Bucky's

Chapter 36: A Risky Plan

Ronny, traveling in Martin's palm, stayed quiet. Too many shocking things had happened in very rapid succession, and he needed to stop and process them. Shrinking so ridiculously small was jarring and humiliating. Being swallowed alive and facing death by digestion had been beyond terrifying. Watching Martin, towering over him as a massive colossus, messily devour Mr. Hardon had also been appalling. He couldn't help but feel frightened, being held in the impossibly huge man's hand, rocked by the long strides of his endless legs. He knew Martin wouldn't harm him—at least, not on purpose—but the instinctive fear persisted nonetheless.

Ronny hated being so small, feeling as if he would shrink into oblivion. He wondered why he had been diminished so much more than the other two Giants. He recalled the feeling of the pills tumbling down his throat. The fact that Mr. Hardon had forced him to down multiple pills, rather than just one, may have been a factor. Those pills had a horrifying power. He questioned where Mr. Hardon obtained them from.

"Ronny, are you doing alright?" Martin inquired, interrupting Ronny's thoughts. He spoke gently, but Ronny could feel his sonorous voice, large and full, vibrate through the air and flesh all around him.

"Y-yeah..." Ronny mumbled, hugging his knees.

"Hm?" Martin raised his hand up closer to his ear. "Sorry, it's hard to hear you when you're so tiny."

"I'm fine!" Ronny snapped. In truth, his skin was starting to burn, but he didn't bother to inform Martin. "I'm just... in shock, is all." He paused. "I can't believe you ate Mr. Hardon. I didn't think you had it in you."

Martin sighed and winced. "I had to. If I didn't kill him, he would have harmed more innocents. I couldn't have him coming after Candy. He's persistent. He would never stop hunting her." Ronny understood all too well. All he had to do was substitute Mr. Hardon and Candy with Bucky and Tanya and his situation would be almost exactly the same. He felt sick inside, thinking that Bucky would continue to seek out the human who eluded his grasp. And now, he was too small and weak to do anything to protect her.

Ronny experienced a stab of anxiety. He hoped the effect of the pill was only temporary, not permanent. He couldn't possibly stay at this size forever... could he? Then again, he never would have dreamed in a million years that he would ever shrink as he did within the bounds of reality. He desperately prayed he would grow again. He needed to be able to keep Tanya safe.

Martin took Ronny into the bathroom and put his hand under the sink. He turned on the faucet just enough for it to spit out a thin stream, but to Ronny it was the epic deluge of a waterfall. He obtained some hand soap from the dispenser, a little blob that would be enough to submerge the tiny man, and dumped some on him. Martin's fingers were simply too big to help, so Ronny had to lather himself up, which he preferred anyway, even though he felt like he was drowning in soap and water.

Once Ronny was clean, Martin offered him a shred of paper towel to dry off and exited the bathroom. Ronny felt better now that the unpleasant sting was gone from his skin. "Where do you want me to take you?" Martin asked. "Back to your desk? Did you bring Tanya to work with you today?"

Ronny hesitated. He was torn. He didn't want Tanya to see him in this pathetic state. It was humiliating and emasculating. However, the thought of her being alone upset him, even if he was too small to protect her. As much as he resented the idea, she would be safer if they both stayed with Martin, until he hopefully returned to his normal size. He hated to think that Tanya might see Mr. Griffin naked, and better sized than him, but concern for her safety outweighed his jealousy.

"Tanya's at my desk," he informed Martin, projecting his voice so the Giant could hear him. "Take me there, and please keep her protected for me." Martin obeyed and placed Ronny on his desk. He was amazed how expansive the surface appeared. He jogged over to the gigantic computer monitor, which seemed so far away for his short legs to carry him.