* * * * *
The next morning, Bob Bullfinch found himself being treated just as much like a pet as he had been among the Chinese girl athletes.
First, he was kept in the dresser drawer, until Beth and Aliya had finished their morning ablutions. Then, he was forced to watch as the two gymnasts got dressed in front of him...while he remained stark naked. Then, they took him to brunch, with Bob ensconced in Beth's right sweatsuit pocket. Thereby allowing Aliya to secretly slip him crumbs of her food!
Bob would have refused, out of old-fashioned male vanity, if he could. But, he had to keep up his strength if he was going to make another escape attempt if the opportunity presented itself!
That opportunity was provided by the ever fickle Fates.
Beth and Aliya had just dropped off their trays, and were now off to join their respective teams on the tram ride to North Greenwich Arena. Individual balance beam finals were next; set to begin at two o'clock that afternoon (British Summer Time). Followed shortly after by individual finals in floor exercise. Yet, as they approached the main entrance to the cafeteria, who should they meet coming in but the two teams who would be facing off against each other, in women's indoor volleyball, at 3:50 BST.
Brazil and Russia.
Aliya stopped to introduce her dormitory roommate to Svetlana Kryuchkova, Maria Borisenko, Yekaterina Gamova, and Yulia Merkulova. The shortest of whom still towered over both gymnasts by five or six inches. As a result, all four girls gave each gymnast a group bear hug in the spirit of Olympic comradeship. Unintentionally lifting both Aliya and Beth off their feet. This, in turn, sent Bob flying out of Beth's pocket...
...like wet soap from between a pair of hands!
To this day, he still does not know how it happened. But, he saw a gray folding chair heading straight for him. So, he instinctively stretched out both arms and caught the left armature of that chair's back rest. Whereupon, he slid down that armature like a fireman's pole. Landing on the empty seat, itself!
From that vantage point, he watched the two sets of competitors separate. Compelling him to drop flat on his stomach to avoid being seen (as the chair was _not_ pushed all the way in, under the table).
"Yeesh!" he muttered to himself: "I never knew aluminum could be this cold!"
Even so, he managed to not make a sound as the two gymnastic giantesses went by. He then got up and scouted around. Looking at each of the folding chair's legs. Deciding that the left leg would get him to the floor beneath the table, unseen, he slowly climbed off the seat and on to the leg.
Once again, the cold metal almost made him shriek with involuntary startlement as his gonads came into contact with it! Yet, he steadfastly maintained his silence until he reached the floor.
Breathing a sigh of relief upon doing so, he began to plan his next move.
"I've got to find someone who will have more sympathy for my plight. Preferably, one of the American athletes."
As if in answer to that prayer, he saw two more gymnastic giantesses headed for the cafeteria's entrance in order to catch the tram. And, one of them was the current underdog of Team USA: Jordyn Wieber!
The other one, walking beside her, was the Romanian gymnast Catalina Ponor. And it was her presence that made Bob a little hesitant. After all, she was slightly taller than Jordyn. So any attempt, on his part, to contact the latter might be spotted by the former.
But, this did not alter the fact that they would pass by the table he hid beneath any second. So it was--quite literally--now or never!
He chose now.
Running for all he was worth, in this miniaturized state, he exited from his ad hoc hiding place and made for the sneaker on Gigantic Jordyn's left foot. He jumped into the air as high as he could...and grabbed hold.
"OOF!"
He knocked some of the wind out of himself as he landed. But, the fact remained that he _had_ landed. And, more importantly, he was managing to hold fast! Despite the jarring, rhythmic vibrations that went through his little body with each one of her strides.
Out through the front door they went. Each one going to the tram cars containing their respective team mates. Little Bob thought he was home free! That is; till the Fates proved fickle, once more.
"Oops!" said Jordyn: "Catalina; your right sneaker's untied."
Which it genuinely was. So, Jordyn's Romanian roommate knelt down to tie it. And, as she completed knotting it, she saw him...and gasped.
"Spiridus!* "
tbc
Giantess World
Chapter End Notes:
*Spiridus: the Romanian mythological term for a sprite (or other magical little person).