Mr. D's Collection of Short Stories

Chapter 2
Borrowed Time and Money

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Chapter Description: Steven is in a pinch from his overwhelming debt due in just a matter of hours. His guardian angel dives in with a deal that seems too good to be true.

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Tears of anxiety streamed down Steven’s face. He had two hours to gather two thousand for his debt collector or he was on the chopping block. He wondered how he was going to get that kind of money in that amount of time. Steven nervously kicked the step of the bank as he considered his situation.

“Excuse me sir, are you alright?” A girl who looked to be about seventeen or eighteen interrupted his silence. She looked really plain and Steven figured she wasn’t his type.

“Go home to your parents, little girl. You shouldn’t ever talk to strangers.” Steven couldn’t even make eye contact with her as he told her off for speaking to him.

“Ahaha, funny. I’m actually fifty-seven. Looks like you should go home to your parents, little one.” She countered.

Steven forced a bitter laugh then looked into her green eyes. She couldn’t be any older than eighteen. “Look, I’m in a bit of trouble and you should really get out of here.”

“What kind of trouble?” The girl continued her prying.

Steven threw his hands up in exasperation, “I owe money to people I shouldn’t owe money to. If you don’t want to meet these people you should get the hell outta here-“

“How much?”

Steven paused, eyeing the girl. She hadn’t been sent to mess with him, had she? That would be really messed up if she had. “Two thousand dollars,” Steven breathed, beginning to suspect this girl wasn’t so innocent.

“Perfect,” she replied, grabbing an envelope from her bag. “Here’s three thousand in cash. Its yours if you can play hide and seek tonight.”

Steven snatched the envelope from her hand, his eyes widening as he counted out three thousand in cash. “Girl, I don’t know where you got this money, and I don’t care, you’ve got yourself a deal.”

The girl extended her hand, “A deal it is, mister?”

“Just call me Steve,” Steven replied, not believing this was really happening. “How old are you, really?”

“How old are you?” she answered.

“I’m twenty-two,” Steven said, “You can’t really be fifty-seven…”

The girl laughed, “I really am,” she replied, “I just look really young for my age.”

“Well, thanks, miss. I won’t forget this.” Steven grinned from ear to ear as he started to walk away.

“Remember, hide and seek tonight.” The green-eyed girl reminded him.

“Right, tonight. Will do.” He said. He didn’t bother asking where; of course he wouldn’t do it. Now he had money to pay off his debts and a sizable bonus to splurge at the bar. This little girl could play guardian angel to someone else. Steven walked off without another word.

***

It had been a fun night. Steven staggered home in a very intoxicated state. He had numbers from three different girls from the bar and he’d heard some very good stories tonight. All in all it had been a very good day for him. Steven couldn’t help but grin as he got back to his apartment and keyed open his locked door.

His apartment was a complete mess. Clutter and garbage impeded every step he took on his way in. Cleaning up wasn’t too high on his list of priorities, but after taking a spill and hitting his arm pretty hard last week, cleanliness was now being considered.

Steven sat down on the couch and put his feet up on his coffee table, grabbing the remote to his TV as he wiped his eyes. He wasn’t completely wasted yet, but would shortly solve that problem with a bottle of whiskey he’d purchased earlier today. As the screen flickered on, Steven saw a pair of green eyes reflected in his TV.

Steven turned around to face the window outside his apartment. His blinds were open and for a moment he could have sworn he saw a vague outline of some random person through the window. As he focused his eyes to see who was there, he realized that whoever it was had gone.

He staggered toward the door, burst it open, and threw his head and shoulders out the doorway, hanging onto the frame for support, “And Shtay out!” He roared. Steven took a swig of whiskey as he reentered his house, not even sure when he picked it up.

Deciding he wanted a little privacy in case the person came back, Steven closed his blinds. He found it difficult, but within five minutes he was back in his chair, throwing back mouthfuls of whiskey, and watching his favorite comedians.

About ten minutes into his after-the- bar routine, Steven heard a knock on the door. “Go f**k yourself,” Steven yelled. After a moment of silence, the knocking continued.

Steven was fed up. He got off his chair and slowly navigated toward the door. When he opened the door, no one was there. “Damn, I need to Shtop drinking…” he mumbled to himself, shutting the door as he returned to his chair.

Moments later, Steven heard movement coming from his kitchen. “Ah, knock it off.” He said, to no one in particular, “Damn shpirits dishturbing me while I drink shpiritsh.”

Steven returned his gaze to the television, but instead of the screen he saw the girl he’d met earlier today. His mouth dropped as he considered it was officially time to get a new hobby.

“What the fu-“

“You promised me hide and seek tonight,” the girl interrupted, “And you should really watch your language.”

Steven was dumbfounded. She shouldn’t have been able to get into his apartment. Steven spoke slowly, trying not to slur his words “Look girl, I don’t know how you-“

“Have you been drinking? You smell like alcohol.”

“Look girl, thatsh not your problem.”

The girl shook her head. “You can’t play hide and seek drunk.” She grabbed Stevens face with one hand, putting her own face inches in front of his and inhaled.

Steven immediately felt sober. What was more, his clothes felt a little looser than they had for the last few weeks. “Whoa, what the hell?”

“You’re welcome.” The girl stated, wiping her mouth as if she just had a meal. “I’ll consider that my little free-bee for the night.”

“What did you do to me?” Steven breathed.

“I drained a year from you,” the girl replied, “I can do that sort of magic, but I’ve been cursed to age backward, so I have to steal years from other people every now and then.”

Steve’s eyes widened. “I’m not buying it. You’re saying I’m now twenty-one?”

“In a physical sense, yes… although I technically didn’t change the year you were born, so you still are twenty-two, just not as physically developed as you should be for that age… which for you looks like a big improvement.” She stated, eyeing evidence of all the weight Steven lost.

“Look, I appreciate the help you gave me, but you need to get out now!” Steven growled.

“Na-a-a,” his intruder countered, “you owe me a game or three grand in cash, your choice.”

“Look, I’m just not in the mood tonight, can we do this some other time?”

“Nope, you need to make up your mind now.” She said decisively.

“Fine, we’ll play.” Steven caved. He couldn’t really call the police anyway, seeing as he was in a little trouble with them too. “You counting or hiding?”

“I’ll count,” she said, “but first, we have to place bets.”

“What?” Steven spat, “I don’t have any money.”

“I can see that,” the girl replied, “Spent three grand in one day, live in a dump of an apartment," she kicked an empty vodka bottle toward the wall, "and can’t even ask a girl her name. It’s Veronica, by the way.”

Steven was about to say something, but Veronica cut him off.

“I will bet five grand and you will bet five years. Sound fair?”

Steven still didn’t buy into her having magic, but nodded. This couldn’t be that hard. At the worst he’d get rid of her and at the best he’d win some money, assuming she had it.

“I will count to ten. I have five minutes to find you. If I can’t find you within five minutes I will yell time and you come out, which is when I give you the money.”

Veronica turned around and began to count. She was very slow in her counting, which would give Steven plenty of time.

Steven slowly crept away. As he entered his bedroom, he considered that under the bed and in the closet were easy places. He left his bedroom and went into his bathroom, grinning as he spotted the cabinet under the sink. “Perfect.” He breathed.

“Ready or not, here I come,” Veronica announced. Steven heard her enter the bedroom, and knew she was looking in all the obvious places.

Minutes felt like hours as Veronica took her time exploring his room, "Dang, it’s really messy in here. You should consider taking some time to clean up in here."

Steven felt like leaving his spot just to start something over her last comment, but in light of the bigger picture held still and took a deep breath.

“Just a minute and a half left.” Steven whispered to himself as he looked at his phone.

“Oh where could he be? I just can’t find him anywhere... who could find anything in a mess like this?” Steven heard Veronica wonder out loud. It agitated him that she belittled him in such a manner, but it was her that was going to lose money tonight. Thirty seconds left.

Steven’s phone went off as he got a text. “Was that a phone I just heard?” With just a few seconds left of hiding, Steven checked his phone. Found you. The text read.

Steven looked over his shoulder as the cupboard opened to his left. “Looks like I won this round.” Veronica said cheerily, but don’t worry, it’s my turn to hide.”

Steven pulled himself out of the bathroom. “Well-“

“First,” Veronica said quickly, “You need to pay up on that wager.”

Steven laughed, even if she could reverse his biological clock, five years wasn’t anything that he’d miss. “Okay. Take the years. I’m not complaining.”

In the same manner as before, Veronica grabbed his chin in one hand and inhaled right in front of his face. Steven felt his clothes loosen even more as Veronica let go. Veronica now looked like she was in her early twenties.

Steven looked into his bathroom mirror. He looked exactly as he had when he was sixteen. “Whoa, hold up,” he yelled, “I wasn’t actually buying into this sh*t.”

“Language, Stevie,” Veronica laughed. “Your turn to count. Count to ten. I’m betting five grand and you’re betting another five years. You have five minutes.”

“No, I get ten minutes.” Steven countered, trying to sound as intimidating as he could. “Ten minutes is fair.” Steven secured his waistline with a stray belt he found lying on the floor.

“I’m not doing that,” Veronica offered a sly grin. “We can do ten grand and ten years for ten minutes if you wish to raise the stakes.”

“You bet five years and five thousand and I bet ten years.” Steven looked her in the eyes, trying to at least seem somewhat assertive at this point.

“Ooh, sounds dangerous. Let’s do it!” Steven turned around. He counted to ten very fast. “Alright, ready or not, here I come.”

He went to his bedroom, where the only real hiding places were, albeit very easy hiding places. He checked under his bed. Nothing. His closet was empty. He even pulled back his curtains to see if maybe she was squeezing onto the windowsill, but she wasn’t there. Steven shook his head, kicking aside piles of clutter as he left the room. Two minutes had past.

All the clutter Steven practically had to wade through only fueled his temper. It was almost as if they weren’t on even playing grounds.

“I’m going to find you, b****,” he called out. His phone went off while he looked. He looked down at a screen that said Language!

“I don’t know how you got my number, witch, but once this game is over I’m gonna put a restraining order on your ass and you won’t bother me anymore. Go find someone else to steal years from.” Steven kicked his chair as his phone went off again.

Only three minutes left, the text said. Steven threw his phone at the wall. Stupid piece of junk kept him distracted. He stared at his whiskey bottle for a minute then snapped out of it.

“Where are you?” Steven shouted. “Give me my years back and I’ll call it even. You don’t owe me any money if you do that.”

Steven looked at the microwave clock as he finished searching the kitchen. One minute left.

“F**cking b**** left,” Steven said as he slumped back into his chair. He didn’t hear her leave, but he’d searched everywhere, aside from his bathroom, she couldn’t be in there considering that was where he had counted.

He considered that he’d just have to play off his regression as some kind of sickness. All things considered, tonight wasn’t a huge loss. He carried his whiskey bottle with him to the door and took a victorious swig after locking his apartment.

Steven returned to his chair. He could definitely feel the alcohol. Tasted horrible, but felt great. He fished around for his remote, growing complacent in his ’win’.

“Time,” Veronica called from inside the bathroom as she stepped out.

“How in the hell-“

“Oh, I just climbed up the wall and snuck behind you as you left. Really simple.” Veronica grabbed Stevens chin and inhaled deeply this time.

“Give back my years!” Steven cried as the world suddenly became gigantic around him.

“I can’t do that,” Veronica sat in the chair next to him then scooped him up into her lap. His clothes now seemed to only cover him as a loose blanket would. Though Veronica looked very plain before she certainly seemed fairly attractive now that she appeared to be in her mid-twenties. Wrapping her arms around her little captive, she continued, “I can do one more round though. How about you bet five years and I bet fifteen?” Veronica swayed back and forth as she waited for his response to her lopsided proposal.

Steven nodded, pulling his thumb out of his mouth. “You owny two minuhs.” Steven insisted, holding up two fingers. His speech and mannerisms seemed a little immature for his age, provoking a sly grin from Veronica.

Veronica laughed, “Alright, I only get two minutes. How about I count to twenty this time?”

Steven nodded gleefully and bolted toward his room as Veronica started counting. Sneaking a peek, Veronica laughed as his pants slid off his skinny legs, his t-shirt covering him like a huge poncho that he now wore like a dress.

Steve entered his room. His room was so messy, finding a hiding place should be easy. He dove under his bed, but then considered that that’s too easy. Steven then opened his closet and hid under a pile of laundry. “She’ll never find me here.” He giggled to himself.

“Ready or not, here I come!” Veronica called out in a voice so loud it would have made adult Steven consider it a wonder that he hadn’t had any noise complaints yet tonight. “Let’s see.. not in the kitchen…”

Steven held his breath as he stared at a digital clock he kept next to his bed, clear across the room. It was taking forever to change to the next minute.

“Not in the living room or bathroom…” Steven kicked his feet in childish frustration as Veronica made her way closer and closer. “Little Stevie must be hiding in his room!” Veronica gasped as she entered the room. The clock finally changed to the next minute.

Veronica sank to her hands and knees in her search, “Nope, not under the bed.”

She rose to her feet. All the clutter in the room which made it hard for Steven to walk around seemed to do nothing by means of slowing down Veronica. Steven breathed harder as Veronica stepped inches in front of him, only to stare in shock at how trashed his room was. “Little Stevie should really clean his room sometime.” Veronica pulled back the curtain as she got to the window.

Steven felt his crotch grow warm, urine spreading across his lap as Veronica turned to his direction, seemingly making eye contact with him. “Uh-oh, I smell pee-pee. Time to change the bay-bee.” Veronica sang the last sentence, causing Steven to feel his stomach drop.

Steven focused all his energy on the clock changing to the next minute as Veronica slowly squatted down to the pile of clothes that were concealing him. “No, no, no, no!” Steven screamed as he bolted upright into sitting position, completely forgetting about the game. “Pease, gimme nother tance.”

Veronica laughed, “Silly boy, you’re out of years to gamble away. You could bet the one year you have left, but you’d barely be able to crawl, much less find my next hiding place. Nope, I think we’re done for the night, little mister.”

Steven fussed and squealed as Veronica picked him up by the armpits. Though he squirmed violently to escape Veronica’s hold, his resistance couldn’t compare to her iron grip.

Steven started kicking as he was placed on the bed. Turning his head off to the side, he noticed that Veronica had already set out a diaper in preparation of his impending regression.

“NO!” He screamed, “I no wanna be bay-bee, I no wanna wear diapos!”

“Tch, tch, tch, tch, tch… hush little one.” Veronica’s voice was soft and soothing, “I know it seems like you just hit rock bottom, but on the bright side your life can only get better.”

Steven’s resistance turned to a whimper as he tried to come to terms with his new circumstances.

Veronica inhaled another breath as she towered over the once handsome pushover, now completely at her mercy.

***

“So, you played that little game again,” An older woman summarized Veronica’s story as they sat on Steven’s couch.

“Yes I did… I’m twenty-nine again. Honestly I was cutting it really close this time.” Veronica replied.

“Don’t tell me you plan on raising that trash.” The older witch said as she eyed the diapered infant on Veronica’s lap, the now infant Steven was barely a few months old and sleeping soundly as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

“Poor kid wanted another chance. I’ll humor him.” Veronica laughed.

“You mentioned that part.” Veronica’s guest wiped her eyes. “I think he just meant he wanted to play another round.”

“I warned him that another round would be pointless since as a baby he wouldn’t even know he was playing anymore, but he insisted so I gave him the benefit of the doubt.” Veronica chuckled as she gently rocked her night’s prize back and forth. "Little Stevie slept through his entire round."

“You know, just because you’re cursed to age backward doesn’t mean you have to challenge people for their years. You could have easily just stolen years from a group of people with them none the wiser.” The witch went on dryly.

“This way just seems fair.” Veronica replied. “He and I both get something out of it. I get to keep my powers a while longer and he gets another chance at life.”

The other witch looked at Veronica before leaving, “Seems like a waste of time if you ask me. You know I could easily overpower you, break your curse, or put you in the same state as him if I wanted to, right? That kid you have will never be able to do anything repay the favor.”

“Oh, I know he’ll never be able to repay me, but I would like to lay low for a while all the same. A single mother in a run-down apartment seems pretty low-key if you ask me, plus I know you won’t do anything to me since it’s really not worth the effort.”

The other witch sighed. Of course it wasn’t. “Well, I’ll leave you to your own devices. You’ve lost a lot of reason since you de-aged past twenty. Farewell, sister.”

Veronica smiled as her friend left. It was true. The older a witch was, the more power she had, and if a witch wound up in a scenario such as her own, she would lose her powers and have no recollection of ever possessing them if she became too young. While stealing years to in an attempt to age beyond their natural years was completely fruitless, losing the acquired years took its toll. Veronica had to get those years back, but she also had to bide her time and wait for the best opportunity to strike back.

Veronica sighed as a foul stench filled the apartment. The seemingly endless diaper changes were a part of this new arrangement she was not looking forward to.

After getting her newly regressed son situated, Veronica put little Stevie into his crib. She’d just cleaned the apartment, cleaned him up, had a few shots of whiskey, and was ready to call it a night. She turned out the lights before she slid under the covers of what was now her bed. The road ahead would be long, but well worth it in the end.

 

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