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…