Chapter 2

Chad was slowly beginning to come around from his fever induced hallucination. His dream had been so vivid that he almost swore that it was a reality, but there was no way it could have been real. The shocked expression on the billboard that was Victoria’s face had been enough to confirm that this was nothing more than another odd fever dream. It hadn’t been the first one that he had had in his lifetime, but it was definitely among one of the stranger ones. The feelings of being lost in some kind of whirlwind combined with an earthquake were still so fresh and surreal that he couldn’t help but smile at the thought. He kept his eyes closed as he stretched out onto the hard surface that was his bed. Hard surface? That was odd, he was almost sure that Pam had helped him to his bed before he passed out. There was also what sounded like a commotion going on around him, but whatever it was it was quite loud. He thought he heard the voice of his wife and the rest of his family, but he kept his eyes shut in an attempt to simply listen.

“Is he going to be okay?” Bram’s voice asked.

Of course he was going to be okay, Chad felt almost incredible as he laid there if a little confused. Bram sounded worried and the voice of Victoria didn’t sound any better, “I don’t know, I think he might be alright. He passed out just from looking at me, but I think he was just shook.”

What did she mean? His feelings of confusion were starting to turn to panic as a creeping feeling of fear and dread began to worm its way into his mind. It had all just been a dream, right? The voice of Anna sounding almost...excited was the next to reach his ears, “I think he’s better like this, to be honest, his size matches the type of person he is.”

His breathing was becoming a bit more shaky as he forced his eyes to remain shut and simply listen as his wife’s voice broke in and chided Anna, “That’s enough of that! I know you don’t care for him, but I love him and he’s been good to us. Please, just...just be okay Chad.”

He couldn’t stand the sound of worry and hurt in his wife’s voice. He prepared himself to face whatever reality was awaiting beyond his eyelids, and with a final deep breath he opened his eyes. He almost regretted it immediately as he stared up what looked to be some sort of sun that was being blocked out by the faces of his family. It was awe inspiring and terrifying at the same time to be regarded by what he could only describe as titans; he felt so insignificant in comparison to all of them, even his children now stood the size of an office building compared to him. His fear was coming back in waves as he forced himself to sit up and fought to keep from shaking under their eyes. He was unsure of what the best thing to do would be, so he simply gave a wave of his hand to show that he was indeed real and alive. He watched the faces of his family carefully as they all seemed to shift from worry to disbelief in mere seconds.

“Oh. My. God!” Victoria yelled which caused Chad to cover his ears in response to the sudden increase in volume and her to immediately cover her mouth before lowering her voice, “Sorry, sorry I just...I can’t believe that you’re...I mean I thought...oh dad I’m so glad you’re alright!”

Chad offered a smile to his daughter, and he noticed what looked to be tears forming in her eyes. He wanted to try to comfort her, but as he watched a droplet fall down her cheek he couldn’t help but think about the sheer size of it. The tear fell to the surface he was on and the splash was like a small wave that nearly knocked him over; how tall was he anyways? He didn’t have time to think about it as he felt himself being swept up and away in a sudden and disorienting motion. The world around him spun and he felt like he might be sick; he could feel the warmth and tightness of someone’s hand wrapped around him before he was pressed into a large soft surface. Whatever it was felt almost itchy as his face was pressed against it. He tried to get a grip on his current situation, but he quickly realized that he was struggling to breathe! Whoever had him and whatever he was being pressed against was robbing him of oxygen at a rapid rate. He managed to get his arms free of the fingers that were woven around him and began banging against the soft substance before him in hopes of being released.

He was suddenly pulled away and he gasped as he greedily sucked in fresh air. He looked up to see the face of his lovely wife looking terrified, “Chad, I’m sorry. I’m just...I’m just so glad that you’re alive. I thought I-we had lost you there for a minute when Victoria brought you down. I was so worried and when I saw you sit up, I couldn’t stop myself.”

“Tch, he probably liked it,” Anna said as she looked away from her mother and stepfather, “Guys like to be put in their place, and I bet the little perv was in heaven mom.”

“That’s enough, Anna,” Pam reprimanded her daughter, “Like it or not, Chad is your stepfather and I don’t care if he is only an inch now you will show him some respect. He needs us now more than ever.”

“Yeah, I’m not going to stand here and let you treat my dad like shit when he can’t even defend himself,” Victoria scolded, “Pam’s right, he needs us to be there for him not to pick on him.”

Anna looked between her mother and her stepsister with a look that was somewhere between outrage and hurt. Her eyes landed on Chad with an almost predatory look that sent a shiver down his spine; her contempt for him had been bad when he was at his full height, but now he was literally afraid of what might happen if she got his hands on him. Still, he couldn’t help but admire the way her giant body filled out her blue and yellow volleyball uniform. He tore his eyes away from her before any indecent thoughts crossed his mind, and thankfully Bram spoke up to try to ease the tension that seemed to be growing in the room, “Alright, everyone let’s calm down. Yes, this is something out of a science fiction movie, but whether we want to believe it or not this is reality. The last thing we need is to be at each other’s throats here, that goes for all of you. Anna is just going off some of her own experiences, she didn’t mean anything bad by what she was saying, right?”

Anna looked at her stepbrother for a moment before simply nodding. She couldn’t understand why it was that this boy could so easily diffuse situations and her, but while it was something she couldn’t wrap her head around she found it alluring. She bit her lip to hold her tongue and keep from causing any further problems between her new family and mother. Still, she couldn’t help but think of what she could do if she had the chance to get Chad to herself. She pushed the thoughts out of her mind as she tried to focus on the current dilemma facing her new family, “So, like what are we supposed to do with a micro-dad anyways?”

Chad wasn’t sure how he felt about being referred to in such a way, but at the same time he couldn’t exactly argue against the term. It certainly fit his diminutive form, after all. He looked around the faces of the giants that surrounded him and noticed that none of them had a clear or concrete answer to Anna’s question. He thought about offering some input, but in truth he didn’t really have any idea as to what the best course of action would be. His best guess was to get checked out from the hospital. There was a chance that they may have a cure or at least an update on the progress towards one. If nothing else then maybe they could advise them on the best thing for them to do, “I think that maybe we should get me checked out at a hospital. If nothing else they could record my case and keep us updated on if and when a cure might be available.”

He waited for a response, but nothing ever came outside of Pam looking down at him with a confused and concerned face. He almost face palmed as he realized that because of his size they were probably having a hard time hearing him. He prepared to repeat himself in the form of a yell when he suddenly found himself cut off as Pam clenched her fist without thinking. He groaned as the simple act applied an intense amount of pressure to his small frame and he struggled to hear his wife speak, “We have to get him to a hospital. If there is even a chance that we can reverse this then we have to try. Right, Chad? Oh shit! I’m so sorry honey.”

He felt his palm prison release and found himself rolling back in her hand. He wheezed out a breath as he used her thumb to steady himself and stand back up. He looked up to her worried and apologetic face and tried to reassure her that he was fine, “Don’t worry about it, Pam, this is going to take some getting used to for all of us. I agree with your idea about the hospital. I’m not sure how well a car ride is going to go at this size, but I guess we’ll find out.”

Pam nodded and set him back down on the table while she went to retrieve her things. He looked around the surface that he had been laying on not long ago, and he almost laughed at the size of the end table. It was amazing, in a way, that something that had once been so small was now like some kind of parking lot to him. If there had only been some lines and maybe some toy cars on the black table then he may have actually been fooled. His little thoughts were interrupted by a rush of wind that almost knocked him over. He turned to see the hand of his wife resting on the table beside him open and waiting. He was glad that she didn’t just snatch him up again; the feeling of being grabbed and then yanked about had given him a bit of motion sickness. He didn’t hesitate as he did his best to quickly climb into her palm. The transition upwards was much smoother this time around. Pam was careful not to jostle him too much as she brought him up to her face. He smiled up at her face in an attempt to assure her that he was okay, but in the back of his mind he still felt awestruck by the sight of her. She looked like a literal goddess before him.

Pam gave a thoughtful, “Hmm,” as she thought about the best way to transport her husband. The pants she had on had pockets, but they were snug even for someone his size it might be cramped. The last thing that she wanted to do was hurt her beloved. She could put him in her purse, but the random assortment of objects in there could get jostled along with him. The image of him getting crushed under her wallet caused her to grimace for a split second; she decided to keep that image to herself. She glanced down to her chest and didn’t see another option for safe keeping. She hoped that he was still a fan of her breasts at this size, “Chad, I’m going to put you in my bra while we ride to the hospital. I can’t think of a better way to keep you safe on the way over.”

“Gross,” Bram remarked.

Pam shot him a look before turning back to her husband. Chad wasn’t sure how he felt about being placed in his wife’s bra, but the more he thought about it the more he realized that she had a point. Odds are if he just rode in the car he might fall and get lost or worse. He suppressed a shudder at the thought of him falling into one of the seats and ending up underneath one of his kids’ backsides. He hoped that the mountains that were Pam’s breasts wouldn’t prove too much for his reduced body. His gaze shifted from the valley below him back to his wife’s soft eyes as he nodded, “Alright, just be careful and don’t forget me in there.”

The transition from her hand to her chest was as smooth as he could have expected. It was similar to riding an elevator as Pam lowered her hand and brought it close to her chest. He looked down into his destination and felt a bit nervous. The descent looked daunting. Pam had brought her hand as close to her chest as she could in an attempt to allow him to climb in rather than just dropping him into her cleavage. He took hold of the fabric of her blouse and did his best to climb over and in. He tumbled over the top and lost his grip as he found himself falling into the soft warmth of his wife’s tits. The first thing he noticed was the heat as he tried to right himself. It was like a miniature oven between the mounds on each side of him, but at least his fleshy prison was fairly soft. The second thing he noticed was the strong scent of Pam’s perfume. The fragrance was alluring at his regular size, but at this size it was both overwhelming and captivating. His senses were assaulted by the smell of lilac and jasmine that radiated off his wife along the feelings of plushness and heat that came from her breasts. All in all, not a terrible resting place. He fought to get himself nestled into a good spot for the trip that he was about to take.

Pam was a bit torn and confused as she felt her husband enter into her shirt. The feeling of his little body bouncing between each of her boobs was surprisingly enticing. She could feel him squirming about in an attempt to get himself into a comfortable position, and she had a sudden urge to press her breasts together just to see what it would feel like. She pushed the urge and thoughts aside in favor of keeping her beloved safe for their journey. She released a shaky breath that she attempted to play off as just her being relieved that he was safe. She hoped that no one, least of all Chad, noticed that there it was anything other than just that. She smiled as she felt him settle into a still position and looked to the rest of her family, “Alright, who’s going with us?”

Anna had watched her mother carefully as Chad had basically dumped himself in between her tits. It was subtle, but she could tell that she was enjoying the feelings that came from Chad’s struggles. She wanted to know what she was feeling and experience it for herself, but she would have to wait for her time to have her fun. She would find a way to get her hands on the little twerp that was her stepfather if it was the last thing that she did. She wasn’t about to miss a chance to see him exposed and hopefully prodded by doctors and nurses alike though, and she put on her best poker face as she stepped forward, “I’ll go with you. I want to hear what the doctors have to say about this.”

Bram and Victoria stepped up and agreed with Anna. They weren’t going to let their father go through this alone and without their support. It was a unanimous decision for the entire family to pile into the car and hear what the odds were for a cure. With hopeful hearts and worried minds, the family of five exited their home and headed straight to the car. The trip was silent and rather tense with everyone’s mind racing. Victoria and Bram shared a genuine concern for their father’s well being along with Pam, but Anna had her mind on other things and possibilities. While everyone had a hope whilst travelling, Anna had a hope that if there was a cure it wouldn’t be available for a while. She wanted to have as much time as possible to toy with her stepfather and show him where he truly belonged. Her mind wandered as her step siblings shared their concerns. She wondered just what it would feel like to have Chad’s puny body beneath her foot, after all that was really where he belonged. Her thoughts shifted from fantasizing about what that would feel like to wondering what other ways she could toy with the little man. The possibilities were endless and she spent the remainder of their drive pondering them all. She couldn’t wait until she could get her step father alone.

The drive to the hospital wasn’t usually a long one, but it was somewhat of an awkward one for Chad. He hadn’t minded it when he was first deposited between Pam’s breasts, but the longer he stayed there the more tiresome it became. He found himself getting jostled about with every turn and bump in the road. Pam must have still been a bit panic stricken from everything because her driving was a little erratic. At least that was what he thought. He couldn’t really tell from where he was sitting due to his only sight being that of the dark fabric of her blouse or occasionally the supple flesh of her breasts. That was another problem he hadn’t considered when he agreed to this. The combination of Pam’s body heat, particularly from her breasts, with the material of her blouse was creating a sauna-like environment for him. Trapped between the mountains that made up his wife’s chest afforded him little airflow. At least he was able to hear the subtle and rhythmic beating of his wife’s heart from his position. That was one saving grace from his position and he closed his eyes to focus on it in an attempt to block out the discomfort surrounding him. That had been a mistake. He wasn’t sure if it was a speed bump or if Pam had jumped a curb, but he suddenly found himself being popped up along with her breasts. He didn’t fly out of her blouse, but when he landed he found himself trapped beneath the underside of Pam’s left breast. The pressure was immediate and immense as he lay beneath her boob. It was all he could do to struggle and squirm in hopes of getting his wife’s attention.

Pam had been trying to concentrate on the task at hand when she had overlooked one of the street's speed bumps. Herself and the rest of the occupants of the car found themselves bounced into the air for a millisecond followed shortly by a few cries of surprise, “Shit mom! Watch where you’re going!” Anna exclaimed.

“Hate to agree with Anna, but please be careful Pam,” Victoria added.

“Yeah I think I might have whiplash,” Bram joked before receiving a slap on the shoulder from his sister, “Ouch! I was kidding!”

“Anna watch your language, sorry Victoria, and Bram don’t joke about that right now,” Pam addressed each of their outbursts in one fell swoop.

She shook her head and mentally chided herself for the slight error that she had made. She felt a sudden and new sensation from her breasts. It was odd and yet nice at the same time. It felt like someone was lightly massaging her left breast. She tried to ignore the feelings that were emanating from her breast and focus on driving. It was easier said than done, however, and it was quickly becoming a slight struggle for her. She took a deep breath and exhaled in an attempt to calm herself. Getting worked up in the car with her kids while rushing her husband to the hospital was the last thing she needed right now. The thought hit her as she pulled into the parking lot: Chad! She threw the car in park and immediately went fishing around in her bra for her beloved husband. She checked the center of her chest first, but found that her little husband was missing. She started to feel a bit panicked as the light tickling from beneath her left breast started to slow. She pushed her breast up and quickly found his little body. She pulled him out and brought him to her face with a look of guilt and concern, “Chad! Oh my God, are you okay? I am so sorry.”

The rush of air that Chad felt as he was grabbed and yanked from his fleshy prison was a relief. The disorienting feeling and turning of his stomach returned as he was brought up to the worried face of his wife. He took in the cool and refreshing air with greedy gulps for a moment before he tried to respond. He wasn’t what he would call okay, but he couldn’t stand to see Pam so distraught and guilt stricken. He gave her a nod as the redness of his face began to subside and tried to reassure her, “I’m fine, hon, just got a little more acquainted with your lovely breasts than I thought possible. Don’t worry about it, accidents are going to happen.”

Pam breathed a sigh of relief as she smiled down at her husband. She could tell from the shape that he was in that he was far from fine, but he was trying to make her feel better. It was one of the many things that she loved about him. The kids had popped their heads around to get a look at what had happened. “What happened to him?” Bram asked.

“He...kind of got stuck under my boob,” Pam said with a light blush and a nervous chuckle.

The car was silent for a moment before Anna broke it with a single word, “Pervert.”

“Can you try to show a little concern for him?!” Victoria demanded, “He could have been seriously hurt!”

Anna looked to her stepsister for a moment before looking away. She wanted to try to argue against Victoria, but she didn’t want to upset everyone in the car. She didn’t understand why Victoria was so attached to Chad, but then again she had never known her own father. She was a little envious of her because of that. She told herself, once again, that Chad was no different than any of the other men that she had known, and that Victoria was just biased because he was her dad. She was sure that it would only be a matter of time before Chad did something to hurt his mom or his own daughter. “Sorry,” she finally and begrudgingly offered, “I’m glad he’s alright.”

“Let’s just get inside so that we can try to find out what’s going on and if there is anything that we can do,” Pam said in an attempt to put an end to the tension that was building in the car.

Chad felt a rush of air hit him as Pam opened the door and stepped out. The world spun around and he felt a little dizzy as he took in his surroundings. The parking lot was massive and he dreaded what could happen if he somehow managed to fall. The drop would surely kill him, but if he somehow managed to survive he shuddered at the thought of what the blacktop would do to his small and naked body. He found himself inadvertently clinging to Pam’s hand as they walked in an attempt to keep himself safe. He took a deep breath to collect himself as Pam walked, much more carefully this time, towards and into the hospital double doors.

The smell of hospitals was always odd and for many unpleasant. The scent of sterilization was a unique one for anyone who wasn’t used to it. For Chad, at his current height, it was more powerful than ever. The smell almost made him feel lightheaded. He laid himself down on Pam’s hand and took in her scent. The smell of his wife’s floral fragrance brought him a bit of comfort and he closed his eyes for the remainder of their trip. This whole thing was terrifying and it was beginning to get to him. For the sake of his wife and his family, however, he would do his best to keep it together. They needed him. At his size he wasn’t able to do much, but he could still be the man that he needed to be for them in spirit.

The lobby to the hospital was buzzing with foot traffic. Doctors and nurses rushed past carrying various tools, jars, and trays. There were a number of families that were sitting in the waiting room, each with either looks of concern, fear, or boredom etched onto their faces. Pam carefully made her way over to the receptionist while doing her very best to keep Chad both safe and balanced on her palm. The last thing that she wanted was for him to have some sort of awful accident while inside the one place that was supposed to be a safe haven for him. She couldn’t help but notice, however, that the majority of the staff seemed to be female. While she didn’t come here that often, she was certain that the last time she had been here there were at least some male nurses and doctors. She pushed the thought aside in favor of focusing on getting Chad the help that he needed.

Pam took a seat after speaking with the receptionist and explaining their situation. She was assured that they wouldn’t have to wait long and that the doctors only needed to prepare for the examination. She hoped that it wouldn’t be anything too invasive. She was worried about her husband and how he was doing. She knew that he wouldn’t be willing to admit it, but she knew that this was wearing on him. She couldn’t help the smile that crept across her face as she looked down at her hand to see Chad holding onto it and laying down. He was cute at this size, that much she would admit. She brought her other hand around and lightly stroked his back with the tip of her finger. She didn’t want to startle him, she merely wanted to try to remind him that she was here for him. He jumped at the contact, but he settled quickly and seemed to be appreciating the soothing gesture. She would be here for him until they found a way to get him back to normal. He was her husband and she loved him more than anything else.

Chad was enjoying the comfort that he was receiving from Pam’s gentle touch. He had been startled when he felt her fingertip at first, but the more she stroked him the more relaxed he became. He was more tired than he had realized. The trip here had taken quite a bit out of him between the heat and his struggles while being pinned. He wasn’t mad at Pam, though. He knew that it had been a simple accident, but it reminded him of just how much his world was changing. He was a little nervous at being examined by doctors and nurses alike given his size. He wasn’t sure what kind of tests they would want to run on him and he hoped that they wouldn’t be too invasive. His worries and nerves were eased and almost erased as Pam continued to rub his back. He had just closed his eyes when he heard the receptionist call out, “McCallum family, you can come on back.”

His world once again began to shift as Pam stood up. He noticed that she was standing at a slower rate and that her steps to the exam room were slower and more deliberate. He was thankful for this little gesture. It was amazing how even something as simple as being carried could be disorienting if whoever was doing it wasn’t careful. He was in the process of looking around and felt his anxiety building when his world went dark. Pam had cupped her other hand over him. He wasn’t sure if it was to keep him safe from falling or if it was an attempt at some kind of hug. Either way he didn’t really mind it. He knew who had him and that he was safe in her hands. He sat up in her palm and was almost amazed at the fact that his head barely touched her other hand. Not for the first time he wondered just how small he actually was.

His vision was enveloped in a bright fluorescent light suddenly as Pam lifted her cupped hand away. He squinted as he waited for his eyes to adjust the brightness. He heard Pam talking to someone, most likely one of the doctors, “We had just gotten back and he seemed fine. He looked awful earlier today and when he finally managed to get into bed he went straight to sleep, and when he woke up he was like this. Please tell me there is something that you can do for him.”

His eyes adjusted enough for him to get a look at the doctor in question. She was a shorter woman, compared to Pam anyways, with bespectacled eyes and blonde hair tied up in a bun. She wore bright green scrubs and a long white coat along with a serious face. Her tone didn’t sound reassuring at all as she spoke, “I’m sorry, Mrs. McCallum, as of right now we don’t have anything that we can do for the victims of this virus. We are actively working on finding some way to reverse the effects and create a cure for it. I wish that I had something more to tell you, but as of right now I am afraid that is all that we have. I recommend that he stay close to someone at all times given that your husband seems to have contracted a strain that is more on the extreme side. If you wouldn’t mind, I would like to get a measurement on just how tall he actually is so that we can record it. We will log his case and as soon as we have any new developments we will give you all a call.”

Chad didn’t like the sound of this. He had already figured that there wasn’t much of a chance of a cure, but hearing it out loud was something else entirely. It confirmed the reality of his situation and that he was stuck like this for the foreseeable future. He took a few deep breaths to try to keep his nerves and anxiety under control as Pam gently lowered him down to a nearby counter top. He gingerly stepped off of her hand and shook his head. Everything was so damn big compared to him! He noticed a small glass jar off in the distance with wooden tongue depressors in them. Each of them seemed almost like trees compared to him. The jar itself might as well have been a building in comparison to him. He tried to relax as the doctor approached him and went to work examining him. It was awkward, but she must have had some experience in dealing with people his size or close to it because she was both gentle and fast. He sighed and resigned himself to his examination.

It had taken about a half hour and some odd methods of getting some tests done. The tests were minimal and not as invasive as he had feared mostly due to the fact that they couldn’t really do much at his size. Most of their machines and equipment weren’t designed to pick up someone the size of a bug. He did find out that he was approximately one inch tall now. It was a far cry from his usual six foot self, but it was actually better than he had thought. It wasn’t great and it certainly didn’t make anything happening any better, but at least he wasn’t microscopic. Apparently they had had a case of one man being too small to be kept at home. The doctor didn’t exactly sound sure of how he was doing, which had Chad under the impression that the man may have been lost. He hated to think about what it would be like to be so small that you couldn’t even be seen.

Chad had managed to learn the doctor’s name over the course of the various tests that had been run on him. Doctor Burr handled him with the utmost care, despite the exhausted look in her eyes. Even before she spoke, he could tell from the look in her eyes that her news wasn’t promising, “I’m afraid that there isn’t anything that we can do at this time. We’ve logged his case, size, results, and will be in touch the moment we have any new developments. I know this is a lot to process, and I apologize if I seem a bit callus about everything. We’ve had a major influx in cases just like your husband’s coming over the last few days, and several of our own staff have started to come down with the disease. It’s left us quite short staffed and I’ve been working doubles just to try to keep up.”

“Oh dear,” Pam said as she realized that this was indeed affecting more people than she realized, “How many cases have you already logged, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“The last I checked, the running total was somewhere around five hundred,” she responded, “I honestly stopped counting sometime last night. I recommend that you all make preparations for someone to care for him. Please try to plan accordingly, I’ve already had to attempt to treat broken bones and missing limbs for patients who were misplaced or worse.”

“Missing limbs?” Victoria asked with a hint of fear and disgust in her voice.

Doctor Burr held up a hand to try to clarify, “One particularly unlucky young man found himself on the business end of an insect that viewed him as food, at least that’s what he and his caretaker have said.”

Chad shuddered at the thought of being caught by something like a spider or worse. That sounded like something out of a nightmare. Pam spoke up, “That’s horrible! How could someone be so careless?”

“I assure you, Mrs. McCallum, keeping track of all of someone this small is a bigger challenge then you might think,” Doctor Bur replied before her phone went off, “If you will excuse me, I have another case to log and it seems that one of our nurses has lost a doctor. Will this day ever end?”

With that, Doctor Burr exited the room. They were left in the room for a moment so they could digest the news before leaving. He was grateful that she had been willing to do that; he didn’t exactly want to have this conversation in the car or while being trapped between his wife’s tits. It had been silent for a moment before Victoria finally spoke up, “He’s going to have to stay with someone twenty-four-seven. What about Cups?”

Chad was back to resting in Pam’s palm after the doctor had finished everything. He didn’t mind being in her hand, it was actually a little comforting. He looked at his daughter and felt awful when he saw her worried face. He was about to speak up when Pam beat him to it, “Yes he is going to have to stay with someone and that’s fine. We will figure this out and Cups can wait.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but was again cut off by Anna, “I wouldn’t mind holding on to him for a little while. I’m sure Chad would love to spend some quality time with me.”

He didn’t like the way that Anna had phrased that anymore than he liked the look in her eyes as she looked down at him. It was like a cat eyeing a mouse and quite frankly it was terrifying. He tried not to let the fear show through on his face and speak up, but yet again he was interrupted by Bram, “Come on, Anna, don’t phrase it like that. We are just trying to watch out for him. He isn’t an object to hold on to, he’s a person and my dad.”

He really needed to get control of this situation before this continued to spiral out of control. “I know he’s a person, and all I’m saying is that he would probably like the chance to spend time with me.”

Chad needed to try to speak up and be heard this time. He tried to steady himself on Pam’s hand, but the task was difficult given she was still shaking a bit. He managed to find a place to plant his feet and yelled to get their attention, “Listen to me! I know this is new and... well, I don’t think different quite sums it up, but if we all pull together then we can get through this. Victoria, you’re right about me having to stay with someone through this like the doctor said, and as for Cups I think the only way to keep it going is for you to take over while I’m stuck like this. Can you do that?”

Bram looked between his tiny father and his sister and tried to offer his assistance, “I can help, dad, there’s no reason Victoria should have to do this alone.”

“No,” Chad said, “You need to focus on school and sports and the same goes for Anna. Pam has her hands full at Lift, but I can always go with Victoria and help her with any questions she has. I don’t think I’ll be much help with deliveries at this size, but I can talk her through the day to day operations.”

Anna listened to her stepfather speak and scowled. Who did he think he was to try to give orders to anyone, especially at his size! He wasn’t any different than any other guy that had come into her and her mother’s life, no matter what her mom thought. “Why should we listen to you?” she finally asked.

“Because like it or not, he is still your stepfather,” Pam said with a fierce look at her daughter, “He’s right and we are all going to have to stick together to get through this. We’ll have to take turns keeping an eye on him; God only knows what could happen to him at this size, and I shudder to think about how easy it would be to lose him.”

Hearing his wife take up for him was nice, but her last statement caused the gravity of his situation to sink in. She was right, at his current height he was susceptible to all sorts of dangers and problems. He remembered that just a simple tear from his daughter had almost washed him away; the memory of almost being crushed beneath Pam’s breast was also fresh in his mind. He couldn’t suppress the shudder at the thought of what could happen if someone misplaced him and were to step on him. He couldn’t imagine a more gruesome and horrific way to go than dying beneath someone’s foot. He pushed the worries out of his mind in an attempt to stay strong for his family, they needed him as much as he needed them right now. The sound of Anna scoffing and her cold voice fully drew him out of the thoughts of bleak possibilities, “Fine, so who gets him first?”

He really wasn’t a fan of the way that she was talking about him. The way she spoke and the things that Anna said made it seem like he was little more than some object to her. He would need to be careful not to get caught up and alone with her if he could help it, but deep down he knew that avoiding that was going to be nearly impossible. Everyone had lives and things to do and at some point he would have to be entrusted to Anna; his only hope was that she would be willing to show him some kind of mercy of kindness, but even that hope seemed small in his current state. He waited with unease for someone to speak up first and was relieved when Bram finally broke the silence, “I’ll take him for a little while. He can hang out with me and watch me play some of my games, is that alright with you dad?”

No one seemed to object to Bram being the first to spend some time with him. In truth, Chad was grateful that his son was the one who was going first. Really anyone except Anna would be preferable; he hated himself for thinking that, but his stepdaughter was terrifying him at this size. He was gently shifted from Pam’s hand to Bram’s. Pam brought him close to his son’s outstretched hand and let him make the transition on his own. It was a little frightening as he caught a glimpse of the ground from his vantage point, but thankfully their hands were close enough that he didn’t have any room to fall. He was relieved when both of his feet were planted on his son’s palm. He looked up to his son and flashed a smile and thumbs up to indicate that he was good to go. With everything as decided as it could be given the circumstances, the family of five exited the room and made their way back to the car.

Bram’s walk was a slow and careful one. He didn’t want to jostle his father more than necessary after what he had been through on the car ride over. He tried to imagine what it would be like to be trapped underneath Pam’s breasts, and he found the concept unusual. A part of him felt a little excited at the idea while another part of him that had seen the look on his dad’s face was daunted by it. He couldn’t imagine what was going through his dad’s mind as he walked through the halls and towards the exit. He worried about how his dad was actually doing and he knew that he probably wouldn’t find out until this was all over. His dad had always been the type to carry the weight of everything in stride and he always seemed so strong. It was something he admired about his dad and strived to emulate in his young life. He knew, though, that his dad would need help through this and he would be there to help both his father and his new family any way that he could. He and his siblings piled into the backseat of the car with Bram sitting in the middle and his dad resting in his hand. He cupped it a bit to keep him from potentially falling out in case Pam hit another bump too hard.

Chad was having an interesting ride in the car. Bram had made sure to take his time in getting back to the car and in getting in. The transition had been easy enough and he was glad that Bram was keeping his hand cupped for him. The ride was rather silent with only the sound of the radio cutting through the silence. Chad looked over to his daughter who was staring out the window seemingly lost in thought. He was worried about her and how she would handle the stress of having to run Cups. He tore his eyes away from her and his eyes met Anna’s for the briefest of moments. His blood ran cold as he saw the almost hungry look in her eyes. He wanted to look away, but he found it difficult to do. It wasn’t until she mouthed the words, “You’re going to be mine,” to him that he found the will to look away. He was more afraid than ever of being left alone with his stepdaughter. He kept his eyes forward for the remainder of the car ride home.

It wasn’t long before the car pulled into the driveway and the family began filing out of the car. Fortunately for Chad, there hadn’t been anything noteworthy to happen on the drive home. The occasional speed bump that came along did little more than to cause him to lose his footing in Bram’s hand. He had finally given up on standing and had taken a seat with his back resting against his son’s fingers. The only thing that he hadn’t enjoyed was that he could feel Anna stealing glances at him throughout the ride. He knew it was her by the strange unnerving sensation he kept feeling, but finally he was free of the car and her predatory gaze. Everyone slowly made their way inside and when the door closed he heard Pam address him and Bram, “Are you boys going to be alright? Can I get you anything?”

Bram looked down to his father who shrugged before looking back to his stepmother, “I think we’re alright. Maybe something to eat? I don’t know how much dad can eat at his size, but I wouldn’t mind a sandwich if you wouldn’t mind. I’m going to take dad to my room and just hang out with him for a little while.”

Pam smiled at them both, “I’ll get you a turkey and cheese sandwich, and I guess maybe a small slice for Chad? Does that sound okay to you, hon?”

Chad had to really raise his voice to ensure that he was heard, “That sounds great, hon, love you.”

“Love you to,” Pam replied as she went off to the kitchen.

The walk to Bram’s room wasn’t a long one, but it was breathtaking. Everything was so huge and looked so different from his size. He was in the process of taking everything in when he and Bram finally made it to their destination. Chad was actually a little excited to see what Bram was playing. He always enjoyed spending time with his son, and he was willing to bet that whatever game he was playing would feel like a movie. At his size, if he had a toy car he could probably pretend he was at a drive-in. He grinned at the thought of himself sitting in a small car on Bram’s nightstand. The idea was a little comical and made his whole day seem at least a little bit lighter than it actually was. It was the little things outside of having a virus without a cure that made things bearable, he supposed anyways. Bram gently lowered him down to his bed so that he could get situated and he could retrieve his controller for his PlayStation.

The massive expanse that was a twin bed was breathtaking as Chad looked around it. The blue duvet looked like some kind of cloth ocean before him that went on for miles upon miles, and if the pillows weren’t propped up then he wouldn’t have been able to see them over the horizon. He walked close to the edge of the bed, but stopped short as he looked down to see what would have been certain death if he were to fall. It was like standing on the edge of a five story building and looking down; he felt himself become light headed and decided it would be best for him to take a few steps back. He fell back on his butt and shook his head at the sheer magnificence of everything around him. His eyes ran along the walls of Bram’s room in wonder. The various posters and items that dotted the walls were like something out of a storybook to him; he knew that the objects in question were little more than trivial items that he or Bram had bought, but at his size it was unbelievable to look upon. He spotted a small action figure that he had bought his son years ago on his nightstand, and he couldn’t help but wonder how much larger even the little figure was than him. He had to admit, even in spite of the terror and unease that lurked in the back of his mind this whole experience was truly awe inspiring.

Bram watched his dad closely after he set him down. This whole thing was so unreal that he still couldn’t believe what was happening. In one day his dad had been reduced to the size of a small toy or a bug, and even as he looked at him it just didn’t seem real. He had carried his own father to his room in the palm of his hand, and yet this whole thing seemed like a dream. He could only imagine how his dad was feeling about everything. He wanted to try to act like things were normal, but he honestly wasn’t sure if he could or if that was even an option at this point. He tried to sit down on his bed as gently as possible, but even being as careful as he could he still noticed his dad stumble and fall from his soft impact.

Chad had been so engrossed in everything around him that when Bram went to sit down he was caught off guard from the tremors that followed. It wasn’t like when he had been caught in the updraft when Victoria had found him, it was more subtle and gentle than that. He found himself struggling to keep his footing and before he knew it he was on his ass again. He decided it would probably be better to just remain seated while he was on a bed lest another impact happened; he was just glad that Bram had decided to sit down as easy as he could. He imagined himself flying through the air as someone jumped onto the bed, and the image that followed sent a chill down his spine as he thought about what such a sudden and rough landing could do to him. “Shit, sorry dad!” Bram offered as he tried to help him up.

Chad waved him off and smiled to try to reassure him that everything was fine, “Don’t worry about it, son, I’m fine and you didn’t do anything wrong. This is going to take some getting used to, for all of us not just me. What game are you going to play?”

Bram smiled at his dad’s nonchalant attitude and pulled up his game library before selecting one of his all time favorites, “I figured you might like to see the newest Spiderman game,” he said as he selected the title and let the game start to load, “It’s really good and looks amazing. Figured that since you’ve kind of had a rough day you might enjoy something comic themed to relax with.”

Chad gave a genuine smile at the thoughtfulness of his son. He hadn’t gotten the chance to watch him play this one yet. He was a little giddy at the idea of seeing it for the first time on such an expansive screen. He let the worries of his situation fall away as the game booted up and Bram started playing. It was the first time since waking up that he felt almost normal just sitting there watching his son play a game for a little while. He found himself engrossed in the narrative almost instantly, and he sat with his son and watched just as he would have done before all of this began. It was nice to be able to share in an old pastime despite his new condition.