Chapter 7

Chad rode in Anna’s closed fist while she walked to her room. He was wrestling with fear as he sat in the darkness. The warmth of Anna’s hand and the feeling of her fingers coiled around his small frame did little to comfort him as he felt his world sway back and forth. Anna had said she wanted to talk, or rather ask him some questions, but in the back of his mind he was utterly terrified of the young woman. She hadn’t made any moves to hurt him yet, but that could change at any time. It was clear from her threat that she still held him in low regard and viewed him as little more than a toy for her own amusement.

The subtle motions of his ride came to a stop and he was assaulted by the bright light of her room as she opened her hand. His eyes adjusted quick enough and he was greeted to the sight of his stepdaughter’s messy room. He took a few deep breaths as memories of his night scrubbing her feet and almost becoming a meal came to his mind. Anna must have noticed this because she called attention to it, “Calm down, pipsqueak, as long as you don’t piss me off I’m not gonna hurt you. I’d love to have some fun with you, but I don’t think we have enough time before Rose gets here.”

He turned in her open hand and stared up at the goddess that Anna had become, “What exactly do you consider fun?” he asked.

She shrugged before flashing him a wicked grin, “Oh I’ve got plenty of ideas for us to try. You’re not a bad foot toy, but given how much you squirm I bet you’d feel great in a few other places.”

He closed his eyes and shuddered at what she was insinuating. He wanted to believe that she was bluffing, but from what he’d already been through he knew better. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so thankful that his mother was coming over. “Y-you said you had some questions for me,” he said in an attempt to steer the conversation in a less disturbing direction.

“What, you don’t want to think about my pretty pussy?” she asked with a laugh as she walked over to her bed.

That solidified his fears and gave him a rather unwelcome image in his mind, “I’m married to your mother, Anna, so no I’d rather not.”

She rolled her eyes at him as she gently sat herself down, “Please, all men are exactly the same. It was only a matter of time before you either cheated on mom or tried to make a move on me.”

He felt a surprising amount of resolve wash over him as he looked her in the eyes and replied, “I wouldn’t do that to Pam, I love her.”

“So you say,” she said, dismissively, “You expect me to believe you aren’t even a little curious to see just what my clit looks like at your size?”

He sighed as he realized that she wasn’t going to let this go, “Honestly, I’m not so sure I want to see what Pam’s looks like at this size…”

“So you’d rather see dicks?” she asked bluntly, “I think I can arrange that, there’s this loser who’s been trying to get a date with me at school. I could always slip you onto his cock and we can see what-”

“Oh my God, Anna, no!” he yelled, “That is not what I meant, and that is the last image that I wanted in my head!”

She laughed at his reaction. A part of him was relieved, it was better than her getting angry with him, “You’ve still got a little fight in you I see,” she said before bringing him closer to her face, “I’m not sure if I like that or not. I could fix that attitude of yours.”

There it was. That almost sadistic side of her that scared the living daylight out of him. He tried to ignore the creeping fear that was worming its way through his mind and down his spine. Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t stop his knees from beginning to lightly shake as he spoke, “P-please don’t. All I meant was that I don’t like the idea of being near anyone outside of our family, and that I’m comfortable with the idea of you having sex.”

“You’re not my dad, Chad,” she reminded him, “I’m a grown woman and if I want to fuck some loser then I will. You can relax, though, I’m not keen on sharing my toys.”

“I’m not arguing whether you're grown or not, but I don’t want to talk about your sexlife anymore than you want to hear about mine or your mother’s,” he said before sighing and sitting down on her palm, “Is that all you see me as, nothing more than a toy or an object?”

She grimaced at his insinuation about her mom having sex with him, but before she could react beyond a simple face he’d spoken again. She could hear it in his tone of voice and see it in his body language, he was crestfallen. It shouldn’t have bothered her. She should have been elated at the prospect of having him so close to being broken. Why, then, did she feel that annoying sensation of guilt? She did what she usually did in these situations, she pushed the feelings aside and hardened her exterior, “That is all you are until you prove to me otherwise,” she replied coldly.

He nodded, coming as close as he could to accepting her disposition on the matter, “I figured as much,” he said, “Anna, I want you to know something. No matter what happens, no matter what you do to me, I'll still see you as my daughter. I love your mother and that means I love you too. Just...just please keep that in mind."

She stared down at him for a minute with calculating eyes while she digested what he'd said. Slowly, she moved her hand away from her face and towards her nightstand. When he didn't move she started to get impatient, "Get off, you little bug before I throw you off."

He scrambled to do as he was told, fearing that she would make good on her threat, "Yes Anna, sorry Anna."

"You know what annoys me most about you?" she asked once he was out of her hand, "The fact that I can't get a read on you. I mean you're a man, well like an eighth of one, so you shouldn't be any different from any of the other garbage that's the rest of your gender. But then you say shit like that or lie to my mom. Why did you do that back there anyway? Don't lie to me and tell me you aren't scared of me either."

He hadn't expected this, "Mind if I sit first?" he asked and waited until she nodded to plop himself down, "Well to be honest I didn't do it for you, and I definitely didn't do it for me. You're right, I'm terrified of being alone with you. I was afraid before last night, but after everything you did to me I'm borderline petrified. That doesn't matter though, because your mom thinks the world of you. She worries about you, has worried since your dad left you both, but to her you'll always be her little girl. The last thing I want to do is make her think less of you or mistrust you. I couldn't do that to her, she means too much to me and it would crush her."

Anna was silent for a short while after he finished. She felt a rush of conflicting emotions and ideas run through her head. On the one hand, Chad was where he belonged at her mercy and she could do whatever she wanted to him. Thoughts of having him worship her feet, using him as a helper if she showered, or putting his squirmy little body to use for her pleasure were all tantalizing ideas. She was bigger, stronger, and from what he just said smarter than him. Then there were the muted thoughts and feelings of shock and awe at what he'd said. If he was being honest then that meant that he really did love her mom and wanted to protect her. By extension that would mean that he also cared about her, which would mean that maybe he wasn't such a piece of trash. She could take care of him. He honestly wasn't that hard to keep track of for her.

The big question was whether or not she should believe him. She'd been hurt before, lied to countless times. It was the biggest reason that she was the way she was. The more she kept her walls up the safer she was. She couldn't get hurt if she didn't let people in. She stared down at him and studied him. He was starting to shake, probably scared of what she was thinking. God he was pathetic, but she just couldn't bring herself to end his wretched little life. She held out her hand and shot him an expecting look, "Get on, bug boy."

He did as he was told and climbed into her palm. It folded around him and he felt her rise from her spot on the bed, "Uhm, Anna, where are we going?"

"I need a shower," she said offhandedly, "You're going to help me with that."

"Hold on, I can't do that!" he cried.

"You can, you will, and most importantly you are because you don't have a choice," she said, "It's either this or we see how fast you can make me cum, you're choice."

He paled at both ideas. He could tell from the tone of her voice that she wasn't kidding. He suppressed a groan as he realized that one way or another he was about to get closer to his stepdaughter than he'd ever wanted. With a sigh, he chose the lesser of two evils, "Let's get this shower over with."

"How about a little enthusiasm, runt," she chided with a grin, "Do you have any idea how many guys would kill to be in your position right now?"

That may have been true but honestly, he didn't care. He hoped that she would at least make it a fast shower but, knowing his luck, that wouldn't be the case. He plastered a false smile on his face and simply said, "Yes Anna."

-------------------

Bram had finally managed to get himself untangled from the pile of dirty clothes that had piled up. He slid down a proverbial slope formed from a shirt he'd discarded the day before that rested atop a mound of other clothes. He rolled as he dismounted from the impromptu slide. He'd managed to obtain a much higher velocity than he had intended from what he had thought was a short drop, tumbling across his floor and coming to rest on his back. He laid there for a couple of minutes while he waited for the world around him to stop spinning. His situation was daunting, but damn if this wasn't slightly exhilarating! There was still the looming fear of...well pretty much everything, but there was a certain level of excitement at the same time.

His door opened and he saw a new titan enter that almost made his jaw drop. There, standing like a skyscraper, was his grandmother Rose. Despite her age, she looked incredible and at his size may as well have been some sort of Goddess. She was wearing a rather tight black tank top, a pair of matching black leggings that showed off the figure she'd been working so hard for. He felt a bit of shame as he admired her impressive features. He'd heard his grandmother described as attractive before, but up until now he had never seen it. From where he stood, even he had to admit she was breathtaking. All of her hard work was clearly paying off, and as embarrassing as it was he had to admit she was stunning.

"Where has that boy gone?" Rose asked herself, "This is so unlike him, and would it kill him to pick up after himself?"

He expected her to leave the room and leave him stranded once again, but instead she moved further in. He was reminded of the perils of being the size of an insect as he felt the vibrations from her steps. He marveled at the sheer force that each footfall generated. Her steps were even and deliberate, they weren't forceful or anything and yet each one produced a proverbial shockwave that was equal parts daunting and impressive. On her feet were a pair of old and well-worn tennis shoes that she always wore when she worked out. They didn’t match her outfit, with the faded black fabric and neon green stripes adorning the sides. The threads around the green N on the sides were frayed from continued wear and tear, something Bram never would have noticed if he weren't getting an almost eye level view. They had been a Christmas present from him and his dad a few years ago, and it was evident that Rose was getting her money's worth from them.

He realized too little too late that his grandmother was approaching his position. The powerful smell of sweat, both stale and fresh, wafted off of her and assaulted his nostrils. The pungent odor combined with the increased vibrations stirred him out of his awe and he ran. He wasn't sure how far he could make it or even where he was going, but he knew that he needed to get away. The thought of being crushed beneath those aged soles was terrifying enough but knowing that his last seconds would be spent inhaling that God forsaken stench heightened his adrenaline. He dashed to avoid the encroaching doom of his grandmother's feet. He dove out of the way just in the nick of time, but then another revelation hit him. It would be risky, but he could potentially use those rancid shoes as a means of finally escaping his room. Unfortunately, that meant getting in close to those deadly appendages.

He didn't have long to decide, and while it was against his better judgement, he chose to try. Out of the corner of his eye he spied one of her laces flailing in the wind. She'd stopped in front of his former resting place and had bent down to gather up the clothes. This was his chance. "Here goes nothing!" he cried to himself as he bolted towards her shoes.

He ignored the nearly overpowering stink as he pressed on. It may have been close, but the lace was still going to require a powerful leap. He tried not to think of what would happen if he missed. The image of his body, disfigured and dismembered, flashed through his mind before he pushed it aside. It was too late to turn back now and he couldn't afford any distractions. For the briefest of moments he felt like he was back on the field and like everything was normal again. He kicked off as hard as he could and outstretched his hands. He fought the urge to close his eyes as he flew through the air. His hands clasped around the fabric of the lace and he used all of his might to pull himself up. This left him with a dilemma he hadn't considered. He had made it, but now what was he supposed to do? He didn't have long to ponder it as Rose finished gathering his laundry and started moving again. His body was flung with every step as the laces bobbed with her steps. He managed to hold on, but he was continually slammed against the shoe.

If he didn't do something fast then he would lose his grip and possibly end up under foot. If she would stand still for just a minute then he could possibly climb up, but even then what was he supposed to do? The more he thought about it, the more he realized that his plan had more holes than merits. Even if he managed to get on top of her shoe he'd surely be flung off in an instant. Despite being in good shape, the odds of him being able to hang on were slim. With every step she took, his body and senses were battered with foul odors and painful slams. With every passing second, he felt himself becoming more and more disoriented. He felt a fear begin to claw its way into the back of his mind; if he fell, what would become of him? Would he survive or would he get crushed? How long could he keep this up?

Amidst the fears in the back of his mind, a new feeling overcame him: resolve. He had to choose right now: life or death. If he was going to die, then he would go out on his terms. He tightened his grip on the shoe string and fought against the winds that whipped him back and forth. Carefully, he reached up and coiled his fingers around the string. He summoned his strength and used his adrenaline to pull himself upwards. Slowly, he began ascending the lace towards the top of the shoe. He still didn't have a solid and certain plan, but he knew that he couldn't wait it out as he was. In spite of the danger he was in, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself, "Always did do my best work on the fly."

He grit his teeth as he hoisted himself up. Fate must have been on his side because right as he reached the top his grandmother stopped. He had only a few seconds to capitalize on her pause. Without thinking and ignoring the potent foot stink that radiated from the shoe, he latched onto the threaded laces. He held on for dear life and waited for whatever fresh hell he was about to endure. Surprisingly, the ride was easier from atop his grandmother's foot. It felt like a miracle, but he wasn't going to complain. After what he had endured, he was relieved to have a break. He could deal with the funky smell over having his body battered against the coarse tennis shoe, it was a small price to pay.

Rose had decided to push her worries for Bram aside by taking care of some laundry. It was a subconscious defense mechanism of hers to clean as a way of staving off negative thoughts. She'd replaced some of that with her exercise, but at times like this she fell back into the old habit. She'd done it since Chad had been a boy, and with everything going on the world she was fearful of what could have happened to her grandson. Laundry was a simple task, and if he were indeed just out then he would come home to a clean room and a scolding. She needed to check on Chad soon, but she figured that he was with Anna and in good hands. She adored the girl, and while she may have been a little rough around the edges, she knew she was a good kid. Even without having gotten to know her, the fact that she was Pam's daughter spoke volumes in her eyes. She would check on them once she was finished with Bram's room.

Bram's world of quakes and winds returned once he felt his grandmother move again. A quick cursory glance around told him they'd left his room and were headed towards the utility room. His mind raced in an attempt to piece together a plan. He couldn't stay here, even if he managed to hold on where was he supposed to go? He looked up to try to assess his options. His grandmother was wearing leggings which meant there was next to no chance he'd be able to climb up. He could always abandon his ride, but that meant he'd be in more danger of getting stepped on. The utility room wasn't a high traffic area, but it connected to the kitchen which was one of the busiest rooms of the household. Then there was the possibility of encountering an insect or God forbid a spider at his size. He felt his skin crawl as the image of a spider two, three, or even four times his size snaring him flashed through his brain. He had to find some way of getting himself noticed.

The rhythmic thundering of his grandmother's footsteps came to an abrupt halt as they entered the utility room. An idea hit him, but he knew he wouldn't have much time to make it work. If he could somehow manage to untie her shoe strings then maybe he could get discovered. He wasn't sure how difficult it would be since he hadn't had an opportunity to test his strength at this size though. It also meant he'd have to give up his current position and it came with the chance of falling as well. He didn’t have many options, however, and he figured that it would be better than stumbling through the open expanse that was his home. With a final deep breath, he mustered up his courage and released his death grip on her laces and headed towards the knot.

Walking along a shoe proved to be more difficult than he anticipated. The slight slope and curve of the shoe almost caused him to lose his footing a couple of times. He debated on trying to climb towards the knot, but that would have meant changing his positioning. He had no idea how long he had before his grandmother moved again, and from the looks of things he was going to have to undo a double knot. He grimaced as he tripped over one of the laces and barely managed to catch himself. He let out a shaky breath as he pushed himself up and felt a bit of relief. He was at his destination, but now he had to figure out where to begin. The strings were massive compared to him, and the knot alone was easily twice his size.

Without a second thought, he did the only thing he could think of. He drove his fist into the space between the strings. He was shocked when it miraculously managed to push through the knot. He tried to pull his hand back out and grip at one of the strings. He felt a bit of panic well up within him when he realized his fist was stuck. Time was quickly running out for him, and the sounds of the washing machine filled the background. He had to figure something out fast or else he was going to be in trouble. He tried to use his other hand to gain some kind of leverage and free himself. It looked like his fortune was running out, however, as a sudden shift from grandmother caused his other hand to get lodged between the threads. His arms were trapped, but he wasn’t ready to admit defeat just yet. He lifted his foot up and tried to kick himself off of the knot, but another shift from his grandmother found his foot tangled in the mess of strings.

His plan had devolved from trying to untie her shoe laces into figuring out how to untangle himself and survive. He shuddered to think what would happen in his current predicament when his grandmother started to move. He struggled against his binds in hopes of loosening them and possibly getting himself free. When it looked like he was going to be forced to endure whatever fate had in store for him he tried to yell up to her, “Gran! Gran, down here! Please, I need your help!”

Rose had finished putting the clothes into the wash and was about to leave when she thought she heard something. It was faint, but she could have sworn she heard someone yelling. She frowned and looked around the room. She was alone. Maybe she was hearing things, or maybe she was tired. Still, what if Chad had managed to get himself separated from Anna? She'd heard a couple of stories from both Pam and Victoria about him getting misplaced. The grisly stories on the news didn't help ease her mind, so she decided to take an extra moment to look around. She couldn't recall how big Chad was exactly, but she knew he was easy to overlook. She tried to imagine where he might have gone if he had indeed gotten himself lost and was trying to garner someone's attention. The white tiles of the utility room and kitchen might have been a good spot, but then there was the grout between them. She imagined that could prove difficult for someone who was vertically challenged as she'd heard the victims referred to.

She was about to take a step forward when she noticed something amiss with her shoestring. She canted her head to the side and bent down to investigate. There was something, or possibly someone, that looked like they were tangled in them. "What in the world?" she asked both herself and her possible stowaway.

Bram looked up to see the billboard sized face of his grandmother coming towards him. She had either heard him or his struggles had managed to loosen the knot. Either way, this was his chance to finally be found, "Gran! Thank God, help me!"

He stared up, as best he could, into her eyes and prayed that she'd recognize him. Brilliant pools of brown stared back at him and studied him. "Chad?" she finally asked, "Sweetie, what are you doing down here? I thought Anna was watching you."

Okay, so she didn't think he was a bug, but she thought he was his dad. It wasn't ideal, but at least he'd been discovered albeit mistaken. It was better than nothing, and maybe she would piece it together. "Gran, it's me Bram!" he yelled in an attempt to get her to see.

Rose heard her little charge's squeaking voice, but she still wasn't quite sure what he was trying to tell her. From the look of him, she assumed it was a plea to get him free from his tangled mess. She was happy to oblige, and she carefully untied her shoe with one hand and prepared to cradle him with the other. "Calm down, Chad, let's get you freed and then we can see about getting you something to eat," she said, "Don't worry, I'm here and I'll make sure you're well taken care of."

It was evident that his message was getting lost in translation somewhere along the line. It could have been worse, he supposed, at least now he'd been seen and didn't have to worry about getting squashed. Although, his father hadn't exactly fared well even with everyone knowing about his situation. He would have to be on guard and make sure that if he found himself lost that he had something to keep him safe. Surely his grandmother would realize it was him eventually, right? If not then he hoped that his dad would be alright. He didn't know that he had been spending time with Anna, and he hoped that they were getting along alright. He loved his new stepsister, but she didn't exactly have a great relationship with his dad. In fact, she seemed to view most men with contempt except himself. She always seemed to treat him with some measure of kindness and care, but for the life of him he couldn't understand why. All of his compassion and respect for women he'd learned from his father, and yet she looked at him like he was the scum of the earth. He knew that part of it, from his late night talks with her, that it was due in part to her being worried about her mom. Maybe this new situation was bringing the two of them closer together.

His thoughts were cut short when he felt gravity take hold of him. The strings that kept him bound were released, and he found himself in free fall for a split second. His back collided with his grandmother's waiting palm. He was both relieved and surprised at the feeling of being in someone's palm. The relief came from knowing that he no longer had to worry about running for his life, and the surprise was at just how nice and warm a hand could feel. He was resting on her palm with his head propped up on one of her fingers. Along with the warmth there was a feeling of security and safety that washed over him. That was quickly replaced by a pulse pounding and nauseating sensation as he was hoisted from the ground level towards his grandmother's chest. His head spun, his stomach rolled, and for a second he wondered if he was going to fly off. Then, just as quickly as it came, it disappeared and was gone and replaced with those safe and secure feelings while his stomach settled. He wondered if this was what vertigo felt like, or if this was something else entirely. Then there was one final and terrifying bundle of emotions that washed over him as his grandmother began walking again. He'd once heard the expression, "My life in your hands," before, but never in his existence had that saying held more truth than now. The slightest jar, trip, and even clench from his grandmother could literally spell his end.

It was overwhelming, but at least he was away from her feet. Furthermore, she was aware of his presence and that for now he was safe. He closed his eyes to block out the blur of everything flying by him and wondered just how his father had adjusted to this. He hoped that it would only be a matter of time until he got used to it. The world around him spun once again as his grandmother lowered her palm down towards the countertop. He paused for a minute and stared up at her, "It's alright, Chad, just hop off and wait while I get everyone something to eat," she said with a warm smile, "Relax, I'm sure you can help me. Just try to keep where I can see you, hon."

He took a deep breath and did as he was told. He dismounted from her hand to the cold granite countertop. The countertop was a dark, reflective, and pristine surface that was as beautiful as it was frightening. He watched as his grandmother moved to gather some items from the cabinets and utensils from the drawers. Boxes of miscellaneous food items and ingredients were placed that all looked like a city skyline from his perspective. The reflective glint of metal coming out of one of the drawers caught his eye and he felt a powerful sense of unease. One false move with the knife in his grandmother's hand would make short work of him. He reminded himself that she had fairly steady hands, though, and she knew he was there. Still, he couldn't tear his eyes away from that terrifying instrument as she walked over.

She sat it down a short distance from him and beamed, "Let's cook, honey, it's been too long since you've helped me in the kitchen!"