This choice: Billy Experiments with the Remote that afternoon • Go Back... That evening Todd ate dinner with his family. Kaitlin was distracted. She was working additional shifts at a Office Supply Store so she could pay to go on a weekend trip with her girlfriends. Between work, and her social life she was loosing sleep and was a bit on edge so everyone pretty much left her alone. Mom, had been at work as well and was ready for the weekend to start. She asked everyone their plans but was getting noncommittal grunts from everyone. It was actually at that time Tod remembered to tell mom about the neighbor’s request.
Patricia raised her eyebrows and gave a goofy smile. “What’s so funny,” Britany asked.
“Oh, its nothing.” Patricia tried to deflect.
“Doesn’t look like nothing,” Britany was a new teenager so she was pretty preceptive when adults were trying to hid something.
“Well, Rochel,” Patricia explained, “Is getting married this Sunday. So Carol is throwing her a party.”
“Why is that funny,” Britany asked? “Who’s Rochel?” Billy asked at the same time.
“Rochel,” Patricia repeated. Seeing the bank looks at the table she explained. “She used to live across the street.” Still blank looks, “Seriously, she lived their for the past three years. 25 years old, pretty.”
Billy’s eyes lit up, “Oh, she is the one that would run by the house in the hot pink running shorts.”
All the women at the table even little Erica looked deadpan at Billy. “You are such a boy,” Katlin said going back to her food.
“What?” Billy said. “I’m a guy, I’m visual…”
Siying, Patricia picked up the conversation, “Soo, anyway, Carol is throwing her a party to celebrate her marriage and she asked me to get some things for her.”
“Can we see,” Erica said, not really following the conversation but she understood that her mother had something.
“Um, No, no, no…Not until you are all older.”
Billy smirked. “I’m 16 mom, almost 17.”
Patricia smiled at him so lovingly. “But you’re still My Little Man.” Everyone chuckled a bit at that.
After dinner Billy went back to his room and got changed for bed. As he tossed his pants onto the bed he heard something fall to the ground. Looking down there was the TV remote he found outside. Taking a look at it he sat down at his desk. There was a + and – at the top. He didn’t see it at first but there was a button on the side. Kind of a odd place. Felt like a enter button or something.
Tapping the + button Billy waited to see if anything lit up on the remote. Nothing did. Turning it over he saw a port in the back that looked like it took a USB. There was also a battery compartment. Opening it he saw there were three AAA batteries. Closing the remote back up Billy wondered if it was out of power and casually pushed the button on the side. Billy felt something…it was almost indiscernible like a slight pressure pushing back on his hand, almost not noticeable at all. Maybe its own of power. Looking for a USB charger he plugged the remote in. There was a small gage on the side that lit up. A small meter did show the power was low but not gone.
“Billy,” his mom’s voice came muffled from elsewhere in the house. “Got your mail here.” Getting up Billy put his pants back on to go downstairs but something was off. His pants had fit just fine before but he tired buttoning them and they were like 4 inches too big for him. Pulling them up he realized the pant leg was too long too as his foot couldn’t reach the end. “What?”
Forgetting about the mail Billy took his pants off and read the label. 34x28. Yeah that was about what he should be wearing. Putting them back on he still couldn’t believe it. Something was weird here. Grabbing some PJ pants he went down stairs to get his mail but came back up. Looking at the pants he tried to puzzle out what could have happened. These were his pants…but…no…no it couldn’t be. Looking down at where the remote was charging Billy picked it back up and unplugged it. The charge had increased a little in the short time it was plugged in but not much. He had pushed the + sign and now his pants were bigger. He thought back. Had the remote been pointed at his pants when he his the enter button?
He pushed the – and pointing it at his pants again he hit the button. Again there was the slight push back and he watched his pants. It was only a click so he didn’t’ see much of a change. Picking them back up he tried them on. OMG! They were smaller…WHAT THE. Billy was speechless. Taking the pants off he pointed the remote at the pants again this time not touching the – or + button. Checking the pants after zapping them again he felt they were even tighter now…like skinny jeans which did not fit him at all.
He wondered if the results would change if he held the button down. Hitting the + he pointed the device at the clothing and held the button for a 3 count. This time while watching he could see the pants get larger but he also perceived a slight shimmer around them. It wasn’t a sphere…more like a field of some sort that traced around the approximate area of the pants. Trying them on he could tell they were bigger again but not as big as they had been.
Billy tried another experiment where he hit the – button three times and then hit the enter button once and just a click. This time he saw the field again and could see a noticeable change in the pants.
Hm…so the remote kept the same as its last command and by clicking the + or – more than once he got a larger reaction. He could also get the same result by holding the remote on a item for longer too. Looking at the side he saw the power supply was now in the red.
Plugging it back in Billy was transfixed. What was this thing. How did it work. It killed him to wait while the device recharged. How long would the charge last; did it deplete faster per try or was it in relation to the object being manipulated? He didn’t know. Billy thought about it and realized he would need to try those on a living thing too. At that moment he felt his eyes start to try out and his synesis to start running, AHCHOOO!
Billy spun around and saw Buttons. The cat had slipped into his room. He must not have closed the door all the way. His room was supposed to be a safe spot because he was allergic to the cat. But since his door was closed most of the time the animal was always desperate to try and get in. Standing up Buttons stopped looked at him then hissed and darted out of the room.
Billy didn’t really hate cats. But because of his allergy he kept them away from him and somehow the animal determined it was because of some aggression…so the cat didn’t like him much either. After shutting the door Billy had an idea…   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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