The Stone of Autumn

Chapter 2
A Stone's Throw

Chapter Description: The family's worst nightmares are realized.

[img align=left; footer=’’; border=0; showfooter=1;]http://i.imgur.com/24iTk.jpg[/img]

Almost if on cue, the back door of the house cracked open, split at the hinges as if struck by lightning. Splinters of wood flew through the small white house, causing Ben and Mary to shut their eyes tightly in surprise. Three thin female figures were silhouetted in the doorframe, backlit by the crimson sunset.

“Step away from your wife,” ordered the shadow on the left.

“No,” replied Ben.

“Step away from her, or we’ll use this.” Stepping into the light, a red-haired girl, about his daughter’s age, presented what appeared to be a flat stone slab.

“You’re the people who have been causing all the disappearances? You girls are kids. What are you going to do, throw that at me? Get out of my house!” Ben bellowed, stepping up to the young woman.

“Dad?! What’s going on down here?!” asked Emily, coming lightly down the stairs, “Is everything okay?!”

“There’s another person in the house! Grab her!” yelled the blonde leaning on what remained of their back door.

The third girl, a lanky brunette, wrestled Emily’s arms behind her and held her still. Her father rushed up to her before being interrupted by the redhead.

“Stay where you are,” she commanded him.

“Wait, Clara, is that you?” said Emily, finally seeing the girl narrowing her eyes at her father, “What are you doing here?”

“Yes, Emily, it’s me. I had to pay your house a little visit. Tell your daddy to do what we say or else.”

“Or else, what?” asked Ben, laughing, “You’ll throw that stupid rock at me? I’ve had enough of this.”

As Ben rushed at the redheaded girl, he failed to notice the speed at which she pressed imperceptible patterns on the top of the flat stone. Within half a second, the stone split in the middle, revealing a liquid core which rose mysteriously from the palm of her hand before becoming a separate levitating ball which whirled incredibly fast. Before he could even raise his hand, Ben was struck in the chest as the liquid ball flew out from her palm.

“What the fuck was that?” he exclaimed, stopping in his tracks and examining the wet spot on his chest which quickly dried.

“Watch your language, little boy,” replied the blonde.

The two other girls smiled as they watched Ben with interest. Almost immediately, the effects were noticeable: he began to shrink right before their eyes! His toned muscles became less defined, his hair pulling into his scalp, his beard disappearing. His clothes billowed around him like a parachute as he fell to his knees.

Scrambling and panicking in his own clothes, Ben cried out for help but heard only the pre-pubescent voice of a child issue from his mouth. He wasn’t just shrinking, he was getting younger! In only a matter of seconds, Ben was a seven year old. Another second, he was five, falling backwards as he tripped over his jeans and belt which clanged noisily to the floor below.

Aside from the sound of his own racing heartbeat, all Ben could hear was the laughter coming from the three teenage girls as they watched him become three years old, his teeth quickly receding into his mouth and his hair becoming light blonde wisps instead of the dark thick hair he had only moments ago.

He was a screaming one-year old baby, completely engulfed in fabric. His mind was on fire! Only a few seconds ago, he was preparing on throwing those girls out of his house and now he realized he could barely control his pudgy, fat, useless infant arms and legs on his own.

“Much better,” remarked Clara.

“Ben?! What did you monsters do to him?!” screamed Mary, beginning to cry.

“Made him what he really is, don’t you see? A cute little baby boy. Now be quiet.”

Emily began to yell but the tall brunette holding her put a hand over her mouth before she got the chance. Clara tapped the open stone in her hand at which it promptly sealed back shut, and she placed it easily into her pocket. Walking over to the shifting pile of men’s clothing on the floor, she pulled back Ben’s now-gigantic shirt to reveal his current state: a naked infant, kicking and squirming on the floor.

“Aww, what a little cutie!” she said, giggling and picking the baby up in her arms, “Don’t you think?”

“He’s so precious!” said the blonde.

“I wanna eat him up!” said the brown-haired teen, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cuter baby! Look at his little feets!”