Thin Air

Chapter 5 - Sick

“Hey, I need help. I'm...not doing so good. The girls are worried.”

Again, time passed. It was nearly a year since I had introduced Jenny to her girls. Quickly they had become a family. Whether looking out for each other, handling things when Jenny was sick, or even taking care of friends – which is a well-orchestrated feat I might add – they were knit and complete.

This had always fascinated me as the clones nearly immediately had minds of their own. They still connect to Jenny, but they have unique personality tweaks, preferences, and sometimes differences or nuances in how they speak or even move.

Now that it was autumn, and kids returned to school, house parties and activities were more prevalent. This meant that Jenny acutely realized the annual Fall-Winter increase in private cleaning service demand.

This year was one of the best for the business. And, since it wasn't in Jenny's nature to turn down any callers, she worked nearly non-stop.

We all know where this is headed.

“Hey, James.” She called me near the end of October. “I need help. I've been dealing with a cough. Can you help the girls out on a couple accounts?”

I rarely said no. Jenny meant the world to me. We had never pursued any romance, but we were always close for each other.

I drove over. She was staying home to rest, thankfully, the girls already out at a clean.

“I may be contagious. So, you shouldn't have come.” She barked, through a thick cough, as she opened the door.

I put on a pot of tea, and began to check her rather high temp, and looked around for cans of soup. “You've been this sick for how long? Jenny you're killing yourself!”

“I know. I certainly realize it now. It's...been a couple weeks.” She set at the kitchen table, her box of tissues in-tow. “You know me. Always trying, even when I should stop.”

“Well. That's why you have me.” consolingly I smiled, setting her place at the table.

“Thank you.” She coughed heavily, sipping her tea and broth. That and the wheezes, worried me.

“I think we need to take you downtown. I'll get your coat.”

Surprisingly, she didn't argue, and we headed for the doctor.

“How are the girls?” I asked, merging onto the freeway.

“They're fine. Although, I can't ever really 'see' them when I'm sick.”

“Really? I didn't know that.”

“Yeah, they're kinda on their own. Can you check on them after you drop me off?”

“Sure thing.”

After ensuring that Jenny was safely in the hands of a doctor at urgent care, I met up with the girls.

“Hey! We're doing okay. More important: How's Jenny?”

“I took her downtown – she's seeing a doctor now. I'm sure it's pneumonia. You guys really need to message me when she's like this”

“Yeah,” the other clone started, “It's strange not being connected to her. I don't like it at all.”

“I don't either.” I replied. “She told me that things get quiet when she's sick. That's unexpected.”

“Oh. Sometimes we get disconnected, it's true. Other times we can hear her, but it's only one-way.”

“Huh. Well, everything okay?”

“Yeah, actually we're almost finished.” She walked closer to me, turning her hip towards me , so I could easily push the button on her belt. “Can you free me? I pretty sure I don't need my belt any more.”

“Sure thing.” I reached over, while holding her steady with one hand, and pressed the control button on her belt.

With a beep the de-integration process began, and she went off to complete a few more things while she waited for the process to complete.

I was given a task myself: bundling all of the vacuums for transport. A short time later the other clone was ready for her belt-removal, and I obliged.

About this time I had completed bringing all of the supplies to the front door, just in time to see the first clone un-snapping the now-free belt, folding it over once, and slipping it into a pouch, where all of the belts were kept.

“How are the belts holding up?” I asked.

“Fine! One might be a little low on fuel, but the others are fine. We should be good for a month or two.” She zipped the pouch closed. “Actually the fourth one we almost never use. You and Jenny usually have all of them topped-off before we ever need it.”

I gave Jenny four belts, for her two clones. That way there were spares. I thought that the integration process would add noticeable mass to them, and therefore I thought we would use up the density/fuel material for the girls much more quickly. In reality, it was not the case.

“You know,” The other clone arrived with the last of her supplies, having finished the house, and proceeded to put her own belt away. “Wouldn't it be nice if you could make a belt like this for Jenny? Like something with vitamins or whatever to help her human-body. She doesn't really eat well anyway.”

“Huh. I'll consider that.” my mind already wondering. My NanoTech reseach had come a long way in a year. But, I had never thought of that, and it was a great idea.

As soon as the supplies were loaded, just one carrier remained. I returned into the house as the girls were removing and folding-up their shirts, preparing for storage.

One looked up and said; “So, in case you haven't had your share of creeper comments for today: I like it when you deflate me!” The other tisked, following with a sneering “Really??”

“Ha! Really?” was my response, but much more honest, “Is that...bad?”

“We don't know.” The other chimed in. “But, she's right. Maybe it's because Jenny trusts you so much. You mean the world to her, you know.” It was nice to hear. “Or, it could just be because you're a guy. It it feels amazing! Who knows? Either way, I'm ready. Me first!” She pushed her sister out of the way.

With a cross between excitement and contentment, she moved to me, her valve protruding from her back, just as I held her. I opened it, and she sighed softly. Her feet, of course, losing air first. Followed by her legs, and thighs. Fold lines began to appear everywhere, while her hips and stomach receded and flattened. This just never seemed to get old. And they always enjoyed it!

“Thank you for holding us.” the other whispered, her eyes wide, smiling at the girl in my arms. “It's really nice to deflate when you do.”

The one in my arms let out a soft, slow moan, just as her breasts caved.

Soon, her neck and head began to lose shape, her mouth closing in on itself, sealing her lips together. Soon after, her eyes closed, her skin finally relaxed; now limp in my arms. I smiled. She seemed so content this way.

Then I caught the other looking at me funny. “Oh! Uh, can you remind me how to fold...uh...you...?” I fumbled over my words.

“Sure!” She giggled, taking the one from me, to lay her out on the ground. She began the ritual of folding her so that she most easily would fit into a storage pouch.

“We've started to get this to a science!” She explained.

Their pouches were not large. Basically 8 by 8 square and about an inch thick, they had a long, fold-over flap, and a divider. If you wanted to, you could fit 4 of them into one of the blue supply carriers. Naturally, Jenny had 4 pouches made to keep up the ruse that there the carrier was simply filled with supplies and paperwork.

“We fold ourselves small enough that all of our body can easily slide into one side of our pouch.” She folded her sister, working simultaneously as she explained, “Then, we fold our head back, over the divider ad into the other side, where our face is out, and so our hair will wrap around the pouch.” She brushed her sister's long, brown hair down along and around the bottom of the pouch, using the fold-over flap to enclose all of it into a clear, plastic square, where the girl's face, and peaceful slumber easily seen through the front.

She slipped the pouch in the carrier and moved over to me, ready for her own deflation. “Think you can handle it? It's okay if you unfold me and try again. Try as many times as you want. It uh...feels good!” She grinned.

“Okay! I'll do my best.” I admitted, pulling her open.

“You know,” she sighed softly, as she, too began to shrink in my arms, “I think we're onto something with that 'belt for Jenny'. Please think about it. Hell, you made us. It should be pretty easy!”

“You're right.” I nodded. Her legs and thighs going, “It would be easy. I just never thought to put a belt on a human before. I'll look at it.”

“Seriously.” She gave me a stern look, for a moment, and returned to bliss. Her moans marking the air leaving her chest. “Look at it for me. For Jenny...” she said again before her voice was no more.

She held my gaze until her head was nearly empty, still smiling after closing her eyes. I held her for a while - after she was still, as I often did whenever they let me deflate them. Then, I proceeded to fold her, and put her away as closely as she showed me.

She was right. It took me a few tries. I don't think she minded.