Madison

Chapter Seven

by D.X. Machina

* * *

Two hours later, Teri was puttering around cheerfully, getting the house ready for company. If she hadn't made Jake forget Liz, she mused, she'd at least given him some big reasons to be happy with his lot in life.

For his part, Jake was swimming happily, feeling better than he had in days. Teri had done her best to make him forget Liz, and while that was impossible, it's impossible not to enjoy an evening that starts with your wife throwing "Gett Off" on the stereo and shrinking you down to six inches tall.

Jake grinned in spite of himself. He and Teri may have known each other for 3,000 years and forty-odd lifetimes--Teri said so, and he refused to discount anything given events in his life--but he doubted they'd ever been happier together than now.

Teri wandered into the room, and let out a mock-discontented sigh. "PLANNING ON SWIMMING ALL NIGHT, DEAR? IT'S ALMOST SEVEN."

Jake smiled up at her. "Maybe I am. Scott and Sarah can join me if they want to."

"MMM-HMM. RIGHT. TIME TO GET OUT, HONEY."

"Well, I don't think--hey!" Jake sputtered and cursed as Teri poked her index finger into the sink and splashed him. "That's not nice!"

"OH REALLY? WELL, IS THIS NICE?" With that, Teri pushed Jake under for just a second.

"Okay, okay! I'm coming out. Sheesh!"

"OH, I'LL HELP YOU, DEAR," said Teri, gently plucking her husband from the bathrom sink and placing him on the counter. "THERE. BETTER?"

"Much. What time is it?"

The doorbell rang. "SEVEN," said Teri, smiling.

She walked to the door and opened it, leaving Jake to towel off and dress. "Hi, Sarah! Where's Scott?"

"Oh. Umm...l kinda forgot." Sarah slipped off her pumps and said, simply, "Morpheus."

From nowhere, Scott appeared, smiliIng broadly. "That was fun," he said. "Hi, Teri."

"It was supposed to be punishment," said Sarah, her eyebrow cocked.

"Oh, it was. Horrible punishment. Hey, D.X."

"Hi, guys. Pizza?"

They sat down to diner, expressing the usual pleasantries about life. After a while, D.X. said, "So...I guess I should continue." And he did.

* * *

All things considered, it was a happy time.

Liz and I spent as much time as we possibly could together. We had a fabulous time, and I'm not just talking about physical relations. I found myself falling or Liz, and I think she was falling for me.

As Thanksgiving approached, I felt sure that there would be a happy ending for us. Eventually, she would unshrink me (well...most of the time), and we'd get married and have a good life together.

I was young and foolish then. Too young to realize how foolish I was.

The weekend before Thanksgiving, I asked Liz if I was going back with her. Her family lived in Monroe, a little town near the Illinois border. I was hoping to go, even though I knew I would be hidden.

"NO, LITTLE ONE. IT WOULDN'T BE SAFE FOR YOU. I'D FEL BETTER WITH YOU HERE IN THE DORMS."

"But without you, how will I be safe? What if someone comes into the room and finds me?"

"I'M WAY AHEAD OF YOU. I'VE DEVISED A LITLLE SPELL FOR YOU. IF SOMEONE IS ABOUT TO FIND YOU, YOU CAN USE IT TO SHRINK YOURSELF TO 1/8 INCH TALL--TOO SMALL TO BE FOUND." She taught me how to shrink myself--the first GTS spell I ever learned.

I still am a bit surprised she taught it to me; if she had known the future.... We were both young and foolish. Pity. * * *

The Thanksgiving holiday was largely forgettable for me. Liz was gone, and while she did give me access to the remote control, I missed her terribly.

I was sitting on the floor, moping about how lonely I was, when I heard the key in the door.

I leapt up. It was late Saturday evening, and neither Liz nor Sue were supposed to be back until Sunday afternoon, and I was out in the open.

I hoped and prayed it was Liz; maybe she had missed me too, and had come off of vacation early to see me. I strained as I saw the tennis shoe came through the door to see if Liz was attached to it.

Then I heard the laugh, and my right hand sprung up of its own accord.

"Shrink," I said, "1:48 scale."

There were no guarantees. Liz had taught me one trick only, not the underpinnings of GTS itself. But as I envisioned myself shrinking, I found I was, indeed, shrinking further.

Sue and her boyfriend stumbled quickly into the room and embraced, as Sue closed the door with her right hip. The two embraced and locked lips, and I boggled.

I've already told you about witnessing Sue masturbating, and that she was a tremendously attractive woman. I'd certainly had the opportunity to see just about all of Sue over the past few weeks, and while I was very much in love with Liz at the time, I am a man, and we just can't help noticing an attractive woman, no matter how faithful we are.

But this--this was something new. If the me of a few seconds before had seen the me of that moment, I'd appear but an inch-and-a-half tall to him. I was used to Sue appearing about sixty-six feet tall or so, but now she appeared to be a bit over half-a-mile tall, kissing a boy a bit taller than her.

I swallowed hard, and started looking for cover.

Sue and her boyfriend (Keith? Kyle? I never did find out) walked into the room, hanging on each other and giving the appearance of general drunkenness. I shuddered. A drunk pair of college students were not what I wanted to deal with. I started to wish I hadn't shrunk myself out in the open, but instead waited to get to cover--these two wouldn't have noticed. But it was too late now.

Sue turned to her boyfriend, and whispered something in his ear. Why she whispered was beyond me; it's not like they thought anyone was there. But he nodded emphatically, and with one motion grabbed the comforter off of Sue's bed and tossed it on the floor.

I saw the mammoth tarp spread out, and was sure that I was going to be crushed under it. Fortunately, it displaced air as it fell, pushing me out the side and up into the vapor stream. The air then blew back over the comforter, depositing me towards the top just as Sue and the boy deposited themselves heavily on top of it as well.

I gulped as I looked around. The lovely face of Sue was to my right, the somewhat less lovely face of the boy to my left. Certainly, they didn't notice me; I was but a mote of dust that was quickly hidden under their faces as they smooched again.

I panicked as Sue's hair blanketed me, tree-sized black vines whipping all around me as above me two pairs of lips entwined. I tried to get up, but just as I did the pair rolled over, with Sue on top of her boyfriend continuing to french him while moaning loud enough to wake the dead. I had grasped a hair, and found myself tossed onto her back.

I had no time to figue out where to go; the shirt I was on was being pulled over Sue's head, and again I was tangled up in her hair. I watched two enormous hands undo the clasp on Sue's bra.

This was moving entirely too fast.

Then, we were rolling again, this time with what's-his-name on top. I screamed, thinking I'd be crushed under Sue's head, but again her hair whipped in the breeze, and I found myself being thrown through the air, landing on something soft.

I moaned with pain as Sue moaned with pleasure. I stood, and wished I hadn't. I was on Sue's nipple.

The boy was shirtless now, and he was about breast level. I prayed that he would work on her left breast first, give me a chance to escape, and for once, my prayers were answered. I slid down the part of Sue's breasts toward her face. I thought I had a better chance of surviving a fall from a shoulder than the breast itself, and with luck, I could find my way into her hair.

No dice. Sue chose that moment to rise just enough to throw me off balance. I slid down her sweaty abdomen, watching her panties--the only item of clothing she still wore--coming up fast.

I watched as his hand reached into her panties--he wasn't doing anything yet, just giving her an encouraging pat--but it lifted the elastic about forty feet into the air, giving me more than enough room to end up entangled in Sue's bush.

Then, he removed his hand and the lights went out.

* * *

They made out for a very long time, a time that made me constantly afraid for my life. If the panties were pulled off and his penis came into play....

But I didn't have to worry. I don't know why, but heavy action was all the pair wanted that night. About half an hour later, both went to bed. I wondered if he'd gotten a blow job or not; I don't think I could take half an hour of heavy action with no release--certainly not in college. As I felt Sue and That Guy go to sleep, I carefully pulled myself out of the damp panties, and carefully made the journey off of the blanket. I'd gotten very lucky.

But I'm not saying it wasn't kinda fun.

* * *

When Liz returned the next evening, she apologized about thirty times.

"I 'CLARISED' YOU A FEW TIMES DURING THE WEEKEND, JUST TO CHECK IN. OH, JAKE, I HAD NO IDEA SUE WAS COMING BACK SATURDAY NIGHT! IF I HAD, I NEVER WOULD HAVE LEFT YOU THERE. WHEN I REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO YOU...."

"Oh, it's okay. I managed to survive it. Hey, it was interesting. I might want to check you out at that size."

Liz blushed, then grinned. "WELL, MAYBE LATER. I HAVE TO GO TO THE LAB TONIGHT--THAT HOLOCAUST PAPER IS DUE. WANT TO GO WITH?"

"Oh, sweetie, you never get work done when I'm there. I'll just get to sleep. Tomorrow we'll have fun."

She smiled. "YOU'VE GOT THAT RIGHT."

* * *

Liz left the lab at about 11:30. She thought she might do a quick sweep of campus for rapists and molesters before going home, or maybe not. She had missed me that weekend. Heck, she missed me right then.

She was getting tired of being an avenging angel. She didn't like how it made her. She was angry all the time--angry at everyone but me. She was sick of it.

No, she was going home, and then she'd destroy that fucking scroll--right after unshrinking me. She'd miss the sex as a giantess, but she thought she might be able to enjoy intimacy with me at a normal size. She knew how I felt about rapists. She knew she had nothing to fear.

Then, suddenly, she heard a voice.

"You're her."

She spun, to see an attractive woman in her late twenties with raven hair and dark eyes and a serious demeanor. The woman took a couple steps toward Liz. "You're The Coed," she said, quietly.

"You must be mistaken. I mean, The Coed is just a myth," said Liz, her heart beating a mile a minute.

The woman shook her head. "You have the power to shrink men, to turn them into objects, to punish those that deserve punishing. I am not wrong, am I?"

Liz stared. "Who are you?"

"Veronica Ceres. My child, we have been watching your work, and we are very, very impressed. You have powers beyond even ours. We need you."

"Who?"

"Women," said Ceres. "All women, everywhere. You can protect us from men. You can punish the wicked. You can destroy the patriarchy, and usher in a new era, an era where women rule the world."

Liz was stunned. She simply nodded when Veronica asked her, "Would you like to join me for a drink? We have much to talk about."

But Liz never told Veronica her name. Not then, not ever. Ronnie called her T.C. for short; she didn't mind. Because from that night on, Liz belonged to the League.

* * *

It was 2:20 in the morning when Liz stumbled home along the Lakeshore path, wild ideas bouncing in her brain, the standard of womanhood wound into her soul. Ceres had told her that she had untold power. She! Liz Anderson! She could be the most powerful person on Earth.

She saw him walking down the path, his head down, wearing dark clothes. He was walking toward her.

"Rapist!" she cried, as he looked up, startled.

"What? No! I'd never...."

"Liar! You want me? You want to take me? Take this you fucking pervert! Shrink, 1:24." The man dwindled before her and she grabbed him. He pleaded, but she threw him to the ground. He blacked out, which is just as well; she stepped on him, putting all her weight on him until he was flat as a pancake. "Shrink, 1:1000 scale," she said, disposing of the evidence.

And then, she stumbled backwards and fell to the ground. She stared at the spot. She knew.

He was not a rapist. He was just a man. And she had destroyed him.

And the voice in her head whispered.

He was a man. He deserved his fate.

"He was a human being. He didn't do anything. He was just walking and I...Oh God...."

Yes, he was just walking...for now. But how much longer until he struck out. They are all guilty of wanting to. You must stop them, Liz.

"Not Jake. He's not guilty of anything."

The voice was silent. Crying, Liz stumbled into the dorm and went to sleep. She was more frightened than she ever had been before--more even than when she was being raped. Because the person she feared more than anyone was herself.

* * *

The pizza was mostly done, and Jake pulled a French Silk pie out of the fridge. "Anyone for dessert?"

"I'll take some of that," said Teri. "You know, if you're ever trying to decide between me and Liz, remember that I never killed anyone."

"You tried to kill me," said Scott, finishing his piece of pizza.

"That was different. There was a war on."

"I'll never have to try to decide between you and Liz, Teri. For one, she's dead, and even if she was magically resurrected and sane, I couldn't trust her. Not after what happened to her."

Jake poured himself some wine, and looked distant. "I didn't know that Liz killed that man for a long time. But from that moment on, things started to get worse between us--and much worse for me."

He sipped the wine, closed his eyes, and said, "Let's take five. I'm going to put some music on--I've got Mike Doughty's new one, Scott, I think you'll like it. Then, we'll continue. I just...I need a moment."

Silently, the others cleared the table as Jake pressed play on the CD player. He didn't want to tell the next part. Not just yet, anyhow.