The Sunshine Project Pt. 07

Chapter 19

Beck

Just after eleven a.m. on Saturday, and I've been sitting in my car in the parking lot behind Allie's apartment waiting. She hasn't been at work all week. She hasn't responded to any of my messages or answered any of my calls. I've walked across the street at least ten times to use the toilets at the DQ, and they started demanding I purchase food in order to be able to use their facilities, so now my car smells like chili dogs and opinion rings. I'm tired. I've been up all night, and I just refuse to leave until Allie shows up.

If she thinks she can just ghost me, she's wrong. Her job is too important to not show up. If she's sick, why isn't her Jeep here? And if she's not sick, then maybe something happened to her. So I sip what's left of my melted Oreo Blizzard® and watch the entrance to her apartment. The door to the stairwell is open. I've seen her neighbors come and go a few times--lovely dark-haired couple with a few young kids. But no sign of her.

I don't know if I can sit here all weekend, but I'll sure try. I don't want to risk driving to one of the other fast-food restaurants in town to get something to eat. If she comes back while I'm gone I'll miss that opportunity. So I wait. I eat a plate of chili fries, a dish of onion rings, a bowl of ice cream, and finally after nearly eighteen hours of waiting here for her the black Jeep rumbles into the parking lot.

Only, Allie isn't driving it.

It's her friend, Jess.

I scrunch down in my seat, hoping she doesn't see me, and I watch her. I'm parked at the back of the lot; she parks right by the building. She seems to be talking to herself. Are you a little crazy, Jess? Talking to yourself helps you not feel lonely? And she really goes at it too, like she's arguing or something.

Finally she opens the door and slides out. I recognize the large satchel she carries cross-body over her shoulder. It's Allies bag, and if she's driving Allie's car, and she's here, it means she probably has Allie's keys too.

What are you up to, Jess? Have you done something to our little precious angel? Why would you be here driving her Jeep and carrying her bag?

Curiosity gets the better of me. The minute Jess vanishes around the side of the building moving toward the door, I slip out of my car and run across the parking lot with feather toes. If she hears me, she'll freak out and run or something; I just know it. She's guilty. She's done something with Allie, and now she's back to ransack her apartment and steal from her or something.

I'm winded, sucking air harder than an emphysema patient in a nursing home, but I force myself to breathe quietly as I open the door and start up the stairs. Jess is still talking to herself, now digging through Allie's bag. She doesn't hear me behind her at all. She's on the top step opening the door to the landing. I wait just around the corner as she enters; then I creep up the last few stairs.

Peeking through the crack in the door, I watch her fumble with the keys and open Allie's apartment. If she goes in and shuts the door I'm trapped outside. I can't let that happen. She can't steal from Allie. But if I confront her, and she's armed, she could hurt me too. I bite my lip as indecision tethers me to the top step, but as she pushes Allie's apartment door open, I lurch forward and burst through both doors at once, tackling Jess into the hallway just inside Allie's door.

"Hey! What are you! Beck?" Jess scrambles to get up, frantically looking into the bag as I pry myself off the floor.

"What the hell are you doing! Where is Allie?"

She scowls and pushes the bag around behind her, still slung crosswise over her chest as I use my foot to shut the door, and I push the hair out of my eyes.

"Fuck's sake, Beck. You could have just said hello." Jess's eyes are large like saucers. She turns and walks down the hallway toward the living room, and I hear her whispering something I can't make out.

Why the fuck are you talking to your bag, Jess? You really are delusional, aren't you? Are you dangerous, you little bitch?

"Where is Allie? She hasn't returned any of my calls or messages. What did you do with her?" I follow her up the hallway to the dark living room. The air in here smells stale, like no one has opened the doors or windows all week. Leftovers from our dinner last weekend still sit near the sink, a swarm of flies zipping around in the air nearby. Was Jess so jealous of Allie inviting me over that she did something horrible?

"She's at my house. She's sick." Jess's voice is curt, cold. She walks around the living room collecting things: a laptop and charger cable, a phone charger--that may explain why Allie didn't respond--and Allie's work briefcase.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm getting things for her to work from home. Okay? I'm sorry, I can't give you more information. I'll tell her you're worried." Jess's forehead is crinkled, her eyes flitting about. She's scared of something.

As she passes, I grab the strap of the satchel and pull on it, and she whips around on her heels toward me, yelping, "What are you doing!"

"Give me Allie's bag, Jess. Tell me what you're doing." She drops the load she carries in her arms as I yank the strap over her head, and she grabs it and holds onto it tightly, as if there is something in there she doesn't want me to see. Is it a murder weapon? Are you a killer?

"Stop, be careful!" she squeals, almost fear or concern in her voice.

"Give it!" I tug harder, pulling her so hard she almost falls over.

"I said be careful. What the fuck, Beck." She pulls back, but not with as much force. "You have no clue what you're doing."

"Stop being a bitch and tell me what you did with Allie." I pull again, and hear a muffled scream from somewhere, in the closet maybe?

Both of us freeze, staring at each other. And Jess swallows hard. I can see her paralyzed with fear. I feel the bag jostle even though neither of us moves, and I look down at it. It's moving; something is inside of it.

"What the?" I mutter as the top pushes open and a tiny hand appears.

Allie's tiny head squeezes out of the top of the bag, and she looks up at me with a scowl. "Can you two knock it the fuck off and be more careful!" Her voice is high-pitched and squeaky, and she's small enough to fit into a satchel?

"Holy shit..." I feel my world spinning and my head swims. I take a deep breath, and feel my body falling. What did she do to you Allie bug?

***

Something cold and wet hits my face and my eyes pop open instantly. I sit straight up and find myself in a strange living room. Powder-blue wallpaper with silver swirls bordered by white wainscotting and matching powder-blue carpet greet me. I rub my head. It feels like I knocked it pretty good. There's a lump near my temple that I know wasn't there last night.

Everything starts to come back to me as I blink and let my eyes focus. Jess sits across the room in an armchair looking guilty as fuck. What sort of evil are you perpetrating, Jess? As I turn slowly, I see Allie seated on the coffee table, legs dangling from the side. For a moment I think I'm seeing things, until she speaks.

"Are you okay?"

She's tiny, like very tiny, but it's her. I blink hard, trying to make it make sense, and I stretch a single finger in her direction and touch her knee. She grimaces and then smiles painfully before looking at Jess--who sits in silence looking ashamed. This can't be happening. People don't shrink, and even if they did how on earth did these two do this?

"What the actual fuck is going on, Allie?" My words are mumbled out, barely audible. I shake my head and run a hand through my hair. I'm sure it looks awful after spending the entire night awake in my car. Besides the fact that I started at Allie's apartment, and I can only assume we're at Jess's house now. However they got me here couldn't have been easy.

"Let me explain..." Allie stands up, and I jerk away, frightened. Why that scares me I don't know.

This is insane, Allie. People don't shrink. You're the size of a doll--a really fucking cute doll, but a doll all the same. And what the fuck are you wearing? It looks like you robbed a hobo Barbie. You've got the real San Fran trash-bag vibe going on.

"So Jess's grandpa died. He was like a government scientist down in Dayton at the air force base. Anyway, he left these guns behind, and Jess and I--well, we accidentally shot her dog and then me, and I just need help getting back to my normal size." Allie crosses her arms over her chest and stares up at me with pleading eyes. "It's not like I can go to the hospital or something. Not only will Jess probably go to jail, but they'll use me like a pin cushion and experiment on me."

Holy fuck, this is messed up. I stand and cover my mouth, pacing in front of the picture window that overlooks the street. If people out there knew what fucked up shit was going on in here Jess would definitely get locked up. She deserves to. Look what she's done to Allie. I feel cold, the kind of cold you feel when it reaches your bones and the only way to warm up is in a blistering shower while drinking scalding coffee. It's anxiety or nerves; I know it. Who wouldn't feel shock when faced with a situation like this?

"So you've been this way all week? That's why you didn't come into work?" I turn to face Allie. Jess sits with her face buried in her palms and her shoulders slumped. She is so fucking dead. My God...

"Yes. I'm sorry. It's also why I never returned any calls or texts. We were freaking out all week trying to figure out which gun is a growth ray to make me normal. And I didn't have my charger so my phone was dead." Allie wrings her hands and sighs. "I swear, I wasn't ghosting you. Jess and I are scared. I don't want to be a government science experiment."

My heart goes out to her. I don't want my little Allie bug to be a science experiment either. Oh baby girl, Mama's going to take care of this. You'll see. Jess is a horrible friend, and she's not going to be a part of your life much longer.

"I need a drink," Jess mumbles and stands. She disappears into the kitchen, and I sit back down on the sofa facing Allie. This is all so strange and intense, but it's so crazy it's just believable.

"So you think her grandpa invented these guns?" I haven't seen the guns yet, but I have no doubt they're very real and very dangerous. Just seeing the state Allie is in makes the hair on my arms rise. Our government is into some freaky shit; everyone knows that. I just never thought I'd see the day when civilians were affected by it, even by accident.

"Don't know. Maybe he just worked on the project and had them at his house. That bit doesn't matter. There is nothing on the internet about them in reality. Every theory says it's impossible, but--"

"Well Asimov said teleportation was impossible too." I rub my forehead again as Allie snickers. "What?"

"That's what Jess said."

I can tell that she's had a moment to adjust to this new reality, but my mind is still racing. Shrinking? What next? What are you dragging me into, Jess? I knew you were trouble from the beginning, manipulating Allie's emotions and making her feel bad for your financial bullshit. But this?

"So if the internet has no answers, what have you tried? God, this is really freaky." I study Allie's tiny form, no more than eighteen inches tall at the most. It's like a perfect miniature of her, same curvy tits, perky ass, though her fingernails looked chewed to the quick. Fuck, she's sexy still, even this small.

"Uh, so we've tested some of the guns. None of them were a growth ray." She grinds her toe into the top of the coffee table and twists her ankle nervously.

"I'm not even going to ask what they do." Taking a deep breath I stand and look around. I can see a plastic tub of guns on the kitchen table. "Is that them?" I point and Allie nods, just as Jess returns to the living room with a glass of some honey-colored liquid.

"The one with green on it is the shrinking ray." Jess waves her glass in the air, and I see a shot glass in her other hand, also full of honey-colored liquid. She sets it next to Allie who frowns.

"Jess, no drinking."

"Look, Al, it's been a really shit week. I've hardly drank at all. Beck can be the grown up now. I need a break." She sinks in the armchair and gulps her alcohol, and Allie looks down into the shot glass. It's far too large to be a normal-sized glass--looks more like a sand bucket in comparison to her size--but she picks it up and has a sip.

"I'm gonna check them out." Jess is so irresponsible. She has zero compassion in her to leave Allie like this while she gets wasted and ignores life.

I head to the dining area and sort through the box of guns. A few of them light up and flash as I set them aside, but I find the one Allie's talking about. It's silver, pretty hefty, and has a green rubber handle and a small pane of green glass. It's hard to believe that something this normal looking made my girlfriend shrink to the size of a toy doll.

"Have you tried shooting yourself again?" I ask her, walking back into the living room with the gun in hand. Allie is busy sipping more alcohol, and Jess is reclining in the chair with her eyes shut.

"Fuck no! I'm already a fourth my normal size. I don't want to be an ant." Her voice is so tiny she sounds like she's sucked helium, but I think it's cute. If it wasn't so fucking odd, I'd keep her this way--let her live with me so she never had to worry about money or bills. Sex could be interesting too. Fuck, Allie, you'd make a great little toy for me, wouldn't you?

"What are you thinking?" she asks, fear creeping into her tone.

"Uh, well I'm thinking you have nothing left to lose, right?" I examine the gun closely. There are no switches or levers on it, just the safety and the trigger. There is some writing but it's badly faded, and there's a number engraved beneath the barrel too, but I can't read it. I'd need a magnifying glass or a paper and crayon to do a rub imprint.

"No, Beck. That's insane. You really want me to be the size of a tube of lipstick?"

"What do you have to lose, Allie? Do you think you're returning to normal life at this size?"

Jess hasn't moved a muscle. She really has checked out. It's like she doesn't give a single fuck about Allie. God, you don't even deserve her. Do you, Jess? She's mine now.

"That's insane." Allie hugs the shot glass to her chest and shakes her head at me. "You can't think that's okay."

"You can't just try nothing. Look, whether you're eighteen inches or five inches, you have to be reversed. I'm going to try it."

Before she even protests, I point the gun and pull the trigger. I've spent my fair share of time in a shooting range--mostly nine mil and three-eighty--so I know how to handle a weapon. It's no wonder Allie is shrunk; Jess didn't even put the safety on. She's so incredibly stupid.

I don't know what to expect as the gun lights up. I hold it on aim as a light swirls in the green glass and then a beam of green light blasts from the barrel and hits Allie. There is a flash so bright I have to shield my eyes. It temporarily blinds me. I cover my face with my arm, careful to keep my finger off the trigger, then I hear something crack and crash, and Allie groans.

"What the fuck!" Jess's voice fills the room. "Holy fuck, Al."

I open my eyes and lower my arm, gun in hand, and see Allie lying on top of a broken coffee table with her shot glass in hand held high. Jess stands behind her in shock, her drink spilled on the carpet by the chair. Allie is full size again. It worked.

"Wow... Okay I didn't spill the drink at least." Allie snickers and looks around. "It worked, Beck. Oh my God, you're a frickin' genius."

Chapter 20

Allie

I stand, suddenly aware that I'm completely naked. The tiny dress Jess made for me is torn down the side, lying on the bits of broken coffee table. I can't help but grin though, downing my shot in celebration.

"Shit..." Beck hisses, though it sounds more like she's turned on by me being naked and not utterly shocked by what she just witnessed. I don't even give a single fuck. I'm normal size again, and my life isn't over.

"Oh God, Allie." Jess's voice is filled with emotion. I see tears welling up as she comes at me with arms wide. She's been through so much the past few weeks; I feel so bad for her and so relieved at least this part is over. Now we can resize Shep too and get rid of these guns.

"Oh no you don't." Beck puts an arm around my waist and tucks me behind herself. "You aren't laying a finger on her. You did that to her, Jess."

"Beck, it's really not like that." I protest her overprotective action, but Beck is clearly in shock still. She holds me back as she glares at Jess. It's all a big misunderstanding we'll have to work out very delicately. I know Jess will never breathe a word of this, but if Beck does, we're all fucked.

"Allie, go get dressed and get your things. I'm taking you out of this house of horrors." Beck stands with the gun in hand between us. I don't think she'll use it on Jess, but she seems pretty upset.

"Beck, can we just talk?" I wrap my hand around the one she holds me back with and brush my thumb over it. It's obvious she's just trying to protect me. "I'm okay now. Everything is okay." I try to talk her down as Jess stands with fear in her eyes and pain too. I know she just wants me to hug her, prove to her that I'm normal again and that everything is okay.

"We can talk somewhere else. Go get dressed." Beck lays the gun on the sofa cushion and crosses her arms over her chest. Guilt churns in my stomach. This isn't Jess's fault, but I won't convince Beck of that right in this instant. I don't blame her for being overprotective; it just shows she cares. It's sort of sweet.

"Okay, but Jess has to show me where she put my stuff. Okay? She's not going to hurt me." I take a few steps to the side, stepping over the leg of the coffee table. Beck scowls at me, and I see her hands turn to fists. "I'm going upstairs to find my clothes. Jess, can you show me where you put them?"

"Uh, yeah..." Jess eyes Beck as she cautiously walks to the bottom of the stairs. I follow her, now feeling self-conscious. The last thing we need is for Beck to go off the rails. I feel stuck between my best friend and the woman who just literally saved my life. I need to keep them both calm and happy, but I have a feeling this is the beginning of a feud between them--at least on Beck's side.

"Al?" Jess whispers just as we reach the landing. "You aren't really going with her, are you?" She opens her bedroom door and steps in. My clothes are folded and stacked on the corner of her dresser where they were all week. Beck doesn't need to know that.

I step into the room and quietly shut the door then wrap my arms around Jess's waist and hold her, resting my forehead on her shoulder. "I don't think I get a choice, babe. She knows some really freaky shit about us right now. What if she goes straight to the cops? You'll be in trouble. The government will descend like a swarm of flies on dog shit." I straighten and look her in the eyes. "I don't want to be their guinea pig. I have to keep Beck happy for right now until we can resize Shep and get rid of the guns. If there is no proof of anything, she'll look insane telling people."

"But... you just got back. And I miss you." Her bottom lip pushes out into a pout. "We should be celebrating right now. And why is she so mad at me?" Jess wraps her arms around my shoulders and hugs me tightly, letting a few tears escape.

"I'll come back later tonight once I get rid of her and help you clean up. We can fix the table. Okay? And we'll watch a chick flick and eat popcorn and drink until we're shitfaced." I smile. "I have to do this. It's to protect us both."