The Spell -- Part III
By Mark (Marknew742@aol.com)
Now Todd must confront Christina too

Feeling completely at sea, Todd walked dazedly past the lines for coach 
check in and settled in at the first class lounge while he waited for 
Sarah.  He was too confused to think, much less deal with Sarah, and 
France.  What was happening to him?  He'd never felt so alone. 

Sarah walked in, saw Todd, and approached him with a smile. 

"I thought I'd be late.  My driver thought Kennedy was in New Jersey." 

Todd stood and shook her hand.  "Uh, yeah.  Well I'm glad you made it." 

"We only have fifteen minutes until we board.   Not nearly enough time 
for a proper drink.  Well, we can have one on the plane.  You look a 
little pale.  Are you up for the trip?"  Todd nodded.  She sat down and 
he joined her.  "Good.  It wasn't easy to get the invitations for this 
showing." 

"It was your idea?" 

"Didn't Becky tell you?  That woman!  When we first met, you kept 
talking about some kind of changes you thought you saw in women, 
remember?  Well, this show is going to highlight clothing for the new, 
fit woman.  It's the first decent marriage I've seen of high fashion and 
an athletic body.  I thought it would interest you."  Todd nodded, and 
Sarah looked at him closely.  "Hmmm.  You're being polite with me, Todd.  
Please don't.  I've been straight with you.  If you don't want to go, 
tell me.  I won't be offended." 

"Oh no, I do want to go.  Definitely." 

"But ... for another reason, right?"  Todd's jaw was set.  Sarah 
laughed.  "I'm not a mind reader, Todd.  It's all over your face.  Well, 
if you want to go, we've got to get up.  We can talk about it on the 
way."  Todd stood up and Sarah eyed him.  "Are you well, Todd?  You look 
like you've lost a little weight." 

"I'm, uh, fine."  Todd struggled inside, wondering whether he should 
level with Sarah.  "Have you seen Marta lately?" 

"Oh, no.  She and I were never close, you know.  I never liked her 
friends or the drugs, especially once she married you." 

They walked briskly to the gate and boarded.  Todd noted her spare 
figure.  At least she hadn't put on any muscle.  "You're looking well." 

She smiled at him.  "You think so?  Thank you.  I've been dancing for 
years, and lately I feel I've achieved a new level.  It has been a 
marvelous experience for me.  Do you like modern dance?" 

"Well, I 

"That's alright.  It does seem to be an art form invented for women.  
Men dance entirely differently, mostly leaping and lifting, I call it.  
But I find dance to be almost a form of meditation.  A disciplined form 
of self-expression." 

"That's interesting," Todd lied. 

"And it keeps me fit, without having to go to those hideous health 
clubs.  I'm sorry, I know you like them.  But don't you find that kind 
of workout mind numbing?" 

They settled into their seats. 

"Well, there isn't anything artistic about it, that's true.  But it does 
make you feel good, getting all pumped up." 

"I suppose so.  To me it seems rather mechanical, but I suppose now that 
the clubs are mixed sexes, they're even more fun for you.  My dance 
classes are generally 95% women.  Don't you go to the gym with Becky?" 

"Yeah.  When I moved back to New York I joined her club." 

"She must like that.  She's a nice girl, and she really does like you 
Todd, although from my perspective, I'm sure you could do better." 

"Oh?"  Todd laughed ruefully.  "What perspective is that?" 

Now Sarah blushed.  "I'm sorry.  Um, I don't want you to misunderstand.  
I mean, you've had enough of my family I'm sure.  I just wanted ....  
Excuse me."  She stood up abruptly and disappeared into the toilet. 

Todd cursed silently, ordered a scotch for himself and a wine spritzer 
for Sarah and wondered whether she became flustered out of interest in 
him.  He wasn't sure how he would feel about that.  Involvement with a 
woman was the last thing he needed now.  The plane took forever to load 
the masses who sat in the back, and Sarah reemerged perfectly composed, 
taking the drink, thanking Todd for remembering her preference and 
sitting down all in one graceful motion.  

"You were telling me, Todd, why you liked your health club.  Do you 
think I should try it?" 

"Uh, no.  I don't think you'd like it at all." 

She nodded.  "Why not?" 

"I don't know.  You said yourself you thought pumping iron was mindless, 
or something like that.  Besides, it's, it's uh, not very refined, you 
know." 

"Is that the only way you think of me?" 

Todd didn't know what to say.  Realizing she had backed him into a 
corner yet again, Sarah smiled to make him feel more comfortable.  "Do 
they have an aerobics program?" 

"Yes," Todd quickly agreed, then added to discourage her, "although they 
just announced they're cutting it back." 

"Oh?  Why?" 

Damn, Todd thought, how did I get onto this topic? 

"I don't know.  There wasn't as much demand for it." 

"Really?  I guess with the summer season over, the women take it easy 
for a few months."   Todd looked at her without saying anything.  "Is 
talking about your club making you uncomfortable?  I don't really 
understand, but if you'd rather nap, or read, just tell me." 

"No, I, 

"You've never seemed so tongue-tied around me before.  Is it something 
I've said?  After Marta, I wouldn't think you'd find me intimi....  What 
I mean is, I'm not some kind of ice queen, nor am I a china doll, Todd.  
You do know that, don't you?" 

"Of course." 

They looked out the window as the baggage handlers struggled to load 
some of the larger bags on the conveyor belt. 

"Are you in some kind of trouble Todd?" 

"Why do you ask?" 

"Your mood seems very different tonight.  You usually show so much 
confidence.  If you aren't ill, I would have to assume you're in 
trouble.  Tell me.  You know, if there's some way I can help you Todd, I 
will.  Or if you want to talk, I am a very good listener.  You can trust 
me."  She put her hand on top of his and looked at him directly in the 
eyes.  Todd looked back.  He could get lost in those eyes, so calm, so 
deep.  He felt her firm fingers on his hand and looked down at them.  So 
small and delicate they were ... now ... but later, what would they be 
like?  His eyes strayed to her waist and legs, hidden under her tweedy 
skirt.  Was she still petite there?  Or did her skirt mask legs of pure 
steel and stomach muscles hard and thick as plates of armor?  He didn't 
want to think about it.  He bit his lip. 

The flight attendant approached to bring them new drinks.  As she bent 
down, she extended her arm only inches away from Todd's face to place 
the tray in front of Sarah, pulling her sleeve back to expose a large 
muscle, which grew even more as she lifted the tray and moved to the 
next row.  Todd grimaced, unconsciously. 

Sarah placed her hand sympathetically on Todd's arm.  "Can you believe 
the way she stuck her arm right in your face as if you weren't even 
there!  So graceless.  I think when they called themselves stewardesses 
they were more ladylike."  She looked back, and then went on more 
quietly, "And did you see her arm?  She must be quite an athlete!  But 
then, I suppose it goes with the job now, pushing those heavy food carts 
around, helping passengers with their bags.  Not my sort of work!" 

Todd nodded.  "You would do it gracefully, at least." 

"Oh I suppose, if I had to, but thank goodness I don't.  But really, I 
think you'll find the fashion show quite interesting, if you do decide 
to go with me.  It's quite startling, and unpleasant I think, to have a 
muscle like that on a woman thrust upon you in such a rude way, but 
you'll see that an athletic female body can be quite appealing, if 
presented with taste and style.  I was very excited to hear about this 
show, because I'm seeing that kind of build more and more on women, both 
in my models and even some of my friends." 

"Really?"  Todd looked at her. 

"Well, well.  Have I finally piqued your interest in something?   I was 
thinking that it's amazing how a change in fashion brings out different 
body types that one never even thought existed.  Clearly, women are 
capable of much more muscle than I had imagined, yet the women who had 
muscle like this must have been hiding underground for some time, when 
it was unfashionable to be strong.  I mean, after all, the chemistry of 
our bodies haven't changed." 

"Of course not," Todd assented hoarsely. 

"What do you think?  Do you find that body type appealing? You must see 
quite a bit of it in the club." 

"Yeah.  Well, I guess I don't like it when a woman takes it too far." 

"But don't you have a different idea of 'too far' than you would have, 
say, a few years ago?  I think society has become much more accustomed 
to athletic women, and they're increasingly seen as the ideal female 
body.  This is one of the things that interests me about clothing and 
the human body.  Why, we're not even aware of how thoroughly a concept 
like this spreads through our minds.  Just think about that flight 
attendant.  A woman looking like that would never have appeared in a 
public, promotional type of position twenty years ago, but now, it is 
accepted, no it is sought after.  Think of the woman in the current 
advertising campaign for that airline, that 'Supergirl' woman.  
Goodness, judging by the size of her muscles, she must be the strongest 
person alive.  She makes Arnold Schwarzenegger look underdeveloped.  And 
here they are, spending millions to promote her as the symbol of 
American Airlines." 

"Yes, but 

Sarah was getting a bit excited, and held up her hand to allow herself 
to continue.  "I have to confess that even I, unconsciously I suppose, 
have become part of this zeitgeist."  She took Todd's hand in hers.  
"You do have nice hands, you know."  She placed it lightly on her upper 
arm.  "I'm not aware of giving my arms any more exercise than I used to, 
but, well, just feel this."  She tightened her arm, and Todd felt a 
small, hard, round muscle the size of a ping pong ball pop out of 
Sarah's upper arm.  "Try to squeeze it.  I find it's amazingly solid. I 
don't even know how I got it, but just a couple of weeks ago I started 
noticing it, and it's continuing to grow.  It's just amazing how these 
changes in thought just sweep in, below the level of consciously, 
carrying one along, isn't it?"  

"Uh, yes." 

Sarah looked at Todd, who still had his hand on her biceps.  "You look 
so uncomfortable.  I hope I haven't been too forward." 

Todd's face reddened.  "Of course not," he said, speaking through a dry 
throat, "um it's, uh, quite impressive.  Funny how I didn't see it 
before." 

"Well of course not.  I don't dress to expose myself to the world.  I 
actually think it's kind of cute, though, perfectly proportional to my 
body, at least the way a woman's body is perceived now, just as the size 
of your arms suit you.  But ... you really don't sound yourself Todd.  
Are you feeling quite all right?" 

"I...I" Todd stood up abruptly.  "I don't think I can go Sarah.  Thanks, 
but I'm really not too well." 

"I thought you looked drawn.  Shall I come off too and see you home?  Or 
have I offended you?" 

"No.  No.  It's just been a hard day and . . . I can manage.  Enjoy 
Paris.  I'll see you when you come back.  Call me.  We can . . . uh talk 
about this some more then."  Todd took her fingers and gave her hand a 
small shake, then turned and pushed his way through the boarding crowd.  
He felt faint and sat near one of the empty gates, watching the people 
file by.  Was he imagining it, or were the men all straining with their 
carry-ons?  Maybe they always did that.  He wasn't sure.  Todd stood 
again and made his way out of the terminal, flagging down a cab for his 
trip back to Manhattan. 

Todd entered his apartment at midnight, dumping his bags in the middle 
of the living room, and flopped onto his bed, sleeping the sleep of the 
dead for seven hours, until his phone rang.  Todd picked up and murmured 
a hoarse hello. 

"So!  You lied to me.  You're still around, aren't you?" 

It was Christina checking up on him!  He sprang out of bed and dressed 
quickly, grabbed his bags again and took the elevator to the garage for 
a quick getaway, only to find his car completely blocked in.  He swore 
at the attendant, who claimed not to have a key to the car, considered 
his options and after looking for a cab on the deserted early morning 
street, started walking to Third Avenue to an Avis outlet he remembered 
being in the sixties.  After six blocks, he started to perspire and grit 
his teeth, struggling with his case.  It hadn't seemed heavy at first.  
He'd never even thought about how heavy his bags were.  Is this what he 
had to look forward to?  

He put the bag down to switch hands, but before he could lift it again, 
someone pushed him out of the way and he landed hard against a wall.  He 
turned around.  Christina!  He couldn't believe it.  She picked up his 
suitcase now, trying out its weight. 

"Why, Todd!  What a pleasant surprise, running into you so early in the 
morning." 

"What are you doing here?" 

"Oh, I've been following you, watching you carry this big, heavy bag 
down the block." 

"What!  You've been following me?" 

"Of course.  All the way from your building.  First I drove my little 
car into the garage to block your car.  Then I called you right from the 
corner opposite your building, figuring you'd want to get away from me, 
and just waited for you to come out.  You don't walk very quickly 
carrying this thing.  It was pretty easy to keep up with you."  She took 
his hand and looked up at him, grinning.  "Come with me.  We can have 
breakfast.  My place.  What do you say?"  

He shook his head and put his hand on the handle of the bag and pulled.  
Christina tightened her grip and stood her ground.  Todd glared at her 
and yanked the bag.  Christina stumbled a little, dug in her heels and 
then pulled back suddenly, catching Todd off balance.  He toppled onto 
her, losing hold of the bag.  He grabbed it again, but Christina wasn't 
letting go. 

"I think I'm at least as strong as you are, Todd.  What do you think?  
C'mon, we can armwrestle over breakfast and see." 

"Not interested." 

"Hey, give it a chance.  You used to like me.  I insist."  She closed 
both hands around the suitcase.  "Try to get it back." 

"I'm not playing those games with you."  He walked away, leaving the bag 
behind.  Christina ditched it, then ran up to him. 

"Are you just going to ignore me?" 

"Are you just going to hassle me?" 

Christina got in front of him.  "I can see it's impossible to have any 
kind of normal conversation with you.  Well we'll see who has the last 
word!"  Todd tried to walk around her, but she moved in front of him.  
"Well, why don't you just knock me over?  You did it once before." 

"Stop it Christina.  I don't want to start something up." 

"Why not?  I'm ready for you this time.  Or are you afraid you'd get 
hurt?" 

Todd looked her in the eye.  "I've never backed away from a scrap, even 
if the guy was twice my size." 

"So.  What are you waiting for?" 

"I don't want to fight you." 

Christina stared at him.  "Well, this isn't the Todd I've known.  I've 
never known you to back down at anything." 

"Well, I've changed.  Now if you'll step aside and let me go on my way." 

Christina sighed.  "OK.  OK.  If you insist."  She sighed again, more 
deeply.  "Maybe I'll just have to accept that you won't be in my life.  
Well, just to show you I've changed too, I'll do you one better.  I'll 
move the car that's blocking you." 

Todd stared at Christina, her lean body obscured by the down coat.  
"Well, you're finally acting like an adult.  OK then." 

They walked back to Todd's building together, Christina looking up at 
Todd every ten seconds or so, Todd looking resolutely ahead.  "I'll 
carry the suitcase for you, if you want." 

"No thanks.  I can do it." 

"We can share.  I mean, I caused you the problem.  I can see it's 
slowing you down." 

"It's fine Christina," Todd replied.  But he was grateful the light 
turned red, and he dropped the suitcase on the sidewalk while they 
waited, his shoulder aching. 

They walked down to the basement, and Todd saw the attendant trying to 
move Christina's car.  "It's all right.  She has the keys.  She'll move 
it."  Todd gave him ten dollars for his efforts and he left. 

Christina fished inside her pocket for her keys and pulled them out, 
only to drop them.  "Damn.  I'm always dropping things.  My fingers get 
cold." 

"Hold on.  I'll get it.  Todd knelt down to retrieve them from under the 
car.  As he poked his head out, he felt a sharp blow, then . . . 
nothing. 

*** 

Todd couldn't tell how much time had passed when he awoke.  His head 
ached badly.  He reached up to feel it, and realized his arms were 
restrained.  He opened his eyes and slowly focused.  He was on a bed in 
a dark room.  The shades were drawn.  His mouth was painfully dry. 

"Is anyone here?  HELP!  HELP!" 

He heard footsteps coming down stairs.  Christina walked in, looking 
concerned. 

"I must have hit you harder than I thought.  Sorry.  You've been out for 
almost twelve hours." 

"Where am I?" 

"A little place my parents have on the Jersey shore.  It's quiet here 
this time of year.  No one will bother us, or hear us."  

"Do I have to be tied up?" 

Christina looked at him.  "I'm not sure.  But it's safer this way, at 
least for now.  Let's see what happens.  I bet you're hungry."  Todd 
glared.  "I bought some Corn Flakes for you.  Do you still like them?" 

"I can't eat them with my hands tied in back of me." 

"Oh I'll feed you.  I'd enjoy that."  Todd turned away.  "You can't not 
eat.  It's not good for you.  You've got to keep up your strength."  She 
chuckled.  "I'm teasing you a little, you know.  You've lost a lot of 
muscle.  I checked you out before, once I got you tied up.  Your arms 
are thinner.  Softer too.  It's very interesting.  It's happening to a 
lot of men.  I've seen it at work.  Some of the guys in production are 
really struggling to do their jobs.  And at the same time, we women are 
getting stronger.  I've got real biceps now, and they're hard, like 
yours used to be.  I really think I'm stronger than you." 

Todd didn't answer. 

"Aren't you curious about what's happening?  We carried a special from 
Fox about it.  Greenpeace came out with a statement that it's a change 
in hormonal chemistry or something, caused by the oil spills.  That's 
why it's happening all over the world at the same time.  They want to 
ban fossil fuel use right away.  But that's silly.  You can't do that.  
Besides, I don't see what's so bad about it.  If this is the result of 
pollution, I'm all for more of it.  Anyway, that was just their opinion, 
and they probably just want to get people to send them money.  The 
station shows a lot of stuff that's pretty weird, just to get ratings.  
Don't you think that's right?  It's not exactly serious news, like on 
CNN.  I don't believe a lot of the stuff I read either, like the stuff 
about two-headed babies, and UFO's.  It is interesting though sometimes 
and there are lots of stories you read about in those weeklies before 
they show up in the heavy newspapers, like you read.  Like all the news 
about Diana and Charles.  It was all true, but it took a long time 
before Time reported it.  They'd put it in People first.  Do you want 
those Corn Flakes?  I'll get them, just in case." 

Christina returned with a snack tray and a cereal bowl.  "But you know, 
I really don't think it's pollution.  Everybody knows that causes 
cancer, not good stuff like getting strong.  I think it's something more 
mystical, something wonderful happening.  Do you want to hear my 
theory?" 

"Sure, Christina."  Todd sat up and opened his mouth as Christina 
spooned the cereal and milk into it. 

"Well, I was at a yoga retreat just about a month ago.  I've been going 
to this center a lot this year to help me focus my energy better.  And 
all of us were meditating, mostly women, you know, all of these classes 
are that way.  I was thinking about you, as usual, trying to turn my 
anger into something more positive, into something I could use -- that's 
what they tell you to do -- when suddenly I had this breakthrough, and I 
felt this burst of peace and happiness.  And at that very moment, I 
heard this low moan from the other women there, like they had reached 
that level of understanding at the same moment.  We all looked around 
and smiled at each other.  It was peace, and joy, but not passivity.  We 
all wanted to act.  To do.  But in a really positive way.  So we just 
had to talk about what we were feeling.  The leader frowned at us, and 
so did two other guys in the room.  They were all trying to hush us up, 
saying we were there to meditate, not gab.  Well, we all stood up and 
walked out!  We knew something important had been given to us.  At the 
time I thought it was just the women in the room meditating, but then 
after I left, other women at the television station were talking about 
the same thing, and I realized that a gift had been purposely sent to 
us, and not to you.  At first I thought it was just spiritual, but then 
I started noticing the physical part of it too, that the whole balance 
of the universe was changing and we were going to have the power, not 
you.  It's happening right now, and we're all part of it.  You know I'm 
right, don't you?" 

Todd shrugged.  

"It's justice, you know.  Maybe you men were given power over us as a 
test, and you've failed it.  Now it's our turn.  It's just so beautiful 
the way the universe works.  There's a symmetry to it, an art.  You've 
never understood spiritual things like that, have you Todd?  That's why 
you need me.  I can help you.  I really can." 

Todd looked into her eyes and spoke quietly and evenly.  "You don't know 
what you're talking about Christina.  I've never heard so much New Age 
bullshit and I certainly don't need to hear about it from you.  But if 
you really believe that stuff, if you really are a spiritual person, 
then how can you justify keeping me chained to this bedpost?  Is this 
your idea of enlightened behavior?  Is this how you'll be better than 
men?  Is this what women do when they are given power?" 

She stared back at him and coughed uncomfortably.  "You know, this is 
the longest chat we've had in years.  I really miss talking to you.  I'm 
really still very angry with you.  But I'm sure we could work things 
out, if you'd only try."  She sniffed.  "You should give me a chance.  
You pretend you're a big shot now, and you go out with people who are 
all high society.  But I'm a real woman, and I love you.  I'd do 
anything for you, if you'd just let me.  I'd take care of everything for 
you, do all the stuff Marta wouldn't do.  I'd cook, do your laundry, 
have your kids.  You need that.  I know you do.  Why don't you see 
that?"  She sighed and went out of the room and came back with a key.  
"I'll untie you.  But you have to stay.  Just for a few days, ok?  Give 
me a chance.  Will you promise?" 

"Do I have to?" 

"Yes." 

"OK.  I promise." 

She reached behind him and unlocked one of the handcuffs, and then the 
other.  Todd rubbed his wrists, which were reddened and raw. 

"I'm so sorry I hurt you Todd.  But it was the only way to get you here.  
Please.  I don't mean you any harm.  I want to help you."  She looked at 
him and smiled.  "Oh this is just what I dreamed.  To have you here with 
me.  In this house.  Where we can have a little time together.  Where we 
can talk." 

Todd stood up and stretched.  "What about?" 

"About us." 

"Can we go into another room, so we can at least sit down comfortably?" 

She looked at him suspiciously.  "We can go to the sitting room out 
here.  I don't want you going upstairs." 

"I'm still a prisoner?  Well, a chair would be a nice start.  I was 
getting claustrophobic in here." 

"Why?  It's too small for you?  You need a big fancy room? Well, I'm 
sorry it's not to your liking," she said sarcastically, then, in a 
sincere voice, almost pleading, "This was my bedroom when I was a girl, 
whenever we'd go to the shore.  It means a lot to me to have you here." 

Todd ignored her and walked slowly out of the room.  He took the chair 
nearer the stairs.  "A basement bedroom." 

"I liked it.  I was happy here." 

"I see.  Can I have more to eat?" 

"Not now.  I want to talk." 

"I'm hungry.  I haven't eaten all day." 

"No!  I'm not going upstairs.  I don't know if I can trust you yet." 

Todd leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes.  "Well, I'm too 
hungry to talk." 

"I don't -- oh, alright."  She stood and went up, looking back to make 
sure Todd stayed right with her.  "There isn't much here, yet.  I 
haven't had time to shop yet.  Tuna fish ok?" 

"I'll eat anything." 

She took a can out of the cabinet and opened the refrigerator door to 
get the mayonnaise.  "It'll be --

As she turned around, Todd whirled at her with a sharp kick in the 
stomach.  She let out a lungfull of air and doubled over, while Todd ran 
out of the kitchen, looking for the way out.  Finding the door he pulled 
on it.  It was locked!  He ran back to find another door and tumbled 
right into Christina, who tried to hold him.  Todd elbowed her sharply 
in the same place as before, but this time she was ready, and Todd's arm 
shook with the impact against her hard abdominal muscles.  No good!  
This wasn't going to be easy.  She wasn't just going to roll over when 
he hit her. The time for restraint was over.  He didn't like the idea of 
fighting a girl, but he couldn't hold back and depend on superior 
strength to control her.  He also could not expect her to play fair; she 
had already hit him from behind once.  He had to get away; it was time 
to show her how a man fights when he has to.    

"Ooooh, I should have known.  I should have known!!" she said, panting.  
"Your word is completely worthless.  I never should have trusted you.  
All you want to do is get away from me!  I won't let you.  You hear 
me?!" 

Todd ignored her and around for another way out.  There was a back door, 
but it could be locked too, and he didn't see any keys laying around.  
Either she had it, or it was hidden.  He had to keep her out of action 
while he searched for it, and he pushed her back toward the wall.  Her 
body felt alarmingly solid and she stopped short after a few steps and 
came right back at him, baring her teeth in anger.  It was going to take 
more than a shove to keep her away.  He hit her once in the chest to set 
her up.  She crossed her arms across her breasts protectively and glared 
at him.  Well, he wasn't being a gentleman; this was war. He responded 
not with an apology, but with a hard right to her unprotected jaw, a 
left to her cheek, and then a blow to her right eye.  She staggered, a 
little wobbly from the flurry of punches, but recovered enough to kick 
him hard in the shins to show him she was really angry.  Todd groaned -- 
her legs WERE strong -- but then he coolly followed it up with two 
kidney punches, forcing spiraling pains up her back and down her legs. 

"Oww!  You're hurting me!" she cried out. 

He looked at her grimly and shut out her words. He was hurting her, but 
she was still on her feet.  He would have thought a flurry of blows like 
that would have been enough at least to knock her down.  He had to do 
better.  He must be getting so weak, already!  He waded in for another 
series of blows, but this time she stepped inside his arms and grabbed 
him in a clinch so that he couldn't reach her face.  He put his hands on 
her shoulders to push her away, but she clutched him tightly.  He 
couldn't break her hold. 

"Ha!  I've got you now!  I'd love just to crush you into me, closer and 
closer, until we were one person, bound together forever.  Closer, 
closer my darling Todd.  Feel my passion, feel my strength for you.  
It's my love that makes me strong, your hate that makes you weak." She 
tightened her arms further, oblivious to Todd's fists beating against 
her back, until Todd poked his hand hard into her side.  She let out a 
little cry, then pushed him away suddenly and Todd fell backwards, 
hitting the opposite wall.  Christina leapt after him, wrapping her arms 
on top of him and pinning his hips to the floor with her legs, which cut 
into him like heavy iron bars.  He struggled to lift his body, but she 
had attached herself so tightly to him that he couldn't use his arms.  
Her dancer's legs had always been strong, and now they were 
irresistible, rock-hard, crushing him with unbearable force. 

"Go on, fight me, fight me harder.  I want to use my strength against 
you, feel my body overpowering yours.  It's exhilarating, Todd, to be 
outmuscling you.  Did you hear that?  I'm OUTMUSCLING YOU!"  She 
fastened herself even more tightly onto him while Todd felt himself 
weakening from the pain and the lack of air, and even his hunger.  "This 
is s-o-o-o-o EASY!  My legs are s-o-o-o-o strong!"  She let him go and 
he rolled away, prostrate, chest heaving to catch his breath.  "I TOLD 
you I was stronger than you.  Not like last time, when you twisted my 
arm and pushed me out the door.  I can handle YOU now.  And I'm not even 
breathing hard.  Now you're the one who has to listen to me!" 

"Talk all you want," he murmured, "but I still want nothing to do with 
you.  Nothing will change that, do you understand?" 

"NOOO!  I will never accept that.  Never!!"  She jumped on top of him 
again and started hitting him wildly.  Her blows were clumsy but stung.  
Todd grabbed at her wrists to stop her; he could hold her wrists down 
for a few seconds or so, but then he'd tire and she'd break free.  This 
wasn't going well.  He had to do better.  He elbowed her hard in the 
breast again and kicked her in the crotch.  She doubled over and he took 
the opportunity to get out from under her and ran for the large living 
room window.  If he couldn't get out the door, he'd just run through the 
window.  But Christina got up quickly to follow him, and she knew the 
house cold.  Taking advantage of a half moment's hesitation on his part, 
she caught up and dived for him, wrapping her hands around his waist.  
He grabbed one of her hands and slowly lifted it off his waist.  For a 
full minute they struggled, then slowly, steadily, she pushed back his 
arm until she had trapped his hand under hers.  He grabbed his other arm 
and again they struggled, but after a minute she had him fast in the 
same way. 

"Aha!  I've won! My arms are stronger than yours too!"  Todd said 
nothing.  "You see!  You're getting weaker and weaker.  You had to use 
all of your strength just to fight me evenly, and then you got tired and 
I didn't!  I got stronger!"  She spun him around now to face her.  
Indeed, all pumped up now her muscles were larger than they'd been 
before.  She flexed them to show off.  They were larger than his!  "See 
that?  Go on, fight me more. Give me a workout! I'll just get all the 
stronger for it.  See how you like that, Todd Bartel!" 

She took his wrists in her hands and pulled him roughly, yanking him 
back down the stairs to her old bedroom where she tied him up again.  
Todd heard the door slam and her car pull away.  Todd lay in bed, in 
deep despair. 

Days passed, then weeks and months.  Christina installed a deadbolt to 
the room, allowing him to be unchained for a few hours each day to wash 
and use the toilet, but he was cuffed to the bed for most of the day.  
She served him bread, green salads and fruit, what he would have scorned 
as a healthy low protein, low fat mix, but he barely felt like eating 
anyway and didn't seem to need to eat very much. His muscles first 
turning flabby then steadily melting away, until his arms were as thin 
and soft as a teenage girl's. 

Christina wouldn't talk to him, and in fact she wouldn't even let him 
see her, pinning him face down to the bed, and refusing to give him his 
toilet breaks until he learned to turn away from her when she entered.  
He tried to look at her once, and her response was to leave him chained 
for two days straight.  The discomfort, the stench and the hunger 
discouraged him from trying that a second time.  She dealt even more 
harshly with his one attempt to escape.  After days of plotting, he 
tried to club her with a pipe section he had carefully unscrewed from 
the sink.  Unfortunately, its weight was too much for his weakened body 
and she easily avoided his slow, clumsy swing.  She snatched the pipe 
away from him with ease and punched him hard in the gut, once.  That 
single blow was enough to leave him writhing in pain on the floor of the 
room, coughing up blood.  That time, he didn't get fed for four days, 
and since she turned off the water too, his drinking water was limited 
to the small bit in the toilet's reserve tank.  It took him a long time 
before he could stand again without pain. 

Christina gave him no books to read, no radio.  His only diversion was a 
copy of USA Today she left him the day after the Givens-Tyson fight, 
showing a picture of a shockingly muscular Robin Givens with her foot on 
top of an unconscious Mike Tyson.  "IT TOOK JUST 43 SECONDS!" screamed 
the headline.  Todd must have read that newspaper 200 times for lack of 
anything else to occupy his mind.  He knew by heart the article about 
the surprise win by Northern Colorado over Nebraska when Colorado 
replaced their front line with a beefed up cheerleading squad, the story 
about the women of Iran rampaging against the mullahs and imposing their 
own savage regime, the debates about redefining the crime of rape, about 
the failing efforts to protect the seniority rights of men in jobs 
requiring physical labor, displaced because women could now do twice the 
work they could. 

Sunk in depression and despair, Todd lost all track of time.  He 
wondered why no one came to rescue him, why Marta didn't even 
materialize to gloat.  He called out to her for help, first demanding 
that she release him, then pleading, then, disgusting himself, abasing 
himself to her in the most humiliating way, praying to her, begging just 
to talk to her.  She never responded.  He wondered how Christina was 
able to keep him here for so long.  Didn't she have to work?  Wasn't she 
worried about someone looking for him.  Wasn't she even getting bored 
with holding him prisoner? Nothing happened to break the routine.  He 
lost hope of ever leaving his basement room.  

Finally, one day, instead of just leaving him his food Christina tossed 
a key onto the bed and announced, "You've served your sentence.  Take 
off your cuffs and come out.  You're ready to start your new life, 
Todd." 

Todd looked up at her, but Christina had already left and gone upstairs, 
singing.  He struggled to fit the key into the locks of his handcuffs, 
then staggered outside the room and slowly climbed the stairs.  He felt 
as though his whole body had turned to jelly and had to pause several 
times to rest before he reached the ground floor.  He looked around 
cautiously, blinking at the bright sunlight.  After clearing his throat 
a few times, he called out hoarsely, "Christina?  Where are you?" 

"I'm in the kitchen," she replied loudly.  "I'll make you some stir-
fried vegetables.  Or perhaps you'd like some fruit?" 

Todd followed her voice and turned the corner into the room.  Christina 
was already sitting at the table, working her way through a two pound 
slab of freshly cooked steak, which was sitting in a pool of its juices.  
Todd's mouth watered instantly and he looked at it hungrily.  She wore a 
sleeveless sun dress, meaning it must be warm outside.  Could it be 
summer already Todd wondered?  But then all thoughts of the steak and 
season flew from his mind when he looked at her body. 

Christina laughed as she followed his eyes as they swept along her body 
and held up her arm for show. 

"Nice slab of meat, eh Todd?  It's twenty-eight inches around, if I'm 
not flexing.  It goes to thirty-four when I do.  That's a real pop, 
isn't it?  It's because my arm's all muscle.  Want to see?"  Todd shook 
his head.  "That's what a woman can do if she works out in the gym 
regularly.  And eats right."  She swallowed a few more pieces of steak.  
"Mmmm.  Lots of good protein.  How about you, Todd?  Want to show me 
what you've got ... left?" 

Todd looked down at his own arm, which was lost inside his shirt. 

"Hey, you don't need those sleeves anymore.  It's July.  Let me help you 
take those off." 

"Stay away from me." 

"Don't be silly.  You wouldn't really try to stop me, would you?" She 
reached over to him and grabbed his arm, holding him effortlessly as he 
tried to pull away.  "This shirt sure got ratty after all these months."  
She tugged at the sleeve, which gave way, leaving Todd's right arm and 
chest exposed.  "Well just you look at that little bitty arm!  It's so 
cute.  It's probably not even eight inches around.  Make a muscle for 
me, will you?  I want to see what's happened to you." 

Todd looked down at his naked arm, embarrassed by its puny size. He knew 
exactly what would happen if he flexed.  Nothing.   He'd watched his arm 
shrink rapidly during the first part of his captivity, first becoming 
soft and fatty, then thinner as he'd burned the fat on the meager diet 
she'd given him.  It had been months since he could bear to see the 
meager biceps he had left, just like the time on the airplane when Marta 
let Sandy and Sally suck the muscle right out of him.  But this time it 
was worse.  This time, instead of Marta's magic, it was the natural 
workings of his body, sinking in gradual but steady decline, that had 
robbed him of his muscle. 

"Awww, is little Toddy embarrassed to be so small and weak?"  She 
reached up to hold his head between her hands forcing him to look down 
into her eyes, the thick biceps of her arms lined up on either side of 
him like living prison walls that on her whim could tense and crush him.  
"I've looked forward to this moment for months as I've pounded the 
weights at the little Bally gym down the road for hours every day, 
watching my muscles grow to a size I'd never dreamed possible.  With 
every increase of my strength, I've thought about how I would use it, 
how I'd match my growing muscles against your shrinking ones. So look at 
us, now. Don't we make a wonderful pair?  Your tall, thin, pale body, so 
soft, ever so weak, trembling in fear of what I might do to you, and my 
tanned, fit one, exploding with muscle and power." 

"I'm not afraid of you.  I just, I just haven't done anything in so 
long.  You've kept me locked up for -- I don't know -- ten months?  
You've given me nothing real to eat.  You've --

"Yes, I know exactly what I've done!  Wasn't is brilliant of me? I'd 
read about it in an old Cosmo, from before the Changes.  'The Best Lose 
Waist Diet' it was called.  It keeps your metabolism higher than it 
would be, even when you're inactive, to encourage weight loss.  The only 
danger is it increases your demand for proteins.  They warned that you 
should eat more protein to prevent that from happening, but I gave you 
hardly any.  So it all worked perfectly. I didn't want you to get sick.  
That would have spoiled the fun after I let you out. But I did want you 
to get as small and weak as possible.  You used to have so much power 
over me. Now you're just a helpless little baby!" 

"You're sick!" 

"I am not.  Maybe I'm a just a little bit obsessed with you, but my 
therapist told me that the only way I'd ever get over you is to confront 
you directly, and you wouldn't let me."  She looked at him intently.  
"So, now I AM confronting you.  And it's a lot easier than thought it 
would be!"  She stood up and puffed out her chest, making it surge 
outwards into Todd and butting against him with her breasts.  He 
stumbled backwards and looked at her in disbelief as her eyes looked 
intently into his, almost level with them. 

"Oh, yeah!  Just look at us!  I've gotten taller too!  What do you think 
of that?  I've grown four inches in the past ten months; I'm just a 
couple of inches shorter than you now, and I'm still growing.  All of us 
are.  Cosmo says women are going to be an average of 6'1", and I'll 
probably be even bigger 'cause I was taller than average before the 
Changes!  Before too long, I'll be taller than you!"  Her eyes rolled up 
and down Todd's thin frame and she flashed a large smile, licking her 
lips.  "Won't THAT be great?"  Todd swallowed nervously.  "It's so much 
fun to look you over, just like I used to gaze into the eyes of my big, 
strong Todd in the old days.  But now, I'm the one who's big.  And I 
will make you want me the way I wanted you.  You'll see how completely I 
can control you now.  But now I want you to look up at me."  She put her 
arms on Todd's shoulders and pulled him down, Todd's knees buckling 
instantly.  "There.  That's even better.  On your knees, with your head 
below my breasts.  See how they've gotten bigger too, now that I'm 
eating more.  When I started eating for size and power, instead of 
throwing up all the time trying to maintain my body for dancing, I 
discovered I had real breasts.  And these pectoral muscles don't hurt 
either, they really push them out.  Don't you like them Todd?"  She 
pushed them together with her arms.  "See, no bra." 

Unable to move his head, Todd cast his eyes down at the ground.  "Cut it 
out, Christina!  Can't you see I'm not interested?  You may be able to 
push me around, but you'll never, never make me want you.  So just give 
it up!"  Todd tried to stand up, his legs trembling with the effort, but 
Christina held him down.  

"Tsk, tsk, Todd.  It's hopeless.  Your little stringbean muscles against 
me?  Ha!  I could hold you down with two fingers!  Hey, I know you're 
angry with me.  Why don't you try hitting me?  Maybe it'll make you feel 
better. Go on, I'll let you stand up and try that kick again, right in 
my stomach.  I remember what you did before I locked you up.  How you 
lied to me, broke your promise and tried to escape?  Well, try it again.  
I won't even block it."  Todd stood up slowly, then rammed his foot as 
hard as he could into Christina's midsection.  Except that he could 
hardly get his foot off the ground and when he did, slowly, painfully, 
push it at her abdomen, it stopped dead on contact, like he had hit a 
brick wall.  She didn't even tense her muscles or even exhale.  He tried 
again, then hit her there again and again with his fists, the effort 
making him breathless until he broke out into a coughing fit.  "You're 
getting tired already, and all I feel is a little massage," she teased. 
She tightened her stomach and Todd saw blocks of solid muscle emerge 
from her tight waist, pushing out her dress, almost like the beast from 
Alien emerging from its host. 

"You see, Todd, how far I've outstripped you.  Just give it up. I've 
been doing crunches with hundreds of pounds of weights.  Your puny 
little muscles can't do anything to me.  And now it's my turn."  Todd 
flinched, raising his hands in defense.  "Oh, don't be a scaredy cat.  
I'm not going to punch you.  I could kill you with a love tap.  Don't 
you think I know that?" She put her hands on her hips, and seeing she 
had his attention, tensed her biceps, which swelled into round globes of 
solid muscle.  "Now these are impressive, like I have a pair of 
basketballs in my upper arms.  And watch this!"  She tensed her lats, 
instantly bursting her sundress, which fell to the floor around her feet 
in shreds, leaving her completely naked.  "I'm ready for you Todd, and 
now it's time to get you ready."  She took Todd's pants by the waistline 
and tore them off his body, then did the same to his shorts.  "Awww, 
will you look at that, your little dick is so limp and cute, so 
unthreatening, just like you." 
 
"Don't you understand Christina, I'm not interested." 

"I thought this might happen.  But there's a way to take care of it."  
She picked him up and carried him into the bed room, oblivious to the 
blows he rained onto her back, and dumped him onto the bed, then sat 
next to him.  "You have a few things to learn, Todd.  This little 
problem you're having --

"It's not a problem.  You and your muscles don't interest me in the 
slightest.  I --

"Nasty!"  She kissed him on the chest and then neck and started 
peppering his face with light kisses, then checked again.  "It's still 
so little!" she squealed playfully.  "But I know you're just a little 
nervous with me.  After all," she reasoned, "you've been cooped up in my 
old bedroom for so long, watching yourself waste away.  You're 
completely at my mercy, your body is weak and small.  Your conditioning 
is very poor; even the slightest physical effort exhausts you.  And 
then, look at me, a woman, completely in control.  Yes, a woman, a woman 
you've despised for years, so much stronger than you are, my muscles ten 
times the size of yours, harder, in peak condition.  And, you might like 
to know that with just a little effort I can make them grow even bigger 
and harder in no time at all.  Not like the old days, when I'd work out 
for months just to be able to lift another twenty pounds or so.  Now, 
one intense morning session, a good protein-rich lunch, and by the 
afternoon I can lift twenty or thirty pounds more.  So, how does that 
make you feel?  Hopeless, right?"  She looked down at Todd, silent, his 
face impassive, resisting. 

"Poor Todd.  It must be such a shock to you, being so weak, right? I 
understand.  Why, compared to you, I must seem like a Supergirl. You're 
completely intimidated by me.  You poor, poor dear!" 

Todd bristled.  "I don't need your sympathy.  This whole . . . situation 
is just ridiculous.  It's unreal.  It's --

Christina put her long fingers around Todd's upper arm, giving it a 
sharp squeeze and compressing the soft tissue all the way to the bone.  
"Ha-ha!  It's real, Todd!  Just feel the strength in my hand against 
your non-existent biceps and get used to it.  All over the world men are 
getting used to it and learning to love us for our muscles.  You will 
too, and I'll help you.  Cosmo said that being so much stronger than men 
now, girls can show men how to take all of the pressure off, so there's 
no need for performance anxiety. First you tell the man that he's not 
responsible for whether it works or not.  The girl just takes complete 
control of sex.  Half the time that makes the problem go away, right 
then and there.  So Todd, don't even think about getting an erection.  
I'll take care of it.  Just surrender your body to me.  After all, it's 
mine anyway!"  She laughed. 

"I don't have a problem.  I just don't want --

"That's what men always say.  It's typical to have the man try to avoid 
the problem like that."  Christina bent over Todd, licking his neck and 
then his nipples.  "See, even your little scrawny nipples are getting 
hard.  Mine are too, but look how big and pointy mine get, now that my 
breasts are so big. Doesn't this feel incredibly sexy?" 

"NO.  Get away from me."  Todd rolled off the bed and fell to the floor, 
then scrambled to the door, pushing at the knob, then pounding on it to 
open it.  "Unlock it. You can't do this to me. Let me out!" 

"It isn't locked, Todd.  It just sticks a little in the summer. That's 
all." She put her hand over her mouth and laughed as Todd braced against 
the floor and pushed with both hands, groaning with the effort.  "You 
mean, you can't even push it open?  Oh, I love it!  This is so funny.  
What a little weakling you've become!  Mom used to struggle with it 
every year when it got to be summer until she got used to it again, and 
she'd always get on Dad for not fixing it.  She wasn't strong at all, 
but in the end she could always open it with a hard push. And YOU can't!  
Oh my poor little man!" 

Todd gave one last try and then slumped to the floor in despair. 
Christina walked over and lifted him up with one arm, curling her arm 
around his hips, and then pushed the knob with the forefinger of her 
free hand.  It sprang open and banged loudly against the wall. "There. 
See?  I told you it wasn't locked.  I wouldn't lie to you." 

"Oh, I just love my weak little man!"  Christina lifted him and kissed 
him, thrusting her tongue into his mouth and gently massaging his.  She 
was a good kisser, Todd remembered, and he felt an unwelcome stirring in 
his groin.  He did not want this to happen. 

"I feel that," she giggled, breaking the kiss for a moment and touching 
his growing penis, then went back to his mouth.  "Mmmmm, good, isn't it?  
See how it helps just to let go?  But you're still not hard enough.  
Step four is new, and it's one reason men really never have to be 
anxious again."  She walked slowly back to the bed and lay down, 
positioned herself against him, and suddenly Todd felt her vagina open 
up and swallow him, like a mouth.  "Isn't that wonderful?  We've all 
gained this marvelous muscular control."  Todd felt his penis rapidly 
being massaged, that strobe-like sensation Marta had learned to give him 
soon after the spell had begun.  My god, could Christina do that too? He 
could feel himself getting firmer, even as he wished he wasn't. 

"There you go.  See?  He's hard now.  You know, that's another thing 
that's changed.  We're taller and stronger, and you're softer and 
weaker, except for your peckers.  They got longer and thicker and 
harder!  So nice for us!!  Mmmm, not so soon, Todd.  I know it's been a 
long time, but you can't come already.  But no matter.  You don't even 
have to worry about it.  I can stop you from coming too quickly just by 
squeezing you like so.  See?  You just have to lie back and enjoy it.  
You're completely in my power." 

He lay there, her hand pinning him to her powerful pelvis as she rippled 
the muscles of her vagina, constantly changing the combination, the 
intensity, building to that overpowering strobe, then squeezing, 
prolonging the act again and again as she screamed in orgasm, while she 
kept him from his own release, until his entire body felt like one long 
penis, each touch of her body sending cascading waves of pleasure 
through him.  Even more than with Marta he felt the sensations in 
dizzying waves.  He clutched at her to keep his bearings. 

"Yes, yes, that's a good boy.  Hold on with the little strength you 
have.  Hold on to your Christina.  Poor baby; all your energy is going 
into your penis, isn't it, making it so big and hard for me.  Oh, it's 
so sweet!  So, heavenly!  Oh, Todd!  OOOOOOOH!  Have you ever, EVER felt 
such pleasure with anyone else?  Oh, yeah!  OH, YES!!  Oh, but look at 
me, Todd, look at the body that's really bringing us this pleasure!  
Mine!"  She flexed her arms for him again and again, her muscles 
exploding in size immediately before each shiver of pleasure, until he 
began to anticipate the sensation whenever she tightened her arms.  Her 
massive arms, the powerful flex of her muscles, the hard explosion of 
her body against his, and then the vibrating strobe of pleasure, 
repeated again and again, like a lesson to be learned. His eyes opened, 
suddenly fully conscious. He realized, with horror, exactly what she was 
doing.  

In the midst of her passion she beamed at him, "Wow, Todd, you figured 
it out!  You're so smart. Yes!  That's the fifth step.  We girls have to 
retrain your sense of what turns you on.  Some men had a hard time 
adjusting but this works every time," she said, smiling as her swelling 
chest forced her breasts onto his face.  He shivered again in a paroxysm 
of intense pleasure.  "Oh yes! You understand it.  I know you don't 
really like the idea. But there's nothing you can do about it.  It feels 
too good for you to resist.  You can't help yourself."  She flexed 
again, hard and long.  "Look at you.  You're already waiting for it.  
You're just dying to feel what I'm about to do! Poor boy!  You really 
want it, don't you.  Yes, I know.  There you go, Todd.  Isn't that just 
what you wanted?  Your poor weak body is completely dependent on me.  
Nothing else is like the way I can make you feel. It's really so sweet!  
And you're so weak, so vulnerable, you're like putty in my hands.  
You're as weak as a kitten now, your whole body so soft except for your 
penis, deep, deep inside me, hard as an iron bar, filling me with such, 
ooooh, I can't tell you.  Ohmygod!  OOOH  YESSS!  Oh, and it's 
completely in my control. Oh god! But you don't mind really, do you? You 
don't mind at all. You've never felt anything so good, and in the end, 
that's all that matters to you, isn't it?  That's what Cosmo says, and 
it's true -- I can see it in your eyes. You don't want to accept it, but 
you will.  Oh yes, yes!! That's four times already!  Oh, you poor dear!  
Just watch."  She tensed her muscles again, her breasts rising now, 
enveloping his head, her arms bursting with muscle, each arm by itself 
more massive than his limp body, and then, letting him find his release, 
as he exploded in a flood.  "That's enough for now.  I can tell you've 
already started to get it."  She looked down at him, sleeping already.  
"Poor Todd, it's just one in the afternoon and you're already worn out.  
I just love my Cosmo." 

Several hours later, Todd awoke to Christina's gentle caresses on his 
face.  She was dressed in a t-shirt and shorts, her nipples tight 
against the sheer fabric, her arms stretched the sleeves, deforming 
them.  It was one of his old t-shirts from the luggage he had been 
carrying the day she'd kidnapped time, and now it wasn't even big enough 
for her. 

"Wake up my little precious!  That's enough nap for you.  I've made you 
that stir fry I promised." 

Todd groaned.  He was so hungry.  He hadn't eaten all day, and he could 
smell Chinese food.  In fact, he hadn't eaten anything with flavor since 
she had taken him to this house.  He wanted it so much, he started to 
tremble, but he hated the idea that she would see him like this. 

"Come on Todd, I know how good it must smell to you.  I can be a great 
cook when I want.  And you've gotta keep your strength up, don't you? " 
she added teasingly.  "Now, do I have to carry you in, or can you can 
make it yourself?" 

"Keep your hands off me, if you would!"  Todd got out of bed carefully, 
then realized he had nothing on.  "Where are my clothes?" 

"Those rags?  I threw them away, except for a few shirts I like to wear.  
Besides, they're too big for you now.  You'd probably fit into some of 
my old stuff, although the pants would probably a little too short and a 
bit wide around the hips. Maybe --

"Your clothes?!  No way." 

Christina giggled.  "I didn't think so.  Well, I did buy some new shirts 
and shorts for you.  They should fit.  Hope you like the colors."  She 
reached into a dresser drawer and threw out a pale blue polo shirt and 
briefs.  "You won't need much more than this. You're not going anywhere 
that you'd need to dress up." 

Todd didn't want to let that remark pass, but he decided dressing and 
eating were higher priorities for the moment. 

When he met her in the kitchen she was already at the table, eating a 
steaming beef stew.  Her mouth full, she motioned to Todd to sit down at 
the place setting next to her. 

"What's this?  You get meat and I get zucchini and cabbage?" 

"Beef's not on your diet.  It's not good for your cholesterol level." 

"Screw that.  I need some protein.  Look what your diet's done to me." 

"Oh do show me.  I wanted to see before, but you wouldn't flex your 
muscles for me," she teased, pretending to pout. 

"And since when do you eat so much meat?  You used to be a vegetarian." 

"I need it more now.  It really helps build muscle fiber.  Oh I could 
get what I need from cheese, grains, and tofu, but I'd have to spend all 
day eating, at the rate I'm growing."  Christina was resting her elbows 
on the table and flexed her arm muscles, which ballooned outward, 
pushing the sleeve of Todd's old t-shirt up until it was folded back on 
top of her shoulder.  "See?  Like that.  Know what I mean?"  She raised 
her eyebrow and then winked. 

Todd felt a little tingle in his crotch and looked away, hoping 
Christina didn't notice. 

"The point is, Christina, that I'm not going to let you keep me here 
forever, getting no exercise and eating this stuff that's making me 
waste away into nothing.  I have to eat some real food, and you have to 
let me work out." 

Christina looked down at her plate and ate a few chunks of meat, chewing 
carefully but quickly, then smiled and put one small piece on Todd's 
plate.  "You're very persuasive.  See?  I listened to you.  And you can 
exercise later.  There.  Are you happier?  Aren't I treating you well?" 

"You're just great, Christina," Todd said quietly, keeping his eyes on 
the meat and saying nothing more until he cut it and had put it safely 
into his mouth, savoring every chew. 

"But as to the other thing -- my keeping you here? -- well I'm not 
letting you go.   I finally have you, and you're staying right here, 
with me.  And before long, you'll want to stay.  I know it." 

Todd kept eating.  "Can't I even have a newspaper?  A Wall Street 
Journal?  I've read it every day for the last ten years, at least until 
you took me here." 

"What do you need it for?  Don't you have enough money not to worry if 
things go up or down?" 

"Christina.  It's my job.  My life.  I need to know what's going on." 

"But Todd, you don't have your job anymore.  Very few men do, you know.  
And besides, you don't need one.  I'll take care of you.  I have more 
than enough money for the both of us."  Todd stared at her.  "Alright.  
You want a newspaper?  No problem.  I'll see if we can get home 
delivery.  But I can tell you, I don't miss the TV news one bit, now 
that I'm not working there anymore." 

Todd looked up.  "Yeah, about that.  How come you were able to quit your 
job?  Did some distant cousin leave you some money?" 

"Oh no, silly.  I don't have any rich cousins.  I  just had the greatest 
luck, that's all.  A couple of days before I brought you here, I'd 
bought a lottery ticket.  I don't usually waste my time on it, didn't 
even know what the prize was, but I kept seeing these numbers 
everywhere.  So I played them.  And wouldn't you know, the Saturday I 
took you here I hit the largest jackpot in history! $125 million.  So 
all of a sudden, I didn't have anything to worry about.  I didn't know 
what to do with it.  I know you know a lot about stocks, but I couldn't 
exactly ask you, you know, since I'd just beaten you up and chained you 
to the bed.  Then, after I got you here and the Changes started, I was 
thinking about you and I remembered how you always talked about the 
internet and computers, and I heard about Microsoft and I thought that 
was so funny, because you were getting so much smaller and softer, like 
you were going to be Micro and soft.  Microsoft!  Get it?  Anyway it 
just sounded right so I invested all of it there. And now it just keeps 
doubling or splitting or something like that.   Anyway, I have more than 
twice as much as I did before!  I bet I even have more money than you 
got from Marta.  Am I right?"  

Todd groaned.  

"I know you're jealous.  It's not surprising.  You used to have all the 
advantages, but now I'm bigger and stronger than you, in better shape, 
and I've got tons more money.  It just goes to show, it's better to be 
in sync with the spirits than to be smart.  Anyway, I don't really care 
about being rich, except that I can stay here with you and do anything I 
want without worrying about how much it costs." 

She carried the plates to the sink.  "I think I'm ready for my evening 
session.  Let's go downstairs.  Since you're out of your room now I 
can't go to the club to work out yet like before, at least until I know 
you'll stay around.  So I bought some new equipment.  They delivered it 
while you were sleeping."  She waited until Todd went ahead of her, then 
followed him down.  "It's the usual stuff, most of the same machines I 
used at Bally's.  And I got some light weights in case you wanted to 
work out too.  See Todd, I've really given a lot of thought to what will 
be good for you." 

Todd glared at her and went right to the weight machine. 

"NO, Todd.  That's not for you." 

"What are you talking about?  I've been using these for fifteen years."  
He sat down at the curling station and looked quickly at the setting, 
then, remembering his months of inactivity, he lightened it.  He took 
the bar in his hands and lifted, but it stayed rooted in place.  This is 
ridiculous, he thought.  He planted his feet and straightened his back, 
set himself again and pulled harder, straining his arms and shoulders.  
He may as well have been pulling on a bar welded to a bus.  He looked 
down at his arms, which were trembling with the effort. 

"Nice of you to show me your big biceps, Todd.  What do you think?  They 
were eight inches before, and now, when you're flexing, maybe eight and 
an eighth?" She laughed. "I have to admit I'm a little shocked that, as 
much as you're pulling, I just can't see any movement under your skin. 
Zippo."  She stepped up next to him and reached over, extending her arm 
straight out and grabbing the bar from the top, then lifted it up to her 
shoulder height.  "I'd say it's about seventy pounds.  Not enough to 
work my arms, but it's a good warm-up if I isolate the right muscles.  
Now, would you move out of the way and let me use the machine?  I've got 
some wrist weights, a couple of pounds or so, and you can work with 
those while I do some real lifting."   

She bent down and turned the dial far to the heavy side, then planted 
herself and started doing rapid curls.  Todd stared at her arms, which 
were becoming more and more pumped up with each set of repetitions, the 
thick muscle erupting from her arms in ragged peaks. 

"Aren't you going to do your weights, Todd?  Isn't that what you wanted 
so you could get some of your strength back?  You have to start 
somewhere.  Who knows how far you'll be able to get?  Maybe you'll 
surprise me."  She looked down at Todd's shorts, which showed an 
unmistakable unevenness.  "There's one part of you that's growing for 
sure," she adding, smirking.  "I don't mind your watching me, though.  
It's good to see you find me attractive.  And don't worry, I'll be ready 
for more of that later."  She reached over to touch him, continuing to 
do her curls with the same weight, and now with just one arm, whose 
biceps now towered over four inches above the already thick plane of her 
arm. 

Unable to help himself, Todd stood transfixed by the size of her arm, 
then realizing she was rapidly stroking him to a climax, pulled away and 
crossed to the other side of the room. 

"Just one session in bed, and I've already got you hot over my biceps," 
she teased.  "And it'll just get better and better!" 

Todd ignored her, grimly fastening the wrist weights.  He started 
lifting his arms up and down and running in place, just as he remembered 
seeing the women do in their aerobics classes.  After two minutes, his 
arms started to hurt, but he continued for five more.  He couldn't 
believe he was getting a burn from these wrist weights.  What could they 
be, one and a half pounds?  It was completely humiliating.  He turned 
back toward Christina who was intent on her leg lifts, her thighs 
pushing the weights like two mighty pistons.  She wasn't even breathing 
heavily.  He turned around again to ignore her, as well as his 
stiffening member.  Damn!  Since when did that kind of body turn him on 
anyway?  He strapped the weights onto his ankles and started doing leg 
lifts, but gave up, out of breath, after just ten lifts.  He heard the 
regular clanking sounds of the machines behind him, but he refused to 
turn around again and look. 

"If you're finished already, Todd, there are some magazines in the 
corner you can read, 'cause I'm going to be a while longer. I know 
they're probably not exactly your favorites, but it'll give you 
something to do for now. Or you can take another nap if you're tired."  
Then, in a softer voice, "Or you can come back over here and watch me." 

Her voice sounded as smooth and even as if she was just standing still, 
yet he could hear the repetitive sounds of her lifting continuing just 
as before.  Her level of strength and fitness was amazing.  Just what 
was she capable of now anyway?  How much work would it take to make her 
even breathe hard?  He walked over to the coffee table and looked at the 
pile of magazines: People, Cosmo, the latest TV Guide, American Dance.  
Todd had no interest in American Dance, especially after he saw the 
cover showing a muscular ballerina lifting a slender male dancer.  Well, 
that didn't mean anything.  He always was suspicious of men who danced.  

No point looking at TV Guide.  There were no television sets or radios 
anywhere in the house.  Wonder what she didn't want him to see.  He 
decided to look at the program guide.  Well!  She tore out that part of 
it too.  Didn't want him to see the descriptions of the programs.  
Something had happened that she didn't want him to know about.  Well, 
the Wall Street Journal would tell him what was up.  

He picked up People and looked at the cover, showing Lady Di standing 
happily in her sleeveless gown, waving to a crowd, biceps bursting out 
of her arms.  Lucky for Prince Charles he has bodyguards.  He flipped 
through the pages.  Tom Hanks looked like a bean pole.  There was Tommy 
Lee, arms almost as skinny as Todd's, next to Pamela Lee, bursting to 
the seams in her bust and her arms.  Hmmph, Todd thought.  Rock stars.  
Todd wagered that Lee hadn't been tied up for ten months like Todd had.  
Maybe he wasn't in such bad shape himself.  He flipped a few more pages.  
Star Tracks had an exclusive photo of Arnold Schwarzenegger, trying to 
get away from the camera, with Maria Shriver waving her fists at the 
photographer, her mouth open screaming.  He didn't look too bad, not 
like the old Arnold, but he still very masculine arms, at least that was 
what Todd thought until he took a closer look at Maria.  Why, her arms 
were thicker than his!  He shut the magazine and looked at the cover 
again.  April!  Was there a later issue?  He flipped through the pile 
and found one from June 30.  There was Lucy Lawless on the cover, 
dressed in her Xena outfit, with muscles that made Christina look small, 
balancing a terrified-looking Hercules above her head with one hand, the 
caption on the cover in bold black letters: "WHO'S ON TOP NOW?"  Further 
inside, in an article entitled "Suddenly Susan Takes Charge", he saw 
Brooke Shields sporting 25" biceps and a 55" chest, sitting behind the 
editor's desk, while her former boss hands her a cup of coffee.  The 
"news" section had a picture of Chelsea Clinton hang gliding near 
Yellowstone, holding on to the bar with one hand while she waved to the 
camera.  Why, she wasn't any kind of a jock, and her arms bulged more 
than his ever did.  He snapped the magazine shut and threw it onto the 
table. 

He could hear the persistent whine of the machine as it battled 
Christina's strength.  How long could she go on like that? 

This wasn't helping at all.  That left Cosmo.  He reached for the June 
issue, with the usual airbrushed model on the cover.  Her cleavage 
looked different, what with the pectoral muscles and all, and the photo 
was cropped larger to show muscular arms, but at least she wasn't 
flexing.  He turned to the table of contents. What was this?  A news 
section?  A finance section?  Since when did Cosmo cover that?  He 
turned to the news.  Ripped out.  Clearly Christina had something 
important to hide from him.  She wasn't clipping articles for a 
scrapbook. 

Here was something.  An article called "The New Rules."  Sounds like the 
old Cosmo.  He flipped to it and read. 

"All right.  You're bigger and stronger than your man.  You've shown him 
that you can give him pleasure like no one else.  He needs you, desires 
you, worships you.  And yet you want more." 

"Of course you do.  Women have learned that they have no limits. You're 
on top, but why stop?  You have power and you want to know what to do 
with it.  Well, here are our ideas." 

"1.  Mystery is history.  Before the Changes, we had to tantalize, 
seduce, and confuse him to get what we wanted, and we showed you how.  
Now the rules have changed, and we're telling you straight. Don't waste 
your energy on beauty.  Let him worry about that.  The way to your man's 
devotion is clear, and if you've trained him as we've taught, it points 
right at you, whenever you want it. 

"2.  Muscle size is power cubed.  You know you're many times stronger 
than he is.  But that's not the only power a woman has.  Your breast 
size used to attract him, but you've trained him to be dazzled by your 
muscles.  Perhaps you've tantalized him to see in your strength the echo 
of his former self, but enhanced beyond his wildest dreams.  Perhaps he 
sees the curves in your arms in the same way as he saw the softness of 
your breasts.  Regardless, men are genetically programmed to admire size 
and shape, and with those marvelous muscles you have, you can be bigger 
in more ways than he can comprehend.  Thirty inch biceps are just the 
beginning.  Every little muscle you have has its own special shape, its 
own unique movement, and every one can become your special signature of 
power, the expression of the essence that is only you." 

"3.  His tool is your tool.  Remember, the only part of him that's still 
hard is his erection.  Use it.  He won't mind, not as long as you let 
him come every now and then.  With the Changes, our vaginal muscles have 
new capabilities, far beyond what they could do before, and infinitely 
more wonderful than anything your man used to do for you.  We've taught 
you how to use them to condition him, now learn what they can do for 
your own pleasure.  Experiment with positions.  Make him wait.  Learn 
how to make your vaginal pressure bring you to heights of sensual 
stimulation you could never have imagined." 

"4.  Only your girlfriend knows your heart.  Of course, the female mind 
hasn't lost the subtlety and sophistication it once had.  We still can 
run emotional rings around our man, confuse him with our moods, our 
desire for truth and honesty in relationships.  Men have never 
understood us, but in the past they could pretend that their directness 
and brute strength took precedence over the higher truths we knew, while 
we struggled with self doubt over whether there was a male counterpart 
to our feminine understanding.  Well girls, now we know.  There isn't.  
The Changes have stripped men of their power, and we can see their talk 
and their logic for what it is, a two-dimensional, impoverished version 
of our rich life of friendship, family and love.  So don't waste your 
time trying to make him understand.  He won't because he can't.  And he 
never will.  The sooner you accept that, the sooner you can redirect 
your emotional life to your girlfriends, and the happier you will be." 

Todd crumpled the magazine and threw it against the wall.  What a load 
of crap!  He never had any interest at all in women's magazines (except 
at the age of thirteen when he found their surprisingly frank discussion 
of breast size and ways to keep men interested exciting), but this was 
positively insulting.  He looked at the wrist weights, lying on the 
floor where he'd thrown them, folded in a semicircle that looked like a 
mocking grin.  Damn Marta!  Damn Christina!  Damn those witches! 

"Such an angry boy!  Want to tell me what's on your mind?" 

Todd whirled around.  Christina had quietly crept behind him and shed 
her clothing.  Her skin glistened from perspiration, her face glowed, 
eyes bright and receptive.  Her chest was rising and falling slightly 
from the exertion, her muscles now strongly defined, fully pumped, 
rippling with each movement she made.  And she gave off the scent of the 
ocean at first light.  She put her hands under his arms and lifted him 
off the couch, his chest grazing her breasts.  He could feel himself 
stiffening, his penis sliding through the hole in his briefs. 

"Hello!" she said smiling.  "Let's shower together." 

"Christina.  I --" 

"Or we can go right to it.  We'll only get hot and sweaty all over 
again." 

She pulled him closer, her leg pushing against his erection, gently 
working it.  

"No.  I said no." 

"I say yes.  And you can't resist me.  Come on, Todd.  You know you want 
it.  Look at me.  Look at my arms, which hold you so easily, so 
tenderly.  Watch how my muscles rise.  Feel them, Todd.  Feel the soft 
skin, the diamond hardness beneath, the living iron of my muscle, my 
strength.  I can feel your pulse beating through your penis against my 
thigh.  Your special, little muscle, which gives both of us so much 
pleasure, lying against my largest muscle.  Isn't it totally romantic?"  
She sighed and closed her eyes.  "Come on, let's go up to bed." 

She shifted her left hand around, pressing his back into her chest and 
pulled down his briefs with her free hand while she carried Todd 
upstairs and dumped him onto her bed, then lay on top of him, all the 
while ignoring Todd's unceasing cries of "No. Put me down.  Christina.  
Did you hear me?  Put me down!"  She maneuvered him inside her. 

Suddenly, Todd's voice changed timber.  "Oh no.  Oh no, you're starting 
that again.  Oh my god.  Christina, no, no, don't please oh my oh, how 
do you, no, no, haiiai, please don't stop, please, Christina." 

"Open your eyes, Todd.  I want you to look at me.  That's good.  Oh yes, 
now put your arms on mine.  Now try to squeeze my muscles. Try." 

"Oh I can't Christina, oh, no, no.  You're doing that oh no please I --

"Squeeze them." 

"Ok, ok anything, just don't oh, oh, this is too much.  Oh they're so 
hard.  So hard.  So big.  And oh my god!  Oh, I feel, I feel like I'm 
going to explode I --

"Don't stop touching them Todd.  Don't stop or I'll stop what I'm 
doing." 

"No, please.  Oh, my whole body is.  It's all tingling, everywhere, like 
a million -- Right.  Right.  I have to.  Have to touch.  Squeeze.  Oh 
you're making them even larger.  How do you --  I can't even get my hand 
around -- oh they're so hard and -- oh no, I'm going to --

"No you're not.  My turn.  I get a long turn too.  Just keep running 
your hands over me." 

"Yes.  Yes.  Of course.  Oh you're so heavy, so large.  Look at all that 
muscle!  It's so --

"It turns you on, doesn't it?" 

"Oh yes it, but, oh you're doing it again.  Oh my.  Yes, squeeze. I try 
but I can't.  They're too -- oh no.  Oh no." 

"Don't worry, Todd, we've got a long night.  Ooooh, that was my second 
already!  You're such a sweetie.  I like to hear you moan.  You never 
used to, before the Changes.  Isn't this better?" 

"I've never felt -- but -- can't even -- ooh, Christina, I" 

"Just look at our bodies Todd.  Your long thin arm alongside my shorter 
one, just erupting with muscle, with power.  See, I can flex them 
larger, and larger.  You haven't seen them as big as they get yet.  Do 
you want to?" 

Todd shivered again with pleasure.  "How can I -- when you do that, that 
-- I feel like I can't say, I have to -- yes, yes show me.  How big?  Oh 
how can you -- how can you do?  How can you be so big?  Oh you shake me 
so each time you tremble like that." 

"Don't be frightened.  Oh, yes!  That was number four.  They get 
stronger and stronger.  But I won't hurt you, Todd.  I'll be careful of 
my little pet.  You'd break so easily now.  Wouldn't you?" 

"Yes but.  Oh, when you do that I can't think, can hardly speak." 

"Then, just moan.  But keep your eyes open.  I want to see you looking 
at me.  And then I'll keep being nice to you.  Wouldn't you like that?" 

Todd nodded, closed his eyes, then, remembering what she'd said, snapped 
them open.  His jaw opened slightly, his eyes were glazed, a light 
coating of sweat on his body and he struggled to absorb the sensations 
filling him, overflowing, trying to keep himself from being overwhelmed.  
But he was helpless before the intense waves of feeling she was sending 
through his body, his penis like an antenna receiving her will, his body 
amplifying the sensations to an unimaginable pitch. He was a tuning fork 
that Christina could sound at her whim.  As he stared at her, immobile, 
helpless beneath her, it was as if he could feel the power of her 
muscles pumping those indescribable sensations into the very fiber of 
his being. 

"You do find me beautiful, don't you?  Nothing has ever given you as 
much pleasure as submitting to me.  The very sight of my huge, hard 
muscles fills you with longing for me to take you into my arms, to pull 
you inside of me.  You want me more than anything in the world.  You 
want my power, my strength, don't you?  You want to be strong like me, 
but you can't.  All you can do is share in it, feel it, worship it."  

"Aaaghh!  Oh, yes!  Oh, please Christina.  Oh ... please ... more 

"Because you have become so weak, Todd.  You've wasted away, your body 
has turned to jelly, your muscles are gone.  You're pitifully weak and 
helpless, Todd.  You can barely stay awake after a round of sex.  
Without me, you couldn't even survive.  You need me desperately." 

Todd shook his head.  "Please Christina, won't you ... please 

She smiled and lifted the hair out of her face, her breasts brushing 
against Todd's chest.  "Let me feel your hand on my breast. Look at you.  
You barely have the strength to lift it.  There you go.  You did it.  
Such a light touch you have, so gentle."  Todd moaned.  "Yes, I like 
that very much.  Now harder, Todd.  No, no, harder.  Come on, let me 
feel all of your manly strength.  Oh really, Todd!  Is that all you can 
do?" 

"Oh, please, please.  Don't stop."  

"But Todd I want you to caress my breasts, massage them, like you used 
to."  Todd strained, his arm shaking as he fondled Christina's breast. 

"Too ... heavy ... please.  I'm ... too 

"Weak?  Weak, Todd?  Too weak even to cup my large, soft breast?" 

Todd stared at her.  "I just ... oh, when I'm inside you ... I ... no 
strength at all ... just 

"You've just put all of your strength into your penis, haven't you?  
Nothing left for anything else?"  Todd nodded, tears in his eyes, and 
then moaned.  "Ohh, Christina!" 

"You see, Todd.  It's all right that you're so weak.  I understand.  
It's perfectly all right."  Todd's moans grew louder.  "There, isn't 
that nice?  Your penis is very hard, and I like that.  And the rest of 
you is perfectly soft and helpless, and I like that too."  Todd started 
shaking, his breathing becoming labored.  "Oh, dear, look at you!  You 
can't take much more of this can you?"  She closed her eyes, dreamily,  
"Oh, yes, OH, YES!  YESS!" 

Todd moaned again, a long, soft sound, then relaxed completely and 
started to snore.  Christina kissed him lightly, and then covered him 
with a sheet and got out of bed. 

Todd didn't know how long the session lasted.  He had faded out several 
times, and only knew it ended when he awoke the next morning, sore, 
hungry, and so soft and limp he was practically a liquid.  He could hear 
Christina working out downstairs.  It was already 11, so he went quietly 
to the kitchen for breakfast.  He was starving.  Some eggs and toast 
would be perfect and was just about to start making them when he heard 
Christina coming upstairs. 

"Is that you?  Are you up?"  Todd hurriedly went to the refrigerator to 
get the eggs.  "Hey, what are you doing?" 

"Just getting some eggs, that's all." 

"No!  That's not for you." 

"Christina!  Stop running my life!" 

"It's not good for you.  It'll clog your arteries, and I want you to 
live a long, long time. I had some fresh fruit delivered. Strawberries?  
Melons?  Just sit down." 

"I want eggs." 

"You just think you do.  Because you always used to, and because I 
haven't let you eat them.  But your body has adjusted.  It's just in 
your mind.  You think you still want them.  But I know what you really 
want." 

"Oh you do?" 

"Yeah." She looked slyly at him, and flexed her arm, which soared out of 
arm, fully pumped from her workout.  Almost instantly, Todd's penis 
sprang to life and he felt a strong urge to rush over to her, which he 
resisted.  But his hands were shaking and his knees felt weak. 

"You're finding me very attractive now, aren't you?  Almost 
irresistible?"  She squeezed harder and Todd saw the peak rise a bit 
more, the veins becoming even more defined.  He could feel his mouth 
start to water.  What had she done to him?  She walked over to him and 
picked him up.  "I think you're ready for a little fun." 

"Christina, please." 

"Sorry, Todd.  My call.  But I don't think you'll protest too long." She 
put his mouth over his while she carried him to the bedroom, Todd 
complaining weakly, his verbal resistance ending as soon as he entered 
her.  

It was evening before he awoke again.  He hadn't eaten all day, or the 
day before.  He didn't seem to need very much food anyway, but he still 
wanted to eat something substantial.  The house was quiet.  Maybe 
Christina was out, or sleeping.  Todd crawled out of bed and went 
downstairs quietly.  His feet didn't make much noise on the stairway 
anymore, his weight had declined so much.  A couple of scrambled eggs 
would be easy to make, and quick. 

His tiptoed into the kitchen and went to the refrigerator.  He pulled on 
the handle, and was shocked at the resistance.  Had she locked that?  
Or, like the bedroom door, was he just too weak?  No!  It couldn't be!  
He gripped the handle again and yanked.  The seal broke!  He pulled the 
door all the way open and plucked three eggs from the door, then grabbed 
the bread and butter before it closed.  He carried them to the counter 
and put them down.  Now the pan.  He looked around the room at all the 
wood cabinets.  Where could it be?  He tried them, one by one, ignoring 
all the ones that were stuck.  He'd try those last, if he couldn't find 
a pan in the ones he could open easily. Damn this old house!  Damn this 
summer humidity.  

He finally found a pile of skillets in one of the bottom cabinets.  The 
one he wanted was at the bottom.  He tried to lift the others and pry it 
out, but he couldn't manage.  He'd just have to use the small one on 
top.  But even that wasn't easy.  It was an old fashioned iron skillet.  
It seemed like it weighed a ton!  He pulled it out and it dropped onto 
the floor, clanging loudly.  Damn!  He bent over to pick it up and 
lifted it slowly, his arms shaking with the effort.  What did it weigh, 
two pounds?  It felt like twenty! 

"Yoo-hoo!" Christina called.  "What ARE you doing?"  He turned around.  
She was standing in the doorway yawning, her hands on her hips, wearing 
nothing more than a sleeveless tank top. 

Todd stopped dead, bent over, looking up at Christina.  "N-nothing.  
Just making some dinner." 

She nodded.  "Still desperate for those eggs, Todd?"  She shook her 
head.  "Won't you learn?  That's way too much for you anyway. Cosmo says 
men need only about a thousand calories a day, and very little protein.  
If you eat more you'll just get fat!" 

"Christina!  Please!", Todd cried. 

"It won't make you any stronger.  Believe me.  You're just reaching your 
new natural level of strength more quickly than if I hadn't locked you 
up, but you would have ended up at the same place soon enough anyway.  
Men just don't have muscle anymore.  And it's important that you eat 
right and not get fat.  I do want you to be healthy." 

"Don't stop me," Todd cried and struggled again to lift the pan. 

"Oooh, you're so cute, trying to pick it up. It's so hard for you!  I 
just love seeing those little arms of yours in action, watching you 
struggle to do the simplest things!  It makes me want to take you right 
to bed." 

Todd felt himself responding to her voice.  "Stop it, Christina," he 
begged. 

"Oh look, your thing is peeking through your shorts.  I think it's 
working already!" 

"W-what do you mean?"  Todd was finding it harder to hold the skillet. 

"Look at yourself.  You're getting excited, just by hearing my voice." 

"No.  I am not." 

"You can't deny it.  Look how big it's getting." 

"No!"  The skillet was touching the floor. 

"Yes it is!  And as it gets bigger, you get weaker and weaker!" 

"No!  This can't be!" 

Christina cocked her arm and flexed.  "Just look at me, Todd.  Look at 
my big, strong muscle." Todd's jaw dropped, as Christina's biceps 
exploded in size.  His arm wilted onto the floor, unable to bear the 
weight of the skillet any longer as his penis pushed through his shorts.  
It was almost ten inches long, pulsing insistently.  "Poor baby. You're 
completely taken by me, and we've only been at this a couple of days!" 

"But, I 

She raised her other arm and flexed, and the other biceps formed a 
second mountain of strength.  "Just think of the power of these muscles, 
Todd.  They're so large you can't even get your hands around them, so 
hard you can't even dent them a teeny little bit, so strong I could life 
three hundred of those little pans you struggled with.  And just looking 
at them makes you silly with desire and draws what little strength you 
have right out of your body." 

"Ungh ... I ... oh please ... I 

He touched his long rod, wrapping his hand around the shaft and tried to 
masturbate himself, his hand moving up and down fitfully, but his face 
only showed more and more frustration.  "Oh Todd!  That'll never do.  
You're not even strong enough to get yourself off.  It's too hard for 
you.  You need more stimulation. You can't get that anywhere but from 
me." 

"This ... is ... I ... can't believe ... how 

"What a beautiful sight!" she said as she bent down and picked up Todd, 
who turned toward and clung to Christina with all of his meager 
strength.  "There, there.  You're safe now.  I'll take care of you."  
She leaned back, spread her legs and holding Todd's ass, inserted him 
into her.  He clutched her shoulders gratefully, sighing loudly as she 
massaged his erect member deep inside her.  

For the next few weeks, Todd's days rarely varied.  No sooner did he 
awake from one sex session with Christina than she started a new one.  
To the dismay of his conscious mind, with the merest movement of a 
finger she could make her forearms bulge and set his whole body on fire 
with intense craving for her, his penis uncomfortably erect, his pre-cum 
flowing freely, while the rest of his body grew weak with desire and 
exhaustion.  His thoughts of exercise were fading.  He barely had enough 
energy to stay awake more than six hours during the day.  He was eating 
even less than before, and only what Christina chose to give him in the 
brief breaks from their intercourse.  Everything he did was being 
conditioned and controlled by the intense feelings she could arouse in 
him at will.  She hadn't even bothered with the Wall Street Journal.  
Todd wasn't even sure he would have enough concentration to read it 
anymore. 

*** 

After six weeks, Todd's will was nearly broken.  From a small corner of 
his mind, he watched himself spending every conscious moment trying to 
keep Christina happy and satisfied, anticipating her needs, trying to 
entice her into bed where he could lose himself in his intense orgasms.  
She left the house often now, and Todd heeded her instructions to sleep 
as much as he could during her absence, to eat only the foods on his 
diet, and not to waste his energy exercising or reading.  He wanted so 
to please her, even as the idea of his total submission left him sick 
inside. 

But what could he do?  His body was no longer his own.  He thought dimly 
that this must be the end result of the Changes Christina kept referring 
to but refused to let him read about, a slavery as complete as any of 
the alternatives Marta had described.  Not just him, but every man, all 
over the world.  Was this what Marta had wanted?  He understood perhaps 
her grudge against him, but why change the world so radically?  And even 
what she was doing to him made no sense.  To abandon him so completely 
to total subjugation to Christina?  Why?  

He finally summoned his will to one desperate act of rebellion.  
Christina was leaving for two days to visit her parents.  She'd left him 
enough food and promised that if he rested enough, she would reward him 
for two days of sexual inactivity with the most spectacular fireworks 
he'd ever imagined.  The thought of that experience made him tremble 
with longing.  But this was his life, his chance for freedom.  So after 
she left, he ate, rested, and then when night fell, broke a window in 
the rear bedroom and walked quickly away from the house. 

He knew how difficult his escape would be.  He had no money, no means of 
transport, no strength or endurance.  Todd summoned his concentration, 
his will, and then, realist that he was, headed for the parkway to hitch 
a ride to the city.  It didn't take long for a car to stop.  He ran for 
the door and hopped inside.  It was a woman, about 25 years old.  Todd 
couldn't see her very well in the dark, but he saw the imposing outline 
of her chest.  She looked even bigger than Christina.  Todd fought to 
keep down the volcano of desire rising in him. 

"What are you doing out so late sweetheart?" the woman leered, putting 
the car into park. 

"I ... I have to go to the city," Todd replied uneasily. 

"Does your woman know you're out?  You're not running away, are you?  
Where's your permit?" 

"My permit -- I.  She left something behind.  I have to bring it to 
her." 

"Pretty sloppy of her.  She might lose you too." 

"Please ... help me.  She'd be so upset." 

She stared at Todd.  "You're very cute.  What were you before the 
Changes?" 

"Uh nothing important." 

"Really?  Well then, maybe no one will miss you."  She turned to face 
Todd, but he saw it coming, and banged open the door, tumbling out the 
door, and limping out into the open field.   "You won't get far," she 
shouted after him, but she didn't follow and drove off.  Todd walked 
slowly for ten minutes, then grew tired.  He wandered unsteadily, then 
happily found a rotting shack, where he pushed open the door and 
collapsed onto the floor, falling asleep instantly. 

When he awoke, he noticed a strange flickering light in the room, a 
series of images of Marta, blinking on and off in different places 
throughout the small room.  He tried to focus more clearly. It was she, 
wearing a fearful expression, pleading with him silently.  He shook his 
head at her, confused about what it all meant. 

He staggered to his feet and heard a voice in his mind. 

"Help me Todd.  Help me." 

"Marta," he said out loud.  "Is that you?" 

"Please Todd.  You must help me.  Only you can help me." 

He stared at the lights flashing.  The images were unchanging, but it 
certainly was Marta.  He stared at her. 

"Fuck you, Marta.  It's not going to work this time." 

"Please Todd.  I'm trapped.  Help me. There's so little time." 

"Why?  You have eternity, don't you?" 

"Yes, but -- oh Todd, she's on her way here to find you.  You tripped an 
alarm when you broke the window, and they've put out an alert.  She'll 
take you away and there will never be another chance."  The images 
briefly grew brighter, and then faded to half their original luster.  
"I've surrendered some of my remaining power, Todd, so that you can 
summon the witches.  They can return now.  Please.  They will come if 
you call.  You must do it now.  She's coming Todd.  Please listen to 
me." 

Todd shook his head. 

"Todd.  Don't do it for me.  Think of yourself too.  What will your life 
be like?  Please.  It's your only hope as well." 

Todd stared.  "I suppose things couldn't be any worse. OK. Madame 
LaFarge!  Michelle?" 

A wavering image of the two witches, mother and daughter appeared in the 
room.  Michelle glared at Todd, but it was a weak glare.  She was green, 
and looked nauseous.  Madame LaFarge seemed barely conscious. 

"Well, just look at the little man now," Michelle cackled. 

"Michelle," Madame LaFarge said faintly.  "Todd is not our enemy. He 
tried to help us.  Remember, it was you cast the spell, my dearest 
daughter.  You must tell him what he to do."  She smiled at Todd.  "I am 
finished.".  She fell over, then disappeared. 

Michelle grimaced, sniffed and then spoke to Todd.  "You remember when 
you recited the spell without using the tokens?" 

Todd nodded.  "Sure.  It did nothing." 

"Wrong, stupid.  It did worked, but only partially.  It took a while, 
but you completely paralyzed her.  And this is the result. All of the 
energy your wife has taken from us is trapped in stasis, and she along 
with it.  She can do nothing, and we can do nothing.  But because you 
are part of Marta's momtuu, you can unlock it, release the spell, and 
free us all.  But you must do exactly as I say.  We will concentrate the 
small amount of power Marta has been able to give us while you recite 
'Return the power to witches.'" 

"Sounds pretty straightforward.  Since when do you work in plain 
English?" 

"There was no time to prepare you.  We've kept it simple so you can do 
it, okay? 

"Wait.  What will that do?" 

"It will return everything to the way it was before I cast my spell." 

"How do I know that?" 

"Look, Todd.  You have to trust me, okay?  You don't have much time.  
Once that Christina gets here, she'll take you away from this place and 
that will be the end.  We were lucky to have this chance and we won't 
get another.  Just do it." 

"No!  I don't trust you.  Nothing you've done has turned out the way you 
said it would.  Not the original spell, not when you told me it couldn't 
be changed, not when you told me you couldn't make me stronger.  
Everything has been twisted to suit you.  How do I know you're not doing 
this to get some advantage, to be more powerful than you were before?" 

"Arrggh!  I can't believe I have to stand here like this arguing with a 
mortal!   Please.  My mother would never do anything to hurt you.  She 
likes you, though I can't imagine why.  Even if you don't trust me, do 
it for her." 

"Listen to her Todd," he heard Marta say ethereally.  "It's for the 
best.  I'm sorry for the trouble I caused.  Please." 

Todd stared at Michelle.  He liked Madame LaFarge too.  But she wasn't 
the one speaking to him.  What if Michelle had changed her instructions?  
What if Madame LaFarge was dead?  What if Marta was creating this whole 
show and the witches weren't even here?  He made a quick decision. 

"All right!  I'll do as you say." 

"Good.  We will focus our power.  When you see the blue light, repeat 
what I told you.  'Return the power to witches.'" 

Todd nodded.  Michelle closed her eyes.  The image steadied, then a red 
globe appeared in the room and steadily changed color, to orange, 
yellow, green, then blue. 

There was a rustling at the door.  "Todd, I know you're in there. Todd!"  
The door crashed down.  It was Christina! 

Todd spoke.  "Return the power to ... to me, Todd Bartel!" 

There was a flash of intense blue light.  Michelle vanished again. 
Marta, the real Marta, lay on the floor, dazed, her eye twitching.  And 
Christina stared at him angrily. 

"What do you think you're doing?  You had no right to leave! You're my 
property!" 

Todd stammered.  Her muscles were flexed.  He could feel his erection 
rising in him, his desire.  Then suddenly, Christina flew to him, naked, 
and they were locked in an embrace, Todd deep within her, Christina's 
body pulsating, filling Todd with pleasure. 

"Hey!  What the -- How did that happen?" she said, eyes wide. 

"I -- I don't know.  I just wanted you, and -- 

Suddenly Todd realized.  His words had come true.  All of Marta's powers 
were now his. This was more spectacular than anything he had imagined. 
Of course, the flow of power had increased even in the months since he 
had last seen Marta.  He could cast his mind into the entire universe.  
He only had to formulate his will and the act was done.  He was all 
powerful. 

He immediately willed himself free of his addiction to Christina, then 
cast her away from him.  She stared at him, amazed, perplexed, that his 
weak body suddenly possessed such strength.  Then in the next instant, 
he undid all of the changes Marta had made.  He looked down at himself.  
It was his old body again, not as strong as when he played football, but 
all his.  Christina's bulging muscle was gone, replaced by her firm, 
tight, but definitely not intimidating body.  And Marta, cowering in the 
corner of the shack, was shaking, no doubt convulsing in the pangs of 
withdrawal.  Everything was back to normal!  Christina was waving her 
arms in anger, and rushed at Todd.  He caught her and held her at arm's 
length. 

"What have you done?  You've ruined everything!"  She cut his hand with 
her fingernails.  The wound closed and healed instantly.  Christina 
screamed and backed away.  "What's happening!?  Did you do this?"  She 
hurled herself at Marta, knocking the once again weak and unhealthy 
Marta over and punching her wildly.  

"Christina!  Stop that!  Get off her!"  Christina hit her with 
increasing fury.  Todd shook his head and separated them with the 
wagging of a finger, then with a wave of his hand Christina started 
shrinking until she was only 5'2.  With another wave, her hard, dancer's 
body had become a soft, girlish one.  

Christina staggered with the change and felt her soft arms and body 
frantically.  "What have you done to me!" she cried, and jumped back at 
Marta, who, surprising herself, held her off at arm's length.  Christina 
screamed in frustration and kept pushing at Marta, but Todd took 
Christina's hand and pulled her away, Christina's legs spinning 
ineffectually against Todd's greater strength.  He pulled harder and 
sent her tumbling into the opposite wall. 

Todd turned to Marta. 

"Please Todd.  Don't hurt me.  I know I didn't treat you right, but --

"Don't worry Marta.  I don't want revenge."  He looked inside her body, 
down to her DNA and changed it, repaired her body, cleansed her of the 
chemical dependencies that had developed over the years.  Marta stopped 
shaking and started breathing normally.  She started to cry, weeping 
with gratitude. 

"Oh Todd.  I'm so sorry.  So sorry for what I did!"  She shook and her 
chest heaved.  "I don't know why I was so cruel to you.  You didn't 
deserve it, any of it.  Please forgive me." 

He smiled.  "Forget it, Marta.  I -- I did deserve a little of it.  But 
it's over now.   It's all over." 

He turned to Christina, who stood up again and was angrily clenching her 
fists at him, her arms tense.  But there were nothing there but tiny 
muscles. She was no threat to him any longer.  He neither feared her, 
nor desired her.  He was free. 

"You-you HURT me, just like before!  HOW can you TREAT me this way?  I 
thought you loved me.  Am I going out of my mind?" 

"You've always been out of your mind," Marta said evenly.  "Don't stop 
now, Todd.  Scramble her DNA and turn her into a toad.  Or better yet, 
make her grossly fat.  That would really teach her." 

Todd laughed.  "That would be fun.  Or maybe I should give her an 
insatiable sexual appetite, and an ugly blotch on her face so that no 
one will want her."  He saw the fear in Christina's eyes, and then 
caught himself.  "Wait. I can't do that.  That would be 

"Oh DO it Todd.  Indulge yourself.  You have the power.  Use it. Since 
when have you been such a Goody-Goody?" 

Todd shook his head.  "No.  I've learned something from your mistakes -- 
and mine.  No one should have abilities like these.  This power must be 
destroyed."  He closed his eyes, expanding the powers of his mind to 
understand how to rid himself of it. 

"No Todd!  Don't!  It would be a huge mistake!  I'm telling you, I never 
understood it.  All the time I had it I tried to, with all the resources 
it gave me, but it's beyond our understanding. Only the witches know how 
to manipulate it, and even they make mistakes.  You don't know what 
would happen if you tried to destroy it.  The power is yours.  Use it 
for good, then.  Or at least keep it safe.  Don't use it if you don't 
want." 

"How could I do that?  How could I have these powers and not use them?" 

He closed his eyes and expanded his senses until he saw the great flow 
of energy channeling through the universe into him.  He sensed its path, 
its movement.  Oh it was tempting, so tempting, to keep the power. But 
he must resist it, before he changed his mind.  And quietly, resolutely, 
he turned it around and returned the flow to its source, restoring his 
normal abilities.  He could feel the powers leave him, as quickly as 
they had arrived.  His senses, his perceptions, returned to normal.  He 
was himself again, no more, no less.  "There.  It's done," he announced. 

Marta looked at him, open-mouthed.  "I can't believe what you've done.  
You could have been a god.  And you'd rather be a ... man?" 

"Being a man's not so bad.  If you let him be a man, that is." 

Marta looked at him admiringly.  "But -- no, perhaps you're right. Maybe 
we just weren't cut out to have so much power."  She looked him over.  
"I've misjudged you terribly Todd.  Or maybe you've just changed.  Maybe 
we've both changed.  Would you -- you know, I mean, we really should sit 
down somewhere and talk. There's a lot of things I need to say to you, 
about what it was like.  I've seen things that no one could possibly 
understand, except you."  Todd looked her over.  "I think it would help 
both of us to get over this, help us return to a normal life.  And if -- 
I know you were seeing Sarah, but, uh, I think there are a few things I 
could tell you about her too.  And you know, Todd, look what happens 
when I make a muscle."  She lifted her arm and, winking, flexed as 
tightly as she could.  A tiny bump appeared.  That was all. 

Todd smiled at the joke.  He liked Marta's flirting with him, and even 
her little cattiness about Sarah felt good.  It was so normal.  He could 
always go along for awhile, see where things went.  After all, he was a 
free man again.  Everything was the way it should be. 

Meanwhile, Christina was watching them with rising anger.  "You make me 
sick, Marta!  I can see right through you, scheming to get Todd back.  I 
don't know how anyone could stand you for a second." She turned back to 
Todd, pleading "Oh Todd, look what's become of me!  My body feels so 
small, so weak!  I feel like a child!  Todd, don't leave me like this!  
Don't leave me again for her, Todd!  You wouldn't, would you?" 

Todd nodded vigorously and turned his back on her.  Marta hissed. 
"You're stuck with that little body forever, Christina.  No one can do 
anything about it now that Todd gave up the power!" 

Suddenly, Michelle appeared.  "I've got sixty seconds before I vanish 
again, maybe for the last time.  But enough time to tell you: you will 
get exactly what you deserve Todd Bartel, you stupid fool.  Double 
crossing us!  How little you know of the powers you have scorned.  If 
you fire a bullet into the air, do you think it stays up forever?  
Imagine.  You don't even know who's in your own momtuu, let alone how to 
direct the sacred energies of the universe. You thought you were better 
suited than we to dispose of those powers?  What arrogance!  Now may you 
live with the results!  Aagh, I feel -- Noooo!  Oh noooo!  Not again! 
The loss! AAIIII!!!"  She disappeared again with a horrible cry that 
echoed for almost a minute after her image faded away. 

Christina started trembling.  "What was that!?  What's going to happen 
now?  My body shrinking!  Witches threatening.  Lights flashing.  
Magical powers.  I can't DEAL with this!"  She reached out to Todd, 
then, seeing him move closer to Marta, recoiled, her face like a 
frightened animal.  "NO!  You CAN'T go back to HER!" Her eyes went 
blank, as if they'd turned inward, then she shuddered, her body rigid.  

"She's having a seizure.  Let's lay her down before she falls!" Todd 
ordered. 

Marta frowned, unimpressed.  "Don't fall for it Todd. She's trying to 
manipulate you.  It's only some kind of hysterical panic attack.  She 
wants your attention.  Ignore her and she'll be fine." 

Christina swiveled toward Marta, then back to Todd, unable to speak.  
She let out a little breath and gulped in more air, breathing harder and 
harder, without effect, as if she were inhaling and exhaling at the same 
time. 

Todd took a step toward her, and was about to speak when a blinding 
flash of blue light filled the room, then vanished.  He stepped back 
towards Marta. 

"Are you all right, Marta?"  She nodded cautiously. 

Christina opened her eyes wide and looked around, as if seeing the room 
for the first time.  She took a deep breath.  "Oh my!  My, my, my!"  She 
looked up at Todd, then Marta, then up at the ceiling, staring into 
space.  "Oooooooh!" 

Marta's eyebrows rose.  "Todd!  That blue flash!  That thing about the 
momtuu.  You don't think --

Todd turned to her in horror.  "That Christina's in the momtuu?  That 
somehow -- when Michelle said -- oh no!  

"How WONDERFUL it is!"  Christina walked over to Todd and Marta, who 
were frozen in place, in shock, staring at her Christina's little body, 
now bearing all of the magical powers of the universe. "This was meant 
for me, always, for I have always been in tune with the music of 
creation.  It sings through me.  And now I have reached complete 
enlightenment.  It is what I have always sought, the path I have taken.  
I am the Christina! I am Buddha, Krishna, Jesus.  I am the goddess, and 
you are my people. Mine, all mine." 

Her eyes glowing with joy, Christina put her arm inside Todd's.  "Deep 
down, you knew, didn't you?  You knew I was the chosen one. You acted 
through the spirit when you took the power from Christina and then 
surrendered it to me.  Oh, don't give me that look.  You don't want to 
admit it.  But I've always known that under that materialistic surface 
you were a believer too.  And this proves it.  And now you will worship 
and adore me!"  Todd said nothing.  Christina shook her head.  "You 
don't believe me. You don't understand!" 

"Christina," Todd said quietly.  "I will not worship you.  I did not 
worship Marta when she had the power.  You are not a god.  You're a 
woman." He gulped, thinking, yeah, just a woman -- with unlimited and 
unknowable powers. 

"You're fooling yourself, Christina, if you think you're anything more 
than the beneficiary of a spell that Todd bought to help me. This wasn't 
sent to you by any higher power.  It was meant for me." 

Christina peered up at Marta, who folded her hands across her waist and 
stared at Marta evenly, her eyes unearthly in their brightness and 
steadiness.  "You are so high and mighty, aren't you?  But you've never 
had any spirituality.  You wouldn't know a higher power if it bit you." 

"I've had the power too!" she retorted.  "And you can't fool me saying 
that you're some kind of god!  You're still a nobody as far as I'm 
concerned!"  

Christina held up a finger, and a bolt of electricity shot out from it, 
forking around Marta and surrounding her so that she could not move an 
inch without touching it.  Marta stood rigidly, terrified of being 
electrocuted while Christina closed her eyes and her face relaxed into a 
tranquil, buddha-like smile.  A minute later she opened them again and 
looked into Marta's terrified eyes. 

"Yes, Marta.  I see what you mean.  Buddha, Thor, Zeus, Jesus -- all 
great men -- they all found ways to tap into the same energy, but they 
possessed only a tiny fraction of the power I have.  They shared it with 
witches, elves, leprechauns, sprites, angels -- devils too -- and with 
other superior beings, all throughout the universe!  But I am different.  
I do not have to reach to tap into it.  It seeks me, it wants me, fills 
me.  I can see them, pale ghosts of themselves, deprived of their 
sustaining energy, as more and more is diverted to me.  Soon it will be 
beyond their call, I will have it all.  In time, all beings, even you, 
Marta, and Todd, will find that the small spark of energy that makes 
your soul will become mine.  You will live at my sufferance only!" 

She smiled.  "So, yes, I am not a god.  But I have all of their powers.  
And more."  She called back the lightning and Marta slumped, exhausted. 
 
"Christina.  Please!" she begged. "I've never done anything to you.  
Even when I had the power I didn't -- please don't hurt me!" 

"No, that's true.  You didn't hurt me.  You made ME big and strong, but 
only to torture poor Todd didn't you?  And only because you thought so 
little of me -- that I was no threat to you."  What could Marta say?  
She couldn't deny it, so she nodded. 

Christina squeezed Todd's arm.  "Poor, dear Todd.  She made you so small 
and weak and so dependent on me.  It was lovely.  You adored me; just 
looking at me made you faint with love.  You were so desperate to please 
me.  But not now, right?"  Todd looked down at her and swallowed.  
Christina took his hand and laced her fingers through it. "I liked being 
big and strong.  And now, even though you made me little, thanks to you 
I'm even more powerful than before! I can do ANYTHING!"  She looked up 
at Marta, still standing on the other side of Todd. "He's mine now; you 
will never take him away from me!" 

Christina got a gleam in her eye.  A small square of chocolate appeared 
in her hand. "You do LOVE chocolate, don't you?  Perhaps we should share 
some?  A peace offering." Christina broke it in two and popped one in 
her mouth.  "Mmmm.  Delicious!  Remember the fudge I used to make Todd?  
Marta, won't you have one?"  

Marta hesitated.  "Um, it smells very good, Christina, but I really 
think I shouldn't." 

Christina looked down at the chocolate.  "It tastes even better than it 
smells.  You should try it, at least."  Marta's hands shook.  The smell 
of rich, fresh chocolate filled the hut, until it was almost as if they 
were swimming in it.  The small square shone.  Marta trembled, unable to 
resist it, and reached over to Christina's hand.  She took it and put it 
to her mouth, taking a small bite.  Her eyes closed in ecstasy and her 
hand raced back to her mouth, popping a rest of the square inside.  Her 
lips closed around it dreamily, prolonging the pleasure until she 
swallowed it.  Then her face drooped. 

"M-m-m-more," she stammered, weakly. 

"Christina!"  Todd said. 

Christina lay her hand on Todd's.  "Sshh, dear!  I'm sorry, Marta.  
That's all I have for you.  But it's very filling.  In fact, maybe I 
shouldn't have given you such a large piece.  Your metabolism is a 
little slower than mine ... 

Marta's stomach began expanding, as did her legs and arms and face, 
until her whole body puffed out with fat.  Her stomach sagged over her 
pants, pillows of fat gathered under her arms and her whole body jiggled 
with each labored breath.  Soon her legs gave out, her weight too much 
for them, and she sat heavily onto the floor.  "Oh so sad.  It made you 
too heavy for your weak little legs to stand.  And I wanted to see you 
waddle around wiggling your fat ass for Todd." 

Marta wailed, "Please, I'm begging you.  Don't do this to me.  I'll do 
anything.  I won't ever talk to Todd again, just let me go."  Still her 
body swelled, until her arms and hands seemed lost inside a large bubble 
of fat cells. 

"Uh-uh, Marta.  It's my turn.  I used to hate you so much.  I wanted to 
talk to you about Todd, explain how I felt, but you just pushed me away.  
You or your social secretary. I never could even get to you, Miss High-
and-Mighty Whitney.  Or should I say Miss Round-and-Flabby?" 

Marta's stared at Christina in terror, her eyes barely visible inside 
her face, her fat cheeks jiggling as she shook her head.  "What do you 
want?" 

"Ha!  It's too late.  You can't give me anything now that I can't get 
for myself." 

"Todd.  Do something!" 

Todd looked at her helplessly.  "Christina, this really isn't necessary 
--

"You're still taking her side?" Christina said.  "Well, we'll see about 
that!  Marta, I've always used to think of you as a pig, a greedy little 
pig, taking my Todd away from me!  If you're going to act like one, 
maybe you should just be one."   Marta disappeared and was replaced by a 
pig the size of a cow, snorting and darting around the room.  "And now 
you can go where pigs go," she laughed.  She waved her hand and Marta 
vanished.  "Pigs don't last long on those pig farms," she added happily.  
"Especially fat ones." 

"Christina!  Bring her back!" 

"But I don't want to, Todd."  She turned back to him, smiled and 
stretched lazily, content, her hands extending upward, the now oversized 
sleeves of her t-shirt falling down to her shoulders, revealing her 
sleek, smooth arms. "Do you want to try to make me? Push me around a 
little?"  Her piercing, unearthly eyes filled him with dread. She pulled 
down her t-shirt, frowning a little at the way she swam in it. 

Todd tried to speak in a measured, controlled voice.  "Listen, 
Christina, I really think you should think twice about what you're 
doing.  You don't know what you're capable of.  Undo what you did, then 
don't use that power, ever again. Let it go." 

She shook her head, looking at him in wonder.  "You've got a funny way 
of thinking.  It's a nice thing to do, being noble, self-sacrificing, 
having morals, scruples.  I appreciate it, you know, admire it even.  
But look where it's gotten you.  You were all powerful.  And now, you're 
not.  I am." 

"But Christina, that kind of power isn't meant for a mere human." 

"What a ridiculous thing to say!  What do you know about who it's meant 
for? Was it meant for the witches?  For some Indian ascetic?  Maybe the 
President?  If anyone is going to have it, I'd just as soon it be me."  

She looked down at herself.  "I'm just swimming in this shirt.  You can 
hardly even see me!  I could just make it smaller."  Her clothes began 
shrinking, until they fit tightly over her petite body.  "Do you like me 
like this Todd?"  She drew her arms back so that her small breasts stood 
out. 

But before he could answer, she shook her head.  "Hee-hee!  I bet you 
do.  But ... no.  I don't think I do.  I look too 'cute.'"  She looked 
up at Todd and batted her eyes.  "You wanted me to be small?"  She 
shrugged.  "Sorry.  I want to be big." Still stretching, Christina's 
chest exploded outwards, packed with solid pectoral muscles that thrust 
her pert breasts higher.  Her arms and legs surged in thickness once 
again, growing longer as well, while her tiny waist compressed itself 
smaller than before. She now stood as tall as Todd, and with her hands 
on her hips her unflexed biceps were a third larger than her eighteen 
inch waist.  Her t-shirt barely covered her nipples and extended just 
half an inch down from her shoulders, the fabric lined with the tension 
of fighting her muscles.  She looked him directly in the eyes.  "Oooh, 
that feels much better," she laughed and then, raising her eyebrows 
slightly, grew another inch taller so that she was looking down at him.  
"Go on, Todd.  Give me a push.  Or don't you dare?" 
 
Todd looked at her and swallowed.  Her muscles were even larger than 
before, but somehow she was even more feminine, her muscles huge, but 
also sleek and curvy. Her skin gave off a scent that made his mouth 
water.  "I-I don't think I want to 

"I insist.  Knock me down.  Push me around.  Ha-ha-ha!  Just try, you 
silly fool!"  She laughed again.  "Better hurry.  If you don't, I'll 
make myself even bigger."  She grew another inch taller, her chest size 
expanded another four inches, and her biceps forced her shirt sleeve yet 
higher up her arm. 

"Christina, I 

"You're wasting time, Todd."  She grew another two inches, so that his 
eyes were only at the level of her chin.  Her chest expanded further as 
well, pushing him backwards as her muscles pressed outwards.  Todd 
shrugged, and put his shoulder down and slammed into Christina's 
abdomen, bouncing off the rock-hard abdominals while she laughed.  "Not 
good enough, Todd!  Let's see you yank me into the wall!"  Grimly, he 
took her wrists, his hand barely large enough to fit around her muscular 
arm.  He pulled with all of his strength, but he couldn't even move her 
arm from her waist.  "Ha-ha-ha-ha, too weak, Todd, too weak.  You don't 
even have the strength of a fly compared to me."  She flexed her forearm 
and broke his grip, then flicked her wrist and sent him flying across 
the room, crashing into the wall. 

"Aaaah!" Todd screamed.  "My arm!  I think you broke my arm!"  He rolled 
onto his back, clutching his arm, his lip quivering. 

"No problem, Todd.  Mommy will kiss it and make it better."  She 
puckered her lips and kissed.  The pain stopped.  Todd felt up and down 
his arm and looked over at her.  "Come back now."  Todd just stared.  

She cupped her hands and made a quick motion, and Todd felt himself 
being sucked into the air and hurtling toward her.  She caught him 
before he flew by and drew him close.  Her muscles felt as hard as 
stone, but her skin was as smooth as satin and as soft as lambswool.  
Just the feeling of being held by her was almost enough to make him 
come, and he struggled to keep some kind of self-control.  But to spite 
him, she pursed her lips and directed a jet of air at his crotch. He 
couldn't believe it.  Her breath had more power than a jet of water, but 
was more finely tuned than the tones of a flute.  He exploded in his 
pants as she pulsed the air around him, draining him of come with 
vibrations more subtle and powerful than he could have imagined, then 
let him fall to her feet, lying limply on the ground. 

"See, Todd?  You can't resist me now.  With the things I can do to you 
sexually, you'll want me so much there'll be no room in your mind for 
anything but me.  Now, shall I give you a little engagement ring?"  She 
reached down and pulled a yard long plank of wood out of the floor with 
as much effort as if she were lifting a pile of sand from the beach, 
then, holding it with one hand at each end, compressed it like she was 
folding a piece of paper until it disappeared into her fist, emerging 
when she opened her hand as a large, uncut diamond.  

"Mmmm" she said, frowning.  "What's the matter?  It's all misshapen."  

Todd snorted, barely able to keep from laughing.  "You think you can 
make a flawless diamond just like Superman?  Haven't ever heard of rough 
diamonds? You have to cut it!"  His scorn for her was good.  It gave him 
the strength to resist her. 

"You think I'm stupid, don't you?  Is that it?  Because I don't know how 
to make a diamond?"  Todd didn't respond.  "Well, I'll show you.  I'm a 
zillion times stronger than you, but you think you're superior because 
you're smart and I was just a dancer.  Well, I can make myself ten times 
as smart as you.  A hundred times.  A million times.  So there!"  
Christina's eyes opened wide.  "Oh, oh yes!  Now I ... Oh well, well, 
well!  What fun!"  She laughed.  "There will be no escaping me now Todd, 
you adorable little pea brain." 

Todd looked at her apprehensively.  Her eyes had seemed to turn inward 
for a moment, then they returned to him with unnatural sharpness. 

"Oh my!  Life.  The universe.  The forces of nature.  It's all so 
simple.  You poor limited thing.  I -- ha ha!  Oh so easy!"  She put two 
fingers on the diamond and pressed, and instantly a splendid jewel 
emerged while bits of dust fell to the floor.  There.  That will be a 
nice ornament for you.  Oh it's too bad that you don't love me, but I 
must have you, and there it is." 

"Christina, you sound so different.  What's happened to you?" 

"It's simple.  I've simply multiplied the power of my mind, and -- it's 
a heuristic process, really -- the more I know, the more thoroughly I 
organize my thinking, my senses, the very structure of my brain and then 
-- oh my, I can --  there, I've -- oh Todd! Well, there it is.  I 
understand it all now.  The energy, the essential forces.  It is all so 
plain."  She smiled.  "It was there all along, but neither you nor Marta 
realized.  None of them did, not even the witches." 

"Wh-wh-what?" 

"Oh, your mind is much too slow and small to understand what this means.  
I had no idea myself beforehand, but now, everything is so obvious, so 
easy." 

Todd tried to think quickly, but he spoke slowly to buy time.  "But 
Christina, with all the new power of your mind, with all of your wisdom 
now, surely you would see that it makes no sense to force yourself on 
me.  That can never be the basis for a happy relationship, can it?  
Isn't the basic philosophy of America that all of us have the right to 
our own lives, independently?  Isn't it 

"Oh stop it Todd.  Listening to you, with your M.B.A., lecture me about 
philosophy is appallingly pathetic." 

"Yes, I'm sure.  You're so much wiser than me now.  Doesn't it seem 
futile to try to force me to love you? 

Christina smiled at him.  "Your condescension is absurd, Todd.  But to 
put you straight, I am no wiser now than I ever was.  I think faster, 
see and understand more.  My brain works better, and I know how to get 
what I want.  Exactly how to get it." 

Todd felt the walls closing in on him.  "But aren't you beyond all that 
now, Christina?  Why bother with me?" 

"Why indeed!"  Her eyes drifted away for an instant, then snapped back.  
"Pardon me.  I was just learning ancient Hebrew, Sanskrit, Greek and 
Mandarin and reading the world's 'great religious works.' Rules for 
limited beings, as you would give a child to keep him out of danger.  
Wholly inapplicable to me.  My nature is many-faceted, of which my 
womanhood is one that I delight in fulfilling.  You will bring me much 
pleasure Todd, as a toy.  I love to play with you.  What fun I can 
have." 

"Not willingly!" 

"What is your will, Todd?  Your bodily needs?  Your emotion?  Your so-
called intellectual dogma?  Your hormonal wish to dominate and control?  
Shall I seduce you?  Shall I let you seduce me?  It is for me to decide.  
You are mine at last in any way I want you!  Let me show you." 

"I won't..."  Todd broke off and gasped.  "Wh-wh-what are you doing?" 

"You like the way I smell, Todd?" 

"I-I-I 

"It leaves you speechless, doesn't it?  It's a natural scent."  Todd 
resisted for a moment, then leapt to his feet to embrace her, burying 
his mouth on her neck.  "Oh that's nice Todd.  A little higher, would 
you?  Yes, right there.  You do have nice lips, you know?"  She smiled 
impishly.  "But that's enough for now.  Todd, I said enough!"  

Todd continued to smother her neck in kisses, hanging on to her as 
tightly as he could.  Christina took hold of his forearms and separated 
them, then pushed him away.  Todd struggled frantically to hold her 
again, but with her unmatchable strength, Christina effortlessly kept 
him at arm's length. 

"Please Christina.  Don't push me away.  I have to touch you.  I need 
you." 

"But just a moment ago you were telling me how unwilling a lover you 
would be." 

"I don't know ... I ... something about you is just so irresistible.  
I've never felt so ... oh please, don't keep me away.  Oh no!  What have 
you done?"  Todd collapsed limp, sobbing, supported only by Christina's 
arm. 

"It is wondrous how powerful the human sense of smell can be, if 
properly stimulated.  I just activated an intensified version of a 
common feminine phermone, which you not surprisingly found very 
stimulating.  And then when I stopped producing it you felt bereft, 
lost.  But I'm sure you'll get over it, and over me, won't you?  Now, 
perhaps I should investigate Saturn, for my first trip to space." 

"Noooo," Todd moaned.  "Don't leave me!  Please!  I'll do anything.  
Just be the way you were.  Oh Christina, please.  I love you so much.  
Everything about you.  Your hair, how it glows with beauty, those hard, 
round arms of yours, so thick and heavy, so filled with wonderful power.  
Your --

"So, you're a poet now.  Very charming.  But I thought you didn't like 
me."  Todd started to speak, but couldn't.  "As I said, your will is 
completely helpless in the face of the urges of your body. I can't 
influence your mind directly, but I don't have to. Your desire for me 
tells you what to think and say.  Isn't that right?"  Todd nodded. 

"And you're not bothered by my being so superior to you, in every way?"  
Todd shook his head.  "Tell me how it makes you feel." 

"I -- oh, Christina, everything about you is so, so perfect.  And -- 
you're being so strong, and so big, just makes me want you more!" 

"That's very nice, Todd, especially because I know it's straight from 
the heart.  It's what you want, isn't it?  You want me to have power 
over you.  And the more the better?"  Todd nodded.  "Say it." 

"Oh, yes.  Yes!" 

"And you would do anything to make me happy, wouldn't you?  Give me 
anything?" 

"Anything!  If only you will stay with me!" 

Christina smiled and held out her hands.  Todd felt strange, dizzy, as 
if he were falling down a deep well.  He looked up, and Christina was 
growing yet again, the muscles in her arms forming cannonballs, larger 
and larger, while he felt himself diminishing.  Her chest loomed in 
front of him, rising in height, extending in depth, almost like a roof 
over his head.  And then he looked down at himself.  His arms and legs 
were like matchsticks, his torso a thin reed barely supporting his head, 
which now reached only as high as her magnificent bust, as prominent as 
the prow of a mighty vessel.  He felt unsteady, like he was falling 
forward, and saw his penis, nearly eighteen inches long and thicker than 
his shriveled arms, throbbing insistently, its weight almost too much 
for his legs to bear.  He reached out to her for support, his hands lost 
in hers, and buried his head in her all-enveloping embrace. 

"Oh yes, Christina.  Oh please, stay with me.  Always." 

Christina roared with laughter.  "MOOO-HA-HAH-HAH-HAH!  I'll consider it 
Todd."  She smiled again.  "But only if you're good!"