LostBBoyBear

Ugh. Hey everyone! Sorry about the lateness of this posting, but the universe seems to be determined that I not post this story in a timely manner. It seems that while my Thanksgiving holiday was wonderful, my family left me with a nasty but fortunately quick sickness. I could have pushed yesterday to post this chapter, but I was definitely not confident in my editing abilities after my fourth dose of Nyquil of the day. Anyways, feeling much better now, so I should be able to continue to post on this story until next week now when I will have another and longer break. I will share more details when we get closer. Also, some of you have asked about me doing a Patreon, and while I was giving this some serious consideration with three tiers and all earlier this year, I have decided not to puruse this any longer. Beyond some of the changes I would need to make with my writing schedule and another account to manage, I have been following several creators who have been recently blocked. It sadly no longer seems to be a site that us creators in these types of universes can rely on anymore. Many seem to be moving elsewhere now, but I can be confident enough in saying that I will not have something like this until next year at the earliest, if at all. Regardless, I hope you all enjoy this next chapter! Chapter 5: Not Fast Enough I was never the smartest growing up, but I was studious, and I could at least complete a test that was given to me, even if it was difficult. Despite my circumstances after the wars and all the chaos that had followed, I never felt that I was truly in an uphill or no-win scenario when I was given a task of some sort. There were certainly difficulties… my brother was a constant reminder of that, but I was still able to push through each one of them. This dimension though… I could scarcely know where to begin, but I knew one thing above all else; Littles here were set up to fail. Not in a deadly manner mind you, but in a way that would almost always guarantee them to wind up wrapped in some Bigs arms. Even if they were the strongest, or most studious, or ever vigilant, they all seemed to be destined at some point for one inevitable conclusion. My next-door neighbor, Kelley, that I met when I first moved in was a testament to that very notion. * * * I had already checked off five of the places that the Big woman from the shelter had given me to check on for a place to live in. While a few were certainly possibilities, many had stipulations that screamed red flags to me, even with my relative newness to this dimension. The top three requirements for living in those nicer places were for all Littles to be diapered or the wearing of a padding of some kind, twice weekly inspections by a co-signing Big of apartment cleanliness, and curfew restrictions. All were doable for sure, once one had surrendered their ego, but each seemed perilously close to Big involvement and ultimate capture toward regression and Littlehood. So, with much reluctance on one hand, but relief on the other, I had finally found a place where I could feel at least somewhat protected in some regards. The neighborhood could quickly be spotted as one of the older sections and more downtrodden of the city, but the apartment building was at least clean and on the cheaper side due to the previously mentioned negatives. The seediness of the area could almost guarantee police presence, which wasn’t ideal, but they also would likely be too concerned with many of the other glaring problems that they could see here rather than with my singular presence… if I was careful. After a quick negotiation with the landlord, I was then given the keys to my apartment in 7B. While I unlocked the door to my new place, I heard footsteps coming down the hallway. “Hello. I’m Kelley,” the twenty-something Little said cheerfully, her ponytail bobbing a little as she did so when she finally made it to the door next to mine. “Megan. Just moving in tonight,” I replied somberly, still a little unsure if I could really trust anyone while I was here. “Awesome! We’ll be neighbors and I’m sure we’ll be close friends, but I gotta go!” She then held up a bag. “Can’t let the groceries and all go bad, you know?” I nodded. “Good to meet you, Kelley. See you around!” “See ya!” she called out as she then unlocked her door and entered her own apartment. Satisfied that I had at least been courteous to my new neighbor, I then entered into my own near-Spartan living area in my pre-furnished studio apartment, but still, it immediately felt safe, and I quickly collapsed onto my bed and fell soundly asleep. Two weeks later, I was working on gathering more information about portals from the local library, which just so happened to be one of the grandest and most advanced I had ever seen. One solid and uninterrupted week in those stacks could likely give me the knowledge for at least two Nobel prizes back home, but I remained diligent in my studies for actually getting back there in the first place. As I flipped the page on one book, I then heard a stumble outside. Fearing the worst, my cop instincts told me I had to look at the very least. Upon opening the door, there, stumbling about, was Kelley. “Hey there, Kelley. You okay?” “I’m… hiccup! perfect… Meggy…” she slurred, obviously drunk. “Great day and all! Just got a promotion to be a personal secretary where I work!” “Congratulations…” I looked around for any signs of a Big. There were none, but she was still taking a tremendous risk out here where others could see her. I shuddered to think of her coming here from wherever she had started her celebrations in this state. “You need to get inside though and keep quiet,” I warned. “I…” she thrust her keys forward but missed and fell to the floor. Sighing, I helped the inebriated woman and my growing-to-be friend back into her apartment and prayed that no one had seen her like this who cared about such things. I had just read an article about the recently discovered affliction of Maturosis in Littles, and I thought it was utter nonsense, but I knew a Big could use it to justify taking Kelley if they saw her like this. It seemed that any hint of immaturity was enough to diagnose Maturosis these days… A week later I heard a few mumblings coming from outside my door. Being closer to the elevator and staircase, I peeked out my eyehole to the outside and nearly gasped at what I saw; Kelley was being escorted by a large and forceful Big. “Now Kelley,” the woman began. “You did an excellent job today as my personal secretary, but you’ve been worrying me lately. The incident last week at the bar was very concerning to just start off with.” Kelley’s head drooped in shame. “Yes, Ms. Katori. I can show you inside as you requested earlier. I promise I’m okay though.” “We’ll see,” Ms. Katori responded as she followed Kelley inside her apartment. It was just as I feared, and that Kelley’s drunken state had been noticed by a Big. It was her boss no less and I worried what the future might hold for her as a Little in this dimension. Unfortunately, my fears were confirmed two weeks later. “It was just one tiny accident, Ms. Katori. Please!” Kelley begged as she was being dragged into her apartment by Ms. Katori. Kelley had made another loud noise outside, so once again, I peeked through my door’s eyehole. “Silence!” Ms. Katori sternly yelled. “I thought you were a big girl with your panties and your excellent job as my secretary these past few weeks, but I guess I was wrong. Just look at yourself!” Kelley and I, behind my door’s eyehole, both glanced down at her pants, which were now completely soaked. It had been no small accident, and I could nearly hear the death knell sounding out for her. I knew what was coming and she was my friend, but Kelley was too far gone at this point. I had learned that accidents like these were plenty of justification for a Maturosis diagnosis and immediate termination of any Little rights. My intervention would only serve to group me in with her by now and just doom us both. “But… but…” Kelley meekly fumbled around and tried to protest. “No buts!” Ms. Katoria sternly warned as she waved her finger in front of the scared Little’s face. “You failed your cursory period in my employ. Now, I think you can still be my secretary, but I’ll be looking after you from now on. I think you’ll need someone to ensure you’re all nice and dry from now on... during and after work.” Her cold and vindictive demeanor rankled the tiny life left within my soul still and I hated the woman more than anything, but Kelley, likely knowing her sealed fate, only submitted and the two entered her apartment. I knew that Kelley would only be viewed as a helpless Little forever afterwards once she exited her apartment that night. * * * That was almost three months ago now, and as I predicted, Kelley was later taken away and her apartment had been rented out to another person. I still saw her occasionally in her stroller with her new mommy around the park, but if she ever recognized me, she had made no effort to communicate as such. Still, she opened my eyes to the truth in this new dimension firsthand. I had shut myself off to most of the world around here by now because of her, but I was also still safe from the extra caution I now exhibited because of her as well. The whole event with Kelley had also made me curious though, and I had done a little research into where I lived. Since the day Kelley had been taken away, there had been 57 other incidents almost exactly like that one. Of the roughly 300 Littles that lived in my apartment complex, I found out that nearly half had been here for less than two months and that pattern had been on repeat for at least the past decade. Now, having lived here for a little over four months myself, I was now the exception to that general rule. Still, despite all my challenges, I had made some progress in my new life here. I didn’t have much of a social life, but this could almost have been considered almost as a positive here as there had been police raids on at least two of the four groups I had originally considered joining by now. The police had been looking for signs of Maturosis, and from what I could tell, they had found evidence that at least 60% of the groups had it to some degree. Further regressions and adoptions soon followed from what I could find. Overall, though, I was pleased with my progress on two other fronts: my investigation into the portals and my job. Due to the shelter, I had been set up as a dishwasher at a local restaurant. It was hard work and the stacks of dishes that often towered over me were daunting to say the least, but it was good work and allowed me to keep to myself most of the time. Plus, my job was made a bit easier due to the technology inherent in this dimension. After my third day here, I knew that even a small amount of their technology making it back home could have changed everything for the better, but at the same time and to my dismay, that wondrous technology here had actually hurt my investigation a bit. While back home light disturbances were a rarity and easier to find, this dimension almost had too many. Half of my queries were only met with dead ends, rogue scientists, or startup companies experimenting illegally. To say that I had to use caution in my investigations was an understatement, especially after one threatened to shrink me even further. I wasn’t sure if I believed them or not, but I beat a hasty retreat without a second thought. Still, though, one night, I learned some things that were very useful. * * * The Brillo pads and hot water burned into my skin and my eyes stung from the chemicals used to clean the dishes, but still, all things considered in this new dimension, I had a job. Being a dishwasher at a local restaurant that catered to the hiring of Littles meant that I had a form of security from the Bigs around this area with the management here. While other Littles turned away for fear of being captured in some elaborate scheme by the Big management, I only accepted the job, knowing full well that I could be compensated even more for my willingness to work under such conditions. It turns out, not every Big in this dimension hated Littles. “Megan! Why are you here so late?” Mr. Morales, the restaurant owner asked with concern as he walked up behind me. “Sorry, Mr. Morales. We had a rushed order tonight and we got an influx of dishes at the last minute,” I apologized. The job may have been more Little-friendly, but I wasn’t stupid. One or two failures could always add up and I could be out of a job… a prime target I had found for Littles being taken away. “I just wanted to finish these up before I left for the night.” Mr. Morales smiled in the sort of fatherly way that he did with most of the hard-working Littles that he employed. It downright intimidated or even irritated some, but in a city full of the things I had seen, I saw it as an almost comforting gesture in a way. “I appreciate your hard work, Megan, but I also want you to get your rest. You honestly do more than most Littles that I usually employ. You island folks must sure have a wonderful work ethic, but anyways, you really don’t need to prove anything to me.” My breath caught for a moment at the story that the shelter had given me as part of my paperwork for a background when I was interviewing for jobs. I wasn’t the biggest fan of it, but it seemed to satisfy most nosy Bigs. “Thank you, Mr. Morales. I just want to do a good job here, and there were a lot of dishes, so I didn’t want to…” “Megan,” Mr. Morales interrupted, now looking a little more serious and I briefly worried that I had crossed some line with him, “I’m telling you that you can go home. It’s late enough as it is, and it can be dangerous at night for you Littles. The morning shift can take over the rest like they used to before you came. To be blunt, I’d rather you not complete something now than be taken because of the time…” he then lowered his voice. “The authorities and stricter Bigs are taking more of you all these days for the tiniest infractions. I think they’re looking for someone… it’s those lights in this area. Bad news, they are…” I nodded calmly to ensure that my inner screaming voice to run wouldn’t show. I knew that I was that person they were looking for, but I also knew that those portals and the subsequent abductions were exactly what I was looking for as well. As it stood, a little over a month in and there had been a dozen or so more sightings since I had arrived… I was just always too late to do anything about them. “Thank you again, Mr. Morales. Please send my thanks to the morning staff as well. I’ll buy them a drink or something,” I said as I began to exit the Itali-themed restaurant. Mr. Morales waved and smiled widely again. “You are a wonder Megan, but please, get home quickly.” I nodded back and scurried away from the kindly Big. He gave me hope that other good Bigs existed in this dimension, but I knew that the fear most Littles possessed was very real and justified for the 95% of the population who wasn’t. In fact, it was something I was counting on. Fear made some people shrivel up, but it also made others scared and talkative if you presented an alternative… which is where I had been coming in. I offered a way out… a way to fight back against the system with only just a question or two answered. Since I had arrived, I knew that the bright lights, aka portals, were my only way back home. After reading up a bit on them, they seemed to act as doorways of sorts, and like most doors, entry could come from either side. So, I began investigating each new instance of a bright light in my off time as I had done back home. The big difference here though, was that bright lights could be narrowed down to just portals. No hallucinations or odd power outages, but verifiable portals from casual nearby observers, so tracking them down was much easier despite my lack of resources here. Now, either from pure ignorance of an investigative Little or sheer sloppiness, the agencies that had been taking Littles had left a trail about a mile wide, literally. I had been tracking the portals and Little abductions that seemed to be related, and while I couldn’t exactly see a pattern right now, I knew I was on to something as I viewed the mini map I had purchased and marked with recent bright light sightings. Each night after work, instead of going home, I blended in with the city and then covertly asked others in the areas over what they had seen. It was slow-going, but I was starting to make some progress, as evidenced by the map I now had in my hands. Walking amongst the crowds, I began to understand more about this society and how, while one attribute could be considered a negative, it was also a positive in some cases. So, today, my shorter Little stature could have been a burden, but it also allowed me to easily slip between Bigs and go mostly unnoticed. The other negative was being a perceived tiny girl and Little around here. It was dangerous, but it had some positives, like… “You there! Halt!” a Big shouted out from nearby to the crowd before him. I froze and gazed at the security officer coming up to me, but I also noticed a few other Littles had stopped as well over his generalized order. I had seen this before, and I knew I needed to act quickly. “’Scuse me, officer… my caregiver sent me out to get a dress…” I lied with my more practiced and childish voice. “I want to be really, really pretty for tomorrow’s party, but I don’t want him to get mad at me. Can I please be excused? Please?” I pleaded with my eyes about as wide as they could go. It was humiliating, but I could see the officer’s resolve begin to melt before me. “Ugh,” he groaned. “Very well. You go on and meet with your Daddy, but don’t let me catch you out here at night by yourself again!” “Thank you so much!” I cried in my fake persona. For added measure, I even disgustingly hugged the brute’s leg before practically skipping away. I felt dirty doing that and I made a mental note to try and avoid that officer, if possible, in the future, but I was free for now at least. I had left my fellow Littles back there at his mercy, but I hadn’t sold any of them out and so I could still feel good about myself afterward. Littles selling out Littles had become increasingly common in the past month that I had been here, and it was honestly what forced me to adopt the little girl persona in the first place. It was a desperate measure, but I still needed answers. As I was saying before, being a girl Little around here was dangerous, but it had some perks. As such and rounding the corner, I stopped my tiny skipping as a still free woman in this city and headed for 65th street. Once there, I then surveyed the tall older brick building before me that I was searching for on that street. It lacked any doorman or security measures of any kind, a sadly common trait amongst most of the Little dwellings in the city. So, I quickly entered and got away from the enrapturing cold of late November. After a bit of searching, I found the apartment I had been looking for and knocked on the door. “Yes?” I heard a muffled response from the other side of the door. “Is this Clara Ulfman? Or does she live here?” I asked, making sure I got the name right from the paper I was holding in my hand now. “Who wants to know?” the voice asked back suspiciously. I wasn’t surprised by the rapid and blunt response, but it also made me keenly aware that I had to be cautious with this interview. “I’m just a fellow Little following up on the interview you gave about the strange lights.” I sighed. “I believe you and I think they’re happening more now.” There was a momentary pause and the door then opened wide, revealing a pale and almost gaunt woman before me. Pretty in a way, but the years of panic, distrust, and relative isolation had started to catch up to her. “I’m Clara but, why and what do you want to know? Are you part of the paper or something? The government?” Her nose had flared angrily as she had asked that last question. I shook my head in hopes of calming her direct line of questioning to me. “No, ma’am. I just wanted to know what you knew about the bright lights you mentioned here from two years ago.” I then held up the paper I had found in my research at the local library of past instances of similar bright lights. Seeing the full-length article had been written by a Little no less, I knew she was worth interviewing. Clara then eased up and sighed heavily. “Worst mistake of my life, but come on in. Let me show you firsthand.” I nodded and then followed the graying-haired lady into her home and shut the door and the chilly air behind me. Her apartment was similarly sparse to mine, but also looked much more lived in. It smelled strangely musty in some places and like beef stew in others, which made sense once I had seen the pot cooking on her stove. Clara then pointed to a map to the side of her room. “Look here. I think you’ll find what you want here.” I looked over and was amazed by the research laid out before me. Like back home with the research that I had done before, her findings were only confined to the city’s limits, but it was still more extensive than I had originally imagined. I suspected that unlike my lack of communications technology or resources, her boundary limitation was likely more the result of being a Little and somewhat of a shut-in now here. “Are all these incidents of the bright lights you mentioned in the article from two years ago?” Clara nodded. “Been going back for years, and I even found mentions in other parts of the world like Honshu or Catalon, but you know those places… they tend to bury the news or call it ‘fake’ when they don’t like it. This here is everything I’ve gathered until about three months ago.” I nodded my head over her timelines and research, but I also wasn’t completely sure about those countries yet and didn’t say anything about them for fear of giving myself away. So far, my research into the geography of this world consisted more of me discovering places to ‘go to one day’ and ones that I ‘should avoid at all costs if I valued my life.’ Honshu and Catalon were always categorized in the latter of those two classifications. “Is there anything else you can tell me about the bright lights?” Clara nodded. “Yes. In fact, it’s happening again and more often now as I’m sure you’ve already guessed, but I’m not sure if you’ve been tracking another stat as well.” I shrugged my shoulders and she then shuffled through a few papers stacked high on her dining room table. “Ah. Here it is,” she exclaimed softly as she unearthed a single stack of papers. “Started keeping track of these when I noticed the pattern two years ago right before I published that news article.” I then took the papers when she offered them to me and noticed a list of about 946 names. “What are these?” I asked, looking back up at a weary-looking Clara. She then grimaced. “They’re the lost ones, dear. After each bright light, there’s a slew of disappearing Littles.” She then paused and held up her finger before I could ask a single question. “Before you ask though, yes, I checked to see if they had been adopted. No such luck I’m afraid, and in fact, I can’t find them anywhere and ruled out migrations or deaths as well. They just… vanished, and all right after the bright lights. If the bright lights have returned and continued their pattern, I suspect more Littles will have just vanished as well.” I looked back in horror at all the names listed, front and back of the papers I had been handed. It didn’t even cover the past three months, but it was still devastating to see all the names in one place. It didn’t take long though for me to recognize one of the names from one of the ‘tweakers’ that had been found again last year back on Earth. From that one name, I knew that I had my connection. “Thank you… this is so much.” I managed to keep my emotions steady and readjusted myself back into detective mode. “So, can I take a picture, or…?” Clara then shook her head. “Take it. Take it all,” she said remorsefully. “Maybe it will do you some good, but I want no part of whatever this is anymore. It’s cost me too much, so just leave me out of this mess. It’s yours now.” I nodded hesitantly, quickly gathered the papers, maps, and other bits up that she had collected over the years, and then walked out her front door before turning back to her. “Thank you, Clara. You have no idea how much this helps me.” Clara smiled but then gravely nodded her head with a still sad look in her eye. “I’m glad, but just be careful of all this. We Littles aren’t as safe as we once were. Something is happening out there…” With that, she then closed the door, and I wondered what I had just tumbled into the middle of with all this. * * * So, here I am, once again after work and trying to investigate the portals more. I often thought back to Clara’s words that night a few months ago and wondered if I should even continue and possibly risk my freedom, but I still plugged ahead and appreciated the research she had handed off to me as well. It had tremendously sped up my own investigation and even filled in some gaps, but I was still in the dark about the source of all these bright lights. I had learned so much, but I knew I was still no closer to finding out what was truly going on. I sipped my tea and stared at Clara’s map that I had added to my bedroom wall like back home since then. The bright lights felt too focused to be random, but not centralized enough to form a pattern that I could see. It had taken all my skills and determination to keep my hope alive with this investigation, but I knew that I was getting close and that I would probably find something soon. Unfortunately, in retrospect, right at that moment, I needed to head to the store before it closed for the night. So, I bundled up against the wintry January air, and exited my apartment. It was even a pleasant walk and the trees seemed to bristle in the breeze all around me. The decorations of wreathes and candles for this society’s festivals of Saturnalia were just being taken down and left the city feeling emptier and more somber somehow, but it also was all now so peaceful… that is until I saw one cop harassing a Little just up ahead of me and about half a block from the store I was headed to. Now, I had been a cop for seven years prior to all these portal incidents, in which time my instincts and drive to serve others had not dimmed in the slightest. I may have been more cautious in some scenarios than I once was when I was a rookie myself, but when I saw an injustice, I still wanted to correct it… even in this world. My instincts learned here told me to just walk away, but my instincts as a cop and defender of others still flamed hot. “Where are you going, Little one? Your mommy or daddy must be worried sick about you,” the tall police officer taunted the Little before him. “Please, sir… I just wanna go home,” the rakish red-headed woman sputtered out beneath him. “Hmmm…” he pretended to think on it. “Nope! Don’t think so! It’s way past the bedtime of someone so weak… so young. I think you’ll be coming with me instead.” He then reached down and grabbed her by the arm and started to yank her away. My hatred for most of these Bigs only seemed to grow by the day, and I guess it had reached a boiling point by now. I knew that people like Mr. Morales existed, but they were more the exception than the rule. So, when I saw him grab this meek and frail fellow Little, I couldn’t hold back anymore, and my instincts learned here were overridden by my need to protect others. “Hey! Stop that!” I then ran up to the two. Reluctantly, the cop let her go, and she fell to her knees, but he then stared right back at me and almost seemed to growl. “Just walk away. This doesn’t concern you, Little.” I knew I was already in it now and he would likely just call me in before doing who-knows-what to the red-headed Little that still trembled below him. “No,” I said as I stood my ground. “I can see what’s right and what’s wrong. You were hurting her.” I then bent down and helped the Little back to her feet. “There you go. Easy does it.” “T… thank y… you…” she managed to say. I smiled weakly and pointed back toward the more crowded parts of the city that I knew were safer. “It’s okay, but you need to get out of here.” She hesitated, so I only reemphasized my pointing. “Go. Now!” The red-headed Little let out a tiny yelp at my raised voice but then understood what was happening here and scurried off and out of sight. While I was glad that she was gone, I nervously turned back toward the now-fuming cop. “Look… I’m sorry…” “Shut it!” he barked angrily. “ID! Now!” I had seen the same fury in myself in the mirror before in these types of situations and I knew I was in trouble in some form just with how he looked. How much remained to be seen, but I quickly reached into my clutch I always had on me since coming here and pulled out my ID in compliance. “Here you go, officer.” The clearly seasoned officer squinted at my ID, but my stomach dropped when a crooked smile then grew across his face. “Out of town and shelter ID, eh?” I nodded. “Well, that’s too bad… for you. This is clearly a violation of our laws here.” I panicked and briefly wondered if the ID was somehow a trap for Littles. “Is there something wrong with my ID, officer?” He shook his head but still smiled in the most unsettling of ways. “No, Little lady, but you just committed a crime, and this ID only makes it worse.” I racked my brain and tried to think of every possibility of what had just occurred. I knew I was in another country and dimension entirely, but the only wrong I could find was with the officer now accusing me of a crime. “I’m not sure if I follow… what did I do wrong?” His smile only sickeningly grew larger. “That’s the problem with all you Littles. You all are coming here from some damn island or mountain community, and you have your own uncivilized laws.” I gulped as I knew I was about to hear just how much I had screwed up. “You, young lady, are an immigrant according to this ID, which means that some laws apply more so to you than a native Little. For instance… you just aided and abetted a fugitive Little. She was a runaway and that already carries a steep fine, but you’re also a migrant here…” He then looped his fingers into his belt, likely to assert his authority in this situation, and sighed. “I’m afraid the penalty for such an action will be steep as a result in accordance with the bill passed just last year.” My mind felt scattered and my stomach as if it wanted to heave the small dinner I had while at work earlier in the day. I thought back to all the ‘tweakers’ I had found back on Earth and all the missing Littles here from the list that Clara had given me. I wasn’t necessarily going to be one of them, but I didn’t like the sound of what this officer was implying at all. “Now,” he continued, “are you going to cooperate, or is this going to get really nasty?” I stared around and he saw my eyes scanning the area. “Please, make a move. Just give me an excuse,” he threatened as he lightly tapped his right side containing what I knew to be his collapsible nightstick and taser. I knew he had me at that point, and to most around here, I was just another Little… not the former cop or woman all alone and trying to get back home. Here, I was just another number to be taken away by the police for not much more than being a Little and trying to help another one out from a corrupt law. So, knowing there was no way out and that resistance only meant steeper punishments, I just held my hands out before me. “I’m not resisting. Take me in if you feel justified.” The cop’s face clearly showed his dislike for my peaceful action, and despite a little grumbling, he quickly cuffed me and led me back to his squad car that I could now see in the distance. Oddly enough, looking down, I could see that he had restrained me, but they also weren’t the traditional pair of handcuffs either. Instead, they were heavily padded around the wrists and looked like something one would find more in a mental institution than as part of a cop’s everyday carry. Still, I was at least thankful for their comfort. Not long after he had made his arrest, where I also noted that he hadn’t spouted any of my rights, he opened his side door and pushed me inside. “You’re going make someone very happy very soon. For now, though, you just stay right here and don’t…” “Hey, Jake! You go out and arrest someone again without me?” a voice asked from the other side of the car. “I was gone, what? Eight minutes and you…” I then saw a sandy-haired officer peer down and look right at me in the back seat. His face immediately dropped. “Oh, hello there. Thought you were…” His face then quickly turned into a scowl, and he popped back up to look at his partner. “Jake… a minute?” I could hear Jake groan heavily, but it didn’t take long for the two officers to clearly get into an argument off to one side of the squad car. It only took a second for me to understand that it was about me, but it also gave me time to think about my future now. Here I was, cuffed and in the back of a squad car and ready to be transported to who knows where. My investigation had taken me far, and while home was still far away, my hopes immediately dropped further as I realized that my real home was about to become even more distant from wherever I was going next.

Well... it's hard to put into words just how much your all's comments have meant to me. It can sometimes be hard to guage how successful a story is sometimes, but I'm so glad that many of you responded... far more than I was even looking for to continue. It truly touches my heart in a way that even as a writer I would find hard to express or do justice. So, for now, I will at least extend my most sincere and heartfelt thanks to all of my readers, commentors or just readers alike. Secondly, I hope everyone who celebrated had an excellent holiday. I definitely made merry with my own family and my stomach still feels a bit too much like Violet Bureauguard... still though, no blueberry coloring for those of you wondering. Moving on, there will likely be another break or two in my writing with this story, but I will definitely let you all know beforehand. Anyways, I want to sincerely thank you all again and I hope you enjoy this next chapter! Chapter 4: We're Not In Kansas Anymore When I was younger and before the world spun into the spiral of doom that currently eclipsed it, I went to Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey with my brother and parents for a tiny weekend get away one summer. I had just turned 12 and my growth spurt had just begun to take root. So, while my brother couldn’t ride many of things I did, much to my mom’s annoyance, my dad slipped in a few folded-up paper towels in my sneakers to give me an extra inch or so in height. As such, I was able to ride the Jersey Devil Coaster. I was terrified as it heaved and jerked me about. I screamed bloody terror, but in some perverse way, I had also developed a taste for rollercoasters and rode them all as much as I could until most of the theme parks shut down by the time that I had turned 17. Getting sucked into that portal was the single-most terrifying and thrilling experience I could imagine. I couldn’t help but think back to that day as I had suddenly felt the thrill of being shot backward and then afterward of plummeting to unknown depths. Inky blackness and indescribable colors swirled about me in an array I would never forget. At the same time though, and likely another reason I thought back to that literal devil of a coaster, I wondered if I was being sucked into the damns of hell. I felt my stomach plummet about as much as it could without eviscerating me from stem to stern. My eyes screamed and bulged with maniacal insanity. My innards seemed to be imploding from every direction and my ears seized and almost burst open like so many piñatas. Lastly, and most fittingly of my journey to hell, I felt like I was burning to death from every piece of exposed skin that I had. It was sheer pain and torment unlike anything I had ever felt, but like all terrible things before though, it ended, and I fell roughly on a relatively soft patch of grass. My lungs seized and I gasped for any scrap of life I could. To my delight, I was alive, but the air felt different… heavier as my lungs took in all the fresh air they could in a single second. I was quickly relieved I wasn’t dead or a vegetable, but as soon as I knew I was still in the mortal plain, my stomach then overturned, and I quickly rolled to my side as I began to vomit my guts out all over the freshly cut and damp grass. It was a pitiful moment, but finally, it ended, and I rolled over onto my back. Staring up and blinking to clear the funk that I felt was all around me, my eyes adjusted to the still bright light oddly hovering a few feet off the ground. Once I was satisfied the light wouldn’t take me again and then looking around, I found myself in a park. Though possibly normal to most, I knew that while they still existed in my world, most now, even within a hundred miles of me, were usually artificial turf and maybe one tree existed in all its singular glory. As the light from the orb above me showed though, I was in the middle of a park and surrounded by not only several trees, but their sheer enormity was all-engulfing and… strangely fantastical. “What the…?” At that moment, in all my confusion over what had just happened and where I was, I then remembered back to John and his comic book. The portal… the trees and the grass… real grass. The orb above me… “It’s a portal…” I mumbled to myself. So many things began to click in my head, and I even remembered, before the wars broke out, reading an obscure article in my science class about other countries which had been messing around with those types of things. ‘That must be it…’ It was a lot to take in, but before I could think further, the light flickered above me, pulsated for a moment or two, and then ceased to be and left only darkness. “Shit.” The portal to my home was now gone. Wherever I was, I knew I was stuck for at least the foreseeable future. My head then swam with a thousand and one questions, but the cop part of me realized that I needed to adjust myself and my priorities. I was in an unknown land, and I had been brought here by a force that didn’t seem too kindly with those who it spat back out on the other side. Speaking of which, I began to smell something funny. At first, I couldn’t figure out what it was. It was foul, but somehow familiar… almost like when I saw an older computer overheat and melt a bit. From the streetlights though, I could then see a small wisp of smoke rising from somewhere nearby. I thought it was odd though nothing at first, but when I traced it back to its origin, I saw that it was coming from me. ‘Shit! Stop, drop, and roll! Stop, drop, and roll!’ I immediately began to roll about on the ground nicely away from where I had vomited as I remembered back to what I had been taught at least since the first grade. Gratefully, the smoke quickly withered away and when I was completely sure of it being fully extinguished, I stood up and began to examine my clothing. My once bright blue coat and dark slacks were now virtually almost completely melted or were at least heavily singed in most places. I still had enough to maintain some degree of modesty, but my disarray would be very apparent to anyone who noticed me. Still, it wasn’t my first priority. Looking around at my near picturesque view, I knew and was reminded of the fact that finding out where I was now took the most precedent. If I was in a friendly country, I could be back home within a week or two, but if not… well, I needed to know as soon as I could which scenario that I was now in. Seeing I was in the middle of a park of some kind that was surrounded by enormous and almost glistening buildings, I thought for a moment that I was in Central Park… or at least the version of it before all the wars and gangs had burnt it nearly to dust, but there were still too many small differences. ‘Maybe Germany?’ I wasn’t sure, but before I could process my location further, I heard some machines begin to whir to life. So, as a precaution, I jumped into a nearby hedge that I had spotted to use for cover. Until I was sure where I was, being overly cautious seemed like the right course to take. From my concealment, not long after, I then heard some shrieking from nearby. Repositioning myself, I saw the homeless man that had gotten sucked into the portal before me. “Jesus! Put me out! Put me out!” The man was running around and panicking as his clothes continued to smoke all around him. I could even begin to see parts of his skin underneath where the clothing had melted or had burned through completely. I wanted to reach out and help him, but the machine whirring only intensified, and soon, two masked and armed individuals approached him. I couldn’t hear their muffled voices, but they quickly calmed the man down and doused the smoke emanating from his clothing. They seemed kind, tall perhaps, but non-threatening. Or that was at least… until they shot him in the neck with some sort of tranquilizer and then hauled him away. I almost shouted for the man to watch out as I saw the assault coming, but I quickly silenced myself. Seeing what I just did, combined with the other victims, now alerted me to the fact that I was likely not in a friendly country. I hid behind the hedge for a while longer and calmed myself down from what I had just witnessed and the realization over how screwed I just might be now. Still though, once I had normalized myself a little more and the figures had seemingly disappeared, I marveled at what I was seeing around me. Everything seemed so much bigger. Roots, trees, bushes, flowers, and even blades of grass now all appeared to be almost twice their normal size. In an almost post-apocalyptic world, the more studious like myself knew that there were all kinds of new wonders and horrors to behold. Science and war gone amuck had changed many things and the rumor mill was always working overtime to fill everyone’s heads with the strange and unusual of our new world outside the relative safety of the protected lower sections of the city. In truth though, I and most others hadn’t left the confines of the city in over ten years now. It just wasn’t safe anymore to do that quite as freely, but I always wondered how the rest of the country or world was truly getting along. Based on what I was seeing now, other countries seemed to be doing much better and were now even experimenting with size. ‘Lucky…’ I had seen the shows before the wars that always seemed to advertise and brag about having the world’s largest of something, and I knew vegetation was no exception to these previous boastings by a long shot. Even my neighbor growing up had once boasted about seeing a pumpkin that was even larger than him, so I reckoned that I was now just seeing the same here. Like before though, what I saw next made me question everything I had ever known. I was sitting against one of the trees and trying to wait for the lights to dim to signal that the figures had truly moved off, but I quickly discovered that I was not the only one in that forested patch of land. I heard what sounded like scratches coming from above my head. Fearing the worst, I picked up a stick and backed away from the tree. I was ready to defend myself against anything… or so I thought. The scratches grew with intensity until they finally halted, but a creature bounded from behind the tree and stared right back at me. Now, normally, I was pretty good with animals, but I realized after that point in my life that I was only good with animals that I had been familiar with beforehand. The squirrel now before me, however, was not familiar to me in at least one critical aspect. While it still had its pointy ears, deep eyes, and trademark bushy tail, I couldn’t get over its sheer size. While still smaller than me, most squirrels were scarcely longer than my arm, tail included. This one eyeing and crouching before me, was at least twice the size of a normal squirrel. The body itself now measured almost two feet long and the tail added at least almost another foot and a half. It now looked more like some weird dog than a squirrel, but it couldn’t be anything else. My mind soared with the possibilities, but my instincts were at the helm now. With my single stick, I thrashed it about in front of the creature before me. It held a single nut, one that was at least three inches long when it should have been only one or two at the most and stood its ground. I then knew that I had to defend my ground and fend off this animal. The stick wasn’t much, but it proved effective, and the animal quickly scurried away. Unfortunately, the commotion caused the previously far away and almost leaving masked figures to come and check out my hiding spot. Seeing them get closer, I dove into one of the larger bushes and clutched my stick to my chest, praying that they wouldn’t notice me. “Anything?” the far one asked, as they adjusted their uniform’s belt. “No. Not a thing. Just a squirrel I think,” the one doing most of the investigating replied. “That’s a shame.” I heard the disappointment seep through her voice. “HQ noted that more should have come through the portal from where we positioned it. Our spies over there were very clear about that being a prime location.” “So what?” the one closer to me asked. “A few less for us to have to bag.” “So what?” the woman asked annoyedly, her badge showing a series of squiggled lines and words I couldn’t read. “Geez, Ralph. You sure you’re a middle? You act so much like a Little sometimes.” “Aw, don’t say that Bevy,” Ralph said back with dismay. “You know my grandmother was one, but I’m just a smidge on the shorter side. That’s all. Nothing wrong with my head.” He then paused for a moment, before adding, “Honest.” “Hmph!” Bevy scoffed. “Not sure if I believe that, but anyways, HQ said that another came through the portal as well. Not the numbers we were expecting, but they need all of them to test out their theories. You know their policies for people who fail them, and we definitely don’t want another one who escaped. That type of failure only has one punishment.” I then heard Ralph gulp and I could hear the panic wrap tightly around his next words. “Uh… then we need… uh, to put out an alert in this area. Right now!” Bevy sighed. “Geez. There you go again… idiot! A Little alert could screw everything up and alert everyone to what is happening. You know this job isn’t above board or anything like that. That’s why we need to find the other lost Little in the first place! There are already rumors going around in this town. We don’t want to be the ones to break it that they’re more than just rumors.” “Oh… I guess we just gotta keep looking ourselves for them then. Maybe over by those other bushes?” Ralph suggested. “Or we could reach out to our contact in the police…” “Hmmm….” Bevy mused. “Maybe not so much like a Little after all. Come on! We’ve got to keep searching!” I saw Bevy and Ralph begin to walk away. Both seemed enormous and I wondered if they had ever played professional sports before all this, but I then shook my head and knew I had to get to the root of all this rather than focus on the more trivial aspects of what I had just witnessed. Now, I knew I was clearly the person they were looking for, but what was a ‘Little?’ Or for them… a ‘Middle?’ I felt like I now had more questions than answers, but I had one of my questions answered rather quickly from all that; this was verifiably not a friendly territory to me. So, knowing that information, it helped push me forward and out of their search area. I needed to find someone friendly and fast. ‘Maybe the embassy still exists over here?’ It was a long shot, but it was something that I could at least try to aim for. Walking discreetly out of the centralized portion of the park, I dove under and took advantage of many of the boulders, bushes, and underpasses of the area. I was immensely confused with why this area still looked so much like Central Park, but I knew I had bigger concerns, so I began to whisper to myself to try and make sense of everything going on. “Super confused, but I’m definitely in another country of some sort. Ralph and Bevy’s uniforms screamed tech company, but their badges and symbols, though I’ve never seen them before, seemed more on the government side.” I didn’t like that, but my whispering was helping me process everything I had seen better. “I’m somewhere else, but where? The park is almost exactly like Central Park was, but I must just be imagining that. I need to see more buildings to get my bearings. Ugh! A map would be so helpful right about now!” I just kept walking and then decided to stop whispering to myself when I began to hear the buzz of traffic and nearby people. It was enough to distract me from the oversized benches and enormous footpaths I encountered along the way, but finally, I dove into another hedge alongside the sidewalk and decided to overserve the people walking around me. I needed to know more about where I was, and I knew that the language of the more common and everyday people was a perfect way to do that. So, finally, after crawling stealthily through the bushes by the sidewalk, I came to a nearby newsstand and a trashcan right next to it. I still didn’t want to be seen quite yet, so I made sure to stay out of view of anyone nearby and also made sure that I kept my eyes focused on my next moves rather than anyone else moving about on the sidewalk to the other side of the bushes. Looking into the trashcan, I easily saw some of the old editions that had been thrown away recently, so as soon as I felt that no one was watching, I made my move and grabbed an old paper bundle to read and figure out where I was. There though, on the front page, was something that I wasn’t sure what to make of. ‘Portal Travel and You: Recognizing the Signs of Portal Breaches from Other Dimensions.’ I stared at the heading and my mind flooded with the further confirmation of even more possibilities. The comic… the strange light… Central Park and the familiar yet strange buildings… it all started to come together, but the picture and heading on the front cover was the most damning evidence of all. The odd orb that I had been sucked into and then spat out of was right there in black and white, and then under the heading, the portal itself was clearly marked as the thing to actively avoid or report right away. ‘Megan Reynolds… portal traveler to another dimension… not simply another country…’ Looking around though, beyond my shock of what had happened, everything began to dawn on me at once as to where I was. This was my city, but it just wasn’t my city exactly. It was the Big Apple, but from a different dimension. The trees… the people… everything being so alive… so fresh… The wars and all must not have happened here. This was my world but without all the death and chaos that had plagued everyone. I was breathless and amazed at what this meant. I, Megan Reynolds, being of actual sound mind and body unlike the others, had entered a dimensional portal and had come out the other side. I wasn’t sure why the others had come out as defective, but I rationalized that I must have been the first to whom the journey had actually been a success. I was the envoy of all of humanity back in my dimension, and I wanted to celebrate this great day! This was… “Simon!” a voice cried out from my left and beyond the bushes. I peered through one of the bushes to see what was happening and saw an array of people that made me question everything and my approach to this whole situation with being in another and likely dangerous dimension. Now, I had watched Dr. Seuss growing up, the little animated movies that is, and I was always fascinated by the various sizes of some of their characters all living together. Looking out over the crowds of people now flocking around the street, I could see what potentially looked like three general sizes of people and thought back to those old movies. The first seemed to be the boldest and well-to-do. Each practically strutted around in the most luxurious of clothing and possessed what I could only fathom was technology far in advance of anything we had. Then, the middle height people seemed like the servers and the general staff of this city. Most seemed to do menial jobs and the like and were neither bold nor intimidated, unlike the shortest group of people. This next and shortest group frighteningly seemed the most submissive, and even more worryingly, the most like me. Then, however, when I thought it couldn’t get worse, I noticed something that chilled me to my core. While the other two height categories of people seemed to be dressed normally, I began to notice a pattern in the shortest group. Though only applying to maybe 50 to 60% of those I saw, many were dressed in what I could only be described as juvenile clothing. Then, to top it off, many appeared in a similar mental state to the ones who had been taken that I originally had passed off as mere ‘tweakers.’ It was a disturbing sight to see them all, but I was in another dimension after all and had to consider other possibilities as well… ‘Maybe this was just a cultural thing and is normal for everyone?’ Looking back at the relatively small person before me though and the much larger woman stomping after him, I felt an eerie gut feeling that perhaps something more was going on here. Something… more sinister. “Young man! What do you think you are doing?” she yelled with her hands on her hips at the young man before her who had suddenly stopped and now looked very shy and a little panicked. “I gave you the responsibility of being a big boy, and this is how you treat my kindness? Do you know how many Littles would likely kill for the chance to wear big boy undies again? Do you?” The young man shook his head in what could only be described as shame. “I’m sorry… I…” He looked around in fear and I had seen that face a thousand times before when I had confronted guilty suspects. He was obviously doing something he wasn’t supposed to and was looking for anything at all that could easily explain it away. “I was chasing a squirrel into the park. I didn’t mean to leave you… I’m sorry.” His words were so weak… so broken, and then the way he stood reminded me of how my brother looked like when he was five and accidentally broke a lamp in our family room, but I was still so confused. ‘Isn’t he my age? Is he on drugs… or is he mentally handicapped in some way? Is there something more to the ‘tweakers’ I encountered?’ I wasn’t sure at all, but I just pressed closer to find out more. The woman before me squinted her eyes closely as she looked hard at the diminutive man before her. If this had been any other place than what I could only assume was this dimension’s 59th street and its normal loud and busy streets, I swore I could have heard a pin drop from 20 yards away. Finally, she spoke. “Hmmm… I don’t know if I fully believe you, but let’s call this a warning. You’ve been so good for me today and I have some more errands to run…” She then bent down and gave him a serious no-nonsense look that I could only scarcely recall from my own childhood. “But this will be your only warning. Don’t make me regret giving you your big boy undies back.” The relatively shorter man looked absolutely terrified from what I could see in my position in the bushes, but he only nodded and then took her hand as they began to walk off. To say that I was shocked at that moment would have been an understatement. Upon seeing that and what seemed to be almost the normal case for most my height, I opted not to receive my fame and glory for successfully traversing a portal between dimensions. Until I knew more, my safety was far more important. Walking further, I was elated to find my city back to what I remembered it being when I had been a teenager, but I noticed a few things that began to slightly puzzle or at least disorientate me. Firstly, many of the named streets or items seemed to be different which slightly confused me at first, but I soon got the hang of it with things like the still gratefully numbered streets. Secondly, everything seemed to dwarf me in height. It perplexed me for a moment, but after remembering how that person was treated as a child, I briefly wondered if those my height here were treated as the children our heights seemed to suggest rather than our own mental abilities. Finally, and thirdly, I only briefly wondered if this was the case, because I also lastly, and maybe most importantly, realized that as perceived children, those my height were treated with the same disregard that some children were back home. It wasn’t anything violent necessarily, but those my height, whom I quickly learned were called ‘Littles,’ were often talked down to or even scolded by those known as ‘Bigs.’ Dishearteningly, I could only compare this relationship to that of a child and an adult. So, when I thought of sharing my story with being a portal dimensional traveler and all, I felt that my story would be played off as just that. It would be a story from a Little with an overactive imagination, or worse, an imagination that only wanted to cause trouble. Sitting down on one of the large boulders in the park, the sun began to dip behind the almost futuristic-looking buildings. I seemed to almost be in a utopia of sorts, but because of my size and circumstances, I didn’t imagine that I could enjoy any of its seemingly wondrous amenities. Instead, the reality sunk in that I was virtually trapped here and had no current way of getting back. My only hope though was that others had been sent back somehow instead of being just permanently stuck here. It wasn’t much, but it powered me through my worries and then to make an actionable plan. I needed to somehow integrate myself into this society, find out about the portals, and then hitch a ride back home. Looking around, I waited from behind a bush for darkness to conceal my movements better. Still, the city was still brightly lit in many areas, but I also knew where to spot the cracks in the glowing façade to slip past most and make it out and into the city from the park where I had been hiding. Looking at my singed and melted clothing though, I knew it would be the first thing I needed to change. So, despite being an officer of the law, I spotted some nearby clothes on a clearance rack. Having grown up in less than reputable time, I had honed a few of the more unsavory skills in my youth. My parents had quickly righted me in my early teens, but the skills were still there. Therefore now, I used those skills to easily blend in with a few of the crowds, cause a distraction, and then snag a few items off the racks arranged outside. Once satisfied and using a dark alley, I quickly changed and threw away my old clothes in a building’s rear dumpster. The cold air had nipped at my extremities, and I knew that its remnants would be a complete giveaway that I was either homeless, a criminal, or worse yet, a dimensional portal traveler. From what I had seen in that news article, besides unruly Littles, they seemed to be this society’s largest threat. I knew what I had to do then, so I sighed as I looked at my past being so easily shed away, and then further resolved it in myself to keep my singular wallet that I had once stuffed in my now ruined jacket. It would serve as my tiny reminder of my past and my goal for the future. It was all tough, but still, I pressed on and was able to more comfortably blend in now with everyone else in my new clothing. Now, I had always been short, but I truly felt minuscule compared to everyone else around me. It was an odd perspective to have as being both an adult and yet being on a child’s eye level. Everything seemed so much more intimidating and overwhelming, but it also gave me the further cover that I needed to slip around the city. So, while I had received several odd looks as I was walking around, I finally found a city directory from one of the more touristy areas. Many of the pamphlets or guides cost money, but I also found several discarded ones on the street that no one seemed to care about anymore, and though it took some time and some concerted effort, I finally found the one I was looking for. “Littles Group, a place for lost or struggling Littles,” I read aloud once sequestered to another dark alley. Based on what I had seen in this society, I knew that Littles were likely the ones downtrodden here, so I took a gamble that a society with so much technology and seeming wealth would also have shelters in place for them. It wasn’t much, but I didn’t have much either, so it could prove to be a good first step while staying here in this dimension. The walk took some time and every corner I turned or alley I ventured down, I felt a Big was going to snatch me up in a second. We ‘Littles’ seemed to have no control over anything here, so I only assumed that once captured, I could do little in the way of protest. Plus, whenever a Little did something they weren’t supposed to, each and every one of them suddenly became frightened. Whatever was their punishment, I knew it was something that I didn’t want to experience firsthand, and my nerves were taking a beating with all that in mind. Regardless though, I soon made my way to the Littles Group shelter. The building was tall and seemingly made for Bigs, but it also contained two sizes of doors at the front. I almost turned away as I saw a Big enter the taller door, thinking it was a trap somehow, but I knew I had few options open to me… I only hoped that the Big was a volunteer. Now, if I was a praying woman, I would have done so right then, but instead, I just hoped about as hard as I could, as the door gave way, and I entered inside the Littles smaller sized door. Inside, the shelter was just as quaint looking as the outside had been, but now, there were also a row of desks and several seats lining the perimeter of what looked like a lobby. Seeing another Little take a ticket, I quickly copied them and then sat down. “You smell like burning electronics,” another Little finally said to me after sniffing my arm. I looked over at the commenting Little next to me and was face-to-face with a woman whose hair was done up in pigtails. I didn’t know what to say, but I finally spat something out to maintain my cover as a native to this dimension. “Yeah… sorry about that. Electronics of a Big burst over me as I was getting here. Should go away soon…” I saw another Little scoff at my made-up story, but the pig-tailed Little just nodded and went back to reading a tiny book in her lap. Not having wanted her to cause a fuss in the first place, I was satisfied with my encounter with her and then eased back into my chair. Looking around, I saw several varieties of us Littles and several brochures for the help and care of them. Before I could check anything out any further though, my number was called. “Number 98!” a Big woman then called from the side. I quickly stood up and raised my hand, at which she only smiled and ushered me into the back of the shelter and into a small office off to one side. I followed her nervously, still thinking that all this was a trap, and I guess she could quickly tell as much when she sat down at the desk now across from me. I took a seat as well and she cleared her throat. “I know you’ve probably gone through a lot to get here, but I just want to assure you that I want to do all in my power to help you out. No judgement or relocation services here.” I smiled and nodded like I knew what she was talking about, and she then went about typing some things into her computer. I wanted to ask what ‘relocation services’ meant, but I thought it would make me stand out as an outsider, so I just remained quiet as she clacked away on her keyboard. A few minutes later, she began asking me the usual questions, but even then, I struggled with most of them, the most obvious being my name and where I was from. “Name?” “Uh… Megan…” I racked my brain for a last name that wouldn’t give me away, but then I wasn’t sure if I would remember it or not in the far-flung future. I had no way of knowing how long I would be here, but I also realized that this was another reality, and no one was looking for me per say. I may have been a criminal of sorts in their eyes being a Little and portal traveler, but I also knew that my name wasn’t going to be on any wanted poster anytime soon, so I sighed and answered back fully. “Megan Reynolds.” She nodded and continued her typing, but then got a funny look on her face. “You’re new here, aren’t you?” I internally screamed and began to panic. I had been here less than a day, and they were already on to me, but I tried to keep my outward reserve intact and tried to play it off as I had just come here from only another part of the country. Not knowing this place and having already seen the names were a bit different, I tried to keep my answers as vague as possible. “Uh… yeah… just arrived.” She nodded slowly. “I figured as much. We’ve been getting so many new Littles to this city looking for work or more lenient work conditions. New Eboracum was designed for such an influx of course, but it’s also hard to know which of you are runaways or just migrants.” “Runaways?” I asked naively. I knew the question could give me away, but I needed more answers, particularly with those that seemed like they were despised or would be highly punishable if confirmed. “Probably a migrant then if you don’t know,” she said a little more upbeat to my relief. “Runaways are just Littles who were owned by Big someplace else. They run away from their homes for one reason or another, but it’s all very illegal. The Runaway Littles Act prohibits us from taking any of them in.” “Oh… definitely not a runaway then,” I said hastily. Her description didn’t sound good, and I had so many other questions, but I had my first real answer and another that I hadn’t even intended to hear as well; runaways are bad in this society and Littles may be viewed as property by some. “Figured as much from how you look, sound, and act, but I’m afraid we’ll still need to test you on a few things.” She let the statement hang in the air for a second, but then ushered me over to a scanner of some kind. “Just stand still for a minute. Might feel a bit weird, but I just need to confirm a few things. Insurance purposes and all…” I could feel my heart increase and my mind begin to race at all this. It felt like a trap, but running away would probably have just labeled me as a true runaway in her eyes rather than just a migrant as everything else seemed to suggest. So, with a fair amount of risk, I knew that I just had to risk whatever this machine was, and I silently hoped beyond any measure for a good outcome when she flicked the switch above my head. All at once, my body began to vibrate, and I felt a near burning sensation course through my bones and muscles. Tiny prickles could be felt along each of my limbs and my head suddenly became heavy and full as if I had suddenly dived down at least 20 feet underwater. It was uncomfortable to say the least, but to my relief, it quickly ended. The Big woman then smiled gently down at me. “Perfect, sweetie. You passed the test. Memories are fully intact, language and verbal skills are non-affected, limbs appear normal and maybe even trained, and your bladder and bowel seem to have no degeneration whatsoever!” I managed to smile to convey my relief of the good news, but her statement also chilled me to the bone. It shouldn’t have surprised me from what I had seen so far in this world, but to actually test for them felt like a whole new level of wrong. I was happy I passed, but I was far more worried than ever if those factors would ever even be in consideration for the classification of a Little. I knew right then that I needed to get out of this dimension as soon as I could. After a few more rounds of questions and more entering her computer, she fortunately turned back to me and smiled. “Well, it seems we have a few places for you to check out and then move into. They may not be the temples of New Columbia, but they should do nicely as a place to start here in the city.” “Thank you,” I responded meekly. “You’re very welcome, honey,” she said with a sickly-sweet smile across her face. “I hope you do well in this city, but you can always come back if you need any more help… job or otherwise.” I nodded and then took my new ID card that she had just printed out and thanked her for her time. I saw the word, ‘immigrant’ stamped onto the top of the ID, but I was at least relieved that I was right that this place was a ‘no questions’ type of facility, at least in the ways that could get me caught. Still, even counting my own luck here, I also saw that the shelter was rife with obstacles for Littles who were less lucky. As I exited out the side door, to my left, I saw just how much worse it could have gone and breathed a sigh of relief. There, in a backroom of the facility, was a string of Littles… all pacified and to my utter horror, diapered and most who just seemed to drool on themselves. Nearby, a slew of matronly women attended to them and then began to load them into an almost school bus-like vehicle that was labeled as ‘Littles Relocation Services.’ In an instant, I knew that they had likely failed the tests that I had just passed myself. They were likely runaways and as the doors closed behind me, I began to truly take in what was at stake here in this dimension being a Little myself. I was deemed a Little, not regressed, but still a Little. My rights were curtailed, and I would be doomed to forever be regarded as nothing more than a child in this society. Now, I will admit that I enjoyed my childhood, but there were certain aspects back then that I also couldn’t stand; the biggest issue being my lack of independence. It was enough to strike a deep pit in my stomach, and I now knew that getting home could very well be my only salvation. How, when, or even where were still all in question, but I knew that I had to try at least. For now, though, how successful I would be in my endeavors and avoiding capture had to be my top priority. So, with a sigh, I headed off into the dark of the city that I now had to call my home.

Update and Question Hey everyone. So, I've been thinking about this story a lot and while I am enjoying it, I'm honestly not sure if you all are... I write for myself, and call it a writer's lack of confidence at this moment, but I'm also not sure how interested everyone else actually is in this story. I have everything plotted out until the end and I would love to continue, but last night, someone on another site that I post this to, added this story to a list of 'bad stories/those I'm not interested in.' Needless to say, but it's shaken my confidence a smidge while also making me question if I should even continue with this story or not. I was originally going to post another chapter tonight, and it is almost ready right now to do so, but I want to know if you all want me to continue this story or if you would rather me just wait and move onto my next one at some point. As I said, I have the rest of the plot ready to go, but I also know that getting sucked into another portal could serve as an ending of sorts if needed. I know prequels or origin stories can be complicated within universes occasionally, but I was still super excited for this story. I also don't like ending it just right here, but, I won't beat a dead horse, so I'm going to leave this decision up to you all. If you want me to continue with the story, just let me know in a comment after this posting. I am going away for the Thanksgiving holiday and will check this post again when I return. If I've received some more positive feedback, we'll all just call this a fluke, I won't mention it again, and I will deeply apologize for the lack of confidence in myself. If the comments note to do so, or just don't appear period, however, I will end this story right now or add an epilogue of sorts. There will be no hard feelings I promise you and I will return to writing more stories eventually. Anyways, for now at least, I hope you all have a wonderful and safe holiday!

Just so everyone is aware at this point, I have not yet changed the exposition from chapter 2, but this will be coming soon. I have lots of ideas for how to do it, but it shouldn't chnage much in teh grand scheme of this story. I havent decided how exactly I want to redo it, but I will let you all know in case you wanted to read it. Further, I should be able to post another chapter tomorrow, but if I can't, there won't be another until Saturday at the earliest. Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys this new chapter! Great things are now about to unfold! Chapter 3: A Theory and A Light I always loved puzzles as a kid. One could work for hours on a series of interconnecting pieces and at the end, there would be a wonderful picture as desired as a reward for any efforts made. So, even though while I pieced together the threads of the various files that Sylvia had given to me like I would have a large puzzle and found the intricacies of it all to be almost mesmerizing, I was also starting to feel that there were still several factors that made me want to drive my head through a brick wall. In my limited research that I could muster, I had discovered a few things, but all had just seemingly led to more confusion. I looked back up at the board and began to talk out loud to see if I could gleam something new from what I saw. “Electrical outages were noted with the power grid shortly before each of the disturbances were called in, but…” I heard a knock at the door. Walking out of my bedroom and over to the door, I opened it cautiously and quickly saw that it was John. “Hey rookie. What are you doing here?” John looked a little sheepish and he carried his own duffle bag, clearly just coming off a shift from the station. “I primarily just wanted to see how you were doing.” He paused for a moment. “Uh, can I come in?” I hesitated but then opened the door wider and gestured for him to come in. “Please, make yourself at home. It’s not much, but its clean at least.” John looked around briefly at my apartment and soon found a spot at my small dining table and sat down. He sighed. “I wish you would come back. Station isn’t the same without you, Sarge.” I smiled at his thoughtfulness. “Thanks, but you know what? We’re both off duty, so let’s just call each other by our first names for now, okay? I could use some interaction where I’m not called Sarge or sir.” I could see his eye flicker for a moment at my request, but he then nodded. “Okay… Megan…” he said still with some difficulty. I knew it was an odd move by a superior officer, but I had been cooped up inside a bit too much and I knew that I also needed more allies at the station who were actually decent cops. The increases in our budgets still couldn’t satisfy some of the greediness rampant with some of our fellow officers and I knew deep down that some had to be on the take. With John, I wasn’t worried about that, and besides, he was my partner. We then chitchatted about various bits of the city and recent policy, but my inner desire soon gave way. “So, John… how’s everything going back at the station?” John smiled but also sighed. “It’s… going. This new task force is rooting out a lot of problems, so that’s good, but uh… Carlyle is still in the wind.” My smile quickly vanished, but I nodded at the news. “Well, I don’t like hearing that, but at least some progress is being made. If the Pixie gang is gone, then he may be forced out into the open.” John nodded. “Mine and most others’ thoughts exactly, only…” He then trailed off. “Only what, John?” I asked impatiently after a second of stillness in the room. “Well…” he hesitated, “we’re not sure where Carlyle is… at all.” I squinted at my rookie to convey my curious nature about what he was implying. John sighed again. “What I’m trying to say is that Carlyle is missing.” He let the news hang in the air for a second and then continued. “In fact, from everyone we’ve talked to, he’s been missing for a good amount of time now. Could have gone into some deep hiding place, but…” I knew where John was going with this. Carlyle could be dead. Gangs were powerful, but each were also rivals of each other. So, naturally, they often bumped noses and put out hits on each other when they felt it was warranted. One of the largest gangs from about five years back, the Candied Skulls, was taken down in three weeks when four rival gangs teamed up and took almost every single one of them out. That type of action had calmed down in the past two years, but every cop knew that it was still a possibility when dealing with these types of criminals. If it had been even ten years ago, I may have seen a shrink about letting it all go with Carlyle and his role in George’s death, but as most were now far too overbooked for the demand of our current society, I had just muddled through my pain over the years and let time do most of the work. “I see…” There was a brief moment of pause between us, but then John anxiously looked down at his duffle as if he had brought something else over to discuss with me. If I was in a deeper hole or didn’t trust John, I would be worried that it was a bomb or something of the sort. Instead, I just went ahead and asked him and prayed my instincts were correct. “Is there something else you want to share with me, John? Perhaps in the bag?” He took a deep breath and nodded slowly before retrieving his bag from the ground and pulling out a series of 14 more manilla files. “These are from Sylvia. She wanted me to give them to you if you were still investigating them, but…” He then looked behind my shoulder. “I guess I don’t have to ask that question, do I?” I looked back at my bulletin board in my bedroom. “No,” I sighed, “but I’ve hit a dead end.” John wordlessly nodded and stood up to see my bulletin board up close. As I was getting nowhere fast, I didn’t stop him. After a moment though, he asked. “So, what do you have?” I sighed and began to explain about the electrical disturbances while John just nodded away. “I found they couldn’t be narrowed any further than a one block radius from where the ‘tweakers’ were found.” I made a mental note that I needed to think of a new name for them and one that suited their separate category for this possible new drug on the streets. “Anyways… after further interrogations with some of the earlier subjects after regimens of therapies and various drugs, the police following-up with them discovered that they all were claiming that a ‘large light took them away.’ I honestly doubted those types of claims, as did the previous detectives in each of these cases, but upon further investigation, I also discovered that each of these victims had gone missing for a time before being found again.” John raised an eyebrow over this revelation. “So, they aren’t just vagrants or anything… you think there’s something foul going on, don’t you? Like human trafficking or something?” I sighed and tossed the folder I was holding back on my bed. “Right now, all I have is circumstantial evidence coming from mentally unstable or unreliable sources. Each of the victims here had been a transient before their abduction and most weren’t even noticed as missing until a week later when their pimp or dealer came to collect what was owed of them and they didn’t come through.” I then saw one report on the edge of my bed and picked it up remembering one last thing. John leaned in. “Something else you got there?” I nodded. “Well… oddly enough though, many of these homeless, drug addicts, or prostitutes were actually all found in remarkable health and no longer addicted to their former habits.” I then grimaced slightly at the wording that had been written about each. “That being said, all seemed to be suffering from some kind of muscular or joint damage stemming from a botched surgery in all likelihood.” I looked at the pictures of their injuries and squirmed a bit and then sighed over the fate of these poor people. I remembered a case from about ten years prior where one pimp hobbled his girls slightly to prevent them from running by affecting their joints. The scars in those photos seemed remarkably similar, but I still couldn’t figure any of it out as these victims didn’t fit their type of profile. John looked over a few other folders that bore similar images. “That’s terrible… despicable, but I see what you mean… there’s not much to go off of, but still… maybe there’s something else that these new files could hold.” I smiled at his determination. “You’re right, but there’s one more piece I forgot to mention,” I said, looking at a single yellow sticky note on my bulletin board with a large question mark at the end of a single theorized word. John paused from looking at the folder in his hands for a moment and stared back up at me. “Oh?” “Yeah… yesterday, when one of my neighbor’s fuses shorted out, I had an idea…” I hesitated to even bring it up, but John’s palpable curiosity overrode my initial reluctance to share the theory, so, I pointed to the sticky note I had been looking at. “I think someone may be using an EMP device to knock out the security cameras where they are being taken and then later dumped. Some let off a bright glow of light when activated, but this could be why there isn’t any security footage around and could even explain the ‘bright lights’ right before the surge.” John stroked his chin. “Hmmm… sounds plausible.” He then thumbed through a few of the loose connections I had made between the victims. “Seems like the demographics of those taken are spread out though. Must be something else that connects them.” I nodded. “I was thinking the same, but with the addition of surgical techniques inflicted on them, I was thinking that they could be the rejects from a smuggling ring or were taken to test a new street drug or other experiments.” I then looked at a few of the ‘tweakers’ and remembered one more thing. “I also thought that social economic barriers may play a part.” Curiously though, John then shook his head. “Look at the files I gave you just now.” I did and thumbed through a few and saw what he was referring to. “As you can see in there, three of the victims were from better and more upper-class neighborhoods and healthy before their abduction, yet still suffered from the mental breaks the others did.” He then paused and sighed. “No one seems to be able to make a connection between all of them except their symptoms afterward. I don’t want to doubt you, but are you sure there’s a connection at all?” I drooped my head and then shook it. “No, there’s too many victims here to just be a mere coincidence at this point. Something is going on in this city and if our infrastructure was like it used to be, I guarantee we would find similar patterns elsewhere than just within these 20 or so square miles.” I then slightly punched the wall in front of me in my continued frustration with this case. “I just can’t seem to make the connection I know is there.” To my side, John nodded and sat on my bed comfortably before smiling up at me. “Well, I’ll trust that gut of yours. I don’t have any plans for tonight, so let’s look at them together and see if we can make heads or tails with these new files. Maybe there’s something new in them that will make the pattern more obvious once we do.” I smiled and sat down next to him. “That’s good thinking. Let’s give it two hours and then I’ll buy you a drink afterward as a start of my thanks. Plus, I could use a break from all this if we haven’t found something by then.” John smiled and nodded, and we then dove headfirst into the new files that he had brought over. By the time almost an hour had elapsed, my head was nearly pounding in concussive blasts and swimming in the sea of half-baked theories before me. “I don’t know, John. I’m not seeing anything new. You?” John hesitated, but then switched to three other folders in quick succession. “I… it could be nothing but look at their backgrounds.” He then handed the folder to me, and I looked down at each of their background sections. There wasn’t much in them, but I noticed that a continual thread in each file had noted each kidnap victim was single and often a loner in life. For example, one of the junkies often kept to himself and one of the more elite often walked alone at night to take in the night air. It felt like the tiniest thread to go on, but at this point, I was desperate after so many other dead ends. I sighed. “I hate coincidence, but also, there would have to be hundreds more, right? Not just the almost 40 cases we now have. It’s not even 50 in a city of probably over thousands of currently single and, or lonely people.” John seemed utterly crushed by my dismissal, so I knew I needed to backpaddle a little to keep his hope intact and as an acknowledgement of the finding he made. “Still though, it’s something that now connects them all. Maybe it’s an opportunistic thing. Maybe…” Now, when a cop leaves to go home for the night in the past few years, most will take three things; their badge, their gun, and their radio just as mere safety precautions against most of the uglier problems they could face. So, right as I was about to spot another random theory about what he had found, John’s radio popped on. “All units be advised. There is another reported glowing light at 125th street facing the river that was also followed by a large power outage. Caution is advised to any responders.” John and I both looked at each other over the near perfect match to the rest of the cases we had just been reviewing. So naturally, I tried to immediately head for the door. John stopped me though before I made it. “Please, Megan. Let’s just leave this up to the cops who are still on duty. You more than most know of the more dangerous situations regarding power outages in alleyways, especially in the 100’s section of this city!” I hated that he was right, but I nodded over his stark and truthful words. Power outages there were infrequent, but when they did happen from faulty local generators, not being connected to the main power grid anymore and all, the results were usually disastrous. More often than not, they even became deadly due to the lack of security measures in place and the subsequent criminals often taking advantage of the resulting darkness. Still, with a new resolve, I grabbed my coat from nearby. “I get what you’re saying, but his could be the break we’re looking for, John. I can’t just let this go.” I then put on my coat and headed for my door before stopping and staring back at the John who seemed hesitant over what to do. “So, you coming?” He grimaced. “Ugh… please just stay. We could get some backup and maybe some help. I know this could be the big break and I really want to go as well, but you never…” “No,” I interrupted. “This can’t wait. Things are escalating with whatever this is, and I don’t want another person from this city being taken. If we wait, we’ll have another ‘tweaker’ or whatever on our hands a month from now. If we don’t go now, this could hit so many other people by then. We need solid evidence, and I can see it in your eyes as well. You want to go just as badly as I do.” John sighed, but then thumped the wall in frustration and began walking over toward me. “I don’t like this, but you need support and I do want to figure this case out once and for all. Besides, you’re on leave right now and don’t have a radio to call for backup if you need it. After all, you just said that we don’t know what’s happening. We should be prepared if nothing else.” I smiled at my rookie, and I knew that he would be one of the good ones at the station in the future. He still had some things to learn, but he had a good heart and wanted to help his partner stay safe and follow a lead. In my book, those two factors meant a lot when dealing with all the problems in this city. Then, after a short ride up to the station, John checked out one of the off-duty cars reserved for situations just like these. They weren’t equipped with much, but all had trackers on them and a button that could be pushed to alert the rest of the station if backup was required. Captain Quincy often advised against taking them out at all, but they were still there just in case. So, with some reluctance, John drove out of the station and then beyond the barrier at 89th street. Not long after, we saw where the problem was on 125th street. Already, we could see muggers and looters starting their work in the post-blackout area, some ten square blocks emanating out from the original disturbance up ahead. So, while our car was unmarked, its existence alone as an independently driven car without a gang affiliation alerted everyone in the vicinity to a likely cop’s presence. Fortunately for us, tonight, everyone just scattered as soon as they saw us. Other nights could have been much worse, and we would have been surrounded in minutes with a potentially big problem on our hands. Getting closer to 125th street, the epicenter of it all immediately became more apparent. A bright glow seemed to pulsate from one of the usually darker alleyways, one that I knew was a prime location for runaways and drug addicts. It fit our rough profile exactly, so John slowed the car and parked it still about a block away. “Keep your eyes open, John,” I warned. “We don’t know what this is yet and it could be something really nasty.” He nodded and we both got out of the car, him welding his service gun and me my backup weapon that I kept in my apartment for events just like these. We normally entered most situations with our tasers, but technology like this almost always meant old war weaponry, and in almost every case, the criminals weren’t shy about turning the weapons on any approaching officer. Now edging closer, I could see that John had his phone out and at the ready in case he needed to call for backup. Unfortunately, though, as we got closer, the light from the alleyway began to pulse, and then immediately got brighter. Right as it did so, I saw both the phone and radio short out with a small spark. “Shoot!” John called out. “It’s okay, John.” I then pointed back to the car. “Go back and get the heavy-duty radio from the trunk. Cap always keeps a spare military grade model in there for times like these. Shielded from EMP devices and all.” “That what you think this is? You think your earlier theory was right?” he asked as he stared down at his now useless phone and radio. I nodded. “I do, and if I’m right, then we’re dealing with something much bigger than just a tiny gang with old war weaponry. EMP devices, even these days, are hard to make or maneuver around. So, if it is an EMP device, we’re probably going to need that backup.” I then turned back toward the glowing light. “You get the new radio and I’ll go on ahead.” I could hear the hesitation in John’s footsteps, but they soon became more distant, and I pressed on ahead with my gun drawn. I could feel my pulse quickening as I came closer to the light. I saw a few other vagrants from this area, but all seemed horrified or shocked at whatever was down that alley. It made my palms start to sweat, but I knew I couldn’t stop now. ‘Whatever this is, it’s got to be something serious…’ Nearing the alleyway, I could hear John’s clacking footsteps come up from behind me. Bracing against the wall for a moment, I waited until John was back by my side. Based on everyone else’s expressions, I didn’t want to take a chance of whatever we would find. Gun at the ready, I then looked back at John. “You ready, rookie?” John gulped and fingered his gun more tightly, but ultimately nodded and responded in his shaky, but more formal addressment as I had done. “Yes, ma’am… uh, Sarge. You lead the way.” “Good.” I then took a breath and, clutching my gun tight against my chest and ready to draw immediately, I spun around the corner and pointed my weapon at whatever I would find. What I did find though was nearly beyond words. Before me was a giant mass of what could only be described as a giant and pulsating glowing bubble. The bluish silvery substance seemed to slither and shake with each pulsation and almost took on a form that I would compare to that of the type of slime one would make as a kid in science class. I tried looking around for a device that was causing this disturbance, but I frustratingly and confusingly didn’t find any. The whole thing just hummed and floated above the street like some old Christmas ornament. Though, despite its wondrous and near magical appearance, I couldn’t help but get a sick and sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Whatever it was, didn’t seem to be something that would likely do anyone any good. “Wha… what is it, sarge?” John asked from my rear. “I… I don’t know…” I responded, clearly just as confused as my rookie. There was nothing in the manual to prepare me for this, but I knew from my gut at least that any others needed to stay away from it. At minimum, if the ‘tweakers’ we found were any indication, their interaction with this ball of light only seemed to be negative. So, I turned around for a moment and faced John. “This thing is probably dangerous. We need to get everyone away from here.” I then saw the radio sticking out from his belt, but shockingly, even that device, which was meant to withstand a nuclear bomb, seemed to be on the fritz. “Get out of here and call this in. Whatever it is seems to be messing with that heavy-duty radio even.” John looked down and conveyed the same sense of shock over the radio’s glitchy appearance now. He then looked back up and shakily nodded. “W… will do, Sarge. Calling it in now.” I then turned back to the glowing and pulsating orb, and, not questioning my orders at all, I heard John quickly walk away and begin to usher those specific onlookers away from the scene. Another second later, I heard him begin to call in for backup. I continued to stare at the orb, and I tried to figure out what it was. At that moment though, I saw that there were at least three others at the other end of the dead-end alleyway. “You all! You need to get away and out of here as soon as possible!” Most didn’t seem to want to listen, but one began walking over toward me. From his wide-eyed stare and stumbling steps, I knew he was on something. So, about halfway to me, I tried to call out to him to be careful of the orb, but he just kept walking haphazardly. I wasn’t sure what I expected, but I could confidently say that I was not prepared for what I saw next. Stumbling slightly about, the man reached out steady himself with the brick wall to his right side. It was just a moment, but the orb pulsed again. Now, not paying attention to its boundaries though, the man was soon touched by the orb and in a second after the tendrils encircled him, he was gone. No puff, splatter, or boom. Just… gone. “Shit! What the…?” My mind reeled from what I had just seen. At first, I thought the orb was just a new weapon or some odd static discharge from a modified EMP device somehow, but now… the man had literally just disappeared right in front of my eyes after the orb had touched him like some old elaborate magic trick. My heart then sank as I devastatingly knew that he would likely now end up like the rest of the ‘tweakers’ we had found. My only solace in it all was that his disappearance did motivate the others to quickly scurry away. Now, even though many of the vagrants on the other side of the orb seemed to be inebriated as well to some degree or another, each took their time and used a deliberate caution to actively avoid the still pulsating orb. It seemed like a life and death game of limbo that I had played when I was younger, but instead of just being out, the person hitting this barrier would vanish. Fortunately, though, almost everyone made it safely to the other side. Well, it seemed except for one person. She was an older lady, and she didn’t seem high or mentally unstable. She was probably just an unfortunate member of the populace who hadn’t made the effort to come to the shelters downtown and still lived to the north of 89th street. It was also possible she had a relative or a child who was mixed up in the seediness of this area, but regardless, she was in this alleyway tonight. My heart pounded loudly as she ambled about in the alleyway as well as she seemingly could. I held my breath as she then creakily bent under the dangerous orb. Her frizzy and graying hair nearly got caught at least six times in the tendrils of the orb, but each seemed to almost blow out of the way each time. My heart rapidly beat as I could do little to help the old woman, but after about a minute, she finally made it to the other side. Unfortunately, she stood up too soon. I could see the tendrils of the pulsating orb extend outward and to her unknowing form. I couldn’t just stand idly by. I had to do something! “Lady! Watch out!” I yelled out, but she didn’t seem to be able to hear me. So, I did the only thing I could think of. I ran toward her and swung her out of the way as if we were dancing. It worked, but it left one problem. I was now the closest one to the glowing orb. In seconds, I could feel a warm sensation crawl around me. I looked down in horror, and like the other man previously, I could see the pulsating tendrils of the orb begin to encircle me. I then looked back up and saw John had arrived back and had begun to usher the other vagrants away. “John…?” He looked at me with ghostly and terrified eyes but then quickly began to sprint toward me. “Megan! No! Get out of there!” It was too late though. The heat around me began to pulse with my heartbeat. The glow electrified tenfold, and my ears popped from the intense humming now surrounding me completely. Then, as soon as it all started, I felt a dropping sensation and right as John neared me, it all went black, and I was sucked backward into a void of nothingness.

Thank you very much! It's really fun to write these stories as well and I have several planned out for the future, but my most recent one just started posting is called 'The Opening.' The next chapter should be up at some point tonight.

I totally understand that and that's a completely valid thought here. I honestly hesitated to add all that in here in the first place, but I just wanted to get it all out of the way so I could focus elsewhere for the rest of the story. I'm honestly probably going to change it in the future, but I just wanted to set up the whole desparate society bit here in the beginning and why humanity would be open to a deal with the Bigs. Though to your point about 9-11, I have had to explain that event to people who were born after 2001. It feels weird, but that's just kind of history for you and most of society forgetting about it. I also tried to ensuate that John grew up sheltered, but in my rewrite later, I'll either completely re-write the section or add some clues as to his background. For example, the educational system wouldn't be that great and people would likely be even more ignorant of events going on around them. That being said, your point is well-taken and I will try and figure out a way to change it at some later date. For now, especially because the state of the world only loosely applies in this story, I will just be focusing on more story development for future chapters. Now that some explanations are out of the way, the story is really about to take off with all the stuff that I'm sure everyone will enjoy far more.

Hey everyone! Sorry for the longer wait than usual, but I got home late yesterday after I got back from my trip. Not to get too personal, but it was a very long weekend after I went back to my college, JMU, to celebrate College Gameday. We lost unfortunately, but it was still a great and very busy weekend! Regardless, I'm back now for a little bit and I'm hoping to post a few more chapters at least this week. Thanksgiving is coming up and I'll be absent again for a little bit for that time at the end of this week, but I'm hoping that it won't impact the schedule too much beyond the days that I'm actually gone. I already have several chapters written out and this story has been a breeze so far to write. Moving on, I wanted to start with a bigger bang in the first chapter with the flashforward, but I also knew that you all needed a little background before going forward with this story and for any of my others. As a result, there's a decent amount of exhibition in this chapter, but I promise, things are about to pick up in a major way very soon. Anyways, I hope you all still enjoy this next chapter! Chapter 2: Welcome to the Desert of Reality Fear was something an officer in this town couldn’t afford to carry with them. It was normal for most people, but for us few in uniform, it could be seen as a sign of weakness with the hardened criminals we often took in or confronted or could just lead to moments of doubt or hesitation. Either way was bad, so entering back out onto the streets, still smelling the cleanser that he used to clean the backseats, I saw that John was still distracted over the whole bit of the runner pulling a gun on him that he hadn’t found on his search of him. “Hey, rookie. You gotta snap out of the funk you’re in. What happened earlier is just part of the process we deal with, okay?” John nodded but just wordlessly continued to look forlornly over the city we passed by. I could see that he needed some time to process it all, so I gave it to him for the time being at least. We drove alongside the mostly burnt-out and once beautiful Central Park, now just a bombed crater of its former beauty. We drove past the brownstones, former houses of the wealthy and elite, now just facades of the criminal elite or forward staging grounds to assault the main perimeter fence to the south and to the rest of our ‘civilized’ society. Still, as our shift went on, the early morning rays of light cast a spotlight onto everything that once was so beautiful. For a brief moment, bathed in the sunrise, the buildings up here north of 89th street almost looked as they once did. Rusty and some shattered windows perhaps, but still mighty and a testament to what humanity could achieve. “You think we’ll ever get back to how it used to be?” John finally asked with something I his tone that I could almost make out as a spark of hope, the same one that I had seen in so many other rookies before him. I looked into his eyes and saw the same promise that so many others arrived here with, and I knew I needed to be careful with it. Despite the deplorable conditions in most places, the human spirit still seemed to spark in most in the beginning. After a few years though, that spark seemed to fade in most of my fellow officers. For now, though, I still wanted to keep his spark alive to keep one decent cop on the force still… one who would still do their job after a few years. ‘Maybe George would still…’ I shook the thought out of my head and refocused on John’s hopeful question. “Maybe… it would take a lot… maybe a miracle I would say, but one day… perhaps.” John smiled and I felt that I had done my good deed for the day for the rookie. It was a small victory for sure, but with so much going on in our jobs, the hopeful rookies sometimes kept the rest of us going who had been at the job longer. When those of us who had been on the job a little too long or had seen too much would then almost would give up, the rookies’ youthful spirits could keep us going. It was a small bit of hope, but it was still something that we could all huddle around while we waited for our miracle to happen… one day. The rest of our shift subsequently then went smoothly, and we finally got the ‘all clear’ sign from the assault team that the building was now safe, and the Glower gang had been fully subdued one way or another. It was a solid win for our force and beyond a few other runners during our shift, everything else went accordingly with our original plan. It was a tiny dent in the crime of the city, but it was still something one could be proud of at the end of a long shift. Processing our last two prisoners of the night shift, a few local drug dealers peddling their death sticks on 112th street, I saw another tweaker join the other two in the holding cell. Before I could ask what was going on with them though or even process my renewed urge to just give them a hug and tell them it would all be okay, someone called out my name. “Damn, Sarge!” Sergeant Davis shouted. “Another two for you and the rook? What were you… born with a badge on your butt or something? Probably always wanted to be a cop or something, am I right fellas?” Many of my fellow officers joined in with his laughter. John, on the other hand, to my relief, did not. I grimaced at Sergeant Davis’s usual brisk comments but just played them off as if they didn’t bother me at all. “No, actually. I wanted to be an astronaut when I was younger.” Everyone quickly stopped laughing at the seriousness I was conveying. “But you know… most of all that program got cut after everything that went down. What was it…? Five years since the last time anyone even left our atmosphere?” The huddled masses around the holding cells remained quiet, but one of the younger members, Officer Garson, then asked, “So, what happened? When’d all that change, huh Sarge?” The whole station went even more silent… if that was even possible. The older cops knew about me… about George. My face then scrunched into a tiny ball and my fists gripped so tight that I could feel my nails press sharply into my palms. It might not have been healthy, but it kept me from registering my feelings outwardly to the rest of the station. So, after a moment, I was able to reply to the younger officer with relative ease and neutrality on my face. “You know… like most of us here… death in the family and all. After all, someone had to support my younger brother… and well, most everyone here knows how that went…” Officer Garson immediately went pale. He was younger, but he knew that whole story about me at least… most did after a month or so here. It was practically a legend around here with my background and all. If the hopeful spark of the rookies couldn’t get the officers going, a cop with a history like mine did the trick pretty well also. “I… I…” he stumbled around. “Shit. I’m so sorry. I… I… I didn’t mean to…” I held up my hand to ease one of the more junior officers around here. “Relax… you didn’t know… but now you do, right?” He quickly nodded his head and after he ran off with his metaphorical tail between his legs, I turned my back toward the holding cell. The rest of the station humbly went back about their business, and avoided practically any eye contact with me, but I could still see John out of the corner of my eye and his now very puzzled look… one that was continually boring into my being as discreetly as he could. He had the decency not to ask about my brother, but I could tell he had several questions still for me about what just happened. He should know the story, but first, I knew I needed to talk to Sylvia. “Hey, Sylvia,” I said as casually as I could as I approached her desk, still trying to shuffle off what had just happened in front of everyone. “Hey, Sergeant Reynolds. Crazy night, huh?” she asked as she gazed into her nearly full holding cell, clearly trying to brush off the previous incident as well. She was a decent person like that around here. “Yeah…” I nodded. “Must be lots of paperwork for you I’m guessing…” She then nodded herself. “I’m guessing you get to see it all… the usual, the brutal… the strange… Must be so tough…” Sylvia’s smile faded and her eyes narrowed. “Right… I suppose…” Her eyes squinted even tighter, her head cocked to the side a bit, and she then sighed. “What do you want, Sarge? Out with it.” “Me?” I tried to play off as innocent in case she didn’t want to do me the favor I was about to ask. “Yes…” she said as she breathed heavily as she could clearly see through my practiced casual rouse with her. “I know that tone of voice anywhere with you. We’ve been friends for a long time now, so just ask me friend to friend or woman to woman, if that makes you feel any better, okay? Just… out with it.” I shrugged my shoulders and sighed. “Very well. It’s nothing official or anything, but I’ve just got a weird feeling about something lately.” Sylvia’s left eyebrow raised. She usually loved my weird feelings as most were either too wild to be believed or dead right. “Oh? Do tell.” “Well…” I then pointed in the cell toward the three tweakers. “Those three. All came in tonight with the same story from what I can tell. Sounds really strange and all almost seem traumatized on some level.” I decided not to tell her, at least for now, about my other feelings of sympathy for each and that I wanted nothing more than to just hug them to bits. Sylvia looked at each of the three who still seemed to be mumbling that they were a good boy or girl. “I see… poor fellows, but you got a theory then?” I see-sawed my hand back and forth. “Eh. Maybe… Can you just do me a favor and keep tabs on if there are any more and maybe take a look at some of the older records? See if there’s a pattern at all?” Sylvia heavily sighed over what I was asking her to do. “If it was anyone else…” She then leaned back into her chair. “Still though, we are friends and I do owe you from that round of poker last week at Davis’s place…” She then twiddled her thumbs about and I knew a deal was coming. “Hmmm… how about this? I do this for you, and we call that debt even?” I smiled at something so simple this time. “Sounds like a deal.” We then shook on it, and I left after grabbing one more look at the three tweakers inside. It might have just been some new drug like I told John, but I couldn’t be sure after three in one night. Besides my strange internal urge to just hug them tight, I just couldn’t shake my gut feeling over something odd going on. For now, though, that thought had to be put on pause as I left for the locker room to go home tonight. As John and I put our civies back on to go home for the night along with the others from the night shift, the television in the co-ed locker room popped on. Immediately, the room went silent. Broadcasts still occurred, but things like these usually only meant more suffering or mourning or remembering. As John and I stored our gear, I quickly knew which of the two it was going to be. Our leader, if you could call him that anymore with how things were in our ‘government’ lately, popped on. “Good evening, my fellow citizens,” President John Haythem announced. “I just wanted to take the time today, in remembrance of our past, to take a moment of silence for those we have lost.” The rowdiness in the room nearly soon all vanished. It was easily noticeable around me of who had witnessed it all, who remembered it all, or who had lost someone… or who hadn’t in all those dark years. Officer Garson only booed the president while Sergeant Davis remained unusually reserved. It didn’t take a genius to figure out which of the two categories either of them belonged in. For my part, I was part of the group that remained reserved and silent. After a moment, the president spoke back up. “Thank you. Now, after war broke out in 2038, and the two successive ones after that, many said we would never again rise from the ashes, and that we were too dependent the oil that was quickly running out because of those wars.” He took a moment and then gripped his podium tightly. “It was tough, but we, as a nation, endured.” It was hard not to roll one’s eyes over his exaggerated expressions and emotions on camera, but I knew he was just trying to reunite the country once more. Still, since so much of our country did rely on oil back then, chaos ensued and our already failing infrastructure began to collapse further. So… ‘endure’ was still a bit of a strong word to use considering what happened afterward. “Many of you,” President Haythem continued, “went to the cities or mountain towns to look for work, and in this chaos, a new unseen enemy took root, but we endured!” I could hear his speech and cadence rising to a theme of ‘endurance.’ I could already tell it was working with some in the room from their whoops and hollers, but it’s hard to be cheery about it all when you directly remember the first pandemic killing 10% of the population and the second pandemic a year later killing over 30% of those who remained. “Many of us lost a loved one… I lost my sister. It was terrible, but we endured.” He wiped his eye. I couldn’t tell if it was genuine emotion or not from him, but I could tell that some of my colleagues in the locker room were absolutely buying it. Despite his pomp and theatricality, there was a good reason he had been re-elected to a second term almost unanimously. “Then, Escape came out. It plagued our streets and deformed us a nation, but, we endured!” he began to yell out. I could feel a small swell even in myself getting beyond the worst of it from back then, but the feeling was quickly dampened. It was tough… for all of us. Of course, as a cop now, I knew the drug was so virulent because it was cheap to produce and delivered a peaceful high to its user, but back then… I just knew what it did to people… and those who were lost to it. It was the same ugliness and deformity Haythem was talking about, and more importantly, what it took from me… “Even when the gangs grew and the police were overrun right before I started my first term six years ago, we endured. We built the shelters, where I’m guessing most of you safely are now. We, as a nation, needed to survive, so we fought back… we endured!” I could hear the audience around him cheer, and I knew what was next if he was to stick with the timeline he had been humming about. “And, in my first year as your leader, your president, I made sure that Congress passed the Police Act and protected our streets further. So, to all you men and women in uniform today, I say thank you! Thank you for your work!” A cheer rose up from around me! “For your dedication!” Another cheer! “And for being the best police in the whole world!” The locker room burst into an array of cheers and celebrations. I was glad that he was at least acknowledging us, but I still just felt like a useless rock that a bully would just kick out of their way on the road and not give a second’s thought to if they so choose. I knew we were important for the city, but still, it was hard not to get discouraged when the Glower gang had just moved into the building that we had assaulted last night a year ago. Before them, three others had occupied that space since the Police Act was passed in 2047. Things were better in one way, but I still wasn’t sure of a way out of this hole that we had all dug for ourselves. The president then continued for another good few minutes and many continued to cheer him on to the very end. I briefly wondered if they would repeal the term limits of the presidency and give him a third term in office, but I just put it out of my mind for now. The election wasn’t until next year, and I felt I still had time to ponder such events another day. Once the broadcast had ended and the locker room had then settled down, I tied the last knot in my shoes and closed my locker. Grabbing my coat and bag off the bench, I then exited the locker room and snagged a drink from the fountain. As I stood up, I could see John exit the lockers as well right behind me and give me a quick but curious glance. Remembering earlier with his odd but curious looks toward me, I sighed and waved him over. “Yes, Sarge?” he asked as he joined me to one corner of the hallway and out of the way of the others. “I saw you staring at me. You want to ask me about all that happened upstairs with Davis and Garson, right?” I asked him directly. “I…” he seemed curious but that he also didn’t want to pry into my past. I appreciated the gesture on his part, but I just held up my hand to stop him from stumbling around. “I’ll do you the favor and just come out and say it. No hard feelings, okay? Being my partner and all, you probably should know anyway.” John immediately looked relieved and nodded. I then reached into my duffle bag’s side pocket and pulled out my wallet and handed it open to John. “This is… was,” I correct myself, “my brother, George.” I took a second to compose myself and John just stared back at me waiting for an answer about what the story was about him. So, with a deep breath, I began. “As I told you, the last virus took both our parents. He was 14, but I had just turned 18, so I made sure he didn’t get put into the system. I worked two jobs and put my own dreams on hold, but I still made ends meet and gave us a safe place to live still. Unfortunately, all that hard work on my part also meant that I wasn’t around that much… so, I didn’t see him start to spiral and get in with the wrong people. He moved out when he was 18 and it just got worse. I…” I felt a lump in my throat and had to stop for a moment. With understanding eyes, John nodded. “Go on. I’m listening whenever or even if you feel ready. We can always stop if you want.” I smiled, shook my head, and took a second to get rid of the lump. It was hard, but I knew I just needed to finish now. “I was going to go to one of the few colleges left in the city at that time once he graduated high school, but then our parents died, and I found work with the city. The bills got paid, but it didn’t leave much time to look after my brother in other ways. He got in with the wrong crowd and…” I took a deep breath to try and compose myself. “Within two years after our parents died, he had gotten hooked on Escape.” I paused for a moment and cleared my throat. “First two times he got caught were just minor bits really. Misdemeanors, but the third… the third, when he turned 18, he overdosed on the drug. It makes you lose track of reality and…” I could feel the lump again, “and he danced in the street and got hit by a car. He died within the hour… and I was still at work.” John looked stunned, but finally spoke while I tried to keep it together in front of my rookie. Talking about it all still hurt after all these years, but he needed to know as my partner. “I’m so sorry, Sarge,” he said finally. “What happened next?” My anger then took over my grief and I continued. “I tried to jail his dealer, Carlyle, but he went free after only a week in jail. Never could figure it out, but I applied for the academy the next week. I knew from it all that if I wanted justice in this city, I had to step up and earn it myself.” John looked at me and sighed. “You shouldn’t blame yourself.” His words hit me with full force. They were something I had tried to tell myself a dozen times over by now, but they never seemed to be the truth when coming from my lips. “I appreciate that, rookie, but you don’t have to…” “No, Sarge,” he quickly spoke up. “One of my focuses was on narcotics at the academy and Escape is a beast of a drug. It’s all innocent, but it hooks onto you deep. You might know from your experience, but take it from me on this, unfortunately, your brother was on his own path after his first hit. You did what you could for him, but that’s just not always enough.” I gave a half smile to John and nodded. “Thank you. It’s nice to hear that, but I will always feel I could have done something more. It’s my drive as a cop here. It makes me do better.” I sighed and patted him on the shoulder. “Find your own and you’ll go far. You’re already a good person and with a little more experience, you’ll be a good cop as well. And… for whatever it’s worth, that’s a lot in my book.” “Thanks, Sarge,” he said in a way that made me think that he really needed to hear that. I wanted to say something more, but as before, someone called out my name. “Sergeant Reynolds. Cap wants to see you!” Officer Davis called out from the nearby stairwell. I groaned but thanked John and told him to get some rest for our next shift tomorrow. We departed and I then turned back and headed up to the captain’s office. Getting there, I could already hear Dr. Stanislav, the station’s psychiatrist, raising her voice to the station’s leader, Captain Quincy. I really didn’t want to get in the middle of the two, but orders being orders, I slowly knocked on the door to announce my arrival. Fortunately, though, the shouting stopped, and the door suddenly creaked opened. After being noticed by both, I was waived inside by the Cap. “Morning, Sergeant,” Cap said with his smile that usually meant bad news was coming next. “Yes… morning, Sergeant Reynolds…” Dr. Stanislav added almost reluctantly. She sighed and wrinkled her eyes up for a moment before setting her clipboard down. “I’m sure you know that the Glower gang takedown was a complete success,” Cap began. “I do…” I nodded as I saw his previous awards from the city behind him. In his dusty and dilapidated office, their shine could have seemed odd, but it was just who Cap was. “Yes, well…” Cap waffled a bit, “some of those we captured are singing quite nicely in interrogation, and we found out some things… important things you see.” “That’s… good…” I said after a moment of the two just staring at me. I still wasn’t sure where they were going with all this. “Well,” Cap continued, “we…” “Oh, just let me do it, Quincy!” Dr. Stanislav yelled. Strangely enough, she was not known for her tact. “No, doc. She’s one of mine. Let me,” Cap said forcefully yet gently in his own way. Still though, once his usual hardened resolve passed more or less, he then sighed heavily and looked back at me. “You see, Sergeant, the Glower gang is a small group. Important in the city, but one of the lower tiers for narcotics for this entire sector. Based on information from a CI and from a few of the interrogation’s downstairs, we’ve found that the Glower gang is one of the lower branches of the Pixie gang…” The name dropped my stomach to the floor. It would forever be etched into my mind and a deadened spot on my soul after I heard it so many times at trial. “Carlyle…” Cap nodded. “Yes, and he’s only gotten bigger since back then with… well, I don’t need to remind you of that. So, because of all that, we think…” “We’re putting you on administrative leave!” Dr. Stanislav blurted out. Cap looked at her with hatred in his eyes, but he just waved his hand for her to continue as his appreciated method of tactfully breaking the news was clearly now shattered. “Sorry to be so blunt, Sergeant, but the Glower gang is going to be a top priority for this station for the next week or so at least. We’ve talked with the mayor already and our units are being re-tasked to solely focus on the Pixie gang. We can make a big dent in their operations, but with your history…” “There’s too much history there, Reynolds,” Cap interrupted her. From his face, I could tell that he really didn’t approve of any of this, but I was guessing he was in a no-win scenario at this point… especially if the mayor was involved. “I don’t want to do this but just take a week or so off. We’ll contact you when you can come back without issue. The city will even still pay you in your absence, but we can’t have any accusations of impropriety with a case like this.” He then paused and leaned forward on his desk with his hands clasped together. “I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how much the Pixie gang needs to be taken down…” Since I had walked in, I had been dreading the worst, but all this felt like a blow too much. I still hated Carlyle and had nightmares over what that man did to my brother. He may have taken the drugs himself, but Carlyle was a dealer of death that night and had given him a ‘hot dose.’ He claimed it was an accident, but everyone knew he was lying. It happened again a year later when I was at the academy and about 15 times since I had graduated. It had become his signature move that we found out from an undercover that he had even nicknamed, ‘going to Neverland.’ He would have gone to jail from all that we knew about him, but I suspected he now had his hooks in some of the local governances… possibly even this station as well. So, with all that burning and poisoning my mind, once they had finished, all I could do was numbly nod and place my service gun on Cap’s desk. I could still keep my badge, but they didn’t want me ‘doing anything stupid,’ or at least that’s what they would say if they were ever asked about it. “I’m sorry…” Cap managed to spit out as I left the office. I nodded. “I’m sorry too…” I wanted to say so much more, but there was too much at risk now. Something always felt off about the case, and now with my leave from the force and their official investigation, I didn’t want to risk anything. He couldn’t escape… not again. “I’ve seen this before where an officer was too attached to a case and ran it into the ground,” Dr. Stanislav said coldly right before I turned to leave. “This is for the best. You’ll see.” I saw Cap give her another dirty look, but then sympathetically looked back at me. “You remember Sergeant Tess Genaro, right?” I nodded remembering one of my older friends and even mentor on some levels here. “Well, she was a superior officer, but she burnt herself out on a similar case and it collapsed not long after if you recall.” I did and nodded. “Well, you are on the same path, and you are too good of an officer for that to happen to you as well. I mean, for all we know, she’s dead or sleeping in the streets by now. So, please don’t do anything stupid and have that be your fate as well.” I shook my head. “I was there too, Cap. She was my friend but there still wasn’t anything I could do for her or for that case. I promise to stay out of all this and… I’ll do what is best for the department,” I said, practically saying what was in the police manual. I would be the good cop in all this, but it didn’t mean I had to like it. Before exiting Cap’s office, I turned back toward the two of them, and for my own sake, I had to add one last thing. “Don’t screw this up…” I then exited the room without giving them another chance to speak. I said what I needed without being too insubordinate. I would have preferred to help, but politics still reigned supreme within these halls. So, with a sigh, I headed back downstairs and toward the exit. As I was leaving the station to go back home for what would be at least a week though, Sylvia flagged me down. “Hey, Sarge! Over here!” I nodded and walked up to my friend. “Hey, Sylvia,” I sighed, still frustrated with what had just happened, but I wanted to know if my instincts were at least somewhat correct with the tweakers that I noticed were still rocking back and forth in the distant holding cell. “Anything interesting, or did I just send you on a wild goose chase?” Sylvia shook her head. “Absolutely not.” She then pulled out a stack of files and placed them on her desk in front of me. “Look here. Ten files in total in the past two weeks have come in with the exact same symptoms and story. Strange lights, track marks, disoriented and altered mental states… it’s all there, but there’s something more…” I began looking over one of the files. “What could be weirder than the three tonight?” I asked casually, thinking that it would likely just be another one of her facts that interested her, but had nothing to do with the ‘meat’ of the case that I needed. Still, I knew to give her some latitude in her favors for me with these things. “Well, I looked back further into the past three years, and there is a dozen more. So,” she continued with a smirk, “makes you wonder what the heck is going on recently. A dozen more in the past three years, then ten in the past two weeks, with an additional three tonight? It’s increasing rapidly whatever it is.” I closed the folders before me and wasn’t sure what to make of it all. Remembering my upcoming leave though, I didn’t want to leave this alone. If it was a drug that seemed even more devastating than Escape, I couldn’t just leave it alone. I don’t think I could live with the guilt if I found out someone had died like my brother and that I maybe could have done something about it. “That is odd… tell you what though… I’m going to take these files and give them a look. Probably all just a coincidence, but you never know…” “I…” Sylvia began as if she was about to protest, but she just waved me on instead. “Good luck on your possible case, Sarge. Just bring them back when you’re done…” I smiled and nodded. “Thank you so much, Sylvia. I’ll owe you one after this.” She smiled in her own way. “You better believe it!” I then hurried off and stuffed the files in my bag before exiting the station. A quick ride back to one of the humbler shelters downtown on the electrified subway later, I then exited at my stop. Dozens of wind turbines rode atop my building, and while they were a bit of an eyesore after their extended use, I was just thankful for their presence. After all, they and the others dotting the lower half of the city now allowed the electric squad cars, the subway, and just common electricity to run as it once had. Of all the changes over the years, they were the one positive in it all, but I just wished they were a little more efficient to get us out of the survival mode we couldn’t seem to escape. Still, I finally entered my apartment and went over to the bulletin board I had set up on one side of my bedroom. My apartment was small, but I was still one of the more fortunate to be able to live in a place with a separate bedroom. I knew from my own experience that John would be lucky if he could afford a studio apartment, but also it was even more likely that he lived with two or three roommates as I once did when I was a rookie. Regardless, my near-Spartan abode reflected my lifestyle, particularly that the bulletin board in my bedroom was one of the more prominent features in it. Attached to it were dozens of files that I had collected over the years that had plagued the city. If each could have been solved, the city would have been far safer, but for now, I knew that they were all just pipe dreams waiting for the miracle that everyone hoped would come one day. Currently though, I felt in my gut that I had another more pressing case on my hands. Reaching into my duffle bag, I soon replaced the older files with all the ones that Sylvia had given me before I left. She had even given me the additional dozen cases from the past three years she had mentioned as well. So, including tonight, that made 25 cases that we at least knew about. Knowing our largely broken system, however, there were likely more, but seeing it all before me in order of when they were taken into custody, Sylvia was absolutely right about one thing. Something was definitely happening to this city at least and whatever it was, it was only growing in size.

Warning! As with my previous stories, this one contains several elements inherent to the pre-established 'Diaper Dimension.' These include, but are not limited to: Diapers and their usage for their intended purpose Breastfeeding Non-consensual mental regression through various means (Including possible drugs, hypnosis, and/or surgery) References to surgery to achieve various nefarious goals Humiliation Giants, aka, Amazons or Bigs Predominantly female domination (some male) Babying of adults (perceived or otherwise) Experimentation on humans Kidnapping Coerced or manipulated actions through possible means of white lies, gas lighting, or incentives Mild language or use of explitives Depictions of death, illness, or handicaps Graphic imagery associated with any of these warnings This story has not been labeled as mature, due to a lack of specific references to anything overtly sexual, but this warning serves as a 'turn back' point for any readers who do not wish to read about the previous warnings. Lastly, this list is subject to change during the course of writing this story. While most of the plot is ironed out, more warnings may be added if needed. For those readers interested or do not care about the warnings listed, please enjoy the following story. Hey everyone! First off, I promise that I will be updating the DD reference guide soon. Things are just a little busier during this time of year, but I will get to it. Going off that, I also want to note that currently at least, this story is shaping up to be about 26 chapters long. With the holidays coming up and even a vacation sprinkled in there, I will try to post this story as often as I can, but I will ask for your patience during this time. For instance, I will be a little busy this weekend, so the next chapter might not post until Monday. Also, because of that and the at least 26 dyas going into the future here, this will be my last story of 2023. No matter when this ends, I will be taking a tiny break and then coming back around the middle of January with the sequel story to the CONvention. There should be plenty to look forward to with this origin story of sorts and the several sequels that I have planned for next year. Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys the first chapter of this new story! Chapter 1: Sitting... Waiting... Ten minutes. It was such a small fraction of time, and even less than what it took to fingerprint and photograph a perp at my old job, but today, I was nowhere near that old job. Here, in another dimension entirely, one end of those ten minutes was back at daycare. Possibly forcefully mind numbing and a place where bad things could happen, but safe and familiar as it had become since I first arrived at the facility and town here. On the other side of the ten minutes though, the group now surrounding me were to journey into history or oblivion. It was hard to tell at this point, but from what I had seen with my own eyes by now, either was just as terrifyingly likely. At the front of the shuttle bus speeding across the town I had come to know so intimately, Mrs. Louder sang at the top of her lungs to distract the other Littles from what was happening in her own nervous yet excitable energy. She was a kindly figure that I had even grown attached to as she had gently braided my hair a few times and gave me extra snacks when I was good, but I could still see through all her charm and musicality that she was worried about what was to happen next. I wasn’t sure if she could be nervous with what was about to happen to her precious Littles or that she was nervous for what would happen to her if she didn’t keep her Littles calm on the way over. I then saw my friends sitting and humming amusedly right next to her. ‘Why did they have to be so complacent?’ I knew the effects of everything here were powerful, but my friends were now first up in all this madness. In likely another ten minutes after we arrived, they would either be a pile of goo, a drooling and babbling disaster of a once proud adult or would rank among the great successful firsts such as Ameilia Earheart or Valentina Tereshkova in great traveling milestones. While I wanted to admonish them, I was here too. “The wheels on the bus go round and round!” Mrs. Louder sang out as a contrast to my own thoughts of great explorers who had come before us. A few of the more regressed Littles joined her, but most just seemed scared or confused. I, however, was neither complacent nor confused, but I was legitimately scared. My only solace now was that my hair was up in a single ponytail today and that I was wearing my now favorite pair of daffodil-colored shortalls, as opposed to the short and cutesy dresses most of the rest of the women Littles were dressed in around me. Small concessions like that were important here. Still though, from my assignment at this place, I knew exactly what was going to happen, and despite my previous mishap with the room with the pretty lights and a slight burning desire to join in on the song now, much to my annoyance and shame, my awareness ensured that I knew most of the grizzly details of what could potentially be our fate. If Amy was even remotely correct about her warnings about other peoples’ theories, everything that I had ever known could be ripped apart in a few violent seconds as reality imploded over the breach that was about to be purposely formed. My inner thoughts mattered little though, as we finally arrived at our destination and went through the black door at the end of the hallway at the main research facility. I tried anything I could to get help, but nothing seemed to work. Now, to my left was robotics and to right was hypnotics… ‘so colorful, so pretty, so…’ I shook my head and refocused on not tripping over my pink Velcro shoes as we entered a large room beyond a single door. It was the source of current lot in life and secretly admitted joy, but it was also the main villain in all my recent experiences as well. It was a portal device. Per typical of Bigs around this area though, many known and unknown figures clinked their champagne glasses together over the possible success of today up on the viewing catwalk nearby. Most just ignored the terrified expressions of the Littles passing below them and continued to laugh and cheer about what today could mean for their wallets and reputations. Once we were all in, one of the more elegant and reposed Bigs from up there raised her glass to the scientist standing nearby next to a myriad of controls and switches. “We’re ready when you are, doctor! Make us proud!” The scientist nodded and with her black-gloved right hand, yanked hard down on a large lever connected to an expansive and impressive control panel. All at once, the room began to vibrate erratically, and I quickly tasted cooper in my mouth. Each of most of the Littles sequestered in the room began to cry out; some for mercy, some for their appointed mommies or daddies. I remained silent, but tried to plug my screeching ears as much as I could. My eyes shut tightly but when they opened for a split second, I could see many of the Littles in front of me squat and mess themselves completely. It was a normal thing for some of them by now and their thick diapers and onesies or humiliatingly short dresses were a continual visual testament to that notion, but still, to see them all at once with everything else going on was positively horrifying to witness and experience firsthand. Fearful of it all, I even probed my hand to my own rear in the tiny amount of strength I could muster. To my relief though, I found that I didn’t have a ‘mush tush.’ In a day full of bad things, it seemed to be the one legitimately good thing occurring now. Finally, though, the vibrations and noises ceased and for a moment, I felt a tiny trickle of blood exit my nose. As I wiped it away, the portal hummed once more, but this pitch was lower and seemed to shake the very foundations of the building. As soon as this one started though, it stopped. The once skeletal finger-like metal shafts in front of us then belched forth a liquid barrier and was soon still. Reality remained for now, but I quickly saw something even more troubling on the other side of the perceived opening. * * * The old skyscrapers stretched to the clouded sky like blackened claws swallowing the city up. The afternoon rains had produced a sickly ooze that seemed to creep down each aged façade with the same menace as the neighborhoods that were now riddled with crime and despair north of 89th street and the safe zones below. The once proud monuments to industry and progress up here to the north now only stood as stark reminders of a time now long passed and how the world had moved on but only to a darker and more dismal state. I ensured all the lights were off on my squad car so as not to alert any of the criminal elements that likely now surrounded our position. My rookie, John, sat beside me and nervously encircled his thumbs and tapped his foot over what was about to go down in the building just a block in front of us. For me, it was just another Thursday night where I might need to exercise a little more caution with the upcoming raid we had planned for the building in front of us now. “Relax, rookie. Keep going like that with your foot and I’m sure the gang leaders will be able to hear your stammering foot from inside their hideouts,” I said, pointing to the ramshackle old building that was now being surrounded by several members of our assault squad. “You don’t want to give away our position, do you?” John shook his head and stopped tapping his foot. “No, ma’am. Sorry…” I nodded my head and was glad he could take a hint and try and calm down. Fear was a killer on these streets. Now, I can freely say that some amount of fear in a cop could keep them safe, like the eyes in the back of your head or the prickling sensation running up your back when you were being watched. These sensations had been formed after millions of years, so trusting them was natural and, most often, essential. John’s energy, however, was more on the fatal side of that equation. In a moment of surprise, he could panic and freeze. The gangs around here these days didn’t hesitate to take advantage of a cop like that… or their training officer, and I had already lost too many friends in this job to have it all just end like that. “All units be advised north of 89th street…” the radio buzzed from our central dashboard. “We have reports of a flash of light reported at Lexington and 116th. Be advised that this could be instance of leftover ammunitions from the last war… extreme caution is advised.” John nearly reached for the radio, but I quickly stopped him. “Easy, rookie. We’re to provide capture for any runners of this assault. Happens a lot and you don’t want these guys swearing a blood debt or anything against our units in there now. Plus,” I emphasized, “that area is notorious for tweakers and others just trying to get a quick high before fleeing the city. Lots of hallucinations, so that’s probably all it is. Better to stay here and do our job until another unit arrives at least.” John hesitated, his rookie instincts to help everyone instantly still strong, but just nodded and eased back into his seat. “Good. Just wait a few, and then, if no one else responds, report that we will check the scene after we are done here.” John nodded and waited the few minutes I had advised. From our experience together, I could see that he was scared and quick to react in most situations, but he seemed like a good kid fresh out of the academy we had since cobbled together after the collapse to keep at least the lower half of the city safe from the more northern half. I wondered why he had chosen to be a cop here in the big city in the first place honestly, but that was his own business. Just like my reasons were my own as well… “Central… be advised,” he began with a smirk after no one had responded yet after a few minutes. “We are in the middle of an assignment but will radio in after to check it out if no one has yet responded.” “Roger, unit 902C.” The dispatcher then paused. “Good luck out there. Bring ‘em in safe…” John smiled. “Roger, Central. We are advised.” He then kept his smile up and placed the com unit back into its holder on the dash. He was definitely green, but he would learn if he just followed my advice. Turning back to the house in front of us, knowing the Glowers gang, these guys were sure to give off some kind of show tonight and try to make a break for it during the assault. I readied myself for a wait, but when I looked over at my rookie after a moment of watching the building, I spotted him pick up a comic book he had been reading for some time now. I wasn’t the biggest fan of his little hobby, but I at least noticed that he would still occasionally look up from its pages. Resolved that he was at least partially doing his job during the quieter moments so far, I resumed my more diligent watch. After some more time, the temperature began to drop, and our seemingly ancient squad car barely gave off any heat. Soon, we could both see our breaths as we waited and watched. “Damn!” John cursed after a moment of slightly shivering and then rubbing his hands together. “No month like October, huh? It’s warm and all, and then one day… ugh… it’s this! There’s just a bit of nip in the air now. Damn, do I wish these heaters would work better.” I sighed as I wished the same but complaining like that only made oneself feel better and not the situation itself. “Yeah… all that pollution and fallout from out west really screwed up the usual weather patterns of this area… used to see 70 or even 80-degree days when I was a kid. A little global warming in there didn’t hurt, but I almost miss when that seemed to be our largest problem.” “Wow… that would almost be hard to believe if I didn’t read about that in one of the old books from back at school. I reckon there’s not a day now above 55 around here anymore in October.” I nodded and he soon went back to looking at and distracting himself with his comic book. After a moment though he then looked back up toward me as if he wanted something. “You got any plans for all the upcoming holidays? Like Halloween, or Thanksgiving, or Chri…” “I don’t really think anyone celebrates Thanksgiving in these parts anymore,” I interjected. Being alone made the holidays tough. Talking about it for me just made them worse. “I try to celebrate, but it’s hard to have all that Thanksgiving cheer without even a single turkey leg.” I could barely remember the taste anymore. I was only 15 when it all started going massively downhill, but the years since had been tough and felt like a lot longer. “Maybe one day…” John looked surprised for a moment. “Wait, do you know someone with a turkey leg?” he asked with a glint of hope that maybe I had a connection downtown or with someone in my shelter who was better connected than I was. I disappointedly shook my head. “I’m not some kind of millionaire, you know… There’s what? Maybe seven turkey farms in the whole world left? Anyone who even touches north of 89th street like us definitely doesn’t have access to that type of food anymore. Just a hope is all.” John sighed. “I see your point… could do with some hope, but then what about any plans for Hall…?” “Let’s just stick to looking out for any escapees from the raid, okay?” I asked, trying to steer the conversation away from personal topics like that. I just didn’t want to think about all that anymore after… I shook my head and refocused back in front of me while I adjusted one of the pins keeping my longer hair tied up in the back. “Sorry…” John said dejectedly after a second. Soon, he went back to splitting his time between reading his comic and occasionally looking up. The assault team seemed to have everything in order tonight and I was glad that they were getting better at all this. The original police that had been on the force when I was a kid were now all either dead or about to retire, so this next batch of senior assault force police officers had to be ready to keep what was left of this city alive. Often, that meant knocking down a door north of 89th street to prevent any of their old raiding parties from coming south, but if any of them wanted to go home again, they still needed to do it right the first time. So, I continued to wait. It was a good night so far, but still, I looked over and saw what could almost be guessed as a pout occasionally flicker over John’s face, likely from my shutdown of his questions. I knew I had to act… at least for the sake of the future of our partnership… a good partner in this city was hard to find after all. “Been a while since I’ve seen one of those,” I said pointing to his still brightly colored comic book. “Looks in pretty good condition as well.” John looked up and his smile I had seen earlier began to light up once more, seeing that I was actually taking an interest in something that he liked for a change. “Yeah… I know a guy who owns a bunch and he’s replicated all of them and sells them to anyone willing. He was really big into all of them before… well, you know.” I nodded. “So, I get them from him as just a nice little thing I do for myself.” “Fair enough…” I studied the cover. “Crisis on Infinite Earths… I think I remember that one…” I tried to recall. “Is that the one where they ban together from different dimensions to fight an evil or something like that?” John almost let out a chuckle. “Something like that…” I realized how ridiculous I probably sounded to someone willing to spend money on these things these days, but I could tell John was at least appreciative of my efforts towards something that he liked. “Okay… yeah. Probably sound like an idiot, but it’s been a bit since I’ve seen one, okay?” John nodded and smiled. “Right… so, when was the last time you actually saw one in person? Were baseball games still a thing every weekend?” It was a completely innocent question, but I just resumed my posture and stared back at the house not wanting to dwell back on my own personal past. Fortunately, from the lights inside, I could tell the assault force had busted into the place and were now going floor by floor. Hopefully, all this would be over soon, and that John would take my abruptness as a refocusing on the job rather than an avoidance of his questions. Still, I could tell John was taken aback by how suddenly I ended the conversation, but I couldn’t share a vulnerability with someone who had yet to be tested out here. If I wasn’t careful and he was captured, someone could pry the information from him and use it against me. Happened to my last partner… she resigned instead of giving up any information, was let go, and ended up killed three weeks later as retaliation. Fortunately, though, John only looked back and to the building where I was mainly focused and saw the movement inside himself. At that point, he seemed to take the hint and placed his comic book down to refocus on the job. Still though, I had to admit to myself that all this was a mind-numbing task for a quiet night so far. So, inevitably, John soon asked me the question I had heard dozens of times over the years and even asked it myself before I knew the real answer. “So why the assault force and not just us? Or, at least why do we have what amounts to babysitting duty tonight when it seems like they have it covered?” I sighed. “That’s a tough needle to thread, rookie, but I won’t lie to you like I was originally lied to when I asked that very question. Won’t do you any good and with the truth, you may just learn something in the long run.” I took a breath and continued. “As you may know, after the last war, a lot of the ordinance wasn’t used after the Desolation Ceasefire Treaty was signed. That treaty kept a lot of people from dying and us humans from becoming an endangered species in all likelihood, but it also meant that a lot of the weaponry made to be used wasn’t. Then, a lot of it was somehow… lost.” “Lost?” John questioned while correctly looking puzzled. I sighed in frustration. “Yeah… no one knows if it was a quick buck by a crooked politician or just the ensuing chaos of the world afterward, but the weaponry got out into civilian hands.” I looked back to the flashing lights and the tiny noises of the patters of guns going off in the distance. “Last assault before we had a dedicated team for things like this… we lost 15 officers within two months, or 70 if you include those who had to at least retire afterward from all the damage they sustained. Bullets aren’t fun, but chemicals… that’s something slow.” John looked horrified, but also somehow relieved and satisfied at the same time. I’m pretty sure a tiny part of his innocence in all this went away as well as I relayed the failures of the government and the futility of us normal police in some situations, but he needed a tough hide to survive on the streets of this city nowadays. After another half an hour of virtual silence outside, the flashes of light seemed to slow down as the assault team reached the top of the large building. We hadn’t heard a dispatch for any medical services, so the gang must have either been subdued or killed very quickly with no injuries on our side. To be frank, with assaults like these, that entirely depended on how or even if they defended themselves. That was the other crucial factor of the assault team’s existence besides protecting everyday cops: fear. It didn’t mean anything to most of the more hardened gangs now, but even the few that it was effective against was satisfactorily enough for most of us ‘normal’ cops with the odds sometimes slightly in our favor because of it. John seemed to get antsy again and as if he was desperate to fill the silence in our squad car. Finally, he did as I peered out toward the streetlight by the back alley of the building. “So, you mar…? “Shit!” I yelled and then popped open my door. “There goes a runner!” John saw him immediately as well and locked the squad car as he hopped out as well and we started our pursuit in the winding streets. Normally, we would take the car for a pursuit within the city, but the Glower gang had marked this as their territory over the past year and had set up defenses against rival gangs and us police. As much as no one liked it, going on foot was ultimately easier and likely safer in this area now. Our slowly rusting squad car just couldn’t handle the area properly or safely anymore when it came to a pursuit, and in the end, we probably would have just lost them in the rubble all around us. So, John and I doggedly pursued the runner, and I could feel my lungs begin to strain from the higher speeds this runner was electing. I could see several onlookers observe the action before them from their own little shanty towns in the burnt-out buildings and alleyways, but I knew they would just remain where they were. While there were several heavy-hitting criminals up here, most never wanted to get involved whenever we chased a suspect anymore. Most never helped us, but likewise, they never helped the gangs either. The runner fled as fast as he could, but after a few minutes, he became a victim of his gang’s own traps having made a wrong turn about a block back in the heat of the moment. Breathing deeply and seeing his wrong move, I held my weapon aloft as I approached him carefully. “Arms up! You are under arrest in connection with the assault today with the Glower gang. Now, we’re going to cuff you, but don’t you do anything stupid, okay?” He nodded and I gestured to John. “You do this one. You could use the practice.” John walked up from behind me and nodded. As he approached the runner, I hung back and kept my guard up to still offer the rookie some protection. Unfortunately, searches weren’t one of John’s strengths as I soon found out, and the runner could have probably smelled the rookie aura around him. He was new at this after all, and I should have been paying more attention to the little things, but I was more distracted by someone lurking over nearby in another alley. These were perfect places for an ambush whenever they did occur, so, I only looked away for a second, but the runner saw his likely only opportunity and took it. In seconds, he shoved John right into me. Being barely 5 ½ feet tall while looking away meant that my steadiness right then was sorely lacking, so when I was hit by an athletic someone easily over 6 feet tall, I nearly fell to the ground. Being the first to be hit and seeing the attack coming for at least a split second before the impact, John was on his feet first, but he had been too slow for the practiced skills of the runner. So, by the time John was about to charge and subdue the suspect once more, the runner had already pulled out his concealed snub nose revolver from his pants and pointed it right at John’s heart. “Oh…” was all that John could make out with a gun pointed directly at him. He wore a vest, but like most of the equipment we owned, it was at least 15 years old and was showing its age. Sometimes, they would still function at this range, but other times… well, there was a reason we used an assault team now when more bullets may have been involved. Seeing my rookie in trouble though, and now taking advantage of the runner’s focus on John alone, I steadied myself on the ground and eyed my target. I knew I had to be quick. A single wrong move could be deadly, but I was confident that I could disarm him and quickly end the situation. Seeing my move as the runner briefly rubbed his bleary eyes, I bolted up and smacked the gun away from his hands. I knew it was a risk, but I had seen his slight shakes from the likely drugs he was currently on, so I knew his grip and reaction time were weakened in the best of circumstances. My gamble paid off and the gun went flying and scratching across the street as John lurched in the opposite direction at first and then grabbed the runner’s gun once he was sure that he wasn’t in the line of fire anymore. Having been the one who reacted first this time, I was quick on the draw, and almost instantaneously had my taser pointed directly at the runner’s head. I needed a live suspect, not another dead gang member on these streets tonight. “That was really stupid, but we’re going to do this one more time. If I see any of that nonsense again as my partner searches you, I’m reaching for the other one without hesitation. Understand?” I gestured to my still-holstered service gun on the other side of my belt. The runner saw the more deadly option and only nodded and relaxed his stance in defeat. I then turned back to a clearly intimidated John who had just picked up the discarded weapon. “Okay. Give the gun to me and search him again. Do it properly and more thoroughly this time. I’ll be sure to keep a bead on him, but I don’t want another incident like that. Got it, rookie?” John nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” John then forcefully spun the runner around and searched him far more thoroughly. I could tell that he was a little frustrated and embarrassed with what had happened, and I could see that it was translating to his movements. It may have been a bit rough twenty years ago, but now, I could only note that it was good police work in a city so full of crime. Still, I knew we were going to have to have the talk once the runner was secured. Once John was satisfied with his second search, he cuffed the runner and we both escorted him back to our squad car and popped him in the backseat. I closed the door, securely deposited the runner’s gun in the trunk, and then turned to John with a sigh. “You went easy on him at first.” John drooped his head and nodded. “I… I didn’t want to be that cop, you know?” I nodded back in acknowledgment. “I get that, John, and I’ll admit that there’s a fine line between being that cop and just being thorough. Your second search towed that line today, but your partner, be it me or anyone else in the future, needs to be able to trust that you did your job properly the first time, and not the second time when you went a little too rough.” John hesitated but nodded again. “I understand, but… where’s the line? How do I know if I’ve crossed it?” I sighed and rubbed my temples. He was asking questions that every cop had likely asked themselves at one time or another. “Well… asking those questions is a good start, but don’t do something to just be cruel. Show the force out here, but we don’t want them coming back injured because you were adding a little extra to your job description instead of just talking about your feelings later or taking your frustration out on an actual punching bag. Don’t be that cop. There’s enough of them these days already.” I took a deep breath in. “I’ll admit that in the years after the wars and everything after, we had to be extra cautious to differentiate between the criminals and just the misfortunate up here. Now though, all that’s changed due to the gangs, but we still need to obey the law in all we do. To be blunt, these days, if you need more force as a cop, you probably need the assault team or you’re doing something wrong in the first place.” John acknowledged what I had to say, but after a moment then looked very guilty. He quietly asked, “Because of the shelters in place? Is that what’s different now after the war and all the pandemics? Besides the gangs I mean… they can’t be the only reason, right?” I nodded. “Well, that’s exactly right actually. Those pods of thousands of all of us living downtown are the biggest reason due to their rules and all. Maybe annoying but because of those rules, the government even supplements projects like that these days. One of the only things still too…” I said with some frustration. The shelters were great, but for the price of just one of them rather than renovating an older building, our department could easily have been fully funded for the next five years. I shook my head to unload that ‘what if’s thoughts. “Anyways… if you’re still living out here, you’re likely going to be doing something illegal. Maybe 2% aren’t, but then they wouldn’t run from us… not anymore. I’ve seen it happen before in those rare circumstances, but look, rookie,” I sighed, “if you’re going to make it as a cop in this city, you’re going to need a tougher hide but to also follow the line as well. It’s a tough needle to thread, but then, not everyone is cut out to be a cop here. You understand?” John nodded hesitantly but then just got in the squad car. Satisfied our prisoner wasn’t going to be any more trouble situated in the backseat and knowing we needed to take him back to the station now, I radioed in. “Dispatch, this is 902C. We caught a runner, but there could be others around here… especially since our runner nearly came from out of almost nowhere. It’s enough to warrant other investigations here, so we suggest other units check it all out. Could be escape tunnels around here I’m guessing. Meanwhile though, the rookie and I are going to check out the earlier reported lights on our way back to booking if no one else has, since it’s on the way anyways.” “Roger, 902C. We’ll be awaiting you shortly, but no one else has checked out that report on those lights. Please do use extreme caution when dealing with them. This isn’t the first… and they’ve been… well, just good luck.” I raised an eyebrow over what that even meant but decided not to question it further. “Roger, dispatch. Leaving now and thanks for the luck!” I then placed the radio back on the dash and took off, John still looking perplexed and yet satisfied that we would now be investigating the lights that he had wanted to investigate earlier. Arriving at the apparent scene, we ushered a few gawkers away as we heard a few grunts, mumblings, and bits of laughter coming from the nearby alleyway. Knowing this area and that someone was likely just currently hallucinating, John and I both placed our hands on our stun guns to be safe. Entering down the corridor, I could see a few oddly placed what almost looked like burn marks, but as predicted, a ragged and scrawny man stood trembling and rubbing his arms and hands together. I tried to get his attention. “Sir? I’m going to need you to come with us, sir. We can help you.” I wasn’t sure if I truly believed that, but I just needed him to believe that for a few moments as we brought him in. The man stopped and stared at me in one of the most peculiar ways I could have ever imagined. Part of me swore he resembled a toddler’s scared and yet upset look, though it also seemed to be easily coupled with a look of distrust and hatred. “You… you need to get out of here. Bad portal! Not safe. S’not safe!” he yelled. I wasn’t sure what to say, but the man paused, waved his arms about, and then ran right up to me. Seeing John almost reach for his other gun, I lowered my hands and shook my head to ease him off. The man before me could use a shower and maybe some anti-psychotic drugs, but I somehow knew that I would be okay if nothing was escalated further. I had seen this behavior before and I knew that if we all just kept calm, it would all be over in a few minutes. He then started up again. “Bright lights! Bright lights! All around! So blue and silvery! So pretty…” Being so close now, I could smell a permeating smell of urine and could also see what clearly looked like needle marks dotted about his arm. Oddly enough though, I also swore that I saw something strange on a few of his wavering and trembling limbs. Undeterred though, I cleared my throat and I at least felt satisfied that I had easily found the person that had gotten us on this call today “Sir, we may have people that can help you with those lights. Just come on back with u…” “No! Save me pretty lady,” he practically cried as he flung himself into my arms. “Save me! She’ll get me! They’ll get me!” I patted his back for a quick second and then peeled him off me and looked him directly in the eyes. “Who?” I asked quickly, doing my due diligence. “Is someone going to hurt you? Are you running from someone?” His knees began to shake, and his lower lip trembled. I wasn’t sure if he would remain upright, but he finally made out a few words. “The… the giants!” he finally managed to blurt out. “They took us all! Experimented with us… forced us to do things! We were so short and vulnerable and… and…” The man seemed ready to burst into tears at any moment. I had seen odd behavior from a tweaker before, but this felt… different. At first blush now, he almost seemed like the victim of an abduction. Intrigued and wary of what he had said, I tried to listen to his words more, but it devolved into a rambling mess just like most did with these nights in this area. I wasn’t sure how to classify him specifically, but he had fresh needle marks on his arms and a dopey look on his face, so I knew I could bring him in as a drug user if nothing else. Still, I also couldn’t help but notice that his clothes were heavily singed in some places, and upon closer inspection now, the earlier marks on his limbs that I had seen looked like several old scar lines. It was odd though as many seemed like they were still healing, yet still had been fully sealed up. “Sir…” I said exhaustedly and just wanting to get him back to the station now, despite my curiosity, “we can help you out, but to do that, we need you to cooperate with us just this one night. Can you do that for me? Can you be good for me?” I wasn’t sure why I added that last part, but for some reason, it just felt right. His face then oddly relaxed, and though he still seemed sad, everything else almost went on autopilot as he asked, “Can I get a snack as well during that time?” He then paused and dropped his head low, and mumbled, “I was a good boy…” I wasn’t sure what to make of any of this anymore. Part of me wanted to try and snap him out of whatever this state seemed to be, and that he was likely just one of the many now transient homeless people with some kind of underlying psychological disorder, but another part of me just wanted to give him a hug. Still, following Occam’s Razor, I knew that after further government-funded programs were shut down, the masses of homeless living on the streets with a psychiatric disorder had nearly tripled. The shelters downtown used to take them in on a case-by-case basis, but that was becoming less common as the years rolled on. So, in all likelihood, he was just one of the rejected ones and not something else that my mind was trying to concoct. “Sir…” I tried to begin once again. I wanted to get through to him, but he didn’t seem to be budging away from saying that he was a ‘good boy.’ Remembering a brief stint of training I had for these types of situations, and still grappling with the notion that this could be something other than drugs, I decided to go another way. “Well, if you want to be a ‘good boy,’ then just settle down and let us take you in. Maybe you can even tell us what really happened here. We might even be able to get you a snack if you do…” The man stopped rocking back and forth and looked at me with such a mixture of hope and anguish. “I can do that… I promise that I’m a good boy!” He stopped moving for a moment and just sat down on the ground and his eyes almost seemed to glaze over as if he was in some type of meditative stance. I slowly signaled for John to move in and try and escort him back to our car so we could get him back to processing. To my relief, the man no longer struggled and instead just wore a big goofy grin. He kept mumbling about being a ‘good boy’ but I was just relieved that he was compliant now. Now secure, John and I just needed to get him back to the station before any more problems occurred between there and here. “Hey! Get this freak show outta here!” the runner complained when John ushered the supposed tweaker into the other side of our squad car. There was a metal barrier between the two seats that we put up just for this, so John just ignored the runner and shut the door on our new passenger. After several blocks, we finally arrived at the back entrance to the station. While before the wars it hadn’t been much more than a compacted multi-story car park mostly underground and next to the police station, now, it was a fortress unto itself. Being one of the most northern police stations in the city, and while gratefully attacks were less prominent in recent years, everyone still had to be prepared if the worst should happen… again. After acknowledging the two sentries on duty at the entrance, we were let in and parked underground before we unloaded the cuffed detainees. Fortunately, neither struggled as John and I escorted them into the station and to booking. As John dealt with the runner, I processed the tweaker. “They’re coming for us all! This is a trap! You lie! You’re with them!” the tweaker cried while we took his fingerprints on our scanner. His meditative stance had unfortunately worn off and he quickly panicked as soon as he saw several men with guns. I sadly knew that he was almost certainly bound for one of the few mental prisons out of the city, but I hated to see him in such a state. As for the station, they just largely ignored him, especially after his next statement. “You’re with them, but they were all so terrible!” he yelled in desperation. “They forced me to do so many awful things. I wanted to be a good boy for them, but I was too short! Good boys aren’t short! Good boys are tall! Why do you help the giants? Aren’t you like me?” John and I looked at each other and back to the nearly six-foot-tall man in front of us. Seeing as we weren’t in some fairy tale story with giants and all, we both just gave each other the same look of disbelief and pushed on with our duties as both the runner and tweaker were processed and placed into the temporary holding cells. For his safety, I advised that the tweaker be placed into a pair of padded cuffs, but a large part of me just wanted to hug the clearly distressed man that I was now leaving behind. He oddly reminded me so much of George. He even… ‘Easy, Megan. Easy… this job is hard enough without you comparing him to your brother…’ Shaking it off, I then joined John at the rest station nearby. While enjoying our allotted one of two cups of coffee per day while on duty, I noticed that John was still looking down as he had since his mistake with the runner, so it was no surprise when he spoke back up to me. “I’m sorry for what happened with the runner today… I feel so stupid.” Though it was an error on his part that could have gone much worse, I managed to worm myself into his gaze and give him a small reassuring tap on the shoulder. “Yeah… you messed up, rookie, but as your name suggests, you’re still new at all this. It’s practically in the job description to mess up occasionally, which is why you’re partnered with someone like me. I won’t always be around, so you need to learn, but making a few mistakes on the job happens. The main thing is, are you going to learn from today, or is this going to happen again when you search someone who just fled a building that was being infiltrated by our heavily armed assault team?” John just shook his head. “Definitely not. I’ll be more thorough… promise. I’ll even try to keep that line you mentioned earlier in my mind. I really do want to be a good cop here.” “Good and I’m glad to hear that. From what I can see on the board, no one got hurt today, so it’s a good day in this city. It’s not always perfect but going home alive is sometimes the most important thing we can do in a day here. We can’t always have that wish granted but we should always try anyways.” John nodded with a smile, and I gulped the last of my coffee. After restocking our supplies and finishing our coffee, John and I headed for the exit back to our squad car. Apparently, there were other runners from the assault, so we needed to plug in the gaps from where the other units had been pulled from. Passing the processing desk though, I overheard something that piqued my curiosity. “Sorry, Officer Lewis. Sergeant Reynolds here already bagged the find of the century. You’re not the first tonight with tweakers claiming of giants of bright lights.” I turned to Sylvia, our main processor here after hearing my name and then to the beefy and slightly overweight Officer Lewis. “Officer Lewis… you find something else interesting as well tonight?” Instead, Sylvia nodded and spoke up first. “Yeah… weirdest thing… got another tweaker claiming to come from some portal. Giants and bright lights even!” “Yeah!” Officer Lewis said, jumping back in. “Strangest damn event too. Actual reports of some lights or some nonsense like that and then we found this tweaker claiming… uh, dimensional travel. Yeah, that’s it! Can you believe that bunch of bull? Some imagination, huh?” I looked over and saw a woman now dressed in similarly singed clothing and was now also quietly babbling to herself. She was more subdued and quieter than John and I’s man, who was now sitting on a bench oddly circling his lips with his thumb. Strangely enough though, this new woman almost seemed to being saying that she was a ‘good girl’ like our guy had been calling himself a ‘good boy.’ The back of my brain twitched at the peculiar coincidence. ‘But maybe it wasn’t…’ “Strange…” I squinted at the two for a moment but then ultimately shrugged my shoulders and decided to shuffle away the lingering sensation in the back of my head saying that this was something more. “I guess that’s just this city now for you though. Was a weird place back in the day, but it’s just gotten weirder.” I looked back over to the two odd individuals. “Case in point, I guess…” “Yeah. Probably right, sarge,” Officer Lewis noted before shuffling off and to the breakroom. As I exited the station and joined John back in our squad car, I saw once more that he had picked up his comic book and was reading it while he waited on me. Oddly enough, I saw a strange glowing light depicted on the front cover and remembered the whole plot of that story. The tweakers… the light… I shook my head. I was trying to make detective in a month, and I knew damn-well that detectives don’t use comic books to formulate their theories. As I turned the car on though, I just couldn’t get the two tweakers I had seen out of my head. It was probably just some new drug to replace the old one, Escape, because everything else that was playing through my mind right now was just ridiculous. Afterall, portal travel was only something in comic books and old movies and stories. It wasn’t something that would ever be part of my reality in this life at least.

Thank you! If Juventas was taken down in another story, then it's news to me! I thought I created the company up when I wrote Tell Me More, but I have stated that if anyone is to use something I created, they can, but they can't do anything major with it. Let me know if you remember that story, because I definitely want to know about it! I already have another story that will be taking them down, so... hopefully it was another company, named similarly, or that I can at least incorporate my idea into what they did. Such is the way of so many stories in one universe... To answer your other question, the DD can be a shared universe, but like most multiverse plots, there are multiple versions of each. I like to think most exist in this one, but I never want to pigeonhole someone else's work with this. For at least the rules of the DD I've been writing around, you may consider checking out the DD Guide I wrote earlier this year as well. I need to update it with items from this story and Project Nurture, but it has most of the building blocks to understand this universe better if you choose to. Regardless, the link below should be the most current version of Tell Me More. It's one of my shorter stories, but there will be two others in that series at least.

Well, here is the final chapter of this story! With the way I wrote it, it’s more like a short afterward, but I still felt it deserved its own chapter. I know full well that some of you will be frustrated with the lack of conclusion for some of the characters, namely Redge and Britney, but I will say again that there are two more stories where some of these characters will be involved. The first will be a direct sequel to this from the perspective of Addy, and the second, as some of you have correctly guessed, will be the Dark Cliff Prison story I’ve been formulating since Tell Me More. As such, the further conclusions for these characters may take some time until you all can read and hopefully enjoy them. In this same vein, I wanted to talk about some of my future plans with my stories. I’ve mentioned it before, but I have probably well over 30 stories I have cooking at the moment and which are in various states of development. I can type pretty quickly, but it will still take time to pop them all out. So, going forward, I have decided that my next story will follow a cop who is sucked into this dimension in the very early days of portal travel between the worlds. I’ve always read others questioning how some of this happened in the first place, so while another story I have in the works will explain the true origins of things, this particular story will serve as a better bridge for now as to how Earth got involved in everything. Figuring out what exists at that early point in the timeline has been very fun to write around and I’m sure many of you will like Megan’s upcoming story. I will also be updating the DD reference guide, as I’m sure no doubt by now that some of you have realized I have not done so since July… It’s a bit difficult to update all the time, but I do apologize for not updating it for some time now. Due to the holidays and a few trips that I have coming up, Megan’s story should take me to the end of the year. So, looking into 2025, it will likely be a year mostly full of sequels to what I have written this past year so far. If everything goes according to plan, the sequel to CONvention should come first (with the conclusion written sometime afterward). Following this, the sequels to One Bunny’s Journey, Tell Me More, How an Elephant Saved Their Little, and Project Nurture should all be coming out as well. I also may complete one of my larger projects that is almost 40 chapters long or complete one of my ARV stories, but I’ll have to see how everything goes first. Also, in light of these sequels, I’m giving some serious consideration to rewriting some of my old stories to ‘trim the fat’ and structure them a little better, but that will only be a secondary goal with all else that is going on. Regardless, there should be some fun stuff for everyone to look forward to right around the corner! Last, but certainly not least, I wanted to give you all a massive thank you for your support of this story! While I would write regardless of the comments or likes (see Waters of Change if you have any doubt… ha ha…), they serve as wonderful bits of validation for the work I put into crafting these tales. I know I still have much room for improvement, but I cannot begin to thank you all enough for the support you have shown for this story. So, from the very bottom of my heart, I thank you in the sincerest way that I can! Now, apologies for that long blurb, but I hope everyone enjoys this final chapter of the story! Chapter 25: Taking Steps to Something New The bells rang out on a clear midday of Spring and the birds that were once perched on the roof fluttered away in a fury. Patrick stared up into the beautiful sky with the remaining birds chirping about in the blossoming trees and couldn’t believe that they had all made it to this day finally. He had never been married himself, but he had always wondered about it back home. Even in another dimension though, it all seemed very familiar, the bells only adding to the whole joyous atmosphere. “Patrick! Patrick!” Bradly yelled from inside the building. “Come on! It’s about to start and we can’t do that without the ring bearer!” “Whoops! Sorry Uncle Bradly!” Patrick then hurried back inside the doors that his Uncle Bradly now held open for him. He wasn’t really his uncle, but Bradly and Lloyd had apparently been friends for years now and he was now to be the best man and next up in the processional to the altar. Eddy, now sitting in one of the rows in the main area of the building where the ceremony would take place, was upset he didn’t get to participate, but Bradly had just assured him that maybe he could ‘next time.’ Eddy, being who he was after the Psyche program, just accepted the answer at face value with his usual glee. “Alright…” Bradly said, dusting off the suit jacket that Patrick now wore, complete with a tiny flower in his lapel. “I’m going to leave you here, but I’m trusting you to start walking when the music starts, okay?” Patrick nodded and then gave him the thumbs up, but a voice spoke up from behind him. “That’s okay, Bradly. I can make sure he gets out on time,” Addy commented. Bradly nodded and quickly took off on cue to take his position by Lloyd who had already made his way up to the main altar in front. “You ready?” Addy then asked as Emily then entered to walk down the aisle. Patrick nodded as he prepared to make his way out as well. “Is Cara here? Aren’t you supposed to make sure she makes it down the aisle? Don’t tell me she’s having another one of her bad days…” he said, slightly panicking when he didn’t see his younger ‘sister’ anywhere in the vicinity. Addy just chuckled. “She’s fine. Just didn’t want to leave her mommy just yet. Look.” She then pointed toward the rear of the building. Patrick nodded as he could then see through the doors with Cara excitedly playing with her fully gowned and beautified mommy, Samantha. They had all easily slipped into their respective roles soon after the choosing ceremony, and while Patrick still felt some trepidation over calling Sam and Lloyd ‘mommy’ and ‘daddy’ respectively, Cara had easily taken up the names in less than a day. Such was life after her time in the machine. The music then rang out a new set of notes, and Patrick realized that was his cue to step off toward the altar. Quickly reaching over to where he had set the pillow, he snatched it, ensured the rings were still on top, and then began to walk forward out into the awaiting crowd. It was a moment that he could have been frozen in a single ounce of time as he surveyed those around him and the weight of it all began to hit him. The choosing ceremony had been a momentous occasion, but life had moved on nearly as it had been beforehand. The only difference after was that the four of them now all lived under one roof. It wasn’t massive compared to some of the other houses, but it quickly became ‘home’ to all of them together. Now, walking out in front of everyone, so many things seemed to just click easily into place. The first of which was that today would mark the day that they all became a family in the eyes of all their friends, family, and even the law and universe itself. It also just so happened that his paperwork had finally come through last night, so Patrick was now officially a citizen of Libertalia. He still maintained his U.S. citizenship based on a law from about ten years prior, but he knew he wasn’t going back after the five years stipulated from his Psyche contract. There had been tears a plenty when he had told his new family about his decision, but he knew regardless that it was the right move at this point. He had found his home. Secondly, he saw many of the faces he had come to know since he had arrived here. Being mostly locals, he still saw Quentin, Ian, and Darren at the local Littles daycare most days of the week while Lloyd and Sam were at work. It was a wondrous place and none of them ever felt like they were being demeaned, even when they were handed juice in their sippy cups or were put down for a nap in the afternoons. Further though, he now even met up with Eddy and Matilda too, though due to all that had happened and their Big’s previous relationships with his own, all four of them now came over for dinner at least one night a week as well to their house. As for Terra… well, she and Daisy now lived in some commune out west. For their part and from their last postcard, they at least both seemed happy. Amongst the crowd were also Nancy and Esther. Nancy had entered a local rehab program and had been adopted out by a woman that according to her, smelled like ‘blueberries or newsprint depending on the time of the day.’ The woman had also taken in Esther, who had unwittingly formed a strong bond with Nancy in their mutual torment at the hands of Britney. Both still seemed altered from everything that had happened, but every week they seemed to make a little more progress… even if that meant relearning their ABC’s or going five minutes without a pacifier in their mouth. Then lastly, and certainly not least, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of immense pride as he walked down the aisle. He was alone, but his family was behind him and awaited him at the altar. No, he was only alone in the fact that he was now walking as if he had never been paralyzed from that one terrible night. The surgery to remove his previously implanted back hardware had been a success, and even though a few scars remained, Patrick could dance, play, or run with the most active of Littles these days. Being ring bearer today was just icing on the cake as he finally finished walking and handed off the rings to Lloyd up at the front. “You did so well,” Lloyd whispered, pulling Patrick to the side to wait with Bradly up front. “I’m so proud of you, but oh! Here comes your sister.” Patrick looked back toward where he had just come from, and saw Cara begin walking down the aisle, tossing purple flower petals before her as she walked. Her billowy white dress seemed to flap about the cascade of color that she tossed before her, and her white headband was also adorned neatly with matching flower petals. The whole audience cooed and awed over the sight, but there was another side to the whole scene as well. Addy tiptoed quietly behind her just in case Cara had a relapse today. Addy had been working with her for some time now and her former self had beautifully come back to the surface, at least for the most part. Her favorite show was Adventure Sam, she loved to color and dance at the drop of a hat, and her favorite food was now mac n’ cheese, but her personality still showed through all the new stuff in her life whenever it could. She would be forever altered by the machine that Redge and Britney had subjected her to, as evidenced by her occasional toddler outburst or her temporarily reduced physical abilities, but she seemed happy at least. As she had even said to Patrick one day, ‘it’s not how I ever pictured my life turning out, but I’m okay that I have you all to keep me happy even on my of worst days. In the end, that sounds like a pretty good life to me.’ Patrick still fumed in his thoughts over the loss of some bits with his friend, but today, Lloyd snapped him out of it as Emily, Sam’s maid of honor then held tightly onto Cara as she made her last steps up to them. “Hey, buddy… looks who’s coming,” Lloyd gestured. Patrick looked out and just as the music began to play, he could see Sam as she started making her way down the aisle. “Isn’t she the most beautiful woman you ever saw?” “Yeah…” Patrick managed to finally say. Back on Earth, it would have been odd for him to admit to that, but this dimension had different rules and perspectives that had to be considered. While he and Lloyd shared the same sentiment, it came from two different places. Lloyds was from the groom’s perspective, but as he had come to see himself now, Patrick’s perspective was that of a child… a Little. It had begun slowly, and while Cara had openly embraced her new parents in this dimension, it had taken some time for Patrick to feel that way as well. Before today, it felt odd, but now… he couldn’t help but think of the beautiful bride walking down the aisle now as his mommy. Veiled and flowing in white, Sam finally made it to the rest of the bridal party up at the altar, and lovingly, Lloyd gently clasped her hand and faced the central figure now standing before them. Patrick couldn’t tell if they were a minister, preacher, priest, rabbi, holy figure, judge, or any other form that would officiate a wedding like this back on Earth, but it seemed the same on one hand and not matter at all on the other. Two people were in love and were tying the knot as one family. The four of them had been together for some time, but today made it all feel more real… more loving. The figure at the front continued to speak, and finally came to an end. “Do you, Lloyd, take Samantha to be your wife for as long as you both shall live?” “I do,” he said proudly. The figure smiled and then turned to Sam. “Do you, Samantha, take Lloyd to be your husband for as long as you both shall live?” Sam looked deeply into Lloyd’s eyes. “I do!” she practically shouted. Everyone, including the figure marrying them, chuckled a bit. “Yes, well, love binds you both, in this dimension and all the others, seen or unseen. So, by the power of Libertalia and of all gathered here, I now pronounce you, husband and wife. You may now kiss and be presented to those gathered here in your new bonds of matrimony.” Lloyd and Samantha locked eyes once more and after a quick life of her veil, they both kissed each other passionately, much to the crowd’s applause. It was a tremendous moment, and Patrick couldn’t help but feel slightly responsible for being one of the reasons they had been pushed together in the first place. They had the kindling; Patrick just knew they needed a few helps with the initial sparks. Looking at them now, he could practically feel the warm glow of their love now on his skin. The couple then presented themselves to everyone and they walked down the aisle as per tradition as newlyweds. Patrick and the rest of the bridal party stayed as the rest of the crowd filed out toward the exit to prepare for the exit later out to the car. Meanwhile, Sam and Lloyd had made it back around for a bunch of pictures to be taken here before the reception next. Once all those were tediously done, both Patrick and Cara could only groan about, knowing full well that there was a large and delicious wedding cake awaiting all of them once they were done, as the cameraman decided to double check the photos one last time. Using her motherly Big instincts, Sam then turned to her two Littles while Lloyd ensured all was good with the photos that had been taken. “You all ready to get out of here and leave?” “Absolutely!” Cara practically shouted out. “Can we get cake now?” Sam giggled. “Definitely! I think it’s just about time.” She then turned to Patrick. “How about you mister handsome? Are you ready for some scrumptious cake?” Patrick blushed a bit over her previous compliment for a moment. “Cake… one hundred percent ready to go…” Patrick then turned around and tugged on Lloyd’s leg which immediately dropped his gaze toward the gesture. “We gotta go! It’s cake time!” Lloyd smiled and bent over to pick up the Little pulling at his pants leg. “That sounds like a wonderful idea.” He then turned to Sam. “Are you ready, Mrs. Goneis?” he asked with some emphasis on her name as his new wife. Sam blushed. “Only if you are, Mr. Goneis,” she said, playing along to his title as her new husband. Patrick could see Cara roll her eyes as she was then picked up with one arm by Sam, but he only liked the unity they now all shared as one official family. He even liked it more as Sam and Lloyd held each other’s free hand and walked out of the building to their friends. It all just felt so natural and right. Outside, Patrick could then feel the warmth of the sun bask all around him, but what’s more, he felt the strength and the bond by being held by Lloyd… Daddy. It was a gesture they all had done so many times by now; Daddy carrying him and Sam… Mommy carrying Cara. It was simple, but now, he could see that they were truly one family. What’s more, Patrick had long ago once prayed to the heavens to walk again, knowing he would likely never receive an answer to that wish. He had even vowed that if he could, he would never sit or be carried again if he could help it. Thanks to Psyche, however dubious as they may have been, Patrick could now walk, but being held in Lloyd’s arms, he could only embrace the gesture that negated his need to walk at all. Patrick could walk around on his own two legs for sure, but as a Little… as his Mommy and Daddy’s Little, he could afford such luxuries now. As Cara had noted, this was never the life he would have thought, but it was definitely a good life. Even thinking back now, walking into that portal all that time ago, he was stepping into an abyss of unknown dangers and peril to his very being. At the same time though, now being held by his newly appointed daddy and being surrounded by his friends and new family, he knew two things. First, he was loved unconditionally in this strange new world, but secondly, he really couldn’t think of a better life. So, now satisfied with how it all turned out, Patrick just leaned into his daddy and embraced the life as a Little as his new family walked away and into their bright future together.

I had a few ways of ending this story, and this just felt the best way to almost finish out everything. That being said, and I'll say it again when I post the last chapter, but not everything will be concluded in this story with some of the characters here. I wanted to leave some mysteries still intact for at least two other stories that I'm concocting right now. As for Dark Cliff... I've been building to that story since Tell Me More, but I'm not going to write it just yet. I need to figure out a few things first, but it will also be one of the final stories in the timeline I've concocted so far. When we get there, I'm looking for some big payoff points from a few stories. I'll go more into my plans when I post the next chapter, but patience will definitely be a virtue for this story. As for the Cara and Addy situation... thank you for catching those! I usually try to catch my mistakes, but I guess that's what I get for editing all this so late in the day.

So, as promised, here is the second to last chapter in this story. There will be one more chapter (the final one) posted either very early Saturday morning (EST) like this one, or mid-Saturday at this point. I want to rework some elements and get the flow a little better, but I think it will serve as a nice cap to this story at least. When I post the final chapter, I will also talk about some of my future projects as well and what you all can expect in the new year. It was just oddly almost 90 degrees here the other day and I can't believe I'm already thinking about 2025... Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Chapter 24: Decisions... Decisions... “Shit, shit, shit,” Patrick cursed as he paced around the backyard. He knew he shouldn’t be using that language and his TV time for the afternoon would have likely been revoked if this was any other day, but it wasn’t. The simple fact was that in only a few hours, he would need to choose the caretaker that he would spend the next five years with. To say the least, it was an impactful and vital decision that could very well change the course of his entire life. Rumors of past Littles who didn’t choose ran rampant around Psyche, and all never ended with a happy ending. Patrick was determined to avoid that fate at all costs. In the week since he had returned from after his and Cara’s kidnapping at the hands of Redge and Britney, the news had a practical field day and had inundated him with calls and desires for his accounting of what had happened. Redge and Britney were supposed to be made examples of, but instead, a deal had been struck and they had been sent to Dark Cliff Prison. To Patrick, it felt like a major serving of injustice and a slap in his face, but he couldn’t do anything about it. Of course, that day after he had gotten back, everyone at Psyche had questioned him furiously as well, but at that point, he really only wanted to speak to Addy about what he had learned. To say that she was shocked about everything Patrick had discovered from Redge would have been a gross understatement. She was of course devastated to even hear what Dr. Halgen had relayed to him in the car about Cara, but a fire seemed to grow further within her to bring down Psyche and now Juventas. Regardless, Patrick now continued to pace about until an oddly exhausted Addy finally collected him and changed him into his pre-staging attire, which consisted mainly of a pair of tan slacks, of course with an elastic waist band for easier changes, and a blue button-up shirt. It was basic, but Patrick appreciated the simplicity for the first half of tonight. The last thing he wanted was to be distracted by what he wore instead of figuring out who he was going to choose. Down at the party, Patrick quickly saw his friends huddle about. “Hey everyone,” he said weakly, still trying to decide who to choose. Most seemed dazed or distracted by something else. Only one looked directly back at Patrick at that moment. “Still haven’t made a decision yet, huh?” Quentin asked, now being one of his only few ‘true’ friends as Cara was still upstairs in some sort of state and Ian was now more distracted by the music playing in the background than even the state of his diaper anymore. Additionally, his flannel shirt and own bulging elastic pants were admittedly very cute, but his glossy-eyed stare still showed the evidence of his chats with Dr. Halgen. “No… though I’m assuming you’re choosing Harry tonight?” Patrick asked. Quentin nodded. “Yep! He’s just the best. I never thought I would think about having someone who’s even floated the idea of me calling him ‘Daddy,’ but I don’t know… it just kind of works. He makes me happy…” Patrick patted him on the shoulder. “Well, that’s what counts in all this. It’s five years of commitment after all. Probably why I’m having so much trouble with at all…” Quentin stared at Patrick intently. Despite his more relaxed nature after three months here, Quentin was still very much the discerning former college professor. Now, his mind seemed unburdened by anything else, and his advice was even better and had even apparently helped find Patrick and Cara when they had been kidnapped. “Maybe you should test the waters… buck the system and all…” Patrick squinted in confusion at his friend. “What’s that supposed to mean?” “You know…” Quentin wavered, “you shouldn’t have to choose between them, Samantha and Lloyd I mean. What’s the worst that Halgen could do if you did actually choose both? She may be a bit of a stickler for the rules, but do you really think she would punish you on choosing day?” Patrick thought about the notion for a moment. It was very tempting, but it still felt like a massive risk. “I don’t know… I want to, but…” “But nothing!” Quentin interrupted. “As you said… this is a major decision, and truthfully, after what both of them did for you with Redge and Britney, I don’t think they would allow any harm to ever come to you. Plus, the whole kidnapping thing has given you a little leverage around here. I say use it.” Patrick scratched his head and pondered the actions of his potential caretakers in the shole kidnapping incident. “Even Lloyd though? I mean Sam kicked down the door and all for goodness’ sake, but Lloyd…” Quentin quickly shook his head. “Sam was beside herself with grief and anger when she was first told that you were taken with Cara, but Lloyd was the one who began calling everybody up to get everything rolling.” Quentin then lowered his voice. “He even took my advice to use some of his government contacts to hack Psyche and find out if there were any backup plans for this sort of thing… I guess that advice paid off, huh?” A lightbulb clicked in Patrick’s head. “Ah… that’s how they knew about the nanobots…” “Not sure about the nanobots part, but if they helped, then yep!” Quentin boasted. “You gotta give credit where it’s due. Lloyd may not be the most lovey-dovey type, but he’ll come through for you on ends that others definitely can’t. As I said though, you should consider choosing both and to just take the risk.” Patrick nodded over the suggestion and the two talked for a while longer and saw many of the caretakers arrive dressed in their most fashionable attire for the night. He looked around at the arriving guests and saw many of the ones he had come to know gather around each other and gossip about the possibilities that lay before them that night. Occasionally, one would wander over to their prospective Little, but this was mostly kept to a minimum. According to Psyche, it could unjustly askew a Little’s emotions unjustly toward one Big or another at the last moment, so such interactions were heavily frowned upon. Of course, Patrick recognized Chris and Harry, as well as a few others that had come around and bonded nicely with his group, like Bert had with Darren or Daisy had with Terra. They were all there with Sam and Lloyd now as well, but there was also a group of Bigs that Patrick was less familiar with. The other choosing ceremonies had other Bigs attend that weren’t chosen either, but in retrospect, it almost felt like a disservice for them to attend here in the first place. In the past few weeks, his group had been allowed to choose the Big they had wanted to spend most of their time with. It was one of the primary reasons that Chris had stayed with Ian instead of Darren two weeks ago after Halloween. Chris was a fine caretaker, but Bert was just better for Darren as his caretaker. So, with most cases though, while the other Bigs were still in the rotation, per Psyche’s contractual rules, it had quickly become apparent of who was to be chosen… and who wasn’t. Now, with all these Bigs mingling and roaming about the place, including even Emily, though sans Matilda apparently due to an early bedtime after being cranky earlier today, one thing became very clear. As Patrick had noticed since the kidnapping, Daphne was once again absent from all the other Bigs. Still though, the party continued as the temperature steadily dropped. Fire pits, heating lamps, and warmed beverages were all utilized to their utmost capacity. Due to these implements though, many Bigs had to step in to ensure the safety of their prospective Littles as they began to admire some of these warmer elements a little too closely. For example, Ian and Terra seemed absolutely transfixed by the dancing of the relatively enormous flames now heating the party and had tried to touch them on multiple occasions, much to the panic of Chris and Daisy respectively. Soon though, like he had seen with the previous two choosing ceremonies, each of the nurses came and got their charges in order of how regressed they were to prepare for the night they were about to have. It just made sense that no one wanted a leaky diaper or food-laden clothing during the main event. So, as it was, Patrick was in the middle of talking to a now more well-adjusted Tim when Penny tapped him on the shoulder. “Patrick, it’s your turn, sweetie.” Patrick nodded and followed behind Penny, but he was confused as to why she was down here collecting him. “Penny… where’s Addy?” Penny grimaced as they entered the elevator. “I’m taking you to her now, but Cara’s been… emotional today. I’m going to switch with her before I get Ian ready next for tonight next.” She then paused for a moment as they then exited the elevator and walked down the hallway. “I’m really sorry about all this Patrick…” Patrick nodded and felt a queasiness return to him as they then arrived at the door to Cara’s room. Penny looked like she wanted to say more, but then just straightened herself out and shook her head slightly. From inside Cara’s room, Patrick could hear someone slowly stop crying. Penny then knocked on the door and Addy opened it. Looking a little more run-down than earlier, she still smiled over seeing Patrick. “Hey there. I guess it’s time to get you read for the big night, huh?” “That’s right. I’ll take over caring for Cara for a little bit while you get him ready,” Penny noted. Addy nodded and began to guide Patrick away, but he stopped her after only two steps. “Wait!” “Honey, we need to get you changed and dressed for tonight,” Addy said with some exhaustion. “I know, Addy, but I want to see Cara.” Having received lots of practice over the past month since Cara herself had taught him the trick, Patrick widened and saddened his eyes as much as possible. “Please?” “Awww…” Penny cooed as she watched Patick’s tiny little face. “He wants to see his friend. Come on, Addy. Let him see her at least for tonight…” Addy sighed. “Very well.” She then turned down to Patrick. “You can stop the face now, Patrick. I’ve already agreed, but I need to warn you before you go in there. Cara got some bad news today, so she’s a little upset. Just be prepared.” Patrick nodded and entered Cara’s room with some trepidation at seeing his friend. While her room still contained the netting above where she slept and the butterflies on the wall, other things seemed to have changed since he was last in here. Before, she was one of the few to still maintain a relatively normal bed with just some side rails, for ‘just in case.’ Now though, she was lying on her back in her tall white crib while she nursed a pacifier and seemed to cling to her stuffy, Mrs. Blue, as if it was her only lifeline. A lighthouse night light was positioned nearby, and Patrick couldn’t help but notice the rotating mobile above her crib and the nearly full and sealed diaper pail off to one side of her changing table. “Hey there, Cara…” Patrick started off hesitantly, not really sure what to make of what he was seeing now. He didn’t want to judge her so quickly, but things did not seem like they were good in the slightest. Cara adjusted her head and looked at Patrick directly. The two previous burn spots on her head seemed to be healing, but her eyes seemed to be more unfocused than he would have liked. “Hewwo Patwick,” she mumbled around her still present pacifier. “You seem… good… how are you feeling?” Patrick struggled to find just the right words to say to his friend. She was arguably the most mature here, but seeing her in this state, particularly with her bulging footed and mittened pajamas… it was a lot now to take in all at once. Plus, he couldn’t remove the extreme feeling of guilt over his part in all this. He knew it was Redge and Britney, but it was his relationship with her that had included her the kidnapping and then his refusal that had caused her to be put in the machine. ‘Sorry’ just didn’t seem to cut it. “I’ve been bedder…” Her face then scrunched for a moment and then relaxed. Patrick felt like he was going to pass out from seeing all this together, so he quickly asked another question to keep himself from collapsing from all the cascading emotions now hitting him. “Are you excited for the choosing ceremony tonight?” To his dismay though, Cara’s eyes then grew wide and began to quickly fill with tears. “Da shoosin’… theremowie?” Even with the pacifier firmly stuck in her mouth, Patrick could see her lower lip begin to tremble. Right behind him, Penny noticed too. “Uh oh…” Penny then began pushing Patrick out of the room very quickly after that. “Please…” Patrick could then hear a giant wail come from Cara inside her crib and Penny sighed. “She’s had a rough day, sweetie. Maybe come by another time?” Patrick was then completely pushed from the room and the door soon closed without another word. Even with it closed though, he could still hear the cries of anguish coming from within… coming from his friend. The next few minutes were practically a blur for Patrick. He of course still knew what was happening around and to him, but the details were all a blur. For example, he knew that a concerned-looking Addy was trying to console him and then change his diaper back in his own room, but what she was saying exactly was almost entirely lost on him. Then, perhaps it was the coldness of the air when Addy opened his diaper or perhaps the coldness of the wipes afterward, but Patrick quickly snapped back to reality and wanted to know what had happened back there for Cara to just lose it so quickly and completely. He then remembered back to what Addy had first told him about Cara before he entered her room and he wanted to know more. “What bad news did she get today?” Patrick asked bluntly as Addy began affixing his diaper back up. Addy sighed. “Yes… that… I’m afraid that Daphne has dropped out as her potential caretaker. That, and her state today… I’m afraid that she won’t be attending the ceremony with you all tonight.” “Dropped out?” Patrick asked with disbelief. He had never heard of that before, especially for a Big about ready to adopt a Little. “She can just abandon Cara like that?” “Yes… I’m afraid she can and that after you all were brought back, Cara was tested, and she was found to have some… deficits after the machine. Nothing exactly permanent in the traditional sense as she was retrieved in the nick of time, but now… she has good days… and she has bad days…” “And today is a bad day?” Patrick asked as Addy began to snap his undershirt onesie on over his diaper. Addy nodded. “Yes… she was having a good day… walking around, talking fine without her paci… even didn’t need Mrs. Blue, but then Daphne gave us her final decision after lunch. Well, I’m sure you know what happened next…” Patrick felt his eyes swim with tears. One of his closest friends here had been butchered by those terrible Bigs. “Is there…?” Patrick tried to compose himself. “Is there anything that can be done, or is she…?” He couldn’t bring himself to finish that question. “No…” Addy said, now pulling Patrick up and affixing his button-up shirt and pants in place. “It’s not permanent, but she’s going to have a long road to recovery…” She sighed as she began slipping his black dress shoes on his feet. “A lot of Bigs may not want that responsibility unfortunately. Psyche may make some exceptions for her to stay, but it’s not permanent.” Likely in a bit of shock, Patrick said no more. Addy then finished dressing him, complete with a bowtie and some suspenders, and then ushered him downstairs all fresh and clean. Once she returned to relieve Penny back upstairs with Cara, Patrick’s previous state of stupor gave way to anger. Sam had been emotional the other night at the police station, but she had a point… He quickly rationalized as well that if Dr. Halgen had actually done her job with the criteria properly, he and Cara wouldn’t have been taken and she would be going home with someone tonight, rather than mindlessly messing herself and then bawling over all that she had lost. “Dr. Halgen!” Patrick yelled when he finally saw her. Dr. Halgen’s face became awash with embarrassment and quickly excused herself from the Bigs she was talking to. Without delay, she then ushered the angry Little before her off to the side. “It’s very rude to interrupt people when they’re talking to…” “I don’t care!” Patrick interrupted. After seeing the state that they had left Cara in, he was almost beyond caring about manners, let alone any of the other party guests here tonight. Shhh! Lower your voice, Patrick.” Dr. Halgen then took in a giant breath and tried to calm herself down in order to deescalate the tension. There were donors and potential future Big clients here beyond all the potential caretakers who may get chosen in less than an hour. Tonight had to go well for several reasons, but she knew that Patrick needed to hear something more. Thinking back on her life and what had happened to her own Blair, she couldn’t blame him. “I know you heard about them going to Dark Cliff. I can assure you, that place is terrible and certainly a punishment in and of itself.” Patrick quickly shook his head as his anger wasn’t nearly satisfied to the point of acceptance of it all. “It’s not enough. Not even close.” Dr. Halgen sighed. Before anything else happened that night, she knew she had to calm Patrick’s nerves. He wasn’t a celebrity by any means, but several people knew who he was. If Psyche had a chance of coming out of all this in one piece, he had to choose without this display of anger tonight. “But they are being punished…” “They abused and tortured me,” Patrick interrupted loudly. A few Bigs turned toward them, but then just went back to their prior conversations. While their attitude towards Littles could be maddening, it also allowed them to ignore some of the more minor outbursts from Littles. Not even noticing them, Patrick just continued. “And they also severely damaged Cara! Have you seen her? What those monsters did to my friend? She’s been butchered!” Dr. Halgen nodded with the weariness of what she had witnessed. She had grown a bond with each of the Littles in her own way, so to have one of them be robbed of so much so near the end nearly broke her heart. “I have… there’s still hope though…” “Bull!” Patrick shouted. Again, more Bigs turned toward them but then just turned back around. Nurse Erin was nearby and started to come over to them, but Dr. Halgen waved her off. “I heard it all from Addy, but if there is any hope at all, and she’s not just doing some wishful thinking, she’ll never be the same, right?” Patrick asked, hoping beyond hope that he had misinterpreted something along the way. “Can you tell me that I’m wrong? Please, Dr. Halgen…” Dr. Halgen paused for a moment. She could have lied and deescalated the situation in seconds, but she owed Patrick the truth at least. “No… she’ll always be a little different now… changed to be a Little in more ways than we are able to see even now. So, recover, yes, but restored, no…” As if all he had held within his heart was suddenly and terribly confirmed, Patrick almost seemed to furiously light up in his maddening accuracy of the situation. “Exactly! They damned her to this dimension or a nursing home back on Earth for the rest of her life! There’s no jail that could possibly be bad enough for something like that. I want justice!” he yelled once more, even now going as far as to punch the palm of one hand with the fist of his other. Dr. Halgen waved her finger at the Little before her. She had to be kind to him, but she still needed to set him straight. “No, you want revenge, and I understand that… all too well.” She then looked off to the side as if she was recalling something very specific. Again, Patrick wondered if she was a spy like Addy as well in this place, but it still seemed too far-fetched. “Sometimes,” she said with a sigh, “you just need to let things go…” “But I can’t…” Patrick said as his resolve began to break. He could really only be angry for so long at her. Mostly at this point, he was just so sad about his good friend and her whole situation here now. “We were supposed to choose together… how can I just let all of it go?” Dr. Halgen sighed. “I’m very sorry, Patrick. I want to tell you so desperately to give you something to cling onto instead of revenge, but with all the laws these days… They work wonders so many times, but in this instance though, because of them, I can’t tell you much. Redge and Britney, however… they aren’t just going to Dark Cliff…” Patrick raised his eyebrows in confusion. “What does that even mean? Is there another place worse than Dark Cliff within it I don’t know about?” “No… or, well…” Dr. Halgen knew she had to be careful about what she confirmed or didn’t at this point. “I don’t know about that, but that’s not what I’m talking about…” Dr. Halgen took a deep breath in. “I can’t go into specifics, but let’s just say that there is a Big and Middle section of that prison and there’s a Little section as well. I’ll just leave it at the fact that for being a bunch of Bigs, Redge and Britney may not be going to the side you may think…” Patrick felt confused over her insinuation for a moment, but then it all clicked in an instant. If they weren’t going to the Bigs and Middles side, then… “Oh… I see.” Patrick sighed. “I don’t know if that’s good enough, but I guess it’s something.” Dr. Halgen then patted Patrick on the shoulder. “Trust me… it will be enough for them to get their just deserts.” She then straightened up and pressed out her dress and coat. “Now, just try to enjoy yourself tonight and I’ll get you in a little bit for the main ceremony.” Patrick nodded and mulled about the party. At one point, he even grabbed a pigs-in-a-blanket from one of the nearby snack trays, something that had been specially requested by the group last week when they were planning tonight out. Then finally, Dr. Halgen wrangled up all the Littles and brought them inside. “Now, I want all of you to reflect on your journey getting to tonight.” Most of the Littles, including Patrick closed their eyes and thought about when they first pulled up to the facility here. “When you came to us, you were damaged or sick or just felt that something wasn’t right about yourselves. Through hard work and a little of our technology though, each of you has come so far.” She paused for a moment until all the Littles around her were smiling. “There… you can open your eyes now. Take in the moment and luxuriate in it.” The group did and Patrick felt nearly positively giddy about what was about to happen. From the looks of his fellow group members, they seemed to feel similar emotions as well. “Tonight, is for you,” Dr. Halgen continued. “In a moment, I’m going to go out and introduce all of you. Come out when I call your name and just stand at the microphone and say who you want your caretaker to be. I guarantee that whoever you choose will take care of the rest afterward.” She smiled and then walked to the curtain that had been set up to the door to the back deck which was now the main stage. Before exiting, she turned around. “Good luck to you all. It’s been wonderful knowing each and every one of you. I’m so very proud.” Once Dr. Halgen was outside, the Littles inside practically buzzed with excitement. While Patrick still felt the same, he felt butterflies flutter about his stomach as knew he was going to take a risk if the plan he had concocted while outside went off as he wanted. If he did it right though, it could solve multiple problems, and that was the notion that he clung to with every fiber of his being. He just hoped that Dr. Halgen would be okay with his plan and that Sam and Lloyd had gotten his note that he slipped to them before following Dr. Halgen back here. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!” Dr. Halgen then announced from outside on the back deck. “It’s a pleasure to have you all here with us tonight. As I’m sure you are aware, this batch of Littles has been through quite the ordeal to get here. We here at Psyche are pleased to announce that those you will see tonight are still ready and eager to choose their new caretaker. This is a time-honored tradition and their resilience in the face of adversity, be it disease or some crazed Bigs,” the Bigs laughed a bit, “is a testament to the successful work we do here.” The crowd then cheered loudly. Patrick knew her words had to be carefully chosen after she had mentioned that all Littles that they would see tonight were fine. Cara was still upstairs and certainly wasn’t fine, but she wasn’t choosing tonight and therefore wouldn’t be seen. It bugged him to no end, but he just crossed his fingers as Dr. Halgen continued to speak, still worrying about his own matters more in that one moment. “And now, let’s have a round of applause for our first Little!” she cheered. “Let’s hear it for Ian!” Ian hesitated for a moment, but Quentin and Patrick helped their more progressed friend out and guided him toward the opening curtains that led to the stage right beyond. Their whispered promise of seeing Chris out there didn’t hurt matters either. Then, one by one, his four fellow Littles down here tonight each went and chose the caretaker that Patrick had suspected they would. Littles were many things, but spontaneous with their affections toward a Big was rarely one of them. Finally, he was alone and knew he would be next. “Yes, wonderful decision, Terra. Well done.” She then paused. “Now, last but certainly not least, the Little who braved the most despicable Bigs and came out the other side, I give you, Patrick!” The audience broke into another thunderous applause and Patrick slowly stepped through the curtain. The lights all shone brightly into his face, and he had to shield himself for a moment until his eyes could get adjusted. Fortunately, having done this dozens of times before, Dr. Halgen was prepared for this contingency and gently reached down and guided Patrick to the microphone before him. “Go ahead, sweetie,” she said kindly after returning to her own microphone. “Tell us who you choose.” Now, normally, the Little would just excitedly babble or yell out a single name and there would be a tender moment between the Little in question and their newly chosen caretaker. Patrick had other ideas though. He then took the microphone and leaned in closely to ensure everyone could hear him properly. “Hello everyone. I’m Patrick.” He quickly looked back at Dr. Halgen, who seemed to have grown pale from anger or shock at his deviation from the norm. He couldn’t tell what she would do, but he knew that he had to just press on and hope that she wouldn’t stop him. “As Dr. Halgen has told you all, I was kidnapped by two Bigs. It was a harrowing experience for me, but one other as well.” Many of the Bigs leaned in and some even gasped, having only heard the story from the news or secondhand. “She… well, I won’t speak for her, but she’s my friend. She should be up here tonight with me, but she’s not.” Dr. Halgen then quickly walked over and nearly grabbed the microphone away to end all this, but fortunately, one of the Bigs shouted, “Let him speak!” This was then followed by several others chanting the same, so instead, Dr. Halgen just did a little bow and backed up. “Thank you,” Patrick continued. “I won’t take much more of your time up, but I was faced with a challenge tonight. One that most Littles never find themselves in. I had the love of two near-perfect Bigs and they held my affection as well, which gave me dilemma in all this. Then, I had an idea though.” Patrick then scanned the crowd and finally saw that both Sam and Lloyd were now practically attached at the hip. On cue, as he had instructed and asked them for their permission in his note, both gave him a thumbs up as an answer to his question. Patrick smiled widely. “As I was saying, I had a dilemma of two Bigs, but there are now two Littles in need of a home. So, I choose both… and for Cara to come with us.” The entire crowd remained silent for a moment, and all seemed to turn toward Dr. Halgen. Finally, one asked the most pertinent question, “Is that even allowed?” The spotlight then refocused on Dr. Halgen. After some clear debate with herself, she finally spoke back up. “Wait… only a couple can take in a Little if they’re together according to the contract. No hookups are allowed. So, are you…?” “We moved in together a month ago!” Sam and Lloyd then shouted triumphantly together. Clearly shocked, but now confirming that all was above board according to the letter of the law and the contract, Dr. Halgen nodded. “Very well. The decision stands!” As if a giant balloon of anticipation had then popped, the whole crowd burst into a series of cheers. For their part, both Sam and Lloyd rushed up to the stage and a gleefully running Patrick then practically leapt into their arms and they all hugged each other tightly. After a moment, Lloyd then propped him up on his shoulders and the trio practically danced through the cheering crowd, all perfectly happy with how everything had turned out. Dr. Halgen was flabbergasted by the whole situation, but just smiled at the outcome. She knew most thought of her as a stick in the mud, but everything had to be legal here. If anything was wrong, Juventas could intervene, and then everything would be ruined. After some minor closing remarks that she wasn’t even sure could be heard, she stepped off the stage. At once, she quickly noticed a saddened Addy off to one side of the cheering crowd. Having already witnessed her own Littles choose their new caretakers, Erin was now taking her shift with Cara upstairs. “You okay, Addy?” Dr. Halgen asked her friend and clearly exhausted nurse. “Yeah…” she mumbled out. “Just so hard when they leave, you know… particularly this one…” Dr. Halgen nodded. “I never envy you nurses with your job, but you know why you couldn’t be his caretaker this round, right?” Addy nodded. “We just have too much at stake with this operation, and like you figured out the other week, Patrick was great, but he ultimately wasn’t the one.” Addy sighed. “I know Kelsey, but still… makes me wonder if there will ever be a one that I would quit this place for and then move onto the second phase of this whole plan that’s been concocted.” “Funny you should mention that… Just one moment.” Dr. Halgen then stepped away for a minute and returned with a manilla folder in her hands. “New batch coming tomorrow. I think I have a very interesting candidate for you this time… if you want that is.” Addy took the folder with some curiosity and opened it up. Inside was a picture of chestnut haired Little with round features. He would have been adorable in every sense of the word, but his eyes conveyed a sense of past horrors and immense sadness as they sunk back into his face. Curious, she read further down. “Oliver Maxson… stage 4 skin cancer and it’s spread to several of his other vital organs… five months to live at best, and… is this accurate?” Dr. Halgen nodded her head. “Says here that he has severe anxiety and likely PTSD from his time undercover with the DEA… why isn’t he at the facility in New Eboracum with the rest of the service personnel up there?” “He wasn’t injured in the line of duty,” Dr. Halgen explained. “According to Juventas, that facility is only for people who were harmed while in the service. His main problem occurred afterward and Juventas doesn’t care about medical issues like PTSD when it comes to placement in the various Psyche facilities. You know that’s one of the reasons that Emily and I included you in on this whole operation in the first place. Things have to change.” “I know, but…” Addy looked back down at the file and felt a strong pang of desire to help this poor Little out. Like many others, she felt a duty to her new patients, but Oliver seemed… different. “I’ll do it. Give him to me tomorrow. I’ll look after him.” Dr. Halgen smiled. “I’m glad to hear it. Now, let’s go enjoy the rest of the party.” Addy nodded and then looked over to the cheering trio still celebrating their triumph from tonight as they were surrounded by all the other successful Little and Big pairings as well. “I’m glad Cara is going with them. They do seem like the sort of people that can help her now. If I can’t, I’m glad that she’ll have them at least with Patrick.” Dr. Halgen smiled and brought her friend back into the main hustle of the crowds at the party. They couldn’t be gone too long being seen together. Juventas still remained in the dark about the little scheme they were cooking up to bring it all down. Now, they just needed time, but for tonight at least, they could be happy in their shared success with everyone. Meanwhile, Patrick bent down and hugged Lloyd tightly. Sam was right next to them and hugged her two men about as hard as she could. Each had a reason to be happy and each wondered about their future together. Patrick though, thought about it the most, and high above everyone, even in the chilly night air, he could feel a warmth surge through his heart and entire body. His family could never be replaced, but he knew that they would be happy that he had found people that could love and support him as much as they had. Cara would get the help she needed, he would get the family he wanted, and Sam and Lloyd would take home the Littles they had been searching for years for. For the moment, all seemed peaceful. In all the frivolity and celebrations, however, Patrick had only one thought remaining; what would the future bring?

I hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween! I do sort of wish I had written one of my planned-out Halloween stories this year, but this has still definitely been a really fun story to write, and if your all’s comments are anything to go by, I think you seem to like this story as well. Firstly, just to clarify, I know it is tempting to think that Britney was wetting herself or something like that, but I was actually thinking that she and Redge were kissing. For now, I’ll just say that she isn’t in them right now… Secondly, and going off that, please know that this is technically the first part of three stories. There will be a sequel to this one (which I have already all planned out in the future) and there will be another that is the conclusion in a sense for a few of my stories. Hint, it will be dark… So, keeping that in mind, just know that not all arcs will be completed in this story. I know that will come as a disappointment to some of you, but I’ve left little crumbs at the end of each of some of the arcs that will tie into the later stories. The next chapter needs to be reworked a little bit to flow better, but if it isn’t posted by tomorrow, I should have it up by Friday. By then, I should have a better idea of when I will post the final chapter, but that should be either Friday or Saturday, barring any complications. As such, for those of you keeping track, this story should be completed this week, so keep a weather eye out! Lastly, I felt that Patrick calling Samantha ‘Sam’ was just a natural progression of his relationship with her. That being said, I stupidly just realized that the old man at the marina who was friends with Lloyd was also called Sam previously. As such, while I’ll keep Adventure Sam the way it is, I will be changing the old mans name to ‘Sean.’ Sorry if there was any confusion. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this next chapter! Chapter 23: The Darkness and the Unknown Darkness can refer to many things across one’s life. There is a reason it is a prevalent theme in so many stories, even the ones being read to all the Littles in this dimension. Sure, every Little knew full well that the fairy princess would easily conquer it all, but the darkness was still there. After all, darkness had been one of the main reasons that Ian couldn’t sleep without his favorite blankie, Terra couldn’t close her eyes until someone read her a bedtime story, or even why Patrick had a nightlight in his room and now had loved Tad so dearly. They were all barriers against the crushing weight of the darkness and what it could hold. As such, when Patrick had next woken up though, he deeply wished he could have been holding Tad in that very moment. Usually, when waking up, Patrick was comfortable and in a safe, warm environment. It may have been in the dubious clutches of Psyche, but Addy’s face was a welcome sight, particularly after Patrick had started waking up messy as well. It was just another part of life here in this dimension that he had come to expect, but even the most disastrous of full diapers was preferable to how he now found himself. Even through the dark upon opening his eyes, he could see that he was greeted by an expansive room that housed various bits of equipment and supplies. Most disturbingly though, he was now strapped into a chair like those in a dentists’ office and that he now only wore an open front-snapped onesie and what most would consider to be a ‘crawler diaper.’ It was known as that due to its design particulars that almost inevitably forced the wearer to crawl. Walking was possible in theory, but sadly, while wearing it, the poor Little would likely be faster and more comfortable if they just crawled… that is if they could. Now, the dancing figures of Naomi and Oliver just seemed to mock him from the waistband as Patrick began struggling to valiantly, but ultimately, futilely escape his all-encompassing bonds. With a creak, the heavy metal door in the room then opened, and after the lights were flicked on, Patrick could see a widely grinning Britney and Redge as they entered. Britney was dressed in a lab coat while Redge still sported his paramilitary gear from when he had assaulted the Psyche facility with the other mercenaries that Patrick now saw posted outside the room. “Ah, good! I see you’re up!” Redge exclaimed after seeing the struggling form of Patrick. “You won’t get away with this Redge,” Patrick said bitterly, temporarily ceasing his struggling. Redge held up his finger. “No, no. It’s Daddy from now on. And it better stay that way unless you want to make it something not of your choice…” he threatened. “We have that ability, so don’t tempt us.” Patrick gulped but didn’t say a word. Redge didn’t press the issue further, so Patrick decided to just remain silent for the time being. If he didn’t speak, he wouldn’t have to say that name. “Now,” Redge continued, “as you may have noticed by now, we aren’t just in some simple shack in the middle of nowhere. There is no escape from here and we made sure we captured you without Tad. All the stuffed animals they give you have tracker chips in them. Ironic, isn’t it?” he mused. “If you had just given in a little more to those impulses that I know you have by now, you might not actually be in this situation. You’d be cuddled up with your little frog back at Psyche. Instead, though, I can honestly say that after three days, they probably have given up on you with their main search efforts. Pity.” “Three days!” Patrick exclaimed, trying to move beyond the fact that Tad had a tracker in him. “Yes,” Britney confirmed. “We wanted to make sure that everything was in order before we began. Our other test subject was the perfect guinea pig for the machine behind you.” Patrick tried to crane his neck backward, but even at his greatest stretch, he could still only make out the start of a metallic dome behind and above him. “It’s one of the devices we stole from Juventas. Nasty piece of machinery I worked on while there, but if you’re really good, we’ll never have to turn it on,” she threatened. Patrick didn’t need to be told twice about the legitimacy of her threats. The shot she carried with her and had injected him with when he was originally with Redge in that changing room was still a powerful reminder of her genius, and that was what she had just carried around with her. Even more recently, the pulse that had at least temporarily knocked out Psyche’s barrier and his and Cara’s wristbands was something extremely potent. If this machine was even a fraction as impressive as that had been, he didn’t like his chances. He exhaled sharply. “And what do I have to do to be good?” Redge smiled in a way that made Patrick’s stomach instantly grow queasy. “It’s quite simple actually. Become mine and Britney’s.” Patrick stared at them oddly for a moment. “Oh, right. We didn’t tell you yet.” Redge and Britney then came together, and Britney flashed a large ring on her finger at Patrick. “We got married!” they said in unison with an unnatural amount of joy for how Patrick had come to view them. Newlyweds, sure, but Redge and Britney? It felt like a pact between two supervillains rather than something out of a romance novel. Britney then went about and continued to mess with a few dials on a screen as well as some beakers nearby to her. “As I was saying,” Redge continued, “it’s very simple. Submit to us fully and we can all leave together as one big family.” “Submit to you?” Patrick asked with a persistent queasiness that just didn’t seem to want to leave. “What does that mean exactly?” Redge sighed. “Not a good start for asking questions right off the bat, but I suppose I can indulge your question this once…” Redge then walked over to him and patted the thick diaper now attached to Patrick’s waist. “You will be my Little in every sense of that word. We may need to make some modifications to you, but Britney and I will give you a life that most Littles could only dream of afterward. With our combined resources, you could spend the summers in Albion and the winters in Catalon or Itali.” Patrick frowned at the pitch that Redge was giving him. While traveling around the world was a an intensely enticing offer, the ‘modifications’ part didn’t seem as much. From everything that Redge had told him and reminisced about, Patrick had no illusions that being a ‘true’ Little would mean that he was to be practically seen and not heard. Walking was a maybe at best, solid foods were likely only a dream, and his mental status was questionable on the best of days. It was a fate worse than death for most Little who found themselves in this exact dreaded position before. There was only one reply he could muster. “No…” Redge’s smile quickly vanished, and he shook his head in disappointment and frustration. “I thought you might say that.” Redge twiddled his fingers together for a moment, but then stopped and stared back up at Patrick. “I feel that right now, you are clinging on to the hope that Psyche and all their little nurses are there to help you… well, I’m here to tell you that they are not.” Patrick had figured as much from his conversations previously with Addy, but he also recognized this tactic as a last measure of a desperate man. Considering the influence that Redge once had within the facility, he may know more than the average Big, so he let him talk further and believe that he was dumbstruck with this new revelation. “Yes… that’s right. Psyche, the people supposed to be helping you all out, are secretly regressing you all with small amounts of drugs and subliminal messaging at night and on the TV.” Patrick held it within himself not to roll his eyes over the tone that Redge was adopting now. If this was one of the cartoons on TV, Redge would be laughing maniacally and rubbing his hands together or twirling his mustache if he had one. Still, he was giving up the secrets that he and Addy had desired. If he ever got out of here, he had to tell her everything that he was learning now. Maybe one day, all this would be worth it. “And what’s more, big ole pharma is backing it all up!” he proudly declared. “Yes! Juventas themselves is supplying the drugs and ensuring that Bigs get the Littles they want with their drugs for them to just turn around and buy more products from their company after they adopt! It’s the perfect system. In fact, to top it all off, there’s even the incentives program, but I don’t need to go into that with you. No, you just need to know that these people you are clinging to have been lying to you from the very start! With one hand, they are building your legs backs up, but with the other, they are plummeting you into your second infancy.” Redge paused for a moment and then crossed his arms and smirked at Patrick. “So, I look pretty good now comparatively, huh?” Patrick thought about it for a moment, but then spoke with a vigor he hadn’t known in years. Never was he so sure of something in his life. “Fine, you are right. Psyche are all a bunch of liars and Juventas is their puppet master. But,” Patrick emphasized, “they gave me back my legs… my very ability to walk freely… and all for maybe the price of my maturity, sure. You, however, are just a dick. It’s still a no.” Patrick’s words hung in the air for a moment. He could tell that Britney wanted to intervene so badly, but she just maintained her position over by one of the counters where she was busily working on something in the room. Finally, though, a disheartened but steadily fuming Redge spoke up as he glared menacingly back at Patrick. “I was hoping my skills of persuasion would have worked on you. I gave you two chances… more than any other normal Little would ever get, but I guess we have to do this the hard way. Shame too…” He then looked over at a now smiling Britney. “Looks like you were right again, babe.” “Of course, I was, dear,” she said before reaching over to a nearby walkie-talkie and speaking into it. “We need to do an exchange. Get her. Get his friend. Now.” Patrick’s eyes bulged out when he realized they were talking about Cara. All at once, he remembered back to when Redge had noted that she had been brought here as part of a contingency plan if he had ever refused. “Wait! Please no! I’ll comply, I’ll comply! Just leave her alone. Please!” Redge didn’t seem to be budging. “Why are you doing this? Do you really have so much hate for me?” he cried out in desperation. Redge shook his head. “Not at all, baby. This isn’t even revenge for getting me blacklisted in this country from ever adopting here again legally or for all the police who have been after me since. No… all this is for you to understand.” Redge sighed. “I’m sorry, little one. You need to understand who is in charge here now. ‘No’ isn’t a word that Littles use. Or if they do, they don’t for very long afterwards. Perhaps after this, you will learn your lesson. You will understand your place in this world finally.” Redge then paused and tapped a nearby control panel. “I would hate to have to get nasty with you.” Patrick wanted to scream and curse and spit at this terrible figure before him, but sadly as Redge had noted, he was learning who was in charge. Any more defiance would only work against him, or worse, Cara, at this point. So, when Redge rebuttoned his onesie, he only fumed inside. When the mercenary came in and he was unstrapped and taken away, Patrick only complied and did what he was told. Even when he was carried out by the mercenary and passed by a terrified Cara being carried away by another mercenary back towards the machine, he could only whimper out a tiny, “I’m sorry.” The mercenary then nearly dropped him in the room where Cara had been carried away from. Once the metal door to the room clanged shut and the mercenary had left, Patrick looked around. Having grown accustomed to some of the aspects of a Little lifestyle, as much as it slightly behooved him still to say, his own room had become somewhat of a nursery. Based on the furniture in this room, he supposed he could have called this room a nursery, but it was far from ‘cozy’ nature that he had come to expect from a similarly labeled room for a Little that was supposedly even remotely cared about. Faded and peeling in spots, the yellow wallpaper covered most of the walls with old images of cartoons long off the air. Metal support beams were exposed in some areas and the changing table seemed more clinical than loving. In some sick way, Patrick was actually glad to have such a thick diaper on, if only to avoid using that particular table for as long as possible. Looking around further, the floor was divided into two spaces. One half of the room was a series of checkered tiles that contained the furniture aspects, like the changing table, while the half he was in, was some sort of faded colorful foam mat pattern of blocks interlaced together. Shifting his eyes further into the room, he saw that he wasn’t alone. “H… hello?” he asked hoarsely. One figure seemed to only twitch on the floor near one wall and the other figure just kept still facing the other direction. As Cara had just been in here, they might have known more, so Patrick sighed and began crawling over to them. Getting closer though, he could see two big problems. The first was that the woman on the far end of the room near the wall was nearly Big-sized and did little but twitch spastically and drool over her barely covered body. It took a second with the second figure, but he quickly recognized her as the Little he had seen accompanying Britney before, and her scars were still very prominent. Not even sure if she could even respond anymore, he gently tapped her on the shoulder. “Hello… I’m Patrick. What’s your name?” To his partial surprise, the woman then tried desperately to get the pacifier out of her mouth. He could have helped her, but there was a shocking amount of fight in her eyes. Having been helpless himself before, he knew that she had to do this task herself as a point of pride. Finally, she managed to pop it from her mouth. “Nancy…” she said, almost putting too much of an emphasis on the last syllable of the word. Despite her defiance, she had clearly been affected by something more than her blatant surgeries. “Good to meet you, Nancy.” Patrick extended his hand halfway, but after seeing Nancy having trouble to just lift her hand after so much exertion with getting the pacifier out, he reached in the rest of the way and shook her hand. She smiled. “Tanks…” Her smile quickly vanished though, and as if she was being piloted by a force beyond herself, spoke steadily. “Just comply…” Patrick shook his head over what he had just witnessed. He had once seen a flimsy robot back home that couldn’t do anything on its own, but once you flipped the controls on, it would quickly become rigid and very much its robotic self. Nancy was horrifyingly very much the same. “What do you mea…?” “Just comply,” she repeated without a shred of emotion. Patrick scratched his head and feared this could be a trick from either Redge or Britney, or if nothing else, she could have been an unknowing spy for them. “Uh, I don’t think I can do that. I need to get out of here and help my friend. She’s in trouble. Maybe you saw her? I…” “Just comply, just comply, just comply!” she started yelling over and over, getting louder each time. “Nancy, please!” Patrick pleaded. “I don’t think I can in this case. Just try and calm down. I can’t just comply, but I don’t want you to hurt yourself! I don’t think Britney would want that.” Nancy suddenly stopped and Patrick thought he had gotten through to her. About five seconds later though, she just began to shake and tear up. Before Patrick could ask what was wrong though, she began a new chant. “I’m a good girl! I’m a good girl! I’m a good girl!” “Shit!” Patrick felt like he had broken the Little before him. She had seemed like a good person and that she wanted out of all this when she had removed her pacifier, but he had suspected she had been in this state for too long now. The humane Little laws seemed to be effective from what he had been hearing, but as a news anchor had once noted one night while the group had been watching TV when they first got here, for some Littles, the law had come too late. Sadly, Nancy at least seemed to be in that category. Panicking, Patrick racked his brain with what to do. He didn’t want to demean her or anything, but the more she cried and almost seemed to convulse at this point, the more he felt like he had to treat her like any other baby from back home. Lacking the means to do much else, Patrick quickly wiped off her discarded pacifier and stuck back in her mouth. As if it was some kind of switch or trigger, her cries instantly vanished. Only tears remained, but Patrick quickly acted and brought her into a hug to soothe them out. Again, as if it had been implanted in her as a command, she stopped her shaking and relaxed into him. He wasn’t sure if she was actually calm or if it was just her apparent programming as a compliant Little, but he had to take what he could get. It took a few minutes of rubbing her back, but Patrick finally gained the confidence to let her go and see if she would firstly be okay once he let go, but secondly, see if she could help him out as originally intended. Much to his relief, as long as he held her in a sort of cradling position in his arms and on his lap facing him, she seemed to remain calm still. “Whew!” Patrick exclaimed to the clearly affected Little. “You had me really worried there for a sec. I thought I had hurt you or something.” Despite her scars, thick diaper and infantile onesie, previous mantras, or even nursing of the pacifier between her lips now, he could clearly now see her eyes still shone with a brightness and somehow miraculous bit of self-awareness. Patrick sighed. “I think you’re still in there… I mean really still in there.” Once again, to his relief, she nodded. “Well, I’m both a little saddened and happy to hear that. All this must be so terrible, but I need to ask you for some help. Think you can do that?” Nancy trembled for a moment and then tried to look down at her pacifier with a questioning look. “Oh, right…” Patrick realized as he forgot that the pacifier seemed to be one of the few things keeping her calm in all this. Taking it out would present a risk, but he needed answers. “Hmmm… maybe you could gesture to your pacifier to take it out and then I could put it back in right after?” Nancy’s eyes lit up in fear though. “Crap! Not that… or, maybe not that alone?” Her eyes then switched to confusion. “Yeah… well, what if I promise to try and not escape? What if I promise to be a good boy?” Patrick asked, remembering back to her mantra. ‘Maybe it could act as a trigger for her when he said it about himself as well?’ Nancy seemed to think about it for a little bit, but then nodded her head. Patrick could still see a little fear in her eyes, but he knew he had to give it a try. “Okay, let’s see how this goes… do you know where we are?” Nancy nodded and Patrick slowly removed her pacifier. “We’re at mommy’s workshop where she tests new tings off da books. We’re deep in da mountains…” Her eyes then clouded over in an extreme amount of sadness. “Iss where she took me an’ I got aw’ my scaws…” Patrick saw her sadness and quickly popped her pacifier back in. “Damn… I’m really sorry to hear that. I…” “Ahhh!” A scream echoed off the walls that sounded distant, but still familiar. To Patrick’s realization and horror, it was Cara. His mind raced and he wanted to punch himself for not just complying with Redge’s madness earlier. He should have remembered, he should have given in, but now, it all seemed too late. That being said, a low moan from much closer by caused Patrick to snap out of his thoughts. When he realized it came from the spastic Big nearby, he looked back to Nancy. “Who is that?” he asked before removing her pacifier again. “Dat’s Ester,” she said mournfully. “She was a Big who lived on da outskirts of town. Kind of a loner, but dat’s what made her da perfect target fo’ mommy an’… daddy…” She seemed to struggle on that last word, but like with her previous mantras, it seemed to be built into her at this point rather than as a natural occurrence. “We stayed at her place while daddy searched fo’ you an’ gathered the scary men awound here. Dey tested out da machine on her… dey went too far.” Nancy started tearing up once more and Patrick placed the pacifier back in her mouth. Just as he did so, Esther rolled onto her back, grunted, and a low farting could soon be heard echoing off the walls of the room. Having witnessed the moment from a few Littles, albeit more conscious than Esther right now, mess themselves before, he knew exactly what she was doing. It also didn’t hurt that the back of her thick diaper ballooned out and quickly became discolored. To his torment at that moment though, he also realized that if the machine did this to her, he couldn’t begin to fathom what it was doing to Cara that very second. Right at that instant though, the metal door burst open once more. On the other side, Britney was fuming and almost foaming at the mouth. “You! Get the hell away from my Little!” She stormed over and roughly snatched Patrick away from his embrace of Nancy. For his part, Patrick could feel Nancy try to hold onto him, and he saw the regret and pain in her eyes, but he knew she couldn’t do anything about his fate. He suspected that even if she hadn’t been mutilated by this psychotic Big now hoisting him into the air, she likely had been hypnotized to never struggle against any Big. At the same moment, had he not been wearing a crawler diaper or hadn’t been drugged or conditioned by Psyche over the past almost three months, he almost may have been able to feel the torrent of fear warming the front of his thick diaper. Without warning, Britney then sat down on the aging rocking chair and yanked Patrick over her lap. A second later, his onesie had been unbuttoned and his diaper had been pulled down. “Why can’t you just comply?” She grabbed a nearby paddle and spanked him with all her might. “Maybe this’ll teach you!” “Please! Stop!” Patrick wailed. The pain was immense but that had been fully intended more than he knew. Britney had modified the paddle herself and each swat would deliver a tiny amount of neurotoxin with each hit, amplifying the effects of the paddle at least threefold. It had been designed to save the user the effort of long stints of punishment, but it had been deemed to cruel by even Juventas’ standards. Britney had no such standards. “I don’t believe you!” she cried out. “You Littles are all liars.” She spanked him again. “No! Please!” Patrick shouted in vain as his butt was quickly engulfed in what could only be described as an aching and coursing fire all over. She ignored his pleas and spanked him again. “That’s why I had to hurt my beautiful Little. Nancy was a liar too,” she said angrily before then switching to a more sickly-sweet tone. “Not anymore though, right sweetie?” “Yeth mommy!” Nancy said almost automatically through her pacifier as Britney spanked Patrick again. This went on for another four spanks, but Nancy’s thirst still didn’t seem to be satisfied. “I still don’t believe you!” she yelled. At this point, Patrick was near incomprehensible, and his backside had already turned a deep purple. “I guess we’re going to have to resort to more drastic measures, aren’t we?” Through his tears, Patrick could only barely make out as Britney reached behind her and grabbed a syringe of a putrescent green substance. Coming from her, he knew it had to be something terrible, so he tried to struggle as hard as he could. Under her vice-like grip though, it was all in vain. Britney eyed the syringe with sadistic glee. “It’s a shame that FOY was essentially banned with those humane laws… such a powerful substance for almost 15 years, but still… we Bigs have our own ways around those types of laws…” Patrick continued to struggle and tried to speak up in protest. His emotions were too powerful to really make any sense of it all, except one word; “Redge.” Britney scoffed. “That Big doesn’t have a spine when it comes to you. If we had it his way, you would have probably escaped or brought some homing device with you in secret.” The lights then flickered. “Oh! Guess I spoke too soon. Too bad for poor widdle Cara…” she mocked before looking back at the syringe. “Still… it’s only right that we do this. Say goodbye to well, you, little Patrick. You’ll be all fresh and new after this. You’ll practically beg for the machine.” She then directed the syringe right toward one of Patrick’s almost blackened butt cheeks. “Here we go!” she practically sang out. Before she injected it though, a large bang could be heard followed by several smaller pattering sounds. “What the…?” Britney was clearly confused and stopped what she was doing. To Patrick’s relief, she pulled his diaper back up and then held him by the chest as she stepped up to open the door as more bangs and patters could be heard. Before she could open it to investigate, the door burst open, and smoke poured in. Half blind now, Patrick couldn’t really make out what was happening, but he quickly recognized the voice that barked the order to “Freeze and put your hands up!” ‘Sam!’ The smoke clearing a little more now, Patrick could just make out Sam pointing a long futuristic-looking rifle right at Britney, who had now back up into the corner of the room. Unfortunately, he also saw that Britney still had hold of the syringe and was now holding it to his throat. “Stand back and let me walk out of here. Now! Or I pump him full of this shit! I might die but you’ll lose your precious bundle. I’m warning you, Samantha!” Sam sighed and looked directly at Patrick. Knowing she had to make the tough call, Patrick just nodded subtly for her to do anything she needed to get him out of this situation. Sam flexed her pinky finger in acknowledgement, almost like she was about to pinky promise something, and quickly pushed a button that changed the light on her rifle from red to blue. “Last chance,” she said calmly. Patrick could feel Britney tense around him. “As I said, there’s no…!” Sam fired her rifle and the round screeched across the room and struck Britney directly in the head. Her entire body froze up and she fell over on the ground. From her frozen state though, she had provided a nearly perfect protective cage and fall barrier around Patrick. He had felt an oddly prickling sensation where she had held him, but not much more. “Sam!” he cried out. Sam quickly dropped her rifle and rushed over to Patrick. “Oh, baby!” In a second, she had freed him from Britney’s clutches and away from the still-potent syringe. Patrick briefly looked back and only saw the rage in Britney’s eyes. In moments, her plans had completely folded, but her eyes then portrayed another emotion: satisfaction. Patrick was confused, but then remembered the flickering lights. “Oh no! Cara!” “Easy, easy, baby,” Sam soothed the Little in her arms. “Sergeant Emily got her. Remember Matilda’s caretaker?” Patrick nodded. “Well, she and Lloyd coordinated all this together and then I volunteered to breach this place with everyone else when the time was right.” Patrick likely had a thousand questions running about his mind, but all this had been too much and now that he was out of Britney’s clutches and knew that Cara was at least alive, the ordeal with his rear couldn’t be ignored any longer as more personnel flooded in to take care of Nancy and Esther. In seconds, he began to cry from it all. Confused and very concerned, Sam did her best to check everything, but eventually made her way to his diaper. She was clearly looking for the need to change him, but instead had found his severely bruised backside. Patrick quickly felt at that moment that if he hadn’t been here, Britney probably wouldn’t have made it out of the complex in one piece. Instead, though, the two just left after Sam whispered something into one of the cop’s ears that entered after them. About two hours later, all the Littles, Esther, Emily, and Sam were back at the precinct station. They had gone a little out of their jurisdiction, but apparently some law from years prior allowed these things to happen when Littles were involved in the commission of a crime. As Psyche quickly entered the station after them, Patrick suspected they may have been involved as well. Conspicuously though, Daphne seemed to be absent. She may have just been joining Cara elsewhere or was still on her way, but her absence felt odd in all this. Redge, Britney, and the rest of the mercenaries had been arrested. There had been some wounds dealt to the cops, but everyone had managed to make it out of the assault alive. The true toll, it seemed though, was harder to count. Britney seemed spiteful but defeated and Redge seemed hopeless and yet defiant. It was an odd combination, but Patrick had hoped to see them more broken at this point. This feeling only intensified after he saw Cara. Her temples were reddened and almost brown in some areas as if she had been burned. Plus, her walking seemed to have been affected and she just moved oddly. She almost seemed drunk, but she had been quickly rushed to the hospital after being examined by the police here for a moment. According to the recently arrived Dr. Halgen, they needed to run more tests with her. Finally, after everything had died down more, Patrick couldn’t help but wonder one big thing in all this. “How did you all find me? Britney and Redge made it seem like they did a lot to prevent that from ever happening.” The Bigs then all looked to Dr. Halgen for an answer, but she remained steadfast and silent. “Tell him, Kelsey,” Sam snapped bitterly. “You owe him that much at least after all that’s happened. If it wasn’t for you, he would have never met Redge in the first…” “Babe,” Lloyd consoled as he rested his hand on her arm in an effort to calm her down, “I’m sure she didn’t mean to do all this. Right, Dr. Halgen?” he asked, now facing Dr. Halgen, with a serious and almost angry tone that Patrick hadn’t thought possible coming from Lloyd. “Uh… right Lloyd,” she finally managed to spit out. She looked around the room and saw several pairs of eyes staring down intently at her. “Well, yes… I suppose you deserve to know.” She then took in a large breath of air and turned to face Patrick directly. “We’ve been dosing each of you Littles, Patrick. It’s nothing much, but there’s a trace element of nanobots that we can trace easily throughout much of the world. It’s a bit glitchy across dimensions, but it can be possible as well if needed. Plus, it’s also shielded by the body from most EMP devices… like the supercharged one they used to knock out our systems in their initial intrusion.” “That’s completely illegal, ma’am,” Emily spouted up from the rear of the group. “Best not be in my Matilda.” “It’s actually very legal, officer,” she countered. “It’s in the contract they signed. It’s one of the measures they agreed to stay safe… which I believe today proves correct. Besides, they pass in a few days, and we just give them more at breakfast while they’re under our care. Matilda should be long rid of them by now.” Being the representative Little of all who came before, all the Bigs looked at Patrick in curiosity of how he would react to all this. In truth though, he wasn’t sure how to feel on the whole about it all. “Uh, interesting… I guess?” “That’s all?” Sam questioned in disbelief. “Aren’t you upset at this… violation, sweetie?” She cast a cold glance over to Dr. Halgen before turning back to Patrick. Patrick sighed. “Well, yes… but, I was also kidnapped, and I didn’t have my stuffed animal, so…” “Wait,” Lloyd interrupted, “what about your stuffed animal?” Patrick realized, especially after the grave look on Dr. Halgen’s face, that no one else knew about the tracker in all the stuffed animals. “Nothing… just… uh, not the point here, but the trackers!” Patrick wasn’t a very good liar, but he was banking on the fact that everyone was now mainly focused on the nano trackers rather than an offhand remark about a simple and cuddly stuffed animal. Since only Lloyd seemed somewhat unsatisfied with answer, he felt he was in the clear. ‘Maybe he would tell him one day…’ “As I was saying… the nano trackers are not what I had in mind when it came to ‘protective features’ when I signed that contract, but I can’t completely hate them either.” He then looked directly at Sam. “I know they probably violate your sensibilities or right and wrong with me, but where would you have been today without them?” He then turned to the rest of the eagerly listening group. “Where would any of you have been? Where… would I be?” It was a haunting thought, but it was one that seemed to satiate the blood lust of the group. For now, at least, Dr. Halgen seemed safe from this potential mob. After a round of thanks and goodbyes, Patrick then left with Dr. Halgen to go back to the Psyche facility. Lloyd had to practically pull Sam away from her clutches of Patrick, but after a few reassurances, she finally did and quickly embraced Lloyd to fill the void. If Patrick didn’t know any better, he definitely felt something going on between those two now… Regardless, back in the car and coming back to Psyche and out of the way of everyone else, Patrick had another pressing question on his mind. “Dr. Halgen, is Cara going to be okay?” Dr. Halgen sighed. “I’m afraid I can’t tell you that, honey…” she said in her sweetest voice yet. It almost felt odd to Patrick, but it also felt like she was dropping her public face now that they were alone together. Almost… like Addy would do. ‘Was she… no… she’s in charge of all this, right? She can’t be involved in that way…’ “I want to tell you, Patrick,” she continued. “I really do, but Little laws are very specific when it comes to my role and what I can tell you. For now, just know that we got to her in time before massive damage was done, but the machine was turned on. It’s still too early to know anything for sure, but I’ll just ask you to keep her in your thoughts in the days to come.” Patrick nodded and remained silent for the rest of the way to the facility. Inside, many of his fellow Littles were watching Jasper and Jinx by the time he came back and therefore didn’t notice him. He guessed they would have questions about everything tomorrow, but for now, he saw the most recent group to Psyche sit down at the dining table to eat their dinner. His group being the most progressed and all having earlier bedtimes, now ate the earliest of the three groups here. This least progressed bunch of Littles had been their group not so long ago, but now… it was hard to rationalize that his friends were ever in that same position and had once seemed so sickly, yet still so… mature. Looking over, Ian was transfixed by the cartoons before him and nursed on a pacifier in his onesie. Darren continued to stare at the stars outside, but now also quietly relayed his thoughts to his newly acquired teddy bear that had been dressed to look like an astronaut. Quentin and Terra were nearby, and while they also watched the dancing cartoons on the TV, they were also snuggled under a blanket together and both eagerly sucking from their sippy cups. Cara… well, she was off getting tested by the doctors at the hospital, and if Dr. Halgen was any indication, her future was now entirely unknown. As for himself, he looked down at his steadily strengthening legs. Bruce had done good work and he suspected they would just play a little soccer tomorrow as they had been now for at least a week before he and Cara had been taken. His butt still stung, but he could also feel the rapid healing gel that Sam had liberally applied before rediapering and dressing him in the pair of blue shortalls he now wore over a plain striped onesie. It was all very surreal to be here now, and he could only reflect on when all this had first started with Nurse Patty and Mr. Docker when he had first been told about Psyche at the Oasis Opportunities massive building back on Earth. All that now felt like several lifetimes ago, but here he was practically three months later. After his and Cara’s kidnapping, he only had six days left before his own choosing ceremony. It would be a welcome relief to have graduated this place, and while Psyche was still an issue that tickled the back of his mind, he only had one pressing problem still left. He still had no idea how to choose between the smothering but loving Sam, or the fun friend that was Lloyd. In either case, a decision would be made in less than a week, whether he could decide on who to choose or not.

Hey to everyone out there and Happy Halloween! Sorry for the lateness, or maybe earliness of this post, but I practically live for Halloween and I took full advantage of everything I could this year. After tomorrow, things should calm down a bit more and the last of the chapters should be up soon. This leads me to the next bit: this is the first chapter of the last part of this story! There should only be three more chapters, but there is a part of me that might split some stuff up more to make the chapters shorter, but I'll just have to see how it goes in the editing process. I just want to give another massive thank you to everyone who has read, commented, or liked this story. It means a great deal to me and I will almost be sad that this story will end, except for the fact that I am very excited for the next one to begin (I will talk more about this before the last chapter). Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys this next and first chapter of the last part of this story! Part VI: Support Chapter 22: Just Go For It Death comes to everyone whether they wish it or not. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die,” the pastor began. Patrick hated funerals and he had tried to put off the one for his mom for almost a month now. He hoped that he could at least stand tall in the midst of all that had happened. Now, though, he couldn’t stand at all today, or any other day for the rest of his life for that matter. The accident had been a complete failure in his life. Already, he could feel the stares and hear the whispers running about the funeral service. He had worn his best suit and shaved off his beard to be the most presentable he could be around all these people, but it seemed to do little good. So, he just cast his eyes to the ground or to his mother’s casket. Despite the crowds here, he felt very alone. His friends were back at college getting their master’s degree like he had wanted to do, but he had instead focused on walking again. It was another failure, but now, he didn’t want to go back. He didn’t want to be known as the screw-up right out of the gate for the program he wanted to enter. No… he wouldn’t be going back at all. Like his spine, his future now seemed to be crushed as well. Jessica, his girlfriend before all this, had tried to reach out to him, but he was having a bad day and yelled some terrible things at her. Too focused on his own problems and grief, he never apologized, and they broke up a week later. His family had mostly passed by now, owing largely to the previous wars and outbreaks, and at least 70% of those at the funeral were only part of his father’s business or his mother’s charity work or book club. Each had offered their sincerest, ‘I’m so sorry for your loss,’ or ‘They were one of the good ones’ or ‘Gone too early,’ but had then got in their cars and sped off. As his mother was lowered into the earth, he knew one thing now above all else; he was truly alone. He had a car take him back home after and grimaced over how much he had to pay for the faire. Increasingly, the bus was seemingly like a more viable option for his future ventures. Speaking of which, his new apartment left much to be desired, but it was rent controlled and lacked many of the high-tech options that other places offered, so it was priced at a bargain. “Rent is due in a week!” Mr. Stacci barked from his door as Patrick entered from the outside. “Don’t be late!” “Yes, Mr. Stacci,” Patrick said numbly. He was one of the worse things about this building, but the price couldn’t be beaten. With not many future monkey making avenues to look forward to or to increase his wealth at this point, he had to ensure that the money he had made, saved, or inherited, would last for some time to come. Wheeling into the elevator and then getting off on his floor, Patrick entered his apartment. It was clean and tidy, but there wasn’t much of it, and he was still unpacking the remnants of what was once his life. He suspected the cleanliness would only last so long. A sharp pain then radiated from his lower spine and his leg began to spasm. “Damnit!” Patrick quickly wheeled over to his counter and popped off the tops of his pill bottles that he had picked up yesterday from a nearby pharmacy. “Come on. Come on!” The lid popped off and Patrick downed the ‘cure-all’ pill he had been prescribed. It was blue, large, and often got caught in his throat. After his appointment last week though, his last with Dr. Gibson, he knew that he would have to take it for the rest of his life. Bitter, depressed, and ashamed, Patrick went to work unpacking more of the boxes from his older, larger, and nicer place as he downed a fifth of whiskey and turned on the TV for some background noise. In his search, he soon found a flask that had been gifted to him by his father and he set it on the coffee table nearby for future use. Drinking was a bad habit, but it helped numb him for a little while and that was more important to him at this point. A few items later, he came to a picture of his mom, dad, and him right after a Mother’s Day picnic they had one year when he was in his teens. They all seemed happy, and it was a sight that he wanted to hold onto. They may have passed, but at least he still had the photo, so he spotted one of the end tables that would be perfect to display the framed picture as a reminder of better days now long gone. Thinking he could just reach over to set it down, he stretched to place the picture frame on the end table’s surface, but the stretch had proved too much for his center of gravity. “Oh shit!” Patrick topped his wheelchair, and the picture went flying out of his hands. It landed and cracked the glass in the front. It bounced slightly and hit one more time, now shattering the glass into several tiny shards that spread across his bare floor. Alone and sad on the floor next to his tipped wheelchair, Patrick blinked back his tears and couldn’t believe that this was what his life had come to. The TV then switched to a bright and loud commercial. “We here at Oasis Opportunities offer the best packages for portal travel,” the kindly blonde woman in a pantsuit began. “Differently abled, sick, or just can’t get out of your funk? Well, we may just have a program for yo…” Patrick slammed the remote and the TV powered off. “Not in a million years…” * * * Patrick toddled along back and forth between the group therapy room and the elevator while he waited for the group session to start again. Terra and Quentin had an argument over which cartoon show to watch on TV this afternoon, be it Jasper and Jinx or Adventure Sam, but had just resolved to yell and curse at each other. Dr. Halgen had paused the session, as she had often done in the past, particularly the past three weeks, and told everyone to come back in five minutes. Most of the nurses had chosen that time to perform a few quick changes, but Patrick had only been slightly damp, so Addy felt like he could wait. Patrick didn’t mind at this point, as it gave him ample time to walk around. Bruce had been thrilled with his progress and noted that they now just needed to build up his muscles a little further and increase his endurance. So far, it had gone really well. “Making progress I see?” Cara asked as she walked back in from her own diaper change, her daisy printed shortalls doing little to obscure her prominent mid-section bulge. Behind her, Addy walked back into the group therapy room to see what help she could give. “Every day.” Patrick then stopped and rested against one wall. “I fell I’m so close, but I’m just not there though.” “I’m sure you’ll get it down,” Cara encouraged. “I believe in you.” “Thanks. So, you going to the finger-painting session tonight in the arts and crafts room?” Patrick asked, hoping she was going. “I hear it will be quite the event.” Cara shuffled about. “Maybe… I’ll have to ask Addy. I think she wanted me to do teatime or something like that though. I think Daphne still has a bit of a say in what I do around here, you know? Like more than me sometimes.” Patrick shrugged. “I guess…? Honestly though, Lloyd and Samantha are awesome. They let me do what I want within reason, and we all go on adventures all the time. They give me cuddles and snacks and…” Patrick blushed a bit over his reaction to them, “they’re just so perfect!” A nagging thought then crept into his mind though and Patrick sighed. “Too perfect…” “Haven’t made a decision yet, huh?” Cara asked with a knowing smile and yet look of concern for her friend. “No…” Patrick groaned. “What is it? Less than two weeks away now? I’m so screwed.” “I’m sure you’ll figure it out…” Cara and Patrick then turned around when they heard a giggling from nearby behind them. Ian had received another chat and was currently occupying himself as he played with his stuffed dog and a Cassie doll that Terra had found from the playroom. The doll was meant to play dress-up with, but Ian had seemed satisfied with treating her like a damsel in distress or an evil witch. It just depended on the day. “At least you’re not as screwed as Ian seems to be now…” “Yeah…” Patrick sighed over his friend. It was getting harder to call him a true friend these days with his mental state fluctuating rapidly between his old self and this younger one now on display. He and Cara felt like diseased scum for not including him in their sessions with Quentin at night anymore, but Ian just got too cranky at that hour and almost always inevitably needed to be played with to keep him occupied 80% of the time when he was like this. The only thing that didn’t drive all of them into guilt-ridden madness was that they had warned him to ease off Dr. Halgen a few weeks back. He didn’t listen though and now here he was… It was hard to blame someone when they were down, but the thought persisted still. “You think he’ll go back? After I mean?” Cara asked, clearly emotional over Ian’s current state where they both knew that only about every fifth word now was near gibberish. “How can he? Though… for that matter, how can any of us?” Patrick questioned, looking at both of their current attire. Both shortalls, both diapered, both sporting cute and colorful socks and Velcro shoes with little dancing cartoon characters on them. “Keeps me up most nights, but Tad helps… though that’s a concern all by itself.” “I know what you mean… I can’t imagine life without Mrs. Blue anymore,” Cara mused about her blue bird stuffed animal. “Although… as much as it worries me beyond my little act in front of the staff here, beyond Addy that is, and all… I kind of like her… or is that too weird?” Patrick hesitated to answer for a moment, and then just wavered his hand. “Eh. I think you’re asking the wrong person here. Tad feels like my lifeline, but I guess in retrospect, if that’s our only problem on the mental side, I guess we’re doing okay.” “True…” Cara looked down for a second and then scrunched her face up as if she had just made a nauseating revelation of some kind. “Do you ever get the opinion that…?” “They’re ready for you all to come back in now,” Addy announced as she exited the doors. “Ian! Ian, baby.” He didn’t respond and just kept mashing or prancing his stuffed dog and the Cassie doll about. Addy just rolled her eyes. “I’m glad he’s playing with his toys at least now,” Addy beamed, clearly emulating the new initiative here that actively encouraged the Littles to act more like the Littles that society wanted them to be. In truth, after talking to Patrick one night, she said that she hated the rouse, but that she also still had to maintain her cover out in the open like this. “I swear though… sometimes, I think that boy could hear us but still has an ounce of defiance left in him and just purposely ignores us.” Addy rolled her eyes again and then took off to go collect Ian herself. Inside, Penny was still busy with Quentin and the argument and aftermath that had happened in there. The group session didn’t last much longer after that, but Patrick easily noticed the frightened looks on Terra’s and Quentin’s faces. Whatever had been said, had clearly made an impact. They still looked and acted like themselves, but Dr. Halsey had clearly said something. For now, though, it was probably just a threat and nothing more. Secretly, Patrick suspected that Ian had been made an example of in the group to keep everyone else in line, but he couldn’t confirm that… not even with Addy at this point. There were just too many cameras around to be safe inside anymore with that kind of blatant talk. After the session ended, Patrick made his way back outside to the swing set. While his legs were vastly improving on all fronts, he still liked the freedom he got from swinging back and forth. Plus, lately, the jungle gym out back had become a sort of secondary sanctuary for him from everything else going on. Only the less progressed played or hung out here, so Littles like Ian or occasionally Terra or Darren wouldn’t be here anymore. They were good people and he still considered them friends, but sometimes… it was just too much to see, and he was glad of their time now spent in the garden or sandbox instead. As such, as a pile of leaves was quickly shed by the increasingly cold and blustery weather, Patrick found himself mulling about on one of the swings. Not being a caretaker day, many of the other Littles in the other two groups ambled about, but only one approached the jungle gym and swing set where Patrick now was. “Hello again, Tim.” Patrick said warmly, still trying to convey a sense of ease to his friend in case he got spooked or somehow offended again. Having less than two weeks here before choosing day, if he took a wrong step now, he likely wouldn’t be able to recover, and Tim clearly still wanted to speak with him. He hated having unfinished business. “Hey, Patrick…” Tim said with an unusual amount of pause. Patrick sensed that whatever he wanted to say the other day was still on his mind, but Tim still needed a little push to get going. “You know… I just want to apologize for the other day. I didn’t want to defy Dr. Halgen and Sam and Lloyd were waiting for me. I have to make a good impression with them, you know?” “I know…” Tim replied half-heartedly. “It’s okay…” “Well, I appreciate that. I really do,” Patrick heaped on for good measure. “That being said… that day… you seemed like you wanted to say something more. Maybe a question for me? Something on your mind?” “I…” Tim began but then turned away and blushed. Patrick now knew that there was definitely something further happening. He had to pry further, regardless of how uncomfortable it may be, for Tim’s sake if nothing else. “Tell you what, how about you take a seat on this swing by me. We don’t have to swing, but I’ve been told I’ve got pretty good ears. Plus, no judgment here.” Patrick gestured to the seat with a firm hand, and after a moment, Tim finally sat down. “Did you know I was homeless before all this?” he finally said after a moment of him just kicking around a tiny pebble on the ground. Patrick remained speechless for a moment with that type of opening. “Uh, no… you never mentioned that. How long were you…?” “Three years… lived in the back of my car, so not as bad as others, but I was still homeless. Felt some chest pain one day and nearly collapsed on the way to a soup kitchen, so I went into one of the new free clinics the government has been setting up after that last healthcare bill.” “I know the one,” Patrick mused, having taken advantage of it to drastically reduce his medication’s cost over the past year himself. “Yeah… well, found out my ticker was failing… and then boom!” he almost yelled as he clapped his hands, his face showing the hurtful emotions that had been building up for some time with all this. Clearly, the damn was now breaking open. “Got this opportunity and they helped me with everything… thought it was a miracle.” “A lot of us thought that,” Patrick said as he looked down at his own now almost fully functioning legs. “Guess we were all suckers for something…” “Maybe, but…” Tim trailed off. “But what?” Patrick pressed after a second. “Well… I guess like everyone else here, I thought that the whole ‘three hots and a cot’ plus fixing my heart… what’s not to go for?” he seemed to question towards the universe. “I knew about all this other stuff, but what’s five years compared to a lifetime?” “Exactly!” Patrick really wasn’t sure where this was going, but he had to agree where he could. Though, in some odd way, if he didn’t know any better, Tim didn’t seem upset by all this. ‘Where’s the ‘but’ coming in all this? There’s always a ‘but’ in this type of conversation.’ “So… five years and out… but…” ‘Ah, there it was!’ “But what if I don’t want to go back?” Patrick could just visualize in his mind that the continual record spinning about that had been his usual brain patterns had just skipped over something. “Come again?” he asked, not really believing the question he had just heard. Tim blushed and turned away for a moment. “I think… I don’t want to leave…” At that moment, despite the oddity of it all in that one moment, everything about Tim instantly lined up. As Patrick may have almost jokingly guessed when he had first met him, Tim was indeed ‘that guy.’ Tim had been in a state of denial and then confusion. Now, it seemed like he was in the acceptance phase of all this. Patrick had never thought he would encounter one of these people in his lifetime. They all seemed to come over here and get ‘lost’ on their own. “Uh, oh wow. For longer than the five years you mean?” he clarified, not wanting to jump to any conclusions. Tim nodded his head. “Yeah… but,” he clenched his eyes and fists around the chain of the swing, “that makes me a freak, doesn’t it? I don’t want to be a freak...” Patrick’s brain clicked once again. Being ‘that guy’ had been a taboo for at least the past ten years. It wasn’t illegal by any means, but it had raised an outcry when tourists had gone over without the same desires and had been stuck over in this dimension or had come back with the mentality of a toddler at best. Their families had been incensed that anyone would ever ‘want’ that, but the anger had died down shortly afterward when that particular group seemed to practically vanish. “You’re not a freak,” Patrick finally said, trying to console and reassure his vulnerable friend. Tim sniffled. “You’re just saying that…” “No,” Patrick emphasized. “I mean it.” He sighed, seeing that Tim still probably didn’t believe him. “It’s okay to like these things, especially when you don’t have something… to go back to…” Tim rubbed his eyes with one arm. “You really think so?” Patrick took a moment to respond. After mentioning to Tim that he didn’t have something to go back to as a rationalization for liking all this, a reality had hit him squarely in his soul; Patrick didn’t have anything to go back to either. It had been nipping away at him for a while now but hearing it out loud was the proverbial clang of the gong of truth in his head. It had started when his photos with Sam and Lloyd had been developed, and he had displayed them proudly in his room along with photos from here with his friends and Addy. His parents were still displayed prominently, but like the reasons to go back home, they were quickly being outnumbered. “I do.” Tim sniffled again. “It’s a pretty good place here, you know?” Patrick nodded, though he still felt the pang of confusion over what he was thinking exactly with all this. “I think this is a place to make you happy. Psyche always says so, and I always thought it meant to live or to walk,” he said while gesturing to his own legs. “I guess it could mean other forms of happiness as well now that I think about it.” Tim nodded and the two swung about for a bit. Snack time was then announced, and Tim rushed off to go get some food, but then turned around when he saw Patrick still sitting on the swings. “You okay? Need me to get Addy or…?” “I’m fine, Tim. Thanks for asking, but I’ll be up a little later,” he said while smiling at his clearly relieved friend. With the prospect of an almost guaranteed delicious snack, Tim toddled off back inside to get his snack. Now, Patrick was once again all alone. Tim was clearly going to be okay with all this, but now Patrick felt a similar confusion. ‘Who would he talk to in all this?’ Having grown restless by the swings, he decided to contemplate everything in a spot that he knew few others went to anymore to get a little clarity about all this. Having walked or wheeled about the grounds for almost three months now, Patrick had found several spots where he could be alone. After his fear toxin-induced vision of Redge while in the corn maze though, he had decided that he wanted to still remain in view of the house. As such, his spots for privacy were far more limited, but there was one he had discovered on his second week here. More precisely, he had discovered it along with Cara, Quentin, and Ian, but now, he usually ventured over here alone. He wasn’t sure exactly why, but he presumed it had something to do with the notion that the spot was on the edge of the cliff overlooking everything. It was near to the property’s boundary on the north side but also, the view could be just as beautiful from 80 yards back. While none of his group would freely admit it, he suspected that a few of them had a newly found fear of heights, like his somewhat aversion to the dark now. ‘Freakin’ Psyche and whatever’s happening here…’ Regardless, it was a nice place to mull things over and one where he knew he could do it in relative peace. His mind though was anything but peaceful. ‘Is it something I want? To stay? Am I ready to make that leap? Or is this just a desire to be anywhere than from where I came from with Mr. Stacci and my guilt back home? Sam and Lloyd have treated me better than any other soul in years. Even Addy treats me better than half the people I knew and she’s just my nurse! Damnit! What should I do? Why is this so difficult to think about?’ The thoughts plagued his mind for a long time, until he heard a branch snap from behind him. Patrick swung around. “Mind if I join you, stranger?” Cara asked walking up from behind. Patrick turned back around. “No… just doing some thinking…” “Oooh. Better watch out,” Cara somewhat mocked. “With Ian almost out of commission now, Halgen might just be looking for another mind to stomp down. Thinkin’ is dangerous around here. Didn’t you know?” Patrick just sighed. “Yeah… just…” He couldn’t get himself to say what he was feeling out loud. Cara’s smile quickly disappeared as she realized that her friend was actually doing some very serious thinking. “Oh… you know, whatever it is, you could always tell me. I might be able to help,” she then offered sweetly. “I… Patrick looked west toward the mountains and south to the just-discernable lake where he had gone with Sam and Lloyd, respectively. “It’s very beautiful here.” “Uh huh…” Cara said, obviously unconvinced that just the view was on his mind. “Tell me what’s going through that brain of yours. Please.” Patrick sighed. “Well, in part it is the view here. It’s something one could grow to love...” He looked over at his friend to see if she was catching on. From her facial expression though, he knew he needed to take a more direct route. “I know we talk about the whole five years bit and what we would do after, but we never talk about the… other option.” “Other option?” Cara asked as she raised an eyebrow, clearly still in confusion. “Yeah…” Patrick took a breath in as he knew he would just have to say it. “Would you ever consider staying here and not going back? To our earth I mean…” Immediately, Cara’s face went through the same emotions that Patrick felt that his own had gone through. Shock, revulsion, confusion, but then maybe contemplation. “I…” Much to Patrick’s disappointment and slight embarrassment, however, Cara shook her head. “No. I don’t think I could. Not with Daphne anyway.” Patrick wasn’t sure how to take what she had just told him. On one hand, she had literally just said ‘no,’ but then she had also added the part about Daphne very quickly. ‘If it was truly a ‘no,’ why not just leave it there?’ Before Patrick had a chance to ask, and as if she could read his mind, Cara spoke back up. “You know, it would be okay if you wanted to stay…” Patrick’s mouth dropped open and Cara giggled a bit. “I wouldn’t judge you if that’s the case. I mean, if I had caretakers like Samantha or Lloyd too, I think I would be okay staying here. Maybe not the life I would have imagined, but then again, I imagined I would be dead by now.” She paused for a moment and looked out at the view before them as well. She then closed her eyes and took a breath as if she was dreading whatever the answer could be to the question she was about to ask. “Would you want to stay here after five years?” Patrick wanted to say anything that would keep things okay between them, but he never wanted to lie or ever mislead Cara. They were friends, but both had agreed that trust was a big part of any friendship a while back. So, with a reluctant sigh, he started to answer her question back. “I…” Before he could utter another syllable though, a giant, what could only be described as a twang, rang out everywhere. It was a blast of pure sound and seemed to vibrate the back molars in Patrick’s mouth. Both Littles plugged their ears in a vain attempt to block out the noise. As quickly as it had started though, it ended. “What the hell was that?” Patrick asked finally. “I don’t know but…” she then glanced down about halfway down on Patrick, “why is your wristband pulsating?” Patrick looked down and then brought his arm up to see his wristband more closely. A crack ran along the upper face of it, but more importantly, it was flashing red. Looking over to Cara, he saw the same. “Yours is as well.” Right as Cara looked down to confirm her own blinking red light on her wristband, the two heard a snap. Immediately, they both looked around but didn’t see anyone within at least 100 yards. With a look of dread, both nodded and headed over closer to the edge, praying fervently that they were wrong about what they would find. In full horror and shock, however, both Littles saw five figures, entirely shrouded in black coming up the hill, just twenty or so feet below them, all carrying some sort of gun. They all stopped as the one in front waved around to them as they all noticed the two staring Littles, then said, “Taken ‘em.” At once, Cara and Patrick swung around as they heard another snap behind them. Another two figures in black approached them. Patrick wanted to shout out and protect Cara, but as soon as he reached out to her hand to provide some comfort, he felt a sharp sting in his arm. Then, his body collapsed without warning onto itself. The aging and multicolored fallen leaves gave some padding, but the world just seemed to plummet out from under him. Seconds later, he could see the two figures approach. Then, blackness. * * * With a sudden jolt upward, Patrick awoke and immediately noticed his mouth was gagged and his hands were cuffed tightly in front of him. Next to him, a slowly moving Cara was similarly bound and gagged. “Sir!” one of the figures in black shouted to another figure in black leaning toward the front of what Patrick could only assume was the back of some type of vehicle. The figure quickly turned around. “Ah good!” he exclaimed. “You’re awake. Simson?” “Yes boss?” a figure from the front called back. “We outta range yet and in the clear?” he asked. “Yes boss!” the figure from the front shouted back. “Perfect. We can all take our masks off now if you all want,” he commanded. That voice though… Patrick could once again feel the cold shiver run up his back. The figure reached up and removed his black mask. Out popped a more tightly cropped hairstyle, but a blonde one, nonetheless. “Hello, Patrick,” Redge seemed to hiss. Patrick tried to shudder himself awake and that all this was just a dream, but to no avail. Redge noticed and immediately pounced over to him with a knife drawn from his boot. It was probably nothing more than a tiny pigsticker for a Big, but for Patrick, it easily stretched longer than the width of his neck. “Settle down, little one.” His wicked, scheming eyes then glanced over at Cara’s barely conscious form and gestured with his knife toward her. “Now, there’s a few ways we can do this. We’ve been watching you for some time now and of all the Littles you’ve acquainted yourself with recently, she was the one you bonded with the most. You even made our job a little easier when we let off that pulse that dismantled Psyche’s oh-so-impenetrable security and she was standing right next to you. I thank you for that.” Patrick tried to yell out to not hurt her, but the gag in his mouth only let out a few muffled grunts at best. Still, Redge seemed to get the message. “Yes, I thought you would gesture as such, but you see, that’s why she’s here. If you cooperate, she’ll be bruised, broken-hearted, and maybe even a little disoriented, but overall, just fine. If you don’t cooperate, well…” he then tipped his knife over to her head. “I’m sure Psyche has gotten you to use your big, beautiful imagination by now… you think of what could happen to her otherwise.” Patrick shuddered and Redge grinned. “So, are you going to be a good little boy for me?” Patrick tried to wrestle out of his cuffs, but seeing it was no use, just hung his head and gave a little nod as to his compliance with all this. “Oh, so perfect! You see that gentleman? One Little all mine after just a little threatening,” he boasted to the mercenaries in the back of the truck with them. “Very good boss. Still, nothing like the old days, huh?” one of the men mused, ruffling his mohawk back a bit. “I remember when we used to do this all the time. Heck, we were even heroes to some folks.” “Ah yes,” Redge seemed to recall with bliss. “The good old days. Not before that stupid humane Littles safety law came into effect. Ruined everything!” he shouted bitterly. Patrick just held onto the belief that all this would be over if he would just comply. If the pulse had allowed them to breach Psyche’s boundary and destroy their wristbands, he wasn’t even sure anyone would know they were missing until they did a headcount. Hopefully, and as much as he despised thinking it, if Redge held to his word and Patrick did what was asked, Cara would be okay. About an hour later, Cara had woken up. Redge was even firmer with her in his explanation of everything, and if the knife had been any closer to her neck this time, blood would have been drawn. Patrick just tried to assert himself to get him to stop, but that seemed to only make Redge’s attitude worse. Now, with the vehicle stopped somewhere, Patrick hadn’t made another move since. Offloading the vehicle, Redge and the rest of the men went first. “Got our two little packages as we discussed, babe?” a woman asked from outside. “We did,” Redge confirmed. “Just like you said. One flip of the switch of that beautiful machine and whammo! Their security was down in less than a second.” “You always seem to doubt me, but I’ve come through each time,” the woman said. There was then a little pause, but the woman quickly started to speak up again. “Now, where are the two Little munchkins? We best get started right away.” “Right in here, dear,” Redge said, as the back doors screeched open. Patrick blinked rapidly. Partially because the sun was so blinding, but partially because of the psychotically grinning woman he now saw in front of him. It was Britney. The same Britney who worked for Juventas. The same Britney that had injected him with that paralytic. The same Britney that Redge had taken a shine to on the day they met at the fall festival over two months ago. In a most horrifying way, especially remembering her heavily scarred Little, it made perfect sense that they would team up. With her here, Patrick’s hopes of getting out of this unscathed were rapidly dwindling. “Take ‘em,” Redge commanded again. The last thing that Patrick saw was two of the mercenaries coming in and picking him and Cara up like they would an infant after firing their stun guns. Knowing these two in the way he did, he knew that nothing good would come out of all this. Before, he had the hope that somehow, they would be saved from the several mercenaries walking around and from these two vile Bigs. The more Patrick saw of everything now though, the more he felt that was increasingly unlikely. Then, once again, like his future now seemed to be, there was only darkness

So, I couldn't write a fall-based story without at least going to a fall festival. I know that Patrick kind of went to one with Redge earlier on, but I wanted to show more of the farming version of a fall festival than the carnival side. I should also point out that while I embellished a few of these attractions from the fall festival I usually go to around where I live, I felt justified in doing so given the Bigs technology in this world. Something that could just be a puppet or a wooden cutout at best might be something else entirely in this dimension. As it is, this just so happens to be the final chapter of part V. Part VI, the last of the parts is up next and should consist of at least four chapters. That may be subject to change, but its feeling unlikely at this point with how I have things set up. Additionally, I'm not sure when I will be able to post the next chapter. I'm hoping to do it sometime this weekend, but Monday is honestly feeling more realistic. Stay tuned! Regardless, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 21: A Hurdling Mass of Dented Fruit Time moves forward whether one wants it to or not. For Patrick, time felt as if it was rapidly speeding by. Halloween had been an amazing event, but now, days later, what had just felt like the beginning of the month, now felt like the end of his third month at Psyche: the end. Today was another day of an early group meeting before caretaker day once more. It had grown pretty customary to talk about cartoon shows, naptime, the delight of introducing new food flavors, or what song they would dance to at night after dinner. Now, Dr. Halgen was just finishing up her last remarks before the almost now solidified caretakers would arrive. “As a final note,” she began “before you all go off to wherever your caretakers are taking you today. I…” “We’re goin’ to the zoo!” Ian eagerly announced, squirming a bit in his seat for a second and then stopping. After two more tantrums and subsequent chats with Dr. Halgen, Ian had changed the most out of the group. From a certain light, Patrick couldn’t help but notice his similarities to Eddy. For his part, Chris only seemed eager with his new Little’s demeanor on the last caretaker’s day, but it had downright spooked Patrick. “That’s very nice, Ian, but remember… we raise our hands if we want to talk in group, okay?” Ian rapidly nodded and scooted back into the rear of his seat. “Now, as I was saying, your caretakers are coming today. As we are about to enter the final two weeks of your time with us here at Psyche, I want you all to think about narrowing down who you will select as your caretaker to help you once you leave here. We will likely be having less group sessions moving forward, and you all will instead be focusing on the caretaker of your choice.” Patrick began to panic slightly inside. He knew their choosing ceremony was coming up, but he still couldn’t decide between Samantha or Lloyd. Dr. Halgen had been less than helpful in that matter, and Addy wanted to stay out of it, or ‘else she would raise unwanted suspicion around here before it was time.’ She was still investigating the events around here, but meanwhile, Patrick still had a dilemma on his hands in selecting one of his two near perfect caretakers. If it wasn’t for Tad, he honestly wouldn’t be sure if he would have gotten any sleep the past few nights from his constant worrying about it. “Alright,” Dr. Halgen continued, “on that note, I believe some of your caretakers are now just arriving...” The Littles in the room needed little other prompting and rushed off to go greet them as they came in. Some of the nurses tried to stop them, but Dr. Halgen just smiled and gestured that it was okay and to just let them pass. Still using his walker for most trips lately meant that he was a little slower than everyone else, so naturally, he exited last. He was just glad that he was walking about now, with assistance or not. In the main hall, Patrick saw that only Quentin, Terra’s, and Cara’s caretakers had come so far, so he just resigned himself to the back playground. It may have been for Littles without exception, but Patrick was just glad to now be able to swing without the special seat now. It was a bit of a trick to use the walker, sit down, move the walker out of the way, and then start swinging, but he had quickly gotten the hang of it with Quentin’s help the other day. As he began to swing back and forth, a familiar figure began to approach him from far off. One that he hadn’t seen face-to-face in a while, and one that definitely seemed to now have a bit of a waddle to his gait. “Hello, Tim.” “Hey, Patrick…” Tim kicked about a stone on the ground and kept his eyes mostly downward. “You have a sec to talk?” Patrick nodded. “Sure do. Lloyd and Samantha decided they wanted to take me out together today, but they haven’t arrived yet. What’s up?” “I… what you said before… about accepting all this… isn’t that a bad thing?” he asked with a slight growing vigor in his voice. “Like, aren’t we accepting our ultimate demise in all this?” Patrick had to consider the notion for a moment. He, and most of the rest of his group by now, had ‘accepted’ their fates in all this to some degree or another. So, in a sense, he would have to answer, ‘yes,’ ‘But demise?’ The severity of the word gave him pause. “Well, you see, demise is a pretty strong word, but…” “I get that,” Tim quickly responded without giving Patrick a second to finish, “but I’m not sure of what other word to use. I mean, everyone here seems to be diapered. Isn’t that a sign of giving into the Big’s whims? Like giving up? Wouldn’t it be even worse if…” Tim trailed off. “Worse if what?” Patrick questioned. Something clearly ticked within Tim’s mind. If he had only been more upfront with him at the start, this could have been straightened out weeks ago and he could have another solid and less regressed friend here. But now… Patrick felt as if he was just groping around in the dark over what was going on with his fellow Little. Tim hesitated and rubbed his temples. “I’ve been having feelings, and I’m not sure…” “Patrick! Lloyd and Samantha are here!” Dr. Halgen called from the back porch. “One minute!” Patrick called back, desperately wanting to know and to help his friend. “No, right now, mister!” She put her hands on her hips. “Don’t make me tell you again!” Patrick looked guiltily back at Tim. “Tim, I…” Tim held his hand up. “It’s okay… it was nothing anyway. Go and have fun with your caretakers.” Patrick sincerely doubted that it was truly ‘okay,’ but he didn’t want to argue with Dr. Halgen and risk a chat. Based on Ian’s progress, or reverse progress in a way, they were something to be avoided at all costs. So, not wanting to linger around here any longer, he quickly gestured to Samantha and Lloyd when he met them in the main hall to leave. Both understood and soon, their car was speeding off to their destination for the day. Patrick could only wonder what Tim had wanted to talk about in full. Regardless, some twists and bumpy dusty roads later, the car parked in the large grass field, though now mostly dirt, parking area. Rough spray paint somewhat outlined the spaces, but by now, cars parked mostly where the attendants just directed them to. “Whew,” Lloyd said exaggeratedly, “made it.” “Perfect parking as usual. Now,” Samantha and Lloyd turned back to Patrick in his rear booster seat, by now, something he felt privileged to still be sitting in compared to most of the rest of his group. “So, Patrick… given how we both want you to have a say in how you’re treated, we were wondering how you wanted to maneuver about around here.” “What do you mean?” Patrick asked back, though having an inkling where this conversation was going. “Well,” Lloyd started, “you have two options the way we see it by now.” Samantha began to nod along with what he was saying. “Option one is that you use your walker. We probably couldn’t stay for as long, but it’s more independence on your part.” “And option two,” Samantha chimed back in, “is that we use the stroller we used at the park the other week, but whenever you want, we can take you out and you can walk on your own. As we said though, up to you… completely.” She smiled to show her sincerity. Patrick thought for a moment, and while the walker was tempting, his embarrassment over a stroller had faded considerably, especially since Redge had first nearly forced him into what amounted to one in the beginning of all this. Compared to diapers or his continued reliance on Tad at night, a stroller could almost seem like a luxury item in all this. Plus, he kind of wanted to stay away from Psyche as much as possible with whatever was truly going on back there. “Stroller, please.” Samantha and Lloyd nodded their heads, and for a moment, Patrick swore he could have seen Samantha try with all her might not to clap daintily over his decision. So, minutes later, Patrick was in his stroller, packed tightly with his diaper bag and a used pumpkin, and the trio walked off and entered the fall festival. Now, normally, these festivals tended to end on the day of Halloween around here, but another tradition had come over from the Earth dimension that coincided after the holiday; pumpkin chunkin’. It was a time-honored tradition in some families, but after Halloween, all would bring their pumpkins here where they would be summarily destroyed in a variety of different ways. The most popular and classic method was the trebuchet. “Alright, champ. Where’d you want to go first?” Lloyd asked after arriving at the center of pretty much everything. Patrick looked around, and while the Littles seemed to be flocking over to the petting zoo to his left and the Bigs over to the 100-foot pumpkin drop on his right, he spotted something far more enticing which he used to love doing. “That,” he said plainly, pointing to the giant corn maze. “Uh, that? The corn maze?” Samantha questioned. Patrick nodded. “Okay… well, you know we can’t bring your stroller in there, so we may have to carry you. Is that still okay?” Patrick once again nodded. “Alright, let’s head in,” Lloyd directed. The trio then came over to the entrance, and after a confirmation to leave the stroller outside with the rest in a designated area, the attendant stopped them. “Sorry, folks. I have to stop you,” he said, as he put up his gloved hand out in front of them. “Just want to make sure that you know what you’re getting yourself into with your Little one and all.” “Oh, he knows,” Lloyd said. “Insisted on it himself.” The attendant looked down at Patrick. “Is that so?” “Yes, sir,” Patrick said, assuming that the attendant thought he was just another regressed Little. He knew that his elastic-waisted jeans, which left little to the imagination about his diaper, and tucked-in plaid flannel shirt didn’t exactly make him look like the oldest or most mature Little here. “I used to love these things. Would love to do this one today.” The attendant just sighed. “Very well.” He then handed Samantha a punch card. “Here. Punch at each station throughout the maze and get a discounted kettle corn bag afterward.” He then handed a large pole to Lloyd. “Use this to ensure your location is known the whole time. There are a few bits you may have trouble navigating with the pole but keep it on you regardless. We use it to see where you are, and if you wave it around when you have a problem, we can come help you.” Lloyd then took the large pole. “So, with all that, enjoy the maze.” Each of them nodded and entered the tall maze. After a second, they all decided that going left was best and Patrick was quickly reminded that despite normal corn being just over his head back home, the corn here, came to just above Lloyd’s head here, easily 13 feet tall by his estimation. A little while, four wooden monsters, six turns, and two backtracks later, they arrived at an elevated bridge and decided to go to the top. Once above the maze, Patrick got a good look around at everything. “Wow… this thing is huge. This is going to take forever!” “Nonsense, honey,” Samantha consoled, rubbing his shoulder a bit. “It will take us time, but we’ve got plenty of it. Your legs still doing okay?” Patrick’s legs were hurting a little bit, but they were still fine for the moment. “I’m okay. I’ll let you know. Promise.” Samantha nodded. Patrick then looked out beyond and noticed some slides off in the distance. “Those look pretty cool. Is that a castle and a volcano?” “Sure is,” Lloyd confirmed. “Just added the volcano one a few seasons ago.” “Maybe we should go after all this?” Samantha offered, noticing how Patrick was seemingly transfixed by their structures. “I’d like that,” Patrick admitted freely. Looking at his watch over the time, Lloyd then spoke up. “I think I see a way to the next marker. Everyone ready?” Samantha and Patrick both nodded their heads and their tiny group set back off. Like most corn mazes, the further they ventured inward, the more difficult it became to navigate. Backtracking soon became even more dangerous than taking a wrong turn. Patrick knew from firsthand experience that if one didn’t keep their bearings, one could easily get turned around and even head back toward the entrance rather than the exit. Additionally, this maze also had a few scary features that Patrick just rolled his eyes at being ‘too futuristic,’ such as holograms of jumping monsters and aliens and spacecraft that you would have to walk through or around at certain points. Despite all that though, they finally came to an intersection of four pathways. “Well crud,” Patrick cursed. “Wasn’t expecting this. Which way do we go?” “Hmmm,” Lloyd mused. “Maybe we split up?” “Oh, that’s a bad idea, Lloyd” Samantha disagreed. “Sorry, but that just could invite trouble.” Before Lloyd could retort back, Patrick spoke up. “I don’t know, Samantha. Maybe we do it for just a little bit? Maybe some ground rules though?” Samantha really didn’t seem keen on the idea but relented anyway. It was agreed that they wouldn’t take more than three turns and wouldn’t proceed through any other intersections if they came to one, but no matter what, they would meet back at the four-way intersection in two minutes. All nodding, they set off. Patrick took the left path. After the first turn though, Patrick began to feel uneasy. By the second, his heart began to rapidly beat, and he swore that someone or something was following him. The stalks of corn seemed to bend inward and try to reach out and snatch him into their midst. By the third turn, Patrick was panicking completely, and he began to hyperventilate and lose track of where he was or how many turns he had made. After that, he completely forgot to stop and head back, and to make matters worse, he began to run around to try and find his way back to the safety of Lloyd and Samantha. Everything he did just seemed to make it worse, and his breathing soon mimicked a runner after a race. “Oh god! Oh god! I’m lost!” he cried out. He could nearly hear his heart and he could certainly feel its pounding in his head. “Oh, sweet mother. I’m so lost! Someone is gonna take me. Shit! Where’s Tad when you need him! Oh god! This is how it ends for me!” “Not ends, Little one, but a new beginning.” The words slithered out like a greasy invitation and a needle of icy cold running up his spine. He would never forget that voice. “R… Redge? I… it can’t be…” Patrick stammered out, now seeing his tormentor step from out of the corn and come closer to him. “Oh, but it is…” he approached menacingly with a needle in his enormous gloved right hand. “No, no, no!” Patrick tried to squirm away, but Redge was too powerful and plunged it right into his legs. Instantly, he felt numb once again from the waist down. “There we go,” Redge said with a twisted look of satisfaction. “Much better. Should undo all that progress you’ve made with your legs. Probably a good thing too. Samantha and Lloyd will probably leave you now.” “No!” Patrick shouted out. “You’re lying! They wouldn’t do that to me. No matter what!” “Oh, but you know I’m telling you the truth. No Big, no matter how big a heart,” he mocked, “doesn’t want a broken Little. And you little fella, are that broken toy all over. As I said… probably a good thing. This way, you won’t have to let them down like you did with your own mother. You killed her. What a failure… you should be grateful I want you so bad. I’ll take you away and make you my Little and there’s not a thing you can do about it!” Redge then leaned in with his hand to snatch Patrick away. Patrick just closed his eyes to all this. He didn’t want to witness another failure of his in his life. “No! Never! Never!” He felt the hand on him stopping him from struggling. ‘Why did we split up? No, no, no! Not like this!’ He continued to fight with everything he had. “Patrick! Patrick!” a voice yelled out. “No! You can’t make me go with you. Samantha and Lloyd will find me! I trust in them! You can’t hurt me!” he wailed as he continued to thrash about. “Patrick!” This time the voice came from right in front of his face and it sounded very different to Redge’s. Patrick reopened his eyes to figure out what he was hearing. “Good, good. That’s it, sweetie,” Samantha coaxed, trying to ignore a wispy image of a dead soldier she had once known to her left. “Oh my god. It was awful. It was Redge! And he…! I…” Patrick’s mind scrambled to make sense of what he thought he had just witnessed. “I’m a failure! I killed her! I really did and I paralyzed myself… all in one night!” “Patrick,” Lloyd tried to console, as he kept his arms firmly wrapped around the Little from behind, “you’re not a failure. You’re a good person.” He shuddered as he briefly saw an image of his dad and his older brother, but he had to just remind himself that they weren’t real. “No! No!” Patrick insisted. “I’m a failure and a loser!” He began to thrash about again and sent several of his tears sputtering out around him like a sprinkler. “This isn’t working Lloyd,” Samantha said, while looking at her fellow Big and caretaker. “We need to get him out of here. I think there’s a clearing I can see up ahead.” Lloyd nodded and hoisted the still panicking Patrick away from the area. Samantha carried their pole and briefly thought about waving it about, but she knew from experience that once out in the open, Patrick would be okay in only a few minutes. “I’m a loser… I’m a failure… I killed her…” Patrick kept mumbling repeatedly as tears fell and were absorbed into his shirt. As predicted though, two turns later, the trio came to a clearing and like removing his sunglasses on a cloudy day, things started to become clearer for the distressed Little. “Wha… what happened?” “Fear toxin,” Lloyd said bluntly. Patrick still looked at the two Bigs in confusion while wiping a few tears away from his eyes. “They pump the gas into the field in certain areas,” Samantha clarified. “Ups the stakes for us Bigs. They should have their sign a little clearer and in view of Littles, but I guess they just assume you all would never go into a place like this.” Patrick rubbed his throbbing head and sniffled. “Ah… that stuff’s no fun… but what I said…” “It wasn’t you, honey,” Samantha tried to justify. “I hope you know that we don’t think of you like that, but more importantly, I hope you realize by now that night was just an accident and a tragedy. You are just one part in a much larger puzzle that accumulated into what happened.” “Trust us on this, buddy,” Lloyd said, relaxing his grip while still maintaining one hand on Patrick’s shoulder. “We know guilt. Holding onto it won’t help you, but we saw the accident report as well. You couldn’t have prevented it, and in a way, it was a perfect storm of bad things. Don’t blame yourself for something that was almost entirely out of your control.” “I…” Patrick started to say, but then just nodded. With Dr. Halgen’s help, he had come to similar revelations a few weeks back, but he guessed that all that was now just a deep-seated fear of his which the fear toxin had brought out. Now, he knew that all that would just take time to heal from, similarly to what the other part of his fear had been. “I saw Redge…” “In your hallucination?” Lloyd asked immediately with concern. Patrick nodded. “I see… well, he was just fake. He didn’t exist there and I’m sure he’s long gone by now. Probably in Catalon or Yamatoa by now.” “I suppose…” Patrick said, half believing Lloyd and the other half wondering if Redge was suddenly going to spring from a bush at any moment. “Besides,” Samantha stated proudly, “if that little weasel ever crawls back here, he’ll find I possess a certain set of skills that he might find… uncomfortable.” Patrick wasn’t sure what exactly she meant by that, but he was certain that he didn’t want to find out firsthand. So, without any hesitation, he just barreled right into both Lloyd and Samantha with his arms wide open. “Thank you… I don’t know what I’d do without both of you…” Patrick said, squeezing and hugging them even tighter. Lloyd and Samantha could have said something further, but they didn’t want to ruin the peacefulness of the moment. Instead, they just looked at each other longingly and smiled in a way that indicated something more than a thousand words could have said. If Patrick had seen them, he would have launched a hundred inquiries. Now though, he just remained peacefully wrapped in the loving embrace of both his Bigs. After a moment like that, the trio split apart and ventured further into the maze. They then found the last three punches and exited the maze. Lloyd wanted to punch the attendant for not warning them more about the fear toxin, but Samantha noticed Lloyd’s overall demeanor and just shook her head at him. Knowing she was right as usual, Lloyd just helped get Patrick back into his stroller and used a wet wipe to clean off his previously tearful face. Wanting to push aside the horrific memory of what happened in the maze and trying to justify their journey throughout it, they then waited in line for some snacks. Two apple cider donuts, three glasses of apple cider, and one large bag of kettle corn later, they sat on a bench and enjoyed the delectable goods as another breeze floated gently by and tousled up their hair. Once Patrick was finished with his half of one of the apple cider donuts, and much to the chagrin of Samantha, he began to lick his fingers of the sugar goodness that remained. “Well,” Lloyd started as Samantha retrieved more baby wipes to clean off Patrick more thoroughly, “where should we go next?” As she cleaned, Samantha turned to Patrick. “You did seem interested in the slides. Maybe we should do those, huh?” she suggested. Patrick coyly smiled as the last of the sugar was properly removed from his now cinnamon-scented hands. “You read my mind.” Lloyd smacked his knees as he stood up. “Righty oh then. It’s been decided. We go to the slides.” A few minutes later, after tossing their trash, getting a few more handfuls of the kettle corn before resealing the bag, the trio walked over and made it to the three different slides. The first was plain and seemed to mainly be for the most regressed Littles. The next over was shaped like a giant volcano at the top, but the one furthest to the right was a large medieval castle with slides coming out of several of the portcullises. “That one,” Patrick said confidently as he gestured to the regal and behemoth slide that was the castle at the top of the hill. “Excellent choice,” Samantha complimented as they began their climb up the back of the hill. Soon, despite a little difficulty, the trio managed to get themselves all on a single rug that they had collected at the top of the slide. It wasn’t absolutely necessary, but Lloyd insisted after he recalled a tale where one of these types of slides had once ripped open the seat of his pants on the way down. Neither Patrick nor Samantha dared to argue with the rug’s usage afterward. Now situated, Samantha and Lloyd gripped the sides of the slide. “Ready, sweetie?” Samantha asked, the middle passenger on the rug, and who had her legs squeezed against Patrick’s sides. “Oh yeah! Let’s go!” Patrick called out. “Alright,” Lloyd began, adjusting his legs around Samantha in front of him. “On the count of three.” Samantha nodded. “One,” the two Bigs began in unison. “Two… three!” With a giant shove, the rug crept forward and as soon as Patrick had cleared the Portcullis gate, their weight and gravity took care of the rest. Now, being that everything was sized a little bigger in this dimension, meant that most slides were nearly double their counterparts back on earth. This fall festival, however, as they had done with the fear toxin, had made the slide both extra-long and steeper, and therefore faster. The trio sped down the slide for the bottom at a breakneck speed. Patrick was terrified and thrilled at the same time. He tried to put his arms up at one point, but Samantha quickly plopped them back down and held onto him tight. Patrick wasn’t the biggest fan of the gesture, but he also knew it came from a place of caring and safety by now. In an odd sense, he almost welcomed it now from her. Each of the trio yelled as loudly as they could on their way down. Their hair flapped in the breeze and their cheeks and clothing matted tightly to their wind-blown fronts. It was amazing, but the slide, not being of the magical variety that Patrick had read about in his books, soon came to an end. Naturally, Patrick wanted to go again, and even with Samantha’s and Lloyds physical abilities, the process started to become a little tiring. Not necessarily from the slide though… in this case, it was more of climbing up the hill originally. Five slides down later, Lloyd and Samantha had enough. “Okay… Pa… whew! Patrick, that was the last one,” Lloyd panted at the bottom of the hill after their last slide down from the castle on the hill. “Yes!” Samantha announced a little too excitedly. “I mean… yes…” She too was breathing a little heavily, having carried Patrick up the hill the last two times as his legs had begun to tire. “That’s fine…” Patrick wanted to go again, but he saw how tired they were getting. The height of the hill was amazing for coming down, but the way up did little to help ease its climber’s steps and he didn’t want to be that kind of Little for his two potential caretakers. “So, what do we do now?” The trio got up and began to look around. Samantha realized that Patrick could definitely use a diaper change, so while they did that, Lloyd went out to look for other interesting things to do. Having practically mastered the change by now with Patrick, Samantha finished up with as little fuss as possible. It didn’t hurt that Patrick was only wet this time, but still, she smiled with a great sense of satisfaction. Lloyd had changed a few other diapers, but she knew she was faster… something she would have to boast over him later tonight. Exiting the changing stalls, they saw Lloyd coming back over to meet them with the stroller. “So, anything else interesting that we haven’t done here?” Samantha asked, setting Patrick down into the awaiting stroller. “Well,” Lloyd started, “there’s the country band concert or the petting zoo…” Patrick quickly shook his head and both Samantha and Lloyd chuckled a bit. “That’s what I thought, but we could always do the pumpkin chunkin’, or…” “Or what?” Patrick eagerly asked. He knew that the pumpkin chunkin’ was the last thing they would do before they left here today, so anything to delay going back to Psyche was preferable. “Or… we could do the hayride,” Lloyd offered. “Geez, man!” Patrick said relieved letting out a huge breath. “You had me thinking it was a death house or something in the back woods to eat up wandering Littles.” “Well…” Lloyd hesitated for a moment, “it’s supposedly a haunted hayride…” Patrick felt his stomach drop. He almost wanted to check if he had pooped himself in fear over those words but thought better of it. ‘Samantha or Lloyd can check if it’s a problem…’ “I… I’m willing t… to give it a g… go…” Samantha smirked and folded her arms. “Very convincing…” Patrick breathed in deeply. “I’m…” Patrick realized his voice was too high pitched, so he dropped it at least an octave to bolster the aura of confidence he wanted to project. “I’m good.” “Hmmm… I suppose,” Lloyd mused, “but okay. We can do it if you wish.” The trio then nodded and headed over to the line for the hayride. Like the corn maze, the stroller had to stay back, but at least this time they could just sit on the back of the platforms being towed by the tractor in front. As Patrick looked around, there were only a handful of other Littles around them. Mostly, and a bit concerningly, it was just Middles and Bigs. “Here we go!” the tractor driver announced before blowing his horn and setting off. The next few minutes were filled with scenes of aliens exiting the corn maze, wooden cutouts of varying monsters, and other such simple decorations. Patrick almost scoffed at each, but then also remembered that the corn maze had started out the same way as well before he had run into the fear toxin. After a bit, they then came to a what amounted to a pond in the middle of their trail. “Hold on!” the tractor driver announced. “This could get ugly!” Patrick braced for the impact of the vehicle, and everyone sloshed around as the vehicle bounced around the uneven surface. Unfortunately, halfway through the water, the tractor became stuck in the muck buried beneath it all. “Oh dear! Looks like we might not be able to go anywhere for a moment…” Just then, a large tentacled creature came up out of the water and surrounded the back of the hayride. Patrick clung to Samantha’s legs that he was now sitting between with one hand and gripped the thigh of Lloyd next to him. “It’ll be okay, honey,” Samantha said as reassuringly as she could. “Yeah, I’m sure we’ll get out of here! You’ll see,” Lloyd tried to console. “One minute!” the tractor driver screamed. “I…” The monster then roared and bowed down to where his tongue could have probably licked someone on board… or eaten them with its large near tusk-like teeth. Patrick felt his diaper warm, and he gripped Samantha and Lloyd even tighter. “It’ll be okay, baby,” Samantha consoled as she stroked his hair and hugged him close. For added measure, Lloyd even put his body in front of them. “There!” The tractor roared to life once more, and just as the monster lowered its head to consume the vehicle and passengers onboard. Much to their screams however, the monster just missed as the tractor drove safely away. “Sorry about that, folks. Just a little hiccup in old Jenny here,” he apologized as he stroked the green and muddied tractor beneath him. Patrick then realized the whole thing was just an act, but the Bigs technology in this dimension made so many things far more realistic, and thus seemingly more dangerous. It was a trick, but a very convincing one. The rest of the hayride went much more smoothly, even going through the haunted barn with the 32 wizards and the witch’s glade with the 66 cackling witches. Soon, after a few more bumps and turns through the woods and animatronic creatures and monsters, the ride came to a halt back to where it had started. Satisfied with the amount of fear and excitement from their day, the trio then walked over to the pumpkin chunkin’s area. “So, what do you think, buddy?” Lloyd asked as he removed the large and wilting carved pumpkin from underneath the stroller. "Should we drop it? Smash it? Or launch it?" Patrick looked out over the many options in front of him. One could drop their pumpkin from varying dizzying heights high above, guillotine it in two, smash it with a mallet as much as you wanted, or even explode it with dry ice. All seemed fun, but there was only one option that Patrick desired more than any of the others. “We launch it,” he confidently said while pointing to a series of catapults and trebuchets. Nodding, the trio then went over and handed the pumpkin to the master of arms here and the leader who would be loading the machine. Then, to get a better view, Lloyd picked Patrick up and set him on his shoulders. He had done it before, and Patrick couldn’t get enough of it. He loved being so high above everyone else and it made him feel looked after and powerful at the same time. He didn’t realize it at the time, but his shirt had slightly become untucked and revealed the waistband of his diaper. As a result, despite being a more normal occurrence in the world, many of the spectators nearby began to stare. It wasn’t because they had never seen it before, but slightly unbeknownst to Patrick, it was odd to have a Little so seemingly young over here. Patrick became highly self-conscious of their stares, and just gripped Lloyd tighter. In return, Lloyd just stroked and patted his leg reassuringly. The master of arms noticed Patrick as well though, so he made a bigger fanfare out of one of his observers than usual. “I see we have special pumpkin brought to us by… what’s your name?” he asked Patrick. “Patrick…” he responded shyly. The master of arms nodded his head. “Brought to us by Patrick. Let’s give him a round of applause for giving us such wonderful ammunition today!” The crowd cheered and Patrick blushed, but still liked the extra attention of his feat of aiding today’s entertainment. “Now, let’s start a countdown on my mark!” His team had been busy loading and winching up the catapult, so by the time the master of arms looked back, the pumpkin was already in place. “Alright, here we go!” “Three! Two! One!” the crowd shouted in unison. Without a second thought, the master of arms released the attached cable and sent the pumpkin flying over the field and towards the woods on the far side of everything. Looking at the hurdling pumpkin, Patrick couldn’t help but feel the same way for a moment. He had gotten launched into this dimension and had been freely flying ever since. It was a wonderous and unique time, but also, one of sheer terror. Now, he was getting closer to the end with all this. Soon, he would have to choose between the two Bigs with him here today. It seemed an impossible decision, but he was just glad that he had a little more time left. Hopefully, that choice would become more apparent to him by then. At minimum though, he at least knew that he didn’t want to have resort to an ‘eenie-meenie-minnie-mo’ type of decision-making process. From past stories, those Little’s stories never ended well. “It’s coming down!” the master of arms then shouted. The pumpkin seemed to glide effortlessly downward. As the pumpkin splatted on the ground though, Patrick just gulped and prayed that his landing and ending in all this wouldn’t end with a splat as well.

Ugh! So, I was originally going to post this chapter on Monday, but while I was editing it, I realized I didnt like how some of it flowed and it felt wrong not to include a few bits. As a result, I rewrote about 60% of this chapter. Not fun, but I'm definitely happier with the result. Going forward, I am currently editing the next chapter, but my time may be weird, so I'll either post it tomorrow or Friday. Also, looking beyond that, I am hoping to have this story completed some time next week. After chapter 21, there will only be about four more to go, so despite my week by full up with Halloween and all, I think this should still be doable. Also, for those of you hoping that Redge is going to go away without any conflict... all I can say is that this is the DD. There is going to be conflict and Redge fits the bill in all this. You have my permission to feel free to hate him as much as you want. Regardless, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter. Chapter 20: Feel and Trust in the Bones A fittingly cool breeze floated over the outside of the Psyche building and the rays of sunlight had only just begun to melt the early cold snap and subsequent frost from last night. The frozen earth and deadening greenery seemed to mix well with the Halloween decorations that now adorned the physical therapy room that Patrick now found himself in. He had been doing a lot of reflecting over the past few days as they had now entered their final month here. The choosing ceremony had been much the same as the first he had attended, but hot beverages and fire pits were now easily consumed or huddled over. Patrick hadn’t really gotten to know the group ahead of them, so the ceremony was more a time of reflection for him. Their group was now the most progressed, and as Patrick looked away from the outside and viewed those around him now, it was growing more evident of their progression in many ways. According to Dr. Halgen yesterday, the group was now at a point where those who were sick when they came here were now only a few doses of their medication away from being completely cured. On his front, Patrick was only growing stronger and nimbler in his movements. As such, today was an important milestone. “Are you ready, Patrick?” Bruce asked, now wearing a pair of scrubs adorned with cartoonish versions of all the classic monsters. Patrick viewed the group in the room and knew that they all had come to support him. Most of the group beamed with a chaotic energy as if they were about to ride a rollercoaster, but by far, his biggest Little support was Cara. One would have never known now that she had ever been sick or even shy for that matter. Today, she danced around and kept giving Patrick the thumbs up and cheering that ‘he had this.’ With all that though, he also could see that her act of pretending only could go so far with protecting her from some of the effects of this place. As she flapped about in her support, her multi-colored tutu skirt occasionally would flash her diapers. Now, every member of their group was padded, just as Matilda had said they would be when they left here. “Alright, Bruce. I’m ready. Let’s do this,” Patrick said with a burden but also a sense of accomplishment and relief that he had made it to this point today. “Excellent.” Bruce then moved the increasingly present walker over in front of Patrick. “Now, we’ll start you off with this, but if you feel ready, we can try without afterwards, okay?” Patrick eyed the walker and felt a tingle of excitement but also nervousness to walk without it. Since he had started using it, his muscles had only been working overtime and his confidence in his ability to walk had only increased. So, naturally, Patrick nodded, and with Bruce’s help still, stood up and gripped the walker tightly. “You got this, Patrick!” Cara cheered from the side. “She’s right, honey,” Samantha agreed, having come here to witness this moment. “Absolutely, buddy! You’ll do great!” Lloyd said in support as well, having come here to witness all this as well. Patrick waved to all of them and couldn’t help but think of the increasing number of times that Samantha and Lloyd were now here together with them. In a way, in had almost started to feel weird when one of them was here without the other. Both had proven by now that they could care for and have fun with him, but together, they just felt stronger and more like the caretakers that Patrick desired by now. “Alright,” Bruce continued, “just start walking forward. You got this. One step at a time…” Patrick nodded and began to swing his legs forward. The movement still felt awkward, but it was also feeling less foreign every day with the practice he was getting in here and around. At this point, he was almost using the walker more than the wheelchair when not going out. Sometimes even, he wanted to let go of the walker just to see… so today was a welcome surprise and would likely soon be a fulfillment of his long-held wish. After a few dozen steps with the walker, Bruce stopped him. “Alright, no pressure if not, but do you feel like taking a spin on your own? Without the walker?” Patrick glanced down at the support device and didn’t want to let go, but he knew he had to at least try to know that he did. He was so close today and he just had to see if he could. Still, the ever-present danger of falling on his butt loomed in his mind. “Yeah, but maybe just hang back? I don’t really fancy falling on my face or butt today. Can actually feel when that happens now in the rear.” The group laughed and with a smile, Bruce nodded. “Will do, man, but also, I’m going to get Samantha and Lloyd to hang out at the other end of the room. Think you can make it to them from here?” Patrick looked over at Samantha and Lloyd getting into position. They seemed so close, but with his poor little legs, he almost felt a sense of vertigo after looking at the many steps it would take to get to them. “I… I can try…” “That’s the spirit.” Bruce then gripped the walker from the side. “Ready?” Patrick nodded and as he let go of the main bar in front of him, Bruce pulled the contraption out of the way and to the side. “Remember, you got this.” Patrick nodded and with a huge breath in, he took his first step. It was wobbly, but it held straight. The group began to clap and cheer, and the room erupted with their sounds of support. Enthralled and encouraged by them and the prospect of success, Patrick took another step forward and then another. Both were equally successful, but the fourth didn’t stick the landing as well and Patrick fell back a little bit. Bruce was waiting though. “Woah there. Easy does it.” He then propped Patrick back up. “Ready to try again or had enough?” Patrick calmed his rapidly beating heart and took another breath in. “I want to go again.” Bruce nodded, and while he remained behind him, he also let Patrick continue to walk toward his now two potential caretakers. For Patrick, the distance that had once seemed almost insurmountable was coming closer to becoming a reality. Soon, his steps wouldn’t even be considered a victory. They would just be a daily part of his life like everyone else, and Patrick clamored for that day more than anything by now. For today though, the sounds of Addy, his friends, Bruce, and his caretakers all cheering and clapping for him, was a feeling near indescribable. Two months ago, he was paralyzed, lonely, and down on his luck in the worst of almost every way. Now, he was walking on his own to the cheers of the many who cared about him. His heart was about as full as it could get, or so he thought. “Two more steps, sport!” Bruce cheered on from behind him still. Patrick was getting tired doing all this on his own in one go, but those two steps had to be accomplished. At the end, both Samantha and Lloyd were cheering him on. “Come on, sweetie. Just two more!” Samantha called out. “Show me what you got!” “We’re so proud of you, Patrick,” Lloyd added. “Just a few more steps and you’ll have accomplished so much today. Come on a little further.” The pair of them waved him on over the last little bit. Patrick took a deep breath and swung one leg and then the other. He had been so focused on moving forward and accomplishing it all that his last step didn’t stick as well as would have liked. Instead of falling backward as he had done before though, he fell forwards and right into the open and awaiting arms of Samantha and Lloyd. “Whoops! We got you, honey,” Samantha said, hugging and holding one half of Patrick. “Way to go, champ! We knew you had it in you!” Lloyd praised, hugging and holding his other half. Patrick’s legs felt sore, but he knew they just felt that way from all that he had just accomplished. It may have only been 25 steps at the most, but they were 25 that every doctor had once told him was impossible. Yet today, he had done them, and he was now being embraced by his two biggest supporters, arguably. Wrapped up in the tight embrace of their warm hug, Patrick could only feel happiness course through his body. Of course, he did have one other support that could have some contention as his biggest supporter. He then felt a huge push and another hug from behind. “Oh Patrick, that was so awesome!” Cara cried out, squeezing him even tighter. It was an overall pleasant feeling, but there was just one problem now. “Thanks… but… can’t… breathe…” Patrick gasped under the weight of the three kindly but confining hugs. “Oops!” Samantha, Lloyd, and Cara all let go, and gratefully, Bruce was at the ready and made sure to provide Patrick with his wheelchair back. After a moment of regaining his color, Patrick turned over to Bruce. “So, what’s the verdict for tonight? Can I do what we talked about?” Bruce took a moment and stroked his bearded chin. “Well, I don’t know… you did fall…” “Bruce!” Addy chided from nearby. Bruce then smiled. “Sorry, only joking.” Everyone groaned. “It is Halloween after all, so maybe consider that your trick. I know you’ll be getting plenty of treats later, but in all seriousness, you can do what we talked about. Just on one condition…” Patrick leaned in. “And that is?” “If you insist on no wheelchair tonight, then you’re going to need a shot beforehand,” Bruce said. “Just one into each leg, but trust me, you’ll probably thank me after. It strengthens your muscles for about six hours once administered. Helps with the pain as well. So, deal?” Patrick hated needles, but he was learning the art of compromise very well while at Psyche. He knew to get a little, he had to give a little sometimes. If shots were the price of not using his wheelchair tonight and moving around on his own two legs with maybe some help from the walker, which was to be brought to the party later just in case, then so be it. “Ugh… fine. It’s a deal.” A wonderous cheering and applause then went out from everyone for the next few minutes at least. It was a joyous moment, but it all stopped when a voice spoke up from the back. “Yes, yes, very good, Patrick. We’re all so proud of you,” Dr. Halgen said with a glint of satisfaction in her eyes. She then turned to everyone else. “I’m sure Patrick appreciates your support, but you all need to get changed into your costumes for tonight. Trick or treating begins in an hour and as I’ve said before, everyone must go!” she said sternly. “Now, off you go. Your caretakers are waiting for you in the lobby. The group didn’t take a moment to hesitate and quickly split up. Already with their Little, Samantha and Lloyd ushered Patrick upstairs and grabbed two large bags on the way that they had brought with them when they had arrived this afternoon to witness what had just occurred. Once up in Patrick’s room, he blushed a little as Samantha and Lloyd quickly spotted Tad nestled snugly in his crib. His presence had been a wonder since his arrival, but Patrick still felt silly cuddling up to him at night. He was only there for that… and nothing else… “So, how about I get ready really quick, and Samantha helps you into your costume?” Lloyd proposed after a moment of settling in. “Then we can swap, and I can help you with your makeup. Sound good, buddy?” “Sounds good to me!” Patrick agreed. “I guess it’s settled then,” Samantha said, now taking her bag over to Patrick while Lloyd entered the bathroom on his own. “Now, let’s see what I’ve brought you for your proposed costume.” Patrick nodded eagerly and was practically giddy as each piece was pulled out. While it all may have looked almost normal from a single glance, a further inspection showed much more. The dark suit had patches and dirt stains over it, and some tears appeared around the hems and cuffs. Finally, the shirt, once applied properly, formed an image of a green torso, complete with sewn wounds and staples. After a quick diaper change and then helping him get into the costume, Samantha helped Patrick see himself in a nearby mirror. “So, what do you think?” Patrick stared at himself and loved the little details on the beginning of his Frankenstein costume. Technically speaking… he was the monster of Dr. Frankenstein, but he didn’t want to be that type of person to correct everyone else throughout the night. “Oh, don’t you look fearsome,” Lloyd commented, now exiting the bathroom. Samantha and Lloyd snapped around and saw his full getup. A dark cape with a blood red lining hung gracefully over his shoulders and his white shirt almost melded into his now pale face. As he smiled, Patrick could easily see the two fangs, which went nicely with his dark, slicked-back hair, and tiny cascading flows of blood from the corners of his mouth. “Wow, Lloyd. You look really good” Samantha commented after a moment. “Gonna put me to shame after I get into mine.” “I doubt I would ever look better than you, but I try.” Samantha blushed a bit. Satisfied over his attempt at flattery, Lloyd then turned to Patrick. “So, what do you think?” An emblazoned medallion flittered about on his chest and cast a bit of light around the room. “It’s perfect. Now, come on,” Patrick insisted, “we need to do my makeup, or I’ll only look like an emerging homeless Hulk.” “Who?” both Samantha and Lloyd asked in unison. “Oh, right… keep forgetting you all don’t know the same people.” Patrick then thought for a moment. “Not sure who he is over here. I think Eddy said he might have been gray or…” Patrick shook his head. ‘Doesn’t matter but come on! We don’t have much time! Samantha, you need to change, and Lloyd, we’ve gotta start on the makeup if we’re gonna be ready on time.” “Alright, alright,” Samantha said as she and Lloyd switched places. “Keep your pants on… I’ll be done in a jiffy.” Lloyd then grabbed one of the chairs from nearby and set his bag on it before opening it up as Samantha entered the bathroom with her own bag. Lloyd then paused. “Actually… before we begin, Dr. Halgen dropped this off while you were changing.” Patrick looked down fearfully at the two large needles now in Lloyd’s hands. “Easy, buddy. Easy.” Patrick liked his soothing words, but they weren’t stopping the shaking that he just realized he was now doing. “Hmmm… need something… ah!” Lloyd then reached over into Patrick’s crib and pulled out Tad. “Here,” he said, handing the frog over, “you just squeeze him tight, and all this will all be over in the blink of an eye.” Patrick didn’t want to but saw the needles once more and grabbed Tad as quickly as he could before burying himself into his soft body. “Okay, just a little prick,” Lloyd tried to console him before he plunged the needle into Patrick’s now-uncovered thigh after the snaps on the inseams of his pants had been undone. The pain was excruciating, and Patrick just buried himself into Tad’s soft plush as much as he could. The second one wasn’t any better and it took a fair amount of stroking his shoulder from Lloyd for Patrick to look up again. “Awww, I’m really sorry I had to do that, buddy, but you’ll be able to walk much better tonight. Still though, are you going to be okay?” Patrick looked down at his throbbing legs and just nodded. “Okay… you keep hugging Tad for me, and we’ll start right up if you still want.” Patrick nodded again. Lloyd smiled and pulled out the makeup kit that he had brought along. “Okay… let’s see… from what I read in your file, you aren’t allergic to anything, so… I’m thinking if you want to go all out, we can. Up to you of course though.” Patrick adjusted his body while still holding Tad tightly. “I’m ready for my close up, Mr. Goneis… I’m all in. Make me a monster…” “Very well, Mr. Henderson. Let’s make you that monster, shall we?” Lloyd then leaned in and began to apply the various bits of makeup all over Patrick’s face. While his legs still hurt from the shots, a smile began to creep over his previously sullen face as he slowly began to transform. After some time had passed, most of the makeup was now applied. Patrick’s neck was adorned in one zipper along the side and front, as well as two bolts that mirrored each other on either side. He essentially wore a cap over his head that mimicked the monster’s traditional box-like shaped head, and scars and staples covered other parts of his face. To round out the costume, he wore two long pairs of gloves that sealed onto his skin nicely without feeling too hot or unwieldy. He and Lloyd had discussed wanting to go more for the ‘scary’ side of Halloween and once they included Samantha, much to Patrick’s joy, they all agreed on their theme of classic Halloween costumes. Now, Lloyd was finishing up dabbing the last of the green paint over his cheek, but Patrick was curious about something. “So, how does a business executive manage to know so much about makeup? This looks amazing!” “Well, thank you, but remember I told you I had an older brother and sister?” Patrick nodded. “Well, they were both into theater and all that, but I didn’t have that type of talent in the family. So, to feel included, I volunteered to do their makeup for each little play of theirs. Funnily enough, now I’m an exec at one of the more prominent makeup companies on the east coast. I guess all this just comes with the territory.” “Sounds like a cool job, but that also had to be fun helping them out when you all were younger,” Patrick imagined. “Oh, definitely. Freaked our mom out once when we all applied fake glass and wounds to ourselves when they got home. Boy, I thought my mom was going to faint.” Lloyd shuddered at the thought. “Still, really fun though.” “Oh wow. I can’t imagine your dad was too thrilled,” Patrick said with some fear. “Actually,” Lloyd smiled, “it was his idea. He was like that. I think you would have liked him.” Patrick felt a pang of guilt for brining him up, remembering now that he had passed with his older brother a few years ago. “Yeah… sounds like a pretty cool guy. Don’t think Samantha would go for that though…” “Oh… she would,” he mused. “She would just make us clean the whole house or something like that afterward.” Patrick realized his chance to get the inside scoop on what was happening with them, remembering quickly to earlier when they almost seemed like they had arrived together. “You ever think about the future with her?” To his amusement, Lloyd blushed and paused his finishing touches to the makeup. “Uh, well… you know,” he began to stammer. “We’re, uh…” “And how’s my two spooky men doing?” Samantha then asked from the hallway. Lloyd and Patrick quickly stopped and stared at the near goddess leaning against one wall. She wore a simple black dress, but the hem was cut up to her mid-thigh and easily revealed her black and green stockings. The hem and the cuffs also sported a purposely ripped look and contrasted nicely with the elegant belt around her waist complete with a large silver buckle. To top it off, her wavy hair flowed elegantly from her pointed hat. “Wow,” Lloyd said, his jaw nearly on the floor. “You look so great, Samantha,” Patrick agreed. He then saw the slack jaw expression that Lloyd now wore and elbowed him a bit. “Right Lloyd?” “Oh, uh, absolutely amazing.” He blushed again. “Sorry… just… yeah, you look amazing. Told you that you would look better.” Now, it was Samantha’s turn to blush a bit. “Thank you, Lloyd. You all ready now?” she quickly asked as she grabbed the alternate black diaper bag, now sporting a spider and a bat on the side of it. Patrick nodded but rolled his eyes a bit with these two. Something was either happening and they were covering it up, or they needed a larger shove for it to get going in the first place. Patrick couldn’t decide which. Back downstairs, only Cara was waiting by the door. Apparently, many of the other Littles and Bigs were taking their time. “Hmmm…” Lloyd mused as the trio stopped and stared at the Little before them. “What are you? Uh, wait! Let me guess… fairy princess.” Cara pouted and stuck both hands on her hips. “Queen!” “Excuse me?” Samantha asked in confusion. “I’m a fairy queen,” Cara shot back, “not a princess. See the crown?” She then pointed to the small silvery crown atop her head. “It’s important.” Lloyd chuckled at Cara’s insistence on being called a queen. “I’m sure it is your majesty. Samantha was just guessing as we humbled monsters often do, right?” “Of course. I’m really very sorry, Queen Cara,” Samantha apologized while curtseying. Cara smiled. “Your apology is accepted, madame witch.” She then turned to Patrick. “As for you, you doubted my legitimacy as well. You may kiss my ring as a sign of your apologies for not defending me to your fellow monsters.” Patrick stalled for a moment thinking that all this was just a joke, but Cara just thrusted her hand with a ring on one finger out further. With a slight groan, he bent over and kissed her ring, much to Cara’s visible delight. Right at that moment however, Daphne walked in. “And what are you supposed to be?” Lloyd asked, looking at her costume up and down. Daphne just glared back. “Isn’t it obvious?” she asked as she pointed to her now clearly pointed ears and small tiara on the top of her head. “I’m an elf queen.” “Two queens?” Patrick questioned. “Yes, young man. We are a pair of queens,” she boasted proudly over him. “You and you may bow before us, peasants.” “Uh…” Clearly not wanting to upset this woman, after being pointed to deliberately, Patrick and Lloyd bowed down low. From his facial expression, Patrick couldn’t tell if Lloyd had thought she was being serious or not. Truth be told, he couldn’t either. Now with their group all gathered, Addy entered the main hall, dressed as a cop, and directed all of them out to the shuttles. After a short drive and once at the main square of the town, Addy announced, “This shuttle runs almost all night until the last Little is checked back into the facility. They run every 15 minutes and we at Psyche do suggest that you take it back. Lastly, as a reminder, trick or treat to your heart’s desire, but there is a party afterward that we would like you to attend as well.” Everyone nodded and they all exited the bus and made their way to the first house a few blocks over. It didn’t take long on their little journey for Patrick and Cara to surge ahead. While walking happily though, a large man in a skeletal mask bumped into Patrick and nearly knocked him to the ground. “Oops! Sorry there, little fella,” his voice boomed overhead. Patrick gazed up at the Big in front of him. His large frame blocked the light above them and cast an eerie shadow over the two Littles. Patrick wasn’t sure if he was afraid because of this Big’s near-grim reaper-like costume, or the fact that he was just an imposing Big in general, but Patrick could feel his palms getting sweaty and his knees practically turning to jelly. If it had been a month ago, he may have even felt the tiny dribble of pee enter his steadily swelling diaper. Patrick had wobbled after being bumped but Cara had kindly grasped his arm and ensured he didn’t fall to the ground. She could tell he was shaken by the event, so she stared defiantly up at the Big who had just shoved, accidentally or not, her friend. “Watch where you’re goin’ mister!” she yelled at the imposing Big. The Big just stared down at the two. Due to the mask, only his eyes could be seen underneath, and even with all her bluster and newly found confidence, Cara was still a bit intimidated by his continued stare and presence. “Well, maybe you should wa…” “Is everything okay here?” Lloyd asked walking up to them after catching up with them. Sensing something had happened, Lloyd had picked up his pace a bit to ensure nothing bad had truly happened after seeing that Patrick had gotten knocked down. The man in the skeletal mask just looked up from his gaze over the Littles for a moment. “Oh, no bother here. Just wasn’t paying attention is all…” he paused awkwardly and looked around and saw the other Bigs closing in. He then saluted. “You all have yourself a nice night now.” He then turned to Patrick. “Sorry about that Little one. Perhaps your daddy should keep you closer at hand… who knows what kind of ghouls and goblins are out tonight.” Lloyd wanted to tell the man off, but his concern was more about Patrick now and the man had quickly vanished into the night. He bent down and looked at Patrick directly. “You okay?” “Yeah…” Patrick said looking around to check for any signs of injury but found none. “I’m fine.” “Okay…” Lloyd sighed as he stood back up. “You two just be careful tonight, okay? We’ll maintain a closer distance behind you from now on, but some of these Bigs… well, just make sure you pay attention to those in front of you. Jump out of the way or scream at them if you think that would help. You have my permission. I’d rather you two be safe than polite tonight.” The permission to potentially yell at a Big was all the pick-me-up that Patrick needed. A smile returned to his face, and both he and Cara toddled off to the first house nearby. Not long after, they approached the front stoop of one of the older houses on the block. After a little prodding from the Bigs, Cara and Patrick finished their walk side by side to the front door of the row house. The Bigs just waited and watched patiently from behind. “Oh! They’re just so adorable!” Samantha gushed once they were out of earshot. “Absolutely! Patrick insist on your costumes this year, Sam?” Addy asked. Samantha chuckled. “How’d you guess…? Though honestly, I really don’t mind. Plus,” she then lowered her voice, “I really love Lloyd in his outfit. Very regal.” “You say something, Samantha?” Lloyd asked, turning around, really only hearing his name and not the rest of the ensuing whispering. “Nope! Just commenting on the cuteness of everything,” Samantha dodged. “Gotcha. Don’t you just love that they brought all this over with them?” Lloyd asked excitedly. “Definitely!” Samantha agreed, relieved that he hadn’t pushed his inquiry further. “Really wish we would have had something at least similar to this while we were growing up and not just the harvest festival.” “Agreed,” Addy said from behind. “Went to a party the other night with some friends. Definitely want to do that in my future. What do you think Daphne?” “Cara insisted on me dressing up,” she said bluntly. “I don’t really see the appeal.” Lloyd looked at her like she was a bit crazy. “Really? No costumes, the food, the treats…” From her expression, Daphne was clearly not going to change her mind, so Lloyd just resignedly turned back around. Before he did though, out of Daphne’s view, Samantha gave him a little encouraging wink that he wasn’t the odd one of their group tonight. All remained silent and fixated on watching their Littles after that as they were about to get the first round of treats of the night. Meanwhile, up on the front stoop, Cara was eager to fill her relatively large bag with as much candy as she could muster. “Let me ring the first, Patrick! You can get the next one.” Patrick eyed the door, and while he had always loved Halloween as a kid, this somehow felt different… more dangerous. Maybe it had been the man in the skeletal mask, but he didn’t feel like ringing the bell very much. “Uh, that’s okay. Maybe I’ll ring one tonight, but you can’t get most of them if you want.” Cara beamed. “Okie dokie!” She then rang the bell without a second thought and a middle-aged woman stepped forward dressed as a cat. “Oh my goodness! How cute and… uh, scary!” she exclaimed, barely keeping herself from hugging the stranger Littles before her. Halloween was fun, but it could also be dangerous as Big's hormones and emotions surged. Last year, it was estimated that over 650 Littles were taken that night alone… hence their buddy system tonight and large Big presence. “Trick or treat!” Patrick and Cara said in unison while holding up their bags of candy, somewhat oblivious to the potential danger lurking around each door. They just wanted their treats. “Oh my, yes! Let me get you some.” The woman then brought out a bowl filled with all sorts of bits of candies and gave a handful each to both Patrick and Cara. “There you go you two. Happy Halloween!” “Happy Halloween!” Cara and Patrick answered back as they exited the front stoop to make their way back to the Bigs who were still waiting. After a quick check and status report of their loot to the Bigs, all walked to the next house in line. After about 15 houses, it was getting darker now and a few other Bigs and Littles began to show up, but all of them were locals. A few were alumni, if one wanted to call them that, of Psyche, but most were just the run-of-the-mill Little and Big varieties. As such, Patrick saw the varying levels of regression or authority in each. It was unnerving and he just stuck closer to everyone around him. Embarrassingly enough, for a moment, he even wished that he had brought Tad along with him tonight. After about 30 more houses of varying sizes and styles, everyone decided that it was time to go to the party now. Getting to the building though, a Big was perched outside of it. If he wore a costume at all, it wasn’t discernable to any of them. That and along with the picket sign he was carrying set off red flags for everyone. “A cabal is controlling Psyche! Don’t go in there and support them!” he ranted, now stepping closer to the group, a musky scent wafting off his clothes. “Hey, we’re just trying to get inside,” Lloyd tried to reason. “We don’t want any t…” “Trouble?” the man questioned as his eyes bulged out and he got uncomfortably close to Patrick. Once again, fear gripped his heart tonight. “You got trouble whether you want it or not! Psyche is a stain on our community, and you won’t…” “Sir!” Addy barked while pulling out her nightstick to swat away the finger that had just been pointed at Cara and Patrick. “You best back off, sir. You don’t want me to warn you again.” “Same goes for me,” Samantha said, stepping up and flashing something shiny that was attached to her thigh. “There’s no reason this needs to go further. We promise you, that is a mistake that you would be regretting very quickly.” The man started backing up. “Fine, fine. Be blind for all I care! Just remember though, I warned ya!” The man then turned around and started sprinting as fast as he could away from them. “What a nut job,” Daphne said, rolling her eyes as she entered the building without a second thought. Addy and Patrick exchanged looks for a moment before heading inside as well as everyone else. They knew what he said was probably the truth, but there was no need to involve the others or reveal their hand just yet. As Patrick looked up and saw a security camera, he couldn’t help but remember, ‘they’re always watching…’ Inside, loud Halloween-themed music filled the room, and the scene was packed with fog and an array of colorful lights that sparkled off the several food and beverages off to one wall opposite the DJ and main stage. “Oh cool!” Addy yelled before running off to get some punch. “Wait up!” Patrick cried as he ran after her. “Hold up, mister!” Samantha called out and grabbed Patrick before he could flee very far. Much to Patrick’s embarrassment, she then patted his padded butt. “Yep! Thought I smelled something funky. Let’s go mister! Lloyd? Will you take his bag of loot while I go take care of him?” “Yes, honey…” Samantha’s face dropped as if Lloyd had just revealed some big secret. “Uh, Sam… yeah I can do that…” Samantha patted him reassuringly on the shoulder as he shuffled off, but then took Patrick’s hand to go get him changed as quickly as possible. While getting there and when he was being changed on one of the tables inside, Patrick panicked slightly as he hadn’t even realized that he had an accident. It wasn’t a major blowout or anything, but still, a poopy mistake was still one of concern for him. It must have been when that scary protesting man had pointed his finger at him outside, but before he could think on it any further, Samantha had finished. “There. All done and squeaky clean!” With a pat to his butt, Patrick scurried off to find Cara. The music and atmosphere of the room quickly distracted him from his nagging thoughts of his previous accident. Once he found her by the blood red punch on the table, the two then began to mingle as the party slowly started to grow in size. Patrick couldn’t believe how much people had taken to this holiday here, but he was even more impressed with everyone’s costume from Psyche. Bruce, a lumberjack, mingled nicely with Addy, who still seemed to be holding her baton that she had pulled out with the protestor out front. As they entered, Patrick saw that Ian was a little green alien and Chris, his caretaker, was a secret agent. ‘How appropriate…’ Next, Quentin entered as perhaps a professor or an archeologist, but his caretaker, Harry, was clearly dressed as a mummy. Terra was a daisy, and her caretaker was a gardener, and Darren was an astronaut while his caretaker was dressed as an actual shining star. Rounding off everyone and mingling with his own friends, Tim was dressed as a lion while his caretaker was a likely a ring master or lion tamer. It was all absolutely astounding to see in person and as he downed his third drink, Dr. Halgen walked up on stage and stopped the music. “Greetings, everyone! I’m glad to see that you all made it to this wonderful event tonight. We here at Psyche like to hold these community events to show just how much we all appreciate this town and its efforts as our hosts. Please… give yourselves all a round of applause for all that you do and for this wonderful night!” The crowd erupted into an echoing chorus of claps, stomps, and hollering. Dressed somewhat appropriately as a mad scientist, Dr. Halgen then quieted everyone back down after a minute or so. “Yes, yes. All spectacular and I want to wish our dear thanks to everyone who put this together. Now, DJ! Crank up that music and I want you all to have a swinging good time! Happy Halloween everyone!” The DJ then did as he was told after another round of applause, and everyone started to dance and eat once more. Not long after, now munching down on another stuffed bell pepper designed to look like a pumpkin, Patrick looked out amongst the crowd. There, just by themselves, Lloyd and Samantha were dancing. It might have been nothing, but the way they were dancing… so tight… so close… Patrick smiled as he realized that his plan to get them together was slowly working. ‘Maybe they are hiding it away from everyone… but why?’ About 23 songs and dances, 2 pumpkin pastries, a sugar cookie bat, a cheesy disturbingly green stew, and four cups of punch later, Patrick was feeling bloated, satisfied, and sleepy. From her place off to the side with Lloyd, Samantha immediately took notice, especially as Patrick began to lean on his friends for support and began to rub his legs. After a gentle nudging and gesturing to Lloyd, the two went over and tapped on Patrick’s shoulder. “Sweetie, you getting’ tired?” “Nuh uh…” he said, before his body betrayed him, and he began to yawn. Lloyd and Samantha just smiled at each other. “Right, tiger… I think even monsters need their sleep though. I saw you rubbing your legs… need me to carry you?” Lloyd offered. “I…” Patrick yawned again and just nodded in acceptance. Lloyd then bent down and grabbed Patrick in his arms. As if waiting for one domino to fall first, many of the other caretakers began to collect their own Littles as well. A tiny wave goodbye later, and Samantha, Lloyd, and Patrick headed out into the night air. The trio soon arrived at the bus stop, the wind steadily blowing and crisping each to their bones. Leaves rustled around and Patrick was minutes away from passing out. Still though, trying to get warm, he just snuggled more tightly into Lloyd. Seeing this, Samantha pulled out a blanket from his diaper bag and wrapped it around him. “There, honey. How’s that?” “Good…” he sleepily said. “You two are great caretakers… I wish I could choose you both… that would be perfect…” He then closed his eyes and snuggled closer to Lloyd. Lloyd and Samantha just smiled at the notion and embraced each other as tightly as they could while the shuttle bus could be seen in the distance. Before he passed out, Patrick couldn’t help but smile at the wonderful night he had. The protestor and the man in the skeletal mask were mildly terrifying and the fact that he had messed himself without realizing it wasn’t ideal, but the night was still a success. There would always be some downsides in this life, but cuddled up against Lloyd and also feeling a hug from behind with Samantha, he could only feel a happiness that came from a place of care… maybe even love… * * * “Geez that was close!” the protestor complained later at an undisclosed location out of town. “There’s no way you’re paying me enough to deal with those Bigs around him. One had a friggin’ knife on her!” “Relax,” the woman said, “you’ll be paid your fair share when the job is done. In fact, though, we’ll need you for a few more things pretty soon here… have any friends who could use some extra cash?” “Yeah?” he said with a little hesitation, unsure if he really wanted to bring them into all this. “Good. Come by here tomorrow and you’ll get your reward.” The woman paused as she noticed the man’s hesitation. “Come back with some friends, and we’ll double the price. Deal?” The protestor nodded his head shakily and exited. The woman then turned her back and entered the back room as soon as the other man had left. “That was really foolish of you tonight, babe,” she told the costumed man in the room. “You could have been caught! What if he had recognized your voice?” “Relax… I used a voice modulator,” the man in the skeletal mask said. He then started to peel the mask off his face and his voice began to normalize. “Besides, this mask was perfect. Not even the ever-vigilant Addy Pepperidge could tell it was me.” The woman still didn’t seem convinced. “Maybe, Redge, but it was still too close for me…” “Yeah, but… I just had to see him,” Redge said, leaning back into his chair. “Glad I did though. He’s got two Bigs with him now. Potential caretakers… we might just have to eliminate them…” The woman frowned. “That’s a lot of bodies… we want this clean… I can only get you out of the country so many times. You’re still a fugitive, you know.” “Right…” A wailing could then be heard from upstairs. “Better go check on her. Don’t want others to know we’re here… yet.” “Yes, but,” she pointed her finger at Redge, “no killing. Not yet at least… promise me that much?” Redge nodded. “I promise…” Satisfied, the woman went upstairs to attend to the crying. Once she was out of earshot, Redge turned back and looked into the mirror and palmed a small remote. “Soon, Patrick… soon…”

Before I forget, if you haven't already seen it, go check out the timeline of the stories I have written for the DD. It's just for my universe, but it will be more important in future stories. As a result though, there may be some mild spoilers, so just be warned. Sorry for the late posting of this chapter. Weekeneds are hard in the fall with everything I have going on, but I wanted to give you all something before I went to bed as there is no way that I'll be able to post anything tomororw. I hope I can on Monday, but just stay tuned. Regardless, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 19: Baby Steps... Literally? It was a nearly clear and crisp fall day. The leaves rustled about as Patrick, Cara, and Terra swung freely on the swings in the backyard jungle gym. Addy was positioned nearby to give them an extra push if they needed it, but mostly, she just sat back and enjoyed the nice breeze and the clear enjoyment from the Littles in front of her. “I can go higher than both of you!” Cara yelled as she reached the peak of her swinging arc. “Not if I can go faster!” Terra chirped as she made her way forward again from her furthest back position. “Come on guys. It’s just meant to be a little fun today. Besides, I’m already doing just as well, and my legs have only just begun to work.” It was true, as once Patrick had begun to exercise with the walker and his every other day with the machine had reactivated the nerves, tendons, and muscles in his legs. There were still numb spots in a few places, but for the most part, he had regained at least some of the old function in his legs. Swinging, from one of the suggestions by Bruce, was a good way to start building his muscles further up. “Nuh-uh,” Terra defended as she got to the top of her arc. “I bet we’ll still be better than you!” “Now, now, you all,” Addy chided from her spot under the shade of a large tree. “Play nice or we all go in.” Her tone remained soft and yet commanding. “Yes, Addy,” all three said in unison, not wanting to push their luck. “Very good,” she nodded as she smiled. “How’s the seat working out for you, Patrick? Any problems?” Patrick looked down at the seat he was currently in. Despite his mental faculties at least staying somewhat normal in a place like this, he was still subject to the parameters that he and Addy had agreed upon in order to stay under the radar of whoever was behind all the hinky things around here. As such, today, he had been placed in a swing meant for infants. It ensured he wouldn’t fall from his paralysis, but it was mainly for show just in case. It was equipped with the requisite two sturdy chains that attached to the top bar, but it also had a secure harness that wrapped around his waist and up through his crotch. It was humiliating and, though he didn’t mind it terribly, he had to be removed from the swing by a Big or be trapped inside. In fact, surprisingly enough, his continually normalizing diapers were the only part he didn’t like about the swing, with the crotch part of it having the propensity to push his used diapers against him with a squish every time he swung forward. Fortunately, he was only slightly damp right now. “Uh… all good, Addy,” he said after a moment of flexing his legs out once more. “Legs are getting a bit sore, but I think Bruce said that was normal as I build my muscles back up.” “Well, I’m glad to hear that,” Addy said. “Just let me know if it gets too much or if you want out. Don’t want you getting trapped in there all day now, do we?” Patrick shook his head and just refocused on just moving his legs more to keep his momentum going. It was tough work, but the results of swinging so freely were well worth it. Not long after, an array of the less progressed Littles came pouring out of the backdoor. With the possibility of potential candidates being in more than one group and with more than one Little, often, caretaker days were spread out amongst the groups to ensure everyone could see who they wanted without much issue. For the lesser progressed of the Littles here, their caretaker day was tomorrow. For Patrick and all though, there’s was today. Patrick quickly spotted Tim from the exiting group, but once again, he just hurried off in another direction. It had been like that since their first conversation. Patrick wanted to confront him or at least ask if he was okay, fearing an incident occurring like with Redge, but the Littles tumbling out of the entrance made him realize what time it was. Tim was a priority, but Patrick had other goals he had to accomplish today. “Oh! Addy! What time is it? Do we need to leave?” Addy looked at her wrist device quickly. “Oh yeah. We need to go if we’re going to be on time.” “Wait,” Cara said with a joyous wonder in her eyes, “is it time yet, for… well, you know…?” “Yes,” Patrick said as Addy lifted him out of the swing and into his still-present wheelchair. “Should be any minute now I believe. Addy?” “That’s right, Patrick,” Addy confirmed. “Now, let’s get going if we’re going to get the supplies and then get to the main hall in time.” Patrick waved to his friends his goodbyes and went inside. It took a minute, but he finally found the travel bag he had been looking for that he picked out in preparation for today. Addy set it out on the ground along with a blanket and his diaper bag over all of it. “Nervous?” Patrick shook his head. “Not really. I could be a little, but I think they would be more nervous if they knew the true reason why they were coming here today.” Addy nodded in agreement. A knock was then heard from the front door, and it soon opened. “I hope I’m not too late,” Lloyd said with some hesitation as he saw both Addy and Patrick apparently waiting for him. “Oh no! Not at all,” Addy confirmed. “We were actually about to see if you all had everything that you’ll need for toda…” The sound of screeching tires halting could be heard from outside. Addy grinned and beckoned Lloyd to come in further. Barely getting to their position, the front door opened once more and in walked Samantha. “Uh, what are you doing here?” Lloyd asked with a little shock. He then lowered his voice as he walked over to his fellow Big and competing friend at the front door. “I thought we agreed to stay separate for the time being while we were here…” “I did too…” Samantha said with some confusion. “So, if you didn’t know about this and I didn’t…” The two then looked at Patrick, who was now just casually checking the blanket next to him. He quickly saw the two staring at him. “What? Someone else must have scheduled you all wrong. I’m not in charge of that stuff. I might be cute and all, but I don’t have that much power around here,” he said with a mischievous smile. “Right…” Lloyd said, still unconvinced. “Well, I guess we’re here already,” Samantha conceded. She then looked at the stack next to Patrick. “Is that for today? For at least one of us?” “Yep!” Patrick readily confirmed. “I think I’ve talked to both of you about going to one of the local parks at one point. So, I asked Dr. Halgen to pack a lot of supplies so there should actually be enough for all of us. Might be a nice outing if all of us went… could be fun, right?” Both seemed unconvinced that this was a mere coincidence, but just gave in and wheeled Patrick out to Lloyd’s larger car. All situated now, the three took off and headed toward the local but expansive park after a wave goodbye from Addy. Once parked in the small parking lot after passing through one of the entrances, Lloyd and Samantha got out and came over to Patrick’s side of the car and opened the door. “Hey, so… we were doing some thinking the other day,” Samantha began, “and seeing how you’re walking now, and we push you anyway while we’ve been out, we figured you might be open to the possibility of something… else.” Patrick wasn’t sure what they meant. “Else? You got a hover craft for me or something?” Lloyd then reached behind him and pulled out a dark blue stroller; typical in every way that one would conceive of the foldable kind. Its sturdy frame wrapped around the single seat and went from the handles above to the wheels below. If it had been any other object though, much to Patrick’s dilemma, the seat almost seemed like it would be near pure bliss. “Now, Patrick,” Lloyd started, “you have a choice. We still brought your wheelchair, but you may feel less noticed in this. Maybe still seen as a Little, but that would be it. No pressure either way though…” Both smiled at the still seated Little in front of them and seemed eager for what he would choose. Patrick wasn’t sure when they had gotten together, but their proposal of using a stroller almost seemed ludicrous at first glance. Redge had basically put him in one over a month ago, and all that didn’t turn out so well, but this felt different somehow. It could have been because they were asking him first, or maybe it was simply the fact that both sitting in something other than a wheelchair and sitting in something that looked so comfortable were bonuses, but the option had some appeal to it that he couldn’t deny. “Could I change my mind or is this something I couldn’t do that with?” Samantha let out a little chuckle. “Nonsense, sweetie. This park is pretty big, but we’ve got legs that are up to the challenge if you change your mind. And for the record, there’s only a few things you can’t change your mind on, but that’s maybe only one percent of things ever with me, like choosing a different yogurt flavor after you’ve already finished it.” “Same here,” Lloyd piped in, clearly not wanting to be left out. Patrick looked at the stroller once more. At one time, the thing would have been a monstrous contraption to seal him into a second babyhood, defined here as being a Little or not. It was a cage or at least a declaration to the world of his Little status if nothing else. While it could still be all those things conceivably, it also represented a step forward. The past few years he had the option of chair, bed, or wheelchair, and not too many other options in between. While he may have preferred a throne or the seat of a rollercoaster, for the purposes of today, change was good. It was still a stroller, but it had also become a chariot of his further progression toward walking. He often didn’t care about labels, but today, at least for a little bit, he wouldn’t be known as a paralyzed person. He wouldn’t be seen, known or unknown, as the person who crippled himself and killed his mom. It wasn’t much, but every little bit seemed to matter so much more now. “Stroller, please.” Both Samantha and Lloyd beamed as wide as was likely possible and loaded Patrick into the awaiting seat. A few crotch and waist buckles done up later and then storage of the diaper bag placed underneath, the trio set out to enjoy this most beautiful day in the park. After the usual calm stroll through one of the outermost pathways, they came to a wide-open area that was currently hosting a farmers’ market. “Fresh apples!” “The last of the strawberries before winter comes!” “Come get your pumpkins for Halloween!” They all shouted their wares for the public’s knowledge and enjoyment. In truth, while the stroller still seemed to be a slight irritation for Patrick, he actually appreciated it as a symbol of his status temporarily. Sitting in the stroller he was viewed as nothing more than a Little, but here, a Little was the most precious commodity. In fact, from what he had ready, some of the more dubious politicians had even suggested adding a section for the price of Littles on the stock market board, but it was quickly shot down. At the time though, it had been because not all Littles were created equally, but modern thinking liked to think it was more because you couldn’t put a price on a Little’s life. Patrick mused that Redge might have been one of the ones that thought differently. Regardless though, as a result of all that, he was given a nice and wide berth. Moving through the crowds, Lloyd and Samantha chatted for a while amongst themselves, more because Patrick likely wouldn’t have been able to hear them than out of disrespect to him. For his part, Patrick didn’t mind and actually would have encouraged it if he could have. All the events of today so far hadn’t really been an accident and he had been playing matchmaker with these two from the start. There had been a spark, but Patrick wanted to know if there was something more. After pouring over his contract for several hours over the past few weeks, he now knew that the choosing process didn’t have a straight answer for him if two people could be selected. In any case, he knew that he would have a strong case to select both if they were in a committed relationship. A Little could be told ‘no,’ but not a Big… or at least not in that type of way. So, Patrick was playing matchmaker today to see if something was there. So far, the results seemed to be very encouraging. “So,” Lloyd started as the stroller stopped and he swung around to face Patrick, “Samantha and I think it would be nice to get something to go along with the picnic. What do you think?” Patrick eyed the local vendors nearest to him and his eyes nearly bugged out from all the confections and delectable food now surrounding them. “Yes, please,” he said, trying his best to keep his cool so as not to overplay his hand. “That’s what I thought,” Lloyd said with a smile. The three of them then looked through several vendors and finally settled on a few apples and some pumpkin and sugar cookies for a treat afterward. Once purchased, they moved on to the main section of the park and found a nice grassy spot under a tree. Due to the gorgeous weather today, all the picnic tables had been taken, but Samantha just smiled and laid out the blanket that Psyche had provided them. Once set up, Samantha and Lloyd looked over at Patrick, both with equally wide smiles. “What? Do I have something on my face?” Samantha laughed. “No, honey. Lloyd and I were thinking…” “With your progress,” Lloyd picked up, “we thought you might like trying to walk today?” Patrick’s heart soared, but after a quick examination of his khaki pants, he didn’t see the wiring he had used the other week during his and Samantha’s hike. “But I don’t have the special pants on… how can I walk?” Lloyd smiled and gestured to himself and Samantha. “Well, we’re not as fancy as the pants, but… your muscles have been growing and you might not need the pants to stand.” “We know you’ve been using your walker with Bruce, and this would be a little different, but we can help be your support, if you want,” she added with a bit of a sadder tone than when she had started. Clearly, she wanted to help, but Patrick was grateful that she still respected his boundaries if he wanted to keep them in place. Patrick looked at the two Bigs before him. There was only one of him though. “Okay… if I do this, are we switching off or…?” Lloyd shook his head. “One of us will help you walk while the other gets the food ready for lunch.” “Ah… so I get to choose…” Patrick looked to the two Bigs from his seat still in the stroller. He was still pretty unsteady with his feet, and while strength may have been a factor in other Bigs, both seemed like they could handle him with ease. It had been something he had kept at the forefront of his mind when he had first met them, and he had since ensured that he would always be on his best behavior. Looking at the two, both seemed eager, but in the end, it came down to personalities. Lloyd was a wonderful Big, but his strengths seemed less on the nurturing side. With his legs still on shaky ground, for his purposes, moral support might just be needed as much as the physical kind. “I can do it and… Samantha… can you help me?” She quickly nodded and while Lloyd seemed disappointed, he still maintained his cheery demeanor as he began to unpack the picnic basket. Meanwhile, Samantha had practically leaped forward and was now standing over Patrick and quickly unfastening his buckles from the stroller. “Alright, you ready?” Patrick nodded. “Probably as ready as I’ll ever be…” “Have a little faith, honey, but here we go.” She then bent down and grasped both his hands. “Now, I’ll be here for whenever you need me. Try something first, and if it doesn’t work out, then no big deal, okay?” Patrick nodded and tried to stand. His legs immediately began to shake but he was still able to move his butt off the seat by a good eight inches before collapsing back down. “Oopsie,” Samantha said in a slightly cutesy tone. “That’s okay. You wanna try again, or do you want me to help you out?” Patrick considered his options. “Uh, you help me out now. I’d rather save my strength for walking.” “Sounds perfect.” Samantha then bent over a little more and lifted Patrick’s hands up above his head. The rest of his body followed, and from the quick reflexes of Samantha, she was able to catch him before he fell back into the stroller. “Look at it, honey. You’re standing on your own,” she gushed after a moment. Patrick stared down, and while his arms were still heavily grasped in her own, his legs were standing by themselves. No pants or even a walker today. His legs wobbled a bit, but still… this was a major milestone and a signal of the things still to come. “Way to go, bud!” Lloyd yelled from nearby, going as far as to even wave his hand about as if there was an invisible flag of support grasped within. “Thanks…” Patrick then stared forward and began to will his legs away from the stroller. “Just one step… and then the other.” It was hard work, but after a few steps, Patrick could see his progress and his heart grew and his eyes began to mist over. “You okay, honey?” Samantha asked with concern, now noticing his eyes. “Uh, yeah… just… walking, you know?” he said, wiping a tear away with one of his arms as he paused his forward momentum for a second. “Well, I’m very proud of you for all this,” she said with a genuine care that couldn’t be faked. “Keep moving like you’re doing now, and you’ll never have to see that wheelchair ever again.” That one thought propelled Patrick forward for the next five minutes. Lloyd had finished laying everything out but seemed completely satisfied to just sit back and watch as his potential Little made great strides back and forth with growing confidence. Soon though, Patrick began to get tired, and Samantha noticed. “Hey... it’s okay to stop if you want, or…” “Or what?” Patrick asked as he stopped for a moment, a smidge out of breath. “Well, we could try the foot method,” she said as if her wording should have been known to everybody. “Could give it a try if you’re willing…” Patrick thought about it for a moment, but he didn’t want to stop this feeling of standing. It wasn’t exactly bliss, but it was the next best thing. He could have been stepping into a trap, but he trusted Samantha at least enough by now to push those feelings aside. “I’m willing to give it a go…” “Perfect.” Samantha then hoisted Patrick up and spun him around before landing him precisely on her toes. “Okay, this is how it works. I step forward a tiny bit and you come with me. You’ll still be building your muscles by standing while also flexing out your tendons, but this removes a little of the extra effort if you were to move on your own. You still in?” Patrick nodded and the two started off slow. Patrick was afraid that he would tumble off and be stepped on, but Samantha just kept her grip tight and her steps small. Soon though, she clearly wanted to amp it up a bit. With some hesitation, Patrick just nodded at her eager suggestion. It turned out to be a wonderful idea though, and while still taking smaller steps, Samantha increased her speed. The two then quickly scampered around the nearby trees, picnic benches, and other families out on picnic blankets. The feeling was practically euphoric for a person who had been stuck in a wheelchair for over five years now. So, once the feelings of relief and progress had passed, Patrick had just started to get downright giddy. Within minutes, he was giggling and laughing through the whole walkabout between the two. Several of the Bigs they passed absolutely gushed over the sight of what they assumed was a mommy teaching her Little to walk again. After the passage of the humane laws, those who could had started to be rehabilitated to some degree. Between his diaper and rapturous laughter, no one batted an eye over the scene before them. Patrick may have been mortified about this, but he was having too much of a good time. Soon though, the fun had to end, and both made their way back to a practical feast laying out precisely on the picnic blanket. A large serving of bread, something similarly tasting to ham, the apples they bought, and bunches of grapes and strawberries now lined each of their plates. For once in recent memory, Patrick was eating just what the Bigs were. It was a small gesture, but one he was immensely grateful for from Psyche. The only thing was though, he wasn’t sure if it had been Addy or Dr. Halgen. In either case, he couldn’t come right out and ask, knowing what he did about the secret problems at Psyche. So, a thank you to both would just have to do when he got back. Satiated and stuffed beyond capacity, the three of them laid back on the part of the massive blanket not under the shade and stared up at the sky while they nibbled slowly on their respective cookies, Patrick’s of course being smaller than the other two. From there, it didn’t take long for them to start guessing what the clouds looked like. “It’s a bird,” Samantha conjectured. “It’s a plane,” Lloyd countered. “It’s an octopus,” Patrick said. Both Bigs turned over and looked at their Little in confusion. Patrick then started laughing. “Just kidding. It’s totally a bird.” “Oh yeah?” Lloyd asked. “Yeah,” Patrick defended. “Well then,” Lloyd said in a huff. “If that’s the case then… maybe I just need to tickle you until your brain gets back to what it needs to be!” Lloyd then pounced on Patrick and began to tickle him all over. At one time, Patrick would have socked him right in the jaw, but today was different. It might have been his mind slipping or just the joyous feelings of a day well spent, but whatever the case, Patrick just leaned into the tickling and burst into peals of laughter as Lloyd found his most sensitive spots on his sides. “Oh my. Looks like someone’s a little ticklish, huh?” Lloyd asked rhetorically as he began to methodically tickle every square inch of Patrick’s sensitive skin. Patrick was slowly losing himself to the sensations arcing throughout his body. “Careful, Lloyd. Don’t hurt him,” Samantha said with some concern as she got up and looked over at the scene unfolding to her left. “Oh, he’s fine. Maybe a bit blue in the face, but otherwise fine. You want me to stop?” Lloyd questioned the squirming and nearly spasming Little under his touch. “Uh, oh my god! I don’t care! Ha!” Patrick’s mind reeled from all the sensations he was receiving. He almost felt high, but whatever was happening, he didn’t have any inhibitions at this point. Lloyd noticed and soon, began to take full advantage. “Uh, oh. Looks like I got a squirmy wormy over here. Maybe more of a monkey now though, huh?” Patrick questioned what he was talking about when his mind could actually focus, but he was soon answered as Lloyd quickly picked him up and started to nearly toss him around and then hang him upside down. Samantha looked on mortified, but just let the two have their fun while she began to clean up. The scene of laughter and enjoyment continued with the two for some time, but as Samantha finished throwing away the trash, she called over to Lloyd. “Lloyd! Stop messing around and come help me! I’m not doing this alone anymore. Besides, Patrick probably could use a breather.” “Aw. Just five more minutes, Sam,” Lloyd nearly whined like a kindergartener, much to Patrick’s amusement. “I mean it right now! Patrick is turning red, and I don’t want him going full purple on us today.” She then rolled her eyes. “I swear, sometimes, it’s like dealing with two Littles. What am I ever going to do with you?” Lloyd had been properly humbled, and he sheepishly looked at the Little wrapped around his arms. Patrick just quickly nodded over the notion of pausing their fun, but exhausting play, his head becoming a little clearer now. “Whoops, gotcha. Coming right away, Samantha! Let me just set Patrick over by the playset!” Samantha nodded and true to his word, Patrick was set on a stool over by the playground. He had previously talked to Lloyd about his love of coloring and drawing, so neither saw any harm in letting him have a little alone time in the park only two dozen or so feet away from where they had picnicked. So, Patrick began to draw a Little nearby he had spotted who was currently playing in the sandbox. Due to the massive size and crudeness of the chalk, the drawing was by no means a masterpiece, but Patrick just smiled and continued to have fun. Then, he heard some giggling from behind him. He quickly spun around, something he realized he could now do with relative ease a few days ago, and saw Samantha was the culprit. From Lloyd’s face, it was immediately obvious that he had just told a joke. Patrick smiled as he saw the two getting along and hoped his matchmaking plan had begun to work. His future was still up in the air, and Patrick would still occasionally tense up when a more shrouded Big would walk by near him, thinking it could be Redge, but things elsewhere were moving forward on multiple fronts. His legs and happiness were both moving in a positive direction for sure, but Lloyd and Samantha were still a huge question mark in his life. He knew, however, that he could only do so much in the grand scheme when it came to matters of the heart. For a second earlier, he thought he had pushed too far. Seeing the two now though, even just cleaning up together, he couldn’t help but feel that there were definite sparks there. If he had done things right, maybe, just maybe with a little luck, those sparks would soon turn into a flame.

Here is the first chapter to the next part of this story. Now getting into the final stretch of chapters, more things will start to unravel or be revealed in some way. As of right now, there are seven remaining chapters, and while I will try to push ahead to get them completed at my previous pace, I may adopt a mostly every other day positing system until the end with all the events happening in the next weeks for me. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and I usually try to fill my time up with as many events as I can. Still though, I will try to post as much as I can without rushing through the remainder of this story. I also just want to give out a huge thank you to everyone who has read, liked, and/or commented on this story. While Project Nurture seemed to surge ahead yesterday, there was a moment that this story was my most read one and it's not even complete yet. So, I just want to offer my sincerest thanks for seemingly enjoying what I have written here. Now, I hope you all enjoy this next chapter and the first one of part V! Part V: Reflection Chapter 18: Mind Your Babble PT sucks. Therapists are good, but the therapy itself is not fun most of the time, especially when one isn’t making progress. “One more round, Jack,” Patrick exhaled with a heavy breath. “I know I can do it. I just need another round on the bars and I’m sure it will work this time.” Jack sighed as he stared back at the now-bearded, sweaty, and determined patient in front of him. It had been a month since the accident and two weeks since his last surgery. The so-called Amazon’s technology had been a marvel for his profession, but there was still only so much they could do. “Maybe you should take a break, Patrick. You’re soaked with sweat, and you look like you’re about to pass out.” “I’m fine, I’m fine, man. I gotta do this,” he panted, his still growing muscular arms already starting to shake as he tried to will his legs forward. Jack came closer and tried to guide him back down if he would let him. “It’s okay, Patrick. You’ve done more than anyone else and everyone deserves a brea…” “No!” Patrick shouted suddenly. “I have to walk again. I have to make something right in all this… I can’t…” Patrick shut his eyes and tried to keep his emotions in check as his voice began to waver. With the new technology in preservation, he had been able to put off his mom’s funeral, but time was running short. He only had two weeks before even the new technology and state ordinances would force him to have the funeral. It was morbid and he hated doing it to his mom, but he couldn’t go and face anyone else there as a cripple. He didn’t want to be that much of a screw-up in all this… Jack backed up and let Patrick try for a few more stumbling steps. He would still be nearby to catch him if he faltered, but sometimes, he knew that patients needed to find their own limits first when they began to push like this. It was a tough call, but he knew that Dr. Gibson would be stopping by today. Maybe he would have some good news. Patrick tried a few more attempts to walk using the parallel bars to get his legs moving again, but they just hung low and limp. His arms were bursting and wobbling precariously, so, with a heavy sigh, he sat back down in the wheelchair that Jack had quickly provided from behind. Just then, Dr. Gibson walked back in. “Evening, gentleman. How are you doing today, Patrick?” he asked quickly without giving time for a valid response. He had ten other patients to see here today, and the news today would be quick, if not disappointing, from his end. “Working on those arms to make them good and ready I see.” “Sure, doc, but trying to get my legs going like you told me. I think I’ve almost got it.” Patrick then noticed the manilla folder in Dr. Gibson’s hands. “Is that more from the test results you had me do last week?” he asked pointing to the folder. Dr. Gibson looked down at the folder and handed it over to Jack with a singular look on his face. Jack had recognized it after seeing it firsthand dozens of times before. Dr. Gibson inhaled sharply. “Patrick… there’s no easy way to tell you this, but your treatments aren’t working.” Patrick remained motionless and only seemed to blink when Jack put his hand on his shoulder. “What does that mean?” he finally asked slowly. Dr. Gibson combed his salt and pepper hair back with his hand and sighed. “Well, to put it plainly, I’m afraid your spine was just too damaged by the time we got to it. An hour sooner and things could have been different, but as it stands now, you will be paralyzed for the rest of your life.” Dr. Gibson stood silent for a second, and then added a near emotionless, “I’m sorry.” The inside of Patrick’s head spun around once more, and he looked at his impotent and practically now-useless legs in hatred and disbelief. He briefly had an idea of chopping them off in the middle of the night… Prosthetics were getting better all the time, and he could be at least free to roam about like he used to in a year, unlike what the doc had just told him now. The whole notion was almost too tempting, but he could hear his mom telling him about how stupid of an idea it would be if she was here now. “Do you understand, Patrick?” Dr. Gibson asked, hoping to get an acknowledgement of what he had just said before he moved on to his next patient. He didn’t want to treat each like a singular business transaction, but that’s just how medicine was working lately with all the new influx of technology. Cases that were once written off as hopeless were now possible, but it meant a huge influx of patients that would have otherwise gone home. “Yes…” Patrick managed to say hoarsely, the words seemingly catching in the back of his throat. Still, a ray of hope continued to burn within his chest from his now nightly research. “I understand, but what about this treatment in Thailand? Or the one in Mexico City? There’s a genetic study or biofeedback sensors that could help. I heard Copenhagen…” “Stop, Patrick!” Dr. Gibson said a little louder than he had intended. He then took a breath and tried to regain his composure. “I’m sorry to yell like that… but your case… it is hopeless.” Almost not even registering what he had said, Patrick felt like he needed to convince his doctor further. ‘This can’t just be the end…’ Nearby, Jack just grimaced at the scene unfolding before him. “Maybe here,” Patrick continued, “but elsewhere, I heard, they were doing…” “No,” Dr. Gibson forcefully interrupted, this time softer but twice as firm as the first time. “There is no way. I don’t want to be cruel, but you will never walk again with those legs. Even if you chopped them off, you still wouldn’t be able to walk with prosthetics with how you were injured. You will be in a wheelchair for the rest of your life. I know it’s not what you want to hear, but you need to understand me when I say there is no way on this earth that you will walk again.” Patrick blinked with each word and felt a stake of reality being slammed into his soul as they entered his ears. The words of nightmares and dark and hidden fears were now all out in the open. There was no interpretation to be had or miracle in some far-off land. Dr. Gibson was crystal clear now, and as a result, he knew that his failure as a son and even as a human was now complete. He had killed his mom and paralyzed himself all in one night because he wanted to go to a party. Dr. Gibson cleared his throat when Patrick hadn’t responded to what he had just said. “I repeat, do you understand me, Patrick?” * * * “Do you understand me, Patrick?” Dr. Halgen asked once more after Patrick had drifted off to earlier memories for a moment. Dr. Halgen just sighed internally. Sometimes, she couldn’t tell where his head was at, even more than the other more regressed Littles she had dealt with. “Sorry… just thinking…” Patrick stared with a wide smile down at his foot and the fact that he was now curling his toes. “But yeah… I understand. The month is coming to a close and I need to narrow my list down to two. Done and done.” Dr. Halgen shook her head at the news in shock. “But what about…?” Patrick held his hand up before she could finish, remembering a few of the caretaker days he had recently. “Yeah. Tiffany was great, but I think she wants a girl… and while I know that could be me with the tech here, that’s just not me in other sense…” Ian snickered from the side, but a quick look from Cara quickly shut him up. “Anyways… Daisy… she was nice but her serving me something that makes me long for tofu isn’t my ideal person.” “What’s wrong with tofu?” Terra asked sadly. “Uh… nothing. Just not for me, Terra,” Patrick replied as neutrally as he could. Her emotions had been in such flux lately that he didn’t want to set her off with anything he said. A few others had been the same way and like the other night, Dr. Halgen and the other nurses had been whispering quietly to each other whenever it had happened. When he had asked Addy about it, she had just said, ‘you’ll see’ or ‘don’t worry about it.’ It wasn’t very encouraging. “So, anyone else have a nice story about their caretaker?” Dr. Halgen asked after a moment, obviously waiting to see if Terra would normalize or if she would have to pause the meeting and attend to the Little’s woes… again. Quentin raised his hand. “Yes, Quentin.” Quentin shifted for a moment in his seat. “Well, uh, Harry took me to the library the other day. I listened to a bunch of books there, and each of them even showed what they were saying. It was like their own little movie showing in my hands,” he said excitedly by the end. “So, you didn’t read anything… at a library?” Patrick questioned. Coming from Ian or Terra, he might not have questioned it, but Quentin had been a professor before all this. ‘Had he changed that much?’ Quentin mused about it for a second and then snapped his fingers. “I read before actually. Harry just suggested I try this other method as well. He thinks that I might enjoy the holograms better than reading sometimes.” He then smiled widely. “He’s always thinking about things like that for me! He’s so great.” Patrick just sat dumbfounded by what he had heard. On the surface, Harry seemed to be every inch the caretaker that any Little here would dream of, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more. He checked his feelings though, thinking that all this could just be some residual mistrust from his encounter with Redge. It had taken a few meetings with Lloyd and Samantha to not view them as potential threats, and now he knew that it would take just a little longer for him to get used to some of the other Bigs. The group then continued with a few other stories from Patrick’s fellow Littles. Cara had gone to the movies, Terra had gone to the botanical gardens in town, and Ian even had a night activity of star watching with Chris. It was all oddly pleasant, and even stayed as such, much to his surprise, when the conversation switched to their slow change in clothing akin to something more juvenile. Cara’s striped tights clearly emphasized her pull-up and Quentin’s corduroy overalls bunched up heavily around his diapered rear as well. Patrick, Darren, and Ian were all even wearing some form of pants that either had elastic waistbands or snaps running up the inseams for easy changes today. It was all very sudden, but once again, the group barely seemed to register the change and even complimented the cuteness of any new logos or colors that they saw. It was downright spooky, but things seemed to go back to how they used to ne, at least in terms of rejection of something new when Dr. Halgen spoke back up. “Now, as I told you last week, the nurses and I have started to track which of you have been getting sleepy during the day. Ian,” she started, much to everyone’s surprise and causing him to pucker up and sit up as straight as he could, “both of you showed signs of being tired, but at least for now, we believe that this could just be attributed to some of the more active days you’ve had recently.” He instantly deflated and leaned back into his chair with a heavy sigh of relief. Unfortunately, Dr. Halgen then turned to the rest of the group. “The rest of you, however,” it was now Patrick’s and the rest of the group’s turn to sit up as straight as they could, “did not fare as well.” She then looked over at Cara. “You nodded off six times over the past week.” Darren giggled and Dr. Halgen snapped her head over to him. He stopped giggling. “You, my little Darren, are even more severe. You have fallen asleep every day for quite some time now. The only reason why we’ve let you go on at all without any consequences until today is that you have been very active with your partner in crime, Terra, who honestly, hasn’t fared much better with falling asleep five times in the past week alone.” Both gulped. Patrick knew he had nodded off a few times and had even passed out during one showing of Adventure Sam the other night, so he just remained resigned to his fate and silent. He knew he was going to be on the list, and if he was being honest with himself, the likely consequence of a nap might just feel divine at this point. “So, as a result,” Dr. Halgen continued, “starting today, we will be implementing a napping policy at least during the afternoons. Some of you,” her eyes darting to Darren, “may come to need more, but we will be assessing all of you as time moves forward.” She quickly turned to the relaxed form of Ian. “That will include you as well…” He nodded glumly in understanding that naps could still very well be in his future. “Now,” she looked at her watch, “this session is now over and today will be the first day of naps, starting now.” The whole group groaned loudly. “This is not up for debate,” she commanded quickly. “All but Ian will go to your rooms upstairs with your nurses and try to go to sleep.” She paused and scanned the room and smiled at what she saw. “I see some of you brought your comfort items with you and I encourage you to use them this afternoon. They may help with the transition. Now, off you all go!” “But I don’t wanna!” Quentin complained with a sour look all over his face. Dr. Halgen stood up and glared in his direction. “Quentin… I don’t want to have another chat with you like I did the other day after your ice cream incident…” she then stroked her chin before her eyes lit up. “Hmmm… I know… I see you have your cat with you today. Perhaps they can be used as a punishment. Say… a day without?” “No!” Quentin shouted as protected the immensely fluffy object that had once been propped against his chair on the floor. Now, the stuffed animal was nestled safely within his arms. Curiously, after a moment though, Quentin began to blush as if he had just realized what he had done. “That’s what I thought,” Dr. Halgen said smugly. “Now, all of you… I mean it! Go and take your naps!” After her threat the group began to depart quickly in a single file line, and Patrick now noticed that almost everyone in the group, beyond Darren and Cara, had what was unmistakably a stuffed animal. Ever since the day he went hiking with Samantha and he had held what he now knew to be a bunny during his change, he had a growing desire to hold one again. From the sheep, dog, and cat he now saw, along with each Little’s seeming devotion to them already, he didn’t think it would be long before they all would have one. ‘At least I’ll have a wide selection to choose from…’ As he entered his room while Addy attended to Cara in her room, which Patrick had seen was now yellow and contained butterflies and a mosquito net canopy above her bed when they had talked the other night, he thought about his own situation for a moment. While downstairs he had actually frightened himself for a moment after he had thought about owning a stuffed animal of his own. He couldn’t believe that he had been so accepting of a blasted stuffed animal in the first place. The feeling had truly only lasted for less than a minute, but still… ‘I keep thinking everyone else is losing it, but am I as well? Would I even know?’ The feeling gnawed at Patrick for the next five minutes, but even more horrifyingly, his mind kept rocking back and forth between desiring a self-proclaimed ‘stuffy’ and a wanting to burn any such object that entered his room. His mind was still at war with itself when Addy knocked and then entered in his room. “Hey there, buddy. I’m guessing you need a change before your nap, huh?” she asked sweetly, reaching over to check his diaper, not even giving him a chance to respond anymore. Patrick just let it happen. “Oh my… I would say so. You’re soaked, honey.” “I figured…” Patrick said resignedly. “Let’s just get this over with, okay?” Addy nodded and the two proceeded with their routine that they now practiced at least four times every day, often times more. For now, Patrick was just wet, so the change was even more routine. Addy’s changing had also become faster and more efficient, but it still maintained its caring feeling, something that Patrick had grown to appreciate based on the more clinical or even babying methodologies of the other nurses that he had seen and heard about. “There,” she said, applying the last of the tapes to the now thick and cartoon-adorned diaper around Patrick’s waist. “All done.” She then helped him up and began to re-snap his pant legs. As Patrick let her go about her business, he thought back to his at least partial desire for a stuffed animal and while he wasn’t sure how to fully feel about it, he was now wondering why he had been left out of receiving one. It seemed it should have been a badge of maturity to not be included, but he had to know if there was an ulterior motive going on. “Addy… why don’t I have a stuffed animal? Why do I seem like one of the only ones now?” he asked bluntly, now also remembering a blue bird stuffed animal hidden in the corner of Cara’s room the other night. Addy had finished her last snap and looked at him with a smile. “Noticed that did you?” Patrick nodded and Addy then went over and crouched down before reaching under his crib. Once she stood back up, Patrick could see that she now also carried a rectangular box with her, which she then presented to him. “Here you go.” Patrick took the brightly colored packaging adorned with balloons and even shook it. It didn’t make a noise. “Is this what I think it is?” Addy then tapped on the box. “Well, silly, you have to open it to find out.” Patrick groaned but proceeded to start unwrapping the box, now resting on his lap. He didn’t have any tools on him, so while the paper tore like normal, the tapes were proving to be a much greater challenge than he had first anticipated. While he worked, Addy couldn’t stop smiling. “Remember back to when we made a deal, and I won the bet? And then I told you that my end of the bargain would probably be something you liked?” Patrick only nodded, still focusing on removing some of the tapes that kept the lid on the box of whatever she had given him. “Well… this is it. I wanted to give it to you when you were ready.” Patrick listened to what she was saying, but then finally popped the last of the tapes off the box and removed the lid. White tissue paper was packed tightly and nearly sprung out from the box when he had opened it. Now, moving it all away, a shape began to form at its base. With the last of the tissue paper removed, Patrick could now see inside. It was a stuffed frog. Patrick pulled it out with care and dropped the box on the ground and just surveyed the soft object he now held in his hands. He stared at it in amazement. Its forest and lime green skin was soft to the touch and its limbs splayed out in all directions chaotically, but almost seemed to be open as if to invite him in for a reassuring hug. Addy eyed her Little and was satisfied with his reaction so far. She needed to push him a bit, but his reaction seemed to be one of care and compassion over the toy. “So, I wanted to give you this frog, because they can be used for a lot of purposes. By now, I’m sure you know they can help you cope with difficult situations, but they can also be a sounding board if you wish, or, if you really needed to, you could take your frustration out on it. Trust me, these things can take a beating if you need them to. I’m sure I speak for them when I say that they would rather you hurt them than take your frustrations out elsewhere.” Patrick glanced up from the frog and squinted his eyes in confusion. “Them?” Addy looked like she had just been caught doing something she wasn’t supposed to, but then just as easily played it off. “Sorry… just helps if you think of them as alive in a way. Can help with coping mechanisms and all, but you don’t have to if you don’t want to.” Patrick eyed the frog in his hands and could easily imagine hugging it whenever he was having a bad day around here. Oddly, as soon as he touched it, his feelings of wanting to toss it away seemed to dissipate. “No, that’s okay.” Addy smiled. Internally, her inner voice was screaming in joy. It wasn’t a big step in the grand scheme of things, but for those Littles on this path like Patrick, and not one like Ian or Terra even, acceptance of a stuffy was very powerful. It was a signpost in their progression as a Little that they may be willing to freely accept more babyish items if they had a definable purpose. Still, she had to test out one final thing. “So, do you have a name picked out for them yet?” Patrick studied the frog for a moment, but then stared back at Addy with a serious face. “I’m thinking on it but I want an answer to something first…” Addy nodded for him to proceed. “I can get into all this, but part of my wiliness comes from me being paralyzed. I was peeing in a catheter and diapers could have been in my life regardless of if I had chosen to go down that path, so I get it from my side.” He paused and then thought of his group. “I’m with the program until the end for what it’s going to give me, so don’t worry there, but I want to know what is truly going on here. After all these group sessions, I know there is no way some of this stuff is being consented to by the others. What’s going on here? How are you able to work around the contracts? Is there someone or something larger at play?” Addy had felt her heart drop as soon as began to question things and now, even once he had finished, she still hesitated to give him a full reply. Psyche did have a secret, but she couldn’t be the one to tell him outright. Maybe if Patrick kept digging, he would find his answer, but she was worried about what else he could find there as well. “I want to… but I can’t tell you everything. I can tell you about the contract, but after, I need you to promise me that you won’t investigate any more of these things further, okay?” Patrick was now the one to hesitate. He had seen the seriousness of a promise in this dimension, and he had heard that some Littles were even thrown out of Psyche in previous groups for breaking a promise on general principle. Now, it was his turn to promise something, and he couldn’t be more nervous. Still though, he had to know something about all this… “I promise…” Addy breathed a sigh of partial relief and partly from the stress she was now feeling from others even beyond Patrick. “Well, in that case, you should know that there is a stipulation in the contract that notes, for the physical and, or mental health of the inductee, Psyche New Beginnings may intervene without the expressed consent of the inductee Little, as long as no harm comes to the Little in the long-term and that any measures would only be used to facilitate an improvement or curative measure of a previous problem, or problems.” Patrick just stared at Addy in disbelief. It was all written there in black and white, and yet it left so much up to the whims of whoever was enacting it. ‘What constituted harm? How well could they measure physical, or even mental health for that matter?’ It then dawned on Patrick that the contract had specifically been written that way to ensure that particular section would be glossed over in all likelihood or leave plenty of leeway in its interpretation. ‘Crap… something is up.’ “I’m really sorry, sweetie, but some of what we do for you all, we don’t like, but we know that, uh…” she then hesitated for a moment, “what we do is for the best in the long run. It’s difficult but we are dedicated to making you all better when you leave this facility with your caretaker.” Patrick fumed over the implications of what she had just told him, and Addy could tell. It wasn’t the first time a Little had been curious about the same thing, but they always came around in the end. She just hoped that he would come around before other measures were taken. Not wanting to make things more difficult for the night and using her experience, she knew that Patrick just needed some alone time to think. Fortunately for her, it was now his new naptime, so without any further delay, she then scooped him up and set him in his crib. His frog now nearby, Addy left and turned off the lights. “Get some rest, honey. We can talk more after if you want.” Addy then left and Patrick was now all alone with only his thoughts and his frog. ‘It’s just not fair with all these blasted Bigs… but what could I even do at this point? I still can’t walk and… who knows if I could even do well on my own anymore with my diapers and everything else…’ Patrick despaired his fate, but as designed, his stuffed frog was right there to give him comfort. For now, his feelings were more just instinct, but soon they would be something more akin to desire or even love instead. Addy was no fool and ensured that the frog was near to him when she left. If she was lucky and had played her pre-approved cards right, said instinct would take over. Minutes later, Patrick had fallen asleep, and as predicted, was now also curled up tightly around his frog. * * * Later that night, after dinner, one much to the aggravation of half the group and to the delight of the other half of vegetables and shaped chicken nuggets, Patrick had gone back upstairs for the night. He wanted to be alone with his thoughts, so he just settled down with a good book. As usual though, about two hours later, Addy came in and performed their usual night routine before tucking him into the crib. They didn’t speak much, but he could tell something was bothering her. Once she had left though and now alone and, in his room, once more, now illuminated slightly by a more prominent nightlight in the shape of a star on his dresser, Patrick stared back at his frog. “What the heck do I call you? Or should I even call you something?” The soft frog just wordlessly stared back. Patrick rolled his eyes. “Crap! Now I’m starting to talk to these things as if they were real…” It was a peculiar feeling, but Patrick thought back to all the times where he had heard about a companion being important for mental health in a survival situation. Based on what had been going on around here lately, this frog now seemed like a perfect and non-judgmental companion… not a toy. “Maybe I should call you Wilson, huh?” he joked. The frog continued to just stare back. “Well, if I’m going to use you as a sounding board, you need a name. Creature, stuffy, or even It, just won’t cut it if I’m going to be talking to you about my problems.” Patrick stroked his chin and pondered the different names. He briefly considered Mr. Green as a possibility, but he felt that Dr. Halgen would think it was too mature or some stupid logic like that and force him to change it to something more appropriate. “What about, Tad?” The frog stared back, but the name rolled around in Patrick’s head for a moment. “Tad… yeah, I think Tad will do just fine. Mature, but I can always play it up if I need to. Too bad Cara isn’t here right now… she would know of the perfect name to fly under their radar, but Tad… yeah… that should be good.” Patrick then recalled back to when he had woken up from his nap and had found himself cuddling with him already. It had been an unconscious act in his sleep, but he felt so… good afterwards. With everything going on around him, he was starting to feel every bit the conspiracy theorist that Ian was… ‘Is it a ‘was’ for him now?’ Patrick wasn’t sure, but he felt like something was up or he was certifiably losing it. Either way, he couldn’t deny himself the possibility of feeling better, so he squeezed Tad tightly. Almost instantaneously, he felt better. It could have been hinky itself, but all that mattered to him right now was the feeling of safety and comfort that he was getting from his frog, Tad. After that, it didn’t take long for him to pass out, nestled with his new friend, dry, and wrapped in a delightful swath of soft blankets. * * * The next morning, Patrick awoke, and oddly felt more at peace than he had in some time. Not fuzzy or anything suspicious as he may have feared when accepting something from Addy in the form of a stuffed animal, but Tad only seemed to be here for his comfort now. It was a pleasant thought and Patrick just gave him a little squeeze. Then, after shuffling about, he could tell his diaper needed changing, but as had become routine, Addy would soon be in here and get him ready for the day. Briefly, he worried that it didn’t matter what he thought about himself anymore and that he was too far gone as a Little in this world. For his sake though, he had to brush those thoughts quickly aside and focus on the present and what he could do to keep himself as who he was, rather than as just another Little who had been changed by the Bigs. Then, as predicted, Addy soon entered and the two went about their routine for the day. A change was followed by a bath, which was then followed by a rediapering and then choosing between one of two outfits that Addy had prepared for him. Today, he chose jeans and a collared white sweater over the overalls and Henley-style long-sleeve shirt. It was a sense of normalcy, ignoring the diapers, snaps on the inside, or even the notion of Addy dressing him at all, but he had learned about two weeks ago to just think of himself as royalty and that his servant was now preparing him for the day. It was a childish fantasy perhaps, but it seemed better than the alternative of being a helpless Little that would be doted on in this world by every commanding Big for the next five years of his life. As she went about work today though, Patrick noticed that Addy wasn’t smiling and only seemed depressed or resigned to something. He had noticed the same look last night and he couldn’t stand it any longer. “Addy… what’s wrong? Is it something I said? I’m sorry if it was…” Addy immediately perked back up and started to coo at Patrick. “Me? I’m all okay! I think someone’s just got a silly imagination.” Patrick frowned but then became worried when Addy came in real close to him. “Just go along with what I do, okay?” she whispered, her face quickly turning serious. Patrick was very confused but just nodded his head. Addy then proceeded to pick him up and place him against her shoulder as if he was an infant. “Shhh, shhh, baby. I know you don’t like mornings…” she said loudly. She then lowered her voice. “Close your eyes and just listen to me.” Patrick did as he was told and began to panic over what was happening. As he did so, Addy just began to rock him back and forth. It was oddly nice, but his heart still beat rapidly over the suddenness of all this. After a moment, she slowed down and began to whisper again. “That should convince them for now… but I don’t agree with some of what they’re doing here. Something is up, but I can’t do anything about it in my position. Then, I heard you last night with Ted, nice name by the way, so I know you can accept this. That being said though, can you try and accept all this a little more. Maybe do what Cara does and pretend a bit?” “You know about that?” Patrick said a little too loudly, clearly worried about his friend. “Shhh, shhh, baby,” Addy said loudly before once more returning to her whisper. “You need to keep quiet for now. Just nod your head if you can agree to that, but also, yes, I know about Cara. I was the one who told her to do that in the first place in secret. She found an independent streak in her here and I knew she would be ruined forever if I didn’t step in.” Patrick was shocked, but some of Addy’s odd behavior now made sense. In one sense, she seemed to genuinely care about him and want him to do well as he had expected when coming here. Other times though, she seemed like the rest of the staff here with her cooing and displays of treating him like a regressed Little. It was maddening, but she had just given him a major piece to the puzzle he had been trying to figure out. “I’m very sorry about all this,” she whispered with a small bit of sadness. “I’ll try to find out more, but for now, just go along with things and I’ll try to steer you out of harm’s way if I can. Also though, careful about what you say or do from now on.” She lowered her voice even more. “They’re watching us…” Fear gripped Patrick’s heart, but all he could do was just nod at what she had now told him. It was unnerving and he knew that he would have to pretend like Cara did to survive. It was a tall order, but he knew he couldn’t fail. If fluctuating Littles like Ian were any indication, best case scenarios around here for Littles like that didn’t make the five more years here seem very likely. In fact, the fluctuating Littles made those five years seem to be a permanent situation in a completely non-voluntary way. Addy then stopped her swaying and rocking and raised her voice again. “Well, you seem to be all cheery once again. How about we get a spot of breakfast in that rumbly tummy of yours, huh?” Patrick could only nod as Addy began to walk over and put him in his wheelchair. The Jasper and Jinx designs on the waterproof cover now only seemed like a reminder for what Addy had just told him about playing a role in all this. Something was up now for sure, but he currently didn’t see a way he could figure out what, let alone change it before it was too late. Later, down at breakfast, Patrick was already on edge from what Addy had told him earlier about being watched and that something was up. It didn’t help that once he had arrived at the breakfast table, many of the other Littles already there were giggling and snickering about as if his hair had been sticking out in a funny way. He even checked just to be sure, but he couldn’t figure out the joke if there was one. From the corner of the room, Addy gave him a small gesture to smile, and Patrick began to fake his outward emotions. He didn’t like it, but there was too much at stake now. Finally, once they had all finished breakfast, oddly, everyone remained seated. “Why aren’t you all running outside to play like you usually do? Even you, Darren, seem to have ants in your pants and that you want to leave,” he directed over to the now fervently squirming Little. Darren trembled and finally burst out. “Please! Can we tell him?” “Darren!” Dr. Halgen barked as she entered the room, eliciting a tiny yelp from the Little. “A surprise is a surprise for a reason. Do we need to have a chat?” Darren quickly stopped squirming and dropped his head low in submission. “No, Aunty Kelsey…” he mumbled out, having adopted Dr. Halgen’s other name a few days ago. He still called her Dr. Halgen occasionally, but those times were now seemingly becoming rarer. Dr. Halgen nodded and then turned her attention to Patrick. “So, I guess you’re wondering what’s going on, huh?” Patrick nervously nodded. “Well, we’ve been watching you.” A large lump formed in the back of his throat. ‘Did she know? Addy had said they were watching… so did they see everything and now everyone here was to hold him down or regress him forcibly? Was that the joke?’ Patrick’s mind spun in several directions and Dr. Halgen’s face only gave off a feeling of satisfaction. It could have meant anything, and he did his best not to puke right at that moment from what he was feeling. “We‘ve been watching you for some time… and we’ve seen your progress,” she continued. “Bruce has discussed all that you’ve done and especially with what you did with the walker pants the other week, we believe you’re ready for the next step.” She then stepped aside, and Bruce was hunched over as he pushed a large object into the room. “Congratulations, buddy,” Bruce said, now presenting the specialized blue walker to Patrick. “Big day!” Patrick wheeled over to the device and slid his hand over the sleek blue metal finish railings. It had a small foldable seat at the rear and a set of four wheels that allowed it to be moved with ease. Patrick could also see some buckles and straps inside, likely to hook up to him in the beginning stages, but the walker itself was there and that was the important bit. It was a physical manifestation of his progress, as the diapers on most of the group were now a manifestation of their continued regressions. Patrick looked up at Addy, and she just nodded and smiled and gestured for him to keep smiling as he had been doing. She gave off a nervous energy that Patrick now knew was because there was something else sinister happening here. He wasn’t sure who he could trust or even if he would get out of here anymore with his mind intact, but based on the walker, things were still moving forward on some fronts at least. As had become custom around here, the price of this place and its miracles seemed to be a steep one, but one he was still willing to pay. A stuffed animal traded for the use of a walker seemed inconsequential. Based on Addy’s apprehension though, he just couldn’t be sure for how much longer he would feel that way. He just hoped that by the time that feeling ever went away, he would be able to walk well enough by then. Something told him, after everything that he now knew, that a quick exit might be required.

I realized that some may not be able to see the timeline as an image, so I have written the timeline below for those of you who can't view the image for whatever reason. If they apply, the year will come first, followed by the world event in parenthesis, and then the story that may accompany it. Note 1: If the story or event is planned, but not currently written, a '(TBD)' or 'TBD' will be placed for now instead. 1965 (War Ends and Adoptions Become Normalized) - TBD 19?? (Portal Travel Discovered By Bigs After Investigatioin Into Soft Spots) 2023 - The CONvention The CONtingency TBD 2038 (Earth's Fuel Runs Out After Conflicts Hasten Demise, Wars Soon Break Out and Society Collapses) 2053 (Permanent Portal Opens Between Dimensions) - The Opening 2054 (Formal Agreement Between Earth and DD Bigs, Public Arrival of Bigs on Earth) - TBD TBD 2057 (Opening of Dark Cliff Prison After Incident) - TBD 2064 (TBD) - TBD (Creation of FOY) - TBD (Project Nurture Study Published Officially) - Project Nurture TBD TBD How An Elephant Saved Their Little TBD 2076 (FOY Incident at Juventas, Possible Dumping into Losantiville Water Supply) - Tell Me More 2077 - Tell Me More II (TBD) TBD A Stuffy's Tale: One Bunny's Journey in the DD Dash's Redemption 2078 - A Small Break From Teaching TBD 2079 (Passage of Humane Little Laws) - TBD 2083 - A Walk Into the Unknown (TBD) - TBD (TBD) - TBD Note 2: Dates are given as part of Earth Dimension Time (EDT) and those works, dates, or events listed under each bullet are part of the same series. Note 3: Some of the TBD stories may change their position on the timeline in future edits.

I'm sorry to hear that, but I can give it a go at some point.

Never fear, I'm still working hard on my current story, but I thought I would post this timeline of the stories I have written so far. A few matter less with their placement in the timeline, but a few needed to be placed before I made any further progress. As this timeline contains some small spoilers for some of the future stories, just be warned. Additionally, as there are events that I have yet to write about but have made reference to, some stories have been whited-out for the time being. I noted once that I have several stories in the works and these are only a few of those that I was talking about, so as long as everyone still like what I'm writing, you'll see plenty more from me in the future. Like the DD Reference Guide (which I promise to update after I'm done with my current story), this will be updated as more stories are finished. On that same note, as this universe is wide and there could be an infinite number of these types of dimensions out there, this timeline does not have to be adhered to by anyone if they don't wish. This is mainly to help myself keep track of certain events and which characters may be able to cross over to other stories in the future. Use it if you wish, but this is by no means a hard timeline that everyone must follow with their own stories. Finally, these dates will serve similarly as the Star Trek way of timing. For those of you who don't know, Khan should be ruling Asia right now, but the Star Trek timeline is basically a divergent path from our own. As such, as this is the internet and what you put out there, stays out there... these times are fixed starting in 2023. So, basically, if soceity doesn't collapse in 2038, this timeline will still stand. If society does collapse before then, then I doubt anyone would be still reading these stories...

Thank you all for your comments! They definitely mean a lot and let me know that I'm doing a good job with the direction that I'm taking this story. It's always a gamble, but I'm glad that many of you seem to be enjoying this story. I need to rework some of the next chapters to ensure that all the elements combine nicely as we are now getting into the end game for this story, so the next chapter will be posted on Friday instead of tomorrow. As part of that, this is the last chapter of part IV. There are two more parts to go before the end and there are at least eight more chapters within them. Depending on how my future planning goes tomorrow, more may be added, but I just wanted to let you all know. Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys this next and final chapter of part IV of this story! Chapter 17: An Easement for the Minds Having the propensity to read the thickest of novels before coming here, Patrick was a little surprised in himself as he groaned while reading over his contract with Psyche. Granted, it was the fifth time he had read it in its entirety and his eyes were seeing spots, but he had to press on to find his answers, or at least something clearer. Being that the caretaker’s side of the deal he had made was half the bargain, the contract had well over 60 pages dedicated to it alone. Even then though, there had been no specific reference to how many caretakers one could choose. Giving up at this point didn’t seem like an option either as he practically had to wrestle it out of Dr. Halgen’s hands when he had asked for it the other day. Still though, all his diligent hard work seemed to make little difference in the past week after his initial request and the past three days looking over it, and even beyond all that, he couldn’t make any further plans to see if it was even worth it with either Samantha or Lloyd. Since the sporting event with Lloyd and a farmers’ market and local play with Samantha, Patrick hadn’t seen either since, and what’s more, he also knew that he wasn’t likely to see either until next week at the earliest. Samantha had gotten sick from one of her students and Lloyd had been pulled into an emergency meeting up north in Lygonia due to a bill that had recently been passed by the politicians at the capitol in New Columbia. Regardless, no extra sparks were flying between the two from what he could see since that day, even when he casually brought up either one of them to each other. Lastly, on top of all these delays, Patrick had just closed the contract and his eyes for a mere second, feeling exhausted during the day once more. Unfortunately for his inner rest, a small timer in his room went off and alerted him to the fact that it was now time for group and that he would have to take a break some other time. Ten minutes later, Patrick joined the group in their usual spot. Based on the more resigned faces that he now spotted around the circle, Patrick wasn’t sure how the next hour was going to go. As the session continued, the mood was still variable, but Patrick had started to notice a few changes had started to take hold amongst his friends. Cara was still imaginative, Darren was still spacey, Ian was still skeptical, and so forth, but a new aura had started overtaking the group as well. In the beginning of the month, there was hardly a person in here who hadn’t protested what was happening to them to some degree. Now, all that had changed in a most unexpected way. “I think we should be able to choose what we watch,” Quentin protested. “Everyone gets their own turn, Quentin. You know that,” Dr. Halgen noted. “You may enjoy Adventure Sam, but the rest of the group may want to watch something else instead.” Quentin sighed in resigned frustration. “I guess… I just wish more people would like what I like…” he said as he began to slouch back in his chair. “I can watch it with you, Quenty,” Terra beamed. She had progressively gotten better with her memory, but Patrick felt that she had traded one prison for another. Now, she was playing with the hem of her dress, something which Erin, her nurse, had to continually remind her to stop doing as if she was speaking to a child. Further, instead of correcting his name as he did last week, Quentin only smiled in joy at the proposal from Terra. “It’s a date then! I can’t wait for tonight’s episode! I heard they’re going to the Pillars of Hercules! I can’t wait for Adventure Sam to talk about them It’s so cool!” “Ooh! I love seeing images of Gaule,” Terra agreed. “It’s so sad part of it sunk into the sea compared to what it is back home for us, but it’s so pretty now as well!” she then gushed. Ahem! Patrick looked over and saw that Ian was trying his best to get the group’s attention. The temporary regression he had experienced the other day was indeed as labeled, though occasionally Patrick had noticed a few changes to his friend, namely his similarly now-dressed status with snaps running up his inseam and a cutesy labeled shirt. Terra and Quentin quickly stopped talking, and like the rest of the group, turned to face the fuming and impatient Ian. “Finally! Now, can we talk about dinning today and not some stupid, boring cartoon?” he asked in a huff. Dr. Halgen turned towards him with a slight scowl on her face. Patrick wondered how long she could be pushed before Ian was subjected to another chat. “That was rude, Ian. I expect an apology at some point soon to Terra and Quentin both, but now that you’ve already interrupted them, what do you want to talk about with dinning?” Ian readjusted himself into a more aggressive hunched over position. “Well, for starters, we don’t have metallic silverware anymore. For that matter, nothing is breakable anymore. What gives? Why is it all plastic or some other fancy new thing instead of what we used to use?” he questioned, clearly frustrated over a growing problem. “I mean, can’t it at least be silver or black instead of every color of the rainbow?” Dr. Halgen nodded but instead of answering herself, turned to the rest of the group. “Everyone? Ian wants to know why we use different utensils and dishes now.” Once again, as had become more routine as of late, the group responded in unison as if reciting rules that they had been forced to remember. This time, Patrick just let himself join in instead of fighting it as he had during previous group sessions. “We are preparing for our future caretakers who, for better or worse, will give us these items to use. It is better to use them now than to have a tantrum once we have chosen. We want to be good Littles.” Ian’s face contorted to an even angrier version, but he just folded his arms and sat back in his seat, clearly not wanting to push his luck. “Doesn’t make it any better…” Patrick found it both troubling and amusing how similar a self-proclaimed conspiracy theorists frustration looked compared to a toddler’s tantrum. Ian looked like he wanted to continue the argument, but before he could say another word, Cara’s hand quickly shot up as she started squirming around in her seat. Dr. Halgen quickly turned her attention to her. “Yes? What is it, Cara?” Squirming about and pressing her hand to her crotch, anyone who had been here for more than a few days around Littles knew a potty dance when they saw one. Still, Cara complied, and her voice almost seemed too high pitch for a moment. “Dr. Halgen! I have to go potty!” Dr. Halgen just smiled and nodded to both her and to Addy. “Addy, can you please take her? We don’t want another accident, now do we?” From her side, Quentin just groaned at the thought of his own accident and subsequent leak from the other day. Addy simply nodded back and stood up. “Yes, Dr. Halgen.” She then helped Cara out of her seat and took her away to the nearest bathroom on this floor, taking her hand to guide her there. Now getting stronger every day, Cara was no longer confined to her wheelchair. She still had to rest about every 30 minutes, but Dr. Halgen, on the direction of Bruce, had promised her that it was only a temporary problem and with time, her strength would return to her. The group session continued for some time after that, and many problems were brought up that also had Patrick scratching his head and wondering what was going on. At times, the group seemed like their old but more healthier selves. At other times, they almost started to seem like the more progressed Littles they had once seen when they had first arrived here. It didn’t help that topics during group now included a lack of coloring books to choose from, the unfairness of no desert as a punishment, and the fact that late night sessions with the inner group couldn’t pass 11 o’clock, instead of the previous unlimited times. Ian and Quentin were most vocal about the change, but being so tired lately, Patrick just shrugged and thought the time was still reasonable. Not wanting to start a fight though, he just sat back and watched it all play out in front of him without comment. The session stretched on, but Dr. Halgen then looked at her watch after Ian stopped complaining about the new clothes that he was dressed in. “I think that will just about wrap things up for today.” Everyone then started to get up, but Dr. Halgen stopped them. “Before you all leave though… as a reminder, you all will need to think about what you are going to wear for Halloween. It’s coming up faster than you all may think, and participation is required!” A few in the group groaned, but a few, namely Terra, just jumped with pure delight. “Secondly, we have noticed that some of you have been growing tired during the day. While being tired can happen to anyone, we have seen a trend for a few of you over the past few weeks. Just know that we have taken notes for who you are and will likely be taking measures to help with this.” She paused and then stood up herself. “You’ll know if you are one of them,” she almost said with a sinister and foreboding tone. “Now, the day is beautiful out and I would suggest you all go outside and enjoy the weather while you still can. Winter is coming! Besides, the next group is coming here right after so the jungle gym should be empty in a moment. Now, scoot!” The entire group quickly dispersed out of the room and to the outdoor spaces. As Patrick passed the next group in front of them, who were now beginning to prepare for their selection day in just about two weeks, he wondered if they had found themselves in his position as well. Despite the diapers, crib, baths, changing table, and even the desire for an item of comfort now in times of distress, Patrick still felt fully aware of everything, if not a little vulnerable at times. Outwardly, he felt very different, but as Matilda had noted to him, around here, it was often a matter of what was happening inside your head that was the bigger deal. As the group quickly scrambled outside, Patrick saw that while he may have been more unscathed than someone like Eddy, he couldn’t exactly say the same about the rest of the group. Ian, the pillar of defiance, was now attempting to climb one of the trees, much to the chagrin of his nurse, Penny. Nearby, Darren and Terra were once again digging in the dirt, but Terra was now also splitting her time with making a flower crown for herself. Lastly, Quentin was alone but only seemed to laugh with glee as he continually climbed up the slide of the jungle gym and then rode it all the way back down. “Some sight, huh?” Cara asked, now appearing to his right on the back porch. “Yeah…” Patrick could smell the lavender scented aroma from the wipes down here on the main floor bathroom. Ever since his demotion to diapers, he had become intimately familiar with their smell. “Everything okay, or…?” He didn’t want to come right out and ask but given the state of the rest of his friends, he wasn’t sure who could register the subtle art of implication anymore. Cara nodded her head. “Yep! All good. Addy helped me just in time. Guess I’ve got to slow down on the milo juice and all around here, huh?” Patrick just blinked at his friend and hoped that whatever was happening with the others, wasn’t happening to her as well. “Cara… be serious. Are you okay?” Now, it was Cara’s turn to blink mindlessly for a moment. “I, uh… geez. What was I saying? You know… I… Addy told me about the new policy with people being tired. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I might just volunteer to get swaddled into whatever they’re going to do. I mean, who wouldn’t kill for a nap? That, or a nice big cup of coffee, right?” Patrick thought about her words and wondered if that was the case for the rest of them. “I guess... I’ve been a bit tired myself, but… naptime? Potty? It’s a bit much, right? You seem like you almost enjoy all this stuff… like Eddy did in the end.” Cara blushed. “Oh, definitely not! I just… you can only fight some of this stuff for so long. I’m aware it’s a fine line between acting and reality around here, but if you’re worried… try not to be. I know it’s called a toilet, but haven’t you also noticed that most around here treat us better when we act a little… younger? If not, I have, and I plan on milking it as much as I can. I just need some sleep to help fill in some of my more spacey moments.” Patrick thought back for a moment to all the times he was ever in distress or if he was treated differently than someone else and realized that he was always treated better when he slightly leaned into the more Little-like persona as Cara had now clearly been doing lately. “Huh… that actually makes a lot of sense now… I didn’t even make the connection until you said something about how they act around us when we do something perceived as Little-like. Hard to argue with the results even when I know about it now though. Can’t believe you thought of it before anyone else.” “Well, I have my moments,” she said with a wide smile. “It is a nice protection around here though, but I really can’t say I mind the extra desert when I put on my little act.” Patrick smiled back and nodded at the notion and then looked back over to their friends in their various states of play. If he had done half of what they were doing that afternoon, he knew that Addy wouldn’t hesitate to give him a bath in a single second right before dinnertime when they all came inside. More importantly, though, he seriously doubted that any ‘normal’ adult would ever behave like that in public. “You think they’re putting on an act as well?” Cara sighed. “I don’t know. While you’ve been away, I’ve noticed most of them have moments of going in and out like an ocean tide. Sometimes, they’re just healthier versions of the people we once knew. Other times…” she then gestured towards their friends, “I doubt that it’s all an act. At least not with a few of them…” Patrick sadly had to agree with what he was seeing. He wasn’t sure of the difference in all of them and why he and Cara seemed to be the least affected, but whatever the case was, he knew something was up. Either the four others of their group had some majorly repressed sides to them, or Psyche was navigating around their contracts somehow. As Cara then took off to enjoy the outdoors as well before nightfall, as she said, ‘to keep up the façade,’ Patrick worried deeply about their future. If it could happen to their friends, it only made sense that it could happen to them as well. After a moment of basking in the still warm glow of the sun and trying to forget about his future worries, Patrick opened his eyes as he heard some of the floorboards of the deck creek behind him. He quickly turned around and saw another Little from the group that came after them and was currently in their first month here. He looked a little pale, particularly with his practically silvery curly locks, but otherwise didn’t seem as deathly ill as some of the others around here. “Hey… you need something? You’re kind of staring...” The Little approached nervously. “Uh, maybe? Uh, I mean… need something that is…” Tim shifted nervously back and forth, emitting a loud groan from the wooden floorboards, but then just extended his hand. “Tim.” Patrick wasn’t sure what to make of this particular Little but shook it back as a sign of good faith. For all he knew, Tim could be in trouble, especially considering that it had been the first caretaker day last week for them. “Good to meet you, Tim.” There was an awkward silence between the two, but Tim began to talk about his time here and that he was looking for someone who knew this place a little better and that wasn’t ‘in la-la land.’ Patrick chuckled. “Yeah, I can help you there. Paralyzed myself and almost into my third month. You?” “Congestive heart failure. Almost second month, but…” Tim shifted around, and Patrick swore he could just see the outline of something thicker beneath his pants. “I take it that you’re at the questioning stage now, huh? Something you hoped never would happen in this program has, right?” he questioned with a subtle nod toward his pants. Tim’s eyes bulged out. “H… how d…did you know?” Patrickk sighed and patted his pelvic area, which immediately let out a distinctive crinkling noise. “Takes one to know one I guess.” “But I’m not in diapers!” Tim protested, almost seeming to be on the verge of hyperventilating. Patrick patted him on the knee as he sat down to keep from falling over. “Easy there… just take some deep breaths.” Tim lowered his head a bit and started to calm down. “That’s it, but just to point this out, no, you’re not in diapers, but look at my group.” Tim did. “Even less than a month ago and only a few of us wore padding of any kind. Now, only Cara seems to really be avoiding it. If today was any indication though, I don’t think that will be the case for much longer. It’s just a thing around here.” “But isn’t that embarrassing? Shouldn’t it be? We’re adults, right?” Tim questioned. Patrick took a moment to respond. Tim seemed like a nice guy, but he felt there was something else going on. Tim looked embarrassed for sure, but it was almost as if he was embarrassed after the fact of wearing protection, rather than the wearing it itself like most around here seemed to be at first. ‘Was he ‘that guy’?’ Patrick shook the thought out of his head. “You need to think about this stuff differently.” Tim cocked his head a bit to one side and raised one of his eyebrows. “What do you mean by that?” “Well, I won’t tell you to just lie down and accept everything here, but sometimes there’s almost always a fee you need to pay for a miracle, like the ones they offer here. Old times it was blood or some animal or a pile of food on an altar. In this place, it might just be our maturity instead.” Patrick shifted in his wheelchair and tried to read the emotions on Tim’s face. It was tough, but he could only guess that he was trying to figure out his place in all this. Looking back down at his friends and their current playful state, he couldn’t blame him for at least being a tiny bit hesitant. Patrick then thought again that Tim could be ‘that guy,’ so he decided to give him a bit of help either way. “You know… if it helps… look at my friends over there.” Tim nervously did. “See how they are? Padded, juvenile clothing, not a care in the world?” “Yes…” Tim said with a little hesitation. “Well, look beyond that,” Patrick continued. “Look at their faces. There’s not a single frown on them. Could be from something happening to them, but it could be something more.” He let the idea simmer for a minute. “So, I don’t know… Maybe they actually like it, but in either case, it’s going to be the price we pay for a miracle, or its just the thing that simply brings them joy. Everyone here is one or the other and that’s just how it goes and there’s nothing wrong with either of those scenarios in a place like this. Don’t fear what you might have once thought of as weird. Here, weird is purely all relative.” Tim looked at Patrick and then back to the others. He had a peculiar look on his face that Patrick couldn’t quite place, but it then turned into one that anyone could recognize as panic. “I… I’ve gotta go!” Tim then sped off without another word, one hand shooting down to his crotch in a motion that Patrick had now seen far too many times. Patrick was left sitting there in his wheelchair and musing over what he had just witnessed before the whole ‘needing to potty’ incident. Even if Tim was or wasn’t ‘that guy,’ he had a long road ahead of him. As Patrick had experienced firsthand now, Tim could go one of two ways with Psyche. First, Tim could just embrace everything like he had done and likely end up in diapers nonetheless in his second month here. Or second, he could end up like Ian, caught between two worlds of fighting against all of this or what he was doing now and hanging upside down from a tree, his shirt falling and revealing the waistband of his diaper without a care in the world. “Poor Tim. I hope you make whatever decision is best for you and you don’t wrestle with all this for too much longer.” Patrick shifted to a better sitting position and felt something wet for a moment. “Speaking of acceptance of changes…” Patrick wiggled about for a moment and after pressing the front of the diaper to himself, he felt the squish of his most recent accident. Despite regaining more feelings all around his body, his bladder had only gotten worse and the constant settling into his used diapers had caused him to grow a little unobservant over their state at any given time. Additionally, the pants had robbed him of control of his limbs for 24 hours, but the sensations to his bowels had seemed to have taken a permanent vacation. He could only sigh in relief that despite being wet, he didn’t feel any unwelcome surprise in the rear of his pants today. ‘I guess it’s all about appreciating the small miracles now these days…’ Regardless of whatever he was feeling, the sun began to set behind the trees with the slow shortening of days and Patrick couldn’t help but look out over his friends as they began to tire from playing all day. In nearly the same wheelchair, Patrick had once sat here and talked with Eddy and Matilda while seeing the other more progressed Littles. Now, over halfway through all this, as he watched over his friends, it was hard not to see them as the more progressed ones now. It was a disturbing sight to some degree, but Patrick also had to listen to his own advice that he had just given Tim. His friends were slipping to varying degrees inside and out, but at least they were happy, diapers and all. It was a nice calming realization and Patrick decided to join Quentin and Cara by the swings. He may not have been able to swing on them just yet, but he could still have fun with his friends. Not long after, when the sun had nearly fully set beyond the horizon and the lights had flicked on in the backyard, Dr. Halgen and a few of the other nurses came out and called everyone inside. “Come on! It’s dark now and it’s almost time for dinner!” The group then practically stampeded back into the house, now as filthy as ever from their wild escapades outside. Dr. Halgen and the other nurses wiped each of the dirtier Littles off with some wet wipes, but overall, just let them wander about. Soon, Penny switched the T.V. away from one of the cartoons that had been playing earlier to a channel that just highlighted the most popular songs made specifically for Littles. Eerily, the group began to dance to the music without a second thought. “Come on, Patrick! Join us!” Quentin called out from the center of the crowd when Patrick hadn’t joined in immediately. Patrick just shook his head and tapped his wheelchair. “Still a bit trapped these days. Maybe soon though…” Everyone whined and moaned but just continued to dance to the music and at least tried to mimic the tiny red cartoon bird flapping about on the screen as each song played. Curiously, from the outside, Patrick could only view the scene with an odd sense of dread and almost confusion. Dr. Halgen and the other nurses had often scolded them for putting their feet up on furniture or not washing before dinner, but now, the entire group of Littles was prancing about in the large living room without a care in the world, all the while each of them were covered in the trappings of their outdoor adventures. Terra and Darren were even literally covered in copious amounts of dirt, and even as it fell to the floor to be stomped on by the several pairs of shuffling feet, none of the Bigs did anything. Patrick couldn’t figure it out, but he then saw each of the Bigs smiling in a wave of satisfaction as they looked over their Littles in the middle of the room. Patrick looked back at his group of friends, and it then clicked in his head what was happening. Between their more juvenile behavior, the Little-themed song on the T.V., their chaotic movements, and even dirty appearances, Patrick could have sworn if he didn’t look too hard that he was staring back at a bunch of preschoolers at best. Clearly, whatever was truly going on, the Bigs were very pleased about it. Patrick began to wheel over to confront them once and for all, but Cara stopped him. “Hey you! There’s no getting out of this one. You have to come dance with us!” Patrick waved his hands. “No, I can’t. I’d just get in the way,” he tried to excuse to keep on his journey to figure out what was happening here, but Cara wouldn’t listen. “I don’t think so, mister! You’re coming out with me right now!” Without a second of hesitation, Cara began to drag Patrick and his wheelchair into the middle of the group. To his surprise, the group only embraced him further and used him as a sort of centerpiece for their chaotic movements. Not wanting to disappoint his friends, he began to shuffle around in the seat and move his arms about to make an effort from his lower and mostly fixed position. Off to the side, he could just make out Dr. Halgen whisper something to Addy, but Terra quickly blocked his view and ruffled about her short dress to the point where Patrick inadvertently caught quick glances of her own diaper situated underneath. “Dance with us, Patty!” she yelled. “Keep shaking those arms!” Patrick complied, and with Dr. Halgen and all now out of view, he just focused on the onslaught of annoying and somehow delightful music that was all now being spouted out by a fluffy sheep on the screen. In that moment, he felt a swirl of emotions and desires. He wanted to focus more on Dr. Halgen and the nurses. He wanted to get out of the huddle of his friends. He wanted to leave and figure out what was happening before it was too late. Instead, his body just seemed to automatically take over and he began to dance about more freely as if he had no control over what he was doing at all. He only stopped for a moment when he felt a curious sensation from down below. Casting his glance toward his feet, unconscious or just a movement long forgotten and suddenly remembered, Patrick saw his foot tap to the beat. No specialized pants or movements in his sleep, but a genuine foot tap to the beat of the music. It was tiny, but with no movement for over five years now, it was everything to him. In essence, it was a genuine ray of hope that somehow and soon, he would get to dance like everyone else was doing now around him. It was a difficult notion to wrestle with, but as he had told Tim, despite wanting more than anything to figure out what was happening to his friends, if some of the oddities were the price of admission, it was a price he was still willing to make.

Ugh. Sorry everyone for the late posting of this chapter. It was a little longer than I was anticipating originally, but I didn't want to split it up or short change any of the events here. I know it could have been even longer, but I'm at least satisfied with how it turned out in the end. The next chapter shouldnt be as long from what I can tell, but it might still take me a minute to edit it, so it may or may not be posted later today. Regardless, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 16: Breathe in the Fresh Air Memory can be a fickle thing, especially for the Littles who found themselves in all the varieties of situations one may encounter in this other dimension. While Patrick had gotten caught up in everything that happened when he had returned and had despairingly forgotten to tell Dr. Halgen or anyone else about seeing Redge, it turned out that Lloyd didn’t want to take the risk of any information being lost or misheard and it had been what had and Dr. Halgen had been arguing about once they got back. Redge was a problem, but apparently, the next steps were still up for debate. Now, Dr. Halgen was trying to hold Patrick back from leaving on the next caretaker day to keep him safe. It was logical, if not a bit restrictive. “He’s out there, Redge, I mean. I think it’s just too much of a risk for you to take, Patrick.” “But Samantha was supposed to take me out today! We were going to go hiking and all! Do you know the last time I went hiking?” Patrick asked, pounding his fist onto the wall nearby him to emphasize his point. “I’m guessing... five years ago?” she said after a moment. “Yeah, and do you know why? It’s because I got paralyzed two weeks later. Hard to get up those trails on wheels and all, but now, Samantha wants to take me. How can you just say ‘no’ to something like that?” Dr. Halgen sighed. “Patrick. It’s not that I don’t want you to go, but I think you’re just going to be unsafe out there. What if…?” Dr. Halgen then stopped and both she and Patrick whirled around to see the knocking coming from her open door. “Samantha!” Patrick cried, wheeling over to where she was standing. “I’m so glad you’re here! Dr. Halgen isn’t letting me go. She doesn’t think it’s safe. Tell her she’s wrong!” Smantha smiled sympathetically at the Little below her before rubbing his shoulder reassuringly. “Patrick… I’m glad to be with you today, and I just want you to be happy, but she is right. Redge is a threat.” “You see, Patrick?” Dr. Halgen said with a tone of satisfaction. “Even Samantha agrees with me that it’s not safe out there. Maybe you could just stay here today and walk around the grounds.” “Actually… I didn’t say that,” Samantha retorted. “What I said was that Redge was a threat. If Patrick’s with me however, he won’t be in any real danger.” She then rolled up her left sleeve and revealed a skull wearing a beret and a large knife underneath. “Army, sixth legion, five years abroad. If Redge comes anywhere near, he won’t like what happens next. I guarantee it.” Dr. Halgen seemed at a loss for words and just stared at the tattoo in shock before Samantha rolled her sleeve back down. Finally, she managed to mumble out, “fine… you may go…” Samantha smiled and quickly wheeled Patrick away and outside to her waiting car. “I didn’t know you were in the army,” he said finally, still in disbelief. “Well, you never asked, and I usually don’t share stuff like that. It’s actually one of the reasons I was originally with the Psyche facility in New Eboracum. Helped a lot of fellow vets there. Helped with the cooking I did afterward to settle back in. Good way to keep my knife skills just as sharp,” she winked jokingly with a sly smile. “I’m sure you enjoyed the cookies I made you the other week?” Patrick wasn’t sure what to say, so he just nodded. At the same time, in a similar way to what he had felt with Lloyd, despite Redge being at large and possibly nearby, he felt a relaxed sense of security with Samantha by his side. In some strange way, instead of being annoyed, he also felt this way when she lifted him out of his wheelchair and set him in his rear booster seat without asking him first. Then, once both were settled, Samantha took off west and headed for the mountains Patrick had often seen at night from the top of the hill at Psyche. It took a while and the two chatted aimlessly for the next hour, but as they began to get closer, Samantha eyed the clothing that Patrick was now wearing. “I see you’re wearing what I sent.” “Yeah…” Patrick mumbled. He had received it yesterday in the mail from her and while the gift was still a nice surprise, he wasn’t exactly thrilled about the selection she had chosen. The red checkered shirt was nice, and the boots were a bit clunky, but at least they would provide some protection if he ever set his feet down. The pants, however, were tan and contained several pockets, but also had a series of snaps and Velcro closures running up the inseams. Patrick had been in diapers long enough to know that they would allow for easier changes and were almost a hallmark of fashion for the more regressed Littles. To show his appreciation over the gift, he still wore them, but he still wasn’t happy about it. Samantha looked in her rearview mirror and saw his slight frown and she half expected it. There was a small part of her that wished he would just be happy for the new clothing, but she knew these things took time. She hoped that if everything went well today, it would act as a good leap forward with their relationship. Perhaps, it could just be the start of a beautiful relationship. Not long after, Samantha drove her car through the park’s open front gate and parked along with about a half dozen or so other cars in the nearby parking lot. Getting out, she then came over to Patrick’s door and opened it. “Now, you have a decision to make today. Because I respect you, but you also previously talked about the desire to hike, you have two options today.” Patrick didn’t see any type of options before him, but he had been curious how this hike was exactly going to work. “Which are…? I don’t see any…” Samantha nodded. “Yes, well, I wanted to first lay your options out and then I can retrieve whichever option you choose. Sound good?” Patrick hesitated but nodded. “Perfect. So, the first option is that we use your wheelchair. The one I brought along is basically what you use now but the tires are a bit sturdier and can handle some of the tougher terrain around here.” Patrick thought for a moment of the option as it was presented to him. “So, normal? I don’t see a downside. There’s always a downside with these things.” Samantha wavered her hand about. “Eh. The downside would be that we could still go hiking in a way, but we could only do the lower trail. Still very beautiful, but just not the top of that.” Her finger then pointed to a peak just behind the two of them. “Oh…” Patrick really wanted to get to the summit once more. Hiking was great, but the views made everything you did on the mountainside worth it. Without the view, you might as well have just stayed back home and gone to the gym and used a stair climber. “And the second option?” Samantha grinned but also seemed hesitant. “Well, the second option is less… free for you, but you could still enjoy the views and we might just be able to do something later that I’ll keep as a surprise…” Patrick’s ears perked up at the mention of a potential ‘surprise.’ “Which is?” Samantha grinned. “Ah, well, I can’t tell you that, surprise and all, but I’m almost completely positive that you’ll love it.” Patrick sighed in frustration of not knowing but weighed the two options heavily. One would be nice, routine, and safe, but perhaps not really what he wanted. The second choice had the potential for less freedom and a heavily unknown surprise that he could like, but it would also give him the view that he had yearned for and dreamed about for years now. He looked beyond the parking lot and saw the brightly colored mountains around them extend upward into the sky. He could see other taller mountains in the distance, but the one that Samantha had pointed to still felt like a mighty challenge to get to the top, and therefore would likely be an amazing view. With a sigh, he nodded. “The second choice…” Samantha’s hesitation vanished in a second and her eyes sparkled with joy. “Oh! I’m so glad you chose that. I promise that you’ll love it.” Patrick felt a knot of fear for whatever this option could entail as Smantha went to the back and opened the trunk of her car. A minute later, she returned with something in her hands. Patrick stared at the device with dread. “Is that…?” Samantha held it up with pride. “A Little’s carrier? Yep! This puppy has all the latest and greatest and is designed for your comfort and mine.” She then paused and a look of hesitation washed over her face as she set the carrier down on the ground, utilizing the back bar to keep it upright. “Actually… are you still okay with this choice? I can still get your wheelchair… it would be okay if…” Patrick held up his hand to stop her and Samantha resigned herself and awaited what the Little in front of her would say. “Look, I’m not naïve. I’m still partially paralyzed at this point. If I want a view, I need to give up certain things. Like pretty much everything else these days, I need to sacrifice a little embarrassment for a little fun in my life.” Samantha’s smile grew wide once more. “Oh, that makes me so happy, Patrick. Let me just get this thing packed up and we can be on our way.” Patrick nodded and Samantha spent the next few minutes loading up several items into the base of the pack that were easily recognizable as pieces of rain gear, extra water, and food. Samantha then proceeded to remove a blue bag that Patrick had noticed and yet hadn’t commented on while they were driving up here. It matched the synthetic blue fabric of the carrier backpack, and the main compartment was sealed with two leather straps. With a groan, from the smell that it emitted as Samantha had removed it from the car in front of him, it was unmistakable as a diaper bag. “Alright,” Samantha continued, as she finished zipping up the final compartment that contained her water pouch and fitting another spill-proof bottle in a compartment that Patrick realized would be right by him. “Let’s get this show on the road, huh?” Patrick nodded and let Samantha lift him out of his back booster seat and place him in the carrier. Due to the construction of the device, the seat was extremely comfortable but also spread his legs wide to either side and pushed his diaper firmly into him. Already, he could tell that he was a little damp, but to his dismay, he couldn’t remember when that had happened. As a final measure before lifting the bag onto her shoulders, Samantha then laced both of his feet into the stirrups on either side. Now settled on her back, Patrick was in awe of the view that Smantha normally saw. It was only about four feet taller than his own, but it put on a whole new spin on what he was seeing. For a moment, if he could just ignore the fact that he was situated in a carrier on someone’s back made for an infant, toddler, or in his case, a Little, he almost felt like an adult again. Everything was proportioned to a Big’s size in this world, so from this height, everything now almost seemed ‘normal’ from up here. With one last adjustment of her straps and a quick buckle around her hips and chest, the carrier backpack was tightly situated against Samantha. “Okay, partner!” she said with a slight southern accent. “You’re the cowboy, so steer me in the right direction!” Patrick rolled his eyes at her attempts to play with him in that manner, but just went along with the ploy. Seeing a sign up ahead, it showed several destinations, but he quickly spotted the one labeled, ‘Summit.’ “Alright, horsie. We go left up that trail.” Samantha tapped his leg in appreciation for humoring her and then set off on the left trail as Patrick had suggested. The two then began their hike up the mountain. Despite being firmly situated on Samantha’s back and not doing the hiking himself, Patrick could almost imagine speeding up the trail on his own two legs. A soft breeze floated in, and he could feel the sun begin to bake his face. The fall weather had arrived, and Patrick was already immensely grateful for the long-sleeved checkered shirt that he now wore as they climbed higher, and the temperature slowly fell beyond the coolness of the season already. Samantha was wearing a similar shirt herself, but hers was colored in blues and purples. It was an interesting contrast between her beauty and fashion sense compared to the knife he now just noticed strapped to the bottom right of the pack. It was out of his reach, but it was still something else to see up close and in person. After several rocks, craggy and overgrown trails, a few stream crossings, and one misdirection from a fallen sign on the trail where they then had to back track, they finally cleared the main tree line near the top. “You okay back there? You’ve been awfully quiet…” “Oh?” Patrick said, snapping out of the near trance he had been in. “Sorry… just, well… you know… been a while since I’ve done something even remotely close to this.” “Gotcha,” she said after taking a long sip of her water. “Well, we’re almost near the top, but I haven’t heard you drinking much water. How about you give it a few sips before then, huh?” “Will do…” Patrick unholstered his own water as Samantha continued her climb. As he drank, he was starting to notice a trend where Samantha had been reminding him to do things in the same manner as one might do with a child. At first, he gritted his teeth and complied with each request, but lately, he was starting to understand that it wasn’t just an order for her to feel a sense of power, like Redge might have done. Instead, her directions were more to ensure he remained safe or healthy. It was an annoyance, but the kind of one where you would miss it if it ever went away. As they neared the top, it was a feeling that gnawed away at Patrick as he wasn’t entirely sure what to ultimately make of it. Finally, though, after about two hours of solid and almost non-stop hiking, they had reached the peak and Patrick snapped to attention at all that surrounded him now. “It’s quite a view, isn’t it?” Samantha asked. Patrick looked around from his position in the carrier and could see for miles around. The sun hung overhead perfectly and cast silhouettes from the clouds all over the surrounding mountainsides, each inflamed with the oranges, reds, and yellows of fall. “Yes… thank you for bringing me up here,” Patrick said after a moment of taking it all in. Samantha took a breath. “Absolutely.” She then paused for a moment. “So, do you want out of there? I can carry you around if you want, or we could just sit if that would work better.” Patrick mused over the situation for a minute and weighed his options. Sitting on a rock didn’t sound too appealing, but he would be on his own and not subject to the whims of a Big. On the other hand, though, being carried around could confine him solely to where Samantha would want to go and he would be giving in a bit to some of his more ‘Little side’ tendencies, but the view might be nicer, and they could walk around a bit together. “Maybe start with carrying me?” he finally said hesitantly. Samantha nodded and removed the carrier backpack from her shoulders after unbuckling the straps on her front. Then, with as much grace and ease as she could muster, she set the carrier down on the ground after kicking out the back stand to keep the pack standing up right. Submissively, Patrick then held up his arms after Samantha stretched out her sore shoulders. Patrick easily fit on her side with his legs straddled around her torso. It was surprisingly comforting, and her body heat only felt nice against the lower temperatures and stiff breeze at the higher elevation. “Here, let’s take a picture up here. You can use it back home to brag over what you did today.” “Oh yeah,” Patrick agreed. “Good idea! Cara is going to be so jealous.” “Oh?” Samantha mused, reaching over and into the backpack for her camera. “She your girlfriend?” “No!” Patrick defended a bit too quickly with a blush. Samantha just smiled. “Alright, alright. Not your girlfriend, but I’m sure you’re right.” She then held up her camera and Patrick, still with a little blush on his cheeks, smiled at the camera. One flash later, Samantha put the camera back in her bag. “Excellent shot if I do say so myself.” The two then continued to gaze out over the mountains and trail they had just clambered up. “Can we go over to the cliff?” he asked after gazing to the east and some of the more intricate clouds in that direction. “Absolutely.” The two then made their way over to the ledge of a nearby cliff on the southside of the mountain. The cliff had a near sheer drop of at least 100 feet, but as a result, showed off the most magnificent views of the other mountains of this range. “It’s amazing how much is the same and yet also so different,” Patrick mused after a minute of just staring out at the vista before them. “What do you mean by that?” Samantha asked, bouncing Patrick a little to readjust him into a more comfortable position. “Just from back home. I went on a camping trip with my friends two years before my accident and we did a bunch of hiking on our version of these mountains.” He then gazed back out a few of the nearby peaks. “I think they were shorter, but still, pretty close otherwise.” Samantha then looked off into the distance herself and almost seemed a bit sad. “I would love to see them one day…” “Oh?” Patrick had never heard of a Big wanting to visit his world before, except maybe to snag a Little or two. “Yeah… this world offers a lot, but I’ve always been curious of yours,” she mused. “The stories we hear and all… sounds like it would be quite an adventure. With the portals and all, I wouldn’t even tower over anyone there. Might be nice for a change.” “You don’t like being tall?” The idea seemed ridiculous for a Little like himself who wasn’t even on the taller side of fellow Littles, let alone the entire other society of Middles and Bigs who usually flaunted their height with such ease any chance they could. “It can be a lot sometimes…” She flexed once more and then began walking back over to the carrier backpack and the peak. “Everyone expects us Bigs to be insane, mushy, violent, or Little-crazed. It would be nice to just be viewed as another person…” Patrick thought of the height differences in this society. From what he had just heard, it seemed that instead of racial barriers in this society now, it had now become a matter of differences in height. It felt so obvious now, but it was still something to hear out loud from someone who had lived here their whole life. “You know… I didn’t think you were just an insane, mushy, violent, or Little-crazed Big when I first met you…” Patrick smiled to give a little levity to what he had just said. Samantha smiled back. “That means a lot, Patrick. Thank you.” Patrick nodded and the two talked for a little while longer and watched as the clouds slowly passed by overhead. At one point, Patrick actually found himself drifting off into Samantha’s body heat. He snapped back a few times in embarrassment, but she didn’t seem to notice, or at least didn’t care. Finally, though, she pulled out a picnic blanket from the bottom of the carrier and then laid Patrick down with his back against a rock. “There,” she said, getting the food out of the bottom compartment of the carrier as well, “should act as a temporary seat while we eat.” Patrick nodded and eagerly accepted his meal that Samantha had packed beforehand. They had discussed several options, but eventually, Patrick had opted for a simple sandwich, a bag of what essentially amounted to trail mix, and a few slices of something called a ‘milo,’ upon her suggestion and insistence on the need to ‘eat something healthy.’ Biting into them, Patrick was pleasantly surprised to find that they tasted similarly to his own Fuji apples from back home. After a moment, both were finished and after a quick repacking, Samantha placed Patrick back in the carrier and then mounted the backpack back on her shoulders before clicking the buckles back up in the front. “Ready?” Patrick nodded and the two set off once more down the trail. Going down was much easier and due to the exposure of the sun and the differences in temperatures, the leaves were now all lit up in their traditional fall colors. It was simply breathtaking, and Patrick wished that he could have his own camera here but was just as satisfied when Samantha would stop occasionally and take a few shots herself. With any luck, between her and Lloyd, his room would be full of photos of all their adventures by the end of his time with Psyche. After about another hour of hiking, they came to a fork in the road. “Which way now?” she asked before taking another sip of water. Patrick looked at the signs, but neither seemed the obvious way to go. “I’m not sure anymore… do you know?” Samantha nodded her head. “I’ve been here before and both ways can lead back to the car. We go right and it’s only about thirty to forty more minutes if we don’t stop. Left, and I can show you a surprise or two.” “You mean, the one you mentioned earlier? The one you said I would like?” Patrick questioned, remembering back to when she had given him the option of the wheelchair or the carrier. “I do,” she confirmed. “I’m only giving you this option because I know these days can be a bit tough on all you Littles in this program. We go right and I can just drop you off with your friends back at Psyche. We go left and well… as I said… surprise.” Patrick pondered the two directions for a moment but knowing about a surprise was just too tempting not to explore. ‘Besides… I’m already in the carrier. Might as well get the full fun out of the surprise that came with it… hopefully…’ “Left way, please.” Samantha nodded and set back off after another quick sip from her hose. Patrick did the same from his hiking bottle as they passed by the signpost, and he just prayed that he had made the right decision. About twenty minutes later, Patrick began to hear a gentle rush of something he couldn’t quite place. It almost sounded like running water, but the north side of the mountain had seemed almost barren compared to the east side that they had originally climbed up with all its streams running down. That being said, the noise only grew louder. After a few minutes though, the sound reached its peak and Samantha stopped. “Taller mountains can be killer on the calves and thighs, but at the right times of the year, you can find some beautiful plus sides as well.” She then passed through a denser part of the forested trail and Patrick quickly saw what had been making the increasingly louder noise. It was a waterfall. It wasn’t just any waterfall though. This one was at least 300 feet tall and 20 feet across. “Holy… is this the surprise you were talking about?” Samantha chuckled. “No… but you could count this as part of it if you wanted. If you had chosen to use the wheelchair, this would have been our destination today. A pretty even path leads right to here from the parking lot. It’s great for field trips and all.” “Oh… I would imagine so.” Patrick gazed up at the majestic piece of nature before them, but then realized he still didn’t know what the surprise was. “Wait… what’s the surprise then?” “You’ll see…” Patrick didn’t like waiting for surprises but just complied as best he could as Samantha then hiked down a little further to a larger clearing in front of some rocks and the rippling pool of water at the bottom of the waterfall. “Right… guess I better show you the surprise then.” Patrick’s heart rapidly beat as Samantha then unclipped the carrier and set it on the ground once more. She then fidgeted with one of the backpack’s side pockets and retrieved a singular silvery device. “Now then. Let’s get you out of there.” Patrick nervously raised his arms and Samantha once again plucked him from his place and then set him on the ground nearby. “So, did you notice anything unusual with your pants?” Patrick groaned and was reminded of the snaps and Velcro closures running along his inseam. Unfortunately, after being set down, he could feel the subtle squish of his diaper and knew that those same snaps would likely be utilized soon. “You mean the snaps?” Samantha nodded. “Yes, those are one of the features. Kinda part of the package deal with the other bit but look closer.” Patrick did. “Notice any lines, perhaps? Maybe red and blue ones?” Patrick looked closer and upon further inspection, noticed a few red and blue lines arcing up the seams of his pants along with a few others that formed barely noticeable grid patterns up and down his legs. “Uh, yeah… I see them now. What are they?” Samantha then pushed a button and each of the lines quickly lit up. “Woah! Talk about a Tron moment.” Patrick joked but then rapidly panicked a little bit as he soon thought that he had fallen into some Big trap. After a minute though, nothing further happened. He then looked back at an awaiting Samantha. “Satisfied this isn’t a trap?” Patrick slowly nodded. “Well, good. This… is an opportunity… if you want that is. You still need to agree, but I talked with Bruce, and we both feel you are ready for a treat.” Patrick’s pulse quickened. “A treat? I don’t understand…” Samantha smiled sympathetically at the Little before her. “Sweetie… you’ve been through a lot while you were under Psyche’s protection. Some of the very things they guarantee to not happen, have happened to you. Redge…” Patrick could see her fists clench for a moment. “That man did something unforgivable, but what’s more, you’ve done the hard work with your legs. I know you were a bit sad that everyone was making more progress than you, but now, Bruce and I believe you are ready for this. With these pants… we can help you walk again.” Patrick felt the world drop. If the sky began to literally crumble and fall on his head, he probably wouldn’t have noticed anything beyond the tiny and yet huge notion of getting to walk again. He blinked in shock. “Excuse me?” Samantha laughed. “I know it’s a lot to take in, but yes, you heard me correctly. Walk again.” Patrick’s mind reeled from the possibilities. Over five years of not feeling anything, and now, in less than two months, he had the potential to walk again. His face then darkened, however, as something else popped into his mind. “Wait… before I get my hopes up further… you mentioned a choice… why the heck wouldn’t I choose that? To walk, I mean. I would’ve killed for even the tiniest possibility of that a year ago, so why the choice? Does it kill brain cells or something?” Samantha shook her head. “Nothing too drastic like that, but…” she then sighed heavily, “there is a downside.” Patrick’s heart sank and he sighed. “What is it?” he asked hesitantly. Secretly, there was a part of him that almost didn’t even care about what she said were the consequences. The chance to walk… once something only in his dreams, was now possibly only minutes away. The temptation was overpowering. “Well…” she started off with a heavy amount of reservation, “you would be able to walk, but it wouldn’t last more than fifteen minutes today at most. After… you would quickly lose all control over everything from your waist down again…” As he suspected, the downside was there, and it wasn’t tiny. “Oh…” “Yeah… it would be temporary,” she tried to justify, “but again, that’s why I’m leaving this up to you. No harm either way in the long run with whatever you choose, but it’s also why this is just being presented to you as an option now. Dr. Halgen doesn’t like it, but I figured you would at least want to know about it.” The option lay thick in the air and only the sound of the beautiful waterfall nearby could be heard. Patrick could tell that Samantha only had his best intentions in mind, but it was still something he had to think about carefully. In the end though, despite the downside, Patrick went with his innermost desire. “Let’s do it.” Samantha smiled widely and pushed a single button on the device she was holding. The pants quickly came to life and then scrunched right up against Patrick’s legs. “Oh! Ouch. That’s a bit tight, you know?” He looked down and to his dismay, the pants now only accented his diaper bulge, but he was still impressed with the rigidity of the snaps on his inseam for holding together. He guessed that the Big-level snaps and Velcro combined to form a powerful bond, and wondered for a second if he could even remove the pants himself if they were this strong to still stay together. “Alright… all looks good,” she said after seeing a green light flash on the device she was still holding. “Now, these basically enhance your nerves for a small window. It pushes them a little far, but that’s why you’ll lose control afterward.” She then got in front of Patrick. “If they are working right, you should just be able to walk like you normally would have before your accident.” Patrick nodded and went to move his leg. After so long being dormant though, it took a minute or so to find the right amount of willpower and movement to flex his leg. It felt strange but so amazing at the same time. “Oh… wow…” Samantha kept smiling. “That’s good. Keeping going and I’ll be here if you need me.” It took another minute or so, but Patrick finally managed to coordinate his limbs into the right positions. So, using one hand to press off the ground from behind him and the other holding onto Samantha to pull him up, Patrick stood for the first time in over five years. “Holy… shit…” Patrick then blushed at his use of language. Samantha only patted his shoulder with her free hand before quickly grabbing his other as he began to wobble a bit. “That’s okay. Try to use other words in the future, but it’s perfectly understandable for something like this. Now, how about you take a few steps? Or at least just one to start off with.” Patrick willed his legs to move, and like a half-buried and forgotten about dream, his leg moved forward. “I did it, Samantha! I did it!” Samantha gripped his hands tighter. “Yes, you did. That’s so good. Now, let’s see if you can take a few more.” Patrick nodded happily and began to increase the number of steps he was taking. The whole time he just wanted to blush at the scene between the two; her, a Big, and him, a Little in obvious diapers and taking his first steps. It was probably pretty ridiculous looking, but he also marveled at how lucky he was in this society. If anything that he had seen before was any indication, walking was a privilege for Littles here and not a right. “You’re doing it, honey! You’re doing it!” Samantha cheered, as Patrick began to take his first steps alone. Each time he made it into her arms, she would let go of him and run away while increasing the distance between them. After a few tries, Patrick could scarcely believe that he was now walking unassisted, beyond the pants, for over 60 feet. It was beyond imaginable, but like all things, it had to end. Samantha let go and raced to about 70 feet away from Patrick now. As had happened the previous few times, Patrick whirled around and began to walk back over to her. His confidence and ability to walk was only increasing, so he walked forward without any hesitation, but then, his right leg began to tingle. A few steps later, it happened to his left. Six and a half steps later, both his legs began to tremble. “Uh… Samantha?” Her smiling face quickly faded, and she rushed over to him. Not a second after she caught up to him, his legs completely gave out. “Damn…” Samantha held him up and once again, rested him on her side with his legs straddled around her. Shen then began to rub his back. “It’s okay, honey. That was really good and I’m so proud of you. It’s getting late so I think we should be getting back now, but you should be very proud of yourself too.” Patrick nodded and just strangely enjoyed the feeling of the closeness between the two of them and the feeling of her rubbing his back. It didn’t fully remove the sting of now not being able to control his legs at all anymore, but it was a nice cover measure. Then, once he was safely back in the carrier and Samantha had reshouldered the backpack, the two took off for the car. Now, the hike wasn’t too long, and Patrick soon saw the first sign to say ‘Parking Lot and Entrance’ along the mostly flat pathway that he knew his wheelchair could have easily traversed. That being said though, his mind quickly shuddered in fear as a deep growling occurred from his stomach. “Oh no…” “Something the matter, sweetie?” Samantha asked, just continuing to hike onward. “Uh…” he stalled, trying to think of anything else to say out loud than what he suspected the truth was. “I’m hoping… uh… just something a bit concerning for the future… probably not though.” “Okay… but just let me know if there’s anything I can do to help,” she offered sweetly. “Will do,” Patrick replied, another ripple going through his stomach. From what he could remember, there was a porta potty near the parking lot, so, with any luck, he knew he just had to hold on a little longer. A little longer was proving to be too long though. Despite finally making it out of the trees and even seeing the car, his grumbling stomach was reaching critical levels. “Samantha… I…” Another wave rocketed through his gut, and he horrifyingly remembered that he no longer had any control below his waist. Strangely, he could still feel everything, but the rest was essentially lifeless, meaning that so was his control. In desperation, he yelled out, “I have to go poop!” “Oh… oh!” Samantha quickly put together the rumbling noises she had been hearing for the past few minutes now. She had believed it was just the digestion of his food, but now, it seemed to be a little beyond the digestive phase. “Okay… just hold on!” Her pace immediately quickened as she began to race toward the porta potties in the distance. One hill and winding path later, they had come to her car near the porta potties. Samantha quickly unbuckled herself and practically hurdled Patrick to the ground and then plucked him out from the carrier. Unfortunately, the jostling had just made things worse, and, only about twenty feet away from the porta potty, the wait had proved too much. “Samantha! I…” A wet fart then trumpeted out and Patrick grew cold with sweat, and his face turned to mortification. From her years of being with Littles, she knew what was happening, so she stopped and just turned back toward the car. “Oh, sweetie. It’s okay… I would console you more, but… I don’t think you want me to push you up against me.” Patrick quickly shook his head, and with few other options, only grunted and let out another load into his already soaked and soiled diaper. “God… why?” Tears quickly formed in his eyes and Patrick felt like he was on the cusp of a nervous breakdown. The day had gone so well… but this? It was as if this place had to balance the good with the awful. Samantha continued to console her distressed Little and quickly brought him back to her car. Opening the back seat, she shoved the wheelchair to one side and pulled out a spare changing mat that she had stored in her trunk. “Okay, sweetie. Absolutely no one is around, but I need to change you. I can wait if you don’t feel comfortable with me, but we still have a bit of a car ride to go, so I don’t think you’re going to want to wait that long.” Unable to speak, Patrick only shook his head. “Okay then. I’m just going to lay you back here and do this as fast and gently as I can, okay?” Patrick nodded and let himself be lowered onto the dark blue mat, instantly feeling his odious mess press up against his backside. He couldn’t help but feel a rising bubble of dread and despair rise in his chest. True to her word though, Samantha quickly unclicked and brought over the bag from the nearby carrier and set it down next to Patrick. In minutes, she had all she needed and had quickly stripped back, of course using the snaps and Velcro closures, his miracle pants, now revealing his practically destroyed diaper. “Okay… just take a few breaths and this will all be over.” Samantha then hesitated for a moment. “Uh… you know what? No problem if you don’t… but do you want to hold anything? I’ve done this before with others and they always seem to think that something extra helps distract them… as I said, no big deal if not though…” Patrick considered the option she had just presented and quickly remembered back to when Addy had given him a pillow to hug when he had first wet his pants. It was easy and yet oddly comforting, but that was also Addy. Samantha… she was a potential caretaker. Despite her soothing and safe nature, she still felt different as someone who could potentially be with him for the next five years. Every action he took around her felt as if it was being written in stone and would be used against him later. Still, the waste that she was about to reveal and clean up was already practically sending him over the edge with his diaper still sealed shut. Anything to help would probably just be a good idea at this point. “Okay… just please don’t judge me for it…” Samantha shook her head. “Never, honey. If something helps you, I want to get it for you and make you feel better. That’s my job.” She gave him a reassuring smile and looked over to the nearby diaper bag. “Now, let’s see what I’ve got.” She then rummaged through the bag and quickly found what she was looking for. “I’ve got two options for you; rabbit or fish.” Patrick looked with horror at the two stuffed animals before him and felt so stupid for not seeing this coming from her. She was a caring individual, but she could veer into that typical Big behavior. Still, he had already agreed, and he still needed to be changed. So, with only a heavy sigh, he pointed to the rabbit. Samantha smiled. “Good choice.” She then handed the tan rabbit over to Patrick, who immediately proceeded to bury his face in it. Her heart practically bursting from the vulnerability and cuteness now on display in front of her, she just put it out of her mind and began her work. Patrick plunged himself further into the rabbit in his hands as he heard the tapes being torn away. A blast of cool air later though and Patrick couldn’t stand it anymore. He then began to hum a tune from one of the cartoons he watched the other day, specifically chosen by the group above his that was ‘more progressed.’ It was an annoying but still surprisingly catchy tune. He hated that he knew it, but its melody seemed to work as Samantha began to lift his legs and wipe his mess off. Samantha couldn’t believe the tune that her Little was now humming, but she just focused back on her work. Patrick had messed himself nearly completely, but not wanting to make him feel worse, she decided not to include her usual cooing or humming herself. Instead, she just went as quickly as she could without comment, and before long, Patrick was clean, powdered, and diapered. Once again, it took all her willpower not to take a photo of Patrick right then with his new thick diaper, complete with cartoon images of Jasper and Jinx from his choice of the song he was still humming, and then of his deep hugging of a stuffed rabbit. Still, she wanted to remain as a potential to be his caretaker, so she just helped him up after sealing his pants back shut. “Thank you,” Patrick said, wiping a tear away. “It’s no problem. I’m sorry that happened, but I hope you’ll be okay?” Samantha asked with a ray of hope at the end. Patrick nodded and then realized he was still holding the stuffed rabbit. “Here. Uh, thank you,” he said with a sniffle and an ounce of embarrassment. “You know…” Samantha began, “if you want, you can hold onto him until we get to Psyche. You could just drop him on the floor, and no one would have to know.” Patrick hesitated but then slowly brought the rabbit back to his previous hug of it. “Promise you won’t tell anyone?” Mimicking the first time they had met; Samantha once again crossed her heart with her finger. “I promise. Now, let’s say we get you home.” Patrick nodded and allowed himself to be picked up and placed back in his booster seat. Setting his spill-proof bottle back in a holder near to him, Samantha settled into her front seat and then drove off. Not ten minutes later, looking into her rearview mirror, she saw that Patrick had completely passed out, still cutely holding the stuffed rabbit. “Hmmm… I bet they’re almost ready for the next phase… I can’t tell Halgen, but I would bet my life on it...” * * * An hour and a half later, the car pulled up to the building and Samantha shook Patrick awake. “Honey? We’re here. Wake up, Patrick. Come on. That’s it…” Patrick stirred and just sleepily held out his arms for Samantha to unbuckle him and place him in his wheelchair. Embarrassingly though, he realized he was still holding the stuffed rabbit. “Ah!” he yelled, now fully awake. “Hide it quick! No one can see!” Patrick’s eyes then darted all about to see if anyone was around. To his relief, they were the only two out here, but strangely, there was a car the Patrick seemed to recognize…” “Relax, sweetie. No one is out here except for you and me… and Lloyd?” she exclaimed suddenly. Patrick whirled around and saw Lloyd give a tiny wave to them from the now open front door and then as he casually walked over from the house. “Hey you two.” “I… I thought you had work today,” Samantha managed to stammer out, still clearly shocked from seeing him here. Lloyd chuckled. “I did, but I got off and I just wanted to see how Patrick was doing today with his legs and all.” He then turned down to Patrick. “Hey there, bud. I got you this.” Patrick took the tiny package and opened it up to reveal that it was a comic book of the Equity Alliance. “Oh wow! Thank you, Lloyd!” “You’re very welcome.” Lloyd then turned to Samantha and held up a single purple rose that almost seemed to match some of the colors in her checkered shirt. “I got this for you. Thought I might run into you when I came over to check on Patrick…” Samantha took the flower with shaky hands. “T… thank you, Lloyd.” She then gave the flower a big whiff and smiled sweetly. “My favorite… Aphrodite’s Winter Kiss… you remembered…” “I wouldn’t forget a thing like that…” Lloyd mused. Patrick looked up from his comic book and saw his two potential caretakers just stare at each other for a moment. He had sensed something between the two of them when they had first met but seeing them now… Patrick knew that there was more than pure friendship. That being said, the two then wished him a quick farewell and left without any further incident. Patrick rolled his eyes at the two. His day had been a wonderful mix of beautiful views, walking, and even a gift at the end of it after a surprise visit from someone he wasn’t expecting for another two days to go to a track and field event between two rival teams. On the other hand, his day had also brought him the ultimate shame of messing helplessly into his diaper. Samantha had handled it as best she could and Patrick knew this day might be coming, but it was all still a lot to take in. Now though, seeing the two together and having experienced both, he wondered if there was something more to it as far as he was concerned. Both were great, but both did well in ways the other seemed to lack. Lloyd treated him as an equal but lacked the more caring touch. Samantha, however, excelled at the personal touches, but he always felt like a Little around her. A balance between the two would be ideal. So now, Patrick only had two questions; did they have the potential to be a true couple and was it even allowed to have two caretakers in the program as a Little? Regardless, Patrick knew that he had to view his contract one more time in depth. Time was quickly slipping away and the last thing he wanted to do was to determine this all at the last minute and choose poorly. Beyond Redge coming back, he could think of few scenarios that were worse.

Just for my own context, is there a reason you think that fishing wasn't a good idea? Was it because they saw Redge out there or is it something else? That's a really unique perspective and definitely thank you for sharing. I'm really sorry to hear about some of that but thank you for the complements. I really try to make these stories as realistic as possible, but there's only so much I can do. It's nice to know that I'm at least somewhat on the right track sometimes

So, sorry for posting this so late. I wanted to show it earlier but I still had about a page or two of editing still to go and I needed to get a certan ticket for something specific (if you know, you know) and then actually do some fall activities while I still could. In fact, I was even inspired today and can better flesh out one of the upcomming chapters in this story. Fall festivals anyone? Just to clarify, there is something hinky going on at Psyche (this is the DD after all), but you all will just need some patience to figure it out. Further, Patrick's rehab is going slower than a snap of the fingers as his nerves were more severed than were originally anticipated. Reparable, but they will just take time with the help of the meds he's on and the machine with Bruce's help. Anway, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 15: Focus on the Water For the record, Patrick never liked getting up early. Even if that meant missing out on the freshest of bagels or being the last to get to the breakfast table, it just wasn’t who he was as a person. Now at Psyche, Patrick had begun to feel more tired lately. He could usually muscle through most situations but found himself occasionally nodding off at random times during the day. When Lloyd had come to collect him for a trip out today, Patrick’s enthusiasm was near record breaking. Dr. Halgen had finally given her approval, and after a tiny trip with both Samantha, Lloyd, and even Addy to a local park, Patrick felt confident enough to go on a solo trip once more with a caretaker outside the grounds of Psyche. His last solo trip was with Redge, and that had gone almost as bad as it could while still under Psyche’s protection. Redge was in the wind, but the scars from his visit still lingered. Regardless though, Patrick had nearly bounced all the way through breakfast and didn’t feel at all tired due to this excited energy now flowing through him. He didn’t even feel tired when Lloyd secured him firmly in his booster seat in the back of his SUV before they left. That being said though, not ten minutes into the drive wherever where they were going, which was to remain a surprise for now, Patrick began to nod off. In fact, just as they were reaching the town’s limits, he had completely passed out. Lloyd immediately noticed and smiled at his tiny companion for the day. The poor kid needed more sleep and while he had no problem with him catching a nap in the back of his car, he worried about his health in the long term. He made a quick mental note to talk to Dr. Halgen about it, and then kept driving to their destination for the day. * * * “Patrick… hey, Patrick,” Patrick heard a voice call out to him from his inky sleep. He then realized he was being gently shaken awake and that the car had stopped somewhere since he had dozed off in the backseat. “Wha…? Lloyd? We there yet?” Lloyd chuckled. “Yes. We’re here. Now, come on. We’ve got an adventure ahead of us and daylight’s burnin’.” Patrick nodded sleepily, still trying to fully wake up, and just let himself be hoisted out of the car and into a smaller travel wheelchair that Lloyd had brought and parked onto the pristinely paved parking lot next to his passenger side door. Looking around, he quickly saw an enormous lake, dock, and relatively small building at the start of it. “So… what are we doing here? We’re not swimming, right?” Lloyd laughed. “No, no, of course not. Water’s probably too damn cold at this point. I’m no polar bear. You?” Patrick quickly shook his head. Even when he could swim with all his limbs, that challenge had never appealed to him. “Fair enough, but no, we’re not swimming. Come on. I’ll show you.” Quickly collecting a bag and hanging it off one of the wheelchair’s rear handles, Lloyd began to push Patrick toward the docks. Before getting to the teller window near to there though, Lloyd stopped outside a restroom and then got in front of Patrick. “So, look. Addy told me that you’re wearing diapers now.” Patrick quickly blushed and Lloyd crouched down and placed his hand on his thigh, which, even though his mortification, Patrick was still thrilled that he could now mostly feel his touch. “It’s okay, buddy. No need to be embarrassed. That being said though, I don’t mind helping you out with them, but I figured, and only if you want, you can try to go before we head out. Is that something you would want to do?” Patrick’s mind swam with joy. Lloyd, a Big in every sense of the word, was offering for him to use the toilet. Even if he couldn’t on a regular basis, it gave him a sliver of hope that if he chose him as a caretaker at the end of all this, potty training him to some degree at least wasn’t out of the question. Patrick then wanted to smack himself for implying that he needed that in the first place, but he let it slide, especially after he realized he wasn’t sure of the current state of his diaper. “Yes, please.” Lloyd patted him on the leg and then stood up. “Alright. Let’s go.” The next roughly ten minutes were a little embarrassing for the two of them, but each got quickly through it, and after a minute or so on the toilet, Patrick went about his business much to his delight. A few gentle but awkward wipes later, and Patrick was snugly wrapped back up in a new diaper, the old one being slightly and embarrassingly damp. Patrick had appreciated the lack of talking during the event and the way Lloyd had only helped him out and not pushed him into anything. It was a nice moment between the two of them, and after a quick wash of both of their hands in the sink, with a little assistance to reach it for Patrick, both were back outside. “One boat for two. I got the tickets beforehand today for once,” Lloyd told the teller while passing him a piece of paper with all his information on it. The older teller sniffed and then stroked his pure white mustached. “I see there. ‘Bout time too.” The old man, bearing a striking resemblance to a more laid-back Santa Claus then peered out of the window and spotted Patrick. “Takin’ the little feller out today, huh?” “Yep. We talked the other day and he said he had never been before. Figured he could use the peace out on the water before all this just turns into ice fishing over the winter.” Lloyd briefly smiled at Patrick in an effort to get him to ignore that the two were talking about him and not with or to him. Patrick didn’t like the attitude with most of the Bigs he had met, but he knew it was just something to get used to outside of the bounds of Psyche. To make things easier, he just sat back in his wheelchair while the two yammered on. At some point, he had just tuned them out until Lloyd’s tone became suddenly concerned. “Everything okay? That’s the second time you’ve asked for my ID. You know who I am.” “Sorry, Lloyd, but can’t be too careful these days. Technology and well…” He then slid a stack of papers over to Lloyd before pointing one of his stubby fingers to one spot. “See here? Says some big machine and some pieces of equipment were stolen from some tech facility up just a little north of here.” “You don’t say,” Lloyd said with an ounce of concern in his eyes. “They have any leads or was anyone hurt?” “No leads, but I think they said that one guard was listed as critical, and one had already passed. It’s a darn shame, but anyways, sorry about the ID and all. I doubt you’re really them in disguise and all, but as my missus says, better safe than sorry.” “Always a wise woman, your wife,” Patrick said as he stuffed his ID back in his wallet. “Indeed, she is. Very much so as I’m sure you can remember well.” The old man then fumbled with something behind the teller window and popped back up with a set of keys. “Anyways, here we go. Let’s go get you two to your boat for your day at sea,” he said jovially. “Thanks. I’m sure Patrick will just love it out there today. Not even a cloud in the sky.” Lloyd patted Patrick covertly on his shoulder as a sign to just ‘hang in there’ and then started pushing Patrick toward the docks as they followed the burly old man. Not long after, and passing several other boats, the trio of them then came to a singular boat at the end. By Patrick’s estimation, it was at least 30 feet long and was mostly white, with some blue and gray accents around the top and down near the waterline. What was most interesting about it though, was that at the front, was a folded-up ramp. “Just one-minute, little feller,” the old man commanded as he hopped onto the boat before pressing a switch. The ramp immediately began to lower and came to rest on the docks. “There. One of a kind of boat. She’s got some decent speed and some wide access for good fishing in these parts, but the ramp and then the tie downs for the chair inside can’t be beat.” Lloyd walked around and shook the older man’s hand as he got out. “Thank you so much as always. We’ll have it back in one piece and before the time I scheduled. You know I’m a man of my word.” “Oh, I know, but it’s no problem if not. We only really see this boat get used on weekend field trips when portal travelers come here as part of a group deal or something. For today, you’re the only one’s who’ve go this beauty, so come back whenever you want.” He then looked at Patrick. “Don’t want to deprive the little one of his first voyage now, do we?” he cooed as he ruffled his hair a bit. Lloyd seemed to panic at the interaction for a moment but then chuckled once Patrick flashed him a tiny thumbs up. “No, I suppose not.” Satisfied with the two, the old man walked back off and Patrick wheeled himself onto the boat via the lowered ramp while Lloyd hopped in the side and began to mess with the controls. “Alright, I’m on!” Patrick called out as his wheelchair clunked onto the boat deck. “Perfect.” Lloyd then scanned the controls. “Ah! Here we are.” He then pushed a button, and the ramp immediately began to collapse. He then jumped back out of the boat and untied all the mooring lines from their attached cleats on the docks after confirming that all the supplies were now on board. Lloyd repositioned himself back at the helm on board and hummed the motor to life. “She’s alive!” he yelled jokingly, laughing afterward. Patrick only smiled and gave a thumbs up. “All ready over here, captain!” “Acknowledged, seaman Patrick. Let’s get this beauty on her way!” Lloyd reached over and untied the last of the ropes holding them into place. Once set adrift after a tiny shove, the vessel began to putter out to the wider and soothingly calm lake. While Lloyd guided the boat out to the middle of the lake after he passed the ‘no wake’ zone, Patrick rubbed his foot for a moment. It ached something awful, which was both wonderful and utterly annoying. He had just started to get feeling back there, and now, all he could do was worry that he now had possessed some internal injury for a long time and only his renewed sensations had just alerted him to it. Frm his spot at the wheel, Lloyd noticed. “Everything okay there, buddy?” he asked while still scanning the lake for a good spot to settle down. “Yeah… just hurts a bit. Can’t figure out why though.” Patrick then stopped rubbing after a moment as the pain began to subside, at least for now. “I hate it when that happens. Dinged by thumb the other day… bloody thing still throbs occasionally.” The two then began to chat for some time until Lloyd finally found a good spot. Some birds and ripples had alerted him to the possibility of fish being here and both would have plenty of room to cast their lines. The boat then stopped, and Lloyd threw an anchor over the side to keep them in relatively the same place. Nearby the still remaining insects played their tune from the tree line and, on the water, little ripples appeared from beneath. “Alrighty then. Here’s your pole,” Lloyd said, handing Patrick a nearly ten-foot-tall pole. “It might be a bit long and unwieldy, but you can still catch some fish that you won’t have to just throw back if you used the traditional one that most other Littles typically use.” “Sounds like a plan.” Patrick then eased back as Lloyd attached his wheelchair to the deck to ensure the fish wouldn’t drag him out and then assisted him with placing his bait hooks on the end. Of the few that Lloyd had brought with him, Patrick had chosen what almost appeared to be a party decoration. On one side was an oval metallic shape for some weight and at the other end of the main rod was a grouping of neon green tendrils. Not long later, Patrick cast his first line. Meanwhile, Lloyd had done his own and Patrick noticed that his mighty pole stood at least 13 feet tall, coming at just over a foot taller than the Big himself. Briefly, Patrick worried about the size differences here and what that would mean for the fish, but he knew that he also had Lloyd to help him out if needed. Lloyd was just that type of guy and for whatever reason, Patrick felt safe to be around him in almost any situation. Between his presence and the gentle rocking of the waves, a tiny smile began to grow on his face. Now, there are many types of fishermen out there, but many hold the belief that silence can help, if at least not hurt, their chances to catch fish. Lloyd was a true practitioner of this, and it was actually one of the reasons he had suggested this entire day trip in the first place. He knew that Patrick was still somewhat distrustful of Bigs, so an adventure like this allowed him to talk as much or as little as he desired. So, while Lloyd appreciated the quiet to catch a fish, he also wasn’t horribly upset when Patrick began to speak up… at least for today. “You know, I really just want to thank you for taking me out here,” Patrick said, somewhat easing back into his wheelchair, which had an appropriate nautical theme for the cover on the seat today. “You’re very welcome, Patrick,” Lloyd said, setting his rod in one of the posts and then turning around to face the diagonal facing Little to the side of him. “I do this every once in a while, and I’m always glad for the company.” ‘Hmmm, Lloyd was a fisherman… interesting…’ “So, you come here often?” “Not as often as I might like, but it’s just one of my hobbies. Sam, the guy who helped us here at the docks, is a pretty decent guy and he’ll help you with most of your needs. In fact, regardless of what happens in the next few months, if you ever want to come back here with me, we can take one of the fancier boats out for a spin and he’ll hook us up with the best baits and rods.” Patrick’s mind was sent hurdling into the future. He had been here for only about five and a half weeks now, so thinking beyond even just the winter almost felt too much. Still, the offer was tangible, and it would have been rude to tell him a flat out ‘no’ at this point just because he didn’t know his own future. “That sounds nice. I’ll have to remember that.” The two passed the time on the water and even popped open the cooler that Lloyd had brought on board and plucked out two sandwiches, Lloyd’s being almost twice the size of Patrick’s. Soon, both of their mouths were covered in the mustard spread that had coated both and the two had a good laugh after they saw the smeared upper lip of the other. Time kept passing after and Patrick was secretly glad that he was wearing a diaper. He was still displeased with their overall existence in the first place, but with few alternatives at this point, Patrick had begun to adopt a new attitude towards them on the suggestion of Dr. Halgen. So, instead of thinking of them as a burden, he began to try to find all the ways they might be good. For example, Patrick would have needed to pee at least once since they had been out here. With the absorbent diaper, that was no longer the case, and he could just sit and comfortably wait for tangible bite to be caught. Both had caught a few earlier, but each had been too small to keep. Patrick was nearly in disbelief over the notion, but as he had slightly feared, the fish were also bigger here. As a result, despite the bass-looking creature that he had caught almost an hour ago being over a foot long, he had to throw it back. As his line began to click and pull though, hope sprang within his chest once more. The tip of his rod bent lower and lower, clearly not just from the mere passing current. “Lloyd! Loyd! I think I got one!” Lloyd secured his line once more and rushed over to help Patrick. “Alright, this one feels a bit bigger,” he said as he helped Patrick keep control of the whirring and straining rod. “Crank it up a bit and let’s see if you can catch a keeper today!” Patrick struggled to wind the reel back up, but slowly, after a few body pivots back and forth and some fast-spinning actions with the main rod wheel, the line began to inch back in. “It’s coming! It’s coming!” “Yep! Just keep going, I think I see something coming up.” The line continued back up and Patrick’s ears caught ahold of something beginning to splash. “Definitely a fish, buddy! Keep going,” Lloyd continued to encourage as he both steadied the line and the rod near the top to balance out the strength needed to catch a fish. Soon, the fish sprang out of the water and began to flap about. “Oh, Lloyd! He’s a biggie!” Patrick cried out. “I don’t think I can hold him for long.” “That’s fine. Just bring him over the side!” Lloyd shouted, briefly letting go of the rod and going over to get the net. “Oof! What a biggie!” The fish at the top of the curved rod came over, but the wet creature flapped about and sent a good deal of water all over Patrick’s lap. “Oh, yuck! Fish water.” Lloyd chuckled, but just came in with the net and caught the fish. After a moment of getting his footing and removing the hook, he took the fish and laid it out on the deck. “Hand me the tape measure. Just right behind you,” he said to Patrick, pointing to the bag right behind him. The metallic casing for the tape measure shone out and caught his eye. “Here you go,” Patrick said, handing the tape measure over to Lloyd. Lloyd took it and began to measure the fish. “Thank you. Now, let’s see…” The tape measure stretched out and Lloyd double checked the measurement. “Yep! 26 inches tip to tip. Must weigh at least nine pounds easy.” He then looked up and smiled at Lloyd. You’ve definitely got a keeper there. Here.” Lloyd then picked up the only now slowly moving fish. Let me get a pose with you.” Patrick grabbed the enormous fish, at least to him, and held it aloft and wide while grinning as much as he could. It was by no means a record holder, but he felt an immense feeling of accomplishment. Lloyd then reached into his bag and with his camera, took a perfect picture of Patrick with his prize. As he squatted from a few angles though, Patrick saw something nearby. It was hard to tell from this distance, but after squinting for a moment, Patrick clearly saw another boat on the otherwise empty lake. What’s more, it was coming closer to them and at least one of the two visible individuals on board had binoculars pointed in their direction. “Lloyd?” “Yeah? What’s up, buddy?” he asked casually as he took the fish from Patrick and stored it in the nearby cooler that had once held their sandwiches. Patrick took a deep breath. “Is Sam’s dock the only one on this lake?” “Wha…? Uh… well now, let me think…” Lloyd rubbed his chin for a few moments and then snapped his fingers. “You know what… there is another one to the east of here. It’s not as nice and there’s no rentals, but it does the trick for the folks that live over there.” He then looked back at Patrick. “Why do you ask?” Patrick then pointed at the boat. “Them… they’re watching us.” “What?” Lloyd scrambled to take a better look, but as he did so, the boat quickly took off. Now noticing a pair of binoculars of their own wedged in in a nearby side compartment in the boat, Patrick lunged for the pair and quickly looked through them. “No…” It was still hard to tell at this distance, and he couldn’t really see the woman next to him, but the wavy blonde locks and buff stance, was almost unmistakable. It was a form that had forever been burned in his mind at its forefront and the deep, dark corners he never wanted to visit again. “It’s Redge…” “Redge… oh, Redge!” Lloyd exclaimed in both a unique combination of both fear and rage. He quickly took the binoculars from the now limp hands of Patrick and looked through them, but the boat had taken a quick turn to their port side, and he could only make out the rear of the boat passing through the trees. “Damn!” He put the binoculars down. “I’m sorry, Patrick. I didn’t see them, but… do you want to go back in? I’ll leave it up to you…” Patrick felt the dampness in his pants from mere moments ago and had been so overcome with emotion and the whole scene with the fish getting him wet and the photo that he had forgotten to celebrate the moment aloud. Now, even with the success of the fish, Redge’s likely presence so close couldn’t be ignored. “I’m sorry, Lloyd… I… I just don’t feel comfortable out here anymore…” Lloyd smiled sympathetically. “You don’t need to apologize to me, buddy. I may not have been there, but I can tell a bully and a bad man when I hear of one. There’s nothing to explain or be sorry for.” Patrick tearfully nodded and after a moment of consolation between the two, Lloyd got back at the helm and steered them back to Sam’s docks. Once there, Sam helped them out and grabbed the fish from them. “I’ll just take this back and get it all processed for you. You want a photo before I do that though?” “Thanks, Sam,” Lloyd responded, “but we already got one on the lake…” Sam nodded and toddled away briefly before coming back out. “Hey… are you two alright? Was it the boat or…?” “No. It’s not your boat, Sam. It was wonderful in fact, but… well, we saw a guy out there. He’s not one of the good ones… give us all a bad name, if you know what I mean…” Sam blinked confusedly for a moment, but then saw Patrick. “Oh… oh! Wait… are you not regressed?” Patrick stared up at the harbormaster before him. “No…” Sam then smacked himself on the forehead. “Oh geez! Stupid, stupid me! I… damn. I just assumed… gotta stop doing that. Crudolla!” “It’s okay…” Patrick consoled the clearly distressing Big. “I don’t talk much around you all, because… that guy… out there… well, I’ve got some trust issues I’m working out.” “Ah. Hear you there, and damn sorry about it. You got a picture of the man? I don’t do business with those barbarians.” He then pointed to a wall back in his booth that had several photos of Bigs that had been all labeled as ‘banned.’ “No,” Lloyd answered, “but I can just send you his photo later. He needs to be caught, Sam. Top priority and watch out. He’s dangerous… for everyone.” Sam nodded just as a beep went off from inside. Sam reemerged a minute later with a small plastic package that he handed to Patrick. “Here you go. All nice and neat. The packaging is special and should keep it cool for at least five hours if you don’t open it, and about that man, I’m really sorry you saw him today, but I’ll let you know if he ever comes here. Can’t let people like that get away with that old cra… stuff.” “Thank you, Sam,” Patrick said, extending his hand to shake, clearly surprising Sam. Lloyd and Patrick then departed Sam and got back to their vehicle. Minutes later, they were all situated and back on the road. Sam had been a nice touch to bolster his faith in Bigs, but Redge’s presence still presented something far worse ahead. Entering back onto the grounds, Lloyd then helped Patrick out and back into his wheelchair. “Look… I’m genuinely sorry about seeing Redge out there, but I hope you still had fun…” Patrick quickly nodded. “Even with Redge, honestly, it was the best time I’ve had here in a while. Plus,” he shook the box in his lap, “I’ve got some chow to remember the whole thing by, but seriously… I can’t thank you enough for today.” Lloyd’s smile could have lit up half the state. “I’m very glad to hear that, Patrick. Now, unless you really want me to, I’ll just leave you with a fist bump. Halgen’s coming and you never know what that woman could think…” Patrick chuckled. “Yeah. Fist bumps it is.” The two then bumped fists and Patrick scrambled out of there before Dr. Halgen could interrogate him about the day. As he wheeled up to the top of the porch, Patrick briefly worried though as he saw Dr. Halgen and Lloyd begin to raise their voices at each other. He wanted to intervene in case Lloyd had accidentally done something wrong and could be thrown out of the program, but something to his right distracted him far more. There, playing in the local garden the facility tended year-round, weather permitting, was Darren and Terra mucking about in the soil. Now, Patrick’s mother had been known to grow a few tomatoes and tulips in their backyard, but even through the sweat and dirty clothing, she maintained a deliberate and organized tempo to her movements and at least tried to maintain her looks while out there. Darren and Terra, however, were not doing any of that. The two seemed to be working well as a pair for sure, but Patrick wasn’t really sure what he was seeing. Crouched into the dirt, Darren eagerly pulled out the weed’s fistfuls at a time and then pointed to the various floral or vegetables which were ready to be harvested. Terra followed behind and was practically skipping as she plucked out the ready plants, all while humming some melodic tune. Both were matted heavily with dirt and even barefooted as well. Not wanting to make a scene and getting a whiff of his pants that still smelled like fish, Patrick wheeled himself back toward the front door, but paused and went to the back door instead. While it would take longer, he wanted to see what Ian was questioningly up to. To his disbelief, his skeptical and rebellious friends was now eagerly slurping up some juice with a colorful bendy straw and coloring in a book. The book was still one of the more mature ones, but Ian’s lines left much to be desired. “Hey buddy. You okay?” Ian eagerly nodded after letting go of the straw. “Oh yeah, man. It’s been such a great day! Went to an art store with James. He’s weird and a bit too quiet, but he got me this book!” Ian then proudly held up his new gift. “Oh?” Patrick asked, a little surprised. “That’s… really nice, but did something happen? Why are you so…?” Patrick gestured to all of Ian as nonchalantly as he could. Compared to the virulent and trouble making conspiracy theorist, this version of Ian almost seemed childish. “Uh… well, Dr. Halgen helped me out,” Ian replied with some hesitancy. “And how did she do that?” Patrick asked, now also noticing a few of Ian’s letters looked odd and more crooked than they should have. “She just help… I dunno how or why, but I just know it feels nice now.” Ian smiled. “I’m just happier now, but Halgen says it will mostly go away in an hour or two by now.” Patrick wanted to say more to his friend and dig deeper, but now didn’t seem like the best of times with many of the nurses passing around and talking amongst themselves. So, recognizing his friend’s current apparent issue in communication not willing to expose himself or involve any others into his curiosity for now, Patrick just smiled, waved, and went back upstairs after depositing his box of fish into the refrigerator. Ian, despite hopefully being only temporarily in that state, had been more concerning to him than Darren or Terra, but it all still seemed so strange. ‘Had he missed something hinky while at the lake with Lloyd today?’ Regardless, back inside his room, Patrick immediately went to the bathroom to change his pants and wash off quickly before dinner. Unfortunately, while he lowered his pants, he quickly noticed his sodden diaper. He wanted a change, so he went for one of the buttons on his wrist device. At the same time, however, a knock came from his front door. “Yes?” Patrick asked a little nervously. “It’s just me… Addy,” she replied. He immediately sighed with relief that it wasn’t anyone dangerous or coming to regress him as well. “Oh, awesome. Come in,” Patrick shouted so she could here. Addy then entered the room and looked into the bathroom. “I was just about to buzz you, but now that you’re here, I figured you could help me out a bit and help me get changed and ready for dinner. “Absolutely, but…” Addy then began to sniff around and made a face ripe with disgust. “Oh, Patrick. You need a bath. You stink, honey. Did you bathe in a bucket of fish heads or something?” Patrick sniffed the air but didn’t smell anything too horrendous until his nose got closer to his pants. “Oof. I knew they need to be changed but…” “But nothing. You need a bath right now, mister,” Addy commanded. Without another word, she quickly plucked Patrick out of his wheelchair, his pants hanging loosely and threatening to fall in a second to the ground and carried him out of the bathroom. She then took him into the main room and laid him on the changing table, a piece of furniture that Patrick had actually come to appreciate for its comfort and efficiency. All seemed usual by now, but as Addy began to strip his pants off, Patrick looked over to his left and saw something new. “What. The. Heck. Is. That?” Addy stopped after wrestling his pants off and looked where Patrick was now accusatorily pointing to. Standing in the place where his bed with railings once stood, was now a full-fledged and correctly sized crib, equivalent to roughly the size of a large full-size bed. The dark wooden slats all around provided an impressive wall around each side, and even when standing in it, Patrick could tell that likely, only his head and shoulders would stick out of the top. If he was ever left in it with all sides raised, even when he could walk again, he would effectively be trapped inside of the latest piece of furniture in here. Addy looked back at Patrick sheepishly. “Oh, that… well, I thought you had already seen that and didn’t mind it, but to answer your question, it’s a crib.” “I know it’s a crib, but maybe my better question should have been, why the heck is it in my room? Where’s my usual bed?” Patrick angrily questioned. Addy took a step back and Patrick bolted up on the changing table. Addy made a note that he was now getting more agile, and his movements could also subsequently be more unpredictable. She knew this was a dangerous time for most Littles as they started to feel better more than ever before, but they still weren’t fully healed. If she wasn’t careful, a poorly timed tantrum could send her beloved charge hurdling toward the ground headfirst, something she knew neither wanted. “I’m waiting…” Patrick said annoyedly. “Sorry… just,” Addy decided to not tell him to be careful right in this moment, “I just needed to take a breath. Had a meeting today with Dr. Halgen… it was intense.” She then shook her head. “Sorry… you wanted to know about the crib.” “Yes,” Patrick practically hissed. “Stop saying sorry and just tell me why it’s in my room. Were the railings not enough and you needed to cage me up as well?” Addy looked a little hurt and only sighed, partially from his comment, but also due to the state of Patrick’s deeply soaked diaper that she could now see fully. After all, she didn’t want him getting a rash on top of everything else going on in his life. So, once again she pulled out her monitoring device to speed this conversation up. “Remember this?” Patrick nodded. “Well, ah yes, here we are.” She then handed the device over to Patrick. “So?” he said quizzically after a moment of watching. “This looks the same as before. I toss and turn at night. No change.” “Keep watching…” Addy said without a hint of any emotion. Patrick did and poured into the peculiar video of him sleeping throughout the night on fast-forward. Then, moments later, he saw his legs swing over and nearly launch him from the open side of his bed from last night. It resolved though before anything serious happened, but then almost an hour later of the same video, Patrick’s leg swung wide once more. In a second, it connected with a crunch on one of the rails. Patrick’s mind then clicked as his foot began to throb once more. ‘So that’s why it was sore this morning…’ Patrick then meekly looked up at a waiting Addy. “So… safety then?” Addy nodded. “That and stability. I looked at your railings, once I checked the footage, after you left this morning and found that you had actually cracked the railing at the base. Not too much and easily reparable, but your nightly escapades don’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. It’s good progress and shows that your legs may soon be ready for the next phases of treatment, which I have informed Bruce of, but I don’t want you getting any more hurt that you were when you came here. You understand, right?” Patrick wanted to scream into a pillow at the very least over the transformations taking place with all the emotions that he was feeling now. The others of his group had voiced their own complaints the other day, but this… he almost wanted to prepare for a full-scale riot in the coming weeks if they had to submit to this type of thing as well. He made a mental note to punch a pillow later, but then only nodded outwardly. “Yes… once again, you are right. I hate it all, but I want to walk again. If sacrifices need to be made to get to that point, then so be it.” Addy smiled and walked back over to Patrick before stroking his hair gently. “I’m so proud of you, Patrick. I know all this is a lot to take in, but I just want what’s best for you and for you to heal as best you can under our care. You mean a great deal to many people, and we all are just looking out for you.” Patrick gulped at the pressure to comply with so many looking out for his well-being, but the same shackles that he felt so keenly now also came along with a warm and impenetrable blanket to keep him safe from all the evils beyond these grounds. Dr. Halgen and Addy may have been up to something craftier than he may have preferred, but it was still better than lobotomies, virtual slavery, or long days going between naps, feeding, and diaper changes. In this dimension, good seemed to be a relative term. “Thank you, Addy.” Addy smiled and gently laid Patrick back down on the changing table. As she began her work before his much-needed bath, Patrick stared over at his new bedding. The cartoonish ships and other nautical décor were not appreciated, but Matilda’s ever-present words continued to ring in his head. She may have been neck deep now in tea parties or doll fashion shows with her caretaker, Emily, but she was right about the acceptance of things here. ‘Doing so just made everything easier, and besides, the crib was only meant to protect him, right?’ Patrick didn’t give it much more thought and just lifted his legs as well as he could to help Addy change another one of his now endless series of diapers. It was an odd life now, but the tingle buzzing throughout his toes and the fact that he had moved his legs at all just then made it somehow feel all well worth it.