Bad Timing - Part Two (Version 1)

Ben couldn’t believe what was happening. He knew his wife had harbored fantasies of squashing him like a bug, but he’d hoped it was just playful wishes. He considered running for a moment, but they were right: eventually he’d just end up as a stain. So he sat down on the floor and awaited his sad fate.

There was a rumble behind him and Ben turned to see another figure stride through the door. Shit, he thought, I should have ran.

It was Jonathan. Tall, strong, and ferociously-enamoured-with-Nicky Jonathan. When Ben and Nicki had gotten married, Jonathan had been there, and he’d taken Ben aside to let him know that when Ben shrank, he’d be there for her--all with a knowing grin.

“Well, what do we have here?” Jonathan stooped over and looked at Ben. “A little bug?”

His gigantic work boots surrounded Ben on both sides. “Oh, is that you, Ben?!” He laughed and began untying his boots. “Don’t mind me, just don’t want to track any dirt inside.”

The giant slid his disgusting feet from the heavy boots and planted them even closer to Ben’s shrunken body. “Hmmm, I guess you look a little like dirt now, don’t you?”

Ben considered pleading, but knew it wouldn’t do any good. Jonathan raised his foot, bearing the words “Sniff Me” and smirked. “Guess I’ll just wipe you up now. Breathe deep.” And he slammed his socked foot down onto Ben. Several of his ribs snapped right then, along with his arm. Jonathan lifted his foot and admired the carnage. “Still alive? Maybe you’re not as pathetic as I thought.” He stomped again. This time, Ben’s body clung to the bottom of Jonathan’s sock.

The giant laughed. “I take that back.” Jonathan stepped down once again, and Ben’s consciousness painfully faded as the giant twisted his foot back and forth. Back and forth, extinguishing Ben’s life like a cigarette.

After a minute, after Jonathan stopped stomping and smearing Ben’s remains, he looked down at the bottom of his sock and grinned. “There you go, now the floor’s all clean and you’re just a little more dirt under my foot.” The giant went into the living room and sat on the couch, kicking his feet up.

Mandy and Nicole ran back downstairs giggling, but stopped immediately when they couldn’t find Ben and noticed Jonathan had come in. “Where’d he go?” Nicki asked.

“Who?” Jonathan replied. “Oh, I smushed a strange-looking bug when I came in. Didn’t want it to get out of hand.”

Mandy doubled over laughing and Nicki bent closer to look at Jonathan’s sock. She wanted to be angry--he’d stolen her moment--but she started laughing with her sister. “Oh my gosh! That’s Ben, you idiot! He looks pretty good on the bottom of your sock, though.”

“Guess I’ll be wearing these socks for awhile, then!”