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Trying something new here; hope you enjoy!

The imbedded images on this site don't seem to rescale with the width of the browser window, so let me know if people find the images too wide and want me to rescale them.  You can also get higher-res versions of the images at these other sites where I've posted the story:

https://www.deviantart.com/littlemikey1/art/A-Classic-Case-of-Zugzwang-793550005

https://giantesscity.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=146306

Ted tossed and turned angrily in the bed.  “This is STUPID!!” he yelled, not bothering to keep his voice down.

His mom had left half an hour ago, but her words still reverberated loudly in his ears: “I’m headed out for some errands, dear.  I’ve asked your sister to check in on you periodically.  She’s promised to be respectful of you and to only help if needed.  Otherwise, she’ll leave you alone.  I know you’re not happy with this, but I’m sorry Ted, there’s no other choice.  I’ll be back in a few hours.”

This was the first time Mom had left him alone in the house with his sister, Elle.  Mom had promised she wouldn’t do that, and Ted was furious.  He’d protested as hard as he could, but of course it was no use.  He might as well not even have bothered.  If Mom didn’t want to hear his objections, there was nothing he could do about it except watch her leave and then stew angrily in his room.

His new room was awful.  There was nothing for him to do here, other than basically just lie down and sleep.  And the room was too small for him – literally.  It was designed for someone about two-thirds of his size.  Tall enough to stand in, but everything felt a little bit miniaturized.  Mostly the bed, which his leg was hanging out the end of, nearly to his knee.

You’ll grow into it,” his mom had told him.  Hell of a word choice, he thought sourly.

  The sheets and blankets were thick and coarse, too; not really comfortable at all.  And they were pink, clearly designed for girls, not him.  But it was ‘the best they could do on short notice’, according to Mom.  Really, the whole situation totally sucked ass.

And worst of all, there were no doors in the room.  There was only one way in or out, and he didn’t like it one bit.  What if I have to go to the bathroom while Mom’s gone?  There was a place set up for him to relieve himself in private, but it wasn’t in here.  It’s humiliating enough having to ask Mom to take me there … but my sister!?  No freaking way!

He grunted and closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep.  If he was lucky, he could nap straight through until Mom got back.

* * *

He awoke as gentle tremors ran through his bed.  Tremors became quakes, and soon the flimsy walls around him began to rattle.  **Creeeaaak**  The door far away beyond his room complained loudly as it opened.

Now each quake were accompanied by loud a loud THUMPPP!!!, as both grew even stronger.  Dread ran through him; his heart accelerated and his breaths quickened.  He simply couldn’t help it.  Visits from his mom were distressing enough – and she meant well!  But Elle was another matter.  How long was I asleep?  Maybe it’s Mom, he hoped.  Maybe—

The roof over his head was suddenly ripped away, and he knew it was Elle for sure; his mom would have given verbal warning first.  He kept his eyes shut and pretended to still be asleep, as he heard the light plastic roof clatter to the ground a ways away.

 

 “WAKE UP, LITTLE BRO,” Elle’s voice boomed deafeningly, straining his eardrums.  He flinched involuntarily, fighting the urge to cup his hands over his ears.  Elle, unlike Mom, rarely bothered to lower her voice out of consideration for him; and the close walls of his room served to amplify the sound even further.

He made the mistake of opening his eyes just a little more and turning his head.  He was immediately met with the mountainous sister hovering far above.  He shuddered, awestruck.  This reaction still hit him, every time.

 

He saw her lips turn down in a frown.  He hastily shut his eyes and rolled his head back.

“YEAH FREAKING RIGHT,” she scoffed.  “I KNOW YOU’RE AWAKE.  ARE YOU GONNA MAKE ME POKE YOU?”

He inhaled sharply.  She wouldn’t dare!!  But when he opened his eyes, he saw his sister’s massive hand descending right toward him.

 

He gave a strangled yelp as her index finger stopped just short of ramming into his ribcage.  He didn’t even have time to yell an objection, though, before her massive fingernail raked downward and yanked the blanket right off of his nude body.

 

“What the hell!?!?” he screeched, covering up his nakedness frantically with both hands.

 

“WHAT THE HELL!?” Elle echoed, in similar fashion – only, far louder.  “EWW, GROSS!!!  OH MY GOD.”

 

Her fingers hastily picked up the blanket and threw it haphazardly back onto the bed, blacking out his vision.  He furiously uncovered his head and bellowed at the top of his lungs, “God damn it, Elle!!!  You have no right to take my blanket off, or even reach in here without my permission!!  I’m telling Mom!!  And by the way, I’m not your ‘little bro’ – I’m three years older than you, dammit!!  I’m in college, and you’re not!!”

Her look of disgust gave way to irritation.  “DUDE, I DON’T KNOW WHY YOU’RE EVEN TALKING,” she said disdainfully.  “I CAN’T HEAR YOU, NUMBNUTS.”

This room had come equipped with a microphone, as well as a speaker sitting outside, that he was supposed to be able to talk into so people could hear him easily.  But when they tried it for the first time yesterday, it hadn’t worked.  A replacement was on the way, but wouldn’t be here for another couple days.  In any case, his voice could still be heard well enough if people leaned in close and listened – like Mom did – but either Elle didn’t realize this or, more likely, was playing dumb just to piss him off.

He yelled and gestured angrily at her to lean closer, but she just shrugged and picked up the little roof again, holding it over his miniature room.  “Whatever,” Elle declared snootily.  “I don’t even care.  I need you for something, so I’ll give you 30 seconds to dress, and then I’m carrying you ouT, whether you got clothes on or not.”

The roof slammed closed with a deafening thud.  “Dammit, Elle!!” he yelled again.  He could see her massive leg standing nearby, through the window of his miniature room, and he tightened his fists.  “You don’t scare me!!” he declared, for no real reason.

But after nearly ten seconds ticked by and he still hadn’t done anything, he began to worry.  Elle was strictly forbidden from carrying him or interacting with him in any way, except for good reason and only with his express permission.  If she were to do so, as she claimed, she’d be in big trouble with Mom as soon as she got back.  And yet, Elle had never really been one to weigh her options carefully and worry about the consequences of her actions …

He decided to put clothes on, in the off chance she wasn’t bluffing.  She could rip the roof off at any moment, so he acted fast to slip on his miniature underwear, shorts, and a tank top.

As soon as he’d gotten the tank top on, the roof lifted away.  “YOU DRESSED YET?” his sister boomed, squeezing her eyes shut then reluctantly peeking with one eye.  “WHEW,” she said, opening them as soon as she saw he was clothed.  “YOU KNOW, THAT’S SO GROSS YOU SLEEP NAKED,” she criticized.

 

“Screw you!!” he yelled angrily.  “I—“

“OK, HOLD STILL.”

 

He watched in disbelief as both her hands swooped down and closed around him, the way one would catch a grasshopper or a moth.

 

The edge of her left palm barreled into his calves a split-second later, cutting his legs out from under him, as his butt and torso slammed back against the rest of her palm.  A moment later, her right palm clasped over her left and enclosed him completely in a makeshift prison, with only thin streams of light coming in through the gaps in her fingers.

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