The Forest Lake Incident
By NFalc
11:30
"So, I bet you want to know what I've brought you here to talk about."
Fourteen guys are sitting in a ragged semicircle in the middle of the paint-spattered floor in one of the rooms once used by the art department. They look up at me expectantly. I've spent the last forty-five minutes or so collecting them from various spots around the theater - taking most of them from the clutches of some very possessive girls about four times their size. Promising to give them back helped, but it was also a lie. I'm here to convince them to leave this place.
"Things have changed after the accident this morning. Of course, there's the obvious alien environment, and the changes in scale across the board, but there's something more to it than that. It's also changed the attitudes of the people around us. And the only way past it will be to join together, all of us men, and work in harmony to ensure our own safety."
There's some restless shifting and muttering, and I think I hear someone say under his breath, "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about the women. Don't tell me you haven't noticed a shift in their behavior. Increases in aggression, possessiveness, and impulsive behavior? Sure, everything seems fine now, but they're highly unstable. When things change, you'll be powerless to stop them."
The muttering gets much louder, and one of the guys stands up. He's got slicked-down ginger hair, a suspiciously dressy short-sleeve shirt and a nasty look on his face. "This is completely uncalled for," he says in a posh British accent which I peg as authentic. "You have absolutely no proof for your claims."
"You tell em, Arthur," one of the guys next to him says brightly, and the Brit grins at him.
"You haven't seen what I have," I say gravely. "You don't know what they're like at their worst."
"Tell us then," Arthur says mockingly. "What have the big bad lasses done to you?"
"They didn't do anything to me, they did it to our former teachers. Earlier today they holed up inside Building A, in the cafeteria. Soon three girls led by Jen Asafrago mounted an assault on the building. When the teachers refused to hand over the food, the girls destroyed the cafeteria. It was a massacre. As far as I know, all the teachers are dead."
Most of the others look shocked at this announcement, and the room falls quiet. But the Brit simply folds his arms and talks over the hushed silence. "Not all the women are like that."
"No," I respond. "But we don't know if more will begin to act that way. If we're scattered among the women, they can do whatever they want to us, but if we band together, we can come to each other's aid."
The ginger kid snickers. "Yes indeed. We shouldn't trust anyone of the fairer sex. Which is why you've been accompanied this whole time by that woman behind you."
I look over my shoulder and up at Tara, looming behind me. She's grimacing, whether with sympathy for me or annoyance over what I said, I can't tell. I did kind of hammer on her gender pretty hard, but I hope she understands it was for the sake of the argument. I let my gaze travel along the curves of her bust, curves I was nestled between not too long ago, before staring at the floor. "Tara, if you could give us a little time alone..."
"I understand," she says gracefully, even if her tone's a bit arch. "Come find me after." She shifts and worms her way back out of the double-doors at the back of the studio.
I turn back to Arthur, who's still staring at me defiantly. "Tara's different. She's risked her own life to save mine."
"So would any of the girls in that theater. I firmly believe they will protect me from any harm, and living with them is infinitely more pleasant than - ah, what's the colloquialism, a "sausage fest"."
Some of the guys snort at the rhetoric, but I see right past it. This Arthur guy is both stubborn and scared. He doesn't want us to organize because he knows it'll rob him of most of his independence. And he likes being the guy who stands up in the crowd, who gets the support of the audience. If he has his way he's going to get us all killed.
I try to think of some of the stirring rhetoric Paul used when he convinced us this would work. "Do you think we're meant to be their playthings? Their possessions? We can't allow ourselves to be dominated by them just because they're -"
"Bigger? Stronger? Prettier?" Arthur's words are like the thrusts of a fencing foil, quick precise jabs at my argument.
I never was any good at public speaking, much less debate. I can tell by the crowd that he's got me beat, but I'll still have the last word. "Believe what you will. For all of you who want to unite, meet in A Building at noon. Try not to get caught along the way."
I leave the room before the others finish getting to their feet. It probably looks like I stormed out, which won't inspire much confidence in me. I know I'm not the leader type, but it still pisses me off that one smug Brit could totally undermine our plan.
I've got other priorities anyway. I have to make sure Tara understands that I wasn't trying to insult her in the meeting. I just had to prove a point, so I was generalizing... I'm already working out the points for my argument in my mind when I nearly bump smack into Laura Davids' nose.
"We always seem to wind up meeting like this. Me lying on the floor and you nearly colliding with my face." She giggles softly.
"I guess I've been a little preoccupied," I say wryly. "You know, trying to stay alive and organize my fellow man."
"I bet it's been tough," Laura says seriously. "Especially when you feel like so much of the burden is on you."
"Well, it's not easy," I admit. "But it's important."
"Maybe you just need a moment to yourself. Get your head together a little, without worrying so much." She blinks slightly, her eyelashes fluttering over her light brown eyes. For a second, I swore I could see a mischievous twinkle in her look. "Take a walk with me. It'll be relaxing."
"I'd like to, but I really should meet up with -"
"Come one, just a short one. I'll show you around the building." She lays her pale hand flat on the ground before me, palm facing up. It's funny how her hands still seem small, if only in relation to her. She could wrap those delicate fingers around my whole body if she wanted to. But she's asking nicely. And who knows, maybe it'll be good to take a few minutes off from fretting over my survival.
I sit down somewhat awkwardly in her palm, instinctively searching for handholds and finding nothing but the creases in her soft skin. She giggles slightly, then curls her fingers so they're supporting my back. I lean back into them and place my hands between her fingertips, trying to look at ease.
"Hmm, I didn't think too hard about moving while carrying you," Laura says, her voice very low right behind my ear. She must have learned to speak more quietly around the guys. Figuring out a position where she can carry me involves me clinging to her hand as she slowly shifts onto knees and elbows, eventually using her other hand and knees for three points of support as she crawls down the art corridor.
"So, er, how've you been?" I say somewhat awkwardly. I've never been good at making small talk.
"Pretty good," Laura says brightly. "Things here in D Building are pretty okay." She uses her other hand to pull open the door to the theater. It was built triple-wide, probably to accommodate throngs of spectators in case of a fire, but today it helps the girls squeeze into the building. After setting me down on the ground, she pulls herself through with a surprising amount of grace. It doesn't even look like she's straining to fit through such a small hole, and in no time at all she's on the other side.
She lays her palms down again, and I get back onto it. Then she leans back against the rear wall of the theater, cradling me in her hands. "Here, we've mostly just been hanging out, waiting for all of this to blow over."
"Aren't you worried about what will happen if the other girls come here?"
Laura smiles slightly. "Of course we've thought about it. That's why we have some girls posted at the window in the projection room." She points up and behind us, and I see that there's a whole room in the back of the theater that I haven't noticed before. "They can see out without being noticed, so they'll warn us if it looks like someone's coming our way. And while they're not warning us, we can relax a little."
She leans back against the wall, slides down it to a sitting position. Her head's almost level with mine. She looks at me intently, her eyes bright. It makes me feel a little uncomfortable, so I turn and look out at the theater around us. I see the theater twins, Polly and Pris, a couple of guys sitting cross-legged on their stomachs, all of them chatting happily. I see a pretty blonde nuzzling another guy on the floor - and with a shock, I recognize Simon's friend from the meeting. Simon himself is lounging in the lap of a leggy dark-haired Asian girl. So many little men, completely at ease around women that are only four or five times bigger than themselves. I understand now why they were reluctant to leave, and I feel a pang of jealousy tear briefly through my heart. I quickly turn back to the woman holding me, still looking down at me.
"Is it really so bad here?" Laura asks, breaking the silence. "I know you came to try to convince the men to leave. But I thought - I think - things are going all right."
"I don't know, Laura," I say, turning away, slightly embarrassed. "I had no idea what life was like here. I only knew what things were like outside."
"Bad," Laura states, frowning slightly. I can see sadness and sympathy in her eyes. "We've seen some of what's been happening. And it's awful. But it's different in here."
"I see that," I say cautiously.
"It's a lot better," she continues, the gleam in her eyes returning. "Don't you think maybe, just maybe, things could be better for the men here?"
"Well, I can't speak for everyone-"
"Then don't," she says, leaning toward me, smiling now, eyes shining bright. "Do you think things would be better here for you? With me?"
I can feel myself blushing. I've never been asked anything like this. I've never been treated this way by a woman before. I can't even think of a good response-
But it doesn't matter, because before I can even open my mouth, Laura's lifted me to hers. Her plush lips press against my face, coming on soft but strongly enveloping me in a warm, wet kiss. I'm shocked at first, but I recover enough to throw myself deeper into it. I feel something warm, slightly rough and sticky brush lightly against my face, and realize it's her tongue flicking out to meet me. I feel like I'm losing my breath, but I can hardly bear to tear myself away. Then I hear the sound of someone very close behind me clearing her throat. I pull away from Laura's soft lips, and look up to find Tara looking down at me. She looks upset, but not in any way I'd expect. It's almost like she's disappointed.
"Hand him over," she says, sounding a little too proprietary for my liking. Laura's hand curls slightly toward me, as if to hide me away. "We have to be heading back to A Building soon," Tara adds.
I look up at Laura. She's biting her lip, waiting. The decision's mine to make. "She's right," I sigh. "There's some things I have to do." I hope she understands what I mean. I have to make sure the men are safe out there before I can stay here. This might be the closest thing us guys have to a safe haven today, but to lie here in Laura's arms while outside they're dying... It wouldn't be right.
Laura gives the briefest of nods, and lifts me up into Tara's waiting hands. Tara heads to the other side of the theater. When I turn back, Laura's looking away.
Tara walks to the lower mezzanine, then stops, turned toward the theater spread out before us. "Look at all of them," Tara says, a hint of admiration creeping into her voice. "Just lying around on top of each other."
"They're so... relaxed." I agree.
"Kinda makes me envy them. I almost wish I could try it." Tara says longingly. Although her lovely face is pointed out to the rest of the theater, she might as well be winking at me.
"Well, okay. Let's try it."
"Really?" Tara sets me down in the aisle, lies down in a free area, then scoops me back up and places me on her chest. We stay like that for about thirty seconds, her looking down at me, me looking back at her. Like we can barely believe it's possible to just be here like this. Or like we have no idea what to do now.
I see her hand move slowly behind me. A huge finger gently makes contact and begins stroking the back of my head and neck.
"Do you really think all of us are going to turn on the men?" she whispers.
Maybe, I think. The women have proven themselves to be completely unstable today. I think of Alexa Briscoll's sudden, complete 180 from bloodthirsty fiend to concerned lover during the cafeteria massacre. It's possible any of the women around me could have a similar complete emotional turnaround, except in reverse. Even Laura Davids. Maybe even Tara.
"No," I say aloud. "Some already have. And there might be more who will. But there are some of you I trust."
She smiles warmly. Even on a mouth large enough to swallow me whole, it's one of the loveliest smiles I've ever seen. Let me put it this way: just seeing Tara smile makes you want to smile too.
"I was thinking that Paul guy convinced you," she says softly. "Not like I blame you for that. There was something about the way he spoke that made me root for you guys, even though I was one of the people he was vilifying."
Her finger strokes a slightly larger portion of my back, and I arch against it a little. I can't deny that it's really comforting. "He was convincing because he's right," I say a little sleepily. "I don't think we should be against all women, but we do have to band together to make sure we're safe from the ones who could do us harm."
"There's safety in numbers, but there's also safety in strength. I'm sure there's some people in this room who would give up everything to protect the men who are special to them."
I feel the pressure of her finger on my back increase very slightly - it's now more like a massage. I struggle to keep my head in the argument. "Don't you think that's asking for a lot of trust on the men's part though?"
Her smile broadens. "Most of the men don't seem to have a problem with that." She tilts her head in the direction of the rest of the theater. It's still the same sights that Laura showed me. The guys all over the girls, both of them enjoying it.
Maybe what Tara's implying is right. Maybe I'm just uptight, too upset by the things I've seen today to accept that things could be different. The girls aren't some monolithic group of psychotics bound to snap at a moment's notice. They come in all sorts of dispositions. Some of them quite friendly.
"Don't you think you could let us keep you safe?" Tara whispers. She places three more fingers on my back and presses down gently.
A voice in the back of my head yells that this can't be possible. She can't be into me. A girl like her could have any guy she chooses. But another voice says persistently, it might be too good to be true, but it is what it is. Why fight it? Why not surrender?
I lie down on her chest, my head placed right between the enormous swell of her breasts. Her hand rests lightly on top of me, warm and soft. I can feel the pulse of her heartbeat beneath me, and the rhythmic rise and fall of her breath. If I could just lie here in peace. If I could just let everything go...
Somewhere off to my left, I hear a strangled shout. "Hey! Can somebody help me?" I shrug Tara's hand off and sit up. On the floor is a boy whose hair is covered in sticky goo, his face bloodied and his body bent like it's been hit by a car.
"Let me get down to him," I tell Tara, and without questioning me she scoops me up in her hand and deposits me on the floor, before turning onto her elbow so she can see us properly.
I look the poor guy over. He's completely drenched, although I don't think that's why he's shivering, because it's pretty warm in here. Through the mess of swelling that is his face, I can make out the familiar features of Billy Cantor, the kid who usually plays the lead in the drama club. His eyes are wide with shock.
"She's run, she's gone, I don't know what to do, it's all my fault -"
"Slow down, Billy," I say, reaching up to put my hand on his shoulder. "Take it from the top. What happened?"
He starts sputtering through the story, although he's clearly barely able to string together a coherent sentence. "Michele and I were, uh, in the library. This giant - giant bitch! I think her name was Ally... She forced us to... do things..."
From the bits and pieces I can figure out the rest. "How'd you make it out alive?" I ask softly.
"This guy came out of nowhere," Billy says, suddenly recovering his ability to talk. "I think he stabbed her with something - he was moving quickly, and I was so busy running I couldn't tell who it was. I know it was a guy because he was small. But he ran circles around her, and kept on landing hits on her before she could figure out where he was. He must've gotten an artery or two, because she passed out bleeding."
"One of us took down one of them?" Damn, if only we could get in touch with him, he'd be able to teach us, and he'd be a great asset in combat. I quickly turn back to Billy: now's not the time for strategy, it's time to help this guy.
"I hope she's dead," he says bitterly, staring off into the distance. "But afterward, it was just me and Michelle. And she started walking... I tried to talk - I could tell she wasn't listening... She said I couldn't protect her, and she couldn't protect me. And just kept walking." Billy's lower lip trembles. I can tell it's taking a heroic amount of effort for him to stop himself from crying. "It's all my fault."
"Jesus, Billy," I say, "You can't blame yourself for something like that."
Tara nods sympathetically, and reaches out to touch his other shoulder gently. "Things aren't the same anymore. You're no longer the bigger, stronger one in the relationship, and there are very real dangers out there. Don't beat yourself up because you couldn't be the protector. That's not something you have to do anymore."
"It's not anything to do with my manhood. It's what she wanted from me! I couldn't live up to it..." Billy looks about ready to crack, but composes himself. "Look, I know you guys are just trying to help. I just need to be alone for a while."
"Backstage looked pretty empty," Tara says quietly. "But don't be gone too long."
Billy nods, and turns to walk away. Just then, we hear a shout from the people watching at the window.
"They're coming!" One of the smaller girls yells.
"Can you carry me over there?" I ask Tara. She nods and before I know it she's swooped me up in her hand. I'm gently cradled near her chest as she quickly climbs over the rows of theater seats to the area near the window.
"Who's coming?" she asks before I can even recover my balance.
"Three of them," the sentry answers. "Really big ones. One pale, one tan, one of em's black."
"Shit," I mutter. "We need to hide the men. Now."
"Listen, I'm sure it's no big deal -" The sentry protests.
"No, he's absolutely right." Tara responds. "Those three are psychos."
"I'll tell Laura to get the word out," The sentry says hesitantly, heading off to find her.
"They're not going to act fast enough," I tell Tara.
"I know. We have to do it ourselves. Here, climb up." She hoists me up onto her shoulder. "Be my eyes, stay on the lookout for more little guys."
"Where are we going to hide them?"
Tara's large hazel eyes quickly scan over the auditorium. "Backstage. Behind the curtains. If you all squeeze in they won't see you at first glance. Maybe not at all if we can put something in front of the gap..."
Tara quickly maneuvers through the rows of seats, her hand darting forward to pluck guys from the ground and hoist them into her arms, as I yell instructions into her ear, clutching the thin layer of material covering her shoulder. We move faster than I could ever have expected. Tara's extraordinarily graceful, managing to hold onto some fifteen tiny men while weaving through narrow aisles and keeping her shoulders steady enough for me to keep my purchase.
I see the last few guys over to the left of the auditorium. Among them are Simon and his stooge, and their respective female friends.
"We have to hide," I shout down to him. "The popular chicks are coming!"
Simon shakes his head stubbornly. "I'm not going anywhere. I have absolute trust in Cathy."
"It's not a matter of trust! They'll overpower her and kill you!" I feel like screaming in frustration, but I'm still determined to save this guy's life, no matter his attempts to stop me. Yet Simon merely crosses his arms.
The booming rumble of footsteps is getting very loud now. Waiting any longer will only endanger my life and the other men around me. "Go," I tell Tara, and she sprints up to the stage, leaning over as she lets us down to the ground. We hastily pack ourselves into the space behind the curtain. Tara looks us over to make sure we're okay, before turning around and sitting down right in front of us, using her body to block us from view.
Her presence also blocks out most of the light, leaving us to stumble into each other in near-dark until our eyes adjust. As the crowd of guys spaces itself out, I find myself squeezed practically right against Tara's shapely rear. Despite being quite close to her not ten minutes ago, I hadn't imagined getting acquainted with this part of her this soon. I look up in wonder at the glorious curves of her back, noting the voluptuous span of exposed flesh between her orange top and her jeans. The guy above me, who stands a good two heads taller than I do, tries to take advantage of this space, reaching out to grope her.
"Cut it out," I hiss up at him, "Or I'll hit you some place much more sensitive." His arms snap to his sides.
I look over to my right and see Billy standing just behind me. "This is trouble, isn't it?" he says in a weirdly calm voice.
"Big trouble," I whisper. "Just stick with us. We're all going to wait this out." He nods.
The sound of impact reverberates around the auditorium. Alexa and her gang have broken down the doors to the entrance. I can hear her voice loudly but not clearly - the fabric of the curtains has a muffling effect. I think she's said something like "Hello, ladies." A quieter voice responds, and I can't make out any words, but I have a bad feeling I know the voice. Does Laura really think she can stand up to Alexa?
Alexa booms a taunting response, and Laura replies in an even tone. Midway through a murmured remark from Aisha, I decide I have to be able to see and hear what's going on. I shove my way through the crowd of men, muttering apologies under my breath, until I find my way to the edge of the curtain, right next to Tara's wall-like thigh. I don't want to be seen, so I'll have to make myself near-invisible. Not too hard since I'm so small. If I lie prone and stick my head just beyond the curtain, I'll be hardly more than a speck in the theater.
I quickly lie down and inch forward until I'm able to get a clear view of the whole theater. In the center of the room are the three popular girls, Alexa is looming close to Laura, clearly attempting to intimidate her through size - after all, Alexa is more than twice her height. The Asian and the blonde are pressed against the wall behind Laura, Simon and his friend cowering in their hands. A few other men are huddled at their feet. Most of the other misfit girls are scattered around the theater, some tensed, ready to attack the populars at a moment's notice, others shrinking back to the perimeter, obviously afraid of their much larger enemies.
"I understand why you're keeping them around," Alexa says, in a mocking tone that indicates she doesn't understand at all. "They probably make great pets. But you have to see that our needs are more important than yours. Especially because we have the power to fulfill them." She leans in closer, hammering the point home - Laura's at eye level with her flat stomach.
The smaller girl remains unfazed. "Power isn't everything. We're not going to stand by and let you take these men from us. We care about them too much."
Alexa laughs shrilly. "How can you care about insects? They're so small you could crush them alive without even noticing!"
Hearing this, I become suddenly intensely aware of just how close I am to Tara's thighs. They're easily much bigger and heavier than I am, and there's a layer of denim separating me from her to boot. If she shifts position, she could demolish me under her legs without realizing it. I have to get her attention somehow, so I nudge her leg twice in rapid succession to let her know I'm here.
Tara lets out a small gasp when she finds me lying so close to her. My eyes dart back to the center of the room. Alexa's eyes are locked on mine. She's seen us. We're done for.
What seems like minutes later, she looks back to Laura. It was a glance, nothing more. She didn't see anything. I let myself take a breath.
"Size isn't everything, Alexa." Laura says calmly. "We're all human beings here, and we all have free will. I'd ask you to respect that and leave us alone."
Alexa breaks into a terrifyingly wide grin. "Size is more important than you think. Especially when it comes to a battle of wills."
Without any further warning she pounces on Laura, knocking her brutally to the floor. The ground shakes violently. Alexa straddles the smaller girl, powerful thighs pinning her to the ground while a tan arm holds her shoulders down. The popular girl takes Laura's head in her hands, and slams it to the ground with an awful crack. In an instant, three misfits come running toward her. Christine hits one with a vicious kick before knocking the other one back with an open hand. Aisha takes the other and physically hurls her across the room.
Alexa looks up, her normally cutie-pie face frenzied with some kind of combat high. "Anyone else want to try us? Anyone else think they've got 'free will'?"
A horrible silence descends on the room. No one moves.
"You there," Alexa commands, looking at the blonde woman in front of her. "The man in your lap. Give him to Aisha."
The huge black woman steps forward, her white track shoes flattening the chairs beneath her with each step, and extends a hand toward the blonde, practically shoving it in her face. The blonde's sweating, but doesn't move beyond trembling.
"Come on, honey," Aisha says. "Give him up."
The blonde doesn't move. Aisha takes her other hand and swiftly smacks her so hard her head turns. Her lower lip begins bleeding. The blonde lifts Simon's friend from her lap, the little man so stunned he barely squirmed, and passes him to Aisha. Then her face crumples into tears.
"There's a reason we need men today," Alexa announces. "It's all about basic survival. We need to live. And to live, you need food. And there isn't enough food to go around today."
A gasp goes up around the room. I realize one has escaped from my mouth as well. No way. She can't mean what I think she does.
"We have to do what's necessary. Aisha, please demonstrate." Alexa says, no longer smiling, but looking frighteningly determined.
Without pause, Aisha plucks the man's shirt with her fingers, and rips it from his body. Finally understanding what's about to happen, the boy begins to thrash violently, even as Aisha tears his pants away. His screams seem to carry further than they should at this distance. He knows it's all over. The look in Aisha's eyes is hardly kind. It's eager, anticipating, restless. It's hungry.
Aisha tilts her head back and opens her pink mouth wide, lifting the man until he's dangling above her. Her fingers release him, and he tumbles end over end into her waiting mouth. Her jaws close, and there's a loud gulp as he disappears down her throat.
Aisha lowers her head. She smiles wolfishly. And maybe it's a trick of the light, but in that moment I swear she seems to loom larger than ever before.
A few seconds pass before the remaining men in the open begin to scream and shout, trying in vain to run from the misfit girls around them. "Keep them with you," Alexa yells. "Or you'll be next." The misfits promptly gather them up.
The din in the room quickly dies down. Alexa pulls Laura to her feet. I can see tears rolling down Laura's cheeks. Alexa's hands clamp tight around her shoulders.
"If we don't have enough men, we'll just have to turn to the next smallest targets. Understand?" Alexa's face is a terrifying mask, betraying no sign of emotion as she delivers the threat. Laura is too stunned to do anything but nod. "Good. Have you seen any more men than these."
"No," Laura says quickly. Too quickly.
"You're lying," Alexa says, and violently shakes her, snapping her shoulders back and forth, causing her to cry out. "Where are they?"
My blood runs cold. Already one of us has been given up. Now it may be the time for the rest of us. I suddenly feel three huge fingers pry beneath me, whisk me up into their grasp. I look up to see Tara's jaw clenched, her eyes locked on me. I swear it's practically telepathy, I know exactly what she's thinking. If they see us, she's going to run. And she's going to make damn sure she's taking me with her.
"We saw some more earlier today," Laura says quietly. "Out east, near the arch at the entrance. I don't know if they're still there, but we could check."
East of campus. That's the exact opposite direction from the backstage exit, and it leads them away from Building A.
For a second I think Alexa still doubts her. But she smiles thinly. "Very well. You and the rest of your friends are coming with us. You're going to show us exactly where you saw them. But first, I want you to give all the men to Christine for safe keeping."
The remaining men in the open protest briefly, but are quickly handed off into the tremendous pale hands of Christine, who promptly shoves them into the depths of her purse. The three populars set off in the direction they came, at least ten misfits following them east.
I can barely breathe, but now's not the time to recover. Laura's bought us some time, and I won't waste it. "Let's move, people!" I yell to the crowd of men.
"Where are we going?" One cries.
"Back to A Building," I answer. "We regroup before we counter-attack. And it's already five past noon."
The men get moving through the exit. I grab Billy and turn him toward me. "Tell Paul that I'm following Laura and Alexa."
Billy looks at me like I'm joking. "What the hell, Zach? That's suicide."
"Tell him." I repeat.
"Jesus. Good luck." Billy says simply, before he disappears into the crowds streaming out the backstage door.
"Don't think I didn't hear that." I turn to see Tara right behind me, crouching so her face is close to eye level. "And don't think that I'm not coming with you."
"I suppose I can't convince you to stay and protect the other men?"
"Not in a million years," Tara answers. She's smiling again, that beautiful smile. I know it's there for my benefit. It's her way of trying to keep me strong. "I'd only give the other men away. And there's someone else I need to protect."
I can't think of anything to say but "Okay." This is probably the dumbest thing I've ever done in my life. Having a radiantly beautiful giantess who's fiercely devoted to my protection can't help but raise my probability of success.
Giantess World
