Little Friends: A Life

by Tim Lacey

This story is based on Bookguy's story: Little Friends.

It has been several years since I found myself in this strange land of giants and found myself the pet or, as the giant alien children refer to us,one of their Little Friends.

Unta, the giant boy who owns me, isn't bad as boys go. Once a month he takes me to the Little Friends Store. That is a store where children can buy all sorts of things from clothing to furniture for their tiny pets. I have on many occasions seen other Earth people with their giant owners. I never was able to strike up an conversation but it was comforting to see others of my kind. Many times the children would hold each other's Little Friend.

I knew my place was as a pet, however, at times Unta and I would talk, or try to, as best we could. I had to constantly shout to be heard. Unta would always have a slight smile on his face as we talked. I didn't know if it was the sound of my voice or he was amused by the tiny creature that tried to give him advice.

Several weeks ago, a giant adult came and placed me on a glowing plastic slab. I thought maybe they were checking up on my health. When I tried to inquire about this with Unta he just patted me on the head and gave me some Little Friends candy.

A short time after that on one school day, Unta came home; took me out of my cage and held me in his hand. As he stroked the top of my head with his index finger he started sniffling. I looked up at his huge young face. I noticed what appeared to be dry blood around his nostrils. "what happened?," I shouted up.

In a slightly shaky voice he answered, "I got into a fight." He wiped the tears that started to form in his huge purple eyes with his other hand. "I was beaten up by the school bully."

I felt bad for Unta because he was a straightforward and gentle kid. I also wanted to be of some help. You see, once I had accepted my giant dilemma, I wanted to show Unta I was more than just a child's pet. I saw this as another opportunity. "Unta," I said. "It happens to all of us at times. We fall victam to someone who is stronger and who is not nice."

Unta went over to his bed and stretched out. He placed me on his chest. And he sighed. "I felt so helpless and weak," he told me in his deep voice that rumbled like a distant thunderstorm.

"Yeah, I know the feeling. But you have to not let it make you feel weak and stupid. The bully is the stupid one. He has to pick on someone to make himself feel big."

"I guess so," responded Unta. I could still see he was smarting from the situation. I started to jump up and down on his chest making funny sounds. Unta always got a charge from this. I was happy when he started to chuckle.

Later it was time for his dinner. Unta brought me with him to table. He placed a Little Friends cushion for me to sit on next to his huge plate. I was also given tiny utensils to use. I would eat off the side of his plate. His parents would never fail to say on such occasions, "Your Little Friend is such a perfect tiny guest." This would be followed by a gentle tap on the head by the mother.

When we were done eating Unta would take the corner of his napkin and proceed to wipe my face. I was then placed in his shirt pocket. Sometimes I would spend a good deal of the evening there. Or he would place me on his desk next to his movie theater size computer where he did his homework. And when bedtime came sometimes Unta would have me sleep in the pocket of his night shirt. The deep rhythmic beating of his heart would lull me off to sleep.

Then one day on the last day of Unta's school cycle, Unta told me he had something to show me. Before he did, he changed out of his clothing. He had changed into a deep purple shirt shirt and shorts. Around his neck was a gold scarf. It reminded me of a scout uniform back on Earth. From the side pocket of his shorts he pulled something out. Unta placed it in the palm of his hand.

Lowering his hand before me, I saw the exact same shirt, shorts and scarf. "Try it on," he told me. I went behind his cap that was on his desk for privacy and changed into the clothing. They were a perfect fit. I felt silly in them. When I came around Unta clapped his hands with joy. "Tomorrow we will be going to a youth gathering." There had been other times when Unta took me to special events. At many of these, we, the Little Friends had to take part in games and sports competitions of all sorts.

It occurred to me, that lighted slab I had been placed on, might have been a way to measure me for the outfit.

Unta next told me, "Ok, take off your uniform so it will be all neat for tomorrow." I went back around the cap and changed back into my other clothing.

The next day I got back into the purple uniform and Unta placed me in the deep pocket of his shirt. The pocket was so large I couldn't look out. I just sat there at the bottom. After a while, I started to hear the loud voices of the other giant children. Shortly thereafter, Unta's tree size fingers fished me out from his shirt pocket. I was placed on a vast table top. Next to Unta was other children. The giant children extended their right hand and placed it behind us, their Little Friends. Standing near me in front of her owner was Sally, another Earth person I had met before at other gatherings. I wanted to talk to her but I knew this wasn't the right time. As we stood before our giants, they the giant children chanted, "These are our Little Friends. We are pledged to look after them. Ourhands are extended to them as the source of life."

We then turned toward the giant hand of our owner, we crawled up into the center where we kissed the palm as acknowledgement of our safety. I had gone through this ritual before. So much ceremony.

When it was over we were given time to talk to our fellow Little Friends. I went over and said hello to Sally. Sally, I had learned before, used to be a fourth grade teacher from Canada. We all had past lives. We all had specific dreams and goals. Now life had played a bizarre twist on us. I met Simon, a middle-aged man who had recently been brought to this planet. He told me about the violence and war plaguing our world. I wondered if we may end up being what is left of the people of Earth---sad if true.

After what felt like a brief period the giant children came and gathered us up. We had little to do at this gathering. Most of the time I was in Unta's hand or in his lap. The children listened to talks about their society. And they sang songs---charming.

At lunch break Unta brought me over to the vast table. Another boy showed up next to Unta. I noticed the look of apprehension in Unta's eyes. "Was this the bully that Unta had told me about?" I thought to myself. This other boy I observed had a rather pug and mean looking face. Attached to this boy's belt loop was a thick silver chain that ran into the left pocket of his shorts. He pulled on this chain and pulled out of his pocket a young man with the chain fashioned around his hip. He placed the man down in front of me.

"My Little Friend can beat up yours," said this giant creep.

Unta became nervous. "We're not suppose to have our Little Friends fight each other."

"Afraid yours will lose," said the boy.

Unta replied, "I'm not afraid. But they still can't fight each other."

The giant boy looked down at the man and said, "Go ahead---hit him."

With a scared look on his face the man told me, "If I don't do as he says he will punish me later. He once forced me to sleep in his dirty sock 'cause I angered him." I didn't want to fight him, nor did I want to cause this man any possible harm at the hands of that giant ape. What a bind.

The boy once more commanded, "Hit him."

I whispered to the man, "Go ahead. Maybe we can end this quickly." The man gave me a smile and sent a crashing fist into my stomach. It was harder than I expected. So I hit back.

The giant boy laughed.

Unta said, "No, stop."

"No one stops till my Little Friend wins. And he better," said the giant boy with the sound of a threat in his voice.

"Let me win---please," said the man. I put down my guard and in a flash the man's fist was all over me.

Unta slammed down his fist next to me and the man. "Enough!" The concussion from his fist caused both of us to fall down.

"Doesn't matter-- my Little Friend wins," said the boy who took off his scarf and wrapped it around the man.

The man proceeded to start jumping up and down. And with outstretched arms yelled, "I'm the strongest and toughest Little Friend."

"What an idiot," I thought. "I tried to help him out and he turns around and pounds the crap out of me. They deserve each other." The giant boy took back the scarf, lifted the man up by the chain and placed him back into the dark, deep recesses of the pocket.

Unta picked me up. I found myself in a tight grip. I thought Unta was mad at me for losing. When he opened his fist, I saw large eyes that weren't mad but concerned. "You're bleeding."

"I'm ok," I shouted up. Unta gently placed me in the pocket of his shirt. The warm pocket seemed to sooth the pain from my beating.

When we returned home, Unta gave me a small wet piece of cloth to wipe my face with. Holding me in his huge hand, Unta asked me, "Why did you fight him? You weren't supposed to. And I didn't want you too."

I tried to explain to Unta, "That other Little Friend told me something bad would happen to him if he didn't do as his master said. I thought I was helping him out. I wanted to do the right thing."

"Wow, that was brave of you," responded Unta. "And I'm proud of you."

I replied, "Yeah, but after all that, the guy turned out to be a creep. It made me feel stupid and weak."

Unta's eyes sparkled, "He was the stupid one. Some people are just not nice. But you are nice my tiny pal"

I chuckled, "I think you're right, my giant pal. Yes---my giant pal."

THE END

By Tim Lacey