GENETITECH/BIOENG. confidential file
SUBJECT: --GOLDMAN, David
A.U. No.: --NC 654 55 D
S.C.I.D. No: --7474HHD
SUPERVISING DOCTOR: --Dr. Terrence LYNCH
ITEM: --Transcript of recorded testimony regarding subject's current condition. File for ASSESSMENT/INFO
[cont.]
It was Sunday morning, and I was about to share a shower with Carolyn.
I sat huddled in her cupped palm, still dressed in the sweats and t-shirt I'd worn the day before. I'd spent most of the previous afternoon helping Denny and Julie haul our stuff into the dollhouse. I was grimy and sore from my efforts and, to my surprise, I realized I was actually looking forward to the shower.
We passed through Carolyn's bedroom on the way to the bathroom. I caught a glimpse of movement on the cluttered nightstand, silhouetted against the glaring red numbers of the digital clock. Standing in a drinking glass, ankle deep in water, was Eddie. He was naked, watching us with his face pressed against the glass. Huddled outside the glass, also naked, was Linda. I was too far away to hear her, but it was obvious she was sobbing.
As if reading my mind, Carolyn chuckled. "I'm gonna have to keep those two separated, or Eddie's gonna hurt my sister. She must've really done a number on him."
"She killed his dog," I reminded her.
"I know, sweetie." She stopped and looked down at me with an affectionate smile. "Hate to think what would've happened to all of us if you guys hadn't warned me about her." Carolyn glanced towards Linda, and her smile faded. "You know, she's still trying to convince me that Randy is on a fishing trip. She says the only reason she tried to shrink me was because Eddie talked her into it."
I felt my stomach knot nervously. "Do you believe her?"
Carolyn shrugged. "Linda's usually not that good a liar. If she's making it all up, she's doing a hell of a job selling it. But the state Eddie's in, it's hard to imagine him talking my sister into anything."
She looked down at me again, her face stern. "Is there anything you need to tell me, Dave?"
My heart was pounding and my hands were shaking as I stared up into her massive face. Unlike Linda, Carolyn was a brilliant liar and I could never read her.
"I won't get mad," she said. "But if Randy really is alive, I need to know so I can plan for it."
At this, Linda leapt to her feet and began screaming angrily from the nightstand. Carolyn glanced at her, then back down at me. "Did my sister really murder Randy?"
I wanted to confess, to just blurt out the truth and end the whole ordeal. But Julie and I had worked out our story the day before, and if I blew it, no doubt she'd pay dearly at the hands of Carolyn.
So I steeled myself and said, "That's what she told Eddie. Said she'd do the same to us if we tried to warn you. And then she killed his dog in cold blood..."
At this point, I broke down. It wasn't all acting on my part; I was scared [EXPLETIVE DELETED]less. But I think my tears actually convinced Carolyn that I was telling the truth. Her face softened as she gently stroked me.
"It's okay, baby," she whispered as she carried me into the bathroom. "Nobody's gonna hurt you now. I promise."
***
Carolyn held me under the shower, letting the torrents of hot water slam down on me. I kept my eyes and mouth shut and blew air through my nose to keep the water out. After I was properly soaked, Carolyn ran her index finger along the bar of lavender soap in the dish, then rubbed the lather all over me.
She ran her enormous fingertip down my chest, then prodded my [EXPLETIVE DELETED] with her nail. Ordinarily, it would have been enough to give me an erection despite myself. But I was still anxious about lying to Carolyn, and couldn't help but wonder just what would happen to us when Randy turned up alive and well next week.
"Poor baby," Carolyn said, relentlessly kneading between my legs with her finger. "Your heart's just not in this, is it?"
I gave her a reassuring smile. "Sorry. Just tired."
"That's okay. I think I know something that'll make you feel better."
Her fingers closed around me as she slowly bent down, water splashing noisily on her back. She gently set me on her bare foot, then stood back up again.
"Oh, those toenails," she said in mock exasperation, wiggling her toes playfully. The red polish was chipped and worn. "You must think they look horrible."
I doubted she could hear me over the roar of the shower, so I responded by planting a kiss on the thick, wet flesh of her big toe. I looked up at her with a [EXPLETIVE DELETED]-eating grin on my face.
"Such an adorable little liar," Carolyn cooed. I felt her foot move, and I threw my arms around one of her toes to hold myself steady. She raised her foot up slowly, bringing it to rest on the edge of the tub. With soapy hands, she rubbed lather all over her shin.
"I was thinking about going to get a pedicure today," she said as she dragged a razor along her leg. "But it might be more fun if I let you little guys do it for me. When we get back from our errands, I'll put y'all to work on my nails."
***
Eddie, Linda, and I huddled naked in Carolyn's hand as she carried us back to the guest room. Linda was still weeping, despite Carolyn's warning to knock it off. I stared at her, struggling to reconcile the vast, threatening giantess she had been with this tiny, fragile creature.
"Everyone get out here now," Carolyn called as she stepped over the wooden partition and into the guest room. Carolyn knelt down on one knee in front of the dollhouse as the others scrambled out for inspection. I figured she would set me down naked in front of everybody and force me to endure their stares, but she surprised me by placing me inside the dollhouse.
"Go ahead and get dressed, sweetie," she told me. "We got a busy day ahead of us." I slipped from her hand and ran over to the clothing piles. I fished out a clean pair of sweats and a black Snoopy t-shirt.
As I was getting into my clothes, I heard Carolyn stand up and begin addressing the others. I glanced out the window and saw Linda and Eddie standing between her sandaled feet. Linda was shivering and sobbing as she struggled to cover herself. Eddie seemed oblivious to the situation. He looked around, his head jerking from one point to another as if he were a bird.
"I need you guys to keep an eye on these two for me," Carolyn said. "Keep them separated if you have to."
Chad stepped forward tentatively, his eyes on Carolyn as he approached Linda. He took her arm and started to escort her back to the dollhouse. Carolyn raised her foot and placed it gently in their path.
"Not so fast there, Romeo," she said. "Last thing I need is you messing around indecent with my sister. Got it?"
Chad nodded nervously as he placed a protective arm around Linda and pulled her closer to him.
"Julie, why don't you go with them. Make sure they don't get up to anything naughty." Julie ran over to them, and Carolyn lifted her foot to let them pass.
"You two," she said to Denny and Mr. Nichols. "Get my husband inside and get him dressed before he catches cold out here."
"Does he have to stay with us?" Denny shouted up to Carolyn. "Dude's out of his [EXPLETIVE DELETED] mind. Can't you keep him somewhere else?"
Carolyn's foot slid out of her sandal, and I sighed and turned away from the window. As I pulled on my sneakers, I heard Denny's muffled cries. I shook my head and wondered if that stupid kid would ever learn to keep his mouth shut around her.
When I was dressed, I ran down the stairs just as Julie and Chad were escorting Linda into the dollhouse. There wasn't time for much, but Julie brushed her fingertips along my arm as I passed her and whispered, "Be careful."
"I'll be fine," I whispered back, with much more bravado than I felt.
When I stepped out the front door of the dollhouse, Denny was completely under Carolyn's bare foot; only his right arm was visible, flailing weakly from beneath her toes.
"Okay, Carolyn," I called jauntily. "Ready when you are!"
Grinning, Carolyn released Denny and slipped her shoe back on. She reached down and gently scooped me up. Peering over the edge of her hand, I saw Julie watching me anxiously from the dollhouse window. I waved to her as Carolyn turned and carried me out the door.
***
"I need to get that squash planted this week," Carolyn said. "And put out some bait for those [EXPLETIVE DELETED] grasshoppers."
We were in Carolyn's red Saturn, driving down Loop 250 towards Midland Park Mall. Carolyn had set me in the cup holder, near the gear shift. The bottom of the cup holder was littered with nickels and pennies that jangled noisily every time we hit a bump.
The stereo was turned to the AM news station, and the anchor was talking about a potential legal scandal involving a Dallas judge and attorneys from SPECTRUM and GenetiTech. I didn't get a chance to catch of details before Carolyn reached over and switched to a country station.
"I'm sick and [EXPLETIVE DELETED] tired of hearing about GenetiTech," she muttered. "At least with all their problems right now, they're too busy to [EXPLETIVE DELETED] around with me."
"You think they're still looking for us?" I asked her.
She shrugged. "Probably. And since my idiot sister went and shrank half of [EXPLETIVE DELETED] Midland, I'm gonna have a hell of a time keeping them off my back."
"What are you going to do?"
Carolyn sighed and, for the first time in a long time, I could see the worry in her face. For a second, I actually felt sorry for her.
"I don't want to think about it right now," she told me. "I'll just keep dealing with that [EXPLETIVE DELETED] as it comes up."
No doubt about it. The stress over GenetiTech was wearing her out, and Linda had made things a million times worse with her shrinking rampage. I glanced over at the glove compartment, where Carolyn's revolver was locked away. I wondered if she would really use it if he felt cornered.
"So many of you little guys," Carolyn said, shaking her head. "I'm having a hell of a time keeping you all in line. That Denny kid's got a mouth on him." Her face brightened with a naughty grin. "And I don't think he likes it under my toes as much as you do."
I couldn't think of anything to say, so I just smiled back.
***
It was dark and uncomfortably warm inside Carolyn's handbag, and the air was a stale miasma of hair spray and cigarettes. After several minutes of being buffeted around by her movement, I finally found a comfortable spot on top of a packet of tissues.
I could hear Carolyn's muffled voice, speaking to salespeople at each store. First stop was Sears, where she bought some paintbrushes, sandpaper, and a plastic pail. Next was an impulse buy at Spencer's gifts. I felt Carolyn stop suddenly, and heard her chuckle as she entered the store. She left with a pair of stainless steel handcuffs lined with pink fur.
After about an hour of browsing through other stores, Carolyn finally opened her purse and fished me out. I squinted in the fluorescent light, looking around at all the massive people milling about the mall. A group of teenagers hurried by, loudly discussing how drunk they'd gotten the night before. A man and his wife, still in their Sunday clothes, passed by pushing a stroller. Kelly Osborn's "Papa Don't Preach" was playing over the store's music system, barely audible over the din of weekend shoppers.
God, it was so normal. All these people, just living their lives, totally oblivious to me and my plight. To be so close to normality, to see it lingering just out of reach...
When we were staying with Linda, sometimes she'd let me drive my car around on the floor. I'd crank up my CD player and I'd zip along; it wasn't easy, but sometimes I'd lose myself in the moment and forget about the insanity of my situation. And then Linda would place her foot in my path and snap me back to wretched reality.
I thought back to my dream, and to my desperate attempt to cling to the illusion of normality this morning. I remembered how thoughtlessly and effortlessly Carolyn had shattered that illusion, and the pang of loss I had felt.
It was cruel. And unlike most of Carolyn's torments, it was totally unintentional on her part.
***
"You okay, Davey?" Carolyn whispered. She held me between her finger and thumb, letting my legs dangle.
I blinked away the tears in my eyes and took a deep breath. Last thing I wanted right now was for her to catch me crying. Her good moods were so mercurial, and I had no idea how long this one was going to last.
"I'm fine," I told her, forcing a smile. "Just kind of bright out here."
"Poor baby. After this, we'll head on home and I'll make you guys some lunch, okay?"
We were standing in front of Nails Plus, near a large display of nail lacquer. Rows of tan, rose, pink, and red ran the gamut from dark to light, each with a ridiculous name like "Paint Your Toron-Toes Rose" or "Color of the Zen-tury."
"What color, Davey?" Carolyn whispered. "What color would you like to paint my pretty toes?"
I mulled it over, because I knew she'd be upset if I didn't. And after pondering the choices for a respectable amount of time, I finally pointed to the dark red bottle labeled, "You're Such a Kabuki Queen."
"Good boy," Carolyn whispered. She cut her eyes around to make sure nobody was looking, then she kissed me quickly and slipped me back into her purse.
***
"Lunch" was a piece of bologna and a slice of American cheese torn up into little pieces and served on a paper towel. But none of us had eaten since the day before, and we were all too hungry to be picky. We tore in ravenously as Carolyn stood over us, watching with that infuriating grin.
"You guys go ahead and eat up," she told us. "I'll be right back." She turned and left the room, stepping over the wooden wall on her way out.
"You okay?" Julie asked me. "I mean, did she..."
I shook my head. "Nah, she's in a good mood today, thank God. She did ask me..." I trailed off as I glanced over at Linda and Chad. They had gathered up an armload of food and carried it over away from everybody else.
"She asked me if we were lying about what happened to Linda's husband," I said softly. "She said it was my last chance to confess without getting in any trouble."
Julie's face went pale. "Did you?" she asked me.
"No!" It came out defensive. "Of course not."
"I just wanted to make sure," she said. "You know how you get when you're around Carolyn for extended periods of time. You sort of lose your ability to..."
"You know what? I stuck to our story and she believed me, okay?"
Julie sighed. "I'm sorry, Dave. That was totally out of line."
"No, you're right," I said. "I lose myself. I forget that I'm supposed to hate her, and I go all Patty Hearst."
Julie touched my arm. "We're going to get out of this, Dave."
The lights flickered just then as Carolyn activated the machine downstairs.
"What the [EXPLETIVE DELETED] is she shrinking now?" Julie asked, annoyed.
I thought of the painting supplies she'd bought at Sears, and I sighed. "I think we're on pedicure duty this afternoon."
***
Carolyn sat on the edge of the bed, her bare feet planted on the wooden floor. Using sandpaper and polish remover, we scrambled over her toes and went to work buffing, smoothing, and removing the chipped, pink lacquer. Denny and Chad were working on her left foot, while Julie and I tackled the right. Mr. Nichols stayed on the floor, handing up sheets of acetone-soaked sandpaper when needed.
Linda and Eddie were given lotion duty. Each knelt on top of one of Carolyn's feet, laboriously rubbing the lotion into her skin. Eddie had surprised all of us with his compliance, and was now dutifully massaging the indentions left by Carolyn's sandal strap. Linda had resisted at first, and it was only after Carolyn threatened to take a lit cigarette to her that she reluctantly went to work.
"God, that feels so good," Carolyn moaned, and I felt her toes twitch slightly beneath us. By the time Julie and I had finished all five of the toes, we were drenched with sweat and a little light-headed from the smell of the polish remover. Chad and Denny finished soon after, and Carolyn looked down to admire our handiwork.
"Nice job," she said, wiggling her toes. She reached down and picked up the plastic pail with her finger and thumb. She dumped the remaining polish remover into a Styrofoam cup on the nightstand. Then she opened the bottle of nail polish and poured it into the tiny bucket. She set the bucket, along with four miniature paint brushes, on the floor in front of us.
"Two coats on each nail," Carolyn insisted. "I want them to look pretty."
Wearily, we went to work.
***
It was late afternoon by the time we finished Carolyn's pedicure, and we were all exhausted. We stood at weary attention, somewhat giddy from the lingering fumes we'd been breathing in all afternoon, as Carolyn inspected our work.
"Nice job," Carolyn purred, wiggling her toes. "Very nice. You little guys deserve a reward." She stood and walked over to the dresser. Picking up the shoebox that rested atop it, she stepped back over to us and knelt on the floor. One by one, she lifted our cars out of it and set them down before us.
Though nobody dared show it, we were all excited about the prospect of escape. Carolyn had nailed a two-by-four to the doorjamb to keep us walled in, but if we parked Eddie's truck against it, we'd probably be able to climb over. Assuming, of course, that she was kind enough to leave the bedroom door open for us.
She gently placed Linda's Celica on the floor next to Eddie's beat up Chevy. Next was Mr. Nichol's Honda Civic, followed by Denny's Escort (which was missing a fender and sporting a mini-spare). The last was my little Fiat convertible, which she gave a playful stroke with her fingers as she set it down.
"You guys have fun," Carolyn said, still kneeling over us. "You earned it."
She stood up, slipped into her sandals, and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.
***
Giantess World
Summer Job by Cayce