Chapter 41 (Patreon)

The first thing Bram noticed was the music pumping through the speakers. That and the dusty wooden floors he stepped on. A massive expanse of dirty oak sat before him like a sea of wood. He could see various women mewing about, sitting at tables and booths, and enjoying themselves. They may as well have been sharks waiting for prey to stumble by. Not long ago, this would have been heaven for him, but now he only felt dread as he looked around. His feet never stopped as he looked around the room. This was where his grandmother had suggested the women go for fun.

Bram crossed the threshold to the main floor and ran into a young man wearing a zebra mask with no shirt. They fell back onto their asses, but Bram got to his feet first. The other man seemed out of breath and well past the point of being terrified. “Help me,” the zebra-masked man said, “Please, don't let them-”

“There you are!” a woman's voice called from up above, and Bram quickly found cover, “Thought you could get away from me, little guy? We were just starting to have some fun. Naughty, naughty, someone just earned themselves a time-out. Be a good boy, and maybe I'll let you out for some more fun.”

“No, please!” the young man screamed, his voice barely carrying over the thumping bassy music, “Please just let me go!”

Bram's heart skipped a beat as he watched the woman turn around and carry a total stranger away. She hadn't seen him, but that was a small comfort compared to what Bram was witnessing. The woman in question, a slightly chubby woman in purple leggings and a halter top moved her hand to the back of her pants. She wasn't fat by any means, but she clearly carried some extra weight in her hips and thighs. Her long red hair swayed like her hips as she walked to the beat of the song playing. She dropped the stranger down the back of her pants and sealed him in with a snap. One look and Bram knew her ass was massive, even if he weren't so small. It may as well have been a couple of literal moons at their size. Twin spheres that could crush anyone unfortunate enough to be trapped between them. She'd blatantly ignored his screams in favor of torturing him. The way she'd playfully talked to him was almost more unsettling and insinuated his predicament as a time-out. Her cheeks clenched as she disappeared, and Bram swallowed a lump in his throat as he exhaled shakily.

He was reminded of Sarah in that one brief exchange. Thinking about her sent a chill down his spine. This was the type of place that was designed for people like her. He could see her becoming fast friends with the woman he'd just watched make off with her victim. That was one woman, a complete stranger, but countless others were waiting and lurking for their chance. He'd wind up sharing a similar fate if he weren't careful. Looking around, Bram noticed that most of the guys he saw were wearing those strange masks. He guessed that it was a uniform, but he doubted his lack of it would save him from these sadistic giants. One wrong move meant he'd be at the mercy of a stranger again, but he couldn't let his fear stop him here. It was too late to turn back now. His father needed him, and Bram was done letting his fear dictate and control him.

With his mind torn between terror and duty, Bram took a moment to collect himself. He swallowed the bundle of nerves stuck in his throat and resolved to press onward. There were sure to be more unspeakable acts happening around him, but he had to remain focused on the task at hand. There was no doubt that he'd see things he wouldn't be able to unsee, but he couldn't let them slow him down. Bram took a deep breath before racing off once more into the unknown.

Back outside of the club, Anna had made her way down the alleyway adjacent to the club. Slipping in had been simple enough, with the bouncer's attention more focused on watching the door than his surroundings. The alleyway was lit by a single hanging light attached to the neighboring building. A dumpster rested against the wall, and Anna could see a door to the club not far from where she stood. It was dark, which wasn't terrible considering she needed the cover, but she felt slightly anxious. Out of all the things she'd done over the years, she'd never snuck into a club.

She ducked down as the door opened, and someone walked out. A woman wearing a pantsuit with long brown hair stepped outside. She paused to prop the door open with a brick before taking a few steps forward. Anna waited and watched to see if she might turn around, but her back remained towards her. She saw her take out a small case and pull a cigarette out before lighting it. This was her chance to make it inside. Anna carefully crept forward and kept low as she inched closer to the door. She froze when she heard a phone ring, but the woman simply pulled out her phone to take a call. For a moment, she'd thought it had been hers and that her cover might be blown. Relieved, Anna slipped through the open door and into the back of the club.

She didn't know what to expect, but the first thing she saw was an office near the door. Stacks of money sat on a desk that she assumed belonged to the woman outside. Whoever she was, she must have been the owner of this place. Anna didn't stand around to count the money, but it looked like this place made a killing based on the bills she saw. Given what she'd seen from people, it shouldn't have been a surprise. Hell, even she'd been guilty of enjoying messing with tinies like Chad. As twisted as it might have been, she couldn't deny that it was a smart business model with high demand. However, Anna wondered how they managed to get the guys to agree to this. There were perverts out there, but surely there weren't that many guys dumb enough to agree to this line of work, right?

She kept her eyes focused on the hallway in front of her. Once on the main floor, she could relax and try to find Bram and the others. A set of swinging double doors were just up ahead. The closer Anna got, the more she could hear music, cheering, and all manner of party sounds. The song playing over the speakers outside had a driving bass line that she could feel in her bones. There was a distinct smell in the air that she couldn't quite place, and it grew stronger the closer she got to the doors. It was almost earthy and floral, but whatever it was, it was potent. It paired well with the thumping music but left a strange feeling in its wake. Anna shook it off and pushed the doors open to enter the club.

She emerged towards the back and couldn't believe what she saw. Dozens of women were seated around the main floor, with more enjoying a wide open floor for dancing. A stage nestled in the corner seemed empty, but monitors hung overhead that showed little men dancing and grinding to the beats. Some of the guys had enormous dollar bills either floating down near them or resting beside them. She paused to stare at the scene before her. Someone's hand came onto the screen and snatched one of the dancers. Anna saw a woman with dyed hair walking off as though she'd just won a prize. She watched as the woman in question looked around before tossing the little man into her mouth. Anna's jaw nearly dropped as she saw her begin chewing. Her stomach turned as she saw that woman swallow whatever was left of that dancer. What sort of place was this?

Anna shook off her shock at what she'd just seen. Her sense of urgency was at an all-time high after seeing a woman eat one of the dancers. It was beyond disturbing, but what was more strange was the fact that not a single person seemed to bat an eye. If this sort of thing was common practice here, she needed to find Chad and the others as soon as possible. As frustrated as she was with him, she didn't like the idea of him being eaten; it was too far even for her. She could only hope that Bram was alright and had some degree of luck finding Chad. Anna kept her eyes on the floor as she moved forward and tried to avoid stepping on any stray tinies running around.

On the opposite end of the club, Bram was running for his life. He kept his eyes peeled for any signs of his father and his friends as he tried to avoid unwanted attention from the ladies prowling around. In the short time that he'd been here, Bram had already seen more guys get grabbed, and he'd seen two men get trampled underfoot. Whether or not the women had done the latter on purpose was a mystery, but he hadn't stuck around to find out. This place was a madhouse of horrors. Everything from his worst nightmares had come to life in the bowels of this little establishment. People were screaming and begging for mercy, women were laughing and mocking them, and all the while, there was nothing anyone could do to stop any of it. The thought that his sweet sister, his grandmother, and Pam came here painted them in a different light.

Bram felt like he was back running drills on the football field. His legs were burning, his senses were on high alert, and his adrenaline was at an all-time high. Crossing the massive expanse of the dance floor was by far one of the most dangerous things he'd done to date. The only upside to it was that the women seemed more preoccupied with dancing than abducting men. However, their continued footfalls and seemingly random movements meant he was in constant danger. It didn't help that some of these women had clearly had one too many drinks. It kept him on his toes as he raced across the floor, looking for cover.

Bram dropped into a slide to avoid a looming shadow coming for him. A gust of wind from the stranger's footfall pushed him forward, but Bram rolled with the momentum to pick himself back up and continue. He stumbled for a second and skidded to a halt as a titanic tennis shoe stomped down in front of him. He glanced upward to peer up the leg attached; faded denim jeans led up to what he assumed was probably a striking figure. Not wanting to idle longer than necessary, Bram resumed his running and tried to rush around her foot. It nearly caused him to get squashed beneath a heel as a woman in sandals stepped close to her friend.

Looking up again, he realized he had a perfect view of this woman's skirt. A pair of white and blue striped panties caught his eye, but a distinct moving outline in the front gave him pause. The woman stopped and shuddered, and Bram knew she'd stuffed someone down her panties before taking to the dance floor. He could only imagine the hell that man was probably going through. Every twist and turn from this woman likely drove him closer and deeper into her. This woman could kill him without even knowing it, and that was a truly terrifying thought. It seemed that none of these ladies had any regard for the lives they were literally playing with. Anna's warning rang out in the back of his mind, but he'd never imagined it could be so real.

“Hey, what are you doing down there?” a slurred voice came from up above, “C'mere, ya little stud!”

Bram's heart sank as he heard someone close by. There weren't any other guys around, so his immediate thought was that whoever this was must have been after him. He glanced over his shoulder to see a woman with messy black hair grinning down at him. Her crooked smile, low cut maroon top, and short skirt looked slightly disheveled as she stumbled towards him. Bram's heart rate and panic skyrocketed as he kicked off in a blind sprint. Chased by a giantess, this was indeed something out of one of his nightmares. Bram ran as fast as he could without looking back. He had to find a table or something to hide under before this lunatic got to him.

“Get back here, little guy!” the woman shouted as she chased after him.

Bram could see the shadow of the drunk giantess growing larger. He couldn't outrun her. There was no way. Her hand shot out for him as she bent down, but Bram didn't slow down. He couldn't let himself get taken by a stranger if he could help it. The intoxicated woman's shadow suddenly began to grow, and Bram looked over his shoulder to see why. She was falling! Either she tripped over her feet, bumped into someone, or lost her balance. Whatever the case, her colossal frame was coming towards him hard and fast. The only warning beside the encroaching shadow was her startled yelp. Judging by the look of things, her tits were poised to land on and crush him. Having no desire to wind up a stain on her top, Bram threw himself forward in hopes of dodging a potentially fatal blow.

Time seemed to slow down for a split second stretched into an eternity. His life flashed before his eyes in the short time he was airborne, but he landed in a roll. The resounding thud of this woman's ungraceful collapse had Bram's heart skipping beats. It took him a moment to come to grips with the fact that he wasn't dead, but the second he recovered, he felt her fingers fumbling for his little body. He scrambled and scurried as fast and hard as he could while she tried to get a grip on him. He climbed over her fingers before they could coil around him, and Bram dove over the top of her hand. A few women had stopped their partying to check on the fallen stranger, but she was too preoccupied trying to get him to care. She shuffled forward as Bram ran faster than he ever had in his life.

“Don't run from me, little man!” the woman shouted as he rushed to get away.

He'd managed to avoid one perilous situation, but he was far from being out of danger. As he continued running, Bram wasn't paying attention to where he was going. His only concern was putting as much distance between himself and his predator as possible. He could see the outline of a table up ahead. That was as good a place as any to catch his breath and get his bearings. Bram leaned forward and tried to close the distance before his pursuer could get to him. He didn't see the person standing under the table until he smacked into them and fell backward. It was probably another one of the tiny dancers trying to hide and get a reprieve.

“Ow, easy buddy, wait, Bram?!” a familiar voice asked, “What the hell are you doing here?!”

“Bram?” Chad asked from off to the side.

Bram shook his head in disbelief and looked up to see David extending a hand to help him up. His father was standing just off to the side with one of their friends sitting at the base of the table. “Holy shit, I actually found you guys,” Bram sighed, taking David's hand.

“Son, language,” Chad sighed, “What are you doing here? How did you get here?”

“Sorry, Dad, but it's been an eventful night,” Bram said, “Anna brought me here. We're-”

“Wait, Anna's here too?!” Chad asked.

“Yeah, Dad, we came here to-” Bram tried to explain.

“What are you two thinking?!” Chad cut him off again, “Never mind how dangerous this place is; this part of town isn't somewhere either of you needs to be!”

“Dad!” Bram exclaimed, “We came here to rescue you guys, okay? Anna and I had a talk earlier, and I wanted to see you afterward. She wanted to make sure you guys were alright, but when we got to the room, you were all gone.”

“Chad, ease up on the kid,” David chimed in, “He and Anna were clearly worried about you. And let's be honest, we could use all the help we could get right now.”

Chad looked over to his friend before sighing and rubbing his temples, “Okay, okay, fine, but how did you know where to find us?”

“Anna has some app on her phone that showed where you were,” Bram replied, “She said she gave you something 'cause you kept getting lost.”

“The watch,” Chad shook his head, “I should have known it was something other than a nice gesture. Clever girl, but what were you thinking coming here? This place is dangerous.”

“Yeah, I kinda noticed,” Bram shrugged, “I nearly got trampled then grabbed getting over here, and I saw more than one guy get taken by some woman. Anna said that she overheard Gran talking about this place, too. She was pretty pissed when she found out you were here, Dad.”

“Yeah, she's always mad about something,” Chad sighed, “For the record, this wasn't my idea, but I don't think anybody thought it could be as bad as it is. Where is Anna now? Do you know?”

“We split up when the guy outside wouldn't let her in,” Bram replied, “I told her to let me get under the door and that she could slip in the back. Knowing her, she's probably inside by now, looking for us. Where's the rest of the guys?”

“Dealing with another situation,” David sighed, “Not long after we got here, we got separated because-”

“Because my friends are idiots,” Chad interjected.

“Sitting right here,” Trevor waved his hand, “None of us planned on this happening, Chad.”

“I know, I know,” Chad sighed, “Trevor over there got grabbed and taken across the club. Joey got taken by Heather not long after that.”

Bram frowned as he tried to figure out why Heather would take Joey, but only then did he realize that all three of them were wearing the same outfits as the dancers. “You guys disguised yourselves,” he sighed, “Heather didn't know it was Joey, did she?”

“If she had, I doubt she'd have done what she did,” David frowned, “Henry, Stewart, your dad, and I managed to find a place to hide out. A few guys gave us the lowdown on everything that really happens here, and we agreed to split up to try to save our friends. Your dad and I managed to get Trevor, but he's hurt from what his lady friend did to him.”

“Definitely wouldn't call her a friend, or in the morning for that matter,” Trevor corrected David, “Think I've got a bruised or cracked rib, kid. I've been slowing Dave and your dad down, but they won't listen and go on without me.”

“Nor should they,” Bram said, surprising everyone, “Look, this is easily one of the dumbest things that you guys could have done, but nobody deserves to go through what I've seen here. If they leave you, then you'll wind up being a toy to one of these crazy ladies running around here.”

“He sounds more like you every time I talk to him, Chad,” David smirked at his friend, “Kid has a lot of heart, just like his old man.”

“It doesn't change the fact that we're sitting ducks here,” Trevor said, shaking his head in exhaustion, “Unless you've got a way to call someone for help, it's just the four of us little guys against a club of crazies. You guys managed to get to me, but what's your plan for Joey?”

“I'm hoping Stewart and Henry have that covered,” Chad replied, “With any luck-”

“What luck do we have outside of bad, Chad?” Trevor cut him off, “Guys, I'm not trying to be pessimistic here, but what if Stewart and Henry got grabbed too?”

“We don't know that that happened,” Chad said.

“We need to be prepared for the worst,” Trevor said, hauling himself to his feet, “This place brings out the worst in people, and our luck has been nothing short of terrible since we got here. So what's the plan if they're in trouble?”

Bram listened to the exchange between Trevor, his father, and David. As much as he hated to admit it, Trevor had a valid point. There was a chance that Stewart and Henry could have gotten grabbed and could have been in the throes of abuse. For all their drive and determination, they were as close to powerless as possible. “We need to find Anna,” Bram said after a moment of tense silence, “If we can find her, then we can get her to help. She might be upset, but she's more worried about you guys being safe than anything.”

“If we involve her, then that could get her into trouble with Pam, Bram,” Chad reminded him, “She's already angry with me, and I don't want anyone getting into more trouble than necessary.”

“Do you have a better idea, Dad?” Bram asked.

Chad paused and frowned as he tried to figure out a way around involving his stepdaughter. “We can use the chairs to get up to Joey. The rungs on the back worked for us to get to Trevor, right?”

“I'll get Joey,” David said, “The thing we need to figure out is Stewart and Henry. Trev is right about the possibility of them getting grabbed. Let's assume they made it and got nabbed at the table. How are we supposed to figure out who has them? Keep in mind, this is a best-case scenario.”

“There's no way I can make a climb up and then back down either, Chad,” Trevor frowned, “That puts us another man down. I'll just slow you guys down if it comes to that.”

“Then we need to find Anna, and she can keep you safe,” Bram said, “There's still three of us, and we might just have to take a gamble. I really don't like the idea of splitting up, but we are running out of time and options here. If David is taking Heather, then I'll take Victoria. Dad, what about you?”

“As much as I hate this idea, your grandmother probably has a hand in this if you guys are right,” Chad sighed, shuddering at the idea of getting too close to his mother, “I'd much rather be searching around Pam, but, and I can't believe I'm saying this, my mother is more likely to grab one of these guys.”

“So then we've got a bare-bones half-baked plan,” Trevor chuckled, holding his ribs, “I guess it's better than nothing. If we survive this, drinks are on me. Now, any idea how we can go about finding Anna?”

“I'll hold you to that,” Chad said, “Bram, do you-”

“Come here, you little shits!” Anna's voice cut him off as her hand came down and scooped the four of them up without warning.

“Not good, not good!” Trevor shouted, his earlier experience causing him to panic.

“Calm down, I know that voice,” Chad said, bracing himself as Anna carried the four of them off.

“Anna,” Bram said.

The four of them were jostled around her hand vigorously as she carried them to somewhere more private. Anna pushed the bathroom door open and checked to make sure it was empty. Once she was sure they were alone, she opened her hand and glared down at the four little men she'd just saved. “What the hell is the matter with you, idiots?!” she snapped, her temper flaring, “You couldn't just be content to hang out and not get stepped on for one night?!”

“Anna!” Chad shouted, trying to break through to her rational side, “Look, you're right about us being idiots, this being dangerous, and it is completely reckless. Right now, though, we have bigger problems. We're still missing three people, and Trevor over here is hurt pretty bad. Yell at me later, but first, we need to make sure we save the others and keep Trevor safe.”

Anna held her fierce look for a moment longer before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. “Fine, but only because I've seen what the women out there do to guys like you,” she said, her tone slightly calmer, “Who's still missing, and what can I do to help?”

“Stewart, Joey, and Henry,” Chad replied, “Joey was at the table with your mother and the other ladies. Heather grabbed him. Stewart and Henry were supposed to try to help him, but we haven't been able to make it there yet. David and I went off to help Trevor here while they tried to get back to the table. We have to help them, Anna.”

“Oh my God, you guys are so stupid,” Anna sighed, trying to keep her composure, “Alright, alright, let me think.”

“There are rungs on the back of every chair in this place,” Chad explained, “That's how we managed to get to Trevor. It's how the guys that…work here are able to get up and down once the place closes. We've got a plan, but we need to get close.”

“I could just go up to Mom and try to explain,” Anna offered, “Although I don't think she'd be too thrilled knowing her husband is this big of a moron.”

“No,” Chad said, “Besides the fight that it would cause, I don't want you to get into trouble. It's bad enough you had to come here with Bram to try to save us. I appreciate that, I do, but you're doing more than you should have to already.”

“You're going to lie to my mom about this too?” Anna asked, “Classy, real classy, Chad.”

“This wasn't my idea, Anna,” Chad argued, “I'll cross that bridge when it comes, but we can only do one thing at a time. You know I'm not going to hide this from her forever. I'm a lot of things, but am I a liar?”

Anna frowned and looked away. It was true that Chad had proven himself to be more honest than most men she'd met. “No,” she said, “Alright, you've got a point. So, what if I get you little idiots closer to the table? That way, there's less chance of one of you getting squished or eaten. The people here are insane.”

“Tell me about it,” Trevor agreed.

“That's a good idea, but you'll need to keep an eye out for extraction,” Chad said.

“Don't start talking like one of those lame superheroes, Ant Boy,” Anna sighed.

“Antman,” Chad corrected her, “I thought you liked that movie anyway.”

“Not the time or place, Chad,” Anna said, “Okay, Bram, are you good with this plan?”

“It's the only one we've got,” Bram shrugged, “There's three of us and three of them. I think we can do it.”

“That inspires a ton of confidence,” Anna rolled her eyes, “Alright, which one of you is Trevor?”

Trevor stood up and raised his hand, “That'd be me.”

“Alright, you're staying with me,” Anna said, “You're going in my waist bag until this is over, got it?”

“Yes, ma'am,” Trevor nodded, “Thank you, I can't tell you how much this means to me. For the record, Chad wanted to stay at the hotel. You're not wrong about us being stupid for coming here, but Chad didn't want to do this. He and Stewart only agreed because the rest of us thought this was a good idea.”

“Yeah, well, it doesn't make it any less dumb,” Anna sighed, “There's nothing that can be done right now, though. We've got to finish this and get you morons back to safety.”

“She's blunt,” David remarked to Chad.

“As the broadside of a barn, but she's a good kid,” Chad smiled, “Alright, everyone, we know the plan and what needs to be done. Let's bring this night to a close and get home.”

“What did I say about the superhero talk?” Anna asked, “You're not an Avenger, dumbass. You're a man the size of a bug. None of you are invincible, and I want you all to remember that. As much as you can annoy me…”

Anna trailed off, but Chad knew what she meant. “I know, and I promise that we will be careful,” Chad assured her, “We'll be careful, I promise.”

“Chad, she's right,” Trevor said, “Watch yourself out there. We're not people here; we're toys to these women. One wrong move, and you'll wind up in an awful situation.”

“Huh, one of you actually has sense,” Anna quipped.

“We’ll be alright if we stay smart,” Chad said, “We have to use our wits to our advantage.”

“Work smarter, not harder,” David agreed.

“Let’s do this,” Bram said, taking a deep breath, “I’m ready when you are.”

Anna nodded as she shifted herself around to get to her bag. After depositing Trevor in her bag as carefully as she could, she closed it up and held the other three in her hand. “Alright, get ready because we only have one shot at this. I’ll be keeping an eye out for you all, but don’t do anything stupid. Let’s roll the dice, idiots.”