Spider Bites

Chapter 2
Brotherly Love

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Chapter Description: Gavin is just beginning to experience the results of his interaction with the witch in the elevator

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Gavin stared at the elevator doors for a minute before he was able to break out of the stupor the woman’s strange eyes had put him in. He shuddered as he took a step back from the elevator. He straightened his tie and smoothed his jacket as he tried to get himself together for the big meeting. He cleared his throat and turned to take a step to walk down to the corporation’s offices. As he took the first step, he felt a jabbing pain in his calf. He felt a white hot flush went through his body in the next instant later. In reaction, he broke his stride and reached down to rub the spot under his pants leg with two fingers. As he stood up, he felt the waist of his pants slide down a little on hips. Hmm. He thought he must have dropped a little weight since he had this suit tailored. As he pulled the waist back up, he thought he would have to drop it off at his favorite tailor to have it taken in.

Keeping his mind on the meeting he was going to and the millions that he was going to earn, Gavin began to energetically walk down the hallway toward the offices. As he walked, he felt the legs of his pants pool around his ankles brushing around his leg while he had to keep a hand on his pants. He was really going to have to talk to his tailor. As he progressed down the hall, there came the sound of his shoes flopping as he walked. The shoes were moving on his feet causing him to aim his toes in the air with each step. Gavin was so intent on making it to his meeting that it did not gain his notice.

By the time Gavin had passed several offices, he tripped on the excess material that encased his shoes. He tried to catch himself but the one hand being used for holding up his pants caused him to go completely flat on the carpeting. The momentum carried him forward causing him to get entangled in his suit. He fell forward, his chin brushing against the carpeting giving him a rug burn. His change, keys and phone were flung all over the hallway. He lay there stunned for a moment, trying to figure out what happened. As he lay there, he heard a door open and then he was staring at two extremely large dress leather shoes directly in front of him.

“Hey, what happened here? Did ya fall down, buddy?” A deep voice carried down to him. Suddenly two oversized hands reached down under his armpits and pulled him up vertical. A man in a navy blue business suit was kneeling down looking Gavin in his face. The man made a slight sound of condolence when he saw the abraded flesh on Gavin’s chin. Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out a handkerchief and placed it against Gavin’s chin.

“Ouch. It looks like you got yourself a bit of a war wound there.” The man pulled away the handkerchief to look at the blood and then patted Gavin’s chin again with it. “Are you okay, little fella?”

Gavin nodded as he stared stupefied at the giant yet gentle man there in front of him.

“Is this your Halloween costume?” The man asked as he looked at Gavin. “Who are ya supposed to be?”

Looking around, Gavin was shocked to see that the door knobs were suddenly just chin level. He was puzzled by the sight. He pulled back from the man as he only heard the second question

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“I’m. I’m uh Gavin Lowell.” Gavin stated as his eyes searched the hallway.

“Oh, the real estate guy! Of course, I didn’t recognize you.” The man joked as he nudged the little boy in front of him. “You look much younger than your pictures...

Gavin stared at the friendly face of the strange man kneeling on one knee in front of him. He blinked at the sheer size of the man. It finally dawned on him that the world had not gotten bigger, he had shrunk. He looked down at his body, seeing swallowed by the adult size suit. He pulled up his tender little hands in front of his face. He flipped them back and forth; he pulled them over to his face. He could feel the chubby cheeks that characterized his early elementary school pictures. He over to the man with his eyes wide and a face filled with shock.

“I got to go to the hospital!” Gavin exclaimed.

“Oh, it’s just a scrape. You’ll be fine.” The man responded thinking the little boy was concerned with the small injury on his chin as he got up from his knee. “Are you here with some one?”

Gavin, still in shock, looked up and not quite comprehending the question, shook his head.

“Here, come with me. We’ll take care of this.” As the man opened the door to the receptionist area of the office that he had just exited. The receptionist looked up and benignly smiled at him.

In another fifteen minutes, Gavin found himself sitting at the security desk on a stool with a band aid on his chin. He hadn’t said anything other than his name was Gavin Lowell. He sat there in the oversized suit while the security guard was on the phone. It began to sink into him that his body had regressed to eight years old.

He tried to analyze his situation as he sat there. He wasn’t sure about his next move. How had this happened? It started out as a normal day. Okay, the elevator thing was freaky, but completely understandable. He remembered the woman in the elevator with the strange eyes. It must have been her! He had to find her! He would make her undo what she did!

The security guard turned his back for a moment and Gavin quietly slid off the stool. He planned to search for the strange old woman in the building. He was backing away from the security desk, when he felt a bony hand clasp onto his shoulder.

“There you are, you brat!” A voice cracked as it came swooping down on him.

Gavin looked up over his shoulder and there was the disinterested teenager from the elevator. He was standing there, staring daggers at Gavin.

“You were not supposed to run around.” The teenager seethed. “Mom is going to pick us up in another ten minutes.”

“Is he with you?” The guard asked as he hung up the phone and looked over at the boys

“Yeah, he’s my dumb little brother. He’s always running off and getting me in trouble.” The teenager pulled out one of his ear pods as he spoke to the guard. “Where was he?”

“He was found on the Fifth floor.” The guard muttered as he shrugged.

“You were playing on the elevator again, weren’t you, Bonehead?” The teenager narrowed his eyes as he looked down at Gavin. “You were supposed to stay in the waiting room while I got my braces tightened.”

Gavin looked around puzzled. Was this kid talking to him? Did he honestly think he was his brother? He backed away from the teenager whose aura was giving out a definite threat toward him.

“Thanks for locating the pest.” The teenager grabbed Gavin’s upper arm and proceeded to move the pair toward the doors to the street. “Come on, Stupid. We’re supposed to be on the corner when Mom swings by to pick us up.”

Once they got to the street, Gavin pulled his arm out of the teenager’s grip.

“What’s going on? I’m not your brother.” Gavin declared at the strange teenager.

“Yeah, you and me wish! Now, come on!” The surly teenager responded as he reached for Gavin again.

“No, I’m not going anywhere with you.” Gavin spat as he started to move away.

“Yes, you are!” The teenager reached down and twisted Gavin’s arm behind him. “I am supposed to go to a party tonight and I am not letting you ruin it, you Paste Eater!”

“Ow! Let go! HELP!” Gavin called out.

Several people on the street slowed down to look at the pair of boys wrestling. Blood rushed to the face of the teenager as he felt the weight of the attention of the bystanders.

“Cheez, Gavin. Don’t make a such a scene. People are staring.” The teenager grunted as he relaxed his hold on the smaller boy.

“You let go of me or I’ll call the cops!” Gavin yelled as he wriggled to get out the older boy’s slightly relaxed clutches. Due to the effort he was putting into his escape attempt, Gavin was able to break free. His feet leaving his humungous sized shoes behind and hitching up his pants, he recklessly ran down the street away from the teenager. Not knowing where he was going exactly, just that he had to get away from that overly aggressive teenager. He heard the shouts of the teenager behind him, trailing after him. He dodged in between people and just happened to look over his shoulder when he crashed into a cop.

“Hey, you boys! This is not a playground.” The cop said as he grabbed Gavin by the collar and looked at the teenager who was running up. “There are people walking around here.”

“Help, officer! You gotta help me! I’m Gavin Lowell.” Gavin gasped as he looked up at the officer. “I’ve been turned into a little kid.”

“Sorry, officer. Don’t listen to my little brother.” The teenager sighed. “His Halloween costume has gone to his head. He keeps running off.” Looking down at Gain, he added. “Gavin, Mom is going to be looking for us. Come on!”

“No, it’s true! I’m Gavin Lowell. I am not a little kid.” Gavin pleaded desperately. “I am a real estate agent. You’ve seen my picture on the benches. I need help.”

“Listen, son, I know it is Halloween but you can’t be making be making false claims. There are people out there that really do need my help.” The officer lectured as he looked sternly at Gavin. “Stay out of trouble and do what you’re brother says.”

“No, he’s not my brother. I don’t want to go with him!” Gavin exclaimed as he furtively shook his head. “Please, you gotta help me!”

Just then, a harried woman in her thirties rushed up to the trio on the street.

“What is going on? I’ve been waiting at the curb for five minutes!” The woman announced to the boys and the policeman. “I had to pay to park and now I find you two being detained by a police officer.”

“It’s Gavin, Mom.” The older boy pointed at Gavin with an accusatory finger. “He’s acting up something fierce.”

“It seems the young man’s imagination has run away with him.” The cop explained as he turned from Gavin to woman

“No. Don’t talk about me that way! I’m an adult! I’m an adult!” Gavin shouted. “Look at my clothes. This is Italian silk. Not some meager Halloween costume.”

“Gavin! Behave yourself, young man.” The harried woman snapped at Gavin and then turned to the cop and said. “I am sorry¸ Officer. I thought Gavin was old enough to conduct himself while his brother was at the orthodontist. Obviously, I was wrong. Gavin, you and I will be having a talk when we get home!”

“No! Don’t make me go with them!” Gavin pleaded. “I need help!”

“Sorry, son.” The cop stated. “Your mom’s here and she makes the rules.”

“Tony, get in the car.” The woman directed the teenager and then looked at Gavin “I’ll deal with your brother.” She then reached over and grabbed Gavin’s wrist and pulled him from the policeman’s grasp.

“Thank you again for your assistance. I think I have everything in hand.” She said smiling at the officer.

Turning and pulling Gavin along, the woman bent down as they walked so her face was near Gavin’s. Gavin was propelled by her motion as he tried to keep his pants up with one hand while the other arm was held up so high that he had to walk on tiptoes. The mother continued to talk in a hushed sounding tones but her volume was not even near whispering.

“I have never been so embarrassed… To think a policeman had to get involved…What were you thinking?”

As Gavin was yanked along while mutely listened the diatribe falling on his head, he felt a sharp jab of pain on the side of his hip.

 

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