Welcome to the Machine

Chapter 6
Chapter 6

Jane and Suzi stared at the door that was swinging in the breeze. Neither quite knew what to do next. Glo’s regression had stopped leaving her a newborn. Sara was soon to join her. Jane removed Glo from the stroller and Suzi put Sara in her place.

’What now, Grams?’ Suzi asked ’Do you think we should go in there?’

’I guess we gotta! Look at these two....’ she said motioning to the two babies ’We can’t leave them like this!’

’Why don’t I check it out?’ Suzi offered.

’No... I’m the oldest so I oughta do it’ Jane told her as she handed Glo over to her. ’You wait here’

Jane never noticed it but Suzi was watching her curiously. She didn’t look as old as she had at the park. Jane looked 17 at most. Suzi was glad that at least she wasn’t affected!

Meanwhile, Jane thought Suzi was still getting older. She wasn’t sure but thought Suzi looked more mature now...almost 20! She shrugged it off, glad that she wasn’t getting any younger or older!

Inside the house, desk drawers had been opened and papers were everywhere. Young Jane grabbed a kitchen knife for protection as she passed the kitchen. She quietly descended to the basement where once again it looked like someone had been there. She carefully checked out th room. She didn’t see anyone and was about ready to get the others when she heard a female voice.

’Hold it right there, sweetie!’

Jane spun around and saw a woman of about 35 pointing a gun at her. ’You must be Stan’s wife?’

’Ummmm no.... mam.... I’m his mother in law...’ Jane replied with a shaking voice.

’Mother-in-law?!?! Why the hell did you make yourself into a teeny-bopper?’ she asked incredulously all the time keeping the gun pointed at Jane.

’Uhhhh..... I’m not a teen... Gee Whiz, I’m 20!’

’20 huh? So you don’t know how to stabilize the process either?’

’I don’t need to ’cuz I’m not affected but my daughter and grand-daughters are! Who are you?’

’Someone who wants to know how to stabilize the process. Stan said he had it figured out before he died. And for your information..... You look about 16 so obviously you aren’t going to be much help!’

’16?!!! Nuh huh! No way!’

’Oh, yes, way! ....And I’ll ask you to toss that knife over here before you hurt someone’ the woman ordered emphasizing the point with the barrel of her gun.

Jane saw an even older Suzi enter the room. Suzi quickly gathered what was happening and stayed out of view.

’The knife, kid. Lose the knife....NOW!’ the woman again ordered.

’Kid?’ Jane answered as she reluctantly tossed the knife down.

The woman bent over to retrieve the knife and when she did Suzi nodded to Jane.

Jane saw the nod and instinctively ran at the woman and shoved her into the machine. Both of them tumbled to the ground and the gun fell free.

’Turn it on...quick!’ Jane yelled.

’But...?’ Suzi said as she ran to the computer terminal.

’Just do it!’ Jane told her as she fought the older woman.

Suddenly, the two combatants froze. The machine paralyzed them as it went to work!

Jane’s already youthened body quickly regressed even more. Her features softened and she appeared to shrink. The older woman also youthened. Her facial features softened and wrinkle vanished from her face.

Suzi stopped the machine. ’Gramma, run! Hurry!’

8 year old Jane staggered to her feet and tripped over her now large shoes and clothing. As she hit the floor, out of the machine, Suzi restarted the machine before its other occupant could get out.

Jane turned and watched the young woman turn into a teen... and then a young girl...and then a 3 year old.

Suzi shut down the machine and Jane started talking.

’Wow, I’m lucky I got out before I was affected!’

’Grammy, ummmm you better look at yourself!’ Suzi told her young grandmother.

Jane looked down at a floor that was much closer to her eyes than it should be. She lifted her arms and looked at the much too long sleeves.

’Gosh! I ~am~ little!’ she said as she futively tried to fit into her large shoes.

’And I’m afraid you’ll only get younger until we can figure out how to stabilize this’

’Hey! Make me big! Make me big!’ the 3 year old in the machine protested.

’Uh, I don’t think we better ’til ya tell us some stuff!’ Jane told the little girl.

’Gramma is right. You owe us some explaining!’ Suzi added.

’You can still make me big.... It just won’t stay ’cuz of the ’gression....ummmm in....ummm in-bil’ty!’

’Well, we figured that out already. But it doesn’t last and I think we’re better off with Sara and Gloria like they are for now. I guess because I made myself older that I don’t have the problem of stability that the regressed ones are having. So why don’t you start giving us some answers as to why you’re here?’ Suzi took charge while Jane went upstairs to get the her daughter and grand-daughter.

’I get wittler if you don’t fix! Pleeeeeeease fix!’

’I need some answers! Start talking or I’ll make you REALLY little in a hurry!’

’Ummm.... I wuz jus’ tryin’ to get in...inf...ummmm learn stuff ’bout the mash..ummmm .machine.’

’What kind of stuff?’ Suzi asked as the little girl sat down on her butt and put her finger in her mouth.

’uhhhhhh..... you.... fix.... K?’

Suzi could tell the little girl was losing the battle with her fast regressing mind. She gave up questioning her when she heard Jane yelling from upstairs.

’Suzi! I need you to help me..OK?’

’What kind of help do you need Janie...errrr Jane?’

’I’m ’fraid to hold the girls ’cuz they’re so tiny!’

Suzi went upstairs to see both Sara and Glo were tiny newborns. She sent Jane back downstairs to make a bed out of some blankets and then Suzi seperately took each infant down to the makeshift bed. She knew it wouldn’t be long before Janie would be joining them!

By this time, the stranger had regressed to a point where she could join them. Once satisfied the babies were OK, Suzi asked Janie for some help. Janie was now only 6.

’Janie, I’m going to need you to be a big girl and help me. Can you do that?’

’Uh huh! I’ll help!’ she answered excitedly.

’First, do you remember how Sara figured out how to reverse this?’

’Uh huh’

’Well?’

’Ummmm she moved the mouse thingy and pushed the button’

’Is that all?’

’Uh huh’ Janie added shaking her head.

Suzi methodically clicked through th screens, reading every bit of info. Finally, she found an options screen that had ’reverse’ as an option.

’Is this the one?’ Suzi asked the increasingly uninterested little girl.

’I dunno....’

’Think, honey! Please!’

’Ummmm Could be’ she said as she started swinging her shrinking legs and looking at some notes on the table. ’Can you read this story to me?’

Suzi glanced at what she was holding ’That’s not a story, sweetie.... that’s.... That’s something that Sara jotted down! Let me see that, please’

Suzi took the paper and began reading. It was directions on how Sara had reversed the process and what she had noted. Unfortunately, the writings turned to doodling. At least she had instructions for the temporary reversal she thought. She figured she would need to reverse one of the babies. She was afraid that if she reversed any more than that she could end up with trouble upon their returning regression. There was still the matter of the mystery woman..... and if she was working alone! The toughest part was deciding who to reverse. Janie’s lack of computer knowledge wasn’t a positive. Sara had knowledge of computers but Suzi still felt jealous of her and questioned whether she had the maturity to really be of help. She finally decided her mother’s wisdom might be the most important factor.

As she weighed her options she stretched on the material of her dress. It was very tight across her hips. Her shoes were growing uncomfortable also. She got up from her chair and walked over to the babies. She bent over and picked up babu Glo. ’Ummph’ she complained as she lifted the baby and her back didn’t cooperate.

4 year old Janie was largely uninterested now. She looked to be getting sleepy after their long day.

Suzi put baby Glo in the machine and then returned to the computer. After some preparation she started the reversal.

Baby Glo began growing. Slowly at first. Suzi saw the baby grow into a toddler. Then the baby grew into a young girl....then a young teen. Janie watched in fascination as the baby had grown from a newborn into a teenager in only a few moments. 16-17-18-19-20....and then a young woman with features becoming more defined with every passing second. The well defined body then began to change as she passed into and though her 30’s. Finally the process stopped with Glo now back to her normal 40 year old body. She was still lying silently on the floor of the machine

Suzi ran to the machine to take her a towel to wrap herself in. Much to her surprise, Gloria didn’t grab for the towel but rather still acted the part of an infant. She continued staring blankly and reaching for nothing in particular. All the while, happily cooing.

’Mom?..... Mom?..... MOM!....’ Suzi said with concern.

Finally, Gloria’s eyes seemed to brighten and she began to speak. But the speech was only gibberish ’Ahh Ga...Mmmmm.... Mahhhhh Ma....’

’Mom? Come on!’

After a couple seconds of the gibberish Gloria began to gather herself and slowly realize what had happened. She grabbed for the towel but still had trouble getting to her feet or grasping the towel. The last few hours as a newborn had taken its toll on her memories and reflexes!

Finally she found her voice. ’Uhhhhhh......Who are you?’