“Are you ok?” Eli trailed behind Haley as she speed walked back to her chair. They’d both spent over an hour sliding and swimming. Well, she’d swum. He’d floundered until getting rescued by Winter, time and time again.

Haley veered away from the chairs, taking his hand and leading him back into his apartment. She marched him across the fallen wall, dragging him along as if he were a child, then pressed something on the arm of his restraint chair. The wall closed behind them, secluding them in near silence and dim lighting.

“Didn’t know you could do that,” he said, analyzing his chair for the first time.

“There's a lot you don’t know.” She closed the curtains, making it even darker. Her outline moved toward him, black with a halo of light from what little still bypassed the curtains.

“What’s up?” He stepped backwards. Though he couldn’t see her eyes, the situation seemed somehow more...ominous. Perhaps it was the darkness.

She approached until she backed him against the wall. Her wet body touched his, pressing into him. Before he could say anything, her mouth met his, and her hands wrapped around his arms, locking him to the wall.

“Mmmmpff.” He struggled but she held him fast, her head turning to the side as her tongue bore a passage between his lips. She was indeed stronger, not just taller, her fingers like steel cables around his forearms. Each time he made a move, she pushed him back against the wall, forcing him to breath through his nose as she’d taken complete control over his mouth.

This was going too far. Way too far. Sirens echoed in his brain like klaxons only he could hear. He did what he had to do, the only thing he could do.

He bit down on her tongue.

It wasn’t hard, but it was hard enough to dislodge her attack, if that’s what it was. She released his arms and stumbled back, touching her tongue as if to check for blood.

“What the fuck?” he said. “What’s wrong with you?”

“You bit me.” She ran her tongue across her lips and teeth. Her hand nor mouth showed any blood. His eyes had become accustomed enough to the dim light to confirm she appeared uninjured.

“You tried to...I don’t know what you were trying to do but it wasn’t cool.” He slid to the far corner, putting space between himself and the feral girl. He eyed the door.

“It’s called sex,” she said, wiping her hand on her bathing suit. “I’m sure you’ve heard of it.”

“Of course,” he said, stunned.

“Ok.” She stepped towards him. “So let’s do it. We don’t have all day.”

“You’re kidding me,” he said, though her expression bore a look of hungry determination. “I’m not having sex with you. I hardly know you.”

She stopped her approach and glanced downward, fist at her chin in a thoughtful pose. “You’re attracting to me. So why not?”

He placed his hands over his trunks, mentally cursing the wet material. “I’m leaving.” He sidestepped toward the door.

“Wait.” She intercepted him, her arm against the wall between him and his escape route. “You’re a virgin aren’t you?”

“No.” He thanked the dim lighting — she wouldn’t be able to see his face change colors as he lied.

“Shit.” She placed a hand to her forehead. “The guy I have to have sex with is a virgin. Wonderful.”

“Simple solution,” he said. “We don’t have sex.” He ducked to go under her arm but she stepped in front of him.

“It’s not that simple.” She sighed. “Amber thinks you’re cute. She told me to have a baby...with you. So, here I am.”

“Amber?” he said, disbelieving. “You’re sister? She’s like what...six?!”

“Exactly,” Haley said. “She doesn't know what she’s talking about. She doesn’t know the first thing about childbirth. She just knows it takes a boy and a girl. And she knows that I know. So here we are. Make sense?”

“Fuck no,” he half suppressed a laugh. “It doesn’t. And we’re not going to have a fucking baby. You’re seriously nuts.” His eyes darted to the side. Could he get around her?

“Listen.” She leaned against the wall, crossing her arms. “I won’t get pregnant. Unless I’m on premie fertility drugs, which I’m not, there’s like a one percent chance.”

“Ok, so why do you want to have sex?” he asked.

“Seriously?” she said. “I get the one guy in the world who doesn’t want sex?”

“I’m sorry you find me irresistible, but — ”

“Don’t flatter yourself. It was a suggestion and if I don’t do it, it’ll drive me crazy. For real. Shit!” She pounded the wall hard enough to rattle it. “I have the worst luck.” She walked to the chair, sat down and clutched her head in her hands, letting her soaked hair drape around her legs.

He placed his hand on the doorknob, twisted it, but paused when he heard her crying. Why was she crying? She’d attacked him! What the hell was wrong with her?

He sighed, released the knob, and walked back to his bipolar attacker. He couldn’t resist a female crying. What man could?

“She bound you, right?” he asked, already knowing the answer. “It’ll go away. Just give it —”

“You don’t know anything about being a premie.” She sniffled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Then tell me,” he said. “Tell me why the hell you let her bind you all the time when you know it just brainwashes you.”

She turned her head in his direction. “Oh, don’t think I didn’t notice Ally bind you before you went on the slide again. And during your swimming lessons. Mr. High-and-Mighty-I-don’t-need-binding. Why did you request it, huh? Answer me that!”

He blinked, too surprised to answer. How had she noticed? He didn’t think anyone had.

She didn’t stop staring at him with those round, waterlogged eyes.

“I guess, because it made me feel good,” he said. “I could do things easier...better. I can’t explain it.”

“You’re damn right. It makes things a lot ‘better’.” She grunted, pounding the heel of her palm into her forehead. “And how do you think it feels when you ignore a suggestion?”

“I — I’m not sure I’ve ever done that.” He’d resisted before, of course. But not for long. The suggestions had always been reasonable and much easier to comply with than the alternative. He didn’t know what the alternative was, it just seemed...not good, like the opposite of obedience. Perhaps like what Haley was experiencing now.

“Well.” She continued hitting her head. “It sucks. It fucking sucks.”

“Hey.” He took hold of her wrist. “Stop. There’s gotta be something we can do about this. Other than....”

“There isn’t.” She seemed to be calming, but her tone was joyless.

“Is your sister always like this? How many times has she — ”

“Don’t speak bad of her. You don’t know her. She’s a good girl.” Haley’s eyes drifted to the window. “She watched a documentary on premie babies last week and she’s enamored with them, like any girl her age. It’s not her fault.”

“Maybe it’s time to explain the birds and the bees,” he said.

“You wanna try having that conversation with a six year old?”

“It’s better than being commanded to seduce some random guy.” He could hardly believe he needed to explain this to her. “You’d look back on this and regret it. Trust me.”

“I’m not a virgin,” she said. “Besides, I wouldn’t get pregnant. It’s really not a big deal.”

“It’s sex. It is a big deal. It should be with someone you love.” He was going to say ‘marriage’, but he didn’t want to get laughed out of the room.

She still laughed, more bitter than jovial. “You know nothing about being a premie.”

“You keep saying that,” he said, anger rising in his chest. “All I know is how I plan on living my life. And if being a premie means tossing aside all of my freedom, I’ll fight it.”

“If you don’t think you’ve already lost your freedom, you’re fooling yourself. You’re barely over three inches tall.”

“Yeh, but —”

“And if you think Premoria is going to make everything right, you’re stupider than you look. Where does the infrastructure comes from? The food? The protection? The rules and regulations? Humans. Sure, they’ll give you work. They’ll make you feel like a productive member of an illusionary society. But never mistake — it is an illusion. They are the true masters, and we’re their servants. It’s by design. If it weren’t, why would we be so much smaller? Why would binding have such an effect?”

“So you’re saying just give up?” he asked. “You’re saying I should just have my sisters boss me around for the the rest of my life because it’s the way things are designed? Sorry, but even an illusion of independence sounds better than that.”

“Amber’s a good kid. My parents are good people. Those who bind me generally have good intentions. You’ve experienced binding. It isn’t all bad. On most days I’m happy.” Her gaze dropped. “I lived in Premoria for two months. I hated it after the first two weeks. School sucked. Most of it was online because the high schools were at capacity. There aren’t enough premie teachers. The ratios of everything — doctors, bus drivers, mechanics — they’re all out of whack. And yes, I missed my family terribly.”

Premoria, as bad as she made it sound, still seemed like a better option to him, but arguing with her would be fruitless. “How about we head out now. I’ll have my sister bind you...make you feel better again.”

“No.” She shook her head, standing shakily. “I’ll be ok.”

“What are you going to tell your sister?” he asked, helping her to the door.

“I’ll lie,” she said. “I’ll tell her it’s done. She’ll forget about it.”

“And if she doesn’t forget?”

“Mom will have to give her the talk, because I’m sure as hell not about to.”

As soon as they stepped outside, she removed her arm from around his shoulder and walked slightly ahead of him back to the chairs. There weren’t many kids remaining now, just our sisters and Mrs. Rose. We sat in our respective chairs, soaking up the remains of the descending sun in the awkward silence.

“Do you want to come over sometime?” Eli asked.

Her head shifted imperceptibly, her eyes hidden by those reflective lenses. “After what I just did?”

“Well...yeh,” he said. “I mean...that wasn’t you, was it? Not the real you.”

“Aren’t you dating my cousin?” she asked.

“It wouldn’t be a date,” he said quickly, too quickly. “We’ll just hang out, or something. I don’t know any other premies.”

She paused too long for his comfort. “Sure,” she said. “I’d like that.”

***

“Shit.” Eli tossed the remote aside and looked to the door of his apartment. “Someone’s knocking.”

“Still collecting herbs for the next run,” Lara said, her voice coming through the television’s speakers.

Eli went to the door, but stopped with his hand on the handle. “Who’s there?” No one ever knocked on the door. The roof or the window, but never the door.

“A burglar.” The voice sounded feminine and familiar. “Let me in.”

He opened the door to find Haley standing there, dressed in hot pink sportswear with running shoes. It had been two days since they’d gone swimming, and he hadn’t heard from her since. Not that he had her number or vice versa, but still.

“So this is your apartment.” She stepped around him, walking straight into the living room.

He followed, not bothering to close the front door. “How’d you get here?”

“Nice setup.” She studied the television. “Sublime Conquest?” She picked up the remote and scrolled through his character’s inventory. “You can toss half this stuff you know. It’s useless at your level.”

“You play?” He kicked some of his dirty clothes under the nearest chair.

“Used to.” She tossed the remote on the couch and headed into the kitchen. “Got anything to eat? I’m starving.”

“Uh, yeh.” He picked up a stray towel and threw it into the nearest closet. “In the fridge.”

She opened the fridge. “Two peas, a lima bean and a blueberry. You live like a bachelor.”

“I haven’t touched the blueberry,” he said. “You’re welcome to it.” Truthfully, of the fruits, blueberries were one of his favorites, but Winter would always bring him more if he asked (in spite of their sugar content). “You never told me how you got here.”

“Natalie brought me.” She held the berry in both hands and sniffed, then returned it to the fridge.

“Wait, you mean Parker?!” He hadn’t spoken to his ‘girlfriend’ in nearly a week. “Is she here?”

“Probably. She still likes you by the way. Told me not to lay a finger on you. Pretty sure I’ve never seen her jealous before, so it was quite a surprise.”

It was too much for him. Was she outside, watching now? He ran to the window and threw open the curtains. Nothing. No blue-haired giant girlfriend peeking in.

“If she’s jealous, why’d she even bring you here?” he asked.

“Because I asked her to. And she still feels like she owes me for...stuff that happened in the past. Regardless, I’m here. So let’s get something to eat.”

“Uh...ok. I’ll call Winter.” He picked up the remote.

A hand on his shoulder from behind. So much for the ‘no touching’ rule. “No, let’s get it ourselves. Come on.” She took his hand and, in a manner unsettlingly familiar to the pool incident, dragged him along behind her.

She pointed to his tennis shoes by the front door. “Put those on.”

He did as asked, even though he hated wearing the things. They were made for premies (and looked similar to the one’s she wore), but were ten times less comfortable than human shoes. Something about the texture of the sole made it too firm in some places and too soft in others.

“I’m not allowed to leave — “

They were outside of the house and running toward the western edge of the nightstand. He’d expected some sort of mental backlash for disobeying, but there was nothing, other than a growing sense of unease, but he could easily attribute the latter to the situation in general.

“It’s not that far.” She released his hand and took a few steps back. “Just watch.”

Fearlessly, she sprinted toward the edge, jumped outward and spun in the air, landing on her back on the bedspread below. She hopped up and waved to him, smiling broadly.

He gulped.

***

Winter turned off her phone’s screen. She’d been given the useless thing a few days ago. It was army green, cracked, and without a data plan, but it did have a connection to their wifi. And it did enable her to listen to Eli’s apartment when his microphones were on...which they were.

She turned to face Parker who reclined on the couch watching an episode of Shameless. Winter liked Parker, but she didn’t much care for the show. It was all about sex and drugs and the father reminded her too much of what she’d heard about her own dad.

“Let them explore,” Parker said without diverting her attention. “Haley won’t let him get hurt.”

“But Ally said — ”

“There’s nothing that can harm them between the bedroom and the kitchen. And it’s been a couple days since Eli had any exercise, right?”

“Yeh but — “

“You’re the one who said he thinks you baby him too much.”

She had a good point. But, Winter couldn’t help the way she felt. If Eli did get hurt, she’d never forgive herself. Why did Ally have to go to the store and leave her alone with Parker? In spite of her laid back demeanor, the skater girl was overly confident and difficult to confront.

Winter returned to laying on her stomach, elbows digging into the carpet. “Can we at least watch something different. Mom doesn’t let me watch stuff like this.”

“Sure.” Parker scanned Netflix for something presumably more kid friendly. In spite of her complaint, Winter paid no attention. Instead, she stared at the gps tracker on her phone. It not only provided Eli’s location, but fed data regarding his heart and respiratory rate, both of which were increasing. They’d been forced to bind him to get him to wear the darn thing (nothing more than a thin necklace), but it had been worth it.

Especially in situations like this one.

***

Eli landed on his front, not his back, but the thick comforter cushioned his impact. He stumbled to his feet, wobbling on the cushy terrain while Haley clapped with glee.

“Told ya you could do it,” she said.

This girl, as insane as she was striking, had a spirit infusing effect about her, as infectious as it was terrifying. She bounded forward, reaching the edge of Winter’s bed before dropping to her hands and knees and disappearing below.

Upon his arrival to the same spot, he found her scaling the bedspread, clutching folds in the fabric and descending halfway before dropping to the floor. Once again, she motioned for him to follow.

“How are we getting back without my sister finding out?” He was stalling, but refused to show his fear to this girl.

“So what if she finds out?” Haley said. “We’re premies. We have no real responsibilities. Worst case, she binds us. And that’s not really so bad, now is it?”

He wasn’t sure if he liked this carefree attitude of hers, as if somehow their status as a premie meant they were expected to get into trouble, or at least if they did, they wouldn’t be seriously punished. In a way it made sense. He’d never heard of a premie prison. But surely crime existed in Premoria, right?

He slid off the side and held on, just barely. She’d made it look so easy, but holding his own weight without the support of his legs proved a monumental task. As soon as he released his grip in one hand, he fell, tumbling along the curvature of the bedspread and landing hard on the carpet.

“Not the most graceful thing, are you?” She helped him to his feet, something she seemed to accomplish with embarrassing ease, a hand under each of his armpits.

They walked toward the door, Haley slowing her steps to keep pace with his disoriented amble.

“You’ll get better at it, if you practice,” she said. “I was terrified too, at first. I was afraid to go outside, afraid of my mom, my dad, and especially of my sister. And they screwed up a lot at first too, but we worked through it. Eventually you’ll find the world isn’t quite as scary, and you’re not quite as helpless as you think.”

“I’m not scared,” he said as they passed a Barbie with a missing left arm.

“A little fear is a good thing,” she said.

“Now you sound like my therapist.”

She landed a solid punch on his arm, and though she likely hadn’t intended it to hurt, it stung nonetheless, her knuckle having found it’s way into a sweet spot of nerve endings. He swung at her, but she dodged, and the blow glanced harmlessly off her back.

“You’re not supposed to hit a girl!” Smiling, she grabbed him around the waist, spinning him until she tackled him onto the carpet. He struggled, and managed to turn her over onto her back, pinning her arms to the side. She fought, but without vigor, as if she was letting him overpower her. Perhaps she was, but something about the situation felt good. It reminded him of wrestling Winter as a kid. The good ol’ days.

“You’re not as weak as you look.” She wore a smirk but her gray eyes directed their piercing gaze at his face.

He got up before those eyes could detect his increased blood pressure. “We’ve still got a ways to go.” He took her hand as she rose and moved forward, this time leading her toward the door, which thankfully, remained partly open.

The carpet in the hallway was less dense, less deep, and all around easier to trek across. It had been marred by years of human footsteps, unlike the bedrooms, which had comparatively new carpet after last year’s remodeling.

“This is fun, isn’t it?” Haley moved up alongside him, still holding his hand.

“Still have no idea how we’re going to open the fridge.”

“You worry too much.” She swung his arm back and forth as she spoke. “Just enjoy the journey without obsessing over the destination.”

“I’m not...obsessing. Is that even a word?”

“Look,” Haley lowered her voice, pointing to toward the massive television in the distance.

“Supergirl,” he said. “Winter likes that show.”

“No I mean, look.”

He followed her finger and noticed his sister lying on the floor, mostly hidden by the stair railing and coffee table. She lay on her front, feet high in the air behind her, swaying back and forth.

“If she sees us out here, we’re dead.”

“Premies, remember?” Haley said. “We can do no wrong. Let’s go mess with her.”

“That...doesn’t seem like a good idea.”

“Stay here then, fraidy cat.” She released his hand and darted off toward Winter, ducking low as if on some covert mission.

After a momentary pause, he chased after her, whisper yelling, “What about the food? Kitchen’s the other way.”

She didn’t hear or she ignored him, pulling further ahead. He was running all out now, but still had difficulty matching her pace. Those long legs carried her fast, and she clearly exercised more than he did. Probably a lot more.

By the time they reached Winter’s knees, two fleshy boulders supporting two towering calves, his heart raced and he didn’t have time to process the multitude of things which could go wrong. If his sister merely let her leg fall straight, they’d both be squished, or at least knocked out by the force.

Luckily, they didn’t remain there long. She took his hand and pulled him along Winter’s side until they reached the waistband of her skirt. Haley put one foot on the fabric.

“Give me a boost.”

He did as requested, forming a footstep with his hands, and allowing her to propel herself onto Winter’s lower back. Certainly his sister would feel Haley’s weight, turn over in surprise, and unintentionally hurt the smaller girl, but that didn’t happen. Instead, before he could protest, he found himself placing his hand in Haley’s and allowing her to pull him up. She must’ve been faking her defeat back there. The fact that she hauled a good portion of his weight up with a single hand indicated as much.

They both rose to their feet, balancing on what his brain finally realized was another human person, his sister, her body the literal surface under his feet. The realization of it, and that she still seemed entirely unaware, swamped him with mixed feelings of insignificance and awe.

He ducked as a stray foot swung close, heel narrowly missing his head, or at least that’s what it seemed like.

“What now?” He was too deep to quit at this point. He’d follow her to whatever dire end awaited them.

And it was obvious she had a plan in mind, as her red fingernail pointed yet again to the next destination — his sister’s head.

Without further explanation, aside from giving him the ‘shhh’ gesture, she stepped forward, creeping one stride at a time across and up Winter’s back. The shirt under his feet wasn’t thick, it was nearly summer after all, but astonishingly, his sister didn’t move or squeal. Could they really be so light as to not be noticed? He remembered he weighed almost as much as a pencil. Surely, he’d feel a pencil touch his skin if he were still a human.

She waved him to follow and he did, hypnotized by her insane enthusiasm.

The heat emanating from the ‘ground’ could be felt on his exposed ankles, reminding him of the vast quantities of flesh and blood residing directly underneath. How could something so incomprehensibly huge be alive? His brain didn’t want to accept it, yet the familiar scent of strawberry shampoo and ‘Winter’ said otherwise. This was his sister and he was about to...what the hell were they doing anyway?

They finished the climb and reached the nape of Winter’s neck, partially exposed as she usually wore her hair in a side ponytail. Given the proximity to Winter’s ears, there would be no talking at this point. Haley didn’t need words. She pointed up, and up she went.

In a single swift movement of agility and grace, she stepped over the skin of Winter’s neck, lodged her foot in strands of blond hair and leapt up to the top of the girl’s head. He braced himself to be knocked violently to the side, because surely his sister would feel something….right?

When the earthquake failed to arrive, he stared up to Haley. She grinned broadly, motioning for him to grab her hand as she’d done at the waistband.

He shook his head.

She motioned again, insistently, giving him a mock glare that promised retribution if he chickened out now.

Fuck it. He stepped across the patch of skin and placed his hand in hers, then pushed upward with —

His foot slipped and his head crashed hard into the back of Winter’s scalp. His feet, now firmly planted on Winter’s exposed neck scrambled to keep his balance.

An ominous giggle shook the landscape and the head itself, nearly causing Haley to tumble. Winter’s laughter. She must know. She had to. Yet she wasn't saying anything.

Haley facepalmed, shaking her head in disbelief, then extended her arm again. He took hold, and this time managed to climb to the destination, as Winter’s giggling transformed into laughter.

“I can’t.” Winter blurted out. “They’re going to fall.”

“No, they’re not.” Someone said from behind. A shadow descended upon them, and Parker’s face filled the periphery of his vision, blocking out the television. The smirk she wore, similar in many ways to Haley’s, spoke volumes as did the glint in her gray eyes.

“Parker!” He didn’t know what else to say, other than her name, as if he’d been caught red handed doing something illegal or worse.

“Hey, Eli,” she said, her hands in close proximity as if to guard them should Winter’s head suddenly shift.

Fortunately, Haley had buried her legs in Winter’s hair and had forced him to sit with her. “We made it! Now it’s time to eat.”

“Wait.” He looked around as the earth moved underneath him, rising, slowly and steadily. Parker’s hands rose with it. “Y’all knew about this?”

Parker shrugged. “You had your microphone on. We knew you were running around out here.”

“So you’re not mad?” he asked.

“I suppose we should punish you,” Parker said. “But honestly you’re just too cute right now. It’ll have to wait till after lunch.”

“Told ya.” Haley mock punched him again, this time with less force, though likely because of their precarious positioning. “Premie cuteness is a superpower. Gets us out of all kinds of trouble. It’s like a Jedi mind trick.”

“It really is.” Parker petted Haley’s hair. “And you’re lucky too. Otherwise I’d be upset you’re holding onto my boyfriend right now.”

Eli wanted to respond and say he wasn’t sure about the boyfriend thing anymore, but something in Parker’s tone told him she wasn't entirely serious. Had she ever been serious? He’d have to ask her later.

At the moment, he was focusing on balance, and burying his legs as Haley had done, because their ascent hadn’t stopped. It couldn’t be safe for premies to ride on top of a human head, but that’s exactly what they were doing, and it was enough to cause him to squeeze Haley’s hand with all his might.

“That was fun!” Winter said. “I was so worried, but once you reached me, I could hardly stop myself from laughing.”

“It’s one of Haley’s favorite human games, as she calls them,” Parker said. “She’s got a few others. We can play a few after lunch if you want.”

“Can we?” Winter asked.

“Of course!” Haley said. “What fun is a sleepover without games?”

Wait. Sleepover?

What?