Thomas fell back to his buttocks as he trembled in fear. He looked around him, and saw the crushed bodies of Shawn, Dawson, Gloria, and Carlos. He looked upward, and saw the one responsible for the gruesome deaths: none other than Sayuko. Her usually worried expression was replaced with a cold, emotionless one as she was looking down on him.

He backed away from the towering giantess, but heard an all-too-familiar voice behind him.

"Go on, Sayu. One more, and you can have your brother back."

Thomas turned behind him, and saw Melissa sitting on her bed with her right leg crossed over the left.

"Did you think you could stay away from me, little bug?" Melissa asked Thomas in a calm yet cruel tone. "You're going to be punished for that, just like the rest of your friends."

Thomas turned back to Sayuko. "Please, Sayuko! Don't do this! We're friends!"

Sayuko was unmoved by his pleas. "I have to. It's for my brother," she said as she lifted her sandaled foot over his body.

"Noooo!!! Please!!" Thomas pleaded again.

"Good-bye, Thomas."

With that, the foot started to descend on his body. Petrified in fear, Thomas could do nothing but scream as he watched it take up more of his vision before he could only see darkness.

~~~

Thomas shot up from his bed. He started to breathe heavily as he looked around the room bathed in the light of early dawn. He was back on Sayuko's desk, in his small living space. He looked to his right, and saw Sayuko sleeping on her bed. He breathed a sigh of relief.

It was all just a dream.

Taro picked up one of the three large french fries that had been laid in front of him. He then bit into it, while looking at Melissa standing in front of his cage.

"Eat up," she said.

Taro swallowed what was in his mouth. "What, I don't get a shrunken meal this time?"

"I don't feel like using that thing today. I have other plans."

"...Do they include my sister?"

"Oh, that's right! Today is Sunday!" Melissa said in a condescending tone, before laughing. "Don't worry about little Sayu. Let me take care of her."

Taro did not respond. After the last time, he now knew better than to try to stand up for his sister. Instead, he took another bite of the large fry and stared at her deceitful smile.

"Anyway, you finish your meal, and I'll be back later." Melissa then closed the doors of the cabinet, engulfing him in darkness, barely illuminated by the lightbulb above.

Taro sat down and dropped the fry besides him. Like usual, he had no idea what Melissa had in store for his sister.

In the past week, he had been thinking about what he told Sayuko. He was starting to believe that he was indeed wrong to forget about his well-being. He knew that he being alive gave her the drive to live her life. If he were to somehow... perhaps even eventually... be killed, he knew deep down that Sayuko would follow him into the dark void, be it by the hands of Melissa, or by her own.

He wanted her to live, and he knew that in order for her to do so, he would have to stay alive. And in order for him to be spared from the wrath of Melissa, Sayuko would have to keep doing what the woman told her to.

As long as he's alive, she'll be fine, he thought. And as long as he doesn't antagonize Melissa anymore and run the risk of her killing him, Sayuko would not have to face the Shrink Ray, and her own demise.

Taro sighed, and laid flat on his back.

"Just hang in there, Sister," Taro said, in Japanese. "For the both of us, but for you especially."

~~~

It was just past noon, as the sun that hung overhead cast its light into Sayuko's room. Thomas sat near the edge of the desk, watching The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy on television. He had changed his clothes into a blue shirt and black pants that Sayuko had sewn for him the day he was brought here, as well as his socks that she had washed for him. He had to admit that it looked far less tacky than the green shirt and red pants he wore for most of the previous week.

He soon heard approaching footsteps, and looked to see Sayuko walk into the bedroom. Like Thomas, she had also changed her clothes; gone were her pajamas and in their places were a red T-shirt and white skirt. No doubt that she was readying herself for her gruesome task at Melissa's house. She then sat down on the edge of her bed facing Thomas, pulled her feet out of her pink slippers, and reached for her red sandals.

Despite her imminent task, Thomas took it upon himself to complement her. "You look nice."

Sayuko looked up towards him, and gave a small smile. "Thank you, Thoma-kun. I try..."

"Why do you always dress up like that, though? Especially when you're not doing anything except killing innocen-" Thomas stopped himself before he could finish his sentence.

Sayuko sighed. "I don't know. I guess I want to look comfortable, so I'll feel a little better about what I have to do. It is hot out there."

"True, I guess... But you could wear shorts instead. And sneakers. Like a few weeks ago."

"...You saw that?"

"Well, yeah. I told you before, we had a good view of what went on in Melissa's room."

"Oh, yes... That's right. ...Anyway, I've always dressed like this, even when I was in Japan."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Then why did you change it up that time?"

"No real reason. I just wanted to try something new." She smiled. "I hated it."

"Is that so?" Thomas chuckled. "...Well, if it's any consolation, I think you look better with the skirt, anyway."

"You think so?"

Thomas blushed a little. "Yeah."

Sayuko smiled again. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Sayuko then started to strap on her left sandal. However, before she could finish, both her and Thomas were taken by surprise when a ringing noise sounded from inside Sayuko's purse, which was sitting on the bed behind her. She turned around and grabbed the purse, opened it, and pulled out her pink cell phone. She looked at the Caller ID, and then turned to Thomas.

"It's Melissa," she said.

Thomas gulped as she flipped her phone open, and brought it to her ear.

"Hello?" Sayuko answered. "...Yes, I know..." After several seconds, her eyes widened. "What?! Why? ...I see... How is Taro? ...Good... ...Yes. ...Good-bye."

She closed the phone, and placed it back in the purse. She then exhaled heavily, as if in relief.

"What happened?" Thomas asked.

"She... She told me to not come."

"What?!" Thomas was shocked. "Why not?"

"She said that she had more important things to do today than deal with me." She gave a weak smile.

"Are you serious?! What about Taro?"

"She said that he was fine."

"...Are you sure you can trust her?"

Sayuko was silent for a few seconds. "She has kept him alive so far. Besides, if I go over there now, I'd probably make her mad, and that could be trouble for my brother... and me."

Thomas sighed. "I guess you're right. ...Well, I HOPE you're right."

"I hope so, too." Sayuko kicked off the sandal that was barely strapped on her left foot, stood up from her bed, and walked to the computer.

"Going to check to see if someone responded to your post?" Thomas asked.

"Yes," Sayuko said as she pulled out the chair in front of the computer desk, and sat down in it.

~~~

Facing the open window, Melissa pulled out her cell phone from her pocket and flipped it open. She then pressed several of its buttons, and brought it to her ear.

"Hello?" the female voice on the other line answered.

"Good afternoon, Sayu!" Melissa said. "It's me, Melissa!"

"Yes, I know..."

Melissa chuckled. "Anyway, I know that you were looking forward to seeing me, but I want you to just stay home for today."

"What?! Why?" Sayuko sounded obviously surprised at her order.

"Well, quite frankly, I have more important things to do today than to deal with you." Melissa smirked, despite the fact that Sayuko could not see her.

"...I see... How is Taro?"

"Your brother is fine. You don't have to worry about him."

"Good..."

"Anyway, you can rest easy today. I'm not usually this generous, but today is special. Is that alright with you?"

"Yes."

"I thought it would be! Anyway, I'll see you soon! Buh-bye!"

"Good-b-"

Melissa closed her phone before Sayuko finished her sentence. After shoving her phone back in her pocket, she walked to her cabinet, unlocked the chains around it and opened its door. She then cast her eyes on the tiny man in the cage inside.

"I'm back!" Melissa said in a bit of a cheery tone.

"Yes, I see..." Taro responded.

She knelt towards the cage inside. "Well, look happier! You don't see such beauty every day!"

She could barely make out Taro rolling his eyes, but she chose to ignore it. "Anyway, your sister won't be coming over here."

He suddenly focused his attention back on her. "What?! Did she refuse to come?"

"No... Nothing like that. I told her to stay home today." Melissa grinned. "Today is a big day for me."

"What do you mean?"

"...I turn 23 years old today."

"Oh."

There was several seconds of silence.

"Well," Melissa said, "aren't you going to wish me a happy birthday?"

"...Should I?" Taro asked.

"Yes! After all, I've been a good hostess for you all of this time. Don't you think I deserve even that?"

She heard the tiny man sigh. "Happy Birthday."

"Thank you!" Melissa smiled at Taro. "You don't know how much that means to me!"

"It can't mean that much..."

"Oh, but it does!" She then stood back upright. "I told you that you don't have to worry about your sister, didn't I? That's my gift to you."

Taro blankly stared at her.

"Well, I should go talk to the others now," Melissa said. "Let them know what today is. Adios, my friend."

She grabbed both doors of the cabinet, and, after blowing Taro a kiss, she pushed them inward, closing them on the man inside. She then pulled the chain through the handles, and snapped the combination lock on it. With that done, she turned around and headed towards the closet. She opened the door, and walked inside. After moving the hanging clothes aside, she soon found herself in front of the glass cages in the back of the closet, each one filled with many tiny beings.

"Good afternoon, bugs!" She cheerfully said. "I bet you all were looking forward to today's game. Well, it's been cancelled. I have other things on my mind for today, and they don't include any of you all." She chuckled. "I'm sure that you all are disappointed, but that's just the way things are, today. But don't worry! You'll be enjoying my company real soon!"

She turned back towards the way she walked in from. "You all have a nice day! I know I will." She then pulled the clothes back in place, and walked out of the closet, closing the door behind her.

Sayuko, her brother, and the rest of the Bugmen would be out of her mind for the rest of the day. After all, today was about her, and none of them mattered to her right now.

"Time to go pick out what I'm going to wear," Melissa said to herself, before sighing. "...Which are back in there."

She reopened the closet door, and walked back inside.

~~~

Claudia sat at the small plastic table in the doll house's kitchen, nursing a cup of hot tea in front of her. Also sitting at the table was Rebecca, who was reading a book.

"Twenty-three years..." Claudia said in a melancholic tone. "My, how time flies when you're a parent..."

Rebecca looked up from her book.

"I remember the day I gave birth to her... It was the three of us in the hospital room... Me, Melissa, and Edgar. He was so affectionate towards her... This was before he went to work at the lab, when he was able to spend a lot of time with us..." She sighed. "Melissa was such an adorable and innocent baby back then... I could see both myself and her father in her face, but mostly her father."

"...Was my father- my birth father- there when I was born?" Rebecca asked.

Claudia shook her head. "When I told him that I was pregnant with you, he told me that he didn't want anything to do with either of us. I never saw him again."

"...Figures. I should have known." Rebecca turned her attention back to the book she was holding. "A shame that I couldn't have that loving family moment..."

"...Edgar was there. He knew that you weren't his, but he loved... loves... you like you are. Melissa was there, too."

"I don't care if Melissa was there."

"Rebecca!" Claudia scolded. "What's important is that you DID have that precious moment! And Melissa was so excited to finally have a sister to play with."

"Yeah, but that was before she realized what you did."

Claudia gasped, and then dropped her head in depression. She heard the plastic legs of the chair across from her scratch the floor.

"I'm going upstairs," Rebecca said, before walking out of the kitchen.

Minutes later, Bruce walked into the kitchen, and headed towards the refrigerator.

After pulling a can of soda from inside, he turned and faced Claudia.

"This isn't your fault," he said. "How were you supposed to know that Melissa would get drunk with power?"

"Yes, I know," Claudia said. "But still..."

"You look out of it. Maybe you should go rest in bed."

"...Good idea, Bruce..." She stood up and walked towards the kitchen's doorway, leaving her tea sitting on the table.

As she made her way out of the living room, she heard Bruce following her. In her mind, she already knew what Bruce was planning to do once she arrived in her room. She sighed, and let him continue to follow her up the stairs.

~~~

Thomas watched as Sayuko walked back towards her desk, and pulled out its chair, and sat down in it.

"Still nothing," she said. "It almost seems hopeless..."

"No, it's not," Thomas said. "Just have faith. I'm sure someone will respond eventually."

"...You're right. I just hope that it's not too late when they do..." Sayuko sighed, and laid her head on her arms on the table.

Thomas looked behind him, towards the window. The sky was a deep blue color, with barely a cloud in the sky. It was a view that he had been denied while he was trapped inside of Melissa's house, and he had since realized that he had taken for granted before he got involved with Melissa.

"A beautiful day, huh?" Sayuko said.

"Yeah." Thomas turned back towards her. "I wish we could go out there, but that could cause trouble."

"I know... I'm sure the neighbors would ask me how I got a person of your size with me. Then they would call the news... And if Melissa saw it, it'd be all over for Taro..."

"Yeah... Not to mention the birds. They might see me as a tasty treat, and swoop down and snatch me up."

"Oh, right. I never realized how dangerous it was for small people."

"Yeah."

He suddenly became curious. "Hey, I have a question. You don't have to answer it if you don't want to."

Sayuko rose her head. "What is it?"

"...How did you become involved with Melissa?"

Sayuko stared at him for a few seconds, before exhaling. "Maybe I should start from the very beginning?"

"If you want." Thomas sat down on the desk's surface, crossing his legs.

"Well..."

~~~

I was always a quiet and shy girl. Even back in Japan, growing up in the Fukushima Prefecture, I had very few people that I could call my friends. But I had my family; my mother, my father, and Taro. I felt that as long as I had them, I did not need anyone else.

Three years ago, Taro got a job here in the United States, and moved here. I knew that I was going to miss him, as he was my best friend, but I wished him the best, and he promised to visit whenever he got the chance.

So, after that, it was just the three of us, my parents and I. I was still bad at math, and before, it was Taro who helped me, but with him gone, that left my father... who was not as good as Taro was. My father, however, was a businessman who often did business with foreign companies, and he helped me learn English. Of course, we were taught it in school, but most students soon forgot it. I resolved to make English my second language, and with the help of my father, as well as Taro when he visited, I've gotten a much better grasp at the language.

Back in early February of this year, we received word that Taro had finished the process of becoming a naturalized American citizen. My parents were excited, and went out to celebrate. They invited me to come along, but I decided not to.

It was past 2am, and they still hadn't come home. So, of course, I was worried. They had never been out this late before.

I was sitting on my bed, clutching a large pink bear in my arms and watching television, when I heard the phone ring. I assumed that it was them, so I walked out of my room, and towards the kitchen, where the phone was. I pulled it from its base, and brought it to my ear.

"Hello?" I greeted.

"Yes," said an unfamiliar male voice. "Is this the household of Kazuma and Miho Takei?"

"Y-yes," I said, a bit nervous.

"Who am I speaking to?"

"Sayuko, their daughter."

"I see... I hate to say this especially at this time of night, but I have some horrible news."

That was the worst night of my life. The man told me that my parents had been in an accident when another car sped into theirs, killing them instantly. He then said that the man in the other car was drunk, and he tried to run away, but the police quickly caught him.

"No... Nooo...." I fell to the floor, my eyes filled with tears. "Father... Mother... No...."

I started to cry. I sat there, against the wall with the phone hanging from the base, and cried well into the morning.

I struggled to my feet, and staggered back into my room. Still very much broken up over the horrible news, I grabbed my cell phone, and called Taro, and told him what had happened. Afterwards, I laid on my bed, and cried for the rest of the day, barely eating anything at all.

Taro arrived within a day after hearing about the news, and helped console me while we both planned their funeral. Well, it was mostly him and a few of our relatives. I did nothing but sit in my room.

The next week, after the funeral, we had my parents' will read to us. My father was a very successful engineer, and he was the... well, I guess you could say that he was the wealthiest person in the family. Though, as I said before, we were not rich. Many of our relatives were furious that my parents left their entire fortune to Taro and me. I'm sure some of them only came to try to get their share of the inheritance.

Then, before we could attend the hearing of the man who was responsible for the accident, he hung himself while he was being held at the police station. This was like a slap in the face to us, as the man sought the ultimate way out of taking responsibility for what he did to our family.

Taro then made a suggestion: He wanted me to come live with him in America. He felt that I would have been very lonely if I were to stay in Japan, and he also added that it would give me an opportunity to exercise my English. My relatives, however, wanted me to stay with them, especially my uncle. Of course, without a moment's hesitation, I chose to go with Taro. Not only because he's my brother and best friend, and because I barely knew my relatives, but also because my uncle was kind of creepy. I noticed him giving me these strange looks during the funeral, as if he was examining me. Not only that, but I knew that they would try to use the money that I had just inherited.

Two days later, I packed my things and boarded the plane with Taro to America. Hours later, we landed here in California. I had seen so many movies before of what the state was like, but actually being in it was a completely different experience. From the airport, we drove for an hour or two before we arrived here: my new home.

Over the next month, Taro made preparations for me to attend a nearby community college here, and then, after I graduated from there, go onto a university. So, until the semester started in May, I stayed in the house, studying and resting. Taro wanted me to go out and meet some of our neighbors, but... well, as I said before, I'm a shy person. He introduced me to some of them, but I didn't go out of my way to try to bond with them.

The same was true when I started school. I truly believed that as long as I had Taro, I didn't need anyone else.

That was until Taro eventually became too busy to help me in Calculus. I didn't want to fail that class and let him down, so I decided to ask for help.

("And that was when you asked me?" Thomas asked.)

Yes, it was. In fact, you helped me a lot during the next two weeks, and my grades were rising. I showed Taro my progress, and he was very proud of me. I also told him about you.

"Thomas, huh?" he said, while sitting at his computer desk. "I hope you're not going to replace me with him." He laughed.

"O-of course not, Brother!" I responded. "I could never replace you with anybody!"

"But he sounds like a nice guy. Maybe one day, he'll even ask you out."

I blushed. "What?! No way! It's not like that!"

"Relax. I'm only joking. No one is going to take you away from me." Taro smiled at me, and I smiled back.

I didn't want anyone to take him away from me, either.

However...

At the beginning of June, Taro went missing. I knew, because he is usually home by 6pm, and it was very late at night, and he hadn't called or anything, like he usually would if he was late. As I laid on my bed, I suddenly started having flashbacks of that night a few months ago, when I got the call about my parents. I started to cry, because I expected a phone call that would tell me that Taro had died as well.

But I didn't get any call.

Not that night, anyway.

Two days later... It was a Sunday morning, and there was still no word from Taro. Suddenly, my cell phone started to ring. I looked at the screen, and saw that it was Taro's number. I quickly pressed the receive button and brought the phone to my ear.

"Taro!" I said. "Where are you?!"

"Sayuko, listen to me," he calmly answered, though I could hear a bit of nervousness in his voice. "I need you to come over to where I am."

"What?" I was confused. "Why?"

"...Just do it. Here's the address..."

He gave me the location of where he was, and how to get there. Afterwards, he abruptly hung up. Shaking, I put on my clothes... my pink shirt, white skirt, and red sandals, and left the house. As I waited for the bus, I found myself worried and scared. I had no idea what to expect. Except that Taro was there, and as long as I was with him, I did not care where I was.

After getting off of the bus, I walked the rest of the way to the address that Taro had given me. It took me several more minutes on my weak, shaking legs, but I had arrived. This rather large house, with barely any other houses around it. It seemed like a lonely place. I gulped, and rung the doorbell. After a few seconds, the door opened, revealing a tall, dark-skinned young woman.

That was my very first time meeting Melissa.

"Ah, you must be Sayuko!" she said. "Welcome to my house! I'm Melissa Cruz! Please, come in!"

I walked inside, as she closed the door behind me.

"Where is Taro?" I asked.

"My! Aren't you hasty!" Melissa said. "Your brother is fine. In fact, he's upstairs waiting for you."

"Take me to him."

"Sure, Sayu. You mind if I call you Sayu?"

I shrugged, and watched her walk past me, and up the stairs. I followed her, reaching the second floor and eventually her room. Once inside, I looked around. Taro did not seem to be anywhere in there.

I heard the door close behind me, and Melissa walked towards her cabinet.

"Where is my brother?" I asked.

Melissa did not answer.

"Did you hear me? Where is my brother?!"

Melissa then opened the cabinet's doors, and then looked towards me. "C'mere."

I walked over there, and looked inside of the cabinet.

I was horrified.

Inside of the cabinet was a hamster's cage, with all of the necessities of a hamster. However, inside of the cage was my brother, Taro. Except that he was small. A lot smaller.

I gasped and brought my hand to my mouth, tears forming in my eyes.

"Sayuko..." He said to me. "I'm so sorry that I had to get you mixed into this..."

I turned to Melissa, enraged. "What did you do to him?!"

"Isn't it obvious?" Melissa answered, her cheerful demeanor now more cold. "I shrunk him, and if you don't do as I say from now on, I'll squash him like a bug before your very eyes."

I gasped again, almost letting out a scream. I wanted to slap her, and take Taro away from her, but she was... is so much bigger than I am. That, and she also make another statement.

"If you try to take him away from me, I'll shrink you, and kill you both," she said.

I shuddered at the thought of her killing us both.

"If you call the police, I'll kill him. You got all of that?"

I nodded.

"Now..." She brought her face closer to mine's. "Here's what I want you to do..."

She pulled out some more tiny people, and threw them on the floor. She then told me to step on each one of them. I, of course, refused, but then she said that she would just do the same to Taro. I didn't want to lose the only family I had in the world, so I agreed to this gruesome activity. Of course, I was still reluctant to kill them, and it took Melissa having to tape the people to the floor for me to finally kill them.

...It was horrible. Their screams as they saw the man before them get killed under my foot... All of that blood... I flinched everytime I heard their bones crunch under me. During the whole ordeal, time seemed to slow down.

When it was all done, I fell to my knees and started to cry.

"Oh, what's wrong?" Melissa asked.

"I'm a murderer!" I yelled out. "I killed innocent people! I'm a murderer!!"

"Oh, stop it," Melissa said. "They aren't people. They're bugs. Bugs are meant to be stepped on, right?"

I looked up towards her, my face still wet with tears.

"Listen," she said. 'You are to come back here every Sunday. Or else I'll dispose of your brother here. You got that?"

Shaking, I reluctantly nodded.

"Good. Now get out of here."

Melissa then led me out of her house, and once outside, she closed the door behind me.

I still could not believe what had happened, and I stood outside of her house for several minutes, breathing heavily. I wiped the tears from my eyes and regained my composure, so that I would not get any attention from any of the people on the bus or streets.

Once I arrived home, I immediately ran to my room, threw myself on my bed, buried my face in my pillow, and started to cry again.

~~~

Sayuko sighed. "I guess that's it."

Thomas shook his head. "Oh, Sayuko... That's horrible..."

"I know... And until we can contact Mr. Cruz, there's nothing I can do about it."

Thomas tightened his fist. "...I hate what Melissa's doing... She's ruining families just to feed her sadistic appetite. Even her own."

Sayuko's eyes widened. "What do you mean by that?"

"Oh yeah... You don't know... Melissa shrunk both her mother and sister, and is keeping them both in a dollhouse in the basement."

Sayuko gasped. "What?! How could she be that cruel?!"

"There's a lot at play there, and there are still some things that I haven't figured out, but it stems from a mistake that her mother made 17 years ago."

"But that doesn't give her the right! Some people don't even have a mother, and she does that to her's?!"

"Yeah, it's wrong on so many levels." Thomas stood up. "That's why we're going to put a stop to it. Once we can get a hold of Mr. Cruz, it's all over for her."

Sayuko was silent for a few seconds, before speaking. "I want to give her a thrashing before he can get here. If I could somehow get that device and shrink her, I would put her through the hell she has put many others through, including me, Taro, and you."

Thomas backed up a little, as he was shocked to hear Sayuko say this. "Whoa!! We don't want to kill her. That would make us as bad as she is. Plus, her mother would be heartbroken."

Sayuko grinned a little. "I know... I just... I just want her to hurt."

"Really..." Thomas folded his arms and looked towards the window.

~~~

It was nearing 1am. Melissa, wearing a black dress and black stilleto sandals, walked from Lauren's car and towards her house. It had been a fun day for her, as the two went out to party at several dance clubs, before celebrating Melissa's 23rd birthday at Lauren's house. While there, Lauren had introduced Melissa to one of her friends.

Byron Lakefield, a tall handsome African American man, was an aspiring musician, and the two took an immediate liking to each other. In fact, he was in Lauren's car right at that moment, having driven home with the two women.

"Hey, Melissa," Byron said through the open back window of the car. "I had fun tonight. You are such a beautiful woman. I can't believe that Lauren didn't introduce us sooner."

Melissa blushed. "Thank you! Yeah, Lauren! Why were you hiding this delicious piece of chocolate from me?"

"I was saving him for your birthday today!" Lauren responded.

"Well, I think he's the best present I've ever gotten!" Melissa laughed.

"I bet I am!" said Byron. "So, I'll be seeing you this Saturday, right?"

"Of course!" Melissa said. "I can't wait for our date!"

"Me neither!"

"Anyway, gurl," Lauren said. "We'll be going now. We DO have class tomorrow."

"Yeah, we need our rest," Melissa said.

"So, unlike Byron here, I'LL be seeing you tomorrow!"

Melissa chuckled. "Sure."

"Anyway, see ya!" Lauren said.

"Happy Birthday, sexy!" Byron said. "See ya later!"

"Thank you, and buh-bye!" Melissa waved as the car began to drive away from Melissa's house, making a u-turn on the road, and driving back from the direction they originally came from.

As she watched the car disappear into the darkness, she thought about Byron. He was quite a good-looking man, and he seemed like a nice guy, too. It almost seemed like a shame to let someone like that go to waste.

She was certain of one thing: She would have to play with him as well, in her own special way.