Sarah is out to take back Carien's vase from Fredricks Fancy.  Sarah agreed to no size changing during the meeting.  Carien never made any such promise though.  (This is story number 25 in my Fredricks Fancy series)

The Fredricks Fancy Vase Retrieval Scheme

              “You are crazy, Sarah. I can’t let you go through with this.” Carien stood in front of the door, her blue eyes narrowed at me. “You can’t just walk down there and throw your life away like this.”

              “I am not throwing my life away, Carien.”

              She put her hands on my shoulders. “Yes, you are. Fredricks Fancy tried to abduct you twice because you can change in size. My vase isn’t worth it.” She threw her hands up. “They can keep that damn thing for all I care.”

              I narrowed my eyes at her. “When your brother had stolen it, all you could think about was getting back.”

              She pointed her finger at me. “Hey, Maxwell is different. I can handle my brother, ok.”

              I sighed. “And I need to make up for letting your brother steal that vase. It was your grandmothers.” I shook my head, scratching at my long dark hair. “It is my fault you lost it, and I will be the one to get it back, no matter what. Now can you get out of my way?”

              “Sarah. Let me go with you.”

              I pushed past her. “I can’t put you in danger. They want me for my ability to change in size and shape. If they knew you could do the same thing, then that would put your life in danger as well. I won’t let that happen.”

              “Hey, you don’t get to make that choice Sarah.

If I want to protect you from these fools, I will. It will be easy. I will have a Fredricks Fancy drink, grow and—“

              I put my hand to her lips. “No. I made my decision, and I am doing this on my own. You can’t be put in danger for my screw-ups.” I shut the oak door in her face.

              I could hear Carien’s muffled screams from the other side of the door. “You can’t tell me what to do, Sarah.” I walked away as I reached into my purse for my car keys.

              “I am sorry. I wish there was another way, Carien.” I opened the door of my Rotor Salvation and sat in the front seat. “Ok. Time to get this over with. I am supposed to meet that Jerk Callen at Jefferson Ave in twenty minutes.” I reached into the glove box and pulled out a Fredricks Fancy chocolate bar. “And I have this for insurance. I am sure Callen will use this opportunity to try and bring me in again.” I sighed. “I just wish I knew why Callen and the Fredricks Fancy company wanted me so bad.”

              The back door of my car flung open as Carien jumped in. “You aren’t going anywhere without me.”

              I turned around and narrowed my eyes at her as she adjusted her black jacket. “I told you—“

              “Look, if you don’t want to waste time and miss that one opportunity that Callen gave you, you are just going to have to deal with me.”

              Carien took the Fredricks Fancy bar out of my hands. “Hey.”

              “And if you want help dealing with Callen when he double-crosses you, either deal with me or I guess—“

              I started the vehicle. “Fine.” I sighed. “But you help as a last resort.” I adjusted the air conditioner and my rearview mirror. “I just don’t want you to be in the same position I am with these people.”

              Carien slid into the seat next to me and put her hand on my blue jeans. “Hey, everything will be alright. You don’t have to do this alone.” She gave me a slight smile.

              I drove out of the driveway and onto the street the sun shining into my eyes through the pine trees. It was the end of June, and there was a heatwave passing through.

Carien tried to lower her window, but I instantly raised it back up. “Hey, don’t let that nice cool air out. I have the air conditioner on for a reason.”

              “Well, it is a crappy one. I am still hot.” She crossed her arms. “Didn’t you just get this thing?”

              “Yes. Took me forever to get a new car after I umm.” I tapped my fingers on the driving wheel. “Outgrew the last one.”

              Carien laughed. “What do you mean outgrew? Did it break down or something?”

              I shook my head. “No. I mean, I literally outgrew it. It was the first time I had to deal with my body growing.” I shrugged my shoulders. “I grew inside my car until my body broke my car apart. You would think after that I would know to get out of buildings when I feel like I am going to grow.” I shook my head.

              “Well, at least you haven’t destroyed my house yet.” Carien sighed. “Still, this isn’t the best vehicle. I think I can smell gas. Why did you buy it?”

              “I was having shrinking issues at the dealership. I was lucky to get through the test drive before I became too tiny to reach the petals. As it was, I looked like a kid at the time.”

              Carien laughed. “That would have been funny to see.”

              I came to a stop at the first intersection with a light. We were now at the edge of town, the corner gas station where I had met Fredrick for the first time in sight. “Tess didn’t think so. She was terrified the entire time and cut the test drive short.”

              Carien laughed. “Well, if you change size while driving, I will jump out of this car.”

              I turned my head. “What?”

              Carien put her hands on mine. “Keep your eyes on the road.” I turned my attention back just as the light turned green. “I just mean that I don’t want to take any chances with my girlfriend becoming so big she fills up the car or so small that she would be considered my kid, and I would get a ticket for it. Or worse.”

              “I get it. I get it.” We drove in silence for a few minutes. The pine trees gave way to outlet stores. Jefferson Ave was on the other side of town, and it was rush hour.

Pinewood was a small town, but still, the streets were filled to the brim with people trying to get home for the day. I knew which roads to take to avoid being stuck in traffic backups and construction zones. Usually, I would love to make Callen wait in this searing heat, but I didn’t want him to run off with Carien’s vase. I could torture him some other time.

              “So.” Carien tapped her hands on the side of the window. “How are we doing to do this?”

              “Hmm?”

              “I mean, we need to have some plan, right? You aren’t just going to walk in there to get the vase, are you?”

              I sighed. “That was my plan.”

              Carien snorted. “Well, new plan then as I am not letting you do something so foolish.”

              “They want me to come alone.” I shook my head. “Callen will bolt if he sees you.”

              “Then he won’t until it’s too late.”

              “What do you mean?”

              She put her hands behind her head. “I mean, I will hide out in this crappy car and eat the Fredricks Fancy chocolate I took from you. Hope that it makes me grow and then get that vase and you out of there.”

              “You should be ready. They had steel cables strong enough to hold me down when I was giant before.”

              Carien shrugged. “So what? They won’t expect me, and even so, they can’t keep me down.”

              I sighed. “I hope so. I am just worried that this whole thing will make us both have to run from these jerks.”

              She nudged my shoulder. “Hey, this will work out. Stop worrying.”

              I gave her a weak smile. “Ok.”

              I turned onto Jefferson Ave. “Carien, you should duck down in the back seat.”

              “You have got to be kidding me. The car is moving.”

              I could see a few Fredricks Fancy employees at the end of the road. “Get down now, Carien.”

              She unbuckled and maneuvered to the back seat. “Fine. But you owe me for this.” Carien ducked down out of view.

              I drove into a vacant parking lot and then took a deep breath. “Ok.

You can do this.” I opened the door and stepped out into the hot, humid air.

              “Sarah. It has been too long.” He extended out his hand to shake mine. “So happy to see you once again.”

              I reluctantly shook his slimy hand. “Yes. It has been.”

              He blinked his green eyes. “So. What have you been up to these days?”

              “Just give me the vase, and I can be on my way.”

              He threw his arm around my shoulder. “Hey. You will get that vase after we talk. Now let’s go inside so we can do that. Ok?”

              I looked around. I only saw three other people in the area, one of them a jogger. So far, I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. “Ok.”

              Callen snapped his fingers, and the two employees that I had seen standing around walked up. I twisted around. “Hey, what is going on?”

              “We just need to pat you down. Make sure you don’t have any Fredricks Fancy products on you.” Rough hands went up and down my body. “It isn’t that we don’t trust you and all. Oh, wait, that is the reason.”

              I sighed. “I didn’t bring any of your dammed products. You don’t have to worry about that.”

              “She is clean.” Said the rather plump man to the right with the beard.

              Callen clasped his hands together. “Good. Then let’s go inside and talk, shall we?” I followed him inside a motel. It appeared the place was closed for the week; how Callen and Fredricks Fancy had been able to get in was beyond me. The interior had ragged and torn brown carpet and a single ceiling fan. I pulled at the collar of my blue and white striped shirt. “Did you have to pick a place with such lousy air conditioning in the middle of summer?”

              Callen ignored my comment as he walked to a blue door at the far end of the room. “In here.”

              I tapped my fingers on my arm as I stepped inside and then jumped when he slammed the door behind me.

              “Nervous?”

              I shook my head. “Oh no. I just saw a bad movie last night, and umm.”

              “Rightttt.” He leaned up against the wall. “The vase is in another room of this motel, don’t worry.”

              “When can I get it?”

              Callen held up his callused hands. “After we talk.”

              My heart began to race, and my skin started to crawl. “Ok, just make it quick. I want to get out of here and take that vase back. It is important to a friend of mine.”

              “Don’t worry.” He crossed his arms. “Now, let’s get to the matter at hand. Fredrick needs you to come in.”

              I shook my head. “No way. Not after the stunts, you pulled.”

              “You don’t understand.”

              I pointed my finger at him. “You tried to knock me out with gas and tie me down with steel cables. You said you owned me due to the contract I signed.” I shivered as my skin felt like it was constricting by the moment. “What makes you think I would want to do anything for you?”

              “Because Fredrick is desperate. He isn’t doing this to hurt you. He needs your help.”

              “This is another trick, isn’t it?”

              Callen slammed his fist against the wall. “Why would I trick you into talking when I could have easily had my men grab you in the parking lot or the other room?” He shook his head. “And I thought I told you no Fredricks Fancy products. We had a deal.”

              I blinked my eyes in confusion before I noticed that Callen was growing. I looked at my hands. “I am shrinking?”

              “Yes, you are. You told me—“

              I shook my hands. “I swear I didn’t do this.” I took deep breaths. “It’s my anxiety. It can cause this as well, and I am scared to death right now.”

              Callen took a deep sigh. “Fine.”

              I looked up at him, my head now level with his chest. “Why does Fredrick need my help so badly?”

              “It is his son. He is in the same predicament as you with all this changing in size and what not.” Callen turned around. “In fact, he is worse off. The poor boy can’t go a few minutes without something happening to him.”

              “Is that why Fredrick. . .”

              Callen turned around. “Why he used your contract to try and control you? Yes. Fredrick thinks by studying you, he can help his son.”

              I narrowed my eyes and sat down. “That is insane.” I looked back up at Callen. I was now only three feet tall. “Fredrick has ruined my life for this?”

              “Look, I know it’s hard to believe, but you can help the boy.”

              I shook my head. “I don’t believe this.”

              “What?”

              I stood up, a toddler trying to defy a grown-up. “If this is such an issue for Fredrick, he wouldn’t have sent you to explain it all to me.” I shook my hand as I continued to shrink. “This is nothing but an elaborate trick to play on my sympathy.”

              Callen sighed. “It wasn’t a trick.” He shook his head. “Fredrick would have me fired for me talking with you like this. Well, since you won’t come with me willingly.” He hit his hand on the side of the wall. “I need help in here.”

              Four people rushed inside, the man with the beard from outside answered. “You need us, Callen?”

              He pointed down at me. “Restrain her.”

              They all looked like giants rushing at me. I ducked between their legs as I ran for the door. I was no longer shrinking, but it didn't matter now being one and a half feet tall.

In fact, it might have been better if I was still shrinking, as I might have been able to evade the giant fools easier.

              Callen cried out as I left the room. “Don’t let her get away, or you will be out on the street by the end of the day.”

              I ran into the next room, the doorway that led to my freedom in my sights. Suddenly a dark shadow fell upon me as a massive woman towered over me. She looked down at me with hazel eyes. “Where do you think you are going?”

              I made a sharp right and ran for an open doorway, narrowly evading the massive hands that fell from the sky. “That was too close.”

              Suddenly a strong hand tightened around my midsection and lifted me off the ground. “Hey. Put me down.” I looked up to see Callen staring at me with a scowl on his face.

              “This didn’t have to be this way.” He looked up. “Get me a box or something.”

              A piece of the ceiling hit me on the head.  Gross. This place is coming apart.  I looked up to see the roof shaking.

              The man with the beard walked over with a cardboard box. “Something is going on outside. I think there is a wind storm or something.”

              Callen ripped the box out of his hands. “Who cares?” He stuffed me inside the box. “Look, no hard feelings, Sarah. I will even mail that vase to your friend. Ok?”

              Suddenly the ceiling was ripped from its hinges. Callen and the others all looked up to see Carien towering over them as she threw the roof off into the distance. “Where is Sarah?”

              Callen gulped. “I don’t know who you are talking about?”

              Carien bent over, knocking over a wall, and grabbed Callen. She squeezed him as she raised him high into the air. “I won’t ask you again. Where is Sarah?”

              “Hey, you klutz. She is in the box in my hands. You squeeze too much, and you will make me drop her.”

              Carien’s mountain-sized eyes went wide. “Sarah?” She used a massive finger for ripping the box I was in out of Callen’s hands and into her palm. “Are you alright? Speak to me.”

              I wormed my way out of the box and into her hand. After I shook my body, I looked up at her face. “I am fine. A bit small but fine.”

              She smiled at me. “Phew. Where is my vase?”

              “Somewhere inside the building.”

              Carien turned her attention on Callen. “If you want me to put you down in one piece, you will point out just where you stashed that vase. Ok.”

              Callen covered his ears. “Ok, ok. You don’t have to scream.” He straightened his jacket. “Crazy giant lady.”

              Carien tightened her grip. “What was that?”

              “Nothing,” Callen squeaked. He then pointed down towards the back end of the Motel. “Last room on the right. The vase is sitting on the bed.”

              Carien slid him into her pants pocket. “You stay there until I verify.” She then set me on her shoulder. “There you go, Sarah. Comfortable?”

              I held on to her strands of hair. “As much as I can be. Just get the vase so we can get out of here.”

              Carien bent over and pulled off another section of the building. “It is helpful that this place is a piece of shit.” She groaned as she tore the ceiling in half. “Makes tearing into it that much easier.”

              Like Callen had said, the vase sat on the bed. Carien bent over and carefully picked up our prize. “Finally. Time to bring you home.” She gently slid the vase into her pocket.

“Opps.” Carien lifted Callen out of her jeans. “Almost forgot about you.”

              He crossed his arms as she held him by his shirt.

“Just put me down.”

              “If you say so.” She dropped him. Callen fell twenty feet onto the bed below, where he bounced up and onto the floor. Carien snickered. “That is for Sarah.” She then turned around and walked away.”

              I climbed Carien’s hair up towards her face. “So that is finally over with.”

              Her right eye looked at me. “Yes. It finally is. We can go home.” She used her finger to nudge me. “And you need to grow back to your normal size.”

              I narrowed my eyes. “Oh really. Then you need to shrink down to yours.”

              Carien laughed. “No. I can stay fifty feet tall. You just need to grow back to a size I can deal with, so I don’t lose you so easily.”

              I laughed. “Is that it?”

              “Yes. That is it.”

              I sighed.  At least things are over for now. Life can get back to normal.  I looked down at the ground far below me.  Or what passes for normal in my life.