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.