And The Wicked Shall Be Punished

Chapter 1
And The Wicked Shall Be Punished

And The Wicked Shall Be Punished

By Douglas Greene

Chapter One

I’m convinced that I met Satan at a Waffle House just a few miles south of San Antonio, Texas.

It was a stifling summer night, too damn hot to go home. Lenny and I had been out partying. Somewhere along the line he managed to score some crank, and was being an asshole, the way he always got when he was high. Hungry, I convinced Lenny to take me out for breakfast.

As we walked in the door, every employee in the joint said, almost in unison, “Good Morning!” Cheeriness at three o’clock in the morning must be hard to achieve, especially at minimum wage. We slid into the only empty booth, although the dirty dishes had yet to be cleared.

“Hey goofy, how about getting this crap out of our way?”

God, Lenny was an asshole when he was loaded. The sole bus ?boy’ was a young Mexican girl with Down’s syndrome. She was fumbling with a broom and dustpan in front of the doughnut rack.

“Len, give her a break,” I whispered, embarrassed. “Can’t you see that she’s slow?”

“Well tell her to get her slow ass over here and clear our table,” Lenny loudly grumbled, pushing the dirty dishes and glasses to the center of the table.

That’s when I saw him. He was seated at the counter with a cup of coffee in front of him, just a few feet from our booth. His clothes were dusty, almost as if a layer of fine ash covered him from head to toe. His pants were black and his shirt was gray. Short and thin, he crouched over his coffee, his head in his hands, staring directly ahead into the mirror behind the counter.

His eyes met mine in that mirror. The moment I saw those eyes, black and blood-red, I knew that he was not of this earth. As he stared into my soul, I wanted to run, screaming, into the night. I wanted to get away from that place, away from him. But I didn’t get up. I couldn’t get up.

I really don’t think that Lenny even noticed him until the man with the terrible eyes got up from the counter, turned, and stood over our table.

I don’t know why I can’t remember what he looked like. I do remember that he was old, and very pale, as if his skin had never been exposed to sunlight. And I remember the smell. The smell is not something that can easily be described. Try to imagine the aromas of death, disease, broken hearts, broken promises, and unfulfilled dreams all mixed in equal measure. Then add a dash of despair, a sprinkling of horror, and you might have something that comes close.

“Leonard, why do you torment her so?” the old man hissed, leaning forward toward Lenny. He smiled evilly, displaying crooked, decaying teeth. “Can’t you see that she’s already serving her sentence?”

“Back up old man,” Lenny stammered. Even Lenny, smashed as he was, was taken back by this guy’s appearance. Did he call Lenny by name? “Get the fuck away from me, you old drunk!”

The old man reached out and grabbed Lenny’s wrist. Startled, Lenny pulled back, and for a moment there was a tug of war as Lenny worked to extricate himself from the old man’s grip. Lenny raised his free hand and curled his fingers into a fist, preparing to deliver a blow to his head, and then he froze. For what seemed an eternity, they were perfectly still, staring into one another’s eyes.

“DONE!” the old man croaked, releasing Lenny’s wrist.

Lenny plastered himself, wide eyed with fear, into the far corner of the booth as the man in black turned to me. “You need to teach your friend some manners, Mary Elizabeth,” he said evenly. “Now you’ll have that chance.” He paused at the door, and placed a black felt cowboy hat on his head. Oddly, I remember thinking that most native Texans don’t bother to remover their hats indoors. He looked up and grinned at me; he seemed almost proud of his ugly teeth. “I’ll probably be here next week at this time. Maybe I’ll see you around.”

Everyone in the small diner breathed a collective sigh of relief as the door shut behind him. I hadn’t realized that it had gotten perfectly quiet, and every eye in the place had been on us. As the old man walked out into the night and the darkness claimed him, the din of the diner resumed as loudly as ever. I was too shook up to eat. Lenny must have really been freaked out, because he barely said a word for the rest of the evening.

We went back to my house. He stumbled off to bed as soon as we got in the door, leaving a trail of discarded clothing items. I would have thought that he’d have problems sleeping, considering what went down at the diner, and the amount of white powder he’d snorted earlier, but I could tell that he was dead to the world.

Lenny didn’t live with me; he was just an old boyfriend who was staying with me until he got things worked out with the police. He told me that he had some parole violations and some problems with his drug tests, nothing real serious; he just needed to lay low for a couple of weeks. Even after all these years, I still had feeling for the guy, so I was happy to help him out.

I changed into some sweats, and pulled a blanket around me on the couch. I would have gone to bed with Lenny, but I was afraid he’d wake up and want some attention, and sex was the last thing on my mind. All I could think about was that I’d just witnessed absolute evil. I thought about the old man’s words, and I wondered what they meant. I knew without a doubt something was about to happen; I could sense it with every fiber of my being. It was dawn before I was finally able to fall asleep.

I had the strangest dream.

In my dream Lenny and I were married, and arguing about how to discipline our son. He wanted to spank him, and I wouldn’t allow it. In my dream Lenny was young and healthy, like he was before the alcohol and before the crystal meth. In my dream we argued, and then he turned and walked toward the bedroom, where I could hear a child crying. As he walked down the hall, he pulled the belt from his pants and folded it in half. Suddenly, I was very much awake.

I stumbled from the couch in a state of total confusion. Who was making that dreadful noise? The wailing was loud and high-pitched, almost a squeal. The noise was coming from the bedroom. I swung open the door, and was very confused at what I saw.

Sitting upright in the middle of my bed was a naked little boy, perhaps eight years old. He was obviously quite terrified. He’d look at his hands, then frantically peer at his image in the mirror on the wall, all while howling like a little puppy.

“Mary, you’ve got to help me,” he squeaked. “Oh sweet Jesus, what’s happened to me?”

“Who are you?” I managed. Somehow I knew the answer; my mind just refused to accept it.

“It’s me, Mary! It’s Lenny! Don’t you know me?”

Chapter Two

I suppose, given enough time, the human mind can adjust to just about anything.

Although there were so many things that I didn’t understand, one thing was crystal clear. Last night we met the Devil, or something very close, and Lenny was paying the price.

“The old man did this to me,” Lenny squealed, looking up at me desperately. “Shit, I look like a little kid! You don’t think I’ll stay like this do you?”

“Lenny, is that really you?” I asked incredulously. “This is ***** weird...” I thought that I’d better sit down, so I took a place on the edge of the bed. Little Lenny retreated to the opposite corner, dragging the sheet with him. I couldn’t take my eyes off of the child. It was definitely Lenny. It was almost as if someone installed Lenny’s head on a child’s body. I was at a complete loss for words. “How do you feel?”

“How do you think I feel, you stupid *****?” he shouted. “Look at me; I’m a God damn dwarf!”

“You’re not a dwarf,” I corrected, irritated at his tone. “You’re a child. And don’t get pissed off at me; I had nothing to do with this.”

“I gotta be dreaming,” he moaned, pulling the sheet to his neck. “This can’t be happening.”

I stared at the child with amazement. The child’s diction and speech patterns were all Lenny’s, only now the words flowed from the mouth of a little boy. The expressions on his face: all Lenny’s. It was the most incredible thing to see. I suppose I must have been grinning.

“What’s so goddamn funny about this?” the little boy snapped. “We have to do something!”

“I’m up for suggestions,” I replied. “Should I take you to the hospital?”

Lenny thought for a moment, and then shook his head. “No, doctors can’t help me.” He then whispered so softly that it was hard for me to hear. “We have to find that old man.”

Chapter Three

An hour later I found myself racing through Walmart, attempting to buy some suitable clothes for Lenny. It was Sunday, and the store closed at six. I did not have much time.

I guessed at the sizes and just grabbed some stuff. I threw some jeans in various sizes into the cart, and then found some t-shirts and underwear. He’d need some shoes, again I guessed at the size, and some socks. I was out of the store in less than thirty minutes. I was feeling rather guilty for leaving Lenny alone, and I was anxious to get home.

Lenny was in the bathroom with the door shut.

“Lenny, I bought some clothes for you. I think some of these things should fit.” The door opened a crack, and he poked his little head out. “Come on out; lets see how I did.” He stepped out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his body, and shuffled into the dining room. He was even smaller than I’d thought. “Jesus, Lenny. Look at you,” I marveled.

“What are we going to do?” Lenny stammered pathetically as he gazed up at me. “I’m so little...”

I took a deep breath. It was obvious that I was going to have to take control of this situation. “We’re going to have to take this one step at a time, honey. First, let’s get you dressed.” I knelt down next to him and reached for the towel. He’d wrapped it tightly around himself, just under his arms.

“No, I don’t want you to see me!” he protested, pulling away. “I can do it myself.”

“Don’t be silly, Lenny. It’s no big deal.” I tugged at the towel, and it fell away, leaving Lenny standing before me completely naked. Instinctively, he used his hands to cover himself.

He was a handsome little boy, the kind of child that I’d hoped to have if I ever had a kid. His skin was absolutely flawless. I put my hand on his shoulder and turned him around; inspecting his little body from both sides. “I think most of these things are going to be too big,” I remark, reaching into the bags to retrieve the clothes, “but let’s see what we have.”

Twenty minutes later, little Leon was fully dressed. Most of the clothes were much too big, but the smallest pair of jeans was passable, and he had three sets of tiny blue briefs that, although too large, were better than nothing. It was so cute when he put on the briefs; he asked me to turn my head! The smallest t-shirt that I’d bought was ridiculously huge; he seemed to drown in it.

“I don’t know how I could have been so wrong about the sizes,” I apologized. Lenny was curled up in a corner of the couch, his knees to his chest. He was deep in thought.

“You seemed bigger before,” I said, more to myself than to Lenny.

His eyes got big. “You don’t think I’m getting any smaller, do you?” The idea that Lenny was still getting younger never occurred to me.

“There’s one way to find out,” I replied, snatching a pencil. “Let’s take a measurement.” He stood, back arched, against the doorframe of the kitchen, and I marked his height. I couldn’t help but notice that the top of his head was considerably lower than my waist. I was startled by a loud knock on the door.

I looked through the peephole of the door. Two rather impatient looking police officers were standing on the other side.

“Who’s there?” I asked.

“It’s the San Antonio Police Department,” they called through the door. “We need to speak with Mary Jordan.” Lenny’s eyes got huge, and he scampered into the bedroom as I opened the door.

They flashed their badges, and I let them in. Very quickly I figured out that Lenny hadn’t been completely honest with me regarding his troubles with the law. He was wanted for aggravated armed robbery, apparently beating and robbing a convenience store clerk a week ago. Yes, I was with him last night. No, I didn’t know where he was staying. Of course, you can have a look around.

They cautiously walked through my apartment, opening each closet, even looking under the bed. Both of the officers had their guns out of their holsters and pointed toward the door. I wasn’t sure where Lenny was hiding, but he was doing a very good job.

Of course, I’ll call you if he shows up. Yes, if he contacts me, I’ll tell him that it would be better if he’d turn himself in. You have my complete cooperation. Thank you. Have a nice evening.

So many things were happening at once, my head was spinning. There was one thing that I sure of; Lenny had lied to me, and I was very angry. Where was he hiding? I took a second look in the bedroom closet. He wasn’t there. I glanced under the bed; nothing there. Of course! The cedar chest at the foot of my bed! It was much too small to hide conceal a man, but there was plenty of room for little Lenny.

I opened the top, and sure enough, he was curled up inside. His eyes were wide open; he almost seemed to be waiting for my reaction.

“Get up,” I ordered.

“I didn’t really hurt her,” he protested, as he struggled to climb out of the chest. “I just slapped her around a little because she was stalling. I really needed the cash Mary.

I helped Lenny by picking him up under his arms and depositing him on the floor. I was amazed at how light he was. On impulse, before I let him go, I slapped his backside three times. I’m sure it didn’t hurt, but by the look on his face, it certainly got his attention.

“Lenny, you’ve been VERY bad.”

Chapter Four

Lenny had all kinds of excuses. He started babbling about the store cheating him out of money, and then he claimed he didn’t hurt the clerk. Tired of his lies, and angry with the way he’d used me, I cut him off.

I decided to give Lenny an immediate choice. We could call the police and have them sort through this bizarre supernatural mess, or he could stay with me and together we would look for the old man. If he stayed with me, we were going to do things my way.

I wondered what would happen if I did involve the authorities. No doubt, once they confirmed Lenny’s identity, he’d be bundled off to some secret location for a number of tests. Perhaps they’d take me away as well. I couldn’t imagine what would happen when they discovered that, in just a few hours, a twenty-nine year old man had somehow been transformed into a little boy. I was growing increasingly confident that the consequences of such a discovery would not be good for either of us.

Of course, Lenny made the right decision.

“You know that I’m putting myself at considerable risk,” I said evenly. “So I’m not going to take any of your crap.” Lenny knew that I was very angry. “You’re going to do exactly what I tell you do, or I’ll turn you over to the cops.”

Lenny was agreeable, perhaps a bit too agreeable. I got the impression that he was just biding time before making his move.

I made a frozen pizza and we both ate it wordlessly, sitting on opposite ends of the couch, staring at the television. Neither of us was really watching; the events of the day had my mind reeling, and I’m sure that Lenny felt the same way.

He seemed to be struggling with his dinner. I’d placed a paper plate with one slice of pizza across his legs. Using both hands, he picked up the slice but was unable to support the entire piece. Most of the cheese and pepperoni slid off and onto his shirt in one big mess.

He looked over at me with the most sorrowful expression on his face, as if saying ?What more can happen?’ For just a moment, I felt sorry for him; I just wanted to scoop the little guy up in my arms and give him a big hug. Then I remembered how he’d lied to me. And I thought about that poor girl in the convenience store.

“It’s been a long day,” I sighed, watching him peel the debris from his shirt back onto the plate. “I think you should go to bed.” He didn’t argue. He placed his plate on the coffee table and hopped off the couch.

“Where?”

I nodded to my bedroom, and turned my attention to the television, feigning interest in a show on the Travel Channel. Lenny went into the bathroom. I wondered if he tall enough to reach the toilet. “Do you a stool or something?” I called to him.

“No, I can manage.”

I heard him tinkle, and then the toilet was flushed. He moved to the bedroom, shutting the door almost completely.

I waited for a while before joining him. I placed the cedar chest against the door on the inside as a precaution, so he wouldn’t be able to leave the room without my knowing. Lenny was sleeping soundly; I could hear him softly snoring. Lenny made such a tiny lump in my big bed! I slid in without Lenny stirring. I stared up at the ceiling for some time, before turning on my side and drawing his little body close to me.

Lenny was still fully dressed!

I got out of bed and turned on the light. I drew back the sheet, and then pulled at the bottom of his little jeans. They were very loose and slid right off. I then peeled away his shirt, leaving him dressed in just his little underpants. Lenny was as limp as a little rag doll, and through all of this, never moved a muscle. It was difficult to believe that this beautiful little boy, sleeping so peacefully in my bed, was the same jerk that I’d had breakfast with less than twenty-four hours before.

I couldn’t resist peeking in his underpants. Lenny was always so proud of his *****! I gingerly pinched the waistband, and pulled back the fabric. Lenny’s huge penis was, of course, no where to be found. In its place was a tiny pink appendage no bigger then the end of my pinkie. No wonder he made me turn my back when he got dressed!

As we lay there in the darkness, snuggled against one another under the crisp, cool sheets, it occurred to me that maybe all of this was part of a grand plan. Perhaps this was all just meant to be. Lenny might never be big again. He might even be mine for keeps. I suddenly realized that my nipples were erect and tingling.

Chapter 5

I always thought that Lenny had a hot body. When we dated back in high school, he was really buff. He wasn’t that tall, less than six feet, and had thick curly hair. I think what really got to me was his smile. He had this crooked, goofy grin that simply made my heart melt whenever I saw it.

We were together for the longest time. Eventually the day came when we both sort of decided that the relationship had run its course, and we went separate ways. Someone told me later that he’d dropped out of college and was dealing marijuana. I hadn’t seen him in over two years when he knocked on my door last week, looking for a place to crash. He was gaunt, almost emaciated. His curly hair was thinning; he flashed that old familiar smile and I just had to help him in any way that I could.

I slept very well, evidently Leon did as well. He didn’t stir when I got up to make coffee. Somehow things made more sense this morning. I was beginning to understand what was happening, almost as if I were given some knowledge or wisdom while I slept.

“Are you awake?” I could hear him moving about in the bedroom, and then saw him scamper into the bathroom, but he’d yet to make an appearance. “Come out here so I can measure you.” It wasn’t a request, it was an order. It was important to set the tone.

He stood in front of me, dressed only in his baggy underpants, arms folded defiantly across his chest. He’d definitely gotten smaller during the night. Leon was now an adorable, albeit unhappy, little boy, no more than four years old.

Cooperatively, he stretched against the door jam. As he strained against the wood, struggling to have every inch of his diminishing height recorded, his underpants suddenly dropped to his ankles. He squatted, grabbed the elastic waist band, and pulled them back up.

“Don’t be shy,” I giggled. “I took a peek last night when I got you ready for bed.” I think it took a moment for him to understand what I was saying. He suddenly turned crimson red. “I think it’s cute.”

He’d lost at least six inches. For some reason, I wasn’t the least bit alarmed. I was sure that Lenny would soon stop regressing, and I knew that it was all part of a plan. I simply needed to wait for all to be revealed.

Lenny turned and looked at the marks. His mouth dropped open, and his eyes grew large. “I thought so! I’m getting smaller!”

“So it would seem,” I mused. “You might want to get dressed; we’re going to have some company.”

“Company?” Lenny asked incredulously. “How can you be so calm? We have to find the old man! Look at me! I’m turning into a baby for Christ’s sake!”

I got down on my knees, and I still had to look down at poor little Lenny. I can’t imagine what it was like for him, suddenly becoming so small. “Lenny, you’re going to have to trust me. Somehow I know that this is all going to work out.” I reached out and pulled him toward me, and to my surprise he didn’t struggle. I held him close, enjoying the feeling of his soft, naked, skin, burying myself in his smell.

“My friend George is going to watch you while I go out and pick up a few things,” I announced. “And this afternoon we’ll go out to look for the old man.”

Chapter Six

My friend George is a big bear of a man, with wavy red hair, and a full flowing beard and moustache. We met in grad school, and he quickly became my very best friend. Life had recently thrown me some major curves, and George was there to support me through all of my problems. Why is it that the best ones are either married or gay?

I really felt bad about lying to him, but there was no way he’d believe the truth.

“This is Lenny, my sister’s kid.” Lenny sat at the dining room table eating a bagel that I’d toasted for him. The poor little guy looked so sad and forlorn! His legs hung over the front of the chair and his feet dangled off of the floor. His feet were covered up by the legs of his baggy pants. He looked dazed. “Lenny’s going to be staying with me for a few days.”

“Well, Hi Lenny!” George gushed. He leaned down, placing his hands on his knees, and got right next to Lenny’s face. “How old are you?”

“He just turned four,” I interrupted. “He doesn’t talk very much. You’re awfully shy, aren’t you Lenny?” I rubbed the top of his head, running my fingers through his thick, curly hair. Irritated, Lenny scowled and jerked his head away.

“It’s OK to be quiet,” George replied, sounding suddenly a lot like Mr. Rogers. “We’ll just watch some television while Aunt Mary does her shopping.” He retrieved the remote and sank heavily into the recliner.

I had a very busy morning. I returned the clothes to Walmart, and bought lots of new things in the right size. I also picked up some other items that I knew we’d need. Shopping was incredibly easy; I seemed to know what to buy without even thinking about it. Within an hour, I was stashing my booty in the trunk and back seat of my car.

I thanked George and dismissed him with a kiss on the cheek. He told me that Lenny was no trouble at all, and he’d be happy to help anytime I needed him. George is such a dear!

Poor Lenny was huddled in the corner of the couch, staring vacantly at the television, smothered in his oversized jeans and t-shirt. He was making a point to ignore me.

“Your friend is a ***** pervert!” He suddenly shrieked, so loud and shrill it hurt my ears.

“What?” I asked, startled by the sudden outburst.

He scowled comically. “He made me keep the door open while I went to the bathroom.”

“Big deal,” I teased. “He thought you were a little kid. He was watching out for you; that’s what babysitters do.”

“He wiped me, Mary. I told him I could do it myself, but he wiped me.” His bottom lip trembled, and he looked like he was on the verge of tears.

I shouldn’t have laughed out loud, but I couldn’t help myself. In fact, I laughed so hard that I had to sit down; it probably took a couple of minutes for me to regain my composure. George wiping my boyfriend’s bottom! The thought was perfectly hysterical.

“Try this stuff on,” I said, tossing a bag of clothes onto the floor beside the couch.

“Stop laughing!” he barked, dragging the bag into the bathroom. “We’ve got to find the old man, and we have to find him now!”

“And you need to put on some clothes that fit,” I replied calmly. “Let’s take this one step at a time.”

It seemed to take forever for little Leon to try on his new clothes. Finally, he stepped out into the living room. The clothes were just a tad small. The brown corduroy pants had an elastic waist and fit there, however the legs were a bit too short. The shirt wasn’t quite right either. When Lenny lifted his arms, his tummy was exposed. For a fleeting moment, I was disappointed. And then it hit me.

The clothes would fit perfectly tomorrow.

Part Seven

The only place that I could think to look for the old man was back at the Waffle House. Somehow I knew that our search would be fruitless, but I had to go through the motions to placate Lenny. The old man said he’d be back in a week; I knew that we would meet him there in the wee hours of Sunday morning and not before. The prospect of seeing him again, at a specific date and time, was beginning to feel like a business meeting.

Lenny was surprisingly cooperative. He put his shoes and socks on by himself, and we were ready to go. I took his little hand as we left the apartment. He tugged once, trying to get away, but I held tight. I think he was glad; I am sure that he was frightened. I can only imagine how big the world must seem when you’re only thirty inches tall. When he looked up to see the car seat I’d installed in the back seat, he was visibly shaken.

“It’s the law,” I explained. “I can’t afford the tickets.”

With a look of grim determination, Lenny tackled the climb into the seat completely unassisted. I did help him with the straps.

We got a cheery greeting, once again in unison, as we entered the Waffle House. The only booth available was the same one we’d had on Sunday morning, just two days before. My, how things can change in a couple of days!

I grabbed a plastic booster chair for Lenny, and waited patiently for him to climb in. It would have been much faster if I’d helped, but I wasn’t in any particular hurry. At first, I didn’t recognize anyone from the other night. It didn’t surprise me; the place WAS open twenty four/seven, and we didn’t even have the right shift. Then I saw her, the young Mexican girl that Lenny had harassed on Sunday.

She spotted us right away, and smiled shyly. I smiled back, and motioned for her to come over. She shuffled over to our booth, staring intently at tiny Leon, who was mesmerized by the sight of a spoon he was clutching in his palm.

“Do you remember me?” I asked.

“Oh, yes. I remember both of you.” She giggled, rolled her eyes dramatically. She shifted her weight from one leg to another, almost as if she were dancing. Reaching out, she gently caressed Leon’s face with the back of her hand. “I think I like him much better like this.” She looked at Leon, and then tilted her head, squinting. For just a moment, I saw a flash of incredible intelligence, and then it was gone.

Leon dropped his fork to the floor, his hands balled up into tight little fists and his cheeks turned crimson red. “Ask the retard about the old man,” Lenny croaked impatiently. The girl glared angrily at Lenny.

“He still needs to learn manners.” She shook her head, dismissing Leon, and smiled broadly at me. “He comes in every week to see me. He wants to see if I’ve learned my lesson. Now he’ll see you too!” She then shuffled away, eyes to the floor, mumbling loudly to herself about a mess she had to clean in the men’s room.

We left the diner and drove around aimlessly for a couple of hours, looking for the old man in areas where the homeless tend to congregate. I knew that our search was hopeless, and I think that little Lenny, desperately peering out of the back window from his little car seat, did too. We would meet the old man again on Sunday morning, and not one minute before.

I also knew that a lot of things would change before then.

My trunk was full of things that I didn’t want Lenny to see. Tucked away was a new car seat; a rear facing model that doubled as a carrier. And there were all those bags full of baby clothes: little sun suits and rompers in bright gay colors. There were things in my trunk that I barely remember buying, things that almost fell into my cart as I did my shopping. Diapers, bottles, formula, the list seemed endless.

But at this point, there was no reason to frighten Lenny. He would understand what was happening soon enough. And so would I.

Part Eight

Poor Lenny demanded that I measure him the moment we got back to the apartment. He’d lost at least a couple more inches, all in a single day! I noticed that the clothes that were tight on him this morning fit almost perfectly now.

“I think it’s stopping,” I lied. “I don’t think that you’re going to get much smaller.”

“Bullshit!” he shouted. “What’s going to happen to me if it doesn’t stop?” He looked genuinely terrified.

It was incredible watching him. This cute little guy was a tiny, soft, cuddly version of my old boyfriend. I wanted to pull him into my arms, and snuggle with him, but I could tell that the timing wasn’t right. There would be lots of time for that later. As I thought about what the future might hold, my nipples suddenly started tingling!

“It will stop, Lenny,” I reassured him. “And we’ll see the old man in a few days.”

Lenny pulled at the door of the refrigerator and opened it with considerable effort. Reaching up, he retrieved a beer with both hands. As he used his leg to shut the door, he glanced up at me to see my reaction.

“Do you think that is a good idea?” I reproved.

“Do you think that is a good idea?” he mimicked sarcastically. “I’ll tell you, I’ve had about as much of this shit as I can take.” He pulled himself up into his corner of the couch, and attempted to open the can. “Damn, I can’t even open a fucking beer!” He whined in frustration. I plucked it out of his hands, popped the top, and placed it carefully between his legs.

He raised the can to his mouth, spilling much of the beer down his face and onto his shirt. Within twenty minutes the can was empty, and in under an hour little Lenny was passed out.

I could have stopped him from drinking the beer, I suppose. But I figured I’d let him have his fun while he still can. I think we both knew that he was rapidly running out of time. Besides, he was so much easier to handle this way, and I’d been dying to handle him all day.

I pulled him into my arms, and cuddled with him there on the couch for most of the evening. Eventually, I carried my chubby little toddler into the bedroom and took off his baggy clothes, dressing him in more suitable attire. As I worked, I wondered what Lenny’s reaction would be in the morning when he woke up to discover that the only thing he was wearing was a cloth diaper and blue plastic panties.

I was slightly disturbed by the idea that Lenny’s situation aroused me sexually. What kind of a woman gets off on someone else’s tragedy? It didn’t really make any sense to me. But his helplessness, and my increasing dominance turned me on.

I snuggled with Lenny again all night. I went to bed wearing only my panties, and snuggled him close as I tried in vain to fall asleep. At one point I actually positioned myself so that a nipple brushed across the little rosebud that was his mouth. I was hoping that he’d take me into his mouth and suck hungrily, ending my torture.

Eventually, one of my hands wandered into my panties, and I diddled myself to a rapid orgasm, clutching Lenny to my chest like a little doll. Finally sleep claimed me.

I didn’t wake up until I heard Lenny screaming.

Part Nine

Lenny was standing in the hallway just outside the bedroom, staring at his reflection in the full length mirror mounted on the bathroom door.

“What’s happening to me?” he squealed, staring wide-eyed into the glass. “Jesus Christ, what IS this?” Pulling at the plastic pants, he looked up, searching desperately for an explanation. “Tell me you didn’t dress me in a fucking diaper!”

I sat in bed, pulling a sheet up to cover myself. I wasn’t surprised to see that Lenny had gotten yet smaller during the night. “You passed out on the couch,” I shrugged, “And I couldn’t have you peeing all over my mattress.” I successfully resisted the urge to smile as he pivoted his little frame in the mirror, inspecting his tiny body from every angle. The diaper that I’d snuggly pinned on him hours before now hung at his hips. Pulling on a t-shirt, I got up and stood in the doorway.

“I’ve changed my mind,” he babbled. “I have to get to a hospital; there’s got to be a way to stop this!”

“It’s too late for that,” I replied quietly. “We made a deal.” Walking over to Lenny, I reached down and effortless slid the diaper and plastic pants to his ankles. His diaper was saturated. I gave his bare little bottom a playful swat, and gently guided him into the bathroom to get dressed. The poor guy seemed completely bewildered.

I wasn’t surprised to find that among all of my Walmart purchases, I had just one outfit that fit Lenny’s rapidly diminishing body perfectly: a set of brown corduroy bib overalls and a white cotton shirt imprinted with tiny smiling dinosaurs. After a short discussion, I decided to let him wear big boy underpants for the time being, although the tiny white briefs were ridiculously big. I didn’t have any shoes for him, but that wouldn’t be a problem. I didn’t have any plans to go out for the next few days.

A few days later, we returned to the Waffle House.

Lenny’s regression slowly ground to a halt the day before. He ended up weighing just sixteen pounds, and measured twenty-six inches in length. He lost his ability to speak rather suddenly, but I had no doubt that he could understand everything I was saying.

“How old is your baby?” an elderly lady asked as she held open the door for us at the diner. I paused, allowing the woman to pat the top of Lenny’s head as he twisted and squirmed in his little carrier.

“Three months,” I answered proudly, bracing myself for criticism for having a baby out at that time of night.

“She’s absolutely adorable,” the lady rambled. “They’re just so cute at that age, aren’t they?”

“He’s a boy,” I corrected with a giggle. “I just couldn’t resist the outfit.” I’d dressed Lenny in a little yellow sundress, complete with coordinating plastic panties. The tiny lace-trimmed yellow socks completed the outfit.

Even at three in the morning, the place was packed with people, yet the booth that we’d taken on previous visits was empty. I put Lenny on the table and sat down. When the Mexican girl saw us, she abandoned her mop in the corner and came over immediately.

At first, she ignored me completely; all of her attention was on baby Lenny.

“You must have been a very bad man,” the girl whispered, marveling wide-eyed at Lenny. She placed her brown finger into one of Lenny’s palms; his fingers, pink and nearly translucent, closed around the proffered digit.

“I’m sorry?” The girl had spoken so softy, I wasn’t sure what I’d heard.

“I was a bad man once,” she hissed, looking up at me. “And now I’m being punished.” She glanced around, as if someone might be listening. “I’m not very smart now. And I have boobies. And I sit down to pee.” Lenny had released the girl’s finger, and was swatting clumsily at her with both of his hands. This made the girl smile mischievously. “He doesn’t look very happy. Maybe he’s poopy. Babies are poopy sometimes.”

Suddenly I noticed that the diner had cleared out. There wasn’t a sole in the place except for baby Lenny, the girl, and me.

The door opened and the hot, dry Texas night air rushed in. A tall, lanky man, dressed all in black, stepped into the restaurant. The man turned toward us. At first, I didn’t think that it was the same man from last week, and then the smell hit me. I immediately understood that it was the same entity, just a different form. He was young, with a tanned friendly face that included a bright, easy smile. He sat down across from me and extended his hand. I reluctantly shook it. His skin was cold; it was like touching a corpse.

He was dressed in a black blazer, black pants and a black shirt. The only thing that wasn’t black was the priest’s collar that he was wearing.

“Belinda, dear, would you mind watching the baby while Mary and I have a little talk?”

Without waiting for my permission, the girl reached into the carrier and scooped up Lenny. My little guy must have been terrified. He squealed like a piglet as she gently nestled the squirming infant to her chest and carried him to the far end of the small diner.

?Even now, he can be quite a handful, can’t he?” the priest observed, shaking his head. “But at least he can’t hurt anybody.”

“Who ARE you?” I boldly asked.

“Oh, Mary, that’s not important.” He seemed distracted by Lenny’s crying, and then suddenly pointed his index finger in the air and gave it a wag, as if admonishing a disobedient child. Suddenly Lenny was quiet. “That clerk that he beat up died a few hours ago,” he continued. “She was a real nice kid. She’s in a better place now.”

I knew that he was telling the truth. There was no reason for him to lie. I got the feeling that there was never a reason for this man to lie.

“And how are YOU doing?” he asked. His eyes seemed to peer directly into my soul.

To this day, I don’t know what I told him. I do remember that we had a long conversation, and when I left the Waffle House, baby in tow, I knew that Lenny would always be mine and I knew that we were bound together forever in a union even stronger than mother-child.

We’d see him again next week at the same time; he’d probably be in yet a different form, but we’d recognize him. I’m now not sure whether he’s Satan, God, or something in between. I am sure that he doles out punishment for some who need it, and rewards others, offering them their fondest desire. I’m also sure that if I take care of all of Lenny’s needs, keeping him warm and dry, and his little tummy full of my milk, then the man dressed in black will take care of all of mine.

The End

 

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