The Syndrome : April in July

Chapter 1 - Sweet Little Lies

    Robert Ladner’s Ford pickup speeds down the highway, thirty five miles per hour over the speed limit.  The red truck barrels down the crowded road, dangerously weaving in and out of traffic as other vehicles honk, a few slamming on their brakes, lighting up the dusk with their red brake lights.  The truck is on a mission, driven by the pure desperation and apprehension of it’s driver, who, at five and a half feet tall, had already lost a good six inches to the much dreaded Subtraction Syndrome.  He was not far now, it had been a long trip, from New York city to Boothbay Harbor, Maine.  He has nothing but the blue shirt on his back, the shorts on his waist, and the ill fitting shoes on the passenger seat, which were now a size or two too big to drive in.

 A green destination sign passes over head, which reads Boothbay Harbor - 1 mile.  Robert sighs, his hands shaking as he slows the truck down a bit, turning on his right signal and peering behind him, and then at his rear view before shifting into the right lane.  The sound of the engine had been his only companion on this trip, which left him free to second guess the whole venture in the first place.  Soon after his diagnosis, he scoured the internet, looking for anything and everything that had to do with Subtraction Syndrome, any way to stop it, anywhere he could go for help.  

 It struck him almost immediately on the first day, that he had no one to turn to. His parents having disowned him, and as he frantically clicked, he came across a web forum, for people like him, who had just found out.  There, he read about what to expect, and how to cope, he even posted his own story, which got quite a few replies, some offering support, others relating to how he was feeling.  

 The next day, there were a few messages in his inbox, one from this woman, in her mid twenties, named April.  The message was quite lengthy, containing paragraph after paragraph, in which April explained her mission in life - to take care of people afflicted with the Syndrome.

 At first Robert was a bit skeptical, not sure who to trust, he certainly was not prepared to trust some random over the internet, but as he talked to her throughout that day, he realized she made some very convincing arguments, some of which frightened him, like how he was going to get out of his apartment once he was too small to reach a door knob.  She offered to take care of him, and of course, there was a fee attached to her offer, she even gave him her address, at which point he stopped responding to her messages.

 A few days later, after the twenty seven year old experienced the agony of his first shrinking episode, he quickly found himself thinking about April, desperation overwhelming him to the point where he simply climbed into his truck and got on the highway, never looking back. It was hard for Robert to comprehend just how far away from home he had driven, time seems to hold very little meaning as he pulls his truck up the exit ramp, slowing down at a stop sign on the service road.

 “Next right turn, onto Julian street.” The computerized voice of Robert’s GPS chirps as he turns onto the road and then turns down another, smaller street, looking at addresses.  The neighborhood seemed eerily silent compared to what Robert was used to in the city, the houses spaced at least three times the distance apart than in New York.  “Seventy two...” He says to himself as he pulls up to the curb and kills the engine.  

 He sits there for a long moment, looking down at his bare feet, and then his shoes, in the dark interior of the truck, the sun gone from the sky, an orange glow left in it’s wake.  He takes a deep breath and pulls the keys from ignition, sweat dripping from his brow.  He then opens the door, and steps out onto the warm blacktop with his bare soles, turning and slamming it shut.  Robert  walks up the walkway towards the green front door, stepping up the three steps and running his hand through his short black hair nervously. He rings the bell and shifts back and forth on his feet, and a moment later a small blonde swings the door open, standing no taller than Robert’s chest.  Her hair is down to her shoulders, her eyes a piercing green, her face carrying the youthful look of someone in their early twenties.  

 “Hello there.” The girl finally speaks, smiling warmly.  

 “Are you-?” Robert begins, but is Immediately cut off.  “April? Yes, and you must be, wait, don’t tell me...” She says playfully, tossing up a tiny hand, palm facing out towards Robert’s chest.

 “Robert?” She asks, after a long moment of contemplation.  

 “Yes...” Robert replies, as April looks down at his feet.  

 “Where are your shoes Robbie?” She grins, turning her head back up to look at him once more.

 “In the truck, they...they don’t fit so well anymore.” He stammers as she just continues to smile.

“Well, no matter, come on in.” She says, stepping aside and gesturing with her right hand for the man to come into her home.  Robert steps inside, and sighs a bit as the cool air conditioned air hits him, the faint smell of sea water still present, even indoors.  The house was tidy, and cozy, the living room, while neat, was filled to brim with bookshelves, furniture, a fancy television, and all sort of amenities, most of which looked pretty expensive.  April quickly leads him into the small kitchen, and pulls out a chair for him.  “Here, pop a squat.” She offers while she saunters over to the opposite end of the table, sitting down.  Robert nods.  “Thank you.” he replies, as he sits down.

“I knew you’d come.” The small girl says, smiling and whipping her hair a little bit.

“Yeah, I kinda had...nowhere else to go...” Robert says, looking down at his crossed hands.

“That’s ok, that is what I am here for sweetie.” April says as she leans across the table, laying her small hand atop his.  “I know how scared you are... I mean, I have it too.” She admits.

“You do?” Robert says, looking the girl over again.  

“Of course, I used to be a good seven inches taller.” She says, her face growing serious.

“So that’s why you do this, then?” Robert asks, leaning back in his seat, already feeling a bit more at ease with the whole situation.

“Yes, I was one of the lucky ones, it happened when I was sixteen, they say when it happens early, it’s better, like chicken pox.” She explains as she stands up and walks over to the fridge.

“Can I get you something to drink, water, soda?” She asks as she pulls out a container of water, grabs two glasses, and places everything down on the table.

“Water would be great.” Robert replies, smacking his dry lips a tiny bit as April pours water into the two small glasses, pushing one towards Robert.  “Thank you.” He says as he wraps his hand around the cool glass and takes a large gulp of the frigid liquid.   “I was still growing, so, you know, I kind of gained some of those inches back, but not really.” She explains, retaking her seat and taking a small sip from her own glass.

“You seemed to have come out of it alright, how tall are you now?” He asks as he finishes his water off, setting the glass gently against the white table.

“Four foot, ten and a half...”  April smiles, “seventy two pounds...” She adds. “How tall were you? I mean, before you started to shrink?” April asks, standing up and grabbing a marble notebook, which she begins flipping through, attempting to find a blank page.  

She writes Robert’s name atop the page, and begins to number the side of the page.

“Um, I was five foot eleven...” He stammers as he looks on at what the girl is doing. “What’s that for?” Robert asks.

 “Oh, this? This is nothing really, I like to log shrinking episodes, see if I can find any patterns...” She responds as she scribbles a few things onto the page.  “Do you know how tall you are now?” She asks as she stands up, slowly walking over to a drawer, he bare feet slapping against the tiled floor, the neon pink of her toenails standing out against the pure white surface of the smooth linoleum.

 “Um, I’m not sure...” Robert replies, his head snapping upwards as a small bang is heard above his head.  He turns back to April, who is looking up towards the ceiling, her eyes narrowed a bit as she nonchalantly pulls a tape measure out of the draw, laying it on the countertop and sliding the drawer shut.

 “Excuse me.” The girl smiles, before turning and walking towards the living room, and running up the stairs.

 “Sure...” Robert says to himself, as he looks behind him.  When he is certain that she is gone, he leans across the table and pulls to book towards himself.  He looks down at the page, his abbreviated name ‘Rob’ sits at the top, the side of the page numbered 1 to 10.  Next to one sat the numbers ‘5’11” - ‘ it all looks innocent enough to Robert, and he flips the page.

 Atop the previous page sits the name Samantha, the letters descending in size towards the end of the name. The same number scheme running down the page, but on this page it is all filled out, all the way down to the number seven, which reads ‘4” - ‘ and next to the numbers are a few words in parentheses (Such a good little girl now!) Robert flips to the next page, the name Seth sitting atop the heading, he follows the numbers all the way down to number eleven, which reads ‘ 2” - :( ‘ He flips to the next page, skimming through it, and then the next, and the next, there had to be at least  twenty names in the book, and while some of them had various frowns next to their last size entry, some of them had smiley faces.

 “Looking for something, Robbie?” April’s voice causes Robert to jump out of his skin.  

 “I...I” Robert stammers as the small girl smiles, though there is nothing warm about her expression.  She slides the book back onto the other side of the table.

 “You shouldn’t look through other people’s stuff...” She says as she sits down, flipping back to the page marked ‘Rob’ and smiling once more before standing up and grabbing the tape measure off of the counter.

 “I’m sorry...” Robert says.

 “It’s ok sweetie, April forgives you! now stand up.” She insists as she walks towards him with the tape measure in hand.

 Robert complies, standing up and straightening his back, as April bends down, sliding the small metal flap at the end of the measurer under his big toe, and slowly sliding the tape up his leg.  She stands on a chair and holds a finger atop his head, her tiny fingernail resting on the number ‘65’

 “You lost about, hmmm.” April contemplates, letting the measurer snap back into it’s spool.

 “Six inches...Wow.” April says as she steps down off of the chair.

 “Wow?!” Robert asks apprehensively.

 “That’s...I’m sorry sweetie, but this is not good news.” April stammers, turning away from Robert and walking back towards the drawer, allowing herself a brief little smile before sliding the drawer back open and tossing the measurer inside.  

 “That is about three times the average loss for the initial episode...” April says, leaning her back against the counter, and frowning at Robert.

 “What does that mean for me?” Robert says, the color draining from his face.

 “That means you are going to b... I don’t want to scare you, but...” April stammers, biting her lip and turning away, her legs squeezing together a tiny bit as she feels a tingle down in her nether regions.

 “No.. Go ahead, I can take it...” Robert says, standing up and slowly shuffling towards her.

 April lets out a quivering sigh before continuing, almost having trouble containing her arousal.  

“You’re going to get...” April stops, raising her hand and pinching her thumb and forefinger close together.  Robert stops in his tracks, his face distraught, and his mouth hanging open a little bit.

 “No...” He says, shaking his head back and forth slowly.

“I’m afraid so...” April says,walking towards Robert, and embracing him, planting her head against his chest.  “You might as well make yourself at home, little friend...” April coos softly.

Robert can do nothing but stand there, dumbfounded, the little woman wrapped around him in an embrace.  “Lit...little friend?” Robert asks, quiveringly.  

“mmhmm.” April nuzzles herself into his chest a bit more, before taking a step back.  “We’re going to be friends, and you’re going to be little, little Robbie!” April giggles.  Robert looks down on the girl, who suddenly seemed way too excited about the fact that he was going to become much smaller.  April clears her throat, the smile dropping from her face.  

“Oh, um, I’m sorry...”  The girl says sheepishly, biting her lip again and looking down at the floor.

“You don’t have to worry, I’m going to take good care of you, It’s going to be fine.” April reassures, placing her hand on his chest for moment before pulling it away.  Robert takes a few deep breathes, and simply sits down back at the table, looking into the distance.

“You must be hungry.” April insists, and without waiting for a response, she opens her fridge and takes out a bag of deli meats and a loaf of bread, taking them over to the counter.

 “What..what happens when people get really small?” Robert stammers, shifting uncomfortably in his seat as he tries to comprehend being mere inches in height.  

 April hesitates to answer as she turns her back, grabbing a plate and placing two pieces of bread on top.  “Well, I care for them of course, until...” She stops, placing ham on one of the slices of bread, followed by a slice of cheese.  “Until they are too small for me to easily handle, then they go to a special place, not far from here.” April continues as she places one slice of bread over the other, smiling as she presses her hand down lightly on the sandwich.

 “A special place?” Robert asks, turning towards the girl.  

 “Yes, Somewhere where they can be happier, where they can be amongst other Syndrome sufferers.” April smiles calmly as she walks the plate over to the table, setting it down in front of Robert.

 “But don’t worry about that now sweetie, eat, you need to keep your strength up.” The small girl insists as Robert looks down at the plate, slowly grabbing the sandwich and taking a bite as April hovers above him, smiling.

 “I know it’s scary.” The small girl coos, stepping behind Robert and rubbing his shoulders.  Robert jumps a little bit when he feels her hands on his back, but closes his eyes and sighs as he feels the knots being worked from his tense shoulders. Robert continues to eat as April massages him, her tiny hands working him over, and he actually finds himself calming down a bit.  Eventually She stops, walks around the table, and scribbles something on the page of the open marble notebook.  “Five-five.” She smiles a little bit.

 “Is there anyone else here?” Robert asks as he pushes the empty plate away from him a little bit, taking a sip of water.

 “Yeah, actually, there is, would you like to meet her?” April asks as she closes the notebook, stands up, and carries it over to the counter, sliding it between two full cookie jars.

 “Um, sure.” Robert nods.

 “Come, she’s upstairs.” April replies, motioning for Robert to follow her.  Robert stands up and they both walk slowly up the stairs, to the second floor, where four bedrooms line a hallway, it’s beige carpet freshly vacuumed.

 “Just, don’t make any sudden moves, she is a bit skittish, in fact, hold on, let me go warn her that you’re going to come in, so you don’t scare her.” April says, placing a hand on Robert’s chest outside of one of the bedroom doors.  She quickly opens the door, and slips inside, closing it behind her, leaving robert to stand outside, waiting.  Robert can hear April speaking softly, but he can’t quite make out what is being said, and a few moments later, the door is opened wide, April waving him inside with a smile.  Robert looks around the room, which sports the same carpeting as the hallway.  The room has a single window with blue curtains, which are fluttering in the warm breeze, the scent of the ocean wafting in.  In the center of the room sits a large table, with three dollhouses, all custom made, with real wood and painted in vibrant colors, each standing two stories tall.  Off to the side Robert notices a small stroller, with a small beige and black blanket crumpled up in it’s seat.

 “Sammy...Samantha.” April coos, quietly as they both approach the table, looking down on the middle house.  After a moment, movement catches Robert’s eye. A tiny, action figured sized woman, no older than twenty two, or twenty three, strolls through the front door of the middle house.  The woman’s hair is dirty blonde, and her body is wrapped in what looks like a pink dress, made for a small doll, her tiny bare feet timidly stepping onto the wood of the table.

 Robert steps closer and bends down, causing the girl to grab her chest and take a few steps backwards.  “Oh..oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to frighten you!” Robert says, panicking a little bit as the girl covers her ears.  Robert turns towards April, who has her index finger pressed against her lips.  “You have to speak very low, her ears are itty bitty.” April whispers, extending her index finger and gently bringing it down towards the tiny girl, gently petting her head.  “It’s ok lil Sam-Sam, April is here.” April coos, turning towards Robert.  

 “This is why I can’t keep them around when they become so small, one wrong move could really be disastrous for them, Sammy here will be leaving us soon, Isn’t that right Sammy, are you excited? hmm?” April coos, smiling down on the woman.  

 “But I don’t want to leave.” Samantha says, her voice barely reaching both of their ears.  

 “Aww, you’re so sweet little Sammy, I’ll miss you so very much!” April whispers, tossling the woman’s hair a bit, causing her to stumble lightly.  “Will you miss me?” April asks in the same whispered tone.

 The tiny woman shakes her head up and down, rather quickly, running towards the tip of April’s finger and hugging onto it tightly.  April looks up at Robert and smiles.  “She’s so sweet.”  April grins before moving her hand away from the girl.

 “Samantha, this is Robert, he had his first episode today.”  April explains, placing a hand on Robert’s shoulder.  The tiny girl gracefully lifts her dress a bit and gives a formal bow, tipping her head forward and then back.  “Hello Robert, I am so so sorry to hear that.” The girl says, her tiny, high pitched voice, sincere.  

 “T..thank you.” Robert says, still in shock, he had seen pictures of small people before, but people so far gone where very rarely, if ever seen in public.  Like everyone else, Robert paid Syndrome victims no mind, he’d gone through life thinking it could never happen to him, and while he felt most were ill-treated, he did not care enough to think about what it was like to be that small.

 “Can I ask, what it is like?” Robert whispers down to the tiny girl.

 “Well, everything is...big, it’s kind of scary, but April is wonderful.” The tiny girl stammers, looking up at April for a brief moment before returning her gaze to the other giant looming above her.

 “She’s like my giant guardian angel.” The tiny girl continues.

 April bites her lips and giggles a bit, petting the girl once more.  “Aww, Sammy...” April coo’s quitely.  “Go get some rest, hmm?” She suggests to the tiny girl, moving her finger and pressing it gently into the girl’s back, pushing her gently towards the house.  “Yes Mam.” The small girl replies, shuffling towards the door and opening it.  Robert can see movement on the second floor.  

 “Let’s get out of her hair, shall we?” April suggests, walking towards the door and opening it slowly.

 “Um sure.” Robert says dumbly, following April towards the hallway.

 Samantha runs towards the plastic window, almost tripping over the fake bed in the mock bedroom, and starts pounding desperately on the plastic, tears streaming down her face.

 “Run away!! Run!” The tiny girl shouts desperately, her voice cracking as the giant form of April flicks the light switch, casting the room in the dim light of evening. Robert leaves the room first, but April hesitates, looking towards the small window and grinning.  

 “Goodnight my sweet little princess...” April says playfully, gently closing the door behind her.

“Poor little thing.” April whispers as she shuts the door behind her, turns towards Robert and smiles.  

“She seems to really like you.” Robert says as April leads him to another bedroom down at the end of the hallway.  

“She’s been with me for the past year now, she had no one else to turn to, she’s an absolute doll.” April says happily as she turns the doorknob in front of her, opening up the door and revealing what looks like a standard guest room.  A twin bed sits under a window, the same blue curtains fluttering in the warm summer breeze, the smell of salt water permeating every inch of the room.  There is a small night table, a dresser, a desk, and a small closet off to the side.

“It’s not much...” April says as they both walk into the room.

“It’s more than enough.” Robert smiles as he walks to the bed and sits down on it.

“I know the bed is a little small, but...” April begins.

“But it’ll grow on me...” Robert finishes her sentence, smiling.

“Yes!” April giggles, gently placing a dainty hand on Robert’s shoulder.

“Just like me...” She adds as she slides the hand off quickly.

Robert looks down at the the hand, and then up towards April’s face.  

“So about the money..” Robert says, shifting uncomfortably.

“Oh that? Well, we can worry about that tomorrow, you must be exhausted.

Robert quickly raises his hand to his head, a sharp and sudden migraine rocking him.  “Ahhh...” He seethes as he slumps over.   

“Easy easy easy!” April coos as she sits down on the bed next to him, rubbing her hand up and down his back.  

“Oh god!” Robert says, rather loudly as he leans forward, both of his hands rubbing his temples.

“Here, lay down.” April says gently standing up and gently lowering Robert’s head towards the pillow.  One of Robert’s hands shoots towards his stomach and he turns his head to the side, beads of sweat beginning to form on his brow.

“It’s...hap...happening agaaain!” Robert moans through gritted teeth, in agony, writhing slightly on the bed.

“I know, shh, shh, shh, I know Robbie...” April coos, springing into action immediately.

“I’ll be right back, I’m going to get a cloth for your head.” The small girl states calmly, but as she moves away Robert’s hand grasps her wrist quickly.

“No don’t leave me!” Robert pleads desperately.

“It’s ok, It’s ok... April’s going to take good care of you, she’s going to be your friend... shhh...” April says quietly as she easily peels Robert’s fingers from her wrist.  She moves over the bed, and runs her fingers gently down the side of Robert’s face, in a comforting motion.  

“What’s your last name?” April asks.

“La..Ladner.” Robert answers, as he convulses on the bed a bit, his voice filled with pain.

“Little Robbie Ladner... I like that.” April Coos.  “I’m going to be your big buddy Robbie Ladner, I’m going to cuddle you, and love you, and we’re going to play games together...” April says calmly, smiling as her fingers run through his hair.

“G..g? ahhh! ugghnn!” Robert convulses a bit more violently, his body contracting onto itself, dwindling before April’s eyes.

“Little teeny tiny Robbie Ladner.” April giggles, smiling a bit.  

Robert could not believe his eyes, everything seemed to spin around him, expanding and growing taller, wider, and much more intimidating by the second.  The twin size bed suddenly becoming a full, and April’s body looming over him, much larger than his own.

“Wow..haha” April laughs, nonchalantly.   “You are probably the worst case to come through here, ever...” April says coolly, her hand still running down his cheek.  April walks off, and a few moments later Robert feels a cool pressure against his burning head and face, April’s now large hand wiping it down with a moist, green cloth.  The pain begins to subside, and Robert feels an intense fatigue flood his muscles, causing them to go slack.

“You got here just in time little boy, you are a very sick little thing, yes you are...” April coos as she presses the cloth against his forehead, and rips the covers out from underneath him, tucking him tightly into the bed, his tiny feet now only reaching halfway down the length of the mattress.

“April.” Robert calls out, panting, his head still spinning from the intense episode.

“Yes little Robbie?” April coos down, her voice playful, yet stern and commanding.

“How small...how much?” Robert pants.

“A lot, if you keep it up, you’ll be bunking with Sammy soon.” April answers, sitting down on the edge of the bed and placing a huge hand on Robert’s torso, covering most of it.

“Oh my god...” Robert jumps as he see’s the size of the once dainty hand.

“Shhh, it’s ok sweetie.” April coos once again as she pushes the now child sized man onto his back, gently.

“Just rest, close those little eyes and let April worry about everything, that’s right, shh shh.” April says softly as she hums to herself a bit, stroking her hand up and down Robert’s chest.

“Am I really going to get as small as Samantha?” Robert says, his voice calming a bit, but still quivering as his head sinks into the pillow.

“I am afraid so little Robbie Ladner, I’ve never seen two episodes in one day, there is no telling how fast this is going to happen.” April says, sympathy in her voice.

“I don’t want to be tiny...” Robert says, his voice deflated.  The small man closes his eyes and takes deep breaths, attempting to calm himself as April hums above him.

“You’re going to be ok, I am here for you, and when I can’t take care of you anymore, you can join the rest, and you can all talk about how much you miss me.” April says gently.

“This place...” Robert begins.  “What’s it like?” He asks, turning to his side to face April.

“It’s wonderful, it’s warm, and cozy, and no one shrinks anymore once they are there,and there are so many people, you will never be lonely.” April smiles warmly.  

“It’s sounds...pretty good.” Robert admits, beginning to drift off into a light sleep.

“It is paradise on Earth.” April says, taking the edge of her index and pointer fingers and running it along Robert’s cheek once more, she does this for the next five minutes, until she is certain he is asleep.

April giggles silently to herself, bending down and kissing Robert on the cheek before gently rising and slowly walking towards the door. She opens the door and flicks the light switch on the wall, killing the single lamp. she stands in the doorway for an immeasurable amount of time, simply staring at the tiny man in the bed, her mouth half agape, her eyes glazed over in ecstasy.

“Paradise on Earth little Robbie Ladner.” April says, as she gently closes the door.

Chapter 4 - Microphilia is a hell of a thing.

    Robert’s eyes snap open as the strong morning sunshine washes across his face, the sound of the salty wind ripping and howling through the curtains fills the room.  Seagulls, and the sound of a passing truck can be heard outside.  Robert looks around the room, his head pounding as he sits himself up.  Everything seemed endlessly tall, and wide, elongated the slightest bit from his tiny perspective.  

Footsteps are heard walking down the hallway.

“Sammy...Sammaannthaa..” April’s calm, but muffled voice reaches through the thick wood of the door and finds it’s way to Robert’s ears.  

“Oh man...” Robert whispers to himself as he rubs his temples, his eyes closed, as if to ward off the unwelcome sight of a world that has betrayed him by growing so large.

A minute later the bedroom door slowly opens.  “Robbieee” Samantha’s calm, sing songy voice floats through the room as her huge form steps through the door. She is dressed in a pink pajama top and pants, with fuzzy purple slippers on her huge feet.  

“Good morning little guy!” April coos as she slowly walks towards the bed, hovering high above Robert’s head, her huge hand, without hesitation, coming down and rubbing the top of Robert’s hair playfully.

Robert looks up, his face glowing red at the language that was being thrown his way, it had been many years since anyone had called Robert “Little guy”  

“Good morning.” Robert responds, scooting towards the edge of the bed and swinging his legs over.  He gasps a bit as his feet float in the air, high above the ground, April looks down and giggles happily, a smile stretching across her humongous face.

“Little feet!”  She coos, sitting down on the bed next to him.

“What?” Robert asks, almost snapping at April’s tone as her towering form sits next to him, confusion in his now higher pitched voice.

“You heard me Robbie, you have itsy bitsy feetsies.” April giggles as one of her hands grasps Robert by the left arm, pulling him towards her a bit as the other hooks under his right armpit.  

“Whoa, what are you doing?!” Robert barks, as her left hand follows suit, sliding under his other armpit and lifting him into the air.  The form of April’s face is darkened by the bright sunshine behind her, but as Robert is soaring through the air, towards her lap, he catches a glimpse of her eyes, which appear glazed over and ravenous.  He soon finds himself straddling her left leg, his tiny wrists held tightly together in one of her massive hands.

“Shhhhhhhh...” April silences him as she begins to bounce her knee up and down, grinning almost sinisterly as his tiny eyes grow wide and he begins to pull at her grip.

“Going somewhere baby? You’re not going anywhere... I got you now!”  April coos, nuzzling her nose into his face, causing him to uncomfortably turn his head to the side.

“What do ..do you mean?” Robert stammers.  “Can you...would you mind? putting me down?” Robert asks, his voice stuttering as her knee relentlessly bounces him up and down.

“Boom bada boom bada boom.” Is her only response, as she more violently rocks her knee up and down, causing Robert to slip to one side a little bit.  “Ooops! Don’t fallll!” She warns mockingly, as she lets Robert slide to the right, his body leaning precariously over the floor.

“April! STOP!” He screams, his voice cracking.

The knee stops, and Robert finds himself once more lifted into the air,  he is left to dangle there, between April’s massive hands, an insincere frown stretching across her huge face.

“Excuse me?” She finally barks, her tone carrying a fervent authority as Robert kicks his feet a little bit, wrapping his arms around her wrists.

“What are you doing?! Are you out of your fucking head? Put me down, now!” Robert snaps angrily. A small smile creeps across her face, a smile that sends goosebumps erupting all over Robert’s tiny body.

“Make me.” April giggles as Robert’s body contorts this way and that, in her massive grip.

“You can’t, can you? C’mon, you can do it...” She mocks sternly, and Robert soon finds himself laying horizontally across her lap, gritting his teeth, it was a familiar position, one he had been put in many times at a younger age.

“There are a few rules in this house little Robbie Ladner, one is, no cursing, ever...” April says sternly.

“Go to hell! Robert shouts desperately.

“I said no cursing!” April growls as her hand barrels into Robert’s bare bottom, stinging it and rocking his body forward.  His eyes roll into the back of his head and he exhales loudly, before sucking in a similarly large gust of air through his teeth.

“Two is you will never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, talk back to me, ever!” April proclaims as she slams her palm against his reddened ass, once again, rocking him forward on her lap once more.

"Oh..oh god stop, please!” He begins to plead, his arms and legs flailing.

“Say you are sorry!” April says sternly as she draws her hand back again, slamming it harder into his rear then before, rocking him forward for a third time, and causing him to fall limp on her lap. His head dangles down towards the floor as he pants frantically, at a loss for the sudden change in April.

“I’m...” Robert begins.

“You’re?” April whispers, holding her hand back, her palm open, ready to strike at any wrong answer.

“Sorry.” Robert says, sighing, defeated.

“That’s a good boy.” April coos as she lifts Robert up, standing his tiny form in her lap, one foot on her right thigh, and one on her left, his back resting against her huge hands.  

Her smiling face fills Robert’s vision.

“Don’t look so sad... I want you to be happy, not sad, turn that frown upside down.” April says playfully, rocking him back and forth gently.

“You’re a-” Robert begins, but is quickly cut off.  “Microphile?” April asks, finishing his thought for him.

“Yes, you’re an astute little thing.” April says nonchalantly.

“Oh god no!”  Robert pleads, horror creeping into his voice. His legs are briefly spun in the air as he is flipped around, his back pressed against April’s pink pajama shirt as he is sat in her lap.  His feet barely come past her knees, and her arms wrap tightly around his torso plastering him in place.

“Shhhhh, don’t worry... I am not like all of those other monsters, I don’t want to hurt you, I just want to cuddle.” April says, gently and reassuringly as she uses a free hand to pet the top of his head.

“But …” Robert stammers.

“Shhh... It’s not like you have a choice Robbie Ladner.” April smiles.

“Now about my payment.” April begins.

“I'm not giving you a dime.” Robert snaps.

April squeezes Robert a bit tighter, causing the color to drain from his tiny face, and his body to squirm.

“Really? I mean, we just discussed this, are you talking back?” April asks sternly as Robert struggles to fill his lungs with air.

“I...can’t.” Robert struggles breathlessly.  “Breathe? Yeah, that is kind of the point.  I can be very very gentle little Robbie, or I can make your life a complete hell.” She snaps, a bit of venom in her voice.

“I only have two hundred...” Robert gasps.  “Please...” He pants desperately, spots appearing before his eyes.

“But you knew my fee was two thousand...” April says disappointingly.  “You’re not lying to me Robbie, are you? hmm?” April laughs.  “Like it matters, I’m going to take everything anyway...” The woman says cruelly, loosening her grasp a bit.

Robert takes deep breaths, the color slowly returning to his face as he hangs forward a little bit against April’s arms.  He watches as April grabs his shorts off of the bed, and reaches into his pocket, pulling out his wallet.  She then tosses the shorts onto the floor carelessly and opens the wallet in front of his face.

“There’s like...” April counts the money inside.  “Nine hundred dollars in here...” April giggles as she takes the money from the wallet, along with an ATM card, and places the wallet on the nearby nightstand, shoving the money and the card into a small pants pocket.

“Mmmm, I should go get my nails done...” April ponders, waving the nails of her left hand in the tiny man’s face.  “Or maybe I should just make you do it, like my toes?” She asks, sliding her right foot from her slipper and lifting her right leg. She wiggles her neon pink painted toes for Robert for a few seconds before lowering her foot back into the slipper.

“I made Sammy do those a few days ago, you should have seen her trying to hold the brush, so so cute...” April rambles.

“How can you be...so cruel to people?” Robert asks, cautiously, shifting uncomfortably in her grip.

April simply stands up, pressing Robert against her chest, his tiny head hanging over her shoulder as they walk out into the hallway.

“I’m not cruel, she’s fed, and alive, isn’t she?” April asks calmly as she walks down the hallway, opening the bedroom door in the middle and walking inside, towards the table and the dollhouses.

“Sammy, out, now.” April barks, not even lowering her voice.  A few moments later, the tiny girl timidly walks out of the house, dressed in the same pink dress she wore the night before.  April lowers her hand to the table, palm up.  The girl timidly steps up, and crawls to the center of the huge palm, sitting down.  

“Good morning big friend!” The tiny girl shouts, her tone forced, and carrying an eerie quality.

“Good morning little friend!” April coos as she lifts her hand, and walks out of the room, carrying both of them downstairs and into the kitchen.  She sets Robert on a counter, and holds Samantha up to her face.

“Any day now little girl, any day...” April says gently.

“Yes, and you’re really going to let me go after this one?” The tiny girl asks, hope brimming in her barely audible voice.

“Of course sweetie, although I’ll miss you.” April says, genuinely.

“I’ll miss you too...” The tiny girl says, bending down and planting a single kiss on April’s palm.

April reaches into a cabinet, and grabs a small drinking glass.  She places Samantha down on the counter, near the stove, and lowers the glass over her.  The tiny girl timidly walks to the side of her prison, and presses her tiny hands into the glass, peering up longingly at Robert, who stares down on her, speechless.

“I’ll miss you too Little Sam-Sam.” April giggles, tapping her fingertip on the glass three times.

“Why’d you do that?” Robert asks, confusedly.

“I dunno.” April answers as she reaches into a cabinet, and grabs a frying pan, placing it on the stove.

“I felt like it” April shrugs her shoulders “I can do anything I want!” April adds, sternly, narrowing her eyes at Robert. Her expression changes on a dime, a smile creeping across her face. 

“Eggs?” she asks nonchalantly, as if nothing had happened.

    Robert simply gazes upon the tiny woman, locking eyes with her as she presses her tiny hands and face against the cool glass, leaving tiny prints.

“I said...” April begins, taking a step toward Robert, and gently grasping his chin, pulling his face upwards so he is forced to look up at her. “Would you like eggs?” She finishes her

thought, her tone stern as a small sinister smile creeps across her face.  

“Uh, yes...” Robert stammers.

“Yes what?” April asks sternly, removing her hand from Robert’s face.

“Yes, April?” Robert says dumbly, knowing full well what she wanted to hear.

April opens her left hand and draws it back, her open palm barrels towards Robert’s cheek, cracking into it with enough force to turn his head towards the side. A huge red mark is left behind on his cheek. He holds the pose for a few moments, surprised by the suddenness of the assault.  

Samantha puts her hands to her mouth in shock, and backs away towards the middle of the glass as April’s hand comes down and turns the knob on the stove, causing it to the electronic ignition to click, until it generates a flame beneath the frying pan.

“Is it really worth being a smartass Robbie, do you have any idea what I can do to you?” She says, her tone cool and unnerving as she gently grabs Robert’s left hand.  

“Such well cared for little hands...” April coos gently, rubbing her huge thumb over the top of Robert’s appendage.  “What did you do for a living?” April asks gently.  Samantha can barely be heard, pounding on the glass hysterically, her little mouth moving, her muffled cries indecipherable.  April simply smiles down on the glass, grabs a small dish towel in her free hand, and drapes it over the tiny girl’s prison.

“Now, tell me Robbie, tell April what filled little Robbie Ladner’s days, before her...” She insists, placing her free hand on Robert’s right flank, and pushing him towards the stove, close enough that he can feel the heat of the flame on his naked leg.  

“I..was...I worked for a newspaper.” Robert explains, panting as his adrenaline starts to pump.

“Interesting, what did you do there?” She asks, in a cool, level tone as she slowly brings Robert’s hand over the pan, grasping it by his wrist and holding it a good six inches over the now, scalding surface.

“Ass.s..ss...sist. No, don’t do this!” Robert whimpers desperately as his hand is slowly lowered towards the surface of the pan, the heat becoming more and more intense.

“Shh shh shh.  Just answer the question.” She says reassuringly.

“Assistant editor!” Robert’s voice cracks.

“Good boy!” She coos, releasing his hand, which he quickly snaps back and cradles in his right arm, taking quick, quivering breaths as his heart pounds from his chest.

“Now, would you like some eggs?” She asks confidently, sure of her victory over him.

“Yes, PLEASE!” Robert answers obediently, without hesitation.

“That’s the magic word.” She says happily, humming as she turns around and walks towards the fridge.  She opens it and looks inside for a moment.  Robert looks down at the floor passed his tiny feet, and contemplates jumping down and sprinting towards the door, but she is back in an instant, with milk, eggs, and butter.  She places all of the items on the counter, near robert, before leaning down and scooping him into her chest.

Robert finds himself being set into a high chair, a small beige table stretching out in front of him.  

“April?” He asks, apprehensively.

“Yes?” She responds, narrowing her eyes as she leans back to her full height.

“Nothing...” He says, looking straight ahead.

April giggles innocently.  “You’re getting it Robbie, you’re getting it.” She responds as she walks to the counter, returning a moment later with Samantha in her palm.  She sets Samantha on the high chair table in front of Robert, and walks back towards the stove, the sound of cracking eggs soon fills the room.

Samantha sits down indian style, looking towards the surface of the table.  She looks back up at Robert, a worried look on her face.  “Are you ok?” Her tiny voice rings out, fluttering towards Robert’s ears like the squeakings of a rodent.

“I’m...fine.” Robert responds, leaning his head down towards the tiny figure.  

April sets butter into the pan, causing a loud sizzle to sound.  She picks up a cell phone from the counter and flips it open, pushing a few buttons.  A moment later the house phone rings. “Oops, who can that be?” She asks absently.  She picks the phone up, presses a button and puts it to her ear.  She puts the cell phone down on the counter and whisks the butter around the pan with a spatula.  “Hello?” She asks politely. “Oh yes, hello Henry!” April says excitedly into the phone.

Samantha perks up, turning towards April.  “It’s Henry!” She squeals happily, a broad smile appearing across her tiny face as she jumps to her feet, running to the side of the table.

“Who’s Henry?” Robert asks, in a half whisper.

“Yes, she is due for another episode, it’s been nearly two months.” April responds into the phone.

“He works at the special place!” Samantha exclaims, twisting around excitedly, and almost losing her balance.  

“Whoa whoa!” Robert stammers, moving his hand behind her, so that she does not fall off the table to her certain death.

“Approved really?! Yes, one or two days at maximum, I am sure she will be happy to hear it!” April grins as she looks towards the high chair.

“Oh yes! Thank god!” Samantha says, the sound of relief immediately obvious in her tiny voice.

“What is this special placed called?” Robert asks, more confused about it than anything else.

“That’s what It’s called... “The special place.”  Samantha says matter of factly, as April’s shadow rolls over the highchair, causing them both to look skyward.

“I have another one here, he is...not well.” April says, her voice taking on a more serious note as she gently rubs her fingernails against Robert’s cheek.  Robert finds himself shrinking back a bit.

“Well, he’s lost more than half of his mass in less than two days. Yes I know, that is very rare right?” April asks as she turns around and walks back towards the stove, whisking the eggs as she holds the phone to her ear with her shoulder.

“Oh no! They’re not going to have a spot for you!” Samantha exclaims desperately, running towards robert and leaning against his thumb.  “They didn’t have a spot for me until six months ago, they reserved it...” The tiny girl rambles.

“Hmm, I see....I see....can you..? Mmmhmm” April stammers into the phone.  

Robert looks at April, narrowing his eyes a bit. “You believe all of this?” He finally whispers down to the tiny girl, who backs off from his thumb a little bit.

“Yes! of course! She enjoys tiny people a bit too much it’s true, but on the inside, April really is a great person!” Samantha snaps, a bit of frustration in her voice, as if the tiny girl was trying to defend April.

“Ok, well, maybe we can put down a deposit?” April asks as she pours the eggs into the frying pan, pushing them around a bit with the spatula.

“Oh good, that’s what happened with me, they took a deposit.” Samantha explains calmly, sitting down in the middle of the table.

“O.K. I’ll call back tomorrow, Thank you Henry, bye!” She says happily, clicking the phone off and putting it back onto the charger.  The giant woman finishes cooking the eggs, humming happily to herself as she scoops them into two plates, grabbing two forks, salt, and pepper.  She places both plates on the kitchen table, and positions the high chair to be directly at the side of one of the kitchen chairs, the movement causing tiny Samantha to fall flat on her face.  

Robert helps the tiny girl to her feet, and she dusts herself off with her tiny hands as April sits down, salting and peppering one of the plates and pushing Samantha aside with one finger. She sets the plate in front of Robert, and Samantha immediately leans on it’s edge, the lip coming up to her tiny waist.

Moments later, April’s finger is pushing a large chunk of egg off of the plate, and in front of Samantha’s feet, the tiny girl looks down, and falls to her knees over it, digging her little hands into it and bringing small pieces of her mouth.

April simply giggles and smiles.  “Little piggy!!”  

Samantha giggles as she chews, sitting down on her tiny bottom as April reaches a fork into Robert’s plate, she spears an egg and lifts it to his face, filling his vision.  

“Open up.” April commands, sternly, and Robert finds himself reluctantly obeying, opening his mouth, which is quickly stuffed with hot eggs. After the fork leaves his mouth, he chews silently.

“Are you excited Samantha? hmm? Henry said they painted your room purple, just like you asked.” April informs the tiny girl as she impales another piece of egg, lifting it to Robert’s face again.

“They did?! Oh my god!”  The tiny girl swoons as she rips off another piece of egg in her tiny hands.

“What about Robert?” The tiny girl asks as Robert is forced fed another piece of egg. “He can share my room if he wants...” Samantha offers.

“That’s soooo sweet Sammy! I’ll have to ask Henry about that, won’t I?” April coos, petting the tiny girl’s head and tossing her hair about.  

“Thank her...” April demands as she spears another piece of egg.  Robert hesitates, looking between April, and the tiny Samantha.

“I said...thank her...” April leans in menacingly, her eyes narrowed.

“T..thank you!” Robert stammers, shrinking back in his seat as she lifts the piece of egg to his face, her expression softening.

“Good boy...” April coos as she force feeds him, pulling the fork away and spearing yet another piece of egg.  “A deposit is going to be pretty pricey, how much money do you have in your account, and what is your pin?” April smiles, lifting the egg to his face, yet again.

“Nothing... It was all in my wallet...” Robert claims, without hesitation.

“hmm, well, no matter, we’re going to take a walk on the boardwalk, and we’re going to check anyway, aren’t we? yes we are!” She coos gently, rubbing the top of Robert’s head as she stuffs one last piece of egg into his mouth.  She looks down at the near finished plate and turns toward her own food, placing the fork near her own.  She begins to eat, ignoring them for the most part.

“Oh duh! you two must be thirsty, one sec.” She says, wiping her mouth with a napkin and standing up.  She walks towards the counter, and grabs the same glass that she had trapped Samantha with.  She fills it with water from the sink and walks back, removing the plate, and replacing it with the filled glass.  Robert reaches with both hands, and brings the glass to his lips, taking a few gulps before setting it down.  

“What about her?” Robert asks, looking at April.

“Well, it is bath time for her...” April says coolly, pinching the pink dress from the girl effortlessly and sliding it from her and then placing it down on the kitchen table.

The tiny girl immediately covers herself.  “Aprillll!” She whines, shivering and shuddering.

“Not in front of himmmm!” She continues, but yelps as she is clamped between two huge fingertips and moved over the glass to be unceremoniously dropped inside.  The tiny girl is submerged under the water, and twists and turns desperately clawing her way to the surface and gasping as she whips her hair around. The tiny girl treads water as Robert looks over the rim of the glass, grimacing and staring on in disbelief.  April simply turns around and finishes her meal as Robert watches the girl swim around. She drinks some of the liquid, and submerges herself, her tiny hands rubbing between her breasts and around her entire body as she avoids direct eye contact with Robert.

April gets up and looks down on the scene.  

“Don’t stare Robbie, it’s not polite!” She insists as she takes her plate, and his, and walks over to the sink, washing them.

“Do you want me to..get you out of there?” Robert whispers down into the glass.

“No, it’s nice...” Samantha says calmly, leaning on her back and kicking her legs, calmly.  “Ahhhh.” She sighs happily, closing her eyes and just floating there.  

“Ok Robbie... Measurin’ time.” April says as she walks over, cupping her hands under his arms and lifting him up and out, placing him on the floor near the stove.  She pulls her marble notebook from between the cookie jars, and opens the draw, fishing for the tape measure.  Robert looks up at April, and realizes the top of his head just barely reached her waist. She was quite a bit more massive as well, one of her legs almost as thick as his entire body.  He finds himself backing up a few steps as she bends down, but she simply grabs his arm and pulls him back into his original spot.  “Stand still” She commands.

She runs the tape from his tiny big toe, to the top of his head.  

“Twenty eight inches... Or two foot- four inches tall.” April sings happily, standing up and letting the tape snap back into the spool.  She grabs a pen and scribbles the measurement down into the book, closing it and placing it back between the jars. She bends down and scoops Robbie back up, pinning him against her chest, his head hanging over her right shoulder.

“It’s bath time for someone else too.”  April coos.

“You’re going to wash me? Or are you just going to toss me into the tub and hope I  don’t drown?” Robert asks sarcastically.

April snorts a bit as she walks over the the highchair, plucking Samantha from the glass, and curling her fingers around the tiny woman before walking off into the living room, towards the staircase.

“I like my toys nice and clean.” She says, grinning as she methodically walks up the stairs.

Chapter 6 - Forces of nature

April walks into the small, bright bathroom, and sets Robert down on the vanity.  She kicks her purple slippers off, revealing her tremendous bare feet before walking over to the tub and setting Samantha down on it’s ledge.  

“Careful little one! don’t fall down the dray aiin!” April sings as she kneels by the tub and turns the hot and cold water knobs causing water to cascade into the tub, she reaches in and plugs the drain.  

“No April! not this! please!” Samantha begs, her voice barely heard over the rushing water.  

“Don’t worry little girl, Robbie Ladner will save you, won’t you Robbie?” April grins, looking over her shoulder at Robert, who was sitting there silently, atop the sink, watching the scene unfold.

“Please, no Apri- AHHH!” Samantha shrieks as April brings her hand towards her tiny frame, poking her gently, and causing her to fall backwards into the rapidly filling tub.  

“Oh my god!” Robert gasps, frantically jumping down off of the vanity, and misjudging just how high it was, he lands squarely on his face, and lay there for a moment confused.

April looks over, and giggles manically, as Samantha tiny voice whimpers and yelps from the bottom of the tub.  

“Here comes a waaaaaave.”  April warns mockingly, rolling up her sleeve and sticking her arm in the tub.  She pushes water towards the small girl, whose blood curdling screams are quickly silenced.

Robert climbs to his feet and rushes towards April, screaming.  April simply holds out her arm at the right moment, and knocks the tiny man backwards onto his little rear end.  “Wow Robbie, I am impressed.” April mocks as tiny coughing and sputtering can be heard from the tub.

“You’re going to kill her! STOP IT!” Robert shouts, tears starting to form in his eyes.

“Aww, is Robbie...Crying?!” April mocks, turning her attention towards the tub again.

“Oh no! the seas are choppy today captain.” April says in a mock high pitched voice.  “Brace for impact!” She exclaims playfully in a slighter lower tone.  “April!! nooooooooo!” Samantha’s voice cracks as April produces another huge wave with her arm, this time pushing more water than before, a quiet feminine gurgling sound can be heard as April lets loose another Maniacal fit of laughter.  Robert convinces himself that the girl had no chance to survive this, unless he could do something.

“Ok stop!” He shouts desperately.  

“Let’s just...Stop.” Robert stammers, holding his hand out in front of him while he sits up.

“My pin is 2141, I have three thousands dollars in my account.” Robert says, narrowing his eyes and taking quick breaths, his tiny chest rising and falling rapidly.  April looks on at him for a few moments, Samantha coughing and sputtering in the rising water.

After what seems like an eternity of silence April moves her lips.  “Three thousand...” She says, smiling.

“Yes...”  Robert says, slowly standing up.  “Let’s just get cleaned up, and go and get it, I don’t want anyone to get hurt.” He says calmly, holding his hands out in front of him.

“That is more than enough for a deposit, mmhmm...” April nods, looking down towards the source of the gagging.  

“Ok, get in...” She smiles, getting up and walking towards him.  She lifts him up and places him in the tub, the water coming up to his little waist.  He immediately looks down to see Samantha desperately swimming towards him, her tiny hands wrapping around the only thing she can find that is sitting above the water, the tip of his manhood.

“Whoa.” Robert says instinctively, reaching down and plucking the girl from the water.  Without warning he himself is pushed down onto his ass, the water rising almost to his neck.  The tub was absolutely tremendous, and he knew that April could drown both of them with one hand. That fact never leaves his tiny head as he watches her shut the water off, the fresh silence broken only by a few stray dripping sounds.  

“Give me...” April demands, holding out her palm.  

“Ro-” Samantha begins, but is cut off by a mouthful of water being pushed from her lungs.  

Robert hesitantly hands the tiny girl over, and watches April set her on the side of the tub.  The girl crawls to her stomach and onto her hands and knees, coughing, gagging, and tossing up bit of egg, mixed with bathwater.

“You could have killed her...” Robert says calmly.  “Why would you want to do that?” He asks.

“I don’t... I just like...Fear.” April explains, suddenly in the mood to talk about what makes her tick.

“You like fear? I don’t understand.” Robert says confusedly.  

Samantha immediately snaps her head towards Robert, shaking it left to right rapidly, as if trying to warn him.  The tiny girl pants.  “Robert...Don’t...” She gasps desperately.

“Shh Samantha, or do you want to go swimming in the ocean again?” April warns.  “Let the big people speak sweetie.”  She adds condescendingly.  She picks up a rag, and a bar of soap, and rubs them together.  “Well, Robbie, have you ever thought about a hurricane? Does it care that It kills people? Do you see how everyone cowers for shelter when it comes ashore?” She asks as she grabs his arm, scrubbing it roughly with the rag.  

“Yeaaahhh...” Robert says, still not quite grasping it.

“I am a hurricane Robbie, an earthquake, a tornado, a tsunami, and I can come ashore, and end your life in a split second.” She says, her voice getting angrier and angrier as she finishes her sentence.  She grasps Robert’s throat roughly, causing him to gasp for air, and writhe in the tub, his tiny hands desperately shooting up and attempting to unhinge her vice like grip on his windpipe.  

“April!! Stop it, he gets it!! he gets it!!” Samantha shouts desperately, crawling towards April’s elbow and clinging onto it.

“Do you feel your eyes popping out of your head? Your lungs burning? Do you see the spots before your eyes?” April asks, as Robert begins to turn blue. She innocently twists her head as she finally loosens her grip.  Robert gasps, coughing and writhing in the water, causing small waves to splash against the sides of the tub.

“Please April, I love you April, I love my April, I love my April.” Samantha stammers eerily, rocking back and forth on April’s elbow.  

April simple laughs a little bit as she removes her hand from Robert’s throat, grabbing the rag once more and rubbing his other arm.  She moves Samantha away, back to her original spot, and the tiny girl simply stares on silently, her body trembling as the air hits her wet skin.  

“Do you understand now? Or do I have to explain further?” April asks, her tone clinical.  

“Curiosity killed the cat...” Robert whispers as she rubs down his toned chest with the washcloth.

“Yes it most certainly did.” April grins.

“I’m so glad we can understand each other, and talk like this Robbie.” She says running the washcloth down and around his face.  

“You really are a sweet, sweet man...” She smiles as she works the rag down his chest, and towards his crotch.   

“A really sweet man.” She whispers as she wraps her hand around Robert’s penis, causing him to arch his back and moan.

April stares down, stone faced, her hand running up and down Robert’s shaft. Samantha smiles at first, and then giggles, her tiny, innocent laughter swirling around the bathroom and dissipating into the wide open spaces.

    Robert closes his eyes, Samantha’s laughter causing his warm, wet skin to erupt in goosebumps, as April’s massive hand fondles him, relentlessly.  Robert’s shaft stiffens and he finds small moans escaping his lips.  

“It’s been awhile since we’ve seen one of these, hasn’t it Sammy?” April asks gently.

“Yeah, since Seth...Went to the special place.” Samantha says, her voice full of longing.

“You miss him, don’t you Samantha?” April asks, as Robert writhes in unwanted pleasure, April’s hand pumping faster and faster.  “Aww, sweetie, don’t cry.” April coos.

Robert can’t stand it any more, his muscles tense, and he loses his orgasm into the water, the sound of Samantha’s tiny little sobs filling his ears.  April’s hand grabs the cloth once more, and she runs it over the back of Robert’s neck and shoulders.

“Don’t worry sweetie, you’ll be seeing him real soon, and Elizabeth too!” April suggest happily.

April grabs Robert’s leg, and lifts it out of the water, causing him to fall against the back wall of the tub, his head barely above the calm liquid.  She scrubs his leg and foot, and then gives the other leg the same treatment.  

“I know...” Samantha says forelorningly, hiccuping a bit.  “I can’t wait.” She says, her voice losing some of it’s grief.

“I know sweetie, and you won’t have to wait long, I promise.” She coos, petting the tiny girl’s head with her free hand.  April takes a bottle of shampoo, and simply dunks Robert’s head under the water.  Oh god, here it comes, she’s going to drown me now! Robert thinks to himself.  But a moment later he is breathing again, her gigantic fingers rubbing shampoo into his black, spiked hair.  

“I wonder if Seth can still play the piano!” The tiny girl states excitedly.

“Maybe he’ll play that song you like so much.” April smiles, before dunking Robert back beneath the water, and rubbing his head vigorously. Robert is gasping for air a few moments later as he is allowed to break the surface of the water once more.    

“Ahhh, I could die happily, if I could hear him play that song one more time.” Samantha swoons.

April bites her lip and grins.  “Fur Elise, right? Well sweetie, you might just get that wish, Henry tells me he is still playing, they made him a tiny little piano.” April informs the tiny woman on the edge of the tub, who claps her hands in excitement.  “Really?!” She asks optimistically.  

“Really.” April says in a cool tone as she grabs a can of shaving cream, and a razor from the side of the tub.  She squirts some shaving cream into her free hands, places the bottle down, and rubs her palms together, vigorously.   

“What are you doing?” Robert speaks up, gasping as his left arm is snatched out of the water.  April rubs his whole arm down with the shaving cream before answering.  “Removing your hair...” She grins.

“Why?” Robert asks, narrowing his eyes.

“Why am I removing Robert’s hair, Sammy?” April asks the tiny woman.

“Because hair is icky!” Samantha shouts at Robert, sternly, waving her tiny finger at the shrunken man.

“That’s right.” April giggles, “Hair is icky!” She reassures the tiny woman, and then proceeds to run the razor all over Robert’s arm.  Within a few moments, all of Robert’s arm hair is gone, and his other arm is being lathered up.  Robert can do nothing as his arm is again, stripped of all of it’s hair.  

“Leg.” April barks, scrunching her fingers in the air over Robert.  Robert sighs and lifts his left leg, which is similarly lathered and shaved, followed by his right one, as Samantha silently watches.

“Ok, all better!” April coos, wrapping her hands around Robert and lifting him from the tub.  She sets him down on the vanity, and runs a towel over his head, patting it down with the utmost care.  She dries the rest of his body off gently, even rubbing between his little toes before she tosses the towel into the hamper.  She scoops him from the vanity, and plasters him against her chest, before walking to the tub and roughly snatching Samantha into her free hand.

“Now, we’ll get dressed, and go for a walk on the boardwalk.” April informs robert as she carries him into the middle bedroom, walking towards the table with the dollhouses.

“Can I come?” Samantha asks longingly.

“No Samantha, there are too many birds, you’ll get snatched away, and gobbled up, and we can’t let that happen can we? Although you do look rather delicious.” April coos, bringing the tiny woman to her giant lips, and kissing her over and over again in a machine gun motion.  The tiny girl giggles uncontrollably, her limbs flailing and pushing against April’s slightly yielding lip flesh.

“Oh my god, stop!” The tiny girl giggles, tossing her head back and letting her hair dangle in the air.  She is soon placed down onto the table, and April’s huge hand is digging into a small pink, plastic box.  She takes out a green frilly dress and lays it on the table before Samantha, and tilts her head to the side, smiling.  Samantha gasps happily, running towards the dress and kneeling down, looking up at April and Robert, who also looks down on the tiny girl, while cradled in one of April’s arms.

“My favourite!” Samantha smiles.

“I know, I wanted to see you in it one more time sweetie, this will probably be the last time you get to wear it.” April says, and for the first time today, Robert believes the words coming from her mouth.

“Thank you.” Samantha says, tears forming in her little eyes. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She repeats in excitement as she pulls the fake dress over her tiny body, she twirls on the table, grinning.  “My little princess...” April coos, her voice cracking the slightest bit.  

“We’ll see you in a little bit honey, ok?” April says gently, petting the smiling, tiny girl on the head.

“OK!” She says enthusiastically, folding her little hands against her waist. She turns and heads into the middle house, humming Fur Elise and twirling twice, allowing the dress to flow around her legs.

“Let’s get you ready to go out.” April says in an even tone as she walks towards the stroller in the corner, reaching inside and fixing the beige and black blanket, so that it lines the bottom of the seat.  She places robert inside and pushes him out of the room and down the hallway.  Robert squirms inside of the stroller, his feet barely reaching past the edge, the little awning cutting his view of April off completely, and casting him in a deep shadow.

As April pushes the stroller into the guest bedroom, she is humming the first few bars of Fur Elise herself, happily.  She sets the stroller into the middle of the room before walking around it, and bending down over Robert, blocking out even more light.

“Who’s the big baby!” She coos, smiling, the early afternoon sunshine glinting behind her head, as if her face were the moon eclipsing the sun.  She is soon gone however, and the sound of a drawer opening, and then a closet door squeaking fills the room.

Plastic hangers clack against each other.

“Ah, here we go, perfect!”  April says happily as she lays down a few small articles of clothing onto the bed.

She walks towards Robert, and snatches him roughly from the stroller, tossing him carelessly onto the bed.  Robert bounces once and rolls to his side, the air hissing from his lungs.  His head snaps towards the side as a huge roll of duct tape lands next to his head, creating an indent in the blue comforter.  

“What’s that for.” Robert asks, his voice quivering.

“You...” April says coldly as Robert feels his tiny ankles being tugged on, his body being flipped so that he is on his back.  A pair of beige corduroy shorts are slipped onto his legs, and buttoned around his waist.  April’s hand scoops under his back, sitting him up.  “Arms up...” She barks.  Robert complies without hesitation allowing a white and green shirt, fit for a small toddler to be placed on his torso, a green T-rex filling most of the white space in the center.  

“Now, do you need to go pee-pee? hmm?” April asks, wrapping her hands around Robert’s torso and lifting him, cradling him against her shoulder as she walks back into the bathroom.  

“Sorry, should have had you do this before you got dressed...” April mumbles, more to herself then to robert.  She closes the door, and lifts the toilet seat, placing Robert’s tiny feet on it’s rim.  

“Go ahead...” She suggests, holding him there.  Robert quickly unbuttons the shorts, and pulls them down a little bit.  He holds his member in his hand and aims it towards the water, letting loose a stream of urine into the bowl.  “Good boy!” April coos.  

“I gotta...” Robert says.

“Oh.” April replies  “Well, go ahead, I have to shower anyway.” April says as she picks Robert up, pulling the toilet seat back down.  She sits Robert on it’s edge, and begins to strip from her pajamas, tossing them into the hamper.  Robert looks on as April slips from her white lacey panties. The girl was certainly attractive, and if she were not completely out of her mind, and twice Robert’s size, he would have enjoyed the moment much more.

“What have I told you about staring?” April snaps, a smile across her face.

“I...I’m sorry.” Robert stammers, looking away.

“You better be Robbie Ladner, you better be...” She mocks sternly.

April pulls the stop out of the tub’s drain, allowing the drain to gurgle.  She waits for a few moments before turning the knobs, and flipping the switch to transfer the waterflow to the showerhead.  She steps inside and pulls the curtain back, leaving Robert to finish his business as she bathes herself.

Robert finishes what he has to do, he flushes the bowl multiple times, hoping to burn April with scalding water, but she just hums ‘Fur Elise’ incessantly.  Robert sighs and looks over at the closed door, the knob hanging high above his head.  He climbs down from the toilet and pulls his shorts up, thankful that he is no longer naked, but appalled by his appearance.  He wanders over to the door, and stands on his tippy toes, desperately trying to reach the knob, grunting and stretching his arm as high in the air as he can.  Despite his best efforts, his hand falls a good six inches short of the knob, again and again.

The water is silenced, and April pushes the curtain back, stepping out of the shower, her body glistening and wet.  She looks down and grins when she spots Robert by the door.  She then opens a small linen closet and takes out a few towels, wrapping one around her head.

“Isn’t it funny, how a simple doorknob, something you’ve taken for granted for most of your life, can so easily keep you here, with me?”  April smiles sinisterly.  

“Hysterical.” Robert responds flatly, turning around and leaning against the door.

“You know, the sooner you learn you aren’t going anywhere, the happier you will be here...” April says as she lifts her legs onto the hamper, patting them dry with the other, orange towel.

“First it’s going to be a doorknob.” She begins as she drops her leg and lifts the other onto the hamper.  “Then it’s going to be the bars of a crib, and then if you still insist that you must get away, you will probably find yourself rolled up in one of my socks, stuffed away in my sock drawer, do you want that Robbie?” She asks as she pats her leg dry.

“You should learn from Samantha, she is VERY happy here.” April insists.

“She loves you, but yet you still torture her...” Robert states, narrowing his eyes.

“She loves me because we have fun Robert, fun...” April insists, wrapping the towel around herself and walking towards the tiny man.

“She loves you because she’s completely fucking lost it, you broke her!” Robert snaps.

April frowns and quickly moves towards Robert, she bends down and scoops her hands under his little arms and lifts him in the air, slamming his back harshly against the unyielding wood of the door.

“Cursing!” April scowls, slamming Robert into the door again, causing him to grunt and whimper.

April’s face softens a bit.  “No... I’ll let it slide this time.” She says, calmly.  “You’re upset, and I can certainly appreciate that fact.  

“Yeah right.” Robert quips bravely, his body trembling with intense terror.

“You’ll learn to love me, just like all the rest, well...” She stops as she looks Robert over.

“That is, unless you shrink down to nothing by next week.” She laughs.

“Either way, we’re going to have some fun, hmm?” She grins, kissing Robert on his forehead.

Chapter 8 - All the pretty boats

“You’re going to have some fun at least.” Robert retorts, placing both of his hands around April’s wrist as he is held high in the air, jammed against the door.  

“Oh come now, don’t be so ungrateful, you’ve been fed, washed, and clothed, where would you be right now without me? Trapped in your apartment, just like I said...” April snaps, wrapping her arms around Robert and pressing him against her chest.  She opens the door and walks into the guest room.

“Maybe I would have been better off?” Robert snaps angrily as he is placed back into the stroller.  April’s hand zooms into the confines of the stroller, and Robert is smacked so hard across his cheek that he sees stars.  He seethes, breathing heavily and slowly raises his hand to his numb face.  

“Stop making this so difficult! STOP IT!” April scowls.  She quickly pushes the stroller towards the hallway and to the top of the stairs, tilting it upwards so that Robert can see down the endless flight.  His hands slam to the sides of the carriage, and he starts to hyperventilate.

“Rock a bye baby, on the treetop.” April sings sinisterly as she rocks the carriage back and forth a few times.

“Noooo!! Nooo!!” Robert screams desperately.

“And why shouldn’t I? Hmm? You are such a disrespectful little thing, I am not sure I want to keep you around any longer.” April says coolly.

“No, April, stop! let’s talk about this!” Robert pleads, his voice cracking.

“I’m listening...” April insist, dropping the carriage back onto it’s rear wheels.

“OK...” Robert says quiveringly.  “You win, I’ll be good.” He adds, his whole body trembling, though he can no longer see the steps below, he knows the steep descent is still right before him.

“And who do you belong to?” April asks sternly.

“You... I belong to you...” He replies, without hesitation.  

“It’s a start.” April admits, rolling the carriage back into the guest room.  Robert clutches his chest, trying to calm his heart and catch his breath.

“You know, I don’t like having to do things like this Robert, I like my toys to trust me.” April explains as she grabs the duct tape off of the bed, rolling a piece off of the roll, loudly.

“Samantha trusts me, Seth trusted me, Elizabeth trusted me, but that all took time...With you...I don’t have that luxury.” April continues as she bends down, holding Robert’s ankles together and rolling them again and again within the sticky tape.

“And where are they-” Robert begins, but is cut off instantly.

“Did I give you permission to speak? I don’t recall doing that!” April snaps, silencing Robert.

“They are where they belong.” April huffs, ripping the tape from the roll, and standing up.  Robert tries to push his ankles apart, uselessly, his tiny muscles no match for the thick, silvery tape.

April disappears, and Robert is left sitting there, he loses all track of time, but is certain at least an hour has passed before he feels the stroller roll forward.  He snaps out of his light slumber as he is pushed out into the hallway. “Hoollld onnnn!” April warns, playfully, lifting the stroller onto its hind wheels and rolling it down one step, roughly.  

“Ahh! Oh god!” Robert screams.  

“Scream Robbie Scream, bada boom!” April exclaims playfully as she repeats the process, causing Robert to bounce around helplessly within the stroller.

“Apri- ahah!” Robert grunts fearfully as the stroller is pushed down three more steps, at one point Robert’s entire body is airborne, but lands safely within the confines of the carriage.  

“Weeeeeeee!” April Coos as she takes a few more steps, nearing the midpoint of the staircase.

Robert grips the sides of the carriage so hard that his fingers begin to cramp as it is pushed down the remaining stairs, into the living room.  The front door lumbers over Robert, stretching and curving into the sky as the carriage stops.  April appears off to the left side, slipping her feet into some unseen footwear as Robert catches his breath.  She grabs a small black bag off of a coat rack and smiles downward at Robert.

April appears dressed in denim shorts and a black tank-top, the backs of her smooth legs filingl his vision as she steps in front of the stroller.

“Ok, let’s go.” She says calmly, opening the door and moving behind Robert and pushing the carriage outside.  The July heat hits Robert instantly, but it is a dry, pleasant heat, and a cool ocean breeze blows into the stroller.  

It is a pleasant day.

“It is a pleasant day.” April says as she closes the door behind her, locking it and then gently pushing the stroller down the three small steps, onto the walkway.  

The stroller is pushed down the walkway, and Robert looks at his truck, which is still sitting where he left it, the night before.  It was an entirely different beast to Robert now, impossibly tall and long, it looked more like a red wall as they approached the street then a vehicle.

“That thing is so nasty, I’ll have to get rid of it right away.” April says in disgust.

Robert simply sighs.

“Problem?” April asks, menacingly, yet with a hint of mirth.

“No...” Robert replies submissively as he is pushed down the narrow sidewalk, down a steep hill.  The view was unlike anything Robert had ever experienced. The bay sits a few blocks down, at the base of the hill, the water sparkling in the sunlight. Dozens upon dozens of boats, maybe a hundred crowd the water.  All kinds of birds fly by overhead, their songs filling the air as they land in the many trees that line the street.  

“Who do you belong to Robert?” April asks as she continues her stroll.

“You.” Robert replies, in a deflated voice.

“How does that make you feel Robert?” April asks, her tone cool and even.

Robert hesitates to answer, fearing reprisal if his answer is negative.

"I asked you a question little boy...” April says, her tone growing impatient.

“It makes me feel...” Robert begins, still stumbling for words as a sheriff’s car rolls by on the road, honking a few times.

“Hiiii!” April yells as the white and gold car passes, slowly rolling down the hill.

“It makes you feel like what, Robbie? Tell April.” She pushes the issue.

“It makes me afraid.” Robert admits, quiveringly.

April is silent for a long moment as they approach an intersection, she crosses the street and continues on before speaking again.  Oh god say something... Why won’t she just say something?! Robert thinks to himself, frantically.

“Why does it make you afraid?” She asks, her tone even and opaque.

Again Robert is stumped, fearing reprisal if he utters the wrong response.

April giggles as a lone car passes them, going the opposite direction, up the hill.

“Answer me, or I’ll toss you into the bay, with the fishies!” April suggest playfully.

“I think you just answered your own question.” Robert responds, his breaths becoming shallow and rapid.

“Oh relax, I’m not going to throw you into the bay, you big baby.” April responds sarcastically.

Robert sits silently as April stops in front of a large brick building.  She opens a glass door and pushes the stroller inside, parking it in front of a gargantuan A.T.M.

She steps in front of the carriage and slides Robert’s bank card into the machine.

“Two-one-four-one.” She says as she pushes the buttons, smiling.  Her smile disappears in an instant as the words ‘invalid pin’ come up across the small screen.  She slowly turns her head down towards Robert, a serious expression playing across her face.

“Robert...” She says, accusingly.  “Robert...Did you give me the wrong numbers, just so I would stop playing with Samantha?” She asks, agitation creeping into her voice.

“No! Those are the numbers April, I swear!” Robert Responds, nervously.

April turns back towards the A.T.M, typing the numbers in once more, only to be met with ‘invalid pin’ once more.

“You’re lying.” She says, venom dripping from her voice.  

“Fine, you know what, I don’t need your money Robert!” She snaps, angrily, swiping the card from the A.T.M. and tossing it back into her purse.  She angrily pushes the stroller out of the building, and quickly down the hill, huffing and puffing in agitation.

The world zooms menacingly towards Robert, the sound of April’s quickened footfalls pounding behind him, matched only by the pace of his heart.  Within a minute or two, April is pushing the stroller down a winding path, towards an empty dock.  Old-style houses line the shore in the distance, green tree laden hills stretching as far as the eye can see.  The stroller’s wheels rattle against the wood of the dock, and Robert yelps as April roughly snatches him up.  She holds him out, away from her at arm’s length, and turns him around, facing him towards the water before hanging him over the edge.  Robert looks down past his bound feet, and screams, twisting and whimpering.

“Look Robert...” April says with an eerie calmness.

“Look at all the pretty boats.” She whispers, a wide smile stretching across her face.

Chapter 9 - Humanity

Robert twists and turns in April’s hands, hanging high above the deep blue water, small waves lap at the legs of the dock as a few tiny ripples, most likely insects landing into the water, roll gently across the slightly choppy surface.

“Help!!” Robert screams desperately, his voice carrying off into the distance.

April laughs, turning her head as the same Sheriff's car that passed them on the road, pulls up to the dock, it’s brakes squeaking as it’s engine is silenced.

“Oh hey look, it’s the cops.” April says merrily, twisting Robert to face her.  She holds him high above her head, smiling.

“Maybe they’ll save baby!” April mocks, her tone dripping with condescension as she twists Robert’s tiny body left and right in the air.

A car door slams behind them.

“April.” A masculine voice calls out from the end of the dock, the sound of keys jangling filling the air, as a large, young man in a deputy’s uniform walks onto the dock.  His medium brown hair sways a bit in the salty breeze and his hazel eyes focus on the scene before him.  

“Oh thank god!” Robert begins, sighing in relief as the man approaches.

The deputy smiles.

“Hi Jake!” April greets the man, excitement in her voice as she brings Robert into her chest and leans him on her shoulder.  April rocks back and forth slightly as the sound of Jake’s shoes thumping against the creaking wood fills both of their ears.

“Hello there little lady!” Jake offers in response.

“Crap...” Robert mutters to himself quickly realizing Jake did not pull over to help him...

“April, what month are we in?” Jake asks hesitantly.

“July...” April stammers, caught a bit off guard by the question.

“You know how many tourists are just down the road? And out there on their boats?” Jake asks as he points out to the boats lining the bay.

"Yes, a lot?” April nods.

“A lot.” Jake echoes her.

“So, you know, while most of them couldn’t give a damn what you do with your property, there might be one or two out there that decide to make a stink.  Then I have to come down, act like I care, and fill out more paperwork.  You don’t want me to fill out more paperwork, do you?” Jake smiles.

“Property?! Property?!” Robert yells, twisting in April’s arm.  “She almost killed someone!” Robert’s tiny voice cracks.

Jake stands there for a moment in silence, simply staring at April.

"I was playing with Samantha, do you remember Samantha Jake?” April smiles.

“Oh yes, she is cute, not like this one... How is the little girl?” Jake asks, nodding his head forward and crossing his hands against his broad chest.

“Not good!” Robert snaps.

“Robert!” April scolds, her voice stern and authoritative.

“She’s fine, though, I don’t think I’ll be able to take care of her much longer.” April says, a bit more collectedly.

“Too small?” Jake asks, shrugging his shoulders.

“Yeah...” April replies, her voice dripping with what Robert’s brain deciphers as regret.

“That’s a shame, a real shame. Well, do me a favour and just...put that thing back in the carriage, and go about your business.” Jake says, kindly.

“OK Jake, just for you.” April says, happily.

“Thank you kindly ma'am!” Jake smiles, turning around.  “You have a pleasant day.” Jake says as his footfalls grow fainter.

“I’m not a thing!” Robert screams after Jake, his voice cracking, his teeth barred.  

April holds him at arm’s length once more and smiles, sinisterly.

“You see, you are a thing, and by law, I own you.” April informs him, her voice cold.

“What?!” Robert quivers, as Jake climbs back into his car, and pulls away.

“You’re an object Robert.” She shakes her head slowly, and narrows her eyes.

“Don’t you realize that by now? I can do anything I want with you, I can break your little arm, and leave you in front of the emergency room, and they’d just let you sit there... No one cares.” April says, her voice brimming with glee at the fact.

“Your assets as well, I can walk into your bank, and I can simply demand access to your account.  But I don’t want to do that, and if you maaake me do that...” April says, holding Robert back towards the water briefly before pulling him back to her chest.

“I am going to do more than break your tiny little arm.”  She whispers into Robert’s ear, before opening her mouth and sucking on his left earlobe, causing him to shudder and squirm.  

A young couple passes by, holding hands, they look on the scene briefly, but quickly look away, walking down the twisting path, to what appears to be a boardwalk.

Robert swallows hard, letting loose a long, exaggerated breath and closing his eyes.

“Seven-two-five-two” Robert says.

“That’s a good boy.” April coos, placing Robert back inside of the stroller.

“Who do you belong to Robbie?” April asks, innocently, leaning over the stroller and casting Robert in her shadow.

“You.” Robert responds without hesitation.  He had answered this question already, but this time it felt a bit off, it almost felt like the answer was coming from another place.  

It almost felt right.

April moves to the back of the stroller, and twists it around, rolling it off of the dock and back down the road.  She begins climbing the hill that they had just descended, backtracking.

“God these things are killing my feet!” She complains as a small bus roars past them, making a left turn and lumbering off into the distance.

“We can get Sammy some salt-water taffy, she loves it!” April says excitedly as they approach the bank.  She uses one hand to open the door, and the other to push the stroller aside, again, standing in front of the A.T.M machine in the lobby.

“And I’ll get her favourite Ice-cream, and...hmmm, no, you don’t get anything.” She says, dismissively waving her hand down at the stroller.  

She digs into her purse and produces Robert’s bank card once more, sliding it into the machine.

“Seven-two-five-two” She sings as she punches the numbers into the machine with her dainty finger.

“Ha, that’s a good boooy, that’s a very good boy!” April coos, jumping up once and clapping her hands together, giddily.  

Robert turns his head to the side, seething at the grave injustice that was being forced upon him.  He had worked hard to save those funds, the very funds that were shooting out of the machine, into April’s greedy little hands.

“I hate the five hundred dollar limit...I’ll be coming back here-” April folds the money and puts it into her purse, along with the card.  She snatches the receipt and looks down on it, smiling.

“All week.” She chirps as she pushes the stroller from the building.

She pushes Robert down to the boardwalk, where they spend hours, blistering under the sun.  Tourists and natives alike look down on Robert, but their eyes never linger for long as they simply go about their day.  

April stops into all kinds of little shops and art galleries, browsing the jewelry and pottery, and even purchasing a two hundred dollar, gold ankle bracelet, which she adorns immediately.

Robert writhes a tiny bit in the carriage as April orders a turkey sandwich on a roll, she grabs two bottles of water and takes the food and drink over to a small table, overlooking the boat dotted bay.

She sits down, and leaves the stroller facing the edge of the bench.  Robert’s line of sight is blotted out by her denim clad crotch, and looming torso.  A huge hand appears, and a heavy bottle of water is dropped into his lap, the cap resting just under his chest.

“Drink.” April demands.

Robert suddenly feels grateful as the huge plastic bottle is thrust upon him, he sits up and attempts to twist the cap off, grunting and straining as April looks down on him, a grin on her face.

“Here honey, let April help you.” She says, sweetly, her huge hand twisting the cap off with ease, and then grabbing the bottle.  The lip of the bottle fills Robert’s vision, and he looks up at April as she pushes it towards his lips.  He looks back down and wraps his mouth around it, allowing her to pour some water down his tiny throat.

“There we go, nice and cold.” April coos gently.

Robert takes his fill, and then leans back into the stroller.

“What do you say?” April asks, as if she were talking to a five year old as she sets the water bottle on the table, high above Robert.

“Thank you.” Robert says, meekly, turning his head to the side.

April simply smiles, taking a bite of her sandwich.  She rips a small piece off and hands it to Robert, who sits up and accepts the chunk into his tiny hands.

“Thank you.” He says, with slightly more enthusiasm.

“You’re welcome Robbie.” April smiles.  She leans over the carriage, grinning warmly, twisting her head to the side, a sparkle in her eye.  Robert could not help but notice, that while she was capable of horrendous things, there was an innocence to her face, one that haunted him, even when he closed his eyes.

“You know, it is always difficult for you little things to accept that you are no longer human beings.” April begins, reaching her hand into the carriage, and stroking Robert’s cheek with her fingernails.

“But the quicker that happens, the easier this gets.” April says, reassuringly.

“Say it.” She demands.

Robert swallows his food and stares up at April.

“Say it?” He repeats.

“I am not a human being.” She says sternly, motioning with her free hand for Robert to repeat her words.

“I am...” Robert Sighs.  “I am-” He stammers, the words caught in his throat.

“C’mon sweetie, it is better to get this out of the way now.” April suggest in a gentle tone, as if she were coaxing a small child to take his medicine.

“I am not a Human being.” Robert admits, the words coming from the same, strange place within him that allowed him to admit earlier that he belonged to April.

“And you’re not...” April states, matter of factly.

She shakes her head left to right slowly.

“Not even close.” She grins.

Chapter 10 - Quality time

April stops into a small general store, picking up a few odds and ends, salt-water taffy, and a gallon of strawberry ice cream before heading home with Robert.  By the time they are walking  towards  April’s front door, afternoon is giving way to early evening, the sun just starting to dip towards the horizon.  

Having experienced Boothbay for the day, Robert had to admire the culture, and how it was  bustling down by the bay, but peaceful where people actually resided. The architecture stands in Robert’s mind as a testament to days long gone.

“We’re home!” April huffs, carrying a few bags over her shoulder.  She places them down by the door, and digs for her keys, unlocking the door and swinging it open.  The cool air hits Robert, and it isn’t long before he is parked in the living room, by the staircase.

“Samathaaa! we’re home!”  April calls out as she trudges into the house, and towards the kitchen with the groceries.

Robert turns his head towards the open door, looking at the outside world longingly, but then looks down at his bound ankles, realizing he had completely forgotten about the tape that holds his feet together.  He sighs and adjusts himself in the carriage, yearning to be released from the torturous device.

“Oh god.” April huffs as she walks back into the living room, closing the door, and slipping a pair of pink flip flops from her gigantic feet.  “My feet are killing me! My little toys are so on foot duty tonight!”  April chimes happily, reaching into the stroller and pinching Robert’s cheek harshly.  Robert turns away grunting a bit before the hand is removed.  He rubs his cheek and looks out on April with a grimace on his face.

April bends down and lifts Robert from the stroller.  “Hi, how are you?” She asks playfully, rubbing her index finger beneath Robert’s chin. A moment of silence ensues before April frowns.

“I asked HOW you were...” April growls through clenched teeth.

“OK! I’m OK!” Robert stammers fearfully, leaning back in April’s arm.

“Good, are you excited to rub my feet?” April giggles.  “If you’re anything like Sammy, you’ll be heading for the hills, too bad for her she never gets very far.” April grins deviously.   

April places Robert down on a loveseat in the living room, grabs a remote control, and flicks the huge Television on.  She then walks up the steps, humming to herself, leaving Robert to watch some random episode of the simpsons.  

Robert leans his head back and sighs, grateful for a moment of not being smothered by the domineering woman. A few minutes later he hears Samantha’s tiny voice, coming closer and closer. The tiny voice frantically attempts to reason with April as the large woman waltzes down the stairs into the living room, holding her out on an open palm, her green dress flowing gently from the sides of her huge hand.  

“April, Can..can..can we not play tonight? I’m feeling a little tired...” Samantha stammers, fear creeping into her tiny voice.

April smiles deviously as she walks towards the loveseat.  “Well here, rest up with Robbie while I cook us some dinner. Grilled cheese, your favorite.” April says calmly as she stands over Robert.

“Hold out your hand.” She commands, and Robert complies, accepting the tiny girl, and quickly pulling her into his lap.  April smiles and walks away towards the kitchen.

“Oh god, oh no! oh no! oh lord!” Samantha whimpers, running her hands through her hair frantically and kneeling on Robert’s thigh, her whole body shaking uncontrollably.  Robert moves his finger towards her, to comfort her, but before it even comes close to her, she shrieks, falling backwards.

“Easy easy easy!” Robert whispers.  The tiny girl starts to sniffle as tears streak down her cheeks.

“What’s happening?” Robert asks, fear creeping into his own voice.

“Every night... she is relentless.” Samantha sobs.

“You have to do something! You have to! you have to...hide me!” Samantha begs Robert, clasping her hands together and shaking them up upwards at him, pleadingly.

“I can’t...” Robert says nervously, motioning his head down towards his bound ankles, which rest just on the edge of the couch cushion.  Samantha looks down the length of Robert’s legs and then back up at him, her mouth moving wordlessly, her tearful face contorted in mental anguish.

April hums within the kitchen, happily, moving this or that around as she prepares dinner.

“She said...We were on foot duty tonight.” Robert stammers.

“Robert...” Samantha says sternly, suddenly shooting to her feet, and wobbling a bit on the uneven surface of his thigh.  “I need you to break my leg.” She says, her tone full of conviction.

“What?!” Robert snaps.

“Do it!” She screams.

“No!” Robert says, firmly.

“Please?!” She pleads, falling to her knees once more and running her hands through her hair.

“What is she going to do to you?” Robert asks, his heart beginning to race.

“She’s going to...” Samantha shakes her head back and forth, her jaw hanging open.

“What, tell me...” Robert insists.

“She’s going to torture me.” Samantha breaks down, curling into a small ball on Robert’s thigh, and bawling her tiny eyes out.  

A few moments later April is sauntering into the room with a plate, holding two toasted grilled cheese sandwiches.  She smiles and places them down on the end table, sitting next to Robert on the loveseat.

“Aww Sammy, shhh.” April coos, wrapping her left hand around the girl.  

“I love you...I love you...” April whispers at the writhing girl between her finger.

“I...love..you...” Samantha manages to stammer, between her sobbing.

“We love Robbie too, don’t we wittle Samantha?” April says in a baby talk voice, scrunching her giant face in front of the girl.

“Y...es..” The tiny girl sobs, looking over at Robert.

“Do you love us Robbie?” April asks, curling her free hand around Robert’s shoulder and pulling him tightly into her flank.

“Yes...” He stammers, a slight yet familiar headache entrenching itself within his skull.

“Ohhh...” Robert moans as it intensifies the slightest bit.

“What’s wrong?” April asks, in a serious tone.

“My head hurts.” He admits.

April smiles widely, rubbing her hand atop Robert’s head.

“At this rate, you’ll both be going to the special place together.” April says happily.

Robert and Samantha exchange glances, and Samantha actually stops crying, smiling at Robert.  “That...that would be something, wouldn’t it Robbie?” The tiny girl’s grief stricken voice flutters towards Robert’s ears.

April picks one of the sandwiches off of the plate, and brings it towards Robert’s face.  “Eat... you’ll need your strength.  

“I’m not hungry.” Robert says in a depressed tone.

“Eat it!” April demands, her voice rising just the slightest bit.

“OK.” Robert responds obediently, taking a small bite of the sandwich.  He instantly realizes why April’s grilled cheese was a hit with Samantha, it was incredible.  

April rips a tiny piece of crust off of the sandwich and brings it to Samantha.

“Num num!” April coos.  “No April that’s too-mmmph!” The tiny girl’s protests are cut short as the bread is ruthlessly shoved into her face, smothering it. When the bread is pulled away, Samantha’s face is covered in cheese and crumbs, which cascade down and around the top of April’s hand as the girl chews, swallowing what she had managed to take into her mouth before moaning miserably.

“Now you!” April sings happily, bringing the sandwich back to Robert, who takes another small bite and chews, his stomach bubbling and growing tighter.  

“April...” Robert starts to hyperventilate.  

“Yes sweetie?” April asks in a mirthful tone as she smothers Samantha’s face with the piece of crust once again, causing the girl to writhe and thrash within her grip.  

“I’m..I’m...” Robert stutters

“Yes Robert, you are having an episode.” April coos gently, placing the sandwich back onto the plate and running her free hand through Robert’s hair.

“Are you scared?” April asks as she bends down, dropping Samantha to the floor, between her gigantic feet.  She wiggles her toes as the girl climbs wearily onto her hands and knees. 

“Yes...” Robert admits.

“Good.” April grins as she leans over Robert, positioning a pillow against the arm of the couch and pushing him down onto his back. His feet rest on her thigh, her hand wrapping around them, engulfing them, completely.  On the floor Samantha is shrieking and running away.

“No Samantha, that’s a BAD girl!” April mocks as she extends her left foot, catching Samantha’s leg between her big and second toe, which causes the girl to fall flat on her face.  She shrieks and claws at the carpet as she is nonchalantly dragged back towards the couch.  

“You know you can’t get away, you silly little thing you!” April coos, releasing her toes from Samantha’s leg and lifting the ball of her foot over the tiny girl. Samantha rolls onto her back, holding her tiny hands in the sky above her.  April reaches for a sandwich, brings it to her lips, and bites a large chunk away, chewing.

“April please, no don’t! April I love you, don’t do this to meeeee!” Samantha shrieks, her voice cracking as she arches her back.

“No one gets away.” April says in a cold tone as she slowly starts to lower her foot down towards Samantha’s shrieking form.

Chapter 11 - She loves me, he loves me not.

“Appriilllll-” Samantha shrieks as she disappears beneath the ball of April’s foot, her little hands feverishly pressing against the soft, wrinkled flesh. Her tiny voice is suddenly silenced as April’s foot falls flat against the carpet.  Robert attempts to sit up, but a sharp pain in his stomach keeps him on his back, moaning and writhing. April laughs maniacally, looking between her foot and Robert.  

“Squirm my little playthings, squirm!” April exclaims, breathlessly, her free hand rubbing against the denim covering her crotch, her mouth hanging open. “Mmmmmmm hmmhmm!” April moans happily as she bats her toes, lifting them in the air and sliding her foot back and forth against the carpet.  She lifts her foot to reveal the writhing form of Samatha, her green dress, and her hair an absolute mess.  

Samantha crawls onto her stomach and drags herself away, only to have April slide her foot forward, blocking her path with her gigantic toes. “Boop!” April says playfully.

Robert’s feels the familiar sensation of floating on air, his muscles falling slack as he drifts off into a deep coma like state, the last thing he remembers is Samantha screaming.

“Robbie...Robbie...Robbie! WAKE UP!” A familiar voice rocks Robert towards consciousness.  He blinks a few time, staring dumbly at a dirty blond-woman, who is staring down at him, worriedly.

“Who are you?” He croaks, adjusting himself on a soft, yet synthetic feeling surface.

“Don’t you recognize me?” The woman asks, as Robert’s eyes adjust to the dim light of their surroundings.

“Sam...Samantha?” Robert asks stutteringly, a look of shock slowly spreading across his face.

“Yes...and don’t panic, you’re in my dollhouse, and you’re naked.” Samantha giggles, still wearing her green dress, though there are crumbs and what looks like grime mashed into it.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t touch anything!” Samantha grins.

“You’re alive!” Robert laughs, happily, Leaping from what appears to be a small, fake bed, and embracing the woman.  “Yes, I’m alive.” Samantha says calmly, writhing a bit in his embrace.

“But, wait, if I am in here, that means...” Robert’s jaw hangs loose as he slowly releases the woman.

“Yes, Robert, you...it just wouldn’t stop, we’ve never seen anything like it.” Samantha says in a more serious tone as Robert sits down on the bed, realizing that he is now only slightly taller than Samantha.

“She measured you at around four and a half inches.” Samantha says, frowning.

“I’m sorry Robert.” She apologizes, sitting on the bed next to him, and embracing him.

“Four and a half inches.” Robert repeats, his voice distant as he tries to wrap his head around just how small he has become.

“At least...at least you’re OK, I thought you were dead.” Robert turns to the girl.

“April might play rough, but she’s not a murderer.” Samantha says, sounding a bit hurt.

“Why do you defend her?” Robert asks, and Samantha stands up, crossing her arms against her chest.

“It’s a long story, I hated it here at first, just like you, but over time I guess she grew on me.” Samantha explains.

“literally.” Both Samantha and Robert utter in unison.

“Heh.” Robert snorts.

“What time is it?” Robert asks.

“Time?” Samantha smiles, shaking her head slowly from left to right.  “I haven’t had the luxury of knowing the time in months Robbie Ladner.” Samantha explains.

“Don’t call me that...just...don’t.” Robert snaps a bit.

“Oh, sorry!” Samantha apologizes.

“I guess it’s the middle of the night.” Samantha deduces.

“We have to get out of here.” Robert suggests, standing up and feeling around the room for a door.

“And go where, exactly?” Samantha asks, tilting her head in curiosity, like a lost puppy.

“Anywhere, away from her, before someone gets hurt.” Robert says, looking back at Samantha.

“Sit down Robbie, you aren’t going anywhere.  April is going to take care of us, and then we are going to go to the special place.” Samantha explains, in a serious tone.

“Samantha, listen to me, there is no special place, it’s just some-” Robert begins but is immediately cut off by the dirty blond haired woman.

“Never! Never! Say that again! There is!” She retorts frantically, crossing her arms more tightly across her bosom before turning her back to Robert.

“Listen to me...” Robert says forcefully, approaching Samantha slowly, and grabbing her shoulder.

“Don’t touch me!” Samantha squirms away, her voice filled to the brim with venom.

“Samantha, please! She has you brainwashed!” Robert reasons pleadingly, his voice starting to crack a little bit.

“No! No! NO! Samantha shrieks, bringing her fingers to her ears and plugging them.” Lalalala, I can’t hear you!” She spouts angrily.

“Fine.” Robert sighs.  

“Good.” Samantha responds.  The girl walks over to the bed and sits down on it, staring at Robert with narrowed eyes.

“You know, you should really give her a chance.” April shrugs her shoulders.

“A chance to what, grind me under her toes, drown me, or financially rape me?” Robert growls.

“Financially rape you?” Samantha asks in a confused tone.

“Yeah, she’s emptying my bank account.” Robert sighs.

“Oh...” Samantha says, calmly.  “She needs that money to-” Samantha begins, only to have Robert cut her off. “Buy jewelry? Because that is what she did with it earlier.” Robert snaps, his face beet red as his hands ball into tiny fists.

Samantha shakes her head, looking away from Robert.  “She wouldn’t do that... She needs your money to make a deposit, so they can reserve a spot for you. Look, I don’t want to talk about this, so just... Sit down, shut up, and go to sleep!” Samantha snaps quiveringly, tears streaking down her cheeks as she lays down in the bed. She turns her back towards Robert and lets out an angry huff.

Robert slumps down against a plastic wall, sighing and leaning his head against it’s surface.  He closes his eyes, and time melts away.  The sound of crickets fill the air, their echoing chirps pounding ceaselessly against the flimsy dollhouse.  Robert is certain Samantha is fast asleep, until she stirs a little bit.

“Robert?” Samantha asks softly, breaking the long simmered silence.

“What?” He responds, his voice stern, yet even tempered.

“What was it like?” Samantha asks gently.

“What was what like?” Robert responds, confusedly.

“Working for a newspaper, driving, walking down the street...” Samantha says rather quickly.

“Wha-” Robert begins, only to be interrupted.  “Being big.” Samantha interjects longingly.

"You were big once, don’t you remember?” Robert responds softly.

“Kinda, well, it’s all I ever think about really. I remember just being able to get up and go, I remember working and going to school, and my boyfriend...” Samantha stops after she utters the last word, and Robert can hear her begin to sob in the darkness.  “Oh god Fraaaaank!” Samantha whines.

“Oh, hey! Hey!” Robert tries to comfort the sobbing girl, standing up and approaching the bed.  He sits down on the bed and places his hand on hers, forcing himself to choke back his own tears.

“It’s OK, Samantha, look at me.” Robert says, his voice cracking as his overly empathic nature takes over.

“We...we had a fight right after I got diagnosed...He said... He wanted me to go into the hospital... Said he was going to force me.” Samantha stammers through her tears.

“Everyone knows the hospital is the worst place to go.” Robert says, shaking his head.

“What about your parents?” Robert asks.

“They’re...they died when I was little, well, younger.” Samantha laughs a bit through her tears.

“My aunt used to hit me, so I moved in with Frank” She explains.

“I’m sorry.” Robert says, looking away from Samantha.

“So you really did have nowhere else to go.” Robert whispers.

“No, and April...April has been wonderful, she’s gone out of her way to cook all of my favourite foods, and comfort me, and...There was Seth and Elizabeth, and we were all so happy together." April explains, nostalgically.

“What happened to them?” Robert asks.

“I woke up one morning and they were gone, April says she brought them to the special place. They were so small... You could hardly even see them.” Samantha sniffles.

“It’s real Robert, they have a whole website, with interviews, videos and everything.”  Samantha stammers.

Robert smiles down at the girl, at once feeling sorry for her, sorry enough to humor her, taking a deep breath and nodding.

“Robert? Do you want to...lay down with me? The floor is kind of hard.” Samantha offers, her voice a bit more composed.

“Thank you.” Robert says, awkwardly, as he lays down on his back next to Samantha.  The girl snuggles up to him and plants her hand on his bare chest.

“I think you and Seth will get along really well.” Samantha says softly, idly running her palm up and down his chest.

“You think so?” Robert asks.

“Yeah, he is kind, and gentle, just like you.” Samantha whispers.  

“And I know it won’t be long, it’s coming, really soon, I feel it.” Samantha says happily, closing her eyes and rubbing her temples as she sucks air through her teeth.

“Are you Ok?” Robert asks, hesitantly.

“I have a headache.” She laughs, a pure innocent laughter, filled with untainted joy.

Chapter 12 - Those who’ve come before

Within a few minutes Samantha is conked out.  Robert looks down on her, sitting up in the bed as her arms, hands, and legs slowly disappear into her treasured green dress. Samantha stops dwindling a few moments later, and Robert gently removes the dress from her body.  The tiny girl moans and kicks her right leg ever so slightly, but does not stir.

He stares at her for a long time, soaking in her now half-sized frame, his hand running down the length of her hair.  The sound of crickets are gradually replaced by birds of all sorts, the light of dawn creeping into the makeshift bedroom ever so gradually.  Robert contemplates sleeping, but can not bring himself to lay down and close his eyes.

He rolls the great injustice of their situation around in his mind, over and over again, and has to calm himself down more than once.  He slumps down into the bed, and finally allows sleep to overtake him.

He does not rest for very long.

An echoing slamming sound startles Robert awake, followed by an intensely loud creak.

“Good morniiing...” April’s booming voice assaults Robert’s tiny ears, the hair raising sound being followed by deep, slow, rhythmic rumblings.   

“Mmmmnnghh...” Samantha moans as she begins to stir.

Robert begins to panic, jumping to his feet and running to the window.  He wants to scream when he spots the outside world, and April, striding over it like some colossal mythical creature. Every little detail of reality seems to dwarf Robert’s existence, and when April slowly turns her incomprehensibly large head to look down into the window and lock eyes with him, he finds himself shaking, her mere gaze freezing him on the spot.

“Little Robbie Ladner...” April’s all mighty voice booms down from the heavens as she moves closer, her shadow casting the whole room in near darkness. The roof suddenly peels away, replaced by April’s looming torso, which is wrapped in a pink robe, and her smiling face, her disheveled hair framing it as she grins downward on the room.

“Itty...” April begins as her hand descends into the room, three of her fingers quickly wrapping around Robert and rocketing him into the air, towards her gigantic face.

“Bitty...” She bellows, her lips filling his vision, her voice causing his ears to ring viciously, and her morning breath causing him to gag and writhe within her fingers.

“Robbie Ladner.” The lips move, her hot, pungent breath buffeting Robert in the face, along with fine particles of her warm spittle, which cling to his skin.

“Good morning April!” A small, happy voice sounds from below Robert, causing him to look down.  Samantha is jumping on the bed, her tiny breasts bouncing up and down as she grins, happily.

“Oh my!” The lips move in front of Robert again, and he finds himself being deposited back into the room.  Once April releases him from her massive fingers, he scurries into a corner, whimpering and blubbering like an idiot.

“Samantha, it happened!” April’s booming voice exclaims.

“Yes! Now I can finally go see Seth!” Samantha screams happily, allowing herself to bounce onto her knees.

“I can barely hear you honey...” April’s voice booms.

“Sam...sam...samantha, don’t...don’t.” Robert stammers, causing the tiny girl to look at him.

“Don’t worry Robert, it’s going to be OK!” Samantha exclaims happily, jumping down from the bed and rushing towards him.  She embraces his leg, and tears stream down her small face.

“Awww.” April booming voice coos.  “I have some good news for both of you, I just got off of the phone with Henry, and he says, since Robert is shrinking so quickly, he wants you both down there...This afternoon.”  April informs them.

Samantha gasps.  “Robert! We’re going! this is it!” Samantha cries out, ecstatically, hugging Robert’s leg as hard as she possibly can.

Robert looks up at April’s building sized form in absolute terror.  

“I’ve waited so long for this.” The tiny girl begins to sob.  “So long...so long...” She whispers as her tears start to attach themselves to Robert’s leg.

“We have to get you both cleaned up.” April grins, her hand descending into the room and wrapping around both of them.  Samantha is roughly crushed against Robert, and she cries out, squirming in discomfort.  “April!” She whines, but her voice simply bounces around within the confines of April’s closed fist.  

“No! put us back! Put us down!” Robert screams, his voice cracking.  He does his best to grab Samantha, and pull him into his lap, where she has more room to breathe.  Both of their tiny existences are rocked with each of April’s quickened footfalls, and before they know what is happening, they are both sitting on the ledge of the bathtub, April kneeling over them.  

“Oh...god...no, April...” Samantha stutters, slowly climbing to her feet.  

“Robert..Run!” She screams frantically as April hums happily above them, turning the unimaginably large knobs in her giant hands.  A waterfall immediately shoots forth from the gargantuan faucet, pounding the bottom of the tub and causing a rippling wall of water to cascade far below them.

“Where?!” Robert screams frantically.

“I dunno!! I dunno!!” She cries out hysterically, a near microscopic stream of urine shooting from between her legs as she looks up towards April, who is grinning down on them both, deviously.

“Don’t worry April, Robbie Ladner will- Opps... haha! I guess you’re fucked!” April narrows her eyes sharply as she brings her fingertip to Samantha’s body, gently pushing the tiny girl off of the ledge.  

“No, Aprillllllllllll!” Samantha screams, her voice losing volume as her body tumbles end over end into the water. “Samantha!” Robert screams desperately as the tiny girl sinks to the bottom like a rock, getting dragged downstream by the strong current.  

“Samantha!!!” Robert screams again, readying himself to dive from the ledge, and within a moment he is free falling towards the water, splashing down and sinking to the bottom. He writhes and twists, desperately turning his head this way and that in desperate search for the fallen woman.  He spots her, a great distance away, desperately kicking her legs and rising towards the surface.  Robert does the same, and they both surface around the same time.  

Robert breaks the surface with a gasp, the water quickly rising all around him, choppy waves slamming, and rolling over him as he treads water.  

“Robert!!” Samantha’s tiny voice rises over the racket of the water, faint and far away in Robert’s ears.

“I am a hurricane...” April’s voice booms down from the heavens.

“I am an earthquake, a tornado, a Tsunami.” It continues as April rolls up her huge sleeve, her endlessly long arm dipping into the water. “And I can come ashore, and end your life in a split second!” April laughs feverishly as her arm rolls through the water, kicking up a ten foot wave, which roars down the length of the tub towards Robert.

Robert can hear Samantha shriek before it overtakes him, slamming into him roughly and sending him tumbling backwards beneath the water, kicking and waving his arms around frantically.  Robert is lost and turned around beneath the rising water, unsure of which way to turn as he frantically twists his body around.  His lungs burn as he floats towards the surface, breaking it and gasping as April’s hands loom above him, holding something...

Samantha's tiny, writhing body is clamped between two of her fingertips, lathered in soap, which drips off of her into the tub.

“Shhh, it’s ok Samantha, you know April likes to play... I wanted to see you swim one more time.” April coos as Samantha cries her little eyes out .

“Forgive me?” Her gigantic voice echoes through the bathroom, dripping in sincerity.

“Y..y..y..yes!” Samantha stammers through her tears, coughing and sputtering as Robert does his best not to be overtaken by the huge waves all around him.  April’s free hand turns the huge knobs, killing the flow of water into the tub.  

“Tell you what, since you are such a good little girl, we are going to go to the special place right after you two are washed up.” April smiles.

“Really?!” Samantha stammers, her voice regaining most of its composure, in an instant.

“Yes!” April assures the tiny girl, nuzzling the tip of her gigantic nose into the girl.

Samantha giggles uncontrollably.  

“Oh my god it’s so big now!” She gasps, happily, tears she had cried in terror, still dampening her little face.

Hold your breath!” April warns, teasingly.  The tiny girl sucks in air, and puffs her cheeks out, right before being quickly dipped into the water near Robert, and then set on the ledge.

“Your turn!” April sings as she roughly snatches Robert out of the water, her thumb against his little back, and her index finger smothering his tiny chest.  She rubs a little bit of soap into the fingers of her other hand, and gently coats Robert’s entire body in a thin layer.  Robert hangs there limply, offering no resistance.

“April...Where are you taking us? Really?” Robert asks as a single fingertip rolls across his tiny body.

“You talk too much Robert.” April sighs.

“Robbie!!” Samantha whines, “Just be happy for once, God!” The tiny girl rolls her eyes, laying down on the edge of the tub and sighing contently.

“I just want to know where you are taking us, that is all.” Robert says quiveringly.

“Don’t worry Robbie.” April begins, twisting her head innocently, the intensity in her eyes threatening to set his tiny body ablaze.

“You’re going to meet everyone...Everyone who I’ve ever cared for, and even though you were only with me for a day, I still love you, and I am still going to miss you.” She narrows her eyes, frowning a bit as Samantha hums Fur Elise below.

April sniffles and wipes a lone tear from her cheek.

Chapter 13 - Friendship

“Hold your breath Robert.” April says gently, bringing his trembling body towards the water and dunking him quickly beneath its surface.  April’s voice has somehow changed, its playfulness replaced with a coolness that sends chills down Robert’s entire body.  He gasps for air as she pulls him above the surface of the water.  She gently pinches Samantha off of the ledge of the tub, and sets her and Robert down atop the bathroom sink.  She smiles briefly before peeling the robe away from her naked body and disappearing into the shower.  

“I can’t wait to give Seth a big hug!” Samantha grins, sitting down on the smooth white surface, a small puddle of water forming around her tiny body.  “Oh god, I’m so excited!” Samantha squeals, rocking back and forth and clapping her hands happily.  

“So you’ve...You’ve seen the website for this place right?” Robert asks skeptically, his voice quivering as Samantha turns the shower on and closes the curtain behind her, filling the room with a thick steam.

“Yes, I told you last night mister!” Samantha chides Robert, waving a finger at him.

“This is the happiest day of my life! Can’t you just...I dunno, go stand over there or something if you are going to be so negative?!” Samantha asks, waving her hand at him.

“Samantha, listen to me, something is NOT right here!” Robert barks nervously.

“Listen to yourself!” Samantha growls.  “She’s been taking care of me for over a year, I trust her, you’ve been here for all of a day, and you’re all like...Waaah, there’s something not right, waaah, she’s financially raping me, wahhh!” Samantha mocks, balling her hands into fists and rubbing her eyes with them.

“No...” Robert shakes his head... “No!” He spouts angrily, steaming towards her and grabbing her tiny arm, pulling her to her feet.

“Hey! Keep your damned hands off of me!” Samantha screams.

“We have to get out of here!” Robert says, desperation dripping from his voice as he drags Samantha around the top of the bathroom sink, looking for somewhere...anywhere to go.

“Where do you think you’re going to go?” Samantha asks calmly.  “There is no where to go Robert... That is part of being little.” Samantha smiles a bit as Robert lets her go.  She backs away a few steps and looks up at him, her head following as he falls to his knees, a pained look on his face.  

“I don’t want to be little.” Robert shakes his head, tears welling up in his eyes.

“No one does.” Samantha says as she steps forward, wrapping her little arms around his neck.

“I had a life a few days ago.” Robert sobs hysterically, pulling Samantha into his chest.

“And now look at me! Look at me!” He wails, tears freely flowing down his reddened face as Samantha writhes within his embrace.  

“Robert, I know...I know, but you have...have to...” Samantha begins to cry herself before she can finish her thought.  “Be strong, that is all gone now, all of it, and you’re never getting it back.” Samantha sniffles.

They hold each other for a full minute before Robert releases Samantha from his embrace.

Samantha places a hand onto his chest and smiles.  “Robert, we’re going to be together for a very long time, me and you.” Samantha says softly.

Robert grabs her hand within his, gently, rubbing his thumb across the top of it.  He forces himself to smile as his body is wracked with intermittent sobs of grief.  

“Will you be...My friend?” She asks, looking into his eyes.

Robert moves his lips for a few moments, not sure how to respond, he laughs through his tears.  “Of course...Of course I’ll be your friend Samantha...” Robert stammers.

A moment later the shower is silenced, the loud roar replaced by the sound of stray droplets dripping into the bottom of the tub.

Samantha and Robert both snap their heads towards the shower curtain.  

“Ahhh!” April sighs contentedly from behind the monstrous curtain. She peels the shower curtain back, and steps from the tub, one leg at a time.

“That’s all we really have left Robert, friendships.” Samantha explains as they both watch April pat her monstrous naked body dry with a huge towel.  

“Yeah...” Robert trails off as he stares on at the hundred foot tall April, who is wrapping the towel around her torso.

April saunters over and twists her head, looming over the pair, and casting them in her endless shadow.  “It won’t be long now...” She smiles down on them.  Samantha smiles back up at the giant being as April lowers her enormous hand down towards the vanity, palm up.  “Get on.” She demands.

Robert stares at the hand, hesitating for a long while as Samantha grunts, climbing on and crawling into the center.  “Robert.” April’s voice booms.  “C’mon Robbie!” Samantha smiles, beckoning him to join her.  Before Robert can react something is slamming into his back, causing him to stumble forward.  “Robert, don’t make me angry...Not today.” April warns.  Robert sighs, his heart pumping out of his chest as he timidly climbs aboard April’s hand, sitting next to Samantha on it’s warm, wet, surface.

“Good boy.” April coos as she leaves the bathroom.  They soon find themselves in April’s bedroom.  Robert looks around, soaking in the interior. April was certainly a girly-girl, the shades are pink, as are her sheets and comforter, there are stuffed animals piled in the corner, and all sorts of makeup lining shelves on the walls.  April sets them down on a white night table before casting the towel off of her body.  “Ok, I’m just going to get dressed, and we can go. Let’s see, I need something to carry you guys in... hmmm...” She contemplates as she looks around the room.  “Ah!” She says in excitement, walking over to her dresser and lifting a huge, clear, nearly empty jar of change in her hand.  She smiles as she walks back over to nightstand, and sets it down, unscrewing it’s white metal lid.  She gently pinches Samantha between her fingertips and places her inside, and then follows suit with Robert, before screwing the lid back into place.  Robert panics, stumbling to the clear plastic wall and looking up at April.  

April opens the draw directly beneath them and produces a pair of red panties.  She smiles deviously as she slips into them.  “Ok, dressed!” She sings before lifting the Jar and heading out of the room.   The motion causes Robert and Samantha to stumble around atop the huge coins.

“What does she mean dressed?!” Robert calls out.  “I don’t know!” Samantha responds quiveringly, trying to keep her footing atop the shifting change.  

The world outside is a blur, and as April runs down the long flight of stairs, Robert and Samantha are jostled around the jar viciously, tumbling into each other.  Robert grabs Samantha’s hand and digs his arm beneath the hard currency, trying to anchor them.  

Their ride soon levels out as they head through the living room, into the kitchen.  

“Hey, April! The door is that way, duh!” Samantha cries out.

The jar is set down atop the kitchen counter, next to the stove, a huge CD player looming over them. A CD case rests vertically against one of the huge speakers, a huge picture of Beethoven plastered across it’s surface, seemingly staring down at them, menacingly.  “Uh...” Robert begins to stammer, hyperventilating and planting his hands against the wall of the jar.   April leans against the counter and stares into the Jar.  “April?” Samantha asks nervously, running to the wall of the jar, next to Robert, and staring up at her huge face. “April?!”  Samantha calls out again, her voice cracking a bit.

April simply hums to herself, stands up, and walks towards the freezer.  She wraps her hand around a gallon of strawberry ice cream and brings it back over the counter top, slamming it down roughly.   She then walks away, grabbing a bowl, a spoon, sprinkles, and chocolate syrup from the fridge, and arranges all of the items neatly, next to the jar. “Robert? What is she doing?” Samantha asks, her breathing quick and shallow.

“I don’t know.” Robert responds, worriedly.

Chapter 14 - Together, at last

“Your favorite...” April says gently, opening a draw in front of her and producing a huge ice cream scoop.  She pops the lid off of the ice cream, and digs into it, scooping out hundreds of pounds of the pink substance, and plopping it down into the bowl.  She repeats the process three times before replacing the lid, and tossing the scoop, loudly, into the sink.

Samantha jumps as the scoop clangs against the stainless steel, echoing throughout the room like a thunderclap.  April laughs, her eyes glazed over, an expression of pure and unrestrained excitement stretching across her gigantic face.  Her huge hand drops roughly on top of the lid of the jar, and within an instant it is unscrewed.  Her gigantic hand reaches inside, her thumb and forefinger roughly pinching Samantha between them.  Samantha shrieks and thrashes, kicking her feet frantically.  “April! What the hell?!” She screams, her voice growing more distant to Robert as she is rocketed out of the jar.  “No...” Robert whispers as a sudden realization overtakes him. “NO!” He bellows as he begins to slam his fists against the jar.  

“Here we are little one, finally...”  April’s gigantic voice booms, happily.  Robert can hear Samantha’s desperate response, but cannot make out the words coming from her tiny lips.

“Oh, that is simple, really, I am surprised I was able to keep you going for such a long time, you see Samantha, the special place... It’s my stomach.”  April giggles, slowly lowering the tiny girl into the bowl, and placing her atop the center mound of ice cream.  Robert can hear Samantha shrieking as April’s index fingertip mushes the tiny girl into the cold substance, flattening her into it.  April brings her fingertip to her mouth and sticks it inside, sucking the residual ice cream into her mouth, and then removing her finger with a smacking sound. 

“Don’t eat meeeeeee!” Samantha shrieks as she struggles uselessly within the viscous substance.  “That’s right, beg little Sammy, beg me for your life! Nnngh!” April moans, tilting her head back and snaking her hand into her panties.  The giant woman rubs her fingers in small circles, her mouth hanging open.  

“Oh my god, this is not happening!” Robert whimpers, backing away from the wall of the jar, in complete and utter shock.

April’s free hand reaches towards the CD player, hitting a button, and within a moment the opening bars of Fur Elise are softly emanating from the enormous speakers.  April hums along as she lifts the bottle of sprinkles over the ice cream, tapping it and causing a multicolored rain to cascade all around Samantha.

“Da-duh-da-duh-da-duh-da-duh dum, da-da-duh-dum, da-da-duh dummmm!” April hums along as she places the sprinkles down on the counter, lifting the chocolate syrup high overhead, and aiming the nozzle down at the ice cream.  She squeezes the bottle and causes a blackish-brown stream of thick, gooey syrup to stream down into the bowl.

“No! NO! April! I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die! please don’t eat meeee!!” Samantha can barely be heard screaming her tiny heart out as April makes small, chocolate circles around her body.   April places the syrup down on the counter, and lifts her spoon in one hand, her other still down inside of her panties, rubbing her woman hood vigorously.  

“Too bad! I’m going to scoop up your itty bitty body, roll you around in my mouth, and then swallow you whole...” April says breathlessly, licking her lips in a slow and exaggerated manner.  

“Oh no! The big bad spoon is coming to get you, run little girl run!” April taunts as she dips the spoon into the bowl, a little off to Samantha’s right side.  “Oops missed.” She coos gently as she lifts the spoon out, and slides it between her lips.  “Mmmm.” Her gigantic voice hums around the spoon.  Samantha can be heard shrieking continuously from within the bowl, pausing only to breathe.

“Are you enjoying the show Little Robbie Ladner, hmm?” April shudders, a wet smacking sound  squelching audibly from her underwear. “Don’t worry, It won’t be long for you either...You are both...going...to dieee...” April says, her voice deep with conviction as she lowers the spoon back into the bowl, this time, digging the spoon directly under Samantha, and scooping her up, along with a sizable chunk of melting, pink sweetness.  She brings the spoon to her lips as Samantha waves her arms frantically, screaming at the top of her tiny lungs.

“This is the special place you have been yearning for little girl, see? Ahhh!” April taunts as she opens her mouth wide, giving the tiny girl a front row seat to her monstrous tongue, her teeth, and the back of her throat. April closes her mouth and giggles as Samantha waves her arms in a criss cross manner, shaking her tiny head furiously left to right.  

“Ready? Heerree youuuu gooo, say hello to Seth!” She says breathlessly as she opens her mouth, slowly moving the spoon towards her tongue.  

The screaming, writhing girl disappears into April’s mouth, her tiny, desperate cries for mercy silenced, as the cd player continues playing Fur Elise, the song filling Robert with the deepest dread he has ever experienced in his life.

“Mmmmm.” April moans, pulling the empty spoon from her mouth.  

“No!! no!! You fucking bitch, don’t swallow her, no!!” Robert pounds on the plastic, his hands becoming red and raw as a large gulping sound fills his tiny ears.  April drops the spoon back into the dish, and pauses the song.  Robert stands there, silently sobbing and whimpering as April turns her attention towards him.  

“Just like that...” She says, her eyes narrowed.  April sucks air through her teeth and tilts her head back, moaning as the hand within her panties finally ceases it’s rubbing.  “Oh god...that...was...” April shudders.

“And now...” She whispers, snaking her hand into the jar and wrapping her fingers around Robert.

“No...no!!” Robert thrashes violently, his life flashing before his very eyes as he is rocketed into the air, up towards April’s lips, which fill his vision.  

“Squirm Robbie, it’s not going to help you.” April taunts as she opens her mouth.  “Ahhh.” She hums happily, moving her tongue around, to show Robert that Samantha was indeed gone, most likely already thrashing about within her stomach acids.

“How...how could you?! SHE LOVED YOU!!” Robert screams.

“You little things are not capable of love...” April whispers.

“You’re animals...Insects...You act out of fear and instinct.” She taunts, her fingers loosening little by little.

Robert looks down towards the floor, suddenly realizing that a fall from this height would certainly spell disaster.

“And insects...well, I hate insects...Samantha was cute and cuddly, you, you’re just... ugh...” April grunts in disgust, her grip becoming looser and looser.

“No! April! Don’t drop me! Don’t drop me! Please!” Robert pleads desperately, writhing within her fingers.

“Sorry little thing, but you are not even fit to eat.” April giggles, opening her hand and letting Robert plummet towards the floor.

Robert screeches and twists his arms as the floor shoots towards him at an amazing rate, he impacts on his side with a tiny thwapping sound, his legs, hips, ribs, and left arm shattering.  Blood streams from his mouth as he struggles not to fade into Oblivion, April’s humungous toes wiggling in front of him. April’s foot gently nudges him onto his back, the giant woman stretching above him, high into the sky, her legs elongated in his tiny eyes.  He lifts a hand, his body convulsing and twisting this way and that, like a wounded insect.  

Without a word April lifts her foot over Robert, slowly bringing it downwards.  April’s smiling face is replaced in Robert’s vision with the ball of her foot, which slams into his head, pressing it against the tile of the floor.  Robert lets out a small, bloodied gurgle as his skull is compressed beneath literally, tons of foot flesh, ending his life.

April lifts her foot and hovers it in the air, grabbing a napkin.  She wipes the small red blotch of blood from her wrinkled foot flesh before bending down and balling Robert up within the napkin.  She walks over to the wastebasket and steps on the pedal, pops the lid open, and tosses the bloodied napkin inside nonchalantly.

She calmly walks to the cookie jars, and grabs her marble notebook, flipping it open to Samantha’s page, and drawing a smiley face.  She then flips to Robert’s page and draws a frown before slamming the book shut and stuffing it back into its place.

She grabs her bowl of ice cream and wanders into the living room, to her computer.  She sits down and places the bowl by her mouse, clicking and browsing a few news item, one particular article is about mass protests, across ten major U.S cities.  She snorts and clicks the news article away.

“As if they deserve rights...” She says condescendingly to herself, sighing contently as she scoops the spoon into the bowl, bringing a spoonful of ice cream to her lips.

She browses the same web forum she had met Robert on, reads a few threads, and prepares to send a private message, she types away at her keyboard.

‘Hello, my name is April Graves, I am so so sorry to hear about your diagnosis.’