing that bugs me about the whole thing is that we can’t locate the bottle that did this to me. We went back to the shop but Caitlin’s boss; the storeowner said she had sold it to some young lady.  As hard as we tried to locate her, we just haven’t had any luck. As the customer paid cash. So without the original formula, I am stuck like this indefinitely. However, this summer Dallas and I are going to Europe as we have a lead on another bottle.

 

So while I can’t say this is a perfectly happy ending. I can say that it’s a pretty damn good one.

 

The End