“Angie, oh thank God, you’ve got to get me out of here.” Courtney said, craning her neck to look at her giant friend standing over the toy chest. Her voice, while tiny, had been enough to get the attention of her friend.

“I don’t—ugh, look, promise you won’t make fun of me?” After Angie’s quick nod, Courtney sighed. “I heard this noise coming from the toy box, so I went to check it out. There was this prince doll in here and he said he was cursed to be a toy, and only a kiss could set him free.”

“Oh, Court, you’re not that desperate since Marcus, are you?”

“No! Of course not! But when someone asks you to help, you help them. I kissed the prince, and he turned into a guy. And I turned into…this.”

“I wonder why the change in style. Like, why was he a prince, and you’re a cowgirl? Is it random? Is it personality based?” Angie said, looking away for a moment, thinking about it. She always had been one for puzzles and mysteries.

“Angela, I need you to focus! I’m made of stuffing, I have a pull string, and I’m six inches tall. Can you please get me out of here so we can figure out how to change me back?”

“You have a pull string?” Angela asked with a too-wide, dangerous smirk.

But Angela’s hand was already entering the toy chest, Courtney’s eyes going wide as she dove to avoid her friend’s grasping fingers. But there weren’t many places to hide, and no where she could go.

“Angie, no!” Courtney said as she was grabbed and hauled from the toy chest by giant hands. Which, technically, was where Courtney wanted to be. Just not like this, in the hands of a too curious friend.

Courtney went limp as the pull string imbedded in her back got pulled, a tickling thwip of a feeling overcoming her. Angie released the string.

“Let’s get a move on, Pardner!” Courtney said automatically, taken over by the power of the pull string.

Courtney gasped, recovering herself from the control of the pull string, just before Angie pulled it again.

“Yee haw! Daylight’s a wastin’! Angie, Stop!” Courtney managed as she regained control of herself. She struggled and strained against her friend’s grip, hoping her plush body might help her wriggle out of this embarrassing captivity. She could not.

“Look, I promise to help you get back to normal. I will not promise that I won’t play with you until then.”

While Courtney tried to parse the double negative, Angie bent down and picked up one of the cowboy toys from the box.

“Why are you getting him?” Courtney said, wary of the other toy’s plastic face and gleaming smile.

“You’ve been lonely ever since breaking up with Marcus, I figure you needed a boyfriend.”

“Sounds like you two have a lot in common. So, what’da say I get you home?”

Angie gave Courtney’s string another yank, and a now familiar feeling took over Courtney’s essence. “Sounds like a plan, boss!”