Chapter 14 - Protection 4’4”

I stared Celeste straight in the eyes, mortified.  At that moment, I knew I was dwindling into absolute insignificance.

“Steve, are you going to come in,” Celeste said aggravated.

“That is Mr. Jones to you,” I retorted as I walked through the threshold into the much safer apartment.

Angela’s apartment was a mirror image to mine.  A shithole with two main rooms, a kitchen, a single bedroom, and a bathroom.  However, Angela’s apartment was messier than mine, since she had a child.

“No, you’re getting younger,” Celeste chimed back, closing the door.

“Height doesn’t have anything to do with age Cel,” I corrected the 8-year-old.

“You’re just mad because I’m older now,” Celeste gleefully returned.

As Celeste was walking past me to go sit on the couch and watch more My Little Pony, she decided to stop and measure up.  I felt like a child, and I couldn’t help it, how else was I supposed to feel, my 8 year-old neighbor was measuring up to me in height.  

I was shocked as I decided to check out the measurements as well.  Celeste’s legs were longer than mine.  Her hips were about level with my tailbone, stretching about 1 ½” further than my own.  I decided I had had enough of measuring up to an 8 year-old and walked into the backroom to speak to Angela.

I walked into the bedroom that Angela and Celeste shared.  I looked to the right and saw Angela dusting a dollhouse that looked eerily similar to the one from my nightmare the night before.  

She looked up and walked across the room to me.  I was now level with the underside of her breasts.  She was wearing a light-blue women’s athletic t-shirt and black yoga pants.

“Sorry about the burden at the door,” Angela apologized, “it is cleaning day and Cel can’t be bothered to stop watching My Little Pony.”

“I can hear you,” Celeste yelled in protest from the living room.

“Anyway, can you close the door,” she asked me.

“Sure,” I agreed.

I walked over to the door and swung the door shut, separating Angela and I from the sounds of the blaring children’s tv show.  When I turned around, Angela was sitting on the bed that was clearly hers as it was not completely decked out in pink.  She patted the mattress next to her, beckoning for me to sit by her.

I proceeded over to the bed and had to jump slightly to sit on the surface.  My feet hung in the air as I sat.  I felt like a small child next to his mother, and Angela seemed so much larger.

“I wanted to ask something from you,” I started.

“Anything you need, I am here for you,” Angela responded.

“I wanted to know if I can spend the night over here,” I began my monologue, “the twins came over earlier, the same way Rebecca, my ex-girlfriend, did this morning.  I was playing my drums and they came into the room without me hearing.  They wouldn’t leave until,” I began to sob as I recounted the event, “until they...could lift me.  I let them and Kendall threw me onto the bed then Kristen put me into a fireman’s carry and took me out of the apartment.  They took me up to their apartment door and set me down, laughing like it was some sick joke.  I ran back to my apartment and sat on the couch watching tv for a few hours, now I am coming here for help.”

“Oh my god,” Angela had the same response she had that morning, “of course you can stay here.  I am willing to protect you.  I just have one suggestion.

“I think this drug is not the best thing for you.  You are obviously shrinking away, becoming smaller and weaker.  It is having obvious negative effects on you and you’re only getting paid $15,000 for your suffering,” she made her proposition.

“That $15,000 is plenty compensation for what I’m going through,” I snapped back, instantly my sobs were halted.

I couldn’t believe I snapped like that.  I was instantly regretting it when I saw the pained look on her face.

“Oh my god,” I said, “I am so sorry Angela!  I didn’t mean to snap like that.”

“It’s fine,” she accepted my apology, “just please consider what I told you though.”

“I will think it over,” I said standing up from the bed.

“I’m going to get your sleeping area set up,” Angela said.

Angela set up an air mattress she had lying around in her closet with a couple of blankets for me to sleep on.  I asked her to lay it out in the bedroom, in between the closet and bathroom doors, in case I needed anything that night.

I went out and watched hours of tv with Celeste.  I couldn’t stand My Little Pony, there was a whole group of Bronies at my school that drove me crazy, but I watched it anyway.

Around 8:00 Angela had prepared spaghetti and meatballs for dinner.  When Celeste and I stood up to get served I was relieved that we were the same height, a luxury I wouldn’t know much longer.

After dinner I decided to take my pill.  I snuck across the hall much as I had done earlier to get to angela’s apartment.  

I was shocked as the countertop was at the same height as my shoulder.  I had to reach to get to the orange pill bottle.  Getting it down from the counter, I reached in and took another HydroDyoxiBenzine pill from the container.  I popped it in my mouth and swallowed it dry.

That night I took the HDB to Angela’s apartment with me.  As I entered I found Angela standing directly inside waiting for me like a concerned mother.

“I know you want to continue the drug testing for the reward,” she said, “and although I don’t support it.  I will keep those for you and give you your doses.  I will put them in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom,” she told me.

“Thank you so much for the help Angela,” I thanked her.

“Oh, you would do the same for me,” she said playfully.

That statement was very true.  Angela and I cared for each other like family, although we were not actually related.