20 minutes later, Clyde walked back into his room. He set Jason on the shelf and flopped down on his bed.


Jason hadn't said anything since before they left Mertle's and Clyde could tell something was wrong.


"Hey Jas?" He asked.


"Yeah?" Jason replied quietly.


"You going to be alright tonight? I know your dreams are related to how you feel that day. . . . . It's been a lot to take in."


Jason sat and thought for a moment before he spoke.


"I can't help feeling like this is all my fault. . . . Like I unleashed my sister on the world, you know."


"Man, don't let Steve and Malcolm make you believe that! If anything, now they know you were tell the truth about her. Yeah it sucks, but we took a crack at her. . . That's more than anyone else in the school can say." Clyde assured him.


"Maybe everyone else was smarter than us! I should have known better. I should have known she would go this far to get back at us. I could have just layed low this whole week, got saved and called it good."


"Honestly dude, you should be happy for this week. Think about it. . . . We've been running around skipping school, doing what we want, but when you go home, there is no telling how your parents are going to react. I hate to say it. . . .but you could very well be on lockdown from here on out. Or worse, a government experiment or weapon. I think. . . I think you need to get the most out of your freedom while you can. It took being small, to more or less stand up to emil-"


Clyde was cut off as his phone rang. He checked it, expecting it to be Malcolm, but [Emily] showed on the screen.


"Why the fuck is Emily calling me?" Clyde asked, showing him the screen as he stood up.


"Don't answer it!" Jason snapped.


"Why? I'm not afraid of her!. . . . . On the phone, anyway." Clyde said, pressing the answer button and put it on speaker phone.


"Clyde's erotic slip and slide, off with your clothes, on with the ride!" He said like he was answering a business phone. He cracked a smile.


There was quiet for a second while Emily processed his statement before she answered.


"You're such a fucking idiot!" She spat at him.


"I love you too Emily!" Clyde said,
enthusiastically.


"Shut the fuck up and put my brother on the phone you little shithead!"


"You're still going on about that? I already told you he isn't here." Clyde said, his tone serious now.


"How bad do you want me to kick your ass? My patience for you is honestly about gone. If Kylie wasn't asleep, I would have paid you another visit myself. Truthfully, I could have got you at any time you know. When you walked home from Mya's this morning. When you went to visit Rachel this afternoon, or your little grocery run just now."


Both Jason and Clyde's faces went pale.


"I know you're both shitting your pants right now, but don't worry, I'm not going to come over there and have my way with you just yet. Letting you squirm and look over your shoulder is much more fun! Besides, I like the idea of you guys finding my handy work bit by bit."


She paused for a second.


"Just out of curiosity, how did my hair look in that little video your dorky friend made? I wasn't planning on shooting a snuff film today, but I'd say it worked out ok!"


Both boys began to feel sick as the realization of Emily's power sunk in.


"While crushing his precious toy into plastic chips was great, I actually made an even more important stop after that."


They knew she was talking about Mya.


"I have to say, I REALLY thought you would have at least made a poorly thought out attempt to try and save your old pal Mya. . . I mean, I knew you guys were selfish assholes, but this is a new low, even for you!"

"Yeah well, she never really was our friend!" Clyde said loudly.

"Aww, that's not what she said about her and Jason! Sounds like They got pretty close last night." Emily alluded.

Clyde said nothing but gave Jason the look of "what the fuck man!"

"Well too bad Jason isn't here, otherwise I would ask him if that's true. . .sounds like you should have torn Mya's house apart looking for him huh?" Clyde countered.

"Yeah, sounds like, huh dipshit!" Emily said sarcastically. "Funny enough, we did do some redecorating over there though"

Jason had to fight the urge to go in on his sister. He paced back and forth, fuming.

"You should have seen it! We totally caught her off guard! She was just sitting in the basement crying when we walked in. Her eyes went soo wide when she saw us. Of course she tried to run, but that little nerd didn't stand a chance."

"While that's all well and good, I REALLY need to be hitting the hay. Big day tomorrow." Clyde interuppted, faking a yawn.

"Oh I'm sure you do! Skipping school and trying to avoid me has got to tire out my little baby boy!" Emily teased.

"I tell you what, you go night night, but leave the phone on. I've actually been talking to the tiny twerp on the shelf this whole time!" Emily finished, and as her words hit both boys like a ton of bricks, she added an evil laugh for effect.

"That's right Jason. I know you can hear me, so listen carefully. While Mya did tell me about the night you spent together, she also told me some other interesting tidbits. She happened to know quite a bit about these incredible dreams you seem to be having. She says they are a mixture of whatever drug caused your accident and however much stress you're feeling when you go to sleep. I can about imagine what you're going to go through tonight. With 3 of your friends crushed already, and plans in the works for the other two. Add to it all the details of your next little plan. . . Oops! I may have said too much!"


Jason and Clyde just stared at each other with slack jaws.

"Oh I'm sorry! Was I not supposed to know about your plan to ruin the dance for me? Well Mya spoiled that little surprise. That girl will do just about anything to get out of trouble, let me tell you! It was almost pathetic how quickly she flipped on you guys, but I guess you were right Clyde, you aren't actually friends with her. I dont think that even as smart as she is, does she know what true friendship is. Unfortunately, we didn't go over there for information, so after she spilled her guts, we still did what we came to do. I admit, we might have gone a little too far this time, but she will get over it. Or at least she might have, if she had a couple little boys to help pick up the pieces."

There was a moment of silence.

"I'm gonna guess that you guys are just sitting there, freaking out, which explains the silence, So let me make you an offer. You really have 3 choices and 3 levels of trouble that go along with them. Choice 1. You ignore my warning. You come to the dance anyway. You get about 2 feet inside the door, and some number of about 100 girls I have looking for you, catch you, beat you, and serve you to me on a platter. . . . . Choice 2: you stay home. You avoid any type of confrontation with me, and sure you survive another day or 2, but how long is your mom gonna let you skip school, huh? Jason, how long before mom and dad leave you alone with me? Then what? This whole tiny little rebellion was for nothing! I still win, and you're still a crumpled heap of cocky garbage and a flattened pancake of a little brother. Or your last option: turn yourself over to me tomorrow after school. Just you and me. 2 on 1. No friends, no traps. You have every opportunity to take me on and you might just win. It will be straight up and perfectly fair. If I win, I get to spend the rest of the night and all of the next day, making up for lost time with Jason." Emily said, determination clear in her voice.

More silence.

"Nothing to say huh? That's ok. Why don't you just sleep on it little brother! I'll be seeing you soon. Sweet dreams!" Emily finished, hanging up the phone.


"Fuck, fuck FUCK!" Jason screamed. He continued pacing the shelf, and thinking.

"I. . . . I think we take the 2nd option man, just wait it out. " Clyde stammered.

"So what, we just hide under the fridge like roaches, waiting to get squashed?" Jason asked, harshly


"Yes, technically, but that also means that there is no promise that she actually gets her hands on us. Fate will decide."

"It won't work. She was totally right. You will have to go back to school. I have to go home. She will have gotten to Rachel by then and you will be next. She is doing this to punish me. Choice 2 is not an option Clyde." Jason said sternly.

"Dude, neither is 1 or 3!" Clyde shouted.

"Here is the way I see it. . . Her knowing we are coming changes nothing. They were already looking for us. The only problem I see, is that she talked to Mya. If she opened her fucking mouth and gave Emily all the possible ways we might go about doing this. . . . .well then we might have to go about it in an out of the box type of way. " Jason explained, calming himself.

Clyde pondered this for a second.

"To be honest buddy, there was literally no part of that plan that didn't sound like "let's commit suicide." He said, dead seriously.

"Well that's the only way we can fight back or have any control. If you want to think about option 3, it changes everything."

"That option blows too!" Clyde blurted out.

"Yeah, that's kind of what happens when somebody has all the power over you!" Jason snapped, sounding more like a dick than he wanted to.

"I'm just saying!" Clyde said, defensively.

"I know. . . . I'm sorry. The only way we do option 3 is if you just leave me at the house. . . Alone."

"What. . . . What the hell are you talking about Jason?"

"Just what I said. You drop me off and get out of there. I'll. . . . I'll handle the rest."

"Dude! Emily will probably kill you. . . Literally."

"I know man, but it's the only way I can think of though, that you and Rachel might walk away unscathed. Hopefully, punishing me will be so satisfying, that she will decide to leave you guys alone." Jason said, genuinely.

"You'd be willingly stepping in front of a freight train Jason. "


"Maybe it's what I deserve. My friends have lost a lot, just for trying to help me. If I would have just stuck it out, or hidden at home, none of this would have ever happened."


"Don't be like that Jason. I know at least I would help you out no matter what. Steve and Malcolm were unfortunate casualties." Clyde assured him. "It's like you said, you didn't know Emily would seek to annihilate us all. You couldn't have guessed that her power and influence were this complete. She is a monster, and a force to be reckoned with."

They sat in silence.

"I imagine you want to sleep on this? Come up with a plan or something?" Clyde asked, knowing how Jason likes to operate by now.


"I don't actually know if I WILL sleep today. . . . I'm really not sure if I can handle whatever dream might come out of it. I really can't turn them off, you know. Between Gracie terrorising us, and Emily effectively having us by the balls, I'm likely to have a mental breakdown. " Jason admitted.

"Do you feel like. . . . You're losing yourself or something? Like professor X in Logan?" Clyde asked.

"I really don't know. . . . At Mya's house, I honestly couldn't tell I was dreaming throughout the whole thing. I was in it in the blink of an eye. Seamless. I don't know if that was a gift or a curse."

"Bro, you pretty much gathered information from the vibe of a room. You're fucking incredible. Beyond laser vision and flight, you're the real deal." Clyde encouraged him.


"Too bad Mya is the only one who might have some insight into this shit. From the way Emily talked about it, it sounds like Mya thinks I'm going to lose my mind sooner or later."


"Dude, the fact that you lasted this long is a testament to the strength you have. You've done nothing since you shrunk, but face down giant after giant, both figurative and literal. You never chose to stay down, and I respect you so much for that."

"Thanks man, that means a lot." Jason said, climbing into his makeshift bed.

"Look man, if your dreams start to get crazy, don't be afraid to bail out. Even if you don't come up with a plan, we can't have your brain melting right now. " Clyde said, getting into his own bed. "Goodnight dude."